Eight-year-old Princess: Phoenix Reborn Chapter 48

"Are you saying that mother is trying to kill me?" Yun Shang took a sip of tea and stared calmly at Qin Meng, who was still kneeling on the ground.

Qin Meng nodded repeatedly, "Your Highness, when I was working in Qingxin Palace, I did a lot of terrible things to you. The Empress demanded that everything related to you must be reported in detail. When you were young, the Emperor was very fond of you. This meant that the Empress could not find the opportunity to hurt you. The only thing that she could do was teaching you to be rebellious, thus, alienating you from the Emperor. The Empress then sent me to your side. A few years ago, I tried to poison you in her behalf."

Yun Shang contemplated before speaking, "Well, you are back at the Empress' Palace. If you didn't tell me all these things, I would never have known about them. Why did you come to tell me?"

Qin Meng knew that Yun Shang was bound to ask this question. Already prepared, she answered at once, "Princess, after your return I failed my mission several times. The last time, my legs were broken while we were at Prince Jing's mansion. Although I can still walk, I'm crippled, and my leg hurts badly when it rains. The Empress already sees me as a pawn to be sacrificed. She sent a new person to you. And after the newcomer wins your trust, you will certainly forget about me, and I will disappear forever."

As she spoke, Qin Meng could not help but shed more tears, "But I do not want to die. I have my parents to care for back home. A few years ago, the Empress threatened to kill them if I didn't do as she commanded. It was always my dream to return to my parents after I'm dismissed from the Palace at the age of 25. Princess, I beg you. Please, help me."

Yun Shang fixed her eyes on Qin Meng for a long time before finally saying, "Why should I help you? After all, you did so many terrible things to me."

Qin Meng kowtowed again and said, "I'm willing to follow Your Highness' orders. I know all the spies that the Empress has planted in Qingxin Palace, and I can help you get rid of them one by one. I'm willing to do whatever I'm asked, and I will never violate Your Highness' orders."

Yun Shang took another sip of the tea and looked out into the dark night, "But how do you want me to help you?"

Seeing that Yun Shang's attitude softened, Qin Meng felt elated and said immediately, "If Your Highness could take me back from the Empress, I will serve Your Highness with all my heart."

"You want to come back?" Yun Shang shook her head, "If everything you said was true, the Empress would never let you return to Qingxin Palace since you know too much."

Qin Meng fluttered at these words, "What should I do then? Princess, help me!"

Yun Shang lifted the corner of her mouth in a small smile, "I heard that mother wanted to choose a good-looking maid to serve the Emperor?"

Qin Meng thought for a while. She recalled the conversation she had heard a few days ago. She nodded, "I've heard the servants at Qiwu Palace mention this. Ever since Your Highness' Coming-of-age Ceremony, the Emperor hasn't visited Qiwu Palace. Not even once. The Empress became anxious and wanted to select a beautiful and considerate maid to help her keep His Majesty at Qiwu Palace."

Yun Shang let out a light laugh, "If father is already so tired of her, her tricks would only make father more resistant. I think father definitely won't be staying at Qiwu Palace for the night. If you want to prevent the Empress from harming you, I have a suggestion."

Qin Meng rejoiced at her words. "Your Highness, please, tell me."

Yun Shang smiled, lowered her voice, leaned forward, and said, "In a short while, father will surely leave Qiwu Palace and head towards Qinzheng Hall. At that time, you just need to wait by the roadside..."

Unsure if she understood Yun Shang's suggestion, Qin Meng couldn't help but knit her brows. "Your Highness, I don't want to..."

Yun Shang sat back straight, picked up the cup of tea that she had set aside, and said with a smile, "Whether you want to do it or not is your own business. But if you miss this opportunity, I'm afraid you will never get another one. You told me that the Empress' spies are spread across Qingxin Palace. If they report back to Qiwu Palace that you visited me, what do you think would happen to you then? How long can Qin Yi guard the door and stop people from leaving the Palace? Whether to do as I suggest is completely up to you. I will not force you to make the decision."

Qin Meng gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and considered her options for a long time. Then she slowly kowtowed to Yun Shang once more and said, "Thank you, Princess. I owe you a debt of gratitude, which I shall never forget."

She kowtowed again, stood up, and limped out of the inner Hall. Qian Yin had been waiting outside the main Hall. As soon as she saw Qin Meng leaving, Qian Yin walked up to her and said, "So, your name is Qin Meng. Aren't you supposed to be at Qiwu Palace? Why are you here in our small Qingxin Palace?"

Qin Meng clenched her teeth and forced a faint smile, "I'm here on Her Majesty's order to deliver a message to the Princess."

Qian Yi listened and chuckled. She stared at Qin Meng for a while before asking, "Are you? Must be a lot of trouble for you." As she finished, Qian Yin opened the curtain and stepped into the inner Hall.

Qin Meng looked at Qian Yin's back, utterly perplexed. She stood there for quite some time before leaving in a hurry.

As soon as Qin Meng left, Qian Yin came into the room, "Princess, you predicted it. People from Shangxiang* Bureau said that the Empress had sent people to secretly have some aphrodisiac made. (TN* The department in charge of fragrance, incense, and aromatherapy.) Moreover, the aphrodisiac was specifically made to smell like Oriental Sweetgum, the Empress' favorite scent. Could the Empress be thinking about... Using this aphrodisiac on the Emperor?"

Upon hearing this, Yun Shang could not hold back her laughter. "There is only one man in this Palace, and that man is my father. Who else could it be used on?"

"That's right. The Empress has put in a lot of effort this time. I'm curious which maid has been chosen by the Empress. Yes, Your Highness, I have done all the things that you ordered me to do..."

Yun Shang responded with approval, "Everything's set. Let's see whether Qin Meng performs her part."

Yun Shang drank her cup of tea and got up, "Find me a black cape. I'm going out."

Qian Yin rushed to find a cape, and hurriedly put it on Yun Shang. As Yun Shang walked out of the inner Hall, she said quietly, "Go distract the people in the Hall. And don't follow me. I'll be back soon."

Qian Yin did not ask any questions. She quickly set out to do Yun Shang's bidding.

The Princess waited till she heard Qian Yin's voice as she rallied the servants to the rear Hall. As soon as they began moving to the back, Yun Shang stepped out of Qingxin Palace, and disappeared into the night.

Knock, knock, knock... The sound of knocking sounded somewhat abrupt in the quiet of the night. Yun Shang knocked again a few times before she heard footsteps coming from behind the door. The door opened and Yun Shang raised her head. She smiled, "Madam Zheng, I'm here to visit my mother."

"Princess, it's you..." A smile appeared on Madam Zheng's face. She let Yun Shang in and closed the door behind her. It was then that Yun Shang noticed that someone was standing in the yard and looking at her with a warm smile.

Yun Shang hurriedly stepped forward, "Mother."

Lady Jin beamed, took Yun Shang's hand, and asked, "Why are you visiting me so late at night?"

Yun Shang answered with a smile, "Ever since I returned to the Palace, I have been closely watched. I haven't had the chance to visit mother yet. How have you been?"

Yun Shang's hand was resting on Lady Jin's hand. Thinking of Lady Jin's inexplicable death in her previous life, Yun Shang couldn't help but feel a little anxious. When Lady Jin was not paying attention, Yun Shang held her wrist to feel her pulse.

However, Yun Shang only did this on whim. She was shocked by the result, "Mother, are you pregnant?"

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Chapter end