Holding the script, I want to give up.

After seeing Shangguan Xiyue off, Shangguan Zitong was once again placed under house arrest by the emperor. Bored, she could only practice martial arts with Yibai and read storybooks...

"Youxi, I'm so bored I'm going crazy. Find me something to do!"

Shangguan Zitong lay on the bed, idly flipping through storybooks. They were all ones she had read before, and she could recite them by heart. Because she was under house arrest by the Southern Emperor, no one dared to bring any new ones back from outside the palace for her to read.

As the Crown Prince, Shangguan Nuoyou was naturally busy with official duties and had no time to take care of her. Shangguan Xiyue had already been sent away for a political marriage. The Empress's rigid and conventional attitude chilled her heart; she could no longer endure this life.

"Princess, why don't you apologize to the Emperor?"

Youxi put down her work and said.

Youxi was mending clothes for Shangguan Zitong. Three years on the left, three years on the right, and three more years of mending and patching. Sigh, life is like a rollercoaster, full of ups and downs.

"Absolutely not. I must stand firm on my bottom line."

"By the way, has Miss Sang from the General's Mansion returned yet?"

Shangguan Zitong got up and paced barefoot back and forth on the floor. Yes, the floor; the carpet had long been removed by the Southern Emperor's men. Alas, heavens and earth, I can't be a salted fish even a little bit.

"Princess, the person is still on their way back."

"Princess, the ground is cold, you should put on your shoes."

Youxi was exasperated that the princess never liked to wear shoes.

Shangguan Zitong's shoes don't need any mending; they're brand new and could be displayed on the counter.

"No problem."

"What a pity, perhaps if she had come, I could have left."

As expected, those with nothing to lose are fearless; even their words carry such confidence. Shangguan Zitong spoke with such force.

"Princess, can you enlighten me?"

Huangfu Hongxi entered the hall and addressed Shangguan Zitong.

Although the Southern Emperor treated Shangguan Zitong harshly, he did not remove Huangfu Hongxi from his position as tutor, and Shangguan Zitong continued to study.

"You go first. I'll think about whether I can help you. After all, I'm not some old scholar."

Shangguan Zitong looked at the person who came in and said irritably.

"How can one live to see a peaceful and prosperous world? Can you answer that?"

"Young man, can you ask me a different question? Why make it so complicated? You're the emperor, not me, how am I supposed to know? I'm not an encyclopedia," Shangguan Zitong muttered to himself.

"What do you think?"

"Do I look like someone your age who can answer your questions? I haven't even figured out life myself yet."

Shangguan Zitong put one hand to her forehead and said speechlessly.

"But didn't you say I could ask you if I didn't understand something?"

"Why is it that even though I've come down here, the princess can't solve the problem?"

Huangfu Hongxi handed her his strategies for governing the country.

"Um... I really don't understand. You should ask your teacher; he'll definitely be able to answer your questions."

I did say that, but it was just a polite remark, you don't need to take it so seriously. Shangguan Zitong's heart was already numb.

After all, her teacher was the Crown Prince's tutor, a man of immense learning. She wouldn't need to act like a clown trying to show off her skills in front of Guan Yu.

Shangguan Zitong felt the policy of governing the country was too hot to handle, so she threw it back to him.

"Princess, please share your views. I will consider whether you can enlighten me."

Okay, okay, if I give someone such a high step, they're bound to fall and die. Fine, I'll just have to bite the bullet and say it.

"If the government is lenient, the people will become complacent; if they become complacent, then the government must correct them with severity. If the government is severe, the people will become cruel; if they become cruel, then the government must be lenient again. Lenientness tempers severity; severity tempers lenientness, and thus the government is harmonious. Do you understand?"

Shangguan Zitong recalled Confucius's writings and began to recite them without regard for whether they were completely irrelevant.

"Well, I would like to ask the princess why she gave me this booklet? You don't seem to have given it to anyone else."

Huangfu Hongxi took Shangguan Zitong's words to heart and was already envisioning a peaceful and prosperous future.

"Oh, this? I think you're more suitable. My brain is really not suited to thinking about so many things."

"Besides, my brother doesn't need this booklet either."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Huangfu Hongxi's disdain was evident on his face.

"...If you have nothing to say, then get lost. Don't try to put me down."

Shangguan Zitong rolled her eyes.

"That's not what I meant. I..."

Seeing that she didn't want to hear any more explanations, Huangfu Hongxi chose to leave.

"...Hehe. That's not what I meant."

Shangguan Zitong mimicked her tone and manner, muttering under her breath, feeling so angry she wanted to curse.

"Princess, alright, don't be angry anymore. Everyone's gone. Getting angry will harm your health."

Youzhi stood by helplessly, wondering why the princess was being so childish.

"Yes, I'll listen to you. I won't be angry."

Shangguan Zitong went back to bed and lay down to read a storybook.

......

As winter turned to spring, Shangguan Zitong walked to the window and looked at the tender new buds sprouting from the crabapple tree outside, filled with emotion.

She's twelve now. Huangfu Hongxi will return to Dongchuan this winter, and she'll be seeing Shangguan Jin off.

"Ah Li, are you there? I want to try my luck with the blind boxes."

"Ah Li, when are you coming back?"

"I'm so bored, I'm practically going crazy from boredom."

No one responded.

"Yibai, I want to fly a kite."

Looking at the beautiful weather outside, Shangguan Zitong couldn't help but cheer with joy.

“Princess, your house arrest has not been lifted yet. Your area of ​​activity is limited to this courtyard.”

After hearing Shangguan Zitong's words, Yibai still went to get the kite and handed it to her.

"I know, but it doesn't matter, we can still release it. Let's go, Yibai, release it together with me."

When Shangguan Zitong reached the palace gate, Yi Bai stopped her from leaving.

"??? What do you mean by this?"

Shangguan Zitong didn't understand.

"Please put on your shoes, Princess."

Yibai found a pair of shoes somewhere and carried them in his hand.

"...Put it down, I can dress myself."

"Yes."

When Shangguan Zitong saw Yibai making a move to put the shoes on for her, she quickly snatched the shoes and put them on herself.

"Um, Yibai, could you help me put this away? Can I act as a go-between?"

Shangguan Zitong belongs to the type of person who is bad at games, loves to play, and is lazy.

She doesn't know how to fly kites at all; others fly them for her, and she just holds the string.

"Then please wait here, Princess."

Yibo took the kite from her and flew it. After it was ready, he handed it back to her.

Shangguan Zitong was having a blast. She had only wanted to fly a kite on a whim, but she never expected it to actually go away.

"Oh dear, why did the connection drop? I didn't do anything."

Shangguan Zitong stared at the kite drifting away, feeling a bit emo. If she couldn't even control the kite string, what was she to do with her own fate?

"Princess, don't worry, your subordinate will go and retrieve it for you."

Seeing that Yibai was about to leap onto the palace wall, she quickly stopped him, saying, "Forget it, there's no need. You can't go out, you'll be punished. It's just a small kite, if it breaks, it breaks."

"But...this is..."

Before Yi Bai could finish saying that this was the princess's kite, Shangguan Zitong interrupted him.

"It doesn't matter, there will be plenty of opportunities to fly kites in the future, but the current situation is not easy."

Shangguan Zitong said helplessly.

"Yes."

"It's okay, it's okay, just bear with it a little longer. Winter will be here soon, and then we'll be free," Shangguan Zitong mentally reassured herself.

It's only early spring, winter is still a long way off. Shangguan Zitong has a really good attitude. She's just completely giving up and starting her stay-at-home life.

......