My palace is full of female protagonists.

Upon hearing that it was Consort Yi herself who had come, the Third Young Master was struck dumb, his face turning from white to ashen in an instant, as if the fear and unease within him were silently being expressed through this rapid change in expression. His heart was filled with mixed emotions, his thoughts racing: what a rare opportunity it would be to personally explain everything to that peerless Princess Yi from back then! But then he thought, if he were to try to see Princess Yi through this maid, he would inevitably expose his identity. In this treacherous capital, he would likely be considered an enemy before even seeing Princess Yi, since the Third Young Master was already wanted. Exposure would mean being thrown into the dark and hopeless prison, with no hope of redemption.

Thinking of this, the Third Young Master had to suppress his anxiety and urgency, putting on a polite but distant smile as he repeatedly thanked Consort Yi's palace servants, his demeanor displaying utmost courtesy and caution. He slowly sat back down, seemingly as if everything was normal, but inwardly he was secretly planning his next move.

Then, he turned to Mei'er, who was equally astonished, his eyes flashing with determination. He lowered his voice and ordered, "Mei'er, go back to the brothel immediately. My journey here is fraught with danger; I fear I will not emerge unscathed. When you return, tell my two henchmen to wait for me at our usual hideout. If I haven't appeared by noon tomorrow, have them leave the capital immediately, as far away as possible. Remember, don't ask any questions, and don't reveal my whereabouts."

Mei'er looked at the Third Young Master's face, which was unusually pale due to nervousness. Although she was full of worry, she knew that this was not the time to ask questions. So she nodded silently, turned around and left quickly without delay.

After Mei'er's figure completely disappeared from sight, the Third Young Master cautiously glanced out of the private room again, confirming that Princess Yi's people had indeed entered the last private room. Only then did he take a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind. He suddenly stood up and rushed towards the door of the private room, almost running to the front of the private room where Princess Yi was. Without hesitation, he knelt down on the ground, his upper body almost completely prostrate on the ground. His voice trembled slightly, but he still said firmly, "I request an audience with Princess Yi. I have important matters to report."

After hearing the palace servant's introduction, Consort Yi looked at the Third Young Master, who was lying on the ground, looking both disheveled and resolute, with a mixture of curiosity and doubt in her eyes. She gently asked, "Who is this?" The palace servant quickly replied, "Your Majesty, he is the gentleman in the next private room." Upon hearing this, Consort Yi stood up without hesitation and waved her hand generously, "No need to thank me! Since you're here, go and have some fun!"

However, the Third Young Master seemed to be nailed to the ground by some invisible force, not daring to move at all. He remained in a prone position, his voice trembling with urgency: "Princess Yi, it's me! The Third Young Master of the Xue family, your great-grandson! Do you remember? When I was little, you took me to the mountains to catch birds. I've always remembered that time! You, you really don't remember me?"

Consort Yi raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing across her face before she regained her composure and said calmly, "Oh? You're the third young master of Prince Xue? I remember you were quite the mischievous little fellow back then; I even said I'd go up the mountain to catch you!" She chuckled softly, seemingly recalling a past anecdote. But then her tone suddenly shifted, becoming somewhat stern: "However, I was going to kill you a few days ago! Why did you come to the capital? Are you trying to die?"

Upon seeing this, the palace servants immediately understood and loudly called for the waiters in the corridor to come over. Although these waiters were dressed in coarse cloth, they were all highly skilled. After all, the theater was frequented by the wealthy and powerful, and disputes were common. They were an important force in maintaining order and protecting the distinguished guests.

The third young master seemed oblivious to the approaching servant, instead kowtowing three times on the ground, his forehead already red and swollen: "Great-grandmother, I truly did not intend to assassinate the king! I merely planted a few trees in the mountains, and somehow rumors spread that I was plotting a rebellion. I didn't take it to heart until a few days ago, when a group of people and a bandit came to me, and I realized that I had likely been framed. I rushed all the way to the capital to explain this to you. If you wish to kill me, I will accept it, but please, please do not raise an army! The massacre back then was too horrific; only you, Princess, remain among the entire Yi tribe. We servants, only the elderly, weak, and disabled, dare to live in the mountains, leading a life of isolation. We cannot allow such a tragedy to repeat itself!"

Upon hearing this, Consort Yi's expression shifted from gloomy to bright. Her deep eyes held a complex mix of emotions, a mixture of doubt and scrutiny. She slowly walked to the Third Young Master, her voice soft yet carrying an undeniable authority: "It really wasn't your idea? How can I believe you?"

The third young master's head remained bowed, his voice low yet firm: "Great-grandmother, if you want my head, take it. Whether it hangs outside the capital city gates or on the gates of the Yi tribe city, now that I, the third young master of the Xue family, have come to the capital, I have no intention of returning alive. But please reconsider. If a misunderstanding leads to another conflict, it will be a lose-lose situation, and may even bring the Yi tribe to the brink of annihilation once again."

Upon hearing this, the waiters quickly stepped forward and, though their movements were rough, they were not without restraint, lifted the third young master off the ground, his hands bound behind his back, suspending him in an extremely uncomfortable position. Such treatment was undoubtedly a great humiliation for a former noble young master, but the third young master's face showed no struggle or anger, only deep respect for Consort Yi and worry for the fate of his family.

Seeing this, Consort Yi felt a ripple of emotion. After a moment's hesitation, she finally spoke, "Very well, since you are so determined, I am not an unreasonable person. This matter is of great importance, and I need to ask the Emperor for clarification myself." With that, she turned to the palace servants and instructed, "Take him away and hand him over to the soldiers waiting outside. Have them take him to the imperial prison for temporary detention. Remember, keep a close watch on him and do not torture him. I will go to see the Emperor now."

The palace servants received the order and were about to carry it out when Consort Yi stopped and turned to look at the Third Young Master, a barely perceptible tenderness flashing in her eyes: "Great-grandson, if what you say is the truth, I will protect you. Your great-grandmother promises you that she will not let you suffer in vain. But you must also live up to her own expectations and not disappoint me."

Upon hearing this, a tear welled up in the third young master's eyes. He nodded with difficulty and said thank you in a hoarse voice. Then, escorted by several waiters, he slowly left the private room, each step seeming so heavy, as if he were carrying the fate of the entire family on his back.

Meanwhile, Mei'er, with a heavy heart, ran back to her private room in the brothel. As soon as she pushed open the door, she saw the Third Young Master's two henchmen, Afu and Acai, waiting anxiously there, as if they had anticipated something bad.

Before Mei'er could catch her breath, she hurriedly repeated the Third Young Master's instructions before his departure. Her voice trembled slightly, clearly indicating that she had been quite frightened. Upon hearing this, the two followers' expressions became even more solemn. They cautiously peeked out and looked around to make sure no one was following Mei'er before returning to the house and hurriedly starting to pack their things.

As Mei'er watched their busy figures, a strange sense of reluctance welled up in her heart.

She mustered her courage and asked softly, "Are you... leaving?" Her voice held a hint of uncertainty, as if she were expecting a different answer.

Afu stopped what he was doing, turned to look at Mei'er, a hint of gratitude and apology flashing in his eyes: "Miss Mei'er, thank you for taking care of us these past few days. Don't worry, we will definitely come back to repay your kindness once this is over. Until we meet again!"

Ah Cai nodded in agreement, his expression resolute. They knew that this departure might be to save their lives, but they were still filled with gratitude and reluctance towards Mei'er.

Mei'er listened to their words, her brows furrowed, her face full of worry. She wanted to persuade them to stay, but then she realized it was impossible. She was just a weak woman, powerless to change anything. So, she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue and silently watched them pack everything up.

As her two henchmen shouldered their bags, preparing to leave, Mei'er finally couldn't hold back her tears, which welled up in her eyes. But she forced herself not to cry, and simply waved goodbye, watching them disappear through the door.

Consort Yi's return to the palace was usually a routine matter in the court, but this time, her actions were quite different from usual. Instead of heading straight to the inner palace as usual, she unexpectedly went straight to the Imperial Study, where Emperor Zhao Chengyu handled state affairs and which was also the power center of the entire empire.

Zhao Chengyu was engrossed in a mountain of memorials, seemingly oblivious to the commotion outside. However, when he heard Xiao Kuangzi's slightly tense voice, "Consort Yi requests an audience," his pen involuntarily paused. Immediately afterward, an even more chilling thought flashed through his mind—before Xiao Kuangzi could finish his report, he seemed to hear Consort Yi's innermost thoughts, a resolute and ruthless tone: "You damned brother, if you dare refuse to see me, I'll poison these guards first, and then kill Xiao Kuangzi as soon as he appears."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chengyu couldn't help but feel ashamed. He knew the temperament and methods of this Consort Yi all too well. Although they were nominally siblings, their relationship was actually complex and delicate. Consort Yi held a superior position in the palace, not only because of her status but also because of her formidable strength and shrewdness. Now that she had openly threatened him like this, Zhao Chengyu naturally dared not be negligent in the slightest.

He shook his head helplessly, put down his pen, and instructed the small box outside the door, "Let her in." His words conveyed both his helplessness towards Consort Yi and his premonition of the impending storm.

The moment Consort Yi stepped into the Imperial Study, the atmosphere in the entire room seemed to freeze. She wore a magnificent palace gown, her face stern, her eyes revealing an unwavering resolve. Zhao Chengyu looked up at her, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He knew that Consort Yi's visit this time was not for casual conversation, but rather to discuss something far more important.

"Sister Yi, what brings you to the Imperial Study today?" Zhao Chengyu asked casually, trying to ease the tension. However, Consort Yi ignored his polite words and walked straight up to him, looking him directly in the eye with a hint of accusation in her voice: "Your Majesty, are you aware that Prince Xue's third son has been sent to the Imperial Prison?"

Zhao Chengyu's heart skipped a beat, knowing that this matter could no longer be avoided, so he could only nod and say, "It was just reported." In fact, the person who reported it was still kneeling at the Emperor's feet.

Consort Yi sneered and said, "The person I wanted to kill came to me, but he explained the situation to me. I didn't know if I could believe him, so I had him arrested first. I thought I'd come and ask you and Sister Zhao."

Zhao Chengyu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then realized that Consort Yi was probably still in a tense state. He looked up at his strong-willed and decisive younger sister, and couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt and pity. So, he tried to make his tone gentle and concerned, and said with a touch of embarrassment, "Sister Yi, you rushed back so quickly, you probably haven't even had a meal yet, have you? How about this, I'll have Xiao Kuangzi invite your sister Zhao over, and we can have a meal together and discuss things slowly, what do you say?"

Consort Yi was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. She hadn't expected Zhao Chengyu to show concern for her diet at this time. This sudden tenderness made her feel somewhat uneasy, but more than anything, she felt a sense of care from a family member. She pursed her lips gently, her gaze lingering on Zhao Chengyu's face for a moment, as if scrutinizing the sincerity in his words.

After a moment, Consort Yi nodded gently, her voice soft yet carrying a barely perceptible tenderness: "Very well, I am indeed a little hungry. Then I will trouble Your Majesty to make the arrangements."

Upon seeing this, Zhao Chengyu was overjoyed and immediately ordered Xiao Kuangzi to invite Sister Zhao over. Xiao Kuangzi received the order and quickly withdrew, but he was somewhat surprised by this sudden turn of events. He knew that the relationship between Consort Yi and the Emperor had always been complicated, so it was truly rare to witness such a scene today.

During the wait for Zhao's sister to arrive, the atmosphere between Zhao Chengyu and Consort Yi seemed to have eased considerably. Zhao Chengyu took the initiative to chat with Consort Yi, asking her how she had been and whether everything was going smoothly. Although Consort Yi's answers were brief, it was clear that she had not completely rejected this concern from her brother.

Soon, Empress Zhao, gently led by Xiao Kuangzi, entered the Imperial Study with light steps. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating her magnificent phoenix robe, adding to her noble and dignified air. Upon entering, her gaze naturally fell upon the round table laden with exquisite dishes, and the two people seated opposite her—Zhao Chengyu and Consort Yi. This scene undoubtedly exceeded her expectations, but she quickly composed herself, maintaining her composed and gentle smile.