27 Wildfire

"The Emperor? Which Emperor?"

Old Third Wu was dumbfounded. The entire Canglong Stronghold gang was dumbfounded.

They stared blankly at Zhu Houzhao. The man who had been in such a wretched state just moments ago stood there now, surrounded by a vast sea of people kneeling before him, yet he remained unmoved, as if he were long accustomed to such scenes.

The Emperor they were speaking of... was him?!

From the side, Liu Jin cried out loudly, "Your servant is late in coming to save the Emperor! My crime is deserving of ten thousand deaths! I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

"You do deserve to die," Zhu Houzhao said coldly.

Liu Jin’s body trembled as he looked up. "Sire..."

Zhu Houzhao looked at him, then at the terrified officers and soldiers behind him. He had always loathed these people and wished to drive them all away, but this time, he was furious that they had arrived so late.

Old Third Wu and the others finally snapped out of their stupor. They collapsed off their horses like heaps of mud, kneeling on the ground with their legs shaking violently. They wanted to beg for mercy, but they couldn't even manage a complete sentence.

"Em-Emperor..."

Zhu Houzhao ignored them and walked straight toward a horse. His balance was still unsteady, and Liu Jin instinctively blocked his path. "Sire, what are you doing?"

Zhu Houzhao lashed out with a whip across his face. In the firelight, the handsome man’s face finally revealed a flash of erupting rage. "Liu Jin, take your men and follow me up the mountain! My woman is still up there. If she is not rescued, I will have every one of you buried with her!"

Liu Jin was shocked. The Emperor had secretly left the capital a month ago. As the Director of the Ceremonial Secretariat, Liu Jin had not dared to make it public, carefully concealing the truth until today. He had finally received word of his location, only to arrive and witness this scene!

Thinking of the potential consequences had he arrived even a moment later, he felt a lingering fear. He forced a smile and said, "Sire, let your servant take the men up to search. You should stay here; the health of the Dragon Body is paramount..."

The fact that he dared to talk back triggered a flicker of murderous intent in Zhu Houzhao's eyes. Just as he was about to strike again, a massive explosion erupted from the top of Canglong Mountain. Everyone then realized that a fire had broken out where the bandit stronghold was located. The mountain forests were bone-dry in the winter, and caught by the wind, the blaze spread rapidly, sweeping through everything with unstoppable force. In the blink of an eye, half the mountain was a sea of flames!

The foot of the mountain erupted in chaos. The bandits were struck with panic, descending into total disarray as some fled for their lives while others tried to fight the fire. Zhu Houzhao’s eyes widened, staring blankly at the scene, his face turning pale.

A stray ember drifted down. It was as if he had suddenly been jolted awake. "My little beauty..." he muttered, and mounted his horse to charge in.

Qian Ning reacted with lightning speed, lunging forward to pull him off the horse. As the two tumbled to the ground, Zhu Houzhao roared in fury, "Presumptuous!"

"Your Majesty! You cannot go up! Your Majesty!"

"Get out of the way!"

"Sire, even if you kill me, I cannot let you go up there!"

As they struggled, another explosion rocked the mountaintop. Zhu Houzhao finally stopped. Qian Ning continued to hold him in a death grip, while the Emperor, gasping for air, stared motionlessly at the peak.

Reflected in his black pupils was the surging sea of fire on Canglong Mountain—so magnificent that it burned half the sky red.

The great fire on Canglong Mountain spread to every major prefecture in the Northern Zhili region by the next day. It was said that the Zhending Prefecture garrison had raided the bandits in the middle of the night, and the mountain fire was accidentally ignited by the panicked outlaws. Fortunately, it was extinguished in time and did not affect the nearby civilians. Aside from the bandits who perished in the flames, the rest were all captured; the local authorities claimed a total victory.

However, strangely enough, even five days after the incident, the government troops remained stationed on the scorched mountain, with reinforcements even arriving from neighboring prefectures. Nearly a thousand soldiers worked without rest, tearing the mountain apart, searching for something.

This abnormal behavior inevitably brought to mind the rumors circulating outside: that the Emperor had not been in the capital for over a month, but had instead been living as a bandit on this very mountain. The news seemed too absurd for anyone to take seriously, but seeing the government mobilize such a massive force, people couldn't help but wonder—could it actually be true?

In the main office of the Zhending Prefecture government, Liu Jin kept his head bowed, speaking cautiously. "Sire, the men have searched everywhere. There is no sign... no sign of the young lady you mentioned..."

Zhu Houzhao sat in a mahogany chair, pressing his index finger against his forehead, eyes closed, saying nothing. His complexion looked poor, which was hardly surprising; he had barely rested during this time. On the day the fire was extinguished, he had even ignored everyone’s protests to search the mountain himself.

The man took a deep breath and said slowly, "I want to see her alive, or see her body if she is dead. How can there be no trace?"

Liu Jin felt a sense of panic. He had heard that the Emperor had not only turned bandit during this trip but had also abducted a 'stronghold mistress,' and she was the one who had been trapped on the mountain. He didn't know how to answer. The fire that night had been so intense that even if she were found, she would be unrecognizable...

Having served this master for many years, Liu Jin’s mind raced. He offered a smile, "So I suspect, perhaps the young lady managed to escape, which is why we cannot find her. Please do not be too heartbroken, Sire. Under the protection of your Dragon Might, I believe that no matter where she is, she will be able to turn misfortune into a blessing..."

The rest of his words caught in his throat as he met Zhu Houzhao’s gaze.

Liu Jin’s legs went weak, and he collapsed onto the ground, kowtowing without another word.

Zhu Houzhao stood up and paced to the window, gazing at the rising sun. After a long silence, he said faintly, "She is dead."

Liu Jin dared not even breathe.

He knew it. From the moment he watched her leave, he had realized that perhaps that parting was their last.

In such a dangerous situation, how could a delicate girl like her possibly survive? He had simply held onto a sliver of hope that perhaps she was clever enough or lucky enough to find a way out, just as he had been certain she couldn't escape his watch, yet she had knocked out the guards and climbed the high wall.

But now, it seemed it had been his own delusion.

Zhu Houzhao closed his eyes. So, not only was she dead, but her body had been reduced to ashes in the fire...

He suddenly let out a soft laugh. Liu Jin looked up to see the monarch mocking himself. "My stronghold mistress—I said I would protect her, but instead, she ended up protecting me. It is a disgrace of the highest order."

Liu Jin thought for a moment and sighed softly. "Sire, the mistress would not blame you. Otherwise, she would not have risked her life to save you, would she? Knowing you are safe and sound is the greatest wish she could have had."

Is that so? He recalled the determination in her eyes and the smile on her lips as they parted. He truly didn't understand why she had been so good to him...

"Aside from that, news is spreading everywhere outside. How should we proceed? Please give your instructions, Your Majesty. Do you wish to stay here, return to the capital, or travel elsewhere?"

Zhu Houzhao stood with his hands behind his back. After a long time, he said, "She once said she wanted to go back to the capital for the New Year. Since she cannot go back, I will go back for her. Prepare the carriage to return to the capital. I never want to see this Zhending Prefecture again."

Liu Jin was relieved, but Zhu Houzhao added, "However, I believe I said that if she could not be saved, I would have all of you buried with her."

Liu Jin was stunned. Zhu Houzhao’s expression was so dark it made his legs go weak again. No, surely not? This little ancestor was actually serious?!

Zhu Houzhao finally sneered. "What about those bandits? Bring them all back to the capital. I want to have them sliced to pieces one by one!"

With that, he brushed his sleeves and left, ignoring the terrified Liu Jin. Yet, as he passed through the courtyard, he couldn't help but look toward the direction of Canglong Mountain. Within his heavy, somber eyes, a hint of indescribable tenderness and sorrow spilled forth.

My little beauty, I will avenge you. If your spirit is in heaven, remember to visit me in a dream and tell me how you want them to die.

Shi Nian sneezed.

Outside the carriage, Nie Cheng asked, "Did you catch a cold? I told you to wear more layers. Now you're suffering the consequences."

"If you hadn't insisted on riding horses, how would I have caught a cold? And you're still making snide remarks," Shi Nian rubbed her nose and protested indignantly.

After leaving Canglong Mountain, they had waited in Zhending Prefecture for five more days, and once they confirmed Zhu Houzhao had set off for the capital, they began their own journey to the capital. However, the Imperial procession took the main road, and to avoid them, they chose the back paths.

Nie Cheng had initially insisted on riding. Shi Nian didn't know how to ride, so she was perched in front of him on his horse. It was fast, but after one day, Shi Nian was losing her mind, feeling as if her bones were about to rattle apart. The next day, Nie Cheng finally switched to a carriage, saving her from the fate of dying on the road.

Thinking of this, Shi Nian sighed. "It seems we thought things were too simple. I originally thought that once Zhu Houzhao returned to the palace, the mission would be complete!"

That night’s experience had been so perilous. If Nie Cheng hadn't sent word to the officials in the capital and rushed back to save her in time, both she and Zhu Houzhao might have been finished. Yet even after all that trouble, it still wasn't enough. She couldn't feel it, but Nie Cheng told her the 'string' had not returned to a state of calm, which meant they would have to continue staying in the Ming Dynasty.

Nie Cheng didn't respond, so Shi Nian continued, "But you surprised me. You just brought me away like that. I thought you would have me continue as an undercover agent by Zhu Houzhao's side."

"Why, do you want to stay? That's fine too. I think Zhu Houzhao is quite attached to you; he would definitely be happy to see you go back."

During those days in Zhending Prefecture, Shi Nian had heard about the government searching the mountains. It was a coincidence—they had originally intended to sneak away, and they hadn't expected the mountain fire to break out just as they left. The bandits Nie Cheng had knocked out likely hadn't escaped, so no one could have told Zhu Houzhao that she had already been rescued.

So, he must believe she was dead.

Shi Nian felt this was for the best; it was much cleaner and simpler than a disappearance that could lead to endless trouble.

She hummed softly, "Not a chance. Let's hurry to the capital and meet up with Su Geng and Lu Zhiyao!"

They arrived in the capital the following noon.

Compared to the Chang'an of before, this capital of the Ming Dynasty felt much more familiar to Shi Nian—after all, she had spent four years in college here hundreds of years later. As soon as she entered the city gate, she saw wide, orderly streets and bustling crowds. With the New Year approaching, the streets were exceptionally lively, filled with noise and activity wherever they went. Standing in a higher spot, she could see the Forbidden City in the heart of the capital—red walls and golden tiles, magnificent and dazzling, each detail manifesting the majesty of this imperial city.

The two found a restaurant for lunch. Thinking of the bricks, tiles, and small alleyway courtyards she had seen along the way, Shi Nian felt an overwhelming sense of wonder. "So this is Beijing during the Ming Dynasty... it really is the 'old' Beijing!"

The waiter walked over to take their order and, hearing her words, laughed, "Are you travelers from out of town? You've come at just the right time. Have you heard? His Majesty returned to the capital today!"