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

The Wei Kingdom's imperial palace.

During the morning court session, civil and military officials had been waiting at the palace gates for a full hour before Eunuch Wang finally emerged from behind the palace to deliver a message.

"No early morning today!"

The court officials were turned away again.

Several ministers were discussing outside the palace.

"It's been like this for some time now. Has His Majesty not recovered yet?"

"What should we do if he keeps refusing to attend court?"

"Logically speaking, His Majesty is in the prime of his life, so how could he be so seriously ill? We should go and see him."

Several senior officials gathered outside the emperor's bedroom, waiting for the emperor's summons.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the eunuch inside informed them.

"My lords, His Majesty has said he will not see you. Please return home."

The senior officials looked at each other, and Minister Fan sighed as he looked towards the palace gate. It seemed that the capital was about to change.

He needs to make plans early.

"Ahem... Someone come here!" the emperor called out several times, but no one responded.

The bedchamber was empty.

The emperor accidentally rolled to the ground.

"Someone! Someone!"

The emperor slowly crawled out of the palace.

Before I could even climb up, the door was opened.

The emperor looked up and saw it was Consort Hua.

"Your Majesty, how did you end up on the ground?"

Consort Hua helped the emperor up, but he felt heavy and his strength seemed to be waning.

Consort Hua, being a weak woman, had no strength to support him and could only let him lean on her.

"Why is no one here? Where has everyone gone?" The emperor had a bad feeling.

"Your Majesty, there is something I must tell you. The Second Prince has ordered the main hall to be surrounded. I can only visit you at regular intervals now!"

"Second brother! What is the second brother going to do!"

"Your Majesty, please drink your medicine! You'll feel better after you drink it." Consort Hua picked up the medicine and handed it to him.

The emperor knocked over the medicine bowl and almost fell over again, but luckily he managed to steady himself against the incense burner next to him.

"Your Majesty!" Consort Hua was startled by him.

"You can't drink this medicine! Go and call the Second Prince over here... cough cough... I need to ask him something."

"Your Majesty, don't you understand that the entire court is now leaning towards the Second Prince?"

"You are one of his people too!" the emperor exclaimed in surprise.

"How could she be the Second Prince's person? She is mine."

A man in white walked in, still holding an iron fan in his hand.

"You, it's you! It's actually you!"

"Long time no see, Your Majesty!"

Xiao Jinghan said, "We meet again."

"you you……"

"Isn't Your Majesty curious as to why the Second Prince took control of the palace so quickly?!"

"Tiger Tally!"

When the emperor sent Cao Ji to Liucheng, he gave him half a tiger tally, but even half a tally was not enough to trap him.

"However, Your Majesty, you were too stingy this time, only giving the Second Prince half a piece. It seems you really don't trust the Second Prince."

"This is treason!" The emperor's eyes were bloodshot.

"I am not dead yet, how dare you treat me like this! I do not believe that there is no one in this palace who can be of any use."

"Guards! Guards!" the emperor shouted outside, but no one responded.

The soldiers patrolled outside in squads, seemingly oblivious to what was happening.

The emperor immediately breathed a sigh of relief. He had only been sick, so how had things turned out this way? Everything had happened too fast.

"Your Majesty, please calm down. In this entire capital, who can you trust? All those you could trust have left you. You are now all alone."

"Why not hand over that half of the tiger tally sooner rather than later!"

"Why should you, a hostage from Shu, meddle in the affairs of the Wei royal family? I should have killed you back then!"

"It's a pity that things are different now!" Xiao Hanjing sighed.

"Your Majesty! You are utterly useless. You couldn't even protect your own children. Whether as an emperor or as a father, you have failed! You have failed miserably!"

Xiao Jinghan smiled faintly, "Your Majesty has no other choice now. Handing over the Tiger Tally is your only option. You can think carefully about whether you want to live a peaceful life as the Retired Emperor or become a dead man."

"How dare you! You..." The emperor was so angry that he couldn't catch his breath and fainted.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please wake up!"

Consort Hua cried out in concern.

"Master, do you really have to do this?"

Xiao Jinghan turned and left.

-

Inside the Minister's residence.

After court, Minister Fan stayed in his study.

He paced quickly across the desk with his hands behind his back.

At this moment, Fan Qingli knocked on the door and pushed it open from the outside to come in.

"Father!"

"What's wrong with Father today? Why didn't he eat lunch or dinner?" Fan Qingli placed the food she was carrying on the desk.

Minister Fan sat back in his seat, leaning against the pear blossom chair, his fingers tapping the armrests. After a moment, he said earnestly, "Qingli, did you and the Second Prince notice anything unusual when you returned from Liucheng this time?"

"I didn't notice!" Fan Qingli looked away guiltily, not wanting her father to find out about Mei'er's affair.

Fan Qingli changed the subject, "Oh, by the way! It seems that the Second Prince wants Princess Huafeng to go on a marriage alliance in place of Princess Huayang! It seems that he personally kidnapped her and brought her here; she came back with us."

"Tomorrow, prepare several generous gifts to take to the Second Prince's residence."

"Father wants to..." Fan Qingli suddenly realized.

"His Majesty is seriously ill and has not attended court. Only the Second Prince is still in his prime in the royal family, so we must make plans as soon as possible."

“But Father, I feel there’s something fishy about this. If His Majesty really intended to pass the throne to the Second Prince, he wouldn’t have only given him half a tiger tally to Liucheng.”

"His Majesty gave Princess Huayang a whole piece of it."

"You don't understand! Huayang is a woman, she can't cause any trouble! Tomorrow you should go to the Second Prince's residence to find out the truth."

Fan Qingli took a deep breath.

Minister Fan stood up and walked to Fan Qingli. “Li’er! You are the eldest son. You are responsible for the entire Minister’s Mansion. Your father is getting old, and the future of the entire Minister’s Mansion will depend on you.”

"Father knows you dislike dealing with officialdom. But for the sake of the Minister's mansion, you have to do this. Do you want us to end up like the Fourth Prince?"

"The state of Wei is about to undergo a major upheaval."

Fan Qingli left the house.

Although he didn't want to get involved in officialdom, he had to obey his father's orders.

the next day.

He then took the gifts and went to visit Cao Ji.

As soon as they reached the door, they saw a large crowd gathered there, all of them holding gifts that were even more lavish than those in Fan Qingli's hands.

"I came first!"

"Your Highness, when will you be willing to see me..."

Seeing this, Fan Qingli did not go forward again, but turned around and left the place.

He walked to the entrance of a tavern.

The waiter at the door stopped him. "Young master, come in and have a drink! Our newest wines and spirits are here!"

Fan Qingli thought for a moment. He hadn't touched a drop of alcohol since returning from Liucheng. Cen Yin's whereabouts were unknown, and the quarrels in the mansion and the affairs of the court had left him breathless. He really should relax a bit.

What he didn't know was that this restaurant was opened by Cen Yin, the woman he had been longing for day and night.