Chapter 225: Birthday
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The military book remained in its original appearance, and it made He Yan feel as if she had returned to the days when she first married into the He family.
However, after losing her sight, she never took out this military book again. She thought that either the book had never been discovered, or it had long been burned by Xu Zhiheng. Unexpectedly, it had now returned to her hands. But how did the book end up in the hands of Second Madam He?
“What do you think my mother meant by giving me this book?” He Yan looked at Xiao Jue, “She couldn’t have recognized me, right?”
Before Xiao Jue could speak, He Yan immediately shook her head to deny, “It’s impossible. Even in my previous life, I rarely met her. She probably can’t remember what I look like, let alone now.” She self-mockingly smiled, “Why am I starting to have these absurd thoughts now?”
However, when she recalled the moment when Second Madam He handed her the military book, she vaguely sensed a trace of affection and reluctance in the other party’s eyes.
How could that be possible?
Second Madam He had another daughter, He Xinying, who had been by her side since childhood and was the true darling of her mother. Unlike He Yan, who had never even called her “mother.” He Yan had always thought that when facing the He family, she had long been able to be as heartless as iron. But just now, rushing into Second Madam He’s room, seeing He Xinying sleeping with her mother on the same bed, even though she could have such intimate night talks with her mother after returning home after marriage, she couldn’t help but feel jealous.
Upon careful consideration, He Yan’s personal connections in her previous life were quite sparse. Her parents were like this, her husband was like this. Although it was a matter of her previous life, and she now had someone by her side, some regrets remained and could never be compensated, like the opening sealed with sand, still empty and shocking when the wind blew.
He Yan didn’t want Xiao Jue to see her disappointment, so she changed the subject, “However, this military book has just solved my urgent need. The notes I found in Xianchang Academy earlier, the time gap is too long, and He Rufei could use the excuse that the handwriting changed later. But this military book is not far from now. As long as I carefully compare He Rufei’s current handwriting, I will eventually discover something. Moreover… it’s just right that it’s a military book, aiding my cause.”
Xiao Jue nodded, “The exchange of letters with the Wutuo people, when the time comes, can also come in handy.”
“He Rufei kept these letters, probably afraid that the Wutuo people and Xu Xiang would cross the river and break the bridge, so he left a trump card, specially hidden in the Linglong Box,” He Yan pondered, “I really don’t know whether to say he is cunning or stupid.”
His suspicion happened to put the weakness in someone else’s hands.
“This thing is not safe in my possession,” He Yan thought for a moment and said to Xiao Jue, “You better keep it. Even if He Rufei is bold and reckless, he should not dare to cause trouble in the Xiao family.”
She looked up at the sky; not much time remained before it would be light. She had wasted the entire night today, “I have to go back. When it gets bright, He Rufei will probably send people to search the whole Shuojing. I’m afraid something might happen.”
“I’ll accompany you back.”
He Yan nodded. Although she tried her best to appear normal, the matter of Second Madam He still weighed heavily on her heart. Even though she had successfully blackmailed Second Madam He into opening the door for her, who knows if He Rufei would suspect Second Madam He. Even if she was a member of the He family… with He Rufei being so ruthless, treating her with a heavy hand, what about Second Madam He? He Yuanliang completely disregarded the father-daughter relationship, so how much of the husband-wife relationship could possibly be preserved?
“Rest assured, I will send someone to secretly keep an eye on Second Madam He,” as if sensing her concerns, he added, “She will be safe.”
Looking up at him, He Yan sighed in relief, “Thank you for that.”
Despite this assurance, she still seemed a bit downcast. Catching onto her mood, Xiao Jue’s gaze gently swept over her as he said, “He Yan.”
“What?”
“In two days, it will be my birthday.”
“Oh,” she responded, then suddenly realized and lifted her head, “…What do you want? I can buy something for you.”
“Do you have money?” he asked.
“Didn’t you give me silver last time?” He Yan replied smoothly, but seeing his expression, she chuckled, buying a gift for someone else with money given by someone else seems a bit off, “But… I only have the money you gave me.”
“I’m not good at embroidery, and I can’t finish a handkerchief in a day or two. Why didn’t you tell me earlier? It’s too late to make it now. How about… I go pick up a stone for you and chop it into the shape you like with an axe?”
During the time in the Liangzhou Garrison, Chu Zhao stayed up all night just to pick stones. Perhaps these young masters from wealthy families all had such peculiar hobbies.
Xiao Jue’s face darkened, seemingly reminded of unpleasant memories, “No need.”
“What do you need then?” He Yan asked, leaning closer. With Xiao Jue diverting the conversation this way, her earlier low spirits seemed to have eased. At least for now, she sincerely and wholeheartedly focused on preparing a birthday gift for Young Master Xiao.
“I want to go to the night market,” Xiao Jue glanced at her, “Bring the silver with you. If I find something I like, you buy it for me.”
Now He Yan understood. Second Young Master Xiao wanted to experience being pampered, but such things were usually the men pampering women at the night market – buying flowers, jade, or hairpins. How did it turn into her buying things for him?
“I never expected you to have such an unimaginable hobby,” He Yan whispered behind him.
“What did you say?” Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow.
He Yan turned around, smiling, “I mean, since it’s our young master’s birthday wish, I’ll do it for you. It’s just a night market. I’ll carry all the silver with me, and whatever you like, I’ll buy for you. How about that?”
The girl’s face was close, and she seemed completely unaware of the excessive closeness between them. Xiao Jue’s gaze swept across her face calmly as he said, “Okay.”
…
After Xiao Jue sent He Yan back to the mansion at night, it was already very late. He Yan simply went to bed and had a good night’s sleep. When she woke up, it was already noon. Qingmei had prepared lunch, and He Yan, rubbing her still sleepy eyes, sat down at the table, picked up her chopsticks, and asked, “Qingmei, is there anything interesting happening outside today?”
Qingmei was helping He Yan pour soup when she heard the surprising news. She exclaimed, “Miss, how did you know something happened outside? Early this morning, seeing you sleeping soundly, I didn’t dare wake you up. When I went out to buy vegetables, I heard that Flying Phoenix General’s mansion was robbed last night. Valuable items were stolen from Flying Phoenix General’s house, and now the city gates are sealed. The authorities are searching for suspicious individuals everywhere.” She continued to mutter to herself, “How could there be such audacious thieves in the world? Stealing from Flying Phoenix General’s mansion is akin to seeking death, isn’t it?”
Unaware that the audacious thief was calmly sitting at the table, sipping hot soup, He Yan couldn’t help but revel in the thought of He Rufei’s current frantic and clueless state. She was delighted. Given He Rufei’s suspicious nature, as long as those letters were not found, He Rufei would be restless for a long time. No, as long as those letters were not found, He Rufei would likely be sleepless for nights.
It was truly satisfying.
He Yan’s speculation was correct; the entire He Mansion was in chaos.
From last night until now, all suspicious individuals in Shuojing City had been thoroughly investigated, with no leads. He Rufei’s face was extremely ugly, and the servants didn’t dare to provoke him during this critical time.
“Rufei, what should we do now?” He Yuansheng was extremely nervous. He already had a vague idea of what precious item He Rufei was so desperate to find, a valuable item that, falling into the wrong hands, could be a lethal threat, especially in the current situation.
“Don’t you find it strange, Father?” He Rufei’s tone was cold. “Someone comes and goes in the mansion without a trace, knowing every corner of the mansion as if it’s their own. They can even open the Linglong Box in my study…”
“Are you saying there’s a spy in the mansion?” He Yuansheng asked.
“Maybe,” He Rufei replied.
“But now, all the servants in the mansion are family-born, and your study, except for you, no one else can enter. Not to mention the secret compartment on the bookshelf. If there’s a spy… who could it be? Could it be…” He Yuansheng squinted his eyes, “Do you suspect your Second Uncle?”
“He doesn’t have the courage, and he doesn’t have the brains,” He Rufei said with a hint of disdain. Now that He Yuanliang was even more useless, He Rufei couldn’t be bothered to involve him in family matters. He Yuanliang was also happy to relax; he was never someone who could handle things. The only useful thing he had done in his life was to raise He Yan, his daughter. Apart from that, he was just a waste.
“Then do you suspect…”
“My Second Uncle doesn’t have the courage, but my Second Aunt may not be innocent. Because of He Yan’s matter, she may already harbor resentment against us. Women are always emotional. Who knows if she bears a grudge and will do something unexpected?” He Rufei’s eyes flashed with a hint of disdain. “She might have lingering resentment for He Yan’s matter, and women are always emotional. She may bear a grudge and do something unexpected.”
He Yuansheng frowned, “So, this woman can’t stay.”
He Rufei shook his head, “We can’t act recklessly now. If it is her, it’s easier to handle. At least, we can follow the thread to find the mastermind behind the scenes. Moreover, having more hostages in our hands will make future actions easier.”
“But keeping her might cause trouble.”
“As long as we don’t let her leave the mansion, keep someone watching her, there’s no harm in keeping her alive,” He Rufei said coldly. “But last night, He Xinying also returned to the mansion. The night she returned, thieves broke into the mansion. I don’t know if it’s a coincidence.”
“He Xinying?” He Yuan Sheng’s face darkened, “She is a member of the He family. How dare she…”
“It’s just a suspicion,” He Rufei interrupted, “Find someone to get close to the people around her, see if she really knows nothing. If Second Aunt wants to protect He Xinying, she probably won’t tell her the truth. It’s just that Xu Zhiheng has been acting strangely lately.”
Thinking about Xu Zhiheng, He Rufei felt displeased again. Cooperating with such a fool was probably the most annoying thing.
“Leave this matter to me,” He Yuansheng pondered for a moment, “You stay in the mansion and wait for news.” He stood up and left the room.
After He Yuansheng left, He Rufei sat alone in the chair, his thoughts unsettled. As He Yuansheng said, the first thought was that there might be a spy in the mansion, which was why they knew the mansion inside out. However, he knew very well that the secret compartment on the bookshelf in the study and the Linglong Box were not something an inside spy could uncover.
When He Yan handed over the Ling Long Box to him, she once said that in the world, besides the two of them, no one else could open it. Later, after He Yan died, only he could open it. That was why He Rufei placed several sealed letters in the box. Just to make himself feel a bit more at ease, he added an extra layer of mechanism to the box.
Because he believed that in his lifetime, he would never encounter anyone who could open this mechanism. Unexpectedly, last night, he heard the sound of the mechanism. The Linglong Box was opened.
Either He Yan had lied to him when she handed him the box, or there was a third person in the world who knew how to open it.
Or…
In his mind, he saw Xu Zhiheng’s fearful expression and heard his voice filled with inexplicable panic.
“It’s… It’s He Yan, she’s back… She’s back!”
A loud “bang” echoed as He Rufei violently swept the teacup off the table. He stood up, looking at the long sword hanging on the wall. The deep blue color emitted a faint and serene light. He cruelly tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Back… he wasn’t afraid.
…
The next day, news of the burglary at Flying Phoenix General’s mansion spread widely, but the identity and whereabouts of the thief remained unknown. Shuojing City was in chaos, bustling with activity. He Yan, on the other hand, enjoyed an unusually relaxing day at home, spending her time drinking tea and sleeping. Qingmei was even surprised.
Two days later, on a clear night, He Yan finished grooming and planned to go out with Xiao Jue.
After their previous night exploration of the He mansion, Xiao Jue had mentioned to her that today was his birthday, and he wanted He Yan to accompany him to the night market. They had arranged to meet at the door of his residence, and considering the time, He Yan should be heading out soon.
Qingmei had picked out a silver-red embroidered short shirt for her, paired with a matching soft smoke gauze brocade long skirt. She also carefully arranged a flower-adorned bun, giving her a cute and charming appearance. He Yan examined herself in the mirror, feeling somewhat uneasy, “Isn’t this outfit a bit too fancy? Today is Xiao Jue’s birthday, not mine. Why the need for such grandeur?”
As Qingmei adorned her ears with a pair of coral earrings, she smiled and said, “But Miss, you are going to the night market with Commander Xiao. There will be many people there, and they will surely recognize both of you. So, it’s better to dress up a bit, as you’ll be presenting yourselves to others.”
He Yan blocked Qingmei’s attempt to continue placing hairpins on her head, “Alright, this is fine. I think the time is almost right; I’ll head out now.” Saying so, she went to pick up the rabbit fur cloak placed on the box.
This cloak was originally from Miss He’s belongings. Among Miss He’s clothes, this one looked a bit plainer, and Miss He probably didn’t like it much, so it was stored at the bottom of the box. However, it was the warmest one He Yan could find. When she just awoken, He Yan observed Miss He’s delicate and weak body, easily swayed by the wind. Yet, all the clothes in her box seemed as thin as cicada wings, as if she never experienced winter.
He Yan picked up the cloak and was about to put it on when Qingmei snatched it away.
“What are you doing?” He Yan was puzzled.
“You just need to wear this dress, let’s not take this cloak.” Qingmei looked at the rabbit fur cloak in her hand, “This one is quite old and looks a bit bulky when worn. Under the lantern light at night, it won’t complement your appearance.”
He Yan was silent for a moment, “But if I don’t wear it, won’t it be cold? If I go out with just this dress, I might freeze. I can’t ignore my well-being just for the sake of appearance, can I?”
However, Qingmei, who was usually easy to talk to, was unusually persistent today. “No, Miss, between looking good and feeling cold, looking good is more important. Moreover, if you keep warm by yourself, what will Commander Xiao do?”
“What will he do?”
“Think about it,” Qingmei enticed her persuasively, “You two are going to the night market, right? Commander Xiao will definitely be wearing an outer garment. If you appear cold, it will show that you are delicate and need someone to take care of you. Once Commander Xiao sees that, he will feel pity for you and take off his own outer garment to put on you, which will undoubtedly benefit your relationship.”
He Yan, hearing this, couldn’t help but find the reasoning absurd, “What twisted logic is this? If he gives me his clothes, won’t he be cold too? So, are we supposed to freeze together? What kind of grudge is this?”
“How can this be considered twisted logic?” Qingmei justified confidently, “Men in this world often cherish delicate women. If you handle everything yourself, Commander Xiao may not realize that you need care. Don’t doubt it, this is something Guard Chiwu personally told me. He is a man, and he is also Commander Xiao’s close attendant, so he must understand Commander Xiao well. Following his advice will surely be right.”
He Yan: “…”
Is Guard Chiwu sick? He is always thinking about this and nothing else? Qingmei, a good maid, has been misled. Is Commander Xiao the kind of person who pities and cherishes delicate women? Didn’t you see the hunt on the mountain in the past? How many young ladies came wearing thin clothes, trying to get close to Xiao Jue? Yet, Xiao Jue didn’t give his sable fur to anyone.
“This is groundless talk, nonsense!”
Qingmei pushed He Yan out of the door, “Anyway, Miss, you can’t wear this rabbit fur cloak tonight. Just listen to this servant for once.”
With a “bang,” the door closed, nearly hitting He Yan’s nose. He Yan couldn’t help but feel amused and helpless looking at the door. Considering the time and the fact that He Yunsheng would be back from school soon, if he found out that He Yan and Xiao Jue went out together at night, there would be another round of noisy disputes. He Yan thought for a moment, it was fine; her body had withstood wind and rain in the Liangzhou Garrison, and she was quite robust. It shouldn’t be a problem for one night.
Thinking of this, she lifted her foot and stepped out.
Coincidentally, just as she stepped out, a carriage stopped at the door. As a skilled coachman, Fei Nu had become adept at handling the carriage. Xiao Jue walked down from the carriage.
Today, he wore a dark blue embroidered python-patterned brocade robe, covered with a black fox fur cloak. A sandalwood hairpin, with ink-black long hair flowing on his shoulders, looked exceptionally elegant and beautiful. When he looked over, his nose appeared straight, and his thin lips were distinct. His eyes were as captivating as autumn water.
He Yan swallowed and thought, with her looks, standing here with Xiao Jue, she was afraid that others would not admire her but Xiao Jue.
Qingmei was overly concerned.
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