Chapter 53: Wildfire

Chapter 53: Mountain Fire

"Quite the grand estate you've got here."

Wu Quan's shoulders were locked in place by two attendants as they dragged him forward.

He stole a glance up at the tall figure ahead and broke out in a sudden cold sweat.

Yuan Rang lifted his slender fingers, pressing lightly on the vermilion door of the inner chamber, pushing open a crack. His narrow eyes gave a quick sweep, and he let out a mocking chuckle from his throat.

"So it's a gilded cage after all."

Then he waved a hand dismissively, signaling the guards behind him to go fetch the person inside.

"Your Highness! Your Highness!"

At that, Wu Quan thrashed violently, only to take a kick to the back of the knee, his knee slamming into the ground with a dull thud.

"Your Highness, spare me..."

Wu Quan's arms were lifted by the men, his body going slack as he was forced to his knees. His old face was a mess of crooked tear tracks.

Yuan Rang half-closed his eyes, studying his face in silence, idly rubbing his fingertips together, his face unreadable.

"Wah, wah!"

A baby's wails cut through from inside the room—piercing, gut-wrenching, grating on the nerves.

The courtyard rang with Wu Quan's anguished sobs, rising and falling with the baby's shrill screams—a truly horrifying din.

Yuan Rang strolled over to Wu Quan, planting a boot on his shoulder, grinding his face into the dirt. Tears and spit soaked the dirt under his face.

"Where's the money?"

Wu Quan lay sprawled on the ground, sobbing and sniveling.

"The funds the court sent to Bozhou to wipe out the bandits—where'd they go?

"Hm?"

Yuan Rang's voice was low and sinister, a soft murmur like a demon's whisper.

The man on the ground stayed silent, sobbing like the world was ending.

Yuan Rang clicked his tongue, then lifted his leg and ground his boot into the man's head.

Wu Quan's nose bone cracked on the spot, blood gushing out in a torrent.

He was reeling from the pain, the stench of blood and dirt filling his nose.

"Your Highness!"

He Sui gaped at the woman the guards dragged out of the room, letting out a startled exclamation.

Yuan Rang's gaze slid over, taking in the woman's exotic, deep-set features and the baby in her arms wailing like it was about to choke, letting out a weary sigh.

"Hu people, and a child."

"Lord Wu's got some real nerve, huh."

He pulled his foot off Wu Quan's head and set it back on the ground.

"Let me guess—Lord Wu's been using the silver to keep someone fed?"

At that, Wu Quan scrambled up like a man brought back from the dead, his filthy hands clawing at Yuan Rang's black boots, babbling wildly.

"Your Highness, spare me! I'll take you there! I want a death pardon—please, I'm begging you!"

Yuan Rang's face stayed cold as he nudged the man's cheek with his boot tip, then shoved him off hard.

"Your Highness, there's a wildfire in the deep ridges."

He Sui dragged in the panting messenger, his face grim as he gave the report.

Yuan Rang looped his pinky around the jade Pixiu dangling from his wrist, stroking it slow and easy.

"Take some men up the mountain now to put out the fire—give 'em a hand."

His narrow eyes swept over the kneeling crowd in the courtyard, all casual-like. He dropped his gaze, and his thin lips parted: "Take 'em all away."

As dusk settled, a squad of light cavalry tore up the mountain at breakneck speed, like swallows skimming the black night.

Yuan Rang's face was set like stone as he watched the distant flames dying down. His long black hair, like a waterfall, was stirred by the rising heat.

————

Hulse wiped the dirt and sweat off his face, hauling himself out of the pit. His legs were shot, and he braced his hands on his hips, muttering to himself: "Finally out."

He was soaked in sticky sweat from the flames, and his bare skin was covered in nasty burns.

"We can't stay here—the Great Rong officials'll be here any minute."

Hulse wheezed, ignoring his burns, and let out a sharp, distinctive whistle to call his tribesmen together.

Then he turned and headed out, the charred trees and brush behind him.

He smelled the scorched air, and through his sweat-blurred eyes finally saw the dark sky outside.

Suddenly, Hulse's forward steps halted.

On the slowly emerging horizon, several fierce horses appeared out of nowhere, neighing, with riders dressed in official military attire—Central Plains men.

Hulse's deep eyes widened in terror, his jaw trembling rapidly.

An arrow suddenly appeared before his eyes, tearing through the surrounding air with the force of piercing the heavens, aimed straight at his brow.

Hulse's limbs went limp. He let out a great roar, then fell silent as he slowly collapsed to the ground.

Yuan Rang released the bowstring, and the force of the release sent his hair flying, accentuating the cold, sharp lines of his face.

He slowly lowered his bow, watching the Hu man in the distance lose strength and fall motionless to the ground. He narrowed his eyes slightly and casually raised his hand, signaling the light cavalry to surround the area.

"Your Highness."

He Sui led Yuan Rang into the stronghold that had been reduced to ruins by the fire.

"This is the bandits' lair." He Sui's expression was grim, his long brows furrowed tightly.

"But when I took men inside to look around, all we found were tall, sturdy Hu people."

Yuan Rang's fingertips tapped the ash-dusted fence, asking, "Did we get all of them?"

"Yes, those who tried to flee have been shot dead."

He Sui's finely drawn brows knitted tightly. He drew the sword from the waist of a nearby attendant, turned, and stabbed it into the palm of a kneeling Hu person, demanding sharply, "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Wu Quan risked the annihilation of his entire clan to disguise you as mountain bandits and settle you in the mountains, fed you well and looked after you day in, day out." Yuan Rang's knuckles lightly tapped the precious jade pendant hanging at his waist. "So what did he promise our Lord Wu in return?"

His face was blank, but his voice was soft and polished: "Can you tell me?"

The leading Hu person glared fiercely, spat at Yuan Rang, and cursed in a rapid, garbled tongue.

Yuan Rang didn't flinch at the crude insults, turned and walked out of the stronghold, speaking coldly.

"Ask them which Hun king they belong to. Just don't kill them from the torture. If they refuse to talk, haul them in for me to question personally."

He Sui followed him out of the stronghold, bowing slightly. "So what do we do about Wu Quan?"

Yuan Rang looked at the flickering flames against the dark night, as if he found the man utterly ridiculous, and said with a hint of amusement, "A fool who skins a tiger—how could a traitor think he'd walk away alive?"

He Sui looked up, seeing the cold, hard profile of His Highness the Sixth Prince hidden in the darkness, his heart hammering in fear. He nodded, indicating he knew what to do next.

Yuan Rang seemed to recall something, his demeanor softening into a gentle calm, and even his tone carried a faint, elusive smile.

"Did you go to the post station today?"

He Sui understood, speaking softly, "Jili personally went to the post station this afternoon to collect it."

"By the time Your Highness returns to the residence, you should be able to see the letter."

Yuan Rang's fingers involuntarily touched the warm, smooth jade Pixiu on his wrist, a faint, barely-there warmth creeping onto his face. He swung onto his horse and galloped down the mountain.

He Sui watched his retreating figure, as if he could not bear to pause even for a moment.