South Court Kingdom…

Mu Yunjin frowned, lowering her eyes. “What’s there to do in South Court Kingdom?”

“To save your mother.” Mu Yunhan anxiously replied, his words full of insistence that brooked no refusal.

“Brother, what connection do you have with South Court Kingdom?” Mu Yunjin suddenly looked at Mu Yunhan. Logically, Mu Yunhan should have no relationship with South Court Kingdom or Jiang Qingxue. How could he appear and immediately ask her to go to South Court Kingdom to save someone?

Mu Yunhan froze, then sighed slightly. “Yunjin, I am not the eldest son of the Mu family…”

After telling Mu Yunjin everything in detail, Mu Yunjin fell into deep thought. After a while, she suddenly laughed lightly. “The Mu family had five children, and in the end, only Mu Lingzhu and Mu Xiarou remain.”

Suddenly, Mu Yunjin felt that the once-glorious Xiang Mansion was so ironic and pitiful.

“Brother, I am confined here. I cannot save her.” Mu Yunjin sighed softly, refusing Mu Yunhan’s request.

Mu Yunhan’s eyes darkened. “Yunjin…”

…

…

He had seen everything that day in the great hall, and he felt sorry for his sister. Seeing her now being so hard-hearted, though it was within expectations, he couldn’t help but feel some helplessness and anger.

“Brother, you should go back.” Mu Yunjin turned away, emptying her thoughts, no longer looking at Mu Yunhan.

Mu Yunhan didn’t say more and left with a flick of his sleeve.

Mu Yunjin watched Mu Yunhan’s retreating figure, her brow covered with a layer of gloom. She sighed heavily. When had she gotten involved with the other three kingdoms again?

This life truly wouldn’t let her have peace.

Mu Yunjin returned to Anxin Hall and sat in front of the door, basking in the sun while leaning back in a chair. The matter of Jiang Qingxue’s beheading in five days lingered in her mind, refusing to disperse.

Inexplicably, she recalled the scene of Su Biqing being cut at the waist. Mu Yunjin touched her arm, already covered with goosebumps.

“Ah!” Mu Yunjin sighed heavily, feeling that if she didn’t find someone to guide her, she would surely go mad.

Returning to the small room, Mu Yunjin found an umbrella from the bundle that Zixiang had packed for her. Then, closing the door of Anxin Hall, she took a lamp and a candle, walked behind the Guanyin statue, and climbed out of the window.

Since learning about the secret passage leading outside Shuiyun Temple, Mu Yunjin felt that her confinement was no longer boring, even though she had just promised Chu Li and Master Huaiyuan that she wouldn’t wander around these days.

Mu Yunjin lit the candle, came to the book pavilion, found the wooden board leading to the secret passage, bent down, and went down the steps, walking outward with familiarity.

Having walked through once before, Mu Yunjin took half the time on this second journey.

Upon reaching the exit, Mu Yunjin opened the umbrella she had brought along to prevent the waterfall outside from soaking her clothes. Mu Yunjin pushed open the stone slab above her head, and cascading water sprayed onto her umbrella. Mu Yunjin took a breath and walked out.

After getting outside, Mu Yunjin used her lightness skill to fly away from the waterfall area. She looked around, and seeing no one, closed her umbrella and headed toward Prince Ning’s manor.

After going back and forth all day, it was nearly dusk when Mu Yunjin flew into the garden of Prince Ning’s manor.

…

“Miss, you’re back!”

Zixiang was cleaning in Liquan Pavilion when she saw Mu Yunjin walking in slowly and called out loudly.

Mu Yunjin made a “shh” gesture toward her, indicating that she should lower her voice. “I snuck back secretly, why are you shouting!”

Zixiang immediately covered her mouth and nodded, showing she understood.

Mu Yunjin pointed to Chu Li’s room. “Is he in there?”

“His Highness went to the palace in the afternoon and hasn’t returned yet,” Zixiang answered. “Miss, since you’ve snuck back, you should stay in your room first. Not everyone in this prince’s manor may be friendly.”

“Mm, I’ll go back to my room first. Help me keep an eye out for Chu Li.” Mu Yunjin said.

Zixiang nodded.

Mu Yunjin returned to her room and sat in the rocking chair for a while, her gaze falling on the wardrobe.

She rose and walked to the wardrobe. Mu Yunjin opened it and took out the cloak containing the image of the Xuanling True Scripture, intending to take it back to Shuiyun Temple.

The door of the room was pushed open at that moment.

Mu Yunjin looked sideways and, seeing it was Chu Li, quickly stuffed the cloak back into the wardrobe and walked quickly toward him.

“Why did you come back?” Chu Li saw her approach, took her hand, and spoke gently.

“I encountered some things I couldn’t figure out on my own, so I wanted to come back and talk with you.” Mu Yunjin pressed her lips together.

Chu Li smiled faintly, pulling her to sit down. “Tell me about it.”

“I heard…”

Mu Yunjin paused, cleared her throat, and glanced at Chu Li’s expression. Seeing him looking at her, Mu Yunjin reached out and held Chu Li’s hand, gripping it slightly harder.

“I heard that Jiang Qingxue is going to be beheaded…” Mu Yunjin said.

Chu Li’s eyes flickered as he watched her, his gaze unreadable. “Are you upset?”

“Today my brother came to Shuiyun Temple to find me, asking me to go to South Court Kingdom to save Jiang Qingxue, but I feel I don’t have such great abilities.” Mu Yunjin sighed helplessly. This was an edict from the King of South Court Kingdom; what standing did she have to intervene or rescue?

But if she were to truly do nothing, she would feel uneasy and uncomfortable.

“Who told you about this?” Chu Li’s voice lowered slightly.

Mu Yunjin frowned. “Today I ran into Princess Rong and Qin Muyue, those women, at Shuiyun Temple.”

Hearing it was these women, Chu Li wasn’t surprised. He smiled faintly and raised an eyebrow. “Selecting a Holy Maiden has always been a custom of South Court Kingdom, and the selected Holy Maiden is almost a deity of faith in the hearts of all South Court Kingdom citizens. Now Jiang Qingxue has broken this faith, destroyed the rules, not only extinguishing the faith in the hearts of South Court Kingdom’s people but also making the King of South Court Kingdom unable to hold his head high before the other three kingdoms.”

“Now in South Court Kingdom, because of this matter, the entire nation is in turmoil, with all citizens petitioning that Jiang Qingxue must die.”

“And the King of South Court Kingdom, to save some face, has also invited representatives from the other three kingdoms to witness Jiang Qingxue’s execution as a testimony, and incidentally to warn future generations, as well as to salvage the reputation of South Court Kingdom’s other Holy Maidens, to continue promoting the Holy Maiden system in the future.”

“So, you are currently confined. If you go to South Court Kingdom, you will definitely encounter people from West Element Kingdom. You should think it through carefully.”

This was the first time Mu Yunjin had heard Chu Li speak at such length. After carefully digesting his words, she suddenly realized she had almost fallen into Qin Muyue and the others’ trap again.

“Damn her second aunt’s grandmother, Qin Muyue’s move is truly vicious.” Mu Yunjin couldn’t help but curse.

Although Chu Li didn’t understand what she said, he vaguely guessed it wasn’t anything good. His eyes couldn’t help but fill with amusement. “There’s one more thing.”

“What?” Mu Yunjin looked at Chu Li.

“Your mother knows some secret arts and has secretly established a secret pavilion with quite a few subordinates.”

After speaking, Chu Li raised his eyebrows meaningfully. “And this prince has already written a letter on your behalf, stating that if she finds a way to escape on her own, you will forgive her and acknowledge her as your mother.”

“Do you think she will choose to have you as her daughter, or will she choose to accept beheading?”

“You…” Mu Yunjin was stunned, widening her eyes in surprise as she looked at Chu Li. Then she took several deep breaths in succession, suddenly feeling that Chu Li was truly remarkable.

If Jiang Qingxue found a way to escape on her own, it would save a lot of trouble. She wouldn’t have to be caught in the dilemma about the beheading, and she wouldn’t be led by the nose by Qin Muyue.

Mu Yunjin cast an admiring glance at Chu Li.

“Is there a reward?” Chu Li moved his face closer to Mu Yunjin’s.

Mu Yunjin smiled, raising her eyebrows, and turned her head to kiss Chu Li on the cheek. Chu Li frowned, seemingly dissatisfied. “Just this?”

Before Mu Yunjin could speak, he reached out to hold her face, his cool lips covering her pink ones, their lips and teeth entwined in tenderness.

Only when Mu Yunjin was almost unable to breathe did she gently push Chu Li away and glance at the time. “It’s getting late, I should return to Shuiyun Temple.”

“Stay tonight.” Chu Li held her waist, his eyes as gentle as water.

“But at Shuiyun Temple…”

Chu Li laughed softly. “This prince will arrange everything for you.”

“That’s good. I’ve had enough of that hard plank bed!” Mu Yunjin stretched lazily, moving her muscles and bones.

At the same time, in Anxin Hall at Shuiyun Temple.

“This young master truly has a laborious fate…” Huang Yan was dressed in a light purple embroidered brocade gown, his black hair combed into a married woman’s bun, adorned with several pearl hairpins, looking exceptionally splendid.

Huang Yan looked at himself in the mirror and pouted angrily. “That master, forgetting his friends when he sees a beautiful woman, couldn’t he have found a woman to play this role? I’m a dignified man over seven feet tall…”

Just as he was speaking, the outer door was pushed open, and a young monk entered with the evening meal.

Huang Yan immediately held up a sutra book, covering his face.

“Princess Ning, please have your meal.” The young monk didn’t notice at all that the person before him was not Mu Yunjin, though he did glance a few extra times at her unusually splendid dress today.

Huang Yan glared at the young monk.

The young monk immediately lowered his eyes and ran out.

“What kind of terrible food is this!” Huang Yan threw down the sutra book and looked at the plain meal on the table with a stomach full of complaints.

…

After Mu Yunjin finished bathing, she lay down on her soft couch. At this time, Chu Li also returned from bathing in his room and walked into hers.

Mu Yunjin moved her body inward, and Chu Li lay down beside her.

Feeling the familiar presence beside her, Mu Yunjin moved closer to Chu Li, nestling into his embrace, and looked up at him. “Can I stay here for a few more days?”

Chu Li raised an eyebrow. “Of course.”

Though someone would probably be furious.

“That’s great. Shuiyun Temple is so boring; forty-nine days is not easy to endure.” Mu Yunjin breathed a sigh of relief. She trusted Chu Li. As long as Chu Li could arrange everything well, she could stay here with peace of mind, without worrying about Shuiyun Temple.

Inexplicably, Mu Yunjin felt that having someone she could trust unconditionally in this life was so wonderful.

“By the way, where are Luo Ningyu and Mu Xiarou, the mother and daughter, settled now?” The Mu family had fallen, and Mu Lingzhu had returned to Prince Rong’s manor as his concubine, leaving only this mother and daughter.

“In the back street villa.” Chu Li answered.

Mu Yunjin nodded, thinking of finding a suitable time to see the mother and daughter.

“If you want to see them, this prince can arrange it.”