My palace is full of female protagonists.

The interrogation process was like a long and winding labyrinth adventure, every step filled with unknowns and difficulties. The assassins were like venomous snakes emerging from the darkness, leaving behind very few clues, and often setting traps and misleading leads.

The Prefect of the Capital sat in the dimly lit and cold interrogation room, the flickering candlelight casting dappled shadows that made the space even more oppressive. His eyes were bloodshot, and exhaustion and anxiety were etched on his brow. Since the assassination attempt, he had been on edge, and several times he had picked up his water glass but hadn't been able to take a sip.

In the center of the interrogation room stood a long wooden table, flanked by a group of people who had been apprehended. Some were small vendors, some were street performers, and others were the owners of an inn. Without exception, they were all ordinary people whose lives should have had nothing to do with the high-risk profession of assassins.

"Speak! Who sent you? Who is the mastermind behind this?" The prefect slammed his fist on the table again, his voice echoing in the empty interrogation room, carrying an undeniable authority and anger. But instead of the revelation of the truth, he was met with a chorus of cries of injustice.

"Sir, we really don't know! We are just ordinary people, how could we have anything to do with assassins?" A small vendor knelt on the ground, covering his head with his hands, his voice filled with endless fear and helplessness.

"Yes, sir, we only occasionally encounter those assassins on the road, but they never speak to us, let alone give us any orders. If I had known they were assassins, I would have run far away long ago! They only gave us a few coins when they passed by," a street performer chimed in, his eyes filled with confusion and innocence.

Looking at the people before him, the prefect felt a surge of indescribable frustration. He knew they might be telling the truth; they were merely innocent bystanders, unwittingly drawn into this conspiracy. But the true mastermind was like a cunning and ruthless dragon lurking in the abyss, never revealing its true face.

“Think carefully again. Is there any detail you haven’t noticed before? Even the most insignificant little thing could be the key to our tracking. You must know that they assassinated the current princess—Princess Yi, the emperor’s adopted sister and the last surviving member of the Yi tribe. She is someone the emperor values ​​highly. Even if you only exchanged glances with those assassins, I could still kill you all, and the emperor wouldn’t blame you.”

However, as time ticked by, the interrogation room remained silent except for low sobs and occasional coughs. Those who had been apprehended all appeared terrified, their eyes filled with confusion and fear, as if they had completely lost their way in this storm.

The Prefect knew this path was destined to be arduous and long. But he also understood that as the guardian of the capital, he could not give up, nor could he allow the true culprit to escape justice. He had to persevere until the mastermind was brought to justice, bringing true peace and tranquility to the people of the capital.

So he picked up his water glass again and took a deep sip, as if to bolster his courage. Then he stood up, looking firmly at the people before him, and said, "I will continue my investigation and will not let any suspect escape. If you want to save your lives, stay here. If there is another assassination attempt, I will have cleared your names. But if any of you try to get out, I can't be sure which one of you is trying to pass information out. If you do, I can kill you all immediately!"

The bodies of the assassins were sent to the morgue, piling up so high that the morgue was almost overflowing. Left with no other option, some bodies were sent to the coroner's office on the outskirts of the city, where soldiers were stationed day and night to guard against any potential casualties.

"These people dare to pull such a stunt in the capital! They're asking for it!" Zhao Chengyu roared. He immediately ordered the mastermind to be apprehended and severely punished. At the same time, he increased security patrols and vigilance in the capital, adding more soldiers and sentries to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

That night, a thick haze shrouded the capital city. The streets and alleys were dimly lit, lacking their usual hustle and bustle. With a series of urgent gong sounds, the entire capital quickly entered a state of emergency curfew. The city gates were tightly shut, and the number of soldiers patrolling the streets increased dramatically, each with a solemn expression, as if a storm was about to break.

The root of all this was that sudden assassination attempt. Those unidentified assassins, like ghosts in the night, infiltrated the capital by spreading out and then gathering together. However, why they targeted Princess Yi, whether new assassins would come later, or who else they might target, remained unknown.

Therefore, he acted decisively, deciding to take a series of drastic measures. First, he ordered a thorough investigation of all those potentially involved, from city gate officials to patrolling soldiers, leaving no one unchecked. He demanded they carefully recall all suspicious individuals who had recently entered or left the capital, especially those of unknown origin and suspicious behavior. Simultaneously, he dispatched a large number of constables to conduct a comprehensive search of the capital, leaving no corner unchecked where assassins might be hiding.

In those days, the entire capital was shrouded in an invisible net, the air thick with tension and unease. The Prefect, usually a dignified and composed official, now wore a furrowed brow, his eyes revealing an unwavering resolve. He knew that this sudden assassination attempt not only tested his wisdom and courage but also concerned the safety of the entire capital.

Amid the tense atmosphere of the investigation, the Prefect paid particular attention to the officers and generals guarding the city gates. They were like a solid line of defense for the capital, bearing a heavy responsibility and a glorious mission. To gain a deeper understanding of the situation, the Prefect decided to personally go to the city gates and speak face-to-face with the officers and generals who had been guarding the city day and night.

The prefect, dressed in his official robes, rode a tall horse slowly toward the city gate. Following him were not soldiers from the prefectural government, but the imperial guards from the palace. In the capital city under curfew, even the number of candles lit was greatly reduced; the lanterns that usually hung in front of the gates emitted only a few faint lights.

Upon arriving at the city gate, the prefect dismounted, gestured for his entourage to wait outside, and entered the gate tower alone. The guards, seeing the prefect arrive in person, all rose to their feet and bowed, their faces filled with surprise and respect.

"You've all worked hard," the Prefect said softly, his tone filled with concern and encouragement. "I know you've all been carrying a heavy burden these past few days. But the safety of the capital depends on you."

Upon hearing this, the garrison commanders felt a surge of warmth in their hearts and expressed their willingness to defend the capital to the death, living up to their lord's high expectations.

The prefect smiled and nodded, then changed the subject and got to the point: "You all know about the assassination attempt on Princess Yi today, right? I was just following procedure. Everyone who was on duty today has to come over for questioning. Have you noticed anything unusual?"

The garrison commanders looked at each other and then shook their heads. But soon, an older garrison commander spoke up: "Sir, in fact, a large number of people from the east city have indeed entered and exited the city gates in the past few days, but they all have official documents, and we have been following the rules."

Upon hearing this, the prefect's eyes sharpened: "Oh? Tell me, what are their characteristics?"

The guards chattered amongst themselves, describing the physical characteristics, mannerisms, and approximate times of the suspicious individuals' entry and exit from the city gates. The prefect listened attentively, taking notes and nodding occasionally, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Very good, you have done well," the Prefect praised. "But remember, you must never let your guard down. From now on, for at least three days, the Emperor will seal off the capital, and there must be no more assassinations of members of the royal family in the streets. You must all be vigilant. If anyone tries to break out of the city gates, you will all be targets of their night raids. If you let your guard down, you will lose your heads."

Upon hearing this, the guards looked at the Imperial Guards following behind the Prefect and nodded in agreement, indicating that they would strictly follow the Prefect's instructions.

Afterwards, the Prefect inquired in detail about the city gate's guard system and patrol arrangements, offering suggestions for improvement on any shortcomings. He emphasized that the city gates were the gateway to the capital and their absolute security must be ensured. As night fell, the Prefect concluded his conversation with the guards and slowly walked out of the city gate tower.

Upon returning to his residence, the prefect immediately summoned his men and, based on the clues provided by the garrison commanders, launched a further investigation. He knew that this battle had only just begun, and the real test was yet to come. But he believed that as long as everyone worked together, no obstacle was insurmountable.

In the days that followed, an unprecedented large-scale investigation was launched throughout the capital. The Prefect and his men worked day and night, sparing no effort, all to bring the assassins lurking in the shadows to justice as soon as possible and create a peaceful and tranquil living environment for the people of the capital.

Besides the city gate guards, the prefect also turned his attention to inns and larger houses within the capital. These places were often the preferred lodgings for travelers. He dispatched a large number of constables and constables to conduct thorough searches and interrogations in these locations. They knocked on doors, asking owners and guests if any strangers had recently checked in or left, and inquired about their whereabouts and identities. Simultaneously, they observed the surrounding environment, attempting to find any clues that might be related to the assassination attempt.

In this large-scale investigation, the prefect's methods, though seemingly cruel and harsh, were a necessary measure in such extraordinary circumstances. He knew that only by thoroughly investigating all suspicious matters could the peace of the capital and the safety of the people be ensured. Therefore, he ruthlessly punished those who refused to cooperate and concealed the truth, in order to deter any potentially malicious individuals.

Zhao Chengyu sat upright at his desk in his study, his brow furrowed, his brush tapping rhythmically on the rice paper. Outside the window, the night was deep, broken only by the occasional sound of patrolling footsteps. He knew all too well that this assassination attempt was no small matter; a slight misstep could plunge the entire capital into panic, and might even trigger greater social unrest.

Zhao Chengyu harbored a deep grudge against Fang Hujie's impeachment, so he took advantage of the curfew in the capital to have the Imperial Guards "invite" the officials who participated in impeaching Fang Hujie and their families to the imperial prison.

The Imperial Prison, a sinister and terrifying place, was usually a place that struck fear into the hearts of many. Tonight, it became a nightmare for those officials. Zhao Chengyu's intention was clear: he wanted to use this method to intimidate those who dared to oppose him, to let them know who the true ruler of this court was. After all, Zhao Chengyu still didn't feel very safe since his transmigration. People close to him, like Zhao Qi'er, could easily notice his changes. Although they wouldn't do anything to him, it still made Zhao Chengyu feel uneasy. Those who already coveted imperial power wanted to target him even more, truly giving him a feeling of loneliness at the top. Fang Hujie was the sharp blade Zhao Chengyu used to wield his authority.

However, to everyone's surprise, the climax of this storm would be the Emperor's personal intervention. For the first time ever, the Emperor came to the imperial prison to personally interrogate the imprisoned officials. Inside the prison, the flickering candlelight illuminated the Emperor's majestic and enigmatic face. He sat at a simple wooden table, his gaze piercing, as if he could see into people's hearts. The officials who had been brought in all had their heads bowed, their faces pale, their hearts filled with fear and unease.

“You are all pillars of the court, how could you do such a foolish thing?” Zhao Chengyu spoke, his voice deep and powerful, each word striking the hearts of the officials like a heavy hammer.

The officials exchanged bewildered glances, but none dared to step forward and answer. They knew that any word spoken at this moment could become a catalyst for their own demise.

Seeing this, Zhao Chengyu couldn't help but sneer. He slowly stood up, walked to the officials, and scrutinized them one by one. His eyes held both disappointment and anger. He knew that these officials' behavior had crossed his bottom line.

"I hope you understand that the court needs loyal and wise ministers, not those sycophants who only know how to flatter and manipulate power. I also know that there are factions among officials, and there are also those who have been recognized and favored. You can tell me any 'secrets,' and at least I can let you go back to your families in peace." The emperor's words were as cold as the wind, making the officials shiver.