The princess regretted it.

Chapter 285: Lost

Inside the banquet hall, melodious music played, singing and dancing flourished, and delicacies were laid out. Everyone was immersed in this joyous celebration, as if the grand chapter of a prosperous era was being written to its most magnificent chapter. However, deep within the harem, behind its red walls and carved beams and painted rafters, a treacherous conspiracy quietly unfolded, undeterred by the clamor of the banquet hall.

Although Jiaoyu hadn't attended the banquet, she had been secretly informed of what had transpired in the hall. When she heard that Lin Qian, dressed in all her finery, had won the emperor's favor with a stunning war dance and had been conferred the title of Consort Xian, a strange smile crept across her normally calm face, like a flickering will-o'-the-wisp in the darkness, revealing a chilling and calculating air. "Hmph, everyone's so impatient!" she muttered to herself in a low, eerie voice, a voice that sounded like something from the Netherworld, chilling and terrifying. Then, she raised her eyes slightly and glanced at the palace attendant who had come with the news. A flicker of determination flashed in her eyes, and she said coldly, "Go, inform them they can begin."

Meanwhile, within Concubine Cen's palace, flickering candlelight cast a shimmering shadow. Reclining on her couch, Concubine Cen, though unable to attend the palace banquet due to illness, was fully informed of every detail of the proceedings through reports from trusted aides. After all, this was the banquet she had personally curated. Upon hearing the news that the Emperor had bestowed upon her the title of Noble Consort Xian, her dignified and elegant expression froze for a moment, as if a pebble had disturbed the tranquility of a lake. But a moment later, she regained her composure, as if nothing had happened. She raised her hand and rubbed her brow.

She had secretly investigated the secret she'd overheard in the garden a while ago, and the truth had been revealed. However, what was quite strange was that the two palace servants who had been gossiping and leaking the secrets had vanished without a trace. In this heavily guarded and spies-filled palace, they had been able to wipe out their tracks so completely. Concubine Cen thought to herself, "It seems this Concubine Zhang has been operating in the harem for many years and has some tricks up her sleeve. She must not be underestimated."

That's right, as the saying goes, "A lean camel is bigger than a horse!" After all, Concubine Zhang has been in charge of the harem for so many years, enjoying the exclusive favor of the emperor. How could she not have some personal connections? Concubine Cen knew that Concubine Zhang had been in charge of the harem for many years and had cultivated many confidants under her, and her personal network was complex.

Therefore, Concubine Cen was not surprised by this. What worried her most at the moment was that she had not followed the "hint" secretly given by the other party and taken action against Concubine Chun.

She knew full well that, given the temperament of Concubine Zhang's family, if one plan failed, they would surely come up with another. Perhaps they were already plotting some other sinister scheme to murder Concubine Chun and her unborn child. Therefore, she dared not slack off in the slightest. After learning that this was most likely orchestrated by Zhang Xinrou, she instructed her trusted confidant, Mingyue, to keep a close eye on Concubine Chun's courtyard and not allow any negligence.

Just as Concubine Cen was wearily about to lie down on her bed and rest for a bit, a sudden commotion erupted from the quiet harem, as if the tranquil night sky had been cracked by a thunderbolt. Concubine Cen's heart tightened, and she quickly asked the palace maid on duty outside, "What happened?"

Before she could finish her words, a palace maid ran in hurriedly, her face panicked, her steps stumbling, and she shouted loudly: "My queen, it's bad, there's a fire!"

"What!" Concubine Cen suddenly stood up from the couch as if struck by lightning. She stood up too hastily, feeling dizzy and swaying twice. She involuntarily took two steps back. In a panic, she frantically supported herself on the table and barely managed to steady herself.

"Where is the fire? Arrange people to put out the fire quickly!" She tried her best to calm herself down and shouted loudly, but her voice could not hide her anxiety and fear.

"I heard it was in a small courtyard in the northwest corner of the Imperial Garden. The imperial guards patrolling the border and people from various palaces were there." The palace maid replied tremblingly, her voice trembling like fallen leaves in the autumn wind, tears welling up in her eyes, obviously she was frightened by this sudden change.

"Northwest corner?" Upon hearing this, Concubine Cen's heart sank, as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. She couldn't help but exclaim inwardly, "It's over! This is a disaster." She knew full well that the northwest corner was the residence of Concubine Chun, whom she had only just learned of a few days ago. How could the fire have suddenly occurred? Where was Mingyue? Why hadn't she returned to report the incident in time?

When she thought of this, Concubine Cen's heart tightened instantly. Yes! Mingyue! She was extremely anxious. She hurried forward two steps, grabbed the palace maid's arm, and asked anxiously, "Is Mingyue back?"

"Your Majesty, I didn't see Aunt Mingyue come back?" The palace maid thought for a moment before replying respectfully, her eyes full of fear and helplessness.

"Hasn't she come back yet?! No, no, this isn't right!" Concubine Cen's anxiety suddenly surged like a surging tide, as if a surging ocean wave was about to swallow everything. She reached out and pulled the maid, hurriedly walking out, anxiously saying, "Quick, follow me to the courtyard."

Seeing this, the palace maid quickly stood up to stop them, her face showing worry as she advised, "Your Majesty, please don't worry. It's dark and cold now. Please take care of yourself."

"I can't take care of it anymore. Just bring me my cloak. Go quickly!" Concubine Cen said anxiously, with an unquestionable majesty in her voice.

The maid had no choice but to turn around and fetch the thick cloak, hurriedly putting it on Concubine Cen. After Concubine Cen was dressed, she hurried out, her steps hurried and flustered. The maid hurried forward to support Concubine Cen, and the two of them quickly disappeared into the night.

Concubine Cen, ignoring her stumbling steps, anxiously rushed towards the direction of the fire. She secretly speculated that with the palace celebrating the victory tonight and various factions gathered in the banquet hall, this fire was no accident and was most likely intentional, deliberately trying to make a big fuss and disrupt the originally festive atmosphere. Moreover, such a large commotion might have already alerted the Emperor. She had to go to the location in advance to see if there was any way to remedy the situation. This happened while she was in charge of the harem. If she didn't handle it properly, the consequences would be disastrous...

Her suspicions were correct; the Emperor was indeed aware of the incident. As the emperor and his subjects rejoiced, toasting and drinking together, the jubilation was at its peak when a member of the Imperial Guards hurried in, interrupting the merriment. Clad in armor and with a solemn expression, he swiftly walked to the center of the hall, knelt on one knee, clasped his fists in salute, and announced loudly, "Your Majesty, there's been a fire in the northwest corner of the Imperial Harem Garden. The fire is raging. We have dispatched personnel to extinguish the blaze, and I'm here to report this!"