“What tricks is she playing this time?” Xiao Xuanzhou felt an inexplicable surge of irritation. “Can’t she just behave herself and let me have some peace of mind?”
Seeing Xiao Xuanzhou so enraged, Shen Rong for the first time felt that Shen Zhao was truly embarrassing him.
“Your Highness, this minister requests to leave the city ahead of schedule”
“No.”
Xiao Xuanzhou raised his hand to interrupt him.
“She just wants to make me jealous.”
“She thinks I still treat her like before, joking with her.”
“She wants to use this to force me to bring her back.”
Shen Rong’s expression shifted slightly, his brows deeply furrowed.
He could not refute Xiao Xuanzhou’s words.
After all, his sister truly was capable of living in a courtyard arranged by Xie Chenyu because Shen Zhao deeply loved the Crown Prince.
Thinking of this, Shen Rong felt even more irritated and repeatedly apologized to Xiao Xuanzhou.
“It is this minister’s failure to discipline Shen Zhao.”
“We have spoiled her too much as a family.”
“Now when she encounters difficulties, she acts out irrationally.”
Xiao Xuanzhou said, “It is not your fault. It is her own lack of propriety.”
Then he ordered Eunuch Wei Zian:
“Prepare the imperial carriage and mobilize the troops.”
“I want to see whether she dares to share a bed with Xie Chenyu in front of me.”
Shen Rong cupped his hands in salute and had just stepped out of the palace gate when he received news that Shen Qingrou had gone missing.
“What did you say?” Shen Rong could hardly believe it. “Did Mother upset Second Sister again?”
Shen Cong said, “No. Mother already had Madam Yao deliver the peony hairpins to Second Sister.”
“But by dinner time, we discovered Second Sister was neither in Qionghua Pavilion nor in Bibo Courtyard.”
“The entire residence was searched, but no one could find her. Even the peony hairpins Madam Yao brought back were gone.”
Shen Rong was deeply worried and feared the Crown Prince’s wrath.
“Search the residence again carefully. Maybe Second Sister is hiding somewhere you haven’t checked.”
Just as he finished speaking, the sound of the Crown Prince’s carriage came from behind.
Shen Rong did not dare delay any further.
“I must leave the city early. I cannot return with you. Go back first…”
He lowered his voice and added:
“Do not spread news of Second Sister’s disappearance for now.”
Shen Cong frowned deeply and said no more.
Shen Rong mounted his horse and rode beside Xiao Xuanzhou on his left.
Behind them followed five thousand troops, slowly heading toward the city gate.
As they neared the gate, Shen Rong suddenly saw Shen Zhao standing there
No. Upon closer look, he realized…
The young woman wearing peony hairpins and a crimson gold-embroidered dress was Shen Qingrou.
Shen Rong’s pupils shook violently.
“Rou’er!”
Yes that was Shen Qingrou.
The Black Lotus System had received news that the Crown Prince was leaving the palace for Ziyun Temple.
It informed her:
【After Shen Zhao enters Ziyun Temple, Duke Jing will forcibly take her into his room. When the Crown Prince learns of this, he will be enraged and rush to Ziyun Temple to rescue Shen Zhao.】
【You must intercept the Crown Prince before he leaves the city.】
【Let Xie Chenyu thoroughly defile Shen Zhao tonight the so-called pure white lotus.】
So Shen Qingrou followed the system’s instructions.
She put on Shen Zhao’s clothing and hair ornaments,
copied her makeup exactly,
and secretly slipped out of the Shen residence, waiting at the city gate like a hunter waiting for prey.
Inside the carriage,
upon hearing Shen Rong’s call, Xiao Xuanzhou immediately lifted the curtain to look outside.
He saw Shen Qingrou standing at the city gate.
The surrounding lantern light fell upon her.
Her crimson gold dress trailed elegantly on the ground, peony hairpins bright in her hair.
Unlike Shen Zhao’s cold arrogance,
this figure appeared gentler and more dignified.
It made Xiao Xuanzhou’s heart race uncontrollably.
He asked Shen Rong, “Is that Rou’er?”
Shen Rong regained his senses and replied, “Reporting to Your Highness, that is indeed my second sister, Rou’er.”
“Rou’er…” Xiao Xuanzhou’s eyes instantly lit up.
He was overwhelmed with excitement.
In his haste, he suddenly stood up but before he could take two steps, a cry of pain came from the carriage.
Shen Rong’s eyelid twitched violently as he lifted the curtain.
“Your Highness, what happened?”
Eunuch Wei Zian cried out in alarm, “Your Highness, your leg…”
This time, the Crown Prince had sprained his right leg.
Shen Huaiming learned of the incident and angrily reprimanded Cui Xuenian.
“How could you not watch over Rou’er? How could you let her run out in the middle of the night?”
“If His Majesty and the Empress Dowager blame us, none of us will be able to escape punishment.”
Cui Xuenian’s face turned pale, feeling deeply wronged.
“Master, who would have thought she would escape through a dog hole?”
She had managed the household for so many years and had never encountered anyone like Shen Qingrou.
She was utterly infuriated.
Madam Yao stepped forward to try to mediate.
“Master, this is not Second Miss’s fault.”
“What nonsense are you saying?” Shen Huaiming snapped, furious. “The Crown Prince was injured because of Second Miss, and you are still defending her?”
“Master, this servant is not trying to speak in Second Miss’s defense,” Madam Yao quickly corrected herself. “It was because of Eldest Miss that His Highness injured his leg.”
“What does this have to do with Eldest Miss?”
Shen Huaiming had only heard from Shen Rong that
the Crown Prince saw Shen Qingrou at the city gate and, while trying to get down from the carriage, accidentally injured his right ankle.
How could this now involve Shen Zhao again?
He was already troubled over how to explain this to the Emperor.
Now hearing Madam Yao’s words, he was stunned.
Madam Yao continued:
“The Crown Prince learned that Eldest Miss was being willful at Ziyun Temple, so he hurried there to discipline her.”
After accepting Madam Yao’s words, she said, “Madam Yao is not wrong.”
“The Imperial Preceptor Lianping said that there is heavy baleful energy on Shen Zhao’s body. At best, she brings injury; at worst, she brings ruin to the family.”
“The Crown Prince had not even left the city gate before he was injured again.”
“If Madam Rou had not stopped His Highness the Crown Prince at the city gate, and he had truly gone up to Ziyun Temple, who knows what would have happened to him.”
“Madam Rou has saved the entire Shen family from destruction.”
“And Shen Zhao has once again brought misfortune upon the Crown Prince.”
Shen Huaiming’s eyes widened, his brows slightly furrowed.
He found it unbelievable, yet could not think of any better explanation.
After all, in just a few short days, the Crown Prince had fallen three times.
If it wasn’t simply that the Crown Prince was terribly unlucky, then it truly had something to do with Shen Zhao, this “disaster star.”
Cui Xuenian, seeing that Shen Huaiming remained silent, added, “After Shen Zhao entered Ziyun Temple, she directly moved into the residence of the Duke Jin, seemingly trying to make the Crown Prince jealous.”
“Preposterous!” This time Shen Huaiming no longer questioned Shen Qingrou.
He slammed his hand on the table, anger flashing in his eyes. “Shen Zhao has become so unreasonable what a waste of all our careful upbringing.”
“Yes,” Cui Xuenian wiped her tears. “An unlucky person cannot be molded no matter how much you try to shape them.”
“Perhaps a life of quiet cultivation at Ziyun Temple is the best outcome for Shen Zhao.”
“She should not entertain any further improper thoughts now that things have already been settled.”
Shen Huaiming felt that Cui Xuenian made sense and immediately issued an order: “Madam Yao, go back and tell the eldest miss this.”
“If she cannot behave herself, then send her to the nunnery next door to have her head shaved and become a nun.”
Madam Yao’s heart skipped a beat.
She glanced at Cui Xuenian.
Cui Xuenian said indifferently, “Do as the master instructed.”
“Yes,” Madam Yao replied, and withdrew.
Shen Huaiming continued, “A marriage decree between Rou’er and the Crown Prince has already been issued. His Majesty intends for them to be wed by the end of the year.”
“You must arrange for someone to properly teach Rou’er the rules. I do not want what happened tonight to happen again.”
“Yes, Master, this concubine understands.”
In her heart, Cui Xuenian silently swore that she would cultivate another “Shen Zhao” and turn her into a qualified Crown Princess.