An Eight-year-old Princess

When the soldiers finished beating the early morning drum, Prince Jing returned to his camp and put on his armor. Then he went to the training ground.

Luo Ding ran to Yun Shang and asked, "Mister Xiao, several soldiers were asking me about the people that you caught yesterday. What do I tell them?"

Yun Shang smiled at him. "Just tell the soldiers that they are the thieves who stole our Map of Army Distribution. And tell them that the map has been found." Then Yun Shang walked into the tent. Zhao Yingjie and his mother were no longer in the Prince's tent. Since Yun Shang didn't bring many things when she came, there was not much for her to pack. So she just looked around for a while. Then she walked to the table and wrote something on a parchment. After that, she left the tent.

"Bring my horse here." Yun Shang said to Luo Ding.

Luo Ding nodded. "Mister Xiao, are you leaving the camp? I'll fetch your horse for you."

After a while, Luo Ding led the horse to her. Yun Shang smiled at Luo Ding and mounted. "Tell the Prince that I'm leaving." Then she raised her whip and dropped it fiercely. The horse neighed and took Yun Shang far away from the tent.

Luo Ding frowned. "Isn't he just going out of the camp? Is it necessary to tell His Highness about that?"

When Prince Jing returned from the training ground, Luo Ding decided to tell him about Yun Shang's leave, even though he was still confused about why he needed to do that. "Your Highness, Mister Xiao asked me to tell you that he left..."

As soon as Luo Ding finished his sentence, he saw Prince Jing's face change. Prince Jing quickly mounted the horse that was nearest to him and galloped to the gate of the camp with his armor still on.

However, it was already late. Even at the horse's fastest speed, Prince Jing could only see Yun Shang's silhouette from the mountain behind Xiyi Town. Yun Shang rode with several servants. Prince Jing grit his teeth in frustration. He squinted when he thought the girl on the mountain turned around to look at him.

Then his mouth curved into a smile. Ning Yun Shang, this is the last time that I let you get away from me.

Prince Jing's eyes darkened. He stood there and kept watching the figures until they disappeared. Then he slowly rode back to the camp.

"Of the Heaven's will and by His Majesty's command, to bring peace to the country after the accident on the day of the Winter Solstice, Princess Hui Guo went to Ning'guo Temple to pray and bring back their holy treasure. Now that Princess Hui Guo has returned with the White Conch, she has shown her sincerity. His Majesty is grateful for what she has done. The Princess will be rewarded with ten bolts of the finest brocade, three pearls from the South Sea, and a pair of jade ruyi*." The shrill voice of the eunuch rang through the Palace. Yun Shang led her maids to kneel and kowtow three times before respectfully accepting the Imperial Edict from the eunuch. "Long live His Majesty."

(TN* Ruyi is a long S-shaped handle with a head fashioned like a fist, cloud, or lingzhi mushroom. It is a talisman that symbolizes power and good fortune.)

Then Qin Yi helped Yun Shang stand. Yun Shang smiled and put a golden bead into the eunuch's hand. "Thank you for your trouble."

The eunuch's eyes widened. He smiled and said, "No trouble. No trouble at all. Congratulations to Your Highness. His Majesty treasures the White Conch very much. He even mentioned holding a grand ceremony for it and letting the Masters from the Temple give their blessings."

Yun Shang smiled. "The blessed object deserves to be treated respectfully."

After the eunuch left, Yun Shang handed the Imperial Edict to Qin Yi and smiled. "After the excitement at the frontier, it is a little hard for me to adjust to the boring life here. Qin Yi, tell me what has been going on in the Palace all these days."

Qin Yi smiled. She took the tea from another maid and put it on the table beside Yun Shang. "Nothing special. The Empress is still in recovery. Although His Majesty withdrew the guards outside Qiwu Palace, the Empress still isolates herself. Some ladies went to pay their respects but none managed an audience with the Empress. So no one visits the Empress anymore. But even so, the ladies in the imperial household still have something to do. They were busy ingratiating themselves with Lady Ming. What's more, Grand Councilor Li sent a girl to the Palace earlier. Now the girl has become His Majesty's favorite Lady.

"Oh?" Yun Shang was surprised and turned to Qin Yi, "A girl sent by Grand Councilor Li? What's her name?"

Qin Yi smiled and answered, "Her name seems to be Li Fuyi. I've heard that she's the Grand Councilor's youngest daughter..."

And does she love

surprised. She smiled and said, "Exactly. How

little later than now. Yun Shang remembered that the Empress picked Li Fuyi for the Emperor. It was said that Li Fuyi was sent as a maid to chat with the Empress to keep her from feeling bored. After a few days, however, she gained the Emperor's favor and became Lady Fu. Then, with the Empress's help, Lady Fu moved up to higher positions.

what a lovely name. But deep inside Fuyi was more vicious than a black widow. She was even more scheming than Li Yiran, the Empress. In her previous life, the rupture between Li Fuyi and the Empress had been because of Li

eyes were filled with scorn. She had heard that at the Grand Councilor's mansion, Li Fuyi had often been bullied by her elder brothers because of her humble position. She had hidden her resentment and endured the unfair treatment. Her

Yi waited but didn't hear anything from Yun Shang. So she

"The Empress mentioned her to me. That's why I know what she looks

to Yun

said, "Well, how fast. I've

that Your Highness does not feel well

"Give me

the Princess. Yun Shang looked pretty but pale in the mirror. Her face was morbidly white. That was her usual makeup. Yun Shang smiled, "Good idea. But even though I

wind blew in, Yun Shang raised her hand to cover her mouth and coughed. Qian Yin hurriedly handed a cup of tea to her and patted the Princess on the back. Qian Yin said, "Your

honey shall do. The medicine

"It's my honor to meet Your Highness. I wish

Her eyebrows curved into an appropriate shape that gave her a worried look. She was wearing

asked deliberately, "Has someone passed away in the Palace? Why does she dress like this? Father didn't tell me anything about recent accidents."

embarrassed. "Your Highness, everything is fine and no one has passed away in the Palace.

stunned. Then she patted her chest and said, "Oh I see. I misunderstood. I thought you were wearing mourning apparel for someone. So, you are Lady Fu, right? I've just returned from Ning'guo Temple. This is our first meeting. You look so beautiful and delicate. Even I have the desire to protect you.

her reddening cheeks. "You're teasing me. I've always heard about the beauty of the Princess. Today, I realize that fairies do exist in the world. Two years from now, your beauty will undoubtedly make every man on this planet fawn over

as if she remembered something. "Oh, I forgot that

Fuyi thanked them and said, "When I was still at home, I heard a lot about you. Your Highness has cared for

put a smile on

Shang addressed Qin Yi instead, "I've already had a pill. Why not put down this bowl and

Qin Yi stopped the maid and said to Yun Shang, "Your Highness, we can't do that. The imperial physician has said that putting honey in the decoction will dilute the

repeatedly and grabbed Qin Yi's sleeves and acted spoiled, "Qin Yi, my Qin Yi. Please. Just once, OK? I've just had the pill and it left a bitter taste in my mouth. Just let me add a tiny amount of osmanthus honey in it. I promise I won't

Yi sighed in defeat. She allowed Qian Yin to fetch the honey and warned Yun Shang in the same breath. Qian Yin hurriedly left for the inner Hall. Then Yun Shang said, "I know that you're the best. I promise I won't eat too many preserves. I'll listen

and spoke with a magnetic voice. Yun Shang smiled and looked at the door. She glanced at Li Fuyi and

Yun Shang smiled and started to talk when Emperor Ning walked closer. "There are no preserves in my Palace, so I told Qin Yi to put some osmanthus honey in the decoction. And she said

frowned and walked to Yun Shang. He picked up the bowl and sniffed. "Shang'er, do

bring the White Conch back to the Palace and even worried that something would happen along the way. So I returned in a hurry. Maybe it was

his head. "Look at you. Why didn't you tell me? I could have sent someone to escort

were talking, Li Fuyi joined the conversation.

that Li Fuyi was in the room. He smiled at her. "You're

responded, "Yes. Your Majesty mentioned the Princess numerous times, so I hurried here to

father. Lady

frown. His eyes fell on Lady Fu. His daughter had just returned from a half-day journey and needed to rest. But Lady Fu came to visit her. It seemed inappropriate. So he turned to Lady Fu and said, "You can

Fu nodded and said, "I'll leave now." Then she bowed to