Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

Yu Ying'er gritted her teeth and said, "Xiao Lianzi, I'll pretend I didn't hear what you just said. Go and tell Xiao Lezi about this right now, and tell him to protect Xiao Liu."

After saying that, she grasped Qingzhu's hand with trembling hands: "Qingzhu, I'm a little excited tonight, will you talk to me for a bit?"

Qingzhu grasped her hand and said, "Alright, Your Highness, don't worry, this servant will stay with you."

Xiao Lianzi responded and went out, leaving only the master and servant sitting in front of the stove, holding hands, their eyes anxiously staring through the narrow crack in the window towards the direction of Zhongcui Gate.

Xiao Lezi has already gone to sleep; he needs to get up early tomorrow morning to pick up his wife at the palace gate.

Upon hearing Xiao Lianzi's report, he jumped up and hurriedly put on his clothes, saying, "Well done! The Princess and the Empress will surely reward you handsomely later."

"Don't linger here. Go and keep watch over the Sixth Prince. If anything seems amiss, immediately take him to the inner palace."

The Emperor is staying at Yonghe Palace tonight. If a fire breaks out, it will surely alarm the Emperor, and the fire should be brought under control quickly.

With two layers of palace walls blocking the way, Zhongcui Palace should be fine.

However... even Xiao Lianzi in Zhongcui Palace noticed something was wrong. Why was Chengqian Palace so quiet and silent?

Xiao Lezi paused in his movements.

Wanpin!

He suddenly felt certain.

He had already heard about what happened in Chengqian Palace that afternoon. Now that a fire had broken out, it was highly likely that the Fourth Prince had committed suicide by setting himself on fire because he felt hopeless and no longer wanted to be humiliated by Consort Wan.

Regardless of whether Consort Wan's actions were solely for revenge or something else, once Noble Lady Qian goes to Shou Kang Palace tomorrow, Consort Wan's life will soon be over.

Although he was just a lowly eunuch in Yonghe Palace, he knew quite a lot. The Empress Dowager's methods, while perhaps not as sophisticated as the Fujin's, were certainly more ruthless.

Consort Wan won't live much longer!

After getting dressed, Xiao Lezi went to the main hall to guard Yu Ying'er and Qingzhu. The three of them waited for half an hour before finally seeing a firelight appear in the back hall of Chengqian Palace.

Fifteen minutes later, flames shot into the sky.

The palace servants' terrified screams pierced the sky, waking the six palaces that had fallen into silence.

"Fire has broken out!"

"Help! There's a fire!"

Footsteps and shouts mingled together, indistinguishable from one another.

Yonghe Palace

The emperor closed his eyes and leaned back on the couch, listening to Consort Zhao play the zither.

A sudden banging on the door interrupted the music.

The emperor frowned, his good mood completely ruined.

"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! A fire has broken out in the rear hall of Chengqian Palace!"

Su Peisheng stood outside the door, shouting anxiously, "Heavens! Chengqian Palace is right next door! If the fire spreads and injures the Emperor, I'll lose my life here!"

The emperor jumped up from the soft couch: "What happened? How big is the fire? Have you sent anyone to put it out? You dog servant, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and help me change my clothes."

Su Peisheng immediately waved his hand and led the way into the hall.

"Your Majesty, the cause of the fire is still unknown. When it was discovered, the doors and windows of the rear hall were already on fire. This servant has sent someone to invite Lord Shumulu to bring people to put out the fire."

"The fire should not spread to Yonghe Palace in the short term, but just in case, we would like to ask Your Majesty to move your residence."

When the emperor heard that he had made most of the arrangements, he felt much more at ease.

He turned to look at his beloved concubine, only to find that she had refused the help of the palace maids to change her clothes.

Seeing the Emperor's gaze, Consort Zhao smiled and said, "Your Majesty is quite lazy. Since Your Majesty has already sent people to put out the fire, I am naturally safe. This saves me the trouble of making a fuss in the middle of the night."

Helpless, the emperor could only instruct her: "Don't go to bed yet. If anything seems amiss, bring people to the Hall of Mental Cultivation immediately."

Consort Zhao nodded obediently: "Your Majesty, I have remembered. Your Majesty, I will see you off."

After the emperor left, only Consort Zhao, her two head maids Lulu and Pearl, and Xuanru, the new head maid sent by the Imperial Household Department, remained in the main hall of Yonghe Palace.

Xuanru frowned and looked at Consort Zhao, disapprovingly saying, "Why didn't Your Highness leave with the Emperor just now?"

Consort Zhao turned and went into the inner room without expression, clearly indicating that she did not want to talk to her.

Xuanru felt a lump in her throat; this young mistress was truly a handful!

She glanced at Lulu, who was standing to the side with her head down, and glared at her irritably: "What are you doing standing here? Hurry up and go inside to guard the young mistress."

There was no immediate danger in the front hall, but the rear hall was not necessarily safe. Xuanru anxiously led the others to guard the area next to Chengqian Palace in the rear hall, in case the fire got too big and they had to climb over the wall.

As soon as Lulu stepped into the dormitory, she saw her mistress fixing her hair.

Consort Zhao gestured for her to be quiet, then beckoned her over: "Quickly comb my hair into your style. I'll pretend to be you and leave for a bit while you go to bed and sleep."

Lulu's eyes widened, and she whispered, "Your Majesty, it's dangerous outside!"

Consort Zhao patted her hand, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. As long as the fire doesn't spread to Yonghe Palace, Xuanru won't bother me again today. If it's discovered by accident, just say I did it to surprise the Emperor."

After thinking for a moment, she said, "Xiao Fuzi, who is guarding the door, is one of our people. After I leave, call him in and tell him that if Xuanru enters the inner room, he should wait for me outside the left gate of Changkang."

She had never had the chance to see the Imperial Noble Consort. Now that Chengqian Palace was on fire, the palace was in chaos. Xuanru and the others would be guarding the inner palace for their own lives and would have no time to care about her.

This is exactly the perfect opportunity she needs!

Lulu didn't know what she was planning, but the glimpses she occasionally caught from her actions and words made her feel terrified.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, I understand. Things are very chaotic outside, so please be careful. If things really become difficult, please don't force yourself; we will always have a chance."

No matter what the Empress wants to do, she only needs to stand firmly by the Empress's side.

Consort Zhao turned around and took her hand, her eyes full of longing: "Good Lulu, if tonight goes smoothly, we won't have to be controlled by others anymore."

The fire in the rear hall of Chengqian Palace was discovered too late. By the time it was completely extinguished, only a charred corpse and a charred column head lying askew remained in the rear hall.

The only saving grace was that the fire was brought under control. Not only were the neighboring palaces unaffected, but even the left and right side halls of the rear hall of Chengqian Palace were not affected.

When the emperor's morning court session ended, the imperial concubine had already ordered someone to deliver the compiled account of the cause and effect of the fire to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Upon seeing the words "Fourth Prince set himself on fire" written above, the emperor covered his eyes in grief.

Although he resented Hongli's ruthlessness, he never considered taking his life.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have changed her mind as soon as she heard Consort Wan say that adopting Hongli into the imperial family would cause him to die in depression.