Chapter 91

 The system had predicted based on big data that after Ye Zheng’s disguise drop, there would definitely be strong negative backlash.

The audience groups for the two were too different. Zhao Mei’s popularity value would be hard to transfer to Ye Zheng herself. It might even drag Ye Zheng’s popularity down, since the reveal was subversive to the persona she had shown before.

The system felt it had probably been assimilated by Ye Zheng.

Ye Zheng using schemes to seize the sword was perfectly normal. She even kept the real divine sword. Pei Xi and Sykes simply lacked the ability to discover it. Could that be blamed on Ye Zheng?

But readers always sided with the protagonist. Characters unfavorable to the protagonist inevitably got labeled as villains.

As it had expected, negative comments about Ye Zheng surged. But unexpectedly, quite a few passersby were drawn to her. Even readers who had no interest in Ye Zheng or Zhao Mei before started getting curious about Ye Zheng after the plot twist.

The system vaguely understood: Normally, male characters did receive more tolerance and favoritism than female ones. But if a female character’s brilliance was too dazzling, even those with prejudice would be scorched by her light.

Ye Zheng was holding her phone, curiously flipping through the heated forum discussions.

Many readers who loved Zhao Mei expressed disappointment in her. That was within her expectations.

Even though she felt it was sometimes rude to unilaterally hold expectations toward others, for these readers who felt let down, Ye Zheng typed the words "sorry" on the screen and sent them.

There were also many who liked and supported her. Ye Zheng wanted to leave a thank-you, but replying to individuals felt unfair. Perhaps she could make a post thanking everyone.

She had never tried posting before.

『Are you planning a cyber meet-and-greet? For Ye Zheng haters, that would be straight-up face-slapping.』

The system’s voice carried an inexplicable hint of schadenfreude.

『But you have already given readers enough surprises lately. Any more might turn into scares...』

The system tactfully stopped her. It hadn't told Ye Zheng about the author’s post on observation. It even blocked related threads on the phone forum. Ye Zheng was too smart. She could not know more for now.

The author’s post had already been deleted. If he continued like this, the company probably could not tolerate him anymore.

It didn't stop her from replying to others under the "Ye Zheng" ID. Doing that would actually be more suspicious. Ye Zheng would definitely notice something.

The system even regretted letting her openly appear in the forum under her own name back then. If an ordinary person noticed anything, it might get formatted by the company.

『Anyway, take it easy. Readers’ hearts have been flipped upside down by you lately.』

"Alright."

Ye Zheng said regretfully.

She kept browsing. When she saw the plot analysis thread, especially where the OP precisely dissected her psychological state when saying that line to Pei Xi, Ye Zheng’s mood turned subtle. She lightly raised an eyebrow.

This feeling was very novel. In this world, very few people truly understood her.

When she saw people from another world trying to deeply understand her, Ye Zheng felt she should be wary. Being seen through was dangerous. Yet looking at these comments, more than threat, she felt an itchy prickling that left her somewhat at a loss.

The system observed Ye Zheng’s expression. The girl’s face subconsciously scrunched up, like a cat suddenly ambushed and vigorously petted by a human.

『This is not a bad thing. People who like you will only like you more.』

Ye Zheng lifted her head from the phone screen, blinked, and said: "System, when you first came, you said to become a useful female role for the male lead to gain favor,"

『Forget it, forget it! I have already updated and iterated!』

The system hurriedly stopped Ye Zheng from exposing its black history.

At first, it had given suggestions based on male-frequency work big data. But as Ye Zheng’s actions increasingly deviated from this big-male-lead work, its database had also been enriched by her and realized its initial narrowness.

"Good thing you have made progress too. Otherwise, it would have been a bit tricky."

『Tricky what? Why do I feel a hint of killing intent in your tone?』

Ye Zheng smiled without speaking. She scrolled to a thread where people enthusiastically called her "Zheng Emperor," "Zheng God," and such. If someone in this world really called her that, the royal family and church would probably treat her as a rebel and heretic right away, but the feeling was not bad.

Since the system would not let her post, she learned something else she could send.

Ye Zheng’s finger traced on the phone screen. A "^_^" appeared. She looked at the newly learned kaomoji with satisfaction and sent it.

A knock came at the door. Before she could observe everyone’s reactions, Ye Zheng set down her phone and walked to the door.

The screen dimmed. The forum remained extremely lively. Many noticed the ID "Ye Zheng" had started appearing again.

【77L: ^_^】

【78L: Language cosplay teacher is back on duty?】

【79L: This teacher seems to only appear on weekends after manga updates. Still a middle schooler?】

【80L: Ye Zheng fans are probably all elementary schoolers.】

【81L: Upstairs, you love this so much. Blackie runs faster than me, a Ye Zheng stan.】

【82L: Ye Zheng, Ye Zheng, we like you!】

【83L: After Teacher Ye Zheng’s last important speech "I will not develop feelings with the opposite sex," what important directive will she issue this time? (obediently moving stool) (listening attentively)】

【84L: This kaomoji is giving me uncanny valley chills. Old Uncle said "she is also watching you". Is this how she is watching…?】

【85L: Upstairs is so abstract. We are just letting language cosplay teacher cook some food, and you all have to twist it into yin-yang Ye Zheng? Who is really treating Lao Shu’s words like treasure here?】

……

【169L: Teacher, where did you go? One kaomoji and you are dismissing us?】

【170L: Teacher, you are OOC! Language cosplay’s full name is language cosplay. You are just cosplaying but not playing with me. If it were Ye Zheng, she would not treat me like this!】

Ye Zheng stans took the chance to tease the language cosplay teacher in the thread. For a moment, the atmosphere was full of lively fun.

✧✧✧✧✧

The moment Ye Zheng opened the door, Ye Di’s reluctant face appeared behind it, instantly ruining her good mood.

"Sister, Father is calling you downstairs. It seems something big happened."

"By the way, weren’t you supposed to be in the lower district for the competition? Mother said you needed to rest properly. Those two almost got into a fight. You are not injured, are you?"

Ye Di glanced at Ye Zheng. Aside from her somewhat pale face, she looked fine.

In his mind flashed his father’s uncontrollably excited expression. He had no idea what had happened. Father had rushed back from the palace and immediately demanded to see Ye Zheng, completely ignoring his own son who had just returned from school.

Mother was acting strange too, insisting Ye Zheng needed to rest well. Her attitude was surprisingly firm. In the end, Father had sent him with a cold face to personally escort the esteemed eldest Miss Ye downstairs.

Ye Zheng understood. Ye Fanjing had probably heard the news in the palace and immediately returned to find her, the newly appointed divine sword inheritor.

But Mother’s attitude surprised her. It had been a long time since she and Ye Fanjing had argued.

Perhaps because right after she returned, she had removed the dragon bone from her abdomen again. Whether killing large numbers of monsters threatening ordinary people or secretly using monsters to achieve her desired situation, both had consumed massive energy and strength. The large piece of dragon bone in her abdomen still could not fully fuse with her body. In a weakened state, she might be controlled by the dragon bone’s power, so she had taken it out again.

She had just finished stitching the wound in the washroom when Mother knocked and came in. They had bumped into each other. Probably her pale, weak complexion had frightened Mother. Her concerned words had come out halting and stumbling.

The moment Ye Zheng went downstairs, she saw Ye Fanjing sitting on the sofa. Spotting his daughter, he excitedly stood up to greet her.

"Ye Zheng, you, you truly live up to being our Ye family’s daughter!"

"You are not injured, right? I heard the God of Hope’s trial is extremely harsh. Even the Crown Prince injured his leg…"

Ye Fanjing rarely showed such outward emotion at home, always maintaining the dignity of the family head. Only when currying favor with superiors outside did he get this enthusiastic. Ye Zheng thought of how she now received the same treatment and inexplicably felt like laughing.

"Please rest assured, Father. I suffered no real injuries."

"As for His Highness the Crown Prince’s leg… it may have been an accidental injury when I drew the sword."

Hearing his daughter’s calm tone, a trace of embarrassment crossed Ye Fanjing’s face. He wanted to reprimand her for her lack of tact, but remembering the honor his daughter had suddenly gained, he decided to teach her properly another day.

"What sword? What God of Hope trial? What are you two talking about?"

Ye Di looked completely confused, sensing something extraordinary had happened to Ye Zheng.

Ye Fanjing had no time for his younger son now. He looked at his daughter with fervent eyes, as though seeing endless future fame and glory.

"As soon as His Majesty heard the news, he personally summoned me. He said the divine sword missing for five hundred years had reappeared and found its inheritor. This is the future and hope of the empire!"

Ye Zheng’s mind wandered back to Sykes’s extremely ugly expression after she claimed the sword. He had reverted to his old irritable, brainless state, nearly blasting Yu Tianming aside. The royal family probably was not pleased to see her holding such a valuable identity.

Even if the emperor had issues with Sykes, Sykes still represented the royal family. After promoting him for so long as the empire’s inheritor and hope of salvation, for a girl they never considered a threat to snatch it away midway, how could the emperor be happy?

"I hadn't seen His Majesty in a long time, yet he accurately called my name and title. His description was so majestic yet kind. He even asked about you, saying how I had raised such an outstanding daughter…"

Ye Fanjing continued excitedly describing the emperor’s summons. Even Ye Di listening nearby felt his heart stir with longing. Ye Zheng, however, boredly lowered her eyes, counting the embroidered flowers on the carpet.

Compared to Ye Fanjing’s endless chatter, the cute readers were far more interesting. She should find an excuse to stay in her room a while longer.

"Oh right, he personally promised you an official commendation,"

Finally, Ye Zheng caught a key phrase amid Ye Fanjing’s rambling and lifted her eyes.

"His Majesty said since your coming-of-age birthday is in three months, it will be held during your adulthood ceremony. The empire will formally announce to the whole nation the miracle and hope you have brought. The empire will grant you an honorable title and valuable rewards!"

"My adulthood ceremony does not need such grand treatment."

Ye Zheng lightly frowned.

What did "formally announce in three months" mean? Translated: for the next three months, the imperial royal family would offer her no affirmation whatsoever.

In a time of unrest, immediately celebrating the divine sword’s emergence would be the ideal choice. Three months was not too long, but it was enough for many things to happen, unless the emperor deliberately wanted to drag it out, reduce her influence as the chosen one, or had other schemes.

"This is the highest honor. No girl, or even boy, in the empire will have an adulthood ceremony more glorious than yours!"

"…Since that is the case, I will not disappoint His Majesty’s grace."

Ye Zheng lightly rolled the word "grace" between her teeth. The identity she had fought for, even the nominal master of this nation had no right to strip it away.

She had misjudged. While focusing on the church and that Wen Jian fellow, she had been discourteous to the royal family that "cared" for her.

Ye Zheng looked at her father’s intoxicated, dreaming expression, as though three months from now it was not her adulthood ceremony, but his coronation.

"Truly something to look forward to!"

Ye Fanjing sighed in anticipation.

"I am looking forward to it too."

Ye Zheng said it sincerely. Setting aside all the complications, what teenager did not look forward to their adulthood ceremony?

Even she was no exception.

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Authors Note

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Zhengzheng is still our little sister treasure after all.