Six years later.
It was Prime Minister Mu's 40th birthday. The entire Prime Minister's Mansion was brightly decorated, bustling with carriages and visitors coming to offer congratulations. The Steward and Young Servants responsible for greeting guests at the entrance of the Prime Minister's Mansion were extremely busy.
Before long, a vermilion-lacquered carriage slowly stopped in front of the Prime Minister's Mansion.
Compared to the other luxurious carriages with ornate roofs nearby, this carriage could be described as simple, or more bluntly, shabby.
The Steward didn't even want to spare it a second glance and casually pushed a Young Servant, "Go, ask which family it is from."
The Young Servant obediently scurried over to the vermilion-lacquered carriage, "May I ask which noble guest's residence you hail from?"
The coachman handed over a bronze token with intricate patterns.
The Young Servant took it, and his attitude instantly became much more respectful, "Please, noble guest, follow me."
Guided by the Young Servant, the coachman found a spot to park the carriage, set down the mounting block, and then bowed toward the person inside the carriage.
"Madam, we have arrived."
As the curtain was lifted, the face of a woman as beautiful as a celestial being was revealed, instantly stunning the Young Servant waiting by the carriage.
After Mu Ning stepped down using the mounting block, three exquisitely carved little dolls successively emerged from the carriage.
"Mother, is this the Prime Minister's Mansion? It truly has an imposing presence!"
"The Prime Minister is the head of all officials, holding high rank and great power. There must be many valuable treasures in the house, right?"
"Grass in the front, mountain in the back, pond in the east, hill in the west."
Hearing this, Mu Yanli and Mu Yanxi, the two brothers, simultaneously turned to look at their sister beside them.
"Duo Duo, can you say something we can understand?"
Mu Yanxi rolled her eyes, "The Feng Shui is good."
The two brothers suddenly understood.
Mu Ning found it amusing.
After entering the Mu Family residence, the two brothers Mu Yanli and Mu Yanxi were led by a Young Servant to the main courtyard reserved for male guests, while Mu Ning and Mu Yanxi were led by a Maidservant to the rear courtyard where the female guests were.
As they walked to a pavilion, faint sounds of conversation drifted out from within.
"...I truly didn't choose wrongly; this Yun Jin suits you very well, very good."
"Thank you, Your Highness. It's just that this Yun Jin is too precious; wearing it makes me uneasy, afraid I might accidentally stain or snag it."
"It doesn't matter. No matter how expensive, it's just clothing. I'll get you something better next time..."
"Who is there!?"
The sharp shout from the guard interrupted the conversation between the man and woman in the pavilion, causing Mu Ning and the other two to stop walking.
"Greetings to Prince Qi, Eldest Young Lady."
Seeing the man and woman emerging from the pavilion, the Maidservant hurriedly knelt to pay respects.
Jun Moyi ignored the Maidservant, his sharp, eagle-like eyes fixed directly on Mu Ning.
Mu Xi was also staring intently at Mu Ning, unable to look away.
Compared to her elaborate attire, the woman's dress could be called shabby—a plain white *Liuxian* dress, her dark hair simply pinned up with a single white magnolia jade hairpin, her face bare of any makeup, and no accessories on her person.
Despite being dressed so plainly, it in no way diminished the woman's beauty.
Her skin was like congealed fat, delicate enough to break with a puff of air; her face was like a hibiscus flower, her eyebrows like distant mountains, and her slender waist could not be spanned by a single grasp.
When had such a naturally beautiful, peerless beauty appeared in Fengjing City?
Mu Xi subconsciously glanced at Jun Moyi beside her. Seeing him staring blankly at the woman's face, her heart immediately sank.
"This Madam looks unfamiliar. May I ask which noble family's guest you are?"
Mu Xi deliberately emphasized the word "Madam." Indeed, Jun Moyi glanced at the married woman's hairstyle behind Mu Ning's head, and a hint of faint regret crossed his mind.
What a pity; such a rare and peerless beauty was already taken.
Meeting Mu Xi's guarded gaze, Mu Ning smiled faintly, "Younger Sister truly has a poor memory."
What an impudent woman, daring to seduce Jun Moyi right in front of her.
Mu Xi did not associate Mu Ning with the Mu Family; after all, the current Mu Ning was completely different from the one six years ago. She assumed Mu Ning was trying to attract Jun Moyi's attention to become his sister-in-law in Prince Qi's Mansion.
"My mother only gave birth to one daughter. I advise Madam to stop speaking nonsense in the future, lest you invite ridicule!"
Seeing that Jun Moyi's gaze was still fixed on Mu Ning's face and hadn't moved, Mu Xi couldn't help but feel secretly annoyed and spoke up, intending to send them away.
"Madam, today is my father's birthday. Even if you don't dress elaborately, you should at least wear something festive. Yet you are dressed entirely in plain white, which looks inauspicious! If you don't have money to buy new clothes, I won't press the matter. I happen to have a few newly made dresses in my courtyard; have a Maidservant take you to pick one out, consider it a gift from me."
Mu Yanxi impolitely rolled her eyes widely, "Auntie, if your eyesight is poor, you should get it treated, lest people laugh at your lack of discernment."
Anger flared up in Mu Xi, "Who are you calling Auntie?" Was she really that old?
Mu Yanxi tilted her head, "Whoever responds, that's who I'm calling."
"You..."
Realizing that arguing with a five or six-year-old girl was beneath her dignity, Mu Xi suppressed her anger, straightened her back, and looked down condescendingly at Mu Ning, who was below the stepping stone.
"The women of our Eastern Phoenix Kingdom have always valued gentleness, propriety, modesty, and deference as virtues, yet Madam's daughter is sharp-tongued and shows no regard for hierarchy or rules. She will surely suffer losses in the future."
Mu Ning stroked her daughter's soft head, "Whether my daughter suffers losses in the future is none of an outsider's concern. As for Miss Mu, perhaps you should go out more when you have time and broaden your horizons."
"What do you mean?"
Mu Yanxi said, "If you can't even understand this, is your brain filled with tofu dregs? Although the Yun Jin you are wearing is precious, what my mother is wearing is no less fine than Yun Jin! Open your eyes wide and see clearly; this is the rare *Jiaoxiao Silk* that is hard to find even with ten thousand pieces of gold, far rarer and more precious than your so-called Yun Jin."
Although Mu Xi had never seen *Jiaoxiao Silk*, she had heard legends about it.
The legend said it was a precious textile woven by the merfolk of the South Sea—light as smoke, thin as a cicada's wing, impervious to water, and cool in fire.
But it had always been just a legend. She never expected that *Jiaoxiao Silk* truly existed in this world, and it was being worn by the woman before her eyes?
The shock and blow Mu Xi suffered were considerable.
Such a rare treasure should belong to her!
In an instant, Mu Xi became greedy, wanting to seize the *Jiaoxiao Silk*.
Of course, she couldn't manage this herself, but the guards beside Jun Moyi could help.
"Your Highness..."
Having known her for many years, how could Jun Moyi not see the greed in Mu Xi's eyes?
But no matter how precious the *Jiaoxiao Silk* was, for a dignified Prince like him to snatch clothing off a woman, he couldn't afford to lose face!
He used to think Mu Xi had a good family background and a dignified, generous demeanor, making her a suitable match for him. Now, however, he found her vulgar.
Getting so worked up over a mere piece of clothing—she was too petty.
"I have other matters to attend to; I'll be leaving now."
Jun Moyi left as soon as he said it. Mu Xi was furious but helpless.
Since she couldn't have it, she might as well destroy it!
Reading Guide:
This work is fictional, with the official system borrowing from the bureaucratic structure of the Qin and Han dynasties （ in part ）.
The map background is the Nine Continents, where the four kingdoms of Eastern Phoenix, Southern Zhao, Western Moon, and Northern Xia stand in a tripartite balance.
Synopsis: The world has been divided for a long time, with constant strife among the four kingdoms, causing immense suffering for the common people. The female lead, Mu Ning, transmigrates with the inheritance of the Medicine King Space, becoming the Trash Legitimate Daughter of the Eastern Phoenix Kingdom. She utilizes her medical skills and the Medicine King Space to establish the most famous medical organization on the Nine Continents. During this time, the female lead and the male lead, Jun Moyan, become entangled because of their three children. They progress from mutual dislike to understanding, then to knowing each other, helping each other, loving each other, and finally joining hands to complete the great undertaking of unifying the world.
（ This is the plan for now ）