My palace is full of female protagonists.

"Young Master Lin, how have you been?" General Ma greeted him warmly as soon as he entered the door.

Lin Yi bowed slightly, but was somewhat puzzled: "General Ma, what is this...?"

General Ma sighed and said, "Alas, Young Master Lin, you may not know this, but I was reprimanded by the Emperor a few days ago for my poor performance. That's why I've been serving as the Emperor's doorman these past few days. Today, the Emperor specially sent me to deliver a message to Young Master Lin and to ensure his safety."

As he spoke, General Ma took out a secret letter from his pocket and handed it to Lin Yi. Lin Yi took the letter, opened it, and saw that it contained the Emperor's order for him to immediately go to Yunnan Kingdom, infiltrate the Feng Kingdom's army, and assist in the attack on Lanling Kingdom.

After reading the letter, Lin Yi felt a mix of emotions. He knew this mission was no small matter, but since it would allow him to regain his status as an official of the Feng Kingdom, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

Seeing Lin Yi's solemn expression, General Ma patted him on the shoulder and said, "Young Master Lin, the Emperor has high hopes for you! You must live up to his expectations!"

Lin Yi nodded, took a deep breath, and said, "General Ma, please assure His Majesty that I will do my utmost."

General Ma whispered to Lin Yi several methods, both clandestine and relatively overt, for maintaining contact with the Emperor. These methods involved the transmission of secret messages, the use of specific symbols, and techniques for subtly conveying information in public. In fact, these strategies were not unfamiliar to Lin Yi; he had used similar methods to transmit intelligence many times in the past. However, the codes before him differed from those of the past, requiring him to spend some time familiarizing himself with and mastering them.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the palace, Yi Jingwei's emotions were like waves whipped up by a storm. She had somehow learned a shocking secret—Lin Yi was actually a spy sent to their country by the Feng Kingdom, and now he was going to Yunnan to continue his mission as a Feng soldier. This series of complex identity shifts and entangled relationships left Yi Jingwei dizzy, but she quickly grasped the crux of the matter—Lin Yi's journey was undoubtedly a death trap.

Extremely anxious, Yi Jingwei rushed towards the Imperial Study almost without thinking. The door to the Imperial Study was slightly ajar, as if deliberately left as a passage for her. Xiao Kuangzi, the always dutiful guard, wanted to stop her, but knew he was powerless. After all, when Yi Jingwei was still Consort Yi, she had repeatedly barged into the Imperial Study without prior notice, and the Emperor had always tacitly approved of her actions with a helpless look, never uttering a single word of reprimand.

Emperor Zhao Chengyu was engrossed in a mountain of memorials when Yi Jingwei suddenly burst in, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes. Yi Jingwei demanded, "Brother, why are you surrounding Lord Lin's courtyard?"

But her heart pounded like a drum: "Is Brother Zhao planning to take action against Lin Yi? Did he hesitate even for a moment in court? He's ruthless and decisive; he'll definitely eliminate Lin Yi for the sake of the country's safety. I absolutely cannot let Lin Yi go to his death, and I certainly cannot let him die on the battlefield without knowing why!"

Hearing Yi Jingwei's thoughts, Zhao Chengyu had no choice but to explain: "Surrounding Lord Lin's courtyard is not only to protect him, but also to ensure his smooth promotion to the position of general on the battlefield. You know, if someone suddenly rises to prominence, they will attract countless envious glances, and even the risk of assassination. Everything I've done is to ensure his safety and allow him to unleash his true talents on the battlefield."

Princess Yi looked at Zhao Chengyu with a mixture of belief and doubt, her clear eyes flashing with complex emotions. In her heart, she cursed the emperor mercilessly, thinking that this supreme monarch was truly cunning, fickle, and heartless. Zhao Chengyu seemed to see through her thoughts, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips, but he deliberately pretended not to hear, his gaze shifting slightly to the side, looking at the bamboo leaves swaying in the wind outside the window, as if searching for some answer.

Princess Yi was unwilling to give up and spoke again, her voice filled with a hint of pleading and expectation: "Brother Zhao, if Lin Yi becomes my consort, will he not have to lead troops into battle?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chengyu's expression turned solemn. He slowly turned around, looking directly at Princess Yi, his tone unwavering: "Jingwei, you should have already guessed, right? Lin Yi isn't even from our country. His identity is unknown. How could I dare to let you marry such an unknown person so easily? What if one day he uses the Yi people's faith in the gods to secretly plot to take your territory and submit to the powerful Feng Kingdom, or even secretly scheme to poison you and your descendants? How could I protect you then?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Yi frowned, a sense of unprecedented worry welling up within her. She pondered to herself, "Is that really possible? This is indeed a thorny issue. But I am well-versed in all kinds of poisons; he shouldn't be able to poison me so easily, right? Besides, if he really dares to threaten Brother Zhao and Sister Zhao, I might strike first and poison him to eliminate any future trouble."

Zhao Chengyu read her thoughts, a barely perceptible worry flashing in his eyes. He sighed softly and added, "Yi'er, even if you have a way to deal with Lin Yi's threats, have you ever thought about what would happen if you had a child in the future, and that child was devoted to Lin Yi, or even conspired with him to harm you? You could be ruthless to that unfaithful man, but could you really be so heartless to your own flesh and blood? Lin Yi is a cunning and treacherous man. He will definitely use your child to control you and put you in a dilemma."

Princess Yi felt a mix of emotions upon hearing this. She knew that what Zhao Chengyu said was true, but she still found it hard to accept such a cruel reality.

Princess Yi stood there, looking aggrieved. Her usually bright and lively eyes seemed veiled in mist, and her lips were slightly downturned. Even in her heart, she couldn't help but curse the high and mighty emperor, wondering why her fate had been arranged this way. Seeing this, Zhao Chengyu felt helpless and could only call out to the eunuch outside the door, "Arrange dinner in the Imperial Study, and also summon the Empress." He knew that Yi Jingwei, this princess of the Yi tribe, although of noble status, was an absolute glutton, and only delicious food could temporarily soothe the turmoil in her heart.

Zhao Chengyu gently comforted Princess Yi: "Alright, Yi'er, look, you'll have your favorite braised pork knuckle to eat soon, okay? There were so many outstanding men at the banquet at the Crown Prince's residence that day, didn't you take a fancy to anyone? Perhaps, someone is more suitable for you than Lin Yi."

Upon hearing this, a sly glint flashed in Princess Yi's eyes, and she suddenly asked, "May I ask for a few consorts?" Upon hearing this, Zhao Chengyu was stunned, nearly dropping his teacup in surprise. He asked in bewilderment, "Why would you think that?"

Princess Yi outwardly laughed and said, "I just want lots of husbands. Look at you, you have so many concubines, why can't I have lots of husbands?" However, inwardly she was thinking, "Why is being an official so dangerous? Would becoming my husband mean it wouldn't be so dangerous? What about my new friends? They're all so talented, what if they encounter danger someday..."

Zhao Chengyu was both amused and exasperated by Princess Yi's words. He took a deep breath and tried his best to patiently explain, "Yi'er, the position of the驸马 (imperial consort) is like that of the empress. No matter how many concubines I have, I can only have one empress. You can keep advisors and make friends, that's all fine, but you can only have one驸马. Besides, if you get pregnant in the future, how will you know whose child it is?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Yi blinked her big eyes and said innocently, "As long as the child is mine, who cares whose it is?"

Looking at Princess Yi's innocent and naive appearance, Zhao Chengyu felt a surge of indescribable emotion. He suddenly felt speechless. After all, in this world of female-oriented novels, the identity of the child's father and mother was always clear; as long as the child deeply loved their mother, they would always receive the love they deserved. Although this concept left him speechless, he had to admit that it had its own logic.

He smiled helplessly and said, "Yi'er, what if these fathers start fighting over you? How would you try to stop them?"

Princess Yi was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. She thought of the palace maids who fought each other because they loved the emperor, and all the strife and pain they endured. She nodded and said with some frustration, "Yes, it is indeed quite troublesome."

Seeing this, Zhao Chengyu felt a pang of pity. He said softly, "Yi'er, look, even as the emperor, I have many friends. They come from all over the country and each has their own story. You can also have your own friends. If they encounter injustice, you can tell your brother, and your brother will do his best to help you, won't he?"

Just then, light footsteps sounded outside the door. Then, Zhao Qi'er, the gentle and dignified Empress, adjusted her hair ornaments before slowly pushing open the door to the Imperial Study. As soon as she entered, she said with a hint of teasing, "Oh, what brings our Princess Yi to the Imperial Study again, freeloading?"

When Princess Yi saw Zhao Qi'er enter, a bright smile immediately appeared on her face. She ran over, took Zhao Qi'er's arm, and said coquettishly, "Sister, I just feel that brother is not nice to my friends."

Seeing this, Zhao Chengyu quickly explained, "Qi'er, you've misunderstood. It's Lin Yi. He's been discovered to be a spy sent to our dynasty by Feng Kingdom years ago. However, the situation is complicated now. A coup has occurred in Feng Kingdom, and the crown prince has usurped the throne, so he needs to return to Feng Kingdom. In order to stabilize the situation and expand his sphere of influence, the new ruler of Feng Kingdom has secretly negotiated with Empress Gao, planning a joint attack on Lanling Kingdom. They intend to send all the Feng Kingdom spies who infiltrated various countries in the past back to serve and participate in the war to expand the territory, so that they can make meritorious contributions and be granted official titles and ranks upon their return to Feng Kingdom. What's more, they promise that even if these people are disfigured or crippled on the battlefield, they can still obtain high-ranking positions and generous salaries in Feng Kingdom. Tell me, under these circumstances, how can I stop them? Of course, I have to arrange troops to ensure that Lord Lin Yi returns to Feng Kingdom safely, right?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qi'er frowned and asked in confusion, "Then what does this have to do with Princess Yi? Could it be that you've taken a fancy to Lin Yi?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Yi quickly waved her hand to clarify: "No, no! Your Majesty, you've misunderstood. I just feel that it's too cruel for him to be sent back to fight after all the hard work of coming to our country and becoming an official. That's why I don't want him to go."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qi'er patiently advised, "Yi'er, a man's ambition lies in all directions. If you stop him, he might not be happy. After all, this is his duty and mission, and his responsibility as a man."

Princess Yi stubbornly insisted, "Then I want to ask him in person and hear his own thoughts!"

Looking at Princess Yi's resolute gaze, Zhao Chengyu sighed helplessly and then called over Xiao Kuangzi: "Have someone deliver a message to General Ma, asking him to bring Lin Yi to the palace gate to meet Princess Yi. However, you must remind him to ensure Lin Yi's safety, and also make Lin Yi understand that this is the last chance, and there may not be another chance like this in the future."

The little box flew away as instructed, and Zhao Chengyu turned to Princess Yi and said softly, "Yi'er, I understand how you feel, but you must also understand that everyone has their own choices and destiny. Go see him and listen to his thoughts; perhaps you can let go of your obsession."

The evening meal ended hastily. Princess Yi, clutching a glistening chicken leg, anxiously boarded the sedan chair bound for the city gate. Her heart was filled with reluctance and worry for Lin Yi, as if every moment of delay would intensify these feelings. When she arrived at the barbican, Lin Yi was being escorted back by General Ma. Their eyes met for a moment, Princess Yi's face etched with grievance. Seeing this, Lin Yi's heart also stirred, and he felt somewhat at a loss for words.

Princess Yi spoke softly, her voice trembling slightly, "My brother the Emperor said you were willing to go to war, and I shouldn't have stopped you." Lin Yi nodded slightly, his gaze resolute, "Here, it's indeed difficult for me to have any further opportunities for promotion. Only by returning to Feng Kingdom can I truly unleash my talents and realize my ambitions."

Upon hearing this, Princess Yi's eyes reddened slightly. She asked with concern, "Will you die? My father and mother are both dead. War is truly an unreasonable thing. They were so innocent, yet they still left me." Lin Yi looked at Princess Yi, a warm feeling welling up in his heart. He comforted her, "Princess, please rest assured. I am quite well-known in the martial arts world. It's just war. How could I possibly die? I can take on a hundred men by myself!"

Princess Yi forced a smile upon hearing this and asked, "Really? Then wait a moment, I'll give you something." With that, she called over a palace maid and took a large medicine chest from the sedan chair. Lin Yi looked at the medicine chest, feeling a mixture of doubt and gratitude.

Princess Yi began opening drawer by drawer, patiently introducing Lin Yi to the various poisons and antidotes she had carefully prepared. Pointing to several powders, she said, "These powders, if thrown into water, can poison many people. I've wrapped them all in oiled paper; you must take good care of them and keep them dry."

Lin Yi took the medicine box, and suddenly wondered if it could directly poison people. He carefully took it and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Princess. I will certainly make good use of it!"

Princess Yi looked at Lin Yi, her eyes flashing with reluctance and determination: "My brother said you were going to become a general, and I won't stop you. But you must come back safely. I'll be waiting for you." After saying that, she turned and got into the sedan chair. The curtain slowly fell, covering her tear-streaked face.

Lin Yi stood there, watching the sedan chair disappear into the distance.