Reign of the Phoenix

At dusk, Chiyun Yuexuan found an inn off the beaten path to stay for the night.

Murong Zhining had been glum, so Chiyun Yuexuan didn’t dare to say anything either. The two finished their dinner in silence. When the server came to collect the dishes, Chiyun Yuexuan asked him to prepare a few buckets of hot water. The server seemed to be very troubled, “To be honest, my honorable guests, our area has had a drought recently, even drinking water has become precious, we really don’t have any to provide for the guests to wash. If you two are in great need, you can try the small quiet pond over ten lis west of here.”

Chiyun Yuexuan waved his arms. “Forget it. I’ll give you some silver, you have people go a little far to fetch a bucket of water and boil it for this miss… mister.”

The server swept a dubious glance at the two before leaving.

After the time it took to burn an incense stick, the server returned with a bucket of hot water. He set it on the floor and left happily after receiving Chiyun Yuexuan’s gratuity silver. Chiyun Yuexuan looked at the gloomy Murong Zhining. “Princess, please make do with just wiping the sweat. I will wait outside the door.”

Murong Zhining didn’t take long to finish cleaning herself. She knocked on the door. Chiyun Yuexuan understood the signal and entered the room. Seeing half a bucket of water she left for him in the corner, he silently took off his top and washed his upper body with the wet towel. Not knowing that Chiyun Yuexuan was wiping himself, Murong Zhining glanced over, only to vaguely see blood seeping out from the wound on his back.

Murong Zhining came over with the oil lamp and finally saw clearly that the wound was oozing blood and pus. Her eyes instantly grew hot with tears. Taking a clean cloth from the package, she carefully cleaned the wound. Chiyun Yuexuan silently sat still on the stool in compliance as Murong Zhining wiped the pus, sprinkled the Metal Wound Medicine powder on the wound, then bandaged it with a clean cloth.

Murong Zhining complained, “The wound has gotten this bad and you didn’t say anything. Do you not feel pain?”

Chiyun Yuexuan turned to look at her, his pupils kindled with hope. “If I said anything, would you care, Princess? Would your heart ache for me, even just a little bit?”

Murong Zhining looked down. “No, but at least I can help you apply the medicine.”

Chiyun Yuexuan’s eyes instantly dimmed like burning flames quenched by cold water.

At night, the two lay on the bed, no one spoke. Murong Zhining still faced the wall with her back coldly against him. When she was about to doze off, she felt Chiyun Yuexuan shift close and clung to her tightly.

Chiyun Yuexuan’s body was burning hot, he was mumbling something in his sleep that she couldn’t make out. Murong Zhining turned to check on him. She knew that his injury took a turn for the worse because it didn’t get properly treated. If Chiyun Yuexuan kept burning like this, his life would be in grave danger. She got up, wanting to go find a doctor. However, as if knowing what she was thinking, Chiyun Yuexuan grabbed her hand and said with the sliver of his remaining consciousness, “Don’t go, it’s dangerous. I’ll be fine after some rest. This body of mine has suffered countless injuries, so I know very well.”

As Murong Zhining watched Chiyun Yuexuan slipping under, her heart fell into a state of panic: an anxiety, a deep fear. She snuck to the lobby and took a jug of burnt wine from the counter. Returning to the room, she took off Chiyun Yuexuan’s clothes and used the wine to wipe his body. At dawn, she finally gave in to fatigue and fell asleep next to him.

The next morning they woke up, Chiyun Yuexuan insisted on setting out. Murong Zhining pressed him on the bed, making him stay here and rest for two more days, but Chiyun Yuexuan was very urgent. “The longer we’re out in plain sight, the more unexpected dangers Princess will be in. As reluctant as I am, I have to send you to Nanjin as soon as possible.”

Murong Zhining lowered her head. “It’s only two or three days. We’ll leave when you get better. Otherwise, who can protect me when we come across danger on the road?”

Chiyun Yuexuan said in self-blame, “If Princess gets hurt even just a little, I will feel guilty for the rest of my life.”

Murong Zhining’s eyes reddened. “Don’t say that, General. Ever since I could remember, I and nanny were being constantly pursued. I’m already used to it. Life and death are no longer regarded so heavily in my heart.”

Chiyun Yuexuan contemplated for a while. “Princess, you still don’t want to tell me the reason why you were pursued?”

“I didn’t think it was necessary to tell you. It’s all because of this music score.” Murong Zhining took out the bloodstained sheet music and handed it to Chiyun Yuexuan.

Chiyun Yuexuan analyzed the paper for a long time before he spoke, “This is a sheet music for qin and se ensemble named ‘Stranded Jiaolong.’”

Murong Zhining was shaken. Those were like the words of wisdom that resolved more than half of her doubts. Originally, Murong Zhining thought that no one else knew of “Stranded Jiaolong” except for herself and her master.

Her master once told her that he heard a youth play this song once, could that youth be Chiyun Yuexuan, she wondered. While Murong Zhining recognized “Stranded Jiaolong,” her knowledge on it was half-baked. Only until today did she know from Chiyun Yuexuan that the playing method written on it was also meant for the se.

Chiyun Yuexuan continued, “The old saying says ‘qin and se are perfect harmony,’ however, se had soon been lost in time due to its huge size and complicated production process. This music score of yours doesn’t seem like it was made for playing. I feel that it’s hiding some mystery, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

Murong Zhining inwardly exclaimed. She initially thought Chiyun Yuexuan was a brute who only knew to fight, who would have expected that he was so knowledgeable?

Murong Zhining suddenly remembered his injury. “General, it’s time to change the bandage.”

Chiyun Yuexuan acquiescently turned his back to her. Murong Zhining gently wiped the wound with the burnt wine, and afraid that he’d feel pain, she blew on the wound as she did so. Feeling her tenderness, Chiyun Yuexuan disregarded everything and laughed out loud. Murong Zhining applied some force on her hand. “What are you laughing about? It seems that it doesn’t hurt enough?”

Chiyun Yuexuan played along, he bared his teeth and hissed as if in pain.

Murong Zhining carefully wrapped the bandage. “Mhm, it’s stopped bleeding, much better than yesterday. What do you want to eat? I’ll call the server to prepare for you.”

Chiyun Yuexuan looked at her expectantly. “I want to eat porridge cooked by Princess. After all, I won’t be able to see you again once you return to your parents. In the future, I’ll remember you every time I eat porridge.”

The two lapsed into silence as an inexplicable sadness filled the air. Murong Zhining left the room and went to the inn kitchen.

In the evening, the two ate Murong Zhining’s self-cooked millet porridge. A satisfied smile never ceased on Chiyun Yuexuan’s face. When a low neigh from Flash echoed from the stable, Chiyun Yuexuan seemed uneasy. “We have stayed in the room for over a day now, I’m feeling much better. Can we take Flash out on a walk around the fields? It’s a very animated horse.”

Murong Zhining nodded. For some reason unbeknown to even herself, she liked Flash very much.

The two led Flash out of the stable and strolled to the fields not far from the inn. In the fields, they could see a dry riverbed, a proof that this place had been struck by drought. Flash galloped joyfully on the grass, then rolling around the grass with a low whiny.

Chiyun Yuexuan’s eyes had been fixed on Flash, showing how dearly he loved this horse. “It’s being happy. Princess, do you want to take a ride? Except for me, it wouldn’t let anyone else sit on it alone.”

Murong Zhining looked at Flash with a pleasant surprise. “Can I? Will it allow me to?”

Chiyun Yuexuan whistled and Flash ran to him, rubbing its head up and down on his body. Chiyun Yuexuan caressed it. “Flash, you want to listen to me, okay? This ‘young mister’ is my most favorite person. You are not allowed to be willful and throw her off.”

When Chiyun Yuexuan lifted Murong Zhining onto it, Flash was unusually calm. As Chiyun Yuexuan slowly let go of the reins, Flash carried Murong Zhining on a slow walk along the paddy fields. Murong Zhining had never ridden a horse by herself before, but she wasn’t one bit scared, as if there was a naturally mutual connection between them.

Chiyun Yuexuan could sense the harmony between them as well. He asked loudly from the distance, “Princess, do you know why Flash likes you?”

“I don’t. Why?”

“Dummy. Because you are my woman.”

Murong Zhining shot him a vicious glare. “I’m not! Flash, go! Give him a kick!”

Flash ignored her and gnawed on the grass. Chiyun Yuexuan fell onto the grass bursting out into laughter. Murong Zhining rolled her eyes. “General, aren’t you afraid to touch the wound?”

Chiyun Yuexuan smiled as he lay on the grass, quietly staring up the starry sky. Flash carried Murong Zhining back to him and neighed. Murong Zhining jumped off and asked, “What’s wrong with Flash?”

Chiyun Yuexuan put his arm behind his back as a pillow. “It wants Princess to accompany me to watch the stars. Flash, go play by yourself.”

Flash slowly strolled off.

Murong Zhining sat down next to Chiyun Yuexuan on the grass. He pulled on her to lie down. The two lay on the grass gazing at the stars in silence for a long time. Then, with his eyes still fixing at the sky, Chiyun Yuexuan spoke, very faintly, but also very earnest, “I have always wanted to solemnly apologize to you, but never had the courage to speak up. I know that I have no right to demand you not to hate me, I only want to sincerely tell you, I’m so sorry!”

Murong Zhining didn’t respond, only her virtually inaudible sobs sounded. Chiyun Yuexuan painfully pulled her to his chest, but she struggled and refused to get close to him.

Chiyun Yuexuan hugged her tightly, his lips pressing to her face as he gently coaxed, “I’ve never kissed you even once. May I kiss you? I fear that I won’t have a chance in the future.” His lips slipped from her cheek to her lips, and they lingered softly there. Murong Zhining tried to push him off and turned her head away, wanting to evade his burning lips. Chiyun Yuexuan flipped over to stop her. Cradling her face, he imprinted his lips intensely on her beautiful cherry lips. He closed his eyes and forgot everything to suck in her soft lips over and over, as if wanting to inhale her soul into his body, never to separate. His kiss was bitter yet sweet, wild but gentle. Murong Zhining couldn’t move. Her tears quietly fell, and from the corner of Chiyun Yuexuan’s eye, a hot tear also rolled down and landed on her cheek, merging with her own tears. This one kiss was lingering and desperate.

A long time later, Chiyun Yuexuan let go of Murong Zhining. The two lay still on the grass as if the strength had been drained off their bodies. Chiyun Yuexuan pulled Murong Zhining into his embrace, gently stroking her hair. “If I could start all over again, I would never treat you like how I had done in the past. Unfortunately, time cannot be reverted. I dare not hope for your forgiveness. After you return to Nanjin, let it be like you wish, never to meet again. Only that every time I remember tonight, my heart will ache, inconsolably so. And it shall be my punishment.”

The two leaned into each other for a very long time. Murong Zhining had no strength to struggle, she simply let Chiyun Yuexuan held her tightly in his chest. Time seemed to stop at this moment as the faint scent of an unknown flower drifting in the air. The countless stars sparkled in the sky, surrounding a moon that shone brightly. Enveloped in the moonlight, the couple seemed to be cleansed of all the dust from this chaotic world, looking holy and beautiful.

Suddenly, a hissing sound from Flash broke the silence. Chiyun Yuexuan gently pulled out his arm pillowing under Murong Zhining and nimbly leapt up. A faint commotion echoed from the direction of the inn. Chiyun Yuexuan dropped a kiss on Murong Zhining’s forehead. “Something’s going on at the inn. I’ll go check it out and retrieve my halberd. You stay here and wait for me. Don’t be afraid, and under any circumstances, don’t run wild. I’ll definitely return for you.”