From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

As soon as the imperial edict was issued in the Golden Palace, Yan Ruyu's name resounded throughout the palace.

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her fingertips tapped lightly on the table, one tap after another. The tapping sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet room, as if it were tapping on people's hearts.

"The palace has suddenly summoned me; I fear their intentions are not good." She was always intelligent, and the strangeness of this imperial edict made her sense a dangerous atmosphere.

Even Xu's gentle eyes showed a hint of worry. "The situation in the palace is complicated. You must be careful in everything you do." He held her hand, his fingertips gently stroking the back of her hand, trying to comfort her.

The palace, with its carved beams and painted rafters, was magnificent and gleaming in the sunlight, presenting a peaceful and harmonious scene.

However, beneath this glittering exterior lies a hidden undercurrent of turmoil.

The moment Yan Ruyu stepped into the palace gate, she felt countless gazes falling on her, some probing, some curious, and some hostile.

A few days later, Yan Ruyu heard that the loyal and upright Lord Yang seemed to have been inexplicably ostracized recently, and his heart trembled.

Could there really be some conspiracy brewing in the palace?

She decided to visit Lord Yang in person to find out the truth.

As the carriage slowly traveled along the bustling streets of the capital, Yan Ruyu keenly sensed something amiss.

She lifted the carriage curtain and glanced around casually. Sure enough, several furtive figures appeared in her line of sight.

These guys have such poor tracking skills. Do they really think she's an innocent idiot?

She gave a cold laugh and ordered the driver to turn into a secluded alley.

The alley was narrow, with high walls on both sides, and the pursuer lost track of them for a moment.

Passersby cast curious glances, but no one dared to approach and ask, for no one dared to offend such a noble person from the capital.

After shaking off her pursuers, Yan Ruyu successfully arrived at the Yang residence.

However, the gates of Lord Yang's residence were tightly closed, exuding an eerie silence.

Just as she was wondering, a deep voice sounded behind her: "Miss Yan, it's been a long time." She turned around and saw Prime Minister Wei's cunning and treacherous face appear before her.

"It seems I need to contact my friends in the Western Regions..." Yan Ruyu murmured.

Yan Ruyu's lips curled into a smug smile, her eyes gleaming with cunning.

"Prime Minister Wei, Consort Li... Ha, so it was you two, you two scoundrels!" The message sent back by the informant from the Western Regions was like the last piece of a puzzle, connecting all the clues and forming a complete chain of evidence.

She stroked her chin, countless plans flashing through her mind, before finally choosing the safest yet most exciting option.

As night fell, the palace was enveloped in tranquility.

Yan Ruyu walked alone in the empty corridor. Moonlight shone through the window lattice and fell on her, outlining her slender yet determined figure.

She was going to the Imperial Study, where perhaps the key evidence that could bring down Prime Minister Wei was hidden.

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the silence of the night.

A familiar figure appeared in front of her—it was Xu, the male lead!

He looked anxious and cautiously glanced around, afraid of being discovered.

"Ruyu, are you alright? I heard..." He pulled out a stack of documents from his pocket, "...these things might be useful to you."

Yan Ruyu took the documents, a warm feeling welling up in her heart.

She knew that Xu, the male lead, had defied his family's prohibition and secretly sneaked into the palace for her sake.

She looked up at him, the moonlight illuminating his handsome face, making him appear even more affectionate.

"You've come." Her voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable emotion.

"I'm worried about you." The male protagonist gently pulled her into his arms and whispered in her ear, "It's dangerous in the palace, you have to be careful." In the dim light, the two embraced tightly, as if trying to merge into each other's bodies.

A moment later, they separated, their eyes meeting.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Yan Ruyu gave him a reassuring smile, then turned and continued walking towards the Imperial Study.

Her steps were light and quick, as if she were full of energy.

"Stop!" A sharp female voice pierced the silence of the night.

Consort Li swayed her slender waist, her bright red nail polish almost poking Yan Ruyu's face, her shrill voice as piercing as nails scraping across a blackboard: "Miss Yan, what brings you to the Imperial Study so late at night? Are you perhaps trying to steal something important?" She glanced at Yan Ruyu sideways, her eyes full of mockery, as if she had already decided that she was a thief.

Yan Ruyu sneered, a cold glint flashing in her eyes, yet she maintained her composed demeanor, saying neither servile nor arrogant, "Your Highness, Consort Li, you jest. This humble woman is merely passing through on imperial orders to enter the palace." She subtly glanced at the surrounding guards; though they looked puzzled, they were clearly more inclined to believe Consort Li's words.

After all, one was a high-ranking concubine, and the other was a court lady who had just entered the palace. It was obvious which one was more important.

At the critical moment, a shrill voice broke the deadlock: "Your Highness Consort Li, the Emperor is waiting for Miss Yan. Look..." Xiao Shunzi appeared in front of everyone at some point, his face full of fawning smiles, but he subtly gave Yan Ruyu a look.

Consort Li's expression changed, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes. She quickly regained her composure and said, "The Emperor summoned me? How come I didn't know?"

"This servant deserves to die. This servant was mistaken. His Majesty summoned another official." Xiao Shunzi immediately knelt down to beg for forgiveness, but in the instant he lowered his head, he slipped a small note into Yan Ruyu's hand.

Yan Ruyu calmly put the note away, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips.

Consort Li's reaction says it all.

The note contained only one sentence: "Secret Chamber of the Wei Mansion".

Yan Ruyu's mind raced. The secret chamber of the Wei residence?

It seems that the palace intrigue is far more complex than she imagined.

As night deepened, a profound silence fell within the palace walls, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the wind, as if whispering some secret.

In the distance, a corner of a palace, hidden in darkness, appeared particularly eerie and terrifying...

Yan Ruyu gazed into the darkness, her eyes deep and thoughtful, and murmured to herself, "It seems I have to make a trip to the Wei residence." She turned and disappeared into the night, leaving only one sentence echoing in the wind: "Prepare the carriage."