Holding the script, I want to give up.

The next day.

"Ah Li, once we leave the palace, the dragon energy shouldn't be as strong."

"Why don't we take this opportunity to run away?"

After waking up, Shangguan Zitong gently patted its head and said.

No, even without dragon energy, there's still Huangfu Hongxi's luck.

It opened its eyes and looked at her.

"Oh well."

"Then I'll try to hold on a little longer."

Not long after Shangguan Zitong woke up, a group of maids filed in to help her wash and change.

She sat bored in front of the vanity mirror, playing with her nails and staring blankly at her reflection. She felt like a puppet on a string.

"Your Highness, you..."

Leqi wanted to ask why Shangguan Zitong was so relaxed, but she couldn't bring herself to say it, fearing that if she did, Shangguan Zitong would threaten suicide again.

"Oh? Your Highness? Interesting."

"Just say what you have to say, don't pique my curiosity."

Her thoughts were interrupted as she looked at Leqi in the mirror and said that the system had long since gone back to its space to take a nap.

"His Majesty instructed us to address you that way."

"I just wanted to ask, why..."

Leqi still couldn't bring herself to say it.

"Why don't you just try to kill yourself, huh?"

“When I was making a scene, you were worried I was going to die. Huangfu Hongxi is blaming you for it.”

“When I’m not making a fuss, you can’t understand why I’m not making a fuss anymore.”

"I value my life very much."

After Shangguan Zitong finished dressing, she went to the soft couch and lay down to read the storybook that Le Qi had just brought her.

"Leqi, if you have time, please bring me some nice storybooks, okay?"

"it is good."

Shangguan Zitong had only read a few pages when Huangfu Hongxi arrived.

"After we finish eating, we'll go out."

Huangfu Hongxi brought a food box into the hall, placed it on the dining table, opened it, and served the food and a bowl of medicine.

"it is good."

The two finished their meal in silence.

"Drink your medicine before you go."

Huangfu Hongxi pushed the medicine in front of her and said.

"...cough...cough...I don't want to drink."

This damn cough couldn't have come at the worst possible time. Even if I can't taste anything, I'm not drinking it. "Medicine is always bitter," Shangguan Zitong muttered to herself.

"You can only go after you drink it."

"Damn it, I'll drink it, okay? Seriously..."

After gulping down the medicine, she put down the bowl and glared at Huangfu Hongxi.

"Unlock the lock for me, I need to take a bath and change my clothes."

"Damn it, I'm suffocating! I haven't changed my clothes in ages, I'm practically stinking. These days are going to be tough." Shangguan Zitong was internally screaming in frustration.

"Okay, I'll wait for you outside."

After Huangfu Hongxi unlocked her chains, the maids brought her hot water, and she let them help her bathe and change her clothes. After changing, she and he went out of the palace to pay homage to Yibai.

......

Inside the carriage, Shangguan Zitong was dressed in mourning clothes, her hair tied with hemp rope. A white flower adorned her hair bun. Huangfu Hongxi wore a silver-white robe with cloud patterns, somewhat similar to her attire.

"Are you dressed like this to pay your respects?"

Shangguan Zitong found his outfit particularly ironic and jarring.

"Why, can't it?"

Huangfu Hongxi looked at her and asked in return.

"Um... I think if Yibo saw you, he probably wouldn't let you go even if he became a ghost."

"I reckon even the coffin lid couldn't contain his resentment."

"Why don't you wait nearby?"

Shangguan Zitong looked at him and kindly advised him.

"What if you run away?"

"Um...don't worry, I won't run away. So many lives are tied to your hands."

Seeing that she couldn't persuade him, Shangguan Zitong simply closed her eyes for a nap. Anyway, they were still far from their destination, and she didn't want to talk to him. Huangfu Hongxi noticed that she didn't even want to lift the side curtain to look at the scenery outside with her eyes closed, and he felt that she seemed to have changed. She wasn't as afraid and restless as before.

"Xu~"

"Your Majesty, we have arrived."

After Hongjin stopped the horse and tied it up, he called out to Huangfu Hongxi.

"Let's go."

After Shangguan Zitong got out of the car, Huangfu Hongxi draped a white fox fur coat over her shoulders.

"Thank you, I can do it myself."

Shangguan Zitong slapped away his hand that was tying the ribbon for her, put down the square box in her hand, and casually tied a knot in her own fur coat and pulled it tighter around her.

"Let's go, you lead the way."

After she tied it up and picked up the box, she said to him in a calm tone.

"Are you so eager to see him? Even if he's dead, do you still miss him?"

When Huangfu Hongxi saw his hand being knocked away, his eyes were filled with unconcealed sorrow and obsession.

"Are you crazy?! Why are you arguing with a dead person?"

"Even though he's dead, you won't let him rest in peace?"

"Hurry up and lead the way. If you're not coming, I'll find my way myself."

"Damn it, we're already here, what's with all this fussing and nagging?" Shangguan Zitong rolled her eyes at him, utterly speechless.

"Come on, I'll show you the way."

"Hongjin, you stay here and wait."

After Huangfu Hongxi finished speaking, he led her along a small path to Yibai's grave.

"You yearn for freedom, so I picked a dandelion; it can take you anywhere you want to go."

She squatted down, took out a bunch of dandelions from the food box, held them in her hands, blew them away, and let them drift in the wind.

"If you want to travel around the beautiful landscapes, I've painted a few pictures of the most amazing sights I've ever seen. I think you'll like them."

After she took out the paintings and opened them, she took out a tinderbox, blew on it, and burned all the paintings.

I don't know if you like to drink.

She took out a wine jug and poured the wine in front of his grave.

"These hyacinths are beautiful, I think you'll like them."

She placed a bunch of pale purple hyacinths at his grave. The rest were some common offerings, which she arranged and burned one by one. Then she began to murmur to him. Huangfu Hongxi stood quietly behind her, listening to her soft murmurs.

"If only I hadn't taken you in back then, and hadn't made you my bodyguard..."

"Or it would be better to be stricter with you and not so lenient..."

"Looking at these maple trees covering the mountains reminds me of my brother's mother..."

"Yibai...I...seem to be someone who always hides behind you, a cowardly person who values ​​life..."

Shangguan Zitong's voice trailed off as she spoke, tears soaking her clothes. She sobbed uncontrollably, feeling utterly helpless. Huangfu Hongxi watched her retreating figure, feeling utterly forlorn, yet dared not approach to disturb her.

As evening fell, the sunset painted the sky red. The autumn wind brushed her hair and blew past the hem of her clothes. She smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear, packed up the box, picked it up, and slowly walked toward Huangfu Hongxi.

"Let's go, I'm tired."

Shangguan Zitong's eyes were red, and she seemed lost in thought.

"Um, do you need me to help you?"

Huangfu Hongxi looked at her frail, delicate body and worried about her mental state.

"Uh...cough...cough...no need."

Shangguan Zitong pulled her fox fur coat tighter around her and followed behind him, letting him shield her from the wind.

Inside Yikun Palace.

"Your Majesty, that prince of Cining Palace has been far too presumptuous lately."

The old woman massaged Song Yao's shoulders and said in a sinister tone.

"Mind your own business if it's none of your concern."

"You can't be unaware of the ways of survival in the palace, can you?"

"If this happens again, you'll be free to retire from the palace."

"Go back."

Song Yao squinted slightly, picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said.

"Yes, I know I was wrong."

After the old woman finished her bow and left, Song Yao strolled alone in the garden.

"Someone, bring me a pair of scissors."

Song Yao said to the maidservant on duty in the distance.

"Yes, Your Majesty, please wait a moment, I will go and find it for you right away."

After the maid finished speaking and bowed, she left. Song Yao sat on the stone chair, quietly admiring the flowers and waiting.

"Your Majesty, here are the scissors you requested."

The maid bowed and handed her the scissors.

"Well, back off."

Song Yao took the scissors and glanced at the other flowers next to the peony.

"Overestimating its own abilities, it dared to compete with the peony in beauty and splendor."

She used scissors to cut down all the flowers near the peony, forcing them to wither before their blooming season was over. Feeling relieved, she wandered around aimlessly.

She ruthlessly destroyed the flowers. The palace gardener, seeing the withered blossoms scattered on the ground, cursed which blind scoundrel had cut them. The vibrant display of his flowers, blooming in competition, was gone, leaving only a lone peony. He was furious. After being told by a maid that it was the Empress's doing, he fell silent.

"It's Her Majesty the Empress."

"It's cut so well, a single branch blooms alone."

“It must be the other flowers that displeased the lady. I cut them all down, leaving only the peony.”

The gardener offered a remedy.

Inside the Cining Palace, Huangfu Hongxi watched as Shangguan Zitong finished his meal and medicine before leaving. After he left, she dismissed everyone, lay down on the soft couch, leaned against the system's back, hugged its tail, and watched the movie on the ceiling with it.

"Ah Li, turn it off after I fall asleep. Don't waste your energy."

"I can't concentrate anymore, I'm a little sleepy."

Shangguan Zitong rubbed his eyes and dozed off.

Okay, you can sleep peacefully now.

The system turned off the movie when it saw her close her eyes, played a few lullabies, and fell asleep with her.

......