Several people were startled to see Zhan Xiaoli run out.
Yun Shu reacted, walked a few steps, and pulled the running Zhan Xiaoli into her arms, "Did you have a nightmare? Mother will go in and stay with you."
Although Zhan Xiaoli was still groggy, she clearly shook her head, "Mother, I didn't have a nightmare. I heard that person's voice again. She was talking to someone, but it might have been a bit far away, and I was still asleep, so I didn't hear what they were saying clearly."
Hearing this, Yun Shu's heart moved. She handed Zhan Xiaoli to Yun Changfeng, "Father, Jing Heng and I will go out and see."
Yun Changfeng took Zhan Xiaoli and held her steadily, "Okay, go. I'll go in and stay with the other three."
Zhan Xiaoli also hugged Yun Changfeng's neck, rested on his shoulder, and closed her eyes to drift back to sleep.
Watching Zhan Xiaoli fall asleep, Yun Changfeng's heart softened, "Xiaoli, Grandpa will take you back to your room to sleep. Sleep well."
After Yun Shu and Jing Heng left the residence, they parted ways and headed in different directions.
Since Xiaoli could hear their conversation, it meant the people should be nearby. There weren't many residences nearby.
If they split up to search, they should be able to find them.
Yun Shu moved silently across the rooftops of the houses.
At this hour, almost every household was asleep.
Everything was dark, with only faint moonlight casting its glow.
After searching for a while.
Yun Shu suddenly stopped.
One small residence was still lit.
She moved silently and jumped down from the roof, standing by the window. A large tree next to it perfectly concealed her.
In the quiet night, all sounds seemed to be amplified.
The voices of two people talking in the room were not loud.
"Mother, let's return to the capital immediately. Since the mission is complete, our master will surely reward us this time."
"My heart still feels uneasy. Let's wait another day or two."
"Is it because you saw Yun Shu's portrait? I wonder who is looking for her. Mother is afraid we might run into Yun Shu? Actually, Mother is overthinking. The world is so vast, and moreover, this is the Western Xia Kingdom. We're unlikely to run into Yun Shu!"
"If Yun Shu hadn't come to the Western Xia Kingdom, then how do you explain these portraits? She must have come to the Western Xia Kingdom, which is why these portraits exist."
For a moment, the two in the room fell silent.
At this moment, the person they were discussing curled her lips.
Yun Shu was somewhat surprised to find such a coincidence.
They were indeed acquaintances!
She never expected to meet them in a small town in the Western Xia Kingdom, so far away.
The people in the room were Concubine Xiao and Yun Ying.
After the mother and daughter were rescued, there had been no news of them. They hadn't bothered to look for them, but there was a lingering question in their minds: who was the person behind Concubine Xiao?
Who wanted to plant a spy by Yun Changfeng's side?
They hadn't found out before, but now they knew. It seemed Concubine Xiao's master was from the Western Xia Kingdom.
The Western Xia Kingdom's reach into the Eastern Ning Kingdom was truly extensive.
Just as she was about to push open the door and give the mother and daughter a big surprise, she suddenly stopped. What needed to be investigated slowly after returning to the capital could now be traced from Concubine Xiao and Yun Ying.
Whether they could find Zhan Tianye was another matter, but finding their master would be significant.
At this moment, Jing Heng also arrived.
He approached her and was about to barge in.
She immediately shook her head.
Jing Heng stopped and happened to overhear the mother and daughter continuing their conversation.
"Mother, we really don't need to be so scared. Even if... even if we run into Yun Shu, so what? She's from the Eastern Ning Kingdom, and didn't we get news a few days ago that Yun Changfeng has already resigned as a general of the Eastern Ning Kingdom, and she didn't marry Prince Ye? Moreover, we have our master supporting us, so we don't need to fear her at all." Yun Ying gritted her teeth, feeling there was no need to be afraid anymore.
Besides, she still deeply resented Yun Shu. If it weren't for Yun Shu, she would still be the general's daughter, able to marry into a prestigious family and live a life of comfort and ease.
But Yun Shu returned, and after her return, her situation became extremely difficult. Later, she even left the Eastern Ning Kingdom and came to the Western Xia Kingdom.
Now, her dream of marrying into a prestigious family was just that, a dream. No, not to mention marrying into a prestigious family, there was probably no one who truly wanted to marry her anymore! Because she had been defiled, her master now only assigned them tasks that others didn't want.
Thinking of this, Yun Ying's heart seethed with hatred!
Concubine Xiao, having experienced more hardships, was now completely calm. "What you said has some truth to it, but Mother thinks it would be beneficial for us if we could find some leverage against Yun Shu! You are still young, and you can't continue like this, otherwise, your life will be ruined."
Hearing this, Yun Ying sneered self-mockingly, "Mother, I was already ruined back in the Eastern Ning Kingdom. Now it's just a case of throwing caution to the wind. To complete missions, our mother and daughter have long since become utterly tarnished. All of this is because of Yun Shu! If Yun Shu hadn't come back from the dead, if she hadn't returned, how would we have ended up in such a predicament!"
Hearing their words, Jing Heng's eyes narrowed, and a murderous aura erupted, as if he were about to rush in and kill the mother and daughter at any moment.
"Huh? Why is it suddenly so cold?" Yun Ying felt a chill run down her spine and wrapped her clothes tighter.
Concubine Xiao frowned and said, "It's late, and it's already night. I'll agree to your request to return to the capital tomorrow. As for the matter with Yun Shu, we'll pretend we don't know. Ying'er, remember, now that we've left the Eastern Ning Kingdom, don't get involved with Yun Shu any further. Yun Shu isn't that simple. If you get involved with her again, our mother and daughter will fall into danger."
"Actually, Yun Shu isn't that terrifying. Mother, why are you so afraid of Yun Shu? Never mind, let's not talk about Yun Shu anymore. Mother, let's go to sleep." Yun Ying yawned, her reply somewhat sleepy.
Seeing that the room had darkened and the sound of even breathing could be heard, Yun Shu signaled Jing Heng to come outside.
The two went outside the courtyard.
"Why didn't Master let me go in and kill them to eliminate future trouble?" Jing Heng gripped his sword tightly, wishing he could go out and kill Concubine Xiao and her daughter right now.
Those two deserved to die long ago.
"Calm down, don't rush. Do you think I'm so merciful as to let my enemies go? These two are still useful. I want to find their master and see who it is," Yun Shu said softly.
Whether it was the people behind Prince Ning or the people behind Concubine Xiao, she felt it was likely the same person.
The image of the middle-aged man she had seen at the hot spring villa suddenly flashed in her mind.