My Female General Is A Villain (GL) - Chapter 13

He Jiaojiao had no choice; she was still just a child, after all.

So tonight, the jade pillow wasn’t what lay between her and Pei Ji. It was Miaomiao.

She wasn’t sure if Pei Ji was asleep, but Miaomiao was already muttering in her dreams, which sounded like a good one.

Thinking back to what He Yuzhu had said, what task did she have to do for Yuwen Jingshen?

Because of Yuwen Jue, He Yuzhu loathed He Wanqing, and as for the original He Jiaojiao, she was arrogant and spoiled by the entire family, so He Yuzhu couldn’t stand her.

Therefore, this task she had to complete would surely harm either He Wanqing or He Jiaojiao.

And this task would benefit Yuwen Jingshen…

He Jiaojiao tossed and turned, completely unable to sleep.

“Are you awake?” she whispered.

Pei Ji didn’t want to answer, but Miaomiao’s hand was resting on her, her arm digging uncomfortably into her leg. The child’s body was facing He Jiaojiao, sprawled in a way that wouldn’t have been enough for two beds pushed together.

Pei Ji quickly pulled her legs out from under the child’s weight, grabbing the small arm with a hint of irritation and tossing it to the other side.

As soon as He Jiaojiao spoke, Miaomiao’s body lurched towards her, hugging her tightly. The child’s arm landed on her, and it hurt a little.

She knew Pei Ji was still awake. This person had a terrible temper, picking on even a little child.

With all that commotion, the blanket was a mess. She propped herself up to cover Miaomiao properly. On the other side, Pei Ji’s thin back was exposed. After a long silence, she decided to reach over and cover her with the blanket.

Pei Ji, who had her arms crossed over her chest, looked down briefly and then slowly closed her eyes again.

******

The next morning, He Jiaojiao got up early and pulled Miaomiao out of bed.

The child felt light as a feather; she could easily be picked up with one hand.

Miaomiao grumbled in her arms, not cooperating at all, still half-asleep. It took both her and Qingyao to finally get the little troublemaker ready. It was exhausting.

Logically, she didn’t have to do any of this, but for some reason, it felt right.

Yesterday, she had accidentally caught a glimpse of some bruises and marks on Miaomiao’s arms. But the child was so sensitive that before she could get a good look, Miaomiao had quickly pulled her sleeve down to hide them, as if terrified of being discovered.

That cautious, fearful look in her eyes inexplicably broke He Jiaojiao’s heart.

As Miaomiao pulled her to the front gate of the mansion, she realized the child was the daughter of the Minister of Rites, Zhang Hongcai. But their daughter had been missing all night, in such a dangerous situation, and yet the servants in the mansion didn’t seem worried or anxious at all.

On the contrary, everything was calm.

She glanced at Pei Ji, who stood beside her with an unreadable expression, seemingly unconcerned. Pei Ji was probably wondering why she had brought her along.

They weren’t just here to bring Miaomiao home; they were also here to apologize.

Miaomiao pulled her into the Zhang residence. The butler who opened the door seemed shocked to see her, scurrying over to inspect the child. “It’s Third Miss! Third Miss is back! Third Miss is back! Old Madam, Madam, Third Miss is back!”

He Jiaojiao noticed there wasn’t a hint of joy on Miaomiao’s face at seeing her family again. Instead, she looked troubled.

The first person to come out of the house was a richly dressed woman in a gold velvet coat, with a golden phoenix hairpin in her hair. Her makeup was vibrant, and her posture was charming and flirtatious. A nanny followed behind her.

This was Zhang Hongcai’s wife, Yin Rong.

She walked forward gracefully, every move showing the air of a noblewoman. Her tone was one of concern. “Miaomiao, you’re finally home. We were all so worried about you being out all night, especially your grandmother. She’s not strong to begin with, and now she has to worry about you. You’re so thoughtless.”

He Jiaojiao felt Miaomiao’s hand tighten in her own. All the liveliness she had shown before was gone. Miaomiao then spoke slowly. “I know, Mother. I’m sorry to have worried everyone.”

Yin Rong didn’t wait for her to finish before flashing a charming smile. “These must be General He’s daughters, the Second Miss. This child has no manners; you have my sincerest thanks.”

“It’s no trouble at all. Miaomiao was very well-behaved and wasn’t any trouble. However, with what happened to the He family yesterday, it was very dangerous for a child her age to be separated from you all. We’re relieved that you and Minister Zhang are safe. My husband and I are here on behalf of my father to apologize.”

The word “husband” made Pei Ji’s hand stiffen.

Before He Jiaojiao had finished speaking, Pei Ji had already placed the gifts she was holding into the butler’s hands. She seemed reluctant, but their actions were in sync. Despite not having exchanged a single word on the way over, Pei Ji had understood her intent.

Yin Rong quickly sized up Pei Ji, her expression subtle, then she seemed to understand. “Second Miss He, please. General He must have been a victim of evildoers. How could we blame him for this? We can only blame those criminals. Everyone in the capital knows General He is a man who serves his country and his people. There is no need for an apology.”

“Miaomiao is back!” an old, shaky voice came from behind. An elderly woman walked over unsteadily, her white hair showing clearly at her temples. Her face looked haggard, as if she hadn’t slept at all.

“You brat, I told you to stay home. Why did you have to run off like that? Are you trying to kill your grandmother from worry?” Old Madam Zhang’s voice trembled, a mixture of worry and scolding.

“I wasn’t being thoughtless. I didn’t run away. I went to…” Miaomiao’s words came to an abrupt halt.

He Jiaojiao saw her look at Yin Rong before she closed her mouth. She seemed to be afraid of her mother.

Miaomiao didn’t exist in the original novel, and the Minister of Rites’ family wasn’t involved in the plot. But from the looks of it, this Yin Rong wasn’t a good person. Zhang Hongcai was busy with court affairs and didn’t have time to pay attention to these things. And since Old Madam Zhang’s health was poor, it was easy for Yin Rong to control the household.

Those marks on Miaomiao’s arms were probably not so simple, either.

Stuck in a place like this, it was no wonder she didn’t want to return.

But this was someone else’s family matter. No matter how much she wanted to help, she had no right to interfere.

Yin Rong quickly interrupted Miaomiao, her smile the very picture of a loving mother. She turned to Old Madam Zhang. “Mother, don’t be angry with Miaomiao. It’s normal for a child to be a little mischievous. The important thing is she’s back safe. After such a dangerous situation yesterday, she must be frightened. Let her go and rest.”

Old Madam Zhang thought this was reasonable and nodded. “Very well.”

The butler then reached out to take Miaomiao’s hand, but the child hid behind He Jiaojiao, a look of vigilance in her eyes.

A flash of annoyance crossed Yin Rong’s face, her grim expression quickly masked. “Look at you. After only a day apart, you’re so distant. Second Miss He has other things to do. Are you going to be a nuisance and refuse to leave?”

Miaomiao clutched He Jiaojiao’s sleeve, looking up at her with a pleading, miserable expression. Her eyes were filled with pain.

He Jiaojiao was about to say something, but the butler was quick. He picked the child up and turned to leave.

She watched them go. Miaomiao no longer struggled. Her calm expression seemed to indicate she had accepted her fate or knew that struggling was pointless.

For the first time, He Jiaojiao felt a profound sense of powerlessness, like she was tangled in a web of branches. No matter how hard she tried, it was useless. A deep guilt welled up inside her.

Everyone’s shackles are too heavy, so heavy that they can’t escape their predicament and can only face it.

Old Madam Zhang and Yin Rong wanted them to stay for lunch, but she politely declined. She was afraid that if she stayed any longer, she might change her mind and do something she shouldn’t.

********

With the new year approaching, the streets were a vibrant, festive display. The stalls were filled with all sorts of curiosities, and the crowds bustled back and forth. The clamor of carriages and people made for a lively scene.

“In my opinion, everyone in the Zhang mansion is a beast in human skin. If you really can’t let go of that child, just go and snatch her back. Surely this big general’s estate can afford to raise one more,” Pei Ji said, having been silent the entire time. It seemed she had read He Jiaojiao’s distracted mind.

Typical villain behavior, threatening to take things by force…

He Jiaojiao stopped, amused by her words. She gave a bitter laugh. “The world isn’t as simple as doing what you want. There are all kinds of people and a lot of unpredictability. Sometimes we can’t do what we want, and forcing things could lead to disaster.”

Pei Ji turned to glance at her and said nothing more.

Just then, He Jiaojiao was bumped and nearly fell backward. A hand from behind caught her, but just as the person’s arm came close to her, the same hand gave her a powerful shove forward.

He Jiaojiao stumbled and then glared at Pei Ji.

Pei Ji shook her sleeve, as if she didn’t want to have any physical contact with her.

“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry…”

The person who had bumped into her was a little beggar boy. He was holding a few buns, bowing and apologizing repeatedly. A man was chasing him, and it was clear he had been caught stealing food.

“You little runt! You stand right there! Don’t let me get my hands on you…!” The man’s voice got louder and louder, and the crowd began to gather to watch the show.

As the beggar boy tried to flee, Pei Ji stepped forward and grabbed him. Her reaction was much quicker than He Jiaojiao’s. He Jiaojiao almost wanted to applaud.

Pei Ji blocked his path. “Trying to run after you stole something?”

The beggar boy anxiously thrashed against her, looking back, afraid he would be caught and his buns would be taken away.

The man finally caught up, panting heavily. “You little bastard… you gave me a run for my money… Let’s see… let’s see where you’ll run now…” He reached out to grab him.

He Jiaojiao blocked his hand, a gleaming silver ingot held in front of him. “I’ll pay for him. Don’t make a fuss over a child.”

The man’s eyes lit up. He took the silver with both hands, grinning widely. “Miss, you’ve… you’ve given too much…”

At that moment, a group of children in tattered clothes surrounded them. He Jiaojiao was momentarily stunned. She looked at Pei Ji, but Pei Ji was completely calm.

Their eyes were fixed on the warm, steaming buns in the beggar boy’s hands. They licked their lips, swallowing, but they didn’t dare to step any closer.

The beggar boy quickly explained. “Don’t be afraid, sirs. They’re… they’re my friends. They won’t hurt you. We’ve just been hungry for a long time, so I had no choice but to steal the buns.”

He Jiaojiao smiled faintly. She turned to the man. “Give the rest of the silver to them.”

The children were overjoyed, jumping up and down. Their wide, worn clothes flapped around, and their faces were filled with pure, innocent smiles.

“Thank you, thank you!” The beggar boy bowed several times, his eyes welling up with tears that he refused to let fall.

Before she could reply, he ran into the crowd and disappeared.

“Why are they so happy?” Pei Ji looked at them, her eyes deep and distant. “Even if you fill them for one meal, they’ll still be hungry tomorrow and cold every day. They’ll be cast aside as worthless all the same…”

“But they at least had one full meal. For them, that’s enough. If they have something to look forward to, they’ll have courage. Even if the world is unfair, just a little bit of warmth can help them get through a lot of hardship. It gives them the strength to fight the world’s sorrows.”

“Besides, there are more good people in this world. More love. It’s everyone’s duty to spread kindness.”

He Jiaojiao’s smile was bright. The warm sun bathed her face, and her clear, amber eyes sparkled like stars. Her cheeks were slightly red from the cold, more captivating than any rouge.

The marketplace was bustling, but Pei Ji’s heart remained still. Yet she hated this unrecognizable world. She hated it with every fiber of her being.