The Rise of Phoenixes Novel Translation #253

In the dead of the night, her eyes were red under the palace lantern, but there was a smile in her eyes as if she was making a wedding dress for herself. 

She didn’t think that this dress would be worn by anyone else. His Highness might frequent the flower streets (where the brothels are) but he never brought a single brothel girl back to the manor. There are countless concubines in this manor, but no one can really get close to His Highness except for herself. Other than her, no other women have appeared. 

His Highness has always liked to do things in a circuitous route…she thought with a faint smile as she rubbed her numb fingers. 

The inner garment was the part of the outfit that was the most elaborately embroidered. At a woman’s most important and happiest moment, she should be able to wear the most beautiful intimate garment and show it to the person she loves the most. 

The woman embroidered on the halter top was herself when she took to the stage back when she was a famous actress. The prosperity of past will eventually disappear, but she felt the dignified yet seductive her of the past would aid in the bedroom enjoyment. 

She daydreamed about the shadows of the red (wedding) candles on the brocade bedding. The light from the candles reflected on her snow-white jade-like skin. At that time, the seductive embroidered scenes on her chest would be an invitation, causing him to be drunk with desire. 

That was her small seductive tease behind her dignified facade. She hoped he would understand. 

…until today, he has yet to understand, but she finally has. 

She has always thought there was no woman in his heart, always thought that no one could stand by his side, always believed that a woman who could do things for him is one who would be worthy of him. 

However, when she walked in today, saw that set of clothes, saw the expression on his face when he was by her side, heard his calm but caring tone, and saw that woman whose appearance was ordinary but carried herself with an unmistakable air of importance. Her mannerisms actually seemed similar to that of His Highness, mixed with a hint of one who has long been in a position of power for a long time. But it was not the delicate sort that belonged to a noblewoman, but one possessed by His Highness, who is used to giving orders that affect the very order of the empire. 

She suddenly understood everything. 

What he wants is not assistants and subordinates. 

What he wants is a woman who can go hand in hand with him or even conquer him, like a pair of phoenixes soaring in the sky, dancing in the heavens, looking down at the mortal world. 

Those gentle and charming little tricks of seduction, the feminine game of playing hard to get, cannot arouse the proud blood of a king, nor can they stir up the heart that has been frozen for many many years. 

I see…now. 

She smiled sadly. 

Holding the intimate garments she thought belonged to her, she stepped forward. 

As the current most popular style on the market has it, this halter top only covers half of the chest, leaving the other half exposed. It is connected with no less than dozens of ribbons, tied from the front of the neck to the armpits, waist and sides. The goose-yellow thin ribbons are criss-crossed and tied on the exquisite figure, giving off a sense of masochistic temptation and provocation that will surely arouse the natural aggressive blood in men. 

Manchun put the haltertop’s neckband around Feng Zhi Wei’s neck, her eyes glancing past Feng Zhi Wei’s earlobe out of the corner of her eyes. Her earlobes were smooth and there were no piercings, but when Manchu got very close, she could see vaguely that where the holes for the ear piercings were supposed to be seemed to be covered by something of the same color. 

The expression in Manchun’s eyes darkened as she slowly tightened the ribbon. 

The ribbon had a slip knot, pull back to untie it and pull forward to make it into a dead knot. 

The nails dyed crimson red slid along the ribbon and slid behind the back.

Fingertips, pulled up. 

Feng Zhi Wei suddenly smiled. 

“These clothes…are yours, right?”

The abrupt question floated in the warm air that had yet dissipated. Manchun’s fingers paused, and slowly raised her eyes in disbelief. 

Feng Zhi Wei didn’t move and did pay any heed to the thin ribbon that was wrapped around her neck or of the long fingernail that was right by her jugular vein. 

“When you touched this outfit, your movement was very gentle, as if it’s very precious.” Feng Zhi Wei said, “There are many marks on your fingertips from being pricked by needles.”

Manchun lowered her eyes. This woman didn’t even take one look at her but she understood everything from simply listening to her movements and a look at her fingers. 

There is a kind of person who, without having to do anything, will make you understand that the distance between you and her is as deep as a chasm. 

“Clothes, no matter how carefully and eye-catching are when made, are still clothes. They will eventually wear out, be discarded, and no longer be remembered by people.” Feng Zhi Wei said slowly and calmly, “Only ideals, are what stay in this world forever.”

Manchun was stunned again. 

Feng Zhi Wei looked back with a smile, and gently took the halter top from Manchun. Not needing Manchun’s help and ignoring the fact that all the ribbons were supposed to be tied at the back, Feng Zhi Wei quickly tied all the ribbons by her two sides with her extremely agile fingers. The goose-yellow ribbons form a fine net on both sides of her waist. Between the ribbons, the skin was as bright as the moon, like a jade babe basking in the moonlight. 

Munchun stared at Feng Zhi Wei blankly, and had to admit that this unique way of tying by the waist is also very beautiful…something that has never occurred to her. 

This woman, behind her gentleness, is an arrogance. Cautious yet carefree. She is not constrained by conventions. She is like a ray of sunshine, beautiful and distant in the sky, it’s stunning brilliance is only discovered when one raises one’s head by chance. 

So this is the kind of woman he wants. 

Feng Zhi Wei finished dressing, glanced at Manchun from the corner of her eyes, sighed silently, and was about to get the silk skirt when she suddenly heard a noise behind her. 

She was surprised, thinking inwardly I have given you some guidance in a rare show of kindness but you still don’t get it? 

Turning around, what greeted her instead was that impassive woman kneeling on the water-splashed bluestone ground behind her. 

Feng Zhi Wei raised an eyebrow, a cold glint flashed in her eyes, but she didn’t immediately step forward to help her. She slowly put on the silk skirt as she asked, “Miss, why are you acting like this?” 

She had changed the title back but there was no response from Manchun until she suddenly bowed herself to the ground three times. 

She then said softly, “Miss, I don’t know who you are, but I know you are the one in his heart. I beg you, I beg you…if you can’t follow him, then abandon him.”

Feng Zhi Wei’s hand really stopped this time. She grabbed the apricot-colored top and turned around slowly. 

After a bit, she said, “I don’t understand what you mean.”

“You understand!” Manchun gritted her teeth, but her voice was low and resolute, shooting out like a nail, with no regret, “His Highness, for the past few years has been different. I had thought it was because he was worried about imperial court matters but I realized today, it was because of you…and it can only be for you!” 

“Oh?” Feng Zhi Wei smiled.

“Look at you.” Manchun smiled sadly, “You look so much like His Highness…the same type of person…hiding all thoughts in the deepest reaches with no hope of ever being dug out. Even love, the most fascinating thing in this world, cannot move you. It is indeed you…if he had not fallen in love with someone like you, then why would he have become haggard and thin? How would his old injuries keep coming back to bother him? 

Feng Zhi Wei frowned, and repeated “Haggard and thin, old injuries?” 

“In the winter of the thirteenth year of Changxi, there was a heavy snowfall. His Highness returned from South Sea back to the capital but for some reason, he did not come back to the manor. Guardsman Ning brought him back three days later, that time…he was very ill but still had to struggle and deal with court affairs, unable to show the slightest trace of fatigue. During that time, he lost a lot of weight. The days were so hot but he had to put quilt paddings into his robes so others wouldn’t be able to tell how thin he was…” Manchun smiled forlornly, “Last year, when we went to fight against Da Yue, it was impossible for His Highness to go be the military overseer at the time. It was also impossible for Official Xin to agree to His Highness leaving the capital. That night…the two argued fiercely. Official Xin was so angry that he threw a cup at him. His Highness didn’t dodge, the cup hit his chest and a mouthful of blood immediately spurted out of him. It scared Official Xin. I was there serving at the time. Official Xin looked up at the sky, sighed with tears streaming down his face, and said, “I chose you and aid you wholeheartedly because of your ruthlessness and firmness of mind can accomplish greatness, yet you will betray me after all?” His Highness replied, “I have betrayed the whole world, why not betray teacher (a respectful title) too!” Official Xin stormed out after he angrily said, “If you betray the whole world and refuse to betray her, then you will die in her hands one day!” After that, Official Xin volunteered himself to go to the Yuzhou military camp in order to give His Highness the chance to become the military overseer there. Even then, they only dared to leave the capital after many days of working night and day to arrange court affairs, with messenger guards coming in and out of the manor at every hour of the day…”

Feng Zhi Wei remained silent, the expression in her eyes shifting under the light. After a while, she smiled and said, “I don’t understand any of the things you have said.”

This will become apparent in the next translation post, but in order for this last bit to make sense in this post, I’ll point out the “her” in the sentence of “If you betray the whole world and refuse to betray her, then you will die in her hands one day!” doesn’t actually point to a gender so Manchun didn’t make the connection that Xin Ziyin was talking about a woman.

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