Rising Phoenix

"She ah…" Helian Zheng began, holding Feng Zhiwei in his embrace, absently combing through her hair as he stared deeply into her eyes. His voice stretched out even longer: "She ah…"

Goosebumps rose along her arms as the Prince stared — could this brat really guess at what had happened just from this? Was he that smart?

"She ah…" Helian Zheng dragged his feet as the other royals stared at him impatiently; even the seemingly aloof Ning Yi was beginning to frown.

Feng Zhiwei could not bear the suspense any longer and quietly grabbed Helian Zheng and pinched down ferociously.

Helian Zheng immediately smoothed out his expression and straightforwardly replied: "Yes."

"Oh…" Princess Shao Ning emoted, her face falling.

"You've all heard as well." Helian Zheng continued speaking, his hand still combing through Feng Zhiwei's hair as he ignored the pain from her continual pinch, his diamond eyes glittering as he even feigned a shy and embarrassed face: "When I was chased out of the Qiu Mansion for seeking a marriage alliance, *cough*… well, the truth was, it was just like this…"

"Oh…" Everyone replied in understanding, all of them suddenly enlightened.

Everyone had heard about the Helian Prince and his failed visit to the Qiu Mansion, and all kinds of rumors were circulating about this drama. Some people had even said that the Young Lady Feng was an unreasonable shrew, but most people had paid no mind to the idle gossip — now the man himself had spoken out, and everyone present had seen the evidence. Young Lady Feng was mentally ill! No wonder the Helian Prince had been embarrassed to explain.

"Prince Hu Zhuo truly is devoted to Young Lady Feng." The Fifth Prince forced a chuckle, "unfaltering devotion…"

Helian Zheng smiled in response: "Of course, the men of the steppes like special women."

Across from him, Ning Yi suddenly spoke, smiling: "Prince Hu Zhuo has such special taste — I truly admire that."

Helian Zheng cocked his brows as he turned to look at Ning Yi, a meaningful crease quirking the corner of his mouth: "I am not as special as Prince Chu; it is I who admit you."

Feng Zhiwei could feel a problem brewing, but she had to keep feigning madness; she put all the drama aside as she waved her flower hoe, only concerned with getting rid of Helian Zheng's hairy, groping paw, but his grip was like metal. The man himself leaned down, brushing his forehead against hers to feel her temperature, covering his mouth as he whispered into her ear: "Stop faking, aren't you tired."

A tremble shot through Feng Zhiwei's heart! So he knew!

Helian Zheng looked into her eyes before glancing over at Ning Yi — the Imperial Prince was standing calmly to the side, secretly paying close attention to everything. Helian Zheng's perennial bright and clear demeanor fell somewhat, his lips curling in displeasure as he clutched Feng Zhiwei close, placing his hand possessively on Feng Zhiwei's waist as he pulled the flower hoe out of her hand and casually tossed it at Ning Yi's feet, hitting the ground centimeters away from his toes.

Ning Yi did not move, not even looking at the flower hoe or the offending thrower. Helian Zheng turned his smile towards Princess Shao Ning and the Fifth Prince, as if his actions had been idle and agenda-less. "My woman is not feeling well, I will look for the Imperial Physician."

Without waiting for a reply, Helian Zheng steered Feng Zhiwei away, and the pair quickly disappeared.

The Fifth Prince and Princess Shao Ning could only watch in dismay as Helian Zheng left with Young Lady Feng. They exchanged silent looks for a long while before they spoke again: "What is this place?" The Fifth Prince asked, "I've never come here."

Shao Ning was still silently wallowing in her disappointment, so it was instead Ning Yi who smiled and replied: "You've never been here, yet you were able to find it so quickly. Fifth Brother's care for his younger brother is truly remarkable."

The Fifth Prince felt the uncomfortable atmosphere grow and could only change the subject again: "Who would have thought that the Feng Family's miss is not only ugly, but also suffers from a mental illness. Only the steppe's wild men would find her attractive."

The Fifth Prince typically had a cold temperament and rarely expressed himself, and right now he was only spouting random words to cover his embarrassment, but his words just happened to provoke Ning Yi. The Sixth Prince's face grew more and more cold as he calmly replied: "Such blindness fills the world!"

Flicking his sleeves, he turned and left.

Princess Shao Ning and the Fifth Prince exchanged a final glance, bitter smiles on their faces as they also took their leave.

Helian Zheng had his iron grip on Feng Zhiwei as he marched her out of the courtyard, ignoring Feng Zhiwei's hard pinches as she called out: "Put me down, put me down."

"Pretend some more. Shouldn't you be pretending?" Helian Zheng replied in a complex voice, setting Feng Zhiwei down in an empty hall. Leaning against a pillar, he smiled down at her: "Come, pinch me."

His smile did not reach his eyes.

Feng Zhiwei smoothed out her clothes as she sat on the open railing, asking him: "How did you figure it out?"

"You ate the Reviving Spring Fruit?" Helian Zheng answered, moving to sit beside her. "Our Hu Zhuo Tribe is quite close to Da Yue, and I've seen this northern plant before. Even though it has revival in its name, it cannot save a life — it only excites the Qi and blood, allowing a dying person to live a little longer. I've seen it used to allow dying patients the fulfillment of a final wish; when healthy people eat it, it will only make the pulse beat unevenly and agitate the Qi.

"But…" He continued slowly, "it is good for faking madness."

Feng Zhiwei smiled, stretching as she replied: "Faking madness really is not something normal people can do, how exhausting."

"Even if I did not recognize the Reviving Spring Fruit," Helian Zheng said, his eyes locked onto hers, "I would never have believed you would suddenly lose your mind."

"Oh?"

"How could a person like you suddenly go insane?" Helian Zheng's lips quirked, "Even after you drive everyone else under the sun insane, you would still be fine."

Feng Zhiwei chuckled and patted the prince's head: "Nephew, thank you for helping me today."

"This is the responsibility of a man." Helian Zheng replied, smoothly grasping her hand and rubbing it against his face. "Only bastards like Ning Yi cannot even be men!"

"Oh?" Feng Zhiwei replied, smiling as she gently poked her finger into Helian Zheng's eyelids, forcing him to let go of her hand.

"He made you eat the Reviving Spring Fruit? Does he not know that this fruit is bad for you? And he asked you to fake madness? It's fine for him now — he's not in trouble, but what about you? Isn't your reputation the most important thing for you Central Plains women?"

"If you know that Central Plains women care so much about our reputation, why did you say that I have a mental illness?" Feng Zhiwei asked instead of answering him.

"Because you needed me to." Helian Zheng replied simply.

Feng Zhiwei's heart stirred, but she kept her face calm as she replied: "There is a saying in the Central Plains: choose the lesser of two evils. If there are two bad outcomes, choose the less bad one; in this world, things cannot always be perfect."