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

Cao Yuan looked up at Luo Jiulan. Although she was in so much pain that she couldn't speak, she still mustered her strength to say, "You should go! Don't drag me down with you!"

"Your Highness! How can I save you!" Luo Jiulan whispered, her heart filled with fear and helplessness.

"Men, hold him down!"

Luo Jiulan was immediately pinned to the ground by two prison guards.

"Princess Huafeng, what are you doing!"

"Aren't you two deeply in love? I'll cripple your hand too!"

"Break his hand!"

The jailers dared not do that. "Princess Huafeng, this is a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Justice. We can't just beat him like that!"

"Cao Shang! It was Chu Yan who injured Xue Xinian, what does it have to do with him! Are you just hurting people because you can't deal with Chu Yan?" Cao Yuan deliberately provoked her.

"You slut, I should ruin your face so you can stop seducing men!" Cao Shang shifted her focus to Cao Yuan, who held a branding iron in her hand.

Cao Yuan looked up at her and sneered.

"why are you laughing?"

Cao Yuan swayed unsteadily, "Why did you let Xue Xinian seduce me! Why did you hurt me! If you like Xue Xinian, I'll give him to you..."

Cao Shang was suddenly startled. How did she know that it was she who had asked Xue Xinian to seduce her?

Feeling guilty, she gripped the branding iron tightly and walked towards Cao Yuan.

"Princess Huafeng! You can't do this!"

"Cao Yuan, I think your mouth should be ruined too."

Cao Shang took the branding iron and burned it onto Cao Yuan's face.

"stop!"

Cao Shang was startled by the voice. When she turned her head, she saw that it was Cao Ji.

Why is he here?

"Second brother, why have you come at this time?"

Cao Ji instantly understood from the posture of the three men.

Cao Ji went over to support Cao Yuan, "Royal sister! You, how could you..."

Exhausted, Cao Yuan could only lean against him and faint. "Are you satisfied now?"

"Second brother, what's wrong?"

Cao Shang looked at him with suspicion, wondering to herself, "My second brother usually has a rather distant relationship with Cao Yuan, so why is he acting so strangely today? Why is he helping Cao Yuan up? Why is he showing concern for her?"

"Who gave you the right to carry out this execution!" Cao Ji lowered his voice, trying his best to control his anger and force himself to calm down. He stood up, his eyes as cold as knives, staring straight at Cao Shang.

Cao Shang was intimidated by his imposing manner and unconsciously took a few steps back, stammering, "Second Imperial Brother! I am..."

Before she could finish speaking, a sharp slap landed on Cao Shang's face. The crisp sound echoed in the air, stunning everyone present.

"Ah! Second brother, you, you actually hit me!" Cao Shang looked at him in astonishment. Was this the same brother who had doted on her since childhood?

"Get out of here! If I ever see you here again, I'll brand your face with this iron." Cao Ji was like a mad beast; no one knew what he would do next.

Cao Shang was completely frightened and turned to leave.

Upon seeing this, the jailers all knelt down and kowtowed, begging for mercy. "Your Highness, spare us! Your Highness, spare us! Princess Huafeng said that Your Highness sent her to interrogate us. We don't know anything about it!"

"Go and fetch the imperial physician to treat Prince Shuo's injuries!"

"Yes! I'll go and fetch them right away!"

Cao Yuan was taken back to the prison by Cao Ji.

The jailer unlocked the chains, and Bai Lu looked through the bars at Cao Yuan, who was covered in blood.

"Princess! Princess!" Bai Lu exclaimed excitedly.

"How could this happen! Princess! Are you alright?"

Bai Lu looked anxiously at everything before her, her heart filled with worry and unease.

Her gaze was fixed on Cao Yuan, as if she wished she could squeeze through the gap in the railing.

Cao Ji slowly placed Cao Yuan against the wall. Cao Yuan's body trembled slightly, and his eyes revealed an indescribable emotion.

“Royal sister, I really didn’t know about this!” Cao Ji sighed and explained.

His voice carried a hint of urgency, as if he hoped to gain his sister's understanding and trust.

Cao Yuan sneered, her tone laced with disdain, "Second Brother, there are no outsiders here, so stop pretending."

"I do not......"

The imperial physician rushed over, "Greetings, Your Highness!"

"Check it quickly! It absolutely cannot leave a scar!"

The imperial physician took his pulse and said, "Your Highness, Prince Shuo only has superficial injuries! There's nothing serious! He'll be fine after applying medicine. It's just that the injuries on his hand and chest have reached the bone."

Cao Ji nodded.

"Your Highness, who would you like to have apply the medicine?"

Cao Ji looked up at Bai Lu, who was peering at them through the railing.

"Someone come here!"

"Your Highness!" The jailer rushed over.

"Open her door and let her come over to apply the medicine!" Cao Ji pointed at Bai Lu.

"Yes!"

Bai Lu applied medicine to Cao Yuan according to the imperial physician's instructions.

Cao Ji strode out of the cell, where Cao Shang was standing at the door.

Their eyes met, and Cao Shang pouted and walked over with his head down.

"Second brother, I know I was wrong! Please don't tell Father! I was just angry for a moment!"

Cao Ji looked at her like this and glared at her fiercely, saying, "You still dare to say that!"

"I..." Cao Shang opened his mouth, wanting to explain something, but in the end he closed his mouth.

"The Shu Kingdom is almost at our doorstep, and you've crippled her hand. Who are you planning to send to fight?" Cao Ji questioned, his voice filled with anger and dissatisfaction.

"You? Or me?"

Cao Shang lowered her head, not daring to meet Cao Ji's gaze; she knew she had made a grave mistake.

"Second brother, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong!" Cao Shang took a few steps back, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes.

"What are you standing there for? Go back and take care of your good-for-nothing man! You're making a fool of yourself here."

Cao Shang pouted and ran back to his residence crying.

At this moment, the imperial physician came out from inside.

"Your Highness! Although Prince Shuo's injuries are serious, he will be fine with just a little medicine!"

"How many days?"

"These injuries will take at least a month to heal!"

"understood!"

Jiang Hen came over carrying a food box. "Your Highness, this is porridge that the kitchen made! Shall I take it in?"

"give it to me!"

Cao Ji took the food box and quickly returned to the cell. Cao Yuan was lying motionless on the cold ground, her disheveled hair covering half of her pale face.

He put down the food box, carefully squatted down in front of Cao Yuan, his eyes filled with concern and worry, and carefully examined her face and physical condition.

Cao Yuan was covered in wounds, with cuts of varying depths on her hands, arms, and other areas hidden by her clothes. This filled Cao Ji with a deep sense of self-reproach.

He recalled his childhood, when he was constantly neglected and discriminated against because of his mother's status. In the palace, only Cao Yuan and the Crown Prince were willing to associate with him, and the three of them became his closest friends.

Now that they are on different sides, seeing Cao Yuan injured, the distorted feelings deep within them surged up uncontrollably.

His hand involuntarily and slowly reached out towards Cao Yuan, as if he also realized that their relationship had become complicated and subtle.