Chapter 114: Lin Shuanghe
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He Yan had a long and deep sleep this time.
She even had a dream where she was sparring with Ridamuji, the ruthless and brutal leader. She pointed her sword at his head, and when he raised his face, it turned out to be He Rufei’s face.
The sword in He Yan’s hand dropped with a “clang.”
She opened her eyes, and what she saw was a soft canopy. The bedding underneath was warm, and when she looked down, she realized she was lying on a bed.
He Yan still remembered that before she passed out, she was on the martial arts platform, and Xiao Jue and Ridamuzi were engaged in battle, with reinforcements from the Nanfu troops arriving from afar. What was the current situation, and had it all concluded?
She slowly propped herself up, and with that movement, she felt the pain in her waist again. It made her frown involuntarily, and she paused for a moment before managing to sit up with the support of the bed frame.
The wound on her body had already been bandaged. She was back in her own room, next to Xiao Jue’s room, and there was no one inside. She couldn’t even ask anyone about the current situation.
Just as she was thinking about it, the door was pushed open, and a young man carrying medicine walked in. He closed the door, approached He Yan’s bed while holding the medicine, and smiled, “Awake? It looks like you’re recovering well.”
This was the face of a stranger to He Yan. She had never seen him in Liangzhou Garrison before, but judging by his attire, he was definitely not a new recruit. He Yan stared at his face, her mind going blank for a moment. Then she suddenly snapped back to reality, almost blurting out the man’s name.
Fortunately, she managed to hold her tongue just in time, forcefully swallowing it down. The man smiled at her and said, “I’m Lin Shuanghe, a physician and also a friend of Xiao Huaijin’s. I’m the one who treated your injuries.”
Seeing that He Yan was just staring at him without saying anything, Lin Shuanghe thought for a moment and added, “Don’t misunderstand, I didn’t take off your clothes; it was Xiao Huaijin who did. I was only responsible for the medical treatment. Oh… I also know your true identity.” He lowered his voice and leaned closer to He Yan. “Little Sister, I really admire you.”
He Yan: “….”
She struggled to nod in gratitude, “Thank you very much.”
“You’re welcome,” Lin Shuanghe said with a smile, handing her the medicine bowl. “Drink it. It’s already cooled down.”
He Yan took the medicine bowl and slowly sipped the medicine, her shock hard to conceal.
Lin Shuanghe, Lin Shuanghe had actually come to Liangzhou Garrison!
He Yan was not unfamiliar with Lin Shuanghe. In fact, he was her fellow classmate. Among the young men who entered Xianchang Academy together back then, He Yan felt that she was actually a bit more familiar with Lin Shuanghe than with Xiao Huaijin.
The reason behind this is simply that this gentleman often competes with He Yan for the last place in the rankings. In fact, eight out of ten times, he is the one in that position.
Yes, Lin Shuanghe may have a clever face, but when it comes to academics and military studies, he is absolutely terrible. Unlike He Yan, who is often the last despite his hard work, Lin Shuanghe has never worked hard. He has a close relationship with Xiao Jue and follows him everywhere. He copies Xiao Jue’s homework, and for his calligraphy assignments, he pays others to write them for him.
The young men at Xianchang Academy come from wealthy and noble families, so none of them are short of these treasures. However, every time Lin Shuanghe brings something out, it is always a rare and valuable item that makes others envious. He Yan once gave in to temptation and helped Lin Shuanghe copy his books for a night, receiving a jade cricket in return.
Lin Shuanghe was extremely wealthy.
The Lin family had been practicing medicine for generations, with their ancestors serving in the Imperial Hospital. Lin Shuanghe’s grandfather, Lin Qingtan, was currently the chief physician of the Imperial Hospital. Lin Qingtan’s younger son, Lin Mu, was a royal physician with extraordinary skills in women’s medical treatment, earning the favor of the palace consorts. Lin Mu also liked to develop some secret beauty formulas, which pleased the Empress Dowager, Empress, and consorts, and he received rewards regularly. These rewards were then passed on to Lin Shuanghe.
Lin Mu had only one son, Lin Shuanghe, and he doted on him immensely. Lin Shuanghe took advantage of his family’s wealth and lived an easy and comfortable life at Xianchang Academy.
In essence, the Lin family had never demanded much from Lin Shuanghe. They had never expected him to excel in both literature and martial arts or to enter government service. They didn’t care much about his academics, as long as he didn’t disgrace the family. With no financial pressure at home, he only had to deal with the teachers at Xianchang Academy. That’s why Lin Shuanghe’s school life was filled with ease and comfort, and he enjoyed it to the fullest.
The dandy Lin Shuanghe’s own waywardness could be forgiven, but when he saw He Yan working so hard, he found it hard to understand. Once, when He Yan was busy studying, Lin Shuanghe came up to her and asked, “Brother He, I mean, you work so hard every day, but you always end up last. What’s the point?”
He Yan ignored him and continued to study diligently. Lin Shuanghe got bored with her indifference and left on his own.
After a few days, when He Yan went from being last to second to last in the rankings, Lin Shuanghe came to find her again and said, “Brother He, let’s make a deal. Can you still aim for last place in this round of exams so I can take second to last place?”
He Yan asked, “….Why?”
“The teacher complained to my grandfather, and my grandfather scolded my father. My father ordered me to improve in the next exam, or he would cut off my financial support. Right now, I’m in last place, but if you aim for last place, I’ll improve, won’t I?”
He Yan: “……”
“He Yan, please, I beg you,” the young man pleaded. “If you help me this time, I’ll give you the phoenix-head hairpin that Shufei Niang Niang rewarded me with.”
“No, I don’t need it,” He Yan refused. “I’m not a woman, so what would I do with a hairpin?”
“You can give it to your mother!” Lin Shuanghe suggested while continuing to negotiate with him. “Or if you like something else, just let me know, and I’ll give it to you in return for your help.”
“Sorry,” Young He Yan shook his head. “I can’t be of any help. Why don’t Brother Lin ask Brother Huaijin to help you review your studies? Their academic performance is excellent. Just ask them for guidance, and you’ll surely make progress.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Shuanghe rolled his eyes dramatically and said, “Spare me, who would want them to guide me? They spend most of their time sleeping, and they lack patience. It’s better for me to study on my own.” He sighed, “How can there be someone who sleeps all the time and still ranks first? Is he a monster or something?”
He Yan glanced at Xiao Jue, who was currently sleeping on the desk, and couldn’t help but agree with Lin Shuanghe’s words.
The heavens must favor Xiao Jue, that’s why they are so generous with him.
Seeing Lin Shuanghe looking disheartened, He Yan felt some sympathy and said, “Actually, you don’t have to be discouraged. I review my lessons every day. If you don’t mind, you can study with me. I can share my notes with you. It’s not a problem.” Then, with a hint of insecurity, he added, “Although my notes might not be that great…”
Lin Shuanghe stared at her, and He Yan felt a bit uneasy. The young man finally closed his fan and said, “Alright!”
“What?”
“I’ll study with you. I want to see what it’s like to study with such dedication.”
In fact, Lin Shuanghe had much better popularity among the students at Xianchang Academy compared to He Yan. He was friendly, sociable, generous, without any airs, smooth in dealing with people, often treating everyone to good food, and everyone had mothers or sisters. If anyone had a headache or fever, they would ask Lin’s family physician for help. Moreover, his grandfather was well-connected in the palace, and no one dared to offend him. As a result, Lin Shuanghe was well-liked among the students.
However, being liked was one thing, and having someone study with him was another. In theory, Lin Shuanghe could ask many people for help, and there would be plenty of willing helpers. However, his foundation was just too poor, and the young men at Xianchang Academy were mostly exceptionally talented. They simply didn’t have the patience and time to start from scratch and study with him step by step. In the end, no one was willing to take on this difficult task.
He Yan was different. She was no better than Lin Shuanghe when it came to academics, and she was willing to study with him. Although her notes might not be perfect, they were similar in terms of understanding. So, before the next exam, He Yan and Lin Shuanghe spent their days studying together.
Lin Shuanghe was not good at martial arts, so he gave up on it directly. When they studied together, it was mostly focused on the literary subjects. Regardless of what others said, Lin Shuanghe’s progress was quite remarkable. After school in the evening, when everyone else went to eat, the two of them would stay in the classroom and recite lessons to each other.
However, this kind of recitation was usually Lin Shuanghe sitting lazily while reading a book, and He Yan reciting aloud with a rhythmic cadence.
She recited, “The path of great learning involves manifesting one’s virtue, loving the people, and resting in the highest excellence. To know when to stop is the first step to virtue; after virtue, you can reach tranquility…. After achieving tranquility, you can find peace, first… first…”
When she reached this point but couldn’t remember the rest, He Yan looked at Lin Shuanghe.
Lin Shuanghe didn’t give her any hints and instead teased her while munching on dried fruits, “What comes next?”
He Yan’s face turned red from embarrassment, and she couldn’t recall the next part of the text.
Lin Shuanghe continued to press her, “What comes next? Hurry, say it.”
“First, start from the bottom, and then go to the top!'” He Yan came up with a random answer.
“Cough, cough, cough.” Someone behind them choked on their tea. When they turned around, they found Xiao Jue lazily propping himself up at a hidden table.
“Huai Jin, you haven’t left yet?” Lin Shuanghe was surprised. “I thought you’d left a long time ago.”
The young man stood up from the table. He had probably just woken up and still seemed a bit drowsy as he walked over to He Yan and Lin Shuanghe. He casually asked Lin Shuanghe, “What are you doing?”
“I’m reviewing my lessons!” Lin Shuanghe draped his arm around He Yan’s shoulder as if they were familiar. “I’ve decided to make progress together with Brother He.”
“Reviewing lessons?” Xiao Jue asked.
“Yes, I’m also looking at the notes Brother He compiled. Brother He is really generous,” Lin Shuanghe said.
Xiao Jue glanced at He Yan, reached out and picked up the notebook on the table. Before He Yan could stop him, he had already started flipping through it. Inside were notes that He Yan had summarized from her daily lectures in class. The one Xiao Jue picked up should be about mathematics.
Xiao Jue, with his tall stature, made He Yan look up at him. He casually flipped open a page, and his expression twitched slightly.
He Yan felt nervous.
After a moment, Xiao Jue placed the notes back on the table, his expression unchanged. He said, “Five questions on one page, and you got three wrong.”
“Ah?” He Yan exclaimed.
Lin Shuanghe was left speechless.
Xiao Jue glanced at the two of them, smirked, and spoke with a hint of mockery, “Making progress together?”
Lin Shuanghe: “…”
He turned and walked away, leaving He Yan red-faced under her mask.
He Yan still vividly remembered the results of that particular exam. She and Lin Shuanghe were tied for last place, but she didn’t know how Lin Shuanghe had reported his performance in the end. It was uncertain whether he had made any progress or not.
Now, after many years had passed, she hadn’t expected to encounter Lin Shuanghe again under these circumstances. Instead of a classroom filled with the sound of books, they were on a battlefield that had just witnessed a fierce battle. They were no longer unfortunate classmates studying together. One had become a new recruit, and the other had become a physician. Fate had its mysterious ways.
He Yan finished drinking the medicine in the bowl and placed it aside, then looked at the person in front of her.
Compared to many years ago, Lin Shuanghe had matured considerably. His youthful appearance had given way to a more composed demeanor. When he didn’t speak, he looked like a handsome young man. However, as soon as he opened his mouth, his gracefulness crumbled. He approached He Yan and asked with a smile, “Sister, tell me honestly, did you come to Liangzhou Garrison because of Xiao Huaijin?”
He Yan: “What?”
“Do you like him? Is that why you followed him to Liangzhou Garrison?” Lin Shuanghe admired her, “Courage is commendable.”
He Yan was momentarily speechless but then explained, “It’s not like that. I encountered some issues in the capital and couldn’t stay there anymore, so I had no choice but to join the military.”
Xiao Jue and Lin Shuanghe had always had a good relationship, and Lin Shuanghe must have mentioned these matters to Xiao Jue.
“How did he discover your true identity?” Lin Shuanghe was skeptical. “Your relationship with him doesn’t seem ordinary.”
“He found out about my identity because Commander Xiao is highly suspicious. He ordered someone to investigate my background in the capital. Doctor Lin,” He Yan said patiently, “may I ask you for a favor?”
Lin Shuanghe replied seriously, “Please, go ahead.”
“In Liangzhou Garrison, could you refrain from calling me ‘Sister’? There are many gossipy people here, and if my identity is exposed, it might cause trouble for the Commander. In daily life, just call me ‘Brother He’ will do.”
“Sis… I mean, Brother He, this is a small matter, of course, I can do that,” Lin Shuanghe looked at her and sighed. “You’re such a beautiful lady, it’s heart-wrenching to see you suffer in a place like this instead of staying in a comfortable home.”
He Yan: “…”
Here we go again. When it came to this matter, Lin Shuanghe hadn’t changed at all.
Unlike Xiao Jue, who had countless admirers in his youth, Lin Shuanghe had always been at the other extreme. Any female, be it human or animal, would receive his utmost patience and affection. He called them all “sister” in an affectionate and gentle manner, as if he truly had so many siblings. During their youth, many girls had pursued Lin Shuanghe, thinking they could get close to Xiao Jue through him. Lin Shuanghe was not as aloof as Xiao Jue and was friendly and kind, always willing to run errands for these girls. One day he helped this “sister” deliver a love letter, the next day he helped another “sister” carry a plate of snacks. His natural charm and kindness drew the attention of some girls who had originally set their sights on Xiao Jue, and they ended up falling for Lin Shuanghe instead.
Of course, Lin Shuanghe had his principles – he called everyone, whether they liked him or not, “sister.”
During their youth, he had called He Yan “Brother He” with a dignified and energetic tone. Now, he used a gentle tone, calling her “sister,” and it was unbearable for He Yan. Goosebumps covered her body.
“You had old wounds that hadn’t healed yet, and you’ve gained new injuries, especially that blade wound, which is quite deep. I’ve treated you, but it won’t heal overnight. During these days, you need to rest in bed and avoid any physical training,” Lin Shuanghe said as he looked at her. “As for the scars, don’t worry too much. Our Lin family has excellent remedies for scar removal and tissue regeneration. While it might not fully restore your previous appearance, it should improve to about seventy or eighty percent, without being overly conspicuous.”
He Yan nodded, saying, “Thank you, Doctor Lin.”
“No need to thank me. Among all the women I’ve treated, your injuries were the most severe, and you endured the pain the best. You’ve opened my eyes, and since you’re Huaijin’s friend, you can also consider me a friend. If you ever have any difficulties, just let me know.”
Speaking of which, He Yan remembered something and asked, “Doctor Lin… Is the Commander here? I have something important to tell him.”
“He’s outside. Wait a minute,” Lin Shuanghe said as he stood up, opened the door, and called out to the people in the courtyard, “Xiao Huaijin, He Yan wants to see you.”
Xiao Jue was in the middle of a conversation with Shen Han. Upon hearing Lin Shuanghe’s call, he nodded, indicating that he understood. After a while, Shen Han left, and he walked over. Lin Shuanghe waited at the door and was about to follow Xiao Jue inside.
However, Xiao Jue stopped and looked at him.
Lin Shuanghe was puzzled. “What’s wrong?”
“You stay outside.”
“Why?” Lin Shuanghe asked. “Is there something I can’t hear?”
Xiao Jue gave him a glance and calmly replied, “Military secrets.” He closed the door in Lin Shuanghe’s face.
He Yan: “…”
Well, with Lin Shuanghe here, there were indeed some things that couldn’t be discussed openly. Even though they were former classmates, the current situation in Liangzhou Garrison had made He Yan paranoid.
Xiao Jue approached.
He Yan looked at him. It had only been half a month since they last met, but it felt like a long time. He was still as cold and indifferent as ever, as if the recent battle had never happened. His clothes were still clean, as crisp and cool as autumn water.
He Yan was momentarily stunned and, after regaining her composure, said, “Commander, Lei Hou is in the dungeon.”
“I know,” he said, sitting down in the chair in front of her. He looked at He Yan casually and said, “I’ve had someone guarding him.”
He Yan breathed a sigh of relief. Since someone was guarding him, she wasn’t worried that Lei Hou would attempt suicide halfway through. Xiao Jue should be more aware of this than she was.
In fact, ever since their encounter during the flag competition and their fight against Lei Hou, He Yan had sensed that something was amiss. However, that feeling was very faint, and she couldn’t pinpoint it until she was thrown into the dungeon. He Yan was now certain that there was a spy in Liangzhou Garrison working with Hu Yuanzhong, and she had revisited Lei Hou as a potential suspect.
Lei Hou was acting strangely.
During the flag competition, He Yan had fought against Lei Hou, who was using a sword at that time. He Yan remembered it clearly, Lei Hou had been using his left hand. It wasn’t a big deal; he might have been left-handed. However, later on, when Lei Hou joined the Vanguard Camp and, out of curiosity, He Yan had gone to watch their training, she noticed that Lei Hou was using a spear, and he was using his right hand.
If Lei Hou was left-handed, there was no need for him to deliberately use his right hand unless he was trying to hide something. As He Yan thought about it, she felt that something was off during their previous fight when Lei Hou was using a sword. He looked more like someone who was used to using a blade. Using blade techniques with a sword was not entirely natural.
The masked man who had led her to the mountain that day was the same.
Later, when Ridamuzi arrived with his troops, Lei Hou wanting to silence her in the dungeon, was subdued by He Yan. It was then that He Yan figured out that if Lei Hou was associated with the Qiang people, he probably used a curved blade. Perhaps he was afraid of leaving traces and initially used a sword, but He Yan was sensitive and might have made him feel unsafe, prompting him to switch to his right hand, making it even harder to trace.
However…. He Yan still had some doubts.
She asked, “Commander, did you go to Zhangtai? Did you return so quickly?”
Even if everything had gone smoothly in Zhangtai, it shouldn’t have been possible for him to return so quickly, especially with Nanfu troops.
“I didn’t go to Zhangtai,” Xiao Jue said.
He Yan looked at him.
“The distress signal from Zhangtai was fake,” he explained. “I went to Qingnan and brought back a portion of the Nanfu troops.”
He Yan fell silent.
She had already suspected this when she started to doubt Hu Yuanzhong. It was probably a trap meant to divert Xiao Jue’s attention. With Xiao Jue gone, Ridamuzi would lead the Qiang people to attack the new recruits of the Liangzhou Garrison. But these new recruits, who had only trained for half a year, were no match for the Qiang people. This battle would be difficult to win.
But Ridamuzi couldn’t have dreamed that Xiao Jue had never gone to Zhangtai in the first place.
He Yan asked, “So, did you intentionally place Lei Hou in the Vanguard Camp? Did you already suspect him?”
Xiao Jue smirked, “Yes.”
He Yan was secretly alarmed.
During the flag competition, she had clearly been the one to capture all twenty flags, yet Xiao Jue had chosen Lei Hou who lost to her to join the Vanguard Camp. At the time, He Yan couldn’t understand why, but now everything was clear. Xiao Jue had probably suspected Lei Hou’s identity as a spy from the beginning and had deliberately staged this snake-baiting drama.
She hadn’t noticed.
Xiao Jue had set up this scheme much earlier than anyone else. Ridamuzi could never have anticipated that from the very beginning, he was stepping into a trap with no way to turn back.
“Commander, you’re really amazing,” He Yan said sincerely. Although they were both military leaders, Xiao Jue’s abilities were something to be admired.
Xiao Jue gave her a somewhat inscrutable look and said, “Not as amazing as you.”
He Yan: “Me?”
He crossed his arms, calmly looking at He Yan, and said, “Are you done with your questions? If you are, it’s my turn.”
This statement seemed inexplicable, leaving He Yan puzzled. She asked, “What do you mean?”
He gave a chuckle, reached into his pocket, and tossed something in front of He Yan. She hesitated for a moment, then picked it up and examined it.
It was a piece of paper folded in half, with rough drawings of a map and some text. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a map of the Liangzhou Garrison and accompanying notes.
On the night He Yan was imprisoned in the dungeon, Song Taotao came to visit her, and He Yan asked her to help with a task: to deliver this to Shen Han. At the time, He Yan didn’t know how Shen Han would react to this item, but the situation was dire, and she couldn’t afford to think too much. He Yan had prepared for the worst, assuming that if she couldn’t escape or prevent the situation from unfolding, this piece of paper would be her last resort.
Now, the card was in Xiao Jue’s hands.
“Miss He,” he tilted his head, looking at her with a half-smile and a calm voice, “care to explain?”
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