Started as a thatched house and ended up as a female figure

The moment Cheng Wan stepped into the Xuanzheng Hall, she felt a heavy and tense atmosphere rush towards her, making it almost impossible to breathe.

On the throne, the emperor lowered his eyes, revealing no emotion, but exuding a low-pressure atmosphere as if a storm was brewing.

He rested one hand on the armrest of the dragon throne, his fingers tapping lightly, the "tap, tap, tap" sound amplified infinitely in the hall where one could hear a pin drop, striking the hearts of everyone present.

The Crown Prince stood upright on the left side below the imperial steps, his face as expressionless as ever, but upon closer inspection, one could see the undercurrents surging in his eyes.

The main protagonist of the day, Prince Jing, stood on the other side, his chest rising and falling slightly, his face showing obvious indignation.

In the center of the hall, Wei Hufeng banged his head against the ground, his forehead pressed firmly against the cold, smooth floor. His curled-up body trembled uncontrollably, and even the official hat on his head shook violently.

The other officials in the hall held their breath and lowered their heads, not daring to make the slightest sound.

Cheng Wan's appearance broke the tense silence.

The emperor paused for a moment as he tapped his fingers, then looked up at her with a deep gaze.

Cheng Wan dared not delay and quickly knelt down: "Your humble servant Cheng Wan greets Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!"

The emperor's gaze lingered for a moment on Cheng Wan's right wrist, which was immobilized by a splint, and his tone was unreadable: "Is Marquis Zhaoping's injury any better?"

"Your Majesty, I am much better now. Thank you for your concern," Cheng Wan replied respectfully, bowing her head.

"Get up and talk."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Cheng Wan thanked him as instructed, and tried to get up by supporting herself with her left hand on the ground.

However, with his right arm firmly fixed in place, he couldn't exert any strength, and the unhealed wounds on his body also caused a dull pain due to the movement, causing his movements to falter and his body to sway slightly.

Just then, a figure silently appeared beside Cheng Wan.

It's Gu Yan.

From the moment Cheng Wan stepped into the main hall, Gu Yan's gaze never left her.

At this moment, Gu Yan's movements were extremely fast and natural. His slender hand steadily supported Cheng Wan's elbow, gently but firmly pushing her upwards. Only after Cheng Wan was completely steady did he subtly withdraw his hand, take half a step back, and stand still again.

Gu Yan and Cheng Wan never hid their feelings for each other, and almost everyone present knew about their relationship.

Therefore, Gu Yan's smooth and natural behavior did not attract much attention.

Today, there is another important matter that deserves their full attention.

The emperor's gaze swept over the briefly crossed arms and then landed on Cheng Wan's face. His voice was deep and slow, yet carried an undeniable air of authority: "Marquis Zhaoping, I demand that you recount your experiences and encounters on your journey back to the capital truthfully and in detail. If there is even a single falsehood or concealment... I will not let you off lightly."

Cheng Wan's breath hitched slightly, but she quickly calmed herself and, under the silent gaze of the entire hall, recounted the twists and turns of her journey back to the capital clearly and calmly.

Cheng Wan's tone was calm, even composed, as if she were recounting a distant rumor unrelated to herself.

However, every word and phrase is filled with the glint of swords and the deadly intent at every step.

Those thrilling ambushes, life-or-death struggles, and deep, bone-revealing wounds, when uttered from her mouth, amounted to nothing more than an almost indifferent recounting.

The turbulent emotions surging within the lowered eyes of many officials could no longer be concealed.

Marquis Zhaoping... how did he return to the capital?

She actually managed to come back alive.

This thought weighed heavily on everyone's mind.

Only Gu Yan—

He lowered his eyes, and no one could see what was churning in them.

But the hands hidden in the sleeves had knuckles that were already white from clenching.

Cheng Wan had already told Gu Yan about her experiences along the way, but hearing it from Cheng Wan again still made Gu Yan feel a chilling anger mixed with a heart-wrenching fear climbing up his spine, almost freezing his limbs and bones.