Chapter 194: Meeting Yunsheng
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On this night at the Xiao residence, He Yan slept very late.
This wasn’t the Liangzhou Garrison, and there was a central door between rooms. Perhaps aware that Xiao Jue was next door, He Yan became even more nervous. Unsure if it was her imagination, she felt that Xiao Jue’s treatment towards her had become gentler. For Xiao Jue, it might be just a casual matter, but for her, he could easily stir the most secretive emotions deep within her.
He Yan tossed and turned. Given her current special situation, the return to Shuojing, and everything about Xu Zhiheng and He Rufei was right before her eyes, being with anyone would be a burden. Xiao Jue, who already bore the deep enmity of the Xiao family, might be further burdened if she got involved. He Yan took a deep breath, staring at the canopy above, realizing it might not be a good idea.
Various complex thoughts filled her mind until she fell into a drowsy sleep in the middle of the night. When she woke up the next day, the sun was already high.
She blinked, sitting up. After changing clothes and opening the door, she faced a small staircase in the courtyard, where a chubby maid of eight or nine years old sat. She was diligently watching ants in the corner. Upon hearing movement, she raised her head, revealing a round face like a painted doll. She smiled, her eyes squinting into narrow lines. “Young Master He is awake!”
Patting the dust off her clothes, she stood up and ran towards He Yan with her small legs. She was still too young, and He Yan feared she might trip.
He Yan asked, “You are….”
“This servant is called Baiguo,” the little girl replied obediently. “Second Young Master asked Baiguo to take care of you. If Master doesn’t call, Baiguo cannot enter Master’s room. Master is awake, so Baiguo will go to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.”
He Yan couldn’t help but touch the girl’s head, asking, “And where is your Second Young Master?”
The second young master left early in the morning,” Baiguo smiled and replied, “When the second young master left, he said that the young master doesn’t need to feel constrained. If you don’t want to stay in the mansion, you can go out and handle your affairs. Just come back earlier in the evening.” She thought of something and added, “There are silver notes in the wooden box on the table in the young master’s room. The second young master said you can use them. If there’s anything else you need, just tell me directly, and I will report to the madam.”
This young girl still exuded an irresistible innocence, but spoke with confidence. He Yan couldn’t help but laugh, “You’re so young, why would the second young master send you to serve me?”
“My father manages affairs in the mansion,” Baiguo proudly straightened her chest, “The second young master chose me, and I will take good care of you.”
“Then, thank you.” He Yan smiled.
Baiguo was very excited, seemingly taking on such a significant task for the first time. She replied, “The young master is a friend of the second young master. There’s no need to thank me. I’ll go to the kitchen now. Please wait a moment, sir. The hot water is in the silver jug, right at the entrance of the courtyard. If you want to wash your face, you can pour it directly. The second young master said you don’t like people to assist you with such trivial matters.” She swallowed her tongue and quickly ran off.
He Yan watched her leaving and thought, Xiao Jue did think it through. Bringing such a young girl, simple and innocent, even if she notices something wrong, she probably won’t think in other directions. If a clever and shrewd person came instead, what if they happened to discover her identity?
She chuckled and lowered her head, then went to the place Baiguo mentioned to fetch the water before returning to her room.
Just as she finished grooming, Baiguo came in carrying a food basket. She stepped over the threshold and placed the basket on the table, “After you finish eating, just leave the basket here. I’ll take care of it. If you need anything, I will come in again.” Without waiting for He Yan to speak, she immediately retreated.
He Yan: “…”
She really didn’t know how Xiao Jue spoke to her.
The meal consisted of plain porridge and small side dishes, similar to the previous night’s, not extravagant but showing exquisite care in every detail. After finishing the meal, He Yan placed the empty bowls in the food basket. After tidying up her clothes, as she walked to the table, she remembered what Baiguo had mentioned. He opened the wooden box and indeed found a thick stack of silver notes inside.
Originally, He Yan thought Baiguo’s mention of silver notes would be just one or two, but Xiao Jue was quite generous. This amount of money was enough for a substantial betrothal gift for a girl. The wicked noble scion, He Yan thought angrily. No wonder when Xiao Jue went to buy clothes in Jiyang, he decisively spent a hundred taels on a gauzy silk fabric without batting an eye.
Having money allows one to do as they please.
He Yan didn’t touch the silver notes inside, closed the wooden box, and left the room.
She had a good memory and knew how to walk from this courtyard to the main gate of the Xiao residence. Along the way, she didn’t encounter Bai Rongwei or Xiao Jing. As for the other servants, she wondered if Xiao Jue had informed them in advance. None of them paid any attention to her, all focused on their own tasks. It was as if He Yan’s presence in the Xiao family was entirely natural, as if she had been living in the Xiao family for a long time, a member of the Xiao family.
He Yan effortlessly exited the main gate of the Xiao residence.
Once outside, she felt the bright sunlight, squinting her eyes. She lifted her foot and walked in a certain direction.
When she left the capital to join the army, she had already won a considerable amount of money at Le Tong Manor, allowing He Yunsheng to attend school. Now, a year and a half later, she wondered if He Yunsheng was still studying at that school. She didn’t want to go directly to the He family, as the neighbors were familiar with Miss He. Even if she dressed as a man, she might still be recognized. He Yunsheng’s classmates hadn’t seen He Yan before, so it seemed safer.
At this moment, the timing was just right. He Yan, without much effort, arrived at the entrance of “Crane Foothill Academy.” It might not compare to Xianchang Academy, but among ordinary households, it was considered a good academy. In the current Wei dynasty, which valued literature over martial skills, Yuelu Academy not only taught classics but also had teachers instructing martial arts, which was what He Yan valued the most. He Yunsheng’s education started a bit later, and he himself was not interested in academics, but his martial arts skills were decent. If he chose a path as a martial artist in the future, it wouldn’t be a bad idea.
It was early in the morning, the best time for studying. From the academy, there came waves of reading sounds. He Yan wasn’t a student of the academy, so she couldn’t go in directly. She ordered a cup of tea in a nearby teahouse, sat for about half an hour, and when it was time for classes to end, taking advantage of the teachers leaving one by one, she climbed over a wall and entered the academy.
Occasionally, students leaving the academy passed by. He Yan was just thinking of asking a youth where He Yunsheng was when, without realizing it, she had already walked to the window of the school. From inside came the laughter of the youths, with some malicious teasing, “Brother Yunsheng, are you really not going with me today? Today is Wang’s birthday!”
Another person said, “Brother Yunsheng, why look down on us? You never join us when we play together. With your skills in martial arts and handsome face, you can attract girls. Who knows, you might marry well in the future and achieve great success. Why bother mingling with us!”
There was another burst of laughter. He Yan frowned slightly; this kind of teasing was too hurtful. He Yunsheng had a proud and impulsive temperament, how could he endure this? Would he end up in a fight?
Worried, she looked inside and saw a young man standing in front of a table, tidying up the books on it. Throughout, he didn’t utter a word.
He endured such humiliation.
Probably feeling like punching a cotton ball, there was no sound at all. After a brief commotion, the students found it uninteresting, dispersed in twos and threes, and at the same time, He Yunsheng finished organizing the books, stood up, and left the door.
He Yan followed He Yunsheng from a distance.
He Yunsheng entered a deserted alley. After a few steps, he suddenly felt a strong wind from behind. Instinctively turning around, he threw a palm backward. The palm didn’t hit a person but met another soft yet resilient palm, silently blocking his palm, making the person take a few steps back effortlessly.
“Who!” he alertly shouted.
The next moment, a familiar and smiling voice sounded, “Well done, kid. It seems the more than a year in school wasn’t in vain. Your strength has increased quite a bit.”
Hearing this voice, He Yunsheng was stunned, almost unable to believe his ears. The palm in front of him withdrew, revealing the face of the person. A face that bore some resemblance to his, a face that appeared in his mind every now and then, a beautiful and familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar face.
His sister… He Yan.
“You…” He Yunsheng’s voice trembled.
He Yan slapped him on the head and ruffled his hair, “What’s with the ‘you’? Call me sister!”
“How did you come back!” He Yunsheng seemed to finally come to his senses, rubbing his eyes. It was only at this moment that this youth had some resemblance to the him from the past. He took a step forward, grabbed He Yan’s elbows, as if confirming whether he was dreaming or in reality, “Are you really back? He Yan! When did you come back? Do you know how worried Dad and I were this past year!” His eyes reddened, and his voice choked.
He Yan looked at the young man in front of her, inevitably feeling a bit emotional. Adolescents grow quickly, and in over a year, He Yunsheng had grown much taller than before. Now, he had to look up to see her. He had also become much leaner, appearing tall, slender, and seemingly more mature.
He Yan grabbed his arms and led him out, “This isn’t the place to talk. Come with me.”
…
In the tea room, exquisite pastries were placed in front of them, but He Yunsheng had no desire to eat. Unfortunately, the person in front of him kept pushing the plate toward him, “Don’t you like this? Eat more.”
He Yunsheng stubbornly said, “I don’t like sweets.”
He Yan rolled her eyes in her mind, wondering who it was that drooled over the pastries He Sui gave her when they went to cut firewood on the mountain. She looked at the young man in front of her. The child had grown up and learned to protect his pride.
It was strange; she had met Cheng Lisu and Song Taotao, who were younger than her, but only with He Yunsheng did she feel an extra inexplicable and genuine concern. This concern was well hidden during her time in Liangzhou, but upon seeing He Yunsheng in person, it couldn’t be suppressed. She just wanted to give the best to this child, hoping he would have a good future. Perhaps it was due to inheriting the body of Miss He, the peculiarities of blood ties and family affection were at play here.
“You haven’t told me how you came back?” He Yunsheng stared at He Yan, hesitated for a moment, and added, “And why do you look like this now?”
He Yan smiled and looked at him, “Like this… Is it not good?”
He Yunsheng neither said it was not good nor said it was good, just feeling that it was strange. He had seen He Yan wear a dress, and he had seen her in male attire once before, but even then, she didn’t appear as natural as she did now. If it weren’t for He Yan being his sister, if he saw such a person on the street, He Yunsheng would definitely not believe that this person was a woman.
He Yan was quite pretty. Even during the time when He Yunsheng had the worst relationship with her in the past, He Yunsheng had to admit this fact. However, that beauty always seemed a bit frivolous and cheap, especially when she went to great lengths to scrape together He Sui’s silver to buy clothes and accessories for herself. The present He Yan is slightly darker than before, almost devoid of makeup. Rather than calling her beautiful, it’s more accurate to say she’s full of vitality. That refreshing and radiant light makes her eyes shine like stars.
Actually… she’s beautiful, even more attractive than before.
But that’s not the point at all. He Yunsheng came to his senses and asked, “Are you still in the military camp? No, if you’re still in the military camp, how did you manage to run away?”
“Your sister, I’m outstanding in my abilities, quite appreciated by my superiors,” He Yan picked up the tea and took a sip, “During my time in the military, I was luckily appointed to a small position. Now, it’s better than before.”
“How did you get appointed?” He Yunsheng was startled, “Don’t you know you’re a woman? Even if you can hide it for a while, you can’t hide it forever! If someone discovers your identity, you’re done! No, no,” He Yunsheng became anxious, “You need to resign from your position tomorrow!”
He Yan tilted her head and looked at him, “Don’t you want to know what position I was appointed to?”
“Regardless of the position, you can’t stay!” He Yunsheng impatiently said, “Even if you’re a prime minister. Moreover, the higher the position, the more dangerous it is. Even if it’s for a bit of fame and wealth, you can’t risk your life. You must resign!”
He Yan was momentarily stunned, feeling a bit dazed.
He Yunsheng, a child, could understand such reasoning. How could the two senior officials in the He family not understand? It was substituting the dead for the living. This was undoubtedly a very dangerous thing. Once discovered, she would be in deep trouble. Yet, the He family let her do this for so many years.
It turned out to be… human greed, unwilling to part with a bit of fame and wealth. Or perhaps, in their eyes, He Yan’s life was just a bargaining chip, worth nothing compared to the possible future glory.
“Hey, are you even listening to me?” He Yunsheng waved his hand in front of her.
He Yan lifted her head, smiled, and said, “Of course, I know what you’re saying. I must resign from the position, but it’s not the right time yet. I still have something to do. I’ll resign after finishing it.”
He Yunsheng was about to ask her what it was, but unexpectedly, He Yan spoke again, asking, “Enough about me. During the time I wasn’t in Shuojing, how’s Dad? Did anyone from the Fan family cause trouble?”
He Yunsheng’s expression darkened, saying, “Those b*stards, how could they not cause trouble.”
It turned out that after He Yan joined the military, the murderer of Fan Cheng was never found. The Fan family vented their anger on the He family. Although He Yan was also a “victim,” because He Yan’s death was not confirmed, there was no evidence. Fan Cheng’s family often caused trouble for He Sui in the military camp, accusing He Sui of improper conduct, resulting in He Sui losing his position as a military officer.
Fortunately, not long after that, a merchant in Shuojing wanted to hire a guard for his mansion and learned that He Sui used to be a military officer with good skills. They hired He Sui to work for them. Although it didn’t sound as prestigious as being a military officer, the merchant was generous, and the payment was quite substantial.
He Yan was suspicious, “Generous payment, but aren’t the clothes you’re wearing old? The way your classmates talk, it seems like they’re implying that you’re not willing to spend money with them.”
He Yunsheng incredulously looked at her, “You actually eavesdropped…”
“Hush,” He Yan smiled, “I just happened to pass by and overheard. You don’t use the silver; could it be you’re saving it as a betrothal gift?”
He Yunsheng remained silent. He couldn’t tell He Yan that, although the family was more prosperous now, he had consulted with He Sui. They agreed that He Yan might not return for a long time. A girl outside, enduring countless hardships, just being alive was good enough. If she returned when she was older or faced disdain, she might not marry. So, accumulating more silver was essential. In the future, if He Yan wanted to live alone in Shuojing, having more silver would make life better.
Seeing He Yunsheng not responding, He Yan thought she had guessed correctly and said with a smile, “Why be so thrifty? I have an income now, after all.” She took out two bills from her pocket and whispered, “I received these as spoils of war for winning battles. The emperor’s commendation. Take this money, go back, and buy two new clothes for Dad and yourself. Treat yourself better; people rely on clothes, horses rely on saddles. Dressing nicely might catch the eye of the girl you like, right? Young girls prefer handsome guys. Although your face is handsome, your temper isn’t likable. You need to dress up.”
Holding the two bills, He Yunsheng took a moment before asking, “You won a battle? Did you go to the battlefield? Which one? The naval battle in Jiyang, the defense of Rundu, or the battle in Liangzhou Garrison?”
He Yan hadn’t expected him to still care about these things. She scratched her head and said, “Actually… I participated in all those battles.”
He Yunsheng gasped for breath.
When He Yan left hastily, she only left a letter. Later, He Yunsheng inquired through others that everyone recruited in Shuojing at that time went to Liangzhou Garrison. Since then, he had been paying attention to the news from Liangzhou Garrison. He heard that the journey was long, and many weak people died on the way. He prayed every day, hoping that He Yan would be safe. Later, he heard that Liangzhou Garrison was bitter and cold, with rigorous military training. He hoped He Yan would become a non-combatant. When Ridamuzi took the troops to Liangzhou Garrison, he and He Sui didn’t sleep all night. After consoling each other, they believed He Yan should be fine. She couldn’t even lift a knife, and she was clever. She might not even encounter the enemy.
Naval battle in Jiyang… Defense of Rundu… In short, life had been extremely difficult for He Sui and He Yunsheng since He Yan joined the military. If they weren’t afraid of Fan’s family finding out about He Yan’s whereabouts, the two of them would probably have packed up and rushed to Liangzhou themselves.
“I asked someone to convey messages to you, didn’t I?” He Yan asked.
He Yunsheng frowned and thought for a while before saying, “There were a couple of times, but they were very brief and just written notes thrown into the house. I couldn’t meet you, and I don’t know the situation on your end.” Speaking up to here, He Yunsheng became both angry and anxious, “What were you thinking at that time? How did you even think of joining the military? You, a girl…”
“No one said girls can’t join the military,” He Yan, tired of his rambling, interrupted him, “And look, I’m safe now, aren’t I? By the way, Dad is no longer a military officer. Is the Fan family still causing trouble?”
He Yunsheng shook his head, “They stopped coming a few months ago.” He sarcastically added, “They scolded and beat us, and they probably realized it was pointless. I heard Old Master Fan has another son now, so they probably don’t care about the previous one.”
He Yan couldn’t help being amazed. Old Master Fan was quite old; to have another son at this age was truly beyond comprehension.
“Come back with me,” He Yunsheng said to He Yan, “Dad will be back home tonight. He’ll be overjoyed to see you.”
He Yan shook her head, “I can’t go back now.”
“Why?”
“Yunsheng,” He Yan patiently looked at him, “My current identity is delicate. The neighbors all know my face. If I’m recognized… it will cause trouble. Even if I want to meet Dad, it won’t be at home. Also, now is not the right time.” She handed the bills to He Yunsheng, saying, “I came today just to see you. If you’re doing well, I’ll be reassured. Tell Dad I’m fine, and in a few days, we can find a place to meet.”
He Yunsheng felt a bit aggrieved. Finally, after seeing her, she had to hide and evade, as if she couldn’t face others. But he also understood that what He Yan said was not wrong.
“What about you?” He handed the bills back to He Yan, “You also need money, right? Keep it for yourself. And where are you staying now? An inn? Inns are unsafe; I heard there are many shady ones…”
He Yan couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. She directly shoved the bills into his arms and said, “I have plenty more where that came from, a thick stack. Use it whenever you need it. You don’t need to worry, little boy. I’m not staying in an inn now. I’ve asked someone to find a house for rent. Before that’s settled, I’m staying at a friend’s mansion.”
“Friend?” He Yunsheng’s ears perked up, looking at her warily, and he couldn’t wait to ask, “What friend? Did you meet them in Liangzhou Garrison? How old are they? Are they a man or a woman?”
He Yan: “…”
With this attitude, it seemed inexplicably like a father questioning his daughter who spent the night out. She thought to herself that if she mentioned Xiao Jue’s name, He Yunsheng would probably be accompanying her back to the Xiao residence tonight—after all, He Yunsheng’s words were still fresh in He Yan’s memory.
“If I were a girl, I would only admire him and no one else!”
He Yan recalled, and her lips twitched. She couldn’t quite picture the scene of He Yunsheng and Xiao Jue standing together. After a while, she said, “Why bother with so many details, little kid? Anyway, they are a significant figure.”
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