The trouble began in the dead of night.
Rumble!
A thunderclap rang out from the horizon.
Startled awake from her dreams, A Mei stirred. Before she could even speak, her husband Ansheng sat up in bed and said, "The wind is picking up."
"Husband, is it raining?" A Mei sat up as well, asking groggily.
A faint, pattering sound of rain could be heard in the distance. Ansheng frowned and reached out to pull A Mei, who was still naked, into his arms, gently soothing her in the dark: "Don’t be afraid. The celestial signs have been unusual this year, but His Majesty made full preparations before departing. Everything will be fine."
As he spoke, another thunderclap tore across the sky, crashing directly overhead.
In an instant, the weather shifted violently.
Then, the faint sound of rain grew suddenly clear, pelting down with a sharp crackle. Within moments, the wind howled, the clouds churned, and the rain poured down in torrents.
Ansheng’s face changed instantly.
He cursed under his breath, grinding his teeth: "Damn it! These useless astrologers from the Imperial Observatory!"
Before A Mei could gather her thoughts, Ansheng had already flipped back the blanket and jumped out of bed. He lit a candle and hurriedly gathered their scattered clothes from around the bed, picking out A Mei’s underclothes and inner garments, and began dressing her.
His voice carried an unusual gravity and concern.
"A Mei, I don’t like the look of this rain. Let’s get you dressed first, and then I’ll step out to see what’s happening."
A Mei snapped fully awake. The tent was howling in the wind, and her heart tightened. In such cold weather, out in the wild, with a fierce storm raging—this was no joke!
They hastily finished dressing when Wu Da’s urgent voice came from outside the tent.
"Captain! Madam!"
"Come in!"
The tent flap opened, and in walked Wu Da and Xiao Zhengzi, dripping with rainwater, their straw rain capes shedding water and cold air.
"What’s the situation out there?"
Even in their rain capes, the heavy, wind-driven rain had soaked them somewhat. Xiao Zhengzi shivered and quickly reported: "Captain, the storm came without warning. When I headed over, I saw lights in His Majesty’s tent—he’s likely awake now."
Ansheng’s face darkened, his eyes sharp and menacing. He suddenly spoke: "I noticed when we set up camp that this spot is in a low-lying area. If this rain keeps up, we’ll need to evacuate quickly."
Raising his eyes, he added: "Hurry, fetch two rain capes for me!"
"Already prepared!" Wu Da turned and shouted outside, and someone handed in two tightly bundled, dry rain capes.
Ansheng nodded and turned to A Mei, who stood quietly beside him with a worried look. He gave her a gentle smile: "Don’t be afraid. I’m here for everything."
He first draped a cloak over A Mei, then carefully helped her into the rain cape. After donning his own outer robe and rain cape, the warmth in his eyes faded as he turned away, replaced by a piercing coldness.
"Let’s go! The captain and his lady will head to His Majesty’s tent!"
"Wu Da, go fetch the astrologer from the Imperial Observatory who came to observe the celestial signs—bring him to me!"
"Xiao Zhengzi, prepare the arrangements for the return trip immediately!"
"Yes, Captain!"
Emperor Chengde had always struggled with sleep. After finally drifting off, he was disturbed by the thunder and rain, leaving him irritable and grim-faced.
The howling outside showed no sign of stopping, grating on his nerves so much that he smashed another teacup!
The attending eunuchs and maidservants held their breath, terrified to make a sound.
Just then, the Emperor’s trusted commander of the guard entered the tent: "Your Majesty, Captain Ansheng and his wife have arrived outside and request an audience."
The Emperor looked up impatiently: "In this weather, why is he here? Summon him in."
"Yes!"
Ansheng entered with a worried expression. Upon seeing the Emperor, he led A Mei to kneel and pay their respects.
Emperor Chengde waved dismissively, massaging his throbbing temples, and said flatly: "With the storm raging outside, why aren’t you hiding in your tent? Do you have urgent business coming here?"
Ansheng’s tone was sincere and loyal: "Your Majesty, this violent wind and rain rival even summer thunder showers. I grew anxious for Your Majesty’s safety and came to pay my respects."
Hearing this, the Emperor’s expression softened slightly. His gaze fell on A Mei at Ansheng’s side, and he said: "Captain Ansheng, your devotion warms my heart. But it’s cold and wet out—take your wife back to rest."
Yet Ansheng remained serious: "Your Majesty, this weather is perilous. We’re in danger here. For your safety, I humbly urge you to return to the palace immediately."
The Emperor frowned: "Return immediately?"
"Absolutely," Ansheng affirmed.
The Emperor hesitated: "In such a fierce storm, the roads won’t be easy to travel."
Just then, two officials from the Imperial Observatory arrived.
The Emperor excused them from formalities and asked directly: "What do you make of this rain?"
One official replied: "Your Majesty, rest assured. Based on past experience, a downpour like this usually stops within half an hour at most. It’s nothing to worry about."
The Emperor nodded and glanced at Ansheng: "You hear that, Captain. No need for concern."
But Ansheng sneered at the official. His piercing gaze was so sharp it could cut, making both men tremble inside.
Even in the Emperor’s presence, Ansheng couldn’t hold back. He tore into them with a scolding: "In my view, you Imperial Observatory officials are a pack of useless idiots! The royal treasury would be better spent feeding pigs than you lot. If you couldn’t predict such foul weather before our journey, what right do you have to cite ‘past experience’ now? If something happens to His Majesty’s dragon body, do you think your necks are thick enough to pay the price?"
The official flushed with humiliation and indignation: "Captain! How dare you slander the entire Imperial Observatory!"
Ansheng laughed coldly, his sharp voice dripping with venom: "Oh, I dare. Because you’re a pack of good-for-nothings, ignorant and talentless, and there’s not a thing you can do about it."
"You—you!" The two officials’ faces turned crimson with rage. They glanced at each other, mouths open to retort, but knowing better than to provoke Ansheng—the ruthless, arrogant director of the Inner Factory—they could only look helplessly to the Emperor, begging for justice.
Emperor Chengde’s eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze resting calmly on Ansheng as though weighing the situation. But he remained silent.
The Emperor said nothing. Ansheng’s favor was so immense—the two officials’ hearts sank like a stone.
At this moment, An Sheng’s heart was burning with anxiety. His brows were tightly knit as he exchanged a glance with Emperor Chengde, then dropped to his knees with a heavy thud. His posture was humble, but his tone carried an unprecedented firmness toward his sovereign: “Your Majesty, I am devoted solely to you and to the stability of our realm. I implore you to set out for the capital immediately!”
“This ground is low-lying, and the rain outside is torrential—nearly a solid curtain of water. It is far too dangerous, Your Majesty!” An Sheng called out sharply, the calm on his face suddenly cracking to reveal unyielding resolve and unwavering loyalty. “If this rain continues any longer, our camp here will inevitably be flooded! Your Majesty’s sacred person concerns the fate of the empire; it cannot suffer the slightest mishap. If you still refuse to leave, I will stake my life on this and dash my head against your feet!”
Emperor Chengde: …
The entire tent fell silent.
A Mei: ?
A Mei: !
A Mei: …
Emperor Chengde’s brow furrowed deeply.
For a moment, the only sounds within the tent were the howling wind and crashing thunder from outside—an eerie stillness reigned.
“Husband!”
Suddenly, a sorrowful woman’s voice reached everyone’s ears. They saw the always proper Lady An, who had been quietly following behind Commander An, let out a choked sob. Her body swayed, and she knelt, throwing herself onto An Sheng, crying miserably, “Husband, if you die, I won’t live either! I’ll dash my head against the wall too, wuwu…”
Emperor Chengde: …
Finally, Emperor Chengde spoke.
“Set out for the capital!”
In such a violent storm with thunder and lightning, who in the camp could rest easy? Just as they were trembling with fear, the order came for His Majesty to return to the capital.
Everyone hastily packed their belongings and braved the gale and rain to head back. The journey was anything but smooth—some caught chills from the rain, and others saw their carriages overturn. These nobles, high officials, and their pampered wives, who were used to lives of comfort, experienced such wretchedness for the first time. The weaker ones fell ill before even covering half the distance, plunging the procession into chaos.
Fortunately, the group made it back to the capital safely despite the perils.
An Sheng returned to the mansion with A Mei, and as soon as they entered, he bent down and scooped her up in his arms, heading straight for the bathhouse. Along the way, he ordered hot water to be prepared. Though her clothes were dry, her shoes had been soaked through by the rain, and God knows how freezing her feet were at that moment.
An Sheng personally removed A Mei’s wet shoes and socks, then immersed her feet in warm water, his eyes brimming with pity.
“Still cold?”
A Mei let out a comfortable sigh, shook her head, and said meekly, “Not anymore.”
“Husband, you should take off your shoes and soak your feet too. With all that water on the road, they must be wet as well.”
An Sheng nodded. He removed his own shoes and socks and had just dipped his feet into the water when—
From outside the door came Wu Da’s excited shouts, filled with an indescribable mix of relief and lingering fear: “My, my lord! We’ve just received word—a landslide occurred at the imperial forest farm! The ground where we were camped has been completely buried!”
