The General Says She Won't Marry - Chapter 48 Part 1

After escorting Yun Yan back to the clinic, Lin Aoxue quietly concealed herself at a street corner on her way to the military camp. After taking several detours to confirm that no one was following her, she stopped a child with a candied hawthorn stick and subtly inquired whether he had seen Luo Qi or knew where he lived.

Luo Qi was infamous in Xingbei Pass—not to the extent that children would cry upon hearing his name, but well-known enough that everyone was aware of him. Lin Aoxue clearly remembered the look in Luo Qi’s eyes before he left—a venomous stare, like that of a snake. Even if she spared him today, he would still cause trouble in the future.

People like him were no different from Chen Er—harboring deep resentment against Lin Aoxue and refusing to learn from their mistakes. His retreat today was merely a temporary strategy. If he ever got the chance in the future, he would undoubtedly stir up trouble and seek revenge.

Lin Aoxue wasn’t afraid of Luo Qi hating her. She was stationed in the military camp, so even if Luo Qi wanted to harm her, he wouldn’t have the means. However, she was concerned that he might shift his hatred onto Yun Yan. Living alone was already difficult for Yun Yan, and if Luo Qi went to her clinic to cause trouble, Lin Aoxue wouldn’t be able to intervene if she were assigned a mission or sent to the battlefield.

She had never been one to let a threat linger. Back at Fuyun Manor, there had been too many eyes watching, and with Yun Yan at her side, she couldn’t act. But now that Luo Qi had already been publicly punished, no one would suspect her actions.

The child, without any doubts, took the candied hawthorn and eagerly shared everything he had heard about the notorious Luo bully. Before leaving, Lin Aoxue patted the child’s head, then avoided crowded areas and used the cover of buildings and courtyard walls to make her way to Luo Qi’s residence.

Though Luo Qi was a rogue, he was not poor. His home was a large courtyard with three sections, exuding wealth. His parents had died when he was young, and he was raised by his uncle, who served in the military. Though his uncle treated him well, he rarely had time to visit, which allowed Luo Qi to become more and more unruly.

Standing outside the courtyard, Lin Aoxue surveyed the area to ensure no one was around before leaping over the wall, intending to track Luo Qi’s whereabouts.

Unexpectedly, just as she landed, she saw a masked figure in black emerge from a window. 

A black-clad figure wearing a bamboo hat!

The instant their eyes met, a flash of surprise flickered in the stranger’s gaze. Lin Aoxue’s pupils contracted as memories rushed through her mind—on the Lantern Festival, when she had retrieved Yun Yan’s embroidered pouch, the pawnshop owner had mentioned someone who had taken the golden key before her.

The pawnshop owner’s description had been spot on!

Lin Aoxue couldn’t be certain if this masked person was the same one from that day, but regardless of their identity, their sneaky behavior in Luo Qi’s house was highly suspicious!

Seeing them exit through the window, Lin Aoxue acted without hesitation, lunging forward to intercept. The two clashed instantly, exchanging over a hundred moves in a space of twenty steps between the window and the courtyard wall, yet neither gained the upper hand.

The intruder, wary of revealing their identity, made a swift retreat. As they vaulted over the courtyard wall, they exchanged one final strike with Lin Aoxue. Both staggered back three steps from the impact—Lin Aoxue barely steadied herself with a stomp, but the black-clad figure had already disappeared into the night.

Lin Aoxue frowned, realizing it was futile to give chase. Remembering her primary objective, she searched the premises, but Luo Qi was nowhere to be found. With a sigh of frustration, she left his residence.

She returned empty-handed but decided to check again the next day when she went to the market to exchange her token with the jade merchant.

***

That night, Yun Yan instructed a servant to close the clinic’s doors before retiring to the backyard to prepare for rest.

Just as she pulled open the door to her room, a figure leaped over the courtyard wall, landing on one knee before her. Yun Yan glanced around to confirm no one else was present before beckoning them closer and asking, “Is it done?”

“Yes, the item has been placed as instructed,” the figure replied. It was the same black-clad individual who had fought Lin Aoxue at Luo Qi’s residence. Adjusting the brim of their bamboo hat, they added, “Miss Yun, I encountered Lin Aoxue at Luo Qi’s house.”

A rare flicker of surprise crossed Yun Yan’s face, but it quickly vanished, replaced by a faint smile. “Mm, good. I understand.”

She waved a hand, signaling the figure to leave. However, the person hesitated and asked, “Miss Yun, do you know why County Commandant Lin went to Luo Qi’s house?”

Yun Yan smiled lightly and replied, “She’s not as clueless as I thought. But it’s better that you handled it than her.”

With that, the black-clad figure understood—Lin Aoxue had come to eliminate a threat. She was ruthless in her own way. Bowing, they swiftly withdrew, vanishing into the darkness.

***

Luo Qi’s death was of little consequence. Not long after, a passing beggar discovered his body, and word spread quickly, reaching his uncle, Luo Wendong, enraging him.

Luo Wendong held considerable power in the military, holding the rank of duwei and commanding ten thousand troops. Much of Luo Qi’s unchecked behavior had been due to his uncle’s protection. Luo Wendong had spoiled his nephew since childhood, indulging him until he became the ruffian he was.

(T/N: Duwei doesn’t have an English equivalent. It’s slightly under general.)

Now, with Luo Qi dead, Luo Wendong was not only shocked but also furious. He immediately ordered an investigation into his nephew’s death and everyone he had interacted with before dying.

At Fuyun Manor, Luo Qi had caused trouble for Lin Aoxue and had even shouted her title, “County Commandant Lin.” Many people in the manor had witnessed the incident while drinking and watching performances, making it easy for Luo Wendong’s men to trace the conflict back to Lin Aoxue. Soon, a report was placed on Luo Wendong’s desk.

He read it over and over again before slamming his palm against the table in a fit of rage. “Lin Aoxue! Unbelievable!”

He quickly packed his belongings and headed to Beichen Long’s tent. Just as he reached the entrance, he ran into Lin Aoxue, who had just stepped out of the tent. Luo Wendong shot her a cold glance, suppressing his anger, then lifted the tent flap and strode inside.

Lin Aoxue, perplexed by Luo Wendong’s apparent hostility, showed a hint of confusion on her face. However, after briefly thinking it over, she couldn’t recall having offended him in any way. Shaking her head, she returned to her tent, grabbed some silver coins, and prepared to go to the market to reclaim her waist token.

***

Inside the tent, Beichen Long was hunched over a map of the frontier. Although the barbarians hadn’t caused trouble recently, the looming threat of war hung over him like an unsheathed sword, forcing him to remain constantly vigilant in search of a solution.

At present, there were 150,000 troops stationed at Xingbei Pass, 50,000 at Mingzheng, and 100,000 at Poyan—bringing the total military force across the three major passes to 300,000. The exact number of soldiers the barbarians could deploy was unknown, but based on Beichen Long’s estimates, even if they mustered an army of 300,000, the northern border still had more than a 60% chance of holding.

However, the real problems Beichen Long faced were twofold. First, the emperor refused to send reinforcements and remained highly wary of Beichen Long, unwilling to grant him greater military power. Second, there were still unidentified spies within Xingbei Pass, and Beichen Long had no way of knowing when one of them might stab him in the back.

Beyond these uncertainties, there was also the question of how much intelligence the barbarians had gathered on Xingbei Pass and how many troops they could actually mobilize. All of these concerns weighed heavily on Beichen Long’s mind.

Just as he was struggling with these pressing issues, a guard outside suddenly reported that Duwei Luo Wendong was requesting an audience. Without looking up, Beichen Long gave the order to let him in.

As soon as Luo Wendong entered the tent, he dropped to his knees before Beichen Long.

“General! I have something to report! I beg you to uphold justice for me!”

Beichen Long raised an eyebrow in surprise. Looking at Luo Wendong with confusion, he asked, “Duwei Luo, why are you acting like this?”

Luo Wendong’s face was filled with sorrow, his eyes red with grief as he spoke of his unfortunate nephew. He explained how, just the day before, Luo Qi had offended Lin Aoxue, and in response, Lin Aoxue had ruthlessly taken his life over a mere woman.

Upon hearing this, Beichen Long was deeply shocked and sternly ordered Luo Wendong to explain everything in detail.

At Beichen Long’s sharp command, Luo Wendong took a deep breath and recounted the events of the previous day—how Luo Qi had clashed with Lin Aoxue while drinking at Fuyun Manor, and how he was later mysteriously killed in an alley. Throughout his account, he strongly implied that Lin Aoxue had the greatest motive for the murder and was, in fact, the killer.

Beichen Long’s temples throbbed. Already overwhelmed with the issues of the barbarians and internal spies, he now had to deal with this? As Luo Wendong finished speaking, Beichen Long’s eyes flashed with frustration. Barely restraining his anger, he demanded, “Is this true?”

Luo Wendong’s heart clenched. He wasn’t entirely certain that Lin Aoxue was responsible, but she had the strongest motive, and there were no other suspects.

Lin Aoxue had been rising through the ranks at an astonishing speed. In just over a year since joining the military, she had already reached the rank of county commandant—just one step below Luo Wendong’s own rank of duwei. If he claimed he bore no resentment toward her, he would be lying to himself. If Lin Aoxue was found guilty, it would surely hinder her rapid advancement.

Regardless of Luo Qi’s character, he had been an ordinary citizen of Xingbei Pass. If a soldier was caught killing a civilian, it was a grave offense punishable by severe military law.

Even if Lin Aoxue wasn’t the culprit, Luo Wendong wasn’t about to let the opportunity slip away. Gritting his teeth, he declared, “General, I swear on my honor—this is the absolute truth!”

Beichen Long wearily rubbed his forehead, then called for the guards outside. “Summon Lin Aoxue immediately.”

Lin Aoxue had just pocketed her silver coins and was about to head to the market when she was stopped by Beichen Long’s soldiers and ordered to report to his tent. The guards didn’t explain the reason, leaving Lin Aoxue completely in the dark. Frowning, she let out a helpless sigh, tucked the silver coins back into her robes, and decided to deal with Beichen Long first.

When she arrived at the general’s tent, she saw Luo Wendong kneeling before Beichen Long’s desk, the same man who had glared at her earlier. Her confusion deepened.

After saluting Beichen Long and nodding politely at Luo Wendong, she said, “Subordinate Lin Aoxue greets the grand general and Duwei Luo. May I ask why you have summoned me, sir?”

Beichen Long’s gaze flicked to Luo Wendong’s face, which was barely concealing his resentment, before settling on Lin Aoxue. “Aoxue, where were you yesterday?”

Lin Aoxue was baffled by the sudden questioning of her whereabouts but saw no reason to hide anything. She answered directly, “Sir, yesterday morning, I left the camp and went to Xingbei Market to visit Miss Yun Yan at Yanxue Medical Clinic.”

Upon hearing this, Beichen Long’s temple twitched again. He was already displeased by Lin Aoxue’s persistent attachment to Yun Yan, but he kept his irritation in check.

“And after that?” he asked.

Lin Aoxue grew increasingly puzzled, sensing that something was amiss. She furrowed her brows in thought, carefully recalling the events before answering, “I met with Miss Yun Yan and visited the jade shop and fabric store. At midday, we went together to Fuyun Manor for lunch. Afterward, we watched two performances at Fuyun Manor. Other than that, I went nowhere else.”

Beichen Long nodded. In Xingbei Pass, tracking someone’s movements was not difficult, and he did not believe Lin Aoxue would lie about her whereabouts. He glanced at Luo Wendong before asking, “Aoxue, did you encounter someone named Luo Qi at Fuyun Manor yesterday?”

Lin Aoxue was momentarily stunned, her internal alarms ringing, but her expression remained calm as she asked in confusion, “Luo Qi? Are you referring to that scoundrel who calls himself ‘Lord Qi’?”

When she had confronted Luo Qi, he had not mentioned his full name, but a little inquiry was enough for Lin Aoxue to uncover it. However, at this moment, whether for self-preservation or another reason, she could not afford to reveal that she had investigated him.

The moment Lin Aoxue referred to Luo Qi as a scoundrel, Luo Wendong erupted in anger. He sprang to his feet, shouting her name, but before he could continue, Beichen Long abruptly interrupted.

“Silence!”

Luo Wendong swallowed his words, his face flushing with suppressed rage, but he dared not defy Beichen Long and forcibly restrained his anger. Lin Aoxue blinked in confusion, glancing at both Luo Wendong and Beichen Long, before hearing the latter continue, “Did you have a conflict with Luo Qi at Fuyun Manor?”

Lin Aoxue’s face showed puzzlement, but inwardly, she was beginning to piece things together. Noting that both Luo Wendong and Luo Qi shared the same surname, she surmised that they were likely related. Could Luo Wendong be here to cause trouble for her over Luo Qi losing a finger?

The thought made Lin Aoxue scoff internally, but her expression remained composed as she recounted the events of the previous day.

She explained everything—from Luo Qi deliberately provoking her, to his insults, to her reluctant decision to act, ultimately forcing him to sever his own finger before she let him go. She concealed nothing, nor did she attempt to justify her actions, merely stating that she had been furious and intolerant of his behavior, thus demanding his punishment before relenting.

Beichen Long listened with a furrowed brow, nodding slightly. Compared to Luo Wendong’s accusations, he was more inclined to believe Lin Aoxue’s account—not only because she was one of his trusted officers but also because he knew both her and Luo Wendong well enough to judge who was more likely telling the truth. Lin Aoxue’s words seemed far closer to the reality of what had transpired.

“So, after Luo Qi severed his finger, you let him go and never sought him out again?”

Lin Aoxue’s expression remained confused, but inwardly, she was tense. Was Beichen Long aware that she had later gone to Luo Qi’s residence? Keeping her composure, she countered, “He may have had a conflict with me, but he already received his punishment. Why would I seek him out again?”

Beichen Long found her reasoning sound, but before he could respond, Luo Wendong barked out harshly, “Lin Aoxue, you’re lying! Luo Qi is dead! No one else could have killed him but you!”

His words stunned Lin Aoxue. Her eyes widened in shock, filled with disbelief, as she instinctively asked,  “He’s dead?!”

When did he die? How did he die?

A flurry of questions surged through Lin Aoxue’s mind, along with the image of the black-clad figure she had seen the previous night. Her brows knitted together in deep thought. Could it have been that person? But why would they kill Luo Qi?

Luo Wendong let out a cold laugh, his gaze dark and filled with calculation as he fixed his eyes on Lin Aoxue. “Don’t play dumb in front of the general. You’d better confess everything now!”

But Lin Aoxue ignored him and turned to Beichen Long instead, still incredulous as she asked, “Sir, is that scoundrel truly dead?”

Beichen Long had been observing Lin Aoxue closely. Though he was inclined to believe her, he could not afford to show favoritism before the truth was uncovered. However, Lin Aoxue’s reaction was flawless—she genuinely appeared unaware of Luo Qi’s death.

Without changing his expression, Beichen Long said, “The matter is still under investigation. I have already sent people to look into it. We should have an answer soon.”

Until the truth was uncovered, he would not take sides. If Lin Aoxue was indeed responsible for Luo Qi’s death and had hidden it, that would be a grave offense. No matter how much he valued her, he could not tolerate dishonesty. However, if she was innocent, then Luo Wendong would have to pay for his false accusations.

Beichen Long was not particularly concerned about this case. He had long been aware of Luo Qi’s character. As a notorious bully in Xingbei Pass, he had made countless enemies. Many would have wanted to see him dead, so his murder was hardly surprising.

With his seasoned judgment, Beichen Long could see through Luo Wendong’s real intentions. The officer had grown arrogant in recent years and was envious of Lin Aoxue’s rapid rise in rank. He was trying to use Luo Qi’s death to bring her down. Since this opportunity had presented itself, he wasn’t going to let it slip away.

However, Beichen Long had already made up his mind—once his investigation was complete, he would take this chance to remind Luo Wendong of his place.

Lin Aoxue and Luo Wendong remained in Beichen Long’s tent, awaiting the results. The two exchanged sharp glances, neither willing to back down. Beichen Long had no interest in managing their standoff and instead focused on the border defense reports in his hands. 

After about half an hour, the personnel he had dispatched returned. A guard strode into the tent, knelt in the center, and reported in a loud voice, “General! I have an urgent matter to report!”

Beichen Long lifted his head, his sharp gaze like a blade. “Speak!”

The guard pulled out a stack of letters from his chest, held them up with both hands, and presented them to Beichen Long. “Sir, I investigated Luo Qi’s case and discovered this in his residence.”