Chapter 199: Why Are You So Vicious?

“Amitabha!”

A melodious Buddhist chant came from the gate. The voice was calm and mellow, and it brought people back to the peaceful Buddhist world all of a sudden, causing their minds to become sober and calm.

Shen Ninghua, however, was not affected at all. She raised her head to look at the entrance of the hall. Snow was flying in the sky. A monk dressed in Buddhist attire slowly stepped into the main hall step by step from the entrance.

Only when he reached the door did Empress Zhao Huiying regain her senses and stand up. “Master Liaochen.”

Liaochen put his palms together, and the Buddhist beads in his hand glowed warmly. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Master, please dispense with formalities.”

Liaochen bowed to greet the people aside. Everyone nodded and greeted back. Finally, his gaze fell on Shen Ninghua.

When she looked at his eyes, Shen Ninghua’s gaze couldn’t help but shake. There was clearly no smile on his face, but it seemed as if there was a trace of a smile there. He was like the supreme Buddha, radiating pity on mankind with a smile that caused people to relax.

“Greetings, Princess Zhaohua.” Liaochen stepped forward and bowed to Shen Ninghua. His gestures were exactly the same as what he did to the Empress, capturing everyone’s attention.

Shen Ninghua stood up and said, “Master, you are too polite. Today is my wedding day. It’s my great honor to have you here.”

Liaochen smiled and then shook his head. Then he nodded and said, “Thank you for your hospitality. Since you are getting married today, how about I offering you a present?”

“I dare not accept your gift.”

“You are welcome. Speaking of which, this gift isn’t from me, but from your maternal grandfather.”

Shen Ninghua’s pupils suddenly shrank. She couldn’t help but frown. “My maternal grandfather?”

“That’s right. This is a gift left by the Imperial Tutor Xia for your birth mother. Unfortunately, I traveled far away to the Great Yue Kingdom for study and was unable to come back before your mother passed away. Recently, I heard that you were going to get married. I specially chose today to fulfill my old friend’s wish.”

Many officials lowered their heads. They couldn’t help but sigh in their heart when they thought of the once-prosperous Xia family. Back then, the Xia family was a big family and many of its members became famous ministers in the imperial court. It was the most prosperous family at that time. Even the current Xiao family couldn’t compare to it.

Who would have thought that in less than a month, its legitimate daughter got married in a hurry, its master passed away, its property and belongings were confiscated, and its members were executed? Apart from a daughter who had been married, almost no one in the family escaped from death. Thinking about it now, they still sighed a lot in their heart.

Shen Ninghua looked at the envelope held in Liaochen’s hand, and her eyes became even colder. “Master Liaochen, I think you’re mistaken.”

Everyone was stunned. Mistaken?

Empress Zhao Huiying frowned. “Ninghua, how can you talk to Master Liaochen like this?”

Shen Ninghua bowed to Zhao Huiying. “Mother Empress, I don’t suspect Master Liaochen. But, there’s just one thing I don’t understand. I want to ask Master Liaochen about it.”

“Your Highness, please ask.”

“My mother passed away early, and I have never seen my maternal grandfather. However, as everyone knows, my maternal grandfather doted on my mother very much. Is that right?”

“Yes, my old friend Xia indeed took special care of your mother.”

Shen Ninghua looked coldly at the envelope in Liaochen’s hand and mocked coldly, “Since that’s the case, why would my maternal grandfather leave something poisonous for my mother?”

“What? Poisonous?”

“What do you mean?”

Zhao Huiying looked coldly at the noisy crowd and said, “Be quiet. Ninghua, tell me clearly, what is poisonous?”

Shen Ninghua looked at Liaochen and said, “Master, I heard that you were also proficient in medical knowledge. I think you should know what I’m talking about, right? The envelope is yellow and looks very old. But if you look at it closely, you can see that the yellow color is mixed with a faint golden color. This color is made of sulfur soaked in the juice of cyperus rotundus. When cyperus rotundus is mixed with sulfur, it will be more poisonous than white arsenic. Is what I said correct?”

Liaochen smiled and his gaze became gentler. “That’s right. Originally, I wanted to test you when I heard you were praised for offering prescriptions. Now I know I’m just so superficial.”

Liaochen showed not the slightest bit of embarrassment after the truth was exposed. Instead, he took out a bottle of medicinal powder from his pocket and gently sprinkled it on the envelope. “Your Highness, you can read it now.”

Shen Ninghua raised the corners of her lips. “So Master is testing me. I was just too superficial. I thought Master was going to avenge the death of your favorite disciple.”

When these words were spoken, everyone began to guess in their heart. Back then, Master Liaochen personally took Shen Dong’s son Shen Xuanye as his disciple, and many people were envious of Shen Xuanye’s fortune. It wasn’t until Shen Xuanye did something wrong and was punished by the Emperor that everyone gradually forgot his identity as Master Liaochen’s disciple. Now they remembered that Shen Xuanye was Princess Zhaohua’s younger brother and was defeated by her! How could they not be suspicious when his master suddenly appeared?

The smile on Liaochen’s face was still the same as before. “Your Highness misunderstood me. I had warned Shen Xuanye to stay out of worldly affairs and concentrate on practicing Buddhism. However, he did not listen to my advice. One’s life is determined by heaven and destined by fate. There is no need for people to fight for something that doesn’t belong to them. You said that I was here to take revenge. That’s not the case.”

Shen Ninghua took the envelope and slowly opened it. “Master is indeed proficient in medical skills. The poison of the cyperus rotundus and sulfur can be neutralized with agrimony. While it cannot eliminate the poison, it can prevent it from emitting. It is indeed a good method. Well, it is naturally the best if you don’t want to take revenge.”

You are reading story Phoenix Reborn: the Prime Minister's Scheming Daughter at novel35.com

Chu Junyi stepped forward. When he lowered his head and looked at the opened envelope, he clenched his fists tightly.

Shen Ninghua’s expression was tense. Her fingers trembled slightly. Then, she abruptly rolled the letter in her hand and burned it directly on the red candle beside her. “Master Liaochen, you care the most about rules. So, I guess you haven’t read the content of this letter, have you?”

“No.”

“Well, that’s good. Since my maternal grandfather decided to tell my mother about this matter, then I can burn it directly for her. I assume that she can see the content of my maternal grandfather’s letter in her grave and can really rest in peace.”

When the Crown Prince’s gaze swept across the burning ashes, he couldn’t help but frown. Shen Ninghua directly burned the letter. What exactly was written on it?

Zhao Huiying’s expression darkened. Shen Ninghua first burned the letter. Then, she confirmed that Master Liaochen didn’t read the content of the letter. In the end, no one except she and Chu Junyi knew what this letter said. Even if someone found a way to get its content, no one would believe him when he told it publicly.

Chu Junyi reached out to hold Shen Ninghua’s fingers. He let out a slight sigh of relief when he felt that her fingers gradually stopped trembling. Seeing everyone looking at her and trying to figure out what happened, Chu Junyi took a step forward before her to obstruct their line of sight. He said politely, “Master Liaochen, now that you are here, please enjoy this wedding banquet. Since you are a Buddhist, I specially prepare a table of vegetarian dishes for you. Please don’t refuse it, Master.”

Liaochen smiled and shook his head. He looked at Shen Ninghua mildly. “Your Highness, you are full of evil tendencies. Are you willing to practice Buddhism with me?”

Shen Ninghua’s eyes turned cold. “Master, what do you mean by that?”

This Liaochen said she was full of evil tendencies on her wedding day. He obviously meant that she wouldn’t have a good life in the future. Who exactly invited Liaochen?

“I and your maternal grandfather were good friends. Naturally, I don’t want to see his only descendant going astray. So, I am willing to take you as my last disciple. You shall follow me to practice Buddhism for three years. After three years, you can return. What do you think?”

“Three years?” Shen Ninghua stood beside Chu Junyi and looked at him with a faint smile. “Master, monks must keep mercy in their heart, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then why is Master so vicious?”

Liaochen paused. “What did Your Highness mean by that?”

“Master, do you know what three years mean to me?”

“Please tell me, Your Highness.”

Shen Ninghua expressionlessly said, “I have reached the marriageable age for nearly a year now. In the mortal world, three years would be enough for me to have a child. It is my duty to assist my husband and educate my children. Three years would be enough for me to manage my life happily. However, if I follow you to practice Buddhism for three years, then when I come back, Lord Chu will be able to divorce me under the excuse that we haven’t had a child for three years, even though I’m a princess. Even if he has a deep affection for me and still wants to be with me, he will definitely take concubines during the three years. You just said that I was full of evil tendencies. So naturally, I’m the best at jealousy and can’t tolerate his concubines. Won’t I kill his concubines by then?”

Everyone was shocked. They never expected that not only did Shen Ninghua refuse to become the last disciple of Master Liaochen, she also said that he was vicious. What was more, to their surprise, they felt that what she said was reasonable…

The smile on Liaochen’s face remained the same as before, as if nothing could change it. “Your Highness’ words are biased. I do this out of good intentions. Your evil tendencies are hard to dissolve. I don’t know how much trouble they will cause if you stay in the mortal world. You will also suffer severely from them yourself. That’s why I kindly reminded you of this.”

“Master, you repeatedly said that I was full of evil tendencies, but I think that I am a kind-hearted person. Could it be that Master is not only good at medical skills but also proficient in metaphysics?”

“I’m just a little familiar with it.”

“No wonder Master was able to see my evil tendencies.” Shen Ninghua turned to look at Shen Xuanlin, who was nervously looking at her at the door. “Xuanlin, bring over the jade pendant I gave to you.”

Shen Xuanlin obediently walked over and handed over the jade pendant hung on his chest. Then, he stood in front of Shen Ninghua and stared at Liaochen angrily. He didn’t know what evil tendencies were, but he knew that this monk had ill intentions.

Shen Ninghua took the jade pendant and patted him on the shoulder. Then, she pinched the rope on the jade pendant and hung it in the air. “Master, do you think this jade pendant will be intact today, or will it shatter into pieces?”

Liaochen smiled and lowered his head. “Amitabha, I believe that it will shatter into pieces.”

“Oh? Did Master understand what I meant?”

“No, if I say that the jade pendant will be intact, Your Highness will definitely loosen your grip and let the jade pendant fall. This jade pendant is pretty valuable. It is better to preserve it than to shatter it. So, I can only say that it will shatter into pieces. Then you will not let the jade pendant drop. You just want me to make a false prediction. In order to preserve the jade pendant, it doesn’t matter that I make a mistake.”

When everyone heard this, they immediately felt admiration in their heart.

“Master is so high-minded.”

“That’s right. Master Liaochen deserves his name. His personality is truly unparalleled.”

“I’m really impressed…”

Shen Ninghua raised her eyes and chuckled. She placed the jade pendant in Shen Xuanlin’s arms. “Looks like Master is just so so. I said that this jade pendant was a gift to my younger brother Shen Xuanlin. Since I gave it to him, it naturally doesn’t belong to me anymore. It is up to him to decide whether to preserve it properly or break it. What Master said had nothing to do with the result, because you were wrong from the beginning.”

Liaochen, you were just a monk. Who gave you the right to judge my life?

You can find story with these keywords: Phoenix Reborn: the Prime Minister's Scheming Daughter, Read Phoenix Reborn: the Prime Minister's Scheming Daughter, Phoenix Reborn: the Prime Minister's Scheming Daughter novel, Phoenix Reborn: the Prime Minister's Scheming Daughter book, Phoenix Reborn: the Prime Minister's Scheming Daughter story, Phoenix Reborn: the Prime Minister's Scheming Daughter full, Phoenix Reborn: the Prime Minister's Scheming Daughter Latest Chapter