Chapter 32: The Road to Liang Province
The capital had been peaceful these past few days, yet undercurrents of tension stirred within the court. Spring had finally come to an end, and after the start of summer, the endless drizzle seemed unceasing, shrouding the entire city in misty rain.
Xiao Huaijin, the Right Army Commander, had volunteered to serve as the commanding officer, leading new recruits to Liang Province's garrison. With Xiao Huaijin's departure, the political landscape in the court shifted once more. The Crown Prince's faction now held their heads high, their joy barely concealed on their faces.
Matters of the court remained distant from the lives of ordinary citizens, who continued their daily routines of mundane necessities. The case of the young master of the Fan family's murder had yet to be resolved, with no culprit found. Unable to track down the killer, the Fan family redirected their fury toward Fan Cheng's widow. However, the widow's family, the Tang household, was no pushover. After waiting until the seventh-day memorial of Fan Cheng's passing, they forced the Fan patriarch to write a letter of divorce and took their daughter back home. Tang Ying, still in the bloom of youth, had lost her husband shortly after marriage. The Tang family would never allow her to remain a widow so young and naturally made plans for her future. Since she and Fan Cheng had no children, the Fan family had no choice but to relent.
In contrast, He Yan, who had also been killed alongside Fan Cheng and drowned in the Chunlai River—her body still missing—seemed like an insignificant side character in this tragedy, unworthy of even being mentioned. Apart from the He family, no one spoke of her, as if He Yan had never existed in this world.
The rain grew heavier as He Yun Sheng stepped out wearing a bamboo hat. After the incident with He Yan, he had temporarily stopped attending the academy. She had instructed him to retrieve a letter from Liuquan Tavern five days later, but today was already the tenth day. Only now had He Yun Sheng found an opportunity to slip out. He feared the Fan family might still be watching his movements, and he couldn’t risk ruining the chance He Yan had fought so hard to secure for their family.
Over the past few days, he had carefully scouted the area around their home. Confirming that the Fan family's surveillance had been completely withdrawn, he finally dared to leave. He changed into old, inconspicuous clothes, pulled his hat low, and slipped out through the back door, disappearing into the rain.
These ten days had been unbearable for He Yun Sheng. He couldn’t sleep at night, torn between wanting news of He Yan and dreading what he might hear. Thankfully, ten days had passed, and the authorities still hadn’t captured her—perhaps a sign that she was safe.
Yet he couldn’t help but wonder: if He Yan was still in the capital, where could she go? She had no friends outside the He family, which meant she must be wandering alone. Was she eating well? Sleeping well? Had anyone mistreated her? The thought made his steps quicken.
Liuquan Tavern earned its name from the spring behind it, flanked by a row of willow trees. On this rainy day, the tavern was nearly empty, and no one noticed when He Yun Sheng entered.
He remembered He Yan’s instructions clearly:
"Go to a tavern called Liuquan Tavern in the western part of the city. There’s a row of willow trees at the entrance. Find the third willow from the left and dig three inches down. I’ll leave a letter for you there."
He Yun Sheng crouched down.
Third willow from the left. Dig three inches down.The overturned soil still carried the dampness of recent rain. As he dug, his fingers brushed against something hard. He Yun Sheng's heart skipped a beat, and his hands moved faster. Moments later, he unearthed an oil-paper package. Without opening it immediately, he tucked the package into his robe, quickly filled the hole back with dirt, and then left the tavern.
After leaving, he jogged all the way home. Once there, finding He Sui absent, He Yun Sheng returned to his room, locked the door, and only then took out the package.
Having kept it close to his chest, the package remained dry and perfectly preserved. With trembling hands, He Yun Sheng unwrapped it to see what was inside.
There was a piece of clothing and a letter.
He Yun Sheng opened the letter first. It seemed hastily written on a scrap of wrinkled paper, likely leftover wrapping from pastries, with grease stains and scribbled characters in plant-ash ink on the blank side. The handwriting was wild and hurried:
"I have enlisted and am heading to Liang Province. The journey is long, so forgive me for not saying more. After the spring chill comes the summer heat—take care of yourself. Until we meet again, stay safe."
He Yun Sheng stared blankly at the words as if he didn’t recognize them. After a moment, realization dawned. Gritting his teeth, he reached for the clothing.
It was a summer robe made by the old tailor. On the day He Yan parted ways with him, they had each worn one for disguise. This one had been folded neatly by He Yan and sent back.
The fabric was cool to the touch, and as he ran his fingers over it, he seemed to see again the bright, reassuring smile on the girl’s face and hear her comforting words:
"Don’t worry, we’ll meet again."
The room was utterly silent.
Then, someone choked back a sob.
"Liar…"
…
The so-called "liar," He Yan, was unaware that she was being cursed behind her back.
At that moment, she was already on the road from the capital to Liang Province. The recruitment had gathered fewer than twenty thousand soldiers, with new additions along the way. Now that summer had arrived, the journey had become grueling. Starting early in the morning was manageable, but by noon, they were drenched in sweat.
Hong Shan sat on the grass, gnawing on dry rations while fanning himself with a leaf, grimacing from the heat. "Damn it, this weather’s unbearable. When will we finally arrive?"
"From here to Liang Province, it’ll take over two more months," He Yan gulped down some water. "Take it slow."
"I miss the mung bean soup from the capital," Xiao Mai smacked his lips. "Made just right, chilled in a well for hours, then served with a sprinkle of sugar—sweet and cool, so refreshing!"
His vivid description made everyone swallow hard.
"Stop talking about it," Hong Shan sighed. "Once you’re a soldier, forget mung bean soup—just being fed is a blessing. If you want to eat well, maybe after we earn some merits and get promoted, like Commander Xiao."
At the mention of Xiao Jue, He Yan chuckled inwardly.
She had enlisted and was traveling with the troops to Liang Province, marching day and night, sleeping in tents in the wild. Yet, she hadn’t caught a single glimpse of Xiao Jue. He and his officers rode at the front, and at night, their tents were surely different from those of the common soldiers. Besides, back at Xianchang Academy, He Yan had already known that Xiao Jue was a man of refined tastes—the second young master of the Xiao family, born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Even a princess might not live as luxuriously as he did.It seemed that even while on the march, his life was far more comfortable than theirs.
Both had become generals at a young age, yet fate had dealt them such different hands. To think that in this second life, she had ended up as a soldier under his command. He Yan sighed—who would believe such a story if she told it? She had hoped to earn military merits and rise quickly through the ranks, but Xiao Jue was an extremely demanding man. Serving under him, making a name for herself wouldn’t be easy.
What could she do? Her name was already on the military register. She could only take things one step at a time.
(End of Chapter)
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