冤家 - His Destined Love

20. Obstacle on the Road

It was a miracle that they didn't encounter any problem until the fifth day on the road. Even Jin Guang looked relaxed, casually joking around with his soldiers. Only Xue Han was holding his usual nervousness which annoyed Hong Chao.

"You don't need to be so serious all the time, sugar" he complained, throwing an apple at him.

Xue Han caught the apple gracefully, "can't help."

"We made it to the fifth day without-"

His word was left unfinished as he saw Xue Han freeze in the spot. He followed his gaze and saw that soldiers in white robes were blocking the road.

The prince came near Xue Han and Hong Chao, "Whose soldiers are those?" he asked nervously.

"Xue's" Xue Han answered silently, "around three hundred."

"The number isn't a problem. Even three of us can handle them, but..." Hong Chao didn't finish the sentence but rather fixed his gaze on Xue Han.

Jin Guang raised his hand to gesture his soldiers to attack but Xue Han intervened, "let me talk to them first," and without waiting for a reply, he moved forward.

Looking behind him, Hong Chao rolled his eyes with disbelief, "he is doing it again!"

Jin Guang didn't understand what he meant but didn't ask.

Getting closer to Xue troops, Xue Han saw that the general was Xue Cheng. He clenched his fists as there was no way to reconcile with Xue Cheng.

Seeing Xue Han approaching him, Xue Cheng snorted, "look who is here, the traitor!"

The soldiers behind him fidgeted restlessly.

"You know it isn't true," Xue Han replied calmly, wondering who leaked the information of their journey. Apparently, there were lots of spies around them.

"You attacked your uncle, helped the enemy to escape, then escaped to meet the enemy and now you are on your way to Jin with An Clan!" He yelled at him, "tell me what makes you a traitor if not these?!"

"I don't want to fight, please," Xue Han pleaded to Xue Cheng, he even bowed slightly.

Like father like son, Xue Cheng hated Xue Han with all his heart so he just laughed at his naiveness, then he put his sword on Xue Han's neck, "what are you scheming, going to Jin with An soldiers?"

Xue Han didn't move an inch, "An Clan decided to side with Jin," he said without revealing anything important.

Xue Cheng hissed, "you do everything to save your ass ha!" He moved his blade a little and a small cut appeared on Xue Han's neck.

"I am just doing the right thing," he murmured, then turning to the soldiers, he said "choose your side with your logic! Don't be a pawn in anybody's game!"

Hearing his words, the soldiers started fidgeting which made Xue Cheng uneasy as it wasn't a secret that even his own soldiers didn't like him. In order to prevent the fuss, he raised his blade again to slay Xue Han but an arrow hit his right arm before he managed to attack him. He lost his balance and fell from his horse. Looking at the direction the arrow came, Xue Han saw Hong Chao was putting another arrow to the bow, ready for a second attack.

Xue Cheng jumped to his feet again, his face red with anger. He pulled the arrow out of his arm and tossed it aside.

"Single combat," Xue Han was standing in front of him, "no need for unnecessary bloodshed."

Xue Cheng gnashed his teeth, knowing that he had no chance in front of Xue Han so he commanded the soldiers to attack.

A few soldiers rushed forward with the command but died instantly as Hong Chao hit them with the arrows.

The rest was chaos.

Apparently around one third of Xue soldiers were originally Xue Han's soldiers so they sided with Xue Han. Xue was fighting with Xue, An was fighting with Xue while Hong Chao was hitting the ones attacking towards Xue Han with arrows. Fortunately, his dark blue robe among Xue's white robes was making Hong Chao's job easier.

Realizing that he was about to be defeated, Xue Cheng wanted to run for his life. Hong Chao also noticed his intention so aimed the arrow towards his disappearing figure but couldn't release the string, thinking about Xue Han. Then, all of a sudden the bow was taken from him by the prince who was standing next to him. Jin Guang aimed the arrow again and released it without any delay. Xue Cheng's coward figure fell to the ground, unmoving.

After the fight ended, Xue Han knelt next to Xue Cheng's lifeless body and neatly arranged it for the last time. "I am so sorry, Xue Liang," he whispered before joining back to An soldiers with his own remaining soldiers.