When going down the mountain, He Yan was quieter than when he first came.

Xiao Jue asked: "Are you still thinking about what happened just now?"

He Yan was afraid that he would find out, so he lied, "I just felt a little sad after hearing what that lady said."

Xiao Jue paused for a moment before saying calmly, "Don't worry, you won't become the former Grandma Xu."

He Yan lowered her head and smiled, not knowing what she felt in her heart. She had died once before. But when she saw Madam He Er again today, she found that her mother did not completely ignore her.

But if she really felt sorry for herself, why was Second Madam He so distant to her when she was "He Yan"? When the He family and the Xu family conspired to harm her eyes, and when she was "accidentally drowned", did Second Madam He know the truth?

He Yanning hoped that she knew nothing, as ignorance is not a crime.

But even if she didn't know about this, Second Madam He must have known about the fact that she and He Rufei had exchanged identities. How could a mother push her own daughter away? She was so close to her, but she couldn't even call her "mother".

He Yan narrowed his eyes.

A few days had passed, and it was time for her to go to the Xu family. Fuwang had found some clues, and after the palace banquet, He Rufei and Xu Zhiheng would definitely be suspicious of her.

She needs to hurry up.

…

He Xinying first sent He Er Madam back to the mansion with the guards and servants before returning to the Xu family. Xu Zhiheng was in the study. He did not attend the court today. I don't know what happened. Since returning from the celebration banquet that day, Xu Zhiheng rarely went out. People outside said that he was sick. He Xinying knew that Xu Zhiheng was fine. It was more like he was worried than sick. Sometimes when He Xinying talked to him, she could feel that Xu Zhiheng was obviously absent-minded.

He Xinying just pretended not to know.

A smart woman should know when to show her stupidity, which is a rule she learned in the backyard of the He family. But no matter how stupid she pretends to be, she should always have a scale in her heart, and not pretend to be stupid.

Xu Zhiheng, who was rummaging through He Yan's room that night, looked very different from his usual self, which made He Xinying suspicious. When she married into the Xu family, she brought a maid with her as a dowry. Now she didn't dare to use anyone in the Xu family, and only dared to use people around her.

She wanted to check something.

If these things had nothing to do with her, He Xinying would not care. But all these things showed that He Yan's death was not that simple. Not to mention Xu Zhiheng's weirdness, her mother also lost her composure when she met the Wu'an Marquis with the same name and surname at Yuhua Temple today. If there was any secret behind He Yan's incident, how could she not become the next He Yan?

In the He family, women have no status. Even if she is the legitimate daughter of Madam He, her marriage is arranged early. The marriage of the daughter is to pave the way for the man's career. As for whether the person she marries is a human or a ghost, good or bad, it is not very important. Benefits come first. This is why the daughters of the He family were jealous of He Yan when she married Xu Zhiheng. It was because her marriage seemed to be the best choice that the He family could choose for her.

But now it seems that there may be some hidden story.

"Xiao Liu," she instructed her personal maid, "In the past few days, you should quietly inquire in the mansion to find out what kind of conflict my sister He Yan had with the concubine surnamed He when she was still alive, and what mistakes did concubine He make to be driven out."

"Why is grandma asking this?" Xiao Liu asked curiously.

"I have my own ideas," He Xinying said without saying more. "You just need to remember that this matter needs to be kept secret and must not be known to outsiders. Give more money. Also, it's best not to mention my sister. Start with Aunt He."

This way, even if she was accidentally discovered by the Xu family, she could say that she was jealous and wanted to know how the concubine had gained Xu Zhiheng's favor in the past, instead of exposing that she was secretly investigating the cause of He Yan's death.

No one in the Xu family ever mentions He Yan, and they avoid talking about He Yan's affairs. There must be something wrong.

He Xinying looked at the bright sunlight outside, and suddenly felt that the spacious and bright courtyard of the Xu family had become a little eerie and scary at this moment.

However, even for her own sake, she couldn't live in such a muddle.

…

After worshiping the Buddha, He Yan and Xiao Jue did not return to their respective homes directly, but went to the Liangzhou Guard’s camp outside the city.

The soldiers of the Southern Palace were relatively reserved, but it was probably because Tian Lang did not allow them to discuss their superiors' private affairs. Shen Han could not control the Liangzhou Guards. When He Yan lived and ate with a group of soldiers, they had already formed a "deep friendship". Now, they heard that their brother had become a girl and the fiancée of their superior... In any case, apart from training soldiers, most people were most interested in talking about this matter recently.

When He Yan and Xiao Jue went there, they were still training. He Yan thought about it and said to Xiao Jue, "Commander-in-chief, why don't you not go in with me and just stay outside with Coach Shen and the others. If you go in, even if they have questions they want to ask, they won't dare to ask."

Xiao Jue raised his eyebrows: "Okay." He went to find Tian Lang on his own. Since he returned to Beijing, he has been busy with Xu's family affairs, and in order to let Xu Jingfu relax his vigilance, he rarely comes here, and each time he only stays for a short while before leaving in a hurry.

After Xiao Jue left, He Yan sat outside the training ground in the distance and waited for them.

Soon, the training ended and the soldiers went to eat in groups of three or four. Someone saw He Yan sitting at the edge. He Yan was wearing women's clothes today, and they couldn't recognize her at first. One soldier came forward and asked with concern, "Miss, who are you looking for?"

He Yan looked at him, stood up, patted the dust off his body, and smiled: "It's just a short while since we last met, so you don't recognize me?"

Seeing that the new soldier was still staring at her blankly, as if he looked familiar but couldn't remember where he was, He Yan reminded him, "I'm the number one guard in Liangzhou."

This time, the man was very excited. He swallowed his saliva and shouted: "Brothers, He Yan - He Yan is here -"

The voice was so loud that He Yan couldn't help but pick his ears. Then, he saw a group of people rushing over like cats that smelled fish, muttering "Where is it?", "Where is it?", "Let me see, let me see".

He Yan was surrounded by the crowd in an instant.

Probably because she was now dressed as a woman, everyone finally realized that she was indeed a woman. The new recruits of Liangzhou Guards did not try to get close to her by her shoulders as usual, and even looked a little shy. Some even blushed, and did not dare to look at He Yan. They just looked at their shoes on the ground and asked in a low voice: "Hey...Brother He...Miss He, how come you are a woman?"

He Yan bowed to everyone and apologized, his voice clear and bright: "I really had my reasons at the time, I joined the army by mistake, I didn't mean to deceive you, now the truth is out, I think I should come and say sorry to you. Thank you for taking care of me in the past days, although I am a woman, but we are still brothers."

The tone of voice was the same as before, and the tension among the crowd was slightly relieved. Then another voice came from the crowd: "Everyone, get out of my way! Where is she?"

He Yan looked up and saw Wang Ba and his group parting the crowd and walking towards this side.

When they were in Liangzhou Guard, they had the best relationship with He Yan, but even with such a good relationship, they still could not find out that He Yan's identity was different. Therefore, the shock caused to them was the greatest. Wang Ba was the most angry. Did he call a girl "boss" for a year or so? Because of this matter, he almost became a joke in Liangzhou Guard these days. Everyone wanted to tease him about this matter. He didn't expect that He Yan would come to his door today, and he had to come to seek justice.

Just as he was thinking, Wang Ba had already walked in front of He Yan, but when he was about to speak, he couldn't say a word.

Facing a cute and lovely girl looking at him with a sweet smile, even the most ruthless man would be too embarrassed to curse her.

Then He Yan saw the big guy in front of him with a face full of anger, unable to say a word.

It was Xiao Mai who came out. He was young and enthusiastic. After being surprised at first, he was happy. When he saw He Yan, he was very surprised. "Brother He, I didn't expect you to be so beautiful! You are amazing!"

"Why call me Brother He?" Hong Shan slapped him on the forehead. "Call me Miss He." He was also a little at a loss. They had slept in the same bed before...

"Brother He, how could you be a girl?" Jiang Jiao also found it hard to accept. He had always admired He Yan because He Yan was of the same age as him, but she could always give him careful guidance in martial arts. He felt that he had benefited a lot from having such a close friend. Now that his close friend had become a "girl", Jiang Jiao couldn't tell what it felt like. He originally thought that this must be a misunderstanding, and that the gossipmonger had made a mistake. Now that he saw He Yan standing tall and graceful in the crowd, he knew that he couldn't deceive himself.

She is truly a woman.

Huang Xiong and Shitou were the calmest. Shitou didn't like to show his emotions on his face, and Huang Xiong was old and had seen a lot of things. It was shocking to hear that a woman dressed as a man, but it wasn't new. But some of the things that I couldn't understand before were finally answered, such as why He Yan could live in a room so close to Xiao Jue. It turned out that it was inconvenient, and Xiao Jue had to take care of his fiancée.

But this Jade-faced Governor was just as ruthless and cruel as outsiders said. He Yan was clearly his sweetheart. When He Yan first arrived in Liangzhou, he did not miss any training. He also lived in a big shop and followed the team in the morning weight-carrying running. If it were another man, he would probably be gentle with her.

"Are you really going to marry the governor?" Xiao Mai asked curiously, "Does that mean I have to call you Madam Xiao from now on?"

Xiao Mai was straightforward and said whatever he wanted to say. He Yan's face suddenly turned red. If someone else said "Mrs. Xiao Er", it would be really uncomfortable. Her embarrassment was seen by the new recruits of Liangzhou Guards, and they all said, "Oh, Brother He is shy!"

"I never thought that I would be able to see Brother He being shy in my lifetime. God bless you. My life is worth it!"

He Yan: “…”

As the group of men talked, they started calling Xiaomai "Brother He" again, probably because they thought it was more convenient to call her that. Hongshan scolded Xiaomai, "Be careful, don't talk nonsense. She's a girl, do you like being called that?"

Xiao Mai covered his head and said aggrievedly: "There's nothing to be ashamed of."

The men around were delighted: "That's right, Brother He claimed to be the best in Liangzhou in front of everyone without blushing!"

"Are you ashamed? The first place in Liangzhou Wei was won by a girl. You can't even beat a little girl. You are so tall for nothing."

"Is that an ordinary girl? Is that so? The girl that Governor Xiao invited home to be his wife, is that an ordinary girl? Go ahead and fight!"

"I won't go, you should come."

The noisy sounds outside the martial arts field came into the small room. Shen Han wiped the sweat from his forehead. Liang Ping Ma Damei and other coaches stood in the room, not daring to move. Who knows if Xiao Jue came here suddenly to settle the score later? Speaking of which, every coach here has treated He Yan "harshly". Especially Liang Ping.

But it’s hard to say. For example, when we were taking a hot spring bath on Baiyue Mountain before, everyone present had a share.

However, it seems that their commander-in-chief is in a good mood and has no intention of punishing anyone. He just sits in the house and watches the training of the new recruits in the guard station over the past few days.

"Has the pension money been distributed to other people?"

Shen Han replied: "They have all been released, and I have visited them in person."

Some new recruits who died in Liangzhou Guards were unable to return to Shuojing with the army, so they had to go door to door to comfort their families.

"Don't relax your training these days." Xiao Jue said.

The coaches nodded repeatedly.

Another half hour passed. Calculating the time, it was time for them to leave. Xiao Jue stood up and went out. Shen Han said, "Commander-in-chief."

Xiao Jue turned around and looked at him.

Shen Han smiled awkwardly, "Well... congratulations."

…

After seeing the new recruits, it was almost evening. He Yan and Xiao Jue returned to the city. Xiao Jue first sent He Yan back to the He family, and then returned home himself.

"I will be very busy these days." Before Xiao Jue could speak, He Yan took the initiative to answer, "There are still many rules to be finalized for the title of Marquis Wu'an, so the governor doesn't have to worry about me these days."

"Can I help you?"

He Yan waved his hands repeatedly, "No need, I can do it alone."

She only breathed a sigh of relief after Xiao Jue left.

The easy days are coming to an end.

He Yan tidied himself up, not wanting He Sui and He Yunsheng to notice anything, so he pinched his face until he forced a smile before stepping into the door.

…

On the other side, Xiao Jue returned to the mansion.

Xiao Jing and Bai Rongwei were not there. Bai Guo was watering the flowers in the yard. When he saw Xiao Jue, he called out crisply, "Second Young Master."

The little girl was specially asked to come and serve He Yan in order to make it convenient for him to live in the courtyard. After He Yan left, he was busy with Xu Jingfu's affairs and forgot about Bai Guo. He didn't expect that Bai Guo was still in this courtyard. It was late today, so he would ask Bai Rongwei to arrange for her to go to another courtyard tomorrow morning.

He doesn't like other people in the yard.

Xiao Jue went into the house, and Fei Nu went to catch the carriage. After sitting in the house for a while, someone knocked on the door. Xiao Jue said, "Come in."

Luanying walked in from outside.

"What happened to the two people in the manor?" Xiao Jue asked.

"The doctor has examined him. His life is safe for now. Chiwu is still investigating. Those two have reservations in their hearts. Please give them a few more days until they are willing to speak up and present evidence... Prime Minister Xu will not be able to turn things around."

"Three days." Xiao Jue said, "Three days at most."

"If there is no result in three days, I will conduct the trial myself."

Luanying nodded, and after a while, she continued, "Master, in addition to this, I discovered another thing while investigating today."

"say."

"General He's family is investigating us."

Xiao Jue paused for a moment and looked up at him: "He Rufei?"

Luanying nodded, "That should be the case. He Yuansheng and He Yuanliang don't have as many connections and methods in the court as he does. His actions were very secretive and careful, but he might have been a little impatient and revealed his flaws."

"Has he found out anything about the rumor that spread in the market before?"

"No, Master," Luanying said solemnly, "and if it was just a rumor, he wouldn't have to check Miss He's background."

Xiao Jue's eyes suddenly became sharp: "He Yan?"

"That's right." Luanying said, "He is not only checking on Master, but also Miss He."

Xiao Jue's face darkened.

Because of his relationship with Xu Jingfu, Xu Jingfu's people would target He Yan if they wanted to deal with him. After all, He Yan had no family background, and even though he had the title of Marquis of Wu'an, he had not yet formed his own network in the court. His foundation was too shallow, and it was easy for someone to uproot him.

But if He Ru insisted on targeting He Yan, it would be a big mistake.

"Young Master, there is one more thing..." Luanying looked a little hesitant, as if she didn't know whether to say it or not.

It was rare for her to be like this. Xiao Jue asked, "What's the matter?"

Luanying thought for a while, and then she said with determination: "The Xu family, the residence of Hanlin scholar, is also investigating Miss He."

"The Xu family?" Xiao Jue frowned. If He Rufei was investigating Xiao Jue because of Xu Jingfu's relationship, or because he had people spread rumors about him in the market before, which then implicated He Yan, but the Xu family was not in the middle of the situation, it would be very intriguing to see them getting involved at this time.

"Only checking He Yan?"

"Just check He Yan."

Since they were only investigating He Yan, it had nothing to do with the Xiao family. So the question was, what was the connection between He Yan and the Xu family in the past that made the Xu family so reckless.

After a while, Xiao Jue said, "Continue doing your work, but from today onwards, we will investigate the Xu family as well."

There are some things that are not right that have been overlooked, just like the second Madam He whom we met in Yuhua Temple today, her behavior also revealed something strange.

There must be something fishy going on between the Xu family and the He family.

－－－－－－－A side note－－－－－－－

There are two more~