Legend of the Female General

Chapter 264: Grand Finale (4)

After the Beginning of Summer came Grain Buds, and once Grain Buds passed, the weather grew increasingly hot, with the Dragon Boat Festival fast approaching.

The Pacify Yue Army led by the Marquis of Wu'an recaptured Nine Rivers, with reports of victories coming one after another. The hundred thousand Wutuo soldiers were routed, their remnants fleeing westward, only to be completely annihilated by the Pacify Yue Army. Thus, He Yan, leading her troops for nearly three months, decisively triumphed in the desert and reclaimed Nine Rivers.

The people of Nine Rivers cheered daily, celebrating the hard-won victory. Within the Pacify Yue Army, no one dared to look down on this young female marquis anymore. She had proven her bravery and wisdom through victory.

He Yan sat in her room, tallying the spoils of war. The final great victory had yielded many captives and gains. Her deputy general entered from outside and spoke respectfully, "My lord, the city governor of Nine Rivers wishes for you to stay until after the Dragon Boat Festival before leaving."

The Wutuo soldiers in Nine Rivers had no chance of counterattacking. Originally, after handling and tallying matters here, she was to return to the capital immediately. However, likely out of gratitude to the soldiers of the Pacify Yue Army for driving away the Wutuo bandits, the people very much hoped they could stay a little longer.

Especially that female general.

On the battlefield, she was awe-inspiring and fearsome, yet toward ordinary civilians, she was exceptionally patient and amiable.

He Yan asked, "How many days until the Dragon Boat Festival?"

"Five more days," the deputy general replied.

He Yan fell silent for a moment. "Very well. We depart immediately after the Dragon Boat Festival."

The people, having just experienced war, needed a bit of hope. Staying might give them strength to better face the future they needed to rebuild.

Aside from fighting, this was all she could do for the people here.

The room was simple and plain. When the Wutuo soldiers occupied Nine Rivers, they looted, burned, and pillaged the city. Anything valuable was stolen or destroyed. Even the room she now lived in had half a wall scorched.

He Yan gazed at the map on the table and sighed almost imperceptibly.

At least Nine Rivers had been reclaimed.

There was still no news from Yunzi and Ji County, but word from the Bing River side had come back, and the situation seemed quite promising. That Nine Rivers could achieve victory so quickly was, in truth, thanks to her past experience leading troops to quell the Western Qiang rebellion. Mo County's terrain was similar to Nine Rivers', and the Pacify Yue Army had once been stationed in Mo County, which was why she had succeeded so smoothly.

She wondered how Yan He and Xiao Jue were faring now.

As she pondered, someone entered from outside—it was Wang Ba. Wang Ba pulled a letter from his chest and said, "A message has arrived from Ji County."

With brothers falling in battle one after another, Wang Ba had become much more composed now, rarely showing the domineering and arrogant demeanor he once had in Liangzhou Guard.

He Yan took the letter and eagerly opened it.

The last letter from Ji County had only mentioned that the plague situation was grim. After so long, she wondered how they were now.

The letter was brief, with only a few lines. As He Yan read, her expression grew grave.

Seeing her troubled look, Wang Ba asked, "What's wrong? Are the Wutuo people difficult to deal with?"

He Yan shook her head. "Yan He is in trouble."The letter was written by Yan He. Though it only lightly mentioned a few things, every sentence made He Yan's heart tremble with fear. Over the past few months, Ji County had been locked in a stalemate with the Wutuo People, but overall, the situation was stable. The only unstable element was Yan He himself. The letter stated that he had been poisoned by an incurable toxin from the Wutuo People. Hearing that Nine Rivers had been recaptured, and knowing that Yunzi and Bing River were in different directions from Ji County, the only place relatively close was Nine Rivers.

Yan He confessed that he feared his time was running out and worried that after his departure, there would be no one to lead the troops. He pleaded for He Yan's aid. Towards the end of the letter, he even found the heart to jest, saying that since He Yan had once sought his help in Rundu and he had led troops to assist, this could be considered repaying the favor for relieving the siege of Rundu back then.

Though there was still a hint of humor in his words, He Yan knew the situation could not be good. After all, Lin Shuanghe had accompanied Yan He to Ji County. If it were an ordinary poison, how could Lin Shuanghe fail to cure it? Yan He's letter spoke of his time running out...

She abruptly stood up.

Wang Ba asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Pass down the order. I cannot wait until after the Dragon Boat Festival. Today, we prepare our military supplies. Tomorrow, we set out for Ji County."

...

In the lush greenery of summer, after a night of rain, the soil exuded a damp, earthy scent.

By the river, a man in hemp clothes was crushing medicinal herbs before him, carefully mixing several types together.

A passing soldier kindly advised, "Doctor Lin, you've been busy here all night. You should rest now."

Lin Shuanghe looked up, revealing a face covered in stubble. His expression was weary, and from staying up all night, bloodshot veins had formed in his eyes, making him appear startling at first glance.

He raised his head, squinting as if dazzled by the sunlight. After a long moment, he shook his head, his voice hoarse. "No."

The patrolling soldier found it strange. For some reason, Doctor Lin had been tirelessly concocting herbs day and night for the past few days. Logically, the plague had already been contained, so there was no need for him to work so hard. Yet he rushed about frantically, as if driven by some unknown urgency.

However, since Lin Shuanghe refused to listen, there was nothing the soldier could do. He shook his head and walked away.

Lin Shuanghe lowered his gaze to the herbs in the earthenware pot.

Nearly two months had passed.

He had not developed an antidote. Worse still, Yan He's poisoning had deepened, and he had begun coughing up blood. The herbs Lin Shuanghe gathered could only temporarily make Yan He appear less haggard, lest the Yan family army notice anything amiss. The poison from the wound had already seeped into his internal organs. Lin Shuanghe knew all too well that Yan He's time was running out.

He worked tirelessly day and night, hoping to find a solution, but to no avail. No matter how hard he tried, Yan He's poisoning showed no improvement.

He had to admit his own helplessness.

Back in Shuojing, though he was known as the "White-robed Divine Hand," he had mostly treated women's ailments, often dealing with difficult and complex cases that were rarely life-threatening. In life, nothing mattered more than life and death. As long as there was life, there was hope. But now, he was forced to watch his friend inch closer to death day by day, while he, as a doctor, stood powerless.

Lin Shuanghe lowered his head, grinding the herbs, muttering to himself, "Faster, I must work faster..."

The herbs in the earthenware pot splattered as he crushed them with the iron pestle, some of the juice splashing onto his face, carrying a bitter fragrance. As he continued grinding, an overwhelming sense of helplessness and sorrow washed over him. He stopped his movements, his eyes suddenly reddening.He had never yearned so desperately as he did now for his medical skills to advance, to improve just a little more, so that he could save Yan He, instead of doing these trivial, insignificant things as he was at present.

But those around him did not yet know that every time their commander fought, he paid with the price of his life.

Lin Shuanghe stood up, washed his hands by the river, paused for a moment, then approached Yan He’s tent.

A low, suppressed cough sounded. The moment Lin Shuanghe lifted the tent flap, he saw Yan He wiping a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth.

“You!” he exclaimed in shock.

“Keep your voice down,” Yan He shook his head at him. “Don’t let anyone else see.”

Lin Shuanghe lowered the tent flap, took a few steps forward, and grabbed Yan He’s wrist to check his pulse. Yan He remained quiet, letting him proceed. After a moment, Lin Shuanghe released his hand, his lips trembling as he stared at him.

Yan He asked, “How much longer do I have?”

Lin Shuanghe did not answer.

“Then it seems it will be within these few days,” Yan He smiled, his expression tinged with unwillingness yet also seeming resigned. “Considering the time it took for me to send the letter to He Yan, she should probably arrive in a few more days. The timing is just right. I wonder if I’ll still be able to see her.”

“…No,” Lin Shuanghe instinctively spoke up. “I can still make the antidote. Wait for me, I definitely can. Besides, those Wutuo People must have the antidote… As long as we find them, we will surely get it!”

“You really are as foolish as ever. Even if you’ve never fought in a war, you should have some sense,” Yan He said disdainfully. “Those Wutuo People saw with their own eyes the arrow hit me. Now that they’ve finally managed to take me down, why would they hand over the antidote? Believe me, even if I captured their commander now and offered to exchange his life for it, they still wouldn’t give it up. There’s only one possibility—if I were willing to surrender and serve them, I might luckily keep my life. But such a thing, a son of the Yan family does not do.”

“A Guide Central General…” Yan He chuckled. “Even if they lose this battle, it’s not a loss for them.”

“And you,” Yan He frowned as he looked at him. “If you could make the antidote, would you have waited until now? Forget it, you’re just a physician, not the King of Hell. How could you decide life and death? Don’t think too highly of yourself. Keep your own miserable life and wait for the Marquis of Wu'an to save you.”

Lin Shuanghe’s expression was pained.

In the past, although he and Yan He had always exchanged sharp words and disliked each other, they were still classmates who had grown up together. Though he detested Yan He’s arrogance and belligerence, and Yan He looked down on his own lack of ambition, over all these years, they could still be considered “friends.”

“You don’t need to wear such a mournful face,” Yan He glanced at his expression as if disgusted. “Aren’t you physicians accustomed to life and death? How come you’re less at peace with it than I am? What are you so upset about? In a few decades, you’ll still have to come down and join me. I’ll just go ahead first and find that classmate who disguised herself as a man to spar with.”

Even at a time like this, he was still thinking about competing. Lin Shuanghe couldn’t help but laugh, but after laughing, he felt even more sorrowful. After a moment of silence, he asked, “Haven’t you thought about what will happen to your wife and Mu Xia in the future?”

Yan He’s carefree expression suddenly froze.He thought of the woman who always smiled gently, her earnest expectations for him before he left. She was so considerate; if she knew his news... she would probably cry, she would be heartbroken.

Yan He suddenly felt sorrowful too, as if a damp wad of cotton were clogging his chest, suffocating and heavy.

After a long while, he slowly spoke, "Before I left, I promised Chengxiu I would try my best to return and see Mu Xia for the first time."

"But it seems now, I'm going to break that promise."

He lowered his head with a self-mocking smile. "Chengxiu hates people who break their word the most. If I don't return, she'll probably be angry. Lin Shuanghe, if you see her later, please explain to her that I didn't mean to."

"I have a bad temper. On the surface, everyone respects me, but I know deep down, no one really likes me—just like you, Xiao Huaijin, and He Yan. I'm not good at being a friend, but I'm not too bad as a husband. I originally wanted to keep improving and become the best father in Shuojing, but..."

His voice grew very soft. "There's no chance now."

Lin Shuanghe wanted to speak, but when he opened his mouth, he found himself at a loss for words.

"I used to think, if Chengxiu gave birth to a daughter, we'd name her Mu Xia. If it was a son, we'd call him Liangjiang. But now, thinking about it, even if it's a son, we could still name him Mu Xia."

"I wanted to watch her grow up with my own eyes, and when she was a little older, teach her: 'A true general does not fear death to avoid hardship; a noble warrior does not compromise integrity to preserve life.' Now I can't do that, but I also feel there's no better way to teach her than this. In the future, when she grows up and learns her father died on the battlefield, she'll understand without me having to teach her."

When he spoke of the unborn Mu Xia, the light in his eyes finally softened, filled with tenderness and longing.

Lin Shuanghe closed his eyes.

These words, like a last testament, pierced his heart like countless sharp needles.

"Don't grieve for me, and don't ache for me. For a general, dying on the battlefield is the best end. Though I have regrets, I have no regrets." Yan He stood up, walked out of the tent, and gazed into the distance, toward the city tower.

"Everyone who steps onto the battlefield has already prepared to die here."

"There are still a few days left," he said. "Let's keep going. Look ahead."

...

When He Yan arrived in Ji County, she saw a Lin Shuanghe completely different from before.

The elegant young master who always wore white robes, carried a folding fan, and exuded grace at all times was now haggard beyond recognition. His clothes were stained with blood and mud, his face looked unwashed for days, and he was unshaven and disheveled, so much so that He Yan almost didn't recognize him at first glance.

"Brother Lin..." she dismounted and stepped forward to ask.

"You're here," a faint glimmer of life finally appeared in Lin Shuanghe's dull eyes. He murmured, "Come and see Yan He."

Yan He died on the battlefield.

He had been poisoned with an incurable toxin. Knowing full well that intense activity would spread the poison faster and deeper, he refused to stop because of the ongoing battle. Like a candle already burned down to its last inch, he burned fiercely until he was completely consumed.

He died just after winning a battle.The young general lay in the tent, the grime wiped clean from his face. His hair was tied high as in his youth, the silver spear placed beside him. One could still glimpse the spirited figure he once was, but when He Yan approached, he would no longer glare defiantly or arrogantly challenge her to a duel.

"He knew his time was short. Before he left, he asked me to give these to you." Lin Shuanghe handed the box to He Yan. She opened it to find meticulously written documents inside. Yan He had recorded all the battle conditions and military forces in Ji County, clearly organized, so that when He Yan arrived, she would not be left in confusion.

He had been thorough, likely thinking of this war until his final breath.

"How are things in Ji County?" He Yan asked.

Lin Shuanghe shook his head, his voice low. "After Yan He passed, the morale of the Yan Army collapsed. The Wutuo People seized the opportunity to attack twice in succession. Without Yan He, the Yan Army was like scattered sand, utterly defeated."

He Yan replied, "It's not the Yan Army's fault. Ji County's position is inherently easy to defend and hard to attack. They hold the advantageous terrain, making it doubly difficult for Yan He to assault the city. Moreover, they used such despicable methods."

"What now..."

"I need to meet with the deputy general of the Yan Army first, then we can discuss further," He Yan answered.

Lin Shuanghe nodded silently.

He Yan turned to leave but suddenly remembered something. She paused, looking back at Lin Shuanghe.

"Brother Lin," she said calmly, her gaze soothing, "it's not your fault that you couldn't save Yan He."

Those words finally gave Lin Shuanghe an outlet for the guilt and remorse he had carried all these days.

"No," his voice trembled slightly, revealing a vulnerability he had never shown before He Yan. "It's because I couldn't find the antidote..."

After Yan He's death, his subordinates finally learned that he had been poisoned. They blamed Lin Shuanghe, the so-called miracle doctor, for failing to find the antidote and save their general. Accusations and curses filled his ears constantly, and even at night, Lin Shuanghe would wake from nightmares.

The woman in crimson armor looked at him and spoke gently, "You are a physician, not a deity. You can treat illnesses and save lives, but you cannot decide life and death. Yan He was struck by a poisoned arrow from the Wutuo People. If we want to avenge him, we must win this war."

"You must pull yourself together, Doctor Lin," she changed her address. "I need your help."

"Ji County needs you."

...

In the tent, Yan He's deputy general, Chen Cheng, exclaimed in disbelief, "What did you say? Surrender?"

"Feigned surrender," He Yan clarified. "Since the Wutuo People already know General Yan is gone and the Yan Army is leaderless, they will surely press their advantage in the coming days. Rather than being constantly restrained by them, we should pretend to surrender. Once our people enter the city, the Pacify Yue Army and the Yan Army will follow behind, and we can seize the chaos to breach the gates."

"When the general was alive, we always faced the Wutuo People head-on. The men of the Yan Army never surrender, not even as a pretense!" Chen Cheng flatly refused.He Yan was not angry, only looking at him with a calm expression. "You've been stationed here for so long, you should be well aware of the terrain of Ji County. If we don't breach the city gates and keep camping outside, we're just depleting ourselves. Yan He led you to fight head-on, and you won many battles, killed many Wutuo People, but in the end? What happened in the end? Ji County is still occupied by the Wutuo People. If we can't enter the city, we can't win this war!"

"What do you know?" Chen Cheng said agitatedly. "You don't understand General Yan at all. You're in league with that Lin Shuanghe, just a hollow reputation, only causing trouble!"

Yan He's death was a heavy blow to everyone in the Yan Family Army. They resented Lin Shuanghe for not revealing the truth earlier, yet they knew nothing of Yan He's painstaking efforts.

He Yan's expression turned cold.

The deputy general of the Pacify Yue Army beside her spoke up in rebuke. "What hollow reputation? Commander He just led troops to recapture Nine Rivers and won a battle. What right do you have to look down on her?"

The Yan Family Army had never seen He Yan's skills on the battlefield, but the Pacify Yue Army had seen it clearly. If He Yan was just a hollow reputation, then there would be few truly "worthy" generals left in Great Wei.

"I'm not here to negotiate with you," He Yan said coldly. "I'm giving you an order. If you don't obey, you know the consequences of defying military orders." With a swift motion, she drew the sword from her waist, its blade gleaming like ice. "Feel free to test it."

"You..." Chen Cheng gritted his teeth. "You lead the Pacify Yue Army, not the Yan Family Army. The only master of the Yan Family Army is General Yan. What right do you have to command us?"

"Because your general handed the military tally to me, because your general personally named me to lead you into battle!" She raised her hand, and the military tally fell into the sight of everyone.

"Now," the woman's gaze was clear and steady, "do you still have any objections?"

With the military tally in hand, she could now command the Yan Family Army. Even if Chen Cheng had a million objections, he could say nothing more at this moment.

He gritted his teeth. "No."

"I know you're not convinced," He Yan said. "So I will personally lead the vanguard troops pretending to surrender."

Chen Cheng was stunned.

The first team to enter the city would undoubtedly be the most dangerous, like sheep entering a tiger's den. Great Wei's troops were all outside the city, surrounded by Wutuo People on all sides. If the Wutuo People suddenly turned on them and killed them...

This team would be sent to their deaths.

"Are you... sure?" Chen Cheng asked doubtfully.

He Yan glanced at him. For some reason, Chen Cheng felt his face grow warm under her gaze. The woman's voice was calm and indifferent. "Leading by example is what every commander does, not just your General Yan."

"And," she added, "Physician Lin was also following your general's orders. If you want to shift all the blame onto a physician and ignore the Wutuo People who truly caused your general's death—if you can't distinguish right from wrong, then I have nothing more to say. However," her voice carried a hint of mockery, "if your general saw this scene, he would be deeply disappointed in the army he built with his own hands."

"I..." Chen Cheng tried to speak again, but the woman no longer paid him any attention and walked straight out of the tent.He Yan had just stepped out of the tent when she froze. Lin Shuanghe stood outside, staring at her in a daze. It seemed he had overheard everything she had said inside.

Not that it mattered—she had meant every word.

"Thank you," Lin Shuanghe finally spoke after a moment of silence, offering a bitter smile. "But by speaking up for me like that, you’ve only made them resent you as well."

"I was merely stating the truth," He Yan replied, her gaze drifting into the distance. "You followed Yan He here, fought the plague, and treated the wounded—you’ve risked your life just as much as anyone." She smiled faintly. "But don’t hold it against them. They’re just overwhelmed with grief and momentarily misguided. In time, they’ll understand."

"I don’t hold it against them," Lin Shuanghe said, taking a deep breath before changing the subject. "I overheard you mention feigning surrender?"

"The Pacify Yue Army’s camp isn’t close by, and the Wutuo People likely haven’t noticed our arrival yet. They’re overconfident. Surrendering now will make them lower their guard and open the city gates. Only by entering the gates can we have a chance to capture all the Wutuo People."

"Wouldn’t the vanguard troops entering the city first be in great danger?"

The wind blew, lifting the woman's tied-up hair and letting it flutter gently.

Yet her voice was firm, calm and without the slightest hesitation.

"Battlefields are always dangerous," she said. "I am not afraid of danger."

(End of Chapter)