Stay and help?
Dominic Zhai refused without a second thought: "Serena Feng, don't make trouble. You're still injured—what help can you really offer in this state? You'll only add to the chaos. Besides, it's too dangerous here. If you stay, you're just making people worry."
"This explosion happened so suddenly. If we don't calm things down afterward, the people will panic. With rumors, they might even come to resent Jinling. Besides, I'm a doctor—I can help treat the wounded, and trauma care is my specialty." Serena Feng pulled her hand free, determined not to leave.
"Serena Feng, this isn't your responsibility. Jinling will handle it himself. Eastlyn has plenty of doctors—one more won't make a difference." Dominic Zhai stepped forward again, but Serena dodged him. Seeing this, Simon Sun also tried to persuade her: "Yes, Master, let me stay instead. You're still hurt."
"I'm not reckless, nor do I have some bleeding-heart compassion. But today, I have to step in. Simon, go get the medical kit. I'll help maintain order and take care of the injured." Serena didn't explain further. Instead, she headed straight toward the chaos.
All these people were injured by gunpowder. The Nine Provinces Realm doesn't even have fireworks yet—this bomb couldn't possibly be local. Some unscrupulous fellow transmigrator brought gunpowder here to harm people, and she couldn't just pretend not to see.
Eastlyn isn't short of doctors, and they certainly don't lack one more. But Dominic Zhai doesn't understand—even if doctors arrive, they'll be monopolized by the powerful. Ordinary people will have to wait who knows how long for treatment.
Though she was furious at the insults at the city gate, some things can't be generalized. These commoners are the ones hurt and crippled, and in the end, it's their families who suffer. As a doctor, she must do what she can.
It was obvious today's attack targeted Jinling, and these commoners were just collateral damage. No one would go to such lengths just to wound a few ordinary people.
"Dominic, Serena knows exactly what she's doing." With William Wang Jinling speaking up for her, Serena's decision to stay became perfectly reasonable. Without hesitation, she began giving orders:
"Dominic Zhai, organize the guards to calm the crowd and clear the area. Anyone uninjured should leave immediately in order—children, elderly, and women first, men last." Serena Feng showed her usual decisive style.
Dominic Zhai glared at Serena Feng, unmoving. William Wang Jinling urged him again: "Dominic, Serena knows what she's doing. You saw she didn't rush out recklessly—she waited for the explosions to stop before stepping in. Clearly, she considered our safety. If I follow her lead, I'll be fine."
Self-sacrifice isn't their style, but helping after the danger has passed is necessary—especially since this mess started because of him.
"Fine, I'll arrange it right away." Dominic Zhai wasn't responsible for today's security, but he still held authority over the city guards. He quickly found several squad leaders and began making arrangements.
"Why do the elderly, women, and children go first? Shouldn't the adult men lead? They're the backbone of their families—if something happens to them, the whole household collapses." Some officials muttered in confusion. Dominic Zhai overheard and slapped one: "Enough nonsense! Get the evacuation moving. If another blast hits, it's on you."
Unfortunately, ideals are beautiful but reality is harsh. Not just the commoners—even the guards were panicked and confused. They had no idea how to calm the crowd; the city gate remained chaotic and noisy.
Seeing that the guards still couldn't settle the frightened crowd, Serena Feng had no choice but to step up herself. She climbed to a higher spot and shouted loudly: "Those leaving the city, stand to the left! Those entering, stand to the right! Everyone line up and exit in order—the wounded will be cared for."
"Everyone stay calm, stand in line one by one. There's no need to worry—we're safe now. Look, the Grand Heir is here with us. If he's not afraid, why should we be?"
"See, the Grand Heir is still here, and so is the Crown Prince. If they're not afraid, why should we be?"
"With the Crown Prince and Grand Heir here, none of us will come to harm." Serena's words were deeply persuasive—not because of her own authority, but because she invoked the names of William Wang Jinling and the Crown Prince.
The value of a life is never the same. In everyone's eyes, the Crown Prince and William Wang Jinling's lives are far more precious—and worth far more—than those of commoners.
Don't talk about everyone being equal. Not in this rigidly hierarchical ancient world—and even in the modern era, people's lives aren't equal.
Sure enough, as the crowd heard these words, they gradually calmed down. Seeing this, Serena Feng raised her arm and shouted again: "Don't panic, don't be afraid! The Crown Prince is with us, the Grand Heir is with us. As long as we follow their instructions, we'll be safe."
If the public relations department were here, they'd praise Serena Feng's crisis management. In an instant, she boosted the reputations of both the Crown Prince and William Wang Jinling.
"The Grand Heir is here—we're not afraid. If he's not afraid to die, why should we be scared with our cheap lives?"
"Exactly! The Crown Prince is here with us—he's not afraid, so we shouldn't be either. Let's follow their orders and let the elderly, women, and children go first."
"Yes, yes, we'll listen to the Crown Prince and the Grand Heir."
......
With people echoing the orders, things became manageable. The Wang clan's guards rushed to William Wang Jinling's side, and the Crown Prince, escorted by his own guards, joined him.
The two met each other's gaze midair—everything was understood without words.
Though both the Crown Prince and William Wang Jinling were surrounded by guards, neither left the site of the explosion or this dangerous place.
It was both a risk and an opportunity. The story of the Crown Prince and Grand Heir standing with the people on the front lines, risking their own safety, would spread far and wide.
After all, all sorts of people gather outside the city gates!
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The crowd gradually calmed down. Everyone left one by one, just as Serena Feng had instructed, and each person departing couldn't help but say, "The Crown Prince is a good man. The Grand Heir is a good man."
"Eastlyn's Crown Prince is truly admirable!" The guards escorting William Wang Jinling, seeing he was unharmed, also left the city one by one, but not before looking at the Crown Prince with respect.
The once frail Crown Prince seemed to stand tall in that moment.
Right now, the Crown Prince's feelings were truly mixed. He'd never imagined that this crisis would become his opportunity. From being the unknown, sickly prince of Eastlyn, he'd suddenly become the good Crown Prince in the people's hearts—a prince worthy of respect.
"Jinling." The Crown Prince choked up as he patted William Wang Jinling's shoulder. He knew that today, he owed his good fortune to William. If William hadn't been here, Serena Feng would never have stepped forward, nor would she have brought him along.
With this newfound reputation, unless he dies, his father can never depose him. After treading on thin ice for so many years, he never expected that a single accident would let him keep his position as Crown Prince—and even give him a chance to fight for it.
"Your Highness, the one you should thank isn't me, but Serena Feng. If not for her, neither of us would have stayed here." The danger was too great; he and the Crown Prince would never have taken such risks lightly.
Seeking benefit and avoiding harm is human nature. As the Grand Heir of the Wang clan, he had his kindness, but it was always grounded in his own safety.
The Grand Heir bore immense responsibility—just like Serena Feng. Even when saving others, he had to ensure his own survival.
To put himself in danger for the sake of saving others would be the height of folly. He couldn't abandon his duties to his parents, relatives, and clan just to rescue strangers.
"Serena Feng—what a remarkable woman. No wonder Ninth Prince sees her in a new light; she's a bringer of fortune." Those who befriend her always benefit.
Take Yu Wen Yuanhua, for example—or William Wang Jinling...
Without Serena Feng, Yu Wen Yuanhua never would have gained the Ninth Prince's help. Without her, William Wang Jinling's sight would never have been restored—and without his vision, he wouldn't have the prestige he enjoys today.
In the Crown Prince's heart, Serena Feng's importance ranked just below William Wang Jinling...
"She brings fortune to others, yet suffers herself."
In the sunlight, Serena Feng—covered in dust—moved among the wounded, directing soldiers to carry away those lightly hurt and personally treating the seriously injured.
"Don't worry. Your wound will heal within a month."
"You've lost a leg, but you still have your hands—and they're healthy."
"Your left arm was blown off... I'm sorry, I couldn't save your hand."
Serena Feng kept directing the guards to carry away the wounded, while comforting the injured herself. So focused, so meticulous, and so tireless—she seemed to possess boundless energy.
It was as if Serena Feng had a magical aura that drew every eye. Her words carried an irresistible authority—even without orders from the Crown Prince or Dominic Zhai, the guards obeyed her.
Even the wounded, upon seeing Serena Feng, stopped wailing. Her reassurance gradually calmed their panic, and they began to cooperate with her work.
At that moment, William Wang Jinling could see nothing but Serena Feng—moving among the wounded, she was all he saw.
In a haze, William seemed to see a woman in white, carrying a medicine box, weaving through barracks and battlefields.
In that vision, war raged everywhere—explosions and blinding fire all around. In the midst of it, Serena Feng's face was resolute, her brows weary yet her eyes still bright. Every so often, she smiled to comfort the wounded soldiers...
"Why am I thinking of such a strange scene? Serena, who are you really? What do you mean by 'another world'?" William Wang Jinling stared at Serena, so close yet so distant, and murmured to himself...
"Serena Feng, who are you really?"
Someone else, hidden in the shadows—Blue Jiuqing—was asking the same question...