Too many female prisoners, a special forces soldier transmigrates and marries wildly.

"A woman?" Lin Feng frowned.

In border regions, ordinary women rarely appear in the wild, let alone be brought back by patrolling soldiers.

"They said they found her near 'Ghost Cry Forest,' about twenty miles south of 'Wild Horse Beach.' The woman was unconscious in the snow, with a horse beside her, already dead. Her clothes didn't resemble those of the Di Rong people, nor those of ordinary border residents, but rather... she seemed to be from the south of the pass, and appeared to have practiced martial arts, as she had injuries. Wang Laonian and his men didn't dare to act on their own, so they brought her back. She's currently on duty at the city gate and hasn't woken up yet."

Ghost Cry Forest? That's a place deeper into the territory of the Di Rong. How could a woman from within the Great Wall be there alone? And injured?

"Let's go take a look." Lin Feng took the lead and walked towards the city gate.

Inside the gatehouse, a brazier was burning, making it much warmer than outside.

Inside the room, on a simple wooden bed, lay a person covered with an old soldier's fur coat.

Lin Feng approached. On the bed was a young woman, who looked to be about eighteen or nineteen years old. She had beautiful features, and even though her face was pale, her lips were bloodless, and her brows were slightly furrowed in her sleep, she still exuded a refined and elegant temperament.

She wore a light green, close-fitting outfit made of fine Suzhou silk, but it was torn in many places and stained with mud and snow. A leather belt was tied around her waist, from which hung an empty dart pouch and a sheathed short sword. The thick calluses on the web of her right hand indicated that she was indeed a martial artist.

Moreover, the left shoulder of the clothing was torn, and the traces of bandaging were faintly visible, with dark red seepage.

"Have you examined your injuries? Do you have anything on you that can identify you?" Lin Feng asked the old military doctor standing guard beside him.

The old medic shook his head: "Reporting to the garrison commander, I have only taken a cursory look. It's an arrow wound in the shoulder. The arrowhead has been removed, but the bandage is very rough. He lost a lot of blood, and coupled with the cold and hunger, that's why he fainted. He has nothing on him except this short sword and an empty dart pouch."

A woman with a Guannei accent, alone, with an arrow wound, appearing on the edge of the Di Rong's territory... Lin Feng's doubts deepened.

"Give her some mild medicine to wake her up first. Take good care of her, but also be cautious. If she wakes up, report to me immediately," Lin Feng instructed.

He then told Han Tao, "Send two more people to look after her openly and keep a close eye on her secretly. Before we find out her background, she is not allowed to move around freely or have contact with anyone else."

"Yes."

Back at the garrison headquarters, Lin Feng lost his appetite. The woman's appearance was suspicious. Was she a wandering swordsman who had unexpectedly fallen on hard times? Or was she someone with ulterior motives? Perhaps… she was connected to Feng Kun or Di Rong?

He unfolded the map again, pointing to the location of "Ghost Cry Forest." It wasn't far from the Black Wolf Tribe's traditional autumn and winter pastures. How could a woman from within the Great Wall have ended up there?

As evening fell, a guard came to report that the woman had woken up.

Lin Feng returned to the guard post at the city gate.

The woman had half-sat up, leaning against the wall, wrapped in a fur coat. Her face was still pale, but her eyes were open. They were a pair of extremely beautiful almond-shaped eyes, now filled with wariness, weakness, and a forced composure as she looked at Lin Feng who had entered.

"Who are you?" Lin Feng asked directly, stopping a few steps away from the bed. His tone was calm, but his gaze was sharp as a knife, taking in all her subtle reactions.

The woman gasped for breath, her voice slightly hoarse, yet carrying the soft, gentle accent characteristic of the Jiangnan water towns: "My name is Xie Wanqing. Thank you for saving my life, sir."

As she spoke, she tried to get up and bow, but the movement aggravated her wound, causing her to groan and break out in a cold sweat.

"Miss Xie, there's no need for such formality." Lin Feng raised his hand in a gesture of apology. "Where are you from? Why are you alone in Ghost Cry Forest? And how were you injured?"

Xie Wanqing lowered her eyes, her long, thick eyelashes casting shadows on her pale face. After a moment of silence, she whispered:

"I am a woman from Hangzhou Prefecture in Jiangnan. My family runs a silk business. A month ago, I traveled north with my uncle's caravan to Shuofeng City to sell goods. Unexpectedly... when we reached the northern border, we encountered bandits. The caravan was scattered, and I was separated from my uncle. In the chaos, I fled on horseback, lost and wandered into the wilderness... The day before yesterday, we encountered a pack of wolves. My mount was injured and died, and I was shot in the shoulder with an arrow. I barely managed to hold on until last night before losing consciousness. Fortunately, the soldiers rescued me."

She spoke at a measured pace, clearly and logically, but when she talked about encountering bandits and being separated from her family, her eyes would well up with tears, making her look pitiful.

A merchant girl from Jiangnan? Encountering bandits? Lin Feng remained calm.

This argument sounds reasonable at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it is full of loopholes.

"Oh? May I ask Miss Xie's uncle's name? What is the name of his business? What kind of silks does he sell? And which merchant is he dealing with in Shuofeng City?" Lin Feng asked a series of questions, his tone remaining calm.

Xie Wanqing seemed to have been prepared, answering fluently: "My uncle, Xie Huai'an, runs the business 'Jinxiu Manor,' which mainly deals in Hangzhou silk and Huzhou crepe this time. The company he's in contact with in Shuofeng City is 'Qin Ji Goods Store.'"

She looked up at Lin Feng, her eyes filled with just the right amount of pleading and helplessness.

"Sir, everything I have said is true. I beg you to have mercy and find a way to send a message to Qin's Goods Store in Shuofeng City, or... tell me my uncle's whereabouts. I will be eternally grateful, and my family will surely reward you handsomely."

Qin's Goods Storehouse? The Qin family? Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat. This woman actually knew about the Qin family? Was it a coincidence, or intentional?

"I have heard of Qin's Goods Store." Lin Feng remained noncommittal.

"However, this place is more than 300 li away from the north wind, and the heavy snow has blocked the roads, making it difficult to send messages. Miss Xie is injured and should not travel. It would be better for her to rest and recuperate in the city first, and make further plans when her injury has improved and the roads are clear."

A fleeting hint of anxiety flashed in Xie Wanqing's eyes, but she quickly concealed it, lowering her head and saying meekly, "I will leave it all to your arrangements, sir. However... I feel uneasy about disturbing the army."

"It's alright. The border town is simple, Miss Xie, please make do."

After Lin Feng finished speaking, he said to the old military doctor guarding the door, "Take good care of Miss Xie's injuries. Provide her with food and drink according to the regulations for wounded soldiers." He then winked at Han Tao.

The two walked out of the guardhouse, and Han Tao whispered, "Guard, this woman..."

"Its origins are suspicious," Lin Feng said in a deep voice.

"What she said is not entirely true. The Qin family... she specifically mentioned the Qin family; I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse. Keep a close eye on her; if she makes any unusual moves, report to me immediately. Also, send someone to Shuofeng to inquire whether the Qin family has any caravans heading north, and whether they have a manager named Xie Huai'an and a niece named Xie Wanqing. However, the roads are difficult in the snow, and it will take some time for a reply."