Outside the Xiang Mansion, two carriages were currently parked.

Mamma Qu led Mu Yunjin toward one of the carriages. Just as Mu Yunjin was about to step into it, Mu Lingzhu’s voice came from behind.

“Sister, please wait.”

Mu Yunjin paused, turning her head to look at Mu Lingzhu, who was hurrying toward her. A playful smile appeared in her eyes as she waited for what would come next.

Mu Lingzhu walked up to Mu Yunjin, glanced at Mamma Qu standing nearby, smiled at her, and then pointed to the other carriage. “I’d like to have a heart-to-heart talk with my sister. Would it be possible for you to share a carriage with Mamma Yang?”

Hearing this, Mamma Qu looked toward Mu Yunjin.

Mu Yunjin nodded to Mamma Qu, then sat inside the carriage.

Inside the carriage, Mu Yunjin and Mu Lingzhu sat facing each other. Noticing that Mu Lingzhu still looked somewhat haggard, Mu Yunjin gave a slight smile.

Mu Lingzhu caught Mu Yunjin’s somewhat playful smile with its hidden meaning. “Sister, you’ve become more and more impressive lately. I’m truly curious about which expert has been guiding you behind the scenes.”

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin gave an awkward smile, her gaze passing over Mu Lingzhu. “No expert. I’ve developed my style.”

“Empress Dowager Zheng has intentions to match me with the Fourth Prince. Soon, I will likely marry him. When that happens, sister, you’ll need to call me Fourth Sister-in-law.”

“Congratulations,” Mu Yunjin said coldly, then added, “Are you sure the Fourth Prince wants to marry someone whose heart belongs to his brother?”

Mu Lingzhu’s face paled, but she quickly recovered. “Empress Dowager Zheng will handle that.”

“Is that so? Well, that’s wonderful then. We’ll become even closer relatives, and even the Sixth Prince will have to call you Fourth Sister-in-law. Haha, how interesting that the man you love will become your brother-in-law,” Mu Yunjin covered her mouth and laughed, her voice full of mockery.

Mu Lingzhu glanced sideways at Mu Yunjin, feeling an impulse to rush forward and tear her mouth apart. She wondered what kind of martial arts this despicable woman had practiced to become so impenetrable now.

At the entrance of Water Cloud Temple.

As soon as Mu Yunjin stepped out of the carriage, Zixiang came forward and whispered in her ear, “Miss, I just asked Mamma Qu. Empress Qin will visit the thousand-year-old tree today. We’ve truly come at the right time.”

“Good. Today, stay by my side and speak little,” Mu Yunjin looked at Zixiang.

Zixiang nodded.

Mamma Qu led Mu Yunjin toward the prayer hall. Before they even stepped through the main doors, they saw numerous imperial guards stationed around, creating an impressive display.

Mu Yunjin stood at the entrance of the prayer hall, looking inside. She saw two figures holding incense, paying respects to the Buddha statue with great devotion.

Shortly after, the two finished offering incense and walked out with the assistance of palace maids.

Empress Qin immediately spotted Mu Yunjin standing at the entrance, and her face lit up with a smile. “Yunjin, it’s been many days since I’ve seen you. You’ve grown even more exquisite.”

“Thank you for your praise, Your Highness,” Mu Yunjin said, giving Empress Qin a curtsy.

Nearby, Empress Dowager Zheng watched this scene, her eyes flashing with contempt. At that moment, Mu Lingzhu was also being led toward the prayer hall by Mamma Yang. Empress Dowager Zheng looked at Mu Lingzhu and assessed her from head to toe.

“Lingzhu, your lotus brocade attire today truly accentuates your beauty,” Empress Dowager Zheng smiled at Mu Lingzhu.

Praised by Empress Dowager Zheng, Mu Lingzhu’s face reddened as she curtseyed.

Beside them, Mamma Yang, seeing this, immediately chimed in, “Indeed! This old servant noticed on the way here that this lotus brocade garment is made from the finest snow silk, which is extremely precious.”

Seeing Empress Dowager Zheng and Mamma Yang lavishly praising Mu Lingzhu, Empress Qin smiled disdainfully, then looked at Mu Yunjin with a beaming smile.

“Yunjin truly deserves to be the first beauty of Western Yuan. Wearing simple, plain clothes, she still brings radiance to the Water Cloud Temple. If she were to dress up meticulously, this grieving one dares not imagine what a beautiful picture it would be.”

Empress Qin’s words suddenly made Mu Lingzhu’s heart sink. She bit her lip, suddenly feeling somewhat inferior.

Empress Qin was indeed formidable, immediately striking at her weak point, leaving her with no retort.

Indeed, when Mu Yunjin had been confined within the mansion, people considered her a timid coward. Even with the title of the first beauty, everyone dismissed her as having only an empty reputation.

Now that she was gradually showing her brilliance, coupled with her beautiful appearance, she truly seemed blessed by heaven, arousing a hint of admiration in Mu Lingzhu. But more than that, there was still jealousy and hatred.

Empress Dowager Zheng was also rendered momentarily speechless by Empress Qin’s words. She glared at Mu Yunjin with displeasure, then spoke harshly, “Does the Third Miss Mu not see this grieving one? How dare you not pay your respects when meeting me?”

Seeing Empress Dowager Zheng direct her hostility toward Mu Yunjin, Empress Qin also refused to back down, looking at Mu Lingzhu. “Isn’t the Fourth Miss Mu supposed to be the top talent? Don’t you know how to pay your respects properly?”

In an instant, for once, Mu Yunjin and Mu Lingzhu had the same thought—

These two old women were using them as tools for their quarrel.

The gathering at the prayer hall entrance ended on an unpleasant note.

After leaving the prayer hall, Empress Qin led Mu Yunjin in a certain direction.

Looking at the path, Mu Yunjin had some recollection of it. This direction led to the meditation courtyard from that day. She guessed that Empress Qin was going to find the abbot to get the token for the thousand-year-old tree’s courtyard.

Thinking of this, Mu Yunjin felt somewhat excited.

After walking a few steps, Mu Yunjin suddenly remembered another person. She had heard from Chu Qingyuan that day that Chu Li and his birth mother, Consort Rong, were imprisoned here, though she didn’t know in which direction.

With his birth mother imprisoned, Mu Yunjin wondered what Chu Li must be thinking.

Finding herself suddenly thinking of Chu Li, Mu Yunjin was somewhat surprised. As she pondered this, she had already followed Empress Qin to that meditation courtyard. The monk who had blocked Mu Yunjin that day appeared again.

“Greetings, Your Highness,” the monk bowed to Empress Qin.

Empress Qin nodded with a smile, looking into that room. “This grieving one wishes to see Master Huaiyuan.”

“The Abbot has been waiting for Your Highness for some time. Your Highness may enter directly.”

With that, Empress Qin walked into the meditation courtyard.

Mu Yunjin followed behind, thinking of how she had been turned away unceremoniously that day. She pursed her lips, feeling somewhat indignant in her heart.

After walking a few steps, Empress Qin stopped at the door of a small room in the meditation courtyard, saying with a smile, “Is Master Huaiyuan present?”

“I am here,” a resonant voice came from inside.

Then, the door of the small room opened automatically. Mu Yunjin looked inside to see an old man dressed in a golden kasaya with a snow-white beard kneeling at a table. On the table was a chessboard and three cups of hot tea.

“Yunjin, come in with this grieving one. The rest of you wait outside,” Empress Qin instructed, then looked at Mu Yunjin before walking in.

“Amitabha Buddha. Noble guests have come today while this old monk was trapped by a chess game, causing me to lose track of time. I failed to welcome you properly. Please forgive me, Your Highness,” said the monk.

Empress Qin smiled and also knelt in front of Master Huaiyuan, glancing at the chess board before her. “As old friends of many years, there’s no need for such formalities.”

Master Huaiyuan nodded, then turned his gaze to Mu Yunjin, his eyes containing hidden meaning. “This must be the Third Miss Mu, correct?”

“This humble one greets the Master.” Although Mu Yunjin didn’t know why Master Huaiyuan knew her name, she still obediently paid her respects.

“This old monk has been stumped by this chess game for three days. I wonder if the Third Miss Mu has any way to solve it?” Master Huaiyuan asked with a smile.

Mu Yunjin was startled, looked at the chessboard, and then shook her head. “Yunjin is not knowledgeable about chess.”

“In that case, this old monk won’t insist,” Master Huaiyuan said, then continued to pick up a white chess piece, his gaze moving across the board.

Empress Qin took a sip of hot tea and smiled, “Huaiyuan, this grieving one didn’t come today to watch you play chess. This grieving one has been troubled in mind lately and wishes to make some wishes under that ancient tree.”

“Very well. This old monk has grown tired from looking at chess for too long. Let’s go together.”

When they arrived at the entrance of the thousand-year-old tree’s courtyard, they happened to encounter Empress Dowager Zheng and Mu Lingzhu passing by.

Seeing the group about to enter the courtyard, Empress Dowager Zheng also followed.

When Mu Yunjin entered the courtyard, she felt a heart-pounding sensation she had never experienced before. A strange sense of familiarity washed over her, as if she had been here before.

Unconsciously, she quickened her pace toward the direction of the thousand-year-old tree.

When Mu Yunjin stood beneath a tree with lush branches, emerald green leaves, and numerous red ribbons hanging from it, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision.

Nearby, Master Huaiyuan caught this moment, a contemplative look flashing in his eyes, but it quickly vanished.

Mu Yunjin lowered her gaze, a tear falling from her eye. She inexplicably felt a heart-wrenching pain and unconsciously placed her hand over her heart.

After a while, she came to her senses, not understanding why she had suddenly felt such grief.

It was even beyond her control.

Wiping away her tears, Mu Yunjin had a strange feeling. She sniffled, and when she looked at the ancient tree again, her composure had returned to normal.

“Yunjin, this ancient tree is also known as the Wishing Tree. You can come over and make a wish,” Empress Qin said to Mu Yunjin after making her wish and having several red ribbons hung on the ancient tree.

Mu Yunjin nodded, walked to a stone table nearby, took a red ribbon, and picked up a brush. Just as she was about to write, her hand suddenly moved as if not under her control, writing four characters—

“I have returned.”

Seeing these four characters she had inexplicably written, Mu Yunjin’s heart trembled. Her brows furrowed as she looked at the delicate, neat handwriting on the red ribbon with confusion.

She had never learned calligraphy, so how could she write such neat characters? And how could she write such a sentence without thinking?

Thinking about it, Mu Yunjin suddenly felt a chill. Had she encountered a ghost?

With that thought, Mu Yunjin simply crumpled the red ribbon into a ball and stuffed it into her sleeve, pretending that the incident had never happened.

Elsewhere, Mu Lingzhu had been watching Mu Yunjin since they entered. The four characters Mu Yunjin had just written had all fallen into her eyes.

She couldn’t help but recall how, from the moment they entered, Mu Yunjin had behaved unusually—holding her heart, wiping away tears, and then writing those characters.

Could it be…

Did Mu Yunjin have someone else in her heart?