An Eight-year-old Princess

Chapter 148 A Counterplot (Part One)

Only silence followed Yun Shang's question. The Princess was surprised. She removed the hairpin

from her head, and hid it in her sleeve. Then she signaled at Qian Yin to open the door.

Qian Yin suddenly pushed open the door. When Yun Shang peeped, she saw a man in dark grey

standing in front of the carriage. The man, who seemed to be in his forties, bowed a little in a respectful

manner. There were also several maids standing behind him.

Yun Shang said with a frown, "Why did you bring me here? What do you want?"

The man didn't raise his head at Yun Shang's words. He answered leisurely, "Your Highness, I know Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

nothing about this. I'm just a servant. My master ordered me to take care of you. Please, get off the

carriage and come with me into the courtyard."

Yun Shang pondered for a moment and then decided to follow the strange man. When Yun Shang bent

her waist to step out of the carriage, Qin Yi stopped her. Yun Shang turned to look at Qin Yi, who

seemed quite calm in spite of her pale face. "Your Highness, please let me go first."

Yun Shang knew Qin Yi was worried about her. Qin Yi was trying her best, even at the risk of her life, to

protect Yun Shang. The girl didn't even know Kung Fu! This gesture touched Yun Shang.

"It is okay. I will be fine." Yun Shang smiled at Qin Yi before stepping out of the carriage.

Yun Shang saw a thick grove as soon as she stepped out. In the grove lay a beautiful courtyard that

added to the tranquility of this place. But Yun Shang was upset as she did not know where she was.

However, Yun Shang's agitation only lasted for an instant. As soon as she jumped off the carriage, she

studied the mansion carefully. She saw nothing special about the courtyard. There was not even a

plaque on the entrance gate to show the identity of its owner. The owner must be very prudent! Yun

Shang became irritated without information with which to identify the owner.

"Please come in, Your Highness." The man bowed a little in front of Yun Shang, and welcomed her with

due respect.

Yun Shang raised her brows to measure the courtyard before walking toward it. "How... should I

address you, Sir?"

The man answered with a smile, "My surname is Zhao, and I'm the chamberlain in this courtyard. Your

Highness can call me Master Zhao. These girls are servant girls in this courtyard. They are Chun Hong,

Xia He, Qiu Ju, and Dong Mei. Please feel free to let them serve you. They will do anything for you.

Your two maids are our distinguished guests as well. Please let the four girls do all the tasks you would

normally ask your maids to do."

Yun Shang uttered coldly, "That would be nice, Master Zhao." Zhao must be a fake surname. Many

people have the surname Zhao, Qian, Sun, and Li under the heaven. And Zhao is the first name listed

in the One Hundred Surnames*. When a person walks on the street, at least half the people he or she

would run into would probably have the surname Zhao.

(*TN: One Hundred Surnames is a list of one hundred surnames commonly used in China. Zhao, Qian,

Sun, and Li are the four most common surnames in the One Hundred Surnames, with Zhao as the first

in ranking.)

The whole courtyard consisted of four smaller yards surrounded by buildings. There was nothing

special in the yards. But Yun Shang was taken by surprise when she stepped into the rooms. These

had been decorated exactly as those in Qingxin Palace. The only difference that Yun Shang could tell

was the daily utensils in the room. The daily utensils in Qingxin Palace were articles of tribute that

could only be used by imperial members, whereas the ones in these rooms were counterfeits.

"Your Highness..." Qin Yi and Qian Yin felt shocked, too. They could not help but feel worried. In spite

of so many official guards and secret guards around Yun Shang, the owner of the courtyard was

capable enough to abduct her and bring her to this place without alarming anybody. No matter who the

owner was, he or she must be a person Yun Shang could not underestimate. The interior of the room,

which was the same as her Palace, reminded Yun Shang that there must be a spy in their midst.

Yun Shang sneered and sat on a chair. While looking at Master Zhao and the four servant girls, she

said with a smile, "Your master is so thoughtful. Please tell your master that I am very satisfied with all

the arrangements. However, it would be troublesome for your master if we stay here for long. As your

master cares so much about us, I want to meet with your master and extend my gratitude to him, or

her."

Master Zhao nodded slightly, "I will send the message to my master. I'm afraid Your Highness must be

tired after the hard day at Prince Jing's Mansion. Please retire early." He bowed toward Yun Shang

after speaking, and then withdrew.

However, the four servant girls stayed. Yun Shang understood that they must have been instructed to

stay and watch her. She said to them with a frowned brow, "I'm tired. Fetch some water. I will take a

bath."

One of the girls nodded and left. Yun Shang cast a glance at the other three girls, but said nothing. She

walked into the inner chamber which was, of course, decorated as the one in Qingxin Palace. While

lying on a bench, Yun Shang racked her brains for a plan. The schemer would not make such an effort

to abduct her just for the sake of entertaining her and offering her accommodation. There must be

something more. However, as it was impossible to escape, the best plan was to wait patiently. Anyway,

her men at the Imperial Palace would know that something was wrong, as she hadn't returned to the

Palace on time.

Yun Shang's thought was interrupted by the servant girl who had gone to fetch water. She had returned

with a big barrel of water in each of her hands. Though she was a petite girl, the two barrels of water

seemed not to be a burden for her, as her breath was smooth and her steps were steady. Yun Shang

understood that the girl must be very good at Kung Fu.

"Your Highness, the water is ready." The servant girl said as she walked out of the bathroom. She kept

her head low in front of Yun Shang while speaking with her softly.

Yun Shang nodded at her, "Qian Yin will serve me during the bath." Yun Shang entered the bathroom

while speaking.

Qian Yin followed Yun Shang. To Yun Shang's surprise, the four servant girls came into the bathroom,

too. One of them held clean clothes for Yun Shang, while another held the washing soap. The third girl

held a towel, while the fourth carried a bowl of flower petals. Yun Shang frowned at them. "Put the stuff

down and leave. I feel uneasy if someone watches me bathe. I am just a girl. I'm not a threat to

anyone. As your men are everywhere in this courtyard, why are you worried?"

The girls exchanged glances with each other after hearing Yun Shang's words. Then they put the

things down, and left silently.

Yun Shang looked sullen after all the servant girls had left. She took off her clothes, and sat in the tub.

Qian Yin took the soap and helped Yun Shang clean her body. While doing this, Qian Yin wrote

something on Yun Shang's back. 'The signal has been sent. Ask for rescue or not?' That was what

Qian Yin wrote on Yun Shang's back. Yun Shang shook her head and smiled. As she was already here,

she wished to know who was behind this plot against her. Or to be more exact, she wondered who,

from among all the people she knew, was so capable and powerful to plot against her?