ebookland Chapter 208 Slander
Chapter 208 Slander
"Sister Liuzhu, wake up quickly, there's a fire outside!"
Liuzhu, who was sleeping soundly, was woken up by Baizhi's forceful push and she sat up suddenly.
"Quick! Go and call for help to put out the fire."
Liu Zhu shouted as she jumped out of bed, grabbed Bai Zhi and ran out.
When they ran outside, the flames from the west wing hall were particularly dazzling in the night, and the heat wave hit them in the face.
Chaotic footsteps were also heard from other places in Shuiyuxuan, and Baizhi pulled Liuzhu.
"We have to go to the kitchenette to get some water."
They hurried to the small kitchen, calling out to others to fetch water.
The palace maids and eunuchs carried buckets and basins and rushed to the burning west wing hall.
Bai Zhi, who was following in the middle, sniffed. When the water was splashed out, she seemed to smell the smell of oil.
The smell made her feel nauseous, but she ignored it and quickly ran back to the kitchenette to get some water.
The mouth of the well outside Shuiyuxuan is too small and can't draw much water.
"Sister Baizhi, the water tank cracked at some point!"
Bai Wei, holding a basin, stood beside the water tank at a loss. The accumulated water on the ground proved that what she said was true.
"Go get some water from the well outside."
Bai Zhi had just reported the leaking water tank when the people who went out to fetch water brought back bad news: the rope of the well was broken and water could not be drawn for the time being.
The palace servants have gone to the nearest well to find water.
"Hurry up and go to Chuxiu Palace to report this to the emperor."
Cui Jinxi gave the order in a calm voice, "Assign a group of people to move as much stuff as possible out of the west wing hall."
The fire spread too quickly and was out of her control.
"Aunt Cui, how could the fire happen when everything was fine?"
Huanbi, with disheveled hair, looked at the fire that was about to engulf the west wing hall in shock and doubt.
She was so frightened that her face turned pale. With the support of Fubao, she pulled Cui Jinxi to question her.
"My dear, the cause of the fire still needs to be investigated. It's dangerous outside, please go to the hall and rest first."
The candles in the main hall and the east side hall were lit one after another. Except for the three masters, everyone else in the Suiyuxuan joined the firefighting efforts.
Unfortunately, the fire was too big and the water brought back from outside was of no use at all.
Fortunately, there was a small open space between the west side hall and the main hall, but the nearby areas had been blackened by the flames.
A quarter of an hour later, the emperor arrived in a hurry with his imperial guards.
He looked at the blazing west wing hall and his face turned ashen.
"How is this going?"
"Your Majesty, I heard someone shouting 'fire' in the middle of the night. When I came out, I found the west wing hall on fire."
Cui Jinxi knelt on the ground and replied in fear and trepidation.
The emperor glanced around and found that Zhen Huan was not in the yard, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Where is your master Wan?"
"Your Majesty, upon learning of the fire outside, the Empress was anxious to come out and take charge. Only after this servant's strong persuasion did she take charge from the main hall."
Cui Jinxi replied respectfully with her head lowered.
"Your Majesty, I had already gone to bed, but I heard some noise outside. I woke up and saw that there was a fire."
Concubine Qi, frightened and in tears, rushed into the emperor's arms and hugged him tightly.
"Your Majesty, I almost didn't get to see you."
Concubine Qi stammered and cried, obviously she was very frightened.
The emperor patted her shoulder and pushed her aside.
He ignored the crying Concubine Qi and gave orders in a deep voice.
"Put out the fire as quickly as possible and make sure it's under control."
"Yes!"
The guards who followed took the order and left.
Shen Meizhuang, who arrived shortly afterwards, bowed and hurried into the main hall.
"Huan'er, are you okay?"
As soon as she entered the room, she looked Zhen Huan up and down, fearing that she might have a miscarriage due to the fire.
Shen Meizhuang got up when she heard the noise in her sleep, but she was still one step behind the anxious emperor.
"Sister Mei, Huan'er is fine."
"It's just that the fire was too big, and Huanbi's west wing hall couldn't be saved."
As Zhen Huan spoke, her eyes turned red.
"Sister Mei, I don't know how Huan'er offended someone, causing Huanbi to suffer."
Shen Meizhuang glanced at Huanbi who was surrounding the emperor outside and reminded him in a low voice.
"Huan'er, this matter has not yet been concluded. You don't have to take the responsibility on yourself."
"He Chang usually speaks without restraint. Perhaps he offended someone at some point."
She was afraid that Zhen Huan might have a miscarriage, so she patiently advised her.
Doctor Chen once said that pregnant women should not worry too much.
Shen Meizhuang continued to gently comfort Zhen Huan, who looked frightened.
After half an hour, the fire was finally put out.
The west wing hall had been reduced to ruins, and all of Huanbi's belongings had been burned.
Not long after, the emperor entered the main hall with the crying Concubine Qi and Huanbi.
"Why did the fire happen out of nowhere?"
"Your Majesty, I believe this is most likely a man-made disaster."
Shen Meizhuang gave Zhen Huan a firm look.
"I beg the Emperor to conduct a thorough investigation and give justice to Concubine Wan."
Huan'er was pregnant and was made a concubine, which had long been an eyesore to others.
The Suiyuxuan caught fire before the ceremony of conferring the title of imperial concubine. She simply didn't believe that there was nothing strange about it.
Shen Meizhuang vaguely felt that this matter was closely related to Concubine Hua, who treated human lives as insignificant.
The disaster of Zhuchu was regarded as a warning and punishment from God to the royal family.
I guess after the morning court, the news of the fire in the harem will become known to everyone.
The emperor, with a gloomy face, ordered Su Peisheng to take people to investigate and to submit the results as soon as possible.
The Suiyuxuan caught fire, and the concubines in the harem who got the news rushed here to find out what happened.
"Your Majesty, I heard that Suiyuxuan was struck by a curse. Was anyone injured? Is Concubine Wan not frightened?"
The queen asked with concern as she entered the room.
"Empress, a eunuch has tragically died, and the fire is still under investigation."
An Lingrong and Concubine Hua didn't say a word, sitting on the chairs waiting for news from outside.
A quarter of an hour later, Su Peisheng came in with a thin eunuch tied up.
"Your Majesty, I have found flint and kerosene in this eunuch's trunk."
Cui Jinxi, who was supporting Zhen Huan, tightened her grip. This was not the person they had arranged at all.
"Which palace is this person from?"
The emperor's sharp eyes shot towards the person kneeling on the ground.
"Your Majesty, this is a young eunuch newly sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He is a solitary person and doesn't usually interact with others."
"I don't know how I offended this eunuch, and he wants my palace destroyed and people killed."
"Fortunately, the servants discovered it early, otherwise I would not have lived to see the emperor."
Zhen Huan looked at the emperor with tears in her eyes.
"You little slave, the Emperor is here, and you still don't tell me who ordered you to do this?"
Su Peisheng hit the man hard.
The emperor's eyes were deep and sharp, as if he could see through everything.
The young eunuch couldn't bear it anymore and shouted.
"Your Majesty, please spare me! It was...it was Concubine Hua who ordered these servants to burn down the Jade Pavilion!"
"Your Majesty, this dog slave is slandering me! Please help me!"
Upon hearing this, Concubine Hua immediately stood up and protested her innocence.