Chapter 163: Trapped in the Flames

Chapter 163: Trapped in the Flames

A Yuan leaned against the corner of the wall. Though she covered her nose and mouth, it couldn’t fully block the thick smoke. Especially when the rotted beams crashed down, her nerves were frayed to the breaking point, and now she was near collapse.

Chun Tao tied the handkerchief around her head, bent down, and helped A Yuan up. "My lady, I’ll take you out."

Crash!

The moment they stepped away from the corner, a beam crashed down in front of them, sending sparks scattering. A Yuan’s leg was nearly crushed.

"Careful!"

Chun Tao quickly shielded her. "The exit's just ahead, let’s hurry!"

With the beam gone, the roof tiles lost their support. Amid the roaring flames, tiles rained down in a relentless clatter.

Chun Tao grew more desperate. After walking through the smoke for so long, she was already exhausted. The only thing keeping her going was the determination to save her mistress.

"Alright."

A Yuan gritted her teeth and nodded. The spasms of pain in her abdomen made her legs weak, and her forehead was slick with cold sweat.

But the chance to escape was right before her—she couldn’t give up now.

With Chun Tao supporting her, the pair staggered toward the exit.

The exit was a concealed window. During the cold winter, the servants had sealed it shut and never reopened it when spring came.

As the fire spread, it consumed the window frame, leaving just enough space for one person to pass through.

"My lady, I’ll help you up."

The window was mid-height. Normally, even if A Yuan was weak, she could've managed it with someone’s help.

But now, seven months pregnant, her belly was so large she couldn’t see her feet. The stabbing pains in her abdomen made even walking difficult—how was she supposed to climb through a window?

"My lady?"

When she didn’t move, Chun Tao urged anxiously.

"Chun Tao, you go ahead."

"What are you saying? We’re already at the exit—we can be saved any moment. Why are you suddenly telling me to leave alone?"

Chun Tao wouldn't hear of it. The smoke blurred their vision, so she couldn’t see A Yuan’s expression.

At this moment, A Yuan’s face was deathly pale, her sweat dripping down only to evaporate instantly in the blazing heat. Severe dehydration made her vision darken. If not for Chun Tao holding her up, she would have collapsed.

A Yuan wanted to escape too, but Chun Tao, a frail girl, stood no chance of lifting her. Struggling further would only waste time.

More tiles crashed down, and the flames were already licking at their heels.

If they didn’t leave now, neither of them would make it.

Marshaling her last reserves of strength, A Yuan pushed Chun Tao away. "You go first and get help from outside. Once it’s safe, I’ll follow."

She knew Chun Tao was loyal. Without this pretext, the maid would never leave on her own.

Sure enough, at this, Chun Tao hesitated.

"Be careful, Mistress Xie! I'll lure them away and come back to save you!"

"Go."

A Yuan gave a small, reassuring smile as Chun Tao looked back again and again before leaping out the window.

But the second she got out, the side hall behind her collapsed with a thunderous roar.

Flames shot into the sky, and the woman by the window had vanished.

Chun Tao’s mind went blank, her legs buckling under her.

"Mistress!"

"A Yuan!"

Wei Xun rushed in just as it happened.

He sprinted forward, his eyes wild with panic. "Chun Tao, where is A Yuan?"

He refused to believe what he saw. Only months ago, A Yuan had vowed to wait for him. Where was she now?

"My lord, she’s still inside—"

Chun Tao’s voice was choked with guilt. She shouldn’t have obeyed her mistress and fled alone. Now, trapped inside, how scared must she be?

And she was carrying a child.

Cutting her off, Wei Xun tore off his cloak, dunked it in a water barrel by the wall, and draped it over himself before plunging into the inferno.

"My lord!"

Both Zhang Feng and Chang Yuan gaped in horror. The side hall was already engulfed in flames—going in now was suicide.

But with Mistress Xie trapped inside, how could he just stand there?

"Move! Get water now!"

Chang Yuan sighed and immediately grabbed a bucket, while Zhang Feng and the others hurried to assist.

Their cloaks and scarves, not meant for smoke, but now served to filter the thick fumes.

As Chang Yuan fought the flames, he urged his wife to safety. "The fire’s too fierce here. Go to the corner. Mistress Xie’s tough—she’ll make it."

"I won’t!"

Chun Tao was drowning in guilt. She’d rather burn inside too than leave her mistress to suffer alone.

What was happening inside now?

Just beyond the wall, A Yuan sank to her knees, drained. The flames devoured the wooden beams, and as more rafters crashed down, the fire grew fiercer.

The air around A Yuan grew thin. She crawled along the ground, searching for safety, but fire surrounded her, already searing her skirt.

"Help... help me... it hurts..."

A Yuan struggled to breathe, her belly wracked with pain.

Half-conscious, she suddenly saw a figure leap in through the window.

The man was dressed in black, his face masked, but she could never mistake those eyes.

A Yuan felt dazed, sure she was dreaming.

“Wei Xun…”

Her voice was hoarse, her throat raw with pain when she spoke.

How could Wei Xun be here? She must be dying, hallucinating before death.

She gave a bitter smile as she collapsed onto the ground.

Her hands cradled her belly, murmuring softly, “I’m sorry, little one… Mama couldn’t protect you…”

She was a terrible mother—she had failed both her children and A Man.

She could only imagine A Man’s grief upon hearing of her death.

Tears streamed down A Yuan’s face, blurring her vision, so she missed the ‘illusion’ approaching—until he was right beside her.

“A Yuan, don’t sleep!”

Wei Xun’s heart lurched when he saw her eyes closing.

Weaving through flames, he lunged toward her.

She lay curled around her belly, her eyes half-shut, tear stains still fresh on her cheeks.

His heart clenched as he gathered her into his arms.

The damp cloak draped over her, but the moment it touched her, flames seared his back.

“Hngh!”

His pained grunt startled her awake. A Yuan struggled to open her eyes, and when she saw the familiar face, her eyes widened in shock, her fingers instinctively clutching his clothes.

“…Wei Xun?”

Her voice was tentative, tinged with disbelief and desperate hope. Wei Xun’s guilt deepened—he should have come sooner.

“A Yuan, stay awake. I’m getting you out.”

He feared she wouldn’t wake if she slept now.

He kept talking to her, and A Yuan nestled in his arms, her arms looped around his neck. The scorching heat on her skin—was it from the flames around them, or the fire burning his back?

“Wei Xun… Are you hurt?”

Her face buried in his chest, her words piercing his heart.

He held her tighter for a moment, then eased up.

“It’s nothing.”

Crash!

The moment he spoke, a piece of roof tile crashed before them. Wei Xun covered her ears, crushing her against him.

A Yuan had no strength to resist. She didn’t realize that as she buried her face in his chest, more tiles crashed down, each slamming into his injured back.