From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

The atmosphere in the Golden Palace was so heavy it seemed as if water could drip from it.

Yan Ruyu stood alone in the center of the hall, the gazes around her like needles pricking her, the whispers buzzing like a swarm of annoying mosquitoes.

She looked around; the buildings were ornately decorated and resplendent, yet a chilling sense of oppression permeated the air.

Sunlight streamed in through the tall window frames, casting dappled shadows on the floor and making her appear even more solitary.

Yan Ruyu clenched her fists involuntarily, her knuckles turning white, but she still held her head high, her eyes firm, without the slightest fear.

"How dare you, Yan! You collude with the remnants of the previous dynasty and plot a rebellion!" The Empress, dressed in a phoenix robe, looked down at Yan Ruyu from her high position, her voice sharp and filled with intense disgust.

Consort Li covered her mouth and chuckled, her tone charming yet laced with sarcasm: "Your Majesty, please calm down. Perhaps Miss Yan has simply been deceived? After all, some people are masters at playing dumb to outsmart others."

Yan Ruyu sneered and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Your Highness is joking. I, Yan Ruyu, have always acted uprightly and honestly. Why would I need to play the fool to take advantage of others? It is some people who are always thinking about how to scheme against others. They are the real tigers hiding in the dark."

The surrounding palace maids and eunuchs all lowered their heads, not daring to breathe, for fear of being drawn into this conflict.

They knew all too well the dangers of the inner palace; a single misstep could lead to utter ruin.

The Empress's face darkened, and she slammed her hand on the table: "Insolence! I see you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin!"

Eunuch Zhang's eyes darted around, and he immediately stepped forward to add fuel to the fire: "Your Majesty, this servant personally witnessed Miss Yan meeting privately with remnants of the previous dynasty, and her behavior was suspicious!"

Yan Ruyu's eyes narrowed, and she looked coldly at Eunuch Zhang: "You're talking nonsense! I don't know any remnants of the previous dynasty!"

Just then, a voice announced from outside the hall: "General Zhao has arrived!" General Zhao, clad in armor, strode into the hall. He glanced at Yan Ruyu, then at the Empress and Consort Li, and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I have important matters to report!"

Yan Ruyu's gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on the palace maid beside the Empress.

The system flashed a line of text in her mind at just the right moment: [Observe the palace maid's reaction carefully].

Yan Ruyu understood immediately, a glint of wisdom flashing in her eyes, like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, fleeting yet enough to illuminate the path ahead.

She noticed a barely perceptible hint of panic appear on the palace maid's previously calm face, her hands unconsciously twisting together, her fingertips turning slightly white.

This subtle change did not escape Yan Ruyu's notice, and a barely perceptible cold smile appeared on her lips.

The surrounding palace maids and eunuchs held their breath, watching this silent contest. They didn't understand why Yan Ruyu had suddenly changed her attitude, and their faces were full of doubt.

"Your Majesty, please understand, I have been wronged!" Yan Ruyu suddenly knelt down, her voice choked with sobs, her eyes filled with tears, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

"This humble woman has never done anything to wrong Your Majesty, nor does she know any remnants of the previous dynasty. This must be a frame-up!"

Her sudden show of weakness stunned everyone present.

The Empress and Consort Li exchanged a glance, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes.

The palace maid secretly breathed a sigh of relief, a smug smile appearing on her face, as if she could already foresee Yan Ruyu's fate of being convicted.

The male protagonist, Xu, who was hiding in the shadows, took in everything. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing an approving smile.

He knew Yan Ruyu's intelligence and wit; this play had only just begun.

Yan Ruyu lowered her head, concealing the glint in her eyes. She wanted to make the palace maid completely lower her guard before delivering a fatal blow.

She sobbed softly, her shoulders trembling slightly, like a helpless little rabbit, at the mercy of others.

Seeing her like this, the palace maid felt even more smug. She leaned down and whispered in Yan Ruyu's ear, "Miss Yan, you'd better just confess your sins obediently, that way you'll suffer less..."

"Is that so?" Yan Ruyu suddenly raised her head, her gaze sharp as she stared directly into the palace maid's eyes, a cold smile playing on her lips. "I'd like to know who instructed you to frame me?"

Standing at the back of the crowd, Xu casually played with the jade pendant, but his gaze was always fixed on Yan Ruyu.

His deep eyes shone with a gentle light, like the warm winter sun, yet also carried a hint of unwavering determination, as if silently telling her: Don't be afraid, I'm here.

Yan Ruyu felt a warmth in her heart as she sensed this power, and her tense nerves relaxed slightly.

She glanced back at Xu, the male protagonist, with gratitude. The moment their eyes met, a warm, electric current flowed between them.

Everyone around was focused on the conversation between the Empress and General Zhao, and no one noticed their silent exchange, which made their tacit understanding all the more precious.

Zhang Gonggong's shrill voice broke the brief silence.

"Your Majesty, this servant has evidence here that Miss Yan colluded with the remnants of the previous dynasty!" he said, pulling a letter from his sleeve and holding it high above his head, a fawning smile on his face, as if he had seized some enormous incriminating evidence.

"This letter was found in Miss Yan's room by this servant. It clearly details her correspondence with the remnants of the previous dynasty!" He paused, then added embellishing the story, "The letter also mentions..." He deliberately lowered his voice to create a mysterious atmosphere, "...that she plotted to assassinate the Emperor!" Upon hearing this, the hall erupted in an uproar. The ministers whispered among themselves, their gazes towards Yan Ruyu filled with suspicion and fear.

Yan Ruyu was furious. She had never seen this letter before, and it was clear that someone had framed her!

"Eunuch Zhang, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want!" Yan Ruyu suppressed her anger and sneered, "Are you sure this letter was found in my room? My room is covered with talismans for warding off evil spirits. Are you sure you can get in?" Eunuch Zhang's face stiffened upon hearing this. He did not expect Yan Ruyu to suddenly bring up the matter of talismans for warding off evil spirits.

He stammered, "This...this..." Yan Ruyu pressed on, her eyes sharp as knives. "The handwriting on this letter is delicate and neat, clearly the work of a woman. But I've practiced martial arts since childhood, and my handwriting is messy. Are you sure I wrote this?" Eunuch Zhang panicked completely, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "This...this might be...this might be someone imitating Miss Yan's handwriting..." He became more and more guilty as he spoke, his voice growing softer and softer.

Some upright ministers also began to nod in agreement, feeling that Yan Ruyu's words made sense.

Yan Ruyu's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile. "Eunuch Zhang, is there anything else you want to say?"

"I..." Zhang Gonggong opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Yan Ruyu pressed her advantage, "Since Eunuch Zhang cannot produce any conclusive evidence, then I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly and clear my name!" As she spoke, she knelt down again, but this time, night fell and the moonlight poured into the Imperial Garden like water. Yan Ruyu walked alone in the garden, her mind replaying everything that had happened in the Golden Palace that day.

"The royal maid..." she murmured to herself.