An Eight-year-old Princess

Qingxin Hall turned out to be everything that Yun Shang had hoped it would be. Happy and content she had even commanded her servants to build a swing on the tallest tree in the courtyard. In her free time, the little girl would swing leisurely under the towering tree.

"Your Highness.." Yun Shang, asleep on the swing, were awoken by Qin Yi's voice. Covering a yawn with her hand, Yun Shang addressed Qin Yi sleepily, "Why did fetching some embroideries take you so long?"

Qin Yi carefully glanced around the courtyard be walking behind Yun Shang. Pretending to push the swing, she stooped to the little girl's ear and whispered, "On my way there, I met with Xiu Xin. She took me to see the empress."

"Oh." Yun Shang seemed unaffected by the news. She lifted her eye brows slightly and repeated, "The empress… Is she trying to buy your loyalty?"

Qin Yi nodded gravely, surprised at how perceptive the young Yun Shang could be. "The empress has done her research. She seems to know the whole story of my life. She even knows that my uncle is my only living relative,. Though she doesn't know that we don't get along. After all, it was my uncle who sold me to the palace when I was a little girl. The empress' servants seem to have made a mistake. They lured my Uncle's family to the palace by saying I had done well as a servant. Foolishly, my uncle's family fell for the trick. The empress is trying to use my uncle to threaten me. Though, to be honest with you, I couldn't care less what happens to them. I've always thought about getting back at them anyway.

Yun Shang remained silent, listening. Qin Yi continued, "The Empress promised me great wealth and a high position in her assembly if I work for her. She promised to give me 'everything I've always wanted'… So I promised to help her." Both Qin Yi and Yun Shang broke into laughter.

Through her laugher Yun Shang remarked, "In this case, maybe you should serve her."

well beyond her years. Qin Yi knew that Yun Shang already knew what she would do. "The empress must really hate you. There doesn't seem to be anything she won't do to. Luckily, this

a good plan, really. But it is only going to work if there is someone helping on the inside. The empress must have bribed someone else. She must think it's so easy to control me and buy my people. I need you to watch the other attendants closely in the following days.

swing, Yun Shang enjoyed a lavish dinner. Just as she was preparing to sleep, her attendant Lin appeared and asked to speak with her privately. "Your Highness, can I please talk to you privately? …With out the other

was a talkative, straightforward man, and had made a good impression earlier with the

maids to make her bed in the inner sanctuary

Shang chuckled and asked him, "Lin, why so quiet? This isn't

of her. With Lin, she still needed to act like a

up, "Your Highness,

to hear the same thing from Lin's. She quickly calmed herself before replying to Lin. She shook her head, trying to sound childish and naive. "That's impossible! You could get beheaded for saying something silly like that. I don't believe you. The empress is like my mother

are my master. You have to trust me. The reason I say this is because, last night I was captured by bandits. But just as I thought they were going to beat me to death, I was throw in front of the empress. She promised

empress loves me. I know it must be a big surprise." Yun Shang further concealed her feelings behind an ear-to-ear

other attendants might be working for the empress, I have only told you. I also fed what the empress gave me to