From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on Yan Ruyu's face, but it could not illuminate the frost in her eyes.

The tender embrace with Xu just now felt like a distant dream; at this moment, every cell in her body was screaming for danger.

It felt like playing a murder mystery game where all her teammates were just slacking off, and she was the only one seriously deduce the truth, only to discover that there was more than one mastermind behind it all!

The wind, carrying fallen leaves, made a rustling sound, like countless eyes spying in the dark.

A faint, lingering smell of blood filled the air.

This seemingly peaceful capital city is actually rife with undercurrents, like the calm before a storm, oppressively so.

Yan Ruyu gently spurred the horse's flanks, and the steed reared up, galloping towards the General's Mansion.

She knew that the real battle had just begun.

The general's mansion, once a place of song and dance, is now shrouded in gloom.

As soon as Yan Ruyu stepped into the mansion, she bumped into a familiar figure—Chun Tao, Consort Li's personal maid.

Chun Tao, abandoning her usual submissive demeanor, raised her chin, her eyes full of provocation.

"Oh, isn't this Miss Yan? What's wrong? Haven't you had enough of the excitement in the palace? What brings you to the General's Mansion to join in the fun?"

Yan Ruyu sneered and ignored Chun Tao's sarcastic remarks.

She walked straight to General Zhao's study, her eyes sharp as knives, as if she could see through all pretense.

"How dare you! How dare you ignore my people!" Chun Tao shouted angrily, reaching out to stop Yan Ruyu.

The surrounding servants looked on with a mixture of curiosity and fear.

Yan Ruyu paused, her gaze sweeping coldly over Chun Tao, her tone carrying a hint of warning.

"Step aside."

Chun Tao was so intimidated by Yan Ruyu's imposing presence that she involuntarily took a step back.

But she quickly realized what was happening and, in a fit of embarrassment and anger, shouted, "You..."

Yan Ruyu ignored her, pushed open the study door, and went inside.

"General Zhao, how have you been?" Yan Ruyu's voice rang out in the study, tinged with amusement.

Inside the study, General Zhao sat upright, his face grim.

Upon seeing Yan Ruyu, he asked, "Miss Yan, what brings you here?"

Yan Ruyu smiled, walked up to General Zhao, took out a letter from her sleeve, and gently placed it on the table.

"General, take a look at this letter. Does it look familiar?"

General Zhao picked up the letter, unfolded it, and his face instantly turned deathly pale.

The letter contained shocking evidence of his affair with Consort Li!

He suddenly looked up at Yan Ruyu, "You... how did you get this?"

“General, there’s no need to be nervous,” Yan Ruyu said slowly. “This is just a small gift. You should know that I have many more ‘secrets’ about you.” She deliberately emphasized the word “secrets.”

General Zhao's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat. He knew all too well that if he offended Yan Ruyu, the consequences would be unimaginable.

He swallowed hard and said with difficulty, "Miss Yan, what do you want?"

Yan Ruyu chuckled lightly, "General, I just want to ask you for a small favor."

As night fell, the general's mansion fell silent.

Yan Ruyu came out of the study with a smug smile on her lips.

She knew that General Zhao was now firmly under her control.

Suddenly, a warm embrace came from behind and hugged her tightly.

"Yu'er, are you alright?" A familiar voice, trembling slightly, reached Yan Ruyu's ears.

Yan Ruyu turned around and saw the anxious expression on Xu's face, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

She gently shook her head and said softly, "I'm fine, I'm sorry to have worried you."

The male protagonist held Yan Ruyu's hand tightly and said with a firm look in his eyes, "Yu'er, no matter what happens, I will be by your side."

The moonlight shone on the two of them, and everything around them seemed exceptionally peaceful and beautiful.

Yan Ruyu nestled in Xu's arms, feeling his warmth and a sense of security.

“Yu’er,” the male protagonist Xu suddenly spoke, his tone tinged with seriousness, “I heard…”

“Shh,” Yan Ruyu placed a finger on Xu Nanzhu’s lips, stopping him from continuing, “I know what you want to say, but now is not the time.” A complex light flashed in her eyes, “Some things are just beginning…”

Yan Ruyu returned to the General's Mansion and compared the information she had received from General Zhao with the clues she had collected before. Suddenly, she raised her head sharply, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, and gasped: "No way, it's him?!" The teacup in her hand almost slipped, and tea splashed onto her skirt, leaving a dark stain, but it did not attract her attention at all.

The new crisis came faster and more violently than she had anticipated.

The clues point to Prime Minister Wei, who holds a high position of power and influence in the court, second only to the emperor!

This old fox, who usually appears to be loyal and upright, is actually secretly colluding with Consort Li, and may even be connected with remnants of the previous dynasty!

Yan Ruyu felt a chill run down her spine. Prime Minister Wei's power was deeply entrenched, and trying to bring him down was like pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth.

Prime Minister Wei's residence was heavily guarded, with guards every three steps and sentries every five steps, making it impossible for ordinary people to get close.

The towering walls and vermilion gates all testify to the owner's power and status.

Yan Ruyu stood in the shadows at the street corner, observing the situation around the mansion with a furrowed brow, as if she were thinking of a solution.

At this moment, Xiao Shunzi sneaked over, panting, and said, "Miss Yan, I've heard some news..." He leaned close to Yan Ruyu's ear and whispered a few words.

Yan Ruyu's eyes lit up, a look of surprise flashing across her face: "Great! This is truly heaven's help!"

It turns out that Prime Minister Wei has a strange habit: he goes to a secluded courtyard outside the city to meditate on the first and fifteenth of each month, and tonight is the fifteenth!

Yan Ruyu acted decisively and sneaked into the Wei residence under the cover of night.

Although the mansion was heavily guarded, with the secret information provided by Xiao Shunzi, she cleverly avoided the patrolling guards and moved through the corridors like a ghost.

The Prime Minister's confidants looked around in confusion, like headless flies, but they couldn't find any trace of the intruders.

Finally, Yan Ruyu found Prime Minister Wei's study.

She carefully pushed open the door and, by the faint moonlight, began searching through the study.

Suddenly, her gaze sharpened as she spotted a hidden compartment among a pile of letters.

Opening the hidden compartment revealed a jade seal from a previous dynasty!

Yan Ruyu was shocked. This was irrefutable evidence that could bring down Prime Minister Wei!

However, just as she was about to leave, the study door was suddenly pushed open.

Several black-clad guards appeared at the door and surrounded Yan Ruyu.

The cold blade gleamed under the moonlight, exuding a murderous aura.

Yan Ruyu's heart sank. The air around her seemed to freeze, so oppressive that it was suffocating.

She knew she was in dire straits...

"Heh," Yan Ruyu chuckled softly, gripping the imperial seal tightly in her hand, "It seems tonight is destined to be a sleepless night..."