Chapter 44 Lin's Disappearance

Yun Shang wondered what the Empress was planning. Soon, she figured it out. It seems that the Empress intended to replace Qin Meng with a new spy. What a wily snake!

"I feel we should ask Qin Meng what she wants, even though she's merely a maid, " said Yun Shang with a smile. "Besides, no more maids are needed regardless of whether she leaves or not. I became comfortable with my life at Ning'guo Temple. Now, being served by many people makes me uneasy."

"No, you can't. As a Princess, you must follow the rules, " responded the Empress. "I've already told the Imperial Household Department* to pick a good maid for you." The Empress took a prayer band off her wrist and rolled the beads between her fingers.

(*TN: Its primary purpose was to manage the internal affairs of the Imperial family and the activities of the inner Palace.)

"Alright, " Yun Shang smiled nonchalantly.

Satisfied, the Empress nodded. As if having thought of something important, she looked at Yun Shang and asked, "Have you found a cure for your illness? I heard that you were ill and declined all concubines' visit."

Hearing that, Yun Shang smiled apologetically, "I caught a cold, and I was afraid it would bring bad luck to others. Besides, I haven't been back at the Palace for long. I'm still not used to visitors. After Lady Jin was favored by my father, many concubines came to me and said something I couldn't understand. So I asked my maids to keep them out."

The Empress stopped playing with her beads. "Hmm. Why do you call her Lady Jin? She's your mother." The Empress spoke impassively while staring at Yun Shang.

"Although she is my mothe

me from?" asked Qin Yi in surprise.

Without answering, Yun Shang went to the table and drew something. Then she put it into the goose's mouth, and let the bird fly away.

Qin Yi looked out the window in surprise, but did not see the goose. Then she turned away, and left to decoct medicine.

As she was leaving, Yun Shang remembered something. "Do you remember there was a eunuch named Lin in Qingxin Palace seven years ago?"

"Lin?" Qin Yi frowned, and shook her head.

"At that time, the Empress brought a fake priest and tried to kill me. After that she caught the maids and eunuchs working here and tried to bribe them. But Lin told me that the Empress commanded him to poison me."

Qin Yi suddenly recalled the incident Yun Shang mentioned. "Oh, now I remember, " she said.

"When I returned to the palace, both the Empress and Qin Meng told me that none of the servants in the Qingxin Palace had changed. But after all this while here, I haven't seen Lin. Please inquire about his whereabouts secretly." said Yun Shang.

Hearing that, Qin Yi nodded. "Aye, I will." Then she left.