Chapter 76 -
Chapter 76: Chapter
The peaceful sunset was completely ruined.
From the dark trees, a sharp twang echoed through the air. A long, black arrow shot straight toward Wenzhe and Su Yueqing.
"Watch out!" Wenzhe yelled. With a quick swing of his sword, he sliced the arrow in half.
At that moment, ten of the estate guards burst into the clearing. They drew their swords and rushed forward to fight the assassins. The sound of metal clashing and men shouting filled the quiet cliffside. It was a serious, dangerous battle, but Su Yueqing’s mind was running its own chaotic show.
Wenzhe stood firmly in front of Su Yueqing, blocking her from the danger. He looked back at his lead guard with a serious, commanding face. "Take the Young Madame back to the estate! Keep her safe!"
Two strong guards quickly grabbed Su Yueqing’s arms, trying to pull her away toward the safe forest path. "Young Madame, we must go now!" they urged.
"Wait! Let go of me!" Su Yueqing struggled against their grip.
Just then, Wenzhe turned his back to look at the battlefield. Another assassin, hiding high up in a tree, aimed a bow straight at him. The assassin released the string, and a fast arrow flew directly toward Wenzhe’s back.
Su Yueqing saw it happen. Her eyes went wide. She ripped her arms away from the shocked guards with surprising strength and dashed forward.
Wenzhe heard her footsteps. He turned his head, his heart stopping for a second. Is she running to shield me with her own body? he thought, a sudden wave of deep emotion hitting him. Even the assassins stopped for a split second, shocked by the sight of a noblewoman running into the line of fire.
But Su Yueqing didn’t even look at Wenzhe.
She ran right past him, diving with open arms toward the beautiful white horse that was tied to a nearby tree.
"No! My beautiful unicorn!" Su Yueqing shrieked, throwing her body protectively over the horse’s neck.
Inside her head, her inner voice was screaming in total, hysterical panic, blasting right into Wenzhe’s mind.
[OH MY GOD, NO! THEY ARE GOING TO HIT THE HORSE! She is too pure for this cruel world! Her coat is too shiny to be ruined by blood! If she dies, I have to look at Wenzhe’s annoying face every day! Protect the pretty horse at all costs!]
Everyone in the clearing froze.
The guards stopped swinging their swords. The assassins lowered their weapons in sheer confusion. Even the white horse looked slightly confused, blinking down at the woman hugging its neck.
"She... she chose the horse over her husband?" one of the guards whispered in absolute shock.
Because of the sudden distraction, Wenzhe barely had time to react to the arrow flying at him. He twisted his body at the last second. The arrow missed his chest, but it sliced sharply against his arm, tearing his dark blue sleeve and leaving a bloody cut.
"Yueqing!" Wenzhe yelled, his voice a mix of pain, anger, and utter disbelief. He had just felt a moment of romantic touching, only to realize he was less important than a horse.
Before he could even process his embarrassment, a third arrow leaped from the trees. This one was aimed directly at Su Yueqing’s exposed back as she clung to the horse.
Su Yueqing froze. She couldn’t move in time.
[Oh no, I’m dead. Nine, I’m actually dead this time!] her mind wailed.
But before the arrow could pierce her skin, a figure rushed out from the bushes. With a loud cry, the person threw herself forward and pushed Su Yueqing out of the way.
Thwack!
The arrow hit the shoulder of the person who had just saved her. They both tumbled onto the grassy ground.
Su Yueqing shook her head and looked up. To her absolute shock, the person lying on the ground, clutching a bleeding shoulder, was none other than Li Mei, the white lotus maid.
Chapter 15: The Horse is More Important (Continued)
Su Yueqing sat on the grass, her eyes wide with total shock.
"Li Mei?!" she gasped out loud, completely forgetting her cold villainess act.
The white lotus maid lay on the turf, her face pale as she clutched her bleeding shoulder. She let out a soft, painful cry, looking up at Su Yueqing with big, teary eyes.
"Y-Young Madame..." Li Mei whispered weakly, her voice trembling. "Are you... are you hurt? As long as you are safe, a servant’s life does not matter..."
But Su Yueqing was not touched. Instead, a cold wave of suspicion washed over her. She stared at the bleeding girl, her mind working fast.
[Wait a minute...] Su Yueqing’s inner voice narrowed into a sharp, questioning tone, ringing clearly in Wenzhe’s head. [How on earth did she get out of the locked woodshed? And how did she miraculously appear in the deep forest at the exact second an arrow was shot at me? What is she scheming now? Is she trying to play the tragic hero to win back Wenzhe’s heart and make me look like a monster?]
Wenzhe heard her suspicious thoughts. But as he looked down at Li Mei, his heart gave a painful, complicated tug. Despite his recent anger and doubts, he still had lingering feelings for the girl who had been by his side for so long. Seeing her bleeding out badly on the grass, his protective instincts took over.
With a look of sheer panic, Wenzhe let go of Su Yueqing and dashed straight to Li Mei’s side. He dropped to his knees, his hands shaking slightly as he hovered over her wound.
"Li Mei!" Wenzhe shouted, his voice laced with deep worry. He looked up at the shocked guards and roared, "What are you all standing there for?! Get a physician! Now! She is bleeding out!"
The guards scrambled, panic spreading through their ranks. In the chaos of the sudden rush to save the maid, the remaining assassins saw their chance. With a sudden burst of movement, most of them broke free and fled into the dark woods. Only a few were successfully pinned down and caught by the estate guards.
"Young Master! Most of them escaped into the deep forest, but we managed to capture two!" Dong Li reported, rushing over.
Wenzhe barely heard him. He pressed his hand against Li Mei’s bleeding shoulder, trying to stop the flow of blood. He looked up at Su Yueqing, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and confusion, while Su Yueqing stood a few feet away, her expression cold and guarded as she watched the dramatic scene unfold.