That voice was too gentle—so gentle that before Luo Qing could react, her entire body plummeted down.

From horseback to the snowy ground—such a short distance felt as long as a lifetime to the falling young woman.

Yet in reality, it was far too brief.

The galloping horse, the bitter cold wind—only long after Luo Qing hit the ground did she feel the overwhelming pain.

She lay on the ground unable to move, her mind completely blank, staring blankly up at the sky.

Goose-feather snow fell from the gray sky, quickly covering her head and face.

She thought she would lose consciousness, but she didn’t. A single tear slid down from the corner of her eye.

With one less person on the horse’s back, the speed immediately increased.

Pingli gripped the reins tightly and never once looked back.

Of course he wouldn’t take Luo Qing with him.

Taking a weak woman without the strength to truss a chicken while fleeing to the ends of the earth—they would probably be captured by Adoptive Father’s people within a single day.

Once he escaped from the prison, Luo Qing had lost her usefulness as a hostage. Taking her along would only be a burden.

Throwing Luo Qing off the horse meant that when Yun Dong pursued, it would also serve to delay the pursuing soldiers.

It wasn’t that his heart was cruel—when driven to desperation, one couldn’t consider so much. Besides, with thick accumulated snow on the ground, falling from the horse wouldn’t take her life.

Thinking this, Pingli’s heart grew increasingly cold and hard as he urged the fine horse to gallop desperately forward.

The snow fell in profusion, quickly covering the traces left in the snow.

Yun Dong led a team of Jinlin Guards galloping on horseback. Suddenly, he yanked the reins and leaped down.

Seeing this, the others pulled their reins to stop.

Yun Dong walked quickly to a spot, his face showing shock. “Second Miss?”

The young woman lying in the snow was like an ice sculpture that had lost its life, showing no reaction whatsoever.

Yun Dong’s expression was extremely poor as he reached out to check Luo Qing’s breathing.

The extremely faint breath caused his expression to ease slightly. He hurriedly lifted the young woman lying in the snow horizontally into his arms.

From being lifted up to being placed on the horse’s back, Luo Qing never moved once.

Her skirt hem hung down, bearing large patches of congealed bloodstains.

Yun Dong held Luo Qing with one hand and grasped the reins with the other, instructing his subordinates, “Continue pursuing. I’ll escort Second Miss back first.”

He believed that in Adoptive Father’s heart, Second Miss’s life was more important than recapturing Pingli.

“Yes.” The team of Jinlin Guards galloped away on horseback.

Yun Dong didn’t hesitate for a moment and immediately turned his horse around, rushing back with Luo Qing.

The wind was fierce and the snow heavy. The young woman protected in his embrace felt like a block of ice, causing worry.

“Hyah—” Yun Dong continuously urged the fine horse beneath him.

The horse left deep hoofprints in the snow, which were quickly covered by the heavy snow.

The Jinlin Guard headquarters finally came into view.

Yun Dong dismounted and rushed inside carrying Luo Qing, shouting as he ran, “Call for a physician!”

Grand Marshal Luo strode out quickly. Seeing Yun Dong carrying Luo Qing, his expression changed slightly. “What happened to Qing’er?”

Yun Dong walked inward while replying, “When this child pursued him, I found Second Miss lying in the snow.”

Grand Marshal Luo instantly realized something and said furiously, “That beast! Fifth, you continue pursuing.”

He took Luo Qing from Yun Dong’s hands and strode inside.

A physician had already been waiting.

Also waiting in the room was Luo Sheng.

Silently watching the physician examine Luo Qing’s injuries, Luo Sheng walked to Grand Marshal Luo’s side and asked in a low voice, “Pingli threw my second sister off?”

With fierce wind and heavy snow, even the best horse carrying two people couldn’t run far. Pingli abandoning Luo Qing was inevitable.

It was just that even if she had warned at that time, Luo Qing wouldn’t have believed it.

Grand Marshal Luo nodded slightly, his expression extremely poor.

Angry both at Pingli’s viciousness and at Luo Qing’s foolishness.

The physician finished his treatment and walked before Grand Marshal Luo.

“How is she?” Grand Marshal Luo asked.

“Her internal organs suffered some shock and require proper recuperation. Most seriously, her left leg is broken. Combined with being frozen in the snow for a period of time, I fear—” Thinking of the flower-like young woman lying on the bed, the physician didn’t dare continue.

“Speak clearly.” Grand Marshal Luo said in a heavy voice.

The physician kept his head lowered, not daring to look at Grand Marshal Luo’s expression. “I fear she will be lame.”

Grand Marshal Luo fell into silence.

The physician bowed slightly, not even daring to breathe heavily.

After a long while, Grand Marshal Luo said calmly, “Thank you for your trouble, Physician.”

The physician repeatedly said he didn’t dare.

After the physician was led away, Grand Marshal Luo’s gaze turned toward the young woman on the bed.

Luo Qing’s eyes were tightly shut, her face deathly pale. Even in unconsciousness, her pain was still visible.

Grand Marshal Luo instructed a Jinlin Guard with a grim face, “Go request Imperial Physician Kou.”

Among the Imperial Medical Bureau, Imperial Physician Kou was most skilled at treating crushed injuries, broken bones, and trauma from falls.

Not long after the Jinlin Guard left to request the imperial physician, another Jinlin Guard hurriedly entered to report, “Grand Marshal, someone has arrived from Prince Kaiyang’s side.”

Hearing this, Grand Marshal Luo said to Luo Sheng, “Look after your second sister. I’ll go handle some official business.”

Luo Sheng curtsied slightly. “Father, please attend to your business. I’ll keep Second Sister company.”

The room was permeated with a strong medicinal smell. Luo Sheng moved a small stool over and silently kept watch at the bedside.

Luo Qing remained unconscious until Imperial Physician Kou arrived and reset her bones.

Agonized screams echoed through the room. Luo Qing was drenched in cold sweat, gasping heavily.

“Miss mustn’t move—moving will make it worse.” Imperial Physician Kou warned with a stern expression.

Luo Qing felt every inch of her bones were in pain. She didn’t even have the strength to speak.

Imperial Physician Kou finished what needed to be done and withdrew.

Luo Sheng brought a cup of hot water for Luo Qing. “Second Sister, drink some water.”

Luo Qing stared blankly, showing no reaction.

Seeing this, Luo Sheng silently set down the water cup and instructed the Jinlin Guard waiting outside the door, “Prepare a sedan chair. I’m taking Second Miss back to the Grand Marshal’s residence.”

The matter of comforting people—better to leave that to Luo Ying and Luo Yue.

She wasn’t very skilled at it, nor was she in the mood.

Soon, several Jinlin Guards carried in a litter.

“Hong Dou, carry Second Miss onto it.”

Hong Dou rolled up her sleeves and went to lift Luo Qing.

Luo Qing seemed to wake from a dream and blurted out, “Where is this?”

Hong Dou pressed her lips together. “Second Miss, are you confused? This is the Jinlin Guard headquarters.”

She had never seen Second Miss be this foolish. Running off with a man was one thing, but to be abandoned in the end!

If it were their Miss, run off with a man? Why, when forcibly bringing him home to keep was so much more convenient?

Tsk tsk, Second Miss couldn’t even compare to a single toe of their Miss.

The little maidservant looked at Luo Qing with contemptuous eyes.

Hearing Hong Dou’s words, Luo Qing’s face filled with confusion. “I… how could I be at the headquarters? I was clearly—”

The latter words cut off abruptly.

She remembered!

The wind had been strong, the flying snowflakes like blades cutting her face. She had gritted her teeth and persevered, wanting only to flee far away with the person grasping her hand.

But he had suddenly released his hand and left alone.

Taking advantage of Luo Qing’s daze, Luo Sheng gave Hong Dou a meaningful look.

Hong Dou lifted Luo Qing and carefully laid her flat on the litter, carried her out the door, placed her in the sedan chair, and headed to the Grand Marshal’s residence.

The person Grand Marshal Luo met was Shi Huo.

After Grand Marshal Luo’s incident, Wei Han had instructed the four Shi brothers to remain by Luo Sheng’s side to help. After Grand Marshal Luo was released, aside from Shi Yan who continued staying at the tavern, Luo Sheng sent the other three brothers back.

It was just that the three brothers who had grown accustomed to the tavern’s food weren’t very happy about it.