The capital in the night was ablaze as if it were daytime.
On the streets, people and horses were in chaos, with many grand households in turmoil as well.
In the houses, servants were bustling, seeking news, packing things, and gripping sticks and knives to guard the doors.
Although it wasn't as full of cries and screams as the streets, everyone had a look of panic.
Escape or hide? What is the latest news?
Ning Yan strode out, followed hurriedly by the Second Madam Ning.
"Sir, sir..." she called out urgently, her voice laced with sobs.
Ning Yan stopped, frowning at her.
"Why are you crying?" he said, "Don't blame Ning Yunzhao for not delivering the news earlier; it's already extremely difficult for him to protect himself."
He paused again.
"He followed the emperor when he fled, not out of fear of death, but because someone must remain by His Majesty's side."
This "someone" clearly implied more than just protecting the emperor.
The Second Madam Ning wiped her tears.
"I know that, I've watched Ning Yunzhao grow up. Don't I know what kind of person he is?" she choked, "But you, sir, you..."
"I must go out," Ning Yan said sternly, interrupting the Second Madam. "In the past, I didn't go out because I served the dynasty and remained loyal to it. If the emperor didn't listen to my advice, I was bound to steadfastly remain, never retreating."
"But now the emperor has fled," the Second Madam cried.
"Precisely because the emperor has fled," Ning Yan said, "I must step forward, for the saintly ways, for the order of heaven and earth, for the people's lives."
The Second Madam raised her hand to wipe her tears.
"You and the children must stay hidden at home, don't run around. At this time, the capital must not descend into chaos," Ning Yan spoke with a slightly gentler tone.
The Second Madam cried, nodding.
"Sir..." she said, grabbing Ning Yan's sleeve.
Ning Yan frowned.
"Don't keep crying endlessly..." he said.
Before he finished speaking, the Second Madam handed him a sword.
"Sir, you forgot your sword," she said, "Even though you are a scholar, if you're going to defend the city, you must carry a weapon."
Ning Yan laughed.
"I really forgot," he said, reaching out to take it, "Then I'm off."
The Second Madam nodded tearfully.
"Go on," she said.
Ning Yan, holding the sword, turned and strode out, but upon reaching the door, he saw a group standing there. These were the household servants, each holding sticks and knives.
Ning Yan and his wife were momentarily stunned.
"Father," Ning Shiyi stepped forward and said, "Let us go."
Behind him stood his other two sons, including the youngest, only eight years old, known as Fourteen Lang.
"Father, let's go," he echoed, holding a stick taller than himself.
"Eleven, what are you doing?" the Second Madam said, quickly pulling her youngest son over, taking the stick from his hand.
"Mother, of course we must go to defend the city," Ning Shiyi said, "To defend the country is to protect the family; every man has his duty."
Ning Yan nodded.
"Good," he said, "Let's go."
Ning Shiyi and the others responded solemnly, while Fourteen Lang tried to follow but was held back by the Second Madam, causing him to fuss.
"Fourteen, I and your brothers are going. Only your mother, sisters, and the womenfolk will be at home. You must stay and protect them," Ning Yan said, looking at him.
Ning Fourteen Lang nodded, puffing out his chest.
"Don't worry, father. I'm here at home," he said loudly.
Ning Yan smiled, patting his head, as the door opened. The noise and cries from the street rushed in like a tide. Though the scene was unseen, the sounds in the night were enough to make one's face pale with fear.
The door was immediately shut, and the remaining servants bolted it with multiple locks and propped it with sticks, ensuring the door securely protected those inside.
But this sturdy door that protected those within also barred the family outside.
The Second Madam clutched her youngest son tightly, staring at the door with tears streaming down her face.
Heaven preserve us.
The commotion on the streets surged toward the city gate, as people who had flooded into the capital now pressed toward the gate.
Dragging families, pushing carts, driving horses, crying and shouting, the crowd packed every inch near the gate.
The city gate was already closed, increasing the panic, amplifying the noise, almost drowning out the gate itself.
All the personnel of the Five Cities Military Department drew their swords, whips, and guns, but faced with the surging populace, they were completely ineffective. In the panic of death, who would fear these anyway? The panic gathered together, rolling like a snowball, becoming larger and crushing everything in its path.
"Lord Ning has arrived!"
"Lord Ning has arrived!"
Shouts arose from the crowd, growing louder and louder, as guards strained their voices to overpower the surrounding clamor.
The name of Lord Ning still attracted people, gradually making everyone turn to look. Under the torchlight in the night, the crowd parted, and a tall, thin man wielding a sword stepped forward.
Ning Yan had not appeared in public for a long time, but this did not mean people forgot him; he was even more renowned than when he held office.
This was naturally because he opposed the emperor and was dismissed from office.
The populace might not understand the affairs of the dynasty, nor often care about right or wrong. To them, someone who dared to oppose the emperor, risking his position and rank, was a person of high integrity, a person of selflessness and magnanimity, deserving of trust and respect.
That was why censors loved to impeach officials, especially those with fame and high status, as it could enhance their own reputation.
Ning Yan's appearance temporarily calmed the populace.
"Lord, my Lord."
"Have the Jurchen people invaded?"
They cried chaotically, asking and pleading.
Ning Yan looked at them with a solemn expression.
"Whether the Jurchen have invaded, there is no definite news yet," he said. "But everyone knows the Jurchen are not far from the capital; they appeared earlier on Jingdong Road, so everyone must be prepared for the worst."
The officials of the Five Cities Military Department, who had relaxed slightly due to his arrival, suddenly became tense. However, the populace did not become more panicked as expected from such a warning. Instead, this statement seemed to reassure them more than the feudal authority's constant reassurances that there was nothing to worry about and that the Jurchen would not invade.
"Then let us out of the city quickly," the populace cried out in unison, "Let us escape."
"It is precisely because of the danger that we cannot open the city gates now, and everyone should not leave the city," Ning Yan said sternly. "Think about it, if you leave the city and encounter the Jurchen in the wilderness, would it be safer than here?"
He pointed to the city gate behind him.
"Here you have tall, heavy, and sturdy city gates and walls for protection."
Everyone looked where he pointed.
In the night, the capital's city walls appeared even taller and more solid.
Ning Yan raised his sword again, pointing to the soldiers and officials of the Five Cities Military Department around him, and then to the well-armored garrison on the city walls.
"Here there are also soldiers with swords."
This was true. It wasn't that people didn't understand this reasoning; they just wanted to flee in their moment of panic.
"Everyone, please remain calm. With the city here and with us, even if the Jurchen come, we can protect everyone safely."
The populace quieted down, slowly retreating from the assault on the city gate.
"Everyone, please follow the arrangements of the feudal authority and do not crowd at the city gate," Ning Yan said, sheathing his sword behind him. "I will guard the city gate for everyone."
With that, he strode toward the city gate, followed by Ning Shiyi and the house servants.
Seeing Ning Yan approaching, the crowd blocking the city gate finally made way, their expressions slightly reassured.
"Lord Ning is here."
"Yes, the dynasty will have arrangements."
"The emperor is still here, how could he let the Jurchen break in?"
The voices rose one after another, making the area in front of the city gate noisy again, but this noise was different from the previous panic; it was reassuring.
The officials of the Five Cities Military Department came to their senses, relaxed their expressions, and began directing the populace to disperse, letting them retreat to different streets to rest.
The commotion in front of the city gate subsided, and the government soldiers on and below the gate breathed a sigh of relief.
"Fortunately, Lord Ning, you came," said the official on duty, looking relieved, wiping sweat with his sleeve, "Otherwise, the city gate would have been broken by the people."
Ning Yan nodded to him.
"No need to say more," he said, "Keep strict vigilance in all directions."
The official responded affirmatively, and the guard soldiers on the city gate spread out, gripping their weapons tightly, aiming into the pitch-black night beyond the city walls. They were too tense to notice the worry in Ning Yan's eyes.
His appearance temporarily appeased the populace, but if...…
...…..
...….
At this moment, in the Imperial City, upon hearing the cries from the emperor's bedchamber, the ministers who had hurriedly come to the imperial palace to report and discuss the street unrest could wait no longer.
They had been blocked at the palace gate for a while, eventually managing to leverage past exceptions, with senior ministers presenting imperial gifts and tokens, which finally convinced the Imperial Guard to reluctantly open the palace gate. Once inside, they were again stopped by eunuchs outside the bedchamber, and by then, the east had already started to glow.
They could proceed directly to morning court now.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, something terrible has happened." They shouted as they rushed in, but their voices suddenly stopped, as they looked in disbelief at the hall.
The inner curtain before the dragon bed had been lifted by the eunuchs who entered, and the lamps were lit, illuminating the empty dragon bed, neatly arranged with no trace of anyone having slept there.
Where is His Majesty?
"His Majesty is missing..." murmured one of the ministers.