Everywhere there were chaotic voices, exclamations constantly filling the air, so noisy that nothing could be heard clearly. Gu Juhan handed Shen Xiling over to Xu Chuan while shouting loudly to her: “Go down the mountain with Xu Chuan. I’m going to protect His Majesty. I’ll find you down the mountain later!”

His voice was already very loud, but Shen Xiling still heard it only vaguely. She wanted to reply to him, but Xu Chuan didn’t give her the time. After saying “Forgive me, Madam” in her ear, he immediately took off his outer garment to cover her head and rushed with her toward the gates of Jade Buddha Temple.

Shen Xiling had no time to speak, not even time to tell Gu Juhan to “be careful.” In the blink of an eye, she was already outside the temple gates, surging down the mountain with the crowded, noisy masses.

She kept turning back, only able to see thicker and thicker columns of smoke continuously rising into the air. And if she remembered correctly… the back mountain was where the Great Liang officials had been assigned their quarters…

Qi Ying was there!

Her heart had originally been numb, but now it began beating violently, all the blood in her body rushing about chaotically, making her completely dizzy.

She struggled to calm this bout of alarming panic while repeatedly telling herself with reason: He would be fine. He had Bai Song with him, and besides him there were surely other guards. He would definitely be fine. He absolutely would not be harmed.

Shen Xiling, stop thinking wildly.

She had indeed grown much. If this had happened five years ago, she definitely wouldn’t have been able to suppress the impulse in her heart and would have immediately rushed to his side to find him. But now she understood the stakes and knew deeply that her current position absolutely forbade her from seeking him out, or she would not only be unable to help him but would also bring trouble to everyone.

She had to endure, while believing he would surely turn danger into safety.

When Shen Xiling descended the mountain with Xu Chuan, many nobles had already gathered at the foot of Zhemo Mountain. People clustered in groups of twos and threes, all looking rather disheveled, with some even having soot on their faces. They were all looking up at the towering fire on the mountain, exclaiming continuously and discussing in great animation.

All the Gu family members had already escaped down the mountain. Gu Jingqi was with the second and third branch families, and Qin Shi was there too. When both saw that she had also come down the mountain, they all gathered around her. Gu Jingqi was so frightened she threw herself into her arms, her eyes red as she called “Sister-in-law,” crying while repeatedly asking: “Sister-in-law, are you alright? Are you hurt? Where’s eldest brother? Why don’t I see him?”

Shen Xiling hugged the little sister’s shoulders and patted her, comforting her: “Your brother went to protect His Majesty and hasn’t come down the mountain yet, but his martial arts are excellent—he’ll definitely be fine…”

The Gu family members all gathered around at this time, all hearing the news that Gu Juhan hadn’t yet descended the mountain. Their expressions varied—some were extremely worried, while others showed subtle expressions. Shen Xiling was all too familiar with these complications among great noble families, but at this moment she had no mind to spare for such matters, only staring intently at the single stone stairway down the mountain, hoping every moment for the figures of Qi Ying and Gu Juhan to appear there.

She hoped they would both be safe.

Gu Jingqi was crying in Shen Xiling’s arms when from the corner of her eye she saw another figure rushing toward them. Startled, she then saw that figure being restrained by Xu Chuan. Looking closely, she discovered the person was Xue Yuan.

Miss Xue, like most people, had lost most of the hairpins from her head and was no longer as dignified and beautiful as when she had first arrived at the foot of Zhemo Mountain that morning. She was now staring intently at Shen Xiling while searching everywhere among the Gu family members, unfortunately never catching sight of the person she sought.

She was extremely agitated, loudly asking Shen Xiling, who was protected behind Xu Chuan: “Where is Brother Wenruo? Why isn’t he here? Is he still on the mountain?”

Just as she finished asking so hysterically, her family members also hurried over. Her father, Marquis Anding, and her aunt, Lady Pingjing, pulled her from left and right, trying to drag her back, while her mother looked embarrassed as she apologized to Shen Xiling, hoping she wouldn’t blame their daughter for her impropriety.

Shen Xiling had no intention of blaming her. Looking at Xue Yuan was like looking at herself—if she could be more emotionally honest, she would probably be as crazed as Miss Xue at this moment.

She empathized with her somewhat, so naturally wouldn’t make things difficult for her. She simply repeated to Xue Yuan what she had just told Gu Jingqi. Miss Xue was struck as if by a thunderbolt, suddenly looking toward the temple on the mountaintop, but still couldn’t see Gu Juhan’s figure.

She nearly collapsed, immediately trying to break free from her father’s and aunt’s restraint to rush up the mountain to save the person she wanted to save, but was held back and received a thorough scolding from her family.

Having no recourse, she could only sob brokenly, transforming all her unwillingness and reluctance into resentment toward Shen Xiling.

She stared at Shen Xiling with eyes full of hatred, loudly questioning her: “Brother Wenruo is still on the mountain, still in the fire! How can you be so calm? You’re completely unworthy of being his wife, completely unworthy!”

Shen Xiling’s expression was blank.

She no longer had the mind to answer anyone. The thick smoke from the back mountain was already choking, and even the sound of flames could be clearly heard. All her attention was focused on that stone stairway, longing for someone to appear there.

Her prayer came true!

Gu Juhan emerged! He and many imperial guards together protected Emperor Wei, Empress Zou, the Crown Prince, and the Great Liang princess, bringing them rushing out of the sea of fire to escape with their lives. Behind them followed quite a few officials wearing Great Liang court dress. The nobles weren’t disheveled—especially Emperor Wei and Empress Zou, who hadn’t even mussed their hair, only having their gorgeous robes slightly stained with soot.

The foot of Zhemo Mountain erupted in celebration, with everyone crying “Long live the Emperor!” Only Shen Xiling alone felt as if she had fallen into an icy cave.

…Qi Ying still hadn’t come out.

What had happened to him? Was he trapped in the sea of fire?

Where was Brother Bai? Where had he gone—couldn’t he rescue the young master? Or had the fire started near the back mountain and already burned down the quarters where they were staying?

Would he be injured?

Would he… would he…

Shen Xiling could no longer continue thinking.

She completely collapsed.

What reason, what restraint, what growing up and becoming sensible, what considerations of pros and cons and yielding—she could no longer care about any of it. She only knew that person was still trapped in the fire, just like five years ago when they parted and he was trapped alone in that great snow…

She had to go save him.

She absolutely had to go save him.

She was even more crazed than Xue Yuan had been moments before, different only in that she was very quiet. She didn’t inquire of anyone or ask for help, only silently rushed toward the sea of fire, leaving everything except him behind.

She seemed to hear the people behind her all cry out in alarm. Gu Jingqi was also shouting loudly at her, apparently telling her that Gu Juhan had already come out and she didn’t need to go into the fire to find anyone. She seemed to also hear Gu Juhan’s voice—he was calling her name in panic, telling her not to go…

She heard it all.

But she didn’t turn back.

It wasn’t that she didn’t cherish the body and skin granted by her parents, nor that she didn’t cherish this life that person had exhausted his efforts to preserve for her.

It was just that he was still in the fire… How could she not go find him?

Shen Xiling charged alone into that burning spring mountain.

Fire was everywhere above and below, the scorching flames almost burning people to ash. The stone stairway was still passable, but all around it were trees already affected by the great fire. Burning branches would fall from time to time, and any one hitting her would be enough to kill her, but she felt no fear at all, only running upward with complete determination.

She had clearly suffered a serious illness and before today had even been so weak she could barely stand steadily, but somehow at that moment she was completely unaware of her body’s suffering and instead felt full of strength. She felt her ears filled with the sounds of wind and burning flames, everything was so dangerous, yet she felt no fear.

She only needed to go find him.

The gates of Jade Buddha Temple had been burned almost to collapse, and even the plaque inscribed by the late emperor’s imperial brush had been burned beyond recognition. Looking from outside the gate, the Buddha pavilion that had been gleaming with golden light moments before had now become a living hell, with broken walls and ruins everywhere, completely swallowed by the sea of fire.

She ran through that gate without hesitation.

The fire inside was even greater. Her skirt hem caught fire, and she desperately stamped out the flames, then relied on memory to run toward the quarters near the back mountain.

He was there.

He had to be there.

Shen Xiling ran even faster, even faster than when she was small at the Qi main residence, running out of the study hall to find Qi Ying who was about to leave for Nanling. Hallucinations appeared before her eyes—the endless sea of fire seemed not to exist, transforming into the appearance of the main residence then, and she had become that little girl again, running desperately to see him once more.

She would see him at the west corner gate. He would be a bit surprised to see her come, but would still step through the gate to bid her farewell. He would gently pinch her face and tell her to eat well, would smile faintly and tell her to hurry back to study, or she would be punished by Master Wang…

Shen Xiling couldn’t help but smile.

She ran faster and faster, her eyes growing brighter and brighter. In five whole years she had never felt such exhilaration. She gave no thought to her own life or death, didn’t consider what to do if she couldn’t escape unharmed. She was only immersed in the joy of going to find him, and if he died, she would certainly die with him.

She was so happy.

The quarters near the back mountain came into view. She ran around a collapsed bronze tripod toward them. The fire grew even fiercer, and she was almost completely swallowed by flames, but she paid no attention, only desperately searching room by room.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing at all!

There was no trace of that person anywhere!

Shen Xiling was almost going mad!

She shouted Qi Ying’s name loudly, but only the sound of burning fire answered her. There wasn’t a single person anywhere…

The fire was truly too great, having almost burned through the roof beams of the quarters, but she didn’t notice, still rushing toward the last quarter—that was her final hope. Behind her, someone seemed to be faintly calling her name. She sensed it wasn’t Qi Ying, so resolutely ignored it.

The great fire surrounded her, the roof beam overhead could no longer hold and finally broke completely. A section of burning wood came crashing down toward Shen Xiling, so close there was no way to dodge!

At that moment someone knocked her aside forcefully!

That person protected her firmly beneath him, his back bearing a half-burning beam. His face appeared in the firelight.

…It was Gu Juhan.

He seemed to have been injured by the impact, or perhaps burned. Pain made the veins on his forehead bulge, but he made no sound, only immediately pulled Shen Xiling up forcefully and rushed with her toward the door.

In five years of marriage he had never forced her, never even gone against her wishes, but this time was different—he couldn’t let her be stubborn anymore, couldn’t watch her throw away her life for that person!

“He’s not here at all!” he told her loudly, as if trying to restore her reason. “Xiling, stop being stubborn and come with me!”

After speaking, he almost brutally tried to forcibly drag her out of that quarter!

Shen Xiling struggled desperately, while seeing bloodstains on the floor of the quarter. Her mind was in such chaos she couldn’t understand anything, her only thought was to stay!

Either find him.

Or die with him.

There was no third path.

She was too obsessed, even fighting desperately to break free from Gu Juhan’s hand holding hers, like a desperate trapped beast making its final struggle before death.

So tragic and resolute.

But she ultimately didn’t succeed—Gu Juhan pressed a point on her neck, and she immediately lost consciousness.

Her final memory was of vicious tongues of flame licking endlessly at the roof, everything collapsing and shattering in the fire’s consumption, while Gu Juhan’s gaze upon her concealed some indescribable emotion, seeming somewhat pained, and faintly tinged with guilt.

She finally fell into darkness.

Author’s Note: Only one more chapter left until the reunion.