“Xiao Huaijin?” Ri Damu looked at the person before him, his gaze fluctuating uncertainly.

“Flying Servant.”

Flying Servant appeared behind him. Xiao Jue handed He Yan over, saying, “Take them down.”

Flying Servant supported He Yan while Song Taotao got up to follow. The two reached the bottom of the martial arts arena. The area was crowded with people. Flying Servant asked He Yan, “Can you still hold up?”

He Yan nodded.

“Sit first,” Flying Servant helped her sit against a tree, “The physician will be here soon.”

A physician? He Yan was puzzled. Liangzhou Wei only had one female doctor, Lady Shen Muxue, who was currently being watched intently by the Qiang soldiers—beautiful women in military camps always drew attention.

She looked up towards the platform.

On the martial arts platform.

“Weren’t you looking to spar with me?” Xiao Jue drew his sword casually, his dark eyes looking at the person before him as he curved his lips and said, “Come.”

Ri Damu asked, “You’re Xiao Huaijin?”

Xiao Jue laughed slightly, “The genuine article.”

The world knew that Great Wei had two famous generals: General Feng Yun, Xiao Huaijin, and General Fei Hong, He Rufei. But just as He Yan had never fought with the Southern Barbarians, Xiao Jue had never battled with the Western Qiang people. Though they had heard of each other’s reputation, this was their first face-to-face meeting.

Having never seen Xiao Jue’s true appearance, and having received news that he had gone to Zhangtai, considering the travel time from Zhangtai to Liangzhou, it seemed impossible for him to have returned.

But the sword in his hand… was no ordinary blade.

Seeing his hesitation, Xiao Jue raised his eyebrows: “Afraid?”

Ri Damu sneered, “Putting on an act!” He charged forward with his blade.

The young man remained motionless, his sword cold as autumn frost, its edge unstoppable. His movements were like falling flowers lazily sweeping away, directly breaking the curved blade. Swift and fierce, his movements were dazzling and impossible to follow. Ri Damu, having just crossed swords with He Yan, had already lost his morale. Now he could barely keep up, retreating step by step as the Drinking Autumn sword thrust toward his chest.

“Commander!” came the alarmed cry from his subordinates.

Ri Damu leaned back to dodge, avoiding the thrust to his chest, but his armor was caught on the sword tip and torn away, leaving his chest exposed.

“Qiang warrior?” Xiao Jue’s lips curved in mockery, “How disappointing.”

Fury burned in Ri Damu’s heart, but their brief exchange had shown him he was no match for Xiao Jue. Liangzhou Wei harbored hidden talents—even He Yan, a recruit, possessed such skill. Who knew what other capabilities they might have? There was no point continuing this martial arts display. Having lost both men and face, with two beloved generals dead and his troops witnessing his disgrace, morale was broken. Further delay would only harm their cause. The priority was their main objective.

He glanced down from the platform, but… why was there still no signal?

The young man elegantly wiped his sword, giving him a sardonic look: “What are you waiting for? News from your ambush troops at Five Deer River?”

Ri Damu’s heart jolted as he slowly raised his head.

“You’ll be disappointed,” Xiao Jue chuckled, his eyes cold.

“Ke Muzhi!” Ri Damu quickly retreated, shouting, “The granary! The granary!”

“No word,” his subordinate’s voice carried a note of panic, “Commander, they haven’t returned!”

Xiao Jue paused slightly.

Below the platform, someone laughed.

Following the sound, Ri Damu saw the black-clad youth who had nearly caused his downfall—He Yan, wearing a look of satisfaction. Though her voice was weak, her words remained irritating: “Sneaking around to set fire to someone’s granary is quite despicable. That’s why archers were stationed there early on. Commander, your men won’t be coming back.”

They had been prepared?!

Ri Damu suddenly realized the terrible truth. He had carefully prepared his strategy, believing victory was at hand, only to find himself the prey rather than the hunter. He had thought himself the mantis, unaware of the oriole behind.

They had been deceived!

Xiao Jue’s trip to Zhangtai must have been false, as was the weakness of Liangzhou Wei’s recruits—it was all fabricated to trap them. Their inside contact had been exposed long ago!

“We’ve been tricked!” he shouted to those below, “There’s an ambush at the river!”

Ambush? The Qiang soldiers were bewildered—weren’t their men lying in wait by the river to trap Liangzhou Wei’s recruits? But this meant…

“Since you’re here,” Xiao Jue looked at him, “Don’t leave.”

Ri Damu gritted his teeth, holding his curved blade before him. Things had come to this—their morale was broken, they had fallen into a trap, and their only option was to fight with their backs against the wall. Yet while the mountain remains green, there’s no fear of having no firewood—if he could escape, there would be future opportunities for revenge!

“Warriors!” he raised his blade, “Kill them! Kill them all!”

The soldiers behind him raised their weapons and began a massive slaughter, engaging in chaotic combat with Liangzhou Wei’s recruits. Someone secretly lit a signal flare that exploded in the sky.

Ri Damu turned, hoping to escape the chaos.

As he turned, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Trying to run?” The young Commander was breathtakingly handsome at this moment, though his smile was cold, “Think you can?”

They engaged in combat.

Just then, thunderous sounds suddenly came from ahead. Looking toward the source, they saw troops advancing from Five Deer River—all in black armor and clothing, led by a mounted figure holding a battle flag marked with the character “South.”

“It’s the Southern Army! The Nine Banner Corps!”

“The Southern Army has arrived!”

He Yan’s eyes were barely open now. Flying Servant pulled her back to protect her from injury in the chaos, allowing her only a brief glimpse.

Endless waves of Southern Army troops poured in from the riverside.

Reinforcements had arrived… As she lost consciousness, she looked toward Xiao Jue with a single thought.

So this… was his plan.

…

It was a brutal battle.

Ri Damu wasn’t foolish enough to challenge Liangzhou Wei with just a thousand men. He had occupied the village nearest to Five Deer River, crossed by night, and set an ambush by the riverside. If Liangzhou Wei’s recruits couldn’t hold out and tried to retreat, they would be trapped like sheep among wolves.

But man’s plans pale before heaven’s will. Ri Damu likely never imagined that while he was “sparring” in the martial arts arena, the riverside ambush wasn’t going well either. Though they thought all recruits were around the arena, somehow a company of archers was hidden in the riverside forest. When the Qiang forces appeared, they were met with a rain of arrows. As their formation broke, they engaged these recruits first. Then Xiao Jue, who shouldn’t have returned yet, suddenly appeared with ten thousand Southern Army troops.

Ten thousand Southern Army troops against over ten thousand Qiang soldiers wouldn’t have been an easy victory. But add in the high-spirited Liangzhou Wei recruits and the invincible Nine Banner Corps and victory was assured.

What had seemed certain victory was overturned in an instant.

With all his trusted men dead and knowing escape was impossible, Ri Damu refused to be captured and killed himself with his curved blade.

With their commander dead and leadership lost, the remaining Qiang soldiers quickly threw down their weapons and fled.

It ended faster than expected.

Bodies littered Liangzhou Wei’s martial arts arena, White Moon Mountain’s base, the road, and Five Deer River’s banks. In this battle, Liangzhou Wei’s recruits suffered significant losses, the worst being the sentinel guards secretly killed the night before, followed by the archers at Five Deer River who first engaged the enemy.

The surviving soldiers with light injuries helped clean up the battlefield, carrying away their fallen comrades. The severely wounded were sent to the medical hall for treatment by Lady Shen Muxue and her servants.

Xiao Jue walked out with Shen Han following.

“Uncle!” Cheng Lisu, accompanied by Chi Wu, rushed over in lingering fear, “Why did you take so long to return? I was terrified, thinking I would die here!”

Before Xiao Jue could speak, Cheng Lisu spotted Shen Han behind him. Remembering his recent suffering under Shen Han and seeing his elder relative present, he immediately complained, “Uncle! You should hear about Instructor Shen. If not for Brother He, that wooden fellow would have massacred Liangzhou Wei. Brother He helped us, but days ago, Instructor Shen threw him in the dungeon! So unfair!”

“Dungeon?” Xiao Jue glanced at Shen Han, “What happened?”

Shen Han’s head throbbed as he answered, “…It’s a long story. The situation was urgent, and I couldn’t confirm He Yan’s identity.”

“You even falsely accused him of murder! And what happened? You imprisoned Brother He and let the real killer go! My brother saved you today despite past grievances—you all owe him an apology!”

“Enough.” Xiao Jue rebuked, “Chi Wu, take Cheng Lisu back.”

“Eh? Uncle, where are you going?”

“To change clothes.” Xiao Jue ignored him and said to Shen Han, “Come with me, I have questions.”

Having rushed back without rest, followed by a fierce battle, he was covered in blood and dust. Upon returning to his quarters, he quickly bathed and changed into clean clothes. As he left, he encountered a young man in white.

This young man was about Xiao Jue’s age, with refined features and a scholarly air, wearing a permanent slight smile. His clothes were embroidered with a playful crane, and despite the winter cold, he lightly waved a folding fan.

Seeing Xiao Jue, he smiled, “Are you injured? Shall I take a look?”

Xiao Jue blocked his approach: “No need. There’s someone next door near death—look at that one.”

“Oh?” The young man looked toward the neighboring quarters, showing reluctance, “I, White-Robed Divine Hand Lin Shuanghe, only treat women. You’re already an exception. We haven’t met for years, and you immediately ask me to break my rule. Now you want me to treat your soldier too? How would that make me different from street doctors?”

Xiao Jue: “Are you going or not?”

Lin Shuanghe snapped open his fan dramatically, saying primly, “Fine, I’ll go.”

Nearby, Shen Han was surprised—this refined young master was the White-Robed Divine Hand Lin Shuanghe. Lin Shuanghe treating He Yan? This suggested He Yan and Xiao Jue’s relationship was indeed unusual. Thinking of how he had imprisoned He Yan before, Shen Han’s head began to ache.

Now this was truly stirring up a hornet’s nest!

The group went together to He Yan’s room. Inside, Song Taotao was sitting by the bed, wiping He Yan’s sweat. He Yan remained unconscious, and the mattress beneath was stained red with blood. Though uncertain of where the wound was, Song Taotao wanted to help but dared not act hastily. Shen Xuexue was occupied treating critically injured patients at the medical center and couldn’t get away. Upon seeing Xiao Jue bringing a young man, she exclaimed happily, “Second Young Master Xiao!”

“The doctor is here,” Xiao Jue said. “You may leave.”

Song Taotao looked at Lin Shuanghe, pausing for a moment. “Young Master Lin?”

Shuo Jing wasn’t particularly large or small, and Song Ci knew Lin Shuanghe’s father. They had met before and were considered old acquaintances.

“Miss Song, it’s been a while,” Lin Shuanghe waved his fan. “I’m here to examine this young brother.”

“But aren’t you… aren’t you…” Song Taotao hesitated.

“Indeed, I usually only treat female patients,” Lin Shuanghe sighed. “However, when entrusted with a task, one must fulfill it. I’ll make an exception just this once, never again.”

As Song Taotao was about to speak further, Xiao Jue addressed her, “Miss Song, if you have no other business, please step out to avoid delaying the doctor’s treatment.”

“…Very well.” The young lady rose and left. Xiao Jue closed the door behind her. Song Taotao stared at the closed door, suddenly realizing something. Wasn’t Xiao Jue still inside? How was his presence not delaying the doctor’s treatment?

This wasn’t fair!

Inside the room, Lin Shuanghe walked to He Yan’s couch, placing his medical box on the small table. While opening it, he said, “What’s this brother’s background, living next to you? Must be quite skilled in martial arts? Though he looks rather frail.”

Xiao Jue: “Less talk.”

Lin Shuanghe remained unfazed: “You didn’t need to send Miss Song away earlier. She seems quite fond of this brother. Even if she watched from the side, she wouldn’t have interfered. Why chase her away and leave her worried outside?”

Xiao Jue was silent for a moment: “You’re overthinking. I asked her to leave to avoid shocking you.”

“Shock me?” Lin Shuanghe asked curiously. “Why would I be shocked? It’s not some rare condition.” As he spoke, he reached to remove He Yan’s clothes.

Xiao Jue grabbed his arm.

Lin Shuanghe looked up: “What?”

“Check the pulse first.”

“It’s an external injury! What pulse needs checking? I can see what’s wrong at a glance. We need to bandage the wound first!”

Xiao Jue gave him a look: “I said check the pulse first.”

“What’s wrong with you, Xiao Huaiqin?” Lin Shuanghe was bewildered. “Are you going to dictate how I practice medicine now?”

“Will you check or not?”

“Fine, fine, fine!” Lin Shuanghe yielded under Xiao Jue’s gaze and reached to check He Yan’s pulse. Upon feeling it, his expression changed. Initially disbelieving his sense, he checked twice more. Finally, he looked at Xiao Jue: “She is…”

Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow: “Correct.”

Lin Shuanghe jumped up: “Xiao Jue! You’re hiding a woman!”

Xiao Jue frowned, looking toward the door: “With that loud voice, are you afraid not enough people know?”

“Others don’t know, right? Who knows now?” Lin Shuanghe asked quietly.

“Just you, me, and Flying Slave.”

“This sister is something,” Lin Shuanghe habitually referred to all young women as ‘sister,’ his gaze toward He Yan now different. “No wonder you let someone live next door. So there was an ulterior motive. What’s your relationship? We haven’t met for so long, and you finally have a girl you like? Why didn’t you say anything? Where is my sister-in-law from? Did she come to Liangzhou Wei for you? You’re something – young ladies should be cherished, yet you bring her to such a remote place to suffer. Are you even human?”

Xiao Jue couldn’t bear it anymore: “Are you finished? Say a few more words, and she’ll die.”

“How dare you curse a young lady like that?” Lin Shuanghe scolded him: “Come here, help me remove her clothes, cover the other parts with cloth, just expose the waist.”

Xiao Jue almost doubted his ears, asking: “What did you say?”

“Come help! Though there are no distinctions before a doctor, if she were just an ordinary girl, I wouldn’t care so much. But she’s your person, so of course you should undress her. Otherwise, if something goes wrong later and you hold it against me, what then?”

“What do you mean my person?” Xiao Jue’s temple throbbed. “I have no connection with her.”

“Living together and you say no connection? Since you already know her identity, you must be close. Hurry up, I felt her pulse earlier, her condition isn’t good, she’s very weak.” Lin Shuanghe urged: “I’ll clean her wound with hot water first. Her wound is at the waist.”

Xiao Jue remembered the blood on his hands from when he supported He Yan earlier. He took a deep breath, fine then, walked to He Yan’s side, washed his hands, and slowly began unfastening her clothes.

He turned his head aside, his gaze fixed elsewhere, not looking at He Yan. Even so, he couldn’t avoid touching her body. The skin under his hands was delicate and smooth, completely different from the men in the military camp. It was then that he seemed to truly realize that He Yan was indeed a woman.

This person usually bounced around energetically, calling everyone in Liangzhou Wei’s brother, with a forthright personality more masculine than men. Although he knew she was a woman, he had always treated her as a man.

His mind flashed back to that night at the county magistrate’s mansion in Liangzhou city when her female identity was discovered. Fei Qiu had torn He Yan’s clothes to pieces, and at that moment, they discovered that the body that usually appeared so resolute and unmatched was wrapped in such translucent white skin.

Fragile and vulnerable.

He pulled over a thin blanket nearby, wrapped half of He Yan’s body, and went to undo her waistband. As soon as he touched it, he felt something unusual. He Yan’s waistband was bound unusually tight – was it because young ladies care about their appearance? Given this person’s usual behavior, that seemed impossible.

He undid the waistband, and instantly felt his palm become wet. The mattress beneath He Yan was stained with a large red patch. Lin Shuanghe also set aside his joking manner, reached out to examine, and froze upon seeing, solemnly saying: “She has a blade in her body.”

Xiao Jue: “What?”

Lin Shuanghe took out small gold tweezers and silver needles from his box, using the tweezers to carefully probe. On the couch, He Yan frowned in her unconscious state, seemingly awakened by the pain, but ultimately didn’t wake up.

The small tweezers carefully extracted a thin blade from her waist.

Xiao Jue’s brow twitched.

Lin Shuanghe said, half in admiration and half in amazement: “This sister really can endure!”

Xiao Jue looked at the blade that had been thrown into the dish, thin and sharp. Had she been carrying this thing on the martial arts platform? When did this happen? Was it when Ri Damuzi crossed swords with her, or before that? If it was before that, then in the previous two matches, every time He Yan fought someone, the blade would have cut deeper, like flesh being carved alive, causing unbearable pain. Even ordinary men couldn’t endure it, how did He Yan bear it? What’s more, Xiao Jue remembered that when he arrived, that youth’s face still wore a smile, not showing the slightest sign of distress, fooling everyone.

Deceivers are good at pretending, but if she had to deceive even herself, it was somewhat pitiful.

“What’s this young lady’s background?” Lin Shuanghe asked Xiao Jue while cleaning He Yan’s wound, without looking up.

“The daughter of the City Gate Commander.”

“City Gate Commander?” Lin Shuanghe’s hands paused, “How did she end up here? Did she come for you?”

“You’re overthinking,” Xiao Jue sneered: “She’s here to establish merit and achieve greatness.”

“What?”

“Her own words.” Xiao Jue looked out the window.

Lin Shuanghe pondered these words for a while, couldn’t make sense of them, and said: “This young lady is truly extraordinary, able to endure what others cannot. In all my years of medical practice, treating countless women, this is the first time I’ve encountered someone like her.”

Lin Shuanghe took out a clean white cloth and bandaged He Yan’s medicated wound. He couldn’t help but reflect – among the women he had treated in Shuo Jing, countless numbers with all sorts of strange ailments. Some asked him to remove birthmarks on their foreheads they found unsightly. Others were physically weak from birth, requesting prescriptions to strengthen their bodies. There were those married for years without children seeking fertility remedies, and those who lacked their husband’s favor, asking him to concoct beauty recipes for skin nourishment.

Those who could afford his services were mostly women from wealthy families who had never really suffered physically. Thus, having seen so many pampered flowers of society, such a scarred wild grass appeared particularly special.

“What is your relationship with her?” he asked.

Xiao Jue: “No relationship.”

“If there’s no relationship, why would you care for her like this? Even having me at your beck and call.” Lin Shuanghe shook his head repeatedly, saying: “Well, what do you plan to do with her afterward?”

“Do what?”

“Don’t think that just because a young lady wears your recruit’s clothes, she’s your soldier. I see she’s quite a refined beauty, but look what state she’s been reduced to. You surely can’t let her keep mixing in your military camp as a recruit? Why not send her to Shen Xuexue’s place to be her assistant? She’d still be near you but wouldn’t need to go to such dangerous places. A delicate young lady like this should be kept indoors and well cared for, but you’re being cruel, driving away a gentle swallow…”

“Delicate?” Xiao Jue seemed amused by his words, curling his lips and saying slowly: “Before I rushed back, she had just beheaded two Western Qiang men.”

Lin Shuanghe: “…”

“If I had come back any later, she would have been about to take the third one.”

Lin Shuanghe’s bandaging hands trembled, and after a while, he laughed: “…Well, truly appearances can be deceiving, ha ha, ha ha.”

[Author’s Note: The first wingman of this story – the gynecologist Lin Shuanghe appears! Healer’s motto: Nurture every bit.]