Chapter 191: Suspicion
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Youhua Fairy was stunned, saying, “Young Master He… is not a girl?”
“Not that,” Xiao Jue frowned, the sharpness in his beautiful eyes becoming more evident. “You mentioned the ‘girl’ from ‘back then’?”
Youhua Fairy nodded, a bit confused. “The girl wearing a mask… doesn’t Young Master Xiao know?”
Xiao Jue looked incredulous. “A girl?”
“Do you still not know?” Youhua Fairy was also surprised. “Back then, Young Master Xiao specifically had someone replace the Bifang wine with Rose Dew for the young girl. I thought you knew long ago…” She seemed to recall something and smiled. “At that time, I deliberately teased her, making her blush and embarrassed. It was quite amusing.”
Xiao Jue was visibly shaken, murmuring, “I had no idea.”
At that time, he had detected the rich and mellow taste of the Bifang wine, fearing it might be too strong for someone who had recently been beaten and medicated. So, he asked Youhua Fairy to replace it with the sweeter Rose Dew. However, he never imagined that she would now tell him that He Rufei is a girl.
“Are you sure,” Xiao Jue looked at the woman in front of him, “that he is a girl?”
“During my time at the Cloud Pavilion, there were occasionally playful young ladies from wealthy families who disguised themselves as boys and came to have fun. Mama instructed us sisters not to expose them, let them play around, and protect them if necessary. So, if a girl disguised as a boy, I could easily recognize it.”
“The masked young master did an excellent job of disguising himself as a boy. There were no traces of wearing earrings or hairpins, and his actions and manners were indistinguishable from an ordinary young man. But I always felt something was off, so I took the opportunity to sit beside her…” She laughed. “She was clearly binding her chest and seemed extremely nervous. When I teased her, she became flustered. However, that mask of hers is quite intimidating. If it were someone else, they probably wouldn’t have noticed. Besides, the young masters didn’t have much interaction with girls back then, so it was natural for them not to recognize her female identity at a glance.”
Xiao Jue was speechless.
Although he had been classmates with He Rufei for a little over a year, he had never doubted that He Rufei was not a boy. Hearing this revelation from Youhua Fairy was hard to believe. Yet, he knew Youhua Fairy was not someone who spoke without certainty. Though she phrased it delicately, she must be confident to say such a thing.
“It seems… the Miss He today is not the same person as the young master from back then.” Youhua Fairy curiously looked at Xiao Jue. “I thought that the care Master Xiao gave to that girl today was reminiscent of back then. I even thought it was the same person.”
Xiao Jue’s mind was in chaos. Upon hearing this, he shook his head. “No, she is not.”
“Young Master Chu also seems to have an interest in Miss He,” Youhua Fairy propped up her chin, revealing a playful side. “But, I can see that the girl likes you.”
Xiao Jue raised his eyes to her.
“Master, you may not know,” Youhua Fairy chuckled, “during the banquet today, the time she spent looking at you was much longer than the time she spent looking at Lord Chu. And… when Cailian invited people to drink, Miss He was so nervous that she almost dropped her cup.”
“If you like Miss He, you should take the initiative. A flower is beautiful enough to attract more than one person. Think about it slowly here, and everything will be clear tomorrow.” After saying this, she stood up, picked up the wine pot on the pavilion table, and said, “I’m drunk now. I’ll go back and rest. Young Master, take your time to think. When you figure it out, everything will be clear tomorrow.” She gave Xiao Jue a charming bow. “Farewell.”
Youhua Fairy disappeared into the depths of the corridor, leaving Xiao Jue sitting in the pavilion, staring at the lanterns on the table.
After speaking for so long, the most shocking thing to him was still one thing: He Rufei was actually a girl?
No one had seen He Rufei’s face under the mask. Was He Rufei a girl from the beginning, or was the “He Rufei” who came to Jinling with them a girl? After contemplating for a moment, Xiao Jue concluded that the “He Rufei” who came to Jinling was not swapped; it was the same person as the He Rufei he knew from Xianchang Academy. In other words, the He Rufei from Xianchang Academy, the He Rufei presented to the world, was a girl.
For a moment, all the peculiar behaviors of He Rufei that had happened in the past suddenly received a reasonable explanation.
Why did she always wear a mask that covered her entire face, even when sleeping? Why were the attendants from the He family exceptionally distant from He Rufei, never serving her closely? Why had no one ever bathed in the hot springs with He Rufei? Why was He Rufei not very strong, short in stature, and much more slender than an ordinary young man?
Because “He Rufei” is a girl.
But the He Rufei who took off the mask in front of Emperor Wenxuan was undoubtedly a true, genuine young man.
The scenes from the previous battle in Huayuan resurfaced in his mind. A brave and skilled warrior like He Rufei suffered a tragic defeat in the Huayuan battle, with all of his trusted followers dying in the fight. This was eerily similar to the circumstances of the Ming Shui battle. The reason for the need to silence those trusted aides in the Huayuan battle must be similar to why they were silenced after the Ming Shui battle.
What did those “dead in battle” confidantes discover that was so significant? Upon reflection, the most significant secret must be that the “Flying Phoenix General” who once led them into battle and the “Flying Phoenix General” personally appointed by the current emperor were simply not the same person.
In fact, they were quite different.
“Fei Nu.”
In the dim light, Fei Nu walked out, unable to conceal his surprise. He was one of the guards who accompanied Xiao Jue to Jinling back then. Naturally, he also knew that the masked youth was He Rufei. Now, after so many years, he had just learned that the terrifying Flying Phoenix General, as seen by the world, was a girl. How could he not be astonished?
“Quickly inform Luan Ying to thoroughly investigate all matters related to the He family, starting from He Rufei’s birth. Also, check if there are any soldiers in the Fuyue Army who have fought alongside He Rufei, and discreetly ensure their safety.”
He stood up. “I’m afraid someone will soon try to kill and silence people.”
…
The sun shone on her face, and He Yan shielded her eyes from the glaring sunlight, slowly opening them.
Inside the room, a young girl was placing a basket of porridge on the table, smiling, “Has the young master awakened?”
“Did I fall asleep?” He Yan asked. Last night, he had drunk a few cups of Rose Dew and felt unusually sleepy. He didn’t know when he had fallen asleep. With his current tolerance for alcohol, it was truly incomparable to his past self. After all, even when He Yan was still young, he could handle more than a few drinks.
“Young master fell asleep early; Young Master Xiao brought the young master back to the room.” The girl smiled and said, “Young Masters Lin and Yan have already awakened and had their meal. They are waiting downstairs. After the young master finishes breakfast and freshens up, you can go down.”
She didn’t show any intention of serving He Yan. After arranging the food, she withdrew. Presumably, this was Xiao Jue’s idea. Now that she was a girl, only Yan He, and Yang Mingzhi did not know about it. At least for now, the fewer people who knew, the better.
He Yan had eaten, tidied up a bit, and then went downstairs. As soon as she descended, she heard Yan He and Lin Shuanghe arguing on the side. Yan He said, “Impossible! You were the one who got drunk first yesterday.”
“Stop it, Yan Nanguang, I saw you drink too much. How could I get drunk first? Don’t deny it. If you don’t believe me, ask Huaijin. Huaijin, was it me or him who got drunk first?”
Before Xiao Jue could answer, Yan He quickly said, “Why ask him? He’s your friend, of course, he’ll take your side! Anyway, you got drunk first!”
“…Yan Nanguang, you’re being unfair. Does your wife know about this?”
He Yan descended the stairs, greeted them, and looked at Xiao Jue sitting by the window. He was staring outside, lost in thought, and didn’t even notice He Yan coming down. That was unusual. He Yan walked over to Lin Shuanghe and asked, “What’s wrong with the Commander? He seems heavily burdened.”
Lin Shuanghe shrugged. “Who knows? He’s been like this since early this morning. Maybe he’s thinking about what to do after returning to the capital.”
He Yan felt a bit uneasy despite Lin Shuanghe’s simple explanation. Could it be that she had said something foolish while she was drunk last night? But she had no recollection whatsoever.
“However…” He Yan glanced around. “Why don’t I see Lord Yang and Young Master Chu?”
“It seems they didn’t stay at the Cloud Pavilion last night, probably due to personal preferences. Master Yang never liked these places. As for Young Master Chu…” Lin Shuanghe deliberately looked at He Yan and slowly said, “If he stayed at the Cloud Pavilion last night, when he returns to the capital, Xu Weiting could’ve skinned him alive. That’s not all; the entire Cloud Pavilion might have suffered. So, in a way, he did a good thing.”
While they were talking, Yan He had already walked up to Xiao Jue and slapped the table. “Back to reality!”
Xiao Jue raised his eyes. “Aren’t we supposed to see Yang Mingzhi this morning? Hurry up,” Yan He was anxious. “If you have something to say, say it quickly. Don’t delay our return to the capital.” He rubbed his hands. “I told Chengxiu about our return time. It can’t be delayed even by a day.”
Ever since they learned that Yan He was a “model husband,” he didn’t bother hiding it anymore. Eight out of ten sentences were about his wife. Xiao Jue couldn’t be bothered with his seemingly casual boasting, stood up, and said to everyone, “Let’s go.”
Once on the carriage, He Yan found an opportunity to ask the question on her mind, “Commander, General Yan, why are we going to find Lord Yang?”
Presumably, after last night’s drinking session, Yan He considered He Yan part of the “friendly camp” and didn’t hide anything, saying, “I don’t know, only that it’s related to the Wutuo people. Anyway, we’ll find out when we get there.” When he mentioned the Wutuo people, his expression became somewhat serious. “I wonder how things are on the other side of Shuojing.”
The Yang Mansion was neither close nor far from the Cloud Pavilion. After about the time it takes for several incense sticks to burn, the carriage stopped at the entrance of the Yang Mansion.
As the governor of Jinling, Yang Mingzhi’s mansion was surprisingly simple. At first glance, it didn’t look much different from an ordinary household. He Yan remembered that when Liu Rui served as the governor of Jinling, she heard from friends that the mansion was extravagant to the point that young boys trying to sneak in almost got lost in the garden.
Yang Mingzhi… seemed uninterested in wealth and luxury, at least not having deviated from his initial intentions. Then why did he utter such hurtful words to his close friend back then?
He Yan contemplated this as she entered the gate with the others.
There weren’t many servants in Yang Mingzhi’s mansion, making it look like the house of an ordinary scholar in Jinling. The garden wasn’t well-maintained, with random bamboo plantings. When they reached the main hall, there were only a few decorations, with the most eye-catching being various landscape calligraphies hanging on the wall.
He Yan went over to take a look; they weren’t works of famous artists but made by Yang Mingzhi himself. On the table, there was a finished piece of paper, yet to be framed.
“Ten years of studying, Yan Hua is still beautiful. Not competing in the human world, fighting roosters on the eastern outskirts. Wealth and honor are like fleeting clouds, and gold and jade are not treasures. Once the egret cries, the severe frost covers the sturdy grass. Many aspirations are lost, tears moisten the embrace.”
He Yan was startled. Why would Yang Mingzhi write something like this? Who was he mocking? And for whom did he shed tears?
Before she could make sense of it, a person walked out, saying, “You’ve arrived.” It was Yang Mingzhi himself.
Today, he wasn’t wearing official robes, only his usual attire, making it difficult for people to associate him with the governor of Jinling.
Everyone found a seat upon entering, and Yang Mingzhi instructed a servant to pour tea. The fragrance of tea wafted, and Yan He held a teacup, looking up at Yang Mingzhi, asking, “Speak openly. There’s no one else here. You had someone tell us there’s something important to discuss. What is it?”
Yang Mingzhi remained silent for a moment before saying, “I heard you came from Rundu?”
“So? Has this General’s reputation reached your ears?” Yan He said proudly. “Indeed, we came from Rundu. If I hadn’t led reinforcements in time, the people in Rundu would probably have been slaughtered by the Wutuo people. You probably don’t know how critical the situation was. When we arrived, the Zongbing had started eating people.” As he spoke, Yan He’s eyes flashed with a trace of disgust. “Really unimaginable!”
Once Yan He started boasting about his achievements, he wouldn’t stop. Yang Mingzhi, obviously uninterested in listening to his display here, interrupted him directly, “Commander Xiao, the Jiyang naval battle, the Rundu city battle, you were there, and you have dealt with those Wutuo people. What do you think of them?”
Xiao Jue replied, “Not much.”
His expression remained calm, and He Yan quickly explained, “I happened to be present at both the Jiyang naval battle and the Rundu city battle. Lord Yang, those Wutuo people are extremely brutal and came well-prepared. Their methods are cunning, and they ruthlessly slaughtered the civilians outside Rundu city, which is utterly despicable.”
Yang Mingzhi looked at her and asked, “Are they intending to seize the territory of Great Wei?”
He Yan replied, “It’s evident.”
Yang Mingzhi nodded, “That’s what I thought too.”
“Everyone in the world thinks so,” Lin Shuanghe said. “Isn’t it true?”
“The court doesn’t think so.”
Everyone was stunned, looking at Yang Mingzhi. Yang Mingzhi frowned, his expression solemn, “I received information that Wutuo envoys are on their way to Shuojing. The court is in constant debate between the factions supporting war and peace. The Emperor is inclined towards peace.”
“Is he out of his mind?” Before Yang Mingzhi could finish, Yan He shouted, “Others have come to our doorstep, and he still wants peace? Does he think he’s the Buddha descending to save all living beings?”
Yang Mingzhi shook his head, “Not only that, they proposed establishing trading posts within the territory of Great Wei for mutual trade between the two countries.”
－－－－－ Side Note －－－－－
Once this side story is finished, it’s time to move on to the main storyline. There won’t be many more side quests after this.
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