The Rise of Phoenixes- Novel Translation 2

• In the novel, Mama Fong (Qiu Mingying) was actually once a well known female general of Tian Sheng, so the Emperor knows her quite well. Zhi Wei harbors very complex feelings towards her mother. She both admires Mama Fong for who she once was and dreams of becoming a strong female general like she was, but on the other hand, she also resents Mama Fong for burying everything she used to be and living such a depressing life now.
• In the drama, Zhi Wei’s younger brother was fairly useless but obviously cared very deeply for his mother and sister. In the novel, Zhi Wei’s younger brother really had no redeeming qualities at all. Mama Fong had spoiled her adopted son to the extent that he really only cared for himself. In fact, Zhi Wei has more than once gotten in trouble because her brother will usually push anything thing he does onto her but Mama Fong always take his son’s side. Zhi Wei was also aware that both herself and Feng Hao (younger brother) were adopted but she assumed mistakenly that Mama Fong favored Feng Hao because he is the son that will carry on the family name.

After getting framed by her younger brother and having Mama Fong taking his side again (thus admitting publically that her daughter is a thief knowing full well her son was the real culprit), Zhi Wei runs away from home to drink by herself on a bridge.

The silence in the night suddenly interrupted by a soft whine “Mister…” as sounds of footsteps come closer and closer.

Frowning slightly, Zhi Wei belatedly remembers that this particular bridge is right by the Captial’s most famous brothel. So this must be some brothel customer taking a leisurely stroll with a concubine.

Not bothering to move, Zhi Wei figures if the man doesn’t mind being seen with a prostitute then why should she worry about seeing more than the night view.

A faint reply comes, Zhi Wei is surprised to find the voice familiar.

The steps come even closer and a woman’s soft yelp sounds “Ah! There is someone…” The voice seems unconcerned as the woman turns her attention back to the man “Mister…you said you were going to show Yin Er something cool…”

Her fingers caressing the wine bottle, Zhi Wei glance over at the silver embroidery on the black robe.

Accompanied by a jingling sound of bells, a woman in a colorful flashy dress runs over to throw her arms around the man’s neck, giggling “Then…Yin Er will wait.”

Not moving, the man replies with a hint of laughter in his voice “I saw a great show today. It would be such a shame if I don’t share it with someone…”

Her heart skips a beat, Zhi Wei turns around in time to see the man casting a casual glance towards her before putting his arm around the woman as he takes one steps forward, then another, until he is at the edge of the river.

Dazzled by the man’s handsome face, Yin Er is completely clueless that she is dangerously close to the river age. The man bends down close and smiles. The woman gives a soft moan as she puckers up her lips. The man gently reaches out a hand…gives a light push.

Splash!

Zhi Wei smacks her head into the palm of her hand and sighs.  He really…did it.

Never in her wildest dream would she imagine that she would get pushed into the river, a stunned Yin Er didn’t even think to struggle. Luckily, the river wasn’t deep to begin with, so soon Yin Er was standing up, trembling in the water.

Blinking in confusion as she looks at the man who is staring towards the sky with a soft smile on his lips and the woman who is still drinking from her wine bottle in a leisurely manner, Yin Er feels like the whole world has gone crazy.

How could people like this exist in this world?! One just pushed her in the river without any reason and the other doesn’t feel the need to help when she sees someone falling into the water.

After trembling in the water for who knows how know, Yin Er finally slowly struggles up the riverbank and reaches out a pleading hand towards the man “Mister…mister…”

The man stares at the beautiful pale fingers, slowly retracts his hands into his long sleeves and replies with a smile “Don’t. Your hand is dirty.”

Zhi Wei, who just took a small mouthful of wine suddenly chokes. (Our hero is repeating what he overheard in Zhi Wei’s conversation with her uncle’s concubine. The concubine had first refused Zhi Wei’s hand saying our heroine is dirty, then our heroine returned that complaint later back to the concubine.)

“Mister…Yin Er knows I was wrong now…Yin Er won’t bother you anymore….” Sobbing, the woman continues “Yin Er knows…should not like you…” Tears have washed away the heavy make up on the woman’s face, revealing the fact that Yin Er is actually quite young, too young to know better… Thanks to a dip in the cold water, Yin Er belatedly remembers all the rumors about that person.

Trembling in the cold water, Yin Er doesn’t dare to beg any more, she doesn’t even dare to walk out of the river by herself.

Abruptly putting down the wine bottle, Zhi Wei stands up without looking at the man. Walking over to the river, Zhi Wei extends a hand towards Yin Er.

Giving Yin Er an assuring smile when the girl shrinks instinctively, Zhi Wei says “Come up, no one is trying to kill you.”

Pulling out the soaking wet damsel, Zhi Wei glance over at the girl’s already thin garments made even more revealing because of the water and decides to take off her own cloak and wraps it around the girl. Perhaps the concubine would not care if she was to walk through the street almost naked, but as a woman herself, Zhi Wei is not willing to let her walk pass that particular man in such a state.

Giving Zhi Wei a grateful smile, Yin Er whispers “I am at the Lanxiang Brothel over there…if older sister needs anything, you can come find me there.”

Returning Yin Er’s smile, Zhi Wei pats her on the shoulder and watches as Yin Er shuffles off, not daring to give the man another look.

Zhi Wei who only has a thin outer garment now, wrap her arms around her body as a cold gust of wind hits her sending a wave of shivers through her body.

Surprised when a wine bottle suddenly shows up in front of her, Zhi Wei looks at the long elegant fingers around the bottle and frowns “This is mine.”

A cloak is the next thing to show up in front of her.

“As an exchange for your wine.”

Accepting the cloak without any hesitation, Zhi Wei comments “Doesn’t seem to be a fair trade for you.”

“That’s alright.” The man smiles “I learned a useful thing from you today, we will count this as tuition.”

Not replying, Zhi Wei stares at the man’s reflection in the water. This man seems to have a thousand different sides to him. Even his appearance and disposition seem to change everytime she sees him. The first time she met him, he was elegant and ethereal. When he pushed that girl in the river, he was arrogant and haughty. Now, with the smile on his face, he is dazzling and seductive.

Someone like this…could only be described as dangerous.

Seemingly unaware of all the thoughts flashing across Zhi Wei’s mind, the man suddenly suggests “It’s too windy by the river. We could catch a cold, let’s go somewhere else.”

With a shrug, Zhi Wei follows the man until they turn a bend and a stone bridge appears. The bridge is quite large but judging by its condition, it seems to have been abandoned of use.

Walking up the bridge, two of them quickly found a spot shielded from the wind and sits down right against a stone column. Taking a swig of Zhi Wei’s wine bottle, the man then hands the bottle over to her.

Mildly surprised, Zhi Wei is not used to sharing wine with a man nor did she imagine such a well to do gentleman would be willing to drink such bad wine. This man obviously doesn’t like being bothered by people but for some reason, he is willing to drink with her. After thinking for a moment, Zhi Wei wipes the opening of the wine bottle with her sleeve then carefully takes a sip.

Zhi Wei thought for sure the man would be offended, but instead of looking at her, the man was looking up. Rising her own head, Zhi Wei realizes the bridge is actually quite tall and allows anyone on it to see most of the Capital.

Slowly swallowing the burning liquor down her throat, Zhi Wei asks with bright eyes “You seems to know this place very well?”

“This bridge was Da Cheng’s First Bridge. Legend has it that the Emperor of Da Cheng constructed for his Empress.” His eyes half closed, the man continues slowly “The Empress of Da Cheng likes grand views so that’s why the bridge is tall enough to see everything around it. Rumor has it that six hundred years ago, the Emperor and the Empress often frequent this bridge in disguise.”

Nodding with a smile, Zhi Wei says “It’s beautiful.” but in her heart she doesn’t buy that this man would be moved by a legend from the last empire.

“When Da Cheng was destroyed, the Emperor of Tian Shen rode into the Capital and accepted the surrounder of Da Cheng’s old officials on this very bridge. That day, the royal officials of Da Cheng knelt in front of our new Emperor.”

Irked for some reason by the man’s calm voice that is laced with arrogance, Zhi Wei laughs in derision “They were only kneeling to the sword and blood.”

Unflinching, Zhi Wei meets the man’s eyes frankly when he suddenly turns his gaze on her.

After a moment, the man laughs “Yes, as always, the winner is the king and the loser is the bandit. Those royal officials could actually count themselves lucky. The emperor changed but they could still keep their jobs. It could’ve been much worse, they might’ve not been able to remain as bandits.” If they couldn’t be bandits…then death is the only thing left.

Giving the man a smile, Zhi Wei turns the conversation back around “The view from this bridge is so great then why was it abandoned?”

“When everything settled, the Emperor brought his family into the palace and the most favored princess, Princess Shao Ning suddenly started to cry when she was carried unto the bridge. The royal astronomers whispered among themselves that this was a bad omen.” (*Wink* this is an important detail that will come up later….)

“Three years later, right on this bridge.” The man paused, takes the wine bottle from Zhi Wei, took a swig before continuing “The third prince lead an army intending on forcing a rebellion. Three members of the royal family died, four were wounded, one was maimed…from that time, this bridge was abandoned.”

An epic royal family battle narrated in such a calm matter of fact manner sends shivers through Zhi Wei. This legendary First Bridge remembers the footprints of Da Cheng’s Emperor and Empress but it also has the cries of Tian Shen princes. Does the wind of this night carry the howls of the dead?

And why does this mysterious man harbors such a strong emotion towards this bridge?

He knows this bridge so well, does he walk this place often when he couldn’t sleep at night?

But none of this has anything to do with her. It is already an unexpected detour in her life to talk through the night with this stranger- but this was just a lonely person afraid of solitude meeting another lonely person.

Just as he will not ask why she showed up here, she will not ask about the isolation and bleakness in his eyes.

 

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