Returning after a three-year escape from death, the tyrant has turned evil.

Chapter 320 The murderer was indeed Consort Ning

As Song Yi watched the water gradually return to calm, something suddenly occurred to him.

“Jiang Lanye, do you remember that day when we were under the pavilion, we saw the palace servants carrying the stone materials. There were two large boxes that were specially placed in a carriage to be transported in, and the boxes were covered with a very thick cloth.”

Upon Song Yi's reminder, Jiang Lanye immediately remembered.

“You have a booklet from when you built the attic. Bring all the people in charge of the foundation construction from that booklet.”

After saying that, he looked at the guards behind him and said, "You lot, start investigating now. Find out where the stones in those two boxes came from and who handled them."

Such stone is too rare; it should not exist in the capital at all.

In that case, it should be easy to find out the source.

"Yes!"

Jiang Lanye ordered the guards to continue watching the area and not allow anyone else to enter or leave at will. If any suspicious person was seen in the vicinity, they were to be arrested immediately.

He arranged everything and looked at Song Yi gently, saying, "Shall we go back first?"

She was still feeling a bit vain and shouldn't linger outside, so she nodded and was picked up by Jiang Lanye again.

Back at Qingliang Palace, Song Yi first drank the medicine, then asked in a low voice, "Jiang Lanye, although there is no evidence right now, if you had to guess, who do you think did this?"

Jiang Lanye remained silent for a long time before saying quietly, "By switching the stones and obtaining this kind of stone that explodes when it comes into contact with water, we can conclude that this person is definitely not simple. They were able to bribe the people in the workshop bureau and do such a thing openly in the palace. There must be someone working on this from the inside."

He pondered for a moment, then said in a cold voice, "Actually, I do have an idea in mind. After all, it won't be easy to accomplish this."

Song Yi asked directly, "Is it Consort Ning?"

Jiang Lanye gave her a deep look: "So you were thinking about her too."

"Yes, I think only she has the ability to do this."

Song Yi's mind was in turmoil. Recalling what the guard had said, she asked again, "Next, are you going to interrogate the people from the Workshop Bureau?"

"This matter is of utmost importance. I will not let anyone off the hook, not even those who were completely unaware of it. They participated in the construction of the foundation but failed to discover the problem. They all deserve to die."

Song Yi was speechless.

After Jiang Lanye finished speaking, he reached out and gently stroked her cheek, then pinched her noticeably pointed chin: "You are pregnant, but you have not been able to have a peaceful time. During your pregnancy, you have lost some weight."

Song Yi smiled helplessly: "Jiang Lanye, there's actually a question I've always wanted to ask you."

"what?"

"Is this harem of yours absolutely necessary?"

Without these women in the harem, there would be so much less scheming in her daily life, and she would live such a comfortable and happy life.

However, she knew that this problem would be very difficult for Jiang Lanye to solve.

Jiang Lanye remained silent for a long time, then suddenly smiled: "Yiyi, after this incident, I also thought so. Once I make you Empress, I will find a way to completely disband the harem. From then on, you will be the only one by my side, okay?"

Song Yi lowered her eyelids, inexplicably unable to meet Jiang Lanye's gaze.

"But... I'm afraid it will be very difficult to achieve this. Never mind, just take it as a casual remark and listen to it casually."

"No, my intention to do this is not a spur-of-the-moment decision. Even if you hadn't said that just now, I would still have found a way to completely dismantle the harem."

Song Yi pursed her lips. She was still very happy to hear him say that.

"Okay, I believe you."

The people in charge of investigating that batch of stones arrived quickly.

“Your Majesty, I have examined it carefully just now. That kind of stone does not belong to our region. There is a record in books that there is a kind of stone in the Western Regions called fire saltpeter. It heats up when it comes into contact with water and is prone to exploding. It was originally used as a weapon in war. However, because this stone is too uncontrollable and the explosion time is not consistent, it has been abandoned over time.”

"Judging from its texture, color, and smell, the substance found in the attic foundation should be saltpeter."

Upon hearing this, Song Yi frowned: "How could something from such a distant place, the Western Regions, appear here and be transported to the imperial palace?"

Jiang Lanye pondered for a moment.

For some unknown reason, the air pressure around him suddenly dropped.

".What’s wrong with you?"

Jiang Lanye looked at Song Yi and said, "There have been officials who have been to the Western Regions before. If I remember correctly, Consort Ning's father went there two or three years ago."

Song Yi was somewhat shocked: "Could it be that our guess was right, that Consort Ning was really colluding with people outside the palace, and that her father was also involved in this matter?"

"Someone is coming."

"The general is here!"

"Issue my decree that Xie Ling lead a team to search all the properties and mansions owned by Consort Ning's father, and imprison all the servants in the mansions."

"Yes."

Song Yi suddenly stood up: "That's right, we also saw Consort Ning that day. I was wondering why she went to the pavilion for no reason, and I didn't know what she was looking at. Now that I think about it, it's probably because..."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Eunuch Cao rushed in:
"Your Majesty! There's news from the Imperial Prison. They say a man named Kang Hai, from the Workshop Bureau, has taken on some tasks."

Upon hearing this, Song Yi immediately wanted to follow, but Jiang Lanye stopped her.

"Yiyi, be good. That place, the Imperial Prison, is not suitable for you. I'll be back soon, okay?"

Song Yi looked anxious, but there was nothing she could do: "Alright, come back soon."

Jiang Lanye leaned down and kissed her forehead, then immediately turned and strode away.

When it gets dark.

Song Yi waited anxiously for Jiang Lanye to return inside the palace. Finally, she heard hurried footsteps outside and went out to see what was happening. She found that Jiang Lanye was followed by many guards.

"Jiang Lanye, what are you doing?"

Jiang Lanye hadn't had time to change out of his dragon robe yet, and his clothes were stained with blood. He didn't approach Song Yi, but explained gently, "Kang Hai has already confessed. He and another person were the ones who closed the gate that day. Also, he usually exchanges letters with Consort Ning. This is enough to prove that Consort Ning was the mastermind behind this."

As for the matter concerning Consort Ning's father, the outcome may not be known until tomorrow, but it is no longer important now.

Song Yi clenched her fist.

Recalling the harrowing, life-or-death moment the two of them spent in the attic, her heart was filled with boundless hatred.

It really was Consort Ning.

(End of this chapter)