After drinking the tea, Empress Qin put down the teacup. Matron Qu walked over with a brocade box in her hand.

Empress Qin took the box, opened the lid, and a red jade bracelet came into view. “This was the wedding gift your grandfather gave to me. I have kept it until now, and now I give it to you.”

“Thank you, Grandmother.” Mu Yunjin didn’t refuse and reached out to accept the box.

Empress Qin nodded, glanced at the time, and continued, “Though I would like to keep you both for lunch, today is still Yunjin’s day to return to her natal home. You should go back to the Minister’s mansion first.”

“Mm.” Chu Li responded with a light sound.

After leaving the Plum Blossom Courtyard, Mu Yunjin handed the brocade box given by Empress Qin to Zixiang and said to her, “I shouldn’t have anything left in Shihua Pavilion, right?”

Zixiang thought for a moment and shook her head. “Nothing. This servant has packed everything for Miss.”

“When packing, I didn’t see Miss’s jade pendant. It should still be with the Sixth Prince,” Zixiang added, looking at Mu Yunjin.

At the mention of the jade pendant, Mu Yunjin raised her eyebrows slightly. She had almost forgotten about it. Then, as if remembering something, she looked at Chu Li. “The thirty thousand taels of gold, you can give them to me when we get back.”

…

…

Now that she had married into the Sixth Prince’s residence, who knew when she might leave someday? It was better to prepare some backup for herself.

Hearing Mu Yunjin’s words, Chu Li looked at her with a calm gaze and nodded slightly.

…

“They’re back, they’re back!”

In the front hall of Minister Mu’s mansion, the steward saw the carriage stopping at the door and hurriedly ran into the front hall.

Minister Mu, who was already prepared, stood up upon hearing this and walked toward the door.

Before stepping out of the main gate, he saw Chu Li and Mu Yunjin walking side by side. Both dressed in purple, they gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight.

“This old minister pays respects to the Sixth Prince, to the Sixth Prince’s Consort…” As soon as Minister Mu came out, he bowed to Chu Li and Mu Yunjin.

Mu Yunjin felt a chill in her heart and frowned slightly. Then she saw Wei Hanqiao, Luo Ningyu, and others behind Minister Mu also coming forward to greet them, all addressing her as the Sixth Prince’s Consort.

Mu Yunjin felt indescribably uncomfortable.

“Minister Mu, no need for such formality.” Chu Li spoke coolly, directly addressing Minister Mu by his official title, not calling him father-in-law.

Although Minister Mu felt somewhat displeased, he dared not say much and smiled at Chu Li. “Tea and refreshments have been prepared in the mansion. Please, Sixth Prince and Sixth Prince’s Consort, proceed to the front hall.”

In the front hall, Chu Li and Mu Yunjin were arranged to sit in the seats of honor, while Minister Mu took his seat at the side position. He then gave Luo Ningyu a meaningful look.

Luo Ningyu immediately understood and smiled. “Has this child, Yunjin, caused any trouble for the Sixth Prince?”

“No.” Chu Li shook his head.

“That’s good, that’s good.” Luo Ningyu smiled awkwardly. Seeing Chu Li’s cold attitude, she didn’t know what else to say.

At this moment, Mu Yunhan was entering from the outside. Seeing that Mu Yunjin and Chu Li had already returned, he cupped his hands in salute. “Greetings to the Sixth Prince and the Sixth Prince’s Consort.”

“No need for formalities, Commander Mu.” Chu Li glanced at Mu Yunhan and said.

Mu Yunjin also felt somewhat helpless toward her big brother and smiled at Mu Yunhan. “Big Brother, you weren’t in the mansion early this morning. Where did you go?”

“Your brother has just been appointed as a Commander by the Emperor and has just returned from the military camp outside the city,” Minister Mu answered for Mu Yunhan.

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin nodded.

After Mu Yunhan took his seat, a green figure came from the direction of the back garden. Mu Lingzhu was seen taking small steps, her face pale, walking slowly into the front hall.

Seeing it was Mu Lingzhu, Minister Mu’s expression changed slightly. “Why have you come out? Didn’t I say that without my order, you are not allowed to step out of Mingzhu Tower?”

Looking at this once-beloved daughter, although Su Biqing had taken all the responsibility before her death, he couldn’t fully believe that Mu Lingzhu was completely innocent and blameless. He felt more or less disappointed.

“Please forgive me, Father. Daughter heard that Sister is returning to her natal home today and came out specially to pay respects.”

As she finished speaking, without waiting for Minister Mu to respond, she knelt before Chu Li and Mu Yunjin. “Lingzhu pays respects to the Sixth Prince and the Sixth Prince’s Consort.”

Chu Li did not speak.

Mu Yunjin glanced at Chu Li, saw that he had no intention of acknowledging Mu Lingzhu, and then spoke softly, “You may rise.”

“Thank you, Sixth Prince, Sixth Prince’s Consort.” Mu Lingzhu rose with Hongxia’s support. In the moment she lifted her eyes, a strange gaze fell upon Mu Yunjin.

Mu Yunjin looked at Mu Lingzhu and saw her clenching her fists and pressing her lips together tightly. She knew Mu Lingzhu was trying hard to suppress her emotions.

Indeed, the man she had loved for eight years had become her ‘brother-in-law.’ No one could accept that.

During lunch, Luo Ningyu was exceptionally enthusiastic in serving Chu Li and Mu Yunjin.

Seeing this normally quiet and reserved Luo Ningyu, Mu Yunjin knew it must be due to Minister Mu’s repeated instructions. It was truly difficult for her.

Wei Hanqiao had become silent and taciturn since Mu Yi Yang’s incident. She now sat at the table without saying a word.

The entire lunch was filled with awkwardness.

…

After lunch, Mu Yunjin didn’t want to stay at the Minister’s mansion any longer and was the first to announce their departure.

In the carriage, Mu Yunjin found a comfortable sitting position and let out a long sigh of relief. The tea serving was done, the natal home visit was over, and now it was time for her to be free and carefree.

After sitting in the carriage for quite some time, seeing that it showed no sign of stopping, Mu Yunjin frowned slightly, lifted the curtain, and looked outside.

“Are we leaving the city?” Looking at the increasingly barren terrain outside, Mu Yunjin turned to Chu Li.

“Mm.” Chu Li nodded.

Mu Yunjin pouted, folded her arms, and said nothing more.

“Your Highness, we’ve arrived.” Shortly after, the carriage stopped, and Ding Xian’s voice came from outside.

Mu Yunjin was the first to step down from the carriage. Once on the ground, she was somewhat surprised. “Why have we come to Water Cloud Temple?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Mu Yunjin felt she had asked too much.

Chu Qingyuan had once mentioned that their birth mother, Consort Rong, was confined in this Water Cloud Temple. Coming today was probably to see Consort Rong.

Thinking of this, a familiar figure slowly walked over, smiling and saying, “This old monk pays respects to the Sixth Prince and the Sixth Prince’s Consort.”

It was Master Huaiyuan.

Chu Li nodded, his expression not looking good at the moment. He pressed his lips together. “Take us to the secret chamber.”

“Very well, follow this old monk.”

Mu Yunjin followed behind the two, her brow showing some thoughts. These two appeared to be old acquaintances, and their relationship seemed not insignificant.

Presumably, Chu Li had also been secretly concerned about Consort Rong’s situation.

Walking along the way, when passing by the doorway of the courtyard with the thousand-year-old tree, that inexplicable sense of familiarity came over Mu Yunjin again, accompanied by a strange feeling in her chest.

Mu Yunjin paused her steps and looked toward the courtyard, frowning, with a sense of desolation in her heart.

In front, Chu Li and Master Huaiyuan sensed that Mu Yunjin had not kept up and stopped, looking back. They saw a light purple figure gazing intently at the ancient tree, with some sadness in her eyes.

It seemed…

As if she were waiting for someone.

“Mu Yunjin, hurry up and follow!” Seeing her expression, Chu Li felt an inexplicable irritation in his heart and looked at her with dark eyes.

Mu Yunjin paused, turned her head to glare at Chu Li, then walked over slowly.

After walking for some time, Master Huaiyuan led the two to a dark chamber. Before entering, he specifically prepared a lantern.

After pushing open the door to the dark chamber and seeing that it was almost pitch black inside, Mu Yunjin finally understood Master Huaiyuan’s purpose in preparing the lantern.

So it was for someone with poor eyesight who couldn’t see.

For some reason, Mu Yunjin felt a sense of schadenfreude, suppressed a smile, and walked in.

After entering the dark chamber, Master Huaiyuan carried the lantern and walked in front, while Mu Yunjin walked at the back. But she could feel that Chu Li’s steps in front were very slow.

It seemed that even with a lantern, not much was solved.

Mu Yunjin couldn’t help but speak up. “Don’t you have my jade pendant with you?”

Chu Li glanced faintly at Mu Yunjin. Through the weak light, one could vaguely make out the faint smile on her face.

“I do,” Chu Li answered.

“Then why don’t you take it out? Even I find it somewhat difficult to see the path in this place without daylight. Wouldn’t it be even more arduous for you?” Mu Yunjin said with a faint smile.

Upon hearing this, Chu Li took out a moon-white jade pendant from his bosom. The pendant emitted a white phosphorescence, immediately illuminating the entire dark chamber.

Mu Yunjin had previously only known that this jade pendant would emit light, but she hadn’t expected that in this dark area, it would have such a brilliantly luminous quality.

And through the jade pendant, one could vaguely see the characters “Yunjin” appearing and disappearing within.

Mu Yunjin couldn’t help but become curious again about who her real family was and why they would be so thoughtful as to craft such a precious jade pendant for her.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, Master Huaiyuan stopped.

“Why have we stopped?” Mu Yunjin was somewhat curious.

Master Huaiyuan smiled, looking slightly helpless as he pointed to the open and flat area in front. “The path ahead has been set with a formation by the late Abbot Kongshi. That formation is ingenious, and to this day, no one has been able to break it.”

“What’s inside?” Mu Yunjin asked.

Hearing this, Master Huaiyuan looked at Chu Li. “Inside is where Consort Rong is confined.”

Upon hearing this, Mu Yunjin understood. So Chu Li had always had a heart to rescue Consort Rong, but couldn’t break through the formation outside.

With this thought, Mu Yunjin turned her gaze to the front.

Master Huaiyuan glanced at Mu Yunjin, seeming to understand her current thoughts. He took out a few beads from his sleeve that he had prepared earlier and threw them toward the open area in front.

Then, those beads were all seen to suspend in mid-air, followed by a series of beeping alarm sounds—

Hearing this alarm sound, Mu Yunjin widened her eyes in disbelief, full of astonishment. She even incredulously dug in her ears.

The alarm sound persisted.

Mu Yunjin frowned, listening to the alarm sounds coming from all around. She bit her lip and lowered her eyes. Why would there be an alarm sound here that was unique to the modern world?

Could it be that this formation was modern technology?

Chu Li’s gaze was fixed intently on Mu Yunjin, having already observed all of her expressions. His thin lips were pressed tightly together, showing no emotion.

“Has the Sixth Prince’s Consort heard this strange sound before?” Master Huaiyuan also noticed Mu Yunjin’s change and couldn’t help but ask.

As the alarm sound gradually disappeared, Mu Yunjin also somewhat regained her composure. She raised her eyebrows slightly. “You said earlier that this formation was set by Master Kongshi?”