Qin Yi and Qian Zhuo were looking at the servants outside with displeasure on their faces.
Seeing the expressions on their faces, Yun Shang burst into laughter. "It's been quite a day. Go get some hot water for me. I'll wash myself and go to bed early."
Qin Yi and Qian Yin looked at each other before Qin Yi stepped to the door. Qin Yi smiled at a maid standing at the door and asked, "Could you please send some hot water here?"
The maid nodded and left.
Yun Shang turned around and walked to the inner hall, which was very magnificent. There was a big bed made of rosewood with complex black patterns, and the bed curtain was embroidered with blooming peonies. Then she noticed a purple bead curtain hanging in the room, which was stunning and breathtaking. Yun Shang vaguely saw a table with a Guqin on it behind the bead curtain.
Around the bedroom there were all kinds of fans with different pictures like a portraits of ladies or flower patterns. They were all very exquisite. Randomly placed there, they had their own charm.
Yun Shang turned to look at Qin Yi and asked softly, "Do you know who has lived in the Zhaoxia Palace before?"
Qin Yi thought for a moment and said, "I've seen it from the information collected by the secret guards. It seems to be the place where the eldest princess lived before she got married."
"The eldest princess?" Yun Shang was taken by surprise. Why did the Empress arrange her in the palace where the eldest princess had lived? How much did she know about the eldest princess?
Yun Shang nodded slightly and kept silent for a while. Then she took Qin Yi's hand and whispered in her ear, "Find an opportunity to ask Su Luo if she had told the Empress about the news that the eldest princess and the seventh prince have joined hands?"
As Qin Yi nodded slightly, they heard footsteps coming from the outer hall. "Your Highness, I've brought some hot water. Can I bring it in?"
Hearing this, Qin Yi walked quickly to the door, opened the curtain, and smiled at the maid. "Thank you. I'll take it in for Her Highness. By the way, may I have your name? Now that Her Highness lives here, but I'm not very familiar with the Palace. I'm afraid I'll have to bother you and ask for your help."
Yun Shang heard the maid's sweet voice from outside. "I'm flattered. My name is Cai Yi."
Qin Yi thanked her several times before she brought the water into the bathroom.
After Yun Shang washed her face and rinsed her mouth, she took off her robe, untied her hair, and lay down on the bed. Qin Yi was afraid that Yun Shang couldn't fall asleep in a strange room, so she left a small lamp, and covered it with an orange lamp cover. The room was darker.
Qin Yi put down the bed curtain and discussed with Qian Zhuo in a low voice for a while. Then she went to rest in the small night-watch cabin in the outer room. After putting a quilt on the couch in the hall, Qian Zhuo lay down and fell asleep.
Behind the bed curtain, Yun Shang kept staring at
ress said with a smile, "At that time, the eldest princess was very favored by the former Emperor. The State of Xia was relatively weak compared with other states as it values literary grace more than martial virtues. So many princess have to sacrifice for political marriages. The deceased Emperor had seven daughters and five of them had been married to other states, except the eldest princess and Princess Tai An. The eldest princess was favored by the former Emperor, so she didn't marry far away. Princess Tai An was the youngest princess who was regarded as a treasure by the Empress Dowager. Moreover, she had a high vision, so she hasn't got married."
Speaking of Princess Tai An, the expression on the Empress's face changed slightly, but she quickly concealed it.
"I couldn't believe the eldest princess did such a thing. It's really a pity."
Yun Shang listened quietly. After the Empress finished speaking, she said softly, "Yes."
"I heard that Prince Rui has been searching for the eldest princess. Is there any news?" The Empress asked as if she just mentioned it casually.
Yun Shang's heart skipped a beat and became alert.
After thinking for a moment, she said in a low voice, "A few days ago, His Highness received news that the eldest princess appeared in a rice store in the Jin City and that she went to a bank to withdrew money. But when they wanted to follow here, she was nowhere to be found. "
"Oh?" The Empress raised her eyebrows and looked at Yun Shang, "Have they checked the rice shop and the bank thoroughly?"
Yun Shang nodded, "His Highness has sent someone to investigate. I don't know much about it. But I heard that the bank seems to be owned by the seven prince."
The Empress paused for a moment, and then she smiled again. She picked up the tea cup beside, took a sip of the tea, and said softly, "The seventh prince and the eldest princess have always been at odds, I didn't expect that the eldest princess would deposit her money in his bank."