Eight-year-old Princess: Phoenix Reborn Chapter 45

The Imperial Household Department is highly efficient. Just after lunch, the man in charge of the Imperial Household Department brought a maid to Yun Shang. "Your Highness, the Empress told me to pick someone smart and clever for you. Here is a new maid for you, Your Highness. Do you approve?"

Yun Shang took a close look at the maid. The maid was pretty. Just like Qin Meng, she seemed pure and innocent.

Yun Shang smiled, and asked her in a soft voice, "What's your name?"

The maid rolled her eyes and smiled, "Your Highness, my name is Qian Yin and I'm fourteen years old."

The man in charge looked at the maid. He seemed dissatisfied with her reaction. "Her Highness was just asking for your name, why did you tell her your age too?" Then he turned to Yun Shang. "Your Highness, will you take her as your maid? She may not be as experienced as your favorite maid, Qin Meng, but she serves people well."

Yun Shang nodded, "I'll keep her in Qingxin Palace. Thank you for your efforts."

Qin Yi stepped forward, slipped a money bag into the man's hand, and then stepped back. The man beamed with joy, "Thank you, Your Highness. If there's anything else that you need, let me know and I will assist you."

Yun Shang said "Well OK" as the man turned and left.

Yun Shang, Qin Yi, and Qian Yin stood in the room. Yun Shang waved at Qian Yin and smiled, "I haven't seen you in three years. You have grown up quite a lot."

Qian Yin grinned and approached Yun Shang. She stood beside the Princess and complimented, "You've changed too, Your Highness. You've become more beautiful."

Qin Yi was confused with their conversation. She thought for a while and then something dawned on her. Her eyes were filled with surprise, "Does Qian Yin work for Your Highness?"

Yun Shang and Qian Yin both laughed at this question. Qian Yin turned around and giggled, "Qin Yi, my name is Qian Yin and I work for Her Highness. Three years ago, I was sent to the Palace. I did a pretty good job, which earned me favor from the Minister of the Imperial Household Department and the Empress. I've been assigned some secret tasks for the Empress. When I heard that Her Highness needed a new maid, I signed up voluntarily."

Qin Yi studied Qian Yin from head to toe, then nodded, "Well, looks like Your Highness has learned a lot from her father, and has already made her preparations. Now with Qian Yin here, I feel quite relieved."

Qian Yin smiled, "I've also prepared a lot during these years. Now we have our people spread in every Palace. It's just that Your Highness has only recently returned from the Temple, and the Empress has been watching us. I didn't find a chance to report schemes to Your Highness. After all these days of waiting, I finally have the chance."

Yun Shang nodded, "We have plenty of time now. Just follow Qin Yi and get acquainted with the Palace."

Qian Yin nodded and then looked at the maid, "Well, then. Thank you for your trouble, Qin Yi."

After Qin Yi walked Qian Yin outside, Yun Shang leaned back on her chair slowly. Her lips cracked into a smile. She felt so peaceful inside. Considering how her plan was falling into place, she felt confident that she would only continue to grow stronger. Yun Shang couldn't wait to be strong enough to avenge her death. She remembered every betrayal from her last life and swore to not let the culprits get away.

Qian Yin really was a force to reckon with. Within a few days, she became familiar with everyone at Qingxin Palace. She was completely at ease with her surroundings and the other staff. She stopped to chat with so many people during the day that her euphonious laughter hovered above the roof of Qingxin Palace every day.

"Qian Yin is so good at her work. If she didn't work for you, I would have a lot to worry about. Qin Yi smiled.

Yun Shang smiled too, but didn't say a word. Aside from the brief chat she had with Qian Yin on her first day at the Palace, the Princess had kept her distance from the new maid. It was clear that even though Yun Shang approved of Qian Yin, she was indifferent to the maid.

Qin Yi didn't quite get it, but she knew that Yun Shang had her reasons. So Qin Yi didn't ask.

"Your Highness, it is lovely outside. We should have a walk. I just saw the chrysanthemums blossoming in the Imperial Garden. Why not take a look?" Qian Yin entered with a a basin of dried fragrans. She held a sachet in her hand.

Yun Shang stared blankly and said nothing. Qian Yin asked again, "Your Highness, the fragrans I picked the other day has already dried in the sun. These are all freshly blossomed flowers that didn't get drenched in the rain. They smell really good after being dried. I made a sachet of fragrans. You should smell it, Your Highness."

Hearing this, Yun Shang took a quick look at Qian Yin. The maid moved closer and put the sachet under Yun Shang's nose. The Princess sniffed as the delicate aroma spread around her.

"Well, it is fragrant." Yun Shang nodded.

Qian Yin was so excited that the Princess had understood. Then she said, "Allow me to put this on you."

Yun Shang nodded and let Qian Yin hang the sachet on her waist. She asked the maid, "What were you suggesting just now? The chrysanthemum in the Imperial Garden has bloomed?"

Qian Yin nodded repeatedly, "Yes they are blossoming."

"It's been years since I last saw blossoming flowers. I used to visit the Imperial Garden quite a lot in the past, and I often plucked them. I got scolded for that by Mother all the time. Alright, I haven't been outside in a long time. Let's go and take a look."

Hearing this, Qin Yi quickly took Yun Shang's cloak and put it on her. "It's getting colder these days, Your Highness. Please dress warmly."

After everything was ready, Yun Shang went out with Qin Yi and Qian Yin. A few moments into their walk in the Imperial Garden, they heard faint laughter. Qian Yin smiled, "What a coincidence. The Empress is also enjoying the beauty of flowers with her ladies."

Yun Shang nodded, "In that case, let's go back. I don't want to spoils their fun."

Some of the concubines accompanying the Empress spotted them just as the Princess turned to leave. "Isn't is Princess Hui Guo over there? Did she come to enjoy the flowers too?"

The Empress then looked at the Princess. From far away, Yun Shang saw the Empress waving at her. She sighed, "Well, now we can't get away."

She walked towards the Empress and bowed, "Your Majesty. Have you came here to see the flowers with your ladies?"

The Empress nodded, "Yes, the weather is good today. I heard that the chrysanthemums in the Imperial Garden were blooming well. I wanted to take a look."

Yun Shang looked at all the concubines accompanying the Empress. Her eyes fixed on an inconspicuous figure. Mother...

Lady Jin was also looking at Yun Shang. Seeing that Yun Shang had spotted her, she smiled.

"Since you're here, let's take a walk together. You've kept yourself in Qingxin Palace all day. You'll be sick if you continue to do so." The Empress laughed as she put her hand on Yun Shang's arm.

Yun Shang smiled, "You're right."

They chatted while walking. Soon they approached Yanque Lake. "This is the best season for fish. I heard from His Majesty that a lot of Osmanthus fragrans were planted beside the lake. That's why the fish from this lake taste like the fragrans." One of the concubines said with joy.

"Really? I heard that eating this kind of fish is good for our skin. I wonder if it's true."

"Oh, come here. See there's a huge one in the lake..." One of the ladies exclaimed excitedly. The other ladies walked closer to the lake.

"Is it over there?" All eyes searched the surface of the lake for the big fish. Suddenly there was a white spray in the middle of the lake. Someone pointed to it, and shouted excitedly.

In all this excitement, one of the maids stepped too close to the lake bank. Her foot slipped.

"Watch out..." A sharp voice rang out. When everyone turned around, they saw the falling maid reaching for Yun Shang.

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Chapter end