Rising Phoenix

The Yu Lin Army General was already walking forward, continuously thanking Feng Zhiwei and Gu Nanyi, back still covered in sweat as he cozied up to the pair. His Imperial Majesty was already on his way to the Imperial Palace, and when he heard that the Shao Ning Princess had been saved by Mister Wei, this scholar would definitely be greatly rewarded, and so time was of the essence in establishing a relationship.

As the General played politics, Shao Ning came running over, her hair all askew and one foot bare, laughing and crying at the same time in clear view of everyone, grabbing Feng Zhiwei and leaning against him, loudly calling out “Wei Zhi! Wei Zhi! Wei Zhi!”

She did not thank Feng Zhiwei for saving her life and did not care that the one who actually saved her was not Feng Zhiwei at all, and all she did was cling to him and cry out, tears in her eyes, as if trying to express all the turbulent emotions in her heart by calling out this name.

The guards could only awkwardly avert their gaze, turning away from the unseemly behavior.

The arriving high officials and ministers all shared silent looks — the Princess was performing a drama for all to see, did she truly not care about Imperial dignity? When news of this matter spread, how would they handle the situation?

Feng Zhiwei smiled and gently pushed Shao Ning back before retreating three steps and bowing.

“Your Highness,” She began, calmly and sincerely. “This Minor Minister was careless and was pushed, tumbling down and causing the Princess to fall as well. This Minor Minister has failed; Your Highness, please confer a punishment.”

She smiled again, “After surviving this disaster, this Minor Minister is as thrilled as the Princess, and apologizes for his discourtesy.”

Feng Zhiwei’s meaning was clear — I did not save you. I lost balance when the Crown Prince bumped into me, and it was my fault that you fell. At present, it could only be a matter of merit offsetting failure.

And as for your lapse in composure, it was nothing but the excitement from surviving — though she did not say it was Shao Ning who had lost her presence of mind, she believed that the Princess would understand.

Shao Ning stood rooted to the ground in stunned amazement.

All the powerful ministers let out a breath of relief.

When she finished speaking, Feng Zhiwei retreated.

She had lost all her enthusiasm, only a faint smile remaining on her face as she brought Gu Nanyi to an obscure corner to await His Imperial Majesty’s arrival and return the Hu Wei Army Seal of Command.

The corner was quiet and lonely, and Gu Nanyi seemed to enjoy the peace. He plucked blades of grass one by one and tasted each, and it was as if the murderous clash and the blood stained night could not lay claim to his calm.

Feng Zhiwei stared at him for a moment and then stepped forward, her face almost touching his ever present veil. “Tell me, who are you really?”

The wind was gentle, a fragrance of flowers still lingered as the first light of dawn rose, greeting the eye.

The face hidden behind the veil seemed to lie at the farthest corner of the world.

They first met in a small courtyard in Dijing, and somehow she had become his prisoner, and then in an even more baffling turn of events they traveled off and he became her bodyguard. In the months that they had spent together, he had never show any desire to leave and return to his original life, almost as if he had been fated to stand by her side since from the very beginning.

And she had always known that he was a true jade statue, solid through and through.

It was because of this that she placed in him such unconditional trust, but today’s events were too strange, and she could no longer ignore the question.

Secrets were fine, but this was no longer simply a case of privacy.

And though Feng Zhiwei also did not expect this oblivious young man to answer her question.

He turned his head and looked straight at her for the first time.

“I am…”

“Master Wei!”

A hurried call interrupted Gu nanny’s words as one of the Emperor’s palace attendant rushed over, not even coming to a full stope as he began pulling Feng Zhiwei along.

“His Imperial Majesty has summoned you!”

Feng Zhiwei was helpless, and could only enjoin as she was dragged away: “Remember to finish your reply, or else people might die.”

The man nodded seriously.

The Tian Sheng Emperor stood before the Jing Zhai building, peering up at the roof. The Crown Prince’s corpse had already been retrieved by the Guards, but the Emperor’s eyes were nevertheless locked on the broken rail, as if by staring deeply into the wet stains of blood he would be able to see the last moments of his heir’s life.

The dark sky opened up on a shattered rail, tattered wood teetering in the wind, as if an old cripple’s broken toothed mouth, smiling mockingly in despair.

The Emperor’s back looked heavy and exhausted with age.

Of his twenty six sons, only sixteen survived childbirth. Of these sixteen, four still died in their youth, and two more died after being titled princes. One crippled and another three were killed when the Third Prince rebelled, and now his first born, heir to the Dynasty, dead.

The many leaves on the Ning Imperial Family tree, after years and years of internal strife, cut itself down to a simple autumn tree.

Ning Yi kneeled before him, sincerely pleading his guilt.

Feng Zhiwei arrived in time to hear his last sentences, “hit by a stray arrow and could not be saved in time… this Minister Son’s has offended, and is willing to be punished … my only hope is that Father Emperor will take care of his precious dragon body and think of the countless lives under heaven…”

What a beautiful and dramatic scene of a filial son.

Feng Zhiwei approached and quietly knelt. Ning Yi glanced in her direction and immediately said to the Sheng Tian Emperor: “Shao Ning fell from the building, and this Minister Son was too far away to help her. Luckily Mister Wei risked his own life to save her. For a scholar to act so bravely, this Minister Son is forever grateful.”

Tian Sheng Emperor turned away from the building, his eyes filled with satisfaction as he looked down at the pair, but Feng Zhiwei sighed privately in her heart, politely refusing the merit. “His Highness praises me beyond my merit, this Minor Minister truly does not dare accept this…”

“Shao Ning!” Ning Yi interrupted, calling the Princess over. The Tian Sheng Emperor turned to look kindly at his daughter, a source of some consolation in this time of heartache. Shao Ning was still absent-minded, answering her father’s every question, but her eyes continually darting over to look at Feng Zhiwei.

After one too many glances, the Tian Sheng Emperor’s mind began moving, and he looked from Shao Ning to Feng Zhiwei, some darkness pooling in his eyes.

After some time, the Crown Prince’s body was presented, covered in yellow damask silk. The Tian Sheng Emperor did not walk over to his son, closing his eyes for a long moment before sighing and waving his hand: “Leave him at the Ling Ming Yi Palace for now. No need to summon the servants and ministers to mourn the deceased.”

The Crown Prince would not be buried according to the ancestral rites.

Ning Yi did not seem to hear the Emperor’s words, grief across his face and he walked on his knees to the Crown Prince’s body, his throat choked with sobs as he cried out: “Big brother…” and fell to the ground, silently crying.

The Tian Sheng Emperor grief was touched by some comfort.

Suddenly, Shao Ning walked forward.

Her absent expression seemed to clear up as she looked at her brother’s corpse. She walked forward slowly and then knelt on the other side of the body, facing Ning Yi.

Her apricot-yellow dress brushed against the ground, stained beyond repair with blood and dirt, a twin to the yellow and black dragon robe lying before her. Shao Ning lifted the yellow damask silk and looked down at her brother’s face, his eyes still wide open, his mouth gaped as if desperately sucking in air. After a moment, she reached forward and shut his mouth.

Finally, she spoke: “Big Brother.”

Her voice was calm, cold and crisp like the tinkling of ice, utterly incomparable to Ning Yi’s miserable weeping.

“Just now, as I was falling, I suddenly understood something.” Shao Ning touched the Crown Prince’s cold face. “You are the most pitiful of us all.”