For the sake of convenience in action, Song Shou’an had dispatched the Imperial Cavalry to the outer courtyard. Zuo Zhong slipped in undetected, initially intending to conduct a secret investigation before taking any action. However, hearing the intermittent sounds mixed with gasps and what seed to be pained groans from inside, he dared not delay any longer.
"Take action."
Zuo Zhong signaled to his subordinates discreetly.
He added a cautionary note, "Do it quietly..."
At the mont, he dared not confirm whether the person inside was Feng Yun or not, so he had to consider the implications.
But before the sound of his voice faded, a sudden commotion erupted from the outer courtyard.
"Who dares to trespass Liufeng Garden? Do you have a death wish?"
Zuo Zhong was taken aback, sowhat surprised.
They had been so careful in their actions; they shouldn’t have been discovered, right?
But at this point, there was no point in hiding any longer. He stepped out and said in a low voice:
"The Beiyong Army is here for inspection, let the master of the house co out and speak."
Several Imperial Cavalryn gathered around at the sound. Torches held aloft, the commotion was loud and their approach was aggressive, as if his announcent of identity did not cause them to hesitate in the slightest.
Zuo Zhong, with a silent and slow grip on his waist knife, listened to the rustling of the leaves in the cold wind and felt a slight sweat on his back.
This was not his intention to attract so many people.
Things had gone against his wishes.
The Imperial Cavalry Division likely feared the scandal becoming public, rushing in with drawn swords and curses.
"Audacious bandits, daring to impersonate the Beiyong Army! Brothers, charge!"
Neither side was willing to acknowledge the identity of the other, each labeling the other as bandits, their eyes flickering with the sa lethal intent. Without another word, they engaged in battle.
Clang! Clang! Zing! Zing!
The sounds of fighting and the noise were like a boiling pot of water...
It was at this ti that the firelight in Song Shou’an’s room began to rise.
A flare lit up the pitch-black sky, carrying an unparalleled force. In the blink of an eye, it broke through the roof. Thick smoke poured out of the windows, and flas licked at the curtains, spreading faster than anyone could have anticipated.
"There’s a fire!"
"Quick, put out the fire..."
Amidst the shrill screams, both the Imperial Guard Camp soldiers who had intruded into Liufeng Garden at night and the Imperial Cavalry Division who had discovered the intrusion simultaneously exchanged looks and ceased their fighting to rush toward the doors, ready to fight the fire and rescue the people.
The wind was strong tonight, and the rolling smoke soon enveloped the area as the flas blocked the doors and windows, spreading rapidly and lighting up half the night sky, startling the residents around Liufeng Garden, who quickly grabbed water buckets and ran out of their houses.
This did not seem like an ordinary fire.
It appeared more like an act of arson.
Song Shou’an and Little Taohong were dragged out of the house, wrapped in blankets, barely covered.
Zuo Zhong threw the disheveled woman to the ground and sighed with great relief.
It wasn’t Feng Yun.
Thank goodness it wasn’t Feng Yun...
"My face... my face..."
"There’s an assassin... arson... murder..."
"Save , quickly call a doctor, save ..."
Under the bright red glow of the fire, Song Shou’an wailed in pain, his body curled up, his eyes opening montarily after a brief blindness, his hands weakly lifting as if to cover his face yet not daring to touch due to the pain, struggling like a dying trapped animal until the blanket was loosened to reveal his naked body.
Little Taohong was weeping beside him. Zuo Zhong had entered the scene swiftly; she was unhurt, but had no ti to dress properly. Hastily wrapping herself in an outer garnt, she now crouched on the ground, both cold and afraid, tears streaming down her face.
The scene was unbearably ugly.
Looking at the ordeal before him, Zuo Zhong felt a mix of amusent and concern.
The fire had ignited at just the right mont.
Stripping off Song Shou’an’s covering, even if the Imperial Cavalry Division pursued the matter later, only they would end up embarrassed.
But if Feng Yun wasn’t in Liufeng Garden, where could she be?
-
Pingyang was to the northwest of Wanning County; led by Pei Jue and four guards, they braved the wind and rain, reaching the city of Pingyang deep into the night.
The night wind was fierce, with the banners of the Tiger Guard Army on the city gates flapping vigorously.
The cold set in, and no soldiers could be seen on the ramparts, just the pitch-black sky in the chill wind, desolate throughout.
"Open the gate!"
Jiu You, riding ahead, forcefully pounded on the gate, awakening the night watchn who angrily dragged themselves out, breath visible in the cold air as they peered down from the parapet.
"Which dog’s got the gall to bang on the gate at this hour..."
Jiu You stepped back and looked up, "The Great General arrives, open the gate quickly."
The Great General?
The sentry widened his eyes, catching sight of the cavalry in the night and gasped in shock.
He floundered about, barking orders to open the city gates, and quickly sent word for the leader of the Tiger Guard Army, Shikui, to co and receive them.
"Hurry, the Great General has made an unexpected visit to Pingyang; inform General Shikui to co greet him imdiately."
While everyone in the Jin Army might not know Pei Jue’s temperant, Shikui was well aware. Three years ago, after drinking heavily in the barracks and fighting over a dice ga, injuring a man, Pei Jue, upon hearing of the incident, had Shikui flogged, almost costing him his life.
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