"He Xia has sent a carriage and is currently at the residence's entrance."

This was another heavy stone that pressed her scarred heart.

Pingting raised a hand, groping the wall to help her slowly stand up. She wiped her tears, her face deathly pale in the moonlight. She murmured, "I know."

Oaths must be abided.

Moran's face remained determined as he took out rope from behind his back. He tossed it to Zuiju whose face had yet to dry from the tears. He instructed, "Tie up Miss Bai." This incredible command was shockingly delivered in a very firm tone.

"Moran?"

"Miss Bai, it won't be because you didn't abide by the oath, but forced by my abduction instead." Moran's hands were firmly pressed on the sword by his waist. "I promised the Duke that as long as I exist, you must exist."

Chu Beijie had already pulled more than half a mile away from the rest of the soldiers.

He kept a close eye on the moon's movement, scratched it deep into his heart. The higher the moon rose, the heavier his heart sank towards a knife that sent his blood surging out, unstoppable, with every movement.

But the hands held the reins harder, tighter. Sweat stained his heavy armour and the cold wind did not pause in cutting his handsome face and bloodied mouth.

The moon had passed half the sky.

Had already passed half the sky.

He raised his head, looking at the mountains in the west in the distance. The snow he saw there befittingly froze at his heart and lungs.

Wait for me Pingting!

I'm willing to give up all of the blessings I've had in this life.

I beg you to wait for me this one time.

I beg for a little longer.

From now on, I will never leave your side.

From now on, even country and family affairs cannot separate us.

From now on, I promise that in Chu Beijie's eyes, the most important treasure is only Bai Pingting.

Pingting, Pingting!

I beg you to wait for me a little longer.

Chu Beijie was exhausted as he zoomed into the mountains, his horse riding as fast as it could over numerous branches and shady trees until his figure began to emerge.

Beyond the mountain forest, lay the secluded residence.

The gallops sent the snow flying at his sides as he rode.

After the gloomy forest, where only patches of moonlight were filtered through the trees to fall onto the snow, Chu Beijie could no longer smell its fragrance beyond it, just the smell of gunpowder.

I am back!

Pingting, please look up, so that I can see your figure.

I'll swap my whole life for the two hours of my lateness.

Chu Beijie's expression did not waver, his hand tightened around the sword at his waist as he encouraged the horse to move even quicker.

The horse shot out like an arrow from the dense forest.

The secluded residence finally appeared in his sight.

Fire filled the sky.

The smell of blood floated in the night sky, more chilling than the sight of actual blood.

His limbs stiffened and his heart stopped beating from that moment on.

The cruel coldness penetrated to his bones.

With one final surge of courage he rode into the residence. Piles of bones, some familiar figures, all of them were young guards.

People who had trained day and night with him, troublesome but good natured, and people not afraid of dying.

Their four limbs had been cut off and their blood had become cold.

They had no regrets on their faces and beside every guard, there were always a few corpses of the enemy soldiers.

Chu Beijie stepped on the blood-soaked ground. He had been to battlefields hundreds of times crueller than this, but had never known such a vivid colour of blood that chilled his heart like this.

Pingting, Pingting.

Where are you?

He quietly whispered in his heart, as fearing a loud voice would scare away the slightest trace of life.

In the corner of his eyes, he found Moran.

Moran had bleeding wounds everywhere and a shar arrow had pierced firmly into his right shadow, nailing him to the ground. An enemy soldier's corpse was pressed against his belly.

He was still breathing.

"Moran? Moran!" Chu Beijie kneeled down, urgently calling him.

As if waiting for Chu Beijie's voice for a long time, Moran quickly opened his eyes, which he struggled to keep open. Until he realised that it was Chu Beijie's face, his sluggishness was replaced with obvious excitement. "Duke...you finally came back..."

"What happened? Where's Pingting?" His voice was solemn, "Where is Pingting?"

He stared at Moran, his sharp eyes were now trembling timidly. It seemed that just one word from Moran's quivering mouth was enough to cause the heavens and earth to crack.

"He Xia took her away." Moran breathed rapidly, twisting his face. He closed his eyes and summoned his remaining strength before opening them wide. He spat out, "Chase after them!"

Chu Beijie immediately stood up and rushed out of the entrance.

He was greeted by Chen Mu and their fastest subordinates who had just arrived, but his feet did not stop. In a deep voice he commanded, "Put out the fire. Leave the medic and two hundred people to treat the wounded! The rest, follow me!"

While he spoke, he got onto the horse.

The horse seemed to be aware of Chu Beijie's overpowering confidence. It neighed loudly, readied itself and stood dignified on the snow.

He Xia, Yun Chang's He Xia.

Chu Beijie's directed his piercing gaze towards the direction of Yun Chang.

Pingting was there.

She was on the road leading to Yun Chang. At least another day and a half would be needed until they left Dong Lin territory.

Wherever Pingting was, even if it were the end of the world, it wasn't far at all.

"Duke!" Chen Mu hurriedly ran out from the residence, reporting, "There are a few enemy soldiers who haven't died yet. I woke a ranking soldier. He said they came along the Hengduan Ranges to get here and will most likely be going back the same way. There are quite a lot of them, a full eight thousand."

Perhaps Chu Beijie was paranoid, but he could feel the familiar sense of crisis. Chu Beijie calmed the maid down and returned to his usual calmness on the battlefield, "He Xia has probably not guessed that I have already returned to the residence. It's likely that they arrived in small groups and will return the same way, meeting up back at Yun Chang."

The thundering sound of the horses approached as the rest of the troops who fell behind had finally caught up.

Chu Beijie didn't wait for them to dismount, before pointing his sword in the sky, loudly saying. "Men of Dong Lin, Yun Chang has stolen the Duchess of Zhen-Bei. Do you still have the strength to chase on?"