While Chu Zhao and Xiao Jue were talking outside, He Yan was in the room. She wanted to eavesdrop, but even when she put her ear to the door, all she could hear was the sound of the wind outside. She originally wanted to wait for Xiao Jue to finish talking and come back to ask what was going on, but after a long time, Xiao Jue didn't come back. Unknowingly, she fell asleep. When she woke up the next day, Chu Zhao and Ying Xiang were no longer in the Liang Province Guards.
They had left early in the morning with their guards.
After Chu Zhao left, Lin Shuanghe was the happiest. He Yan didn't understand this either. Logically speaking, Lin Shuanghe and Chu Zhao had never been on bad terms. However, seeing how happy Lin Shuanghe was, it was probably because he was sincerely happy that Chu Zhao had left.
Xiao Jue didn't speak in a strange tone like she had in the past few days. He Yan let out a sigh of relief. Chu Zhao's early departure was probably a good thing for him and everyone else.
The Liang Province Guards regained their peace and continued their daily training. However, He Yan knew that these peaceful days wouldn't last long. Just as Chu Zhao had said, changes had already occurred. The appearance of the Uto would shake Da Wei.
On this day, He Yan was following the Nan Fu soldiers to train their horses and bows. It was already the middle of May. Summer came earlier in the Liang Province Guards than in other places. The heat enveloped everyone. Because the days were longer, both the Nan Fu soldiers and the Liang Province Guards had twice as long to train.
She climbed down the mountain and dismounted from her horse. Her entire body was dripping wet as if she had just been fished out of the water. She picked up a handkerchief from the side and wiped her sweat. This was the last lap. Tian Lang looked at He Yan and nodded slightly. The new recruits from the Liang Province Guard were able to keep up with the pace of the Southern Prefecture Soldiers, and even their archery and equestrian skills were considered exceptional among the Southern Prefecture Soldiers. This was truly not bad.
The Liang Province Guards' martial arts practice field had long since dispersed. The people from Hong Shan, who were waiting to eat with He Yan, were watching from the side. He Yan tied up the horse and returned the bow and arrow before walking towards them in large strides.
Xiao Mai's eyes lit up as she stared at him. "A He Ge, how did your archery skills improve so much? I saw it clearly just now. You hit the bullseye every time. "
In just over a year, Xiao Mai had grown a lot taller. Previously, He Yan could still stand on her tiptoes and hook her arm around his shoulders, but now she had to raise her head slightly to look at him. She smiled and said, "You've also become much more powerful."
"What's the point of complimenting each other?" Wang Ba poured cold water on them. "Can you compliment each other?"
Everyone knew his temperament, so they didn't argue with him. They just walked towards the place where they were eating. When they arrived, they took the steamed buns and vegetable porridge. Everyone found a place to sit down. He Yan lowered his head to take a sip of porridge. Then, he heard Jiang Jiao say, "Do you know about the Rundu?"
"The Rundu?" Before He Yan could speak, Huang Xiong spoke first. "When I was chasing after my enemy, I passed by the Rundu. It's a small town. That place is rich in grapes. The grapes are like purple jade, sweet and big."
"Really?" Xiao Mai licked her lips. "Is the Rundu far away? I've only eaten sour grapes. I've never eaten sweet ones! "
Huang Xiong thought for a moment. "It's about a month's journey from here."
He Yan asked, "Brother Jiang, why did you mention the Rundu?"
Jiang Jiao sighed. "Today, I went to look for Shen Jiaotou. I wanted Shen Jiaotou to help me send a letter back to the capital. I wanted to ask for a new spear. When I went in, I happened to hear Shen Jiaotou and Coach Ma talking. "
Everyone looked at Jiang Jiao and waited for him to finish.
"It turns out that during the battle in Hua Yuan, the Uto split into two groups. One group attacked Hua Yuan, while the other attacked the Rundu, which is not far from Hua Yuan. Hua Yuan is bigger and has more people than the Rundu. General Feihong is also guarding it. Although they suffered heavy losses, they still managed to defend it. However, the situation in the Rundu isn't good. It's a small town, and there aren't many soldiers and horses in the town. If the Uto doesn't have outside help, it's only a matter of time before the city gate is lost. "
"It's actually that serious?" Hong Shan was stunned.
They were far away in Liangzhou, which was practically the most remote place in Da Wei. It was a place where chickens lay eggs and birds didn't shit. They couldn't get any news at all. How could the situation outside be so bad?
"Then what should we do?" Xiao Mai asked anxiously. "We can't just ignore the lives of the people in the city."
"Hua Yuan is close to the Rundu. If the Uto in Hua Yuan retreats, General Feihong can bring the remaining Fuyue Army to support the Rundu." Shi Tou said seriously. "The Rundu won't fall."
"That's good." Hong Shan was relieved. "With General Feihong and the Fuyue Army, the Rundu will be saved."
While everyone was talking, Jiang Jiao looked at He Yan. "Brother He, why aren't you saying anything?"
He Yan lowered her head and didn't say anything. She didn't touch the food in front of her either. No one knew what she was thinking about. When she heard Jiang Jiao's question, she raised her head. Her eyes were shockingly bright, as if there was a fire burning in them. Everyone was shocked.
"… Are you okay?" Wang Ba waved at her suspiciously.
He Yan took a deep breath. "I'm fine."
She asked Jiang Jiao, "Do you know what's the situation in the Rundu?"
Jiang Jiao shook his head. "I only heard half of it before Shen Jiaotou found out. Shen Jiaotou didn't want to tell me the details. I think he's afraid that the Liangzhou soldiers' morale would be unstable. " He sighed again. "But I don't understand. We came so far away and trained so hard every day. Isn't it so that we can defend our country when the enemy invades? Now, the people of Da Wei are suffering, but we're still training as usual. If this isn't deceiving ourselves, then what is? What's the point of joining the army? "
The young men already had a ball of fire in their hearts, and when they encountered an enemy coming to their doorstep, they couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. It would be harder than ascending to the heavens for them to pretend that they didn't know anything.
"You're wrong," Hong Shan said. "If they don't need us, it means that the situation isn't that bad. The Uto isn't that arrogant. If they really need us, it means that they've already lost their composure to the point of no return. The people of Da Wei will suffer even more. Wouldn't that be worse? "
Jiang Jiao thought about it and felt that what Hong Shan said made sense. He didn't say anything else.
Xiao Mai asked, "A He Ge, do you think that General Feihong will win or lose after they reinforce the Rundu?"
"Do you even need to ask?" Wang Ba answered without thinking. "I heard that the 150,000 Fuyue Army lost less than 50,000 soldiers at Hua Yuan. They still have 100,000 soldiers left. The Rundu is just a small city. There shouldn't be many Uto entering the Rundu. With the soldiers and horses in the city, even a fool can win. General Feihong can even defend Hua Yuan. There's no reason that they can't defend this small city. I think you're all worrying for nothing. If you have the time to worry about others, why don't you worry about yourselves? When will we be able to eat meat for every meal! "
His words were always unpleasant to the ears. Everyone ignored him. Xiao Mai looked at He Yan again. "A He Ge, do you also think that General Feihong will win?"
He Yan lowered her head and looked at the porridge in her bowl. The porridge was very thin and clear. She slowly opened her mouth and said calmly, "I don't think that he will reinforce the Rundu."
After eating with Hong Shan and the others, He Yan didn't talk to them as usual. She only said that she was tired from the training and wanted to go back early to rest.
On the way back, He Yan kept thinking about what Jiang Jiao said.
Uto will attack the Rundu? In fact, based on the distance between Hua Yuan and the Rundu, it was natural for He Rufei to reinforce the Rundu. Everyone thought so. Because of this, when He Yan said that He Rufei wouldn't reinforce the Rundu, even Xiao Mai, who was usually the most vague, didn't believe it.
"Why? General Feihong has already won the battle. Hua Yuan can't be saved. He can't just stand by and do nothing, right? General Feihong is definitely not someone who will leave someone in the lurch! "
He Yan didn't know whether to be happy or sad when she heard this. She was happy that her hard work over the past few years was seen by everyone. She was also very competent as General Feihong. She was sad that He Rufei was the impression that others had of her. She was completely unguarded against He Rufei, giving him countless opportunities to take advantage of her.
He Rufei obviously wouldn't reinforce the Rundu. This was because the Rundu's City Commander, Li Kuang, had worked with General Feihong for a period of time. Li Kuang knew "General Feihong". He Rufei would be exposed as long as he interacted with Li Kuang. He Rufei knew this, so he would definitely think of ways to delay. He would probably only appear after Li Kuang died and the Rundu fell.
In order to prevent her identity from being exposed, He Rufei was willing to sacrifice the lives of an entire city of people to accompany her.
Back then, she had also stayed in the Rundu for a short period of time. However, at that time, the people who harassed the Rundu weren't from the Utopia Kingdom, but from the Western Qiang Kingdom. She had fought in the Rundu and had formed a friendship with the people there. Now that she heard news about the Rundu, she couldn't remain indifferent, whether it was for public or private reasons.
The house was right in front of her. Looking through the window, she saw that Xiao Jue's house was lit. He Yan walked to the door, hesitated for a moment, and gently knocked on the door.
"Come in."
He Yan pushed the door open and walked in. Fei Nu was standing at the side. Xiao Jue was holding a letter in his hand. After He Yan came in, he put down the letter. After closing the door behind him, He Yan walked over and said, "Commander-in-chief."
He glanced at He Yan. Seeing that He Yan was deeply worried, he asked, "What's the matter?"
"… Commander-in-chief, you already know about the Rundu?"
Xiao Jue raised her eyebrows. "You're also very well-informed."
"I found out when I heard Chief Instructor Shen talking to someone." He Yan took a step forward. "Commander-in-chief, will the Rundu be conquered by the Uto?"
Xiao Jue's mouth twitched. "No, He Rufei is in Hua Yuan. Hua Yuan is only three to four days away from the Rundu. "
He seemed to be very relieved.
He Yan gritted his teeth. "Then, what if General Feihong is not willing to support the Rundu? What if something happens on the way there? "
As soon as she said this, Xiao Jue looked at her. His expression was calm, but his gaze was sharp, as if he wanted to see through her. He only said, "Do you think so?"
He Yan knew that he was suspicious. However, the lives of tens of thousands of people in the Rundu could not be sacrificed in vain. She said perfunctorily, "I've never met General Feihong. Although everyone says that he's powerful, I can't be sure that it's just empty words. He led 150,000 Fuyue Army troops to fight the Uto a few days ago. He actually lost tens of thousands of his troops, and it was so difficult for him to even win. He's not as powerful as you and I in Jiyang City. Maybe he's actually very weak … he's just a coward. When he heard about the Rundu, he retreated at the last minute and refused to support them. He's just like a coward! "
The person who was scolding was He Rufei. He Yan felt no guilt at all. Fei Nu's face twitched when he heard this. He couldn't help but say, "No, during the Western Qiang Rebellion, General Feihong also went everywhere to support them. He was also stationed in the Rundu before, and he's an old acquaintance of the city's Chief Soldier. As long as the Rundu asks him for help, General Feihong will definitely not leave them in the lurch. "
He Yan thought that it was precisely because Li Kuang was an old acquaintance of hers that the Rundu was facing a disaster!
However, she couldn't say this to anyone else. He Yan was anxious and angry. She didn't expect that her good reputation had spread so far and wide. Even if she wanted to smear it now, no one would believe her.
Xiao Jue looked at her thoughtfully. "What do you plan to do?"
Did she want to hear her opinion? He Yan considered her words carefully. "Governor, we've been training in the Liang Province Guard for more than a year. The Liang Province Guard and the South Mansion Guard are quite a few. Not to mention the South Mansion Guard, the new recruits of the Liang Province Guard have long been eager to see a real battlefield. Why don't we use this opportunity to train them? How about we go support the Rundu? "
She looked at Xiao Jue expectantly, hoping that Xiao Jue would agree to her request, even though the chances were slim.
As expected, Xiao Jue sneered when she heard this. "From the Liang Province Guard to the Rundu, it takes more than a month. From Hua Yuan to the Rundu, it only takes three to four days. If you don't ask for Hua Yuan's support, the Liang Province Guard's troops will travel over land and water to support you. He Yan, is your brain damaged? "
He Yan also knew that normal people would think this way. Even Li Kuang wouldn't dare to think this way. However, she still wanted to fight for the people of the Rundu. He Yan insisted, "Governor, think about it again. The Rundu is only a small city. Why are the Western Qiang People and the Uto fighting over this place? As long as we take the Rundu, the neighboring Jinling will suffer. The Uto are heading north for the imperial capital. "
"We can't lose the Rundu!"
The young man's tone was stubborn. Fei Nu couldn't help but say, "Young Master He, we all know that we can't lose the Rundu. However, even if Young Master wants to go to the Rundu, he still has to ask for His Majesty's permission. It's already been two months. I'm afraid that the battle in the Rundu has already ended. Moreover, if General Feihong doesn't provide support, the possibility of this happening is too small. You don't have to worry at all. "
In their eyes, He Yan's actions could be considered as groundless fears.
Xiao Jue said, "The Nan Fu Army has its own position. You can stop thinking about it now and don't mention it again in the future."
She actually flatly rejected him.
He Yan sighed in his heart. Fei Nu's words weren't without reason. Prime Minister Xu was eyeing covetously in the imperial court. Xiao Jue came to the Liang Province Guards precisely because she wanted to avoid the sharp edge and bide her time. If she acted rashly now, it would be hard to avoid gossip. This matter couldn't involve Xiao Jue, but what about the people of the Rundu?
She replied somewhat dejectedly, "I understand." She said goodbye to Xiao Jue and returned to her room.
After He Yan left, Xiao Jue looked at the flickering candlelight in the oil lamp and said, "He Yan doesn't seem right."
Fei Nu asked, "Young Master, do you suspect her?"
Xiao Jue shook her head and said after a while, "Go and check if there have been any changes in the Rundu recently."
After returning from Xiao Jue's room, He Yan washed up with a heavy heart and lay on the bed. The lamp had been blown out. The moonlight shone in from the window and fell on the floor in front of the window. It was as if a layer of frost had been sprinkled on the floor, making the summer night seem even colder.
The last time she went back to the Rundu was a few years ago. At that time, she wasn't General Feihong yet. She was already a Deputy General and fought with the Fuyue Army against the Xi Qiang people in the Rundu. The Rundu was a small city. The Xi Qiang people killed people outside the Rundu and hung their heads on the flagpoles outside the city to show off.
At that time, the Fuyue Army soldiers who went with her were filled with hatred. Even though they didn't have the advantage in numbers, they still defeated the Xi Qiang people after a fierce battle. The wound on her shoulder had been inflicted at that time. During the battle, she couldn't pull out the arrow. After the battle, she pulled out the arrow herself and almost fainted.
The next day, Li Kuang's concubine came over with a basket of sparkling grapes. She looked at He Yan with a smile and said, "There isn't anything good in the Rundu. These are the best grapes. Deputy General He, take your time and eat them." Behind her, there were many citizens of the Rundu. One of them was holding a chicken, while the other was holding two eggs. They all came to express their gratitude to her.
Not long after that battle, He Yan was promoted.
He Yan had deep feelings for every place where she fought a bloody battle. She knew very well that He Rufei wouldn't go to help the Rundu. Li Kuang was just waiting for death by guarding the city. Without reinforcements, the citizens in the city would eventually die under the Uto's blade.
She couldn't let this happen. If the Southern Prefecture Soldiers and the Liangzhou Guards couldn't move, even if she was alone, she would still go to the Rundu. The Rundu's soldiers might have a chance to survive if they fought with their backs to the wall.
But how could she go to the Rundu? If she ran away now … if she was caught in the future, she would be disobeying a military order and would be beheaded. He Rufei's true colors hadn't been exposed yet. If she died now, she would lose everything in the future. If her death could be exchanged for the lives of tens of thousands of citizens, it would be worth it. But she was in the Southern Prefecture Soldiers. If someone used this to threaten Xiao Jue and thought that it was Xiao Jue's order, what would she do if Xiao Jue was implicated?
But she couldn't just watch the tens of thousands of people in Rundu wait to die.
This was a dilemma. He Yan was thinking when her fingers touched something cold under her pillow. She subconsciously looked at it under the moonlight and found that it was an exquisite seal. There was a small "Wu An" engraved on it.
Mu An Lang's seal was handed to her along with the imperial edict when it arrived in Liangzhou. But this official position didn't have any real power, so He Yan didn't take it to heart and just put it under her pillow. But now that she suddenly saw it, she suddenly had a flash of inspiration. She immediately sat up and held the seal in her palm.
Yes, she wasn't just a soldier of the Southern Prefecture Soldiers. To be precise, she was Mu An Lang personally appointed by His Majesty. Chu Zhao was right about one thing. She was controlled by Xiao Jue, but she wasn't Xiao Jue's soldier. If she went to the Rundu this time, as long as she had the seal, she could say that it was her own will. Xiao Jue wouldn't know. Even if they investigated in the future, Xiao Jue wouldn't be implicated.
As for herself …
In a way, she was also responsible for the current situation in the Rundu. She had led the Fuyue Army to defend the Rundu once. She could definitely defend the Rundu a second time.
She had to go to the Rundu herself.
Since she had made up her mind that night, He Yan was no longer as conflicted as she was the first time. Ever since she returned to the Liangzhou Guards, she hadn't missed a single day of her daily training, so she didn't have to worry about her skills. She also used the excuse of training horses to touch the horses in the stable a few times. She remembered the one she liked the most and planned to take it with her when she left.
As for other things like hidden weapons, whips, and medicine, He Yan packed them all up since she still had some left in her room. The most important thing was that she had been to the Rundu before, but she hadn't tried to go to the Rundu from the Liangzhou Guards. The journey was long and she couldn't take a wrong turn. After all, every day in the Rundu was difficult. If she took a wrong turn, not only would she waste time, but she would also lose her life.
Fortunately, there were always people in the camp who knew the way.
He Yan pretended to be very interested in the Rundu. Apart from her daily training, she would talk to people who had been to the Rundu before. She asked them what they had to pass on the way from the Liangzhou Guards to the Rundu, and if they might take a wrong turn. Actually, Huang Xiong had been there before, but Huang Xiong didn't know the way, so he could only give up.
Xiao Mai asked, "Does A He Ge want to go to the Rundu to eat grapes? Why are you suddenly so interested in the Rundu?"
Shi Tou looked at He Yan's enthusiasm and lowered his head thoughtfully.
In two days, a complete map was drawn from the Liangzhou Guards to the Rundu. He Yan spread out the map on the table. According to the shortcut on the map, if she continued to travel without rest, she might be able to reach the Rundu in less than a month. But … could Li Kuang really last a month?
There was no point in thinking too much. The most important thing now was to set off. He Yan carried the cloth bag on her back. Before she left, she looked at the two items at the bottom of the wooden drawer. She had brought these two items from Jiyang. One of them was the dough figurine that Xiao Jue had bought for her during the Water God Festival. Now that the dough had dried up, she carefully wrapped it in a handkerchief. The other item was the wooden carving that Mu Yi had given her. The carving depicted a female general holding a whip and looking majestic.
He Yan looked at it and smiled. She shook her head and put the items back into the wooden drawer. She couldn't take these items with her. If they were left here, they would probably be thrown away like the other items in the room.
She had already packed everything. Before she left, He Yan turned around and looked at the door. The door was tightly shut. It was already late at night. Xiao Jue had already fallen asleep. This time, she had left quietly to go to the dangerous battlefield of the Rundu. It was hard to say if she would be able to see Xiao Jue again alive. But even if she was alive, she didn't know what it would be like when they met again.
"Goodbye," she said silently in her heart. She turned around and gently pushed open the door in front of her.
Outside, the night was dark and gloomy. The moon was covered by dark clouds, and only a few scattered stars shone on the distant mountain forest. He Yan was stunned for a moment. In an instant, it was as if she had returned to many years ago when she first packed her things and left the He Family. At that time, she was just like now. She didn't know what the road ahead was like. She didn't know whether the future would be happy or sad. She just walked forward with large strides.
But now, it was different from many years ago. She was no longer confused or at a loss. She knew the direction she wanted to go and was sure of every decision she made.
Just like that, she walked forward without regret.
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