From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Yan Rugo's gaze swept across every corner of the banquet hall like that of a hawk.

The leftover food on the mahogany table, the aroma of wine and perfume in the air, and even the slightly nervous pipa playing of the musician in the corner did not escape her observation.

She tried to find a clue amidst the chaos, but someone was determined to prevent her from succeeding.

"What are you doing here! Sneaking around like that!" A burly old woman blocked her way, her thick face full of disdain. "Get out of here! Don't offend our honored guest!"

Another maid chimed in sarcastically, "That's right! Now that something's happened, it must be your doing, you little hussy! And you're still trying to play dumb here!"

They sang in unison, like two noisy crows, wishing they could peck her out immediately.

Yan Rugo was furious, but she could only suppress her anger and force a bitter smile: "I just wanted to see if there were any clues..."

"Clues? I think you just want to steal things in the chaos!" The old woman grabbed her arm, her rough fingers like iron clamps, digging into her painfully.

The surrounding guests' gazes were like needles piercing him, and their whispers buzzed like a swarm of annoying mosquitoes.

Yan Rugo felt like she was being roasted over a fire, caught in a dilemma.

At this moment, Guard Wang approached with several guards. He had a furrowed brow and a serious expression on his face: "What's going on?"

"Guard Wang, it's her!" The old woman pointed at Yan Rugo and added fuel to the fire, "She's acting suspiciously, there's definitely something wrong with her!"

Guard Wang's gaze fell on Yan Rugo, a hint of suspicion in his eyes: "What are you doing here?"

Yan Rugo tried her best to remain calm, her tone sincere: "Guard Wang, I'm looking for the real culprit who poisoned me. I suspect..."

"Suspicion of what?" Guard Wang interrupted her. "All the evidence points to you now, and you still want to deny it?"

A few snickers erupted from the surrounding crowd of onlookers, and Yan Rugo's heart sank.

She knew that saying anything now would be useless, and any explanation would only make things worse.

"Take her away!" Guard Wang gave the order, and two guards stepped forward and grabbed her arms without saying a word.

Yan Rugo bit her lip and glanced at the crowd, but unexpectedly met a pair of deep eyes.

There seemed to be a hint of... in those eyes.

To play with?

"Wait." A clear voice came from the crowd.

The clear voice, like a spring breeze caressing the willows, instantly dispelled the somber atmosphere of the banquet hall.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw the male protagonist, Xu, holding a jade fan, walking out of the crowd unhurriedly.

He was dressed in white, with exquisite features and a faint smile on his lips, like a celestial being descended to earth, possessing an inherent power that inspires conviction.

He strolled into the center of the room, his gaze falling on Guard Wang. His tone was calm but carried an undeniable air of authority: "Guard Wang, it seems rather biased to draw conclusions without any solid evidence."

Guard Wang frowned, a troubled look on his face.

Although he was in charge of the mansion's security, he was ultimately just a guard, while the male protagonist, Xu, was a young master from a prestigious family with a noble status.

Moreover, Xu's words were not entirely unreasonable. He did not have any evidence that Yan Rugo had poisoned him, and it was indeed a bit hasty to arrest her based on some one-sided accusations.

A few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his grip on the knife hilt loosened slightly, making him appear somewhat hesitant.

Yan Rugo felt a warmth in her heart and gave Xu the male lead a grateful look.

That one glance was like rain after a long drought in the desert, giving her a glimmer of hope in her despair.

The male protagonist returned an encouraging look, his eyes deep and penetrating, as if he could see into people's hearts, yet carrying a hint of unfathomable meaning, which stirred a strange ripple in her heart.

However, Yan Rugo is not a little white rabbit who can only hide behind others. She knows that true self-salvation depends on herself.

She slowly withdrew her gaze, a meaningful smile playing on her lips. Then, to everyone's astonishment, she turned and walked towards Aunt Zhao.

Her action was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, seemingly surprised by her unexpected move.

Aunt Zhao, who had been relatively calm, suddenly became flustered when she saw Yan Rugo walking towards her.

She clutched the handkerchief tightly in her hand, trying to appear calm, but her slightly trembling fingertips betrayed her inner unease.

The entire banquet hall suddenly fell silent; you could hear a pin drop. All eyes were on Yan Rugo and Aunt Zhao, and a tense atmosphere filled the air.

Yan Rugo walked up to Aunt Zhao with an enigmatic smile on her face. She slowly began, "Aunt Zhao, I have something I'd like to say to you privately." Her voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly, carrying an undeniable air that made everyone curious about what she wanted to say.

Yan Rugo had a cold smile on her lips, and her eyes gleamed with intelligence, like a cheetah locking onto its prey.

"Aunt Zhao, your makeup today is exquisite." She spoke casually, but it made Aunt Zhao's heart skip a beat.

Yan Rugo continued, "But I wonder why you instructed the maid to frequently approach the wine table? Is it to taste the wine for everyone?" Her words were ambiguous, causing Aunt Zhao's face to turn deathly pale instantly.

"You...you're spouting nonsense!" Aunt Zhao retorted hoarsely, clutching her handkerchief tightly as if grasping at a lifeline.

Her face, heavily made up, looked particularly ferocious under the light, much like a resentful woman who had failed to win favor in the deep palace.

"I never did such a thing! You vile servant, don't you dare slander me!"

Yan Rugo remained calm and took out a small object from her sleeve. It was an exquisitely crafted silver needle, the tip of which still carried a faint smell of rust.

“Aunt Zhao, I found this silver needle on your personal maid.” She smiled meaningfully and continued, “This kind of lock-picking tool is only used in wine cellars.”

Aunt Zhao's face turned deathly pale, like a piece of white paper that had been torn to shreds.

Her eyes widened in horror as she stared at the silver needle, her lips trembling as she couldn't utter a word.

The surrounding guests gasped at the sight, their eyes filled with disdain as they looked at Aunt Zhao.

Inside the banquet hall, whispers rose and fell, like a pot of boiling porridge.

But Aunt Zhao was no pushover.

Her eyes darted around, and she began a frantic counterattack: "You bitch! You must have fabricated this evidence to frame me! How could you be so scheming and malicious!" She shouted hoarsely, trying to incite the people around her to turn the blame back on Yan Rugo.

Everyone was confused again, and suspicious glances were once again cast at Yan Rugo, like sharp arrows, making her feel immense pressure.

She felt like a blade of grass swaying in the wind and rain, about to be blown over by the gale at any moment.

She gritted her teeth, trying to stay awake, telling herself she absolutely couldn't give up.

She looked around wearily, feeling as if she were in a giant whirlpool, dizzy and on the verge of collapse.

Just then, she caught a glimpse of the male protagonist out of the corner of her eye.

He stood in the crowd, slightly raised his right hand, gently rubbed his thumb against the pad of his index finger, and then quickly lowered it.

That gesture was like a mysterious code, or a silent encouragement.

Yan Rugo's heart skipped a beat, as if she had grasped a lifeline, and a surge of strength welled up from the bottom of her heart.

She was filled with doubt. What exactly did the male lead, Xu, mean?

Why would he give himself such a suggestion?

Did he see through everything all along?

What is he hiding behind his back?

The lights in the banquet hall flickered suddenly, like candlelight being blown by the wind, emitting a faint glow. Everything around them became blurry, and Yan Rugo knew that the real test had just begun.

She withdrew her gaze, a meaningful smile appearing on her lips, and turned to Aunt Zhao, saying, "Aunt Zhao, it's time for your show to come to an end."