Chapter 68.2

Lord Shen took out a flute from his sleeve. The flute was entirely green, with a smooth and shiny surface, and looked extremely spiritual.

He put the flute to his mouth, took a deep breath, exhaled, and the breath entered the flute hole, transforming into music.

What kind of sound was that? It was unlike earthly music; it seemed to come from the heavens. First, a low and deep sound circulated around the palace halls, and then the music suddenly changed. A clear and bright sound leaped out, captivating the hearts and minds of the listeners.

The jumping melody grew higher and higher, soaring into the sky, and reaching the heavens. Even the clouds paused, gathering in the sky to listen.

Everyone thought that the Lord would just play a tune for the Empress Dowager on his flute, but the next moment, a miraculous scene occurred.

Sounds of flapping wings, resembling the movements of birds, came from the distant horizon. Gradually, the sounds grew closer, becoming louder and louder.

As the tone of the flute changed, a bird appeared in front of everyone, with colorful patterns and several long tail feathers trailing behind it. It wore a magnificent flower crown on its head, had a medium-sized body, and its wings sliced through the sky.

Upon seeing this, everyone took a sharp breath and gasped in amazement.

Someone in the crowd whispered, “There is a bird that looks like a chicken, with five colors and patterns, called the Phoenix. Is this, is this a Phoenix?”

“A Phoenix…?”

“That must be a Phoenix…”

Shen Fengyue put down his cup and chopsticks, his gaze captured by the bird that looked like a Phoenix.

Lord Shen played the flute, taking a step forward, and the Phoenix followed him, taking a step forward as well. The flute continued to play, and the Phoenix soared higher and higher, following Lord Shen every step of the way.

Its long, distinct tail feathers danced lightly in the air, dancing in front of the people and into their hearts.

This was a Phoenix, something they had never seen before. Today was truly an eye-opener for them.

After playing for a while, Lord Shen suddenly stopped playing, and the Phoenix flapped its wings twice, still hovering in the air.

It let out a melodious and pleasant cry that was not piercing to the ears, but rather pleasing to listen to.

It seemed to be calling for companions, summoning something. That’s what people speculated in their hearts.

After a while, their speculation was confirmed. The Phoenix looked up to the sky and let out three loud cries, and after the third cry, a distant sound of birdsong could be heard.

A dark shadow appeared on the horizon, and as it got closer, people realized it was a group of birds. Countless birds flew towards them, or more accurately, towards the phoenix.

At that moment, the flute sound rang out again, and the phoenix fluttered its wings and took off, followed by countless birds.

The flute sound was melodious and clear, and the phoenix danced gracefully, soaring up and down, elegant like a swan, graceful like a dragon, with the group of birds always following behind it. The phoenix circled around the palace, and the birds followed it, surrounding it. When the phoenix cried out, the other birds chirped along with it.

Their singing and chirping were in perfect harmony.

This was the scene of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix.

Lord Shen played the flute, but his feet began to move, step by step, towards the main seat – towards Shen Fengyue.

As he moved, the phoenix followed, leading the flock of birds toward the Empress Dowager.

A large group of birds flew towards them, causing some people to panic, but they soon realized that the birds were not harmful and were just following the phoenix’s dance.

Lord Shen had already arrived in front of the Empress Dowager, facing Shen Fengyue across the table. He raised his eyebrows at Shen Fengyue and played a long, melodious note. The phoenix began to circle around Shen Fengyue.

The scene of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, with the phoenix paying homage to the Empress Dowager, made this side of the palace a magnificent sight.

When Lord Shen stopped playing the flute, the phoenix stopped too. It moved and landed on the table, grabbing the table legs with its two claws, its wings folded on both sides and its tail feathers hanging down. When the wind blew, the feathers swayed gently.

The birds also stopped and found a place to land. For a while, this side was filled with birds of different species, sizes, and colors.

Hong Mei and Luo Xue did not dare to drive them away, allowing the phoenix to stand gracefully on the table. Everyone held their breath, afraid of scaring it away.

The phoenix tilted its head and looked at Shen Fengyue. Two black bean-like eyes hid shimmering brilliance, shining brightly. It knew that he was looking at it.

Shen Fengyue swallowed the saliva that had accumulated in his throat due to his surprise and absent-mindedness. He reached out to the phoenix without thinking.

Everyone gasped and watched everything unfold.

Before his hand touched the phoenix, the phoenix stretched its neck forward. Shen Fengyue thought he had scared it and was about to retract his hand when he felt a head nestling in his palm. The soft and smooth feathers brought a very obvious touch. The phoenix rubbed its head against his palm, then straightened its neck and continued to look at him.

It was simply unbelievable!

Shen Fengyue’s hand remained there without retracting. The phoenix looked at him for a while, then let out a soft cry and flew into the sky, followed by the flock of birds. In a short while, they could only see a figure surrounded by a group of birds, dragging its long tail feathers away.

The scene of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix disappeared, and the people were lost in thought for a long time before coming back to their senses and praising Lord Shen’s ingenuity in unison.

The phoenix was definitely fake, but to create such a scene of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix must have taken a lot of effort. They felt inferior and could not compare to Lord Shen.

“Empress Dowager, do you like it?” Lord Shen asked.

Shen Fengyue was taken aback, withdrew his hand, and after savoring the soft touch of the feathers, he laughed out loud for the first time.

He laughed too brightly, revealing his white and neat teeth, breaking the mask of kindness and amiability on his face, revealing his true self.

The Empress Dowager Shen was already a renowned beauty in the palace. She became the Empress Dowager at a young age and usually kept her composure. But now, she had completely let go, and her laughter dazzled everyone’s eyes, making them marvel at her beauty.

Shen Fengyue laughed so hard that his hairpin shook constantly, making a crisp and delicate sound when it hit something. He clapped his hands and exclaimed a few times.

“I love it, I especially love it. Among all the gifts I have received, Lord Shen’s gift is the most heartfelt and satisfying!” He momentarily forgot to pay attention to his words.

To those who were not paying attention, these words seemed to be merely a reflection of Empress Dowager’s great joy, and they didn’t leave a significant impact. However, those who were attentive… they glanced in the direction of the Emperor and indeed noticed a change in his expression, which appeared to be one of embarrassment.

Today, Lord Shen was stealing the Emperor’s limelight.