After being reborn, I went on a killing spree in the imperial court.

Cao Yuan returned hastily from outside the city. Without pausing for long, she resolutely went to the palace alone to meet the emperor.

At this moment, she was filled with panic. Although she had made many preparations in her mind, when she actually entered the palace, she was still sweating profusely, which soaked her inner clothes.

The atmosphere inside the solemn Hall of Mental Cultivation was heavy.

Cao Ji stood majestically inside the hall, quietly awaiting Cao Yuan's arrival. He was tall and straight, his expression solemn, and his eyes revealed an unfathomable depth.

The air in the hall seemed to have frozen, the silence was suffocating.

With each step Cao Yuan took closer, her unease grew. She wondered what Cao Ji had said to the emperor this time.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty! I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

Cao Yuan knelt down.

"Second brother, you go out first!"

"But Father..."

One look from the emperor silenced Cao Ji instantly, and he dared not utter another word.

Only after Cao Ji withdrew did the emperor speak.

"Cao Yuan! Your skills have improved now! You actually dared to use the tiger tally to break prisoners!"

"Father, may I have my word?"

"You dare to argue back! You sent Fan Qingli to me to ask for a reward, do you think I don't know what you mean?"

The emperor grabbed a teacup from the side and threw it at her. Cao Yuan didn't dodge and just closed her eyes to take the hit. Blood was drawn from her forehead when the teacup struck her.

"Father, the Shu Kingdom is about to go to war with the Chen Kingdom. The Shu Crown Prince cannot die in our hands. If we can get him back, we might be able to turn the tide! Make them stop the war!"

"Do I need you to teach me?"

"Your subject dares not! Your subject knows he was wrong! Your subject accepts punishment!"

"Second Imperial Brother's haste in executing Prime Minister Chu must have ulterior motives. I beg Father to investigate thoroughly!"

Upon hearing this, the emperor became even more furious. "Look at you! Just because you're in love with Chu Yan, the second prince said so many good things about you, yet you slander your imperial brother like this! You're hopeless!"

"Even if Xue Xinian is gone, there's still Chu Yan! Do you like that Wen Xuchang too?"

"Cao Yuan, Cao Yuan! Can't you be a little more devoted? How could I have such a fickle daughter! Is this how the Marquis of Zhenbei raised you?"

“Father, it’s not because I like him!” Cao Yuan explained.

"Hand over the Tiger Tally for now and place it with me!"

"Guards! Prince Shuo has rescued the prisoners. Throw him into the Heavenly Prison immediately and await further orders."

Cao Yuan collapsed to the ground.

Cao Yuan was escorted out of the palace, while Cao Ji remained outside.

The two locked eyes, and Cao Yuan was too preoccupied to say anything; her mind was completely blank.

She thought the emperor would at most just confine her to her quarters.

Unexpectedly, even the emperor didn't understand her.

-

Inside the prison, Bai Lu was eating heartily. Although she had been in this cell for so many days, she seemed to have gotten used to being there.

A new neighbor moved in a short while later.

"Your Highness, please come in!"

The jailer respectfully invited her.

Cao Yuan was imprisoned.

Bai Lu looked at it more and more, and it seemed so familiar. "Princess!"

Bai Lu wiped her hands, leaned on the railing, and looked at her. "What are you doing here?"

Cao Yuan sighed and sat down. "Can't you tell I'm here?"

"You've been imprisoned by His Majesty?"

“Yes, yes!” Cao Yuan replied perfunctorily.

"What crime have you committed? Why is His Majesty imprisoning you?"

"I've released Chu Yan back to Shu!"

Cao Yuan said without any confidence.

"What did you say?"

Bai Lu seemed not to have heard clearly.

“I said, I released Chu Yan back to his country.”

Bai Lu's eyes widened. "Princess, I think I heard he was arrested. Does your releasing him back to the country mean you broke him out of prison?"

Cao Yuan nodded.

"Princess, this is a serious crime! It could even be considered treason! But His Majesty is still merciful, as long as you're alive!"

"Wasn't it Xiao Hanjing who killed Chu Yan and shot Qin Sima?"

"You already know!" Bai Lu scratched her head.

"Did Xiao Hanjing stay in Wei because of the Emperor?"

"Yes!"

"So what have you found out? Or do you know anything about Cao Ji?"

"The Second Prince! The Second Prince was born out of wedlock and has never been favored by the Emperor. He was already touring various places before the Crown Prince died, and the Emperor did not summon him back to the palace after the Crown Prince's death." Bai Lu stroked her chin and thought carefully.

"However, His Highness the Crown Prince prepares a gift for the Second Prince every year on his birthday. Why are you asking why?"

"It was he who arrested Prime Minister Chu and Chu Yan! He said that Xiao Hanjing's portrait proved that Chu Yan was the eldest prince."

"Isn't Xiao Hanjing Chu Yan's younger brother? Why would he harm his brother? Don't they have a good relationship?"

"Chu Yan came to Shu to find his brother, so why is he treating Chu Yan like this!"

Bai Lu sighed, "Actually, Xiao Hanjing is also a pitiful person! He came to Wei as a hostage all by himself, and his life was worse than that of a servant. He was even abused by a group of eunuchs..."

Bai Lu didn't continue, but Cao Yuan understood what she was about to say.

"Fortunately, the Crown Prince was kind-hearted and saved him, letting him stay in the Eastern Palace. He promised him that he could return in three years, but year after year passed, and the Shu Kingdom never sent anyone to look for him, not even a letter! So he hates everything about the Shu Kingdom! He doesn't want to leave here!"

"Although Chu Yan went to great lengths to infiltrate Wei in order to find him, Chu Yan would never understand the hardships he endured!"

"Do you know that Xiao Hanjing is going to join forces with Cao Ji? What is he planning to do?" Cao Yuan asked.

Bai Lu pondered for a moment, "Based on my understanding of him, he probably just wants Chu Yan to expose his identity, that way..."

Bai Lu glanced at him, "You two will never be together!"

Cao Yuan looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Xiao Hanjing is a madman! He wouldn't want the Crown Prince's sister to be with the person he hates most!"

“Actually, Xiao Hanjing has sent spies to observe your every move, for example…”

Before Bai Lu could finish speaking, suddenly, a series of rapid footsteps, like a sudden storm, came from afar. The footsteps were chaotic and disordered, clearly not the work of one person, but rather the unique sound of a large group of people's footsteps intertwined.

Several prison guards, looking hurried, rushed to the cell where Cao Yuan was being held. They held a bunch of keys in their hands and quickly and skillfully unlocked the large lock on the cell door.

One of the jailers, looking apologetic, said to Cao Yuan inside the cell, "Your Highness! We are truly sorry, but someone above wants to summon you, and we are just following orders!" With that, he stepped aside to make way for Cao Yuan to come out.

"Who is it?" Bai Lu asked.

The jailers kept their heads down and did not answer.

Cao Yuan stood up, not wanting to make things difficult for them, and said, "Fine, I'll go with you!"

"Your Highness, please forgive me!"

The jailer obeyed Cao Shang's orders and dragged Cao Yuan out of the prison.

"Princess! Princess! Where are you taking her?" Bai Lu shouted loudly from the railing.

Cao Yuan was taken to the torture chamber, where they prepared to put her on a wooden stake.

"What are you doing? Isn't this supposed to be an interrogation? Do you have to do this?"

The jailer didn't say a word and simply tied Cao Yuan up, and Cao Yuan didn't resist.

She figured Cao Ji wouldn't dare lay a hand on her here.

Footsteps are coming this way.