Yun Lianqing nearly dropped his jaw when he glimpsed the military token from Eastern Lin Country in Mu Yunjin’s hand.

Immediately, he looked at Mu Yunjin with suspicion. “Hey, what’s your relationship with Rong Jiu? How could he entrust something so vital to national survival to you…”

“He didn’t entrust it to me; he gave it to me,” Mu Yunjin put the token away, holding it in her palm.

She hadn’t previously realized how important this military token was, that it could determine a country’s life or death…

Such a valuable item felt hot in her hands. When the opportunity arose, she should return it to Rong Jiu.

“Gave it to you? And you still say there’s nothing between you?” Yun Lianqing exclaimed, his tone unconsciously becoming excited.

Mu Yunjin pouted slightly. “I didn’t know how important this military token was before…”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. The four countries—East, South, West, and North—their envoys spend so much effort maintaining surface peace each year. But you’re something else, having allies in every country, and all of them important figures…”

“I admire you, truly!” Yun Lianqing clasped his hands together in a salute, looking at Mu Yunjin with genuine admiration in his voice.

…

…

Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow and continued along with Yun Lianqing’s words, teasing him, “Then you’d better curry favor with me now. Be careful when you become emperor, or I might incite the other three countries to cause trouble for your Southern Court.”

“Don’t say that! After all, I call you Imperial Sister-in-law!” Yun Lianqing replied, then asked, “Where’s my Imperial Brother?”

“He went to the palace,” Mu Yunjin answered.

Then, she instinctively checked the time. It was nearly dusk; he should be back soon…

Just as she was thinking this, a figure walked into the courtyard.

As soon as Chu Li entered the prince’s mansion, someone informed him that Yun Lianqing had arrived. Seeing Yun Lianqing now, he wasn’t surprised.

“What are you doing here?” After approaching, Chu Li glanced at Yun Lianqing, his tone flat, revealing neither pleasure nor displeasure.

“It was too boring in the Southern Court, so I came to visit you both,” Yun Lianqing replied.

Chu Li made a sound of acknowledgment but paid no more attention to Yun Lianqing. Instead, he turned to look at Mu Yunjin. “Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”

Chu Li had spent the entire day at the palace, yet he had been constantly concerned about Mu Yunjin, feeling that her unexplained sweating was somewhat strange.

“No, I’m fine,” Mu Yunjin answered.

Hearing this, Chu Li finally relaxed.

……

That evening, at the dinner table.

With Yun Lianqing and Huang Yan present, the dining hall’s atmosphere was particularly lively.

“Tell me, Crown Prince Yun, have you considered when you might take a wife?” Huang Yan asked Yun Lianqing curiously.

Yun Lianqing raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”

“Just wondering,” Huang Yan answered.

“This Crown Prince must carefully consider the matter of taking a consort. Wasn’t it said recently that the Ninth Princess of your Western Yuan Country was to marry me? Why hasn’t there been any news lately?” Yun Lianqing finished speaking and looked toward Chu Li.

Chu Li, who had been helping Mu Yunjin with her food, glanced over upon hearing Yun Lianqing’s words. “Little Nine is not for you.”

“Oh really? Not for me? Now I’m curious about this Ninth Princess… I shall visit the palace tomorrow to see!” Yun Lianqing declared.

“So you don’t have a partner either!” Huang Yan suddenly laughed.

Yun Lianqing shot him a deadly glare. “What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing. Just worried for you,” Huang Yan made up an excuse.

Mu Yunjin listened from the side, her lips twitching slightly, silently eating her meal without joining the conversation.

Chu Li didn’t participate either, occasionally helping Mu Yunjin with her food and soup.

“You don’t need to keep attending to me. Eat your food!” Mu Yunjin said, watching Chu Li continuously serving her.

Then, she also picked some of Chu Li’s favorite dishes for him.

The corner of Chu Li’s lips curved into a slight smile. “Hmm.”

“By the way, I’ve set the date for Zixiang and Song Chun’s wedding—the twentieth of next month. What do you think?” Mu Yunjin asked.

“Whatever you decide is fine,” Chu Li replied gently.

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin nodded in agreement.

Nearby, Yun Lianqing and Huang Yan were already discussing gambling techniques.

“Those gambling houses are all rigged inside; they’d never let you dominate!” Huang Yan said.

“So the last time I lost to you was because…”

The two chatted enthusiastically, not noticing that Chu Li and Mu Yunjin had finished eating and left the dining hall.

Outside, night had fallen. Mu Yunjin and Chu Li walked hand in hand on the path back to Liquan Pavilion.

“Chu Li, I have Rong Jiu’s military token. We should find time to return it to him,” Mu Yunjin remembered.

At the mention of the military token, Chu Li’s eyes flickered, and he nodded slightly. “Mm.”

“Let me show you something else.” Mu Yunjin suddenly stopped, smiling at Chu Li.

Touched by the smile on her face, Chu Li’s expression immediately softened. “What is it?”

Then, Mu Yunjin proudly produced the peony she had just finished embroidering.

“I embroidered it,” Mu Yunjin said proudly, raising her eyebrows.

Chu Li reached out to take the embroidered cloth, examining the peony on it. Indeed, the stitching was exquisite, the pattern intricate, not at all like something a beginner could produce.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Mu Yunjin tilted her head, looking at Chu Li.

Chu Li nodded. “Beautiful.”

“Then it’s yours,” Mu Yunjin’s smile deepened.

“Good,” Chu Li curved his lips upward, placing the white cloth embroidered with peonies inside his robe.

Then, he bent slightly, his gaze level with Mu Yunjin’s. “Would you like a reward?”

Mu Yunjin immediately nodded.

Chu Li smiled with satisfaction and leaned closer to Mu Yunjin, planting a deep kiss on her lips.

This kiss became increasingly passionate. Chu Li embraced Mu Yunjin, his kiss gradually deepening, their lips and teeth entwined as tenderness spilled out from all around them.

Until—

“Tsk, tsk, I never thought Prince Ning would be this kind of person.” The speaker was Yun Lianqing.

After leaving the dining hall and walking for a short while, he saw Chu Li and Mu Yunjin flirting here.

He hadn’t expected that, after waiting a moment, they would even start kissing…

Where was the cold-faced Prince Ning? He was two-faced…

No, last time he heard Huang Yan use a term, called “outwardly reserved but secretly passionate”…

Abruptly interrupted, Chu Li was very displeased. When he turned to look at Yun Lianqing, he saw the mocking smile on his face.

“Set the formation.”

After Chu Li uttered these two words, he took Mu Yunjin back to their chambers.

Nearby, before Yun Lianqing could react to the words “set the formation,” he saw Huang Yan beside him suddenly shrug his shoulders, then point his finger, sending a flash of white light.

When Yun Lianqing instinctively tried to walk forward, he was bounced back by an invisible barrier.

“What…” Yun Lianqing looked at Huang Yan.

“Crown Prince Yun, you’re in trouble. Even our Princess can’t escape this formation,” Huang Yan said.

Yun Lianqing was dumbfounded…

……

Inside the Liquan Pavilion chamber, the atmosphere remained intimate.

“Chu Li, I forgot to bring clothes…” Mu Yunjin, who was bathing, realized she hadn’t brought clean clothes.

Shortly after, Chu Li brought clean clothes and walked behind the screen.

As usual, he used a dry towel to help Mu Yunjin dry her body, then helped her change into clothes.

But today, while changing clothes, Chu Li’s movements were particularly slow, his gaze fixed on Mu Yunjin’s chest.

“Chu Li…” Mu Yunjin became uncomfortable under his stare.

Chu Li continued to stare, his expression growing increasingly grave, his brows furrowing deeper, making Mu Yunjin feel increasingly uneasy.

“What, what is it?” Mu Yunjin asked, lacking confidence.

Chu Li reached out his hand, pointing at a spot on her chest. “You’ve been afflicted by a curse.”

“What?!” Mu Yunjin cried out in shock, looking down.

“Where? How can you tell?” Mu Yunjin asked urgently.

Chu Li pointed to a faint black mark on her chest, his face tense. “Here.”

Mu Yunjin looked carefully, then suddenly burst into laughter.

“Hahahaha, I’ve been afflicted by a curse, hahahaha…”

Chu Li’s brow furrowed even more as he drew Mu Yunjin into his embrace. “Don’t worry, I will resolve this.”

Leaning in Chu Li’s arms, Mu Yunjin felt both touched and amused by his words.

“Chu Li, do you know what this black mark is?”

“Hmm?”

“Stretch marks from pregnancy…”

“…”

……

After the small misunderstanding the previous night, Mu Yunjin remained in good spirits the next day.

During breakfast, Yun Lianqing kept glaring at her and Chu Li.

“Achoo!” Yun Lianqing sneezed.

Mu Yunjin looked at Yun Lianqing with distaste. “Don’t spread your cold to me.”

“You… black-hearted wretch!” Yun Lianqing said through gritted teeth.

Last night, he had been trapped in the formation for several hours. By the end, Huang Yan was sitting beside him, cracking melon seeds…

Mu Yunjin smiled and ignored Yun Lianqing, looking at Chu Li instead. “Sister Qingmeng just gave me an ointment that can remove stretch marks…”

“Hurry and finish your porridge,” Chu Li spoke with resignation at the mention of stretch marks.

This was something he had only heard about for the first time last night.

Thinking about how he had believed Mu Yunjin was under a curse, Chu Li now felt extremely embarrassed.

“Your Highness, the day after tomorrow is the Sacrificial Ceremony. The Emperor has summoned you to the palace, along with Crown Prince Yun…” Ding Xian entered and announced.

“Me too?” Yun Lianqing pointed at himself.

Ding Xian nodded.

……

Shortly after, Chu Li and Yun Lianqing left together.

With Chu Li gone, Mu Yunjin began to feel bored again…

“Princess, Lady Li from the Right Minister’s household has arrived,” Mama Shen walked to the back garden and informed Mu Yunjin.

“What does she want?” Mu Yunjin asked.

Mama Shen explained, “She said she was passing by our mansion and wanted to pay a visit.”

“Then tell her I’m sleeping,” Mu Yunjin didn’t particularly want to meet her.

“Yes, I understand.”

After a pause, Mu Yunjin changed her mind. “Wait, let her in.”

“Yes.”

……

Shortly after, in the garden.

“It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen the Princess of Ning. How have you been lately?” Lady Li asked with concern.

Mu Yunjin’s lips twitched slightly. “All is well.”

“That’s good,” Lady Li smiled, then remembered something. “That Lady Yang hanged herself.”

Mu Yunjin was slightly startled.

“After the incident last time, she had already committed a capital offense. Although the Ministry of Justice hadn’t pronounced sentence yet, death was inevitable. Now that she’s taken her own life, at least she can keep her body intact,” Lady Li said.

She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly at life’s dramatic ups and downs.

Mu Yunjin felt nothing about Lady Yang’s death and offered no comment on the matter.

Lady Li sat for a while longer, then said, “Actually, I came today to ask about a personal matter, if I may.”

“What is it?” Mu Yunjin looked at Lady Li.

“Does the Princess of Ning understand the current Emperor’s character?”