Chapter 19
Miracle
“There’s no profit in asking a tiger for its skin.”
Chu Yi sighed. He instinctively reached for the sword at his waist but found nothing. Only then did he remember that he had given away the sword that his father had given him.
As everyone knew, when the late Emperor was alive, he doted on the youngest son of his first wife, Kang Wang. Not only did he repeatedly propose to change the Crown Prince, but he also gave him the best fiefs, food, and military power in the northwest, causing Kang Wang to rise.
Although his father had successfully ascended the throne, his foundation was still unstable and he was restrained by the civil and military officials.
If Kang Wang formed an alliance with the State of Yue, it would be tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin. The State of Yue was ambitious, and if given an opportunity, it would only shake the country’s foundation.
Chu Yi knew that Kang Wang and the State of Yue did not trust each other. He used this to set up this trap and make the State of Yue suspicious of Kang Wang, completely cutting off the possibility of their alliance.
Chu Yi raised his chin and looked in the direction of the fire without blinking. There was a faint blood color in his pupils.
His half-bundled black hair was blowing in the wind, and a few strands of it lay messily by his cheek. His white clothes fluttered, as if he would blow away with the wind at any moment.
“If you ask me, it should be a dogfight!”
Xiao Shi clapped and laughed, looking at Chu Yi with reverence.
Danyang City could be said to be the gateway to the capital. It was not easy for Kang Wang to place Magistrate He in this position. He would definitely not give up this place easily.
Everything was as the Young Master had expected. When Magistrate He saw that the Young Master was critically ill, he immediately rushed to find a scapegoat.
Young Master’s move to sow discord was really amazing!
Magistrate He was one of Kang Wang’s dogs. He would just let him fight with those people from the State of Yue. It would be best if both sides suffered!
Thick smoke billowed in the wind. The fire was raging and unstoppable.
“Young Master, let’s leave this place as soon as possible,” Si Hai said respectfully, his ordinary face calm.
To him, Chu Yi’s safety was paramount.
Now that the situation in Danyang City was settled, it was time for them to return to the capital.
Xiao Shi chimed in.
Chu Yi closed his eyes and felt the night wind on his face. Then he opened his eyes and said, “The wind is too strong tonight…”
There was an old saying: The fire takes advantage of the wind, and the wind helps the fire.
If the wind did not stop, this fire would probably get out of control and harm the surrounding citizens.
“Si Hai, inform the fire control office to put out the fire,” Chu Yi instructed as he turned around.
Si Hai’s pupils constricted, but he never disobeyed Chu Yi’s orders. He immediately cupped his fists and said, “Yes, Young Master.”
Si Hai nimbly jumped onto a black horse and rode east.
The night wind was fierce, each gust stronger than the last, as if some beast lurked in the darkness and roared.
With the help of the east wind, the fire grew even stronger. The flames leapt higher than the walls, baring their fangs and brandishing their claws like a crazed fire qilin trying to devour everything it could.
The surrounding trees and bushes were also burning. The fire spread rapidly toward the mansion next door…
“Fire! Fire!”
Xiao Shi shouted at the top of his voice, banging the gong. The sound of the gong was particularly piercing in the quiet night.
The people in the government office and the people on this street finally woke up from their sleep. They also shouted, causing the entire street to be in an uproar.
“Fire!”
“The fire is spreading. Everyone, run!”
“We won’t be able to extinguish such a big fire…”
“I’m afraid the houses on this street are going to burn—”
The commoners nearby shouted as they fought to leave.
A moment later, people escaped from the houses around the government office. Some of them were pushing carts, some were carrying bags, and some were crying…
In the chaos, a three or four-year-old girl ran over barefoot. She staggered and shouted for her parents in a panic.
She looked around helplessly as she ran. It was obvious that she had been separated from her family.
“Ouch!”
The little girl tripped over a pebble and fell to the ground.
Her small face was blackened by smoke. Tears fell from her red eyes and she wailed, “Father, Mother, it hurts…”
“Little girl, can I take you to find your parents?” A gentle and pleasant male voice suddenly sounded from above her head.
The little girl rubbed her eyes and looked up. What greeted her was a handsome face.
The young master was dressed in white and had an elegant aura. He did not look like a mortal.
“Big Brother…” The little girl opened her mouth slightly and obediently handed her hand to him.
“Sizzle…”
Directly above them, a section of charred branch snapped and fell from the sky like a giant torch. Countless sparks crackled and bloomed.
Xiao Shi returned with the gong and saw this soul-stirring scene from afar. He screamed, “Young Master!”
He was too far away to react. He could only watch as the burning branch approached Chu Yi, and then…
Of course Chu Yi could avoid it, but this little girl who was less than three feet tall could not. He raised his hand to block and protect the top of the girl’s head. A few sparks landed on his snow-white sleeve…
Suddenly, a strange demonic wind rose, blowing up the burning branch, as if an invisible hand had forcefully pushed it forward by a foot.
“Bang!”
The burning branch landed on the ground in front of Chu Yi. A few burning flames clung to the tips of his shoes.
Sparks flew, burning small holes in Chu Yi’s snow-white cloak.
It all happened in a flash.
Xiao Shi was only seven or eight steps away from Chu Yi, so he naturally saw this strange scene. His eyes were as round as saucers, and he was dumbfounded. He could not believe what he had just seen.
An eerie silence fell around them, as if time had stopped.
“Brother Immortal, you’re Brother Immortal!” The little girl clapped and laughed.
Chu Yi did not hear her words. He felt a burning sensation in his sleeve and was stunned.
He thought of something and took out a red silk pouch from his sleeve. It was hot to the touch. His long fingers gently plucked the drawstring at the opening of the pouch and shook it.
Ash, as thin as cotton wool, drifted down from the brocade bag. In the next moment, it dissipated with the wind…
With a crack, another section of charred branch fell from the end of the alley.
“Young Master.” Xiao Shi rushed to Chu Yi’s side in three steps, his eyes wide. He kicked away the branch that was still burning and stammered, “That… that peace charm…”
If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t have believed it, nor would he dare to believe it. This was unbelievable!
Chu Yi looked thoughtfully at the red silk pouch in his hand.
There was chaos all around as fire burned and smoke filled the air.
The others on the street were either running for their lives or too busy putting out the fire to notice what was happening.
The commoners ran over to put out the fire. Buckets of water were thrown into the sea of fire one after another.
Unfortunately, it was a drop in the bucket.
The fire showed no signs of abating at all. Fire chased the wind, destroying everything in its path.