Holding the script, I want to give up.

"Maybe you would have said earlier that I wouldn't be angry, but now that you're saying it, I'm very angry."

"I think this method of sacrificing oneself to move others is foolish."

"Don't do this again. If I find out, I'll have to threaten to kill myself."

"My fate is predetermined, and you can't change it."

Unable to vomit any more, Shangguan Zitong sat down uncomfortably on the grass. Even Ah Li couldn't change his fate; how could a character from a book possibly achieve it?

"I see."

"I'm leaving now, I'll come see you later."

Huangfu Hongxi wanted to help her up, but fearing she would push him away, he had no choice but to get up and leave. He thought he would hear a word of farewell, but nothing came of it.

Shangguan Zitong didn't want to say anything, and sat quietly on the grass, letting the wind blow on her as she waited for him to leave.

Meanwhile, Shangguan Nuoyou and Shangguan Jin, far away in Nanning, breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that Shangguan Zitong was still alive. However, they were filled with resentment when they learned that Liu Yunwan had given her to Huangfu Hongxi in exchange for ten cities, especially since it seemed she didn't have much time left to live.

Inside the Nanning Imperial Palace, Shangguan Nuoyou was so enraged that she wanted to tear Huangfu Hongxi to pieces.

"Your Majesty, you must not be hasty. It would be bad if the Northern Emperor were to seize upon this as leverage."

"The peaceful coexistence we finally achieved is now... if that's the case, then attacking Nanning will be a piece of cake for him."

Xuan Ye grabbed Shangguan Nuoyou's hand, who wanted to go to Bei Ji to demand an explanation, and advised her against it.

"I know, but I can't swallow this!"

“I’m really useless. I can’t avenge them. Instead, I’m the one who got Bei Ji’s protection because of them.”

Shangguan Nuoyou pounded her chest in frustration.

"Your Majesty, one day we will become strong enough to not need the protection of others."

"Before that, we need to learn to be patient."

Xuan Ye grabbed his hands to prevent him from hurting himself again.

"How are the craftsmen doing with the mechanisms my sister left behind? Have they produced any finished products to test their power?"

"I really can't wait any longer. At the very least, we need to be able to protect ourselves."

Shangguan Nuoyou sat on the ground helplessly.

"I'll urge them, you calm down first."

When Xuan Ye saw him sitting on the ground, he sat down beside him and said some comforting words.

"Does she...not have much longer to live?"

"Then I'll never see her again!"

I really want to see her again!

Zhou Jiyang waited outside the palace with the white fox in his arms, intending to go in and ask His Majesty a question after they finished their discussion. However, after hearing the questions they were discussing, he felt that he would never have the chance to see his benefactor again.

"Hey—little fox, don't run off like that!"

The white fox seemed to possess a spirit, and it ran towards the place where Shangguan Zitong had once lived, forcing Zhou Jiyang to chase after it.

"Why...are you digging a hole?"

Zhou Jiyang watched the white fox digging in the soil under the crabapple tree, wanting to ask it a question, but the fox couldn't speak and couldn't answer him. He could only watch quietly from the side.

"Do you need my help?"

Zhou Jiyang thought it was digging too slowly and wanted to find a shovel to dig with it. But the white fox stopped digging with its front paws, walked up to him, and shook its head!

"Then come on!"

Zhou Jiyang squatted down and patted the white fox's head. He believed that animals were all spiritual, and he would just wait and see what it could dig out.

"Ouch~"

The white fox dug out an exquisitely packaged square box from the ground, and carrying a ribbon in its mouth, walked up to Zhou Jiyang, gesturing for him to open it.

"Is this a preserved flower? Why doesn't it wither?"

Zhou Jiyang opened the box, and his eyes were immediately drawn to a single red rose that never fades. He picked up the rose and glanced at a small wooden plaque hanging from the ribbon, which read: "Given to the destined one."

"For me?"

Zhou Jiyang stared at the white fox in disbelief. This immortal rose shouldn't be in his hands; he felt like a child who had wandered into someone else's garden. Only after seeing the white fox nod at him did he put the rose back into the box, close it, dust off the surface, hug it to his chest, and happily thank the white fox.

In Baihuai, Nanning, Shangguan Jin strolled through the plum grove, hating himself for not being able to save Shangguan Zitong. He sat dejectedly on a smooth stone, contemplating life.

His friend wanted to go up and comfort him, but seeing his distraught appearance, he left his courtyard, leaving behind only a few jars of fine wine and various snacks.

......

"Ah Long, am I really doing the right thing?"

Liu Yunwan rested inside the carriage, while Mu Rongyi drove the carriage outside.

"If a person doesn't look out for themselves, they'll be punished by heaven and earth."

Besides, you are the author of this book; if you die, there's truly nothing that can be done.

Her fate is predetermined; perhaps she still has a glimmer of hope. You don't need to blame yourself too much.

Ah Long swiped the screen in his system space to refresh and check if his level had been updated correctly. He had waited for this day for far too long; finally, he could challenge the other systems in the Main God Space.

"My mission is complete. Now I just need to wait for her to die so her mission will automatically finish."

"So I've essentially completed two tasks. Aren't there any special rewards?"

Are you all this stingy?

Liu Yunwan got up, pulled back the side curtain, and glanced at the scenery outside.

Don't ask so many questions; you'll find out in time. Just wait and see.

After confirming that the refreshed level was accurate, the system immediately entered a dormant state.

"What's wrong? Is there any problem?"

Mu Rongyi heard rustling sounds inside the car and thought that Liu Yunwan must have woken up.

"No, I'm just a little hungry."

"Let's stop and eat something before we go."

When Liu Yunwan saw that he had asked her, she simply lifted the carriage curtain and spoke to him.

"Okay, it's up to you."

After parking the carriage, Mu Rongyi found some grass for the horses to eat, and then got into the carriage to eat with Liu Yunwan.

"Wanwan, there are only a few days left. Are we really going back to Dongchuan?"

Mu Rongyi Ke thought she might secretly go to see Shangguan Zitong one last time.

"No, let's go to the nearest city first and bring it under our control."

Liu Yunwan ate the food in her hand, thought for a while, and then spoke.

"Well, I see."

"We'll stay in the city closest to Lin Dongchuan for a while."

“I always felt that Huangfu Hongxi would come after us to demand those cities back; he doesn’t seem like a very generous person.”

“I always felt that he was keeping up with us.”

After finishing her meal, Mu Rongyi looked at the scenery outside for a while, took a short rest, and then continued on her way.

Back in the Beiji Imperial Palace, in Song Yao's bedroom.

"Your Majesty, this old servant said before that keeping her around would definitely be a disaster in the future."

"Look, these ten cities are no small number! How many battles would it take to recover them!"

"Your Majesty, even if she really doesn't live much longer this time, you must not let her go!"

"What if, just what if hers is fake? Just to deceive His Majesty? You mustn't be fooled again!"

The old nanny massaged Song Yao's shoulders and said with a shifty look in her eyes.

"No, I believe her! She wanted to escape Beiji so badly back then, and now she's being used as a bargaining chip in negotiations. She must be feeling terrible."

"Don't mention this matter again. I have my own plans. Just focus on doing your job."

"Now that Your Majesty has returned, please bring a bouquet of flowers and come with me to the Crown Prince's residence."

Song Yao raised her hand to signal the old nanny to go find flowers, and then she got up and changed into a light dress.

Inside the Tangxi Pavilion of the Crown Prince's residence, Shangguan Zitong leisurely swung on a swing, enjoying these last moments.

Ah Li, why am I suddenly missing you? Am I just being too bored?

I don't know where you are, nor do I know if I'll be able to see you again after I die.

"Oh dear! I forgot, this time I'm dead and my soul is scattered, so I can't reincarnate."

"I'm afraid I'll never see you again in this lifetime."

Shangguan Zitong leaned against the rope and sighed, then simply stopped swinging. Le Qi, who was watching her from the side, was also lost in her memories and didn't even notice when Song Yao arrived.

"Shangguan Zitong, I brought a bouquet of flowers to visit you. Do you like them?"

Song Yao walked up to her and handed the flowers to her.

"What do you think? I can't see it anyway."

"Or are you deliberately coming here to provoke me? Then you can leave. I'm easygoing and won't hold it against you or get angry."

Shangguan Zitong took the bouquet and, as was her habit, touched it to see what kind of flowers they were.

"I have no other intentions. I just came to see you, keep you company, and have a chat."

Song Yao lay on a nearby bench and looked at her.

"Then I should thank you for accompanying me on this final journey?"

Shangguan Zitong was so angry at Song Yao's words that she laughed.

......