The General Says She Won't Marry - Chapter 40 Part 2

After receiving the ten military canings, Lin Aoxue lay in her tent for two days. During that time, Lu Sheng came to visit her, his face full of shock and concern.

“Oh dear, Qianhu, what happened to you? How did you get punished after returning from the capital?”

Lin Aoxue didn’t explain much, simply saying that she had made some mistakes and that Beichen Long had been exceptionally lenient by only giving her ten canings. Not wanting to talk about herself, she changed the subject.

“How have things been in the camp lately?”

Although Lu Sheng was just a squad leader with limited authority, he participated in daily drills and was well-informed about the camp’s situation. He briefly reported on the training progress of Lin Aoxue’s subordinates over the past two months. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he slapped his thigh and laughed.

“Oh, sir! Baihu Shang went home for the holidays and got engaged! Looks like he’ll be getting married as soon as the weather warms up!”

Hearing this, Lin Aoxue was utterly shocked. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Shang-xiong is getting married?!”

Lu Sheng burst out laughing at her reaction. “That’s right! A happy occasion makes a man full of energy! Baihu Shang has been beaming with joy these days. Just recently, when the barbarians attacked, he took down more than twenty of them on his own! Incredible, right?”

The more Lin Aoxue listened, the more astonished she became.

Shang Wu always appeared mature and reserved. He was indeed two years older than Lin Aoxue, already thirty-two this year. He had always been a loner, so much so that many in the camp assumed he’d remain a bachelor for life. Who would have thought he’d suddenly find a wife and be on the verge of marriage?

Lin Aoxue clicked her tongue in wonder. “People really are full of surprises… Life is unpredictable.”

“Hey! I say, sir, you’re not that young anymore. On the battlefield, blades and spears know no mercy. Isn’t it time you found someone to warm your bed? I think Doctor Yun was quite nice. What a pity she left…”

Lu Sheng still felt regretful when mentioning Yun Yan’s departure from the military camp. She was not only beautiful but also gentle in nature. More importantly, it seemed like she had some feelings for Lin Aoxue. In Lu Sheng’s eyes, she and his superior were a perfect match. But for some unknown reason, Yun Yan was suddenly expelled from the military, and Lu Sheng couldn’t help but feel sorry for Lin Aoxue.

Lin Aoxue raised her hand and knocked Lu Sheng on the head, scolding him with a laugh.

“What nonsense are you thinking about all day? You also know that when we go to battle, blades and swords show no mercy. If one day I don’t come back, wouldn’t that be a waste of such a good girl like Doctor Yun?” 

Lu Sheng wanted to argue back, thinking that Lin Aoxue’s reasoning didn’t make sense. But she didn’t give him a chance to speak. Except when dealing with Yun Yan, Lin Aoxue’s mind was usually sharp. So before Lu Sheng could open his mouth, she cut him off directly. 

“Enough. I’ve never planned to get married in this lifetime. Being alone is just fine.” Lin Aoxue spoke, but the smile on her face faded. Something inside her seemed to be stuck, like a lump in her throat.

She remembered Yun Yan when she was gravely injured, lying in bed, gazing at her with half-open eyes. She remembered Yun Yan when she left the capital, silently and with restraint, watching her from afar.

A weight pressed down on Lin Aoxue’s heart, making it painful to breathe.

Seeing that Lin Aoxue had made up her mind, Lu Sheng knew that trying to persuade her was pointless, so he dropped the subject.

***

Two days later, the barbarian army attacked again—one hundred thousand soldiers pressing in on the city, an overwhelming force. The two armies faced off, with the barbarians provoking from outside the fortress. Beichen Long, having learned from past lessons, ignored the taunts, no matter how loud the barbarians shouted.

The Fifth Prince, Beichen Bo, had not yet recovered from his cold, but he insisted on climbing to the city walls. It was his first time witnessing such a scene, and the obscene curses from the barbarian soldiers filled him with fury. Unable to stand it, he grabbed his weapon, ready to charge down and fight, only to be stopped by Beichen Long.

Beichen Bo wanted to fight; Beichen Long wanted to defend. The two of them couldn’t agree and ended up arguing right on the city walls.

Lin Aoxue was just a low-ranking soldier. She stayed in formation, not getting involved in the dispute between the two men.

Beichen Bo furiously slammed the city wall, questioning Beichen Long’s passive stance, accusing him of harboring ulterior motives. Beichen Long, in turn, berated Beichen Bo for being reckless and ignorant of the bigger picture. Their quarrel escalated.

Seeing that their provocation was ineffective, the barbarian soldiers launched a direct assault on the city, charging forward with unstoppable momentum. Beichen Long had no time to continue arguing with Beichen Bo. He turned to command his troops into battle.

Beichen Bo had never fought in a real war before. Hot-blooded and impulsive, he saw that Beichen Long refused to listen to him and immediately let out a cold snort. Leading his fifty thousand elite soldiers, he rushed out of the fortress to engage the enemy.

Beichen Long was so enraged that his face turned purple. He shouted furiously, “You’re walking to your death!”

On the battlefield, the barbarians didn’t care about status or rank. Once surrounded, death was inevitable. The emperor might have sent fifty thousand troops as reinforcements, but in reality, it was just a burden. Beichen Bo refused to take orders, and if he died in battle, the emperor would surely place all the blame on Beichen Long’s shoulders.

But Beichen Bo wouldn’t listen. Instead, he sneered at Beichen Long. “So this is how the grand general defends the borders? Allowing these barbarians to trample on the dignity of Beichen? I, Beichen Bo, am a son of Beichen! I was born a soldier of Beichen, and I will die as a ghost of Beichen! A mere life like mine is insignificant. But as a prince of Beichen, I will never allow these barbarians to act so brazenly in front of me!”

With those words, he forcefully pushed Beichen Long aside. Though still recovering from his illness, he led his fifty thousand soldiers out of the fortress. Beichen Long was so furious that his whole body trembled. 

Beichen Long roared in rage, “Yang Jin! Guo Wencheng! Each of you take thirty thousand troops and follow him out!”

Yang Jin and Guo Wencheng received the order and led their forces. Naturally, Lin Aoxue followed with her soldiers, charging out of Xingbei Pass to confront the barbarians.

By now, she had fully understood Beichen Bo’s temperament and abilities. He was righteous, yes, but not the capable kind. Instead, he was reckless, a headless fly rushing blindly into danger. In such a dire battle, he refused to consult Beichen Long and insisted on his own way, eager for merit and rushing to achieve success.

He only knew how to win over people’s loyalty with petty tricks. Even the boldness he displayed now was likely just an act—placing himself in danger to stir up resentment among the soldiers against Beichen Long. But he didn’t truly understand the meaning of “war.”

Lin Aoxue had no doubt that war would teach him things no book ever could.

She could already predict what kind of danger Beichen Bo would face after charging out of Xingbei Pass. A part of her wanted to stay out of it—if he wanted to seek death, so be it. But she let out a bitter laugh. Reality and desire were always contradictory. Because she had promised Beichen He to watch over Beichen Bo, she had no choice but to follow him into battle. Even if she was unwilling, she had to ensure that Beichen Bo didn’t get himself killed on the spot.

Of course, she couldn’t follow directly. Beichen Long also wouldn’t allow Beichen Bo to die in his first battle in the northern territory. He ordered Yang Jin and Guo Wencheng to flank him with troops, ensuring his survival.

Lin Aoxue led her soldiers behind Yang Jin as they charged out of Xingbei Pass, colliding with the barbarian forces head-on. The armies clashed violently, soldiers from both sides thrown into chaos. The battlefield turned into a whirlpool of death, swallowing friend and foe alike.

Amidst the chaos, Lin Aoxue fought off the barbarians around her while making her way toward Beichen Bo.

***

Despite his recklessness, Beichen Bo did have some real skills. Even in his weakened state, he managed to kill several barbarian soldiers.

But he soon realized that, in war, a single person’s strength was insignificant. Mere courage couldn’t decide the outcome of a battle. He had slain five enemies, but more barbarians rushed toward him—ten, a hundred, thousands. He could never kill them all alone.

Panic set in. His strength drained with every enemy he cut down. His personal guards dwindled. When another guard was hacked to death before his eyes, Beichen Bo finally understood the brutality of war.

The lives that had once been so vibrant disappeared the moment they fell.

At last, he realized why Beichen Long had refused to engage the enemy so easily.

Because once war began, people would die.

Right now, it was his subordinates and his personal guards falling.

Would he be next?

Beichen Bo staggered back two steps, his limbs weak and powerless. He was exhausted, yet the surrounding barbarian soldiers had not been completely cleared. In the next moment, a towering barbarian warrior raised his massive, razor-sharp battle-axe and swung it down toward Beichen Bo’s head!

The deafening sounds of battle seemed to freeze in that instant, and the overwhelming presence of death engulfed him. He felt as if, in the very next moment, the giant axe would cleave him in two.

His breath stopped abruptly, and terror flashed in his eyes. Though the battlefield around him remained chaotic, he could no longer hear the clamor. Death was so close—mere seconds away.

He could almost feel the razor-sharp edge of the battle-axe, the air it sliced through stinging his cheek. He had no strength left to resist, nor the time to evade. A pang of regret surged in him—perhaps he had been too reckless. Yet, he didn’t know if he would even have the chance to reflect on this mistake.

Just as the massive axe was about to strike his forehead, a silver spear suddenly shot past his shoulder like a bolt of lightning, striking with absolute precision against the axe’s blade. The deafening clash of metal rang in his ears, leaving them buzzing, but the axe was stopped. Beichen Bo, still shaken, stumbled back a step. His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground.

The silver spear did not stop after repelling the battle-axe. As if guided by an unseen force, its tip relentlessly pursued the barbarian wielding the axe. The barbarian hastily turned his weapon horizontally to block, but the spear struck the axe blade once more. The sheer force of the blow sent the barbarian reeling backward four or five steps.

His stance broken, his movements turned sloppy. Beichen Bo then saw a figure emerge before him—Lin Aoxue. The frail-looking soldier he had previously dismissed charged forward like a war god, striking with lightning precision. The silver spear pierced straight into the barbarian’s throat.

Beichen Bo was utterly dumbfounded.

“What are you sitting there for?!”

Lin Aoxue’s cold voice snapped him out of his daze. Beichen Bo shuddered, swallowing hard.

Scrambling to his feet, he staggered backward under Lin Aoxue’s protection. Earlier, he had charged too far ahead, and all his personal guards had been slaughtered. He was the only one left. Without Lin Aoxue’s intervention, he would have been dead already—his corpse likely cold and stiff by now.

Lin Aoxue shielded Beichen Bo as they retreated from the front lines, bringing him back to a less crowded area near the city walls. But before Beichen Bo could say anything, Lin Aoxue had already turned and leaped back into the fray, resuming the slaughter.

Still gasping for breath, Beichen Bo stood frozen, watching Lin Aoxue’s seemingly frail yet resolute figure. A deep sense of shock overwhelmed him.

***

The battle ended quickly. Seeing that they could not breach the city, the barbarians ordered a retreat. As they withdrew, the barbarian general who had previously wounded Lin Aoxue nocked another arrow, intending to take her down with a sneak attack.

The arrow whistled through the air.

But this time, Lin Aoxue did not give him the chance.

Anticipating the attack, she intercepted the arrow with her silver spear just as it neared her. The tip of the spear flicked the arrow upward, sending it spinning through the air before she forcefully hurled it back.

The arrow, now out of control, missed its mark and embedded itself into the muddy ground beside the barbarian general. Even so, the sheer force of the deflected arrow sent a shiver down his spine. His face paled as if he had seen a ghost. Without hesitation, he yanked at his reins and retreated, unwilling to face Lin Aoxue head-on.

Lin Aoxue sneered but did not pursue him.

From the city walls of Xingbei Pass, the deep sound of a horn echoed. Beichen Long issued the order to withdraw. Lin Aoxue, with a swift maneuver, cut down a barbarian attempting a sneak attack before swiftly retreating into the city.

The battle had lasted a total of three hours. Outside the city walls, over a thousand corpses lay scattered. Only after the barbarian army had completely retreated beyond a hundred miles did Beichen Long order his troops to recover the bodies.

Lin Aoxue, blending in with the crowd, gathered the fallen soldiers’ remains. She picked up their name tags before setting the pile of corpses ablaze.

War was merciless.

Everyone here had long grown accustomed to the sight of death. They were not indifferent, nor heartless toward their fallen comrades. But if these bodies were not disposed of quickly, they would bring about devastating plagues. There was no time to carefully distinguish the living from the dead. No time to grieve or mourn.

Because at any moment, the barbarians could return—and claim even more lives.

Lin Aoxue held a name tag in her hand. The engraved name was one she knew well. The soldier had served under her for over a year. He had been lucky—chosen by her for training, spared from battles due to injuries, and had survived longer than most.

The newly fallen soldier had only been promoted last autumn. He had reached the rank of squad leader. His martial skills were mediocre, and he had never been particularly diligent in training. But he was a good person. He had survived every battle up until now.

She remembered—he had just married. His wedding had been right before the New Year.

He shouldn’t have died this time. But Lin Aoxue had been occupied saving Beichen Bo and had no time to intervene. Still, she had caught a glimpse of what had happened.

He died saving another.

He had pulled a fellow soldier back from the brink of being cut in two. But before he could retreat himself, a barbarian had severed his arm. The soldier he had saved, however, repaid his kindness with betrayal—fleeing without a second glance, leaving him to be hacked to death by the enemy’s blades.

Because she had witnessed it, Lin Aoxue found it absurdly laughable.

The savior perished, while the unworthy lived on—without even stopping to retrieve the fallen’s remains. Perhaps he hadn’t even bothered to learn the name of the one who had saved his life.

This was the reality of Xingbei Pass.

Every battle brought more such cases. Lin Aoxue had seen too many to count. She knew this was not an isolated incident but a grim inevitability—one she had no power to change.

Gripping the name tag tightly, all she could do was deliver it to the soldier’s widow and watch her break down in grief.

That was all she could do.

The pile of corpses burned fiercely, the crackling flames devouring them until nothing remained but charred bones. The sky darkened, and a spring drizzle began to fall. The fine, silent raindrops met the smoldering ashes, turning into a pale mist.

Lin Aoxue closed her eyes in helpless sorrow. She longed for the war between Beichen and the barbarians to end.

Not just for the soldiers of Xingbei Pass.

Not just for the people living at the borders.

But for her late father, whose lifelong wish—his greatest aspiration—remained unfulfilled.

After the battlefield was cleared, Lin Aoxue walked back to Xingbei Pass along with the soldiers who had gone outside to clean up. Near the city gate, she encountered Shang Wu, whom she hadn’t seen for several days.

Shang Wu stood at the gate, his face pale, staring blankly at the distant flames that were gradually dying down. Lin Aoxue called out to him, but he seemed startled, quickly snapping back to reality. He glanced at her, and only after confirming that no one else was around did he let out a breath of relief.

Lin Aoxue frowned slightly, finding Shang Wu’s behavior somewhat strange.

After regaining his composure, Shang Wu shook his head with a defeated expression, let out a long sigh, and said nothing to Lin Aoxue. Instead, he simply turned around and walked into the pass alongside her.

After returning from the battlefield, the Fifth Prince, Beichen Bo, fell seriously ill. The military doctor examined him and concluded that he had been suffering from cold-related weakness for some time. Now, exhaustion and extreme fright had completely overwhelmed him, causing him to collapse.

Beichen Long was not surprised by this outcome. He had expected Beichen Bo’s reckless bravado to end poorly. However, he did not show the mockery in his heart. Instead, he merely put on a look of sympathy, said a few words about resting and recovering, and then left.

Surprisingly, this time, Beichen Bo did not retort or argue with Beichen Long. He lay on the bed with his eyes closed, remaining silent as the doctor took his pulse and prescribed medicine. Soon after, he drifted into a hazy sleep.

In the days that followed, Xingbei Pass remained peaceful.