"Clop, clop, clop!"
The sound of warhorses striking the ground echoed across the countryside. The breeze brushing his cheeks carried the scent of earth after a light rain, while Lü Zhi's rich fragrance and Liu Le's faintly milky scent wafted into his nose, mingling with the faint tang of blood on his blade to create a peculiar blend.
Luo Xin had never imagined he would see a day like this.
He had imagined entering official service, then rising to the Three Excellencies and Nine Ministers, putting all his learning and talent to use.
He had imagined being unwilling to serve as an official, instead teaching among the common people and devoting himself to scholarship like Fifth Younger Brother.
He had also imagined joining Luo Mo afterward, performing chivalrous deeds and letting the world know that, when life and death hung in the balance, the strength of an ordinary man surpassed that of dukes and ministers.
But he had absolutely never imagined fleeing for his life with a woman and children.
He had already changed to his third horse. He could feel Lü Zhi's hold around him gradually weakening, even as her fingertips gripped harder and her soft body gradually drew farther away.
Lü Zhi's stamina was giving out.
As for Liu Le in his arms, there was even less need to say anything. She had been trembling incessantly from the beginning. The constant jolting on horseback had turned her delicate, pretty little face deathly pale, making her look terribly pitiful.
Luo Xin had anticipated this long ago. Riding was exhausting, especially without a saddle or stirrups. Staying firmly on a horse's back required exerting the entire body.
Lü Zhi's present state worried Luo Xin a little. Once her hands lost their grip, she could fall off at any moment. With