Rising Phoenix

Feng Zhiwei took the offered herbs and immediately swallowed them.

A warm flow swept into her body and her face flushed, but she smiled up at Ning Yi as if nothing had happened.

Ning Yi paused at her display of trust, his gaze deepening, but time was of the essence. With no time to waste, he grabbed her wrist and took her pulse, frowning to himself: "Too slow…" his fingers trembled as he pushed a trace of his Qi into Feng Zhiwei's meridians.

Feng Zhiwei had caught on to the basic plan, so she let down her guard and allowed his Qi inside. Immediately, a slight twinge stung her inner organs and her Qi grew chaotic.

Noise neared and the clatter of footsteps filled the room behind them as people pushed through the doors. A once called out: "There were people here!"

Ning Yi was already rustling through his robes looking for something, and Feng Zhiwei could only chuckle to herself as she grabbed a rusty flower hoe leaning against the garden wall.

"Die for me…"

She cried out strangely, striking down at Ning Yi's head.

Ning Yi floated to the side, dodging the hoe, a smile flickering through his eyes as the two burst out in sudden conflict.

This woman always surprised him with her mind — how terrifyingly intelligent!

The guards immediately noticed the outcry and quickly rushed over. "In the garden!"

Two waves of guards flooded over, lining up on either side of the path leading from the backyard to the garden, flanking Princess Shao Ning, the Fifth Prince, and Helian Zheng as the royals approached. The Fifth Prince called out pleasantly: "Sixth Brother, are you here? The feast is about to begin, where are you? Father Emperor asked after you, quickly return with us."

Princess Shao Ning strode along, her eyebrows cocked over glittering eyes and an unsmiling quirk to her lips.

Helian Zheng frowned with furrowed brows — he had heard about some ladies bullying Feng Zhiwei at the Imperial Consort's side palace and had gone to find her. The servants had said she'd been led away by the Princess' wet nurse, but when he found Princess Shao Ning, instead of leading him to Feng Zhiwei, she dragged him on a wild and rather upsetting hunt.

Thoughts occupied every mind as the trio stepped forward rapidly past the waiting guards. Princess Shao Ning smiled with satisfaction as she called out: "What are you all standing around for, quickly…"

But the Princess' words cut off.

Before her, a fight was raging in the ruined garden. A tousled, yellow-faced woman was chopping here and slashing there with a rusty flower hoe, her eyebrows flying wildly as she ran around after Ning Yi, wild yells coming from her mouth: "Die! You maniac…"

The woman's face was tinged a faint green and contorted into murderous ferocity; her attacks were wild and without art, a textbook example of an unreasonable shrew's rage.

On the other hand, Ning Yi stepped gracefully, frowning as he dodged Feng Zhiwei's flailing. It was immediately clear that he had no intention of actually fighting, and the crushed flowers and plants and chaotically scattered debris were all caused by the crazy yellow-faced woman, though despite it all she failed to touch even the corner of his robe.

Ning Yi moved with furrowed brows as he called out: "Enough! Stop! What is the matter with you! Why are you doing this!"

"What is going on?" Shao Ning managed to squeeze out, somewhat dazed in her surprise.

"Feng…" Helian Zheng began, quickly rushing forward. "Feng Zhiwei! You're here! What are you doing!"

Helian Zheng grabbed Feng Zhiwei, but as he shifted her, the flailing flower hoe shifted and bounced onto Helian Zheng's head, leaving a swollen, green and brown bump.

Helian Zheng cried out in pain but refused to let Feng Zhiwei go. He gripped her tightly and spoke hurriedly: "What happened to you? What happened?"

"Die! Die…" Feng Zhiwei called out as she energetically waved the hoe around.

Fifth Prince's eyes grew bright as the surprise passed, and he quickly opined: "This woman is Prince Hu Zhuo's Fiancée? Why would the Prince's Fiancée attack Sixth Brother? Unless…"

His eyes turned meaningfully to the strewn furniture and ripped sheets inside the chaotic room.

Helian Zheng's expression fell.

Shao Ning looked to and fro, happiness growing on her face.

"Sixth Brother doesn't look so good." She immediately added, "Did something happen?"

She had thought to catch Ning Yi at the compound and set him up so that she could later frame him for "Holding Grudges against the Emperor," but to her delight she had stumbled upon this other scene. If she could use this matter to separate Helian Zheng and Ning Yi, then she would be able to accomplish the task she had failed at previously.

"Monster! Wicked Monster!" Feng Zhiwei cried out, her eyes staring blankly as she looked around her. Her hoe still in hand, she struck down at Helian Zheng's head, crying: "White Impermanence, get away!"

Helian Zheng jumped backwards in his shock, but though he immediately left forward to grab her, Feng Zhiwei had already run off. Pointing at a random guard, she yelled wildly: "Black Impermanence, you've also come to trap me? Die…"

She charged forward, her clumsy flower hoe waved around with enough fury to slay Gods and Buddhas, but it was clear to everyone that her clumsy moves used no inner Qi, and no one felt the need to do anything but dodge this inept woman.

Princess Shao Ning and the Fifth Prince exchanged a wondering look, finally realizing the strangeness at hand. Now that Feng Zhiwei had finally turned her attention away from him, Ning Yi could rest, and he spoke coldly: "Look at her! She's insane! I was taking cover in the Imperial Garden when this woman suddenly rushed over. I didn't want to fight, but she refused to leave me alone, chasing me all the way here… She is accompanying Prince Hu Zhuo? Then please, take this thing away."

Feng Zhiwei jumped around smashing the air with her hoe, turning for a moment to glare at Ning Yi — you're a thing!

Shao Ning's mouth opened and closed, disappointment dripping from her eyes. The Fifth Prince reached out his hand and firmly grabbed Feng Zhiwei's wrist, taking her pulse. He frowned: the woman's Qi was indeed chaotic, and her pulse was beating strangely — all the signs of a potential madness-inducing illness.

The Fifth Prince turned and gazed questioningly at Helian Zheng. Naturally, the fiancée would be most clear on whether Feng Zhiwei was ill or not.

But Helian Zheng had no time for the Fifth Prince's machinations, his eyes focused on his hand on Feng Zhiwei's wrists. Striding forward with raised brows, he called out: "Your Highness, my fiancée has mistakenly placed her hand in your grasp."

The Fifth Prince paused a moment before awkwardly letting go, his face flushing green and red. The guards around them only barely managed to hold back their laughter.

Helian Zheng paid no attention to the Fifth Prince's quandary as he pulled Feng Zhiwei to his side. Across the garden, Ning Yi's eyes flickered as he turned away.

"Does Prince Hu Zhuo's fiancée have this illness?" Shao Ning asked directly. "Is this something she's done before?"

Feng Zhiwei waved her hoe numbly, worry in her heart. She had no idea what Helian Zheng would say, and if he expressed his doubt, even if she and Ning Yi managed to escape today, the seeds to future danger would have been planted.