Yan Mei Ling's shuddered with extreme fear as she saw the crossbows of the Chao's guards aimed at them but what made her heart froze was that Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei was in front. He would be the first to be hit by the arrows. Those crossbows were not just any ordinary crossbows but were Chukonu or repeating crossbows. How would they survive?

She remembered Lu Jinhai's words to her a while ago.

Did he have a premonition of what will happen to them? Is this the end of all their sacrifices?

Yan Mei Ling looked at the sky and saw storm clouds casting a dark ominous shadow. She never felt hopeless in her entire life.

'I am sorry, Li Lei Shuang... I am really sorry. I will not be the one to save you but I hope that even in my death that you will still be saved. I love you and good bye, my sweet best friend.'

She looked at Lu Wang Wei who remained calm despite facing certain death. His face remained unreadable – not one emotion flickered from him.

'Lu Wang Wei, I may not have the opportunity to tell you what I feel for you but thank you very much. You will always hold a very special place in my heart; and should we meet again, in a different place and lifetime, I hope that I can still remember what I feel for you.'

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei briefly turned his head and stared at Yan Mei Ling. There were so much emotions on his face – so much uncertainty and, surprisingly, affection. In the silence that transpired between the two of them, he was trying to tell her something but Yan Mei Ling dreaded that this will be the last time that he would communicate with her.

"Shoot!" the head of the guards shouted and then multiple arrows began to fall like a deluge of a furious rain.

"Everyone, run and get away from here! Do not look back!" Lu Wang Wei shouted as he swiftly unsheathed his sword and began to attack the arrows.

"Jinzhou!" A hysterical cry escaped from Yan Mei Ling's throat.

"Let us get out of here, Lao Fang!" Lu Jinhai said with desperation as he dragged Yan Mei Ling with him while warding off the arrows being shot at them with his sword.

"No! No! What will happen to Jinzhou?" Yan Mei Ling said with tears in her eyes.

"If he is meant to survive, he will," Lu Jinhai blithely said. He forcefully carried Yan Mei Ling who was struggling with all of her might.

"Jinzhou! Jinzhou!"

Lu Wang Wei looked at Yan Mei Ling. A smile tugged his usually aloof lips and he gently waved his hand as if saying good bye to her.

'I will see you soon, Lao Fang. Please stay alive for me.'

Yan Mei Ling did not stop from struggling even if they were far from the Chao's gate. She could see that a lot of her fellow shoulders stumbled down after being hit by the arrows. And, of course, the memory that would forever haunt her for the rest of her lifetime was Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei who was slicing the arrows with supreme speed so that they would survive. This was his ultimate sacrifice -- his life.

She saw red before everything became a blur.

"Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei..." she sobbed heart-brokenly as she felt that this day would be the last time that she would see his precious face.

================================

"Bastard!" TongJun Linghua spat angrily when he was roused from sleep when he sensed the angry sounds of the horses' hooves approaching the place where he and his army were camping. He did not recall asking additional forces or help from Lord Hsien Mao Dong which gave him the idea that the Imperial army had finally tracked him down.

He quickly went out of his tent to go to the tent where he confined the princess. He unceremoniously carried the slumbering princess on his shoulders and ran outside to fetch and saddle his horse.

"What do you think are you doing? Put me down!" Li Lei Shuang said in a protest as she struggled desperately to be freed from the TongJun Linghua's strong grip of her but failed miserably since her hands and feet were bound.

"Stop struggling, fiery princess, if you do not want me to do something that will make you regret being alive in this world!"

"You – you, impudent person! How dare you do this to me! How dare you manhandle women, do you have no respect?"

TongJun Linghua laughed as if he had just heard the funniest joke in his entire life. "Respect? To whom? Women? You are one funny person, princess."

"I am not being funny! Put me down, you are hurting me!"

"I only show respect to women when I keep them alive after raping them," TongJun Linghua threatened in a dangerous voice – his eyes dilating in extreme irritation. "You may consider yourself special since it happens that Lord Hsie Mao Dong wants you to be his wife and I cannot risk his wrath but if you do not stop struggling, then I might rape you to silence your noisy mouth!"

TongJun Linghua's words stopped Princess Li Lei Shuang from struggling and helpless tears streamed from her eyes.

"You are evil," she sobbed, feeling utterly pathetic and weak. "You are evil.."

"I never recalled saying or showing you otherwise, princess," TongJun Linghua sarcastically hissed as he carelessly dumped the princess at the back of his horse. He hastily tied the princess at the back of his horse, not caring if the rope would bruise her delicate skin. "Niu!"

One of his subordinates, the one who aided him in kidnapping the princess, ran at the sound of his voice.

"TongJun Linghua, I am here," Niu said in a breathless voice as he bowed his head to his superior.

"I can sense the Imperial armies coming and I need to bring the princess to Lord Hsein Mao Dong as soon as possible. As my second-in-command, I will entrust the entire army to you. Can I trust you with that, Niu?"

"With all my heart, TongJun Linghua," Niu bravely and solemnly said.

TongJun Linghua smiled affectionately at Niu and said, "I do not tolerate failures so make sure to crush the approaching Imperial army and stay alive. I will be waiting for you at the Hsien capital."

"Yes, TongJun Linghua"

"I shall not stay long here. Remember, I do not tolerate failures!" TongJun Linghua repeated before climbing his horse and kicked it to a run.

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