Mu Yunjin lay in her room, legs crossed, hands cushioning her head, her mind filled with curiosity about Master Kongshi.

Was he dead?

Why did she always have the feeling that he was still in this world? If Master Kongshi were still around, he would surely be a very interesting person.

Thinking this way, Mu Yunjin couldn’t help feeling somewhat regretful.

After lying there for a short while, there came a knock at the door, followed by Zixiang’s voice from outside, “Miss, it’s getting late. It’s time to go to the dining hall for dinner.”

“Alright, I know.”

With that, Mu Yunjin sat up from the couch, put on her shoes, and walked toward the door.

As she walked out of her room, Chu Li also happened to emerge from his room diagonally opposite. When she looked up, her eyes met Chu Li’s gaze, and Mu Yunjin felt a strange chill in her heart as she caught an unusual look in Chu Li’s eyes.

Instinctively, Mu Yunjin guiltily averted her eyes.

After looking away, Mu Yunjin felt that her behavior seemed quite inappropriate. She hadn’t done anything to feel guilty about, so why should she be nervous?

Thinking this, Mu Yunjin pouted, feeling somewhat exasperated with herself.

In the dining hall, as soon as Mu Yunjin sat down, her gaze fell upon the plate of sweet pastries placed before her. Looking at these pastries, Mu Yunjin pressed her lips together, her eyebrows rising with delight.

Chu Li sat motionless, taking in every expression on Mu Yunjin’s face. After a while, he spoke softly, “Eat.”

Mu Yunjin had just picked up her chopsticks when she put them down limply, reaching out to rub her stomach. Having just returned from Empress Qin’s place not long ago, her mouth had barely stopped eating while in the Plum Garden. Now for dinner, she really couldn’t eat anymore.

Chu Li hadn’t touched his chopsticks either. Seeing that Mu Yunjin wasn’t eating, he asked gently, “No appetite?”

Mu Yunjin shook her head, slightly furrowing her brow, “I ate too much at the Empress’s place. I’m not hungry now.”

“Mm.” Chu Li responded flatly, “Then don’t eat.”

After speaking, Chu Li stood up and walked to Mu Yunjin’s side, looking at her intently, “This prince is going to Water Cloud Temple. Do you want to come?”

Mu Yunjin shook her head, “I don’t want to go.”

After speaking, Mu Yunjin pressed her lips together, lowering her eyes and thinking to herself that she didn’t want to follow Chu Li around right now!

Those days in River Moon City had been utterly boring. It was better to be on her own, free and unfettered.

After hearing Mu Yunjin’s answer, Chu Li left the dining hall expressionlessly and walked out.

Seeing that the table of food had not been touched, Mamma Shen stepped forward, sighing with regret, and then looked at Mu Yunjin, “Prince’s Consort, are you having a tiff with His Highness?”

“…” Mu Yunjin paused, then frowned, “Why would I be having a tiff with him?”

“Then it’s strange. I don’t know which of His Highness’s nerves was acting up again, but the way he left just now clearly showed he was angry. Alas, what a waste of this table full of food.” Mamma Shen shook her head helplessly and began ordering people to clear the table.

Hearing Mamma Shen’s words, Mu Yunjin also sighed, guessing that the information revealed by Master Kongshi had probably upset Chu Li.

After all, as long as the formation remained unbroken, Noble Consort Rong could not be rescued.

But she was curious—what offense had Noble Consort Rong committed to make the Emperor treat her this way, ordering Master Kongshi to add this formation?

The last time she met Noble Consort Rong, she had forgotten to ask about this.

However, for Noble Consort Rong to have access to Phoenix Feather Pavilion, she must not be an ordinary person. How could she willingly be confined within that formation?

“Prince’s Consort, while His Highness hasn’t left yet, why don’t you go with him? He specifically asked you earlier, which means he wanted to take you along.”

Mamma Shen spoke again, while finding some oiled paper to wrap the sweet pastries, seemingly giving Mu Yunjin no chance to refuse.

Before Mu Yunjin could nod in agreement, Mamma Shen stuffed a package of sweet pastries into her arms, “Hurry along now. These pastries are still warm. You can eat them later if you get hungry.”

With that, she pulled Mu Yunjin up and pushed her toward the door.

Walking out of the dining hall, Chu Li and Ding Xian were just about to leave. Seeing this, Mamma Shen immediately broke into a cheerful smile, “Your Highness, the Prince’s Consort also wants to go with you. She’s even brought provisions.”

After speaking with a smile, Mamma Shen gave Mu Yunjin a push toward Chu Li.

Forcefully pushed by Mamma Shen, Mu Yunjin momentarily lost her balance and tumbled toward Chu Li, inwardly sighing that although Mamma Shen was advanced in years, her strength was not small.

She had thought Chu Li would step aside to avoid her, but instead she fell into a cold embrace, her right hand instinctively grabbing Chu Li’s shoulder. The cool touch of his brocade robe made Mu Yunjin tremble.

Chu Li’s hand was now lightly placed on Mu Yunjin’s back. Seeing that she had steadied herself, he released his hand and looked down at Mu Yunjin in his arms, raising an eyebrow, “Aren’t you going to get up?”

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin immediately reacted, pushing against Chu Li’s chest. After steadying herself, she embarrassedly looked back at Mamma Shen and spoke with annoyance, “Mamma, don’t push me like that again!”

“Yes, yes, yes, this servant understands.” Mamma Shen covered her mouth with a smile and immediately walked back to the dining hall.

“Let’s go.” Chu Li glanced at Mu Yunjin and then walked out.

Mu Yunjin looked at Chu Li’s back, feeling caught in an awkward situation, and frowned as she followed behind him.

Behind them, Mamma Shen looked at the two figures walking one after another and couldn’t help but smile. Zixiang, standing beside her, frowned and said, “Mamma, His Highness doesn’t seem very willing to pay attention to Miss. Why did you push her toward His Highness?”

“Silly girl, have you ever seen someone who doesn’t want to pay attention to someone else, yet asks if they want to go or not?” Mamma Shen looked at Zixiang.

Zixiang seemed to understand yet not understand, but remembering the state of the two just now, her face showed concern again, “The relationship between Miss and His Highness may not be that easy!”

“Whether it’s easy or not isn’t for us to decide. Alright, you girl, hurry and tidy up the room.”

“Yes, Mamma.”

Sitting in the carriage, Mu Yunjin leaned against the side and glanced at Chu Li, “It’s so late. What’s the purpose of going to Water Cloud Temple?”

Chu Li closed his eyes and did not respond to Mu Yunjin.

Mu Yunjin turned her head away in boredom, thinking that Chu Li had fallen asleep and hadn’t heard her, so she didn’t try to talk to him anymore.

It wasn’t until the carriage stopped and Ding Xian’s voice came from outside that Chu Li opened his eyes, which were filled with languor.

After getting out of the carriage, Ding Xian held a large lantern to light the way for Chu Li.

After walking a few steps, Chu Li stopped and glanced lightly at Ding Xian, “You stay here.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Ding Xian nodded, then gave Mu Yunjin an apologetic smile as he stuffed the lantern into her hands, “Prince’s Consort, I trouble you.”

With that, Ding Xian quickly ran back to the carriage, as if escaping.

Mu Yunjin’s mouth twitched as she looked down at the somewhat heavy lantern in her hand. Biting her lip, she was about to ask Chu Li about the jade pendant when Chu Li, as if knowing what she was going to ask, turned his head and flatly uttered two words.

“Didn’t bring it.”

Again with the “didn’t bring it.” Mu Yunjin rolled her eyes in exasperation, but since she had sold the jade pendant to Chu Li, the right to use it was no longer in her hands, so she couldn’t say much.

She could only resign herself to carrying the lantern and walking beside Chu Li.

Halfway along the path, Mu Yunjin felt that something wasn’t quite right. After a moment, she looked down at the lantern and finally realized what it was. She frowned at Chu Li, “Why do I have to hold the lantern for you? If you can’t see, you should be the one carrying it.”

After speaking, Mu Yunjin extended her hand and held the lantern in front of Chu Li.

Chu Li stopped and looked at Mu Yunjin, “You eat, drink, and live in this prince’s residence for free. Has this prince ever asked you for payment?”

What?

This was truly a case of being obligated after accepting food from others.

Mu Yunjin silently withdrew her hand and pouted, “Forget I said anything.”

A moment later, Chu Li and Mu Yunjin arrived at the Zen courtyard where Master Huaiyuan lived. Master Huaiyuan seemed to know in advance that Chu Li and Mu Yunjin were coming, as candles were already lit inside the room.

“This old monk pays respects to the Sixth Prince and the Prince’s Consort.” Master Huaiyuan walked out of the door and, upon seeing Chu Li and Mu Yunjin, offered a greeting.

“No need for formalities,” Chu Li said.

Master Huaiyuan nodded, looking at Chu Li with a smile, “This old monk has a Go problem that I cannot solve today. The Sixth Prince has come at just the right time. Would you care to play a game with this old monk?”

“Happy to oblige.” Chu Li smiled faintly, walked to the Go table, and sat down.

Master Huaiyuan also sat down opposite him, and the two each took black and white stones and began battling on the board.

Mu Yunjin found a chair and sat down. Having never studied Go, she watched as Chu Li and Master Huaiyuan played with great enthusiasm, occasionally yawning.

“This round goes to the Sixth Prince.”

“This old monk is ashamed. My Go skills are poor, and I’ve lost again.”

“His Highness wins again…”

In the time that followed, Mu Yunjin leaned against the chair, dozing off. In her daze, she kept hearing Master Huaiyuan’s voice. When she slightly opened her eyes, she realized that an hour and a half had passed.

Yet the two at the Go table showed no signs of finishing.

Mu Yunjin took a slight breath. It seemed Chu Li had come tonight specifically to play Go with Master Huaiyuan.

Feeling somewhat bored and not wanting to watch the two play anymore, she sat up and stretched, “I’m going outside for some fresh air.”

With that, Mu Yunjin pushed the door and walked out.

Chu Li raised his eyes slightly, watching Mu Yunjin’s retreating figure.

Master Huaiyuan’s Zen courtyard was quite distinctive. On the way there, they had to pass a very long flight of steps. Now as Mu Yunjin walked out, she found herself on a long corridor hung with small lanterns, which provided a warm feeling in the silent, solemn night.

Mu Yunjin leaned against the railing of the corridor. Due to the elevated position, by the moonlight, she could see the thousand-year-old tree not far away.

There was a slight breeze at the moment, and at a glance, the wish-bearing red ribbons wrapped around the ancient tree were dancing in the wind. Looking at this scene, Mu Yunjin felt an inexplicable palpitation.

Her feet suddenly began moving on their own, walking down the steps.

Mu Yunjin walked to the courtyard outside the ancient tree and stopped, seeing that the outer door was locked. After looking around and seeing no one, she activated her lightness skill and easily flew into the courtyard.

Inside the courtyard, lanterns were lit all around. Mu Yunjin looked at the ancient tree and walked toward it step by step.

After reaching the ancient tree, that inexplicable feeling of sadness welled up again. Mu Yunjin felt a lump in her throat as she gradually reached out her hand, slowly touching the ancient tree…