The fire in Linlang Palace was put out by the eunuch Wei Linsi as soon as it was lit.
The Imperial Guards guarded the front court and could not enter the harem. The Dayan harem was guarded by eunuchs from the Weilinsi, which, like the Imperial Guards, was directly under the control of His Majesty and was run by His Majesty's confidants.
Although the emperor was under considerable control in the previous dynasty, Helian Qi had the security inside and outside the palace firmly in his hands.
Jin Zhong, the eunuch in charge of the Weilin Division, followed Caiye carefully and secretly according to the emperor's secret order, trying to stop her from attacking Changchun Palace...
As a result, I followed her all the way to Linlang Palace.
Although it was very shocking, it did not prevent us from catching a person red-handed.
…
After three rounds of drinking, the singing and dancing were in full swing.
Concubine Zhuang's ceremonial guards, eunuchs from the Weilin Division, and a large group of people came in a mighty procession.
"Your Majesty, I am so afraid that I will never see you again!" Concubine Zhuang bowed with red eyes.
She had caught a cold recently and was sleeping soundly in her bedroom.
I was woken up by the sound of a fire...
Concubine Zhuang was shocked, angry and scared, and immediately went to see the emperor.
The eunuchs of the Weilin Division threw the two tied eunuchs and three palace maids to the ground, and the eunuch in charge, Jin Zhong, bowed and reported:
"Your Majesty, these five people tried to burn down the Linlang Palace. Thanks to your wise command, we have captured them!"
The concubines were all shocked. What? Linlang Palace almost caught fire?
Helian Qi was also very shocked. What happened was Linlang Palace?
His eyes darkened, and he helped Concubine Zhuang up, asking with concern, "Are you and the princess okay?"
"The princess and I are fine. The fire was put out as soon as it was lit." Concubine Zhuang felt a touch of warmth in her heart, and she looked at Helian Qi with sweet eyes:
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for protecting me. If the people Your Majesty sent hadn't arrived in time, I'm afraid I would have been in trouble..."
Helian Qi patted the back of her hand soothingly, then turned to look at the palace maids, his eyes cold and sharp as a cold blade:
"Who ordered you?"
Xue Zhaoyi was surprised. How could the plan fail?
But her expression remained unchanged. The rules that the Duke's daughter had learned since elementary school made it impossible to see anything unusual on her face.
"I was confused for a moment and accepted the silver she gave me..."
"I will follow Caiye's instructions..."
The four palace maids and eunuchs all pointed at Cai Ye at the same time.
Two of them were third-class cleaning maids in Linlang Palace, who were responsible for welcoming Caiye and others into Linlang Palace.
The other two were eunuchs running errands for the Imperial Household Department, who smuggled gunpowder into the palace while on business trips out of the palace.
Concubine Shu looked at Caiye who was left and asked, "Where do you work for?"
"I am from Lingxue Pavilion." Cai Ye replied tremblingly.
The concubines were in an uproar and all looked at Ning Wanyin.
"Lady Ning, why did you do such a cruel thing to Concubine Zhuang?" Concubine Shu asked in shock.
Ning Wanyin said calmly, "Although she is in my palace, she doesn't listen to me. Xiao Xiazi——"
Xiao Xiazi stepped forward and stated, "Cai Ye went to Xue Zhaoyi's palace this morning."
"I have never seen her. You are Ning Wanyin's eunuch, and you are forging rumors about me." Xue Zhaoyi was not afraid at all and denied it directly.
"Xiao Xia Zi is my man, and I have heard him report this matter a long time ago. What are you doing seeing the palace maid in Lingxue Pavilion?" Helian Qi looked at Xue Zhaoyi coldly.
Xue Zhaoyi's eyes flashed...
The emperor had already noticed Cai Ye's suspicious behavior and sent people to keep an eye on her, so it was no wonder that she was caught red-handed.
However, even if you know that Caiye has been to Qionghua Garden, what does it matter?
"Your Majesty is very observant!" Concubine Xue stood up and saluted. "I have never seen this palace maid before, and I don't know when she came to Qionghua Garden."
As soon as she finished speaking, the senior palace maid Yinzhu beside her understood what she meant and knelt down and said:
"Your Majesty, please allow me to report. Caiye and I are old acquaintances. Today she came to talk to me. But she only said a few words to me. I don't know anything else..."
Ning Wanyin looked at Caiye and said, "I have ordered that the palace maids of Lingxue Pavilion are not allowed to have private contact with others. Those who violate the order will be punished with fifty strokes of the cane and sent to the Xinzheku. You risked being punished just to go and talk to her?"
Everyone looked puzzled.
Indeed, this is too unreasonable.
Xue Zhaoyi was not afraid at all, and said calmly:
"Cai Ye, as long as you tell the truth, even though you have committed a capital crime today, I will definitely take care of your nine clans for you, considering your meritorious service in identifying the real murderer."
Cai Ye shuddered and bowed her head to the ground, "Thank you, Concubine Xue! I dare not fail to report the truth... Your Majesty, all this... was ordered by Concubine Ning. She threatened the lives of my entire family, and I dared not disobey! I know I am guilty of a capital crime. Concubine Xue is willing to protect my family, and I cannot frame Concubine Xue again..."
"Lady Ning asked me to bribe the eunuchs and palace maids to set fire to the Linlang Palace. It was also she who suddenly asked me to go to the Qionghua Garden this morning..."
"I am a lowly servant, so how could I possibly meet Concubine Xue? So I went to Qionghua Garden and found a palace maid I knew and talked to her..."
"Your Majesty, please understand. I was forced to do this. Lady Ning knows where I live. I only hope that my family will be safe. I am willing to die..."
Ning Wanyin had checked the nine clans of all the palace maids in Changchun Palace and Lingxue Pavilion.
If she was really threatened by Ning Wanyin with her family, and had Xue Zhaoyi as a guarantee, it would be reasonable for her to turn against her on the spot.
For a moment, everyone's eyes fell on Ning Wanyin again.
Xue Zhaoyi sneered in her heart: Ning Wanyin, you only have these little tricks and you still want to fight with me, you are too shallow.
On the surface, he looked shocked. "So that's how it is... Ning Wanyin, you have such a vicious mind..."
“Your Majesty, please understand! If my master wanted to murder Concubine Zhuang, why would he report it in advance…” Lian Rui quickly knelt down to clarify.
Xue Zhaoyi said coldly, "Of course it's because her target is not Concubine Zhuang, but me. She is setting up a big game, crying thief, and falsely accusing me of murdering Concubine Zhuang..."
As she spoke, she looked at Helian Qi with a wronged look on her face, "Your Majesty, please make the decision for me! Ning Wanyin is vicious and deliberately framed me. Caiye is her maid, but she deliberately found an excuse to come to my palace, and then it became me who ordered her..."
"So if someone's maid commits a crime in the future, she can just find an excuse to go to someone else's palace in advance and frame someone else?"
Concubine Shu seized the opportunity and stepped on him: "Your Majesty, what Concubine Xue said makes sense. Concubine Ning said that Concubine Xue instructed Caiye, but there is no way to verify whether Caiye had ever met Concubine Xue. On the contrary, Caiye set fire to Linlang Palace, and was caught red-handed, and the evidence is solid."
"Ning Meiren, as the person in charge, should be sentenced to death."
Concubine Cen watched the show quietly. She originally wanted to win over Ning Wanyin, but since Ning Wanyin was no match for Concubine Xue...
Then there is no value in winning over.
Lady Wen's heart was beating wildly with fear. Fortunately, Ning Wanyin did not agree to befriend her, otherwise she would also be implicated in today's incident...
Concubine Fang was delighted: Ning Wanyin ruined her plans, and her death was a joy to the people!
Wei Yingya thought to herself, as expected, she had guessed that he wouldn’t survive more than three chapters!
The concubines in the room either watched coldly, or gloated over the other's misfortune, or added insult to injury.
Only Helian Qi frowned and looked at Ning Wanyin:
"Do you have anything to say in defence?"
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