“Fengxuan, you’re drunk,” State Preceptor An looked at Taoist Fengxuan and patted him on the back.
“I’m not drunk. I just want to use some alcohol to express my true feelings,” Taoist Fengxuan said before drinking another cup of wine.
Mu Yunjin slowly curved her lips, looking at Taoist Fengxuan. “You’ve praised me so much that I’m embarrassed. It seems I should buy more new clothes for you, old man.”
“You troublesome girl!” Taoist Fengxuan glared at her.
Everyone laughed upon hearing this.
“Your turn,” Taoist Fengxuan said, looking at State Preceptor An.
State Preceptor An raised his eyebrows. “I don’t have much to say.”
“If I must say something, it would be to wish you a long and happy life together,” State Preceptor An raised his wine cup, looking at Chu Li and Mu Yunjin.
Mu Yunjin almost spat out her tea. This conversation had taken quite a turn.
…
…
Speaking of this, Mu Yunjin remembered something and couldn’t help but look at Chu Li, giving him a meaningful glance.
Now, they already had a child…
Yet she and Chu Li had never performed the traditional wedding ceremony…
In this ancient world, they weren’t considered officially married…
In modern times, it would be considered an unlawful cohabitation…
Chu Li naturally understood her meaning. He held her hand and transmitted a secret message to her: “Huan’er, what this Prince promised you, he will fulfill.”
Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow, looking at Chu Li.
“What are you two looking at each other for?” Yun Lianqing observed the couple gazing at each other.
“You wouldn’t understand,” Mu Yunjin replied, then added, “When you have someone you care for, you’ll know.”
Yun Lianqing silently thought this was boring.
Halfway through the meal, Yun Lianqing suddenly remembered something and looked at Bei Tang Wenfeng. “Uncle Bei Tang, I heard that you and my father, the Emperor, have already arranged a marriage between Jialan and Second Prince Bei Qili?”
Bei Qili?
Hearing this name, Mu Yunjin turned her gaze toward Yun Lianqing and Bei Tang Wenfeng.
“It’s not officially settled yet, but there is indeed such an intention,” Bei Tang Wenfeng said.
“This marriage would be excellent. If it’s settled, it would surely be Jialan’s good fortune,” Yun Lianqing said.
Bei Tang Wenfeng nodded.
As Mu Yunjin listened, she thought about the recent plan to match Chu Qingyuan with Bei Qili.
Now with this development, it seemed Little Nine and Bei Qili had no chance.
How worrisome…
…
In the afternoon, everyone dispersed to various places, either strolling or playing chess.
Little Chu Mu had been crying nonstop since the afternoon. Mu Yunjin carried him, walking back and forth in the room, trying to comfort him.
Chu Li followed into the room, also at a loss about what to do with the crying child.
Mu Yunjin comforted little Chu Mu for a long time before he finally stopped crying. She wanted to put him in the cradle to sleep, but as soon as she put him down, he started whimpering and crying again.
Mu Yunjin had no choice but to hold him in her arms.
“He’s as demanding as you,” Mu Yunjin said, holding the baby and glancing at Chu Li.
Chu Li had been reading a book. Hearing this, he abruptly looked up. “Demanding?”
“Aren’t you?” Mu Yunjin retorted.
Chu Li smiled lightly, saying with a deep meaning, “This Prince’s way of being demanding is quite different from little Mu’er’s.”
Mu Yunjin blushed, suddenly not knowing how to respond.
“By the way, how is Qin Munan doing now?” After a while, Mu Yunjin remembered this person.
Chu Li paused, thought for a moment, and answered, “He went back to the Qin mansion.”
“Then what about Little Nine’s marriage? What should we do?” Mu Yunjin asked. Little Nine was now of the age for marriage. With Bei Qili no longer an option, she wasn’t sure if Little Nine was still fixated on Qin Munan.
“Let nature take its course. She’s not a child anymore; let her think for herself,” Chu Li looked at Mu Yunjin and said calmly.
Mu Yunjin sighed. “I’m just afraid she won’t figure it out.”
Chu Li let out a light sigh, not knowing what else to say.
…
After the birthday feast, those who had been staying at the mansion didn’t linger at Prince Ning’s residence and said their goodbyes one after another.
Suddenly, the number of people in the mansion decreased by half, and it became quiet again.
Mu Yunjin spent all day in the mansion with little Chu Mu, not going out. Chu Li occasionally went to the palace to handle some affairs, but most of the time, he stayed in the mansion, accompanying the mother and son.
Time passed quickly, and soon it was the end of the sixth month. There were seven days left until the promised first day of the seventh month.
The closer this date approached, the more apprehensive Mu Yunjin became.
However, there was also a sense that things would finally be resolved.
On this day, it was the annual Buddha Worship Festival. All the women from the palace would leave to offer incense and worship at Water Cloud Temple. Mu Yunjin was also on the invitation list.
Originally, Mu Yunjin didn’t want to participate in these events, but Li Yingxuan personally wrote her a letter, inviting her to go together. The language was sincere, making it difficult for her to refuse.
After much thought, Mu Yunjin decided to go.
After all, offering incense and worshipping Buddha was a good thing, beneficial and harmless.
Early in the morning, Mu Yunjin took the Prince’s mansion’s carriage alone to Water Cloud Temple.
Chu Li was concerned about her going out alone. After she left, he sent Huang Yan and Song Chun to follow and protect her.
He stayed in the mansion to look after the child.
…
When Mu Yunjin arrived at Water Cloud Temple, the entrance was already full of carriages from the palace.
Due to the special circumstances today, the Water Cloud Temple was not open to the common people. Therefore, when Mu Yunjin walked in, she felt that the temple was quite empty, and there was no long queue in front of the Buddha Hall.
“Greetings, Princess Ning,” an elderly mamma approached and bowed slightly to Mu Yunjin.
“Please, no need for formalities.”
The elderly mamma expressed her thanks. “The Empress and Empress Dowager Rui are viewing the flower sea on the back mountain. They instructed this old servant to wait here for Princess Ning.”
Mu Yunjin nodded and then headed toward the back mountain.
On the way to the back mountain, she had to pass through the Buddha Hall. As Mu Yunjin passed by the main door of the Buddha Hall, someone walked out and bumped right into her.
Seeing the person before her, Mu Yunjin was momentarily stunned, then felt somewhat awkward.
“Hello, Sister Yunjin.” Zhuang Yuyan hadn’t expected to encounter Mu Yunjin so suddenly. Since her separation from Mu Yunhan, she had hardly left her mansion for most of the past half year.
Mu Yunjin smiled slightly and nodded. “Sister Yuyan.”
At times like this, Mu Yunjin always felt herself to be particularly heartless. This person, who had once been her sister-in-law, had almost been completely forgotten by her.
If not for this chance encounter today, she probably wouldn’t have remembered this person for the rest of her life.
And Mu Yunhan…
Her brother…
She had also almost completely forgotten him.
“Has Sister Yunjin been well lately?” Zhuang Yuyan looked at Mu Yunjin, smiling gracefully.
“All is well,” Mu Yunjin replied.
Hearing this, Zhuang Yuyan nodded. “That’s good.”
“I’m planning to go to the thousand-year-old tree for a stroll. Would Sister Yunjin like to join me?” Zhuang Yuyan asked again.
“No, thank you. I’ve just arrived and need to pay my respects to the Empress first,” Mu Yunjin declined.
Zhuang Yuyan understood. “Then I won’t disturb you.”
With these words, Zhuang Yuyan bowed slightly to Mu Yunjin, then left with her maid.
Mamma Shen had come with Mu Yunjin today as her maid. After Zhuang Yuyan left, Mamma Shen remarked with emotion, “Miss Zhuang is pitiful.”
“Alas, it’s all the sin of that brother of mine,” Mu Yunjin sighed.
Mamma Shen also sighed.
Just as Mu Yunjin stepped onto the back mountain, she saw Li Yingxuan and Empress Dowager Rui standing in a flower field, examining some kind of flower.
Li Yingxuan was the first to see Mu Yunjin and waved to her.
Mu Yunjin stood in place, smiling and nodding, but did not walk over.
Seeing that Mu Yunjin wasn’t coming, Li Yingxuan came over herself.
Drawing near, Li Yingxuan smiled at Mu Yunjin. “I thought you weren’t coming.”
“How could I not come when the Empress personally wrote a letter?” Mu Yunjin replied politely.
Li Yingxuan smiled slightly and looked at the elderly mamma beside her. “Mamma Gu.”
The elderly mamma understood and took out a brocade box, handing it to Li Yingxuan.
Li Yingxuan accepted the brocade box, opened it, and inside were a pair of small, exquisite jade ruyi. “I haven’t had a chance to visit your little heir at Prince Ning’s mansion. This is a small token of my goodwill.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Mu Yunjin said, reaching out to accept the brocade box.
Beside her, Mamma Shen bowed and took the brocade box in her hands.
Seeing that Mu Yunjin had accepted the gift, Li Yingxuan’s face lit up with joy. “Shall we go to the Buddha Hall to offer incense?”
Mu Yunjin nodded.
Then, Mu Yunjin and Li Yingxuan headed to the Buddha Hall together. Behind Li Yingxuan followed a large group of guards, palace maids, and eunuchs.
…
In the Buddha Hall, Mu Yunjin quietly offered three sticks of incense, then knelt before the Buddha statue to pray for little Chu Mu.
After praying for little Chu Mu’s health and peace in all matters, she also began to pray for their complete victory on the first day of the seventh month…
After offering incense, Mu Yunjin stood up. As she was preparing to leave, she suddenly smelled an unusual fragrance from the incense.
Mu Yunjin instinctively held her breath.
Looking back, she saw that Li Yingxuan, who had been in the Buddha Hall, had somehow fainted, along with some of her guards and palace maids who had also collapsed.
Mu Yunjin immediately walked toward the exit.
As she reached the door, a person in black appeared, holding a knife to Mamma Shen’s throat, approaching Mu Yunjin step by step.
Mamma Shen, seeing the gleaming knife at her throat, turned pale with fright, her mouth open but unable to make a sound.
“They say the Princess of Ning is someone who talks tough but has a soft heart. Surely you wouldn’t want to see this old woman die before your eyes?” the person in black said.
Mu Yunjin crossed her arms and let out a cold laugh. “What’s your purpose?”
“The military token of East Lim Kingdom,” the person in black revealed his intention.
Military token…
Mu Yunjin smiled playfully. Even at this critical juncture, there were still people coveting the military token.
However, she wondered if this was a desperate last resort, coming up with such a clumsy plan.
Thinking this, Mu Yunjin directed her gaze toward Huang Yan and Song Chun, who had just appeared behind the person in black.
The two made a “shh” gesture to Mu Yunjin in unison.
Mu Yunjin naturally understood and continued to look at the person in black. “What if I refuse to give you the military token?”
“Refuse? Then this old woman’s life is at its end, and so is that Empress Dowager outside… Although I know you, Mu Yunjin, are arrogant enough to fear neither heaven nor earth, if a country’s Empress Dowager dies because of you, it would surely bring you no small trouble…” the person in black spoke with mockery.
Mu Yunjin laughed disdainfully. “You see, I’m not afraid of trouble. You should be grateful that you appeared after I finished offering incense.”
“Otherwise, by now, there wouldn’t even be ashes left of you.”
“Oh, that’s not right. No matter when you appear, daring to act wildly before me means you’re destined to die in pieces…”