Chapter 28 Phoenix Hairpin


    "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 be 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 ofcency. "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 shey in bed and stared at the ceiling.


    "Lady Shu is quite ady. She''s been loved by the Emperor for nearly ten years even though the


    Empress is quite intolerant, " said Qin Yi.


    "Yes. Neither of them is weak, but it is hard to say who is stronger than the other, " said the Princess


    with a grin.


    "But today, it seems that the Empress has won, " said Qin Yi.


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


    talk about it tomorrow."


    Qin Yi responded by turning out the light. Then she went out with thentern andy down in the


    adjacent room.


    Yun Shang closed her eyes but Qin Meng''s words kept repeating in her head. Only the Empress'' 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 son, '' thought Yun


    Shang.


    Yun Shang woke just after dawn. Qin Yi who was standing by her bedside smiled as the Princess


    opened her eyes. "Your Highness, this is a surprise. You used to stay asleep until noon, but now you


    wake so early! It must have been hard for you to stay out for so many years." said Qin Yi. "Let me help


    you get up."


    The Princess nodded and sat up in bed.


    "Oh, by the way, you were right yesterday. Lady Shu said that an ingot of silver was found in the Pce


    maid''s room, and the incense ashes on it belongs to the Empress. She said the Empress had framed


    her. Then she went to Qinzheng Hall and knelt there. She cried all night." Qin Yi reported the night''s


    urrences.


    "Oh?" "How clever she is! She gave the Empress a dose of her own medicine." Yun Shang chuckled.


    "But..." Then she became confused. "She didn''t seem to be 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'' Pce to make a


    scene even though she could not prove it."


    "Perhaps it was because things had happened so suddenly that she did it on impulse." said Qin Yi.


    "Your Highness, did you mean..."


    "Someone is helping her secretly." The Princess nodded, and thought 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


    arms as Qin Yi helped her dress. Then she asked her how things were going. "Did my father only


    dispose of the two servant girls?"


    "That''s right. How clever you are!" said Qin Yi with a look of appreciation. "Indeed, the two servant girls


    were executed by your father while the Empress received some hairpins as a constion. And Lady


    Shu was given some tonic medicine and other gifts. What make you conclude at that?"


    Actually, it is not about wisdom. She knew about this situation as she had experienced these events in


    her previous life. But now, things were different, as she had a fresh start.


    "Just a wild guess, " said the Princess. "And I have another guess, " said the Princess with a grin. "The


    Empress will take me to her."


    "That''s impossible." said Qin Yi. "She is busy dealing with Lady Shu."


    The Princess smirked and didn''t say another word. After eating her breakfast, she received word that


    the Empress'' servant, Xiu Xin had arrived.


    The Princess waved her in.


    Xiu Xin looked older than she had been seven years ago. Her forehead was covered in wrinkles but her


    eyes seemed sharper. "Your Highness, our Empress received some pink cloth from Shangyi Bureau*,


    but she doesn''t think pink suits her. Considering that you may not have enough clothes as you just got


    home, she asked me to bring you to Qiwu Pce to take your measurements and make some clothes


    for you."


    (*TN: the bureau of cloth in the Pce)


    Yun Shang stood up and nodded. "Thank you. I''ll be right there." Putting on her cloak, she called her


    servants and left for Qieu Pce.


    When they arrived, the Empress greeted Yun Shang and asked her to sit down. "Shangyi Bureau gave


    me cloth in bright colors, such as rouge, crescent white, etc., but I''m not young enough to wear


    something so bright. Soon, it will be your Coming-of-age Ceremony, and after that, all the clothes you


    have now cannot be worn. That''s why I asked you toe."


    "Your Majesty, thank you very much. I must, however, add that you are still young and beautiful."


    The Empress stared at her until Yun Shang blushed and lowered her head. "Aha, you blush. How time


    flies! It has been seven years since I saw youst. You used to be a little girl, and now you be a


    very beautifuldy, and I am really happy for you, " the Empressughed and said.


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    "I''m ttered. I met my brothers and sisters yesterday, and I don''t feel I have achieved as much as they


    have." responded Yun Shang softly, her head still bowed.


    The Empress nodded with satisfaction. "After the Coming-of-age Ceremony, you will be old enough to


    marry. I''m going to have a party to invite eminent men in the Imperial City. And you can choose from


    them. I''ve been wondering who would be so lucky as to marry you."