Chapter 81: Terrified Out of Their wits
When the two arrived, the gate of the Qi residence was already blackened by fire and looked like it was about to collapse. A crowd of onlookers had gathered at the gate, but they were all stopped by the soldiers.
Through the crack in the door, one could vaguely see scorching flames licking at everything, and the billowing smoke was particularly shocking.
"Miss! You're finally back! Miss! That's our Miss!"
A maid named Xiao Cui called out from behind the wall of people, her voice trembling with tears.
"Don't push! Everyone disperse! The smoke is choking!"
The officers and soldiers tried their best to maintain order, but they were simply powerless to do so.
Once people start watching a spectacle, they can't be driven away.
Yuan Siyin tried to push through the crowd, but not only were there many people in front of her, but they were also all smug and wouldn't give way to anyone. If you pushed me, I would have to push you back.
She could no longer contain herself, and drew her golden whip, roaring, "Shut up, all of you! Either help or get out of here!"
The whip struck the ground sharply, whistling through the air and inspiring fear.
The noise suddenly subsided, and everyone turned to look at this tyrant from the capital, then scattered like birds and beasts.
The officers and soldiers were startled and quickly clasped their hands in a salute to Yuan Siyin, saying, "Greetings..."
Yuan Siyin rudely interrupted their dawdling formalities and asked in a rapid-fire manner, "What's the situation inside now? Are there still people in the mansion? How many fires are still burning?"
The group exchanged glances, not daring to answer.
Qi Xinxin was anxious, knowing she couldn't rely on them. She took a big step forward and grabbed Xiao Cui's hand anxiously: "Where are my father and my mother? Where are they?"
"Master went out and is not at home. After lunch, Madam said she was tired and wanted to rest for a while, so she lay down. It seems... it seems she didn't run away."
"What are the servants in this mansion good for?!"
Xiao Cui was almost in tears, kneeling before her and kowtowing repeatedly, "Miss, it's not that we servants weren't careful, it's just that the fire was too big, and everyone panicked..."
"Okay, okay, very good! If you won't go, I will!"
"You can't go, you can't go, Miss!"
Qi Xinxin's eyes reddened with anxiety, and she choked as she tried to rush in to save the person, but Xiao Cui clung tightly to her leg, while Yuan Siyin grabbed her wrist.
"Where is the lady's courtyard?"
She looked at Xiao Cui coldly: "Speak up! Will you take responsibility if something happens?"
Xiao Cui shuddered in fright, quickly sat up straight, and stopped stammering: "After you go in, turn right, then walk straight, and the first courtyard is it."
The people at the lookout tower have already gone in to put out the fire, but a few wet quilts are still left outside.
Without hesitation, Yuan Siyin put on the quilt, went to the water vat filled with water by the wall, soaked two towels, covered her mouth and nose with one, and held the other in her hand. She told Xiao Cui to hold Qi Xinxin tightly, and then rushed in without saying a word.
The soldiers were terrified.
Everyone knows this person is the Empress Dowager's darling; if anything were to happen to him...
But once they rushed in, there was no way to stop them.
The group dared not think any further and could only pray that their ancestor was alright, otherwise they would be the ones in trouble.
Fires broke out in several places inside the mansion, especially in the study she had seen earlier, which was covered in charred marks. The people from the Fire Watch Tower carried bucket after bucket of water from the lake, and although they managed to extinguish a significant portion of the fire, they were still unable to do much.
Yuan Siyin glanced at it briefly, then, remembering the directions Xiao Cui had given her, she took off running towards Feihua Courtyard.
It was clear that the fire had only recently spread to the backyard, but the sudden autumn wind and the intense flames actually fueled the fire.
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