Holding the script, I want to give up.

"It's unreasonable!"

"Wanwan, how much longer?"

Mu Rongyi did not engage in battle, but stood on the city wall with Liu Yunwan, coldly observing everything. He didn't necessarily need this city; he just wanted to see if Huangfu Hongxi would catch up.

"Not sure, but seeing her health points getting lower and lower, it should be soon!"

"If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have let him take the Life-Shaping Pill in the first place."

Liu Yunwan looked at Huangfu Hongxi, who was fighting fiercely below the city wall, her eyes darkened almost imperceptibly, and she sighed.

Huangfu Hongxi, who was standing below the city wall, suddenly felt powerless. Hongjin noticed this and quickly led a group of people to surround and protect him. He retreated behind them.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong with you?"

Don't scare us!

Hongjin helped him up and led him to a safe area before squatting down to check his injuries. However, apart from a little blood on his skirt, there was no blood anywhere else on his body, which was quite puzzling.

"I understand, but I don't know if she was poisoned or..."

"Let them all leave. A few cities are nothing; they'll return to us sooner or later."

Huangfu Hongxi couldn't imagine what Shangguan Zitong's current situation was like. He was afraid she had left in an uneasy state and dared not see her, nor could he. Yet he also wanted to see her one last time, hoping that perhaps they could meet again after death!

"Your Majesty, you must hold on!"

Hongjin called out anxiously.

Huangfu Hongxi was pale. Despite his discomfort, he said to Hongjin, "Don't worry about me. Go and command the soldiers to retreat."

Hongjin nodded and turned to organize the retreat.

Mu Rongyi looked at Huangfu Hongxi, a complex emotion welling up inside him. He had only intended to test Huangfu Hongxi, but he hadn't expected it to turn out this way.

Liu Yunwan's eyes flickered, as if she was deep in thought. She was almost done with her mission...

Huangfu Hongxi gazed into the distance, his eyes filled with pain and longing. He recalled every moment he had spent with Shangguan Zitong...

As the soldiers withdrew, Mu Rongyi did not signal the others to pursue the fleeing enemy, and the city gradually returned to calm. Supported by Hongjin, Huangfu Hongxi slowly left the city.

Mu Rongyi and Liu Yunwan turned and left after watching the play ended, riding quickly back to Dongchuan.

Hongjin carried Huangfu Hongxi and led everyone to a safe area. They placed him on a rocking chair and waited for him to wake up.

"My only wish is to be buried with her!"

"Hongjin, don't be sad. I knew this day would come, but I didn't expect it to be so soon."

"After you return to Beiji, you should wholeheartedly assist the Empress. As for the future, it is up to fate."

"It's such a pity I couldn't see her one last time!"

When Huangfu Hongxi woke up, he barely managed to say what he wanted to say. He looked into the distance with a thoughtful expression and slowly closed his eyes.

"His Majesty!"

"Subordinates take orders!"

Hongjin knelt down and performed a deep bow, his eyes slightly red and his voice trembling. The others, seeing this, also knelt down and bowed.

Only Huangfu Hongxi's confidants and Hong Jin were in the courtyard. They created the illusion that he was still there to deceive the others and took him back to Beiji.

Inside the Prince Beiji's residence, Shangguan Zitong stood outside the small garden in the courtyard, watering the flowers with a flowerpot.

"Leqi, have the flowers I planted bloomed yet? Aren't they beautiful?"

Although Shangguan Zitong was watering the flowers, she couldn't see them herself and didn't know if she was watering them or not. Anyway, watering the flowers and watering the ground were pretty much the same, so she just watered them casually.

"Your Highness, they're all in bloom, and they're very beautiful."

Leqi never expected that the flower seeds she had casually bought for her amusement would actually bloom. Although they weren't as vibrant as the ones in the palace, they were very refreshing.

"That's a real pity, I can't see it with my own eyes. But I've seen a lot of flowers."

"Leqi, cremate me after I die! And place my ashes in front of Yibai's grave."

"If only I could have another bouquet of white camellias! Consider these my last words."

Shangguan Zitong stretched, put down the flowerpot in her hand, yawned, and groped her way toward the lounge chair.

"Your Highness, you must wait for His Majesty to return! You are such a good person, you will surely live a long and healthy life."

Leqi followed behind her, afraid that she would fall, but she didn't dare to show it too obviously.

"I hope so. Just take this as me rambling."

"That's settled then. I'm going to take a nap. You can leave now if you have nothing else to do."

Shangguan Zitong, dressed in the white dress that Le Qi had given her, lay down for a nap when she reached the cool chair, not caring how Le Qi would react.

"I see."

Seeing that she didn't want to say anything more and just wanted to rest, Leqi went to do her own thing.

So... fate has its own plan! What if I transmigrated? What if I had the script? I tried to change their fates, but indirectly caused their deaths! I was just a pawn after all. Even if there were bugs, Heaven will correct them. Shangguan Zitong clasped her hands together and slowly drifted off to sleep.

After a while, Leqi passed by and saw Shangguan Zitong lying on a cool chair in the courtyard taking a nap, but she didn't pay much attention to it.

Little did they know that she had already closed her eyes and remained unconscious.

......

"Your Highness, it's time for dinner."

As Leqi, carrying a food box, walked past the lounge chair with a group of maids toward the palace, she habitually called out to her, telling her to prepare.

Seeing that she didn't respond, she didn't think much of it and went into the hall to serve the food before calling her again. Perhaps her voice was too soft and she didn't hear her, Leqi thought.

"Your Highness, you mustn't oversleep, or you'll have insomnia tonight."

Le Qi walked slowly toward Shangguan Zitong.

"Your Highness?"

She waved her hand in front of Shangguan Zitong, then shook her arm. Her hand fell naturally to her side.

"Your Highness!"

Le Qi slumped to the ground, her voice trembling and dazed. With a gentle shake from Le Qi, the jade bracelet on Shangguan Zitong's wrist slipped from her wrist and fell to the ground, spinning a few times before shattering completely!

"To die a glorious death?"

Leqi collapsed weakly to the ground, staring blankly at the broken jade on the ground.

"How to do this?"

When the accompanying maidservant noticed that Leqi had not brought Shangguan Zitong back to the palace, she went out to check and was surprised to see such a tragic scene.

"You stay here and watch, I'll go and report to Her Majesty the Empress and see what she decides."

Leqi stood up, suppressing her inner turmoil, and gave instructions to the bewildered maid.

Inside Song Yao's bedchamber, Le Qi knelt on the ground, reporting the whole story, while Song Yao sat upright at the square table, listening to her narration.

"Your Highness, Her Highness prefers tranquility and dislikes such empty things. Please allow her to be cremated!"

“This old servant will personally deliver her ashes to Yibo’s grave; this is her last wish.”

"Your Majesty, please grant her wish!"

Leqi knelt down and bowed, each word spoken with a firm and powerful tone.

"She ultimately didn't make it!"

"Fine, let her have her way. You are in charge of handling this matter."

Song Yao rubbed her temples and sighed, looking down at her fingernails, never once glancing at Le Qi, who was kneeling on the ground, trembling slightly with grief.

"Yes, this old servant obeys."

Le Qi rose and left the hall with a sigh of relief. She would definitely make proper arrangements for Shangguan Zitong's funeral.

"Your Majesty, are we just going to let her go like this?"

Although the old nanny standing next to Song Yao remained silent, she had a plan in mind after hearing about Shangguan Zitong's death, but she didn't want to make it too obvious.

"What? Didn't you understand what I said?"

"What are you trying to say? Just say it!"

Song Yao sensed that the nanny beside her was getting restless and not behaving herself.

"Your Majesty, why not, before His Majesty returns to the palace, have that man's maidservant also buried with him?"

"You must grant her this moment of deep affection between master and servant!"

The old woman spoke calmly, but deep down she was smiling more happily than anyone else.

"Deep affection between master and servant? To grant their wish?"

"Have you forgotten how she betrayed her master?"

"Furthermore, since when did it become your place to rule the harem? I warned you before that you'd better not have any improper thoughts!"

Song Yao angrily rebuked.

"This old servant is simply stating the facts."

That old woman showed no remorse and even tried to instigate her.

"Guards, drag him out and beat him to death!"

Song Yao waved to the attendants outside the hall, and two guards stepped forward and carried the old woman out!

"Your Majesty, please spare me! This old servant will never dare to do it again!"

The old woman screamed shrilly, but Song Yao showed no intention of stopping the guards. The two guards had no choice but to continue supporting the old woman as they walked out of the hall.

"There won't be a next time. I hope you'll learn your lesson in your next life. Let it drag on."

"I will make an example of them and send those gossipy palace servants to witness the execution!"

Song Yao said to the two guards.

"No! Your Majesty, this old servant truly knows his mistake! Please don't kill me!"

The old servant was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground; she was completely panicked!

What's going on? Isn't Her Majesty always kind and gentle? Why is she acting like this now...? The old woman didn't even have time to think it through before...

"Yes, my subordinates take orders!"

Seeing that the old woman was in such a state, the two guards had no choice but to drag her toward the Ministry of Justice.

......