An Eight-year-old Princess

Chapter 221 The Incident In The Princess Palace

"What?" Hua Jing's words put Li Yingying in a fluster. Yingying panicked.

The Princess continued, "I suppose you would have worn a veil when you visited the Suiyu House. But

the veil was not enough. It only hides your identity from strangers. When people know you, they can

easily recognize you even with a veil on. You've always been cautious and smart. Why did you make

such a mistake?"

Yingying smiled awkwardly. She tried to dismiss the allegation, "Well, I didn't go there. The place is

inappropriate for an unmarried woman like me. The ladies must have mistaken another person for me."

Hua Jing smiled coldly, "Now you're being silly. It doesn't matter whether you visited Suiyu House or

not. The rumor itself is disastrous. If someone so close to you, me for example, has heard about it, then

most of the ladies in the Imperial City must know as well. You know the ladies love rumors. No one

cares about the authenticity of the rumor. Gossiping is fun to them. The ladies won't keep quite when

there is such an interesting story. And eventually, the rumor will be heard by your family. The Li Clan

are the ones who will get hurt by the rumor."

Li Yingying's face paled, "Hua Jing, you're right. Even if I claim that it is only a rumor, no one will

believe me. So what should I do now? My parents and grandparents can't know of the rumor. It's too

heavy an accusation for our family to bear."

Hua Jing was amused by Li Yingying's question. 'If she feared the consequences so much, why did she

fight for Ya Xi so publicly in the first place? And she was defending herself just now, as if someone had

wronged her.

Bitch. I shouldn't have doubted Ya Xi. He wasn't framing her.' The Princess thought. When the guards

told Hua Jing what they had seen, she wasn't sure whether or not she should trust them. Now with Li

Yingying's guilty confession, Hua Jing was assured.

Princess Hua Jing had been raised in the Palace. Her life had been free of adversities. However, in

recent months, too many awful things had happened to her. She had even spent two months in a cold

and damp cell thanks to Li Yingying. The latter had never paid the Princess a visit during Hua Jing's

internment. And Li Yingying had plenty of excuses for not visiting. She always claimed that she was

either terrified or mentally exhausted. 'It looks like Li Yingying was busy enjoying her time with her

lovers during my incarceration.'

Hua Jing felt angrier when she thought about the past. 'Ya Xi is mine. Li Yingying will learn that she

cannot covet him.'

"Yingying, you're twenty years old and still unmarried. No wonder there are rumors. If you like, I can

help with that. I can ask grandmother and aunt to find you some nice young noblemen to select from. If

you're married, such rumors will have no basis." Hua Jing raised her hand and smiled as she studied

her new manicure.

Li Yingying's face was still pale. Her expression didn't change much at Hua Jing's suggestion. Li

Yingying lifted her brows, but chose not to say anything.

Hua Jing interpreted Li Yingying's reaction as reluctance to stop living a free and unfettered life. The

Princess felt unhappy, "If you were a man or someone of stature like Prince Jing, people would say

you're a playboy, even if you stay unmarried at the age of twenty. But as a girl, you'll receive harsher

judgement if you remain unmarried over the age of twenty. It's not good for your reputation. I am only

offering help. What you do now, is your decision."

Li Yingying sighed and lowered her head. She hesitated for a while before saying, "I guess I don't have

any other choice. Please let my mother and grandmother know that they should find me a husband."

'A husband?' Hua Jing sneered at Li Yingying. 'You wish!' But the Princess hid her feelings well, "I also

suggest that you go out less these days. We can't make sure the same rumor won't spread again if you

go out too often." Hua Jing nodded at her cousin before leaving. Thinking of what she had

accomplished, her heart soared with joy.

Yun Shang was lying on the couch at Prince Jing's Mansion. Ning Qian was reporting the latest

updates to the Princess, "The Grand Councilor's wife arranges events quickly. She held a banquet with

only two days notice. But only a few people were present. Even her friends didn't attend. They all had

excuses for their absence. The Grand Councilor's wife was enraged at the situation. She sent her

servants to find out why, and learned of the rumor that Li Yingying had burnt down Suiyu House for an

escort."

Yun Shang smiled at the news, "Interesting. What else did she find out?"

"She found out everything that Your Highness wanted her to know. After all, it wasn't exactly a secret

that Princess Hua Jing brought the most famed escort from Suiyu House to her Palace. Ya Xi is

popular and easily recognized in the City. Besides, he went to the Princess Palace through the front

door several times. Everyone saw him." Ning Qian smiled, too.

"Well, the Royal cousins fought over one escort and now, they hate each other for that. What an

intriguing story!" Yun Shang took a sip of tea. 'No wonder the civilians like to watch shows.' The

Princess thought. The players on stage enact what the audience favors to amuse them. It's said that

watching such shows helped the commoners forget about their problems. But Yun Shang had enjoyed

customizing this show. And it was only the beginning. She had much more planned.

"What's more, there were several groups of people investigating Ya Xi and the Suiyu House fire. They

have shown great interest and conducted the investigation many times. Fortunately we foresaw this

and made arrangements in advance. Otherwise they would find out that we were behind the whole

incident. Of the people who were interested in Suiyu House, some were from the Grand Councilor's

Mansion, and others had been sent by the Empress. I'm surprised that the Empress knew of it. But she

didn't confront Princess Hua Jing. The Empress conducted a secret investigation and then, she didn't

pursue it any further." Ning Qian added softly. She was confused about the Empress's reaction.

Yun Shang put down the teacup with a heavy thud. Even though she hadn't fought with the Empress

face to face many times, she knew the Empress well. Most of her understanding of the Empress came

from her experiences in her previous life. "Of course, she won't blame Hua Jing. Hua Jing is the

Princess of the State of Ning after all. Most Princesses are allowed to keep more than one gigolo even

when they are married. Since it is said that Hua Jing's husband died, this rumor will only hurt the

Princess's reputation a little. That's if she had any standing in the City. We ruined Hua Jing's character.

So it's not a big deal for her to have kept men. Besides, if Hua Jing stops meeting with Prince Qingsu

due to her interest in Ya Xi, the Empress would be grateful. The Empress has done her research and is

convinced that Ya Xi would be of no harm to Hua Jing. That's why she let it go."

"Your Highness is right. You knew Princess Hua Jing would make mistakes when it came to men. So

you recruited and trained several handsome boys to trap her. You are so wise." Ning Qian smiled and

complimented Yun Shang, "But it still surprises me that Ya Xi gained Hua Jing's trust so soon."

Yun Shang smiled, too. She made such arrangements because she knew Hua Jing well. Hua Jing was

dissolute. She fell for handsome boys easily. Yun Shang couldn't share that she had gained this insight

from her previous life with Ning Qian. So she kept silent.

Ning Qian spoke again, "By the way, it was challenging to find so many attractive boys. Each boy is

more gorgeous than the next. Each has something exciting to offer. Their beauty remains unsurpassed

from among their peers. It's a pity not to let them serve you. My Lady, a Princess is allowed to a little

indulgence when it comes to the matter of sex. So if you're interested, I'll select some boys to serve

you. What do you think?"

Yun Shang had been leisurely sipping her tea when she heard Ning Qian's suggestion. The Princess

was so shocked that she nearly spat out the tea in her mouth. After all these years of working with Ning

Qian, she didn't know that Ning Qian could make such an exaggerated joke. 'Did she learn it from Qian

Yin?'

Before Yun Shang could compose herself and refuse Ning Qian, a cold male voice interrupted the

women, "I'm afraid she can't do that. A Princess Consort cannot have kept men, or else she will be

placed in a bamboo basket and tossed in the river."

Ning Qian recognized whom the voice belonged to, and smiled awkwardly. She blabbered a quick

apology, "Your Highness, I didn't know you were here. I apologize for my mistake. I'll take my leave."

Then she ran away as fast as she could.

Yun Shang swallowed the giggle that threatened to escape at Ning Qian's antics. She waited patiently

for the Prince to say something. He ambled to Yun Shang and sat opposite her. From his position, he

could study his wife carefully. The Prince raised his brows, "Your Highness wants a kept man?"

'Your Highness?'

Yun Shang frowned. The Prince never called her that when they were alone. The Princess smiled to

comfort the Prince, "Of course, not. Ning Qian said that in jest. Don't take it seriously."

Prince Jing acted as if he hadn't heard Yun Shang's explanation. He awkwardly rubbed his hands on

his knees before saying, "It's understandable. Your Highness has just had her Coming-of-age

Ceremony. You have barely passed fifteen, while I'm already twenty-eight years old. I'm thirteen years

older than you. While I am only getting older, you are in your prime. That would be a disadvantage to

you. Besides, even though we have been married for half a month, you and I haven't consummated the All rights © NôvelDrama.Org.

marriage. I understand if you're feeling lonely. Though I'm stubborn sometimes, I will support your

decision if you really want to have a kept man......"

'Prince Jing is talking nonsense.' The Princess blushed a furious red at the Prince's mention of

consummation. Just the idea of being intimate with Prince Jing was enough to... No, no! She was not

going to think about that. Yun Shang coughed to hide her nervousness before quickly adding, "Your

Highness overthought. Shang'er have never thought of such thing. Never! By the way, earlier in the

day, the chamberlain asked for my opinion regarding the mid-lake pavilion. He also asked my advice

concerning the renovated courtyard. I need to see the design drawings. I've spent too much time

talking with Ning Qian. And so, I'm going to take your leave and attend to the renovation plan now." Yun

Shang almost tripped over her feet as she stood from the couch. She rushed outside without putting on

her shoes.

Prince Jing's mouth curved into a smile at Yun Shang as she disappeared from his sight. His eyes

reflected jest, "What a shy girl." Then he left Yun Shang's room, too.

Meanwhile, trouble continued to brew for Li Yingying. Since Li Yingying's inappropriate behavior was

witnessed by several civilians, her mother couldn't blame Princess Hua Jing for spreading rumors.

Besides, the enchanting Ya Xi also testified against Li Yingying on the charge of bullying him and

burning down Suiyu House. The fire set by Li Yingying even claimed several innocent lives.

With the crime of manslaughter involved, the whole issue escalated. The Governor of the Imperial City

filed the case and conducted an investigation. The Li Clan used their power and found a scapegoat to

take the blame for Li Yingying. No one pursued Li Yingying for her role in any of the matters pertaining

to the Suiyu House arson.

Though being acquitted, Li Yingying lost her standing in the City. Not a single Clan in the Imperial City

wanted their son to marry her. Since Li Yingying had brought shame to the Li Clan and was of no value

at all, her Clan sent her to a temple in the mountain. Li Yingying was sentenced to a life of praying to

Buddha and abstaining from meat.

After the fire in Suiyu House, most of the escorts were rendered homeless. Some of them chose to

serve Princess Hua Jing. Even though they didn't live in the Princess Palace, they still led a good life,

as Hua Jing had found a spacious house for them to stay in.

Hua Jing was really thrilled at having won this battle so easily. For the longest time, she had faced only

failures in her plans. This was the first success in a long time. As an added bonus, she now had plenty

of pretty escorts to keep her company. Hua Jing took turns to enjoy their service. She picked different

men to sleep with each night. Whoever was chosen by Hua Jing made preparations in advance and

waited to be taken to the Princess Palace in palanquins. If Hua Jing was in good spirits, she would call

for more than one man to serve her in a single night. Princess Hua Jing was leading such a content life.

Meanwhile, Prince Jing implemented his plans. In less than ten days since his discussion with Yun

Shang, word came that the Emperor of the State of Yelang had became seriously ill. Soon, the news

spread throughout the State of Ning.

Without doubt, Prince Qingsu was one of the first people to hear the news. The Prince had been busy

building good relations with the Royal Clans in the Imperial City. Since Hua Jing was no longer a good

choice to help him secure the position of Crown Prince of Yelang, Prince Qingsu needed to find another

Lady who would help him attain his political goals. He was in the midst of searching for a bride when he

heard the news.

Prince Qingsu didn't buy it at first. His father had just passed the age of fifty. The Emperor should be

strong and healthy at his age. Besides, the Emperor was in good health when Prince Qingsu left the

State of Yelang. It was odd that his father would become seriously ill all of a sudden.

However, Prince Qingsu had to believe the news, as it was conveyed by one of his most trusted

servants. It wasn't long before Prince Qingsu panicked. He was worried that his second brother and

fifth brother would take over power during his absence.

The more Prince Qingsu thought about it, the more anxious and insecure he became. But he couldn't

act rashly. If his second or fifth brother decided to take advantage of his absence, they would definitely

plan accordingly. Since they knew that Prince Qingsu would return as soon as he heard the news, his

brothers would probably ambush Prince Qingsu.

Thinking about that, Prince Qingsu messaged his people. He wanted them to separate into different

groups to distract attention. But Prince Qingsu didn't have too many servants around him in the State of

Ning. He needed more people to help him with his plan and to fight his brothers.

Then the Prince thought of Hua Jing. Though she had lost all favor and standing among the noble

Clans, Hua Jing was a Princess after all. Her safety was guaranteed by her Royal guards. At any given

time, she was protected by more than a hundred people. If Prince Qingsu could borrow those guards

from Hua Jing, it would increase his odds.

Prince Qingsu decided to pay Hua Jing a visit. He waited till nightfall before making his way to the

Princess Palace.

It didn't seem like the opportune time for Prince Qingsu to visit. The Princess Palace was full of hustle

and bustle at night. Prince Qingsu felt curious when he thought about why the Princess Palace would

be so busy at night. Loud laughters and heavy breathing filled the Hall outside Hua Jing's chamber.

Prince Qingsu realized what Hua Jing was doing from the noises that he had heard. The Prince felt

angry at the Princess's absurd behavior. Even though he was a playboy, he still held a strict standard

toward the women he slept with. He thought Hua Jing could help him achieve his political goals, so he

had lowered his standards and chosen her, despite the fact that Hua Jing wasn't a virgin. Now, seeing

Hua Jing sleeping with different men, Prince Qingsu felt veins throbbing in his temples. Reminding

himself of the plans he needed help with, the Prince suppressed his feelings and walked in.

But he lost his temper again at the sight that greeted him as he entered. Outer clothes, tunics, and

shoes were scattered on the ground. Several naked bodies were piled up on the bed. It was a dirty

scene.

Although glowering in anger, Prince Qingsu stayed silent as he watched the woman on the bed. One of

the escorts noticed Prince Qingsu. He put on a seductive smile and spoke to the Prince, "Friend. Are

you also here to serve Her Highness? Well, you're late. But it doesn't matter. Come and join us. It's our

honor to serve Her Highness. Am I right, Your Highness?"

Princess Hua Jing was busy enjoying herself. She was so caught up in the throes of pleasure that Hua

Jing kept her eyes tightly closed and moaned. Hearing the question, she didn't think much. The

Princess whimpered, "Yeah...... Ah...... Serve me...... Serve me well...... And you...... Ah...... You'll be

rewarded......"

The escort who noticed Prince Qingsu smiled at Hua Jing's reply. He bent and continued kissing Hua

Jing's neck. Hua Jing moaned out of joy.

Prince Qingsu sneered. He silently walked to the bed. No one noticed Qingsu's approach. "Em, " said

the Prince as he unsheathed a hidden knife that he had brought with him. Without deliberating over his

decision, the Prince swung the knife at the person closest to him. The escort turned just in time to see

the knife heading toward his body. Quickly, he rolled away. Prince Qingsu couldn't stop. As the knife

sunk into the person below the escort, Prince Qingsu sneered. Before Prince Qingsu saw who he had

stabbed, a scream rang through the chamber. Several people looked around and noticed the Prince's

violent behavior, "Ah...... Someone has been stabbed......"

The men on the bed seemed shocked by the sudden incident and started to run around the room

naked.

The chaotic scene satisfied Prince Qingsu so much, that he kept stabbing the person on the bed

without looking at the victim. The escorts kept shouting and screaming.

Soon, the quilt was soaked with blood. When footsteps hastened toward the room, Prince Qingsu knew

that the guards were approaching. He controlled his anger and put away the knife. No matter what, he

couldn't be caught committing a crime in the Princess Palace. What he had done would indeed have

disastrous effects if he were caught. Prince Qingsu was needed in the State of Yelang. He shook his

head to clear his thoughts. He had no feelings for Hua Jing, so why did he become so emotional? The

Prince frowned as he recalled how impossible it had been to control his feelings from the moment he

stepped in the room. He couldn't resist the thought of killing.

Familiar with schemes and plots, Prince Qingsu knew it was a set-up targeting him. There must be

something odd about the scent in the room.

Prince Qingsu shook his head to clear his mind before trying to jump out through the window. But the

Prince was stopped and dragged down by the escorts who saw him. The Prince frowned when he

thought he'd be caught by the Palace guards. Hearing the footsteps coming closer, Qingsu swung his

knife and stabbed whoever was holding his thigh.

The guards smashed through the door. When they saw Prince Qingsu holding a blood covered knife,

they shouted, "Hurry! Arrest him!" Since the guards had entered, the escorts restraining Prince Qingsu

loosened their grip. Prince Qingsu took the chance to jump out the window. He disappeared in the

darkness.

The guards didn't chase the Prince. They panicked at the blood-soaked bed and shouted, "Help! Her

Highness is hurt!"