The Concubine Sets Out

“The Cold-Faced” General vs. the “Scheming” Concubine (She Falls First, Then He Chases His Wife) 【Reading Notice】 1. Both leads are sexually inexperienced, but this is a nontraditional version of that trope: the male lead has a legal wife, and the two respect each other but have no romantic feelings 2. Contains the taboo relationship between an uncle and his widowed sister-in-law: she has one-sided feelings for the male lead, and they are not mutual 3. There is angst along the way, but it has a happy ending (Absolutely no dropping this story, I promise I'll finish it~) - 1. The cold-faced general marries a scheming concubine, then accidentally discovers that she seems to be spying on military intelligence. He plans to deal with her according to military law. He says coldly, “What else do you have to say?” The concubine looks at him, her expression complicated. “...Look down and see what you're wearing first.” He looks down. A woman's skirt. When he looks up again, the “general” standing before him is staring at him helplessly. This is what happened: while the two of them were chasing each other, they stumbled into an ancient formation and accidentally switched souls. He is trapped in her concubine's body. She is wearing his general's body. And so begins daily life in the General's Residence: in the morning, he, in the concubine's body, is punished by being made to kneel before his mother-in-law. She, in the general's body, goes to court to discuss military strategy. In the evening, the two meet in the garden. He: “...I was punished again today.” She: “I helped you win another argument today.” He: “...Couldn't you pretend to lose just once?” She: “No. I'm the general now, and my career ambitions won't allow it.” 2. After a major battle, Guan Yubei, in the concubine's body, thinks their souls will only switch back when one of them is on the verge of death. So he runs off without a second thought and jumps into the river. He has barely splashed around twice after entering the water when someone grabs him by the scruff of his neck and hauls him back to shore like a chick. By the next day, the entire army has heard the story. They say that Concubine Liu had just regained consciousness after suffering severe injuries, but because the general spoke coldly to her, she was so heartbroken that she threw herself into the river to die for love. The rumor grows more outrageous as it spreads. By afternoon, even the cooks are wiping away tears, saying that the concubine is such a devoted lover, and wondering how the general can be so heartless. That night, a crowd of rough-edged soldiers blocks the tent entrance in a grand procession, their voices booming: “General! We have something to say!” Liu Xuanxuan walks out in military uniform, wearing Guan Yubei's face. The whole group drops to its knees in unison. Soldier A: “General! Concubine Liu risked her life to save you before, proving her loyalty and courage! Even an ordinary concubine deserves some consideration, let alone one who is so devoted to you!” Soldier B: “Exactly! It must be because you were too cold to her that the concubine was so heartbroken she threw herself into the river. You can't treat Concubine Liu this way!” Soldier C: “That's right! She disguised herself as a man and followed the army for your sake!” Soldier D: “If you keep treating the concubine so coldly, we won't stand for it!” Liu Xuanxuan looks over the crowd, her expression perfectly calm. “You all make a fair point.” “This general understands.” With that, she turns and goes back into the inner tent. Inside, Guan Yubei is sitting on the bed wrapped in a thick quilt, looking utterly bewildered. He: “...They think I jumped into the river because I was despairing?” She: “I never said that.” He: “...Couldn't you explain things clearly to them?” She: “Explain what? That I'm Concubine Liu and you're the general?” He: “...” She: “Go wash up and get some sleep.” In the days that follow, the entire army is in high spirits: the general has finally agreed to spend every night in the concubine's tent. The general personally drapes clothes over the concubine's shoulders. The general finally cares about the concubine. The reason: the concubine jumped into the river, and the general's heart softened. The soldiers and officers begin taking turns sending gifts, and whenever Liu Xuanxuan is absent, Guan Yubei hears all about it. First, the deputy general brings over three hundred-year-old wild ginseng roots tied with red cords, shouting in a rough voice, “To give the general some vigor, so he stays energetic day and night!” Next, while no one is looking, an old soldier sneaks a small oilcloth bundle in from the corner. Inside are five or six glossy black “ancestral vigor pills.” Cook Wang is even more straightforward. He carries a huge jar of bull penis soup toward the tent, and when he is stopped, shouts from outside that it was simmered over low heat for three hours, “to strengthen the general's loins and make sure he can hold his own.” The other gifts include blood-nourishing donkey-hide gelatin and beauty-preserving floral lotions, piled across half the table. Delicate women's boudoir items are mixed in with a heap of coarse, potent tonics, creating an indescribably comical and absurd sight. Guan Yubei stares at the chaotic pile, grinding his teeth. “...What a bunch of degenerates.” As he is cursing, the tent flap lifts and Liu Xuanxuan enters carrying medicine. Guan Yubei reaches out to cover the pile of gifts, but he is one step too late. Liu Xuanxuan's gaze sweeps over the jar of bull penis soup, and the tips of her ears turn red without a sound. She composes herself, sets down the medicine, and says, “Drink your medicine.” Guan Yubei looks at her mournfully but does not move. Liu Xuanxuan looks at him. “If you don't drink it, I'll go outside and tell them you think the medicine is too bitter and want the general to feed it to you personally.” “I'll also mention that this general thinks the bull penis soup is too weak and wants them to replace it with something stronger...” Before she can finish, Guan Yubei picks up the bowl and drains it in one gulp, leaving not even a trace of the medicine behind. Liu Xuanxuan is satisfied as she takes away the bowl. Before leaving, she turns back and adds, “Oh, right. I ran into the deputy general just now. He said the ginseng would be best stewed. I told him...” She pauses and pretends to remain unfazed. “I told him you have plenty of energy at night and won't need it.” Guan Yubei nearly spits out the mouthful of medicine he has just swallowed. Theme: Hardship reveals true feelings, and changing places reveals the bitterness of life