The General Says She Won't Marry - Chapter 25 Part 2

They had sent skilled assassins to strike from the shadows, aiming to eliminate them swiftly and silently.

Given the circumstances, Lin Aoxue had no choice but to retaliate.

She closed her eyes, her thoughts a tangled mess as she considered their next move. The barbarian scouts were far more formidable than she had expected—no wonder Beichen Long’s previous scouts had all fallen to them.

Before long, Yun Yan returned. She struck a firestarter, the weak flame flickering as she located Lin Aoxue and knelt beside her, ready to examine the wound.

This time, Lin Aoxue did not refuse. She kept her eyes closed, knowing that the wound was at her side. No matter how embarrassed she felt, she would have to remove her top to properly tend to it.

Yun Yan carefully lifted Lin Aoxue’s blood-soaked clothing, revealing the delicate frame hidden beneath. In the dim cave light, she could just make out the deep, gory wound running across Lin Aoxue’s waist. It was not long, but it had pierced through her side and exited from her back.

The faint firelight barely allowed Yun Yan to see the wound, yet even so, her face turned deathly pale.

Fearful that the blade had struck Lin Aoxue’s internal organs, she examined the injury with extreme caution. To her immense relief, Lin Aoxue had narrowly escaped a fatal hit—the blade had barely missed her organs. Though serious, the wound was not life-threatening.

Yun Yan began cleaning the wound with the utmost care, but her mind kept replaying that terrifying moment. The sight of Lin Aoxue shielding her, taking the strike in her stead, haunted her. She had spoken so confidently before they left, yet in the end, she had only dragged Lin Aoxue down with her.

Lin Aoxue opened her eyes and glanced at Yun Yan. She noticed that Yun Yan’s hands were hovering near her wound, yet she had frozen, seemingly lost in thought. Lin Aoxue frowned slightly and called out softly, “Yan’er.”

A flicker of pain and guilt flashed through Yun Yan’s eyes. She pressed her lips together tightly and focused on bandaging Lin Aoxue’s wound with the utmost care. Though the cave was dimly lit, Lin Aoxue had her gaze fixed on Yun Yan’s face and clearly saw the fleeting expression in her eyes.

“I told you I would protect you.” 

Since those were her words, she had to do everything in her power to uphold them.

Yun Yan lowered her gaze, unusually silent. It felt as if their roles had reversed. Lin Aoxue forced a smile, awkwardly trying to comfort Yun Yan. “I’m fine. Besides, aren’t you here with me?” Seeing that Yun Yan still did not respond, she grew anxious and blurted out whatever came to mind. “Think about it—if it were someone else with me, I’d be as good as dead after getting injured.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?!”

To Lin Aoxue’s surprise, Yun Yan was uncharacteristically angry.

Lin Aoxue stiffened and dared not say another word.

Yun Yan shot Lin Aoxue a fierce glare before swiftly finishing the treatment. She stopped the bleeding, applied medicine, and wrapped the wound with practiced efficiency. Though her movements were quick, her fingers trembled ever so slightly.

Only when Lin Aoxue had put her clothes back on did Yun Yan’s expression soften a little. She personally tied Lin Aoxue’s belt, making sure it wasn’t too tight around the wound, carefully adjusting it with extra attention.

After a long silence, Yun Yan finally spoke on her own. “Don’t try so hard next time.”

Lin Aoxue cautiously observed Yun Yan’s expression. Though her face appeared calm, she kept pressing her lips together, looking sorrowful. Worried that Yun Yan was still upset, Lin Aoxue obediently nodded and refrained from saying anything further.

“What should we do now?” Yun Yan asked. 

Seeing that she had calmed down somewhat, Lin Aoxue instinctively swallowed, feeling a wave of relief. She then replied, “We’re already very close to the main barbarian army, but my injury will make things much more difficult. We should send a message back to Xingbei Pass and wait for the grand general’s orders.”

Yun Yan nodded, taking out a specially crafted incense stick from her belongings and lighting it at the cave entrance.

Moments later, a falcon flapped its wings and swooped down from the sky, landing on a rock at the cave’s entrance. Yun Yan walked over, retrieved the bamboo tube attached to its leg, and handed it to Lin Aoxue. Using her own blood as ink, Lin Aoxue quickly wrote a message before securing it back onto the falcon’s leg.

After Yun Yan released the falcon, the only thing left for them to do was wait for a reply from Xingbei Pass while continuing to track the barbarian forces.

Lin Aoxue had lost a significant amount of blood along the way, and the barbarian scouts would soon discover their fallen comrade’s corpse. Staying in the cave for too long would be dangerous. As soon as Yun Yan released the falcon, Lin Aoxue, despite her injury, led Yun Yan away to relocate.

They had already gathered some clues earlier—now, all that remained was to verify their suspicions. Once they pinpointed the exact location of the barbarian army, their mission would be complete.

***

In the following days, Yun Yan became noticeably more cautious in her actions. She paid close attention to Lin Aoxue’s injuries, constantly monitoring her condition and doing her best to help her recover. Though Lin Aoxue felt that Yun Yan was making a fuss over nothing, she couldn’t deny that she enjoyed the feeling of being cared for.

Beichen Long’s reply was delivered to Lin Aoxue via falcon. She unfolded the note, glanced at it briefly, and after reading, burned it with a fire striker.

“What did the general say?” Yun Yan leaned in and asked softly.

“The main army has already set out and will secretly arrive at Guanshan Lake in five days. As long as our intelligence is accurate, this will be a great opportunity to deal a heavy blow to the barbarians. We must maintain constant communication with the general.”

Lin Aoxue briefly analyzed the current battle situation and then signaled Yun Yan to continue moving.

Two days later, they arrived at Guanshan Lake, a location they had deduced based on various clues and the movement patterns of scattered barbarian troops. Upon surveying the area, Lin Aoxue couldn’t help but admire the cunning of the barbarian generals.

The enemy forces were using Guanshan Lake as a water supply point, allowing them to launch a rapid attack on Xingbei Pass at any moment while also having the option to retreat swiftly if anything went wrong at the pass.

They remained in ambush near Guanshan Lake for an entire day, and sure enough, they spotted the barbarian army. Since Yun Yan knew little about military strategy, she had no choice but to listen attentively as Lin Aoxue explained the details to her. Over the past few days, she had unknowingly learned a great deal about warfare from Lin Aoxue.

A few more days passed, and Lin Aoxue successfully reunited with the main army. Beichen Long personally led the troops, accompanied by two deputy generals, while Yang Jin remained stationed at Xingbei Pass.

Lin Aoxue gave Beichen Long a detailed report on the situation at Guanshan Lake.

“We have identified the movement patterns of the barbarian army. Their warhorses need water, and the soldiers require water resupply as well. Guanshan Lake is the most secluded water source between their forces and Xingbei Pass, so every few days, they lead their troops here.”

After listening to Lin Aoxue’s report, Beichen Long furrowed his brows in thought for a moment before taking a walk around Guanshan Lake with her to confirm the terrain. He then began outlining a preliminary battle strategy.

While surveying the area, Beichen Long noticed Lin Aoxue’s heavy breathing and pale complexion. Frowning, he asked, “Are you injured?”

Lin Aoxue had not mentioned their ambush when she previously sent reports back to Xingbei Pass. Now that Beichen Long was asking, she chose not to hide the truth and explained what had happened.

However, she omitted the fact that she had been injured while saving Yun Yan. Instead, she simply stated that the enemy was highly skilled in martial arts and emphasized that having Yun Yan with her had allowed her to dress her wounds in time and hold out until reinforcements arrived.

Beichen Long nodded thoughtfully.

Wanting to secure a decisive victory, he confirmed the strategic importance of Guanshan Lake. He then ordered the two deputy generals to each lead 30,000 troops to ambush the east and west sides of the lake, while he himself took his forces into the deep mountains to lie in wait.

For two consecutive days, there was no movement around Guanshan Lake. Then, on the third night, as expected, a group of barbarian soldiers entered the area.

Beichen Long ordered his troops to stay hidden. The vanguard of the barbarian forces scouted the lake and, finding nothing unusual, returned to report back. About an hour later, the main barbarian army arrived, completely unguarded as they entered the lake area.

Beichen Long glanced at the sky, waited another half an hour, and finally gave the order to attack.

Suddenly, the air was filled with the sounds of battle cries. Beichen Long’s soldiers charged toward Guanshan Lake from all directions. The 50,000 barbarian soldiers resting at the lakeside were caught completely off guard. In their panic, they grabbed their weapons and engaged in close combat with Beichen Long’s forces, but after several intense clashes, they had already suffered heavy losses.

The barbarian general quickly snapped out of his panic and regained composure at an astonishing speed. He immediately organized his troops to resist the surprise attack from the Beichen army, attempting to break through the encirclement.

Due to her injuries, Lin Aoxue did not personally take part in the battle. Yun Yan, who had no martial skills and could not wield weapons, stayed with her on the cliffs beside Guanshan Lake, watching the battle unfold below.

There were capable individuals among the barbarians as well. Their forces soon steadied themselves, regrouping despite the Beichen soldiers’ fierce assault. They formed a defensive formation to withstand the attack. Though they were outnumbered, the terrain around Guanshan Lake was not spacious, making it difficult for large-scale maneuvers. As a result, the numerical advantage of the Beichen army was not as evident.

As time passed, an hour later, the battlefield was already littered with corpses. Blood soaked the grass, turning its lush green into a deep crimson. Bodies fell into the lake, their blood spreading through the water, staining the once-clear blue surface with eerie, mottled hues.

The soldiers of Xingbei Pass fought with growing morale, while the barbarian warriors, in the heat of the relentless battle, became increasingly frenzied. The fight had reached its most critical moment. Just then, an unexpected incident occurred—among the barbarian ranks, warriors suddenly collapsed without warning, only to be swiftly cut down by their own comrades’ stray blades.

At first, it seemed like a coincidence. But within a short period, the phenomenon spread throughout the entire barbarian army. More and more soldiers inexplicably fell from their horses or suddenly weakened in the midst of combat, unable to resist the Beichen soldiers’ assault.

Panic seized the barbarian general as realization dawned—there was something wrong with the water they had drunk earlier!

Beichen Long could not hide the exhilaration on his face. This battle was destined to be recorded in history.

Before the battle, Beichen Long had ordered his forces to collect enough clean water from Guanshan Lake to last half a month. Then, he instructed Yun Yan to poison the remaining water, patiently waiting for the barbarian troops to arrive.

Guanshan Lake’s water was melted snow from the mountains in summer, not a flowing water source. Once the barbarians drank from it, they were bound to be affected. As expected, those who consumed the lake water succumbed to the poison—not lethal, but potent enough to determine the outcome of the battle.

Overcome with grief and rage, the barbarian general cursed Beichen Long to the heavens before drawing his own blade and slitting his throat. Following his death, over a thousand of his personal guards chose to take their own lives as well.

Beichen Long ordered the battlefield to be cleared. The fallen soldiers’ identification plaques were collected, and then, in one decisive act, the corpses—both friend and foe—along with the grasslands surrounding Guanshan Lake were set ablaze.

The fire raged for half a month before a cold autumn rain finally extinguished the last of the flames.

***

The Battle of Guanshan Lake ended in a decisive victory for the Beichen army. Not a single barbarian soldier escaped. Over twenty thousand were captured, and the Beichen forces returned to Xingbei Pass in triumphant celebration.

However, during the army’s return, Lin Aoxue’s injuries worsened. The wound on her waist and abdomen became infected due to the strenuous journey. Despite Yun Yan’s careful care, Lin Aoxue’s body, already weakened from years of hardship, could no longer hold out. The moment she reached Xingbei Pass, she collapsed and could not rise again.

Beichen Long ordered her to be carried to the military doctors’ camp, with Yun Yan accompanying her the entire way. Upon arrival, Yun Yan dismissed the assisting soldiers and personally examined Lin Aoxue’s condition.

Lin Aoxue’s wound was inflamed, and she had developed a high fever. She lay on the bed, drenched in cold sweat, her body alternating between burning hot and freezing cold. Trapped in fevered nightmares, she would occasionally struggle violently, her face filled with panic and anger as she let out hoarse, incoherent murmurs.

Seeing her like this unsettled Yun Yan greatly. She used calming medicine to stabilize Lin Aoxue’s condition. Once she was slightly steadier, Yun Yan, hands trembling, carefully loosened Lin Aoxue’s belt. She retrieved a needle and thread, snipped away the hastily sewn stitches from their previous attempt in the dim light, and thoroughly cleaned the wound again.

As she prepared to sew the first stitch, Yun Yan—who had always remained composed when practicing medicine—found herself nearly dropping the needle. She stared at her bloodstained hands, her throat tightening as she swallowed hard. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to steady her trembling fingers before finally daring to proceed.

She didn’t know why she was so flustered. The emotion was too unfamiliar, leaving her at a complete loss.

She forced herself to remain calm and clear-headed. It took her nearly twice as long as usual to treat Lin Aoxue’s wound, carefully dressing and bandaging it.

As Lin Aoxue lay unconscious, her breathing gradually steadied, though the tight furrow between her brows did not ease. The makeup that had concealed her scars had been washed away, revealing the frightening and jagged marks on her cheek.

Yun Yan did not find them unsightly. As she gazed at Lin Aoxue’s sleeping face, a memory surfaced—the day they had just left the pass, when Lin Aoxue learned that she knew the art of disguise. Her shock had been so evident, her reaction so instinctive, that she had reached out and, for the briefest moment, touched Yun Yan’s face.

Yun Yan reached out now, her fingers brushing over the uneven scars on Lin Aoxue’s cheek. Her eyes lowered slightly, her expression layered with complexity.

She had originally wanted to care for Lin Aoxue, to offer companionship to someone so solitary. But she had always been rational and composed, knowing the consequences of every decision she made. She was careful, always mitigating risks, always in control.

Yet after leaving the pass, she found that things had become more complicated. The image of Lin Aoxue had become clearer and clearer in her mind.

She could not forget the moment Lin Aoxue had stood in front of her, shielding her. Every time she closed her eyes, it was as if she could still smell the thick scent of blood, more vivid than ever before. It was as though the moment she opened her eyes, she would see that scene again.

It was the first time she had felt so close to death. But in that moment, a pair of rough yet strong hands had pulled her back from the abyss, dragging her toward the dazzling sunlight in the sky.

And in the sunlight, she had seen Lin Aoxue’s pale face, wearing the faintest of smiles.

She had discovered Lin Aoxue’s carefully concealed secret and used it to grasp her lifeline, leveraging it without restraint, deliberately drawing closer with ulterior motives.

She had thought it was just an ordinary approach—just two similar souls drawn to each other. She had wanted to trade sincerity for sincerity, hoping that Lin Aoxue would eventually see her as a confidante.

She had succeeded. This person had even risked her life for her.

But some things had started slipping out of control. Her trembling hands, the restless emotions surging within her, all reminded her that the situation had become tangled and troublesome.

At some point, the sympathy she had initially felt for Lin Aoxue had been overtaken by something deeper—an emotion beyond mere friendship. And when Lin Aoxue had taken a deadly blow for her, that feeling had broken through, like a seed sprouting from the cracks of hardened soil, growing deep within her heart.

This was beyond her expectations. It was not how she had planned things to be.

Yun Yan sat by Lin Aoxue’s bedside for a full hour, lost in thought. When she finally came back to her senses, she let out a long breath. She had spent an hour considering her next move, analyzing her own emotions. Her face held a mix of helplessness and resignation.

She leaned forward, cupping Lin Aoxue’s face in her hands. Her fingertips gently traced the contours of Lin Aoxue’s brows and eyes—features delicate yet edged with quiet strength. At this close distance, she studied Lin Aoxue’s sleeping face intently.

There are other ways to achieve my goal. I don’t need to use Lin Aoxue, a quiet voice echoed in her mind.

“Aoxue, maybe you were right. I shouldn’t have come to the military camp. Once you recover, I’ll leave.”

A wise person knew when to cut their losses.

If she stayed any longer, she had no idea what unforeseen circumstances might arise—or what Lin Aoxue might do next to further shake her resolve. She needed to pull away before she lost herself entirely.

And she needed time to clear her head.

Yun Yan continued to watch Lin Aoxue’s sleeping face. Then, on a sudden impulse, she leaned in closer, pressing her soft lips lightly against Lin Aoxue’s forehead. A fleeting, feather-light kiss.

“To be honest, I don’t really want to let you go.” She paused, a hint of helpless sorrow in her eyes. “No one has ever truly taken a blade for me before. You’re the first. I suppose the whole ‘hero saving the damsel’ thing really does stir the heart.”

But she had no choice. If distancing herself wasn’t enough to steady her wavering emotions, then she would have to find another way to achieve her goal. Until then, she needed time.

Yun Yan steadied her thoughts, smoothing Lin Aoxue’s cheek and gently tucking away the damp strands of hair on her forehead. Then, reaching into her robes, she pulled out the half-mask and carefully placed it back over Lin Aoxue’s face.