Three years ago, the Old Madam of the Xie family ignored everyone’s objections. She practically emptied all of her dowry and half of the Duke’s estate fortune to organize a fleet to sail overseas.
The Xie family’s merchant ships had gone missing a year ago.
Emperor Jingle had mobilized every force at his disposal to search for them.
But nothing was found.
Yet today, they suddenly returned to Yanjing City.
It was an earth-shaking event.
A joyous occasion worthy of celebration throughout the entire nation.
Emperor Jingle personally stepped down from his imperial carriage and hurried through the long palace corridor toward the palace gates.
Behind him followed a vast procession of officials.
Walking farther back, Shen Zhao could hear the officials ahead running while panting and still discussing among themselves:
“How did they suddenly come back?”
“There wasn’t any warning before this. His Majesty had already thought they were slaughtered by pirates.”
“Three years. A full three years.”
“Minister Zheng was on that ship too. I wonder if he’s still alive.”
“Do you think it’s because the Crown Prince forcibly married Miss Shen to Duke Jin that Heaven blessed the Xie fleet with a safe return?”
Several officials ahead some white-haired elders, some middle-aged, and some younger men turned around one after another.
Their gazes landed directly on Shen Zhao.
Then they noticed the Crown Prince behind her.
Xiao Xuanzhou had injured his left leg and could not walk out of the palace gates like Emperor Jingle and Empress Cui.
He sat in his imperial sedan chair and, in order to travel alongside his beloved Shen Qingrou, deliberately ordered the eunuchs carrying the sedan to slow down.
In the end, he directly let Shen Qingrou climb into his sedan so they could sit together.
When the officials turned back, they first saw the radiant Shen Zhao, then looked toward the Crown Prince and Shen Qingrou seated together in the same carriage.
Some officials were seeing Shen Qingrou for the first time and could not distinguish between the two sisters. They frowned deeply.
Others had already witnessed the chaos at Shen Zhao’s coming-of-age ceremony, and their brows furrowed even more tightly.
The Crown Prince’s supporters wore expressions difficult to describe.
Meanwhile, some rigid old ministers angrily flicked their sleeves and said in displeasure, “What kind of conduct is this?”
The officials began discussing again, this time gossiping about the Crown Prince and the Shen sisters.
Some unpleasant remarks gradually drifted into the ears of Xiao Xuanzhou and the Shen family.
“When the Crown Prince hadn’t changed his Phoenix Star, everything went smoothly. But the moment he changed it, he injured his leg on the very day the imperial marriage decree was announced.”
Hearing it clearly, Xiao Xuanzhou’s expression changed drastically.
The Shen family members also instantly lost all color from their faces.
Then another voice said:
“After Miss Shen was forcibly married to Duke Jin by the Crown Prince, the Duke’s household actually became more prosperous. I dare say Miss Shen is the true Phoenix Star. The Crown Prince is truly foolish.”
“And that Imperial Preceptor Lianping I can tell at a glance he’s a fraud. Who knows where the Crown Prince found him?”
“National Preceptor Luoshan must have been harmed by that charlatan. This concerns the fate of the nation and the future emperor and empress. We must report this matter to His Majesty.”
“Hurry, walk faster.”
The elderly ministers speaking were supported by their students, yet their steps became swifter and swifter.
None of them noticed the Crown Prince’s face darkening like ink, nor Imperial Preceptor Lianping’s heavy breathing, nor…the Shen family members whose faces had already turned deathly pale.
Only Shen Zhao cast a cold glance to the side.
Xiao Xuanzhou’s sedan chair happened to pass beside her.
As the carriage slowly moved forward, Xiao Xuanzhou leaned out and shouted angrily:
“Shen Zhao, it was you”
“Your Highness,” Shen Zhao interrupted him.
She already knew what he was about to say.
Was it you scheming behind the scenes and damaging Rou’er’s reputation?
Heh.
Shen Zhao replied indifferently:
“Since entering the palace, this subject’s daughter has remained beside her parents and elder brother the entire time. Moreover, those ministers are all highly respected veterans of the court. How could I possibly influence their thoughts?”
His accusation was forcibly shoved back down his throat, making Xiao Xuanzhou’s expression even gloomier.
Every word spoken by those veteran ministers stabbed at his reason.
Finally
He roared furiously:
“Did you collude with Xie Chenyu? When you lost your position as Crown Princess, did you have him bring back the Xie fleet at the perfect moment to build momentum for you?”
“You want to use public opinion to drive Rou’er away again?”
“I’m warning you you can forget it!”
“Rou’er is my destined Phoenix Star. You are a baleful star, unworthy of the position of Crown Princess!”
Xiao Xuanzhou’s voice echoed through the long palace corridor, reaching the ears of the emperor, empress, officials, and everyone at the palace gates.
Everyone turned back in unison.
Emperor Jingle also turned around, his expression gradually darkening.
Someone noticed the emperor looking toward the Crown Prince’s direction and instinctively stepped aside.
The other officials sensed the movement and quickly followed suit.
Very soon
The officials stood neatly lined up on both sides of the palace road, leaving a clear path in the middle.
At the end of that path sat the Crown Prince in his sedan chair and the Shen family’s second daughter Shen Qingrou.
Shen Zhao’s father, Shen Huaiming, and her elder brother, Shen Rong, who had been following beside Emperor Jingle the whole time, both changed expressions upon seeing Shen Qingrou sitting in the Crown Prince’s sedan.
Shen Rong lowered his voice and asked:
“Father, why is Second Sister sitting up there?”
Shen Huaiming’s face alternated between green and purple with anger as he muttered:
“That idiot… and your mother didn’t stop her either.”
Both the emperor and empress had stepped out of their sedan chairs personally to welcome the returning Xie merchant fleet.
The Crown Prince remained seated only because of his leg injury.
Yet Shen Qingrou had climbed up as well…
That was blatant disrespect and outright defiance.
At this thought, Shen Huaiming became so anxious that his breathing turned heavy, cold sweat breaking out across his body.
“Your Majesty, this minister will immediately make my second daughter get down from the carriage.”
As soon as he spoke,
Shen Huaiming and Shen Rong rushed together toward the Crown Prince’s sedan chair.
At that moment, Cui Xuenian had already grabbed Shen Qingrou’s skirt and said:
“Rou’er, hurry and get down from the imperial sedan. Walk to welcome the Xie merchants.”
Shen Qingrou did not move.
Because the Crown Prince was tightly holding her hand, she was still immersed in the excitement and joy of being able to sit in the imperial sedan while her elder sister could not.
She had absolutely no understanding of palace etiquette or the criticism that would come from riding together with the Crown Prince in his sedan.
Her mind was entirely focused on following the Black Lotus System’s prompts, wanting to use this to provoke Shen Zhao.
To make Shen Zhao darken and thereby cure her speech disorder.
Seeing Shen Qingrou remain unmoved, Cui Xuenian was nearly angered to death on the spot.
Suppressing her towering rage, she forcefully tried to pull Shen Qingrou down.
The sedan chair shook twice, but not only did Cui Xuenian fail to move Shen Qingrou, she was instead yanked backward when Shen Qingrou forcibly pulled back her own sleeve.
Cui Xuenian stumbled back two steps
and fell into Shen Zhao’s arms.
Shen Zhao casually steadied her and softly called out:
“Mother.”
Shen Zhao’s eyes were filled with schadenfreude.
Cui Xuenian’s heart pounded wildly with anger. She fiercely gripped Shen Zhao’s wrist and panted:
“Zhaozhao, quickly think of a way to persuade your sister to come down. Quickly.”
Shen Zhao lifted her head and glanced at the two people seated in the sedan chair.
She released Cui Xuenian and stepped forward.
Stopping directly before the sedan, she spoke in a clear voice:
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, please step down from the sedan chair with my younger sister.”
“Shen Zhao, you dare speak to me like this now?” Xiao Xuanzhou’s face darkened.
Shen Qingrou thought Shen Zhao had finally darkened and become jealous. Instantly, she pressed herself against Xiao Xuanzhou’s side and tightly wrapped herself around his arm.
Let Sister darken even more.
Seeing this, Cui Xuenian’s vision darkened, dizziness flooding her mind.
She hurriedly supported herself against the wall.
Then she heard Shen Zhao say:
“You are the Crown Prince, the future supreme ruler chosen by Heaven and acknowledged by all the people under heaven. Your status is beyond compare.”
“And the Xie family merchant fleet, like Your Highness, set sail across the seas bearing the hopes of all the people.”
“You and the Xie fleet alike shoulder great responsibilities. The Xie fleet spent three years before finally returning. As Crown Prince, you…”
“Can follow His Majesty’s example and serve as a role model to your subjects. This subject’s daughter is merely advising Your Highness.”
“Please step down from the sedan chair with my younger sister and walk to the palace gates to welcome the return of the Xie fleet.”
Xiao Xuanzhou’s face had already turned so dark it was unbearable to look at.
Grinding his teeth, he said:
“Didn’t you see my leg?”
Shen Zhao lightly swept her gaze over his injured leg before calmly replying:
“If Your Highness supports yourself with a cane and walks on one leg to the palace gates to welcome the Xie family, it would only further demonstrate how much importance Your Highness places on the fleet’s return.”
“Please step down from the sedan chair with my younger sister.”
“You”
“Your Highness the Crown Prince.” An imperial attendant from Emperor Jingle’s side hurried over.
He announced:
“By His Majesty’s verbal decree: the Crown Prince is to step down from the sedan chair, support himself with a cane, and walk to the palace gates to welcome the Xie family.”
Xiao Xuanzhou’s expression looked ready to crack apart.