Chapter 212 The Wedding Night

"Shang'er?" Prince Jing frowned while looking at the pained expression on Yun Shang's face. He called to Yun Shang softly and shook her to wake her up.

Yun Shang suddenly sat up with eyes wide open. She wasn't completely awake until Prince Jing asked her in a deep and gentle voice. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Yun Shang turned to him and looked at him in bewilderment. It took her quite a while to remember where she was. "Uncle?"

Prince Jing nodded. "We are back home."

Still confused, Yun Shang looked around and noticed that she was in a carriage. Her mind gradually cleared. Today was her wedding day, but she had rushed back to the Imperial Palace upon hearing that Lady Jin had entered premature labor. Shortly afterward, Prince Jing came with a dependable midwife who saved Lady Jin and the unborn child.

Yun Shang gave a sigh of relief. "Are we back at your mansion?"

Prince Jing nodded as he opened the carriage door and alighted. He turned and offered the Princess his hand. Yun Shang gently placed her hand in his before climbing out of the carriage slowly. They continued to hold hands as they walked.

"The midwife said there was a strange scent coming from me today. Uncle, since you have offered to conduct a thorough investigation, can you send the makeup I used this morning to a reliable physician or someone who has good knowledge of this?" Yun Shang said softly. The wedding dress had been made and preserved by Lady Jin. Once Yun Shang had received it, she had kept the dress close by. It would have been impossible for anyone to tamper with it.

Prince Jing agreed as they entered the main yard.

While they were gone, Qian Yin had become anxious. She kept checking the entrance of the yard. As soon as she saw Yun Shang and Prince Jing, she rushed to them. "Your Highness, how is Lady Jin?"

"She is alright." Yun Shang answered before telling her maid. "I need to bathe. Prepare water for me."

Qian Yin cast a glance at Prince Jing. Though puzzled, Qian Yin nodded and left.

After bathing, Yun Shang dressed herself in casual clothes. As she was a new bride, all her clothes were red as the color symbolized joy and fortune.

"I'm still quite worried, Uncle. I need to return to the Imperial Palace. You must feel uncomfortable as you drunk a lot earlier. I'll ask Qian Yin to make you some soup that will ease your discomfort. Please do have some and rest well." Yun Shang looked at Prince Jing as she spoke.

After a short silence, Prince Jing said, "It's getting late. You might not even be able to enter the Palace at this hour. Moreover, you are married now. If you show up at this time, people might gossip. After all, Lady Jin's Palace is attached to Qiwu Palace. And the Empress always keeps an eye on everything."

Yun Shang paused. Certainly she understood the risk, but she was really anxious about her mother. Every time she thought about the possibility that Lady Jin was put in danger because of her, the Princess was flooded with guilt.

Lady Jin had never complained about anything. Yun Shang however, felt like an unfilial daughter. There were so many things that Yun Shang should have done, but didn't. Most recently, she hadn't consulted with her mother about the wedding date. Her mother on the other hand, had traveled all the way from Laifeng Palace to attend the wedding. But Yun Shang had failed to protect her loving and kind mother.

"I will sneak into the Palace then. I'll leave once I make sure my mother is alright. I won't do anything else." Yun Shang muttered.

A soft knock came from the window. Prince Jing walked to the window and opened it. Yun Shang saw a man in black standing outside respectfully.

"Your Highness, Lady Jin has woken up and taken her medicine. She is safe and sound in His Majesty's company." The man bowed. His hands were folded in front of his chest and he looked at Prince Jing.

Prince Jing nodded and closed the window. "Do you feel better?" He asked.

Yun Shang hesitated as she thought. She didn't know what to say.

After a moment, she heard a bird tweeting outside the window. She was finally relieved as that was how her people sent messages to her secretly. The message being relayed to her confirmed what the mysterious man had just told her and Prince Jing.

"His Majesty must be really nervous as well after the incident. I think he will take Lady Jin to Laifeng Palace when she is capable of traveling. And as for a dependable midwife who will attend to your mother, I will make the necessary arrangements. Your mother will be alright. Don't worry." Prince Jing comforted her patiently.

Yun Shang bit her lip and looked down. "I never thought that the Empress would take action against Mother through me. Neither did my mother. Under no circumstances would Mother be on guard when I am around her. I underestimated the Empress's shrewdness."

Prince Jing put his arms around Yun Shang and patted her shoulder in a gentle but awkward way. "It's not your fault. Nobody could foresee this. Moreover, I had my servants scrutinize everything you used today, but nothing was found. So we don't know how the Empress did this yet. You don't have to feel guilty. Once the facts are known, all questions will be answered."

Yun Shang nodded and noticed a strong alcohol smell coming from Prince Jing. S

hair, she said, "Your Highness, do you know that there was no dresser or any other stuff for women in this room? His Highness asked the craftsmen to prepare this just for you."

Yun Shang looked around and indeed found things that belonged in a woman's bedroom, such as bead curtains, the dresser, and some delicate decorations.

Prince Jing's room used to be quite simply decorated. From her earlier visits to the mansion, she remembered that he barely had essential furniture in the mansion. Every room had felt quite soulless to Yun Shang. Now it was perfectly balanced by these feminine elements.

Qian Yin finished Yun Shang's hair quickly and put a gold hairpin in it. Then Qian Yin said, "I know you don't like jewelry, Your Highness. But you just got married. It would be inappropriate not to dress according to your status. I will make a simpler hairstyle for you in a few days."

Yun Shang nodded. She looked in the mirror and smiled. She looked quite different from her appearance in her previous life. Yun Shang attributed the difference to the change in her character. In this life, the Princess had a more stunning appearance and a more relaxed temperament. It was possibly true that her outward appearance was reflecting the calm and peace she felt inside. In this life, Yun Shang had more confidence in her abilities and she wasn't as distraught and depressed as she had been in her previous life.

Since there was no other order from Yun Shang, Qian Yin left the chamber and asked the servants to prepare breakfast. When she walked in again, Qian Yin murmured, "That's weird. There was a maid here yesterday. I thought she had been sent by Prince Jing to look after Your Highness. But why can't I find her today?"

Yun Shang's eyes widened as she suddenly thought of something. "What did you say?"

Qian Yin hurried to explain. "Does Your Highness remember the maid who delivered food to you yesterday? I was wondering why there had been a maid in the mansion as it is widely known that Prince Jing didn't keep any maids. I thought His Highness had sent her to serve you, but she has disappeared after the wedding."

Yun Shang frowned. She said to Qian Yin in a hurry, "Go and find the chamberlain."

Qian Yin was confused, but she did what was required promptly.

The chamberlain was nervous. 'Why did Lady Jing need to see him so urgently in the morning? Was she displeased with something?' He wiped the sweat from his brow. His Highness had emphasized that Her Highness would always be a priority.

The chamberlain didn't have to wait long in the living room before Yun Shang entered. Without greeting or even being seated, Yun Shang asked him, "Is there a maid in the mansion?"

The chamberlain didn't expect such a question, but he hurried to answer. "No, Your Highness. His Highness doesn't want maids around, so we didn't employ any maids." Inferring that perhaps Her Highness was offended by the lack of appropriate servants, he added. "I'm deeply sorry for my negligence, Your Highness. Of course, Your Highness could use a maid. I'll find some reliable ones as soon as possible."

Yun Shang shook her head. "No, I didn't mean that. Yesterday, His Highness said he would send some food to the chamber before he left for the toasts. Afterward, a maid came with a tray of food. I am asking because I know there shouldn't be a maid in this mansion."

The chamberlain frowned. He was pensive before he replied, "But Your Highness, there are definitely no other maids in the mansion except the ones who accompanied you..."