Chapter 29: Enlisting in the Army
“They went in this direction—after them!” The leader of the guards pointed for the approaching city defense troops.
With ample manpower, the soldiers gave chase in the direction he indicated. The remaining guards of Fan Cheng turned to their leader, one trembling as he asked, “The young master is dead… what do we do now?”
As Fan Cheng’s personal guards, their failure to protect him would inevitably bring the Fan family’s wrath upon them. At best, they would face severe punishment; at worst… they might be scapegoated and executed.
“Who was it that killed the young master?” another asked.
“I crossed blades with that person. Their skills were extraordinary,” the leader clenched his fists. “I was no match for them.”
“Were they targeting the young master? Heavens, who could it be?”
Who knew? Fan Cheng had committed countless atrocities. Whoever had taken his life clearly harbored deep-seated hatred. Perhaps it was the parents or brothers of the girls he had defiled, seeking vengeance for their loved ones—or someone else entirely. Now that he was dead, only capturing the killer would reveal the truth.
“What about… Miss He Yan?” someone finally remembered.
“She’s probably dead too.”
The river was deep and freezing. A woman with little strength had slim chances of surviving such a fall. But so what? No one cared. If He Yan had lived, the Fan family might have blamed her anyway. Death was better—a clean end, at least ensuring the He family’s troubles stopped here.
“Dead is dead,” the leader said woodenly. “Better that way.”
With those words, He Yan’s fate was sealed.
The sound of galloping hooves echoed through the streets, unsettling the city’s residents.
A young man in plain blue robes walked calmly past a dilapidated temple where beggars congregated, casually tossing a set of soaked, tattered clothes into a long-abandoned well.
He had already changed his attire during his escape—the spring garments were worn underneath, so only the outer layer needed discarding. There was no need for a headscarf now; it would only draw attention. He wiped a hand along a grimy wall, coating his fingers in dust, then smeared the soot across his face. Instantly, his overly pale complexion darkened, resembling… an ordinary, sun-weathered youth from a working-class family.
Yet he remained a handsome youth.
Unhurried, the young man continued forward, even as the city defense troops scoured the streets for suspects. Beneath his composed exterior, He Yan’s mind raced.
Fan Cheng’s guards had fought her. If they scrutinized carefully, they would recognize her build. While appearances could be disguised, one’s stature couldn’t be hidden. The capital’s defense troops were no useless fools—evading them wouldn’t be easy. Even hiding among beggars in the temple was risky; a few questions would reveal her as an unfamiliar face. And as for leaving the city… the gates were surely sealed by now. For the next month, entry and exit would be strictly monitored. A door-to-door search would eventually expose her.
A headache indeed.
The Fan family’s influence was greater than she had imagined, mobilizing so many just to hunt her down. Having barely reclaimed her life, He Yan had no intention of carelessly losing it here.
With troops closing in from all sides, her situation grew perilous.
Suddenly, she remembered something and reached into her sleeve, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper.
The sheet was creased and rain-soaked, its ink nearly illegible. It was the conscription notice He Yun Sheng had torn from the wall that day.
Enlistment…The conscription office was set up in the open space outside the horse pasture at the western end of the city. Tents had been erected there, where many people filled out their documents and underwent simple inspections before setting off together when the time came. This recruitment drive for Liang Province was hastily organized, so the standards likely wouldn't be strict—they weren't even limiting it to able-bodied men. In these peaceful times, only those in extreme poverty would willingly sign up for such hardship.
But this Conscription Notice came at just the right time.
Now that she was a wanted criminal, staying in the capital would only bring trouble. If discovered, she might implicate the He family. Moreover, remaining in the capital seemed pointless—the He family was beyond her reach, and the Xu family was an influential household she couldn't possibly approach. She wasn't yet in a position to demand what was rightfully hers.
Joining the military camp was the better option. Leaving the city with the conscripted troops—that was where she truly belonged.
When heaven closes one door, it opens another. She had been wondering how to explain her departure to the He father and son, but now she didn't need to think of excuses—this was the only path forward. Tomorrow was the last day of recruitment, and she had arrived just in time on the final evening.
He Yan smiled, feeling an unexpected lightness in her heart. Without hesitation, she strode toward the western horse pasture.
The pasture had originally been used for raising horses, but since the conscription tents were set up, the horses had been relocated. A burly, red-faced man sat in the front tent, a long sword at his waist. Because of the rain, he wore a felt hat, his eyes wide and intimidating even without anger. He was half-dozing, barely attentive.
Recruitment was nearly over. After tomorrow, the new recruits would depart for Liang Province. By now, anyone willing to join would have already signed up—there shouldn't be any newcomers.
When He Yan approached, the man didn’t even lift his eyelids. She had to speak first: "Brother, has recruitment ended?"
The man looked her up and down before answering slowly, "No."
"Good." Her face brightened. "I'm here to enlist."
"You?" The red-faced man gave her a skeptical look. "How old are you, kid?"
"Sixteen."
"Sixteen," he muttered. "You don’t look it. Never done hard labor before, have you? The military’s no joke. If you’re just fooling around, leave now—don’t waste my time."
"Brother, I’m serious about enlisting." He Yan recalled the expressions of soldiers she had known and mimicked their somber tone. "I’ve got no family left—can’t survive otherwise. If I don’t join, I’ll have to sell myself as a servant. Might as well go to the battlefield—either die there or earn merit and change my fate. Besides," she leaned in slightly, lowering her voice, "with this sudden recruitment, you’re probably short on men. One more won’t hurt—might even round out the numbers."
The man was swayed by her words. Thinking it over, he figured it was better to meet the quota quickly. "Fine, fine. If you’re set on throwing your life away, I won’t stop you. But mark my words—the barracks aren’t for lounging around. If you can’t handle it and try to desert, you’ll face military justice."
"I won’t desert." He Yan vowed firmly.The red-faced man scoffed. He'd seen plenty of youths like this—full of confidence when they arrived, yet pissing themselves in fear when real battle came.
"Then fill out this document," he said, pushing the paper toward He Yan.
At the outskirts of the western city's horse grounds, the city garrison turned their horses around. Ahead lay the recruitment tents of Liang Province—no need to go further.
He Yan swiftly wrote two characters.
This time, she used her own name.
He Yan.
(End of Chapter)
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