The moment they settled in, Prince Ale of the royal palace learned of their arrival.
He was so shocked that he could have fit an egg in his mouth. After a long pause, he recovered and, considering it too late to visit the inn, dispatched his personal guards to the establishment.
Aimos respectfully bowed to the Regent, the Queen, and the two Princes. "Your subordinates, Aimos, pay respects to all princes. May the princes and the Queen have a peaceful rest here tonight. His Majesty will personally welcome the two princes, the Regent, and the Queen to the royal palace tomorrow and will entertain them grandly."
He was usually addressed as Prince Ale. How had he become His Majesty in just over a month?
As astute as Fan Zehao was, he pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement. "This Prince understands."
"Yes," Aimos replied, placing his arm across his chest and bowing before withdrawing.
After the man left, the Carefree King, too preoccupied to worry about hunger, immediately turned to gossip. He asked Huangfu Xian and Fan Zehao beside him, "Tell me, did his father die for the prince to become His Majesty?"
Upon hearing this, Huangfu Xian shot him a dagger-like glare. "Isn't that obvious? Do you think anyone dares to assassinate the ruler and usurp the throne?"
They would be scorned by future generations.
"He left Yun Country only about a month and a half ago. Yet, we haven't heard any news of His Majesty's passing on our journey. Moreover, Gu'er and Zhou are decorated with lanterns and celebrating with bonfires and roasted meat. It doesn't look like a period of mourning at all; it's more like a celebration."
Zhao Jiaqi voiced her doubts. If this were Yun Country, and the Emperor died, such actions by the populace would have landed them in prison for life.
Her wife's doubts resonated with Fan Zehao, who also found it somewhat amiss. However, he reasoned that the customs of this place might differ from their own country and didn't dwell on it further.
He said, "Prince A'xi was already designated as the Crown Prince by His Majesty, and Prince Ale has been governing for many years. When the old King passed away, his son inherited the throne. So, there's nothing much to discuss. Besides, their customs are different from ours, and they don't adhere to those formalities, which is why we haven't heard news of His Majesty's death."
Huangfu Xian frowned. "Logically, that's how it should be. However, upon the King's demise, there should be a public announcement. Yet, none of us received any such news. And the moment we arrived, Prince Ale knew. Don't you think he received the news too quickly?"
His words immediately made everyone wary, and after exchanging glances, they decided to proceed with caution.
In the dead of night.
The bright moon hung high in the sky, and the north wind howled. Zhao Jiaqi, lying in bed, tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
She sighed repeatedly, murmuring to herself, "To think that I might encounter a power struggle on a leisure trip. Such a slim chance shouldn't happen, right?"
"Alas..." With that thought, she sighed again.
If she had known, she should have planned their outing more thoroughly.
The more she couldn't sleep, the louder the man beside her snored. Seeing him sleeping so soundly, Zhao Jiaqi became even more agitated. For a moment, she even considered kicking him out of bed.
She only managed to fall into a hazy sleep in the latter half of the night. Before she felt like she had slept long, the sky outside had already brightened.
With dark circles under her eyes and a surly mood, she got up lethargia cally, finding fault with everything. Even Fan Zehao's concerned inquiries were met with a curt reply: "I'll be eternally grateful if you snore less at night."
Hearing his wife's words, Fan Zehao sheepishly rubbed his hands and chuckled, "Alright, I'll sleep after you do from now on."
His words diffused Zhao Jiaqi's anger. She shifted her gaze from her husband, shaking her head slightly. Such a good-tempered husband was truly a rare find, and she shouldn't have taken her frustration out on him.
After washing up, she finally confided her worries to him truthfully. "I'm not complaining about your snoring; I'm concerned about whether there will be internal strife within the A'xi tribe. We're here for a vacation, and I don't want to get caught up in any trouble."
She then looked up and asked worriedly, "If my fears turn out to be true, what do you think we should do?"
Fan Zehao smiled and pinched her nose. "Ultimately, it boils down to this: we're here to travel, not to cause trouble. If these people have poor judgment and set their sights on us, I won't stand for it. Don't worry."
Seeing his wife's nervousness and concern, he held her close, whispering words of comfort while gently patting her back.
At that moment, Fan Zehao hoped his wife's words wouldn't come true, as it would indeed lead to some minor troubles.
After breakfast, Aimos came to escort them to the palace, and Prince Ale was already waiting outside.
They were grandly welcomed into the royal palace, drawing out the local herders to watch. They pointed at the carriages with smiles that seemed particularly meaningful.
Whether it was her overthinking or genuine unease, Zhao Jiaqi felt that the herders' smiles lacked goodwill.
She turned to her sisters beside her and asked Gan Jiaojiao, "I remember the sleeve darts we researched not long ago. Did you have them made in the end?"
Gan Jiaojiao blinked in surprise and shook her head. "Madam, we've been traveling these days and haven't had the chance to make them. Your servant thought we could find a good blacksmith to craft them after returning to Yun Country."
Zhao Jiaqi pondered for a moment, not entirely agreeing with her plan. "How about this? Once we reach the palace, we'll make them ourselves. The blueprints you have are only for our people to see; no one else can look at them."
Gan Jiaojiao understood the significance of the blueprints and nodded resolutely, hiding the item in her chest as if protecting a rare treasure. "Madam, please rest assured, your servant understands."
As soon as she finished speaking, they heard Prince Ale's booming laughter as he conversed with her husband, his cheerful voice carrying far on the wind.
Zhao Jiaqi did not alight from the carriage, not wishing to be ogled like a spectacle. She rode in the carriage into the royal palace, silently hoping that everything would go smoothly.
The luxurious sight of the royal palace was indeed impressive. Although small, it had everything it needed, with no lack of gardens.
Ale led the way, and Zhao Jiaqi followed behind, admiring the scenery. She was surprised to see golden palaces adorned with inlaid gems. While a bit ostentatious, it was also a symbol of wealth.
As they walked behind, the palace guards and servants mistook them for servants. Zhao Jiaqi's attire did not resemble that of a noble princess. Furthermore, her appearance was plain and unremarkable compared to the other two women.
As they were admiring the palace, a woman in opulent attire approached them from the garden, her demeanor exuding an air of triumphant pride, her walk a delicate sway.