The young man asked, "Will you dismount?"
With a loud rumble, a wail suddenly rang out from the crowd.
Immediately afterwards, a deserted restaurant next to the observatory burst into flames, billowing thick smoke that obscured the stars in the sky. The fire quickly spread, engulfing an adjacent two-story theater that was usually packed with customers.
Immediately, cries, screams, footsteps, and other sounds filled the long street, creating a chaotic and terrifying atmosphere.
"My grandson..."
The sky was ablaze with fire, as bright as day. An old man in his sixties, leaning on a cane, looked up at the star-gazing tower, bewildered.
One of the pillars on the lowest level of the several-meter-tall observatory was slightly tilted, the eaves of the top level had collapsed a little, and the entire building was slightly skewed.
On one of the stone steps, a toddler of about three or four years old was swaying and climbing upwards.
A thick fog blanketed the sky, and the noise of people created a chaotic scene.
There was a commotion on the Star Gazing Tower, with intermittent exclamations coming from above. Luo Zhaoxing looked up and saw a familiar face shoving someone whose features she couldn't make out. The two seemed to be arguing.
Suddenly, there were two loud "bangs," as if two people had fallen from the top of the observatory.
The crowd on the long street was shocked. Screams and cries of children filled the air. Some women and children hurriedly covered the eyes of their playing children with their hands.
People began to run out of the market.
Luo Zhaoxing subconsciously took a step back, his pupils suddenly contracted, his ears rang, and he was no longer drunk.
In a daze, she seemed to see a pair of eyes staring at her from inside the building.
Just as she was about to go forward to chase after him, the old man burst into tears and, with trembling steps, tried to climb the stairs, his teeth chattering as he said, "My grandson, there are sugar figurines here for your grandfather. Don't you love sugar the most?"
The toddler's stunned gaze suddenly turned into a wail, the little boy covered in sweat, his tiny hands gripping the railing on the side of the building.
In the dimly lit corner of the building, she could only see a corner of an indigo robe.
Luo Zhaoxing quickly followed and stopped him: "Uncle, please stay away, it's dangerous here. I'll go and bring your grandson down."
The old man wiped away his tears with his sleeve, his whole body trembling as he said, "Young lady, the building is about to collapse."
Luo Zhaoxing said, "I know, you are waiting for me in the distance."
Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist from behind. Jiang Yuanjun lowered her eyes and said, "Don't go, I'll go!"
He looked at the observatory in front of him and clenched his fists, his expression cold and stern, showing a rare sign of anger.
Six months ago, a secret letter was sent to the Crown Prince's Palace, in which he was told to keep a close eye on Gao Jian, the Minister of Works.
Two months ago, a scout reported again that something seemed amiss at the Star Observation Tower. At that time, cracks had just appeared in the tower. The person in the letter said again, "It's time to haul in the fishing nets that have been cast."
So he began to prepare everything step by step, which seemed to make sense.
After a court assembly, he had a brief heart-to-heart talk with his father in the Imperial Study, during which the emperor asked him what year it was.
He suddenly remembered the snow weighing down the branches on Penglai Island and the magnolias that were eagerly blooming, and answered, "The spring of the thirteenth year."
The Emperor put down the memorial in his hand and murmured, "So much time has passed!"
Thinking about the Star Gazing Tower, he hesitated, and this hesitation was evident on his face.
The emperor noticed something was amiss and asked him, "My son, is something wrong?"
Looking at his father's loving yet slightly stern expression, which was different from usual, he inexplicably recalled the tragic state of A Bao before his death that year.
He smiled and replied, "It's nothing. The flowers in the Imperial Garden are in full bloom today. Why don't you go for a walk, Father, and then review the documents later?"
He didn't mention the sudden crack in the observatory, but his father looked at him with satisfaction.
He knew full well that one wrong move could lock up the whole game.
Back then, he learned from a notebook written by his grandfather in his spare time that a Moon-Viewing Tower in the south of the previous dynasty also collapsed after a few days due to cracks between the towers that prevented it from bearing the weight.
This building was built for the common people of the world, and Gao Jian, as the Minister of Works, was also appointed by his father, the Emperor, to be in charge. However, this man knew that there was something wrong with the Star Observation Tower, but he was still obsessed with drinking and getting drunk. It wasn't until he passed by the place before the temple fair and saw that there was a fence outside and many people guarding it to prevent innocent people from being harmed during the repair period that he felt at ease.
Now the observatory has collapsed ahead of schedule, yet there are no soldiers guarding or patrolling it.
Suddenly, someone knocked over the fireworks in front of the vendor's stove. The fire met the fireworks, and sparks burst forth, with scattered sparks flying everywhere.
Jiang Yuanjun spread his arms and shielded her in front of him.
Behind the Star Gazing Tower, a man and a woman, their faces covered by ghost masks, hid in the shadows. The female ghost mask looked up at the Star Gazing Tower and gritted her teeth, saying, "Damn it, that kid got off easy!" As she spoke, she stood up and said, "I'd rather go up and kill him with my sword."
The masked man quickly grabbed him and said calmly, "You've already taken two lives; how do you know you won't let him get away with it?"
The female ghost-faced figure paused, and the male ghost-faced figure was about to speak when she suddenly waved her hand, then asked intently, "Did you hear a child crying?"
The crowd on the long street was restless.
"What? What did you say?" The masked man didn't hear clearly and was about to ask again when a scream came from the attic.
The female ghost-faced figure looked up and said, "My master said that as long as the common people are not harmed, once tonight is over, this city will be plunged into endless bloodshed."
Meanwhile, Luo Ling, who was drinking with his colleagues in Dongshi, also left his seat after hearing the commotion. He encountered a masked man who avoided him at all costs. However, Luo Ling wanted to find out what was going on, and the two engaged in a fierce fight under the moonlight.
The crowd surged, a dense mass of people huddled together, all with expressions of fear. His subordinate, Ah Xiao, was also swept away by the throng, his whereabouts unknown.
Luo Zhaoxing asked, "Have you seen Feng Hua?"
Jiang Yuanjun shook his head. "Xiao Xing, take the old man and leave here quickly to find Afu and the others." With that, he strode forward, lifted his robe, and was about to climb the stone steps.
Four people suddenly appeared behind them, dressed in black that blended into the night. They nimbly jumped off the roof, their steps light and without raising a speck of dust, and quickly arrived at the two people's side.
One of them bowed and said, "Your Highness, please wait here while I go upstairs."
Jiang Yuanjun nodded.
At this moment, the soldiers from the Five Cities Garrison arrived upon hearing the news, with the commander of the North City Garrison stepping slightly ahead. He saw that the Crown Prince's expression was tense, his eyes icy, suggesting an impending storm.
He was filled with panic, cold sweat began to spread down his forehead, and his undergarment, which clung to his back, was already soaked. Looking down at the two people lying in pools of blood, their faces unrecognizable, he felt his legs go numb. He then bowed, trembling, and said, "Your Highness!"
Suddenly, a wailing sound rang out on the long street. A young child screamed as he was nearly trampled underfoot by the crowd. The scene became chaotic, with people crowding together, shoulder to shoulder, their feet barely touching the ground.
Jiang Yuanjun's gaze pierced straight through her like a knife.
He said coldly, "I order you to find all the soldiers responsible for guarding the Observatory today within a quarter of an hour and await their punishment! Otherwise, you will be held accountable!"
The commander of the Northern City Garrison was in a state of utter confusion, nodding repeatedly. He then turned and kicked one of the clerks in front of him in the chest, roaring, "You bunch of useless idiots! The Emperor's grace is boundless, and this is how you repay His Majesty and His Highness? Hurry up and go find someone!" He then turned to the four deputy commanders who followed, gritting his teeth, "Aren't you going to evacuate them? Can't you see a sword hanging over your heads?"
Unexpectedly, the arrival of the North City Military Command only caused the already anxious people to crowd together even more. The crowd pushed and shoved each other, forming a dense, dark mass, like dumplings being thrown into a pot, which actually made things worse.
The crowd, fleeing the streets, scrambled to avoid the collapsing observatory. The front was like an impenetrable iron gate; those behind couldn't see the heads in front and could only push forward, quickly forming a long, horizontal line that was pushed onto the stone steps in front of the observatory. This also surrounded Luo Zhaoxing, Jiang Yuanjun, and the three remaining men in black robes protecting him.
One of them said, "Your Highness, please follow me to a safe place."
Luo Zhaoxing turned her head to look at the two people lying in a pool of blood in the distance. Jiang Yuanjun, who was beside her, was about to pull her up, but she felt a strong force pulling her upwards.
Luo Zhaoxing turned around and saw a woman with double-bun hairstyle and wearing a Nuo opera mask. The mask had lifelike, large, ferocious eyes. Her hairstyle, however, was a style that women in Jiangnan (southern China) particularly favored.
The man chuckled, muttering incantations she couldn't understand, and then said to her, "Miss, the moonlight is so beautiful tonight, why don't you come with me to take a look?"
Having said that, she took his hand and was about to ascend the stone steps. Her steps were as light as if they were nothing, and she carried Luo Zhaoxing to the second floor of the Star Gazing Tower in an instant.
Behind them, Jiang Yuanjun exclaimed in surprise, "Xiao Xing!"
Luo Zhaoxing felt her mind was in a daze, and her confused eyes subconsciously looked at the person's hands. Her fingers were very slender and fair, but her palms were very large.
Almost instantly, another loud "boom" rang in their ears, and one after another, the pillars collapsed, and the several-meter-high observatory was about to crumble and fall to the ground.
Dust filled the air, and Luo Zhaoxing stumbled as the force of the blow caused her to lose her balance and nearly tumble over the fence.
Below the pavilion, Luo Yuan, a close follower of the Luo family hidden among the fleeing civilians, gleamed with cold light in his eyes. He immediately reached for the short dagger concealed at his waist, as if he were about to leap forward.
In the nick of time, Luo Zhaoxing gripped the railing tightly, bit her lip in a daze, and immediately slashed the gold hairpin from her hair at the person's face, trying to remove her mask and see what lay beneath.
The man nimbly twisted his body, nimbly dodging the attack, and said with a hint of surprise in his eyes, "You ambushed me!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Luo Zhaoxing gripped the gold hairpin again and slashed it fiercely across her neck.
The hairpin's tip was as sharp as a knife, and the man couldn't help but hiss, gasp, and take two steps back, placing one hand on his neck.
Soon, she chuckled again, took a few steps forward, tilted her head, and bit her neck. Her voice, however, was ghostly and strange, shrill as she said, "You choose the path to heaven but refuse to take it, and you insist on entering the gates of hell. Remember to be reborn into a good family, so you won't end up in this powerful household in your next life."
He then shoved her down with a forceful palm strike, but Luo Zhaoxing had already thrown away the gold hairpin, gripped her arm tightly, and sneered, "Hell is so desolate, if we're going to die, we'll die together!"
In a flash, Jiang Yuanjun managed to grab a corner of her skirt.
The wind whistled past her ears, and she could vaguely hear someone calling, "Little Star!"
She clung tightly to a protruding corner of the eaves that hadn't yet collapsed, hoping to use it to land safely.
However, it was no match for the collapse of the tall building, and tiles from the eaves fell one after another from above.
She involuntarily loosened her grip and fell down.
Seeing this, Luo Yuanyin's figure, hidden in the shadows, gradually moved towards the light, avoiding the crowd, and with a light body and extremely fast speed, ran towards the direction where Luo Zhaoxing had fallen.
Just then, the crowd on the long street heard a magnificent horse with its mane raised, neighing incessantly towards the sky. Immediately afterward, a gust of cold wind swept by, and the horse's hooves kicked up dust from the ground.
The man on horseback was a handsome young man, dressed in black riding attire and black boots. His eyes shone like cold stars as he galloped straight towards them from afar.
The crowd was quickly dispersed to both sides.
As Luo Zhaoxing plummeted downwards, she suddenly felt a slender hand reach out and grab her wrist. Then, her body tightened, and a strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her onto the horse's back.
In the crowd, Liang Lang, who had appeared out of nowhere, stared wide-eyed at the man on horseback in disbelief.
He shouted, "Chu Yening!"
Marquis Jingning, Chu Yening.
Upon hearing the sound, Luo Zhaoxing subconsciously turned around to look. Chu Yening was also looking down at the person on horseback, but there was no hostility in his eyes.
"you......"
She parted her lips slightly, but could not utter another word.
He smiled slightly and then stopped looking at her, riding his horse all the way to the outside of Gulou Street before stopping briefly.
A gentle evening breeze rippled across the surface of Haizi Lake, where lotus leaves swayed gracefully.
He asked, "Will you dismount?"
She nodded, only then noticing that her right hand, which had been holding the hairpin, was covered in blood.
Following them were Jiang Yuanjun, Jiang Yuanfu, Tao Qingyun, Luo Ling, and Liang Lang.
The group dismounted and walked with incredible speed.
Chu Yening's eyes shone like cold stars as he looked at the people standing in front of the horse.
It felt like a lifetime ago. Beneath the vermilion palace walls, snow weighed down the branches. A young man held a sword in his arms, his eyes sharp and cold as ice.
"This filthy Forbidden City is worse than a quick and painless escape!"
Luo Ling helped her down from the horse, and only then did she realize that she was feeling weak all over and even standing was difficult.
Tao Qingyun walked around her, looking her over from head to toe.
The others were also staring at her.
"Whose blood? Whose blood? You're injured?" His eyes were red as he opened her palm, repeating those two sentences over and over as if they were the only words he knew. He then looked at the back of her hand and face, which were covered with scratches.
Upon seeing the bloodstains on her teeth on her neck, she exclaimed, "What? Which damned bastard was born in the year of the dog?!"
Jiang Yuanfu stared at Chu Yening in disbelief, then instantly stepped forward and took Luo Zhaoxing's arm. Looking at her blood-stained face, her eyes welled with tears, and she asked Jiang Yuanjun, "Brother, how could the Star Gazing Tower have collapsed? We must investigate thoroughly when we return to the palace! We still don't know who fell." She then asked, "Xiaoxing, how did you end up on the Star Gazing Tower? Who bit you? I've already sent for the imperial physician."
Jiang Yuanjun was somewhat dazed, and his fingers trembled inexplicably. He asked Luo Zhaoxing, "Xiaoxing, are you alright?"
She shook her head and smiled, remembering that it was not the missing Feng Hua.
Jiang Yuanjun seemed to sense something: "It's alright, I've already ordered someone to send her back to the Luo residence."
She nodded calmly.
Yet, my heart was like that day ten years ago on the rolling river, filled with endless turbulent waves, as if I were sinking into an endless swamp, my heart sinking little by little.
As she thought about the eerie masked man, Jiang Yuanjun seemed to know what she was thinking: "I have already sent A-Xiao to chase after him."
The two tacitly agreed not to discuss it further, as he didn't want the Luo family to cause trouble if they returned to the capital. He couldn't guarantee that there wouldn't be any evil spirits causing trouble in the court ten years from now.
At this moment, Luo Ling sighed softly and said to the person on horseback, "Ye Ning, you're back."
The group then turned their attention back to the man on horseback.
Chu Yening nodded, his jaw clenched.
Tao Qingyun blinked and secretly wiped her eyes with her sleeve during the brief moment.
Chu Yening, on horseback, caught this scene, crossed his arms, and said lazily, "Useless!"
Tao Qingyun strode forward, pulled him off his horse, and said, "Hey! Am I shedding tears for you? I was shedding tears for Xiaoxing."
He punched Chu Yening on the shoulder, saying resentfully, "Well, you! A-Ling sent letter after letter to the border, and you just kept quiet, making us worry about you." He continued rambling, "The day I no longer care about you, I'll leave cleanly, and none of you will know!"
The two quickly got into a fight, but each only used a fraction of their strength. Chu Yening was about to kick him in the buttocks, but Tao Qingyun nimbly dodged to the side.
He scoffed, "What? You think you can touch my jade-like buttocks now?"
Luo Zhaoxing lowered her eyes slightly. Luo Ling looked at her pale face and said gently, "Let's go back to the manor first. The imperial physician will be here soon. How could someone who fell from such a height be unharmed?"
Jiang Yuanfu, standing to the side, burst into laughter through her tears, saying, "You two really are still seven, eight, or nine years old!" She then looked at her brother, who stood motionless in place, and said solemnly, "What talk of severing ties means nothing to me! From childhood to adulthood, we've always been in this together!"
Seeing that he looked travel-worn, Luo Ling had a sudden thought and asked him, "Should we go home first, or go to the palace first?"
Chu Yening nodded upon hearing this, and said in a low voice, "Let's go to the palace first!"
Luo Ling nodded slightly, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Liang Lang, who was standing silently under a large willow tree.
Liang Lang glanced at Chu Yening on horseback, then at Luo Zhaoxing. After a moment of contemplation, he frowned and walked away.
Tao Qingyun said suspiciously, "This guy has been acting really strange lately. Do you think he's taken a fancy to Xiaoxing?" He gritted his teeth.
Upon hearing this, Chu Yening glanced at Luo Zhaoxing for a moment before looking towards the shore of Haizi Lake.
He said casually, "It seems a lot has happened in the capital recently. Would you like me to take you to the palace? That way, we can be there in time if anything happens."
Jiang Yuanfu said, "Fourth Brother, even if you have that speed, Xiaoxing can't withstand the bumps and jolts right now. We should hurry back to the manor so the imperial physician can take a good look at her."
"Why don't we sit down together another day and tell you properly? It was still snowing in February this year, but the magnolias on Penglai were already in bloom. They must know that you're coming back, Fourth Brother."
Chu Yening did not answer, and in an instant leaped onto the horse's back, holding the reins as if to ride away.
"Let's go light a few lamps that will stay lit forever!"
For the more than 10,000 loyal soldiers who died, and for all those who died unjustly.
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