Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
The surroundings were filled with chaotic human voices, and cries of alarm constantly rang in her ears, making it impossible to discern anything clearly. Gu Juhan handed Shen Xiling over to Xu Chuan, shouting loudly to her, “Go down the mountain with Xu Chuan. I’ll go protect His Majesty, and I’ll find you later!”
His voice was already loud, but Shen Xiling still heard it faintly. She wanted to respond, but Xu Chuan didn’t give her the chance. After muttering an apology, he quickly draped his outer robe over her head and pulled her toward the main gate of the Jade Buddha Temple.
Shen Xiling had no time to speak or even say “be careful” to Gu Juhan before she found herself outside the temple gates, swept along with the panicked crowd rushing down the mountain.
She kept turning back, only to see increasingly thick columns of smoke rising into the sky. If she remembered correctly... the rear mountain, where the officials from Liang were lodged...
Qi Yin was there!
Her heart, which had been numb, now began pounding fiercely, her blood racing through her body, leaving her dizzy.
She struggled to calm this overwhelming panic, repeatedly reminding herself with reason: He will be fine. Bai Song is with him, and there must be other guards as well. He will definitely be okay; he absolutely will.
Shen Xiling, stop overthinking.
She had grown so much. If this had happened five years ago, she wouldn’t have been able to suppress her impulses and would have rushed to him immediately. But now, she understood the stakes and knew that her position made it impossible for her to seek him out. Doing so wouldn’t help him but instead bring trouble to everyone.
She had to endure and trust that he would emerge unscathed.
As Shen Xiling descended the mountain with Xu Chuan, many nobles had already gathered at the foot of Zhe Mo Mountain. They stood in small groups, looking disheveled. Some even had soot on their faces as they gazed up at the towering flames, exclaiming and discussing in hushed tones.
The Gu family had already escaped down the mountain. Gu Jingqi was with members of the second and third branches of the family, and Qin Shi was also present. Seeing Shen Xiling descend, they hurried over. Gu Jingqi, frightened, rushed into her arms, her eyes red as she called out “Sister-in-law” between sobs, repeatedly asking, “Are you alright? Are you hurt? Where’s Big Brother? Why isn’t he here?”
Shen Xiling patted her young sister-in-law’s shoulders, comforting her: “Your brother went to rescue His Majesty. He hasn’t come down yet, but he’s highly skilled and will be fine...”
The Gu family gathered around, all hearing that Gu Juhan hadn’t yet descended. Their expressions varied—some were deeply worried, while others were subtly complex. Shen Xiling was too familiar with the intricacies of high-ranking families but had no energy to spare for such concerns. Her gaze was fixed intently on the sole stone staircase leading down the mountain, fervently hoping to see Qi Yin or Gu Juhan appear at any moment.
She wished for both of them to be safe.
Gu Jingqi was crying in Shen Xiling’s arms when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw another figure rushing toward them. Startled, she watched as the figure was restrained by Xu Chuan. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was Xue Yuan.
Miss Xue, like most others, had lost most of her hairpins and ornaments. She was no longer as elegant and beautiful as she had been earlier that morning at the foot of Zhe Mo Mountain. Now, she stared anxiously at Shen Xiling, searching frantically among the Gu family members. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find the person she was looking for.
Emotionally overwhelmed, she loudly asked Shen Xiling, who was being protected by Xu Chuan, “Where’s Brother Wenruo? Why isn’t he here? Is he still on the mountain?”
As soon as she finished her hysterical questioning, her family arrived in a hurry. Her father, Duke An Ding, and her aunt, Lady Pingjing, pulled her from both sides, trying to drag her back. Her mother, embarrassed, apologized to Shen Xiling, hoping she wouldn’t hold her daughter’s indiscretion against her.
Shen Xiling harbored no resentment. Watching Xue Yuan felt like seeing herself—if she had been more genuine, she might have acted just as desperately as Miss Xue.
She empathized with her and naturally wouldn’t make things difficult, repeating what she had told Gu Jingqi. Miss Xue, struck by these words, looked sharply toward the temple atop the mountain but still couldn’t see Gu Juhan.
She nearly collapsed, immediately trying to break free from her father and aunt’s grip to rush up the mountain and save the one she wanted to rescue. Unable to escape, she received a scolding from her family.
Helpless, she burst into tears, channeling all her frustration and unwillingness into resentment toward Shen Xiling.
With eyes full of hatred, she turned to glare at Shen Xiling and loudly accused her: “Brother Wenruo is still on the mountain, still in the fire! How can you remain so calm? You don’t deserve to be his wife—you simply don’t!”
Shen Xiling remained expressionless.
She had no energy left to respond to anyone. The thick smoke from the rear mountain was choking, and the sound of the flames was now clearly audible. All her attention was focused on that stone staircase, yearning for someone to appear.
Her prayer came true!
Gu Juhan emerged! Along with numerous palace guards, he escorted Emperor Wei, Empress Dowager Zou, the Crown Prince, and Princess Xiao Ziying out of the inferno, bringing them to safety. Behind them followed many officials dressed in the attire of Liang. The nobles appeared unruffled, especially Emperor Wei and Empress Dowager Zou, whose hair wasn’t even disheveled, though their splendid robes bore traces of soot.
Cheers erupted at the foot of Zhe Mo Mountain as everyone hailed the emperor. Only Shen Xiling felt as if she had plunged into an icy abyss.
... Qi Yin still hadn’t come out.
What happened to him? Was he trapped in the fire?
Where was Elder Bai? Hadn’t he gone to save him? Or had the fire started near the rear mountain, consuming their lodgings entirely?
Was he injured?
He... could he...
Shen Xiling couldn’t bear to think further.
She completely broke down.
All notions of reason, restraint, maturity, consideration of consequences—all were cast aside. She only knew that he was still trapped in the fire, just as he had been alone in that snowstorm five years ago when they parted ways...
She had to save him.
She must save him.
She was more frantic than Xue Yuan had been earlier. The difference was that she was quiet, not asking anyone for help or questioning anyone. Silently, she ran toward the sea of flames, leaving everything else behind except him.
She seemed to hear people shouting behind her. Gu Jingqi called out to her, telling her that Gu Juhan had already come down and she didn’t need to search for anyone in the fire. She thought she also heard Gu Juhan’s voice, panicking and calling her name loudly, telling her not to go...
She heard it all.
But she didn’t turn back.
It wasn’t that she didn’t cherish her body or the life he had worked so hard to preserve for her.
But he was still in the fire... how could she not go find him?
Shen Xiling charged alone into the burning spring mountain.
The entire sky and earth were ablaze. The scorching flames almost seemed to incinerate anyone nearby. The stone staircase was still passable, but the surrounding trees had already been engulfed. Burning branches occasionally fell, and a single blow could be fatal. Yet, she felt no fear, running resolutely upward.
She had been gravely ill, and until today, her body had been so weak she could barely stand. But inexplicably, she felt no awareness of her physical suffering now. Instead, she was filled with strength. The sounds of wind and crackling flames filled her ears. Everything was perilous, yet she felt no fear.
She just had to find him.
The Jade Buddha Temple’s gates were almost entirely burned down, and even the plaque inscribed by the former emperor was unrecognizable. Peering inside, the once radiant pagoda was now a fiery inferno, reduced to ruins, completely consumed by flames.
Without hesitation, she ran through those gates.
Inside, the fire raged even more fiercely. Her skirt caught fire, but she desperately stomped it out and, relying on memory, rushed toward the lodgings near the rear mountain.
He was there.
He had to be there.
Shen Xiling ran faster than ever, even faster than when she was a child at the Qi family estate, sprinting from school to see Qi Yin before he left for Nanling. Her vision blurred with hallucinations now—the endless sea of flames seemed to vanish, replaced by the old estate. She became the little girl she once was, running desperately to see him one last time.
She would meet him at the western corner gate. He’d be surprised to see her but would still step in to bid her farewell. He would gently pinch her cheek, telling her to eat well, smiling faintly as he urged her to return to her studies lest Master Wang punish her...
Shen Xiling couldn’t help but smile.
She ran faster and faster, her eyes growing brighter. For five years, she had never felt such exhilaration. She gave no thought to her own survival or what would happen if she couldn’t escape. She was immersed in the joy of finding him. And if he died, she would surely die with him.
She was so happy.
The lodgings near the rear mountain came into view. She bypassed the fallen bronze tripod and rushed toward them. The flames grew fiercer, almost entirely engulfing her. She paid no heed, searching frantically room by room.
Nothing.
Nothing.
No sign of him anywhere!
Everywhere she looked, there was no trace of him!
Shen Xiling was on the verge of madness!
She shouted Qi Yin’s name, but only the roar of the flames answered her. There was no one in sight...
The fire was too intense, nearly collapsing the roof beams of the lodgings. Unaware, she charged toward the last room—it was her final hope. From behind, faint calls of her name seemed to echo, but realizing it wasn’t Qi Yin, she resolutely ignored them.
The flames surrounded her. The roof beam above could no longer hold, finally snapping completely. A burning log plummeted toward Shen Xiling, too close to dodge!
Just then, someone tackled her forcefully!
He shielded her firmly, his back bearing the brunt of the burning log. Through the flames, his face emerged.
... It was Gu Juhan.
He seemed injured, perhaps from the impact or burns. Pain made the veins on his forehead bulge, but he didn’t utter a sound. Immediately, he forcefully grabbed Shen Xiling’s hand and dragged her toward the exit.
In five years of marriage, he had never forced her, never gone against her wishes. But now was different—he couldn’t let her stubbornly throw her life away for that man!
“He’s not here!” he shouted, trying to bring her back to her senses. “Xiling, stop being stubborn and follow me!”
With that, he almost ruthlessly dragged her out of the lodging.
Shen Xiling struggled desperately, noticing bloodstains on the floor of the lodging. Her mind was in chaos, unable to comprehend anything. Her only thought was to stay!
Either find him.
Or die with him.
There was no third option.
She was so obstinate, struggling like a desperate, cornered beast in its final death throes.
So sorrowful and resolute.
But ultimately, she didn’t succeed—Gu Juhan pressed a point on her neck, and she immediately collapsed.
Her last memory was of the relentless tongues of fire licking the roof, everything collapsing and shattering under the blaze. Gu Juhan’s gaze held an indescribable emotion—pain, tinged with guilt.
She finally fell into darkness.
Google Sites
Report abuse