Oops! My Inner Thoughts Are Ruining The Plot

Chapter 162: Chapter

A few hours before the ambush, the border camp was quiet under the dim light of late evening. Inside Wenzhe’s secondary tent, a single oil lamp flickered on the heavy wooden table where he was busy reviewing military logs and supply reports.

Suddenly, a swift shadow darted across the canvas outside.

In a single breath, a small, folded piece of paper slipped beneath the edge of the tent wall, sliding silently onto the rug.

Wenzhe’s eyes narrowed instantly. He stood up, his hand dropping to the hilt of his sword as he stepped out of the tent in one fluid motion. But the snowy campsite outside was empty, save for the bitter wind rustling the canvas flaps. The shadow was already gone without a trace.

Returning inside, Wenzhe sheathed his blade and bent down to pick up the paper.

He unfolded it slowly. Written across the parchment in hurried, dark ink was a brief warning:

"Sue Yueqing’s carriage will not make it to the capital safely tonight. An ambush waits in the mountain pass."

Wenzhe’s jaw tightened, his fingers crushing the edge of the parchment as his heart sank into a dark, cold fury.

Wenzhe didn’t hesitate for a single second.

"Dong Li!" his voice thundered through the quiet tent, raw and laced with a sudden, violent panic.

The tent flap opened instantly as Dong Li stepped inside. "Young Master?"

"Ready the horses! Gather a unit of elite cavalry immediately!" Wenzhe barked, tearing open his robes to grab his heavy leather armor.

Dong Li stared at him in shock, his eyes landing on Wenzhe’s chest. "Young Master, wait! Your injuries—"

In his rush, Wenzhe moved too hard and fast. The tight bandages across his chest snapped, and red blood burst through the linen, quickly staining his inner robe. A sharp spike of agony shot through him, but Wenzhe didn’t even flinch. He ignored the blood tearing through his fresh wounds and pulled his heavy armor tightly over his chest, his hands trembling with urgency.

"I said prepare the horses now!" Wenzhe roared, his face pale from blood loss but his eyes burning with absolute desperation. "Yueqing is in danger. The carriage is going to be ambushed in the mountain pass!"

Dong Li’s face turned white. He didn’t ask another question. He turned on his heel and rushed out into the camp, shouting orders to the guards.

Wenzhe grabbed his heavy coat and sword, shoving his way past the tent flaps into the freezing night air. He mounted his stallion in one swift jump, a dark gasp of pain escaping his throat as the violent movement reopened his wounds even deeper, blood warm and wet against his skin.

He didn’t care. The pain meant nothing compared to the sickening fear tightening around his throat.

"Move!" Wenzhe yelled, digging his spurs into the horse’s sides.

The black stallion let out a loud cry and bolted into the dark, snowy night at full speed, with Dong Li and a dozen armored riders thundering right behind him toward the mountain pass.

Back in the border village, inside the quiet library of the Prince’s mansion, Xiao Chen sat behind his heavy desk, slowly reading through a stack of official scrolls.

Suddenly, the side door clicked open. A guard dressed in dark traveling clothes slipped quietly into the room, kneeling down instantly on one knee.

Xiao Chen did not look up from his scroll. "What is it?"

"Your Highness," the guard reported, his breath still heavy from riding hard through the night. "The spy at Wenzhe’s border camp just sent word. General Wenzhe was seen riding out into the night at full speed with his elite cavalry."

Xiao Chen stilled. He slowly set his scroll down on the table, his eyes narrowing. "Wenzhe left his camp? While injured?"

"Yes, Your Highness," the guard continued quickly. "He appeared completely desperate, ignoring his open wounds. It looks like Madam Yueqing’s carriage was ambushed in the mountain pass. She is in grave danger."

Xiao Chen stood up, the chair scraping sharply against the wooden floor. His calm expression shattered, replaced by a cold, sudden shock.

[An ambush?] Xiao Chen thought, his chest tightening. [I gave orders to watch her carriage, not to strike. Who dared to touch her?]

"Prepare my horse," Xiao Chen ordered, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper as he reached for his outer cloak. "We leave for the mountain pass immediately."

High above in the freezing forest, torchlights flickered against the pitch-black night.

Lu Yue crawled through the sharp bushes on her hands and knees. Her fingers were cut and bleeding from digging into the frozen mud, and warm tears ran down her cold face.

"Madam Yueqing! Madam!" Lu Yue cried out, her voice raspy from shouting for hours. She reached the edge of another steep drop-off, looking down into the dark trees. "Where are you?! Please answer me!"

Commander Gao stood nearby, holding a torch with a pale, worried face. Heavy snow began to fall thick and fast, quickly covering the ground. The falling snow buried all the footprints, broken branches, and bloodstains that could have helped them find her.

"Commander!" a guard called out, running through the deep snow. "The snow is too heavy! All the tracks are completely covered now. We searched the lower hill twice, but we haven’t found any sign of her."

"Search it again!" Commander Gao ordered, his voice shaking with fear. "Check the deep valley to the south! We do not stop until we find her!"

"She must be in the forest.. we have to find her no matter the cost... even our lives can’t cover the cost or hers.. if she dies tonight we and our entire linage is doomed." The commander said as the other men all exchanged frightened expression.. they knew the commander was right, Wenzhe won’t spare the, talk less of her father and brothers.

"Madam..." Lu Yue sobbed, pressing her cold hands to her chest as the heavy blizzard hid the mountain in dark, white snow. "Please... just stay alive..."

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