Shao Mingyuan felt as if a thunderbolt had exploded in his mind, blasting him to pieces, destroying both body and soul.

“General—” The two personal guards looked at Shao Mingyuan with worry.

While the world didn’t know, they understood most clearly how much the general cared for Miss Li.

Shao Mingyuan quickly regained his composure and asked expressionlessly: “Where is Chen Guang? Tell him to get back here and see me!”

Chen Guang, who had rushed over, fell to his knees before Shao Mingyuan with a thud.

“I don’t want to hear irrelevant matters wasting time. Tell me the current progress!”

“This humble officer traced it to a private residence with several corpses inside and signs of fighting—”

Before Chen Guang could finish, Shao Mingyuan snatched his horse and rode away in a cloud of dust.

The dark mass of buildings on both sides of the street swept past like ghosts, and the cool wind blowing against Shao Mingyuan’s cheeks kept his mind exceptionally clear.

Signs of fighting meant another group had intervened and taken Zhaozhao away. Among those who could find that place so quickly and take Zhaozhao away, he could only think of one person: Jinlin Guards Commander Jiang Yuanchao.

The sound of carriage wheels approached from far away, particularly clear in the empty night.

Shao Mingyuan pulled the reins and stopped in front of the carriage.

“My lord, there’s someone ahead.” The driver turned to report to Jiang Yuanchao.

Jiang Yuanchao lifted the carriage curtain. Under the starlight, he could vaguely make out the person’s silver armor, and a faint smell of blood drifted from the direction where that person had stopped.

“Stop the carriage.” Jiang Yuanchao gave the order.

The carriage immediately stopped.

“Is Lord Jiang inside?” came the young man’s low, hoarse voice.

Inside the carriage, Qiao Zhao suddenly opened her eyes wide and uncontrollably grabbed Jiang Yuanchao’s clothing.

Jiang Yuanchao looked down at her and sighed softly: “Don’t be anxious.”

He gently put Qiao Zhao down, lifted the carriage curtain, and stepped out, smiling faintly in the night: “I didn’t expect to encounter the Marquis here at this time.”

“No, I came looking for Lord Jiang.” Shao Mingyuan dropped this sentence and strode toward the carriage.

Jiang Yuanchao reached out to stop him, the corners of his lips slightly raised: “Isn’t the Marquis being too hasty? This carriage is, after all, my private property.”

Shao Mingyuan clenched his fists tightly and forcefully pushed away Jiang Yuanchao’s hand.

All that composed grace when facing enemies was gone. For the current Shao Mingyuan, he didn’t care about losing face or being reckless—he only wanted to confirm her safety.

Jiang Yuanchao hadn’t expected Shao Mingyuan to act this way and was caught off guard, stumbling back.

Shao Mingyuan abruptly lifted the carriage curtain.

“Tingquan, I’m fine.” Qiao Zhao smiled at him slightly.

In that instant, Shao Mingyuan felt like he had come back to life, hearing his heartbeat again.

“Zhaozhao—”

“Marquis, you’d better not move her.”

Shao Mingyuan looked toward Jiang Yuanchao.

“She’s covered in wounds right now and probably can’t withstand your handling.” Jiang Yuanchao reminded him indifferently.

Hearing Jiang Yuanchao say that Qiao Zhao was covered in wounds, Shao Mingyuan’s expression changed drastically as he suddenly looked at Qiao Zhao.

“Let’s talk about it when we get home.” Qiao Zhao struggled to lift her hand and tugged at Shao Mingyuan’s hand.

“Alright, let’s go home.” Shao Mingyuan gently lifted Qiao Zhao into his arms.

“Marquis, I’ll lend you this carriage.” Jiang Yuanchao glanced at Qiao Zhao and turned to instruct the driver, “Take them to Xingzi Alley.”

After saying this, Jiang Yuanchao cupped his hands toward Shao Mingyuan and turned to stride away.

The vermillion-colored figure gradually merged into the night, as if it had never appeared.

The carriage slowly moved, and the two people in the carriage looked at each other.

Shao Mingyuan reached out to touch Qiao Zhao’s face, his hand trembling continuously.

“Zhaozhao, I came too late. I’m sorry, truly sorry.”

“Shao Mingyuan, it hurts a little—” Qiao Zhao moved slightly, her cheek pressed against his cold silver armor, tears quietly flowing down from the corners of her eyes.

“Let me see.” Shao Mingyuan grabbed Qiao Zhao’s hand and saw her fingernails had turned purple-blue. His eyes filled with tears as large teardrops rolled down, falling on Qiao Zhao’s face.

Loyalty and righteousness couldn’t coexist; family and nation couldn’t coexist. At this moment, Shao Mingyuan deeply hated himself.

“Those bastards!” Each word Shao Mingyuan uttered seemed tempered with his heart’s blood, causing him unbearable pain.

How much pain his Zhaozhao must have endured. He would rather this pain fall on him a thousand times over than have his beloved girl suffer even the slightest bit. But when she was suffering, he wasn’t there—it was another man who protected her.

“I deserve to die!” Shao Mingyuan viciously slapped himself.

“How did you come back?” Qiao Zhao moved her lips, her voice barely audible.

Shao Mingyuan lowered his head to kiss Qiao Zhao’s temple, the stubble on his chin brushing against her tender cheek: “When you’ve recovered, we’ll talk about it slowly.”

He reached to lift Qiao Zhao’s wide sleeves, but Qiao Zhao shook her head: “Don’t look.”

Shao Mingyuan pressed his thin lips tightly together and firmly lifted Qiao Zhao’s sleeve.

On the girl’s snow-white arm, whip marks crisscrossed, raised high and still seeping blood, unbearable to look at.

Shao Mingyuan closed his eyes, then, after a moment, forced himself to open them again, slowly lowering her sleeve.

“Was it because of that string of prayer beads?”

Qiao Zhao nodded lightly.

At this moment, Shao Mingyuan’s eyes seemed to brew a storm, deep and cold, no longer carrying his usual clear moonlight demeanor.

“Those people will regret it!” Shao Mingyuan uttered these words one by one, as if draining all his strength.

How those people fared didn’t matter, but he felt regret and fear.

He had almost lost her again. If that had happened, what meaning would all his efforts have?

While he was fighting the enemy with all his might, his fiancée was suffering endless torture…

“Tingquan, don’t blame yourself.” Qiao Zhao smiled at Shao Mingyuan. “This isn’t your fault…”

Shao Mingyuan shook his head: “No, I’m your man. If I didn’t protect you well, how could it not be my fault?”

His throat kept turning sweet, and Shao Mingyuan swallowed the hot blood rising: “Zhaozhao, once your injuries heal, let’s get married. I won’t entrust you to anyone else’s protection again.”

Seeing that Qiao Zhao didn’t answer, Shao Mingyuan smiled self-mockingly: “Zhaozhao, you can also consider it carefully. Someone like me really can’t be considered a qualified husband. Following me, you’ll suffer a lot.”

“Fool.”

“What did you say?”

“I said you’re a fool. Don’t you think I know these things you’re saying? When I married you that time, I already knew.”

“Then let’s get married immediately.” Shao Mingyuan showed hopeful eyes.

“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”

Shao Mingyuan looked at Qiao Zhao silently, confused and anxious.

Qiao Zhao sighed lightly: “My second uncle died. It wouldn’t be appropriate to hold a wedding immediately.”

Shao Mingyuan had ridden through the night for a thousand li to rush back and hadn’t had time to ask about the whole story. Hearing that Li Guangshu was dead, he couldn’t help but be startled. Looking at Qiao Zhao’s haggard appearance, he couldn’t bear to ask more and had to temporarily suppress all his doubts.

The carriage stopped, and the driver’s voice came: “Marquis, we’ve arrived at Xingzi Alley. This humble one will only send you this far.”

Shao Mingyuan got out of the carriage carrying Qiao Zhao and headed straight for the Li residence.