The General Says She Won't Marry - Chapter 46 Part 2

With his decision made, Beichen Long set out to launch an offensive against the Rongwei Tribe. The very next day, he mobilized one hundred thousand troops and led them in a grand march from Xingbei Pass.

Lin Aoxue had not yet fully recovered from her injuries, but as the only one familiar with the terrain, she was indispensable. After consulting her, and receiving Yun Yan’s medical advice, it was determined that she could ride with the army but was not to engage in combat herself. Beichen Long permitted her to accompany him directly, granting her an exception from leading troops on this expedition. Without delay, the army pressed forward toward the grasslands.

At first, when Lin Aoxue heard from Beichen Long that Shang Wu had been a spy planted by the barbarians, she found it almost impossible to believe. She had fought alongside Shang Wu in several battles, and he was the first friend she had made after joining the army. Yet in less than a month of separation, he had now become a traitor?

She recalled the battle at Poyan, where they fought to seize control of the pass. Shang Wu had suffered multiple wounds but had still stood by her side, clearing a path for her so she could reach the gates and open them. That memory now felt distant and surreal.

Looking back, it seemed like nothing more than a fleeting dream—something that had once felt so real, yet had suddenly lost all its warmth.

A heavy feeling settled in Lin Aoxue’s chest, a turmoil of emotions too complex to describe. There was regret, there was pain, but within that mix, there was also a quiet understanding, a sense that perhaps, deep down, she had always known this was inevitable.

Before everything unfolded, Shang Wu had already displayed unusual behavior several times. Lin Aoxue had her suspicions, especially after the last barbarian siege, when she returned from the battlefield after collecting the bodies and saw Shang Wu at the city gates. The strange expression on his face had planted doubt in her heart.

But before she could even fully process her suspicions, everything had already been set in stone.

What impressed her even more was the skill of the barbarian princess behind Shang Wu. She had managed to make him serve her willingly. Even when regret filled his heart in the end, Shang Wu still refused to reveal any information about her.

***

The army advanced swiftly, keeping their movements as concealed as possible to avoid detection by the barbarians. Beichen Long had sent out highly skilled covert operatives ahead of time to eliminate enemy scouts along the way. At the same time, he tightened control over all activity within Xingbei Pass—any bird released from the fortress was immediately shot down to prevent anyone from transmitting messages.

Lin Aoxue led Beichen Long along the shortest route straight to Rongwei. The one hundred thousand-strong force struck with lightning speed, wiping out all the Rongwei patrol soldiers stationed at the grassland borders. Not a single one escaped, and none had the chance to report back. Since the barbarians had never expected an offensive from Xingbei Pass, their defenses were lax. This allowed Beichen Long to slip into the grasslands undetected, getting dangerously close to the Rongwei Tribe’s stronghold.

In less than half a day, Beichen Long’s troops had crossed the lush grasslands and reached the outskirts of the Rongwei Tribe’s settlement. With such a large force, it was impossible to completely hide their movements. To avoid alarming the enemy prematurely, Beichen Long ordered his troops to halt before nightfall and avoid approaching the village. He led them to a position with natural slopes and cover, using the terrain to conceal their presence.

Additionally, Beichen Long dispatched scouts to gather intelligence. Their reports confirmed that the Rongwei army was stationed just outside the village, with everything appearing normal.

As night fell, Beichen Long judged that the time was right. He ordered his forces to quietly advance toward the village. The moment the patrol guards outside the settlement noticed them, Beichen Long gave the command—war drums thundered, and the sudden attack sent the entire Rongwei Tribe into a state of terror. They scrambled to respond, but after just two waves of brutal assault, their defenses collapsed, and the village was left in ruins.

The barbarian generals were utterly panicked. They had never imagined that the troops from Xingbei Pass would slip through the northern frontier unnoticed. This was nothing like Beichen Long’s usual combat style. In their eyes, Beichen Long had always been a coward who never dared to leave Xingbei Pass. Even when they attacked the fortress directly, he rarely ventured out to meet them in battle.

Because of this, the barbarians had roamed the grasslands unchecked for years, never once considering that the northern troops would come storming into their territory and corner them so mercilessly.

But the barbarian generals were no pushovers. They quickly regrouped. Although the sudden attack had cost them some of their forces, their response was swift and well-executed. Within moments, they reestablished order, instructing their troops to stay calm and counterattack against Beichen Long’s forces.

The open terrain of the grasslands did not favor Beichen Long’s troops. The barbarians, having grown up in this environment, had a natural advantage. They were expert horsemen, and their cavalry was formidable. After overcoming their initial panic, nearly every barbarian mounted a warhorse, wielding massive blades as they charged into battle with devastating force.

The infantry from Xingbei Pass was no match for the barbarian cavalry. With each countercharge, casualties among Beichen Long’s troops grew. His expression remained cold and stern as he swiftly issued a new command: reform the battle formation. The cavalry was ordered to advance while the infantry pulled back, and archers formed a perimeter around the village, encircling the entire Rongwei stronghold.

Lin Aoxue had been ordered to stay by Beichen Long’s side, forbidden from joining the battle. She could only sit atop her horse, watching the chaotic battle unfold from a distance.

The relentless storm of arrows inflicted heavy losses on the barbarian warriors. Many were struck down from their horses, their bodies lifeless upon the ground. Seeing the situation deteriorate, the barbarian generals were already considering a retreat. However, Beichen Long had no intention of allowing them to escape. Before launching the attack, he had already anticipated their possible escape routes and had preemptively stationed troops to block every path.

Realizing that retreat was impossible, the barbarian generals fought even more ferociously. With no way out, they resolved to fight to the bitter end. Each soldier pushed beyond their limits, unleashing desperate, savage strength.

But the overwhelming difference in numbers was undeniable. Beichen Long’s army outnumbered the defenders of the Rongwei stronghold more than two to one. No matter how fiercely the barbarians resisted, their fate was sealed. In the end, they could not escape complete annihilation.

The entire Rongwei Tribe was completely wiped out by Beichen Long’s army. This time, he showed no mercy—he refused to accept the surrender of the barbarian soldiers and slaughtered all forty thousand men at the stronghold. However, he also lost nearly twenty thousand of his own troops. Blood soaked the grasslands before he finally ordered the withdrawal.

He did not have his men collect the bodies. Instead, immediately after the massacre, he ordered a retreat. Just moments ago, a scout had brought word that a large force, clad in military attire, was approaching rapidly from the east—an estimated seventy to eighty thousand troops.

Beichen Long knew that the Rongwei reinforcements had arrived. He was somewhat surprised by their swift response, but he wasn’t about to give them any advantage. Since they had come, they could deal with the corpses of their fallen. His own forces, meanwhile, collected the nameplates of the dead from the battlefield and quickly retreated toward Xingbei Pass.

This battle had begun quickly and ended just as fast. Unlike Xingbei Pass, which was protected by towering walls, the barbarian strongholds were nothing more than simple farmhouses, completely defenseless. They had never anticipated that Beichen Long would launch an offensive, catching them completely off guard.

It was precisely their past experiences with Xingbei Pass’s passive defense that had blinded the barbarian troops and generals, leading them to a crushing defeat.

However, this did not mean that Beichen Long’s forces could now move freely across the grasslands. The vast plains were still unfamiliar territory for them. While they had won this first battle thanks to luck and careful planning, it did not mean they could stand against the entire grassland army.

Beichen Long understood this all too well, which was why he had no intention of prolonging the fight. Even though some of his officers wanted to press the advantage and continue the assault, he overruled them with an unyielding command, pulling the army back in an orderly retreat.

By the time the troops returned to Xingbei Pass, it was already midday the next day. The battle outside Xingbei Pass had ended in a grand victory, and the Rongwei Tribe was no more.

Through this battle, Beichen Long became even more certain that the various forces within the grasslands had already united. If the Rongwei Tribe had been acting alone, reinforcements would not have arrived so quickly, nor would they have retreated in such a hurry.

The fact that the barbarian reinforcements had appeared so soon after the battle began only reaffirmed Beichen Long’s suspicions—the tribes had consolidated, and the princess of the Boka Tribe harbored great ambitions. If they had not launched this preemptive strike today, it wouldn’t have been long before the thousands of Rongwei warriors became a blade in her hand, stabbing deep into the flesh of Beichen.

The unification of the grassland forces was an ominous sign for Beichen. Beichen Long was deeply troubled, but what frustrated him even more was that the urgent report he had sent to the capital half a month ago had yet to receive a response. The delay only fueled his growing anxiety—he had no idea what the emperor was planning.

He had always known that the emperor saw his military power as a thorn in his side. He also understood just how narrow-minded the emperor was. Even if he were to relinquish his command, it would only hasten his downfall. So he could not afford to let go—not only that, but he had to consolidate his control even further.

He had once believed that the emperor would at least prioritize the greater good, but last year’s events had already shattered that illusion. The supplies he requested had been sent in insufficient amounts, and even medical supplies had been left for him to procure on his own. Now, with the border in crisis, instead of offering support, the emperor had sent the Fifth Prince—a privileged royal—to his camp, clearly intending to strip him of his authority. Beichen Long’s patience had reached its breaking point.

The emperor refused to send reinforcements to the northern frontier, leaving Beichen Long to grapple with a single, pressing question: what was his next move?

As the army arrived at Xingbei Pass, Lin Aoxue spotted Yun Yan standing gracefully at the city gates. As the troops drew closer, Yun Yan stepped forward, first greeting Beichen Long before quickly turning to Lin Aoxue, anxiously checking if she had been injured during the campaign.

Many eyes turned toward them. While Beichen Long was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice, the other generals exchanged meaningful glances. Yun Yan’s concern for Lin Aoxue was too obvious—anyone could tell that their relationship was not ordinary. Given that Lin Aoxue had been injured recently and Yun Yan had been personally caring for her, it was no surprise that rumors were beginning to take shape among the officers.

Lin Aoxue paid no attention to the glances around her, maintaining an air of calm composure. When Yun Yan asked if she had sustained any injuries, Lin Aoxue kept her gaze steady and replied with deliberate tranquility, “I was not directly involved in the battle, Yan’er, so you need not worry.”

Seeing her like this, Yun Yan immediately understood that Lin Aoxue was once again putting on a strong front. Not wanting to expose her, Yun Yan simply conducted a quick examination. Confirming that Lin Aoxue had indeed not suffered any new injuries and that the wound on her back had not reopened, she finally sighed in relief and set her worries aside.

Beichen Long had expected that after such a humiliating defeat, the barbarians would not tolerate the insult and would soon retaliate against Xingbei Pass. However, he waited and waited, yet there was no sign of the enemy. It was as if they had disappeared into thin air—there were no movements, and even the troops stationed at Poyan and Mingzheng had been withdrawn, showing no indication of preparing for an attack.

This development both surprised and deeply puzzled Beichen Long. His suspicions only grew stronger, and the investigation into enemy spies within the military continued. Until he uncovered the infiltrators hiding in the camp, he could not rest easy. Days turned into weeks, and before he knew it, a whole month had passed.

***

For an entire month, the barbarians did not set foot in the northern frontier.

The emperor, convinced that Beichen Long was exaggerating the threat in an attempt to request more troops, dismissed his urgent reports with a cold sneer. He rejected the request outright and casually tossed the documents into a pile of read papers, refusing to give them another glance.

Meanwhile, Lin Aoxue had fully recovered. She resumed training and, before dawn each day, could be found drilling on the training grounds. The three arrow wounds on her back, thanks to Yun Yan’s meticulous care, had healed without leaving a single scar.

Regarding this, Lin Aoxue could only click her tongue in amazement. Yet, beyond that, she found herself at a loss for words. In the end, all she could say was the same phrase over and over: “Yan’er, your medical skills are truly remarkable.”

Once Lin Aoxue had healed, Yun Yan returned to her medical clinic. She was well aware that Beichen Long did not welcome her presence in the military camp. Moreover, staying in the camp as a doctor had always been inconvenient in certain ways. Now that Lin Aoxue’s injuries no longer required constant attention, Yun Yan simply informed her before quietly leaving.

The moment Yun Yan left, Lin Aoxue became restless. During training, she often found herself lost in thought. Beichen Ji teased her for being so hopeless, and to his surprise, Lin Aoxue—who would usually retort sharply—simply smiled bitterly, offering no argument. Instead, there was a helpless yet pleased look in her eyes.

So this is what it feels like to miss someone.

Nothing had truly changed between her and Yun Yan. They still treated each other with respect, maintained courtesy, and exercised restraint. The only difference was that they had finally acknowledged their unspoken feelings, making their interactions more open and natural.

And yet, Lin Aoxue knew—something had changed. Whatever it was, it had subtly shifted their relationship, making it both delicate and complicated.

It was something to be happy about. But it was also something to worry about.

When the day of rest arrived, Beichen Ji showed up early at Lin Aoxue’s quarters, intending to invite her out for a drink at the market. However, the moment he arrived, the guards informed him that the county commandant had left at dawn. Hearing this, Beichen Ji’s eyes flickered with understanding. He chuckled, shook his head, and instead went to look for Lu Sheng.

***

Meanwhile, at Xingbei Market, the crowds were still sparse. Yun Yan’s Yanxue Medical Clinic had only just opened for the day when an unexpected guest arrived.

Lin Aoxue was not wearing her military uniform today. She stood in front of the medical clinic for a long while, glancing up at the sign above the entrance before quickly lowering her head, her face flushing with embarrassment. Her chest rose and fell unevenly—she was incredibly nervous.

It had been nearly a month since her arrow wounds had healed and since she and Yun Yan had confessed their feelings to each other. During this time, Lin Aoxue had not once left the military camp. This was the first time she had taken the initiative to seek Yun Yan out since their parting.

Even though a good amount of time had passed, standing here in front of the Yanxue Medical Clinic still made her feel an overwhelming sense of embarrassment. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t seem to take a step forward.

Perhaps because she had been standing there for too long, the elderly vendor at a nearby vegetable stall glanced at her. Seeing her stern and intimidating expression—as if she were about to tear the pharmacy down—his face filled with both suspicion and concern. Without hesitation, he quickly packed up his things and left.

As soon as the old man departed, the other nearby stall owners, who had set up shop not long ago, also hurriedly packed up and disappeared without a trace.

Inside the clinic, Yun Yan was seated, flipping through a medical text. Noticing how unusually quiet it was outside, she found it strange and sent a servant to check. 

The young attendant quickly walked to the entrance, and upon seeing Lin Aoxue, he immediately called out in a loud voice, “County Commandant Lin!”

Inside the clinic, Yun Yan’s medical book slipped from her hands and landed on the table with a soft thud. Outside, Lin Aoxue’s back instantly straightened, and she stood rigidly at the entrance, as if she had been caught doing something improper.

Yun Yan quickly composed herself. Smiling, she picked up the book and closed it, then turned toward the doorway. By now, Lin Aoxue had managed to gather her emotions and stepped inside. Their gazes met in midair, and the amusement in Yun Yan’s eyes deepened. She chuckled and said playfully, “What a rare guest! Has County Commandant Lin come here today on urgent business?”

Before stepping inside, Lin Aoxue had already taken a deep breath to steady herself. She blinked forcefully a few times, trying to appear more composed, more at ease.

“Ahem, I came today to invite Miss Yun Yan to the Fuyun Manor across the street to watch an opera. I wonder if Miss Yun Yan has time to accompany me?”