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

Cao Yuan has recovered enough from her rest in prison, but her fingers are still a little sluggish.

"Princess, how is your hand?" Bai Lu asked, leaning against the cell door.

Cao Yuan moved her fingers with difficulty, "It's still a bit strenuous! I should be able to recover in a few days."

"I wonder if Chu Yan has managed to win back the Shu king's heart!"

"That's probably difficult! The emperor likely won't listen to him. I heard Xiao Hanjing mention before that the current ruler is Chu Yan, Xiao Hanjing's uncle. You wouldn't be risking letting him go back for that reason, would you?"

"Uncle? Then how come he's still the Crown Prince?" Cao Yuan only had a vague understanding of the affairs of the Shu Kingdom.

"I don't know why Chu Yan is still the crown prince."

"Could it be that the current monarch has no children?" Cao Yuan guessed.

"How could that be! You know, the ruler of Shu is notoriously lustful and tyrannical. How could he not have any offspring? That's just a fantasy!" Bai Lu exclaimed in disbelief.

"However, if their uncle hadn't usurped the throne back then, perhaps with his current talent, courage, and decisiveness, Xiao Hanjing wouldn't have ended up here as a hostage, suffering such hardship."

At this point, Bai Lu couldn't help but sigh softly, a hint of regret showing on her face.

Upon hearing this, Cao Yuan slowly shook her head and said softly, "No matter what, usurping power is ultimately against ethics and morality, and will always be despised and rejected by people of later generations."

Her gaze was fixed on the distance, as if she were deep in thought.

A series of hurried footsteps sounded.

Eunuch Wang arrived carrying the imperial edict.

"Your Highness Prince Shuo, please receive the imperial decree!"

Cao Yuan and Bai Lu exchanged a glance.

The two of them knelt down.

"With war imminent between Chen and Shu, Prince Feng Shuo is hereby appointed as the vanguard and ordered to immediately proceed to Chen to provide support!"

Cao Yuan raised his hand, "Your subject receives the decree."

"Is Father not going to punish me?"

"Your Highness, this is a rare opportunity for you. You must redeem yourself through merit! Do not let His Majesty down!"

"Thank you, Eunuch Wang!"

"Your Highness, we must thank the Second Prince for pleading on your behalf before the throne. You must fight this battle well!"

"Your Highness?"

Is it him again?

Cao Yuan was puzzled for a moment, then thought about it and realized that she was right; no one else was willing to fight this war except for her.

Cao Yuan looked at Bai Lu, "I'm leaving!"

"Your Highness, there is another decree here for Bailu!"

Cao Yuan and Bai Lu were pardoned.

As soon as the two emerged, a figure in green stood in the distance.

Cao Yuan and Bai Lu exchanged a glance, and Cao Yuan went forward on her own.

"Second Imperial Brother!"

Cao Ji turned around, his gaze softening, and closed his fan. "Imperial sister, is your injury fully healed?"

Before Cao Yuan could answer, Cao Ji pulled a jade bottle from his robes. "Take it!"

"What is this?" Cao Yuan's gaze fell on the jade bottle, but she hesitated to take it.

"This is some medicine that the imperial physician prescribed to loosen your muscles and bones. Your hand probably isn't fully recovered yet!" Cao Ji grabbed her hand and placed it in her palm.

"Don't worry! This medicine is non-toxic. I'm counting on my sister's triumphant return!"

After a moment of silence, Cao Yuan asked, "Second Brother, you have nothing to say to me?"

Cao Ji licked his lips.

"Then I'll be leaving now, Second Brother."

Cao Yuan and Bai Lu left.

Bai Lu glanced at Cao Yuan and then at Cao Ji before the two boarded the carriage.

On the carriage, Bai Lu couldn't help but ask, "Princess, may I ask a question? Is this Second Prince His Majesty's biological son?"

Cao Yuan turned her head sharply, glared at her fiercely, and said irritably, "What nonsense are you talking about? If Second Brother isn't Father's biological son, is he born of you or me?"

Her voice unconsciously rose a few decibels, clearly indicating her anger at such outrageous remarks.

She then added, "Even if the Second Prince's mother came from a humble background, she would never have done something so rebellious!"

After a moment of silence, Bai Lu seemed to have mustered her courage and cautiously asked, "Princess, I would like to go to the State of Chen with you, is that alright?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Yuan was slightly taken aback, then carefully examined the person before her. After a moment, she slowly said, "You?"

His words were filled with doubt and uncertainty.

"If I don't let you go, do you really not want to go? It's just that the outcome of this trip is uncertain, and I'm afraid I'll be too busy taking care of myself to look after you?"

Faced with Cao Yuan's questioning, Bai Lu nodded without hesitation, indicating that she was fully prepared.

The Shu Kingdom and the Chen Kingdom are about to go to war, and the entire capital is filled with panic.

Fan Qingli went home, packed her clothes, and prepared to go to Chen State with Cao Yuan.

Xue Xiqiong happened to come in and walked over nervously, "Qingli, where are you going!"

"With the nation in peril, how could I be a coward who clings to life? Of course, I should go to the battlefield!" Fan Qingli said as he packed up.

Upon hearing this, Xue Xiqiong's heart tightened. Like a startled fawn, she rushed forward and tightly hugged Fan Qingli's broad and strong back, her voice trembling as she cried out, "Qingli, no! I absolutely won't let you go!"

Fan Qingli forcefully pried Xue Xiqiong's arms off him, and roared with a serious and slightly angry expression, "Get off me! The country is in crisis, and life and death are at stake. How can you be so unable to distinguish between what is important and what is urgent?"

After saying that, he picked up his bag and weapons from the table without looking back and strode toward the door.

She staggered and leaned against the door frame, tears streaming down her face, her gaze fixed on Fan Qingli's receding figure.

"Qingli, you can't go! Qingli... please don't go..."

Xue Xiqiong's cries echoed throughout the room, sounding so helpless and desolate. Her heart was filled with fear and worry, afraid that this parting would be forever. "I really don't want to become a widow so young..."

Just as Fan Qingli mounted his horse, Luo Xuemei called out to him from behind.

"Husband!"

"What is it? Are you here to persuade me too?" Fan Qingli didn't bother to look at her and just wanted to get rid of her.

"What should I advise you to do?" Luo Xuemei looked at him, completely bewildered.

"This is a blessing of peace that I obtained from Hanshan Temple outside the city a few days ago!"

"A few days ago?"

Just a few days ago, he was still hesitating about whether to go to the battlefield, so why would she go and ask for a peace charm?

"Yes! Although my husband has now been promoted to Vice Minister of War, I heard that His Majesty has sent Prince Shuo to support the Chen Kingdom! I think that with my husband's personality, he should go too! So I went and asked for a peace charm! Wearing it will surely ensure your triumphant return!"

Luo Xuemei smiled gently, which warmed Fan Qingli's heart.

"No one understands me better than Xuemei!"

"If I weren't a woman, I would also really like to go to the battlefield!"

Fan Qingli hung the amulet around his neck, then leaned down and kissed Luo Xuemei's lips. "Mei'er, I'll be back! Wait for me!"

Luo Xuemei stared intently at Fan Qingli's departing figure.