TGWM Ch. 7

Chapter 7: Enemy Attack

Lin Aoxue felt extremely awkward, but the alcohol had taken effect, and the waves of dizziness left her too weak to argue against Yun Yan’s arrangements. With no choice, she allowed the young maid to help her to the guest room.

The maid supported Lin Aoxue onto the bed. A burning heat coursed through her body, and her head felt heavy and muddled. Her eyelids were so weighted that she could barely keep them open; the moment her head touched the pillow, she wanted to sleep.

Following Yun Yan’s instructions to take good care of the guests at Yanyu Tower, the maid fetched some water to wipe Lin Aoxue’s face. She wrung out a clean towel and noticed Lin Aoxue’s flushed cheeks, the alcohol bringing a rosy hue to her face. If not for the ferocious and rough-looking mask covering one side of her face, her features would have appeared rather delicate.

Perhaps it was the effect of the alcohol, but as Lin Aoxue lay there with her eyes closed, her usually sharp and intimidating demeanor softened, making her look far less frightening than she had during the day.

The maid hesitated. Wearing a mask while sleeping must be uncomfortable, and it also made washing her face inconvenient. With that in mind, she cautiously leaned closer, intending to remove the half-mask from Lin Aoxue’s face.

However, the moment her fingertips brushed against the cold surface of the mask, Lin Aoxue jolted awake. Her eyes snapped open, sharp and alert, as she glared fiercely at the person before her and growled in a low voice, “What do you think you’re doing?” Her gaze was fierce, brimming with killing intent. 

The young maid, both shocked and terrified, stumbled backward in panic, her sleeve accidentally knocking over the basin of water placed by the bedside.

A loud clang echoed through the room as the basin hit the floor, spilling water everywhere.

Yet the maid had no time to worry about the mess. She immediately dropped to her knees on the wet floor, bowing her head as she trembled. “Please, forgive me, sir!”

Whether it was the cold floor or Lin Aoxue’s oppressive presence that made her shudder, the maid’s frail shoulders trembled uncontrollably.

Nearby, Yun Yan had been handling matters with the servants of Yanyu Tower and had not yet left. Hearing the commotion, she hurried over. 

She arrived to find Lin Aoxue sitting on the bed, her face dark with anger, while the trembling maid knelt on the floor, clearly frightened out of her wits. 

Yun Yan’s elegant brows furrowed slightly as she gave the maid a soft reprimand before waving her away. “Go bring a bowl of sobering soup.” Then, turning to Lin Aoxue, she said with a composed smile, “She’s new and doesn’t know the rules yet. I ask for your forgiveness, Officer.”

As Yun Yan stepped closer, she took in Lin Aoxue’s rigid posture. Though she sat stiffly with a stern expression, the usually piercing clarity of her eyes was veiled by a thin mist. Her unfocused gaze and the redness on her cheeks made it clear—she was heavily intoxicated. Her breath was quick and uneven, and she seemed barely conscious except for that brief moment of alertness earlier.

Yun Yan leaned in slightly, bringing her lips close to Lin Aoxue’s ear as she chuckled softly and asked, “Shall I personally serve you as you rest?”

Lin Aoxue’s expression froze, and she said nothing. However, her hands instinctively clutched at the front of her robe, looking for all the world like a nervous young bride about to be taken advantage of.

Seeing this, Yun Yan’s eyes curved in amusement. The contrast between this Lin Aoxue and the bold warrior who had single-handedly defeated eight strong men at Yanyu Tower the other day was almost laughable.

Who would have thought that once drunk, this person would turn out to be so interesting?

At that moment, the young maid returned with the sobering soup. Yun Yan straightened up and took the bowl, scooping up a spoonful and bringing it to Lin Aoxue’s lips. “Drink this. It will help with the alcohol.”

Lin Aoxue caught the scent of the soup and wrinkled her brow, hesitating for a moment as if considering whether to refuse. After a brief pause, she finally took a small sip.

Yun Yan chuckled softly, shaking her head as she patiently fed Lin Aoxue more, coaxing her into drinking over half the bowl.

When she had finished, Yun Yan noticed that Lin Aoxue, though dazed, was surprisingly obedient—so long as no one touched her mask or clothing. Otherwise, she followed instructions without resistance.

With that, Yun Yan smiled and said, “It’s time for you to rest, sir.”

Hearing Yun Yan’s words, Lin Aoxue gave an almost imperceptible nod. Without removing her clothes or taking off her mask, she simply collapsed onto the bed with a dull thud and quickly fell asleep.

The young maid following behind Yun Yan couldn’t hide her surprise. She clicked her tongue in amazement at the sight.

Yun Yan’s lips curved into a faint smile. She pulled the blanket over Lin Aoxue’s side, covering her lightly, then signaled the maid to clean up the spilled water basin.

“He doesn’t like company,” she said. “Wait outside.”

With that, Yun Yan stepped out of the room.

***

Lin Aoxue spent the night at Yanyu Tower after drinking the sobering soup. The next morning, she woke with a start, eyes wide with alarm. In a panic, she checked her clothes, only relaxing when she found they had not been touched. She let out a long sigh of relief.

Sitting up, she glanced out the window. The sky remained dark, the sun not yet risen. It was already disgraceful enough to get drunk in a brothel—staying the night there was even more absurd.

She vaguely remembered the events of the previous night. Apart from scolding the young maid, she didn’t think she had done anything inappropriate.

Rubbing her aching forehead, Lin Aoxue got out of bed and stepped outside.

The same young maid from last night was still waiting outside the door. Seeing Lin Aoxue awake, she gave her a cautious yet curious look before bowing her head in greeting.

Lin Aoxue cleared her throat, keeping her expression stiff, and said in an awkward, rigid tone, “I was discourteous last night.”

The maid blinked in surprise. It took her a moment to realize—Lin Aoxue was apologizing for yelling at her.

She had never encountered someone quite like Lin Aoxue before. No young master had ever apologized to a brothel maid after throwing a fit at them.

Recalling Lin Aoxue’s unusual behavior the night before, the maid suddenly felt that despite the fierce appearance, Lin Aoxue wasn’t actually a bad person. Even the mask that had once seemed terrifying now looked far less intimidating.

A small smile appeared on her face. When Lin Aoxue asked about Beichen Ji’s whereabouts, the maid quickly led her there.

Lin Aoxue yanked Beichen Ji out from under a blanket thick with the scent of perfume. Beichen Ji, startled and flustered, looked up at her in panic. Lin Aoxue’s expression was filled with murderous intent, but the woman who had spent the night beside Beichen Ji seemed utterly unbothered. As if this were a common occurrence, she made no effort to stop Lin Aoxue from dragging Beichen Ji out of Yanyu Tower.

They left without encountering Yun Yan again, bringing the chaotic affair to an end.

Not long after Lin Aoxue and Beichen Ji departed, the young maid recounted Lin Aoxue’s unexpected apology to Yun Yan. At the time, Yun Yan was idly plucking the strings of a guqin. Upon hearing the story, she chuckled.

“This Lin Aoxue is certainly an unusual person.”

***

Soon after this brief respite, winter swiftly passed. Ice and snow melted away, grass and trees began to sprout, and the spring breeze swept across every inch of Xingbei, bringing new life.

One day, the sounds of battle cries erupted outside Xingbei Pass. The wailing of war horns echoed from the city walls, resounding through the entire military camp.

A sudden attack had come from the barbarians beyond the pass. The enemy forces numbered around thirty thousand, with twenty thousand cavalry and infantry at the vanguard.

Grand General Beichen Long oversaw the defense from the city tower, issuing commands as soldiers swiftly assembled. Lin Aoxue and the others marched out of the pass, ready to meet the enemy in battle.

The archers of Feiyu Battalion fired arrows from the city walls while the enemy forces pushed through multiple ambushes outside the pass. The infantry battalions waded across the moat, engaging the barbarians in close combat.

Beichen Long did not show favoritism toward Beichen Ji despite him being his son. Instead, he assigned Beichen Ji to the battlefield just like Lin Aoxue, placing him in a unit to fight and kill the enemy.

Amidst the chaos, Lin Aoxue stood with a cold, solemn expression. Gripping her silver spear tightly, she charged into the enemy ranks with fearless ferocity. She swiftly struck at the front legs of several warhorses, causing them to collapse with pained cries. The barbarians on their backs tumbled to the ground, where Lin Aoxue wasted no time dispatching them with clean, decisive blows.

Her martial skills were exceptional, and none of the approaching enemies could get close to her. With each charge, she left behind more than twenty barbarian corpses.

By the time the first wave of combat ended, Lin Aoxue was covered in blood. Around her, the soldiers of Beichen’s army had suffered heavy losses—at least several hundred had fallen.

As the barbarian forces launched their second charge, Lin Aoxue was quickly swallowed by the surging battle lines. No matter how skilled she was, she was still only one person. The most she could do was fight off the enemies within a few meters of herself.

War, in any era and under any circumstances, was always brutal. As the battle cries grew louder and the bodies piled up, the barbarian numbers dwindled—but so did Beichen’s troops, one after another falling to the ground.

Blood splattered across the battlefield, staining the eyes of the soldiers red. Amidst the chaos, Lin Aoxue spotted Beichen Ji struggling against two barbarian warriors. His martial skills were mediocre, and after just a few exchanges, he was already at a disadvantage.

One of the barbarians slashed his blade across Beichen Ji’s arm. His face went deathly pale as he clenched his teeth, retaliating with a backward stroke that slit the attacker’s throat. However, he was completely drained—his steps wavered, and his grip on his sword faltered.

The remaining barbarian warrior seized the opportunity, raising his broadsword for a fatal strike aimed directly at Beichen Ji’s head!

Not far away, Platoon Leader Chen Er saw the danger. However, instead of stepping in to help, he hesitated, fearing he might be dragged into the fight. Instead, he quickly backed away, putting distance between himself and Beichen Ji, pretending not to see anything and washing his hands of the matter.

Lin Aoxue’s rage flared, but she had no time to deal with Chen Er. She dodged an incoming blade, her spear flashing as it sliced through an enemy’s throat. Then, with a leap, she sprang off the barbarian’s shoulder and rushed toward Beichen Ji.

Beichen Ji, exhausted and half-blinded by the blood in his eyes, only felt a cold wind against his face. He didn’t even see the blade that was about to take his life.

At the critical moment, a sharp clang rang out as metal clashed against metal. A powerful force knocked Beichen Ji backward. When he finally forced his eyes open, he saw Lin Aoxue standing before him, her silver spear piercing through the barbarian who had been about to kill him.

His heart pounded wildly in his chest, the shock of his near-death experience overwhelming him.

Lin Aoxue pulled her spear free, and the barbarian’s corpse collapsed to the ground with a dull thud. Just as she turned to find Chen Er, she saw him being cut down from behind by a barbarian warrior in his panicked retreat.

Chen Er let out a miserable scream as he fell, but Lin Aoxue’s keen eyes immediately noticed that the wound was shallow—it hadn’t hit anything vital. He was faking his death to escape the battle!

Lin Aoxue scoffed coldly and strode forward. With a few swift movements, she dispatched the barbarian. Then, as if by accident, she let the barbarian’s corpse fall directly onto Chen Er’s body.

Without hesitation, she thrust her spear downward. The tip easily penetrated the dead barbarian’s armor—and drove straight through Chen Er’s back.

Still panting heavily, Beichen Ji hurried to Lin Aoxue’s side just in time to see her pulling her bloodstained spear free. His nerves were still rattled from the fight, and he didn’t even notice the extra body buried beneath the barbarian’s corpse.

Chen Er never had the chance to cry for help. He never expected Lin Aoxue to strike so decisively. Without a sound, his life was snuffed out.