The soldiers rushed Mo Ying back to the Mo residence as fast as they could.
They shouted for the physicians the mont they arrived.
"Make way! General Mo is injured... bring the physicians now!"
Servants woke up in shock. Lamps lit up all around the residence. Doors slamd open. Voices filled the night.
Within minutes, the whole Mo residence was awake.
Grandma Mo ca out first, wrapped in a thick robe, her face pale.
Madam Mo followed right behind her, pretending to cry already.
Uncle Mo and his wife rushed over too, both shaken after hearing the alarm flare.
They all ran toward Mo Ying’s quarters where the physicians were already working inside.
No one was allowed to enter.
But even from the doorway... even from the small opening before the guards shut it fully...
They saw the blood.
So much blood on the floor.
So much blood on the bed.
So much blood on his clothes.
Grandma Mo covered her mouth, her hands trembling.
Uncle Mo stepped back, his legs weak.
Madam Mo gasped loudly as if she was the one hurt.
Lin Xu sat on the ground beside the door, staring at nothing.
Her tears had dried, but the shock hadn’t left her eyes.
Her whole gown was still stained with Mo Ying’s blood, bright red and dark patches everywhere.
Just looking at her made the whole family feel the weight of what was happening.
Grandma Mo slowly walked to her and knelt beside her.
"Child... Lin Xu... what happened?" her voice shook, full of fear.
Lin Xu opened her mouth... but no sound ca out.
Her chest felt tight.
Her throat hurt.
Her mind was still stuck on Mo Ying’s last words.
Seeing she couldn’t speak, Grandma Mo touched her arm gently.
"It’s alright... just tell us when you can..."
But Madam Mo stepped forward quickly, her face twisted with fake worry.
"This is all because of her!" she snapped. "Ever since she ca into his life, nothing good has happened!"
Grandma Mo frowned sharply. "Madam Mo!"
But Madam Mo kept going, pointing at Lin Xu as if she were a curse.
"She is bad luck! Look at Mo Ying now! Look at all this blood! She brings disaster wherever she goes! If he dies—"
"STOP." Grandma Mo said, her voice shaking with anger.
Uncle Mo’s wife pulled Madam Mo back, afraid she would make things worse.
But Madam Mo only glared at Lin Xu, full of spite, full of bla.
Lin Xu didn’t even look at her.
She just kept staring at the closed door... where Mo Ying was fighting for his life.
Her hands curled into fists.
Her lips trembled.
Her heart ached so badly she felt like she couldn’t breathe.
And then, very quietly, she whispered to herself:
"Please... don’t die..."
Her voice cracked.
Her eyes filled again.
Grandma Mo wrapped her arms around Lin Xu and held her tight.
"Don’t lose hope, child... The physicians are doing everything they can... Our Ying’er is strong..."
But inside the room...
The physicians were shouting in panic.
"More bandages!
His pulse is weakening!
We need hot water now!"
Lin Xu flinched each ti she heard them.
Every cry from inside made her stomach twist with fear.
Her wedding to Mo Ying was in two days.
And now...
She didn’t even know if he would live to see the morning.
Almost an hour passed before the door finally opened and the physician stepped out with his helpers behind him, their sleeves still marked with the blood they tried so hard to stop. Grandma Mo and Madam Mo both rushed forward at once, and Lin Xu, who had been sitting stiffly like soone trapped in a nightmare, also stood up quickly, her hands trembling as she looked at the physician’s face.
Grandma Mo spoke first, her voice shaking. "Doctor, how is my Ying’er?"
Madam Mo leaned forward. "Tell us he’s alright... please."
Lin Xu tried to speak but her voice ca out barely above a whisper. "Is... he still breathing?"
The physician let out a long breath, the type that made everyone’s heart tighten. He said that the General was out of imdiate danger, but whether he would make it through the night was uncertain. The arrows had gone deep, the blood loss was too much, and at this point they needed prayer more than dicine. Everyone fell silent. Even the air felt heavy.
The quiet didn’t last long because hurried footsteps sounded down the hall. Mo Lan, Mo An, Mo Ting, Mo Zen, and San Na had returned from the temple early that morning only to walk into complete chaos. San Na ran straight to the crowd, her face pale with panic. When she saw the blood on the floor near the door, her breathing hitched, and the mont her eyes found Lin Xu, sothing inside her snapped.
"You... what did you do?" San Na cried, pointing at Lin Xu with a trembling finger. "Why is the General always hurt around you? Why does trouble follow you like a shadow?!"
Lin Xu lowered her head, too drained to speak, still covered in Mo Ying’s dried blood from carrying him back ho.
Mo Lan stepped forward next, her voice sharp and ready to wound. "Of course it’s her fault. Mo Ying was perfectly fine before she ca along. Everything beca a disaster the mont she entered his life."
Lin Xu clenched her fingers but stayed silent. She didn’t have the strength to argue. All she could think of was Mo Ying lying inside that room.
San Na cried harder as she glared at her. "Why don’t you just leave him alone? If anything happens to the General, I swear—"
Mo Lan lifted her hand suddenly, aiming to slap Lin Xu across the face, her expression full of anger and bla. But before her hand could land, Yan i moved in front of her with quick, sharp steps and caught her wrist firmly in mid-air.
"Enough, Mo Lan," Yan i said, her voice steady but cold.
Mo Lan tried to pull her wrist free. "Let go, YOU WITCH! Who do you think you are to stop ? She deserves—"
"She deserves nothing from you," Yan i shot back, eyes narrowing. "You always act brave when it cos to bullying soone already hurting. If you’re so bold, why don’t you show that sa courage inside the room where Mo Ying is fighting for his life?"
Mo Lan’s face twisted with anger. "Stay out of this. You’re just literally a servant in this house, who the hell do you think you are to stop huh? Don’t forget your place."
"And you don’t forget yours," Yan i answered, still holding her wrist tightly. "You’re not the mistress of this house, and you’re not his wife. Stop acting like you have the right to raise your hand in front of the family."
"The general is fighting for his life and instead of you to be helpful like a good elder sister you are just using this situation as a way to hurt Lin xu, you are heartless.. completely heartless."
Mo Lan glared, humiliated, her chest rising and falling quickly.
Ru Lan, standing nearby, was only a maid and could only bow her head, too afraid to interfere.
"Let go!" Mo Lan hissed again.
"No," Yan i replied simply.
Before the argunt could go any further, Grandma Mo’s voice thundered down the hall, stronger than anyone expected.
"That is enough!"
The whole corridor went silent. Even Mo Lan stopped struggling.
Grandma Mo walked straight toward Lin Xu and placed a hand on her shoulder. "She carried Ying’er back ho with her own strength. His blood is on her clothes because she refused to leave him. And instead of thanking her, you all stand here shouting at her? Disgraceful."
Mo Lan lowered her eyes, biting down her anger.
Grandma Mo then turned to Yan i and Ru Lan. "Take Lin Xu back to her room. She needs rest. She has been through more than enough tonight."
Lin Xu shook her head quickly, her voice cracking. "I... I don’t want to leave him. I want to stay here. Please..."
Grandma Mo touched her cheek gently. "Child, if you collapse, who will the boy see when he wakes up? Go and rest. You can return later, I promise."
Lin Xu’s eyes filled with tears again as Yan i and Ru Lan started to guide her away.
But before they could take more than a few steps, San Na suddenly stepped forward, wiping the corners of her eyes as she straightened her shoulders proudly.
"I will stay with the General," she said, her voice full of forced sorrow. "It is only right. I am his first wife."
Everyone froze.
Lin Xu stopped walking.
A deep coldness spread through her chest as those words echoed in the hallway.
San Na lifted her chin with confidence, already stepping toward Mo Ying’s room with the expression of soone claiming what belonged to her.
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