Soon after Lord Zheng had left, Qin Yi walked in, beaming, "How was that, Princess? Have I done well? Now I bet that will be a lesson for those who dare to gossip."
Yun Shang smiled at Qin Yi and said, "I told you to only tell Lu. He was the eunuch who attend to my father and that would have bene enough. Why did you involve Lord Zheng instead?"
Qin Yi seated herself on the edge of Yun Shang's bed and spoke softly, "I was talking to Lu when Lord Zheng happened to hear us. Then he said His Majesty had something for you and he would stopped by. Those ungrateful minx were just gossiping about you when he arrived. I'd say they had it coming."
"I knew they would have been secretly talking about me, especially since I returned unharmed again. By the way, since we've just arrived, I'm sure lots of people will be watching our every move. We can't afford a risk. It's too dangerous. So don't go visit my mother, at least for now. Perhaps just wait for a while." Thinking of her mother, the quiet woman who had never fought for herself, Yun Shang had gradually come up of a plan. She knew what it meant to marry into the Royal Palace. Either you were adored by The Emperor, or you suffered a lonely life, alone and in pain, seeking for an end desperately. Now that she had a second chance, she had the ability and the opportunity to rewrite every miserable chapter of her previous life. There was no doubt that she would also fight for her mother's happiness.
"Princess, we've got the medicine." Bead curtains were lift and Qin Meng's voice floated into the room. "I've send them to decoct the medicine. It won't be long. Do you have everything you need in the Palace, Princess? Let me know if you need anything else and I'll get it done for you."
The smile vanished from Yun Shang's face. As soon as Qin Meng entered, Yun Shang pretended to lean weakly against the pillows and coughed. "I'm fine. I don't need anything at the moment. What's going on out there? I heard Lord Zheng scolding the maids. Qin Yi was retrieving the belongings I brought back from the Ning'guo Temple, and I was too weak to get up and ask. Can you go see what the noise was about?"
Qin Meng frowned and replied, "Is that so? I'll go find out at once." Then she strode out of the room.
The corner of Qin Yi's mouth slightly quirked up as she stared at Qin Meng with great interest until she disappeared. "Princess, I've looked around the Palace. And I've found something quite interesting, " Turning back to Yun Shang again, Qin Yi leaned forward and whispered in her ears.
"Have you indeed?" After hearing Qin Yi, Yun Shang let out a smile and exclaimed, "This place is getting more and more intriguing."
They talked away for a while. Qin Meng returned with a steaming bowl of tonic in hands. After putting the bowl on the bedside cabinet, Qin Meng turned around and reported to Yun Shang, "I've asked around. According to the others, a maid had offended Lord Zheng and was flogged 50 times. It's nothing that Your Highness need to worry about. I've brought your medicine, Princess. You'd better drink it while it's hot and effective."
Yun Shang reached for the bowl and frowned, "It's too hot."
"Take your time, Princess. It can wait." Qin Meng replied with a nervous smile.
Yun Shang nodded. She looked around and reached out to Qin Yi, "It's too stuffy here. I need some air. Take me out for a walk. I've spent the better part of my day in that carriage and this bed. I'm so bored."
Qin Yi smiled and took a shawl from the closet before holding Yun Shang up, "It's getting cold. Though the garden is lovely in this season, you must think of your health. You will suffer from a cold if you are not careful enough."
"Yes, yes. I know." They then left for the garden. From the pavilion, Yun Shang overlooked the Yanque Lake and enjoyed the refreshing air outside. Before she could get a clear glimpse of the view, Qin Yi began to urge her to return to Qingxin Hall. At her instance, Yun Shang agreed. As they walked in, a maid was wiping the table. Qin Yi then said to her, "Go find a cushion and place it on the lounge in the Princess's bedroom. The Princess likes to walk barefoot but she is too vulnerable and it is too cold..."
The maid looked at Qin Yi and walked into the chamber. No sooner than she left, they heard a terrified scream coming from the chamber.
"What's going on?" Qin Meng hurried into the hall, followed by several eunuchs and maids. She then saw Yun Shang and Qin Yi in the hall, looking as puzzled as she was. Yun Shang frowned, "Let's go have a look. Qin Yi asked her to find a cushion for me. She just walked in there. What could have happened?"
Yun Shang stepped into her bedroom followed by the servants. They had hardly stepped in when they saw the maid was standing by the window, trying to push the window open with her shaky hands. When she heard the steps behind, she immediately turned around to look at them and hid something behind her back. She seemed nervous.
"What are you hiding? And why did you scream?" Qin Yi walked to the maid and questioned her sharply.
Terrified, the maid shook her head again and again hastily, "No, it's nothing." While speaking, she couldn't help glancing at Qin Meng, asking for her help silently and desperately.
"Then what are you hiding if it's nothing? Show us what it is behind your back." Qin Yi cornered the maid and was about to grab her arm by force. The maid, however, raised her hand and threw something at Qin Yi.
"Watch out!" Yun Shang shouted. Hearing her warning, Qin Yi stepped aside and dodged the object the maid had just thrown at her. Yun Shang gazed at it as the thing fell on the ground. She recognized that it was the cat that had attacked her when she had first entered Qingxin Hall. Only that it was no longer alive. Instead, it lay on the ground limply. It seemed that the cat had died.
"It's a cat. Is it dead? Perhaps it fell from somewhere and died?" Qin Meng mumbled. Then she turned to the maid and snarled at her, "Is it the cat that startled the Princess earlier? Did you bring it to the Palace? How dare you do such things? You should be flogged for 30 times for this. Now go get your punishment." Qin Meng then ordered the maids behind her, "The Princess is too vulnerable to see such filth. Get rid of it now!"
Qin Yi was frightened by the maid's sudden action. Having recovered, she raised her voice to stop them from touching the dead cat, "The Princess is still here. Nobody moves a muscle until she gives the order."
Everyone froze and stared at Yun Shang. Yun Shang went to her bed and seated herself. She noticed that the bowl on the bedside cabinet had been knocked to the ground and had shattered into pieces. The medicine ran over the floor, leaving a lingering smell around the room.
"Qin Yi, send for the Director of the Supervisory Office. Tell him that someone intended to poison and murder me." Yun Shang gave the order in a low and calm voice.
"Poison?" Qin Meng hurried towards Yun Shang, seeming completely confused, "What do you mean, Princess? There is no poison in this room as far as I can see. The maid had sneaked the cat into the Qingxin Hall, but the animal knew nothing and attacked you. The maid was terrified and dropped the cat to the ground by accident. Isn't that right?"
"Dropped by accident?" Yun Shang's lips curled into a sneer, "I'm not stupid. I know the cabinet is hardly high enough for a cat to fall and die. And it didn't even struggle. Qin Yi, do as you told, quickly."
Qin Yi hurried out of the room. The chamber fell silent and no one dare to speak up. Yun Shang looked at the servants in front of her coldly, and then she closed her eyes and leaned against the bedpost to get some rest.
"Princess, the Director of the Supervisory Office is here." Yun Shang opened her eyes again when she heard Qin Yi's voice. There were some more people in the room, led by a man she had never met before. Yun Shang nodded at the man as greeting, "Director of the Supervisory Office, I presume? There is something rather foul. Come over and have a look. Tell me whether the medicine is poisoned or not. And what on earth did this cat die of?"
"Yes, I will let the coroner examine the cat at once." He waved his hand at a man dressed in black behind him. The man stepped forward and took out a package of silver needles. He dipped one of the needles in the residue on the shard of the bowl. Then he crouched down to examine the cat carefully before standing and reporting to Yun Shang, "Princess, the medicine was poisoned. And the cat seems to have drunk the medicine and died."
Soon after Lord Zheng had left, Qin Yi walked in, beaming, "How was that, Princess? Have I done well? Now I bet that will be a lesson for those who dare to gossip."
Yun Shang smiled at Qin Yi and said, "I told you to only tell Lu. He was the eunuch who attend to my father and that would have bene enough. Why did you involve Lord Zheng instead?"
Qin Yi seated herself on the edge of Yun Shang's bed and spoke softly, "I was talking to Lu when Lord Zheng happened to hear us. Then he said His Majesty had something for you and he would stopped by. Those ungrateful minx were just gossiping about you when he arrived. I'd say they had it coming."
"I knew they would have been secretly talking about me, especially since I returned unharmed again. By the way, since we've just arrived, I'm sure lots of people will be watching our every move. We can't afford a risk. It's too dangerous. So don't go visit my mother, at least for now. Perhaps just wait for a while." Thinking of her mother, the quiet woman who had never fought for herself, Yun Shang had gradually come up of a plan. She knew what it meant to marry into the Royal Palace. Either you were adored by The Emperor, or you suffered a lonely life, alone and in pain, seeking for an end desperately. Now that she had a second chance, she had the ability and the opportunity to rewrite every miserable chapter of her previous life. There was no doubt that she would also fight for her mother's happiness.
"Princess, we've got the medicine." Bead curtains were lift and Qin Meng's voice floated into the room. "I've send them to decoct the medicine. It won't be long. Do you have everything you need in the Palace, Princess? Let me know if you need anything else and I'll get it done for you."
The smile vanished from Yun Shang's face. As soon as Qin Meng entered, Yun Shang pretended to lean weakly against the pillows and coughed. "I'm fine. I don't need anything at the moment. What's going on out there? I heard Lord Zheng scolding the maids. Qin Yi was retrieving the belongings I brought back from the Ning'guo Temple, and I was too weak to get up and ask. Can you go see what the noise was about?"
Qin Meng frowned and replied, "Is that so? I'll go find out at once." Then she strode out of the room.
The corner of Qin Yi's mouth slightly quirked up as she stared at Qin Meng with great interest until she disappeared. "Princess, I've looked around the Palace. And I've found something quite interesting, " Turning back to Yun Shang again, Qin Yi leaned forward and whispered in her ears.
"Have you indeed?" After hearing Qin Yi, Yun Shang let out a smile and exclaimed, "This place is getting more and more intriguing."
They talked away for a while. Qin Meng returned with a steaming bowl of tonic in hands. After putting the bowl on the bedside cabinet, Qin Meng turned around and reported to Yun Shang, "I've asked around. According to the others, a maid had offended Lord Zheng and was flogged 50 times. It's nothing that Your Highness need to worry about. I've brought your medicine, Princess. You'd better drink it while it's hot and effective."
Yun Shang reached for the bowl and frowned, "It's too hot."
"Take your time, Princess. It can wait." Qin Meng replied with a nervous smile.
Yun Shang nodded. She looked around and reached out to Qin Yi, "It's too stuffy here. I need some air. Take me out for a walk. I've spent the better part of my day in that carriage and this bed. I'm so bored."
Qin Yi smiled and took a shawl from the closet before holding Yun Shang up, "It's getting cold. Though the garden is lovely in this season, you must think of your health. You will suffer from a cold if you are not careful enough."
"Yes, yes. I know." They then left for the garden. From the pavilion, Yun Shang overlooked the Yanque Lake and enjoyed the refreshing air outside. Before she could get a clear glimpse of the view, Qin Yi began to urge her to return to Qingxin Hall. At her instance, Yun Shang agreed. As they walked in, a maid was wiping the table. Qin Yi then said to her, "Go find a cushion and place it on the lounge in the Princess's bedroom. The Princess likes to walk barefoot but she is too vulnerable and it is too cold..."
The maid looked at Qin Yi and walked into the chamber. No sooner than she left, they heard a terrified scream coming from the chamber.
"What's going on?" Qin Meng hurried into the hall, followed by several eunuchs and maids. She then saw Yun Shang and Qin Yi in the hall, looking as puzzled as she was. Yun Shang frowned, "Let's go have a look. Qin Yi asked her to find a cushion for me. She just walked in there. What could have happened?"
Yun Shang stepped into her bedroom followed by the servants. They had hardly stepped in when they saw the maid was standing by the window, trying to push the window open with her shaky hands. When she heard the steps behind, she immediately turned around to look at them and hid something behind her back. She seemed nervous.
"What are you hiding? And why did you scream?" Qin Yi walked to the maid and questioned her sharply.
Terrified, the maid shook her head again and again hastily, "No, it's nothing." While speaking, she couldn't help glancing at Qin Meng, asking for her help silently and desperately.
"Then what are you hiding if it's nothing? Show us what it is behind your back." Qin Yi cornered the maid and was about to grab her arm by force. The maid, however, raised her hand and threw something at Qin Yi.
"Watch out!" Yun Shang shouted. Hearing her warning, Qin Yi stepped aside and dodged the object the maid had just thrown at her. Yun Shang gazed at it as the thing fell on the ground. She recognized that it was the cat that had attacked her when she had first entered Qingxin Hall. Only that it was no longer alive. Instead, it lay on the ground limply. It seemed that the cat had died.
"It's a cat. Is it dead? Perhaps it fell from somewhere and died?" Qin Meng mumbled. Then she turned to the maid and snarled at her, "Is it the cat that startled the Princess earlier? Did you bring it to the Palace? How dare you do such things? You should be flogged for 30 times for this. Now go get your punishment." Qin Meng then ordered the maids behind her, "The Princess is too vulnerable to see such filth. Get rid of it now!"
Qin Yi was frightened by the maid's sudden action. Having recovered, she raised her voice to stop them from touching the dead cat, "The Princess is still here. Nobody moves a muscle until she gives the order."
Everyone froze and stared at Yun Shang. Yun Shang went to her bed and seated herself. She noticed that the bowl on the bedside cabinet had been knocked to the ground and had shattered into pieces. The medicine ran over the floor, leaving a lingering smell around the room.
"Qin Yi, send for the Director of the Supervisory Office. Tell him that someone intended to poison and murder me." Yun Shang gave the order in a low and calm voice.
"Poison?" Qin Meng hurried towards Yun Shang, seeming completely confused, "What do you mean, Princess? There is no poison in this room as far as I can see. The maid had sneaked the cat into the Qingxin Hall, but the animal knew nothing and attacked you. The maid was terrified and dropped the cat to the ground by accident. Isn't that right?"
"Dropped by accident?" Yun Shang's lips curled into a sneer, "I'm not stupid. I know the cabinet is hardly high enough for a cat to fall and die. And it didn't even struggle. Qin Yi, do as you told, quickly."
Qin Yi hurried out of the room. The chamber fell silent and no one dare to speak up. Yun Shang looked at the servants in front of her coldly, and then she closed her eyes and leaned against the bedpost to get some rest.
"Princess, the Director of the Supervisory Office is here." Yun Shang opened her eyes again when she heard Qin Yi's voice. There were some more people in the room, led by a man she had never met before. Yun Shang nodded at the man as greeting, "Director of the Supervisory Office, I presume? There is something rather foul. Come over and have a look. Tell me whether the medicine is poisoned or not. And what on earth did this cat die of?"
"Yes, I will let the coroner examine the cat at once." He waved his hand at a man dressed in black behind him. The man stepped forward and took out a package of silver needles. He dipped one of the needles in the residue on the shard of the bowl. Then he crouched down to examine the cat carefully before standing and reporting to Yun Shang, "Princess, the medicine was poisoned. And the cat seems to have drunk the medicine and died."
