Chapter 27: Fire Scorches Half the Sky

The night was thick and heavy, shrouding the Jing’an Prince’s Estate in profound silence.

For the first time in a long while, the Wutong Courtyard was lit with lamps. The air was slightly cool, and the evening meal was still warm as it sat arranged upon the stone table.

Rong Zhao had, against all expectations, eaten half a bowl of rice more than usual. There was not a trace of displeasure on his face, and he had even taken his medicine with unusual compliance.

Sheng Mingyue was so stunned that she almost mistook it for a hallucination. In the past few days, the Prince had always required coaxing and persuasion just to take a few bites. Every time she served him, she would secretly pack the rice down tight in the bowl, just to ensure her master consumed a little more.

Now... things were vastly different.

Only Yunlai, who knew the reason, wore a face as pale as wilted greens, his heart sinking into despair. The Prince was clearly determined to learn martial arts.

After dinner, Rong Zhao gently wiped the corners of his mouth with a silk handkerchief, still chewing on a candied fruit. Glancing at the sky, which appeared unusually bright, he asked with some curiosity, "Is my benefactor fiddling with something in the garden?"

Sheng Mingyue paused, a flash of surprise in her eyes. "This servant has done nothing at all."

Rong Zhao frowned, staring intently at the luminous sky, and murmured, "Then why is it so bright outside?"

[I am dying of anxiety! That is not the sky brightening—that is a fire!]
[Hurry and go take a look! The little Princess has set half the sky ablaze!]
[If you do not intervene, the house will be burned to the ground!]

Lines of black text flickered through the air, their urgency plain to see.

Sheng Mingyue followed his gaze, turned, and caught sight of the glowing horizon. A cold sweat broke out over her instantly. "Prince... the Yuhuai Courtyard is on fire!"

At these words, Rong Zhao froze, unable to react for a moment.

Yunlai rushed outside, craning his neck to look. Seeing the flames rising in the direction of the Yuhuai Courtyard, his heart finally dropped into the abyss.

"Someone, come quickly! There is a fire at the Yuhuai Courtyard! Save the Grand Princess and the little Princess first!"

Sheng Mingyue rose as well, whispering a soft instruction to the man beside her: "Prince, please stay here in the courtyard. This servant will go and take a look."

Suddenly, her wrist was gripped.

Rong Zhao’s complexion was terrible. He stared fixedly at the soaring flames, suppressing his anger as he said in a gentle voice, "I shall go with my benefactor."

***

The fire roared toward the heavens. The entire Yuhuai Courtyard was billowed with thick smoke, the air filled with a pungent, burning stench. Flames darted wildly, igniting many of the flowers and shrubs in the backyard.

When Rong Min was rescued by the servants, her hair was disheveled, and a large portion of her skirt had been scorched. She squinted her eyes, tears streaming down her face from the smoke.

Jia’an stood by with a dazed expression, her eyes filled with deep terror. She huddled close to her mother, not daring to make a sound.

"You child!" Rong Min, at her breaking point, tugged at her arm and shouted, "You cause trouble every single day! Can you not let me have a moment of peace?"

When Rong Zhao and Sheng Mingyue arrived, they happened to hear Rong Min’s frantic reprimand of her daughter. Jia’an cowered to the side, not daring to speak.

Rong Zhao knitted his brows and called out in a low voice, "Eldest Sister."

Rong Min turned back, meeting the gaze of her younger brother, and felt a sudden sense of shame. "A-Zhao... it is your eldest sister who has failed you."

Rong Zhao’s gaze swept over Jia’an. Behind her, the estate servants were busy fighting the fire. Amidst his shock and rage, an itch rose in his throat, and he coughed several times.

"A-Zhao!"

"Prince..." Sheng Mingyue gently patted his back to help him catch his breath, then spoke with cautious persuasion, "Prince, please calm your anger. The Princess has only just arrived in the Great Chu and perhaps does not yet know how to live here. It is likely she accidentally knocked over a candle, which ignited the fire."

[Is this little cannon fodder a capybara? Her emotional stability is terrifying!]
[She’s still trying to speak well of the Princess—has she not realized that the girl is trying to burn her alive?]
[The little Princess still feels defiant; she’s planning to start another fire to teach the little cannon fodder a lesson. And yet here the cannon fodder is, speaking up for her!]
[It is fortunate this is just the young Princess—there is still a possibility it was an accident. If she grows up like this, she will be a seasoned villain!]

The smile that had just appeared on Sheng Mingyue’s lips vanished instantly. She looked across the distance to meet Jia’an’s gaze. The latter bared her teeth at her, looking entirely unrepentant.

The words already on her tongue took a sharp turn. Sheng Mingyue spoke quickly, lowering her voice, "However, it would be improper to let the little Princess continue in this way..."

Rong Zhao turned his gaze to her, watching her quietly for a long time before he composed himself. "Then in your view, Benefactor, what should be done?"

Enduring Jia’an’s murderous glare, Sheng Mingyue smiled slightly and whispered, "Perhaps we should bring some governesses from the palace to properly instruct the Princess in etiquette and rules."

Since Jia’an was determined to make trouble for her, then no one should have an easy time! She knew exactly what palace governesses were like. This would surely teach Jia’an a lesson she would not soon forget!

Rong Zhao pondered for a moment, locked eyes with Rong Min, and said languidly, "What does Eldest Sister think?"

How could Rong Min not know the severity of the palace governesses? Yet, she could not utter a single word of dissent. Jia’an had burned down half the estate; without such discipline, it would be difficult to even arrange a marriage for her in the future.

Seeing her mother’s silence, Jia’an was visibly panicked. "Mother..." she whispered.

Rong Min let out a long sigh and spoke helplessly, "Listen to your little Imperial Uncle."

Jia’an stepped back in disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes. "I am not from the Great Chu! You cannot tame me!"

With that, she turned and ran off without looking back.

"Jia’an!"

Rong Min took two steps forward before a sharp pain suddenly struck her abdomen. She let out a cry of agony, her strength failed her, and she collapsed backward.

"Eldest Sister." Rong Zhao was quick to react, catching her as she fell, his tone grim. "Eldest Sister, please consider the child in your womb first."

Rong Min looked up, staring blankly in the direction Jia’an had fled, and murmured, "A-Zhao... Jia’an is not bad by nature..."

*Bullshit.*

Rong Zhao closed his eyes, his chest heaving. He was clearly infuriated. If he had a daughter as unruly as this, he would have been sent to the afterlife by her long ago, simply driven to death by sheer rage!

Sheng Mingyue deliberated before speaking softly, "Grand Princess, do not worry. This servant will go and take a look; I will certainly bring the little Princess back safely."

"You?" Rong Min looked her up and down, her voice unreadable. "Go then. If you cannot bring Jia’an back, I shall hold you accountable."

"Benefactor..." Rong Zhao watched her, slowly shaking his head in disapproval.

Sheng Mingyue smiled, biting her lip. "The gates of the estate are locked; the Princess cannot leave. The estate is only so large; finding someone will be effortless."

Rong Zhao coughed a few times, his face slightly pale. "Take Yunlai and Song Guo with you."

Sheng Mingyue nodded and whispered, "Yes."

Song Guo had already arrived at the Yuhuai Courtyard upon hearing the commotion, so there was no need to go looking for him. The three of them split into three directions, beginning a carpet-search of the Jing’an Prince’s Estate.

[What a coincidence. The Princess is hiding right behind the little cannon fodder’s courtyard, wiping away her tears.]

Seeing the words floating in the air, Sheng Mingyue turned on her heel and headed straight back to the Juxin Garden.

Sure enough, she found Jia’an behind the courtyard, sobbing until she was out of breath.

When Jia’an heard the movement, she slowly raised her head. Upon seeing that it was that detestable little maid, she cried even harder. "Why is it you... what are you doing here? Are you here to mock me!"