Everyone gasped, their eyes wide, their malice seemingly directed at Ning Xihe. Ning Xihe was startled by their stares, a surge of resentment welling up inside her. She was the most unlucky one; why was she always blamed for everything? These people were utterly despicable. Ning Xihe especially hated the young lady who had first suspected her. Once she became the Crown Prince's woman, she'd see how she dealt with these vile women. And Mu Cuihuan and Ouyang Yue—she wouldn't let either of them escape. Even though Ouyang Yue seemed innocent, she had still made Ning Xihe a target of public criticism. Since Ouyang Yue had also been framed, she couldn't escape being implicated. Ning Xihe's face darkened; she had already made up her mind.
The carriages heading towards the palace were running extremely fast. There were four carriages in total, one for the Fourth Prince, one for the Second Princess, one for the Fifth Princess, one for the Sixth Princess, and one for Ouyang Yue. Inside the carriage, Baili Yan's expression changed several times. He was quite restless and couldn't help but stand up and say, "Mingyue, tell me what exactly happened? How could the Imperial Ancestral Temple catch fire?"
Ouyang Yue shook her head, slightly lifting the carriage curtain. The carriage sped along, the scenery flashing past. How could she answer Baili Yan's question about suspecting Baili Chen? No, her biggest worry now was whether Baili Chen's actions would implicate him. Even if he was favored, at this point, he was essentially at odds with the entire royal family. Could Emperor Mingxian protect him then? Why was he so impulsive? Ouyang Yue's silence didn't arouse Baili Yan's suspicion, but her expression was somewhat stiff, and her eyes were unfocused. Although she was called the Sixth Princess, she was born to a palace maid and had no status in the palace. Her name wasn't even in the Imperial Ancestral Temple or the clan's genealogy; she was simply called the Sixth Princess according to her rank. She was worlds apart from the Second Princess, Baili Jing. At this moment, a faint excitement stirred within her. Wasn't no one respecting her? Wasn't the Imperial Ancestral Temple supposed to be high and mighty? Now it had been burned down—this was retribution, wasn't it?
The carriage soon stopped outside the palace. The guards, seeing the Crown Prince with the princes and princesses, didn't stop them and let them pass. They then rushed to the Imperial Study, where many ministers were already waiting. They were discussing something, and when they saw the Crown Prince and the princes and princesses, they immediately gathered around and asked all sorts of questions. The Crown Prince asked, "What exactly happened? Was the Imperial Ancestral Temple really burned down?"
One of the ministers said, "Your Highness, it is indeed the Imperial Ancestral Temple that was burned down."
The crown prince's eyes widened: "How could the Imperial Ancestral Temple have been burned down? What exactly happened?"
The man sighed and said, "I don't know the specifics. His Majesty has already sent troops to investigate."
The Third Prince said, “Brother, in my opinion, why don’t we go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple and see what’s going on? Asking the ministers now, I’m afraid they don’t know the details either.”
“Yes, we should go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple first.” Baili Chen’s lips curled into a cold smile.
The Crown Prince immediately nodded: "Quickly, to the Imperial Ancestral Temple!"
The Imperial Ancestral Temple was located within the palace grounds, at the southernmost end of the entire palace. Led by the Crown Prince, the princes, princesses, and ministers who had been waiting for news there immediately rushed over. When they arrived at the entrance of the temple, they saw a group of people carrying wooden buckets, their clothes so tattered that their original colors were unrecognizable, their faces blackened, and their hair disheveled. They were going in and out carrying water. The main gate of the temple had been burned away, leaving only two black pillars standing there, showing how badly it had been burned.
Everyone was shocked and rushed inside. The Imperial Ancestral Temple originally consisted of five interconnected halls: three in the middle and two on the sides. The three in the middle housed the ancestral tablets of the emperors from the founding of the Ming Dynasty to the previous emperor, as well as the imperial family members. The main hall held the tablets of the previous emperors, and the two on the sides held the tablets of the imperial family members in order of their status. However, it was clear that Heaven was quite kind to them, as the three halls in the middle were spared from major damage. This was because the Imperial Ancestral Temple was enclosed by a normal fence, with an outermost courtyard enclosed by a row of special timbers. The gate of the courtyard was at least two meters high, although it is now burned beyond recognition. Because of this design, two of the five halls of the Imperial Ancestral Temple were connected by fences and gates, so they were burned the most. Those two halls were clearly almost completely burned away; the doors and windows were long gone, and only empty frames remained. They were connected to the main hall and were about to be affected.
Upon seeing this, the Crown Prince immediately shouted, "Give me a water bucket!" He then snatched a bucket from a palace servant carrying a water bucket and ran towards the two side halls to put out the fire. The palace servant immediately cried out, "Your Highness, this servant will do everything. It's too dangerous there. Please, Your Highness, step back!"
The Crown Prince raised his voice and shouted, "Get out of the way! This is where our ancestors rested after their passing. I cannot disturb their peace. We must put out the fire as soon as possible. Step back!" The Crown Prince's shout startled even those who were struggling to put out the fire. They turned to look at the Crown Prince, but given the urgency of the situation, they dared not be distracted. They merely glanced at Baili Cheng before looking away, inwardly approving of the Crown Prince's willingness to take matters into his own hands.
Baili Jian's expression froze for a moment, then he snatched a bucket from one of the people and said, "Your Majesty is right. We brothers cannot lag behind. Quickly put out the fire. We must protect the peace of our ancestors. Hurry!" As soon as Baili Jian expressed his opinion, even the weakest of the four princes carried a bucket and followed to put out the fire.
Ouyang Yue watched from afar as the princes, one by one, did their best to help the palace servants put out the fire. She couldn't help but glance at Baili Cheng. The Crown Prince had reacted the fastest and seized the initiative. Judging from his appearance, which was entirely for the good of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, he would surely be praised when the Emperor heard about it.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
"The Empress Dowager has arrived!"
"The Empress has arrived!"
"Consort Sun has arrived!"
"Princess Shuangxia has arrived!"
In that short time, Emperor Mingxian, the Empress Dowager, and others arrived from various places. They arrived around the same time, having been summoned almost simultaneously. Emperor Mingxian's face was dark with anger: "What happened? How could the Imperial Ancestral Temple be on fire? Where is the Temple Attendant? Where is he?!"
Immediately, a man whose face had turned black—not really black, but blackened by soot—stumbled over and knelt on the ground with a thud: "Your Majesty...this morning the Imperial Ancestral Temple Attendant was unwell, so he took leave, and...this humble subject is temporarily in charge."
"Is that all you've got to do!" Emperor Mingxian shouted. The black man was just a clerk in charge of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, assisting the temple's assistant. Normally, if the temple's assistant had any problems, he would handle them. But nothing had ever happened before. Who knew that today the fire would suddenly break out, and it was extremely difficult to put out. In addition, there weren't enough people. It wasn't until these two halls were on fire that two teams of imperial guards were dispatched to put out the fire, which temporarily relieved the situation. Otherwise, all three halls in the middle would have been destroyed. The clerk wanted to explain himself, but how could he dare? Emperor Mingxian was furious. This was like provoking him. He wished he could disappear into a hole in the ground and that Emperor Mingxian would simply ignore him.
"Get out! Hurry up and put out the fire! If you burn down the ancestral tablets, I'll make you the first one to be sacrificed to our ancestors!" Emperor Mingxian shouted coldly. The clerk of the Imperial Ancestral Temple immediately scrambled to lead people to put out the fire. You could even hear her screaming from the scene: "Quick, quick, a few people come here quickly and pour it out!" If it really burned down to the main hall later, he was afraid he would lose his life. How could he not be anxious?
The Empress Dowager turned to Emperor Mingxian and said, "Your Majesty, how could the Imperial Ancestral Temple have caught fire? Even if it was due to the dry weather, the temple is patrolled daily, so it shouldn't have caught fire this big." The Imperial Ancestral Temple occupies a considerable area, and they could see that two halls were about to be destroyed, indicating that the fire was quite large.
Emperor Mingxian's eyes darkened, his tiger-like gaze sweeping from the Crown Prince to the Ninth Prince, Baili Mao. He didn't spare any of the princes, and even glanced at the princesses, the Empress, and Consort Sun. He said in a deep voice, "Mother, rest assured, I sent people to investigate as soon as I heard the news. If this matter is found to be intentional, I will certainly not let it go easily!"
Ouyang Yue's eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze involuntarily following Baili Chen. A sense of inexplicable tension welled up within her. Princess Shuangxia, who had been standing beside Ouyang Yue since arriving, couldn't help but sigh. As a princess who had experienced the Three Realms, her feelings for the Great Zhou Dynasty were extraordinary. To see the ancestral tablets in such a place catch fire filled her with mixed emotions. Such an act had disturbed the peace of the late emperor's throne and was a grave disrespect.
Seeing that the fire was still in danger of rising, Emperor Mingxian immediately dispatched three more teams to fight the fire. The Imperial Ancestral Temple was bustling with people carrying buckets of water. As the saying goes, many hands make light work. After nearly half an hour, the fire was finally extinguished. The three halls in the middle were inevitably affected, but fortunately, although they were affected, only the two sides of the main hall were burned. The furnishings inside the hall were almost undamaged, which was a relief.
Seeing the men carrying buckets of water, their skin blackened like charcoal, Emperor Mingxian's anger flared up. He roared, "Investigate! Investigate the cause of the fire at the Imperial Ancestral Temple immediately! If anyone deliberately burned down the temple, kill them!"
Everyone could sense Emperor Mingxian's anger, and they all stood quietly to the side with their heads bowed. Seeing this, Emperor Mingxian became even angrier: "Why aren't you going? What are you standing here for, a bunch of good-for-nothings!" Emperor Mingxian had rarely been angry since he ascended the throne, so for him to utter such words showed just how furious he was.
It's no wonder Emperor Mingxian was angry. The Imperial Ancestral Temple was a symbol of the imperial family and, more importantly, a symbol of imperial power. Throughout the reigns of his ancestors, the temple had never suffered any mishaps. Yet, during his reign, a fire broke out there. What would the people think of him? Would they say he was incompetent, or that he himself was disrespectful to his ancestors, thus incurring their wrath and causing the fire as a sign of dissatisfaction? Even if the investigation were eventually completed and the results made public, how many people would believe it? This was a direct blow to Emperor Mingxian's reputation; how could he not be furious?
After saying this, Emperor Mingxian was still furious. He waved his sleeve and left with heavy steps.
The Empress Dowager looked at the princes carrying buckets of water and said, "Alright, you've all worked hard putting out the fire. Go change your clothes and wash up." The Crown Prince's eyes flickered, and he couldn't help but stare at the princes carefully, but he couldn't figure it out. After saying that, he left.
Now that the fire at the Imperial Ancestral Temple has been extinguished, and given the current state of the situation, it's best to send a troop of soldiers to guard it first; gathering them here won't make a difference.
The Crown Prince and the other princes responded in unison and returned to their respective palaces. Although the Crown Prince had left the palace to establish his own residence, the Eastern Palace in the Imperial Palace still belonged to him. Princess Shuangxia also took Ouyang Yue to her palace. Along the way, Princess Shuangxia's expression was somewhat somber. Ouyang Yue didn't say anything, after all, she suspected that Baili Chen was behind this. Even though her grandmother doted on her, she still had different feelings towards the Great Zhou Dynasty. She wouldn't tell Princess Shuangxia about this.
"Grandmother, you must be tired. Why don't you lie down and rest for a while?" Ouyang Yue said hurriedly as she jumped into the palace.
Princess Shuangxia was about to refuse, but she sighed and went inside, saying, "Alright, you can stay in the palace for a while. You can return to your residence with the Crown Prince and the others. Be careful in the palace and don't leave my palace unless necessary."
Ouyang Yue nodded quickly, and Princess Shuangxia went into the inner hall. Ouyang Yue followed her in and found a room to rest.
On a narrow path, a man in black was walking slowly when suddenly a hand reached out from a tree trunk and grabbed him, pulling him inside. The man's eyes were icy cold, but the next moment he dodged and willingly let himself be pulled inside.
"What exactly do you want!" As soon as I entered, a suppressed low voice rang in my ears.
The man didn't speak, but just looked at the person in front of him, and then slowly said, "I don't want to do anything."
Ouyang Yue's face was grim as she glared at the man before her. Today, the man wasn't wearing his favorite white or silver clothes; instead, he was dressed in all black, which made him appear even more upright and his demeanor even colder. His expression was indifferent, revealing nothing of his thoughts. Ouyang Yue said urgently, "Don't you know how serious this is? How could you do such a thing?"
"What are you doing?" Baili Chen's voice remained indifferent, as if he didn't understand Ouyang Yue's words, or as if he didn't care at all.
Ouyang Yue looked at Baili Chen in disbelief: "You know exactly what I'm saying, yet you still did this. Aren't you afraid the Emperor will investigate? You should know that even if you are favored, you won't be able to escape the consequences. Why did you act so impulsively? Isn't there any other way?"
A cold glint flashed in Baili Chen's eyes, a look that made Ouyang Yue's heart tighten. Baili Chen then asked, "What's your plan?"
Ouyang Yue pursed her lips: "If you can't, I will definitely find a way to escape this talent show."
Baili Chen's voice seemed to carry a hint of mockery: "Oh, how do you escape? Kill the Crown Prince, or commit suicide?"
Ouyang Yue suddenly glared angrily at Baili Chen: "What nonsense are you talking about? You're acting strange today, what's wrong with you!" Ouyang Yue gripped Baili Chen's hand tightly, but found that his hand was trembling slightly. She didn't know if he was scared by what she said, or if he was angry, or if there was something else.
"I'm fine. You should go back first. It's not good for us to meet in the palace. You don't need to worry about anything else." Baili Chen placed his hand on Ouyang Yue's fair hand, but was actually pushing away her hand that was holding his.
Upon seeing this, Ouyang Yue gripped even tighter, not allowing Baili Chen to push her away: "No, I can't let you go until you explain yourself clearly today." She felt she knew Baili Chen somewhat; he was an extremely domineering and stubborn person. If he really did this, he might do something even more earth-shattering, and then it would be difficult to escape. She didn't want him to die.
"There's nothing to say. Why are you so annoying? I'm leaving." Baili Chen suddenly frowned and said impatiently.
"Slap!" Ouyang Yue was stunned for a moment, then slapped Baili Chen across the face. The latter was so shocked by the slap that he even forgot to cover his face with his hand: "You dare to hit me!"
Ouyang Yue just pursed her lips and stared at Baili Chen without saying a word. The two of them just stared at each other without saying a word. "What are you afraid of? Why did you do something so hasty? I know you must have other ways. Even if you don't have other ways, you can wait. As long as you don't marry into the Crown Prince's mansion, there is still room for maneuver. What if you are found out about what you did? You will die. Don't you care at all?"
Baili Chen looked at Ouyang Yue, his cheeks still faintly red. Ouyang Yue hadn't held back at all when she slapped him, and his cheeks were still throbbing, but he just wouldn't say a word.
"I won't let you go until you explain yourself clearly today. Even if you're willing to hurt yourself and do anything, I still can't trust you with my life. You don't even know how to cherish yourself, so how can you cherish others? I take back everything I said to you before. From today onwards, let's not see each other again, and let's not have any further connection. I'm different from you. I'm afraid of death. I don't want to be dragged down by you and die an unclear death." Ouyang Yue's words seemed to be squeezed out of her throat. After speaking, she turned to leave, but her hand was tightly gripped by Baili Chen's hand, like a vise. Ouyang Yue could feel his hand trembling.
"I'm scared. I'm scared that you'll eventually leave me, so I have to be quick and ruthless. I can't leave any room for maneuver. Only in this way can I have any hope." Baili Chen's voice was very low.
Ouyang Yue suddenly turned around: "But what about you! If they find out about you, do you think it's okay just because the emperor favors you? There is no such thing as unrestrained love in this world. He is the emperor, who can favor you today but can favor someone else tomorrow. How many times is your favor worth his forgiveness? You shouldn't have done this. Burning down the ancestral temple is such a big deal. You were too impulsive."
Baili Chen remained silent and did not apologize for what had happened before. Ouyang Yue was really helpless. Now she wanted to ask, but Baili Chen didn't say much. What could she do? "Your behavior makes me very worried. I told you, I still have a way to get out of this. Even if you succeed in the end, it won't make me happy. If something happens to you, who will I marry?"
Baili Chen's eyes suddenly brightened as he looked at Ouyang Yue: "I wouldn't feel at ease leaving you in the Crown Prince's residence for even a day. I'm afraid of all the possible accidents that might happen. I'm afraid you'll end up marrying the Crown Prince. I can't allow that. No one can hurt you."
Ouyang Yue deliberately provoked him: "How do you know that marrying the Crown Prince would be hurting myself? Perhaps the Crown Prince dotes on me and treats me very well."
Baili Chen frowned: "I'm sure I'm talking about this, don't talk nonsense."
“That’s not necessarily true!” Ouyang Yue pouted.
Baili Chen gently wrapped his arms around Ouyang Yue's waist. Ouyang Yue could clearly feel that he was much calmer. His arms were no longer trembling, and his heartbeat had returned to normal. She couldn't help but whisper, "You really acted too impulsively this time. It will be difficult to handle the consequences. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager are both very angry. What will you do if they find out about you?"
Bai Lichen's lips curled into a cold, sarcastic smile: "They can't find out. Even if they do, so what? I'm not afraid. They won't let me die so easily now."
Ouyang Yue suddenly sensed a hidden meaning in Baili Chen's words and was about to ask when she saw the darkness in his eyes. Her heart tightened, but she didn't ask any further: "It's good that you have this confidence, but you can't be careless. I don't want anything to happen to you. If I get out of here while you're taking risks, I won't be happy at all, do you understand?"
Baili Chen gently stroked Ouyang Yue's cheek. His rough hands brought a strange sensation to her face, making her tremble. Baili Chen's movements were as careful as if he were handling the most precious treasure, but the temperature of his palms was astonishing, indicating his excitement. Baili Chen's voice was deep and mellow, like an intoxicating wine: "Yue'er, you don't know, I originally had nothing, but now I have you. In this world, only you are mine, completely mine, so I will give everything to have you. I'm not afraid of anything, but I can't live without you, do you understand?"
Ouyang Yue didn't quite understand, but her heart was burning with warmth. These words touched her deeply, and her eyes couldn't help but redden: "But I'm worried about you too. Promise me that next time you're going to do something dangerous, you'll tell me so we can figure something out together. I really don't want anything to happen to you."
Baili Chen nodded gently, his hand stroking Ouyang Yue's cheek without stopping, carefully examining it as if he were studying the very structure of her face. Ouyang Yue was somewhat bewildered by his actions, but remained silent. Finally, she reached out and wrapped her arms around him, listening to his resounding heartbeat. Suddenly, she felt a sense of peace, and her eyes reddened even more. Any hesitation she might have felt before was gone now. This man was a prince, a prince of high status even if she didn't like him. Yet, this man was willing to give everything for her, even his life. What did she have to hold back? Nothing. Since she didn't fully understand love, at least she knew this man loved her deeply. If this was the man, she was willing to lower her guard and slowly accept him.
Baili Chen's body suddenly trembled, staring in disbelief at Ouyang Yue's dark... head. Baili Chen hurriedly lifted Ouyang Yue's chin: "Yue'er, what did you just say?"
Ouyang Yue blinked in confusion and asked curiously, "No, I didn't say anything just now."
Baili Chen shook his head and said, "No, you said it, I heard it."
Ouyang Yue was even more puzzled: "Since you heard it, why are you telling me? If you didn't hear it, then it means I didn't say anything. What do you want me to say?"
Baili Chen's face darkened slightly. Seeing the cunning glint in Ouyang Yue's eyes, he felt somewhat helpless, but inwardly he was overjoyed. His hand gently slid across Ouyang Yue's neck, then lifted her up, and his lips lightly kissed her red lips, giving them a few light kisses. His voice was slightly hoarse: "I really want to take you right now, Yue'er."
Ouyang Yue trembled. Baili Chen's breathing was heavy and intense, as if it were scalding her. Her face gradually flushed with an alluring blush, a strange and captivating red.
Baili Chen's arms were like vises, tightly binding Ouyang Yue's soft and faintly fragrant body. Ouyang Yue's entire body was pressed tightly against Baili Chen. She had no doubt that if she wanted to move now, Baili Chen might burn her with his heat, so she dared not move.
Baili Chen paused for a moment before whispering, "Yue'er, I'm really glad you're so worried about me. But don't worry, this matter won't be investigated and will not lead to me. I will definitely marry you in a grand and glorious way as my wife, Baili Chen's legal wife. From now on, I will only love you. It won't be long, it will be soon."
Although Ouyang Yue did not approve of Baili Chen's actions, she was actually somewhat happy that he was willing to do something so drastic. This meant that he really cared about her. As a woman, she was not a cold-blooded animal, and naturally she also had the vanity of being pampered by a man and a hint of tenderness that even she could hardly perceive: "Are you really confident?"
"Don't worry, Princess Xiang, do you think I'm such an impulsive person? I have a backup plan, my wife, don't worry, I'll be fine." As he spoke, he bit the tip of Ouyang Yue's earlobe. Ouyang Yue couldn't help but hum in response, then wished she could bite herself to death. Her face instantly turned red, and she glared at Baili Chen with dissatisfaction: "Why are you always like this? This is outrageous! You're flirting with me, you lecherous scoundrel, you pervert!"
Baili Chen even smiled and nodded: "What my wife said is true. I will definitely continue to work hard in the future so that you will call me a lecher every day."
Ouyang Yue's face flushed crimson. She glared at Baili Chen with displeasure, but then let out a soft cry and buried her head in her hands. She was ashamed of herself. She didn't know why, because she used to be so different. Now, seeing and hearing Baili Chen's teasing words, she felt a little embarrassed. She even scolded herself in her heart, "What's there to be embarrassed about? I've heard it hundreds of times before, what's there to be embarrassed about!" But the feeling in her heart was so strange, and she couldn't even explain it.
Baili Chen's voice was deep and mellow. His chin rested slightly on the top of Ouyang Yue's head, his voice resonating in her ears. Ouyang Yue blushed, but listened quietly to his cheerful laughter. However, she couldn't help but think that if she hadn't misheard, Baili Chen seemed to have said that the Emperor and Empress Dowager wouldn't let him die so easily. What did he mean by that? Did they want him dead?!
Something's not right. Didn't Emperor Mingxian always dote on Baili Chen? But judging from Baili Chen's behavior, it seems that's not the case. She couldn't help but think of Baili Chen's words, "He only has her." What did that mean? Did he originally have nothing? As the esteemed Seventh Prince, did he really have nothing?
Ouyang Yue felt a dark feeling in her heart, sighed softly, and hugged Baili Chen tightly again.
Finally, Baili Chen reluctantly released Ouyang Yue, who then secretly returned to Shuangxia Palace. Ouyang Yue was supposed to stay in her room, so her sneaking out went unnoticed. However, seeing her swaggering back, everyone was stunned and fell silent. After all, if Princess Shuangxia found out Ouyang Yue had left, it would be a dereliction of duty, and no one would want to create trouble for themselves. Especially now, with the palace in such a tense situation, no one would want to make a fuss.
For the next two days, all the princes and princesses chose to stay in the palace, while Emperor Mingxian also began to send people to investigate the cause of the fire at the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
In their first investigation, they discovered that the fire at the Imperial Ancestral Temple originated from a tree in front of the courtyard. Because of this tree, the fire started in the fenced area in front of the courtyard, then spread to the two side halls, and recently affected part of the main hall. But why did the tree suddenly catch fire? The reason seemed to be simply that servants at the Imperial Ancestral Temple had accidentally spilled sesame oil near the tree while carrying it, and now, in the hot and volatile weather, it was very easy for the fire to start.
But only a fool would believe such a reason. How could a few drops of sesame oil burn an entire tree, let alone such a large fire with such a long flame? Who could believe that? Emperor Mingxian naturally continued his investigation. As the investigation deepened, one person became highly suspicious: the Fifth Prince, Baili Xian. The Temple Attendant was his man. Why did that man suddenly fall ill? When the Emperor went to see the Temple Attendant, he was already bedridden and unable to get up. According to his family, he suddenly suffered from diarrhea and vomiting, was dehydrated, and could neither eat nor drink. In just one day, he became almost skin and bones, looking quite horrifying.
Just as Emperor Mingxian was assigning the position of the Imperial Ancestral Temple Assistant, he conducted a brief interrogation. The Assistant's testimony was without fault. However, before the man sent by Emperor Mingxian had even left, the Assistant suddenly vomited violently, even vomiting up his gallbladder. He then gasped for breath, rolled his eyes, and died!
Even the investigators were terrified, and this lead naturally went cold. However, some accused Baili Jian of ordering it, suggesting he might have poisoned the Imperial Ancestral Temple official. How could Baili Jian admit it? He would cry and plead, arguing that no one would be foolish enough to do such a thing to their own people, and what benefit would burning the Imperial Ancestral Temple bring him? If he had truly done it, he would have found someone affiliated with another prince, not his own, to commit such an easily traceable crime. Baili Jian's words made sense, and the lead went cold again.
But not long after, a rumor spread among the common people and the royal family.
The Crown Princess was suddenly poisoned at the banquet hosted by the Crown Prince. Although the investigation revealed that it was the work of a concubine, why did this concubine choose this particular time to poison her? And why did she suddenly know that the Crown Princess was the one who had harmed her child? Perhaps it really was just a coincidence. However, a scandal broke out on the first day of the selection of concubines at the Crown Prince's residence. Ning Xihe was actually in the same room as the Crown Prince, and judging from the situation, the two seemed to have already consummated their marriage. Weren't these two far too hasty? The Crown Prince, having received royal training, would do something so bold; it was really strange. That's not all. Ever since Mu Cuiwei injured her hands, she had stayed at home and hadn't gone anywhere. But on the very first day of the imperial concubine selection, she fell into the lotus pond and drowned. Some people mentioned that although the lotus pond in the Crown Prince's residence was not shallow, it was not deep either, less than two meters deep. It would be difficult to drown in it, but Mu Cuiwei somehow got her feet tangled in the water plants, which frightened her and caused her to drown. This was unprecedented in previous cases of drowning.
On the same day, the Imperial Ancestral Temple caught fire again. After investigating for a whole day, all the evidence was exhausted. All the people they suspected or suspected of being involved in the fire ultimately had no evidence against them. It was as if a large group of people had been thoroughly fooled. In the end, all the suspicions and evidence disappeared. It turned out that none of the people who suspected them were actually guilty. Could it be that the fire at the Imperial Ancestral Temple was really just caused by a few drops of sesame oil and the hot weather? This is too far-fetched.
Moreover, it just so happens that the fire broke out in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. You have to know how many halls there are in the palace, and how much incense oil each hall uses every day. Wouldn't a few drops of incense oil be spilled in the other halls during the transportation of incense oil? That's for sure. Why are the other halls fine, but the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the place of the ancestors of the Great Zhou Dynasty, is on fire? Could it be that someone offended the gods, or that the ancestors are showing their spirits and want to say something?
Immediately, all sorts of rumors emerged. Some said that the Crown Prince had angered his predecessors by holding a selection of candidates before the mourning period for the Crown Princess had ended, and this was a warning. Others said that one of the candidates clashed with the Crown Prince, causing a series of events. In any case, they all eventually came down to supernatural and superstitious explanations.
Emperor Mingxian suddenly produced new evidence at this moment. It turned out that a palace maid who swept the courtyard of the Imperial Ancestral Temple had deliberately poisoned the temple's manager because she resented the temple's manager for punishing her. She also set fire to the temple, which caused the fire. The palace maid was immediately executed by Emperor Mingxian. Few people witnessed the execution. Emperor Mingxian then used swift and decisive measures to suppress the news, and the matter was finally quelled.
The Crown Prince's so-called selection of concubines lasted five days in total, but in reality, apart from the first day when each young lady entered the palace, the Crown Prince spent the remaining four days in the palace. On the morning of the sixth day, all the princes, including the Fourth Prince Baili Chang, who had rarely appeared in public due to his illness, as well as Baili Chen, who was unwilling to attend, and Baili Zhi, who had just returned to the capital, along with many court officials, gathered in the main hall because today was the big day for finalizing the selection list.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
All the court officials stood solemnly and knelt down.
"Your subject respectfully welcomes Your Majesty, may Your Majesty live ten thousand years!"