Reign of the Phoenix

Chapter 58 – Xianbei Dictionary
The guard at the door let out a cough to urge Murong Zhining.

She whispered, “I must go, in case Gao Chenghao suddenly comes back.”

She pulled out a hairpin from her hair and threw it through the bars, then turned around to leave the prison. Chiyun Yuexuan picked up the hairpin. Gently caressing it, he put it to his lips for a kiss before stowing it in his robes.

At noon the next day, Chiyun Yuexuan violently shook the iron door to his cell. “Make your damn master to come see me, I want to fight that turtle one-on-one!”

A man guarding him shouted, “Our Prince left early in the morning and won’t be back until evening. Obediently stay where you are and quit fussing. Save your strength, because you’ll get to suffer soon.”

Upon hearing this, Chiyun Yuexuan was secretly delighted. He shook the iron bars even harder like he wanted to destroy it.

Scared that they couldn’t handle Chiyun Yuexuan alone, one of the two guards ran to call for help from the other two who watched Murong Zhining.

The four armed guards ran up to Chiyun Yuexuan’s cell, alertly staring at him. Seeing the time was ripe, Chiyun Yuexuan turned around with a smile and his well-prepared copper tube.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh.

Three needles soaked in anesthetic accurately pierced three guards. The remaining one looked at his companions dubiously, still unaware of what had just happened.

Chiyun Yuexuan unhurriedly inserted a needle in the tube, ‘Whoosh.’

One of the guards suddenly cried out in horror, “No!! His Highness and I were shot by these needles last time!”

Chiyun Yuexuan stroked his chin and commented playfully, “Too bad you realized it too late, hahaha… One, two, three… Lie down like a good boy. Four, and you, whatcha looking at? Yeah, I’m talking about you.”

The four guards staggered on their feet and ran for the entrance, but after a few steps, they all fell left and right on the ground.

Chiyun Yuexuan shook his head with a disdainful smile. Using the hairpin Murong Zhining provided, he unlocked the padlock outside the bars and got out. He then dragged the four guards into the cell and locked it again. Picking up a blade from the ground, he calmly walked out of the underground prison.

It didn’t take much effort for Chiyun Yuexuan to find the room confining Murong Zhining. He swung the blade and hacked down the copper lock on the door.

Murong Zhining paled in fright at the movement outside the door. However, she was delighted upon seeing that it was Chiyun Yuexuan.

Chiyun Yuexuan pulled her into an embrace. “Ning’er, I miss you so much. You don’t know, my past few days have been miserable they felt like years.”

Murong Zhining poutily pushed him away. “Hurry and get me out of here. Oh, let’s go to Gao Chenghao’s room first. I want to find a book.”

In Gao Chenghao’s sleeping chamber, piles of books lay around on the table. Murong Zhining anxiously searched through them. Chiyun Yuexuan looked at her in confusion. “What kind of book are you looking for?”

Murong Zhining quickly flipped through several books and threw them aside. “Xianbei Dictionary.”

Chiyun Yuexuan also joined the search. “Ning’er, from what I know, Xianbei people didn’t have their own language.”

He pulled open a drawer and found a piece of glass inside. The glass, ground into a concave shape, was thin and transparent. Chiyun Yuexuan curiously put it before his eyes. Through this piece of glass, the objects he saw were magnified.

“This thing is really interesting, it can make things look bigger. How fun!”

Murong Zhining rolled her eyes. “The Xianbei characters being tiny doesn’t mean they have no language. And you still think of playing around at such a time like this? If Gao Chenghao returns, both of us won’t be able to escape.”

Chiyun Yuexuan lazily rummaged here and there. “You can carry out your search at ease, my wife. That animal won’t be returning anytime soon. Even if he does, there’s nothing he can do to me. If he hadn’t played dirty and used the Soul Drowse Smoke that night, how could he have captured me. I spit on him!”

Murong Zhining wryly shook her head and continued searching. “Strange, I obviously saw him flipping through it yesterday. Did he take it out with him?”

“Wifey, is this the one?” Chiyun Yuexuan pulled out a book from underneath Gao Chenghao’s pillow.

Murong Zhining flipped open the book to see a bunch of strange yet familiar symbols. She said in delight, “Yes, this is it. With this book, I can look up the symbols on the sheet music.” She then angrily walked up to him. “You! From now on, you’re not allowed to call me by those nonsense. What Ning’er, what wifey, all are forbidden! Or else, I can charge you with disrespect according to Shangxia laws!”

Chiyun Yuexuan held the piece of glass before Murong Zhining’s eyes. “Wifey, your eyes glare wide like copper bells.”

Murong Zhining took the glass from his hand and put it close to her eyes curiously. “Wow, it’s true! Things do get a lot bigger. Do you think this can magnify the words on Biwu?”

Suddenly, a commotion was heard from outside. It sounded like someone was jumping through the walls and opening the gates to the courtyard.

Murong Zhining urgently grabbed Chiyun Yuexuan’s hand. “Oh no, Gao Chenghao is back.”

Chiyun Yuexuan looked outside the window. “Don’t be scared, I’m right here. Wifey, you’re so silly. Why would Gao Chenghao have to scale the walls to get into his own home?”

“General Chiyun, Princess, where are you guys?” A faint voice rang out.

Delighted, Murong Zhining wanted to open the door and run out. “It’s Mister Tuoba, he must have come to save us.”

Chiyun Yuexuan pulled her back and hugged her waist. “You’re so happy to see another man? Remember that you’re my wife, or else I’ll cripple his legs.”

Murong Zhining paid no attention to his words. She angrily shook off his hands and opened the door. “Mister Tuoba, we’re in here!”

……

Lian Kun’s estate, Violet Lush Garden.

Jiao Lan knelt on the ground crying uncontrollably. “Miss Murong, no, Princess, I’m so sorry, I was forced into it. Husband, please forgive me just this time, I sincerely wanted to start a good life with you. I was once a songstress in Gao Chenghao’s estate, and he never treated people like me as human. He arranged for me to go into the Gorgeous Scent House as an intel spy. Only after I met Mister Lian there did I know men could be so gentle towards women too, and I was determined to follow him. When Gao Chenghao demanded for me to take Princess a few days ago, I knew I couldn’t stop him, so I had the news delivered to Mister Lian on fast horse. I truly wanted to save Princess!”

Murong Zhining pulled Jiao Lan up from the ground. “I know you’re not lying, I forgive you. As for Mister Lian, I think you two need a good talk.”

Lian Kun angrily turned his face away. “Go tell the kitchen to prepare wine and food. If you dare come into contact with surname Gao again, I’ll break your legs!”

Murong Zhining looked to Tuoba Zhi. “Mister Tuoba, how did you come here?”

Tuoba Zhi replied, “Ever since Lan’er was kidnapped, I’ve had people monitor Gao Chenghao. After General Chiyun took you away, my agents discovered Gao Chenghao tracking you guys. I was worried about Princess’ safety, so I came with Mister Lian.”

Murong Zhining’s eyes glistened with tears of gratitude. “Thank you, Mister Tuoba, Mister Lian.”

Chiyun Yuexuan swept Tuoba Zhi a disgruntled glance.

At the table, Tuoba Zhi asked with concern, “Princess said General Chiyun was imprisoned in an underground cell. How did you escape, General Chiyun?”

Chiyun Yuexuan said haughtily, “How can that pitiful prison of Gao Chenghao detain me? He thought that I’d be at my wit’s end just because he took away my dagger and needles. I bet even in his dreams, he could never imagine that I still had other lifesavers in my boots. Also, Mister Tuoba, you’ve come this time surely isn’t just to save Princess, right?

Murong Zhining angrily knocked the chopsticks. “General Chiyun, you’re not allowed to doubt Mister Tuoba. I trust him.”

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

Tuoba Zhi smiled and shook his head. “General Chiyun is doubting me for coveting the Murongs’ treasure. Goodness! Such is the heart of a petty man.”

Chiyun Yuexuan retaliated harshly, “Mister Tuoba, your ancestors have coveted the Murongs’ wealth ever since hundreds of years ago, haven’t they? From what I know, the surname Tuoba had been changed to Yuan a long time ago. And what a coincidence, your surname changed back to be Tuoba the immediately after the clues to the Murongs’ treasure appeared. You’re saying there’s no connection between this?”

Lian Kun was at a total loss now that the story had escalated to something even newer, “What treasure, what surname? I don’t understand a single word. Can we talk about something else?”

Tuoba Zhi shook his head with a wry smile. “Whatever the case, I myself don’t know anything about the treasure, I hold no clue, nor do I have any ambition for it. Believe whatever you want, General, I don’t care. As for our Tuoba surname, I also have doubts. I once asked my father, Yuan Dong, for the reason why we restored our surname to Tuoba so suddenly. He said it was to remember our ancestors by, so I dared not inquire any further.”

Murong Zhining paused her hand holding the chopsticks. “I believe that Mister Tuoba and Mister Lian all consider me your friend. At the moment, the truth of the treasure is still in the mist, but if there’s really a treasure, though, I’m happy to share it with my friends. Two days ago, I provided Gao Chenghao a slightly incorrect music score. He’s relied on that score to track to the dragon shaped mountain. I think he’s discovered something there, he’s been bringing people out to search for the last several days.”

Chiyun Yuexuan said, “Originally, I planned to take that lecherous animal’s life. However, since Princess wants to play treasure hunt, we can accompany him for a game. We’ll wait and quietly observe him first, and once he finds something, we can jump in for a ‘mantis catching cicadas.’ But I don’t think it will be so simple. What’s the point of leaving behind so many clues if this treasure it’s so easy to find?”

Murong Zhining twirled her hair. “I think we’re getting close, though. My intuition tells me that the treasure is in the vicinity of Xingzhou. If only we have someone to keep a close eye on Gao Chenghao.”

Tuoba Zhi shook his head. “From what I’ve seen, Gao Chenghao is too cunning, sinister, and is born overly suspicious. Basically, strangers can’t get near him at all.”

Murong Zhining nodded. “But all people have weaknesses. I have an idea.”

——

In a seething rage, Gao Chenghao dragged the four guards out of the underground prison and shrieked at them, “A bunch of trash! I’ve spent money on you lot for this many years for nothing! Wasn’t Chiyun Yuexuan searched from head to toe? How the hell did he escape?!”

The guards hung their heads without a words.

Gao Chenghao said with a dark face. “Go find and fetch that lowly slave Jiao Lan to me.”

…

Gao Chenghao drank wine as he sank into thoughts. From Jiao Lan, he found out that Tuoba Zhi and Lian Kun had also come to Xingzhou. Of the over twenty people he had brought here, many were injured and incapacitated by Chiyun Yuexuan, and were no longer a match for the opponent’s party. Fortunately, though, a crafty rabbit had three burrows – Gao Chenghao had soon bought several estates in Xingzhou. He could just secretly move to another place while slowly searching for the treasure.

As Gao Chenghao pondered for the next plan of action, ‘bang bang bang…’ the grand door was urgently knocked on. Thinking that Chiyun Yuexuan had come for payback, Gao Chenghao assembled people, told them to ready their weapons and prepare for what could possibly be a life and death struggle.

When the door opened, two Persian girls were standing there shivering. One of them spoke up in stiff Chinese, “We are dancers of the Gorgeous Scent House. A bad local man wanted to forcefully take us away to be his concubines, please save us!”

Shortly after, four, five men who looked like hired thug came, clamoring as they demanded to take the two dancers with them.

The dancers clung to Gao Chenghao and refused to let go. “Gentleman, please save us. My sister and I are willing to be your slaves!”