Chapter 37: Firefighting

Chapter 37: Fire Rescue

◎It's just a painting. If it burns, it burns.◎

The flames flickered amidst the thick, dark smoke, blurring their vision.

Li Ci obediently followed his instructions. Fresh air flowed into her lungs through the damp *Song brocade*, and she took a steadying breath. Leaning against his chest, she shook her head and continued, "Your painting is still in there."

She tried to raise her hand to point in the direction but lacked the strength, so she clung to his arm instead, nuzzling against it gently. "Over there."

At a time like this, and she’s still worried about a painting?

She was light, like a little cat nestling coyly in his arms, especially with her untimely and unreasonable demands.

Li Ci’s cheek pressed against his chest. The moisture on his clothes had already been dried by the intense heat, and through the soft, thin fabric, she could almost feel the firm lines of his muscles.

His rapid, strong heartbeat coming through his warm skin, one beat after another, gradually slowing as if soothed by some silent comfort, growing steady and calm.

It was the first time Li Ci had ever heard someone else’s heartbeat, and she found it intriguing. Unable to resist, she pressed a little closer.

"Stop fidgeting."

Xie Zhenchuan’s clear voice carried a hint of smoke-induced hoarseness, low and resonant through his chest, sending a tingling through her ears.

As he spoke, he carefully picked his way through the raging flames on the ground, carrying Li Ci toward the door.

The smoke grew thicker, and the flames, like crimson snakes' tongues, devoured everything flammable. Amid the crackling and popping of the fire and the sound of objects crashing to the ground, they could even faintly hear the beams and pillars beginning to splinter.

Li Ci grew anxious. "Lord Xie, it’s over there."

When Xie Zhenchuan entered, he had already seen the "Portrait of Guanyin," which he had once treasured deeply. But he knew the difference between a living person and an inanimate object. Pretending not to hear her, he held her steadily, his gaze fixed ahead as he strode out of the wing.

Almost as soon as they stepped over the threshold, a loud crash echoed from behind them.

The flames raced along the wooden beams, engulfing the entire crossbeam like a fiery dragon. The once-sturdy beam, charred black and precarious, finally gave way and crashed down in a blaze.

"Boom—"

The beam hit the ground, sending sparks flying and shaking the floor. Several embers landed on their clothes, instantly burning small black holes into the fabric.

A cool evening breeze brushed against Li Ci’s face, still burning from the heat of the fire. Only then did she realize the danger she had been in. Sheltered by Xie Zhenchuan, she peered through the burning window frame into the room.

The fire had spread throughout the entire wing. More red-hot beams and tiles fell from the roof, and the flames had begun to greedily lick at the scroll of the "Portrait of Guanyin." The crimson fire had already ignited the auspicious clouds at Guanyin’s feet.

Li Ci’s heart clenched. Summoning strength from somewhere, she tried to leap out of Xie Zhenchuan’s arms.

Knowing what she intended, Xie Zhenchuan released the arm supporting her knees, allowing her to stand on the ground. His other arm remained loosely around her waist, unmoved despite her pulling and tugging.

The vibrant flames reflected in his dark eyes, yet his expression remained calm. In a steady voice, he said, "It’s just a painting. If it burns, it burns."

Guanyin’s compassionate and dignified face watched the mortal struggle, showing neither sorrow nor joy. Amid the surging heat, her robes fluttered, curled, and finally turned to ash along with her merciful smile.

Watching such a precious painting vanish into gray-black flakes, Li Ci felt as though her heart had been smothered by the ashes.

She turned to look at Xie Zhenchuan, her eyes glistening with tears. With a blink, large teardrops rolled down uncontrollably.

Xie Zhenchuan unconsciously withdrew his arm from her waist. They stood close, and a teardrop fell onto his sleeve, dampening the fabric again.

Seeing that she still had the strength to struggle earlier, Xie Zhenchuan knew she wasn’t injured. He glanced down at her well-cared-for, satin-like black hair and felt slightly relieved. "I’m not crying, so why are you?"

Li Ci blinked, shedding a few more tears, and muttered, "I don’t know. Seeing the painting burn just makes me sad."

His tone was as light as ever. "Like high mountains and flowing waters, Boya breaking his zither—if it can move even the Magistrate of Jiangzhou to tears, then it was worth it."

Li Ci had already studied "Song of the Pipa Player" and didn’t dare compare herself to Bai Juyi. Embarrassed, she used his sleeve to wipe her tears and said, "But this was Grandpa Cang’s painting, bestowed by the late emperor and gifted to Lord Xie by Princess Jianing. Now that it’s burned…"

Hearing her mention the "late emperor," "Princess," and "Lord Xie" one after another, Xie Zhenchuan’s eyes darkened. "It doesn’t matter. Even if His Majesty metes out punishment, isn’t there Miss Li to shoulder the responsibility?"

Li Ci was taken aback, only then remembering that these were the words she had spoken when she still thought he was Xie Zheng.

"But that’s different," she said, her cheeks burning as if she were still in the fire. She lowered her head and muttered in self-defense, "I didn’t know any better back then."

The promise of responsibility had been made to Xie Zheng. Lord Xie, with his noble background, high status, and the emperor’s deep trust, would hardly need me to take responsibility.

The words were still fresh, but the one who spoke them no longer wanted to honor them.

Xie Zhenchuan had no intention of dropping the matter. Raising an eyebrow, he looked down at her and said, "Now that you know, are you just going to abandon me to my fate?"

Feeling guilty, Li Ci shook her head and put on a pitiful expression to placate him. "No, and Lord Xie is so competent, nothing will happen to you."

Xie Zhenchuan gave a soft chuckle and reluctantly decided to spare her.

His gaze fell on the fragments of a wine jar in the corner. Even from a distance, the strong smell of liquor was unmistakable. Today, the Earl of Guangcheng had organized a literary gathering, serving only mild rose wine. To ignite the wing, it would have taken hard liquor.

"This wasn’t your fault," Xie Zhenchuan turned to Li Ci, his voice calm. "Someone intentionally set the fire to burn the painting."

"Ah," Li Ci believed him without question and immediately grew indignant. "Why?"

From the perspective of who stood to benefit, if the painting was destroyed, it would give someone a hold over him—accusing him of "disrespecting the imperial favor and failing to properly safeguard a royal gift." If his guess was correct, someone from the Ying Tian Prefecture would soon come calling, asking to see this renowned masterpiece.

With the literary gathering today, the estate was filled with a mixed crowd. Xie Zhenchuan had no intention of investigating the arsonist, choosing instead to add this to the account of the mastermind behind the imperial examination fraud case.

He concisely answered Li Ci’s question: "If the painting is burned, I will be handing the enemy the sword by the blade."

Li Ci was stunned, remembering what her grandfather had said earlier—that Xie Zhenchuan was here to investigate a major case. If someone gained leverage over him, he would likely be hampered at every turn.

After a moment’s thought, she said, her voice trembling slightly, "Then... then let’s say I did it."

She tried to come up with a way to absolve Xie Zhenchuan of responsibility. "Say I tried to borrow the painting and failed, then in a fit of rage…"

Fortunately, Xie Zhenchuan quickly snapped her out of her fear.

"It’s fine. At worst, I’ll just paint a replica. No one will be able to tell." His tone was confident, as though he were discussing an everyday matter.

Li Ci didn’t even blink, her eyes wide in disbelief, wondering if she had heard correctly.

Xie Zhenchuan added, "But we must keep this a secret. No one can know."

"I won’t tell anyone," Li Ci nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking grain. She considered herself good at keeping secrets, but now she felt even more nervous. "But I’m afraid I might not act convincingly enough and someone will find out."

Xie Zhenchuan looked at her and gently reassured her. "Miss Li is someone who can keep a secret, right?"

Li Ci nodded. "Of course."

"And do you believe what I say?"

Li Ci nodded again.

In an instant, Xie Zhenchuan had already devised a complete story. "Then I'll tell you a secret."

"This painting was always a forgery. It was accidentally damaged shortly after my mother gifted it to me years ago. This particular piece was a replica commissioned by me from a master renowned for his skill in depicting deities and buddhas."

"Really?" Li Ci lit up immediately, though she coughed several times before saying, "Then could we ask that master to create another replica?"

"That master has already passed on," Xie Zhenchuan lied without batting an eye, then added, "But I can give it a try."

When he was young and learning painting, he had specifically sought guidance from Cang Yunzi on technique, and could be considered to have inherited a sliver of his true skill. While he couldn’t match the mastery of Cang Yunzi’s later works, he could still make a decent attempt at replicating pieces from the artist’s middle period.

If others heard this, most would think he had an inflated sense of his abilities, daring to compare himself to Cang Yunzi.

But Li Ci nodded earnestly and sincerely agreed, "I also think Lord Xie’s paintings are excellent. I’m sure you can do it."

Once the two had agreed on a plan, Nan Xuan and Xiuchun finally showed up with others in tow. Everyone set to work—some fighting the fire, others helping people—and soon everything returned to normal.

Xiuchun rushed over anxiously, "Miss, are you alright? Thankfully Master Xie arrived in time. I knew Master Xie would—"

She caught herself mid-sentence, realizing she had spoken out of turn, and quickly knelt. "This servant misspoke. Please forgive me, Lord Xie."

Just as Li Ci was about to plead on Xiuchun’s behalf, Xie Zhenchuan said, "It was merely out of concern for your mistress. There’s no fault in that. Rise."

Xiuchun breathed a sigh of relief. Lord Xie truly was magnanimous—it seemed she had previously misjudged him with her petty suspicions.

She stood up and carefully checked her young lady for any signs of burns.

Thanks to Xie Zhenchuan, Li Ci’s face was still fair and clean, though her hands were smudged with soot from earlier searching through things. Her dress, however, remained clean except for a few small holes burnt at the hem—the dark handprints had all ended up on Xie Zhenchuan’s robes.

Fortunately, the deep ink-purple color of his robe made it less noticeable at a glance, and few dared to look closely at Xie Zhenchuan anyway, so even Xiuchun didn’t notice anything wrong.

She asked softly, "Miss, I saw you rush into the fire earlier. Are you hurt?"

Li Ci shook her head and stepped forward, delivering the rehearsed explanation: "I noticed everyone in Huamao Garden had been knocked unconscious, and the room was on fire. I was worried someone might be trapped inside, so I went in to check. Lord Xie happened to be passing by."

She embellished, "He’s public-minded and cares for the people like his own children. Concerned that someone might be injured, he followed me in and escorted me out of the fire."

Hearing her unnecessary additions, Xie Zhenchuan looked away, inwardly consoling himself that since no mishap had occurred, there was no need to fuss over minor details.

The previously unconscious people were slowly waking up. Staring at the charred room, they panicked, "The painting! Wu Daozi’s painting!"

Xiuchun remembered it too and asked worriedly, "Was the painting rescued?"

Li Ci nodded and said deliberately, "Fortunately, we went in just in time. The painting is completely unharmed and has been taken away by Lord Xie."

Xie Zhenchuan stood nearby, hands behind his back, and nodded faintly.

Everyone knew the Earl of Guangcheng’s cousin was simple-hearted and not skilled at lying. Seeing her dress—especially her hair thick as seaweed, soft and glowing—completely untouched, they believed her without doubt.

"Thank heavens! Thankfully, nothing happened."

"Yes, and thanks to Lord Xie’s swift actions."

"Lord Xie truly cares for the people like his own children, personally escorting our cousin out of the fire."

...

Xie Zhenchuan listened to these exaggerated praises with a strained smile. It was the first time he found the phrase "cares for the people like his own children" so awkward.

"Enough. Handle the aftermath here," he turned to Li Ci and said, "Miss Li has had quite a scare. Fangze Courtyard is nearby. Why not go there for a bowl of calming soup?"

Li Ci also remembered she had much to discuss with Xie Zhenchuan and naturally agreed.

-

Fangze Courtyard appeared no different from usual, except that Bei Ming could now openly show himself.

Li Ci glanced curiously at the guard with a dark complexion. He wore a crow-blue *tieli* uniform of the Zhuoying Department, paired with a silver overcoat armor, a gold token and a waist knife hanging at his belt—truly impressive.

This was Bei Ming’s first official interaction with the cousin. Though he already knew her to be pure-hearted, being looked over by such a young and beautiful woman made him blush. Fortunately, his dark complexion hid it well.

"Nothing requires your attention here for now. You may withdraw," Xie Zhenchuan waved Bei Ming away, then said to Nan Xuan, "Bring a bowl of calming soup."

Li Ci hesitated, "Do I really have to drink it? I thought we were just saying that for their benefit."

She had tried calming soup before—it was filled with copious amounts of bitter coptis, enough to make one miserable.

Nan Xuan patted his chest confidently, "Don’t worry, Miss Li. Our calming soup is one you’re guaranteed to like."

Li Ci felt reassured and sat contentedly in the seat to Xie Zhenchuan’s left, waiting happily.

The calming soup was soon served, and Li Ci’s eyes lit up.

The broth was clear and transparent, with three white plum blossoms floating gently within. The plums had been salted, rinsed, and mixed with honey, now glistening and faintly fragrant.

Li Ci took a small sip, and sweetness spread across her tongue. Her voice, clear and bright like the soup, exclaimed, "Delicious!"

Nan Xuan no longer needed to hold back and said with a smile, "If you like it, Miss Li, you can try making it yourself. Pick early plum blossoms in December, salt them, seal them in a porcelain jar with bamboo leaves and thick paper, and brew them in water the following year. It helps calm the mind and boost energy."

Li Ci nodded and glanced at Xiuchun standing nearby, seeing how impressed she looked. Knowing she had taken note, Li Ci focused on enjoying her soup.

The calming soup suited her taste perfectly, and its effect was immediate. She felt as if she had returned to the time when Xie Zhenchuan was still "Xie Zheng," and she would linger in his courtyard with a clear conscience, eating and drinking.

Li Ci secretly glanced up at Xie Zhenchuan’s expression. He had changed into a mountain-mist-colored, gold-woven *fangsheng*-patterned cloud satin robe with a square collar and front opening. His well-defined fingers rested lightly on the earlier sweet-white glazed Sancai cup, his face calm and composed.

"Author’s Note:"

Who’s still hard at work on New Year’s Eve and the first day of the year? Me, me!

Small red envelopes will still be dropped in this chapter’s comment section. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!