My Female General Is A Villain (GL) - Chapter 17

Yuwen Jue’s steps faltered. With a complex expression, he turned to the unconcerned He Jiaojiao. “After knowing you for so long, I had no idea your skill at Go was so masterful. Not to mention my sister, even I’m ashamed.”

It was understandable for the Third Prince to be protective of his sister, as they had always relied on each other.

But a protagonist was a protagonist. Even when angry, he was still reasonable.

She didn’t care about Yuwen Jue’s suspicion, as her target was Pei Ji. However, she didn’t want to sour their relationship. In the end, Pei Ji would die by Yuwen Jue’s hand. She couldn’t let that happen, so she had to build a good relationship with him and find a new path.

This was why novels and dramas were always so melodramatic. The protagonists were the embodiment of justice, and justice always won in the end.

Jiaojiao gave a goofy laugh. “Third Prince, you flatter me. I just got lucky. I had a strange dream last night, and a divine being in my dream played exactly like that. I just drew what I saw. It was a lucky guess.”

The world of this novel was set in a time where people were superstitious and believed in ghosts and gods. They revered deities and feared the supernatural.

With Jiaojiao’s explanation, Yuwen Jue had nothing more to say.

He fell silent. The only sound was the howling wind and snow outside, which sent a shiver down her spine.

Consort De exchanged a few pleasantries with her, asking about her family and chatting. Then, Jiaojiao left.

*******

Pei Ji was led by the chief eunuch Zhao to the Emperor’s palace.

Though her clothes were simple, the fabric was excellent. A mix of white and red with a gold belt at her waist. Her light yellow hair was tied up with a dark blue hair ribbon. From a distance, she had the noble air of a young master.

Her impossibly thin face was even paler than the snow. Her deep-set eyes were abnormally calm, and her chiseled jaw was slightly raised. She walked to the Emperor’s room, a curtain separating the Emperor from her.

Pei Ji knelt and bowed. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Rise,” a low, solid voice said. It was not loud, but it was powerful.

Pei Ji lifted the hem of her clothes and stood up.

“If I’m not mistaken, your late mother was from the Nayi tribe, correct?” The Emperor slowly turned around, his sharp eyes narrowing as he looked at Pei Ji through the curtain.

The women of the Nayi tribe were known for their delicate beauty, and the men were large and strong. The imperial family was skilled in witchcraft, and Pei Ji’s mother was originally known as the most revered shamaness, a sign of good fortune, a favored one by the gods.

The Nayi tribe was not only mysterious but also sparsely populated. Who would have thought their shamaness, for the sake of love, would defy her tribe and marry Pei Huo, stepping into the Central Plains? In the end, she had not fared well.

“That’s correct.”

“I have a letter here from the state of Beili. It concerns your father. Are you interested in knowing what it says?” the Emperor said without hurry, holding the letter and observing her expression.

Pei Ji stared at the curtain, her face impassive. “Since it’s in the past, there is no need to investigate.”

“Oh?” The Emperor pretended to be confused. “But I am baffled. Since your birth mother was a Nayi tribeswoman, why would General Pei Huo of Beili want to attack the Nayi tribe? He has even asked me to send him troops. What do you think? Should I agree to this?”

Pei Ji’s gaze became darker and deeper, like a bottomless well that could swallow all light.

The Emperor’s words were essentially putting her on the spot. She had to choose between Great Jing and Beili, and he was testing her loyalty.

If she agreed, she would be condemned by her mother’s tribe for the rest of her life. If she didn’t, it would be seen as a sign that she wanted to leave Great Jing and find a new path. Either way, it was a trap.

“You should have heard that I don’t get along with my birth father, much less my siblings. They have wanted me dead since I was a child. The matters of the Pei family have nothing to do with me. This is a matter of the state of Beili, and I have no interest in it.”

“As for my late mother, she passed away after my birth. I have no memories of her. I don’t know her appearance, so there is no affection to speak of. I have also never been to the Nayi tribe and have only heard small things. Now, I am in Great Jing and only wish to live in peace.”

Her words not only cut off her connection to Beili but also disassociated her from the Nayi tribe.

The Emperor burst into laughter, the sound echoing throughout the hall. But he was still skeptical.

“Since you’ve heard some things, what do you know about that Nayi tribesman, the Phantom General?”

Pei Ji finally shook her head, uttering two words. “I don’t.”

“Oh? Is that so?” The Emperor walked back and sat on his chair. “The Phantom General is a deity to the Nayi people. A few years ago, your father led an army of five hundred thousand but could not defeat him. Even more miraculously, the general only had fifty thousand elite soldiers, yet your father gained nothing and even suffered a defeat.”

“The Phantom General has disappeared since that battle. Some say he died in battle, others say he comes and goes like a ghost, appearing whenever there is a war. The rumors are endless, and no one knows the truth.”

“He is called the Phantom General not only because he wears a ghost mask, but also because his methods of killing are extremely brutal and terrifying. His presence alone can intimidate an entire enemy army. It is said that no one has ever seen his true face, and if they have, they have become a soul under his blade.”

“Now Beili wants to launch another campaign. This is a gamble. If they win, everyone is happy. If they lose, it will be a bloodbath. Pei Ji, if you were in my shoes, what would you choose?”

Pei Ji’s lips curled into a barely visible smile, her eyes full of contempt. So this was his intention. He had gone in a big circle, and this was where he was heading.

“This is a major national matter that even Your Majesty cannot decide. How can you expect me to? I am but a commoner. I have no such knowledge. Besides, since you have asked me, you must have already made your decision. Asking me is only to reaffirm your thoughts. Therefore, what I say is irrelevant.”

“If I had to speak, I would say to follow your heart. Your Majesty’s careful consideration must have its own reasons.”

Pei Ji was calm and composed, deflecting the question completely.

“You are a clever one.” The Emperor didn’t seem satisfied with her answer. His low voice suddenly became like that of a wild beast, and the subject changed again. “Then do you think that the Phantom General is still alive?”

Even through the curtain, Pei Ji could feel his chilling, predatory gaze. It was as if he wanted to devour her, to dissect her insides. She, however, was calm, meeting his stare without blinking, as if she was enjoying it, even a little excited.

The Emperor finally waved his hand in annoyance, closing his eyes.

Chief Eunuch Zhao understood. He bowed to her. “Second Master He, His Majesty is tired. You may retire if there’s nothing else.”

Pei Ji looked away, bowed, and left.

*******

At that moment, the Emperor opened his eyes again. “Watching him, I always feel there’s something more to him. His gaze always makes me incredibly uncomfortable.”

Chief Eunuch Zhao replied, “Are you referring to Second Master He?”

The Emperor’s eyes were fixed on Pei Jo’s distant figure, lost in thought.

*******

After leaving Consort De, the sky had already darkened. A palace maid who looked about fifteen or sixteen stepped forward and respectfully said, “Second Miss He, I have been ordered by the Consort to lead you to your chambers.”

The palace was a maze of intersecting paths, so having a guide was a good thing. Jiaojiao didn’t think twice and agreed.

She wasn’t sure how long they had been walking, but it felt like a long time. The paths were complex, and the moon was high in the sky, shrouded in mist. The lantern in the maid’s hand was almost useless, and Jiaojiao began to feel uneasy.

The place Consort De had arranged shouldn’t have been so remote, almost as if it were deliberately hidden.

Jiaojiao asked, “How much longer?”

“Second Miss, we’re almost there. It’s just up ahead.”

As the maid’s words fell, a grand palace came into view.

So it was real.

But the place was so quiet that you could hear a leaf fall. Though it looked magnificent, it also seemed as if no one had lived there in a long time.

A clean kind of desolation.

Jiaojiao walked inside. Beneath the glazed tiles, the pearl curtains hung low, a glittering facade of prosperity. It was even more opulent than Consort De’s chambers.

When she came to her senses, the maid was gone, and the door to the room had been closed.