This residence was divided into front, middle, and rear sections.

In the front courtyard was a small hall used for receiving guests.

On both sides were long corridors leading to the rear courtyard.

The rear courtyard had seven or eight rooms.

Further back were the kitchen and fire room.

The entire residence wasn’t large, but the layout was well-organized!

It could house more than ten people.

Song Zhi put down his belongings and said, “The place is very good, just a bit dirty. But it doesn’t matter—I’ll fetch some water later and clean it up.”

Bai Yin suddenly spoke up, “I’ll help you clean later.”

“No need. You all rest. Besides, you still have injuries.”

“If you clean by yourself, we probably won’t be able to move in for several days.”

“…” Song Zhi was embarrassed.

Jingrong then instructed his people, “You all help out later, and also check what’s missing inside. We’ll get everything together then.”

“Yes, Young Master,” the guards responded.

Ji Yunshu took a stroll around the courtyard.

She really liked this place because the residence was situated behind the alley, far from the main street—very quiet.

There were even a few old trees planted around.

It looked quite pleasant!

After putting their things away, everyone worked together to clean the residence.

They finally finished by evening.

And they were exhausted!

Song Zhi had done the most work and was completely worn out.

He quickly tidied up and went to sleep early.

At this moment, Jingrong, Ji Yunshu, and Bai Yin sat in the hall discussing matters.

Bai Yin said, “Third Master said that after arriving in Gaoding, we should find that person, but he told us not to make it public.”

Jingrong thought carefully and speculated, “We only have Gaoding and a name, no specific address. It’s possible even Third Master himself doesn’t know if that person is still in Gaoding. After all, decades have passed.”

“As long as there’s a thread of hope, we must search!”

Ji Yunshu worried, “But in such a vast Gaoding City, how should we search? If we can’t make it public, we can only investigate secretly. This will obviously be much more difficult.”

Jingrong said, “We’ve already arrived in Gaoding—there’s no rush. Let’s rest tonight and search tomorrow.”

“That’s fine.”

All three were indeed tired!

In any case, they had already arrived here. Searching one day earlier or later made no difference.

After leaving the hall, each returned to their rooms to rest.

Ji Yunshu discovered that Jingrong was heavy with worries.

Actually, she had noticed long ago!

She had noticed from the moment Jingrong entered the city.

She also knew what he was thinking.

What he was worried about.

Sure enough, shortly after she returned to her room and pushed open the window to look, she happened to see a figure flash onto the rooftop and quickly disappear into the night.

From the physique, it was clearly Jingrong!

Ji Yunshu didn’t call out to stop him.

But—

Bai Yin saw it.

He immediately rushed out from his room.

Preparing to give chase!

“Don’t chase!” Ji Yunshu called out to stop him.

Bai Yin stopped, looking at Ji Yunshu standing by the window, her gaze fixed on the rooftop. “Where is he going?”

Ji Yunshu was silent for a moment, then spoke three words: “Third Prince’s Manor.”

…

Third Prince’s Manor.

Jing Xuan sat before the mirror in her room, still embroidering characters on a handkerchief.

The maid standing behind her was removing the ornaments from her hair.

While removing them, the maid watched her embroider and asked, “Princess Consort, what are you embroidering?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? If you don’t know, how can you embroider?”

She smiled and said nothing.

The maid looked at her in the mirror and couldn’t help but praise, “Princess Consort is truly beautiful.”

She still smiled without speaking.

At this moment—

A voice came from outside: “Greetings to the Prince!”

The Prince?

How could this be?

Apart from the day of their grand wedding when Third Prince Na Tuo had come to this place, in this past year, he hadn’t stepped foot here once.

But those heavy footsteps were enough to prove that Na Tuo had indeed come!

The maid who was removing ornaments for Jing Xuan quickly turned and knelt on the ground.

“Greetings to the Prince.”

Na Tuo reeked of alcohol, his face completely flushed, his steps swaying unsteadily as he walked in from outside.

Just as he entered, because he didn’t stand steady, his shoulders heavily crashed into the doorframe.

A loud “thud”!

That sound made one’s heart involuntarily tremble.

Jing Xuan slowly put down the handkerchief in her hands, immediately stood up, and bowed slightly. “Greetings to the Prince.”

Na Tuo laughed coldly and ordered the maid, “Get out.”

“Yes!” The maid didn’t dare linger and hurriedly left.

Na Tuo then swayed his way slowly closer to Jing Xuan. When he reached her, he suddenly reached out and gripped her chin.

Lifting it up forcefully.

Compelling Jing Xuan’s gaze to meet his.

Jing Xuan looked at the person before her—this was her husband!

A man whose eyes were filled with hatred when looking at her.

Na Tuo squinted his drunken eyes to examine her, laughing coldly. “What a beautiful face!”

“…”

“Such a pity… she’s a cursed star!” Na Tuo said through gritted teeth.

Jing Xuan’s eyes looked at him calmly.

Without any emotional fluctuation.

One year’s time was enough for her to see through everything.

Na Tuo curved his lips in an evil smile, slowly drawing closer to her, finally bringing his head close to her ear and sniffing with his nose. “Truly fragrant!”

Completely the appearance of a drunkard.

But—

Before Jing Xuan could react, Na Tuo suddenly smashed the wine bottle in his hand onto the ground.

A loud “crash”!

Shattered to pieces!

At the same time, Na Tuo’s hand gripping Jing Xuan’s chin forcefully flung her aside.

Throwing her entire person to the ground.

Her hands cut on the broken bottle pieces.

Blood immediately flowed.

Yet she didn’t feel the slightest bit of pain.

She only felt her entire body had gone numb. Na Tuo’s body swayed several times as he pointed at her. “I originally thought that by marrying you, I could secure my position as prince. Who knew you would be a cursed star—it’s all because of you! Because your imperial brother rebelled and bore the crime of a traitor. Father King must have taken this into consideration, which is why he has delayed establishing me as heir apparent. This is all your fault. If I had known, when your imperial brother rebelled, I should have canceled the engagement. Now I wouldn’t have fallen into this predicament.”

Jing Xuan let him roar, let him curse!

She understood very clearly where the Third Prince’s anger came from.

Her imperial brother was a traitor!

This made her identity extremely sensitive. If Na Tuo truly became the new king of Huyi in the future, she would be Huyi’s national mother. But how could she, the sister of a traitor, become the national mother?

The King of Huyi had probably thought of this point, which was why he kept hesitating between the Third Prince and the Second Prince.

No wonder this past year, Na Tuo had hated her to the bone.

Seeing that Jing Xuan remained silent throughout, still with an appearance like a corpse, Na Tuo became even more furious!

He immediately crouched down and once again seized her chin.

Lifting it upward.

He said viciously, “Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to kill you?”

These words suddenly earned a smile from Jing Xuan.

Her cold eyes met his fierce gaze as she smiled once. “Then you can kill me!”

Naked provocation! This was probably the first time in this past year since arriving in Huyi that she had spoken such extremely “rebellious” words.