Rebirth of the Phoenix Princess novel Chapter 52

Just after noon, Qin Yi reported, "Your Highness, Princess Hua Jing has entered the Palace. She just finished lunch with the the Empress and is coming to us."

Yun Shang raised her eyebrows. "Why? She's not grounded anymore?"

"It seems so. However, Your Highness embarrassed her at your Coming-of-age Ceremony. Will she come to make trouble this time?" Qin Yi looked worried.

Yun Shang shook her head, "If she had come to Qingxin Palace right after she entered the Palace, then we would need to be alert. However, now that she has gone to Qiwu Palace first, the Empress must have told her to indulge me. After all, no one can say I did anything wrong the other day. If she makes trouble at Qingxin Palace, and Father found out, he will ground her for another month."

While they were talking, an eunuch's voice rang out, "Princess Hua Jing has arrived."

Yun Shang quickly stood up and walked to the door. She beamed at Hua Jing who had just stepped into Qingxin Palace, "Sister."

Hua Jing also smiled, but her smile was pretentious. When she saw Yun Shang standing at the door, she took two steps forward and grabbed her hand before speaking, "Have you had lunch?"

Yun Shang nodded. "I've already eaten. The kitchen served jellyfish with Osmanthus, bamboo slices and pigeon eggs, and flan. You seldom come here. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Hua Jing nodded, "It's my mother-in-law's 50th birthday in a few days. I don't think you've officially met the ladies at the Imperial City. They have been admiring my beautiful and talented sister for a long time. Mother asked me to take you to the Imperial City to meet the ladies." She stopped and looked around before moving closer to Yun Shang. Then Hua Jing whispered, "You are going to get married sooner or later. As a Princess, you'll need to learn how to hold a banquet for your future husband's family and guests. I didn't know anything when I first got married, so it took me a long time to learn. Fortunately, no one said anything bad about me. Since I'm preparing for an upcoming banquet, I thought if you lived in my Palace for a few days I could teach you."

Yun Shang replied in surprise, "Sister, are you really willing to teach me? I'm a slow learner."

"Nonsense. You're my younger sister, who else am I gonna teach, if not you?" Hua Jing scolded Yun Shang while pretending to be angry.

Yun Shang nodded repeatedly, "OK, then I'll learn from you. Sister, please wait for me to pack my things." Then she paused, as if thinking of something. "Oh, no. My favorite dress was sent to the Huanyi Bureau* for a wash today. I really wanted to take it with me."

(*TN: Huanyi Bureau, a place where Royal members' clothes get washed by specific maids and eunuchs.)

Hua Jing nodded but didn't get angry. She just smiled and said, "Take your time. I'll come and pick you up tomorrow."

As soon as Hua Jing left, Qin Yi stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, what is Princess Hua Jing up to?"

"Nothing good." Yun Shang closed her eyes and started thinking. In her previous life, she had lived in Hua Jing's Palace after her Coming-of-age Ceremony. At that time, Hua Jing's excuse was that she felt bored in her Palace, and that's why she wanted Yun Shang as her company. After she went there, Hua Jing held frequent banquets to introduce her to Mo Jingran. After meeting him several times, Yun Shang had begun to trust the man. Upon returning to the Palace, she had asked the Empress to let her marry Mo Jingran.

In this life, she had hinted at Mo Jingran's involvement with Hua Jing. Besides, hadn't Father already blamed Hua Jing for holding too many banquets? Why is it that she still came?

"The winter solstice is almost here. I don't know why Hua Jing wants to take me out of the Palace at this time. Never mind. A fox always shows her tail, and when she does, I will seize it and give it a wrench." The more she thought about Hua Jing, the more Yun Shang was reminded of developments from her previous life. The events leading up to the death of Hua Jing's husband were nearing. Yun Shang spoke to Qin Yi, "Call Qian Yin for me."

Qian Yin came in a hurry. Yun Shang said, "Something will happen at the northwest border. Send someone over there to buy all the grain available and ship them to the town 30 miles away from the border. No matter what happens to the soldiers there, don't give them any grain."

"But, Your Highness, without food, won't the General and the soldiers lose the battle?" Qian Yin heard the Princess and felt surprised at her instructions.