Chapter 94 Leaving It Unsettled

Yun Shang squinted her eyes. It happened just as she had expected. When she ran across the cat in the bamboo forest, she knew that something interesting would happen.

It seemed that the trick was played by Lady Ming. As a senior member of the imperial household, Lady Ming would have gone through many ups and downs over the years. As a result, she must be very patient and calm. It didn't seem likely that she would do such a thing impulsively.

Maybe…

As Yun Shang bowed her head to smell her sleeve, she started to cough badly. Then she looked up and said, "There is undoubtedly an aromatic substance on my sleeve. Due to my poor health, I have never been accustomed to aromas except from herbs. Every time I smell pungent aromas, I cough. What's more, the physician has just said that the aroma would make people restless. Why would I take a substance that would make me very sick?"

"Well, " On hearing this, the physician timidly lifted his eyes to Lady Ming.

Yun Shang said with a slight smile, "During my walk from Qingxin Palace to Meiying House, I did not come across any smells. I believe that I got the aromatic substance on my sleeve when I touched the cat. I remember Lady Ming also touched the cat, so did the old maid by Lady Ming's side. Since the substance is harmful, I would suggest that the physician check whether it transferred to Lady Ming and her old maid."

The imperial physician hesitated. Yun Shang said with a smile, "Are you afraid that Lady Ming will be offended?"

The physician nodded and said, "Yes, I'm afraid."

Yun Shang bowed her head and thought for a while before she swiveled around to speak with the Emperor, "Father, I'm weak, but I'm young. So it's not all that dangerous if I'm stained with the harmful aroma. But Lady Ming is old if… Father, you can ask a few ladies to smell Lady Ming. Is that okay?"

The Emperor nodded and said, "Yes. Shang'er is right." Then he scanned the ladies present and thought for a while before announcing, "Lady Meng, Lady Ying, and Lady Lan, please check Lady Ming."

Lady Ming opened her mouth to object, but said nothing. The three ladies walked towards Lady Ming and took a deep breath. Then they approached Yun Shang. The Princess lifted her hands to let them sniff her sleeves. A while later, Lady Meng took the lead in reporting, "I found there is an odd aroma coming from Lady Ming and the old maid. The aroma is the same as that on Princess Hui Guo's sleeve. I also found something odd. Only one of Princess Hui Guo's sleeves has the aroma."

Yun Shang smiled, lifted her right hand and said, "It should be this sleeve. Father, I'm afraid that you don't know that a cat sprang at me on my way here and I was knocked to the ground. I guessed the cat must belong to a lady for it was well-cared for. So I brought it here. Just as we arrived, Lady Fu recognized it and told us the cat was Yuan Bao and that it belonged to Lady Ming. I then gave it back to Lady Ming. Lady Ming asked me to feel its soft fur. I used my right hand to touch the cat."

After Yun Shang finished her explanation, Lady Ming said, "Are you implying that I put the aromatic substance on the cat and tried to frame you with that?"

Yun Shang shook her head, "Lady Ming, I'm afraid you misunderstand me. I should be blamed for I brought the cat here. This incident would not have happened had I not suggested that the cat be brought to the House. Later, I will ask my maid to send my most effective vulnerary to Lady Fu. Now, Father is investigating the truth of the matter. I believe I should give a full account of this incident honestly so that Father is well-informed. I learned it from some novels where characters relate incidents in great detail. I don't know whether what I said is useful or not."

Yun Shang continued, "Lady Ming, I knew that it was not you who put the aromatic substance on the cat. Lady Fu is your niece. You won't harm your dear niece. But, I think the one that played the trick and caused suspicion was extremely audacious."

Dear niece. A mocking air appeared in Yun Shang's eyes but it disappeared soon. Though she didn't know whether Lady Ming played the trick or not, she had explained herself properly. If Lady Ming did play the trick, she must have discussed it with Lady Fu. At any rate, it was acceptable to put Lady Fu in the spotlight. Lady Fu was always holding grudges. Though she didn't say it, she would secretly hate Lady Ming.

The Emperor said nothing and watched the infighting. Impatience flashed in his eyes as he thought, 'These ladies are always contending with each other covertly every day. But today, they almost harmed the baby that Lady Jin is bearing. I should warn them.'

"Somebody Catch a cat for me." said the Emperor.

A cat? Everybody wondered what the Emperor intended to do.

Lady Ming frowned and said to the Emperor, "What are you going to do?"

The Emperor replied, "Just now, the physician said the smell would make people restless. And it would also make a cat go wild. So, I want to test the theory. I wonder how the cat go wild when it smells the substance."

On hearing this, the physician trembled slightly but sai

ought about what Yun Shang said carefully and sighed, "You know everything. But you are by nature, meek. When you get married, you will be mistreated."

Upon hearing this, Yun Shang said with a smile, "Father, I am a Princess. You will support me. Nobody will dare to mistreat me. Besides, Master Wu Na said that suffering a loss is a blessing."

"Suffering a loss is a blessing. Only a wise man such as Wu Na can deliver such a wonderful statement." said the Emperor. "Do you want to visit your dear mother now?"

Yun Shang nodded her head. Then she added, "No. Father, you have seen that I am in the public spotlight now. Mother is bearing a baby, and many ladies are trying to hurt her. If I visit her too frequently, I will bring attention to mother. What's more, " Yun Shang paused for a while before continuing, "I have seldom been in touch with mother since my childhood. Even if I see mother, I don't know what to say."

The Emperor kept silent for a moment before sighing, "It's all my fault."

Then they walked their separate ways. Yun Shang went back to Qingxin Palace. Qian Yin closed the door and asked with a puzzled look, "Princess, you must have heard the slight noise coming from the vase. The old maid threw the needle into the vase. Why didn't you tell the Emperor about this?"

Yun Shang shook her head and said, "All the guests present pretended that they hadn't heard the noise. We should do the same thing. The Emperor's bodyguards also claimed they had heard nothing and found nothing. There was no way for us to contradict everyone."

Qian Yin took a tumble and exclaimed, "Well, I see. The Emperor tried to cover up for the old maid, or more specifically, Lady Ming."

"Hush!" Yun Shang made a gesture and said, "Don't say that. Don't talk nonsense."

Qian Yin stopped talking instantly and then whispered to Yun Shang and Qin Yi, "Princess, during the feast, a maid secretly gave me a small piece of paper."

"Really? What's on it?" Yun Shang felt slightly stunned. Then she recalled something and said, "You have accompanied me so long that I forget that you were sent here by the Empress to replace Qin Meng. Maybe the Empress ordered the maid to send you the small piece of paper? The Empress might want you to do something for her."

Qian Yin nodded and said, "Princess, you are right. The Empress asks me to lead you to the pavilion in the the Imperial Garden in the late morning, three days from now."

"Really? What will happen in three days?" Yun Shang thought for a while. In her previous life, around this time, she would have reported her pregnancy to the Empress. In this life, she didn't get married nor pregnant. The Empress was grounded. Everything was different. So what would happen in three days?

Qian Yin shook her head and said, "I don't know. The paper didn't convey the intention of this action. It just says I have to lead you there. You see…"

Yun Shang smiled and said, "Come what may, I'm not afraid. I want to see what scheme the Empress has made to frame me. There is another thing I want you to do. Tell our spies to monitor Princess Hua Jing. If Princess Hua Jing calls for a physician, our spies should bribe the physician in advance and tell him to prescribe an antiabortifacient. If Hua Jing sends someone to buy some medicine for her, our spies should secretly change the medicine to an antiabortifacient. Anyway, I hope that what Hua Jing asks for is an antiabortifacient."