Holding the script, I want to give up.

The next day.

"Your Highness, His Highness requests your presence."

A maid came to Shangguan Zitong's bedroom to convey Huangfu Hongxi's message. Seeing her haggard appearance, the maid felt that this Crown Princess was in a very bad state.

"Can you tell me why he summoned me?"

Shangguan Zitong sat in front of the dressing table, applying makeup to make herself look like an ordinary person.

"Your Highness, I do not know."

"Then lead the way."

After quickly applying her makeup, Shangguan Zitong followed the maid to the main hall.

"Your Highness, what brings you here?"

She gave him a slight bow.

"Sit down, let's have a meal together."

Huangfu Hongxi said calmly.

"Ah."

Shangguan Zitong reluctantly sat down and ate with them.

"They're all this way, and all they're doing is calling her over for a meal. Damn it, it doesn't matter where they eat, they make her travel all this way just to watch them show off their love. I'm speechless." She muttered to herself.

"Does the Crown Princess think this dish is alright?"

Huangfu Hongxi was excited when he saw Shangguan Zitong pick up a piece of spicy chicken and asked her.

"Okay."

Shangguan Zitong took a sip and said lightly.

"Has Huangfu Hongxi lost his mind lately? Asking me how I feel? I can't even taste it properly, how am I supposed to know what's so special about this spicy chicken?" She thought he'd been acting a bit crazy lately.

Do you like the crabapple blossoms in front of the palace?

Huangfu Hongxi asked again, unwilling to give up.

"I never said I liked crabapple blossoms. So, Your Highness, that bedchamber looks similar to my palace in Nanning; was it your design?"

Shangguan Zitong put down her chopsticks. Seeing Song Yao's ashen face, she vaguely sensed that Song Yao might secretly sabotage her. She should have known better than to say those words.

"Yes, it's a 1:1 replica, but I can't find a tree that looks very similar."

"The chef who makes the spicy chicken was someone I found from Nanning."

"Is it not to your taste? Why aren't you eating?"

Huangfu Hongxi said earnestly.

"I'm full, so what do you mean by this, Your Highness? Are you pitying me?"

Shangguan Zitong dared not ask, "Have you been possessed? Why are you suddenly so terrifying?"

"No, I'm sorry, I just wanted to make up for neglecting you for the past month or so."

Huangfu Hongxi said sadly, feeling that things had spiraled out of his control.

"...There's absolutely no need for that."

Shangguan Zitong was speechless.

"Does Your Highness think that I have bewitched you and ruined your relationship with the Crown Princess?"

Song Yao looked at him with a pitiful expression.

"Yaoyao, that's not what I meant. I just feel guilty towards the Crown Princess and want to make amends."

Huangfu Hongxi put his arm around Song Yao and said.

"Then Your Highness might as well write a divorce agreement to satisfy the Crown Princess. That would be the best compensation."

Song Yao probed.

"Yes, my sister is right. I would be very happy if you wrote down the divorce papers."

Shangguan Zitong looked at him happily.

"Don't even think about it. The concubine is confined to Shuiyun Pavilion."

Song Yao was pushed to the ground by Huangfu Hongxi.

"No, are you seriously ill? What do you mean by confining her to her palace?"

Shangguan Zitong quickly got up and ran to help Song Yao up.

Song Yao was shocked that Shangguan Zitong dared to speak to Huangfu Hongxi like that. Wasn't there a distinction between superiors and inferiors? Was she just used to the way the prince spoke to her back in Nanning, when he was still a hostage?

“She said the wrong thing, so she should be confined to her quarters to reflect on her mistake.”

Huangfu Hongxi found this scene a bit jarring; the two of them were now like best friends.

"You must be really bored. I'll take my concubine back to Shuiyun Pavilion."

As Shangguan Zitong spoke, she took Song Yao away, ignoring Huangfu Hongxi's gaze.

She was halfway there when the family stopped asking her to continue, so Shangguan Zitong had no choice but to return to her own Tangxi Pavilion.

......

"Ah Li, do you think Huangfu Hongxi is trying to incite infighting among us?"

Shangguan Zitong lay on the bed reading a storybook belonging to Bei Ji's side.

Perhaps he likes both Song Yao and...?

"His affection is so cheap!"

"I think the unattainable is always more alluring; otherwise, why would he be so good to me?"

Shangguan Zitong looked at him with an expression that said the whole truth, leaving the system speechless.

[...Host, you're being narcissistic.]

"Look, Song Yao is naturally his ideal woman, someone I can't compare to."

"What if I become the cinnabar mole between his eyebrows?"

"Holy crap, if that's really the case, I'm doomed. I can't get a divorce then, so I'll just have to fake my death."

【Host, you have quite the imagination.】

Why don't you go and ask him?

"Forget it, I have a feeling things aren't going well lately, it's best not to go."

Shangguan Zitong changed her posture while reading the storybook.

After a few relatively quiet days, Huangfu Hongxi came to Shangguan Zitong's Tangxi Pavilion again.

Shangguan Zitong asked Leqi to buy some flower and plant seeds outside, and she busied herself tidying up the yard, having a great time.

Summer is approaching, and the weather is gradually getting hotter. She squatted down to bury the seeds and wiped the sweat from her face, accidentally getting some dirt on her nose.

After finishing, she looked at her masterpiece and smiled happily. But when she turned around, she saw Huangfu Hongxi walking towards her, and her smile vanished instantly.

Huangfu Hongxi viewed the scene of her smiling just now through a filter; even with her face covered in graffiti, she was still beautiful.

"Your Highness, I'm just here for a short rest."

As Huangfu Hongxi spoke, he lay down on the small couch inside the hall. Shangguan Zitong originally wanted to shoo him away, but seeing that he was really tired, she stopped.

"Alright, you go to sleep, I'm going to swing on the swing."

After Shangguan Zitong finished speaking, seeing that he had fallen asleep, she casually found a blanket to cover him, then left the hall and closed the door behind her.

She was bored and did a few exercises of Baduanjin to pass the time, but swinging on the swing was boring because no one was pushing her.

"Your Highness, it's time for dinner. His Highness is still taking a nap. What should we do?"

Leqi saw Shangguan Zitong fishing in the fishpond next to the crabapple tree, looking like a meditating immortal.

"Serve the meal. You tidy up the place, and I'll go wake him up right away."

Shangguan Zitong stood up, casually tossed the fishing rod on the ground, and walked into the hall.

"Is the Crown Princess perhaps a little foolish, fishing without bait?"

While packing her fishing gear, Leqi muttered to herself that she felt the Crown Princess was too kind and that she should treat her better in the future.

"Hey, wake up, it's time to eat."

Shangguan Zitong went up and slapped Huangfu Hongxi twice across the face, though it was a light slap.

Huangfu Hongxi was still a bit dazed when he was slapped awake, and grabbed her wrist like a zombie.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! Huangfu Hongxi, let go of me! My wrist is going to break!"

Shangguan Zitong's expression twisted.

"How dare you call me by my name and slap me? Have I been too nice to you lately?"

Huangfu Hongxi released her wrist and stood up to move closer to her. Shangguan Zitong had no choice but to step back.

I called your name in a moment of panic, please don't mind.

“I was hungry, but you were still asleep. They all revolve around you, so I wanted to wake you up.”

Shangguan Zitong said, feeling wronged. She admitted that slapping him was to get revenge. But it didn't warrant pinching her wrist until it was red and bruised. Was he that wary?

"Alright, I'll have my meal here today. Let them serve the food."

Huangfu Hongxi stopped and said.

"I've already had them pass it on."

Shangguan Zitong looked like she wanted praise.

"..."

Shangguan Zitong sat opposite him, while the maids served and arranged the dishes. She sat upright and ate with utmost elegance, slowly and leisurely.

"Um, please lift Song Yao's confinement."

Shangguan Zitong felt that Song Yao was not like her and Sister Liu. If Song Yao, who did not have a system, were confined to her home, she would really be very bored.

"Don't talk while eating."

Huangfu Hongxi picked up a piece of spicy chicken for her.

"Oh."

Shangguan Zitong devoured her food in a whirlwind, then rested one hand on the table and the other on her chin, gazing at him. She would ask him questions after he finished eating.

"Your eating manners are a bit... You should avoid doing this in front of others."

Huangfu Hongxi felt that she was eating too fast, which would be bad for her stomach.

"Don't talk while eating."

This time, it was Guan Zitong's turn to fight back.

"..."

And so, one person ate quietly, while the other tapped his bowl and chopsticks listlessly, remaining silent.

Are you in a bad mood? Has something important happened recently? You've been acting a bit strange lately.

Seeing that he had finished eating, Shangguan Zitong couldn't wait to ask while the maid was tidying up.

"I'll lift her confinement when I get back."

"The spring hunt is coming up soon, and there will be plenty of open and covert struggles. I'm worried about it."

"Your Highness, there are too many things to do. What do you suggest I do?"

Huangfu Hongxi poured out his troubles to her as if he had opened a floodgate.

"Just let nature take its course. Those who obey me prosper, those who oppose me perish. I understand such a simple principle."

"Just hang in there a little longer, you'll get through this eventually."

"If you really don't want to go, just pretend to be sick like me. There's a spring hunt every year anyway, so why do we have to go this year?"

Shangguan Zitong spouted off her own ideas without thinking. She forgot that his position as crown prince was won through open and covert struggles.

"Your thinking is still too naive."

"You should rest. I need to attend to official business."

After Huangfu Hongxi finished speaking, he got up and left.

"Farewell to His Highness the Crown Prince."

Seeing everyone bowing in unison, Shangguan Zitong also gave a slight bow.

......