Fire at Night Festival

Far away from the capital city of Xia Empire...

At the Army Camp...

The Red River Army was undergoing their daily training routine, when a messenger pigeon landed there.

Li Jinai untied the message from its feet and entered the General's room to report immediately.

The Red River Army popular for it's brutal fighting techniques was guided by General Yan Zhiyuan, who was famously known as the Blood wolf. He was a tall man with a handsome but cold face.

General Yan was reading a scroll by the window.

"A message from the capital just arrived." Li Jinai reported bowing to him.

"Read it." Yan Zhiyuan said turning around and sitting on his seat.

"There's something wrong in the west. Emperor Xia wants us to investigate and deal with the problem there alongside the Imperial Army troop that will reach Jiangnan." Li Jinai read out.

"Send out the message to the capital that we will set out towards Jiangnan in few days." Yan Zhiyuan ordered.

"I'll inform the soldiers." Li Jinai said.

"We are not mobilising the whole Army. Just the enough people to control the situation there. Besides there will be people from Imperial Army too." Yan Zhiyuan said.

"I'll make the arrangements, My Lord." Li Jinai said and got out.

Yan Zhiyuan stood up and picked the sword on the rack and went out.

...

Back in the capital city...

At night...

Yue Lin and Princess Jingxi followed by Ji Ran were taking the stroll at the Night Festival.

"Everything is looking so bright and beautiful." Yue Lin said skipping ahead.

"Why aren't you holding my arm as always?" Princess Jingxi joked walking upto her.

"You are wearing male clothes. If I walk around holding your arm, there will be rumors of me fooling with a young master going around in the morning." Yue Lin replied to her.

"You are right. Tell me where exactly are we going." Princess Jingxi asked her.

"I know a great restaurant on the lake side. It has very tasty food and we can clearly see the lanterns and fireworks from them." Yue Lin said leading them to a restaurant.

They booked a private room in 1st floor and ordered the food, as they enjoyed looking at the festive environment outside.

After sometime, they were happily enjoying the bright lanterns and fireworks when suddenly a cry broke out in the restaurant.

"Help... somebody help.. There's a fire." came the cries with the sound of people running came from outside.

"What's going on?" Yue Lin asked opening the door.

"There's a fire in the restaurant. Go out immediately." Somebody said.

"Ji Ran take Yue Lin with you and get out of here." Princess Jingxi ordered.

"Your highness, where are you going?" Ji Ran stopped her immediately.

"There was a cry for help. Let me see the situation. You go out with Yue Lin, she is my responsibility for the night and I don't want her to be harmed in anyway." Princess Jingxi said going out.

The fire started from the last room of the 2nd floor and was spreading out quickly already taking a few more rooms in its grasp.

"Somebody help... my daughter is inside." cried out a woman.

Princess Jingxi looked at her and immediately walked to her.

"Which room is she in?" She asked the woman.

"In the last room. I just went out for a moment and the fire started. She is just 5." Woman cried pointed to the end of corridor that was slowly getting engulfed in flames.

"I'll get your daughter out. Go outside right now the fire is spreading fast." She said to her.

"I won't leave without my daughter, please save her." The woman cried as she held her arm.

Peng Jianying who was also in the same restaurant with his friends saw them when he exited his room and ran towards them.

"Why are you standing here? The fire is getting bigger. Hurry up and go out." He said to them.

"My daughter..." The woman cried as she started coughing from the rising smoke.

"Take her out first, I'll get her daughter." Xia Jingxi said to Peng Jianying and ran through the corridor avoiding the raging fire.

As she reached the end of the corridor, she was coughing due to the smoke. The door to the room was already burning. She kicked the door and it fell down.

Xia Jingxi felt that it was harder and harder to breathe here. She quickly glanced around the room to find the child and finally saw her unconscious near a table. Running quickly to her, she picked her up and turned around.

The way she came in was now blazing with fire and there was no way she could get out from here harmless. She was trapped with fire closing in on fast. She saw the window and remembered that the restaurant was built on lake side.

Walking quickly to the window with the child in her arms, sure enough she saw the lake under the window. She picked up a vase nearby and smashed the window. Climbing out quickly, she jumped down holding the child.

A splash was heard and the people looked over. The crying woman ran to the side of the lake followed by few people. Xia Jingxi climbed out of the water and handed the child who was now awake and coughing back to the mother.

Xia Jingxi sat down coughing, Yue Lin and Ji Ran quickly supported her and took her to the side.

Yue Lin noticed Xia Jingxi's clothes were all wet and said, "I have spare pair of clothes in my carriage, I'll get it. Ji Ran take her to the inn on opposite side."

Yue Lin quickly ran away to get the clothes.

As Ji Ran was about to help Xia Jingxi up, the woman walked to them kneeling down and started thanking her for saving her daughter.

"Get up. Take the child to a doctor, she has inhaled a lot of smoke." Xia Jingxi said to her and held her up.

The woman bowed and left. Ji Ran also took Xia Jingxi to the inn opposite to the road. Peng Jianying who was also there noticed that the person who saved the child seemed to have dropped a token. He picked it up and walked to the inn to return it.

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