The Empress Dowager's condition fluctuated from time to time, and gradually improved in the summer.

The weather was getting hotter and hotter, Yuan Jing took a group of concubines and courtiers and moved to the summer palace in the north.

In the early morning of early June, the mighty convoy set off from Capital City and traveled for two full days and one night before arriving in the palace.

The Summer Palace is built at the foot of Xiangshan Mountain, next to the mountain and beside the water, it is cool and pleasant.

Surrounded by royal manors, there are a variety of delicacies and fresh fruits and vegetables.

This afternoon, Wu Jie was sitting in the gazebo, holding half a watermelon, digging with a silver spoon to eat, very refreshing.

The watermelon has been in the well water for most of the day, and it tastes cold and sweet.

The days in the Summer Palace are very leisurely, especially the days when Yuan Jing is not seen.

Recently, the Yelan Country's rebel party has made trouble in the western territory, and many have sneaked into the Central Plains. The affairs of the DPRK and China were busy, and Yuan Jing did not come to the harem for several days.

Thinking back to the previous life, Yelan Country was conscripted by Yuan Jing's imperial driver and won the first battle, where did all these nonsense come from. Rebirth of oneself, one hair will affect the whole body, and many things will really be changed.

After a few heavy rains, it will soon be the Ghost Festival.

According to the customs of the Northern Wei Dynasty, this day is a time for worshiping ancestors and praying for blessings, as well as the custom of putting lights on the river.

The imperial mausoleum is on Taiping Mountain to the west of the Summer Palace. It is impossible for Yuan Jing to be absent from such a major event. Early in the morning, Yu Jia took the Queen Mother, all the concubines and officials of the Ministry of Rites to the foot of the imperial mausoleum, and offered sacrifices according to the etiquette. After a whole day of busy work, in the evening, the Empress Dowager was impatient and took the elderly clan and ministers of civil and military affairs back to the palace. And Yuan Jing brought his concubines and officials of the Ministry of Rites to Lihu Lake in the north, where they set off blessing lamps.

On the shore of the lake, more than a dozen long corridors with tens of meters into the water were built early, each of which was more than several feet wide. use.

One of the corridors is naturally dedicated to the royal family. Yuan Jing boarded with all the concubines.

Everyone chose the lamps they wanted on the table case, and there were pens, ink, paper and inkstone on the table case. They could write down their blessing wishes in the lamp lamps, and then lit them and put them in the lake, drifting along the water.

Wu Jie chose a light-colored lotus lamp, and wrote words such as "peace" and "smoothness" on the pink silk petals.

Looking up at the concubines next to her, Lin Zhaoyuan was contemplating, as if she was about to come up with a poem, while Li Chongrong wrote small script with hairpin flowers all over the Avalokitesvara lamp, and she didn't know what to pray for. Concubine Hongshu has prepared seven or eight lamps in one go, all of which are the most delicate and unique, and is writing one by one.

Empress Gao didn't come with her when she went out this time, and she complained of illness in the past few days.

In the current palace, as long as Empress Dowager Hong falls ill, Empress Gao will definitely fall ill at the same time.

Even if there is no shame on the surface, the two sides are already as cold as ice. From the fight between the two, Wu Jie once again realized the benefits of a strong background, not because she was born in Lingbei Gao family, Empress Gao would not dare to disobey the Queen Mother in the name of being unfilial.

The night wind blew past, Wu Jie looked around, and there was a piece of darkness between the sky and the earth.

Lihu Lake is the largest lake in the northern part of Capital City, with a mighty inclination and pleasant scenery. It was night now, and the whole lake gave birth to a gloomy coolness.

The area on the bank was brightly lit and crowded with people. There were two or three thousand people including the royal driver and the accompanying nobles of the clan, officials of the Ministry of Rites, soldiers and horses of the guards, and servants of the palace.

But placed on the side of this far-reaching mountain, beside the mighty lake, it is just a drop in the ocean.

A feeling of vicissitudes and desolation couldn't help rushing into her heart. She gathered the cloak around her shoulders, her eyes froze suddenly, and she saw a familiar figure on the left corridor.

Gao Zimo was standing on the side, leaning on the wooden railing, looking over here.

When their eyes met, Wu Jie immediately lowered her head and stared at the lamp in her hand. But could feel that Gao Zimo still didn't look back.

Wu Jie was helpless, it happened that Concubine Hongshu and the others had already fixed the lamps and were ready to set them off in front. Wu Jie simply followed their footsteps.

When she came to the edge of the lake, a little eunuch stepped forward and helped her light the candle inside with a torch.

Wu Jie randomly found a place and placed the lotus lantern on the water.

When the lamp enters the water, it is like a small boat, swaying towards the dark distance. As the emperor and the empresses began to light up the lamps, on the corridors on both sides, some following honorable clansmen also started to move.

Soon, the floating lanterns on the lake began to increase, and the stars were dotted, as if floating above the dark night sky, which was too beautiful to behold. Many lamps are intertwined. Soon Wu Jie couldn't find the one she put on.

She stood on the edge of the promenade, clasped her hands, and prayed silently, hoping that her father, mother and concubine are safe and healthy, that her younger sister grows up happily, that the situation of Dongyue will be smooth, that the people will be happy and that there will be no wars.

After some prayers, Wu Jie opened her eyes.

Just as a gust of wind blew by, everyone's clothes were flying.

Some of the lamps on the lake were also scattered and drifted by the blowing, and even turned over and fell on the lake.

Such a lamp should be extinguished quickly, but the strange thing is that not only did the lamp not go out, but a ball of light exploded instead.

Wu Jie's eyes widened suddenly, when the lamps fell on the water, it looked like sparks fell on the dry haystack, and flames burst into flames in an instant.

And the flames seemed to be alive, and quickly spread across the water.

oil on water

Wu Jie came to her senses in an instant, but it was already a step too late. The fallen lamp ignited the water surface, and the spreading flame ignited more lamps, but within two breaths, the entire surface of the lake was full of flames. .

Harsh screams sounded, and it was the people who had set off the lamps in the corridor and fled in all directions, screaming and screaming.

The flame was so abrupt and fierce, as if a huge karmic fire red lotus suddenly bloomed, surrounding the huge lakeshore.

Everyone was stunned. They had seen a fire, but they had never seen a fire on the lake.

The imperial guards guarding the shore rushed forward with fire, trying to rescue everyone. But because the fire was too big, he was stopped.

The long corridor made of wood can't stand such a fire, and it will even become a material for further combustion.

Soon the flames rushed up along the railings on both sides and spread to the corridor. The entire corridor was surrounded by fire, and there were screams everywhere.

And the center of the fire was the corridor where Yuan Jing led all the concubines.

Yuan Jing walked forward quickly. He was proficient in martial arts. He said it was a long corridor, but it was actually not far from the shore. He could have leaped out directly. Naturally, there were guards from the opposite bank to meet him in midair, but he didn't leave immediately.

He turned around and grabbed the nearest Concubine Hongshu, and threw it to the shore with all his strength. Concubine Hongshu screamed, and the whole person flew over the lake, but the promenade was too far away from the lake. Seeing that the flight was halfway, Concubine Hongshu was about to fall into the burning water. She screamed in horror, at this moment, a black snake-like whip sprang up from the opposite bank, wrapping around her waist.

It was the masters of the Forbidden Army who succeeded in responding.

Then Yuan Jing turned around, Li Chongrong and Wu Jie were standing right behind him, Yuan Jing didn't hesitate at all, grabbed Wu Jie's collar and pulled her to her eyes.

However, before he could throw it out, suddenly his feet shook, and a stream of flames rushed up, leaping to a height of three or two feet.

Yuan Jing could only retreat, and the little eunuchs on the long corridor screamed and fell into the flames one after another. More were touched by the flames, screaming miserably.

At the same time, another variable arises.

Countless sharp long knives protruded from the bottom of the deck and pierced into the bodies of several young eunuchs, causing a burst of screams.

Dozens of figures emerged from the bottom of the lake in the darkness.

Like water ghosts that came out of the lake, they were all black and smooth, and they were not afraid of the flames. They rushed into the corridor and slashed at the survivors.

Immediately, ghosts and wolves were howling everywhere, and the promenade that was originally full of flames turned into a hell of bloody killings.

"There are assassins"

There were screams all around.

The focus of the siege was obviously Yuan Jing.

However, Yuan Jing did not carry a weapon when offering the lantern today, so he was at a disadvantage in two or three moves against the sword with his bare hands.

Apart from a few concubines, there are only dozens of eunuchs and maids serving in the corridor.

At the very moment, a black rope pierced through the wall of flames and charged in.

It was a master of the Forbidden Army who braved the fire and rushed to the center of the corridor, threw out a long whip, wrapped it tightly around Yuan Jing's waist, and then threw it out forcefully.

The lives of everyone here are not as important as Yuan Jing alone.

Yuan Jing didn't have time to say anything, so he could only cooperate with the opponent's strength and leap into the air,

At the same time, two or three ropes from the imperial army continued to stretch out, facing the concubines who were trapped at the end of the corridor. The lives of these nobles are naturally the most important thing.

One of the ropes was flying towards Wu Jie. Seeing that the rope is in front of him.

Li Chongrong, who was standing beside her, suddenly took a step back, not only intentionally or unintentionally, but bumped into Wu Jie's shoulder.

The rope suddenly fell into the air. At the same moment, Li Chongrong met the rope flying towards him, and left the hell that was about to sink.

Wu Jie staggered back.

The black-clothed assassin had already killed most of the eunuchs and court ladies, and he was pressing harder and harder.

Surrounded by rising flames, the wooden corridor creaked cruelly, about to collapse.

The forbidden army on the opposite side couldn't support it either, so they could only retreat. As most of the masters on the corridor were rescued, the guards on the other side began to shoot arrows at the assassins. The number of assassins was not many, and the leather clothes that could resist the flames obviously could not resist the bows and arrows, and they fell down one after another soon.

But before the assassin died, it was the promenade under his feet.

There was a continuous sound of collapse, and the pillars under the corridor were the first to fail.

Wu Jie gritted her teeth, turned around and ran towards the lake.

His life was at stake, so he had to go into the water. The kerosene only floated on the water, and there was still water under the flames.

Rushing to the edge, she chose a place where the flames were weak, covered her head and face with the torn tablecloth, gritted her teeth and jumped into the water.

Seeing her fall into the water. On the opposite side, Gao Zimo's eyes tightened, and he was almost slashed in the shoulder by the killer's long knife. He gritted his teeth and jumped down.

As the killer threatened, the flames rose. Not only Wu Jie, but also those who were trapped on the corridor, more and more chose to dive to escape, and of course more people fell into the water helplessly.

The hot feeling of the flame was only a moment, and it quickly fell into the cold water. Although it is midsummer, the lake is still very cold. Wu Jie desperately moved her arms and legs, and began to swim far away.

Fortunately, I learned to swim in Zhuangzi when I was a child.

Quickly regaining her senses, Wu Jie didn't dare to choose the direction of the shore, for fear that there might be assassins lurking in the lake.

She swam towards the distance in one breath, reckoning that she was beyond the coverage of the kerosene, and she also reached the limit of holding her breath, and began to float up.

Finally, her mouth and nose came out of the water, and she breathed in the fresh air, watching the flames still burning in the distance, screaming and killing one after another, she was considered to have escaped a catastrophe.

Looking at the surrounding scene, she decisively chose a sparsely populated shore to swim there.

Before exhaustion, he finally climbed onto the grass on the bank. Wu Jie lay on the ground without any manner at all.

Soon she was up again. Drenched and embarrassed. I can't lie here and blow the cold wind, I will be seriously ill.

It is necessary to find a place to hide as soon as possible, or hurry to the shore to join the soldiers and horses stationed.

She stood up and was about to leave, when suddenly out of the corner of her eye, she saw the ups and downs of the lake, shining with a strange luster.

is a person

Wu Jie hesitated for a moment, it should be the palace servant who escaped just now. After he jumped down, many court ladies and eunuchs also jumped down.

Unable to leave him alone, she jumped into the lake, dragged and dragged, and dragged the unlucky guy who had been flooded with a lot of water to the shore.

When turned it over, was stunned. It turned out to be Gao Zimo.

The boy's delicate eyebrows were tightly closed, and his legs were still twitching.

Wu Jie immediately understood that he just swam halfway and suffered from leg cramps. Fortunately, he was almost at the shore, so he flopped here.

Wu Jie laid him down and listened carefully to his heartbeat and breathing. It was very weak, and the choking should have been serious.

She recalled going to the beach with her father before, and the old boatman on the boat mentioned that a severely drowned person had weak breathing and needed to press his chest to spit out water, so he started to move quickly.

After tossing and tossing for a while, finally Gao Zimo's body trembled, Wu Jie was overjoyed, and helped him to turn his body sideways.

After spitting out a few mouthfuls of water, Gao Zimo gradually regained consciousness.

Wu Jie supported him to sit still, and asked in a low voice, "How do you feel?"

Gao Zimo was not fully awake at the beginning, and it took a while to recognize Wu Jie as "Girl Purple Anise"

Wu Jie nodded, "I saw you floating on the water, so I dragged you up."

Gao Zimo said with a smile, "Thank you for saving my life, Miss. I also jumped into the water to escape just now. I didn't expect to swim together."

Wu Jie didn't speak, she knew very well that Gao Zimo's martial arts were not bad, and the focus of the flames was on the promenade where Yuan Jing was. .

Seeing that Gao Zimo was coughing continuously, Wu Jie quickly helped him up, spit out a few more spits, and stood up while supporting the stone beside him.

His eyes fell on Wu Jie, then he turned his head away suddenly, and said in a low voice, "Let's go back quickly."

Wu Jie looked down, Xia Tian was already dressed thinly, and she was drenched all over again, and the thin moonlight silk dress was tightly attached to her body, which was a bit embarrassing.

The cloak was thrown away after falling into the water, and it could not cover it at this time. Fortunately, Gao Zimo is still a gentleman.

Wu Jie originally wanted to go back quickly, but after thinking about it, it was inappropriate for the two of them to go back together. Moreover, Gao Zimo's legs and feet were cramped, and he was unable to walk long distances.

A gust of cool wind blew by, and Wu Jie sneezed a series of times.

"I have fire pockets on me." Gao Zimo immediately said, "Let's find a place sheltered from the wind and rest for a while. The imperial army has taken care of the assassins. If necessary, they will search the vicinity and they will come soon."

After thinking about it, Wu Jie could only agree to this plan.

Walking back like this by myself is no different from being naked, not to mention ruining my reputation, I'm afraid I will have a serious illness. And if you encounter assassins who come out, you will lose your life.

Avoid Gao Zimo for a while, at worst, they will separate after drying the clothes, pretending to meet by chance.