Chapter 309 Guarding (2)

Seizing the moment, Jia Yang positioned himself firmly beside Hua Zhi, their backs pressed together. The black-clad men circled in, closing in with the kind of precision that signaled no mercy.

In a low, urgent whisper, Hua Zhi muttered, "End this quickly."

Jia Yang's response was a gravelly murmur, his tone thick with the weight of their dire situation. His body bore several cuts, but the young lady—she was in worse shape. There was no time for a prolonged fight. Things had escalated beyond what he'd anticipated. Though he'd heard the rumors—stories of the young lady's formidable skills and unyielding ferocity—he'd never fathomed she'd be this relentless.

She might not possess the raw expertise of those men surrounding them, but her sheer audacity and bloodthirsty resolve gave her the kind of power no one could anticipate. This was no longer a battle of technique, but of grit, and she had it in spades.

The black-clad men made their move. Hua Zhi and Jia Yang each engaged in combat, no longer exposing their backs to the enemy. Hua Zhi, driven by something beyond reason, fought like a woman possessed—fury in her eyes and death in her heart. She took on the enemy with reckless abandon, knowing full well that she might not survive the next blow, but damn it, she was dragging them all down with her.

It was an all-or-nothing gamble.

This risky strategy, sacrificing herself to kill the enemy, allowed Jia Yang to eliminate the fourth opponent before rushing back to help her finish the last one off.

The man entangled by Dongzi and Liu Cheng attempted to flee, but Jia Yang's whip came into play again, pulling him back before he could escape. Jia Yang spared the man's life, tying him up and removing his jaw to prevent him from taking his own life.

Meanwhile, Hua Zhi, nearly on the verge of collapse, fought to keep her senses intact. Her body felt like it was betraying her, limbs weak and trembling, but she wasn't about to fall. With her dagger buried in the ground for support, she took one step, then another. But the fatigue was too much, and her legs buckled. Kneeling, she used the blade to brace herself, refusing to let the battle claim her just yet.

Amidst the chaotic footsteps approaching, Hua Zhi plastered a forced smile across her face, desperate to project an image of composure. She had already mapped out the perfect words in her mind—carefully crafted to assure everyone that this whole ordeal was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. But now, as the tension thickened, even if she spoke those exact words, the air around her would be thick with disbelief.

"Zhi'er..."

She struggled to rise, her body aching, yet her gaze remained fixed on her father. His eyes, now a dull red, bore a weight of sorrow. She returned his look with a faint smile, barely a flicker of strength behind it. "Just a little tired."

Hua Pingyu, without hesitation, moved to support her, his worry etched in every line of his face. He turned swiftly, dropping to one knee with a sense of urgency that bordered on desperation. "Come, let Father carry you."

Hua Zhi paused, uncertain. Her father, while undoubtedly fond of his children, had never once extended such an offer to his legitimate son, Bai Lin. It was simply unheard of in the Hua family tradition—men were always expected to carry their grandchildren, never their own flesh and blood.

Yet, here her father was, breaking all norms, offering to carry her.

With a subtle smirk, Hua Pingyang helped her onto his eldest brother’s broad back, reassuring her, “Don’t worry, my eldest brother’s got enough strength to carry a mountain, he won’t let you fall.”

But even as he spoke, Hua Pingyang’s protective instincts flared. He hovered close, still supporting them, especially with his niece, drenched in blood and vulnerable, clinging to every ounce of his trust.

Sure, Hua Pingyu had put on some muscle over the last year, but at his core, he was still just a bookish scholar. That said, something had lit a fire under him—he suddenly had the strength to carry her into the hall like she weighed nothing, and plop her down on the wide chair without so much as a flinch.

Hua Yizheng had managed to grab some medicine, but when he held it up, the room was dead silent—everyone just stood there, looking at each other, clueless.

There wasn’t a single other woman around.

Then, without warning, Hua Pingyu slammed his palm down and bolted for the door. 'I’ll go get Mrs. Chen from next door.'”

The chaos had already caught the attention of the neighbors. They might have been too cautious to confront the threat head-on, but when it came to offering a hand with medical care, they were all in.

Amidst it all, Hua Yizheng fought to rein in his emotions, rising to his feet. He nodded toward Mrs. Chen, his gratitude clear in his eyes. “Thanks for stepping in,” he said, though his tone was clipped.

“It was nothing,” Mrs. Chen replied, her eyes lingering on Hua Zhi, whose family lived next door. She had often stolen glances through the door crack, admiring the girl’s fierce, commanding presence. Watching her drop men one after the other, Mrs. Chen couldn’t help but think how unstoppable she truly was.

Just as Mrs. Chen made a move to help Hua Zhi into the adjacent room, Hua Yizheng, with a barely contained edge, interjected, “Let’s keep it here. You all can step outside.”

The others quickly retreated to the courtyard, while Hua Pingyu personally stood guard by the door.

Hua Yizheng stood firm at the courtyard gate, his piercing gaze cutting through the stillness, fixating on Jia Yang. Without him, Zhi'er would’ve crumbled, overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies she had to face alone.

"Appreciate your help tonight. Come inside and take a break," he said, voice steady but carrying an underlying edge of gratitude.

Jia Yang, ever the dutiful one, declined with respect. "I can’t accept your thanks. I’ll stay out here, keeping watch."

Hua Yizheng, recognizing the man's dedication, didn’t press the issue, but his sharp eyes followed how the servants treated Dongzi and Liu Cheng. The way they handled themselves was nothing short of admirable—charging headfirst into danger, no hesitation, no flinch. True grit, he thought. They deserved acknowledgment.

After a moment of consideration, Hua Yizheng snapped his fingers and called for Chen Shan. "Head over to the magistrate’s house. Report everything. Make sure it’s done now."

Chen Shan, caught off guard by the urgency, blinked. "You mean right now?"

"Yes," Hua Yizheng responded without missing a beat.

"Got it." Chen Shan turned to leave, but Hua Yizheng’s voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

The hall door creaked open, and Hua Zhi emerged, her presence arresting despite the sorry state of her torn and blood-stained clothes. Her injuries, raw and glaring through the shredded fabric, told a story louder than any words could muster.

"Forget the magistrate’s house," she commanded, her voice sharp and unyielding. "Go to the front lines. Find Yan Xi."

Hua Yizheng took a step closer, his tone edged with concern but firm in resolve. "Zhi’er, I intended for Chen Shan to visit the magistrate's house to record this matter properly. Time isn’t on our side here."

Before Hua Zhi could respond, he gently but insistently supported her arm, guiding her as Hua Pingyu hurried over with a chair, pressing her to sit down. She relented, her body tense under the weight of their awkward care, but her steely gaze betrayed no weakness.

Her eyes flicked toward the Chen couple, a silent signal that Hua Pingyang swiftly caught. Without hesitation, he ushered the couple toward the exit, his movements deliberate yet courteous.

At the threshold, Mrs. Chen couldn’t help but glance back at Hua Zhi. What she saw was something unshakable, almost otherworldly—a woman so pallid she seemed ghostlike, yet so resilient she defied every wound etched on her body. No wonder she, a mere woman, had dared to run from the capital to Yingshan Pass.

Just as Hua Zhi opened her mouth to speak, she noticed every single pair of eyes locked onto her with an almost suffocating worry. Even her two younger brothers weren’t hiding their emotions—eyes rimmed red, with Hua Baili teetering on the edge of tears. The sight was almost too much, and yet, she couldn’t help but let a smile curve her lips.

After all, who wouldn’t crave having their sacrifices etched into memory, carved into the hearts of those who matter?

“It was just a little exhaustion earlier,” she said with a casual wave of her hand, brushing away their concerns. “I’m feeling much better now.”

The room seemed to exhale collectively, heads nodding in a synchronized of forced reassurance, as though they’d swallowed her words whole without a single bite of skepticism.

“Baili,” her tone sharpened, cutting through the atmosphere with precision, “go fetch me a bowl of warm water and throw in a good pinch of salt.”

Without missing a beat, Hua Baili spun on his heels, the obedient younger brother to the last, practically marching to the kitchen. A servant scrambled after him, clearly terrified of somehow botching such a simple task.

With that settled, Hua Zhi didn’t waste a moment before steering the conversation back to the pressing matter at hand. Her voice, now edged with unrelenting purpose, sliced through the lingering tension. “Dispatching a few people to the front lines to locate Yan Xi would accomplish far more than wasting time filing pointless reports at the magistrate’s house.”

Hua Yizheng’s gaze stayed fixed on her, silent but intense, clearly waiting for her to elaborate. She wasn’t finished yet—not by a long shot.

Hua Zhi's voice cut through the air with a commanding edge, “This is too convenient to ignore. The patrols at Yingshan Pass are notoriously tight. If it weren’t for the chaos this attack stirred up, there’s no way they’d have turned a blind eye. This reeks of orchestration. I’m convinced the night raid and the assassination are connected—one’s a smokescreen for the other. If I’m right, this attack is nothing but a distraction, a ploy. And worse, I’m starting to suspect they’ve got an agenda far bigger than we realize. Are we, the Hua family, the centerpiece of their plan—or just a pawn in a larger game? That’s the question.”

Her gaze darkened, her lips a firm, unyielding line. “This isn’t the time to run into the magistrate’s house. If we’re merely a piece of their puzzle, they’re baiting us, pulling strings to force our hand. And if we’re the main target…” She paused, the weight of her words sinking in.

Hua Zhi’s eyes sharpened like drawn blades. “We need Yan Xi back, and fast. I can’t fend off the storm that’s coming alone.”

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