Mu Yunjin had originally thought they would stop in the front hall of the Prince’s residence, but unexpectedly, Chu Li carried her into the back garden of the residence and then into a room.

After Chu Li set Mu Yunjin down and she had just settled, she heard a joyful voice from outside, “Ceremony complete!”

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin pulled off her red veil and squinted at Chu Li. “What does that mean?”

“You and I are not truly marrying out of love, so why bother with the needless ritual of bowing to heaven and earth?” Chu Li’s lips curled up as he looked down at Mu Yunjin sitting at the edge of the bed.

Mu Yunjin paused, her eyes suddenly revealing a strange light. “So you’re saying, since I haven’t bowed to heaven and earth with you, we’re not truly husband and wife? Then if I meet someone I like in the future, can I marry freely?”

Chu Li hadn’t expected Mu Yunjin to speak so directly. Hearing the phrase “marry freely,” he frowned slightly, then said coolly, “I suppose so.”

“At least you have some conscience.” Mu Yunjin felt much more comfortable now.

After a pause, Mu Yunjin asked again, “By the way, all your royal brothers and sisters are outside. If you don’t perform the ceremony with me, aren’t you afraid they’ll gossip?”

“This prince has his arrangements,” Chu Li said.

…

…

Hearing Chu Li say this, Mu Yunjin responded with a simple “Oh” and didn’t ask further. She looked around at the surroundings and furnishings, then thought of something else.

“So we won’t be living together, right?”

Hearing this, Chu Li nodded casually. “You and I will live in the same pavilion. This room is for you, and I will stay next door.”

“Mm, that’s good. This way, it won’t arouse suspicion.” Mu Yunjin said happily, suddenly feeling that she had never encountered such a good situation.

Not only had she escaped from the Minister’s mansion, but she could also eat and live freely in this Prince’s residence. Was this her lucky break?

…

For the rest of the day, Mu Yunjin sat alone in the room, listening to the bustling sounds of people coming and going outside, creating a lively atmosphere.

Mu Yunjin was in a great mood, sitting alone at a round table filled with pastries, enjoying wine and cakes without restraint.

Until a wedding attendant pushed open the door, “Oh my, my young mistress, how could you be eating and drinking by yourself!”

“It’s still early before dark, and I have to sit here alone for half a day. There’s nothing wrong with eating something,” Mu Yunjin said.

Hearing this, the attendant smiled, “After today, you’ll be the Sixth Prince’s consort. In the days to come, you’ll have lavish meals every day, so it doesn’t matter if you go hungry for one afternoon.”

The attendant walked over to Mu Yunjin’s bed and placed a piece of white silk cloth on it.

Seeing the white cloth, Mu Yunjin frowned slightly. “What is this?”

“This was ordered by Empress Qin herself. She said it needs to be inspected tomorrow morning.” The attendant covered her mouth and smiled, her words full of innuendo.

Mu Yunjin immediately understood and suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed. Her face turned slightly red, and she stopped talking to the attendant.

Before leaving, the attendant looked at Mu Yunjin and reminded her, “Don’t finish all the wedding wine, or else you won’t have any for the cup-sharing ritual tonight.”

“I understand,” Mu Yunjin replied lazily.

After the attendant left, Mu Yunjin stood up, walked to the bed, and grabbed the white cloth with a look of disgust.

The sky gradually darkened, and the sound of guests outside also gradually quieted down. The door of the room was pushed open again.

Chu Li walked in and saw Mu Yunjin lying on the couch with flushed cheeks. Her previously meticulously arranged hair had been completely undone, with her black tresses scattered messily, yet it didn’t diminish her beauty at all.

Seeing this, Chu Li glanced at the overturned and empty wine pot on the round table and couldn’t help but smile. “Truly carefree.”

…

The next day, Mu Yunjin was once again woken up by Zixiang.

“Miss, wake up quickly. Today we need to go to the palace to serve tea to Empress Qin, and then visit your natal home.”

Mu Yunjin opened her eyes languidly, looked around the unfamiliar surroundings, and knocked on her head. Only then did she remember that after yesterday, she had married into the Sixth Prince’s residence.

Seeing Mu Yunjin awake, Zixiang pouted, her small face crumpling.

“What’s wrong? Who bullied you?” Mu Yunjin looked at Zixiang with concern.

Zixiang shook her head and spoke with some grievance, “The Sixth Prince didn’t share a room with you last night. I don’t know what he means by this. Is he deliberately humiliating you?”

“Silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about?” Mu Yunjin got out of bed. “Does it have to be consummation to avoid humiliation?”

“I…” Zixiang was left speechless by Mu Yunjin’s words.

Mu Yunjin stretched lazily. “I’ll take a bath first.”

Shortly after, having finished bathing, Mu Yunjin walked to the wardrobe and casually selected clothes.

Seeing Mu Yunjin still choosing clothes, Zixiang went over and picked out a light purple brocade dress for her. “This servant just saw that the Sixth Prince is wearing a purple formal attire today.”

Mu Yunjin glanced at the light purple brocade dress and didn’t say much, slowly changing into it.

Soon, at the dressing table, Zixiang helped Mu Yunjin arrange all her hair up and adorned it with several pearl hairpins, making her look both radiant and captivating.

“I don’t like this hairstyle.” Mu Yunjin looked at her completely upswept hair, feeling as if she had aged several years in an instant.

“Miss, you are now married and considered a married woman. Today you will enter the palace to pay respects to the Emperor, Empress, and others. You need to be more dignified,” Zixiang explained.

Mu Yunjin frowned slightly, her thoughts lingering on Zixiang’s words about being a “married woman.”

She was only sixteen years old. In modern times, she would at most be a high school student, yet in this ancient era, she was already considered a married woman.

Just as Mu Yunjin was about to leave after fixing her hair, Zixiang paused and said to her, “Miss, just now the mansion’s Matron Shen said to have this servant bring out a white handkerchief. What handkerchief is that?”

White handkerchief…

Mu Yunjin sighed, walked to the couch, picked up the white handkerchief, and frowned slightly. She then bit her finger and dabbed some blood on it.

Watching her blood stain the white handkerchief, Mu Yunjin felt inexplicably frustrated.

After leaving the room, Mu Yunjin looked around. Catching sight of another room diagonally across, she raised her eyebrows slightly. That room should be Chu Li’s, right?

Looking at it this way, they were close.

Zixiang was already familiar with the layout of the entire Sixth Prince’s residence. After leading Mu Yunjin out, she introduced her to the surroundings. “The place where you and His Highness live is called Liquan Pavilion, named after the Liquan Palace where the Sixth Prince lived in the imperial palace.”

“If you turn right after leaving Liquan Pavilion, you’ll reach the garden of the Prince’s residence. In the western direction, there are several vacant pavilions, which are for…” Zixiang felt she had said too much and didn’t continue.

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin raised her eyebrows slightly. “They’re prepared for future concubines, right?”

“Miss…”

When Zixiang brought Mu Yunjin to the front hall of the Sixth Prince’s residence, Chu Li was already seated there. Ding Xian stood beside Chu Li, watching Mu Yunjin emerge from the back garden with a somewhat surreal feeling.

He then smiled at Mu Yunjin, “This humble servant pays respects to the Prince’s Consort.”

Hearing this title, Mu Yunjin pretended to nod, not saying much, then looked at Chu Li. “When are we going to the palace?”

Standing in the hall, Matron Shen immediately spoke, “Prince’s Consort, before speaking to His Highness, you must add the words ‘His Highness.’ This is a basic rule.”

“Oh.” Mu Yunjin lightly snorted, raising an eyebrow at Chu Li. “When are we going to the palace?”

Matron Shen’s face immediately turned ashen.

Seeing that she paid no attention to Matron Shen’s words, Chu Li wasn’t surprised. His eyebrows moved slightly. “Let’s have breakfast first.”

“Mm.” Mu Yunjin nodded.

…

At the dining table, Mu Yunjin lazily ate the red bean porridge in her bowl. Nearby, Matron Shen spoke with a forced smile, “Prince’s Consort, did you bring the brocade handkerchief?”

Hearing “brocade handkerchief,” Chu Li looked at Mu Yunjin, his brow slightly furrowed.

Sensing Chu Li’s gaze, Mu Yunjin cast a resentful look at him, then took out a white handkerchief from her bosom and handed it to Matron Shen.

Matron Shen took the white handkerchief and, seeing the crimson stain on it, couldn’t help but smile. “This servant congratulates His Highness and the Prince’s Consort.”

Mu Yunjin lowered her eyes, as if she hadn’t heard.

Chu Li glanced at the white handkerchief, immediately understood, and then, noticing the wound on her finger and her lowered head, stared at her for a moment.

After breakfast, Mu Yunjin and Chu Li left the residence, got into a carriage, and headed toward the imperial palace.

As soon as she sat in the carriage, Mu Yunjin, with no regard for appearances, propped one leg on the opposite seat, yawned, her face full of drowsiness.

Chu Li looked at Mu Yunjin, his thin lips slightly pressed together. “Put your leg down.”

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin lifted her eyelids and gave Chu Li an annoyed look, but still obediently put her leg down, silently cursing herself for becoming increasingly timid.

After getting out of the carriage, Mu Yunjin followed beside Chu Li, walking toward the palace, thinking how fortunate it was that today she only needed to serve tea to Empress Qin. If she had to serve tea to Empress Dowager Zheng or the Emperor and others, who knew what difficulties she might face?

Passing through the Imperial Garden, many palace maids and eunuchs who passed by, seeing Chu Li and Mu Yunjin both dressed in purple and walking side by side today, couldn’t help but feel that these two people’s appearances were exceptionally well-matched.

Chu Li directly led Mu Yunjin to the Plum Blossom Courtyard from the last time. As soon as they entered the courtyard, Matron Qu came forward and curtseyed to Chu Li and Mu Yunjin.

“The Empress is currently in the Plum Blossom Garden.”

After entering the Plum Blossom Garden, Mu Yunjin saw Empress Qin sitting in a pavilion, looking in her direction with a smile in her eyes.

“Greetings, Grandmother.” Chu Li only greeted Empress Qin briefly.

Empress Qin looked at Chu Li and Mu Yunjin with satisfaction, her gaze falling on the white handkerchief in Matron Shen’s hand. The smile in her eyes couldn’t be concealed as she nodded to Matron Qu beside her.

Matron Qu understood and said, “Please have the Sixth Prince’s Consort serve tea.”

As she spoke, a palace maid walked over with a tray holding a cup of tea.

Mu Yunjin stepped forward, picked up the cup of tea, knelt before Empress Qin, and performed a salute. “Grand… Granddaughter-in-law Yunjin requests Grand… Grandmother to drink tea…”

Seeing Mu Yunjin’s somewhat stuttering speech, the corner of Chu Li’s lips curved slightly upward. He hadn’t expected this little fox to have moments of nervousness, too.

Empress Qin looked at the cup of tea Mu Yunjin offered and couldn’t help but smile. “Good girl.”

She then took the teacup and very graciously took a sip of tea.