An Eight-year-old Princess

On her way back, Yun Shang was contemplating Prince Jing's proposal. She wondered what was so special about her, and why he would give up his military power. Suddenly, her feet slipped. Qian Yin quickly stepped forward to stop the Princess from falling.

After struggling to balance herself, Yun Shang looked down. This path was the only way leading to the inner court, and the servants had already swept away the snow. She could see the cobbles clearly. Why would she slip? Suddenly, Yun Shang saw a mount of moss under her feet.

Yun Shang was stunned for a moment. She squatted to get a closer look. She saw that the moss was not growing on the stone. It was fresh and moist.

"The lantern." Yun Shang ordered with a pensive expression on her face.

Qin Yi hurriedly offered the lantern to her. Yun Shang took the lantern and looked across the path in the light. She found piles of moss scattered at intervals along the road.

She followed the trail of moss and found that it ended at an intersection. Doubt filled Yun Shang's heart. She carried on to her Palace while thinking about the moss issue. Just as her maids were helping her remove her cloak, a eunuch rushed toward Yun Shang's room. He slipped and fell as he reached the door. He crawled forward and urged, "Your Highness! You have to visit Qiwu Palace now! Lady Jin fell on her way back. She is bleeding! It seems like a miscarriage!"

Her mother had bled? Yun Shang's heart sunk. Without putting on the cloak, she ran toward Qiwu Palace.

"Your Highness! Your Highness! It's winter! You have to put on some more clothes!" Qin Yi grabbed Yun Shang's cloak and followed her.

Yun Shang didn't slow her pace. She asked the messenger, "How did Her Highness fall?"

The eunuch panted as he followed the Princess. He was trotting so fast, almost out of breath. "Since Lady Jin was pregnant, His Majesty invited her to sit in his royal palanquin. As the attendants carried the palanquin through the Imperial Garden, one of the them suddenly slipped and fell, and His Majesty and Lady Jin both fell off the palanquin. His Majesty had protected Lady Jin in his arms, but still, she was shocked by the fall, and began bleeding."

Slipped? Yun Shang frowned at his words. The accident reminded her of the moss trail.

Yun Shang reached Qiwu Palace as fast as she could. She spotted the Empress in the distance. Yun Shang quickened her step and entered the palace first.

"What? Is that Princess Yun Shang? What has brought you to Qiwu Palace, Your Highness? Oh, didn't you see Her Majesty? And don't you know about etiquette? How dare you not curtsy to Her Majesty and walk in front of her? Where are your manners, Your Highness?" As Yun Shang stepped through the door, she heard Xiu Xin screech at her.

Hearing her words, Yun Shang suddenly turned round and cast a cold glance at her, "However rude I may be, I'm still a Princess. And you are a maid. Who are you to tell me how to behave?"

That said, Yun Shang ran on toward Lady Jin's chamber.

"Impudent!" The Empress snapped as she frowned at Yun Shang's behavior. But Yun Shang kept running toward her mother.

Empress Yuan Zhen gritted her teeth. She gnashed, "This is ridiculous! How dare a Princess offend her Empress?"

Not far behind, Qin Yi was hurriedly following. When she got closer, she heard the Empress's reprimand, and realized that she was referring to Yun Shang. Qin Yi's heart quivered at the Empress's anger. Stepping forward, she curtsied to Empress Yuan Zhen in a hurry. "Your Majesty, please forgive Princess Yun Shang. Lady Jin was hurt in an accident. Her Highness is too worried to follow etiquette."

"What? What did you say? What happened to Lady Jin?" Asked the Empress in shock. But her eyes flashed joy.

When Qin Yi was speaking with the Empress, she bowed her head so low that she didn't see the joy in the Empress's eyes. She answered, "A eunuch just informed Princess Yun Shang that Lady Jin was hurt. Though the Princess is not close to Lady Jin, she does worry about her biological mother."

But the Empress wasn't listening. She exchanged a glance with Xiu Xin, and turned toward Lady Jin's chamber.

As they arrived, the Empress saw Lord Zheng standing at the door. Yun Shang waited on the side. At the scene, her heart quickened. If the Emperor were here, something serious must have happened. It would be great if the child died in the accident. But she was also a little worried. If the accident took place in Qiwu Palace, it would be difficult for her to shake people's suspicion.

"Lord Zheng, I've heard something has happened to Lady Jin, and intend to pay her a visit." The Empress glanced at Lord Zheng.

His Majesty has given

shot a glance at Yun Shang and ordered, "Xiu Xin, bring two chairs. I am so worried about Lady Jin's health that I

went away. Before long, she brought back two chairs, and positioned the

the Empress. Then she

been born in the Palace. And in the past a few years, few ladies had become pregnant. Even if they bore the Emperor's child,

Yun Shang got up from the chair and said,

"They

out again, and found the eunuchs kneeling along the path. Nodding to one of them,

get up, he faltered in the snow.

"Don't lie to me. Tell me

is. I hold the back pole of the palanquin. When we passed this corner,

She turned to Qin

picked up a green moss filament, an unremarkable trace that had remained on a footprint. Yun Shang narrowed her eyes. Now she could be sure that the attendant stepped on the moss and fell. And someone had

the path. The moss trail had

noticed that the moss had disappeared. She thought of a

what a smart move. Even if I were investigating and had

evidence is missing." Qin Yi

flashed a grim grin, "Let's go back and have a look at

in doubt. She thought the Empress would stay and watch

Shang's doubt. He hurriedly explained, "His Majesty happened to see the Empress waiting here. He told her to wait

see." Yun Shang looked back and saw a maid peeking around the corner. Knowing

he seemed to be writing a prescription. Emperor Ning sat by Lady Jin's

voice, she turned her head toward her daughter and smiled "Have a seat, Shang'er. I am

stool and said, "Your Highness, Lady Jin is fine, as is the child. She was

she heard her mother was fine. "I'm glad to hear that, Madam. I was

"Lord Zheng informed me of your inquiry into the palanquin carriers.

was a little surprised. Should she tell

an encouraging smile. Yun Shang gained a little courage from her smile. After all, her father was still in love with her mother, and her mother would soon give birth to their second child.

along the path, trailing from the Imperial Garden to the Crescent Pavilion. It seemed weird, but I didn't pay much attention, until I heard of mother's

in the Palace, and had seen his father's ladies playing tricks. To him, Yun Shang's report came as no surprise. He concluded, "Someone placed the moss along the path, intending to harm the child in

I wouldn't have noticed the piles of moss along the road, nor would anyone else. If that were the case, the scheme would remain

Ning suddenly felt as though he had never seen through his young Princess. Gazing at

a low voice, "If I were to lead the investigation, I would spread the word

Year's Festival was doomed to be tumultuous. Just after midnight, the Palace

and Lady Jin miscarried!" Emperor Ning and Princess Yun Shang stayed in Lady

respects at Qiwu Palace. Having heard Lady Ming's instructions, the ladies understood it as a

they arrived at Qiwu Palace, they couldn't help notice the

on you always, Your Majesty, " all the ladies chanted as they curtsied to the

The Empress nodded, "Rise."

tired and worried. She said, "Shang'er, you've taken care of Lady

sniveled. Tears welled up in her eyes. She sobbed, "I am