An Eight-year-old Princess

Chapter 18 Lady Jin's Plan

Noticing that Yun Shang was staring at her, Lady Jin chuckled," Fear not, I heard from others that

Shang'er had fallen into a coma after catching a cold. I was quite worried. That's why I came by." As

she spoke, she turned to the person behind her," Madam Zheng, come here and check if Shang'er is

alright."

The person who followed Lady Jin lifted her cape and approached the bed. Yun Shang recognized her

as the old lady who had opened the gate for her when she visited Lady Jin at the Cold Palace.

Lady Jin noticed the curious look on Yun Shang's face and said," Shang'er, do not underestimate

Madam Zheng. Her medical skills could rival that of any Imperial Physician in the Palace. I've been

healthy all these years all because of Madam Zheng. Shang'er, show her your hand. Let Madam Zheng

feel your pulse."

Yun Shang nodded. Of all the people in the Palace, she knew the one person she didn't have to doubt

was her mother. Lady Jin had learned of Yun Shang's sickness and had come to check on her despite

all the danger. Yun Shang lamented having hurt Lady Jin so much in her previous life. The young

Princess felt comfort in the knowledge that Lady Jin had informers around the Palace. How else could

she have known that Yun Shang had fallen ill so quickly? While others planted spies for malicious

reasons, Lady Jin had done so because she cared about her daughter. Along with the comfort, this

conclusion brought a tinge of sadness. In Yun Shang's previous life, she had spoken poorly of her

mother openly. Lady Jin must have known all the heartless words uttered by her. Yun Shang now

thought herself despicable.

Madam Zheng gently put her hand on Yun Shang's wrist. After a while, she exclaimed in surprise," Your

Highness, the Princess was poisoned."

"What, poisoned?" The three other people in the room were startled by this revelation.

Lady Jin's expression changed to worry. Looking at Madam Zheng, she said," How could it be poison? I

thought she caught a cold and that her body was hot because of the fever. Madam, do you know what

poison was used? Do you have a cure?"

Madam Zheng frowned as she spoke," The Princess was probably poisoned by oleander. Her

poisoning was not serious, so it will be easy to cure. Take two maces of ginseng and mondo grass, one

mace of magnolia-vine, boil twice with water, mix them up, and take it in two separate doses. Although

the poisoning looks like a cold or a fever, anyone with above average medical knowledge would be

able to tell the difference by feeling her pulse. This shouldn't have been treated as a fever. Perhaps the

Imperial Physician was bribed to say it was. If the Princess asks for the herbs herself, they will be

suspicious..."

The magnitude of the situation finally dawned on Qin Yi. Feeling shocked, she said," But how was the

Princess poisoned? I have always been careful with the Princess' utensils and tableware. How did

people find the opportunity?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Zheng checked Yun Shang's body again thoroughly and said," I suppose

the poison was mixed in the bathwater the Princess used. I examined the Princess thoroughly just now.

Although she was wiped over with antiseptic alcohol which covered up the smell of oleander

completely, I was able to smell traces of oleander in the Princess' hair, behind her ears, and on her

neck."

"Bathwater?" Qin Yi quickly thought back to the previous night and exclaimed in surprise," It's Qin

Meng!"

Qin Yi quickly narrated the events before Yun Shang's illness. "Yesterday, it was Qin Meng who

prepared the bathwater. After the Princess told me that Qin Meng seemed suspicious, I paid extra

attention to her actions. This morning, it was Qin Meng who reminded me that once the Princess

received her title, many concubines would come by to congratulate her. She asked me to serve the

Princess. That Imperial Physician was sent for by Qin Meng as well. He had instructed me to wipe the

Princess's body with alcohol. It must have been Qin Meng's scheme to add oleander in the bathwater

and then bribe a Physician and trick me to cover the evidence with alcohol..."

"Yes..." Qin Yi suddenly thought of something else and added hastily," What about the medicine? I'll

find the medicine prescribed by the Physician so that Madam Zheng can have a look." She walked out

as she finished her sentence.

Lady Jin frowned and sighed. "I didn't expect Li Yiran to be malicious. Years ago, I didn't want to fight

with her and voluntarily left for the Cold Palace hoping that she would be assured and not scheme to

harm Shang'er. I never thought that she still wouldn't let go..."

Yun Shang smiled and reassured Lady Jin," Mother, it is not your fault..."

Lady Jin still blamed herself," It is my fault. You wouldn't have suffered if I hadn't been so weak. I didn't

get to take care of you since you were taken away from me. And all this time, you've had to watch your

back by yourself. One careless step and you could lose your life. Thinking about what you've endured

all these years breaks my heart."

Yun Shang felt warmth rising in her heart. Even though she had seen Lady Jin only a few times, her

concern and genuine sorrow were heartening. Yun Shang could not help but feel a lump in her throat.

All this time she had cursed her mother without knowing how Lady Jin truly felt.

"Madam, here's the medicine. Please take a look and see if there's anything wrong..." Qin Yi could be

heard even before she lifted the curtain and stepped inside. The bowl of medicine in her hand was still

steaming as she walked in.

Madam Zheng took a deep breath, frowned, and said," I don't need to look. I can smell it already." She NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.

turned around," There is oleander juice in this medicine, and from the smell, it's a substantial dose."

Hearing this, Qin Yi's face turned pale. "What a sinister plan! If it weren't for Lady Jin and Madam

Zheng, I would have brought this medicine to the Princess. If the Princess takes this..."

Madam Zheng calmly interrupted," If she drinks this bowl of medicine, I'm afraid the Princess wouldn't

live past tomorrow morning." She let out a sigh as she spoke," Empress Yuan Zhen is indeed devious.

She first made the Princess bathe in water mixed with oleander. Adding so much water to the oleander

juice would certainly weaken the effect. Besides, she was only bathing, so instead of taking her life, the

poison wouldn't do anything more than induce a fever and a coma, which then created the opportunity

for an Imperial Physician to look after the Princess and add more oleander juice in the medicine. If

something went wrong, they could just claim that the Princess was too weak to withstand the fevers..."

Yun Shang laughed mildly with a bit of self-deprecation. She thought she had been extremely careful,

and that she could defeat Empress Yuan Zhen and Hua Jing. She did not expect to almost lose her life.

Clearly she underestimated the Empress and her power in the Palace.

Lady Jin's face also changed," I remember Li Yiran to be a smart woman. I didn't think she would use

such schemes against people in the Imperial Household. Madam, how can we get the herbs to cure

Shang'er?"

Madam Zheng paced back and forth in the bedroom for a while and eventually said," In this Palace, it's

almost impossible to sneak in the herbs and prepare them for the Princess without anyone noticing..."

Lady Jin stood up right away," What? Then what should we do? Perhaps we can have another one of

our maids pretend to be sick, so that she can go the the Imperial Physicians, seek these herbs, and

deliver them to us. We can boil them and deliver the medicine to Shang'er, right?"

Madam Zheng shook her head and said," My Lady, tell me, would a sick Palace maid be needing

ginseng?"

Lady Jin sat down despondently. Yun Shang quickly took Lady Jin's hand and smiled," Mother, don't

worry. The Madam told us, didn't she? I was only slightly poisoned. The dose was so small that it won't

kill me. At most there's some more pain. I'll be fine and I will get through it. Mother, please be at ease. I

will be alright."

Madam Zheng closely observed Yun Shang. She was filled with admiration for this brave young girl.

She thought a bit more and said," The best plan right now would be to send the Princess out of the

Palace..."

"Out of the Palace?" Lady Jin stayed silent as she thought. She then looked up at Yun Shang and

said," Even though I wouldn't want to leave you, but at this point, leaving the Palace is actually not a

bad idea. I am well aware that you received your title and reward, and I feel happy for you. But I am

afraid this is the exact reason why the Empress won't leave you alone. The higher you climb, the more

of a threat you are to her. She will definitely get rid of you before you are fully in power."

Lady Jin sighed," I heard everything about you through Qin Yi, and I think you are a smart girl. But no

matter how smart you are, you cannot confront Li Yiran in your current state. Her cunningness aside,

she has spies in every Hall and every Palace. Her father was the revered Grand Chancellor of the

previous dynasty. Do you know, Shang'er, why Hua Jing and the Empress were grounded only for one

day after setting you up? That's because there was a military revolt in the Northwest. Li Yiran's brother

is the Chief Commander of the Northwest garrison. Your father, the Emperor, needs to rely on the Li

clan..."

Yun Shang sighed," The Empress' family wields so much power, and the Emperor is just going to allow

it?"

Lady Jin frowned and lowered her voice," Shang'er, be careful what you say. If others heard you, they

would accuse you of dissent. It's taboo for the Empress' family to hold power, but even if we want to

eradicate the Li clan, it's not the right time. We need to wait..."

"As long as the Li clan has its hold on the court, Li Yiran's authority cannot be challenged. Shang'er,

you will not be able to overthrow her at this time. In the Palace, you certainly won't be safe. It's better

that you leave the Palace. Although your grandfather retired from politics, his friends have many

talents. The things that the Empress wouldn't allow you to learn in the Palace can be learned if you get

out. If you can learn all these skills from your grandfather's friends, then my Shang'er, you might

become the most talented woman in the world."

Yun Shang lowered her head and thought for a long time. Finally, she let out a gentle sigh. Her mother

was right. She was only eight years old, and she had no power of her own. She was limited everywhere

in this Palace. If she got out, it would be a good way for her to cultivate her own influence.

Thinking of this, Yun Shang nodded at last," I will obey mother's arrangements. But how shall I sneak

out of the Palace?"

Lady Jin's face lit up with a smile," Leave that to your mother."