Once Consort Nian calmed down, she instructed the chief eunuch that saving lives was the priority, and ordered all physicians from the Imperial Hospital to participate in the rescue. She also instructed the Imperial Household Department to quickly count the number of people in the Sinzheku (a place for servants in the Imperial Laundry) and find the missing persons. After everything was arranged, Consort Nian realized that despite the magnitude of the event, the Fourth Prince had not appeared.
Consort Nian asked her attendants to inquire why the Emperor had not yet arrived, and whether no one had informed him.
After inquiring, he returned and told Consort Nian, "Your Majesty, we servants said that as soon as the fire started, we went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to inform the Emperor. However, Eunuch Su said that the Emperor had already gone to bed and that the Imperial Household Department should organize its own firefighting efforts. He said that the Emperor should be informed once the fire was under control."
Consort Nian wondered, “Such a big matter, why didn’t the Emperor inquire about it?”
After a whole night of fuss, things were finally starting to get under control in the Imperial Laundry Department. Seeing that Consort Nian was so exhausted she could barely keep her eyes open, Bai Zhi quickly advised, "Your Highness, you should go back and rest. Leave this to the Chief Eunuch..."
Consort Nian waved her hand and frowned, saying, "No, I am in charge of the inner palace. How can I be at ease when such a big thing has happened? Besides, if the Emperor blames me for this, I will also have an explanation."
Cuiling draped a thicker coat over Consort Nian and said, "Your Highness has done very well. The fire in the Imperial Laundry has been extinguished, and the wounded have all been rescued. The disposal of the remaining bodies will be handled by the Imperial Household Department. There's not much Your Highness can do here, so please go back and rest. If the Emperor knew that Your Highness had worked so hard all night, he would be heartbroken..."
Then Chief Eunuch Duo came over and advised, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, we will stay here and handle the rest. We feel truly guilty that Your Majesty did not sleep all night. Please return to the palace to rest..."
Consort Nian straightened her clothes and suddenly felt her mouth dry. Upon closer inspection, she realized that she was covered in dust. After giving a few more instructions, Consort Nian led her entourage back to Yikun Palace.
Sitting on the soft chaise longue, Consort Nian couldn't help but recall the Emperor's actions the night before, muttering to herself, "What was wrong with the Emperor yesterday? Although it was just a fire in the Imperial Laundry, it's not a small matter. Why did the Emperor remain indifferent?"
Seeing that Consort Nian was still lost in thought, Bai Zhi comforted her, saying, "Perhaps His Majesty is too tired from state affairs during the day and doesn't want to get up at night..."
Consort Nian shook her head, puzzled, and said, "No, this isn't the Emperor's style. Something must be wrong..."
As Bai Zhi walked, she pondered for a moment, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration and reminded Consort Nian: "Last night, the eunuch who went to inform the Emperor said he hadn't seen the Emperor at all. It was Eunuch Su who stopped him outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation. The eunuch was in a great hurry to invite the Emperor, but Eunuch Su wouldn't let him in. It was Eunuch Su who said the Emperor was tired and would come to inform him after the fire was under control. The Emperor probably doesn't even know what happened last night..."
Consort Nian released her hand from her head, sat up straight, and after thinking for a moment, said, "Why didn't Su Peisheng go and inform the Emperor? Isn't he afraid of being blamed when he wakes up? I'm afraid he's tired of his position and has forgotten that Her Majesty the Empress punished him a few days ago. It seems he deserved it..."
At this point, another thought suddenly popped into Consort Nian's mind. She abruptly shouted "Stop!" The eunuchs carrying the sedan chair had no choice but to halt and put Ruan Jiao down. Cui Ling approached, seeing Consort Nian's shocked expression, and asked worriedly, "Your Highness, what's wrong?"
Consort Nian said slowly, "His Majesty may not have been in the Hall of Mental Cultivation at all last night..."
Cui Ling asked in confusion, "If not in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where is the Emperor? He's not in the Empress's or any of the other concubines' quarters, and the one in Changchun Palace... isn't there either. The Emperor has been resting in the Hall of Mental Cultivation every day these past few days..."
Consort Nian shook her head coldly and said quietly, "No, the Emperor is not only not in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he may not even be in the palace..."
The maidservant glanced at the road ahead and said to Consort Nian, "Your Highness, the road ahead leads to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Why don't we go and take a look..."
Consort Nian paused for a moment, then waved her hand and became soft and coquettish.
"Never mind, let's go back to Yikun Palace..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
