It was dark and cloudless.

It was silent. Around Jingyang Palace came the smell of pine oil.

At midnight, the inner and outer courts of Jingyang Palace were on fire after a few strange flute sounds.

The fire raged with the help of autumn winds, which Fu Danqing did not expect.

Seeing the fire cast shadows on the windows, Xiuyu began to cry from being frightened.

Gu Yunxi was in agony because of the poison. She leaned against the window holding Xiuyu who was trembling and comforted her.

Gu Yunxi had mixed feelings while the fire was grand outside.

Gu Yunxi had no fear of death, but at that moment, she did not want to die.

There was someone in the world she loved and cared about.

In order to see Huanan He, Gu Yunxi had a strong desire for survival. She was determined and would never easily give up her thought of escaping from the Palace that was like a cage for her.

A man broke into the door and threw in two dead eunuchs. Then he said to Xiuyu who was yelling with fear.

"Don't be panic. It's me!"

"Brother Xian!"

Gu Yunxi recognized him and said to him weakly.

Gu Di straightened the eunuch's hat on his head. He gave a eunuch's official suit to Xiuyu and helped Gu Yunxi wear another suit. He said to them seriously.

"Jingyang Palace is in disorder. Keep quiet and directly come into the waterwheel after you go out of the room. We'll go to the tea house of Fu Danqing. Ninth Brother is waiting there for you."

Gu Di quickly made Gu Yunxi's hair into a bun like a eunuch's. Then he grasped the candlestick and threw it on the dead bodies of the eunuchs. He held Gu Yunxi in his arms and rushed out of the palace swiftly, saying to Xiuyu who froze without looking back.

"Little girl, if you don't want to die, follow us."

Out of the Main Hall, everything was in disorder.

The flames, smoke, and people who were in panic were everywhere. It was difficult to identify those who were on their sides.

But it was easy for Gu Di.

Those who were enchanted by his Puppet Art would be ordered by him with his whistle.

Gu Di whistled. That whistle was sharp and lasted long.

Gu Di took the opportunity to go through the dark smoke and lead Gu Yunxi, together with Xiuyu, to the back of the rockery next to the side hall.

Early, two waterwheels that were empty inside parked there. The eunuchs who took the waterwheels were pale with dull eyes.

Gu Di put Gu Yunxi into the tall and big barrel. And then he turned around to say to Xiuyu.

"What are you waiting for? Why don't you go inside? After leaving the Palace, Yunxi still needs you to serve her well."

Xiuyu respected the cool man whose appearance was almost the same as that of the Ninth Prince, but she was also afraid of him. She did not dare to say anything and then quickly went into another barrel on another waterwheel.

Gu Di whistled again to order the eunuchs. Then the two waterwheels followed the other six waterwheels in a line to go out of the Palace hurriedly.

After they went out of Jingyang Palace, they came across Honour Guards.

After the Honour Guards knew that Jingyang Palace was on fire, they came here quickly to help to extinguish the fire.

"Stop!"

The captain of guards stopped the waterwheels. Seeing that the fire grew, the captain glanced at Gu Di with his red eyes from the firelight and said to Gu Di seriously.

"Where are you going? Jingyang Palace is on fire, so we come here to save others hurriedly. But are you trying to chicken out now?" The captain asked.

Gu Di cursed in his heart, but he pretended to be cowardly. He lowered his head obsequiously and raised fist salute.

"My Lord, you do me wrong. The fire grows stronger, so we run out of water in our barrels to put out the fire. We have to fill the barrels again."

"All right..." The captain replied.

The captain thought carefully about what Gu Di said, which was perfect. He examined Gu Di carefully as he nodded.

The captain thought, "So strange. The eunuchs in the Palace are weak and thin. But this eunuch is strong. It's rare to see such a eunuch."

"So, what's your name? Where do you work? Why have I never seen you before?" The captain asked.

Hearing that the captain questioned him carefully, Gu Di felt nervous.

Gu Di thought, "D*mn it! Should I kill them now?"

"My... My name is Du Qi..." Gu Di said.

Gu Di lowered his head slightly and told the captain the name that he saw on the dead eunuch's waist card. At the same time, he glanced coldly at the more than fifty armed guards.

Gu Di was confident that he could kill them easily with his Kungfu.

But he worried that if he did so, he would cause unnecessary trouble and ruin the planning.

"I work..." Gu Di added.

When Gu Di was about to make up a department, a loud bang came behind.

Everyone was shocked and looked around. A side hall of Jingyang Palace collapsed and all things in the hall were on fire.

The captain realized that something went terribly wrong. He shook his head and said to Gu Di impatiently.

"Well, go! Go!"

Then he turned around and asked his followers to leave with him.

"Be quick! Be quick! Follow me. There's not a second to be lost!"

Gu Di was relieved slightly. He made a gesture of going ahead.

"Let's go. To find water!"

...

When Huanan Xin knew that Jingyang Palace was on fire, it was dawn.

At first, Huanan Xin was sleepy and he felt that he was dreaming.

When Ruiji who was in Huanan Xin's arms shouted, Huanan Xin exactly knew what had happened.

Ruiji wrapped her tender arms around Huanan Xin's neck tightly and made her delicate face closer to Huanan Xin's chest. She said to him softly.

"Your Majesty, I'm so scared! Your Majesty..."

"Stay away from me!"

Huanan Xin was anxious and would not like to flirt with her. He pushed Ruiji away and got out of bed naked.

"Your Majesty, put on clothes! Clothes!"

On the other side of the bed, Shi Yuanqing, Noble Concubine Hui, covered herself with the quilt and cursed the eunuchs in front of the bed angrily.

"You stupid servants! Go to help His Majesty put on clothes. And help me get dressed! Bring the imperial carriage here. Be quick!" Shi Yuanqing said.

More than ten eunuchs and maids hurried to take the shoes and crowns. They were very busy.

Huanan Xin was very anxious and could not wait for others to dress up him.

As soon as Huanan Xin put on his yellow and silk nightclothes, he could not wait to wear his shoes and run out of Tailuan Palace.

Shi Yuanqing tied her hair simply and wore a pink cloak with flower patterns over her nightclothes. And then she followed Huanan Xin quickly.

In the palace, Ruiji sat on the bed and looked towards the door, sneering at those who had run out of the palace.

After Huanan Xin fell out with Gu Yunxi, he was upset and indulged in lust.

Ruiji knew that he was lonely, so she slept with him for many days. And she tried her best to entertain Huanan Xin in bed. Ruiji even asked Shi Yuanqing to sleep with Huanan Xin while Ruiji herself had s*x with him.

Sleeping with the two delicate beauties gave Huanan Xin the opportunity to have great fun. Indulging in the pleasure, he forgot the things that annoyed him.

Tonight was critical. All people would help Concubine Yun escape from the Palace.

Ruiji was well prepared for tonight. She bathed carefully and wore the most beautiful clothes. Then she was sent into Tailuan Palace by the carriage.

The woman who also came Tailuan Palace to serve Huanan Xin was Noble Concubine Hui, Shi Yuanqing.

Ruiji asked Shi Yuanqing to serve Huanan Xin in bed because she realized that Shi Yuanqing would become the Empress with the support of her father, Shi Ling sooner or later.

Now, Ruiji was liked by Huanan Xin. So, if she ingratiated herself with Shi Yuanqing by asking Shi Yuanqing to serve Huanan Xin, she would live a peaceful life when Shi Yuanqing became the Empress.

More importantly, Ruiji wanted to keep Shi Yuanqing in check.

The Emperor sleeping with two concubines was rare through the history of Da Yi. If it happened, others would think that the two concubines were close enough.

Yue Xilou would be sure that Shi Ling's daughter wanted to ingratiate herself with Huanan Xin, so she made Ruiji be on her side. Then the dispute between the cabinet and the Eastern Depot would grow deeper.

Shi Yuanqing strongly resisted serving Huanan Xin in bed with other concubines at first because she found it rather humiliating. She was a noblewoman who would not do that.

But after one night, Shi Yuanqing got the great pleasure from serving Huanan Xin with Ruiji. Then she gradually accepted it, which was humiliating.

Shi Yuanqing had not had s*x with Huanan Xin for a long time. If she, together with Ruiji, slept with Huanan Xin, she would have the opportunity to be liked by the Emperor, which was better than losing the Emperor’s favor totally.

Tonight, after carefully dressing up, Shi Yuanqing came to Tailuan Palace. She sat at the table with Huanan Xin and Ruiji, drinking the wine. Then she helped Huanan Xin take the philter. After that, feeling hot and having a strong desire, the three went to the bed.

Until midnight, they were tired and fell asleep.

They did not expect that something bad had happened when they woke up.