The fire lit the courtyard as brightly as daylight, and heat billowed all around, yet Cui Yue felt an inexplicable chill the instant his prince turned his head.
"My men told me you sent every last one of them away." There was not a trace of warmth in Jiang Yi'an's voice. "Where are they?"
Jiang Yi'an did not specify whom he meant, nor did his voice rise in a question, but Cui Yue understood both his meaning and the storm brewing in his tone.
He steadied himself, quickly reviewed the plan the three of them had settled on, then took a trembling step forward and collapsed to the ground with a thud-
His expression was panicked. "Y-you mean the Little Highnesses... they're still inside?!"
Jiang Yi'an's expression abruptly turned icy.
"You didn't bring them out with you?"
"A-at the time, none of the people this old servant sent to the kitchen had returned, and the two Little Highnesses kept complaining they were hungry, so this old servant h-had no choice..." but to come out first and hurry them along.
Jiang Yi'an did not listen to the rest.
He turned away, his expression irritable. "Tell them to hurry."
Li Cheng looked toward the courtyard engulfed in towering flames and gritted his teeth. "Yes!"
He turned and signaled his guards with a look. Soon, several more guards draped soaked quilts over themselves and rushed into the blaze.
Jiang Yi'an suddenly said, "This was all fate."
Li Cheng did not know whether his prince was speaking to him, but after some consideration, he replied, "...Yes."
Jiang Yi'an gave no response, merely murmuring as though to himself, "I've already sent men to rescue you. If you can't survive, that is your lot."
Li Cheng: "..."
He could tell now. His prince had not expected