dognovel Chapter 366 Search and Rescue
Chapter 366 Search and Rescue
As night fell, thick smoke, carrying the smell of burning, billowed over East Street.
Amidst the ruins, smoldering rubble still wisps of smoke, and scattered flames flicker in the night wind, casting distorted red and green hues on the anxious faces of the people.
The sobs of women and children, the sighs of the elderly, mingled with the occasional sounds of collapsing beams and pillars, woven together a suffocating web.
Shi Wanxia gripped the hem of her clothes so tightly that her nails almost dug into her palms.
Having been raised like a flower in a greenhouse by her motherland, how could she have ever seen such a tragic scene?
The fire that broke out during the day came without warning. Fueled by the wind, the fire spread rapidly and reduced dozens of houses on East Street to ashes in the blink of an eye.
Looking at the people before her who had survived the disaster but had lost their homes, she was filled with guilt and anxiety.
"Sir, the porridge is ready."
The maid's voice pulled Shi Wanxia back from her thoughts.
She took a deep breath, composed herself, and said in a loud voice, "Fellow villagers, today is a bit rushed, so I have only prepared some thin porridge and flatbread for you to eat."
She paused, then raised her voice, "Fellow villagers, please bear with me for now. Tomorrow I will arrange for officials from the Ministry of Works to repair your houses. As for the losses, I will request His Majesty to allocate resettlement funds for you."
However, by this time the people were already dominated by hunger and fear.
Steam rose from the boiling pot, filling the air with the aroma of grains, while the freshly baked flatbread beside it emitted an enticing wheat fragrance.
People who had spent the entire day hovering on the edge of life and death had no time to listen to her.
The crowd began to stir. First, a few strong men pushed aside the others, and then a surging tide ensued.
More than a hundred people rushed to get on the bus, pushing and shoving and shouting filled the air, no one wanted to fall behind.
Shi Wanxia's heart clenched as she looked at the chaotic scene.
Her biggest fear was a stampede, so she quickly shouted to stop everyone: "Don't rush, don't crowd, line up properly!"
But in this noisy environment, her voice was like a drop of water thrown into the ocean, instantly drowned out.
As the crowd grew increasingly chaotic, a petite girl was pushed and shoved towards the boiling porridge pot. Almost instinctively, Shi Wanxia rushed forward and firmly grabbed the girl.
The little girl turned pale with fright, while Shi Wanxia's palms were scalded red by the edge of the porridge pot.
"Stop pushing! It's too dangerous!"
Shi Wanxia's voice was filled with obvious anxiety and panic.
She tried to separate the crowd, but how could she possibly stop the out-of-control situation by herself?
In the chaos, someone's elbow bumped into her shoulder, someone's shoe stepped on her skirt, but she had no time to care about these things, her mind was only focused on how to calm the people down.
Just as Shi Wanxia was anxious and at her wits' end, a composed figure walked through the crowd.
Shen Yanzhou was dressed in a black brocade robe, his posture as upright as a pine tree, and his cold and stern face appeared even more majestic in the night.
His gaze swept over the chaotic scene, his eyes darkening slightly, and he gave Li Pinghai beside him a look.
Li Pinghai understood immediately and signaled the head of the Eastern Palace guards to take action.
The well-trained guards acted swiftly, like tigers among sheep, and in no time they pulled out several troublemakers who kept pushing and cutting in line from the crowd.
Those men who usually ran rampant in the city were like lambs to the slaughter under the control of the guards, powerless to resist.
The noise at the scene gradually subsided. The people looked at the subdued troublemaker, and then at Shen Yanzhou and the guards standing guard behind him. Their restlessness dissipated.
Shi Wanxia breathed a sigh of relief, only then noticing that Shen Yanzhou had come to her side.
"Miss Shi, are you injured?"
Shen Yanzhou's voice was low and concerned. His gaze swept over her, and when he saw the red mark on her palm, his brows furrowed slightly.
Shi Wanxia shook her head and forced a smile, "It's nothing. Thank you for your timely help, Your Highness. Otherwise, I don't know how much trouble would have occurred today."
Shen Yanzhou nodded slightly, turned his gaze to the still-shaken people, and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, His Majesty will make proper arrangements for you all."
"Please enjoy your meal tonight. If you have any needs, please inform the guards at any time."
His voice carried an innate authority, which gradually calmed the people's panicked hearts.
With the guards' help, the people finally formed a long queue.
Shi Wanxia stood aside, watching them take the steaming porridge and flatbread and wolf them down, feeling a mix of emotions.
These people, who usually struggle to make a living, lost everything because of a fire. As an official, she could do much more for them than just give them a bowl of porridge or a pancake.
As night deepened, several bonfires warded off the chill for the people.
Shi Wanxia and Shen Yanzhou stood side by side, watching the scene of surviving the disaster.
"Your Highness, tell me, was this fire an accident, or was it deliberately caused?"
Shi Wanxia suddenly spoke, her voice carrying a hint of doubt.
Today's fire came about in such a strange way, and the speed at which it spread was astonishing, that it is hard to believe it was just an ordinary accident.
Shen Yanzhou remained silent for a moment, then said, "This matter is indeed full of suspicious points, and I have already sent people to investigate."
"You don't need to worry, the truth will be found out."
He turned to look at Shi Wanxia, his gaze resolute.
"The most urgent task is to properly resettle these people and help them rebuild their homes as soon as possible."
Shi Wanxia nodded, secretly making up her mind.
Whatever the conspiracy behind this fire, she wants to give the people justice and let them feel care and protection in this chaotic world.
Choi Ji-ho's boots made a teeth-grinding cracking sound as they stepped on the charred wooden beams.
He raised his hand to signal the soldiers behind him to stop, then squatted down and used his sword to clear away a pile of ashes.
Beneath the ashes, a charred arm was visible, its five fingers spread out, as if it were still struggling to survive in its last moments.
"Sir, another body has been found over here," a constable reported hoarsely from a short distance away.
Choi Ji-ho closed his eyes briefly, his Adam's apple bobbing.
This is the 37th body discovered today.
He stood up, brushed the dust off the hem of his fine robe, and said in a low voice, "Clean carefully, try to keep it as intact as possible. Record the location and features so that the family can identify the body."
Torches stained the ruins blood red, and Choi Ji-ho stood on a high place, looking around.
The once bustling market in the west of the city is now nothing but ruins, with a few embers still flickering and emitting wisps of smoke.
The fire came suddenly, and the southwest wind fueled its spread, quickly engulfing the entire neighborhood.
More than 70 households and over 80 people perished in the fire, more than 40 people were burned, and those who managed to escape lost all their belongings.
"My lord, it's getting late. Shall we continue tomorrow?" Cui Jiu asked cautiously.
Choi Ji-ho shook his head: "Search for another hour. What if there are still people buried underneath..."