“Uh,” Zhao Zhongquan scratched his head, hesitating whether to reveal the results of his investigation.

"Spit it out!" Yun Beiye said impatiently to Zhao Zhongquan.

"This old servant questioned the people guarding the Buddhist hall, and they said that the eldest prince seemed to have been there before the Buddhist hall caught fire."

"Boss? What's the boss doing at the Buddhist temple?"

"What does this have to do with the boss?"

“Well, the eldest prince lives in the Empress’s Zhaoyang Palace, which is quite far from the Buddhist hall.” Zhao Zhongquan said, cold sweat dripping from his forehead. He was just telling the truth, but this clue seemed to connect the eldest prince with the arsonist.

"Hmph, I understand what you mean. Even if a child is curious, he wouldn't run this far just to take a look at the Buddhist hall." Yun Beiye narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Since the birth of the little princess, who have had the most contact with her?" Yun Beiye tapped his knuckles on the table.

"As far as this old servant knows, the First Prince, the Second Prince, and the Third Prince often visit the Little Princess's bedroom, and I heard that they even read bedtime stories to her."

"Hmm, it sounds like these brothers are quite thoughtful."

"What about the other princes?"

"Well, I haven't heard of any of the other princes visiting the little princess."

"Hmm." Yun Beiye nodded. "Go and send someone to summon the Empress."

The Empress is the biological mother of the eldest prince. If the eldest prince is indeed a suspect, the Empress will also be implicated.

Just then, a palace maid came in to deliver a message, saying that the Empress was waiting outside the palace.

"Oh, just as we were talking, this person arrived. Let her in."

Inside the Fu Shuang Palace, the Empress brought several pots of fresh flowers and some hot meat soup to visit Yun Duoduo.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

"Your Majesty, is the little princess alright?"

"Your Majesty, I had the Imperial Kitchen prepare some hot meat soup and some fresh honey for the little princess."

"It's all my fault; the Buddhist hall caught fire so badly." Empress Zhaoyuan sighed, her face full of self-reproach.

Yun Beiye glanced at the Empress with dissatisfaction. "Hmph, it's not like this is the first time you've neglected your duties."

"If you get tired of sitting on this Empress's throne, you can replace her at any time!" Yun Beiye said coldly and angrily, his expression serious.

Empress Zhaoyuan was so frightened that she hurriedly knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty, please calm down!"

"It's all my fault!"

"Your Majesty knows your mistake, Your Majesty will do your utmost to rectify the harem!"

Yun Beiye looked at the Empress, his sinister eyes flashing with cold light, "On the day the Buddhist hall caught fire, someone saw the First Prince appear near the Buddhist hall."

[Buddhist temple? When did Uncle Yi go to a Buddhist temple?]

"Your Majesty, I don't understand why Yibo went to the Buddhist hall?" Empress Zhaoyuan was completely bewildered, not understanding what the emperor meant by that.

"Why is the Crown Prince in the Buddhist hall? You come and ask me?" Yun Beiye retorted, his tone full of anger.

Suddenly, she understood the meaning behind Yun Beiye's words, and her body went limp as she hugged Yun Beiye's leg.

"Your Majesty, Yibo would never do such a thing!" Empress Zhaoyuan panicked. Her mind went blank. How could her son suddenly be associated with an arsonist?!

"Uncle Yi, Uncle Yi must have gone to the Buddhist hall for something else!" the Empress explained.

"The Buddhist hall caught fire. Your Majesty ordered people to investigate. It was dry and the incense and candles had fallen on the ground and lit the Buddhist curtain, which caused the fire."

"Your Majesty, if it is indeed true that someone deliberately set the fire, I will investigate further!"

Looking at Empress Zhaoyuan's flustered appearance, Yun Beiye wondered if the woman was pretending to be stupid in front of him, or if she and her son really had nothing to do with this matter, and the eldest prince's appearance near the Buddhist hall was just a coincidence.

"Go back and ask him why your son was near the Buddhist temple that day."

The Buddhist hall was in the northwest corner of the palace, while Zhaoyang Palace was in the southeast corner. The two palaces were far apart, and it was impossible for a child to walk such a long way to burn incense and worship Buddha.

The fact that the eldest prince was near the Buddhist temple is highly suspicious.

Yun Beiye glanced at the flowers on the table, then at the Empress's shocked face.

Although the clues pointed directly to the eldest prince and Zhaoyang Palace, based on his understanding of the empress, he knew she would not harm people.

However, the fact that such things have happened repeatedly in the harem is indeed a dereliction of duty on her part. Now even her own son has been schemed against and used. If she is not properly reprimanded, things will likely get worse and worse.

Yun Duoduo lay on the bed, listening to the three people's conversation, her mouth agape in surprise. Before the Buddhist hall caught fire, her eldest brother had been there?!

So, Father suspects that the eldest prince started the fire?

Impossible. My eldest brother is so good to me, how could he possibly set a fire? Besides, my eldest brother's mind is full of ghost stories and love stories, he has no time to think about the scheming and intrigue of the mortal world, let alone harm her.

"Waaaa, Aba aba!" Yun Duoduo tried her best to speak, wanting to tell her father that the murderer was not the eldest prince, but someone else who had harmed her.

But the baby talk she uttered was incomprehensible even to herself.

A sudden surge of nameless anger welled up inside her, making her want to curse. It was so infuriating that she couldn't speak properly!

She stuck out her tongue forcefully and moved her mouth around vigorously.

Frustratingly, despite numerous attempts, her voice remained unclear.

"Why are you still standing here?" Yun Beiye glanced at the Empress kneeling on the ground.

"Why aren't you investigating yet?!"

The Empress was somewhat dazed. Upon hearing Yun Beiye's voice, she stood up weakly and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I take my leave."

...

After leaving Fu Shuang Palace, Cui Ling supported the Empress, whose face was pale and whose lips were trembling slightly.

"Your Majesty, the First Prince could not possibly be involved in the fire at the Buddhist temple."

"Nonsense, the key is how to make His Majesty believe it."

"What the hell is this brat doing in the Buddhist hall?!" Empress Zhaoyuan was both anxious and angry.

"Quickly, return to my bedchamber and ask that bastard what's going on!"

The group walked quickly to Zhaoyang Palace. The palace maids behind the Empress dared not breathe and walked quickly with their heads down.

The Empress stepped over the threshold and saw Yun Yibo playing with his little white dog. She was furious. "You heartless brat! You're about to die, and you're still playing with the dog?!"

Empress Zhaoyuan took off her embroidered shoes and threw them at Yun Yibo's head.

Yun Yibo and the little white dog hurriedly moved aside, "Mother! What mistake have I made this time?"

Yun Yibo felt very wronged. He hadn't offended anyone this morning, yet he was suddenly scolded.

"What are you doing in the Buddhist hall?" Empress Zhaoyuan asked, her chest aching with anger.

"Why ask about the Buddhist temple?" Yun Yibo was puzzled.

"Ah, Your Majesty, I remember now. Little White ran off to the Buddhist hall. I'll go find Little White," Yun Yibo said timidly, afraid that his mother would be angry with his little white dog.