Chapter 182: Leaving the City
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Returning to her own room, He Yan laid on the bed, tossing and turning.
The window was open, letting in a gentle breeze that made her unusually alert. The conversation with Xiao Jue earlier seemed to echo in her ears.
It turned out that on the night she left the He family to join the army, Xiao Jue had actually come to keep the appointment. However, due to twists of fate, they missed each other. Once missed, there was no chance again. Just as in the past, He Yan didn’t know that the person secretly guiding her swordsmanship was Xiao Jue. Now, Xiao Jue couldn’t possibly know that the person he had assisted back then had changed.
She made so much effort to conceal her identity, just as much as she wanted to express her gratitude for the identity of the fellow student from the past. It turns out that in this life and the previous one, there have been so many strange connections between her and Xiao Jue. It’s just that fate is fleeting, and now it happened again…
He Yan sat up, thought for a moment, and made a determined decision. She walked to the table, lit an oil lamp with a fire starter. Zhao Shiming, being a scholar, had various writing tools placed around the room. She ground ink, found paper, and sat down at the table, slowly starting to write.
…
All matters in Rundu were settled within three days. Xiao Jue and his group were also ready to leave.
Before leaving, He Yan found Zhao Shiming.
After the incident with Qiluo, He Yan didn’t speak to Li Kuang again. Every time she saw Li Kuang, she would think of that sweet girl with dimples when she smiled. It seemed that Li Kuang felt the same way; every time he saw He Yan, he would avoid her gaze.
So, there were some things she didn’t plan to mention to Li Kuang.
Zhao Shiming was sitting in the room, reading official documents. Rundu had been besieged by the Wutuo people for these past few days, and the city’s merchants had gone on strike, causing everything to be in chaos. Now that the Wutuo people had retreated, Rundu was returning to peace, but it would take time to restore the city to its former calm state.
“Lord Zhao,” He Yan walked into the room and called him.
Zhao Shiming lifted his head from the documents, surprised to see He Yan. After a brief pause, he stood up, smiling warmly. “Young Lord He, why do you have the time to come to my place today?”
Zhao Shiming liked He Yan very much. Being a scholar, he found it difficult to get along with Li Kuang, who was rough and boorish. Xiao Jue and Yan He, on the other hand, were either aloof or proud. He Yan, however, was different. This young man was intelligent, brave, kind, and loyal, with a handsome and refined appearance. He was pleasant to be around. If it weren’t for his granddaughter being too young, Zhao Shiming would have considered making He Yan his son-in-law.
He Yan smiled. “Lord Zhao, you’re too kind. I came to say goodbye to you. Tomorrow, I will return to Shuojing with the Commander. Thank you for your care during our stay in Rundu.”
Zhao Shiming liked He Yan even more now. Look at this young man, coming to say goodbye so politely. He was truly a courteous person. Zhao Shiming replied with a smile, “Young Lord He, please don’t say that. You saved Rundu, and there’s nothing for us to entertain you with. On the contrary, you’ve suffered some grievances. If you ever come to Rundu again in the future, I, Zhao, will definitely treat you well. Please don’t bear any grudges over the inconvenience this time.”
He Yan helped Zhao Shiming, who was trying to bow, and said, “This younger generation dare not.”
Calling him “younger generation” directly? Zhao Shiming was taken aback. Before he could react, He Yan continued, “Actually, I came to say goodbye to Lord Zhao because I have one more thing to ask for your help with.”
This respectful attitude was not unfamiliar to Zhao Shiming. He Yan had approached him in a similar manner when he asked for help to pass a message to Yan He. This time, he was asking for his help again? Zhao Shiming felt even more delighted; it seemed that He Yan regarded him as one of his own. He replied with a smile, “Lord He Yan, please feel free to speak. I will do my best to help.”
As soon as the words fell, Zhao Shiming saw the person in front of him lift the hem of his robe and kneel down.
“You…” He was taken aback.
“So, thank you very much, Lord Zhao.”
…
The servants outside didn’t know what the people inside were talking about. After a while, when He Yan walked out, the servants went in to serve tea. They saw Zhao Shiming sitting at the table, looking dazed, with a vacant gaze.
“Master?” The servant called to him.
Zhao Shiming snapped back to reality, cleared his throat, and said, “It’s nothing, it’s nothing.”
He tightly gripped the piece of paper in his hand.
On the other hand, He Yan walked out, took a deep breath, and felt relieved. She didn’t know whether her decision was right or wrong, but for now, it seemed like the best way to remove Xiao Jue from the equation.
A person approached her, delicate and charming like a flower, it was Ying Xiang. Seeing He Yan, Ying Xiang gave a slight bow, “Lord He.”
She no longer addressed He Yan as “Young Master He” but as “Lord He.”
“Miss Ying Xiang.” He Yan replied, noticing that she was holding something like clothing.
Ying Xiang noticed her gaze and smiled, “Fourth Young Master Chu asked this servant to tidy up. We will set off for Shuojing tomorrow. The sun in Rundu is quite good, and the clothes will dry quickly.”
“Back to Shuojing?” He Yan frowned slightly, “Are you also leaving tomorrow?”
Chu Zhao had been stuck in the city due to the Wutuo people’s siege on their way back to Shuojing. Now that the Wutuo people had retreated, they naturally needed to leave. However, He Yan didn’t expect that they would be traveling on the same day as Xiao Jue.
“Yes, Fourth Young Master Chu will travel with everyone. Commander Xiao is also aware of this. With the recent Wutuo situation, it’s better for everyone to have someone to look out for each other.” Ying Xiang replied with a smile.
Xiao Jue didn’t intend to take care of Chu Zhao, but now that he knew about it, whatever He Yan said wouldn’t change the situation. On that day, when Li Kuang wanted to kill those captive women, Chu Zhao had also spoken up. Regardless of his motives, on the surface, He Yan should express her gratitude to him.
“Help me thank him for standing up for those captive women in front of Lord Zongbing that day.” He Yan said.
Ying Xiang smiled, “Of course, Lord He.”
After He Yan left, Ying Xiang carried the clothes back to the room. Chu Zhao was standing by the window. Ying Xiang quickly packed up the clothes into a bundle. Her movements were swift, and in a moment, everything was neatly arranged.
“Fourth Young Master,” Ying Xiang walked to Chu Zhao’s side and whispered, “When this servant was on the road, I met Miss He. Miss He asked this servant to convey her thanks. She wanted to express her gratitude to Fourth Young Master Chu for speaking up for those captive women in front of Lord Li.”
Chu Zhao smiled, noncommittal.
After a moment of silence, Ying Xiang spoke again, “Fourth Young Master shouldn’t have done that.”
“Oh?” Chu Zhao responded.
“There might be people from the Xu Xiang’s residence in the city. If the Xu Xiang sees Fourth Young Master like this, he may not be pleased…”
Xu Jingfu is someone who dislikes others acting on their own. Since the incident in Rundu has nothing to do with him, Chu Zhao not only spoke out but also brought up Xu Jingfu. Once Xu Jingfu knows about it, he will inevitably harbor displeasure towards Chu Zhao.
“I did it; there’s no need to worry,” Chu Zhao smiled slightly. “As for the Lord Xiang, I will explain it myself.”
“Why did the young master do that?” Ying Xiang asked softly. “Even if the young master didn’t intervene, with Miss He’s abilities, no one could harm her.”
Chu Zhao didn’t answer, just looked at the vast sky outside the window.
Why indeed?
Most likely, it was the image of her standing in front of those women that reminded him of the time when someone bullied him in the brothel house, and Ye Runmei stood in front of him. There were few moments in his life when he was protected, and besides Ye Runmei, there was only He Yan.
She protected those women, just like she protected him in Jiyang. One person protecting another, without selfishness, blood ties, or even any intimate relationship, just because she thought it should be done, so she did it.
Her boldness was enviable, her openness making others jealous, like a beam of light that even those who approached couldn’t help but be illuminated. So when he stood up that moment, he thought he was also an upright and brave hero.
But…
He was ultimately not light, just a shadow.
…
The day to leave Rundu arrived.
Li Kuang and Zhao Shiming went out of the city to see them off. The Nanfu soldiers and the Liangzhou Guards did not follow Xiao Jue, they were in a hurry to return to the capital, and Xiao Jue only took Yan He’s troops with him.
The city was desolate. Despite the sunlight, it seemed to be covered with a faint gray. He Yan felt sentimental. The last time she left Rundu, she was still the “Deputy Commander He,” and she and Li Kuang still had discussions and laughter. But now, leaving Rundu this time, neither of them seemed as they were before.
Time passed quickly, and the grapevines in Rundu had already grown new shoots. The group of people stood at the city gate, and He Yan was about to mount her horse. At this moment, she suddenly heard a voice from behind, “Young Lord He!”
He Yan turned her head to look.
She saw that in front of the gate of Rundu, many people had gathered at some point. They didn’t dare to approach, just stood on both sides of the street, silently watching them. A group of women walked out from the crowd, and the one who called her was the leading woman.
They were dressed neatly, with still-healing scars on their faces. They were the captives rescued by He Yan from the Wutuo people on the night of the raid. They were also the women He Yan saved from Li Kuang’s sword that day. He Yan remembered the woman who spoke to her; on that day, she had tearfully tried to dissuade her from conflicting with Li Kuang and volunteered to sacrifice herself.
However, later He Yan also learned from Zhao Shiming’s mouth that this woman originally lived in a mansion outside the city. When the Wutuo people came, they killed her husband and son, leaving only her. She had been violated by the Wutuo people and afraid of the strange gazes outside and with no family left, she had long harbored thoughts of suicide. So when Li Kuang came to find her, she was the quickest to accept.
On that day, if it weren’t for He Yan stepping forward, if it weren’t for Xiao Jue rushing over, perhaps these women would have already died under Li Kuang’s sword.
Li Kuang’s face looked somewhat uncomfortable. Many things, in the current environment, didn’t feel wrong, but looking back after everything passed, one would realize how crazy they had been.
The women walked up to He Yan, kneeling down one after another, silent, and kowtowed to He Yan.
He Yan was stunned, “You…”
“Thank you, Lord He,” they said.
The women’s spirits were much better than a few days ago, perhaps because of the food brought by Xiao Jue that allowed them to eat more, or perhaps, it was He Yan’s words that gave them the courage to live.
Zhao Shiming walked to He Yan’s side and whispered, “Lord He, those women with families have already returned home. Those without a home have now been resettled by the government. They will work and live together, and in the future… the situation you are worried about shouldn’t happen.”
He assured He Yan earnestly, “Zhao will take good care of them.”
He Yan felt somewhat relieved in her heart and gave Zhao Shiming a salute, “Thank you, Lord Zhao.”
Zhao Shiming stroked his beard and smiled, “It’s the least I can do. As a person from Rundu, as the local official, it’s my duty to take care of them.”
He Yan also smiled. Many things in the world would gradually get better. As long as someone took action, change would eventually happen, no matter how small the change was.
She helped the leading woman stand up and whispered, “Let them get up too. Live a good life in the future. Remember, I saved your lives. No matter when, don’t easily give up your own lives.”
The women nodded.
Yan He stood under the city gate, holding his arms, and said, “How does this guy surnamed He look? He seems to be more popular than you?” He glanced at Xiao Jue, “Isn’t he your subordinate? Why is he better than you?”
Lin Shuanghe smiled and said, “Brother He is gentle and amiable, naturally everyone likes him. There are not many people in the world who consider others, and even fewer who draw their swords for the safety of others.”
Yan He couldn’t stand Lin Shuanghe’s idle appearance and sneered, “What’s going on with Brother He? Is your Liangzhou Garrison always so chaotic?”
“Chaotic?” Lin Shuanghe nodded, “There are even more chaotic things, you just don’t know.”
Ying Xiang stood beside Chu Zhao, quietly watching the girl bid farewell to the rescued women and get on the carriage. The people and soldiers of Rundu in the city, although not saying much, looked at He Yan with grateful eyes.
She was indeed a likable girl, whether in Jiyang or in Rundu.
“Let’s go.” Chu Zhao turned around and also got in his carriage.
The city gate opened, the soldiers and horses moved, and the sunlight shone far at the end of the long road, like a bright avenue leading to the future.
…
Departing from Rundu, it would take ten days to reach Jinling. After passing through Jinling, they would head straight to Shuojing.
In the woods, the marching soldiers and horses took a temporary rest. Lin Shuanghe was watching He Yan roast bird eggs. He was a young master who was delicate and spoiled, and naturally couldn’t do these rough tasks. Although Yan He could also do it, He Yan had seen the fish he roasted before, which was so burnt that it was hard to swallow, so she decided to do it herself.
Xiao Jue was talking to Chiwu on the other side. He Yan and Lin Shuanghe sat together. Lin Shuanghe watched her skilled movements and sighed, “Brother He, you are cultured and skilled, able to handle both court affairs and kitchen work, capable of climbing walls, and able to fight rogues. I’ve seen so many—” He lowered his voice, “girls, none of them compare to you. Really, when you arrive in Shuojing, you will still be the first in my heart.”
He Yan threw the roasted bird eggs into his arms, “…You overpraise me.”
Lin Shuanghe fumbled to peel the shell, asking her, “When you get to Shuojing, what do you want to do? Liangzhou has nothing, and Shuojing is prosperous. If you have free time, I’ll take you to stroll around the market every day.”
At such a time, this person still wanted to play. He Yan was silent for a moment, then thought of another matter. She asked Lin Shuanghe, “By the way, why didn’t Doctor Shen come with you to Rundu this time? She… should also be going back to Shuojing.”
When He Yan left Liangzhou Garrison, she had struck Shen Muxue’s acupoints. Although it was to protect her, she wasn’t sure how Shen Muxue was doing afterwards. This time Xiao Jue and Yan He came over, and Lin Shuanghe came too, but she didn’t see Shen Muxue. But since Xiao Jue was going back to Shuojing, there was no reason for Shen Muxue to stay in Liangzhou Garrison alone.
“Doctor Shen?” Lin Shuanghe answered matter-of-factly, “She’s a girl. When Huaijin and I rushed to Rundu, we didn’t rest day and night. She couldn’t withstand that. Bringing her along would probably slow down our pace. So we didn’t bring her. As a medical officer, having me is enough. Huaijin asked Shen Han and the others to bring Doctor Shen over later.”
He Yan nodded. Next moment, Lin Shuanghe’s face suddenly approached, looking at her teasingly, “Why did you bring up Doctor Shen alone? Are you jealous?”
“What…jealousy?” He Yan was almost scared to accidentally hit him with a fork. Upon hearing this, she just sat up straight and calmly said, “I pressed her acupoints before leaving, feeling guilty, that’s all.”
“Is it really like that?” Lin Shuanghe intentionally elongated his tone, “In that case, all the efforts of Huaijin have been in vain…”
He Yan asked, “What efforts?”
Lin Shuanghe stuffed a bird egg into his mouth and said leisurely, “You wouldn’t care even if I told you, so I’d better not say.”
He Yan was so anxious that she wished she could grab Lin Shuanghe’s head and shake it vigorously, just to see what would come out. However, Lin Shuanghe was tricky when it came to matters of men and women, and he was also close to Xiao Jue. If he got any definite information and then told Xiao Jue, she might not even have a friend. It would be extremely awkward.
She had to sit reservedly, even though she felt annoyed, and casually said, “I really don’t care, so you don’t have to tell me.”
Seeing her pretending to be indifferent, Lin Shuanghe, who was trying hard not to laugh, thought to himself, let’s see how long you can endure.
Young people… sigh, young people!
…
In the distant Liangzhou, the guard house was busy at the moment.
Liang Ping was helping to check if there were any overlooked things in the house. They were about to set off for Shuojing soon. Some of the soldiers and horses were left in Liangzhou Garrison, and some were going to the capital. Shen Han, along with a few instructors, would leave while Liang Ping and Ma Damei will stay in Liangzhou Garrison.
Shen Muxue would naturally leave too.
Several days ago, when Xiao Jue and Lin Shuanghe were about to set off for Rundu, Shen Muxue expressed her desire to go with them but was rejected by Xiao Jue. His refusal was straightforward, and he didn’t explain why. On the side, Lin Shuanghe noticed that Shen Muxue’s face didn’t look good, so he tried to smooth things over, saying, “Miss Shen, the situation in Rundu is critical. Huaijin and I will be on the road, enduring hardships, day and night. You, a young lady, how can you follow us? If you stumble and hinder us, even if you don’t mind, I would feel uneasy.”
“Besides, Instructor Shen and the others will set out soon. At that time you can go together, Instructor Shen will take care of you. The journey is slow with many people. We will be relieved about your safety, Huaijin and I. Isn’t that right?”
Shen Muxue didn’t say anything, and Lin Shuanghe took it as an agreement. He smiled and turned around to leave. Shen Muxue watched his back and asked, “Young Master Lin, Second Young Master Xiao going to Rundu, is it for He Yan?”
Lin Shuanghe paused and looked at her with a genuinely puzzled expression, “Why would you think so?”
Shen Muxue pursed her lips and remained silent. She knew it was absurd to say such a thing. Xiao Jue was not someone who would easily change for someone else. However, she couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease.
The sound from outside interrupted her thoughts. Liang Ping was calling her, “Doctor Shen, is there anything else to be moved onto the carriage?”
Shen Muxue snapped back to reality, answering as she walked out. Outside, Liang Ping was standing in the scorching sun, his face red from the heat, sweat pouring down. He held a stack of boxes and was wobbling towards the carriage. When Xiao Jue left in a hurry, the room was not cleaned up. Before leaving, he instructed Shen Han to take everything from his room back to Shuojing when they returned.
Fortunately, Xiao Jue didn’t have many belongings. Apart from some books and clothes, there wasn’t much.
Seeing Liang Ping staggering, Shen Muxue approached and said, “Let me help you.”
Liang Ping’s face turned even redder, “No need, Head Instructor told me that these are all the commander’s belongings, and he asked me to organize them personally. How can I trouble Miss Shen?”
He sighed in his heart. Miss Shen had a truly kind heart and didn’t act high and mighty, despite being the young miss of the Shen family. Shen Muxue, unaware of Liang Ping’s thoughts, only heard that they were Xiao Jue’s belongings and said, “You’re carrying so much at once; it’s inevitable that it might fall. It’s alright, let me help you.”
With that, she helped lift the topmost box, which wasn’t large. Along with Liang Ping, she walked towards the front.
Liang Ping wanted to stop her, but it was too late. Seeing that Shen Muxue didn’t seem to be struggling much, he relaxed a bit. He smiled and said, “Thank you, Doctor Shen.”
The two walked to the carriage together. Liang Ping asked Shen Muxue to get on the carriage first while he went to fetch more. It was hot outside, and Shen Muxue nodded in agreement. Holding the box, she quietly sat down, looking at the busy soldiers in the distance, her gaze fixed on the box in her arms.
The box appeared ordinary, and Shen Muxue wondered what it contained. Since Xiao Jue traveled with few belongings and entrusted them to Shen Han to take back to Shuojing, it indicated their importance. However, as she lifted the box and assessed its weight, it felt surprisingly light, as if it were empty. Could it be that it was actually empty?
Her curiosity was piqued, as it probably wasn’t official documents or letters from Xiao Jue. He would carry such things personally. Opening the box wouldn’t be an issue, right?
Shen Muxue’s fingers gently touched the box. Glancing outside the carriage, she noticed that the soldiers were far away, and no one seemed to be observing her.
With a soft click, the box was opened.
Inside were some brushes, an inkstone, and similar items. Initially, they were just small objects. As she was about to close it, her gaze suddenly froze.
After a brief pause, she reached inside and took out two items. One was a clay figurine. The clay had dried, and the color was dull. It depicted the likeness of a woman with a charming smile and captivating expression. The other was a wooden carving. On the carving, a warship was capsizing amidst a fierce fire, and at the bow stood a gallant general. It felt familiar.
It was a female general.
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