Chapter 46 The gambit
"Watch out, Your Highness." Qian Yin was standing near Yun Shang. She shouted, rushed towards the
Princess, and pushed her away from theke bank. In doing so, she slipped and fell into theke.
"Someone has fallen in the water."
When Yun Shang realized what happened, she saw Qian Yin being swept away by the current. Yun
Shang squinted and raised her voice, "What are you waiting for? Save her."
The eunuchs who were following the women jumped into theke and swam towards Qian Yin.
"Are you all right, Your Highness?" Qin Yi quickly walked to Yun Shang and asked. She sounded
anxious and concerned. Yun Shang shook her head. "I''m OK, yes. Qian Yin pushed me away in time.
But Qian Yin..."
Yun Shang frowned. Worry spread across her face.
"Don''t worry, my daughter. We have so many people here. Your maid will be saved before any further
harmes to her. The maid looks young and healthy. I''m sure she will be fine. She saved you at a
crucial time." The Empress walked to Yun Shang and patted her hands as she spoke gently.
Yun Shang nodded, "Yes..."
Seeing that Yun Shang couldn''t remove her gaze from the water, and the worry on her face, the
Empress felt satisfied that the Princess'' concern was genuine. She said no more.
"We got her. We got her, Your Highness." The eunuchs who had jumped in after Qian Yin, brought the
maid ashore. Yun Shang rushed to her maid. Qian Yin spat out water and looked weak. Seeing her like
this, Yun Shang crouched near her and asked with concern, "Qian Yin, how do you feel now?"
Qian Yin looked at Yun Shang and shook her head, "I''m OK, as long as you''re OK."
Then she fainted.
"What are you waiting for? Bring the Imperial Physician here." The Empress''s voice came from behind,
She sounded genuinely sincere. Yun Shang noticed that Qian Yin''s hand moved a bit. She lowered her
head and smiled.
After the ident, it took a while for Qingxin Pce to quiet down. Yun Shang went to the bed and sat
down. She spoke softly, "They are all gone now. Drop the act."
The maid first opened one eye, looked at Yun Shang, then slowly opened her other eye. Yun Shang
found her funny, but pretended to be angry. "Did the Empress set this up?"
Qian Yin nodded, "The Empress sent her orders through a young eunuch who is in charge of delivering
food. It was urgent, and I didn''t know whether anyone was eavesdropping on us. That''s why I didn''t tell
you. But I think Your Highness had already figured something was going to happen. The fragrans
sachet..."
The fragrans sachet smells like styrax, which is the Empress''s favorite.
Yun Shang understood what Qian Yin meant. It was the smell of styrax that forced her to agree to Qian
Yin''s suggestion to walk the Imperial Garden. However, Yun Shang had not figured out why.
"The Empress has probably heard that although I''m now weed in Qingxin Pce, you don''t like
me. She wanted to help. The Empress had someone ask me to bring Your Highness to the Imperial
Garden. She said she would arrange an ident, and that I needed to pay full attention on you. If
anything happened, I should be the first to react ande to your rescue. Getting hurt a little would be
better." Qian Yin smiled and blinked as she waited for Yun Shang to speak.
"I see now. The Empress is really impatient. You have only been here for a few days." Yun Shang
spoke softly.
Qian Yin thought about it before she replied, "Your Highness, the winter solstice ising. It''s the day
when His Majesty pays his respects to the Heavens. Before I came to your Pce, the Empress had
asked me to gain Your Highness''s full trust before the winter solstice. I think that..."
"You''re saying that the Empress wants to deal with me during the winter solstice?" Yun Shang smiled
grimly, "I thought so. It is true that I am not a prisoner in my Pce. But a man ising to hurt me. I
don''t intend to hurt the Empress, but she refuses to leave me along. Well, in that case, let me take the
lead this time."
Hearing her, Qian Yin sat up from bed. Her eyes shone. "What do you want to do? I have long been
unhappy with the Empress. Your Highness, make sure that she won''t be able to regain her power this
time."
Yun Shang smiled, "Don''t worry. Let me see what she wants to do first."
Qian Yin nodded and added, "Your Highness, let me tell you something interesting. His Majesty has not
visited Qiwu Pce in two months. It seems that the Empress has been in a bad mood as well. I heard
that the Empress is selecting good-looking maids from her Pce to seduce His Majesty thus earning
his favor again."
"Really? What a thing! Then I must help her." Yun Shang smiled coldly, "Good-looking maid in Qiwu
Pce? I just happen to know one."
"Qian Yin, tell me what positions our people hold in the Empress''s Pce."
Qian Yin looked around carefully and then walked up to Yun Shang and whispered. Yun Shang nodded
as she understood. "It is not a ce to be easily noticed. Try to send her a message and ask her to do
something for me." Yun Shang thought of something else. She leaned closer to Qian Yin and then said
a few words. Qian Yin''s eyes brightened. She nodded repeatedly and said, "I understand."
It was just after noon. The brightly shinning sun was rapidly reced with thundering clouds. The
heavens opened shortly after, and rain poured down in angry torrents. In a small room behind Qiwu
Pce, a persony on the bed with her feet in her arms, looking miserable.
"Somebody pleasee and help..." Her voice trembled. A long time passed and still no one came.
The person on the bed endured tremendous pain as she sat up. She put on her shoes and struggled to
stand. Light entering through the window shone on her face. Qin Meng had no need for the warmth
from the light. Her life was perpetually covered in gloom. She tentatively walked towards the door. Each
step was as painful as walking on a knife.
"Anyone? Please fetch me a basin of hot water." Such was the effort to stand and walk that tiny beads
of sweat oozed from her forehead. She heard a voice outside, but the person seemed not to pay her
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any attention.
Qin Meng dragged her aching legs closer to the door. The sound outside became clearer. Qin Meng
stopped to listen. "Have you heard her? How miserable she sounds."
Another voice said, "She still thinks it''s Qingxin Pce. This is Qiwu Pce. Now, for Her Majesty, she
is useless. Her Majesty wanted to put Qian Yin in Qingxin Pce, that''s why she brought her here. A
cripple. When Qian Yin secures her ce in Qingxin Pce, I guess that is the day Meng will
disappear."
"You''re not wrong. I heard that Qian Yin saved Princess Hui Guo in the Imperial Garden the other day.
Your Highness was so grateful. Qian Yin has gained her trust."
"Right. Forget about this crap. Leave her alone. It doesn''t matter if she''s dead or not. By the way, I
heard that the Empress was very angry yesterday. Do you know why?"
"His Majesty hasn''t came to Qiwu Pce in a long time. Her Majesty wanted to choose a maid to send
to him to keep his heart. But she couldn''t find a satisfactory one. She was annoyed."
"Shh, that''s a big deal. Be careful..."
Their voices gradually disappeared. Neither maid had guessed that behind the door, Qin Meng''s whole
body was shaking. She clenched her teeth as tears slid from her eyes. "Scrap, I have be useless
scrap." She mumbled to no one in particr.
After all these years in the Pce, Qin Meng knew exactly what fate awaited abandoned scrap. It was
because she knew this that she was particrly afraid. She felt like the tip of a knife was pricking her
throat.
Qin Meng gnashed her teeth. No, she didn''t want to die.
But, what could she do?
Qin Meng dragged her aching legs back to the bed and sat down. Now the Empress regard her as
scrap, and there was a new maid in Qingxin Pce. Who in this Pce would help her?
Qin Meng thought for a long time, then slowly raised her head. Determination reflected in her eyes. She
knew she need a chance, a chance to change her destiny.