Pin Shanhe

On the way back, Shen Fu couldn't help but ask, "Did you start that fire?"

"What makes you say that?"

Before going up the mountain, she guessed that Jun Qiyuan would do something underhanded, but she didn't know what it was.

She didn't realize what was happening until the fire started.

Later, the fire grew larger and larger until it was completely out of control, and she realized that something was wrong.

"How could someone as cautious as Jun Qiyuan risk his life? You did it, didn't you?"

"Heh... I'm just letting him taste the bitterness of playing with fire and getting burned."

It turned out that Jun Qiyuan had bribed the monks at the temple and had also prepared two barrels of flammable oil and tools such as bellows.

When she enters the main hall, he will create a fire to fulfill his plan to rescue her as a hero.

He merely added fuel to the fire.

"Are you crazy? That doesn't justify burning the entire temple down!"

"It was a slip-up; I'll be more careful next time."

"..."

She doesn't believe him for a second!

However, there must be another reason why he did this.

Putuo Temple held a pivotal position and reputation in Dayong.

Even the emperor would come every year to offer incense and prayers, and to discuss Buddhist teachings with the abbot.

Jun Qiyuan's initial intention in doing this was certainly not to make things escalate.

Before taking action, they lured away the worshippers around the main hall.

Even if an investigation were conducted afterward, given the temple's thriving incense offerings, it would be normal for a single spark to ignite the surrounding curtains, causing a fire.

As long as the fire is extinguished in time, no one will suspect anything; at most, it will be treated as an accident.

But if the entire temple is burned down, that would be a different story!

Upon realizing this, Shen Fu instantly understood the man's intention.

"You're trying to alarm the Emperor!"

The man slowly curled his lips into a smile: "Finally, you've gotten smart for once!"

"..."

Is this a roundabout way of calling her stupid?

Forget it, she was in a hurry to find out the truth and didn't have time to argue with him.

"Aren't you afraid the Emperor will send people to investigate and find out you're involved?"

As soon as she asked the question, she saw the other person's mocking look and realized that she had asked a stupid question.

The people were arranged by Jun Qiyuan, and he also put the kerosene in. What does it have to do with the Xuan King?

The charge of "arson at a national temple" is enough to get him into serious trouble!

However, she still felt a little strange.

Xuan Wang had no prior grudges against Jun Qiyuan, so why was he so ruthless towards him?

Could it be because of... the hatred of having his wife stolen?

After all, Meng Wan was the wife bestowed upon her by the Emperor, yet she had an affair with Jun Qiyuan.

He pretended not to care, but men, after all, have to save face.

She was just glad she hadn't made an enemy of this man, otherwise she wouldn't even know how she died.

……

Upon learning that Putuo Temple had been burned down, Emperor Yong was indeed furious.

The fire wasn't surprising; what was strange was that with so many people in the temple, they failed to notice and rescue the situation in time, resulting in the main hall and temple buildings collapsing from the heat.

He immediately ordered an investigation, and they quickly discovered the clues.

Oil was found on the remaining tiles of the temple!

This shows that the fire was not an accident, but arson!

Burning down a Buddhist temple is a serious crime, and he was immediately enraged.

"Investigate! You must find the arsonist for me; I will not let him off lightly!"

Then, he learned an even more unexpected piece of news.

At the time of the incident, King Xuan and the Fourth Prince were also in the temple!

"yes!"

Emperor Yong's heart sank.

Lately, he has been getting a headache whenever he thinks about these two people.

A marriage arranged by imperial decree should have been a joyous occasion, but who could have imagined it would lead to a misunderstanding and a "wrong marriage"?

Now, the Prince Xuan and the Fourth Prince are arguing endlessly over Shen Fu, and neither is willing to give in.

In order to appease them, they could only set a "one-month deadline".

Afterwards, he also summoned Shen Fu's father and Meng Wan's grandfather.

Duke Zhenguo Shen Ting'an and Marquis Dingyuan Meng Huaishan.

Meng Huaishan insisted that since his granddaughter's bridal sedan chair had been carried into the Fourth Prince's residence, she was his person in life and in death.

Moreover, she has now lost her innocence. If neither the Fourth Prince nor the Prince Xuan wants her, she will not be able to live!

In comparison, Shen Ting'an's attitude is rather intriguing.

He said that such an event on their wedding day indicated that his daughter and the fourth prince were not meant to be.

As for the Xuan King, that was an even bigger surprise!

He wanted to ask the emperor to cancel the engagement, preferring that his daughter remain unmarried for life!

Even if they do have children, they can take the mother's surname, and the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion will support them for life!

In an era where a woman's reputation was of paramount importance, he was preoccupied with planning for his daughter's future, even disregarding the family's honor.

This fatherly love is truly precious!

Emperor Yong was already worried about how to solve the problem when this unexpected incident occurred.

He couldn't help but wonder if this matter was also related to them.

As expected of a palace spy, he investigated every detail of the information.

Upon learning that Meng Wan had been frequently visiting the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion these past two days, it was she who took the initiative to invite Shen Fu to go to Putuo Temple to offer incense.

There, they "coincidentally" encountered the Xuan King and the Fourth Prince, and a conflict ensued.

When the temple was destroyed by fire, there were only the four of them inside.

What a coincidence!

His intuition told him that this matter must be related to them.

Damn it, didn't he say that no one was allowed to cause any more trouble before things were settled?

How dare they!

Who did it?

At this moment, another group of scouts came to report.

"Your Majesty, I'm following the leads. Kerosene is a forbidden item in the Imperial City, and its purchase and use are strictly regulated. There's a record of the Fourth Prince's residence purchasing kerosene a day ago."

Emperor Yong closed his eyes. It really was him!

"Summon the Fourth Prince! I wish to interrogate him personally!"