Shen Qingwu stood with neither humility nor arrogance, her clear eyes meeting the Holy One’s gaze directly. Her delicate yet pale face glowed like fine porcelain under the lantern light, appearing fragile enough to shatter at a touch.
Her slender figure dipped slightly in a curtsey as her crisp voice rang out: “Your Majesty, it is indeed this humble girl.”
“Rise.” The Emperor’s eyes swept over her once before his brows suddenly furrowed deeply. “Audacious!”
The exclamation made all those kneeling tremble in fear, wondering what grave matter had occurred.
“Where is Shen Wencong?!”
At this furious roar, Shen Qingxi’s heart quivered among the kneeling crowd.
The chief eunuch hurried forward: “Your Majesty, Lord Shen was not among those invited.”
“Then drag him before me! Is this how he treats the orphaned daughter of Marquis Yongyi – to shame me, or to chill the heart of a loyal subject resting nine springs below?” The Emperor’s face darkened, his voice hard as iron.
The Grand Princess sympathetically took Shen Qingwu’s hand: “Child, let me take you to change your clothes first.”
But Shen Qingwu suddenly knelt and kowtowed to the Emperor.
This move stunned even the Grand Princess: “What are you doing?”
Seeing this, Shen Qingxi thought: It’s over. Shen Qingwu must be seizing this opportunity to extensively accuse their second branch before the Holy One.
So this was her scheme behind dressing like this!
Her peripheral glance caught the Seventh Princess nearby, and she began weeping softly in a voice only those surrounding could hear: “No wonder cousin refused to wear the clothes and jewelry I prepared for her – she meant to play the victim and lodge complaints.”
Earlier while mingling with the princesses and young ladies, she had already painted herself as victim, describing how Shen Qingwu spurned her kindness and bullied her.
She continued crying: “Poor my parents dote on her, I even gave her my courtyard, yet she remains unsatisfied… Sob…”
Several nearby noble young ladies who heard this secretly cursed Shen Qingwu as “calculating” and “despicable,” quietly comforting Shen Qingxi.
The Seventh Princess kept glancing back, her anger mounting at these words until she straightened up to clear Shen Qingxi’s father’s name: “Father…”
“Your Majesty, please calm your anger. My second uncle treats me exceedingly well.” Shen Qingwu’s voice was soft yet clear, and since everyone present possessed cultivation, all heard it distinctly.
The Emperor frowned at the Seventh Princess: “Ye Li, did you need something?”
“Your daughter… your daughter wishes to take Eldest Miss Shen to change clothes!” She quickly improvised, forcing a smile while inwardly cursing Shen Qingxi a thousand times.
Noticing her father’s deepening frown, Ye Li immediately lowered her head: “Your daughter has been impolite.” She shot a sidelong glare at Shen Qingxi.
Shen Qingxi was astonished. How could this be? Shen Qingwu actually speaking up for her father? As disdainful glances gathered around her, Shen Qingxi wished she could vanish into the ground.
Damn that Shen Qingwu!
The Empress spoke up timely, her voice gentle yet commanding: “Your Majesty, Li’er meant well.” Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as she turned to Shen Qingwu. “Then why did you attend my birthday banquet in such attire?”
The Empress wore a phoenix crown, her formal crimson Nine-Phoenix Palace attire majestic and dignified, adding authority to her gentle features.
Shen Qingwu looked up, fingertips lightly brushing the slight wear on her sleeves: “These clothes are the most presentable set I owned during my dozen years in Medicine King Valley.”
Chapter 22: The Holy One’s Fury
Shen Qingwu was neither servile nor overbearing. Her pair of clear eyes looked directly and calmly at the Holy One. Her delicate yet pale little face looked like fine porcelain under the lamplight, as if it would shatter at a touch.
Her slender figure gave a slight curtsy, her voice clear and melodious. “Replying to the Holy One, it is indeed I.”
“You may dispense with the courtesy.” After the Emperor’s gaze swept over her, his brow suddenly furrowed. “Audacious!”
The kneeling crowd trembled in fear, wondering what grave matter had occurred.
“Where is Shen Wencong?!”
At this furious roar, Shen Qingxi, who was kneeling in the crowd, felt her heart tremble.
The Grand Eunuch hurried over. “Reporting to the Holy One, Lord Shen was not on the list of invitees.”
“Then drag him here for Us! To treat the orphan of Marquis Yongyi in such a manner, is he slapping Our face, or is he chilling the hearts of loyal subjects in the netherworld?” The Emperor’s face was grim, his voice as heavy as iron.
The Grand Princess took Shen Qingwu’s hand with pity. “Child, let this palace take you to change your clothes first.”
But Shen Qingwu suddenly knelt down and kowtowed to the Emperor.
This action stunned even the Grand Princess. “What are you doing?”
Seeing this, Shen Qingxi thought, It’s over. Shen Qingwu was definitely going to use this opportunity to lodge a massive complaint against their second branch in front of the Holy One.
So that’s it! So her dressing like this was all part of this scheme!
Her peripheral vision caught the Seventh Princess in front of her, and she began to sob in a low voice, audible only to the people in the immediate vicinity. “No wonder my dear cousin was unwilling to wear the clothes and jewelry I prepared for her. It turns out she wanted to play the victim and file a complaint.”
Just moments ago, while chatting with the princesses and young ladies, she had already played the victim, telling them how ungrateful and bullying Shen Qingwu was.
She continued to cry, “My poor parents dote on her, and I even gave her my courtyard, but she’s still not satisfied… sob sob sob…”
Hearing this, several young ladies from official families couldn’t help but curse Shen Qingwu as “calculating” and a “despicable person” under their breaths, and they began to comfort Shen Qingxi in low voices.
The Seventh Princess frequently looked back, and upon hearing this, her anger flared. She straightened up, about to clear Shen Qingxi’s father’s name. “Emper—”
“Your Majesty, please quell your anger. Second Uncle treats me extremely well.” Shen Qingwu’s voice was soft and gentle but not quiet. Coupled with the fact that everyone present had some cultivation, they all heard her loud and clear.
The Emperor frowned at the Seventh Princess. “Ye Li, is something the matter?”
“Your daughter… Your daughter wants to take Eldest Miss Shen to change her clothes!” she said, thinking fast and forcing a smile. At the same time, she cursed Shen Qingxi a thousand times in her heart.
Seeing her Emperor father’s brow furrow even deeper, Ye Li immediately lowered her head. “Your daughter has been impolite.” She shot a glare at Shen Qingxi from the corner of her eye.
Shen Qingxi was horrified. How could this be? Shen Qingwu is actually speaking up for her father? As disdainful gazes were secretly cast her way, Shen Qingxi wished she could find a hole to crawl into.
Damn you, Shen Qingwu!
The Empress spoke at the opportune moment, her voice gentle yet dignified. “Your Majesty, Li’er also had good intentions.” Her gaze shifted to Shen Qingwu, her phoenix eyes narrowing slightly. “Then why have you come to this palace’s birthday banquet in such attire?”
The Empress wore a phoenix coronet, and her formal, crimson Nine-Phoenix Palace attire was solemn and grand, adding a layer of majesty to her gentle features.
Shen Qingwu looked up, her fingertips lightly stroking the faint worn marks on her sleeve. “This set of clothes is the most presentable one I have owned during my ten-odd years in Medicine King Valley.”
Her eyes were bright and clear, her voice firm. “Father once taught me that only a true heart is a priceless treasure. My grand attire today is me bringing the entirety of my sincerity from my first seventeen years to respectfully wish Your Ladyship a healthy phoenix body and boundless blessings.”
These words slightly eased the Emperor’s expression, and the Empress also nodded faintly. “Good child, you are thoughtful.”
The Emperor personally helped her up, remarking with emotion, “You truly have your father’s shadow in you! Back then, when he performed meritorious deeds, I rewarded him with gold, silver, and jewels, but he wouldn’t even look at them. He regarded brocade robes and fine clothes as nothing more than dirt.”
“Your father often said that as long as I trusted him for a day, he would guard these lands for a day!” At this point, the Emperor’s eyes reddened.
His very throne had been won for him by Shen Qingwu’s father. With nothing but a sincere and loyal heart, he had truly guarded it for him until death.
Shen Qingwu lowered her gaze, the corners of her eyes moist as thoughts welled up. Her voice choked with emotion, “Father’s teachings to my brothers and me since we were young were to defend our territory, protect the people of our Da Sheng, and not fail the Holy One’s favor.”
Hearing this, the Emperor’s figure actually swayed, and the Empress and the Grand Princess hurriedly supported him. This sway made all the princes and princesses tremble.
The Emperor pressed his forehead, his eyes shut tight and his expression pained. “Wenzhi… My General Shen!”
Shen Wenzhi was the name of Shen Qingwu’s father.
“I implore Emperor to take care of your Dragon Body,” the Crown Prince said quickly.
The Empress gently patted his back, her own expression unreadable.
Shen Qingwu clutched her chest. The moment she thought of her parents and brothers, she could not stop her grief.
Forcibly suppressing it, she nodded. “Qingwu believes that the spirits of Father and my brothers in heaven will continue to protect the Holy One and the Da Sheng Empire.”
Not only the Emperor, but many of the old ministers present who had known General Shen also wiped away tears, lamenting that the heavens were jealous of such talent.
The Emperor and Empress walked into the main hall and sat on the imperial throne. In but a moment, the grief on his face vanished completely, and he resumed his usual majestic demeanor, bidding the crowd to rise.
As the Grand Princess had to sit on the Emperor’s other side, it was improper to bring Shen Qingwu with her. Thus, she entrusted her to the Crown Prince, not even giving her a chance to refuse, and even instructed him, “Take good care of her.”
And so, Shen Qingwu was led to a seat below the Empress, sharing a table with the Crown Prince.
She could feel countless gazes stabbing at her like needles, most of them coming from the young ladies of official families present.
The Crown Prince, completely oblivious, offered her a plain handkerchief. “Eldest Miss Shen, please do not be overly distressed.”
Her attention had been focused on the Emperor just now, and only now did Shen Qingwu notice that the Crown Prince’s voice was like a gentle spring breeze, seemingly able to calm a person in an instant.
Only then did Shen Qingwu raise her head to look at him closely. His features were gentle, his nose bridge high, and when he smiled, two shallow dimples appeared at the corners of his lips. He was completely different from the dignified Crown Prince she had imagined.
“Thank you, Your Highness.” She accepted the handkerchief frankly to wipe her tears, her entire body still tense.
This was her first time entering the palace, and upon entering, she had met the pinnacle of power in the Da Sheng Empire. Shen Qingwu couldn’t help but be a little nervous. Moreover, she didn’t understand the Emperor very well.
Fortunately, she had successfully made the Emperor remember her father and brothers who had died in battle.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she had been protectively raised in Medicine King Valley, but now, she could only grit her teeth and press forward.
She must, she absolutely must, reclaim everything her father and brothers had earned.
“Is Eldest Miss Shen feeling unwell?”
The gentle voice brought her back to her senses. Only then did Shen Qingwu realize that an array of food had been placed before her, and her cup had been filled with wine.
The Crown Prince watched her with a warm smile and passed a piece of pastry to her.
Shen Qingwu hurriedly took the pastry. “Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince. I can help myself.”
“In that case, if my Imperial Aunt later blames this one for not taking good care of you, Eldest Miss Shen must speak up for me,” he said with a faint smile.
This joke made even Shen Qingwu break into a smile.
The Crown Prince’s smiling eyes crinkled. “Are you more relaxed now?”