Yang Yulan was sitting on the bed playing with Little Bell when several system notifications arrived.
The girl looked at the opened window. A few cells on the screen lit up. The one that usually contained story-important tasks and the one that should contain side quests.
Yang Yulan first opened the second one. She was curious about what side missions were like. But as soon as she saw the list consisting of two tasks, she immediately wanted to close the system window and scream into her pillow.
«What kind of joke is this?!»
Yang Yulan looked at the screen again to make sure the tasks hadn't changed.
«Available Side Quests:
1. Go to the Temple of the Rain Goddess and pray. Reward - 25 points. Completed 0%
2. Go on a date and buy your loved one a nice gift. Reward - 25 points. Completed 0%»
Yang Yulan didn't know whether to get angry or resign herself to her fate. She tiredly opened the other cell.
«Event! Date. Horseback Ride. Time remaining - 23:59...»
«That's right!»
Yang Yulan jumped on the bed, thoroughly frightening her little beast.
It had been so long since she'd seen the main characters and their interactions that she was starting to forget why she was in this world. A week had already passed since she arrived at the Northern Princess's palace. After she drove Shin Zuzhou to her limit, she continued to irritate the girl on a daily basis, but not as actively as before. After all, her head was more important than revenge.
One day, a crazy thought occurred to Yang Yulan. Living in Shin Zuzhou's palace wasn't that bad. No one was trying to kill her, she was fed well, and she could daily enjoy the irritated red face of the perpetually stern princess. It was genuinely fun. Moreover, she could freely dedicate time to training and not worry about anything in this life. The only thing that alarmed the girl was how quickly she was getting used to this lifestyle. It even scared her to some extent. She would be happy to linger in this palace, but not to stay forever.
However, she finally got a chance to escape from here. Another romantic event. This time even a little dramatic. It involved a short horseback ride during which another assassination attempt would be made on the heroine. Some mercenary would attack her while she was riding. After the unexpected attack, she would fall from the horse and tumble down a high cliff.
The Prince would seize the attacking mercenary and cruelly execute him right in front of the servants who had accompanied them on the walk. Then, as befits a romantic hero, he would run to search for the heroine. He would find her lying on the ground in the rain. The Prince would heal the girl, carefully bandage her wounds, and help her get to the nearest cave.
There, the lovebirds would light a fire and talk about all sorts of things that came to mind. Deep, heartfelt conversations would melt the stern Prince's heart. He would become even more touched by Mei Baijie's kindness and sincerity. By the end of the evening, when it got colder, the boy and girl would warm each other with their naked bodies.
«Hehehe...» Yang Yulan giggled strangely, covering her face with her hands. She fell back onto the bed and punched the pillow a few times.
Little Bell didn't understand what evil spirit had possessed his friend's body, but he became alert and looked at her reproachfully.
Yang Yulan noticed his look and coughed into her fist a couple of times in embarrassment. She forgot that spirits possessed intelligence and her behavior might seem slightly... emotional from the outside.
Someone knocked on the door. The girl got out of bed and went to open it. The familiar girl in black was standing behind the door. It seemed her name was Xin. Yang Yulan had heard the servants talking about her and couldn't believe she was so young.
«Her Highness summons you.»
«What does she want from me now?»
Xin frowned and barely restrained herself from beating this impudent person to death.
«Have some conscience, you wretched spawn. You're still alive only because Her Highness possesses grand patience.»
«I agree about the patience. If I were in her place, I'd have kicked myself out of the palace long ago. Why hasn't she done that, by the way? Does she like me that much?»
Xin clenched her fists until her knuckles cracked.
«One more word, you filth, and you can count on a swift death.»
«Enough chatter. Let's go!»
Yang Yulan lazily threw her arms behind her head and shuffled after the bodyguard.
«You're here. Finally,» Shin Zuzhou said when Yang Yulan entered her study without any warning and plopped down on the sofa near the desk where she was working.
«He's getting bolder,» flashed through Shin Zuzhou's mind. «And I'm to blame for it myself.»
She should have frightened him more. Now there was no going back. This person irritated her as no one else dared, and her nervous system had short-circuited. She was ready to get rid of this person by any available means.
«Heard you called for me urgently.»
«Yes. I have a job for you.»
«A job? What kind?»
«I need you to kill someone.»
Yang Yulin froze for a second, then exclaimed.
«Kill?!?»
«Exactly. A girl. Her name is Mei Baijie. She dared to lay claim to my beloved and irreplaceable husband, and I'm going to punish her for this impudence. She's always sitting in her gilded cage. However, tomorrow she and the Second Prince are going for an outing. That's a good chance to get to her.»
«What if I refuse to do it?»
«Nothing,» Shin Zuzhou replied indifferently. «I'll just send someone else to kill her. Someone well-trained. No... I'll even send a group of people.»
Yang Yulan didn't understand the girl before her at all. What was she expecting? Why was she telling her this? But Yang Yulan suddenly pondered her words. If Shin Zuzhou really sent a whole group of people to kill the heroine, as she threatened, wouldn't that ruin the plot? What if something went wrong and the hero couldn't save the girl? What if she fell and hurt herself? Yang Yulan was very afraid the heroine might actually sustain a serious injury. Everything needed to be done correctly to avoid unforeseen situations.
«Can you not kill her? Maybe you should win the Prince's love another way? You don't have to become a villainess.»
«Love?» Shin Zuzhou laughed loudly. «Love, you say. Fine. It doesn't matter. She irritates me. I don't care. I'll kill her anyway.»
Yang Yulan hadn't expected a different answer from this insane and cruel woman. Although she had hoped.
«Fine.»
«What exactly?»
«I'll kill her,» Yang Yulan answered seriously. «No need to hire anyone else. I'll handle it.»
«Oh? The right decision.»
Shin Zuzhou smiled mysteriously after her words, as if expecting such an answer.
«How did she even know I might agree?» Yang Yulan wondered.
«Then go and prepare. If you need weapons, ask Xin. She'll give you everything you need.»
Yang Yulan obediently left the study without saying anything, but for some reason, she felt utterly miserable.
Shin Zuzhou knew the masked boy couldn't refuse. During her time with him, she had realized how deeply he worried about other people's lives. Whether they were acquaintances or not. He simply couldn't sit back and watch her try to kill another girl. It was the perfect opportunity. Tomorrow this boy would try to kill the Prince's beloved, and if he didn't succeed, she would do everything in her power to have him caught and executed for the crime. She might even execute him herself, earning the Prince's recognition. And if the boy succeeded, Shin Zuzhou would be rid of her rival and make this boy suffer. He definitely wouldn't survive killing another person. In any case, she would win.
After Yang Yulan left the study, Shin Zuzhou remained there for a long time. She still had matters to attend to. Since arriving in this country, she constantly had to build relationships with the upper echelons, monitor her status, learn the laws and etiquette of the country. She was also gradually trying to integrate into the political life of Southern Nan. There was still so much she needed to learn and do, yet she was willing to go to any lengths to achieve her goal. Now, with her dream so close, she wasn't ready to give up. Spending days and nights in a stuffy study was far less terrifying than living in the palace in Northern Bei. Next to her wretched family. Now she was happier than ever before. Her efforts were finally paying off.
Shin Zuzhou finished her work closer to three in the morning. She tiredly massaged her temples. The day's goal was achieved, but now her eyes hurt terribly. She needed to sleep.
Returning to her bedroom, Shin Zuzhou tossed and turned in her bed for a long time. She had always been a light sleeper, but lately, she had begun suffering from insomnia. Oppressive thoughts about the future and anxiety prevented her from relaxing properly. After lying in bed a while longer, Shin Zuzhou decided to take a sleeping pill. There was none in the drawer. Apparently, it had run out. Now it wasn't so easy to get more.
«Haa...» Shin Zuzhou sighed wearily and left the bedroom. She decided to take a walk.
«Shall I escort you?» clarified the servant guarding her chambers as she opened the door.
«No need. I'm just going to the garden and coming back.»
Walking through the empty night corridors, the girl heard the sounds of something breaking.
«Could it be him again?»
The girl turned towards the sound and, reaching the required room, went inside. She was right.
Yang Yulan had spent the whole day and part of the night in the armory. She examined all kinds of bladed weapons, arrows, bows, and many things she was seeing for the first time in her life. She was like a child who had wandered into a candy store.
She dragged fragile and not-so-fragile things from other rooms and used them as targets to practice with different types of weapons.
«What are you doing here in the middle of the night? Why aren't you asleep yet?»
Yang Yulan flinched upon hearing the voice behind her. She turned and saw a girl in only a night robe leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest, attentively watching her practice. The robe was very thin and slipping off her shoulders, revealing almost her entire chest and shoulders.
«As always, very vulgar,» Yang Yulan thought, and realizing she was staring at the arrived girl for too long, shook her head and returned to her activity.
«You're useless. You're holding the saber wrong,» Shin Zuzhou offered another comment, even though she hadn't answered her previous questions.
Yang Yulan ignored her again but tried to hold the saber differently in her hands.
«Not like that.»
Shin Zuzhou finally lost her patience and approached the girl.
«I'll figure it out myself. What's it to you how I hold it?»
Shin Zuzhou smirked. She was already used to this person's impudence, so she didn't pay special attention to his tone. She would destroy him anyway.
«I care about you. And I don't want you to remain so useless.»
«First, stand correctly.»
Shin Zuzhou came up close to her and touched her back. Yang Yulan's shoulders immediately tensed from the sudden contact.
«Relax. Extend your arm forward, bend your elbow slightly. Yes. Like that. Now raise it.»
«Good. Step your right foot forward and simultaneously bend both knees.»
Yang Yulan, unexpectedly to herself, followed all the girl's instructions and for some reason was very nervous.
«Your torso and head should be vertical. Now it's perfect.»
Shin Zuzhou looked at her obedient charge with satisfaction, then glanced at his hands.
Due to the long training, Yang Yulan felt hot. She had pulled her sleeves up high.
Shin Zuzhou peered intently at the boy's prominent veins and long fingers. From the long training, clearly defined muscles were visible.
«You have beautiful hands,» the princess whispered and gently ran her fingertips over the boy's forearm and wrist.
A shiver ran down Yang Yulan's spine. She involuntarily swallowed.
«Enough!»
Shin Zuzhou's lips curved into a slight smile for a second. Yang Yulan didn't notice it.
The princess didn't torment her servant any longer. She seemed to have amused herself enough. Yawning delicately, she walked away from the armory, throwing over her shoulder:
«Don't let me down tomorrow.»
Yang Yulan didn't attach any significance to her words. She nervously rubbed the spot where the hateful princess had touched her. Glancing at the yawning Shin Zuzhou, she also involuntarily yawned. Deciding the training session was over, she returned to her chambers and went to bed.
Shin Zuzhou fell asleep unexpectedly quickly that night, while Yang Yulan, on the contrary, couldn't fall asleep for a long time because of strange thoughts.