Chapter 224 War Approaches The Border Cities (1/2)

Yun Shang reached forward and delicately placed a finger under Qin Meng's chin. Then the Princess raised Qin Meng's face. She said with a smile resting on her lips, ”Why am I not convinced by your statement? Lady Meng, you have followed the Empress's orders from the very beginning. When the Empress abandoned you, you begged me to save your life. And I did. You said you would only listen to me from that day. However, you concealed your pregnancy from me and even communicated with the Empress secretly. If I hadn't noticed your deception, I would have probably fallen into your trap. Tell me, Lady Meng. How can I trust someone who is so fickle?”

The Princess's question unsettled Qin Meng. She trembled as she struggled to find a convincing explanation. Qin Meng opened her mouth, but failed to think of anything with which to justify her actions. She just looked at Yun Shang with tears in her eyes.

”Do you want me to save your unborn child?” Yun Shang let go of Qin Meng's chin and leaned back on the bed. She pretended to study a painting on the wall as she waited for Qin Meng to respond.

Qin Meng fell to the ground. She nodded and said in a hoarse voice, ”Please, Your Highness, help my child.”

Yun Shang took a small bottle that was hanging around her waist and poured out a black pill. She handed it to Qin Meng and said. ”There is poison in this pill. It will show its effect once a month. Though it's a poison, you and your unborn baby will stay safe as long as you take the antidote in a timely manner. If you dare to come up with some ideas that you shouldn't, you will be responsible for the consequences. If you want to keep your child, just take it. And if you don't trust me, I'll just forget that I came to you.”

Qin Meng raised her head and looked at Yun Shang's hands. Qin Meng found herself, yet again, faced with impossible choices. On one hand, the Empress would kill her child if she didn't follow her orders. On the other, if she refused Yun Shang, she and her child would meet the same fate. She went silent for a long time as she carefully considered her options. Finally, she reached out her hand. Her fingers trembled as she lifted the pill and brought it to her mouth. With one last deep breath, Qin Meng popped the pill into her mouth and then swallowed it quickly.

Yun Shang smiled encouragingly before saying, ”Very good. I haven't asked you to do something for me in a long while. Now it's time to prove your loyalty. You've been with the Empress for so many years, there must be someone working for you…”

Qin Meng was surprised and shook her head. She was about to say something, but finally she just gritted her teeth and didn't open her mouth. Yun Shang smiled coldly and said, ”Your task is very simple. All you need to do is make the Empress believe that I have killed Princess Hua Jing.”

Qin Meng's eyes widened in astonishment. She looked at Yun Shang and asked, ”Princess Hua Jing?”

”Yes, Princess Hua Jing. I placed those young men in Hua Jing's Princess Palace. They have poisoned her. It cannot be detected as it's a chronic poison. Symptoms of toxicity are also hidden. But as time goes by, the toxins will accumulate and cause harm. As she was carried away by Qingsu, I'm afraid she will lose her life before she arrives at her destination.” Yun Shang smiled as she continued, ”That's how she will die. But it's your responsibility to convince the Empress about it.”

Qin Meng lowered her head and did not say anything. Yun Shang stood and smiled. She raised an eyebrow as she spoke, ”Don't even try to think about weaseling out of this. You don't know it, but all the people in your Palace report to me. Do you really believe that I am stupid? You will simply swear loyalty to me and I would trust you? Now that I have put you in such a difficult position, I'm not worried at all about you betraying me.”

Qin Meng looked at Yun Shang. Her eyes were full of fear. She could not help wonder, 'How could it be?' She remembered everything clearly. It had been less than a year since the Princess's return from Ning'guo Temple. All this while, the Princess had been weak and sick. How could she have replaced all the people in her Palace secretly? How did she manage it?

Yun Shang did not care about what Qin Meng was thinking at this moment. She just looked at Qin Meng one last time before leaving the Palace. Qin Yi heard the guard outside greeting the Princess, ”Your Highness.”

This guard's voice was low and deep. Qin Meng had tried to stay strong when confronted by both, the Empress and the Princess. But now her will snapped completely. She, Princess Yun Shang, was only 15 years old...

After leaving Qin Meng's Palace, Yun Shang made her way to the tunnels. She had no further reason to stay in the Imperial Palace.

When Yun Shang walked into the room, Prince Jing was staring blankly at the map in front of him. Yun Shang asked her shadow guard to leave and then walked toward the Prince. She saw that the map seemed to be of Ning's border with the State of Xia. The State of Xia was to the south of the State of Ning. And there were several mountains in the bordering area. To the north side of the mountains lay the State of Ning while the State of Xia was on the south of the mountains. Jingyang, Kangyang, and Dexi were the three cities near the mountains. Yun Shang noticed that Kangyang was heavily circled on the map.

”Has the State of Xia started attacking the cities?” Yun Shang asked.

Prince Jing turned abruptly. He had not noticed that Yun Shang had returned. He wrapped his arms around her and said softly, ”You are back! Did everything go well?”

Yun Shang nodded and continued speaking, ”What were you looking at just now?”

Prince Jing lowered his head and pointed at the map before replying ”The armies of the State of Xia have already crossed these mountains. They're approaching the three cities now. According to the dispatch, they are divided into three groups. The army consisting of 500, 000 soldiers is being led by the Crown Prince. They are headed toward Kangyang. The other two armies of 250, 000 soldiers each, are being led by veteran generals Liyang and Dexi, and they are heading to Jingyang and Dexi, respectively.