Chapter 294 The Lively Scene at the Doorstep

"The fire started in the cell where Li Yongfeng and Li Yao were staying; the straw in the cell had been smeared with alcohol."

Someone lit some straw, and the fire quickly spread, burning down five or six prison cells.

Erfeng said, "The Dali Temple concluded that Li Yongfeng and his son Li Yao committed suicide by setting fire to their home out of fear of punishment."

Shen Cong's brows furrowed slightly.

Li Nanke blurted it out.

"Impossible. When my father and I visited him in prison yesterday, Li Yao was terrified and afraid of dying. It's impossible that he would set himself on fire."

Li Yongfeng's demeanor seemed strange; he appeared completely unafraid of death, as if he were certain he wouldn't die.

Shen Cong seemed to be deep in thought.

"Assuming the two men set themselves on fire, where did they get the tinderbox and the alcohol?"

Erfeng said, "Last night was the first day of the Lunar New Year. The yamen runners on night duty prepared some snacks and drank some wine."

Because it was during the Lunar New Year, the adults turned a blind eye and did not do anything to stop it.

The constables said they were drunk, and Li Yongfeng stole their wine and spilled it on the straw. When his subordinates returned, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was thoroughly investigating the matter.

Shen Cong sneered.

"How absurd! That is the dungeon of the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, where serious criminals of the court are always imprisoned. The prison is made of blue bricks."

With iron gates guarded, how could a prisoner have managed to walk out of the dungeon and steal the guards' wine?

Erfeng nodded in agreement.

"I think so too, so I carefully observed the yamen runners on duty last night, and I can conclude that some of them were pretending to be drunk."

You can tell the difference between someone who's truly hungover and someone who's faking it. Although that constable tried hard to appear hungover, his eyes didn't look like it.

Shen Cong said, "So that constable was either an arsonist who deliberately set fire to Li Yongfeng and his son, killing them."

Or...

He paused, then looked at Li Nanke.

Li Nanke's heart skipped a beat, and he interjected, "Or he's Li Yongfeng's accomplice, using arson to help Li Yongfeng escape unscathed!"

Shen Cong gave her a deep look, his eyes brightening slightly.

Li Nanke didn't notice and looked up to ask Erfeng.

"Uncle Erfeng, when you came back, was my father still at the Dali Temple?"

Erfeng shook his head.

"The Dali Temple invited Lord Li to go and explain the situation and identify the body, but the body was charred, so what could be identified?"

When I returned, Lord Li had already left.

"Is Bai San Niang alright?"

Erfeng shook his head.

"The fire started from Li Yongfeng's cell and spread to the right. Bai Sanniang's cell was also on fire."

But the spread was too late, and she was rescued.

When I rushed back, I encountered the Chen family's carriage. I heard that the head of the Chen family had gone to the capital and had already taken people to the Dali Temple.

Shen Cong said, "What a coincidence? Li Yongfeng just burned to death, and the head of the Chen family has already come to the capital?"

Now that Li Yongfeng and Li Yao are dead, if Bai Sanniang pins everything on them, the Chen family will have to pay some bail money.

Bai San Niang was then able to escape from the Dali Temple dungeon.

Li Nanke blinked.

"Too many coincidences are no longer coincidences. If we follow Ninth Brother's earlier speculation, Li Yongfeng has connections with officials in the imperial court."

So it's not impossible that they hired someone to help them set the fire and escape.

Shen Cong nodded and stood up.

"I need to prepare to go to the palace. This matter involves many things, and I must report to my elder brother as soon as possible."

Li Nanke also got up to say goodbye.

"What I just talked about with Ninth Brother..."

Shen Cong pondered for a moment, then nodded.

"I'll do as you say, but I have a condition."

"Ninth Brother, you speak."

"I'll arrange the people."

Li Nanke readily agreed and then left with Nangong Qiang.

The carriage stopped some distance from the Marquis of Anping's residence, and the driver's voice could be heard outside.

"Miss, there are a lot of people gathered at the entrance of the Marquis's mansion, and our carriage can't get through."

Li Nanke peeked out to look ahead.

Sure enough, there were layers upon layers of people surrounding the entrance to the Marquis of Anping's residence.

Her heart sank slightly as she stepped down from the carriage.

"Master Nangong, let's go over there and see what's going on."

Nangong Qiang nodded expressionlessly, quickened her pace, and reached out to make way for Li Nanke, allowing her to pass smoothly through the crowd.

A mournful cry came from the crowd.

"Damn it, how are we, a widow and her orphan, supposed to survive now?!"

Li Nanke walked through the crowd, stopped, and saw Sun Shi, dressed in plain white, holding Li Zhenxuan's left hand and Li Xinyou's right hand.

She was kneeling at the entrance of the Marquis's mansion, weeping and wailing.

“The child’s father has been burned to death. When a person dies, it’s like a lamp going out. No matter what he did wrong, we beg the Marquis and his wife to have pity on us for the sake of our past brotherhood.”

More than half a year had passed since they last met, and Madam Sun had clearly lost a lot of weight, her chin becoming very thin, indicating that life away from the Marquis of Anping's residence was not easy.

Her tearful appearance at this moment caused a stir among the surrounding people.

"I heard that the Marquis of Anping, oh no, I should call the previous Marquis of Anping, and the Second Young Master Li have both been expelled from the family genealogy."

"That happened yesterday. I heard that the father and son were burned to death at Dali Temple last night."

"I heard that the father and son wanted to set off fireworks containing kerosene at the Rainbow Bridge, and many people were almost killed. If you ask me, people like that deserved to die! Bah!"

"It's just pitiful for this widow and her children. It's very difficult for a young woman to raise two children."

"Yes, she probably came to the Marquis's residence wanting some money, right?"

Hearing the surrounding whispers, Madam Sun cried even harder.

"I am just a woman, and I really have no way to support my two children. Please, Lord Marquis and Madam, give us a way to survive."

As she spoke, she pushed the two children in a wheelchair.

"Xuan'er, Youyou, please beg your uncle and aunt."

Li Xinyou pleaded tearfully.

"Uncle, Aunt, I beg you, I want to go home."

Li Zhenxuan looked up at Li Mu and said angrily, "Uncle, this is clearly my home, why can't I go back?"

I am the only legitimate eldest grandson of the Marquis's mansion, the entire mansion belongs to me. If my uncle dares to prevent me from returning, I... I will never again...

In a panic, Madam Sun quickly covered Li Zhenxuan's mouth.

She cried and pounded on his back.

“Silly child, the Marquis’s mansion is no longer our home, and your grandfather is no longer the Marquis. Now the Marquis is your uncle.”

"Please beg your uncle, otherwise we really won't have any money for food in the future."

Sun cried her heart out.

Li Zhenxuan struggled as she tightly covered his mouth, glaring angrily at Li Mu.

He didn't understand. He had only been taken out by his father to have a reunion dinner with his mother the day before yesterday to celebrate the New Year. How could he not be able to go home or return to the Marquis's mansion?

Li Mu frowned, stepped forward, and looked down at Li Zhenxuan with a serious expression.

They did not hide anything from him because of his young age.

“Your father did something wrong and violated the laws of the court, so he is no longer a member of the Li family, and neither are you.”

This will no longer be your and your sister's home, and I will no longer be your uncle, understand?