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

A large number of people from Liucheng withdrew to the capital, and everyone was packing their belongings.

"Mei'er, get in the car." Fan Qingli stretched out his hand to her.

Luo Xuemei lowered her head. "I can do it myself."

Just as the two got into the carriage, the door was suddenly pushed open, and Xue Xiqiong brazenly squeezed into the carriage.

"What are you doing up here? Didn't I tell you to take another carriage?" Fan Qingli asked with a look of disgust.

Xue Xiqiong didn't feel ashamed at all. "I just want to be with you guys. It's so much more fun together!"

Luo Xuemei kept her head down and didn't say anything.

Fan Qingli grabbed Luo Xuemei's hand, "Mei'er..."

"It's alright, I'll listen to my husband," Luo Xuemei said calmly.

Xue Xiqiong smiled smugly at Fan Qingli.

"Mei'er, are you cold? Your hands are so cold!"

Fan Qingli took a coat and put it on Luo Xuemei.

Xue Xiqiong curled her lip in disdain beside her.

Along the way, Xue Xiqiong sat on one side, while Fan Qingli and Luo Xuemei sat on the other.

Whenever Fan Qingli and Luo Xuemei were talking, Xue Xiqiong would always chime in.

After several days of travel, I finally returned to the capital.

Cao Ji rode at the very front, and the entire army looked dejected and listless, showing no joy whatsoever for peace and war.

The streets of the capital were lined with people, but none of them showed any joy. They all knew that this battle was another instance of peace being secured through a marriage alliance.

Upon returning, Cao Ji went to the palace to report back, while Fan Qingli and the others returned to their residence.

Upon entering the emperor's bedchamber, Cao Ji knelt and bowed behind a screen.

"My son, I pay my respects to my father!"

"Get up! Cough, cough..."

"Father, we have already sent our fourth sister to Shu for a marriage alliance in accordance with your decree."

"Does she have any grievances?"

"A marriage alliance is for the purpose of pacifying the war; it is a great honor, how could Fourth Princess possibly have any complaints!"

Even through the screen, Cao Ji didn't give him a friendly look.

"You've worked hard this time, what reward would you like?"

Cao Ji looked embarrassed; at this point, he had nothing left to want.

"Your Majesty, I do not wish for any reward. I only wish for Your Majesty's good health."

"If there is nothing else, I will take my leave so as not to disturb Your Majesty's rest!"

"Go back!"

"Father, compared to the hardships, it seems that Fourth Princess has suffered even more! She hasn't even prepared her dowry yet. I wonder how the Shu Kingdom will view our Wei Kingdom. But this time, Fourth Princess should be able to reunite with Princess Zhaoyang."

After Cao Ji finished speaking, he left the palace.

Eunuch Wang brought over a cup of tea, changing the subject, "Your Majesty, please have some tea!"

The emperor did not accept the tea, but sighed and said, "The second son is saying this to me. He is blaming me for being too heartless and biased."

Eunuch Wang bowed and said, "His Highness is probably just tired from traveling! His Majesty is overthinking it!"

"For the sake of the nation, Your Majesty believes that the Second Prince will understand Your Majesty's good intentions in due time."

Cao Ji walked out of the palace and bumped right into Consort Hua.

"Your Highness!" Consort Hua bowed.

"Is Consort Hua here to take care of Father Emperor again?"

"I've heard that Consort Hua has been taking care of Father Emperor lately! He must be working so hard!"

"It's no trouble at all! Your Highness has been traveling for so long to negotiate peace between the two countries. As a woman, I can stay in the palace to take care of Your Majesty."

“The plan can be moved forward!” Cao Ji said solemnly.

Consort Hua smiled and said, "I understand."

Father, since you are not capable of being an emperor, then I will take your place.

-

As darkness fell, the Eastern Palace was once again in a state of chaos.

Cao Yuan sat on the daybed wearing only a thin undergarment, with Chu Yan lying across her lap.

"Chu Yan, you've never told me about my mother! Can you tell me about her?"

Chu Yan opened his eyes, his eyelashes fluttered, and his lips were tightly pursed as he pondered what to say.

"If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine! It's alright!" Cao Yuan gently stroked Chu Yan's hair, looked at the sky outside, and saw that it was slowly getting dark. She felt a little melancholy. It was already this late, and Chu Yan still hadn't mentioned that she should return to the palace. It seemed that Chu Yan wouldn't let her go back today.

I wonder if Jinzhu can manage alone in the palace.

Chu Yan seemed to sense Cao Yuan's doubts and said, "A Yuan! I'll send someone to take you back in a little while."

Cao Yuan was delighted and quickly replied, "Yes!"

"Can we pretend we don't know each other in the palace from now on? We need to avoid suspicion, and I don't want you to..."

"If you don't want to acknowledge our relationship, then let's pretend we don't know each other."

Cao Yuan was stunned; she hadn't expected him to agree so readily.

Cao Yuan changed into a black cloak and went out of the room.

Watching Cao Yuan's retreating figure, Chu Yan fell into deep thought.

Ah Yuan, I don't want you to know about my mother. If you knew, you would probably look down on me too.

Standing in the corner, Liu Xueqing saw a figure from behind and wondered who had come out of the Crown Prince's room.

It must be the woman who was in Chu Yan's bed during the day.

I want to see who dares to seduce the Crown Prince.

Liu Xueqing followed them all the way.

Suddenly, Cao Yuan stopped in her tracks.

The nanny leading the way asked her, "What's wrong, Princess?"

"There's someone behind us!"

"This servant will take you to another palace to hide!"

Soon the nanny got rid of Liu Xueqing.

Cao Yuan returned to the palace, where Jin Zhu was sitting at the door looking around.

"Your Highness, you're finally back! I was so scared! Did Lord Chu make things difficult for you?"

"I'm fine! How are you? Has anyone been giving you a hard time?"

Cao Yuan grasped Jinzhu's hand, "Jinzhu, why are your hands so cold!"

Cao Yuan immediately felt a chill.

"Logically, the palace should be collecting coal from the Imperial Household Department on time. Didn't you tell them to go?"

“Those old women said that all those who come here for marriage alliances receive this treatment,” Jinzhu said.

"It's nothing! Did anything happen after I left?"

Jinzhu shook her head, then her gaze fell on the faint marks on Cao Yuan's neck.

"Your Highness...you..."

Cao Yuan gathered her hair to her chest to cover herself, her eyes darting around.

"Your Highness, are you with the ruler of Shu or Lord Chu...?"

"Of course it's the ruler of Shu! My relationship with Chu Yan has come to an end! I have nothing to do with him anymore."

"Jinzhu, please make me a bowl of contraceptive medicine!"

“Avoid the child… Your Highness, but what should I say when I go to the Imperial Physician’s residence?” Jinzhu scratched her head.

"Oh, right!" Jinzhu had a sudden inspiration. "Why don't I go and ask for some musk? I heard from the concubines in the palace that pregnant women shouldn't touch it! I'll go right now."

The doors and windows of the sleeping quarters were tightly closed, but the cold wind still managed to seep into the room.

Cao Yuan and Jin Zhu crawled into the same bed; they had no choice but to make do with this for the night.

"Your Highness! We've never suffered like this even at the border! These Shu people are so stingy! Didn't they say Shu has its own gold mines?"

"Lord Chu is really something, he doesn't even know how to make some arrangements."

Jinzhu started to complain.

"Fine, I'll bear with it for now! I'll go ask the old nanny for it tomorrow!"