And the bottle of medicine Shen Zhao had given Xie Chenyu…
Was precisely the Heartburn Powder that Shen Rong had once ordered skilled physicians to specially formulate in her previous life.
Sprinkled onto a wounded person’s blade injury, it would melt instantly upon contact with blood. Before long, the victim’s internal organs would feel as though they were burning in flames.
It made life worse than death.
In her previous life, Shen Zhao had once seen Xie Chenyu in the palace after he had been gravely injured, remaining unconscious for half a year before finally waking.
He had been tormented by the Heartburn poison.
Emaciated to the bone, his face deathly pale.
And by the time she learned that Shen Rong had secretly poisoned Xie Chenyu, Xie Chenyu had already died on the battlefield.
Back then, she had even argued with Shen Rong over it.
Shen Rong had furiously scolded her:
“A woman’s softheartedness makes her unfit for great responsibilities.”
That was likely one of the reasons Shen Rong showed her no sibling affection and ultimately killed her without mercy.
The path she walked and the path they pursued were completely opposed.
Xie Chenyu did not ask where her poison came from. He simply tucked the bottle into his robes.
Then he said, “Miss Shen, I will not betray your trust. I will return safely and ensure your great vengeance is fulfilled.”
He also pulled out a letter from his robes.
“This is the information you asked me to investigate regarding your origins.”
“The answers you want are inside.”
“Additionally, we have not found any trace of Daoist Luoshan at Bodhi Temple.”
“However, I’ve already arranged for people to keep watch there at all times. The moment Daoist Luoshan appears, I’ll inform you immediately.”
“It’s inconvenient for me to stay longer. If you need anything, send someone to the back gate of the Duke Jing’s residence and ask for Guard Feng Chun.”
“He is one of my personal guards. You can trust him.”
He spoke concisely.
Then, with swift and practiced movements, he climbed out the window and left.
Shen Zhao watched his departing figure for a moment.
The fact that Daoist Luoshan still hadn’t been found meant he was temporarily safe.
As long as he had not fallen into the Crown Prince’s hands, everything could still be managed.
Shen Zhao instructed Man Yin to light the candles.
She opened the letter and carefully read it word by word.
She had originally thought there was something wrong with her own background.
But she never expected that the person whose origins were truly suspicious…
Was her mother.
After leaving the Shen residence, Xie Chenyu brought the gift registry that the Xie merchant fleet had brought back from the Western foreign lands and entered the palace once more.
At this moment, the Emperor and Empress were both in the Eastern Palace.
The Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau and Imperial Preceptor Lianping each sat before a desk, meticulously recalculating the birth charts of the Shen sisters.
About half an hour later,
Imperial Preceptor Lianping was the first to rise.
“Your Majesty, this humble daoist has recalculated Eldest Miss Shen’s fate chart.”
“The conclusion I reached tonight is the same as before.”
“Eldest Miss Shen’s Heavenly Fiend Star belongs to Yin Fire violent as blazing flames, an omen of great misfortune.”
“Second Miss Shen’s Phoenix Pavilion Star belongs to Yang Earth gentle as jade, an omen of great fortune.”
“The reason National Preceptor Luoshan mistakenly identified Eldest Miss Shen as the Phoenix Star and Second Miss Shen as the Fiend Star is because…”
“Second Miss Shen’s Phoenix Pavilion suffered suppression from evil influences. In her birth chart, the Earth Void and Earth Calamity stars clash against her life palace, concealing the brilliance of her Phoenix Star.”
“If we perform a Beidou Seven-Star ritual to dispel it, her radiance will surely shine again, blessing the western lands!”
“As for Eldest Miss Shen…”
At this point, Imperial Preceptor Lianping looked toward the Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.
“Lord Shangguan, you have also calculated Eldest Miss Shen’s fate chart, have you not? You should explain it.”
The Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau wiped cold sweat from his forehead.
He had indeed calculated Shen Zhao’s fate chart.
But he had produced two completely different charts.
One foretold great evil.
One foretold great fortune.
The evil chart matched Imperial Preceptor Lianping’s description exactly violent as flames, hiding murderous intent.
Like a vengeful ghost from hell.
The fortunate chart showed supreme nobility, yet its destiny had been forcibly stolen away, creating chaos.
No matter which fate it was, both were unfavorable to…
The Crown Prince.
He might even lose his life because of this woman.
But he…
Could not say it.
So the Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau knelt and said, “Your Majesty, this minister is incompetent. I was unable to calculate Eldest Miss Shen’s fate chart.”
With both hands, he presented the fate chart he had scribbled into complete disorder.
Choosing silence.
Xiao Xuanzhou was very satisfied with this outcome.
“Father Emperor, this son once heard National Preceptor Luoshan say that there is a type of person whose fate cannot be calculated.”
“A person who committed great evil in their previous life may have no calculable destiny in this life. Such a person can only survive by stealing the fate of others.”
“This is commonly called: stealing fortune, borrowing life.”
As soon as he finished speaking,
Emperor Jingle’s brows tightly furrowed as he lowered his eyes to stare at the fate chart from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.
His gaze fixed upon the four words:
“Great Fortune, Great Misfortune.”
But those four words had already been crossed out.
Meaning the Imperial Astronomical Bureau had overturned its own conclusion.
Yet the moment Emperor Jingle saw those words, an inexplicable unease rose in his heart.
Great fortune and great misfortune were contradictory by nature. For both to appear simultaneously in one person’s fate chart was abnormal.
At that moment, an Imperial Guard hurried into the Eastern Palace.
“Your Majesty, Duke Jing requests an audience.”
Xie Chenyu’s arrival made Imperial Preceptor Lianping clap his hands in delight.
“Good, good indeed…”
The Crown Prince did not understand what he meant by “good,”
but still cooperatively asked, “Imperial Preceptor, what does Duke Jing’s audience have to do with the fate chart?”
“Your Highness, look here.” Imperial Preceptor Lianping pointed at the compass in his hand as he walked before Xiao Xuanzhou.
Xiao Xuanzhou lowered his eyes toward the compass.
Imperial Preceptor Lianping explained, “This is Eldest Miss Shen’s fate chart. Earlier, when this humble daoist arranged her chart, the compass pointed toward the Heavenly Fiend Palace a sign of great calamity.”
“But just now, when the Imperial Guard entered to announce Duke Jing’s audience with His Majesty, the needle moved.”
“It has now settled upon the shared palace of Wuqu and Tianfu…”
At this point, Imperial Preceptor Lianping immediately began calculating on his fingers while muttering continuously:
“When Wuqu and Tianfu guard the Zi and Wu positions together, meeting Lucun and Hualu, Wuqu’s firmness suppresses evil, while Tianfu guards the treasury and dispels calamities.”
“And Duke Jing just so happens to be a military general, carrying the aura of a calamity-suppressing commander. He can withstand financial ruin and the evil of punishment and injury.”
“And Duke Jing just so happens to be a military general, carrying the aura of a calamity-suppressing commander. He can withstand the evils of financial ruin and bodily harm.”
“He also perfectly counteracts the fiend star within Eldest Miss Shen’s fate.”
“The two of them form a restraining balance against one another.”
“Your Majesty, if Eldest Miss Shen and Duke Jing can become husband and wife, then the baleful energy surrounding Second Miss Shen’s Phoenix Pavilion Star will naturally be resolved.”
The more Lianping spoke, the more excited he became.
The Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau looked slightly stunned.
He glanced down at the compass in his own hands, his lips trembling faintly.
If the two were joined together, negative and negative would create an even greater disaster it could even bring ruin to the nation…
Lord Shangguan was only dazed for a brief moment.
Then Xiao Xuanzhou ordered someone to present Imperial Preceptor Lianping’s compass to Emperor Jingle.
After taking one look at it, Emperor Jingle questioned the Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.
Afraid of saying the wrong thing, Lord Shangguan cautiously replied, “If we judge according to the Imperial Preceptor’s fate chart, then… it is indeed so.”
Emperor Jingle asked no further questions and instead ordered Xie Chenyu to enter the Eastern Palace.
After bowing in greeting, Xie Chenyu went straight to the point.
“Your Majesty, this minister entered the palace late tonight for the sake of a major matter in my life.”
He took out a thick gift registry.
“With the tribute gifts brought back by the Xie family’s merchant fleet from the Western foreign lands, this minister wishes to request from Your Majesty an imperial decree of marriage with Eldest Miss Shen.”
Everyone present was stunned.
The most shocked of all was Lord Shangguan.
He lowered his head again to look at his compass, whose needle was shifting toward an uncontrollable direction.
Yet it continued wavering between fortune and calamity.
It was already bad enough that he could not calculate Eldest Miss Shen’s fate.
Now even Duke Jing’s fate could not be calculated.
Such destinies belonged either to the dead…
Or to those of supreme nobility.
As for Xiao Xuanzhou…
Lord Shangguan lifted his head to look toward him.
He saw that Xiao Xuanzhou could barely conceal the smile on his face as he said, “Duke Jing, have you thought this through? Eldest Miss Shen is supposedly a cursed star.”
“However…”
“Just now, Imperial Preceptor Lianping also calculated a compatibility reading for you and Eldest Miss Shen. He said the two of you are a match made in heaven.”
“Father Emperor, Duke Jing’s military merits are outstanding. It would only be proper to fulfill his wish.”
Hearing the Crown Prince’s voice, Emperor Jingle felt an inexplicable irritation rise in his heart.
Emperor Jingle said, “You wish to offer the gifts from the Western foreign lands in exchange for a marriage decree with Eldest Miss Shen?”
“Yes.”
Emperor Jingle looked at him with mixed emotions.
He had watched Xie Chenyu grow up.
Naturally, the Emperor hoped Xie Chenyu would think carefully about such an important matter as marriage.
“Do you know what the Imperial Preceptor just said about Eldest Miss Shen?” Emperor Jingle asked.
Xie Chenyu replied, “No matter what kind of fate Eldest Miss Shen possesses, this minister loves only Eldest Miss Shen and wishes only to take her as my wife. I ask Your Majesty to grant us this marriage.”
He knelt down, raising the gift registry high above his head, his voice firm and decisive.
Afraid that Emperor Jingle might refuse the marriage decree, Imperial Preceptor Lianping quickly stepped forward and said:
“Your Majesty, although Eldest Miss Shen is an extremely ominous fiend star”
“As long as she is sent to Ziyun Temple for three months of cultivation, combined with Duke Jing’s fate, her fiendish aura can be suppressed.”
“This will ensure the safety of both the Xie family and Duke Jing.”
Hearing those words, Xie Chenyu slowly turned his head, his gaze chillingly cold as he looked toward Imperial Preceptor Lianping.