The Rise of Phoenixes Novel Translation #218

At dawn, Feng Zhi Wei opened her eyes, feeling full of energy, even her eyes were bright enough to kill. 

Although she never suffered from insomnia in the past two years, but her sleep was filled with dreams, hunted by nightmares causing her to be mentally exhausted. She had asked Zong Chen to prescribe some medicine for her but they weren’t too effective since she knew it was a problem of the heart. 

Last night, after laying in the dark cell listening to the flute playing, for some reason, something inside her was able to finally relax, and without knowing it, she fell into a deep sleep without any dreams. The night spent in the dungeon was actually the best sleep she’d had in the last two years. 

Remembering that even in her dreams she had vaguely heard the sound of the flute, Feng Zhi Wei was secretly grateful. She didn’t know how long that person played but that kind of playing is very harmful to the body so hopefully, he wasn’t injured. She is guessing only Zong Chen would possess that sort of internal energy and be that skilled in flute. Who knows where he learned a new tune like that. Once this whole thing is done, she is going to personally thank him. 

Noticing her good mood, Hua Qing asked with a smile, “I heard a flute playing last night, was it too noisy for you?”

“You thought it was noisy?” Feng Zhi Wei looked at her in astonishment. 

“Not really. It sounded nice, but I didn’t feel much beyond that.” Hua Qing stretched lazily. 

Feng Zhi Wei was silent, thinking inwardly that indeed, without the corresponding mood, different listeners will respond differently to the same music. 

She had thought something was for sure going to happen last night and was not planning on closing her eyes, but who knew nothing at all happened, and she even fell asleep listening to the flute playing. Who knew how much effort Zong Chen must’ve put into guarding the perimeter? 

With a creak, the prison door above opened. A man whose face was hidden out of sight said loudly, “The Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Wei Zhi, is summoned for joint interrogation– “ 

Hearing the words “joint interrogation”, a smile appeared on Hua Qing’s face, “Alright, joint interrogation!”

A joint trial of the three judicial divisions can at least prevent the Ministry of Punishment from making up its own confession statement or trying to extract a confession through torture. 

Joint interrogation might be easy to say but it truly is not an easy accomplishment under the current circumstance. Feng Zhi Wei was lost in thought momentarily before letting out a smile. 

A sullen faced Peng Pei came walking down with a group of officials. With a wave of a hand, a guard stepped forward to open the cell door. Holding an ordinary chain shackle, the guard showed it to Feng Zhi Wei and said with a hint of dismay, “This is the rule, Official Wei, please bear with it.” 

Feng Zhi Wei smiled and stretched out her hands but Gu Nan Yi on the other side suddenly let out a snort coldly. 

With vivid memory of how Gu Nan Yi had broken a guard’s finger with a small rock yesterday, the guard trembled with fright and quickly fished out a smaller chain out of his pocket.

Gu Nan Yi let out another snort, then looked down at the ground, seemingly searching for something…probably a rock. 

Left without a choice, the guard finally pulls out a thin chain that was probably meant for female prisoners and said with a despondent expression “Official Wei, this is the lightest…”

Feng Zhi Wei smiled at Gu Nan Yi and mouthed “wait for me to go home” before she very cooperatively let the guard put the shackles on her. Peng Pei and others have been waiting far away on the steps…far far away from Hua Qing who was roasting the walnuts on the fire in case this crazy woman would suddenly decide to flip the fire basin on them. 

Hua Qing flashed a grin at them, thinking silently that they are not too dumb after all.

As Feng Zhi Wei was escorted out by a large group of guards, Hua Qing suddenly said loudly, “Peng Pei, I heard your daughter married into the Li Clan of South Sea and just gave birth to a son? Congratulations! I heard that your grandson was seven or eight pounds. What a strapping boy! Did I hear that your son just filled the position at the armory department at the Ministry of War? That’s a gravy position, congratulations!” 

Peng Pei who just heard Hua Qing rattle off various small and big happenings in his family suddenly stumbled… 

The joint trial was being held at the Ministry of Punishment. The Ministry of Punishment is the main investigator, joined by the chief judge of the Criminal Department along with Scholar Hu, Scholar Wu Yuanming, all the princes, and the chief eunuch serving the Emperor of Tiansheng– a very luxurious lineup. The last time a case had a similar lineup was when Lord Wu attempted a coup. 

The princes each had a desk, lined up on the left side of the wall, all slowly sipping tea. Among them, Ning Yi was coughing continuously. The second Prince gave him a side glance and laughed, “What’s wrong with our sixth today? Too tired yesterday? Or didn’t you sleep at all last night?” 

“How can I be working as hard as second brother?” Ning Yi coughed a few times into his fist, his voice sounded a little hoarse, “I heard the few of your new concubines have been making rounds, busy visiting and chatting lately, could they be kinda lonely? Second brother has always been fierce so why have you been leaving them lonely lately? Haha.” 

The smile on second prince’s face stiffened– the princes all have concubines in their manors. Some, they took in for themselves, some were given by the other brothers. The former is fine but everyone knows that the latter are just spies. Second prince had thought he had cleaned out all the spies including those Ning Yi had sent over but judging by what Ning Yi said, it looks like he must have missed some!”

He was busy planning how he is going to execute a deep cleaning when he gets back so he forgot to continue to make snide jabs at Ning Yi. 

“The prisoner is brought here—-”

All the princes’ eyebrows twitched and unconsciously sat up straight, except Ning Yi who was still leaning a bit sideways on the seat with his brows slightly knitted in a frown, thinking he really dislike that reference on Feng Zhi Wei. 

The crisp and subtle sound of shackles came, Ning Yi frowned again. In the sunlight-filled hallway, a young man in a plain robe came walking slowly in. 

Without his official clothes, wearing only a plain white robe, the young man walked calmly among a group of armored guards with measured steps, looking not like a prisoner coming to a trial but more like an imperial official being ushered into the imperial court. 

Everyone put on a numb expression, secretly all praising this kid for his ability to remain cool and collected. Only Ning Yi examined her from head to toe, from the expression on her face to the nails on her fingers. After careful scrutiny, he finally reached a satisfactory conclusion. 

Peng Pei who had been suppressing with great difficulty his impatience, waited until Feng Zhi Wei sautered in, immediately slammed down the gavel, and said somberly “The criminal below, why aren’t you…”

Before he could finish speaking or the surrounding officials could try to stop Peng Pei who seemed a bit over the top, Feng Zhi Wei’s knees promptly hit the ground.

Peng Pei was stunned for a moment. He had wanted to use this chance to intimidate and humiliate Wei Zhi but who knew the guy would have no backbone at all and was so proactive in kneeling down?

“Who is …” 

“Wei Zhi, a native of Luoma village, Changting county, Liuzhou prefecture, was born in the 13th year of Jialong. Father Wei Jing, mother Yin Furong.” Feng Zhi Wei rattled off her fake background without a pause, “…..13th year of Tiansheng, by the grace of His Majesty started in the imperial academy. Served as scholar of Chaohuadian, secretary of imperial academy, compiler of “Tiansheng Record”, Minister of Rites…”

Eunuch Jia, the chief eunuch who was sitting to the side, smiled and said, “This Official Wei, how many offices has he held in the last two years…” 

 Everyone immediately turned to look at him– Eunuch Jia might be a eunuch but he is one who had served by His Majesty’s side since he became the emperor. In a place that kills people like snipping off a blade of grass, Eunuch Jia, as someone who has survived this long can’t be a simple person. By being here today, he is essentially representing the emperor himself, no one would dare to look down on him. 

As the one closest to the emperor, Old Jia is usually very tight-lipped and would not easily express an opinion on anything so his words caused Peng Pei and everyone else to turn thoughtful– Eunuch Jia, is he trying to say this kid was promoted too fast? It was not good? 

Eunuch Jia’s feelings could very well be the emperor’s feelings.

Some people were excited while others frowned. Eunuch Jia chuckled and waved his hand, “This old servant is being rude. I shouldn’t have interrupted. This old servant doesn’t understand anything. Please, go ahead.” 

Peng Pei sneered, and when Feng Zhi Wei was finished, he said sharply, “Wei Zhi, quickly confess how you betrayed His Majesty’s trust and stole the spring test questions….”

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