Rebirth of a Star General Chapter 190

Chapter 190: Secret

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“Still worth a laugh, borrow a night’s drunkenness to honor old friends!” 

Yan He squeezed the wine jug, his face flushed, and his speech became unclear. Youhua Fairy smiled, “General Yan is drunk.” 

As a small jar of Bifang Wine reached the bottom, the music of the qin had not stopped, and everyone had already drunk themselves into various positions. Yan He and Lin Shuanghe were the most intoxicated, with Lin Shuanghe bravely arguing with Yan He, “What’s so great about having a wife? People with wives can’t understand the value of freedom!” 

“You understand nothing!” Yan He, drunk and muddled, scolded him, “You… called grapes sour before eating grapes…” 

Yang Mingzhi had a shallow tolerance for alcohol. After drinking a little, he felt a bit dizzy. He didn’t go crazy like the others; he just restrained himself, sitting there, his thoughts unclear, and his eyes a bit vacant. 

Nowadays, He Yan’s alcohol tolerance was even lower than Yang Mingzhi’s. Although Rose Dew was sweet, it still contained alcohol. After drinking a few cups, she felt drowsiness creeping in. She didn’t know when her head felt heavy and her body light, and she fell asleep with her head on the table, sleeping soundly. 

Among the group, only Chu Zhao and Xiao Jue remained sober.

“Upstairs, there are empty rooms,” Cailian said, “Why not take them upstairs to rest for a while? I’ll have the girls make some sobering soup to stew. They can drink it directly when they wake up.” 

Xiao Jue nodded. 

Not to mention the others, just the appearance of Yan He and Lin Shuanghe could cause a big disturbance if placed on the street. Cailian ordered someone to help Lin Shuanghe and Yan He upstairs. 

Yang Mingzhi stood up swaying, barely maintaining his sobriety. He smiled, “I don’t need it; my carriage is still outside. I’ll go back to rest.” After saying that, he didn’t wait for an answer and walked out on his own. 

Youhua Fairy looked worried, “This…” 

Xiao Jue said, “Let him be.” 

After Yang Mingzhi left, Chu Zhao looked at He Yan, about to speak. However, he saw Xiao Jue walking up to He Yan, patting her back, and calling her, “He Yan.” 

He Yan, in a half-asleep state, subconsciously patted away Xiao Jue’s hand and continued her sweet slumber. After a moment’s hesitation, Xiao Jue bent down, picked up He Yan, and walked away. 

A girl who was still playing the qin on the side was shocked. Her fingers slipped, producing a strange sound from the instrument. Youhua Fairy, however, lowered her head and smiled. She said to Xiao Jue, “Young Master Xiao, please follow me.” 

Seeing Xiao Jue take He Yan away, Cailian looked at Chu Zhao, “Young Master Chu…” 

This young man smiled politely at her, “Thank you.” 

… 

The room was in the farthest corner upstairs, far from Lin Shuanghe and the others. At the end of the corridor was a loft, and looking over, it seemed like an immortal mountain and pavilion. Youhua Fairy stood at the door, smiling, “This room has never been lived in. It will be cleaned every few days. Please, Young Master Xiao.” 

Xiao Jue nodded with a “thank you” and carried He Yan into the room. 

Youhua Fairy stepped out. 

Xiao Jue, being tall, found it quite easy to carry He Yan, who was petite and frail. It didn’t seem like he was holding a young lady; rather, it felt as if he were holding a light and delicate cat. The bed in the room was quite low, probably because no one had lived there recently, giving it a somewhat desolate atmosphere. Xiao Jue bent down, placed He Yan on the bed, half-knelt on the ground, leaned against the bedside, and covered her with a blanket. 

The moonlight was hazy, creating a misty scene, and the gentle summer breeze drifted in through the window, seemingly stirring up the remnants of intoxication. The young man lowered his head to look at the girl sleeping on the bed, and the words spoken by Yan He earlier echoed in his ears. 

“Living till now, I’m afraid you guys haven’t even held a girl’s hand, let alone have your first kiss.” 

His eyelashes drooped, his gaze fixed on the person on the bed, and he whispered to himself, “Not exactly.”

During the Battle of Jiyang waters, He Yan had almost drowned underwater. At that time, in his eagerness to save her, they also shared a breath. That should be considered his first kiss… if that could be called a kiss. 

However, it seemed that this person was still unaware. 

This made him somewhat displeased. The young man bent his fingers, as if he couldn’t resist the urge to tap her as a form of reprimand. However, just before he could touch He Yan’s forehead, he stopped. Following that, the tapping turned into a gentle caress, and Xiao Jue gently brushed away the stray strands of hair that had blown onto her face. 

Before setting off, Lin Shuanghe’s words to him resurfaced in his mind. 

“Oh Huaijin, Huaijin, if you like Little Sister He, you should naturally strive for it. Even if she likes Chu Zilan, you also know that she and Chu Zilan are impossible, and Chu Zilan is not a suitable match. With your appearance and family background, are you afraid you can’t compare to Chu Zilan? I don’t know what Little Sister He has experienced before, but as long as you treat her a little better, show a bit more humanity, it should be easy for her to like you.” 

“Do you know, in Little Sister He’s heart, she has never considered herself someone who should be ‘favored’.” 

The young man stared at the girl on the bed, and his gaze gradually deepened. Even if Lin Shuanghe hadn’t said it, he could sense this. However, this was unreasonable. According to the news from Luan Ying, He Sui had lavished love on this daughter, which should not have made her feel inferior. 

The free and easy spirit on the martial arts field, amidst the glint of blades and shadows of swords, contrasted sharply with the low-profile caution in the ordinary world of human affairs. This was a contradictory person, and precisely this contradiction made her particularly noticeable. 

Xiao Jue lowered his eyes to look at her, extended his hand, as if wanting to touch her cheek. When his fingertips were about to touch, he suddenly woke up, immediately retracting his hand and standing up. 

After a pause, he closed the window, locked the door, and left again. 

…

Outside, the wind and moon were cool, and in the pavilion, it seemed like scenes from the past. 

The young man walked slowly, his expression calm. His black silk brocade robe had elaborately embroidered golden pythons, both magnificent and dangerous. From a distance, he drew out a dazzling silhouette in the night. 

On the long bench in the pavilion, someone had already arrived, leaning against the carved railing, drinking wine. 

Xiao Jue walked over, and the person stood up, bowing gracefully to him, “Young Master Xiao.” 

It was Youhua Fairy. 

“All the young masters have been sent back to their rooms to rest.” Youhua Fairy smiled playfully, “Rest assured, Young Master Xiao. The young ladies didn’t dare to enter the rooms; the attendants taking care of them are all young boys.” 

These young masters were not only wealthy but also noble. When they came to the Cloud Pavilion, Youhua Fairy had never treated them like ordinary guests. She considered them friends temporarily seeking shelter. 

Xiao Jue remained silent. 

Youhua Fairy rested her hands on the railing of the pavilion, looking into the distance. The moon was clear in the sky, casting a silver frost everywhere. She said, “I never thought that after so many years, I would encounter the little young masters again. I am truly happy today. If Ding Mama were still here, she would be equally delighted.” 

“Why did you divorce?” Xiao Jue asked.

Youhua Fairy was taken aback. 

The young man didn’t look at her but instead gazed at the faintly flickering lights on the street below the pavilion. He casually asked after a while. 

After a moment, Youhua Fairy smiled, “Why else? Naturally because things didn’t go as planned.” She sighed, “Little Young masters, back then, I was just like you, thinking that as long as the villains were driven away, everything would be happily ever after. Little did I know, the world is filled with various difficulties and obstacles. The interference of villains is just the simplest of them all.” 

After everyone had driven away Tong Qiushi for Youhua Fairy and retrieved her contract, she followed Wang Sheng to Yangzhou. Although Ding Mama and the sisters of Cloud Pavilion were reluctant, they also hoped that Youhua Fairy could be with Wang Sheng and live a happy life. 

Youhua Fairy and Wang Sheng did indeed have a period of affectionate and harmonious days, which was before they arrived in Yangzhou. 

After arriving in Yangzhou, various trials and tribulations followed. 

Although the Wang family was a merchant family, they were a well-known wealthy family in Yangzhou. Hearing that the eldest son brought a woman back without any status or recognition was already displeasing. When they learned that this woman originally came from a flower house, they vehemently opposed it. It was at this time that Youhua Fairy found out that Wang Sheng had not informed his parents about their relationship from the beginning to the end. 

If their son married a woman from a flower house, it would likely become a joke in Yangzhou. Feeling her humble background, Youhua Fairy didn’t want to trouble Wang Sheng. Seeing his determined attitude, she felt embarrassed and heartbroken. She suggested to Wang Sheng to part ways. 

But Wang Sheng was unwilling. 

Having finally fought for the happiness they had, how could he let it be ruined by his own parents? Out of anger, Wang Sheng went on a hunger strike, declaring to his parents that if he couldn’t marry Youhua Fairy, he would leave home and never return to Yangzhou in this lifetime. 

No parents could resist their children like this. Madam Wang felt sorry for her son and eventually yielded. She agreed to let Youhua Fairy into the family. However, they couldn’t reveal Youhua Fairy’s identity to the outside world. Instead, they claimed she was a distant relative who had come to stay. The neighbors were kept in the dark about the twists and turns, believing it to be true. That’s how Youhua Fairy entered the Wang family. 

Thinking that the hardships were over and the good times would follow, little did she know that this was just the beginning. 

Madam Wang had biased opinions against Youhua Fairy. From the moment she entered the house, Madam Wang intentionally wanted to discipline her. Establishing rules for her daily life, she was not allowed to leave the house, and all the household affairs, big or small, were her responsibility. If anything went wrong, Madam Wang would say in a strange and mysterious tone, “It’s no wonder you… After all…” 

Youhua Fairy endured this. After Madam Wang’s continuous reprimands, Wang Sheng would comfort his wife when they were alone and apologize to Youhua Fairy on his mother’s behalf. Youhua Fairy also thought that with time, Madam Wang would see her sincerity, and the misunderstandings would naturally be cleared. 

Although both of them knew that this was just self-deception.

When Youhua Fairy first arrived at Cloud Pavilion, she was renowned for her beauty and charm far and wide. After marrying into Yangzhou, although she rarely left the residence, on occasions when the Wang family hosted banquets, she would come out to receive guests. Anyone who caught a glimpse of her face was mesmerized by her beauty. Over time, rumors spread throughout Yangzhou that the eldest son of the wealthy Wang family had married a stunning wife, and the newlywed Wang Madam possessed unparalleled beauty, captivating the entire city. 

The rumors became even more widespread, to the extent that some idle young master in Yangzhou secretly climbed over the walls of the Wang residence just to catch a glimpse of the legendary and exceptionally beautiful Wang Madam. 

Madam Wang became even angrier, often scolding Youhua Fairy for not adhering to proper conduct and accusing her of attracting unnecessary attention. Youhua Fairy felt wronged; she had not used her beauty for anything wrong. How could the sins and absurdities born out of her beauty be entirely attributed to her? 

Meanwhile, Wang Sheng’s attitude toward Youhua Fairy had also changed. As time went by, his infatuation for Youhua Fairy was gradually replaced by the boredom brought on by various trivial matters in the household. During one instance when Madam Wang complained, Wang Sheng harbored the thought, “If only I hadn’t married Youhua Fairy in the first place.” 

He was shocked by this thought and forcibly forbade himself from entertaining it further. Unfortunately, where there’s one, there’s two, and this thought began to occur more frequently until, in the end, even the sense of guilt was worn away. 

The final straw that broke the camel’s back finally arrived. 

One day, Madam Wang’s distant nephew came to Yangzhou for a visit and temporarily stayed at the Wang family residence. This person was idle, uninterested in learning, and upon seeing Youhua Fairy, was astonished by her beauty. Learning from Madam Wang that Youhua Fairy had originally come from a flower house, he developed inappropriate intentions. 

Youhua Fairy, being strict with her principles, sternly stopped his advances. Unhappy with the rejection, the nephew, in collusion with Madam Wang, accused Youhua Fairy of seducing him. Madam Wang, infuriated, ordered Youhua Fairy to be confined in the woodshed as punishment. 

Up until that moment, Youhua Fairy still held onto a glimmer of hope. If Wang Sheng believed in her, perhaps she could endure a little longer. Unfortunately, unconditional trust in this world was rare. Wang Sheng not only did not stand by her side but also wavered because of Madam Wang’s words. 

Madam Wang said, “She was originally a woman from a flower house, experienced with countless men. How can she settle down and live a peaceful life with you? As soon as she has the chance, she’ll seduce men. My son, do you want to wear the cuckold’s hat proudly? Do you want our Wang family to become the laughingstock of Yangzhou?” 

“Divorce her!” 

Wang Sheng wrote a divorce letter, and Youhua Fairy, looking at the man she had once deeply loved, spoke coldly, “If you want to divorce your wife, I dare tell everyone in Yangzhou that I come from Cloud Pavilion in the city of Jinling, and your Wang family married a woman from a flower house as a new bride.” 

“You!” Wang Sheng, enraged, said, “Do you want to entangle me?” 

“You’re thinking too much, Young Master Wang,” Youhua Fairy lightly curved her lips, but in her phoenix eyes, there was no trace of the affection from the past. “What I mean is, let’s both part ways*.”
* divorce equally

The Wang family valued their reputation the most and was eager to rid themselves of the “stain” that was Youhua Fairy. The divorce proceedings went smoothly. However, Wang Sheng, upon receiving the divorce letter and on the day Youhua Fairy left the residence, recalled the past and surprisingly felt a myriad of reluctance. He attempted to persuade her to stay. 

Youhua Fairy looked at him and said, “Young Master Wang, when I married you all those years ago, it was in the hope that you could fulfill my youthful dreams of traveling far and wide, exploring famous mountains and rivers. Since I married into your family, I have never taken a step outside of the Wang residence. Now that all grievances are settled, Young Master Wang is no longer my beloved. Let’s part ways here. Mountains are high, waters are vast, and I hope we never meet again.” 

She left with exceptional composure. 

When she left Cloud Pavilion years ago, Ding Mama had told her, “Youxian, have you ever seen a moth heading towards a flame? Does it end well?” 

At that young age, she just smiled and replied, “Even if there’s only a moment of brightness and warmth, that moment is enough.” 

Her hands gently brushed past the corners of her eyes. She was still beautiful, but not as youthful as before. The fearless girl from her youth never thought that love could be so fleeting. The struggles and perseverance of those years now seemed especially laughable. 

“Enough about me,” Youhua Fairy smiled and changed the subject, “What about little young master? Is the girl by your side the same one from back then?” 

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jue suddenly raised his eyes, “What are you speaking about?” 

–––––––––– Side Notes———— 

The collapse of the Commander’s worldview… 

And, Sister Hua is the one who received the script ε=（′ο｀*）））

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