The General Says She Won't Marry - Chapter 28 Part 2

Beichen Long was clearly satisfied with her reaction. He nodded approvingly and added a final piece of advice, “The capital is not like our northern border. You must be careful in your actions and avoid recklessness. Remember to follow General Guo’s instructions. Understood?”

“I will strictly follow the general’s teachings!” Lin Aoxue responded firmly. As she rose, she turned to look at Guo Wencheng, who smiled and gave her a slight nod. She immediately cupped her fists toward him. “I will be relying on General Guo’s guidance.”

Beichen Long laughed. “Good. The New Year is approaching. Pack your things and set off as soon as possible. Don’t delay your journey.”

Lin Aoxue and Guo Wencheng accepted the orders and withdrew, leaving only Yang Jin behind to continue discussing military affairs with Beichen Long.

On the way back, Lin Aoxue went to find Lu Sheng first. He had only just woken up when she informed him that she would be leaving for a few days. This trip to the capital might mean she wouldn’t return until after the New Year, and there were many things that needed to be arranged.

When Lu Sheng heard that Lin Aoxue was going to the capital, he was utterly shocked. But soon, he became excited, exclaiming that the capital was a wonderful place and even jumping up to help her pack. However, Lin Aoxue sternly refused.

After making the necessary arrangements in the camp, she met with several of the baihu under her command. She didn’t tell them the details of her mission, only that she would be away for about two months and that during this time, they must ensure the soldiers kept up with their training and did not slack off.

Once everything was settled, Lin Aoxue returned to her tent. She packed two sets of spare clothes, some dry rations, and a single spear—nothing more.

The night passed without event.

***

Early the next morning, Lin Aoxue arrived at the camp gates half an hour ahead of time. After about the time it took to finish a cup of tea, Guo Wencheng also arrived early. Traveling light, the two of them led their swift horses and set off toward the capital.

The capital of Beichen was in the south, and to reach it, they had to cross more than half of the country. Pushing their horses to the limit, they rode for over twenty days before finally arriving in the capital just before the New Year.

As the towering city gates came into view, Lin Aoxue’s gaze darkened.

It had been ten years since she last set foot here. In ten years, many things had changed. Those who had died, and the events that had once shaken the city, had gradually faded from people’s memories. Few still spoke of them.

She had no idea what had become of the Nation’s Protector Grand General’s Residence, nor did she want to know. This return to the capital was purely incidental. She had no intention of being distracted—her only goal was to complete the mission Beichen Long had assigned her and return to the northern frontier to continue biding her time.

As they neared the grand city gates, a sudden image of Yun Yan flashed through Lin Aoxue’s mind. She pressed her lips together and allowed herself the faintest smile.

Yun Yan was also in the capital. Though Lin Aoxue knew the city was vast and the chances of running into her were slim, just the thought of spending the New Year in the same city brought a strange sense of comfort.

Horses were not permitted within the capital. At the city gates, Lin Aoxue and Guo Wencheng reined in their mounts and dismounted. They approached the gate guards to have their identities verified before they were allowed to lead their horses into the city.

Following behind Guo Wencheng, Lin Aoxue stepped through the towering gates. The wide, even streets stretched before her, lined with towering buildings and bustling with activity. The capital’s roads were well-connected, and its streets were lined with countless shops and teahouses, exuding an air of prosperity.

Unlike in the northern border markets, small street vendors were not allowed to set up stalls here. They had all been relegated to a designated corner of the city.

As Lin Aoxue walked through the capital’s streets, she glanced around, taking in the familiar yet unchanged sights. After ten years, most of the city remained the same—only the shops had changed hands or taken on new businesses.

Seeing Lin Aoxue looking around with a hint of nostalgia, Guo Wencheng chuckled. “You’ve been to the capital before, but I suppose you’ve never visited these parts?”

Lin Aoxue knew he meant no harm. He was simply stating a fact. Beggars weren’t allowed on the main streets of the capital, and in an effort to maintain order, the authorities had expelled street vendors and vagrants alike.

So, when he said she had probably never been here before, it wasn’t meant as mockery.

Lin Aoxue nodded openly. “Back then, I only dared to beg near the western marketplace. I never set foot in these areas.”

Guo Wencheng smiled. “Once we’ve met with the emperor, you should take some time to explore. There are many interesting things in the capital.”

Lin Aoxue acknowledged his suggestion with a simple “Mm” and exchanged a few more casual words with him.

Guo Wencheng’s father was a third-rank civil official who owned a residence in the capital. Though Guo Wencheng had spent most of his years stationed at the border, he had grown up here and knew the city well. Years ago, he had defied his father’s wishes by refusing the bureaucratic path laid out for him, instead following his close friend Yang Jin to the frontier. It had been eleven years since he last returned.

Now that he was back, he wasn’t sure how his father would react. Would he be turned away at the gates of his own home?

Both he and Lin Aoxue had their own thoughts weighing on their minds, and for a while, they fell into silence.

They continued onward until they rounded a corner, where an inn stood ahead.

Guo Wencheng led Lin Aoxue toward the entrance. A young attendant standing outside quickly stepped forward to take their horses’ reins.

Just as they were about to enter, a sudden commotion erupted down the street.

Lin Aoxue’s steps halted. She turned toward the noise.

A horse-drawn carriage was careening wildly down the street, the horses clearly panicked and out of control. The driver, his face pale with terror, was gripping the reins tightly, but the carriage was moving far too fast. Pedestrians on both sides of the street cried out in fear, scrambling to get out of the way.

As the carriage neared where Lin Aoxue stood, one of its wheels struck a loose stone on the road, causing the entire vehicle to jolt violently. One side of the carriage lifted off the ground.

A piercing scream rang out from within.

The driver, unable to maintain his grip, was thrown from his seat, tumbling across the ground in a series of violent rolls. Blood splattered across the street. Whether he was dead or alive was unclear.

The runaway carriage continued to speed forward, now completely off-course—its remaining wheel still airborne, it was barreling straight toward Lin Aoxue!

Lin Aoxue frowned. She was standing at the edge of the street, right beside the inn. She could easily step aside to dodge the carriage, but if she did, the runaway vehicle would crash directly into the inn’s entrance, injuring the pedestrians nearby and possibly harming the guests inside.

Guo Wencheng had also noticed the commotion. When he saw the carriage hurtling straight toward Lin Aoxue, his expression changed drastically, and he shouted, “Danger!”

His instinct was to warn her to get out of the way. But just as Lin Aoxue gauged the trajectory of the carriage, she let out a quiet sigh. Her gaze sharpened, and instead of retreating, she leaped forward.

In Guo Wencheng’s stunned eyes, Lin Aoxue sprang into action, vaulting toward the runaway carriage.

She landed on the carriage shaft, her hands moving swiftly to seize the wildly flailing reins. With a powerful step, she stomped down on the lifted wheel, forcing it back onto the ground. At the same time, she yanked on the reins, forcefully steering the panicked horses.

The speeding carriage barely missed the inn’s entrance, sweeping past in a blur. The young attendant at the door, too frightened to react, collapsed onto the ground in shock.

Once Lin Aoxue had steered the horses back onto the proper path, she decisively climbed onto the horse’s back. Tightening her legs around its flanks, she pulled the reins firmly, gradually slowing the terrified animal with remarkable skill until it finally came to a stop.

As soon as the carriage halted, an admiring voice rang out, “What incredible skill!”

The gathered crowd erupted into applause, cheers rippling down the street in waves, creating a lively and spectacular scene.

The applause snapped Guo Wencheng out of his daze. He quickly ordered the innkeeper’s assistant to check on the driver who had been thrown from the carriage, then strode toward Lin Aoxue. “Qianhu Lin!” he called out as he approached. 

By the time he reached her, Lin Aoxue had already dismounted, landing lightly on the ground. She turned and gently patted the horse’s neck in a soothing gesture. The reddish-brown steed snorted, stomping its hooves but appearing much calmer than before.

“You really are something else. That was impressive!” Seeing that Lin Aoxue was unharmed, Guo Wencheng gave her a thumbs-up in admiration.

“It’s over now. Let’s go.”

Lin Aoxue loosened the reins, turned, and gave a polite nod of thanks to the onlookers before preparing to return to the inn with Guo Wencheng.

However, before she could take more than a few steps, a delicate voice called out behind her, “Wait a minute!”

Lin Aoxue paused again and turned toward the carriage.

The curtain was lifted, revealing two women inside. One of them, dressed in elegant palace attire, had strikingly delicate features. Her eyes were an unusually light shade, shimmering in the sunlight as if reflecting a hidden radiance.

Though her expression still carried traces of fear from the ordeal, she forced herself to remain composed, maintaining an air of nobility and grace in front of the watching crowd.

Beside her, a maid held up the curtain. The noblewoman leaned forward slightly and looked directly at Lin Aoxue. “Thank you for your assistance,” she said. “May I have your name? I… I shall send someone to express my gratitude properly at a later time.”

Lin Aoxue’s expression remained cold. She cast the woman a brief, indifferent glance and replied flatly, “It was nothing. No need for thanks.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

Seeing her lack of interest, Guo Wencheng also chose not to linger. He cupped his fists in a brief salute to the young lady in the carriage before catching up to Lin Aoxue, entering the inn with her.

The noblewoman in the carriage seemed momentarily taken aback by Lin Aoxue’s dismissive attitude. By the time she gathered her thoughts, Lin Aoxue and Guo Wencheng had already disappeared into the crowd.

Her maid, wide-eyed in disbelief, stared at Lin Aoxue’s departing figure as if she had seen a ghost. “Wow, Your Highness… that person is unbelievably bold,” she murmured.

Beichen Ling withdrew her gaze, deep in thought. She did not comment on her maid’s words.

The young servant who had been thrown from the carriage had hit his head, leaving blood pooling on the ground. Fortunately, luck was on his side—a medical clinic happened to be nearby. The elderly physician, alarmed by the commotion outside, hurried out to examine his injuries and determined that they were not serious.

After thanking the physician and leaving some silver as payment, the servant, despite the wound on his head, rushed back to the carriage to apologize to his master.

Beichen Ling saw his pitiful state—covered in dust, his freshly bandaged head already seeping blood—and chose not to reprimand him. Instead, she simply instructed him to get medicine from the estate’s physician once they returned. Then, she signaled her maid to help her down from the carriage.

She had snuck out alone today without her usual attendants, and after this accident, she had no desire to ride in the carriage any longer. Since the royal estate was not far from here, she decided it would be best to walk the rest of the way.

The servant led the horse-drawn carriage behind them as they walked. After taking a few steps, Beichen Ling’s fear gradually faded. Only then did she recall the person who had just saved her—an unusual individual wearing a half-mask.

Turning to her maid, she asked, “Yun’er, what did that gray-clad gentleman call the man in black just now?”

Neither of the two had left their names, making it difficult to know how to refer to them.

Yun’er thought for a moment before answering uncertainly, “I think… he called him ‘Qianhu Lin’?”

With everything happening so quickly earlier, no one had the time to pay attention to such details.

Beichen Ling hummed in acknowledgment but said no more.

***

Meanwhile, Lin Aoxue and Guo Wencheng walked side by side back to the inn. The young attendant, still shaken, repeatedly thanked Lin Aoxue—if not for her quick intervention, he would have been the first person to be hit by the runaway carriage.

A carriage moving at such a speed—there was no way he would have survived unscathed. If not dead, he would have at least been bedridden for months.

Lin Aoxue, her expression cold and unreadable, still carried a faint air of menace. After dismissing the grateful attendant, she asked the innkeeper to prepare two upper-floor rooms. She then told Guo Wencheng that she was feeling tired and retired to her quarters first.

Guo Wencheng was long accustomed to Lin Aoxue’s sharp, intimidating presence and thought nothing of it. After a long journey and the chaos earlier, exhaustion was only natural. He saw no need to insist she stay and eat with him, simply telling the attendant to have food sent to her room later.

Once inside her room, Lin Aoxue shut the door with a decisive slam. She leaned her back against the wooden panel, one hand gripping the mask on her face while the other clenched into a fist. Her eyes, cold as frost, glowed with undisguised hatred and murderous intent.

“Heh… what a coincidence.”

She had just returned to the capital, and the first person she encountered was Beichen Ling.

She wasn’t sure—if she had arrived just a moment later, would she have lost control and snapped that woman’s neck on the spot?

Beichen Ling, the esteemed commandery princess of the Prince of the First Rank’s estate. The beloved daughter of the Prince of the First Rank, Beichen He. And the same person who, thirteen years ago, had hidden a barbarian-written document inside an inkstone and handed it to Lin Aoxue, telling her to bring it home.

(T/N: “Prince of the First Rank” is a title given to the direct brothers of the current ruling emperor; “commandery princess” is a title for the daughters of the Princes of the First Rank)

Later, when the emperor’s men searched the hidden compartment of that inkstone, they found the document, and as a result, her father was convicted. Their entire family was executed.

Back then, she had been young and naïve, tricked so easily. She had once regarded Beichen Ling as her dearest friend.

Lin Aoxue pressed a hand against her chest. A stabbing pain, deep and relentless, surged through her body, forcing her to double over. It took a long while before she could catch her breath again, but by then, her face was drained of all color, and the back of her clothes was soaked with cold sweat.

It had been thirteen years since that day—thirteen years since she last saw Beichen Ling.

The woman had changed a great deal, shedding the innocence of childhood and becoming poised and graceful. By now, she had likely married, securing powerful allies for the Prince of the First Rank’s estate.

But no matter how much she had changed, even if her face had become unrecognizable, Lin Aoxue would still recognize those eyes.

Even if they were reduced to ashes, she would still recognize them.

Lin Aoxue took a deep breath, exhaling the stifling rage from her chest. Then she laughed bitterly at herself, regretting ever interfering. She should have let that carriage crash straight into the inn’s entrance.

Crossing the room in two strides, she fell onto the bed without bothering to remove her outer robe. Yanking the blanket over herself, she buried her head beneath it, willing herself to sleep—to cool down, to regain control.

***

As Lin Aoxue slept, she dreamt once again of her childhood visit to the Prince of the First Rank’s residence, where she and Beichen Ling recited poetry together.

What should have been a serene and peaceful scene suddenly shifted. The surroundings changed, and Beichen Ling stood amidst roaring flames, a sharp dagger in her hand as she plunged it into Lin Aoxue’s chest. Yet, tears streamed down her face, her lips opening and closing as if speaking, but Lin Aoxue could not hear a word.

Lin Aoxue jolted awake, her heart pounding. A crisp knocking sound came from the door.

She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, feeling as if she would have been better off not sleeping at all. Though most of the dream had already faded from memory, the exhaustion still clung to her body, leaving her limbs weak and drained.

After struggling for a moment, she sat up in bed, then got up to open the door. The inn’s waiter stood outside, carrying a tray of food. Lin Aoxue instructed him to place it on the table and then stepped out to fetch some clean water. After a simple freshening up, she finally sat down to eat.

After finishing her meal, the sky was still bright. Lin Aoxue went to knock on Guo Wencheng’s door, only to find that he had gone out. With nothing else to do, she decided to leave the inn and take a casual stroll nearby.

She wandered along the bustling street at a leisurely pace. With the New Year approaching, the capital—situated at the very heart of the empire—was lavishly adorned with lanterns and decorations, exuding a grand and festive atmosphere.

As she walked, just as she was about to cross an intersection, a melodious sound of a guqin suddenly reached her ears from afar. The tune was beautifully composed and hauntingly familiar, drifting through the lively streets and finding its way into Lin Aoxue’s ears.

She paused, momentarily stunned, then instinctively turned her head toward the source of the music.

Deep within the street stood an elegant and exquisitely designed pavilion, its grandeur striking.

In the open space before the building, numerous scholars and poets had gathered, admiring and exchanging verses and paintings. Meanwhile, on the second floor of the pavilion, a guqin platform extended outward. A woman sat there, her fingers dancing over the strings, producing a tune that was both gentle and captivating.

From where Lin Aoxue stood, she could not clearly see the musician’s face. After a brief hesitation, she stepped forward and made her way toward the building.

The distance from the intersection to the pavilion was roughly a hundred paces. By the time she arrived, the music had ceased, and the guqin player had already left the platform, leaving only the ancient instrument behind—its solitary presence lending the scene a sense of desolation.

Her gaze lowered slightly, shifting to the entrance of the building. Hanging above the doorway was a plaque inscribed with the words: Yanyu Tower.