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Long Xi charged toward the door, drawing a dagger from his waist and swiftly cutting through the hemp ropes. "Get out of the way! Everyone, move!"
At that moment, Su Yuntang had already been awakened by the choking smoke. Blinking her eyes open in a daze, she realized that the main room had turned into a sea of flames. The carved rosewood screen opposite her bed was ablaze, with flames greedily climbing toward the beams above.
The air was thick with acrid smoke, causing her to cough repeatedly as tears streamed down her face. Struggling to rise from the bed, she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her as soon as her feet touched the ground. She staggered against the bedpost and rushed to the door.
"Is anyone there? Help!" Su Yuntang pushed and pulled at the door with all her strength, but it wouldn’t budge.
Stumbling to the window, she tried to push it open, only to find it nailed shut. Through the gaps in the wooden boards, she could hear the shouts of servants outside.
The smoke thickened, making it increasingly difficult for Su Yuntang to breathe. She tore off the lake-colored silk coverlet from her bed and covered her mouth and nose, but it couldn’t completely block out the smoke. She began to cough violently, each breath feeling like inhaling hot coals.
The fire spread rapidly; sparks began to fall from the beams above. Su Yuntang's hair and clothing were singed in several places, and her exposed skin felt seared by the intense heat. Her vision started to blur as tears streamed down her face from the smoke, and her consciousness began to fade.
Just when Su Yuntang felt she could no longer hold on, the door was suddenly burst open from the outside!
Amidst the flames, a figure rushed toward her without regard for the fire or thick smoke!
Struggling to lift her head, Su Yuntang squinted through her blurred vision and saw Long Xi’s face. His usually calm demeanor was now filled with urgency and fear; she had never seen such panic in his eyes. Just before losing consciousness completely, she heard him whisper close to her ear, "Don't be afraid... I'm here..."
Long Xi scooped her up in his arms, feeling her frail body and a surge of heart-wrenching fear washed over him. As he turned to dash out of the room, a beam overhead creaked ominously; it looked like it would collapse at any moment!
Protecting Su Yuntang with his back, Long Xi leaped through the doorway just as the beam crashed down behind them, sending sparks flying everywhere.
"Quick! Get a doctor!" Long Xi shouted as he carried Su Yuntang safely into the courtyard.
Holding Su Yuntang tightly, he noticed that her arm was severely injured—likely crushed—and combined with burns from the heat, blood was pouring out. He reached out but hesitated to touch her for fear of causing her more pain.
At this point, everyone in the Long family had been alerted. Lord Long hurried over in his nightclothes while Lady Long followed behind draped in an outer garment. Soon after arrived Eldest Young Master Long Xiao and Long Wanwan; Madam Tai and several concubines had also sent maids to see what had happened.
Seeing Long Xi covered in soot with several holes burned into his back while cradling an unconscious Su Yuntang elicited varied expressions from everyone present.
"What caused this sudden fire?" Lord Long asked with a furrowed brow. "Who was responsible for keeping watch at Guiyun Courtyard?"
The steward, Long An, stepped forward and replied, "Master, I just asked the night servant. He said that around the time of the midnight hour, he heard footsteps in the courtyard. When he went out to check, he found that the main house was already on fire. He couldn't see who set it."
"Second Young Master, quickly carry the Second Young Mistress to Shou An Tang; it's the closest place," Cui Zhu said as she stepped forward. "I will go fetch Doctor Yang from the residence."
Long Xi picked up Su Yuntang and faced everyone with an unusual coldness in his eyes. "When the fire broke out, the doors and windows of the main house were locked from the outside. This clearly indicates that someone intended to burn me and the Second Young Mistress alive!"
He then looked at Lord Long. "Father, this matter must be investigated thoroughly! If I hadn't heard the commotion and gotten up to check, both my wife and I would have perished in the flames!"
With that, Long Xi turned away without looking back, carrying Su Yuntang straight to Shou An Tang. No matter whether this "Hu Qingxi" was real or why she had come, he could not allow anyone to harm her.
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