Good news came from the border: the Lin family army had successively captured dozens of enemy cities. Lin Moran, the daughter of the Lin family, was brave and skilled in battle, always leading from the front and holding the pass single-handedly. Her abilities were no less than those of men, and she was known as the "Iron Lady" on the border. The enemy was terrified of her and no one could rival her.
This war lasted for ten years. The once straightforward young girls, tempered by the years, had long since become mature and valiant female generals, commanding respect and commanding respect on the battlefield. The ruthless fighting of the battlefield left the girls with experience and growth.
Ten years later, the Lin family army returned victorious, enjoying unparalleled glory. General Lin was bestowed the title of "Prince Liezhang," becoming the only non-royal prince after the founding of Tiansheng. His only daughter, Lin Moran, was bestowed the title of "Princess Yingmin," receiving immense power and honor—a favor unmatched by any woman in Tiansheng's history.
All these honors were earned by Lin Moran through her own hard work and abilities, bearing the blood of her enemies and her own.
No matter how glamorous a woman may be, it is not the most important thing to her parents. General Lin only has one daughter, and if he had a choice, he would prefer his daughter to be an ordinary person and live a simple, happy life as a wife and mother.
But Lin Moran ultimately missed the best years of her youth. When they tried to arrange a marriage for her again after she returned to the capital, she was already twenty-two years old. Some people secretly mocked her behind her back, calling her "the old woman of Tiansheng".
A woman's strength can be a burden for men. Many men still want to marry into the General's Mansion, but before they even enter the gates, Lin Moran sends them packing.
The man kicked out of the General's Mansion today was the 38th suitor to come this month. They all met the same end: they were all reprimanded and driven away by Lin Moran.
"You dare to marry me? Don't you even know what kind of people you are? You're all too weak to even lift a chicken, unable to carry anything. I, Lin Moran, will never marry a piece of trash. If you want to marry into the General's Mansion, you should at least know your place."
Inside the general's mansion, Lin Moran stood upright at the entrance, holding a long spear. A crescent-shaped mask covered her right cheek. Her expression was cold and stern, and the wisps of hair on her forehead fluttered in the wind, adding to her imposing and heavy aura.
She was no longer an ordinary young lady. Most men standing in front of her were intimidated by her aura and were not even worthy of standing beside her.
The man who came to propose marriage today is a newly appointed top scholar in the imperial examination. He is quite talented, but unfortunately, his family has fallen on hard times. He wants to make a name for himself in the officialdom, but without the support of his family, it is extremely difficult.
He reluctantly got up from the ground, angrily saying, "I am the newly appointed top scholar, one of the most outstanding young men in Shengjing. I am even five or six years younger than you. To be with an old woman from Tiansheng like you, who is overestimating themselves? You're just a reckless woman who shouts for battle all day long. Do you really think you're so desirable? If it weren't for the power of the General's Mansion, do you think..."
"Shut up."
"You're useless, yet you keep talking. I think you deserve a beating." Lin Moran picked up his gun and was about to rush out the door.
The newly crowned champion's expression changed. Overwhelmed by the powerful aura, his legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground.
He yelled, "What man would dare marry a crazy woman like you? I bet no one will ever want you!"
Lin Moran was repeatedly provoked: "None of your business..."
Just as she was about to make her move, a male voice suddenly rang out: "Who says no one dares to marry me? I will! I beg you to promise to marry me as your wife. We will be husband and wife, never to be separated."
An Huishou approached gracefully, dressed in a simple blue outfit, yet his noble air and confidence were undeniable. As Lin Moran watched An Huishou walk closer, he was momentarily reminded of the young man from years ago.
She was still young then, and she would always follow him around, calling out, "Look back, look back, I've learned a new set of boxing techniques, come and spar with me!"
At that time, Lin Moran was still young and girlish; she wasn't really interested in competing in martial arts. Her real purpose was simply to see him.
Lin Moran felt that she was truly fearless back then, doing what she liked without considering anything else. But now, things have changed, and how can everything remain the same?
The disheveled top scholar on the ground was worlds apart from An Huishou, one of the two most outstanding scholars in Tiansheng. He felt ashamed of himself; compared to An Huishou, he was indeed nothing.
The newlywed scholar got up and slunk away.
An Huai stepped over the threshold of the General's Mansion and walked slowly toward Lin Moran.
"The troublesome person has left. Miss Lin, would you be willing to discuss our matters with me?"
Lin Moran noticed that, with the passage of time, the man in front of her had become even more shameless than before.
As Ke An drew closer, Lin Moran's long-dormant heart began to pound uncontrollably. It seemed as if it were beating only for him.
Lin Moran took a few steps back, forcing himself to speak: "Is there anything we can talk about?"
After returning from the battlefield, An Huaishou visited Lin Moran's home multiple times with invitations and even went to great lengths to propose marriage, but was rejected each time.
Lin Moran seemed to be avoiding him, and was reluctant to see him.
Since she wouldn't see him, An Huaishou had no choice but to go see him herself. Either way, she couldn't avoid it.
An Hui thought back to the past. It was his fault back then. She was the one who pursued him. Now, it's better to turn things around.
He suddenly changed his pace and approached unexpectedly, saying with some grievance, "Back when we parted, Miss Lin stole my first kiss, disturbing my soul and appearing in my dreams every midnight. Now, is Miss Lin planning to abandon me after taking advantage of me?"
Looking back, An seemed to think that Lin Moran was truly a wicked woman who had abandoned her husband and refused to return home.
"What...what nonsense are you talking about?" Lin Moran was speechless. This man was eloquent, and she, who was not good with words, was never a match for him.
An Huishou put away her teasing tone and said seriously, "Back then, I was blind and didn't know that the person in front of me was the one I loved. These years of separation and longing have been painful. I now know my own feelings. Please, Miss Lin, forgive me and give me another chance."
An Huaishou spoke sincerely; he was always a man of his word and would never play games with matters of marriage.
Lin Moran looked at her, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears. She had waited over ten years for that person's true love, and finally...
God knows how much she liked him, and only him.
Lin Moran looked up, forcing back her tears. She wouldn't allow herself to be vulnerable right now.
Can she ever go back? She was already unworthy of him before, and now she's even less worthy. Lin Moran felt as if half her face beneath the crescent mask was burning.
She adopted the most offensive tone and said, "Lord An is a powerful and influential figure in Shengjing, the kind of husband that women in Shengjing most want to marry. I am just an old woman from Tiansheng, a cursed lone star, a woman no one wants. How could I possibly be a match for Lord An?"
An Huaishou frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with Lin Moran's words about him.
"Looking back, I am already twenty-three years old. In Shengjing, I am already an old man. If you are an old woman, you would be a perfect match for me. We are a match made in heaven."
Lin Moran was furious: "How can a man's age be compared to a woman's? This is sophistry!"
Age is always exceptionally forgiving towards men. An Huishou, at twenty-three, still has girls of thirteen or fourteen willing to marry him. But for women of that age, in Tiansheng, they are undoubtedly old maids.
An Huishou continued, "It's my fault, Huishou. I should have married you sooner, instead of waiting until today. If there's any mistake, it's my fault..."
An Huaishou took all the blame upon himself. Lin Moran was filled with mixed emotions as she looked at him like this. She had risked her life several times on the battlefield and thought she would never come back. She dared not imagine that this day would come.
This man was the one she had her eye on at first sight back then. Subconsciously, Lin Moran also felt that the two of them were mismatched no matter how you looked at it.
He was the pride of heaven, the most favored minister of the emperor, while she, despite her military achievements, was just a wild girl.
Knowing An Huishou's insistence, Lin Moran quickly made a decision and shouted, "Even if you are Yuan'er's brother, I will treat you the same as everyone else. You should know my rules. The person I marry must be someone who can defeat me."
Ten years of battlefield experience had mellowed the naiveté of the female general before her; her martial arts skills had greatly improved, and few could rival her. While An Huaishou had excelled in civil administration and strategy over the years, Lin Moran was confident of victory in martial arts. She wanted to discourage An Huaishou from pursuing her goals.
An Huishou didn't hesitate for long: "Mo Ran is naturally worthy of the most valiant and skilled man in the world, and I naturally cannot make an exception. I apologize."
In the blink of an eye, both men were decisive and soon began to fight.
As soon as they started fighting, Lin Moran realized that things were not as she had expected. After dozens of moves, she had not gained the upper hand.
"How could you? I've heard you've rarely used force in recent years?" Lin Moran was very surprised.
Lin Moran learned deadly moves on the battlefield, but she naturally couldn't use them on An Huishou. She had her concerns, which gave An Huishou the opportunity.
With a few quick moves, An Huishou's sword was already aimed directly at Lin Moran.
"Mo Ran has admired great heroes since childhood, so I naturally cannot neglect martial arts. Looking back, I am probably not worthy of being called a hero, but I am willing to make this my own world for Lin Moran. You have lost. Lin Moran, you can't escape now."
This marriage proposal, ten years late, shows that when you truly meet the right person and find love, it's never too late.
During the fight, Lin Moran's crescent-shaped mask fell off, revealing a long, gruesome scar on the right side of her face.
Having faced life and death on the battlefield, these were hardly injuries; simply surviving was a blessing. Lin Moran had never cared about this scar, but a woman's pride lies in the one she loves. An Huaishou was none other than the only man Lin Moran had ever truly cared for.
Lin Moran only cared about the opinions of the people in front of him.
She covered her right cheek in distress, not wanting An Huaishou to see: "I was never a beauty, and now I'm even uglier. If I walk down the street with you, you'll become a laughingstock. People will say that An Huaishou, one of the two most handsome men, married an ugly woman. How will you face them in Shengjing?"
Lin Moran couldn't accept any criticism of An Huishou. His life should be a bright and upright one, without any stains.
An looked back at the girl in front of him quietly, his eyes not daring to look away. At first, he was a little surprised, and then he suddenly smiled.
"I thought it was something serious. Would Lin Moran, who fears nothing, be afraid of this scar?"
"In my heart, this scar has never faded Mo Ran's beauty. The years have given Mo Ran a beauty that no other woman can replace. Lin Mo Ran, in my heart, you are unique. I have won against you, and you cannot deny it; you can only be my wife."
Lin Moran had considered a thousand possible answers. She was afraid that An Huishou would show even the slightest hint of disdain in his eyes, and she would care. But he didn't show any of that; he still wanted to marry her.
"fool!"
"An Huaishou is a complete idiot!"
Lin Moran didn't want An Hui to see her tears, so she fled in a panic.
Lin Moran thought that she wouldn't feel bad if she was wronged, but why did she feel so distressed when he was wronged in the slightest?
It turns out that after all these years, she still only loves him.
*
In the following months, fewer and fewer people came to the General's Mansion to propose marriage because of Lin Moran's resistance. However, the only one who kept coming to propose marriage despite being turned away time and time again was An Huaishou.
I failed six times before, and with these six more, that makes a total of twelve.
People gossiped, saying that Princess Yingmin was overestimating herself and had poor taste, not even liking Lord An, so what man in the world could catch her eye? Faced with public opinion, An Huai took the first step to calm it down, saying that he was happy with everything he had done, and there was no need for outsiders to comment.
An Huaishou knew that Lin Moran had a knot in her heart. He knew her and understood her. An Huaishou, who was always good at weighing things and keeping himself at ease, took the initiative to go to Beifeng Valley to kill the Canglang King. The injury on Lin Moran's face back then was caused by him.
The Wolf King didn't fare well either. He was poisoned by the cold poison when he fought Lin Moran, so he goes to Beifeng Valley every June to seek medicine. This was the perfect opportunity to kill him.
However, Beifeng Valley is a treacherous place, and many people have gone there and never returned. An Huaishou is a smart man, and he knows this better than anyone else. Yet, for the first time, he acted impulsively.
He wanted revenge for her. How could he forgive the person who hurt him? He would take her life.
By the time Lin Moran learned of this news, An Huaishou had already been gone for several days. She chased after her frantically, muttering, "You big idiot, don't you even value your life?"
"She doesn't want revenge, she just wants him to be alright."
Even after becoming Princess Yingmin and achieving great military exploits, Lin Moran still only wanted to be the little girl who followed An Huaishou back then, admiring him and liking him. Her resolute heart softened only for one person.
Lin Moran searched for a long time in Beifeng Valley, for three whole days, and finally she found the corpse of the Wolf King. He was badly wounded, and blood was everywhere. Beside him lay An Huishou, who was on the verge of death and unconscious.
Lin Moran rushed towards An Huishou, finally unable to hold back, and cried out loudly: "Huishou, I was wrong. I, Lin Moran, have always dreamed of marrying you. Don't die, don't leave me."
This is Lin Moran's true heart, which has never changed in ten years.
As Lin Moran cried out in anguish, An Huishou slowly opened his eyes. He gently stroked the scars on Lin Moran's face and said devoutly, "Moran, the Wolf King is dead. No one can bully you anymore. Huishou will protect you forever."
Although she is an invincible "Iron Lady," there will always be a man in this world who will treat her like a little princess. In his eyes, Lin Moran is not a fearsome female general; she is simply his beloved. As her husband, he should protect her.
The lock on Lin Moran's heart was unlocked.
Once An Huishou recovers, the wedding he promised Lin Moran, which was ten years overdue, will finally take place.
It turns out that everything was predetermined. Looking back suddenly, I found that person in the dimly lit place.
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