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

Cao Yuan put the knife away.

"What do you mean by this? Isn't Chu Yan dead?"

"I also thought he was dead."

Cao Yuan asked in confusion, "What do you mean 'you think'? Aren't you two inseparable?"

"Actually, he was murdered by villains. We searched for several days but couldn't find his body. However, a few days ago I discovered a signal that you left for me. It means he's still alive!"

"So I would like to ask Your Highness to come with me to find the young master! Prime Minister Chu forbids me from disturbing you, but a life is at stake, and I have no other choice."

"Your Highness, you can't go! His Majesty has placed you under house arrest. If someone sees you, it's a serious crime!" Jinzhu said worriedly.

"Your Highness, my young master has helped you so much. The account books were stolen on my young master's orders, and you were in Chen..." Xuanfeng almost let slip the truth.

"Your Highness cannot stand by and watch someone die!"

"We can't worry about that now, let's go save them! Jinzhu, you cover for me if anything happens."

Jinzhu gave Xuanfeng a reproachful look.

"You can go out first, I'll change my clothes."

Cao Yuan got dressed and secretly ran out with Xuan Feng.

The two rode their horses to a bamboo house on the outskirts of the city.

As soon as the two dismounted, Xuanfeng turned around and Cao Yuan's sword was pressed against his neck again.

"Your Highness, what are you doing?"

"Since you know where he is, why did you still send me? What are you really up to?"

"Your Highness, I can't handle the people inside. I'd better leave them to you! I truly wouldn't lie to you about my young master's safety!"

Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Cao Yuan figured he wasn't lying to her, so she put the sword away.

"Don't worry, Your Highness, the people inside won't dare to do anything to you! I'll wait for you here. Call me anytime if anything happens!"

The people inside?

It seems to be an old friend of hers.

Cao Yuan suddenly remembered something and asked, "Xuanfeng, did Chu Yan go to the State of Chen?"

Xuanfeng pretended not to know and shook his head, "I don't know, Your Highness. My young master suddenly disappeared. I don't know where he went."

Cao Yuan stood outside the door and saw that the room was completely dark, so she quietly pushed the door open.

She lit the tinderbox and searched the room.

No one.

She came out of the house and walked around it, making it look like there was no one there at all.

Is Chu Yan really here?

"Princess!"

"The princess is here!"

Cao Yuan turned around and saw Bai Lu.

"Oh, it's you! What are you doing here?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you how you found this place?" Bai Lu asked curiously.

Where is Chu Yan?!

"Huh? What do you mean?" Bai Lu's eyes darted around.

"I'll ask you one last time, is he dead or not? Is his death related to you?"

"Come in with me, and don't make a sound!" Seeing that her plan had been exposed, Bai Lu led her into the house and opened a hidden compartment in the wall.

Are there any other people here?

"Shh!"

Entering through the hidden compartment, you find yourself in a bright, secret room.

Inside the secret room, a man with a white cloth wrapped around his chest lay unconscious on the bed, one hand bound in shackles.

The man's hair was disheveled, and Cao Yuan couldn't see his face clearly, so she could only slowly approach him.

Cao Yuan, fearing something was amiss, used the hilt of her sword to lift a strand of his hair, finally revealing his face.

Chu Yan's face was completely bloodless, looking almost like a dead man.

"Chu Yan! You're really not dead!"

"Princess, don't touch him! He's injured!"

"How did it get so serious?" Cao Yuan turned around and ordered, "Remove the shackles! I need to take him..."

Before she could finish speaking, the person behind her had already knocked her unconscious.

"Princess, princess!"

Bai Lu squatted down and patted Cao Yuan.

"Xiao Hanjing, why did you hit her!" Bai Lu said angrily.

"Who told you to bring her in!"

Bai Lu scratched her head. "What exactly do you want! You're the one who killed Chu Yan, and you're the one who saved him! Just let the princess take him away now. It'll save us the trouble."

Xiao Hanjing didn't reply, but said, "There's someone outside, take care of him quickly!"

Bai Lu left unwillingly.

Chu Yan woke up at this moment, looked at the person lying on the ground, then at Xiao Hanjing, and forced himself to sit up, saying weakly, "What is she doing here?"

"Brother is really amazing. He even managed to send messages to the outside from inside this secret room."

Chu Yan shook his head. "What exactly do you want? You wanted to kill me, then save me! And now you want to imprison me?"

Xiao Hanjing sat down beside Chu Yan's bed and took Chu Yan's hand. "Brother, I didn't mean to! I don't know why my hand wouldn't obey me. Believe me, I absolutely didn't want to kill you!"

"Look, I already told the Prime Minister's residence that you were dead, and they all believed me and held a funeral for you. If others find out you're not dead, you'll have to leave me!"

"Brother, do you like princesses? Well, the princess has come to see you. You two should stay here and not leave, hahaha!"

Xiao Hanjing left the secret room.

Chu Yan covered his wound and slowly got off the bed. One of his hands was restrained by shackles, so he could only reach out and touch her with his other hand.

"Why did you even bother coming to find me!"

Therefore, everything he had done before could no longer be kept secret.

Just as Chu Yan's fingers touched the ends of her hair, Cao Yuan slowly opened her eyes.

Chu Yan noticed that she was awake, so he withdrew his hand and looked away.

"You're awake!" Cao Yuan sat up, hugged him tightly, and exclaimed excitedly, "Chu Yan, you're alive! I thought you were really dead!"

Chu Yan was startled by this action.

"Great, great! I knew you short-lived wretch wouldn't die..."

Cao Yuan then realized that her action was somewhat impolite.

Just as Chu Yan was about to say something, Cao Yuan quickly covered his mouth, "Alright, I know what you're going to say again: 'Have some self-respect'..."

"I was just a little excited about my colleague coming back from the dead, you don't need to say those things!"

Chu Yan coughed a few times, clutching his chest.

"How did your injury get so bad? Aren't you supposed to be very skilled?"

"It's a long story. I was ambushed. I thought I was dead, but I woke up here."

"Can you still move your body? Won't your wounds reopen if you move? Once I find the exit, I'll definitely get you out of here!"

"I'm different from others; I just recover more slowly."

"Is it because you are sensitive to the smell of blood? Why are you so sensitive to the smell of blood?"

Cao Yuan asked curiously.

“When I was a child, my mother…my mother died in front of me to protect me. I only remember that she was covered in blood and the smell of blood filled my nose. After that, I fell ill and was bedridden for half a month before I was saved.”

"War?"

Chu Yan's eyes darted around, and after a pause, he nodded.

"Then you should lie down and rest."

Cao Yuan helped him to bed. As soon as his head touched the pillow, he looked up and met Cao Yuan's eyes.