It was two days later when Mu Yunjin and Chu Li returned to the manor.

This journey accompanying Chu Li outside had only been a brief three days, but Mu Yunjin had both gains and losses. She couldn’t quite describe the feeling in her heart, only that she felt some situations had imperceptibly changed.

As soon as they stepped into the front hall of the Prince’s manor, Mamma Shen saw the two of them and came forward with a smile, ordering someone to take the bundle from Mu Yunjin’s hand.

“Your Highness and Prince Consort have returned,” Mamma Shen said with a smile.

Mu Yunjin nodded, greeted Mamma Shen, and prepared to return to her room for a good bath.

After taking a few steps, she heard Mamma Shen saying to Chu Li, “Your Highness, Miss Qin came to the manor this morning. When she found you weren’t here, she left. It seemed she had something to tell you.”

“Mm.” Chu Li responded faintly.

Mu Yunjin’s footsteps faltered slightly upon hearing the words “Miss Qin,” and she rolled her eyes toward the sky.

This Qin Muyue was truly like a lingering ghost.

…

…

After these thoughts, Mu Yunjin was somewhat startled by her thinking. She reached up to rub her temples and shook her head helplessly. “What does it matter to me if she’s looking for Chu Li? Why am I concerning myself with this?”

Mu Yunjin sighed slightly and walked toward her room.

After returning to her room, several young maids were preparing hot water for Mu Yunjin’s bath. Mu Yunjin leaned back in a rocking chair, pulled out the bank note from her bosom, and smiled with satisfaction.

“Miss, it seems your trip was quite fruitful,” Zixiang approached and, seeing what was in Mu Yunjin’s hand, smiled with pursed lips.

“That’s right, the harvest was abundant. When I leave this place in the future, I can buy a large mansion and enjoy myself properly.” Mu Yunjin said, stretching her neck.

Zixiang looked at Mu Yunjin, then seemed to think of something. She crouched down and leaned close to Mu Yunjin’s ear. “Miss, during these few days when you and the Sixth Prince were away, Miss Qin came to the manor every day.”

“And each time she came, she would sit in the front hall for a long time, chatting and laughing with Mamma Shen. Mamma Shen seems to particularly like Miss Qin, and every time they talk, they chat for one or two hours.”

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin pursed her lips but didn’t have much of a reaction. “Let her come if she wants. It’s fine as long as Chu Li doesn’t mind.”

“Miss…” Zixiang frowned. “Although you don’t have feelings for His Highness the Sixth Prince, you are still the rightful Princess Consort. Moreover, the outside world knows that you and His Highness are newly married. If Miss Qin were to step in and take your position as the Sixth Prince’s consort, who knows how many people would be waiting to laugh at you.”

“They’re childhood sweethearts who grew up together. If they truly have feelings for each other, then I’m the one who came between them. Withdrawing early would be doing them a favor—people should praise me for it!” Mu Yunjin slightly raised her chin and spoke teasingly.

Hearing Mu Yunjin’s words, Zixiang was momentarily speechless. Looking at the faint smile on Mu Yunjin’s face, her eyes gradually lowered, and she silently felt sorry for her mistress.

……

After bathing, Mu Yunjin said she wanted to rest for a while. Once Zixiang had left the bedroom, Mu Yunjin took out the Xuanling True Scripture that she had thrown under the bed that day.

Leaning back on the couch, Mu Yunjin flipped through the True Scripture a few times, recalling what Chu Li had said a few days ago. Her gaze upon the scripture in her hand was somewhat complex.

After some thought, Mu Yunjin put away the scripture, looked around, and finally stuffed the Xuanling True Scripture into a hidden compartment in the wardrobe.

When Mu Yunjin woke up from her nap, the sky was already dusk. Looking at the time, it was already the hour of You (5-7 pm).

“Zixiang,” Mu Yunjin called out.

Zixiang immediately pushed open the door and entered. “Miss, you’re awake? Would you like to eat now?”

Mu Yunjin nodded, got out of bed, and instinctively walked to the doorway, glancing at the room diagonally opposite.

“Is Chu Li not at home?” Seeing the tightly closed door across the way, Mu Yunjin frowned slightly.

“That’s right. His Highness the Sixth Prince went out not long after returning. Mamma Shen said His Highness went to find Miss Qin,” Zixiang said with downcast eyes, somewhat displeased.

Mu Yunjin made a sound of acknowledgment, her expression showing neither happiness nor anger. She turned and pulled out a plain garment from the wardrobe, put it on, and dressed layer by layer.

“Is Miss going out?” Zixiang looked at Mu Yunjin and asked with surprise.

Mu Yunjin nodded. “I need to go out for a while. You stay in the manor.”

“Miss…”

Before Zixiang could finish, she saw Mu Yunjin’s figure flash, her toes tapping lightly as she used qinggong to fly over the high walls of the Prince’s manor.

Zixiang rubbed her eyes, looking at this scene in disbelief. Could the miss fly?

Mu Yunjin stood steady at the entrance of an alley on the street, looking at the scene on the main street outside. At this time, there were still many people strolling outside. Mu Yunjin pursed her lips and walked into the alley.

Soon, Mu Yunjin stood before the entrance of Xijin Garden.

Stepping toward Xijin Garden, after entering the main gate, Mu Yunjin looked around and saw that there were still a few customers inside Xijin Garden selecting items.

But after selecting for a long time, they all shook their heads and walked away.

“Alas, it seems these items have no fate with you!” The elderly shopkeeper looked at the customers walking out the door and sighed helplessly.

Catching a glimpse of Mu Yunjin at the doorway with his peripheral vision, the old man laughed a few times. “Oh, what brings the Sixth Prince’s Consort to grace us with her presence?”

“Naturally, I’ve come to find you about something.” Mu Yunjin curved her lips, found a chair to sit down, and said, “Your Phoenix Tail Whip from last time was quite good, very handy to use.”

As she spoke, Mu Yunjin lowered her gaze to look at the Phoenix Tail Whip, which was now wound around her wrist like a thin thread, with a smile in her eyes.

“What matter brings the Sixth Prince’s Consort here?” The old man bowed respectfully to Mu Yunjin.

“I want to buy a residence in each of these cities in the Western Yuan Kingdom: Heyue City, Zhangzhou City, and Xinyao City. Name your price.” Mu Yunjin scanned the old man standing before her.

The old man paused, frowning slightly. “Sixth Prince’s Consort, I sell treasures and weapons here, not residences.”

“Whether you sell residences or not, you know very well. In your Xijin Garden, buying treasured weapons depends on so-called fate, but not everyone has the fate to buy the treasured weapons here. Your Xijin Garden has been open for so many years—if you were doing business based solely on fate, I’m afraid all your employees would be starving by now.”

“Why would the Sixth Prince’s Consort think we sell residences?” The old man looked at Mu Yunjin with curiosity in his eyes.

Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow, crossing her legs. “Intuition.”

“Hahaha, good intuition. I suppose our Xijin Garden must have made a mistake somewhere, revealing our tracks.” The old man laughed loudly.

Then he walked behind the counter, opened a drawer inside, and took out a stack of papers.

“These are all property deeds. The Sixth Prince’s Consort can choose for herself. But remember, our Xijin Garden sells treasured weapons based on fate, but these residences all come with real, solid prices.”

“Don’t worry, this lady has plenty of money.” Mu Yunjin looked through one deed after another, comparing the various diagrams.

Finally, Mu Yunjin selected an elegant and refined residence in each of the three cities.

“I’ll take these three,” Mu Yunjin said.

The old man looked at the three diagrams Mu Yunjin handed over and exclaimed, “The Sixth Prince’s Consort has excellent taste. These three are the most exquisite ones, and their prices are also the highest.”

“How much in total?” Mu Yunjin glanced at the old man.

The old man furrowed his brows, stiffened his face, and slowly said to Mu Yunjin, extending his hand, “Fifteen thousand taels.”

“Oh my, the price is indeed not low.” Mu Yunjin looked again at the diagrams, then curved a faint smile. “But you’d better guarantee that the residences are exactly as described in these diagrams. Otherwise, be careful that I don’t flatten your Xijin Garden.”

“The Sixth Prince’s Consort can rest assured. How would this humble one dare deceive you? So, do you want all three of these residences?” The old man cautiously inquired.

Mu Yunjin nodded. “All of them.”

“Also, this matter is not to be known by any third person. Only you and I should know, understand?” Mu Yunjin added.

The old man nodded understandingly. “This humble one understands.”

With those words, Mu Yunjin pulled out a bank note from her bosom and handed it to the old man. “A bank note for ten thousand taels of gold.”

“Please wait a moment, Sixth Prince’s Consort. Let me exchange this for you first.” The old man took the bank note and walked to one side.

Mu Yunjin sat in the chair, glanced at the diagrams to the side, and curved her lips into a faint smile. Before ending her fake marriage relationship with Chu Li, she needed to make plans for herself in advance.

With these three residences, her future life would have some guarantee—at least she wouldn’t be sleeping on the streets.

Thinking of this, Mu Yunjin felt she was being overly cautious.

Looking again at the old man who was converting gold into silver taels, Mu Yunjin’s eyes revealed a hint of cunning. She looked up at the ceiling, her lips rippling with a smile.

She had no idea that Xijin Garden also sold residences on the side. It was only that day when Chu Li bought the Phoenix Tail Whip for her that she inadvertently glimpsed the open drawer under the counter.

Seeing that stack of property deeds, she had vaguely connected it to the sale of residences.

Coming today was just to try her luck, but who knew that like a blind cat catching a dead rat, she stumbled upon it.

A moment later, the old man walked over with the excess silver. “Sixth Prince’s Consort, here are your property deeds and silver.”

“Mm, that’s it then.” Mu Yunjin took the property deeds, checked that there was no problem, and then turned and left through Xijin Garden’s main gate.

Behind her, the old man looked at Mu Yunjin’s retreating figure and sighed slightly. “It seems that after Miss Qin returns, the Sixth Prince’s Consort’s position will truly be in jeopardy.”

……

When Mu Yunjin returned to the manor, the sky had completely darkened.

“Oh? Prince Consort, when did you go out?” As soon as Mu Yunjin stepped into the front hall, Mamma Shen’s surprised voice came.

Mu Yunjin looked at Mamma Shen, pursed her lips, and smiled faintly. “I left through the back door.”

“So that’s how it was.” Mamma Shen nodded in sudden understanding. “His Highness and Miss Qin are having dinner in the dining hall. Would the Prince Consort like to join them for a meal?”

Mu Yunjin’s footsteps faltered, and she turned to glance in the direction of the dining hall. “Miss Qin is here?”

“Yes, she arrived just before the Prince Consort. Right now, she and His Highness have just started their meal.” Mamma Shen said, carefully observing Mu Yunjin’s demeanor, fearing to anger her.

“Well, I’d better be sensible and not disturb them.” Mu Yunjin pursed her lips and walked in the opposite direction from the dining hall.

After a few steps, an intimate greeting came from behind her: “Sister-in-law Yunjin, you’re back!”