The General Says She Won't Marry - Chapter 44 Part 1

Lin Aoxue rode her horse swiftly back to Laishi Slope. As she neared the area, she swung off the horse, stripped off her bloodstained outer robe, and hung it over the saddle. Then, with a sharp crack of her whip, she sent the horse galloping into the wilderness.

She didn’t need to concern herself with where the robe would end up. As long as it distracted the pursuers and bought her more time to escape, that was enough.

For the next stretch of her journey, she traveled on foot. Two arrows were embedded in her back, and she couldn’t remove them yet—doing so would cause excessive bleeding and attract the prairie wolves. Encountering a pack of wolves on the grasslands would be even more dangerous than running into barbarian soldiers.

Dragging her injured body, Lin Aoxue pressed on toward Laishi Slope. To avoid drawing attention, she kept close to any available cover, slipping silently into Tamu’s home.

***

At dawn, when the sky was just beginning to lighten, Tamu and his wife had yet to rise. A sudden noise outside the main hall startled them. Tamu hastily threw on a robe and stepped outside, only to see Lin Aoxue standing in the courtyard, dressed in nothing but a thin inner garment, looking utterly battered. Two arrows protruded from her back, and fresh blood had soaked into the fur of her clothing.

Tamu paled in shock and quickly ushered Lin Aoxue into an empty room. Carefully, he wiped away the few drops of blood she had left at the doorstep, then used medicinal herbs to mask the scent. His mind worked fast—he told Lin Aoxue to stay put and immediately went to wake his wife.

The couple sprang into action. Tamu went to the sheep pen and led out a young lamb. Without hesitation, he and his wife slaughtered it right there in the courtyard, skinning and drying it. The scent of blood filled the air.

While his wife busied herself in the courtyard, Tamu returned to the house. Lin Aoxue listened to the sounds outside and quickly understood—Tamu had killed the lamb to mask the scent of her blood, preventing the pursuing troops from tracking her. It was a significant sacrifice for Tamu’s family, one she would never forget. If she ever had the chance, she would repay this kindness.

Lin Aoxue asked Tamu to remove the arrows from her back. Seeing her severe injuries, he considered finding a healer, but Lin Aoxue firmly refused. Shaking her head, she said, “Tamu-dage, the situation is dire. I must return to Xingbei Pass immediately. The fewer people who know about this, the better. Please find me some clean cloth—I’ll bandage the wounds and leave at once.”

Tamu couldn’t argue with her. He also understood her reasoning, though the severity of her wounds made his heart ache. Reluctantly, he retrieved some clean but old clothing, cutting it into strips for her bandages.

Lin Aoxue spread the medicinal paste she had brought onto her back as best as she could. She wasn’t sure if she had applied it properly, but she couldn’t let Tamu help. She wrapped the wounds with the makeshift bandages, then tossed her bloodstained clothes into the furnace and burned them.

The air in the room grew thick with the scent of blood as she tended to her wounds. Ever cautious, Tamu brought the freshly butchered lamb into the house, letting the strong smell further conceal any traces of her presence.

Just as Lin Aoxue finished preparing to leave, a sudden commotion erupted outside the courtyard—heavy footsteps, coarse shouting, and the panicked cries of villagers.

Lin Aoxue’s heart clenched. Tamu’s expression also darkened. He quickly reassured her, “Stay calm,” then stepped outside to handle the situation.

A force of over a hundred barbarian soldiers from the Rongwei Tribe had arrived, accompanied by the tribe’s rarely used wolfhounds. They had been tracking Lin Aoxue’s scent all the way to Laishi Slope. Although the diversion created by her horse and bloodied robe had delayed them, they had never lost her trail.

Now, they were going door to door, searching each household. The wolfhounds, drawn by the thick scent of blood at Tamu’s home, began barking fiercely. The leading officer kicked open the courtyard gate.

Tamu stepped forward to question their purpose, but the officer ignored him. His sharp eyes swept across the courtyard, taking in the fresh lambskin hanging outside and the blood still pooled on the ground. He let out a cold snort and barked in the barbarian tongue, “Search the place!”

The soldiers swarmed in, leading their wolfhounds as they inspected every room. Outside the room where Lin Aoxue had just been, the dogs barked even more violently. Tamu’s heart pounded, but before he could say anything, a soldier had already kicked the door open.

Inside, several basins of freshly butchered lamb meat sat in plain view. Other than that, the room was empty. The soldiers scanned their surroundings—no one under the bed, no open windows. They assumed the dogs had been drawn by the scent of the meat. Losing interest, they withdrew and moved on to search the next house.

The barbarian soldiers searched the courtyard thoroughly but found no sign of any suspicious individuals. The commanding officer raised an eyebrow in frustration. After barging into the house so rudely, he didn’t even offer an apology. Without another word, he turned and led his men to the next household.

Tamu was drenched in cold sweat but paid no mind to the officer’s rough manners. Once the soldiers had left, he immediately returned to the room where Lin Aoxue had been, puzzling over her sudden disappearance. She had clearly been inside—so where had she gone?

Just as Tamu stood in confusion, a faint noise sounded behind him. He turned, only to be startled out of his wits.

Lin Aoxue was clinging to the ceiling beam like a giant spider. She had chosen her hiding spot with extreme precision—standing in the doorway, the soldiers had been unable to see her, allowing her to narrowly escape detection.

She flipped down from the beam, breathing heavily. The sudden movement had pulled at her wounds, making her frown in pain.

“Wait a little longer. Leave only after those soldiers have fully withdrawn,” Tamu advised, quickly regaining his composure.

Lin Aoxue nodded. Running out now would be no different from throwing herself into the jaws of death.

She remained hidden in Tamu’s home for another hour. During this time, the barbarian officer returned with his men, evidently suspicious about the sudden slaughter of a lamb at Tamu’s house. However, after circling the property twice and failing to find any trace of Lin Aoxue, he concluded that she had already left Laishi Slope.

Lacking any concrete evidence to accuse Tamu of harboring a fugitive, the officer did not linger. After completing a thorough search of the entire area, he led his men past Laishi Slope, continuing their pursuit elsewhere.

Once it was certain that the soldiers had left, Lin Aoxue thanked Tamu and took her leave. As she stepped out, she saw Polo leading a horse toward her.

Polo had guessed that Lin Aoxue had returned the moment the soldiers came searching. Knowing she would need a swift escape, he had spent all his savings to buy a horse from a neighbor, ensuring she had a means to flee.

Tamu was momentarily surprised to see Polo with the horse, but he quickly masked his expression, saying nothing in front of Lin Aoxue.

Overjoyed, Lin Aoxue took the reins from Polo and smiled as she expressed her gratitude. Without delay, she left Laishi Slope in secret, urging her horse into a gallop as she sped toward Xingbei Pass.

After she was gone, Tamu looked at Polo with a heavy expression, sighed, and asked, “Was it worth it?”

Polo shrugged indifferently, then grinned. “The village chief just slaughtered a lamb, didn’t he? So tell me—was that worth it?”

Tamu had no response. The two men exchanged a glance, silently understanding one another.

As long as it meant the people of Laishi Slope could have a better life, no sacrifice was too great.

***

Lin Aoxue rode hard across the grasslands, racing toward the northern frontier. The closer she got, the more she remained on edge. Until she reached Xingbei Pass, she was not truly safe, nor was her mission complete.

The journey back was fraught with danger. At any moment, enemy troops could intercept her path and deal her a fatal blow. She dared not relax for even a second. The arrows in her back throbbed with every jolt of the galloping horse, sending waves of searing pain through her body. She forced herself to ignore the agony, keeping her focus on the surrounding terrain, ever alert for ambushes.

As she neared the northern border, the landscape began to change. The once-endless grasslands grew sparse, giving way to rugged, rocky slopes. Soon, clusters of forests and shrubs appeared—marking the distinct boundary between the northern territories and the barbarian plains.

Lin Aoxue rode through the day without stopping. Finally, she crossed into northern territory. Yet she remained cautious—she estimated it would take another full night before she could reach Xingbei Pass.

The sky darkened as a dense forest appeared in the distance. Lin Aoxue gazed ahead, recognizing this stretch of the journey. To reach Xingbei Pass, she had no choice but to pass through the forest—there was no other path.

Her expression grew grave. Instinct told her that this would be the most dangerous part of her return. The forest was an ideal place for an ambush. Once she crossed it, the road to Xingbei Pass would be open and exposed, with no cover in sight.

If the Rongwei Tribe’s forces were planning an interception, this forest was the perfect location for their ambush.

As she neared the forest, Lin Aoxue pulled her horse to a stop. Using a large boulder for cover, she swiftly dismounted. Then, with a sharp crack of her whip, she sent the horse bolting forward. The startled animal galloped at full speed, heading straight for the forest.

At the same time, Lin Aoxue rolled to the opposite side of the boulder and crawled forward, using the underbrush and tall grass for concealment as she approached the treeline from a different angle.

The horse had barely reached the forest before a barrage of arrows rained down. Lin Aoxue’s pupils shrank—there were at least a hundred archers hidden among the trees.

The horse was struck by countless arrows, its agonized scream piercing the air before it collapsed in a cloud of dust.

Lin Aoxue seized the brief moment of distraction and darted into the forest.

Despite her speed, the barbarian soldiers spotted her. However, because the horse had drawn their first wave of fire, they hadn’t had time to nock another round of arrows, allowing her a slim window to slip deeper into the woods.

With a sharp command from their leader, the ambushers sprang into action. Over a hundred barbarian soldiers surged toward the spot where Lin Aoxue had briefly appeared, while others rushed to block any possible escape routes, determined to cut off all chances of survival.

Lin Aoxue ignored her wounds and sprinted at full speed, trying to break through their encirclement and reach Xingbei Pass.

A soldier blocked her path. Without hesitation, she drew the dagger hidden in her boot and lunged, slicing his throat in one swift motion.

More enemies converged from both sides. This time, the Rongwei Tribe had sent their elite warriors—a clear sign of how valuable the intelligence Lin Aoxue carried was to them.

She couldn’t afford to waste time. Every second she lingered, her chances of capture increased. Clenching her teeth, she took a desperate risk—ducking between two incoming blades.

She pressed her body low, skidding across the muddy ground as the sharp steel whistled past her ears, shearing the felt cap from her head.

Lin Aoxue didn’t stop to finish off her attackers. She knew that no matter how skilled she was, she couldn’t take on a hundred fully armed warriors alone. Killing them wasn’t her goal—surviving their encirclement was.

The two soldiers she had dodged immediately turned back to pursue her. By now, she had sprinted over a hundred paces, but the number of enemies around her was rapidly increasing. The situation was growing more perilous by the second.

Lin Aoxue kept her eyes fixed ahead. The forest wasn’t vast—only about a mile remained before she could break through to the other side.

If she could hold out for that distance, Xingbei Pass would be within sight.

Once she reached open ground, she could release the signal flare Beichen Long had given her. The border guards, who constantly monitored activity beyond the pass, would surely notice the commotion and come to her aid.

She fought fiercely, forcing her way forward. The barbarian warriors, wary of injuring their own men, refrained from using arrows, giving her a rare advantage. Wielding her dagger, she struck down an enemy with every few steps, carving a bloody path toward escape.

But more soldiers poured in, pressing her from all sides.

Seeing her relentless advance, the barbarian general let out a cold snort. Gripping his massive blade, he charged forward, intent on cutting her down himself.

Lin Aoxue’s movement was hindered—she had just plunged her dagger into an enemy’s heart when another blade slashed toward her from behind.

She had no time to dodge. The steel edge tore through her sleeve, leaving a shallow wound on her arm.

These minor injuries were nothing to Lin Aoxue at this moment. With a swift backhanded strike, she slit the throat of the barbarian soldier who had ambushed her. As two enemies collapsed in succession, she seized the brief opening and sprinted forward several hundred more steps.

The barbarian general suddenly hurled his massive blade forward. Lin Aoxue keenly sensed the danger behind her and sidestepped just in time to avoid the whirling weapon. But the general had already leaped forward, seizing the embedded blade from the ground in one clean motion and swinging it toward her in a powerful arc.

That enormous blade carried a force as heavy as a mountain. Although Lin Aoxue was highly skilled, she couldn’t match the sheer brute strength of these warriors. If she attempted to block the strike head-on, she risked being crushed by the force behind it.

As the massive blade slashed toward her, she nimbly retreated, her toes barely touching the ground before she launched herself upward, landing gracefully on the top of an old tree.

The general let out a cold snort and swung his weapon again, this time from below. The blade struck a thick branch with a sharp crack, splitting it clean off along with the broad canopy above.

Lin Aoxue reacted swiftly, leaping backward just in time. As she landed, she cut down two more barbarian soldiers without hesitation.

The general’s expression darkened. He had underestimated this person—like a fierce tiger in the forest, she had managed to slay so many of his men despite being vastly outnumbered. His wariness deepened, and his resolve hardened. No matter the cost, Lin Aoxue could not be allowed to escape.

A warrior this formidable must never be allowed to return to Xingbei Pass. Letting her go would be no different from releasing a tiger back into the wild!

The moment Lin Aoxue landed and dispatched two more enemies, she seized another opportunity to dash toward the forest’s edge. But the general moved faster, blocking her path with a sudden burst of speed. His massive blade swung toward her in a direct, unembellished strike.

Lin Aoxue’s gaze sharpened. Instead of dodging outright, she sprang lightly into the air, her foot landing briefly on the flat side of the great blade. Using it as a springboard, she pushed off, soaring right over the general’s head.

She knew he was stronger than her—she couldn’t afford to meet him head-on. Instead, she chose an unpredictable approach, refusing to engage him directly.

Flipping midair, she landed and immediately rolled forward to absorb the impact before rising to her feet and continuing her charge.

No matter how the barbarian warriors tried to stop her, she refused to get entangled in prolonged fights. Instead, she stayed cold and calculated, avoiding every obstacle in her path with a singular focus—escaping at all costs.

Since the ambush on Rongwei Tribe’s territory last night, she had endured an intense pursuit by cavalry, survived another brutal battle, and barely managed a brief rest at Laishi Slope before setting off again without pause. The exhaustion she felt now was even greater than fighting on the battlefield for two days and nights.

With excessive blood loss, her stamina was draining at an alarming rate. Dizziness clouded her mind, and the world before her blurred. Even her steps faltered. A suffocating tightness pressed against her chest, as if she were being crushed under a mountain.

If she didn’t grit her teeth and muster every last ounce of strength to break out of the forest, she would die here.

The general watched as Lin Aoxue’s agile form weaved through the trees at incredible speed. In just moments, she had already reached the forest’s edge—on the verge of escaping. His men were powerless to stop her.

His eyes turned cold. Reaching out, he grabbed a bow handed to him by one of his subordinates. Without hesitation, he nocked three arrows at once, his killing intent undisguised.

With a loosened grip, the arrows shot through the air.

The distance between them was less than fifty paces. At such close range, killing a single target was normally a certainty. Yet, against Lin Aoxue, he was only fifty percent sure of success.

Still, fifty percent was a risk he had to take.

The three arrows tore through the sky, leaving behind cold, fleeting shadows.

Lin Aoxue instantly sensed the danger behind her. She knew the barbarians had loosed their arrows—but she dared not stop.

If she paused even for a moment, they would swarm her again. And in her current state, she no longer had the strength to break through another encirclement.

Yet, if she kept running, there was no way to completely evade all three arrows. At best, she might dodge two—but the last one was unavoidable.

Lin Aoxue clenched her teeth, her eyes flashing with fierce determination.

For thirteen years, ever since tragedy struck her family, how many times had she risked her life like this? 

Even as the arrows left the bowstring, she had already found her answer.

With one final stomp, she pushed herself forward, increasing the distance between her and the enemy. At the same time, she reached into her robe and pulled out a signal flare. The moment she burst out of the forest, she yanked the fuse’s cotton string—igniting the flare in an instant.

With a sharp, piercing whistle, the signal flare shot through the sky, bursting into a cloud of red smoke.

***

From their post atop Xingbei Pass’s city wall, the sentries spotted the unusual crimson glow in the distant sky. Without hesitation, they rushed to the general’s command tent to report the disturbance outside the pass to Beichen Long.

The moment Beichen Long heard the news, he rose to his feet. Without a second thought, he personally led twenty thousand elite troops, storming out of the city gates like a gust of wind, heading straight toward the source of the disturbance.