From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Yan Ruyu gathered her thoughts and stepped out of the study.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the palace walls, casting a golden halo, but it could not illuminate the gloom in her heart.

She walked alone toward the palace gate, her steps firm, as if following an invisible drumbeat, each step striking the heart.

The palace was deep and silent, except for the soft rustling of her skirt against the ground, which echoed in the empty passageway.

The palace walls on both sides soared into the clouds, as if they were about to devour her.

The guards stood solemnly on both sides, their eyes sharp as they scrutinized the "wicked woman" who had recently been infamous.

The palace maids lowered their heads, whispering among themselves, their curious gazes sweeping over her as if she were some rare and unusual object.

Yan Ruyu looked straight ahead without glancing to the side, leaving only a slender yet upright figure behind her.

She appeared calm on the surface, but her heart was already churning with turmoil.

What was Consort Li's purpose in suddenly summoning him?

Inside the magnificent palace, Consort Li reclined on a soft couch, dressed in a gorgeous gown adorned with jewels, exuding elegance and nobility.

Her slender fingers, painted with bright red nail polish, tapped lightly on the table, producing a crisp sound that seemed to resonate with Yan Ruyu's heartstrings.

Upon seeing Yan Ruyu, Consort Li immediately put on a smiling face, as warm as the spring sun, but the smile did not reach her eyes, giving people a chill.

"Miss Yan has arrived, please have a seat." Consort Li's voice was gentle and sweet, yet it concealed a sharp edge.

Yan Ruyu gave a slight curtsy, sat down gracefully, and met Consort Li's gaze calmly.

She noticed that the palace maids around Consort Li had their heads down, not daring to breathe, as if the air itself had frozen.

"I've heard that Miss Yan was quite enamored with the Emperor during the selection of concubines?" Consort Li paused, her tone laced with sarcasm. "She even went so far as to use some... low-class methods to attract the Emperor's attention?" Yan Ruyu was startled, but remained outwardly composed.

This is simply nonsense!

Seeing that she remained silent, Consort Li's smile widened. "I'm doing this for your own good. The inner palace is not a pleasant place. It's best to cut off any thoughts you have as soon as possible. Otherwise, if word gets to the Empress's ears..." Consort Li didn't finish her sentence, but the threat was clear.

The palace maids around held their breath, afraid of missing a single word.

Yan Ruyu took a deep breath and was about to speak when Consort Li suddenly stood up, walked up to her, looked down at her, and said, word by word, "Miss Yan, you'd better watch yourself."

Yan Ruyu's lips curled into a cold smile, her eyes icy. "Consort Li, you slander me so hastily without any evidence. I have no improper thoughts about His Majesty; I am merely fulfilling my duty as a subject. Why is Consort Li going to such lengths?" Her words were firm and resolute, her tone carrying an undeniable authority, as if she had become a completely different person, leaving Consort Li speechless for a moment.

Consort Li's confident smile froze on her face. She hadn't expected Yan Ruyu to refute her so forcefully, and every word she said made sense, leaving her with no way to refute.

Her carefully planned trap was like punching cotton – soft and ineffective.

Anger surged within her, but she had to suppress it. After all, this was the palace, and her every word and action represented the face of the royal family.

The surrounding palace maids all lowered their heads, not daring to breathe, but a few of them secretly looked up and gazed at Yan Ruyu with admiration.

They had assumed that Yan Ruyu would be like the other young ladies-in-waiting, meek and submissive in front of Consort Li, but they never expected her to be so brave as to challenge Consort Li's authority.

Meanwhile, outside the palace, the male protagonist, Xu, was pacing anxiously, occasionally looking up towards the palace gate.

He originally wanted to accompany Yan Ruyu into the palace, but was told that the imperial concubines could only meet with Consort Li alone.

He felt a vague unease, as if something was about to happen.

"Yu'er, you must be careful..." he murmured softly, his mind filled with memories of his time with Yan Ruyu.

Every smile, every frown, every angry gesture of hers was deeply etched in his mind, impossible to forget.

He remembered her bright, lively eyes, her mischievous smile, and her whispered words in his ear…

He suddenly raised his head, his eyes fixed firmly on the direction of the palace gate. "Yu'er, wait for me. I will definitely protect you!"

Consort Li took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure. "It seems Miss Yan is going to have to suffer the consequences..." She clapped her hands, and a palace maid came forward carrying an exquisite box...

Seeing that Yan Ruyu was unmoved by either soft or hard tactics, Consort Li curled her lips into a sinister smile, as if victory was in her grasp.

"You won't listen to reason, will you? Miss Yan, I advise you to be sensible. Some things are beyond your control." She clapped her hands lightly, and a palace maid gracefully walked forward carrying a brocade box.

The brocade box is exquisitely carved, and its value is evident at a glance.

Consort Li pointed to the brocade box, her tone chilling: "Inside is a gift from Miss Yan to me. However, the contents of this gift are rather... disrespectful."

Yan Ruyu's heart skipped a beat, and a chill ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.

She clearly never gave Consort Li anything, so what's in this box?

She tried to remain calm, but a hint of panic was hard to hide on her face.

The surrounding palace maids dared not utter a sound, each one silent and trembling with fear, lest they be implicated.

The brocade box was slowly opened, and a unique fragrance wafted out.

Inside, there was a jade Guanyin statue, but the face of the Guanyin statue was carved in the likeness of the Empress!

This is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family!

Everyone gasped in shock and looked at Yan Ruyu in horror.

Consort Li laughed triumphantly, her laughter sharp and piercing, much like the hooting of an owl.

"Miss Yan, what do you have to say now?" She seemed to have already seen Yan Ruyu's disgrace and ruin, and her eyes flashed with malice.

But Yan Ruyu is no pushover.

She quickly calmed down, her mind racing, and the system promptly provided a prompt: [The item has been tampered with. You can use the appraisal skill to view the details.]

She calmly activated her appraisal skill and, sure enough, discovered that the jade Guanyin had been replaced; the original Guanyin statue had long been switched.

Moreover, she has evidence to prove that this was a frame-up by Consort Li.

"Your Highness Consort Li has quite the methods," Yan Ruyu sneered, her tone full of sarcasm. "Unfortunately, such petty tricks cannot fool my eyes." She presented the evidence provided by the system to everyone, presenting it in a logical and well-reasoned manner, which made Consort Li's face turn deathly pale instantly.

"You...you're spouting nonsense!" Consort Li panicked, her previous smugness vanished, replaced by fear and confusion.

The palace maids around Yan Ruyu looked at her with admiration. They never expected that this seemingly weak woman would be so intelligent and able to turn danger into safety in such a critical situation.

Just then, a shrill announcement broke the silence of the palace: "Her Majesty the Empress has arrived—" Everyone was startled and knelt down in unison.

Yan Ruyu's heart was in her throat. Was the Empress's arrival at this time a blessing or a curse?

Surrounded by a group of palace maids, the Empress slowly walked into the palace, her eyes sharp as she surveyed the people kneeling on the ground.

Her face was grim, as if a storm was brewing.

"What's going on?" The Empress's authoritative voice echoed through the palace, sending chills down everyone's spines.

Yan Ruyu and Consort Li were both kneeling on the ground. The Empress's gaze swept back and forth between the two of them, and the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

"Consort Li, you speak..."