The sun's rays have begun to appear on the eastern horizon, along with the disappearance of the sounds that come from the night animals.

The smell of wet earth in the morning carried by the wind immediately spread in all directions, refreshing everyone's thoughts and feelings.

​​

Fu Xie Lan who was accompanied by Gu Yi was still standing next to the old man who was still unconscious.

Although she still feels a little hatred for her father, seeing him hurt like this, whose child's heart has the heart?

"Where are you going, Queen?" Gu Yi asked when he saw the girl was about to leave.

"Perhaps we should return to the palace. Today the competition will start," Fu Xie Lan replied.

"And your father?"

"There are Qiao and Lim. Let the two of them take care of him," she said again.

Not because she has the heart, it's just that her affairs in the royal palace have not been completed. If she doesn't get it done now, she doesn't know what else threatens her in the future.

And again, if indeed her father was also a victim of the false emperor, then she must return the imperial throne to the real emperor, her father.

***

Fu Xie Lan and Gu Yi returned to the palace, the atmosphere that should have been lively cause the competition was about to start today seemed so quiet.

Back in her room, in front of the door, there was already Wan Lie, Ju Xian, and Xue Ning waiting in front of the room.

This time, Fu Xie Lan and Gu Yi did not go through the window.

.

.

While on the other hand, looking at the two people, Wan Lie's brow furrowed.

"Where from, Xie Lan?" Xue Ning asked first.

"What are you doing here?" Fu Xie Lan asked ignoring Xue Ning's question.

"Shouldn't you be prepared? Soon the competition will start," she continued.

"There is no competition today, Xie Lan," said Wan Lie.

"Huh?"

"The royal family is grieving," explained Wan Lie.

"And the sad news is from the Dhong family, everyone knows that most of the palace officials are from the Dhong family," Xue Ning replied.

"It is said that the sons of the Dhong family were found dead in the forest of the Zu kingdom. Not just one, but all five."

"Not only that, but last night the royal prisoner also escaped," Xue Ning added again.

Immediately Fu Xie Lan turned her head for a moment towards Gu Yi who was right next to her.

"Then?"

"The competition has been postponed until the palace conditions are conducive, you know many participants were also injured from last night's incident," Xue Ning explained at length.

Fu Xie Lan was silent for a moment, it meant that she had a good chance.

The girl then stepped into her room, of course, followed by the other.

Closing the door, the girl then spoke again, "Do you guys still find light bulbs at night?"

Wan Lie, Ju Xian, and Xue Ning shook their heads in unison.

Seeing their response, Fu Xie Lan nodded. Her guess that's right, the wine that everyone didn't have time to consume contained something that could trigger the ball of light to appear.

"Well, this is a good opportunity to destroy the tower," she said then.

"But, Xie Lan..."

"The palace is busy, and also before the emperor thinks that the tower will be destroyed, we must move first.

"When?"

"Isn't it better now?"

"Uh, but..."

"The tower doesn't appear during the day," Gu Yi suddenly cut off their conversation.

Suddenly all eyes turned to him.

"Huh? What does that mean?"

"If you want to destroy it, do it at night," said the man again.

"How do you know?"

"Trust me."

"Besides, it won't do me any good to lie to you guys," he added.

"No, it's not that we don't believe it. But how do you know?"

Gu Yi just shrugged his shoulders, seeming reluctant to answer.

"So what are we going to do today?" Xue Ning asked.

"You didn't hear the notification earlier that no one is allowed to leave the moon pavilion."

"That means we can only move around this pavilion," said Ju Xian suddenly joining in.

"What's your plan, Xie Lan?" Wan Lie asked after they were silent for a few seconds.

"I'm not sure this will work but I want to try it," said the girl.

"Tell me, what is it?"

***

It doesn't feel like it's already noon, even though it doesn't feel hot at all. The sky that had been bright turned dark in an instant. Scattered black clouds shielded the people from the sun's rays.

The wind blew, blowing everyone's hair, tickling the neck, giving off a cool sensation.

Fu Xie Lan decided to take a walk around the moon pavilion, enjoying the shade of the midday air. Followed by Gu Yi who was always by her side.

"Perhaps the one who spread the news is out of her mind."

"Right, how could there be a wizard in this world? What an absurd joke."

"Maybe they thought we'd believe in children's story like that."

Faintly, Fu Xie Lan's sense of hearing heard the conversations of several people she passed.

Walking further, the sounds that reached her senses come and out of control came from all directions.

"Fake Emperor?"

"What's with this message?"

"The prisoner who escaped was the real emperor?"

"Black witch?"

"Ignore the message. Maybe it's just a child's story that was misdirected."

"But it's written in blood. Take a look!" said another man to his friend while showing a message with writing written in blood.

"If there is such a thing as a witch, then I am a fairy, hahaha," replied another refusing to believe.

Those were the conversations that the girl overheard.

Currently, those who inhabit the moon pavilion mostly come out to enjoy the air during the day, only around the pavilion to a predetermined extent.

Hey, I also received this message. Look!"

One girl shouted to two other friends. Her voice was so loud that she immediately became the center of attention.

"There is a black witch in this palace?" she read it out loud.

"No kidding!" another sarcasm.

"See, is writing written in blood a joke? Even I can still smell the fishy smell in this scroll," the woman said as she brought the scroll to her nose.

"That's probably the work of someone who just wants to terrorize others before the competition starts," replied one of the men who were with the woman.

"No, no. isn't this message so realistic?"

"Realistic from where? There are no witches in this world."

"Then who screwed up the welcoming party last night?"

"It was just a natural accident."

"Huh, do accidents caused by nature also have rules? Just look at it, only the welcoming place was affected, while the other places still looked fine. It's like it's been arranged."

"Don't babble."

"No, I'm serious. I did hear about witches from my grandparents before they died they exist and are real, just they don't show themselves."

"You'd better go back to your room, your brain needs a break."

"No! I'm scared. What if witches exist? I don't want to die."

"Stop talking nonsense!" snapped the man beside her with a loud voice.

The three of them are Wan Lie, Xue Ning, and Ju Xian.