Rising Phoenix

Noble Imperial Consort Chang smiled down at Feng Zhiwei, admiring her demeanor and bearing as she neared. When her face came into view though, the Imperial Consort stiffened for a moment; luckily, her long-cultivated restraint quickly snapped her out of her daze and allowed her to smoothly take Feng Zhiwei's hand as he expressed a few words of thoughtful concern for her and the Hu Zhuo Prince. The brief exchange over, the Imperial Consort released Feng Zhiwei's hand and turned back to arranging the birthday longevity noodles in the side palace, calling for a few of the aged, titled women to join her in the Inner Palace to chat. With Feng Zhiwei's piddling status, she was naturally ignored and consigned to a boring stay at the side palace.

She watched as Princess Shao Ning swept through in her full regalia, immediately greeted by one of Noble Imperial Consort Chang's smiling servants. The two spoke familiarly, after all, as the daughter of the Empress, Shao Ning was Imperial Noble Consort Chang's niece.

Feng Zhiwei sat and ate her noodles, pondering the two little monkeys she had briefly spotted in the Imperial Consort's brush pot. Clearly, the two little pen monkeys were the gifts from the Fifth Prince, but she could not tell if it the monkeys originally brilliant golden fur had dimmed because of the palace's lights or some other reason.

As she thought, the others around her were examining her; they examined her gorgeous and elegant dress, examined her priceless jewelry, and then after looking over all of these things, they finally examined her face, their gazes heavy with mockery and sarcasm.

Feng Zhiwei ignored them all — eyes could not kill, only strength could.

"Young Madam Feng?" A voice asked, sitting beside Feng Zhiwei, finally unable to restrain herself. "I do not think we have met."

Feng Zhiwei glanced at the gorgeously dressed woman. Was she some First Rank Duke's daughter? She did not remember.

Feng Zhiwei smiled faintly and nodded, her chopsticks never stopping as she continued eating her noodles.

As Feng Zhiwei continued munching along, not engaging in the conversation, the young daughter of some lord grew embarrassed and snorted with displeasure. A woman in the daughter's entourage immediately piped up: "Of course we have not met, Young Lady Feng lives in the Qiu Mansion, she probably has little opportunity to visit the Imperial Palace."

"Of course." A few other voices joined in, laughing quietly. "With the famous Qiu Family Auntie, even if Young Lady Feng wanted to visit the Palace it would be quite difficult."

Feng Zhiwei finally turned from her noodles to face the final speaker, the mocking voice's owner freezing as the two met eyes. Feng Zhiwei shifted her bowl of noodles and the moment passed, and Young Lady Feng calmly replied: "Older Sister, please smile more softly, the powder on your face has fallen into my bowl."

"You…" The woman gaped, dumbfounded, her pretty face turning blue.

"Will these young misses please conduct yourselves with dignity!" A sturdy, feminine voice called over. As everyone turned, they noticed that a middle-aged servant woman was suddenly standing by the side palace gate. The sky-cyan robed maid turned her elegant and calm gaze towards these trouble-making noble daughters and spoke again in her heavy voice: "The Imperial Palace is not a place to gossip. Behave yourselves."

As the side palace fell silent, the servant woman stepped forward and turned to Feng Zhiwei for a moment, a small smile flashing over her eyes before she once again faced the dozens gathered around her. She spoke calmly:

"The Qiu Family Married Aunt is our Tian Sheng Dynasty's greatest heroine. Before our Tian Sheng Dynasty was firmly founded, Yin Zhiliang — one of His Majesty's finest generals — turned traitor at the Battle of Tian Shui Pass, dealing the Tian Sheng Army a heavy blow. At the following Battle of Huye Hill, our army lost tens of thousands of soldiers and our Great General Qiu Zhan was killed. Routed, our main force retreated tens of miles in great disorder, and Traitor Yin Zhiliang hoped to divide the land, claiming the territory beyond Tian Shui Pass for himself. All of our generals had lost their courage after these defeats and even His Majesty had planned to yield, but the Qiu Family Daughter refused to retreat.

"Taking her dead father's armor, she took to the field and lead the army into battle, routing the rebel army in the first engagement and then using three more battles to send the entire Yin Army fleeing hundreds of miles. After these achievements, she became the first female Marshal and founded the Fire Phoenix Army, continuing forward with a hundred thousand soldiers to pry Yin Zhiliang out of the Central Plains, forcing him back to the Xi Liang Region, a wasteland so remote that he could never hope to rise again to challenge Tian Sheng.

"Such a heroine is the pride and glory of our dynasty, her contributions to our nation and peace soaring to the skies, and you envious, useless noble daughters living recklessly on the backs of your fathers dare speak of what you do not understand?"

The servant's clear, powerful words dominated the palace hall, and Feng Zhiwei listened with glistening eyes — she had always known that her mother's history was extraordinary, but she had never heard the true details, but now she knew. This servant must know what happened that year and why her mother was the way she was now. It was clear from her tone, demeanor and the chastened obedience of the arrogant noble daughters that this woman was no ordinary servant.

Feng Zhiwei guessed that this servant woman was the one whom her mother had told her to ask after; if she remembered correctly, this servant was Princess Shao Ning's wet-nurse and had raised her; with the Princess's current high position in the Imperial Palace, this servant woman's status was naturally respected as well.

"Many thanks to the revered lady." Feng Zhiwei said, standing respectfully and tidying her clothes.

But a moment after Feng Zhiwei was upright, the mockery-instigating young lady suddenly fell to the side, knocking over Feng Zhiwei's bowl and spilling the soup all over her dress.

Before Feng Zhiwei could even speak, the fallen young lady yelped and jumped to her feet, staring wide eyed and loose jawed at the mess — what had happened? Why had a wave of weakness suddenly swept over her, forcing her uncontrollably downwards?

Wet-nurse Chen had already made an appearance and the noble daughter had just been thinking of a way to apologize to the Feng Family girl and curry favor with wet-nurse Chen, but now this had happened?

While the young lady froze in pale horror, Feng Zhiwei's face was filled with dismay as she gathered up her stained dress, half crying as she spoke: "Elder sister, when has this little sister offended you? This, how am I supposed to… how…" Feng Zhiwei trembled with anger, unable to even speak.

All the ladies were now watching the three young bullies with great disapproval, with servants already rushing to the main palace to report the mess. The young lady who had 'caused the disaster' was still frozen, staring dumbly at Feng Zhiwei's wronged, almost crying face; and finally, the young miss burst into tears.

As soon as the noble daughter cried out, Feng Zhiwei straightened and scolded her: "Do you not know where you are and what day this is? On Noble Imperial Consort Chang's birthday you dare to come and cry in the palace?"

"Attendants, send these young ladies back to their mansions where they can cry all they want!" Noble Imperial Consort Chang's Head Servant called out angrily as she swept into the hall, wasting no time as she ordered her followers to send the young ladies out of the palace.

Feng Zhiwei had not moved from her spot, a sad sighing smile on her face as she looked down at her dress. Wet-nurse Chen examined Feng Zhiwei, an approving smile on her face as she casually suggested: "Young Lady Feng, I still have some dresses from my youth, they will surely fit you, if you do not mind, come with me and change your clothes for the banquet tonight."

Feng Zhiwei had been waiting for these words and immediately agreed, gratefully accepting and following Wet-nurse Chen out of the hall. As they walked, Wet-nurse Chen always faced forward, her spine straight. As Feng Zhiwei examined the woman, she wondered if the servant had a military background — her entire demeanor was filled with able and efficient energy.