He was already dead. He Yun Sheng stared at He Yan blankly.
Fan Cheng's wound was still bleeding, and the knife was impartial as it stabbed him right in the stomach. He Yun Sheng felt his throat was dry. After a moment, he finally opened his mouth. His voice shook with a determination to face death.
He said, "I'm going to the court to turn myself in as I'm the one who killed the man."
He stood up as if to move forward, but only after he took two steps, He Yan pulled him back. He staggered and almost fell down.
He Yan asked, "What crime are you going to pay for?"
"He's dead. I'll pay for his death." He Yunsheng choked, "It's justified."
"It's not a price worth paying for such a man." He Yan glanced at Fan Cheng on the ground. "I was thinking that even after today, Fan Cheng would not give up. Eventually, He family would get in trouble, but now there will be less trouble. He is dead – at least He family will be a lot more peaceful in the future. "
"Do you still remember what he said at that time?"
He Yun Sheng remembered that when Fan Cheng wanted to kill him at that time he said, "After you die, I will enslave your sister and will use her for my entertainment every day. When I get tired of her, I will sell her to the brothel." He Yu Sheng took such words for granted.
"You should know that Fan Cheng would have killed you and me on this ship today without having to pay the price. Why should you throw away your life if you killed him by mistake? Are our lives rubbish and only his is precious? Why? With what right?"
He Yun Sheng was still young and passionate, but paying for the life of a man like Fan Cheng unworthy.
"I don't want to, either." He Yun Sheng said, his eyes filled with grief and indignation. "But there isn't any other place for us to go now."
He Yun Sheng's thoughts were simple – because he killed Fan Cheng, the Fan family would probably come to their door, and if he surrendered and paid for Fan Cheng's life with his life, it would all be over. But He Yan knew that this was impossible. She came from a prominent family in her previous life. Naturally, she knew that people like the Fan family would not give up even if He Yun Sheng surrendered his life. He Sui and her, including Qingmei and Shuang Qing – none of them would be spared.
"Come here." He Yan patted him on the shoulder. He Yun Sheng looked at her in confusion.
"You just said you swam here, that means you are good at swimming? Can you hold your breath? " He Yan asked.
He Yunsheng nodded, "Yes."
"You change into my clothes, and when you hear my message later, jump off the boat, swim downstream, then change into clean clothes and sneak back home, be sure to be quick, okay?"
He Yun Sheng nodded foolishly, shook his head, and looked at He Yan, "What about you?"
He Yan picked up the bundle from the ground, and in the bundle, there were new clothes she had picked up today for He Yun Sheng from the tailor's shop. She said, "I'll change my clothes and draw Fan Cheng's guards away."
He Yunsheng was startled and blurted out, "No!
"How would you distract them? You are a woman. If they catch you, they will torture you and then kill you. You don't even have the strength to tie a chicken. If you fall in their hands, your life will be living hell... "
He still babbled, but He Yan pressed his shoulders.
She retorted, "No, I can get rid of them."
Under the dim light of the lamp, He Yan's eyes were clear and determined. She even smiled. The smile was very relaxing and somehow soothed He Yun Sheng's panicked mood, but also made him want to cry.
"I can't let you go." He Yun Sheng muttered.
"Listen, Yun Sheng, you jump off the boat in my clothes. I'll lure them away. We won't be able to see each other these two days. I can't go back to the He house as I don't want to be discovered. In another five days, you go to a tavern called Liu Quan Ju which is in the city's west. There would be a row of willow trees at the door of the tavern. After finding them, search for the third willow tree from the left and dig down three inches. I will leave a letter for you there. We'll meet again then, okay? "
He Yun Sheng shook his head, "I can't let you go..."
"You're not a child anymore, you are a man, and you will have to shoulder the heavy burden of the He family in the future. You have to calm down and do as I say. I will be alright, as always," He Yan replied.
He Yun Sheng was speechless and couldn't utter a word after he listened to He Yan's reply.
It was indeed true, whether it was Wang Jiu Gui, whether it was gambling at the casino, or whether it was a horse race at the academy's field, every time she was unexpectedly fine, but this time it was different, this time it was the matter of a human life.
"On the father's side, explain it for me." He Yan said, "After a while, Fan Cheng's guards will come over, so we don't have much time. Now hurry up and change." She said, "Turn your back, I'll give you my coat first."
The boat floated quietly in the river, and when He Yun Sheng and He Yan stood opposite to each other again, they changed into their new outfits. He Yan was dressed in brand new men's clothes, and her hair was tied up into a man's hair bun. She looked heroic like she really was an elegant young man. He Yun Sheng on the other hand was wearing He Yan's long skirt and didn't know where to put his hands and feet. He looked embarrassed.
He Yan chuckled.
"You're still in the mood to laugh in this dire situation?" He Yun Sheng was so preoccupied and worried that he was not in the mood to quarrel with He Yan.
"It's not the time to laugh yet." He Yan picked up a scarf from the ground and covered her face tightly, revealing only a pair of eyes. However, there was also a smile in her eyes, "you have to get used to this."
Get used to what? Killing people and be on the run as a fugitive? He Yun Sheng felt tired, accompanied by deep worries and fears.
"On the count of three, you jump down, okay?" He Yan said, "Don't worry about me, we'll meet again."
He Yun Sheng was about to go to the bow of the boat.
After taking two steps, he turned back, looked into He Yan's eyes, and said, "You'll be fine right? Won't you?"
He Yan rubbed his head, and the teenager's hair was cold and fluffy with the droplets he had just brought from the water.
She smiled and answered softly, "Of course."
YOU ARE READING
Rebirth of a Star General
ActionThe ancient saying goes: Most generals come from Guan Xi, while ministers come from Guan Dong. He Yan was born to be a Star General. She was merely a stepping stone for her family, and was used as her brother's substitute. She had fought on the batt...
