Holding the script, I want to give up.

"Shadow Ten, I'm hungry. Could you please bring me some pastries and wine?"

"I can't walk anymore! If you're hungry too, there's beggar's chicken in the car, you can bring it over as well."

Shangguan Zitong looked at him and smiled. She really didn't want to move in such a beautiful setting.

"Okay, I'll go right away."

Kagetoko stood behind her, admiring the scenery and the distant imperial city. Seeing that she was hungry, he got up and went to the carriage to get some food.

"you eat."

Ying Shi carried all the food to the stone table in front of her and put it down.

"Thanks, sit down and watch it with me."

"Let's enjoy the breeze a little longer before heading back to the palace."

Shangguan Zitong felt that this brief moment of tranquility was precious and wanted to stay a little longer.

"it is good."

Ying Shi opened the food box for her, which contained beggar's chicken and a wine jar. Shangguan Zitong saw the various colored pastries in the food box, took a piece shaped like a begonia flower, and ate it.

"Having worked as a shadow guard for so many years, can you tell me your story?"

"We haven't heard your story yet!"

At that moment, she thought of the deceased Yibai. She picked up the wine and took two sips, but it had no taste. Since she had lost her sense of taste anyway, she couldn't taste anything and didn't know how strong the wine was.

"You probably wouldn't like it; it's all about living a life on the edge."

"Me? I was born in the palace and was sent to the Shadow Guard Camp to be trained as a qualified Shadow Guard."

"The first step is to kill the companions you trust. It's ridiculous, isn't it? That's how I've always done it."

Ying Shi picked up another jar of wine and drank it, choking several times.

"Don't you drink? Or have you never drunk alcohol before?"

“I don’t believe you could save a dying man like me. I don’t believe you really killed your companion.”

Seeing that he choked a few times, Shangguan Zitong kindly handed him her handkerchief.

"First time drinking it."

"It's true. I thought I had controlled my strength and could fool them all by faking my death, and then secretly dig him out when I buried him."

"But he couldn't hold on, he really died."

"He died at my hands, and I clearly feel that the storm that night washed away all the blood and dirt from his body."

Ying Shi took the handkerchief, covered his face, and wept bitterly. Shangguan Zitong looked at him silently, not knowing how to comfort him.

"I'm sorry for bringing up your painful memories. That's why you took pity on me and chose to save me when I was half-dead, right?"

Shangguan Zitong looked up at the starry sky.

"Um..."

Shadow Ten was lost in his memories and no longer wanted to speak.

"Then let me tell you a story too!"

"Once upon a time, I had a bodyguard named Yibo."

"He is a very conscientious and dedicated person."

“I sent them away before I went to marry into the royal family, but they still secretly followed behind the wedding procession to protect me.”

"When we reached the bamboo forest outside the imperial city, we were attacked. He chose to take the blow to save me."

"I used a secret method to keep him alive."

"But alas, fate always plays tricks on people!"

"Seeing that I was depressed, he wanted to take me away from Beiji's palace, but he died on the way."

"They've pierced my heart with a thousand arrows! I've been shot into a hedgehog!"

"Later, Huangfu Hongxi buried him in a place that faces the Beiji Imperial Palace from afar."

Shangguan Zitong took a few more sips of wine, tears streaming down her face and dripping onto her clothes. Wasn't she supposed to drown her sorrows in alcohol? Why was she becoming increasingly sober? Had she drunk counterfeit alcohol?

"He really is a loyal person!"

"Let's go, or we won't be able to go back!"

Seeing that she was also affected by his emotions and became depressed, Ying Shi packed his things and got up to walk towards the carriage.

"it is good."

Shangguan Zitong wiped her face and got up to follow Ying Shi. After getting into the carriage, she lifted the side curtain to look at the night sky outside. Ying Shi drove back to the palace.

"Here, get out of the car."

Ying Shi lifted the carriage curtain, and Shangguan Zitong got out of the carriage. Liu Yunwan stood at the palace gate to greet her.

"Didn't you say you'd be back early? Why are you so late?"

Liu Yunwan helped her out of the car.

"Waiting for the stars while the wind blows."

"I'm tired. Where is my palace?"

"Actually, you didn't need to come to pick me up. You could have just sent a palace maid to show me the way."

Shangguan Zitong wanted to return to the palace to rest. Seeing Mu Rongyi following behind Liu Yunwan, glaring at her with unfriendly eyes, she didn't want to say anything more.

"Why are you drinking?"

"I'll take you there! You must be tired lately, you should get some rest."

Liu Yunwan noticed the faint smell of alcohol on her and, seeing that she didn't reply, wasn't annoyed. She took her to Yuhua Pavilion, settled her in, and then left with Mu Rongyi.

"Wanwan, aren't you spoiling her too much?"

Mu Rongyi was dissatisfied with her handling of the situation.

"She doesn't have much longer to live, are you still going to target her?"

Liu Yunwan didn't understand why Mu Rongyi was always going against Shangguan Zitong.

"..."

The two returned to Liu Yunwan's bedroom in silence.

......

Upon seeing the bed, Shangguan Zitong immediately took off her shoes, lay down, and fell asleep without even covering herself with a blanket. A faint scent of incense continued to burn in the hall.

Didn't we agree not to drink?

Why are you drinking again?

The white-haired boy appeared and placed his hand on her forehead to check on her condition.

How could the poisoning be so severe?!

After using his inner strength to cleanse Shangguan Zitong of the toxins, the young man got up and inspected the facilities inside the hall.

This incense isn't poisonous! Could it be that it's mixed with something to confuse him and prevent him from seeing it? He used his divine sense to examine the surroundings.

【I see. 】

The food was combined with incense, so she couldn't taste or smell it—it was a perfect deception. He wanted to shake Shangguan Zitong awake to remind her, but the system issued a danger warning! She was required to immediately assassinate Huangfu Hongxi.

Wake up, or you'll never wake up again.

The boy was both amused and exasperated; no matter how he shook her, he couldn't wake her. Having no other choice, he slapped her hard across the face to wake her up!

You hit me? You actually hit me?!

Shangguan Zitong was stunned after being woken up by the blow, staring at him in astonishment.

[Emergency, move quickly.]

The boy picked her up, activated a teleportation array, and transported the two of them to the Beiji Imperial Palace.

"Damn it, I haven't put on my shoes yet!"

Shangguan Zitong clung tightly to the boy, as if afraid that if she let go, she would fall into the abyss. She didn't even dare to look at the scene below, and instead wrapped her arms around the boy's neck, closed her eyes, and buried them in his neck.

[Not in the palace? Then it must be at the Crown Prince's residence! Let's go.]

The young man changed her clothes and put her invisibility mode, then stood on the palace wall of Tangxi Pavilion in the Crown Prince's residence.

Both of them were dressed in dark robes. The young man summoned a light blue glass bow and arrow that shimmered with a faint blue light from behind Shangguan Zitong and placed it in front of her.

"All the flowers I planted have bloomed!"

Looking at the flowers of various colors in her courtyard, Shangguan Zitong couldn't help but sigh.

He seemed...much older.

She watched Huangfu Hongxi watering the flowers she was growing in the courtyard, and a feeling of disgust arose in her heart.

Are you pitying him?

A faint sadness flashed in the boy's eyes.

"How is that possible!"

Without hesitation, Shangguan Zitong drew her bow and aimed an arrow at his heart with her eyes slightly narrowed.

I'm here to help you.

The boy placed his hands on hers and drew the bow even higher. As soon as he released his grip, the arrow shot towards Huangfu Hongxi's heart.

"Princess?"

Huangfu Hongxi was struck by an arrow he couldn't see, coughing up blood and collapsing to the ground. Before he lost consciousness, he seemed to see Shangguan Zitong's figure. Hongjin, who was waiting outside the palace, quickly ran towards him and took him back to the palace for the imperial physician to examine him.

Shangguan Zitong and the others followed behind Hong Jin and the others, wanting to see the final result.

"Will we fail? He's so tenacious!"

Shangguan Zitong said somewhat uneasily beside the boy.

We don't know yet; let's wait and see.

The boy couldn't be sure whether Huangfu Hongxi would survive after being shot by an arrow.

Huangfu Hongxi was surrounded by a large group of imperial physicians who were treating him, while Song Yao could only watch helplessly as he was injured.

"Who did it?"

Song Yao asked seriously.

"I don't know. There were no suspicious people around the courtyard. His Majesty suddenly collapsed as if possessed."

Hongjin recounted what he had seen and heard.

"Could it be Shangguan Zitong?"

"Impossible, absolutely impossible, she's long dead."

"Even the dead can't rest in peace, what bad luck."

Song Yao muttered to herself.

"I can't help it, what kind of task is mandatory?"

Shangguan Zitong stared at Song Yao speechlessly, her expression utterly priceless. It was a pity Song Yao couldn't see her, otherwise she would definitely be furious.

"Your Majesty, I can only do my best. Whether we can survive until dawn depends entirely on your fate."

"Your Majesty, I only need one assistant. All others may leave, otherwise..."

Before the imperial physician could finish speaking, Song Yao dismissed everyone and left as well.

......