Reign of the Phoenix

Chapter 69 – Red Lycoris
Chiyun Yuexuan burst out laughing. “Peepee… Hahahaha that’s adorable hahaha…” He carried her off the carriage and placed her into a bush on the roadside, then returned to the road and stood with his back to her.

Murong Zhining yelled with discontent, “What can I do with my hands tied?!”

Chiyun Yuexuan walked back. Untying the rope, he warned, “If you dare to run, I’ll kill your foster mother’s family.”

Murong Zhining said innocently, “So I have a foster mother, that’s great. If you didn’t tell me, I wouldn’t know.”

Chiyun Yuexuan suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness. All of the advantages he had to threaten her with had become useless.

While Chiyun Yuexuan walked away with his back facing her, Murong Zhining bent down and untied the rope binding her feet. Around Chiyun Yuexuan, she always felt uneasy and her head was full of the thought to escape. Although she didn’t know where she could run off to, escaping him was her most instinctive idea.

Chiyun Yuexuan waited for a long time without hearing any activity from Murong Zhining. He couldn’t turn around for fear of making her embarrassed, so he remained where he stood and asked, “Are you done? Don’t dawdle.”

When he realized something was off and turned around, he caught a glimpse of Murong Zhining’s figure disappearing at the end of the far hillside.

With a resigned smile, Chiyun Yuexuan shook his head and shouted, “Ning’er, I’ll give you one more chance, you’d best come back on your own. I’m telling you, you can’t escape. If you make me catch you, there’ll be some heavy punishment.”

Hearing his voice, Murong Zhining grew even more frightened and quickened the staggered steps towards the fields downhill. Suddenly, the sound of galloping horse hooves and the breath of Flash huffing flew by her ear, and the next moment, she was caught and lifted onto the horse by Chiyun Yuexuan.

Murong Zhining fearfully closed her eyes waiting for Chiyun Yuexuan’s so-called heavy punishment. But he only whispered into her ear gently, “Next time, you’re not allowed to run. It’ll be very dangerous if you get lost. As long as you listen, I won’t tie you up, okay?”

Murong Zhining dejectedly hung her head. Chiyun Yuexuan knew that she felt wary and resistant of strangers due to her memory loss, and running was only her most instinctive reaction. Not to mention, she only had a month left to live if her poison didn’t get detoxified. Thinking of this, Chiyun Yuexuan never felt so bitter and painful.

Returning to the carriage, Murong Zhining quietly sat in the corner without a word. Chiyun Yuexuan knew that what he should do was to slowly gain her trust, not force her to listen.

Stroking his chin in contemplation, a light suddenly went off in his head. “If I can prove that you’re my wife, will you be good and listen to me?”

The dispirited Murong Zhining hugged her knees. “I can’t remember anything. Please let me go.”

Seeing her weak and pitiful demeanor, Chiyun Yuexuan reached out, wanting to take her into his embrace. Murong Zhining instantly bared her teeth. “Don’t come here, or I’ll bite you to death.”

Chiyun Yuexuan creased his brows. “Even though I don’t want you to remember some things, in order to recall your memory, I’ll still tell you. Alright, I once hurt you, severely, made you very miserable. Do you still remember the brand on your back? It has the word ‘Chiyun’ on it. That’s the proof you’re my wife.”

The hatred on her face deepened. “You shameless liar! I don’t remember what’s on my back, but last night when Lan’er help me bathe, she clearly said my back had a red lycoris tattoo.”

Murong Zhining turned her back towards Chiyun Yuexuan and slid off her clothes down the shoulders. On her smooth white skin, he saw a blooming, blood-red lycoris flower. The flower of hell gracefully and perfectly covered the brand. For a moment, Chiyun Yuexuan was confused. Perhaps this woman wasn’t the real Murong Zhining and he had mistaken. He lost his Little Tabby again. His mind went blank at the thought.

As Chiyun Yuexuan sat at the front of the carriage in silence, Murong Zhining also quietly looked at his figure. A vague fragment of memory suddenly flashed through her mind: Chiyun Yuexuan grabbed her and dragged her into a room.

Murong Zhining hugged her head in panic and curled up into a ball, not daring to utter a sound. Her head was a mess as she tried to recall for clues from the details of the bath last night.

When helping her bathe, Tuoba Lan had patted the right side of her back and exclaimed, “Oh heavens! This tattoo is beautiful. Big sis, how did you think of using a lycoris to cover the brand left by General Chiyun? That’s so clever!”

Murong Zhining asked incredulously, “What tattoo? What brand?”

Tuoba Lan quickly covered her mouth, “Nothing! Lan’er is just praising how beautiful your tattoo is, there’s no brand. That was just me talking nonsense.”

Chiyun Yuexuan took a long time to calm his surging emotions. When he turned to glance at Murong Zhining, she had already leaned back on the trunk asleep. A glittering streak of tear was faint on her face.

Chiyun Yuexuan wanted to wipe it away but was afraid he’d frighten her awake. At the same time, one question after another constantly swirled around his head: Is this girl Murong Zhining or his Little Tabby? Are they the same person? In the end, who did he like, Little Tabby or Murong Zhining? Or both? Chiyun Yuexuan had never felt so troubled before. If Murong Zhining wasn’t Little Tabby, would he have liked her? Could he really accept a completely strange woman?

Chiyun Yuexuan kept raising questions for himself, and the scariest thing was that, he was unable to answer his own question.

Murong Zhining’s pretty almond eyes suddenly opened. She broke the silence, “Ning’er is so hungry. Ning’er wants to eat.”

“Alright, there seems to be a guest house up ahead.” Chiyun Yuexuan slowly stopped the carriage at the side of the road. Murong Zhining couldn’t wait to jump out of the carriage. She ran into the store. “Shopkeeper, a bowl of Yangchun Noddles, please.”

The server scratched his head. “Miss, we don’t have Yangchun Noddles here. Would you like to try our Fried Sauce Noddles instead?”

Chiyun Yuexuan entered the store. “Two Fried Sauce Noddles, one plate of stir-fried egg. Right, add a dish of stir-fried vegetables.” Then, he sat down at Murong Zhining’s opposite and stared intently at her as if trying to figure out who she really was.

Meanwhile, Murong Zhining’s eyes fell on Flash standing outside the store. She couldn’t help but walk to the steed, next to whom her petite figure wasn’t even half its height.

When Murong Zhining looked up at Flash, the horse lowered its head and rubbed against her while huffing happily. Murong Zhining caressed its head. “Little fellow, you’re called Flash? How come I find you so familiar?”

Flash let out a low neigh and practically glued its head on Murong Zhining’s body.

Chiyun Yuexuan quietly watched the duo. Flash was an intelligent horse, it wouldn’t allow anyone apart from Chiyun Yuexuan to near, yet unconditionally accepted Murong Zhining. This showed how much it understood him.

Chiyun Yuexuan had the server prepare a basket of the finest horse feed and personally brought it to Flash. His voice was full of bitterness, “You remember Flash, but you forgot all about me.”

Murong Zhining stroked Flash. “I only knew its name because I heard you called it ‘Flash.’ but it actually looks like it knows me.”

The server’s shout suddenly rang out from the store, “Two esteemed guests, the food is up!”

Murong Zhining rushed inside and started eating hungrily without waiting for Chiyun Yuexuan. He smiled and shook his head. Sitting down, he held a piece of egg to her lips. She stared at him resistantly and fearfully ate the egg.

The server observed them for a while before asking, “Which direction are you two traveling? There are no inns several tens of miles ahead, how about staying at ours? If you kept going, you may run into the bandits.”

Chiyun Yuexuan shook his head. “We have to set off shortly, it’s fine just bringing more food on the road.”

The server clicked his tongue and sighed, “Don’t blame me for not warning you then. This young miss is too beautiful, I’m afraid you guys won’t be able to pass the mountain ahead.”

Chiyun Yuexuan said in disdain, “What kind of mountain bandit would be so arrogant?”

The server mysteriously leaned over and whispered by his ear, “The leader of those bandits is a lecherous thief, very cruel one at that. In the villages around here, mature girls, wives, concubines, none ever escapes his evil clutches. If he takes a fancy to someone, he’ll kidnap her to be his wife.”

Afraid that he’d frighten Murong Zhining, the server toned down as much as he could.

When the server went back to the counter, he added, “Mister, please heed my advice and take this young miss on the round route. Don’t put yourself in danger just to save some time.”

Chiyun Yuexuan sneered with downcast eyes, “I actually want to meet those thieves and eliminate this public threat.”

The server shook his head. “That area is high and deep in the mountain. The government officers sent troops to handle them several times, but they couldn’t even find the bandit lair. The moment the soldiers left, those thieves would come down again, kidnapping and pillaging.” After a slight pause, he continued, “Mister, with your clear and handsome appearance, I’m afraid they won’t let you off either.”

Chiyun Yuexuan angrily smacked the table, “I’m a man. Pay attention to what you say, or I’ll tear down your shop!”

Murong Zhining frowed and glared at him. “What’s the rage about now? Brother Server only reminded you out of goodwill, can’t you just curb that temper a little?”

Chiyun Yuexuan instantly mellowed down. “I hate it when they discuss my appearance. What handsome what pretty, all of them are not allowed on me! It’s just insulting!”

Propping her cheek on her palm, Murong Zhining looked at Chiyun Yuexuan, “He isn’t wrong, you do look quite beautiful. Too bad though… too savage.”

Chiyun Yuexuan shot her a glare. “I’ll grant you special permission to praise me like that. No one else is allowed.”

After the meal, Chiyun Yuexuan prepared to take Murong Zhining to set out again. The server looked at them worriedly. “My guests, how about waiting a little longer? Maybe there’ll be caravans passing by. It will be safer to travel together with them.”

Chiyun Yuexuan ridiculed, “You’re only trying to trick us to stay at your guest house, I’ve already seen through your little ploy. Ning’er, we’re going.”

Watching the carriage depart, the server shook his head. “Such a beautiful girl, what a pity.”