After Yan He left, the sky gradually darkened. Lin Shuanghe was also about to leave. Before he left, he reminded Xiao Jue, "Remember to feed Sister He the medicine. After she drinks it, she should wake up soon. I'll come again tomorrow. Huaijin, don't worry too much. "
After sending Lin Shuanghe away, He Sui and He Yunsheng were also worried about He Yan. However, Xiao Jue was guarding He Yan's bed, so they could not enter. He Sui pulled He Yunsheng away.
The medicine in the bowl gradually cooled down. Xiao Jue helped He Yan up and carefully fed her a spoonful of medicine. The medicine flowed down the corner of He Yan's mouth. He quickly put down the bowl and wiped the medicine stains on He Yan's lips with a handkerchief. He frowned slightly.
He Yan's face was still pale. She had always been magnanimous and always had a smile on her face. Even if she was seriously injured, she would still joke and tell the people around her not to worry. This was the first time he saw her in pain even in her dreams.
He reached out and gently stroked He Yan's hair. He turned his head and looked at the bowl of medicine on the table that was about to turn cold. He paused for a moment and finally made up his mind. He picked up the bowl of medicine again and lowered his head to drink it.
The girl on the bed had her eyes tightly closed. Her eyelashes gently drooped down, showing a fragility that was not there before. The young man's gaze was fixed on the girl on the bed. His body was a little stiff. After struggling for a moment, he finally slowly bent down and lowered his head to cover her lips.
The medicine was not hot anymore. It was just right. After he finished the bowl of medicine, his ears were completely red. He gently sighed in relief. He sat up straight and covered He Yan with the quilt.
Xiao Jue had never considered whether he was a gentleman or not. In the past, he did things based on his heart. Only when he was with the girl in front of him did he have many worries. He was always afraid that she would feel conflicted.
Xiao Jue took the empty bowl out of the house. The moment she stepped out of the house, she saw a young man squatting under the eaves of the house across the yard. He was using a tree branch to draw on the snow.
He Yunsheng.
He Yunsheng's eyes lit up when he saw Xiao Jue coming out. Xiao Jue put the empty bowl in the kitchen. When she came back, He Yunsheng was already in front of He Yan's room. He looked at Xiao Jue as if he wanted to say something.
Xiao Jue closed the door of He Yan's room to prevent the wind from blowing in. Then, she looked at He Yunsheng and asked, "Do you have something to say to me?"
He Yunsheng swallowed his saliva.
He used to idolize Xiao Jue. Most likely, all the young men in Shuo City were like him. When did he change? It was probably when He Yan took the blame for killing Fan Cheng on the Chunlai River and led the soldiers away by himself. He Yunsheng suddenly realized that it was useless to just idolize others. Only when he was strong could he protect He Yan, He Sui, and the people he wanted to protect. Instead of focusing on people far away, he would rather spend more effort to improve himself.
Later, He Yan came back and became Marquis Wu An. He even brought back a fiancé.
This fiancé just had to be Xiao Jue.
He Yunsheng actually did not have any enmity towards Xiao Jue. The so-called resistance he showed came from He Yan's nervousness. He Yan almost lost his life for Fan Cheng. Who knew if Xiao Jue was another Fan Cheng? No one could say for sure.
But today, he saw that when He Yan fainted, Xiao Jue stayed by He Yan's bed. She wiped her hands and dried her medicine. She never left. He thought that Xiao Jue must like his sister. Moreover, this love was deeper than he and He Sui imagined.
"Military Governor Xiao," the young man said nervously but firmly, "Will you always be good to He Yan?"
Xiao Jue looked at him in surprise. She was silent for a moment before she replied, "Yes."
"My sister … she is very different from other girls." He Yunsheng thought for a moment before he slowly said, "No one can stop her from doing what she wants to do. No one can force her to do what she doesn't want to do."
"But she is a good person. Don't hurt her." He Yunsheng said, "If you hurt her, I …" The young man said in a low voice, "Even if I have to pay the price, I will get an explanation for her."
Xiao Jue looked at him. After a while, she smiled and said, "Okay." After a pause, she said, "But you probably won't have the chance."
He Yunsheng also smiled and said, "This is a conversation between two men. When He Yan wakes up, don't tell her."
Xiao Jue looked down at the snow piled up on the ground. The snow in the courtyard hadn't been swept clean in time and was only covered with a thin layer. He asked He Yunsheng, "Are you very concerned about He Yan?"
The young man instinctively wanted to refute, but when the words reached his mouth, he sighed and said, "She is my sister."
She was his sister. Since they were young, she always bullied him, scolded him, took away his favorite pastries, and always complained to He Sui. But she would always stand in front of him and protect him.
In this world, other than He Sui, they were the closest people to each other. How could he not care?
"That's good." The young man said, "You will always care about her in the future."
"Of course I will always care about her." He Yunsheng said. He couldn't help but look at the young man standing next to him. He didn't know why, but his previous worries suddenly dissipated.
Xiao Jue … was different from Fan Cheng.
He Yan had a very long dream.
In the dream, she was still young, wearing a mask. At that time, she hadn't gone to the Xian Chang School to study. She was still a pitiful person who could only sneak out through the dog hole and stay in the fu. One morning, she was helping the monks carry water in from Donghuang Mountain. When she went back through the dog hole, she accidentally bumped into a servant who had woken up early to pour night incense. She was so scared that she turned around and ran. She accidentally bumped into someone.
This person's skirt was very fragrant, like a flower in spring. The fragrance made people yearn for it. Her voice was also soft and carried a hint of a smile.
A pair of hands pulled her up from the ground.
That madam's eyebrows were somewhat similar to hers. She looked at her with a very gentle gaze. She pulled her slightly to the side, hiding her figure. After the servants left, she gently patted He Yan's hand and softly said, "It's okay. Be careful."
He Yan was wearing a mask, so the other party couldn't see her face. However, she thought that at that time, her face under the mask must have been dazed and filled with a desire to get close to him.
The madam turned around and left. He Yan followed behind. She wanted to call her mother, but she didn't know why she couldn't catch up to her even though she was so close. She watched as the madam walked further and further away until she disappeared from her sight. She fell to the ground in a sorry state. Her heart was filled with grief and grievance. She couldn't help but cry loudly.
"He Yan?" Someone seemed to be calling her name by her ear.
He Yan opened her eyes and met Xiao Jue's concerned gaze. She felt that her face was cold. She subconsciously reached out and touched it. It was actually covered in tears.
In an instant, she understood everything.
The events on the Heavenly Star Platform replayed in her mind. She closed her eyes and couldn't help but feel the overwhelming pain.
"My mother, she …" She just said one word as tears rolled down her face.
He Yan originally thought that although she and Madam He were mother and daughter in name, there was no mother-daughter relationship. During those years when she longed for her mother's care, Madam He was forever missing. She didn't resent her, but she more or less complained. Even after her rebirth, she didn't know how to face Madam He again. Now, she didn't have the chance.
"His Majesty allowed me to bury Madam He," Xiao Jue said softly, "He Yan …" He couldn't think of any words to comfort the girl in front of him, "You don't have to endure it. If you want to cry, just cry."
Cui Luo had come here once and told him the truth. Madame He had been preparing for this day for a long time. He Rufei did not feed her the poison. She hid the poison herself. Madam He was already prepared to die. With her body, she didn't have long to live. She asked Cui Luo for a token to go to the Heavenly Star Platform. When the He family wasn't paying attention, she climbed out of the dog hole that He Yan dug and rushed to the Heavenly Star Platform. She wanted to use her own life to give He Yan the last piece of evidence.
The so-called deal with Xiao Jue was the last life-saving talisman she hid for He Xinying. It was also the escape route she arranged for He Yan.
Xiao Jue had never cared about the tricks of a woman's backyard. However, Madam He's method wasn't very clever. She wanted to create the illusion that she was biased towards He Yan, but she couldn't help but care about He Yan. In the end, she didn't hesitate to sacrifice her own life to clear He Yan's name. If a mother didn't love her daughter, she wouldn't do this.
But … if this was her last wish, he was willing to cooperate with her and let her get a little bit of satisfaction from her plan.
Madam He didn't have much freedom in her life. She rarely had the chance to decide her own fate. She couldn't decide her own birth, but she could decide her own death. She used her death to pave a future for her two daughters, even if she couldn't see it.
He Yan choked and said, "Xiao Jue, I don't have a mother … I won't have a mother in the future."
Although the word 'mother' didn't exist many times in her life, as long as it existed, there might be a glimmer of hope. But Madam He had left. She wouldn't have a chance in the future. The so-called fantasy between mother and daughter could only be a fantasy forever. There was no chance for it to come true.
God was so cruel that he didn't even give her this chance. She regretted that she didn't say more to Madam He when they were at Yu Hua Temple.
Xiao Jue lowered his eyes and stared at her, feeling upset. Of course, he knew how sad He Yan was at this moment. He also felt the same way.
If it was physical pain, he could bear it for He Yan. But no one could bear the pain of losing a loved one for her.
"What did she say to you in the end?" He Yan asked.
At that time, only Xiao Jue was by Madam He's side. No one heard their conversation. She didn't know what Madam He said before she died. Was there a sentence for her?
"She said," Xiao Jue paused and said slowly, "She was Yan Yan of He You, so she couldn't take you with her …"
"She loved you and hoped that you would live well."
He Yan's sobs suddenly sounded in the room.
After a long time, the room quieted down. He Yan wiped the tears on his face and said in a calm voice, "Xiao Jue, the Emperor confiscated the He and Xu families. He Xinying is my sister."
"She has nothing to do with this matter. If …"
"I will explain this matter to the Emperor. Don't worry." Xiao Jue was silent for a moment. Then, he reached out and hugged her in his arms. He whispered, "He Yan, I will always be with you."
In the palace.
In Concubine Lan's hall, the Fourth Prince was staring at the burning candles in a daze.
"Did you come here just to be in a daze?" Concubine Lan's words pulled Guang shuo back from his thoughts.
Guang shuo came back to his senses and said, "Mother, I was just thinking about what happened on the Heavenly Star Platform today."
What happened today shocked the whole of Da Wei.
"That General Feihong was actually a woman. Who would have thought?" Guang shuo still couldn't believe it when he said this. "It turns out that women can also fight and become great generals."
"You ah, don't look down on women." Concubine Lan smiled and picked up the teacup in front of her. Her voice was light. "You men fight on the battlefield and women fight in the backyard. No one is sadder than the other. Of all the women in the world, what men could do, women could do as well. It's just that there are too few people who are willing to take the lead. Guang shuo, you have to remember that if you look down on women, you will suffer greatly in the future. "
Guang shuo respectfully said, "This son will remember." He paused and then sighed. "But that General Feihong's second young miss was killed by her family in the end. The He Family is too vicious and merciless. They even killed their own daughter. "
Concubine Lan smiled noncommittally. "It's not that the time hasn't come. The time hasn't come yet. The He Family has sown the seeds, and now it's time for them to reap the fruits of their own evil deeds."
"That's true." Guang shuo heard this and nodded. He said, "Right now, Imperial Father is investigating the He and Xu families. The evidence is conclusive. The He Family can't turn things around. This can also be considered as giving some comfort to the real General He in the underworld. "
Concubine Lan looked at him and smiled but didn't say anything.
"Mother, why are you looking at this son?"
"What do you think about Prime Minister Xu's matter?" Concubine Lan asked.
Guang shuo was startled.
"Right now, Xiao Huaijin and Prime Minister Xu have completely fallen out with each other. Since Xiao Huaijin sent Prime Minister Xu back to prison, he won't let go of this opportunity. I think he should have other evidence in his hands. "
"This son also thinks so." Guang shuo replied. "It's just that …"
"Just what?"
"I'm afraid that Imperial Father won't be ruthless to Prime Minister Xu."
"Your Imperial Father is a nostalgic person." Concubine Lan looked into the distance. "When His Majesty first ascended the throne, it was Prime Minister Xu who helped him secure the throne. Naturally, His Majesty has a favor for Prime Minister Xu that no one else has. However, your Imperial Father is already old. "
Guang shuo looked at the woman in front of him.
"An old Emperor will make plans for the future. No matter how outrageous your Imperial Father is, he won't want Da Wei's country to be destroyed in his hands. Whether it's for the Crown Prince or the future Crown Prince, His Majesty will definitely punish Prime Minister Xu. Guang shuo, since you want to fight, you should fight for Xiao Huaijin. "
"The way to deal with people is like the way to use soldiers. The best way is to attack the heart. Xiao Huaijin is trying to redress his father's grievances. If you add flowers to the brocade at this time, it will be like sending charcoal in the snow. "
Guang shuo was silent for a while, then said: "Mother, this son understands."
"You are as benevolent as your Imperial Father." Concubine Lan looked at him gently. "I know you don't like politics and people's hearts, but Guang shuo, if you want to be an Emperor, you must learn how to govern your subjects. This isn't a bad thing. You were born in the Imperial Palace, and you want to choose your own destiny, so you must do this. There's no such thing as having the best of both worlds. Look at your Imperial Father. He lived a carefree life, but now, isn't he also tied down? "
Guang shuo didn't say anything.
The candles' oil dripped onto the table like red tears. The hall was quiet. Only the woman's sleeves were fragrant, creating a layer of empty and cold air.
Xiao Jue entered the Imperial Palace in the middle of the night.
Emperor Wenxuan hadn't yet rested when the chamberlain called him into the Imperial Study. The table was filled with memorials and files, scattered haphazardly. He wasn't in the mood to look at them.
He wasn't a diligent Emperor. Perhaps during his first two years on the throne, he had tried to do this, but later on, he gave up. In this world, there were Emperors who worked hard to govern, and there were also Emperors who were mediocre and didn't do anything. Emperor Wenxuan felt that there was nothing wrong with being a mediocre Emperor his whole life. All he wanted to do was to live an ordinary life. When the time came, he would pass the throne to his son. That would be enough.
He had indeed lived like this for most of his life. Sometimes, Emperor Wenxuan felt that it was quite beautiful. He wasn't like his father, who was always busy with work. He wasn't like the Retired Emperor and the others, who personally led the Imperial Army on expeditions. He had it easier than them, and he had lived longer than them.
Wasn't the Da Wei also doing well? As long as they were good at using people, the military would defend the country, and the civil officials would govern the imperial court. Until today, the truth that he thought was true was completely overturned. Emperor Wenxuan sat here and suddenly realized that he really hadn't been a proper Emperor all these years.
He wasn't a talented Emperor. If he hadn't been born into the Imperial Family, he would have preferred to be an idle Prince, the son of an ordinary official, or even the son of a wealthy merchant. He didn't have any great ambitions, and he didn't have any talent. He only wanted to write poems, paint, and enjoy the pleasures of the world. He wouldn't be sitting in this position now, where every action of his was related to the lives of tens of millions of people. If he didn't do well, people would scold him behind his back. If he did well, people would think that he deserved it.
An Emperor who longed for freedom was a taboo in the Imperial Family. He had hidden his thoughts deep in his heart, but it turned out that everyone could see through him.
Xiao Jue entered.
Emperor Wenxuan looked at the young man in front of him.
He still remembered the first time Xiao Zhongwu brought Xiao Jue to him. Xiao Jue was just a young man. He was so beautiful that he was even more handsome than the Imperial Family's children. He had a proud expression, but also a little careless. He was completely different from his gentle and polite elder brother. At that time, Wen Xuandi was still thinking that Xiao Zhongwu, a warrior, actually had two outstanding sons, which was really enviable.
He didn't expect Xiao Jue to have grown so much in the blink of an eye. The young man's youthful immaturity had completely disappeared. He looked at Emperor Wenxuan calmly, respectfully, and a little coldly.
He suddenly thought of Xiao Zhongwu.
Emperor Wenxuan said, "Actually, you and your father do look a little alike."
He had always thought that Xiao Jue looked like Madam Xiao. His eyes were bright and beautiful. But in fact, his sharpness and calmness came from his father.
"Your Majesty, do you still remember my father?" Xiao Jue said calmly.
Emperor Wenxuan was stunned.
He thought that after a long time, his memory would be a little blurry. But when he remembered, Xiao Zhongwu's appearance was so clear. The tall man who always wore golden armor and carried a sword was different from the scholarly officials in the court. He was like the northwest wind, biting cold, wanton, and magnanimous. Everyone who yearned for freedom was envious of him.
Emperor Wenxuan was also envious.
But in the end, Xiao Zhongwu died. Xiao Family almost collapsed. If the young man in front of him hadn't led three thousand soldiers to Guo City, perhaps the Xiao family in Da Wei would have been wiped out.
He looked at Xiao Jue and asked, "Did you hate me back then?"
"I wouldn't dare."
Emperor Wenxuan chuckled. If you wouldn't dare, then you would have crossed the line. In the whole world, only this person in front of him had the guts to say that to his face. But he wasn't angry. Perhaps it was because no one had dared to speak the truth in front of him for many years.
"Your Majesty," Xiao Jue said, "I beg you to let go of the wife of Hanlin Academy Scholar Xu Zhiheng. He Xinying."
"He Xinying?"
"Back then, the real General Feihong and Second Miss He were sisters of the same mother." Xiao Jue said, "After the He family's second young miss was drowned in the pond, the He family married the He family's second young miss's younger sister, He Xinying, to Xu Zhiheng's second wife." He looked at Emperor Wenxuan and said, "Madam He is already dead. Young Mistress Xu is General Feihong's only remaining relative in the world. Moreover, I've already asked around. Young Mistress Xu knows nothing about General Feihong and He Rufei's exchange of identities. "
"Your Majesty is benevolent. For the sake of General Feihong, please forgive He Xinying and spare her life."
"General Feihong …" Emperor Wenxuan murmured.
Everything that happened in the Heavenly Star Platform today was because of General Feihong. However, he did not expect that the Feihong he personally conferred was actually a woman.
At that time, when He Rufei took off his mask and revealed his handsome face, Wen Xuandi was still doubting whether the rumor that He Rufei had a birthmark on his face and his ugly appearance was false. Now, it seemed that the He Family had already started a scam to deceive the world.
If He Second Miss was still alive, Emperor Wenxuan might punish her for her crimes. After all, she had participated in deceiving the Emperor. However, He Second Miss was dead, and she died so tragically. Death was like an extinguished lamp. No one remembered anything bad about her before she died. People would always be tolerant of a dead person, thinking that there was nothing bad about her.
"Forget it. Let her live." Emperor Wenxuan sighed. "After all, General Feihong truly fought for Da Wei and quelled the Western Qiang Rebellion."
"On behalf of General Feihong, I thank Your Majesty for your grace."
Emperor Wenxuan looked at Xiao Jue and smiled. "I heard that you were once classmates with General Feihong. It seems like you are a sentimental person. If General Feihong knew about this in the underworld, he would be gratified. "
Xiao Jue did not speak. Emperor Wenxuan waved his hand. "You may leave."
The young man bowed and turned to leave. However, Emperor Wenxuan stopped him.
The Emperor's voice was filled with fatigue. "I have treated Prime Minister Xu well for so many years. Why would Prime Minister Xu still want to rebel?"
The servant lowered his head and did not dare to speak.
After a while, the young man spoke. "He will become arrogant if he is spoiled too much. Perhaps Your Majesty has treated him too well. "