“Mother Consort says her status makes her unworthy of me, unworthy of being the mistress of the Prince’s residence.” Chu Yi spoke slowly. “If that’s the case, then I don’t want this princely status, including this residence.”

Consort Yin’s eyes widened dramatically.

She said incredulously, “Yi’er, what did you say?!”

Chu Yi removed the jade pendant from his waist—the jade pendant representing imperial family status. “From now on, I am not an Imperial Prince. I am simply Chu Yi.”

“Are you mad or am I mad?!” Consort Yin roared. “For the sake of a peasant girl, you would do something so absurd! If this reaches your Father Emperor’s ears, do you know…”

“Then please, Mother Consort, relay this matter to Father Emperor.” Chu Yi’s attitude was resolute. “Steward Cheng, pack everything. We’re moving out of the residence.”

Steward Cheng nodded and led the residence’s maids and servants to bustle about.

This momentum didn’t seem like pretense at all.

Consort Yin’s chest heaved repeatedly, her head spinning in waves.

She watched helplessly as servants carried trunks and boxes outside.

She knew she had made a wrong move.

Clearly no one had known that the Third Prince had absurdly fallen in love with a peasant girl, but with her making such a scene, the entire palace would soon know.

The Third Prince already had two children and had even established an heir. If he also had a beloved, which noble lady in the capital would be willing to marry such a man?

“I’ll have someone escort Mother Consort back to the palace.”

Chu Yi summoned the residence guards.

“After you escort Mother Consort back, remain in the palace—no need to return.”

These residence guards were standard for a prince. Since he no longer wished to be a prince, naturally he had to return them.

Consort Yin pointed at him, suppressing her fury. “You truly are my good son!”

With that, she flung her sleeves and left.

She had arrived with imposing force and left with imposing force still.

Chengxu said with a worried expression, “Her Ladyship must be furious. If she gets sick from anger, that would be terrible.”

Chu Yi picked up the jade pendant Consort Yin hadn’t taken with her. “The palace is currently unstable. Rather than letting her participate in those disputes, it’s better to have her focus on me.”

His mother consort wasn’t someone with deep schemes and could easily be used as a pawn by the Empress Dowager or the Empress.

He stirred up these disturbances—firstly for his own selfish reasons, secondly to give his mother consort something to occupy herself with, and thirdly, to let the Crown Prince’s faction and Prince Gongxi’s followers have a laugh.

“Father, are we moving today?” Chu Hongyu trotted into the front courtyard, using momentum to jump onto Chu Yi, leaning on his father’s shoulder and whispering, “Does this mean we can be with Mother every day from now on?”

Chu Yi patted his little bottom. “Pack your own things. We’re preparing to depart.”

The little fellow was so delighted he couldn’t find north, excitedly going to organize his belongings. His various odds and ends alone filled more than half a carriage.

The carriage departed from the gates of Prince Pingxi’s residence, heading toward Yulin Alley.

The onlooking common people didn’t know the inside story and had no idea what had happened—they were simply watching the excitement.

But people in the capital’s upper circles had heard some things.

“Do you know why Prince Pingxi moved out of his residence?”

“I heard Prince Pingxi has a beloved, but she’s just a peasant girl, unworthy of being a princess consort. To live together with his beloved, Prince Pingxi actually gave up his title, fief, and residence. Consort Yin fainted from anger.”

“Prince Pingxi is too absurd! For the sake of a woman, he’s giving up everything. Has he lost his mind?”

“I originally thought Prince Pingxi could also compete for that position. Ha! Someone who values romantic feelings so heavily is destined to have no great achievements.”

“Which family’s daughter could possibly have bewitched Prince Pingxi so completely?”

“Let’s see how many days he can persist.”

“…”

These rumors in the capital spread quickly.

Naturally, they also reached the ears of the Yun family.

“In this world, parents can’t prevail over their children. Consort Yin will relent sooner or later and will even help persuade His Majesty to grant the marriage.” Lin Shi sighed. “Once this woman enters the household, will Yu’er and Changsheng have good days ahead? Poor children…”

Yun Ze’s brow furrowed darkly. “Once there’s a stepmother, there’ll be a stepfather. No matter how much Prince Pingxi values the two children now, after his beloved bears children, Yu’er and Changsheng will… We must quickly find a way to raise the two children in the Yun family legitimately.”

The family was discussing this when a servant hurriedly came to report. “Madam, Prince Pingxi requests an audience.”

Lin Shi immediately stood up. “He just caused such a scene this morning—what’s he coming to our Yun family for now?”

Chu Yi waited in the front courtyard for about a quarter-hour before Lin Shi and Yun Ze arrived.

He pulled out a card from his sleeve and handed it over.

Upon seeing this card, Lin Shi was startled. Her first reaction was to think it was a wedding invitation.

But thinking again, if Prince Pingxi held a wedding right after falling out with Consort Yin, wouldn’t that be too disrespectful to the imperial family? He probably didn’t have such audacity.

A hint of a smile appeared on Chu Yi’s cold, stern face. “The children and I have officially moved to Yulin Alley. I’ve prepared a modest banquet and invite Madam Yun, Master Yun, Young Madam Yun, and Young Master Yun to join us for a simple meal.”

Yun Ze froze. “Yulin Alley?”

“Precisely the Yulin Alley behind the Yun residence.” Chu Yi made a gesture of invitation. “The carriages are already prepared. Please.”

Lin Shi frowned slightly.

Prince Pingxi moved out of his residence in the morning and was holding a housewarming banquet in the afternoon—wasn’t that a bit too…

Liu Qianqian stepped forward with a maid’s assistance and asked with a smile, “May I boldly ask—for this housewarming banquet, which families has Your Highness invited?”

Chu Yi knew this was an intelligent person and replied, “Only the Yun residence.”

Liu Qianqian smiled. “Mother, husband, let’s bring Jiang’er and attend the banquet.”

After boarding the carriage Chu Yi had arranged, Lin Shi tucked a pillow behind her daughter-in-law’s waist and asked softly, “Why did he only invite our Yun family?”

“Mother, Prince Pingxi toward Chu’er, should be…” Liu Qianqian didn’t dare speak too definitively. “In any case, Prince Pingxi probably isn’t as absurd as everyone says.”

Lin Shi’s mind was full of thoughts.

One moment wondering how to act when she saw the children.

One moment wondering what kind of woman Prince Pingxi’s beloved was.

One moment pondering what Chu’er’s view on this matter was…

The distance wasn’t far at all, and before she could think things through, the carriage had already stopped at the courtyard entrance.

Lin Shi said incredulously, “Isn’t this right next to Chu’er’s place?”

Steward Cheng had already come out to greet them. “Madam Yun, Master Yun, Young Madam Yun, Young Master Yun, please come inside.”

Lin Shi walked in and immediately saw Yun Chu, along with two children gathered around her.

“Mother, elder brother, sister-in-law.” Yun Chu looked up with a smile. “The hot pot is all prepared. Everyone come sit.”

Lin Shi looked left and right but didn’t see any other women. Instead, it was her Chu’er who seemed like the mistress of the house, bustling about for the children…

Chu Yi stood by the table, personally adding ingredients to the pot and serving food to his son, daughter, and Jiang’er, without any trace of his princely airs…

Lin Shi set aside those thoughts and looked toward the two children, calling gently, “Yu’er, Changsheng.”

Chu Hongyu responded openly and generously, “Greetings, Madam Yun. My sister doesn’t speak much, so I’ll say greetings on her behalf.”

“Ah, such good children…” Lin Shi brought out meeting gifts. “Don’t call me ‘Madam Yun’—that’s too formal. Call me maternal grandmother. These are gifts from your maternal grandmother…”