Reign of the Phoenix

Dragging his halberd, Chiyun Yuexuan raced to the very front of the cavalcade. The three fast approaching horses were reined in and stopped right before him. The leader of this small group was General Huyan of Shangxia.

Tuoba Zhi and Lian Kun also rushed over to see what was happening.

General Huyan saluted Chiyun Yuexuan. “Many thanks for saving our princess, General Chiyun. We have been searching for you and Princess after our group was split up.” General Huyan then strode to Murong Zhining’s carriage, knelt down and cupped his fists. “I, Huyan Qi, have come late to your rescue. My crime deserves a thousand deaths! Please punish me as you wish, Your Highness.”

Tuoba Lan pulled open the curtain. Chiyun Yuexuan dismounted and helped Murong Zhining down the carriage.

Murong Zhining held Huyan Qi up. “It was an emergency. Thanks to General Huyan’s best effort to kill the enemy, General Chiyun had a chance to take me and escape. General Huyan, not only are you guiltless, but you have also rendered great service.”

Huyan Qi lowered his head. “Our entourage has prepared to welcome Your Highness upfront. I was afraid they would disturb you, so I had them wait from afar. Please move to the carriage at the front, Your Highness.”

Murong Zhining replied stolidly, “You lead the procession at the front. I’m used to this carriage. I’ll be in good care with General Chiyun and my friends here, you can lead the way at ease.”

Huyan Qi said with his head bowed, “If that’s the case, I will add some more people to follow your carriage.”

When Huyan Qi left, Murong Zhining suddenly called out, “General Huyan, please wait. Where are Cai Sang and Luo Siyao?”

Huyan replied, “Reporting to Princess, after you went missing, General Wu Siyuan took them back to Huayan.”

Murong Zhining knitted her brows. “I see. You may go now.”

Lian Kun hurriedly ran over and knelt down. “Peasant Lian Kun greets Princess Fengyi. I had no eyes and delayed your sacred expedition. I ask for your pardon!”

Tuoba Zhi and Tuoba Lan also knelt to pay their respects. Although they already figured out Murong Zhining’s identity, they never openly did anything that suggested other people that they knew. But now, everyone had to act according to the rules.

Murong Zhining couldn’t bear this. “Please hurry and get up. If it hadn’t been for your righteous help, who knows if I could still be standing here now. Thank you, Mister Tuoba and Lan’er. Mister Lian, please stand up as well. We are all friends, there’s no need to be so formal.”

Tuoba Lan gazed at Murong Zhining with pitiful eyes. “After Your Highness returns to the palace, will we ever meet again?”

Murong Zhining pinched her face. “We can meet whenever you want.”

Everybody laughed cheerfully, only Chiyun Yuexuan looked lonely.

In the evening, Chiyun Yuexuan was still alone as he brought Flash on a walk by the fields. Sitting down on the grass, he took out his flute and played a sad tune. Nanjin was only two days away on the road, and he was getting more and more frustrated. During the past ten days, Murong Zhining never spoke to him once. Her indifference tormented him deeply.

Suddenly, Flash who was eating grass nearby let out an excited whiny. It ran to Chiyun Yuexuan while neighing and happily dug its hooves on the ground. Chiyun Yuexuan lovingly stroked its head. “What’s the matter now? The person you like won’t come to see you.”

Flash avoided Chiyun Yuexuan’s hand and ran past him. A little later, Murong Zhining, holding Flash’s reins, appeared in front of Chiyun Yuexuan.

Flash happily whined and inclined its head toward Murong Zhining. She caressed the steed with deep reluctance to part. “I missed Flash, so I’ve come to see it.”

Chiyun Yuexuan sounded sad, “Mhm, spend more time with it. After all, you won’t get to see it again after two more days.”

As if it understood what he said, Flash puffed agitatedly. Murong Zhining pressed her face against Flash’s and gently soothed it. After the steed quickly calmed down, she led it to the other side.

Chiyun Yuexuan stood up and chased after them. “Princess, don’t you have anything to say to me?” The words were full of bitterness.

Murong Zhining kept leading Flash without turning back, but her voice betrayed her emotional state, “What do you want me to say? Say that I already forgot everything? Say that I can pretend as if nothing happened?”

Chiyun Yuexuan fell silent and stopped his steps.

……

Tuoba Zhi rode his horse behind Murong Zhining’s carriage. “Ning’er, we will arrive at Nanjin tomorrow. Are you excited?”

Tuoba Lan lifted the back curtain. “She’s definitely excited. She hasn’t been home for more than ten years.”

Murong Zhining nodded. “I am, but I’m also afraid. Everything will be unfamiliar, I’ll have to start all over again.”

Tuoba Zhi beamed. “No need to worry, Ning’er. Lan’er will visit you often. If you feel bored, Mister Lian and I can take you out to play.” After he finished saying this, Tuoba Zhi turned and cast a glance at Chiyun Yuexuan as if showing off. But the latter was cold and expressionless as ever, no one knew that his heart was already surging with emotions.

Tuoba Lan glanced at him and couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for him. She could sense his loneliness during the last several days. She could also see that both Murong Zhining and Chiyun Yuexuan were tormented in their hearts, but there was nothing she could do to help.

After Tuoba Zhi rode off on his horse, Tuoba Lan said to Chiyun Yuexuan, “General Chiyun, don’t you have anything to tell big sister? Even I feel anxious for you two. Big sister will return to her home tomorrow. If there’s any misunderstanding, this is the best time to say it.”

Chiyun Yuexuan’s gaze drifted far off. “I’m not qualified to tell Princess it was a misunderstanding. I did the wrong thing, and it’s fair that I be punished for it.”

Tuoba Lan’s eyes reddened. “You can escape thinking that only you have been punished. But what about her? What did she do wrong? Did you not once consider that she would have to suffer for the rest of your life because of your actions? Have you ever thought of doing something to redeem for it?”

Murong Zhining tugged Tuoba Lan a little. “The matter between me and General Chiyun isn’t like what you think. He hurt me, but he also saved my life. I don’t think he owes me anything. General, you don’t have to do anything for me, and you need not feel guilty either. We’ve already agreed that after I return to Nanjin, we would never see each other again.”

With a despondent face, Chiyun Yuexuan said, “I will do as you say, Princess.”

Early the next morning, Huyan Qi came to Murong Zhining’s carriage with some troops. “I, Huyan Qi, respectfully invite Your Highness to move to the ceremonial convoy up ahead. At noon, the convoy will reach Nanjin. We have experts to help you bathe and dress up. When we arrive at the capital, there will be a ceremonial reception in the palace. Your Highness needs to bid farewell to your friends here. When the time comes, I will invite them to the ceremony.”

As usual, Chiyun Yuexuan supported Murong Zhining off the carriage. He gazed intently at her figure, but much to his dismay, he never once got the response he wanted. His eyes followed her as she got on an eight-carrier palanquin decorated with dragon patterns, and watched the palanquin as it disappeared from his sight. In his heart, there was nothing but a despairing emptiness.

Murong Zhining was carried before a huge tent, where six palace maids respectfully escort her into it. Inside the tent, there was a big mahogany bathtub of steaming hot water covered in various kinds of flower petals. The maids knelt and respectfully chorused, “Your Royal Highness Princess Fengyi, please take a bath and make a change of clothes.”

The maids carefully took off Murong Zhining’s clothes and helped her into the bathtub. Then, they started to wash her body softly.

Among the maids, one respectfully said, “My name is Lu Die, and from now on, I will be Your Highness’ direct attendant-in-waiting. These girls will also be at your disposal.”

Lu Die directed to other maids to bring the scented ceremonial attire. After she wiped dry Murong Zhining’s body with a towel, Lu Die carefully put on the body wrapper before putting on her a set of light-yellow satin innerwear. Under the maids’ serving, Murong Zhining was dressed in several layers of clothes, until she finally got into the luxurious, crimson-violet outfit embroidered with Jiaolong patterns that had been hanging on the mahogany rack.

Lu Die helped Murong Zhining to the makeup table which had a huge silver mirror on it. A delicate phoenix crown inlaid with various precious gems, pearls and jade stones sat on the table, next to several rosewood combs and countless jewelry ornamented with colorful rare gems.

Lu Die skillfully rolled Murong Zhining’s long hair into a bun and put on the phoenix crown, then continuously inserted all kinds of hairpins and decorations. Lu Die said as she dressed up Murong Zhining, “Because today is your grand welcoming ceremony, Your Highness has to look solemn and elaborate. Please be patient. On any usual days in the palace, you can dress more casually.”

Murong Zhining nodded. “I’m an easy-going person. You guys don’t need to be too formal with me.”

Lu Die was visibly delighted. “Not only does Your Highness look as beautiful as Her Majesty the Empress, but your character also takes after her. Her Majesty the Empress is also a gentle person and never makes things difficult for the servants.”

“Do I really resemble my mother very much?” asked Murong Zhining curiously.

Lu Die replied as she meticulously painted a pattern on Murong Zhining’s face, “Princess and Empress are practically carved from the same mold.”

Another maid chimed in, “But your eyes look even more beautiful than Her Majesty the Empress’. I’ve never seen such a pair of beautiful eyes.”

Lue Die smiled. “Lu Ting said she was clumsy with her words, but I see she’s very good at pleasing the master.”

The maid called Lu Ting blushed. “I only speak the truth. I’ve heard that the mother of Her Majesty the Empress, also our princess’ grandmother, is partly of royal Kievan Rus’ bloodline.”

Murong Zhining didn’t understand. “What are you guys talking about? Why don’t I understand?”

Lu Die painted the eyebrows. “Your Highness don’t need to listen to her nonsense, she has a clumsy mouth. What she meant to say was that Your Highness inherited your beauty from the empress. Your beauty is a different kind from the women of Shangxia.”

Murong Zhining looked at herself in the mirror. “I am different from you guys? Why do I not see it?”

Lu Die explained, “Your skin is whiter than ours. Also, our eyes are all deep black, while yours are chestnut gold. Your nose is higher and straighter than us Shangxia women. In a few words, every feature of your face is more beautiful than ours. I wonder who will be the lucky guy to marry our princess in the future.”

Murong Zhining dubiously creased her brows a little and thought to herself: these servants really knew how to please their masters.

Lu Die supported the well-prepared Murong Zhining to a bronze mirror taller than a human height. Seeing the full view of her body in the mirror, Murong Zhining felt very unfamiliar. She had never carefully looked at herself in the mirror for so many years of her life. The girl in the mirror was indescribably striking, her beauty could sway cities and topple nations!

A eunuch’s voice resounded outside, “The time has come. Your Highness, please board the phoenix carriage to our capital Nanjin!”

Murong Zhining was supported by Lu Die and Lu Ting on either side as she walked out of the tent, the other maids followed behind as they held her long gown and skirt tails.

Outside the camp was an open eight-horse carriage. The top of the carriage was a huge square umbrella supported by several wooden pillars, both the umbrella and pillars were decorated with dragon and phoenix patterns. From the edge of the umbrella, strings of pearls hung down alongside a pink gauze to conceal the interior, all four sides of which was surrounded by hollow carved mahogany railings. In the middle of the carriage was a chair engraved with phoenix patterns and covered with a luxurious silk cushion.

The eunuch set a ladder beside the carriage and shouted respectfully, “We servants welcome Princess Fengyi’s return to the palace. Your Highness, please board the carriage.”

The maids supported Murong Zhining into the carriage and had her seated properly on the phoenix chair, then started to lay out her skirt neatly.