An Eight-year-old Princess

Yun Shang was lost in thought. The deep affection the Empress showed that day crossed her mind and her eyes grew cold. The Empress was calmer than before, but her calmness was a little frightening.

"What? Are you afraid? You think the Empress is now unfathomable?" Prince Jing looked at the girl sitting opposite him. He shook his head and said, "Then why did you deliberately expose her sterility?"

Yun Shang's eyes fell on the teacup in front of her. She watched as the tea leaves gradually unfolded. She gave a wry smile and said, "So, I have to face up to what I've done finally. The Empress had a weakness. She wanted a son. She tried to please my father so that he would frequent her Palace. Now that she knows she can't have children, the Empress doesn't seem to care about which concubine my father favors."

Prince Jing shook his head. "Her weakness didn't diminish. It grew. Without hope of procreation, her direct connection to the Li Clan will be even stronger. They are now bound together for good or bad."

Yun Shang considered that for a moment, and then asked, "You mean, we should start from the Li Clan? But the Li Clan's power is spread throughout the imperial court, and they have planted their people in almost every Yamen*. I don't know where to start."

(*TN: the government office in ancient China)

"You've always been smart. You can't be at your wits end. Slight negligence may lead to great disaster. Just grab their weakest point and strike it with all your might. Then perhaps they would gradually disintegrate. What do all Emperors fear? Think it over." A thin smile played across Prince Jing's mouth, and a faint sense of peace came over him.

'What is it that all Emperors fear?' Yun Shang thought as she squinted. Suddenly, a noise came from downstairs, and she raised her eyebrows. "They're coming?" Then she got up and went to the window to look out. A procession could be seen in the distance. About twenty guards were at the front, followed by five splendid carriages, and behind them, several carriages with large boxes followed. Finally another fifty or sixty guards walked behind the procession.

"They're finally here. I wonder if the person in the carriage is the real Cangjue Qingsu or an impostor." Yun Shang murmured to herself.

Prince Jing walked up to her and looked at the slow procession. The people in the procession were all dressed in the clothes of the State of Yelang, giving them a wild beauty. "Now that they have arrived at the Imperial City, he will be in the carriage."

The curtain of the second carriage was pulled open, and an enchanting face came into the sight of onlookers. The woman had thin eyebrows, big brown eyes, a Roman nose, and slightly pouty lips. At one glance, men were enchanted with her beauty. The crowd immediately gave a gasp of admiration. The young woman, who seemed perfectly satisfied with the sensation she had caused, closed the curtain with a smug smile.

"What a beautiful woman! I didn't hear that the State of Yelang sent the Princess. Who is this woman?" Yun Shang's eyebrows knitted together in a little frown. 'It would be interesting if she were a Princess...'

the sworn daughter of the Chief Councilor

to herself for a moment. The Chief Councilor had a special place in the State of Yelang. He had high authority but no real power, and his only responsibility was to supervise the sovereign. Why did the daughter of the

has no other purpose except intermarriage. As she is not as noble as a Princess, the intermarriage is more flexible. She could marry the Emperor, royalty,

be trifled with. I think our state will be busy for a

sound echoed through the room. Hearing the knock at the

was pushed open, and Qian Yin and Wang Shunlai entered. "Your Highnesses, the envoys of

"Come on, let's go to the Palace together. I

downstairs. She walked through the door, and found a carriage waiting. They

the couch, unwilling to move. Qin Yi walked in, took out the hairpin from her head, and whispered, "Your Highness, while you were out, I saw a eunuch who is in charge of cleaning outside the Palace coming out of the inner Hall. I did not come forward for fear of

that Lady Fu was the

Yun

hasn't been to her Palace this

Shang arched a brow. "The Empress never

replied, "The Empress has had little

to be in a hurry, even though my father hasn't been to her

happens, report

Yin answered,

chamber. Yun Shang

her Palace?" A soft voice as fresh as a gentle breeze was heard next.

asking you to teach me how to dance, but I always feel dizzy in spring and fatigue