An Eight-year-old Princess

Chapter 38 The Person Behind Lady Shu

"Ask for a favor?" Lady Shu was a little confused.

Ya'er thought of an idea and spoke to Lady Shu in a low voice, "Your Highness, why should Qin Yi

come here? I believe asking for the herb is an excuse. To find out her real intentions, why not call Qin

Yi and question her carefully?"

Lady Shu nodded in agreement.

When Qin Yi entered, Lady Shu was sitting on her throne in the inner Palace. Qin Yi curtsied to her

promptly. Lady Shu nodded and said, "So you are Qin Yi. It must have been very tough to live a lonely

and plain life with the Princess at Ning'guo Temple for all these years. By the way, I heard that you

called the imperial physician this morning. Is the Princess ill?"

Qin Yi answered softly, "Your Highness, the Princess caught a cold last night. If this had happened to a

normal person, it would be no big deal, and appropriate medicine would work. But the Princess' health

has always been a cause for concern. This makes her illness more serious. The Imperial Physician

came this morning, and after checking the Princess, he said that her pulse was irregular and that he

didn't dare to prescribe medicines. The only way to help her is to use some restorative herbs. These

will help to keep her fit, and the Princess will recover once her body gets stronger."

"It is so serious?" Lady Shu sighed and said with sadness, "The Princess just had her Coming-of-age

Ceremony yesterday. She is in her best years but her health is so poor. Alas…"

After lamenting for a while, she continued "I heard that you came to ask for a herb but I have no idea

which herb you need. Take whatever you need if I have it here."

Qin Yi expressed her gratitude and then continued, "What I am looking for is the Cordyceps, which is

very rare. Master Wu Na from Ning'guo Temple mentioned it as well. He said that this herb would be

very good for the Princess' health if we could find it. But it is not easy to get. I heard some maids talk

about it when I returned to the Palace. It is said that the Emperor favored you a lot and sent some as a

tribute to you before the New Year. I'm so sorry to trouble you. Please pardon any unintended offense,

Your Highness."

"Really? Is there any here?" Lady Shu then called Ya'er and asked her, "Do you know where the herb

is?"

Ya'er replied, "Your Highness, indeed the Emperor gave you such a herb before the New Year. But

during the New Year, you sent it to your mother since she was unwell."

Reminded of the incident, Lady Shu spoke apologetically, "This is true. My mother was unwell at the

end of last year. I remembered that the Emperor said this herb was very good, so I sent it to her." Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

Qin Yi felt disappointed, but she was forced to smile. "It doesn't matter. I came to try my luck. Since you

don't have it, I will go back now. I still need to take care of the Princess."

Lady Shu nodded. "Okay. If the Princess needs anything, just send someone to tell me."

Lady Shu frowned after Qin Yi left. "Is it possible that she really came to look for the herb?"

Ya'er also felt confused. She said, "Your Highness, it is better to have as much support as possible so

that things will be easier later. How about you ask the maids at the storehouse to bring some rare herbs

and take them to the Princess personally?"

Lady Shu bit her lips as she thought. Then she nodded. "Although Lady Jin seems to pose no threat

right now, she has a daughter to depend on. It will be prudent if we form an alliance with them. Go and

pick up some herbs. I will visit the Princess after changing my clothes."

When Lady Shu arrived at Qingxin Palace, Qin Meng was feeding Yun Shang some porridge under Qin

Yi's supervision. As soon as Lady Shu walk inside, Qin Yi curtsied.

Lady Shu nodded, took a look at Qin Meng, and then addressed the Princess with a smile. "I was very

worried and wanted to visit you when I heard that you were sick. Am I disturbing you?"

Yun Shang smiled. "Of course not. Qin Yi, hurry up and bring a chair for Lady Shu."

Qin Yi rushed to the corner and lifted a chair. She placed it beside the bed for Lady Shu. Once seated,

Lady Shu took Yun Shang's hands in her own and said, "You are so thin. Your life must have been hard

all these years. Luckily you have returned. Even though there are all sorts of untrustworthy people in

the Palace, it is at least your home."

Yun Shang smiled but did not reply. Lady Shu took the opportunity to continue speaking. "You are also

blessed. You left for seven years, but none of the maids in the Palace changed, which is quite rare.

However, it is unclear whether their hearts have changed or not. Don't worry. It is no big deal. If you

need anything, just let me know…"

"Thank you very much." Yun Shang smiled. She glanced at Qin Meng, who was staring at Lady Shu's

feet with a murderous look.

But Lady Shu seemed not to notice it. She said to the maids in the room, "You can go out now. I

haven't had a private talk with the Princess in a long time. We will catch up today."

The maids followed her order and left.

Then Lady Shu asked, "I heard that your mother, Lady Jin has been restored to her former rank, which

is something worth celebrating."

Yun Shang was stunned, and after a long while, she said, "Really? I didn't hear about this." She

paused before sighing and continuing, "I'm afraid that some people don't want me to know. Never mind.

My mother abandoned me when I was a baby. I don't think she cares about her sick daughter at all.

Whether she is favored or living a miserable life is none of my business."

"Don't talk like that." Lady Shu smiled and said with tenderness. "Children are the apples of their

parents' eyes. Unfortunately, I lost my parents when I was very young. But you do have a mother. No

matter how well the Empress treats you, she is not your birth mother. If Lady Jin gets favored by the

Emperor, she will be your protector."

Yun Shang smiled and shook her head. "My health condition also doesn't allow me to enjoy a happy

life. Master Wu Na once said that if I nurse my health carefully, I can live for a few years. But if I have

extreme emotions, I am afraid that …"

Hearing this, Lady Shu also frowned and asked with concern, "Isn't there some other way? To cure

your disease?"

Yun Shang shook her head but then she paused as if she remembered something. She added, "There

is a way. Master Wu Na said that the renowned Doctor Xue Yan who lives in the Changbai Mountain

could save me. But it's said that the doctor has a special constitution and must stay in places full of ice

and snow. Which is why he never leaves Changbai Mountain. And I can't travel long distances due to

my poor health. I know that it is impossible, and so I've never mentioned it to others. If my father knows

this, I'm afraid that he will use every means to bring the doctor, which is not what I wish. I just want to

conform to my fate. But if anyone can cure my disease, I will be eternally grateful."

"Doctor Xue Yan?" Repeated Lady Shu. A glimmer of light flashed in her eyes, but she sighed

deliberately, "Well, this is really a problem. I will inquire about it when I go back. By the way, Qin Yi

came to ask for a herb but I had already given the herb to my mother. I am sorry about that, so I

brought some other herbs for you. You can see if they are useful or not."

Yun Shang nodded. "Okay. Thank you very much."