Reign of the Phoenix

Cai Sang and Luo Siyao hurriedly packed up and took Murong Zhining downstairs. Chiyun Yuexuan was already waiting on his horse outside the hostel. Cai Sang carefully helped Murong Zhining into the carriage, then, she and Luo Siyao climbed in.

The group exited the entrance of Yuliang County’s city, where the Chiyun Army was already lined up on standby. Chiyun Yuexuan gave an order and the army started to head towards Fuling Pass. Cai Sang mumbled, “I didn’t think this beast could manage his army so properly.”

Luo Siyao defended Chiyun Yuexuan, “Not only does General Chiyun excel at managing the troops, he is also very fierce on the battlefield. At the end of every battle, he would bring back a head of an enemy and greatly boost the morale of our army.”

Cai Sang cast Luo Siyao an unhappy glance. “This actually matches with his cruel, vicious, cold-blooded and ruthless character.”

Because Chiyun Yuexuan was pressed for time, he brought with him a mounted team on fast horses and only left a small team to escort the carriage. The instant Chiyun Yuexuan left, Cai Sang heaved a long sigh of relief. “Zhining, do we still find a chance to escape?”

Luo Siyao rolled her eyes at Cai Sang, “No no, you can’t. If you run, how would I report my work? Moreover, how could Zhining run when she’s this weak?”

Cai Sang glared back. “Can’t you see it? If Zhining stays, that beast will torture her to death sooner or later. Can’t you just run with us? Do you want to be a servant of that beast so badly?”

Luo Siyao was a bit displeased. “Our general is not as bad as you say. What if he examines his conscience later and decides to treat Zhining well?”

Cai Sang poked her head. “You are Zhining’s person now, you must stand on our side. What’s so good about that beast? He’s vicious in the extreme. Moreover, even I won’t forgive him for hurting Zhining like that, so how can Zhining herself forgive him?”

Luo Siyao didn’t talk back anymore. Murong Zhining hadn’t said a word because she simply had no strength to speak. Cai Sang and Luo Siyao who were flushed from the heated argument still hadn’t noticed that she had fallen into a coma.

Murong Zhining’s condition grew worse with each passing day. Her lower body was bleeding incessantly and the wound on her back was infected. She was drowsily asleep all day with a high fever, her breathing faint as if on the verge of dying.

The vice general who escorted the carriage sent a person to report this to Chiyun Yuexuan on fast horse. Afraid that something beyond the responsibility he could afford would happen, the vice general took the initiative to bring Murong Zhining to the nearest county – Chongde County, and found a clinic to treat her.

Murong Zhining was wandering in a sea of flowers, and at the end of all the colorful flowers stood a young man in fluttering clothes. He was standing with his back facing her and his hands crossed behind his back, resembling Yan Feng a little. His tall figure seemed to be coated with a layer of gold in the sunlight. Murong Zhining knew in her heart that this was the little big brother that she’d been looking for. She crossed through the sea of flowers and walked towards him.

Little Big Brother slowly turned around and extended his arms to her. Murong Zhining placed her hands in his. They gazed intently at each other with a smile. Murong Zhining took off Biwu and handed it to him in both hands.

Right at this moment, a fiendish man rushed towards them. He snatched Biwu from her hands and violently threw it on the ground. The jade pendant fell into pieces.

Murong Zhining painfully screamed, “No…!”

The man then dragged his halberd and approached Little Big Brother. The weapon glinted coldly as it was swung at Little Big Brother. Murong Zhining looked at the man in despair, and on his vicious face like a devil from hell, she saw a pair of charming long narrow eyes.

“She’s awake. Zhining, you finally woke up.” Cai Sang’s surreal voice floated around her head. Murong Zhining was unable to tell between dreams and reality.

She tried to open her eyes, and greeting her were Cai Sang’s and Luo Siyao’s anxious faces. Cai Sang’s face was stained with tears.

Cai Sang bent down and caressed Murong Zhining’s face. “Do you know? You’ve slept for three days and nights. Do you want to scare me to death?” Beads of tears dripped from her eyes onto Murong Zhining’s body.

Panic-stricken, Murong Zhining quickly touched her chest and felt Biwu safely lying there. She was still engulfed by that nightmare just now.

Murong Zhining tried to get her spirits up and took hold of Cai Sang’s soft hand. “I actually arrived at the gate of hell. The gatekeeper devil said, ‘You still owe a girl named Cai Sang, you’re not allowed to enter until you pay her back.’ So, I was chased back here.”

Cai Sang wiped her tears. “You still have the heart to joke?”

Luo Siyao’s eyes reddened. She said in a very low tone, “Cai Sang has been watching over you all these past days, talking with you, feeding you water and wiping your body to help you cool down. No matter what I said, she refused to rest. She’s gotten so thin.”

Murong Zhining worriedly looked at Cai Sang. The latter turned her face away, not wanting Murong Zhining to see her haggard appearance. Murong Zhining patted her hands and said softly, “Hurry and rest a little. What am I going to do if you faint from exhaustion?”

Cai Sang nodded with tears in her eyes. She knew that listening to Murong Zhining’s words now would be the best consolation for Murong Zhining.

Thanks to the dedicated care of Cai Sang and Luo Siyao, Murong Zhining’s body was gradually getting better every day. The vice general bought a small yard in the county’s city for the three girls to stay, then had some soldiers guard the yard and went back to Fuling Pass himself.

For three months in a row, Chiyun Yuexuan hadn’t sent anyone to urge them to go and only had the vice general visit them occasionally to deliver their silver expense. Murong Zhining’s health had recovered, only that she seemed so badly thin and weak, as if even the wind could hurt her. Everyone would feel sorry for Murong Zhining from just one look at her.

Having nothing but free time, Murong Zhining brought Cai Sang and Luo Siyao to walk around town. While Chongde was only a small county in the border area, its commerce was flourishing. There were store after store, fluttering wine flags everywhere. Beyond the Great Wall, this town was well-known as the ‘little Jiangnan .’ The surrounding nations all had people doing trades here. From time to time, foreigners with golden hair and blue eyes could be seen around the area, the local called them “hairy fellows.” These were all things that Murong Zhining and Cai Sang had never seen before, they constantly looked around curiously.

Murong Zhining led Cai Sang and Luo Siyao into a tavern. They sat down in the lobby and ordered some side dishes in addition to a pot of yellow wine , chatting joyously as they ate. It was unknown whether because Murong Zhining was too beautiful, many eyes were roaming around their table.

Cai Sang proudly bragged, “Do you see those people? They’re all looking at our Zhining. These small town people must have never seen such a beauty in their lives.”

Murong Zhining shook her head with a smile, and continued to sip from her wine cup. “What if they’re looking because I’m too ugly?”

Luo Siyao blurted out a “pff” laugh. “I’ve noticed as well. When we were walking, there were always people staring at Zhining. Next time, we should wear men’s clothing so as not to draw attention.”

Cai Sang nodded approvingly.

After two cups of wine, Murong Zhining’s face slightly flushed with the color of peach blossoms. Cai Sang quietly gazed at her. “I haven’t seen Zhining so beautiful for a long time.”

Luo Siyao disagreed, “I’ve always thought that Zhining is really beautiful. Even when she was seriously ill, she was still a sick beauty. I really don’t understand why our general treated her like that.”

For a moment there, the atmosphere quietened down. Cai Sang poked Luo Siyao’s forehead. “It’s not easy to see her mood get a bit better, and you upset her again.”

Knowing that she had just made an indiscreet remark, Luo Siyao ashamedly stuck out her tongue.

Her limpid eyes gentle as water, Murong Zhining said, “I’m not upset. An irrelevant person can’t hurt me, and neither can he affect my mood.”

Just as the three girls were in the peak spirits, a middle-aged man approached their table. He looked to be over forty, and judging from his attire, he was not a local, but a foreign merchant. The man politely bent and placed his hand across his chest as he asked Murong Zhining, “Beautiful miss, do I have the honor of knowing your name?”

Cai Sang only thought he wanted to make conversation, so she pulled a face and warned, “Please leave quickly. Our young miss won’t randomly react to strangers. Not to mention, you’re not so young anymore, uncle.”

Murong Zhining also didn’t bother with him. She told Luo Siyao to pay the bill, and the three left the tavern.

Feeling full after the hearty meal, the three walked back in satisfaction. They didn’t notice that there were two people following them from afar.

At dusk, the foreign merchant appeared before the gate of the yard Murong Zhining was staying, behind him was a middle-aged woman. The man made the woman knock the door. The guard inside shouted, “Who are you? What do you come here for? This is the residence of military family members, irrelevant people aren’t allowed to come.”

The woman amiably asked, “Is there a sixteen, seventeen-year-old young lady in your family? May I ask, what is her name and where is she from?”

The guard didn’t reply and impatiently pushed her out the door.

Hearing the commotion, Cai Sang ran out to check and saw the guard shooing away the middle-aged woman. After being pushed out, the woman still refused to leave and was saying something loudly. Cai Sang decided to go out and get to the bottom of this, and at the entrance, she saw the woman talking to that man who approached them in the tavern today.

When the man spotted Cai Sang, he hurriedly ran over. “Please wait, miss, I don’t mean any harm. I only want to know the name of that beautiful young girl.”

Cai Sang made a taut face. “You actually tailed her here? Why don’t you take a look at yourself and see how old you are already? Quickly leave, the person inside isn’t someone you can afford to provoke.”

The woman stepped forth and pleaded, “Miss, you’ve misunderstood. We only want to know where that young lady is from.”

Cai Sang was impatient. “Hurry and leave, I won’t tell you. Why would I when I don’t know who are at all? If you make a fuss again, I’ll have people throw you out.”

Hearing his, the two didn’t continue to pester.

Since then, every time they went out to play, Murong Zhining always felt that someone was following her from far behind. In order to ensure their safety, Cai Sang had the guards follow them at a distance whenever they left the house.