“Like a jade figure treading through snow, gracefully departing; Like a wild goose startling clouds, flying freely.” The black-clothed figure tilted their head, looking at him, and said, “I thought everyone in the world knew my name.”
Flying Goose General? He Rufei?
Hu Yate’s heart shook with terror, and he blurted out, “Impossible!”
“Why impossible?” The eyes behind the mask stared at him, lips curling with endless mockery, “What’s impossible?”
Though Hu Yate was Wutuo’s bravest general, he unconsciously stepped backward, shouting almost hysterically, “Attack! Kill this person, and the King will reward you handsomely!”
Countless arrows and shadows rushed forward, but the masked person effortlessly avoided every blade and arrow that came at them. Like a wild goose flying through snow, their wings seemed to command the heavens and earth, nothing could constrain them. Their sword was unstoppable, dancing in the night, seeming able to slice through even the rain.
Hu Yate had to believe one thing – this truly was Flying Goose General He Rufei. No one else in the world possessed such exquisite swordsmanship except He Rufei. Though Hu Yate had never crossed swords with He Rufei, he had heard from defeated Western Qiang people that He Rufei’s Qinglang Sword could cut through all obstacles, possible and impossible.
But why would He Rufei appear here? This clearly… couldn’t be possible!
Could this be another Great Wei plot? Had He Rufei deceived them? These cunning, detestable Great Wei people!
“I’ll kill him!” Hu Yate said hatefully, shouting to those nearby, “Bring me my bow and arrow!”
He wanted to personally shoot down this still-flying great bird, to watch this wild goose fall from the sky, hit the ground, and finally be trampled into the mud by him.
The bow and arrow were handed to him, and he aimed at the black-clothed figure surrounded by Wutuo soldiers in combat. Unable to get a clear shot at the target, he roared, “You fools, move back a bit!”
As soon as he spoke, his arrow was released, but several arrows suddenly shot out from the deep shrubbery, perfectly intercepting his arrow mid-flight.
“There are accomplices! Catch them!”
Just then, another man wearing a demon mask jumped out from the shrubbery, laughing loudly, and threw something like a wooden barrel toward the black-clothed figure.
The sword-wielding figure caught the barrel in mid-air, and as Wutuo soldiers’ arrows suddenly arrived, the “Flying Goose General” moved too quickly to follow clearly, using the barrel as a shield before their eyes, like an iron barrier.
When the arrows struck the wooden barrel they were using as a shield, something like water began flowing out. The moment Hu Yate saw this, his heart screamed dangerously, and he shouted, “Stop! Everyone stop!”
Though the archers immediately ceased fire, the arrows already released couldn’t be recalled. In an instant, the “Flying Goose General’s” wooden barrel had been shot full of holes, liquid spraying out and soaking the entire supply camp. Immediately after, they let out a clear whistle, and from the shrubbery, from all four dark directions, dozens then hundreds of arrows shot forth. These arrows carried fire, and when they fell upon the oil-soaked supplies, with a “boom,” flames shot skyward.
Having done this once before in Jiyang, He Yan was now quite skilled at setting fires.
Hu Yate was so enraged he nearly coughed up blood, ordering some to fight the fire and others to kill the enemy. But this wasn’t Jiyang, and rivers weren’t everywhere. Though their camp wasn’t far from the river, it certainly wasn’t close either.
He Yan felt somewhat relieved. This oil was the last of Rundou’s firework and weapon-making oil. Though it was raining tonight, the rain was light while the wind was strong. As long as it followed the wind’s direction, the fire would surely spread, and eventually, all the camped tents would be in danger.
“Now’s the time!” He Yan called out loudly, “Don’t retreat, fight!”
The sound of battle erupted from all directions along with the firelight. Looking around, Hu Yate saw Great Wei soldiers wearing demon masks charging from all directions, already making the Wutuo soldiers panic and lose morale. Now with the supplies burning and some busy fetching water to fight the fire, forget about battle formations – they couldn’t even coordinate killing Great Wei soldiers. Hu Yate nearly coughed blood in anger.
This was all because of He Rufei!
He Rufei… he looked around but couldn’t see He Rufei’s shadow. His heart trembled as he roared, “Catch He Rufei for me, I want to personally cut off his head!”
From inside the tent came the soft sounds of women crying. Suddenly, the tent flap was lifted, and two demon-like faces appeared inside.
The women let out a short “ah,” but before they could speak further, one person covered their mouths. That person removed their mask, revealing a fierce face with a scar, though not the appearance of a Wutuo person. He impatiently said, “We’re Great Wei people, here to rescue you. Put on your clothes and hurry!”
The women in the tent were all barely clothed, with two already lying motionless on the ground, having breathed their last. Jiang Jiao looked at the scene and sighed inwardly. When they arrived, Hu Yate had been inside committing atrocities against the Rundou female captives. He Yan couldn’t delay the mission of burning the supplies so had left, but hadn’t forgotten. Once the supplies were set ablaze, he had sent the two of them to check.
Originally thinking He Yan was too soft-hearted, now seeing the tragic corpses in the camp, even a bandit like Wang Ba felt distressed, clenching his fists and cursing the Wutuo people as worse than beasts under his breath.
Several women silently followed Wang Ba and Jiang Jiao out of the tent. The Wutuo soldiers were all concentrated on the supplies, no one noticing them. Jiang Jiao asked, “Can Brother He hold out alone for so long?”
Wang Ba gave a cold laugh, “He’s much better at playing hero than you or me – he went to rescue the other captives.”
The tent holding Great Wei captives was small and dilapidated, barely able to shelter from wind and rain. Dozens of women were crammed together, barely clothed, each with a desolate expression. The tent reeked of blood and decay, making one nauseous. Each time the Wutuo people violated these women, the dead were thrown into the river, while the living were returned covered in wounds, only to repeat these worse-than-death days until they too died.
Suddenly seeing someone come to rescue them, these women couldn’t believe their eyes.
“Let’s go,” He Yan said, “I’ll get you out of here.”
The leading woman tremblingly asked, “Hero, what is your name… are you… are you the Flying Goose General?”
The masked figure didn’t move. After a moment, he removed his mask, revealing a handsome and heroic young face, his voice calm: “No, I am He Yan, the Imperial-appointed Wuan Lang.”
The Wutuo soldiers’ formation was completely disrupted. Those masked Great Wei people didn’t linger in battle – seeing the supplies almost completely burned, they turned and charged toward the city gate. Ropes had already been lowered from above the gate, and countless archers were hidden on the city walls. Whenever Wutuo soldiers approached them, they were shot with arrows “borrowed” from the Wutuo people days before.
The Wutuo people couldn’t get close, while those demon-masked figures could retreat unscathed.
“They took away the captives!” someone shouted.
Hu Yate was furious, “Useless lot! Can’t even watch over women!”
The Wutuo soldiers felt wronged – who could have imagined that in such a life-or-death moment, someone would care about worthless women? They were just enemy war spoils that would only slow them down. If this were in Wutuo, even if rescued, they would be killed – women defiled by enemy soldiers had no right to live in this world.
How could they have imagined that someone would go to such lengths to rescue these captive women, who would rather have died in an enemy camp?
An advisor hesitantly spoke, “I’ve heard that Flying Goose General He Rufei never harms women. If anyone captures Great Wei women, as long as he’s present, he always rescues them…”
Hu Yate kicked him away, “Nonsense! I told you, how could He Rufei possibly come to Rundou!”
The smell of burning supplies wafted across the plains, with Wutuo soldiers constantly bringing water buckets to douse the flames, but with strong winds and fierce fires, it was all futile. Hu Yate looked toward Rundou’s city walls in the distance, where countless archers were hidden in high positions, occasionally shooting flaming arrows in their direction, like a warning.
His face darkened, nearly grinding his teeth to powder: “Rundou… I will raze Rundou! Leave no survivor in Rundou, young or old!”
He Yan was the last to climb the city wall.
Having to protect the women as they climbed the ropes first, she engaged the Wutuo soldiers at the wall. Though the archers’ arrows drove back the Wutuo people, by the time she had a chance to return to the city, she had still sustained injuries.
Where there is war, there will be a sacrifice – surviving with one’s life was already fortunate.
Those women who had barely escaped the enemy camp sat dazed atop the city wall. Only when they could no longer hear the Wutuo war horns in the distance did they come to their senses. Slowly covering their faces with both hands, they broke into loud sobs.
Behind the city gate, the Rundou soldiers had all removed their masks. After a night of raids, everything had been highly tense. Only now did they seem to understand what had truly happened. Some were crying, others laughing, shouting: “We burned their supplies! Those Wutuo people were made to look like fools by us, haha, we defeated the Wutuo people!”
To say they had won was certainly an exaggeration, but this night raid was indeed victorious, and decisively so. While the Wutuo casualties were unknown, of He Yan’s five hundred elite soldiers, forty-six had died and two hundred seventy-three were wounded. For the people of Rundou who had held out for over a month, this was the best possible outcome.
Li Kuang looked incredulously at the elite soldiers sprawled across the ground, muttering, “They actually did it.”
When He Yan had led these troops out, Li Kuang had actually disagreed. He had almost prepared himself for He Yan and these few hundred people to not return alive, seeing it as nothing but a death mission. As for burning the Wutuo people’s supplies, Li Kuang also believed the possibility was extremely small.
But all these things he had deemed impossible had now become reality – they had even brought back the captives the Wutuo people had taken outside the city.
In Li Kuang’s heart, new hope suddenly ignited. All along, he hadn’t believed Rundou’s troops could contend with the Wutuo forces. He had thought they could only defend the city gate and wait for reinforcements. But now He Yan had shown him another possibility – what if the Wutuo forces couldn’t hold out either? Without supplies, the Wutuo forces couldn’t last long; their advantage no longer existed. Now they only relied on numerical superiority, but numbers… hadn’t that young Wuan Lang He Yan already won two battles while outnumbered?
Thinking of this, Li Kuang excitedly looked toward He Yan, seeing the youth leaning against the wall, mask still on, watching the rescued women crying in each other’s arms. Li Kuang couldn’t see He Yan’s expression but could see the smile on their lips.
They were content.
For a moment, the scene before Li Kuang’s eyes overlapped with images from the past. He still vaguely remembered when he had fought a battle with He Rufei, who was then just a vice general. That person had also sat quietly on the ground like this, watching soldiers crying or laughing, their battlefield sharpness completely sheathed, incredibly gentle.
They really resembled He Rufei, Li Kuang thought silently, or more accurately, like the He Rufei of the past, the He Rufei from those years ago.
“How are you?” Li Kuang walked over.
He Yan looked up at him, lips quirking slightly, “Fine, just a bit tired.”
For an entire night, he and those elite soldiers hadn’t rested. Li Kuang said, “Take a rest.”
He Yan nodded, stood up, then seemed to think of something and said to Li Kuang, “Regarding these rescued women, please trouble Lord Li to have someone inquire if they still have family in the city. If they do, please have their families come take them home. If they have no family, please ensure they are properly settled.”
Li Kuang frowned slightly, saying nothing.
He Yan seemed to perceive his thoughts and said calmly, “Regardless of what Lord Li thinks, they are Great Wei people and citizens of Rundou. As the city’s General, you cannot ignore them. Those on the battlefield have only one duty – to protect every inch of national soil and its people, regardless of wealth or status, regardless of what they’ve endured.”
She stared steadily at Li Kuang, seemingly insisting on an answer. Li Kuang paused, then said, “I understand.”
He Yan nodded to him: “Thank you.”
She descended from the city wall.
He Yan was staying in a residence arranged by Zhao Shiming. As Wuan Lang, she could use the position’s privileges to live alone in a room.
She asked the servants for a basin of hot water and entered her room. The servants quickly prepared and brought in the hot water. He Yan locked the door, removed her mask, and pulled down her clothes.
Her back, shoulders, and arms were wounded, some from sword grazes, others from arrows. Last night she had been at the forefront and burned the Wutuo supplies; with hundreds of arrows, emerging completely unscathed was impossible. This outcome was already quite good.
She moistened a cloth with hot water and slowly wiped over the wounds. The injuries on her back and shoulders were deepest, while the previous wound at her waist had mostly healed – thanks to Lin Shuanghe’s scar-removing and flesh-regenerating ointment.
Coming to Rundou this time, she had brought the remaining ointment with her. The wounds on her shoulders and waist had used up the last of it; not even a trace could be scraped from the box anymore.
After changing into clean clothes, she looked at herself in the mirror. The youth in the mirror was pale. The greatest advantage of the mask and black clothes was that soldiers couldn’t see the blood and wounds, couldn’t see her face clearly – always appearing energetic, always moving forward, always being the one to boost morale and steady the army’s heart.
He Yan looked at her arm, sleeve rolled up halfway, revealing a sword wound. But she had used up all her own medicine powder and was about to simply wrap it in white cloth when someone knocked on the door – a woman’s voice: “Young Lord He.”
He Yan said, “Please enter.”
The person who entered was a beautiful young woman with a beaming smile and a small dimple on her left cheek that added vivacity to her charm. She walked over and handed He Yan a round bottle, smiling, “I saw Young Lord He ask for hot water earlier when you came in, and guessed you must be injured. This is leftover wound medicine my lord uses. I brought it for you.” Her gaze fell on the sword scar on He Yan’s arm, and she exclaimed, “Ah! Young Lord He, you are injured?”
He Yan smiled, “Just a minor wound, it’s nothing.”
“That won’t do.” This forthright young woman stepped forward, then seemed to realize the special nature of their positions and didn’t dare come too close, standing aside to advise: “Small wounds untreated become major injuries. My lord is just the same – sometimes when he’s wounded on the battlefield, he’s too lazy to care for it, and later it becomes an old injury that’s hard to heal.”
He Yan looked at her young and beautiful face, feeling nostalgic. She knew this young woman – she was Li Kuang’s most beloved concubine, named Qiluo. Years ago when she had fought the Western Qiang here with Li Kuang, she had become quite familiar with Qiluo. Because this young woman was particularly clever and knew how to please Li Kuang, He Yan had thought then that if she were a man, she would probably wholeheartedly dote on such a girl too.
Back then, Qiluo was only sixteen, very young with round cheeks. Three or four years had passed, and she had matured somewhat, her childishness fading, her round face becoming oval-shaped, though the dimple in her left cheek and that sweet smile remained unchanged.
“Young Lord He, why are you staring at me?” Qiluo touched her face, her eyes darting playfully as she said sweetly, “I’m beautiful – I’m our lord’s most beloved.”
He Yan couldn’t help but laugh. Qiluo had loved to boast about this in the past and still loved to boast about it now. Just this one phrase made her feel like she had returned to those years ago.
“What are you laughing at?” Qiluo asked, “Am I ugly?”
“No, no,” He Yan waved her hand, “Just remembering some things from the past.”
Back then, because Qiluo was so adorably clever, He Yan couldn’t help but treat her like her own younger sister. Though she had He Xinying as a blood sister, due to the complicated relationships in the He family, she and He Xinying weren’t close. At that time, seeing Qiluo’s beauty and clever, obedient nature, she had only felt it was a waste – such a girl if she were to marry, should find a young man of similar age and looks. As for Li Kuang, it wasn’t that He Yan looked down on her colleague, but Li Kuang was old enough to be Qiluo’s father, and being serious and rough, not gentle at all, she wondered what Qiluo saw in him.
Back then, Qiluo had just giggled while resting her chin in her hands, telling He Yan: “My family were all servants. Vice General He, how could talented and handsome young men marry a servant as a wife? If I married another servant, our children would still be servants. Being a servant means living at others’ mercy – one wrong move and you could lose your life. What’s good about that?”
“It’s better being with my lord. I have food and clothes, and I only need to please one person – my lord – and never have to fear others bullying me again. What you speak of is all empty talk. I just treat this as a job, and being my lord’s concubine is easier than the jobs you mentioned. Besides, my lord is straightforward and dislikes complications, so I don’t need to scheme and plot with him – it’s very good. Vice General He, you and my lord are heroes who protect Great Wei’s people. Being my lord’s concubine makes me a hero’s woman – I don’t see anything wrong with that. I’m living much better than before. I have no other wishes in this life, just hope that in ten years, I’ll still be my lord’s most beloved concubine. I hope in ten years I won’t have aged and lost my looks, and no other vixen will come to fight for my lord’s love and affection. If it can be so, I’ll be very grateful to Guanyin Bodhisattva.”
He Yan had felt then that this girl was quite clear-headed – she got what she wanted, and everyone has their own ideas. If Qiluo was happy with such a life, that was good enough.
Now, though ten years hadn’t passed, after three years she was still Li Kuang’s most beloved concubine, brought along to Rundou.
She lowered her head and smiled, sprinkling the medicine powder Qiluo had brought onto the wound on her arm. Qiluo watched curiously, unable to help saying, “Young Lord He, you don’t seem much older than me, yet you’re just like my lord – not making a sound when applying medicine. Don’t you warriors feel pain?”
“It does hurt,” He Yan said, “I imagine your lord feels pain when applying medicine too, he just doesn’t want to show it in front of a young lady.”
Qiluo laughed, “Young Lord He, you speak so amusingly.”
He Yan finished applying the powder and returned the bottle to Qiluo, saying, “Miss Qiluo, thank you for the medicine.”
Qiluo took the bottle but didn’t leave immediately. She just looked at He Yan and said, “Young Lord He, it’s just a little medicine, no need for thanks. I should be the one thanking you.”
“Thank me for what?”
“Thank you for coming up with that brilliant plan last night to burn the Wutuo people’s supplies, getting revenge for us. And thank you for saving those women.”
She lowered her head, smiling somewhat helplessly, “I know that if it weren’t for you last night, those women captured by the Wutuo people would never have made it back to Rundou alive. No one would have cared about their lives – even if my lord led the troops himself, he wouldn’t have bothered with their fate. But you’re different.” She looked at He Yan, her eyes bright, “You brought them back, every single one. I originally thought, how could someone so young receive an imperial appointment? You must have gained some advantage on previous battlefields.”
“I don’t think that anymore. You’re different from them – you’re a good person, a true hero.”