From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Yan Ruyu's eyes were like knives, piercing through the gloom that shrouded the mansion.

"I will find evidence and clear my name!" she said firmly, leaving no room for doubt.

A hint of worry flashed in Xu's deep eyes, but he still held her hand tightly, giving her silent support.

"Be careful." His deep voice carried a hint of barely perceptible gentleness.

The servants in the mansion looked at each other, their eyes filled with unease but also a hint of expectation, hoping that their master could turn the tide.

Yan Ruyu changed into an inconspicuous set of men's clothing and slipped out of the mansion quietly.

She knew that Hu San must have something to rely on since he dared to spread rumors, so she had to be careful.

As night fell, the streets were deserted, with only the dim streetlights elongating her shadow.

Based on the information she had gathered, she went to a gambling den in the west of the city, where Hu San was said to frequent.

The gambling den was filled with smoke and deafening noise. Yan Ruyu endured her discomfort and searched for Hu San's figure everywhere.

"Oh, isn't this Miss Yan? What, want to gamble a couple of rounds too?" A sarcastic voice came from behind.

Yan Ruyu turned around abruptly and saw Hu San leading several fierce-looking thugs, looking at her with a mocking expression.

A sinister glint flashed in Hu San's eyes, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth, as if victory was in his grasp.

"Why is Miss Yan here instead of staying at home? Is she feeling guilty and trying to run away?" His tone was full of sarcasm, and the gamblers around him stopped their games and watched curiously.

Yan Ruyu was fearless, looking directly into Hu San's eyes and said coldly, "I came to find you because I know that you are the one spreading rumors!" Her resounding words made the surrounding air freeze instantly.

Hu San's expression changed. "Miss Yan, don't make false accusations. I didn't do anything." He tried to appear calm, but his slightly trembling hands betrayed his guilty conscience.

Yan Ruyu sneered and pulled a letter from her sleeve. "What's this?"

Hu San's expression changed drastically, and he reached out to snatch the letter, but Yan Ruyu nimbly dodged it.

He glared fiercely at Yan Ruyu, gritting his teeth as he said, "You..."

Yan Ruyu's lips curled into a confident smile, her eyes gleaming with an all-knowing light, as if victory was within her grasp.

"You think I would arrest you unprepared?" She waved the letter in her hand. "This is irrefutable evidence that you colluded with medicine merchants outside the city to maliciously inflate the price of medicinal herbs, spread rumors, and frame me!"

Hu San's face turned ashen, and large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He never expected that Yan Ruyu would be able to find this letter.

He slumped to the ground like a deflated balloon. He thought he had done everything perfectly, but he never expected that even the most meticulous plans can have flaws, and Yan Ruyu would eventually see through his scheme.

"Impossible! This is impossible!" he shouted hysterically, his voice filled with resentment and despair.

Yan Ruyu sneered, "Nothing is impossible. Heaven is watching what people do, and you will eventually get your comeuppance for all the bad things you've done." She ignored Hu San's wails and turned to find Doctor Chen with the evidence.

When Dr. Chen saw the contents of the letter, he was stunned. He never expected that Hu San, who usually seemed honest and simple, would do such a heinous thing.

He lowered his head in shame, feeling deeply remorseful for his previous suspicions about Yan Ruyu.

"Miss Yan, I misunderstood you, please forgive me!" Doctor Chen said with shame.

Yan Ruyu smiled slightly, "Dr. Chen, it is a great thing to admit your mistakes and correct them. The most important thing now is to control the epidemic in the city."

At this moment, inside the mansion, the male protagonist Xu was directing people to carry out isolation and treatment in an orderly manner. Thanks to his efforts, the epidemic in the mansion had been effectively controlled, and no new cases had appeared.

He was overjoyed

When Yan Ruyu returned to the mansion, this was the scene that greeted her.

She ran excitedly towards Xu, and the two embraced tightly. The servants around them smiled with relief at the sight, knowing that their master had finally overcome the difficulties and ushered in new hope.

"We succeeded," Yan Ruyu said softly, her voice trembling slightly.

"Yes, we succeeded." The male protagonist hugged her tightly, as if he wanted to merge her into his own bones and blood.

Watching the two embrace, Dr. Chen walked up to them, took a deep breath, and said, "Miss Yan, what should we do now..."

Doctor Chen and Yan Ruyu went to the city bulletin board together and made the contents of Hu San's letter public.

The onlookers initially whispered and discussed among themselves, but after reading the contents of the letter, they fell silent instantly.

Immediately afterwards, gasps of surprise erupted from the crowd, and the hostile gazes toward Yan Ruyu turned into shame and apology.

"Miss Yan, we wronged you!" An old man knelt down tremblingly, tears streaming down his face.

The others also knelt down, begging Yan Ruyu for forgiveness.

Yan Ruyu looked at the sea of ​​black heads in front of her, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

She smiled slightly and said loudly, "To err is human, to forgive divine. Everyone, get up. The most important thing now is to work together to overcome this difficult time." She made the method of controlling the epidemic public, and the people spread the news. The panic that permeated the city gradually dissipated, replaced by hope and vitality.

On the streets, herbal medicine shops reopened, and doctors busily moved between patients. The city gradually returned to its former hustle and bustle, but the air was filled with a greater sense of unity and friendship.

Yan Ruyu did not pursue Hu San's responsibility, but instead asked him to help treat patients with the epidemic.

This move shocked everyone.

Some people didn't understand, some admired, but most people respected Yan Ruyu.

Yan Ruyu felt calm as she looked at Hu San's tearful gratitude.

She believes that giving others a chance is giving yourself a chance.

Inside the mansion, Yan Ruyu and Xu, the male protagonist, watched the city gradually recover, their hearts filled with joy and a sense of accomplishment.

Just then, news came from the palace that the emperor wanted to summon Yan Ruyu.

The sudden news shattered the momentary tranquility, and a sense of unease welled up in Yan Ruyu's heart.

The male protagonist held her hand tightly. The imperial envoy held the imperial edict, his expression solemn, and read out the emperor's decree word by word.

Yan Ruyu and the male protagonist Xu looked at each other as they read the imperial edict summoned by the palace envoy…