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

A barely perceptible warning glint flashed in Chu Yan's sharp, hawk-like eyes. The atmosphere seemed to freeze instantly; everyone present held their breath, their gazes fixed on Cao Yuan, awaiting her next choice.

Cao Yuan hesitated for a moment, then resolutely turned around and walked straight toward the carriage where Xiao Jingfeng was riding.

Seeing this, Xiao Jingfeng's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smug smile. He even raised one eyebrow provocatively at Chu Yan, seemingly showing off his victory.

Chu Yan's already tense face grew even more gloomy and ugly, his lips pressed into a tight line, and veins bulging on his forehead. He suppressed his anger and turned around, venting all his resentment on the servants responsible for carrying the sedan chair, "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and move! If the Crown Princess gets sick from the cold, you'll have several heads to chop off."

Inside the carriage, Cao Yuan asked, "You really know?"

"My brother hasn't told you yet? Well, it must be very difficult for him to bring it up."

"What does this have to do with him?"

"Princess Zhaoyang was banished to the Cold Palace because of him," Xiao Jingfeng said calmly.

Does Chu Yan know my imperial sister?

"Five years ago, during a banquet and the changing of the guard at the palace gates, my elder brother took the opportunity to take Zhaoyang out of the palace. Moreover, at that time, letters between Zhaoyang and him were indeed found in the Eastern Palace, and the contents of them were simply unbearable to read."

"This is impossible!" Cao Yuan exclaimed in disbelief. How could such a palace scandal happen to her elder sister?

What is the mission that the princess sent for a political marriage bears, and if serious, it could affect the peace between the two countries?

Cao Yuan certainly didn't believe that her elder sister would do something so reckless.

"This was admitted by the Emperor himself! The Imperial Uncle was furious, which is why he banished your elder sister to the Cold Palace."

Cao Yuan clutched her clothes tightly; something was definitely amiss, she didn't believe it.

“Princess of Wei, your elder sister is here for a political marriage. Have you ever read any history books about princesses sent for political marriages being banished to the cold palace?”

"If it weren't for the palace scandal, the Imperial Uncle wouldn't have banished Zhaoyang to the Cold Palace."

“My brother visited her once after she had only been in the Cold Palace for a few days, and then your sister went mad! If you don’t believe me, you can ask the servants in the Cold Palace!” Xiao Jingfeng carefully observed Cao Yuan. Cao Yuan lowered her eyes, her gaze blank, seemingly lost in thought.

"When did this happen?" she finally asked after a long pause.

“Five years ago!”

Cao Yuan felt a sense of panic. Five years ago, it seemed like only five years ago, Chu Yan had come to the State of Wei.

Could it really be him, and that finding Xiao Jinghan was just an excuse?

He was just trying to avoid the scandal.

"parking!"

Cao Yuan ran off the carriage.

Looking around, the carriage had already stopped near the Cold Palace.

“Princess of Wei, I think you would like to come here.”

A young eunuch brought over a heater.

"Take this! If you catch a cold, your brother will worry about you."

Cao Yuan paused, pondered deeply for a moment, and then stepped into the Cold Palace.

At this moment, Zhaoyang was sitting at her desk, playing chess with the little eunuch.

"Hey, I won! I won!"

Cao Chun, who had won the game, clapped his hands happily in his seat like a child.

"Princess Huayang! What brings you here again?"

The young eunuch looked at her as if he had seen a ghost.

"Tell me! Does my elder sister have any connection with... the Crown Prince?" Cao Yuan grabbed his collar and questioned him.

The young eunuch frowned, finding it difficult to speak, and said, "Your Highness, aren't you putting me in a difficult position? I cannot speak. You should leave."

The young eunuch pulled her hand away and turned his back guiltily.

"Alright! Then I'll rephrase my question. Did my elder sister come to the Cold Palace because of the Crown Prince? You only need to answer yes or no! It won't be considered a leak."

The young eunuch nodded.

Suddenly there was a loud bang outside.

Cao Yuan turned around and saw a dark figure flash by outside.

Cao Yuan quickly chased after her.

"stop!"

The two chased each other along the palace corridor. Cao Yuan noticed that this route was very similar to the one she had taken when she left the East Palace to avoid Liu Xueqing last time. She took a shortcut and finally caught him with a final kick.

"Don't move!" Cao Yuan looked at his back and saw that he resembled someone.

"Let me see who you really are!"

Cao Yuan turned his face around, and it turned out to be Xuan Feng.

"It really is you! Chu Yan sent you."

"He and my imperial sister really did have..."

Xuanfeng was stunned for a moment, then anxiously explained, "Princess! Please listen to me, it has nothing to do with the Crown Prince. It's me..."

"I'm the one who drove him crazy!"

Before they knew it, Chu Yan appeared behind them.

Chu Yan walked over calmly with one hand behind his back.

Cao Yuan released Xuan Feng, who then ran behind Chu Yan.

Chu Yan calmly recounted, "I'm sure Fifth Brother has already told you what happened. It was indeed my doing. Zhao Yang was sent to the Cold Palace because of me, and I drove her mad! I also forbade her to return to Wei."

"Why? Is it because she admires you or you admire her?" Cao Yuan's eyes reddened.

Chu Yan and Xuan Feng exchanged a glance. "Of course, it's because I admire her, but she rejected me, so I started exchanging letters with her. Actually, I don't really like her; it was just a bet we princes made out of boredom before. I wanted to see if she would fall for it."

“Bet…” Cao Yuan was quite angry at his words.

“I lied to her and said I could take her home, and she actually believed me.”

"Enough! Don't say anything more, I won't believe you." Cao Yuan covered her ears.

Chu Yan stepped forward, pulled her hand away, and continued, "Anyway, nobody here likes her, so it doesn't matter whether she lives in the Cold Palace or not. It's understandable that a defeated nation would be made a fool of!"

“I don’t believe it. You’re not that kind of person,” Cao Yuan said firmly.

"I'm different now than I was before! Am I really that good in your heart?"

"Actually, I got close to you just because I thought you were both interesting."

"Women like you who serve two husbands and are still arrogant always prioritize family and country!"

Cao Yuan slapped him across the face, his right hand trembling slightly, his palm burning with pain.

"Shut up! Chu Yan, you disgust me!"

Cao Yuan turned and left in anger.

"Didn't I tell you that you can't meet?" Chu Yan said to Xuan Feng.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I couldn't help myself. I haven't seen her for many years, and I wanted to take advantage of the banquet today to catch a glimpse of her."

"Your Highness, why won't you let me explain? The princess seems genuinely angry. You shouldn't have said that."

"It's enough that only the two of us know about this; there's no need for anyone else to know."

Tell her that her elder sister, who was sent to marry a foreign prince for the sake of the country, had an affair with her own guard while she was far away.

Zhaoyang has gone mad; it's better to let her hate me.

Snowflakes began to fall outside. Cao Yuan ran through the heavy snow, shivering from the cold, and opened her palace door.

"Your Highness, what's wrong...?"

Jinzhu stepped forward and touched her hand, which was as cold as ice. Cao Yuan's vision went black and she collapsed.

"Your Highness..."

Jinzhu touched her forehead, "Your Highness, why are you so hot! I'll go and fetch the imperial physician right now."