Chapter 161 The Return Of The Empress (Part Two)


    But at Qiwu Pce, the Empress felt puzzled at Yun Shang''s behavior. She rubbed her forehead and


    let out a sigh. Yun Shang seemed to have grown more calm and she seemed to have a more elusive


    mind. Sometimes, it was difficult for her to guess Yun Shang''s true intentions.


    "Your Majesty, please take the medicine." An old maid entered with a bowl of medicine in her hand. The


    Empress stared at the bowl for a while. A bitter smile emerged on her lips. "Take it away. I don''t want to


    drink it. What is the use of taking it..."


    The old maid frowned and said hesitantly, "Your Majesty, this is the medicine prescribed by the


    physician sent by the Grand Councilor. It is said that it is very effective. Your Majesty, please listen to


    me. His Majesty''s love is all but vanity. Newdiese into the Imperial Pce each year. His


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Majesty''s love is thest thing in the world that you can rely on. It is your own child that will be your firm


    support..."


    "Child..." the Empress murmured to herself. After a while, she burst into a fit ofughter. But tears ran


    down her face. "What''s the use of having a child? Jing''er is my daughter. But I cannot protect her."


    The old maid intended to interrupt the Empress when she heard the Empress speak so. But the


    Empress seemed so grieved that the old maid checked herself and only sighed, "Your Majesty, you are


    so young. You have a long way to go..."


    The Empress smiled and took the bowl. She downed it in one gulp. Then she said, "Yes. I''m still young.


    The one whoughsst,ughs best. Let''s wait and see who is the winner in the end."


    The Empress seemed to have no intention of running the imperial household again, though she had


    begun to meet with thedies in the imperial household. Yun Shang looked at the beautiful flowers in


    the garden, and said with a smile, "The Empress was forced to hand over her seal in a humiliating way.


    If His Majesty doesn''t plead with her in person to take the responsibility, how will it be possible for her


    to regain her dignity as the Empress?"


    Two dayster, Yun Shang heard that Grand Councilor Li hade to the Pce and had spent a long


    time with Emperor Ning in Qinzheng Hall. It was said that they had discussed issues about the Flower


    Show Banquet. Emperor Ning went to Qiwu Pce after Grand Councilor Li had left.


    In the evening of that day, Emperor Ning issued an Imperial Edict to the Empress as Yun Shang had


    expected. The Imperial Edict said that the Empress, who is morally perfect and virtuous, will take the


    responsibility of running the imperial household again. The Emperor even handed over the seal to the


    Empress in person.


    But the Empress kept a low profile even after regaining her power in the imperial household. She only


    summoned everyone on the first day after she had retrieved her seal. She told everybody that life


    would not change in the imperial household, and all the people could lead their life as before. After that,


    she didn''t summon anybody.


    However, as more and moredies kept paying the Empress a daily visit, Qiwu Pce gradually


    bustled. Among all thedies in the imperial household, the Empress loved Lady Ya the most as she


    visited the Empress every day. But Lady Fu, the Empress''s younger sister, never appeared at Qiwu


    Pce. This indeed captured the imagination of many people.


    Flowers were in full blossom in April. Soon the annual Flower Show Festival would be held.


    In the State of Ning, the Flower Show Festival was not only a festival, but also a grand contest during


    which the most precious and most beautiful flowers selected from across the country would be shown


    by the prettiest girls. After preliminary selections and re-selections, the most magnificent flower disy


    would be decided during the Flower Show Banquet. The whole Flower Show Festival, from the


    preliminary selection to the final Flower Show Banquet, wouldst nearly half a month.


    The Imperial City was bustling with noise and excitement because of the uing Flower Show


    Festival.


    "It is said that Ruyu has been chosen to show the flowers on behalf of the Imperial City. I wonder what


    Yunqing did to cover the scandal about Ruyu, and how much he paid to buy such an important task for


    Ruyu." said Prince Jing. He stared at the throngs of people outside the carriage, his expression


    showed no sign of emotion.


    Yun Shang nodded, "As I expected, she aims to marry His Majesty."


    Prince Jing looked at Yun Shang, who seemed not too concerned about the topic. "If it is your wish to


    destroy her n, you could tell everybody what Ruyu has done. Then the Wen n would be reduced


    to the point of no return. But you didn''t..."


    Yun Shang grinned, "Why would I do that? Ruyu is a vile woman. Life in the imperial household would


    be full of excitement if she marries His Majesty."


    Prince Jing could not help but burst intoughter, "Shang''er, I must warn you. His Majesty is your


    father, and your mother is one of thedies in the imperial household. It seems you are eager to help


    some women crawl into His Majesty''s bed..."


    Silence was Yun Shang''s answer to the Prince''s question. Actually, she didn''t know for sure how her


    mother felt about His Majesty. Did she really feel nothing about His Majesty? However, as far as Yun


    Shang had observed in the past six months, His Majesty was not a good husband. Her mother could


    certainly not rely on him.


    Yun Shang sighed, "It is the wish of a woman to marry a husband who will love her faithfully for their


    whole life. Most women would have this wish, and mother is one of them. But that is a promise that His


    Majesty cannot make. I don''t know what will happen in the future. What I do know is that His Majesty


    has not been the ideal husband in my mother''s heart of heart for a long time. I do all this just because I


    want to protect those that I love and care. I want them to live in peace. As for the future, I will face


    problems when theye. I have always thought that the Imperial Pce is not a ce suitable for


    women like my mother."


    Prince Jing felt touched by Yun Shang''s words. While staring at Yun Shang, he suppressed the impulse


    to ask her if she was one of the women she spoke so passionately about. ''Do you have such a wish as


    well? Will you leave me if I cannot make you such a promise?''


    However, he dared not ask Yun Shang though those questions kept looping in his mind. He could not


    give her that promise. As she said, no one knows what would happen in the future.


    "It''s here." Prince Jing uttered gently before raising the door curtain of the carriage. He stepped down


    first. Then he stretched his hands and helped Yun Shang to climb down from the carriage.


    "Oh my! It''s you, Prince Jing. I have prepared a nicepartment for you. Please, follow me upstairs."


    The shopkeeper, who was busy receiving customers, noticed the Prince as soon as he set foot in the


    restaurant. He scurried toward the Prince to wee him with due respect.


    Prince Jing nodded at him, and then led Yun Shang upstairs. Theirpartment was the best one on


    the second floor. From the window, the famous Moon Bay could be seen. As this was prime time for


    willow trees along the river, the scent of willow could be smelled when there was a breeze.