Time came to a slow and when Mu JinYu finally realized what happened, Gu MingYue had already been hit in the back by a sword.

But because the hit was not landed on her arteries, there was no overwhelming spray of blood, only a wound so deep that you could almost see the whites of her bones and bright red blood streaming uncontrollably down her back, staining the entirety of the back of her dress before dripping on the grass below.

Young Master Be careful Gu MingYues face was as pale as a ghost, most probably from the pain or from the lack of blood, while her body temperature gradually dropped, as if slowly announcing the passing of life.

It was really painful, Gu MingYue felt as if her back was split in half from the attack that she took intentionally.

Mu JinYu had been defending her carefully as he dealt with the attacks. His ancestors had acquired the Dukedom by willing wars for the kingdom as a general, which was why it was a rule that every male descendant of the family must be taught the family martial arts from a young age. However, though he was skilled, he was still lacking in on-field experience in dealing with an enemy.

The group of assassins disguised as bandits were numerous and most of them were extraordinarily skilled. It was inevitable that they would be on the losing side due to the huge difference in numbers, however, the guards fought hard and bitterly, and both sides suffered heavy losses.

Mu JinYu, too, was drained from the fight, so he had not noticed it when one of the assassins sneaked in from behind and swung a sword at him. Gu MingYue witnessed the attack, and knowing that she did not have time to warn the man, she moved behind him and hugged him tightly, before taking the hit that was meant for him.

She felt faint from the excruciating pain, but she bit down hard on her lips, forcefully keeping herself conscious, before forcing out an ugly smile at him. The blood within her mouth made her speech ambiguous, but the stunned man could understand her clearly.

Dont be distracted

Mu JinYu could no longer describe the pain he was feeling right now, it was as if his heart was gripped tightly by a big hand, so painful that he was having trouble breathing. All that was left within his focus was the woman lying limply against his arm.

This woman who was still so concerned for him when her own life was in danger Mu JinYu had always been dismissive and sneered at gaudy protagonists from novels, who would still try to save others as theyre on the verge of death, but when he himself was caught in this situation, and the person on the verge of death was none other but Gu MingYue, he realized that there was no way he could laugh at the current situation.

The only expression on his face was an ugly sorrow.

Gu MingYue was at the peak of her youth, like a flower in full bloom during summer. He could not even bear to think of the possibility of her disappearing from his life.

Actually, the two of them had but only been together for one whole season, which was not at all long, hence Mu JinYu had never thought that Gu MingYues feelings for him wouldve reached such heights, to the point of risking her own life to protect him from a blow from behind.

He had always thought of her as a smart and wise woman, who would do anything to survive in this world. She would do things to please him, treat him with gentle and care, but still, nothing would be more important than her own survivability here.

To think that how little he understood her

What happened was too sudden, and so unexpected that Mu JinYu was caught in a shock for quite some time.

The only thought left in his mind was how to make sure Gu MingYue live. He was a healthy young man, and taking a blow would not kill him. How could she be so stupid, what use was there in protecting him when she herself had such a fragile and delicate body?!

He needed her to live, so he could reprimand her for acting with such stupidity!

Gu MingYue could feel her consciousness blurring while her body felt heavier and heavier. She could hear the wind rushing past her ears and the man protected her limp body carefully while rushing away from the place.

In truth, she knew that even if she did not take the blow for him, Mu JinYu would still be able to survive the assassination today, just that he would suffer serious injuries.

In the original plot, he was also ambushed here and was seriously injured, but he was eventually rescued by Madam Wangs personal guards, as she had coincidentally gone to the temple to pray.

Needless to say, Gu MingYue had deliberately taken the blow for him, but she did not regret it. However, when she saw how he did not let her go even when he was in such a difficult situation, she decided that even if it wasnt for her mission, she wouldve gladly taken the blow for him.

It was not that Mu JinYu could not give her what she wanted, he was just unwilling to give it to her. But the same man, who was willing to protect her in such a time of crisis, might actually care for her more than the two of them thought so

The pain from the blow was worth it, as she managed to help him uncover his actual feelings for her.

As her consciousness faded and she fell into a coma from excessive blood loss, the last thing she heard was the sound of horses running wildly, it was a sign that help had arrived, and she allowed herself the confidence to finally relax and faint

Oh my god, thats going to leave a hella huge scar on her back! T_T

Enjoy and feel free to comment on my work! <3