Step on a branch

Chapter 257
Concubine Shu hurried back to the palace, changed her clothes, and hurried back.

Walking along the veranda all the way, although it is longer than the straight road, fortunately, you don't have to worry about not being able to see the puddles clearly in the dark.

After entering the Compassionate Ning Palace, she held back her pace again and walked in slowly.

Entering the inner hall, the maids are setting the table.

The empress dowager glanced at her: "The Ai family thought you wouldn't come for dinner."

"Go slowly, you, the emperor and Madam Hou have been waiting for a long time," Concubine Shu smiled softly, "I dare not walk fast, for fear of splashing water again."

"Come and sit down."

Concubine Shu Shi ran over and sat down.

The emperor's eyes slid across the hem of her clothes and the shoe surface, it was clean, but she thought how careful she was walking this way, no wonder it was so slow.

The palace man poured wine.

The emperor raised the wine cup and said to Mrs. Yongning Hou, "I respect Mrs. Hou for a glass."

Mrs. Hou also raised her glass.

She doesn't worry about poisoning the food and wine.

If you really want to use such a straightforward method that doesn't care about face, the emperor has already done it, why bother to wait until now.

I'm afraid that there will be something in it that sleeps peacefully or loses strength, that's what makes people suffer and can't tell.

The wine cup was raised, brought it to his lips, covered it with his cuff, and tilted slightly.

The wine ran down the sleeves and soaked the veil inside.

When it was put down again, there was not a single drop left in the wine cup.

This technique, she learned from a young age.

Galloping in the wine market has no opponents, except for a real guy like a good drinker, he also has to know various tricks.

If not, she is extremely honest, she drinks as much as she can, and can drink those tricksters down?
Knowing yourself and knowing your enemy can help you win a hundred battles.

The emperor is high above him, and no one dares to play tricks when he rewards wine.

If you have little knowledge, of course you can't see through it.

He didn't notice Madam Hou's tricks, and praised "good drinker" and "heroic spirit".

The empress dowager moved her chopsticks.

Mrs. Yongninghou also followed her advice to "use more", she only used dishes that had been touched by the emperor.

The atmosphere during the banquet seemed to be harmonious, but there was an undercurrent, Madam Hou knew it well.

Although she was ready to sacrifice, who would want to sit and wait for death if she could give it a go?

At this time, everyone else had already withdrawn from the city.

After a while, when it's time to close the city gate, Ji Shi will follow her instructions and let everyone set off first.

I just don't know what Aluan's situation is now...

hula-la-

It was windy outside again.

Perhaps the thunderstorm in the afternoon didn't rain hard enough, and there were two more thunderclaps in the distance.

"Could it be raining again..." Concubine Shu sighed.

"This day is really uncomfortable," Mrs. Hou frowned and complained, "After I drink this wine, I'd better go back, lest it rain again."

The emperor raised his eyes.

The empress dowager had a thought, and persuaded: "When it rains, it will rain, and send someone back to the mansion to give a message. You just need to stay here at Ai's house."

"Hey," Mrs. Hou said, how could she let the palace send someone, "Then let's see, it's really raining heavily, let's decide."

Concubine Shu chewed slowly, but she was anxious.

I don't know what the empress is thinking...

Just thinking about it, suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside.

Soon, a servant came in without waiting for the transmission, and said eagerly: "No, it's not good, the Changning Palace is flooded."

Everyone was taken aback.

"What's going on?" The emperor came back to his senses, "Is it serious?"

Before the servant could reply, exclamations came in from outside.

The emperor got up, walked out quickly, stood in the yard, and looked north.

In the dark sky, the fire in that room was not heavy, and the black smoke rose into the sky.

Changning Palace is at the corner of the imperial city.

After the death of the first emperor, he stopped there, and then it was vacant.

Because it is a coffin, although it does not live in people, it has to be cleaned and repaired every year.

It just happened to be such a place, and it caught fire.

"Didn't it just rain?" The emperor's face suddenly sank, "Is someone going to rescue him? Why don't you hurry up to save him!"

Concubine Shu supported the Empress Dowager and also went to the courtyard.

Looking at the thick black smoke, the empress dowager's heart was in a state of panic.

Concubine Shu looked terrified, and said softly: "Your Majesty, Changning Palace is just a palace away from here, will it be burned?"

The Empress Dowager said: "With so many people, can we still save the fire?"

"But today's wind," Concubine Shu held her throat and coughed heavily, her eyes were red from coughing, "it's too strong."

Telling her to say this, the empress dowager also felt uncomfortable and cleared her throat.

"Otherwise, you can go to my place and rest for a while, and it won't be too late to come back after the fire is extinguished." Concubine Shu persuaded the empress dowager.

The empress dowager thought about it and agreed.

Concubine Shu went to see the emperor again.

The emperor said with a pale face, "I'll go over and have a look, you take care of the queen mother."

After finishing speaking, he flicked his sleeves and strode towards Changning Palace.

"You take good care of the emperor!" Concubine Shu raised her voice, waved her hand, pointed at a large area, then supported the empress dowager, and said, "The road is still a little wet, be careful of your feet, I will support you..."

The people brought by the emperor left with the emperor.

The staff of the Compassionate Ning Palace must either help put out the fire, or go with the Empress Dowager.

All of a sudden, there were seven or eight fewer people in this palace.

Madam Hou stood in the yard, looked at the billowing smoke, and smiled ironically.

In this situation, either there is someone to help, or the sky sees, in short, she has found an opportunity.

Taking advantage of the fact that the emperor and the empress dowager were concerned about the fire and no one remembered her for a while, Mrs. Hou stepped out of the Palace of Compassion and Ning, and ran all the way to the gate of the palace.

The good foundation when I was young, and the training in recent months have been quite effective.

Madam Hou ran fast and steadily, she did not look like an old woman at all.

The palace gate was approaching, and seeing the guards were about to close the gate, Mrs. Hou greeted hurriedly, "Wait a minute."

The guard held on to the palace gate with his hand, hesitating for a while.

The door is still closed.

Madam Hou stepped forward and said, "I want to leave the palace."

The guard said: "Look, it's time."

"Come on, why don't you just go out?" Seeing that the guard didn't cooperate, Mrs. Hou rolled her eyes and said, "Don't let me go, I'm not afraid to lie on the palace road in the open air overnight, do you dare to let me lie here? "

The guard's face paled.

Mrs. Hou said again: "Did you see the water flowing there? The emperor and the empress dowager are busy, so I will ask them to comment on the matter of sleeping in the palace?"

Where do the guards dare?
While hesitating, the changing guard arrived.

One of the older ones, without saying a word, opened a crack with all his strength.

"Please," he said.

Mrs. Hou nodded to him in thanks.

When she came out, the door behind her closed again, heavily.

Inside the door, a group of guards looked at me and I looked at you, and said to the elder: "Isn't it appropriate?"

"What's inappropriate?" The man said in a foolish manner, "Marquis of Yongning, is it something you and I can provoke? Hurry up and send her away as a Bodhisattva, isn't it all right? Or do you want to ask the emperor? Save yourself, kick you to carry water to put out the fire!"

These words are quite reasonable, and no one is entangled immediately.

After all, it is Mrs. Yongning Hou, with a fierce look, and the husband sings and the wife follows.

I can't afford it!

As for fighting the fire, forget it.

Thankless work.

(End of this chapter)