Li Qinglin was not a deity. No matter how much he calculated, he still overlooked one crucial matter. Or perhaps, his thoughts simply did not extend in that direction at all.
The blazing fire array was located in the outer palace, but once the fire began, it would inevitably spread to the inner palace. The soldiers of the Western Wilderness were not all clustered in the outer palace square; they had long since been scattered throughout the important routes by the darkness of the underworld. As the fire erupted, leftover troops rushed inward, indulging in slaughter and plunder.
The palace guards could not withstand these remnant soldiers from the Western Wilderness. In fact, many of the palace guards, female attendants, and consorts were unaware of Li Qinglin's plans. As they witnessed the fall of Li Huo City and the fire engulfing the palace, their first reaction was one of despair, thinking, "It's all over; the kingdom is finished." Thus, they began to seize treasures within the palace and flee.
If nothing unexpected occurred, all of Li Qinglin's loved ones would die in this calamity, including his only child who couldn't be saved.