After leaving the rogue shop, Mu Yunjin had lost her mood for shopping. She had come out for a pleasant stroll, only to be called a harbinger of doom by a group of gossiping women, truly ruining her good mood.

After some thought, she glanced back at the women kneeling in the rouge shop, gave a light snort, and headed back toward the residence.

“Young miss, those people were too much!” After walking some distance, Zixiang couldn’t help but exclaim angrily.

“So I’ll let them kneel for a while to learn their lesson,” Mu Yunjin raised her eyebrows, curling the corners of her lips.

Zixiang nodded, still furious. “I don’t know who’s stirring up these messy rumors, causing such annoyance.”

“It’s nothing more than what Chu Qing’s people instigated after His Highness’s background was revealed. Now these commoners see me and recall it all, inevitably wagging their tongues,” Mu Yunjin pouted.

“So that’s how it is,” Zixiang sighed lightly.

After the mistress and servant returned to the residence, Chu Li had not yet come back. Mu Yunjin checked the time and walked toward the back garden.

Just as she was about to enter the back garden, she instructed a guard at the gate, “In one hour, go to the Cuiyun Pavilion rouge shop and let those kneeling women stand up. If anyone isn’t kneeling, break her legs!”

…

…

“Yes, Princess.”

……

The next day was Crown Prince Ye’s coronation ceremony.

Chu Li had entered the palace at noon the previous day and was busy until nearly midnight before returning to the residence. When he entered the room, candles were lit inside, and Mu Yunjin was lying on the bed, repeatedly yawning, yet forcing herself to stay awake to wait for Chu Li.

Now they had to get up early to dress and enter the palace, and both were so tired they could barely keep their eyes open.

“You should continue sleeping for a while. The women don’t need to go so early,” Chu Li stroked Mu Yunjin’s cheek and spoke gently.

Mu Yunjin rubbed her eyes and shook her head. “No, I want to go with you.”

After speaking, she supported herself to sit up in bed.

Chu Li raised a faint smile and got up to get dressed.

For such an important occasion, Mu Yunjin could not be negligent. After changing her clothes, she called Zixiang to help her with her makeup and hair.

Zixiang styled her dark hair up, and knowing that Mu Yunjin was pregnant, specifically chose a set of openwork hairpins to wear, to avoid complex ornaments putting too much strain on Mu Yunjin’s neck.

Much later, Mu Yunjin looked at herself in the mirror for a while.

After a moment, she touched her face. Since becoming pregnant, it seemed she had indeed gained some weight…

……

Half an hour later, carriages of officials and nobles already filled the area in front of the palace gate. Grand Tutor Zhuang and Chen Pu’s carriages were also at the palace gate; the two seemed to be specifically waiting for Chu Li’s arrival.

Upon seeing Prince Ning’s carriage, Grand Tutor Zhuang and Chen Pu slowly walked over, each accompanied by their wives. As they approached, they slightly bowed their heads to Chu Li and Mu Yunjin in greeting.

“Greetings to Prince Ning, greetings to Princess Ning.”

“Please rise.”

Grand Tutor Zhuang nodded, then turned to his wife beside him. “Madam, please accompany the Princess into the palace to find the Empress Dowager.”

Madam Zhuang agreed and smiled at Mu Yunjin. “Princess Ning, let’s enter the palace first.”

Mu Yunjin nodded lightly and proceeded into the palace with Madam Zhuang and Madam Chen.

Zixiang had been brought along by Mu Yunjin today and was now deliberately supporting Mu Yunjin, walking by her side, which also eased the awkwardness of facing Madam Zhuang and Madam Chen alone.

One of these ladies was nearly sixty, and the other was already over forty. Walking together with Mu Yunjin now, they opened up in conversation.

“Princess Ning seems to have the appearance of pregnancy.” Madam Chen looked at Mu Yunjin with a smile, examining her belly.

Mu Yunjin was slightly taken aback. She was only three months pregnant, her belly hadn’t grown large yet. How had Madam Chen noticed?

Hearing this, Madam Zhuang also looked Mu Yunjin up and down, finally settling on her face. “Your facial features look more rounded than before.”

Mu Yunjin’s mouth twitched. So after all this, it was because she looked fatter…

The three walked together and got along harmoniously.

As they were approaching Empress Dowager Zheng’s palace, they met Madam Yan, the wife of the Prime Minister, as well as the wives of the Vice Minister of Rites and the Vice Minister of Revenue.

The husbands of these women had always been at odds with Grand Tutor Zhuang and Chen Pu, so naturally, their wives were also at odds with each other.

As soon as they faced each other, the smiles on everyone’s faces disappeared.

Despite their displeasure, Mu Yunjin held the highest status among them. No matter how unhappy Madam Yan and the other two women were, they had to bow and pay respects to Mu Yunjin.

“Greetings to Princess Ning.”

Seeing Madam Yan, Mu Yunjin inexplicably thought of Yan Lingshang, wondering how things were going with Huang Yan…

“Ladies, please rise,” Mu Yunjin said.

Madam Yan expressed her thanks, but before Mu Yunjin walked ahead first, she could only stand in place, not daring to move.

“Princess Ning, let’s go find the Empress Dowager now,” Madam Chen smiled at Mu Yunjin.

Mu Yunjin made a sound of acknowledgment and walked forward.

Behind her, Madam Yan looked at Mu Yunjin’s back and rolled her eyes in displeasure.

Just as she hadn’t finished rolling her eyes, Mu Yunjin suddenly turned around, catching Madam Yan’s disdainful look.

Madam Yan abruptly met Mu Yunjin’s gaze, startled, her heart sinking as she averted her eyes.

“Why isn’t Madam Minister walking yet?” Mu Yunjin said with a smile, showing no other particular emotion on her face.

“Coming right now,” Madam Yan laughed awkwardly.

When they arrived at Empress Dowager Zheng’s palace, many female relatives had already gathered, including several princesses and some consorts.

“Sixth Sister-in-law!” Seeing Mu Yunjin, Princess Chu Qingyuan’s eyes brightened, and she rushed toward Mu Yunjin.

Zixiang instinctively stepped forward to block Chu Qingyuan’s flying hug. “Ninth Princess, please be careful, don’t fall…”

Chu Qingyuan stuck out her tongue. “I’m just so happy to see Sixth Sister-in-law.”

After speaking, Chu Qingyuan hooked Mu Yunjin’s arm. With what happened recently, she had almost thought she would never see Sixth Brother and Sixth Sister-in-law again…

Although Sixth Brother wasn’t her sixth brother, from the bottom of her heart, she regarded Chu Li as her true brother.

Mu Yunjin smiled and walked to Empress Dowager Zheng first, curtsying to her. “Greetings to the Grand Empress Dowager.”

“Please rise,” Empress Dowager Zheng looked at Mu Yunjin with a smile, still holding the cat that Mu Yunjin had given her.

Since having this cat as a companion, Empress Dowager Zheng found Mu Yunjin more and more pleasing to the eye. Before, she would frown upon seeing her, but now, thinking about it, she felt somewhat apologetic toward her.

After most of the female relatives had arrived, Empress Dowager Zheng ordered seats and tea to be provided.

As tea and refreshments were served, the atmosphere in the hall gradually improved.

According to our Xi Yuan’s traditions, when a new emperor ascends the throne, all female relatives must wait in the rear hall. After the main ceremony of ascension is completed at the front, they will then go together to the banquet hall for the feast.” Empress Dowager Zheng took a sip of tea and explained to some of the newly joined female relatives.

Mu Yunjin had been holding a silver needle between her fingers. Before drinking tea, she tested it first with the silver needle. Only after confirming there was nothing amiss did she slowly drink it.

As for the refreshments on the table, she didn’t dare touch them at all.

In front, several ladies were chatting animatedly with Empress Dowager Zheng. Out of boredom, Mu Yunjin’s eyes lightly swept around, observing the people seated nearby.

Apart from Chu Qingyuan sitting beside her, she had only met most of the others once or twice.

“By the way, yesterday I heard something from one of my friends…” Madam Yang Yun, wife of the Vice Minister of Rites, suddenly spoke up, looking toward Mu Yunjin as she finished speaking.

Meeting this gaze, Mu Yunjin knew it was nothing good.

“What matter?” Empress Dowager Zheng asked.

Yesterday, after dinner, with nothing to do, I went out to chat with a friend, only to find her lying in bed with her kneecaps both swollen red and bruised purple. I was terrified. Later, when I asked, I learned that Princess Ning had ordered her to kneel for several hours…” Yang Yun said with a smile, as if talking about something trivial.

The others nearby, however, cast inquiring looks at Mu Yunjin.

Seeing that Yang Yun was deliberately stirring up trouble, Mu Yunjin displayed a cold smile. Had she been too good-tempered lately that everyone thought she was easy to bully?

“Speaking of this…” Mu Yunjin suddenly spoke up, elongating the final sound, arousing everyone’s curiosity even more.

Mu Yunjin curled her lips and looked at Yang Yun. “I was being lenient by not having your friend beaten to death.”

“Yunjin, what happened?” Empress Dowager Zheng asked with concern.

“Her friend publicly called me a harbinger of doom who brings death to father, mother, and husband… Grandmother, don’t you think, apart from my publicly acknowledged parents, don’t I have another two…?” Mu Yunjin winked at Empress Dowager Zheng.

Empress Dowager Zheng immediately understood who the other two were—none other than Emperor Ximing and the Empress.

Yang Yun’s face also changed immediately. She had originally wanted everyone to thoroughly investigate Mu Yunjin’s reputation as a harbinger of doom, but she hadn’t expected this hidden implication.

Instantly, she cursed her friend in her heart for not telling the whole truth.

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became subdued, and Yang Yun no longer dared to speak.

Just as everyone was feeling as if sitting on pins and needles, an announcement came from outside: “All palace women, please proceed to Qinglan Hall to welcome the new Emperor.”

Hearing this, most people breathed sighs of relief.

……

“Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!”

Chu Ye sat in the main seat, and everyone bowed to him again.

“All ministers may rise,” Chu Ye said in a loud, clear voice.

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

After speaking, Chu Ye waved his hand, and everyone sat down.

Mu Yunjin sat beside Chu Li, taking a deep breath as she looked at Chu Ye in his dragon robe on the main seat, her heart filled with emotion.

At this moment, beside Chu Ye sat Emperor Ximing, now the Retired Emperor, and Empress Ximing, now the Empress Dowager, while Empress Dowager Zheng, strictly speaking, had become the Grand Empress Dowager.

……

After the banquet began, the hall was filled with song and dance, a scene of clamor.

When one dance performance finished, the happiest person in the hall was none other than Empress Dowager Zheng. Recently, so many things had happened in Xi Yuan that it had been a long time since there had been such a beautiful scene.

“Eh, I remember Miss Yan plays the guqin very well. Why don’t I see Miss Yan attending the banquet today?” Empress Dowager Zheng suddenly recalled Yan Lingshang.

At the mention of Yan Lingshang, everyone looked at Prime Minister Yan among the officials’ seats.

Prime Minister Yan’s face suddenly collapsed, his brows furrowing as he stood up, walked to the center of the great hall, and knelt straight—

“Reporting to Your Majesty, my daughter Lingshang has gone missing…”