Chapter 32: A Great Fire

As a veteran soldier, Ning Ye had witnessed the most brutal scenes imaginable during the cruelty of war. Yet, the tiny corpse before him now left his heart in turmoil.

It was clearly just a young child. Under the searing intensity of the fire, the small body had been reduced to a charred husk, curled tightly into a ball. Only heaven knew the agony that soul had endured.

The incessant wailing of the survivors pulled Ning Ye back to reality. Behind him stood the people he had recruited; many had lost their families in the inferno.

Hu Laosan approached, his face grim. "Sir, I have inspected the perimeter. There are traces of lamp oil. It is almost certain that this was arson, and a significant amount of oil was used in every spot."

Ning Ye remained outwardly calm, but his fists were clenched tight. "Those beasts! If they have a grudge, they should come for me! What kind of cowardice is it to strike at defenseless people?"

"Sir, do you know who is behind this?"

Ning Ye said coldly, "I haven't crossed paths with anyone else. The only person is that man surnamed Huang. I never imagined he could be such a cold-blooded, heartless wretch."

Hu Laosan hesitated. "Sir, things like this are quite common. I fear you are the only one who would be so enraged by such a matter."

Ning Ye felt a momentary daze. Was it true? Apart from himself, would anyone else truly care about the lives of these people? The refugees around him were weeping only because the dead were their own kin. Hu Laosan and the others were only helping because of his orders; had it been left to them, how many would have stepped up to save anyone?

In this age, human life was the cheapest commodity. It was likely that when Huang Shan orchestrated this, he considered it nothing more than a way to spite his rival—a triviality, nothing more.

Ning Ye rubbed his face. "Old Hu, relocate these people. Give each of them ten taels of silver as compensation. Get this done as quickly as possible."

"Any other instructions, sir?"

"None for now. Just remember to keep them settled and prevent any trouble. I will see that they get justice."

Hu Laosan felt that Ning Ye’s concern was entirely unnecessary. They were just a group of refugees; what kind of waves could they possibly make? But since Ning Ye had ordered it, he would execute it perfectly. Even if it meant skipping sleep, he would ensure not a single thing went wrong with these refugees.

Ning Ye rode his horse back to his estate. Upon returning, he bypassed dinner and went straight to his room. Sensing something amiss, Lin Qinshu brought a bowl of porridge and followed him inside.

"Husband, what has happened? You seem troubled."

Ning Ye sat on the edge of the bed, his expression dark. "The village is gone. Twenty-eight people died."

Lin Qinshu froze, quickly realizing what he meant. "This is a wanton disregard for human life. Why not report this to Magistrate Wang? I believe he will not sit idly by."

Ning Ye shook his head. "Without evidence, even Magistrate Wang can do nothing—to say nothing of the fact that the culprit is a young master with powerful backing."

Lin Qinshu said softly, "Husband, life and death are elusive. This may be hard for you to accept, but we must look forward." As she spoke, she gently massaged his temples.

"It was my negligence. I thought he was just making empty threats, and since he hadn't acted for so long, I let my guard down. I never expected this."

"Husband, no one is perfect. You cannot carry the weight of everything on your shoulders. You are not solely to blame for this."

Ning Ye said nothing, simply letting himself be soothed by her touch. He understood the logic, yet he could not reconcile it with his heart. Some things were etched into his very bones; they were not easily changed. Seeing his silence, Lin Qinshu said no more, instead humming a light, gentle melody to soothe his spirit.

Early the next morning, Ning Ye left the house. His destination was the county office. He wasn't there to ask Magistrate Wang for justice, but to understand exactly what this "Huang family" really was.

Xu Sanguan served as his guide once again. He seemed to have aged significantly since they last met, and Ning Ye knew it was no illusion.

"Master Xu, is something the matter? You seem exhausted."

Xu Sanguan yawned. "There is much to be done lately. It has nothing to do with you, but the Magistrate is also very tired. If it isn't urgent, I advise you not to disturb him."

Ning Ye smiled. "If it weren't urgent, I wouldn't be here. This is something I must ask him."

This meeting did not take place in the small garden as before, but in Wang Mingyuan’s study. In this era, a study was a private sanctuary, forbidden to anyone not fully trusted. Before entering, Ning Ye adjusted his clothes—clean and neat, but worth an extra moment of care.

Only after composing himself did he push open the door. Inside, Wang Mingyuan was practicing calligraphy.

"A sudden visit," Wang Mingyuan said as he wrote. "I have a feeling you are here to present me with a difficult problem. I wonder if I’ve guessed correctly."

"If you did not wish to hear it, I would not speak. But I believe you will let me say my piece."

Wang Mingyuan finished the final stroke and looked up. "A few refugees were collected at random. Is it worth such concern? Are you planning on becoming a crusading judge yourself?"

Ning Ye knew that nothing happening in Qingyuan County could escape Wang Mingyuan’s eyes, and that he knew exactly what Ning Ye was there to ask.

"Magistrate, in my eyes, these are human lives. I cannot pretend I did not see what happened. And since they died because of me, I have a duty to handle this."

Wang Mingyuan sighed. "The Huang family’s backing is not me. Even in this remote place, they have a student at the Qingshan Academy. I hope you understand the weight of that."