The General Said She Would Not Take a Wife

Chapter 37: Identities

Wang Dongfu was suddenly shot and killed by an unknown assailant, and Lin Aoxue quickly left the scene of the incident. Yet, a question surfaced in her mind: Who was the person that fired the arrow?

It was clear that the archer had been lying in wait nearby, observing her movements. However, Lin Aoxue was an extremely vigilant individual, so the shooter couldn't have been hiding within a range where she might detect them. This suggested that they likely hadn't overheard her conversation with Wang Dongfu.

The timing of the attack, just as Wang Dongfu was confessing, indicated the assassin acted out of a sense that the situation was spiraling beyond their control. To prevent Wang Dongfu from revealing sensitive information, they struck—but not swiftly enough. By the time the arrow flew, Wang Dongfu had already disclosed the location of the hidden evidence.

Lin Aoxue didn't pursue the archer but found herself increasingly perplexed.

The entire situation reeked of strangeness. It felt as though multiple, unseen hands were manipulating events from the shadows, each with its own agenda, orchestrating the fates of those involved while remaining personally untainted.

Her brows knit tightly as she retreated, speculating on the forces at play behind the scenes.

She theorized that the faction seeking to bring down Beichen He—the one that had taken Wang Dongfu's family hostage to coerce him into presenting evidence to the imperial envoy—was most likely composed of her father's former allies.

The identity of the black-clad archer who interrupted Wang Dongfu's confession was equally puzzling. Their sudden action in killing Wang Dongfu, while avoiding any direct conflict with her, didn't make sense. If they feared Lin Aoxue's martial prowess, it seemed improbable, considering their ability to remain undetected so close by. Such stealth spoke of exceptional skill, sufficient to hold her off temporarily if necessary.

If this individual were aligned with her father's old allies, they could have acted more decisively—perhaps by attacking her outright and summoning the local authorities. Wang Dongfu's death and Lin Aoxue's presence at the scene would inevitably draw suspicion, forcing her into a time-consuming effort to exonerate herself, let alone retrieve the evidence Wang had mentioned. Yet, they chose not to do so.

This reluctance to engage indicated the archer feared exposure, much like Lin Aoxue herself. As far as she knew, aside from Beichen He's custody of Sui Liang, no one from her father's faction should have been aware of her identity. Therefore, they had no reason to spare her.

If the archer wasn't one of her father's allies but refrained from attacking her, it left two possibilities: either they harbored a personal grudge against Wang Dongfu without conflicting interests with Lin Aoxue, or they belonged to another faction that recognized her identity and intentions yet wished to avoid direct confrontation.

The latter possibility, however, hinted at an enigmatic figure working covertly to aid her father's old allies. Their objective seemed to be stopping her from delivering evidence to Beichen He. This made their true identity all the more elusive.

As she pondered this, a flash of Beichen Ling's image crossed her mind. She frowned, considering the likelihood that the archer had been dispatched by Beichen Ling. Yet the notion felt off. Though Beichen Ling and her father were at odds, it was hard to believe their relationship had deteriorated to outright hostility. Moreover, Beichen Ling plotting against Beichen He to draw imperial ire and weaken his influence seemed equally far-fetched.

Adding to her doubts, Yunyan had maintained ties with Beichen Ling, even claiming to serve him, all while assisting Beichen He. If Yunyan were privy to the archer's identity, Lin Aoxue couldn't help but marvel at Yunyan's ability to deftly navigate two opposing factions, earning trust from both.