Chapter Forty-Seven: It Was the Servant Who Betrayed the Empress

The palace maids’ screams echoed throughout the entire court, sharp and piercing, as if they could tear through the clouds. Instantly, every person’s attention was drawn to the source of the commotion.

Those who had been diligently carrying out their duties all dropped their tasks and surged like a tide toward the sound.

Upon arriving at the scene, everyone was stunned by the sight before them: a raging inferno, like a ferocious beast, clawing and devouring everything in its path.

The fire spread with terrifying speed, engulfing the entire rear courtyard in the blink of an eye.

Flames shot skyward, thick smoke billowed, and the scorching heat struck their faces, suffocating and overwhelming.

The palace staff, frantic and desperate, scrambled to fetch basins of water from every direction, hoping to extinguish the terrible blaze with these meager efforts. Yet the flames, as if alive, defied all attempts to quell them, spreading relentlessly without a hint of retreat.

Hearing the chaos and shouting outside, Tang Yurong’s heart tightened. She furrowed her brow and sharply demanded, “What is happening out there? Such uproar is most unbecoming!”

Qing Man hurried inside, breathless and alarmed. “Your Majesty, there’s been a sudden fire in the side courtyard. The flames are enormous and the situation grave. Please, Your Majesty, you must quickly move elsewhere to avoid danger!”

Tang Yurong’s face instantly paled, disbelief etched across her features as she murmured, “But… why would a fire break out without cause?”

Tears nearly spilled from Qing Man’s eyes as she stamped her feet, urging, “Your Majesty, now is not the time to question why! The fire grows fiercer by the moment. If we delay any longer, it will be too late! Please, follow me and leave immediately!”

Qing Man reached out with trembling hands to support Tang Yurong as they prepared to leave.

---

Wei Yanqiao suddenly seemed as if her soul had been torn away; her face turned ashen, and she muttered to herself before abruptly raising her head, eyes wide with terror as she cried out, “I knew it! This is all my fault! It’s because of me that the Empress’s palace caught fire!”

Tang Yurong looked at Wei Yanqiao with suspicion and confusion, frowning. “Wei Yanqiao, what nonsense are you spouting? How could a fire in the palace possibly be your doing? You’ve been here the entire time under my questioning—when would you have had the chance to start a fire? And even if you wanted to, how could you have done it?”

Qing Man, still holding Tang Yurong, urged anxiously, “Your Majesty, the fire is spreading fast. We should leave at once. Let’s not waste time on her now.”

Hearing this, Tang Yurong hurriedly left the bedchamber with Qing Man’s support.

Just then, Xiao Ceyun arrived, having received word of the fire in the Jiao Fang Hall. Seeing Tang Yurong safe and unharmed, the weight that had hung over him finally lifted.

He rushed forward, firmly supporting Tang Yurong, concern etched on his face. “Empress, are you all right? Are you injured?”

Though still shaken, Tang Yurong forced herself to remain composed. “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am unharmed. It was just such a terrifying sudden fire…”

Bi Zifu frantically waved his arms, shouting hoarsely to the workers as they rushed to battle the flames. The fire roared higher, smoke thickened, and the entire scene grew increasingly tense and perilous.

The inferno raged unchecked, howling as though it would consume everything. Suddenly, a tremendous beam, weakened by the intense heat, collapsed with a deafening crash. The unexpected collapse terrified the palace staff, who scattered backward in panic, no one daring to approach the blaze any further.

Xiao Ceyun’s face darkened with fury as he demanded, “Why did the Jiao Fang Hall catch fire for no reason? What are you servants doing?”

The palace staff of Jiao Fang Hall knelt trembling, heads bowed low, too afraid even to breathe, let alone answer the emperor’s questions. They were as baffled as anyone, unable to understand why the hall had been engulfed in such fierce flames.

---

At that moment, unexpectedly, Wei Yanqiao knelt before Xiao Ceyun and Tang Yurong. Her expression was solemn, filled with remorse and self-reproach. “Your Majesty, this is all my fault! It is because of me that the Empress has suffered this calamity!”

Qing Man, standing behind Tang Yurong, was struck with shock, her body trembling violently. She had never imagined Wei Yanqiao would step forward at such a critical moment to take the blame. Yet this only deepened Qing Man’s doubts: if Wei Yanqiao was willing to take the fall, what was her true motive for having instructed Qing Man to set fire to Jiao Fang Hall in the first place?

Xiao Ceyun lowered his gaze to Tang Yurong, who furrowed her delicate brows, confusion flickering in her eyes. She clearly could not understand why Wei Yanqiao was so adamant about claiming responsibility.

Xiao Ceyun’s face darkened like storm clouds, his cold, cutting gaze fixed on Wei Yanqiao as he asked harshly, “Was it you who started the fire?”

Wei Yanqiao quickly knelt and kowtowed, filled with guilt. “Your Majesty, I did not set the fire, but this matter is indeed connected to me. The fire happened because of me.”

Qing Man stood tensely nearby, biting her lip tightly, hands clenched. Inwardly, she wondered if Wei Yanqiao intended to betray her to gain favor with the emperor and empress, or perhaps to secure her own freedom.

A chill ran through Qing Man’s body, sweat beading on her forehead. She had painstakingly discovered a weakness in Wei Yanqiao’s scheme: she had chosen a remote, empty place to ignite the fire, then immediately returned to Tang Yurong’s side to prove she had stayed outside the hall the entire time after summoning Wei Yanqiao. Wei Yanqiao must not harm her now.

Xiao Ceyun’s expression grew more serious as he pressed, “What is your connection? Speak the truth at once!”

Wei Yanqiao no longer dared to conceal anything and explained in full detail, “In recent days, the Empress ordered me to copy numerous sutras. However, overwhelmed by the heavy workload, I lost the proper reverence and wrote carelessly and hastily. I believe this has angered the Buddha. Those sloppily transcribed sutras remain stored within the Empress’s chambers. Surely, the Buddha could not tolerate such negligence and thus sent this disaster as punishment and a warning. It is all my fault that the Empress has been caught in this misfortune.”