An Eight-year-old Princess

Chapter 213 The Identity Of The Culprit

They hadn't hired any maid yet?

Yun Shang and Qian Yin fell silent as they pondered over the situation. Their faces turned pale at the

chamberlain's words. If there were no maids working in Prince Jing's Mansion, who was the girl that

brought the food into the bridal chamber the previous night? How did she get in? And who had sent

her?

"Chamberlain, please summon the person to whom His Highness had given instructions to deliver the

food." Yun Shang said determinedly. She wondered whether her food had been touched by malicious

hands. The situation was indeed confusing. The midwife had told Yun Shang that she had been tainted

with a pernicious scent. How could tampered food cause that? The Princess felt a sense of urgency.

Perhaps it was already too late to start an investigation as the food had been eaten and the dishes

were cleaned. It would be impossible to find any evidence from empty dishes.

The chamberlain bowed to Yun Shang, and relayed her request to a servant.

The servant hastened to the kitchen. Not long after, Prince Jing returned. Sweat beaded on his

forehead due to the journey. Yun Shang smiled as she studied her husband. The attire he wore

perfectly fit, which lent charm to his tall and handsome figure. At the sight, Yun Shang's heart warmed.

As the Prince stepped through the doorway, he noticed the awkward atmosphere. He glanced at Yun

Shang. Her face was pale and her expression conveyed astonishment. He shot a questioning look to

the chamberlain.

The chamberlain quickly briefed the Prince. Prince Jing frowned at his words. The expression on his

face turned cold. He ordered, "All the guards patrolling the yard will be whipped twenty times on the

back."

The chamberlain answered with a bow, "Yes, Your Highness."

However, Yun Shang frowned in disagreement. "We've got to figure out what happened. Before that,

you..."

Prince Jing stopped her. He shook his head, "Whatever the reason, it would be dereliction of duty for

them to allow a stranger to enter. We were lucky that the food was only drugged. What if it had been

poisoned? What disastrous consequence would that have led to? Except this, all other mistakes can be

forgiven."

Yun Shang wanted to plead for mercy for the guards. She opened her mouth several times, but couldn't

utter a word. The guards were the Prince's subordinates. She should know better than to meddle with

his decision regarding his men. Furthermore, the Prince was right. Neglect of duty was a serious

matter. If this happened again, the consequence would be unthinkable. Her mother was lucky to have

narrowly escaped death. Would Yun Shang still argue for mercy if the outcome had been different?

The Prince's orders were carried out. Before he retreated to the inner chamber, he said to Yun Shang,

"Wait for me. I need to wash and change."

The chamberlain had left to oversee implementation of the punishment. With little else to do, Yun

Shang contemplated the situation. Suddenly, someone tugged on her wide sleeve. Yun Shang snapped

back from her thoughts and saw that Qian Yin sought her attention. Qian Yin glanced at the inner

chamber before whispering, "Your Highness, His Highness is washing. Shouldn't you help him with

that?"

Yun Shang gasped. She had been married in her previous life. She knew that it was her duty to tend to

her husband. But she would rather not. After all, her marriage with Prince Jing wasn't...

Qian Yin became anxious and stomped her feet when Yun Shang failed to respond. She continued to

emphasize her point, "Your Highness! Although you are a Princess of Ning, you still need to take good

care of your husband. Qin Yi and I will not think less of you, should you choose not to tend to the

Prince. But what would others think of you if they found out? What reputation will you earn if word

spreads? What if others think of you to be a lazy wife?"

Yun Shang was amused by her maid's anxious tone. She flashed a smile to her maid, turned and

walked toward the inner chamber. She hesitated a while before making her way to the wash-stand.

Prince Jing was standing by the wash-stand with his back toward the entrance of the chamber. He had

removed his gown and hadn't as yet worn his fresh tunic. As Yun Shang looked up, she was confronted

with a disrobed Prince Jing. Her cheeks flushed as her eyes traveled over his bronze-colored

masculine shoulders. Yun Shang had seen glimpses of the Prince's chest on previous occasions. She

had also removed parts of his tunic when dressing his wounds. However, no matter how many times

she saw his body, she was still dazzled by the glow and expanse of his charm. He was indeed an

attractive man.

Hearing footsteps, Prince Jing turned. He was surprised when he saw Yun Shang had entered the

chamber. However, he maintained his composure and dressed calmly. Once ready, he walked to the

shelf where the basin was placed and grabbed a towel. Quietly, he rinsed the towel with the water in

the basin before wiping his face. Since Yun Shang had not spoken as yet, he casually asked, "Did

something happen?"

Yun Shang bit her lip as she composed herself. After a brief pause, she boldly spoke, "Uncle, can I

gather my guards in the courtyard? I want to ask them something."

Prince Jing wrung the towel dry. He turned his head toward Yun Shang. After studying her for a short

while, he asked, "How's the wound?"

"Almost healed, uncle." Yun Shang hurriedly added, "Moderate activity is always good for health when

one is injured or sick."

The Prince pondered for a while before he nodded, "Okay. You can do what you want. But till you are

fully recovered, you can only do these activities for a half hour everyday."

At the start, Yun Shang was overjoyed when the Prince agreed. However, she celebrated too soon. Her

eyes widened in shock when she heard the Prince's terms. She had not expected him to attach

conditions to his consent.

However, upon seeing Prince Jing's emotionless face, Yun Shang sighed and accepted. After all, half

an hour a day was better than nothing.

The Prince put the towel back onto the shelf before walking out with Yun Shang. The chamberlain was

waiting for them in the living room. He approached the Prince and Princess as soon as he spotted

them. He reported, "Your Highnesses, the boy who was instructed to deliver Her Highness's dinner has

disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Yun Shang and Prince Jing blurted out in unison. Yun Shang sighed. She had

expected that when she asked for the boy. If the culprit was capable of smuggling a maid into Prince

Jing's Mansion, he or she would definitely be capable of silencing the boy.

"Send my men to investigate the matter and report every detail to me. Be quick and thorough."

Snapped the livid Prince Jing.

Nervous and sweaty, the chamberlain quickly bowed and left the room.

"Let's go to the Palace. You've been worried about Lady Jin the whole night." Prince Jing then turned to

Yun Shang and suggested.

Yun Shang flushed at his words. She could sense his feelings for her from this simple sentence. She

nodded to him, "Let's. Apart from that, paying respects to parents after the wedding night is a ritual. We

cannot overlook that courtesy."

Once the carriage had been prepared, the Prince and Princess left for the Imperial Palace.

Lady Jin had woken up from her sleep. Her face was still pale from the pain and trauma she had

endured the night before, but her spirit was high. The hunchbacked midwife who had come to her aid

yesterday was tending to Lady Jin at her bedside.

Yun Shang looked around but didn't see Emperor Ning. She frowned as she took seat at her mother's

bed. "How are you feeling now, Mother? Does it still hurt?" Yun Shang asked tenderly.

Lady Jin smiled warmly at her daughter before nodding. She took hold of Yun Shang's hand and

murmured, "I am good, Shang'er. Are you alright? Did I scare you last night?"

Yun Shang almost wept when she heard her mother speak with her so tenderly. But she was afraid to

worry Lady Jin more, so she restrained her emotions. She sniveled as she spoke, "No, mother, I am all

right. It was all my fault. Yesterday, someone used me to get to you. I should've been more

cautious...Mother, I am so sorry..."

Lady Jin knew that her daughter was feeling guilty about the accident. She patted Yun Shang on the

back of her hand, "Silly girl. It's not your fault. I am a target. Ever since news of my pregnancy spread,

every woman in the Palace has schemed to remove me and my child. How can you protect me from

everyone?"

She then turned to Prince Jing who was standing not far from them. She smiled, "Your Highness has

always taken good care of Shang'er. Has she caused you much trouble?"

"No, she's been good." Prince Jing answered. His tone was gentle although his words were few.

Lady Jin found consolation in his words. She studied Yun Shang and Prince Jing with a smile before

replying with delight, "I'm glad to hear it."

"Mother, will you return to Laifeng City?" Yun Shang softly asked.

Lady Jin nodded. She smiled bitterly before elaborating, "I think so. The Palace is too dangerous for a

pregnant woman. I would rather stay in Laifeng City instead of here. I'll leave for Laifeng as soon as I

feel strong enough."

"That's good. After all, the child was also hurt last night. You should rest for a while before you leave."

Yun Shang echoed emotionlessly. The constant reminders of how she had almost lost her mother on

her wedding day increased Yun Shang's determination. She would not rest till she had removed all

threats in the Imperial City. That way, no one would be able to hurt her mother and unborn sibling.

Lady Jin and Yun Shang chatted some more for a while. When Lady Jin began looking tired, Yun

Shang stood from her bedside. She planted a soft kiss on Lady Jin's forehead before heading for the

door. She told Qin Yi to take good care of her mother, then she left the Qiwu Palace with Prince Jing.

The Empress sat in the front Hall of Qiwu Palace. She glowered as she listened to her servant

explaining recent events. After the servant stopped speaking, she threw her teacup to the floor and

yelled, "That insolent wench! How dare she betray me! I took care of her for so many years! And what

is my reward? Her neglect! Now she only pays respect to Lady Jin, her biological mother. To Yun

Shang, I am nothing. How can she not even pay me a visit when she passed by my palace?"

A young woman dressed in a cyan gown sat by the Empress's side. When the teacup shattered and

the tea water splashed, she didn't stand or evade the splatter. She stayed calm and simply wiped her

wet dress with a handkerchief. Then she sighed before speaking, "It's understandable. What happened

to Lady Jin yesterday was horrible. Her Highness was probably too distraught to follow etiquette."

The Empress snorted at these words. Silence engulfed the room as both women contemplated the

situation. Finally, the woman in cyan coughed before adding, "And Lady Jin was the Emperor's favorite.

His Majesty cherished her so much."

At these words, the Empress frowned. She turned to the woman in cyan and bestowed upon her a

deathly glare. "Lady Ya, when was His Majesty's last visit to your palace?"

Lady Ya's smile froze on her face. She forced one as she answered, "Why would you ask, Your

Majesty? You see, the accident that happened to Lady Jin was so tragic that His Majesty has been in

no mood in pleasure. It's not just me. He has seldom visited other Ladies since Lady Jin returned last

month. I..." Lady Ya sighed before continuing, "It's been four weeks since his last visit. I haven't seen

His Majesty in nearly a month."

The Empress was enraged. She closed her eyes in anger. After a long while, she suppressed all her

feelings, and opened her eyes again, "This can't happen again. You must capture His Majesty's

interest."

Biting her lower lip, Lady Ya bowed her head and said, "I... I will do what I can. But..." she let out

another sigh before continuing, "I'm afraid, Lady Jin is His Majesty's only love..."

The Empress was irritated at the constant mention of Lady Jin's name. She frowned, "Perhaps she is.

But she was also prisoned in the Cold Palace for over a decade by His Majesty."

Lady Ya remained silent. And the Empress was in no mood of talking, either. She gestured to Lady Ya,

"You're dismissed. When you're free, you must come up with a solution to regain the Emperor's favor."

Lady Ya curtsied before walking out. Frowning, Empress Yuan Zhen pondered over the situation for a

while before she called her maid, "Come! Bring me a pot of tea!" The original pot had been brewed

several times and had lost its taste. The Empress always favored newly brewed, strong tea, as the

bitter taste reminded her of her current position with the Emperor. She thought to herself, 'How long

has it been since the Emperor's last visit? How long more must I wait?' The Empress flashed a bitter

smile. It's been too long. In fact it had been so long that she couldn't even count the weeks.

She felt uneasy today, for what Yun Shang said the night before still haunted her. How is it that the

Princess knew her so well? And how on earth could she know about Li Clans secrets? Overcome with

anxiety, Empress Yuan Zhen placed a hand on her chest to steady her heart.

"Your Highness! Your Highness! Wait! I need to inform Her Majesty first!" Upon hearing that, the

Empress turned toward the door.

Then Princess Hua Jing's voice followed, "Get lost! Who are you to stop me from visiting my mother?"

Empress Yuan Zhen felt more agitated. Although short-tempered, her daughter had always been well-

behaved, and fully versed in embroidery and the Four Arts. She was once the most talented girl in the

Imperial City, and the Empress's pride and joy. Why had Hua Jing changed so much?

Right now, Princess Hua Jing was a mere brainless beauty, who had fornicated with Cangjue Qingsu of

Yelang shamelessly. This was now public knowledge! She had already destroyed her own reputation

with her deeds, and also undermined the Empress's status.

Before the Empress could react, she heard the bead curtain clatter as it was pushed open. Then, she

saw Hua Jing's face. After a long separation, Hua Jing looked thinner than before. She even had dark

circles under her eyes and an anxious look on her face.

The Empress's heart twitched. After all, Hua Jing was her precious daughter, whom she would love

regardless of what the Princess did. She would never want to see her daughter suffer so.

"What's the matter? Where are your manners? If your father heard you shout, you would be

reprimanded again. Haven't you been in enough trouble lately? Do you really want to enrage your

father so much that he would strip you of land and title?" Said the Empress in anger.

Hua Jing pouted. She approached the Empress and pleaded, "Mother, help me! That cunning slut Yun

Shang is now married to Prince Jing. She is now under his protection. Prince Jing is a powerful man,

who is beyond our reach. With him against us, I feel cornered. I can't stay in the State of Ning any

longer, mother. Please, please talk to father. Persuade him to allow me to marry Qingsu and move to

the State of Yelang!"

The Empress massaged her sore temples. She sneered, "Cangjue Qingsu? How dare you mention his

name! It would be better if you gave up that thought. You will never marry into the State of Yelang. Your

father will not agree to your marriage with Prince Qingsu, nor will your grandfather."

With tears in her eyes, Hua Jing bit her lower lip as she pleaded again, "Mother, I'm now notorious in

the aristocratic circle. Who else would marry me, except for Cangjue QIngsu? Mother, you've never

stepped out of the Palace, so you have no idea how the people talk of me. They claim me to be a

lecherous woman who knows no shame. They even go so far as to say I have sexual relations with

random men. Every time I walk the streets, they point at me and whisper. I'm so mad..."

Instead of being moved by her daughter's plight, Empress Yuan Zhen flashed a sneer. She glared at Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

Hua Jing with fury and said, "I thought you would be aware of this consequence before you became

intimate with Cangjue Qingsu. Why didn't you think about it before you did those things? Would my life

in the Palace have been so hard if you hadn't made such a big mess? You think you're the only one

who's being gossiped about? Well, you are wrong! Although I am the Empress, because of you, I have

been the laughing stock of the Palace. All the Ladies, and even the servants, who behave respectfully

in my presence, laugh at me when they think I'm not watching. Tell me. After what you have done, you

think you can escape to the State of Yelang and no longer bear the consequences. But what about

me? Have you ever thought about me?"

Hua Jing had once been treated as the noblest member of the Royal family since her childhood.

However, in the past six months, she had been through all kinds of hardship. She had been forced into

sexual relations by Cangjue Qingsu. Whenever she recalled those experiences, her whole body hurt as

though she were reliving his brutality all over again. She suffered during her pregnancy as she couldn't

ask anyone for advice. The weight of keeping such a secret also exhausted her. She had been sent to

jail because of Yun Shang for more than two months. In that time, she had been possessed by hatred.

Every minute of every day, all she could think about was how she was going to skin Yun Shang alive.

However, after she was released, before she could accomplish her revenge, she had a miscarriage in

front of everyone. Since then, she had been cursed as a wanton wife by the Ning people. Every night,

Hua Jing had nightmares about how people were belittling her. She felt as though she really was going

mad.

To top it all, when she came to the Palace to implore her mother to help, all Hua Jing got in return was

a scolding. Hua Jing felt like she could no longer restrain her anger. She returned her mother's glare

and sneered. "I'm not allowed to make a reasonable request? Why not? Have you ever asked for my

opinion? Every time you've asked me to do something, I have followed your wishes. I have always put

you and your needs before mine! See, you forced me to marry Zhao Yingjie, whom I didn't want to

marry, but I still obeyed. For once, I want to follow my own wishes, and you are scolding me. Why? For

what?"

The Empress took several deep breaths to restrain her anger. Her chest ached with the rage she felt

when she heard Hua Jing's rebellious questions. She snorted, "What gives you the right to ask me

such questions? I've given you everything, and I can also take everything back. Who are you to argue

with me?"

Hatred reflected in Hua Jing's eyes. She had nothing more to say to her mother. She glowered at the

Empress before turning and running out of the Palace.

The Empress shivered at Hua Jing's hateful look. She felt as if ice had enveloped her heart. So, this

ungrateful woman was her daughter. This was the daughter she had loved and cherished. What a

marvelous result!

"Come! Send my men to keep an eye on the Princess. I'm sure she will try to do something without my

permission. She needs to be watched!" The Empress snapped orders. She was aware that her father

was preparing for an important matter. He was almost ready. The plan must not be ruined by Hua Jing's

reckless deeds, or the Empress would be no longer able to protect her stupid daughter.

As Prince Jing and Yun Shang returned to Prince Jing's Mansion, the chamberlain approached them

and reported, "Your Highnesses, Madam Bai is waiting for you."

Madam Bai? Who was she? Puzzled, Yun Shang shot a questioning look to Prince Jing.

The Prince explained, "She is the shop-owner of Qixiang House, a perfumery in the Imperial City,

where different kinds of rare spices and perfumes are sold. Yesterday, I asked her to examine your

cosmetics, and today, she must have come to tell us the result. Come with me, let's hear what she has

to say."

Yun Shang nodded and followed Prince Jing to the front hall.

In the front hall, a young woman sat in a chair, waiting for them. Her hair was tied in a bun, which

meant that she was married. Her face wasn't particularly beautiful, however, she radiated confidence

and a sense of calmness. Yun Shang couldn't help studying this woman. When Prince Jing explained

who Madam Bai was, the Princess had imagined the woman to be in her forties. She never thought the

Madam would be this young.

As Madam Bai spotted them, she put down her teacup gracefully. She stood and clasped her hands

before bowing to the Royals. "Your Highnesses."

Surprised, Yun Shang was now more curious about her. As a princess, Yun Shang was not allowed to

go out of the Palace often, but she had heard the legends of Qixiang House. It was said that the rouge

and powders made there possessed unique and long-lasting aroma, and its owner was skilled at

socializing, which helped the business to flourish. However, Madam Bai was nothing like the rumor.

The princess didn't spot any hints of flattery in her mannerisms. Her movement and speech were slow

and unhurried. She was more like a lady born in an aristocrat house than an eager shop-keeper.

As Prince Jing and Yun Shang sat on chairs, Madam Bai cupped her hands again and bowed. Then

she spoke, "I have examined Her Highness's cosmetics. They are our production, but someone has

added an exotic spice to it. The spice is called Yi Xiang. And although it is a kind of spice, it doesn't

have any special scent. So, it's pretty hard to identify the spice based on its scent. However, the spice

added to the cosmetics was not very finely ground, and could be easily distinguished from the original

smooth powder. Although ordinary people can't tell the difference, as a person who has been dealing

with cosmetics and spices all my life, I was able to spot the spice."

Yun Shang nodded to her, as she asked, "What is the effect of the spice?"

Madam Bai frowned as she answered, "There was nothing special about it. It could be said that the

spice has no effect at all."

"Really?" Yun Shang remained silent as she pondered over Madam Bai's explanation. Why would the

culprit add a spice that had no special effect to her cosmetics? What was the culprit's intent?

Suddenly, the Prince asked, "If it is okay to use it alone, as you've said, what special effect will it have

when used along with other herbs?"

Yun Shang narrowed her eyes. That was a possibility. However, a potion that could expedite child

delivery was not rare, nor hard to distinguish. Many guests present during the celebration had medical

skills. If there were such a thing that could trigger the effect of the drug, the guests would've noticed. It

was not possible to hide such a thing from all the guests.

"There is a possibility, yes. But I have no knowledge of medicine. Your Highness will have to seek

advice from a physician." Said Madam Bai softly.