HCB Chapter 142 The Zhang Mansion Suddenly Catches Fire
Chapter 142 The Zhang Mansion Suddenly Catches Fire
"what?"
She was startled again by Ah Qi's words, her brows furrowing instantly as she anxiously inquired.
"what happened?"
"I don't know. The entire capital was just engulfed in flames. People from Shuntian Prefecture went there, and Brother Ling and several servants from the manor also went to put out the fire."
Where is Nana?
"I just checked, she's still asleep."
"That's good. Tell the people at Jingxiang Garden to keep an eye on her. I'm going to check on her."
"Row."
Ah Qi quickly turned and left. Lan Zhi also took off her coat from the clothes rack, put it on, tidied her hair, and then went out.
"Come here, prepare the horses."
Walking was too slow, and there wasn't enough time to get a carriage, so she had to ride a horse.
Nie Yuan ran over quickly.
"Ride my horse outside the gate."
Lan Zhi nodded without hesitation, then ran quickly to the door. The guards at the door handed her the reins, and without saying a word, she mounted the horse and rode off.
When she arrived near the Zhang residence, it was still ablaze with flames. Many government officials and onlookers were gathered around. She quickly squeezed through the crowd and approached Ling Jiawei, anxiously asking him questions.
"Brother, have you rescued him?"
Ling Jiawei shook his head.
"The fire is so big that it's impossible to get close. I'm afraid there's no way to save it."
"Mr. Zhang, he's still inside, he can't die,"
Thinking of Zhang Guodong, she became a little anxious, when she suddenly heard several people talking behind her.
"The man surnamed Zhang deserved to die, but it's a pity for that child."
"Yes, that child is only five years old. He has been beaten and scolded every day since he was born. He is so pitiful."
"That woman is the one who's pitiful. She was such a good person before, but ever since she gave birth to this child, she's been acting crazy all the time. It's said that the child isn't Zhang Guodong's, and that's why he hit her when he's angry."
"I've heard that Zhang Guodong's personality changed drastically after his wife gave birth to his child. I reckon the child really isn't his biological child."
“Last night at dusk, I passed by the door and heard Zhuang Guodong smashing things again, and I also heard a woman crying and screaming. I guess Zhuang Guodong is up to his old tricks again.”
"Sigh! A fire killed a whole family of three. Things will be quiet from now on."
"..."
The murmurs of the crowd filled Lan Zhi's ears, instantly filling her with doubt.
Didn't Sun Wei say that Zhuang Guodong treated his wife and daughter very well? How come he would beat and scold his wife and daughter?
Was this fire not a coincidence? Was Nana's trip to the Crown Prince's residence last night a deliberate act to help her escape the fire?
Who was the arsonist? Was it Zhuang Guodong, or his insane wife?
Filled with doubt, she took a deep breath. At that moment, Sun Wei walked over, shook his head, and sighed:
"The people are beyond saving, and the house is about to collapse."
Lan Zhi frowned and asked softly.
"Can the cause of the fire be determined?"
"According to the people of Shuntian Prefecture who visited the area, the fire started in the courtyard. Before the fire started, some people heard arguing and the sound of things being smashed in the courtyard. It is likely that the people in the courtyard deliberately started the fire."
Are Zhang Guodong and his wife the only ones living in the courtyard?
"It's still uncertain; there could be three."
It turned out that Sun Wei was not at the Crown Prince's residence in the afternoon. He did not know that Nana had gone there, which is why he suspected that the Zhang family of three had died in the fire.
Thinking that Nana had escaped a calamity, Lan Zhi breathed a sigh of relief and then said:
"Nana stayed at the Crown Prince's residence last night."
Upon hearing this, Sun Wei was taken aback for a moment, then let out a long sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness, I just tried to go into the hospital to save Nana, but the fire was too big. She's still alive, that's wonderful."
Such a lovely little girl, who could bear to watch her perish in the flames?
Everyone stood in the firelight until dawn.
Everyone watched helplessly as the fire destroyed the house.
As dawn broke, the fire was extinguished, and the once grand Zhang residence vanished overnight.
The people of Shuntian Prefecture found two charred corpses in the ashes, and everyone avoided them.
Lan Zhi stood in the crowd, sighed deeply, and turned around.
"Brother, let's go back!"
Ling Jiawei nodded.
"It's such a pity that such a good family is gone just like that."
Lan Zhi didn't know what had happened to the Zhang family, nor did she know how to comment on it. But right now, she had to go back and see Nana to calm her down.
Just as she was about to turn around, she saw Nana running towards her in a hurry, with Mao Mao and Wei Ming following behind her, and Xiangxiu and Aqi calling out from behind.
"Stop running! It's dangerous ahead! Stop running!"
Seeing this, Lan Zhi quickly ran over and pulled her away.
"Don't go there."
Nana, panting heavily, struggled to break free.
"I need to find my mother, I need to find my mother, let me go, Mother..."
Her cries saddened Lan Zhi, and she hugged her tightly.
“Nana…”
She didn't know how to comfort her, so she could only hold her for the time being.
At that moment, Nana saw the two charred corpses lying not far away and screamed.
"Ah! Father, Mother, those are my father and mother! Let me go, let me go, I want to find them."
"Nana, they are dead, you can't go there."
"what!"
Nana suddenly lowered her head and bit her hand hard. Lan Zhi instinctively loosened her grip, and at that moment she broke free from her restraints and rushed towards the two charred corpses.
Seeing this, Sun Wei quickly stepped forward and pulled her away.
"Nana, don't go over there."
"What happened to my parents? How did our house catch fire? What happened to them? Don't they want me anymore?"
Sun Wei burst into tears at her words, "They..."
At this point, he began to choke up, and Nana suddenly looked at him.
"Please let me go, let me see my parents. If I don't see them today, I'll never see them again. Please..."
Sun Wei finally let go of Nana's arms. Nana, pale-faced, crawled to the two charred corpses. Just as she was about to approach, she was stopped by two guards. She immediately bent down and cried, tears falling like broken beads.
"Father, Mother, why did you leave me? Was I naughty? I can change. Now that you're both gone, what will I do?"
"Mother, why did you send me away yesterday? I shouldn't have left. I was wrong, I was wrong. Father, Mother, please don't abandon me. I'll be obedient from now on, okay?"
"Father, mother..."
The surroundings were eerily quiet, with only Nana's cries echoing through the air. Everyone present was saddened by her cries and shed tears.
In the end, the two charred corpses were taken away by the government and it was said that they would be buried in a proper place. Anyone with eyes could see that such corpses would usually only be burned in the mass graves outside the city, making it difficult for relatives to find a place to burn paper money at the grave in the future.
Lan Zhi took Nana back to the Crown Prince's residence for the time being, but she didn't know what to do with her afterward.
Nana sat in the corner the whole time, without saying a word.
Mao Mao and Wei Ming went over to coax her, but she didn't say anything and just sat quietly.
The loss of her home and the disappearance of her parents overnight dealt her a heavy blow.
When Lan Zhi approached her, just as she was about to offer words of comfort, she looked up at Lan Zhi and suddenly knelt down.
"Sister, can I ask you for a favor?"