Legend of the Female General – CH 238

Chapter 238. Sovereign and Subject.

Yan He had left, and as the sky gradually darkened, Lin Shuanghe also prepared to depart. Before leaving, he instructed Xiao Jue, “Remember to feed He Yan her medicine. After taking it, she should wake up before long. I will come again tomorrow, Huaijin. Do not worry too much.”

After seeing Lin Shuanghe off, He Sui and He Yunsheng were also deeply concerned about He Yan. However, with Xiao Jue keeping watch by her bedside, they felt it was inappropriate to enter. He Sui eventually pulled He Yunsheng away.

The medicine in the bowl gradually cooled. Xiao Jue helped He Yan sit up, carefully scooping a spoonful of the medicine to feed her. The liquid trickled from the corner of her mouth, and he hurriedly set the bowl aside, wiping the traces of medicine from her lips with a handkerchief. A slight frown creased his brow.

He Yan’s face remained pale. She had always been carefree and cheerful, the type to crack jokes even when severely injured, reassuring those around her not to worry. Yet now, for the first time, she appeared distressed even in her dreams.

He reached out, gently stroking the top of her head, then glanced at the nearly cooled medicine on the table. After a moment’s hesitation, he finally made up his mind, picked up the bowl again, and took a sip.

The girl on the bed lay with her eyes tightly shut, her eyelashes softly lowered, revealing a vulnerability he had never seen before. The young man’s gaze lingered on her, his body stiffening slightly. After a brief struggle, he slowly leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

The medicine was no longer hot, just warm enough. By the time he finished feeding her the bowl, his ears were flushed red. He let out a soft sigh of relief, straightened up, and tucked the blanket securely around He Yan.

The notion of being a gentleman had never been a consideration for Xiao Jue. In the past, he had always acted on impulse, guided solely by his own desires. Only with this woman before him did he find himself hesitating, constantly fearing he might provoke her resistance.

Xiao Jue carried the empty bowl outside. As soon as he stepped out, he spotted a young man crouching under the eaves across the courtyard, idly drawing patterns in the snow with a branch.

It was He Yunsheng.

Seeing Xiao Jue emerge, He Yunsheng’s eyes lit up. Xiao Jue placed the empty bowl in the kitchen, and by the time he returned, He Yunsheng had already made his way to He Yan’s door, looking at Xiao Jue with an expression of hesitation.

Xiao Jue closed the door to He Yan’s room to keep the wind out before turning to He Yunsheng. “Do you have something to say to me?”

He Yunsheng swallowed hard.

In the past, he had admired and revered Xiao Jue deeply. Likely, every young man in Shuojing City felt the same way. When had that changed? Perhaps it was the day He Yan took the blame for Fan Cheng’s death on the Spring River, drawing the pursuers away alone. At that moment, He Yunsheng suddenly realized that mere admiration was useless. Only by becoming stronger himself could he protect He Yan, He Sui, and those he cared about. Instead of fixating on distant figures, it was better to focus on improving himself.

Later, He Yan returned, becoming the Marquis of Wu’an and bringing back a fiancé.

And that fiancé happened to be Xiao Jue.

He Yunsheng harbored no real animosity toward Xiao Jue. His apparent resistance stemmed solely from his concern for He Yan. He Yan had nearly lost her life for Fan Cheng—who could say Xiao Jue would not become another Fan Cheng? No one could be certain.

But today he had also seen it: when He Yan fainted, Xiao Jue stayed by her bedside, wiping her hands and cooling her medicine, never leaving her side for a moment. He thought, Xiao Jue must like his sister, and this affection ran deeper than he and He Sui had imagined.

“General Xiao,” the young man spoke nervously yet resolutely, “will you always treat He Yan this well?”

Xiao Jue glanced at him in surprise, paused for a moment, and replied, “Yes.”

“My sister…she’s very different from other women,” He Yunsheng thought for a while before slowly continuing, “When she wants to do something, no one can stop her. When she does not want to do something, no one can force her.

But she’s a good person. Do not hurt her,” He Yunsheng said, “If you hurt her, I…” The young man’s voice deepened. “I will do whatever it takes to seek justice for her.”

Xiao Jue looked at him, then, after a long moment, smiled. “Alright.” After a pause, he added, “But you probably will not get that chance.”

He Yunsheng also smiled. “This is a conversation between us two men. Do not tell He Yan when she wakes up.”

Xiao Jue lowered his gaze to the accumulated snow on the ground. The snow in the courtyard had not been cleared in time, leaving a thin layer. He asked He Yunsheng, “You care a lot about He Yan?”

The young man instinctively wanted to argue, but the words that came out were a sigh. “She’s my sister.”

She was his sister. Even though she had always bullied him, scolded him, stolen his favorite pastries, and loved to tattle to He Sui since they were young. But she would also stand in front of him, silently protecting him.

In this world, aside from He Sui, they were the closest people to each other. How could he not care?

“That’s good,” the young man said calmly. “Keep caring for her like this in the future.”

“Of course, I will always care for her,” He Yunsheng replied, unable to resist another glance at the young man standing beside him. For some reason, his earlier worries suddenly faded quite a bit.

Xiao Jue…was different from Fan Cheng.

…

He Yan had a long dream.

In the dream, she was still her childhood self, wearing a mask. Back then, she had not yet gone to study at the Xianchang Academy and was just a pitiful creature who, aside from sneaking out through the dog hole every day, could only stay in the mansion. One morning, after helping the monks fetch water from Donghuang Mountain, she crawled back through the dog hole and accidentally bumped into the servants who had gotten up early to empty the night soil. Terrified, she turned and ran, only to crash into someone.

This person’s skirt was very fragrant, like spring flowers, a scent so lovely it made one linger. Her voice was soft, carrying a hint of laughter.

A pair of hands pulled her up from the ground.

The lady’s eyes and brows bore some resemblance to hers, and her gaze was very gentle as she gently pulled He Yan to her side, shielding her from view. After the servants left, she patted He Yan’s hand softly and whispered, “It’s alright now; be careful.”

He Yan was wearing a mask, so the other could not see her face. But she thought that back then, beneath the mask, her expression must have been foolishly filled with a longing to draw closer.

The woman turned and walked away. He Yan followed behind, wanting to call out “Mother,” but for some reason, despite the distance being so close, she simply could not catch up. She watched helplessly as the woman walked farther and farther away, until she disappeared from her sight. She stumbled and fell to the ground, her heart filled with both sorrow and grievance, and she could not help but burst into loud, wailing sobs.

“He Yan?” It seemed someone was calling her name in her ear.

He Yan opened her eyes and met Xiao Jue’s concerned gaze. She felt something cool on her face and instinctively reached up to touch it—it was all tears.

In an instant, she understood everything.

The events on the Tianxing Terrace replayed in her mind, scene by scene. She closed her eyes, and the pain came crashing down on her, unavoidable and overwhelming.

“My mother…” As soon as she uttered the first words, tears streamed down her face.

He Yan had always believed that between her and Second Madam He, there was only the name of mother and daughter, but none of the affection. In the years when she longed for a mother’s care, Second Madam He was forever absent. She did not harbor hatred, but there was always a trace of resentment. Even after her rebirth, she had never known how to face Second Madam He again. Now, she would never have that chance.

“His Majesty has permitted me to arrange Second Madam He’s burial,” Xiao Jue said softly. “He Yan…” He could not think of any words to comfort the young woman before him. “There’s no need to hold back. Cry if you want to.”

Cui Luo had come here once and revealed the whole truth. Second Madam He had been preparing for this day from the very beginning. He Rufei had not forced poison upon her—the poison was something she had hidden herself. Second Madam He had long been resolved to die. Given her health, she would not have lived much longer anyway. She had asked Cui Luo for the token to access the Tianxing Terrace and, taking advantage of the He family’s inattention, crawled out through the dog hole He Yan had dug long ago. She rushed all the way to the Tianxing Terrace, sacrificing her own life to provide the final piece of evidence for He Yan.

The so-called deal with Xiao Jue was the last lifeline she had hidden for He Xinying, and it was also the escape route she had arranged for He Yan.

The scheming tactics of women in the inner chambers were something Xiao Jue had always disdained, but Second Madam He’s methods were not particularly clever to begin with. She had wanted to create the illusion of favoring He Xinying, yet she could not help but care for He Yan. In the end, she was willing to sacrifice her own life to clear He Yan of the grievances from her past life. A mother would never go to such lengths unless she truly loved her daughter.

But…if this was her final wish, he was willing to play along, allowing her the small satisfaction of seeing her plan succeed.

Second Madam He’s life had been one of helplessness, with few moments where she could decide her own fate. She could not choose her birth, but she could choose her death, using it to pave a future path for her two daughters, even though she would never see it.

He Yan choked back a sob. “Xiao Jue, I no longer have a mother…from now on, I have no mother.”

The word “mother,” though it had rarely been a part of her life, had always held a glimmer of hope as long as it existed. But now that Second Madam He was gone, she would never have the chance again. The fantasy of a mother-daughter relationship would forever remain just that—a fantasy, with no opportunity to become reality.

Heaven was cruel, denying her even this chance, and it filled her with deep regret. The last time at Yuhua Temple, she had not spoken a few more words to Second Madam He.

Xiao Jue lowered his gaze to stare at her, a bitter taste in his heart. Of course, he understood the pain He Yan felt at this moment, for he had once experienced it himself.

If it were physical suffering, he could endure it on her behalf, but the agony of losing a loved one—no one could bear that for her.

“What did she say to you at the end?” He Yan asked.

At that time, only Xiao Jue had been by Second Madam He’s side. No one had heard their conversation. She did not know what Second Madam He had said in her final moments, but was there even a single word meant for her?

“She said,” Xiao Jue paused, then slowly spoke, “Wearing lotus garments so graceful, yet vast and boundless, they cannot be fastened…

She loved you and hoped you would live well.”

The room was immediately filled with the sound of He Yan’s stifled sobs.

After an unknown length of time, the room fell silent. He Yan wiped the tears from her face, her voice barely steady. “Xiao Jue, the Emperor has raided the He and Xu families. What about my younger sister, He Xinying?

She has nothing to do with this matter. If—”

“I will explain this to the Emperor. Do not worry.” Xiao Jue fell silent for a moment, then reached out and pulled her into his embrace, softly whispering, “He Yan, I will always be by your side.”

…

In the palace.

In Consort Lan’s chambers, the Fourth Prince was staring blankly at a burning candle.

“Did you come here just to daydream?” Consort Lan’s words pulled Guang Shuo’s thoughts back to reality.

Guang Shuo snapped out of his reverie and replied, “Mother Consort, I was just thinking about what happened today at the Tianxing Terrace.”

Today’s events had shaken the entire court and sent shockwaves throughout Great Wei.

“General Feihong was actually a woman—who could have imagined that?” Guang Shuo still sounded somewhat incredulous as he spoke of it. “So women can also go to war and can also become great generals.”

“You must not underestimate women,” Consort Lan said with a light laugh, picking up the teacup before her, her voice calm. “Men fight on the battlefield, women fight in the inner chambers—neither has it easier than the other. In this world, what men can do, women can also do. It is just that too few are willing to be the first to step forward. Guang Shuo, remember this: if you look down on women, you will surely suffer greatly in the future.”

Guang Shuo respectfully replied, “Your son will remember.” After a pause, he sighed again. “But that General Feihong, the Second Young Lady He, was ultimately conspired against and killed by her own family. The He family truly is ruthless, to even harm their own daughter.”

Consort Lan smiled noncommittally. “What goes around comes around. The seeds the He family sowed have now borne their bitter fruit.”

“That is true,” Guang Shuo nodded in agreement. “Now that Father Emperor has raided the He and Xu families with solid evidence, the He family has no chance of recovering. At least this offers some comfort to the true General He, resting in the underworld.”

Consort Lan looked at him, smiling without a word.

“Mother Consort, why are you looking at me like that?”

“What are your thoughts on the matter of Minister Xu?” Consort Lan asked.

Guang Shuo was taken aback.

“Now that Xiao Huaijin and Minister Xu have completely torn off all pretenses, and Xiao Huaijin has sent Minister Xu to prison, he will not let this opportunity slip. I suspect he has other evidence in his hands.”

“Your son thinks the same,” Guang Shuo replied. “But…”

“But what?”

“Father Emperor likely will not deal too harshly with Minister Xu.”

“Your father is a man who cherishes the past.” Consort Lan gazed into the distance. “When the Emperor first ascended the throne, it was Minister Xu who assisted him in securing that position. Naturally, he holds a unique bond of loyalty and gratitude toward Minister Xu that others do not share. However, your father has grown old.”

Guang Shuo looked at the woman before him.

“An aging Emperor will make plans for the future. No matter how irresponsible your father may seem, he would never wish to see the Great Wei dynasty crumble in his hands. Whether for the Crown Prince or for the future heir, the Emperor will certainly punish Minister Xu. Guang Shuo, if you intend to contend, you must contend for Xiao Huaijin.

The art of persuasion is akin to the art of war—winning hearts is paramount. Xiao Huaijin seeks to clear his father’s name and redress injustice. If you offer support at this moment, it will be like sending charcoal in snowy weather.”

Guang Shuo remained silent for a while before saying, “Mother, I understand.”

“You are as benevolent as your father.” Consort Lan looked at him gently. “I know you dislike political maneuvering and the complexities of human hearts, but Guang Shuo, if you wish to become an Emperor, you must learn to govern your subjects. This is not a bad thing. Since you were born into the imperial palace and wish to choose your own destiny, this is inevitable. There is no such thing as having the best of both worlds. Look at your father—he lived freely all his life, yet now, is he not also bound?”

Guang Shuo said nothing.

The candle wax had spilled across the desk like red tears. The hall was silent, save for the faint fragrance wafting from the woman’s sleeves, filling the vast and chilly space with an ethereal scent.

…

Xiao Jue entered the palace in the middle of the night.

When the eunuch announced his entry into the imperial study, Emperor Wenxuan had not yet retired. The desk was littered with memorials and case files, scattered haphazardly, but he had no mind to read them.

He was not a diligent ruler. Perhaps in the first two years of his reign, he had tried to be one, but he eventually gave up. In this world, some emperors strove for excellence while others were mediocre and aimless. Throughout his life, Emperor Wenxuan felt that being a mediocre Emperor was not so bad. All he ever wanted was to live a simple, uneventful life and, when the time came, pass the throne to his son. That would suffice.

And indeed, he had lived most of his life this way. Sometimes, Emperor Wenxuan even found it quite pleasant. Unlike his father, who was perpetually burdened and busy, or the previous emperors who led military campaigns and conquests, he lived more easily and longer than any of them.

Was Great Wei not thriving? As long as one knew how to employ capable people—generals to defend the land and ministers to govern the court—it was an era of peace and prosperity. Until today, when the truth he believed in was completely overturned. Sitting here, Emperor Wenxuan suddenly realized that all these years, he had never truly been a proper Emperor.

He was never cut out to be an Emperor. If he had not been born into the royal family, he would have preferred to be a leisurely prince, an ordinary official’s son, or even the son of a wealthy merchant—without great ambitions or talents, content to write poetry, paint, and enjoy the pleasures of life. Instead, he now sat in this position, where every action affected the lives of millions. If he performed poorly, people would curse him behind his back; if he performed well, others would simply deem it his duty.

An Emperor who yearned for freedom was a great taboo in the royal family. He had hidden his true feelings deep within, but it turned out that everyone could see through him.

Xiao Jue entered.

Emperor Wenxuan looked at the young man before him.

He still remembered when Xiao Zhongwu first brought Xiao Jue before him. Xiao Jue was just a youth then, truly beautiful, his handsomeness surpassing even that of the imperial princes. His expression was proud, yet tinged with a careless nonchalance, entirely different from his gentle and courteous elder brother. Emperor Wenxuan had thought to himself at the time: That military man Xiao Zhongwu actually had two such outstanding sons—it really was something to envy.

In the blink of an eye, Xiao Jue had already grown so much. The youthful innocence had completely faded from him. The gaze he now fixed upon him was calm, respectful, and held a touch of cool detachment.

He suddenly thought of Xiao Zhongwu.

“Actually, looking at you now, you do share some resemblance with your father,” Emperor Wenxuan said.

He had always thought Xiao Jue took after Madam Xiao, with his bright and beautiful eyes and brows. But his sharpness and composure all came from his father.

“Your Majesty still remembers this humble subject’s father?” Xiao Jue spoke calmly.

Emperor Wenxuan was taken aback.

He thought that after so long, his memory might have grown hazy. But when he recalled, Xiao Zhongwu’s image was surprisingly clear. That tall man who always wore golden armor and carried a sword was different from the refined, scholarly civil officials at court. He was like the wind of the northwest—fierce, unrestrained, and carrying an open and forthright cheerfulness that made all who yearned for freedom feel envious.

Emperor Wenxuan had been envious, too.

But in the end, Xiao Zhongwu died. The Xiao family nearly collapsed. If not for this young man before him leading three thousand troops to Guocheng, perhaps there would be no Xiao family left in Great Wei today.

He looked at Xiao Jue. “Back then, did you resent me?”

“This humble subject would not dare.”

Emperor Wenxuan chuckled softly. ‘Would not dare’—that meant he had. In all the world, only this person before him had the audacity to say such a thing to his face. Yet, he did not feel anger. Perhaps it was because, for many years, no one had dared to speak the truth in his presence.

“Your Majesty,” Xiao Jue said, “this humble subject earnestly requests Your Majesty to spare the life of He Xinying, the wife of Hanlin Academician Xu Zhiheng.”

“He Xinying?”

“The true General Feihong, the second young lady of the He family, her full-blooded sister from the same mother,” Xiao Jue explained. “After the second young lady was drowned in a pond by conspiracy, the He family married her younger sister, He Xinying, to Xu Zhiheng as his second wife.” He looked at Emperor Wenxuan. “Second Madam He is already dead. Madam Xu is the only remaining relative of General Feihong still in this world. Moreover, this subject has inquired and learned that Madam Xu was completely unaware of the exchanged identities between General Feihong and He Rufei.

Your Majesty is benevolent and virtuous. For the sake of the deceased General Feihong, please show leniency to He Xinying and spare her life.”

“General Feihong…” Emperor Wenxuan murmured.

Everything that happened today at Tianxing Terrace was because of General Feihong. However, he truly had not expected that the Feihong he had personally enfeoffed back then was actually a woman.

When He Rufei removed his mask back then, revealing a handsome face, Emperor Wenxuan had still doubted whether the past claims of a birthmark and ugly appearance were false. Now it seemed that from that moment on, the He family had already begun their deception to fool the world.

If the Second Young Lady He were still alive, Emperor Wenxuan might still have punished her for her crime, as she too had deceived the sovereign. But Second Young Lady He was dead and had died so tragically. Death extinguished all, and all the faults of the living were forgotten. When looking upon the dead, people were always more forgiving, finding nothing but goodness in them.

“Let it be. Spare her life,” Emperor Wenxuan sighed. “After all, General Feihong once truly charged into battle for Great Wei and quelled the Western Qiang rebellion.”

“I thank Your Majesty’s grace on behalf of General Feihong.”

Emperor Wenxuan looked at Xiao Jue and smiled instead. “I heard you and General Feihong were once classmates. To go to such lengths for her, it seems you are a man who cherishes old ties. General Feihong, in the afterlife, would surely be comforted.”

Xiao Jue remained silent. Emperor Wenxuan waved his hand. “You may leave.”

The young man bowed and was about to leave when Emperor Wenxuan called out to him again.

The Emperor’s voice carried deep exhaustion. “All these years, I have treated Minister Xu with great favor. Why would he still harbor thoughts of rebellion?”

The attendant lowered his head, not daring to speak.

After a moment, the young man replied calmly, “Excessive favor breeds arrogance; too much kindness turns to resentment. Perhaps Your Majesty has been too generous to him.”