Rising Phoenix

Feng Zhiwei reached out and touched Ning Yi's stubbly chin, smiling as she turned her face this way and that as he chuckled quietly. Her bright eyes glittered wetly and she whispered: "I know what you look like. If you get skinnier when we meet again, I won't spare you."

"How will you not spare me?" Ning Yi replied, his joyful laughter deepening.

"I'll kill you, and we will never be reconciled." Feng Zhiwei smiled gently.

"Okay. I'll be waiting your approval." He replied, pulling his hand away. An ambiguous smile climbed over his lips, and he added: "You can investigate anything you want, not just the face. Everything… is possible."

Feng Zhiwei pulled back her own hand and rolled her eyes. Thankful for his blindness, she reached up at held her earlobe, wondering if it was still red from being bitten, or if she was blushing.

"Bring the child with you." She told him. "I saved him because I thought he would be useful for your eyes, I had no idea he would end up helping me first. And that famous physician, you should try to bring him as well, or at least come up with a treatment with him."

"He is your famous physician." Ning Yi replied, his voice tempering. "He won't take orders from me."

Feng Zhiwei eyed Gu Nanyi's perch with some surprise. Truly, this famous physician was very mysterious; she had not even laid eyes on him yet, and Gu Nanyi never mentioned him. If not for the others, she would not even know he existed.

Setting that matter aside, she continued: "When you get there, be on the lookout. When those experts attacked us, I wounded their leader's left shoulder; and the local government will definitely be in the hands of the Chang Family. You have to be careful."

"Guard South Sea well and don't give anywhere to retreat and everything will be fine." Ning Yi replied. "You believe in me, and I also believe in you."

"I'm still waiting for you to return to Dijing with me." Feng Zhiwei smiled, pushing him gently. "Go."

Ning Yi lightly pinched her palm one final time, smiling down at her before turning and marching off.

Ning Cheng followed in the distance. All this time he had sat watching them, cross legged on an artificial stone mountain, his gaze strange with a measure of empty coldness, a little hesitant and unsettled.

Now the two figures passed over the layers of maple red and disappeared into the distance.

Outside the West Yard, the South Sea Commissioner and the other high ranking officials waited on Prince Chu's Imperial Carriage.

Outside the gate, the General of South Sea stood with his hundred thousand border troops, their flags and spears like a proud forest awaiting their commander.

…

It had finally happened yesterday.

General Chang Minjiang of Minnan had begun the rebellion, proclaiming the Fifth Prince as the legitimate Emperor as he led 150,000 soldiers from Minnan Province's Qiao Guan County. After sacrificially slaying County Magistrate Fang De, General Chang Minjiang swept through five more counties.

The Imperial Court immediately ordered the northern Longnan Province's Border Generals Cao Kebing and Kong Shiliang to march South-Westwardly while the 100,000 South Sea troops led by Prince Chu, Imperial Envoy to the Minnan Province, approached from the south.[1]

A while after Ning Yi left her, Feng Zhiwei finally pulled her gaze back to herself, smiling as she looked down at and rubbed her sore legs.

The sickness had raged through her, damaging much of her body, and her recovery would be long and difficult. Strangely, though, she felt as if that burning stream of Qi insider he had grown stronger, but the pain it caused had actually weakened. It felt as if it were stabilizing inside her Dantian.

Passing through this trial of life and death might have brought a disguised blessing.

Footsteps returned to her yard, light and bright. Feng Zhiwei smiled, it could only be Hua Qiong.

Soon, Hua Qiong appeared around the corner of a veranda and swept swiftly towards Feng Zhiwei, refusing to accept the frailty of pregnancy. Yan Huaishi's mother accompanied her while a servant girl followed behind them carrying fresh pomegranates. When she met Feng Zhiwei's gaze, Hua Qiong lifted one of the pomegranates, smiling and waving it at her.

Feng Zhiwei returned the smile. She really liked Hua Qiong, and not just because the woman had made such a stunning first impression. In the days after she had woken, Feng Zhiwei had discovered Hua Qiong's brightness and brilliance. Though outgoing, she was very clear of her boundaries, and while bold and daring, she was also excellent at thinking for others. She could be vicious when needed and conservative when called for, displaying many qualities of true talent.

"How does your honor feel today?" Hua Qiong began. She visited everyday; with Yan Huaishi busy founding the General Maritime Department, his wife filled in in his stead. The young woman was not a stickler for rules, and Feng Zhiwei and Ning Yi had long since waved the trouble of formal greetings.

"I'm like this weather, quite good." Feng Zhiwei replied, examining the red, juicy pomegranate seeds glistening like jewels. As Hua Qiong carefully prepared them, Feng Zhiwei's eyes swept up to the roof. Nodding, Hua Qiong grabbed a whole pomegranate and tossed it up, and Young Master Gu caught it and immediately tossed it back — not a walnut, so no.

Catching the pomegranate, Hua Qiong peeled it and began eating, grinning.

Yan Huaishi's mother was very obedient to the rites and had formally greeted Feng Zhiwei. When she noticed that Hua Qiong was eating before Feng Zhiwei, she frowned and scolded her: "Qiong Er! Where are your manners!"

Hua Qiong smiled as Feng Zhiwei hurriedly began: "It's alright, Mrs. Yan is pregnant. We must treat her like two people."

Feng Zhiwei tried to ease the tension, but the Chen Madam did not smile. Her eyes swept down to Hua Qiong's belly and her brows subtly furrowed.

The mother and daughter-in-law sat distantly, one formal and the other casual, their tones fully demonstrating their separation. There was none of the intimacy and gratitude that Feng Zhiwei had expected.

The mother and son's lives had hung in the balance out at the Yan Family Ancestral Temple. Hua Qiong had escaped her bonds and traveled over ten miles to save them, not sparing her own body as she opened up the Temple's gates. Such great hardship and sacrifice should be cherished like a bodhisattva — why did her mother-in-law treat her this way?

Feng Zhiwei's eyes fell on Hua Qiong's belly and an unanswered question floated up to her mind, but as Wei Zhi, there was no way for Feng Zhiwei to ask.

The Chen Madam spoke politely with Feng Zhiwei for a few more minutes before preparing to leave. She exchanged a loaded glance with Hua Qiong, but Hua Qiong only smiled as replied: "Mother, please take your leave first. I'll follow after helping Master Wei arrange his desk."

Madam Chen opened her mouth but then closed it without another word, bidding Feng Zhiwei farewell and taking her leave. Feng Zhiwei smiled and turned to Hua Qiong.

Hua Qiong glanced at her as she munched on her pomegranates, casually ordering the servant girl away: "Good, delicious. Go bring some more."

The servant girl departed as Feng Zhiwei's eyes flicked over the tray. There were over a dozen pomegranates left, more than enough for them. There was no need for any more, so clearly this clever girl had something she wanted to say in private.

[1] [Longnan province ] General Cao and Kong N W [ Minnan province ] E S [ South Sea province ] Prince Chu