Let's go.

Lu Ziyuan reached out and gently grasped Zhong Muyu's hand. Feeling the familiar warmth, Zhong Muyu's heart gradually calmed down. She nodded, and the two walked towards the main hall.

Zhong Muyu was wearing a very elaborate dress, so she had to walk slowly and carefully. Lu Ziyuan followed her pace and walked forward slowly. At this moment, a familiar voice sounded behind them.

"My seventh brother and sister-in-law are such a loving couple, it's truly enviable."

The two turned around and saw that it was the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

The Crown Princess chimed in, "Yes, it's been a while since we last saw each other. Seventh Brother and Seventh Sister-in-law's relationship has gotten even better. They look so well-matched from afar."

The two wore gentle smiles, but the smiles did not reach their eyes. Lu Ziyuan politely replied to them, "Your Majesty and Your Majesty are joking. If we are talking about the deep affection between husband and wife, we certainly cannot compare to Your Majesty and Your Majesty. Back then, Your Majesty's spirit was enough to awe the entire capital."

Lu Ziying smiled and waved his hand: "There's no need to bring up the past."

The Crown Princess smiled and said, "We're all family, so let's not chat outside. Today is your special day, and Father should be waiting for you. Let's not waste any time."

The four exchanged pleasantries for a while before heading to the main hall together.

This time, not only the Emperor and Empress were present, but also all the civil and military officials, making the scene very solemn.

The Emperor seemed very pleased. He not only bestowed upon Lu Ziyuan the title of "King of War" but also bestowed upon him many gifts. Zhong Muyu was not left out either, and was granted the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady.

Surrounded by various honors and praises, Zhong Muyu did not feel elated; instead, her worries deepened.

Who knows which of these smiling people are actually being hypocritical?

Needless to say, the Crown Prince came with ill intentions from the very beginning.

After finally getting through these procedures, Lu Ziyuan was summoned to the Imperial Study, while Zhong Muyu planned to visit the Empress Dowager.

"Seventh younger brother and sister, wait!"

Zhong Muyu turned around; it was the Crown Princess.

Zhong Muyu bowed slightly: "Greetings, Crown Princess. Do you have something to say?"

"It has been a while since I last visited the Empress Dowager, so I thought I would go with you, so we can travel together."

"That would be great."

The two first rode in sedan chairs to Renshou Palace, where the Empress Dowager lived, and then went inside together.

The Crown Princess said with concern, "I've heard that the Empress Dowager has been unwell these days, which is truly worrying."

"Oh? Are you sick? What did the imperial physician say?"

"Even the imperial physicians couldn't figure it out. They just prescribed some tonics to take for now, and it's been the same ever since."

Zhong Muyu didn't react much, but just went along with her words: "The imperial physicians in the palace are naturally the most skilled. As long as we follow their orders, I believe the Empress Dowager will definitely get better."

"Yes, but speaking of which, I heard from the Crown Prince that Bai Jun's plague was cured because of Seventh Brother's wife?"

Zhong Muyu's heart skipped a beat. She knew that all that beating around the bush meant something bad, and that she was trying to get information out of her.

"I got the recipe by chance, and thinking it might come in handy, I took it with me."

The Crown Princess said, "So that's how it is. I heard that Father Emperor praised you highly. I was thinking that if you have such great abilities, perhaps you could show them to the Empress Dowager. After all, the Empress Dowager has always loved you like her own grandson since you were a child."

"You flatter me, Your Highness. I don't have such extraordinary abilities."

Zhong Muyu clenched her fists secretly. She had originally planned to help the Empress Dowager with her illness, but now, with the Crown Princess by her side, she couldn't make any rash moves.

Fortunately, they soon arrived outside the bedchamber, and after being informed, the two went inside.

The room was still filled with the tranquil and rustic scent of incense, but there was a faint, barely concealed medicinal smell.

Upon seeing Zhong Muyu, the Empress Dowager was clearly delighted and sat up from the soft couch: "I was just thinking about you, I didn't expect you to come so soon, come and sit down!"

Zhong Muyu sat next to the Empress Dowager, and the Crown Princess smiled and said, "Ever since the Empress Dowager heard about your victory, she has been looking forward to seeing you. Now you have finally arrived."

Zhong Muyu lowered her head obediently: "I'm sorry to have troubled Grandmother."

"The northern border is bitterly cold, and there is both epidemic and war. You must take good care of yourself."

Zhong Muyu nodded in agreement. After that, whenever they talked, Zhong Muyu maintained her well-behaved and quiet demeanor, leaving a very good impression.

Speaking of which, the Crown Princess has an advantage here: she can avoid getting too explicit about any topic and just gloss over it.

After chatting for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zhong Muyu and the Crown Princess got up to leave. The Empress Dowager stopped Zhong Muyu and said, "It's rare for you to come back. Remember to visit me often. If you go back, I won't see you for a long time."

Zhong Muyu knew that the Empress Dowager had something else to say to her, otherwise she wouldn't have let the Crown Princess go out first and then said this to her.

"Your granddaughter-in-law understands and will come to see you again tomorrow."

With assurances, the Empress Dowager released her with peace of mind.

On the way back, the Crown Princess asked, "Seventh Sister-in-law, it's still early. Would you like to have a small gathering at the East Palace? I felt very guilty for not entertaining you properly last time. I will definitely treat you well this time."

Mentioning the last time, Zhong Muyu thought of Ji Xiner, which was indeed a very bad memory.

"Speaking of what happened last time, how is Princess Yunni doing?"

"Her..."

The Crown Princess lowered her eyes, seemingly quite disdainful: "She did such a disgraceful thing that the Emperor stripped her of her title of Princess, and her family also kicked her out. It is said that she was eventually arranged to marry a minor official, and that was only because her mother protected her, otherwise she would not have been spared."

Hearing the Crown Princess say this, Zhong Muyu's face remained expressionless, as she considered her just an unrelated person, and whether she was good or bad, it had nothing to do with her.

"Seventh sister-in-law, there's no need to mention these people on such a wonderful day. I've recently hired a new opera troupe, and I heard they've put on a new play. Come with me to take a look later."

Zhong Muyu politely declined, saying, "You must be exhausted from your journey. I won't bother you any longer. Please visit another day."

"That's true. I forgot about that. Lingqing is very far from the capital. He must be very tired from the journey. You should take good care of yourself and not overwork yourself, lest it affect your ability to have children."

The Crown Princess gave a meaningful look, and Zhong Muyu laughed awkwardly. She had been married for half a year and still didn't have a child. In the ancient royal family, where offspring were highly valued, that was no small matter. The Crown Princess's implication was not wrong.

After finally managing to fool the Crown Princess away, Lu Ziyuan returned to his residence.

"Why has it taken so long? Could it be that the Crown Princess is making things difficult for you?"

"She didn't make things difficult for me, but she kept trying to get information out of me, which seemed suspicious."

Zhong Muyu changed off her ornaments, and the maids helped her change her clothes.