My palace is full of female protagonists.

Yun Feiyu, disguised as a coachman, had a few fake wisps of beard pasted onto his chin, adding a touch of humor to his appearance. He gripped the reins tightly, leading the carriage slowly forward, and couldn't help but ask, "Princess, where are we going, leaving the city so quietly? You've refused to reveal it, and we're almost at the fork in the road."

Princess Yi gently lifted the curtain of the carriage, poked her head out, and said with a resolute look in her eyes: "My hometown is also the fiefdom we will soon govern. Isn't it only natural that I return to govern it after the marriage?"

Yun Feiyu frowned, looking worried: "Princess, if you really want to return to your fiefdom, wouldn't it be better to just report to the Emperor openly and honestly? Why bother with this disguise and sneaky behavior? If my identity is exposed, my safety is not a big deal, but if something happens to you, Princess, wouldn't hundreds of people in my Yun family suffer because of me?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Yi smiled slightly, her voice tinged with playfulness: "You're still thinking about your Yun family's little business? To tell you the truth, I overheard the Emperor and Sister Fang having a private conversation. Sister Fang mentioned that there are Yue people running rampant in their fiefdom, and that the incident at the city gate was orchestrated by them. They're also making a fortune on our territory. Shouldn't we personally discipline them for such behavior?"

Yun Feiyu suddenly tightened the reins, bringing the carriage to a screeching halt. He said urgently, "Princess, could it be that person who dared to send someone to the capital to harm you? If so, we absolutely cannot continue on our way and must return to the capital immediately! I will handle this matter; how can I allow you, Princess, to personally risk your life in such a dangerous situation?"

Princess Yi raised her jade-like finger slightly, pointing directly at Yun Feiyu. A small crimson snake silently slid out from her sleeve, its tongue flickering, carrying a hint of coldness. Her tone was filled with unquestionable authority: "You swore an oath before Brother Zhao that as my person, you would obey my orders first, and then the imperial decree. What, you've only just left the city gates, and my words are already invalid?"

Yun Feiyu's face was bitter, almost pleading: "Your Highness, please understand, we are traveling so lightly, without even a team of guards. Aren't we just like lambs to the slaughter, courting death?"

Princess Yi's lips curled into a cold smile, her eyes gleaming with confidence: "As long as I return to my territory, even if I am accompanied only by a lonely mountain, that mountain will be home to my 'thousands of iron cavalry,' what is there to fear!"

Yun Feiyu gritted his teeth and slapped the reins again, and the carriage slowly sped up.

Empress Zhao Qi'er came to Zhao Chengyu and said, "Princess Yi can no longer be found in the capital, but her maids and attendants are all anxiously pacing around the palace. They were all locked up by the princess last night."

Zhao Chengyu sighed softly, his tone filled with helplessness: "That child is exceptionally capable, and we can't blame anyone else. They also know in their hearts that it's futile to try to stop him."

Zhao Qi'er was carefully dressing the Emperor in his dragon robe, her movements gentle and skillful. She said softly, "The turmoil outside the city gates has finally subsided. As for the lingering smell of blood, I have ordered people to burn mugwort in the streets. I believe it will soon be completely dispelled."

Zhao Chengyu frowned slightly, then asked, "Fang Fei mentioned yesterday that there seems to be a prince stirring up trouble behind this matter. Have you found out anything about it?"

Zhao Qi'er shook her head slightly, her expression somewhat solemn: "All I could hear were rumors circulating in the streets and alleys, saying that a wealthy businessman was secretly controlling many officials, but I never expected that he had such a prominent identity behind him."

Zhao Chengyu's gaze lingered on Zhao Qi'er, his mind racing: Could this be the "flaw" Zhao Qi'er deliberately left for me? It wasn't that there was no evidence, but rather that the investigation hadn't penetrated to the core. Or perhaps, Fang Guizi's Taoist methods were indeed brilliant, not only able to uncover a person but also to discern their true identity as a "transmigrator," just as she had already known my secret.

Zhao Chengyu pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Enough, there's no point in pursuing this relentlessly. I know she's no ordinary person, and dealing with people is ultimately best done between people themselves. We need to send people, both openly and secretly, to accompany the princess as a strong support. How can a princess of a nation return to her county alone without any attendants? Furthermore, her dowry and betrothal gifts must also be transported properly. Qi'er, I'll leave this matter to you; I'm going to the court now."

Zhao Qi'er responded softly, her eyes filled with tenderness, watching the Emperor walk further and further away until his noble figure completely disappeared into the darkness outside the palace gates before slowly withdrawing her gaze.

Fang Hujie, a man of low rank, was not entitled to stand in the splendor of the main hall. However, due to the urgent need to report on matters concerning the city gate, he was granted special permission to stand in the most inconspicuous corner of the main hall.

Zhao Chengyu summoned Deputy General Zhang into the main hall, intending to hear about the defense status of the capital's gates over the past few days and the subsequent deployment. At first, Deputy General Zhang's words were evasive, and he gave a few perfunctory replies. In the end, he could not contain his doubts, so he knelt down, kowtowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I have a question that I cannot answer, and I dare to ask for your guidance."

Zhao Chengyu frowned slightly, a hint of impatience in his voice: "What is it?"

Deputy General Zhang steadied himself and continued, "The day before yesterday, Prefect Li Qing and Lord Fang Hujie of the capital came to visit me. I wanted to ask Lord Li about the latest developments in the city before entering the palace, but I have not yet been able to meet him. I humbly request Your Majesty's permission to summon Lord Li."

Zhao Chengyu did not express much objection to the matter and immediately issued the order. However, after only a short while, the messengers returned and reported, "Your Majesty, Lord Li Qing is nowhere to be found." It was not until the Prefect of the Capital and his entourage were summoned outside the main hall and questioned one by one that it was learned that Lord Li Qing had been missing for more than a day.

Deputy General Zhang knew perfectly well that Li Qing was currently in the hands of General Meng and was likely being imprisoned in the camp outside the city. However, he feigned alarm and declared, "This humble general has failed in his duty! To allow such an important official as the Prefect of the Capital to be abducted by villains under my jurisdiction is a crime deserving of death!" With that, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly. Following him, a group of other officials also bowed and begged for forgiveness.

Zhao Chengyu frowned and called out loudly, "Fang Hujie! Where is Fang Hujie?"

Upon hearing the voice, Fang Hujie quickly walked from the depths of the hall to the center, bowed, and replied, "Your humble servant is here."

Zhao Chengyu's brows furrowed with displeasure as he asked in a deep voice, "Fang Hujie, haven't you been following the Prefect closely these past few days? How come you seem completely unaware that the Prefect has vanished into thin air?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Hujie's knees buckled, and he knelt down, trembling as he reported, "A few days ago, due to the assassination of Princess Yi, I was indeed inseparable from the Prefect. However, two days ago, the Prefect, considering the heavy workload of the yamen, returned to the yamen to handle the matter first. Afterwards, I also obeyed and returned to Wenshu Monastery."

Before he could finish speaking, Deputy General Lin suddenly stepped forward to defend Deputy General Zhang: "Your Majesty, the position of the Prefect of the Capital holds far more power than Deputy General Zhang's. It is truly difficult to attribute the Prefect's disappearance entirely to Deputy General Zhang!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chengyu slammed his fist on the armrest of the dragon throne in a fit of rage, abruptly stood up, and roared, "Oh? So, according to you, I should blame you? In the capital of a nation, even the prefect can disappear. Does this mean the prime minister will vanish tomorrow, and the empress will disappear into thin air the day after? Do you want to lose the entire city? Or do you want to taste the bitterness of being beheaded?"

Prime Minister Gao hurriedly stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, the Prefect should not have left the capital without imperial orders. The disappearance of Lord Li Qing is truly perplexing, and this matter requires careful consideration."

Zhao Chengyu frowned, his fingers unconsciously scratching his scalp: "All those who last had contact with Lord Li Qing have been thoroughly questioned. If this person disappeared in the capital, he either met with a terrible fate or harbored ulterior motives and fled. If it is the latter, must I really wait until the enemy's iron cavalry is at the city gates before I find out how my Prefect of the Capital has vanished?"

Inside the main hall, all the officials understood perfectly; the Emperor's meaning was crystal clear. Regardless of whether Li Qing had truly betrayed the country, being suspected by the Emperor at this moment was tantamount to bearing the stigma of treason. The officials all knelt on the ground, shouting in unison, "We beg Your Majesty to severely punish the traitor and restore order to the court!"

Zhao Chengyu waved his hand, his expression cold and stern: "Men, take Li Qing's family to the Heavenly Prison. We must see Li Qing alive or dead. Otherwise, his family will spend the rest of their lives in the Heavenly Prison!"

Outside the city gate, dappled sunlight fell on an eight-year-old boy. A lollipop was in his mouth, and his clear eyes were filled with curiosity and longing for the towering city gate as he walked in with small, unhurried steps. Suddenly, a gate guard, quick as a flash, gently but firmly stopped him, turning to ask, "Young master, whose darling are you? How dare you venture into the capital city alone?"

The little boy's previously beaming face instantly scrunched up into a pout, tears welling in his eyes as if they might burst forth at any moment. Just then, another soldier came running at the sound of the commotion and asked with concern, "What happened?"

The soldier shook his head and said helplessly, "I'm afraid they've gotten separated from their families. I called out a few times, but no one answered."

Upon hearing this, the latter's brow furrowed involuntarily, his voice carrying an undeniable seriousness: "Even though he's just a child, rules cannot be broken lightly. How can someone of unknown origin so easily step through the gates of the capital?" With that, he gently but firmly grasped the little boy's thin arm, his movements not rough, but firm enough to pull the child away without resistance. The little boy stumbled and fell to the ground, now two meters away from his original position. The soldier's words revealed a sternness and unquestionable authority: "Child, trespassing through the city gates without permission is a serious crime. Leave quickly, or don't blame me for being ruthless!"

The little boy was terrified by the sudden turn of events. He collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face like broken pearls. His clear, sorrowful cries quickly attracted the attention of passersby. A crowd began to gather and gradually converge.

At this moment, a centurion under Deputy General Zhang arrived after hearing the news. Seeing the commotion at the city gate, he immediately led twenty soldiers down from the city wall. He shouted sternly, "Do you all want to die? Just a few days ago, we shot and killed some troublemaking beggars outside the city gate. Do you want to join them?"

Upon hearing the centurion's words, the crowd scattered in panic, leaving only the child still sobbing in the dust. The centurion, enraged, raised a kick to drive the child away, but the child was surprisingly quick-witted. He slapped the centurion's instep with both hands, using the momentum to leap into the air and avoid the blow. Then, he made a funny face at the centurion and plunged headfirst into the crowd of onlookers.

The centurion's face instantly turned bright red, and his roar echoed through the sky: "Bring that child back to me!"

The little boy's figure was like a fish leaping out of the water, exuding agility and untamed spirit, as he darted towards a narrow, secluded alley at the edge of the square. His movements were swift and cunning, as if he were born to belong to this world interwoven with shadows and secrets.

The soldiers, who usually stood imposing and arrogant on the city gates, were now as if drawn by invisible threads, watching the child disappear into the alley. They exchanged glances, and without a word, they strode into the seemingly ordinary yet treacherous alley, attempting to use their numbers and strength to surround the small, yet cunning, figure.

However, just as the soldiers stepped into the alley and their steps were not yet fully steady, several flashes of cold light suddenly appeared from the depths of the alley, as fast as shooting stars streaking across the night sky, dazzling and almost impossible to catch. It was the chilling sharpness of blades, the whisper of death; they drew silver arcs in the air, carrying an irresistible force and unwavering resolve.

Before the soldiers could even utter a cry of alarm, their eyes froze in shock and fear. Their normally impenetrable armor now seemed so fragile, as if made of paper, easily pierced by the sharp blades. Blood splattered, accompanied by dull thuds as their tall bodies fell limply to the ground, eventually lying silently in the narrow alleyway, leaving only pools of rapidly spreading dark red blood and their gradually cooling, lifeless bodies.

In the alley, apart from the occasional faint gasp, all was deathly silent. Those few streaks of cold light seemed to have never existed, or perhaps they had quietly vanished into the deeper darkness, awaiting the arrival of the next unfortunate victim. The child, however, had long since disappeared, leaving behind only a chilling legend that circulated quietly in the alley, igniting the curiosity and desire for exploration in everyone who heard it, thus shrouding this seemingly ordinary alley in a veil of mystery and excitement.

The centurion felt a growing suspicion. The atmosphere around him was unusually quiet. Even with a large group of soldiers following behind him, after entering the deep alley, not a single footstep echoed. This strange stillness cast a shadow over his heart.

He made a decisive decision not to venture further into this mysterious place and hurriedly returned to the city gate. At the gate, soldiers were meticulously conducting a search, their faces etched with seriousness and tension. The centurion grabbed one of the soldiers' arms, his voice rapid but firm: "Quick! Close the city gates immediately! And send a message to the palace immediately, requesting Vice General Zhang's return!"