If this had been any time before, Zhang Dequan would have already been trembling on his knees, begging for forgiveness.
However, he noticed that ever since Noble Consort had entered the palace, His Majesty's temper had become much gentler.
At least, it had been about ten days since someone was last executed, and the atmosphere in the palace was decidedly livelier, with the palace maids and eunuchs no longer wearing expressions of utter despair. Heaven knows what a great improvement this was!
So Zhang Dequan first slapped his own mouth, then immediately squeezed out an obsequious smile, "Look at me with my big mouth, not knowing how to speak properly. What I meant to say was, the Noble Consort, being a young girl who has not long been in the palace, must have been frightened staying in such a gloomy place for so long without having seen Your Majesty. Why not go see her, just to put her at ease?"
Si Chu squinted, staring at him expressionlessly for a while before finally speaking, "I didn't realize you, a fool good only for flattery, could actually be of some use."
Zhang Dequan then knew he had bet correctly, and his smile grew even more resplendent.
As expected, the next second he saw His Majesty stand up, strut around in the hall pretending to be indifferent, "Since she so desires to see Us, We might as well go take a look."
His brows furrowed with impatience, "Women are such a nuisance."
With that, he no longer hesitated and walked out, his stride betraying no sign of reluctance.
Zhang Dequan hurriedly followed with a beaming smile, and just as they stepped outside, they saw Yun Zhi running over in a hurry. Zhang Dequan exclaimed in surprise, his smile intensifying, "Isn't this a coincidence? His Majesty was just thinking of the Consort, and here she is sending someone to look for His Majesty..."
However, Si Chu sensed something amiss and ignored Zhang Dequan's brown-nosing, stepping forward with a frosty demeanor, "What's the matter?"
Yun Zhi opened her mouth in surprise, thinking she hadn't even started speaking when His Majesty asked her, but she reacted quickly, fell to her knees, pinched her thigh hard, and with tear-filled eyes wailed pitifully, "Your Majesty, I beg of you, please go save my master, she's in trouble... Your..."
Yun Zhi hadn't finished speaking when she felt a gust of wind rush by her, turning her head in astonishment only to see a figure consumed by furious wrath.
Yun Zhi: ...?
Wait, wasn't she supposed to finish her lines?!
Zhang Dequan, frustrated, pulled her up, his expression anxious, "Girl, quickly tell me what exactly has happened?"
——
From afar, Si Chu could see the Buddhist Hall ablaze with fire reaching to the sky, people stumbling over each other as they ran with water buckets shouting, "There's a fire!"
He was running at a remarkable speed, his breath turbulent, but it only took him a few moments to arrive.
The towering structure looked like a monster bathed in flames, with timbers and ruins collapsing continuously, the fire fierce and daunting!
The palace attendants, seeing his grim, reaper-like visage, knelt down in terror, not daring to breathe a word.
"Where is the Noble Consort?" Si Chu clenched his fists, his voice chillingly calm.
For a moment, no one dared to respond.
Si Chu roughly grabbed a nearby eunuch by the collar, his fierce gaze forcing the words out one by one, "I, ask, you, where, is, the, Noble, Consort?"
The Little Eunuch's face was pale, his voice trembling, "She's, she's still inside..."
Si Chu's eyes turned bloodshot, and without another word, he flung the eunuch aside and headed straight for the inferno.
Someone shouted in terror, trying to stop him, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, this must not be done! Your dragon's health is paramount... Your Majesty..."
Upon seeing a lock hanging on the door, Si Chu's expression shifted from shock to extreme horror!
His eyes filled with an alarming ferocity, and with a forceful kick, he repelled the person several steps away.
With another violent kick he broke through the door, his cold voice echoing in everyone's ears, now tinged with an eerie hint of amusement—
"If anything happens to the Noble Consort, all of you will go down to accompany her in death!"
Everyone shuddered with fear and trepidation.
"Smash"
The door, barely clinging to its hinges, finally gave way under the strain, revealing the scene inside.