Wang Shao Yao is Wei Zhi, this thought had crossed his mind from the very beginning she was captured. There was too much coincidence in the timing of her appearance. Hua Qing was willing to die to save her, hundreds of soldiers fearlessly fought until death for her…the thought had risen at that time and caused him to spare her life but then he kept wanting to discredit the theory. He couldn’t believe that the world-famous youth, the one who had caused even the nation of Da Yue to be alarmed would be a woman. After spending more than two months together, he slowly came to believe that she is not Wei Zhi. She wouldn’t be, shouldn’t be, and neither does he want her to be. If she is, what room is there to develop a tenderness that was already frowned upon? He could take a prisoner of war as a concubine, but he could only chop off Wei Zhi’s head. He had countless times convinced himself…if it was Wei Zhi, a youth who obtained such fame and station, he must be arrogant and proud so it would be impossible for someone like that could act so gentle and eager to please? …he still underestimated her.
“Okay…okay…” After a long time, he let out a bitter smile and said “Since Official Wei had revealed your identity, then I feel there is even less of a need for us to negotiate— you and I belong on opposite camps, with our own masters, the spirit of 100,000 Da Yue soldiers have not dissipated yet, with them as the gulf between us, what’s left for us to discuss? How can we discuss?”
“A general’s success is ten thousand bones, the battles between nations over borders have never stopped since the ancient days, they can’t be regarded as hatred between you and me.” Feng Zhi Wei smiled with sparkling eyes, “Your Highness, all those past battles are simply us serving our respective masters, can we not just set those aside and discuss our own matters?’
“Our matters?” Jin Siyu was so surprised that even his voice was an octave higher. Staring at her with disbelief, he asked “You can’t be thinking of not being Wei Zhi anymore but plan on living as Wang Shao Yao?”
“Wei Zhi is known as the unparalleled scholar of the nation, whatever nation is in possession of him obtains the world. Your Highness should be aware of that.”
“So what?” Jin Siyu sneered, “That’s your Tian Sheng nation’s national scholar not…” He suddenly stopped.
Feng Zhi Wei just smiled at him.
“You mean…” A thoughtful expression appeared on Jin Siyu’s face.
“The legend of Unparalleled Scholar originated six hundred years during the Empire of Dacheng. At that time, Dacheng’s territory was very large. Your Da Yue’s land right now was part of Dacheng. It was Dacheng’s legendary emperor that was the one who gave this prophecy. It’s obvious that this prophecy wasn’t just meant for Tiansheng but referred to the whole world.”
“I am the national scholar.” Feng Zhi Wei pointed at herself in all seriousness, “And I have used the last two years’ impressive accomplishment to prove to the world that the prophecy was not false. Who have you seen could become an official at 16 years old and a deputy general at 17? It’s also said that Tian Sheng emperor made me the Marquis of Zhongyi (meaning loyalty in Chinese) and a general posthumously. Soon, I will be an 18-year-old Marquis.”
“Congratulations, congratulations.” Jin Siyu looked up at her, “Congratulate Official Wei’s great success, to becoming a marquis and a great honor.”
“Congratulations, congratulations.” Feng Zhi Wei replied somberly “Congratulate Prince An for gaining the Unparalleled national scholar, the world is within the palm of your hand!”
……
The room fell into silence again. The two looked at each other, one silently examining, the other smiling calmly.
After a while, Jin Siyu spoke again, this time speaking slowly, every word seemingly were spoken after careful consideration, “Wei Zhi, you are a high-ranking official of Tian Sheng, and you are known for being cunning. I, can’t trust, you.”
“ I wasn’t originally from Tian Sheng.” Feng Zhi Wei sneered coldly, “I am an orphan who has no clue of where she’s from. The file in the Tiansheng Officials’ records was just a pretty background with no way of being verified. Who knows if I am originally from Tian Sheng or Da Yue? Or perhaps Xiliang? Since I don’t know where I am from, then why does it matter so much who I serve?”
She turned to look at the vast land “After this world is divided for a long time, it is destined to be unified. If it will become unified sooner or later, then why be bothered so much about which family or which nation?”
Jin Siyu stared at her in amazement, never expecting such ambitious words would come out of a woman. While he is still exhausting himself worrying about Da Yue’s throne, this woman is already thinking how to conquer the world, making it into one without any border.
“Besides…staying alive is still more important…” Feng Zhi Wei turned back around. The majestic awe-inspiring woman instantly turned into a housewife arguing over the pettiest things “I am infected with your Gu, so I must stay by your side in order to stay alive. Since I am destined to stay by your side, then I naturally need to fight for the best status and treatment for myself. As long as I am the national scholar then what does it matter which nation it is.”
Looking down with her hands on the table, she stared into Jin Siyu’s eyes and asked calmly with full sincerity “You should’ve studied Wei Zhi before. He is not a good person. He has always put his interest first and has never feared sacrifice, nor is he ever rigid on rules. You should know clearly under the current circumstance what choices he would make, don’t you?”
The expressions in Jin Siyu’s eyes underwent several changes but he remained silent.
“I don’t want to be your concubine, it’s impossible.” Feng Zhi Wei said solemnly, “I am someone who was born to help someone gain this world. Help you or help Tian Sheng, it doesn’t make any difference. Prince An, let’s each take a step back. You let go of the hatred between Wei Zhi and Da Yue. Accept him as your most trusted advisor, he will naturally return the favor by giving you this world. By that time, you will be the ruler of all lands and waters– the founder of a unified world. Tian Sheng, Da Yue, Xilang, they are all in the palm of your hand. At that point, what matters of the 100,000 dead spirits?”
Jin Siyu’s eyes flashed with emotion. Feng Zhi Wei stopped talking and sipped her tea to moisten her throat.
“How can I trust you?” After a while, Jin Siyu asked in a deep voice.
“I will give you half of the antidote for the Eternal Powder.” Feng Zhi Wei replied, “I will give the other half to you after you take me back to the capital and I can be assured of my safety. Similarly, you cure half of the Twin Gu. Don’t tell me you have no cure. According to what I know of you, you are not someone who would tie your life to me. I only need you to cure the part that makes me poisonous to everyone coming in contact with me. I am assuming you don’t want your future strategist to be someone no one can get close to either, right?”
“What kind of condition is this?” Jin Siyu laughed in anger, “You are still threatening me, this is your show of sincerity?”
“I wasn’t done speaking yet.” Feng Zhi Wei said lightly, “Not giving you all of the antidote is because not only do you not trust me but do you think I dare to trust you too? This is a necessary process. However, I can prove to you my sincerity. You can immediately take me to the city tower and I will get Tian Sheng’s army to retreat.”
“By capturing you, I can also get Tian Sheng to retreat!”
“You are mistaken, Your Highness.” Feng Zhi Wei shook her head, “You underestimate Prince Chu, how would he be threatened by others?”
“I heard that Ning Yi values you very much.” Jin Siyu grinned coldly, “I kept thinking, of those that infiltrated into the manor, which one was he?”
“Infiltrated into the manor, him?” Feng Zhi Wei turned her head around in surprise. After staring at Jin Siyu for a few moments, she couldn’t help but started to chuckle, “My Highness, what you said was truly so unlike you. Ning Yi, infiltrate the manor? A general of Tian Sheng, a prince, the prince of an empire whose fate is tied to his nation’s future would, for a subordinate, risk entering into an enemy nation with his precious noble body? Do you think, that’s possible?”
Jin Siyu couldn’t help but laugh too. According to what he knows of Ning Yi, indeed, he also feels it is impossible. Yet, when he stares into the woman’s misty eyes, he blurted out “Perhaps, you are the exception.”
All text copyright @ www.Ninja-Reflection.com
Ah, she is the exception indeed! 😊 I enjoyed that excerpt. Thank you, ninja!
She is sneaking into every kingdom like Fuyao x). Btw I feel like Rise of the Phoenixes is a bit alike Legend of Fuyao but as the author has already written off all her fantasies she was able to develop a story less stereotypic… the wonder that is this story right now !
Thank you for the translation and I can’t wait for the next one already.
Zhi Wei is getting even more and more amazing as the story goes! Thank you, Ninja. I love Monday because of you 🙂
Muchas gracias por las traducciones
i love this week’s translation
My goodness. Such a delight every week.
I really do appreciate the casting in the series bc I can definitely imagine them having this intellectual debate with the casted actors/actresses.
Yes the casting was so good! the scenes would have come to life so much more with this dialogue and character nuance.