Chapter 515: Chapter 184 White Lotus Dew
The Medical Officer Institute was ablaze with light in the night.
Outside, the noise gradually rose, awakening the two people who were sleeping inside.
Lin Danqing, in a daze, climbed up from his bed, lit a lamp, and saw figures bustling outside as people whispered amongst themselves.
"What’s happened?" Lu Tong followed, throwing on some clothes.
"I don’t know." Rubbing his eyes, Lin Danqing got out of bed, pushed open the door, and said, "I’ll go have a look."
More and more lights came on in the courtyard as more medical officers ran out from their residence quarters, clutching candles and discussing in low voices. The older medical officers quickly dressed and hastened out with their medical kits, their destinations unknown.
After speaking with a few medical officers under a tree, Lin Danqing, holding a candle, returned to the door and said to Lu Tong, "There’s a flood at Rouge Lane."
Lu Tong paused, "A flood?"
"Yes. It started at Fengle Building. I’ve heard of it; it’s an entire wooden building. Once it catches fire, it’s serious."
"They’re all going to inspect the casualties, but they didn’t ask us new medical officers to join them, so there probably aren’t many injured. I remember during the Jingde Gate lantern festival fire, the whole Medical Officer Institute was mobilized."
"Speaking of which, there have been several fires since the beginning of summer this year. We should also be more careful with fire in our everyday usage to avoid... "
She spoke in a stream of chatter until noticing that Lu Tong was staring into the distance in silence for an extended period, prompting her to ask, "Why the daze?"
Lu Tong came back to reality, "Nothing."
She took the candlestick and smiled faintly, "Indeed, we should be well-prepared for the ruthlessness of water and fire."
...
The great fire that ignited at Rouge Lane that night was quickly extinguished.
However, the rumors that arose from the fire spread rapidly throughout Shengjing City.
The fire had started at the Fengle Building in Rouge Lane, but luckily the Firewatch Tower was close by and there happened to be two fire watch stations nearby. The fire was discovered early, and the response was timely. Except for the top floor which was nearly reduced to ashes, the rest was relatively intact. Fortunately, no lives were lost; only a few drunken patrons were knocked unconscious by smoke and suffered minor injuries.
"Minor injuries" was not quite accurate, for among those at Fengle Building was a special casualty.
When this casualty was rescued, he was no longer in his right mind, claiming repeatedly that he was a young master from the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion. He behaved crazily and senselessly, grabbing hold of those nearby and wailing that the Light-vented Bulbul had committed murder, not appearing to be sane in any way.
In Rouge Lane, where leisure and pleasure seekers abound, who could resist such an intriguing spectacle? Even before the Fengle Building fire was subdued, the news that Young Master Qi from the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion had gone mad with fright had already spread throughout Shengjing City.
Inside the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion.
The morning light was pale, and the gauze curtains hid the silhouette on the bed as people bustled in and out of the room, a strong medicinal scent wafting from inside, interspersed with intermittent shouts and screams.
With a "bang,"
what followed was a shrill cry, "Father save me— the Light-vented Bulbul has murdered—"
Qi Huaying stood at the door, listening to the commotion inside, his face as pale as paper.
Last night, Qi Yutai was brought back to the mansion.
When he arrived home, he was incoherent, tears and mucus smeared together, and his face was gripped with terror, having been singed grey by the fire and smoke.
Qi Yutai had been at the Fengle Building during the incident.
He left home without a guard and, except for a servant, no one knew his identity. Later, when the disaster at Fengle Building occurred, he revealed who he was in his crazed state in front of everyone.
But he was so deranged at the moment that initially, no one believed him until they saw the fancy carriage tied up at the front of the building. Someone was sent to inform the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, and that’s when the mansion got wind of the calamity.
Qi Yutai seemed to have gone mad.
Qi Huaying’s eyes were rimmed red.
Qi Yutai had gone to Fengle Building to take "Cold Food Powder."
The siblings had always been very close, and she had long known about her brother’s problem. In the past, although she’d advised him many times both openly and secretly, she always ended up yielding to Qi Yutai’s pleas and gave him the silver note to buy the powder.
If she hadn’t given Qi Yutai the silver note a few days earlier, he would not have gone to Fengle Building, nor would he have encountered the fire, this undeserved disaster.
Qi Huaying clenched her skirts, tears falling.
Inside the room, Qi Qing sat in front of the bed.
Qi Yutai was struggling so fiercely that it was hard to feed him the medicinal soup. As a last resort, they had no choice but to have the servants temporarily tie up his hands and feet.
With his limbs bound, Qi Yutai lay on the bed, his eyes wide open in a desperate struggle, his shrieks piercing and sharp.
The old steward stood by with his head bowed, unable to suppress a shiver of fear.
About five years ago, Qi Yutai had suffered a similar affliction, but it had not been as serious as this time. Then, his speech was somewhat confused, but he could stay calm, unlike the current bewildered frenzy.
This time was more dire than the last; the lady back then had been in a similar state...
The old steward shuddered and heard Qi Qing speak, "Is everything taken care of at Fengle Building?"