“No.” Chu Li rejected firmly, his voice calm yet profound, causing the listener’s heart to tremble.

Mu Yunjin pursed her lips, then nodded and looked toward Mamma Shen, agreeing with Chu Li’s words.

This old rogue Qin Feng coming at such a critical moment was nothing but a pretense of concern and care. The Qin family had never been peaceful in recent days, so how could they sincerely come to apologize now?

Thinking of Qin Muyue’s attitude at the Ministry of Justice earlier, Mu Yunjin suddenly felt that the Qin family was playing a much bigger game.

“Mamma Shen probably can’t handle this. I’ll go out and deal with it,” Ding Xian said after hearing Chu Li’s words, and walked toward the main gate with Mamma Shen.

After being exhausted for most of the day, Mu Yunjin had no desire to think about anything else. She yawned, only wanting to return to her room for a good sleep.

In the future, she shouldn’t get up early. This rare occasion of rising early had caused so many problems.

“You two chat. I’m going to sleep for a while.” Mu Yunjin sat up, glancing at Chu Li and Huang Yan, figuring that once Ding Xian returned, the three would discuss something, so she decided not to stay.

“Oh my, I’ve been bustling about so much that my previous wounds are almost bursting open. I’ll go rest for a while too.” Huang Yan tactfully clutched his chest, and before Chu Li and Mu Yunjin could speak, he had already slipped out of the back garden.

…

…

Mu Yunjin was long accustomed to Huang Yan’s improper behavior. She turned to look at Chu Li, “Are you waiting for Ding Xian?”

“No.” After Chu Li spoke, he stood up, took Mu Yunjin’s hand, and led her toward Liquan Pavilion.

……

When the two stepped into Liquan Pavilion, Qingmeng was standing in the courtyard waiting. Upon seeing Chu Li and Mu Yunjin enter, the corners of her lips lifted.

“Sister Qingmeng.” Seeing Qingmeng, Mu Yunjin smiled and greeted her.

“Your Highness, herbs have already been prepared in the hot spring. You were caught in the rain today and suffered a shock. Please go soak in the hot spring for a while to prevent catching a chill.” Qingmeng smiled gently, looking at Mu Yunjin.

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin smiled with her eyes curved, “Sister Qingmeng, you’re so thoughtful.”

“It’s not me who’s thoughtful, it’s the one beside you.” Qingmeng lowered her eyes and smiled, then without staying further, she bowed slightly to the couple and left Liquan Pavilion.

After Qingmeng left, Mu Yunjin glanced sideways at Chu Li, chuckled softly, her eyes full of mirth, and walked familiarly toward Chu Li’s bedroom. After entering the bedroom, she directly pushed open the small door and entered the hot spring pool.

Chu Li stood at the bedroom door without entering, his eyes full of tenderness as he watched Mu Yunjin’s back disappear through the door. After standing at the door for a while, Song Chun’s figure flew into Liquan Pavilion, walked to Chu Li’s side, and handed him a confidential letter. Chu Li’s expression turned cold.

“These days, Rong Min has already moved into Qiuye Mountain. The day before yesterday, Qin Feng also visited Qiuye Mountain once,” Song Chun reported in a low voice.

“Hmm, I know.” Chu Li responded faintly.

Song Chun nodded, originally intending to leave, but his figure hesitated, pausing for a moment. “Should we prepare in advance then?”

Hearing this, Chu Li’s brow slightly sank, “Naturally, the Qin family can no longer be tolerated…”

“I understand.” Song Chun acknowledged and flew away.

Mu Yunjin soaked comfortably in the hot spring pool. At this time, the pool was shrouded in mist, with waves of herbal fragrance wafting toward her. Smelling it, Mu Yunjin felt only contentment.

So many things had happened in a single day, almost all of which were unexpected. Mu Lingzhu’s matter had reached its conclusion, but Chu Li and Consort Rong had now met. Who knows what this would lead to in the future?

The days were becoming increasingly difficult.

After soaking for a while, Mu Yunjin’s drowsiness became overwhelming. To avoid falling asleep in the pool again, she got out early and changed into the nightclothes that Qingmeng had prepared for her.

When she came out of the small door, Chu Li was sitting in the rocking chair in the room, with a steaming bowl of ginger soup beside him.

“Drink this before sleeping.” Chu Li could see how tired and sleepy she was, and didn’t tease her much. He just wanted her to obediently drink the ginger soup before letting her sleep.

Mu Yunjin didn’t like the taste of ginger. Her brow furrowed slightly as she glanced at Chu Li. Seeing his pressed lips and determined gaze, she reached out for the small bowl and drank the ginger soup in one gulp.

After drinking the ginger soup, Mu Yunjin stuck out her tongue, turned around, and walked toward Chu Li’s bed. She lifted the quilt and lay down.

Within moments, soft breathing sounds came from the bed.

Chu Li sat back in the rocking chair. Since Mu Yunjin fell asleep, he had been constantly looking at her, his gaze never leaving her face for a moment, his eyes mixed with complexity and heartache.

……

Mu Yunjin slept for a long time, until noon the next day. When she opened her eyes, her mind felt dizzy.

Supporting herself to sit up, Mu Yunjin rubbed her temples, and feeling very weak, she flopped back down onto the bed crookedly.

When Chu Li entered the door, he saw Mu Yunjin blinking her eyes while staring at the ceiling.

“Slept well?” Chu Li approached her, sat on the edge of the bed, and pinched Mu Yunjin’s face.

Mu Yunjin turned to look at Chu Li, saw him fully dressed, with a faint smile in his eyes watching her, and frowned slightly, “Where did you sleep last night?”

Although she had slept deeply yesterday, she would still notice when someone was close beside her.

“Didn’t you ask me to stay at Shuiyun Temple for a few days?” Chu Li teased.

“I don’t believe you went to Shuiyun Temple. This mansion is so big, there must be a place for you to rest.” Mu Yunjin was feeling much better now. She got up from the bed, just about to open the wardrobe, when she suddenly remembered this wasn’t her room.

Seeing she was about to return to her room, Chu Li stopped her, “Half of your clothes have already been moved here.”

“Hmm?” Mu Yunjin was surprised. She opened the wardrobe and indeed saw a row of colorful dresses hanging inside.

“Seems like you were well-prepared.” Mu Yunjin selected a light purple dress, chuckled, and changed into it.

Seeing her seemingly good mood, Chu Li’s mood improved along with hers, a smile blooming on his lips. “Sooner or later, all your clothes will be moved to my place.”

“Since it’s a matter of sooner or later, let’s discuss it later.” Mu Yunjin looked up at Chu Li and, before his expression could turn cold, dashed out of Chu Li’s room, running toward her room diagonally opposite.

When she came out again, Mu Yunjin had already freshened up, her hair simply arranged by Zixiang, looking altogether spirited and well.

Chu Li was waiting for her outside.

“Let’s go, I’m hungry, I want to eat.” Mu Yunjin took Chu Li’s arm, afraid he might settle scores with her for her earlier words, and directly pulled him toward the outside.

Chu Li’s expression shifted, his lips tinged with a smile. Just her holding his arm like this made his heart feel immensely satisfied.

In the dining hall.

“By the way, it’s already past the third quarter of the noon hour. Has Qin Shuning been executed yet?” Mu Yunjin asked while eating, turning her head to look around.

Mamma Shen, who was originally standing to the side, immediately opened up upon hearing this. “I heard she’s already been taken for execution. The prison cart just circled the entire city, also passing by our gate. That Qin Shuning was covered in whip marks, probably suffered quite a bit last night.”

“Torn apart by five horses, she probably doesn’t even have a complete corpse now. Pity those who have to collect her remains, with brains and intestines spattered everywhere, right?” Mu Yunjin imagined the scene, seeing a patch of red in her mind.

Chu Li, who had been eating methodically beside her, paused slightly with his chopsticks after hearing Mu Yunjin’s description, his brow furrowing, losing his appetite completely.

Yet Mu Yunjin seemed entirely unaffected, continuing to eat while animatedly discussing gory topics with Mamma Shen.

“By the way, when this servant went out this morning, I heard the whole street praising Qin Muyue!” Mamma Shen referred to Qin Muyue by her full name. Previously, Qin Muyue had often followed Chu Li around and had some interactions with her. She had quite liked the young lady.

But since His Highness and the Princess got together, this Miss Qin had changed somewhat, and the Qin family had been constantly putting pressure on the Prince Ning’s mansion. She had lost all her good feelings toward Qin Muyue.

“Praising her for righteously condemning her kin?” Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, hearing this made this servant angry. This Qin Muyue covered up for Princess Rong, who killed the Empress, such a grave offense, yet the Emperor only punished her with house arrest. The common people are still praising her righteousness. I don’t know what’s wrong with these people’s minds.” Having spent a long time with Mu Yunjin, Mamma Shen had also learned a set of ways to criticize people.

Mu Yunjin drank some tea, not expressing any opinion on the matter.

“Why did you eat so little?” Just as she was about to eat more, Mu Yunjin noticed that Chu Li beside her had already put down his chopsticks, while his bowl still contained half a bowl of rice.

“Not much appetite.” Chu Li calmly replied.

Mu Yunjin looked suspiciously at Chu Li, then at the table full of dishes, “What a waste.”

“You eat more.” Chu Li smiled at her.

Mu Yunjin let out a light snort, then seemed to remember something and frowned at Chu Li, “By the way, has anyone arranged for Mu Lingzhu’s funeral?”

Seeing that she couldn’t get through a meal without bringing up these bloody topics, Chu Li’s eyes revealed helplessness, “Prince Rong is handling it.”

“He’s that kind-hearted?” Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow, seeming somewhat skeptical. This Prince Rong usually acted like a grandson in front of Qin Shuning, yet he would arrange Mu Lingzhu’s funeral.

“The Rong Prince’s mansion has lost two lives at once, and one of them died so disgracefully. He needs to maintain a good reputation for himself.” When mentioning these people, Chu Li’s tone was indifferent.

“What about Mu Xiarou? She and her mother don’t have any problems with food, clothing, or shelter, right?” Mu Yunjin thought about how the Mu family now had only one bloodline left, which needed to be protected no matter what.

It was truly lamentable. When she first arrived, the Mu family seemed happy and harmonious. But in less than half a year, the family was broken and destroyed.

“Everything has been arranged. Are you going to eat or not?” Chu Li saw that she couldn’t eat peacefully, always chatting about this and that, and the dishes on the table were almost cold.

“Yes.” Mu Yunjin only gave a brief response and buried her head to eat.

After the meal, Mu Yunjin was a bit full. Seeing that the weather outside was nice today, she was about to ask Chu Li if he wanted to go out for a walk when a guard ran in from outside.

“Princess, General Qin is outside and says he wants to see you privately.” After the guard finished speaking, he glanced timidly at Chu Li.

When Mu Yunjin heard the word “privately,” she also instinctively looked toward Chu Li, waiting for his response.

“Let him come in and say it.” Chu Li, displeased, swept his eyes across the reporting guard, his tone cool, with some anger in his eyes. Private, what private? Why should his woman meet privately with Qin Munan?