October 25th was a very ordinary day.
But because of Zhang Zhou's fire warning, the palace, especially outside Qingning Palace, was crowded with people at this time, as if facing a huge enemy.
Originally, Dongchang was responsible for this matter, but in the end Li Guang was worried and personally took Chen Xi, Yang Peng and other close eunuchs to Qingning Palace to check the disaster prevention situation.
"Tianshi." When Xiao Jing saw Li Guanglai, he felt happy for no reason.
If you tell the emperor this, and Li Guang says there will be no fire, but is still nervous enough to come and check it in person, then there will be an article.
Li Guang sent Xiao Jing aside.
The power lines of the eunuchs in the palace were clearly defined. Although the eunuchs, such as Si Li, were usually respectful to Li Guang, they did not deal with each other.
Only then did the person in charge of fire prevention at Qingning Palace be called over.
The leader is Zhang Yun, who was born in a hundred households of Jinyiwei. Now he is the fanzi of Dongchang and a close subordinate of Yang Peng.
"Are you all ready?" Li Guang asked.
Zhang Yun said: "Master Tian, don't worry, not even a fly can fly over now."
Yang Peng on the side said coldly: "Do you think I'm going to let you see the prisoners? I'm asking you, are you prepared for fire and disaster prevention?"
Zhang Yun quickly added: "Currently, fifty people are deployed outside Qingning Palace, plus eunuchs who can be called upon at any time. There are nearly a hundred people. There are six large water tanks, and three more are added. The water is all full. The fire dragon The equipment is all ready. The Queen Mother is not here tonight. After nightfall, no fireworks are allowed in the six palaces around Qingning Palace. Anyone who lights a fuse will be captured on the spot..."
After hearing Zhang Yun's explanation, Chen Xi said to Li Guang: "Master Li, do you think this preparation is okay?"
"Yeah." Li Guang nodded slightly.
Zhang Yun smiled and said: "Don't worry, no matter what, we won't be able to start this fire today."
After a round of inspection, Li Guang felt that it was almost done. When he wanted to leave, he did not forget to call Yang Peng and Zhang Yun over.
"Listen carefully, if there is a real possibility of a fire starting tonight, and we arrest people, whether intentionally or unintentionally, we will torture them and make them confess that they received money from Zhang Gongsheng outside the palace and came to set fire to the palace. But Do you know?"
"understand."
You don't need Li Guang to teach you about frame-up, everyone in the palace will do this.
Chen Xi also helped by saying, "It seems that Zhang Gongsheng is doomed."
Li Guang glared at him and said, "What do you mean, there will definitely be a fire tonight?"
"No, no." Chen Xi hurriedly explained, "It's just because I didn't speak carefully. How could that person have the strength to set the palace on fire?"
But I felt something was wrong. I just said that if there was a fire, I would pull Zhang Zhou out. If everyone thinks that Zhang Zhou is not capable of causing the palace to catch fire... then it will not be easy to turn around.
…
…
Just when Li Guang led people to inspect the fire prevention progress of Qingning Palace.
Zhu Youtang was also listening to Xiao Jing's report in Qianqing Palace.
"This Li Guang kept saying that there would be no leakage, why did he go to check? Is it just because he was responsible?" Zhu Youtang also became suspicious after hearing Xiao Jing's truthful report.
Xiao Jing said: "I also heard that Eunuch Li ordered to send more people to Qingning Palace tonight, and also sent his capable subordinates to wait there. There are also people who say... or they are going to make that false accusation... A frame-up."
Zhu Youtang interrupted Xiao Jing's words: "There's no need to talk about what I heard about catching wind and catching shadows. It's getting late, and I have to go to Kunning Palace. You should keep an eye on me tonight."
"yes."
Xiao Jing originally thought he had a chance to criticize Li Guang.
Only now did he realize that without this fire, Li Guang's image in the emperor's mind would not have been damaged.
…
…
At night.
Everything in the palace was peaceful.
Zhu Youtang and his family, including Empress Zhang, Zhu Houzhao, Zhu Xiurong, and even Empress Zhang's old mother, Mrs. Jin, who usually stayed in the palace for a few days, were invited to Kunning Palace early. The three generations had a dinner together. , and then went to the palace to rest with the queen.
The emperor who upheld the monogamy system, Kunning Palace was the inner residence of Zhu Youtang. Many of the palaces and pavilions originally prepared for the concubines were almost abandoned and in disrepair.
The couple slept until midnight when there was a noise outside.
"His Majesty……"
The maid in charge of serving the night went to the Feng couch and risked being punished by the emperor and empress to wake up Zhu Youtang.
"What's the matter?"
Zhu Youtang sat up and looked at the harried palace maid.
The palace maid knelt down and said: "Eunuch Xiao, the Superintendent of Ceremonies, is outside asking for an audience. He said that something happened in Qingning Palace..."
"Um?"
Zhu Youtang almost jumped off the bed. He didn't even bother to put on his clothes. He only had the single clothes underneath and no boots on, so he ran out of the palace.
Empress Zhang hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, get dressed. It's cold outside... What are you guys doing? Help Your Majesty change your clothes!"
"Yes, yes, get dressed."
Zhu Youtang may not have slept well, or he may have been frightened. He was also a little distracted, and his breathing was uneven when he spoke.
…
…
Now Kunning Palace was also busy.
Zhu Youtang put his clothes on randomly, and Queen Zhang and the maid next to him helped.
At this time, Xiao Jing had been summoned to Kunning Palace, and he knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly, thinking that he would atone for his "dereliction of duty".
"What's going on?"
Zhu Youtang was so angry that his breath was not smooth again, but this time he did not cough.
The energy seems to be stronger than before.
Xiao Jing said with a sad look on his face: "Qingning Palace... has gone missing."
Zhu Youtang grabbed a hollow jade pillow on the side and threw it at Xiao Jing, but he missed it and didn't hit anyone.
Zhu Youtang was filled with anger and shouted: "How can it still cause a fire if you are so defensive?"
Xiao Jing cried and said: "Your Majesty, calm down, the dragon body is important. This fire, Lao Nu and others really can't guard against it...it's...it's heavenly fire!"
"ah?"
When Zhu Youtang heard this, he was also dumbfounded.
Queen Zhang, who was standing next to her, was helping her husband tie his belt and said, "What kind of sky fire? Don't talk nonsense!"
Xiao Jing continued to cry sadly: "Everything was prepared outside Qingning Palace, but a bolt of lightning struck Chi Qiu in Qingning Palace, and then the beams caught fire. Even with the fire dragon water gun, it couldn't hit that high, so it could only We are watching the fire getting bigger and bigger, and the fire fighting... is still continuing."
After hearing this, Zhu Youtang knew that he could no longer blame anyone.
He murmured to himself: "Everything he said was right, everything he said was right..."
Empress Zhang comforted her: "Your Majesty, hasn't the Empress Dowager moved to Renshou Palace? I hope everything is fine."
"Yes, yes, as long as everything is fine."
Zhu Youtang had finished dressing at this time, and he walked out with Xiao Jing as if he was in a trance. From a distance, he saw that the sky in the west was still bright.
Clearly the fire has not been put out.
It is estimated that it cannot be extinguished before it burns out.
"How many palaces were burned?" Zhu Youtang asked.
Xiao Jing said: "The east and west halls, as well as the three small palaces in the back... are all implicated. Fortunately, there is no wind tonight."
"No wind, no wind..."
Zhu Youtang still hadn't recovered from the shock after hearing about the fire. He was just talking mechanically about what he heard.
At this moment, Dai Yi also came in a hurry and knelt down when he saw Zhu Youtang.
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager sent someone to send a message, asking you to come over."
"Ah? Grandma Huang also knows?"
Zhu Youtang originally wanted to tell the Empress Dowager about this matter until the next day, so as not to scare the Empress Dowager Zhou and disturb the old man's rest.
But Queen Mother Zhou was not careless. After all, Qingning Palace was where she lived, equivalent to her own house. Even if she temporarily moved to another place, she would still pay attention to the situation in Qingning Palace that night.
Xiao Jing asked for instructions: "Your Majesty, the fire is dangerous, you should not get close."
This means that if the fire is not put out yet, why go to the fire scene? It was more important to appease the Queen Mother.
"Yes, yes, show off at Renshou Palace!"
As Zhu Youtang was speaking, there was a sudden "bang" of thunder in the air, which seemed to happen directly above his head. The sound was so loud, and Zhu Youtang was unprepared.
This sound almost caused him to lose his balance and collapse to the ground.
As the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Youtang seemed to feel the power of divine punishment for the first time.
There is probably nothing in the world that the emperor fears, only God's will.
"Your Majesty!" Xiao Jing and Dai Yi both rushed to help.
"I'm fine. I'll go to Renshou Palace and call in more people to put out the fire quickly. Then... nothing will happen again. Is this all God's will?"
