Rebirth of the Phoenix Princess novel Chapter 36

At the mention of Hunan embroidery, everyone knew the woman was implicating the Princess. Hua Jing rushed forward and grabbed the sachet. "This is mine! Why do you have it?"

"What?" Mo Jingran looked astonished and pale. "No, no... doesn't it belong to Princess Yun Shang?" mumbled Jingran.

"Mine? Of course not. I don't even know how to embroider." Yun Shang was surprised that Mo Jingran thought the sachet belonged to her. "I used to live in a Temple. I don't use sachets anymore."

"What's going on?" The Emperor frowned and asked.

Mo Jingran and Hua Jing knelt down simultaneously. "I lost my sachet a few days ago, and I had no idea where it was."

Mo Jingran kowtowed. "How could it....."

"How did you get it?" asked Emperor Ning.

"I found it by accident," explained Jingran.

"Found?" repeated the Emperor cooly. "Jing'er mentioned you at the last banquet. I thought you're just acquainted with each other. But it seems that the truth is far more than that. What audacity!"

"Your Majesty, I'm telling the truth!" explained Hua Jing hurriedly.

"Enough! Go!" continued the Emperor. "No more parties. Stay at home and study the Four Arts." "And Mo Jingran, you deserve to be flogged," added the Emperor. He was furious.

"My love, she may be telling the truth...don't punish her. .." the Empress frowned as she spoke.

Hearing her, Emperor Ning got angrier. "You brought her up. Isn't her behavior also your fault?"

His word embarrassed the Empress. "As you see fit," answered the Empress. Anger smoldered in her eyes. With little else left to say, the Empress left.

Hua Jing remained on the ground. She stared at the Emperor. Terror reflected in her eyes. After a while, she said, "Yes, Your Majesty." Then she stood up, and walked out.

The celebration took an awkward turn. Just then, sad music floated into the tower from the outside. The tone of the music conveyed feelings of love and guilt. The guests were instantly curious about where the music was coming from.

"Who is playing? It is so moving," mumbled Yun Shang. She looked up to see her father's face, but there was no one on the chair.

"Forget it. The banquet is over now," sighed Yun Shang. Then she stood up and left the tower with her servants.

"Where's my mother?" she asked after she walked out.

"She's there." Qin Yi pointed to a small pavilion in the distance. "She said that the spot was perfect since it is quiet and secluded."