He Yan slept very late that night at the Xiao family's residence.
This was not the Liang Province Guard, and there was a middle door between the rooms. He Yan was even more nervous now that he knew Xiao Jue was next door. She didn't know if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Xiao Jue was treating her much more gently now. To Xiao Jue, it might be a small matter, but to her, it could easily stir up the deepest and most secret emotions in her heart.
He Yan turned over, but her current status was special. Once she returned to Shuo Jing, everything related to Xu Zhiheng and He Rufei was right in front of her. No matter who she was with, she would be a burden. Xiao Jue already had a deep grudge against the Xiao family. If she implicated him … He Yan took a deep breath and looked at the curtain above her head. This was not a good idea.
Her mind was filled with all kinds of complicated thoughts. She only fell asleep in the middle of the night. When she woke up the next day, it was already late in the morning.
She was stunned for a moment, then turned over and sat up. She changed her clothes and opened the door. Sitting on the steps facing the courtyard was a little servant girl around eight or nine years old. She was chubby and was holding her face as she carefully looked at the ants in the corner. When she heard movement, she raised her head, revealing a round face like that of a doll in a New Year painting. She smiled so widely that her eyes narrowed into slits. "He Gongzi is awake!"
She patted the dust off her clothes, stood up, and jogged over to He Yan. This child was still too young. With her short legs, He Yan was afraid that she would fall.
He Yan asked, "You are …?"
"This servant is called Bai Guo," the little servant girl replied obediently. "Second Young Master told this servant to take care of you. However, if Gongzi didn't call for me, I couldn't enter Gongzi's room. Since Gongzi is awake, this servant will go to the kitchen and bring breakfast over. "
Her voice was so soft that He Yan couldn't help but pat her head and ask, "Where's your family's second young master?"
"Second Young Master left early in the morning," Bai Guo answered with a smile, "Before Second Young Master left, he said that Young Master didn't need to be restrained. If you didn't want to stay in the fu, you could leave the fu to do things and come back early at night." She thought of something and added, "There are banknotes in the wooden drawer on the table in Young Master's room. Second Young Master said that Young Master can take it and use it. If there's anything else that Young Master needs, Young Master can directly tell this servant. This servant will report to Young Mistress. "
This little girl still had an irrepressible childishness, but her words were clear and logical. He Yan couldn't help laughing, "You're so young, how could your family's second young master let you serve me?"
"Nubi's father is the steward of the fu." Bai Guo puffed out her chest proudly. "Second Young Master sent nubi over, nubi will definitely take good care of Young Master."
"Thank you very much." He Yan said with a smile.
Bai Guo was very excited. It seemed that this was the first time she had received such an important task. She replied, "Young Master is Second Young Master's friend, there's no need to thank nubi. Nubi will go to the kitchen now. Young Master, please wait a moment. The hot water is in the silver kettle at the door of the courtyard. If Young Master wants to wash your face, you can pour it directly. Second Young Master said that Young Master doesn't like to be touched by people. Nubi doesn't need to do such a small thing as pouring water. "She stuck out her tongue and ran away.
He Yan looked at her back and thought, Xiao Jue was very thoughtful. She found such a simple and pure little girl. Even if she saw that there was something wrong with her, she wouldn't think of anything else. What if it was a smart person who came over and accidentally discovered her identity? What would she do then?
She lowered her head and laughed. First, she went to the place Bai Guo mentioned to fetch water and returned to the room to freshen up.
Just as she finished, Bai Guo came in with a food basket. She stepped over the threshold and put the food basket on the table. "Young Master, after you finish eating, just leave the food basket here. Nubi will clean it up. Nubi will come in again if you need anything. "Before He Yan could say anything, she immediately left.
He Yan was speechless.
He really didn't know what Xiao Jue said to her.
The food was plain porridge and side dishes, just like last night. It wasn't extravagant, but it was exquisite and meticulous. He Yan finished the food and put the empty plates into the food basket. He tidied his clothes and walked to the table. He thought of what Bai Guo said and opened the wooden drawer. Sure enough, there was a thick stack of banknotes inside.
He thought that Bai Guo would at most have one or two banknotes. He didn't expect Xiao Jue to be so generous. This amount of banknotes was enough to give the girl a betrothal gift. Evil aristocratic children, He Yan thought angrily. No wonder when Xiao Jue went to buy clothes in Jiyang, he bought a hundred taels of mermaid gauze without batting an eye.
With money, one could really do whatever they wanted.
He Yan didn't touch the banknotes inside. Instead, he closed the wooden drawer and walked out of the room.
She had a good memory and knew how to walk from this courtyard to the entrance of Xiao Mansion. She didn't meet Bai Rongwei or Xiao Jing along the way. As for the rest of the servants, she didn't know if Xiao Jue greeted them in advance, but none of them paid attention to her. They only focused on their own tasks. It was as if He Yan's appearance in the Xiao family was a very natural thing. It was as if she had lived in the Xiao family since a long time ago and was a member of the Xiao family.
He Yan walked out of Xiao Mansion's main door without much effort.
As soon as he walked out, he saw the bright sunlight. He Yan narrowed his eyes and walked in a certain direction.
Before she left the capital to join the army, she had already won a large sum of money at Le Tong Village. He Yunsheng went to school. Now, a year and a half had passed. She didn't know if He Yunsheng was still studying at that school. It wasn't good for her to go directly to the He Family. After all, the neighbors had watched Lady He grow up. Even if she dressed as a man, she might be recognized. He Yunsheng's classmates at school had never seen He Yan before. It was probably safer.
At this moment, the time was just right. He Yan didn't spend much effort and arrived at the entrance of Helu Academy. Helu Academy couldn't be compared to Xian Chang Guan, but it was still considered a good school for ordinary people. In Da Wei, where scholars were more important than martial arts, Yuelu Academy not only taught literature, but also had teachers to teach martial arts. This was something that He Yan valued the most. He Yunsheng was a bit late in learning. He wasn't interested in learning, but his martial arts were quite good. If he wanted to walk the path of a martial artist in the future, it wasn't impossible.
It was early in the morning, the best time to study. Sounds of people reading came from Yuelu Academy. He Yan wasn't a member of the academy, so it wasn't good for him to go in directly. He ordered a cup of tea from a teahouse outside and sat for about an hour. When it was time for school to end, he took advantage of the time when the teachers were leaving to climb over the wall and enter the academy.
From time to time, students would leave the academy. He Yan wanted to find a teenager and ask He Yunsheng where he was. Unknowingly, he had already walked to the window of the school. The laughter of the teenagers came from inside. There was a bit of malicious ridicule. "Brother Yunsheng, are you really not coming with us today? Today is Brother Wang's birthday! "
Another person said, "How could Brother Yunsheng look down on us? Look at us playing together. When have we ever seen Brother Yunsheng come with us? Brother Yunsheng is so good in martial arts. His face is charming. Girls like him. Maybe he can get married in the future and have a meteoric rise. Why would he hang out with us? "
There was another wave of laughter. He Yan frowned slightly. This kind of ridicule was too hurtful. He Yunsheng was a proud and impatient person. How could he stand this? They wouldn't fight, right?
She was worried. She sneaked a peek inside and saw a teenager in green standing in front of the table. He was tidying up the table with his head lowered. From beginning to end, he didn't say a word.
He actually endured this kind of humiliation.
He probably felt like he was punching cotton. There was no sound at all. The teenagers messed around for a while and felt bored. They left the school in twos and threes. At the same time, He Yunsheng tidied up the table and got up to leave.
He Yan followed He Yunsheng from a distance.
He Yunsheng entered an empty alley. He had only taken a few steps when he suddenly felt a strong wind behind him. He subconsciously turned around and struck back with his palm. That palm didn't hit anyone. Instead, it hit another soft but tough palm. It silently blocked the wind from his palm and easily made him retreat a few steps.
"Who is it!" He shouted vigilantly.
The next moment, a familiar voice with a smile sounded. "Good boy. It seems that the year of school training wasn't in vain. You've grown a lot stronger."
Hearing this voice, He Yunsheng was stunned. He couldn't believe his ears. The palm in front of him moved away, revealing the person's face. A face that was similar to his would appear in his mind every now and then. It was a beautiful and elegant face that was familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time.
His older sister … He Yan.
"You …" He Yunsheng's voice trembled.
He Yan slapped his head and rubbed it. "What about you? Call me older sister!"
"Why are you back!" He Yunsheng seemed to have finally regained his senses. He rubbed his eyes. It was at this moment that He Yan saw a little of the boy he used to see. He stepped forward and grabbed He Yan's elbows as if to confirm whether he was dreaming or reality. "You're really back? He Yan! When did you come back? Do you know that Dad and I have been worried to death this year? "His eyes were red and his voice was choked with sobs.
He Yan looked at the boy in front of her and couldn't help but sigh. The boy grew quickly. He Yunsheng was much taller than before after a year and a half. Now, she had to look up at him. He was also much thinner than before. He looked tall and straight, as if he was already an adult.
He Yan pulled him out. "This is not the place to talk. Come with me."
In the tearoom, exquisite pastries were placed in front of him. He Yunsheng had no intention of eating them. The person in front of him pushed the plate in front of him. "Don't you like to eat these? Eat more. "
He Yunsheng straightened his neck and said, "I don't like sweets."
He Yan rolled her eyes in her heart. She wondered who was the one who drooled over the pastries He Sui gave her when they were chopping firewood in the mountains. She looked at the boy in front of her. The child had grown up and knew how to protect his own self-esteem.
It was strange. She had met Cheng Lisu and Song Taotao, who were all younger than her. However, she always had an inexplicable concern for He Yunsheng. This concern was well hidden when she was in Liangzhou. Once she saw He Yunsheng, she couldn't suppress it. She just wanted to give the best to this child and hope that he would be well in the future. Perhaps it was because this body was Lady He's. This was the wonder of blood ties.
"You still haven't told me why you came back." He Yunsheng stared at He Yan and hesitated. "Also, why do you look like this now?"
He Yan looked at him with a smile. "This … Isn't this good?"
He Yunsheng didn't say it was bad or good. He just felt that it was strange. He was used to seeing He Yan in dresses. He had also seen her in men's clothes once. However, even then, she didn't look as natural as she did now. If He Yan wasn't his sister, He Yunsheng would never believe that this person was a woman if he saw her on the street.
He Yan was quite beautiful. Even when He Yunsheng and He Yunsheng had a bad relationship in the past, he couldn't admit this fact. However, her beauty always seemed a little frivolous and cheap, especially when she tried every possible way to get He Sui's money to buy clothes and accessories for herself. He Yan was a little darker than before. She didn't wear any makeup. Instead of saying that she was beautiful, it was better to say that she was heroic. That bright and bright light made her eyes as bright as the stars.
Actually … she was also beautiful. In fact, she was even more attractive than before.
However, this wasn't the main point. He Yunsheng came back to his senses and said, "Are you still in the barracks? No, if you were still in the barracks, how could you run out? "
"Your sister is very capable. My superior appreciates me," He Yan picked up her tea and took a sip, "When I joined the army, I was lucky enough to be appointed a small official. Now, I can't be compared to the top, but I can be compared to the bottom."
"How could you be appointed an official?" He Yunsheng was shocked, "Don't you know that you are a woman? Even if you can hide it for a while, you can't hide it forever! If your identity is discovered in the future, you will be finished! No, no, "He Yunsheng was anxious," Hurry up and resign. Resign tomorrow! "
He Yan tilted her head and looked at him, "Aren't you going to ask me what official position I was appointed to?"
"No matter what official position it is, you can't stay!" He Yunsheng said impatiently, "Even if you are the prime minister, you can't stay. Besides, the higher your position, the more dangerous it is. Even if it's for glory and wealth, you can't put your life on the line. You must resign! "
He Yan was startled. For a moment, she was in a daze.
He Yunsheng, a child, could understand the logic. How could the two old masters of the He Family, who were officials in the imperial court, not understand? This was clearly an extremely dangerous thing to do. Once it was discovered, she would die. But the He Family still let her do it, and they did it for so many years.
So it was just that … human nature was greedy and they couldn't bear to part with that bit of glory and wealth. Or perhaps, in their eyes, He Yan's life was just a bargaining chip that wasn't worth a single cent compared to the glory of their future.
"Hey, are you listening to me!" He Yunsheng waved his hand in front of her.
He Yan raised his head and smiled. "Of course I know what you're talking about. I must resign, but now is not the time. I still have some things to do. When I finish, I will resign. "
He Yunsheng was about to ask her what she wanted to do, but He Yan suddenly opened her mouth again. She asked, "Let's not talk about me. What about you guys? When I wasn't in Shuo Jing, how was father? Did the Fan Family come looking for trouble? "
He Yunsheng's expression darkened, "Those bastards. How could they not come looking for trouble?"
It turned out that after He Yan joined the army, Fan Cheng's murderer was never found. The Fan Family vented their anger on the He Family. Although He Yan was also a "victim", because He Yan's body was never found, there was no evidence. Fan Cheng's family often found trouble with He Sui in the field. They slandered He Sui for not doing things properly, causing He Sui to lose his position as a field officer.
Fortunately, not long after that, there was a merchant in Shuo Jing who wanted to hire a bodyguard. When they found out that He Sui was a field officer and had good skills, they asked He Sui to work for them. Although it didn't sound as good as being a field officer, the merchant was generous and gave him a lot of money.
He Yan was a little suspicious, "You have a lot of money, but aren't you wearing old clothes? From the words of your classmates, it's clear that they dislike you for not being willing to spend money with them. "
He Yunsheng looked at her in disbelief, "You actually eavesdropped …"
"Shh," He Yan smiled, "I was just passing by and happened to hear it. You kept the money and didn't use it. Could it be that you saved it as a betrothal gift? "
He Yunsheng didn't say anything. He couldn't tell He Yan that although his family had a lot of money, he had discussed it with He Sui. They didn't know when He Yan would come back after joining the army. As a girl, he didn't know how much hardship she had suffered outside. It was good enough that she was still alive. If she was old when she came back, or if she was disliked by others, she would not marry and save more money. In the future, if He Yan wanted to live alone in Shuo Jing, having more money would not be a bad thing.
Seeing that He Yunsheng didn't say anything, He Yan thought that he had guessed correctly. She smiled and said, "Don't be so thrifty. I'm a person with a salary now. " She took out two banknotes from her bosom and said in a low voice, "We won the battle earlier. These are the spoils of war, His Majesty's reward. Take this money, go back and make two new clothes for Father and yourself. Treat yourself better. Clothes make a man, and a horse makes a saddle. If you dress up well, the girl you like will like you, right? Young girls like handsome men. Although you have a handsome face, you don't have a good personality. You need to dress up. "
He Yunsheng held the banknotes in his hand. After a while, he asked, "You won the battle? Did you go to the battlefield? Which battle? The battle at Jiyang, the battle at Liangzhou, or the battle at the Rundu? "
He Yan didn't expect him to care about these things. She scratched her head and said, "Actually … I went to all these battles."
He Yunsheng sucked in a breath of cold air.
He Yan left in a hurry and only left a letter behind. He Yunsheng later asked around and found out that the batch of soldiers recruited by Shuo Capital all went to the Liangzhou Guard. After that, he always paid attention to news about the Liangzhou Guard. He heard that the journey was long and many weak people died on the way. He prayed every day, hoping that his mother in heaven would protect He Yan and keep him safe. He also heard that the Liangzhou Guard suffered from the cold and worked hard to train the soldiers. He only hoped that He Yan could be the head soldier. When Rida Muzi led the soldiers to the Liangzhou Guard, he and He Sui couldn't sleep for the whole night. Later, they comforted each other that He Yan would be fine. She couldn't even carry a saber and was smart. She might not even see the enemy.
The battle at Jiyang … the battle at Rundu … In short, He Sui and He Yunsheng had a hard time ever since He Yan joined the army. If they weren't afraid that the Fan Family would find He Yan's whereabouts, they would have packed their bags and rushed to Liangzhou personally.
"Didn't I ask someone to send you a message?" He Yan asked.
He Yunsheng frowned and thought for a while, then said, "There were two messages, but they were very short. Also, they were written on a note and threw it into the house. I didn't get to meet them, so I don't know about your situation." He Yunsheng was angry and anxious when he said this. "What were you thinking at that time? Why did you want to join the army? You're a girl … "
"No one said that girls can't join the army." He Yan was afraid of his nagging, so she cut him off. "Besides, don't you see that I'm safe and sound now? By the way, father is no longer a lieutenant. Is the Fan Family still harassing you? "
He Yunsheng shook his head. "A few months ago, the Fan Family stopped coming." He said sarcastically, "We can accept their beating and scolding. They probably know that it's meaningless to continue like this. I heard that the Fan Family's Old Master has another son, so they probably don't care about the previous one."
He Yan couldn't help but be speechless. The Fan Family's Old Master could still have a son at such an old age. He really didn't know what to say.
"Come back with me." He Yunsheng looked at He Yan. "Father will be home tonight. When you come back, he'll be very happy to see you."
He Yan shook his head. "I can't go back now."
"Why?"
"Yunsheng." He Yan looked at him patiently. "My identity is very delicate now. Everyone in the neighborhood has seen my face. If I'm recognized … there will be trouble. Even if I want to meet father, it won't be at home. Moreover, now is not a good time. "She stuffed the banknotes into He Yunsheng's hands." I came here today to see you. I'm relieved to see that you're doing well. Go back and tell father that I'm fine. We'll find a place to meet again in a few days. "
He Yunsheng felt a little wronged. It wasn't easy to see him, but he had to hide as if he couldn't be seen. However, he knew in his heart that He Yan was right.
"Then what about you?" He stuffed the banknotes back into He Yan's hands. "Don't you need to use the banknotes yourself? You can take them yourself. Also, where are you staying now? An inn? Inns are not safe. I heard that there are many unscrupulous shops … "
He Yan couldn't be bothered to push the banknotes back and forth. She stuffed the banknotes into his arms and said, "I still have a lot of them. It's a thick stack. You can use them whenever you want. You don't have to worry about it. I'm not staying in an inn now. I've asked someone to look for a house to rent. Before that, I'll be staying at a friend's house. "
"Friend?" He Yunsheng's ears perked up. He looked at her vigilantly and impatiently asked, "What friend? Did you meet him at the Liang Province Guards? How old is he? Is he a man or a woman? "
He Yan was speechless.
Why did he look like a father who wanted his daughter to stay the night outside? She thought that if she said Xiao Jue's name, He Yunsheng would probably follow her back to the Xiao residence tonight. After all, He Yunsheng's words were still fresh in He Yan's mind.
"If I were a woman, I would only love him!"
He Yan's mouth twitched. For a moment, she couldn't imagine He Yunsheng and Xiao Jue standing together. After a while, she said, "Why do you care so much? Anyway, he's a big shot."
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.
