After A'cha finished speaking, she thought for a moment and said, "Miss, take this servant with you tonight."
Yun Shu was silent for a moment, then nodded in agreement, "Alright, prepare yourself. However, you don't need to treat the hot spring villa as a fierce beast. The Emperor and the important officials of the court are all going, so any fierce beasts would be suppressed."
She just couldn't understand why King Ning, who appeared gentle and did not compete for anything, had been making small moves and plotting for so many years in secret, yet now he couldn't sit still?
There must be some secret she and Zhan Tianye had not foreseen.
It would be good for Jing Heng to enter the hot spring villa first and gather information.
Perhaps it was because Yun Changfeng had taken Xiao Li and the others away earlier that her thoughts had been in turmoil, unable to settle.
"Does Miss have something on her mind?" A'cha immediately asked, noticing a trace of worry in Yun Shu's eyes.
Yun Shu smiled faintly and shook her head, "It's nothing."
"Does Miss miss Master and the others?" A'cha was sharp-minded. She had also been uneasy today. Accustomed to the three little ones' cheerful laughter around her, the General's mansion had suddenly become exceptionally quiet, and it felt as if her heart had been hollowed out.
"Indeed." Yun Shu admitted with a smile.
"I miss Xiao Li and the others too. They used to pester me, saying 'Sister A'cha, I want grapes,' 'Sister A'cha, I'm hungry,' 'Sister A'cha, play with me.' Now that they don't call me, I'm truly unaccustomed to it." A'cha showed a hint of longing.
Unconsciously, she had come to regard the people in the General's mansion as her family, and Xiao Li and the other two as those she needed to protect.
She could empathize with her young lady's longing.
"Let's go and see what I should wear later for the hot spring villa," Yun Shu put away her thoughts and headed towards her room.
"Yes."
...
An hour later.
Zhan Tianye came to Yun Mansion to pick up Yun Shu.
In the carriage.
Zhan Tianye brought news, "Merchants from the Western Xia kingdom have quietly arrived in the capital these past two days. After careful investigation, it has been confirmed that these individuals are not ordinary merchants and have had significant contact with King Ning."
"People from Western Xia?" Yun Shu was stunned, somewhat surprised. What exactly did the people from Western Xia want?
Not only had they already contacted King Ning, but they had now come to the capital? Had King Ning's sudden change in behavior anything to do with the few visitors from Western Xia?
Zhan Tianye reached out and brushed a strand of loose hair from her cheek, then said gently, "Yes, people from Western Xia, likely from the Western Xia royal palace. I suspect something about King Ning's background."
"King Ning's background?" Yun Shu was a little surprised. How could people from Western Xia be related to King Ning's background?
Seeing Yun Shu's surprised expression, Zhan Tianye's heart was touched. The way she looked at him inadvertently was truly captivating, both enchanting and adorable. His voice lowered slightly, "King Ning's birth mother was executed by the Emperor back then. The specific reason cannot be found now. The matter was hastily concluded, and she was convicted and executed for adultery with another man."
Yun Shu raised an eyebrow and sighed softly, "It's truly complicated."
She couldn't help but grumble inwardly, how many cuckoldings had the former Emperor endured?
The Empress Dowager and the Regent were involved, and this continued for over ten years.
Then his own consort was accused of adultery.
She was beginning to suspect if the former Emperor had some deficiency.
This thought only crossed her mind for a moment. With Zhan Tianye, the young Emperor, and so many sons before her, it was unlikely that there was a problem.
She suppressed her speculative thoughts.
"Does the Emperor have any hidden ailments?" Zhan Tianye guessed what she was thinking, seeing her eyes flicker.
Yun Shu's mouth twitched. He had figured it out? In front of him, she really couldn't hide her thoughts well.
Perhaps she had become accustomed to revealing her thoughts to him recently.
"The Emperor has no favoritism towards any concubine," Zhan Tianye narrowed his eyes slightly.
He remembered his birth mother. She, the daughter of the wealthiest man, had married into the palace, but only received favor for a month. Afterward, she was melancholic, causing his maternal grandfather to mourn the loss of his child prematurely, and he also lost his mother at an early age.
He felt no filial affection towards his father.
He only felt gratitude for the kindness of being born and raised.
Yun Shu didn't ask further. She held his hand and said, "You have me, and Xiao Li, Xiao Jing, and Xiao Feng. We are a family, and we are each other's kin."
Perhaps he had to walk alone in this world before, but from now on, they were a family together.
Zhan Tianye's heart was deeply touched, his eyes grew warm, as if a flame was gathering. He clasped her hand in return, "Mm."
He still had them.
The carriage swayed unsteadily.
The hot spring villa was in the southernmost part of the capital, a long distance away.
There were many carriages on the road.
This was enough to see how many people King Ning had invited this time.
While resting with her eyes closed in the carriage, she could still hear people on the road discussing this matter, all saying that the hot spring villa had gathered all the dignitaries of the capital.
A thought struck her.
She suddenly opened her eyes and stared at Zhan Tianye, asking, "Could it be that King Ning intends to take this opportunity to trap everyone at the hot spring villa and usurp the throne?"
As soon as the words fell.
She negated them, "Unlikely. Usurping the throne carries too much risk. He has just returned to the capital. Even if he is anxious, he would never attempt such a thing at this moment. He must wait for the most opportune moment."
Zhan Tianye's thin lips curved into a slight smile, his gaze towards her becoming doting. "Indeed, he will not make a move today. The time is not yet ripe. The Emperor and all the civil and military officials are wary of him. Of course, I will not give him such an opportunity."
As his words fell, the carriage stopped.
A voice came from outside.
"Please alight from your carriages, my lords. This servant will lead the way."
Then, there were sounds of many people alighting from carriages outside.
So many people.
Yun Shu sighed inwardly, then alighted from the carriage with Zhan Tianye.
Upon seeing Zhan Tianye, some people immediately bowed, "King Ye."
"Miss Yun Er."
Then, the group entered the hot spring villa.
As the grand gate opened, an even more magnificent hot spring villa was revealed before them.
There was no sign of neglect.
Everything was luxurious.
Upon entering, in the twilight, they could see wisps of mist in the distance, which was likely the hot spring area.
The hot spring was separated by rockeries and houses.
Men and women were divided on opposite sides.
However, in the past, only the Emperor and King Ning's birth mother could come to this hot spring villa.
Even if others came, they could not enjoy the hot spring.
But today, Zhan Tianyu had decreed that everyone who came to the hot spring villa today could enjoy the hot spring.
There was no need to worry about the separation between men and women. A rockery separated them, and houses were built around them, ensuring complete privacy from within.
Because of the rockery, the soundproofing was good.