Chapter 5: False Accusation

Inside Shen Liqin’s courtyard, a shadow appeared.

Shen Liqin wore simple clothes, delicately tending to the incense in the censer. It was her favorite jasmine-scented powder. Though nearing forty, time had been kind to her, tracing only faint lines at the corners of her eyes, which only added to her gentle grace and elegance.

“What is it?” Her voice was as soft and warm as a spring breeze.

The newcomer, a woman dressed in black named Qin Yi, lowered her head and replied, “The eldest miss has been punished to kneel in the ancestral hall.”

Shen Liqin frowned slightly. “That girl—did she defy her mother again?”

“Yes, but this time it’s not entirely her fault. The second miss falsely accused the eldest miss of pushing her into the water. The eldest miss merely defended herself.”

Shen Liqin sighed. “Enough. I will go fetch her from the ancestral hall later.”

Seeing that Qin Yi had no intention of leaving, Shen Liqin asked, “Is there something else?”

“The palace just sent word. Today, at the Empress Dowager’s banquet, the eldest miss proposed to the Sixth Prince.”

The incense she had just lit released a soft fragrance as Shen Liqin knit her brows. “The Sixth Prince, Xiao Jingchi?”

“Exactly.”

“Wasn’t she determined to marry only Xiao Jingchen?” Shen Liqin closed the incense lid, watching the delicate smoke curl upward.

“It has caused quite a stir.”

“Very well, I understand. You may go now.”

Qin Yi nodded and quickly disappeared.

Shen Liqin called for her maid, Yue Ru. “Let’s go. We’ll retrieve Ahe from the ancestral hall.”

---

Night deepened, and the moonlight spilled down like snow, pure and bright.

In the ancestral hall, Shen He sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion, glancing up at the moon outside the window. She instinctively reached out to block it, but the moonlight still flowed through her fingers.

Rebirth... was all of this real?

Everything in the Shen residence remained unchanged, and the people around her were still there.

---

Recalling the events of today, many things differed from her previous life.

For instance, in her past life, the Sixth Prince had not appeared at the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, nor had there been any punishment involving the ancestral hall.

Even with a single rebirth, many things could change, so she could not afford to be careless.

Suddenly, a distinct scent of jasmine powder wafted in—it was Shen Jiao.

“Second Miss.” Granny Sun, who guarded Shen He at the door, smiled obsequiously upon seeing Shen Jiao.

“Granny Sun, thank you for taking care of my elder sister. Mother sent these snacks for you—new delicacies from the Eight Treasures Vegetarian. You should rest now; I will stay with her.” She gestured to a maid to hand Granny Sun a box of food.

Granny Sun accepted the box with a smile and opened it to find exquisite pastries and a pot of fragrant wine.

“Second Miss is so thoughtful. You talk with the eldest miss; I won’t disturb you.” With a happy smile, she opened the door for Shen Jiao.

Shen Jiao strode inside, and Granny Sun closed the door behind her.

Shen He sat cross-legged on the cushion, eyes closed in repose.

“Elder sister’s attitude is surprisingly good—punished to kneel and yet so at ease,” Shen Jiao sneered sarcastically.

Shen He did not open her eyes. Having just experienced rebirth, the past sorrows still felt fresh and exhausting. “Second sister, have you decided to stop pretending?”

Shen Jiao, who had conspired with Xiao Jingren to ensnare Shen He, likely believed that after the eldest miss’s successful proposal at the Empress Dowager’s banquet, marriage to Xiao Jingren was certain. She no longer wished to feign sisterly affection.

“What is elder sister talking about? I don’t understand. I only came to see you because I was worried about you being punished to kneel in the ancestral hall. How can you be ungrateful?”

Only then did Shen He open her eyes, lazily avoiding Shen Jiao’s gaze. “You falsely accused me of pushing you into the water, ruining my reputation. I have long stopped caring about sisterly bonds. Why continue to feign innocence?”

Shen Jiao was puzzled—since returning from the Empress Dowager’s banquet, Shen He seemed like a different person.

She sat down on a chair at the side of the hall, looking down on Shen He. “Yes, stop pretending then.”

“That’s right, it’s much easier. Always acting is exhausting.” Shen He shifted on the cushion to find a more comfortable position.

“I don’t understand. Why have I always been inferior to you? Father favors you, the Empress Dowager dotes on you, even Aunt has declared you the heir to the Qin title. I am also a daughter of the Shen family; I have the right to inherit the Qin title too. As legitimate daughters, I admit I’m envious. But if it weren’t for the Qin title...”

Her words trailed off as her hand slowly clenched into a fist.

Shen He sneered. “If not for the Qin title, why would Xiao Jingren choose me? Do you want to say that?”

“You said that, not me!”

“Does it matter who said it? It’s the same.”

---

Shen Jiao approached and looked down at Shen He, jealousy burning fiercely within her.

Which woman would willingly watch the man she loved marry another—especially if that other was her own sister?

With that thought, Shen Jiao raised her hand to strike, but Shen He gripped her wrist tightly.

“Let go!” Shen Jiao struggled, frowning.

Shen He rose and flung Shen Jiao aside. Stumbling, Shen Jiao fell onto a nearby chair whose sharp edge cut a small wound on her hand.

Coldly, Shen He said, “If you want to fight, at least see if you have the strength. Besides, since you’re already betrothed to the Third Prince, why not have told me earlier? The position of Third Princess could have been yours.”

Shen Jiao stared in shock. Wasn’t she utterly infatuated, insisting she would marry only Xiao Jingren? How could she say such things?

She recalled Xiao Jingren repeatedly warning her not to reveal their relationship in front of Shen He and felt a surge of panic—did Shen He know something? She must not ruin the Third Prince’s affairs.

“Don’t talk nonsense! You liked the Third Prince, insisted on proposing at the Empress Dowager’s banquet, feared I would steal your thunder and pushed me into the water. Now you want to ruin my reputation with the Third Prince?”

Shen He rolled her eyes. “Are you possessed by a drama queen? It’s just the two of us here—what’s the point of acting? You came because you’re bitter, thinking I don’t deserve your Third Prince, but since the Empress Dowager favors him and Aunt gave you the Qin title, you get everything you want and take it out on me?”

“Hmph! The Qin title? I really can’t understand. She’s an old woman who can’t marry out, yet she’s allowed to remain in the Shen family by imperial decree. How shameless. Father is the head of the Shen family; the Qin title should be his to decide who inherits it. What right does she have?”

Shen He strode forward and slapped Shen Jiao fiercely across the face, nearly knocking her down.

No one in this world could slander her aunt in front of her.

“Because she is the Qin Lian Jushi personally appointed by His Majesty, and because she is Father’s own sister. How dare you speak ill of your own aunt before the ancestors of the Shen family? Aren’t you afraid of slander?”

Shen Jiao clutched her face, but instead of anger, she laughed. “Sister, you really should change your temper. Anyway, you’re about to marry the Third Prince as you wish. What’s a little bad reputation?”

With that, Shen Jiao lifted the meditation cushion and slammed it onto the ancestral tablets inside the hall.

The five-tiered tablets toppled with a crash, layer after layer falling, echoing loudly.

“Sister! What are you doing? This is the ancestral hall! If you’re angry at me, just say it!” Shen Jiao looked at Shen He triumphantly, then suddenly shouted aloud.