Rundou City gradually regained its vitality. Not only had Yan He’s troops driven away the Wuto people, but they had also brought food. The grain sent from Huayuan had relieved Rundou’s urgent crisis.

“General Feihong isn’t in Huayuan?” Li Kuang looked questioningly at Yan He across from him. “He’s already returned to Suojing? How is that possible?”

“Are you doubting my words?” Yan He frowned.

“No,” Li Kuang said, “It’s just… When Rundou was first besieged by the Wuto people, I immediately sent people to request General He’s aid. Three separate groups were sent – it’s impossible that there was no response at all. I thought he didn’t come because the situation in Huayuan was difficult, but… how could he have returned to Suojing?”

“You’ll have to ask him that,” Yan He replied carelessly, resting his hands behind his head and leaning back in his chair. “He Rufei and I aren’t close.”

Li Kuang remained silent.

As they sat in silence, someone entered – it was Zhao Shiming. He first glanced at Yan He before carefully addressing Li Kuang: “Commander, about that… Today is Lady Qiluo’s burial. Will you…”

Upon hearing this, Li Kuang’s expression darkened. After a while, he stood up and said, “Let’s go.”

Qiluo wasn’t actually from Rundou, but her parents had passed away early, and she had no other relatives now. Being summer, they couldn’t transport her body back to Suojing, so they could only bury her locally. She was buried in a deep forest within Rundou City, in a beautiful scenic spot not far from vast grape vineyards. Qiluo had loved eating grapes during her lifetime; being buried here might have made her a little happier.

Upon arriving at the site, they unexpectedly found Xiao Jue and He Yan were also present, along with a young man in white clothes holding a folding fan. While Xiao Jue’s presence wasn’t surprising, seeing He Yan made Li Kuang feel extremely uncomfortable.

That day, he and He Yan had nearly drawn swords against each other in the hall. Although everything had come to an abrupt halt due to Xiao Jue’s appearance, after the dust settled, in the dead of night, He Yan’s words kept echoing in his ears, keeping him awake. On the bed beside him, he felt he could turn and see Qiluo’s smiling face, but when sunlight streamed through the window and he opened his eyes, there was nothing – he couldn’t grasp anything.

He hadn’t become Zhang Xun, yet he had forever lost Qiluo.

This felt like an irony, and it would become a hurdle he could never overcome. From now on, every day when he thought of Qiluo, he would be accompanied by endless guilt and pain.

He Yan didn’t look at Li Kuang; in fact, she didn’t want to look at him at all. She had fought alongside Li Kuang and knew he was loyal and upright, but perhaps because she was a woman, she always stood on Qiluo’s side in this matter, feeling that women were so innocent.

As the coffin was lowered into the ground, everything was settled. He Yan watched as the small tombstone was erected. Ironically, though Qiluo died by Li Kuang’s hand, on the epitaph, she remained Li Kuang’s concubine.

He Yan lowered her eyes and walked forward, placing the small wreath adorned with purple flowers before the tombstone. This girl had once told her that she hoped to still be Li Kuang’s most beloved concubine ten years later. Life was unpredictable – before those ten years could pass, she had ceased to exist. In a way, her wish seemed to have come true; not just for ten years, but for his entire life, Li Kuang would never forget Qiluo.

She didn’t know whether what welled up in her heart was sorrow or irony, but with the person already buried, nothing more could be said.

As people gradually dispersed, perhaps because Li Kuang couldn’t face He Yan’s gaze, he left hurriedly without even greeting her. He Yan and her two companions walked behind, and Lin Shuanghe secretly glanced at her, softly saying, “Sister He, don’t be sad.”

He Yan was a woman, and women tended to be more tender-hearted. Lin Shuanghe also knew that He Yan particularly disliked the world’s unfairness toward women. Li Kuang’s desire to defend the city wasn’t wrong, but the burden had fallen entirely on his concubine, who paid with her life. In his view, it was too heartless.

He had been busy these days helping Rundou’s medical officials treat the wounded soldiers and hadn’t had time to catch up with He Yan. This was his first time seeing He Yan since arriving in Rundou, and he noticed she had lost considerable weight. She had always been thin, but now she looked so frail that a breeze might knock her over. It seemed the city’s lack of food had starved her to this state.

He Yan shook her head: “I just feel… somewhat helpless.”

In this world, most people thought like Li Kuang, while few thought like her. Let alone all the injustices in the world – right now, she couldn’t even save one Qiluo. An individual’s power was truly insignificant. Changing everyone’s perspective was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

“However,” He Yan smiled slightly, “I hadn’t expected that day when the Governor came in, he would take my side.” She looked at Xiao Jue, “I still remember what the Governor said.”

Xiao Jue said: “Those weren’t my words.”

He Yan was startled.

She certainly knew those weren’t Xiao Jue’s words – they were her answer to the teacher when she was at Xianchangguan. She hadn’t expected Xiao Jue to remember, much less speak to them in that situation.

“Then… whose words were they?” she probed.

Xiao Jue looked ahead without speaking, his mind drifting to an afternoon many years ago at Xianchangguan in Suojing.

Back then, he was still young, studying at the academy with his classmates. The spring sun was warm, making people drowsy. He was closing his eyes and pretending to sleep while half-heartedly listening to the teacher’s lecture. That hero from the previous dynasty had killed his concubine to feed his troops, earning a reputation for righteousness. The young students eagerly voiced their opinions, each considering themselves a “hero.” He didn’t participate – the world was like a chess game, humans like ants. Given enough time, whether “hero” or “beloved concubine,” all were merely insignificant droplets in the flow of history; whether they could create ripples didn’t matter.

Everything would eventually pass.

His daydream was only half-finished when he heard the teacher speak: “He Rufei, do you have a different opinion?”

He Rufei?

Xiao Jue remembered that Young Master He, among all the talented students at Xianchangguan, stood out for his clumsiness, yet his determination was unmatched. If only he had recognized his limitations early like Lin Shuanghe – instead, his whole being radiated an ambitious desire to “defy fate.” Such people were generally considered laughable in the mundane world, but this youth’s pure passion wasn’t disagreeable.

Being called upon by the teacher, he would probably just offer some vague answer in agreement. Xiao Jue kept his eyes closed, listening indifferently.

“People all say Zhang Xun was a loyal minister and righteous man, which is indeed true, but weren’t those who were eaten also innocent? I can understand his choice, but if it were me… I would never do such a thing.”

The eyelashes of the pretending-to-sleep youth trembled slightly, like butterfly wings resting on flowers disturbed by a passing breeze.

“Oh? What would you do?”

“I would lead the remaining troops to fight a battle to the death with the rebels outside the city. Those who wield swords should understand where their blade should point – whether at the enemy before them or the weak behind them.”

Such childish, naive, righteously indignant words. A mocking smile appeared on the youth’s lips as he slowly opened his eyes.

In that instant, sunlight burst through the window, shattering his daydream. The golden light fell upon that thin, small figure ahead – someone usually unremarkable becoming as striking as a rainbow in a mountain stream at that moment.

“I will never draw my sword against the weak.”

It seemed to be the first time he truly looked at He Rufei’s appearance. Though a mask covered their face, regardless of the situation, no matter how foolish and incompetent this person might seem, their bearing was always upright and forward-looking.

The mockery faded from the youth’s lips, gradually curling into a smile. He looked out the window, feeling the spring day was beautiful and splendid, and even the normally ridiculed fool appeared admirable.

Perhaps he wasn’t a fool at all.

At the end of the deep forest, Xiao Jue hadn’t answered He Yan’s question. Reaching this point, he stopped and said, “I have business with Li Kuang, don’t follow me.”

He Yan nodded, watching as Xiao Jue left first.

Her current relationship with Xiao Jue was rather peculiar. She couldn’t be called his subordinate – from the Emperor’s bestowal, her official position was naturally inferior to Xiao Jue’s, but she wasn’t part of his army. Yet if she wasn’t a subordinate, the position of Wuanlang had no real power; if she didn’t follow Xiao Jue, there would be nothing she could do.

Lin Shuanghe waved his hand in front of her: “Sister He?”

He Yan came back to herself, “Brother Lin.”

“I’ve been too busy these past few days. There weren’t enough medical officials in Rundou, so I had to step up reluctantly.” At this point, he complained somewhat, “Now my title of ‘Divine Doctor in White’ has become cheap, treating people almost for free. People might think I just love doing good deeds normally. Sister, when we return to the capital, you can’t tell others that I treated women outside of Suojing. Rules can’t be broken – if others find out, everyone will come to me for treatment, and our Lin family’s threshold will be worn down from all the visitors.”

Lin Shuanghe was the type of person who would always worry about things that shouldn’t be worried about. He Yan was speechless for a moment before saying, “I’ll remember.”

Only then did Lin Shuanghe relax, continuing, “I haven’t asked you yet, how have you been doing here? You’re impressive, coming to Rundou without even saying goodbye. The Liangzhou Guard nearly caused a huge commotion – what were you thinking? Even if you want to achieve merit and fame, we should take it easy. Why come to such a dangerous place? Even if fortune favors the bold, we should preserve our lives first before planning future endeavors.”

Knowing he was teasing, He Yan just smiled.

“Sister He,” Lin Shuanghe looked at her, stopping his fan-waving motion and pondering for a moment, “Why do I feel you’ve changed quite a bit since I last saw you?”

“Have I?”

“Yes,” Lin Shuanghe answered with certainty.

From the first time Lin Shuanghe met He Yan in the Liangzhou Guard, even when she was severely wounded by Ridamuzi and nearly died, this girl had always been lively and energetic, radiating warmth like the sun at all times. Her eyes always held light, full of vitality. Now, just after a month, upon seeing He Yan again, this girl seemed to carry many worries, displaying an unusual quietness. It was as if something had stripped away all her happiness overnight, giving birth to another self.

Something unfamiliar, melancholic, something that separated her from others, making her unapproachable.

“Did something happen?” he asked.

He Yan shook her head and smiled, “Nothing.” But she suddenly remembered something else and asked Lin Shuanghe: “Brother Lin, during the days I was away from Liangzhou Guard, did anything happen there?”

“Why do you ask?” Lin Shuanghe stroked his chin, “Do you feel something’s wrong?”

He Yan hesitated before speaking: “When I met the Governor this time, he didn’t ask why I came to Rundou alone, nor did he reprimand me. He seemed very calm. Don’t you find that strange? The Governor wasn’t usually like this.”

Lin Shuanghe’s eyes flickered as he smiled: “This is quite obvious. You came to Rundou to save its people. Since it was to save people, Huaijin naturally wouldn’t say anything. You’ve been busy and tired these days, Huaijin is more worried about you than anything else, how could he reprimand you? Sister He, you might have some misunderstandings about Huaijin. He’s not such an unfeeling person; he’s very gentle, especially to those he cares about.”

He Yan: “…”

Lin Shuanghe’s irrelevant answer left He Yan at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, she could only say, “Never mind, if he won’t discuss this matter, I needn’t continue worrying about it.” What was more important now was He Rufei. With He Rufei committing such great evil, she didn’t have much time to seek revenge gradually. As long as He Rufei held the title of “General Feihong” for one more day, it would be a disaster for Great Wei’s people.

“Don’t think too much,” Lin Shuanghe comforted her, “In a few days, we’ll return to Suojing. When we get back, I’ll take you around to relax. Oh right, your family is from Suojing too, right? Reuniting with your father and brothers after returning will be good for you. Though your identity situation is a bit troublesome… but it’s not a big deal. We’ll face problems as they come and find solutions together.”

“Return to Suojing?” He Yan was stunned. She wanted to return to Suojing, but that was her idea. From Lin Shuanghe’s words, it seemed Xiao Jue was going back too.

“Not long after you left Liangzhou Guard, Huaijin received orders from the capital to bring some recruits from Liangzhou Guard and the Southern Army back to Suojing. But we were all worried about Rundou’s situation then, so Huaijin and I came first, with the troops following behind. Everyone has to go back eventually. With the current situation with the Wuto people, the world can’t be as peaceful as before. It’s better to return earlier.”

Lin Shuanghe looked at her curiously, “What’s wrong? Don’t you want to go back?”

He Yan shook her head: “It’s not that. I’m just surprised.”

If Xiao Jue was going back too, wouldn’t they have to travel together again? She had firmly decided to stay far away from him to avoid causing him trouble, but now it seemed their ill-fated connection was particularly stubborn. Their interaction was unavoidable. However, her current feelings toward Xiao Jue were extremely complicated, as He Rufei’s actions forced her to face certain issues.

Involving Xiao Jue would only bring harm with no benefit.

Well, things had come to this point; thinking more about it wouldn’t help. It was truly as Lin Shuanghe said – they would face problems as they came and see how things went.

After exchanging a few more words with Lin Shuanghe, she left. Lin Shuanghe watched her retreating figure, resting his fan handle against his chin, pondering for a moment before muttering to himself: “Not even a reprimand… It seems once Young Master Xiao figured things out, he’s indeed formidable. How clever, worthy of being Xianchangguan’s number one.”

He happily followed after her.

…

After bidding farewell to Lin Shuanghe, He Yan planned to return to her room to write about her encounters with the Wuto people in Rundou. Every battle could yield some clues; knowing both yourself and your enemy ensures victory. Before she reached her room, she happened to see someone practicing martial arts in the back courtyard. The practitioner’s movements were large and dramatic. The vegetation in Rundou was already bare due to the famine, and his weapon practice had broken off tree branches, leaving only naked trunks that looked particularly pitiful.

Hearing someone approach, the person stopped his movements, bringing his Sky-Piercing Halberd to his side as he turned to look. Silver robes and a long halberd, hair tied high, with an arrogant and proud bearing – who else could it be but Yan He?

“General Yan,” He Yan said.

“Oh, it’s that He Yan,” Yan He walked to the side where a subordinate handed him a water-soaked towel. He casually wiped his hands before tossing them aside, then sat down on the steps and gestured to He Yan: “Sit.”

He Yan thought for a moment before sitting down beside him.

“Were you just watching me practice with the halberd?” Yan He asked, “How was it? Have you ever seen such excellent halberd techniques?”

He Yan was speechless for a moment before smiling slightly: “Indeed excellent. Looking across all of Great Wei, besides General Yan, there wouldn’t be a second person who possesses such halberd skills.”

Hearing this, Yan He’s lips curled up proudly, and his gaze toward He Yan softened as he snorted: “At least you have good judgment.”

He Yan sighed inwardly – after so many years, Yan He’s temperament hadn’t changed at all. Just stroke his ego, and it was easy to win his favor.

Back in their days at Xianchangguan, while Lin Shuanghe and He Yan competed for last place, Yan He and Xiao Jue competed for first place. However, their competition had no suspense – every time Yan He came second, and Xiao Jue first.

The young students studying at the academy all came from good families and were outstanding individuals, so it was normal to have a competitive spirit. But Yan He’s competitive spirit was particularly intense. He Yan still remembered how, back at the academy, Yan He would challenge Xiao Jue every few days, much like how Wang Ba had challenged her in Liangzhou Guard.

Xiao Jue mostly ignored such challenges, but when truly annoyed by the persistence, he would compete with Yan He once. Whether in literary or martial arts, mounted archery or otherwise, the result was always the same – Yan He lost repeatedly but kept coming back. Actually, in this aspect, He Yan always felt she and Yan He had some similarities, but unfortunately, while she felt this kinship, Yan He didn’t appreciate it.

Yan He disliked He Yan.

He was naturally proud and looked down on others, generally considering worthless people unworthy of attention. If someone had specialties like Lin Shuanghe, that would be fine, but He Yan seemed good for nothing. At Xianchangguan, being useless was a sin. In his youth, Yan He went to great lengths to make fun of He Yan, making her look foolish in front of others, setting up traps for her, and deliberately colliding with her horse during mounted competitions – he tried everything he could think of.

Speaking of which, if asked who He Yan disliked most during her time at Xianchangguan, Yan He would undoubtedly be first.

Later, she left Xianchangguan to join the army, Xiao Jue joined the army, and not long after, Yan He joined too, though Yan He was following in his father’s footsteps, which made sense. Now at a young age, he wasn’t doing badly. When Rundou was in danger and He Yan wrote that letter requesting aid from him, she thought that given Yan He’s temperament, he would come.

Though she hadn’t expected him to come with Xiao Jue.

If it were several years ago, He Yan would never have imagined she would one day sit and talk calmly with Yan He. Back then she didn’t know what she had done to offend Yan He. By all rights, she had barely spoken to him and never hindered him in any way, so why, no matter how carefully she treated him, did Yan He dislike her so much?

This question could be counted among the top ten mysteries of He Yan’s youth. Now with Yan He sitting beside her, though his features still showed traces of his younger self, he had… become somewhat more peaceful. After so many years, he still hated “He Rufei” – what kind of force was this?

He Yan casually spoke: “That’s natural. Everyone talks about Great Wei’s two famous generals, one being General Feihong and the other General Fengyun, but I don’t quite see it that way. Governor Xiao aside, who is indeed formidable, that General Feihong isn’t as good as they say. Rundou and Huayuan are so close, yet he doesn’t come to aid the city. And in the previous battle at Huayuan, it was barely a victory. How can he compare to General Yan? I don’t know how he became famous.”

Generally speaking, completely criticizing He Rufei was sure to win Yan He’s favor – this point was never wrong.

Sure enough, hearing this, Yan He’s eyes brightened as he laughed: “You, Wuanlang, are quite different from others. Just your judgment alone surpasses many people. Although I don’t agree with what you said about Xiao Huaijin being formidable, about He Rufei – you’re right! He really can’t compare to me!”

He Yan silently rolled her eyes internally while agreeing: “Yes, but General Yan, do you also dislike General Feihong? I thought all military commanders liked him.”

“Dislike?” Yan He shook his head, saying carelessly, “Not really. I just think he’s disappointing and unworthy of his title.”

He Yan’s heart leaped – was she about to uncover one of the top ten mysteries of her youth? After all these years, would she finally learn why Yan He had always targeted her?

“What do you mean by disappointing?” He Yan tilted her head to look at him, her eyes full of genuine confusion.

Because they shared a dislike for He Rufei, Yan He looked at the young person before him more favorably, and without thinking replied: “Of course he’s disappointing. He received sword instruction from Xiao Huaijin yet only achieved that level. If it were me, I could have done ten thousand times better. And Xiao Huaijin is strange too – what kind of judgment is that, passing over the talented students in the academy to spend time teaching an idiot? Yet he was too stingy to have a proper match with me. Tell me, how can there be such a person in this world?”

“Sword… instruction?”

“Yes,” Yan He glanced at her, “Surprised, aren’t you? The so-called unmatched swordsmanship of General Feihong was taught hands-on by Xiao Huaijin. Isn’t that sick?”