The Tianhe Hall was in peaceful silence, with only the occasional shuffle of guards and eunuchs moving about.
A young eunuch rushed in a panic, dashing into the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Lu Xi stood at the door of the Emperor's bedroom, yawning and struggling to keep awake through the night.
The young eunuch rushed in and glanced at Lu Xi before hurrying over and whispering urgently, "Grand Eunuch Lu, there's a fire at the apricot palace."
Upon hearing this, Lu Xi's drowsiness vanished by half, and he became fully alert.
Qin Zhao Yong resided in the Apricot Palace and was carrying a large belly. She might give birth at any moment. If there was a fire at the palace, it could easily spread to the entire area, causing trouble for everyone.
Lu Xi did not dare to delay for a moment. He turned and walked to the door of the Emperor's bedroom, leaning against the carved red door frame and whispering a report: "Your Majesty, please wake up. There is a fire at the Apricot Palace."
The Jing Emperor was fast asleep when he heard this, and he abruptly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with panic.
He jumped up instantly, throwing his outer robe over his shoulders without a word, and rushed out the door with lightning speed, using his acrobatic skills as he went.
From a distance, people could only see a resplendent shadow flash across the night sky, vanishing in an instant.
"I never thought that the Emperor's martial arts skills were so good."
The eunuch patrolling near the Hall of Supreme Harmony silently exclaimed this in his heart.
At that moment, the sound of Emperor Jing's voice echoed faintly from the air, "I command: everyone must rush to the Apricot Palace to save lives. If anything happens to Concubine Qin, everyone will be buried with her!"
Upon hearing the last two words, "accompanying death," everyone was terrified and fell to their knees, their faces pale as death.
Subsequently, everyone hurried to the Apricot Palace to save people.
At the Apricot Palace, the fire was raging fiercely, flames shooting up into the sky and thick smoke billowing.
The palace maidens and eunuchs were in a chaotic state, running in all directions and screaming for help.
Emperor Jing arrived and saw the chaotic and dangerous scene. His face was extremely ugly.
He quickly scanned the area, but did not see Yu Yao. Assuming she was still trapped inside, he chugged a bucket of cold water and charged into the burning building.
Hidden in the shadows, Guin Feipo saw the emperor rushing into the burning building to save people without regard for his own safety. She was terrified and her heart pounded wildly. She couldn't help but scream out in horror: "Your Majesty, do not..."
However, Emperor Jing had already plunged into the flames, and his figure disappeared.
The Guin Feipo tightly clutched her collar, her heart aching so much that she could hardly breathe. Tears streamed out, as she cried with heartrending sobs.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, what is so good about that vile woman? You dared risk your life to save her in the fire, while I am truly envious and jealous..."
She wiped away her tears, disregarding the need to hide or the consequences of being exposed, and resolutely plunged into the fiery inferno.
Even if she would be burned alive, or if she would be punished upon discovery, she didn't care.
She only knew that the emperor must be safe...
Everyone around was also terrified upon seeing both the emperor and Guin Feipo rushing into the fiery inferno.
It can be understood that the emperor rushed into the fire to save Chishzhao, but Guin Feipo rushing in as well? Is she crazy?
But why would Guin Feipo be here at this moment? Could it be that she had quickly arrived upon hearing the news? That's not right.
The Yong'an Palace is located in the Eastern Six Palaces, which is not a short distance from the Apricot Palace.
Those present did not have the time to think more about it. Some were putting out fires, and others were rescuing people.
In the fire, the smoke was thick, and the flames were shooting up into the sky. The darkness of the night was completely swallowed up.
Over here, Yu Yao was cautiously making her way out, protected by the palace guards.
Amber and Jade followed close by.
Xiao Qingzi was ahead, scouting the way.
"Your Majesty, be careful of your steps!"
Xiao Qingzi used a wet cloth to cover his mouth and nose, while trying his best to clear a relatively safe path for the lady.
"Yao..."
The Emperor scanned the surroundings, urgently calling out in the midst of the flames.
Yu Yao followed the sound and saw the Emperor appearing in the flames. She was momentarily stunned.
She never thought that the dog emperor would rush into the fire to save her.
He was drenched, his hair disheveled, and his eyes were filled with anxiety.
In that moment, all the grievances, anger, and disappointment seemed to disappear into thin air, leaving only happiness and a complex mix of emotions.
This man, despite his womanizing, did indeed love her in all sincerity.
The only fault is his womanizing habit that needs to be changed.
The several palace guards, Amber, Jade, and Xiao Qingzi and others were all shocked to see the emperor rush into the fire.
"Your Majesty, is that the emperor?"
Jade said in a shocked voice from the side.
Yu Yao did not answer Jade's words and looked in the direction of the voice, loudly shouting: "Your Majesty, why are you here? Please go back, this place is too dangerous!"
Upon hearing the voice, Emperor Jing also looked in this direction and saw that Yao was safe and sound. He felt relieved in his heart.
He walked over carefully, embraced Yu Yao, and held her tightly, as if to incorporate her into his very essence, "Yao'er, as long as you're alright, it's all right with me. I was so scared just now."
He had no idea why he had rushed in, but the sight of her made him panic and instinctively he charged in.
He didn't care about the danger, he just knew in his heart that she couldn't be in any trouble.
Guin Feipo also plunged into the flames, her eyes filled with both despair and determination.
She looked around frantically, searching for the figure of the emperor, "Your Majesty, where are you, Your Majesty..."
At that moment, she regretted lighting the fire.
She only wanted to burn the bitch to death, never imagining she would harm the emperor.
The emperor is her universe, her land, her everything. Even if he treats her without mercy, she cannot bear to hurt him in the slightest.
She weaved through a network of flames, even unconcerned that sparks were igniting the hem of her dress.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the scene of Emperor Jing embracing Yu Yao.
In an instant, she felt as though her heart was being torn apart like a knife, and tears blurred her vision.
Jealousy and anger struck her fiercely, making her almost lose her senses.
Her eyes flashed with bloodlust and madness as she rushed towards Yu Yao and Emperor Jing.
"You filthy whore! What right do you have to the emperor's favor? I want you to die, to have no place to rest in death!"
Guin Feipo's voice cut through the roar of the flames, sounding particularly piercing. She held a torch, attempting to direct the flames towards Yu Yao.
The two palace guards saw the scene and were frightened, quickly kicking away Guin Feipo's torch.
They then protected the front.
The emperor's face was ashen with anger as he shouted, "Guin Feipo, are you mad? Do you know what you're doing?"
Guin Feipo was kicked by a palace guard and stumbled a few steps, falling to the ground.
But she burst into mad laughter, "Ha ha ha, mad? From the moment the emperor rejected my advances, I have been mad. Without the emperor, I have long since ceased to live."
Emperor Jing felt a mix of emotions in his heart. He hadn't expected that his momentary indulgence would lead to such a situation.
He had never thought that Guin Feipo would be so crazy.
A blood letter was sent to the Hall of Supreme Harmony during the day. How could she now want to burn Yu Yao to death?
The empathy he had for her evaporated in an instant.
Emperor Jing's gaze was as icy as frost, his voice without a trace of emotion, "Guin Feipo, I had been lenient towards you in the past because of your service to me. But today, you attempted to harm Qinzhao. Such actions are heinous and cannot be tolerated."
He then coldly ordered: "Bring forth Guin Feipo. She attempted to harm Qinzhao. Send her to the Cold Palace, where I do not wish to see her again."
With those words, Emperor Jing gave no more glance to Guin Feipo and rushed out of the flames with Yu Yao.
Amber, Jade, and Xiao Qingzi looked at Guin Feipo for a moment before following behind her.
Guin Feipo heard this and felt as though she had received the most desperate verdict in the world.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Emperor Jing.
After a moment...
She laughed madly, her laughter piercing the quiet of the apricot palace where the fire was beginning to subside.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, are you really so ruthless? I have always been true to you, and in your eyes, I am so unworthy?"
Too bad, no one paid attention to her in the raging fire.
The two guards remained where they were and walked up to Guin Feipo to take her to the Cold Palace.
Guin Feipo broke free from the guards' grip, her eyes filled with madness and despair.
She gazed through the blazing flames at the departing figure of Emperor Jing embracing Yu Yao, painfully shouting, "Your Majesty, do you think sending me to the Cold Palace will make everything end? You are wrong. My love and hate are not so easily suppressed."
After speaking, she turned to look at the still-burning inferno, her eyes flashing with determination.
Suddenly, she ran towards the flames like a madwoman, shouting as she went, "Your Majesty, since you are so heartless, there is no need for me to live in this world anymore."
Everyone was shocked by Guin Feipo's sudden action.
Emperor Jing frowned slightly, feeling a mix of emotions in his heart, a taste of bitterness lingering.
There was no intention to stop her.
The two palace guards wanted to go and save her, but seeing that the emperor did not say anything, they hesitated.
Seeing this, Yu Yao lowered her eyes slightly and did not say anything, only urging everyone to leave.
The great fire in the Apricot Palace was finally extinguished, leaving behind a wasteland of charred ruins.
The empress heard the news and rushed over with her entourage, and the concubines of each palace also arrived in a gradual stream.
As they saw the emperor, disheveled and hurrying out of the flames with Qinzhao, their expressions varied.
