Chapter 140 Birthday Party (Part One)


    The Empress? She fainted? Hearing these words, Yun Shang nced at Qian Yin and saw anger


    surge in her maid''s eyes. She shed a smile before fixing her eyes on the teacup in her hand. Then


    she praised, "Smart move."


    By pretending to have fainted, the Empress affected a helpless wife. She always acted with nobility and


    dignity in front of others and even selflessness if necessary. And in the previous decades, she had


    yed the role of an impartial Empress well. Even when she was informed that she was infertile, she


    had been sad for a while, but she had recovered to the Empress she had always been. Someone who


    felt no joy or sorrow for herself, apart from what was the best for her husband.


    That was why the Empress''s sudden faint was so unexpected.


    Right now, the Grand Councilor''s power was at stake, as Lady Ming just irritated Emperor Ning, and


    Hua Jing was still in her recovery. And at this crucial point, the Empress suddenly fell ill.


    With a smile on her lips, Yun Shang ordered, "Let''s pay a visit to Qiwu Pce."


    When they arrived, many others had also called on the Empress. They saw Emperor Ning, Lady Ming,


    Lady Fu, Lady Ya, and Qin Meng among the callers. Yun Shang also noticed several otherdies


    whom she didn''t know.


    Standing aside a desk, an imperial physician was writing the Empress''s prescription. With a disturbed


    look on her face, Lady Ming asked. "How''s the Empress now?"


    The imperial physician bowed before answering, "Her Majesty is fine. But she always burdens herself


    with sorrow, which has finally induced her illness. She will wake up in two hours. But Her Majesty has


    always been weak, and I''m afraid the faint has harmed her health. When she wakes up, she needs


    more rest. If she burdened herself again, she would..." Shaking his head, the imperial physician said no


    more. But Lady Ming knew exactly what he meant to say. She frowned, and remained quiet.


    Emperor Ning gazed at the pale Empress. His eyes were as dark as night sky;plex feelings


    mounting in their depths. After a long while, he turned to thedies and said, "The physician has said


    that the Empress needs rest. Leave us, all of you."


    Thedies exchanged several meaningful nces. They curtsied to the Emperor before leaving the


    Pce.


    But Yun Shang remained. She spoke softly, "Father, Her Majesty needs someone to take care of her,


    and you are too busy with state affairs. I can look after her in your stead."


    Emperor Ning paused for a short while, and turned to Yun Shang. Before he spoke, Lady Ming cut in,


    "Shang''er, you''re an unmarried Princess. You can barely take care of yourself. I will find some


    experienced maids to look after Yiran. You should spend time on yourself."


    Yun Shang remained silent for a while before she answered "Okay" in a low voice. A pained expression


    showed in her eyes. Seeing that, Lady Ming''s heart hitched. She wondered what Yun Shang had


    nned. Did the Princess want Emperor Ning to feel that she was a domineering person? ''What an


    awful woman! Keep ying innocent then!'' Lady Ming thought to herself as she gritted her teeth. She''d


    like to see what else Yun Shang was up to.


    The Emperor''s eyes darkened when he heard Yun Shang''s low voice.


    "Your Majesty..." Lord Zheng called from outside the door. A eunuch as he was, he was once a man,


    and not allowed to enter Empress Yuan Zhen''s chamber as she was the most honorable woman in the


    State of Ning.


    Emperor Ning turned to him and asked, "What''s happened?"


    Lord Zheng hesitated before saying, "Your Majesty, the Grand Councilor has sent a memorial imploring


    you to allow him to visit Her Majesty, the Empress. The Grand Councilor said that since they heard the


    news of Her Majesty''s illness, the whole family has been worried. He begged for Your Majesty''s mercy.


    And Prince Qingsu has also sent a letter asking after Her Majesty''s physical condition."


    Hearing that, Lady Ming was extremely joyful. The Xia and Yng envoys were still in the capital. The


    Emperor needed the Grand Councilor''s counsel more than before. He would never refuse the Grand


    Councilor''s request.


    Noticing the joy in Lady Ming''s eyes, Yun Shang shed a sarcastic smile. Having spent so many years


    in the Pce the woman should''ve known that her father resented the Grand Councilor the most. What


    would an Emperor feel, except for anger and hatred, when he was overtaken by other people? How


    foolish of the Li n to have sent the memorial to her father.


    Yun Shang nced around the room before fixing her gaze on the sleeping Empress. The Empress


    must''ve gone to great lengths for this drama. Apparently, she had caught a cold. And to have achieved


    that, she must have bathed in many buckets of cold water. But what was the Empress''s intention? Did


    she want to maintain her current position?


    Yun Shang almostughed out. How could the Empress reckon her father to have no idea about the


    entanglements in the Pce? After all, the Emperor had spent so many years on the throne, in which


    period, a lot of things had happened under his nose. The Empress''s n was in vain. After the drama,


    the Emperor could only be more disgusted with her than before.


    Emperor Ning turned and nced at the Empress as well. He sneered quietly when he noticed the


    Empress''s quivering eyshes. Raising his voice, he ordered, "Lord Zheng, inform the Grand


    Councilor that Her Majesty is ill due to constant overburden. He may not visit her now, for she needs


    more rest. I will send for them when she recovers. But I''d like to bring Hua Jing here. The Empress has


    been missing her, and would recover sooner if she were around. As for Prince Qingsu. Tell him, the


    Empress is fine. He may rest assured."


    Hearing these words, Yun Shang shed a triumphant smile. She did know her father well! He hated to


    be coerced by other people.


    The smile on Lady Ming''s face froze. She tried to save the situation, "The Grand Councilor is Yiran''s


    father. He cares a lot for Yiran. If he doesn''t see her, his worry would grow."


    Emperor Ning scoffed. Did the Li n really think him to be a fool? How had Li Jingyan heard about


    Empress Yuan Zhen''s illness, as the Empress had only just fallen ill, and the imperial physician had


    recently administered the treatment? How could word spread in an instant? The only exnation was


    that the Grand Councilor had ced an informer in his Pce.


    "ording to the physician, the Empress has been overwhelmed by the numerous activities in the


    Pce. Although in the past few days, you''ve helped her with many affairs, mother, I don''t think you


    can always help her, given the condition that the Empress can no longer overwork herself. Therefore,


    I''ve decided to trust Lady Ya with control of my Pce. Lady Ya is young and new to the Pce, but


    she''s always been prudent and wless. I always thought that she is as smart as the Zhuangyuan, if


    not better. Let''s say there''s no harm in trying. If there''s a problem, I will ask for your help, mother."


    A fit of petnt sulkiness showed on Lady Ming''s face. Why was it that the subject always returned to


    the control of the Pce? The Emperor didn''t take back Lady Ming''s power when he rebuked her for


    she had wronged Yun Shang. Why would he do it now? What had changed his mind?


    Yun Shang was delighted to see this. As per the proverb, the Li n went for wool but came home


    shorn.


    "Mother, you''ve always been impartial. Moreover, you''ve been a moral model in my Pce. I''d like to


    ask you to help me with another very difficult matter." Emperor Ning frowned and seemed to be in great


    distress.


    Curious, Lady Ming shot a questioning nce at him, "What is it?"


    Emperor Ning shed a smile. "You must have heard of Hua Jing''s misdeeds, mother. Nothing remains


    a secret in this world. And there were so many people at the hunting ground the other day. I can''t kill


    them all to cover up the scandal. And my decision isn''t a rushed n. The Pce is well guarded, and


    safer than the outer world. I have been worrying about Jing''er as she''s been living alone in the Princess


    Pce. And when she returns to the Pce, please teach her how to behave, mother. I intended to


    nurture her into a talented youngdy, well-versed in the Four Arts, but now she''s turned out to be


    Upon hearing that, Yun Shang raised her eyebrows. Her father seemed to have known about Hua Jing


    and Qingsu''s routine rendezvous since Qingsu''s arrival, and found an excuse to bring Hua Jing back


    into the Pce. Although he imed it was for Hua Jing''s safety, in fact, he wanted to cut off her


    connection with Qingsu.


    No matter how modest and courteous Qingsu behaved in the Imperial City, his army was still waiting for


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    the opportunity to attack Ning. And the situation could still exacerbate if Qingsu colluded with the Grand


    Councilor through his rtions with Hua Jing.


    As Emperor Ning had finished his orders, he turned to the Empress and said, "Take good care of


    yourself." Then he walked out of Qiwu Pce.


    ''Tsk, tsk. Lady Ming, Empress Yuan Zhen, you''ve always thought about yourselves. But did you ever


    think of this oue?'' Yun Shang shed a smile and thought. Then she took her leave and and


    returned to Qingxin Pce in a good mood.


    "Your Highness, it''s good for you that Lady Ya is taking control of the Pce." Qian Yin''s joy showed on


    her face. Giggling, she said, "The Empress must be outraged. Oops. It was her choice to pretend faint.


    She was conscious the whole time though. I saw her eyshes tremble when His Majesty uncovered


    her ruse. I can tell you that she almost went mad, but didn''t dare to speak. If she did, she would be


    caught lying to the Emperor about her faint. How satisfying!"


    Yun Shang also smiled. She nodded to Qian Yin in consent. When they returned to the Pce, Qin Yi


    was already waiting for them. She handed an invitation letter to Yun Shang and spoke, "Your Highness,


    in three days, Prince Jing''s birthday party will be held, and his chambein has sent you an invitation


    letter. What gift should we present him, Your Highness?"


    "Hmm?" Hearing her words, Yun Shang paused for a short while. Of course, she remembered Prince


    Jing''s birthday. But, was it really a good time to hold a birthday party?


    Yun Shang took the invitation letter, opened it, and had a look. She recognized Prince Jing''s signature


    on it. She thought about it for moment, and figured that the Prince intended to lure his enemies out.


    Knowing Prince Jing''s intention, Yun Shang was a little worried. The person who had hurt him must be


    a trained warrior. And the Prince''s wound would slow him down in a fight.


    "Don''t worry, Your Highness. The assassin had caught the Prince off-guard. And His Highness will be


    better prepared this time. He has sent invitation letters to others as well." Giggling, Qian Yinforted


    her.


    Yun Shang was stunned for a while, before she realized that she had spoken her mind.


    She flushed crimson when she saw Qian Yin and Qin Yi look at her with amusement. She grabbed a


    book from her side and tossed it at them.


    Qian Yin pulled Qin Yi aside and giggled. "Are you trying to murder us to prevent divulgence of your


    secrets?"