The General Says She Won't Marry - Chapter 55 Part 1

“All of you, stand down!”

Zheji’s voice came from within the palace. Lin Aoxue halted her steps upon hearing it. The envoys from the other tribes, despite their earlier aggression, ultimately feared the authority of the Boka princess, not daring to overstep. The overwhelming and ferocious aura they had exuded moments ago dissipated the instant they saw the woman emerging gracefully from the palace, as if turning to dust and vanishing without a trace.

They stood stiffly outside the gate, no longer making a move against Lin Aoxue, exchanging uncertain glances without taking further action.

Following behind Zheji were two royal attendants, their pace unhurried as they exited the palace. She walked with measured steps, her demeanor calm and composed. Draped in garments made of wolf fur, she exuded an air of effortless confidence. The attire did little to conceal her tall and well-proportioned figure. Two braids cascaded down the sides of her temples, swaying gently with the wind, causing the small bells hanging from her ears to jingle softly.

“You have all traveled a long way. Since the goal is to resolve issues, why the impatience? Would it not be better to sit down and discuss matters properly? Some things, after all, cannot be settled with fists alone.”

The moment Zheji spoke, the envoys from the other tribes fell into silence. Even the most vocal among them, who had been causing the biggest commotion, merely flushed red but offered no rebuttal. Zheji extended an invitation for them to enter the palace for a discussion. The envoys exchanged glances before following her inside, not hesitating for too long.

Seeing that the princess herself had stepped forward, Lin Aoxue withdrew as well, preparing to step aside. However, just as she was about to do so, Zheji suddenly turned her head and, with an expressionless face, said, “You as well.”

Lin Aoxue was momentarily stunned, blinking in confusion. Yet, Zheji did not elaborate and simply turned around to walk inside. Though Lin Aoxue was puzzled, she couldn’t defy Zheji’s order and had no choice but to follow behind the group of furious barbarian envoys, stepping into Zheji’s palace.

Once inside, Zheji signaled for the attendants to arrange seats for the envoys. She took the main seat at the head of the hall, while Lin Aoxue, being nothing more than a gatekeeper, naturally had no seat and remained standing at the entrance, awaiting instructions.

“Boka princess.” The man who had previously stormed the palace had a voice like rolling thunder. The moment Zheji took her seat, he could no longer restrain himself and immediately stood up, stepping forward into the center of the hall. With a loud voice, he demanded, “There is someone from Beichen in your palace! How does Your Highness explain this? We followed your tribe to war against the northern border, only to suffer a crushing defeat with heavy casualties. Since it was you who decided to go to war, why did you replace the general at the last moment?” At this point, he let out a cold snort, his sharp gaze filled with hostility. “Princess, you have made fools of us! When you convinced us to submit, you promised Boka would provide protection for our tribes. Yet now, you employ such underhanded tactics—secretly colluding with Beichen, committing treason, and weakening our forces. How do you justify this?”

As he spoke, his anger only intensified, nearing the point of outrage. He glared at Zheji with piercing eyes. If he did not receive a satisfactory answer today, he would undoubtedly return to his own barbarian king and report that Boka had sinister intentions, tearing apart the already fragile alliance between the two major tribes.

His tribe alone could not stand against Boka, but if they united with the other war-torn tribes, they might stand a chance. Even if they could not claim victory, they could at least inflict significant damage on Boka’s forces.

His accusations grew louder and more forceful. Behind him, the other tribal envoys nodded in agreement. They had come today precisely to address this matter. Though his words were filled with resentment and his temperament was rash, he had spoken what was on all their minds. They, too, wanted Zheji to provide a clear answer.

Zheji frowned slightly, her gaze reflecting deep contemplation. Yet, apart from that initial frown, her expression remained impassive. Her composed demeanor exuded quiet confidence, entirely unaffected by the intense emotions of those before her.

Even before the envoys had arrived, she had already anticipated their purpose and knew exactly what they would say. Because of that, she felt no urgency. Her calmness was so unshaken that it almost seemed as if their accusations had nothing to do with her at all.

Only after the envoy had finished his tirade did Zheji slightly curl her lips, as if revealing a faint smile. However, her eyes darkened with a hint of icy detachment. Parting her lips, she spoke slowly under the anxious and wary gazes of the envoys. “It seems that the envoy from Bolo has voiced the concerns of everyone present. As the princess of Boka, it is indeed my duty to provide an explanation.”

Her tone was light and steady, easing some of the tension among the envoys. They exchanged looks and forced themselves to listen carefully. None of them wished for internal strife on top of their already substantial losses. They all understood how powerful Boka was—if civil war broke out, it would be a disaster difficult to contain.

No tribe wanted further casualties. The recent war against the northern border had severely weakened the barbarian tribes, with each losing nearly thirty percent of their young warriors. The sheer scale of this loss was enough to make everyone wary of the devastating consequences of war.

“I did indeed say that if your tribes submitted to Boka, we would provide you with protection. We formed a cooperative alliance among our tribes, fostering mutual growth and trade. When faced with external threats, the steppe tribes were to unite and resist together. This was the agreement we made at the beginning.”

Zheji’s words were clear and direct, without any evasiveness. The gathered envoys nodded in acknowledgment.

But then, she suddenly changed her tone, raising an eyebrow as she let out a cold chuckle.

“Now, allow me to ask you this—three years have passed since that agreement. Compared to three years ago, are your tribes better off or worse?”

The Bolo envoy’s expression stiffened. Around the hall, the other envoys also displayed visible unease. The answer was undeniable—compared to three years ago, their tribes had grown significantly stronger. Even though they had lost soldiers in the war, they were still in a far better position than before.

In terms of wealth and resources, they had far surpassed what they had been three years ago.

A brief silence fell over the hall. However, some among them were still not completely convinced. After a moment, someone voiced a rebuttal. “It is true that Boka has aided us over these past three years, but that does not erase the suspicion surrounding this war. The soldiers we have spent years cultivating were wiped out in this battle. If your tribe truly had no intention of betraying us, no secret dealings with Beichen, and no plot to weaken our forces, then prove it to us!”

They firmly believed Boka had ulterior motives—especially since they had spotted a Beichen warrior in Zheji’s palace, which only deepened their suspicions.

To this, Zheji merely smiled and shook her head with a sigh. Then, she leaned back against her chair, hands folded on her lap, exuding a sense of arrogance and unrestrained dominance. With a cold laugh, she responded, “Do you not find this question unnecessary and ridiculous?” The sudden chill in her tone sent shivers down the envoys’ spines. Their expressions changed, but before they could retort, Zheji continued, “Three years ago, with only thirty thousand soldiers, I successively defeated the armies of Rongwei, Kezhan, Bolo, Doge, and Mobu, totaling one hundred eighty thousand elite warriors. At that time, your tribes were stronger than Boka, yet I was able to subdue you all and elevate Boka to the foremost position among the steppe tribes. Tell me—did I suppress you then?”

The envoys were momentarily speechless.

Back then, Zheji had led her forces and utterly crushed the allied armies of the various tribes. In the end, they had no choice but to surrender. Yet, despite having the power to dominate the steppe entirely, Zheji had not done so. Instead of eradicating the other tribes, she had supported them, binding them together in mutual growth.

This is why, when the kings of the various tribes received news that Zheji intended to raise an army against Beichen, they responded without hesitation, even sending the strongest warriors from their tribes to support Zheji’s cause. On one hand, they harbored ambitions of attacking Beichen; on the other, they deeply trusted and revered Zheji’s combat abilities.

However, it was precisely because they placed such unwavering trust in her when they marched to war that they felt such fury upon being betrayed. They wished for nothing more than to tear apart the agreements they had once pledged.

Seeing the envoys shake their heads, Zheji’s smile deepened. A cold glint flashed in her eyes, and a wild arrogance surfaced on her face.

“Back then, when Boka was weaker than the other tribes, I never oppressed any of you. Now that Boka has grown stronger than your tribes, why would I go out of my way to weaken your forces with these unfounded schemes? Do you all truly believe I have nothing better to do than to ruin my own reputation?”

The envoys were momentarily stunned. For a while, none of them could find the words to refute Zheji.

Even more frustrating was the fact that everything Zheji said was true. Though her words were bold, she had the confidence and strength to back them up. Even if they felt her statements damaged their pride, they had no way to counter her argument. In fact, after hearing Zheji’s reasoning, they involuntarily fell into deep thought.

Indeed, as Zheji pointed out, when the Boka Tribe was still on equal footing with their tribes, she never schemed against them. Now that Boka had become an insurmountable power, it would be meaningless for her to resort to petty tricks.

Thus, the very nature of this situation proved Boka’s innocence.

Gradually, the envoys abandoned their argument. However, there was still one lingering concern in their hearts that they could not leave unspoken.

“We received orders stating that Your Highness summoned all the tribes to war. Why, then, did Your Highness not appear on the battlefield herself?”

This was the question that troubled them the most. They had gone to war for Zheji, yet she had not led them into battle.

Moreover, they knew very well that the reason for their crushing defeat was their disorganized tactics, unfamiliarity with Beichen’s terrain, and lack of timely reinforcements, which slowed their march. All these factors combined had led to their disastrous loss.

But the most critical reason was that their commander had no talent for warfare.

Upon hearing their question, Zheji’s lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile, and a glimmer flickered in her eyes. However, she did not directly state that the Eldest Prince, Xiumu, had orchestrated the entire situation, using the tribal warriors as mere pawns in his scheme against her.

As the princess of Boka, Zheji cared deeply about the tribe’s future. Her pride was innate, and her sense of honor and compassion ran in her blood. She was rational and understood the importance of loyalty and gratitude. At its core, this entire situation stemmed from her royal brothers’ internal struggle for power, with her as their target. If such matters were made public, it would severely damage Boka’s reputation and credibility.

The Boka king was old and growing weaker by the day. However, it was not that he was unaware of his two sons’ schemes—he was simply powerless to stop them, not unwilling. Zheji was his most cherished daughter, but for the sake of preserving the royal family’s dignity, he refused to expose the internal conflicts of the court.

As for the war against Beichen, the king had indeed discussed it with Zheji initially. She had advised him to hold off on military action. She pointed out that, despite Beichen’s vast lands, the region was unsuitable for the nomadic people of the grasslands. She suggested that he abandon the idea of invading Beichen altogether.

However, over the years, the Boka Tribe had grown increasingly powerful, fueling Xiumu and Xiuhe’s arrogance. They persistently lobbied the king, and at the time, Zheji was coincidentally in seclusion. The king, in a moment of confusion, was swayed by Xiumu, which led to the disastrous decision to wage war.

Though Xiumu was selfish and shortsighted, ignorant of the principle that harming others would ultimately harm himself, Zheji had no intention of publicly exposing his foolishness.

Thus, she simply smiled and replied, “As you have said, I did not personally enter the battlefield. The war decree was issued by my father. As for why my father summoned you all in my name to attack the northern frontier, you will have to ask my father directly to uncover his true intentions.”

She effortlessly shifted the burden of explanation onto the Boka king, leaving him to justify his own decisions. She had no interest in vying for power, but she was indeed intent on driving a wedge between them.

After all, the war against Beichen had nothing to do with Zheji. No matter how much they resented their defeat, their anger should not be directed at her.

She had no obligation to take responsibility for Xiumu’s mistakes. Since he had already brought disaster upon himself, he should bear the consequences. It was not her duty to clean up his mess.

For years, they had been embroiled in open and hidden conflicts. Xiumu had now entangled himself in trouble—why should she step in to save him?

For the Boka king, this situation was not difficult to handle. Besides, Zheji firmly believed that her foolish, self-satisfied royal brother would go out of his way to divert attention before the envoys could even reach the king for answers. Whether he could protect himself from their fury and absolve himself of responsibility would depend entirely on his own abilities.

Hearing her response, the envoys fell silent. They could sense the turbulent undercurrents behind this matter and refrained from further questioning about the war’s origins. After all, regardless of how the war began, the damage was already done. Since they had chosen to trust Zheji, the answer to their doubts would have to be sought elsewhere.

However, the matter of Zheji not participating in battle was not the only issue they came to investigate. The conversation eventually circled back to where it all began.

“Then why is an expert from Beichen present in Your Highness’ palace?”

If Zheji’s previous explanations had eased the dagger at their backs, the presence of someone from Beichen within Boka only deepened their unease.

Having resolved the envoys’ doubts about the war, Zheji raised a brow and smiled slightly. She lifted her arm and beckoned toward Lin Aoxue. “You should come over and explain to them exactly what is going on.”

Lin Aoxue sighed with mild annoyance and amusement. So this was the role she was meant to play.

Clearly, Zheji could have answered the question herself, but she deliberately brought Lin Aoxue here as a witness. Lin Aoxue knew Zheji never acted without purpose, so she had come.

Listening to Zheji recount her past achievements had been both surprising and awe-inspiring. It was no wonder the people of the grasslands hailed her as a “Heaven-Sent Princess”—she truly deserved such a title.

If it had been Lin Aoxue, she doubted she could have accomplished what Zheji had: leading only thirty thousand troops and, in a short period, uniting all the warring tribes.

At that time, Zheji had only been twenty-one—nearly a decade younger than Lin Aoxue was now—yet she had already achieved what most could never hope to. Even someone as proud as Lin Aoxue could only look up to her in admiration.

At this point, Zheji was truly admirable—not only for her combat skills but also for her far-sighted vision. She treated everyone with the same calm, composed wisdom. Every quality that could lead her to success had accumulated over time, shaping the Zheji of today.

Lin Aoxue understood Zheji’s intentions. It was clear that Zheji wanted to convey that she had no involvement in matters of war. However, Lin Aoxue felt that this was unnecessary—unless Zheji had already investigated her identity.

Perhaps Zheji had other motives, but Lin Aoxue couldn’t think of more reasons at the moment. She stood still before Zheji, cupped her hands in salute, and then turned away. In front of the envoys from other tribes, she briefly and concisely recounted her experience—how she had been severely wounded, nearly died, accidentally fallen into the river, and was later rescued by Bei Fan, which led to her coincidental encounter with Zheji.

She was not staying here to relay intelligence about Beichen—she simply wanted to survive.

The expressions on the envoys’ faces were remarkable. They couldn’t understand how a soldier from Beichen, after enduring such hardships and perils, was still alive. Her sheer luck and resilience were incredible—even Zheji hadn’t considered killing her outright.

Although Zheji did not present concrete evidence to prove that she had no connection with the Beichen soldier, the envoys still felt relieved.