This Black Lotus System had appeared in Shen Qingrou’s mind a month ago.
At first, she thought it was some kind of demon.
But on the very night the Black Lotus System appeared, she suddenly became able to speak fluently.
The Black Lotus System told her that it survived by absorbing the resentment of the original Phoenix Star and converting it into energy.
It could compensate for Shen Qingrou’s stutter, replace the Phoenix Star, and help her ascend to the throne of the Phoenix Queen.
Although Shen Qingrou did not fully understand the Black Lotus System’s words,
she did understand the term “Phoenix Queen.”
And after learning from the Black Lotus that the man she had casually rescued half a year ago was actually the current Crown Prince,
Shen Qingrou agreed without hesitation to bind herself to the Black Lotus System.
Over the past month, she had tasted the joy of communicating normally and living like an ordinary person.
She had also experienced the favor and affection of the noble Crown Prince of Great Yan.
She deeply adored the handsome and dignified Crown Prince and wanted to become his Crown Princess the most honored woman in the future dynasty.
The prerequisite, however, was this
she needed her elder sister Shen Zhao’s resentment in order to become a normal person.
So why had it suddenly stopped working?
“This subject greets Your Majesty and pays respects to Her Majesty the Empress.”
Shen Zhao’s voice while paying her respects pulled Shen Qingrou back to reality.
Seeing Shen Zhao kneel, Shen Qingrou copied her movements and also knelt on the floor.
Before entering the palace, Cui Xuenian had briefly instructed her inside the carriage.
But Shen Qingrou’s mind had been completely occupied with the Black Lotus System, and she had not listened carefully.
As a result, her posture while bowing was crooked and awkward, completely lacking grace.
Fortunately, there was a screen separating them, and the people behind it could not clearly see Shen Qingrou’s deportment.
Very soon, Emperor Jingle said:
“Rise.”
Shen Zhao softly replied, “Thank you, Your Majesty,” before standing.
Throughout this entire time, Imperial Preceptor Lianping had been secretly observing Shen Zhao and Shen Qingrou.
Since Shen Qingrou had only recently returned to the Shen residence, all her clothes and jewelry belonged to Shen Zhao.
Combined with the sisters’ nearly identical appearances,
those unfamiliar with them would find it difficult to tell them apart.
Imperial Preceptor Lianping himself had only met Shen Qingrou twice.
Now, with two identical Miss Shen’s standing before him, even he found himself confused.
“Imperial Preceptor, the two daughters of the Shen family are standing before you. Examine them carefully and determine why the Crown Prince injured his left leg,” Empress Cui said.
Imperial Preceptor Lianping’s thoughts stirred, and he walked toward Shen Zhao the one who instinctively appeared more pleasing to his eyes.
Just then…
Shen Zhao met his gaze directly.
She recognized him immediately.
In her previous life, he had been the Daoist recommended into the palace by the other noble families
the very man responsible for harming Daoist Luoshan.
Back then, upon first seeing her, Lianping had declared:
“Her physiognomy is dull and weak; she cannot bear the blessings of the Phoenix Star.”
After hearing those words, the Crown Prince had ordered her to remain indoors and copy scriptures for three months to accumulate blessings for herself.
From then on, this Daoist had left a deep psychological shadow in Shen Zhao’s heart. She would often dream that because of Lianping’s words, the Crown Prince would abandon her.
And later, the nightmare had indeed come true.
Now, having lived another life and knowing Lianping’s true nature, Shen Zhao no longer feared him.
She calmly met his gaze head-on, then lowered her eyes and gave him a graceful bow, every gesture perfectly proper.
And it was precisely this action that caused Imperial Preceptor Lianping to mistake her for Shen Qingrou.
Thus, he walked past Shen Zhao and stopped before Shen Qingrou.
Raising his hand, he pointed and declared:
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, this Eldest Miss Shen has a dull physiognomy and lifeless eyes. She is unable to bear the blessings of the Phoenix Star.”
Before he could continue
both Shen Zhao and Shen Qingrou lifted their heads to look at him.
With one glance, Shen Zhao realized that Lianping had mistaken her younger sister for her.
A silent sneer rose in her heart, but she did not interrupt him.
Shen Qingrou, on the other hand, nearly panicked herself speechless.
Then they heard Lianping continue while pointing at Shen Qingrou:
“It is precisely because she occupied the position of the Phoenix Star for so long that the Phoenix Star became clouded by baleful energy. This karmic backlash then fell upon the Crown Prince, causing him to suffer grievous injuries during the assassination attempt half a year ago.”
“And now that the true Phoenix Star has returned to her rightful place, the baleful star fears losing its status. Thus, when the Phoenix Star entered Qionghua Pavilion, a stream of evil energy formed and clashed against the Crown Prince’s noble body.”
When he finished speaking,
Shen Zhao merely raised her brows faintly and glanced at the hand Lianping was using to point at Shen Qingrou.
Then she slowly lifted her dragon-and-phoenix embroidered round fan to cover her lips.
Two eunuchs stepped forward and removed the screen separating the room.
At a single glance, Empress Cui recognized Shen Zhao.
The dragon-and-phoenix round fan in Shen Zhao’s hand had been a birthday gift the Empress personally gave her the previous year.
But both the Emperor and Empress had clearly heard and personally witnessed Imperial Preceptor Lianping pointing at the Second Miss Shen while accusing her of “bringing harm upon the Crown Prince’s body.”
The imperial couple frowned simultaneously.
Before they could point out Lianping’s mistake, the Crown Prince suddenly emerged from his sleeping chamber, leaning on a crutch.
His face darkened as he said:
“Imperial Preceptor, you’ve identified the wrong person. The one behind you holding the dragon-and-phoenix fan is the baleful star, Shen Zhao.”
What?!
Imperial Preceptor Lianping abruptly turned around and indeed saw Shen Zhao holding the dragon-and-phoenix fan.
The fan was embroidered on both sides one side depicting a golden dragon soaring through clouds, the other a phoenix spreading its wings in flight.
The craftsmanship was exquisite, the materials luxurious, giving it an extraordinary elegance at first glance.
And at this moment, he was still pointing toward Shen Qingrou.
After recovering from his shock, Imperial Preceptor Lianping immediately forced himself to remain calm. Keeping his hand pointed at Shen Qingrou, he quickly corrected himself:
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, this humble Daoist knows that the one behind me is Eldest Miss Shen, while this young lady here is Second Miss Shen.”
“Although the purple aura surrounding her has been burdened by the baleful star’s misfortune, one can still see that the Second Miss naturally possesses the noble aura of the Ziwei Star.”
“Yes indeed.” Shen Zhao tugged lightly at the corner of her lips in a cold sneer.
She met Imperial Preceptor Lianping’s gaze and said:
“But just now, Imperial Preceptor, you were clearly pointing at my younger sister and saying that her physiognomy was dull, her eyes lifeless, and that she was unable to bear the blessings of the Phoenix Star.”
“Even the Crown Prince pointed out that you had mistaken identities and confused my sister for me.”
“And now, Imperial Preceptor Lianping, you suddenly change your words and say that the person you pointed at was born with noble fortune.”
“So may I ask, Imperial Preceptor whom exactly are you granting noble destiny to, and whom are you declaring the Phoenix Star?”
The moment her words fell,
the muscles on Imperial Preceptor Lianping’s face twitched several times.
The Emperor and Empress seated upon the dragon-and-phoenix throne both darkened their expressions slightly. Their brows furrowed deeply as each fell into their own thoughts.
While everyone was occupied with their suspicions,
Shen Qingrou suddenly threw herself into Xiao Xuanzhou’s arms and began sobbing softly in front of the Emperor and Empress.
The imperial couple snapped back to attention, and upon seeing the scene before them, their brows tightened even more.
In public like this what sort of behavior was this?
Moreover, the two were not yet married. Was this proper according to etiquette?
But the Crown Prince clearly fell for it.
“Shen Zhao, what did you do to Rou’er this time to make her cry?”
Shen Zhao secretly rolled her eyes in helplessness.
She first turned around and respectfully bowed to Xiao Xuanzhou.
After straightening, she calmly replied:
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, my younger sister is ill. When she woke this morning, her throat was hurting badly. Father, Mother, and my brothers were all worried about her and specially had the household physician prepare medicine for her.”
“My sister found the medicine too bitter, and my parents feared it would worsen her condition, which led to some conflict.”
“Ever since I moved out of Qionghua Pavilion, I have remained in my mother’s Bibo Courtyard. Only before entering the palace did I go to Qionghua Pavilion to bring my sister here together.”
“It was not this subject who made my sister cry.”
Xiao Xuanzhou did not believe her.
Seeing Shen Qingrou cry so pitifully,
he felt certain Shen Zhao was lying.
“You lie to me. Rou’er, tell me what did she do to you while I wasn’t there?”
“She…” Shen Qingrou’s voice trembled as she raised her hand and pointed toward Shen Zhao.
In order to control her speech, she concentrated so hard that even the hand pointing at Shen Zhao trembled.
Before the words “They want to drive me away” could leave her mouth,
Xiao Xuanzhou grabbed her hand and spoke for her:
“Did she join forces with your parents to drive you out of Qionghua Pavilion?”
Shen Qingrou nodded, then quickly shook her head.
That was not what she meant it was their parents who wanted to drive her away. It had nothing to do with her elder sister.
But Xiao Xuanzhou only noticed her nod and completely ignored the shaking of her head.
His fury toward Shen Zhao immediately flared.
“I knew it! How else could I suddenly fall for no reason? So while I was away, you were bullying my Ziwei Star.”
“Father Emperor, Mother Empress, did you hear that? This is where the problem lies!”
“Shen Zhao, this baleful star, has been suppressing and bullying the Phoenix Star all along. That’s why I broke my left leg and why my fortune has been cursed.”
Imperial Preceptor Lianping hurriedly chimed in to support him:
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, what the Crown Prince says matches this humble Daoist’s calculations exactly.”
“Eldest Miss Shen is a solitary baleful star, filled with evil energy. If not for the Phoenix Star’s profound blessings over these past fifteen years, the Second Miss would have long since died at the estate.”
“A baleful star remains a baleful star. If she continues suppressing the Phoenix Star for too long…”
Imperial Preceptor Lianping stroked his beard and spoke gravely:
“At best, it will bring ruin upon the family. At worst, it will bring disaster upon the nation.”
The moment his words ended,
Shen Zhao let out a cold laugh.
And just then,
a member of the Imperial Guard hurried into Yuehua Pavilion and reported:
“Your Majesty, the Duke Jin has escorted back the Western Ocean merchant ship that disappeared a year ago. They are now at the palace gates.”
Emperor Jingle, who had been expressionless moments earlier, abruptly stood up. Excitement flashed across his face.
“Quickly summon them no, I shall personally go.”
The return of the missing merchant ship was a joyous event for the entire nation.
Xie Chenyu had arrived at precisely the right moment.
Who was the baleful star and who was the true Phoenix Star
would soon become obvious without anyone needing to argue further.