This was exactly what the Elder had been planning. When the explosion sounds came from outside earlier, he had sent someone to investigate, and had gleaned a rough sense of this weapon’s range of impact. It was unfortunate that he had not known beforehand that what caused the explosions was something like this.

He quietly made a hand gesture. The person who had been preparing to act withdrew back into the shadows.

“Grand Tutor Hua is truly a woman who surpasses men.”

By now Hua Zhi’s back was completely soaked through, sweat running freely down the back of her neck. She was carrying an explosive whose detonation she could not predict, this close to death — she was afraid, too. But that fear had not risen to her face. Her steps remained steady, the hand holding the fire-starter was not trembling. She simply advanced one step at a time, pressing toward those people, resolved that wherever they retreated she would follow — denying them any opportunity to move against her. This was her chance at survival…

No — something was wrong.

Hua Zhi suddenly pulled back and moved again to shield the Empress Dowager’s side. When she had pressed forward, the opposing side had continued retreating — as though they were entirely unafraid of death. That was not right.

The Wiseman’s importance to the Chaoli tribe was what the Sixth Prince now represented to Daqing: within Daqing, anyone could be expendable, but not the Sixth Prince. The Chaoli tribe ought to feel the same — yet they had been deliberately drawing her further away, as though she were meant to be lured.

She spoke quickly in a low voice: “Empress Dowager, are there people further inside?”

“There are.”

The sweat on Hua Zhi’s brow trickled down. Her mind spun at full speed. “Were there any peculiarities about the people who came in?”

“They had already knocked me unconscious before they came in. I only know that Yuxiang went inside twice, and I heard voices speaking.” The Empress Dowager reached up and brushed away the sweat about to drip into Hua Zhi’s eyes. “Trust your own judgment — you have been doing very well all along.”

Hua Zhi steeled her resolve and leaned close to whisper: “Stay close behind me, in a moment.”

The Empress Dowager nodded, and quietly flexed her legs to confirm they were not numb. She was not afraid to die here — but she could not let herself drag Hua Zhi to her death with her.

Hua Zhi thrust the pouch of black gunpowder into the Empress Dowager’s hands, swiftly snatched up one piece, simultaneously blew the fire-starter to life, and hurled it toward the rear. Even the sound of the explosion could not completely drown out the cries of the Chaoli tribespeople. The sound confirmed what she had suspected — she wrapped an arm around the Empress Dowager and ran toward the side room. By the palace’s layout, that room connected to an outer wing. As long as they could hide themselves, the Seven Lodges members waiting for an opportunity would certainly be able to deal with the enemy.

But evidently the other side had anticipated this as well. Before the two could run very far, an aged voice rang out: “Kill them at once!”

This was the true Wiseman!

Hua Zhi had no time to think further. She pulled the Empress Dowager and the two rolled to the ground together, dodging the curved blade hurled at them. She ignited a second piece of black gunpowder and threw it, and in the moment the enemies scattered to avoid it, seized the opportunity to dash forward once more.

This enraged the enemies, who flung whatever weapons were in their hands. Hearing the sounds closing in from behind, Hua Zhi could not have said where she found the strength or the speed — she grabbed the last piece of gunpowder, lit it, and threw it into the air. At the same moment the roof shattered open. Amid the shock wave of the explosion, a whip snaked out like a living creature and, with a deft, clever force, deflected the fragmented weapons that had been hurtling toward them. A small number still carried forward on their remaining momentum and landed on both of them — but their lives were safe.

Hua Zhi looked back for one instant at the man descending like a god from above, and the last of her sustained strength gave way at once. Her hands went limp, her legs went limp; she collapsed face-down onto the ground with all the earnestness of a full prostration and could not move another inch. Her mind had gone blank — she could no longer locate her own hands or feet.

The Seven Lodges members came through moments later in a rush. Gu Yanxi released the others on that side without a second glance and took long, sweeping strides to reach her, first helping his grandmother to a safe distance before he carefully turned Hua Zhi over and gathered her into his arms. The rest of Hua Zhi that still functioned was her head, and she smiled, giving him what looked like a nod of approval: “You arrived just in time.”

Gu Yanxi was so distressed he did not know what to do with himself. He wanted to hold her tightly but feared causing her pain; holding her too loosely left him feeling empty and hollow inside — he urgently needed this person to fill that void. So he bent himself over her, pressing himself as close to Hua Zhi as he could. He could not conceive what might have happened if he had not come back — if he had been even a step later. No, not a step — half a step slower, and perhaps…

“The person outside is not the Wiseman — he hid himself inside. To be safe, have your convenient younger brother come and make the identification.”

“Leave the rest to me.”

Gu Yanxi lifted her, intending to go find the physician — then he looked up and remembered that his grandmother was also injured.

The Empress Dowager waved him off. “Quickly, take her to see the physician. Grandmother is all right.”

Gu Yanxi lowered his gaze to Hua Zhi — even her lips had drained to nearly the same pallor as her cheeks. He called out for people to come and escort the Empress Dowager, offered a word of apology, and walked out rapidly, his pace quickening with each step.

The Crown Prince, who had been ordered to wait outside, caught sight of the Grand Tutor being carried out and was so frightened he felt his soul leave his body. He ran forward crying out repeatedly: “Grand Tutor — how is the Grand Tutor? What has happened?”

“Is the Divine Physician here in the palace?”

“He is, he is — Laifu, Laifu, where is the Divine Physician?”

“In the unoccupied palace hall just over there.” Laifu bent at the waist and jogged ahead to lead the way. Having a sense of the direction now, Gu Yanxi moved past him and ran in long strides. The Crown Prince, without a second thought, moved to follow. The Grand Preceptor immediately took hold of him and quietly reminded him: “Your Highness — this is not appropriate.”

The Crown Prince looked toward his grandmother, who was being helped out, pressed his lips tightly together, and cast one final look in the direction the Grand Tutor had been taken. He bit down, and at last walked toward his grandmother. He knew it — even if he went, the Grand Tutor would chase him back out.

Zhu Bowen quietly begged the Grand Preceptor’s pardon and followed after them. He had to know whether Hua Zhi was all right — whether, please — whether her injuries were not too severe. Earlier, when he had heard the sounds of those explosions from inside, he had thought…

As long as she is alive. As long as she is alive.

Under the intent, burning gazes of several people, the Divine Physician withdrew his hand and let out a long sigh. He signaled for Gu Yanxi to turn her over. He took a pair of scissors and cut open the garment at her left shoulder, which had been soaked through to a dark, blackened red. As he had fully expected — the wound had burst open, and because it had been stitched once before and then torn open again, it appeared particularly terrible.

Gu Yanxi drew a sharp breath and instinctively tightened his arms around her. At moments like this he almost found himself wishing Hua Zhi did not have such a strong sense of duty — he wished she could be like any ordinary woman who made a great scene over the smallest cut on a finger, as though the sky were falling, rather than pushing through like this, injury compounding upon injury.

“Let us stitch it closed again.” Hua Zhi lay with her eyes shut and spoke in a hoarse voice. She was feeling somewhat dizzy.

“Do you think this is a cut of pork — to be sewn up however you please?” The Elder Divine Physician could not bring himself to raise his voice, yet he was genuinely furious. He glared fiercely at Gu Yanxi. “Letting a woman drag herself around on a body like this to fight for her life — what use are any of you men?”

Gu Yanxi received that rebuke in silence. The Elder Divine Physician was not wrong. It was his failure. He had not kept her protected.

“He is already tormenting himself with guilt, and now you are scolding him on top of it.” Hua Zhi opened her eyes and met that pair of eyes overflowing with grief and distress. “There should be no further need for me in whatever comes next. Elder Physician, please proceed with the stitching — I want to rest.”

The previous time she had been stitched up, Zhu Bowen had been present and knew what was needed. He hurried to say: “I will go find spirits.”

“Something strong.”

Zhu Bowen answered and left with quick steps.