On this day, Jiang Muyu was developing a new product in the side room.

This side room used to be Tangtang's bedroom. Now that it is vacant, she directly converted it into a laboratory to develop various beauty products and rouge and powder.

She poured the extracted Roselle pollen and rose juice into the stewed beeswax and floral oil, stirred evenly, boiled until melted, and then poured into porcelain to cool.

She took a brush as small as a chopstick, dipped a little in the paint and tried the color on her hand. It was smooth and colorful, and she was very satisfied.

At this time there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Yunyan walked in.

Jiang Muyu raised his head and glanced at her, then smiled and said, "You've come at the right time. Come and help me try out the colors."

Yunyan's lips are very beautiful, like petals, with almost no lip lines, and her lips are pale, making them the perfect place to try out lip balm.

Yunyan bowed and said, "Madam, I will try the lip balm later. Lady Xie is waiting outside to see you, so I came to inform you."

She was stunned for a moment: "Mrs. Xie? Xie Mio?"

She was almost unable to react when this person was first mentioned.

The truth is that Xie Mio's presence in the mansion is too low.

After being married into the palace for nearly two years, she seldom left the small courtyard. Jiang Muyu did not follow the routine of visiting him morning and evening or paying respects during festivals. She was spared from all the formalities. She seldom came to see Jiang Muyu. She only heard that she would occasionally go for a walk in the garden. The two of them had never met each other.

Jiang Muyu put down the work in his hands, untied the straps of his sleeves, washed his hands before walking out.

Outside the house, Xie Mio stood quietly in the middle of the yard, with only a maid serving her.

Xie Mio's low sense of presence is mostly attributed to her ordinariness. She is not outstanding in appearance and can only be described as a beautiful girl from a small family.

Her talent was not outstanding, at least no one in the capital knew her; her family background was ordinary, and even though she was a daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo, she was just a concubine's daughter, and the least favored one.

At first, her marriage into the Prince Rui's Mansion had already made outsiders look up to her. They thought she was a resourceful person. Later, they found out that it was because she was the only girl in the Duke Zhenguo's Mansion who was suitable for marriage. The others were either married or too young. Otherwise, this marriage would never have happened to her.

Later, when she married into the palace, she was still ridiculed. The prince went to war just a few days after she entered the palace. She is still a virgin until now. What is the difference between her and being a widow?

The Queen Mother had said that she was famous for her good looks, gentle temperament, modesty and courtesy, which was absolutely true. In her situation, if she was not gentle and modest, she would probably not even be able to save her life.

Jiang Muyu smiled warmly when he saw her: "Sister, don't stand outside. It's very hot this day and you might get tanned. Come in and try the new tea I made myself."

"Yes." Xie Mio bowed to her and followed her into the main house.

There was a basin of ice on the table in the room, with a glass teapot inside, filled with green tea.

Jiang Muyu brought two glass cups, picked up the teapot and poured her a cup of tea, and then poured himself a cup.

The tea was very fresh. As soon as it was poured into the cup, a thin layer of frost formed on the outside of the glass cup. White smoke rose slowly from the cup, bringing a fresh and cool breath.

"This is my homemade cold brew tea. The water I use is the morning dew I collected. It tastes cool and refreshing. Come and try it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xie Mio lowered her eyelashes, picked up the teacup and took a small sip.

My eyes lit up involuntarily and I couldn't help but take another sip.

Jiang Muyu used the finest Yunding Minglan tea, which was paired with fresh morning dew and a special cold brew method. It was a perfect match for the hot weather.

"How is it?"

Xie Mio nodded and said, "It tastes great. The things made by the queen are naturally the best."

Jiang Muyu smiled and said, "If you like, I will have someone send some to your yard today."

"This..." Xie Mio was a little flattered: "Don't bother your majesty, I have everything I need."

"You don't have to be so polite to me. Just tell me what you want. I will help you if I can. After all, we are all living under the same roof."

Xie Mio hesitated for a moment and said, "I came to see you today because of something."

"You say."

"I received a letter from home saying that my brother is ill. I want to go back to visit him."

"Is Xie Cheng sick?" She pursed her lips and said, "He is your biological brother, born of the same mother as you. It is only right for you to go back and see him."

Xie Mio stood up and bowed to her: "Thank you for your permission, Your Majesty."

Jiang Muyu helped her up and said, "Why are you so polite? When are you going back? Just take the palace's carriage."

"This is... not in accordance with the rules."

"What's wrong with the rules? Just sit down and don't let others look down on you."

Xie Mio lowered her head and said thank you again in a soft voice.

After sending her away, Jiang Muyu glanced at the half-drunk cup of tea on the table opposite.

"She's so cautious that she doesn't even dare to drink more than half a cup of her favorite tea." She sighed and instructed Yunyan, "Send the remaining half of the pot of cold brew tea to her."

Yunyan frowned and said, "The morning dew you collected is not enough for you to make tea, why did you give it to her? Don't you know that she may not only come back to visit the patient this time?"

"I know." Jiang Muyu smiled. "Duke Zhenguo spent all his efforts to get his daughter into the Rui Palace. It can't be that he just wants to expand the palace. He is on the side of the Queen Mother. Now that the prince has been away from the palace for nearly two years, he may be unable to sit still."

"Then why are you so nice to Mrs. Xie?"

Although she seldom met Xie Mio, she had never treated her harshly. Over the past year or so, she had provided Xie Mio with food, clothing and other necessities in accordance with the regulations of a concubine, and she had given her more silver rewards during the New Year than others.

Jiang Muyu took a sip of tea and said slowly: "People are all made of flesh and blood. I just hope she won't let me down."

"Oh, and pick out two of the glass cups in my storeroom and send them to her."

Although Yunyan disagreed in her heart, she still did as she was told.

There's nothing she can do about it. Who made her the master?

…

Not only did Xie Mio come out in the palace's carriage, but before she left, Princess Rui even had someone send her a ginseng and a ganoderma lucidum, saying that one should bring something presentable when visiting a patient.

It was the first time for her to sit in such a luxurious and exquisite carriage, which was provided with tea and snacks, and had a small pear wood table. Even the seat cushions were made of the finest white fox fur, which made her feel very uncomfortable.

The maidservant looked around and exclaimed in amazement: "It is indeed the carriage of the royal wife. It is several times more luxurious than that of the Duke's wife."

This maid was arranged by the Duke of Zhenguo to be by her side. Although the lady was required not to bring her own servants when she first entered the mansion, it was not stated that she could not choose her own personal attendant.

The Duke of Zhenguo took advantage of this loophole and sent the maid to the slave market, where someone from the Prince Rui's Palace "accidentally" came across her and bought her into the palace. After several twists and turns, she finally came to her side.

"Yunhuan, do you know what the princess's intention is this time?"

Yun Huan shook her head and said, "Maybe he doesn't want you to be looked down upon when you return to the Duke's Mansion."

Xie Mio smiled bitterly and shook her head: "She is just warning me not to do anything against my conscience. She can give me these rewards, and she can take them all back naturally. Now I don't cause trouble, and I can just be a nominal lady in the palace. She can ensure that I have no worries about food and clothing. If I don't behave myself, I'm afraid my end will not be much better than Wu Lianxu's."