Holding the script, I want to give up.

As they traveled into the night, a thunderclap shattered the sky, waking Shangguan Zitong from her sleep.

Damn it, what awful weather! Does having a nightmare really have to be this dramatic?

She sat up abruptly, but the carriage was pitch black and she couldn't see anything. Another clap of thunder reminded Shangguan Zitong of terrifying scenes from horror movies.

"Yibai?"

Shangguan Zitong said involuntarily, her voice trembling.

"Your Majesty, what are your orders?"

"It looks like it's going to rain. Let's get into the carriage and take shelter from the rain together."

I won't say I'm trembling with fear; all talk and no action, and it might not even rain.

“Princess, this is against etiquette.”

"I command you."

Yi Bai had no choice but to stop the carriage on the official road, tie up the horses, light the tinderbox, and get into the carriage.

Yi Bai, who had just lifted the carriage curtain, froze in mid-air. His eyes fell upon Shangguan Zitong, who was huddled in a corner, trembling and sobbing softly...

After seeing Yi Bai get into the carriage, Shangguan Zitong stopped crying and covered her face with her sleeve to hide her embarrassment.

A fragile college student was in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by darkness, with thunder rumbling in his head and the horror movies playing in his head—it was really creepy. Who could understand? He was crying his eyes out.

Normally, if she were struck by lightning, she would go to her sister and Liu Yunwan and sleep together.

"I'm a little afraid of thunder at night. Is there a light?"

Shangguan Zitong casually wiped her face with her sleeve.

“Princess, no, there should be fireflies around here. I will go and catch some for you.”

Yi Bai handed her the tinderbox, then blew on another one himself, picked up the transparent glass tea set from the carriage, and prepared to leave.

"I'd like to go with you, is that alright?"

Shangguan Zitong quickly grabbed Yi Bai's sleeve, ready to go with him to search.

"Then Princess, please put on your shoes first."

"it is good."

After Shangguan Zitong put on her shoes, the two got off the carriage and searched the vicinity for a while before seeing countless fireflies dancing among the grass.

Holy crap, how can fireflies in the primitive world be so beautiful! I admit I'm a country bumpkin. Shangguan Zitong screamed internally.

When Shangguan Zitong saw that Yibai had already started catching fireflies, she followed suit, but she was just catching them for fun.

"Alright, Princess, it's time for you to go back."

Seeing that she was having a great time, Yibo thought he would wait a while before going back, but he didn't expect her to get so engrossed in playing that she forgot all about it.

"Alright alright."

Back at the place where the horses were tied, Yi Bai untied the horses, then put away the glass cup filled with fireflies. He took out a black ribbon from his pocket and tied it around Shangguan Zitong's and his wrists. He then sat outside the carriage and slowly drove towards the palace.

"Princess, please sleep peacefully. I am right outside the carriage. If you are afraid, just pull the ribbon."

"Okay, Yibai, thank you."

......

Inside the palace dungeon, Shangguan Zitong stared at Huangfu Hongxi, who was sleeping on the floor, dressed in tattered and thin clothes.

Why is it dilapidated? Because it was beaten up.

After learning of the Southern Emperor's actions, Shangguan Zitong instructed Youzhi to report her itinerary to him before leaving, while Youxi went to tell the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review not to hurt anyone too deeply...

Looking at the dying man before him, he felt that all his efforts had been in vain.

"Hey, wake up."

After Shangguan Zitong finished speaking, she slapped his face with all her might. "I'm not a gentleman if I don't avenge this! Humph! You little brat, it's your mother who you killed."

Huangfu Hongxi's cheeks were swollen from the slap, and he was also woken up by the slap.

Help! Who's the kind person who slaps someone twice while they're sleeping in the middle of the night?

"I'm sorry, I thought you were dead."

Shangguan Zitong lied without batting an eye, secretly pleased with herself. "Those fox-like eyes are pretty, aren't they? Not as pretty as Mu Rongyi's phoenix eyes."

"...You did it on purpose."

Huangfu Hongxi was speechless. Her act of revenge was so obvious that even a fool could see it.

"I did it on purpose, so what can you do about it? Hehehe."

"childish."

"...Hmph, from this day forward you will be my study companion. Let's see how I torment you."

Shangguan Zitong left the prison with an air of arrogance and returned to her palace, where she fell asleep immediately, feeling incredibly relaxed.

The following day, after washing and dressing, Shangguan Zitong went to Jinghe Palace for her morning prayers.

"Your subject greets Your Majesty and Your Majesty."

"No gifts."

The Southern Emperor was reviewing memorials, and the Empress was assisting him.

After Shangguan Zitong finished her curtsy, she ran to the Empress and began to act coquettishly and cast spells.

"Mother, may I ask that hostage prince to be my study companion?"

"No, this person is too dangerous."

The Empress said solemnly.

"Mother~"

When Shangguan Zitong's attempts to charm the emperor failed, she resorted to charming the emperor and casting a spell.

"Father~"

"Why?"

"I wanted him to be my study companion so that I could take the opportunity to get revenge on him. It would be a disgrace if I didn't avenge him."

"Haha, as expected of my daughter, so be it."

"Thank you, Father Emperor. Your son is leaving now."

After Shangguan Zitong left, she was in an incredibly good mood. Not only did she walk with a light step, but she also ate three bowls of rice. Youzhi and Youxi, who were beside her, found it unbelievable and thought that the princess had been reincarnated from a starving ghost.

......

Before the start of the school season, Shangguan Zitong began to torment Huangfu Hongxi relentlessly.

I deliberately broke the kite string so he would have to retrieve the kite.

I deliberately made the swing rope so that it kept breaking but wouldn't come off, and he fell flat on his face.

I deliberately threw the fanged krait into his bed...

This went on repeatedly, and Huangfu Hongxi got used to it, while Shangguan Zitong found it quite enjoyable.

The Imperial Academy was about to start classes, and all the powerful families were preparing their disciples' luggage. But Shangguan Zitong felt that his good days were coming to an end and he was suffering terribly.

Before the start of the semester, Shangguan Zitong learned a few rudimentary skills from Yibai and became quite smug, saying that he only needed to teach Youzhi and Youxi, and that they would protect her.

Every time Yibai asked her to learn something new, she would refuse on the pretext of a relapse of her wound, and instead hide under the covers to watch dramas and read novels in the system space.

I don't know where her inexplicable confidence comes from.

Shangguan Zitong felt that Huangfu Hongxi shouldn't be idle, so before school started, he asked Yibai to teach him kung fu. If he didn't do something right, he would punish him severely, such as hitting his palms, making him run, doing frog jumps, etc., which were just harmless 'severe punishments'.

......