On the way home, He Yunsheng kept observing He Yan’s expression.

“You won’t associate with that Fan again, will you?” he repeatedly confirmed.

“I promise you, I will never associate with him,” He Yan said. “Is that good enough?”

He Yunsheng saw her firm attitude and finally felt somewhat relieved.

He Yunsheng didn’t know what had come over him, but he nagged the entire way, acting more like a governess than an actual governess would.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just that Fan is too cunning and habitually lies,” He Yunsheng continued endlessly. “What’s so good about such a man? You were blind to have liked him before. In my opinion, General Feng Yun is someone truly worthy of admiration…”

He Yan was half-listening to He Yunsheng’s chatter when she suddenly stopped at his last words, interrupting his flow, “What does this have to do with Xiao Jue?”

“Isn’t Second Young Master Xiao good-looking?” He Yunsheng asked.

With unparalleled grace and bearing, there truly wasn’t anything to criticize.

“Hmm… yes, he is handsome.”

“Then how about his family background?”

The Xiao family was a military household. General Xiao Zhongwu had helped the previous emperor conquer vast territories and was his beloved general. The general’s wife was the empress dowager’s niece. The eldest young master Xiao Jing was already a Court Counselor at a young age, and the second young master Xiao Jue had risen even higher in rank, now serving as the Right Army Commander, the famous General Feng Yun.

“Wealthy beyond measure.”

“And his talents in both civil and military affairs?”

“…One in ten thousand, extraordinary and unmatched.”

“Well, there you have it,” He Yunsheng concluded. “Such a handsome man from a noble family, distinguished and unique – isn’t he worthy of admiration? If I were a woman, I would admire only him in this lifetime!”

He Yan: “…Please shut up.”

Though Xiao Jue had countless merits, his infuriatingly cold temperament was hardly praiseworthy. Moreover, countless women admired him – perhaps there wasn’t a single woman in Great Wei who didn’t. But had he ever given anyone a second glance? No. This man was extremely proud, with standards as high as his looks. Perhaps no one could meet his standards. Like him? Yeah, right.

She wondered what kind of extraordinarily beautiful woman he would eventually choose, someone who would put nightingales and swallows to shame.

He Yan found herself looking forward to seeing that.

Just then, He Yunsheng suddenly stopped walking and said, “What’s happening up ahead?”

Not far away, something like a notice was posted on a stone wall, with many people gathered around it. He Yan and He Yunsheng walked closer, and upon seeing what was written, she understood: “Oh, it’s a military recruitment notice.”

“Hasn’t it been a long time since they recruited soldiers? Why suddenly recruit now?” He Yunsheng wondered suspiciously.

He Yan understood, though. She and Xiao Jue had spent several years pacifying the Western Qiang and Southern Man rebellions, but they had overlooked the neighboring country of Wutuo. The Wutuo people had grown stronger during these years and could no longer hide their ambitious intentions. After she married into the Xu family, she had always kept an eye on the northwestern fortress. This recruitment was probably for garrison duty in Liangzhou, to train new soldiers.

As He Yunsheng was reading, he suddenly tore off one of the recruitment notices and tucked it into his chest.

He Yan asked curiously: “What are you doing?”

“…Nothing, just want to keep it as a memento,” He Yunsheng stammered. “It’s a pity I can’t fight on the battlefield yet. If I were a bit older and my martial arts were better, I would want to join the army.”

Hearing this, He Yan smiled, “Joining the army isn’t a simple matter. You must endure the hardships of wind and sand, and constantly watch your comrades sacrifice themselves. On the battlefield, you must be prepared to fall at any moment. You can’t even kill a fish… how could you kill people?”

He Yunsheng was rendered speechless, but after a while said: “You talk as if you’ve been there.”

He Yan walked home with him, just smiling and looking down.

Of course, she had been there. Come to think of it, she had been about He Yunsheng’s age at the time.

The Fu Yue Army was recruiting soldiers then, heading to Mo County. After another big fight with He Yuansheng, she secretly packed some silver and clothes at night, took her mask, and went to enlist.

She used the name He Rufei.

No one had expected He Rufei would join the army, not even the He family. It wasn’t until He Yan won her first battle, got promoted, and received rewards that the news reached the He family’s ears.

Life in the army wasn’t as smooth as others might have imagined. A teenager, and a girl at that, had to guard against having her identity discovered while competing and sparring with men stronger than herself. On the battlefield, she couldn’t cry or make a sound. She was often scolded by commanders, and sometimes when her military achievements were stolen, she couldn’t say anything but had to smile and pour tea for her superiors.

He Yan felt that before joining the army, she had been a taciturn, wooden girl who kept all her thoughts to herself. It was only after joining the army that she truly learned to grow up.

Everything besides life and death was trivial; being alive was already good enough. General Fei Hong replaced the He family young lady, and from then on, she persevered step by step, with hardships she couldn’t share with anyone.

Sometimes she thought about how deeply the name General Fei Hong was intertwined with her life. So much so that when she saw the recruitment notice He Yunsheng had tucked away, she wasn’t as calm as she appeared on the surface.

He Yunsheng noticed He Yan’s sudden silence and thought she had remembered Fan Cheng’s matter. After returning home, he carefully advised He Yan again before returning to his room.

Qing Mei had already left, and the notice He Yunsheng had torn off lay on the table. Under the oil lamp, the paper was thin, weighing heavily on He Yan’s heart.

After being busy with the He family’s affairs for so long, now that they had money and He Yunsheng had found an academy, she should think about her plans. How to approach He Rufei was a problem. Now she had no power or influence, just a common citizen whose words would carry no weight.

In her previous life as He Rufei and as Madam Xu, she only knew how to wield weapons, completely ignorant of schemes and plots. Even with this second chance at life, she couldn’t bring herself to engage in dirty, underhanded methods.

What did she have? Only this life. What could she do? Only fight on the battlefield.

But what could she do now?

He Yan’s gaze fell on the recruitment notice. Those few short lines made her heart surge, as if she was back to when she was fifteen, carrying silver and belongings, running to the recruitment camp under the cover of night, writing down her name. From then on, her military career began.

Everything had to start anew.

This was the worst path, but also the best solution.

She would start over, using the name He Yan.

Her biggest fan, He Yunsheng, was online singing her praises.