Crimson Leaves: Chapter Twenty – The Flow of Water

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Li Fu held his breath, unable to utter a sound, and said quietly, "I've checked everything; all is normal."

Gu Lifu’s gaze passed over Li Fu and settled on the courtyard. Li Fu’s heart tightened, but he heard Gu Lifu ask slowly, "Where’s Niu Er?"

Li Fu replied, "He’s sobering up by the outhouse." He began to walk outside and added, "He doesn’t seem well. Chief Gu, come with me to have a look." Gu Lifu snorted, clearly displeased, and turned around to follow behind Li Fu.

Next to the outhouse, Niu Er looked downcast and sulky as he watched Gu Lifu’s retreating, angry figure.

Li Fu patted Niu Er’s shoulder with his right hand. "Chief Gu is responsible for guarding the estate. With this trouble happening in the mansion, he’s naturally upset; it’s not personal against you. Let’s be careful and not provoke him."

Niu Er looked at Li Fu and suddenly pointed a finger in front of Li Fu’s face. "You’re acting strange ever since you came back this afternoon. You’d better behave—tonight, I’ll be watching you closely."

Li Fu’s heart tightened, but he kept his composure. "Brother, you’re joking." He followed Niu Er’s lead. After that, Niu Er stopped talking, but his suspicious gaze seemed to pierce Li Fu’s every move. Li Fu chose not to respond. They patrolled, took turns resting, then patrolled again until the drum signaled the third watch. Just as the two stepped out from the western courtyard, with the main house adjacent, Li Fu suddenly shouted, "Who goes there?!"

Startled, Niu Er saw Li Fu’s eyes turn to someone behind him. Panicked, he swung his whistle baton backward. As he spun, Li Fu struck swiftly and decisively with a stick on Niu Er’s head. With a muffled thud, Niu Er fell to the ground cleanly.

Li Fu dropped the baton and ran to the wall’s base, fumbling until he found the silk thread he had thrown earlier. He took out a fire striker and ignited it. The thread burned quickly, spreading over the wall. Moments later, flames erupted on the other side. Li Fu exhaled deeply, glanced at the fallen Niu Er with a sneer, then clenched his teeth and smashed his head forcefully against the hard courtyard wall. Pain and dizziness came over him simultaneously. He groaned miserably and fainted, satisfied.

A shout pierced the silent night—"Water the fire! Water the fire!"

It had begun! Gu Yu woke suddenly from a light doze, grabbed his iron ruler, and stood up. A wave of dizziness hit him, but he shook his head and rushed outside, only to see a towering blaze in the southern part of the night.

With a loud bang, Wang Shihan hurried out from the house, followed by Xiao Hong. Both wore the same clothes from the previous night, clearly not having slept. Wang Shihan glanced at the fire and turned pale. "That’s my parents’ room!" she cried, rushing desperately toward the courtyard gate.

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Gu Yu grabbed her wrist firmly. Wang Shihan was shocked and angry, wildly shaking her right hand to break free. "What do you want? Let me go!"

Gu Yu’s eyes stayed fixed on the fire as his mind raced—what on earth was going on?

Outside the Wang estate, Fang Wei, roused from sleep in a requisitioned teahouse, sat up quickly. "Master!"

Dong Xinwu and those around him woke first and saw flames shooting skyward from the estate, thick smoke billowing with the fire. Dong Xinwu grabbed his iron ruler and shouted, "Follow me!" He dashed out of the teahouse toward the gate of the Wang estate just a street away. Fang Wei and the others followed close behind. One of them took a quick step onto the stone steps and pounded the door. "Open up! Shuntian Prefecture officials!"

The guards on duty inside were staring helplessly at the fire when suddenly they heard the pounding. They hurried to the door. One guard grabbed the heavy latch, about to force it open, when suddenly a sharp pain shot through his palm. A dazzling white flame burst forth in his hand! The guard screamed and fell backward, wildly beating his hand. The strange white fire would not extinguish and spread rapidly up his arm!

Another guard turned pale with fright but quickly said, "Take off your clothes!"

Snapping out of the daze, the burning guard hurriedly stripped off his clothes and scrambled backward. The white flame lost its fuel and finally died out. He shivered, holding his arms out, from which thin wisps of blue smoke rose with a burnt smell. Both guards stared at each other in horror, seeing the fear reflected in the other’s eyes.

The pounding on the door continued relentlessly. Outside came a frantic voice, distorted by panic: "Open the damn door! I’m a good man!"

The uninjured guard shakily stepped forward but dared not approach the gate. "Sir, I’m a guard here. It seems the door is under some kind of sorcery—it’s spontaneously catching fire without cause. We really can’t open it!"

Fang Wei and the other constables outside exchanged glances. Dong Xinwu took a few steps back, watching the fire grow larger and the smoke rise thickly to the sky. Anxiety gnawed at him. He estimated the height of the wall and shouted to Fang Wei and the others, "Form a human ladder!"

Meanwhile, Wang Shihan was already crying uncontrollably, desperately struggling against Gu Yu. Gu Yu remained unmoved. "How could the mansion catch fire for no reason? This is clearly Tang Haiqiu’s trap to lure us away!"

"Even so, I can’t just watch my parents burn to death inside!"

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"Gu Lifu and the others will go rescue them. What can a woman like you do even if you go?" The two guards outside the courtyard overheard the argument. Seeing the heated dispute, they dared only stand back and not intervene. Xiao Hong seemed stunned, staring blankly at the young lady and the officials in a fierce confrontation.

Wang Shihan’s heart burned like fire. She suddenly dropped to her knees, pounding the ground with her fists and weeping, "Captain Gu, I didn’t know better before—please accept my apology. But to have my own parents so close and not be able to save them—Wang Shihan is a disgrace as a daughter. Even if Tang Haiqiu tries to take my life in the chaos, I will accept it!"

At this moment, the young woman was both fragile and brave. Gu Yu clenched his teeth and looked at the two guards. "Escort the young lady back to her room, lock the door, and watch over her carefully. Don’t be negligent."

Wang Shihan raised her head from the ground in surprise and looked at Gu Yu. He looked back steadily. "I will rescue your parents. You must protect yourself. That is our agreement." Then he turned and ran swiftly toward the fire.

Xiao Hong shouted, "Hurry and help the young lady up!"

Only then did the two guards realize and help Wang Shihan to her feet. She still wept uncontrollably and was supported back into the house, sitting down by the bed. The guards locked the door behind them and held their batons ready, watching the entrance closely.

When Gu Lifu arrived at the main house, flames were already licking the windows and doors. The guards on duty had brought buckets of water and were dousing the flames. Gu Lifu relaxed briefly and was about to order his men to fetch more water from other courtyards. But after splashing water on the fire, the flames only grew fiercer. One bucket emptied, and the small flames on the doors and windows spread rapidly, soon engulfing them completely. When the guards prepared to throw another bucket, Gu Lifu kicked the bucket over. "Damn it, are you blind? Don’t you see the fire’s getting worse, not better?!"

The guards looked helplessly at Gu Lifu, but he paid them no mind and shouted with all his strength, "Master, Mistress, water on the fire! Open the door quickly!"

The guards behind suddenly understood and joined in shouting, "Master, Mistress, get up quickly!"

After several calls, the door creaked open. Thick smoke poured out. Gu Lifu covered his mouth and nose, and through the haze saw Wang Chengjian’s figure. Relief filled Gu Lifu’s heart, but the flames surged fiercely, preventing him from getting closer. While considering what to do, Wang Chengjian’s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed straight backward.