When she returned to her room, He Yan lay on her bed, tossing and turning restlessly.
The window was open, and a little wind came in, blowing her awake. The conversation she had with Xiao Jue was still ringing in her ears.
It turned out that on the night she left the He Family to join the army, Xiao Jue had actually come to meet her. It was just a freak combination of circumstances that caused them to miss each other. Once they missed each other, there wouldn't be another chance. Just like how He Yan didn't know that the person who secretly taught him swordsmanship back then was Xiao Jue, the current Xiao Jue wouldn't know that the person he secretly helped back then had changed.
She tried so hard to hide her identity, and so much she wanted to thank him as his classmate back then. It turned out that she and Xiao Jue had so many fateful encounters in both her previous and current lives. It was just that their fates were short, and it just had to happen now …
He Yan sat up, thought for a while, and got off the bed with determination. She walked to the table and lit the oil lamp with a match. Zhao Shiming was a scholar, and the four treasures of the study were placed everywhere in the room. She ground the ink, found a piece of paper, sat down at the table, and started writing slowly.
All the matters in the Rundu were settled in three days. It was also time for Xiao Jue and the others to leave.
Before He Yan left, she found Zhao Shiming.
After the Yi Luo incident, He Yan didn't speak to Li Kuang again. Every time she saw Li Kuang, she would think of the sweet girl with dimples on her cheeks when she smiled. She thought that Li Kuang was the same. Every time he bumped into He Yan, he would avoid her gaze.
So there were some things that she didn't want to mention to Li Kuang.
Zhao Shiming was sitting in the room, reading official documents. The Rundu was besieged by the Uto, and the merchants in the city went on strike. Everything was in a mess. Now that the Uto had been defeated and the Rundu had returned to its peaceful state, it would take time to restore its peaceful days.
"Master Zhao." He Yan walked into the room and called out to him.
Zhao Shiming raised his head from the documents. Seeing that it was He Yan, he paused for a moment, then stood up and said with a warm smile, "Xiao He Daren, what brings you here today?"
Zhao Shiming liked He Yan very much. He was a scholar, so he couldn't get along with a boorish man like Li Kuang. As for Xiao Jue and Yan He, one was cold while the other was arrogant. Just looking at them made him fearful. He Yan, on the other hand, was different. He was young, intelligent, brave, kind, and loyal. He was also handsome and elegant. At first glance, one could tell that he was cultured and likable. If it weren't for the fact that his granddaughter was too young, Zhao Shiming would have wanted to recruit this young man as his grandson-in-law.
He Yan smiled and said, "Lord Zhao is too polite. I am here to bid farewell to Mr. Zhao. Tomorrow, I will be returning to Shuo Jing with the Governor. Thank you for taking care of me during my stay in the Rundu. "
Zhao Shiming liked this young man even more. Look at him, he even specially came to bid farewell to him. He was very polite. He smiled and replied, "Xiao He Daren, please don't say that. You are the benefactor who saved the Rundu. This time, I didn't have much to entertain you when I came to the Rundu. Instead, I caused Xiao He Daren to suffer a lot. If Xiao He Daren comes to the Rundu again in the future, I will definitely treat you well. I hope Xiao He Daren won't hold it against me for being rude this time. "
He Yan supported Zhao Shiming's hand that was about to bow and said, "This junior doesn't dare."
He actually addressed him as a junior? Zhao Shiming was stunned. Before he could regain his senses, he saw the young man in front of him looking at him with a solemn expression, "Actually, I came here today to ask for Lord Zhao's help."
Zhao Shiming was not unfamiliar with this expression. Previously, when He Yan asked his men to help pass a message to Yan He, he also looked like this. Did he have a favor to ask of him again? Zhao Shiming was very pleased. He Yan looked for him instead of Li Kuang. It was clear that he treated him as one of his own. The things that Mu An Lang asked for were usually very easy. It was an honor for him to be able to help. Thinking of this, Zhao Shiming smiled and said, "Xiao He Daren, please feel free to ask. I will definitely do my best. "
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Shiming saw the young man in front of him lift the corner of his robe and kneel down in front of him.
"You …" He was shocked.
"Then, thank you very much, Lord Zhao."
The servants outside did not know what the people inside were talking about. After a while, when He Yan walked out of the door, the servants went in to serve tea. Only then did they see Zhao Shiming slumped in front of the table. He looked absent-minded and his gaze was unfocused.
"Master?" The servant called out to him.
Zhao Shiming finally regained his senses. He swallowed his saliva and said, "It's nothing, it's nothing."
He clenched the letter in his hand tightly.
On the other side, He Yan walked out of the door and took a deep breath. She did not know whether her decision was right or wrong, but it seemed to be the best way to get Xiao Jue out of the picture.
A person walked towards her. She was as delicate and beautiful as a flower. It was Ying Xiang. When Ying Xiang saw He Yan, she bowed and greeted He Yan, "He Daren."
Now, she did not call He Yan "Young Master He". Instead, she called him "He Daren."
"Miss Ying Xiang," He Yan replied. When he saw that she was holding something that looked like clothes in her hands, he could not help but take a second look.
Ying Xiang noticed her gaze and smiled, "Fourth Young Master asked this servant to tidy up a bit. We will be leaving for Shuo capital tomorrow. The weather in Rundu is very good, so the clothes will dry quickly. "
"Returning to Shuo capital?" He Yan frowned slightly, "You are also leaving tomorrow?"
Chu Zhao was originally on his way back to Shuo capital, but he was trapped in the city because of the Uto's siege. Now that the Uto had left, they naturally had to leave as well. However, he did not expect that he would be traveling with Xiao Jue.
"Yes," Ying Xiang replied with a smile, "Military Governor Xiao also knows that Fourth Young Master is traveling with everyone. There might be other Uto along the way, so it is better to have more people to take care of each other. "
Xiao Jue did not want to take care of Chu Zhao. However, since Xiao Jue already knew about this, it was useless for her to say anything more. That day, when Li Kuang wanted to kill the captive women, Chu Zhao also stood up for him. No matter what his goal was, He Yan should thank him on the surface.
"Help me thank Fourth Young Master for standing on the side of the captive women in front of the Army Commander that day." He Yan said.
Ying Xiang's eyes curved into crescents, "Yes, He Daren."
After He Yan left, Ying Xiang carried the clothes back into the room. Chu Zhao was standing in front of the window. Ying Xiang packed the clothes into a bag. Her movements were very fast, and in just a moment, everything was packed up.
"Fourth Young Master," Ying Xiang walked to Chu Zhao's side and said in a low voice, "Just now on the road, this servant met Miss He. Miss He asked this servant to thank Fourth Young Master for standing up for the captive women in front of Lord Li. "
Chu Zhao smiled and did not say anything.
After a moment of silence, Ying Xiang said, "Fourth Young Master should not have done that."
Chu Zhao, "Oh?"
"Perhaps the Prime Minister's men are in the city. If the Prime Minister sees Fourth Young Master like this, he will not be happy …"
Xu Jingfu was a person who hated others who acted on their own initiative. Since the Rundu incident had nothing to do with him, not only did Chu Zhao speak up, but he also brought up Xu Jingfu. Once Xu Jingfu knew about this, he would definitely be unhappy with Chu Zhao.
"What's done is done. Don't worry." Chu Zhao smiled slightly, "As for the Prime Minister, I will explain it to him."
"Why did Young Master do that?" Ying Xiang asked softly, "Even if Young Master did not do anything, with Miss He's ability, no one would be able to make things difficult for her."
Chu Zhao did not answer. He only looked at the sky outside the window.
Why?
It was probably because the way she stood in front of those women reminded him of the time when he was young in the brothel. When someone bullied him, Ye Runmei stood in front of him. In his life, he rarely had anyone to protect him. Other than Ye Runmei, He Yan was the only one who could protect him.
She protected those women, just like how she protected him in Jiyang. One person protected another without any selfish motives, without any blood ties, and without any intimate relationship. She just did it because she felt that it was the right thing to do.
She was so flamboyant that it made people envious. She was so upright that it made people jealous. She was like a ray of light that even people who were close to her could not help but be illuminated. That was why he stood up at that moment and thought that he was a righteous and brave person.
However …
He was not a ray of light after all. He was just a shadow.
The day to leave the Rundu had arrived.
Li Kuang and Zhao Shiming went out of the city to send them off. The Southern Prefecture Soldiers and the Liangzhou Guards did not set off with Xiao Jue. They were rushing back to the capital and only brought Yan He's troops with them.
The city was bleak. Although there was sunlight, it seemed to be covered with a layer of faint gray. He Yan felt sentimental. The last time she left the Rundu, she was still "Deputy General He". She also chatted and laughed with Li Kuang. Now that she was leaving the Rundu, the two of them were no longer the same as before.
Time flew by quickly. The grapevines in the Rundu had already grown into new clumps. A group of people stood at the city gate. He Yan was about to get on her horse when she suddenly heard someone's voice behind her. "Lord Xiao He!"
He Yan turned her head to look.
She saw that many people had gathered in front of the Rundu city gate. They did not dare to go forward. They just stood on both sides of the street and looked at them silently. A group of women walked out from the end of the crowd. The one who called out to her was the leader.
They were dressed in neat clothes, and there were still scars on their faces that had not yet healed. They were the captives that He Yan had rescued from the hands of the Wutuo people during the night attack on the enemy camp. They were also the women that He Yan had saved from Li Kuang's sword. He Yan still remembered the woman who spoke. That day, she was the one who tearfully persuaded him not to fight with Li Kuang and sacrificed herself willingly.
However, He Yan later found out from Zhao Shiming that this woman originally lived in a village outside the city. After the Uto came, he killed her husband and son. She was the only one left in her family. She originally thought that she had been defiled by the Uto and was afraid of the strange gazes of the people outside. Because her family was not around, she already had the intention to commit suicide. Therefore, when Li Kuang came to find her, she was the first to accept.
That day, if He Yan did not stand up, if Xiao Jue did not arrive, perhaps these women would have died under Li Kuang's sword.
Li Kuang's expression was a little uneasy. There were many things that one did not realize in the current situation. But when things were over and one looked back, one would realize how crazy they were.
Those women walked in front of He Yan and knelt down. Without saying a word, they kowtowed to He Yan a few times.
He Yan was stunned. "You all …"
"Thank you, Lord Xiao He," they said.
The women's spirits were much better than before. Perhaps it was the food that He Yan brought that filled their stomachs, or perhaps it was the words that he said that day that gave them the courage to live on.
Zhao Shiming walked to He Yan's side and said in a low voice, "Lord Xiao He, these women, those who still have family members have gone home. Those who are homeless have been placed together by the government. They will work, and in the future … the situation that Lord Xiao He is worried about will not happen. "
He solemnly promised He Yan, "I will take good care of them."
He Yan was slightly relieved. He bowed to Zhao Shiming. "Thank you, Lord Zhao."
Zhao Shiming stroked his beard and smiled. "It's my duty. Since they are from the Rundu, as the parent official of the Rundu, I should take good care of them."
He Yan also smiled. There were many things in the world that would change for the better bit by bit. As long as someone did it, change would eventually happen, no matter how small the change was.
She helped the leader of the women up and said softly, "Let them get up too. Live well in the future. Remember, I saved your lives. No matter what, don't give up on your lives."
The woman nodded.
Yan He stood under the city gate, he crossed his arms and said, "Why does this He fellow look more popular than you?" He cast a sidelong glance at Xiao Jue, "Isn't he your subordinate? Why aren't you better than him? "
Lin Shuanghe smiled and said, "Brother He is gentle and amiable. Of course, everyone likes him. There aren't many people in the world who are considerate of others. There are even fewer people who are willing to draw their swords for the sake of others' safety. "
Yan He couldn't stand Lin Shuanghe's unprofessional behavior. He sneered, "What's wrong with Brother He? Is everyone in the Liang Province Guard so chaotic? "
"Chaotic?" Lin Shuanghe nodded. "There are even more chaotic. It's just that you don't know about it."
Ying Xiang stood beside Chu Zhao and quietly watched as the girl bid farewell to the women she saved and boarded the carriage. The citizens of the Rundu City and the city guards didn't say anything, but their gazes followed He Yan with gratitude.
She was indeed a likable girl, whether it was in Jiyang or the Rundu.
"Let's go." Chu Zhao turned around and boarded his own carriage.
The city gates opened and the soldiers and horses marched. The sunlight shone on the end of the long road. It was like a bright road that led to the future.
It took ten days to reach Jinling from the Rundu City. After passing Jinling City, they went straight to Shuo Capital.
The soldiers and horses that were hurrying on their way sat down and rested in the bushes. Lin Shuanghe was watching He Yan roasting eggs. He was a pampered young master who didn't do any household chores. Naturally, he couldn't do such rough chores. He Yan knew how to cook too, but he saw that the fish he roasted was so black that it was hard to eat. Later on, he decided to do it himself.
Xiao Jue was talking to Chi Wu on the other side. He Yan and Lin Shuanghe sat together. Lin Shuanghe watched her skillful movements and sighed, "Brother He, you're really good at everything. You can climb over walls and beat hooligans. I've seen so many … "He lowered his voice," None of the women can compare to you. Really, sister, when you reach Shuo Capital, you'll still be number one in my heart. "
He Yan threw the roasted eggs into his arms, "… You flatter me."
Lin Shuanghe hurriedly peeled the shells and asked her, "When we reach Shuo Capital, what do you want to do? There's nothing in Liangzhou. Shuo Capital is prosperous. If you have time, I'll take you to the market every day. "
What kind of situation was this? This person still wanted to play. He Yan was speechless for a moment. She thought of another matter and asked Lin Shuanghe, "Oh right, why didn't Doctor Shen come with you to Rundu this time? She … should be going back to Shuo Capital. "
When He Yan left the Liangzhou Guards, she sealed Shen Muxue's acupoints. Although it was to protect her, she wasn't sure what happened to Shen Muxue after that. This time, Xiao Jue, Yan He, and Lin Shuanghe came, but they didn't see Shen Muxue. However, Xiao Jue was going back to Shuo Capital. Shen Muxue had no reason to stay in the Liangzhou Guards alone.
"Doctor Shen?" Lin Shuanghe answered matter-of-factly, "She's a girl. When Huaijin and I rushed to the Rundu, we didn't rest day and night. How can she stand this? If we bring her along, I'm afraid that she'll slow us down. So it's better not to bring her along. As for the medical officer, I alone am enough. Huaijin asked Shen Han and the others to bring Doctor Shen over later. "
He Yan nodded. In the next moment, Lin Shuanghe's face suddenly came close and looked at her mischievously, "Why did you mention Doctor Shen alone? Are you jealous?"
"Jealous, jealous of what?" He Yan was so scared that she almost smashed his head with the tree branch. Hearing this, she just sat up straight and calmly said, "I sealed her acupoints before I left. I just feel guilty."
"Is that really the case?" Lin Shuanghe deliberately dragged out his words, "If that's the case, then Huaijin's painstaking efforts will be in vain …"
He Yan: "What painstaking efforts?"
Lin Shuanghe stuffed an egg into his mouth and said slowly, "You won't care even if I tell you. It's better not to tell you."
He Yan was so anxious that she wanted to grab Lin Shuanghe's head and shake it with all her might to see what it was that was shaking out. However, Lin Shuanghe was a cunning person when it came to matters between men and women. Moreover, he was close to Xiao Jue. If he really got some confirmation and turned around to tell Xiao Jue, they wouldn't even be friends. That would be extremely awkward.
She could only sit there reservedly. Even though her heart was pounding, her expression was calm and indifferent, "Then I really don't care. Just don't say it."
Lin Shuanghe looked at her pretentious appearance and tried his best to hold back his laughter. He thought to himself, Let's see how long you can hold back.
Young people … Ah, young people!
Thousands of miles away in Liangzhou, the guard station was busy at this moment.
Liang Ping was helping to check if there was anything missing in the room. They were about to leave for Shuo Jing. A portion of the Liangzhou Guard was left behind, and the rest were going to the capital. Shen Han was going to leave with them. Liang Ping, Ma Damei, and the other instructors were going to stay at the Liangzhou Guard.
Shen Muxue was naturally going to leave as well.
Many days ago, when Xiao Jue and Lin Shuanghe were about to leave for the Rundu, Shen Muxue had asked to go with them. However, he was rejected by Xiao Jue. His rejection was very straightforward and she didn't say why. However, when Lin Shuanghe saw Shen Muxue's ugly expression, he tried to smooth things over with a smile, "Miss Shen, the situation in the Rundu is critical. Huaijin and I will be traveling day and night. How can a girl like you follow us? If you get hurt, even if you don't mind, I won't be able to bear it."
"In any case, Shen Jiaotou and the others will leave in the future. When you come back together, Shen Jiaotou will take good care of you. The speed of soldiers and horses is slow and there are many of them. Huaijin and I will be relieved to protect you. Isn't that right? "
Shen Muxue didn't say anything. Lin Shuanghe took it as a silent agreement and turned to leave with a smile. Shen Muxue looked at his back and asked, "Young Master Lin, Second Young Master Xiao is going to the Rundu for He Yan, right?"
Lin Shuanghe paused and looked at her. His gaze was sincere and puzzled, "Why would you think that?"
Shen Muxue pursed her lips and didn't say anything. She knew that it was ridiculous to say this. Xiao Jue wasn't someone who would easily change for someone, but … but she still felt uneasy.
The sound from outside interrupted her memories. Liang Ping called out to her, "Doctor Shen, is there anything else you want to carry onto the carriage?"
Shen Muxue came back to her senses and answered as she walked out the door. Liang Ping stood outside. The sun shone on his face and made his face red. He was sweating profusely. He was holding a stack of boxes in his hands and was walking unsteadily towards the carriage. Xiao Jue left in a hurry and didn't pack his things. Before he left, he instructed Shen Han to take everything in his room with him when he returned to Shuo Jing.
Fortunately, Xiao Jue didn't have many things with him. Other than some clothes, there wasn't much left.
Shen Muxue saw that Liang Ping was walking unsteadily, so she stepped forward and said, "Let me help you."
Liang Ping's face turned even redder, "No need, no need. The Chief Instructor told me that these things belong to the Governor and asked me to organize them myself. How can I trouble Doctor Shen? "
He sighed in his heart. Miss Shen was really kind-hearted and didn't put on airs. As the daughter of a big family, she didn't despise martial artists like him.
Shen Muxue didn't know what Liang Ping was thinking. He only heard that these things belonged to Xiao Jue and said, "You're carrying so many things at once. It's inevitable that you'll drop them. Don't worry, I'll help you. "
As he spoke, he helped carry the topmost box. The box wasn't big. He walked forward with Liang Ping.
Liang Ping wanted to stop him, but it was too late. Seeing that Shen Muxue didn't seem to be struggling, he relaxed a little. He smiled, "Thank you, Doctor Shen."
The two of them walked to the side of the carriage. Liang Ping let Shen Muxue get on the carriage first. He would go and carry the boxes himself. It was hot outside. Shen Muxue nodded in agreement. She sat quietly with the box in her hands and looked at the busy soldiers in the distance. Her gaze fell on the box in her arms.
The box looked ordinary. She didn't know what was inside. Xiao Jue didn't bring many things with him. Since Shen Han wanted to bring them back to Shuo capital, it must be very important. However, she picked up the box and weighed it. It was too light, as if it didn't contain anything. Could it be empty?
It was rare for her to be curious. It shouldn't be Xiao Jue's official documents or letters. He would only carry these things with him. If she opened it … it shouldn't be a problem, right?
Shen Muxue's fingers rested on the box. She looked outside the carriage. The soldiers were far away, so no one saw her movements.
With a click, the box was opened.
There were some brushes, inkstones, paperweights and the like inside. It was just a small thing. She was about to close it when her gaze suddenly froze. After a while, she reached out and took out two things.
One was a dough figurine. The dough had already dried and the color was dark. It was a woman with a charming smile. The other was a wooden carving. In the carving, a warship was capsized and the fire was fierce. The general standing at the bow of the ship was valiant and valiant.
It was a female general.
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