MY PRINCE HUSBAND HAS SEVEN WIVES AND I AM HIS FAVOURITE!

"Hua Jing, stop!" Zhao Yan’s voice was sharp as he reached out and grabbed her arm.

Hua Jing whirled around, her face pale but determined.

"Let go of me!" she shouted, her voice cracking.

"It’s dangerous!" Zhao Yan snapped, his grip firm.

"You’ll get yourself killed!"

Hua Jing glared at him, swatting his hand away with a strength that surprised him.

"I don’t care!" she retorted.

"I have to save Xia Lin, no matter what!"

Before Zhao Yan could respond, Hua Jing had already slipped past him, her movements swift and resolute.

"Hua Jing!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the chaos.

But she didn’t stop.

She darted back toward the blazing inferno, the flames casting a fierce glow against her retreating figure.

The servants who had gathered outside stood frozen, their faces a mix of shock and awe.

"She’s going back for a servant?" one of them murmured, disbelief coloring their tone.

Another nodded, their voice trembling.

"I’ve never seen a master do that before. She’s... she’s brave."

Wei Ling’s eyes were fixed on Zhao Yan, who was staring at the flames with a conflicted expression.

"Your Highness," Wei Ling began, his tone urgent.

"You can’t go after her. It’s too dangerous!"

Zhao Yan’s jaw clenched, his fists tightening at his sides.

"Ensure everyone here gets to safety," he ordered, his voice cold and commanding.

Wei Ling hesitated, his brow furrowed with worry.

"There’s a smaller palace nearby," Zhao Yan continued.

"Take them there. Make sure no one else is left behind."

Wei Ling’s eyes widened as he realized what Zhao Yan was about to do.

"Your Highness, please!" he pleaded.

"This isn’t the time to be reckless! You’re the crown prince. Your life is—"

"Enough!" Zhao Yan cut him off, his voice thunderous.

Wei Ling flinched, taking a step back.

"Do as I say," Zhao Yan said firmly, his eyes narrowing.

"Get everyone to safety."

"But—" Wei Ling began, only to stop when Zhao Yan turned his piercing gaze on him.

"There’s nothing you can say to stop me," Zhao Yan said quietly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Wei Ling’s shoulders slumped in defeat, his mouth opening to say something, but no words came out.

Before he could try again, Zhao Yan was already moving.

He stepped forward, his strides purposeful as he headed straight for the flames.

"Your Highness!" Wei Ling called after him, his voice filled with desperation.

But Zhao Yan didn’t look back.

The servants watched in stunned silence as their prince disappeared into the burning structure, his figure swallowed by the thick smoke and fiery glow.

"Is he... really going in after her?" one of them whispered, their voice barely audible.

Wei Ling turned to the group, his expression stern.

"There’s no time to waste!" he barked.

"Head to the smaller palace immediately. Move!"

The servants snapped out of their daze, scrambling to follow his orders.

But even as he directed them, Wei Ling’s gaze lingered on the building, the flames dancing in his wide eyes.

Inside, Zhao Yan shielded his face with his sleeve, the intense heat biting at his skin.

The smoke made it difficult to see, but he pressed forward, his mind racing.

"Hua Jing!" he called out, his voice muffled by the roar of the fire.

There was no response, only the crackling of the flames and the creak of weakening beams above.

His heart pounded, his frustration mounting.

That woman is insufferable, he thought bitterly.

Reckless and insufferable.

But even as the anger swirled inside him, so did a strange sense of urgency—one he couldn’t quite explain.

"Hua Jing!" he shouted again, his voice echoing in the burning structure.

The heat was unbearable.

Zhao Yan’s body was drenched in sweat, his robes clinging to him as the fire raged around him.

Flames licked at the walls, and the once-sturdy wooden beams creaked ominously as they gave way to the relentless blaze.

"Hua Jing!" he shouted, his voice echoing against the roaring fire.

There was no response.

He grit his teeth, scanning the inferno for any sign of her.

The air was thick with smoke, each breath a struggle as his lungs burned from the effort.

A loud crash sounded behind him, and he turned just in time to see a massive beam come crashing down.

The embers scattered in a fiery explosion, and Zhao Yan dove to the ground, barely dodging the falling debris.

This place is coming down faster than I thought, he realized grimly.

"Hua Jing!" he yelled again, his voice hoarse.

"Where the hell are you?"

He pushed forward, moving toward the direction of the bedchamber.

When he reached it, his heart nearly stopped.

Hua Jing was there, standing dangerously close to a burning beam that had fallen, blocking her path.

"What do you think you’re doing?!" he shouted, his voice filled with anger and panic.

"Get back here!"

Hua Jing turned around, startled by the sound of his voice.

"What about you?" she retorted.

"What are you doing here?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Zhao Yan’s fists clenched at her audacity.

He wanted to strangle the stupidity out of her, but he forced himself to remain calm.

"Hua Jing, move away from there now!" he commanded, his tone sharp.

But Hua Jing shook her head, her expression determined.

"I heard Xia Lin coughing from somewhere around here," she said firmly.

"If we take this path, we’ll find her!"

Zhao Yan’s jaw tightened, his frustration mounting.

Before she could argue further, he moved swiftly.

Grabbing her arm, he pulled her back toward him.

"Stay here," he ordered, his voice low and unwavering.

"I’ll get her."

Hua Jing blinked in surprise, momentarily caught off guard by his commanding presence.

"But—" she began, her protest cut off by the look in his eyes.

"No arguments," he snapped.

She bit her lip, torn between her resolve and the undeniable authority in his voice.

As Zhao Yan turned to move toward the flames, Hua Jing’s gaze landed on something a few meters away.

"Wait!" she called out, grabbing his sleeve.

He turned back, irritated, but stopped when he saw the urgency in her eyes.

Over her shoulder, she pointed to a pail of water sitting forgotten in the chaos.

A maid must have dropped it in her panic.

Hua Jing moved quickly, ignoring the heat searing her skin as she grabbed the pail.

She yanked off her outer robe and dunked it into the water, soaking it thoroughly.

Then she walked over to Zhao Yan and draped the dripping cloth over his shoulders.

"Be safe," she said softly, her voice barely audible over the roar of the fire.

Zhao Yan froze...