Throughout the Great Wei, everyone knew that Right Army Commander Xiao Jue possessed refined manners and excelled in both civil and military affairs. When wielding a sword, he could safeguard the peace of any region; when putting it down, he was the very picture of an elegant gentleman. Heaven had favored him with both striking looks and exceptional martial skills. However, it was unfortunate that he was known to be exceedingly cold and ruthless. The mere thought of him falling in love with someone seemed like a dream. Setting aside his temperament, given how accomplished and formidable he had become, what kind of woman in the world could catch his eye?

Consider how the celestial beauty Shen Muxue had followed him for so many years without gaining the slightest favor. Yet now, from this man’s lips came the words “beloved one.” He Yan was stunned, as were all the officials. Even the Emperor on his high throne was momentarily taken aback.

So this was how the renowned Second Young Master Xiao spoke of his beloved – with such tenderness. It was as if the moonlight had shed its coldness and indifference, leaving only clarity and brilliance.

The autumn moon was like a mirror, reflecting everyone’s thoughts without concealment. Whether joy or shyness, secrets or sorrow, nothing could escape people’s eyes.

No one could remain unmoved when gazed upon with such eyes. He Yan could hear her heartbeat, “thump” “thump,” one beat after another, clear and strong amid the noisy banquet, impossible to resist.

The Emperor’s laughter broke this moment of stupefaction. “Haha! Excellent! Rarely does Minister Xiao show such a side! The Empress has accomplished one good deed today, and I shall accomplish another. Since you two are so well-matched in affection, Minister Xiao, after your great victory at Jiyang, I can think of no better reward than to grant you a marriage. This Lady He shall be your wife – are you willing?”

Xiao Jue accepted the decree, “This humble servant thanks Your Majesty for the great favor.”

He Yan had no choice but to kneel and accept the decree as well.

Shen Muxue’s lips turned pale, and she nearly fainted. Once the Emperor had spoken, the imperial marriage decree could not be changed. Lin Shuanghe’s heart had twisted and turned with the developments in the hall, nearly frightening him to death. Finally able to breathe a slight sigh of relief, though full of doubts, he knew this wasn’t the time to speak. Instead, he wholeheartedly celebrated his good friend, excitedly telling his colleagues, “Did you hear? An imperial marriage decree! His Majesty has granted a marriage – this is a wonderful match. Look at them, how well-suited they are!”

Yan He hadn’t yet recovered from the shock that the Military Peace Officer who had joined him in criticizing He Rufei was a woman when he heard such momentous news. He was left dumbfounded, wondering if he was dreaming.

“Congratulations to Commander Xiao! What a beautiful tale this imperial marriage makes!” Surprisingly, Xu Jingfu also spoke up for Xiao Jue. He not only appeared unsurprised but seemed pleased with the match, continuously praising how perfect this marriage was. He Yan thought briefly and understood – since Xu Jingfu was Xiao Jue’s rival, it was naturally best for someone of Xiao Jue’s status to marry a commoner without a background like herself. If it had been a daughter from a high-ranking official’s family, it would have been all the disadvantages and no benefits for Xu Jingfu.

Chu Zhao sat among the seats, wearing his usual smile, appearing no different from usual. However, looking carefully, one could see his hands resting on his knees, his knuckles white from gripping his robes so tightly they were almost wrinkled.

The court officials had witnessed quite a show – some teased, others offered congratulations. The Fifth Prince was confused and asked Guangshuo, “Fourth Brother, why did Father grant a man… a woman disguised as a man to General Fengyun as his wife? She doesn’t even look as beautiful as Sister Shen.”

The Fifth Prince greatly admired Xiao Jue. Indeed, Xiao Jue’s experiences were legendary in the hearts of young boys. Young men admired heroes and respected the strong. Fifth Prince Guangji had heard from his birth mother, Consort Ni, that Miss Shen from the Censorate was currently the most suitable match for Commander Xiao. Guangji also believed that Shen Muxue looked like a celestial maiden, while the one now granted to be Xiao Jue’s wife was a stranger dressed as a man – this was unacceptable to Guangji.

“Don’t speak nonsense,” Guangshuo patted his head and looked toward He Yan’s silhouette in the hall. “Since General Fengyun protects her so, this Lady He must have extraordinary qualities. Moreover, she served on the battlefield as a woman and achieved an official position and marquis title – this is unprecedented since the founding of Great Wei.”

“What extraordinary qualities?” the Crown Prince spoke disdainfully, his tone somewhat vulgar. “Who knows what methods she used? Xiao Huaijin gets to enjoy both – one Shen Muxue, and now a female soldier. Daily activities in the tent, who knows what they were up to…”

Guangshuo slightly furrowed his brow, “Your Highness, mind your words.”

The Crown Prince remained dismissive.

Emperor Wenzuan looked at He Yan again: “He Yan, although you are female, I know you had your reasons for joining the army as a woman. I am not an unreasonable person. Though you committed the crime of deception, considering your merits in the Jiyang and Rundu campaigns, I will not pursue this matter. Merit is merit, fault is fault. I will dock your salary for one year, but… your Marquis title remains!”

“So generous?” Lin Shuanghe was quick-witted and slapped the table, taking the lead in shouting, “Your Majesty is benevolent! Long live Your Majesty, long live!”

He Yan also kowtowed and shouted “Long live,” and in an instant, the court officials knelt in waves, all shouting “Long live.”

Emperor Wenzuan had played the role of a wise ruler and believed he had accomplished a beautiful thing. Being praised made him somewhat elated as he sat smiling on his high seat. Empress Zhang frowned imperceptibly, while Consort Ni’s inquiring gaze swept over He Yan again and again. Only Consort Lan sat quietly smiling among the seats as if everything today had nothing to do with her at all.

He Yan and Xiao Jue returned to their seats, but since she was now considered a “lady,” she had to go to the women’s section. She didn’t know any of the women there, except for Xia Chengxiu, who waved to her and said softly, “Lady He, come this way.”

He Yan sat down beside Xia Chengxiu, who smiled and said, “Congratulations, Lady He.” She smiled back in thanks, a weight finally lifting from her heart. At least she had successfully appeared openly in the Great Wei court under the name “He Yan” – the first step had been achieved. Although she didn’t know why Xiao Jue had become involved and caused such a result, at least for now, there hadn’t been any negative consequences.

Of course, except for two people.

He Yan’s gaze crossed the seats – the men’s and women’s sections faced each other – and her eyes accurately caught Xu Zhiheng sitting in the corner, secretly watching her.

Xu Zhiheng felt very uneasy, a feeling that reached its peak when He Yan’s female identity was revealed. He didn’t understand how this could happen – how could someone who had died, been buried, whose body should have already decomposed into soil, reappear before him?

This woman called He Yan bore no resemblance to his deceased wife, yet her every movement and expression overlapped with his memories of the former Lady He. Especially when he secretly looked at her, and she would look back at him across the crowd, that meaningful gaze made his heart tremble involuntarily.

Who was she?

Xu Zhiheng didn’t believe in ghosts and spirits. During the annual temple prayers and incense offerings, he was always the most impatient. In his youth, when teachers spoke of respecting ghosts and spirits, he always believed that if ghosts and spirits existed, there wouldn’t be so many helpless situations in the world. If one couldn’t win while alive, how could they become fierce after death?

But… but He Yan wasn’t killed by him!

Xu Zhiheng felt waves of cold sweep through his heart.

He Yan was meant to die – that was the ending the He family had prepared for her. The order came from He Yuansheng, He Rufei carried it out, He Wanru was an accomplice, and he had merely remained silent. If a vengeful ghost were to return for revenge, shouldn’t it target the He family first?

Why come after him?

He gathered his courage to look at He Yan again, only to see that she had turned her head aside to speak with Xia Chengxiu beside her as if their earlier eye contact had been his imagination alone.

Xu Zhiheng then looked toward He Rufei – they were in this together. If He Yan had become a ghost and returned, she wouldn’t let He Rufei off either. As if sensing Xu Zhiheng’s gaze, He Rufei looked over, furrowed his brow, and shook his head very slightly, warning him not to be too obvious.

At court, their interaction was always subtle, to avoid others discovering anything suspicious.

Xu Zhiheng was anxious, but the banquet hadn’t ended yet, and they couldn’t leave their seats without permission. He could only lower his head and continue enduring this seemingly endless, nauseating “celebration banquet.”

Emperor Wenzuan was very pleased and had drunk quite a bit today.

He had been emperor for many years but showed little talent for governance. The first few years after ascending the throne were fine as he worked diligently day and night, but later, feeling his incompetence, he simply grew lazy. Though not outstanding, he wasn’t considered an incompetent ruler either – with his officials watching over things, nothing too serious would go wrong.

Until Xu Jingfu’s power grew increasingly great, many officials secretly reported to him to beware of Prime Minister Xu. Emperor Wenzuan wasn’t unaware of the impropriety, but he had relied on Xu Jingfu for many years, to the point where if Xu Jingfu were gone, he couldn’t find anyone to replace him.

Moreover, Xu Jingfu’s status wasn’t low – once such a high-ranking official got into trouble, the court would certainly be thrown into turmoil. Though he lacked political talent, he had witnessed similar situations when the previous emperor was alive.

But everyone has selfish desires. He turned a blind eye to Xu Jingfu’s actions, and as Xu Jingfu’s power became overwhelming, he affected many people’s interests. Gradually, Emperor Wenzuan knew that people behind his back called him an “incompetent ruler” who couldn’t distinguish between loyal and treacherous officials, but how could they understand? Water too clear has no fish – governing a country was different, and even as emperor, there were times when one was powerless.

Xiao Zhongwu’s defeat, the Wotuo people’s restlessness, the Crown Prince’s cruel and unvirtuous behavior… all sorts of messy affairs came one after another, giving him headaches. Tonight, doing something that everyone praised as “right” was already not easy. Emperor Wenzuan was genuinely happy.

At tonight’s banquet, the two most promising young people in Shuo Capital were simultaneously granted imperial marriages. Looking at the marriage between Chu Zhao and Xu Pingting, it seemed the Chu family was marrying above their station. But now Xiao Huaijin’s marriage coming out, it made Chu Zhao’s marriage seem less remarkable in comparison.

People whispered among themselves, wondering where this He Yan had come from. Xiao Zhongwu’s eldest son Xiao Rubi had already disregarded public opinion by marrying a concubine’s daughter, and now his younger son Xiao Huaijin was even more extreme – marrying someone whose name they’d never heard of before, possibly from a family without any official positions.

However, Xiao Jue himself remained calm throughout.

Lin Shuanghe, sitting beside him, was desperate to pull Xiao Jue aside and get a clear explanation of what was happening, but under everyone’s watchful eyes, he couldn’t ask and had to contain himself. Looking at Yan He on the other side, he too was so frustrated he seemed ready to flip the table.

At this celebration banquet, everyone harbored their thoughts, and when it ended, all the main characters simultaneously breathed sighs of relief. As He Yan stood up, Xia Chengxiu was still worried, “Lady He, would you like me to accompany you?”  She was now being watched by countless eyes, everyone scrutinizing her with calculating gazes – most ordinary women wouldn’t be able to handle it.

“It’s fine,” He Yan smiled and thanked her for her kindness, “I can go out by myself.”

Xia Chengxiu didn’t insist further. As she was about to leave her seat, she thought of something and looked back at Shen Muxue, only to see her face deathly pale, her lips completely bloodless, like a rigid puppet without any sign of life.

She hesitated, but ultimately said nothing and went to find Yan He.

The Emperor and his consorts had already left. Yan He, pulling Xia Chengxiu along, came charging over furiously. Seeing Lin Shuanghe but not Xiao Jue, he exploded in anger: “Where’s Xiao Huaijin? And that Military Peace Officer! They’ve deceived me so terribly, I must demand an explanation!”

Xia Chengxiu tugged at him, seemingly speechless, and reminded him: “The Military Peace Marquis is a woman, mind your words.”

“Have you ever seen a woman who can behead several people with one stroke?” Yan He shouted, “I don’t care if they’re women or not – so they were just playing me for a fool? I’ve nearly been made an idiot!”

Xia Chengxiu: “…Be careful, Father is here, what if he hears?”

Lord Xia, Xia Chengxiu’s father, was looking their way. Yan He startled and coughed lightly, lowering his voice though his face still showed anger, clenching his fists as he asked, “Where are those two?”

Lin Shuanghe spread his hands: “Gone.”

“Gone?” Yan He’s eyes widened in disbelief, “When?”

“After the Emperor left, they both left.” Lin Shuanghe waved his fan, “They just got engaged and will be husband and wife – what business is it of an outsider like you?” Lin Shuanghe glanced at Xia Chengxiu, smiling, “Unless you haven’t given up hope and want to move Sister He to your tent?”

Since He Yan’s identity was already exposed, he might as well openly use the term “Sister He.”

These words struck home, and Yan He’s face turned blue with anger, “Don’t talk nonsense!” He looked at the silently smiling Xia Chengxiu and emphasized quietly, “The Military Peace Officer and I barely know each other!”

“Then you should head back early.” Lin Shuanghe patted his shoulder, “When they get married, they’ll surely invite you to drink at their wedding. Don’t worry, don’t worry.” With that, he hummed a tuneless melody and strode away.

…

In a certain courtyard within the palace, weeds grew wild. It was autumn, and the flowers and leaves were withering. This place was deserted and rarely visited, making it appear even more desolate and cold. A bright moon hung over the eaves, casting frost-white light across the courtyard.

The person in front stopped, and the girl following behind halted, asking puzzled, “What place is this?”

“An abandoned separate palace,” Xiao Jue said, “There are guards, but no one will come in.”

The palace was vast, and while this was He Yan’s first time inside, it wasn’t Xiao Jue’s. It was natural that he would know the secret passages and hidden places. Seeing that there truly was no one around, He Yan relaxed slightly before looking at him and asking, “Commander, what’s going on? Why did His Majesty say today that you had already informed him of my identity?”

Xiao Jue said calmly, “Didn’t you give Zhao Shiming a letter?”

He Yan was startled, “How did you know?”

He didn’t answer, but He Yan understood. Xiao Jue had many capable people under him – forget about reaching the palace, the letter had probably fallen into Xiao Jue’s hands before it even got there.

“Why write a letter behind my back?” Xiao Jue asked.

He Yan gave a bitter smile, “I felt my identity couldn’t be hidden for long. Rather than have someone else expose it at some point, I wanted to prepare in advance. Besides, once the crime of deceiving the emperor was revealed, wouldn’t you also be implicated?”

She had asked the county magistrate of Rundu to deliver a letter to the Emperor before leaving. After the battle of Rundu, the city officials would record the events in a memorial to present to the Emperor. This letter, tucked inside the memorial, would reveal He Yan’s identity.

However, while revealing her female identity, the letter also contained the signatures of Rundu’s citizens.

Though He Yan had never met Emperor Wenzuan, from what Lin Shuanghe had told her, he was a mediocre emperor, but also a soft-hearted one. At certain times, as long as Xu Jingfu wasn’t beside him stirring up trouble, he possessed rare imperial qualities of sympathy and compassion. When the previous emperor was alive, when an official committed a wrong, the people petitioned, and the previous emperor, remembering his past merits, pardoned him from the death penalty. Emperor Wenzuan’s greatest admiration was for his father, and in many things, he deliberately imitated the previous emperor’s actions, so when Zhao Shijie’s petition with the citizens’ signatures was presented, Emperor Wenzuan would hesitate.

Moreover, He Yan’s merits were undeniable. The battles of Liangzhou Wei, Jiyang, and Rundu – the merit earned in each battle deserved rewards. In comparison, disguising herself as a man wasn’t such a great offense. Furthermore, she hadn’t disguised herself as a man of her own accord but had joined the army by accident when she had no other choice.

Merit outweighing fault, being a young genius, and being a woman – the people’s petition would become the last straw pressing on the emperor. If he wanted the people’s hearts, Emperor Wenzuan couldn’t order her execution. Otherwise, what would the new soldiers of Liangzhou Wei think? How would the citizens of Jiyang think? How would those rescued women in Rundu think?

He Yan thought she had considered everything thoroughly and had convinced Zhao Shijie, but she hadn’t expected Xiao Jue to intervene at this point.

“I intercepted the letter,” he said.

He Yan stared at him.

“Your thinking was good, but not flawless. You might have emerged unscathed, but you might also have lost your life.” And if there was even the slightest possibility, he wouldn’t let He Yan take that risk.

“But Commander, didn’t you also expose my identity?” He Yan asked, confused. “How did you convince His Majesty?”

She didn’t know that in the memorial Xiao Jue submitted in her place, he had tied them together from the very beginning. There was nothing about Fan Cheng or being forced by circumstances. Everything was because of Xiao Jue’s desires that brought He Yan into the military camp. If there were to be punishment for deceiving the emperor, they would both have to be punished together. But with the Wotuo people watching covetously, Emperor Wenzuan couldn’t afford the consequences of not having Xiao Jue guarding Wei’s territory, so he wouldn’t punish them. Even if there was to be punishment, Xiao Jue would take full responsibility.

Of course, he had made the story more moving, writing the memorial like a romantic love story passed down by word of mouth, easily touching Emperor Wenzuan’s romantic scholar’s heart.

Afterward, he secretly leaked news of this matter to Xu Jingfu. Regarding Xiao Jue’s marriage, besides Mr. and Mrs. Xiao Jing, Xu Jingfu was the most concerned. Everyone in Shuo Capital knew that Shen Muxue was the most likely to marry Xiao Jue, and if the Shen family and Xiao family became in-laws… all of Censor Shen’s people would stand with Xiao Jue, which troubled Xu Jingfu greatly.

Even if it wasn’t Shen Muxue, any daughter of any court official in Shuo Capital’s official circles, as long as it could enrich Xiao Jue’s power, Xu Jingfu wouldn’t be pleased. At this time, He Yan suddenly appeared, and when Xu Jingfu sent people to investigate and found she was just the daughter of a city gate lieutenant, he thought it was like a gift from heaven.

Therefore, not only would he not obstruct it, but he would fully promote the marriage between Xiao Jue and He Yan. Xiao Jue marrying He Yan, a woman who could offer no help to his career, was something Xu Jingfu was happy to see.

And so came today’s scene at the celebration banquet.

Xiao Jue only mentioned some key points, and after listening, He Yan remained silent for a long time. She never imagined things would develop to this point. Her purpose in writing that letter, besides freeing herself from a potentially fatal charge, was to avoid implicating Xiao Jue and to distance herself from him. But unexpectedly, in trying to create distance, she had drawn herself into a marriage.

Although at that moment when he said the words “beloved one,” she had indeed been moved, wishing time would freeze right there.

But dreams must end. She had things she must do, and she couldn’t let him sacrifice his precious life just because he was soft-hearted and wanted to protect her. His life should be like the bright moon in the sky – clean, bright, never entangled with the dark, rotting mud of the gutters.

Being illuminated by him was enough; she didn’t dare hope for more.

“Commander,” He Yan took a deep breath and looked up at him, “You didn’t need to have His Majesty arrange this marriage just to help me. Struggling to maintain a false marriage is too unfair to you.”

“It’s not false,” Xiao Jue interrupted her words.

He Yan froze, “What did you say?”

“What I said in the hall wasn’t false.” The young man’s voice was gentle, his eyelashes lowered, his dark pupils rippling like autumn water, impossibly tender.

In the cold night of late autumn, deep in the courtyard, the Milky Way was quiet, the crescent moon climbed over the curtains, and the beautiful night couldn’t compare to the moving look in someone’s eyes.

He asked, “Do you like the moon?”

He Yan answered dazedly, “…Yes.”

The next moment, something cool and smooth was placed in her hand. He Yan looked down to see the snake-patterned black jade – the legendary Xiao family heirloom she had once taken while drunk – lying in her palm, the giant python lifelike.

“Now, the moon is yours.”