Volume Seven: The Years I Was a General
The Same Sex
Zhaoyu1
The huge iron chains scraped across the ground, making a piercing and harsh metallic sound. The sound was like a throat being viciously choked, only able to tear out a hurried and sharp hiss from the depths of the throat.
Two xiaowei2 dragged Wen Nuan into the water prison. One could see she was covered in blood, her body filled with wounds. Iron chains pulled from the wall locked her four limbs and waist. Like a lifeless corpse, she was hung high by the chains, her whole body not submerged in the water.
The water prison was filthy and turbid, giving off a pungent and foul stench. The moment her bloody wounds touched the filthy water, the pain made Wen Nuan tremble a few times, and her face became much paler.
The xiaowei tightened the iron shackles. Looking at Wen Nuan’s bloodless face, they couldn’t help but sigh in their hearts. Even though this young general had been tortured to a miserable state, her skin split and flesh gaping, her appearance was still handsome and extraordinary. Her figure was long, thin, and slender but not frail; her character and integrity3 were still present.
Truly just as the rumors in the common alleys4 said: elegant and solemn, forthright and pure5.
The young War God, blessed with nature’s spirit and beauty6. It was just a pity she had a wolf cub’s wild ambitions7.
The two xiaowei exchanged a glance, took out a white bottle from their waists, and poured out a pill. Pinching Wen Nuan’s chin, they brutally stuffed the pill into her mouth and made her swallow it.
“General Gu, we hope you can be magnanimous. After all, your martial arts are formidable. If you were to resist with all your strength, it is feared that no one in this zhaoyu would be your match. This lower official can only give you Soft Tendon Powder8 to ensure that nothing goes wrong.”
The xiaowei still addressed Wen Nuan as General. Although she had already been convicted and submitted to the law, both of them greatly admired this young general’s heroic invincibility in Mobei back then.
Wen Nuan hung her head, her voice hoarse, and said in a low voice, “…Mm.”
Hearing that her throat was already hoarse, the xiaowei felt extremely conflicted inside. They sighed and said, “General, it’s not that we are not considerate of you. Her Majesty has decreed that, apart from youshi9 when you can eat, at all other times we cannot give you any food, not even water to drink.”
Wen Nuan took a deep breath, “…Okay.”
Seeing Wen Nuan being so considerate of them, the two xiaowei felt very uncomfortable in their hearts, but an imperial command is hard to defy. They could not disobey the edict, so they could only turn and leave the water prison, letting Wen Nuan fend for herself.
At this moment, she was the only one in the vast water prison. The System had kept the pain shield open for her, which allowed her to catch her breath amidst the cruel torture.
【This mission world’s female lead’s blackening value is as high as 9.7!】 The System heaved a long sigh. 【If it goes up just a little more, we’re done for.】
Wen Nuan looked at her chest. Although it was also covered in wounds, at least the people administering the torture had not discovered she was a woman disguised as a man. Her clothes were already tattered, but they could barely cover some things.
She licked the corner of her mouth, the taste of rust flooding the tip of her tongue. “Don’t be afraid. In no more than three days, the blackening value will drop.”
The System paused, puzzled: 【So certain?】
“If you were her, would you not want to come and see what kind of tragic end the enemy who harmed you back then has met? Would you not want to personally end your enemy’s life to take revenge and clear your hatred?” Wen Nuan pulled at the corner of her mouth in self-mockery.
The System was silent.
“Right, in this mission world, are the male and female leads together?” Compared to worrying about her life being in danger, she was now more worried about whether the male and female leads had already pledged their lives to each other.
The System checked the current world plotline. 【The male lead has already developed feelings for the female lead, but the female lead’s heart is filled only with hatred, so she has not seen clearly the male lead’s feelings for her. The two of them are currently still at the stage of their relationship starting with feeling but stopping at propriety10.】
It was now also used to this plot deviation where the male and female leads had not developed feelings for each other.
Wen Nuan breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s fine, then.”
【What do you plan to do?】 The System looked at her fearless and comfortable, relaxed appearance. 【Right now the female lead can’t wait to kill you. If we don’t think of a plan, we’re going to be expelled from this world.】
“I already told you not to worry,” Wen Nuan’s lips curled. “Right now, I have more of an advantage than the male lead.”
【Advantage?】 The System said, puzzled. 【What advantage do you have?】
“As the saying goes, the deeper the love, the sharper the hate. Although she can’t wait to kill me, compared to her having no feelings for the male lead, aren’t I in a much better position?”
System: 【….You really know how to find joy in bitterness.】
Wen Nuan smiled. “Alright, stop worrying about useless things.”
Her expression twisted for a moment as she moved her body with difficulty, finding a slightly better standing posture. “My whole body is aching right now. I’m going to sleep for a while. If someone comes, you call me.”
The pain shield the System gave her was only half effective. She could still feel the pain, but it was at a tolerable level.
The System also knew that Wen Nuan was in extreme discomfort and said considerately: 【Okay, you rest well. I’ll keep watch for you.】
Ever since she returned to the capital, Wen Nuan had been branded with the crime of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country. The ministers in the court unanimously impeached her, accusing her of seizing power illegitimately and then trying to maintain it, of having illicit relations with a foreign country, and of leaking state secrets.
One by one, fabricated charges11 were forcibly pinned on her, yet no one inside or outside the capital helped her with a single word of plea or defense.
In a single moment, she was deserted by everyone.
Ultimately, with a hundred mouths, she could not argue her case12. Her Majesty issued an edict throwing her into the zhaoyu, where she was interrogated and tortured day and night. All kinds of cruel punishments were continuously inflicted upon her body.
If not for having recuperated her body and trained her physique in Mobei, Wen Nuan felt she would have died in this zhaoyu. As she was now, she was left with only one breath, barely clinging to a soul that was surviving on gasping breaths.
Drowsy and dizzy, her consciousness was scattered.
Wen Nuan did not know how long she had slept. The System had not reminded her, nor had anyone else taken her out of the water prison to continue the torture.
She slowly opened her heavy eyes. Her arms were already numb from being hung by the iron chains. She moved her body with difficulty, managing to take a few breaths.
A patch of firelight appeared before her. Her vision slowly focused, and only then did she see clearly the person standing outside the water prison.
Ming’an Country’s Chancellor, the male lead, Ye Mingxiu.
The two looked at each other for a long time. He spoke first, “Her Majesty wants to kill you. I cannot persuade her.”
In truth, everyone in the imperial court knew in their hearts whether Gu Wen Nuan had colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country. This crime was merely something the Emperor had fabricated in order to kill Gu Wen Nuan.
One must know that in Ming’an Country today, anyone could collude with the enemy and betray the country, but only the Gu family would not.
Everyone understood in their hearts, but no one dared to speak.
They all knew clearly that Her Majesty’s true intention was to make everyone who had participated in the Eastern Palace incident three years ago die without a burial place13.
“Why persuade her? I don’t think my relationship with you is very good. It’s not worth you angering the Emperor for me.”
Ye Mingxiu approached the water prison, opened the cell door, and stood on the steps, looking down at Wen Nuan. “I also don’t think my relationship with you is very good. But why did you tell me the truth of that matter back then?”
Wen Nuan raised her head and said faintly, “Weren’t you painstakingly searching for it? I happened to find out, so I just helped out casually.”
“Then I am also like that,” Ye Mingxiu naturally did not believe Wen Nuan’s explanation. It was too fake.
He shrugged, his expression calm as he said, “I just feel it would be a pity if a person like you died. I’m just helping out casually.”
Wen Nuan couldn’t help but smile. “Ye Mingxiu, is it interesting to play like this?”
“Not interesting,” Ye Mingxiu looked at the wounds on Wen Nuan’s body. “Are you still playing?”
She clearly could have defied the edict and not returned. She clearly could have brought troops into the capital. She clearly could have refused to admit it. She clearly could have…..
“I am not playing,” Wen Nuan shook her sore and weak arms. “I am atoning for my sins.”
She looked at Ye Mingxiu. “Regarding the matter back then, it was I who wronged her. Now, she wants to kill me. It is as it should be.”
“Mobei, don’t worry. With Zhao Liangcai and Zhangsun Jiashi there, they can stabilize the border.”
“As for the choice of general, Yi Lai is brave and resourceful. Both her literary strategy and military tactics14 are excellent. She can be competent for the position of general.”
Ye Mingxiu’s eyes flickered. “You had a plan long ago?”
Wen Nuan smiled smugly. “Let’s put it this way: for that matter three years ago, I did it and I don’t regret it. I also knew that with her personality of repaying every grievance, no matter how small15, she would definitely take revenge and clear her hatred, so….”
“So you entered the capital this time without bringing a single troop, precisely to come here to die, is that right?”
“Mm.”
Ye Mingxiu sucked in a breath, not understanding. “Why exactly are you doing this… for what?”
“Ye Mingxiu, do you think that between women and men, there is equality?”
Ye Mingxiu’s brow furrowed. “What?”
Wen Nuan knitted her brows and straightened her body. “Since ancient times, women have always been required to be virtuous and gentle, warm and elegant. After getting married, they must learn to support their husbands and teach their children, and manage the household properly. They might never step out of the inner residence from birth to death, never having the chance to see the azure, pure sky, the lofty mountains, the seas and lakes.”
“Their whole lives, they must be raised within a small, square world. Looking up, they can only see the high eaves of the house, which block the scorching sun but cannot block the biting cold wind and sudden rain.”
“For their entire lives, they must be embroiled in the internal strife of the household. The victors rise above others; the losers die without a complete corpse.”
“When they marry, in order to gain their husband’s favor, they must also vie jealously with other women, using some despicable means that cannot see the light of day to win benefits for themselves. After having children, they must use all sorts of conspiracies and tricks to fight for a place for their own children.”
“In this short life, do you think they live a tiring life or not?”
Ye Mingxiu did not understand why Wen Nuan was saying these things that were irrelevant to the present situation. His brows furrowed tightly. “What exactly are you trying to say?”
Wen Nuan’s expression carried a strong sense of irony. “I want fairness.”
“What?”
“What I want is for women to be able to achieve merits and establish careers, to bring glory to their family’s gateway, just like men.”
“What I want is for women to not have to be confined to the inner residence, only knowing how to scheme and vie jealously. They can also charge onto the battlefield and bravely kill the enemy. They can also be erudite and talented, and achieve official rank through examinations. They can also be skillful in business and good at trade.”
“What I want is for women to be able to become stronger and stronger, so that no one can point fingers behind their backs and say they have abandoned morality and violated ethics, say they are cuckoos occupying the magpie’s nest and don’t know their place, say they haggle over every trifle and are small-minded, say they have a woman’s kindness and are frogs in a well.”
“What I want is for women to be able to be in charge of a piece of the world. They can be officials, they can be generals, they can be chancellors, and naturally they can also…” Wen Nuan’s eyes were cold and proud as she said without hesitation, “they can also become the center of power in this world, the supreme, incomparably noble Son of Heaven.”
Ye Mingxiu looked at Wen Nuan in disbelief. He truly could not understand, as a fellow man, why Gu Wen Nuan would have such world-shocking thoughts.
If one were to follow what she said, then could it be explained that Gu Wen Nuan exposed the Emperor’s true identity back then in order to let her ascend the throne in a legitimate and proper way?
Now, even though she was a woman, her ascension to the throne had already made many court officials dissatisfied. But she was, after all, the crown prince designated by the former emperor’s own edict. Even if the court officials held deep resentment in their hearts, no one dared to disobey the former emperor’s imperial edict.
But, if she had become emperor with a “man’s” identity, unless she was never discovered until her death, once her true identity was known, it would be a disaster that would ruin the country.
“You laid out such a huge board game, yet you sacrificed yourself in it?” Ye Mingxiu’s eyes were full of astonishment.
“For great undertakings, someone always has to make a sacrifice,” Wen Nuan said calmly.
“Then why didn’t you tell Her Majesty the truth?”
If Her Majesty knew the truth of this matter, perhaps she could spare Gu Wen Nuan’s life.
“What if I told her?” Wen Nuan closed her eyes. “I hurt her. This is a fact.”
Ye Mingxiu naturally knew what Wen Nuan was talking about. He looked at Wen Nuan for a long time, then sighed and said, “You have given so much. Is it because you have feelings for Her Majesty?”
For a man to be able to do so much for a woman, he could not think of any other reason to convince himself.
Wen Nuan looked behind Ye Mingxiu, where it was pitch black.
“You like Her Majesty, is that right?”
Having his thoughts pierced, Ye Mingxiu suddenly clenched his fists. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“It has something to do with it,” Wen Nuan smiled self-mockingly. “You and Her Majesty together, that is called a talented man and a beautiful woman16. But I cannot.”
Ye Mingxiu’s brow tightened by three parts. “What is the meaning of these words?”
Under all of heaven, if he were to think of someone who could be worthy of Her Majesty the Empress, Ye Mingxiu would not dare to be so arrogant as to say it was himself, but in his heart, he acknowledged Gu Wen Nuan’s capabilities.
“Ye Mingxiu, I’ve said so much, yet you can’t even guess the meaning within it?” Wen Nuan said helplessly. “Not seeing you for three years, I really have to look at you with new eyes17.”
Ye Mingxiu knew that the “look at you with new eyes” she mentioned was not a compliment. “Stop playing mute riddles18. What exactly are you…”
His heart “thumped.” He looked at Wen Nuan in disbelief. “You… you are actually…”
Wen Nuan looked at Ye Mingxiu, but her line of sight fell on the darkness behind him.
“That’s right. I am a woman.”
✨ Unlock Early Access to Chapters! ✨
Choose your perfect membership at bamboopandatl.net:
📚 Full Access ($4.99)
• Advanced chapters of ALL ongoing novels
• Access to complete finished novels
• Ad-free reading experience
📖 Single Novel Access ($1.49)
• Advanced chapters of ONE specific novel
• Ad-free reading for chosen novel
PayPal is the only current payment option!