I leaned on Xiao Rui's chest, feeling the warmth of his chest, but my body felt cold. Prince, Li Chengqian, I will remember you!

"How do you want to help me avenge myself?" I raised my head, my eyes were cold, "Kill him? If you can kill him, can you kill all those who are against me?"

Xiao Rui was silent. He understood what I meant. In this deep palace, killing could not solve any problems, but would only bring greater disasters.

"Qingya, I know you feel bad, but you must believe me, I will protect you and will not let anyone hurt you again." Xiao Rui gently stroked my hair, his tone gentle but firm.

"Protect me?" I sneered, "Can you protect me for a while, but can you protect me forever? Can you promise that you will never betray me?"

Xiao Rui's expression changed slightly. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but nothing came out.

"Xiao Rui, you and I are both smart, there's no need to say these things." I pushed him away, saying indifferently, "I know what you want, and you know what I want. Between us, we just get what we need."

I turned around and left, no longer paying attention to Xiao Rui behind me.

Returning to my room, I threw myself into the soft bed and buried myself in the quilt.

"System, tell me, am I too cruel?" I asked gloomily.

"Host, you are just protecting yourself." The system's voice was as calm as ever.

"Protect myself?" I laughed at myself. "Maybe. In this place where people eat meat without spitting out bones, I can only make myself more ruthless to survive."

"Host, you still have a long way to go. Don't be defeated by the difficulties in front of you." The system comforted.

"I know." I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. "I will. I will definitely survive and live better than anyone else!"

In the next few days, I handled various government affairs and took care of my own business as usual, as if nothing had happened.

However, I know that this is just the calm before the storm.

Li Chengqian will definitely not let this go. Xiao Rui, is he really worthy of my trust?

I was filled with confusion and anxiety.

One day, I was working on my business in the study when suddenly I heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

"Miss, it's bad!" Xiaolan, my personal maid, ran in in a panic, "Master, Master has been arrested and imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice!"

"What?!" I stood up suddenly, my face turned pale, "How could this happen? What happened?"

Xiaolan cried and said, "I don't know much, I just heard that the master was taken away by the Imperial Guards, saying that... he was accused of corruption and bribery!"

"Corruption and bribery?!" I sneered. This charge is really ridiculous! I know very well what kind of person my father is. How could he do such a thing?

"Who did it?" A cold light flashed in my eyes. If anyone dared to touch my body, I would make him pay a hundred times or a thousand times the price!

"Miss, what should we do now?" Xiaolan asked at a loss.

"Don't panic, I'll go into the palace right now!" I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.

There was no time to lose, I immediately changed my clothes and hurried to the palace with Xiaolan.

Along the way, my heart was in my throat, and my father's figure kept appearing in my mind.

Dad, you must wait for me, I will definitely rescue you!

When I arrived at the palace gate, I was stopped by the guards.

"Miss Lin, you can't go in without the emperor's order!" the guard said expressionlessly.

"How dare you!" I shouted angrily, "My father was wrongly imprisoned. I will see the emperor and redress my father's injustice!"

"Without the emperor's order, no one can enter!" The guards remained unmoved.

I was so angry that I was shaking all over, but there was nothing I could do.

Just then, a carriage drove slowly over and stopped in front of me.

The car curtain opened and a familiar figure appeared before my eyes.

"Qingya, why are you here?"

It’s Li Chengqian!

Why is he here? Could it be...

I suddenly had a bad feeling.

"Your Highness." I suppressed my anger and asked coldly, "Did you frame my father?"

Li Chengqian smiled slightly, with a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"Qingya, how can you say that? How could the palace frame my father-in-law?"

Who is father-in-law?

He actually dared to mention these two words!

I was so angry that I was shaking all over. I pointed at his nose and cursed, "Li Chengqian, you despicable little bastard! My father is honest and upright. He has been an official for many years and has never done anything to let the court down. How dare you..."

"Qingya, calm down!" Li Chengqian interrupted me with a warning in his tone, "Don't say these things carelessly!"

"I'm talking nonsense?" I sneered, "Li Chengqian, do you think I don't know your true face? In order to get me, you don't hesitate to use such despicable means, you..."

"That's enough!" Li Chengqian's face darkened. "Lin Qingya, don't refuse a toast and then drink a penalty drink!"

"Drinking fine?" I met his gaze without fear, "Let me see what you can do to me!"

Li Chengqian sneered, suddenly reached out and pulled me into the carriage.

"Ah!" I screamed in surprise, and before I could react, he held me tightly in his arms.

"Let me go! Li Chengqian, you..."

I struggled, but to no avail.

Li Chengqian looked down at me, a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

"Lin Qingya, you'd better be obedient, otherwise, the palace can't guarantee that your good father can walk out of the prison of the Ministry of Justice alive!"

I suddenly felt like I fell into an icy cave, and my whole body was freezing cold.

Li Chengqian, you are really cruel!