Chapter 123

Half a night of westerly winds, swirling with tongues of fire and the voracity of a whale, turned the eastern grasslands into a sea of flames. The wild grass, which had been vibrant only that morning, now tore apart, emitting agonizing wails. Yuwen Junan stood in the heart of the blaze. The starlight in the vast firmament had become unreachable; he could see nothing but the fire rising to the heavens. Groups of eunuchs rushed to pour water brought from the lake onto the flames. The Imperial Guard, having discarded their armor and draped themselves in water-soaked quilts, charged into the inferno to drag out those trapped within. Yet, Yuwen Junan paid them no heed. He murmured his elder sister's name, crossing the burning fields and sprinting toward the eastern grassland.