The Rise of Phoenixes Novel Translation #87

Some time passed, Zhi Wei suddenly hears a gust of air coming towards her as if someone is coming at her direction. Opening her eyes at the sound of someone hitting hard against the side of the bed, Zhi Wei sees Ning Yi standing by her bed with a panicked expression. Only upon hearing some noises from her, the panic on Ning Yi’s expression slowly fades.

Leaning against the side of the bed, sensing Zhi Wei’s surprise, a somewhat embarrassed Ning Yi reaches out a hand to tug her blanket around her. Limping back to his own bed, Ning Yi valiantly tries to put on a natural looking smile and says “…I had a nightmare…and thought you…”

Zhi Wei understood before he could finish his sentence. 

During those days when her life was hanging on a thin thread, this is how he stood guard over her? In those long and terrifying nights, is this how he spent them in constant fear? Continuously having nightmares that she stopped breathing, repeatedly jerking awake and rushing over to see if she is still alive until it all becomes a habit that even now that she is no longer in danger the nightmare persists. 

How many times does it take to wake up in terror, how overwhelming is the tormenting fear that it formed this almost obsessive habit?

Zhi Wei doesn’t say a word and stares up at the ceiling. After a long moment, blinks her eyes. Tears fall. 

———————————————————————————-

“Come, take your medicine.” 

“Oh….ah, Ning Yi look!” 

“No need to look, Ning Cheng won’t show up, Yan Hui Shi hasn’t come over, there are no assassins here, Hua Qing’s baby is just fine…I say Feng Zhi Wei, your tricks are old now, don’t try to distract me– drink your medicine.”   

“Oh.” A certain someone whose ploy failed reaches out obediently for the medicine bowl. 

“I will feed you.” Ning Yi moves the bowl away “or who knows what else you are going to try.” 

“You are not well yet, who are you going to feed?” Zhi Wei ducks away “I am scared that you would end up feeding the thing into my nose.” 

“I can see you.” Ning Yi’s reply was simple but seemingly with a deeper meaning. 

Zhi Wei falls silent, her eyebrows drooped down. She is not a spoiled little kid so of course she knows that good medicines are often bitter but this medicine is a bit too scary. Even a child’s urine (a strange prescription that was popular back in the olden days in Chinese medicine) would probably taste better than this. She has been drinking the medicine for many days now and instead of getting used to it, the more she drinks the more afraid of it she becomes. The crisp sound of the spoon clinking against the bowl, Ning Yi sits by her bed with a calm expression. As if he couldn’t smell the horrifying smell coming from the medicine on the spoon, Ning Yi even brought the medicine close in to sniff it before delivering the spoon with surprising accuracy to Zhi Wei’s lips. Looking through the hot steams Zhi Wei feels a pinch in her heart when she sees his once bright clear eyes now dull. Distracted, Zhi Wei unconsciously swallows the medicine. The room was very quiet, on top of the roof there are mouse-like sounds– that’s Master Gu eating his walnuts, the sound makes one feel safe. 

Fed by the insistent hand until she finishes the last drop, Zhi Wei lets out a long breath. Before she could open her mouth to say something a snow white handkerchief was already pressing against the corner of her mouth, “Don’t move.” The lingering medicine on the corner of her lips wiped away, Zhi Wei tried to say something again but this time, something sweet was tossed into her mouth. 

“Longxi’s (a county located in Gansu Province, China) pickled honey plum,” Ning Yi seems to be eating it as well, “It tastes pretty good to me.” 

“I am getting the kid treatment now.” Zhi Wei laughs, “I didn’t even get this sort of treatment back when I was a real kid.” 

“Here is your compensation now.” Ning Yi smiles as he gently caresses her hair, “Doubled.” 

Her little heart gives another tremble, Zhi Wei averted her eyes and looked at the autumn view outside of the window “The weather is nice.” 

“Then let’s go sit outside and get some air at the same time.”

Master Gu floats down, grabs the patient with one hand and the lounge bed with another, effortlessly without needing any help from His Highness delivers the patient outside. A certain annoyed prince had hoped to hold a beautiful girl in his arms sulkily follows after.

Master Gu awkwardly sets up Zhi Wei’s lounge chair, puts her on top of it then promptly covers her with three heavy blankets. Buried under the pile of blankets with only her eyes peeking out of it, Zhi Wei manages after some struggle thanked Master Gu. 

A satisfied Master Gu returns back to the rooftop to continue munching on his walnuts. 

Promptly turning to Ning Yi for help Zhi Wei pleads “Quick….I am crushed to death.” 

Ning Yi smiles, takes off two blankets and reorganizes the somewhat messy bedding before saying with self satisfaction “You see, you still can’t do without me.” 

The guy sure thinks highly of himself. Zhi Wei refuses to admit and says “Just temporarily.” 

“I will take temporarily.” Sitting down by her side Ning Yi replies “Your insistence on doing everything yourself is what I detest.” 

Zhi Wei falls silent and the duo simply sits quietly as the sun sets. 

Sharing the quietness, listening to the sound of flower petals falling, listening to the birds’ wings grazing past the top of grass, listening to the water drops dripping from lotus flower petals. It doesn’t matter if they can be seen or not, the pictures are already in one’s heart. 

They stayed as they were for a long time until noises could be heard coming from afar, sounding like hurried steps coming from the direction of the main courtyard.

Zhi Wei raised her head and smiled. “Take care.” she said. Ning Yi slowly leans down, his warm breath grazing her ear. Zhi Wei didn’t move away. Feeling his lips finally pressed against the side of her ear, his voice was as soft as his breath was warm “Wait for me.” 

When Zhi Wei stayed silent, he softly bites her earlobe. Not too hard but not too light either. It stings a little bit but it also itches a bit. Then again, the sting and itch might not actually be because of her earlobe. 

His scent, cool yet imposing. His gaze is like a fluttering barge, seemingly ready to carry someone’s heart past the distance that will separate them. She stays silent, he keeps on pressing, his breath by her ear shallow and light as if afraid of shattering something fragile. Yet, he is insistent still, biting her ears until Zhi Wei laughs through her rattled breathing then says after a bit “I will have to wait for you to return back to the Capital anyway.” 

Raising her hand, Zhi Wei touches Ning Yi’s chin and flicks her fingers across his short stubbles causing him to laugh quietly. A mischievous smile in her eyes, Zhi Wei grins “I remember the feel of your face now, if I find out later that you have lost weight then I am not going to let you off easily.” 

“How are you not going to let me off?” There is a smile in Ning Yi’s voice.

“I will kill you and be sworn enemies.” Zhi Wei replies softly. 

“Alright, I will wait for you to come inspect.” Taking another bite of her earlobe, Ning Yi spreads his arms as he declares with a trace of seduction in his voice, “You can inspect however you want. Not only my face but….anywhere else.” 

Zhi Wei’s hand shrinks back, glares at him then belatedly remembers that he can’t see. Unable to do anything to him, Zhi Wei discreetly touches her own earlobe. Is it red now because he bit it or did it turn red by itself? 

“Take the child.” She said, “Back when I saved him I was wondering if he would be of help to your eyes. Who knew he ended up being of help to me. Also, that famous physician, perhaps you should take him as well.” 

“That’s your famous physician.” Ning Yi’s tone suddenly chilled a bit, “He would not be ordered around by me.” 

Zhi Wei looks towards Gu Nan Yi’s direction with surprise. Indeed, that physician is quite mysterious. She has not even met him nor has Gu Nan Yi mentioned him. She would not have known such a person existed if she hadn’t been told by others. 

Changing the subject, Zhi Wei says “When you get there, keep a watch out for the group that tried to assassinate us before. The leader’s left shoulder was wounded by me. That area is under Chang clan’s control so they will be even more daring, you must be careful.”  

“Guard South Sea well, stop it from becoming Chang clan’s escape route then that will be good enough.” Ning Yi says “You trust me and I too trust that you will guard it well.” 

“I am still waiting to return to the Capital with you.” Zhi Wei smiles, gives him a push “Go.” 

Ning Yi softly squeezes her hand, smiles then resolutely turns and walks away.

Ning Cheng who had been waiting promptly follows behind. He had been sitting a bit of distance away on the decorative fake mountain looking towards his master’s direction with an odd expression. The expression was kinda blank, a bit cold, a bit of hesitation and a bit unsettled.  

• So why did our hero leave in such a hurry? Chang clan has officially rebelled in Minnan province the day before. The Emperor has put Ning Yi in charge of leading the army so once he meets up with his military generals, then they will be heading to Minnan.  

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