My palace is full of female protagonists.

Zhao Chengyu emerged leisurely from the pool, water droplets sliding slowly down his muscular physique, reflecting the afterglow of the setting sun, adding to his untamed and majestic air. He lightly draped the brocade robe handed to him by a servant, his movements exuding an undeniable kingly aura, and then spoke, his voice steady and powerful: "Gentlemen, my mind is made up. It is advisable to first begin preparations for the marriage between Princess Yi and Yun Feiyu. This matter concerns the alliance between our two nations, and there can be no room for error. Furthermore, an urgent letter must be sent immediately to General Yun's residence to inquire about and respect his opinion. After all, he is the true head of the Yun family and has the decisive power to decide this matter."

At this point, a cold glint flashed in Zhao Chengyu's eyes as he continued, "As for the old lady in the Yun family who is bedridden and half-dead, whether she knows about this matter or not is actually irrelevant. I cannot interfere too much in the internal affairs of the Yun family, but there is one thing I must remember—make sure the second daughter of the Yun family keeps a close watch on everyone in the household, and prevent those uninformed servants from speaking recklessly just because they are not of the same bloodline, spreading rumors that would offend my eyes and ears and damage the face of the royal family."

Empress Zhao Qi'er sat gracefully to the side, listening to her husband's words, a ripple of emotion stirring within her. Gazing at this man who, though reigning for many years, still occasionally revealed the vigorous spirit of his youth, she felt a complex mix of emotions. Zhao Qi'er nodded gently, her eyes gleaming with wisdom, and softly echoed, "Your Majesty's words are most true. I am willing to accompany Consort Leng to the Yun family to sincerely and respectfully facilitate this marriage. The Yun family's affairs should be handled with utmost care to ensure a satisfactory outcome."

This time, as Miss Yun stepped into the magnificent palace once more, facing the Empress and Consort Leng on their high thrones, her demeanor was even more solemn than before, her eyes flashing with unprecedented caution and reverence. Especially when she saw Empress Zhao Qi'er sitting upright in her high seat, not even touching the tea that the Yun family had carefully prepared, her majesty and aloofness made Miss Yun even more uneasy.

Empress Zhao Qi'er gently swirled the teacup in her hand, her gaze gentle yet carrying an undeniable strength, and said to Consort Leng Lin Shuang beside her, "Consort Leng, you and Miss Yun are about the same age, so perhaps you can have many intimate conversations. Let me ask you, since the Yun family has been sealed off for so long, have they been living a relatively peaceful life?"

Just as Leng Linshuang was about to speak, Miss Yun suddenly knelt down, cupped her hands, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty the Empress, Consort Leng, please forgive us. The Yun family has many unspeakable difficulties."

Seeing this, Leng Linshuang's words caught in her throat, replaced by a meaningful gaze as she silently looked at Miss Yun. Empress Zhao Qi'er slightly raised her hand, signaling the palace maids beside her to help Miss Yun up, her voice gentle yet firm: "Miss Yun, there's no need for this. His Majesty has ordered that you temporarily assume the responsibility of managing the Yun family in the capital. If you encounter any difficulties, just speak up, and I will take care of it for you."

Miss Yun Er stood up, her eyes slightly red, her voice tinged with grievance: "After the Yun family was sealed, at first everyone was still careful and behaved properly because the servants had all been replaced by the court. But as time went on, people's hearts began to waver, and some secretly formed cliques, trying to harm me. At first it was just some financial disputes, but later..." At this point, Miss Yun Er's voice became even lower, as if she found it difficult to speak.

Upon hearing this, Leng Linshuang's lips curled into a cold smile, her tone laced with sarcasm: "You really know how to cover for them. It's just some sordid stuff between men and women, and you insist on making it your fault?"

Empress Zhao Qi'er nodded slightly, her gaze deep: "So, you locked him up, is that it?"

Upon hearing this, Miss Yun lowered her head, tacitly agreeing with the Empress's guess.

Miss Yun's face was pale, her hands were clenched tightly, and her eyes were full of helplessness and fear. She continued, "I thought that locking those people up would make them behave themselves, but who knew that they would become even more outrageous. Some of them tried to threaten me with death; others started to deceive the servants and incite them to be dissatisfied with me; and some even smashed things and set fires. They were simply lawless."

Upon hearing this, Leng Linshuang's lips curled into a cold smile, her voice carrying an undeniable resolve: "If it's a young lady from the Yun family who doesn't know her place, a beating will be lenient, to teach her a lesson. If it's those ungrateful sons-in-law who dare to cause trouble in the Yun family, what harm is there in killing them? As for those servants who should be loyal, if they dare to betray their masters for personal gain, do I need to personally teach you how to deal with them?"

Upon hearing this, Miss Yun Er bowed respectfully, her whole body trembling as if pierced by a cold wind, her voice shaking: "Yes, it is because Miss Yun Er is not wise enough to handle this matter properly, causing trouble for Your Highnesses."

Empress Zhao Qi'er gently set down her teacup, her gaze sharp, her voice carrying a touch of authority and composure: "Second Miss Yun, do you know that it's not a good thing for you to kill your son-in-law? If word gets out, it will only tarnish the Yun family's reputation. But don't forget, there are Imperial Guards right outside this courtyard, with hundreds of knives. If you really need them, surely you can borrow enough?"

Upon hearing this, Miss Yun's face paled even more, her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground, trembling as she said, "I understand, I understand! Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress and Consort Leng, for your guidance. I will keep this in mind and handle the affairs of the Yun family properly, and I will never let such things happen again."

Empress Zhao Qi'er nodded slightly upon seeing this, her eyes revealing a hint of approval and encouragement. Her voice was gentle yet firm: "It's good that you understand, Second Miss Yun. However, we are not here today just to hear about the Yun family's predicament. The Emperor's decree has been issued, ordering you to prepare. Princess Yi has a good impression of Yun Feiyu. He is a child from a branch of your Yun family and is currently the only civil official pillar of the Yun family in the court. But you should know that once he becomes the imperial consort, his status and responsibilities will be different, and many etiquette rules will need to be adjusted accordingly."

"After the two are married, Yun Feiyu will accompany Princess Yi to her fiefdom to serve as the prefect. This is not only the Emperor's trust and high regard for the Yun family, but also an excellent opportunity for the Yun family to restore its prestige. Therefore, the preparation of the dowry must not be taken lightly. It must be appropriate and dignified in order to reflect the style of the royal family and the Yun family."

The Empress paused slightly, turned her gaze to the Second Miss Yun, and continued, "His Majesty has already dispatched a fast horse to deliver an urgent letter to General Yun, seeking his opinion. As the person in charge of the Yun family in the capital, you also need to write a letter in your own hand, explaining in detail the Yun family's plans and the arrangements for the dowry. Firstly, this will let General Yun know what's going on, and secondly, it will demonstrate the Yun family's sincerity and preparation to the royal family."

Supported by an old woman, Miss Yun managed to stand up. A resolute look appeared on her pale face, and although her voice was still trembling, she had regained some strength: "I understand, Miss Yun. I will go and prepare the letter immediately. I will certainly not disappoint the Emperor and the Empresses. The Yun family will do everything in its power to make the marriage between Yun Feiyu and Princess Yi a glorious chapter."

Empress Zhao Qi'er nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this, her eyes full of expectation: "Very good, Miss Yun. If the Yun family can seize this opportunity to regain the trust of the royal family and the respect of the people, you will have made a great contribution. Go, go and write the letter."

Miss Yun sat on the carved pear wood chair in the study. Despite the blazing fire in the stove, her hands and feet remained icy cold, and she was still trembling from the tension and fear she had felt earlier. Several experienced old women surrounded her, some rubbing her hands, others gently massaging her feet. Warmth gradually seeped into her body, making her feel much better.

One of the old maids, who used to be a palace maid, had a worldly yet gentle look in her eyes. She softly comforted her, "Young Madam Yun, don't be too nervous. People in the palace do like to use official jargon, but the meaning is actually the same. Her Majesty the Empress's actions today are also in the hope that you can quickly cheer up and support the Yun family."

Miss Yun Er took a sip of the ginger tea in her hand, the warmth sliding down her throat and into her heart. She nodded slightly and said, "I understand Your Majesty's good intentions. But I'm thinking about how to write this letter to Father. After all, the Emperor will definitely have to see it. I can't write it too casually. I have to show the Yun family's sincerity, but I can't lose my sense of propriety."

At this moment, the old woman who had raised Miss Yun said with a worried look, "Why don't we have someone bring that son-in-law over and let him write it? After all, he is a scholar and his writing skills are better than yours."

Upon hearing this, Miss Yun shook her head, a resolute glint in her eyes: "If we let that treacherous person write it, what if he leaks the information or deliberately distorts our meaning? That would be troublesome."

The old maid, who was originally a palace servant, smiled. She seemed to see through the worries of the second young lady of the Yun family and said, "Young mistress of the Yun family, don't forget, Her Majesty the Empress just said that there are Imperial Guards outside the courtyard, with hundreds of swords. If there is a real need, would Her Majesty be stingy with a few swords? Although our Yun family is in trouble now, we have Her Majesty the Empress backing us up. What are you afraid of?"

Upon hearing this, Miss Yun felt somewhat calmer. She took a deep breath, her eyes gradually hardening: "You're right, I can do it. It's better to avoid trouble. It's safest for me to write this letter myself. Someone has to step up and take responsibility for the Yun family's affairs, and I am that person."

With that, Miss Yun picked up her brush, laid out the Xuan paper, and began to ponder. She knew that this letter was not only about the future of the Yun family, but also about her personal dignity and responsibility.

Empress Zhao Qi'er gently waved her hand, signaling her palace servants to prepare a separate, exquisite tea set. She then carefully began brewing fresh tea, its fragrant aroma instantly filling the entire hall. Her movements were elegant and composed, as if all the outside world's disturbances were irrelevant to her.

Consort Leng Linshuang appeared somewhat restless. She stood up and paced back and forth in the hall, each step revealing her inner anxiety and unease. She stopped and turned to Zhao Qier, suggesting, "Sister, why don't we go and see that old woman together? Perhaps we can get some useful information from her."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qi'er didn't even lift her eyelids. She simply picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and the aroma of the tea seemed to calm her down. "What's the point of seeing a dying old woman? Didn't you say last time you came back that she couldn't even speak? What valuable thing can someone like that offer us?"

Leng Linshuang shook her head, a sly glint in her eyes: "Sister, you can't say that. Although she is indeed having trouble speaking right now, it doesn't mean she has completely lost her ability to speak. Perhaps, in her delirious state, she is more likely to reveal secrets that she wouldn't normally easily disclose. We just need to find a patient old woman to listen carefully, and we can always piece together some useful information from her ramblings."

Zhao Qi'er slowly stood up, a hint of resolute determination flashing in her eyes. She said softly, "Let's go see that elder from the Yun family. Perhaps we can learn something from him." Upon hearing this, Leng Linshuang's eyes flashed with surprise, which then turned into a rare smile. She silently followed behind the Empress and walked out of the hall together.

Outside the main hall, the women of the Yun family remained kneeling on the ground. The cold wind made their figures appear even thinner and more helpless. Hearing the footsteps of an important person, one of the girls mustered her courage and cried out, "Your Majesty! Please hear my words! The Yun family deserves to die, but I beg Your Majesty to give us a chance to defend ourselves!"

Empress Zhao Qi'er stopped, her gaze sharp as she swept over the kneeling women. Her voice carried a hint of authority and accusation: "Are there servants of the Yun family kneeling here? The Yun family is a family of generals, a family with outstanding achievements. How can they refer to themselves as 'this humble servant'? Is this dissatisfaction with the title bestowed upon them by the Emperor, or is it a deliberate attempt to belittle their status?"

Upon hearing this, the girl's face turned deathly pale, and fear surged through her heart like a tidal wave. She kowtowed repeatedly, her voice trembling with sobs: "No, no! I am the fourth young lady of the Yun family. I was just nervous because I had never seen such a grand occasion before, and I misspoke, offending Your Majesty's ears. I am guilty! I am guilty!"

Leng Linshuang, standing to the side, seemed to think the scene wasn't lively enough. She curled a cold smile and said softly, "Since they're so ignorant, why don't we just kill them? It'll add some meat to the Yun family's kitchen, and it'll be a small token of our appreciation."

These words sent shivers down the spines of the Yun family women, who trembled and even held their breath. Zhao Qi'er, however, gently shook her head, her gaze revealing a deep and complex emotion: "Consort Leng is mistaken. The Yun family may have made mistakes, but they do not deserve death. As members of the royal family, we should uphold justice and compassion, and win people over with virtue, not with violence. Today's events are merely a minor incident. What truly matters is how we guide the Yun family back onto the right path and into serving the court."