Chapter 27 The Fight Between Two Tigers (2/2)

”Carp? Everyone knows that Your Highness loves eating fish. If you were served fish, you will certainly eat it. I didn't know these bastards could be this evil! Had you not learned so much from the intelligent people around the Master, you would be an easy victim. Besides, food poison is hard to trace. Even if someone realizes poison was being used, their first suspic

ion would not be the food that you consumed.” Still frightened, Qin Yi suggested, ”How about we pretend to take a walk outside tomorrow and examine some of the things stored in this Palace throughly, eliminate potential risk, in case the same things happen again?”

Yun Shang nodded, ”We really do need to examine the Palace...” While speaking, something came up her mind. She smiled, ”There are people from all forces hiding in Qinxin Hall, after this event, suspicion will surely spread among them. Qin Meng works for the Queen. But she never got the opportunity to make a move. Now that someone made trouble, I'm sure they will soon suffer.”

Qin Yi was about to respond, when Yun Shang stopped her. Yun Shang opened her mouth and whispered. ”Someone is approaching.”

Qin Yi understood Yun Shang's gesture. She began whimpering, ”I told you it wouldn't be easy to settle here, but you didn't listen and insisted on returning. Now look at what happened! There was an attempt on your life the day you came back. Your highness, if you had actually been poisoned, I wouldn't even know what to do...”

Yun Shang sighed, ”After all these years of living in the temple, I'm used to it's peaceful surroundings. Moving back here seems inappropriate to me now. Never mind. I came back only because I miss Lord Father too much. Now that he's getting better, I'm also relieved. I'll just go back to Ning'guo Temple after my Coming-of-age Ceremony. I'm too weak and staying here would be nothing but a burden to Lord Father...”

A short while after Yun Shang finished her sentences, Qin Meng's voice came from outside the door, ”Your highness, dinner is ready. Please eat before it gets cold.”

Yun Shang sneered but responded in a gentle tone. ”Alright, I'll have my dinner now.”

Qin Yi quickly stepped forward and supported Yun Shang as she rose from her bed. Dinner had been served on the table. As Yun Shang approached the table, she spotted a plate of fish. Her eyes turned cold as she remembered the licorice. Yun Shang sat at the table and smiled. ”Well well well, we have fish today. Living with the monks in Ning'guo Temple meant giving up meat. I haven't had fish in such a long time. This fish smells so good and I'm sure it tastes as good as it smells.”

Qin Meng handed a pair of chopsticks to Yun Shang with a smile. ”I know Your Highness is fond of fish. I instructed the kitchen to prepare fish for you. Since this is the season of Osmanthus fragrans, I took some fresh flowers from the tree and steamed them with this crucian carp for you. Please taste it and tell me if you like it.” (*FN: Osmanthus fragrans flowers can be white, pale yellow, yellow, or orange-yellow. They are small, about 1 cm long, with a four-lobed corolla, 5 mm in diameter. These flowers have a strong fragrance.)

Yun Shang smiled as she took a bite. ”Adding flowers while steaming the carp is a nice touch. It makes the fish smell just like the flower. This is indeed a rare gourmet.”

”Your Highness, even though the carp tasted good, you shouldn't eat too much. The physician has warned you about that.” Qin Yi frowned and added. She was disturbed that the Princess would eat fish considering their earlier discussion.

Qin Meng responded in a hurry, ”My fellow maid, Qin Yi, you worry too much. Fish is nutritious. Eating fish every once in a while benefits one's health.”

Yun Shang smiled, ”It's not a big deal. I know my body well. It won't hurt to eat such a small amount of fish.”

The maids kept quiet and watched as Yun Shang tried some of the other dishes. She didn't touch the fish again. After a short while, a loud noise came from outside.

Yun Shang frowned and said to Qin Yi, ”Go see what's happening out there.”

Qin Yi nodded and left. She returned a few minutes later and reported, ”Your Highness, I heard that the Queen lost her hairpin. According to the maid from Qiwu Palace, Lady Shu had given her an ingot of silver and asked her to steal the hairpin out and hand it to one of Lady Shu's maids. The Queen took some maids with her, searched Lady Shu's Palace and found the lost hairpin. But Lady Shu says the Queen is merely scheming and setting her up. Now Lady Shu is taking someone with her to argue with the Queen in Qiwu Palace. The noise we heard just now was made by the Queen' maids. They were dragging Lady Shu's closest maid to Qiwu Palace...”