The General Says She Won't Marry - Chapter 37 Part 1

Wang Dongfu was suddenly shot and killed. Lin Aoxue swiftly left the scene while a question arose in her mind—who was the person who had fired the arrow?

Clearly, that person had been lying in wait nearby since early on, observing her every move. However, Lin Aoxue was highly vigilant, meaning the attacker must have remained outside the range of her awareness. As a result, he likely hadn’t overheard her conversation with Wang Dongfu.

The fact that the assassin struck the moment Wang Dongfu was about to confess suggested that they realized the situation was spiraling out of control. To prevent Wang Dongfu from revealing anything he shouldn’t, they decided to kill him with an arrow. However, they were still a moment too late—Wang Dongfu had already disclosed the location where the evidence was hidden.

Lin Aoxue did not pursue the attacker, but her doubts only deepened.

The entire situation felt eerily strange, as if multiple unseen hands were manipulating events from behind the scenes. Each of them had their own objectives, controlling the lives and deaths of those involved, while keeping their own identities clean and untraceable.

Furrowing her brows, Lin Aoxue withdrew from the area while speculating about the forces that might be at play behind all this.

She suspected that the faction aiming to overthrow Beichen He—the one that had captured Wang Dongfu’s entire family to coerce him into handing over evidence to the imperial envoy coming to Fudu—was likely her father’s former subordinates.

However, the identity of the black-clad assassin who had interrupted Wang Dongfu’s confession puzzled her. He had made his move so abruptly, yet he only killed Wang Dongfu without revealing himself or engaging Lin Aoxue. If he had feared Lin Aoxue’s martial skills and dared not attack, she found that reasoning absurd.

After all, the fact that he had been able to remain hidden near her without being detected meant his martial arts were exceptionally advanced. Even if he couldn’t defeat Lin Aoxue, he should have been able to stall her for a while.

If he had been aligned with her father’s former subordinates, he could have attacked directly and drawn the Fudu officials to the scene. With Wang Dongfu dead and Lin Aoxue present at the crime scene, she would undoubtedly be entangled with the authorities. Just escaping would take a great deal of time, let alone retrieving the hidden evidence.

And yet, he had chosen not to attack Lin Aoxue or lure the officials to her. This suggested that, like Lin Aoxue, he was also wary of exposing his identity.

Lin Aoxue was certain that aside from Sui Liang, whom Beichen He had captured, no one else among her father’s former subordinates should have known her true identity. If they had, they wouldn’t have let her go.

Since the assassin wasn’t one of her father’s old followers, yet deliberately avoided harming her while only killing Wang Dongfu, there were only two possibilities. Either he had a personal grudge against Wang Dongfu but bore no enmity toward her, and their goals did not conflict, or he belonged to another faction altogether—one that recognized her identity and understood her mission but had no intention of confronting her.

Yet, this person had secretly aided her father’s former subordinates, intervening specifically to prevent her from obtaining evidence against Beichen He. His identity, therefore, became even more mysterious.

At this thought, a sudden image of Beichen Ling flashed through Lin Aoxue’s mind. She frowned, considering the possibility that this person had been sent by Beichen Ling. But she found it strange—though Beichen Ling and her father had their differences, she wouldn’t go so far as to turn completely against him and deliberately seek an opportunity to have the emperor convict Beichen He and weaken his power.

Moreover, Yun Yan did have ties to Beichen Ling. She claimed to be Beichen Ling’s subordinate, yet she was also working for Beichen He. If Yun Yan knew the assassin’s identity, Lin Aoxue had to admit she would be impressed by Yun Yan’s ability to navigate both sides and earn their trust.

This matter was riddled with oddities, leaving Lin Aoxue utterly perplexed.

She temporarily set aside her suspicions regarding Yun Yan’s identity, forcing herself to remain calm and stop speculating about the assassin. Instead, she focused on recalling Wang Dongfu’s confession and trying to determine the exact location where the incriminating evidence against Beichen He—proof of his bribery and embezzlement—was hidden.

Lin Aoxue was unaware of how many private residences Wang Dongfu had in Fudu or where they were located. She needed to find the evidence quickly but couldn’t afford to blindly search without direction. She knew there was only one person who had that information. Even though she was reluctant, she had no choice but to find a way to meet Yun Yan again.

Returning to the old residence where Yun Yan had previously hidden her, Lin Aoxue noticed a carriage parked outside. Her gaze swept over it—it was not the same one that had brought her there that morning.

She immediately became alert, cautiously stepping through the courtyard gate. Using the surrounding obstacles for cover, she moved swiftly toward the main hall.

The hall was unlit. Just as she approached, the door was suddenly pulled open.

Yun Yan’s soft voice rang out, cool and clear, “Come inside to talk.”

Lin Aoxue cast a glance at the black-clad guard who had opened the door for her before silently making her way toward Yun Yan.

“How did it go?” Yun Yan sat in a chair, a teapot at her side. The tea in her cup had already run dry.

“He confessed. The evidence is in his study at his private residence.” Lin Aoxue deliberately lowered her voice, ensuring her tone sounded different from usual.

She then recounted the incident of Wang Dongfu being suddenly killed by a mysterious person. This was a significant development that could affect their next course of action, so Lin Aoxue did not keep it from Yun Yan.

“His private residence…”

Yun Yan showed no emotional reaction to Wang Dongfu’s death. She murmured to herself, focusing only on the issue of the evidence. Setting down her teacup, she took out a simple map from within her robes and spread it across the low table. Two locations were circled in red, while another was marked differently.

Pointing to one of the red-circled spots, Yun Yan said to Lin Aoxue, “Wang Dongfu has two private residences in Fudu. You go to this one, and I’ll send someone else to check the other. Whether or not you find anything, meet me back here in an hour.”

There were only two hours left before Fudu’s curfew. They had to leave before then.

Lin Aoxue’s gaze lingered on Yun Yan. She pressed her lips together, struggling to suppress the storm of doubts and anger welling up inside her.

Seeing Yun Yan calmly and efficiently make rational arrangements for every possible contingency, Lin Aoxue’s emotions became increasingly complicated. She couldn’t stop herself from wondering—was Yun Yan truly loyal to Beichen He, or was she merely a spy that Beichen Ling had planted by Beichen He’s side?

If the latter were true, then Beichen Ling’s cunning and tactics were enough to make Lin Aoxue’s blood run cold. To be able to manipulate even someone as shrewd as Beichen He—Lin Aoxue had to admit that Beichen Ling was exceptionally skilled. But at the same time, a nagging question arose—why would Beichen Ling go to such lengths?

On the other hand, if Yun Yan was not loyal to Beichen Ling, then she was merely Beichen He’s pawn, placed to keep an eye on Beichen Ling. Had the father and daughter truly grown so distrustful of each other?

How much truth was there in what Yun Yan had told her yesterday? How many lies?

Lin Aoxue didn’t want to believe that Yun Yan had deceived her. She would rather believe that there were deeper, unknown secrets behind all of this—ones even Yun Yan could not control. That Yun Yan, too, was merely caught in the tide, not acting out of ill intent.

She fought the urge to confront Yun Yan and demand the truth. She knew this was neither the time nor the place to have a conflict with her. More importantly, she couldn’t risk arousing suspicion due to a moment of recklessness. If Yun Yan truly was loyal to Beichen He, then any sign of abnormality from Lin Aoxue would only give Beichen He a reason to abandon—or even eliminate—her.

At this point, Lin Aoxue had no choice but to remain wary of Yun Yan. She forced herself to stay patient, memorized the location of her assigned target, then turned and swiftly left the residence, heading toward one of Wang Dongfu’s private homes.

Despite the turmoil in her heart, she had to push aside her chaotic emotions and ensure they did not interfere with her mission.

Only now did she suddenly realize—she had been paying too much attention to Yun Yan.

From their first encounter at Xingbei Pass’s Yanyu Tower to the time Yun Yan carried a medicine chest to perform charitable medical work in Yong’an, and even after Lin Aoxue arrived in the capital, she had continued to cross paths with Yun Yan, even in the residence of the Prince of the First Rank.

From beginning to end, Yun Yan had remained calm and composed. No matter what happened, she never lost her poise. Lin Aoxue had never once seen her flustered or out of control.

And with each encounter, her fixation on Yun Yan only deepened.

Until, without realizing it, Yun Yan’s presence had seeped into her life, occupying a quiet yet irreplaceable place in her mind.

Unknowingly, it had begun to unsettle her.

She had even lost her temper over the idle gossip of the soldiers in camp. Lin Aoxue, who had never punished anyone before, ordered them to slap themselves in public. In a fit of rage, she injured a superior officer for speaking disrespectfully, resulting in Beichen Long sentencing her to a month of confinement.

And when she heard that Yun Yan had been expelled from the military camp, she completely lost control—not only did she grab Beichen Ji by the throat to threaten him, but she also broke out of the camp in the middle of the night, determined to bring Yun Yan back.

All of this was far too unusual.

She had never noticed it before. She had even taken their interactions and mutual goodwill for granted.

But perhaps the reality was not as simple as she had believed.

Lin Aoxue took a deep breath. A strange, bitter pain welled up inside her, but she forcibly pushed it down. Then, another crucial issue—one she had previously overlooked—suddenly came to mind.

Yun Yan’s embroidered pouch and the missing golden key.

The golden key that had been stolen by a petty thief, later pawned, and never recovered—what connection did it have to the one Lin Aoxue held in her own hands?

Could it be that Yun Yan had not only gained the trust of both Beichen Ling and Beichen He, but also had people planted among her father’s former subordinates?

Lin Aoxue dared not think further. The more she pondered, the more frightened she became.

She realized that she had never truly understood Yun Yan. The truths she had once dismissed as unimportant were now things she feared to face—things that might shake her to the core.

However, now was not the time to dwell on how many identities Yun Yan might have or what exactly she was doing. The most pressing matter was finding the account book hidden in Wang Dongfu’s private residence.

Lin Aoxue forced herself to focus. Pushing aside her swirling emotions, she moved swiftly through the streets. In no time, she reached the location marked on Yun Yan’s map.

***

Wang Dongfu’s private residence was not large, and there were no guards stationed outside. Keeping to the shadows, Lin Aoxue leapt over the courtyard wall with ease. Concealed by the silhouettes of trees, she quickly moved toward the depths of the courtyard, methodically searching each room for the hidden study.

She worked fast. Within less than half the time it took for an incense stick to burn, she had searched the entire residence and located the study in the southeastern part of the courtyard.

Carefully surveying her surroundings, she confirmed that there were no hidden guards inside before silently climbing through the window.

The room was dark, with only faint moonlight filtering in. The dim light barely illuminated the space, making it almost impossible to see.

Sweeping her gaze around, Lin Aoxue quickly identified the bookshelves and strode toward them. Recalling Wang Dongfu’s words about where the evidence was hidden, she located a row of drawers beneath the shelves and counted three from the left.

The drawer was locked. Lin Aoxue drew her dagger and, relying on her instincts, slashed down. A crisp click echoed through the darkness as the small lock snapped and fell to the floor.

Just then, sounds of movement came from outside. Lin Aoxue’s ears twitched—so there were people secretly guarding this place after all.

It was clear that those who had threatened Wang Dongfu had investigated his background thoroughly. Even if they didn’t know exactly where the account book was hidden, they suspected it was in his private residence. Since they hadn’t found the evidence before, they had chosen to lie in wait, monitoring the place to prevent anyone else from seizing it first.

The noise from breaking the lock had alerted the hidden guards. Lin Aoxue had to leave immediately.

Wasting no time, she pulled open the drawer and reached inside—only to find it completely empty.

Her brows knitted together. She quickly replayed Wang Dongfu’s previous words in her mind. He hadn’t seemed to be lying. If she hadn’t searched the wrong place, then the drawer must have a hidden compartment.

With only a brief window before the dark guards arrived, Lin Aoxue reached back into the drawer and carefully felt around. Finally, she discovered a small secret compartment hidden at the very back.

No wonder it had remained undiscovered for so long.

Lin Aoxue formed a circle with her fingers and reached into the hidden compartment. Sure enough, she felt a stack of account books. Although she couldn’t be certain if this was the one Beichen He wanted, there was no time to verify.

Without hesitation, Lin Aoxue stuffed the account book into her robe, then listened carefully to the approaching footsteps near the study. She chose the window opposite their direction. Just as the pursuers broke through the door, she flung the wooden window open and leaped out.

“After them!” a sharp shout rang out behind her. The situation was urgent—they no longer cared about exposing themselves.

Two shadowy figures immediately jumped out of the window, swiftly pursuing Lin Aoxue in the direction she had fled.

Lin Aoxue wasted no time. The moment she secured the item, she left the courtyard, darting into the narrow alleys. Using the cover of darkness and the shadows cast by buildings, she moved swiftly yet cautiously through the city.

She had to shake off her pursuers and return to the old residence to rendezvous with Yun Yan and the others. There was less than half an hour left before the designated meeting time.

However, the ones chasing her had exceptional qinggong skills. Despite making several detours, she couldn’t lose them. As she ran, she carefully considered her options. Regardless of which faction these pursuers belonged to, she had to avoid direct confrontation to prevent any delays in her return.

Spotting a small courtyard ahead, she flipped over the wall and landed inside. A small tree stood near the wall. Lin Aoxue’s gaze swept over it, and inspiration struck.

The pursuer saw her leap into the courtyard and immediately followed. His eyes scanned the area, and he spotted a shadowy figure in the tree.

Finally caught you! Let’s see where you run now! he thought.

Without hesitation, he grabbed a throwing dart and hurled it toward the figure in the tree. The dart struck true, embedding itself in a rain cloak, which fell from the tree along with it.

His eyes widened in alarm. Something was wrong.

Rushing to the base of the tree, he found only an empty cloak lying on the ground—Lin Aoxue was nowhere to be seen.

His companion, who had followed closely behind, cursed under his breath, “Damn it!”

They had lost her.

***

Lin Aoxue pressed down on the straw hat atop her head, quickening her pace. Thanks to her small trick, she had finally shaken off the two relentless pursuers. Letting out a silent sigh of relief, she rushed back to the old residence.

By the time she arrived, Yun Yan and the operatives she had sent out had already returned.

Lin Aoxue burst into the residence. Yun Yan glanced at her but didn’t ask about the missing rain cloak or whether she had found the item Beichen He wanted. She simply said, “We leave the city now.”

Nearly an hour had passed since Wang Dongfu’s death. Lin Aoxue had no time to deal with his corpse, so by now, it had likely been discovered, and an official report had been made. The entire capital was already in turmoil. If they didn’t leave soon, the city’s curfew might be enforced early. Once the authorities began a full-scale investigation, escaping would become far more difficult.

Lin Aoxue wasted no time. Without a word, she followed Yun Yan out of the old residence and boarded the carriage waiting outside.

The carriage raced toward the city gates. When they arrived, guards stopped them for inspection. However, since news of Wang Dongfu’s death had yet to spread, the soldiers only conducted a routine check before allowing them to pass.

Lin Aoxue and her group successfully left Fudu. Only after traveling several miles down the official road, switching carriages and horses midway, and confirming that no one was pursuing them did the carriage gradually slow down.

Inside the carriage, Lin Aoxue sat upright the entire time. Ever since she left Wang Dongfu’s private residence, they had been moving in a hurry, and Yun Yan had yet to ask her about the outcome of her mission. Now that everyone could finally breathe a sigh of relief, Yun Yan turned to Lin Aoxue and asked, “Did you get it?”