Holding the script, I want to give up.

"Princess Consort, perhaps it's better that you don't know."

"They're keeping this from you, maybe for your own good."

Leqi looked at her seriously and said.

"Leqi, tell me, I don't know how much sadder I am."

"I'm not that fragile."

Shangguan Zitong pulled her to the table and sat her down.

"OK then."

“I was suddenly called to take care of your sister when she was seventeen.”

Le Qi began to speak in detail, and Shangguan Zitong sat upright and listened to her story.

"Back then, she was just like you, enjoying tending to flowers and plants."

"When I went there, she was already pregnant."

"The former crown prince treated her badly."

“Even when she was pregnant, he would occasionally get drunk and beat her. He would beat her whenever something went wrong, and we couldn’t stop him.”

"The former crown prince liked beautiful women, but not sickly beauties. I heard that your sister was in good health when she first married into the family."

"But for some reason, he fell seriously ill and never recovered."

"The former crown prince gradually distanced himself from her."

"She doesn't fight or compete."

"Even when the former crown prince asked her to preside over his wedding with other concubines while she was seriously ill, she did not complain at all."

"She is the gentlest person I have ever met."

Shangguan Zitong felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this and said, "Why don't they know how to treat my sister well, such a wonderful person?"

Leqi was not annoyed by being interrupted and continued to tell her story.

"Your Highness, everyone has their own destiny."

"The former crown prince was a scoundrel. He had a large number of concubines in his household, and he didn't even know the names of some of them."

"Your sister often takes care of those unfavored concubines; she has such a kind heart."

"Later she gave birth to a baby girl, who was strangled in the cradle by the former crown prince."

"Is he even human? He would kill his own child?"

Shangguan Zitong could no longer sit still. She stood up, slammed her hand on the table, and said angrily.

"Your Highness, please sit down and let me finish."

Leqi pulled her down to sit and examined her palms.

Shangguan Zitong felt a pang of sadness.

"She couldn't bear the pain of losing her son and became somewhat insane."

"But actually, she's in good spirits; it was the former crown prince who gave her the medicine that caused her..."

"The former crown prince locked her in the woodshed and fed her spoiled food. He also mistreated her clothing allowance."

"The concubines she took care of ignored the former crown prince's warnings and went to help her."

"Those concubines who helped her were thrown into a mass grave the next day. From then on, no one dared to help her. I was also called to take care of the princess in the palace."

"Later I heard it was the Fifth Prince, the current Crown Prince, who brought him down and rescued her from the woodshed. The chains on her feet must have been after I left..."

"When the former crown prince dies, she must be buried with him and is forbidden to remarry, in order to demonstrate her chastity."

"I secretly slipped out of the palace to see her; she had become emaciated and withered..."

"Leqi, once I'm released from confinement, will you take me to the imperial mausoleum to see her?"

Shangguan Zitong didn't dare ask Leqi if her sister had passed away peacefully.

“Crown Princess, I am incompetent. Only His Highness can take you to the Imperial Mausoleum.”

Leqi had never hated being just a servant so much, and she felt helpless about it.

"Okay, I understand. You've done a great job. It's not your fault."

Shangguan Zitong patted Le Qi's slightly trembling shoulder to comfort her.

"Therefore, Crown Princess, you should not disobey His Highness in the future."

“I know you have been very good to His Highness in Nanning, but you cannot use that to challenge His Highness’s bottom line.”

"His Highness may indulge you, but there's a limit. Your status as Crown Princess is tied to your son..."

Leqi advised.

"Leqi, I've heard a saying: 'Loving someone is like tending a flower; loving yourself should be the same.'"

"His Highness doesn't like me; he's just grateful for the kindness I showed him in Nanning."

"It's obvious to anyone with eyes that the person he likes is his concubine."

"I have enough confidence; I am the best gardener. I don't need anyone else to water me."

"As long as we can coexist peacefully."

Shangguan Zitong shared her thoughts.

She can be a lazy bum, perhaps because she's a princess. And maybe she has the system protecting her too.

If she weren't the little princess of Nanning, perhaps she would have embarked on a business career from a young age, creating many useful little inventions...

......

A few days later, the crabapple trees in Tangxi Pavilion were in full bloom. Shangguan Zitong looked at the crabapple blossoms in full bloom outside the window and said, "It's almost summer."

As she watched Huangfu Hongxi walk towards her bedchamber, she suddenly felt the flowers no longer looked beautiful and closed the window.

Huangfu Hongxi opened the palace door and said, "I heard you want to visit your sister? I can take you there."

"Really? Let's go now."

Shangguan Zitong coughed twice in excitement.

"However, there is one condition—you must take good care of your health and have the royal physician check on you regularly."

Huangfu Hongxi's eyes darkened.

"Isn't this good for me?"

Shangguan Zitong twirled around in front of him to show that she was in good spirits.

"What kind of illness can be faked so well that even the imperial physicians could be fooled? Are you really not sick?"

Huangfu Hongxi did not believe it.

"Oh dear, it's just a minor ailment. I probably got sick from overwork on the way to Beiji."

"The physician can treat my illness if he wants, but I don't want to take medicine; it's too bitter."

"Let's go, let's go, I want to visit my sister."

Shangguan Zitong couldn't wait to step out of the palace. Seeing that Huangfu Hongxi hadn't moved yet, she pulled on his sleeve and walked forward.

"and many more."

Huangfu Hongxi stood in front of Shangguan Zitong and said.

"??? Why are you blocking my way? Don't think you're so great just because you're taller than me."

Shangguan Zitong tried to stand on tiptoe, but she still couldn't reach his level; she could only reach his shoulder.

"Someone, go inside the palace and fetch a cloak."

Huangfu Hongxi was amused by this scene.

"It's getting cold, I was just shielding you from the wind."

Huangfu Hongxi took the cloak handed to him by the maid, draped it over her shoulders, and then pulled her away by her sleeve.

Inside the carriage.

Shangguan Zitong lifted the side curtain to admire the scenery of Beiji.

"Speaking of which, I've been in Beiji for so long, but I haven't gone out to play yet."

Shangguan Zitong stared at the bustling market with shining eyes, wanting to join in the excitement.

"If you want to come out, I'll take you out to play after the spring hunt."

Huangfu Hongxi couldn't help but chuckle at her longing for the market.

"Really? When did you become so kind?"

Shangguan Zitong turned around and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"...I have always been this way, and I have never changed."

"...Stop the car, stop the car. I want to go down and buy a bouquet of flowers for my sister."

"parking."

No sooner had Huangfu Hongxi finished speaking than Shangguan Zitong jumped off the carriage before it had even come to a complete stop.

"I'll be right back, so don't come with me."

Shangguan Zitong lifted the carriage curtain and saw that Huangfu Hongxi was also about to get out of the carriage, so she quickly stopped him.

"...you..."

Huangfu Hongxi was forced to sit back in the carriage and could only lift the side curtain to look at her.

As Shangguan Zitong walked through the market, she found everything pleasing to the eye, even the dog urinating on the hem of her skirt.

"I will endure it, for a small act of impatience could ruin a great plan."

Shangguan Zitong was a little annoyed; the dog was actually mocking her after it finished urinating!

"I can't take it anymore."

She picked up the puppy with one hand and handed it to the driver, saying, "This dog is so dirty, it's obviously a stray. Take it back and have the kitchen staff cook it; I'll eat it tonight."

She lifted the carriage curtain and saw Huangfu Hongxi trying to suppress his laughter, which made her furious. She glared at Huangfu Hongxi and said, "Your Highness, please stop laughing."

"Okay, okay, I won't laugh, but I can't help it."

Huangfu Hongxi thought she was blind, so focused on finding flowers that she didn't even notice a dog urinating at her.

"Please, give me some money so I can change my clothes."

Shangguan Zitong blinked her almond-shaped eyes innocently.

"Here you go, come back quickly."

Huangfu Hongxi tossed her a bag of silver coins.

Shangguan Zitong took the money and went to browse the clothing store. She found a gardenia-colored fish-scale gauze dress, tried it on, and seeing that it looked good, went to pay for it.

She bought a bunch of swallows from an old woman selling flowers, and when she passed a vendor selling candied hawthorns, she couldn't resist buying a few skewers to take back to the carriage to eat.

With flowers in one hand and candied hawthorns in the other, Shangguan Zitong skipped and hopped toward the carriage.

After handing a skewer to the driver, she waved the candied hawthorn in front of the dog, showing off, "I'll make you drool, but I won't give you any."

The coachman smiled kindly and said, "Your Highness, it's time to get in the carriage."

"This dog is too thin, let it rest a bit before stewing it."

After she finished speaking, she got into the carriage.

"Here, this is for you."

She gave Huangfu Hongxi a string of candied hawthorns. Then she quietly ate them by herself in a corner.

Inside the imperial mausoleum.

"Sister, I don't know what you like, but this is the little swallow you gave me back then. I guess you'll like it."

Shangguan Zitong placed the flowers in front of the grave, leaned against the tombstone, and talked to her for a long time. As she spoke, she couldn't help but shed a tear.

Huangfu Hongxi watched her quietly, and when she was exhausted from crying, he helped her up and walked towards the outside of the imperial mausoleum. They returned to the Crown Prince's residence together, remaining silent on the way.

......