Legend of the Female General – CH 246

Chapter 246. New Year.

The New Year in Shuojing City arrived swiftly.

Last year, during the New Year, He Yan had been at Liangzhou Garrison and could not return. This year, after the celebrations, she would be getting married, so He Sui went out to purchase plenty of New Year goods, determined to have a lively celebration at home. Unfortunately, he was not originally from Shuojing, and since Madam He passed away, interactions with relatives had grown even fewer. There were not many families they could visit.

However, the neighbors were quite enthusiastic, frequently bringing dried fruits and snacks. One household would send over a plate of dumplings they had cooked, another would share a piece of cured meat, and they often took He Yan’s hand, saying, “Yan Yan, after you marry into the Xiao family and become a Young Madam, do not forget us neighbors. I even held you when you were little.”

“Yes, yes! I even sewed little clothes for you!”

Thanks to Xiao Jue, there was no need to buy meat this year—they already had more than enough.

Still, He Yan spent her own money to buy some things and had them delivered to Wang Ba and the others, also sending New Year gifts to the instructors. They were stationed in the camp outside the city and could only celebrate the New Year alongside the soldiers. On the tenth day of the month, she would be getting married, and He Yan wanted Xiao Jue to grant them leave. Shitou and the others were friends who had followed her all the way from Liangzhou Garrison, and she wanted to invite them to her wedding banquet.

However, since Xiao Jue appeared that day when she met Chu Zhao, she had not seen him these past few days. He was likely busy with matters related to the Ming River case.

The sky gradually darkened, and the faint sounds of firecrackers and fireworks could be heard in the distance. It did not snow tonight; it was a clear evening. He Sui moved the table into the courtyard and called He Yan and the others to eat. He Yan had wanted to help with the New Year’s Eve dinner, but He Sui refused, saying, “You will be getting married right after the New Year. How can I let you work? Sit down! Yan Yan, just eat.”

He Yunsheng secretly rolled his eyes.

There was a large table full of dishes, but with only four people, including Qingmei, there were five sets of bowls and chopsticks. The empty set belonged to the late Madam He.

He Sui poured a small cup of sweet wine for everyone—a New Year gift given to him by his employer when he worked as a guard. He Sui picked up his cup, took a sip, and looked at the empty set of bowls and chopsticks. His gaze softened, tinged with emotion. “If Ah Hui were still here, seeing Yan Yan get married, she would be overjoyed.”

“Ah Hui” was the late Madam He.

He Yan felt a pang of sadness. The real Young Lady He was no longer here, but all she could do now was live well in her place, protecting He Sui, He Yunsheng, and Qingmei.

“Pa, let’s not talk about such things on a happy day,” He Yunsheng frowned. “Besides, maybe it is my mother in heaven, blessing my sister as a fairy, that allowed her to marry so smoothly. Look at her; if it were not for heaven’s blessings, I think she’d only be able to stay home and argue with me for the rest of her life, with no one willing to marry her.”

He Yan smiled at him. “Yes, yes, but Yunsheng, I see you are not young anymore. I wonder what kind of girl you will marry in the future, and whether she will even be willing to look at you. If you do not change that temper of yours, you might really end up staying home and arguing with Xiangxiang.”

“You are talking nonsense, I…” He Yunsheng immediately retorted.

He Yan rested her chin on her hand and leaned closer. “Oh? So you already have a girl you like? Tell me about her.”

When it came to verbal sparring, He Yunsheng had never won against He Yan. Frustrated, he turned to He Sui: “Father, look at He Yan!”

“What your sister said is not wrong.” He Sui always sided with He Yan. “You should learn more from your brother-in-law.”

He Yan, who was tasting wine with her head lowered, nearly choked upon hearing this. The way he kept saying “brother-in-law” was remarkably fluent.

He Yunsheng watched her with schadenfreude, while Qingmei covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

“Alright, alright, let’s not talk about this anymore.” He Sui raised his cup. “In the new year, may we all have good fortune and endless blessings!”

The lingering colors of fireworks could be seen in the distant night sky—the new year was approaching.

He Sui forbade He Yan from drinking too much, so she only had a small cup, just enough for the gesture. In contrast, He Yunsheng drank quite a bit. Originally, the family had agreed to stay up together to welcome the new year, but both father and son had collapsed before the appointed time. He Yan and Qingmei went to great lengths to carry them back to their beds before returning to the main hall, where the stove was still burning warmly.

Qingmei rubbed her hands together and said, “I did not expect the young master and the master to get drunk so early.”

He Yan was both amused and exasperated. He Yunsheng had proposed staying up, yet he was now sound asleep. Well, she might as well stay up on his behalf.

“Do you want one?” He Yan handed a roasted orange to Qingmei.

Qingmei took it, peeled the skin, and placed a segment in her mouth. The He family did not treat Qingmei as a servant; they did not have as many strict master-servant rules as wealthy households. The orange was a bit sour, and Qingmei squinted her eyes, swallowing before speaking. “I did not notice it before, but today, during the New Year, it feels like our family is a bit too quiet. With the master and young master gone, it is just you and me, Young lady.”

Looking at other families, they were lively and joyful, full of warmth.

He Yan did not see anything wrong with this. She had spent plenty of time alone and did not share Qingmei’s wistfulness. Instead, she looked at Qingmei and nodded. “We should have called Chi Wu over.”

Qingmei was taken aback. “What does that have to do with Guard Chi Wu?”

“It has everything to do with him,” He Yan said, eating an orange as she spoke. “He stayed here every day for a while recently, and you did not say it was quiet. Now that he’s not here, you say it is quiet. You must miss him.”

Qingmei was stunned and denied it without thinking. “I don’t, Young lady. Please do not talk nonsense.”

“Actually, it is nothing.” He Yan placed the peeled orange peel by the stove to roast, filling the hall with a fresh fragrance. “After I marry into the Xiao family, you will be the only maid in our household, so of course, you will come with me. By then, you and Chi Wu will see each other all the time, and you will not feel lonely anymore.”

“Young lady,” Qingmei stomped her foot anxiously. “I really do not mean it that way.”

“I think Chi Wu is quite good,” He Yan teased her deliberately. “He’s handsome, part of the Jiuqi Battalion, and might even earn an official position someday. Besides, he listens to you. I saw him sweep the floor when you asked and hang the laundry when you told him to. If he did not have feelings for you, why would he be so obedient?”

“Young lady!” Qingmei was flustered, her face flushed red. She stood up abruptly, no longer eating the orange or staying up for the night. “I do not mean it that way, Young lady. Please do not speak carelessly. There’s nothing between Guard Chi Wu and me.” She put the orange back and hurried away with quick, heavy steps.

“Ah?” He Yan called after her. “Are we not staying up for the New Year?”

“No!”

He Yan felt a twinge of regret. Perhaps she should not have teased her like that. Now she was left to keep watch alone. She picked up the orange Qingmei had set down earlier, tossing it lightly in her hand, and sighed, “Such a little hypocrite.”

Someone’s voice sounded, “You seem to know a lot.”

He Yan turned to see Xiao Jue leaning against their front door, arms crossed, watching her with an amused smile.

“Xiao Jue?” she exclaimed, delighted. “What brings you here?” She glanced outside. “Did you just walk right in?”

“I knocked,” Xiao Jue replied as he stepped inside. “But your house does not have guards, so whether I knocked or not makes little difference.”

That was the honest truth.

He Yan pulled him over to sit by the warm stove and casually handed him an orange. “Want one?”

Xiao Jue took the orange, holding it in his hand but not eating it.

“Why did you come?” He Yan asked. “Are you not staying with your brother and sister-in-law at home?”

“After the New Year’s Eve dinner, I came to see you,” he said, glancing around thoughtfully. “Why are your father and brother not here?”

“Do not ask,” she replied. “They got drunk, and I helped them to their rooms to sleep.” She looked at Xiao Jue. “If you had come any later, I would have been asleep too.”

Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow. “If you were waiting for me, how could you sleep?”

“I was not waiting for you,” He Yan said, puzzled.

Xiao Jue tilted his head to look at her, his expression indifferent as he let out a faint “Oh.”

Suddenly understanding, He Yan grabbed his arm and said earnestly, “How did you know I was waiting for you? I waited until everyone was finally asleep just for you! Now that no one’s around, it is perfect…”

“Perfect for what?”

“Perfect…” He Yan had been making it up on the spot and could not think of what to say next. When she looked up, she met his slightly brightened gaze.

“Perfect…for offering you an orange,” He Yan said, taking his hand and raising the orange to his chest.

Xiao Jue looked at her for a moment, then turned his head and chuckled softly.

He Yan thought to herself that she must be something like a jester. Someone as aloof and unapproachable as Xiao Jue was often amused by her—a talent ordinary people did not possess.

“Sitting inside is boring. Want to go sit on the roof?” He Yan invited him enthusiastically.

“The roof?”

He Yan grabbed his hand and led him outside. “Yes!”

The He family’s house was not an expensive one, and the roof was not too high. With a light jump, they were up. She and Xiao Jue sat side by side, hands propped behind them, looking up at the distance.

On New Year’s Eve in Shuojing City, fireworks were being set off everywhere. From so far away, they could not see clearly, only the bright flashes like flowing stars streaking across the night sky.

“When I was little, before I joined the army, I loved climbing onto roofs,” He Yan said. “The He family’s roof was higher than this one. Back then, my martial arts were not good enough to fly up, so I had to use a ladder. Once, I fell halfway down. Afraid of being discovered by Madam He, I did not dare make a sound. For a while after that, my back hurt terribly.”

Xiao Jue asked, “Why did you like climbing roofs?”

“Because they are high enough.” He Yan mimed an archer’s pose. “When you climb high enough, you can reach for the moon and pluck the stars.”

He laughed softly. “Childish.”

“Who was not childish as a kid?” He Yan retorted. “Besides, it has been years since I last climbed a roof.”

After joining the army, she lived in tents—where were there roofs to climb? And after getting married, forget about it. Thinking back now, climbing roofs was something from a long time ago.

“If you want,” Xiao Jue said, “the roofs of the Xiao family will be yours from now on.”

He Yan turned her head to look at him, testing the waters. “Even after I marry in?”

“Yes.”

“Even if I bring you along?”

“Yes.”

“Carrying snacks…”

Xiao Jue cut her off. “Whatever you want to do, it is fine.”

He Yan blinked, then lowered her head and laughed, her smile spreading uncontrollably like ripples on water, growing wider and wider.

Xiao Jue glanced at her, seemingly speechless. After a moment, he said, “You are this happy just from climbing a roof?”

“Of course,” He Yan replied. “I am easy to please. I do not have expensive hobbies—just having food, clothes, and a roof to climb is enough.”

Xiao Jue chuckled but did not comment.

“Hey,” He Yan nudged his arm. “How are things with Minister Xu’s remaining faction?”

Xiao Jue’s smile faded. “Some have gone over to Chu Zilan.”

This was something He Yan had already anticipated. She asked, “Are you saying Chu Zhao’s earlier act of turning against his own family was deliberate?”

“Most likely.” Xiao Jue gazed into the distance. “He has probably taken Xu Jingfu’s place in the Crown Prince’s heart.”

“Do you know how the Emperor feels about the Wutu people?” He Yan asked. “After this incident, the Emperor should not accept any peace proposals from the Wutu people anymore, right?”

Xiao Jue did not speak. After a while, he shook his head slightly.

In truth, He Yan understood clearly that Emperor Wenxuan’s stance was no longer the most important. The conflict between the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince would likely escalate faster because of Xu Jingfu’s death. It would not be long before their struggle was laid bare for all to see.

Xiao Jue and Crown Prince Guang Yan were sworn enemies. If things came to a head in the future…they would inevitably have to side with the Fourth Prince. But without legitimacy, if the Emperor drafted an edict of succession, they would suffer at least in terms of reputation.

“Do not worry,” Xiao Jue said calmly. “I have a plan.”

He Yan smiled. “You are right. Today is the New Year—it’s better not to think about these things.”

“The wedding dress is ready.” Xiao Jue suddenly changed the subject. “In a few days, I will have it delivered to your residence.”

“So soon?”

Xiao Jue glanced at her. “The wedding is in less than ten days. How is that soon?”

He Yan chuckled awkwardly. “Well, that is true, but…”

She had not felt it before, but hearing him say it made her suddenly nervous, as if the moment was approaching.

“After tomorrow, I will not see you again.”

He Yan asked, “Why?”

“Newlyweds should not meet in the days before the wedding,” Xiao Jue replied.

He Yan muttered softly, “I never took you for someone who follows rules like this.”

Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow.

“What I mean is…” He Yan grabbed his hand and spoke earnestly, “you are absolutely right. It should be this way. With you taking care of everything so well, I am very reassured.”

She now understood that Xiao Jue was someone who responded better to softness than to force. Just a few words of flattery and praise would make him quite pleased. If she had known earlier that he was so easy to coax, He Yan thought, back at the Xianchang Academy, she should have clung to his leg and lavished him with compliments. Who knows, besides swordsmanship, he might have even taught her archery and horsemanship as well.

Her acting was clumsy, but Xiao Jue only glanced at the hand she had grabbed, paused for a moment, and then covered her hand with his own palm.

“He Yan,” he called her name.

“Huh?”

“Happy New Year,” he said calmly, his dark pupils filled with the stars of the night, more captivating than the fireworks in the sky.

He Yan was taken aback.

A warm sense of satisfaction gradually rose in her chest. She suddenly felt that this New Year was truly a brand-new beginning.

“Don’t mention it.” She tilted her head, leaning against Xiao Jue’s shoulder and rubbing against it vigorously. “Happy New Year to you, too.”

…

From the far end of the street, the sound of firecrackers drifted faintly.

Every household had freshly replaced spring couplets pasted on their doors.

However, this year, the Earl of Shijin’s residence was exceptionally desolate.

Originally, at this time, the Chu family should have welcomed a new bride, making it a doubly auspicious occasion. Unexpectedly, not long ago, the Xu family encountered trouble, dragging the Chu family down with them. Although Chu Zhao ultimately turned against his own kin and narrowly avoided disaster, the Earl of Shijin, because of the marriage alliance with the Xu family, went from being the envy of all to a laughingstock in the capital overnight. Chu Linfeng, who valued face greatly, stayed secluded indoors throughout the New Year period, and there was not a hint of festive joy in the residence—it was eerily quiet.

In Chu Zhao’s courtyard, the silence was even more profound.

In the first few days after Xu Pingting arrived, upon learning the truth of Xu Jingfu’s death, she cursed Chu Zhao daily in the courtyard for his heartlessness and ingratitude. Later, after being taught some “rules” by the matrons in the courtyard for a few days, she grew much quieter. However, with this, the only bit of liveliness in the entire courtyard dissipated.

Chu Zhao sat inside the room. The sound of fireworks seemed distant, as if the world outside the gate and the world inside were two entirely different realms.

Someone entered from behind. A servant said, “Fourth Young Master, a letter has arrived from Miss Ying Xiang.”

Chu Zhao took the letter and read it. After a moment, he placed it over the flame of the oil lamp, watching it gradually burn to ashes.

On the table lay a peculiarly shaped stone, flat like a human palm. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to resemble the shape of a horse, though the broken edges appeared rough and uneven. Placed alongside the other decorations on the table, it stood out starkly.

Chu Zhao’s gaze fell upon the stone, his expression gradually growing distant.

The servant hesitated, struggling for a moment before finally speaking up, “Fourth Young Master, when you met Young Lady He that day, why did you not use Madam Xu as bait to keep Young Lady He here?”

He Yan cared so deeply for He Xinying. If He Xinying had been used as leverage, perhaps He Yan and Xiao Jue’s marriage might not have come to pass.

“It would have been useless,” Chu Zhao replied.

The servant was puzzled and looked at the man before him. Sitting alone at the table, the faint light of the oil lamp cast his figure in a slender and lonely silhouette. In the vast courtyard, it seemed as if he were the only one there, destined to sit alone for eternity.

“She is a woman who can grasp her own fate,” Chu Zhao said after a long while, smiling faintly. “No one can force her.

Not me, not Xiao Huaijin, and certainly not He Xinying.”

Before his eyes rose the night market of Jiyang Water City, where a bright-eyed girl walked along the street. Amid the surging crowds and lanterns bright as day, she stood there, different from all others—like an eagle about to spread its wings. With just one glance, it was clear that what she yearned for was the vast sky, not a cage.

He was a man who could not control his own fate, which was why he had been inexplicably, helplessly, and hopelessly drawn to her, yet was destined to be abandoned.

Because, just as she had said, they were not the same kind of people.

Never had been.