The corridors of the Lotus Pavilion, ablaze with fireworks, instantly descended into chaos. The rapidly spreading sparks resembled giant beasts with gaping jaws, ready to devour their prey in one gulp!
Shrill screams of panic, cries of alarm, and pleas for help pierced the night sky.
The once vast and dark lake suddenly seemed to be set ablaze, the flames stretching out continuously. From afar, it was a sight that sent shivers down one's spine!
The corridor, though long, was winding and narrow. Once the chaos broke out, everyone scrambled for their lives, trying to avoid the life - threatening and disfiguring sparks.
As the chaos intensified, the pushing and shoving for survival grew even more fierce!
People trampled on each other, pushed each other, and there were constant sounds of people falling into the water and screaming. The entire Lotus Pavilion seemed to be engulfed in a sea of fire.
No one had expected such a thing to happen during the birthday banquet.
Not even Ling Shan.
She had anticipated that something would surely happen tonight, that the birthday banquet would not go smoothly. But she never thought it would be a fireball spell!
Leaving aside the surprise, it was truly life - threatening!
In the chaos, with people jostling about, an unknown and dangerous aura was slowly approaching.
Ling Shan quietly took something out of her sleeve. Ban Chun had originally been standing behind her, but the fireballs exploded so suddenly that the waiting maids couldn't get too close.
In the panic, with people crowding together, Ban Chun couldn't rush to her side in time to protect her.
Amid the pushing and shoving, Ling Shan felt someone quietly approaching her.
The sparks rained down like arrows on the fleeing people, on the surrounding silk curtains, and on the wooden eaves and columns. In an instant, not only the lake was ablaze, but the fire also spread throughout the entire Lotus Pavilion.
The sound of the white jade railings shattering rang out from time to time, and all the noises intertwined, creating a deafening and headache - inducing din.
The tongues of fire, like cold - blooded executioners, devoured everything. In the darkness and the fire, a small but furtive figure quietly crept in a certain direction.
The tongues of fire were fanned by the wind, and a cold glint flashed by quickly.
A pair of eyes hidden in the darkness lit up with a cold smile. The cold glint suddenly appeared.
As if already envisioning the beautiful sight of blood splattering, the figure's lips curled up in a self - satisfied smile.
But before the smile could spread, there was a sudden "puff" sound, and those cold eyes suddenly widened.
The intense pain shattered the emerging joy. The young eunuch looked up in disbelief.
He met a pair of clear, black almond - shaped eyes, now filled with a cold smile.
The eyes sparkled with a light that seemed to penetrate one's heart, exuding a bone - chilling coldness.
Wh... Why?
The look of disbelief in the young eunuch's eyes gradually faded. His lips moved soundlessly, expressing his confusion.
He was so close. He was about to complete his master's order and silently kill this demonic concubine who was like an evil spirit.
But...
He never thought that instead, he would lose his own life!
The dagger in his abdomen was twisted left and right in those gradually coldening almond - shaped eyes. He could feel his body temperature dropping bit by bit.
He was going to die!
Ling Shan's eyes were smiling, but her crimson lips silently uttered a few words. Then she immediately pulled out the dagger and stared coldly as the body fell into the lake.
With a "clank" sound, the dagger with a bluish - cold glint fell to the ground, rolled once with a "dong" sound, and then followed its owner into the water.
Could it be that they had caused such a big commotion just to send a young eunuch to kill her?
Were they just joking around?
Ling Shan didn't believe it.
There must be a greater conspiracy quietly approaching!
In the chaos, Ling Shan didn't even know where she had been pushed to. It was clearly no longer safe to stand on the corridor.
Even most of the main hall of the Lotus Pavilion was engulfed in the fire.
Ling Shan scanned the surroundings warily. Soon, she noticed that the people around her seemed to be subtly pushing her in a certain direction...
Ling Shan looked panicked on the surface, but in her heart, she was quietly thinking.
What would she do if she were them?
The Queen Mother, the Concubine Shu, the other concubines, the royal relatives, and the noble ladies...
Ling Shan's eyes suddenly lit up, twinkling with a restless light.
So this was the plan they had come up with!
They should have said so earlier. Such a good thing, she was more than willing to do it!
There was no need to go through all this trouble with fireballs and dagger assassinations. It was just like taking off one's pants to fart - completely unnecessary.
Among the pushing crowd, a few ordinary - looking maids didn't notice anything wrong at first.
They quietly pushed in the background, and no one noticed in the chaotic crowd.
Until...
They realized that Ling Shan was actually moving faster than them step by step!
Before they could react, the so - called Concubine Zhao had disappeared right in front of their eyes!
The panicked masks of the maids finally showed their true expressions. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with the panic of "it's over".
Ling Shan sneaked behind the only part of the main hall that hadn't been reached by the fire. Through the still relatively intact window, she could just see the Queen Mother, well - protected by the maids and the Concubine Shu.
She also happened to see Yu Shiwei with a look of anxiety between her eyebrows. She quickly sent her a look.
Visibly, the anxiety between Yu Shiwei's eyebrows faded, and her eyes brightened.
Ling Shan's eyebrows curved, and she pointed at the dancing flames.
Yu Shiwei nodded slightly, indicating that she understood.
"Someone, quickly put out the fire!"
Seeing the fire getting bigger and bigger, the maids could feel the heat waves hitting their faces. They couldn't help but be shocked and frightened.
The Lotus Pavilion was by the water, but there were flames everywhere. Some of the waiting maids could swim, but the noble ladies like the Queen Mother and the Concubine Shu couldn't.
The best way would be to jump into the Moon Lake and swim to a safe place, but the maids didn't dare to suggest it.
If anything happened to the Queen Mother's precious body or the bodies of these concubines, it would be a great crime that could implicate the entire family.
"Quick, come and protect the Queen Mother!"
The fire was getting even more intense. On the fiery lake, people's heads popped up from time to time like dumplings, and the sounds of roaring and screaming filled the air.
Countless torches were moving on the shore, accompanied by the sounds of swords, spears, and armor. It was obvious that the guards from the palace had come to rescue the royal family.
The Queen Mother and the others couldn't help but show a relieved smile, as if they had already seen the dawn.
With a soft rustling sound, the wind blew the remaining silk curtains, and all the palace lanterns in the main hall went out. Except for the spreading fire, it instantly became dark.
With a "crack" sound, the burned beam on the opposite side fell with a "bang", raising a cloud of black smoke and dust.
In a corner where no one could see, a graceful and nimble figure quietly approached...
"Something's wrong! The beam is about to collapse!"
"Your Majesty the Queen Mother! Quickly protect Her Majesty!"
"Your Highness, be careful!"
"Your Majesty the Queen Mother!"
Countless cries of alarm rang out again, and the people around the Queen Mother were in a complete mess.
The figure in the darkness slowly extended a sinister foot...