"Murder!"
"Fire!"
"Help!"
Terrified screams tore through the air like thunder on a clear day.
A blood-soaked servant burst out from behind the door, followed by one panicked maid and servant after another, scattering in all directions like headless chickens.
Pedestrians on the street froze for a moment before turning to look, their faces quickly twisting in horror. In an instant, chaos erupted as people fled in every direction.
"Fire! The Luo Family Shop is on fire!"
"People are dead at the Luo household! Report it to the authorities!"
"........"
The Anyi District was located in a bustling part of the capital, surrounded by shops and separated by a narrow alley from a residential area mostly occupied by tenants.
Compared to news of deaths, the common folk feared fire far more—once flames spread, it wouldn’t just be one or two lives lost!
Before the authorities could arrive, nearby residents had already rushed home to fetch buckets of water to fight the blaze.
The sudden disaster took everyone by surprise.
The carriage Yun Wan had arrived in was now gone—the startled horse had bolted in the chaos, taking the vehicle with it.
In the crowd, Yuezhi clutched Yun Wan’s hand, her face deathly pale. "Madam, we must leave—ah!"
Before she could finish, another fleeing person crashed into them like a blind bull, forcing Yun Wan to let go of Yuezhi’s hand to avoid being knocked over.
In that split second, the two were separated, swallowed by the surging crowd.
Yun Wan gasped. "Yuezhi—!"
She scanned the area, but Yuezhi was already far away, her face frantic as she called out, "Madam!"
Both struggled to push toward each other, but the human tide was relentless, an unstoppable flood.
Dodging trampling feet, Yun Wan lost sight of Yuezhi in the chaos.
"Yuezhi!"
But no matter how hard she searched, Yuezhi was nowhere to be found. Panic crept into Yun Wan’s expression.
The worst had happened—she and Yuezhi were separated.
To make matters worse, the sun was sinking in the west, dusk approaching. With the crowd surging forward to fight the fire, the scene was utter mayhem. Yun Wan, unable to get her bearings, was eventually pushed into a corner.
Hiding behind a stone statue near the entrance, Yun Wan coughed as the smoke thickened, the air filled with swirling ash.
She tied a handkerchief over her nose and mouth, pressing a hand to her racing heart, forcing herself to stay calm.
Don’t panic. Don’t panic.
She needed to leave first—Yuezhi and the carriage could be found later.
Resolved, Yun Wan covered her face and moved toward a less crowded path, ready to escape.
But after just two steps, someone grabbed her arm and thrust a ladle into her hands—filled to the brim with water.
Yun Wan stared blankly.
A sturdy woman carrying a large bucket of water barked at her, "What are you standing around for? Come help put out the fire! If this spreads, we’re all dead!"
Seeing Yun Wan’s plain attire and disoriented state, the woman assumed she was a local resident.
"Follow me—wherever I pour, you pour!"
With that, the woman charged toward the flames.
Clutching the ladle, Yun Wan hesitated for only a moment before gritting her teeth and following.
A single ladle of water might seem insignificant, but in this crisis, every drop counted.
Among the crowd fighting the fire were not just adults but children too, carrying whatever containers they could find.
Seeing this, Yun Wan couldn’t bring herself to abandon the task.
Hiking up her skirt, she trailed behind the woman, then stretched on her toes to fling the water at the nearest flames.
A small cluster of fire hissed and died under her effort.
"Make way! Make way! More water coming!"
A shout rang out as two women struggled forward with an enormous bucket between them.
The weight made their steps unsteady.
Yun Wan hurried over to help, offering her ladle. "Here, use this."
One of the women gasped in gratitude, "Thank you, sister!"
Yun Wan shook her head, about to reply, when a heart-stopping sight made her blood run cold.
A few steps away, a little girl—no older than Sui—sat wailing on the ground, separated from her family.
Behind her, a thick wooden beam tumbled toward her.
"Look out!"
Without thinking, Yun Wan sprinted forward.
Kicking the beam aside, she scooped up the child and dashed to safety—all in one fluid motion.
Nearby, a woman sobbed hysterically, "My baby! Where’s my baby?!"
Hearing her mother’s voice, the girl in Yun Wan’s arms whimpered, "Mama…"
The woman spun around, collapsing in tears when she saw her unharmed child.
The near-disaster still fresh in her mind, Yun Wan couldn’t suppress the edge in her voice. "Do you realize she almost got burned? Take her away from here, now!"
The mother kowtowed twice in tearful gratitude. "Thank you, miss! Thank you!"
.........
An hour later, with the help of the local garrison, the fire in Anyi District was finally extinguished—miraculously without spreading further.
By then, the sky was stained blood-red by the setting sun, dusk settling over the exhausted crowd. People slumped on the steps, too drained to move.
Leaning against a wall, Yun Wan panted softly, relief washing over her.
So tired.
She glanced at the darkened sky and sighed. Who could’ve guessed this delay would make her forget about returning home?
Three bodies had been recovered from the fire. One, carried out from the Luo Family Shop, was covered in a white sheet, charred beyond recognition—but Yun Wan still recognized the gold-threaded sleeve peeking out.
It was Boss Luo.
She averted her gaze, her emotions tangled.
Enough. I need to find a way back.
If she delayed any longer, not only would Sui worry, but even the old madam would hear of it.
Her plan was simple: leave this street and hire a carriage home.
But her body ached with exhaustion, forcing her to move at a snail’s pace along the wall.
Thankfully, her plain attire and face-covering handkerchief kept her incognito, so she didn’t bother with decorum.
After about fifteen minutes, she reached a crossroads of identical-looking alleys.
Which way now?
After a brief hesitation, she chose the widest, brightest path.
Two steps in, a low chuckle cut through the silence.
Then, from the shadows, a pair of large hands shot out—grabbing her wrist like lightning—and yanked her into the nearest alley.
