Perils on All Sides, Pressure Mounting

One night, Lin Yue was engrossed in reading in her room when a faint rustle outside the window caught her attention. She put down the book warily, padded over to the window, and peeked out cautiously. In a flash, a dark silhouette darted past and vanished into the inky night. Lin Yue's heart skipped a beat. She knew trouble was brewing on her doorstep. The following day, as Lin Yue strolled through the prince's mansion, she encountered Li Yi. Li Yi eyed her with concern and inquired, "You seem rather preoccupied lately. Is something weighing on your mind?" Lin Yue hesitated briefly before confiding her worries to Li Yi. "Your Highness, I constantly have the feeling that someone is spying on me in secret. I'm afraid my identity might bring trouble to the prince's mansion." Upon hearing this, Li Yi furrowed his brow and reassured her, "Rest assured. As long as I'm here, no one dares to lay a finger on you. Nevertheless, you must remain extra vigilant. Not everyone in this prince's mansion is as amiable as they appear on the surface." Lin Yue nodded, yet a sense of unease lingered within her. She was well - aware that despite Li Yi's princely status, the power dynamics within the mansion were convoluted, and he couldn't possibly safeguard every aspect. She had to fend for herself if she hoped to survive in this treacherous environment. Ever since the incident of being framed by Cuier, Lin Yue had become hyper - vigilant. She was constantly on the alert, scanning her surroundings, terrified of falling victim to another malicious scheme. The mysterious shadow only deepened her unease. She had no idea who it was or what their motives were, but she was certain that she had been ensnared in a dangerous plot. Determined to unearth the truth, Lin Yue embarked on a covert investigation. She noticed that the atmosphere in the prince's mansion had turned rather peculiar recently. The servants communicated in hushed tones, their eyes constantly darting around. She had an inkling that it was all tied to Liu Ruyan. Thus, she decided to start with Cuier, Liu Ruyan's trusted maid. One day, Lin Yue deliberately brought up the tripping incident in front of Cuier, observing her reaction closely. Cuier's eyes flickered nervously, and her speech became halting. Lin Yue was now more convinced than ever that Cuier was the culprit behind the frame - up. However, she refrained from exposing Cuier immediately and continued to bide her time, observing quietly. Meanwhile, Liu Ruyan was intensifying her scheme. Learning that Lin Yue was looking into her, she seethed with anger. She resolved to hasten her plans and make Lin Yue vanish from the prince's mansion for good. She bribed a guard in the mansion, ordering him to sneak into Lin Yue's room at night and eliminate her. Unaware of the life - threatening danger that loomed over her, Lin Yue was still hard at work, sifting through clues to expose Liu Ruyan's conspiracy. One night, as she was organizing the evidence in her room, a soft patter of footsteps outside the window reached her ears. Her heart leaped into her throat as she realized danger was approaching. She quickly snatched the scissors from the table, ready to defend herself. Suddenly, the door burst open, and a dark figure lunged inside. Lin Yue stared in horror, frozen in place. Just as the figure was about to pounce on her, the door swung open again, and Li Yi charged in with a group of guards. It turned out that Li Yi had sensed the abnormal atmosphere in the mansion and secretly arranged for Lin Yue's protection. "Who are you? And what's your purpose for barging into Miss Lin's room?" Li Yi demanded coldly. Sensing the hopelessness of the situation, the dark figure attempted to flee but was swiftly apprehended by the guards. Under interrogation, the figure finally confessed to being hired by Liu Ruyan to kill Lin Yue. Upon learning the truth, Li Yi was consumed with fury. He immediately ordered Liu Ruyan to be imprisoned, pending punishment. Although Lin Yue had narrowly escaped this calamity, she knew that the respite was only temporary. The perils in the prince's mansion persisted, and she needed to be even more cautious from then on.