From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Yan Ruyu held her breath; the darkness of the Cold Palace seemed like a giant beast, about to devour her.

The icy air coiled around her skin like a snake, sending shivers down her spine.

Suddenly, a gray shadow flashed by, and a fat rat darted out from behind the tattered screen, almost brushing against her feet as it fled!

"Ah!" Even Yan Ruyu, who prided herself on her courage, was startled by the sudden fright and let out a soft cry. Her heart clenched, and she almost flew away on the spot.

She instinctively took a step back, nearly dropping the jade pendant.

Only after realizing it was just a mouse did Yan Ruyu slowly exhale, secretly mocking herself: How embarrassing that she, a dignified modern woman of the 21st century, was frightened by a mouse!

However, the atmosphere in this cold palace was indeed eerie and gloomy, just like a scene from a horror movie.

She gripped the jade pendant tightly, trying to calm herself down, after all, it was the key to her turning the tide!

The cold palace was silent, with only the howling of the wind through the broken windows, sounding like the wailing of ghosts and wolves, adding to the terror.

She looked around, her eyes sharp, trying to see through the secrets hidden in the darkness.

With this crucial jade pendant in hand, Yan Ruyu returned to the magnificent hall, only to find the atmosphere unusually heavy.

The Empress sat regally on the phoenix throne, her usually dignified and noble face now showing a hint of barely perceptible panic. Consort Li was clutching her handkerchief tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Standing to the side, Eunuch Zhang was like an ant on a hot pan, his eyes darting around nervously.

"I have important evidence to present!" Yan Ruyu said loudly, her tone firm and her eyes blazing.

"What evidence? Miss Yan, I think you've gone mad." The Empress tried to remain calm, but her slightly trembling voice betrayed her guilty conscience.

“Yes, Miss Yan, this harem is not a place for playing around. You can’t just spout nonsense.” Consort Li chimed in, her eyes filled with malice.

Yan Ruyu sneered, ignoring their obstruction, and walked straight to the center of the main hall.

"My lords, please look!" She held up the jade pendant in her hand, her voice firm and resolute, "This jade pendant..."

Before she could finish speaking, the Empress suddenly stood up. "Enough! Guards, drag this madwoman away!"

The ministers in the hall exchanged bewildered glances. Yan Ruyu's lips curled into a cold smile, her eyes icy. "Your Majesty, why are you in such a hurry? Could it be that..."

Yan Ruyu raised the corners of her mouth, but the smile did not reach her eyes, carrying a hint of mockery.

"Why is Your Majesty in such a hurry? Could it be that you have a guilty conscience?" Her clear voice echoed in the hall, carrying an undeniable authority.

She slowly opened her palm, and a delicate jade pendant lay quietly in her hand, radiating a warm luster.

"This jade pendant must be very familiar to the palace maids, right?"

The palace maid's face turned deathly pale instantly, her lips trembled, but she couldn't utter a sound.

She stared blankly at the jade pendant, as if she had seen something terrifying, and her body went limp, collapsing to the ground.

This jade pendant is evidence that she accepted bribes!

Yan Ruyu had long anticipated that the Empress would target her, so she made preparations in advance.

Everyone gasped, their gazes shifting back and forth between Yan Ruyu and the palace maid, as if watching a spectacular drama.

Some whispered among themselves, some looked shocked, and most looked at Yan Ruyu with admiration.

This reversal came too fast, like a tornado, catching everyone off guard.

"Heh, it seems the palace maid has tacitly agreed." Yan Ruyu sneered, her eyes sweeping over everyone present like sharp blades. "However, she's just a small fry. The real mastermind is someone else!"

Upon hearing this, the hall fell into complete silence; you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for Yan Ruyu to reveal the final answer.

"Eunuch Zhang, aren't you also an accomplice of the Empress?" Yan Ruyu's gaze was fixed on Eunuch Zhang, her tone icy and devoid of any emotion.

Zhang Gonggong's face changed drastically, and his body trembled like a leaf.

"This servant...this servant is innocent!" he stammered in his defense, but his words were weak and feeble.

"Injustice?" Yan Ruyu raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes. "Do you think you can hide the despicable things you've done?" She paused, her tone becoming more serious. "If you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place!"

The Empress and Consort Li's expressions also turned ugly; they hadn't expected Yan Ruyu to target Eunuch Zhang.

They originally thought that as long as they got rid of Yan Ruyu, they could rest easy, but now it seems that their plan has completely failed!

"How dare you! Yan Ruyu, how dare you slander me!" the Empress shouted angrily, trying to salvage the situation.

Yan Ruyu showed no fear, meeting the Empress's gaze with unwavering determination.

"Slander? Your Majesty, do you dare to let Eunuch Zhang confront you face to face?"

The ministers began to discuss it, and their voices grew louder and louder, like a pot boiling over.

This sudden turn of events made the atmosphere in the entire hall tense and oppressive.

"Xu..." Yan Ruyu was about to speak when she was suddenly interrupted.

"I believe her!" A clear and powerful voice pierced the oppressive air like a sharp sword.

Xu Jinyu, dressed in snow-white robes, slowly walked into the main hall. His appearance seemed to bring a ray of light to the gloomy hall.

His gaze was firm, sharp as a thousand-year-old ice, fixed on Yan Ruyu, his eyes filled with unwavering trust.

Yan Ruyu felt a warm current flow into her heart, and her eyes welled up with tears. She hadn't expected that Xu Jinyu would stand by her side so selflessly at this critical moment.

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, forming a beautiful arc. Her eyes sparkled with emotion, but more so with determination.

The surrounding ministers, seeing this scene, all showed expressions of envy; the affection between the two was truly the envy of everyone.

In the vortex of power struggles, it is truly rare to find such genuine friendship.

Meanwhile, the Empress's face turned even more ashen as she watched this scene unfold.

She hadn't expected Xu Jinyu to support Yan Ruyu so strongly; it was like adding fuel to the fire, making her even more uneasy.

"You...you..." She was trembling with anger, pointing at the two of them, but she couldn't say a word.

"Your Majesty, you'd better save your energy." Yan Ruyu chuckled, taking out a thick stack of evidence from her sleeve and scattering it on the ground like snowflakes dancing in the sky.

“These are enough to prove that you instructed Eunuch Zhang to frame me. All the evidence is here.”

Each piece of evidence records how the Empress plotted her scheme step by step and how she instructed Eunuch Zhang to frame her; every single one of these pieces of evidence is irrefutable.

Upon seeing the evidence, the Empress's face turned deathly pale. Her legs gave way, and she slumped onto her phoenix throne, her eyes filled with despair and terror.

Upon seeing this evidence, the ministers could no longer contain their anger and began to condemn the Empress, their voices growing louder and louder as if they wanted to devour her.

"Your Majesty, you are truly a disappointment!" "We have respected you so much, yet you have such a vicious heart!" "You are a disgrace to the harem!"

Seeing the Empress's defeated and dejected appearance, Yan Ruyu's anger subsided considerably.

Her eyes sharpened as she surveyed her surroundings, her voice icy cold, "This matter will not end here!"

Xu Jinyu walked to Yan Ruyu's side, took her hand, offering her silent support, her eyes filled with tenderness and doting. "What do you want to do next?"

The Empress, like a defeated rooster, slumped on her phoenix throne, her crown askew, her carefully applied makeup ruined, and all her former majesty gone.

Consort Li was in no better shape; her face was deathly pale, her lips trembled, and she shook like a leaf in the autumn wind.

Zhang Gonggong collapsed to the ground like a lump of mud. When the guards dragged him away, he left a long stain, looking just like a discarded rag.

The palace maid cried out and struggled desperately, but was ruthlessly dragged away by the guards. Her shrill cries were like those of a midnight owl, sending chills down one's spine.

At the emperor's command, the empress was stripped of her imperial seal and banished to the cold palace; Consort Li was demoted to a concubine and confined for half a year; and Eunuch Zhang was punished with caning and exiled to the frontier.

As the dust settled, the hall fell silent. Everyone held their breath, not daring to utter a sound.

Yan Ruyu stood in the center of the hall, her posture upright, her eyes clear and firm, like a bright pearl radiating dazzling light.

A slight upturn at the corners of her lips revealed a faint smile, neither ostentatious nor frivolous, perfectly showcasing her confidence and composure.

At that moment, she was the center of attention; everyone's eyes were fixed on her, filled with awe, admiration, and even a hint of...

fear.

The way the women in the harem looked at Yan Ruyu was no longer contempt and jealousy, but rather a hint of awe and fear.

They finally understood that this seemingly delicate woman possessed an indomitable heart and a keen and insightful wisdom.

The hall returned to calm, as if nothing had ever happened.

However, beneath this calm surface, other conspiracies seem to be lurking, and an undercurrent is surging, like a venomous snake lying in wait, ready to strike.

Yan Ruyu gazed at the empty hall, her eyes deep, as if deep in thought.

She always felt that things weren't so simple; behind this calm, there seemed to be a greater crisis lurking.

She gently stroked the jade pendant in her hand, feeling a cool sensation on her fingertips, which made her even more uneasy.

Suddenly, she sensed a strange gaze. She turned around abruptly, but saw nothing.

"Come out," Yan Ruyu said calmly, her voice cold yet carrying an undeniable authority.