Legend of the Female General

Chapter 86: Do You Like Me?

The moon hung pale, dew settled, and the wilderness stretched vast and serene. The aroma of wine mingled with the glow of the campfire, lending an air of rustic elegance. The recruits drank and feasted, chatting and admiring the moon—a sight unique to Liang Province's garrison.

Embers drifted on the autumn breeze, sparking fleeting worries they might catch on clothes, only to fade into ash moments later, accompanied by quiet murmurs.

Xiao Mai sniffled, "I can't even remember what my parents looked like anymore..."

"I've got it worse," Wang Ba said flatly. "I never even met my parents."

He Yan: "..." She raised her bowl and took a large gulp of wine, trying to steady herself.

What had begun as an attempt to console her had devolved into a competition of misery. While the other recruits laughed and reveled, their little group was steeped in gloom, a storm of sorrow brewing among them.

Watching Xiao Mai and Wang Ba sob in each other's arms, and Jiang Jiao—the young master—drinking alone with red-rimmed eyes, He Yan was at a loss for words. Well, so much for comforting anyone.

Huang Xiong glanced at her. "Brother He, you hold your liquor well."

He Yan paused, looking down at herself. Without realizing it, she was already on her third bowl. She didn’t know how much the original Miss He could drink—likely the delicate young lady wouldn’t be gulping down rough, pungent liquor from a chipped bowl. But for the former Flying Goose General, this was familiar.

In the cold, in fear, in sorrow, in hunger—if there was wine at hand, it could stave off hardship for a while. Wine could warm the body, steel the nerves, fill the belly, and drown sorrows.

In the capital, she had avoided alcohol entirely, fearing exposure. But in the Pacify Yue Army, in Mo County, she had gradually grown accustomed to it, even honing her tolerance until none of the recruits or junior officers in camp could outdrink her. Sometimes, after victory feasts, she was the only one left standing.

This must be what they call 'invincible loneliness.'

What surprised her was Shitou. Given his sturdy build and mountain upbringing, she’d assumed he could hold his liquor. Yet before he’d even finished half a bowl, he toppled backward, snoring— already drunk?

His younger brother Xiao Mai snatched the remaining half-bowl, clinking it with Wang Ba’s. "Who knew we were all kindred spirits in hardship? From now on, we’re family." With that, he downed it, his nose turning red from the burn. Barely the time it took for an incense stick to burn, and he too was sprawled out beside his elder brother, dead drunk.

He Yan: "...Truly brothers by blood."

Wang Ba, suddenly bereft of a drinking companion, slung an arm around Jiang Jiao’s shoulders and handed him a skewer of roasted rabbit. "Don’t just drown in your cup. Here, eat something. If your fiancée didn’t choose you, it just wasn’t meant to be." It was the first remotely human thing he’d ever said. "In life, meetings and partings are all fate. No use forcing it."

Jiang Jiao accepted the meat but remained silent, drinking steadily. Huang Xiong chuckled at the sight, gazing up at the moon. "I miss my family," he murmured to himself.He Yan took a small mooncake from the basket of pastries Cheng Lisu had given her. The mooncake was tiny, shaped like a water chestnut flower, with the red characters "Flowers in Full Bloom, Moon at Its Brightest" inscribed on top. She took a bite, tasting the sweetness of sesame and walnut.

"If they were still alive, I wouldn't be here. I'd be back at my family's farmstead," Huang Xiong said. "My mother's cooking was delicious. I miss her meals."

He Yan silently lowered her head and continued eating the cake. Huang Xiong turned to her and asked, "What about you? How did you usually spend this time of year?"

Mid-Autumn Festivals of the past? He Yan felt a momentary daze.

Before she joined the army, she would have spent Mid-Autumn Festival with the He family, like everyone else. But her status was peculiar—wherever she went, people watched her, leaving her little freedom. She actually enjoyed the lively atmosphere of the moon-worshipping ceremonies, but wearing a mask made it inconvenient. In the He household, she was an awkward presence. By birthright, she was the legitimate eldest daughter, yet she belonged neither to the main branch nor the secondary branch.

During her three years in Mo County after enlisting, every day was filled with fear, never knowing if she would die on the battlefield. Celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival with loved ones was out of the question.

Later, after returning to the capital and marrying into the Xu family—around this time last year—she had already gone blind.

Her heart had been full of hopes for "flowers in full bloom, moon at its brightest" with that person, but before those dreams could come true, she was plunged into darkness. Back then, she thought she would never escape it, that her life would remain that way forever. On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, she begged Xu Zhiheng to take her up the mountain to pray to the Buddha, hoping the bodhisattva might bless her with restored sight. Xu Zhiheng agreed.

In truth, that day, she hadn’t really gone to seek the Buddha’s blessing.

A sharp pain on her tongue—she had accidentally bitten herself. The sweet taste was instantly overtaken by the sting. He Yan snapped back to reality, avoiding Huang Xiong’s gaze as she replied nonchalantly, "Just like this, pretty much the same as now."

"Seeing you reminds me of my younger self," Huang Xiong said, taking a sip of wine. "You’re just like I was back then."

He Yan chuckled. "Old brother, my family is alive and well." In fact, they were doing better than most.

"But you’re not at peace," Huang Xiong said. She turned to look at him. The bald man’s face bore the wisdom and weariness of a man weathered by life’s storms. He rubbed his prayer beads and continued, "You have unfinished vengeance in your heart, so you’re constantly troubled, trapping yourself in it."

He Yan’s heart stirred, but she said nothing.

"I don’t know what grudge you bear," he said, gazing at the moon, "but sometimes, the look in your eyes is the same as mine back then."

He Yan felt a flicker of confusion. Did she really have such a look? She had always thought she hid it well.

"It’ll get better one day," the big man said, lowering his head and patting her shoulder. "You have to believe that."

He Yan remained silent, quietly lifting her wine bowl to drink. Huang Xiong said no more, focusing on his meat and wine. Wang Ba, somewhat drunk, sat slumped with a foolish grin, while Jiang Jiao buried his head in his knees—whether crying or asleep, it was hard to tell.

...The instructors gathered around the campfire, eating meat and drinking wine, finally able to relax after days of rigorous training that had begun showing results among the new recruits. Cheng Li Su had also joined them. As a young master from the capital, he had never experienced such novel entertainment before—even the roasted rabbit leg sprinkled with coarse salt tasted delicious to him. He had originally planned to find some free time to chat with He Yan, but after just one sip of wine, his legs grew weak, and he plopped back down, unable to move.

The instructors burst into good-natured laughter. Someone teased, "Young Master Cheng, you’ll need to practice your drinking skills more. With such a low tolerance, you can’t call yourself a true man of Liang Province!"

"I was never one of your Liang Province guards to begin with," Cheng Li Su muttered. "I’m just here to have some fun."

The boy always managed to declare his shortcomings with shameless confidence. If he were their own descendant, the instructors would have dragged him up and beaten him ten times over by now. But since he was Xiao Jue’s nephew, they merely said, "Young Master Cheng is truly carefree!" and "Drinking too much is bad anyway—my wife never lets me drink! We should all learn from Young Master Cheng!"

"But Young Master Cheng," Liang Ping asked, "is the Commander really not joining us for the festivities?"

"My uncle doesn’t like noisy places," Cheng Li Su replied. "He definitely won’t come."

The group felt a little disappointed. Some even thought Xiao Jue was too aloof—after all, it was Mid-Autumn Festival. A commander who wouldn’t celebrate even this occasion with his subordinates couldn’t possibly have deep bonds with them. It seemed arrogant.

But not everyone minded. Ma Damei chuckled and said, "How about we send some wine and food to the Commander? It’s a festival—being alone must be hard."

"No need," Cheng Li Su said. "My uncle would never drink this cheap yellow wine."

Everyone: "..."

Well, of course. He was, after all, the second young master of the Xiao family from the capital. He wouldn’t lower himself to drink inferior liquor.

Du Mao asked curiously, "Young Master Cheng, do you know how much the Commander can drink? I’ve heard the Flying Goose General could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. How does the Commander compare?"

At this, the instructors’ eyes gleamed as they turned to Cheng Li Su. Any topic comparing the Flying Goose General and General Feng Yun was always thrilling—from swordsmanship to drinking capacity, from height to temperament, people loved to pit them against each other. Unfortunately, apart from being former classmates, the two had never appeared together or competed directly. Moreover, the Flying Goose General had always worn a mask, so who was truly superior remained a mystery.

"Of course it’s my uncle," Cheng Li Su answered without hesitation. "In all my years, I’ve never seen him drunk."

In truth, Cheng Li Su had never even seen Xiao Jue drink. But he would never admit that in front of the instructors. No matter how impressive the Flying Goose General was, he couldn’t possibly surpass his uncle.

"Enough, enough—no gossiping behind people’s backs," Shen Han waved his hand dismissively. "Drink up! Why are you all chattering like old women? Young Master Cheng, here, let me toast you... Young Master Cheng?"

Young Master Cheng’s cheeks were flushed red—he was already drunk.

...

That night, the moon was veiled behind a curtain of clouds, casting sparse shadows upon the bed. The autumn air was silent, and someone was playing the zither.The moon hung over the magnolia trees, its bones of ice cradling a man as flawless as jade. A longsword hung on the wall, frost-white and snow-cold. The young man draped in an outer robe was strikingly handsome, his expression serene as his fingers danced over the zither strings, stirring emotions with each soaring note, intoxicating to the ear.

He played Flowing Light .

The melody stretched far and wide, like pearls cascading onto a jade plate. On this Mid-Autumn night, a time meant for reunion, even the instructors and recruits of Liang Province's garrison—though separated from their families by a thousand miles—gathered in merriment, singing and drinking heartily. None matched his solitude. Yet he seemed utterly unaware, focused solely on plucking the strings. His tied-back dark hair spilled over his shoulders, bathed in the moonlight's desolate hue.

From spring to autumn, from heat to cold—it all passed in the blink of an eye.

The moon grew even colder, lonelier, against the backdrop of his music. The night sky was clear as water, the melody drifting endlessly through the vast expanse, enough to move one to tears.

Suddenly, something clattered in the courtyard, a crisp sound shattering the melancholy tune. Xiao Jue paused, lifting his gaze. Through the window, he saw another object being tossed over the wall.

After a moment's hesitation, he rose and pushed the door open. Just then, a third object landed beside him. He bent to pick it up—a pebble.

Fei Nu emerged from the shadows behind him, whispering, "Young Master, outside—"

Xiao Jue opened the courtyard gate.

Outside stood a youth in red, holding a small jar of wine. The stopper had already been removed, releasing the rich aroma of Eighteen Immortals .

He was generous—such a precious jar, most would hoard it for ages, savoring only a sip at a time. Yet judging by his demeanor, he'd already drunk quite a bit.

This was He Yan.

Xiao Jue regarded him indifferently. He Yan blinked, as if only now seeing him clearly, and said, "Xiao Jue?"

Fei Nu behind him couldn't help but glance at He Yan—bold indeed, to address the young master by name.

"What are you doing here?" Xiao Jue asked.

"I've thought it over," the youth said, reeking of alcohol yet showing no sign of intoxication—it was impossible to tell if he was drunk or not. "You chose Lei Hou for the vanguard camp, and I’m not convinced. So, Xiao Jue," he grinned, "let's fight!"

Before the words fully left his mouth, he lunged at Xiao Jue!

Fei Nu moved to intervene, but Xiao Jue ordered, "Stay." He froze.

The youth flew forward, fist aimed at Xiao Jue, who sidestepped effortlessly, frowning at him.

He Yan had come unarmed, bare-handed. If this was an assassination attempt, it was laughably inept. Yet his words were clear, his gaze sharp—hardly the actions of a drunken fool. Xiao Jue decided to humor him, curious to see what he was up to. When the first strike missed, He Yan whirled around for another.

The youth was agile, genuinely intent on fighting, though his methods were crude and clumsy—like schoolboys brawling, throwing punches without care for precision.

Xiao Jue dodged again. After two failed attempts, He Yan muttered in confusion, "When did my skills become so poor?"

Fei Nu, standing to the side: "..."Did this young man really think he could defeat the Second Young Master Xiao? It was long rumored that He Yan of Liang Province's garrison was arrogant and insolent, and now, seeing it firsthand, it was indeed true. The young master truly had a good temper, not immediately throwing this brash fellow out the door.

She lost again and again, yet kept coming back undeterred. This time, Xiao Jue dodged her once more. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly noticed a dark object hurtling toward him from behind. Frowning, he instinctively drew his sword, Qiu Yin, and slashed horizontally.

With a crash, the object shattered into pieces. He stepped back, untouched. But He Yan, who had followed the object, couldn’t dodge in time and was drenched from head to toe.

Under the full moon, with the cool breeze and the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms in the air, the scent of wine permeated the surroundings. The shards of the Eighteen Immortals wine jar lay scattered on the ground, each piece exuding a crisp, rich aroma. The young man’s clothes were soaked in the scent as he frowned at Xiao Jue.

As if awakened by the sight of the shattered wine jar, she stepped forward, looking like a young lady whose hairpin had been trampled in the flower market, and demanded, "You broke it—you pay for it!"

Fei Nu observed the scene and thought the young man must indeed be drunk; otherwise, he wouldn’t speak so boldly and incoherently. He whispered to Xiao Jue, "Young Master, shall I take him away?"

Xiao Jue raised a hand to stop him and shook his head slightly.

Having served his master for years, Fei Nu understood his intentions with just a glance. Xiao Jue hadn’t thrown He Yan out immediately not because of his good temper, but because he wanted to test him. This young man’s identity was suspicious, riddled with inconsistencies. If he could extract some information while He Yan was drunk, it would save them a lot of trouble. If He Yan was pretending to be drunk tonight with ulterior motives, then his intentions were truly unforgivable.

Fei Nu retreated into the shadows of a tree and remained silent.

Xiao Jue turned and walked toward the house, saying as he went, "Why should I pay?"

Hearing this, the young man rushed into Xiao Jue’s room, stumbling slightly in his haste. He blocked Xiao Jue’s path and asked, "Do you know who I am?"

Xiao Jue chuckled, his gaze icy. "Who are you?"

He Yan slapped his thigh. "A true man never changes his name—I am He Yan! The best in Liang Province’s garrison!"

"The best in Liang Province’s garrison?" Xiao Jue looked at him with a mocking smile. "Who told you that?"

"Who needs to tell me?" The young man, whether drunk or not, spoke with astonishing confidence. "I know it in my heart."

Xiao Jue sidestepped him, set down his sword, and picked up the teapot to pour himself a cup. But before he could take a step, the young man stuck to him like a shadow, standing in front of him again and asking, "Tell me, am I short?"

Was this drunkard obsessed with comparing heights? Xiao Jue glanced at the top of his head, which barely reached his chest, and nodded. "Short."

He Yan: "I’m not short!"

Xiao Jue: "..."

He Yan pressed on, "Am I stupid?"

Xiao Jue paused in pouring his tea, staring at him before slowly replying, "Stupid."

He Yan: "I’m not stupid!"

Xiao Jue suddenly regretted not throwing He Yan out of the courtyard immediately. Instead, he had subjected himself to this torment in hopes of extracting information. Aside from listening to this nonsense, he had gained nothing useful. Either He Yan was truly foolish, or he was so cunning that not a single drop of truth could leak out."Do you have any more compliments for yourself? Go ahead," he said with downcast eyes, his tone indifferent.

He Yan: "I am tall and mighty, fierce and invincible, handsome and extraordinary, righteous and heroic. Such a noble and virtuous person—why, why does no one like me? Do you know how hard I work every day?"

Xiao Jue: "..."

"Because of you, I am very unhappy tonight on this Mid-Autumn night. Let me ask you," she took a step forward, closing the distance between them, looking up at him with eager eyes, "Do you like me?"

Xiao Jue took a step back, putting distance between them, and brushed at his sleeve, which had been tugged out of shape, as if avoiding a plague. He answered calmly, "I am not into men."

"Neither am I," He Yan muttered, then suddenly raised her head, her expression indignant. She loudly demanded, "Then why would you rather like Lei Hou than me! What does that man have besides being slightly taller than me? In terms of looks, skills, or the bond we shared in the past—Xiao Jue, you are too cruel, too blind! I am so disappointed!"

At that moment, Shen Han, who had just arrived outside the room intending to deliver some roasted rabbit meat to Xiao Jue, covered his mouth in shock. He had just overheard what seemed like an earth-shattering secret.

Inside the room, the young man dressed only in a pale inner robe stared wordlessly at the person before him. The youth looked up at him with sparkling eyes, her tone devoid of fear or hesitation, so straightforward it made one wonder what exactly was going on in her head.

What bond from the past? All she had done was give him a medicinal ointment in a mandarin duck flask—was that enough to call it a bond? This person was far too presumptuous.

"But it doesn’t matter," the youth suddenly grinned slyly and whispered, "If you pick Lei Hou for the vanguard camp, I’ll challenge him to spar every day—ten matches, ten losses. Soon, everyone in Liang Province will know that Xiao Jue is blind, with terrible taste. Let’s see what you do then!"

Xiao Jue: "..."

After saying this, He Yan hiccuped drunkenly, swayed, and collapsed onto Xiao Jue’s couch. As she fell, half her body landed on the horizontally placed Wanxiang qin, pressing the strings and producing a harsh twang before the instrument crashed to the ground with a loud clatter.

Xiao Jue stood in the middle of the room, his brow twitching faintly. He felt that today’s plan of using alcohol to extract information had gone disastrously wrong.

Noticing a hesitant figure lingering by the door, he said coldly, "What are you doing outside instead of coming in?"

Shen Han startled and shuffled forward nervously. Earlier, he had overheard a secret at the door, and then Fei Nu had spotted him in the courtyard—truly, he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Now that the commander was in a bad mood, he hoped he wouldn’t become the target of his frustration.

"This subordinate brought some freshly roasted rabbit meat, thinking the commander might not have had dinner yet," Shen Han placed the oil-paper-wrapped meat on the table. "Please enjoy, Commander. This subordinate will take his leave."

"Wait," Xiao Jue said irritably. "Can’t you see this big living person here?"

He gestured toward He Yan. Shen Han glanced over and felt a stir in his heart. Earlier, he had only heard He Yan speak as if she and Xiao Jue had an unusually close relationship. Now, seeing the youth sprawled so boldly on the second young master’s couch—Xiao Jue’s personal couch!—he realized that in all of Liang Province, only this one person would dare to do such a thing.

Their relationship was truly extraordinary!Xiao Jue walked to the couch, grabbed He Yan by the collar at the nape of her neck, and hauled her up before tossing her in front of Shen Han. "Your person. Take them away."

"Wouldn't dare, wouldn't dare," Shen Han said.

Xiao Jue: "What?"

Shen Han hurriedly replied, "What this subordinate means is, all the new recruits of Liang Province's garrison fall under the Commander's jurisdiction. How could they be considered this subordinate's people? They are the Commander's people."

Xiao Jue let out an exasperated laugh. "Shen Han, you're being unusually talkative today."

"This subordinate understands," Shen Han stiffened. "This subordinate will take him away at once!" Just as he turned to leave halfway, as if remembering something, he asked, "Commander, where does this subordinate think this young man should be sent?"

Xiao Jue looked at him calmly. "Would you like me to send him to your home?"

"N-no need!" Shen Han's scalp prickled, and he quickly said, "He Yan... should just be returned to his original quarters!"

After Shen Han left, Fei Nu entered the room.

Xiao Jue had already picked up the Evening Fragrance zither from the ground. Thanks to He Yan's weight, one of its strings had snapped. Staring at the broken string, the young man couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Young Master," Fei Nu looked in the direction where Chief Instructor Shen had departed, "Chief Instructor Shen seemed rather odd today."

"He's often odd," Xiao Jue replied.

"Young Master, do you think He Yan was truly drunk today?"

Xiao Jue set the zither aside. Earlier, He Yan had intended to drink tea, but the tea in the cup had already gone cold. He poured out the cold tea and refilled the cup, taking a small sip before answering, "Uncertain."

Uncertain whether He Yan was drunk, because a sober person likely wouldn't speak to him like that. Yet observing her gait, words, and expression, there wasn't a trace of confusion. Most importantly, tonight she had done nothing beyond crushing a zither, smashing a jar of wine, and spouting nonsense—including revealing which side she truly belonged to.

This was truly perplexing.

"He seemed quite displeased about Lei Hou being able to join the vanguard battalion," Fei Nu remarked. "He wants to enter the vanguard battalion."

Xiao Jue scoffed, "Not just the vanguard battalion. He's determined to have my Nine Banners Battalion."

"Then..." Fei Nu asked, "Should we send him to the vanguard battalion and play along with his scheme?"

"No need," Xiao Jue said. "I have other plans."

Fei Nu fell silent. Xiao Jue thought back to He Yan's earlier declaration that she would challenge Lei Hou daily to prove his poor judgment. Such shameless behavior came so naturally to her.

Looking around the room in disarray, with fragments scattered all over the courtyard, and now having to find time to visit Liang Province to have the zither repaired—He Yan actually had the audacity to say, "Because of you, this Mid-Autumn night has made me very unhappy." It was utterly unreasonable.

The young man stood in the room, elegant as jade, straight as a pine tree. After a long pause, he sneered, "Mad."

...

Outside, Shen Han, who was carrying He Yan on his back, was also very unhappy.

Bystanders looked at Shen Han in surprise and asked, "He Yan is drunk. Why is the Chief Instructor carrying him?"

Shen Han remained silent, his face dark. If he hadn't stumbled upon the relationship between He Yan and Xiao Jue, he would have at most found someone to drag He Yan back. But now that he knew the two had a deep connection, how could Shen Han dare to slight her?

He Yan had just said she shared "past ties" with Xiao Jue! It seemed they had known each other long ago. Then why had the Commander pretended not to know He Yan and secretly investigated her identity? Could it be that they were once close, but something happened along the way, leading to their current estrangement?

No wonder everyone in Great Wei knew Commander Xiao showed no interest in women. With his striking looks and unparalleled bravery, countless women threw themselves at him, yet even the most stunning beauties failed to move him. So... so it turned out he simply didn't favor that path!

At Xiao Jue's doorstep, He Yan's plaintive cry—"Why do you like Lei Hou and not me?"—had been so heart-wrenching it could bring listeners to tears. Unfortunately, the Commander's heart was as hard as iron, utterly unmoved. Shen Han's mind raced with wild speculations, growing more nervous by the minute, conjuring up increasingly bizarre stories.For example, He Yan and Xiao Jue had indeed known each other before and had been close for a time. However, Xiao Jue later discovered something unusual about He Yan's identity and severed their ties, drawing a clear line between them. As for He Yan, being young and unwilling to accept this, upon learning that Xiao Jue was coming to Liang Province, enlisted in the army to seek him out and demand an explanation. He even trained hard, hoping to join the vanguard camp and impress Xiao Jue.

He Yan did quite well, but unfortunately, Xiao Jue, to avoid suspicion, ended up selecting Lei Hou instead. Heartbroken and in pain, He Yan couldn't help but drown his sorrows in alcohol. In a drunken confession, he sought out Xiao Jue for answers.

The iron-willed Commander Xiao firmly refused. Still, out of some lingering sentiment, he allowed He Yan to sleep on his own couch.

Excellent, Shen Han applauded himself inwardly. Very reasonable—this must be how it happened, almost certainly.

Uncle: Straight men, don't even bother.

Shen Han: Drink the strongest liquor, ship the wildest CP.

(End of Chapter)