Holding the script, I want to give up.

When Xuan Ye arrived, Shangguan Zitong and the others had already completed their coming-of-age ceremonies, and even Yi Bai's coming-of-age ceremony had been completed together.

"Sigh, I'm bound to get a scolding when I get back. His Highness the Crown Prince's temper is quite unpredictable these days."

After speaking softly, Xuan Ye dismounted, tied the horse to a tree stump not far away, knocked on the courtyard door, and waited for the owner of the courtyard to open it.

"Who are you? What brings you here?"

Yi Bai opened the door, and the two stared at each other. Yi Bai felt there was something wrong with this person, while Xuan Ye thought the other party was being overly cautious.

If a stranger suddenly appears at the door, anyone would cautiously ask him questions.

"...His Highness the Crown Prince ordered me to deliver a letter to the Princess and bring it back."

As he spoke, Xuan Ye slowly took out an envelope from his pocket and showed it to Yi Bai, thus indicating that he had no ill intentions.

"Leave the letter here and go. I will speak with Her Highness the Princess."

After receiving the letter, Yibai immediately closed the door.

"...Why are you in such a hurry to send me away?"

"Fine, if they don't like me, then I'll just wait outside," Xuan Ye thought to himself.

Shangguan Zitong got up early and stretched when she came out of her room, only to see Yibai already practicing martial arts.

"Yibai, why are you up so early?"

Shangguan Zitong yawned repeatedly, indicating that she planned to go back to sleep.

"Princess, this is a letter from the Crown Prince to you."

Yi Bai took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to her.

"Let me see what's going on."

Shangguan Zitong took the letter and glanced through it.

"Well, the good days are over, and the miserable life is about to begin again," Shangguan Zitong roared inwardly.

Where is the messenger?

Shangguan Zitong folded the letter and tucked it into his sleeve.

"He was sent back by his subordinates."

"..."

Young man, you dare to chase after His Highness the Crown Prince's shadow guard? Be careful he doesn't report you.

Shangguan Zitong walked towards the gate, wanting to see if the shadow guard was still there. If so, she could try to remedy the situation in time.

"Your name is Xuan Ye, right?"

Shangguan Zitong opened the door and saw the young man in black waiting outside.

"Yes, His Highness the Crown Prince ordered me..."

Xuan Ye bowed to her.

"Alright, I understand. Please come inside and sit down."

"Yibai, look at the tea."

Yi Bai was forced to serve him tea. Shangguan Zitong went to wake up Youzhi and Youxi, and then said goodbye to Shangguan Jin.

Shangguan Jin found them a carriage so they could return more comfortably.

"Let's go, brother, don't see me off."

Shangguan Zitong lifted the side curtain of the carriage.

"Okay, take this with you. If you want to leave the palace, break it, and your brother will come and take you out of the palace."

After Shangguan Jin finished speaking, he handed her a bamboo flute.

"Okay, I'm really leaving now."

Shangguan Zitong lowered the side curtain, and Xuan Ye and Yi Bai sat outside the carriage and drove it.

"Have a safe trip."

Shangguan Jin watched their departing carriage gradually disappear before returning to his own courtyard.

......

Outside the palace.

"It's been a long time, I'm back."

Shangguan Zitong lifted the side curtain of the carriage and looked at the pedestrians on the street outside, then called Yibai to stop.

"Yibai, I want to eat candied hawthorns. Go and buy me a few more skewers."

As Shangguan Zitong spoke, she handed the money bag in her hand to Yibai, hoping he would buy more.

"Yes."

Yibai took the money bag and got off the bus to find the family selling candied hawthorns. Once he found them, he bought all the remaining candied hawthorns from the old man.

"Princess, here you go."

Yi Bai returned shortly afterward, and Shangguan Zitong was so surprised when she received the handful of candied hawthorns that she almost forgot to reply.

"Thank you for your hard work. Here, this is for you."

Shangguan Zitong handed a skewer of candied hawthorns to Yibai, and seeing Xuan Ye lost in thought, she silently handed him one as well. She then shared the remaining skewers with Youzhi and Youxi, keeping one for herself and slowly enjoying it.

Inside the palace.

"Crown Prince, it's been so long! I've missed you terribly. You seem a little different now."

Shangguan Zitong slowly walked towards Shangguan Nuoyou, stopping a meter away to bow. She felt that her brother had become somewhat unfamiliar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what had changed; it just felt a little strange.

"Why are you being so formal? I have never changed."

Shangguan Nuoyou helped her up.

"Are Father and Mother really ill?"

Shangguan Zitong stared at him and said, "He was perfectly fine when he left."

"There are some things you don't need to know. I will be enthroned in a few days, so please come and witness the ceremony, my sister."

"Guards, take the princess back to her palace, place her under house arrest, and keep her under guard."

As soon as Shangguan Nuoyou finished speaking, a group of Imperial Guards entered and took her out of the East Palace.

"Brother, at least let me see Father and Mother once before you put me under house arrest!"

"No, you'll regret seeing them. Sister, just obediently go back to the palace with the Imperial Guards."

Shangguan Nuoyou sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Damn it, I'm being locked up as soon as I get back. It's really annoying," Shangguan Zitong thought to herself, feeling irritated.

"Princess, please bear with it. His Highness the Crown Prince is, after all, your own brother; he won't do anything to you."

Seeing her agitated, Youzhi comforted her.

"I'm even more afraid of being fed and entertained like this, with whatever I want."

Instead of being comforted, she became even more agitated. She had a feeling that something bad was about to happen.

The Southern Emperor passed away, and the Southern Empress followed suit. The Crown Prince ascended the throne, and Shangguan Zitong was forced to attend the ceremony.

"Your Highness, when exactly did you change? I really don't understand."

Looking at the unfamiliar person on the throne, Shangguan Zitong muttered to herself.

After the matter was over, Shangguan Zitong was imprisoned again.

......

Inside Shangguan Zitong's bedroom.

"Little sister, why are you unhappy?"

Shangguan Nuoyou dismissed all the servants, walked up to her, squatted down, and asked.

"I don't know either. Your Majesty, you seem like a stranger to me."

Shangguan Zitong was sitting on a chaise lounge, looking at Shangguan Nuoyou, who had to squat down to be level with her, with a complicated expression.

"If I hadn't sat on this supreme throne, I'm afraid my sister wouldn't have been able to enjoy herself so much these past three years, and Shangguan Jin wouldn't have been able to be so free either."

"Shouldn't you reflect on what your father did to you? Besides, as the crown prince, I should ascend the throne and stabilize the hearts of the people after your death."

"You don't know this, but Xiyue has passed away."

Why don't you guess who's behind all this?

"Needless to say, there are members of the Beiji royal family, but we also have them in Nanning—it's Father Emperor!"

"Did you really think you just went to Xizhao for fun last time? Father used your trip as an excuse to force Xizhao to send tribute... Xizhao was already under immense pressure..."

"My father is old and it's time for him to abdicate. I only want to make Nanning a better place; what wrong have I done?"

A faint sadness welled up in Shangguan Nuoyou's eyes.

"How could that be? My sister is still so young."

"I didn't know any of this, brother..."

Shangguan Zitong exclaimed in shock. Why didn't you tell her sooner, so the two of you could have resolved it together?

He wrote her letters, but she never replied. She had read them all; they were just ordinary family letters.

"The royal family of Beiji is embroiled in internal strife. The crown prince has died, and Xiyue has been forced to be buried with him. The fifth prince has succeeded to the position of crown prince. Now, a princess is needed for a political marriage."

“Father even included you in his scheme.”

Shangguan Nuoyou said helplessly.

"I will go, but I have one condition: I hope Your Majesty will allow my sister's coffin to return to the country as soon as possible."

Shangguan Zitong's eyes remained expressionless, devoid of joy or sorrow. She wondered why she felt a little short of breath. Had she really brought the illness from her original world with her?

Was she about to have an attack? Feeling unwell, she clutched her chest and slowly relaxed.

"The male lead has already succeeded to the position of crown prince so quickly? My sister is only twenty! How did she become a victim of a political marriage? I'll be soon too," Shangguan Zitong thought to herself.

"Yes, I will. Sister, a year ago, the Ninth Prince of Dongchuan also succeeded to the position of Crown Prince, and Princess Xizhao became the Crown Princess."

"Little sister, are you alright?"

Shangguan Nuoyou simply assumed that she couldn't accept this fact and didn't think much of it.

"I am fine."

"Sister Liu got married, why didn't she write to tell me? Why didn't I know anything about it?"

Without a system, she was isolated from the world and knew nothing.

“Sister, the fifth prince of Beiji went to Dongchuan to ask for the Prime Minister’s daughter to be the Crown Prince’s concubine. I’m sorry to trouble you.”

Huangfu Hongxi went to Dongchuan to express his feelings but didn't come to Nanning... everything was left unsaid.

"Your Majesty, I am tired. I will go to marry a foreign ruler."

Shangguan Zitong said calmly.

"Then you should rest well."

After Shangguan Nuoyou finished speaking, she left, leaving Shangguan Zitong alone, clutching her chest, sitting listlessly on the chaise lounge.

......