Rebirth of a Star General 101
Thank you Somebody for the Kofi!
The red and withered bones
The atmosphere in the room solidified into ice in an instant.
It was supposed to be a vivid and heart-pounding picture, but to those who were present, there was no ambiguity — only embarrassment and danger of being seen through.
He Yan quickly regained her composure. Looking at him, the “fear and nervousness” that belonged to the young Cheng Lisu disappeared, showing a smile as usual, and said, “You can call me whatever you want, as long as the general is happy.”
“The daughter of city gate commander He Sui would actually come to join the army.” He stared at He Yan’s eyes with a smile, “Miss He is very courageous.”
This person… He Yan’s thoughts moved. Since he even knew He Sui’s name, he was obviously investigating herself in secret, not because she had exposed herself in Sun’s Mansion. Given that it will take more than a month to receive the message from Shoujing to here, this shows that Xiao Jue has suspected her since before. Why is that?
The boy smiled and said, “I didn’t expect the General to pay so much attention to me. I am really ashamed.”
There was no trace of panic on He Yan’s face, even though there was some surprise, it vanished in a flash. Even now, she had her clothes torn up to expose her identity. If she was an ordinary woman, she would probably be too ashamed to be embarrassed. This person is good, with a nonchalant appearance, more courageous than a man. Perhaps that is why even after staying in Liangzhou Wei for so long, no one knew that she was a woman.
When Xiao Jue got the secret letter from Shuojing, he couldn’t believe it. The city gate commander did have a child named He Yan, but it was a daughter and not a son. He also has a young son named He Yunsheng. Six months ago, his daughter named He Yan was killed by thieves in a boat on the Chunlai River. She sank into the river and the body was yet to be found. If one calculates the time, it was the day when He Yan joined the army.
But when a woman comes out to join the army, she can only persist for a day or two without getting discovered, whereas He Yan remained safe for more than half a year. Either the people around her were blind, or her disguise was way too perfect. Xiao Jue was not a blind man. Thinking about the moment he got along with He Yan, he realized this person was really good at covering up.
This person was born with a thin body, frail and weak, but people still would not associate her with a woman. How can an ordinary woman be so nonchalant, let alone her skill, is one of the best in Liangzhou Wei?
“What did you come to Liangzhou for?”
He Yan thought quickly and replied, “I committed a crime in Shuojing, and I would die if they caught me. I had no choice but to join the army.”
“What is it?”
This person still didn’t believe her. Obviously, he has already found out everything. He Yan sighed, “There was a son of a big family who coveted my beauty, and took me to the boat. He wanted to take me over as his wife. But by chance, at that time, an assassin came and took his life. I was left alone on the boat and didn’t have any witnesses. It’s unclear, as people might think that the assassin and I were in cahoots. In desperation, I had no choice but to join the army.”
This was a half-truth, but He Yan said it sincerely. Xiao Jue looked at her playfully, “Covet your beauty?”
He Yan, “…”
What does this mean, is he looking down on her? He Yan has looked in the mirror, Miss He’s face is absolutely charming.
“After all, not everyone has the same high vision as the General.” She said with a smile.
Xiao Jue nodded, “So that’s how it is.”
He Yan’s words were half-truth. Knowing that it was hard to fool Xiao Jue, she never thought that he would believe her so easily.
“Why are you traveling late at night?” His gaze swept across He Yan, his bloody smell was hard to conceal. The mattress on the bed was also dyed a light red.
This person knew she was still injured. Even so, he didn’t have any pity. He still asked the questions that needed to be asked, and even the hand holding her neck has not been removed. In Xiao Jue’s eyes, there was probably no difference between men and women.
“I killed Yuan Baozhen’s guard.” She said.
After a long while, Xiao Jue raised his eyebrows: “Why?”
“In the past few days, when the General was not in the house, Yuan Baozhen always came to see me. I always felt that he was suspecting me. Later I overheard their conversation,” He Yan continued after a pause, “They seem to take orders from a person named Xu Xiang to take your life. They were also the ones responsible for the banquet.”
“You said, Xu Xiang?” Xiao Jue raised his eyes to look at her, and strange emotions appeared in his spring-like eyes.
He Yan shrugged, “Yes, you can think about whether you have offended someone named Xu Xiang. I woke up from the cold tonight, and you were not there after I woke up. The window was open. When I closed the window, I found someone sweeping by. After that, the person deliberately led me to the abandoned courtyard of the Sun Mansion. That person was Yuan Baozhen’s guard.”
“He wanted to use me to hold you down, probably as a hostage.” He Yan shook her head, “But I’m not the real Cheng Lisu. Even if I’m caught, the General will not come for me. What would I do if I die? I can’t fall into his hands even after thinking about it. I fought hard with him and finally killed him.” He Yan motioned to him to look at herself, “It’s what it looks like now.”
Although she said that so casually, she was injured after all. Her face did not look so good, and her strength began to drain.
“To be able to kill Yuan Baozhen’s guard and still be alive, you are very capable.”
“I think so too,” He Yan grudgingly said with a smile, “The General, I am now eligible to enter the Nine Banners Battalion, right?”
She really made no secret of her desire to enter the Nine Banners Battalion.
“Do you think you can enter the Nine Banners Battalion?” Xiao Jue asked rhetorically.
“Of course, I took care of a major problem for you. General, you should at least reward me.”
Xiao Jue didn’t get angry but laughed instead, letting go of the hand that clamped He Yan, looking down at her, and mocking, “Sending you back to Shuojing tomorrow is my reward for you.”
“No!” He Yan straightened up, and such a move affected the wound, and she immediately made a painful “hiss” as she said, “I can’t go back to Shuojing! If I return to Shuojing, the Fan family won’t let me go. General, you have the heart to let a good man go to jail?”
“Yes.”
He Yan, “…you can’t do this!”
“You are not qualified to negotiate terms with me.”
After He Yan saying so much, she was already feeling dizzy. The wounds on her body were also not treated, she said, “You will regret it.”
“Why would I regret it?”
“Since I have to be sent back to Shuojing by you, I don’t have to hide my identity. Everyone will know that a woman has arrived in Liangzhou Wei, and will speculate on what is going on.” He Yan smiled slightly, “So I can only tell them, I have an unusual relationship with the General.”
Xiao Jue heard the words and said casually, “How is it unusual?”
“It’s not normal, not normal… like I know that there is a red mole on the waist of the governor.”
As soon as these words came out, the room suddenly became silent, except for the sound of thunder outside the window, and the continuous autumn rain dripping on the stone ground.
Xiao Jue slowly turned his head to look at her, his eyes darkening.
The teenager looked like a scoundrel, with a smile at the corner of her mouth, and a pale face as she said, “When you took a bath before… I, my eyesight was pretty good. I saw it at a glance. I blame our General to be so charming that even the red mole on your waist was just right in shape, making it unforgettable.”
Does such a woman exist in the world? Xiao Jue felt unbelievable, but when He Yan finished speaking, she seemed to be unable to support herself, her head tilted and she passed out.
Xiao Jue, “…”
The voice of Fei Nu sounded outside the door, “Master.”
Xiao Jue said, “Come in.” He pulled the mattress and threw it on He Yan, covering her.
Fei Nu came in, did not look at He Yan, only said, “The body of the guard next to Yuan Baozhen was found in the courtyard of the Sun Mansion, and he died from his own plum dart.”
Xiao Jue said, “I see.” Looks like, He Yan didn’t lie about this matter.
The blood in the room was too much to be ignored, Fei Nu hesitated for a moment before asking, “Master, is He Yan injured?”
Fei Nu was also surprised when he learned that He Yan was a woman. Except for his figure and appearance, He Yan really has nothing to look like a woman from head to toe. However, it was such a woman who killed Yuan Baozhen’s personal guard. The guard was extremely powerful and very skilled at using poison.
“The injury is not minor.”
“How does Master plan to deal with her now?” Fei Nu asked.
Xiao Jue paused and said, “Go out and find a female healer over.”
Fei Nu was slightly surprised, Xiao Jue meant to save He Yan.
“Has Master determined that she is not Xu Xiang’s person?”
“It doesn’t look like it.” Xiao Jue said, “Xu Jingfu despises women, and will not let women participate in important matters. In the secret letter sent by Shuojing, the He family and Xu Jingfu had no contact. However,” he pondered. , “It’s better to be careful.”
Fei Nu nodded, “I’ll go find a healer.”
After Fei Nu left, Xiao Jue turned sideways and looked at He Yan on the bed.
Just because she didn’t seem to be Xu Jingfu’s person, it didn’t mean that this person was beyond doubt. A sixteen-year-old girl, born in the City gate commander’s house. Even though she had been practicing martial arts since she was a child, she could not be so outstanding that no one in Liangzhou Guards could beat her. How can ordinary people have such an aspiration to be in the barracks. One must know that even a man can’t bear the hardship, but she has not complained. It would be far-fetched to join the army only because of Fan Cheng.
Besides, she also has her heart set on entering the Nine Banners Battalion.
The rain continued to fall, and the girl’s face was pale. When she turned, her scars became visible, especially the stab wound on her back, which was extremely deep and long, but she never cried out pain from beginning to end, and even fainted due to the depletion in physical strength. The corners of her lips were also curled up, looking like a rogue boy.
There is such a woman in the world. Awesome and hateful, cunning and shameless.
Xiao Jue closed the window, turned, and left.
…
When He Yan woke up, the sky was already bright.
She slept on the same bed she usually slept in, but her clothes were changed. He Yan sat up, and subconsciously lifted off her shirt, but saw a white cloth wrapped around her waist, and the wound from the fight with Ding Yi last night had been bandaged.
She recalled carefully and remembered what happened last night. She remembered that she was tit-for-tat against Xiao Jue, threatening the other party with a red mole on his waist. Xiao Jue was very angry, and then she didn’t know what happened. She might have fainted. But right now… she touched her head, her hair was still in her bun, and she wore men’s clothes. The fact that she was a woman hadn’t been revealed to others.
Was Xiao Jue keeping her secret for the time being?
He Yan heaved a sigh of relief and looked to her side, there was no shadow of Fei Nu or Xiao Jue.
Shouldn’t these two people know that she is a woman, yet they still left her in the Sun’s Mansion?
He Yan wanted to get out of bed, and when she moved, a long-necked vial rolled out from her arms, she opened the cork. There were some black pills inside. There is a note beside the bed, which said, “Take your medicine as soon as you wake up.”
The handwriting was sharp and strong, very beautiful, and He Yan immediately recognized it as Xiao Jue’s handwriting. When she was in Xianchang Hall, Xiao Jue was top-notch in everything, and even the articles he had written had to be hung at the entrance of the academy for people to read. This handwriting made a deep impression on He Yan, and she secretly made a few copies and wanted to imitate it. But because she couldn’t write with Xiao Jue’s sentiment, she gave up.
Second Young Master Xiao left a note asking her to take medicine. So he should be relatively calm, and nothing should happen for the time being.
He Yan thought in her heart, suddenly remembering something, she looked herself up and down. If they wanted to prevent her female identity from being exposed, they would definitely not use the subordinates of Sun Mansion. Then who changed these clothes for her? Who bandaged her? Xiao Jue would certainly not do this, then was it Fei Nu?
Although she has been in the army for many years, she didn’t care about skin contact as much as an ordinary girl, but she still felt uncomfortable thinking about it.
As if being taken advantage of by someone.
It’s just that it was useless to think about it now, and they did it with good intentions. She got out of bed and put on her shoes, opened the door to go out and take a look.
As soon as she left the house, He Yan felt that something was wrong.
Because of the assassins at the Sun Family’s Banquet, Sun’s servants can’t get close to the house where He Yan and the others lived. Looking at it from a distance, it seemed as if the entire Sun Mansion was empty.
Even if Xiao Jue wanted to leave her alone, what happened to the entire mansion being empty? Could it be that something happened? He Yan was confused, after thinking about it, she decided to go outside. When she walked past the house where she lived, turned around the garden, and came to the main courtyard, she saw many soldiers in red armor surrounding the main hall. The maids and servants were squatting in rows, and Sun Xiangfu and his son were surrounded by them. Yuan Baozhen stood on one side, facing Xiao Jue.
She just fell asleep, and what happened here? He Yan pondered and met Xiao Jue’s gaze. His eyes were cold, inexplicably reminding He Yan of what happened last night. Shee was embarrassed and inexplicable for a while. After thinking about it, she made her mind and called out in a happy tone that belongs to Cheng Lisu, “Uncle!”
The tense atmosphere was suddenly interrupted by his “uncle”. Everyone looked at her.
Yuan Baozhen’s eyes flashed, “Master Cheng, you can see?”
He Yan remembered that she hadn’t tied the cloth strips, but it didn’t matter anymore. Ding Yi was dead, and she had been exposed as a woman by Xiao Jue. It seemed that Xiao Jue has finally found the person who assassinated him. At this moment, it was time to settle the scores. Whether she was a small person, blind or ordinary, it wouldn’t shake the overall situation.
He Yan scratched her head and replied in a daze, “Really? It seems to be. I can indeed see. I really have the blessings of heaven.”
This lie was too perfunctory, but naturally, no one would dare to question her right now.
Yuan Baozhen realized something faintly, and asked, “Has Master Cheng seen my guard?”
“Not at all.” He Yan said, “Could it be that Lord Yuan’s guard is missing?”
She smiled, making it difficult to explore her mind, and Yuan Baozhen felt uneasy in her heart. After Ding Yi went out last night, he didn’t come back until this morning. Something must have happened. He had a dispute with Ding Yi before. Ding Yi wanted to hijack Cheng Lisu to blackmail Xiao Jue, but Yuan Baozhen felt that it was not a good time now. They disagreed, but Ding Yi’s truly obedient to only He Rufei, and he couldn’t help it. If he sneaked out last night, it would have been for Cheng Lisu.
Now that Cheng Lisu was standing here with good grace, even his eyes were no different, but Ding Yi has disappeared. Yuan Baozhen’s heart sank, and he felt that something was not right. The fact that Xiao Jue had asked people to surround the Sun’s mansion early in the morning, was even more disturbing.
This person’s actions were very reasonable and could be speculated.
He Yan did not hear Yuan Baozhen’s answer and moved to stand beside Xiao Jue. First, she pleased Xiao Jue and smiled, and then whispered to the Fei Nu beside her, “Brother Fei Nu, what’s this situation again?”
Fei Nu looked at He Yan’s smiling face and had a higher opinion of He Yan’s composure and calmness. After such a big event last night, it was obvious her identity has been revealed, yet she could continue to act the play as if nothing had happened, which was admirable.
Fei Nu hadn’t answered yet. Sun Xiangfu on the other end has already spoken. His face was terribly ugly, but he still smiled reluctantly, “The General, what do you mean by this? Is there any part of our Sun Mansion that is not thoughtful and annoyed the General?”
Sun Ling stood beside Sun Xiangfu, staring at Xiao Jue, his gaze couldn’t hide his hatred, he didn’t say a word, but he looked at him furiously.
“Yes,” Yuan Baozhen said while stroking his beard, “General, where did these soldiers come from? His Majesty now strictly prohibits the private deployment of soldiers. If you are really dissatisfied with Sun Zhixian, you shouldn’t vent your anger in this way.”
He Yan raised her eyebrows as Yuan Baozhen condemned Xiao Jue with two charges in one breath — a private army and an act of public revenge — what a powerful mouth.
Xiao Jue bent his lips when he heard this, and said, “Lord Yuan is worrying too much, these are the soldier I borrowed from Xialing County. This commander cannot bear the crime of privately stationing soldiers and horses. Whereas I wonder if Lord Yuan can bear the crime of slandering the imperial court officials?”
Soldiers from Xialing County? Yuan Baozhen stiffened. How could this be possible? The headed soldier in red clasped his fists and said, “I was ordered by the magistrate of Xialing County to come here and assist the General of Liangzhou in investigating the murder of this official’s family members”
The murder of this official’s family member? When Sun Xiangfu heard it, he subconsciously cried out injustice, and only shouted, “This subordinated has been wronged! The assassins in the mansion really has nothing to do with me! I don’t know what happened. You, you can’t wrong people indiscriminately! And the little son’s eyes can see now. You, you can’t just catch people indiscriminately just because you are angry! I’m wronged by the official, wronged by the official!”
He screamed tragically and heartbreakingly, but Xiao Jue just said, “Who said that the official family refers to Cheng Lisu?”
Isn’t it Cheng Lisu? Everyone, including He Yan, was taken aback.
At this moment, another woman’s clear voice came from outside the hospital, “I am the one who was murdered!”
But seeing two people outside the yard, one was Xiao Jue’s guard Chiwu, and the other was a young girl in a warm skirt. She has a pair of double-up buns, bright eyes and white teeth, slender and graceful, Song Taotao.
Song Taotao walked to Xiao Jue under the protection of Chi Wu, and cursed at Sun Xiangfu and Sun Ling, “I am the first daughter of the Deputy Capital of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. You dare to kidnap people in the streets. If I didn’t meet Second Young Master Xiao on the road, and Young Master Cheng hadn’t rescued me, I don’t know how they will end me. The people in Wanhua Pavilion have been taken by Young Master Xiao’s subordinates, and there are all kinds of witnesses and evidence. I see how you will deny this time. Wait for my reply. When I get to Shuojing, I will tell my father about this, and you all wait to get your heads cut off!”
The little girl looked sweet, but she spoke very imposingly. She had a great hatred for Sun Ling. If it weren’t for Sun Ling, she would not have been left to Wanhua Pavilion. In other words, if He Yan hadn’t accidentally rescued her that night, the little girl would have been ruined by Sun Ling right now.
The faces of Sun Xiangfu and his son were as pale as dirt.
The murder of the official’s family member, if it was about Xiao Jue and Cheng Lisu, they could still struggle a bit. After all, the assassins were all dead, and there was no evidence to prove that it was related to them. But who knew that Xiao Jue went off the track and found such a little girl. Who would have thought that the girl taken by Sun Ling was actually the daughter of a capital official?
But over the years, Hasn’t Sun Ling done more than this one evil deed? Among the girls who were taken captive to the Sun’s Mansion, they came from all over the world, and there were also daughters of large families or official families. But once in Liangzhou, it was like a needle into the sea, and there was no way out. Sun Xiangfu and his son have obscured the sky for so many years. Whether it was the daughter of a poor family or the daughter of a wealthy family, once here, it made no difference.
He Yan stared at Xiao Jue’s back and couldn’t help applauding him in her heart.
The second son of Xiao, who always disappeared in these past few days, turned out to be messing up with this matter. She thought at the time that Song Taotao was taken away for her protection, but now it doesn’t seem to be the case. After all, if Xiao Jue took Song Taotao with him and stayed in the Sun Mansion, even if Sun Ling recognized her, he wouldn’t dare to do anything. He sent Song Taotao away to prevent the Sun family and his sons from doubting. No, up to now, the appearance of Song Taotao has become the most important straw for convicting Sun Xiangfu.
“This…this is all a misunderstanding. General, listen to me…” Sun Xiangfu kicked Sun Ling. Sun Ling was kicked to his knees. Sun Xiangfu cursed, “Unfilial son, you stirred up such a big mess. Now what? Plead with the General yourself!”
“Sun Zhixian you are kneeling to the wrong person,” Xiao Jue said casually, “I am not Supervisor Yuan.” He looked at Yuan Baozhen, and said slowly, ” Lord Yuan has been in Liangzhou for many days, and he doesn’t even have a lawsuit here. Clearly, it is known that if you are involved in a crime of dereliction of duty, then, I am afraid that your teacher will not be able to save you.”
Yuan Baozhen was so angry that he was about to vomit blood. He looked at Xiao Jue, the General’s lips were smiling, his gaze was leisure and the malice contained in it was overwhelming.
He didn’t come for himself — he came for Sun Xiangfu. But this was actually worse, because his teacher, Xu Jingfu, would not want the present situation. Is this what one means by stealing chickens and losing rice? What’s the meaning of all this if the rice bowl has been emptied.
Ding Yi was missing, he was alone. How was he going to deal with the aggressive Xiao Jue?
Song Taotao looked at the Sun family fiercely, He Yan thought for a moment, just Song Taotao’s words may be able to prove Sun Ling’s crime, but not Sun Xiangfu’s. Sun Xiangfu is not completely dead if someone protects him.
Will Xiao Jue’s shot leave people a little leeway? He Yan didn’t think so.
“General, you should listen to our explanation. The subordinates are really wronged!” Sun Xiangfu cried and howled together with Sun Ling.
As this matter involved him too, Yuan Baozhen said with difficulty, “General, perhaps there is really some kind of misunderstanding.”
Xiao Jue stared at him with a faint smile, for a long while, nodded and said, “Go to the courtyard.”
Go to the courtyard? What is he going to do in the courtyard?
When Sun Xiangfu and his son heard the words, their complexions suddenly changed, and they almost fainted.
The soldiers in red armor escorted Sun Xiangfu and his son to the courtyard with the others. It rained last night, and the dust on the ground of the yard was washed away by the rain. It was a quiet and secluded picture, but it overflowed with desolation and misery.
He Yan glanced sideways at the next room, the door was closed tightly, and she felt a chill when he thought of the Buddha statues on the table last night.
But why did Xiao Jue bring them here?
Yuan Baozhen was puzzled, “The General wants to…”
“Dig three feet in the ground, show Lord Yuan, what’s in the ground.” Although he was smiling, he looked indifferent and his tone was very calm as he instructed the soldiers, “Dig.”
The soldiers got the order, searched out the hoe and sickle from Sun’s mansion everywhere, and dug down the ground.
Seeing this scene, Sun Xiangfu and his son seemed to be unable to hold on anymore. The two of them had their legs weakened they were limp on the ground, and their faces were ashen.
Song Taotao asked He Yan in a low voice, “What’s under the ground?”
With the Buddha statues in the house, the charms affixed to the door, and the overly luxuriant weeds growing in the deserted courtyard, He Yan looked serious, and probably guessed it. She didn’t speak, she really didn’t know how to say it.
After a while, someone said, “General, there is something here!”
It was a female corpse wrapped in a summer mat. She was extremely small, not even as big as Song Taotao. The clothes she was wearing had rotted, revealing her weak white bones, and one didn’t know how beautiful, lovely or pitiful she looked in the past.
“Continue.” Xiao Jue said.
Not long after, someone said, “There is a corpse here!”
It was also a female corpse with long hair. She probably died not long ago, one could vaguely see her eyebrows, and her charming demeanor during her lifetime.
The third, fourth, fifth…
Afterward, no one spoke, only the sound of digging echoed. There was a deathly silence in the air. It was hard to imagine that the underground of this courtyard could contain so many corpses. The yard was filled with dead people covered in white cloth, and there was even nowhere to put them, so they had to be stacked together.
In the desolate side courtyard, there were countless red and withered bones buried. There may be gentle and shy flower sellers, as well as other women with different styles. Here, no matter rich or poor, high or low, all became muddied and piled up like this, forming an unrecognizable mountain of corpses.
These were the girls who were taken over by Sun Ling and then bullied and killed. They suffered catastrophes during their lives, and even after their deaths, they would not be at ease. Under the guilty conscience of the wicked, countless Buddha statues were piled up to suppress and curse them.
The ever-bright light swayed forever, but for these girls’ lives, there was no light anymore.
He Yan took a deep breath.
The sins committed by Sun Xiangfu and his son did not cover the sky and the earth. If God is angered and abandons them, even death is small punishment for such heinous crimes.
