Chapter 219: Returning to the Academy Again
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Early the next morning, He Yan woke up a bit later. She couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning all night until she finally entered a restless slumber around midnight. When she woke up, the sun was already high in the sky, and there was no snowfall today. After freshening up, she went to the main room for breakfast. As soon as she entered, she almost bit her own tongue.
“Why are you here?” He Yan asked.
Seated at the main table was someone sipping tea. Qingmei stood by the side, and upon seeing He Yan, nervously replied, “Early this morning, the Lord came over and instructed the servants not to disturb you. He waited here for you to wake up.”
Putting down the teacup, Xiao Jue’s gaze swept across her, asking, “Did you sleep well?”
“…It was alright.” He Yan scratched her head, feeling a bit startled by Xiao Jue’s sudden appearance. Subconsciously, she glanced at the ceiling. This was her home, not Liangzhou Garrison.
Qingmei placed a bowl of porridge and some dishes on the table. He Yan looked surprised, “Qingmei, did you strike it rich? So much food? Isn’t this from Chen Xiang Ji?”
“This was sent over by the Lord.” Qingmei answered uneasily.
Originally, He family’s breakfast was simple, and it had been like this for over ten years. No one thought anything was wrong, but today, when Xiao Jue sent over such a feast, Qingmei felt a bit embarrassed, wondering if their family appeared too shabby.
He Yan, however, was oblivious. She had taken advantage of Xiao Jue for more than a day or two. Immediately, she clapped her hands and praised, “Xiao Jue, you are so considerate. No wonder Yan Nanguang always speaks highly of having a wife. You’re even better than Princess Shang; there’s simply no flaw in you.”
Standing in the corner, Chiwu’s face trembled. Did he hear those words correctly? This person was too shameless. Unfortunately, their Young Master was so infatuated that he even looked happy?
“Have you eaten?” He Yan handed a pair of chopsticks to Xiao Jue. “Let’s eat together.”
Xiao Jue took the chopsticks. “Okay.”
Chiwu: “…”
Finally, he understood why his Young Master didn’t eat breakfast at the Xiao residence and came here early in the morning—just to share a meal with himself. His head must be truly idle.
In normal times, there was no distinction between masters and servants at the He family’s table, so Qingmei usually ate together. However, today, with Xiao Jue present, Qingmei refused to sit at the table, hesitated for a while, and then dragged Chiwu away, saying they needed to shovel snow. Helpless, He Yan could only have breakfast with Xiao Jue.
The porridge Qingmei made was fragrant and soft, with added red dates, sweet and delicious. He Yan remembered that this person didn’t seem to like sweet things as she said, “I forgot you don’t like sweet food.” She used her chopsticks to pick out the red dates from Xiao Jue’s bowl and said with a smile, “Let me help you.”
Xiao Jue paused.
Everyone in the Xiao family knew he was unusually clean. He disliked using things that others had touched, especially in his bowl. Even Xiao Jing was not allowed, but now, He Yan’s actions didn’t provoke any resistance from him.
“However, since you came over today, it can’t be just to have breakfast with me, right?” He Yan asked, “What’s the matter?”
“I plan to go to Xianchang Academy.” Xiao Jue said, “Come with me.”
He Yan was puzzled. “Go to Xianchang Academy for what?”
“If you want to expose He Rufei’s identity, you need evidence. Xianchang Academy has preserved your past writings and scrolls, which might be useful.”
“How is that possible?” He Yan exclaimed, “Those are things from many years ago. How could Xianchang Academy possibly keep them all these years?”
Xiao Jue smirked, looked at her, and his smile became sly. “Don’t you know? Flying Phoenix General and General Fengyun’s calligraphy and writings from the academy are still preserved there. Every year during the spring enrollment, new students must come and admire them.”
He Yan almost choked on her words. “Really? My… calligraphy?”
Heaven and earth, it was understandable for Xiao Jue, but her “calligraphy” back then was far from exquisite. The handwriting was like a dog’s crawl, and her test papers were always ranked last. There was nothing worth admiring. Who could have thought that the papers ranking last in Xianchang Academy would one day be equally renowned, becoming a signboard of the academy? It was indeed true: do not belittle the poor youth, fortunes change with the wheel of time.
“I actually don’t want to go…”
“Oh.” Xiao Jue responded.
He Yan sighed, “Okay, I’ll go.”
After finishing their meal, He Yan and Xiao Jue left together.
She didn’t feel uncomfortable when she was in Liangzhou Garrison, but once she returned to the capital and put on the dress of “Miss He,” she felt uneasy all over. It wasn’t anything else but the overly exquisite and complicated clothing of Miss He. He Yan opted for simplicity, tucking away all the excess skirts and accessories. It made her outings more convenient.
There was no carriage at the door. He Yan paused and asked the person beside her, “Xiao Jue, where’s the carriage?”
“The weather is nice today; let’s walk.” He said.
On this rare sunny day, the accumulated snow from last night hadn’t melted. The sunlight cast a warm golden hue on the ground, dispelling the gloom of the past few days. Walking under the sun, He Yan felt the previous haze dissipate, and warmth enveloped her entire body. She comfortably squinted her eyes and said, “It would be great if every day were like this.”
Xiao Jue turned his head, glanced at her, and noticed the bright smile on the young girl’s face. The sunlight seemed to satisfy her, and it was hard to imagine that the once heroic Flying Phoenix General, who was fierce on the battlefield, had transformed into this silly and carefree person. He couldn’t help but curl his lips and hide the smile in his eyes.
The two walked side by side on the street. Even though He Yan wasn’t well-known at the moment, Xiao Jue’s face was distinctive. From a distance, someone recognized him and pointed it out. Although they didn’t dare to approach, they secretly discussed, “Isn’t that Commander Xiao leading Liangzhou Garrison?”
“Who’s the woman by his side? Seems unfamiliar.”
“Since when did Commander Xiao walk with a woman like this in broad daylight, in such an intimate manner? It must be the fiancée given by His Majesty.”
“Fiancée? Are you talking about Miss He, the female marquis?”
“Exactly, exactly!”
“So, Marquis Wuan looks like this? This appearance, soft and delicate, how did she manage the battlefield?”
He Yan had exceptional hearing, and the discussions around her accidentally entered her ears. Looking at the man walking beside her, whose expression remained calm and indifferent, He Yan inexplicably felt as if she were being flaunted around by Xiao Jue, making everyone aware that Wuan Marquis He Yan looked like this.
Fine, she consoled herself in her heart, just let them look. In the past, wearing a mask made her hide and evade the eyes of others. Now, openly using this face, even if someone wanted to deceive or impersonate her, it was impossible.
Surrounded by onlookers, the two walked for who knew how long, finally arriving at the entrance of Xianchang Academy.
After years of separation, Xianchang Academy remained unchanged. The mottled gate, the familiar signboard, and the apricot tree at the entrance bent under the weight of the snow. He Yan looked and couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional.
The days at Xianchang Academy seemed not so easy at the time, but now, thinking back, they were full of happy memories. The teachers here taught her morality and righteousness. Without them, a girl who disguised herself as a boy, unable to distinguish right from wrong, even if used as a chess piece by the He family, would be an ignorant chess piece unable to control her own destiny.
He Yan considered sending her to Xianchang Academy as one of the most correct decisions in He Yuansheng’s life, which changed her life.
“Let’s go,” Xiao Jue said.
The two walked inside. Just as they entered the courtyard, they heard the sound of students reading.
“The way of great learning lies in manifesting one’s clear virtue, loving the people, and stopping at the perfection of goodness…”
“So many years, and they’re still reciting this piece.” He Yan suddenly recalled the memories of “progressing together” with Lin Shuanghe, “It’s strange. Back then, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t memorize it. Later, after joining the military, I recited it silently every night in the tent and ended up memorizing it.”
Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow, “You recited books in the tent?”
“Of course,” He Yan said proudly, “At first, I hadn’t met my master, and my skills were not good. I could only rely on my brain. You know, among the Fuyue army, anyone who could read was highly valued in the tent. Versatile in both literary and martial arts.”
She started boasting again, just as Xiao Jue was about to speak. Suddenly, they heard someone’s voice ahead, “Commander Xiao!”
Following the sound, they saw a middle-aged man in a yellow linen robe approaching quickly. This man looked very gentle, with a friendly demeanor. When he walked up to Xiao Jue and He Yan, he smiled, “Commander Xiao, what brings you to the academy today?”
He Yan was stunned. This was Teacher Huang Sancai, who taught arithmetic at Xianchang Academy. He had also taught He Yan back then. In He Yan’s student life, due to her not standing out in various aspects, winning the favor of a teacher was difficult. Teacher Huang Sancai, perhaps because he was not too old at the time, was very gentle and amiable with students, not treating them differently based on their performance. It was precisely this teacher who once praised He Yan in the school, saying, “Diligent study is like the seedling in early spring, not visible in its growth, but progressing daily. Look at He Rufei; everyone should learn from her.” This comment sparked dissatisfaction among many youths toward He Yan.
However, upon seeing Teacher Huang at the moment, He Yan still felt quite familiar.
“Just passing by, came to take a look,” Xiao Jue replied.
Teacher Huang Sancai then showed a flattered expression, “Please come in, please come in.”
Don’t blame the teacher for showing such a flattering appearance; Xiao Jue is now a well-known General in Great Wei, the Commander of the Right Army. The reason he hasn’t risen further is because, even if he wins battles, the Emperor has not bestowed a higher rank on him. Furthermore, when Xiao Jue was at Xianchang Academy, rather than saying the teachers there taught Xiao Jue, it’s more accurate to say that Xiao Jue just went through the motions. The teachers at Xianchang Academy had nothing to teach him.
To avoid causing chaos among the students, He Yan and Xiao Jue went to the teachers’ rooms. The teachers rested in this spacious room during the day, attending only three classes a day: literature, mathematics, and etiquette. Archery, horsemanship, and swordsmanship were scheduled for the next day.
When He Yan and Xiao Jue entered, there was no one else in the room. Huang Sancai first poured them tea, asked them to sit down, then got up to adjust the stove in the room. The stove burned warmly, and a cup of hot tea downed their stomachs perfectly.
“I didn’t expect Commander Xiao to be here today,” Huang Sancai said with a flattering smile, looking towards He Yan, “This one… is Miss He, the Wuan Marquis, right?”
He Yan hastily got up to bow, saying, “Miss He has seen Teacher Huang.”
This student’s bow shocked Huang Sancai, who quickly got up to return the gesture, “Miss He, you’re being too polite. Please, have a seat.”
He Yan sat down, and Huang Sancai smiled at her, “When Commander Xiao was a young student, he was very likable. However, he never treated anyone differently. At that time, I was puzzled about what kind of woman he would marry. Now that those guys have all settled down, married, but he hasn’t made any move, seeing it settled now puts my mind at ease.”
“As for Miss He,” Huang Sancai continued, turning to He Yan, “At a glance, you look exceptionally different from ordinary girls. I’ve been in Shuojing for so many years, seen countless young girls, but Miss He is the first of her kind. Commander Xiao’s taste is truly sharp.”
He Yan: “…”
Huang Sancai probably didn’t expect that the person he was praising so much, the “young lady,” was the student he had personally taught.
As they were talking, the door opened, and someone came in. Looking over together, they saw an old man in a brown robe, with a high bun, walking in.
“Teacher Wei,” Huang Sancai got up and said to the old man, “Commander Xiao and his fiancée Miss He are here.”
Wei Xuanzhang—the headmaster of Xianchang Academy—looked at the two. Unlike Huang Sancai’s outwardly warm demeanor, Wei Xuanzhang just nodded slightly, walked to his own table, sat down, and put down the book he had in his hand. He had been the one teaching earlier.
Approaching Xiao Jue, He Yan whispered, “Look, the person I fear the most has arrived.”
When He Yan was in school, the person she feared the most was Teacher Wei, the headmaster of Xianchang Academy. Wei Xuanzhang was not just an ordinary teacher; he held an official position. However, He Yan once thought that the reason he established Xianchang Academy was that his temperament was so unpleasant. Being old-fashioned and strict, disliked by colleagues in the officialdom, he was sent to run the academy as a form of exile.
While Huang Sancai was gentle and amiable, never scolding students, Wei Xuanzhang was overly severe. Anyone with poor academic performance would be punished with copying or standing, and students privately called him “Old Man Wei.” As the last in Xianchang Academy, Wei Xuanzhang naturally regarded He Yan as a disgrace to the academy. He Yan believed that if it weren’t for He Yuansheng convincing the teacher in charge and the academy not having rules to expel students, she would have been kicked out on her first day at Xianchang Academy and never stepped inside again.
In summary, when recalling memories of this teacher, all He Yan could remember were unpleasant memories like being beaten, standing in punishment, scolding, and copying books. Even though she no longer studied in the academy and faced the Wutuo people without fear, the moment He Yan saw this old teacher, she still felt a chill down her spine.
“This is Miss He,” Huang Sancai said with a smile.
Wei Xuanzhang picked up the tea on the table, took a sip, and scanned He Yan with an appraising gaze. With a stern face, he said, “You are He Yan? How can a mere woman join the military, go to war, and expose herself?”
He Yan: “?”
She no longer studied, but this old man Wei still found trouble with her. He Yan smiled and said, “It’s just a forced situation.”
“Eating and living together with men, violating social norms, going against the teachings, completely ignorant of etiquette. Xiao Huaijin has always been a clean and upright person. How could he be deceived by a woman like you?”
He Yan: “…”
Huang Sancai awkwardly wiped his sweat, “Headmaster…”
“Teacher Wei’s words are harsh,” Xiao Jue said lightly, “Miss He did not deceive me; I was the one who was interested in her first.”
Wei Xuanzhang frowned, looking at Xiao Jue with disappointment, “A grown man talks about love all the time, what kind of appearance is that!” Then, he glared at He Yan fiercely, “A beauty brings disaster!”
He Yan’s smile stiffened. Living for two lifetimes, it was the first time someone had called her a disaster-bringing beauty. Let’s consider it a compliment. But the way Teacher Wei looked at her, as if she were the nation-ruining seductress and Xiao Jue was the foolish ruler, was unsettling. Could it be that her last-place aura had penetrated into her bones, and even if she changed her appearance, as soon as Wei Xuanzhang saw her, he would still genuinely dislike her?
“We came here today with another matter to request,” He Yan changed the subject. If she continued, she feared that Teacher Wei would chase them out with a long stick.
Huang Sancai asked, “What is it?”
“We want to borrow the writing that He Rufei left in the academy back then,” Xiao Jue said.
As soon as these words were spoken, Wei Xuanzhang and Huang Sancai looked at him in surprise.
“Why does Commander Xiao want to borrow He Rufei’s writing?” Huang Sancai asked.
“It’s me,” He Yan smiled, “I’ve always heard that Flying Phoenix General is a renowned great general alongside the commander. I’ve admired him greatly, and upon learning that they were once classmates, I wanted to come and see the traces of Flying Phoenix General’s past…”
“Nonsense! Absurd!” Wei Xuanzhang slammed the table, his face turned livid. Pointing at He Yan, he said, “How can you be so… so…”
He Yan guessed what he wanted to say and considerately reminded him, “Ever-changing, inconsistent?”
“You!” Wei Xuanzhang was furious. He then turned to Xiao Jue, “Xiao Huaijin, this is the wife you chose!”
Xiao Jue’s lips twitched, saying, “Nonsense. Teacher Wei, don’t take it to heart. Please take a look at He Rufei’s brushes and ink first.”
“He Rufei is a student of my Xianchang Academy, and a distinguished general of Great Wei. How can his writing be casually shown to anyone?” Wei Xuanzhang brushed his sleeves.
He Yan thought that she unexpectedly held such importance in Wei Xuanzhang’s heart. For a moment, she was deeply moved, and much of her resentment towards the old man disappeared.
“I’m not requesting as a student,” Xiao Jue calmly spoke, “but as the Commander of the Right Army.”
Huang Sancai shivered; he knew that this young master used to be quite a troublemaker during his time at Xianchang Academy, not causing trouble, but just being too lazy to do anything. Now, using his military position to make demands, they couldn’t afford to be arrogant in front of the Commander of the Right Army. He pulled Wei Xuanzhang and forced a smile, “Where’s the talk? Commander Xiao can look at it anytime. General He’s brushes and ink are stored in the study; please follow me.”
Wei Xuanzhang was furious, “Huang Sancai…”
“Headmaster,” Huang Sancai approached him and whispered, “That’s Commander Xiao. Now, most of the students we recruit every spring are coming for Commander Xiao and General He’s reputation. Offending Commander Xiao, if he speaks out later, everyone will go to the Imperial College. What kind of talents can our Xianchang Academy attract then!”
Wei Xuanzhang fell silent. He was only good at teaching and didn’t understand political business. Normally, he let Huang Sancai handle such matters. Hearing Huang Sancai’s words now, he knew they made sense. Finally, he snorted and left with a flick of his sleeves.
“Teacher Wei is a bit old-fashioned, but he means no harm,” Huang Sancai tried to appease He Yan. “Miss He, please don’t take it to heart.”
“I know,” He Yan smiled, “I won’t take it to heart.”
“That’s good.”
Huang Sancai led the two into the Xianchang Academy’s book depository and then left on his own. The book depository had three floors, with the topmost one preserving the writing left by past students. In recent years, Xianchang Academy became most famous for He Yan and Xiao Jue. Consequently, the scrolls and paintings left by them were placed on the same shelf. The top row belonged to Xiao Jue, and the bottom one to He Yan.
He Yan pulled out a stack of exam papers and absentmindedly picked one. It was an arithmetic exam paper with a clear “C” drawn on it. Full of mistakes.
The moment He Yan saw it, she instinctively hid the exam paper behind her. Xiao Jue glanced at her and sneered, “It’s not like I haven’t seen it before. Why hide it?”
He Yan smirked, thought for a moment, and said, “I find it unfair.”
Xiao Jue took out a book and casually flipped through it, asking, “What’s unfair?”
“Think about it,” He Yan replied seriously, “When you met me, I was at the lowest point in my life. I couldn’t do anything, and everything was bad. What you saw was my worst. When I went to the battlefield and became proficient in everything, you didn’t see the most formidable me.”
“But when I saw you, you were always so formidable,” He Yan said, “Don’t you think it’s unfair?”
Xiao Jue chuckled, about to speak, when suddenly, he looked downstairs, and his expression changed slightly, “Someone is coming in.”
“No way?” He Yan whispered, “Didn’t Teacher Huang ask us to find books ourselves? How come other students are allowed in? If those students see us, won’t there be another commotion?”
But soon, she realized it wasn’t the case because the footsteps coming upstairs were obviously someone who knew martial arts. Xiao Jue and He Yan exchanged a glance and quickly moved to the other side of the bookshelf. The distance between the bookshelves was extremely narrow, allowing only one person to pass through. The two hid behind the corner, facing each other closely.
Xiao Jue was tall, and He Yan raised her head slightly; their breaths almost touched. It seemed like they could hear each other’s heartbeat. He Yan couldn’t help but feel sweaty palms and inexplicably nervous.
However, this tension lasted only a moment. Her gaze locked onto something. Someone who had stealthily come up from below the pavilion rapidly rushed to the row of bookshelves where they had just been standing. Shortly after, the person took out a flint and ignited the row of bookshelves belonging to He Yan.
A burst of flames ignited, and He Yan and Xiao Jue rushed out.
“Stop!”
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