“Big sister, are you a fairy?”

The Seventh Imperial Grandson said sweetly, his big eyes wide open. He wasn’t afraid of strangers at all, just sat on the ground happily greeting Jiang Zirou.

As an imperial grandson.

Although he was young, he already had a vague understanding of the difference between men and women.

In the palace.

He had naturally seen many beauties.

But someone whose temperament was as ethereal as Jiang Zirou—

This was his first time.

Jiang Zirou pressed her lips together, her expression turning serious.

The little fatty shrank his neck, looking at Jiang Zirou with a hint of hesitation, as though unsure whether the girl before him was a good person or a bad one.

At this moment.

Jiang Zirou suddenly “puchi” laughed.

She smacked the little fatty on the head with a “pa”.

‘Calling me a little fairy? I’m your grandaunt, you know.’

She originally wanted to say that, but somehow it didn’t feel right for the mood.

So Jiang Zirou didn’t say anything.

She simply reached out and rubbed the little fatty’s head.

“Who I am… perhaps you’ll know in the future…”

Her hand tightened slightly.

Jiang Zirou struck the Seventh Imperial Grandson lightly at the back of his head with a hand chop.

“Bang!”

Memory-Erasing Divine Ability · Physical Edition!

The little fatty’s eyes rolled back.

His body softened and he collapsed onto the ground.

Jiang Zirou caught him by the collar.

With a gentle push of her foot against the ground.

The two soared into the air, flying toward the imperial palace.

* * *

Afterward.

The Seventh Imperial Grandson fell seriously ill.

Fortunately, the imperial physicians in the palace were skilled and they successfully saved him.

As for the matter of him being kidnapped by assassins, aside from Jiang Zirou, no one knew.

Even the Seventh Imperial Grandson himself couldn’t distinguish whether the events of that night were a dream or something real.

Only that after this incident, the entire palace became much more heavily guarded.

While the Seventh Imperial Grandson recovered inside the palace.

The Sutra Repository Pavilion once again returned to its original quiet and secluded state.

Jiang Zirou was quite pleased with the peace.

Daily check-ins, cultivation and cleaning.

When bored, she would pull a few books from the ocean-like collection of scrolls inside the Sutra Repository Pavilion to read.

Accumulating knowledge day after day.

She developed a much deeper understanding of every aspect of this world.

Jiang Zirou herself had exceptional talent.

With the system’s aid, her martial cultivation advanced with incredible speed.

Barriers that trapped ordinary martial artists for half a lifetime hardly existed for Jiang Zirou.

* * *

Day after day passed.

Jiang Zirou originally thought she would continue living like always, quietly staying in her corner, observing the grand dynasty’s shifting tides from afar.

Unexpectedly, barely half a month later.

The palace supervisor of the Sutra Repository Pavilion, Granny Li, whom she had not seen for a long time, came to find her again.

“Granny Li, has something happened?”

Jiang Zirou asked curiously.

Three years had passed in a blink, yet Granny Li now looked as though she had aged ten years—her back hunched, her eyes dull, deep wrinkles drooping along her cheeks, her entire being giving off the aura of twilight.

“Ahem… Zirou… tomorrow, a noble guest will be coming to the Sutra Repository Pavilion. Today, you must clean the pavilion thoroughly so you can properly receive him tomorrow.”

“This noble guest is?”

Jiang Zirou frowned slightly.

“It is the Third Prince.”

Granny Li raised her head and glanced at Jiang Zirou.

She let out a sigh.

The Third Prince… was he coming because of the Seventh Imperial Grandson? Or simply to search for certain books and documents?

Jiang Zirou was puzzled.

But she still nodded seriously and watched Granny Li hobble away.

* * *

The next day.

Jiang Zirou rose early and waited outside the Sutra Repository Pavilion.

By eight or nine o’clock.

The sun had risen, its light shining everywhere.

A large group of guards, eunuchs and palace maids surrounded a grand golden-nanmu carriage as it arrived before the Sutra Repository Pavilion.

Surrounded by many attendants.

A young man in a yellow long robe stepped down from the carriage.

He appeared to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight.

With sword-like brows and starry eyes, his posture was straight and dignified and he looked quite handsome. He held a stack of scrolls in his hand, exuding the air of a scholar.

However, his skin was somewhat pale and streaks of white hair showed beneath his black hair.

Clearly caused by overwork.

This was the Third Prince of the Great Xia Dynasty, born of the Empress and thus the heir confirmed as Crown Prince.

Of course, by blood, he was also Jiang Zirou’s half-brother.

‘Looks like being an emperor or a crown prince is really not an easy job.’

Jiang Zirou thought.

Because martial cultivation was flourishing in the Great Xia Dynasty.

Etiquette between rulers and subjects was not overly complicated. Jiang Zirou only needed to bow her head and kneel slightly in greeting.

Following the group.

Jiang Zirou entered a fragrant room within the Sutra Repository Pavilion, filled with fine fruits and tea.

At first, Jiang Zirou thought the Third Prince had come because of the Seventh Imperial Grandson.

But things were not as Jiang Zirou had imagined.

The Third Prince sat inside the Sutra Repository Pavilion.

Scroll in one hand, brush in the other.

And read for half a day.

He read with extreme seriousness and treasured the books dearly.

He did not scribble on them with his brush, but instead copied passages onto sheets of fine xuan paper.

By midday, he had finished several books and filled a thick stack of notes.

Sometimes, after finishing a book and his notes, the Third Prince would ask Jiang Zirou to help search for other texts within the Sutra Repository Pavilion.

Jiang Zirou had spent three years in the pavilion.

And had always been diligent and studious.

So she was always able to find the books the Third Prince requested with ease.

At noon, the Third Prince accepted the last book from Jiang Zirou.

But instead of opening it.

He gently set it down.

Then turned, smiling at Jiang Zirou as he said, “Earlier, I heard Hao’er mention that there was a palace maid in the Sutra Repository Pavilion, young of age yet astonishingly knowledgeable. Today, after seeing you, it seems he spoke the truth.”