“Lian’er truly possesses a beauty that could make fish sink and wild geese fall, outshine the moon and put flowers to shame, with the dignified elegance of Madam Shen.” Conversely…
His gaze drifted lightly toward Shen Wan.
Although Shen Wan was also beautiful, stunning like a dazzling peony, she was too worldly and cunning for his liking.
He preferred Shen Lian’s purity—untainted by worldly allure, not swayed by trends, and not pandering to noble ladies by flattering their vulgar tastes.
When Shen Wan heard Mo Junli’s praise for Shen Lian, the corners of her mouth twitched.
Two lifetimes, first meeting, love at first sight.
In her previous life, when Mo Junli first met Shen Lian, the birthmark on her face had already been healed. He was infatuated with her false erudition, enchanted by her hastily learned noblewoman’s demeanor, and fell at her feet.
But in this life, what Shen Wan never expected was that even Shen Lian’s timid, submissive appearance could become the noble orchid in Mo Junli’s eyes. She was almost amused to death.
At that moment, the Shen family hurried to Guanyuan Garden to welcome Crown Prince Mo Junli.
Leading the way was Shen Zhengyi, the head of the Shen household.
Following him were Old Madam Shen and Madam Shen, Jing Miaoyi, trailed by the wives of various branches, guests attending the Shen family banquet, ministers, and their families.
At a glance, the corridor was packed with a sea of people.
Especially the unmarried noble ladies, adorned in brocade garments, pink skirts, jeweled hairpins, and jade ornaments—a dazzling array.
Everyone bowed in unison to the Crown Prince.
Mo Junli stood on the steps of the corridor, looking at the crowd and said, “Rise.”
As the crowd expressed their gratitude, Mo Junli spoke again, “Minister Shen is truly blessed, with twin lotus pearls—the eldest daughter like a flower atop a high peak, the second daughter gentle as the bright moon. Why not take this opportunity to announce the elegance of the Shen family’s two daughters to everyone?”
All eyes turned to Shen Lian or Shen Wan.
Shen Wan, with her striking beauty and opulent appearance, wore a grand red cloak that accentuated her rosy complexion. She carried herself with grace and poise, standing out among the crowd of flowers at first glance, captivating everyone’s attention.
Shen Lian hunched her shoulders, half her face hidden in the fur collar of her garment, her head lowered shyly. The crowd could only see her delicate, picturesque brows and eyes, exuding a coy charm.
Though her full face was not clearly visible, her brows and eyes closely resembled Madam Shen’s, suggesting she too was a graceful and elegant young lady.
Shen Zhengyi smiled, his gaze subtly sweeping over the nine-tailed phoenix hairpin in Shen Lian’s hand, and said, “My eldest daughter, Shen Wan, studied medicine abroad for six years. She is well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics, proficient in pharmacology and medical arts, and has mastered noble etiquette. She can ride and shoot on horseback and wield a brush with ease. Wan’er, why don’t you bow to His Highness the Crown Prince?”
He deliberately singled out Shen Wan, hoping Mo Junli would take a good look at the eldest daughter’s elegance.
Little did he expect that before Shen Wan could even take a step, Mo Junli said, “I have already met Cousin Wan’er earlier. Her archery skills are indeed exceptional. As for Cousin Lian’er, standing alone under the eaves, I heard from Cousin Wan’er that Lian’er has been frail since childhood and was delicately raised in the manor.”
Shen Zhengyi glanced at Shen Lian again, his brow slightly furrowed but his expression unchanged, his smile unwavering. “It seems Wan’er has already spoken to Your Highness about Lian’er.”
At this point, Shen Zhengyi sighed, “Truth be told, back then, your humble servant and my wife never expected this pregnancy to result in twin flowers. It’s just that when Lian’er was born, her constitution was too delicate to endure the long journey back to the capital with us. So we left her at a nearby estate. Over these past ten-odd years, she has been on and off medicinal decoctions, never fully recovering…”
“I’m not sick! I don’t need medicine. I’m perfectly healthy,” Shen Lian suddenly interrupted Shen Zhengyi.
Shen Zhengyi froze on the spot. No one had ever dared to interrupt him in public and embarrass him like this.
His eyes sharpened, casting a cold and piercing gaze upon Shen Lian.
Yet Shen Lian remained oblivious.
Chan Ling was terrified and hurried forward to pull Shen Lian back.
Shen Wan inwardly sneered but quickly stepped to Shen Lian’s side, taking her hand to salvage the situation. “Father means that after recuperating at the estate, my younger sister is now in good health, restored to normal, and no longer needs medicinal decoctions.”
Shen Zhengyi’s expression softened slightly.
Upon hearing Shen Wan’s words, Mo Junli felt even more affection and pity for Shen Lian. “Even if Lian’er’s health has improved, she still needs further nurturing. Women are like delicate flowers—they must not be neglected.”
“Yes, yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince is absolutely right,” Shen Zhengyi chimed in, though he had already developed a deep displeasure toward Shen Lian.
Not only was Shen Lian ignorant and unaware of her mistake, but after Mo Junli’s sweet words, she stared at him with infatuation.
Shen Zhengyi’s annoyance deepened further.
Just then, the arrival of a group of young noblemen broke the subtle and awkward atmosphere. Everyone turned their gaze toward the end of the corridor.
“Hey, isn’t that the young master of the Duke of Zhenguo’s Residence, Xie Yujin?”
“It really is Young Master Xie. I never expected him to attend the Shen family banquet.”
Shen Wan’s heart suddenly tightened, and she unconsciously clenched her fists, her gaze burning as she stared in Xie Yujin’s direction.
From the opposite corridor came a group of young men, each dressed in luxurious brocade robes adorned with jade pendants. Though each had their own distinct charm, they all exuded the pride and arrogance typical of young nobles from prestigious families.
Xie Yujin walked at the forefront of the group. He wore a deep blue cloak with a sable fur collar wrapped around his slender neck, accentuating his exceptionally handsome and striking features.
His steps were steady, his demeanor as refined as jade. In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the main corridor.
His breathtakingly handsome face left everyone present, young and old, secretly marveling.
The young master of the Duke of Zhenguo’s Residence, Xie Yujin, was truly a peerless gentleman. Even Crown Prince Mo Junli appeared somewhat dimmed in comparison when standing beside him.
And the Xie Yujin everyone saw now was also at the prime of his youth, before he fell gravely ill.
Shen Wan remembered clearly that not long after her coming-of-age ceremony, Emperor Jing Long would dispatch the Imperial City Bureau to Huaizhou Prefecture to investigate the pirate case.
As the chief of the Imperial City Bureau, Xie Yujin bore an inescapable responsibility.
During the investigation, he was betrayed by a colleague, suffered severe injuries, and fell into the Huaijiang River, disappearing for half a year.
While the Xie family searched for Xie Yujin, Shen Chengxiao, the eldest son of the Shen family, took over the position of commander of the Imperial City Bureau.
“Greetings to Your Highness the Crown Prince.” Xie Yujin’s voice, along with the others’ salutations, brushed past Shen Wan’s ears, quickly pulling her thoughts back to the present.
“Xie Ci, you’re late. You’ll have to drink a penalty toast later.”
“As I should,” Xie Yujin replied gently.
Shen Zhengyi smiled and said, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, the Plum Viewing Pavilion offers opera performances. Shall we take our seats there?”
“Alright.” With Mo Junli’s word, Shen Zhengyi led the ministers and their families toward the Plum Viewing Pavilion.
When Xie Yujin’s gaze swept over Shen Wan, she quickly lowered her head, not daring to look at him any longer.
Shortly after, the figure in deep blue passed before her, disappearing around the corner with the crowd.
An inexplicable pain in her chest made Shen Wan unconsciously raise a hand to rub it, then lift her head to gaze in the direction Xie Yujin had left, letting out a soft, silent sigh.
She mocked herself inwardly: You and he are nothing but strangers now. As long as Xie Yujin can avoid the dangers of Huaizhou Prefecture, his fate and that of the Xie family can be changed.
“Sister, I have something to say to you. Could we go over there to talk?” Shen Lian approached, holding the nine-tailed phoenix hairpin.
Shen Wan smiled, her eyes crinkling as she glanced toward the direction of the Nine-Twists Corridor.
Outside the Nine-Twists Corridor lay the lake.
The place Shen Lian had chosen was truly fitting.
Shen Wan replied, “Of course.”
“Could you give up the Crown Prince for me?” As soon as they reached the Nine-Twists Corridor, Shen Lian got straight to the point.