The General Said She Would Not Take a Wife

Chapter 10: A Clash of Opinions

Yunyan sat on the stage, smiling as she gently plucked the strings of the guqin. Below her, a group of young masters involuntarily held their breath, unsure whether it was the beauty of the music or Yunyan herself, like a painting, that made them helplessly fall into a trance.

The sound of the guqin flowed through the building, and Shang Wu, being a simple man who didn't understand the music, still appreciated the beauty of the person playing. As long as he could enjoy the sight of her, the visit was worth it.

Beichen Ji, unlike Shang Wu, had some understanding of music, though he only grasped it vaguely. As soon as the song ended, a young master stood up from the crowd and, pretending to be cultured, recited a crude poem to make the lady smile.

Yunyan smiled gently and complimented him softly: "A man of great talent, indeed." Her words made the young man beam with pride, his back straightened as if he were now above the heavens.

Beichen Ji sneered and muttered, "Hmph, what nonsense! That man's words are utterly senseless. Only Yunyan is kind enough not to embarrass him in public, but he lacks the self-awareness!"

Lin Aoxue glanced at Beichen Ji, thinking to himself that this man truly had no talent, yet Beichen Ji and this man were two peas in a pod. Who could say who was worse? It was a bit rich for him to speak so arrogantly.

Lin Aoxue rolled his eyes but didn't voice his thoughts.

After Yunyan finished the first song, she began another. However, the moment the music started, Lin Aoxue suddenly froze. His gaze locked onto the person on stage, while the sound of the guqin in his ears grew intense—golden armor and iron steeds, the clash of battle, the bloodshed of war.

This was a war song. The rhythm was fast, the melody sharp like the clash of swords and spears. The music swept through the hall, leaving the young masters dazed. Even Beichen Ji and Shang Wu were stunned by the power of the melody, their eyes wide with astonishment.

Lin Aoxue was also shocked, but for reasons different from the others.

The rhythm of the music was one she had been familiar with since childhood, and it was a piece she used to love.

Amidst the grand, forceful melody, she vaguely recalled a large, ancient courtyard. There were two stone lions at the gate, dignified and grand. On the plaque granted by Emperor Beichen, the golden characters read: "The Residence of the General Who Defends the Nation."

In the spacious courtyard, her mother sat cross-legged, playing the guqin. Her demeanor was gentle, but the music that flowed from her was bold and stirring. Her father, holding a golden spear, practiced martial arts in tune with the rhythm, summoning the might of a dragon.

It was a scene of elegance, but in the next moment, it was consumed by flames.

She had rushed into the fiery inferno, the thick smell of blood and the stench of burning flesh filling her nostrils. The scorching heat blurred her vision as she stepped over countless cold bodies, searching for her parents.

The plaque in the hall, wrapped in fiery flames, fell, blocking her path. Sparks flew, and the crimson wood splattered onto her face, hissing as it burned her skin.

That winter, near the end of the year, a beggar froze to death beside the General's residence. She escaped, changed into the beggar's rags, and threw the beggar's body into the flames, watching it turn to ash.

That incident shocked the entire capital and was recorded by the court historian.

The General, who had betrayed the nation, was secretly sentenced to annihilation. The entire family—one hundred and eighty-two people, no more, no less—perished in the fire.