Sludge suction system

The night was as dark as ink, thick and heavy, pressing down on every inch of the palace grounds. Elisa Lam huddled in a corner of the abandoned palace, time slowly slipping away in fear and torment. From the moment Wang Chong's men stormed the palace at dawn until the deep of night, her heart had been in her throat.

Having finally waited until the outside was quiet, Lan Ke'er knew that every second she stayed in the uncertain palace increased the danger. What worried her even more was her anxiety for Chu Li. Her mind was filled with thoughts of his safety, and the various misfortunes he might have faced constantly flashed through her mind. "No, I have to go find him." This thought grew stronger and stronger in her heart, ultimately prompting her to decide to leave the palace that very night and head to the hostage residence.

Elisa Lam cautiously pushed open the door of the abandoned palace. A gust of cold wind rushed in, making her shiver. Under the moonlight, the palace roads resembled winding black ribbons, silent yet dangerous. She crouched low, trying to avoid the patrolling guards, relying on her familiarity with the palace to weave through the shadows. Every step was fraught with anxiety; at the slightest disturbance, she would immediately stop, hold her breath, and wait until the danger had passed.

Finally, Elisa Lam arrived at the side gate of the palace. She hid in the shadows, observing the guards' movements. During the change of guards, she seized the opportunity, quickly slipped through the narrow gate, and disappeared into the night outside the palace.

The streets outside the palace were equally silent and deserted. Elisa Lam dared not stop for a moment, running towards the hostage residence. Moonlight bathed her, casting a long, thin shadow. The wind howled in her ears, as if countless eyes were watching her from the darkness.

After running for an unknown amount of time, the gates of the hostage residence finally came into view. Lan Ke'er was panting, her hair disheveled, but a hint of joy appeared on her face. She raised her hand and knocked on the door, "bang, bang, bang," the sound particularly loud in the quiet night. However, only deathly silence answered her.

A sense of foreboding washed over Lan Ke'er. She pushed the door hard, and it slowly opened, revealing a pitch-black and silent interior. "Chu Li, are you there?" she called out, her voice echoing in the empty courtyard, but there was no response.

Lan Ke'er entered Chu Li's room, fumbled around for a tinderbox, and lit the candle on the table. In the dim candlelight, the room was in disarray, as if it had been hastily ransacked. Lan Ke'er's heart sank. She found a note on the table that read: "Ke'er, I have embarked on my journey home. I will come to fetch you after I have rendered great service in Phoenix Feather Kingdom."

Lan Ke'er's hands trembled, and tears instantly blurred her vision. "Chu Li, why didn't you take me with you..." She collapsed to the ground, her mind filled with memories of her time with Chu Li. Those beautiful promises still seemed to echo in her ears, but now he was gone.

Lan Ke'er stared at the note in her hand, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She didn't know if Chu Li would really come back for her, nor how long she could hold on in this dangerous and unpredictable world. For now, all she could do was clutch the note tightly, alone in the silent room, bearing this loneliness and helplessness.

The first rays of morning sunlight struggled to pierce through the clouds, falling on the glazed tiles of the palace, but failed to dispel the gloom in Elisa Lam's heart. After a night of travel, she returned from outside the palace, her steps unsteady and her expression weary.

Stepping through the palace gates, on the familiar palace path, palace maids and eunuchs were gathered in small groups, whispering amongst themselves, their faces filled with the shock and relief of surviving a disaster. Lan Ke'er was filled with doubt, and as soon as she approached, she heard a murmur of conversation.

"Have you heard? The scene last night was absolutely terrifying! Wang Chong led a group of men and stormed into the palace, shouting that he wanted to force His Majesty to abdicate." A little eunuch's eyes widened as he vividly described the scene.

The palace maid beside her covered her mouth and exclaimed in surprise, "Ah? What happened next?"

"Hmph, that traitor Wang Chong was far too overconfident! His Majesty was prepared, and the Imperial Guards swarmed in and easily routed them. Wang Chong and Consort Wang were captured on the spot, and they're probably regretting it in the imperial prison right now." The little eunuch was beaming with pride, as if he himself had participated in the suppression of the rebellion.

Lan Ke'er was shocked and almost lost her balance. She grabbed an older palace maid and asked urgently, "Sister, is this true? Wang Chong and Consort Wang have really been imprisoned in the imperial prison?"

The palace maid sighed and said, "It's absolutely true. The palace almost changed overnight. We servants can only hope for some peace from now on."

Lam Ke'er felt a sudden dizziness. The downfall of Wang Chong and Consort Wang meant that her past interactions with Wang Chong could be brought up again at any moment. She hurriedly thanked the palace maid and stumbled towards her residence.

Along the way, past scenes kept flashing through her mind. For Chu Li's sake, she had secretly contacted Wang Chong and even stole the palace's defense map. Now, could all of this become her death warrant? The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, and her steps grew increasingly unsteady.

Back at her lodgings, Elisa Lam slumped onto the edge of the bed, tears streaming down her face. She didn't know what awaited her, nor did she know if Chu Li, far away in Phoenix Feather Kingdom, was aware of her current predicament.

Sunlight streamed into the Phoenix Feather Kingdom's camp. Chu Li was discussing important matters with several generals, his expression focused. At this moment, hurried footsteps came from outside the camp, and a soldier rushed in, kneeling on one knee.

"Your Highness, our informant from Lincang Kingdom requests an audience with urgent intelligence."

Upon hearing this, Chu Li's eyes flashed with surprise, then he waved for the informant to enter. A moment later, a lean, stern-faced man strode into the tent. Seeing Chu Li, he immediately clasped his hands in a salute: "Young Master, something terrible has happened!"

Chu Li frowned slightly, signaling him to speak quickly. The informant took a breath and said urgently, "Wang Chong staged a coup last night, thinking he could take over the Lincang court in one fell swoop, but he didn't expect the emperor to be prepared. As a result, he suffered a great defeat, and he and Consort Wang were captured alive and imprisoned in the imperial prison."

Chu Li's face instantly darkened. He slowly stood up and paced back and forth. The tent was silent; no one dared to utter a sound. After a long while, Chu Li stopped, his gaze icy.

"Is the news confirmed?"

The informant nodded hurriedly: "It's absolutely true. As soon as I received the news, I rushed here to report to you, young master."

Chu Li thought to himself, with Wang Chong gone, his plans in Lincang would collapse instantly. Not only would his previous schemes be in vain, but he would also be in great danger.

Thinking of this, Chu Li couldn't help but feel a little irritated. He knew he had to deal with it as soon as possible. Wang Chong's faction had deep roots in the Lincang court, and even if they failed, their remaining power should not be underestimated; they might even vent their anger on him.

"Pass down the order to strengthen the camp's security. No one is allowed to leave the camp without permission." Chu Li ordered the general beside him, then looked at the informant, "You will remain in Lincang and closely monitor the situation. Report any news to me immediately."

The informant took his orders and left. Chu Li looked at the sky outside the tent, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Meanwhile, Yunniang awoke slowly in the palace of the Queen of Lincang. Before her eyes were carved beams and painted rafters, brocade curtains and luxurious tents, and a faint medicinal fragrance filled the air. Her consciousness was still somewhat hazy; images of her battle with Consort Wang and others from the previous day kept flashing through her mind, and waves of sharp pain throbbed through her body.

"Where am I...?" Yunniang murmured to herself, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"Yunniang, you're awake!" A gentle and familiar voice rang in her ears. Yunniang slowly turned her head and saw the Empress sitting by the bed, looking at her with concern, her eyes filled with relief and heartache.

"Your Majesty the Empress..." Yunniang struggled to get up and pay her respects, but the Empress gently pressed her down.

"Don't move. Your injuries are serious. Lie down properly." The Empress's voice was gentle but carried an unquestionable tone. "You really scared me this time. If you hadn't risked your life to protect me, I'm afraid..." As the Empress spoke, her eyes reddened slightly.

A faint smile appeared on Yunniang's pale face: "It is Yunniang's duty to protect Your Highness. As long as Your Highness is safe and sound, it is nothing for Yunniang to suffer some injuries."

At this moment, an imperial physician hurriedly entered and took Yunniang's pulse. After taking her pulse, the physician respectfully reported to the Empress: "Your Majesty, Miss Yun's injuries are no longer serious, but she has lost too much blood and still needs to recuperate properly."

The Empress nodded slightly: "That's good. Go and prepare some nourishing soups and medicines, and make sure Yunniang recovers as soon as possible."

The imperial physician acknowledged the order and withdrew. The Empress looked at Yunniang, her eyes full of admiration: "Yunniang, you have been loyal to your mistress, and I will certainly not treat you unfairly. After you recover, I will reward you handsomely."

Yunniang quickly shook her head: "Your Majesty, Yunniang does not ask for any reward, she only wishes to serve Your Majesty's side forever."

The Empress gently stroked Yunniang's hair: "Silly child, I have seen your loyalty. Take good care of your injuries, and we will talk about everything after you recover."

Yunniang closed her eyes slightly, her heart filled with warmth. In this perilous palace, to receive such genuine treatment from the Empress made all her sacrifices worthwhile. At this moment, she secretly vowed to dedicate herself even more diligently to protecting the Empress and safeguarding the peace of the harem.