The General Says She Won't Marry - Chapter 50 Part 1

Part 1

As soon as this matter was brought up, other generals in the tent immediately voiced their agreement. In no time, three-tenths of those present had already spoken in favor of inviting Guo Wencheng to participate in the discussion.

Beichen Long’s forehead veins bulged in anger. He suppressed his fury, his cold gaze sweeping over the varied expressions of the gathered generals. He paid special attention to those who had most vigorously supported inviting Guo Wencheng.

Then, Yang Jin stepped forward, bowed, and said, “General, Guo Wencheng has always been loyal to you and has followed you in guarding the frontier for over ten years. Now that the enemy is eyeing us covetously, we should not waste too much time on this issue. If there are any doubts, why not wait until after the battle to discuss them? For now, let’s bring Guo Wencheng in to join the discussion.”

Beichen Long’s face darkened completely. His angry gaze landed on Yang Jin, as deep and turbulent as a raging sea. He asked coldly, “Yang Jin, even you think that today’s situation is my fault?”

Yang Jin frowned. He realized that his words had likely touched a sensitive nerve in Beichen Long. However, Guo Wencheng was his close friend. They had left the capital together and followed Beichen Long in defending the frontier for many years. To see Beichen Long now doubting Guo Wencheng was truly disheartening.

His dear friend was in trouble, suspected without cause. Even knowing that speaking up might offend Beichen Long, Yang Jin could not stand by and do nothing. Bowing again, he continued, “Sir, I merely believe that repelling the barbarians is our most urgent task. As for Guo Wencheng, that can be discussed later.”

Beichen Long lowered his gaze. His face betrayed no emotion, but in his heart, walls had already been raised. With a wave of his hand, he said coldly, “Very well. Yang Jin, go and bring Guo Wencheng here for the discussion.”

Hearing this, Yang Jin was overjoyed. He had expected to argue further, but to his surprise, Beichen Long relented so easily. He bowed deeply and expressed his gratitude, “I thank the general for his generosity on Guo Wencheng’s behalf!”

With that, he immediately turned and left, carrying Beichen Long’s order to summon Guo Wencheng.

Guo Wencheng, who had been contemplating the situation at Xingbei Pass in his tent, was taken aback when he heard that Yang Jin had come for him. Then, a sense of unease arose within him. Upon seeing Yang Jin, Guo Wencheng’s face darkened with anger, and he snapped, “Foolish!”

His face flushed with rage. Yang Jin was truly blind to the situation—Beichen Long was already suspicious of him, and yet Yang Jin had still stepped forward to defend him. If Beichen Long decided to target them both, they would suffer together. It was one thing for him to be punished alone, but why drag Yang Jin into it as well?

Yang Jin remained calm, fully aware of why Guo Wencheng was so furious. However, that was not a reason for him to stand by and do nothing. Beichen Long was narrow-minded—if he could suspect even Guo Wencheng, who had followed him for so many years, and place him under house arrest, then what wasn’t he capable of?

They had been loyal to Beichen Long for over a decade, yet still could not earn his trust. Even if they remained safe for now, who could say what event would next arouse his suspicions? Since trust was unattainable anyway, what difference did it make if they were doubted now?

Yang Jin sighed and shook his head, allowing Guo Wencheng to vent his frustration. When the latter’s anger had somewhat subsided, Yang Jin said, “With a leader like Beichen Long, he will never win people’s hearts. You bear an imperial decree, yet he dares to make things difficult for you—this is defying the emperor’s orders! Guo-xiong, why not turn this situation to your advantage and seize the opportunity to rise?”

Guo Wencheng was shocked. He immediately covered Yang Jin’s mouth and reprimanded him urgently, “Are you insane?! How dare you speak such reckless words?!”

Yang Jin pushed Guo Wencheng’s hand away and said with a grim expression, “I’m not insane—the one who’s lost his mind is Beichen Long!”

Guo Wencheng was so agitated that he nearly jumped to his feet. He rejected the idea outright, “No, absolutely not! As a subordinate, how could I betray my superior? That is unthinkable!”

As things stood, he had done nothing wrong and could still prove his innocence. But if he acted as Yang Jin suggested, there would be no turning back—he would even drag Yang Jin down with him. Seeing how quickly Guo Wencheng dismissed the idea, Yang Jin felt both frustrated and disappointed.

“After all Beichen Long has done to you, you’re still willing to risk your life for him? If you continue like this, you won’t even know when he finally decides to get rid of you!”

Guo Wencheng refused to listen to persuasion and waved his hand, saying, “Yang-xiong, there’s no need to say any more. Today’s matter arose because of His Majesty’s decree—the general will not be so foolish.”

Yang Jin was already shaking with rage. He glared at Guo Wencheng, pointed at his nose, and shouted angrily, “If he isn’t foolish, then you are!”

In the end, Yang Jin was unable to convince Guo Wencheng. Frustrated and helpless, he clenched his teeth and let out a long sigh, “Fine, fine. For now, just come with me to the tent for the discussion. The most urgent matter is repelling the barbarians—everything else, we’ll argue about another day!”

He had already been gone for quite some time. If he delayed any longer, who knew what unexpected changes might occur?

Guo Wencheng did not argue further and simply followed Yang Jin to Beichen Long’s command tent. Under the watchful eyes of the gathered officers, he bowed to Beichen Long in gratitude. Beichen Long made no mention of the imperial decree and simply said, “The barbarians are showing signs of exhaustion. We must seize this opportunity to deal them a heavy blow. Does anyone here have a good strategy?” His gaze swept over the assembled officers, cold and commanding.

Now that Guo Wencheng had arrived, the generals who had been making a commotion earlier fell silent. When Beichen Long spoke, no one dared to utter a word.

Beichen Long let out a cold scoff in his heart, his expression indifferent.

One officer finally broke the silence, “Sir, though the enemy is fatigued, our own soldiers are also nearing their limits. A proactive attack may bring success, but it carries risks. Instead, why not petition His Majesty for reinforcements in secret? If reinforcements arrive, we can face the enemy outside the pass with greater certainty.” 

This officer had remained neutral earlier, neither clearly supporting Guo Wencheng nor standing firmly on Beichen Long’s side.

As soon as he finished speaking, others immediately voiced their agreement, saying his proposal was reasonable. Beichen Long cast a sidelong glance at them and responded coolly, “If His Majesty were willing to send reinforcements, would the situation at Xingbei Pass have deteriorated to this point?” His lips curled into a mocking smile. As the gathered officers looked at him in shock and confusion, he continued, “Over a month ago, I sent scouts beyond the pass. They discovered that the barbarians had undergone a major internal upheaval. Several large tribes successfully united, and from that moment, I knew this situation would come to pass. That’s why I submitted a request to the capital, urging His Majesty to reinforce the northern frontier. Yet, as you all may have already heard, His Majesty’s reply arrived at Xingbei Pass just days ago. And what did it say? It ordered me to return to the capital to report on my duties—at such a critical moment!”

The officers exchanged uneasy glances. The matter of the imperial decree was indeed something they had heard about; otherwise, those few generals close to Guo Wencheng wouldn’t have come to argue with Beichen Long. However, they had been completely unaware that Beichen Long had already requested reinforcements.

Now, after hearing this, anxiety spread through them. It was clear that the emperor had no intention of reinforcing the northern frontier.

But the troops at the northern front were insufficient. Newly recruited soldiers would be useless in actual combat. Without reinforcements, what could they do?

In reality, Beichen Long had already discussed this issue with the military advisor before calling this meeting. He had a plan in mind, but it was a risky one and might not be unanimously accepted.

Raising a hand, he signaled for everyone to remain calm before speaking again, “As for our lack of troops, I do have an idea that I wish to discuss with all of you.”

The moment he finished speaking, a previously silent general asked, “Do you have a brilliant strategy, sir?”

Beichen Long’s expression carried a trace of cold amusement. He waved his hand dismissively and replied, “Not a brilliant strategy—just a compromise. I intend to secretly withdraw 50,000 troops from Poyan and have them rush to Xingbei Pass. Along with the 20,000 remnants retreating from Mingzheng, we can assemble a force of 200,000. With that, we can encircle the barbarian army from both sides and put immense pressure on them.”

At these words, the entire room erupted in shock.

Among the generals who had earlier supported Guo Wencheng, one immediately objected, “But sir, if we withdraw 50,000 troops from Poyan, that will leave only 50,000 behind. The barbarians have 80,000 stationed outside Poyan, watching for any opening. If they discover our retreat, Poyan will be incredibly difficult to defend—it could become another Mingzheng!”

The fall of Mingzheng had already been reported, and its defeated troops were en route to Xingbei Pass. Every officer in the room was well aware of the situation.

Withdrawing troops from Poyan to attack the barbarians outside Xingbei Pass might secure the pass, but it could cost them Poyan. It was an extremely risky move—no one could guarantee that Poyan would be able to withstand the barbarians’ relentless assaults.

After this objection was raised, the gathered generals began discussing the pros and cons of the plan. Some supported Beichen Long’s proposal, while others felt it was too risky—opinions were divided.

Beichen Long’s faint smile did not fade. He glanced at the officer who had spoken earlier, his eyes carrying an even deeper, unreadable meaning. Nodding slightly, he tapped his fingers against the table, signaling the assembled generals to remain calm before continuing, “Indeed, this plan carries significant risks and uncertainty. However, if we truly wish to drive the barbarians back for good, we must withdraw at least 50,000 troops from Poyan. Otherwise, we won’t be able to guarantee their complete defeat. If this turns into a prolonged battle, it will only drain resources at every stronghold. The risk is great, and we do not have enough certainty to gamble on it. Therefore, I have another plan.”

At these words, every pair of eyes turned to him. Yang Jin furrowed his brows even tighter—there was something about Beichen Long’s smile that struck him as cunning, as if he was scheming something. This thought made Yang Jin uneasy.

But with the conversation having reached this point, everyone present was waiting for Beichen Long to continue. It would be unreasonable for Yang Jin to interrupt him now, so he merely pressed his lips together, his gaze wary.

“Have any of you paid close attention recently?” Beichen Long suddenly posed a question. As the others paused to think, confusion appeared in their eyes. Just then, Beichen Long spoke again at precisely the right moment, “The frequency of the barbarians’ attacks on our strongholds has been decreasing. They are nomadic people of the grasslands, and the plains do not produce the rice that Beichen’s farmlands yield in abundance. The food they rely on, apart from what they pillage from Beichen, consists of livestock from the steppe.” The generals exchanged glances, unsure where he was going with this. But Beichen Long remained unfazed. Maintaining his composed demeanor, he continued, “The barbarians have set up camp outside our borders, but they would never bring large herds of livestock with them into the northern territories. That means the supplies they carry with them must be limited. Given the intensity of their assaults, their consumption of food and resources should be just as severe as ours. The real question is—how long can their supplies last?”

At this, some of the generals finally grasped his meaning, and one of them spoke up, “In that case, there must be a supply line feeding the barbarians. If we can cut off their provisions, they will run out of food. Once they can no longer sustain themselves, they will be forced to retreat!”

It was a simple yet fundamental principle. Any soldier with battlefield experience understood the importance of logistics. The reason they hadn’t considered it earlier was that they had been overwhelmed by the relentless barbarian offensives, leaving them no room to think strategically. But now, with Beichen Long’s reminder, the truth became obvious.

Between two armies of similar strength, the one with stable supplies was always more likely to win. This was a lesson proven time and again throughout history.

Beichen Long nodded, smiling as he explained further, “If we can eliminate their food supply, then the barbarians before us are nothing more than paper tigers—strong in appearance but weak at their core. In that case, there will be no need to withdraw large forces from Poyan. Instead, we only need to borrow 20,000 troops from Poyan, combine them with the 20,000 men retreating from Mingzheng, and that will be enough to drive the barbarians back to the grasslands.”

The moment he finished speaking, many generals nodded in agreement. They acknowledged that Beichen Long’s proposal was logical and, more importantly, a highly feasible plan that could minimize losses for the northern frontier.

However, as the other generals approved the plan, Yang Jin’s frown deepened. Something didn’t sit right with him. This plan seemed flawless—but if forcing the barbarians to retreat was really this easy, why had Beichen Long waited until now to bring it up?

Just as Yang Jin was contemplating what ulterior motives Beichen Long might have, someone finally asked the most crucial question, “But sir, where exactly are the barbarians getting their food? And who will be sent to destroy their supplies and disrupt their supply lines?”

At these words, a heavy silence fell over the room.

No one spoke, because they all recognized the gravity of this issue.

To cut off the enemy’s supply lines, someone would have to infiltrate enemy territory and uncover the exact details of their logistics. Only then could they strike at the root of the problem. But ordinary soldiers lacked the necessary skills—they did not have the keen observational abilities, nor the exceptional combat prowess required. Most would be caught and executed before even getting close to the enemy’s provisions.

This mission was not only incredibly difficult but also extraordinarily dangerous.

Even if successful, those who undertook it might be remembered in the annals of history—but very few would be capable, let alone willing, to take on such a task.

The generals exchanged uneasy glances, but no one volunteered.

Yang Jin’s instincts screamed that something was amiss. His eyes instinctively darted to Guo Wencheng, only to see that Guo Wencheng, too, was staring at Beichen Long in shock. A flicker of realization and dread was beginning to surface in his gaze.

“I believe General Guo would be the most suitable candidate to lead this mission.”

Suddenly, a voice emerged from within the crowd, drawing the attention of the surrounding generals. Beichen Long’s gaze followed the sound and recognized the speaker—a seasoned veteran who had fought alongside him for no less than five years. Although not as close to Beichen Long as Yang Jin or Guo Wencheng, this old general had gradually found his place within the ranks.

It was evident that this veteran was siding with Beichen Long. He had spoken the words Beichen Long wanted to say but had not voiced himself.

As soon as he spoke, the expressions of the other generals shifted noticeably. Those who had remained neutral in the ongoing power struggle between Beichen Long and Guo Wencheng continued to hold their silence, while those who had already leaned toward Beichen Long—many of whom had grievances with the emperor’s decisions—began openly supporting Guo Wencheng’s appointment as commander for the mission.

“Indeed, I also believe General Guo is the best choice.”

“General Guo is brave and resourceful—he will surely complete the mission successfully!”

“I, too, support General Guo’s leadership in this operation…”

Yang Jin and Guo Wencheng both turned pale. Yang Jin had assumed that, despite his grievances against Guo Wencheng, Beichen Long would not act against him so quickly. But he had underestimated Beichen Long’s pettiness. The moment Beichen Long perceived Guo Wencheng as a threat to his command, he had wasted no time in setting a trap for him, without even bothering to investigate further.

Cutting off the enemy’s supply lines meant infiltrating deep behind enemy lines. Even though the barbarian forces had begun to show signs of exhaustion, venturing into their territory—even without reaching the heart of the grasslands—remained an extremely dangerous task. Beichen Long had identified a crucial weakness in the enemy’s strategy, but he needed someone to carry out this perilous mission.

And at this moment, Guo Wencheng had happened to cross his bottom line.

Even if it wasn’t Guo Wencheng’s own intent, but rather the emperor’s scheme to weaken Beichen Long by sowing discord, the result was the same.

Whether it was the emperor or Beichen Long, Yang Jin found himself filled with both disbelief and seething rage.

With the enemy at their doorstep, the barbarian forces posed an immediate threat to the entire northern frontier. They had already seized Mingzheng, leaving behind a battlefield drenched in blood and corpses.

Their eyes were now set on Xingbei Pass and Poyan. And yet, at such a critical moment, the emperor was still more concerned with stripping Beichen Long of his military power, deliberately turning his own people against him. Even worse, Beichen Long, consumed by paranoia, had fallen for the trap without hesitation. Ignoring all counsel, he had made a rash and absolute decision—and now, he intended to send Guo Wencheng to his death.

To these men in power, the safety of the land and the lives of the common people mattered far less than their own authority. The moment they sensed a threat to their interests, they would erase all past loyalty and achievements in an instant, remembering only the sins that, in their eyes, could never be forgiven.

Yang Jin trembled with uncontrollable fury. His teeth clenched, his eyes widened in rage.

Those who had previously spoken in support of Guo Wencheng suddenly fell silent, as if someone had gripped them by the throat.

In the clamor of the war room, no one spoke up for Guo Wencheng anymore.

Because they had all sensed the danger—if they objected to Beichen Long’s decision, if they voiced even the slightest opposition, then in this “brilliant” and unanimously agreed-upon plan, the hero who would venture behind enemy lines could just as easily be them.

No one was foolish enough to ignore what that sacrifice entailed.