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

Night deepened, a solitary moon hung high in the sky, a cool breeze began to rise, and the courtyard was once again covered with fallen red leaves.

A hurried footstep came running through the red leaves.

Bang bang bang!

"Ah Yuan, Ah Yuan!"

Jinzhu opened the door and saw Xue Xinian, so she quickly blocked him from entering.

"Your Highness, is there something you need? His Highness is already resting."

"Let me in! I need to speak with the princess!"

"No, His Highness is not feeling well today. If there's anything, you can talk about it tomorrow!" Jinzhu blocked his way.

Jinzhu insisted that Cao Yuan had specifically instructed her during the day not to let anyone in at night.

"It's an emergency! My sister has been imprisoned in the Dali Temple!"

Jinzhu put her hands on her hips and said, "Miss Xue must have broken the law to be locked up! Besides, you are Miss Xue's sister. As the Vice Minister of Rites, it's unreasonable for you to come to His Highness every time there's a problem. If His Highness, a woman of noble birth, were to develop a chronic illness, neither of us could bear the responsibility!"

Xue Xinian flicked his sleeves and left.

Jinzhu quickly went into the room after he left. "Your Highness, the Prince Consort said that Miss Xue has been imprisoned in the Dali Temple!"

Cao Yuan rolled over. "Let her stay inside a little longer! She's such a worry."

In her previous life, Xue Xiqiong was caught in the act of having an affair with the eldest son of Minister Fan by a concubine. The two had a falling out and got into a fight in a restaurant, which attracted the attention of the authorities. Cao Yuan used her reputation in the restaurant to suppress the matter, but it became a hot topic in the capital and she was even punished by the emperor with confinement.

This time, she made a point of informing the people of the Dali Temple, determined to make Xue Xiqiong suffer.

The prison of Dali Temple was dark and damp, with a strong smell of blood.

Xue Xiqiong was imprisoned by Xuanfeng.

"Let me out! Do you know who I am? I am the in-law of Princess Huayang! Believe me or not, Princess Huayang will take your heads!" Xue Xiqiong put her hands on her hips!

Xuanfeng, sword in hand, looked at her through the cell door. "Miss Xue, all you ever say is that one sentence, just like a parrot!"

"If you're so capable, then don't do such immoral things! Your brother is a vice minister of the Ministry of Rites, after all. It's one thing for you to befriend a married man, but to be caught by the man's concubine!" Xuanfeng mocked, truly having never seen such a shameful woman.

Minister Fan's eldest son has no legal wife yet, only a concubine.

But this concubine was the third daughter of a concubine from the Marquis's household, and she was usually very fierce. How could she tolerate her eldest son cheating on her? Upon receiving Cao Yuan's secret letter, she rushed into their secret meeting place.

Xue Xiqiong was also a feisty person. Without Cao Yuan's protection, the two got into a fight and ended up in Dali Temple together.

But the concubine was sensible and sincerely admitted her mistake, so she was released. Only Xue Xiqiong is still arrogant and haughty.

"This is called settling a personal score! I'll make you pay when I get out of here!" Xue Xiqiong stomped her feet in anger.

"Sister, sister!"

Xue Xiqiong heard Xue Xinian's voice calling out, "Little brother, I'm here! I'm here!"

"Sister!" Xue Xinian ran forward, "How are you? Are you alright?!"

"Xi Nian, you're finally here! Tell him to let me out! I don't want to stay here anymore."

"Lord Chu just said he could release my sister."

Xuanfeng reluctantly opened the cell door. "Lord Xue, please come with me!"

Xuanfeng led them to the front hall, where Chu Yan was also seated in the main seat.

"Lord Chu, may we leave now? I think those who were entangled with my sister have been released," Xue Xinian said.

Xuanfeng took a confession and a pen from the table and handed them to them.

"Lord Xue, we are colleagues. Since your sister hasn't signed her confession, we can only follow the rules!"

"You're clearly just using this for personal revenge! You cripple, you're having an affair with the princess and cheating on my brother. When I get out, I'll teach you a lesson!"

"Too talkative!"

Chu Yan's face darkened. He activated the hidden weapon in his hand, and a dart grazed her face, also scattering her hair in the process.

"Ah!" Xue Xiqiong was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground, touching the wound on her face. "Blood! My face!"

"Sister!"

"If you can't control your mouth next time, this dart will pierce your tongue!" Chu Yan said, holding the dart he hadn't yet thrown.

"Lord Chu! My sister is just outspoken, why are you so cruel!" Xue Xinian anxiously supported Xue Xiqiong. "Sister, sister!"

"Lord Xue, do you also think there's something going on between me and your wife?"

"No!" Xue Xinian said calmly.

"Even if there is something, it's none of your business to tell me what to do." Chu Yan's expression was indifferent, and his tone was icy.

“I’ll sign the confession!” Xue Xinian said in a low voice.

Xuanfeng handed the confession to Xue Xinian for him to sign.

Xue Xinian signed his name on the paper without even looking at it.

"Sister, sister! How are you? I'll take you to see a doctor right away!" Xue Xinian helped Xue Xiqiong out.

"Xi Nian, there's so much blood on my face." Xue Xiqiong's blood-stained hands trembled slightly.

"It's nothing! I'll go back now!" Xue Xinian walked past Chu Yan, her eyes filled with resentment.

Daytime arrived.

Inside the main hall of the Xue residence, Xue Xiqiong cried, made a scene, and threatened to hang herself.

"Waaah... I don't want to live anymore!"

"Xinian, what happened to you! How did your face get like this?" Old Madam Xue said anxiously.

"Mother! I'm disfigured, how can I ever get married!" Xue Xiqiong leaned against Old Madam Xue.

"What's going on? It's so lively!"

Cao Yuan walked in, and Xue Xinian started having other ideas.

"Ah Yuan, are you feeling better? I went to see you yesterday, and Jinzhu said you weren't feeling well."

“Yes, I took my medicine yesterday and went to bed early, so I didn’t hear anything.” Cao Yuan’s gaze fell on Xue Xiqiong’s face, half of which was covered.

"Sister, your face is..." Cao Yuan tried to reach out and grab the cloth covering her face.

She was disfigured.

"Don't touch me! They're all your lovers."

Xue Xiqiong slapped her hand away.

"Miss Xue, how can you speak like that! You're ruining His Highness's reputation." Jinzhu was furious.

"My sister was imprisoned in Dali Temple yesterday."

"Oh, Jinzhu told me."

"Sister, how could you, as the younger brother of a Vice Minister, get into a fight with someone else's concubine in the street? If this gets out, how will Xinian face the Ministry of Rites!" Cao Yuan said deliberately.

Xue Xiqiong rolled her eyes at her, then suddenly realized, "Wait a minute, didn't you say you didn't come out yesterday? How did you know? Did you already know about this all along?"

Xue Xiqiong rushed to Cao Yuan.

Cao Yuan smiled but didn't say anything, which was a smart move for her.

"Sister, you don't know! What happened to you yesterday is being talked about everywhere. You're famous now!" Cao Yuan exclaimed.

"what!"

"What are we going to do! Qiong'er isn't even married yet, and her face is already like this. How will she ever be able to face anyone again!" Old Madam Xue stood up.

"Princess, why don't you go and act as a matchmaker for the Minister? Let Qiong'er marry the Minister's eldest son. Minister Fan is also from the Ministry of Rites. Wouldn't it be better for Xinian if they got married like this?"

Cao Yuan looked at Xue Xinian and said, "Xinian, what do you think?"

"I do not know either."

Xue Xinian still prefers to push everything onto others and quietly stay out of the spotlight.

"Let's do as Mother says, but I've already married into the Xue family. If word gets out that we, as the bride, are going to say this, outsiders will think that our Xue family is deliberately trying to curry favor with Minister Fan. What should we do, Xinian!"

Cao Yuan asked, "Sister, have you asked Young Master Fan's opinion? Is he interested in you? We should have him come and propose marriage!"

"Of course!"

“It’s alright, sister. Even if you don’t care about me, you can still be the matriarch of the Fan family. You can drug her, that’s what you’re best at!” Cao Yuan said.

"you!"

"Alright, Qiong'er," Old Madam Xue said, pulling her back.

“Princess, Qiong’er’s face is already in such a state. Why don’t you and Xinian go to the Minister’s residence and not care what others say?”

"Mother is right! The princess and I will go today!"