Rebirth of a Star General Chapter 267

Chapter 267 Epilogue 

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The war between Great Wei and Wutuo was ultimately won by Great Wei.

After the defeat of Wutuo, the ruler of Wutuo personally wrote a letter of surrender and sent his prince and envoy to apologize. He promised not to initiate any military actions for the next hundred years, to ally with Great Wei, and to become a vassal state of Great Wei. The prince was left in Great Wei as a hostage to demonstrate submission.

Emperor Zhaokang was delighted, and all the soldiers who went to the border were rewarded. Among them, Marquis Wuan, He Yan, was appointed as a general with the rank of third-grade official, and was given the title Return Moon. From then on, she became the first legitimate female general in the history of Great Wei.

In the courtyard, He Sui looked at the pile of congratulatory gifts in front of the door and frowned, saying, “Cloth and grains can be stored for a long time, but what about these fruits? With few people in the family, I’m afraid they will go bad before we finish eating them.”

He Yunsheng glanced at them and said, “Just send them to Brother-in-law’s house. They have many people there. But, Dad, worrying about whether we can finish eating them is simply insulting He Yan’s appetite.”

“Stop talking nonsense about your sister!” He Sui slapped him away. “Hurry up and take the soup to Yan Yan!”

He Yunsheng rolled his eyes and resignedly went to the kitchen.

He Yan was sitting in the room reading He Yunsheng’s recent homework, with Xiao Jue sitting beside her. Her leg was extremely inconvenient to walk on now, and the injury on her leg wouldn’t heal anytime soon. However, she was not the type to sit still. She was scolded by Bai Rongwei and He Sui a hundred times a day.

Just as she was sitting there, He Yunsheng walked in from outside, holding a porcelain basin and placing it in front of He Yan. He said impatiently, “Dad personally made bone soup for you. Drink it.”

“Why bone soup again?” He Yan’s face turned bitter upon hearing this. She was not picky, but having bone soup for every meal was unbearable. Looking at the large bowl of soup that was bigger than her face, her stomach churned.

“You injured your leg, right? Dad said to eat what’s good for your recovery. Drink up.” After a pause, he couldn’t help but lecture, “It’s said that a hundred days of rest are needed for a bone injury. Since your leg is injured, don’t run around when you’re not busy. Rest at home properly. The Emperor has approved your leave, so why don’t you take care of your body…”

He rambled on incessantly, sounding even more like a father than He Sui. Unable to bear it anymore, He Yan looked at Xiao Jue for help. But despite seeing her distress, he just sat there, sipping his tea casually.

After He Yunsheng finished, he turned to Xiao Jue and asked, “Brother-in-law, do you think I’m right?”

Xiao Jue leisurely replied, “Correct.”

“Did you hear that, He Yan,” He Yunsheng felt more confident with someone backing him up, “You should know better!”

“I…”

“I won’t say anymore. I’m going to feed Xiang Xiang.” He Yunsheng chattered away, feeling relieved, and left with a parting shot, “Finish the soup, Dad made it himself, not a drop should be wasted.” He left the room.

Seeing him leave, He Yan stared at the bowl of soup in front of her, then turned to Xiao Jue. “Xiao Jue…”

“No.” His reply was cold-hearted.

He Yan looked at him, feeling a headache coming on. “Commander Xiao, are you still holding a grudge? How long has it been? Are you still angry?”

He raised an eyebrow. “I’m not angry.”

As she looked at him, she suddenly remembered the last time she thought Xiao Jue was angry, it was in the tent in Jijun.

It was the day she led two thousand soldiers to surrender. Someone in the Yan army couldn’t tolerate the provocations of the Wutuo people and impulsively caused the plan to change. She was in the city and fought with the Wutuo people. The soldiers outside couldn’t enter, so someone had to open the city gate. She and Wang Ba and Jiang Jiao walked to the city wall and fought.

Soldiers were never alone in battle. If outnumbered, they would be at a disadvantage and would be seen as targets if they tried to run to the city wall.

He Yan was also injured.

Her leg was cut by a Wutuo person’s blade, the wound was deep enough to see the bone. Every step she took, the wound pulled at her muscles, causing excruciating pain. Wang Ba and Jiang Jiao were afraid she couldn’t hold on for long, but she managed to persevere.

The city gate finally opened, and the soldiers waiting outside finally entered the city. They had won the battle.

When He Yan dismounted, her right leg was completely numb. After a long period of activity, blood had stained her pants completely red. When they were torn off, they took some skin and flesh with them, making anyone who looked at it feel numb.

When Lin Shuanghe saw He Yan’s wound for the first time, his face turned pale. He helped her into the tent. By then, He Yan had lost too much blood. When she laid down on the cot, she felt extremely exhausted, and could hardly keep her eyes open. In her drowsiness, she only had one thought: it’s over, it’s over, if I don’t make it back alive, breaking my promise would make Xiao Jue angry again.

She wasn’t actually afraid of Xiao Jue being angry, because although Xiao Jue was a bit more prone to anger than her, he was still easily placated.

Lin Shuanghe was busy in her tent for a day and a night. When He Yan woke up, the lamp in the tent was swaying slightly, and someone was sitting on the ground leaning against the bed, dozing off. Whenever He Yan moved, he would wake up.

“Hey, Brother Lin,” He Yan smiled weakly, her voice hoarse, “friends’ wives are not to be trifled with. Have you been sleeping with me all night?”

She actually still had the mood to joke, but Lin Shuanghe only looked at her with a serious expression and said, “He Yan, you must rest.”

Lin Shuanghe had saved her at great risk, and her life had barely been preserved. However, although her life had been saved, if she didn’t rest properly and continued to jump around like before, her leg would likely be in danger in the future.

He Yan’s face turned pale, and she smiled at him, “I can’t do that. The battle isn’t over yet.”

Just like Yan He before his death, knowing that intense activity would accelerate the spread of the poison and become his death warrant, he still went into battle with his injuries. He Yan was the same. It was already the most critical moment. If she didn’t seize the opportunity and let the Wutuo people counterattack, it would be troublesome.

“Bandage it tighter for me,” He Yan said, “Try not to affect my performance on the battlefield.”

“Aren’t you afraid? Your right leg…”

“Even if I end up lame,” He Yan smiled, “it’s no big deal. Besides, there’s still a chance that nothing will happen.”

She struggled to sit up and didn’t pause to plan the next steps of the battle.

Lin Shuanghe once thought that He Yan’s leg was truly beyond saving.

But He Yan was a bit luckier than Yan He.

On the way from Jijun to Shuojing, Lin Shuanghe used all his life’s knowledge on He Yan. At first, He Yan’s condition was really bad, so bad that Lin Shuanghe didn’t know how to start writing when he wrote letters. Later, when He Yan got a little better, he detailed He Yan’s condition in his reply. However, there was a misunderstanding at the post station, which worried Xiao Jue for many days.

But this leg injury needed to be properly rested now.

He Yan looked at him. “You’re really not angry?”

Xiao Jue was focused on the tea in front of him.

Suddenly, she covered her chest. “Ah, my leg…”

In an instant, this person hurriedly looked at her. Seeing her pretending like this, he paused and sneered, “You’re injured in your leg, why cover your chest?”

“It’s my leg that hurts, but it’s my heart that aches,” He Yan looked at him with bitterness. “I’m already very injured, and yet you’re so indifferent…”

Knowing that the person in front of him would speak lies as easily as performing in a play, he sighed but eventually walked up to her and sat down, asking, “Is it very painful?”

He Yan replied seriously, “Yes, but if you say a few words of concern and comfort, maybe it won’t hurt as much.”

Xiao Jue: “…”

He couldn’t help but laugh again.

Seeing him laugh, He Yan propped her chin on her hand and pulled his sleeve, saying, “Alright, Commander Xiao, don’t be angry anymore. Next time, I’ll take good care of myself and not joke about my life. I made you worry for so long this time, it’s my fault. I didn’t expect the post station to mess up either!”

She ended up taking the blame.

Xiao Jue’s gaze fell on her. She was smiling playfully, completely unable to see any trace of frustration on her face, but she didn’t know about the fear in his heart when he couldn’t find her at that time.

He wasn’t angry either, but more likely just felt powerless that he couldn’t help when the other party was in danger.

But he also knew that if it happened again, He Yan would make the same choice, just as he would.

But she was still here, able to joke and laugh with him, which was already heaven’s blessing and enough.

After a moment, he looked at He Yan and smiled, “Alright.”

He Yan was delighted, “That’s more like it, I…”

“But I won’t help you finish this bowl of soup.”

“…”

He Yan: “Xiao Jue, you’re really stingy.”

…

Two days later, He Yan went to see Xia Chengxiu with Xiao Jue.

He Yan originally thought she would see a sorrowful and melancholic girl, but to her surprise, Xia Chengxiu seemed quite fine.

When He Yan saw her, she was shaking a small red lacquer drum, amusing the baby in the bamboo basket. The baby’s eyes followed the movement of the drum, babbling non-stop. Xia Chengxiu was laughing at him.

He Yan called out, “Miss Chengxiu.” Xia Chengxiu only noticed her for a moment, then said, “Miss He.”

Xia Chengxiu had lost a lot of weight and her clothes seemed too big, but her complexion was still good, perhaps because she had become a mother, she seemed even gentler. He Yan had originally thought about how to comfort her to make her feel better, but now that she saw her, she realized that the words she had prepared were probably unnecessary.

“Miss Chengxiu, have you been doing well these days?” He Yan thought for a long time before asking only this one question.

“Quite well,” Xia Chengxiu smiled. “With Muxia accompanying me, the days aren’t too hard to bear.”

He Yan felt a bit uncomfortable hearing this. Xia Chengxiu looked at her and smiled, “Miss He, there’s no need for you to feel sorry for me. When I first learned of Yan He’s news, I found it hard to accept, and even thought of following him. But now with Muxia by my side, some of the previous obsessions have gradually dissipated.”

“When I married Yan He back then, I knew that such a day might come. I just didn’t expect it to come so soon,” she smiled and lowered her head. “But since the choice has been made, there’s nothing more to say. Yan He has already left, and the living must still live well.” She looked at Muxia in the basket. “I think, heaven hasn’t been too cruel to me. At least, I still have Muxia.”

She was always clear-minded, and there were some words that didn’t need to be said, which Xia Chengxiu also understood. However, He Yan thought that sometimes excessive intelligence and maturity might make people feel more distressed.

She talked with Xia Chengxiu for a while before taking her leave.

After that, He Yan went to the Hong Shan’s residence.

Unlike Shitou and Huang Xiong, Hong Shan still had younger siblings and an elderly mother. Hong Shan’s mother cried every day, so He Yan helped find a school for Hong Shan’s younger brother to attend and provided financial assistance to his mother’s household. As Xia Chengxiu said, the deceased were no longer here, and the remaining people had to live well.

All He Yan could do for Hong Shan was to take care of his family.

…

In the winter, at a riverside tavern, the flag with the word “wine” fluttered in the wind. A burly man carrying a large blade approached a woman selling wine and asked in a rough voice, “Do you have apricot blossom wine?”

The woman looked up and saw the scar-faced man with a fierce look on his face, feeling a little fearful for a moment. She replied softly, “I’m sorry, sir, but there’s no apricot blossom wine in winter, only yellow wine.”

She thought this fierce-looking man would surely be angry, but he simply said, “Bring me three bowls of yellow wine,” and placed the money on the table before walking in.

The woman was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly got up and went to the wine jar to ladle out the wine.

Wang Ba looked at the small tavern, his expression silent.

Before coming here, he had visited a bandit stronghold and handed over the silver he earned from this trip to his brothers, telling them not to rob anymore. Seeing how well the stronghold was living now, they shouldn’t engage in the bloodthirsty life of living by the sword anymore.

When he went to Jiuchuan, Huang Xiong had mentioned this riverside tavern specifically, saying that the apricot blossom wine here was especially sweet and fragrant. He promised to come here for a drink after the battle. He had agreed gladly, but now, he was the only one here to drink.

Time passed quickly, leaving no trace, yet there were traces everywhere. He was no longer as fierce and combative as he was when he first entered the army. The children in the village said that he had become much gentler now.

He didn’t know why, but this seemed fine too.

Being able to come back alive was already heaven’s favor for them.

The three bowls of wine were quickly brought over. The homemade yellow wine looked turbid and had a simple, spicy aroma. He tilted his head back and gulped down all the wine in the bowl in front of him. From his throat to his stomach, it immediately felt as hot as a burning flame.

“Old Brother,” he wiped his mouth, exhaling a breath of alcohol, not knowing who he was talking to, “the wine is not bad.”

No one answered him.

After a moment, he picked up the remaining two bowls of wine and walked to the window. Outside the window, a slender willow swayed in the wind. In the winter, its branches were bare, but soon enough, spring would arrive, and new greenery would emerge.

He turned around and poured the two bowls of wine into the soil in front of the willow tree, the liquid seeping into the ground bit by bit.

He watched silently for a while before murmuring, “Please have a taste as well.”

…

In the noodle shop on the east side of the city, a busy girl had changed into a light blue jacket with rabbit fur embroidered along the edges. She had a matching flower pinned in her hair, accentuating her already delicate features.

As winter approached, business at the noodle shop thrived. On cold mornings, a steaming bowl of plain noodles could warm the heart.

Sun Xiaolan was bustling about, barely touching the ground with her feet. After serving the last bowl of noodles, she took a moment to wipe the sweat from her brow. Suddenly, amidst the crowd, she spotted a familiar figure.

It was a slightly dark and handsome young man walking by the street. Sun Xiaolan found him somewhat familiar and couldn’t help but glance at him a few more times. Then, she remembered seeing this young man at the beginning of spring this year, accompanied by a quiet and handsome young man. After they left, they left behind a pot of mountain peach blossoms.

A surge of joy welled up in the young girl’s heart, and she was about to call out to him when someone behind her urged, “Miss, we need another bowl of plain noodles here—”

Sun Xiaolan responded, and when she looked up again, the familiar figure was nowhere to be seen among the bustling crowd.

Where did he go?

The urging voice behind her made her lose interest in thinking further. She thought to herself, oh well, since these two young men are in Shuojing, there will surely be another chance to meet in the future. Perhaps in a few days, they’ll come to this noodle shop.

Thinking of this, she felt happy again. Amidst the bustling noise of the crowd, the pot of mountain peach blossoms on the wooden counter stood out, bringing a touch of spring to the desolate winter.

…

The snow weighed heavily on the eaves.

When He Yan came out of the Military Affairs Office, it was already dark.

Although she had a leg injury and Emperor Zhaokang had temporarily granted her sick leave, after the Battle of Jiuchuan, there was still a lot of military affairs to attend to, so she had to go to the Military Affairs Office to help with discussions and tasks with her colleagues. Qingmei wasn’t available, so she had to rely on Chiwu to send her. However, she stayed longer than usual today, and by the time she came out, it was already this late.

In the Military Affairs Office, she was the only one left. He Yan came out leaning on a crutch, thinking about asking someone to find a carriage, when she saw someone standing on the steps, wearing a moonlight-colored embroidered dark-patterned brocade robe, standing in the snow, seemingly illuminating the snowy ground.

“Xiao Jue!” He Yan waved to him.

He smiled and walked over.

“Why do you have time today?” He Yan asked him when he approached. She was extremely busy in the Military Affairs Office, but Xiao Jue seemed even busier than her.

“I knew you hadn’t gone back yet, so I came to pick you up,” he said.

He Yan quickly hooked her arm around his, holding onto her crutch with one hand, and hopped forward on one leg.

She didn’t think much of it herself. Her leg injury had actually improved a lot, but Lin Shuanghe must have exaggerated something to Xiao Jue… Anyway, most of the time, He Yan felt like she was living like a cripple these days.

She took a couple of steps, and Xiao Jue suddenly stopped. He Yan asked, “What’s wrong?”

His gaze fell on He Yan’s crutch. After a moment’s thought, he walked in front of He Yan, crouched down slightly, and said, “Get on.”

“Are you… are you really going to carry me?” He Yan asked. 

“Hurry up.” 

“But isn’t this inappropriate?” He Yan hesitated for a moment. “This is the military affairs office. I come here for work every day. If someone sees me being carried like this, it will ruin my reputation. Everyone knows how brave and invincible I was in Jiuchuan. But now, if they see me being carried around, it will be very embarrassing…” 

“Are you getting on or not?” 

He Yan said, “I’m getting on, I’m getting on!” 

She lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Xiao Jue’s neck, and he effortlessly lifted her up. 

Xiao Jue continued to carry her outside, and He Yan leaned close to his ear, whispering, “Even if you don’t care about my reputation, what about yours? Will people say, ‘The Jade-faced Commander of Great Wei looks so majestic, but at home, he’s just henpecked…'” 

“Miss He, when you don’t want to talk, you can stay silent,” Xiao Jue’s voice was calm. 

He Yan said, “So you admit you’re henpecked?” 

At times like this, Xiao Jue usually couldn’t be bothered to respond to her. 

The wind was blowing at night, and although the air was cold, his back felt warm and solid, as if it could support the entire future. 

He Yan thought to herself that Xiao Jue was indeed more formidable than He Yunsheng. If it were He Yunsheng carrying her all this way, he would have complained long ago and even complained about her weight. 

“Commander Xiao,” He Yan’s voice was soft, and the warm breath she exhaled tickled his neck, making him feel a bit itchy. “Is this your first time carrying a girl like this?” 

Xiao Jue’s voice was cold, “Are you even a girl?” 

With no one around, he couldn’t hide the slight curve of his lips and the tender affection in his eyes. 

“Am I not a girl?” He Yan asked in confusion. “Are you interested in men then?” 

Xiao Jue remained silent. 

Perhaps, after spending so much time with him, He Yan’s ability to provoke had grown. Sometimes Xiao Jue couldn’t argue with her, or perhaps, he was just too lazy to argue. 

She won this round and felt proud of herself. 

The night was quiet, the snow and the moon were both silver-white, one side was peaceful, while the other side of the street connected to the night market, with lights shining. 

Walking away from the hustle and bustle, the lanterns hanging at street corners illuminated the snow-covered ground. The plum trees in the backyard of some houses were in bloom, with a few trembling blossoms peeking out from the fence, swaying beautifully. 

Despite the wind and snow, her mood was serene. On the way home, the night was beautiful. 

She lay on Xiao Jue’s back, gazing at the moon in the sky, and called out to him, “Xiao Jue.” 

He responded with a grunt, and heard He Yan say, “Do you think the moon in ten, twenty, or fifty years will be different from now?” 

Xiao Jue paused.

“I don’t know,” he replied after a moment.

“I want to see what the moon will be like in decades from now, how it will differ from tonight.”

Xiao Jue looked up at the cool moon, the pear blossoms dusted with snow. The voice of the person on his back was warm and tranquil, and with her nestled there, it was comforting.

“I want to know too,” his eyes softened, glimmering like autumn waters as he spoke softly, “So… let’s watch it together.”

Together… the moon in ten, twenty, fifty years.

A smile slowly formed on He Yan’s lips.

What would it be like… in the future?

Perhaps the streets would be different in ten years, the snow chillier in twenty, or both she and Xiao Jue would have grayed in fifty.

But maybe the moon wouldn’t be so different from tonight.

Even if it were, it didn’t matter.

In ten, twenty, fifty years, amidst the changes of time and the world’s affairs, she didn’t know what it held. But she did know…

She would always love the moon.

A snowflake fell onto Xiao Jue’s hair, and He Yan gently brushed it away.

Feeling quite ordinary, under the moon’s brightness and the gentle wind, tonight was perfect.

“Let’s go home,” she urged with a smile.

“Okay.”

The End

Afterword:

This concludes the main story of “Rebirth of a Star General.” There will probably be three extras, but due to many tasks at year-end, they will be updated on Sundays.

This book is a bit different from the previous ones, with almost no plots of intrigue and power struggles. It’s more about the growth of the female protagonist. However, her growth isn’t in terms of business skills; it’s about overcoming character flaws stemming from her original family environment (maybe?).

Yan Yan, besides her “cheat” of being good at warfare, is just an ordinary girl who seems quite cool on the surface but actually has a bit of a people-pleasing personality. Fortunately, this is gradually healed by a lot of “favoritism” from others.

Regarding Xiao Jue, I’ve noticed that many friends confuse “wolf-like” with “puppy-like.” They feel he lacks a certain coolness, but actually, his “wolf-like” qualities lie in his calmness, devotion, sense of order, and untamable nature. It’s not about being cool or not cool; he’s not a little puppy (covering face). Basically, his values are closer to modern standards, so he’s destined to be attracted to Yan Yan.

If Yan Yan’s loveliness lies in her purity and determination, then Xiao Jue’s preciousness lies in his gentleness and respect.

In short, the moon is shining on Yan Yan’s way home, thanks to everyone’s companionship for another year. I hope everyone stays healthy and successful in the new year!

See you in the extras!

Want to show your support? Go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! Want to get early access to at least 5 chapters in advance? Go to my Patreon to join now! :)

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