Legend of the Female General

Chapter 95: Ambush

"Don't drink!"

Her voice was like a sharp sword, carrying a blood-chilling urgency that abruptly shattered the jovial atmosphere of the banquet.

The incident happened at that very moment.

Yingyue, who stood beside Xiao Jue, was holding a wine jug. She had just finished pouring wine and hadn’t yet withdrawn her hand. The moment He Yan’s voice fell, as if receiving some signal, a dagger suddenly emerged from beneath the jug. Without hesitation, it stabbed straight toward Xiao Jue.

The young man’s expression remained calm, showing no trace of panic. The jade cup in his hand flew out, colliding with the dagger midair and shattering into pieces—but also stopping the blade’s deadly thrust.

In an instant, the wind howled from all directions. The beautiful women who had just performed their dance had not all retreated; they stood on either side, and now they lunged at Xiao Jue. This was a meticulously planned assassination.

"Uncle!" He Yan called out, but the young man merely slammed the table, his long sword falling into his grasp. Surrounded by over a dozen attackers, he coldly ordered, "Stay back!"

Sun Xiangfu seemed stunned by the sudden turn of events, cowering under a long table in terror while shouting, "Guards! Someone, help—"

He Yan, however, kept her attention fixed on the guard behind Yuan Baozhen. She had assumed that since this man was He Rufei’s subordinate, his presence behind Yuan Baozhen must have some purpose. But in her shock and fury, she had only focused on the wine on the table, never suspecting that the women around them were assassins. Yuan Baozhen was hastily retreating under the protection of his guard, his face pale with panic.

Yet the guard did not strike.

Could today’s ambush be a coincidence? He Yan wondered, but when she looked back at Xiao Jue, surrounded and fighting alone, she nearly exploded with rage.

The assassins were all women—whether they had been dancing or playing the zither earlier, each moved with eerie grace. Though they appeared delicate and gentle, their attacks were vicious and ruthless. Hidden in their sleeves were concealed arrows, and as their flowing sleeves swept through the air, the hidden weapons shot toward Xiao Jue.

In the vast banquet hall, Xiao Jue stood alone against ten. Whether in her past life on the battlefield or in this life’s duels on the Martial Arts Field, He Yan had always fought openly and honorably. She had never encountered such underhanded, dirty tactics. Filled with righteous fury, she grabbed a small knife from the table—used for slicing roasted venison—and charged into the fray.

"Uncle, I’ll help you!"

Halfway through her shout, He Yan suddenly remembered she was now "Cheng Li Su," the good-for-nothing young master from Shuo Jing. How could he possibly know martial arts? She couldn’t openly display her skills. Thinking quickly, she cried out, "Why are their sleeves so long? I can’t even see you!" As she spoke, she grabbed one woman’s sleeve and slashed it with her knife, severing the flowing fabric.

The long sleeve instantly became a short one, making any further hidden weapons far more obvious. He Yan continued to shout and weave through the crowd, her movements nimble as a loach—slippery and impossible to catch. The young man screamed and cursed, turning the chaotic scene almost comical.

Xiao Jue swung his sword, deflecting a blade from one of the women, then glanced at her.

He Yan was still yelling, "Help! Murder!" as she blocked a dart flying toward her face and kicked another woman squarely in the jaw.

Xiao Jue’s lips twitched.The songstresses' target had always been Xiao Jue—all their venomous attacks and hidden weapons were aimed solely at him. The sudden intrusion of this young lad threw everything into chaos. Yingyue's face darkened with rage as she clenched her fingers and hissed through gritted teeth, "Damn you!" Her palm shot straight toward He Yan's crown.

With a yelp, He Yan dodged behind Xiao Jue, crying out "Uncle, save me!" while inwardly astonished.

These dozen or so women were all exceptionally skilled—their abilities weren't something one could cultivate overnight. Their techniques rather resembled those of assassins specifically trained for killing.

Just who had Xiao Jue offended to warrant such lethal measures?

Among the women, Yingyue stood out—not necessarily as the most skilled, but certainly the most relentless with her hidden weapons. Date-pit darts, plum blossom needles, Emei spikes, iron lotuses... He Yan couldn't fathom how she concealed so many weapons in her sleeves. Yet Xiao Jue seemed unwilling to take her life, deliberately avoiding fatal strikes with his sword.

He Yan knew Xiao Jue had been a sword prodigy since youth, his martial prowess extraordinary. Now, witnessing him in action after their long separation under such circumstances—it was breathtaking. None of the assassins could get close, all falling wounded by the Autumn Drinker sword. With a sharp tug on Yingyue's sleeve, he spun her forward, his blade instantly at her throat.

His voice, deeper than the earlier zither music, carried an unmistakable lethal edge. "Who sent you?"

He Yan's gaze involuntarily shifted to the guard behind Yuan Baozhen.

The guard shielded Yuan Baozhen, revealing his previously shadowed face. His expression mirrored panic, as if equally unprepared for this turn of events—nothing seemed amiss. Yet He Yan noticed his index finger subtly curling into a half-circle.

No one would notice a guard's minute gesture at such a time—unless, like He Yan, they'd been watching him intently.

Years of instinct made her whirl around just as the doorkeeper—who'd been cowering under a table—lunged at Xiao Jue. "Look out!"

With Xiao Jue's sword still at Yingyue's throat, He Yan shoved him aside without hesitation. The attacker met Xiao Jue's blade through his throat.

All the assassins had been women—who'd suspect this servant? From the first moment of chaos, he'd hidden like any helpless underling. Who could guess he'd be the final piece?

"Are you hurt?" Xiao Jue frowned at her.

He Yan shook her head.

From the floor, Yingyue suddenly laughed.

In the deathly silence, her laughter grated. He Yan turned to see the beautiful woman's bloodstained lips twisted in vicious triumph.

Stepping forward, He Yan demanded, "Who are you? Why attack my uncle?"

Yingyue glared venomously. "Had you not interfered, things wouldn't have come to this! You'll never know... who my master is..."

Her coughs brought up increasingly dark blood. Glancing around, He Yan saw the same from the other women—true assassins, taking their own lives upon failure.

"Is that so?" Xiao Jue suddenly smiled down at Yingyue, eyes mocking. "Countless want me dead. But only one would be this impatient.""I'll accept this grand gift from your master. I hope my return gift is something your master can bear."

Yingyue's face changed drastically. But she had already taken poison, and in moments, her complexion turned ashen. Like the dozen other women, her fragrant soul dissipated, leaving no trace of life.

Xiao Jue stepped over her corpse and stood in the center of the hall, glaring at Sun Xiangfu, who was trembling beneath a low table. He demanded, "Magistrate Sun, care to explain why maids at your banquet attempted to assassinate me? Was this a deliberate plot against this commander?"

Sun Xiangfu's mind had already turned to mush from fear, and at these words, he nearly burst into tears. Only after confirming all the assassins were dead did he dare emerge from under the table, babbling explanations: "Commander, I truly didn't know! I wouldn't dare plot against you even with ten extra lives! These singing girls only arrived at my residence half a month ago... I had no idea they were assassins! Minister Yuan, please help me explain! I really don't know what's happening!"

Yuan Baozhen, who had remained silent until now, finally collected himself. Patting his chest in lingering fear, he said, "Magistrate Sun, the issue isn't whether you knew. These were your household entertainers. Had anything happened to Commander Xiao today, you'd never escape responsibility. This matter clearly runs deeper than it appears. First, let's clean up here and have the coroner examine where these women came from and their true identities."

Turning to Xiao Jue, he continued, "Commander Xiao must be shaken as well. Perhaps you'd like to freshen up while we relocate? Magistrate Sun should explain this situation properly. These women were clearly prepared."

Xiao Jue regarded him with an ambiguous smile. "Very well."

The banquet ended abruptly midway, though no one present had any appetite to continue. The hall lay in complete disarray. Soon, coroners and bailiffs arrived to remove the bodies. Yuan Baozhen asked, "Should we search them for any identifying items?"

"After half a month in the Sun residence, any evidence would have been hidden long ago—not left on their persons for discovery. Anything found now would likely be planted to frame others," Xiao Jue replied coolly, his gaze fixed on Yuan Baozhen. "Minister Yuan shouldn't fall for such obvious traps."

Yuan Baozhen's scalp prickled with tension.

Xiao Jue paid him no further mind, turning instead to where He Yan stood motionless. It occurred to him that she'd been unusually quiet since the incident.

Was she frightened?

"What are you waiting for? Let's go," he said to He Yan. As the words left his mouth, he felt a tug on his sleeve.

"Uncle," the youth looked up, their usually cheerful face now devoid of smiles, bearing an uncharacteristic tension. Their gaze seemed lost, looking at him yet not seeing him. "When that attendant rushed at us earlier, I pushed you away. He threw something in my face... My eyes hurt," their voice was small, lacking its usual liveliness, tinged with panic. "I think... I can't see anymore."

......

Physicians entered one after another, only to exit moments later wearing expressions of dread. Each shook their head silently, sighing in resignation.

Xiao Jue's expression grew increasingly stormy.Sun Xiangfu watched from the side, his heart pounding with fear. Who could have imagined that Xiao Jue's nephew, the young man who always followed him, would have his eyes injured by an assassin? The physicians could only pry open his eyelids to examine them, but the boy merely said he couldn't see. There were no renowned healers in Liang Province, and every available physician had been summoned—yet none had a solution.

The medicinal powders scattered on the ground had long been blown away by the wind, leaving no trace behind. Without even knowing what poison had been used, how could they possibly find an antidote? Fortunately, the boy’s injuries were limited to his eyes; the rest of his body remained unharmed. Otherwise, had his life been in danger, who knew how furious the Governor would have been.

"Governor," Sun Xiangfu stammered, "this humble official will seek out more renowned physicians. The young master is blessed by fortune—he will surely recover."

Xiao Jue: "Get out."

The fury in his voice was unmistakable. Sun Xiangfu dared not provoke Xiao Jue at such a critical moment. After hastily muttering a few words, he fled as if his life depended on it.

Xiao Jue stood outside the room for a moment before stepping inside. He brushed past the last departing physician and saw the boy sitting on the bed, his expression calm, lost in thought. After a pause, the boy waved a hand in front of his face, as if unwilling to believe he could no longer see.

Because he had cried out in pain, the physicians hadn’t dared to apply any strong remedies. Instead, they had used soothing, cooling herbs wrapped in clean bandages to cover his eyes.

He Yan had always been cheerful—sometimes clever, sometimes foolish, though whether that foolishness was genuine or feigned was anyone’s guess. His eyes were particularly striking—bright and clear, appearing somewhat silly when wide open, yet brimming with vitality and mischief when curved into a smile. Now, with the bandages covering them, his face suddenly seemed unfamiliar, as if all his previous lively expressions had blurred into obscurity.

Xiao Jue suddenly recalled the moment during the banquet when Ying Yue and her accomplices had launched their assassination attempt. Even then, He Yan had rushed forward without hesitation. The wine poured by Ying Yue—even if He Yan hadn’t warned him, Xiao Jue wouldn’t have drunk it. But the fear and anger in the boy’s cry had seemed genuine.

So genuine, in fact, that it had sent a chill down his spine.

He walked further inside, stopping before He Yan’s bed.

He Yan seemed to sense something but remained uncertain. Tilting his head slightly, he asked cautiously, "Is someone there?"

Xiao Jue remained silent.

"No one?" the boy murmured softly before turning away and falling quiet again.

Throughout their journey to Liang Province, He Yan had been endlessly talkative. When Xiao Jue ignored him, he would pester Fei Nu instead. Fei Nu was a man of few words, but later, Song Taotao had filled the gap. Someone who was usually so lively suddenly falling silent was unsettling.

This boy was only sixteen, yet he was different from ordinary people. Upon learning he had lost his sight, he had panicked—but he hadn’t wailed or shed tears. It was as if he had accepted the fact almost immediately. Still, seeing him sit there so quietly stirred an inexplicable pang of pity.

Perhaps it was because he looked so frail—so pitiful like this.

Xiao Jue finally spoke: "How do you feel?"

"Un... Uncle?" He Yan sounded startled before replying, "I’m just not used to it." He reached up as if to touch his eyes but only felt the bandages. Quickly withdrawing his hand, he asked, "My eyes... are they really blind now?"His tone was calm even as he asked this question.

Xiao Jue should have said "yes," but at this moment, he found himself unable to speak.

Such an extraordinary young man, in the prime of his life—with his talent, he would undoubtedly rise through the ranks in Liang Province's garrison within a few years. A pearl in the mud would never remain buried. But losing his eyes changed everything. Never mind the impact on his future; just adapting to a life of darkness would require immense courage.

After all, he hadn’t been blind from birth. Losing something one once had was far harder to bear than never having it at all.

"Uncle, you’re not feeling sorry for me, are you?" He Yan suddenly said. Though her eyes were covered with a cloth, the teasing lilt in her voice made it easy to imagine her wide-eyed, mischievous expression under normal circumstances.

"Or maybe you’re blaming yourself?" she continued with a laugh. "Actually, you don’t need to. You should praise me instead. Maybe if you do, I’ll feel like everything I did was worth it."

"Praise you for what?" Xiao Jue replied indifferently.

"For being amazing, of course." The young man’s voice carried a mix of surprise and pride. "If I hadn’t warned you not to drink earlier, we wouldn’t have uncovered this assassination attempt. I saved your life—isn’t that impressive?"

How could she still be thinking about such things at a time like this? Xiao Jue was at a loss for words, unsure whether the boy was simply carefree or genuinely unbothered.

"You don’t seem upset," Xiao Jue observed. "Your eyes are gone. You might never see again."

At these words, the boy’s fingers twitched slightly—a barely noticeable reaction, but one Xiao Jue caught nonetheless.

He was afraid, despite his lighthearted words.

"The heavens wouldn’t be so cruel to me, would they?" He Yan said. "I’ve never done a single bad thing in my life. Why treat me like this? But if... if this is really how it’s going to be, then so be it. There are all kinds of blind people, and since I’m so amazing, I’ll just be the most amazing blind person there is."

Xiao Jue paused, struck by an odd sense of familiarity, as though he’d heard those words somewhere long ago.

"But Uncle, are you giving up so soon? Don’t you think you should find a few more doctors to examine me? Maybe I can still be cured. Why are you talking like it’s hopeless?" he asked.

Xiao Jue glanced at him. Though the boy tried hard to act as usual, his weariness was evident. "Get some rest," Xiao Jue said before turning to leave.

Once Xiao Jue was gone, the room fell silent again. Due to the possibility of traitors among the household staff, all servants had been dismissed, leaving only Fei Nu—one of Xiao Jue’s trusted men—stationed outside the courtyard.

He Yan reached up as if to untie the cloth around her head but eventually lowered her hand without doing so.

She bowed her head and murmured, "Ding Yi."

Yuan Baozhen’s guard, He Rufei’s former servant, the one who had personally handed her the poisoned cup in her past life—she had heard Yuan Baozhen call his name. He was called Ding Yi.

...

In the study, Sun Xiangfu’s face was twisted into a miserable grimace, as though he were on the verge of tears.

Seated across from him was Yuan Baozhen, who said, "Magistrate Sun, I can’t help you with this.""Lord Yuan, you must not abandon me in my hour of need! You're the only one who can help me now," Sun Xiangfu wailed with a mournful face. "I truly have no idea what happened with those assassins today. Now the Commander is furious, Young Master Cheng has lost his sight, and Commander Xiao is bound to vent his anger on this humble official. I'm just a county magistrate—how could I possibly bear the wrath of General Feng Yun!"

Sun Xiangfu had personally witnessed how close the uncle-nephew relationship between Xiao Jue and Cheng Lisu was. When Cheng Lisu had quarreled with Sun Ling, the way Xiao Jue had rushed over to defend his nephew was truly terrifying. If mere verbal arguments had provoked such a reaction, now that Cheng Lisu was genuinely blinded, wouldn't Xiao Jue demand a life for a life? The thought made Sun Xiangfu tremble uncontrollably.

"I don't believe Commander Xiao is such an unreasonable man," Yuan Baozhen attempted to console him.

As they were speaking, Xiao Jue arrived.

Sun Xiangfu didn't even have time to continue pleading with Yuan Baozhen. Lifting his robe, he immediately knelt before Xiao Jue.

"What is the meaning of this?" Xiao Jue asked coldly, eyeing him.

"Commander, this humble official truly doesn't know what happened with those assassins! I was deceived by them too! Even if you gave me a hundred times the courage, I wouldn't dare plot against you!" Sun Xiangfu began proclaiming his innocence.

"Get up," Xiao Jue glanced at him, seemingly disdainful of such behavior, then walked inside and took a seat in the highest chair. Looking at him, he said, "Tell me how you encountered them." After a pause, he added, "Those assassins."

Was this... believing he wasn't the mastermind? Sun Xiangfu, sensing this, was overjoyed. Meanwhile, Yuan Baozhen beside him flickered his gaze but remained silent.

Sun Xiangfu hastily stood up, not bothering to brush the dust from his robe, and retreated to sit on a slightly lower chair. This arrangement made it appear as though both he and Yuan Baozhen were seated in deference to Xiao Jue's authority. Wiping sweat from his brow, Sun Xiangfu said, "Actually, they entered the residence just half a month ago. Initially, a new opera troupe arrived in the city..."

The troupe leader was an elderly woman who brought a group of beautiful young women to the city, claiming their homeland had suffered a severe drought, leaving them no choice but to relocate to Liang Province. They set up a stage in the eastern part of the city, performing three shows daily.

At first, only commoners came to watch. Not only were these women exceptionally beautiful, but their singing was also exquisite, quickly drawing attention. Gradually, they gained fame, attracting many nobles who spread word of them, until eventually, the news reached Sun Ling's ears.

In Liang Province, there wasn't a single outstanding beauty Sun Ling hadn't touched. The very night he watched their performance, Sun Ling sent people to buy the troupe to perform in his residence. The elderly troupe leader refused and was beaten by Sun Ling's servants. Just as she was about to be beaten to death, Yingyue stepped forward, saying she was willing to persuade her sisters to enter the residence voluntarily if Sun Ling would spare their leader.

Sun Ling magnanimously agreed, and Yingyue indeed convinced the troupe to enter the residence, where they behaved with gentle submissiveness. Once inside the Sun residence, Sun Ling discovered these women were not only skilled in opera but also proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—with Yingyue being particularly outstanding among them.

Sun Xiangfu also came to know of Yingyue.Sun Xiangfu was different from Sun Ling. While Sun Ling spent his days indulging in food, drink, and pleasure, Sun Xiangfu harbored a bit of ambition. Being the magistrate of Liang Province was good, but what if he could climb even higher? Even if he couldn’t advance further, his position as magistrate wasn’t entirely secure—he had to manage relationships both above and below, maintaining good ties with both the familiar and the unfamiliar. For instance, he wasn’t very acquainted with the newly appointed commander of the Liang Province garrison.

Sun Xiangfu had Yingyue brought in to entertain the guests during the banquet at his residence. After all, there were two important guests: Imperial Censor Yuan Baozhen and Right Army Commander Xiao Jue. As long as he could please one of them, he could rest easy.

Sun Ling was somewhat dissatisfied but had no choice. In the days that followed, Yingyue indeed diligently led her sisters in practicing dance and singing. Every time Sun Xiangfu went to watch, he was very pleased. This maid was also quite clever. Initially, when she was brought into the household by the troupe leader, she had seemed somewhat reluctant. But after experiencing the extravagance of the Sun residence, she became increasingly sharp. Sometimes, when Sun Xiangfu spoke with her, he could even sense her thirst for power.

Indeed, people strive for higher positions just as water flows downward—such is the way of the world, for both men and women.

This was what Sun Xiangfu had believed until the incident at tonight’s banquet.

When recounting these events, perhaps due to embarrassment, he embellished them slightly. But stripping away the irrelevant details, it boiled down to one thing: Sun Ling had been tempted by beauty, only to bring home a venomous snake.

"I truly never imagined they were assassins. Women… how could women be assassins?" Sun Xiangfu said. It was unclear whether these words were meant for Xiao Jue or himself. After all, to the Sun father and son, women had always been mere playthings or objects to be gifted to curry favor with superiors. Now that they had been outmaneuvered by women, it was hard to define his current emotions.

"These assassins entered your residence half a month ago?" Xiao Jue asked.

Sun Xiangfu nodded. "Yes, this is all my fault. I failed to verify their identities properly. I only thought they were women, alone and helpless in the city, so I…"

He tried his best to portray himself as someone who had taken them in out of pity for their vulnerability, but Xiao Jue paid no attention to his excuses. Instead, he idly toyed with his teacup and said indifferently, "Half a month ago, Magistrate Sun had not yet sent me an invitation to tonight’s banquet."

Sun Xiangfu froze.

"But half a month ago, Official Yuan should already have known the date of his arrival in Liang Province." Xiao Jue turned his head slightly, looking at Yuan Baozhen with a faint, mocking smile.

Hearing this, Yuan Baozhen chuckled and replied, "What do you mean by that, Commander? Surely you don’t suspect me? Think about it—if I had really arranged for these women, how could I have been certain Magistrate Sun would take them into his residence? I’m no prophet."

"Of course you’re no prophet," Xiao Jue said, the corner of his lips curling unhurriedly. "You only needed to write Magistrate Sun a letter."

This implied that Yuan Baozhen and Sun Xiangfu had conspired together.

Sun Xiangfu, who had just begun to think he had cleared himself of suspicion, broke into a cold sweat again at Xiao Jue’s words. He hastily waved his hands and said, "No, no! Commander, I truly had no part in this. I don’t know what’s going on. I never received any letter from Official Yuan!"

Yuan Baozhen’s smile also faded. He looked at Xiao Jue solemnly and said, "With just one sentence, Commander, you’ve condemned both Magistrate Sun and me without any evidence. This is truly disheartening. I bear no deep grudge against you, Commander, and this is the first time we’ve shared a banquet. Why would I want to harm you?"

With his naturally kind face, his words sounded sincere, tinged with a hint of sorrow at being misunderstood.

Xiao Jue stared at him for a moment before suddenly smiling. He said indifferently, "Just a joke. Official Yuan need not take it seriously."

His smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared, his expression turning cold again—like a blade about to be unsheathed, exuding an ominous, impending ferocity.

"However, there are too many unanswered questions in this matter. Until they are clarified, I’m afraid I’ll have to impose on you for a few more days," he said."Governor... are you planning to stay here?"

After just surviving an assassination attempt, most people would consider this place unsafe and leave as soon as possible to avoid further schemes. Why was he choosing to remain?

"Yes," the young governor set down his teacup and stood up, his tall figure elegant yet his gaze chillingly cold. "I'm staying here to catch the thief."

Don't be so quick to scold me...

(End of Chapter)