An Eight-year-old Princess novel Chapter 138

Although Prince Jing didn't take it to heart, Yun Shang thought that it must be a very tricky problem. She didn't fully know what Prince Jing was capable of, but she knew that the dreaded God of War must be worthy of his reputation.

However, Prince Jing had been trapped and badly hurt. If Cangjue Qingsu was behind this, he could never be overestimated. If not, finding the person responsible would be troublesome.

It was much easier to deal with a known strong enemy than an unknown one.

Prince Jing understood from Yun Shang's frown that she was worried about him. He held her hand and said gently, "Leave it to me. Since the other party is targeting me, I have to fight back. You have to be careful. I am afraid that you might be implicated. I will dispatch more people to protect you."

Yun Shang shook her head. "It's okay. I can protect myself in the Imperial City. You have to be careful."

While they were talking, someone knocked on the door. Yun Shang stood and opened the door. A young girl in black stood at the door. She looked at Yun Shang with worry. Yun Shang then realized that although Prince Jing was seriously injured and had been unconscious, it was inappropriate for her to stay with him all night. She apologetically said, "Qian Yin sent you here? Go back first. I will follow later."

The girl in black shook her head. "Your Highness, Lady Ming has ordered the arrest of Qian Yin and Qin Yi."

Shocked, Yun Shang put on a grave expression. "What happened?"

The girl in black frowned. "In my opinion, someone kept watch on you and leaked the news. Lady Ming and Lady Fu rushed to Qingxin Palace in the early morning. As they found that you were not in the inner Hall, they claimed that you had an accident and asked the guards to search the Palace. Seeing you nowhere, Lady Ming ordered the arrest of Qian Yin and Qin Yi and accused them of failing to protect you."

"Really?" Yun Shang sneered. "What did the guards at Qingxin Palace do? Why didn't they stop Lady Ming and her men?"

The girl in black was silent for a moment before she continued, "Lady Ming brought a martial arts master. The guards didn't dare to stop them, and our lurkers didn't dare to expose themselves without your order."

Yun Shang nodded.

"Lady Ming? Maybe Grand Councilor Li is also involved in this. If Grand Councilor Li didn't approve, Lady Ming and Li Fuyi wouldn't have dared to take action." Prince Jing said. Yun Shang was surprised. Although Prince Jing was injured, he was still a strong man. Without doubt, he had heard what they had said.

Yun Shang said emotionlessly, "I know. I have to go back. Take good care of yourself."

Yun Shang turned to leave but heard a noise from the room. She quickly walked into the room and saw that the medicine bowl on the bedside had broken into splinters. Fortunately, Prince Jing had already finished the decoction, so it had not been wasted.

Ignoring the splinters, Prince Jing looked up at Yun Shang and sighed. "What will you say after you go back?"

After a short silence, Yun Shang said, "I will go to meet my father and say that I came here as you had been hurt."

Prince Jing shook his head. "Don't. We haven't gotten married yet. His Majesty won't bear that you stayed here all night, and your reputation will be ruined."

Yun Shang frowned, "What do you think I should do?"

"Lady Ming wants to ruin your reputation by doing this. If it's proved that you stayed out all night, I am afraid that she will make a fuss about it. Although His Majesty has betrothed you to me, I haven't presented betrothal gifts, and we haven't gotten married. If Lady Ming makes a fuss about it, we won't be able to get married. Now we have to make others believe that you didn't stay out all night. Find someone to prove it." Prince Jing said slowly.

Yun Shang nodded, "Thank you. I know what to do."

The Imperial City was lively today. Lady Ming was sitting on the main seat. Emperor Ning sat beside her. He looked furious. Other concubines, as well as the Empress who was always praying for blessings in Qiwu Palace, had also been invited. Some servants were kneeling on the ground, including Qian Yin and Qin Yi.

Lady Ming snorted, "Why don't you know where Yun Shang has gone? Did something strange happen last night?"

Qian Yin shook her head, "I don't know."

Qin Yi gritted her teeth and didn't say anything. She wondered why Yun Shang hadn't come. Lady Ming had already gathered Emperor Ning and the other concubines. Such a long time had passed. The messenger that Qian Yin sent should have informed Yun Shang of what had happened by now.

Lady Ming squinted at Qin Yi and snorted, "You are Qin Yi, right? I remember that you waited on Yun Shang at Ning'guo Temple. Do you know where Yun Shang has gone? Think whether Yun Shang is close with someone."

Qin Yi lowered her head and replied, "Her Highness copied Buddhist scriptures and learned from Master Wu Na at Ning'guo Temple all day long. The place where she lived was in the back mountain far from the main hall. Except for Master Wu Na and me, Her Highness met very few people. She wasn't close with anyone."

Lady Ming squinted at Qin Yi, "What happened after she returned? I was told that the third Prince of the State of Yelang sent an invitation to request Yun Shang to guide him around the Imperial City a few days ago. When did they become so intimate?"

Qin Yi sneered and thought Lady Ming did everything to frame Yun Shang. "Don't you know? Her Highness rejected the request by the third Prince of the State of Yelang. She said that she couldn't accompany the third Prince because she was a girl, but it would be rash to refuse him. So she sent the invitation to Prince Jing's Mansion and asked Prince Jing to show him around the Imperial City. If I remember correctly, the chamberlain at Prince Jing's Mansion said that Prince Jing had left the City, so Mister Wang went instead."

Lady Ming sneered, "Maybe she was just posturing. As a matter of fact, she has already had illicit intercourse with Cangjue Qingsu, right?"

Someone mumbled, "Princess Hui Guo won't repeat Princess Hua Jing's mistake."

Lady Ming and the Empress were shocked, and the others burst into an uproar. Lady Ming was so angry that she struck the armchair and shouted, "Who is talking nonsense? Step forward!"

No one responded. Lady Ming gritted her teeth. "Guards, drag these reckless servants out and whip them fifty times!"

"Yes." The guards answered simultaneously. Those who knelt on the ground didn't beg for mercy.

"Your Highness, what happened? What mistake did my servants make? Why are you so angry?" A clear voice echoed through the Hall. Lady Ming and Li Fuyi frowned, Emperor Ning and the servants who knelt on the ground felt relieved, while the Empress looked calm.

Looking gloomily at the girl in purple who had walked in, Lady Ming thought to herself, 'Those guards are good-for-nothings! I ordered them to stop all people, especially Yun Shang, from coming in, but they failed.'

Lady Ming stood and pretended to be relieved. "Shang'er, where did you go last night? I thought you had an accident as I didn't see you in Qingxin Palace, so I hurriedly ordered a search. I arrested your servants as they didn't know that you were missing."

Yun Shang smiled, walked up to Qian Yin and Qin Yi and prostrated herself before Emperor Ning, the Empress, and Lady Ming. "Your Highness, you are wrong. I'm their master. Why should I tell them where I go? Moreover, I asked them not to follow me. So they had to stay in the Palace."

Lady Ming was speechless. She stared at Yun Shang with a smile. "You're right. But can you tell us where you went? I ordered a search of the Imperial City but couldn't find you. I thought you had an accident."

"Oh? The Imperial City was searched thoroughly? I was right in the imperial household, but I didn't know that you were searching for me. If I had, such a misunderstanding would not have happened." Yun Shang raised her eyebrows and looked strangely at Lady Ming as if accusing the older lady of lying.

Lady Ming smiled coldly. "Where were you last night?"

Yun Shang took a sheet of parchment from her sleeve and frowned. "Yesterday, I received a letter from my mother who resides in Laifeng Palace. She said in the letter that everything was fine, and the unborn baby's condition was stable. Moreover, she would give birth to the baby soon. She said that she missed me and asked if I could visit her Palace and give her company for some time..."

Emperor Ning interrupted Yun Shang happily, "Shu Jin wrote to you? What did she say in the letter? Let me see."

Yun Shang nodded and handed the parchment to Lord Zheng. Lord Zheng brought the letter to Emperor Ning. Emperor Ning glanced over it and said with a smile, "It's Shu Jin's handwriting. She said that Grand Tutor Xiao went to visit her, and she might be carrying a baby boy." Emperor Ning grinned in satisfaction. "Well, Shu Jin's belly should be huge by now. The summer will come soon. I will spend the summer in Laifeng Palace and wait for the birth of the baby boy."

Lady Ming frowned. Obviously, she was angry. She turned to look at Yun Shang. "You disappeared all night. What does it have to do with Lady Jin's letter?"