Nightfall, Ning Prince Manor.

“Master, the people from Phoenix Feather Pavilion have all withdrawn. They seem to have given up searching for the Tianshen Token,” Huang Yan reported to Chu Li immediately after discovering this information.

Chu Li was momentarily stunned, then his visibly tense expression relaxed considerably. A slight curve crossed his lips as he nodded gently.

Seeing this, Huang Yan stroked his chin. “Tsk, what kind of expression is that?”

Ding Xian stood to the side, imitating Huang Yan by stroking his chin. “This expression is saying, ‘My wife is so obedient…'”

“I see.” Huang Yan understood, nodding exaggeratedly.

Seeing these two playing off each other, Chu Li couldn’t be bothered to pay attention. He glanced at the time and stood up to leave.

“Where is Master going?”

“Fool, he’s going to see our Princess…”

…

…

…

“Whew, finally finished!” Mu Yunjin put down her writing brush, lowered her head to blow on the still-wet ink, then happily put away the sutra.

The efficiency wasn’t bad; it only took a few days to complete the copying. The coming days should be more comfortable.

After placing the sutra in the small room, Mu Yunjin sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Chu Li’s arrival.

Soon, familiar footsteps approached.

When Chu Li entered the small room, he saw Mu Yunjin with bright eyes and smiling lips, blinking at him. “Prince Ning keeps his promises quite well.”

Hearing her teasing tone, Chu Li bent down close to her. “With my beloved consort here, how could I dare to be late?”

Mu Yunjin laughed and playfully punched Chu Li’s chest.

Seeing her good mood, Chu Li naturally moved closer to her and lowered his head to capture her lips, but Mu Yunjin dodged backward and covered his lips with her hand.

“Guanyin Bodhisattva is still outside!” Mu Yunjin pointed outside and smiled.

Chu Li lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze revealing a hint of grievance. “Do you have the heart to see this prince suffer so painfully?”

“Hmm?” Mu Yunjin heard a hint of coquettishness in Chu Li’s words, then deliberately counted her fingers. “There’s nothing we can do. Who made me be confined here as punishment? This is sacred Buddhist ground; we should follow the rules, shouldn’t we?”

Seeing her still so carefree, Chu Li felt a dull ache in his heart. “Sleep.”

“Mm.” Mu Yunjin sat on the edge of the bed, lay on her side, and propped her head with her hand. “I’ve finished copying the sutra, so you don’t need to work so hard tonight.”

Chu Li recalled her so-called three hundred copies and smiled faintly.

The bed was extremely small, with Mu Yunjin and Chu Li both lying on their sides facing each other. Today, Mu Yunjin wasn’t sleepy at all and kept staring at Chu Li.

Chu Li likewise gazed at her, their eyes meeting, full of tenderness.

“By the way, the people from the three kingdoms should have returned to their countries, right?” Mu Yunjin suddenly remembered.

Chu Li nodded.

“Then…” Mu Yunjin had wanted to ask about Jiang Qingxue, but after opening her mouth, she couldn’t bring herself to ask. Instead, she smiled and pressed her lips together. “What about Chu Ye’s ruined enthronement ceremony?”

“It will be held on another chosen date.” Chu Li raised his eyebrows slightly.

Mu Yunjin couldn’t help but laugh. “We owe him an apology.”

Chu Li laughed softly.

After a pause, Chu Li gently said, “It’s late, you should sleep.”

“Mm.” Mu Yunjin nodded and lowered her eyes slightly. Before sleeping, she wanted to tell Chu Li about Chu Qing and Rong Min, but figured Chu Li must have already received the news, so there was no need to mention it unnecessarily.

After Mu Yunjin fell asleep, Chu Li rose from the bed, giving her space to sleep while he sat in a nearby chair, gazing at her perfectly serene sleeping face.

…

When Mu Yunjin woke up, she was alone in the small room.

Chu Li had left at some unknown time. Mu Yunjin sat up in the bed, got dressed, and walked outside.

“Uh…” As soon as she stepped out, she saw Chu Li sitting at her desk. Mu Yunjin was slightly stunned.

Chu Li smiled at her. “Go wash up quickly.”

Mu Yunjin nodded woodenly, flew out of Anxin Hall, and ran toward the small stream.

When she returned to Anxin Hall, Mu Yunjin finally saw several dishes arranged on the desk, including a bowl of chicken soup…

Mu Yunjin covered her cheeks with her hands, looked at the Guanyin statue, then at Chu Li, and took a long breath. “What a sin, what a sin…”

“Come over quickly.” Chu Li looked at her foolish appearance with helpless resignation, pulled her to sit down, and pushed the chicken soup in front of her.

Originally, Mu Yunjin had wanted to resist drinking it, but after smelling the fragrance of the chicken soup, she pursed her lips and picked up the spoon. “By the way, where did you get this from?”

Surely no one at Shuiyun Temple would dare to prepare chicken soup…

“I had Ding Xian bring it,” Chu Li replied calmly.

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin understood. She bowed to the Guanyin statue again, then raised her eyebrows with a smile and happily began drinking the chicken soup.

After finishing a bowl of chicken soup and a bowl of red bean porridge, Mu Yunjin suddenly remembered something else and looked at Chu Li. “Don’t you need to attend morning court?”

At this hour, morning court should almost be over…

Chu Li shook his head. “Not needed recently.”

“Why?” Mu Yunjin was confused. Logically, Emperor Ximing wouldn’t cancel morning court, unless…

“Were you also punished?”

Chu Li tapped her forehead. “This prince claimed illness and was excused from morning court.”

“So that’s it.” Mu Yunjin inexplicably felt relieved, raised the corners of her lips, and her mood greatly improved.

…

Chu Li left not long after Mu Yunjin finished breakfast, leaving her alone again. Plus, today she didn’t need to copy sutras, so she was quite leisurely.

Mu Yunjin wandered around for a while and unknowingly walked to the main hall where people came to offer incense. At the entrance of the hall, people were coming and going, creating a lively atmosphere.

Mu Yunjin paused for a moment. Just as she was about to turn and leave, three women she could recognize even if she were turned to ashes walked out of the great hall.

Qin Muyue, Princess Rong, and Mu Lingzhu…

Those three also saw Mu Yunjin, and their expressions immediately unified—all nodding with smiles, looking harmless.

Seeing this, Mu Yunjin sighed inwardly. Mu Lingzhu, that brainless one, had chosen to go back and seek refuge with Princess Rong…

Well, let her do whatever she wants.

Finally, Mu Lingzhu stepped forward first and curtsied gracefully to Mu Yunjin. “Greetings, Princess Jinhua.”

When she heard the four words “Princess Jinhua,” Mu Yunjin felt a chill in her heart. She twitched the corner of her mouth and coldly looked at Mu Lingzhu. “Concubine Mu, you’re not being beaten anymore?”

“My little niece-in-law, you jest. Since Lingzhu has entered the doors of our Prince Rong’s manor, we naturally take good care of her.” Princess Rong and Qin Muyue approached arm in arm.

Mu Yunjin laughed coldly, not bothering with these three women.

“Sister Yunjin, why aren’t you copying sutras in Anxin Hall? What are you doing here?” Qin Muyue, with a smile on her face, looked at Mu Yunjin warmly.

Mu Yunjin crossed her arms and returned an equally sweet smile. “None of your business.”

“Sister Muyue was just kindly asking. Princess Jinhua, why must your words carry thorns?” Mu Lingzhu smiled faintly, repeatedly calling her “Princess Jinhua” as if constantly reminding Mu Yunjin of how she had harmed the Mu family.

Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow. “Sister Muyue,” indeed. Mu Lingzhu had a big heart.

“Alright, everyone, say less. Today we came to burn incense and worship Buddha, not to engage in verbal sparring.” Princess Rong spoke up, glancing at Qin Muyue and Mu Lingzhu.

Then she stepped forward, moving closer to Mu Yunjin. “Little niece-in-law, this morning when your royal uncle returned from the palace, he told me that the Holy Maiden of South Court Kingdom, due to her unchastity and impurity, secretly gave birth to a child, bringing utter disgrace to South Court Kingdom.”

“Now, the King of South Court Kingdom has decreed that the Holy Maiden Jiang Qingxue will be beheaded in public five days from now, and her head will be hung on the city wall for seven days as a warning to future generations.”

“Little niece-in-law, you are truly fortunate. The King of the South Court Kingdom is avenging you. Besides, this is an internal affair of South Court Kingdom; even the King of North Ming Kingdom cannot intervene…”

After quietly finishing this speech to Mu Yunjin, Princess Rong gave a signal, and Qin Muyue and Mu Lingzhu supported her on either side as the three slowly departed.

After walking some distance, Qin Muyue snorted and laughed. “She’s currently confined. If she can’t let go of Jiang Qingxue and goes to South Court Kingdom, then her crime will be compounded.”

“Besides, if she goes to South Court Kingdom, I won’t let her return alive!”

Mu Yunjin stood in place, watching the retreating figures of the three, slightly clenching her fingers, then relaxing them.

Pursing her lips, Mu Yunjin thought silently, let her be beheaded then, it has nothing to do with me anyway.

Though she thought this way, on her way back, Mu Yunjin’s mind was restless the entire way. Beheading in public, head hung on the city wall, such cruel methods…

When Master Huaiyuan approached from the opposite direction, he saw Mu Yunjin with lowered eyes, looking completely dispirited.

“What’s wrong, Princess Ning?” Before leaving, Chu Li had instructed him to take good care of her.

Hearing Master Huaiyuan’s voice, Mu Yunjin raised her eyes and sighed slightly. “Nothing, just encountered some annoying people.”

Hearing this, Master Huaiyuan immediately understood. “Princess Ning shouldn’t take it to heart.”

“Master, do you know the Holy Maiden of South Court Kingdom?” Mu Yunjin suddenly asked. Strangely, she felt that these people of the older generation all had some kind of connection between them.

Master Huaiyuan nodded. “I’ve heard of this person’s name.”

“Just heard? Never met face to face?” Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow, clearly showing disbelief.

“What does Princess Ning want to say?” Seeing her implied meaning, Master Huaiyuan sighed and looked at her intently.

Mu Yunjin felt somewhat tired. She looked around, found a railing to sit on, and said, “I heard she’s going to be beheaded in public…”

“Everyone has their fate. Princess Ning needn’t be too sad,” Master Huaiyuan said.

“I don’t know if, when she hears the news that she’s to be beheaded, she’ll regret having given birth to me…” Mu Yunjin’s brow showed deep thought.

Master Huaiyuan smiled at the corner of his mouth. “Parents all love their children. If Su Biqing could accept being cut in half at the waist for Mu Lingzhu, do you think your mother would regret it?”

Mu Yunjin shook her head. “I don’t know…”

“When you become a mother, you will understand these principles.” Master Huaiyuan patted Mu Yunjin’s shoulder, his gaze fixed on a certain point, and he sighed faintly. “Distinguished guests have arrived.”

With that, Master Huaiyuan left directly.

Upon hearing the words “distinguished guests,” Mu Yunjin looked around and, seeing who had come, widened her eyes in surprise. “Brother!”

The arrival was none other than Mu Yunhan.

After hearing Mu Yunjin’s voice, Mu Yunhan quickly walked to her, his eyes revealing anxiety. “Yunjin, you must come with me to South Court Kingdom!”