From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

The emperor looked at Yan Ruyu, his gaze sharp as a hawk, and slowly spoke, "Miss Yan, I have heard that you rendered great service by administering medicine and saving lives during the epidemic. May I ask where you learned these medical skills?" His voice was deep and majestic, carrying a unique sense of oppression characteristic of an emperor.

Yan Ruyu gave a slight curtsy and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, I have been frail and sickly since childhood, so I have some knowledge of medicine, but I only have a superficial understanding. I dare not presume to teach you anything in front of Your Majesty." She appeared calm on the surface, but her hands, hidden under her sleeves, trembled slightly, revealing her inner nervousness.

The surrounding ministers all turned their curious gazes toward her, and whispers echoed in the hall like a swarm of buzzing bees.

The emperor's lips curled into a cold smile. "Oh? Some knowledge? Miss Yan, you are a young lady from a humble family, yet you are proficient in medical principles, and even the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital praise you highly. Isn't the phrase 'some knowledge' a bit too modest?" His tone was tinged with suspicion, and his eyes became even sharper, as if he wanted to see through Yan Ruyu's thoughts.

Yan Ruyu took a deep breath, straightened her back, and met the emperor's gaze with unwavering determination. "Your Majesty is wise; I dare not deceive you. I merely cannot bear to see the people suffer, which is why I have done my best to study medical books and learn medical skills. I believe that as long as one has a kind heart, everyone can become a healer who saves lives." Her resounding words echoed in the hall, powerful and resonant.

The ministers' expressions varied; some nodded in agreement, while others looked doubtful, and the whispers grew louder.

"How dare you, Yan Ruyu, question His Majesty's judgment!" A sharp voice rang out in the hall.

An elderly official in his robes stepped forward, pointed at Yan Ruyu, and angrily rebuked her, "You are a woman, and instead of staying at home learning needlework, you insist on showing your face in public. What kind of behavior is this!" His voice was sharp and piercing, like a sword pointing directly at Yan Ruyu.

Yan Ruyu met his gaze without fear. "Your Excellency is mistaken. So what if she is a woman? Can't women learn medicine and save lives? I believe that as long as one has a heart to help the world and save lives, regardless of gender, one can contribute to the people!"

The emperor looked at the two men locked in a fierce confrontation, his eyes deep and unfathomable, his thoughts impossible to fathom.

He spoke slowly, "Miss Yan, you are right, a doctor's heart is benevolent, regardless of gender. But..." He paused, his gaze falling on Yan Ruyu, "I heard that when you were controlling the epidemic, you used some methods that had never been used before. Where did you learn these methods?" Yan Ruyu's heart sank. She hesitated slightly, then softly parted her lips, "This humble woman..."

Yan Ruyu smiled radiantly, a confident light shining in her eyes. "Your Majesty," she said, "this humble woman, though unworthy, has come across a few ancient books from which I have learned some medical principles that our predecessors never used. I have dared to put these ideas into practice, and to my surprise, they have proven effective." She paused, her tone growing increasingly firm. "I believe that the essence of medicine lies in innovation. While the experience of our predecessors is certainly important, we should be even more courageous in exploring and daring to break through, so that we can continuously improve and benefit the people."

She spoke eloquently, skillfully combining the modern medical concepts she had learned from the system with ancient medical techniques, explaining them in detail.

The emperor's initially furrowed brows gradually relaxed. He hadn't expected that a young lady could have such insight; it was truly impressive.

"Miss Yan is quite right." The Emperor's tone held a hint of admiration. "In the art of medicine, innovation is indeed paramount. Your courage to break free from the conventions of your predecessors is truly commendable." His gaze swept over the ministers in the hall, a subtle hint of pride in his eyes. "My esteemed ministers, do any of you have any objections?"

The ministers looked at each other in disbelief. Those who had initially doubted Yan Ruyu now had to admire her courage and wisdom.

They showered her with praise, and her admiration poured in like a tidal wave, giving Yan Ruyu the treatment of a "female protagonist in a wish-fulfillment novel."

All of this was observed by the male protagonist, Xu.

He stood not far away, gazing tenderly at Yan Ruyu, his eyes filled with love and pride.

He would occasionally give Yan Ruyu an encouraging look, as if to say, "You did a great job, I'm proud of you."

Yan Ruyu felt a warm current surge in her heart as she sensed Xu's gaze.

She stole a glance at him, and the feelings between them were silently conveyed in front of everyone.

Some ministers noticed the subtle interaction between the two, exchanged glances, and revealed knowing smiles.

The emperor's gaze darted back and forth between the two men, a barely perceptible glint of light flashing in his deep eyes.

"Miss Yan," the Emperor's voice rang out again, interrupting the whispers in the hall, "you have rendered such a great service, what reward do you desire?"

Yan Ruyu smiled slightly, her smile clear and bright, like the warm spring sun.

“Your Majesty, I dare not take credit for this. Saving the people is my duty, and I dare not ask for any reward. I only hope that Your Majesty can pay more attention to the people suffering from the epidemic and help them return to normal life as soon as possible.”

When these words were spoken, all the civil and military officials in the court were shocked.

Their jaws nearly dropped to the floor, as if they had heard something unbelievable.

Some people secretly glanced at the emperor, wanting to see how he would react.

After all, this was completely different from the "begging for rewards" scenes they usually saw; it was like a game-changer!

Yan Ruyu's expression was sincere, her eyes clear, without a trace of pretense.

Her actions made even the ministers who had previously harbored some doubts about her look at her with new respect.

This girl's got something!

The emperor pondered for a moment, his deep gaze falling on Yan Ruyu, as if he were thinking about something.

“Miss Yan’s concern for the people is truly commendable.” He paused, his tone becoming serious. “I have decided to entrust Miss Yan with the full responsibility for the treatment of the remaining epidemic areas in the city.”

Yan Ruyu accepted the task without hesitation, saying, "This subject will do her utmost to live up to Your Majesty's trust!" Her eyes were firm and her tone was powerful, like a general about to go to the battlefield.

The male protagonist looked at Yan Ruyu and thought, "This girl is always so hardworking."

He clenched his fists and secretly vowed to protect her.

Yan Ruyu began working on a new task.

However, things did not go as smoothly as she had imagined.

She discovered that there seemed to be a mysterious force secretly hindering her work.

There are shortages of medicinal herbs, difficulties in manpower allocation, and even people deliberately spreading rumors...

All signs indicate that someone doesn't want her to succeed.

Her brows were furrowed, and her eyes were full of doubt.

Who exactly are these people who are hindering her?

What are their goals?

She felt like she had fallen into a huge maze, unable to find the exit or see the direction.

The air around seemed to freeze, so oppressive that it made people feel breathless.

An eerie atmosphere permeated the air, sending chills down one's spine.

Looking at Yan Ruyu's furrowed brows, Xu clenched his fists and secretly vowed that no matter who it was, he would never let them get away with hurting her!

"It seems there are some things I need to handle personally..." Xu murmured, his tone icy, like a demon from hell.