An Eight-year-old Princess

Surprised, Princess Hua Jing quickly jumped to her feet and fixed her dress. Despite the pain, she forced herself to curtsy toward the figure, dressed in a yellow robe at the door. "Father, " she greeted him plainly.

The Emperor Ning stepped to a chair and sat down. His eyes glanced at the three women inside the hall. After a long time, he said, "Wife, I am so disappointed. You had reported to me about Yun Shang's recent abnormality and indicated that she might be possessed by evil spirits. So you asked me to send for a Taoist priest to perform exorcism. Even though I don't believe in ghost or demons, for Yun Shang's sake I still obliged. I never imaged you would let someone into the palace without at least some diligence. You are the Empress Yuan Zhen of Ning, the woman I have taken as my wife. And yet, you can't even handle such a small matter properly. How can I trust you with control of my palace any longer?"

Hearing his displeasure, Empress Yuan Zhen felt a chill crawl up her spine. She knelt before him and placed her forehead on the ground. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty, it is all my fault."

Suddenly, the empress heard Yun Shang's voice coming from behind her. The tone was soft and caring, "Father, please don't blame mother. She did everything for me. That priest was a bad man. He cheated mother. Sister was hurt too! We can't let him get away with it!"

Emperor Ning didn't relax in the slightest. "A maid told me that the priest even pointed a sword at Yun Shang. What if he had hurt her today? What if he tried to assassinate me? How can you take responsibility for this, wife?"

Yuan Zhen kowtowed again to the emperor, "Your Majesty, it is all my fault. I shouldn't have been so neglectful. I will launch an investigation immediately."

Emperor Ning looked at her with indifferent eyes, "There is no need. His crime was obvious. He has already been dealt with. As for the travesty in the courtyard earlier, I have already dispensed Lady Shu to investigate the problem. You will have no further part in the matter. Hua Jing's coming-of-age ceremony is merely days away. You should busy yourself with the preparations. Be careful not to make anymore mistakes. Lady Shu will assist you."

the empress felt rage building up inside her, but she dared not speak. She touched her head to the ground again and answered the emperor, "As

leaving Empress Yuan Zhen prostrate on the floor. After a while, as she got to her feet, the empress noticed Yun Shang in the corner of the room. Frowning and trembling with anger, she pointed at the

was not the proper time to opening break from the empress. With this realization, she looked at the empress, teary-eyed. "What are you talking about mother? I don't understand a word? I didn't mean to say anything to father. I don't know who told him about what happened. I was napping in Qingxin Hall when father and Lady Shu came in. Lady Shu first took me in her arms to comfort me. She said I must be frightened to death. She cursed that bad priest and said she knew

blazed with fury, "How dare she do that to me? Isn't it enough for her to be an open consort of the emperor? Or does she now

against Empress Yuan Zhen. Now, it was Yun Shang who would be adding fuel

bottle from her sleeve and began to hand it to Hua Jing. "I want to give you this, sister. It is a medicine from the imperial physician himself. I used it before and it

Shang's hand. As the

and put me in a sour mood. But it will be OK, I promise. Mother will get the

You should return to Qingxin Hall for a rest yourself. You must be

and curtsied to the empress. "Take care, Mother." She backed out of the room