My palace is full of female protagonists.

"Don't worry, I'll arrange for someone to take you to a safe place. From now on, you won't have to do this kind of work anymore," the Crown Prince said gently. Then he said to the palace maids, "Change her into your clothes and have her go out with you. Don't let her attract attention."

Upon hearing this, Mei'er was filled with gratitude and anticipation. She knew that she finally had a chance to break free from the past and start anew. She took a deep breath and then bowed to the Crown Prince again to express her gratitude: "Thank you! I will always remember your great kindness!"

At the Crown Prince's signal, the palace maids helped Mei'er out of the room. Mei'er glanced back at the place that had once imprisoned her, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

In a corner of the capital, hidden behind the bustling city, lies the Crown Prince's residence. Though lacking the opulent splendor of the former Empress's palace, it possesses its own solemnity and depth. This mansion, having witnessed generations of change, has seen countless secrets and upheavals in the shifting of imperial power. Among these secrets is a little-known chamber, specifically designed for interrogating stubborn spies from enemy states or domestic rebels. The atmosphere here is far more oppressive than that of the law-abiding government offices, as if every inch of air is frozen with the bitterness and resolute determination of the past.

On a dark and windy night, the tranquility of the Crown Prince's residence was shattered by heavy footsteps. Several men, tightly bound with thick hemp ropes and contorted like pigs awaiting slaughter, were roughly dragged into the mansion. Their eyes held both fear and defiance. These men were rebels recently arrested in villages on the outskirts of the capital. They were of humble origins, yet harbored boundless hatred for the old dynasty and a yearning for change, willing to pay the price with their lives to instigate a trivial rebellion.

The Crown Prince, the young heir apparent, sat upright in a secluded chamber, the dim light illuminating his cold, stern face. Though he had moved to the former Empress's palace and enjoyed the supreme honors of royalty, behind this power lay his relentless pursuit of a stable empire and a keen awareness of potential threats. Facing these rebels brought before him, he felt no pity, only a desire to know their true motives and plans.

The interrogation began, but the process was like sinking into a quagmire, progressing with extraordinary difficulty. The Crown Prince sat upright in the center of the interrogation room, his gaze piercing, trying to dig out the deepest secrets from these several rebels who were bound hand and foot. However, these rebels from remote villages did not seem to have any intention of surrendering easily.

"Speak! Why did you rebel against the court? Who ordered you to do it?" The Crown Prince's voice was deep and powerful, echoing in every corner of the interrogation room.

One of the rebels, pale-faced but with a resolute glint in his eyes, tried to speak, but his words, like a runaway flood, were incoherent and slurred in a heavy rural accent: "We...we just want justice for the villagers...those officials, they oppress the people, we can't take it anymore..."

The crown prince frowned, trying to understand the confusing words: "What justice? What officials? Explain yourself!"

However, the traitor's words were like beads from a broken string, scattered all over the ground, unable to be strung together into complete sentences. His tone was sometimes impassioned, sometimes low, interspersed with countless unrecognizable words, giving the crown prince a splitting headache.

"Enough!" The Crown Prince slammed his hand on the table, his eyes wide with anger. "Are you deliberately causing trouble? If you don't explain yourselves clearly, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Seeing this, the other rebels also spoke up, trying to defend themselves. But their words were equally chaotic, mixed with their own dialects and local expressions, making it even more difficult for the prince to grasp their true intentions.

“We just want to live… They won’t let us live… So we have no choice but to rebel…” A rebel’s voice was choked with sobs, but the meaning of his words remained unclear.

The prince took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He realized that such a chaotic interrogation would yield no useful information. So, he decided to change his strategy, first calming the rebels down before slowly extracting their confessions.

"Alright, calm down first." The Crown Prince waved his hand, signaling the guards to release the rebels from their restraints. "I know you have your own troubles, but you must understand that rebellion is a serious crime. Not only will you be punished, but your families and clans will also be implicated. So, you'd better think carefully before you speak."

Upon hearing this, the rebels lowered their heads and remained silent. The interrogation room fell silent once more, with only the flickering candlelight illuminating the prince's pensive face.

The Crown Prince knew that the interrogation had only just begun, and that more patience and wisdom would be needed to extract the truth from these rebels. So he spoke again, in a gentler tone: "Well then, tell me first, which village are you from? And why do you have such thoughts? As long as you tell the truth, I promise I will do my best to win you forgiveness."

Under the Crown Prince's patient persuasion, the rebels gradually calmed down, becoming less agitated and chaotic. They began to try to express their discontent and resentment to the Crown Prince in clearer and more organized language, explaining why they had embarked on this path of no return...

The atmosphere in the interrogation room grew increasingly heavy. The prince's brows were furrowed, as if they could hold a coin between them. He sighed helplessly, thinking to himself: the words of these rebels were like a fog in a maze, leaving one completely disoriented. He knew all too well that trying to sift through this chaotic discourse and extract any useful information on his own was nothing short of a pipe dream.

"Guards!" the Crown Prince suddenly commanded, his voice carrying an undeniable authority. "Bring here anyone in the mansion who might understand this dialect. I will interrogate them personally!"

Upon hearing this, the guards dared not delay and quickly sprang into action. Soon, several servants were brought into the interrogation room. They looked at each other, clearly bewildered by the Crown Prince's sudden summons.

The prince scrutinized them one by one, his eyes gleaming with anticipation: "Which of you understands this dialect?"

The servants looked at each other, and finally, a servant who was about fifty years old and had a weathered face slowly spoke: "Your Highness, I once accompanied my master to that area and know a little about the local dialect."

Upon hearing this, the crown prince was overjoyed, as if he had seen a glimmer of hope. He immediately signaled to his guards to release the rebels from their restraints and allow them to speak with the servant.

However, as time went on, the prince's spirits plummeted once again. It turned out that although the servant understood some of the local dialect, the rebels came from a forgotten Yi ethnic village, where the language was complex and varied. While there were some connections between the five or six villages, the differences were also extremely pronounced. The servant could only barely understand the general meaning; he was completely baffled by the more profound and complex vocabulary and expressions.

"This..." The Crown Prince frowned again. He looked at the rebels, a hint of helplessness and anger flashing in his eyes. "Are you deliberately making things difficult for me?"

The rebels exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with innocence and fear. They clearly hadn't expected their dialect to become such a hurdle during the interrogation.

The Crown Prince took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He realized that this method of interrogation was a waste of time. So he ordered again: "Go! Find everyone in the capital who might understand this dialect, whether they are merchants or wandering江湖人士 (jianghu figures), I want to see them all!"

The guards sprang into action again, while the Crown Prince sat in the interrogation room, lost in thought. He knew that this interrogation was not only a test for these rebels, but also a test of his own wisdom and patience. He had to find a way to unravel the truth from these chaotic words and contribute to the stability of the court and the peace of the people.

Night fell, and the lanterns outside the interrogation room cast a dim, yellowish glow. The Crown Prince remained seated, awaiting new clues and a glimmer of hope. He knew that the outcome of this interrogation might hinge on this very night…

Time ticked by, and night, like a thick velvet cloth, slowly enveloped the entire capital. Inside the Crown Prince's residence, apart from the occasional watchman's gong, everything was eerily quiet. However, behind this tranquility, a tense and helpless scene unfolded within the secret chamber.

The candlelight flickered in the night breeze, casting shifting shadows on the Crown Prince's resolute face. His eyes were weary, but even more so, they held a resolute and unyielding spirit. He knew that this trial concerned not only the safety of the court, but also his dignity and wisdom as the heir apparent.

The rebels remained bound in place, their eyes filled with both fear and resentment. They had probably never imagined that their rebellion would attract such a powerful adversary, much less that their dialect would become a major obstacle during interrogation.

Even the servant who had a basic understanding of the dialect seemed to be struggling. He tried hard to listen to the rebels' words, attempting to glean useful information, but the complex vocabulary and expressions still gave him a headache.

However, the prince did not give up. He patiently guided his servants, having them explain the difficult words and sentences step by step. At the same time, he also tried to communicate with the rebels in a gentler tone, attempting to lower their guard and get them to tell more of the truth.

Finally, late at night, after countless attempts and patient listening, combined with the servant's limited explanation, the crown prince gradually pieced together the true intentions of these rebels. It turned out that they had been misled by the descendants of a long-declining noble family in a distant land, mistakenly believing that through this rebellion they could avenge their ancestors and restore their former glory.

"So that's how it is..." the Crown Prince murmured to himself, a complex look flashing in his eyes. He was both amazed by the ignorance and foolishness of these rebels and realized that there might be a more complex political conspiracy hidden behind this rebellion.

He looked at the rebels, his tone tinged with pity and helplessness: "Do you know that the justice and glory you pursue are nothing but illusions? True justice lies in the laws and fairness of the court; true glory lies in working for the well-being of the people and being loyal to the country."

Upon hearing this, the rebels lowered their heads, their eyes filled with helplessness and confusion. They probably never imagined that their rebellion would end like this.

The Crown Prince sighed again. He knew that although the interrogation was over, the story behind it was far from over. He had to report this information to the Emperor, and at the same time, he had to think about how to prevent similar rebellions from happening again.

The night was still deep, but the prince already had a direction in his heart.

The Crown Prince returned to the palace, travel-worn, and without pausing, headed straight for the Imperial Study. The setting sun cast a soft golden glow on his shoulders. His mind was preoccupied with the interrogation results he was about to report, and with the figure he so deeply missed.

As soon as the Crown Prince stepped into the courtyard of the Imperial Study, his gaze was involuntarily drawn to a small frame. Beside the frame stood a woman dressed as a palace maid, her eyes lowered, her face delicate, and her brows revealing a subtle blend of resilience and gratitude. This was Mei'er, whom the Crown Prince had rescued earlier that day. Now carefully dressed and perfectly integrated into the palace environment, she awaited any possible assignments.

Stepping into the Imperial Study, the atmosphere was heavy and solemn. Emperor Zhao Chengyu sat upright on the dragon throne, his brows furrowed, exuding an imposing aura. Empress Zhao Qi'er sat beside him, her face gentle, yet her eyes gleamed with wisdom. Consort Yi, Yi Jingwei, remained indifferent, seemingly unconcerned about the matter to be discussed. The so-called Third Young Master, dressed in magnificent robes, was clearly a shrewd individual raised as a prince.

Upon seeing the Crown Prince enter, Zhao Chengyu inquired, "How is the interrogation of those arrested progressing?"

The Crown Prince shook his head slightly, his expression somewhat grave: "Father, those were merely villagers from impoverished backgrounds who, forced by war and the need to make a living, temporarily formed a militia. Most of them lacked education, and during interrogation, we were unable to obtain much valuable information. They claimed they were willing to die for their homes, but in reality, they were more driven by fear of their homes being destroyed, and reluctantly followed the rebels. Some even neglected their rural fields, leaving them to be tended by their elderly relatives, and during interrogation, they were still preoccupied with whether their fields had been sown in time."

At this point, the Crown Prince's tone couldn't help but carry a hint of sympathy and helplessness. Zhao Chengyu said, "Isn't it absurd to use these people to rebel? I'm afraid it would be better for them to commit suicide than to kill us."

After hearing this, the Emperor remained silent for a moment, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. The Empress sighed softly, seemingly having anticipated all of this. Consort Yi, Yi Jingwei, raised an eyebrow slightly, as if assessing the impact of this intelligence on the situation.

The third young master shook his head and said, "I'm afraid those who want to rebel are taking advantage of the villagers' remaining beliefs in the Yi people, which is why they're making them act recklessly."