Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 87: Unexplained Wildfire

It was already noon when they returned from the Great Wall. When passing through Changping, the three of them had a simple lunch at a tavern on the official road outside Changping.

After the snow stopped, the wild inns outside the Great Wall were bustling with people and merchants. Skinny horses and mules were tied outside the taverns, and the taverns were filled with smoke and bustle, making the place very lively.

Zhu Houzhao generously said that he would treat the meal.

The three of them ordered a mutton hotpot and some side dishes. Wang Yue asked for a pot of strong liquor. He liked drinking strong liquor, which could keep him warm at the border.

Zhu Houzhao also wanted to drink a sip, but Chen Ce stopped him, saying, "Children should not drink alcohol."

Zhu Houzhao: “?”

"Little brother, I should be the one saying this to you."

Regardless of Chen Ce, he took a sip and felt his throat as if it was burned, but he held it back because he couldn't lose face.

"Not bad." Zhu Houzhao said calmly, and then began to cough violently. Just when he felt embarrassed, the people in the restaurant looked outside at the same time.

Fortunately, my younger brother and General Wang didn’t notice my gaffe. This wine is indeed not drinkable.

Not far from the suburbs there is a low valley with many trees planted on it. Much of the wood for the royal gardens and even Wansui Mountain comes from here.

At this time, a fire started on the mountain and the fire grew bigger and bigger.

On the official road outside the tavern, many policemen and officials were carrying buckets of water and walking towards the distant valley with anxious looks on their faces.

Wang Yue shook his head and said, "Distant water cannot quench immediate thirst. Looking at the severity of the fire, I'm afraid the government can't solve it."

"It's hard to walk on mountain roads in winter. It's hard to put out a fire this big without enough water. This fire may destroy all the trees on the mountain."

Chen Ce's thoughts were different from Wang Yue's. He asked, "Why?"

Wang Yue was stunned for a moment.

Yes, why? It is winter now, and there is no open fire in the forest. Why did the fire suddenly start? What is the reason?

Zhu Houzhao waved his hand casually and said, "Why else? It's obvious that we have encountered a landmine."

Chen Ce looked at him speechlessly and said, "Your family has dry thunder in winter."

"Someone set the fire?"

Wang Yue frowned suspiciously, but couldn't understand the purpose of arson. It was unnecessary.

The diners around said that the trees in this forest were all used by the Neigongjian to build Wansui Mountain. Chen Ce thought that this might be related. Could it be that the local hunters didn't want the wood to be taken away?
But this is tantamount to hurting the enemy by a thousand and hurting your own eight hundred.

Chen Ce stood up and said to Wang Yue and Zhu Houzhao, "Go up and take a look."

Zhu Houzhao said: "Why should we join in the fun? We can't help much, so let it burn."

"There are so many hunters down there. Burning the forest will reduce some of our economic sources." Wang Yue sighed, "Let's go see how the government handles it."

Zhu Houzhao said, "Okay then."

Only when you stand on the mountain can you truly feel the raging fire. A huge wave of fire is coming, making people feel hot in front of them.

The government sealed off the perimeter, and outside was filled with civilians. The minor officials tried their best to put out the fire, probably because they were afraid of being punished by the imperial palace.

Several green-robed officials took command personally, looking worried.

"Nothing to see." Zhu Houzhao was not interested. "Eh? Where are you going, little brother?"

Chen Ce walked forward, and immediately an official stopped him and said, "Don't go in, it's dangerous inside."

Chen Ce thought for a moment and said, "I have an idea. Maybe we can give it a try."

I rely on!

Zhu Houzhao's eyes widened. Is there a way to do this? You are not a god.

Not only Zhu Houzhao was surprised, even Wang Yue was stunned for a moment.

Soon, the clerk brought Chen Ce to a green-robed official. The green-robed official frowned and said, "You said you have a solution?" Chen Ce said, "It's just a try, it may not work."

The green-robed official hummed and said immediately, "Then let's try! There is no worse outcome than this. You tell me what to do, and I will do it."

Chen Ce admired the other party's courage a little bit, and said with a folded hand: "The fire is from east to west, and you are lighting a fire source in the west."

The green-robed official's expression instantly turned cold, and he angrily said, "How dare you!"

If the previous wildfire was a natural disaster, if you light another open fire, it will be a man-made disaster that will bring you punishment!

Chen Ce said: "It's like this now, give it a try, maybe it will work."

The green-robed official shouted sternly: "Come here! Take this boy..."

Wang Yue came in front of the county magistrate and said calmly, "I am the Crown Prince's Guardian Wang Yue."

"You know you can't say that. Impersonating an official is no small crime."

Wang Yue's words immediately softened the attitude of the green-robed official, who immediately bowed and said, "Your humble servant greets Lord Wang."

Wang Yue said: "Do as he says. Do whatever he says."

Wang Yue wanted to see what Chen Ce was doing.

The green-robed official cupped his hands and said to Chen Ce, "Sir, please speak. I am listening."

Chen Ce nodded and said, "Add a fire source on the west side facing east to make the fire burn more vigorously."

The green-robed county magistrate immediately ordered someone to do it.

Chen Ce was observing where the two fires would meet. When he finally found a point, he stretched out his hand and said, "Cut down all the trees around that place, quickly."

Hundreds of clerks took their tools and went to cut down the trees.

As time went by, a strange scene suddenly appeared. The fires in the east and west seemed to be attracted by something and quickly merged with each other.

Flames shot up into the sky, and after a moment, the two fires were instantly attracted together.

An unprecedented event took place.

The fire that was originally spreading around seemed to be attracted by the huge airflow and no longer surged around.

All of a sudden.

The surrounding flames suddenly poured into the sea of ​​fire.

When the two fires met, they rushed towards their prey like a beast out of a cage.

After the two fires merged, they rushed towards the clearing that had been cut down in advance at an extremely fast speed.

Everyone around was stunned!

The flames no longer spread to other parts of the forest, but all rushed towards the clearing that had been cut down.

Without human intervention, this stretch of forest might have been completely burned down. But now it is different. There is an open space between the two fires with no combustible materials. Eventually, all the flames gathered here, and there was nothing left to burn, and they no longer spread to the surrounding areas.

This is one of the commonly used methods of forest fire extinguishing in later generations. When a fire spreads, it will generate updrafts, so that air currents from other directions will flow in to supplement, thus forming a wind that attracts another fire. A huge suction force will be generated in the middle, sucking all the fire in.

As for whether the fire could be stopped, Chen Ce was actually not too sure. He was just giving it a try, which was better than doing nothing.

But the result was obvious. The spread of the fire was stopped and it no longer spread in all directions. It was only a matter of time before the fire was extinguished.

Although there were losses, the entire forest was not burned down.

While everyone was still staring in amazement at this unprecedented spectacle, Chen Ce had already left with Wang Yue and Zhu Houzhao.

He was thinking and felt that the wildfire came out of nowhere.

(End of this chapter)