"Where is Zhou Yunli? Has he been arrested?"
Ji Hong nodded. "He's been locked up in the imperial prison and severely interrogated. But he doesn't seem to be colluding with Nan Chaoyin. The secret guards have gone through his entire background, and even infiltrated his home, turning the entire mansion upside down. They found nothing. Either he's hiding it too well, or he's innocent."
"If he's innocent, then the fire at Jingren Palace becomes very suspicious!" Nan Shiying found it extremely interesting. After a minute of brainstorming, she suddenly sighed.
Tired!
Mentally exhausted!
"Suspicious? Why?" Ji Hong didn't quite understand.
Nan Shiying glanced at Ji Jinmo. Ji Jinmo pressed his bracelet, saying, "If Zhou Yunli is innocent, then the arsonist's intentions need to be thoroughly investigated."
"Thinking positively, if the fire at Jingren Palace was Nan Chaoyin's doing, then whoever was the first to declare 'the fire is a warning from heaven' after the blaze erupted, would be Nan Chaoyin's arranged accomplice. His fundamental motive for arson was to make you retract the marriage proposal of Nan Yuan'er to Yu Chengxuan."
"But if Zhou Yunli, the Grand Astrologer, wasn't Nan Chaoyin's chosen accomplice, then who was it?"
"In other words, the best person to declare that the fire at Jingren Palace was a heavenly warning would be Zhou Yunli of the Imperial Observatory. The fire happened suddenly, and in your rage, you would surely ask for the reason. Even if you don't believe in fate, at that moment, the first person you would name would definitely be Zhou Yunli."
"Therefore, if Nan Chaoyin started the fire, then Zhou Yunli absolutely could not be innocent."
"This presents a contradiction and a paradox. It means that if Zhou Yunli is innocent, then the arsonist might not necessarily be acting under Nan Chaoyin's orders."
"But if it's not Nan Chaoyin, then who could it be?" Ji Hong understood, but his doubts deepened. If it were Nan Chaoyin, he could clearly understand his purpose and know whose subordinate the spy still hidden in the palace was. If it wasn't Nan Chaoyin, then who would it be? What would their motive be?
Ji Hong looked at Nan Shiying. Nan Shiying rolled her eyes impatiently. "Why are you looking at me, Your Majesty? Do you think I'm the one who set the fire? And the purpose was to frame that old bastard Nan Chaoyin?"
Ji Hong almost nodded. Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking!
"I..." Nan Shiying suddenly slapped her thigh. "Don't you think, this logic makes sense!"
Nan Shiying went through the entire affair from beginning to end. If she weren't herself, but an outsider standing nearby, then once Zhou Yunli was confirmed innocent, whoever spoke first upon arriving at the scene would most likely be the mastermind behind this great fire.
Because to make someone say what you want to hear, besides collusion, you can also guide them.
Nan Shiying clicked her tongue. Seeing Ji Jinmo and Ji Hong's four eyes fixed on her, Nan Shiying felt a throbbing in her head, her bulging veins pulsing. However, the image of Yu Chengxuan flashed through Nan Shiying's mind.
Wait a minute... Yu Chengxuan?
Nan Shiying slammed the table suddenly, grinding her teeth in fury. "Damn it, I shouldn't have detoxified that bastard."
Ji Jinmo and Ji Hong blinked.
Ji Hong was completely bewildered, a series of question marks appearing on his forehead. What was this about? Was Imperial Aunt trying to change the subject out of guilt?
Ji Jinmo raised an eyebrow slightly, instantly understanding her implication. "You're saying that the fire at Jingren Palace might have been caused by Yu Chengxuan?"
Ji Hong pressed his temples, finding it hard to keep up with their thinking.
"Wait, who? Yu Chengxuan?"
Ji Hong thought, Imperial Aunt, are you looking for a scapegoat? How dare you say such a thing? He's a prince of Dali, why would he be able to reach into the imperial palace of Linyuan? Besides, what would be his motive for doing so?
Nan Shiying nodded. Seeing the words "unbelievable" written all over Ji Hong's eyes, she rolled her eyes with disdain. She turned and asked Ji Jinmo, "Can't you buy your grand-nephew some walnuts?"
Ji Jinmo looked Ji Hong up and down. "It won't help."
Ji Hong gritted his teeth. "I am, after all, the Emperor of Linyuan!!"
These two scoundrels, one male and one female, had gone too far, mocking him for lacking intelligence right in front of him!
It was simply outrageous!
Nan Shiying nodded in agreement, very perfunctorily.
Ji Jinmo picked up the teapot and poured Nan Shiying a cup of tea, completely ignoring Ji Hong.
Ji Hong deflated!
Nan Shiying suddenly felt some sympathy for Ji Hong. An emperor reaching his status like this was truly something.
With great compassion, she began to explain to Ji Hong why she suspected Yu Chengxuan. "Firstly, I didn't do this. Believe it or not. Secondly, if we don't work backward from the motive, who else besides Nan Chaoyin could have gathered people without a trace to set Jingren Palace ablaze immediately after Yu Chengxuan's sudden marriage proposal?"
Ji Hong looked at Nan Shiying.
If it weren't for this, would I suspect you?
Nan Shiying choked, grinding her teeth. "What I mean is, whoever knew Yu Chengxuan would propose marriage today, would have the opportunity to act."
Ji Hong looked at Nan Shiying. "Imperial Aunt, tell me the truth, did you guess it?"
Nan Shiying choked again. Damn it!
She guessed it.
Anyone with a brain could guess it!
Nan Shiying felt that she couldn't explain it clearly to Ji Hong; the man was simply stubborn.
"So, Imperial Aunt, you mean that Yu Chengxuan orchestrated this entire affair from beginning to end? Putting aside his motives for now, just one point, does he have the ability to reach into the imperial palace?"
Ji Hong suddenly followed Nan Shiying's train of thought. He had no choice but to speak, otherwise, the cold frost in his imperial uncle's eyes was about to form a blade and strike at him.
Nan Shiying gave Ji Hong a strange look and said, "Even that old bastard Qin Qiancheng can be a spy planted by Dali in Linyuan. It's not impossible for Dali to have spies planted in the imperial palace, is it?"
"Before Yin Silan was captured, the imperial palace was like a sieve!"
Ji Hong coughed. At that time, after the imperial palace was cleared, nearly half of the personnel were purged.
"Well, but why?" Ji Hong rubbed his nose, deciding to skip this topic. Yu Chengxuan must have a motive for doing this, right?
Nan Shiying rubbed her chin and asked Ji Hong, "You tell me, is it possible that Yu Chengxuan is helping Nan Chaoyin?"
Ji Hong: "..."
"Imperial Aunt, can you put aside personal grievances first?"
Nan Shiying glared. "Do you think I'm deliberately smearing Nan Chaoyin?"
Ji Hong: Aren't you?
Nan Shiying was silent for a second, then decided to follow Ji Hong's example and skip the topic. "Your Majesty, if you were swayed by Zhou Yunli's words today and withdrew your decree, what would you do next?"
"If I believed it, I should choose an auspicious day to welcome..."
Ji Hong's voice suddenly stopped.