Legend of the Female General

Chapter 210 Concealment

As the coroner examined the bodies in the side room, He Sui hurriedly arrived at the yamen’s main hall upon receiving the news. The moment he saw He Yan, he rushed over, grabbing her and looking her up and down. “Yan Yan, are you alright? Are you hurt? Why is your clothing torn? Did they injure you?”

He Yun Sheng stood to the side, his tone cold. “Everyone who tried to hurt her is dead. Why are you worrying for nothing, Father?”

Seeing He Yun Sheng’s indifferent expression, He Sui slapped him on the back and scolded, “Why did you ask your sister to pick you up? Don’t you know she’s a young woman? What if something happened to her? Is this how you protect your sister?”

The nearby constables: “...”

He Yan said, “Father, I’m fine. Those people weren’t targeting Yun Sheng—they were after me. Besides, I can protect myself. It’s Yun Sheng who needs to be careful these days when going to and from school. It’s better if I escort him.”

He Yun Sheng snorted. “Just worry about yourself.”

He was somewhat annoyed by He Sui’s blatant favoritism, though he didn’t truly mind.

Just then, someone else entered from outside—Xiao Jue. He must have rushed over directly, looking travel-worn and bringing in the chill of early winter as he stepped inside.

Xiao Jue walked in and asked He Yan, “What happened?”

He Yan shrugged. “I was picking Yun Sheng up from school when we encountered assassins on the way home. But these assassins seemed like death warriors. I didn’t kill them—they all took poison and died. The coroner is examining the bodies now. I don’t know the specifics.”

“Death warriors?” Xiao Jue frowned slightly, his first thought being that Xu Jingfu’s people were behind it. But Xu Jingfu’s men wouldn’t be this foolish. If He Yan were to die, the marriage arrangement would be void, and Xiao Jue could simply find another noblewoman with a suitable background. That would ruin all their plans. Even for his own interests, Xu Jingfu wouldn’t attempt to kill He Yan at this critical moment. The same went for Xu Jingfu’s faction.

So, were they He Yan’s enemies?

A constable wiped the sweat from his forehead. Dealing with the Marquis of Wu’an was difficult enough, but now General Feng Yun had personally come to inquire about the matter. If they didn’t get to the bottom of this, everyone’s jobs might be at risk.

“Were you injured?” Xiao Jue asked again.

He Yan spread her arms and spun around to show she was unharmed. “Don’t worry. I am, after all, the top-ranked in Liangzhou Guard. These few weren’t enough for me to handle.”

Seeing her lively and energetic appearance, Xiao Jue finally relaxed a little. When Fei Nu sent the news, he had been with Lin Shuanghe visiting the two brothers who were on the brink of death that day. Upon receiving the message, he rushed over without delay. Shuojing was not like Liangzhou Guard. If what could kill a person in Liangzhou Guard were the harsh climate, difficult environment, and brutal, domineering Wutuo People, in Shuojing, there were countless ways for schemes to take a life. He didn’t want He Yan to be dragged into unrelated troubles because of him.

However, this assassination attempt was particularly strange. To strike so soon after Emperor Wenxuan’s marriage decree seemed almost impatient—completely unlike Xu Jingfu’s usual style.The coroner walked over while wiping his hands, first bowing to He Yan and Xiao Jue before speaking: "There are seven deceased in total. Each had a wax pill hidden in their mouth, containing a potent poison that causes instant death upon ingestion. These individuals show no fatal external wounds—they died by taking poison themselves."

Death by poison proved their demise had nothing to do with He Yan; she had not ruthlessly killed them. This also confirmed that these people had come prepared—they were indeed death warriors.

"Who are these people?" He Yun Sheng couldn't help but ask. "Why would they want my sister's life?"

Another officer stepped forward and said, "We thoroughly searched the bodies of these assassins and found a banknote on one of them." He presented the banknote in his hand to Xiao Jue. "It's from the Gold and Jade Bank."

The banknote was clean, almost brand new, and well-preserved.

"We plan to take this banknote to the Gold and Jade Bank."

By checking the bank's ledgers from recent days and cross-referencing them, they could likely determine who had exchanged this banknote, leading to its appearance on the assassin.

However... He Yan frowned slightly. This seemed too convenient. Moreover, since these death warriors had sealed the wax pills so meticulously, treating life and death with indifference, why would they carefully store a banknote in their clothing? It almost seemed... as if it were deliberately left for them to find.

He Sui clasped his hands and said, "We trouble you all, esteemed officials."

The officers quickly expressed their humility, not daring to show any negligence. After all, this was the father-in-law of General Feng Yun and the biological father of the Marquis of Wu'an—they couldn't afford to slight him.

He Yan looked up and saw Xiao Jue still frowning, seemingly in a terrible mood. She tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Commander, I think we should return and wait for news for now. Let the authorities handle the investigation. In the coming days, both of us need to be cautious."

If they had targeted her, it might also mean that Xiao Jue's surroundings were now fraught with danger.

Xiao Jue looked down at her, thought for a moment, and said, "Since they're targeting you, stay at home these next few days and don't go out."

"That won't do," He Yan firmly refused. "Yun Sheng has to attend school. I'm worried about him going alone. And my father—I fear the assassins might turn their attention to them. Neither of them is as skilled as I am. If they encounter those assassins, they won't be able to defend themselves."

"Don't worry," Xiao Jue said. "I'll send people to secretly follow and protect them." After a pause, he continued, "As for the Xiao family, I'll have Chi Wu accompany you."

He Yan shook her head rapidly. "No need, no need. Chi Wu isn't as capable in a fight as I am. Having him around wouldn't help much. I can manage on my own. Besides, in broad daylight, those people wouldn't dare act too recklessly. Since they failed this time, they probably won't make any rash moves for a while."

She still had to visit the Xu family to gather information and search for Nanny Qin's whereabouts. Having Chi Wu follow her would be quite inconvenient—it would be like planting a spy by her side, one who would immediately report back to Xiao Jue. If Xiao Jue found out about her secretive and peculiar actions, He Yan wouldn't even know how to begin explaining herself.

But this time, Xiao Jue was unusually firm. "No, you can't be alone. If you refuse to let him accompany you, then move into the Xiao residence."

He Yan: "...Didn't you say you were concerned about my reputation?"

Xiao Jue said coldly, "Compared to your reputation, I'm more worried about your safety."He Yun Sheng: "..." For some reason, he always felt that he and He Sui's presence here seemed rather superfluous.

He Yan pondered for a moment, weighing the two options before finally saying, "Alright, then let Chi Wu follow me." If she stayed at the Xiao residence, she truly might not even be able to step out the door. At the He residence, even with Chi Wu around, she could at least sneak out and shake him off if needed. Though it would require some effort, it wasn't entirely impossible.

Only then did Xiao Jue relent.

As it was already late and today's events had been sudden, after settling matters with the authorities, Xiao Jue escorted them back to the He residence. He left Chi Wu and several guards behind before departing himself.

After Xiao Jue left, He Yan washed up and returned to her room. Qingmei had prepared porridge, but no one was in the mood to eat today, so they retired early. With Chi Wu and several guards keeping watch in the residence, He Yan wasn't too worried. However, once she lay down on the bed and gazed at the canopy, her mind was flooded with thoughts.

In truth, after the assassins swallowed poison and she learned they were death warriors, He Yan had already begun to suspect who was behind it. The mastermind was likely either He Rufei or Xu Zhiheng. Her appearance at the victory banquet must have terrified Xu Zhiheng and aroused He Rufei's suspicions. Whether to test her background or to eliminate her once and for all, aside from these two, He Yan couldn't think of any other enemies.

What she hadn't expected was that these two would dare to act so boldly in broad daylight. Were they so confident that she didn't know the full truth, emboldening them to such audacity?

But how could He Rufei and Xu Zhiheng know that she was He Yan herself, aware of all the truths? This move of theirs had instead allowed her to uncover their secrets. It was likely that He Rufei and the others were not as calm as they appeared on the surface. Or perhaps they hadn't fully covered their tracks, which was why they were so eager to silence her.

He Yan turned over and slowly closed her eyes.

He Rufei was ruthless, while Xu Zhiheng was cowardly. The relationship between these two was likely far from harmonious, each harboring their own selfish motives and holding leverage over the other. If they could quietly eliminate each other, it might be a welcome outcome for both. A bond forged by interests was inherently fragile and unreliable.

Whether to be the clam or the sandpiper made no difference. What mattered was that the fisherman could reap the benefits of their struggle.

...

Whether it was due to her status as the Marquis of Wu'an or because of Xiao Jue's influence, the authorities acted swiftly. In just two days, they notified He Yan to come to the yamen, claiming they had found the mastermind behind the assassins.

He Sui and He Yun Sheng were not at the residence at the time, so He Yan went out alone. Chi Wu followed closely by her side. When they arrived at the yamen, they happened to run into Xiao Jue, who had just stepped out of his carriage and was heading inside.

"Commander, why are you here?" He Yan asked in surprise. "Did they inform you as well?"

Xiao Jue nodded.

He Yan didn't press further, thinking to herself how obsequious the yamen officials were. She was the victim, yet they had bypassed her to inform Xiao Jue.

Once inside, Magistrate Liu, who was in charge of the case, approached and invited the two of them to sit in the hall, ordering his subordinates to serve tea.

"Magistrate Liu," He Yan got straight to the point, "have you found the mastermind?""The constables went to the Gold and Jade Bank and checked their ledgers. They discovered that the banknote was cashed out from the Fan family five days ago." Magistrate Liu looked at He Yan, hesitated for a moment as if deeply conflicted, and finally felt compelled to ask, "The Fan family in the capital—does Miss He still remember them?"

As soon as he spoke these words, he quickly glanced at He Yan. If it weren't absolutely necessary, he truly did not want to handle this case. No matter how he looked at it, it was a thorny task. If he failed to satisfy these two individuals, his career might very well come to an end. Especially now, with the mastermind behind the scenes uncovered, he felt even more troubled.

The relationship between the Fan family and He Yan had always been ambiguous and unclear. Asking this in front of Xiao Jue—what if Xiao Jue took offense and vented his anger on him?

"The Fan family?" He Yan was straightforward, without the slightest hint of awkwardness. "Fan Cheng?"

Magistrate Liu sighed inwardly, thinking she truly was a heroine. No wonder she could tame the cold-blooded and ruthless Jade-Faced Commander. She had asked so directly. He smiled and replied, "Exactly."

"You mean those assassins were masterminded by the Fan family?" He Yan asked. "Why would they do this?"

"Well..." Magistrate Liu said, "After discovering that the banknote was cashed out from the Fan family, we went to their residence. In Madam Fan's room, we found poison identical to the one in the wax pills carried by the assassins. Madam Fan's personal maid revealed the truth, saying that... about a year and a half ago, Madam Fan's only son, Fan Cheng, was killed on a boat on the Spring River. The assassin disappeared without a trace. At the time, Miss He was also on the boat and went missing as well. Everyone assumed Miss He had been killed by the murderer. Now that Miss He has returned to the capital unharmed, Madam Fan believes that Miss He is the murderer, that Miss He is the one who killed Fan Cheng. Holding a grudge, she secretly hired assassins in an attempt to take Miss He's life."

"What does the suspect say?" It was Xiao Jue who asked.

"Madam Fan refuses to admit to hiring assassins. She is currently imprisoned and still under interrogation. However, in my humble opinion, with both witnesses and evidence present, there shouldn't be any other possibility."

"Where is that maid now?"

Magistrate Liu sighed. "After Madam Fan's maid revealed the truth, Madam Fan argued with her. Before our men could separate them, the maid took a knife and stabbed herself in the heart, committing suicide. It's unclear whether she feared retaliation from the Fan family or simply took her own life out of guilt."

"So, there is no one else who can prove Madam Fan's innocence now?" He Yan asked.

Magistrate Liu looked at He Yan. "Miss He, I know you are kind-hearted and unwilling to wrong others. However, this matter is already a clear-cut fact. In fact, to avoid arresting the wrong person, the constables investigated many things. For example, during the days you were away serving in the army, the Fan family repeatedly harassed your father and brother. Your father lost his position as a captain precisely because the Fan family intervened behind the scenes. The Fan family had long blamed Fan Cheng's death on you. Now that you have returned unharmed, they dared not retaliate openly, so they acted in secret. In Shuojing City, you have no other enemies. Aside from the Fan family, there really is no one else with a reason to seek revenge against you."He deliberately avoided considering the possibility that He Yan was implicated because of Xiao Jue. After all, the power struggle between Xiao Jue and Xu Xiang was something a minor figure like him truly dared not involve himself in.

He Yan looked toward Xiao Jue, who said, "I want to see someone."

Magistrate Liu was taken aback. "Commander Xiao…"

"Fan Cheng’s mother."

This request was something Magistrate Liu could still accommodate. When He Yan and Xiao Jue arrived at the prison, they saw Madam Fan huddled in the innermost cell, hugging her knees and curled into a ball. At the slightest approach of anyone, she trembled uncontrollably, muttering something incomprehensible under her breath.

He Yan frowned at the sight and asked, "Did you use torture?"

"No, no!" Magistrate Liu was startled, waving his hands repeatedly. "We haven’t even begun the interrogation yet; she was only captured yesterday afternoon. But it’s strange—when she was brought in yesterday, she was perfectly fine, even arrogant to the extreme, refusing to admit any connection to those assassins. This morning, when the jailer came to check on her, she seemed off. But," Magistrate Liu said dismissively, "we see this kind of thing often here. Once they realize there’s evidence and they can’t escape, they start pretending to be mad, thinking they can avoid punishment."

He Yan crouched down and called to her, "Madam Fan, Madam Fan?"

The woman in the cell glanced at her fearfully, her hair disheveled and covering most of her face. Only one eye was faintly visible, filled with terror.

He Yan had met Fan Cheng before but was seeing Madam Fan for the first time. She had also heard from Qingmei that Madam Fan was not a mild-tempered person. After arranging the marriage between Tang Ying and Fan Cheng, she had ordered Fan Cheng to cut off all contact with the eldest Miss He. When the eldest Miss He went to confront her, Madam Fan had the Fan family servants stand at the gate, ignoring the scorn of passersby, humiliating He Yan so deeply that she fell seriously ill afterward.

Yet, seeing this woman now, He Yan felt there were still doubts about the case. A fierce, doting mother like Madam Fan, if she truly wanted to settle scores with He Yan, would never have acted covertly from the shadows based on her past temperament. Moreover, how could a woman like her have access to those death warriors? Even if she had hired assassins, why would she be foolish enough to keep the poison in her own room instead of destroying it immediately? And why would her personal maid betray her? If the maid feared being implicated, why not simply say nothing? If she had the courage to die, why would she commit suicide out of guilt? Now, with the maid dead and no one to testify, and Madam Fan acting insane… He Yan glanced at the woman in the cell. Was she truly pretending to be mad?

Magistrate Liu watched He Yan’s actions, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. The Marquis of Wu’an truly had no reservations, showing such concern for the mother of her former lover right in front of her fiancé. Even though the other party had tried to take her life, she could still be magnanimous and indifferent. But… from Fan Cheng to Xiao Jue, the eldest Miss He’s taste in men had indeed improved by leaps and bounds.

He Yan stood up. "Let’s talk outside."

The group walked out of the prison.

"Miss He, Commander Xiao, about this case…"

"She is not the culprit," Xiao Jue interrupted Magistrate Liu before he could finish.

Magistrate Liu was taken aback. "But… the evidence is all there."

"The so-called evidence is what the real culprit wanted you to see. If you proceed with the case based on this, you’ll likely be playing right into the culprit’s hands," Xiao Jue said.Magistrate Liu's heart was filled with bitterness. All he wanted was to serve as an official peacefully and bring this case to a swift conclusion. Finally, with both witnesses and evidence in place, he could have closed the case quickly, but Xiao Jue's single sentence had overturned it all, and now it seemed endless.

However, he dared not voice his complaints in front of Xiao Jue. Magistrate Liu thought for a moment and said, "But if it wasn’t Madam Fan, then who could it be? The clues end here. The only thing on the assassin’s body that could identify him was that banknote."

"You can start with the Fan family," Xiao Jue said calmly. "Investigate who the deceased maid had contact with before her death. Who had entered Fan Cheng’s mother’s room. And," he paused, "starting tonight, double the guards here. I think someone will soon try to silence the witnesses."

He Yan’s heart raced as she listened. Xiao Jue’s analysis aligned almost perfectly with her own thoughts.

No matter how much Magistrate Liu disliked the trouble, at least Xiao Jue had pointed him in a direction. After repeatedly assuring him, Magistrate Liu went to instruct the officials. He Yan walked side by side with Xiao Jue, both of them falling into silence.

If He Yan had only suspected earlier that this was the work of He Rufei and Xu Zhiheng, now she was almost certain. The Fan family’s framing was too obvious. He Rufei and his associates likely believed that since He Yan had previously clashed with the Fan family, once something happened, she would naturally blame Madam Fan without digging deeper. But now, because of Xiao Jue’s words, Magistrate Liu was still investigating the case. To avoid any mishaps, He Rufei and his group would likely take the risk to silence Madam Fan. Although this would make the case even more riddled with holes, it was... their best option.

"What do you think?" Xiao Jue suddenly asked.

He Yan snapped back to attention and replied, "I think... what the Commander said earlier is right. Something about this case feels off."

Seeing Xiao Jue lower his gaze without speaking, she felt a sudden impulse and deliberately teased, "Commander, are you upset about what happened with the Fan family?"

The one who had previously been entangled with Fan Cheng was the real Miss He, not her. She had forgotten this detail when she first arrived, but now it occurred to her. Xiao Jue’s unusual silence—was he displeased because of this? That made sense. As his fiancée, having ties with another man, even in an ordinary family, would be unacceptable.

"Fei Nu must have helped you investigate what really happened on the Spring River back then. If I had truly done something, I wouldn’t have acted that way," He Yan whispered.

Xiao Jue stopped walking and looked at her. The girl’s eyes were lively, like a child who had done something wrong—somewhat embarrassed, somewhat ingratiating, with a hint of a smile. There was no trace of the harrowing pursuit she had experienced just days before.

In the past, he might have casually teased her along with her words, but today was different.

"He Yan," he called her name, "are you hiding something from me?"

He Yan paused, her smile unchanged as she looked up at him. "No, I’m not. Why would you say that, Commander?"

The young man stood still, looking down at her. Though his tone was gentle, his gaze was sharp as a blade. After a moment of silence, he finally asked, "Do you really not know where those assassins came from?"For a moment, He Yan felt as though he had seen through everything, as if he knew it all. Yet after a brief pause, she asked with confusion, "Commander, what do you mean by that? If I knew where the assassin came from, I would have told Magistrate Liu directly and let him capture the culprit. Why would I waste time here?"

He Yan’s expression was relaxed, but her heart was racing, unsure whether Xiao Jue had noticed any clues.

She couldn’t tell Xiao Jue about these matters, nor did she know how to explain them—these strange, insane, conspiracy-laden, calculated, tragic, and repulsive actions. She simply couldn’t bring herself to speak of them to Xiao Jue.

Xiao Jue stared at her intently for a moment before speaking calmly, "It's fine now."

(End of Chapter)