Rebirth of the Phoenix Princess novel Chapter 51

What? The Emperor?

Everybody was astonished. Just as they were about to move forward to look, they heard a deep voice, "Who do you refer to as the adulterers?"

The familiar voice filled the Empress with bewilderment and shock. When she came to her sense, she hastily knelt down and said, "I didn't know it was you, Your Majesty. Please pardon my offense."

Emperor Ning shouted, "Get out! Don't bother Shu Jin and me."

The Empress waved at the consorts crowding behind her. Then she stood, turned and began walking out of the Palace. A thought dawned on her. The Empress stopped and asked, "Shu Jin?"

She turned around and said with confusion, "Your Majesty, the girl next to you is not Lady Shu. She's Qin Meng, a maid from my Palace."

Emperor Ning was about to rebuke the Empress but then decided to look at the woman in his arms. Stunned with the discovery, he became speechless. After a long while, he pushed away Qin Meng and asked, "Who is this? Where is my Shu Jin?"

Qin Meng, who was dressed in a belly band, woke up and screamed. It seemed that she didn't understand the situation in front of her. She just whispered, "It hurts." When she identified the people standing in front of her, she turned pale. She knelt down to greet the Emperor, Empress, and Princess Yun Shang. Emperor Ning stared at Qin Meng with a murderous look. "How could it be you? I remember clearly that it was Shu Jin..."

Tears streamed down Qin Meng's face when she heard that, and she replied, "I hurt my legs a few days ago, and I couldn't serve the Princess anymore, so the Empress sent me to Qiwu Palace. I appreciated her generous treatment, but I felt despondent as I had become useless. Therefore, I snuck out of the Palace when nobody noticed and tried to kill myself. However, I didn't expect that I would meet your Majesty on my way. You came to me and held me. You kept calling me Shu Jin. I kept saying that I was not Shu Jin but still..." Kowtowing at the same time, Qin Meng cried, "Please pardon me, Your Majesty..."

Emperor Ning stood up. He staggered with the effort. Blue veins stood out on his temples as he pointed at the Empress and said, "It's all your fault. You made me sniff the acacia incense..."

The Empress knelt down and kept repeatedly apologized, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Yun Shang was amazed to see that Qin Meng had repeated every word she had taught the maid the night before. She thought to herself that Qin Meng was really a good actress. It was no surprise that she had been duped into believing the maid all these years.

"Father..." Yun Shang spoke up.

Seeing Yun Shang, Emperor Ning couldn't help but frown, "Why are you here?"

Yun Shang replied, "Qin Meng used to be my maid. I went to uncle's mansion to see Doctor Xue Yan some time ago. Qin Meng trespassed on uncle's forbidden place, so he broke her legs. And thus, mother brought her to Qiwu Palace." Yun Shang stepped forward, picked up a piece of clothing, and squatted down next to Qin Meng. She hastily covered the maid. Then she turned to Emperor Ning and said, "What's done is done. It's too late to worry about who is to blame. Qin Meng did nothing wrong. Please consider giving her a title such as Higher Ranked Attendant or Noble Lady? Don't argue with mother over such trifles."

Emperor Ning looked at Yun Shang for a while before agreeing "Okay. As you have suggested, I will give her the title of Higher Ranked Attendant. Empress, arrange for her to live in an empty Palace."

Then he straightened his clothes and left.