MY PRINCE HUSBAND HAS SEVEN WIVES AND I AM HIS FAVOURITE!
Chapter 34: Finish what we started

Chapter 34: Finish what we started

Zhao Yan said, his voice low and commanding.

Hua Jing and Xia Lin exchanged worried glances but did as he said.

The hooves grew louder, the rhythm steady and deliberate.

Zhao Yan’s face darkened, his hand instinctively moving to the hilt of his sword.

He took a defensive stance, his sharp gaze fixed on the direction of the approaching sound.

"Your Highness?" Xia Lin whispered, her voice trembling.

"Who... Who is it?"

Zhao Yan didn’t answer immediately, his mind racing.

If the ambush had been planned, it was likely that whoever had attacked wasn’t finished yet.

He clenched his jaw, his grip tightening on his sword.

"Stay alert," he said finally, his voice hard.

The hooves grew closer, and the tension in the air became almost unbearable.

Hua Jing shifted the weight of the maid on her back, her own nerves fraying.

"Zhao Yan," she said softly, her voice barely audible over the pounding hooves.

"What if they’re here to finish what they started?"

The distant sound of hooves grew louder, reverberating through the cold night air.

Zhao Yan’s face was grim, his thoughts spinning.

"This wasn’t just any ambush," he muttered under his breath, more to himself than anyone else.

Hua Jing, standing close beside him, caught his words and nodded, her eyes narrowed.

"You’re thinking it too, aren’t you?" she asked.

Zhao Yan turned to her briefly, his sharp gaze piercing through the smoke that still lingered in the air.

"Thinking what?"

"That someone on the inside orchestrated this."

Zhao Yan didn’t respond immediately, but his jaw tightened, and his eyes flickered with the truth of her statement.

"This place is hidden," he finally said.

"Few know about it. No one outside the royal family or trusted generals should have this information."

Hua Jing nodded, her expression dark.

"And yet, someone does."

The hoofbeats grew louder, breaking the tense silence between them.

Both of them turned toward the approaching sound.

The moonlight was weak, its light blurred by the falling snow, but they could make out the silhouettes of two riders.

Zhao Yan instinctively stepped forward, placing himself in front of Hua Jing and Xia Lin, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword.

"Stay behind me," he ordered, his voice low and commanding.

Hua Jing glanced at him, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"I can take care of myself," she murmured, but she didn’t argue further.

As the horses came closer, Zhao Yan’s hand tightened around his sword.

The figures finally came into view, and Zhao Yan’s tense posture relaxed slightly.

"It’s Wei Ling and Deng Mi," Hua Jing whispered, recognizing their faces.

Relief pooled through her, though her heart still raced.

Wei Ling dismounted first, rushing over with urgency.

"Your Highness!" he called, his voice breathless.

"We’re here to take you to the hidden spot."

Deng Mi followed close behind, bowing as he spoke.

"Is anyone hurt?"

Zhao Yan shook his head, though his pale face betrayed his inner turmoil.

"No one is hurt," he said flatly.

"And no one has been left behind."

Hua Jing’s gaze softened as she looked at Zhao Yan. She knew he wasn’t just talking about the people he’d saved—he was talking about her, too.

Wei Ling nodded firmly.

"We’ve brought two horses back," Wei Ling announced, his voice steady despite the tension in the air.

"The rest of the servants have been safely escorted to the temporary shelter."

Zhao Yan’s sharp gaze swept over the group gathered around him. The fire crackled faintly in the background, its embers slowly dying beneath the falling snow.

His eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. He counted quickly—himself, Hua Jing, Xia Lin, the unconscious maid, Wei Ling, and Deng Mi.

Six people.

Zhao Yan turned to Wei Ling. "Two horses won’t cover all of us," he said firmly.

"Only two people at a time can ride. That means someone will have to stay behind."

Hua Jing immediately stepped forward, determination written all over her face.

"Xia Lin can take my place," she said quickly.

"She’s injured and can’t walk. The maid I saved needs to be checked too. Let them go first. I’ll stay behind."

Zhao Yan’s eyes darkened as he turned to her.

"How can I let you do that?" he asked, his voice low.

"That’s not for you to decide," Hua Jing retorted.

Her tone was resolute as she crossed her arms.

"I’ve already made up my mind. These two need medical attention. I’m perfectly capable of walking."

Wei Ling glanced between the two, his brows furrowed in frustration.

"I assumed two horses would be enough," he admitted, bowing his head slightly.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. I didn’t think everything through."

Zhao Yan shook his head, his expression softening slightly.

"You couldn’t have known," he said evenly.

"This is the situation now. We deal with it."

He straightened and turned to Wei Ling.

"Take Xia Lin and the maid. Bring them to the shelter. Once they’re safe, come back for us. Hua Jing and I will start walking toward the shelter. You’ll meet us halfway."

Wei Ling’s jaw tightened. "But, Your Highness—"

"Take them," Zhao Yan said sharply.

"It’s an order."

Reluctantly, Wei Ling nodded.

"Yes, Your Highness," he said quietly.

Deng Mi and Wei Ling hoisted Xia Lin onto one of the horses and the unconscious maid onto the other.

As they prepared to leave, Xia Lin turned to Hua Jing, her face pale but determined.

"Lady Hua," she called out, her voice trembling.

"Promise me you’ll meet us at the shelter."

Hua Jing smiled faintly, waving her off.

"I promise," she said lightly.

"I’m not planning to die out here!"

Xia Lin’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears as the horses began to move.

The sound of their hooves faded into the distance, leaving Hua Jing and Zhao Yan alone in the snow-covered courtyard.

Zhao Yan exhaled deeply, watching as his breath misted in the cold air. He turned to Hua Jing, his gaze sharp.

"You’re always so reckless!"

Hua Jing rolled her eyes,

Oh! He has started!