Chapter 5: Is Everything Still the Same as Before?

Mu Yuanzhi actually avoids him like avoiding a plague!

"Old Four, why are you so angry? Doing this will make Little Sister think you don't want to give her the bell!" Pei Shangyan noticed Pei Yunxi's face turn deathly pale, flustered, and blocked Pei Shangling's path to chase after Mu Yuanzhi.

Pei Shangling's eyes were still red and bloodshot: "I didn't mean it that way."

Pei Shangyan patted Pei Shangling, signalling him to calm down.

Pei Shangling unconsciously clenched his fists, gritted his teeth and said: "Little Sister likes it, I can give her a better one, but Mu Yuanzhi actually humiliates me like this!" Not even a chance to explain!

Just thinking about this, Pei Shangling's anger shot straight to the top of his head.

Too hateful!

After hearing Pei Shangling's words, Pei Yunxi let her heart settle, speaking very sensibly: "Maybe Sister Yuanzhi is just being spiteful; once she calms down in a couple days, I'll return the bell to her—such a precious, meaningful thing, I still shouldn't keep it."

"Keep it." Pei Shangling's eyes still tightly followed Mu Yuanzhi's retreating steps; he was so angry his shoulders trembled, he flicked his sleeves and turned away, his back gloomy and ferocious—strangers keep away.

"Little sister, don't overthink it; your fourth brother isn't targeting you, he just has a bad temper."

"Mm, I'm not overthinking."

Pei Yunxi had never seen Pei Shangling this angry before, her mind wandering, until the recognition ceremony ended, when she suddenly realized the father emperor hadn't mentioned bestowing a marriage.

He had clearly promised her that today's recognition ceremony would graft the marriage engagement onto her!

"Crown Prince Brother!"

Pei Shangyan, whose back was to Pei Yunxi, momentarily thought it was Mu Yuanzhi calling him; upon realizing it was Pei Yunxi, he inexplicably felt a sense of loss, not even noticing it himself.

Pei Yunxi wanted to speak but held back, her face shy and timid as she glanced at Xiao Yichen not far away, not knowing what to do with her hands and feet.

Seeing this, Pei Shangyan instantly knew what his little sister wanted to ask; he affectionately rubbed her head: "The father emperor will surely pick another good day to bring up the marriage exchange; I know you like Xiao Yichen, and coincidentally Xiao Yichen doesn't like Little Sister Mu either, so the father emperor will surely grant your wish."

Although the cloak matter isn't a big deal, doing a marriage exchange at this critical juncture might harm Little Sister's reputation, so the father emperor must have considered it.

"Mm, I understand, I'll listen to the father emperor and the Crown Prince Brother." Pei Yunxi lowered her brows and smiled faintly.

"His Majesty said, the princess's everything remains as before." The guiding chief eunuch laughed.

Still the same as before?

Mu Yuanzhi raised her head and surveyed the unfamiliar sleeping quarters before her—Weiyang Palace.

She could never go back to the past.

Her former sleeping quarters were called Changle Palace, symbolizing eternal happiness, the most beautiful blessing in ancient Chinese.

That sleeping quarters built especially for her were filled with plum blossoms planted by her brothers, the walls whitewashed with precious Sichuan pepper for warmth; in winter, the entire front courtyard was a cozy, pretty pink and white.

Yet just because Pei Yunxi said it was pretty and wanted to live there, her sleeping quarters changed hands.

The father emperor had her move into the only vacant old palace, temporarily hung a Weiyang Palace sign, and said something about having both Changle and Weiyang making a good omen.

It's basically worlds apart!

In her previous life, she naturally refused, causing a fuss for a long time; the father emperor, in anger, sent her to live in a haunted abandoned palace, threatening to lock her back in Yongxiang if she caused more trouble.

Mu Yuanzhi gathered her thoughts, entered the sleeping quarters' gate with a blank expression, and a wave of moldy dampness hit her nose.

The chief eunuch's smile instantly turned awkward; he laughed loudly: "Today's recognition ceremony, this old slave's been busy to the point of confusion—I've had people come clean, and later a batch of new palace servants will arrive to attend the princess."

"It's fine." Mu Yuanzhi didn't blame him, only said lightly.

From now on there will only be more neglect.

"Princess, take heed!" the chief eunuch said with unchanged smile, "Princess, first return to your chambers to rest; later the Imperial Medical Institute's physicians will come to take your pulse, and some daily necessities will be sent over in succession—please rest assured."

"Thank you for the trouble, sir."

"You're welcome, Princess; I have no orders, this old slave still needs to go to the little princess's Changle Palace." Upon mentioning Changle Palace, his smile became a bit more genuine.

The chief eunuch practically couldn't wait to leave, not wanting to stay a moment longer, and Mu Yuanzhi pretended not to notice.

Even the elderly palace servants who had watched her grow up were now more inclined toward Pei Yunxi.

"Cough…" the thin prisoner garb made Mu Yuanzhi barely able to hold on; she hurried back to her chambers.

No one has lived in this palace for a long time; the beds and rooms are cold, the vast Weiyang Palace a scene of desolation.

She dragged her exhausted, heavy body to the small kitchen, wanting to make a bowl of ginger soup but found no ginger, nor any charcoal brazier or charcoal; Mu Yuanzhi didn't know how long she had endured in this silent cold before outside finally sounded.

It was the new palace servants arriving—four people total, two eunuchs and two palace maids.

Before, even her personal attendants numbered more than this.

"Servant Linglong greets Your Highness the Princess."

"Servant Hongdou greets Your Highness the Princess."

The two young-looking eunuchs also gave their names one after another: Xiao Yunzi and Xiao Nianzi.

Mu Yuanzhi recognized them; they were all people from her fourth brother's palace—could it be that he sent them to spy on her?

"Mm." Mu Yuanzhi nodded without changing expression: "Go on with your work."

"Yes!" they replied in unison, bowing as they withdrew.

Mu Yuanzhi waited a long time still, but no physician came, so she sent someone to inquire.

Returning, Hongdou wanted to speak but held back, head lowered; seeing her come back alone, Mu Yuanzhi furrowed her brows: "Just say what you have to say."

Hongdou gathered courage and raised her head: "Your Highness, the little princess seems to have caught a chill; the Imperial Medical Institute's physicians have all been sent by His Majesty to Changle Palace, so… they probably won't be able to come here anytime soon."

Does catching a chill require mobilizing the whole Imperial Medical Institute? Mu Yuanzhi sneered inwardly, suspecting her good little sister deliberately sent all the physicians away so they couldn't see her injuries.

Regardless, she also knows a bit of medicine.

Mu Yuanzhi fetched paper and brush, wrote two prescriptions—one to dispel cold and warm the stomach, one to treat external injuries—and told Hongdou to go to the Imperial Medical Institute and grab them as prescribed.

"On your way, urge the Internal Affairs Bureau, saying Weiyang Palace lacks fuel and the palace mistress is about to die." Mu Yuanzhi instructed.

Hongdou, after hearing that, quickly glanced at Mu Yuanzhi—she indeed looked ill, the shocking bloodstains making one's scalp go numb.

"Servant will go now!" Hongdou bowed and hurried off.

Mu Yuanzhi lifted her gaze to the equally cold moon, then recalled that today was the Lantern Festival; in years past she'd celebrate reunions with her father and brothers, harmonious and happy, but now she alone faces the moon.

Bang——!

A heavy object's falling sound, unlike the usual, came from the rear courtyard; Mu Yuanzhi instantly became alert.