The legitimate daughter returns to the capital and embarks on a splendid life, tearing apart the fak

The maid followed Yun Jin and the others through the corridor and into the side room next to the main hall.

Zheng Guodong was pacing anxiously back and forth in the room when he heard the door open. He turned around abruptly, saw Chen Mengyao, and immediately rushed forward to ask in a low voice, "Yao'er, how are you?"

Yun Jin spoke before Chen Mengyao could, calmly smiling as she said, "Father, Sister Mengyao is fine. She just got lost in the Imperial Garden and twisted her ankle in a secluded spot, which made her late. It's nothing serious, so don't worry."

Zheng Guodong's gaze swept across Yun Jin's face, then looked at Chen Mengyao. Knowing this wasn't the place to talk, he nodded vigorously and said in a low voice, "That's good then. We can discuss this further back at the manor."

Yun Jin glanced at Ding Zisu and said, "Father, Madam Chen is not feeling well and must return first. Please go into the hall and tell Lord Chen so that he can rest assured."

Zheng Guodong glanced at Ding Zisu, nodded, and turned to walk into the hall.

Seeing Zheng Guodong about to leave the side room, Ding Zisu anxiously called out, "I'm not planning to go back! I... I'm waiting for my master to leave with me! My nephew is still..."

"Hmm?" Xiao Jingyan snorted and gave her a cold look, and Ding Zisu's voice immediately lowered.

The maid stepped forward, took Ding Zisu's arm, and said respectfully, "Madam, you are not feeling well. You should go back to your residence and rest as soon as possible. This servant will accompany you out of the palace."

Ding Zisu turned her head, staring wide-eyed at the unfamiliar maid. The maid was about the same height as Ding Hui and wore the same clothes. A bad feeling rose in her heart, and she asked in surprise, "You...who are you? Where is my...my maid?"

Xiao Jingyan looked at her calmly, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Your maid has already left the palace. If Madam Chen is a smart woman, she should pretend nothing happened and leave the palace with her. If she insists on going her own way, how do you plan to explain to others that your maid has been replaced?"

Ding Zisu's face turned pale, and it took her a long time to manage to squeeze out a sentence: "You...you wouldn't..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but everyone understood what she meant.

Xiao Jingyan said coldly, "Madam Chen, keep what happened today to yourself, and I'll guarantee your safety. But if you can't control your tongue..."

He didn't say the rest, but Ding Zisu understood. She said in a trembling voice, "Your Highness, rest assured, I don't know anything. I'm not feeling well, so I'll take my leave now."

Having said that, she dared not ask Ding Hui's whereabouts again, after all, her own life was more important than her nephew's.

Yun Jin watched them walk away before letting out a soft breath and taking Chen Mengyao's arm, saying, "Sister, let's go back to our seats."

Chen Mengyao nodded, and the two followed Xiao Jingyan out of the side room, preparing to return to the main hall.

As soon as they stepped out of the side room, Fu Lai came out of the hall. Upon seeing Xiao Jingyan, he quickly stepped forward, bowed, and politely asked, "Your Highness, has something happened? His Majesty sent this old servant out to see."

Yun Jin hurried forward, smiling as she explained, "Thank you for your concern, Eunuch Fu. Just now, Sister Mengyao went to the Imperial Garden to admire the plum blossoms and wandered a bit too far, accidentally getting lost. Her maid couldn't find her and came anxiously to look for me. I'm not familiar with the roads in this palace either, so I took the liberty of asking His Highness Prince Yu for help in finding her. We finally found her near the flower room; it was a false alarm. Your Majesty, thank you for your trouble. Please help explain the situation, Eunuch Fu."

Fu glanced at her, then looked at Xiao Jingyan.

Xiao Jingyan nodded expressionlessly, which was taken as tacit agreement with Yun Jin's statement.

Fu Lai didn't ask any more questions, but just smiled and nodded: "That's good. This old servant will go and report to His Majesty now, so that His Majesty won't worry."

After saying this, he bowed to Xiao Jingyan again, then turned and entered the main hall.

After Fu Lai left, Dong Xue gently tugged at Yun Jin's sleeve. Chen Mengyao knew that she probably had something to say, so she whispered to Yun Jin, "Jin-meimei, I'll go inside first. If I stay out for too long, Auntie will worry."

Yun Jin nodded and watched her enter the main hall before asking Dong Xue, "Did you discover anything while following Madam Liu?"

Dongxue nodded and replied in a low voice, "She went to the Cold Palace. I saw her enter a room in the west corner of the Cold Palace from afar. Although the person inside was dressed as a eunuch, I could still see his face clearly. It was the eldest son of the Mu family."

Yun Jin's heart sank. She had guessed it when she overheard the conversation between Consort Shu and her personal maid in Consort Shu's palace, and now it had been confirmed.

But was Mu Yanqing hiding in the palace simply to conceal himself, or did he have other intentions?

She suppressed her thoughts and pressed on, "Did you hear what they said?"

Dong shook her head helplessly: "There were several guards watching inside. I didn't dare to get too close and didn't hear anything."

Yun Jin looked at Xiao Jingyan with a questioning gaze.

Xiao Jingyan nodded and whispered a few instructions to Yin Hu behind him. Yin Hu nodded after hearing them, turned around and walked away quickly.

Yun Jin thought for a moment and then asked Xiao Jingyan, "Has there been any movement from Yun Xiu and the Fifth Prince?"

Xiao Jingyan shook his head, glanced towards the palace gate, and said in a low voice, "We'll talk about it later. Let's go in first. My royal uncle must be getting suspicious after we've been gone so long."

Yun Jin nodded and led Dong Xue through the side door on the women's side into Yaohua Palace.

Liu Zhixue has returned and is standing behind Old Madam Yun, meekly playing the role of her servant.

Yunxiu had already returned and was talking with Old Madam Yun. When she saw Yunjin return, she suddenly turned to her and asked loudly, "Second sister, where have you been? Why have you been gone for so long? And Miss Chen, you even changed your clothes after going out for a while."

The ladies and young women around them immediately turned their gazes to her and Chen Mengyao, their eyes revealing suspicion.

Chu Wanqing, along with Wang and Li, looked at her and Chen Mengyao with concern.

Chen Mengyao's face turned pale, and she pursed her lips without saying a word.

Yun Jin frowned. Which noble lady attending a banquet doesn't bring two sets of clothes? Changing clothes is a normal thing. Why did Yun Xiu bring it up on purpose? Did she see something?

A sense of unease rose within her, but she calmly replied, "Elder sister, that's a strange question. Sister Mengyao went to the Imperial Garden to admire the plum blossoms and accidentally got her clothes wet. Isn't it normal to change into something else?"

She paused, glanced around, and continued, "Besides, it wasn't just Sister Mengyao who changed her clothes today. Miss He, Miss Li, and Madam Gao all changed their clothes, didn't they? Eldest sister, is it that one can't change clothes for a palace banquet?"

Yunxiu choked for a moment, then chuckled awkwardly, "Of course not, I was just curious and asked one more question. You've overthought it, little sister."

Yun Jin raised an eyebrow and said, "Really? Then I'm curious too. May I ask what you were doing just now, sister? Why does your hairstyle seem to have changed?"