An Eight-year-old Princess novel Chapter 109

Prince Jing lifted his eyes to Mrs. Wu who was startled. "Qian An was Mr. Wu's alias, wasn't it? This was written by him."

Prince Shun Qing also thought of a question. He asked, "Was the dead housemaid called Ru Mo?"

The butler shook his head and replied, "Your Lordship, the housemaid was called Si Qi not Ru Mo."

"Prince Shun Qing, my husband must have been framed by someone. The whole thing is a plot, " said Mrs. Wu in a flurry. But a skeptical look appeared on her face.

"Go, find all personal information about Si Qi" said Prince Shun Qing harshly.

The butler withdrew from the room. Mrs. Wu was in shock and kept muttering, "How could it be? No! No! My husband won't do that."

A while later, the butler returned with Si Qi's personal information. He said, "Si Qi, a 16-year old girl, was born in the Imperial City. Her mother was called Ru Mo. Seventeen years ago, Ru Mo seved in Wu Qi's mansion as a housemaid. But later, she was fired by Wu Qi's mother. After that, she lived in a house situated in the west of the Imperial City.

Mrs. Wu shivered all over and sank into a chair. She looked pale. Her eyes were full of disbelief.

All the guests understood that Si Qi must be the illegitimate daughter of Wu Qi and Ru Mo.

Lady Shun Qing glanced at Mrs. Wu with sympathy. Then she said gently, "Mrs. Wu, you look ill. You'd better rest in the guest room. If we find something related to your husband's death, you will be informed."

Mrs. Wu's face flushed. She nodded, rose to her feet, and followed the servant out of the room.

Lady Shun Qing sighed, "What a mess! Shang'er, Qingyan, let's take a walk." She stood while speaking.

Upon hearing this, Yun Shang squinted and stood. She supported Lady Shun Qing with her hands as she walked out of the house.

Lady Shun Qing's house was adjacent to a lake. A pavilion was situated in the middle of the lake. A bridge led to the pavilion. Lady Shun Qing, accompanied by Yun Shang and Prince Jing, walked toward the pavilion. Once they reached, she sat on a bench. Yun Shang looked around and thought to herself, 'This is a good place for conversation. There will be no eavesdroppers here.'

"Please sit." Lady Shun Qing patted Yun Shang's hands. Yun Shang sat beside the older woman.

Lady Shun Qing looked at Yun Shang for a moment before she said with a smile, "Qingyan is lucky to marry you. Shang'er, you are so beautiful. In two years, nobody in the Imperial City will be able to compare with you. I heard that you have been at the Ning'guo Temple for many years."

Yun Shang nodded and replied, "I was physically weak when I was a child. At that time, Master Wu Na happened to visit the Imperial Palace and saved my life. But I never fully recovered. So Master Wu Na brought me to the Ning'guo Temple for recuperation."

As Yun Shang was speaking, Lady Shun Qing paid attention to Yun Shang's expressions. She looked at Yun Shang's calm face and continued, "Several years ago, you went to Ning'guo Temple to pray for rain for the common people. But after that, you fell ill and never recovered. I know that you were not ill. You were poisoned."

Yun Shang was shocked and clenched the crease of her dress. She bowed her head and lowered her voice, "How could it be? I don't know why there is such an rumor. The Empress and Princess Hua Jing treated me very well. How could I have been poisoned?"

Lady Shun Qing was good at observing others. Judging from Yun Shang's reaction and speech, she knew that Yun Shang wasn't telling the truth. 'Yun Shang deliberately pointed out that the Empress and Hua Jing had treated her very well at that time. It seems that Yun Shang was trying to cover up for the Empress and Hua Jing. The Empress and Princess Hua Jing must have wanted to poison Yun Shang. Yun Shang was mistreated by them so she didn't dare to tell the truth.'

Anger was reflected in Lady Shun Qing's eyes. She said with a grim smile, "Before that woman became the Empress, I knew she was vicious. She tried every filthy and vile way to enter the Imperial Palace."

Prince Jing glanced at Yun Shang. He knew that Yun Shang was pretending. But seven years ago, Yun Shang was only eight years old. At that time, she, just like a piece of meat, was subject to persecution. Maybe the Empress and Hua Jing had done lots of bad things to destroy her, which is why now, Yun Shang hates them so much that she even wants to kill them.

After uttering the ambiguous words, Lady Shun Qing continued with a mild smile, "Did the Empress ask you to present the peach-shaped carving to me?"

Yun Shang nodded and said, "I didn't know today was your birthday for I returned to the Imperial Palace not long ago. The Empress told me that today I should come here to congratulate you. She also said that I should have more contact with you and learn more about you since I will marry Prince Jing sooner or later. The Empress was nice to me. She told me all of your personal preferences. She knew that I don't have much money and I have nothing valuable to present to you. So she prepared the peach-shaped carving and asked me to present it to you."

"Really?" Lady Shun Qing asked, "What did the Empress tell you about me?"

"She said you like light colors, especially green and blue and that you like drinking tea. Your favorite dish is shark's fin. To please you, I had planned to wear a green or blue dress. But all my dresses are bright-colored. I didn't find anything green or blue." said Yun Shang honestly. "Do you mind that I haven't worn a color that you like?"

Lady Shun Qing shook her head and said, "No, not at all. What you are wearing now suits you very well."

Yun Shang bowed her head and seemed a bit shy. Suddenly, Prince Jing said, "Do you see that maid? She looks familiar."

Yun Shang raised her head and looked in the direction in which Prince Jing was staring. She saw a maid in green walk hastily as if to meet someone. A grim smile appeared on Yun Shang's face. But she asked with astonishment, "Oh, is that Xiu Xin, the Empress's personal maid? Why is she here? The Empress hasn't come here. Does the maid come for me?"

Lady Shun Qing clapped her hands. An assassin jumped to the ground from the top of the pavilion. He knelt on the ground. Yun Shang was shocked and it was not until a while later that she regained her senses. She looked at the assassin dressed in a black gown with curiosity.

Lady Shun Qing pointed at the maid in green and said to the assassin, "Follow her. Tell me where she goes as soon as possible."

The assassin disappeared after making a quick bow.

Prince Jing bent to pick up a cup. As he drank his tea, he found that Yun Shang's ears had reddened in the cold. He was shocked because he thought Yun Shang shouldn't be so weak for she had practiced Chinese traditional martial arts for a long time. She often looked as if she had never practiced it. Prince Jing took off his cloak, put it around Yun Shang and said, "Your cloak is still in the room. The wind is strong here. Put on my cloak lest you get cold."

Yun Shang didn't refuse and bowed her head. On seeing this, Lady Shun Qing giggled and said, "Life is wonderful for young people."

A while later, the assassin returned and reported, "Your Ladyship, the maid went to Lady Gao*'s house.

(TN: Lady Gao is Lady Shun Qing's daughter-in-law. She was the wife of Lady Shun Qing's second son.")

"Well, Well." A dreadful smile appeared on Lady Shun Qing's face. She rose to her feet and said, "Let's go to Lady Gao's house."

Subsequently, they walked to a house. Just before they walked into the house, they encountered Prince Shun Qing. Prince Shun Qing nodded and said, "We'd better enter the house from the back. Don't alert the people in it."

Yun Shang acted innocent. Prince Jing held her waist and flew over the enclosing wall. As they neared the room, a voice could be heard. "You assured me of the deaths of Prince Shun Qing and Lady Shun Qing. But why are they still alive now?"

Yun Shang felt the anger radiating off Lady Shun Qing. At the time, another voice spoke inside the room. Upon hearing this voice, Yun Shang widened her eyes as if to say something. But Lady Shun Qing instantly covered her mouth. "I don't know. I don't know what's going wrong. There is a gear in the box that is loaded with the peach-shaped carving. If the carving is moved by someone, the gear will eject poison. Lady Shun Qing had moved the carving, but she didn't get poisoned."