Chapter 181: Good at Sophistry
[Fuck! They're coming for me again. Am I in bad luck lately?]
Chu Liuzheng was thinking about whether praying to the Earth Goddess could get rid of bad luck while flipping through the system.
[If I find out who set the fire, I’ll bite you to death!]
At this moment, a guard shouted: "Boss, there is someone on the roof!"
When Zhang Hong heard this, he hurried over to check.
"Protect the emperor!" Zhou Yuande and other Yulin guards nervously guarded Xiao Jingfan, fearing that the emperor would encounter any accident.
Xiao Jingfan looked normal, not nervous at all, because...
[Frog fun! The arsonist turned out to be Dong Wu! She was alone, and before she could run away she was knocked unconscious by Chen Xing.]
"No, she offended the emperor and was punished to go to the laundry department to reflect on her mistakes. Even if she holds a grudge, she should hate the tyrant, or at least Manager Zhou. Why would she target an innocent wounded person like me?"
Chu Liuzheng cursed in his heart.
"My father didn't even get paid extra, so why am I taking the blame for the tyrant? You pick on the weak, and I'm the only one who's easy to pick on, right?"
[Fuck! That day when the Tyrant came to catch me cheating... Pah! Just blurted it out. I saw that Butterfly was plotting against me, and it was actually Dong Wu who went to the Tyrant and tipped him off, saying I was seducing Butterfly and was shamelessly pestering her.]
[Bah! When did I ever seduce a butterfly? I really want to avoid them, okay?]
Who knows what made Butterfly so mad that day? She suddenly showed up and blocked my path, demanding to know why I dressed up as a young eunuch during the Firearms Battalion's drill. Haha, I'd love to know, but the Tyrant wouldn't tell me. Butterfly is so capable, why didn't she ask the Tyrant herself?
This guy used the identity of a fake princess to threaten the Korean envoys into obeying him, intending to use firearms to trick the tyrant. His plan was quite good, both overt and covert.
[Unfortunately, man proposes, God disposes. You've been called a playboy, flirting with girls for no reason, feigning affection and coaxing them into a frenzy. Now the fake princess has learned the truth and is planning a surprise for the tyrant. You playboy, just wait for the backlash!]
Xiao Jingfan pricked up his ears. What surprise?
Chu Liuzheng was unable to continue searching the system because Zhang Hong came over with a palace maid.
"Your Majesty, this woman must be one of the arsonists," Zhang Hong reported. "There are large smears of lamp oil on her sleeves and skirt. I think she accidentally got them when she was pouring lamp oil to help fuel the fire."
Xiao Jingfan lowered his eyes to look at the disheveled palace maid and said in a cold voice, "Raise your head."
"It's not me. I didn't set the fire. I am innocent." The palace maid's shoulders trembled and she refused to look up.
Zhang Hong reached out and grabbed her hair and pulled it back.
The palace maid was forced to raise her head in pain. Although her face was stained and looked thinner and haggard, the familiar appearance was undoubtedly Dong Wu.
[You're such a scoundrel! Everyone works based on their own abilities. Instead of thinking about how to improve your skills and gain the tyrant's appreciation, you're just messing with innocent colleagues. The tyrant isn't blind; you won't get a promotion even if you live eight lifetimes!]
Chu Liuzheng's fist was ready to move, and he really wanted to punch Dong Wu in the face.
Dong Wu shook her head with tears in her eyes: "Your Majesty, I am innocent. I did not set the fire."
Xiao Jingfan asked coldly: "Why are you on the roof?"
"Your Majesty, I was going to Luomei Residence to deliver some washed clothes to Noble Bao. As I was walking, I suddenly felt a pain in the back of my neck. I woke up lying on the roof." Dong Wu kowtowed. "I am wronged. I beg Your Majesty to forgive me."
[Tsk, confusing the timeline of events, quite the quibble!]
Xiao Jingfan glanced at the hem of her dress: "If it's laundry, why are there large smears of lamp oil on your sleeves and hem?"
Dong Wu lowered her eyes and said timidly, "I accidentally spilled it when I was adding oil to the lamp, and I didn't have time to wash it."
Xiao Jingfan asked: "Where did you spill it?"
Dong Wu's voice became smaller and smaller: "In...in the house."
Xiao Jingfan asked, "Which room?"
"Yes... yes..." Dong Wu's eyes rolled around and he stammered, unable to answer.
Seeing this, Xiao Jingfan shouted: "Speak!"
Dong Wu was startled and pointed randomly at Chu Liuzheng who was standing next to him: "It was in her room. She ordered the servants to set the fire."
Chu Liuzheng, who was shot while lying down: "..."
She almost laughed out loud. "Alright, just pretend I ordered you to do that. Now, tell me, what did I want you to do by locking me in this room? I'm not crazy or stupid, so I wouldn't ask you to burn me alive in this room, would I? Where are your accomplices? Call them out and confront them."
That makes sense.
Everyone else looked at Dong Wu like he was a fool. Even if they wanted to frame you, they should find someone else.
Dong Wu insisted, "You were the one who ordered me to set the fire. You didn't explain the reason to me, and I have no accomplices."
She was telling the truth, but because she had previously made false accusations against Chu Liuzheng, everyone thought she was trying to protect her accomplices and did not believe her.
After all, Chen Xing had said before that he saw several black shadows.
Only Xiao Jingfan raised his eyebrows slightly and glanced at Chu Liuzheng meaningfully.
"Nonsense!" Yuzhui and Miyue came over, supporting the awakened Moxiang on either side. She stared at Dongwu, "Liu Zheng was in a coma for two days and two nights before she woke up. I stayed by her side the whole time. How could she have ever ordered you to do anything?"
Dong Wu opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, he heard Moxiang continue, "Before, when Liu Zheng was kidnapped, you watched him die without saving him. Later, when you wanted to be transferred to the imperial court to serve tea, you came to curry favor with him. When Liu Zheng ignored you, you became resentful towards him.
Not long after, you offended the emperor and were punished to go to the laundry bureau to reflect on your mistakes. You did not dare to blame His Majesty, so you blamed everything on Liu Zheng, an innocent man.
You just can't stand seeing Liu Zheng get better, otherwise why didn't Nong Yunyuan have a fire earlier or later, but why did it happen right after Liu Zheng woke up?"
Everyone suddenly realized that there were such entanglements. They all looked at Chu Liuzheng with sympathy. This was truly an unprovoked disaster.
"I didn't! You're talking nonsense!" Dong Wu's face turned red after being scolded, and he wanted to pounce on Moxiang and tear her mouth apart.
Moxiang didn't look at her again. She and Chu Liuzheng knelt down in front of Xiao Jingfan and said, "Your Majesty, please make your decision!"
Xiao Jingfan twisted the bodhi beads and touched his lips lightly: "Kill."
"Your Majesty, please spare my life!" Dong Wu wanted to rush over and hug Xiao Jingfan's legs, but was grabbed by Zhang Hong, who ordered two Yulin guards to drag him away.
The pungent smell of smoke was faintly mixed with the smell of blood.
Xiao Jingfan said to Chu Liuzheng and the other two, "Get up. Are you two injured?"
The two girls shook their heads. Moxiang said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. We two servants were just frightened, not injured."
Xiao Jingfan nodded and looked at Chu Liuzheng naturally, "Are your hands feeling any discomfort?"
[Hey, I actually heard concern in the Tyrant's cold tone. Are my ears damaged by the smoke?]
Chu Liuzheng was startled and bowed quickly, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. With Miss Moxiang and Miss Chenxing protecting me, my hands were not bumped or hurt, and I am fine."
Xiao Jingfan nodded, as if it was just a casual question.
Zhou Yuande looked at the two of them and took the opportunity to ask, "Your Majesty, Nongyun Garden has been burned to such an extent that it is no longer habitable. What should be done with these people?"
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