From cannon fodder villain to superpowered queen

"Whoa—" The carriage stopped.

Bi Yao and Jiang Ruiyuan stepped off the carriage, and an ancient and mysterious mansion stood before them.

The vermilion paint has long since peeled off, revealing the gray-black wood underneath, like an old man in his twilight years, quietly telling the story of the vicissitudes of time.

As soon as she stepped into the old house, a musty, decaying smell hit her, mixed with dust and mildew, so strong that Bi Yao almost died on the spot.

The surroundings were gloomy and dark, with only a few weak rays of light shining through the broken window frames, casting mottled shadows on the ground, as if countless unknown dangers were lurking there.

A sense of unease welled up in Bi Yao's heart, and she subconsciously tightened her grip on Jiang Ruiyuan's hand.

"This place... is gloomy and a bit creepy," Bi Yao muttered to herself.

Jiang Ruiyuan grasped her hand in return, giving her a reassuring look: "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

The two cautiously walked inside, where the furnishings were even more dilapidated.

The furniture was covered in cobwebs and thick with dust. The carved patterns on the furniture were blurred and indistinct, and the former prosperity could still be vaguely seen. Now, only desolation remained.

Suddenly, Bi Yao's gaze was drawn to some strange symbols on the wall.

“Ruiyuan, look!” she said, pointing to the symbols on the wall. “These symbols seem familiar…”

Jiang Ruiyuan approached and frowned.

These symbols are crooked and twisted, resembling some kind of writing or totem, leaving people completely baffled.

"What...what kind of scribbling is this?"

The two searched the old house carefully and found many similar symbols, as well as some strange mechanisms.

However, they had no clue about these symbols and mechanisms; it was like a huge maze that had left them disoriented.

Worse still, they sensed that someone was secretly watching them.

The feeling of being watched is like having thorns in your back, sending chills down your spine.

"Ruiyuan, I feel...we seem to be being watched," Bi Yao said in a low voice.

Jiang Ruiyuan's face darkened, and he looked around warily, observing the surrounding situation.

"It seems that those old fogies in the imperial court still won't let us go."

The atmosphere immediately became tense, and the two dared not make a sound, for fear of alerting the people secretly watching them.

Jiang Ruiyuan walked up to a mechanism, carefully observing its structure, trying to find a way to solve it...

Bi Yao walked to the other side, her gaze landing on an inconspicuous stone in the corner...

"Wait, Ruiyuan..."

Bi Yao squatted down and carefully examined the stone.

It looked no different from the other stones, but Bi Yao always felt that something was off about it.

“Ruiyuan, I think there’s something wrong with this stone.”

Jiang Ruiyuan was studying the mechanism and replied without looking up, "Yaoyao, stop fooling around. Now is not the time to play with stones." He was completely absorbed in the complex mechanism, and the various gears and buckles dazzled him.

The design of this mechanism is simply inhuman; it's more of a headache than the most difficult business deal he's ever handled.

Bi Yao ignored his perfunctory response and continued to study the stone.

Having spent so many years navigating the business world, she has developed a keen eye, able to see through a customer's pretense and tricks at a glance.

Although the stone was well disguised, Bi Yao keenly noticed that it was out of place with its surroundings.

She silently thought to herself: I am Niohuru Biyao, do you think you can fool my discerning eyes with such a little trick?

She tapped the stone gently, producing a dull thud.

"Just as I expected!" Bi Yao smiled confidently.

This stone sounds different from the other stones, so it must be hollow inside!

"Ruiyuan, come and see!" Bi Yao shouted excitedly.

Jiang Ruiyuan walked over impatiently, thinking: What kind of trouble is this girl up to now?

"What's wrong? Did you find some new treasure?"

Bi Yao pointed to the stone and explained, "This stone is hollow. I think it might be the key to open the secret room!"

Jiang Ruiyuan was skeptical, but he still followed Bi Yao's instructions and tried to turn the stone.

With a click, a hidden door suddenly appeared in the wall!

"Wow! You actually guessed right!" Jiang Ruiyuan's eyes widened in surprise. This move was more impressive than any business genius he had ever seen.

The hidden door slowly opened, revealing a deep, secluded chamber.

The two cautiously entered the secret room and found it filled with many ancient documents and scrolls.

Bi Yao picked up a scroll at random, unfolded it, and saw that it recorded her family's history and some unknown secrets.

"My background... is finally about to be revealed!" Bi Yao's voice trembled with excitement.

Meanwhile, the conservative forces of the imperial court, who were secretly monitoring them, also witnessed this scene and were all stunned.

"This...this is impossible?! They actually found the secret room!" the leader of the men in black roared in disbelief. "Quickly! Report this to the lord!"

Jiang Ruiyuan watched Bi Yao intently flipping through the scrolls, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes.

He quietly walked up behind her, put his arms around her shoulders, and whispered in her ear, "Yaoyao, you're so smart, more brilliant than any business genius I've ever met."

Bi Yao was startled by his sudden hug and glared at him reproachfully, "Stop fooling around, we're having serious business!" But as she said this, the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.

She felt the warmth emanating from Jiang Ruiyuan, and a sweet feeling welled up in her heart.

"Yaoyao, you are my lucky star. Since I met you, my business has been getting better and better, and now there is even hope that the mystery of my origins can be solved." Jiang Ruiyuan whispered his love in her ear, his tone as gentle as if he were coaxing a child.

Bi Yao leaned against him, enjoying this moment of tranquility.

"I hope these scrolls can resolve the doubts in my mind."

However, when they examined the documents closely, they discovered that they were written in an ancient, encrypted way, like a cryptic script, completely incomprehensible.

"What kind of scribbling is this? It's even harder to understand than oracle bone script!" Bi Yao looked at those strange symbols and felt her head was spinning.

Jiang Ruiyuan frowned as well. "It seems we still need to find a way to decipher it."

Just then, a noise came from the entrance to the secret room.

The two were startled and immediately became alert.

Could it be that the imperial court's henchmen have caught up with us?

"Ruiyuan, be careful!" Bi Yao whispered a warning.

Jiang Ruiyuan drew the dagger he carried with him and stood in front of Bi Yao, his eyes fixed intently on the entrance.

However, it was not someone from the imperial court who appeared, but an old monk wearing a kasaya.

The old monk put his hands together and smiled slightly at the two of them: "Amitabha, benefactors, I have been ordered to come and guide you through your confusion."

Bi Yao and Jiang Ruiyuan looked at each other, their hearts filled with doubt.

Who is this old monk?

How come he is here?

What did he mean by "giving guidance"?

The old monk smiled mysteriously: "Two benefactors, please follow me." With that, he turned and walked into the depths of the secret chamber.

Bi Yao and Jiang Ruiyuan hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided to follow.

The old monk led them to a wall at the end of the secret chamber and gently pressed his hand on the wall.

With a "click," a hidden compartment appeared in the wall!

The old monk took out an old book from a hidden compartment and handed it to Bi Yao.

"This is the 'Key to Heavenly Secrets,' which can unlock the secrets on the scroll."

Bi Yao took the book, her heart pounding with excitement. Could this be the key to unlocking the mystery of her origins?

However, when she opened the first page of the book, she found only one sentence: "To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next chapter."

"Master, what does this mean?" Bi Yao looked at the old monk with a bewildered expression.

The old monk smiled mysteriously: "Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. You two, your time has not yet come. Please follow me to the royal temple. Perhaps there you will find the final answer."

Royal temple?

Bi Yao and Jiang Ruiyuan exchanged a glance, a vague unease creeping into their hearts.

What exactly is this old monk up to?

“Let’s go, Yao Yao.” Jiang Ruiyuan gripped Bi Yao’s hand tightly, his eyes resolute. “No matter what dangers lie ahead, I will stay by your side.”

The two followed the old monk out of the old house and boarded a carriage bound for the royal temple...

The carriage slowly drove away, and the gate of the old house slowly closed, as if sealing all the secrets inside.

The wheels rolled on, heading towards an unknown destiny...

Upon arriving at the gate of the royal temple, Bi Yao and Jiang Ruiyuan stepped off the carriage, only to find that the monks who greeted them had cold expressions and even a hint of hostility in their eyes.

Jiang Ruiyuan frowned slightly, a sense of vigilance rising in his heart...

He whispered to Bi Yao, "Be careful, something's not right here."