Yun Shu put away the letter and asked Yu Le, who was outside the door, "Who wants to see me?"
"It's Miss Chen," Yu Le replied.
Chen Ai?
Yun Shu replied, "Please invite Miss Chen in."
Half a month ago, after returning from the hot spring villa, Chen Ai came to see her the next day, and she had given her a prescription and some instructions.
Calculating the time, if Chen Ai took the medicine on time, her condition should have improved by now.
A moment later, Chen Ai arrived.
Chen Ai was followed by two maids, who were holding two small chests.
Since each person was carrying two chests, they were quite conspicuous. The chests were not large, and Yun Shu saw them at a glance as she held one in each hand.
"Second Miss Yun, these are all homemade fruit wines. Last time I visited, I mentioned them briefly. I brewed them in my spare time and specially brought them for Second Miss Yun to try." Chen Ai said, seeing Yun Shu looking at her two maids.
Yun Shu was a little surprised. "You brewed them yourself?"
"Yes, my mother taught me. Please don't dislike them, Second Miss Yun." Chen Ai's face turned a little red. She rarely interacted with people outside her mansion, so she didn't know what to say to Yun Shu for a moment.
Yun Shu noticed Chen Ai's awkwardness and asked with a smile, "How have you been feeling these past two days?"
Chen Ai seemed to snap back to reality, as if realizing something late, and quickly said, "Thank you, Second Miss Yun. If I hadn't taken the prescription you gave me and followed your advice during this time, I wouldn't have recovered so quickly. In the past few days, I've been sleeping longer and don't get tired easily. Thank you so much, Second Miss Yun! Others don't know, but I know how unbearable it is to have sleepless nights. I will remember this kindness."
She wasn't just saying it; she truly remembered Yun Shu's kindness.
Therefore, today she had her servants dig out the fruit wine she had brewed, and then took the opportunity to reveal some information to Second Miss Yun.
"It was just a small effort on my part, Miss Chen. Please don't be so formal. I'll accept the fruit wine. Thank you." Yun Shu could already smell the aroma of fruit wine wafting from the small chests.
It was Chen Ai's modesty, but judging from the aroma of the fruit wine, it was undoubtedly excellent, perhaps even better than what was sold in wine shops outside.
However, seeing Chen Ai's hesitant look, Yun Shu wondered if she had something to say.
As expected, Chen Ai said to the two maids beside her, "You can go outside and stand guard. Miss Chen and I have something to discuss."
The two maids obediently withdrew.
Yun Shu smiled at Chen Ai and said, "What is it? Miss Chen, please feel free to speak your mind."
Chen Ai's face was still a little red. She lowered her voice and said, "It's not about me, it's... I just heard my father say that the princess of Western Xia is outside the city and will enter the capital tonight. It's said that the princess of Western Xia heard that Prince Ye can stand up again and has proposed a marriage alliance with Prince Ye. This matter hasn't been widely spread yet. My father just returned from the palace and learned of it. I don't know if Second Miss Yun is aware of this matter?"
When she heard this news, she was very worried about Second Miss Yun, fearing that the princess of Western Xia would be strong-willed and insist on marrying Prince Ye. If the Emperor agreed to it for the sake of friendly relations between the two countries, what would Second Miss Yun do?
"Moreover, I also heard that the princess of Western Xia has a capricious temper and many people who have crossed her have ended up dead under mysterious circumstances. This shows how sinister she is. Second Miss Yun, you must prepare early."
Yun Shu raised her eyebrows in surprise at this news.
This was indeed news that she had just learned.
The princess of Western Xia suddenly coming to the capital without any prior warning suggested that she had been hiding her tracks all the way.
Seeing Yun Shu's silence, Chen Ai became worried. "Second Miss Yun, are... are you alright?"
Yun Shu collected her thoughts and smiled faintly. "I'm fine. Thank you. I truly didn't know about this matter."
"Then... don't you want to have Prince Ning propose to you quickly? Once you are engaged, the Emperor won't be able to arrange a marriage for you. Someone as proud as the princess of Western Xia would certainly not agree to be a concubine to Prince Ye." Chen Ai bit her lip, quickly thinking of a solution.
Currently, those who gossiped in the capital were all saying that the reason Prince Ye wasn't engaged to Yun Shu must be for a reason, perhaps he didn't want to marry Yun Shu.
Every time she heard people discussing Yun Shu, she really wanted to step forward and argue, but she was insignificant and no one listened.
Yun Shu saw how worried and anxious Chen Ai was, trying to help her find a solution, and a genuine desire to be friends with Chen Ai grew in her heart. She replied sincerely, "Prince Ye and I don't need to be engaged. We will marry directly next year. The reason for not getting engaged cannot be revealed. Prince Ye and I are truly in love."
She had to admit that this princess from Western Xia had truly surprised her.
During this period, Zhan Tianyu's clandestine actions had been frequent. The middle-aged man from Western Xia was under Jing Heng's constant surveillance. The net was about to close, and now a princess from Western Xia had appeared. xxs one.
Since Chen Ai had come to her and informed her of this news, Zhan Tian Ye should also be aware of it by now.
Chen Ai's expression also became solemn. "So that's how it is. Second Miss Yun, don't worry, I won't tell anyone. In fact, we can all see that Prince Ye's heart and eyes are only for you. Before, when women were sent to Prince Ye's mansion, they either died or were kicked out within two days. No matter how beautiful they were, Prince Ye wouldn't even glance at them. Therefore, when the princess of Western Xia meets Prince Ye, she will definitely give up her idea!"
Yun Shu's gaze was deep. She didn't know if the princess of Western Xia would give up her idea, but she knew that Western Xia's influence was indeed extending very far, and they were shamelessly becoming more blatant.
...
The news somehow spread throughout the streets and alleys.
Everyone was interested in this princess from Western Xia.
There were even rumors circulating that the princess of Western Xia was the most beautiful woman in the world, even more beautiful than Second Miss Yun.
What's more, some people even said that the reason Prince Ye was not engaged to Second Miss Yun was that he was waiting for this princess from Western Xia, because Prince Ye and the princess of Western Xia had known each other for a long time and were already deeply in love. Prince Ye's feelings for Second Miss Yun were only out of consideration for her being the mother of his three children. He and the princess of Western Xia were the true love.
Various rumors spread through the streets and alleys.
While the outside world was abuzz with these various rumors, Zhan Tian Ye was at the Yun Mansion, tasting fruit wine with Yun Shu.
They discussed the matter as they drank.
"The princess of Western Xia will enter the capital tomorrow," Zhan Tian Ye said.
Yun Shu swallowed the fruit wine in her mouth and pretended to be serious. "The rumors outside are so fierce, it seems the princess of Western Xia is determined to get her way."