My palace is full of female protagonists.

The smell in the capital was nauseating; a mixture of acridity and unease seemed to envelop the entire city, casting a somber shadow over the night. Almost everyone in the city tossed and turned, unable to sleep, their hearts filled with uncertainty and anxiety about the future. Within the magnificent palace, Empress Zhao Qi'er also appeared exceptionally worried.

She moved quietly through the magnificent palace, finally arriving at the brightly lit imperial study, where she silently accompanied Emperor Zhao Chengyu. Zhao Chengyu, the ruler of the nation, was not currently immersed in the mountains of memorials, nor dealing with pressing state affairs. His gaze was fixed intently on the sand table before him, depicting mountains and rivers, a delicate teacup clutched in his hand. He occasionally sipped, seemingly savoring the complexities of life far more profound than the tea itself.

Seeing this, Zhao Qi'er gently walked to Zhao Chengyu's side, nestled close to him tenderly, and whispered, "Your Majesty, if you feel tired, lean on my shoulder and rest for a while. The weight of this empire is heavy, but you must also take care of your health." Zhao Chengyu turned his head slightly, a hint of weariness and helplessness flashing in his eyes. He sighed softly, "Governing a country is far more difficult than imagined. Every step must be taken with caution, and every decision can affect countless people."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qi'er felt a mix of emotions. She gently patted Zhao Chengyu's hand and comforted him, "Your Majesty, I know the heavy burden on your shoulders. But please think of my own family, which once tried to govern a small clan on its own, yet it could not withstand the storms of life and ultimately vanished. But please believe that no matter how difficult the road ahead, I will always be by your side to face it together. Isn't this true for both the larger and smaller families? Every difficulty is a test, but as long as we face it bravely, we can always find a solution."

Meanwhile, a moving scene unfolded both inside and outside the palace, one of tension and order. As night fell, the billowing smoke outside the city gates, like a black dragon, swirled and twisted in the air, propelled by the night wind. Finally, it circled half of the palace, slowly transforming itself into countless tiny dust particles, gently settling onto the glazed tiles of the palace, draping this solemn building in a thin veil of gray.

In this perilous moment, General Ma, a burly and resolute general, had already foreseen the impending disaster with his keen insight. Without hesitation, he swiftly and decisively mobilized all available resources inside and outside the palace, deploying a series of meticulous preventative measures.

A group of well-trained palace servants were quickly organized. Dressed in light fireproof clothing and carrying buckets and damp cloths, they quickly ascended to the roof of the palace, resembling a well-trained fire brigade. They were focused and sharp-eyed, constantly alert to any sparks that might emerge from the smoke, so that they could immediately extinguish any fire that might break out.

Meanwhile, another group of palace staff were busy inside the palace. They carefully moved between the palaces, tidying up the flammable roofs and debris one by one. Some were moved to a safe area, while others were covered with damp cloths to ensure that the safety of the palace could be guaranteed to the greatest extent possible in the face of the threat of smoke and sparks.

In the palace's rear garden, a group of meticulous palace servants were carefully covering the precious trees with multiple layers of thick netting. The netting in their hands acted like a giant protective umbrella, tightly wrapping the delicate branches and blooming flowers to prevent irreversible damage from the smoke and sparks. The servants' movements were gentle and practiced, as if performing a silent prayer, hoping that these trees, which carried the history and culture of the palace, would survive this disaster.

Although thick smoke and a tense atmosphere permeated the entire palace, under General Ma's command, the palace servants worked diligently and orderly, each fulfilling their duties. Through their actions, they collectively protected this ancient palace, which carried countless historical memories, hoping that the crisis would pass quickly and the palace would regain its former tranquility and glory.

Although the palace was shrouded in smoke, the palace servants continued to perform their duties in an orderly manner. Their faces were covered with thick cloths to block the pungent odor and any potentially harmful particles. On this sleepless night, Empress Zhao Qi'er and Emperor Zhao Chengyu did not stand at the highest point of the palace, but instead chose a relatively safe location inside the palace with a wide view, allowing them to observe the overall situation while avoiding direct exposure to the smoke.

Zhao Qi'er and Zhao Chengyu sat side by side, their gazes passing through the half-open window, fixed on the smoke-shrouded world outside.

Another place filled with bloodshed and chaos was the main street of the capital. Now, this once bustling street was no longer the lively and vibrant place it once was; it had become a living hell. The air was thick with the stench of blood, and even the wind seemed to carry a cruel and merciless air.

Fang Hujie and the prefect rushed over, their faces etched with solemnity and anxiety. As they stepped into this blood-soaked place, they were met with a street strewn with blood, a cruel picture unfolding before them. Several corpses lay scattered on the ground, their wounds mangled and gruesome, a sight too painful to behold. Judging from the shape and depth of these wounds, it was clearly the work of General Zhang's men; their cruelty was utterly appalling.

Continuing on, they came across a trembling bamboo basket, standing alone and conspicuously. Clearly, a "bait" had once been hidden there, attempting to escape the merciless slaughter. Fang Hujie strode forward, ripped open the basket, and found the person inside terrified, trembling uncontrollably.

"Sir, it's sparking from the sky. Aren't you afraid the bamboo basket will catch fire?" Fang Hujie asked, looking at the man hiding inside the basket, his tone a mix of teasing and helplessness. However, the man seemed not to hear him at all, simply covering his ears tightly with his hands, his face filled with fear and despair.

When he saw that the people who had interrogated him were Fang Hujie and the prefect, a glimmer of hope suddenly flashed in his eyes. As if seeing a savior, he grabbed Fang Hujie's leg and pleaded tearfully, "Take me away! Take me away, take me back to the prison! I want to be with my family! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"

Looking at this once high and mighty man, now so helpless, Fang Hujie felt a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him. He knew all too well that in this game of power, everyone was merely a pawn. Yet, faced with this man's plea, he could not stand idly by.

The prefect looked at the magistrate, who was almost out of his mind from fright, and shook his head helplessly. He ordered his men, "He's been scared mad. Men! This magistrate wants to go back to the imperial prison, so take him there! Make sure he's safe." The men responded immediately. Two soldiers, who had just been through a fierce battle and still had blood on their bodies, carefully helped the magistrate, who could barely stand, up. He cried and laughed, saying "Thank you! Thank you!" repeatedly, and was slowly led away from this bloody place.

However, not all "bait" are so lucky. Not far away, another "bait" lay quietly on the ground, his body covered in gruesome knife wounds. The final sword strike had pierced a vital organ, ending his life completely. Blood stained the surrounding ground, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and death.

Nearby, several other wounded soldiers lay on the ground, their faces pale and foreheads covered in sweat, but their eyes revealed resilience and defiance. Other soldiers were busy treating their wounds, bandaging them to stop the bleeding, and doing their best to save their lives.

The prefect walked up to the wounded soldiers, his tone filled with concern and comfort: "You all fought for the country and the people; you are true warriors. I will speak to the Emperor on your behalf and get you some compensation so you can focus on recovering."

Upon hearing this, the soldiers smiled gratefully and said in unison, "Thank you, Prefect! It is our greatest honor to serve the country."

Fang Hujie stood aside, watching all this with a complex expression. He knew that in this game of power, everyone was just a pawn, but seeing these soldiers fighting bloody battles for the country and the people, he couldn't help but feel a surge of respect and emotion.

"I hope there are no casualties, otherwise I won't know how to explain it to Deputy General Zhang," Fang Hujie said in a low voice, his tone filled with self-blame and helplessness.

However, the wounded soldiers comforted him, saying, "Lord Fang, don't blame yourself. We're fine; these are just superficial wounds that will heal in a couple of days. Serving the country is our greatest honor."

Upon hearing this, Fang Hujie was even more moved. He looked deeply at the soldiers, then turned to the prefect and said, "Let's go. We still have two other officials to visit."

When Fang Hujie and the prefect rushed to the location of the third official who had been surrounded and killed, they found that the only official who had not been killed had also just arrived. The two already had some acquaintance, and in this chaotic night, finally seeing a familiar face filled the official with an indescribable joy. However, this joy was quickly interrupted by a sudden crisis.

Just as he was excitedly greeting Fang Hujie and the prefect, a sharp whistling sound of an arrow piercing the air suddenly rang out, like the whisper of death, sending chills down everyone's spine. Fang Hujie reacted quickly, barely managing to utter, "Not good!" before a black shadow flashed by. A throwing knife drew a graceful arc in the air, precisely deflecting the arrow and narrowly avoiding the official's vitals.

"Come out, all of you! Stop hiding!" Seeing the situation, the prefect knew this was no place to linger and immediately shouted. His voice echoed in the night sky like a thunderclap, instantly shattering the surrounding silence. With his shout, the men on both sides emerged from the shadows, weapons in hand, their eyes filled with hostility and murderous intent.

In the blink of an eye, a fierce battle unfolded on the narrow street. Swords clashed, arrows flew, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and slaughter. Seeing this, Fang Hujie and the prefect immediately joined the fight, each displaying their full strength in a desperate struggle against the enemy.

In the midst of the chaotic battle, the prefect suddenly pulled a cloud-piercing arrow from his sleeve. He quickly blew on a tinderbox and lit the arrow. A brilliant plume of fire pierced the night sky, soaring into the heavens, as if announcing to the outside world the crisis and chaos that had gripped the area.

Seeing the smoke from the city gate, Deputy General Zhang's heart tightened. He knew that this smoke meant Fang Hujie and the prefect were facing great danger. He gritted his teeth and muttered to himself, "Don't let your deaths implicate me." Although his tone carried a hint of helplessness and resentment, it was mostly filled with worry and concern for the two officials and his soldiers.

In this fierce battle, Fang Hujie and the prefect, relying on their exceptional martial arts skills and wisdom, gradually stabilized their situation. Working together in coordinated attacks, they finally repelled the enemy one by one. When the battle ended, although they were merely hiding in the rear, they were already exhausted, panting and drenched in sweat.

The prefect looked at the two still-shaken officials before him, and a complex emotion welled up within him. He knew that in this game of power, everyone was merely a pawn, and these two officials were clearly innocent victims caught up in it.

"You should go back to the Imperial Prison. At least there, they can arrange doctors for you," the prefect said, his tone tinged with helplessness and concern. He knew that although the Imperial Prison was not a comfortable place, at least there, the safety of these two officials could be somewhat guaranteed.

Upon hearing this, one of the officials gave a bitter smile. He shook his head helplessly and said, "Actually, we don't even know who we're impeaching for. At first, we did have some complaints about Lord Fang, but it didn't come to the point of impeachment. We really just took money. My mother needs to take medicine long-term, and I wanted to provide her with more security."

Hearing this, Fang Hujie felt a complex mix of emotions. He knew that in this game of power, everyone had their own hardships and helplessness. He gently patted the official's shoulder and said in a low voice, "Walls have ears. Let's talk about this back in prison."

The prefect nodded in agreement. However, he did not immediately order his men to take the two officials away, but continued, "Wait a moment, when I fire the Cloud Piercing Arrow, the Imperial Guards will definitely come. It will be safer for us to go into the palace with them."

Sure enough, not long after, a dazzling firework lit up the distant sky—the arrow that the prefect had released earlier. Immediately afterward, a series of orderly footsteps approached, and a squad of imperial guards in armor, carrying long spears, quickly arrived at the scene.

"The Imperial Guards are here!" The prefect breathed a sigh of relief.