Chapter 88
Murong Qiufeng had never been so furious before—so angry that he wanted to kill someone.
Riding his horse like the wind, he charged through the streets without a single pause, not even slowing as he entered the city gates. Fortunately, an order had already been issued to place the entire city under lockdown. The guards at the gate, recognizing Murong Qiufeng, were led by the deputy commander of the imperial guards, who knew him personally. Seeing Murong’s stormy expression, they didn’t stop him but instead sent someone to follow him closely.
After all, they were under strict instructions from Shangguan Ye: Murong Qiufeng’s safety was of the utmost priority at all times.
When Murong Qiufeng reached the relay station, he froze momentarily, his face growing even darker.
The relay station was engulfed in flames, shouts and cries echoing everywhere as people scrambled to extinguish the fire.
“Is there anyone still inside?” Jumping off his horse, he grabbed a man rushing by with a bucket and asked urgently.
The man stared at Murong for a moment in surprise before nodding frantically. “Yes! There are!”
Murong Qiufeng’s heart tightened. He quickly snatched the bucket from the man, poured the water over himself, and leaped into the inferno, ignoring the startled cries behind him.
The soldiers who had followed him turned pale at the sight and quickly imitated his actions, rushing inside as others worked to fight the flames.
Murong Qiufeng covered his nose with his sleeve. Inside, the fire wasn’t as fierce as it looked outside; it seemed the blaze had started externally. However, the smoke was suffocatingly thick. It was evident that the arsonists weren’t trying to burn people alive—they intended to suffocate them.
The relay station had three floors. Murong held his breath and began searching the first floor, kicking down unopened doors to check for anyone trapped inside.
After a circuit, he indeed found several unconscious individuals, and his heart sank. They were lucky he’d arrived in time; otherwise, these people would likely have perished.
Just then, a group of soldiers burst in, calling out for him.
Relieved, Murong barked orders without even turning to look. “Perfect timing! Get these people out of here, find help, and send them to the medical hall.” With that, he hurried upstairs.
The second floor was empty, and the doors on the third floor were already open.
Murong frowned. Had Zhao Xiru already escaped? Or had she been moved elsewhere?
Just as he was about to turn back and check again, a faint noise came from one of the rooms. He quickly spun around and rushed toward it.
Upon entering, he was met with a wave of intense heat. Unlike the other areas, this room was a sea of flames, not just filled with smoke.
Amidst the fire, a faint silhouette seemed to be struggling.
Murong pressed his lips together and took a deep breath, ready to charge into the inferno. But before he could, a firm hand clamped down on his shoulder.
A strong force wrapped around his waist, and in the next moment, he was swept upward and out through the burning roof, enveloped in a protective cloth. He immediately knew who his rescuer was and didn’t dare move, fearing he’d become a hindrance.
When they landed, Murong hurriedly tore off the cloth covering him and grabbed Shangguan Ye’s arm, anxiously inspecting him. “Are you hurt? Are you alright?”
Shangguan Ye still had his arms wrapped tightly around Murong’s waist. His initial fury had lessened somewhat upon seeing Murong’s worried expression, but traces of lingering fear and anger remained. If he hadn’t arrived in time, Murong might have dashed straight into the flames. His face darkened even more as he dragged Murong onto his horse and galloped back toward the prince’s residence.
Murong Qiufeng snapped back to reality and hastily grabbed Shangguan Ye’s hand. “Wait, Seventh—”
Before he could finish his sentence, his chin was tilted upward, and something soft and cool pressed against his lips.
Murong Qiufeng’s body stiffened instantly. His eyes widened as he stared into the pair of deep, ink-black eyes mere inches from his face. He could clearly see the red veins in them, as well as the raging fire of anger within.
Although their lips only lightly touched without going further, although this wasn’t their first kiss, and although Murong was already familiar with the strange feelings stirring in his heart, this moment was different. Both of them were entirely sober, their emotions raw and unfiltered. It wasn’t until Murong was tossed into the hot spring that he finally snapped out of his daze.
Flailing briefly in the water, he quickly steadied himself and wiped the water from his face. Just as he was about to stand upright, his hands were seized by a pair of strong hands and pinned behind his back. His body was pressed against the stone wall of the hot spring, his chest against a pounding heartbeat that made his own pulse race uncontrollably.
The scene felt hauntingly familiar, and the memory was as vivid as if it had happened yesterday. Murong’s heart thudded irregularly, his face alternating between red and pale. “Your Highness…”
But Shangguan Ye didn’t do anything more. Instead, he buried his head against Murong’s neck, his voice low and hoarse with suppressed emotion. “Are you trying to scare me to death, little one?”
Murong froze, his struggle ceasing. Feeling the warm breath against his neck, a subtle warmth blossomed in his chest.
One of Shangguan Ye’s hands lifted to grip Murong’s chin, forcing him to look up into his dark, fierce eyes. “You always look so calm, but you’re so reckless! Do you have any idea how I felt when I saw the house consumed by flames and heard that you were still inside? And yet, you ran straight into the fire. Do you think you’re invincible? Do you know how terrified I was?”
Murong Qiufeng’s nose stung with emotion. He could still feel the cold sweat on Shangguan Ye’s palms as they held him, but he couldn’t help feeling slightly defiant. He pursed his lips and turned his head away. “I was just—”
Shangguan Ye turned his face back forcefully, his voice even sterner. “No ‘just.’ You need to understand—your life is more precious than anyone else’s. If something had happened to you this time, even if Zhao Xiru survived, I would have torn her to pieces and sent her remains to Zhao Kingdom, and then marched my army to raze their kingdom to the ground.”
“You… How could you?!” Murong Qiufeng’s eyes widened in shock, a mix of anger and disbelief flashing in his gaze. “No matter what, it was my decision. It has nothing to do with anyone else!”
Shangguan Ye narrowed his eyes slightly, his fingers brushing Murong’s temple as he spoke in a low, resolute tone. “In my eyes, there are only two kinds of people in this world—enemies and my own. Anyone who hurts you is my enemy. And I have never shown mercy to my enemies. Qiufeng, do you know? This is the first time I’ve been so afraid of losing someone. Don’t make me worry like this again. Whatever you want to do, I won’t stop you. You can overturn the whole world if you like. But the condition is that you must ensure your own safety.”
Even now, Shangguan Ye didn’t want to recall how he had felt at that moment—when he heard that Murong Qiufeng was still inside the burning building. It was as if his world had turned dark, and his heart had plunged into an icy abyss, frozen and lifeless. The only thought in his mind was that Murong couldn’t die.
He had never been so terrified of losing someone. He hadn’t realized until now how deeply Murong Qiufeng had influenced him—so deeply that he would give up everything just to keep him safe.
Murong stared into Shangguan Ye’s dark eyes, softened by an unexpected tenderness. His heart felt warm yet uneasy. As he heard Shangguan’s final words, his emotions surged, and he awkwardly averted his gaze, lips pressed tightly together.
Shangguan Ye’s fingers hooked under Murong’s chin, lifting it once more. Looking at the young man’s flushed face, his jade-like complexion glowing red, Shangguan’s heart stirred. His gaze fell on Murong’s soft, rosy lips, and he couldn’t help but lean closer, his desire to taste them growing stronger.
Murong Qiufeng, seeing the nearing eyes, felt a chaotic whirlwind in his heart. His mind went completely blank. When he felt the scorching breath brushing against his lips, he instinctively panicked and tried to dodge.
