On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the snow began to melt.
The Minister's mansion hosted a grand banquet to celebrate the coming-of-age ceremony for the eldest daughter of the Shen family. The entire garden echoed with laughter and joy.
"Miss Shen has hit the target again!"
The girls' cheers echoed once more.
A young woman standing on the opposite corridor gazed into the Guanan Garden: "Who is that archer?"
The speaker was Shen Lian, the biological daughter whom Jing Miaoyi had just welcomed back to the mansion.
She wore a pale pink brocade cloak embroidered with orchids, its white fur-lined collar hugging her face to accentuate its delicate smallness. It perfectly concealed the dark birthmark on her left cheek, revealing only a pair of narrow, beautiful eyes. Seen thus, she too was a beauty.
She cautiously scanned the crowd.
The senior maid, Chanling, replied, "Second Young Miss, that is the eldest daughter."
Shen Lian stared at Shen Wan, who was surrounded by admirers. With exquisite features and dressed in a crimson feather-embroidered robe adorned with cranes, Shen Lian couldn't help but say, "She's truly remarkable."
She's... so beautiful.
If only she could possess such a delicate, flawless face.
Chanling said proudly, "The eldest miss isn't just skilled in archery on foot—she excels at horseback archery too. She's also masterful at throwing arrows into a pot and cuju. She's studied the Four Books and Five Classics, composes poetry, and paints. But most impressive of all, she's also highly skilled in medicine."
Highly skilled in medicine?
She instinctively covered her own face. Just then, the group of girls across from them walked off to play elsewhere.
At the same time, a man's voice came from behind her: "You must be Sister Shen."
Shen Lian spun around abruptly, her heart clenching suddenly.
The man standing before her was strikingly handsome, tall and graceful, like an immortal cast down from heaven, causing Shen Lian's heart to flutter.
The cicada spirit tugged at her sleeve, whispering urgently, "It's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince! Quickly pay your respects!"
With that, the cicada spirit bowed to Mo Junli, Crown Prince of Shang Kingdom. Shen Lian swiftly lowered her head, mimicking the cicada spirit's gesture toward Mo Junli. She dared not lift her gaze, fearing the birthmark on her face might be revealed. "Your... Your Royal Highness," she murmured.
She silently thanked the housekeeper for applying makeup that concealed her birthmark. As long as it wasn't fully exposed, no one would notice.
"Today marks your coming-of-age ceremony. I brought a special gift for you. Do you like it?"
Li Changfu presented a nine-tailed phoenix hairpin.
The phoenix crown atop the pin was adorned with three exquisite, delicate rubies, dazzlingly beautiful. Shen Lian had never seen such a stunning headpiece, and now it was being given to her.
Chan Ling also frowned slightly, her heart filled with doubt.
"Miss Shen, please accept this gift and express your gratitude."
Shen Lian snapped back to reality, accepting the nine-tailed phoenix hairpin from Li Changfu with both hands. "Thank you... thank you, Your Highness."
"This hairpin was personally entrusted to me by Her Majesty to deliver to you. Shen sister, after your coming-of-age ceremony, Mother will summon your parents to the palace to discuss your marriage to me..."
Marriage...
Shen Lian felt her heart nearly leap out of her throat. She was to marry His Royal Highness the Crown Prince??
"When the time comes, Mother will bring you to the palace first to familiarize yourself with the surroundings and court etiquette. Fear not—I shall be with you always."
When Shen Wan left, she was only nine years old.
Now fifteen, the two had not seen each other for six years. The moment Mo Junli saw Shen Lian, he mistakenly thought she was Shen Wan.
For Shen Lian bore a striking resemblance to Jing Miaoyi—beautiful, poised, and dignified—exactly matching his image of the Crown Prince's consort.
At that moment, a woman's laughter rang out from across the courtyard: "Hahaha, Miss Qin, you lose! Time for a penalty drink."
Mo Junli glanced at the woman in the red cloak and silently shook his head. She possessed beauty but lacked the grace and decorum befitting a lady of noble birth—standing posture included. Thankfully, his future Crown Princess was Shen Wan.
"Miss Shen, it's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!" The playful noblewomen suddenly spotted the Crown Prince walking from the opposite corridor toward Guanan Garden.
Shen Wan followed the gaze of Qin Shuanglan, the second daughter of the Qin family.
She saw Shen Lian walking behind Mo Junli with her head bowed.
Soon, Mo Junli arrived beneath the eaves of Guanan Garden. Shen Lian paused behind him, her head perpetually bowed. The fur-lined collar around her neck pressed against both sides of her cheeks. Combined with her makeup, it effectively concealed the thick, dark birthmark on her left cheek. She appeared to be a delicate beauty from the south, petite and dainty—the type that stirred a man's protective instincts.
Then, Shen Wan's gaze fell upon the brocade box Shen Lian held in her hands.
Resting atop the box was a strikingly conspicuous nine-tailed phoenix hairpin.
It had been personally commissioned by the Empress for her coming-of-age ceremony, symbolizing her future status as Crown Princess.
In her previous life, Shen Lian had not yet entered the Shen residence at this point. Therefore, Mo Junli had personally delivered the nine-tailed phoenix hairpin to her. Now that it had fallen into Shen Lian's hands, it was hardly surprising.
Since Shen Lian's return to the Shen residence, the family had yet to publicly announce the identity of their second daughter. Everyone believed the Shen household had only one legitimate eldest daughter—Shen Wan.
Mo Junli must have mistaken Shen Lian for her.
"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince." Shen Wan and the noble ladies in the garden bowed in unison to Mo Junli.
"Why are you all preoccupied with your own amusements instead of playing with Miss Shen Wan? She is the guest of honor at today's family banquet," Mo Junli remarked.
The noble ladies all turned their gaze toward Shen Wan.
Even Shen Lian glanced at her, her cheeks flushing crimson in an instant.
Qin Shuanglan interjected, "Your Highness, we have been playing with Miss Shen all along."
After Qin Shuanglan spoke, Shen Wan rose gracefully and smiled. "Cousin, the Crown Prince. It's been a long time."
"Who are you?" Mo Junli disliked her addressing him as cousin, and disliked her flippant demeanor even more.
Shen Wan saw the displeasure in Mo Junli's eyes but pretended not to notice, her smile unchanged as she replied, "Cousin Crown Prince, I am Shen Wan."
"You're Shen Wan!" Mo Junli instinctively turned to look at Shen Lian behind him, then back at Shen Wan, before turning again to Shen Lian and demanding, "Then who is she?"
Shen Lian's heart pounded violently. Her hands clutching the brocade box felt like they were on fire. "Your... Your Highness, I... I..."
"She is my twin sister, Shen Lian. Today marks both our coming-of-age ceremonies. My parents intended to announce the return of my second sister during this family banquet."
"I've never heard of Miss Shen having a sister," Qin Shuanglan blurted out bluntly.
Shen Lian froze in place, an unfamiliar wave of embarrassment and panic rising from her feet. She could only lower her head further, terrified anyone might notice the flicker on her face.
Shen Wan observed Shen Lian's reaction and snorted coldly under her breath, though her face remained adorned with a warm smile. She stepped beside Shen Lian, wrapped her arm around her, and said, "Allow me to introduce my younger sister, Shen Lian. She was frail from childhood, and our parents feared she might not survive. So they sent her to be raised in a secluded mountain estate by her wet nurse until now. Her health has since improved greatly, and our parents have brought her back to the manor. She is my own flesh-and-blood sister—don't you dare bully her, you hear?"
Mo Junli found himself captivated by the twin beauties of the Shen family.
Shen Wan's beauty was striking, instantly distinguishable in a crowd—a beauty that carried an almost aggressive quality.
But Shen Lian's beauty...
He had only glimpsed her eyes earlier, yet they seemed painted with exquisite delicacy. Her beauty was soft and petite, exquisitely charming.
Perhaps it was a case of first impressions, but Mo Junli found himself drawn more to Shen Lian, the second daughter of the Shen family.