My palace is full of female protagonists.

Zhao Chengyu nodded, also captivated by the beautiful sound. He whispered, "This tree and these birds seem to have some mysterious connection; together they created this enigmatic song."

They decided to investigate the phenomenon more thoroughly. Zhao Chengyu asked Xiao Kuangzi to bring some tools, and they carefully climbed the tree, trying not to disturb the birds. In the tree, they discovered a natural stage made of branches and leaves, where the birds were singing.

Zhao Chengyu carefully observed the birds' habits and the surrounding environment. He discovered that these birds liked to sing at night, and the leaves and branches of the ancient trees formed a natural resonance chamber, amplifying the birds' songs so that the entire garden could hear the beautiful melody.

They also discovered that the tree's leaves had a unique shape with fine serrations along the edges. When the wind blew, these serrations cut through the air, creating a special vibration that complemented the birds' songs.

Zhao Chengyu and Xiao Kuangzi decided to protect the ancient tree and the birds, ensuring they are not disturbed. They plan to install protective measures around the tree to ensure this natural concert hall can continue to exist.

“Little Box,” Zhao Chengyu said, turning to Little Box, “find a skilled craftsman and have him make a few comfortable nests for these birds in this tree. Make sure the nests are sturdy and can keep out the wind and rain.”

Xiao Kuangzi nodded in agreement. He knew that Zhao Chengyu was a meticulous and compassionate monarch who always cared about every life in the palace.

Zhao Chengyu continued, "In addition, place a water tank under the tree, and make sure the water is clean and fresh." He paused for a moment, then added, "We also need to arrange for people to come and feed them regularly to ensure the birds have enough food."

Xiao Kuangzi quickly noted down Zhao Chengyu's instructions, knowing that these birds would benefit from Zhao Chengyu's good deed.

A few days later, the craftsman meticulously crafted a bird's nest in the tree according to Zhao Chengyu's request. The nest was cleverly integrated into the natural shape of the tree trunk, making it both beautiful and practical. At the same time, a large water vat filled with clear water was placed under the tree.

Zhao Chengyu also specially selected several palace gardeners to feed the birds regularly. He personally designed the feeding schedule and the types of food to ensure that the birds received balanced nutrition.

Zhao Chengyu had long heard of the bronze mirror in the Empress's palace. It was not only an antique in the palace, but also a mysterious object carrying countless legends. He decided to personally investigate the secrets behind this mirror.

On a moonlit night, Zhao Chengyu arrived at the Empress's palace with his small basket. The palace was ornately decorated, and the bronze mirror hung quietly on one of the walls. The mirror was somewhat blurred due to its age, but it shimmered with a faint luster under the moonlight.

"Little Box, go and fetch some specific incense and candles," Zhao Chengyu instructed.

The little box took the order and soon returned with several slender incense sticks. These incense sticks were specially made according to an ancient recipe, and were said to enhance the light transmission effect of the mirror.

Zhao Chengyu lit the incense and candles and placed them in front of the bronze mirror. The candlelight cast dancing shadows on the mirror, enveloping the entire room in a mysterious atmosphere. As the incense smoke rose gently, the surface of the bronze mirror seemed to undergo subtle changes, becoming brighter as if some power was awakening within it.

Zhao Chengyu stared at the bronze mirror. He knew that the mirror's translucency was an ancient technique, not real magic. He had seen similar introductions in modern short videos; these were bronze mirrors made with special processes that could display patterns on the back under certain conditions.

"Your Majesty, this mirror is really..." Little Frame looked at the mirror in surprise, seemingly also attracted by this magical sight.

Zhao Chengyu smiled slightly and explained, "This is an ancient technique called a light-transmitting mirror. It utilizes the tiny structures beneath the mirror to reflect light, allowing us to see the pattern on the back."

Xiao Kuangzi only vaguely understood what Zhao Chengyu was saying, but he admired Zhao Chengyu's extensive knowledge even more.

Zhao Chengyu continued, "This mirror is a treasure of the palace, and we must protect it carefully. Go and arrange for people to clean and maintain this mirror regularly to ensure that it can continue to be passed down through generations."

Little Box nodded in agreement, knowing that this was not just a mirror, but also a part of the palace's history.

Then, Zhao Chengyu thought of the garden outside the palace, where there was an ancient tree. He had instructed Xiao Kuangzi to arrange a bird's nest in the tree and a water vat under it, and to have someone come and feed the birds regularly. He hoped that these measures would make the natural environment of the palace more harmonious and add a touch of life to the bronze mirror.

Under the cover of night, Zhao Chengyu and Xiao Kuangzi silently approached the palace's treasury. The treasury was one of the most important places in the palace, containing countless precious treasures and historical artifacts. Their purpose was not to steal, but to investigate the recent mysterious disappearances of treasures from the treasury.

The vault doors were tightly shut, the heavy brass locks appearing exceptionally sturdy, showing no signs of tampering. Zhao Chengyu carefully examined the lock's structure, confirming it was intact. He knew that some secret must be hidden behind this incident.

They lit lanterns and began searching the vault. The vault was filled with various chests and display shelves, displaying gold and silver artifacts, jewelry, ancient books, and paintings. Zhao Chengyu's gaze swept across every corner of the vault, finally settling on the wall at the back.

A huge mural hung on the wall, depicting ancient mythological stories. Zhao Chengyu gently pushed the mural and discovered that it could actually move. Behind the mural, a narrow secret passage was hidden.

“Look at that little box,” Zhao Chengyu said, pointing to the entrance of the passage.

The little box opened its eyes wide in surprise: "Your Majesty, where does this passage lead?"

Zhao Chengyu shook his head: "We don't know yet, but the treasure may have been moved through this passage."

They cautiously entered the passage and found it to be winding and circuitous, clearly leading to other parts of the palace. Zhao Chengyu realized that the existence of this secret passage posed a significant threat to the security of the palace.

Just then, their movements were discovered by patrolling guards. The guards immediately sounded the alarm, and the entire palace was instantly illuminated as the guards searched everywhere for the intruders.

Zhao Qi'er, who was waiting for the Emperor to return in his bedchamber, was also startled by the sudden alarm. She immediately rushed to the treasury and saw Zhao Chengyu and Xiao Kuangzi at the entrance of the passage.

"Your Majesty, what's going on?" Zhao Qi'er asked anxiously.

Zhao Chengyu succinctly explained their discovery and emphasized the potential dangers of this secret passage.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qi'er's expression turned serious: "We must investigate this passage immediately and find out who used it to move the treasure."

Zhao Chengyu nodded; he knew this matter needed to be dealt with quickly. He ordered Xiao Kuangzi to immediately gather reliable guards and prepare for a thorough search of the secret passage.

Zhao Qi'er stood before the secret passage to the treasure vault, her brow furrowed, her eyes gleaming with determination. She knew this passage might be crucial to the safety of the palace, and any negligence could lead to serious consequences.

"Those going down, be careful. Grab your weapons. If anyone resists, kill them without hesitation." Zhao Qi'er's voice revealed an unwavering resolve. She knew that at this moment, there could be no hesitation or soft-heartedness.

Zhao Chengyu stood beside her, his gaze equally resolute, but his mind was racing. He realized that, as emperor, he needed to maintain a certain distance to better control the situation. He decided to entrust this task to the Imperial Guards, the most elite guard in the palace, who possessed the capability and experience to handle such a situation.

"Zhao Qi'er, let the Imperial Guards investigate this matter. They are well-trained and capable of handling this situation properly," Zhao Chengyu said calmly.

Zhao Qi'er nodded. She trusted Zhao Chengyu's judgment and understood his responsibilities and considerations as emperor. She immediately ordered the captain of the Imperial Guard to lead a team of elite soldiers into the passage to conduct a search.

Zhao Chengyu decided to leave the treasury; he needed to go elsewhere to ensure the safety of the palace. He knew that tonight's events might cause some unrest, and he had to ensure the order and security of the entire palace.

Before leaving, Zhao Chengyu said to Zhao Qier, "I will patrol other places to ensure the safety of the palace. Be careful here and let me know if anything happens."

Zhao Qi'er nodded. She knew Zhao Chengyu's worries and was grateful for his concern. She watched Zhao Chengyu leave, then turned to face the Imperial Guard soldiers who were about to enter the passage.

"You must be careful, the safety of the palace depends on you," Zhao Qi'er said to the captain of the Imperial Guard.

The captain replied firmly, "Don't worry, we will definitely complete the mission."

As the Imperial Guard soldiers entered the passage one by one, Zhao Qi'er felt a mixture of tension and anticipation. She knew that this secret passage might uncover some hidden secrets, but it might also bring some unknown dangers.

Zhao Chengyu, as the ruler of a nation, possesses a keen insight into every detail of the palace. At midnight, he and Xiao Kuangzi arrived at the ornately decorated hall, ready to investigate the strange tale unfolding there—the Midnight Banquet.

The hall was brightly lit, and the long table was laden with all sorts of delicacies, as if someone were actually holding a grand banquet there. Zhao Chengyu knew that this was not a real banquet, but a strange tale from the palace. It was said that every midnight, the hall would spontaneously host a banquet, as if unseen guests were celebrating.

Zhao Chengyu and Xiao Kuangzi carefully examined every table and every piece of tableware, looking for possible clues. They noticed that all the dishes on the tables were cold, with no steaming hot dishes, which was obviously prepared in advance.

Zhao Chengyu already had the answer in his mind. He summoned the palace's chief steward and asked what was going on. The steward hurriedly explained that the palace chefs had placed the food on the table in advance to prepare for the banquet the next day, so that the dishes could be served quickly.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chengyu's doubts dissipated. He smiled and said to the steward, "How about you cook me a few dishes first? I'm starving after walking for so long."

The steward nodded repeatedly, indicating that he would do it immediately.

After confirming that the misunderstanding in the hall had been resolved, Zhao Chengyu returned to the Imperial Study with the small basket. Upon entering, he saw the Crown Prince slumped over his desk, head resting on his arm, fast asleep. The Crown Prince's face still held a trace of childishness, clearly from exhaustion from studying.

Zhao Chengyu did not wake the Crown Prince immediately, knowing that the prince studied diligently and rarely had time to rest. He tiptoed to the desk and draped a light cloak over the prince to keep him from catching a cold.

Xiao Kuangzi quickly brought out all the dishes for dinner, all of which Zhao Chengyu had specially ordered the imperial chefs to prepare, as they were both nutritious and easy to digest. He also specially sent someone to invite Zhao Qi'er and Consort Yi, hoping they could dine with the Crown Prince.

Soon, Zhao Qi'er and Consort Yi arrived at the Imperial Study. Zhao Qi'er maintained her dignified and virtuous demeanor, while Consort Yi wore a gentle smile. Seeing that the Crown Prince was still asleep, they both quietly inquired about the situation from Zhao Chengyu.

Zhao Chengyu said softly, "The Crown Prince has studied hard today, let him sleep a little longer. Let's eat something first and wait for him to wake up naturally."

So the three of them sat down around the table and began dinner. The aroma of the dishes filled the study, making everyone's mouths water. Zhao Qi'er and Consort Yi were both noble ladies in the palace; their demeanor was elegant and their speech refined. Dining with Zhao Chengyu created a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

After a while, the Crown Prince finally woke up. He rubbed his eyes and was somewhat surprised to see his father and the two empresses.

"Father, did I oversleep?" The Crown Prince's voice carried a hint of apology.

Zhao Chengyu smiled and shook his head: "No rush, eat something first, then go back and rest."

The crown prince nodded and sat down at the dining table. Seeing the table laden with delicious food, a warm feeling welled up inside him. He knew this was his father's care and love for him.

The four dined together in a warm and pleasant atmosphere. The crown prince felt the warmth of family, which further strengthened his resolve to become a wise and virtuous ruler.

After dinner, Zhao Chengyu was about to continue dealing with some unfinished government affairs when Xiao Kuangzi quietly entered the Imperial Study and whispered to Zhao Chengyu, "Your Majesty, the commander of the Imperial Guard has something to discuss with you."

Zhao Chengyu nodded, signaling Xiao Kuangzi to lead the Imperial Guard captain in. The captain, dressed in military uniform, walked briskly, his face serious, clearly having something important to report.

"Your Majesty, we have made a discovery while investigating the secret passage to the treasury." The captain's voice was deep and powerful. "The other end of the passage leads to an abandoned courtyard. Although the courtyard is remote, it is indeed part of the palace."

Zhao Chengyu raised an eyebrow slightly; this discovery surprised him. He immediately asked, "What's so special about this courtyard? Why hasn't anyone mentioned it before?"