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

Yun Jin remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking: "I learned from my three masters. They treated me like their own daughter. They taught me medicine, music, calligraphy, painting, and martial arts. I was young then and only felt that learning these things was very tiring. But now that I think about it... everything they taught me was paving the way for my future."

"Where are they now?" Xiao Jingyan asked.

Yun Jin shook her head, gazing at the distant sky as if trying to travel through time: "I don't know. They left before I returned to the capital. They probably went on a journey."

Xiao Jingyan didn't ask any further questions, but simply held her hand tightly in his palm.

The two stood side by side in silence for a long time.

Suddenly, Xiao Jingyan raised his hand and pointed into the distance: "Look!"

Yun Jin looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a bright light pierce the night sky, followed by a huge golden firework exploding in the night sky.

The fireworks burst forth in layers, like countless shooting stars falling simultaneously.

Immediately afterwards, a second, a third, and a fourth firework rose simultaneously on both sides of the moat, red like fire, gold like the sunset, and green like jade, weaving together a dazzling curtain of light in the night.

Yun Jin looked up at the fireworks, her lips slightly parted, her face full of surprise and awe.

Fireworks have always held an irresistible attraction for women, regardless of the era.

Xiao Jingyan turned his head and looked at her face, which was illuminated by fireworks. He saw a whole galaxy in her eyes.

He couldn't help but ask softly, "Is it pretty?"

Yun Jin's gaze remained fixed on the fireworks, and she said softly, "Beautiful."

Xiao Jingyan knew he had made the right bet.

After the fireworks faded, the night sky returned to silence, with only a few wisps of smoke drifting slowly in the wind.

Yun Jin reluctantly withdrew her gaze, turned around and leaned against the stone railing, suddenly asking, "Ayan, do you have a map of the palace?"

Xiao Jingyan didn't ask her why she suddenly wanted this, but simply nodded and said, "I have one in my study, which is even more detailed than the one in the Ministry of Works' archives. If you want it, I'll have someone send it to you later."

Yun Jin shook her head and said, "Can I go with you to get it now? There's something I want to tell you in person."

"Alright." Xiao Jingyan nodded, took her hand, led her down from the viewing platform, into the carriage, and instructed Jin Hu to return to the manor.

The two returned to Prince Yu's residence and arrived at Xiao Jingyan's study, where they led Yun Jin to the desk.

He took a scroll from the bookshelf and slowly unrolled it on the table.

It was an extremely detailed map of the palace, with every palace, every road, and every secret door clearly marked, including the location of the Cold Palace.

Yun Jin's gaze lingered on the Cold Palace for a moment, then she raised her eyes and recounted everything she had heard in Consort Shu's palace that day.

How Liu Zhixue conspired with Consort Shu, how she suggested that the Qiu family arrange for someone to deal with Yun Lang, including her later statement that "back then you used my son to replace your daughter."

After listening, Xiao Jingyan remained silent for a long while.

Even though he had witnessed the treacherous intrigues of the imperial court and the inner palace over the years, he couldn't help but feel alarmed.

He leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the table twice before slowly speaking: "No wonder Consort Shu has always treated the Fifth Prince so coldly all these years. So this is the root of the problem. Xiao Yifan isn't her biological son; Yunxiu is."

Yun Jin bit her lip and said, "But I examined the Fifth Prince's face carefully today. He doesn't resemble Liu Zhixue at all, and he has absolutely no resemblance to Yun Heting. Do you think he might not be Yun Heting's son either?"

Xiao Jingyan thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "It doesn't seem like it. I'll have someone investigate Liu Zhixue's whereabouts around the time of Xiao Yifan's birth. If he really wasn't born to Yun Heting, then his father must be someone else."

Yun Jin pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Is it possible that he is Mu Yanqing's son? Liu Zhixue was a maid in the Mu family back then, and Mu Yanqing has been hiding in the capital for so many years. If this child is theirs, it makes sense."

Xiao Jingyan carefully considered Mu Yanqing's appearance and shook his head: "Don't worry about this, I'll investigate."

Yun Jin nodded, rolled up the palace map and put it away, casually saying, "Lend me this map for a few days. The palace is too big, and I can't remember the way. I'll take a good look at it when I get back, so I don't get lost next time."

Xiao Jingyan didn't believe her excuse, but he didn't ask any more questions. Instead, he nodded and personally escorted her back to Jinshu Pavilion.

Yun Jin waited until his figure disappeared, and then waited a while longer to make sure everyone in the courtyard had rested before getting up and changing into a neat set of night clothes.

Without alerting anyone, she used the spatial manipulation to sneak into the palace and headed straight for the Cold Palace.

Using the spatial ability, Yun Jin stealthily made her way through the patrolling guards, silently reaching the northwest corner of the Cold Palace and finding the room that Dong Xue had mentioned.

The door was ajar, and she entered the room through the gap, only to find it empty.

Yun Jin's heart sank. Mu Yanqing had actually left? Had he left the palace, or gone somewhere else?

In such a vast palace, finding one person is extremely difficult.

Yun Jin was somewhat disappointed. She walked around the house but found nothing useful, so she had no choice but to return the way she came under the cover of night.

When Yun Jin returned to Jinshu Pavilion, it was nearly midnight.

She quietly climbed into the house through the back window, changed out of her night clothes, and lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), but couldn't fall asleep no matter how much she tossed and turned.

Mu Yanqing left so decisively, either because he had urgent business to attend to or because he had sensed something.

In any case, this lead has been temporarily cut off.

The Cold Palace was empty, and the child was nowhere to be found. She could only wait for news from Xiao Jingyan and see if she could find a way to pry open a hole elsewhere.

I tossed and turned for almost half an hour before finally drifting off to sleep.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, just as dawn was breaking, Yun Jin woke up.

Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and also the day the imperial decree for marriage arrived at the mansion. Everyone in the household was busy early in the morning.

Just after Chen Shi (7-9 AM), Fu Lai arrived with Xiao Jingyan, carrying the imperial edict.

Yunheting hurriedly led the entire household, dressed in new clothes, to go out and welcome the two into the mansion.

Fu Lai entered the main hall, stood before the incense table, and began to read the imperial edict aloud.

Yun Jin knelt on the prayer mat, raising her hands above her head to express her gratitude and accept the imperial decree. The entire process was completed in one smooth motion.

Xiao Jingyan stood to the side, a smile curving his lips as he looked at Yun Jin. He was both excited and nervous, but he pretended to be calm, like a background figure.

He only breathed a sigh of relief when Yun Jin accepted the imperial decree and expressed her gratitude; this girl had finally become his future princess.