Before Zhang Rang and his group could retreat, Yuan Shao and others stormed in.

Duan Gui and Guo Sheng, who hadn’t yet escaped, were immediately cut down on the spot.

Eunuchs inside the Southern Palace scattered in all directions.

However, at this moment, not only the notorious eunuchs were seen as targets by those entering the palace, even those who engaged in menial tasks like sweeping couldn’t escape.

This clearly wasn’t a move expected from a team solely focused on pursuing Zhang Rang and recovering Liu Bian and Liu Xie.

But in such chaotic circumstances, no one could say much.

It wasn’t until the team rushed out of the northern gate of Luoyang’s Southern Palace, continuing their pursuit, that the area began to calm slightly.

Or perhaps “calm” wasn’t the right word, because these troops were now scattering in all directions to apprehend fleeing palace servants.

Half an incense stick’s time later, the bronze figures in front of the palace finally stirred.

Amidst the sounds of firefighting, burning wood, collapsing palace structures, and the fading hoofbeats, the thud of the fallen bronze statue wasn’t as prominent.

Bi Lan cautiously climbed out from the hollow interior of the bronze figure.

Quickly recalling the layout from memory, he found some palace maid’s clothes to change into.

Following the logic that danger was safer where it was less expected at this moment, he sprinted towards the south gate where Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu had entered.

This was their arrival direction, and few would think to flee that way, so there would be fewer pursuers.

Another reason was—

Disguises weren’t foolproof; he needed a temporary safe haven.

Thinking back to previous interactions and the relationship between the other side and the Yuan family, he gritted his teeth and headed south towards the Lingtai, a structure taller than usual buildings under the moonlight.

In the area south of the Southern Palace, Tai Shiling Ma Lun, regardless of her recent estrangement from the Yuan family, remained the wife of Grand Tutor Yuan Wei and mother to his two sons.

Thus, even if Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu wanted to search for fleeing eunuchs from the palace, they would not show disrespect here.

They might offend imperial authority, but they wouldn’t harm their own people.

What Bi Lan didn’t expect was that when he arrived near the Lingtai, he didn’t see chaos but a carriage already harnessed on the long street leading to the Lingtai.

Ma Jun sat in the driver’s seat.

Seeing him approach, Ma Lun, seated beside the carriage, showed no surprise but said decisively, “Get in!”

If Bi Lan had any chance of escaping, it would be now; Ma Lun wouldn’t wait beyond this moment.

If he couldn’t escape, she wouldn’t delay her journey for him.

Intimidated by her swift and resolute demeanor and the firm command to “get in,” Bi Lan dared not ask further questions at this moment.

He swiftly climbed into the carriage and saw inside hundreds of scrolls, with Yuan Zhuo sitting calmly in the carriage.

Just as Bi Lan had hidden himself behind a stack of scrolls, the carriage started moving.

“Mr. Yuan… Yuan Zhuo, what’s happening now?” Bilan asked.

Yuan Zhuo replied, “You were quick-witted to change into women’s clothes earlier.

Since the fire started at the Southern Palace and soldiers are hunting eunuchs everywhere, even young men on the streets have to strip to prove themselves.

Lady Ma sensed the danger in the capital and had all the female assistants from the Lingtai hidden in the cellars beneath the high platform.

To ensure the astronomical and calendar calculations aren’t compromised, she sent us out first.”

“The cellars?!” Bilan’s eyes widened.

His biggest surprise at this moment wasn’t that Ma Lun had prioritized sending out Yuan Zhuo, an important figure, from Luoyang, but that Ma Lun had dared to dig cellars beneath the Lingtai!

It was an audacious move.

The Lingtai could conduct seismological readings because its high platform had intentionally loose foundations.

But digging cellars underneath would undoubtedly disrupt these sensitive measurements.

To Ma Lun, however, sending everyone out at this moment seemed overly risky.

Hiding so many people in the Yuan residence didn’t seem like a reliable plan, for reasons Bi Lan intuited from Qiao Yan’s letter about the decaying Yuan family.

Knowing Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao held military power and were likely behind the Southern Palace fire, she didn’t trust them with their lives.

Instead, she considered Qiao Yan’s suggestion to dig cellars beneath the high platform and hide people and supplies there.

Once the idea took root, it couldn’t be stopped.

People can fall into cognitive traps, even Bi Lan, who knew how easily the hollow beneath the Lingtai could be excavated, couldn’t believe someone had actually done it, let alone someone else!

People are alive; the seismograph’s function can be relocated. It’s just a lifeless object!

The decision wasn’t difficult to make.

However, she decided to send Yuan Zhuo away first.

As long as Qianxiang Li and the inventor of abacus were alive, Lingtai would be like the Nangong in Luoyang, burnt down later, but it wouldn’t matter much.

When the fire started in Nangong, she had people select the most important parts from the classics, while arranging the remaining bamboo scrolls on the shelves to appear fully filled.

She made the girls appear to flee to their respective homes, but they actually hid in the underground cellar.

In the name of the Grand Historian and Lady Yuan, she sent Yuan Zhuo and Ma Jun away.

Taking Bi Lan along could be considered an afterthought at most.

And in Ma Lun’s view, the destination of this carriage was to the safer region of Bingzhou!

Upon Qiao Yan’s earlier invitation, Ma Lun also had Ma Jun carry a message seeking help from Qiao Yan.

Sending Yuan Zhuo alone was easy, but sending hundreds out of Luoyang was impossible.

Especially since many of these women working at Lingtai still had families and couldn’t leave without hesitation.

So, she could only hope— That Qiao Yan would help as promised in her letter, now that she had established herself in Bingzhou and was willing to assist those caught in the turmoil of the capital!

Please come quickly to Luoyang!

Whether Yuan Shao or Yuan Shu can eliminate the eunuchs and support Liu Bian’s rise to power, at this moment she only trusts this more reliable ally, not those reckless troublemakers!

In the chaotic aftermath of the palace fire, a departing carriage like this was not overly conspicuous.

Even if patrolling soldiers tried to stop the carriage, they only saw Ma Lun stepping out.

Her dark official attire and noble demeanor made her unmistakable even in the darkness.

She raised her official seal and declared, “I am Ma Lun, the Grand Historian. I am now escorting Mr. Yuan Zhuo northward to temporarily leave Luoyang. How dare you obstruct me!”

Her imposing voice left no room for doubt.

As they saw Yuan Zhuo sitting in the carriage, they didn’t consider Bi Lan hidden behind the scrolls.

The carriage sped away, entering the northern district from Luoyang’s southern gate.

Here, Ma Lun no longer needed to rely on her status to protect the carriage.

She allowed Ma Jun to continue northward with the two passengers while she walked back to Lingtai.

Walking along the streets of Luoyang, she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of sorrow as she watched the increasingly devastating fire at Nangong.

Did these arsonists consider that even with a new emperor, it would be difficult to quickly restore Luoyang from such chaos?

Did they consider that if the politically inclined Yuan family of Runan could make such moves, what terrible actions might powerful generals take?

Perhaps they did.

But driven by the astonishing temptation of advancing their family’s glory, they chose to act without hesitation!

Ma Lun sighed deeply.

In such absurd circumstances, all she could do was use her influence to protect those who still had strength.

She could only rely on those capable of turning the tide!

At this moment, it wasn’t just Ma Lun who hoped someone would intervene in this chaos.

Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and the others retreated too quickly, missing the opportunity to coordinate with Cao Cao’s reinforcements.

They relied on Jianshuo’s troops to fend off pursuers while continuing northward.

Soon, they found themselves pursued by soldiers from the Northern Army, including those from the Yueqi Camp, raising doubts about Lu Zhi’s control over the Northern Army’s five divisions.

They couldn’t afford to be caught!

After a quick discussion with Jianshuo, they decided to head straight for Beimang Mountain, using the terrain to buy time.

If they could cross Beimang Mountain, find boats to cross the river, and defend themselves with the natural defenses of the Yellow River, they might salvage the situation.

But before reaching Beimang Mountain, Zhao Zhong was hit by arrows from behind and soon breathed his last.

Zhang Rang looked ahead at the mountains lurking like beasts in the night, hearing the sounds of battle behind him, and couldn’t help but lament—

When would he find a loyal rescuer?

Heaven above! Former Emperor!

Must he watch as these traitors, bold enough to even set fire to the palace, succeed?

As dawn approached, he finally found a temporary refuge in a valley among the mountains of Mangshan.

He walked towards the two princes in his group.

They were with soldiers carrying Liu Hong’s body, exhausted and worn out from the frantic escape.

They didn’t understand why, after their father’s passing, they were faced with such a situation.

According to the Han dynasty’s calculations, Liu Bian, now seventeen years old, was trembling with fear, almost curling up into a ball.

On the other hand, eleven-year-old Liu Xie took the water offered by Zhang Rang and asked, “Master Zhang, where are we going?”

Zhang Rang sighed bitterly and replied, “Let’s first cross over the mountains ahead.”

He hesitated for a moment on whether to address Liu Xie as “Your Majesty” at this critical juncture, burdening the child further.

But eventually, he just rallied the group and, after a brief rest, resumed their journey.

It became increasingly difficult to shake off the pursuers as daylight broke, but Zhang Rang knew well that if they didn’t press forward, they would meet the same fate as Zhao Zhong—death here!

Taking advantage of the upper hand in the struggle for survival, he finally shook off the fatigue of a sleepless night.

Unbeknownst to him, around the same time at dawn, due to no one’s interference, after a night of swift horse riding, Dong Min’s trusted envoy had reached Dong Zhuo’s camp.

The rider almost fell off his horse, catching his breath before informing Dong Zhuo, who had gathered Niufu, Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, Li Ru, Xu Rong, Hu Zhen, and others, of the various upheavals in Luoyang.

Dong Zhuo was naturally decisive.

Upon hearing the shocking news, without needing any reminders, he immediately discerned that this chaotic situation presented him with a prime opportunity to seize maximum advantage.

Slamming the table, he stood up, “We march immediately towards Beimang Mountain, eliminate the rebels, and protect the throne!”