The General Said She Would Not Take a Wife

Chapter 46: Taking the Initiative

Yunyan fed Lin Aoxue medicinal porridge and then reexamined the arrow wound on her back. As she applied medicine to the bleeding wound, Yunyan's expression grew heavy, her gaze darkening.

The arrow embedded in Lin Aoxue's back had caused a grave injury, piercing through her chest and narrowly missing her heart. Luckily, Lin Aoxue's fortune held strong—though the injury was life-threatening, it had not claimed her life. However, if the arrow had deviated even half an inch, even celestial beings could not have saved her.

To facilitate Yunyan's care, Lin Aoxue sat up with Yunyan's support. Yunyan carefully applied medicine and wrapped her back with layers of bandages. While tending to Lin Aoxue's wound, Yunyan's usually silent gaze betrayed a fleeting, complex emotion, which Lin Aoxue—facing away—did not notice.

After finishing the treatment, Lin Aoxue lay down again under Yunyan's care. Yunyan gently adjusted the blanket and softly coaxed her to sleep. Despite the pain and the diminishing effect of the numbing herbs, Lin Aoxue showed no sign of discomfort on her face, obediently closing her eyes and turning her head to the side.

Only after Yunyan left the tent, carrying the empty medicine bowl, did Lin Aoxue reopen her eyes. Her brows furrowed slightly as she endured the pain of her wound in silence, spending the entire night sleepless.

Due to Lin Aoxue's injuries, Yunyan was permitted to stay temporarily in the military camp. Since she was no longer officially a military doctor but came specifically to care for Lin Aoxue, Bei Chenlong arranged for a temporary tent near Lin Aoxue's quarters and stationed two guards to keep watch.

That evening, Yunyan's desk was lit with a flickering oil lamp. The sparse furnishings in her tent emphasized its simplicity. She sat at her desk, meticulously studying medicinal formulas and customizing remedies tailored to Lin Aoxue's condition. As she weighed and mixed different herbs with care, a shadowy figure in a black robe appeared behind her.

"Miss Yun, how should the matter of the secret letter be handled?"

The small soldier who had been captured earlier, along with the intercepted secret letter that was meant to be sent beyond the borders, had already been reported to Bei Chenlong. He had detained the messenger and begun interrogation, but Yunyan still needed to decide on the next steps.

Without pausing her work, Yunyan calmly ground the herbs into powder and replied in a soft voice:
"She hurt my people. How could I not make her pay?"

"And... this matter?"

The black-clad figure hesitated.

Yunyan poured the finely ground powder into a small medicine jar, her face expressionless as she responded:
"Eliminate Rong Wei."

Her words, spoken lightly, caused the figure behind her to inhale sharply. He frowned deeply, his face filled with hesitation, and quickly tried to dissuade her:
"This matter has far-reaching consequences. Acting rashly might bring disaster upon ourselves. Miss Yun, you must think carefully."

Yunyan's lips curved into a faint smile, her captivating features framed by cold, sharp eyes. Her beauty, tinged with a chilling ruthlessness, exuded both elegance and a deadly edge.

"All you need to do is leak the information to Bei Chenlong. With his naturally suspicious nature, he will thoroughly verify it. At that point, we'll release additional information, encouraging him to attack Rong Wei. Once he raises his troops, we'll send another message beyond the borders, making it clear that my target is only Rong Wei. If she still wishes to cooperate with me, she'll know what to do."

The figure in black wanted to argue further, but Yunyan's decision was resolute. After much internal deliberation, he found no flaw in her plan. Bowing respectfully, he quietly withdrew.