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

Morning court.

Cao Yuan knelt before the palace, holding the confession in both hands. "Father, Fourth Imperial Uncle has confessed. Please make your decision!"

Lord Liu stepped forward with another confession, "Your Majesty, yesterday when the Second Prince and Prince Shuo were hearing the case, the Fourth Princess also wrote a confession and asked Your Majesty to clarify it!"

Cao Yuan glanced at him sideways, thinking that even at this point, he still wanted to exonerate him.

"Lord Liu! The Fourth Princess's testimony is completely unreliable! Do you really think it's possible for a sheltered young woman to commit treason?"

"Second son, you speak!" the emperor said.

"It was Father! It was indeed the Fourth Princess Consort who came to confess. My younger sister found an account book that recorded that the Fourth Prince had embezzled 328,500 taels of silver from the Ministry of War. The Fourth Princess Consort's handwriting matched the account book. Moreover, she admitted that she did this because she resented the Fourth Prince for failing to get a divorce!"

"so much!"

"The Fourth Prince has amassed such a fortune."

The court officials were discussing it.

"Is the handwriting in the letters to Chen Guo the same?" the emperor asked.

"Yes!"

"Your Majesty, listen to what the Second Prince said. Prince Shuo's evidence was completely insufficient, yet he still paraded the Fourth Prince in a prison cart!"

“When I visited him yesterday, the Fourth Prince still seemed somewhat dazed.”

"Announce him to come in."

The Fourth Prince dragged his shackles into the main hall.

"Don't lock me up, I don't want to be in there anymore."

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty! You must stand up for me! She not only forced my princess to her death, but also beat me and paraded me through the streets..." The Fourth Prince pointed at Cao Yuan and said angrily.

"Your Majesty, you must avenge me! I have never suffered such humiliation in my entire life, Your Majesty..."

"Alright, alright! Stand up and talk."

"Thank you, thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Father, Fourth Imperial Uncle has already signed his confession; he should be convicted immediately!"

“You forced me to sign. Look at the bruises on my body and head.”

Cao Yuan glanced at him sideways, "Fourth Imperial Uncle, the injuries on your head and body were from when you were paraded through the streets and the people beat you! Why did the people beat you? Because you were already infamous in the capital!"

"Brother, did you hear that? She made me ride in a prison cart through the streets, humiliating me like this!"

"As for your queen, you showed absolutely no affection for her, plunging a knife into her heart in court. You have shown no remorse whatsoever!"

"You are so eloquent and persuasive! You must have framed me on purpose, all for the sake of taking control of the Ministry of War!"

"quiet!"

"Proclaim the imperial decree!"

"Fourth Prince, during his tenure, he was arrogant and complacent, neglected his duties, and made many mistakes, resulting in the loss of public funds and resentment among the people. He shall go to his fiefdom to reflect on his actions on a chosen date, and all gold and silver in his residence shall be turned over to the national treasury."

Admire this! "

"What! You want me to go back to my fiefdom!" The Fourth Prince couldn't accept this fact for a moment.

“Father, Fourth Imperial Uncle has maliciously plotted against officials and colluded with the enemy to betray the country. According to the law, he should be executed by slow slicing!” Cao Yuan insisted.

"Alright, my mind is made up. Court is adjourned!"

Cao Yuan and the others came out from outside.

"Your Highness, you have done your best, so there is no need to worry too much," the Prime Minister comforted him.

The Fourth Prince was brought out.

"Cao Yuan, I knew you were no match for me, you little brat! Hahaha!"

"Fourth Imperial Uncle has been demoted to a fiefdom, so stop being so smug!" Cao Ji slowly walked over. "Heaven's justice is clear. Aren't you afraid of others seeking revenge, Imperial Uncle?"

"Who dares to kill me? Not even the current emperor dares to kill me. Who else dares to kill me!"

“You, still you!” The Fourth Prince pointed at the court officials around him from outside the palace.

All the court officials lowered their heads and dared not speak.

"Cao Yuan, it's not that you're afraid to kill me! It's that you can't kill me!"

"It's just killing a few officials and embezzling some money. Once I return to my fiefdom, I can kill whoever I want, and I'll definitely be the winner in the end..."

The Fourth Prince felt a jolt in his heart as a knife was plunged into his chest.

Blood dripped down little by little.

"Fourth Prince!"

"Murder!"

The Fourth Prince turned to look at Cao Yuan, "You dare to kill me!"

“My brother has slain countless treacherous officials, why can’t I?” Cao Yuan said calmly.

"You, you'll never know how your imperial brother...died!"

-

"Cao Yuan!" The emperor's roar startled Cao Yuan, who immediately knelt on the ground.

Are you defying the imperial decree?

"In broad daylight, right outside the palace, he actually killed your royal uncle! No matter what he did wrong, he was still your royal uncle! He was your elder!"

"How am I supposed to explain this to the late emperor?"

"Your subject knows he was wrong! Your subject only did not want to disappoint the people! And the families of those officials who negotiated peace!"

"You may punish me however you wish. I am willing to accept the punishment!"

"Get out! Get back to your residence and reflect on your mistakes! You are not to leave the residence without my decree."

"Thank you for the punishment, Father!"

The emperor slowly turned around, but in that instant, his tense face gradually relaxed, and a subtle sense of ease crept onto his cheeks.

Cao Yuan returned to the Xue residence.

Upon entering the Xue residence, she saw Cao Shang sitting in the main hall, with someone kneeling in front of her.

Upon closer inspection, Cao Yuan realized it was actually Jinzhu.

"Jinzhu! What are you doing?"

"Your Highness, you're finally back." Jinzhu cried out as if she had grasped a lifeline, her eyes filled with tears.

"Royal sister, you're finally back! I thought you weren't coming back!"

"Enough with the nonsense, I'm asking you what you're doing?" Cao Yuan pulled Jinzhu up.

"I discovered that your maid is dishonest, so I'm giving her a small punishment as a warning."

"Your Highness, Jinzhu didn't. Jinzhu is only wearing the hairpin you gave me. It's just the one you gave me. I haven't touched your own hairpin," Jinzhu explained.

“Where did you, a lowly servant, get such expensive jewelry? This is a tribute item.”

"It's just a hairpin! From now on, all my jewelry will belong to Jinzhu!"

"Jinzhu, you'd better dress more modestly next time you're in the manor, lest others become envious again."

"I'm not jealous!" Cao Shang immediately stood up.

"Why is my royal sister so angry? Jinzhu, quickly go to the palace and summon an imperial physician. Don't let this harm the fetus."

"Yes!"

"No need, I'll go see it myself, you don't need to worry about it."

Cao Yuan smiled and turned to leave; sure enough, there was nothing in her stomach.

She said that it was such a coincidence that Xue Xinian, such a cautious person, had gotten her pregnant at this time.

I wonder what Xue Xinian would do if he found out that Cao Shang had lied to him.

Cao Yuan went to bed early today. In the middle of the night, she heard footsteps outside and opened her eyes alertly.

"Princess, princess..."

The people outside called out a few times, then pushed the door open and came in.

A sword fell to his neck.

Jinzhu lit the candle.

Only in the candlelight could they see the person in front of them clearly.

"Xuanfeng? What are you planning to do in the middle of the night?"

Xuanfeng knelt down with a thud. "Your Highness, I know it's wrong to break into your boudoir in the middle of the night, but the young master couldn't wait any longer!"

"!!!"

"Chu Yan?"