Chapter 057: You're Fine, But I'm Not!

“All right, all right, it’s over now. Mother is here, don’t be afraid,” Empress Jiang bent down and let her cling tightly, gently patting her back in comfort.

Behind her, there were still four more girls, including Princess Changping, Li Xun’er. When everyone had been safely handed over to the guards, Wu Qinglin braced himself against the window ledge and nimbly vaulted out.

Wu Tan had been waiting anxiously by the shore, only relaxing when she was sure her elder brother was unharmed. She turned to retrieve the outer skirt she’d dropped on the ground, but as she looked back, she found that Huo Yunhao had already picked it up and was standing quietly behind her.

Today, Wu Tan wore a high-waisted ruqun—the outer skirt a bright red, beneath which were two underskirts, the innermost layer white and the second a vibrant vermilion. In the confusion at the water’s edge, with the darkness and the crowd, no one had noticed her disheveled clothing.

“Thank you,” Wu Tan said without ceremony, taking the garments from Huo Yunhao’s hands. She squeezed through the crowd, found a clean spot, and quickly slipped her skirt back on.

Huo Yunhao followed, frowning. “Your clothes underneath are all wet…”

She meant to suggest that Wu Tan should change into something dry. After all, a delicate girl, chilled and muddied in the night, must be terribly uncomfortable.

As Wu Tan dressed, she stole a sidelong glance at Huo Yunhao, suddenly finding this daughter of the Huo family rather interesting.

“It’s nothing. I’ll change when I get home,” she replied. Knowing what was soon to unfold, she offered no further courtesies, straightened her skirt, and plunged back into the throng.

By then, Wu Qinglin had come ashore and was wringing the water from his soaked robe.

Wu Tan hurried over. “Brother!”

Wu Qinglin looked up and flashed a toothy smile. “I’m fine!”

His shoulder and sleeves were tattered from the flames, his hair singed in several places, and a patch of his right forehead was blackened with a small burn, streaked with soot. As he lifted his hand, Wu Tan saw the back of his right hand was blistered and raw, blood oozing where the skin had broken—likely scraped when he’d helped the girls escape through the window.

Wu Tan’s eyes reddened at the sight.

Following her gaze, Wu Qinglin looked down, only then noticing his injured hand. He gave a hearty laugh and, without a word, tore a strip from the hem of his inner garment, wrapping the wound haphazardly before waving his hand at Wu Tan. “See? It’s nothing, no need for tears!”

He reached out to wipe her tears, but Wu Tan turned her head to evade his hand, then pulled his arm over to re-bandage the wound properly.

Compared to the battlefield, this was a trifling injury for Wu Qinglin. Yet he knew his little sister was brimming with indignation, ready to explode at any moment, so he patiently let her tend to his wound.

There was no attempt to hide his emotions; the smile at his lips overflowed with affection.

Wu Tan’s movements were slow, and during that time, Wu Qinglin felt as if someone was watching them. He looked up to see a young lady standing nearby.

Huo Yunhao was lost in thought, caught off guard when he noticed her gaze.

Their eyes met—two pairs, briefly held. She flushed with embarrassment, quickly dropped her eyes, curtsied, and hurried away.

Wu Qinglin paid her no mind, turning back to see Wu Tan had finished tying the cloth, the wound neatly bandaged. He soothed her again. “Really, it’s nothing.”

Wu Tan shot him an exasperated glare. “Maybe you’re fine, but I’m not!”

With that, she lifted her skirt and squeezed into the crowd.

At that moment, Princess Lin’an was still clinging to Empress Jiang, sobbing uncontrollably. Despite several attempts, the Empress could not free herself.

Wu Tan approached, gently pried the princess away, and turned to Empress Jiang. “Your Majesty, it’s cold and damp by the lotus pond. Perhaps we should escort the princess and the others forward to speak?”

Empress Jiang, having seen her helping in the water and recalling their favorable first meeting, regarded Wu Tan with new appreciation and gave a slight nod. “The girls are all frightened. Help them along, let’s move ahead.”

News of the fire at Huayang Palace had reached her and Consort Xian, who had summoned the fire wagons. After this long ordeal, though the flames were not fully extinguished, they were largely under control.

When the shaken girls were helped back to the courtyard, Consort Xian had just regained consciousness. Opening her eyes to the smoke-wreathed ruins, she scrambled up in panic. “Where is Lin’an? Has she been rescued?”

“Mother!” Princess Lin’an, still weak and trembling, had already cried herself dry, but at the sight of her mother, she broke down again and flung herself into Consort Xian’s arms, wailing anew.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” Though her daughter’s hairpins were in disarray and her clothes a mess, seeing her unharmed at last, Consort Xian’s heart finally settled.

Empress Jiang glanced at the fire and turned to the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards, Zhu Bingchen, who had rushed over to direct the rescue. “How is it?”

“The princess’s quarters are mostly burned. When the fire broke out, only the princess and four other ladies were in the inner chambers; everyone else escaped in time and are unharmed. Some maids and eunuchs who helped with the rescue suffered minor burns. Rest assured, Your Majesty, there were no serious casualties,” Zhu Bingchen replied.

Today was the Emperor’s birthday—any loss of life would be a terrible omen.

“That’s a relief,” Empress Jiang sighed, pressing a hand to her chest.

Wu Tan stepped forward, bowed, and spoke plainly. “Your Majesty, forgive my impertinence, but may I ask this official about the cause of tonight’s fire?”

She phrased it as a request for the Empress’s leave, but in truth, she had launched directly into her question.

Zhu Bingchen glanced at Empress Jiang, who gave a nod. He cupped his hands and answered, “The fire started in the right-side warming chamber of the outer hall. It must have caught on something flammable, causing the flames to spread rapidly and block the way to the rear chambers. As for further details, I’ve been busy fighting the fire since I arrived and haven’t yet questioned the palace staff in Huayang Palace.”

“Go on, then,” Empress Jiang nodded, dismissing him. She turned to Wu Tan and asked frankly, “Are you suspecting something?”

Huo Yunhua had been watching Wu Tan closely, but now that Wu Tan was beside the Empress, she dared not speak, her expression increasingly anxious.

“I would not dare…” Wu Tan replied softly, casting a glance at Huo Yunhua, then knelt before the Empress and raised her voice, her tone firm and righteous. “Your Majesty, I only feel that since tonight’s fire at Huayang Palace involved the lives of several noble ladies, including Princess Lin’an, the cause must be thoroughly investigated to give everyone an explanation. If it was due to a servant’s negligence, they must be punished; but if someone set the fire with malicious intent, then it must be pursued to the very end!”

If Huo Yunhua wanted to plot against someone, Wu Tan didn’t care—but when her brother was nearly harmed as well—

If anyone thought this matter could be swept under the rug, they were dreaming!

—Protective little tigress, ready for battle!

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