The moment he said this, no one in the room said anything. Even Lin Shuanghe, who had never cared about the affairs of the state, looked puzzled when he heard this.
After all, the enemy had led their troops to invade and suffered defeat, yet the emperor was still thinking for them. It sounded like a joke.
"Right now, in the imperial court, the crown prince, Prime Minister Xu, and the civil officials are mostly in favor of peace. The generals have yet to express their opinions." Yang Mingzhi looked at Xiao Jue, "I want to ask you, what are you going to do?"
"Do you even need to ask?" Yan He said, "We are not weak. If someone slaps us in the face, why should we let them slap us in the face? I will chase the Uto back home and make sure they don't dare to step into Da Wei in the future! "
"Then I can rest assured." Yang Mingzhi said in a low voice, "It's just that … I don't know if your words can change the emperor's mind."
After talking about the recent movements of the Uto, everyone got up and left their seats. Because of the news sent by Yang Mingzhi, Xiao Jue and the others didn't plan to stay in Jinling for another two days. Since the Uto emissary was already on his way to Shuo Jing, they had to hurry back to Shuo Jing to meet the emperor. Right now, Shuo Jing was mostly under Prime Minister Xu. Even if they weren't under Prime Minister Xu, they were still suppressed and didn't dare to speak. If they really agreed to the Uto's request for peace and even set up a battlefield in Da Wei, it would only be harmful to the people of Da Wei.
After regrouping the troops, everyone had lunch and was about to set off. Xiao Jue and He Yan rode at the front with the troops. He Yan and Lin Shuanghe sat in a carriage. Chu Zhao and Ying Xiang's carriage was at the back.
Between the two horses riding side by side, Xiao Jue opened his mouth and said, "Have you seen He Rufei after the Xianchang Mansion?"
Yan He paused and said, "I'm not familiar with him. I've only seen him a few times after he was made a general, but I only saw him from afar. However, ever since he was made a general, other than the battle in Hua Yuan, have you ever seen him lead an army? I think he's been living a comfortable life for too long. That's why he's so weak in the battle of Hua Yuan. Why are you asking him? You want to catch up with him? "
Xiao Jue did not answer his question. She continued to ask, "He Rufei that you met later, what was the difference between him and the past?"
"What's the difference?" Yan He frowned. "How would I know? I wasn't following him the whole time. However, he had grown a little over the years and was a little taller than before. Before I went to Ling County, I heard that the He Family had the intention to marry a wife for him. Xiao Huaijin. "He glanced at his companion beside him." If He Rufei marries a wife before you … You won't lose to He Rufei, right? "
Xiao Jue couldn't be bothered to pay attention to him and rode off.
He Yan, who was in the horse carriage, did not know that Xiao Jue and Yan He had such a conversation. The closer she got to Shuo Jing, the heavier her worries became. Lin Shuanghe also noticed it. He sat opposite her and asked, "Younger Sister He, what's wrong with you? When I saw you in the Rundu, I felt that something was wrong. It was as if you had something on your mind. You didn't even talk much these days. What kind of trouble did you encounter? If you have any difficulties, just tell me. I'll help you think of a solution. "
He Yan smiled bitterly.
She was only thinking about how to expose He Rufei when she returned to Shuo Jing. Now that she had become Mu An Lang, her identity was closer to the He Family and Xu Family than her previous identity as the military officer's daughter. However, the official position of "Mu An Lang" had many restrictions. He Rufei's trusted aides who could prove the truth were all killed by He Rufei. It was difficult to get a witness, so she could only start from another place. The Xu Family was the one who kept this secret.
If she could start from the Xu Family, the Xu Family would pull the He Family out to protect themselves … They would panic. An alliance formed for benefits would not be stable.
He Yan was deep in thought when Lin Shuanghe suddenly stretched out his hand in front of her. "Younger Sister He?"
He Yan looked at him and said, "I'm thinking about what I should do when I return to the capital." She counted with her fingers. "Brother Lin, you know that I escaped from Shuo Jing and got involved in a lawsuit. Everyone in the neighborhood knows that I'm a woman. Now is not the time to swagger back. I'm afraid that I can only see my father and brother secretly. "She thought for a moment." When His Majesty conferred the title, I left some money. It's enough to rent a small house, but it's inconvenient for me to show my face. If Brother Lin has a lot of connections, can you help me arrange it? I'll naturally give you the money without missing a single cent. "
Lin Shuanghe heard her words and slapped his thigh. "I thought it was some trouble. It's a small matter. Leave it to me. "He lifted the curtain of the carriage and shouted," Huaijin, Huaijin! "
Xiao Jue paused and slowed down his pace. He rode his horse back to the front of the carriage and asked, "What's the matter?"
Lin Shuanghe smiled at him. "I just promised Brother He that when I return to Shuo Jing, I'll rent a house for him in the city. But you also know that renting a house is not something that can be done overnight. Before we find a good residence, can Brother He stay in your residence? Xiao family's courtyard is big and spacious. It shouldn't be difficult to give a room to Brother He, right? "
He Yan never thought that Lin Shuanghe would say this. He hurriedly said, "Brother Lin, that's not what you said just now. Governor, it's okay. I'll just find an inn outside … "
"Staying in an inn costs more money." Lin Shuanghe said, "You're still so young. How can you be so extravagant? Don't you know the benefits of being thrifty? Listen to me and stay in Huaijin's house. Huaijin, can you give me a definite answer? "
Xiao Jue glanced at He Yan. He Yan's body stiffened. He saw Xiao Jue lightly nod his head. "Okay."
He Yan: "… …"
After saying this, Xiao Jue rode his horse forward. Lin Shuanghe lowered the curtain of the carriage and looked at He Yan proudly. "See, now isn't it the best of both worlds?"
He Yan leaned weakly against the carriage. He thought to himself, this is really an ill-fated relationship. Not only did they not keep their distance, but they were getting closer and closer. They were even living in Xiao Jue's house.
Although living in Xiao Jue's house did have its benefits. If she followed Xiao Jue on various occasions, she might have a higher chance of meeting Xu Zhiheng and He Rufei. She might even be able to find some useful clues.
She suppressed the almost imperceptible joy in her heart and coughed lightly. In her heart, she secretly said to herself, it must be like this.
In the Shuo capital, the Xu family's study room. A servant was guarding the door. Someone was talking inside.
Two people were sitting in front of a small table. One of them was wearing a green robe and looked refined. The other was also a handsome young master. However, there was a reserved and deep aura between his eyebrows. The two of them were looking at the chessboard in front of them. The black and white pieces on the chessboard were scattered all over. It looked like a chaotic game.
These two people, one of them was the eldest son of the Xu family, the current Hanlin Academy scholar Xu Zhiheng. The other person was He Rufei, who had just returned to the capital not long ago. He had defeated Uto at Hua Yuan.
"Second Young Master Xiao is about to return to the capital." Xu Zhiheng placed down a piece. "After Guide Zhonglang and Second Young Master Xiao return to the capital, they will definitely speak to His Majesty and advocate that Uto be chased out of Da Wei."
He Rufei didn't speak. He silently looked at the chessboard.
"Brother He, are you still thinking about the Hua Yuan incident?" Xu Zhiheng smiled faintly. "Those who know are no longer in this world. Brother He, don't worry. There won't be anyone else in this world who knows this secret. Even if there are people who know, they won't have any evidence. They won't be able to turn the tables. "
He Rufei glanced at him. "Young Master Xu seems to be too relaxed. Don't forget, when you were studying at Xianchang Academy, Xiao Huaijin, Yan Nanguang, and even Lin Shuanghe all saw He Rufei."
"So what?" Xu Zhiheng said disapprovingly. "When He Rufei was young, he wasn't very close to his classmates. If he was really close, his classmates wouldn't have been able to discover his identity for so many years. I think Brother He is worrying too much. Even if Xiao Huaijin and Yan Nanguang return to Shuo Jing, you won't have much interaction with them. "
He Rufei placed a piece down. "I hope so."
In his heart, he suddenly remembered the nightmare he had last night. In his dream, he was leading troops to fight on the battlefield in Hua Yuan. Suddenly, a sword stabbed him from behind. He couldn't dodge in time and was stabbed in the heart. When he fell, he saw someone walk in front of him and squat down.
It was a young man wearing a mask and armor. When he slowly reached out and took off his mask, a familiar, beautiful, and heroic face was revealed. He Yan smiled at him and softly said, "Big Brother — —"
He Rufei suddenly woke up. He touched his forehead and found that it was covered in cold sweat.
He Yan had clearly been dead for more than a year. This name had gradually been forgotten by the world. Or it could be said that she had never been remembered by the world. The days had passed peacefully for so long, but at this juncture, she would still appear in his dreams and cause him to be unable to sleep at night.
"That concubine of yours … …" he said.
Xu Zhiheng's face turned cold. "She's already dead."
He Yan had died at the hands of He Wanru. A month after He Yan's death, he had casually found an excuse to have He Wanru killed. The corpse had been dragged to the mass grave. He was afraid that it had already been eaten by wolves and wild dogs. In the future, if by any chance … … if by any chance they found out something, they could push all the blame onto He Wanru. All the thugs, servants, and maids who had been involved that day were dealt with. The entire Xu family, inside and outside, had been changed.
He Yan had been a general when he was alive. After his death, he had used so many servants to accompany her. This could be considered to have completed the friendship between husband and wife.
"Very good." He Rufei said coldly. "Don't make any mistakes."
Just as they were talking, someone knocked on the door of the study. Xu Zhiheng got up to open the door. A young woman walked in. This woman was also in the prime of her youth. If one looked carefully, there were some similarities between her eyebrows and He Yan's. It was just that she didn't have the heroic spirit and determination of a female general on the battlefield. Instead, she was more beautiful and sweet, like the delicate spring flowers in the capital. Her every movement was spoiled and lovable.
This was Xu Zhiheng's new wife, the current Xu Eldest Madam. He Xinying was He Yuansheng's second legitimate daughter, He Rufei's cousin, and He Yan's biological sister.
"Eldest Brother, Husband, Xinying had the kitchen make some snacks while you were talking inside." He Xinying smiled as she placed a few plates of shortbread on the small table. "She said that if you're tired, you can fill your stomach."
"You've worked hard." Xu Zhiheng spoke warmly and pulled her to sit beside him. "Sit down too."
He Xinying obeyed and sat down beside Xu Zhiheng. She looked at He Rufei and smiled. "Eldest Brother, you haven't come to the Xu Family for a while. How are Father and Mother?"
He Rufei nodded slightly. "They're fine. You don't have to worry."
He Xinying didn't know what to say. She and this cousin of hers weren't very close in the past. He Rufei's temperament was particularly unsociable when he was young and he often wore a mask. The He Family all knew that He Rufei wore a mask because he was ugly. He Xinying saw He Rufei hiding alone in the corner during the He Family's banquets every day. He Xinying pitied him. But when she tried to get close to him a few times, He Rufei would avoid her as if she was the plague. After a while, He Xinying's feelings faded.
Later, He Rufei betrayed the He Family and joined the army. He actually managed to earn some military merits. All of the He Family's unmarried young ladies also rose in status, including He Xinying's older sister, the He Family's second branch, who was notoriously sickly.
When He Yan returned to the He Family, He Xinying was already very old. At that time, because of He Rufei, the He Family arranged a good marriage for He Yan. The Xu Family's eldest son, Xu Zhiheng, was already a Hanlin scholar at a young age. He was also handsome and refined. He Xinying had once been jealous of this older sister of his. She was clearly in poor health and hadn't returned to the capital for many years. Even the noble ladies in the capital didn't know of her existence. But as soon as she came back, she was able to become the Xu Family's Young Mistress. What kind of blessing was this?
But this bit of jealousy disappeared after He Yan died. He Xinying felt sad for He Yan. Even though she didn't have any feelings for this older sister of hers, blood was still thicker than water. She had just found a good marriage and was about to enjoy life, but her life was so short.
What was strange was that after He Yan died, the He Family and Xu Family held a large funeral for her. The entire Shuo capital knew that the He Family valued this second branch's di daughter, but only He Xinying knew that in the He Family, other than her own mother, everyone, including her own father, didn't seem as sad as others thought.
After the funeral, other than occasionally wiping away a few drops of tears when He Yan was mentioned in public, normally, no one in the residence would even mention He Yan. It was as if the He Family's second branch's di daughter had never existed.
He Xinying felt that something wasn't right, but before she could figure out why her family was so cold to her older sister, He Yuansheng actually decided on her marriage with Xu Zhiheng and wanted her to be Xu Zhiheng's second wife.
Even though Xu Zhiheng was a widower, he was still a good candidate for a husband in the hearts of others in the Shuo capital. Especially after He Yan died, the affection he showed made many young ladies admire him. Even though He Xinying knew that Xu Zhiheng was outstanding, she was extremely unwilling to marry into the Xu Family. Older sisters serving the same husband wasn't a new thing in the Shuo capital. But most of the time, the di daughter would be the main wife and the shu daughter would be the concubine, taking care of each other. How could two di daughters marry the same person one after the other? It wasn't like the He Family's young ladies couldn't get married. She was so young and beautiful, and her family background was good. Wouldn't it be better to find a young master of equal social status to be the main wife than to be the Xu Family's Young Mistress?
But on this matter, He Yuanliang, who had always doted on her, was unexpectedly very firm. And her mother, Second Madame He, wanted to fight for her, but she was powerless. In the He Family, women's words didn't count.
Just like that, He Xinying unwillingly married into the Xu family.
After marrying into the Xu Family, He Xinying discovered that Xu Zhiheng was more considerate and gentle than she had imagined. It was very easy to fall for a handsome and outstanding husband who took care of her in everything. Moreover, Xu Zhiheng was indeed very popular with women. The regret and longing he occasionally showed for his deceased wife made people think that this person was someone who valued friendship and was worthy of being entrusted with the rest of their lives.
After He Xinying married into the Xu Family, He Rufei, her older cousin, would come to see her from time to time. He Xinying was a bit overwhelmed by the favor. She should be the one who married the best out of all the young ladies of the He Family. She enjoyed all the blessings that He Yan didn't enjoy.
It was just that sometimes it felt unreal.
"That's right, Eldest Brother, Husband," He Xinying said, "Previously, every autumn, I would go up the mountain with Mother to the temple to burn incense and pray for blessings. Although I won't be at home this year, I still want to go with Mother."
Xu Zhiheng smiled and said, "Naturally, if I don't have anything to do that day, I'll go with you."
He Xinying happily said, "That's really great."
After sitting for a while, she got up and left the room, leaving Xu Zhiheng and He Rufei to talk inside. After leaving the room, her personal maid, Xiao Liu, asked, "Young Mistress, are we going back to the courtyard?"
He Xinying shook her head, "Let's go."
In the courtyard, the summer pond was lush and green, and the pond water was as calm as a mirror. The He Family's pond was always planted with many lotus flowers. At this time of the year, a faint fragrance wafted through the air. However, the Xu Family's pond didn't even have a rockery, let alone lotus flowers.
Xu Zhiheng was an elegant person. Only this pond was like a pool of stagnant water. After looking at it for a long time, it felt like a bottomless abyss that could pull people down at any time. Her older sister, He Yan, had lost her footing and drowned here. Perhaps it was because of this, or perhaps it was because of their blood relationship, but every time she walked here, she always felt that the wind was particularly cold, and the water was especially cold. It made her heart feel uncomfortable.
He Xinying looked away.
The dowry maid, Xiao Liu, asked her, "Young Mistress, when you were in the room earlier, why didn't you stay a little longer? The longer you stayed … the better the Xu Family would treat you. "
He Xinying also understood that the Xu Family's Master and Madam were so lenient to her, their daughter-in-law, most likely because of He Rufei. The closer she was to this "General Feihong" brother and sister, the more the Xu Family didn't dare to treat her poorly.
He Xinying shook her head and laughed self-deprecatingly, "Big Brother originally didn't come to see me. It didn't matter how long I stayed in there."
If there was someone who knew He Yan here, they would discover that on this soft and sweet face, there was a clear and bright look in her eyes. It was very similar to the previous "Young Mistress Xu".
She was just deceiving herself.
In less than a month, they traveled from Jinling to Shuojing. Along the way, they rested well and hurried along the way. Finally, they arrived in front of the city gates before the beginning of autumn.
In front of Shuojing's gates, the guards who had received the news had already opened the gates. The soldiers and horses entered the city, and the common people along the street all pointed at the troops and whispered.
He Yan and Lin Shuanghe hid in the carriage and didn't accept these comments. Lin Shuanghe's heart itched unbearably. He said to He Yan, "If I knew it would be so impressive, I would have asked Huaijin to give me a horse. If I sat on the horse, the girls would be able to see my face more clearly."
"… … Even if you don't sit on the horse, Brother Lin, the girls in Shuojing will be able to see your face very clearly." He Yan comforted him.
"That's true." Lin Shuanghe heard her say this and thought about it carefully. He didn't feel conflicted anymore.
He Yan himself didn't think too much about the matter of being in the limelight. That year, when she returned to the capital with the victorious Fuyue Army, it was also as lively as today. However, at that time, she was wearing a mask and was extremely uncomfortable. She was afraid that people would find out. The next day after returning to the He Family, the real "He Rufei" accepted all the glory and burdens in her place.
She had never used her own face to face all the things that "General Feihong" brought to her.
The carriage stopped with a "squeak" and Yan He's voice came from outside, "How long are you guys going to sit inside? We're almost at the entrance of the palace."
He Yan was startled and dismounted with Lin Shuanghe.
Chu Zhao had already parted ways with their carriage when he entered the city. He only needed a servant to inform him. He Yan didn't mind. They weren't on the same side, so it was natural for them to split up. It couldn't be that if she moved into the Xiao Fu, Chu Zhao would also move into the Xiao Fu, right?
"Commander in chief, we are going to … …" He Yan asked.
"I want to enter the palace." Xiao Jue glanced at her, "You wait in the carriage first."
"Wait," Yan He looked at her in confusion, "Why don't you bring this fellow with you? When entering the palace, one must meet the Emperor. Take this opportunity to let the Emperor get to know this fellow. It will be beneficial for his career in the future. Since you are someone's superior, you should find every opportunity to praise your subordinate. Or are you afraid that He Yan will be more successful than you in the future, so you deliberately don't let him stand out? "
He Yan was sincerely convinced by Yan He. No matter how many possibilities there were, he could always think of the most boring one.
"Now is not the time." Xiao Jue was too lazy to explain to He Yan. She looked at him and asked him with rare patience, "Are you okay being here alone?"
He Yan smiled, "What problem can I have? Commander in chief, don't worry. I'll just sleep in the carriage."
Lin Shuanghe sensed something and poked his head out, "Huaijin, you mean, I also have to enter the palace?"
Xiao Jue looked at him coldly.
Lin Shuanghe coughed lightly, "Excuse me, can I not go?"
"You can't." Xiao Jue sneered, "Although I wrote a letter to invite you to Liangzhou, you didn't tell anyone in the Lin family before you left. Imperial Physician Lin sent a bunch of urgent letters to my account to find someone. Do you want to read them now? "
Lin Shuanghe smiled awkwardly, "I … I thought that you must be looking for me in an urgent situation. When people are anxious, their brains don't work well. I forgot. Yes, I forgot to tell my family."
Yan He crossed his arms in front of his chest and said coldly, "Aren't you his good friend? You won't die if you take the blame for him. "
Lin Shuanghe was very touched, "Brother Nan Guang, I've known you for so many years. Finally, I've heard such words from you."
"Shut up." Xiao Jue frowned slightly impatiently. Lin Shuanghe immediately stopped talking. After he got down from the carriage, Xiao Jue was about to leave with him. Suddenly, he remembered something and walked to the carriage.
He Yan lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked at him.
"Stay here and don't run around. There are many people outside the palace," Xiao Jue reminded her. He paused and his tone became gentler, "When I leave the palace, I'll take you home."
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
