Chapter 61: The Fire

Chapter 61: The Fire

The cold night breeze swept through the open door, clearing the hard-won warm and intimate atmosphere in the bedroom.

The tyrant, usually a light sleeper, hadn't woken up tonight due to being overly exhausted.

Listening to the even breathing of the person beside him, Lu Changping couldn't bear to wake him up immediately. After all, he was now A-Lin's half-father, and it was the same if he handled any issues concerning A-Lin.

With that thought, he swiftly got out of bed, lowering his voice to ask the palace servant who came to report, "Is the young prince safe and sound?"

The servant, terrified, glanced at the sleeping tyrant and then at Lu, who now dominated the harem, and said sadly, "The night is dark, and the fire fierce; Anhua Palace has mostly collapsed. We are desperately searching nearby, but the young prince's whereabouts are still unknown..."

Hearing this, the usually calm and serene Lu's eyes finally showed turmoil. As a former emperor, he was more composed in crisis than ordinary people. Without further words, he quickly grabbed a coat from beside the bed, putting it on with a firm voice:

"There's no need to alarm His Majesty for now; I will go with you immediately. No matter how fierce the fire at Anhua Palace is, we must find A-Lin tonight!"

……

The night was starless and moonless, with only a few grey clouds drifting in the dim sky, but the raging fire at Anhua Palace had turned half of the sky a sinister blood-red.

Amidst thick smoke, hundreds of palace servants struggled to extinguish the fire with hoses and buckets, yet could only slightly contain the spreading flames.

The fire seemed to have started from both inside and out, not only turning the external palaces into a sea of flames but also continuously belching thick smoke from the inner halls.

Due to the fire and thick smoke, those outside had no way of knowing the situation inside the palace, and it was extremely difficult for those inside to escape.

When Lu Changping arrived, he immediately encountered Lu ZhaoPing. Just one look between the siblings was enough to see each other's anxiety.

It turned out, in his haste, Lu Changping had grabbed a red garment Xie Xuan Yuan had used to seduce him that afternoon, while ZhaoPing, in her concern, had only a thin undergarment beneath her thick cloak.

With the palace suddenly engulfed in flames, ZhaoPing, filled with unease, adjusted her cloak and rushed to Lu Changping:

"Brother, why have you come alone? Where is... the Emperor of Beiwai?"

"He hasn't woken up yet. My presence here is the same," he answered, though his gaze remained fixed on the fire. The palace servants of Beiwai were still futilely trying to extinguish the flames, yet no one seemed to be escaping from inside.

Since arriving in Beiwei, Zhaoping rarely had the chance to evade the tyrant's notice and be alone with her royal brother. She couldn't help but lower her voice, tentatively saying, "About A-Lin, brother, do you already know? Actually, A-Lin he..."

To prevent their conversation from reaching the tyrant's ears, Zhaoping spoke very softly. But before she could finish, a beam from the palace, which had been struggling to hold up amidst the fire for too long, crashed down, burying several firefighters under a pile of charred rubble.

Her unfinished words thus dissipated among the cries of shock.

The collapse of the beam was an ominous sign. Even if Emperor Lu had never believed in the superstitious babblings of the Astronomical Bureau, he couldn't help but prepare for the worst.

The massive beam blocked the exit, diminishing the hope of rescue for those trapped inside. It was at this moment that Lu Changping seemed to make a certain resolution, his brows furrowed in determination.

He turned back to his sister and instructed, "Waiting any longer might mean the worst for A-Lin. I'll take some men and go in to look for A-Lin myself, Zhaoping, stay here. If your sister-in-law arrives, you can reassure her not to worry too much."

"Wait!" Zhaoping, seeing plumes of black smoke emanate from the collapsing Anhua Palace, could not bear to let her only remaining kin risk his life again.

She clung to Lu Changping's wrist, unwilling to let go, trying to convey the real reason the tyrant of Beiwei valued A-Lin so much, hoping to persuade her brother to retreat. Yet, she feared that knowing A-Lin was his biological son might only make him more reckless.

But her brother's strength far surpassed hers. As Zhaoping hesitated, unable to voice her thoughts, Emperor Lu gently but firmly withdrew his hand.

Accepting a wet handkerchief from a servant, he smiled at his sister with a mix of resignation and affection:

"Don't worry, I'm going to save someone, not to die. Besides, Zhaoping, you've grown up now, and your heart has room for another, Ji Yu is indeed impeccable in family and character. Should anything happen to me, I can rest assured..."

Before he could finish, his mouth was covered. Zhaoping's eyes reddened with anger, almost wishing she could tear her brother's mouth for unjustly being jealous of Brother Ji: "How can you still be jealous of Brother Ji at a time like this? Stop talking nonsense!"

Interrupted, Lu Changping tried to change the subject: "Alright, let's not talk about Brother Ji. Let's talk about your sister-in-law. She lost her mother at a young age, and her first bloom of love was deceived by a fraud from Nanchu. Now, all she has left is A-Lin as her sole support. If something happens to A-Lin, how is she supposed to go on?"

Zhaoping couldn't understand how her brother could be so wise yet so foolish at times. The most important person in her tyrant sister-in-law's heart had never changed. Even a fool could see that Xie Xuan Yuan, despite his constant threats, never truly hated that "Nanchu fraudster" who had deceived him and been partial...

She snapped back to reality, wanting to persuade him further, only to find herself immobilized by a pressure point on her neck, applied by Lu Changping.

……

Covering his nose and mouth with the wet cloth, Lu Changping led a group of guards quietly, avoiding the collapsed main entrance and entering Anhua Palace through a side door.

All they could see were the red flames and the dark structures gradually being consumed by them. Even the stone tiles underfoot were heated and cracked by the flames, making it difficult to stand.

Lu Changping dispersed the people he brought to various locations, then ran towards the deepest part of the palace.

Along the way, illuminated by the fire's glow, he discovered several bodies of assassins and palace servants. These corpses, mutilated beyond recognition, seemed to have died before the fire started rather than being burnt to death.

This fire was no accident, and the arsonist's motive was clear.

Unable to kill Xie Xuan Yuan himself, they aimed to end his lineage. Such vile and sinister tactics could only be the work of the remnants loyal to the Dowager Empress of Beiwai.

But Xie Xuan Yuan, having survived numerous assassination attempts over his years as a tyrant and valuing A-Lin, would not have been unprepared...

Clinging to this last hope, Lu Changping did not turn back but searched for the inner chambers in the ruins.

The deeper he went, the more unbearable the choking smoke and scorching heat waves became. Even covering his mouth and nose, he couldn't block out the pervasive smell of burning.

Even Lu Changping himself couldn't discern whether the smell was from burning wood or the charred flesh and bones of humans...

All around were the sounds of combustion, yet only his keen hearing could detect the faint cries of a baby amidst the ruins.

Driven by the sound, he used his sword to slash through the charred door, turning the once luxurious wood into dust and ash that vanished into the flames.

Before the fire, this must have been a lavish chamber, now unrecognizable in its devastation.

With sword in hand, Lu Changping stepped over the piled corpses, his eyes reflecting the tragedy within. No survivors seemed left; courtiers, guards, and assassins lay mixed in death, the intricately carved cradle now empty. The baby's cry he thought he'd heard must have been an illusion.

Yet, refusing to give up, he gently moved the bodies aside, his voice trembling as he sought to reassure himself, "A-Lin, are you there? Your father has come to save you."

This was the first time he truly accepted this child of unknown origin, earnestly wishing to be A-Lin's father. But it seemed all might be wishful thinking after losing everything.

Perhaps he would never hear A-Lin's response...

The more he searched among the bodies, the more despair filled him, fearing the worst.

From the first glance, A-Lin inexplicably clung to him, perhaps signifying some mysterious bond. Not just with him, but A-Lin was also deeply fond of the tyrant, their interaction enviable to others.

"A-Lin," his voice softened, now hoarse from the smoke, "if you're here, can you answer your father? I promise, I'll never mind your drool or your silly smiles again..."

In his urgency, he abandoned his usual demeanor of the "Virtuous Consort of Beiwei," speaking his true feelings. Fortunately, the suspicious and grudge-holding tyrant of Beiwei wasn't by his side, or he might have taken another mental note.

Knowing the odds were slim, Lu Changping stubbornly remained in the perilous fire scene. It wasn't so much that he couldn't let go, but rather, he didn't know how to face Xie Xuan Yuan, who was a father for the first time.

He had long known that Xie Xuan Yuan, despite appearing ruthless and accustomed to stepping over countless enemies to reach the chilling heights of power, actually had a fatal weakness due to losing his mother early: his need for familial love and affection.

Anything the tyrant held dear and grasped tightly in his hands was never meant to be released.

If not for knowing what mattered most to the other, he wouldn't have emerged unscathed time and again in their confrontations, even making such a stubborn man lower his guard for him.

Lu Changping was a clear-sighted man; he understood his place in Xie Xuan Yuan's heart, as well as Ah Lin's. Losing either him or Ah Lin would be a fatal blow to the tyrant. Therefore, he couldn't leave before finding Ah Lin!

Clenching his teeth, he continued to search the entire chamber, not sparing any corner charred black, wishing Ah Lin would suddenly appear from somewhere.

Smoke and dust filled the fire scene, making it impossible not to inhale it even without moving. And Lu Changping was searching non-stop in the ruins, unable to breathe freely even with his martial prowess and inner strength.

After persisting for a while, he was eventually overcome by severe coughing due to the ash. His coughing, too forceful, aggravated an internal injury from a previous assassin's attack, causing acute pain in all his organs.

Lu Changping had always been strong and healthy, seldom even catching a cold. Thus, despite his beauty, he had nothing in common with the frail beauty trope. But at this moment, he could only find a corner not yet engulfed by flames to lean against the scorching wall, clutching his chest, waiting for his turbulent inner energy to stabilize.

Amid the smoky blaze, his face unknowingly got covered in soot, and with his organs feeling unbearably uncomfortable, his expression naturally twisted.

The world before Lu Changping's eyes turned dark, yet he couldn't help feeling relieved that his unsightly state was unseen by the tyrant.

Just then, as if there was a light at the end of the tunnel, a faint sound came from a closet half-buried under debris in the corner of the room.

This sound was like a pardon for Emperor Lu, drowning in sadness and pain. He abruptly stood up, disregarding his unsettled inner energy and the burning pain in his organs, and took large strides to the closet, clearing away the top layer of rubble.

To avoid accidentally injuring Ah Lin with the cold sharpness of his sword, he ultimately set it aside and fumbled to open the cabinet door.

The wardrobe, having been smoked in the fire for a long time, was hot to the touch everywhere, and his slender, pale fingertips were scalded by the gilded bronze ring, blistering.

Perhaps the real injury wasn't to the flesh, for he hardly felt the pain in his hands, forcefully pulling open the wardrobe to find the body of a shadow guard who had died long before, hidden inside.

Judging by the attire and circumstances, this was a shadow guard sent by Xie Xuan Yuan to secretly protect Anhua Palace, equal in combat to the prepared assassins. In the end, no assassin could deliver a fatal blow to the young prince, but likewise, no one was able to carry Ah Lin out of the palace now engulfed in flames.

Lu Changping, supporting the wardrobe, bowed to the corpse inside, then tenderly lifted the faintly crying Ah Lin from the stiff arms of the dead guard, softly saying:

"You saved Ah Yuan... and my son, a debt of gratitude I cannot repay. Rest assured, if you have family still in this world, Ah Yuan and I will surely take good care of them."

His tone was gentle and sincere as he spoke, his eyes moist, devoid of any imperial airs, just like a father who had just found his child thanking the kind soul who helped him.

Initially, Ah Lin's cries were weak and pitiful, his tender face covered in soot, streaked with tears making him look like a tear-stained kitten. But miraculously, soon after being in Lu Changping's arms, he stopped crying.

Emperor Lu thought he had cried himself to sleep, allowing Ah Lin to rest head to head, cheek to cheek with him into slumber. Even the cold, wet tears that Ah Lin rubbed onto his face didn't bother him anymore.

Feeling the weak but steady breathing of the sleeping Ah Lin, Lu Changping felt an unprecedented sense of solidity and peace. He knew this was the best outcome. Neither he nor Xie Xuan Yuan could bear another separation by death.

Perhaps starting back now, he could finish all the aftermath work before dawn. That way, even if the young tyrant woke up wanting to rage, he'd have no grounds to do so... With this thought, Lu Changping allowed himself a soft laugh at his own slyness.

But his moment of perfection was short-lived; a slight laugh triggered his unhealed internal injury, causing him to cough again.

Fearing he would wake Ah Lin, he tried not to cough too loudly. But the more he suppressed it, the more uncomfortable his chest became. It was as if his internal injury chose the worst possible moment to flare up, punishing him for his distracted state in Nanchu and reluctance to take his medicine seriously.

Lu Changping coughed quietly, silently wiping away the blood from the corner of his mouth, his steps unsteady. Concerned he might not hold Ah Lin securely, he moved towards the door to find a spot to rest for a moment, then call his attendants to make one final effort to escape the fire.

But his condition was far from good, as if he couldn't see the path beneath his feet at all. Barely taking a step, he was tripped by the corpses strewn across the ground, stumbling and falling to one side.

The weapons and hidden tools scattered on the ground hadn't been cleared away. His Majesty could only sidestep in an attempt to cushion the fall, trying to protect A-Lin in his arms from injury. This was the best response he could muster under the circumstances, yet it happened in front of the very last person he wished to see.

He didn't actually crash heavily to the ground but landed in a pair of arms that weren't particularly warm.

Xie Xuan Yuan was only wearing a thin inner garment, the skin exposed to the air carried the unshakable chill of the journey, but the coldness in his bright eyes was even more intense than the cold on his body.

The tyrant, holding the frail Lu Changping who could hardly stand straight, unceremoniously pinched the other's chin with his long, icy fingers, forcing the beauty in his arms to lift his slender neck into a vulnerable posture, as if ready for execution, and aggressively questioned:

"Venturing here in the dead of night to seek death, leaving me behind, did I permit you to die? Or perhaps, you've truly grown tired of me?"

Author's note:

I'm sorry for making everyone wait; I'm back with an update. Many times I opened the document, unable to type a single word, unsure of what was happening, perhaps facing a bottleneck. But I couldn't abandon this story or let down those who waited, so I will continue updating until it's finished. An author prone to delays doesn't deserve forgiveness, only to work hard at filling the gaps. I'm sorry, and thank you all for waiting.