Rebirth of a Star General Chapter 198

Chapter 198: Entering the Palace

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It was late at night. 

The lamps in the courtyard have been extinguished, leaving only a faint lantern at the entrance, glowing like a firefly perched on a leaf, ready to fly away in the next moment. 

Ying Xiang, carrying a lantern, approached and said, “Fourth Young Master.” 

Chu Zhao glanced at her, “Didn’t I tell you not to wait for me.” 

“This servant couldn’t sleep,” Ying Xiang whispered, “so I came out with the lantern and happened to run into you.” 

Chu Zhao didn’t say anything, entered the room, and said, “You can leave.” 

Ying Xiang bowed slightly, exited the room, and closed the door. 

Chu Zhao sat at the table, pressing his temples. The words of Xu Jingfu from the Xu family replayed in his mind. 

“Zilan, I only have this one daughter. In the future, you must not bully Pingting. If Pingting comes home and complains to me, even though I am your teacher, I won’t spare you.” 

Xu Pingting rolled her eyes, “Why would Brother Zilan bully me? But Brother Zilan looks so handsome. Many girls in Shuojing City like him. After I become Brother Zilan’s wife, if those vixens with no eyes dare to approach Brother Zilan, I’ll skin them alive!” She raised her eyebrows, her voice lively. 

“A girl who often talks about beating and killing, what does she look like?” Xu Jingfu said on the surface, but did not stop Xu Pingting’s meaning. 

The seemingly affectionate scene of this father and daughter filled his mind, making him unable to help but bend down, his stomach churning, and he retched a few times in a row. 

Before going to the Xu family today, Chu Zhao asked Ying Xiang to stay in the room. In fact, after returning to Shuojing City, he had always asked Ying Xiang to stay in the Chu Mansion and not to go out without any other circumstances. Now that the matter between Xu Pingting and him is about to become clear, Ying Xiang will be even more in danger. 

During his youth, he took Xu Jingfu as his teacher. Thanks to Xu Jingfu’s influence, Madam Chu no longer dared to openly attack him as before. Xu Jingfu treated him well, providing Chu Zhao with enough face, especially considering he was just a child. Because of the title of being Xu Jingfu’s student, he enjoyed many conveniences in his interactions with others. Initially, Chu Zhao did not harbor such dislike for Xu Pingting, who was Xu Jingfu’s daughter and of similar age. 

In her youth, Xu Pingting was already the jewel in the palm of the Xu family. She was assertive in character, but for Chu Zhao, she was quite good. She always followed Chu Zhao like a shadow, calling him “Brother Zilan” affectionately. Sometimes she would tell Chu Zhao, “In the future, Pingting will marry Brother Zilan. Brother Zilan belongs only to Pingting.” 

He took it as a joke until Chu Zhao turned fourteen. 

Chu Linfeng was a renowned handsome man of Xiao Zhongwu’s generation. Even if he didn’t hold the title of Shi Jinbo, his good looks alone could captivate many girls. Chu Zhao’s mother, Ye Runmei, was also blessed with delicate beauty. Chu Zhao inherited the best qualities of the couple and, at the age of fourteen, could be compared in appearance to the two brothers of the Xiao family. His gentle and caring personality, coupled with his ability to take care of others, made many girls secretly admire him. 

Among them was a Miss Qian, with a bold and passionate nature. Her phoenix-like eyes were especially charming. Unlike other shy girls in Shuojing City, she directly expressed her feelings to Chu Zhao after a few meetings. Chu Zhao, of course, refused, but the girl did not give up. Instead of clinging to him, she would frequently send gifts to the Chu family. Occasionally meeting in Shuojing City, with friends teasing, Miss Qian didn’t argue back. She just stared directly at him, leaving him helpless every time.

Not long after, Miss Qian encountered a tragedy. It was reported that she and her friends were victims of robbers while on an outing, leading to a tragic death. Both her eyes were gouged out, shocking the entire capital. Miss Qian’s father, a minor official of the seventh rank, reported the incident to the authorities, but the whereabouts of the culprit remained unknown. When Chu Zhao heard this news, he remained stunned for a long time, finding it difficult to believe that the playful girl who always winked at him had silently passed away. 

Later, after half a year had passed, he went to the Xu family to find Xu Jingfu. While passing through a small hall, he overheard Xu Pingting talking to a maid. 

“Just a commoner, daring to contend with this young lady! Look at her own worth, I gouged out her eyes. Let’s see how she seduces Brother Zilan in the future. If there’s another woman with no self-control bothering Brother Zilan in the future, I won’t be as merciful as before!” 

The girl’s laughter was soft and innocent, yet it was filled with a venom that penetrated the marrow. In this casual conversation, she completely destroyed another girl of the same age. 

Chu Zhao’s heart turned cold from beginning to end. 

And now, he was about to be tied to this woman, growing old together, loving each other, how ironic. 

He slowly straightened his body. One night, when he was still in Liangzhou Garrison, Lin Qingtan’s grandson, the White-Clothed Divine Physician Lin Shuanghe, once said something to him. 

“Fourth Young Master Chu, if you care for Little Sister He, it’s better to distance yourself from her early. Your family has a tigress, but our Little Sister He doesn’t want to become the second Miss Qian.” 

His eyes were unpredictable. A flat stone laid beside the pen holder, shaped like a horse. Through this stone, he seemed to see, under the night, a girl wiping the sweat off her forehead with a knife in hand, handing the stone to him whose voice was hearty and lively, as pure as a spring day. 

“Zhao, means brightness. Zilan, means fragrant orchid. The person who gave you this name must love you very much, hoping for your high morality and a bright future, hence choosing such an elegant character for you.” 

He had been in the darkness for many years. But when the first ray of light appeared, even knowing it didn’t belong to him, he still wanted to greedily hold it in his palm. 

… 

The next morning, He Yan deliberately got up a bit later. 

After having breakfast and greeting Baiguo, He Yan leisurely left. It had been a few days since her last visit to the Xu family. She thought that the servant named Fuwang had probably been eagerly awaiting her these days. 

The reward silver from the emperor, she had all of it stashed in her sleeve. Dealing with people required money. Although she was now a minor official, the silver was not abundant. After a few more dealings, she would have none left. He Yan pondered whether to ask Lin Shuanghe for a loan and then try her luck at Letong Manor. But the last time she won money at Letong Manor, she offended the owner. This time, she might be rejected at the door. 

Contemplating the serious issue of where the money would come from, He Yan had already arrived at the teahouse where she had met Fuwang last time. She gave a little silver to the waiter at the teahouse entrance, casually asking, “Has anyone been looking for me these days?” 

The waiter quickly took the silver back, smiling and saying, “Yes, yes, yes! The young man who came with the young master last time has been here three times in one day these days. You sit down, and I guess he’ll be coming again soon.” 

He Yan smiled, “Then I’ll trouble the young man to bring a pot of tea.” 

With that, she walked to the elegant room where she had met Fuwang last time and sat down.

Having kept Fuwang waiting for so long, He Yan had already guessed that Fuwang would probably be unable to contain himself. However, she didn’t expect him to be so impatient. But this turned out to be good for her; it seemed that Xu Zhiheng’s methods of winning people’s hearts were quite poor. Or perhaps, he was too focused on winning over those above him and neglected those below. 

Indeed, He Yan had only been sitting in the elegant room for less than fifteen minutes when someone knocked on the door. He Yan said, “Please come in.” The door was pushed open, Fuwang closed it behind him, and he walked in with big strides. 

“Young Master!” The man was very excited to see He Yan. “I thought you had left Shuojing. I’ve been anxious these past few days.” 

He Yan extended her hand to him. “Sit.” 

After Fuwang sat down, she spoke unhurriedly, “I’ve been occupied with important matters these days and only found some free time today to come here.” She poured him a cup of tea, speaking in a very gentle tone, “Why is the young man in such a hurry to find me? Do you have any news?” 

“News… naturally, there is.” Fuwang showed a troubled expression. 

He Yan understood and placed a silver ingot in front of him. 

“Young Master is truly a generous person. Thank you, Young Master.” Fuwang smiled, pocketing the silver before saying, “I’ve been paying attention to the matters in the mansion these days. When Madam He had an accident, all the servants in her courtyard were gone. Some left the mansion, some were sold, and in the end, not a single person was left. I pieced together bits of information from the servants in other courtyards.” He lowered his voice, nervously looking around, “Actually, those servants are all dead!” 

As he said this, he deliberately tried to see He Yan’s expression, but the person sitting across from him had her face covered by a hat, making it impossible to see clearly. However, she seemed quite composed while sipping her tea, not showing much surprise. 

“Young Master, do you know what it means if all the servants in a courtyard are executed?” 

He Yan smiled slightly. “To silence them?” 

Originally, Fuwang wanted to keep her in suspense, but he didn’t expect her to see through it at a glance. Feeling a bit disheartened, he abandoned the idea of creating suspense and honestly said, “Indeed. I heard that Madam He committed an unforgivable crime, so the so-called family law was actually an order for her to die. The servants in her courtyard knew the truth, so none of them were spared.” 

Thinking back to the time when Fuwang heard about these things from others, he still felt a chill down his spine. Even if the deeds of the servants were in the hands of the master through the sale contracts, dozens of lives, even if mentioned in Shuojing City, would still be a major event. Moreover, the Xu family, known for their literary background, could nonchalantly eliminate dozens of people to keep a secret. It was chilling and made people curious about what heinous crime Madam He had committed. 

Adultery? That shouldn’t lead to the death of all the servants in a courtyard. There were guards in the courtyard, and it was impossible for Madam He to engage in an affair with someone while the guards were watching. What kind of grave crime could involve the deaths of everyone in a courtyard and require such secrecy? 

“Is that all you have?” He Yan asked. 

Fuwang said, “That’s all.” 

He Yan smiled, “Young man, what you’ve mentioned, although seemingly secretive, is of no help to me. If you can only find this much, there’s no need to continue our deal.” She stood up. “You’ve been troubled by me these days. Thank you for your hard work.” 

After saying that, she made a gesture as if to leave without any reluctance. Fuwang felt a sudden tightness in his chest and blurted out, “Young Master, please stay!” 

As soon as he spoke, he regretted it. Doing business was sometimes more than just business; it depended on who could stay calm. He was afraid of losing this money tree, spoke out to retain her, and ended up revealing himself. 

He Yan turned her head and looked at him. “Does the young man have more information to share?” 

Knowing that he had already been seen through, Fuwang reluctantly said, “Young Master, please sit down, and I’ll explain.” 

He Yan smiled and sat down again.

“In fact, from what I’ve heard, among the batch of servants who were executed at that time, there might be one person who hasn’t died yet.” 

He Yan smiled, “Go on.” 

“That person is Concubine He’s wet nurse, Qin Momo. Before Concubine He had an accident, her wet nurse said she was going home to visit her grandson, but she never returned to the mansion even after the expected time. Concubine He sent someone to check, but her family claimed she never went back, and the mansion also tried to find her but there has been no news since then.” Fuwang said, “I think Qin Momo might still be alive.” 

He Yan looked at him without saying a word. 

Fuwang felt a bit uneasy, “Young Master?” 

“Since you say that no one can find Qin Momo now,” He Yan was not in a hurry, leisurely saying, “then you young man may not be able to find her either. For someone who has disappeared, even if they are still alive, without news, what value do they have?” 

Fuwang secretly panicked, wondering if the person in front of him could read minds. He did manage to uncover some traces of Qin Momo, but it came at a high cost. However, now that he wanted to establish a connection with the other party, this person could leave at any time. If he couldn’t show enough sincerity, he might never see this person again. 

Thinking of this, Fuwang made up his mind, “I heard that Qin Momo became a widow a long time ago. When she was working as Concubine He’s wet nurse, she had a lover. Only the servant girl who boils water in the mansion knows about it. That lover is now living outside the city. I want to give it a try. Perhaps Qin Momo is still there.” 

This was more like it, and He Yan’s heart settled a bit. She praised him a bit more in her tone, “My judgment was indeed correct. Young man, you’re quite remarkable. Information that others couldn’t find, you managed to uncover.” She said, “I’ll wait here for good news. If you find out about Qin Momo’s whereabouts, be sure not to alert anyone. Inform me secretly.” She added, “After this matter, I can help you gain freedom. By then, as long as you hold a lot of silver, leave Shuojing, and you’ll naturally have a worry-free life.” 

These words stirred Fuwang’s heart. 

“I still have other matters to attend to, so I won’t stay with you for long,” He Yan stood up, “You stay here, finish the tea and snacks before you leave.” 

“Wait, Young Master!” 

Fuwang’s voice came from behind. Just as He Yan turned around, she felt someone trying to lift her veil. However, the next moment, she easily grasped the hand. 

Fuwang: “Ouch, ouch, ouch…” 

He Yan released her grip and continued to walk forward without looking back, saying, “If the young man wants to see my face, there’s no need to rush. When the dust settles, I will naturally take off the veil.” 

The door was closed, the elegant room was empty, as if the espionage just now was just a dream. Only the two tea cups on the table hinted that someone had indeed been here. 

Fuwang sat at the table, took a sip of tea to suppress the fear in his heart. Who exactly was this mysterious person who knew the Xus so well? 

… 

Leaving the teahouse, He Yan’s mood lightened considerably. Under the hat, a smile gradually spread across her face.

Unexpectedly, things went so smoothly with Fuwang. The person who witnessed the truth in the courtyard had indeed survived. Since Qin Momo could anticipate that Xu Zhiheng would resort to killing to cover up the truth, she must be a smart person. Clever people, when escaping for their lives, might have some cards up their sleeves. Despite Xu Zhiheng’s calculations, he probably didn’t anticipate that Qin Momo would run. After all, her children and grandchildren were in the capital. If she fled, the Xu family would not spare her family. 

However, Xu Zhiheng also overlooked one thing. When facing death, no one would not be afraid. The desire to survive outweighs everything. In this world, there are people who sacrifice themselves to save their families, as well as selfish individuals who only think of saving themselves when facing disaster. Moreover, Qin Momo’s escape might have made her family even safer. If Xu Zhiheng harmed her children and grandchildren, Qin Momo might retaliate by revealing the truth to the world for revenge. In this way, she, who was hiding and couldn’t be found, might make him even more cautious. 

She needed to find Qin Momo before Xu Zhiheng and He Rufei first. 

Today’s affairs were handled smoothly, and He Yan was pleased. She returned to the mansion earlier than usual. Just as she hadn’t walked far into the courtyard, she heard a familiar voice, “Little Sister, where did that brother surnamed He go? You really don’t know?” 

Baiguo stood up and was only at his waist, looking up, “Second Young Master said not to inquire about Young Master He’s affairs.” 

Lin Shuanghe put away his fan, “Your Second Young Master is quite considerate.” 

He Yan called out to him from a distance, “Brother Lin.” Lin Shuanghe turned around, saw her, and his eyes lit up. He walked over quickly, “I just arrived here and wondered why you weren’t here. Your return is timely, Brother He. I specifically came to find you.” 

Since returning to Shuojing, He Yan hadn’t seen him yet. Lin Shuanghe, compared to when he was in Liangzhou Garrison, was now dressed more extravagantly. Presumably, he had stored them in the military camp before. Now back in Shuojing, even his clothes were adorned with small gemstones shaped like cranes, and he wore fragrant jade belts, displaying two words all over his body: wealthy. 

“Brother Lin, has the matter with the residence been settled?” He Yan was still thinking about what she had entrusted him to do. Unexpectedly, when this was mentioned, Lin Shuanghe choked for a moment, evidently having already forgotten about it. 

He chuckled awkwardly, “The residence… it’s not easy to find a suitable one lately. I want to find a satisfying one for Brother He, so I can’t be careless. Um, I came for other matters. Let’s discuss it inside.” 

He Yan was left speechless. 

Leading Lin Shuanghe into the room, as soon as the door closed, Lin Shuanghe turned around and sighed, “Not bad, this place is right next to Huaijin’s. I think it’s better than Liangzhou Garrison. Little Sister He, how have you been living here? If there’s anything inconvenient, tell Huaijin. Don’t force yourself.” 

He spoke as if this place belonged to the Lin family, not the Xiao family. He Yan poured him a cup of hot water, “Brother Lin, did you come to see me just to check how well I’m living?” 

“Oh,” Lin Shuanghe slapped his forehead, “I almost forgot about the important matter.” He took out an invitation from his sleeve and handed it to He Yan, “An invitation to the palace, for you. Huaijin has left the city and may not be able to return on the day of the banquet. He told someone to tell me before leaving, remembering to take care of you. Three days later, I will come to the entrance of the Xiao Mansion to pick you up, and you will enter the palace with me. It’s your first time going to the palace, and it might be inconvenient without someone leading you.” 

He Yan was momentarily stunned, “The Commander has left the city?” 

“Yes, he left the city today in a hurry. His men gave me a letter before he left. Originally, he planned to take you to the palace for the banquet, but he won’t make it back this time, so he asked me to take care of it.” 

He Yan remembered that Xiao Jue did mention that he would be leaving the city in the coming days, but she didn’t expect it to be so hasty, not even having time to say goodbye. 

However… he did keep his promise. When he said he would take her to the palace banquet, he indeed did. 

“What are you thinking, Little Sister He,” Lin Shuanghe reached out and waved his hand in front of her, “I came today and brought a few pieces of clothing. You’re going to the palace, so you have to dress more elegantly. You don’t know how those people in the palace scrutinize every dish. You might have to move around the palace frequently in the future. The first time you go, leave a deep impression on the people there. These were bought by my servants, all good fabrics, very gorgeous. Pick one to wear, it won’t disgrace Huaijin’s face.” 

He Yan: “…Thank you.” 

“Also, Little Sister He, I estimate that Huaijin might receive some rewards from the Emperor for bringing you into the palace this time. After all, you’ve achieved quite a bit by following him. If you’re appointed to an official position or anything like that, don’t be too surprised. Just in case, I thought I should mention it in advance. It’s not definite, though.” 

He continued to ramble on about things to pay attention to at the palace banquet. When his servant came to urge him to go to the next appointment, he got up to say goodbye. After Lin Shuanghe left, He Yan sat down in front of the mirror. 

The clothes he had someone bring were neatly placed on the table, brand new and meticulously embroidered. He Yan looked at herself in the mirror. In her previous life, she hadn’t restored her female identity before entering the palace, so it was He Rufei who attended the banquet, met the Emperor, and was bestowed the title “Flying Phoenix.” 

Now, she was finally going back to the palace as He Yan. She thought that at this palace banquet, Xu Zhiheng and He Rufei would likely be present, and she might even see He Yuanliang and He Yuansheng. Those people who had entangled her in her past life were now reappearing in front of her, and in such a way. 

The girl in the mirror had a different face, with no resemblance to the past in any of her features. Only those eyes were ablaze, as if wanting to burn away all the evil deeds, bright as ever. 

He Yan lowered her head, lost in thought. After a while, she slowly curled the corners of her mouth, smiling. 

Three days later, it would be the time for He Rufei, Xu Zhiheng, and those from the He family to meet the name “He Yan” once again. When encountering deceased acquaintances, people who were unaware of the truth might become frightened and sleepless upon hearing this name again. 

Perhaps, it was better that Xiao Jue was not present. 

She could act even more unrestrained.

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