An Eight-year-old Princess

"Xiu Xin..." Hearing the Empress call her softly, Xiu Xin put the lit storax that she was holding into the censer and hurried into the bedroom. The Empress was leaning on her pillow, frowning. "It's getting colder.I just wanted to take a nap, but as soon as I lay down, I didn't want to get up."

Xiu Xin took the Phoenix robe and began helping the Empress to dress. When she heard the Empress say this, she smiled and said, "It doesn't matter, Your Majesty. You get up early every day. You've often said that it is beneath your dignity to get up late. You work the hardest besides His Majesty. Now you should take advantage of this opportunity and rest. Sleep and eat whenever you want."

The Empress touched her flat belly and allowed herself a wry smile. "Yes, I am now pregnant with the most noble child in Ning'guo. I should rest, but... The power struggles in the Imperial household will not allow me to rest. There's no telling what mischief the concubines will get up to if I become inattentive for even a little bit."

Following the eyes of the Empress, Xiu Xin also looked at the Empress' belly. Her eyes flashed as she helped the Empress to dress.

"Pregnant concubines are allowed to call their families to visit them at the Imperial Household. I have not seen my father and mother for a long time. Will you tell them to come tomorrow?" The Empress stood up, spread her arms, and closed her eyes. Xiu Xin slipped on the Empress' robe. After that, the Empress walked to the dressing table.

Xiu Xin responded, but the Empress shook her head in a hurry. "Forget it, just inform my mother... You don't have to inform my father..."

Xiu Xin was slightly stunned. She bowed her head and answered, "OK."

The Empress looked at herself in the mirror and raised her hand to caress her face. Her fingers lingered at the corner of her eye. Then she sighed and said to Xiu Xin, "I seem to be... getting old. You see these wrinkles?"

Xiu Xin looked carefully at the Empress' face and smiled. "You are not old at all, Your Majesty. I don't think any of the new concubines that have come into the Imperial Household over the years can compare with you."

The Empress smiled slightly. "Only you will comfort me... I remember that I entered the Palace almost the same year as Lady Jin. It is only now when she is living in Qiwu Palace that I realize I look as if I am ten years older than her. She had been living in the Cold Palace all these years, but sometimes it's also a good place because there is no intrigue. Although I am the Empress, I have many annoyances every day. Besides, who would have thought that I am a pawn in the hands of others."

Xiu Xin did not respond as she was busy styling the Empress' hair.

"Lady Jin plays her cards well indeed. Although I seemed to be the winner when she left for the Cold Palace a decade ago, I have not been able to do her the slightest harm in all these years, and I even had to help raise her daughter. Concubines that are sent to the Cold Palace only come out when they die. But Lady Jin didn't. His Majesty personally went to escort Lady Jin when she left the Cold Palace. What's more, as soon as she got out, she came to live in Qiwu Palace, a place I have been guarding for twenty years. I even have to take care of her!" The Empress touched her belly and sneered somewhat. "I believe I can beat her. This time, I must make her suffer."

Thinking of the calm and sanctimonious countenance of Lady Jin, the Empress secretly gnashed her teeth and could not help but clench her fists.

The tinkling sound of ornaments came from outside. The Empress frowned and raised her voice. "Who is it?"

The door curtain opened and the Empress saw Hua Jing's reflection in the mirror. She was wearing a bright red dress. When Hua Jing saw that the Empress was getting dressed, she smiled and came forward. "You are so beautiful today, Mother. People say that pregnant women are the most beautiful. It's true!"

The Empress became unhappy at Hua Jing's sycophancy. She frowned and glanced at Hua Jing. "Your husband is trapped and it's hard to tell whether he is alive or not. But you are dressed like this. What a scandal! If your behavior is seen by others, they will definitely gossip behind your back."

Hua Jing pouted and raised her voice. "Why should I care about other people's opinions? Mother, I am your daughter, and you are the Empress of our country. Besides, you are now pregnant with the future prince. Who dares to say..."

A loud sound interrupted Hua Jing. It was not until a moment later that Hua Jing said with a trembling voice, "Mother... Mother, why did you hit me?" Hua Jing looked at the white foundation on her dress. She couldn't believe that the Empress had thrown a box of foundation at her.

sneered. "Why did I hit you? Because I think that you have no other qualities except arrogance. Go and change your clothes right now! From today on, as long as there is no news of the Emperor's Son-in-Law, you

to let

thought of something. She stopped and said softly, "Mother, my Mother-in-Law took a few guards with her and went

She turned and looked at Hua

to greet her, I saw her packing her things. And when

The Empress had thrown a gold hairpin at Hua Jing's face. Although the hairpin had hit her forehead and left a bloody wound, Hua Jing

clothes! Jing'er, I think you are constantly regressing. If you keep behaving like this, do you know what women in the Imperial Household will say about you? Do you know how the commoners will gossip behind your back? It doesn't matter if you are ridiculed by the people. But you are my daughter. You are a child from the Li family. If you dare to tarnish the reputation of the Li family, I will never admit that you are my daughter! Put on your plain clothes immediately and go after her! Ask your grandfather

Jing's mouth was agape with shock and confusion. After a while, she

say that you rode for thousands of miles to save your husband, and this act will naturally be praised by the commoners. Even if you can't save him,

Jing lowered her head

gold hairpin. Xiu Xin quickly took out the medicine bottle and began applying the ointment on the wound. She said sadly, "There is no need to do so, Your Majesty. Why did you hurt her

and obedient. But now, I see more clearly that she is

she is not going to be easy to control as we had assumed. Her performance at her Coming-of-age Ceremony was definitely premeditated. Recently, every attempt by Hua Jing to frame Yun Shang has failed. Although Hua Jing didn't tell

She thought for a moment and said, "But Princess Yun Shang looks so delicate, and it seems that even the wind can blow her

isn't. If she is a scheming person but can disguise herself so well, then I should

it was Hua Jing,

for a while and said softly, "It's me, Sister. I came here

was stunned for a moment, but recovered quickly. A flicker of

here? It's cold and you still wear so little. What if you catch a cold?" The woman at the door was dressed in elegant white. The entire dress was plain except for one branch of plum blossoms that had been embroidered with silver thread on the hemline.

rest quite early. I heard from Madam Zheng today that you are pregnant. This is really great news. I don't have anything else to give you. This is the warm jade that His Majesty gave me a few days ago. It is said that it is good for health. It's getting colder and you just got pregnant, so I bring this to you." Lady Jin held a piece of jade that had been carved with plum blossoms.

however, was misleading. Yesterday, when the Emperor heard that the Empress was pregnant, he didn't come to talk to her first. Instead, he rushed directly to Qiwu Palace and did not come out all night. As the owner

by His Majesty. How can I accept such a present?" The Empress did not smile. Instead,

anything else valuable.

your gift. Otherwise, His Majesty will blame me for bullying you again." She reached out

asked softly, "Sister, I just saw Princess Hua Jing rush away. What

her hands in her sleeves. "The Emperor's Son-in-Law is trapped at the frontier and Hua Jing was so worried that she begged me to allow her to take someone to the frontier to save her

are as ferocious as wolves. Princess Hua Jing is a delicate woman, how can she go to the frontier at will? If anything happens to her, you and His Majesty will be very sad. Please advise her not to go. His Majesty said that he would send Prince Jing to the frontier to fight against

for a while. Then she asked, "Is that what His

Yelang has recruited 2, 00, 000 soldiers this time and they are approaching our frontier step by step. His Majesty has

somewhat arduously, "Really? Fortunately, I did not let her go to the frontier. It's so

that in a few days, Lady Shu is going to give a banquet in her Palace. I heard that His Majesty will