Chapter 37

Chapter 37: You Have Been Exposed

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.

Madam Xu collapsed in front of the Bright Virtue Courtyard. Her face was pale with terror, staring blankly at the raging flames that seemed poised to devour everything.

The fire crackled and roared, its heat palpable even from a distance. Struggling, she tried to rise, but a figure darted swiftly into the inferno.

“Your Highness!” The guards cried out in alarm, their faces stricken with fear.

As fate would have it, a beam from the grand gates fell, effectively sealing them outside. The searing flames licked at Xie Cheng Xi’s skin as he furrowed his brows slightly and called out loudly, “Lu Chao Chao?”

The sight of the Crown Prince rushing into the blaze made the guards pale further. From all sides, they gathered in an attempt to extinguish the fire.

Xie Cheng Xi was uncertain where the sleeping quarters lay but could faintly hear fragmented inner voices.

[Curse them… Curse them all… Everyone deserves this…]

The voice carried a sense of turmoil that made him uneasy. He charged forward, following the direction of the voice. The intense heat seemed to pierce through to his bones as he pushed open the doors to the room. Amidst the firelight, his vision blurred momentarily.

He thought he saw the crippled Lu Yan Shu, holding onto Lu Chao Chao. And strangely, it seemed like a faint, soft light surrounded them, repelling the flames from coming any closer.

[Am I hallucinating at my age?]

Lu Yan Shu was already on the verge of collapse, yet he clung to Chao Chao stubbornly, refusing to let go. Xie Cheng Xi clearly saw the fury in the little girl’s eyes. Usually cheerful and endearing, Lu Chao Chao now carried an unsettling aura that sent shivers down one’s spine.

“Chao Chao, don’t be afraid. I’m here!” Xie Cheng Xi braved the fire to support Lu Yan Shu, helping him retreat to a corner. It was then that he noticed the sweat pouring down Yan Shu’s body and his deathly pale complexion.

Taking Chao Chao into his arms, Xie Cheng Xi reassured her, “Don’t be scared, Chao Chao. Brother Cheng Xi is here. Everything will be fine.” He gently stroked her hair in an attempt to soothe her. Oddly, as he got closer to her, the unbearable heat seemed to subside, replaced by a faint, refreshing coolness.

They huddled together in the farthest corner of the room, the flames roaring in front of them.

With a deafening rumble, thunder cracked across the sky. Lightning illuminated the heavens, followed by a torrential downpour that swiftly extinguished the flames. The fire was quelled as rain pelted down in heavy sheets.

Outside, townsfolk hurriedly returned, exclaiming as they ran, “Strange! The Imperial Observatory had predicted no rain for at least half a month!”

As the rain doused the flames, Lu Yan Shu finally seemed to let go of his tension, collapsing to the ground. Madam Xu staggered into the ruins, her heart breaking at the sight of the children.

“Yan Shu!”

“Chao Chao!”

Madam Xu rushed forward, tears streaming down her face. “Your Highness, thank you! Thank you!” she cried, overwhelmed with gratitude.

The Imperial Physicians arrived hurriedly to tend to the Crown Prince. Xie Cheng Xi waved them off, saying, “See to the eldest young master of the Lu family first.”

The physician crouched to examine Lu Yan Shu, his expression tinged with doubt. How peculiar. The eldest young master of the Lu family was supposed to be a cripple, his meridians dried and withered. Yet now?

Before he could delve deeper, Madam Xu’s anxious voice interrupted, “How is Yan Shu?”

The physician withdrew his hand and replied, “Madam, the young master is unharmed. He has inhaled some smoke and was under extreme mental strain, causing him to faint. With proper rest, he will recover fully.”

The imperial physician hesitated before attempting to check the pulse again, but before he could, the Crown Prince Xie Cheng Xi ordered, “Check the little girl.”

The little girl, Lu Chao Chao, sulked in Xie Cheng Xi’s arms. Her delicate face, pale and childlike, was smudged with dark soot from the fire.

“The child is unharmed,” the physician concluded after careful examination. “However, she’s been severely frightened. It seems… her emotions have fluctuated greatly. She appears to have been enraged.” The imperial physician couldn’t help but ponder over the girl’s fiery temper, marveling at its strength.

When Madam Xu heard that both children were unharmed, the tension holding her upright snapped, and she collapsed.

“Where is the Marquis?” the Crown Prince demanded, his brows furrowing. It was unacceptable for a household to lack its master during such a crisis.

“The Marquis has not returned,” Deng Zhi tearfully replied, instructing the servants to carry the unconscious members of the family back to the adjacent courtyard.

Left with no choice, Xie Cheng Xi carried Lu Chao Chao out of the scene.

“Don’t be afraid. We’re safe now,” Xie Cheng Xi said softly, though his mind replayed the unsettling gaze Lu Chao Chao had displayed earlier—a look brimming with destruction, one devoid of clarity or awareness.

[Such a small child, how could she have such a terrifying expression?] he thought, attributing it to her fear.

Meanwhile, Lu Chao Chao’s own thoughts were far removed from the present moment.

[This young master truly is a good man,” she sighed inwardly. [How tragic that such a noble soul was possessed and reduced to a subordinate under the female lead’s hem.]

[What a shame. The diligent Crown Prince, stolen by a counterfeit who uses the foundation of Northern Zhao to pursue romance, leaving the country in ruin…]

Xie Cheng Xi paused mid-step. “Possessed?” he muttered, his tone darkening. “Stolen body? Using Northern Zhao for romance?” A chill climbed his spine as the implications settled in his mind. Was there someone impersonating him?

Before he could delve further, Lu Chao Chao, now exhausted, yawned and fell asleep in his arms, ending her muttered grievances.

By the time Lu Yuan Ze rushed back to the manor, Bright Virtue Courtyard had been reduced to ashes.

“Marquis! Marquis…” Servants knelt in droves, despair evident on their faces.

Lu Yuan Ze stared at the ruins, his face pale with grief. The flames had been so intense they were visible streets away.

“Yan Shu! Chao Chao, my dear Chao Chao…” Standing amidst the smoldering wreckage, his figure seemed to age overnight, his despair uncontainable.

A young servant hesitated before saying, “Marquis, the young miss was saved by His Highness the Crown Prince. The eldest young master is also unharmed. Only Bright Virtue Courtyard was destroyed.”

Lu Yuan Ze’s expression shifted from grief to disbelief, then relief. He collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

“It is truly the Bodhisattva’s blessing. Bodhisattva’s blessing. Thank you, Your Highness, for saving Yan Shu and Chao Chao…” He kowtowed fervently to Xie Cheng Xi.

Xie Cheng Xi, holding the sleeping Lu Chao Chao, replied coldly, “Lu Yan Shu and Chao Chao are in good health.” His voice carried an edge. “The Marquis had three days of rest for the Mid-Autumn Festival and yet was too preoccupied to return to his own household. Had I arrived even a moment later, the Marquis’ wife and daughter would have perished in the flames.”

Lu Yuan Ze’s eyes reddened as he let out a quiet sigh. “This subject is deeply grateful for Your Highness’s life-saving grace.” He could not explain away the dinner he’d shared with Pei Jiao Jiao earlier that day.

“Lord Lu, take care of yourself,” Xie Cheng Xi said with an air of authority that belied his mere eight years. Trained as the Crown Prince since birth, he could easily discern the guilt in Lu Yuan Ze’s demeanor.

The Crown Prince returned Lu Chao Chao to Deng Zhi, who received her with tearful gratitude. “When Madam awakens, she will surely thank Your Highness personally.”

Xie Cheng Xi waved off the thanks. Initially, he had come to investigate the peculiar phenomenon of the Bodhisattva Lantern, which had drawn the entire city into fervent prayers. Who could have predicted he’d stumble upon the calamity at the Lu manor and even hear Lu Chao Chao’s thoughts?

[This trip was worth it,] he mused.

When Madam Xu awoke, the first thing she heard was Lu Chao Chao’s mumbling.

[If they burn me to death, the little female lead can grow up nestled in her mother’s lap. How vile!]

[Hmph! Dream on! You’ll never get me to vacate this position!]

Tears welled up in Madam Xu’s eyes. She pulled her daughter into a tight embrace, sobbing uncontrollably. “Mother almost lost you. Mother almost lost her precious Chao Chao…”