Holding the script, I want to give up.

During the midday break at the Beiji Imperial Palace, some palace staff were on duty while others rested, operating on a shift system. Those resting gathered together to discuss what they considered to be the most important events happening in their respective areas.

"Hey, have you heard about it?"

A maid from Yikun Palace started the conversation.

"I heard, I heard. The Cining Palace has been sealed off and turned into a forbidden area."

A maid who had once served in Yikun Palace and later transferred to another palace said.

"Shh! Stop talking, stop talking! Anyone who utters those three words will be beaten to death."

A young eunuch placed his index finger on his philtrum as a gesture to silence.

"Yes, yes, those three words have become an invisible prohibition."

"One of the guards said."

"Oh, that girl was so tragic. She was only sixteen when she passed away."

"It's an old nanny," said the old woman.

"What's so tragic about it? She deserved it. Who told her to seduce His Majesty with that vixen-like face?"

The old woman who served Song Yao said.

"Pah, you old geezer, how dare you slander His Highness! I'll tear your mouth apart!"

Leqi, who was passing by the rest and recreation room, overheard them talking about Shangguan Zitong, especially the old nanny who was slandering Shangguan Zitong, which made her furious. She immediately started fighting with the nanny.

"Isn't that so? His Majesty only has the Empress in his palace, and has never given that person a title."

"Besides, that man is mentally unstable and has the audacity to attempt to murder the emperor. It would be better if he were dead."

The old woman, with her nose in the air, spoke arrogantly to Leqi, completely unaware of her mistake.

"Bullshit, you're spouting nonsense."

"Use your pig brain and think carefully about why Her Highness would hang herself!"

"If His Majesty hadn't kept her under house arrest in the palace and killed her guards, would Your Highness have been so despondent as to burn herself alive?"

"Did you hear the piece Her Highness played before she died? It was 'Yangchun Baixue' (White Snow in Spring). She wished for each and every one of you to live well!"

After Leqi slapped the old woman twice, the others, seeing that things were getting out of hand, pulled them apart.

"Alright, alright, stop discussing it. It's time for your shift. Everyone, please disperse."

Hongjin acted as a peacemaker, waving away the crowd that had gathered to discuss the matter.

"Why did you argue with that old woman for no reason? The dead can't be brought back to life."

Hongjin offered her words of comfort and advice.

"I apologize to Your Highness, I only wanted to clear her name. I don't understand why that old woman would trample on Your Highness."

Tears welled up in Leqi's eyes; she was extremely aggrieved.

"Alas, public morality resides in people's hearts; everyone has a scale in their heart."

"Even if you explain, they won't listen; they'll just stick to their own opinions."

So stop explaining, you know the answer in your heart. Go do your own thing.

Hongjin shared his insights.

"I understand. Thank you for your patience in persuading me. I appreciate your help."

Leqi wiped the tears from her face and pretended to be strong.

Inside Yikun Palace, Song Yao was so weak that she couldn't get out of bed. Huangfu Hongxi sat beside her, watching her.

"I'm sorry I couldn't always be by your side. I will treat you well from now on."

He looked at her with guilt, his eyes filled with sorrow.

"What happened? You look so downcast."

Song Yao never left Yikun Palace from the start of her childbirth, and no palace servants told her what was happening outside.

"She hanged herself; it's all my fault."

"I shouldn't have confined her to the Cining Palace and broken her wings."

“If I set her free, perhaps she won’t set herself on fire and burn herself to death.”

"She was too cruel to herself and had no awareness of asking others for help."

"It's all my fault for locking her up and locking the door; she can't escape even if she wants to."

Huangfu Hongxi covered his face with one hand and blamed himself.

"...She...this can be considered a kind of relief."

"Although I haven't known her for long, I can tell that she is a lively and active girl."

“This deep palace is not suitable for her.”

"Your Majesty, perhaps she once longed for freedom, but having been trapped in this palace for so long, she has forgotten what freedom is."

Song Yao reached out and touched his hand, comforting him.

"I heard from people in the palace that she played a piece called 'Yangchun Baixue' (White Snow in Spring), so it seems she no longer hates me."

Huangfu Hongxi seemed lost in thought.

"Your Majesty, stop thinking about it. You should think about how to bury her properly."

"Should we be buried in Beiji or in Nanning?"

Song Yao looked at him and said gently, "The person is dead and you don't even hold a funeral for them. What are you pretending to be so affectionate for?" Song Yao was gradually losing patience with him.

"Since she longed for freedom, then I shall scatter her ashes in the river and let them drift into the sea."

"That way, she can go to every corner of the world."

A flicker of reluctance crossed Huangfu Hongxi's eyes. He actually wanted to steep her ashes in tea and drink it every day, so that she could become one with him, and her mark would be imprinted on his soul. But he knew he couldn't, because she hated him.

"..."

"Your Majesty, please make your own arrangements. I am tired."

Song Yao was utterly speechless. Who scatters someone's ashes? What kind of deep-seated hatred or resentment would that create? He's truly gone mad.

"Then you should rest well. I'm leaving."

Huangfu Hongxi got up and left.

......

Upon hearing this news, Shangguan Nuoyou and Shangguan Jin, who were far away in Nanning, both went to Beiji to demand an explanation from Huangfu Hongxi.

Inside the Nanning Imperial Palace, Shangguan Zitong was packing her luggage to leave for Beiji when she was stopped by Xuan Ye.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't go. What if it's a trap?"

"Princess Xiyue has returned. Your abilities are not yet sufficient to confront Huangfu Hongxi. Please wait a little longer."

"Your sister will surely return safely; you must believe in Princess Zitong."

"Your current strength is no match for his."

Xuan Ye put down the luggage he had packed and gently hugged him from behind.

"I know, but I still can't put my mind at ease."

"Xi Yue didn't return through my efforts. Although I don't know what happened between them, it must be because of my sister that Huangfu Hongxi..."

"And the reason given for sending her back is so outrageous... I really can't help but have doubts about Zitong's death."

"What if my sister really perished in the fire?"

"Why would she want to hang herself? No, I have to go see for myself to be at ease."

"If my sister really is gone, I want to bring her ashes back to Nanning."

Shangguan Nuoyou turned around and hugged Xuan Ye back, burying her face in his neck and sighing.

"What will happen to Nanning after you leave?"

"A country cannot be without a ruler for a single day. I don't need to explain this principle; even a three-year-old child understands it."

"Your Majesty, Princess Zitong has more than one brother. Let Shangguan Jin go."

"You still have to help that child!"

Xuan Ye patted his back gently.

"Okay, I understand. I won't go."

When will I finally be able to truly be in charge?

"Why must we always have to sacrifice my sisters to achieve the peace we have today?"

"Watching them die like this...it really...hurts me."

“I watched Xiyue grow up. Zitong left for a few years, but I never thought of sending them to their deaths.”

Shangguan Nuoyou sobbed softly, tears welling in her eyes and wetting Xuan Ye's collar.

"Cry, you have to let it all out eventually."

"It's alright, Your Majesty, we will eventually become strong."

Xuan Ye let Shangguan Nuoyou lean on his shoulder. He planned to reason with him after he calmed down...

Meanwhile, Shangguan Jin in Baihuai had already packed his bags and was preparing to head to Beiji.

"My dear friends, there's no need to see me off."

"I'm just going to visit relatives."

"I'll be back."

"Please let me go, okay?"

Shangguan Jin said helplessly to the friends who were blocking his courtyard.

"No, you can't leave. Your sister is Shangguan Zitong. I heard she died in Beiji."

His friend Xuanming grabbed his arm and said.

"Exactly, what if you go and fight Huangfu Hongxi to the death?"

His friend Bai Yue grabbed his other arm and said.

“They’re right, you can’t leave this courtyard, and you can’t go anywhere.”

His friend Yan Yuan grabbed his legs, preventing him from moving.

"If you're friends for life, let me go. I'm just going to take my sister back to China."

"If it weren't for her, you wouldn't have seen me at all. How could you be chatting with me like this?"

Shangguan Jin said, somewhat annoyed.

"Then you have to let us go with you."

Yan Yuandao.

"Yes, there's strength in numbers, so we feel more at ease."

Baiyue Road.

"It's settled then. Let's go pack our bags."

Xuanming Dao.

"Okay, I'll wait for you. Let's set off together."

Seeing that they had released him, Shangguan Jin resigned himself to sitting on the stone bench in the courtyard and waiting for them...

Inside the Crown Prince's residence in Dongchuan, Liu Yunwan collapsed to the ground, and Mu Rongyi helped her up.

"Is this true? Zitong is dead?"

Liu Yunwan looked at Mu Rongyi in disbelief, wondering how such a vibrant person as Shangguan Zitong could choose to hang herself.

"It's true, my spy who went to Beiji reported it."

"It's true. After all, it's very difficult for them to send messages back here. You asked me to check it out a few days ago..."

Mu Rongyi helped her sit on the soft couch.

......