In an instant, a chill penetrated through his entire body. He Rufei stared at the woman before him with widened eyes in shock. The scene that flashed through his mind was from when he first returned to Shuo Capital and saw “He Yan” at the He residence. At that time, He Yan had already changed back into women’s clothing. Standing before He Yan, watching this woman who had lived using his name for years call him “Elder Brother,” he felt a strange mixture of jealousy and resentment.
How could he not resent it?
He was the true First Young Master He, yet someone else had lived his life for years. If the past was forced by circumstances, then when He Yan left the He family and embarked on the path of joining the army, fate had already broken free from everyone’s control, heading toward a future no one could have predicted.
He Rufei disliked martial arts, even after his health improved. The He family had no military generals, but because of He Yan’s unilateral decision, he had to learn the same sword techniques as her.
The same dietary habits, the same lifestyle preferences, the same handwriting, the same martial arts… even the same temperament.
He and He Yan each played the other’s substitute. This feeling was so unbearable that it finally reached its peak after his return to the capital, amid others’ subtle comparisons.
That’s why he suggested blinding He Yan. A blind woman would be confined to the inner quarters, never able to cause trouble again. He also wouldn’t have to worry that one-day others might notice the differences between him and the former Flying Swan General, or the similarities between his cousin and the Flying Swan General.
However… even after being blinded, He Yan surprisingly didn’t fade into obscurity. Though unable to see light, He Yan only remained dejected for a short while. Later, once when He Rufei visited the Xu family, he saw He Yan practicing sword techniques in secret.
A blind woman, secretly practicing swordplay.
She seemed to sense someone’s presence and stopped her movements, tentatively asking, “Is someone there?”
He Rufei didn’t respond and turned to leave. After returning to the He residence, he made up his mind that He Yan couldn’t be allowed to live.
He Yan’s existence was a threat to the He family, and constantly reminded him that he wasn’t the Flying Swan General – he could never measure up to the Flying Swan General.
Only after He Yan’s death could He Rufei finally feel at ease.
His swordsmanship was imitated from He Yan’s, yet in this woman’s hands, it seemed as fragile as child’s play. Her mocking gaze and that address of “Elder Brother” made his skin crawl.
The Qing Lang sword had fallen to the ground at some point. He Yan glanced at him, smilingly bent down to pick it up, and looked at He Rufei who had been kicked to his knees. She smiled, “Thank you, Young Master He. The Qing Lang sword is mine from now on.”
Holding a sword in each hand, she turned to walk away from the square.
Everyone was stunned. This couldn’t have happened if He Rufei had been holding back – someone showing mercy wouldn’t have been defeated so pathetically by a woman.
The kneeling posture was quite humiliating.
Yan He frowned and asked Xiao Jue, “Earlier when He Yan was badmouthing He Rufei with me, I thought she was just trying to flatter me. Now it seems she truly has serious grievances with He Rufei. Do you know what he did to offend her?” But before Xiao Jue could answer, he added, “Never mind, I don’t want to know.”
No one in the arena spoke, all shocked by the outcome. Who could have imagined that the Flying Swan General would be defeated by a woman?
Ma Ningbu’s gaze flickered slightly.
Before anyone could speak, He Rufei suddenly sprang up from the ground, drawing a dagger from his robes, and lunged viciously at He Yan.
“Look out!” Lin Shuanghe couldn’t help crying out. Chu Zhao’s gaze also tensed with concern.
He Yan frowned, dodging the attack. He Rufei missed but didn’t give up, his dagger seeming to glint with an unusual sheen, suggesting it might have been poisoned. He pressed forward step by step toward He Yan.
In the next moment, Xiao Jue flew into the arena. He grabbed the Yin Qiu sword from He Yan’s hand, kicked away He Rufei’s dagger, and let his sword blade graze He Rufei’s neck, leaving a thin line of blood.
“Move again,” Xiao Jue’s eyes flashed coldly as he warned, “and I won’t mind having an ‘accident’ right here.”
The cold sensation at his neck brought He Rufei back to his senses. Looking at the man before him, the indifference in Xiao Jue’s eyes made him completely clear-headed. Xiao Jue was different from He Yan – that woman just wanted to frighten him, but this man truly wanted his life.
He Rufei forced a smile: “It was just friendly sparring with the Martial Peace Marquis. Commander Xiao seems overly concerned.”
“Sparring?” Xiao Jue’s gaze was sharp as he sneered, “I didn’t know Young Master He liked to ambush people during sparring. Even more surprising is Young Master He’s competitive spirit.”
At these words, the officials immediately began discussing among themselves.
“Indeed, to ambush a woman like that is most ungentlemanly.”
“One should accept defeat gracefully. Such behavior is unbecoming of a man.”
“The Martial Peace Marquis’s reaction was remarkably quick though. To evade even that – it seems her martial prowess isn’t just empty talk. She truly has real ability. Could it be that General He isn’t her match?”
“What a coincidence that this lady also has the surname He. If she becomes a general in the future, which general do you think would be more formidable?”
As a martial artist, He Rufei’s hearing was exceptional. The officials’ discussions reached his ears, making him clench his fists as his temples throbbed with anger.
Here it was again – He Yan was supposed to be dead, so why had another He Yan appeared with the same name? Why was he still inferior to her?
Up on the Tianxing Platform, Emperor Wenzong’s expression had turned quite dark.
He had originally thought to showcase an elegant sword display before the Wutu envoys, but who could have expected such an outcome? It was utterly humiliating. Not only had He Rufei lost to a woman, but he had lost rather disgracefully. As if that wasn’t enough, he even attempted to ambush her afterward – what kind of behavior was this? Today had truly become a laughingstock.
The Yin Qiu sword remained at his neck. He Rufei’s gaze fell on He Yan standing behind Xiao Jue. Despite the thousands of suspicions in his heart, with so many eyes watching and Xiao Jue protecting her, he could only force an unwilling yet seemingly gracious smile and say, “I admit defeat. Martial Peace Marquis truly lives up to her reputation as a heroine. I was merely jesting with the lady just now, I hope you won’t take offense.”
He Yan looked at him and returned a smile: “It’s nothing. I haven’t taken it to heart.”
He Rufei felt slightly relieved.
As long as He Yan didn’t press the matter, they could temporarily gloss over this incident, and he could plot again slowly in the future. However, he hadn’t expected that Xiao Jue and He Yan had already targeted him – could they have discovered the truth about the previous assassination attempt on He Yan?
Just as He Rufei had this thought, he heard the woman before him laugh lightly and say: “But Young Master He, why do you carry a poisoned dagger in your robes when you already have the Qing Lang sword?”
Her voice was neither loud nor soft, just enough for everyone in the square to hear. In an instant, it was like a stone creating thousands of ripples – the crowd’s gaze toward He Rufei had changed.
“Poisoned? Is it true?”
“Why would the Flying Swan General carry a poisoned dagger?”
He Rufei never expected He Yan to suddenly confront him like this. A flash of panic crossed his face before he rebuked, “What nonsense are you speaking?”
“Oh?” He Yan continued smiling, showing no anger as she said, “Perhaps I was mistaken. In that case, would Young Master He dare to make a small cut on his hand with the dagger? If nothing happens, I’ll believe you that there’s no poison on it.”
He Rufei was speechless.
The dagger was indeed poisoned. If it didn’t draw blood, nothing would happen, but if it did, the poison would quickly seep in, causing death by blood-vomiting within a few steps.
Recently, due to various matters, he had become anxious and suspicious, so he carried this dagger with him. He wouldn’t have used it to harm anyone unless necessary. It was just that this woman’s provocative attitude moments ago had reminded him of the dead He Yan, easily triggering the violence and anger in his heart, causing him to lose control. Now, he had unwittingly fallen into Xiao Jue’s trap.
Wait – a terrifying thought crossed his mind. Had He Yan deliberately provoked him for this moment? But how did she know he was carrying this dagger? He Yan was just a woman, she couldn’t possibly… then it must be Xiao Jue… Did Xiao Jue have people inside the He residence?
His prolonged silence appeared as guilt to the onlookers. Regardless of other matters, just from this match alone, He Rufei’s reputation had plummeted in the officials’ eyes. If what He Yan said was true about the poisoned dagger, then He Rufei’s sneak attack when she was leaving wasn’t just about being a sore loser – it was vicious and cruel. If Xiao Jue hadn’t intervened, who knows what might have happened?
Was this really what the Flying Swan General of Great Wei was like?
Emperor Wenzong felt his face had been completely disgraced today and didn’t want to say anything. Xu Jingfu, standing among the civil officials, had a face so dark it could drip water. He Rufei had proved so useless, losing to a woman and then getting caught in a trap. Since Xiao Jue had intervened, it seemed He Rufei had fallen into these two people’s schemes without realizing it from the start. But… Xu Jingfu pondered, what was Xiao Jue’s ultimate goal in setting up such an elaborate trap?
Lin Shuanghe suddenly spoke up: “Your Majesty, this humble one can tell at a glance whether Young Master He’s dagger is poisoned or not. Why not let me take a look to prevent misunderstanding between the two generals that might harm their relationship?”
To be fair, Lin Shuanghe held no ill will toward He Rufei. Unlike Yan He, he and He Rufei still shared the camaraderie of former classmates who had “progressed together.” Though he didn’t know what had happened between Xiao Jue and He Rufei, based on his understanding of He Rufei, he shouldn’t be the type to resort to sneak attacks. There must be some misunderstanding, and at this point, he still hoped Xiao Jue and He Rufei could mend their relationship, or at least not remain so hostile.
He meant well, but unexpectedly, He Rufei paused upon hearing this and gritted his teeth before saying: “There’s no need. The dagger is indeed poisoned.”
The officials erupted in an uproar.
Emperor Wenzong thundered: “He Rufei, what was your purpose in bringing a poisoned dagger to the Tianxing Platform?”
Hearing this, He Rufei immediately fell to his knees, prostrating himself before Emperor Wenzong. Looking up, he said: “Your Majesty, Shuo Capital has been unstable these days. A few days ago, assassins attacked me while I was out, and recently, thieves broke into my residence. Suspecting someone might harm me secretly, I kept a dagger in my robes to prevent accidents. In the heat of the moment during the sparring with the Martial Peace Marquis, I forgot the impropriety of the dagger. I am ashamed and request Your Majesty’s punishment.”
He Yan watched him smoothly fabricate lies, raising an eyebrow involuntarily. He Rufei was indeed talented, coming up with an excuse in such a short time. Though the excuse was barely passable, it was an excuse nonetheless.
Seeing this, Xu Jingfu also stepped forward: “Your Majesty, this old minister has also heard about the theft at General He’s residence. Though carrying a dagger is inappropriate, it’s not a capital offense. Today’s feast at the Tianxing Platform should not see bloodshed. I hope Your Majesty will be lenient. However, General He’s action was indeed dangerous – if he had accidentally injured the Martial Peace Marquis, I fear Commander Xiao would have flown into a rage for his beloved.”
His words were light and teasing, clearly trying to downplay the incident. After all, he and He Rufei had many secret connections. If something truly happened to He Rufei, it would be troublesome if he were implicated.
Xu Jingfu looked at He Yan and smiled: “The Martial Peace Marquis must have been quite startled.”
Everyone watched the interaction between Xu Jingfu and Xiao Jue. These two were known enemies throughout the court. While Xiao Jue was famously ruthless and cold-hearted, his fiancée, the Martial Peace Marquis, always wore a smile and spoke to others with gentle propriety, appearing to be quite approachable. Moreover, in front of so many people, if He Yan pressed the matter too hard, she would not only appear unreasonable as a woman but would also displease Emperor Wenzong.
After all, this was an internal matter, best not to make too much of it in front of outsiders.
Xu Jingfu had offered a way out, and Emperor Wenzong was happy to take it, saying: “He Rufei, quickly apologize to the Martial Peace Marquis!”
He Rufei hurriedly cupped his hands toward He Yan and bowed: “I apologize, Martial Peace Marquis. During our sparring, I alone was too competitive and nearly hurt Lady He. Fortunately, you were unharmed.” Though he spoke to He Yan, his gaze was fixed on Xiao Jue beside her. In He Rufei’s view, He Yan’s actions must have been under Xiao Jue’s instructions. He wasn’t worried about He Yan but couldn’t help feeling wary of Xiao Jue.
Yet within his wariness, He Rufei felt some satisfaction.
What could Xiao Jue do? Once Emperor Wenzong spoke, no matter how dissatisfied he was, he could only let the matter drop. Minister Xu was truly formidable – it wasn’t in vain that he had sacrificed one of his confidants to establish a connection with Xu Jingfu.
Just as he was thinking this, he saw Great Wei’s Right Army Commander standing before him, looking down with silent mockery in his eyes, as if watching a clown perform. Anger rose in his heart, but before he could speak, He Yan spoke up.
He Yan said: “Young Master He needn’t apologize to me. After all, you didn’t harm me. If you had harmed His Majesty today, Young Master He would truly be dead.”
He Rufei’s face changed: “What are you saying?” He instinctively looked toward the emperor on the Tianxing Platform.
“I’m saying,” He Yan bent down to pick up the dagger He Rufei had dropped, turning it playfully in her hand before looking at him, and continued leisurely, “Did Young Master He go to such lengths to hide a dagger on his person really to harm me? I’m just a woman, why would Young Master He go to such trouble? The person Young Master He truly wants to harm… is Your Majesty, isn’t it?”
Her final words were sharp as a knife, startling everyone present.
“He Yan!” He Rufei cut her off before she could continue, “Stop slandering me! This is a false accusation. Your Majesty,” he quickly looked toward Emperor Wenzong, crying out in grievance, “Your subject absolutely harbors no such treasonous thoughts. I don’t know how I’ve offended the Martial Peace Marquis or Commander Xiao to deserve such unjust accusations.”
Xu Jingfu hadn’t expected He Yan to directly accuse He Rufei of regicide. He quickly said: “Martial Peace Marquis, such words cannot be spoken lightly. General He merely accidentally injured you during sparring, why drive him to such desperate straits?”
“Your Majesty, this humble subject once followed the Fuyu Army to quell the rebellion, only wishing for Great Wei’s peace and prosperity. My life’s wish is to guard Great Wei’s territory for Your Majesty, with absolute loyalty. Your Majesty, please believe in your subject’s devotion!” He Rufei cried out.
Ma Ningbu’s eyes widened slightly. This development was truly unexpected and interesting. Although He Rufei had cooperated with the Wutu people, they never truly trusted him. After all, He Rufei’s military leadership was well-known. If Great Wei’s two famous generals united, it would not bode well for the Wutu nation. Now that they were fighting amongst themselves, as long as one of the emperor’s arms was broken, a gap could be torn in Great Wei.
He chose not to speak.
The emperor sat on his high seat, looking down at his repeatedly kowtowing subject with a peculiar expression.
Though he was a mediocre emperor unskilled in state affairs, he possessed the natural quality of imperial suspicion. Once a seed of doubt was planted, his view of people inevitably changed.
The military officers, hearing He Rufei’s words, felt sympathy and couldn’t help speaking up for him.
“Indeed, General He risked his life to quell the Western Qiang rebellion, his loyalty is evident to all. How could he harbor thoughts of harming His Majesty?”
“The Martial Peace Marquis’s words go too far. If he truly meant harm, why would he risk his life in battle?”
“I heard from people in the military camps that the Flying Swan General is loyal and fearless, definitely not such a person.”
Various discussions reached He Yan’s ears. She smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. When the scene gradually quieted down, she slowly spoke: “The Flying Swan General is patriotic and loyal, majestic and awe-inspiring, worth a thousand soldiers, unmatched in the world. Of course, they would never commit treason or regicide.”
“However,” she smiled at He Rufei, her gaze gradually turning cold, “Young Master He, are you the Flying Swan General?”
He Rufei felt as if he’d fallen into an ice pit.
The woman before him looked at him with a cold smile, her gaze so dismissive, as if looking at an insignificant ant.
She looked down on him.
Chu Zhao started, while someone beside him muttered: “What does the Martial Peace Marquis mean? What does she mean by asking if General He is the Flying Swan General? Of course General He is the Flying Swan General!”
Yan He frowned, his gaze on He Rufei becoming scrutinizing.
He Rufei said: “What are you say-“
“I’m saying,” this time, before he could finish, He Yan interrupted him, “Young Master He, aren’t you tired of pretending to be the Flying Swan General for so long?”
“I think it’s time to take off that mask you’re wearing,” she said coolly.
The Tianxing Platform immediately erupted in commotion.
Even with Emperor Wenzong present, the situation could no longer be contained. For a moment, He Rufei felt as if he had been stripped naked under the blazing sun, the light so bright he couldn’t open his eyes. Xu Zhiheng was equally thunderstruck.
His legs trembled, his eyes full of panic, with only one thought in mind: run, run quickly. But as he tried to move, he found his legs had turned to jelly, without the strength to take even a single step.
“What nonsense are you speaking,” He Rufei struggled to maintain his composure, saying hatefully: “Has the Martial Peace Marquis lost her mind? What do you mean by pretending to be the Flying Swan General, what mask… His Majesty personally appointed me as the Flying Swan General, how could it be fake? You’re just making up crimes. I thought the Martial Peace Marquis was a heroine with a broad mind, but didn’t expect such narrow-mindedness. Had I known, I wouldn’t have sparred with you.”
“At this point, what’s the use of saying such things?” He Yan looked down at him, “You’ve pretended to be the Flying Swan General for so long, yet haven’t learned even a fraction of her character. The Flying Swan General owned up to their actions, but you – having done what you did, why can’t you admit it now at the end?”
“Martial Peace Marquis,” Emperor Wenzong looked at He Yan, his gaze unfathomable, “What do you mean by this?”
“Your Majesty,” He Yan bowed to Emperor Wenzong, “The Flying Swan General would never betray Great Wei or Your Majesty, but Young Master He would. This Young Master He is not the real Flying Swan General.”
“You’re speaking nonsense!” He Rufei couldn’t help but say: “If I’m not the Flying Swan General, then who is?”
He Yan’s lips curled into a smile, her tone eerily gentle, “Young Master He, have you truly forgotten about your cousin who died from drowning?”
At these words, the entire scene fell silent.
Xu Zhiheng nearly fainted, Xu Jingfu turned pale, and Emperor Wenzong coughed several times while clutching his chest. The attending eunuch quickly offered a handkerchief to massage his chest before the emperor said: “He Yan, do you know what you’re saying?”
The Wutu envoys, the sword dance – none of that mattered anymore. Emperor Wenzong stared intently at He Rufei on the ground. The meaning behind He Yan’s words was clear with just a moment’s thought. Yet no one discussed it, simply because the truth was too shocking.
Wei Xuanzhang stared with wide eyes full of disbelief. Yan He’s brows were tightly knitted, while Lin Shuanghe stared blankly at He Rufei, unable to accept what he had just heard.
“Your Majesty.” Xiao Jue, who had rarely spoken, finally stepped forward. He glanced at He Rufei before saying: “The First Young Master He is not the Flying Swan General, or rather, the Flying Swan General who led the Fuyu Army to quell the Western Qiang rebellion on the battlefield and the Flying Swan General who later returned to the capital to accept honors were not the same person.”
“This Young Master He doesn’t know how to fight battles, he only knows how to accept rewards.”
The Tianxing Platform fell into complete silence.
Emperor Wenzong’s voice contained controlled anger: “Is there evidence?”
Xiao Jue’s lips curved: “Yes.”