[Let me check! Hmm, these three shadow guards were secret retainers raised privately by the Wu family.]

The Emperor: !!!

He quickly deduced that General Wu Yi would never betray him. It had to be other parasites within the Wu family.

Yuan Ruan came to the same conclusion. She scrunched her little face, complaining to the system:
[General Wu Yi would never do such a thing! Could it be someone else in the Wu family?]

[It’s Wu San, General Wu Yi’s cousin, who raised the retainers. But the true mastermind is Wu San’s concubine, later elevated to his official wife.]

The Emperor: ???

This sounded absurd.

The mastermind behind an assassination attempt on the imperial heir… was the official wife of a minor general?

Yuan Ruan also found it bizarre and continued her rant:
[System, are you sure? Even a cheesy novel wouldn’t dare write something like this.]

The system nearly jumped in indignation:
**[Host, I’m not making this up! The plot I uncovered is far more dramatic than any novel. That official wife was originally an assassin from the Black Fiend Hall. She was rescued by General Wu San during a military campaign and brought to his estate.

Later, the general’s wife fell gravely ill and died within three years, after which Wu San married the assassin as his official wife. She secretly opened a branch of the Black Fiend Hall in the capital. A few years ago, she found Wu Yue, who had been abandoned by an old palace maid, and raised her as a killer.]**

The system rattled off the details in one breath.

Yuan Ruan felt her worldview shatter into pieces.

This was insane!

A general favoring a concubine, making her his wife—who turned out to be an assassin—running an underground organization in the capital and training the Emperor’s daughter as a killer?

The more she thought about it, the darker the implications.

For example, did the general’s original wife truly die of natural causes? Did the new wife know Wu Yue was a princess? And if the shadow guards were sent to kill Wu Yue, was Wu San truly unaware?

[That family is a vortex of chaos! Nothing about them seems normal.]

Wu Yue clenched her fists tightly and kept her head lowered to conceal the hatred in her eyes.

The Emperor shared Yuan Ruan’s assessment and had already begun planning how to purge the Wu family.

[No wonder Wu Yue’s first act after gaining power was to destroy the Black Fiend Hall.]

“Clang!”

Wu Yue accidentally kicked a chair, startling Yuan Ruan.
[Is Little Yue Yue hurt? Did she fall? Doctor, doctor!]

The Emperor promptly picked her up and commanded, “Summon the military physician to examine her.”

The military physician rushed over to assist Wu Yue.

Yuan Ruan cheered inwardly:
[This is what they call a father-daughter bond! So sweet.]

The Emperor was speechless but remained composed.

Wu Yue cast the Emperor a cold glance. Her experiences in the assassin camp had long made her dismissive of concepts like familial love, leaving her with little expectation of such connections.

In contrast, she was curious about one thing: the Emperor referred to Yuan Ruan as his daughter, yet Yuan Ruan called him “Big Brother.”

Her thoughts didn’t linger long, as Yuan Ruan’s next mental musings warmed her heart:
[System, those two despicable people are terrifying. They deserve swift retribution!]

[Host, you’re just a baby who can’t even speak. What can you do?]

[Hehe, I have the Emperor! Leverage his power—let Big Brother handle it!]

The Emperor’s face darkened.

What kind of attitude was that?

Wu Yue, however, seemed inspired. Right, that made sense! She might not have the power to topple them herself, but she could borrow strength to strike back.

Her gaze turned resolute.

After a brief silence, Wu Yue suddenly knelt and declared, “Your Majesty, I must report a court official who privately raises soldiers and plots treason. He is a threat to Great Xia.”

Everyone: !!!

The Emperor paused, his eyes narrowing. “Speak.”

Wu Yue pressed her lips together and boldly said, “My foster father, Wu San.”

The soldiers nearby gasped and exchanged shocked looks.

Yuan Ruan’s round eyes widened in disbelief.

What? Reporting her foster father for treason?!

…

The Emperor studied Wu Yue carefully. It was clear she had overheard Yuan Ruan’s inner thoughts and used them as inspiration to strike back against Wu San.

This raised questions about the range of people who could hear Yuan Ruan’s thoughts. Was it restricted by bloodline? But then, how could General Wu Yi hear them? Was it tied to a character’s significance in the “story”?

The Emperor set aside his musings and refocused on Wu Yue.

In the past, anyone who dared manipulate him would have faced swift punishment. But this was his long-lost daughter, and Yuan Ruan was gazing at him with expectant eyes.

The Emperor decided to play along. “Oh? Do you have evidence?”

Wu Yue didn’t have concrete proof, but she trusted Yuan Ruan’s words and knew the Emperor’s suspicious nature. He would inevitably uncover the truth once he investigated.

So, she responded decisively, her gaze icy: “I have seen the three shadow guards who trespassed in the camp at my foster father’s estate. If Your Majesty doesn’t believe me, send someone to investigate!”

The soldiers murmured among themselves, their shock palpable.

They were unaware of the general’s darker deeds. From their perspective, Wu Yue reporting her foster father for treason suggested a grave crime. Coupled with the shadow guards’ intrusion, they were all but convinced Wu San was guilty of rebellion.

Yuan Ruan was thrilled, discussing excitedly with the system:
[Little Yue Yue is amazing! Her attention to detail—remembering every shadow guard’s face—is going to turn the tables.]

[Indeed, very impressive.]

[System, you have good taste. Little Yue Yue deserves a hug.]

Wu Yue’s frosty demeanor softened, and she shyly fiddled with her sleeves.

The Emperor observed Wu Yue’s every reaction and suddenly said, “Your foster father has committed a grave offense, but your repentance and actions to atone are commendable. Is there anything you wish for?”

Wu Yue knelt further and replied, “Your Majesty, the family of traitors often becomes slaves. I dare not ask for much. I only wish to serve the little princess in the palace.”

The Emperor narrowed his eyes.

Yuan Ruan: !!!

[Little Yue Yue, you are the princess! Your destiny is the stars and the sea! Don’t get it wrong!]

The Emperor: …

He rubbed his cheek after receiving an accidental slap from Yuan Ruan, shifting slightly to avoid her flailing.

His gaze returned to Wu Yue. Her decisive revenge, willingness to risk everything, and natural talents marked her as an exceptional individual.

Truly his blood.

However, even as his daughter, she would need to prove herself worthy of staying by Yuan Ruan’s side. How far could she go to earn her place?

With this in mind, the Emperor said coldly, “You, a man, cannot remain in the palace with the little princess. Considering your courage and loyalty, you will serve in the Eastern Palace under the Crown Prince and carve a path for yourself.”

Let’s see how how far her ambitions stretched.

If she is willing to abandon Yuan Ruan for the sake of benefit, then she should return to the palace and be a well-behaved little princess.