He remarried after his mother's death, seized power over the world, and slept on the emperor�

Jiang Bingning's heart tightened, and she subconsciously tried to stand up from the stool.

However, as soon as she moved, a hand landed on her shoulder.

It is Ji Chengyun.

He didn't look at her; his gaze was fixed on the closed door.

"Sit still and don't move."

His voice was very low.

Jiang Bingning looked up and saw only his profile, its features clearly defined in the candlelight.

She stopped insisting and sat down again.

Ji Chengyun then released his grip and opened the door.

"grandmother."

He bowed slightly to the figure outside the door.

The Dowager Consort looked nervous. When she saw Ji Chengyun, she glared at him fiercely before lifting her skirt and hurriedly stepping into the room.

When she saw Jiang Bingning, her eyes were filled with heartache and lingering fear.

"Jiang girl, are you alright?"

The Dowager Empress quickly approached Jiang Bingning, grabbed her hand, and looked her up and down.

"Are you hurt anywhere? Were you burned? Why is your face so black?"

Looking at the comical black marks on Jiang Bingning's face that Chun Tao had smeared on her, she didn't find it funny at all; instead, her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

Jiang Bingning felt a warmth in her heart and quickly tried to get up to return the greeting.

"Ice-free is no problem, thank you for your help, Dowager Consort..."

"Why!"

The Dowager Empress pressed her back down.

"What's with the bowing! What time is it?!"

The Dowager Empress's voice was choked with emotion.

"It's all my fault, old woman!"

"It was my carelessness. I haven't been back for so many years, and I never imagined the Prince's mansion would become like this, causing you such a disaster while you were here!"

She became increasingly angry as she spoke, looking extremely remorseful.

Seeing this, Jiang Bingning quickly took her hand and gently persuaded her.

"Your Highness is too kind. Please don't say that."

"I'm really fine, not a single hair is missing. The young master arrived in time, and I wasn't injured."

Ji Chengyun, who was standing to the side, finally found a chance to interject.

"Grandmother, rest assured, the fire is under control, Miss Jiang is safe and sound, and only the outer part of the courtyard was burned, so the damage is not significant."

Little did anyone know, these words would have been better left unsaid, for once they were spoken, the Dowager Empress seemed to have found an outlet for her frustrations.

"The loss wasn't significant?"

She gave a cold laugh.

"With the Prince away, you are the pillar of this manor!"

"Now that such a disaster has befallen the manor, nearly burning our distinguished guest to death! You're telling me the losses aren't significant?"

When the Dowager Empress heard that Jinse Courtyard was on fire, she was so anxious that she almost fainted.

She knew her son was an idiot. She had finally found Liu Jingyi, and if the fire at the Prince's Mansion had burned Liu Jingyi's daughter to death, she didn't even dare to imagine what her idiot son would do.

Ji Chengyun lowered his eyes and bowed deeply to the Dowager Empress.

"It is my fault, please punish me, Grandmother."

He was respectful and offered no explanation.

The Dowager Empress wanted to say something more, but then a series of hurried and disorderly footsteps came from outside.

"Your Majesty, you must do me justice!"

The person arrived before the voice.

Consort Lin, dressed in a thin nightgown, with her hair disheveled and her shoes seemingly misplaced in her haste, stumbled in.

As soon as she entered the room, she knelt down in front of the Dowager Empress.

"Your Majesty! The fire at Jinse Courtyard was due to my lax management and negligence, which caused Miss Jiang such a fright!"

"I am guilty! I beg the Dowager Empress to punish me! I will certainly investigate this matter thoroughly and give Miss Jiang an explanation!"

The Dowager Empress looked down at the woman crying miserably at her feet, but her face remained unmoved, and a faint, cold smile even appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Ji Chengyun's face was ashen, and he didn't even bother to spare her a glance.

For a moment, the atmosphere inside the room became extremely eerie.

Jiang Bingning watched Consort Lin's performance quietly.

Her hair was disheveled, her clothes were in disarray, but her makeup was impeccable, clearly not the result of being woken up.

What a dramatic scene of "startled upon hearing the news, hastily apologizing."

She sneered inwardly, but on her face she put on a sincere smile that showed she was still somewhat shaken.

"Consort Lin, please rise. You flatter me."

"It was just a minor accident, I'm perfectly fine, please don't take it to heart."

Upon hearing this, Consort Lin grasped at a lifeline, raised her exquisitely made-up face, and looked at Jiang Bingning with tears of gratitude.

"Miss Jiang... I'm so glad you're alright!"

She got up from the ground and wiped away non-existent tears with a handkerchief.

"It's all my fault, I've made you suffer. Jinse Courtyard is now a complete mess, it's definitely no longer a place to live."

"I'll have someone prepare 'Listening to the Rain Pavilion' right away. You can move there tonight, okay?"

Her words were perfectly tactful, showing concern for Jiang Bingning while subtly trying to let the matter drop.

"No need."

An aged voice sounded softly.

It was the Dowager Empress who spoke.

She didn't even glance at Consort Lin, but patted Jiang Bingning's hand affectionately.

"Jiang girl, I think you're just the right fit for me."

"From now on, you will move into my courtyard and live in the warm room next door."

The Dowager Empress paused, then changed the subject, her voice tinged with sarcasm.

"The servants in my courtyard are all old people who have been with me for decades. They are quick and efficient and have good eyesight."

"I suppose... the floodwaters didn't just burst easily."

As she spoke, she finally raised her eyelids and glanced at Consort Lin unintentionally.

The color drained from Consort Lin's face in an instant.

She forced a smile that looked worse than a grimace, her voice trembling.

"What the Dowager Consort says is true... I was confused."

"I...I promise, this kind of accident will never happen again!"

"It's hard to say whether it was an accident or not."

Ji Chengyun's icy voice was like a bucket of ice water.

"I have ordered the Jinse Courtyard to be sealed off, and all the servants on duty to be detained on the spot and interrogated in isolation."

"I'll interrogate them one by one. I want to see who has the audacity to do this."

Upon hearing this, Consort Lin's brows furrowed instantly, and she blurted out...

"Your Highness! Isn't making such a fuss over a small fire a bit excessive?"

Just as Ji Chengyun was about to retort, a clear and gentle voice spoke first.

It's Jiang Bingning.

She looked at Consort Lin, her face still bearing that harmless smile, but her eyes were surprisingly clear.

"Your Highness, you are mistaken."

Bingning was also very curious.

She tilted her head slightly, but her words were piercingly incisive.

"I just want to know, who exactly is so capable of locking my door from the outside with a large brass lock in the heavily guarded inner courtyard of the Prince's mansion without anyone noticing?"

"They even used several thick wooden strips to seal all my windows."

At this point, the smile on her face vanished, and her gaze suddenly sharpened.

"This is hardly a fire."

"This is clearly an attempt to burn me alive, an attempt to kill me."