Zhuang Yuyan smiled and nodded, agreeing with Mu Yunjin’s words, “Indeed. Not only are we both already wives and shouldn’t be exposing ourselves in such a manner, but considering our maiden families, they hold the same official rank as the General’s household and are not beneath them.”

“Being of the same rank, how can we be expected to perform talents for Miss Qin? By reason and propriety, it doesn’t follow the rules.”

After finishing her speech, Zhuang Yuyan looked at Mu Yunjin with some concern, “But the Qin family’s young master and miss have won so many battles this time, and they’re at the height of their popularity. If we refuse, won’t the Empress be displeased?”

Mu Yunjin smiled at Zhuang Yuyan, picking up some food with her chopsticks and placing it in Zhuang Yuyan’s bowl, “Sister Yuyan needn’t worry. When we reach that point, there will be a way. No one can force us to do what we don’t want to do.”

Seeing Mu Yunjin’s confident expression, Zhuang Yuyan nodded instinctively, feeling somewhat reassured.

Chu Li didn’t return to the residence until dusk.

Mu Yunjin had been sitting at the stone table in Liquan Pavilion all afternoon, waiting for Chu Li. Upon seeing him enter, she immediately stood up and called out to him.

“Hey, Chu Li!” Mu Yunjin blurted out, not noticing the impropriety in her address.

Chu Li paused, hearing Mu Yunjin’s voice. His brow furrowed slightly, but he still responded casually, “Mm.”

“I need to talk to you about something,” Mu Yunjin walked closer to Chu Li, lowering her eyes slightly, putting on the appearance of someone seeking a favor.

“Mm,” another simple acknowledgment.

“The Empress has issued an oral decree that at the celebration banquet for the two Qins, all palace ladies and officials’ daughters are to perform talents…”

“You don’t need to participate,” Chu Li interrupted before Mu Yunjin could finish.

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow, looking at Chu Li, “Really?”

“Of course,” Chu Li replied, then continued walking toward his room.

Mu Yunjin stood in place, watching Chu Li’s gradually receding figure. She could tell that Chu Li wasn’t in a good mood at the moment, but with his assurance, she felt relieved.

As for Sister Yuyan, she had heard that Grand Tutor Zhuang was an extremely stubborn person. He probably wouldn’t agree to let Yuyan perform either.

Over the next few days, with Chu Li’s words as a guarantee, Mu Yunjin wasn’t concerned about the talent performance at all. She spent her days eating and sleeping in the residence, completely at ease.

“Miss, you’ve been in the residence for ten days now. Don’t you want to go out for a walk?” Zixiang entered Mu Yunjin’s room, putting the newly washed clothes into Mu Yunjin’s wardrobe.

Mu Yunjin, reclining in the rocking chair, realized upon hearing Zixiang that she hadn’t left the residence for ten days.

The weather is hot. I don’t want to go out and be in the sun,” Mu Yunjin replied languidly.

Zixiang smiled, “But staying in the residence all the time, doesn’t Miss feel a bit bored?”

“You girl, could it be that you want to go out to play, so you’re trying to persuade me?” Mu Yunjin realized and teased Zixiang.

Zixiang blushed slightly, lowering her eyes with a smile, “How would this servant dare?”

“Alright, alright. Today is cloudy, so I’ll take you out for a walk,” Mu Yunjin said, sitting up.

“Yes, then this servant will help Miss arrange her hair.”

A moment later, the mistress and servant left the Prince’s residence.

Walking on the street, Mu Yunjin noticed that there were particularly many people out today. The market street was almost packed with people.

Seeing this, Mu Yunjin frowned slightly, wanting to find a teahouse to rest. Arriving at the teahouse, she found the first-floor hall filled with people, and the window sills of the second-floor private rooms were also packed with onlookers.

Just as she was about to ask Zixiang what special day it was, two women nearby linked arms, chatting and laughing, “General Qin and Miss Qin’s troops are about to reach the city gate. They’ll be entering the city soon!”

“Yes, yes, just thinking about it is exciting. Everyone has come out today to welcome General Qin and Miss Qin.”

“Look, they’re coming, they’re coming!”

Hearing the two women’s conversation, Mu Yunjin narrowed her eyes, a faint smile curling at the corner of her mouth.

So the Qin family had returned.

Looking in the direction they indicated, she saw that the commoners who had been walking in the center of the road had all moved to the sides, while a large contingent of troops marched down the middle, heading toward the palace.

As the troops drew closer, the common people on the street all knelt, calling out, “Welcome back victorious General Qin and Miss Qin!”

Mu Yunjin crossed her arms, watching the scene. Almost everyone on the entire street had knelt, making her standing straight at the roadside appear particularly conspicuous.

The commoners standing next to Mu Yunjin originally wanted to pull her down to kneel together, but after carefully examining her face, they immediately became somewhat frightened, lowering their heads, not daring to act rashly.

The troops gradually approached. Leading them on horseback was presumably an officer of vice-general rank, looking very serious as he rode at the front, followed by several rows of soldiers, all equally expressionless.

Behind the soldiers, an exquisite carriage slowly followed, with another long line of troops behind the carriage.

Mu Yunjin’s gaze was entirely focused on that carriage, watching as it slowly passed before her, feeling somewhat conflicted.

As the carriage moved away, the crowd gradually dispersed, and the previously packed street became spacious again.

“Miss, shall we continue our walk?” Zixiang carefully asked, glancing at Mu Yunjin, whose expression wasn’t pleasant at the moment.

“Why wouldn’t we?” Mu Yunjin curled her lips slightly, turning to enter a rouge shop.

Upon entering the shop, Mu Yunjin encountered another acquaintance.

“Greetings to the Sixth Prince’s Consort.” Yan Lingshang was selecting rouge with her maid. Upon seeing Mu Yunjin enter, she smoothed her skirt slightly in greeting.

Mu Yunjin nodded slightly. Given her unfavorable impression of Yan Lingshang from their last encounter, she was unwilling to engage much with her.

Yan Lingshang, however, was undeterred and walked to Mu Yunjin’s side, “Sixth Prince’s Consort, this is a new peach blossom rouge they just got in. It has a faint peach blossom fragrance.”

As she spoke, Yan Lingshang picked up a jar of peach-scented rouge and presented it to Mu Yunjin.

Mu Yunjin showed no intention of accepting it, instead picking up another rouge nearby, “This one is good. I don’t like scented ones.”

Yan Lingshang’s expression stiffened, but she quickly recovered with an awkward smile, “Is the Sixth Prince’s Consort also here to select rouge for the performance? I just chose a peony red one, planning to use it during my talent performance.”

“I’m not performing,” Mu Yunjin replied flatly, casually picking up five or six boxes of rouge that caught her eye, then having Zixiang take them to the shopkeeper to pay.

“Oh? Not performing? But didn’t the Empress say that no excuses for refusal would be accepted?” Yan Lingshang was somewhat surprised. Originally, upon hearing the Empress’s decree, she had felt a bit of secret joy, wanting to see what kind of talent this simpleton Mu Yunjin could present.

Yet now she says she’s not performing?

“Miss Yan is being rather talkative today,” Mu Yunjin glanced at Yan Lingshang. By now, Zixiang had already completed the payment, and the mistress and servant walked out of the rouge shop one after the other.

Yan Lingshang’s face paled as she glared at Mu Yunjin’s retreating figure, biting her lip as she cursed, “What’s there to be arrogant about? Now that Miss Qin has returned, let’s see how long you can remain the Sixth Prince’s Consort!”

Mu Yunjin, who hadn’t gone far, naturally heard Yan Lingshang’s muttering. Her eyes couldn’t help but dance with amusement, “Everyone keeps saying this. I’m starting to wonder: can this Qin Muyue become the Sixth Prince’s Consort?”

“Miss…” Zixiang was speechless, her small face flattened in dismay.

Five days passed, and Mu Yunjin hadn’t seen Chu Li once. According to Mamma Shen, Chu Li was summoned to the palace by the Emperor every day.

“Miss, we’re about to enter the palace for the celebration banquet. Which outfit would you like to wear?”

In the bedroom, Zixiang brought a light purple brocade gown and a clear water-green gauze dress, holding them up before Mu Yunjin.

“I want that one,” Mu Yunjin pointed to a plain blue light robe hanging in the wardrobe.

“Miss, that one is too plain. It might be fine for everyday wear, but is it suitable for attending a banquet?” Zixiang frowned slightly.

Mu Yunjin smiled faintly, “What’s unsuitable about it? I’m not the protagonist of the banquet. As long as Miss Qin looks beautiful, that’s enough.”

Hearing this, Zixiang felt somewhat helpless but could only obediently put down the two outfits in her hands and go to the wardrobe to retrieve the plain blue garment.

When arranging her hair, Mu Yunjin also instructed Zixiang to style it in a simple, light manner. Following Mu Yunjin’s directions, Zixiang only inserted one hairpin and adorned her hair with a small pearl flower.

After her toilette, Mu Yunjin walked out of her room and looked at the tightly closed door opposite, pressing her lips together, “Is Chu Li not in the residence again?”

Zixiang nodded, “Yes, but the residence’s carriage is ready, and it’s about time. Miss can depart now.”

Mu Yunjin made a sound of acknowledgment.

When the carriage stopped at the palace gate, it happened to meet the carriage from the Minister’s mansion. Minister Mu, Mu Yunhan, and others were just alighting from their carriage.

“Greetings to the Sixth Prince’s Consort,” Minister Mu bowed to Mu Yunjin as soon as he saw her.

Nearby, Mu Xiarou and Mu Lingzhu, who had just descended from the carriage, also followed their father in paying respects to Mu Yunjin.

“Father need not be so formal.”

Mu Yunjin spoke softly, her gaze sweeping over Mu Lingzhu to the side.

“Sister Yunjin, why are you dressed so plainly today?” Zhuang Yuyan, seeing Mu Yunjin’s attire, was somewhat puzzled.

“Convenience,” Mu Yunjin’s lips curled into a slight arc.

Zhuang Yuyan didn’t quite understand Mu Yunjin’s meaning, but still nodded, glancing behind Mu Yunjin. Seeing that she had come alone, Zhuang Yuyan linked arms with her and said with a smile, “Let’s go in together.”

With Zhuang Yuyan’s company, Mu Yunjin no longer felt so awkward being alone.

“Yunjin, I heard you don’t have to perform a talent either?” Mu Yunhan walked on the other side, looking down at Mu Yunjin.

Mu Yunjin nodded, “Yes, Chu Li promised.”

Hearing Mu Yunjin casually mention Chu Li by name, Minister Mu and Mu Lingzhu, walking behind, showed slight changes in their expressions, their eyes revealing surprise.

Mu Lingzhu bit her lip, looking at the brightly smiling figure before her, her eyes filled with jealousy and hatred.

It was all because of this tramp Mu Yunjin that her life had been ruined. If not for her causing her mother’s death, she wouldn’t have come of age without anyone proposing marriage.

She was the number one talented lady of Western Yuan Country; those wanting to marry her should have been lining up at their door. How had she become the laughingstock of noble daughters?

Fortunately, today she would be performing her talents. She believed she would seize this opportunity!

Hmph, Mu Yunjin, there’s still a long road ahead. We’ll see how things go!