Holding the script, I want to give up.

Envoys from the three kingdoms of Dongchuan, Nanning, and Xizhao arrived as scheduled inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The crown prince welcomed them to their seats, where they were seated according to their social status, identity, and clan affiliation.

Song Yao assisted from the side. The ministers of Beiji already knew that the Crown Princess had suddenly fallen ill and was bedridden, and that this banquet was hosted by the Crown Prince's concubine, so they all praised it highly.

Those unaware of the truth believed that Song Yao was the Crown Princess. This was exactly the effect Shangguan Zitong wanted.

During the banquet, there will be music and dance performances to enhance the atmosphere and provide entertainment. These performances are by professional bands and dancers, and feature a variety of content with distinctive Beiji characteristics.

The envoys were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Only Shangguan Nuoyou, Mu Rongyi, and Liu Qikang remained serious, their eyes seemingly searching for someone among the guests.

Meanwhile, someone was pretending to be sick in the Crown Prince's residence, so she was bored that she lay in bed reading novels in her system space.

First, the band played the "Tea Offering Music" on the steps, then the Crown Prince presented tea to the Northern Emperor, and subsequently bestowed it upon the envoys of various countries. This step marked the official start of the banquet and showcased the royal style and etiquette through the tasting of tea.

This was followed by the offering of wine and fruit, accompanied by specific music and rituals. The type and quality of the wine represented the nobility and hospitality of the royal family, while the fruit symbolized good fortune, a bountiful harvest, and joy.

Shangguan Nuoyou handed the wine to her shadow guard Xuan Ye, who was dressed as an envoy and was traveling with her to Beiji to attend the banquet.

Mu Rongyi frowned as she looked at the wine in front of her, wondering why Shangguan Zitong wasn't there and where she had hidden Liu Yunwan.

Liu Qikang then began drinking fruit wine. He didn't see his sister, Liu Yunwan, beside Murong Murong Rongyi, and was a little worried about her. The servant attending him respectfully beside him was, to your surprise, Jinming.

Jinming, such a cold and aloof person, was specially left behind by Liu Yunwan to protect Liu Qikang.

Then comes the formal meal, featuring a rich variety of dishes, all meticulously prepared. During this time, there is accompanying music and ceremonial kneeling gestures.

The Northern Emperor would announce the start of the banquet and deliver some remarks or blessings, before beginning to feast the envoys from various countries attending the state banquet with delicious food. This segment demonstrated the Northern Emperor's authority and his benevolent care for his subjects.

During the banquet, there may be dancing performances and toasts to each other as a sign of friendship and respect. The dances are usually performed by professional dancers; while toasting is part of a social activity that proceeds in a certain order.

Mu Rongyi stood up to toast Huangfu Hongxi, and asked in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Where did your Crown Princess go?"

"My Crown Princess is none of your concern, Crown Prince Dongchuan."

Huangfu Hongxi retorted.

"Oh? Interesting. Are you perhaps ill?"

Mu Rongyi became interested and decided to wait until after the banquet to venture into the Crown Prince's residence to see Shangguan Zitong and, if possible, find out where Liu Yunwan was hiding.

"So what?"

Huangfu Hongxi gripped the wine glass in his hand tightly.

"Hey, why are you being so serious?"

Mu Rongyi and Ke put their hands on each other's shoulders like brothers, and said, "Your concubine is quite interesting!" Then they returned to their seats to continue enjoying the dance and music.

Finally, when the banquet ended, the Crown Prince would see the guests off and exchange farewells as a sign of politeness and thoughtfulness.

When Mu Rongyi saw Shangguan Nuoyou off, Song Yao was also present.

"This must be Song Yao, the daughter of the Prime Minister of Dongchuan, who is also the Crown Prince's concubine."

Shangguan Nuoyou gave a fake smile.

"It's my concubine."

Song Yao replied calmly.

"May I ask, Your Highness, where is my sister?"

Shangguan Nuoyou questioned.

"She is seriously ill, and I have already let her rest at home."

Huangfu Hongxi answered earnestly, without revealing any flaws.

"Oh? Is that so? Your Highness, I have come to take Xiyue's coffin back to Nanning. Could you possibly make an exception?"

Shangguan Nuoyou lacked confidence.

"Since you have been included in the Beiji royal family genealogy, you can only be buried in the Beiji royal mausoleum. Surely you, Southern Emperor, are unaware of this?"

Song Yao finally swallowed her anger at being called a concubine.

"Ah! I was being presumptuous."

After Shangguan Nuoyou finished speaking, she left, silently vowing that she would definitely bring Xiyue's coffin back to the country before she died.

Meanwhile, Mu Rongyi encountered Liu Qikang on her way to find Shangguan Zitong. Or rather, Liu Qikang was discovered secretly following her.

"Yun Wan's brother, what is the meaning of following me? Didn't you come alone?"

Mu Rongyi stopped and turned to look at him and Jinming.

"Where's my sister? Why didn't she come to the banquet with you?"

Liu Qikang was not good at Taoist magic; he drew his sword from its sheath and pointed it at Mu Rongyi Ke.

“She was sick. The journey was long and tiring, and I was afraid she couldn’t handle the bumpy ride, so I let her rest.”

Mu Rongyi said, "I lie without thinking."

These days, people always disappear because they're sick.

I'll trust you this once.

After asking his questions, Liu Qikang and Jinming returned to meet up with the envoy, while Mu Rongyi continued on his way to the Crown Prince's residence.

The farewell ceremony was still ongoing, filled with a solemn, warm, joyful, and peaceful atmosphere; it also showcased the strict social hierarchy and orderly social order of Beiji, as well as the luxurious and magnificent aspects of court life.

......

With the system's support, Shangguan Zitong's feigned illness was completely convincing.

"Ah Li, I feel like I'm really paralyzed on one side now?"

Shangguan Zitong lay listlessly in bed. Le Qi was taking care of her.

[Host, this is your most authentic state.]

"Fine, so you're keeping me alive just because of the mission?"

[Yes, therefore, host, please complete the fifth task as soon as possible: assassinate Huangfu Hongxi.]

"Then you won't need to try and seduce him; you can go home happily."

"Yes, I'll try."

"Your Highness, why did you suddenly fall ill? And this illness seems to have come on very suddenly."

Leqi took good care of Shangguan Zitong.

"Perhaps he was angered by His Highness the Crown Prince and hurt his health."

Shangguan Zitong coughed weakly and spouted nonsense with a straight face.

"Your Highness, couples often quarrel but make up eventually. Perhaps your relationship with His Highness the Crown Prince will improve after you consummate your marriage."

Leqi said with a kind expression.

"Leqi, I know you mean well, but let's talk about this after I'm better."

Shangguan Zitong had already politely declined.

"Ah Li, let me stay like this until I can leave him."

Okay, your condition will no longer be suppressed.

Shangguan Zitong felt that between consummating the marriage and being sick, being sick was better. She couldn't bring herself to have sex with someone she didn't like.

"Alright, Leqi, you can go now. I want to be alone."

Shangguan Zitong closed her eyes and said.

"Yes, Your Highness, I shall take my leave."

Le Qi drew the bed curtains, stepped back, and closed the door. Apart from Shangguan Zitong, there was no one else in the room.

Seeing that the bed curtains were drawn, Shangguan Zitong felt a good atmosphere for sleeping and quickly drifted off to sleep.

When Mu Rongyi climbed through the window in the middle of the night, Shangguan Zitong was fast asleep and did not notice.

He slowly approached her, used the scabbard to pull back the bed curtains to check the situation, and seeing that she was fast asleep, he placed the scabbard against her neck.

There was something cool against her neck, and Shangguan Zitong felt a ticklish sensation. In her dream, she was bungee jumping, and when she saw an obstacle, she simply used her hands to push it aside. Unaware that she was out of her dream, she had already opened the scabbard of the sword that Mu Rongyi had placed against her neck.

"...What's the difference between them and pigs?"

Mu Rongyi put away her sword, walked to the small table, picked up the teapot, and went to the person sleeping soundly on the bed.

With a flick of his wrist, he poured tea onto Shangguan Zitong's face.

"Damn it, which blind assassin has a death wish?"

Shangguan Zitong, on the verge of death, sat up abruptly from his dream and coughed several times.

"Damn, I've never seen anything like this before. How can he cough up blood without it?"

Shangguan Zitong felt that she should be like the characters in TV dramas, coughing up blood and lying in bed for a long time.

“It’s me, Mu Rongyi Ke.”

Mu Rongyi found his expression quite amusing. Shangguan Zitong, upon hearing his name, immediately threw a pillow at him.

"Are you seriously ill? Do you find it fun to tease me?"

Shangguan Zitong remained silent.

"I saw you were sleeping too soundly, so I resorted to this drastic measure."

Mu Rongyi said with an innocent look on her face.

"Couldn't you have just woken me up?"

Shangguan Zitong asked, puzzled.

"I am a married man, and besides, men and women should not touch each other."

Mu Rongyi moved a few steps away from her as she spoke.

"..."

You think you're so high and mighty? So I'm supposed to be woken up by cold water in the middle of the night? So I'm just here to eat dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection) all night long?

Mu Rongyi is really bored, coming to show off their love in the middle of the night. Shangguan Zitong had already mentally torn him to pieces several times over.

......