Holding the script, I want to give up.

"Your eyes and hair ornaments have changed color."

Xiao Zitong floated up to her face, wanting to take a closer look, but she returned to normal.

Don't worry about it. If you can't bear to do it, then I'll do it for you.

Shangguan Zitong got up and walked out of the hall.

"Hey, I don't mean to shirk responsibility, I'm just scared."

"I used to only be afraid on nights with thunder, but ever since that murder in the bamboo forest..."

"I sometimes don't sleep well at night, so I take naps during the day."

"I..."

Little Zitong floated behind Shangguan Zitong and burst into tears.

Stop crying, it's so noisy! Why are you talking so much?

Shangguan Zitong stopped and walked towards her, squatting down in front of her.

[Once the mission is complete, I'll transform into a fox and sleep with you. Don't cry, okay?]

The system saw her sobbing and thought it looked awful, so it casually conjured up a pack of tissues for her to use.

"You said it yourself."

Xiao Zitong cried even louder when she saw the tissues. She tore off one tissue after another, wiped her face haphazardly, and then threw them on the ground.

Yes, really, let's go.

The system sighed, scattered the tissues, and then stretched out its hands towards her.

"good."

Xiao Zitong stopped crying and let her carry her outside.

"Leqi, have His Highness and the others returned?"

When Shangguan Zitong went to Huangfu Hongxi's study, she found that he was not there, only Le Qi was cleaning.

"Your Highness, this servant does not know either."

After bowing, Le Qi continued to sweep the bookshelves with her feather duster. Shangguan Zitong, seeing that she was unaware of this, waited outside the mansion.

......

The center of the hunting grounds.

"Prince?"

Huangfu Junjun dismounted and went to check if Huangfu Hongxi was still alive. If he was, she would finish him off.

"How could they not kill so many assassins?"

"Your martial arts skills are improving, but you should die now."

After Huangfu Junwen discovered that he was still breathing, she brandished an ordinary dagger and stabbed it towards his heart.

"puff--"

Huangfu Hongxi coughed up a mouthful of blood, his eyes wide with rage as he tried to see who was delivering the final blow. The moment he saw it was his own sister, his heart sank completely.

"Elder sister, why are you doing this to me?"

Besides my father and mother, you are the one who spoils me the most. Huangfu Hongxi kept the unspoken words in his heart.

"Just because you single-handedly made me live the life of a widow."

If Huangfu Hongxi hadn't overthrown the former crown prince, the princess consort wouldn't have died for choosing the wrong side. If the princess consort hadn't died, she would still be a happy little girl, cherished and pampered.

She is now highly likely to be forced into a second marriage. Her mother has passed away, and the Northern Emperor only cares about his own interests. No one can protect her, so she will have to protect herself.

Huangfu Hongxi fainted. Huangfu Junwen pulled out a dagger, walked towards the horse, and killed it with a single blow. She then stabbed herself and placed the dagger in the hand of the nearest assassin. She staged a crime scene and pretended to be the victim as she escaped to get help.

"Your Highness, I don't believe you can live past today."

Huangfu Junwen walked as slowly as she wanted until she saw soldiers approaching her, then she pretended to faint and collapsed to the ground.

When soldiers and maids came to help her up, she pointed shakily in the direction of Huangfu Hongxi and said, "The Crown Prince... has been assassinated..." before fainting.

The maid took Huangfu Junwen back to the camp to treat her injuries, while the soldiers went to find Huangfu Hongxi in the direction she pointed.

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has been assassinated. Has the identity of the perpetrator been determined?"

The chief eunuch carefully served tea to the Northern Emperor and asked him questions.

"No need. Let them fight it out. It's still uncertain who will eventually climb to my throne."

"Go and offer your condolences on my behalf."

The Northern Emperor took the tea and slowly sipped it. The steward responded and went to check if the person was still alive.

Inside the Crown Prince's tent.

"Imperial Physician, how is the Crown Prince?"

Huangfu Junjun covered her wound and said.

"Your Highness, her life hangs by a thread. Please excuse us while I do my utmost to save her."

The imperial physician, after taking the patient's pulse, saw that there was still a glimmer of hope. Thinking that immediate treatment was necessary, he dismissed everyone else, leaving only a group of imperial physicians...

Huangfu Junwen walked out of the tent and saw Song Yao covering her head. She said, "Crown Prince's Consort, why are you covering your head? Also, why aren't you by the Crown Prince's side?"

"Your Highness, I was stung by a wasp and covered my head to avoid looking unsightly. His Highness the Crown Prince asked me to wait for him there, so I could only..."

Song Yao bowed and replied.

"Oh? Interesting."

After Huangfu Junwen finished speaking, she said nothing more, and Song Yao didn't respond either. The two of them waited quietly outside the tent.

"Your Highness, Consort of the Crown Prince, how is His Highness the Crown Prince? His Majesty has sent me to come and see him."

The chief eunuch walked slowly toward them with the small, strolling steps of an old woman and bowed.

"The imperial physicians are doing their best to treat him, but the outcome is still uncertain."

Princess Huangfu Junwen replied.

The three of them waited quietly outside.

Half an hour later, the imperial physicians finally managed to save Huangfu Hongxi's life. They tremblingly wiped away non-existent cold sweat and announced the results to the outside world.

After receiving the news, the steward returned to report.

Wasn't that stab fatal? What a lucky guy. Opportunities to kill him were few and far between, and she missed her chance. She should have delivered a few more blows until he was dead before leaving. Huangfu Junwen fell into self-doubt, muttering to herself as she walked towards her tent.

Song Yao only entered the tent to attend to the sick after they had all left.

......

"Your Highness, it's chilly at night. His Highness probably won't be coming back. Let's go back to the palace."

Leqi draped a cloak over her shoulders.

"Well, come back."

Shangguan Zitong's eyes darkened; she had a bad feeling.

As soon as Shangguan Zitong returned to the palace, she coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground. Le Qi was so frightened that she helped her up and ran to call the palace physician.

Assassination mission failed, penalty in effect.

Xiao Zitong floated to her side, picked up a handkerchief, and wiped away the blood.

"Ah Li, are you still there?"

"Ah Li? Say something to me!"

"Ah Li? Wake up."

Xiao Zitong anxiously circled around her several times.

[Stop arguing, or I'll really die.]

Go check if the county physician has arrived yet.

Shangguan Zitong was still unconscious, and the response she received was from the divine soul within her system space.

After hearing the reply, Xiao Zitong floated outside to look for Leqi. As long as she found her, she could find the royal physician.

Leqi quickly found the royal physician and took him to Shangguan Zitong's bedroom, with little Zitong floating behind him.

Leqi helped the woman onto the bed, and the physician quickly began to treat her.

"Doctor, how is the Crown Princess?"

Leqi asked anxiously from the side, while Xiao Zitong floated in the air and circled around her.

"Don't rush, let me take a look first."

The physician took her pulse with one hand and examined her eyelids with the other.

"Ah Li, am I alright?"

Xiao Zitong was worried about her own physical condition; she had forgotten that the system was still experiencing pain inside her.

No, it will only get worse.

The system was speechless. Why don't you take care of it?

“That’s strange. A few days ago, when I checked the Crown Princess’s pulse, it was clear that she was just suffering from overwork. I could just prescribe some medicine for her and gradually treat her.”

"Why does it look so serious today? He looks like a dying man. I will do my best."

The physician shook his head helplessly, wondering what had happened to this young woman to cause her to be in such poor health.

"Doctor, you must save the Crown Princess! She's so young!"

Leqi knelt on the ground and bowed to the doctor.

"Leqi, get up, I'll be alright."

Xiao Zitong floated beside Leqi and tried to pull her up, only to find that her body was dissipating.

"How can I accept such a great gift? I will certainly do my best to help."

After the physician helped Leqi up, he went back to the pharmacy to get the prescription, while Leqi stayed by her bedside to take care of her.

What's going on? Am I dissipating?

Xiao Zitong floated in front of Shangguan Zitong again, only to be pulled back to her original body by a powerful suction force.

"Ahhh, I'm back! Where are you?"

Shangguan Zitong anxiously searched for the fox in the system space, but couldn't find it.

[Host, don't panic. I've been discovered by the Heavenly Dao. You should try to survive for now.]

I'll be back as soon as possible, don't be afraid.

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

In the middle of the night, Shangguan Zitong's fingers twitched, and Le Qi noticed and quickly moved closer to her face.

"What did you say, Your Highness? I can't hear you."

Leqi's ear was practically pressed against her lips, but she still couldn't hear what she was saying.

"...Water...water...I want...to drink..."

Shangguan Zitong said with difficulty.

Damn it, this is going to kill me with thirst! Shangguan Zitong felt extremely thirsty.

"Alright, please don't say anything, I'll go get it for you."

Leqi picked up the kettle from the square table, poured water into a cup, then took it to her, helped her up, and fed her the water.

She drank very quickly, and seeing this, Leqi poured her another glass of water. After she finished drinking, she helped her lie down, covered her with a blanket, and continued to stay by her side.

......