Rising Phoenix

“We are dealing with a spy. Everyone please step away…” Kereyid called out loudly, his voice sweeping across the grass into everyone’s ears.

A King’s Army team leader rushed forward, a cow leather rope in his hand.

Kereyid clasped his hands behind his back, a small smile hidden on the corner of his lips as he watched Gu Nanyi shift.

All they need was a single death by Gu Nanyi’s hand and then nobody could control what happened next.

The leather rope tightened as the soldier approached Feng Zhiwei.

Feng Zhiwei finally moved, stepping forward.

The Team Captain’s stride stuttered in confusion as the young Queen stepped towards him, and he could barely keep up as she turned away and called out: “We are dealing with a spy. Unrelated people can leave…”

With those words, she flicked her sleeve, sweeping the confused soldier aside. Noise began filling a section of the crowd as a small group approached.

A big bellied Hua Qiong held hands with another big bellied woman — Narta.

Behind them, Zong Chen dragged Medora forward.

The curious, angry crowd watched with some surprise. Narta stared up at Kereyid with wide eyes and paled face, and the young Patriarch shifted his hands into his sleeve, his eyes narrowing as he called out pleasantly: “Queen, is there not a saying in the Central Plains that a mad dog bites everything in sight. Have you gone mad?”

“Aren’t you the mad one?” Feng Zhiwei sneered, turning away and ignoring the man. She turned to the other Patriarchs. “Honored elders, you were all present when Narta pleaded for Hongji Le’s life for the sake of the child in her womb. She said then that the King impregnated her at Gan Zhou City.”

Everyone nodded as Narta stepped back, her hands hovering protectively over her belly.

“The King spent time in Gan Zhou City in May of the previous year before the old King ordered him to Dijing at the end of June. If Narta were pregnant with the King’s child, the baby would be eight months old and would be born next month, however Narta’s child will be here this month. If the Patriarchs do not believe me, come have your witch doctors examine her.”

“Lies!” Narta screamed, hugging her belly. “I got pregnant after visiting Gan Zhou City! You’re framing me! Even if I give birth this month, it could be an early birth or you could have poisoned me!” She rushed forward towards the Patriarchs. “Uncles! You’ve all known me since my childhood, don’t let this wolf abuse me!”

Feng Zhiwei ignored the woman, reaching out and accepting a black and yellow silk bag from Hua Qiong.

“Your uncles may not allow you to be abused, yet you still lie to their faces.” Feng Zhiwei smiled, gesturing with the silk bag.

Narta pouted, smirking faintly. “What is that? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Did you think that you switched the amulet beneath the shrine?” Feng Zhiwei asked, shattering Narta’s calm smirk. “I’m sorry to say that Lady Hua never put your amulet under the shrine. You took another identical silk bag.”

Narta stepped back, her hands twitching towards her dress pouch, but as fierce eyes pinned her, she stopped her hands and froze.

“No need to check, I’m not bluffing.” Feng Zhiwei called out calmly, unhurriedly retrieving a small piece of folded paper from the amulet bag.

“Queen, what is this?” The confused Patriarchs asked.

Feng Zhiwei handed the paper to Blue Bird. “Honored Elders, look for yourself. Narta has written the name of her child and the month of its birth. She herself claims that she was pregnant at the beginning of May, before the King had arrived at Gan Zhou City. In that time, he had never visited the Golden Roc Tribe.”

Hua Qiong stepped forward, pleasantly explaining how they had arranged for Narta to write down the birth date of her child. As she spoke, Narta began screaming, “Lies! You’re lying! That never happened! I never wrote that! No!”

“Search her!”

Zong Chen moved swiftly at Feng Zhiwei’s command, retrieving an identical silk bag from Narta’s waistband. He smiled as he spoke, “This is the amulet you stole from underneath the shrine. You thought that you had stolen the Dama Living Buddha’s amulet, but in truth you took the mark of the Queen’s Seal!”

He took out a folded piece of paper and unfolded the thin sheet, showing everyone the red mark peculiar to Feng Zhiwei.

“If we are lying, why do you carry the Sheng Ying Princess’s seal?”

“Narta! How dare you pretend that your bastard is the King’s child!” Kereyid angrily roared before anyone else could react.

Narta stared at Kereyid in stunned amazement, and she trembled for a moment before collapsing.

She was caught and slowly lowered, but when her pulse and breath was checked, a voice exclaimed: “What? She’s dead!”

Astonished and emotional shouts cried out. No one had expected such a sudden turn of events, and Kereyid stepped forward to check her pulse himself. He waved his hand over her nostrils, his long hair hanging over his face and obscuring his expression as she looked down at the woman. Finally, he flicked his hand and called out, sneering. “Suicide to escape punishment? Good riddance!”

Feng Zhiwei smiled calmly at the man, unhurriedly replying: “Patriarch Kereyid is too cruel. For better or worse, you grew up with Narta; how can you so mercilessly discard all attachment?”

“A crime is a crime, and friendship is friendship. Only you women mingle the two together.” Kereyid answered, his eyes narrowing. “And Queen, speaking nonsense is a woman’s speciality. Narta lying about her baby is the Royal Family’s private business, it does not have anything to do with our question about you being a spy.”

“Of course it does.” Feng Zhiwei smiled in reply. “Most of these problems are caused by a traitor. These family matters have been caused by those who wish to influence the world… I say, Patriarch Kereyid, perhaps you can explain away some of my confusion?”

Kereyid eyed her with silent, glittering eyes, and the noisy crowd died down around them as they noticed something strange in the air.

Feng Zhiwei smiled as she continued, never waiting for Kereyid’s reply. “I don’t understand how, with the Steppe’s lack of children, you can bear to have your firstborn child acknowledge another man as father?”

The quiet crowd gasped and muttered while Kereyid smiled coldly. “This is why they say the dead cannot bear witness! Narta has killed herself and now you can frame whoever you wish!”