My palace is full of female protagonists.

After leaving Old Madam Yun's room, Consort Leng had someone lead the way to the woodshed. The Second Miss Yun's personal maid was then taken there.

Consort Leng asked, "Who are your Second Miss's people? Bring them out."

The maidservants hadn't expected the woodshed to be so full of servants; almost everyone in the Yun household was there. Some of the younger ones tried to cry out, but were glared at by the Imperial Guards with swords, and could only bite their sleeves and sob. Some of the older ones tried to rush out, but seeing Consort Leng through the crack in the door, they crawled back inside.

The maid pointed out a group of people and said, "Just these twenty-five. Actually, my young lady doesn't have much influence in the mansion."

Consort Leng nodded and said, "From now on, you will be the head maid of the Yun family. Even if you beat or kill a servant, just tell the deputy general at the gate and he will take care of it for you. Don't worry too much. Sometimes, you young ladies shouldn't get your hands dirty with such dirty things, understand?"

The maid nodded. Although she was scared, she knew she couldn't show it on her face. She could only clench her hands tightly to make herself look calmer.

Consort Leng's gaze swept over each of the named servants, her eyes devoid of any warmth. These servants, once the eyes and ears of Miss Yun, had now become stumbling blocks to her consolidation of power. She spoke coldly, "From today onwards, the rules of the Yun family will change. You will either remain loyal to Miss Yun, or..." Her words carried an undeniable threat.

The servants all knelt down. They knew that the cold-hearted concubine before them was no longer the gentle Miss Leng, but a noble concubine who held the power of life and death over them.

The people in the woodshed, some of whom had once been arrogant in front of Miss Yun, now could only humbly beg for mercy.

"Your Highness, we are all innocent. Please have mercy on us," an older servant said in a trembling voice.

Consort Leng sneered, "Innocent? You know in your hearts how many shady things you've done with the old lady and those sons-in-law. Now, I'm only giving you one chance: either prove your loyalty, or..." She deliberately paused, letting fear spread through the servants.

"We are loyal to Miss Yun!" the servants shouted in unison, their voices filled with fear and unease.

Consort Leng nodded in satisfaction. She knew these people understood their place. She turned to her maid and said, "From now on, you are the head maid of the Yun family. Remember, you only have one mistress, and that is the Second Miss Yun. These people will be dealt with in a moment. You don't need to worry about things here; the Imperial Guards will clean it up."

The maid's tightly clenched hands trembled slightly, but her voice was unusually firm: "Yes, Your Highness, I understand."

Consort Leng nodded. She knew this maid was intelligent and, with a little training, could become her capable assistant. She waved her hand, signaling the Imperial Guards to go into the woodshed.

The door to the woodshed closed again, and Leng Fei turned and walked a short distance outside, her shadow stretching long in the moonlight. The screams of the servants rose and fell for a while, then fell silent.

The twenty-odd servants outside saw blood flowing from every door of the woodshed. They could only watch, trembling. The Cold Consort then said to the maid, "I'll arrange for some palace servants to come when I get back. They will only obey the Second Miss and you. You also need to manage your twenty-five people well. Don't risk your life just because you said something. You should also learn from the matrons how to manage disobedient sons-in-law, understand?"

The maid immediately knelt down and said, "Yes, Your Highness, I will remember your instructions."

Consort Leng said, "Once the two Generals Yun return, the Yun residence can be unsealed. At that time, you can purchase some new servants." After saying that, she got into her carriage and left.

Outside the woodshed, the moon was obscured by dark clouds, revealing only a faint sliver of light. The servants stared at the woodshed door, their hearts filled with terror. They knew that those locked inside had likely met with certain death. The air was thick with the stench of blood, nauseating them, but they dared not move. Remembering how they themselves had been imprisoned in the woodshed and nearly died, they feared attracting attention and becoming the next victims.

The cold-blooded concubine's words echoed in the maid's ears. She knew this was the concubine's trust in her, and also a test. She had to prove her worth, not only by managing these servants, but also by learning how to survive in this complex family.

A resolute glint flashed in the maid's eyes. She knew that from this moment on, she could no longer afford to be weak. She had to become as strong and ruthless as the Cold Consort. She had to let everyone know that she was no longer that bullied little maid, but an undeniable force in the Yun household.

As night deepened, the lights in the Yun residence gradually went out, plunging the entire mansion into a deathly silence. Only the occasional chirping of insects broke the eerie stillness. Inside Old Madam Yun's room, there was no sound either, as if the person inside had vanished.

The Cold Consort's carriage receded into the night, its wheels creaking over the cobblestones. She sat inside, her face expressionless. She knew this was just the beginning; the power structure of the Yun family would be radically altered by the Emperor's arrival.

In a corner of the Yun residence, a pair of eyes silently observed everything, as if waiting for something. The tranquility of the Yun residence was only temporary; the calm before the storm is always unsettling.

After Consort Leng left the Yun residence, the Second Miss Yun sat in Old Madam Yun's room for a long time. Her sisters and the Yun family's sons-in-law started making a fuss because they no longer had servants to attend to them. But seeing the omnipresent Imperial Guards, they only dared to curse the Second Miss Yun.

Hearing the curses coming from outside, Miss Yun said to her maid, "Summon four Imperial Guards and carry the Old Madam to the main hall. Let them see the current situation. If anyone dares to humiliate me again, I won't show any mercy. The Yun family cannot afford any more deaths without cause." The maid agreed and ran out.

Miss Yun's face was pale, and her fingers unconsciously twisted her handkerchief, revealing her inner unease. The sudden arrival and forceful methods of Consort Leng had put her under unprecedented pressure. She knew she had to take action, or the Yun family would truly be plunged into an even greater crisis.

Soon, four Imperial Guards, led by a maid, arrived outside Madam Yun's room. Their movements were professional and swift, without the slightest hesitation. Second Miss Yun stood at the door, watching them carefully lift Madam Yun onto the soft couch, and then slowly walk towards the flower hall.

Inside the main hall, the rest of the Yun family had gathered, their faces filled with anger and unease. When they saw the Imperial Guards carrying in Old Madam Yun, the murmurs ceased abruptly, and all eyes turned to the Second Miss Yun.

Miss Yun took a deep breath and walked to the center of the flower hall, facing everyone. Her voice was calm and firm: "I know some of you have opinions about me, but now is not the time for infighting. You have all seen Consort Leng's methods. If we do not unite, the Yun family will fall apart."

Yun Er's husband came over and asked, "Yun, what's wrong with the old lady?"

The Second Miss Yun calmly said, "Because I was convicted of a crime, the Emperor gave me poison. I won't die, but I'll be paralyzed."

Several young ladies from the Yun family rushed over to look at Old Madam Yun, but no matter how they looked at her, Old Madam Yun was paralyzed, unable to speak clearly, and could hardly lift her fingers.

Yun San Guniang asked, cursing, "You say Mother has been punished? What punishment? It's just that people from the palace came. Why are we locked in the room? Why have all our servants disappeared? Why is Mother being punished?"

The Second Miss Yun said in a deep voice, "Mother had someone bring a noble lady from the capital to the army to arrange a marriage for Brother Yun Feiyang. This is disrupting the army and forcing Brother to personally escort the noble lady back to the capital. This is a crime of treason. If this crime is not blamed on Mother, then Father and Brother will lose their heads."

When the second daughter of the Yun family heard what she said, they all burst into tears.

Miss Yun's husband, the second son-in-law of the Yun family, was a frail scholar. His eyes were filled with worry and confusion. He looked at his wife, hoping she could give him a reasonable explanation.

Miss Yun took a deep breath, knowing that this news was a huge blow to the Yun family. Her voice was heavy: "Now is not the time to cry, we must be strong. Mother sacrificed herself to protect the Yun family, we cannot let her sacrifice be in vain."

The Yun family girls were stunned. They stared at the Second Miss Yun, their eyes filled with tears. Some of them began to sob quietly, while others bit their lips tightly, trying hard not to cry out loud.

Miss Yun wiped away her tears, her voice trembling slightly: "What? Even if Mother is like this, it's not your place to make decisions for the Yun family! How can you speak so arrogantly now?"

The maidservant of the Second Miss Yun, who usually followed her around so meekly, stood ramrod straight, her voice carrying an undeniable seriousness: "An imperial edict has arrived. Now, only the Second Miss Yun is in charge of the entire Yun household. If the Second Miss Yun cannot stabilize the situation in the Yun family, then the legitimate daughters of the Yun family will face imprisonment, and the sons-in-law and servants will also be condemned to death. As for the children of the Yun family, they will be sent to remote estates to be raised."

Upon hearing this, the Yun family's young ladies' expressions changed drastically, burning with anger. However, restrained by the majesty of the imperial power, they could only channel their anger into rebuking the second young lady. "How could you do this? You know that Cold Consort, yet you didn't plead for the Yun family. You're utterly ungrateful!" the third young lady of the Yun family angrily cursed.

Miss Yun, her expression calm and her gaze profound, seemed to have foreseen all of this. She thought to herself, "The reason the Emperor and Consort Leng only told me about my brother Yun Feiyang is because it was a highly confidential arrangement. How could such a significant matter be easily leaked to these uninformed people in my household?"

She could only say, "Our Yun family has always been known for its loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness. Now that the family is facing difficulties, it is precisely the time to unite and overcome the crisis together. Instead of blaming each other here, we should not make wild guesses before we know the truth." Although the second young lady's voice was soft, it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Have you ever considered that if I were to plead with the Emperor for my own selfish reasons, not only would I fail to save the Yun family, but I might also plunge the entire family into an even greater crisis? The Emperor must have his reasons for ensuring the safety of the family," the second young lady continued, her gaze sweeping across everyone's faces, hoping they could understand her predicament.

"I hope you can also demonstrate the integrity and responsibility of the Yun family at this time. We are part of the Yun family, and we should contribute our strength to the honor and safety of the family." The second daughter's words were filled with expectation and encouragement, hoping to awaken the sense of responsibility and mission in the hearts of the clansmen.

The Second Miss Yun gazed at her husband, whose expression was complex, a hint of weariness and determination flashing in her eyes. She sighed softly, a sigh that contained helplessness in the face of her family's fate and an awareness of the insignificance of her own power. "Now, of the entire Yun family, only my servants remain alive. Soon, the palace will send a large number of palace servants, ostensibly to assist us, but in reality, to monitor us. I will do my best to arrange for them to minimize their presence in your residence, to avoid causing unnecessary trouble. As for the household chores, you can either leave them to my servants or do them yourselves. Do not give outsiders any further opportunity to push you into that irreversible abyss."

Yun Er's husband smirked, a smile full of distrust and mockery. "Are you trying to scare us? You think you can frighten us by invoking the power of the palace? Is the one who came today the Cold Consort you mentioned? Hmph, even if she is beautiful, so what? You actually want to use her power to bully the old lady and suppress your own sister. It's truly disheartening."

Upon hearing this, Miss Yun's expression changed drastically, her clear eyes filled with disbelief. It was as if she was seeing the man she had shared a bed with for so many years for the first time, and an unprecedented sense of estrangement welled up in her heart. She never expected that in the face of the family's crisis, he would not only not fight alongside her, but would instead choose to stand on the opposite side and attack her with such harsh words.

Seeing this, the Yun family girls around them also chimed in. Whether out of jealousy or fear, they began to slander the Second Miss Yun, as if this would relieve their inner pressure.

Miss Yun was filled with mixed emotions, but she knew this was not the time to act impulsively. She quickly calmed herself down and gave a wink to the maid beside her. The maid understood immediately and ran to the door, calling out loudly, "Brothers of the Imperial Guards, please come here for a moment."

Soon, two burly Imperial Guards arrived in response. They stood solemnly before Miss Yun, their eyes fixed straight ahead, awaiting her orders.