My Female General Is A Villain (GL) - Chapter 24

As soon as the guard left, a graceful, lithe figure emerged from behind the curtains.

“As expected of the Crown Prince,” He Yushu said, crouching down in front of him and picking up a small cat. “Your methods are as flawless and watertight as ever.” She stroked the cat gently, then sat down beside him. “If I ever became a thorn in your side, would you deal with me the same way?” she asked, smoothing the cat’s fur, her words laced with meaning.

Yuwen Jingchen didn’t even flinch. “The third miss is a clever person. You know better than to ask such a meaningless question.”

He Yushu simply smiled, saying nothing. She picked up the teapot and refilled his empty cup, the warm steam rising into the air. She lightly touched the rim of his teacup and asked softly, “Now that your wish has been fulfilled, shouldn’t you consider the promise you made to me?” As she spoke, she placed the cup in front of him and looked at him expectantly.

“What, are you already losing your patience?” he replied.

“Not at all, but we can’t just keep dragging this on,” He Yushu said quietly. “I’m always a little on edge.”

Her worry wasn’t that the Crown Prince would break his word, but that what she had worked so hard to achieve would all fall apart. What she wanted was nothing more than the Third Prince. She knew he was smitten with her illegitimate sister, He Wanqing, but it didn’t matter. As long as she had him, she believed his heart would eventually follow.

Yuwen Jingchen raised an eyebrow and took a sip of his tea. “You know the Third Prince is in love with your stepsister. It’s impossible for him to willingly marry you.”

“Then…” He Yushu began.

Yuwen Jingchen cut her off. “Then we’ll have to force him.”

*******

Ever since Pei Ji’s incident, He Jiaojiao had been playing chess day and night. She didn’t play against anyone else. She just sat there, challenging herself. She didn’t speak, and her face showed no emotion, so quiet it was as if she weren’t there at all.

Yuwen Jinhuan leaned against the doorframe, munching on some nuts. “Wanqing, what’s wrong with He Jiaojiao?” she asked carelessly, looking at the small figure in the distance. “Is it love sickness? She’s not eating or drinking—even an immortal couldn’t survive this. Can she really find something new just playing chess against herself? Doesn’t her butt hurt from sitting for so long?”

He Wanqing looked worried, yet she also seemed to understand. “It’s been days since we heard anything about Pei Ji at the Ministry of Justice. Jiaojiao is waiting, and playing chess is the only way she can calm herself down.” The way she was now was a stark change from before, when she’d never cared about Pei Ji and her emotions were always on full display. This new side of her seemed more real, more compassionate.

“Waiting for news doesn’t mean she has to be so hard on herself,” Jinhuan said, clapping her hands together after she finished her nuts. “I don’t get it. They never got along. Why is she acting like she can’t live without him now?”

He Wanqing couldn’t answer because the Ninth Princess was right. She knew her sister was saving Pei Ji for the sake of their family. With public gossip running rampant, the incident would be a nightmare for their father. But she could also see that Jiaojiao’s feelings for Pei Ji went beyond mere obligation. Her concern was genuine, as was her desire to get him out.

“A message came from the Ministry of Justice,” a clear voice said.

Yuwen Jue slowly walked over.

“And?” He Wanqing asked.

“What did they say?” Jinhuan asked.

The two women spoke at the same time, their voices filled with urgency.

Yuwen Jue shook his head and sighed, not saying a word.

Jinhuan straightened up, her carefree expression instantly turning serious. “What does that head shake mean, Imperial Brother? Speak clearly.”

He Wanqing already understood. Looking at the orange robes in the distance, her heart sank.

“Pei Ji has confessed. He broke into the Forbidden Hall, and he’s the one who killed her. There’s no hope now,” Yuwen Jue said with a sigh. It had only been a few days, but everything had changed. He hadn’t been close to Pei Ji, but they had known each other, and he’d considered him a friend.

The three of them fell silent, all understanding what he meant.

“Third Prince, did you get a message from the Ministry of Justice?” a raspy voice asked from behind them.

They hadn’t even had a moment to react. It was the first time He Jiaojiao had spoken in two days.

He Wanqing took her hand. “Sister, you haven’t eaten or drunk anything in a long time. You need to rest. We can talk about everything later.”

But Jiaojiao gripped her hand tightly, pulling her back. “Third Prince, is there any news from the Ministry of Justice?” she repeated.

“Rather than hiding it from her, we should just tell her straight,” Jinhuan said firmly. “She has to face some things herself.”

“Yes,” Yuwen Jue agreed, giving in.

Jiaojiao’s wide eyes blinked. She understood the unspoken meaning behind their words. “She’s dead, isn’t she?” she asked, the question coming out with an unnerving calm.

Yuwen Jue hadn’t expected her to be so blunt. Unable to deny it, he nodded.

“Okay.” A single word.

“Sister…” He Wanqing tried to console her, afraid she would be too heartbroken. “Please don’t be too sad…” But the words died in her throat.

“I’m starving,” Jiaojiao said, her voice surprisingly spirited. “I want to eat.”

Her sudden shift in mood shocked the other three.

Jinhuan swallowed hard. “He Jiaojiao… If you’re upset, you can let it out.” She could feel her sorrow, and this reaction just didn’t feel right.

Yuwen Jue gave Jinhuan a look, and she immediately fell silent.

“It’s good that you’re hungry,” He Wanqing said, pushing her worries aside. “The kitchen has been preparing food for you. You can eat whenever you’re ready.” Her sister’s physical health was the most important thing right now, and she was relieved she was finally willing to eat.

In the blink of an eye, the table was filled with all sorts of delicious dishes.

Jiaojiao ate in silence. She knew she needed to eat to regain her strength. The three of them watched her, holding their breath, not daring to make a sound. When she couldn’t reach a dish, they’d quietly move it closer for her. By the time she was done, she had eaten more than she had in days.

She put down her chopsticks and looked at them calmly. “I need to go to the Ministry of Justice.”

The three of them spoke at once. “Go to the Ministry of Justice for what?”

“To bring my husband home.”

The girl’s soft face was now set with unyielding resolve, a powerful presence emanating from her small body.

*******

Dressed in a stark white gown with a white flower in her hair, she stood resolutely in front of the main gate of the Ministry of Justice prison. A cold wind blew, but she stood out, a solitary figure in her mourning clothes. Behind her was a wooden coffin.

Chai Cheng heard the commotion and came out to see what it was. “And who might this be?”

He Jiaojiao lifted her head, her voice clear and strong. “I am He Jiaojiao, daughter of He Su.”

“Ah, the Second Miss He.”

“And what is the Second Miss He here for?” Chai Cheng asked, looking at her and the coffin, pretending he didn’t know.

Jiaojiao didn’t want to bother with him, but since he was playing dumb, she had to spell it out. “Where is my husband, Pei Ji? I have come to take him home.”

Chai Cheng smiled and cupped his hands. “He is under the supervision and arrangement of the Ministry of Justice. Second Miss, you should know that our laws do not permit the return of a deceased prisoner’s body. If you insist, I will have no choice but to accompany you to the end. We can then let His Majesty make the final decision.”

Using the emperor to pressure her—how ridiculous. Jiaojiao found his words absurd and refused to waste any more time arguing. “By imperial decree, Pei Ji is the son of a high-ranking official from an allied country. To maintain relations between our nations, he is to be returned for a proper burial. This is an order.” She held up the Consort De’s token. The golden token flashed, blinding Chai Cheng. Her small frame stood tall. “Now, may I take him?”

Chai Cheng was stunned by her sudden show of authority. He had no choice but to step aside. With a wave of his hand, he ordered, “Bring the person out.”

In a short while, four officials carried Pei Ji out. His hands hung limply from the stretcher, and his face was pale and lifeless. He was even more bruised than the last time she had seen him. Aside from his face, there wasn’t a single spot on his body that was unblemished. Pei Ji was placed in the wooden coffin, and four servants carried it behind her.

On the road out of the palace, she scattered spirit money from her sleeve, and passersby whispered.

“Did you hear? The son-in-law of General He’s family is dead.”

“I heard so. He angered the emperor. Even with his connections, he couldn’t escape death.”

“I heard he was tortured for days at the Ministry of Justice before he finally confessed. That place is a nightmare.”

“Well, that works out for the Second Miss He, doesn’t it? Now she can remarry.”

“That’s right, she and the Crown Prince are…”

“Shhh! Don’t talk nonsense. You’ll bring trouble on yourself.”

Outside the palace gate, a carriage was already waiting. Jiaojiao saw her older sister, the Third Prince, and the Ninth Princess.

“It seems your trip went smoothly,” Yuwen Jue said as she approached.

“Third Prince, Ninth Princess, what are you doing here?” Jiaojiao asked.

“I had to come see you off to feel at ease,” Yuwen Jue said, walking to the carriage and lifting the curtain. “Get in and we can talk.”

Jiaojiao exchanged a look with them before climbing into the carriage. Once everyone was settled, He Wanqing spoke first. “We have Father to thank for what happened today.”

“What?” Jiaojiao said in disbelief.

“I had someone send a letter back to him. He had just won a battle and asked the emperor for a reward,” He Wanqing said with a smile.

Jiaojiao’s brow furrowed. This was bad. She had dragged her family into this. Was it unavoidable after all? She had hoped the Consort De’s token would be enough. It wasn’t anything serious. But the emperor already held a grudge against her father, He Su. Bringing this up now was a terrible idea.

Yuwen Jinhuan crossed her arms. “If you ask me, Father is making a fuss over nothing. It’s a simple matter, but he had to make a big scene out of it. This was the one time in my life I tried so hard to get on his good side, and he still didn’t budge.” Jinhuan’s voice was full of resentment.

“Maybe he was just angry and couldn’t bring himself to let it go,” He Wanqing suggested.

But Yuwen Jue was unsettled. “Second Miss, have you or your family offended someone?”

Jiaojiao looked at him.

“I don’t mean anything by it,” he quickly explained. “It just feels like everything that’s happened lately has been too convenient—as if it was all planned to target you.”

The original He Jiaojiao had offended just about everyone, but this new Jiaojiao already had someone in mind.