The main hall was enveloped in an oppressive silence that weighed heavily on everyone present. Xia Yuqing stood at its center, surrounded by armed guards whose rigid postures and wary gazes made the atmosphere increasingly tense.
Their armor reflected the lantern light, and the faint sound of metal shifting echoed through the vast space, amplifying the unease that hung in the air.
Along both sides of the hall, maids and servants stood with their heads bowed and their bodies trembling. None of them dared to raise their voices. Soft whispers slipped through the hall, laced with fear and confusion.
"What is happening?"
"Why has the palace suddenly been sealed?"
"Have we offended His Majesty without knowing?"
"Are we going to be punished?"
No one had answers, and that uncertainty terrified them more than any accusation ever could.
