Rebirth of a Star General Chapter 196

Chapter 196: The Xu Family

<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>

The previous day, after receiving Xiao Jue’s verbal assurance promising to bring He Yan to attend the palace banquet with him, He Yan slept particularly soundly that night. The next morning, when she woke up, Xiao Jue was nowhere to be seen, only a Baiguo sitting in the courtyard, waiting for her to have breakfast as usual. 

He Yan, accustomed to early rising from her previous life, found it awkward to make a young girl like Baiguo wait for her when she had slept in so late. She asked Baiguo, “Baiguo, has Second Young Master Xiao mentioned where he went?” 

Baiguo shook his head, “Did Young Master He have urgent matters to discuss with Young Master Xiao?” 

He Yan smiled, “Just asking casually.” However, she couldn’t help but wonder why Xiao Jue seemed so busy after returning to the capital. What could be keeping him occupied? 

But she didn’t dwell on it too much; there were other matters to attend to today. 

After exchanging greetings with Baiguo, He Yan changed into different clothes and left without calling for a carriage, wearing a veil and walking through the streets herself. She could navigate her way to the Xu residence with her eyes closed. In no time, she stood in front of the vermilion gate. 

He Yan stood at the entrance, gazing at the mansion before her. 

Looking from the outside, the mansion seemed even narrower, as if unable to contain ambitious aspirations, narrow like a coffin that would bury her within. 

He Yan thought she had become quite calm after all this time. However, standing here for real, her emotions were far from calm. It was here that He Yan was pressed down by He Wanru into a pool of cold water, never to see the sun of the next day. 

A servant was sweeping the floor at the entrance. Xu Zhiheng was a meticulous person; the house had to be clean at all times. He disliked flaws, much like he disliked scars on a woman’s skin. 

Approaching the servant, He Yan said, “Young man, I want to inquire about someone.” 

The sweeping servant stopped and looked at He Yan, asking, “Who are you…” 

“I’ve been entrusted to inquire about someone,” He Yan said in a low voice. “Is there a lady named He Wanru in this mansion?” 

At these words, the servant’s face changed dramatically. “You…” 

In the next moment, he felt something heavy in his hand. Looking down, he saw a silver ingot. The servant swallowed his saliva subconsciously, tucked the silver into his sleeve, looked around to make sure no one was paying attention, and whispered, “Young Master, go to the alley ahead and wait under the locust tree. This is not the place to talk.” 

He Yan nodded, “Understood. You’ll be rewarded if you can find information about this person.” She smiled slightly, “I appreciate your help.” 

The servant’s face lit up, “Of course, of course!” 

He Yan didn’t say much more to him. As the servant feared, it wasn’t a suitable place for conversation. Moreover, with the relationship between Xu Zhiheng and He Wanru, there were likely people outside who weren’t associated with He Wanru. Lowering her veil, He Yan walked to the agreed-upon alley and waited patiently under the locust tree. 

He Yan wasn’t worried that the servant would take the silver and not provide information. The Xu family, though part of the imperial court, wasn’t generous with their servants. Perhaps because Xu Zhiheng was a hanlin scholar, inclined towards the literati, he preferred to spend money on decorations such as the tiles of the house rather than on the well-being of the servants. Madam Xu often said, “Being too good to servants might lead to betrayal. You should know, maintaining a proper distance between the master and the servant is essential.” 

Having spent many years in the military camp, He Yan didn’t have a strong opinion on the relationship between “master” and “servant.” She always felt that people were just people, and social status was just an accessory brought about by birth. How could one truly rely on it? So, when she first married into the Xu family and still had her eyesight, she was quite generous. At that time, the servants of the Xu family were willing to be ordered around by her. It was also because of this incident that He Yan was secretly reported about the many times He Wanru was with Xu Zhiheng. 

The kind of master you have determines the kind of servants you raise. Xu Zhiheng was a person who could conspire with outsiders to murder his own wife for the sake of his interests. Therefore, the servants in his mansion were undoubtedly opportunistic and manipulative, just like their master.

Indeed, after the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, a person sneaked into the courtyard, and it was the servant from earlier. 

He Yan said, “Young man, there’s a teahouse nearby. Let’s go in and talk.” 

The servant nodded. 

In the teahouse, He Yan ordered a pot of good tea and several exquisite snacks, being extremely generous. The servant couldn’t help but secretly ponder, wondering which family’s young master this could be, to be so wealthy. 

“What should I call you?” He Yan pushed the tea cup towards him. 

“You can call me Fuwang, sir.” 

He Yan didn’t take off her veil and spoke softly, “So, Fuwang, about what I mentioned earlier, is that lady named He Wanru still in the mansion?” 

Fuwang looked troubled, “Sir, I won’t hide it from you. There was indeed a Lady He in our mansion, but about a year ago, she was caught stealing from the madam and selling the items outside. The young master dealt with her, and later, she fell seriously ill and passed away.” 

He Yan said, “I see.” 

She wasn’t surprised. A year ago, shortly after her death, Xu Zhiheng had dealt with He Wanru. In fact, she had warned He Wanru; if Xu Zhiheng could kill her to keep a secret, he could also kill He Wanru. 

“Sir, are you looking for Lady He for…” Fuwang sized up He Yan. Unfortunately, her face was covered by the veil, and he could only vaguely sense that she was quite young. 

“I was Lady He’s childhood playmate. However, I haven’t been in Shuojing for many years,” He Yan sighed. “I wanted to see her after so many years, but I didn’t expect…” 

Fuwang suddenly realized; talking about a childhood playmate might mean having romantic feelings for He Wanru, or perhaps being a past lover. After all, although he hadn’t seen her, he had heard that Lady He was stunningly beautiful, captivating even their young master and causing him to neglect even the old madam. 

“A concubine who has committed a mistake won’t be buried in the family tomb of the Xu family,” He Yan said. “Where is she buried? If possible, I’d like to take her away.” 

“Sir, after Lady He died from illness, someone rolled her in a mat and threw her into a common burial ground,” Fuwang hesitated. “Now, it’s probably impossible to find her remains.” 

He Yan sneered inwardly. Xu Zhiheng had treated He Wanru with great tenderness and sweetness initially. She had admired it, but now it seemed that this man was incredibly cold-blooded. Even for a woman he genuinely loved, the treatment wasn’t much different. 

Seeing the man in front of him silent, Fuwang thought he must be quite sentimental to still care about such matters even after she got married. 

He Yan raised her head again and asked, “What about Lady He’s personal maids? If they’re still here, I want to take them away. I missed many things about Wanru over the years, and maybe they can tell me.” 

“Sir, Lady He’s personal maids left the mansion after her death,” Fuwang said. 

He Yan smiled faintly, “And what about the other servants in the courtyard?” 

Fuwang was taken aback. 

He had joined the mansion earlier this year. When he entered, the Xu family had recruited a large number of new servants. At the time, his fellow servants were surprised; usually, large households like this one already had enough servants, so suddenly hiring so many people meant either a new bride coming in or something bad happening in the family, causing the original staff to leave. 

Master Xu did marry a new bride, a cousin of Flying Phoenix General. Madam Xu brought enough servants when she entered, so their group of servants didn’t serve in Madam Xu’s courtyard. 

So… something bad must have happened, and that’s why the original staff was gone. The so-called ‘gone’… actually meant they died? 

Fuwang wasn’t stupid. On the contrary, among this group of servants, he was the most clever. However, he was assigned to guard the gate, often complaining about his unfair fate. Yet at this moment, he glimpsed a corner of the iceberg from the mouth of this unfamiliar man.

Secrets, the more you know, the easier it is to die. But at the same time, it can also change one’s fate. Fortune favors the bold, and without risks, where does great wealth come from? 

He Yan noticed the longing in the servant’s eyes and casually added, “Fuwang, you seem clever. How does your master treat you?” 

Fuwang was taken aback and took a while before saying, “The master… doesn’t remember me.” 

“That’s a pity,” He Yan smiled. “A talent like you, if it were me, I would definitely make good use of you.” 

Fuwang felt somewhat excited. 

Some things were better left unsaid. He Yan took out a silver ingot from her sleeve and placed it on the table. “Today, I’ve learned quite a bit, thanks to you. However, if you can find out more for me, like He Wanru’s maids or any other servants who were there at the time, you’ll receive much more than this. Also,” she cautioned, “be careful. So many servants have ‘left the mansion,’ and it seems that the master of the Xu family is strict. If you accidentally ‘leave the mansion’ too, it would be a pity.” 

Fuwang looked at the gentleman in front of him, feeling both uneasy and excited. He anxiously asked, “But, where should I find you, sir?” 

The fish was hooked. 

He Yan smiled faintly, “When I have free time, I will come here. If you need me, you can look for me here. You never know when I might show up.” 

After saying this, she stood up and left the teahouse, leaving the servant alone at the table, his expression changing unpredictably. 

As soon as she stepped out, He Yan’s smile faded. 

Before dealing with Fuwang, He Yan observed the servants entering and leaving the Xu family. She noticed that most of them were unfamiliar faces. The batch of people she encountered when she first entered the Xu family had almost all disappeared. 

This was natural. Xu Zhiheng wanted to eradicate all traces, so those servants could not be kept. He Yan didn’t expect to find any living witnesses. The evidence was probably destroyed by Xu Zhiheng. However, she needed someone like Fuwang to gather information within the Xu family. 

Paper can’t wrap up fire. What’s done will leave traces. Even if there’s no human evidence, some physical evidence, like certain items left by He Wanru, could become evidence in the future. If Fuwang could gather intelligence for her without being discovered, Xu Zhiheng would be nervous. A nervous person is prone to making mistakes. 

People with guilty consciences always suspect that even their own shadows are vengeful ghosts. 

Fuwang, a clever and ambitious person, was enough. 

Just like when He Rufei sent Ding Yi to harm her, and Xu Zhiheng, as a close bystander, coldly watched. They used the people around her to deal with her, and she will return the favor in kind. 

The nightmares of Xu Zhiheng and He Rufei were just beginning. 

… 

When He Yan returned to the Xiao family, it was already near evening. 

As she walked into the courtyard, she heard Bai Rongwei and Xiao Jing talking. Xiao Jing said, “You don’t have to do so much. Making one for Huaijin is enough.”

Bai Rongwei answered with a slight reproach, “Why would you say that? Besides, these sachets were embroidered by maids, and I just stuffed them with some herbs. It’s not much effort.” 

He Yan stopped in her tracks and bowed to them, “Master Xiao, Madam Xiao.” 

“He Yan,” Bai Rongwei smiled, “You came at the right time. I was just thinking of having someone send sachets to you.” She took two sachets from the servant next to her and handed them to He Yan, “One is for you, and one is for Huaijin.” 

He Yan took a look. The sachets were delicately made, one with a black base embroidered with a silver python, gorgeous patterns, and the other with a common auspicious cloud pattern, presumably for her. 

“It’s almost Mid-Autumn Festival, and I had the maids make some sachets with focusing herbs and peace charms inside. Since you and Huaijin often travel, it’s not a bad idea to keep them on you.” Bai Rongwei smiled, “Young Master He, please don’t dislike them.” 

He Yan didn’t expect Bai Rongwei to have one for her too, and she was quite surprised, “I won’t dislike them. Thank you very much, Madam.” 

“You’re Huaijin’s friend; no need to be so polite.” Xiao Jing spoke gently. 

He Yan nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the kindness of the Xiao couple. 

“By the way, in three days, there will be a banquet at the mansion,” Bai Rongwei seemed a bit embarrassed, “As I mentioned to Young Master He before, the banquet is hosted in my name, and there will be many ladies and misses present. If Young Master He has nothing to do on that day, it would be nice for you to stay at the mansion.” 

He Yan: “…” 

This was the selection of a wife for Xiao Jue, so why was she selecting as well? He Yan hurriedly said she would consider it later, making a quick escape. 

Watching He Yan hastily leave, Bai Rongwei wondered, “Why does Young Master He seem so afraid when he hears about young ladies? Although he’s young, it’s not too early for him to be engaged. Could it be that after spending so much time with Huaijin, he also plans to remain single for a lifetime?” 

Xiao Jing smiled, “Huaijin treats him well.” 

“That’s true.” Bai Rongwei nodded. After marrying into the family, although she knew that Xiao Jue had a kind heart, he was not someone who liked to show his emotions. However, towards this Young Master He, he could be quite protective. 

“Having friends is a good thing,” Xiao Jing said with satisfaction. “At least, he can discuss many things with others now.” 

…

Under the oil lamp, He Yan leaned on the table, looking at the sachet wrapped around her fingers. 

Bai Rongwei gave her two, one for her and one for Xiao Jue. The one for Xiao Jue was beautifully made. He Yan tied the red string around her fingers and couldn’t help but sigh. Even the maids in the Xiao family could do such exquisite needlework. It was truly embarrassing for her. 

Of course, He Yan couldn’t do needlework. When she first married into the Xu family, He Wanru would make shoes and clothes for Xu Zhiheng every now and then, and He Yan stayed up for several nights just to produce a handkerchief. Originally, she intended to embroider a pair of mandarin ducks playing in the water, but after staring at it for a long time, Xu Zhiheng asked, “Is this… a duck?” 

He Yan was greatly disappointed, and Xu Zhiheng burst into laughter. Although he accepted the handkerchief later, he never used it. He Yan could understand; after all, he held a position in the court, and presenting a handkerchief embroidered with ducks would likely be laughed at by colleagues. However, when she later found the crumpled and yellowed handkerchief at the bottom of Xu Zhiheng’s drawer, she felt a bit wronged, thinking about the many sleepless nights she endured to create it. 

She had always learned what men were supposed to learn, such as music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Needlework and embroidery were things she had no idea about. When she needed to act like an ordinary woman, she felt at a loss.

On the table, there was a small wooden basket containing some needles, threads, and a silver scissors, presumably used by the servants for sewing. He Yan picked up the silver scissors. They were delicate, but her hands, accustomed to handling long swords, twin blades, and staffs, found the scissors unusually heavy. 

In reality, He Yan wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with sewing and needlework. During the years when she enlisted in the army in the military camp, she only had a couple of garments, inevitably leading to times of wear and tear. When something tore, her brothers would casually find a piece of cloth or something to patch up the hole. However, men’s skills were not as delicate as those of girls, and the result was merely functional rather than aesthetically pleasing. Sometimes, with too many patches, the clothing looked worse than that of beggars on the street. 

He Yan had also patched clothes by candlelight, but that was in her past life. 

Two sachets laid side by side in front of her. Xiao Jue’s was more magnificent, while He Yan’s was more ordinary. She reached out and felt it; it was slightly flat, and she could vaguely sense a triangular piece of paper and some fluffy herbs. He Yan thought for a moment and took out the needles and threads from the wooden basket. 

The lamp oil on the oil lamp was running out. He Yan stretched lazily and stood up. 

Half the night had passed, and she wiped away the beads of blood that had formed on her fingers, sighing softly. 

It seemed that Miss He’s needlework skills weren’t great either. In this life and the previous one, when it came to women’s work, she truly had no talent. He Yan smiled, extinguished the lamp, and went to bed. The moonlight outside the window was faint, casting a dim glow on a corner of the front table. 

On the table, the two sachets laid side by side, appearing no different from before. 

… 

In the Shen Mansion in the capital city, in Shen Muxue’s room, the lanterns were still lit. 

The servants in the yard had already gone to sleep, but Shen Muxue was not. She laid on her bed, staring blankly at the sachets hanging at the four corners of the canopy. 

It had been several days since she returned to Shuojing, and Xiao Jue should know by now. For the first time, she didn’t go to the Xiao Mansion, and Xiao Jue didn’t express anything either. However, Madam Xiao, Bai Rong Wei, sent someone to inquire about her once. 

Shen Muxue turned restlessly. 

Even Shen Yushi had noticed that something was amiss and asked if she had quarreled with Xiao Jue. Shen Muxue shook her head, brushing it off, but she felt an inexplicable tension in her heart. 

Originally, she wanted Xiao Jue to know that she wasn’t feeling well. However, after a few days of hesitation, it was she who felt uncertain. Xiao Jue might not know; after all, he was not a person who cared about such matters. But if he did know… Was it intentional? 

A fire burned in Shen Muxue’s heart. 

When she left the Lianzhou Garrison, she found a wooden carving and a figure in that box. She couldn’t help but think more about it. The figure happened to be a woman, did Xiao Jue already have someone he liked? If it were only this, she wouldn’t be so alarmed, but the person carved on the wooden picture was a female general. 

And the features were quite similar to He Yan. 

In an instant, all the suspicions from the past turned into evidence right before her eyes. Xiao Jue’s excessive closeness and care for He Yan, the uncomfortable feeling He Yan sometimes gave her. In Jiyang, Xiao Jue always brought He Yan with him, and the black jade he always carried, once held by He Yan, and the ointment he emphasized not to take away, appeared in He Yan’s hands the next day.

If it was homosexuality, it would be too shocking and unconventional, but… what if He Yan was a woman? 

Shen Muxue closed her eyes. 

The young girl dressed as a youth was already exceptionally heroic and eye-catching. If she dressed as a woman, Shen Muxue bitterly thought, she could easily capture people’s attention. 

In all these years, although she had never obtained Xiao Jue, she hadn’t felt too threatened. This young man was outstanding even when he was a teenager, lazy in temperament. After the family underwent a major change, he became even more indifferent and restrained. Although his temperament was like this, his talent and appearance made girls who liked him continuously throw themselves at him. 

However, Xiao Jue never showed favor to anyone. He was not easily moved, so Shen Muxue believed that among all the women in the world, only she could accompany him on the battlefield and support each other. As long as the time was long enough, everything would naturally fall into place. 

Her confidence came from her self-assurance. But now, all her self-assurance had been shattered. 

There was such a woman who could do more than she could. Not only could she accompany Xiao Jue to the battlefield, but she could also fight alongside him. What Shen Muxue couldn’t do, He Yan could. As for the family background… Xiao Jing married a commoner, Bai Rongwei, so the Xiao family didn’t care about that. 

Shen Muxue’s heart tightened. 

She couldn’t get Xiao Jue’s favor, but she also didn’t want to see He Yan take the lead. Clearly, she was the one who came first; she was the one who had been with Xiao Jue the longest… 

In the dark night, Shen Muxue suddenly sat up. 

She put on her outer garment, walked to the table, and lit the oil lamp. Finding paper, pen, and ink, she sat at the table. 

The light from the oil lamp hurt her eyes a bit. Her hands trembled slightly, and after a while, as if determined, Shen Muxue started writing. 

After spending so much time and effort, without a satisfactory outcome, no one would be willing to accept it. She couldn’t accept such an ending. If Xiao Jue was destined not to stand by her side and consider her, then… she could only make a move on He Yan. 

Shen Muxue wrote faster and faster, and suddenly, the pen slipped, applying too much force and tearing a crack in the paper. She stared at the thin paper in front of her, raised her hand, crumpled the paper into a ball, and threw it to the ground. 

After a while, she covered her face with both hands and cried softly.

<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>