My palace is full of female protagonists.

Meng She involuntarily slumped back onto the soft bed, and warm blood gradually returned to the numb parts of his limbs, bringing a slight feeling of recovery.

Zhenzhen gently lifted the bed curtains, stepped forward, and asked with concern, "General, are you feeling unwell anywhere? I have prepared hot water for your bath and a change of clothes for you."

Upon hearing this, Meng She forced himself to get up again. This time, the dizziness had subsided, but when he tried to hold Zhenzhen'er's slender hand, he couldn't muster the strength in his waist. His body tilted slightly to the side, causing Zhenzhen'er to stumble a few steps. In the end, the two of them were entangled in a slightly awkward posture. Zhenzhen'er couldn't help but exclaim, her voice filled with a hint of shyness and panic.

Meng She felt the unique feminine scent emanating from Zhenzhen'er, a natural fragrance that could not be compared to cosmetics, a sweet aroma like the intertwining of a newly blossoming flower and the scent of an innocent child, making his heart beat faster involuntarily. However, reason told him that the situation was still unclear and he must not act rashly. So, he could only say softly, "Wait here for a moment, I'll be right there."

With a sudden swing of his arm, Meng She tore the bed curtains in half with his overwhelming force, while the other half slid helplessly to the ground. As the bed curtains disappeared, the scene inside the room suddenly opened up, revealing a group of servants dressed in magnificent palace attire. They stood silently, like a meticulously arranged painting.

Leading the procession was a distinguished eunuch, whose every move exuded the unique dignity and restraint of the court. This made Meng She's heart pound with apprehension, secretly thinking that he was probably being secretly watched by palace spies. Following closely behind was a line of palace maids, carrying various items: soft clothing, sparkling water basins, and fragrant tea cups. Everything was ready, awaiting the awakening of their protagonist.

The head eunuch spoke softly, yet with an undeniable authority: "General Meng She, the royal carriage has been waiting outside for some time. If you have rested well, let's set off now."

Meng She understood that this summons was urgent. However, he couldn't help but turn back to look at the woman who haunted his dreams; that beautiful face was the very one he longed for. The thought that this trip might not only render his previous efforts futile, but also cause him to miss the chance to possess this beauty stirred a ripple in Meng She's heart.

The palace maid narrowed her eyes slightly, a smile playing on her lips, and said softly, "Her Majesty has graciously granted permission for Miss Zhenzhen and the two beauties who led you here to serve as your concubines. In addition, she has bestowed upon them a residence near the military camp, and a carriage will take them there later. General, you should be at ease now, shouldn't you?"

Meng She initially thought this summons was to interrogate him, and couldn't help but ask, "Is this such a pleasant thing, or is it to punish me?"

The palace maid gently shook her head, speaking respectfully: "Your Majesty's thoughts are beyond my ability to presume, but this is indeed what you instructed me to convey. General, would you please freshen up first, and then we shall depart immediately?"

Upon hearing this, Meng She was overjoyed. He pulled Zhenzhen, who was sitting by the bed, up and led her behind the screen in the room, saying with a smile, "Since there is ready-made bathing water, how can we waste it?"

Immediately afterwards, the soft whispers and laughter of Meng She and Zhenzhen could be faintly heard from behind the screen, their affection tender and lingering.

With the warmth of a cup of tea still lingering, Meng She boarded the carriage bound for the palace. As the city gates drew near, a surge of curiosity welled up within him, and he instinctively reached for the curtain to peek outside. This action caused the carriage to slowly come to a stop. At that moment, Deputy General Zhang's voice rang out from outside the carriage, tinged with uncertainty: "Should I also accompany you into the palace?"

The palace attendant responded softly, his words carrying a hint of respect and probing: "Her Majesty specifically instructed that you accompany her. General Zhang, is there something you are worried about? After this, I congratulate you on your upcoming promotion to the rank of General of the Imperial Guard. In the future, I will have to rely on your help to save my life."

Before he could finish speaking, Deputy General Zhang leaped into the air, causing the carriage to tremble slightly. He then lifted the curtain, leaned half his body inside, and laughed, "This city, when have I not devoted myself to protecting it?"

After settling down, he squeezed Meng She closer and joked, "Is it because of Li Qing's matter? I told you long ago, there are no secrets in this world. Don't blame me for not reminding you later. I just know that I am no match for you in martial arts, so I was too lazy to stop you."

Meng She frowned slightly, his tone revealing impatience: "So you've added another title?"

Deputy General Zhang shrugged and waved his hand: "It's just an empty title, not a real promotion. But you, how could you have been so careless in hiding Li Qing?"

Meng She pointed slightly outside the carriage, made a shushing gesture, and his eyes were full of vigilance.

Seeing this, Deputy General Zhang closed his eyes helplessly and sighed, "Just keep trying to make yourself happy! I won't say anything more."

Zhao Chengyu's brows were furrowed in a knot that could not be untied, as if the waters of the River of Oblivion were meandering in his heart: on one side, a servant knelt on the ground, reporting in a trembling voice that Princess Yi had actually used a strange poison to block the pursuing imperial guards; on the other side, another servant also knelt down, speaking with panic, saying that the Empress had secretly gone to the restaurant to arrange three concubines for General Meng She outside the city.

Zhao Chengyu thought to himself: How can the palace intrigues be so bizarre and convoluted? Could it be that I, an old man, am no longer able to keep up with the times? Is it not too late to bring up the matter of expanding the harem now?

Just as Zhao Chengyu was pondering, another messenger hurriedly entered, knelt down, and spoke rapidly: "Reporting to Your Excellency, General Meng She and General Zhang Zhengting have arrived outside the palace gates."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chengyu's gaze lingered for a moment on the exhausted Crown Prince, who was fast asleep beside his desk, before turning to Empress Zhao Qi'er, who was leisurely sipping tea nearby, his expression complex. He sighed softly and waved his sleeve: "Please invite them in. We can't really ignore this matter."

After the servants who had delivered the message had all left, Zhao Qi'er quietly instructed the servant standing by the small window outside the door: "Go and summon Li Qing."

The servant responded and then hurriedly left.

Zhao Qi'er turned to Zhao Chengyu, her gentle demeanor tinged with seriousness, and said, "Your Majesty, it would be more appropriate to listen to Li Qing's account first before considering the words of Meng She and the others."

Zhao Chengyu raised an eyebrow, asking with a hint of curiosity, "You've already questioned them? Why didn't you just tell me what they said?"

A barely perceptible frown crossed Zhao Qi'er's brows, as if she had something to say but hesitated, her expression full of unease.

Seeing this, Zhao Chengyu waved his hand magnanimously: "Alright, alright, if you don't want to talk about it, then don't. I was just trying to force you anyway."

Zhao Qi'er sighed softly, her voice tinged with helplessness: "It's not that I'm unwilling to explain, but what they said is also very vague and unclear to me."

The three men took turns recounting their extraordinary encounters to Zhao Chengyu. Most of what Deputy General Zhang said was something Zhao Chengyu had already anticipated. Only Li Qing was completely different from his usual timid and clueless self. He held an unprecedented reverence for the "destined person" mentioned by the mysterious figure, his words revealing deep piety. In contrast, Meng She only concerned himself with justifying his actions. He claimed that hiding an official was out of necessity, then that the abuse of torture was for the sake of military discipline, and that the pleasures in the camp were merely for relaxation, while his extravagant spending at restaurants was simply for social purposes—a series of excuses that went on and on.

Zhao Chengyu ignored these explanations, his gaze fixed on Li Qing, his eyes filled with inquiry and contemplation: "Does he really think so of me?"

Li Qing nodded repeatedly, but then, as if remembering something, he suddenly kowtowed deeply on the ground, his voice filled with determination: "Yes, Your Majesty. If you are truly a soul from another world, I beg you to leave as soon as possible!"

A slight ripple stirred in Zhao Chengyu's heart; he was indeed somewhat lacking in confidence. So he pressed on, "Where is that expert you mentioned right now?"

Meng She said slowly, "I personally interrogated Li Qing. At first, he was unwilling to utter a single word, but he still harbored a stubborn desire to lure me into his game. Thus, he revealed the man's hiding place—it was in the territory of Princess Yi and Prince Consort Yun. Back then, the Yi tribe was destroyed by the Immortal Emperor. The officials and merchants in that land lost their leader for a time. That man took advantage of the situation and, with a few petty gains and unbelievable methods of solving cases, won the widespread support of the local officials and merchants."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chengyu nodded slightly, secretly thinking to himself: This action coincides with the common tricks in those farming novels. I had also planned to use the method of making honeycomb briquettes to win over the people's hearts, but it seems that this person has taken the first step and is a step ahead.

He turned to look at Zhao Qi'er, only to see her quickly turn her head away, refusing to meet his gaze. Zhao Chengyu immediately understood. No wonder Zhao Qi'er had said she was confused earlier; it turned out she already harbored suspicions about him, viewing him as an anomaly who had taken over Zhao Yingqing's body. Now, with additional corroborating evidence from others, she was even more unsure how to face him.

Zhao Chengyu sighed helplessly, slowly sat down, picked up his teacup and took a sip, but his gaze remained fixed on the tea leaves floating in the cup, lost in thought. For a moment, the atmosphere in the room became heavy and oppressive. Only Zhao Chengyu, who had to get up early every day for court, looked somewhat tired, and his eyelids began to droop involuntarily.

Li Qing remained kneeling in a prostrate posture, motionless, as if time had frozen at that moment. Meng She, on the other hand, knelt with his head bowed, not daring to raise it even slightly, appearing utterly dejected. Zhang Zhengting, in contrast, seemed quite composed, knowing full well that he would at most be punished for failing to report something he knew.

Zhao Chengyu observed all of this silently, his mind already weighing their attitudes. He sighed softly and slowly said, "Alright, Zhang Zhengting, you shall be reinstated to your original position. But remember, your duty is to guard the city gate. Do not interfere in matters concerning the Imperial Guards. Although your salary will still be paid in full, your position will be temporarily revoked."

At this point, his gaze turned to Meng She, his tone tinged with reproach: "Meng She, don't think I can't see through your little schemes. The fact that the capital's gates have been forced to close for several days is a matter of national importance, and how many important matters have been delayed in the process? How many officials who urgently needed to report to the capital have been blocked outside the city? And you, having finally captured such a great achievement as a 'traitor,' not only do you not come to claim credit from me, but you even secretly dragged people to interrogate them. What is your intention in doing this? Do you perhaps think that I, the emperor, am muddle-headed and incompetent, unable to even manage a mere prefect of the capital?"

Upon hearing this, Meng She was so frightened that he immediately kowtowed repeatedly, protesting, "Your Majesty, please understand! This humble subject had absolutely no such intention!"

Zhao Chengyu sighed softly, his tone tinged with helplessness and mockery: "Fine, even the Empress is arranging concubines for you, so my punishment probably won't dampen your honeymoon bliss. You should go back to your military camp and properly settle the soldiers the Crown Prince brought back. They were originally under your command, and since you think I shouldn't interfere in your military affairs, then use the gold you originally intended for concubines to nourish these valiant young men! On behalf of the Crown Prince, I thank you in advance!"

Meng She frowned, shook his head slightly, and a thousand thoughts surged in his heart. He knew he had to be careful with his words at this moment, so he unconsciously covered his mouth with his hands and quietly turned his gaze to Empress Zhao Qi'er to the side.

Zhao Qi'er was gazing up at the sky, as if all the noise around her had faded away. She was above the clouds, displaying a detached attitude towards Meng She's troubles, unwilling to get involved.

Seeing this, Meng She felt even more helpless. He could only lower his head again, forcing out a bitter smile, and replied, "Your subject will certainly do his utmost to live up to Your Majesty's great favor and high expectations!"

Zhao Chengyu turned to Li Qing, his words tinged with helplessness and mockery: "I must say, I'm truly at a loss with you. Would you be willing to become a spy who travels between the two sides?"

Li Qing remained kneeling, motionless. Zhao Chengyu's words echoed in the air, first mentioning the punishment of Deputy General Zhang, then Meng She's fate, and now it seemed his turn. But the expected storm did not arrive; instead, there was an unexpected gentleness. This soft inquiry did not seem to be directed at him directly. Although Li Qing was puzzled, he dared not move an inch, remaining humbly prostrate on the ground.

Driven by curiosity, Zhao Qi'er asked, her voice tinged with a childlike wonder, "Double agent, what does that mean?"

Zhao Chengyu smiled slightly and patiently explained, "The matter of Meng She capturing Li Qing has not yet surfaced, so let's pretend it never happened. We'll say that Li Qing was also one of the targets of the group that assassinated the Yi Princess, and therefore needs to recuperate for some time. Once his wounds have healed, we'll reinstate him to his original position. If that 'destined person' takes any action, Li Qing can become our eyes and ears, allowing us to understand the enemy's situation. After all, knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory in every battle."

Zhao Qi'er said softly, "What if he starts moving among the officials again, trying to manipulate things?"