An Eight-year-old Princess

"Why did Lady Shu steal the Queen's hairpin? She seems to have enough of her own." Yun Shang looked up at Qin Yi and Qin Meng with curiosity.

Qin Yi shook her head. "You may not be aware of this but the Phoenix is a symbol of the honored status of the Empress, which is why she wants to wear the Phoenix hairpin. If Lady Shu stole it, that means she wants to become the Empress. That is sacrilegious, " said Qin Meng with a smile.

"No, no, " said Yun Shang in wide-eyed amazement. "Lady Shu's position in the Imperial Household is unique. She is unlike any of the other women there. Aside from the Empress, Lady Shu is the Emperor's favorite. Why should she covet the Queenship?"

"Empress and concubine are not the same. No matter how much she is favored, she must kneel and salute the Empress." Qin Meng looked at Yun Shang with an air of complacency. "And above all, only the Empress' children can inherit the throne. Now the Emperor has no sons, but if the Empress and Lady Shu both had sons, things would be very different."

"Don't talk about the throne." Yun Shang frowned and rebuked gently. "I'll take it as I didn't hear you. But I'm afraid that even a Princess would not be able to save you if someone else heard what you said."

Qin Meng looked surprised and then knelt before the Princess and asked for pardon.

"I'm so sleepy now. You can leave." The princess nodded and yawned.

Qin Meng made a hasty bow and exited. Qin Yi stepped up to help the Princess prepare for bed. "Interesting." The Princess mumbled as she lay in bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Lady Shu is quite a lady. She's been loved by the Emperor for nearly ten years even though the Empress is quite intolerant, " said Qin Yi.

weak, but it is hard to say who is stronger than the other, " said the Princess with a

Empress has won, " said

"I don't think so." Yun Shang shook her head. "Whatever. Just get some sleep and we'll talk

she went out with the lantern and lay down in the adjacent room.

son is entitled to ascend the throne? Yun Shang smiled. 'How could the son of Empress Yuan Zhen be suitable for the role of Emperor? The Empress was not fit to give the Emperor a

smiled as the Princess opened her eyes. "Your Highness, this is a surprise. You used to stay asleep until noon,

nodded and sat up

of silver was found in the Palace maid's room, and the incense ashes on it belongs to the

such a schemer at first. You told me that she had said that the Empress had framed her, and that she went to the Empress' Palace to make a scene even though she could not prove

that she did it on impulse." said Qin Yi. "Your Highness, did

about something that had happened in her past life. "I don't know who it is, but I want to meet this person." She stretched out her

were executed by your father while the Empress received some hairpins as a consolation. And Lady Shu was given

she had experienced these events in her

guess, " said the Princess with a grin. "The

impossible." said Qin Yi. "She is busy dealing with