Hearing the voice, Ding Xian, who was about to deliver a second palm strike, froze and immediately withdrew his attack. Upon seeing who had arrived, his eyes showed a trace of astonishment, and he immediately ran forward.

“Princess?”

Mu Yunjin had just taken a hard fall and had rolled on the ground, looking somewhat disheveled. She raised her hand toward Ding Xian, “Help me up quickly.”

“Princess, why are you here?” Ding Xian helped Mu Yunjin up, looking at her in surprise.

Mu Yunjin flexed her sore muscles, held her waist, and walked into the residence. “I’ve come to find Chu Li. I have something to discuss with him.”

After entering the courtyard, Mu Yunjin glanced at the barely dawning sky and sat down at the stone table in the yard, waiting for Chu Li to wake up.

Seeing Mu Yunjin’s tired face as she sat at the stone table, supporting her head with her hand, Ding Xian stepped forward and said, “His Highness slept late yesterday and has just gone to bed not long ago. It will probably be some time before he rises. Why doesn’t the Princess rest in the side room for a while?”

“Mm.” Mu Yunjin yawned, nodded, and walked toward the side room where she had previously stayed.

After entering the room, the furnishings were still the same as when she had lived there before. Mu Yunjin had barely slept all night, and now, falling onto the bed, she quickly fell into a deep sleep.

When Mu Yunjin woke up again, it was already past noon.

Mu Yunjin rubbed her sleepy eyes, stretched out with a big yawn, and then, satisfied, got up from the bed and walked outside.

Opening the door, she saw Chu Li in purple attire, sitting with his back to her in the courtyard, casually drinking tea from a cup.

“Awake?”

Before Mu Yunjin could approach, Chu Li’s cool, indifferent voice came from ahead.

Mu Yunjin lazily responded with a sound of agreement, sat down beside Chu Li, poured herself a cup of water, and drank it in one gulp.

After finishing a cup of water, Mu Yunjin looked up at Chu Li, pursed her lips, and said, “I have something to tell you.”

“Mm.” Chu Li nodded and waved his hand at Ding Xian to one side.

Ding Xian immediately understood and retreated several steps, leaving the two to talk alone.

“Go ahead,” Chu Li said.

Mu Yunjin’s eyes held a deeper meaning as her gaze fell on Chu Li. She bit her lip, suddenly not knowing where to begin.

She thought about how Consort Qin had, for so many years, outwardly treated Chu Li with kindness while inwardly guarding against him, even forcing her, with her extremely poor reputation at the time, to become Chu Li’s consort.

And thinking of how every time Chu Li met Consort Qin, he always respectfully addressed her as Grandmother, Mu Yunjin felt somewhat indignant inside.

“I want freedom…” After a while, Mu Yunjin lowered her eyes and spoke softly, her voice barely audible.

Chu Li heard Mu Yunjin’s words. His expression remained calm, but he seemed somewhat dismissive. “Aren’t you free enough now?”

“I’m talking about another kind of freedom—freedom without any entanglements.” Mu Yunjin looked up, meeting Chu Li’s gaze, her eyes showing an unprecedented determination.

Chu Li, gazed at by those determined eyes, remained silent for a while. A moment later, Chu Li lowered his eyes and chuckled lightly, “Are you afraid?”

“Afraid?” Mu Yunjin’s heart was inexplicably struck. She immediately raised her eyebrows and retorted, “What is there in this world that I would fear?”

“If not afraid, why do you seek to leave this Prince so early?” Chu Li curved his lips, his eyes seeming to hold an indescribable interest.

Mu Yunjin bit her lip. Chu Li’s words inexplicably made her heart feel congested, stuck somewhere uncomfortable.

Afraid…

She, Mu Yunjin, had never feared heaven or earth—at most, she only feared trouble…

Moreover, she was a pawn used by Consort Qin. With her naturally proud and lofty spirit, how could she allow herself to be casually used by others?

“By your side, I eat and drink idly all day, serving no purpose. Now that Miss Qin has returned, with her by your side helping you, it’s enough!” Mu Yunjin squeezed out these words, speaking so insincerely that even she felt it.

Chu Li glanced at Mu Yunjin, noticing her somewhat evasive eyes. Without a trace of annoyance, he instead found it particularly interesting. “Are you jealous?”

“You…” Hearing this, Mu Yunjin glared at Chu Li angrily. “Who’s jealous of you? We haven’t performed the wedding ceremony and aren’t truly husband and wife. You said that when I meet someone I like, I can leave.”

“Have you met someone?” Chu Li cast a sideways glance at Mu Yunjin and coldly countered.

Mu Yunjin bit her lip. Seeing that Chu Li seemed unwilling to let her leave, she changed tack, with mischief coloring her eyes. “After making so many excuses not to let me go, could it be that you’ve fallen for me?”

Chu Li’s hand holding the teacup paused. He looked at Mu Yunjin, his expression clear and light, lowering his eyes as if in thought.

Did he like her?

Chu Li asked himself inwardly, then smiled and shook his head. In this world, Mu Yunjin was probably the most interesting woman he had ever met.

She had such a clever and quick-witted nature, yet allowed her reputation to be tarnished for so many years.

In this world, where people respected him as a son of the royal family, with everyone rushing to curry favor, she alone never flattered or fawned on him. She was probably the person in this world who took him, Chu Li, least seriously.

Such an interesting person could not be found again.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Seeing Chu Li not answering, Mu Yunjin frowned.

Chu Li glanced at Mu Yunjin, the corner of his lips rising in a faint curve. “Mu Yunjin, this Prince gives you three months…”

On the return carriage, Mu Yunjin leaned against the window, her mind filled with Chu Li’s final words just now.

He had said—

“Three months is enough time to change any current situation. If after three months you still want to leave, this Prince will not keep you.”

Mu Yunjin leaned against the carriage, quietly pondering these words, completely unable to guess the meaning behind Chu Li’s words. But somehow, that phrase “change the situation” suddenly gave her a sense of mission.

Indeed, she had replaced the deceased Mu Yunjin to live in this world. That woman had once had her reputation ruined, was kept daily in the small, dark Shihua Pavilion, and had eventually died at the hands of that Aunt Su.

In her previous life, she had died accidentally, and now, with her soul transmigrated to this world, borrowing the body of that Third Miss Mu, she was able to live peacefully until now.

Now, occupying someone else’s body without fulfilling that woman’s wishes or finding her true family, how could she selfishly leave to enjoy freedom?

Mu Yunjin, ah, Mu Yunjin, you’re becoming less and less like yourself…

A moment later, she glanced at Chu Li beside her. Seeing him now with his eyes closed, leaning against the carriage, his face peaceful and quiet, Mu Yunjin frowned slightly, considering whether to tell Chu Li about Consort Qin’s matter.

After looking for a while, suddenly Chu Li opened his eyes. Before Mu Yunjin could look away, their eyes met, each with their thoughts.

“Chu Li, I want to tell you something.” Mu Yunjin gathered her courage and looked at Chu Li.

“Mm,” Chu Li responded lazily.

Mu Yunjin opened her mouth, originally intending to tell Chu Li everything about Consort Qin, but then thinking about matters concerning Consort Rong and Qin Muyue’s identity as the Phoenix Woman, she reconsidered and closed her mouth.

Shaking her head and looking at Chu Li, she said, “It’s nothing.”

Without thoroughly understanding whether there was a connection between the Qin family and Chu Li behind the scenes, she would keep these matters buried in her heart for now.

Returning to the mansion, Mamma Shen came forward to greet them and looked at Mu Yunjin. “Princess, this is an invitation sent from Prince Rong’s mansion this morning.”

“Invitation?” Mu Yunjin was surprised. She took the invitation and opened it. The contents were actually from Prince Rong’s Consort, inviting her to go to the outskirts the day after tomorrow for a lake excursion and poetry appreciation.

After reading it, Mu Yunjin closed the invitation and casually tossed it aside, her face full of disdain.

“Princess, you shouldn’t throw this away carelessly.” Mamma Shen rushed to pick up the invitation. “Prince Rong’s Consort is the Empress Dowager Zheng’s daughter-in-law. Every year, she organizes the lake excursion and poetry appreciation event. Many officials’ daughters and ladies are invited to attend.”

“What happens if I don’t go?” Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow.

Hearing this, Mamma Shen glanced at Chu Li beside Mu Yunjin. “You and His Highness are newly married. This year, you represent our Sixth Prince’s mansion. If you don’t go, those young ladies and madams might gossip.”

Mu Yunjin was truly helpless. Every time she went to such occasions, nothing good ever happened. Moreover, it was a women’s gathering, which would be a chaotic mess.

“Can I not go?” Mu Yunjin directly looked up at Chu Li, her voice having a hint of a wheedling softness that she didn’t notice.

Chu Li glanced at Mu Yunjin, tilted his head to look at the invitation in Mamma Shen’s hand, and slightly raised his eyebrows. “Since you can read, go and practice well the day after tomorrow.”

Mu Yunjin almost spat out a mouthful of blood, nearly forgetting that she had previously pretended in front of Chu Li that she couldn’t read. But just now, when looking at the invitation, she had exposed herself immediately.

Mu Yunjin patted her head, silently cursing herself for being stupid.

After a pause, Mu Yunjin muttered, “This Prince Rong’s Consort, why is she so haunting lately?”

On the way back to Liquan Pavilion, Chu Li walked in front, while Mu Yunjin and Zixiang walked behind, occasionally asking Zixiang, “What exactly is this lake excursion and poetry appreciation event?”

“This servant has heard it’s for tasting tea, composing poetry, and matching verses. There’s a Yingguang Lake on the outskirts, particularly beautiful. Many scholars especially like to match verses and compose poetry at Yingguang Lake.”

Hearing it was about composing and matching poetry, Mu Yunjin was relieved. She had learned so many ancient poems in her childhood—how could she fear handling those women!

“Then I’m at ease,” Mu Yunjin sighed slightly.

“Miss…” Zixiang furrowed her brow, looking at Mu Yunjin somewhat worriedly. “Are you sure you can do it?”

Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow. “Of course. If we were to truly compete, Mu Lingzhu might not even be my match!”

Zixiang shook her head, clearly showing disbelief.

Chu Li, walking in front, heard the conversation from behind and smiled faintly.

“Your Highness, those black lotuses have all bloomed now, with a flowering period of half a month. If we can’t find a way to break the formation within this half month, our three years of effort will all be in vain.” Ding Xian lowered his voice, frowning with some concern.

Hearing this, a layer of gloom covered Chu Li’s brow. Listening to the occasional laughter and banter from behind, Chu Li’s figure paused, suddenly recalling what Master Huaiyuan had said.

“What if we let Mu Yunjin try?”