Chapter 332 The fire has started.

The small note was only about the length of a thumb, and it must have been torn from a letter, with very irregular tear marks on the edges.

There were only four words on the note.

Help me, artificial rockery.

The handwriting was bright red and had a faint fishy smell; it was written in blood.

The handwriting was hasty and messy, clearly written in a rush.

Shen Cong's expression was solemn.

"You're saying this was given to you by the Imperial Concubine?"

Li Nanke nodded and recounted everything that had happened to him after he entered the palace.

"...I had a strange feeling that the Imperial Concubine was reluctant to come into the room, and that she didn't want to talk to me inside."

So he deliberately pointed to the pavilion, and sure enough, the Imperial Concubine ran straight into the pavilion.

This note was given to me by her as she pounced on me and grabbed my arm when I was about to eat some snacks.

She peeked at the contents of the note.

"This is a letter pleading for help. Is the Imperial Concubine asking me for help? Why me?"

She didn't understand why Consort Wang would slip her a note, considering she hadn't had much contact with Consort Wang.

Shen Cong wholeheartedly agreed.

"If she is really in danger, she should ask the Wang family for help first."

Li Nanke thought so too.

"But I heard Tongyun say that every time she visited the Imperial Concubine, she never mentioned that the Imperial Concubine pleaded for help, and she also said..."

She was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly remembered something, and her pupils widened abruptly.

"Tongyun said that every time she and Madam Wang entered the palace, the Imperial Concubine was always attended to by nannies and maids."

The Imperial Concubine has been recuperating in bed the whole time. Is it possible that she didn't get a chance to call for help?

Shen Cong frowned. "You mean those old women and palace maids are keeping a close watch on the Imperial Concubine? But those people were sent by my brother..."

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence.

The two looked at each other, and Li Nanke said in a low voice, "If the person who wants to harm the Imperial Concubine is Empress Xue, she can tell His Majesty."

She is carrying the emperor's child; His Majesty will surely stand up for her.

The fact that she chose to seize the opportunity to slip me a note pleading for help only proves one thing.

The person who harmed her was not Empress Xue, but...

Shen Cong's face grew paler and paler, and he blurted out.

"Impossible, my imperial brother would never treat the Imperial Concubine like that."

Li Nanke didn't refute, but just blinked her dark, grape-like eyes at him.

Previously, Prince Chen said that the blood curse in his body was placed by the Emperor. She had asked Shen Cong if he believed this, and Shen Cong denied it as well.

And she even lost her temper.

Her clear gaze remained fixed on Shen Cong.

"When I was about to leave today, a palace maid suddenly knocked over a teacup, spilling water all over me. She was the only one who could help me change my clothes."

Looking back now, I realize that the palace maid must have been instructed by the matron to use the opportunity of changing clothes to check if I had any notes passed by the imperial concubine.

Luckily, I managed to slip the note into the exquisite ball first, otherwise I probably wouldn't have been able to leave the palace today.

Shen Cong lowered his eyes dejectedly, pursing his lips and remaining silent.

Li Nanke pointed to the other two words on the note, "It mentions a rockery. Tongyun said that the Imperial Concubine was frightened in the Imperial Garden."

Could this artificial hill be the same one in the Imperial Garden? What might be inside it?

Shen Cong stared at the words "artificial mountain" for a moment, then said, "I will send someone to investigate. You go home first and pretend you never saw this note."

Li Nanke disagreed.

"The Wang family..."

Shen Cong picked up the note on the table. "Don't worry, I'll arrange for someone to deliver this note to the Wang family. Go home and rest. Remember, you've never seen this note before."

"But......"

"No buts, I'll have Erfeng take you home."

Shen Cong was resolute and decisive.

Li Nanke had no choice but to nod.

"Then you'd better go and investigate quickly."

That night, Li Nanke lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

She finally drifted off to sleep, but then the image of Consort Wang, looking at her with a dazed and confused expression, flashed before her eyes. She asked, "Why didn't you save me?"

Li Nanke suddenly woke up with a start, only to realize that she had just had a nightmare.

"Did you have a nightmare, young lady? Would you like some water?"

Zisu was on night duty in the outer room when she heard the noise and got up to come over and ask.

Li Nanke nodded.

Zisu poured a glass of warm water and carefully fed it to her.

Li Nanke drank a glass of warm water and gradually recovered from her panic. She could vaguely hear a commotion outside.

"What time is it? Why is it so noisy outside?"

Zisu said, "It was just past midnight when the news came from the Marquis and his wife's courtyard. The Marquis has gotten up."

"Why is Father up at this hour? What happened?"

Zisu sighed.

"It seems there's a fire in the palace, and it's quite large. The Marquis is worried and wants to get up and go to the palace gate to take a look."

Is there a fire in the palace?

Li Nanke's heart suddenly started pounding. He threw off the covers and hurriedly got out of bed.

He grabbed his shoes and ran outside.

"Girl, girl, where are you going?"

Zisu called out as she chased after them.

Li Nanke ignored her and rushed into the courtyard. Looking up, he saw thick smoke billowing and flames shooting into the sky from the northeast corner.

She gasped, remembering that Shen Cong had sent someone to the palace to inspect the artificial hill that evening, and recalling the note the Consort had given her plea for help. Her heart pounded even harder.

"Quickly, Sister Zisu, send someone out to the streets to inquire about any fires in the palace and whether anyone has been injured."

Seeing that her face was pale, Zisu responded and tied the cloak around her neck.

"Don't worry, young lady, I'll take some men to the street to inquire about it."

Zisu, carrying a lantern, disappeared in a flash.

Li Nanke felt extremely flustered and lost all sleepiness, so he ran to Song Yi's courtyard.

Song Yi was instructing the servants to re-inspect the house, making sure no corner with potential problems was overlooked.

Turning around, I saw Li Nanke rushing in.

He frowned slightly. "Why aren't you asleep yet, child? It's the middle of the night!"

Li Nanke casually replied, then asked eagerly, "Mother, do you know which part of the palace is on fire?"

Song Yi said, "The messenger's words were unclear, so your father got up to check because he was worried."

We should get news back soon.

"I'll wait with my mother."

She sat down next to Song Yi.

Song Yi patted her head. "Okay."

The mother and daughter sat for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before Zisu hurriedly returned.

His face was pale when he came in.

"Madam, young lady, they say the Imperial Concubine's bedchamber is on fire!"

Li Nanke jumped up in surprise.

"How is the Imperial Concubine? Is she alright?"

Zisu's eyes were red.

"When the fire started, the Imperial Concubine was nowhere to be found. I heard that the maids and servants searched for her with great effort, but they couldn't find her."

When they finally found the Imperial Concubine, she was almost completely burned!