Rising Phoenix

Lately, her eyes and ears had become much sharper, and since she had begun studying the Qi Cultivation techniques in the mysterious little booklet, the burning in her body seemed to compress itself little bit little every day, but though the sensation was ever-present, two days stood out clearly from the rest. The first time she had been keenly aware of the burning sensation compressing on itself had been on the day that Fifth Aunt had almost drowned her, and the second time was as she had fallen from the building. After those two occasions, her body seemed to greatly relax, giving her a sensation of rebirth and ascending.

This sensation followed closely on the heels of life and death struggles — was there a connection?

Feng Zhiwei remembered how Gu Nanyi had pointed at her as she was falling and thought back to the almost familiar black robed figure in Jing Zhai, some understanding dawning on her.

The Imperial attendant led the way through the small restaurant’s long and quiet courtyard, the pair accompanied only by the echoes of their footfalls. Past a curtained door stood Shao Ning, leaning against the door, smiling as she looked at Feng Zhiwei.

Feng Zhiwei’s feet stopped.

In that moment, she had the sudden impulse to flee.

She was suddenly overcome by a wish to beat Young Master Gu to death — if she had not been scared by him, she would never have run foolishly and unpreparedly into scamming beauty’s trap!

Dangerous Beauty.

The small tasteful courtyard contained many luxurious flowers, with slim and lovely Cypress Vines slightly curled in the air, and brilliant, beautiful Busy Lizzies between rustling leaves. A panoply of flowers blossomed on the flower wall, but no flower could compete with the beauty of the woman standing behind the curtained door.

A golden, flying-phoenix patterned, lace shawl was draped over her short, light-pink gown, touching the auspicious Phoenix Flowers embroidered on her sleeves. Dark-gold, plum blossom branches twined on the rosy dawn of her pleated yarn skirt. The young girl’s dark and silky hair was curled up into a bun and pinned twice with a butterfly, pearl hairpin and a golden agate pin, the bright and smooth pearl coming together with the brilliantly gorgeous agate to top her pair of sparkling, diamond eyes — her clear and bright gaze looked out of them, perched on top of her tender, young body.

The Imperial Princess stood in her splendor, waiting behind the curtained door, waist thin like the wrapped bundle of a bouquet, skin white as snow, almost luminescent in the shadowed dimness of the doorway.

Feng Zhiwei looked up at that face and fell into a daze.

Her eyes rippled, and a misunderstanding crossing the distance between heaven and earth formed as Feng Zhiwei could not help but react to the shy and expectant gaze in Shao Ning’s eyes. The worry in Feng Zhiwei’s heart for Shao Ning’s attachment backfired, and suddenly Shao Ning was even more bashful, taking the curtain into her hands and crumbling and fidgeting and twiddling with it as her typical domineering attitude fled across the seas.

“Princess.” Feng Zhiwei said, regaining her composure and bowing a distance away from the curtain. “This minister did not know the princess planned to meet outside the palace. This minister does not dare disobey the rites…I must bid the princess farewell.”

As soon as she finished speaking Feng Zhiwei turned to leave, quick steps already warring between speed and courtesy as a tender shout called out behind her. “You… you, stand still. Stop!”

The first “you” was still hesitant with surprise and the first embers of anger, but by the second utterance her voice had already regained her usual domineering reserve.

Feng Zhiwei silently sighed and stopped, face unwilling as she turned.

“I looked for you, and you dare to leave?” Shao Ning brushed past her shyness, dropping the curtain and running forward, grabbing onto Feng Zhiwei’s sleeve.

All her fingers were covered in thick, bright red nail polish, and looked almost as if they were dripping blood. Gu Nanyi glanced at her nails and felt that this pair of reaching hands was problematic, so he flicked out his sleeve and sent Shao Ning flying backwards.

The wind howled as the empty courtyard filled with figures leaping forward to catch Shao Ning.

Shao Ning flew through the air, her light pink dress fluttering beautifully in the hair, but her brandished her words like bared fang and claw. “Take this Gu and throw him out! Throw him into the sewer!”

Gu Nanyi paid no mind as the guard hesitantly approached, only brushing his hands and murmuring: “So much powder!” and then sneezing multiple times in quick succession.

Shao Ning’s face darkened as she stepped forward from out of guard’s grasp.

Feng Zhiwei smiled and turned to the guards. “His Imperial Highness has just granted Mister Gu the title of Armed Imperial Guard, a Fourth Grade Military Rank.”

The Sixth Grade guards retreated, crestfallen…

“Can you help me guard this area… don’t let anyone near the main building.” Feng Zhiwei tiptoed and whispered in Gu Nanyi’s ear before turning and approaching Shao Ning. “The Princess has summoned Minor Minister, is there important business?” She said, her fingers slipping very naturally into the princess’s hands as she led the blushing Shao Ning obediently into the building.

Heavy curtains draped over the windows kept the room dark, and the faint aroma of eaglewood hung in the air. On a long Chinese couch stood a small table holding desserts, fruits, and a silver pot and two rice wine cups. It looked like Shao Ning had planned to have a drink with Wei Zhi.

“This Minor Minister has to report for duty after noon, so the esteemed Princess will need to give instructions.” Feng Zhiwei said, already fully transformed from guest into host, pouring a full cup of wine for Shao Ning before casually pouring a few drops into her own cup.

The two had a few drinks and Feng Zhiwei spoke of any matter from the South Heaven to the North Sea, but never touched on any matters of the country. Shao Ning listened absent mindedly, her cheeks blushed as she stared dazedly at the young man before her. Though the man’s face could merely be described as refined, his temperament was extraordinary, and his calm and elegant bearing in every situation and time was very rare, enabling him to remain unruffled in the face of sudden accidents, and composed when maligned by false accusations.

Though he was of ordinary birth and only held a mediocre rank, his faint smile was always on his lips as he watched things happen around him, whether good or bad, as if ten thousand tribulations could not touch the poise in his heart.

Dijing was filled with rich and noble blood*, but the other rich and noble young men seemed to carry some foul stench when compared to Wei Zhi, all of them missing, to some degree or another, his steady confidence.

“What hurry is there to report to Clearwater¹ Yamen?” Shao Ning finally said, weary of the cloud and mist in Feng Zhiwei’s words. She lifted a hand and finished her wine, smiling disdainfully. “Wei Zhi, with your great talent, you should join the Privy Council. What will you do as Zhong Yun of The Right? Don’t tell me that you will write memorandums for Prince Chu when he becomes Crown Prince? And Assistant Headmaster² to Qing Ming? Will you be satisfied under Xin Ziyan and controlled by his whims? In the future, still unable to escape Ning Yi’s grasp?”

Had Shao Ning realized the Xin Ziyan works for Ning Yi?

Though her heart was filled with speculation, a faint smile still hung on Feng Zhiwei’s lips. She poured some more wine for Shao Ning and sincerely replied: “For this commoner Wei Zhi to enter the Emperor’s eyes and step into the clouds has already caused much envy in the court; to possess worldly honor and Imperial favor beyond one’s reach is worse than falling short. The princess’s affection is something that Wei Zhi clearly understands he cannot afford.”

“Why talk of affording or not affording? It’s simply a matter of becoming king or suffering defeat!” Shao Ning smiled coldly, her shyness melting away as she gazed forward intently. “Wei Zhi, do not tell me that you do not want this!” Shao Ning said, moving closer to the table and fixing her burning eyes on Feng Zhiwei, “I have seen ambition in your eyes! You cannot fool me!”

“All men in this world have ambition.” Feng Zhiwei replied, sitting still and smiling back at Shao Ning. “As long as I remain loyal to the country, His Imperial Majesty will grant me honor.”

“I will give it to you!” Shao Ning grabbed Feng Zhiwei’s hand as she reached for the pot of wine, the Princess’s whole body trembling, the pins in her hair sparkling like swords. “Whatever you want, I can give to you, as long as you help me kill Ning Yi!”

A quiet drink shared in a dark room; words like blades.

The gleam of candlelight reflecting from the golden hairpin in the young girl’s hair was like the glimmer of a sword, and her eyes seemed a pair of burning flames.

“Help me kill him!” She said, firm and frantic. “Prince Chu is cunning, and is the scum of the country! You have already offended him, and he will definitely not let you live. Rather than stay trapped in despair and waiting patiently for your death, work with me to destroy this wickedness!”