Rising Phoenix

 “It is so rare for me to sleep well…” Ning Yi slowly ran his fingers through her hair. “And so rare for you and I to get along well…”

“If Your Highness could accept me.” Feng Zhiwei bit her lips. “This kind of getting along will happen often.”

Ning Yi smiled without responding, his hand slowly moving. Feng Zhiwei turned her eyes away and looked down.

“You just came from the front yard?” Ning Yi whispered into her ear. “Is there any new circumstance that you want to tell me about?”

“Yes.” Feng Zhiwei replied, lifting her eyes, her smile already back on her face.

“Oh?”

“The Second Prince’s lines really were too impressive…”

She smiled as she chatted with Ning Yi, noticing that Ning Yi’s eyes were still misty. Not sure whether he was truly listening, she smiled and said: “The wine really was strong…”

“How about you bring me a bowl of sobering soup.” Ning Yi smiled and push her. “Something you made with your own hands.”

Feng Zhiwei looked him in the eyes and smiled, standing up.

“Sure.”

The wooden door opened with a quiet shuffle and her slim silhouette exited the room. Sunlight poured in through the open door, blurring the outline of her figure, while Ning Yi remained deep in the shadows beyond the reach of the rays of light, watching her leave.

After some time, Feng Zhiwei returned, smiling as she carried a bowl of the sobering soup and placed it on a small bedside table.

“Too much liquor will harm your body. Let me take your pulse.”

A small smile remained on her face as she extended her hand.

“I almost forgot you also know medicine.” Ning Yi extended his wrist, faintly smiling. “I’m just a little tipsy.”

He looked up at her, dim light glittering in his eyes. Feng Zhiwei’s smile remained warm and kind as she focused on his pulse. After some time, she relaxed her hand, smiling: “You are right, Your Highness has a healthy body.”

After she finished speaking, she picked up the bowl of soup, and though Ning Yi looked at it, he made no move to take it from her.

“This soup that I made, perhaps Your Highness does not dare drink.” Feng Zhiwei smiled and placed the bowl on the table. “I will take it away.”

But as she turned away, a hand reached out and took the bowl.

“Poisonous liquor may be sweeter than honey, but good medicine is always bitter.” Ning Yi finished the soup in one go, lazing standing after placing down the bowl. “No matter the taste, you must drink it before you will know. It is not early anymore, and I still have affairs to attend to. I must go.”

Feng Zhiwei bowed behind him. “Farewell, Your Highness.”

But as he walked, Ning Yi suddenly stopped and turned, unsteady on his feet, body tilting. Feng Zhiwei hurriedly moved to support him.

Ning Yi very naturally leaned his elbow on her shoulder, putting much of his body’s weight on her. Feng Zhiwei frowned, but before her brow was fully furrowed she had already habitually smoothened it into her usual faint smile.

Ning Yi watched her change in expression with some humor. This young woman was always maintaining her small smile, a smile that could not startle a puff of dust, and a smile that was constant through wind and rain, and till the point that even she could not distinguish a true smile from a fake one.

Did she truly plan to wear this false face for the rest of her life?

Ning Yi suddenly reached forward and pulled back her mask, rubbing his finger into her glabella, saying: “wrinkle it, wrinkle it.”

Feng Zhiwei looked at him, not knowing whether to laugh or cry — how crazy, others were always trying to smooth out the wrinkles around their eyes, and here he was asking her to furrow it.

“Didn’t you say that you’re busy. Go. Go.” His Highness did not like her fan smile and she was also tired of pretending, so after replacing his mask she began to push him away. “I won’t see you out.”

Ning Yi lowered his face, a string of his dark hair hanging down, touching Feng Zhiwei’s eyebrow; his snow white skin only made his eyes more vibrant by contrast, somehow making his beauty even more enchanting. Finally, he leaned in and whispered by her ear: “I understand, you cannot wait for me to leave.”

“Your Highness is joking.” Feng Zhiwei brushed back a hair behind her ear and turned away from his lips, trying for a natural expression. “This Minor Minister is anxiously waiting every day for Your Highness to visit, so that Your Highness can add some more wrinkles around my eyes.”

Ning Yi only looked at her, smiling silently before turning and leading the way. When the pair had returned to the pavilion, Feng Zhiwei was surprised to see that the allegedly “drunk and collapsed” Tenth Prince Ning Ji was sitting happily with reddened face, drinking with the others.

“Old Ten got drunk first and couldn’t take drinks for Old Six.” The Second Prince lifted a finger and pointed at Ning Ji, laughing. “Whenever Old Ten is here, Old Six never gets drunk, but this time there was nobody to drink for you.”

“Perhaps the Wei Mansion’s wine just tastes that much better.” The Seventh Prince smiled gently.

“Come. look at the birthday present I prepared for my Imperial Noble Consort mother.” The halfway drunk Fifth Prince suddenly announced, retrieving a delicate brush pot from his sleeves. “The commissioner of Minnan province had people scouring ten thousand Li of mountains for half a year to bring back this one of a kind treasure, and it just arrived to Dijing today. Let me widen your horizons.”

“How rare can this brush pot be. Her Imperial Noble Consort Highness has always loved calligraphy; are there still good brush pots that she has not seen before?” Second Prince said, about to shake his head when he suddenly emoted in surprise.

From within the finely carved bamboo brush pot suddenly emerged a pair of beady eyes.

“Mouse!” The Tenth Prince cried out loudly, falling backwards. The Fifth Prince caught him, laughing as he said:

“Old Ten, how are you still so easily startled, not at all carrying the majesty of the Imperial family.”

The Tenth Prince blushed as he peered forward at the little creature emerging from the brush pot. A pair of tiny monkeys crawled about, each about the size of a finger, but complete with a round and fluffy head, big, dark, and round eyes, and short, tiny tails. Extraordinarily, their fur was a blond gold that made them glow, finishing off the image of these extremely cute and pretty animals.

“Are these the legendary Pen Monkeys?” The Seventh Prince sighed in amazement, “I thought these creatures were already extinct? Where did you find them? And they’re golden too! Aren’t Pen Monkeys supposed to be brownish grey or orangish yellow, how can they have such brilliant fur?”

The Fifth Prince could not hold back his smug smile. “Gao Shan, the commissioner of Minnan, is a very thoughtful man. This pair of Pen Monkeys was only found by employing the famous beast training Show Wu tribe and searching ten thousand Li of mountains. In all the world this pair is unique. Imperial Noble Consort mother is skilled at letters, and if this cute pair can rub some ink for her and bring her papers, they will surely entertain her and bring some enjoyment to her lonely hours in the Back Palace.”

Everyone found the pair of Pen Monkeys extremely adorable, and they all crowded around to play with them.

“Fifth Elder Brother is really filial.” Ning Yi leaned forward to look at the little animals, his hands clasped behind his back, smiling as he continued. “With these at her Imperial Noble Consort Highness’ side, it will truly be furred claws lighting incense and short tails preparing ink, what a wonderful image.”

Everyone laughed while the Fifth Prince replied: “Old Six, don’t be so silver-tongued, tell me, what have you prepared for Imperial Noble Consort mother’s birthday?”

“I was also raised by Her Imperial Noble Consort Highness, and consider the Imperial Noble Consort as my mother as well. I have long been prepared, though my gift is not as ingenious as Fifth Elder Brother’s.”

“It is good that you are prepared.” The Fifth Prince said, a small smile crossing his face. “Imperial Noble Consort mother will be glad that you remember her love.”