Chapter 175: Qiluo
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A jade figure dances lightly in the snow, and the flying phoenix startles the clouds as it freely soars,” the black-clad person said, tilting their head while looking at him. “I thought my name was known to everyone in the world.”
Flying Phoenix General? He Rufei?
Huyate was shocked and blurted out, “Impossible!”
“Why is it impossible?” The eyes under the mask stared at him, with a slight mocking smile. “What’s impossible about it?”
Huyate, the bravest general of the Wutuo Kingdom, was, at this moment, subconsciously stepping back, yelling anxiously, “Get him! Kill him! The King will reward heavily!”
Countless arrows and figures rushed forward, but the masked person effortlessly evaded every blade and arrow coming toward him. Like a light phoenix flying through the snow, he had the freedom of the sky, with nowhere to be bound. His sword, swift and unstoppable, danced in the night, seemingly able to cut through the raindrops.
Huyate had to believe one thing: this was indeed Flying Phoenix General, He Rufei. Apart from He Rufei, there was no one else in the world with such exquisite swordsmanship. Although Huyate had never fought He Rufei, he had heard from the defeated Western Qiang people that He Rufei’s Qing Lang Sword could cut through any conceivable obstacle.
But why would He Rufei appear here? He obviously… couldn’t be here!
Could this be another plot by the Wei people? Did He Rufei deceive them? These cunning and despicable Wei people!
“I’ll kill him myself!” Huyate shouted in anger, ordering those around him, “Get me my bow and arrows!”
He wanted to personally shoot down this still-flying big bird. He wanted to watch as this phoenix fell from the sky, dropped to the ground, and was eventually trampled into the mud.
The bow and arrows were handed to him. He aimed at the black-clad person who was surrounded by Wutuo soldiers. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t aim properly, and he shouted, “Stupid fools, get back!”
As soon as the words fell, an arrow shot from deep within the thicket, intercepting his arrow in mid-air.
“There are accomplices! Catch them!”
At this moment, a man with an evil mask jumped out of the thicket, laughed loudly, and threw something resembling a wooden barrel towards the direction of the black-clad person.
The black-clad person caught the barrel in mid-air, but arrows from the Wutuo soldiers had already arrived. The “Flying Phoenix General” moved swiftly, seemingly making the wooden barrel a shield.
Arrows shot into the barrel, and a water-like substance gushed out. At the first sight, Huyate shouted in alarm, “Stop! Everyone stop!”
However, even if the archers immediately stopped their actions, the arrows had already been shot. In the blink of an eye, the wooden barrel in the black-clad person’s hand had been turned into a sieve by arrows, and water sprayed out from it, splashing the entire grain camp. Immediately after, a whistle came from his mouth. The sound was clear and crisp, and suddenly, from the thicket, dark figures appeared. Arrows, carrying fire, shot out from all directions, raining down on the grain piles soaked in oil. With a loud bang, the flames soared into the sky.
Once raw, twice cooked. Having done arson not long ago in Jiyang, He Yan was already quite adept at it.
Huyate, in extreme anger, almost spat out a mouthful of blood. He commanded those to extinguish the fire, to extinguish the fire, and those to kill, to kill. However, this wasn’t Jiyang, and rivers were not everywhere. The camping site was neither far nor close to a river.
He Yan felt a bit relieved. The oil used here was the last batch from Rundu for making fireworks and firecrackers. Despite the rain tonight, the rainfall wasn’t significant, and the wind was swift. As long as it followed the wind, there was no worry that the fire wouldn’t spread. In the end, these stationed tents were in danger.
“Now’s the time!” He Yan shouted loudly. “Don’t retreat; fight!”
The sounds of fighting erupted from all directions along with the glare of fire. Huyate surveyed the surroundings, and the people from Wei, wearing masks with evil faces, had already caused chaos among the Wutuo soldiers. The morale was unstable, and now with the grain burning, some were busy fetching water to put out the fire. Not to mention the formation, even the rhythm of killing the Wei people had been disrupted. Huyate was almost infuriated to the point of spitting blood.
All of this was because of He Rufei!
He Rufei… he looked around and didn’t see He Rufei’s figure. His heart shook, and he angrily said, “Capture He Rufei for me! I want to personally chop off his head!”
Inside a tent, the low cries of women could be heard. Suddenly, the tent curtain was lifted, and two faces resembling evil spirits appeared inside the tent.
The women made a short “Ah” sound, and before they could say anything, one of them had her mouth covered by the intruders. The person removed the mask, revealing a face with a scar and a fierce appearance, but it was not the appearance of a Wutuo person. Impatiently, he said, “We are from Great Wei, coming to rescue you. Put on your clothes and leave quickly.”
The women in the tent were all disheveled, and two of them were already lying on the ground, having already passed away. Jiang Jiao sighed as he looked at them. When they arrived, Huyate caused chaos inside, doing some things to the female captives of Rundu that were even more inhumane than animals. He Yan couldn’t delay the critical matter of burning the grain, so she left. Still, she didn’t forget about it. When the grain was burnt, she let them come over to take a look.
Originally, they thought He Yan’s heart was too soft. Now, looking at the miserable corpses in the camp, even a bandit like Wang Ba couldn’t bear it. He couldn’t help but clench his fists, cursing the Wutuo people as beasts.
Several women followed Wang Ba and another person out of the camp silently. The Wutuo soldiers were concentrated at the food and forage area, and no one noticed them. Jiang Jiao asked, “Can Brother He hold on for so long alone?”
Wang Ba sneered, “He’s much better at playing the hero than you and me. He went to rescue other captives.”
The camp where the Great Wei captives were held was small and dilapidated, barely providing shelter from the wind and rain. Dozens of women squeezed together, their clothes barely covering their bodies. Each of them had a desolate expression. The tent was filled with the stench of blood and decay, making it nauseating. Every time the Wutuo people abused these women, the dead ones were thrown into the river, and the ones alive were often covered in wounds and thrown back, repeating the cycle of living a life worse than death until they finally died.
Suddenly seeing someone coming to rescue them, these women couldn’t believe their eyes.
“Let’s go,” He Yan said, “I’ll take you out.”
The leading woman asked tremulously, “Hero, what’s your name… are you Flying Phoenix General?”
The masked man didn’t move, but in an instant, he took off the mask, revealing a handsome and clear face of a young man. His voice was calm, “No, I’m He Yan, bestowed by the Emperor as Wuan Lang.”
…
The Wutuo soldiers were completely thrown off their game. The masked Great Wei men weren’t eager for battle, and as they saw the food and forage about to burn out, they turned and rushed towards the city gate. On the city gate, ropes had already been lowered, and numerous archers were hidden on the city tower. Once Wutuo soldiers approached them, they used the “arrows” borrowed from the Wutuo people a few days ago to shoot them.
The Wutuo soldiers couldn’t advance, but the masked men, like evil spirits, could retreat unharmed.
“They took away those captives!” someone shouted.
Huyate exploded in anger, “A bunch of useless people! Can’t even keep an eye on women!”
The Wutuo soldiers were also aggrieved; who would have thought that at a critical moment, someone would pay attention to those women without value? They were just things that would only hinder them if they were taken as war booty. In their Wutuo culture, even if they were rescued, they would be killed—women defiled by the enemy had no right to live.
The captured women would rather die in the enemy camp. How could they imagine that someone would go to great lengths to rescue them?
A trusted aide hesitated and said, “I heard that Flying Phoenix General, He Rufei, never harms women. If someone kidnaps Great Wei women, as long as he’s there, he will rescue them…”
Huyate kicked him back, “Nonsense! I’ve said it before, how could He Rufei possibly come to Rundu!”
The smell of burning food and forage wafted through the wilderness. Occasionally, Wutuo soldiers carrying buckets of water came to extinguish the flames, but the strong wind made their efforts futile. Huyate looked towards the direction of Rundu’s city tower in the distance, where numerous archers were set up, shooting arrows with torches towards them as if issuing a warning.
His face darkened, and he almost ground his teeth to bits. “Rundu… I will flatten Rundu! Let the people of Rundu, young and old, be annihilated!”
…
He Yan was the last one to ascend the city tower.
Prioritizing the safety of the rescued women, she pulled the ropes back first. She engaged with Wutuo soldiers at the city tower until she had a chance to return to the city. Even though the archers managed to drive the Wutuo soldiers away with arrows, she still suffered injuries.
In war, there would be sacrifices, and having one’s life intact was already good enough.
The women who had miraculously escaped from the enemy camp sat dazed on the city tower until they could no longer hear the Wutuo horns in the distance. Slowly, they covered their faces with both hands and burst into loud sobs.
Behind the city gate, the soldiers of Rundu, who had removed their masks, were scattered on the ground. The night’s sudden attack had kept everyone highly tense, and only now did it seem like they truly understood what had happened. Some cried, while others laughed, shouting, “We burned their food and forage! Those Wutuo people were made fools of. Hahaha, we won against the Wutuo people!”
Claiming victory was an exaggeration, but this time, the night raid was indeed a success, and a complete one at that. The casualties among the Wutuo people were unknown, but out of the five hundred elite soldiers that He Yan brought, forty-six were sacrificed, and two hundred seventy-three were injured. For the people of Rundu who had held out for over a month, this was already the best outcome.
Li Kuang looked at the fallen elite soldiers in disbelief and muttered, “They actually did it.”
When He Yan led these troops away, Li Kuang had reservations. He had almost prepared himself for the possibility that He Yan and these hundreds of people would not return alive, merely going to their deaths. As for burning the Wutuo people’s food and forage, Li Kuang believed it was highly unlikely.
Yet, these seemingly impossible things had all turned into reality. They even brought back the captives taken by the Wutuo people outside the city.
In Li Kuang’s heart, a new hope suddenly ignited. He had never believed that the forces in Rundu could contend with the Wutuo people. He thought they could only defend the city gates and wait for reinforcements. But now, He Yan showed him another possibility. What if the Wutuo people couldn’t endure it? Without food and forage, they couldn’t hold on for long, and their advantage no longer existed. Now, they were relying solely on numerical superiority, and that young Wuan Lang He Yan had already won battles with fewer troops twice before, hadn’t he?
Thinking of this, Li Kuang looked excitedly at He Yan. The youth was leaning against the tower wall, still not taking off his mask, looking at the rescued women who were huddled together and weeping. Li Kuang couldn’t see He Yan’s expression, but he could see the smile at the corner of his mouth.
He felt relieved.
In an instant, the scene before Li Kuang’s eyes overlapped with the past. He still vaguely remembered when He Rufei, then a deputy general, fought a battle. He was just like this, sitting quietly on the ground, watching the soldiers who were either crying or laughing. The sharpness of the battlefield was completely restrained, replaced by an inexplicable gentleness.
He really resembled He Rufei, Li Kuang thought silently in his heart, more accurately, the He Rufei of the past, the He Rufei of the bygone years.
“How are you?” Li Kuang walked over.
He Yan looked up at him, a slight curve forming at the corner of his mouth. “I’m fine, just a bit tired.”
For the entire night, he and the elite soldiers had not rested. Li Kuang suggested, “Take a break.”
He Yan nodded, stood up, and then thought of something. He said to Li Kuang, “For these rescued women, can I trouble Lord Li to inquire if they still have family in the city? If they do, please ask their families to take them home. If they don’t have families, please arrange for them properly.”
Li Kuang frowned slightly but remained silent.
Seeming to perceive what he was thinking, He Yan said lightly, “Regardless of what Lord Li thinks, they are all citizens of Great Wei and also the people of Rundu. As the Zongbing you cannot turn a blind eye. The duty of those on the battlefield is to protect every inch of the country’s land, without distinction of wealth or status, and regardless of what they have experienced.”
She fixed her gaze on Li Kuang, seemingly insisting on getting an answer from him. Li Kuang hesitated for a moment and then said, “I understand.”
He Yan nodded in acknowledgment. “Thank you.”
She walked down the city tower on her own.
…
He Yan lived in a residence arranged by Zhao Shiming. As the Wuan Lang now, she could use the privilege to live alone in a room.
She asked the servants in the house for a basin of hot water and entered the room. The servants quickly brought in the hot water, and He Yan locked the door, took off the mask, and removed her clothes.
There were injuries on her back, shoulders, and arms—some were grazed by a knife, and some had arrows in them. Last night, she stood at the forefront, burned the Wutuo people’s forage, and faced hundreds of arrows. It was impossible to come out unscathed. But the current situation was already good enough.
She soaked a cloth in hot water and gently wiped the wounds. The wounds on her back and shoulders were the deepest. Fortunately, there weren’t many wounds around her waist—thanks to Lin Shuanghe’s scar-removing ointment.
This time, when she came to Rundu, she brought the remaining scar-removing ointment with her. The wounds on her shoulders and waist were barely enough, and there was no more left in the box.
After changing into clean clothes, she looked at herself in the mirror. The youth in the mirror had a pale complexion. The biggest advantage of the mask and black clothes was that soldiers couldn’t see bloodstains or wounds, nor could they see her face. She always appeared spirited, always moving forward, always uplifting morale, and stabilizing the military.
He Yan looked at her arms, the sleeves rolled halfway up, revealing a knife wound. However, she had run out of the medicinal powder she carried, so she planned to wrap it directly with a white cloth. Just as she was about to do so, there was a knock on the door, a woman’s voice saying, “Young Lord He.”
He Yan said, “Please come in.”
The one who entered was a young and beautiful girl, her face filled with a bright smile. There was a tiny dimple on her left cheek, adding a lively touch to her charm. She walked over, handed He Yan a round bottle, and said with a smile, “When I saw Young Lord He coming in just now, I asked the servants for hot water. I figured Young Lord He must be injured. This is the healing ointment that the master usually has leftover. I brought it here for you.” Her gaze fell on the knife scar on He Yan’s arm, and she exclaimed, “Oh! Young Lord He, you’re really injured?”
He Yan smiled, “Just a minor injury, nothing serious.”
“That won’t do.” The girl, familiar and casual, approached. She seemed to want to get closer, but realizing He Yan’s special status, she didn’t dare to get too close. Standing to the side, she comforted, “Small injuries can turn into big ones if not treated properly. My master is like that sometimes. He gets injured on the battlefield, doesn’t bother with it, and by the time it becomes an old injury, it’s hard to deal with.”
He Yan looked at the young and beautiful face, feeling a moment of emotion. She knew this girl, she was Li Kuang’s most favored concubine, named Qiluo. When she dealt with the Western Qiang people with Li Kuang years ago, she became quite familiar with Qiluo. Because this girl was exceptionally clever and knew how to please Li Kuang, He Yan had thought at the time that if she were a man, she might also wholeheartedly favor such a girl.
Qiluo was only sixteen back then, very young, with a round face. Three or four years had passed, and she had matured a bit, losing some of her childishness. Her round face had turned into an oval one, but the dimple on her left cheek and her sweet smile remained unchanged.
“Young Lord He, why are you looking at me like that?” Qiluo touched her own face, rolled her eyes, and said crisply, “I’m good-looking. My master spoils me the most.”
He Yan couldn’t help but laugh. Qiluo used to boast about this back then, and she still loved to boast about it now. With just this sentence, it seemed like she had returned to those days.
“What are you laughing at?” Qiluo asked, “Do I look ugly?”
“No, no,” He Yan waved her hand, “Just thinking about some past memories.”
Back then, because Qiluo was born so cute and clever, He Yan always couldn’t help treating her like a younger sister. Although He Yan had a biological younger sister, due to the complex relationships in the He family, she wasn’t close to her sister, He Xinying. At that time, seeing Qiluo’s beauty and her docile and clever nature, He Yan felt sorry for her. Such a girl, if she were to marry, she should find a young man similar in age to her. But Li Kuang wasn’t someone He Yan looked down upon, it was just that Li Kuang was old enough to be Qiluo’s father, and he was stern and rough, not considerate at all. He Yan didn’t understand why Qiluo chose him.
Qiluo, at that time, propped up her cheek and giggled, saying to He Yan, “In my family, everyone serves others as servants. Deputy General He, a young and talented youth, how could he marry a servant as his wife? If I were to become a wife to another servant, I would still end up being a servant after giving birth to a child. Being a servant, you have to bow to others, and if you accidentally anger the master, you might lose your life. What’s the use of that? It’s better to follow the master, be well-fed and well-clothed. I only need to please the master, and I won’t be afraid of others bullying me. What you said is all empty talk. I consider this a job, being the master’s concubine is easier than doing the tasks you mentioned. Moreover, the master is straightforward, doesn’t like to beat around the bush. I don’t have to scheme and plot when I’m with him, it’s very good.”
“Deputy General He, you and the master are both protectors of the people of Great Wei, heroes. As the master’s concubine, I am the woman of a hero. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I live much better now than before. I don’t have many wishes in this life. I just hope that ten years from now, I will still be the master’s most favored concubine. I hope that ten years from now, I won’t be old and faded, and there won’t be other fox spirits vying for the master’s favor and pity. If it can be like this, I would be very grateful to Guanyin Bodhisattva.”
At that time, He Yan felt that this girl was quite insightful—she sought good and got good. Everyone has their own thoughts, and Qiluo is happy with the life she has.
Looking back now, ten years might be uncertain, but after three years, it seems that she is still Li Kuang’s most favored concubine in Rundu.
She lowered her head and smiled. She sprinkled the healing powder brought by Qiluo on the wounds on her arm. Qiluo looked curiously and couldn’t help saying, “Young Lord He, you don’t seem very old, but why, like my master, do you apply medicine without making a sound? Don’t warriors who fight know pain?”
“It’s not that we don’t feel pain,” He Yan said. “I think when your master applies medicine, it must be painful. It’s just not convenient to say it out loud in front of a lady.”
Qiluo laughed, “Young Lord He, you have a funny way of speaking.”
After applying the powder, He Yan returned the bottle to Qiluo and said, “Miss Qiluo, thank you for the medicine.”
Qiluo took the bottle, did not leave immediately, just looked at He Yan and said, “Young Lord He, it’s just a bit of medicine, no need to thank me. If anything, I should thank you.”
“Thank me for what?”
“Thank you for coming up with a brilliant plan last night, burning the Wutuo people’s food, venting our anger. Also, thank you for saving those women.”
She lowered her head, smiled somewhat helplessly, “I know those women who were taken by the Wutuo people. If it wasn’t for you last night, they wouldn’t have been able to return to Rundu alive. No one would care about their lives. Even if the master personally led the troops, he wouldn’t care about their lives, but you’re different.” She looked at He Yan, her eyes sparkling, “You brought them back, not one left behind. I used to think, how could there be such a young official who received the emperor’s commendation? It must be that you gained some advantage on the previous battlefield.”
“Now I don’t think so. You are different from them. You are a good person, a true hero.”
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I love this story! I wait anxiously for every Wednesday. Thank you so much for your hard work!