Chapter 162: Returning to the Garrison
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On the way back from Jiyang to Liangzhou, the group was not as spirited as when they arrived. It seemed that they were all a bit exhausted, likely from the recent intense battle. Cui Jiao and Hong Qiao, the two young maids, had their indenture contracts returned by Lin Shuanghe, who also gave them a sum of silver to give to their parents, instructing them not to sell their children in the future. When leaving, to prevent the parents from going back on their word, the name of Cui Yuezhi was invoked.
The two maids were reluctant to part, as having a master who treated them well and didn’t scold them was not something one encountered every day. Sometimes, being a maid to a kind-hearted lady like this was much easier than struggling in the difficult world.
When they left Liangzhou Garrison, it was not yet spring, but now, after some delay on the road, it was already early summer.
He Yan had already changed back into male clothing, as it was more convenient for travel. Lin Shuanghe, fanning himself occasionally, sighed, “My sister He is so beautiful, but she insists on dressing as a man, what a waste.”
He Yan just ignored his nonsense.
On the second day of May, Xiao Jue and He Yan arrived at Liangzhou Garrison.
The sound of soldiers training echoed from afar under White Moon Mountain. He Yan jumped off the carriage, looking towards the direction of the Five Deer River and the martial arts field, feeling a familiar sense wash over her. After all, she had been in Liangzhou Garrison for at least a year, and she had completely adapted to the life here. Arriving here felt like returning to a familiar place, bringing an indescribable sense of peace.
Shen Han, who had already received the news, had come to help unload the goods from the carriage. Seeing He Yan and Xiao Jue safe and sound, he breathed a sigh of relief. The news of the military affairs in Jiyang had reached them a long time ago. Considering the 20,000 Jiyang City soldiers facing the 150,000 Wutuo troops, it was a scary thought. They were only worried about whether the group had been injured in the fierce battle, but now, seeing that everyone was lively and well, all concerns were dispelled.
“The Commander must be tired from the journey. Rest in the room first,” Shen Han said. “The rooms have already been cleaned.”
Xiao Jue nodded. Just as they were talking, another carriage arrived, stopping behind them. The curtain of the carriage was lifted, and Ying Xiang helped Chu Zhao get off.
Shen Han was surprised, “This…”
“Fourth Young Master Chu will stay temporarily in Liangzhou Garrison,” Xiao Jue said casually. “Find him a room.” Then, he glanced at Chu Zhao with a mocking tone. “The conditions in the garrison are tough, Fourth Young Master Chu, please bear with it.”
Chu Zhao expressed his gratitude, “I dare not, Zilan is grateful.”
Xiao Jue ignored him and turned away, leading He Yan to walk ahead.
Cheng Lisu was no longer in Liangzhou Garrison now, and technically, the house Cheng Lisu lived in should be returned to its original owner. However, Xiao Jue seemed to have forgotten about this matter. Moreover, staying here made it more convenient for He Yan to bathe and groom herself than sleeping in a common area with everyone else. Since Xiao Jue didn’t bring it up, He Yan also pretended not to know and brought her luggage back to Cheng Lisu’s house—next to Xiao Jue’s.
Shen Han came in from the front and back, holding a military roster in his hands, saying, “This is the content of the daily training over the past few days. I have organized it. Commander, take your time to look it over after resting. After the Commander returns, the training of the Nanfu troops will still be overseen by the Commander. In these past few months, the formation of the Liangzhou Garrison soldiers has shown some initial results.”
Xiao Jue took the military roster and casually flipped through it. Shen Han turned his head and looked at the middle door behind him in the room, seeing He Yan sitting on the bed, a bundle of packages spread out in front of her, seemingly organizing things brought back from Jiyang. A rough glance revealed quite a lot of items—food, clothes, and small trinkets, covering the entire bed.
Looking at Xiao Jue and him showing no intention of stopping them at all, Shen Han fell into contemplation. One should know that Second Young Master Xiao was particularly fond of cleanliness. Even after he left, the room had to be cleaned every day. The soldiers in the army were one thing, but the instructors who had contact with Xiao Jue didn’t dare to act recklessly in front of him. At least, they had proper manners, unlike He Yan, who was so casual.
Surprisingly, Xiao Jue didn’t stop them either. Could it be that the relationship between these two had progressed after their trip to Jiyang?
Lost in his thoughts, Shen Han didn’t notice Xiao Jue calling his name. When Xiao Jue saw him in a daze, he lifted his eyes, followed his gaze, and saw Shen Han staring at He Yan, who was sitting on the bed and organizing her belongings, with a contemplative expression. Xiao Jue furrowed his brows and called him again, “Shen Han.”
Startled, Shen Han came back to his senses and said, “Commander!”
“I need to write a memorial. Find a few people to keep an eye on Chu Zilan,” Xiao Jue instructed. “If there is any unusual activity, inform me immediately.”
Shen Han nodded and left.
After Shen Han left, He Yan laid down on the bed and rolled around. Xiao Jue frowned displeasedly, “Are you a dog?”
“After such a long journey, rocking back and forth on the carriage every day, I can finally get a good night’s sleep,” He Yan grabbed a handful of dried fruits from her bag and held them in her palm. “Commander, these were sent to me by Lord Cui’s Yiniang. Do you want some?”
“No,” Xiao Jue replied.
“It’s a gesture of goodwill. There’s no need to be so heartless,” He Yan took a clean cloth and wrapped the dried fruits. “I’ll put them on your desk later.”
Xiao Jue didn’t turn his head, flipping through the military roster that Shen Han had just brought. He Yan thought, generals also have their difficulties as generals, and soldiers also have their advantages as soldiers. For example, now she could roll on the bed while Xiao Jue had to deal with a pile of official business.
Watching Xiao Jue’s back, He Yan suddenly remembered something and asked, “Commander, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you.”
“Speak,” Xiao Jue said.
He Yan hesitated for a moment, “Do you remember the day when we were in Jiyang City, the day the Wutuo troops attacked the city? We were supposed to swim to the shore after setting the fire, but I choked on water. Did you… did you pull me up?”
She actually had one more thing to say. In a daze, it seemed like someone had given her mouth-to-mouth air. She couldn’t open her eyes underwater, but she vaguely felt that the person was Xiao Jue. However, saying such a thing was too absurd. Firstly, was Xiao Jue the kind of person to do such a thing? Certainly not. Secondly, she actually had such a dream. If she said it out loud, others would mock her for thinking about such inexplicable things in a life-and-death situation.
Xiao Jue’s eyes flickered slightly. After a pause, he said, “Yes.”
Although it was a bit difficult to say, He Yan still bravely asked, “Commander, besides pulling me up, did you do anything else?”
“No,” Xiao Jue replied.
He Yan was surprised, “Nothing?”
He turned his head, slowly curved his lips, and spoke with a seemingly smiling tone, “Then what do you hope I did to you?”
He Yan couldn’t respond to such a question.
She laughed it off, saying, “Nothing, I was just asking casually.” In her heart, she thought that it was indeed just a spring dream, fortunately not said out loud, otherwise it would be too embarrassing.
Xiao Jue went back to look at the military roster in front of him, but his eyes showed a slight ripple. After a glance at the girl sitting on the bed continuing to organize her belongings, he awkwardly withdrew his gaze after a while.
He didn’t say anything more.
…
After organizing the luggage in the room, He Yan checked the time and estimated that today’s daily training at the martial arts field was about to end. From tomorrow onwards, she would also resume training. However, at this moment, she could chat with her brothers whom she hadn’t seen for a long time.
Just as she reached the entrance of the martial arts field, the daily training was dispersing. From a distance, she heard Xiao Mai’s voice, “It’s Brother Ah He, Brother Ah He is back!”
With a swoosh, everyone crowded around. Whether they knew her or not, He Yan had become famous in Liangzhou Garrison. Xiao Mai was pushed aside, and He Yan pulled him to stand beside her. Xiao Mai said, “Brother Ah He, when did you come back? Why didn’t you say anything? I heard the instructors say that you and the Commander won another battle in Jiyang. Brother Ah He, you’re amazing!”
This news had spread so quickly? He Yan was still wondering, and someone else said, “I heard that the Jiyang City soldiers only had twenty thousand, while the Wutuo troops had one hundred and fifty thousand. Brother Ah He, tell us, how did you win?”
“Yeah, tell us quickly!”
He Yan felt like every time she did something and returned to Liangzhou Garrison, she had become a storyteller, sharing stories with everyone. However, being surrounded in the center now, with no way to retreat, she had to sit on the railing of the martial arts field and reach out, saying, “Everyone, calm down, calm down. This matter is a long story. Let me have a sip of water first.”
Immediately, someone handed her a water jug, saying, “I have it! Drink mine!”
“Do you want to eat something else? How about a dry cake?”
“Alright, alright. Let me tell you. In fact, this battle wasn’t very difficult to fight. It all depended on the Commander’s effective command, and Jiyang is a water city…”
From afar, Liang Ping watched He Yan being surrounded by everyone, speechless for a moment. He said, “This kid is so famous in Liangzhou Garrison now? How did he become so popular that everyone responds to him? What’s going on?”
Ma Damei mysteriously smiled and said, “This is a good thing.”
“What’s good about it?”
“He Yan went to Jiyang with the Commander. They came back together in the same carriage, indicating a harmonious relationship. Since they fought side by side in Jiyang, when they report to the court, do you think he will be mentioned?”
“At least, he contributed a little to the small achievements. This young man has extraordinary skills and an open and cheerful temperament. As long as he follows the Commander, rising in rank is inevitable. I think his future won’t be limited to our Liangzhou Garrison. Brother, establish a good relationship with him. It’s not a bad thing.” Ma Damei patted him on the shoulder with a smile. “You have to look at the bigger picture.”
“He’s only in his teens,” Liang Ping muttered, “Why do you talk as if he’s so powerful?”
Ma Damei smiled without saying anything.
On the other side, the crowd listening to He Yan’s storytelling burst into exclamations.
“Fire attack! That’s unexpected!”
“This is too risky. What if there was no wind? Wouldn’t they be sitting ducks?”
He Yan laughed, “Without wind, we would have fought to the end. But war is inherently complex. There are no absolute rules of strong defeating the weak. As long as the timing and location are right, defeating a larger force is not difficult. So, in every battle, one cannot hold onto the belief of either definite victory or defeat. On the battlefield, things change in an instant, and the outcome is unknown until the last moment.”
The crowd nodded, seemingly understanding.
The lively discussion came to an end, and the crowd gradually dispersed. Only a few people remained, naturally including Hong Shan and the others. Wang Ba crossed his arms, looking at He Yan with great dissatisfaction. “You’re showing off as soon as you come back. Even a peacock doesn’t flaunt itself like you.”
“I have to have the ability to show off,” He Yan jumped down from the railing. “Long time no see, my friends.”
After staying in the Vanguard Camp for a while, the daily training was much harder than in an ordinary camp. Shitou, Jiang Jiao, and Wang Ba, Huang Xiong all looked a bit thinner and darker than before. But their spirits were better than before. Jiang Jiao asked, “I didn’t expect you to win such a great victory in Jiyang after all. Ah He, you’re really something.”
“It’s not me who fought,” He Yan modestly declined. “It’s all thanks to the Commander’s good command.”
“How about it? Did you make some military contributions this time? Can you get a promotion?” Huang Xiong was considering practical matters.
“I don’t know if I’ll get a promotion, but the Commander promised me that I can join the Nanfu Troops when we return,” He Yan said. “Just for this, I’m already satisfied.”
“Really?” Hong Shan’s excited voice changed its pitch. “Ah He, your wish has come true!”
Several people congratulated her, but only Shitou remained calm. He asked He Yan, “Brother He, why did the Wutuo people suddenly attack Jiyang? Were they in Liangzhou before too?”
He Yan’s smile gradually faded, and her expression became serious. After a while, she spoke, “The Great Wei… might be going to war.”
Since the Wutuo people have started, they won’t easily give up. These years of hiding and waiting were all for this moment.
For a while, everyone fell silent. War, for the people of Great Wei, for everyone, was not a cause for celebration.
…
The room was dimly lit, and the young man was still reading the long scroll in his hand. The piles of military documents were stacked together, and there were too many affairs in Liangzhou Garrison to be dealt with.
Someone knocked lightly on the door.
Without lifting his head, Xiao Jue said, “Come in.”
It was Shen Muxue who came in. She held a basket of food in her hands, walked in cautiously, and placed the food basket on the small table beside him, saying softly, “Commander, you’ve been reading for a long time. Have some food.”
Xiao Jue just responded with a sound but showed no intention of getting up. Shen Muxue sighed softly.
When Xiao Jue came back, she was still staying up late in the medical clinic. In the season of spring and summer, Liangzhou Garrison’s soldiers were most prone to wind and cold. Halfway through making medicine, she heard that Xiao Jue had returned. Although she wanted to go and see, there were still unfinished tasks at hand, so she had to give up.
Moreover, this time, they returned from Jiyang to Liangzhou, and the journey was even farther. Thinking that Xiao Jue also needed more rest, she did not expect him to still be reading official documents at this late hour.
However, Xiao Jue was always like this. When she truly got to know him, he was like this, and he never changed.
“There are local products from Jiyang on the ground. Take some back with you.” Xiao Jue, still looking at the documents, said, “The room can’t hold them all.”
Shen Muxue nodded, put the food basket in place, and went to organize the packages on the ground. Indeed, there were many packages and wooden boxes. When opened, they contained some fabrics and pastries from Jiyang, a place where they were not available in Liangzhou Garrison. Some of the food items could be added to the daily meals, and the soldiers would be happy.
The top box looked very exquisite, a round wooden box with a layer of lacquer on it. Upon closer inspection, it was carved with scenes from the Water God Festival in Jiyang. When opened, it revealed a balm with a faint floral scent when sniffed under the nose.
This thing couldn’t be considered particularly valuable, but it was exquisite and cute. Most girls would like it. The balm boxes made in Liangzhou were not as special as those made in Jiyang. The balm inside was for hand application. After being soaked in water all day or dealing with medicinal herbs, the skin would occasionally crack. Although Shen Muxue treasured her skin and had prepared a lot of her own balm, seeing this, she was still very happy.
She picked up the box, held it in her palm, looked at Xiao Jue, feeling a bit shy. After hesitating for a moment, she whispered, “Commander, thank you. I really like this balm.”
Xiao Jue, hearing this, seemed to not understand what she was saying. He turned his head to look at her, and his gaze paused on the box in her hand before saying lightly, “This is not for you.”
Shen Muxue’s face turned red all of a sudden, and she quickly put the box down, nervously saying, “I’m sorry, Commander. I… I thought it was for me.”
Although Xiao Jue didn’t say much, she felt extremely embarrassed, as if she had misunderstood something.
“Take the others, but don’t touch the box,” Xiao Jue said, then no longer paid attention to her.
Biting her lip, Shen Muxue quickly organized the other packages on the floor, picked up the items, and left the room. When she left, her gaze lingered for a moment on the box on the table.
The soldiers of Liangzhou Garrison were generally indifferent to whether their skin was cracked or not. They had to undergo many daily drills, and they wouldn’t deliberately look for moisturizing balm. Even if there were some who cared a lot, they probably wouldn’t use such a beautifully decorated box that clearly looked like it was meant for women.
Xiao Jue would certainly not use it, and when he said, “This is not for you,” it meant it was for someone else.
Who was he giving this to?
…
The night breeze was refreshing, but returning from the lively atmosphere of Jiyang to the desolation of Liangzhou Garrison felt a bit uncomfortable for He Yan. Without the rivers flowing through the city and the boats, all that remained was the silent White Moon Mountain, the vast Five Deer River, and the deserted training ground at night.
He Yan walked alone.
After meeting with the various good friends of Liangzhou Garrison, distributing the local products from Jiyang to Hongshan and the others, and chatting with them until late at night, she turned to go back to her room. She planned to ask Xiao Jue when she could join the daily drills with the Nanfu soldiers starting from tomorrow. Unexpectedly, when she walked halfway, she ran into Chu Zhao.
Chu Zhao was alone without Ying Xiang by his side. Seeing He Yan, he greeted her with a smile, “Ah Yan.”
“Brother Chu.” He Yan looked around at him, wondering, “It’s so late, Brother Chu, are you taking a walk alone?” Even if it was just a stroll, it seemed a bit pitiful in this place without trees or flowers.
Chu Zhao was taken aback for a moment, smiling and shaking his head, “No, I just wanted to find someone for help.”
“What help do you need?”
Chu Zhao opened his palm, revealing a stone. The stone looked like it was picked up from the Five Deer Riverbank, oddly interesting. It was flat, shaped like a white horse, but there was an additional blocky protrusion at the tail. Something extra.
“Ah Yan, do you think this stone looks like a horse?” Chu Zhao smiled and pointed at the extra part near the tail. “But it has an extra block here. I want to find someone to help me cut off this part. But now it’s late, and it seems like everyone has gone to sleep.”
So, he was looking for someone strong. He Yan observed Chu Zhao for a moment, thinking that this guy, who looked like a gust of wind could blow him away, certainly wouldn’t be able to chop off this stone. It was just a matter of convenience. She asked Chu Zhao, “Brother Chu, do you have a knife?”
Chu Zhao then took out a small dagger from his pocket. The dagger looked very thin, with the handle shaped like a bamboo leaf. He Yan took it, speechless for a moment. Scholars really paid attention to aesthetics, but this dagger, being decorated this way, was more for show than practical use. It was suitable for cutting fruits, but for self-defense, it would be a cause for laughter.
With a disdainful look, He Yan spoke, “Give me the stone.”
Chu Zhao handed the stone to her.
He Yan placed the stone on the ground, pressing down on the horse’s head with one hand and using the knife to swiftly cut down. A crisp sound echoed as the extra part of the horse’s tail broke off. At the same time, a piece was missing from the tip of the dagger.
He Yan: “…”
“Ah Yan, impressive skill.” Chu Zhao didn’t seem to mind this and happily said, “I’ll polish this part, and it will look complete.”
He Yan couldn’t understand Chu Zhao’s behavior at all. Craftsmen did such things for a living. Chu Zhao, however, seemed genuinely fond of it. Hearing about nobles and ministers who loved to farm on their own estates, it was probably the same feeling. But going out in the middle of the night to carve a piece of stone was something He Yan could never comprehend.
She herself could never do such a thing, being a rough person with no refined tastes.
Chu Zhao put the dagger back together, holding the stone in his hand, and smiled at He Yan. “Come to think of it, I’ve always troubled you to do things for me, but there’s nothing much I can do for you. I feel really sorry.”
“It’s just a small favor, Brother Chu. You don’t have to worry about it. I usually throw stone blocks as part of my strength training, so helping you split a stone doesn’t take much effort.” He Yan shrugged. “Besides that, I haven’t done much for you.”
Chu Zhao lowered his head and smiled. “Before, in Jiyang, Ah Yan also gave me your clothes.” At this point, he seemed a bit embarrassed, speaking softly, “Although I didn’t use them… Thank you.”
He Yan: “Well, it’s only natural.” After all, seeing someone so weak in front of her, she was busy doing other things, so it was normal to help out. If it wasn’t Chu Zhao but someone else, she would have done the same.
“Brother Chu, what are your plans for the future?” He Yan asked. “Do you plan to stay in Liangzhou Garrison indefinitely?”
Chu Zhao’s identity was already peculiar, and staying in Liangzhou Garrison seemed to have no benefits for him. He Yan couldn’t figure it out. Looking at Xiao Jue, he just looked on coldly, showing no intention of interfering.
“No.” Chu Zhao shook his head. “Once everything in Jiyang is settled, I will return to the capital.”
“The military matters in Jiyang seem to have already settled. Brother Chu, what aspect are you referring to?”
Chu Zhao looked at He Yan. In the night, he smiled slightly, a gentle smile like before, but within the gentleness, there was a hint of profound meaning. “Ah Yan, you will understand in the future.”
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