Holding the script, I want to give up.

"Wait a minute, are you really that trusting of me?"

Zhou Jiyang called out to Shangguan Nuoyou, who was about to leave.

"I believe in the person my sister saved."

He paused for about three seconds to reply before leaving.

"That's it."

Zhou Jiyang was lost in thought.

"Ah Li, why do I feel like this kid is a bit precocious? Or is it just my imagination?"

Shangguan Zitong would occasionally admire the fish swimming in the river, and then glance at the screen, multitasking.

How can a child who has experienced hardship not mature early?

The fox would occasionally paw at the fish swimming in the river, then release them.

"That's true."

"Your Majesty, do you really intend to raise him as the crown prince? He's still a child; he doesn't have that many complicated ideas yet."

Xuan Ye was worried that the child wouldn't be able to persevere, so he advised Shangguan Nuoyou.

Do you think my judgment is wrong?

"Or do you think I'm too cruel, making things difficult for a child?"

“A person without roots is the easiest to control, and he has experienced the hardships of life. I believe that he may be able to do what I cannot.”

"I am destined to have no heir, and I cannot trust the sons of those ministers. Nanning cannot be destroyed in my hands. Can you understand me?"

Shangguan Nuoyou reviewed the memorial in his hand.

“I understand, I’m just worried that the child won’t be able to handle the hardship.”

"Although he will lose something in return for something he gains, he is still just a child."

Xuan Ye ground ink for him beside him.

"Then let's wait and see for a month."

"Let's see how it goes."

He looked at Xuan Ye with certainty and said.

"Ah."

Xuan Ye also wanted to see the child's willpower.

"All they know is how to bully minors."

"Zhou Jiyang is only in elementary school, why does he have to learn so much?"

Shangguan Zitong suddenly felt that even if she were given such immense wealth, she couldn't handle it. After all, it would be too exhausting, and she wouldn't be able to persevere.

Within a month, the child excelled in all subjects except for martial arts, especially etiquette.

"Okay, you can stay here. This will be the same every month from now on, understand?"

"I'll give you three days off first. If you want to go out of the palace to play, go find Xuan Ye and ask him to take you out."

Shangguan Nuoyou was slightly surprised after testing him on all the items. He was indeed more outstanding and hardworking than she had been when she was a child.

"No, that's far from enough. I need to improve my martial arts skills. I won't go out for the next three days."

Zhou Jiyang not only studied during the day, but also worked late into the night to achieve his current modest success.

"My goodness, this is equivalent to the tension of the college entrance exam! This kid is something else!"

Shangguan Zitong couldn't help but clap her hands in admiration as she watched Zhou Jiyang working hard in front of the screen.

"Do as you please, I won't stop you, after all, it's your own body."

Shangguan Nuoyou left the examination hall and went to the main hall to discuss matters with the ministers.

"Zhou Jiyang, don't you really want to go out and have fun?"

"The candied hawthorns and sugar figurines outside are so delicious, our Princess Zitong loves them."

Xuan Ye wanted to take him out to have some fun and relax, but he didn't seem to appreciate it or have any expectations.

"Huh? I like candied hawthorn berries?"

Shangguan Zitong thought it must be because she bought candied hawthorns as soon as she went out that they thought she liked to eat them. Actually, she didn't have any particular favorite foods. As long as they tasted good, she was fine with them. She wasn't that picky.

[It was probably revealed unintentionally.]

"Is what you said true?"

"If you're leaving the palace, please bring me a string of them, thank you."

After Zhou Jiyang finished speaking, he continued to study the martial arts moves in the book, occasionally demonstrating them.

"Well, you're really hard to persuade, kid."

"If you have any questions about martial arts, you can ask me, or you can ask your martial arts master."

"His skill in martial arts is also quite good."

After speaking, Xuan Ye left with a dashing back view.

......

Almost a year has passed, and Zhou Jiyang has excelled in all his courses. However, he needs to persevere in martial arts, which cannot be achieved overnight.

Upon learning that his younger sister had passed away, and that Xiyue had been sent back to Nanning under duress, and that Zitong's ashes seemed to have been scattered into the river by Huangfu Hongxi, Shangguan Nuoyou felt resentful that he could do nothing but accept it all.

"Xuan Ye, they are bullying us too much."

"When will this end? I can't take it anymore."

"Both of my younger sisters perished in Beiji. How can I face them in the afterlife? I have no face to meet them!"

Shangguan Nuoyou stared at the palace where Shangguan Zitong used to live, almost in despair. She wanted to go inside but didn't dare, muttering to herself outside the palace.

"Your Majesty, cheer up, you still have that child to raise."

"If you fall ill, who will take charge?"

"A gentleman takes his revenge even after ten years. It's not the last moment yet. We will become stronger."

“Since she went to Beijidao, you have never set foot in her palace.”

"Why don't you go into the palace and take a look? Maybe she'll leave something for you."

Xuan Ye comforted him and helped the unsteady man into the palace.

"Ah Li, is there anything that can help my brother?"

Let me check your location.

[Explosives aren't suitable; I'm afraid he'll get lost. I'll look for more.]

"Hmm... this will do. Mechanisms are enough to protect myself; I can't offer much more help."

"Okay, thank you, please send it over."

Shangguan Zitong glanced at the various weapons on the Xuan paper and, finding it feasible, had the system transfer them over. She even made sure to place them at the very bottom of the dressing case, as if they had been stored away for a long time.

"It seems I have no idea what Zitong truly likes."

"When did these once inseparable siblings become so estranged?"

"She usually likes to tinker with little gadgets, and her dressing table is her own little world."

Sadly, Shangguan Nuoyou slowly opened each of her dressing table drawers, wanting to see what she had left behind.

"Maybe it's because we've all grown up, and the distance between us has just grown."

A faint sadness also appeared on Shangguan Zitong's face.

"The princess left so cleanly, without leaving any trace."

Xuan Ye stared at the jewelry boxes, each one open but empty, and for the first time realized that Shangguan Zitong was a heartless person. She had left nothing behind.

"Maybe there are more."

Seeing that the box was not fully opened, Shangguan Nuoyou continued to open the other cabinets.

"This jade bracelet... looks familiar."

As soon as Shangguan Nuoyou opened the next dressing case, she saw the green jade bracelet.

"Isn't this the accessory Huangfu Hongxi got as a free gift when he bought something on the street?"

"What's so familiar about it?"

“Your Majesty, this seems to be something that the current Emperor Beiji’s birth mother received during a period of great favor, and it is essentially a relic to him.”

"How could he so casually entrust something so important to the princess?"

"There must be something fishy about the princess's death!"

Xuan Ye guessed.

"Stop speculating! I, the person involved, think there's nothing wrong!"

Is this the same logic as the author admitting they didn't get a perfect score on their reading comprehension test?

"It really didn't mean that much."

Shangguan Zitong said with distress.

Shouldn't you consider why Huangfu Hongxi would give you his birth mother's belongings?

The system is acidic.

"Yes, the more I look at it, the more it resembles me."

"Go and fetch a portrait of Huangfu Hongxi's birth mother for me to compare."

Shangguan Nuoyou stroked the jade bracelet in her hand.

"Yes, I'll go get it right away."

After Xuan Ye finished speaking, he left, leaving Xuan Ye alone in the palace to ponder the problem. The white fox found him and jumped between his legs to rest.

"Wow, the fox my brother gave me looks quite like you!"

Shangguan Zitong exclaimed in admiration.

"You're not as good-looking as me, and you still haven't answered my question."

"I really don't know, did he like me back then?"

Then why did he treat me like this?

"I don't want to talk about him at all. He disgusts me."

Shangguan Zitong recalled some unpleasant memories and unconsciously began to vomit.

I'm sorry, I overreacted.

The system's fox tail gently patted her back, relieving her discomfort.

"This isn't your fault."

"Your Majesty, look, this is indeed a relic of his birth mother."

Xuan Ye walked up to him and opened the scroll for him to compare.

"Wow, his mother is quite pretty."

Shangguan Zitong was fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the gentle and virtuous beauty in the painting.

"I don't know how to explain this either."

"Send someone to investigate the real cause of Zitong's death."

"Let's go later, let me see if there's anything else."

Shangguan Nuoyou put the jade bracelet in her hand into the box and put it away. After Xuan Ye put away the scroll, she began to open the next cabinet.

"Yes."

Xuan Ye accompanied him as he looked at the belongings left behind by Shangguan Zitong.

......