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

The scene was chaotic, with the women huddled together and running around frantically.

"Cao Ji, how dare you commit violence in broad daylight, in front of so many civil and military officials!"

Cao Yuan glared angrily, pointing a finger at Cao Ji and shouting. Cao Ji, standing not far away, slowly shook his head, feigning innocence, and said, "Royal sister, don't make false accusations. I haven't moved an inch from my seat the entire time. How could this be related to me? Does everything in this palace concern me?" He spread his hands as he spoke.

This tone clearly suggests that it refers to Cao Ji.

"Ah...an imperial edict!"

For some unknown reason, the imperial edict suddenly caught fire, and everyone retreated. Only Cao Yuan stepped forward, intending to grab it with her bare hands, but was stopped by Prime Minister Chu.

"Your Highness, be careful!"

The will was thus burned to ashes in full view of everyone.

"How could this be!" Cao Yuan squatted down to examine it. The arrowhead was covered with white phosphorus powder, and the imperial edict would burn when exposed to light.

Minister Fan sneered, "It seems there's no way to read this imperial edict."

"Minister Fan, how dare you destroy the imperial edict in public!" Cao Yuan glared at him angrily, her hands clenched tightly.

"Your Highness, this is clearly the will of Heaven!"

“Since there is no will, then the competition should be fair among the princes,” said Prime Minister Chu.

"Prime Minister Chu, isn't the Second Prince the only adult prince left? What's the point of competing for him?"

"Who said it's only the Second Prince? Isn't Prince Shuo one of them too?"

"What a joke! How could Your Highness, a mere woman, bear such a great responsibility? Besides, when has the law of Wei ever stipulated that married women have the right to inherit?"

Minister Fan suddenly realized and shamelessly exclaimed, "Oh, I see! No wonder Prime Minister Chu came at this time with some imperial edict. Could it be that Prince Shuo wants the throne?"

"This is utterly ridiculous! In all the world, how can a woman be emperor? This is treason!"

"The late emperor was seriously ill before his death. How come he passed away as soon as you arrived? Could it be that Prince Shuo did something to His Majesty?"

Minister Fan threw a bucket of dirty water at Cao Yuan.

The other officials also began to discuss it.

"What Minister Fan said seems to make sense!"

"I heard that the late emperor passed away on the day he died, and Prince Shuo was present at the scene."

"Minister Fan, you must provide evidence before you speak. When I arrived, Father Emperor had already passed away, and my elder sister was here to testify for me!"

"Besides, my elder sister went in first, so why should it be me?"

Cao Chun quickly said, "Fourth Imperial Sister, what do you mean by saying that!"

"Could it be that I'm the one who harmed Father? Well, it's true, we came back suddenly, and Father didn't accept us, which is why we suffered."

Cao Chun covered his face with a handkerchief and cried, "Fourth Imperial Sister, let's go back to Shu."

"Princess Zhaoyang, you have been married off for many years, why are you returning at this time?" Minister Fan asked again.

"Yes……"

"Did I bring my elder sister back? Minister Fan, aren't we getting off-topic? Weren't we talking about the imperial edict?"

"Your Highness, are you feeling guilty? You've come back to harm the late emperor because you were resentful that he sent you to a marriage alliance. Guards! Seize all of you traitors!"

Cao Ji raised his hand to stop him, saying, "Minister Fan, let's discuss this matter later and proceed with the funeral first."

Minister Fan glanced at him sideways, somewhat bewildered, "If we don't get rid of these people, Second Prince, they'll probably cause trouble."

"No rush here."

The two whispered to each other.

"Everyone, today is the day of our father's funeral. Let's wait until he arrives at the imperial mausoleum before discussing anything else. We must not miss the appointed time."

When everyone heard Cao Ji say that, they stopped insisting on anything.

-

A solemn funeral procession slowly emerged from the magnificent gates of the imperial palace, the heavy strains of mournful music echoing in the air, as if expressing the sorrow and reluctance of a great emperor to depart. The wide roads of the capital were packed with people who had come to pay their respects upon hearing the news. Their faces were grave, and they knelt respectfully to bid farewell to the emperor who had once ruled the world on his final journey.

Amidst the crowd, Luo Xuemei knelt silently, tears blurring her vision. She gazed at the receding coffin, her heart filled with endless sorrow and longing. Around her, white paper money danced in the air, falling like snowflakes and covering people's shoulders and the ground, making the scene even more desolate.

Only then did Cao Yuan realize, as if waking from a dream, that her father was gone forever. She stood there, stunned, staring blankly at the departing funeral procession, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Perhaps it was all a preordained arrangement by fate; the capriciousness of destiny is something no one can resist.

As the funeral procession moved forward, it bumped into another procession.

"How dare you! Who would dare to offend the late emperor's coffin?"

"Your humble servant, Fan Qingli, has come to see you off!"

Cao Yuan wiped away her tears and heard Fan Qingli's name as she came out of the carriage.

"Your humble servant has something to report, and I have dared to block your path, so please forgive me, late Emperor."

Luo Xuemei stood nervously in the crowd, feeling extremely anxious about what Fan Qingli was about to do.

Cao Ji and Minister Fan also got out of the carriage.

Minister Fan strode over, "Qingli, what are you doing? Get out of here at once!"

Fan Qingli knelt on the ground, "Father, I have something I must explain today!"

"You insolent fool! Don't you listen to your father? Get out of here! Don't you know what kind of occasion this is?"

"Father, please forgive your unfilial son! Your son can no longer watch you make one mistake after another."

Fan Qingli's eyes were firm as she took out a silver ring from her pocket. "You've been trying to get rid of Mei'er all this time, is it because you mistakenly thought she took this?"

"The seal on the letters exchanged between Yu Chen and his accomplices came from this ring..."

"Shut up!"

"The letters of treason against the Chen Kingdom were not only from the Fourth Prince but also from my father. My father said that as the eldest son, I should bring honor to the family. Is this what you mean by bringing honor?"

"You bastard! I told you to stop talking!"

Minister Fan slapped him across the face.

"You unfilial son! How dare you frame me! What did Prince Shuo say to you that made you treat your father and your family this way!"

"Father, Mei'er didn't see this thing at all. It's your own guilty conscience that has caused Mei'er's life to be in danger. I'm afraid there are other powerful figures behind you. Father, please don't be so stubborn, turn back before it's too late!"

Fan Qingli stared at Cao Ji beside her with bloodshot eyes.

"Nonsense! Fan Qingli is insubordinate! Guards, seize him!"

"You all know in your hearts whether I'm lying or not. The Fourth Prince is just your scapegoat. Father, this is treason... How exactly did the late Emperor die...?"

On the city wall, Xiao Jinghan drew his bow and aimed it at them below.

"You're such a worry, you've ruined everything!"

A cold arrow whistled down from the city wall.

"No! Be careful!"

A voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.