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

Cao Yuan closed the door, and Jin Zhu followed behind her.

"Your Highness, were you really with Lord Chu last night? Was it just the two of you?"

"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."

"Your Highness, he treated you so badly, why are you still with Lord Chu? I think Lord Chu has no good intentions at all."

"Perhaps, like the prince consort, he has other motives."

Cao Yuan walked to the wardrobe and started choosing clothes.

"Your Highness, are you going to marry Lord Chu? Isn't Lord Chu from Shu? Does that mean he won't return to Shu? In Wei, will Lord Chu always be with you as your advisor?"

Jinzhu said a lot, but Cao Yuan couldn't listen to a word she said.

"Alright, Jinzhu, when did you become so long-winded!"

Cao Yuan was getting impatient.

Jinzhu lowered her head, her brows furrowed slightly, her eyes filled with worry, and said softly, "Your Highness, do you remember? When you were pursuing the Prince Consort, you used the same tone."

She paused, then continued, "Jinzhu doesn't want to see you regret your marriage after it happened, like the prince consort."

Upon hearing this, Cao Yuan's face showed a hint of doubt. She turned to look at Jin Zhu and fell into deep thought.

Jinzhu had tried to persuade her in the same way, but she wouldn't listen and insisted on marrying Xue Xinian.

Cao Yuan frowned, falling into self-doubt.

She really wasn't sure if Chu Yan would do it.

She wasn't sure; it seemed she had never really understood him. His background, his relationship with Bai Lu, and that mysterious person—he had never told her any of it.

-

Dusk falls.

Xue Xinian's Qixi Festival this year was truly lively, and the inner palace gardens had not been so bustling in a long time.

They also successfully gathered all the gossipy women here.

In previous years, the palace did not have the custom of holding the Qixi Festival; it was mostly a festival celebrated by ordinary people. This year, for some reason, Xue Xinian actually had the idea of ​​holding the Qixi Festival.

To be fair, Xue Xinian did a good job.

A series of activities were held during the day, such as releasing lanterns, eating Qiaoguo (a type of pastry), and threading needles in the water, allowing people to fully enjoy the festive atmosphere.

The banquet was specially arranged for the night, so that we could enjoy the stars Altair and Vega under the night sky.

As night falls, the sky is filled with twinkling stars, with Altair and Vega shining particularly brightly.

The concubines and female relatives in the palace rarely left the palace on weekdays, so they found it very interesting to play some folk games in the palace.

This time, Xue Xinian's list included not only women but also some talented young men.

Based on Cao Yuan's understanding of Xue Xinian, he must have other motives.

As soon as Cao Yuan sat down, the other women around her began whispering among themselves.

"That's His Highness Prince Shuo. I heard that she keeps male lovers in secret and doesn't come home all night long."

"Huh? Minister Xue can tolerate this?"

"Who told him to be a prince!"

At this moment, Cao Shang sat down at the table next to her.

"Royal sister! You've come too." Cao Shang looked at her with a smile.

"If I don't come, wouldn't all of Xi Nian's painstaking efforts be in vain?"

"..."

"But does your sister have other plans for sitting next to me?"

Cao Shang's expression suddenly became somewhat unnatural. She hadn't expected that Cao Yuan would so easily see through her thoughts, which made her lose her confidence.

“Sister, how can you think of me like that? Although we often have arguments and conflicts at home, this is the palace!” Cao Shang said, bringing the handkerchief in her hand to her nose.

"How could she say such a thing!"

"Yes, the Sixth Princess is always kind to people. It seems that Prince Shuo has often bullied his younger sister."

Cao Yuan stood up and sighed repeatedly, "Royal sister, I've already given Xinian to you. I've turned a blind eye to your nightly revelry, so why are you still causing me trouble? This is the palace!"

Soon, the voices around us changed again.

"So it turns out the Sixth Princess was too spoiled!"

"That's right, that's right! The Sixth Princess stole Prince Shuo's husband and now she's monopolizing Vice Minister Xue every day. Who wouldn't mind?"

"You..." Cao Shang's back teeth were about to grind to powder.

"Your Highness! You've come too."

Just then, Fan Qingli happened to be walking towards them with Xue Xiqiong and Luo Xuemei.

When Cao Yuan saw them, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, revealing a gentle smile, and she nodded to them.

Upon seeing this, Luo Xuemei immediately stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Cao Yuan, saying, "This humble servant greets Your Highness!"

Seeing Luo Xuemei bow, Xue Xiqiong felt a little displeased, but not wanting to appear impolite, she reluctantly followed suit, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness!"

Cao Yuan looked at the two of them, a smile flashing in her eyes, thinking to herself that these two women were really interesting.

"Lord Fan is here too. I thought only unmarried women were invited here. I didn't expect there to be men as well."

"Yes, they sent an invitation to our residence today. I'm quite curious why they invited us; perhaps it's because of Minister Xue's influence."

Xue Xiqiong began to feel smug.

Cao Yuan had some doubts.

today?

Invitations to the palace are usually from a list approved in advance by the Ministry of Rites; they are not usually sent on the day of the event.

Fan Qingli raised his wine cup and said with a smile, "Your Highness, this cup of wine is for you."

Cao Yuan also picked up her wine glass, a faint smile appearing on her lips. "You're welcome!"

Fan Qingli put down his wine cup, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes, but he still mustered his courage and said, "Your Highness, may I speak to you in private?"

Cao Yuan walked to the side with him.

"Your Highness, is there any progress in the Anzhou case that the Censorate is investigating?"

"Father said we shouldn't interfere, and I haven't had a chance to ask yet. Did you hear something about it?"

Fan Qingli said with a serious expression, "I heard from Xuemei that Marquis Pingle recently returned to the capital, and his youngest daughter, who is also the half-sister of the Fourth Princess, is on the list for this year's Qixi Festival."

Cao Yuan suddenly realized that this was the purpose of the Qixi Festival.

In his later years, the Marquis of Pingle had another daughter. It is said that she grew up by his side and was his favorite.

In contrast, the deceased Fourth Princess Consort, despite being the legitimate daughter who sacrificed herself for the Marquis's family, ultimately had no one to even arrange her funeral.

"Your Highness, you know nothing at all?" Fan Qingli asked, noticing Cao Yuan's expression as if she knew nothing.

Cao Yuan shook her head. "I'm not afraid of being laughed at by Lord Fan, but my relationship with Xue Xinian has long been dead in name only, so I know nothing about what he's been doing. But now that I know his purpose, we can't let him achieve it."

Xue Xiqiong and Luo Xuemei stood to one side, and Cao Shang walked over.

"Sister, look how inconsiderate our elder sister is! She's so intimate with Lord Fan behind your backs, she's definitely up to no good!"

"No wonder Qingli ignored me when she came back; the prince must have said bad things about me."

Cao Yuan and Fan Qing returned.