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

At the Prime Minister's residence.

Cao Yuan went to the Prime Minister's residence alone, but Xue Xiqiong had disappeared and she could not be found anywhere.

The Prime Minister came out from the back hall with a smile on his face. "It's just a small matter, and it's too much trouble for the princess to make a special trip to the manor. It was just a few words between the women."

My wife speaks very frankly, but she doesn't mean any harm.

"The Prime Minister of Chu has toiled for the Great Wei for half his life, and it is wrong of her, Sister, to slander the Prime Minister's son like this!" Cao Yuan bowed with her hands clasped.

"I heard the princess suggest the imperial examination at the palace banquet. I didn't expect the princess to have such ideas in this regard. Could you please elaborate?"

"I came here today to ask the Prime Minister for advice. Should the promotion of officials in the court be based on the principle of meritocracy, and should the selection process be conducted through the imperial examination system? If it is only done through internal selection, it will be just like the cheating scandal of last year."

"That's a good idea, but why the sudden interest in the imperial examinations?" The Prime Minister stroked his beard. "Does the princess intend to take charge of this matter?"

“If I say, ‘What do I think?’ will the Prime Minister look down on me because I am a woman!” Cao Yuan looked up at the Prime Minister. She knew that the Prime Minister’s words were just a test, but Cao Yuan believed that if she could get the Prime Minister on her side, it would be easier to enter the court.

The Prime Minister's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile. "Princess, you are different from the other princes. You grew up on the frontier with your maternal grandfather, the Marquis of Zhenbei, and like him, you only think about the world and the country. How could I not know that! However, you will have to rely on yourself. The court is not like the battlefield. People's hearts are unpredictable. Princess, do you know that the road ahead will not be easy?"

"Thank you for your guidance, Prime Minister!"

Just as Cao Yuan was about to board the carriage, she bumped into Chu Yan at the door. Xuan Feng exclaimed upon seeing Cao Yuan, "Ah, young master, it's Princess Huayang! Princess Huayang has really arrived!"

Chu Yan glanced at him, his imposing presence radiating authority without anger. What a chatterbox!

"It seems that Lord Chu quite likes me."

"What did you say!" Chu Yan's gaze froze, thinking he had misheard.

Cao Yuan approached him, "You knew I was coming to your residence, so you came specifically to see me..."

Chu Yan let out a long sigh and lowered his eyes. "The promotion of officials is handled by my father's protégés. I'm not surprised at all that the princess wants to take this opportunity to win over my father!"

Chu Yan raised an eyebrow, his expression somewhat serious.

"I've actually come to consult with the Prime Minister. I haven't decided who to put in charge of the civil service examination system for officials yet. Does Lord Chu have any recommendations?" Cao Yuan asked in return.

Upon hearing this, Chu Yan could easily understand her meaning: "It's better for the princess to take responsibility for her own marriage to the imperial examinations."

Chu Yan lowered his head and smoothed the hair that had been blown across his forehead. When he looked up again, a hand was on the armrest of his wheelchair. He lifted his eyelids and met Cao Yuan's gaze. He swallowed hard and then lowered his head again.

"Lord Chu and I have the same idea. What a pity, what a pity."

"What's a pity!"

"Of course it's a pity. You and I have such a good understanding, I should ask the emperor to make you my son-in-law!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Yan's face stiffened, and his ears turned bright red.

"Your Highness, Princess, please have some self-respect!"

"Lord Chu, remember to take good care of your health! Don't overwork yourself! Look, your face is all red down to your neck."

Are men so thin-skinned these days? Back then, she shamelessly pursued Xue Xinian, and he didn't even flinch.

"Young Master! Young Master!" Xuan Feng called out several times before Chu Yan came back to his senses.

"Where is she!" Chu Yan looked around.

"They left a long time ago! Young master, were you being teased by the princess just now?!"

"But are you feeling unwell, young master? The princess just told me to ask a doctor to take good care of you."

-

A few days later, the emperor summoned Cao Yuan to the palace to discuss matters related to the autumn hunt.

Cao Yuan sat in the sedan chair. She remembered that in her previous life, she entered the palace on this very day. She was newly married and immersed in the dream created by Xue Xinian, so she had no vigilance towards the palace.

He was ambushed by Cao Shang and injured in the hand. He wanted to seek justice but had no evidence, so he suffered in silence. He also failed to win first place at the autumn hunting grounds.

After being provoked by Cao Shang, she angrily mounted her horse, only to have it startled and thrown off. The entire palace was abuzz with rumors that she had married Xue Xinian and was only interested in pleasure. She was even impeached for not being worthy of holding the Tiger Tally.

She cannot repeat the same mistake this time.

In that instant, a cold light flashed like lightning, tearing through the sky. An arrow came hurtling towards her from afar! At the same time, in the completely opposite direction, another equally sharp arrow appeared. The two arrows clashed and collided in mid-air before falling to the ground together.

With a loud thud, the sedan chair suddenly hit the ground, and the eunuchs carrying it were so frightened that they squatted down on the ground.

Jinzhu climbed into the sedan chair. "Your Highness, how are you?"

Cao Yuan looked through the curtain at the two broken arrows on the ground.

"Is the princess injured?"

Cao Yuan glanced over and saw Chu Yan!

It's him again!

In her past life, no one saved her at this time!

Is it because she has a connection with Chu Yan in this life?

"Princess?" Chu Yan called out again when she didn't respond.

"Thank you, Lord Chu, but my hand is injured!" Cao Yuan exclaimed deliberately.

Luckily, I brought pig's blood.

Cao Yuan wrapped strips of cloth around her hands inside the sedan chair.

The eunuch handed the arrow to Chu Yan.

Chu Yan examined the arrowhead carefully; it was from the palace.

"Lord Chu, it is the tenth prince."

He actually caught me this time.

"Ah, it wasn't me! Let me go!"

Xiao Shi?

"Fourth Princess, it wasn't me! I didn't do it!" The tenth prince still held a bow and arrow in his tender hands. If someone hadn't instructed him, how could the ten-year-old prince have done such an absurd thing?

"Little Ten, you're getting bolder and bolder! Holding a bow and arrow, you still deny it was you!" Cao Yuan stepped down from the sedan chair. "Come with me to see Father Emperor!"

"Sixth Princess, save me! Sixth Princess, save me!" The Tenth Prince looked at the lush tree in the distance.

Chu Yan launched a hidden weapon from the handlebars of his wheelchair, striking the man hidden under the tree in the leg. "Ouch! That hurts!"

Cao Shang was overtaken by the patrolling imperial guards.

"You dare hurt me! I'll tell my father! He'll cut off your heads!" Cao Shang sat on the ground and cried.

How dare Chu Yan, a mere Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, slander a prince? He has such audacity.

Cao Yuan raised her head, squatted down in front of her, and lifted her skirt. There was indeed no blood. "Tell me, do you think these imperial guards in the palace listen to me or to you?"

Although the palace guards were not under Cao Yuan's command, many of them had returned from the border and naturally held Cao Yuan in high esteem.

"I hold the Tiger Tally; even if I kill you, Father Emperor can't say anything!"

"Ah! You've gone too far!"

Upon hearing the Tiger Tally, Cao Shang gritted his teeth, his expression suggesting he wanted to devour Cao Yuan alive.

If it weren't for the tiger tally, her Xue Lang wouldn't have married Cao Yuan.

"Take them to the Hall of Mental Cultivation for me."

"Yes!"

"Lord Chu, let's go together!" Cao Yuan's gaze fell on Chu Yan.