Entering the palace means entering a high position; I'm His Majesty's cousin, who am I afr

Shen Jiayu calmed herself down and focused all her energy.

She glanced to the side without making it obvious.

This isn't just a resemblance, it's the real Ruan Cai Nu!

She was just wearing palace maid's clothes.

I haven't seen Ruan Cainu for almost a month. She has become terribly thin. Her once rosy and full complexion is gone. Her cheeks are sunken, her cheekbones are prominent, and her eyes are dark and empty, as if burning with clusters of will-o'-the-wisps.

Shen Jiayu's first reaction was that Ruan Cainu was acting strangely.

Her mental state was off; she was somewhat manic and neurotic. Moreover, she shouldn't be here, especially since she was dressed as a palace maid.

There is something unusual about this.

Before Shen Jiayu could give any instructions to Hongling and Lü'e, she saw something in Ruan Cainu's hand gleaming coldly.

It was a dagger that gleamed with a cold light.

Shen Jiayu was startled. Just as she followed her gaze, she saw that Ruan Cainu had already made a move.

She stood behind Cen Xiaoyi, who was watching the fireworks with a smile, and suddenly plunged the dagger into her body before quickly pulling it out.

Before anyone could react, Ruan Cai Nu, holding a bloodstained dagger, charged straight at the Emperor and Empress.

"Your Majesty, be careful!"

At the critical moment, Shen Jiayu cried out and immediately stepped forward to block the way.

The dagger stopped just inches from the emperor.

Ruan Cainu used all her strength in this attack, and Shen Jiayu had no choice but to grab her wrist with one hand and catch the blade with her other hand.

Crimson blood flowed down the blade and dripped onto the ground, like drops of red plum blossoms in bloom.

The crowd snapped back to their senses at the exclamation.

Pei Yan was the first to react. As soon as he turned around, he saw this shocking scene.

A cold glint of killing intent flashed in his eyes, and he kicked Ruan Cainu to the ground.

Ruan Cainu was kicked several feet away, clutching her chest and coughing up blood.

Once the guards came to their senses, they swarmed forward and surrounded her.

Seeing the blood-stained blade in Shen Jiayu's hand and Cen Xiaoyi's sudden collapse, the concubines of the six palaces lost their composure and began to scream and shout, fleeing in panic.

Consort Lan and Consort Hui, unaware of the situation, quickly shielded the eldest and second princes behind them.

Empress Luo stood there, looking at the chaos, somewhat at a loss.

Hearing the cacophony of cries around him, Pei Yan's temples bulged with veins. He drew a guard's sword and pointed it at the group of women: "Shut up."

That cold shout finally stunned the entire audience.

As the concubines looked at the sword's edge so close to their eyes, their reason gradually returned, and they stopped crying and making a fuss.

After Empress Luo calmed down, she quickly spoke to comfort the concubines.

Zhang Mingtai gradually calmed down.

Pei Yan threw down his longsword, glanced at the corpse on the ground, and turned to check on Shen Jiayu's injuries.

Shen Jiayu's face was deathly pale, and her palms were a bloody mess, still bleeding profusely.

Pei Yan glanced at it, took the clean handkerchief handed to him by the palace servant, looked at Shen Jiayu, and said in a deep voice, "We need to bandage it to stop the bleeding first; it might hurt a bit."

Shen Jiayu's head was spinning. She could barely understand Pei Yan's words and nodded weakly.

Pei Yan glanced down at the wound, then folded the handkerchief thickly and placed it heavily over her palm.

Shen Jiayu had almost never suffered such pain in her life. She groaned in pain and leaned all her weight on Hongling and Lü'e.

Pei Yan told her to press her palms down, then stepped forward, picked her up horizontally, and then stepped off Zhang Mingtai.

Before leaving, Pei Yan gave the order, "Execute the Ruan family."

After the emperor's figure disappeared, Empress Luo closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, they were icy cold.

"Guards, drag him away."

The guards carried the muttering, raving Nguyen away.

After dealing with Lady Ruan, Empress Luo took a deep breath and instructed the palace maids, "Help your mistress back to the pavilion first."

The palace maids hurriedly obeyed, and the concubines of the six palaces were helped into the pavilion.

In stark contrast to the previous lively atmosphere, the atmosphere was now eerily heavy, interspersed with faint sobs.

No one expected that a perfectly good palace banquet would turn into such a horrifying and terrifying incident.

One of the palace concubines asked in alarm, "Consort Cen's chest is still heaving; is there any hope?"

Empress Luo's expression was as cold as a thousand-year-old glacier. "It's hopeless."

She had lost so much blood that her pupils were dilated. Even if the imperial physician were here right now, it would take some time for him to arrive, let alone save her life.

Thinking of Ruan's madness and Cen Xiaoyi's tragic death, Empress Luo felt extremely agitated.

She spoke softly to reassure the concubines, and once they were calmer, she led them down from Zhangmingtai.