Legend of the Female General

Chapter 89: Rescuing the Fallen

After the meal, He Yan had to clutch the railing to climb upstairs.

The dishes were undoubtedly delicious, but being forced to clean every last grain from her plate made even the finest delicacies hard to swallow. When she finally finished, earning the privilege to eat tomorrow, she still had to endure Xiao Jue's sidelong glance and his lighthearted jab: "Truly, you have the appetite of two men."

If he hadn't insisted on not wasting food, would she have made such a spectacle of herself in front of everyone? The other diners were looking at her strangely, and He Yan felt utterly embarrassed.

Too full to bother with Xiao Jue, she followed the attendant upstairs by herself. Surprisingly, Fei Nu didn’t come along either. She couldn’t be bothered to care and collapsed onto the bed as soon as she entered the room.

This was truly unbearable—she was so stuffed she could barely move.

The bedding beneath her was soft and comfortable. He Yan couldn’t resist rolling around a little. Ah, having money was wonderful—even travel accommodations were this luxurious. Xiao Jue’s room was right next door. Pressing her ear against the wall, she tried to eavesdrop on what he was doing, but the walls were too thick, and she couldn’t hear a thing.

Listening intently, He Yan eventually dozed off.

They had traveled half the day, feasted heartily upon returning, and now the bed was so comfortable—it was impossible not to fall asleep. When she woke, the sun had long set, and the moon had risen. She opened the window to see lanterns lit downstairs, and in the distance, the sound of a songstress singing from a nearby tavern drifted over.

Rubbing her eyes, He Yan drank a cup of water, then got up and pushed open the door. She walked to Xiao Jue’s room and knocked.

After a moment, a voice came from inside: "Enter."

He Yan stepped in. The room was lit, with Fei Nu standing guard by the door. Xiao Jue sat at the table, reading a book.

Did this man never get tired? Back at Xianchang Academy, she had never seen him study so diligently. Now, of all times, he was putting in effort. A pang of shame struck He Yan—this was what they called "learning knows no bounds." She craned her neck, trying to see what book he was reading, but he snapped it shut before she could catch a glimpse.

He lifted his gaze, his eyes cold. "What is it?"

He Yan replied, "Commander, what are your plans for the evening?"

"Nothing."

"So you’re not going out?"

He asked, "What do you want to say?"

"Well," He Yan grinned, "if you don’t have anything to do, I’d like to go out and explore. It’s my first time in Liang Province, and I’d like to see if there’s anything interesting around." She made up an excuse: "If I find something nice, I might buy it for my fiancée."

Xiao Jue seemed uninterested in her affairs and replied indifferently, "Do as you wish."

Overjoyed, He Yan exclaimed, "Wonderful! Commander, I’ll take my leave!"

She practically skipped downstairs. After she left, Xiao Jue called, "Fei Nu."

The guard understood immediately. "Young Master, I’ll follow him."

"Don’t get too close," Xiao Jue warned. "Be careful not to be spotted."

"Understood."

...

He Yan strode out eagerly.Yuan Baozhen had not yet arrived in Liang Province. Over the next few days, they stayed at an inn. They had come to the city early without informing the local magistrate. Aside from repairing the qin, Xiao Jue likely had other matters to attend to. However, He Yan had no intention of following him around. At least for now, Xiao Jue showed no signs of trusting her, so there was no point in trying to ingratiate herself where she wasn’t wanted. Nor did she wish to stay in the inn reading books like Xiao Jue—that would only remind her of the dreadful memories from her days studying at Xianchang Academy.

The night was pleasant, perfect for a stroll. Though Yuan Baozhen hadn’t arrived in Liang Province yet, there were other ways to gather news about the He family. Anywhere with taverns or teahouses would do—just shout something like, “I’ve heard the latest about the Flying Goose General…” and countless conversations would spring up. Not to boast, but during her most famous years, storytellers in many places made tales of the Flying Goose General their daily staple.

Of course, they’d inevitably mention General Feng Yun as well.

At night, the streets of Liang Province weren’t as bustling as those in Shuojing, but they weren’t deserted either. Vendors along the roadside sold local specialties, and He Yan browsed as she walked. She only had the single ingot of silver she’d won during the flag competition.

Though Xiao Jue was posing as her “uncle,” he showed no intention of giving her spending money. Fortunately, He Yan was already well-fed and content, so she had no urge to splurge—just looking was enough.

A dozen paces behind her, Fei Nu followed closely.

Xiao Jue suspected He Yan’s identity was dubious, so he had brought her to Liang Province to keep an eye on her and see if she secretly contacted Xu Jingfu’s people. Fei Nu carried out his duty diligently, though he couldn’t help feeling a little puzzled.

This young man walked and looked around as if he’d never strolled through a city before, marveling at everything. He claimed he wanted to buy trinkets for his fiancée, yet after browsing so much, he hadn’t purchased a single thing. Either he was a miser who couldn’t even spare a box of rouge for a girl, or he was lying, and this was all just an act.

He Yan turned down a street and entered an alley. Remembering Xiao Jue’s instructions, Fei Nu didn’t dare follow too closely. He waited until he estimated He Yan was nearly at the end of the alley before turning in himself—only to freeze in surprise. The alley was empty, with only a few lanterns swaying in the wind. There was no trace of the young man.

Fei Nu cursed inwardly and hurried forward. The alley opened onto a main road, crowded with people in both directions, but the boy was nowhere in sight.

He had been discovered—not only that, but he had lost his target.

He Yan swung her sleeves as she walked ahead.

Liang Province didn’t seem entirely peaceful, with plenty of troublemakers lurking about. She had barely set foot in the city before someone started tailing her. The person had followed her the entire way, and since she hadn’t offended anyone recently, they were likely just looking for an easy mark. But with her current identity as Cheng Li Su and Xiao Jue still at the inn, it was best not to stir up trouble. So she didn’t confront them—didn’t even let them catch a glimpse of her—just quietly shook them off.

Without a tail, she could wander more freely. Still, aimless searching wasn’t the best approach. He Yan casually stopped a passerby on the street and smiled. “Excuse me, brother—do you know where the largest tavern in the city is?”The man looked her up and down, noting He Yan's luxurious attire and extraordinary appearance, assuming she was a young master from some wealthy family. His tone became exceptionally friendly as he said, "The largest tavern would be the Wanhua Pavilion."

"Thank you," He Yan asked again, "Could you tell me how to get to Wanhua Pavilion?"

"It's not far. Follow this street straight to the end. When you see a rice shop, turn left, and you'll spot it shortly after."

"Many thanks, brother." He Yan clasped her hands in gratitude before walking off cheerfully.

Just as the man had described, it didn't take long. Following the left turn past the rice shop, the sound of pipa music soon reached her ears. Numerous well-dressed young masters and gentlemen were heading in that direction—undoubtedly, this was Wanhua Pavilion.

He Yan followed the crowd inside.

Before even reaching the entrance, waves of fragrant breezes assailed her senses. He Yan paused mid-step, feeling somewhat puzzled. Suddenly, a swirl of red-scented wind rushed toward her, and a pair of snow-white arms draped over her shoulders. A woman's coquettish laughter teased her ears, "Young master, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time at our Wanhua Pavilion?"

He Yan: "..."

Hadn't she asked for the largest tavern? Could someone please explain why this Wanhua Pavilion turned out to be a brothel!

"I'm not here for this," He Yan said, attempting to remove the woman's hands. Instead of being offended, the woman clung tighter, pressing He Yan's arm against something soft and yielding, instantly making her face flush with embarrassment.

Even between women, this was far too intimate!

The red-clad woman pulled He Yan along as she chirped, "Even if you're not here for this, you can still come in and look around. Our Wanhua Pavilion is such fun."

Since this was a woman, He Yan couldn't use the same methods she'd employed against Wang Jiugui. Helpless, she sighed, "Miss, I have no silver. I'm very poor."

The woman glanced at He Yan's attire from head to toe and tittered, "Oh, young master, you're so amusing. Don't be so stingy. But even if you are, it's fine. Yunyan will treat you to drinks today—no charge. How about that?"

Her heavy perfume was overwhelming, making He Yan dizzy. Before she knew it, this Yunyan had dragged her into Wanhua Pavilion. Inside, warmth mingled with fragrant air. Onstage, a row of young women in flimsy garments played instruments and sang, while a crowd of young masters and scholars cheered below, tossing verses and reveling in decadence.

The place was packed—He Yan hadn't seen such a scene in ages. She froze, unsure where to go. Noticing this, Yunyan covered her mouth with a giggle and tugged at He Yan's arm again. "Young master, let's go upstairs. It's too crowded here, and you're so handsome—I fear someone might snatch you away." As she spoke, she even caressed He Yan's cheek.

He Yan shuddered, feeling like a rabbit trapped in a den of wolves, utterly uncomfortable. But Yunyan's fiery enthusiasm paid no heed to He Yan's expression as she pulled her upstairs.

Wanhua Pavilion had several floors. The ground level held the main stage, where courtesans performed. Above were private rooms—requiring more silver—reserved for distinguished guests. Higher still were the courtesans' living quarters.Yun Yan was not the most outstanding beauty in the Wanhua Pavilion, and she didn’t have many patrons who favored her. Today, she had finally managed to catch a wealthy young master like He Yan at the entrance and was reluctant to let go easily. Moreover, He Yan was quite handsome—if other girls saw him, they would surely try to snatch him away. With more monks than gruel, it was better to strike first and lock him in her room before anyone else could.

She kept holding onto He Yan’s hand, while He Yan pondered how to extricate herself naturally. As they walked upstairs, there were no more patrons embracing the girls in sight.

“There’s no one up here?” He Yan asked.

Yun Yan giggled. “Not everyone gets to enter a girl’s boudoir, young master. Don’t act coy when you’re already getting the better deal.”

The girls here were bold and fiery, and He Yan wasn’t sure how to handle them. As they passed by one room, suddenly, the door swung open, and a disheveled figure rushed out, only to be yanked back by the hair before even reaching the doorway. Before He Yan could get a closer look, the door slammed shut with a loud “bang,” nearly hitting her nose and sending her fan flying.

Everything happened too fast, leaving He Yan momentarily stunned. Yun Yan quickly stepped forward. “Are you alright, young master? Did that hurt you?”

He Yan shook her head, bent down to pick up her fan, and then glanced at the tightly shut door. With her exceptional hearing, she could faintly hear a woman sobbing inside, followed by the scolding voice of a madam.

“Here…” He Yan reached out to push the door open.

“Young master, no!” Yun Yan blocked her hand, her eyes flashing with wariness. “What are you doing?”

He Yan’s mind raced, and when she looked up again, her expression was filled with nothing but curiosity. “Who’s in there? What was happening just now?”

Must be a first-timer at the brothel, knowing nothing. A hint of disdain flickered in Yun Yan’s heart, but she smiled and took He Yan’s arm again. “She’s a new girl here. Doesn’t know the rules and offended a guest. The madam is teaching her a lesson.”

“You have girls here who don’t know the rules?” He Yan remarked nonchalantly. “I thought everyone was as considerate as you.”

The compliment made Yun Yan beam with delight. “Young master, you’re such a sweet talker. We grew up in brothels—if we don’t follow the rules, we don’t eat. Of course, we wouldn’t dare offend guests. But some are different. They’ve never suffered hardships before, and when sudden misfortune strikes, they still think they’re the pampered young ladies they once were, acting spoiled and willful. They’ll learn after a few hard lessons.”

He Yan raised an eyebrow. “So she’s from a respectable family.”

“Young master,” Yun Yan pretended to be offended, lightly punching He Yan’s chest with a delicate fist. “Are you looking down on us brothel girls now?”

He Yan chuckled. “How could I? Compared to wildcats with claws, well-behaved girls are naturally more endearing.”

With her delicate features and dressed in Cheng Lisu’s luxurious robes, He Yan cut a dashing figure. If she deliberately played the part of a charming rogue, she could easily captivate a crowd of young ladies. Sure enough, Yun Yan was momentarily dazed by her smile and couldn’t help but chatter a little more."Though that may be, some people prefer wild cats with a temper. Even though this girl doesn’t know her place, the young master of the Liang Province magistrate’s household has specifically asked for her. Who knows where she got such luck?" There was a hint of envy in her tone.

"The magistrate’s son?" He Yan’s mind raced, but her expression betrayed nothing as she feigned surprise. "Is this girl so captivating that even the magistrate’s son came seeking her?"

"Seeking her?" Yun Yan scoffed. "This girl just arrived at our establishment, and when the madam told her to entertain a guest, it happened to be Young Master Sun. But instead of serving him, she had the audacity to stab his arm with a hairpin!"

"Young Master Sun is the magistrate’s only son—how could he let this slide? The madam was ordered to discipline her for a few days until she’s tamed, then send her over."

As Yun Yan walked ahead, she continued, "But this girl has some backbone. It’s been three whole days, and as you just saw, she’s still resisting. We haven’t seen such a stubborn girl in Wanhua Pavilion for a long time."

"What will you do?" He Yan fanned herself, feigning concern. "If she isn’t properly trained, how will you answer to Young Master Sun?"

"You jest, sir. There’s no girl Wanhua Pavilion can’t tame. Even the most defiant ones, once given a little something in their drink, won’t be able to resist. This girl is just making things harder for herself. If she had obeyed and pleased Young Master Sun, she might’ve even become his concubine. But now, even if she ends up in his bed, she’ll never win his favor. Who knows how miserable her fate will be?"

Her tone carried both envy and pity.

"Perhaps she’ll come around in the next few days," He Yan soothed. "No need to worry too much."

Yun Yan shook her head. "I doubt there’s time. Soon, Young Master Sun’s men will come for her. She was probably getting ready just now."

He Yan fell silent.

Yun Yan seemed to realize she had spoken too much and quickly resumed her earlier coquettish smile, pulling He Yan toward the last room at the end of the hall. "Why are we talking about others, sir? Let’s focus on us instead."

It was a lady’s boudoir—not very large, with rouge and powder on the dressing table and peony-red curtains that made the night feel all too short.

Her arms wrapped around He Yan’s neck again.

He Yan’s scalp prickled, but she maintained the air of a dashing young master, smiling. "Having a beauty in my arms is delightful, but don’t you think something’s missing?"

Yun Yan asked, "What’s missing?"

"Fine wine, of course. Meeting you feels like fate, and such a moment calls for a toast." Recalling how He Yuanliang used to flirt with the concubines back home, she tapped Yun Yan’s nose playfully. "Didn’t you promise to treat me to drinks? Or were you lying?"

Even a seasoned courtesan couldn’t help but be charmed by such a handsome young man’s teasing. Yun Yan stamped her foot. "Of course not! Wait here—I’ll fetch the wine. Tonight… we’ll drink until dawn!"She threw a flirtatious glance and swayed her hips as she left the room. Once she was gone, He Yan plopped onto the chair and finally let out a sigh of relief. Whether in the past or present, pretending to be a man visiting a brothel was something she was utterly inept at—it was downright torturous. Even more dreadful than attending Xianchang Academy.

With a flick of her sleeve, a small crumpled paper ball tumbled out.

Earlier, as she passed by a certain room, someone had suddenly rushed out only to be dragged back inside. In that brief moment, a paper ball had been tossed out. Afraid Yunyan might notice, He Yan had deliberately dropped her fan to cover it. When she bent to pick up the fan, she had also scooped up the paper ball.

She had been too wary of Yunyan discovering it until now to dare take it out. The paper was crumpled and worn. He Yan unfolded it to find two words scrawled inside:

"Save me."

The handwriting was done with eyebrow pigment, smudged and faint. The writer must have been frantic, yet even so, the delicate strokes of the calligraphy were unmistakably elegant.

There was a girl trapped in that room.

Though Yunyan had spoken with lofty words, the truth boiled down to just four: forced into prostitution. Now that He Yan was under Xiao Jue's protection, she shouldn’t meddle in such matters to avoid trouble. Yet ever since learning of this, a suffocating anger had settled in her chest, making it impossible to stand idly by.

He Yan tucked the paper away again, stood up, and pushed the door open to leave.

By the time Yunyan returned with wine, the room was already empty. She stood dumbfounded for a moment before stamping her foot and cursing, "Cheat!"

...

Night deepened.

The songs from Wanhua Pavilion grew increasingly seductive and ambiguous. Men and women clung to each other, whispering sweet nothings—whether in pretense or sincerity was hard to say.

The moon here wasn’t as clear and bright as it had been at the military outpost. Perhaps because it lacked the backdrop of mountains and rivers, it seemed less expansive and more hazy.

In the teahouse across from Wanhua Pavilion, a finely dressed youth sat sipping tea.

Unable to bring herself to spend that silver ingot, He Yan had instead plucked a button from Cheng Lisu’s robe. The button was even adorned with gold. She used it to buy the cheapest cup of tea available.

The teahouse owner had likely never encountered such an oddity—someone dressed in luxurious robes yet paying with a torn-off button. His gaze was indescribable as he said, "Young master, you’d better keep this button. This cup of tea is on the house."

He Yan: "...Thank you." She leisurely pocketed the button again, thinking she’d sew it back onto Cheng Lisu’s robe later. Why later? Because she still had to roam the streets these next few days—what if she needed tea again? Better to avoid tearing it off a second time.

If Cheng Lisu knew He Yan had such thoughts, he’d probably regret lending her his clothes.

As the night wore on, Wanhua Pavilion grew livelier, with more guests arriving and few leaving. With fragrant, soft beauties in their arms, it was only natural they’d linger. At this hour, anyone leaving the pavilion stood out clearly.

A carriage stopped in front of Wanhua Pavilion.

Two plump matrons supported a woman as she stepped out. The woman leaned heavily against one of them, as if drunk. He Yan narrowed her eyes—it looked less like they were helping her walk and more like they were dragging her.

This was likely the "unyielding girl" Yunyan had mentioned, the one favored by Young Master Sun.The spirited young woman was loaded onto the carriage, which then departed. Aside from the coachman, two guards followed alongside, looking every bit like armed escorts for valuable goods. He Yan inwardly cursed—this was truly treating a person as mere cargo in broad daylight.

She set down her teacup and silently trailed after them.

The street lanterns in Liang Province city were sparse, making the night appear especially dark. Several times, He Yan felt the carriage was about to merge completely with the endless night.

The two guards sat on the carriage shafts, chatting as they went.

"She's been much more docile today—not a single sound out of her."

"Once she enters the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Flowers, what good could possibly come of it? This girl simply doesn't know what's good for her. If she'd obeyed earlier, why suffer all this torment?"

"Didn't she claim to be a young lady from a wealthy family? It's no surprise she can't accept it. But this works out well—the young master doesn't care for her. After tonight, perhaps we'll get to enjoy her."

They exchanged glances, their laughter utterly lewd.

Just as they were speaking, the carriage suddenly lurched forward, nearly throwing them off. One of them shouted angrily, "Hey! What's going on?" as he looked up.

Under the low eaves, a figure sat at that moment. Dressed in fine robes with his hair tied up, half his face was covered by a handkerchief, revealing only a pair of eyes that seemed to be smiling faintly, though the dimness of the night made it hard to tell. He was tossing a few stones up and down in his hand, and the reason the carriage had stopped was precisely because one of these stones had slashed the wheel, rendering it immobile.

"Who are you?" a guard barked as he stepped down from the carriage.

"Are you stupid?" the man replied in a low, muffled voice that couldn’t hide his arrogance. He pointed at himself. "Dressed like this, obviously I’m here to rob you."

Rob them?

In broad daylight—no, well, it was the dead of night—but still, the word "robbery" hadn’t been heard in Liang Province for a long time. More importantly, who in Liang Province would dare to rob them?

"You must have a death wish!" the guard sneered. "Do you even know who we are?"

"I do," the man drawled. "The Sun family, the magistrate’s household."

"Then how dare you—"

"I dare!" The guard’s words were cut off as the man leaped down from the eaves and charged forward.

The night was deep, and the road was deserted. The terrified coachman had already abandoned the carriage and fled in panic. The two guards, however, couldn’t back down, and in an instant, the three were locked in combat.

The commotion outside seemed to disturb the person inside the carriage, as rustling sounds emerged, as though someone was trying to come out. He Yan shouted, "Stay inside! Don’t move!"

Immediately, the sounds ceased, and there was no further movement. One of the guards suddenly seemed to understand. "You’re her lover! So this isn’t a robbery—you’re in cahoots!"

"Are all you Sun family members this dense?" He Yan marveled, punching him square in the face and sending him sprawling to the ground, unable to get up for a long while.

The other guard rushed at her with a blade, but his strength, though sufficient against an ordinary person, was no match for He Yan. With a faint smile, she seized his wrist. The man barely had time to let out a scream before his knife clattered to the ground, and He Yan kicked him several meters away.

Though these two were supposedly the young master Sun’s guards, He Yan couldn’t see any real skill in them. They were probably just sent along casually to fetch someone. Who would’ve thought that on the Sun family’s own turf, someone would be bold enough to intercept them without fear?

She bent down and picked up the knife that had just fallen.

The two guards, thoroughly beaten and defenseless, instinctively backed away as the masked figure advanced. One of them pleaded, "Let’s talk this out. Don’t be rash, great hero! Great hero!"

This one was trying to soften her up, but the other remained defiant—though whether it was genuine or just bravado was unclear. He glared at He Yan and sneered, "You’ve got some nerve, punk, messing with the Sun family. Just know that if you take her tonight, tomorrow it’ll be your turn. You’ve just made a huge mistake!"

He Yan didn’t even glance at them as she strode forward. When both men had turned pale, she swung the knife and severed the rope connecting the carriage to the horse.

"Would I be afraid?"

With that, she reached into the carriage and pulled out the person inside. The woman, drugged and unable to move, stared wide-eyed at He Yan.He Yan helped her onto the horse, then mounted it himself. With a crack of the whip, they swiftly disappeared into the night.

(The end of this chapter)