After a simple lunch at the Xiang residence, Mu Yunjin didn’t linger further and left with Zixiang. This trip to her family’s residence ended without figuring out what gift to prepare.

“Miss, didn’t the Young Master say that the Sixth Prince is reclusive? Besides rare treasures, what other reclusive things are there?” Zixiang asked, tilting her head.

Mu Yunjin smiled and looked at Zixiang, “What rare treasures hasn’t Chu Li seen before? Would he value something I give him?”

“Since rare treasures aren’t special, this servant thinks the Miss should make something by hand. That way, it can’t be bought, and no one has seen it before,” Zixiang smiled.

Handmade?

Mu Yunjin raised her eyebrows slightly, looking at her own hands. The original owner of this body truly had good features—slender fingers, light and nimble.

However, handcrafting was perhaps what she was least skilled at.

If asked to fight or kill, she would certainly have no problem, but asking her to make handcrafted items was practically more difficult than climbing to heaven.

For a moment, Mu Yunjin was troubled again.

…

…

When they returned to the Sixth Prince’s residence, Mamma Shen saw Mu Yunjin return and smiled as she came to greet her, “Prince’s consort, have you thought of what to give?”

Mu Yunjin shook her head, “Not yet.”

Seeing this, Mamma Shen nodded, “No rush. There’s still some time, think about it slowly.”

“Yes, I’m a bit tired. I’m going back to take a nap first,” Mu Yunjin said.

“Alright. Zixiang, help this old woman gather some flower petals from the front.” Mamma Shen kept Zixiang behind, smiling as she spoke.

Zixiang nodded and stayed.

Walking alone on the way back to Liquan Pavilion, Mu Yunjin looked at the back garden of this residence and realized that its scale was almost several times larger than the entire Xiang residence.

She couldn’t help but marvel at the grandeur of a prince, then idly walked toward some buildings she hadn’t visited before.

Passing by several vacant small pavilions, Mu Yunjin recalled what Zixiang had said that day—these might be reserved for future concubines to live in—and her eyes couldn’t help but fill with amusement.

After walking a few steps, her ear moved slightly as she heard voices coming from one of the small pavilions.

Mu Yunjin paused her steps. Out of curiosity, she walked a few steps toward the source of the sound, and then heard Ding Xian’s voice from inside—

“This trip south was again fruitless. That object is crucial to His Highness. This time, going to the Eastern Lin Country, we must obtain reliable clues.”

“Yes, Guard Ding!”

“His Highness has been searching for that object for nearly ten years. Recently, more and more clues have surfaced. You must think carefully.”

…

Mu Yunjin didn’t listen to the end before quietly leaving. Walking back, her mind couldn’t help but recall her first visit to the palace when she accidentally encountered Chu Li, who later grabbed her by the throat.

At that time, what she overheard seemed similar to today—searching for some object. Later, when Chu Li discovered she was eavesdropping, he even wanted to kill her to silence her.

Searching for ten years—what was so important?

As she stepped into Liquan Pavilion, she happened to meet Chu Li, who was alone and about to go out.

Mu Yunjin looked at Chu Li and, perhaps because she had just eavesdropped on Ding Xian’s conversation, felt somewhat guilty. She couldn’t help but give Chu Li a bright smile to show goodwill.

Chu Li glanced at Mu Yunjin and said flatly, “What are you grinning stupidly about?”

“…” Mu Yunjin resisted the urge to curse at him, then glared at Chu Li before striding toward her bedroom.

Chu Li stood in place, shaking his head helplessly.

…

When Mu Yunjin woke up from her sleep, it was already late at night.

Mu Yunjin sat up on the soft couch, looked at the pitch-black room, and realized that since returning in the afternoon, she had slept until now.

With this thought, she sighed softly, got out of bed, and prepared to find something to eat.

Fumbling to open the door, she saw the courtyard outside hung with brightly lit lanterns illuminating the entire yard, except for the house diagonally opposite, which was completely dark.

Chu Li was not there again.

Just as she was about to walk toward the front yard kitchen, a few gusts of wind suddenly blew through the peaceful courtyard, extinguishing all the hanging lanterns.

The entire Liquan Pavilion instantly became devoid of light.

Immediately after, Mu Yunjin heard soft footsteps on the roof, accompanied by the presence of many unfamiliar people.

Mu Yunjin frowned slightly. This was…

Assassins?

With this thought, Yunjin immediately retreated to her room, leaned against the cabinet, and held her breath, listening to the movements around her.

A moment later, through the remaining moonlight, Mu Yunjin watched as several people flew down from the roof and landed steadily in front of her door.

“Tonight Chu Li is not here, it’s the perfect opportunity to act,” a deep male voice sounded from outside the door.

After these words, the assassins nodded and then dispersed.

With a “creak,” the leader pushed open Mu Yunjin’s room door.

Mu Yunjin stood behind the cabinet, watching as the assassin moved with light steps. After entering her room, he began searching through things, turning everything upside down.

Gradually, the black-clad man walked toward the cabinet.

The phoenix-tail whip wrapped around Mu Yunjin’s wrist stirred eagerly, and the dagger she always kept close in her sleeve was now gripped in her hand, slowly waiting for the black-clad man to approach.

The moment the black-clad man opened the cabinet, Mu Yunjin, standing beside it, revealed herself, smiled bloodthirstily, then flicked her wrist, and a dagger fiercely embedded itself in the black-clad man’s heart.

Steady, accurate, and ruthless—nothing was lacking.

The black-clad man never expected someone to suddenly appear from behind the cabinet. By the time he reacted, his life had already ended.

Mu Yunjin smoothed her clothes and pulled out the dagger, then walked outside.

At this time, black-clad figures were scurrying throughout Liquan Pavilion. Mu Yunjin slightly narrowed her eyes, her gaze constantly moving among the black-clad men.

Just as Mu Yunjin was about to brandish her whip to deal with the black-clad men one by one, she sensed the presence of hidden guards suddenly emerging all around. These presences were very familiar, seeming to be the people hidden in the surroundings during her first meeting with Chu Li.

Then, all the lanterns that had been extinguished in Liquan Pavilion instantly regained their light.

Those black-clad men who had been moving freely in the darkness all paused in place. Then they saw a dark figure walking through the main door of Liquan Pavilion.

Seeing Chu Li, Mu Yunjin raised her eyebrows slightly. Looking around at the hidden guards now all revealed, she suddenly felt that she had been overly concerned.

It seemed preparations had been made long ago.

“Bad news, we’ve fallen into a trap. Retreat quickly!” one black-clad man shouted, then leaped away from his position.

Hearing this, Chu Li’s lips curled into a cold smile, his tone frosty, “Deal with all of them. Leave none alive.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

After these words, the hidden guards all moved into action.

Chu Li gazed around, suddenly noticing Mu Yunjin standing at the bedroom door. His eyes revealed a hint of surprise before he stepped toward her.

Standing in front of Mu Yunjin, Chu Li pressed his lips together, “Were you frightened?”

“Not at all. Just that there’s still a corpse in my room. Please have your people clean it up later,” Mu Yunjin said, pointing inside.

Chu Li frowned slightly, “You did this?”

“I ambushed him. Just lucky, that’s all,” Mu Yunjin smiled candidly, lowering her gaze slightly. As for her martial skills, she would keep them hidden for as long as possible.

“Mm,” Chu Li nodded slightly.

A moment later, Ding Xian flew down from the roof, holding a black-clad man by the collar. He walked to Chu Li’s side and said, “Your Highness, they’re from the Eastern Lin Country.”

“Clean it up thoroughly,” Chu Li glanced at Ding Xian.

Ding Xian nodded.

Hearing the words “Eastern Lin Country” again, Mu Yunjin couldn’t help but recall that during the day, when eavesdropping on Ding Xian, she had also heard the name of this country.

She couldn’t help but smell a conspiracy.

It seemed that the Sixth Prince’s residence was not peaceful either.

After a while, when everything around had returned to calm, Mu Yunjin originally wanted to go back to sleep, but upon retreating into her room, she walked back out with disgust.

Chu Li looked at Mu Yunjin in confusion.

“I’m hungry. I’m going to find something to eat,” Mu Yunjin said, twisting her lips slightly as she walked out of the courtyard.

Chu Li raised his eyebrows, watching Mu Yunjin leave the courtyard, then said to Ding Xian, “Go clean up the blood smell in Mu Yunjin’s room.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

…

In the small kitchen, Mu Yunjin searched the entire kitchen and eventually found only a few dry steamed buns and some leftover food.

Mu Yunjin pouted, rolled up her sleeves, found two eggs, and made herself a bowl of fried rice with eggs.

Just as she took the first bite, Mu Yunjin felt as if she smelled blood. She couldn’t help but spit it out and set the bowl aside.

She then took a steamed bun and walked out of the small kitchen.

The deep night of summer had a slight breeze that felt cool on her body.

Not wanting to return to Liquan Pavilion, Mu Yunjin leaned against the railing of the pavilion outside, casually nibbling on the cold steamed bun in her hand.

Looking at the bright moon in the night sky, Mu Yunjin slowly said, “As a child, I didn’t recognize the moon, calling it a white jade plate. I also suspected it was a mirror from the Jade Terrace, flying at the edge of the blue clouds.”

After saying this, Mu Yunjin gave a soft laugh.

“In the middle of the night, you’re in quite good spirits,” Chu Li’s voice came from the side, his words tinged with teasing.

Mu Yunjin paused slightly, looked around, and then said, “Why isn’t the Sixth Prince resting? What are you doing here?”

“This poem, did you compose it?” Chu Li ignored Mu Yunjin’s words and asked.

“You overestimate me. I can’t compose poetry,” Mu Yunjin pouted, finishing the last bite of her steamed bun and wiping her hands with a silk handkerchief.

Chu Li’s gaze focused on Mu Yunjin, his eyes showing some contemplation. He then took out a jade whistle from his sleeve and handed it to Mu Yunjin.

“Blow this whistle, and you can summon the hidden guards in the residence.”

Mu Yunjin paused, looking at the exquisitely crafted jade whistle. She curved her lips slightly but didn’t reach out to take it, “No need. I can protect myself.”

“Just by yourself?” Chu Li smiled faintly, playing with the jade whistle.

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin bit her lip, her eyes showing some thoughts. She then smiled gently and reached out to take the jade whistle from Chu Li’s fingers, “Then I’ll accept it.”

Putting away the jade whistle, Mu Yunjin secretly thought that now that she was deliberately hiding her martial skills and not showing her edge, these hidden guards might truly help her someday. It was better to keep this jade whistle for self-protection.

Seeing Mu Yunjin accept the jade whistle, Chu Li subtly raised his eyebrows, “The blood smell in your room has been removed. You can go back and rest peacefully.”

“…” Mu Yunjin stood in place, her mouth twitching.