Although Emperor Wen Xuan allowed Xiao Jue to bury Concubine He the Second, she was ultimately a criminal and could not be honored publicly.

On the day He Rufei and Xu Zhiheng were executed, Concubine He the Second was laid to rest.

Concubine He the Second’s tomb was located in a tranquil grove on the eastern Huangshan Mountain in the capital, surrounded by pear trees. When spring arrived, the pear blossoms would bloom in full splendor, and the scenery would be enchanting with gentle breezes and perching birds. Like all the noble ladies in the capital of Shuojing, she was bound by her father at home and her husband in marriage, her entire life confined within the four corners of the roof, unable to determine her fate.

Perhaps death, for her, was not necessarily a form of liberation.

The tombstone read: The Grave of the Late Virtuous Concubine, née Yun.

Concubine He the Second’s original surname was Yun. Now that she had passed away, He Yan ordered this tombstone to be engraved, thinking that even in the afterlife, Concubine He the Second would no longer wish to have any entanglement with the He family.

He Yan half-knelt in front of Concubine He the Second’s grave, gently stroking the characters on the tombstone, and said softly, “If there is a next life, Mother must never be a woman again. If you must be a woman…” She smiled slightly, “Let me be the mother, and Mother can be the daughter.”

The mother and daughter had a bond in this life but no fate. They never even had a chance to say a single kind word to each other. From this day forward, the only person in this world who knew she was He Yan, besides Xiao Jue, was no one else.

Xiao Jue stood a few steps away. Concubine He the Second’s identity was sensitive, and Xiao Jue was already facing countless censors’ condemnation for arranging Concubine He the Second’s burial at this time.

A woman’s voice rang out behind them, “You…”

He Yan turned around and saw He Xinying in plain mourning clothes.

He Xinying had become much more haggard. The girl who once had a face like a flower and a moon was now thin and fragile. She had probably been crying for a long time, her eyes red and swollen. When she saw the faces of He Yan and Xiao Jue clearly, she was stunned for a moment and stood in place uneasily. After a while, she spoke, “Commander Xiao, Miss He.”

“Xu…” He Yan suddenly stopped, “Miss He.” Xu Zhiheng was already dead. There was no Xu family anymore, and no Madam Xu either.

He Xinying’s gaze fell on the tombstone in front of the grave. In an instant, her voice choked up, “Is it my… mother?”

He Yan nodded slightly.

He Xinying stepped forward and knelt in front of the grave with a thud, hugging the tombstone and refusing to let go.

That day, an unfamiliar guard had taken her out of prison and sent her to the residence of Wei Xuanzhang, the head of the Xianchang Academy. Wei Xuanzhang stayed at the academy year-round, and only his wife and young granddaughter were at home. Madam Wei treated her very gently and sympathized with her experience. After He Xinying settled down at the Wei residence, she gradually pieced together the whole story from the mouths of the servants.

It was not much different from what she had imagined.

The things that were difficult to understand in the past suddenly had answers. Why was the “big brother” who wore a mask always exceptionally cold to her, while the “big brother” who took off the mask was exceptionally patient and gentle with her? It was because the big brother wearing the mask was the deceased “elder sister.” The “elder sister” she thought was recuperating in the villa was the real big brother.

No wonder her elder sister went blind soon after marrying into the Xu family. There was no such coincidence in the world; it was just man-made. After her elder sister passed away, her mother fell seriously ill and became depressed. It turned out that the truth was so horrifying and disgusting.

What about her?

Elder Sister was already dead, the Mother had left, the He family was gone, and the Xu family had dispersed. She was originally arranged by her biological father to marry Xu Zhiheng, which turned out to be a substitute for her elder sister, replacing this marriage bond between the He and Xu families that could not be severed.

Now that she was alone, where could she go? What could she do?

He Xinying cried out loudly as she hugged the tombstone. How she wished Concubine He the Second was still alive. At least there would be someone to rely on. But now, she was truly helpless and alone.

Suddenly, she thought of He Yan, who was alone in the Xu family back then. Was it the same for her, being pushed into the abyss by her own family, with no comrades-in-arms to rely on, unable to see the ugly expressions on people’s faces, and unable to guess their sinister intentions? So lonely and pitiful.

Seeing her crying so sadly, He Yan hesitated for a moment, but finally walked to He Xinying’s side, bent down, and gently patted her back.

She was clearer than anyone about the feeling of being homeless. She understood He Xinying’s feelings at this moment very well.

He Xinying cried for a good while before turning her head. He Yan handed her a handkerchief, and she took it and said, “Thank you.” She looked at the tombstone and said, “This epitaph…”

It seemed to be engraved in the name of the children for the mother…

“I ordered it to be engraved,” Xiao Jue said indifferently, “Your elder sister and I were classmates. I engraved the epitaph on her behalf.”

He Xinying was startled and said in a low voice, “Thank you.” She turned to look at the tombstone, her expression complex, “Even when she’s gone, she can still protect me at all times.”

She hadn’t interacted much with this elder sister He Yan. Even when she vaguely guessed the truth back then, she was more shocked than angry. And now, at this time when no one could help, the warmth left behind by her elder sister after her death was enough to give her a little comfort. Whether it was Wei Xuanzhang or Xiao Huaijin, they all protected her because of He Yan.

If only He Yan was still alive, He Xinying suddenly wanted to know what kind of person He Yan was.

The few times she had contact with He Yan were when she wore a mask before. Later, when she returned to the mansion, He Yan hurriedly married off. She didn’t have time and never had the opportunity to understand He Yan. He Xinying thought that for these people to still help even after He Yan’s death and remember her, He Yan must have been a very good person.

She probably wouldn’t be as weak as herself, able to find a way forward in despair.

“What are your plans for the future?” He Yan asked her.

He Xinying came back to her senses and shook her head, opening her mouth in a daze, “I don’t know.”

She didn’t know how to move forward in the future.

“No rush,” He Yan said softly, “You can think about it slowly. When you figure it out, then go do it.”

He Xinying let out a bitter laugh, “Can I still have a future?”

A woman who was once the wife of a criminal official, a woman whose entire family colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, even if she was lucky enough to survive, what could she do? She also wanted to die with her family, but in the end, she couldn’t muster up that bit of courage.

“You can,” the woman in front of her looked at her and said in a gentle voice, “You are the daughter of Concubine He the Second, the sister of Flying Rainbow General. What she could do, you can do.”

He Xinying subconsciously raised her head and looked at He Yan.

This woman… she had seen her at Yuhua Temple before, but at that time, all her attention was drawn to Xiao Huaijin beside her, so she didn’t look closely. It was Concubine He the Second who had exchanged a few words with He Yan. Speaking of which, the Duke of Wu’an in front of her also had a strong bond with her elder sister. She also disguised herself as a man to enter the army camp, and their names were the same. Perhaps it was because of this that the Heavens wanted to use her hand to redress her elder sister’s grievances.

In He Xinying’s heart, she suddenly felt close to the woman in front of her, even though they had hardly met.

He Yan pulled her up from the ground, “I know you are currently staying at Scholar Wei’s residence. If you need help in the future, you can ask someone to tell me.”

“Why… are you so kind to me?” He Xinying couldn’t help but ask.

He Yan smiled, “My fiancé was once a classmate of your elder sister. Both in terms of feelings and principles, I should take care of you. Moreover, I only have a younger brother in my family and no younger sister. In the future, you can treat me as your elder sister. Although I’m not as amazing as Flying Rainbow General,” she said, “I will take care of you in her place.”

Inexplicably, He Xinying felt a sense of reassurance in her heart. It was like finally finding a small boat in the lonely and helpless giant waves.

“Thank you,” she said timidly.

“Go offer incense to Concubine He the Second first,” He Yan said with a smile.