In the Shuo capital, there was an anecdote that someone set fire to the library of the Xianchang Dojo. The arsonist was found and died in the sea of fire. An entire shelf of books was burned. Coincidentally, it was the notes that General Feihong He Rufei had left behind when he was studying in the academy.
The Xianchang Dojo had been famous for so many years and had produced two famous generals. Of the two famous generals, if General Fengyun was said to be a genius in the hearts of young people, then General Feihong He Rufei was often used as a role model by teachers to educate students.
"You have to know that when General He was in the Xianchang Dojo, he was not good at his studies and was often last place. Even so, hard work can make up for it. Today, he is still not a great general of the Da Wei. Therefore, not everyone in the world is a genius. But if you work hard, you can achieve great things."
General He was an example of "hard work can make up for it." Just relying on the words of his classmates and teachers was not enough. The notes in the library were evidence. Now that this evidence was mysteriously burned, many teachers in the Shuo capital secretly cursed the arsonist for being immoral. But at the same time, the students in the academy all cheered.
After all, being forced to "make up for it with hard work" was not an easy thing to do.
In the He Residence, He Rufei sat in the study and looked at the subordinate that reported the news.
"You are saying that the death soldiers that were sent to set the fire did not even leave behind a corpse?" He asked.
"That's right."
"Rufei," He Yuansheng narrowed his eyes, "Do you feel that something is wrong?"
"They just burned a shelf of books and died in the fire. Not even a corpse can be found. I feel that something is wrong."
The subordinate respectfully replied, "I asked around the Xianchang Dojo. The fire in the library is true. Now, all the students in the academy have returned home. The head of the academy is asking people to repair the burned shelves … … It is said that not a single note of General He's was left behind. "
He Yuansheng thought for a moment, "Rufei, if you are worried, do you want to personally go?"
"No." He Rufei flatly refused, "Now that we're in troubled times, I have to be even more careful with my words and actions. The Xian Chang Dojo has just caught fire. If I go there now, it's hard to avoid being caught. We still haven't settled the matter from last time, so we definitely can't let our guard down. "Thinking about what happened last time, He Rufei was extremely frustrated. He had already made up his mind to take He Yan's life, or at least he wanted to test him. But he didn't expect that woman to be so skillful. Fortunately, he found all the men of sacrifice and didn't reveal the secret. In the end, he pushed all the evidence to the Fan Family, but the yamen refused to close the case. He Rufei sent someone to investigate and found out that it was Xiao Jue who had interfered.
Xiao Huaijin valued his fiancée very much. Now it seemed that he wanted to stand up for her. He Rufei didn't care about the daughter of a guard at the city gate, but he had heard of Xiao Jue's methods. Even Xu Jingfu couldn't get any benefits from this person, so of course he was afraid.
"Forget it, since the notes have been burned, let's not talk about the rest." He Rufei changed the topic, "Soon, the envoy from the Wu Tuo will enter the capital. At this time, it's better not to cause trouble. "
He Yuansheng paused and looked at He Rufei, "Once the Wu Tuo enters the capital, His Majesty will definitely discuss the war and peace. If not, our He Family … …"
"Father, our He Family will naturally make peace." He Rufei sneered, "Not to mention the battle of Hua Yuan, we are already tied to Prime Minister Xu. Even now, for the sake of the He Family, we have to stand together. Xiao Huaijin already has a grudge with us. Helping Prime Minister Xu is helping ourselves. "
"Of course I know, but … …" He Yuansheng's eyes flashed, "My son, in today's court, the Fourth Prince's support is quite high. You see … …"
"No matter how high the Fourth Prince's support is, it can't be higher than Prime Minister Xu." He Rufei frowned, "Moreover, the Da Wei values etiquette the most. The Crown Prince is the legitimate heir, and the Fourth Prince doesn't have the support of his mother's family. Father, at this time, our He Family can't take a neutral position. We must stand on the Crown Prince's side without reservation. "
He Yuansheng sighed, "I'm just worried."
He Rufei's eyes flashed with a trace of mockery. He looked at He Yuansheng, "Father, if you want to obtain great wealth, you have to take risks. When my younger sister reached the rank of Grand General, there was no turning back. "
He Yuansheng stilled, as if the secret in his heart was suddenly exposed. A trace of embarrassment floated on his face. After a pause, he stood up and said, "Since you've already made up your mind, then we'll do as you say. I still have matters to attend to, so I'll leave first." He left as if he was escaping.
He Rufei looked at He Yuansheng's hurried figure and smiled. He leaned back, his face gradually darkening.
He didn't know when it started, but the entire He Family had started to act according to his wishes. Even He Yuansheng and He Yuanliang had to be careful when they spoke to him. He Rufei had heard more than once from the servants in the residence that the Eldest Young Master's temperament had become more and more eccentric in recent years. He was especially different from the past. After He Rufei heard this, she ordered for the servant who spoke to be executed immediately. After a few times, no one dared to gossip behind his back.
Those who achieved great things didn't care about trifles. Of the two brothers of the He Family, He Yuanliang was cowardly, sly, and cunning. He Yuansheng was vicious and merciless, but unfortunately, he had many misgivings and didn't dare to take a risk. Now, there was only a woman with the same name and surname, and she had become enemies with Xiao Huaijin. When he did things, his hands were tied, and he was an eyesore.
How could they know that if they wanted to achieve great things, their hands would be stained with blood? For example, in the battle of Hua Yuan, in order to prevent future troubles, he took the initiative to get in touch with Xu Jingfu. Xu Jingfu and Uto also had secret dealings. It was just a casual matter, but He Yan's trusted subordinates were all buried in that battle that didn't require him to pay such a high price.
After that, there were very few people who understood General Feihong. As a general, he had a clear conscience.
He Rufei didn't feel the slightest bit of guilt for his own actions. He also didn't feel the slightest bit of sympathy for his cousin who died early. Before He Yan became "General Feihong", she had already lived under his name for many years. If it weren't for his identity as "Eldest Young Master", a woman living in this world should have followed the rules and regulations and followed the husband after marriage. How could there be anything that came after? It could be said that all the military merits that He Yan had earned were originally obtained by relying on his name. Now, everything was just returning to its rightful owner.
Not to mention that Marquis Wu An was obviously a substitute pretending to be a ghost. Even if the real He Yan came to take his life, he wouldn't be the least bit afraid.
Because … this should have been his in the first place.
On this day, He Yan left early in the morning and only returned home when it was close to evening.
Lady Fan in prison was still crazy, and he couldn't get any useful information out of her. Mother Qin was hidden in the Xiao family, but what she knew was very limited. Xu Zhiheng didn't truly trust He Wanru, and Mother Qin deliberately avoided the murder case at the time. Therefore, other than a witness, there wasn't much other evidence for the time being. He Yan could only make a trip himself. Although she was now Marquis Wu An, she hadn't established her own network in the imperial court. Her colleagues saw that she was a woman, and although they flattered her on the surface, they actually despised her in their hearts. Other than classmates like Lin Shuanghe and Yan He, there were very few officials in the imperial court who could be on good terms with her.
Fortunately, although the title of "Marquis Wu An" wasn't very useful, the title of "Xiao Jue's Fiancée" was more convenient than He Yan had imagined. As long as she brought up Xiao Jue, most of her colleagues were still willing to give her face. He Yan used the title of "Xiao Jue" to inquire about matters within the Fuyue Army.
As she probed like this, she really did find some clues.
Ever since He Rufei received the title of "Feihong", Da Wei was peaceful and there were very few wars. He had always stayed in Shuojing and never left the city. The Battle of Hua Yuan was the first time He Rufei went to the battlefield after a few years. In that battle, He Rufei led the Fuyue Army to a pyrrhic victory, and all of his trusted subordinates died in battle. None of the deputy general's subordinates who were even slightly close to He Rufei survived.
Most of the soldiers who participated in that battle were ordinary soldiers who didn't have access to the secrets of the war.
However, even if this was the case, there were still some secret rumors that spread.
"The general that day was very different from before. He seemed to have an argument with the military advisor, but the military advisor had already died in the Battle of Hua Yuan. However … when the Uto came that day, we had the advantage. However, the general didn't move, and in the end, gave the Uto an opportunity. "
"However, maybe we were thinking too much. The general has been through hundreds of battles, and naturally isn't someone that we can figure out." The soldier added.
Because General Feihong's name was too famous, no one doubted his tactics, and no one doubted his loyalty. However, He Yan knew that He Rufei was purposely sending those people to their deaths. Before this, He Rufei had never led an army. In the Battle of Hua Yuan, he was able to let his most valued subordinates be completely wiped out, and he was able to escape unscathed. There was no such logic in the world, unless … he had been secretly colluding with the Uto.
Thinking about this, He Yan realized that when she pretended to be He Rufei in the Rundu and attacked the Uto's camp, General Huyate's reaction was also very thought-provoking.
If He Rufei really wanted to protect his identity from being exposed, and did not hesitate to ask a tiger for its skin, and betray the country's ruler, this crime was unforgivable.
As she thought about this, she unknowingly walked to the door. Just as she entered the door, Qing Mei saw her and hurried over, saying, "Miss, you're finally back."
"What's wrong?" He Yan asked curiously. Ever since her identity was exposed, He Yan had let Xiao Jue take Chi Wu away during the day, and come back at night. A good bodyguard couldn't just stay by her side and not do anything. Therefore, after Chi Wu left, Qing Mei went back to her old days. It was rare to see her so flustered.
"Someone came to the house," Qing Mei said in a small voice, "They said they were looking for Miss …"
Just as she finished speaking, He Yan heard a familiar voice, "Big Brother!"
She turned around and saw a yellow-clothed youth with red lips and white teeth running over from the hall. He walked two circles around her with a face full of surprise, "Big Brother, I didn't think you were really a woman!"
Qing Mei reminded him kindly, "Little Gongzi, our family's Miss is a woman."
He Yan didn't expect Cheng Li Su to come to his house. It seemed to have been a long time since he last saw him. This youth had grown a bit taller, but his eyebrows were still as arrogant as before.
"Why are you here?" He Yan asked.
"Today, I snuck out when no one was paying attention." Cheng Li Su said with a bitter face, "After I returned to the capital from the Liangzhou Guard, I was forced to go to school. I had no freedom at all. When I heard that Big Brother had returned to the capital, I wanted to come and see, but the school was very strict and I couldn't leave. When I returned, I heard that you were a woman, and that you had become my uncle's fiancée. Big Brother! What's going on? How did you become a woman? "
It had been so long, but he didn't expect someone to still be concerned about this matter. He Yan was helpless and could only say, "I was a woman to begin with. At the time, I was forced by the situation and had no choice but to disguise myself as a man and enter the military. When I returned to the capital, my identity was naturally revealed. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. "
As soon as he said this, he heard another voice say, "So, you admit that you lied?"
He Yan was startled and saw Song Taotao walk out from the back. The little girl was even more lively and delicate than when she was in the Liangzhou Guard. The Song family probably doted on this daughter very much. The material of her clothes looked very expensive, making her seem like a little fairy who didn't eat the food of mortals. However, unlike her delicate face, her expression was like that of an infatuated girl who had been abandoned by a heartless man.
"Taotao?" He Yan looked at Cheng Li Su, "You came together?"
Cheng Li Su rolled his eyes, "Who wants to come with her? When I came to find Big Brother, I just happened to run into this shrew at the door. "
Song Taotao walked in front of He Yan with a complicated expression. She sized up He Yan from head to toe before saying resentfully, "You really are a woman."
He Yan, "…"
It was impossible for He Yan not to have noticed the little girl's thoughts from beginning to end. After all, this child was pure and sincere. Her thoughts were written all over her face. Even an idiot could see her undisguised admiration and affection. However, when they were in the Liangzhou Guard, He Yan couldn't reveal his identity. He also couldn't remind this child that she was a woman and couldn't marry Song Taotao.
Now that she had come knocking on his door, He Yan inexplicably felt a bit guilty. He felt like a stinky man who had deceived a young girl's pure feelings.
"I …" She carefully considered her words. She still hadn't figured out how to say it without hurting Song Taotao's fragile young girl heart.
Song Taotao also felt wronged. It had been a long time since she found out that He Yan was a woman. However, Song Taotao couldn't convince herself no matter what. She had to see He Yan in person to believe it. Today, she had finally managed to convince her parents to come out with her retainer. She hadn't expected to run into Cheng Li Su, this jinx. That wasn't all. Now that she saw the slender and elegant woman in front of her with a heroic and elegant appearance, Song Taotao finally had to accept a heavy reality.
He Yan was indeed a woman. She was even a good-looking woman.
How could she have thought that this woman was a man at the time?! She had even wanted to break off her engagement with Cheng Li Su and marry him!
"It's all your fault," Song Taotao was used to being pampered and was flustered. She vented all her anger on He Yan, "Why did you come to the Liangzhou Guard to deceive people for no reason?!"
"Sorry, sorry," He Yan carefully apologized to the child, "I didn't do it on purpose."
"Why didn't you do it on purpose?" The more Song Taotao thought about it, the angrier and more wronged she felt. She stared at He Yan aggressively, "You just wanted to show off your own heroic appearance so that you could outshine everyone else. Everyone else would look at you and you would be the only one in the limelight!"
He Yan couldn't say anything, "I …"
"It's all your fault!"
"Enough." Another voice interrupted. He Yan turned around to look. He Yunsheng walked in with a cloth bag on his back. He blocked He Yan's way and looked at Song Taotao with a cold face, "Who are you? Who allowed you to be so impudent to my sister in my house? "
He Yan felt a headache coming on. Right now, there was only her, Qing Mei, and the naughty child in the room. The situation was very awkward.
"Yunsheng, this is Miss Song, and this is Young Master Cheng. They are all friends I made in the Liangzhou Guard." She then said to Song Taotao and the others, "This is my younger brother, He Yunsheng."
"Friends?" He Yunsheng glanced at Song Taotao and said unhappily, "How can friends be so aggressive? He Yan, I already told you not to be friends with just anyone."
Song Taotao was stunned for a moment. He Yunsheng's appearance was too sudden and she didn't react for a moment. At this moment, after hearing He Yan's words, she focused her attention on He Yunsheng again. In fact, He Yunsheng was a bit similar to He Yan, but he wasn't as warm and gentle as He Yan. He always had a smile on his face when he met people. He was taller than He Yan by a head. The handsome and cold young man standing there was quite eye-catching.
A man who looked similar to He Yan, but his temperament was completely different?
This feeling was very strange. Song Taotao stared at him blankly and forgot to talk back.
He Yan fiercely pulled He Yunsheng's arm and whispered in his ear, "She's a girl. Can you not be so fierce?"
"I don't care if she's a girl or a man," He Yunsheng frowned, "Talking to you like that, do you think I'm dead?"
This damned child is getting more and more rebellious, He Yan thought. He guessed that Song Taotao would cry after being yelled at like this. Before he could think of how to comfort the crying girl, Cheng Lisu had already surrounded He Yunsheng again in surprise. She grabbed his hand and said, "You're my big brother's younger brother, so you're my brother too! My name is Cheng Lisu. Brother He, did you just get out of school? "
He Yunsheng had never seen such a friendly person. He immediately took a step back and shook off Cheng Lisu's hand. He frowned and said, "Who's your big brother?"
"It's your sister!" Cheng Lisu answered matter-of-factly. As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she seemed to feel that it was wrong and quickly changed her words, "It seems that I shouldn't call her big brother now. How about calling her sister? No, no, my big brother is my uncle's fiancée. In that case, I should call her aunt! "
He looked up at He Yan and called out with perfect articulation, "Aunt!"
He Yan, "…"
How did she get such a big nephew out of nowhere?
That was not all. Cheng Lisu looked at He Yunsheng and said, "You're my aunt's brother, so I should call you … Uncle? Uncle He! "
The He siblings were shocked by Cheng Lisu's natural way of calling him a relative. Even Song Taotao could not stand it and scolded her, "Why are you calling him that? Be careful, or Military Governor Xiao will come after you if he hears you. "
"I'm not calling him that. Anyway, I'm going to be your aunt sooner or later. " Cheng Lisu did not feel that there was anything wrong with having a lower seniority. She said happily, "In the future, I'll have two more relatives. Aunt, Uncle, I haven't eaten yet. Do you want to have dinner together?"
He Yunsheng could not take it anymore. He said to He Yan, "What kind of people have you befriended?" He turned around and left in a huff.
He Yan, "…"
She couldn't be blamed. Cheng Lisu had never played by the rules. She smiled and looked at Song Taotao, "Taotao, have you eaten? Do you want to eat together? "
She thought that the little girl was here to denounce her today, and this meeting was not very pleasant. Second Miss Song, who was pampered and spoiled, might not be used to eating in this rough house. Unexpectedly, Song Taotao paused and nodded as if nothing had happened. "Okay."
He Yan was really frightened.
What was going on today? Both of them did not play by the rules.
However, since they had already stayed, they still had to pay for the meal. However, the He Family's food was simple. He was afraid that it would not suit the young masters and young ladies' tastes. He Yan ordered some money and had Qing Mei go out and buy some side dishes.
When He Sui came back, he was quite surprised by the people in the house. When he heard that they were He Yan's friends from the Liang Province Guard, he immediately smiled and greeted them, thinking that they were familiar juniors. Everyone ate at the same table. Other than Song Taotao who was silent and He Yunsheng who had a sour face, they got along quite well. He Sui always wanted to know how He Yan was doing in the Liang Province Guard. However, it was not good to ask Xiao Jue all the time. Now that there was a ready-made candidate, of course, he would not let go of such a good opportunity.
Cheng Lisu was also a chatterbox. As long as He Sui asked, he would tell him everything he knew. He Yan suspected that he could even remember how many biscuits he ate in the Liang Province Guard.
However, thanks to this group of children, his gloomy mood from inquiring about the Fuyue Army during the day was greatly alleviated.
After the meal, He Yan saw them out the door. Song Taotao and Cheng Lisu both brought their own carriages and servants. Cheng Lisu had only been with He Sui for a short period of time, but she had already become good friends with him despite the difference in age. They had even agreed on a date for their next meal. He Yan finally managed to send them away with great difficulty before he left the room.
Outside the door, Song Taotao got into her family's carriage. The maidservant next to her carefully asked, "Young Miss, you've seen Miss He today. In the future, you won't make a fuss about breaking off the engagement with Young Master Cheng, right?"
Her sweetheart was a woman, so naturally, it was impossible. In the future, what reason would Song Taotao have to break off the engagement?
Song Taotao said unconcernedly, "I admire Military Governor Xiao very much. It is my good fortune to be able to become friends with him. However, I have never thought of becoming his niece-in-law. "
The maidservant was stunned. She did not understand what Song Taotao meant.
Song Taotao lowered her head. Thinking of the face of the green-clothed youth she had just seen, she secretly pursed her lips.
She originally wanted to be Xiao Jue's sister-in-law. Unfortunately, Xiao Jing was already married. However, now that she thought about it, being Xiao Jue's sister-in-law was not a bad idea.