 In 654, when Emperor Gaozong was visiting the vacation palace Wannian Palace (, in modern Baoji, Shaanxi), there was a major storm.On the night of June 22, it rained particularly hard, and a flash flood descended on the Xuanwu Gate of Wannian Palace.The imperial guards all fled, but Xue did not, and instead climbed up the gate and yelled loudly inside the palace to warn the emperor.