He was wearing a brand new dark blue brocade robe with auspicious cloud patterns depicting a dragon emerging from the sea. He sat in his usual wooden wheelchair, his gaze, light and distant, taking in everything before him.
Though he was merely seated in a wooden wheelchair, and not in a particularly conspicuous spot, Song Chaoyu's eyes found Mu Changxi immediately.
He was amidst the crowd, yet he seemed like an ethereal immortal, detached from the world, quietly observing all that belonged to the human realm but not to him.
It was only when Mu Changxi seemed to sense Song Chaoyu's gaze and looked in her direction that Song Chaoyu lowered her head.
Mu Changxi, however, smiled.
He had noticed that this young woman, Song Chaoyu, seemed to be constantly stealing glances at him.
It was no longer the same as when they were at the estate, where she had been so open and forthright.
—
"A new arrival!"
With the shout of the elderly matchmaker, the already lively entrance of the Ning King's manor became even more boisterous.
After all, the Ning King was a distinguished prince, and now enjoyed the Emperor's favor, so naturally, everyone wanted to curry his favor.
Song Chaoyu recalled that when she married Mu Hansu in her previous life, Mu Hansu was merely an unknown and unfavored individual. At that time, there were not so many people at their entrance; it could even be described as "deserted."
Unlike today, where everyone wore smiles of blessing, though Song Chaoyu couldn't tell if those smiles were genuine or not.
Song Chaoyu followed behind Madam Nie. As they were the female guests, they did not need to follow the bridal sedan chair; they only needed to go to the back courtyard to partake in the feast.
Although the Song family, as the "maternal family" of Song Yanjiao, did not need to send many people, the Ning King's manor still had to prepare a banquet for the Song family.
Where this banquet was placed indicated how much importance the Ning King placed on the Song family.
As soon as Song Chaoyu entered the back courtyard, Hu Xiaoye, full of energy, ran towards her, shouting, "Is it really Fourth Sister? My mother said Fourth Sister might come today, and I've been waiting for you for so long!"
As she spoke, she pressed a half-eaten pastry into Song Chaoyu's hand. "The banquet at the Ning King's manor is quite good, and this pastry is especially delicious. Fourth Sister must be tired from your journey, right? Hurry and try it!"
Since the incident last time, the Hu family had become exceptionally close to Song Chaoyu.
Hu Xiaoye often sought Song Chaoyu to play with and frequently invited Song Chaoyu to the Hu residence.
The young ladies of the capital had also noticed that Song Chaoyu was now favored in the Song family. Therefore, regardless of her status, when these young ladies encountered Song Chaoyu, they would nod and greet her with a smile.
Hu Xiaoye led Song Chaoyu to the back courtyard, chatting and laughing with her. Madam Nie also smiled and nodded at Song Chaoyu, saying, "Go ahead, go play with your young friends. Just remember to come back when the feast begins."
Hu Xiaoye directly pulled Song Chaoyu to pay her respects to Madam Hu, and then pulled her to the Ning King's manor. "Sister Song, this is my first time at the Ning King's manor! I didn't expect the manor to be so grand! Shall we go take a look at the back?"
This was also the first time Song Chaoyu had visited the Ning King's manor in this lifetime.
Compared to her previous life, the Ning King's manor in this lifetime seemed even more opulent and magnificent.
For the wedding, the Ning King had probably ordered people to renovate the Ning King's manor. However, Song Chaoyu was not very familiar with the back courtyard of the Ning King's manor.
After all, in her previous life, as soon as she got married, she was confined to a small courtyard.
Hu Xiaoye, pulling Song Chaoyu along, darted into the garden. Song Chaoyu, however, chuckled, "Aren't you afraid of getting lost again?"
Hu Xiaoye was fearless. "Of course not! This is the Ning King's manor. Surely no one will come to trouble us like last time? Anyway... every time I get lost, my mother can always find me. Sister Song, don't be afraid, we're just looking around. His Highness the Ning King wouldn't be so petty!"
"Oh?"
Hu Xiaoye skipped and hopped towards the back courtyard, pulling Song Chaoyu along as if she had spotted something new. "Sister Song, look at this courtyard, it's so exquisite!"
At the end of the plum blossom trees, a small courtyard suddenly appeared before them.
The moment she saw the gate of that courtyard, Song Chaoyu froze for a moment—
Wasn't this the "Ziyun Garden" where she had been imprisoned for three whole years in her previous life, unable to leave until her death?
"Ziyun Garden?"
Hu Xiaoye looked up at the small courtyard, utterly bewildered. "The name is quite lovely. But what is this courtyard used for? Hidden behind the plum grove, and not even large, it doesn't seem like even a favored concubine would live here. But if it's for maids, it seems a bit too big. Sister Song, what do you think this courtyard is for?"
The familiar courtyard gate made Song Chaoyu feel a sense of dread, an unwillingness to approach.
In her previous life, she had only passed through this courtyard gate once, and then never came out again.
Hu Xiaoye tugged at Song Chaoyu, only to find her standing still. "Sister Song, what's wrong? Shall we go in and take a look? I'm curious about what's inside! Look, the courtyard gate isn't locked. I suppose with so many guests today, His Highness the Ning King won't mind us! Sister Song, come in with me?"
Pulled by her hand, Song Chaoyu finally reacted and walked towards the Ziyun Garden with Hu Xiaoye. "I think... this is probably a place to confine someone. If they made a mistake, or someone His Highness the Ning King disliked, they would be locked up here."
"Ah? That's too much!"
Hu Xiaoye, not understanding Song Chaoyu's past, merely pouted. "If someone makes a mistake, they should be punished as they deserve. Why must they be locked up here? If they are locked up here, won't they want to get out every day? That would be too painful!"
It was indeed very painful.
Every day upon waking, all she faced was the sky enclosed by four walls.
She had cried and thrown tantrums, even tried to climb over the wall to escape.
However, all her struggles were in vain. This small courtyard, day after day, consumed her most beautiful years.
In the end, she even lost her life here. Yet now, to walk into this courtyard again as a "free person," Song Chaoyu couldn't articulate what she was feeling in her heart.
With a creak, Hu Xiaoye was the first to push open the gate of the Ziyun Garden.
The courtyard was empty. The rooms next to it were not locked.
Hu Xiaoye opened the main hall. What met her eyes was not the simple table and chairs that Song Chaoyu was familiar with, but piles of books.
"Oh—so this place is filled with books?"
Hu Xiaoye suddenly realized. "I've long heard my mother say that the Emperor most admires His Highness the Ning King's studiousness and love for reading. To have a courtyard full of books like this, if it were me, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to finish them in a lifetime!"