My Female General Is A Villain (GL) - Chapter 5

He Wenchuan sat up straight, eager for the dealer to hurry up so he could win back everything he had lost.

He stood, placing all his hopes in the small cup. He couldn’t stop grinning, a look of absolute confidence on his face, though tiny beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

The moment the cup landed on the table, the man nodded. “Second Young Master He?”

Just then, Pei Ji, who had appeared beside him, whispered in his ear, “Big.”

He Wenchuan looked up, surprised by the voice. He frowned, deep in thought, then finally pulled his hand away from “Small” and placed his chips on “Big.”

“Six, six, six! Big!”

The gamblers in the crowd were thrilled. It had been a long time since they had seen stakes this high, especially not with the General’s son, He Wenchuan, facing a formidable opponent. The crowd’s shouts were deafening.

The tense atmosphere suddenly shifted.

He Wenchuan’s eyes widened in disbelief. He instantly straightened his back, held his head high, and said smugly, “Looks like my luck has finally changed.”

The man seemed surprised, but only for a moment. He quickly returned to a smiling face, spreading his hands. “The Second Young Master He truly has some skill after all.”

The compliment went straight to He Wenchuan’s head. He completely forgot the panic and humiliation he’d felt moments before, believing he had become a truly skillful gambler.

“How about we play for even higher stakes?” the man offered.

He Wenchuan was on a high and fearless. “How?”

“We’ll bet the property deed.”

At the words “property deed,” his heart dropped. He didn’t dare answer.

If his grandmother found out he had gambled a property deed, she’d skin him alive. Even if she didn’t, his father would beat him to death.

Gambling with small amounts on the side was fine, but the stakes were too high. He simply couldn’t do it.

“Scared?”

“If Brother He is afraid, let’s stop here.”

He Wenchuan knew this was a trick to provoke him, but he couldn’t stand being looked down on. He glanced at Pei Ji standing behind him, hardened his heart, and grit his teeth. “What’s a man got to be scared of? A bet is a bet!”

“Good!” The man said, snapping his fan shut.

At the crucial moment, He Wenchuan hesitated. He thought if Pei Ji helped him win the first round, he would help him win the second.

But he was wrong. When he turned his head, he’s familiar silhouette was nowhere to be found.

The arrow had been released. There was no going back.

******

When He Jiaojiao left the mansion, she headed straight for the “Changsheng Gambling House.”

She knew He Wenchuan loved to gamble, so he wouldn’t do any shopping. She also remembered that a major event was supposed to happen today, and she had to stop it.

Seeing the two servants waiting outside the gambling house, He Jiaojiao walked to a nearby stall, grabbed a feather duster, and handed the owner some silver from her sleeve. Then she turned and walked into the gambling house without a second thought.

The vendor’s eyes lit up at the sight of the silver. “When did the Second Miss He get so generous?”

The gambling house was packed, everyone gathered in one spot. She could vaguely hear her good-for-nothing second brother’s shouts. She quickened her pace.

The suddenly she bumped into someone. She bumped into Pei Ji, who was heading out. She stopped and gave her a long look.

Pei Ji seemed completely unfazed, calm as still water.

He Jiaojiao wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but Pei Ji’s dark eyes seemed to flicker when she saw her.

He Jiaojiao walked past her and tried to push her way through the crowd, but she wasn’t strong enough. The people in front of her were like mountains.

She took a deep breath and shouted at the top of her lungs, “He Wenchuan!”

The thunderous voice silenced the noisy room. Everyone turned to stare at her. Seeing her imposing demeanor, they parted, creating a path for her.

The moment He Wenchuan saw He Jiaojiao, his eyes widened in terror. She was like a demon. He jumped off his stool.

He saw her walking toward him with a fierce expression, holding the feather duster upside down. He stammered, “He Jiaojiao, what are you doing? I’m your second brother. Don’t you know the eldest brother is like a father? Don’t do anything reckless…”

Everyone in the City of Bian Du knew He Jiaojiao was arrogant and unreasonable, and no one dared to cross her. Even the so-called “Little Bully” He Wenchuan trembled when he saw her.

At this moment, He Jiaojiao was grateful for the original owner’s reputation as someone everyone feared and avoided.

He Jiaojiao slammed the feather duster on the table with a loud thwack, making He Wenchuan flinch.

The onlookers took a step back, but their whispers were constant.

“You know you’re my older brother? I came here today to teach you a lesson for Father and Mother, you ungrateful prodigal son.”

“You… what gives you the right?”

“What gives me the right?” He Jiaojiao scoffed, picking up the property deed on the table. “He Wenchuan, I think you’ve lost your mind! How dare you use the property deed as collateral?”

He Wenchuan was caught red-handed. He still tried to argue, his voice as quiet as a mosquito’s buzz. “We… we haven’t started yet…”

He Jiaojiao had heard the dice cup shaking as she arrived. Luckily, she had made it in time. In the original storyline, He Wenchuan not only lost the deed but also damaged He Su’s standing in court, which angered the Emperor.

She looked at the person who had instigated the whole thing but had remained silent.

It was Yuwen Lu, the heir of the Prince of Chen’an.

The Prince of Chen’an had always seen He Su as a thorn in his side and wanted to get rid of him. But He Su was favored by the Emperor, so the prince couldn’t do anything to him.

The political climate in the court was unstable. One wrong move could lead to disaster. If He Wenchuan caused trouble at such a critical moment, it would make the Emperor wary of He Su, who commanded great military power.

Even if He Su was loyal and had no ulterior motives, the Emperor, in order to solidify his own position, could easily find an excuse to kill him.

And that was exactly what happened in the original story.

After the He family fell, Pei Ji began to gather her own power. The fleeing He family were branded as criminals, and Pei Ji pursued them relentlessly.

Trapped between two enemies, they had nowhere to run.

He Jiaojiao let out a breath. This is terrifying! This one bet was the spark that would have sent me to the gallows.

This damned He Wenchuan.

She smiled sweetly at Yuwen Lu, dropping her fiery demeanor. “I didn’t realize the Crown Prince enjoyed gambling so much.”

Yuwen Lu, who had been watching with a cold eye, stiffened.

“Gambler” was not a good word, especially for someone of royal bl00d. If the Emperor heard about it, he might not look kindly upon him.

But He Jiaojiao just wanted to expose his identity in front of everyone. The gossips of the town were very effective. Even if a rival tried to report He Su to the Emperor, the Prince of Chen’an would not get off scot-free.

No person with a brain would walk into such a lose-lose situation.

Yuwen Lu hadn’t expected to be recognized by some young girl he had never met.

“It says so on the Crown Prince’s fan,” He Jiaojiao said, batting her eyelashes. “Right there, in three big characters: Yuwen Lu.” She knew what he was thinking.

But that wasn’t the real reason. System 19 had told her. There was a big “Yuwen Lu” floating above his head. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have known who he was.

Yuwen Lu looked at his fan, slightly embarrassed. He gave a slight laugh. “You have a good eye, miss.”

“I was just passing by and wanted to make a friend of Brother He.”

He Jiaojiao pounced. “Make friends at a gambling house? Friends you’d bet all your worldly possessions and a property deed with?”

Yuwen Lu hadn’t expected her to be so aggressive. He had no choice but to say, “It was just a game. It wasn’t serious.”

Good. He Jiaojiao smiled triumphantly.

She took the property deed from the table and put it in her pocket. “Since it wasn’t serious, I’ll take this on behalf of my foolish brother. We’ll pretend none of this ever happened.”

Her words were blunt. To the onlookers, it seemed the commotion was over. But Yuwen Lu understood. It meant she wouldn’t let the news reach the higher-ups.

He had no choice but to bow slightly and leave.

******

When they returned to the mansion, He Su and her eldest brother, He Xuanzhi, had just returned from the frontier. When He Su heard about He Wenchuan’s absurd actions, he made him kneel in the main hall, ready to discipline him with the family stick.

He Wenchuan wailed, promising he would never do it again, his head hitting the floor with each thump. He did not get off without a beating.

In the end, it was the Old Madam who gave in, heartbroken for her cherished grandson.

With the Old Madam protecting him, He Su didn’t dare go too far. He could only sigh and threaten him with words.

Meanwhile, He Jiaojiao was strolling with a handsome young man.

Pei Ji watched her, surprised by her curiosity about the world around her, touching and examining the goods at the stalls. “Why did the Second Miss come here?”

She had always despised such low-class places and never cared about He Wenchuan’s well-being.

Today’s actions were truly unexpected.

“You mean the gambling house?” He Jiaojiao asked, still looking at the stalls.

“Yes.”

It’s all to save my own skin.

A sudden, terrifyingly real memory of her dream came to her. She was still a little scared.

The person who had been so brutal to her in the dream was now standing right beside her.

A chill ran down the back of her neck. She said without thinking, “I want to live.”

Pei Ji watched her quietly, her eyes deep and unreadable like still water.

It seems this cruel woman has become much smarter after she fell into the lake.

The scene was chaotic, but chaos was the easiest time to get away.

He Jiaojiao had perfectly pinpointed Yuwen Lu’s weakness and used the Emperor’s authority to pressure him into backing down.

All the onlookers were witnesses. Even if Yuwen Lu wanted to make a move against them, he would have to consider if his own father would be the first to punish him.

This matter wouldn’t even need the He family to speak up; the Prince of Chen’an would silence the gossips himself.

He Jiaojiao led Pei Ji into a high-end tailor shop called Xiu-Luoshang (Embroidered Silk).

From the name, it sounded like a good place.

She had to admire He Jiaojiao’s reputation in Bian Du. The moment she stepped into the shop, the owner came out with a big smile.

“Ah, what brings the Second Miss He here? You’ve been coming less often recently, haven’t you?”

Well, He Jiaojiao, you’re quite famous.

“Do you have any warm clothes he can wear?” He Jiaojiao said to the owner, gesturing toward Pei Ji.

“Yes, yes, we do.”

As the owner bustled off to select clothes, Pei Ji looked at He Jiaojiao, confused.

It wasn’t until the owner put the dark blue coat on her, and the warmth of the fabric wrapped around every vessel in her body, that she finally believed He Jiaojiao was telling the truth.

He Jiaojiao was buying her clothes.

“For me?” Pei Ji frowned, her chapped lips parted slightly.

He Jiaojiao felt helpless. She was doing a good deed, but she still had to hide it.

She put on the arrogant act of the original owner, saying nonchalantly, “Grandmother’s birthday is coming up. I don’t want your shabby appearance to ruin her fun. It would just make it look like the He family is mistreating you.”

Pei Ji didn’t say anything more.

He Jiaojiao bought her several more outfits and replaced her cracked boots.

It was hard to imagine that she had been walking around in shoes with paper-thin soles. What was the difference between that and being barefoot on the snowy streets?

A villain who had it this bad was truly pathetic.