Holding the script, I want to give up.

"Zitong, I'm back. Are you hungry?"

After seeing Mu Rongyi and the others off, Huangfu Hongxi went straight to Cining Palace.

“How could they treat you like this? I will help you break free of these chains that bind you.”

As he spoke, Huangfu Hongxi unlocked her chains and casually kicked her aside.

"Ha! You're only like this because I'm weak and blind."

Shangguan Zitong remained unmoved even when the chains were unlocked. She was numb; she didn't have many days left anyway, so she would just quietly wait to die.

"I'll give you anything you want, as long as you're with me until the end, okay?"

Huangfu Hongxi sat next to her and carefully tugged at her sleeve.

"I want to leave the palace, is that alright?"

Shangguan Zitong wanted to spend the rest of her days freely leaving this place that she had no attachment to.

"..."

An awkward atmosphere filled the air; Huangfu Hongxi couldn't give her the freedom she wanted.

"Your eyesight isn't good; you need someone to help you."

"I will have Leqi come to take care of you."

After Huangfu Hongxi finished speaking, he left. He was afraid that Shangguan Zitong was too calm.

"Didn't they tell you that I've lost my sight, smell, and taste?"

"Or did Liu Yunwan forget? Or was she deliberately not telling you?"

Liu Yunwan got up and groped her way to the square table. Huangfu Hongxi saw this and quickly went over to help her and let her sit down at the square table.

"I do not know."

"Your Majesty, you are truly foolish! Ten cities for a dying man?"

Before Huangfu Hongxi could explain to Shangguan Zitong, Song Yao rushed to Cining Palace and pointed at Huangfu Hongxi's nose, scolding him.

"How dare you! Your Majesty, you've grown increasingly audacious lately!"

"How dare you interfere with my decisions!"

Huangfu Hongxi slapped away Song Yao's hand that was pointing at him.

"Ten cities? Huangfu Hongxi, are you insane? Has your cerebellum been wrapped up?"

"Or do you think your country is so powerful that you can just give it away like that?"

Shangguan Zitong was speechless at Huangfu Hongxi's decision. But she couldn't say anything!

"Zitong, don't be angry, I'll go and take it back."

"It's just a few cities, isn't it? As long as you're still alive, that's all that matters!"

Huangfu Hongxi stood in front of Shangguan Zitong, blocking Song Yao's view.

"Forehead..."

Shangguan Zitong's native language is speechless. How come she never noticed Huangfu Hongxi's tendency to be love-struck before?

"What happened to your hair and eyes?"

Song Yao was still unclear about the situation and could only ask the parties involved. Although Huangfu Hongxi blocked Shangguan Zitong, she could still see him. After all, she wasn't so blind that she couldn't see two living people!

"It's a long story, but it was just an accident!"

"Don't worry, I only have another half a month to live at most, it won't bother you for long!"

"Please bear with me these next few days, thank you."

Shangguan Zitong stood up, took a step, and gave a graceful bow in the general direction of Song Yao.

"What are you talking about!"

"You haven't met my and His Majesty's two children yet!"

"I will take you to see it now."

Song Yao, as if she and Shangguan Zitong were sisters, pulled her towards the outside of the palace! (Ignore Huangfu Hongxi.)

"Emm...okay!"

Shangguan Zitong felt somewhat helpless. When did she become so close to her? She knew perfectly well that she was blind, yet she still took her to see her child. Wasn't that obviously intentional?

"You...wait for me!"

Huangfu Hongxi was stunned when he heard Song Yao mention the child. Before he could react, they had already walked away. He could only helplessly follow behind them.

"I'm speechless, you two crazy people. I'm not going to live much longer and you're still dragging me along. Can't you at least be a palanquin bearer? Who wants to see the fruit of your love? I just want to be beautiful in peace!" Shangguan Zitong mentally ranted about the two of them.

Inside the nursery.

"Look, aren't they pretty?"

"Oh, I forgot, you can't see it!"

Song Yao said, feigning surprise.

"It's okay, she sounds like a sweet girl!"

Shangguan Zitong calmly replied; she was already immune to all poisons and could withstand any attack. She found the baby's laughter quite pleasant, at least it sounded innocent and pure.

"Your Majesty, watch your words!"

Huangfu Hongxi glared at Song Yao sharply.

"Would you like to touch them and feel them?"

Song Yao acted as if she hadn't heard what Huangfu Hongxi said, and directly pulled Shangguan Zitong's hand to touch the baby's chubby face.

"Hmm...that's good. What's your name?"

Shangguan Zitong smiled faintly. The two babies did feel nice to the touch, but she didn't want to touch them any more, so she simply changed the subject.

"What do you think of naming the baby girl Huangfu Zixi and the baby boy Huangfu Mingsong?"

Huangfu Hongxi asked cautiously, "Don't make the baby girl's name too obvious!"

Oh no, it's aimed at me! It's like he and I are siblings! How the hell am I supposed to respond?! Shangguan Zitong internally groaned helplessly!

"Um...it sounds nice. I'm hungry, let's eat together."

She was only focused on changing the subject; death was completely unsuitable for her. She could already feel Song Yao's death stare!

"Someone, bring the meal. We'll eat here."

Huangfu Hongxi called out to the attendants outside the palace.

Damn it, why did I have to say I was hungry?! Couldn't I have just said I was sleepy?! This mouth of mine is a real jerk! It'll ruin me sooner or later! Shangguan Zitong can't see right now, so how can she possibly eat anything?!

She heard the sound of bowls and chopsticks being put down, and groped to pick them up!

"Zitong, how about I feed you?"

Huangfu Hongxi sat down next to her, fawning over her. Song Yao sat opposite her, watching them, but she couldn't see her and naturally didn't know. However, she could feel an invisible, murderous glint shooting towards her.

"There's no need for that! Isn't there Leqi?"

"Leqi, just pick a few dishes for me, I'm not picky."

Shangguan Zitong picked up her bowl and said that she wasn't sure if Le Qi was there. If she wasn't, she would be in an awkward situation.

"Yes, Your Highness."

After Leqi finished speaking, she put all the dishes on her plate. Shangguan Zitong was taken aback when she heard "Your Highness," as she seemed not to have heard that title in a long time.

"Zitong, where do you want to go after you finish eating?"

Do you need me to go out with you?

Huangfu Hongxi wanted to go out for a walk with her.

"I'm not going anywhere, I'll just stay in Cining Palace."

"No need, Leqi is here."

Shangguan Zitong had no intention of staging a threesome.

"So you quite like the Cining Palace!"

"You didn't see how badly that fire burned it back then."

"If His Majesty hadn't ordered it to be repaired, you definitely wouldn't have anywhere to stay!"

Song Yao said sarcastically, "I don't know who burned it down without mercy, and now it's back to cause trouble again. I really hate Shangguan Zitong now."

"Forehead..."

"Alright, have some decency. You're itching for a beating if I don't say anything, aren't you?" Shangguan Zitong was speechless. It wasn't her idea to come to Beiji, so why was she being blamed? She was completely baffled.

"I'm full, you guys eat first."

"Leqi, help me take a stroll in the garden."

Shangguan Zitong still had more than half a bowl of food left, but she really had no appetite for it. She couldn't eat or talk to this lousy food at all. She might as well just leave.

"Yes, I'll take you there right away."

Leqi helped her up as she was about to get up and led her outside.

"By the way, Huangfu Hongxi, you must be busy with official duties, so you shouldn't have come along!"

I enjoy being alone.

As Shangguan Zitong approached the palace gate, she turned back and spoke softly.

"okay, I get it!"

Huangfu Hongxi ate his meal quietly, watching Liu Yun leave.

"Your Majesty, you've changed!"

"You've become completely unreasonable and willful. If you continue like this, Beiji will be ruined in your hands sooner or later. Have you forgotten your lofty ambitions?"

"You're completely infatuated with just Shangguan Zitong... Do you like her that much?"

"What about all those vows you made to me back then? Aren't they valid?"

Song Yao felt a pang of bitterness in her heart. She had been with him for so many years, yet she couldn't compare to a dying man. She was jealous of Shangguan Zitong, but at the same time, she pitied her.

"I haven't forgotten, Empress! Please stop being so unreasonable."

"I have only granted you the position of Empress; do not covet anything more!"

"You must fulfill your duty!"

"It is not for you to guess what I am thinking."

Huangfu Hongxi said to her with ill intent.

"Heh! Your Majesty! Aren't you being a little too biased?"

"When you are with me, you only refer to yourself as '朕' (Zhen, the imperial "I") and I as '皇后' (Huanghou, the Empress); but when you are with her, you refer to yourself as '我' (I) and she as '梓橋' (Zitong, the Imperial Concubine). How intimate that is!"

"Perhaps you haven't even noticed it yourself!"

"You've fallen in love with her and there's no cure for it."

After saying that, Song Yao got up and left. She didn't want to stay any longer; her heart was already broken.

Huangfu Hongxi sat alone at the dining table.

......