On the soft bed, Hua Manman was sleeping soundly.
She was suddenly startled awake by a series of system notifications—
[System has issued an important plot quest!]
[Host, please proceed to the garden immediately, commit suicide by jumping into the lake, and declare in front of Prince Zhao and everyone present that you are unwilling to marry into the Prince Mansion.]
[Time limit: thirty minutes. If the host fails to complete the quest within the time limit, the quest will be marked as a failure.]
[Success Reward: One lucky bag]
[Failure Penalty: Heart-wrenching pain]
[Good luck, Host!]
Hua Manman's eyes flew open, and she sat bolt upright.
Her mind was still foggy, but her body, driven by instinct, had already thrown off the covers and gotten out of bed.
The maids waiting outside the door heard the noise and immediately knocked.
"Second Miss, are you awake?"
Only after receiving an affirmative reply from the Second Miss did the maids dare to push the door open.
While helping the Second Miss wash up, Si Yun asked.
"It's still early. Wouldn't you like to sleep a little longer?"
The Second Miss usually took an afternoon nap for about an hour, but today she had woken up just a short while after lying down.
Hua Manman wanted to cry but had no tears.
'I don't want to get up now either! Isn't this all because the system's quest is forcing my hand?'
She had failed a quest before and suffered the system's punishment—a pain so excruciating she felt like she was dying.
'No matter what, I can't fail again this time.'
'I never want to experience that feeling of my heart being twisted by a knife ever again.'
Hua Manman didn't let the maids put on her makeup. After washing up and getting dressed, she rushed to the garden.
The garden of the Zhong'an Bo Mansion was beautifully constructed.
Pavilions, terraces, and towers were interspersed with rockeries and water features.
But Hua Manman was in no mood to admire the beautiful scenery.
Right now, all she could hear was the system's countdown.
To her, that cold, mechanical voice was like a terrifying death warrant.
Ignoring the shouts of the maids behind her, she hiked up her skirt and broke into a mad dash, running faster and faster.
When she reached the lakeside, she immediately spotted a group of people on the opposite shore. The man leading them was none other than Prince Zhao, Li Ji.
Li Ji was dressed in a crimson, wide-sleeved brocade robe. He had long, narrow eyes, and his black hair was casually tied back with a black ribbon.
His legs were impaired, so he could only sit in a wheelchair. His upper body was tilted slightly to the side, and a stray lock of hair brushed against his cheek, giving him a languid, almost lazy appearance.
Elder Zhong'an, Hua Dingzong, was bowing, speaking to him with great courtesy.
The entourage following behind them all had their heads bowed and eyes lowered, dutifully serving as part of the background.
At this moment, only three minutes remained on the system's countdown.
There was no more time to delay.
Hua Manman took a deep breath and, gathering all her strength, shouted at the people across the lake.
"Father, I don't want to marry Prince Zhao! If you try to force me again, I'll die right here for you all to see!"
The young woman's voice, clear and pleasant, carried across the lake to everyone's ears.
The crowd was in an uproar.
Hua Dingzong's face turned pale with shock.
He instinctively glanced at Prince Zhao beside him. The prince's expression hadn't changed much, but his gaze had grown colder and deeper than before.
Hua Dingzong's heart skipped a beat. 'It's over!'
Prince Zhao had been recalled to Shangjing, his legs so severely injured it was uncertain if he would ever stand again. Despite this, his past glorious military achievements still earned him immense prestige in the army.
Nearly all the military generals in the Great Zhou Dynasty looked to him for leadership. He was a powerful figure who could not be offended.
Hua Dingzong was furious and flustered. He was just about to order his men to seize his second daughter and lock her up when, before the words could leave his mouth, he saw her leap into the cold, deep lake!
SPLASH! Water shot high into the air.
The maids who had followed close behind saw this and turned pale with fright, screaming in terror.
"Oh no! The Second Miss jumped into the lake! Someone, help!"