Chapter 79 The Empress'' Secret


    Qiwu Pce became more tranquil after the Empress'' pregnancy as the morning ritual of a courtesy


    call to the Empress was suspended and the affairs of the imperial household were taken over by Lady


    Shu. As it was getting colder, the Empress seldom left Qiwu Pce.


    "Has it been half a month since the Empress left Qiwu Pce?" asked Yun Shang casually. She had


    been lying on the couch reading a book.


    "It has been 17 days, " answered Qian Yin. "I am thinking that we will not see the Empress for another


    five days. Then it will be time for the celebration of the winter solstice."


    Yun Shang smiled slightly and turned a page. Then she said, "She has more patience than I thought.


    Lady Shu took power from her. Many people in the imperial household expected to see her fight back.


    It is very unexpected for her to simply hand over the Empress seal to Lady Shu and hide herself in


    Qiwu Pce. The Empress is not known to hide in her Pce."


    Qin Yi was folding clothes. Hearing this, she replied with a smile, "I''m afraid the Empress knows what''s


    going on in the imperial household even though she stays indoors. She has too many spies."


    Yun Shang frowned as she felt something very important was being missed. She thought for a while


    but couldn''t figure it out. She sighed, "Let''s just wait. I am no less patient than her."


    When footsteps could be heard nearing, the two women stopped talking. "Your Highness, an eunuch


    from Huanyi Bureau has brought washed clothes."


    Qin Yi turned around to draw aside the curtain. Then she walked out the door. "Come in with the


    clothes!" came the voice of Qin Yi from outside.


    Come in? Yun Shang raised her eyebrows in surprise. Qi Yi never allowed any staff from Huanyi


    Bureau toe into the inner hall before.


    Lifting her eyes to the door, Yun Shang saw a skinny eunuche in through the bead curtain which


    had been drawn aside. "Your Highness, these clothes have been washed and dried. Where should I


    put them?" asked the eunuch.


    Qin Yin closed the bead curtain after entering the room.


    "Lin?" Yun Shang straightened up and inquired gently, "Why do youe here today?"


    Lin nced at the two maids-in-waiting and understood that Yun Shang was not going to ask them to


    leave. Seeing this, he understood that the two maids-in-waiting were her confidants. So he curtsied and


    said, "Your Highness, I have something to tell you."


    Yun Shang straightened up and said, "Say it. There is no outsider."


    Lin nodded his head and said, "The other day, I heard about the Empress'' pregnancy. However, I found


    an underwear stained with menstrual blood. It had been mixed with the dirty clothes of the maids-in-


    waiting from Qiwu Pce."


    "It must belong to a certain maid-in-waiting who is in her menstrual period." said Qian Yin gently,


    looking at Lin.


    Lin shook his head and said, "But the underwear was made of high-quality silk. It is not like other


    clothes that belong to the maids-in-waiting. Fewdies in the Imperial household have such kind of silk


    fabric, let alone the maids-in-waiting."


    With a fluid nce, Yun Shang said, "I know what Lin means. In the Imperial household, it''s not hard to


    get rid of a living man. But it''s hard to get rid of an underwear stained with blood. So the underwear


    was hidden in the clothes of the maids-in-waiting."


    "But how can you identify that the underwear is made of high-quality silk?" Yun Shang continued.


    Lin said withplete confidence, "I''m totally sure about that. And I dare say I am an expert in


    identifying silk fabrics. I had been in the business of selling silk fabrics before I was framed by others


    and reduced to a eunuch in the Pce. I have a good rtionship with a maid-in-waiting in Huanyi


    Bureau who is in charge of doing theundry. The other day when I was chatting with her, she told me


    the maids-in-waiting serving the Empress have the best food to eat and the best clothing to wear and


    even the underwear they wear feels softer. She knows this as she does theirundry. I pretended to


    disagree and asked her to show me the underwear. On touching it, I knew it was made of high-quality


    silk."


    Hearing this, Yun Shang whispered to herself for a while. A sudden thought seized her. Then the world


    around her became silent. After a long pause, Yun Shang suddenly rose to her feet and eximed, "I


    finally know what''s wrong."


    All the others in the room cast their eyes upon Yun Shang. Yun Shang smiled and said with firm eyes,


    "All these days I felt that something important was being missed. When Lin just revealed theundry


    incident, it urred to me that more than half a month ago Lady Shu went all out to make the Empress


    eat the abortifacient at the banquet. I saw the Empress had eaten the abortifacient. Logically, the


    Empress should have miscarried within half a month. But nothing happened until now. Qiwu Pce has


    remained unusually quiet. Several Imperial Physicians have been there several times to check my dear


    mother''s health (Lady Jin) by pulse diagnosis. But there is only one Physician serving the Empress all


    the time. Other Physicians have never treated the Empress."


    "Your Highness, you mean that…" Qin Yi''s eyes shone. She stared at Yun Shang with focused eyes.


    "Putting these things together, I think that the Empress is in all likelihood, not pregnant, " said Yun


    Shang with an ironic smile. "The Empress yed a wonderful trick on us. That day when we learned


    that she was pregnant, I was so shocked that I never doubted whether she was really pregnant." If Lin


    hadn''t told me this weird story, I would not have found the trick yed by the Empress, even if I did


    have some doubts."


    "But, why did the Empress do it?" "If she is not pregnant, she will be unable to give birth to a baby.


    What''s more, she is forced to hand over the Empress seal to Lady Shu due to her pregnancy. Doesn''t


    she lose more than she gains?" said Qian Yin with a bewildered look.


    Yun Shang calmed herself but a glimmer of excitement remained in her eyes. "I guess that the


    Empress wants to create an illusion. She will most likely wait for a proper time to show that she lost her


    baby because of an ident. Then she could me my dear mother for the ident." "As we all know,


    at present only my pregnant mother is her major obstacle in the imperial household. But my mother


    lives in Qiwu Pce. She wouldn''t be able to find a better way to get rid of my mother, overtly or


    covertly. So she thought of this scheme."


    "What a sinister scheme! Luckily, we found it out otherwise our Lady Jin would be in danger." Qin Yi


    breathed out heavily before adding, "Do we need to tell ourdyship about this so that she can be on


    her guard against the Empress?"


    As Lin heard what Qin Yi said, he lifted his eyes to look at Qin Yi and then bowed his head again.


    "I have to visit Qiwu Pce before I tell my mother about this scheme. Lin said that they found the


    underwear stained with blood yesterday. So the Empress must still be in her menstrual period. I


    remember that every time the Empress gets her period, she suffers from menalgia. Let''s pay her a visit


    and check. Without further ado, let''s go check it now." said Yun Shang, rising to her feet instantly.


    "Dress me now!"


    Seeing this, Lin curtsied to Yun Shang and asked, "Your Highness, may I leave now?"


    Yun Shang turned to him with a big smile. "Thank you for your message. Go back to Huanyi Bureau


    now lest you cause suspicion. In a few days, I will send someone with some sweet wine with glutinous


    rice balls for you."


    Lin replied, "OK. Thank you, Your Highness." After this, Lin withdrew from the room.


    Yun Shang changed her clothes and after putting on her cloak, she stepped out of Qingxin Pce


    hurriedly. As Yun Shang stepped into Qiwu Pce, she saw Xiu Xin embroidering in the main hall. She


    walked towards Xiu Xin and said with a smile, "What a leisurely life you live, Xiu Xin. By the way, is my


    mother, the Empress in?"


    Xiu Xin raised her head and found Yun Shang standing near her. She stood up quickly and spoke, "The


    Empress does not feel not well today. She is resting in the inner hall."


    Hearing this, a concerned look appeared on Yun Shang''s face. "Does my mother, the Empress feel ill?


    Why don''t you call for an Imperial Physician? She is carrying the Emperor''s baby. You should look after


    her very carefully. Who will be able to bear the consequence if something bad happens? I will send for


    a Physician."


    Xiu Xin replied, "No, no, Your Highness. You don''t have to do so. It''s not a big deal. The Empress told


    us that she just needed to rest."


    Yun Shang disagreed. "We must call for a Physician. I will feel very worried if we don''t call for a


    Physician to check the health status of my mother, the Empress."


    Hearing this, Xiu Xin was like a cat on hot bricks. Just before she could say something to stop Yun


    Shang, the Empress'' feeble voice came from the inner hall, "Is Yun Shang speaking out there? Come


    in."


    Yun Shang walked into the inner hall and found the Empress lying in the bed. Her face was pale. She


    hurried to sit by the Empress'' bedside, saying, "Mother, why are you looking so pale?"


    The Empress smiled slightly and sighed, "I feel weak due to the cold weather."


    "You don''t call for a Physician even though you feel ill? If my father gets to know about this, he will feel


    distressed and worried. I will sent for a Physician for you now. You are carrying a baby now. You should


    be more careful." Yun Shang frowned. She looked genuinely concerned.


    When she spoke of the Emperor, a trace of anger appeared in the Empress''s eyes. She turned and


    said to Xiu Xin, "You see, Shang''er cares about me. Call for a Physician or Shang''er won''t let it go."


    Xiu Xin nced at the Empress and nodded. Then she left the hall.


    Yun Shang smiled as she said, "Mother, you know me very well. By the way, do you know where my


    elder sister has gone? I haven''t seen her for a very long time."


    The Empress kept looking at Yun Shang before she replied with a wry smile, "She has gone to the


    border where her husband serves withplete disregard for my persuasion. Her husband got injured


    at the border. She was worried about him and went to see him at once even though she has a history


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    with Lady Zhao - her husband''s mother. I don''t know how she is doing now. I wish everything goes well


    with her."


    Yun Shang tried to console her, "Mother, you should take care of yourself. You are having a baby now.


    Don''t worry about my elder sister. She was born smart. She is famous in the Imperial City for her


    talents. She must have prepared well before she left for the border."


    "I wish she was." At the mention of Hua Jing, the Empress betrayed a sincere concern.


    "Your Grace, Your Highness, the Imperial Physician ising." Xiu Xin''s voice came from outside the


    door. Subsequently, Xiu Xin led a middle-aged man in an official robe into the Hall. Yun Shang


    recognized him. He was the Imperial Physician who said the Empress was pregnant in the side hall of


    Qinzheng Hall.


    Yun Shang rose to her feet and took a few steps back. "Physician,e see my mother. Why does she


    look so pale?"


    The Physician put down the medicine box and took out a silk handkerchief. Then he put the


    handkerchief on the Empress''s wrist and curtsied to her before he felt her pulse*. Yun Shang kept an


    eye on the Physician. She saw that as he felt her pulse, he asionally lifted his eyes to observe the


    expressions of the Empress in a cautious manner. The Empress said nothing but looked at the


    handkerchief motionlessly.


    (* TN: pulse diagnosis, a traditional Chinese diagnosis method)


    A whileter, the Physician left the Empress''s hands and curtsied to Yun Shang, "Your Highness, you


    don''t have to worry. Through my diagnosis, I believe the Empress is just physically weak. I can


    prescribe some tonic medicine for her. But any medicine has its side effects. The Empress is pregnant


    now so I advise the Empress to eat some tonic food plus a small amount of tonic medicine."


    Yun Shang nodded and said with a smile, "OK. Do as the Physician said. Xiu Xin, you should urge the


    cooks to make some nutritious dishes for the Empress. The most important thing is to restore the


    Empress'' health."


    Xiu Xin replied, "Yes". Then the Empress said, "Now you can put your mind at ease. I said that I''m fine.


    You see, you make such a fuss about nothing."


    Yun Shang turned around and said to the Empress with a brief smile, "Being physically weak is also a


    kind of illness. You should take care of yourself."


    After giving a prescription, the Physician departed. Yun Shang said, "Mother, I will return to my Qingxin


    Pce now. Please remember to take the medicine on time."


    The Empress nodded. Yun Shang smiled happily and then left Qiwu Pce.


    "Your Highness, …" Excitement overwhelmed Qian Yin. Just before she uttered some words, Yun


    Shang interrupted, "This isn''t a good ce for us to talk. We''d better say nothing before we get back to


    Qingxin Pce."


    Qian Yin nodded and proceeded to follow Yun Shang to Qingxin Pce.


    "Princess Yun Shang…." a gentle voice came from the side. Turning around, Yun Shang saw Lady


    Shu, followed by a couple of maids-in-waiting,e up to her.


    Yun Shang squinted at Lady Shu and thought that she was a capable and maniptive woman.


    Although she had only recently taken over the imperial household, she had already arranged many


    spies around Qiwu Pce. Their meeting was more than a chance encounter. Someone had informed


    Lady Shu of her movements. Lady Shu hurried to see Yun Shang in order to get some information


    about the Empress just as she was walking out of Qiwu Pce.


    "Lady Shu…" Yun Shang curtsied to Lady Shu.


    Lady Shu arrested her step before Yun Shang and said with a kind smile, "It''s getting colder. I thought


    only I, preupied with all kinds of things, would go out on such a cold day. I didn''t expect that I would


    run across you. Where are you going now, Princess Yun Shang?"


    Yun Shang replied with a smile, "You are now in charge of the Imperial household so you are


    undoubtedly terribly busy. Just now, I was loitering about. I chanced to remember that I hadn''t visited


    my mother, the Empress for a long time. So I came all the way here to see my mother. On arriving


    there, I found my mother looked pale as she was not feeling well. So I sent for an Imperial Physician to


    check her health. After he confirmed that she was well, I came out of Qiwu Pce."


    "Well, " On hearing this, the smile disappeared from Lady Shu''s face. She asked instantly, "Does the


    Empress fall ill? How is she now? The servants in Qiwu Pce should be to me. They didn''t report


    this news to me. I have to go see the Empress now."


    Yun Shang added hastily, "There is no big deal. The Physician said that the Empress is just physically


    weak and that the Empress just need to take some tonic medicine and eat some nutritious dishes to


    regain her health."


    These words allowed Lady Shu to feel some relief. She said, "Well, well. I will go to Qiwu Pce now. It


    is cold. You should wear more clothes. Today, I have ordered the man in charge of Shangyi Bureau to


    prepare a few winter clothes for you. In a few days, you will have your new clothes."


    "Lady Shu, thank you for your consideration." said Yun Shang. Then she curtsied to Lady Shu who


    turned for Qiwu Pce.


    After a few steps, she stopped to look back at Yun Shang and said gently, "Next time you go to Qiwu


    Pce, don''t forget to see Lady Jin. Anyway, Lady Jin is your biological mother. You shouldn''t ignore


    her even if your adoptive mother, the Empress, treats you very well. You care about the Empress,


    which indicates you are a filial girl. But you shouldn''t have a prejudice against Lady Jin. Now, she is


    also pregnant and the fetus is getting bigger and bigger. She is having a harder time than the


    Empress."


    In a daze for a second, Yun Shang smiled coldly and said, "You are right. Next time I will do as you


    have told."


    Lady Shu found Yun Shang didn''t really pay attention to what she said but she had nothing more to


    say. So she sighed and continued on her way.


    Once Lady Shu was out of sight, Yun Shang, followed by Qin Yi and Qian Yin, set off again.


    Upon returning to Qingxin Pce, Qin Yi helped Yun Shang take off her cloak, put it aside and drew


    the stove nearer to Yun Shang.


    "Princess, Lady Shu is heading to Qiwu Pce. What does she want to do?" said Qian Yin out of


    curiosity.


    Yun Shang said, "No mountain can amodate two tigers, let alone two tigers who both want to rule


    the mountain. Although Lady Shu has the Empress''s seal now, she is just temporarily in charge of the


    Imperial household. She is not the real Empress. Meanwhile, the Empress ims to be carrying the


    Emperor''s baby. If the Empress gave birth to a baby boy, everything Lady Shu has done would be in


    vain. So Lady Shu managed to make the Empress take the abortifacient during the banquet. She did it


    but nothing happened. She is anxious. Hearing me say that the Empress feels ill, she can''t wait to see


    whether the Empress really lost her baby just as she expected."


    Qian Yin chuckled, "Lady Shu''s n will fail. The Empress is not pregnant. There is no way for her to


    lose her baby."


    Yun Shang was leaning against the couch. "You''d better keep that to yourself. Remember not to talk of


    this in the days toe."


    "Do we just let the Empress y this trick?"


    Asked Qian Yin. At this time, Qin Yi was carrying the quilt from the bed to the couch. She said, "The


    Princess has her own n. The trick the Empress is ying won''t go too far."


    Yun Shang said with a smile, "Right. It won''t go too far." All of a sudden, it urred to Yun Shang that if


    she hadn''t taken precautions, her dear mother, Lady Jin would have taken the abortifacient at that


    banquet. Lady Shu had nned to get rid of Lady Jin and the Empress once and for all. Her n was


    good but Yun Shang wouldn''t let anyone hurt her dear mother, Lady Jin. Although Lady Shu worked for


    Prince Jing, Yun Shang thought she should work out a way to warn Lady Shu.