The Zichen Palace fell silent once again.
Ning Hongxi slowly stepped forward and personally poured a cup of tea for the emperor: "Your Majesty, please calm down and take care of your health."
The emperor slowly opened his eyes, the fierceness in them almost uncontrollable. He gripped the cup tightly, his knuckles turning white.
Everyone knelt tremblingly in the hall. Even Prince Yu dared not speak at this moment. However, he was relieved. Prince Jing was alright, and the Lan family was alright. That was great!
Ye Qingxue also thought it was wonderful. She knelt on the ground and said in a deep voice, "Father, what Prince Xuan and his wife have done is truly heinous and they should be executed. Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain to the innocent people who died tragically, and it would be impossible to explain to the people of the world. Please order the execution of Prince Xuan and his wife!"
She now returned all the words that had been said to her and Yun Zhuo in the past.
Prince Yu bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I second your opinion!"
Whoosh!
The emperor hurled the teacup in his hand at Prince Xuan and his wife.
Xuanwang shielded Ji Mingwei with his body, and the teacup hit him before rolling to the ground and shattering.
The emperor roared, "Yun Xun, you and the Ji family still refuse to confess your crimes?!"
Yun Xun released Ji Mingwei, prostrated himself on the ground, and was about to speak when a eunuch rushed in from outside, shouting, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Jing'an Palace is on fire!"
What? Jing'an Palace? That's the palace where the Ninth Prince's body lies in state!
Not only was the emperor nervous, but everyone present in the hall was nervous as well.
Moreover, the eunuch said, "Someone did this on purpose!"
"Who is it!" the emperor demanded angrily, his eyes bloodshot.
Before the eunuch could answer, another guard rushed in: "Your Majesty, the imperial prison is on fire again!"
"..." The emperor nearly choked on his breath. He jumped to his feet: "Did that bastard Zhang Dezhong eat shit? Or was he already burned to death?!"
The guard replied, "Lord Zhang was not burned to death, but, but Consort Ning went to the imperial prison... and, His Highness Prince Jing is also in danger, and has not yet been rescued."
The emperor strode out.
Ye Qingxue panicked; Yun Zhuo was still in the Heavenly Prison.
Yun Xun panicked too; his mother had actually gone to the imperial prison…
Everyone quickly stood up and followed the emperor.
The way to the Heavenly Prison required passing through the Jing'an Palace, but by the time they arrived, the fire there had already been extinguished.
The Ninth Prince's mourning hall was mostly burned down.
Several palace servants were also burned.
The emperor was furious and wanted to arrest these people and bring them to justice, but then he remembered that the Ninth Prince was already dead. Even if the fire in the mourning hall was extinguished, the Ninth Prince was still a dead man. The emperor felt a pang of sorrow and pain in his heart.
He sent men to watch over the area, and after arresting everyone, he strode towards the imperial prison.
When they arrived at the Heavenly Prison, the fire there had already been extinguished.
Zhang Dezhong's clothes were charred, his face was covered in soot, and he was in a sorry state. He knelt before the emperor to beg for forgiveness.
Yun Zhuo stood at the entrance of the prison. He was alright. Ye Qingxue rushed over to him and checked him over from head to toe. She was relieved to see that he was alright.
"Don't worry, I spotted the fire immediately and escaped," Yun Zhuo said, his voice hoarse, clearly from being exposed to thick smoke.
Ye Qingxue was indeed relieved. Last time, she was able to guess that Yun Xun would harm Yun Zhuo and had asked Zhuang Xin to take precautions in advance.
But tonight, she really didn't expect it.
"How did the fire happen?" Ye Qingxue asked.
Such a sturdy prison, yet it caught fire twice in just two days… Zhang Dezhong was utterly ashamed to face the Emperor, who was asking the same question as Ye Qingxue.
Before Yun Zhuo and Zhang Dezhong could answer, a woman's shrill laughter came from the side, a laughter that sounded exactly like that of a madwoman.
"Hahaha, hahahaha..."
Yun Xun looked at the disheveled woman laughing wildly in front of him; it was none other than his mother.
He felt a sharp pain in his heart, and his body involuntarily arched as he asked her, "Mother, what's wrong?"
Everyone looked at her.
Upon seeing that it was Consort Ning, the emperor frowned.
She hasn't had a relapse in two years.
Could it be that he has fallen ill again tonight?
Ye Qingxue knew about Consort Ning's past mental breakdown, but she felt that Consort Ning's "madness" tonight was too much of a coincidence.
A gentle night breeze stirred Ning Guiren's long hair, and the distant lights made her look like a female ghost.
She has been apprehended by the guards.
However, when Yun Xun walked over, the guard subconsciously let go of Consort Ning, allowing Consort Ning to step forward, grasp Yun Xun's hand, and lovingly smooth the stray hairs from Yun Xun's forehead.
She said, "I'm sorry, the Ninth Prince is dead. My mother set fire to Jing'an Palace, wanting to leave him with no whole body."
"Your mother still wants to burn Prince Jing to death. Once he's burned to death, you'll be the eldest and most outstanding prince under your father's rule. Your father and the court officials will definitely see your talent..."
"What a pity, what a pity that none of them succeeded!"
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