Rising Phoenix

In many things, it was not that Young Master Gu could not understand, it was just that people did not explain it to him on his own term. Only she had been able to teach him what loss felt like, and worry, and fear, and… sadness.

Only her.

Feng Zhiwei stared wordlessly, stunned even before the man in front of her moved closer, taking her finger into his hand.

Feng Zhiwei almost gaped. He had carried her and touched her before, but all those times he had been rescuing her from danger. Voluntarily touching her without outside impetus? This was a first.

He took her finger and used it to brush Zhixiao’s tender, pink cheek.

“Warm. He said. “Soft.”

The two pen monkeys also used their hairy paws to poke the baby.

Finally fed up with the bullying from the two humans and two monkeys, the baby began crying.

But despite the baby’s distress, Feng Zhiwei just shut her eyes.

Young Master Gu… was he comforting her?

She just sat for a moment, silent and unmoving.

Two trails of water slowly slid down from the corners of her eyes.

It was midnight and the tent was packed. Gu Nanyi refused to leave, sleeping on a rug with the baby on his belly, the two monkeys on her belly.

A wet-nurse was accompanying the team, but Young Master Gu often slept with the baby himself. Zhixiao was well behaved and rarely made a fuss, and every night at the Yan Hour[1], she would wake to use the potty and so Young Master Gu would wake and take her.

Feng Zhiwei lay on another rug, her hands under her head. She smiled in wry amusement; Helian Zheng really was such a big hearted man, casually allowing his “wife” to sleep in the same tent as another man.

In the depths of night, a glow flickered in the darkness and noise stirring outside.

Feng Zhiwei stood and slipped out of her tent. Helian Zheng and the others were already gathered outside, peering out across the river. On the other bank, flames and shadows battled as distant screamed filled the air.

“What is it?”

“Two possibilities.” Helian Zheng offered: “The steppe war has caught up to the Pixiu Tribe, or someone is trying to trick us into crossing tonight.”

“Is the Pixiu Tribe loyal to the King’s Court?”

“Not really.” Helian Zheng smiled coldly. “White Deer, Blue Bird, and Fire Fox are the three most loyal. All of them are tied to the royal line through the Hong Le Branch. Pixiu is on the outskirts, and they’ve never been the most loyal.”

“Oh.” Feng Zhiwei calmly replied, turning. “Okay, then sleep.”

All of them turned with her, sparing no more thought for the miserable scene across the river.

“God damn it Helian Zheng! Your old mother is dying over here and you’re still not coming over?” A sharp cry suddenly rang out, piercing across the river.

Helian Zheng whipped around.

Feng Zhiwei murmured: “Who’s voice is that, more terrifying than ten Zhixiaos.”

The flames across the way brightened and a figure jumped up and down on the opposite bank, waving something in the air. Her voice was incredibly loud, rising up above the chaos on the other bank and easily carrying across the thirty meter wide river. “Helian you brat! Little bastard Helian! Jadran Irgi! Get over here! Immediately! Right now!”

Helian Zheng stared blankly, his color constantly changing — first a little green, then a little blue, all in all very entertaining.

The Eight Valiants were also staring dazedly, and then as one, they all turned and left.

“Who is Jadran Irgi?” Feng Zhiwei asked, frowning, a bad feeling filling her heart.

It couldn’t be…

“Me…” Helian Zheng replied numbly, his voice dry.

“My lucky[2] baby…” The figure called out, changing her strategy when her cursing seemed impotent. She waved a long strip of something, her voice growing thin and sweet. “Lucky little baby, lucky sweet deer, lucky prince, lucky little lamb… your mom is dying! That Golden Roc Tribe fool is trying to kidnap your pretty mom and make her his wife! If you don’t come now, you’ll have to call Hongji La Golden Roc father!”

Lucky little baby… Feng Zhiwei eyed Helian Zheng and decided to hold her peace. From the lock on his face, he was already on the verge of dying.

“Liu Mudan[3]!” Helian Zheng suddenly roared, almost leaping forward. “Go die! Marry him! You can sleep in the same den as that roc! Wait until I get there, and then you can kneel and call me daddy Khagan with your adulterer!”

Feng Zhiwei stumbled… what… what was going on…

The lady Liu Mudan yelled out, sobbing: “Heartless Ji dog[4]! Your mother had to endure half a month of labor just for a dog son! Cleaned your pee and poop, ate grass and gave you milk! And you grew into a stranger’s dog! Your father was murdered and you’re here for revenge, but your mom is going to be raped and you don’t care! Why didn’t I drown you in a barrel of urine? You you yo yo yo uy muy ou you yo yo uy muy muy ou … this lady will drown herself now and haunt you as a ghost!”

She cried and yelled and waved and danced, running towards the river as if about to commit suicide. She ran up and down the long river bank, making four round trips and still refusing to jump. Countless people chased behind her, unable to catch up to her big, tough feet.

Feng Zhiwei’s jaw dropped open, astonished beyond herself by this witch’s antics — difficult labor for two weeks! As if you would still be alive!

Poor Helian Zheng had fallen from Helian Little Brat to Jadran Irgi to Lucky Little Baby to Heartless Ji Dog… the colorful expression on his face never ceased, and he glared at this running witch for a long moment before stamping his feet and turning back to camp. After a few steps, he stopped. Then he started again. And in this manner he began walking around in a circle.

Feng Zhiwei sighed.

Clearly this extraordinary woman was the Queen of the Steppes, Helian Zheng’s mother, the widow of the late Shunyi King. Even if Feng Zhiwei did not understand how the Hu Zhuo Queen was this heaven startling, earth shattering, drive-demons-and-gods-to-tears woman, she was sadly and indubitably Helian Zheng’s mother.

No wonder the old king only had four wives out of his quota of ten… this Queen of his was quite special.

Feng Zhiwei watched another quarter hour with morbid amusement. This suicide attempt really was dragging on, the woman had already run eight laps.

Steppe Queen, you really have excellent stamina.

[1] Yan Hour = 3-5 am.

[2] 吉祥 Jixiang

[3] Peony

[4] Lucky/auspicious = Jixiang. ; ji dog.