The Rise of Phoenixes Novel Translation #294

With a heavy heart, Feng Zhi Wei turned back home through the small street. When she rounded a corner, she suddenly bumped right into the arms of someone. 

She looked up to discover that it was the person she least wanted to see at the moment. Her heart lurched, but she immediately put on a big smile, “Your Highness, what a coincidence.” 

“Not a coincidence.” Ning Yi looked her over carefully, “I waited here especially for you. Did Shao Ning make things difficult for you?” 

Hearing Ning Yi’s reason, Feng Zhi Wei was taken aback, her heart warmed slightly, and this time her smile was more natural as she shook her head.

“That’s good.” Ning Yi seemed to be very busy, his carriage was parked not too far away, “I just stopped to see you for a moment. I am going back to Luo County right away. His Majesty’s travel palace has started building, so there are a lot of things to do. I will send more guards over here to Shao Ning’s. Luckily, you are going on the envoy trip to Xiliang soon, just in time to avoid her. Hopefully, by the time you get back she will have worked through some things on her own.” (“travel palace” is just any place built for the emperor that is not the main place in the imperial capital.)

It was rare for him to say so much in one shot. Hearing him rattling on, Feng Zhi Wei felt a surge of emotion. She hesitated for a bit and finally said, “I…”

Ning Yi stroked her hair and said with a smile, “The traveling palace will be located by Li Lake, with mountains and water nearby. Once it’s done, I’ll take you to go see it.” 

Feng Zhi Wei smiled and said, “Alright. The two of us will tour that travel palace before His Majesty.” 

Ning Yi’s lips curved up slightly as he looked at her tenderly and suddenly asked, “ Luo County has a lot of specialties. Is there anything you want to eat? I’ll bring it back for you.” 

Feng Zhi Wei was still a little dazed and said offhandedly, “I have eaten everything over the years and can’t think of anything good anymore…I still remember when I was young, my mother would make wisteria cakes for my birthday…they were very fragrant and soft. When I took a bite, my mouth would be filled with the fragrance of wisteria…” 

She suddenly stopped talking, and the expression in her eyes slowly darkened. 

Ning Yi pursed his lips and didn’t try to say anything more but simply said, “I am leaving. You will be leaving the imperial capital in seven days. No matter how busy I am, I will be sure to rush back to see you off. This journey is dangerous, I will send Ning Cheng with you.”

“No need.” Feng Zhi Wei refused immediately. She knows what Ning Cheng means to Ning Yi and it’s not for protection. What limited amount of peace of mind and comfort Nigh Yi had all come from the sloppy but very loyal Ning Cheng. That person is his dose of happiness, irreplaceable. 

Ning Yi, however, was already smiling and abruptly pushed her, pushed her into a wall corner. 

Feng Zhi Wei was caught off guard. Before she could react, she was already pressed firmly against the wall by him, her eyes went dark as his cool breath enveloped her, followed by a slight hot and wet feel on her forehead as Ning Yi’s lips gently pressed down against her. 

The way he kissed her forehead was like he was worshiping, like the wind worshiping the distant mountains, the snow worshiping the frozen lake thousands of miles away, rushing forward without hesitation, throwing themselves forward without hesitation, and lingering ever so slowly and tenderly. 

Feng Zhi Wei’s dense eyelashes fluttered, brushing against his cheek. The slight tickling sensation caused him to let out a low throaty laugh. Reluctantly, he moved his lips away, and gently brushed his long slender finger against her nose, his breath hot against her neck, “…I hope for you to be strong and brave, with no need for any protection, but I also hope you are weak and dependent, so you would stay by my side.”

Feng Zhi Wei let out a soft laugh, “What a contradictory wish.” 

Ning Yi sighed, slowly lowering his arm that was pressed against her, and gave her a deep lingering look before immediately turning around and leaving. 

His words, like a sigh, scattered in the wind. 

“Who says it’s not…”

The man’s shadow under the afternoon soon was stretched long until he finally turned the corner and disappeared. Feng Zhi Wei stared at his disappearing figure dazed, with her raised hand frozen mid-air. 

It was a summoning gesture, but to the end, an accompanying call never came. 

=================================

Six days later, all matters were completed and the envoy team heading to Xiliang would leave the imperial capital tomorrow. 

After some consideration, Feng Zhi Wei decided to leave Zong Chen in the capital. She is no longer the same as before, and she needs to keep track of the situation in the imperial capital at all times. Zong Chen and his men who are perpetually hidden in the dark, have their own trusted channels for gathering information. 

As for Gu Nan Yi – is there any need to even ask? As soon as the news came out, one large and one small bag was promptly packed for Master Gu and his young lady. 

Feng Zhi Wei had no intention of stopping them since no one could stop those two anyway. 

That day, she came back from the palace, and after agreeing to get up early to get an early start, she dragged her sleepy tired body toward her room. 

Her bedroom was in the back, a separate courtyard with its own small kitchen but it has never been used. She walked past the kitchen door casually then abruptly stopped in her tracks. 

Surprisingly, there was light in the kitchen, the door was cracked open, and low voices could be heard coming from within. 

“Like this…70% flour…yes…add lard and sugar…the way your hand is kneading it is not right…why don’t this servant…” 

“No need.” The voice was cool and mild, familiar enough she could even hear it in dreams, “I’ll do it.” 

There is a faint, lingering fragrance floating out. Many years ago, someone in the humble room in the courtyard of the Qiu Mansion had personally made this fragrance with great tenderness but now, that fragrance can no longer be found in this world. 

She leaned against the wall, her mind blank. 

Through the door crack a ray of light was coming through, someone heard a noise and turned his head. 

The light from the oil lamp in the kitchen was dim. Through that crack in the door, that person looked back with a smile. The light shone in his eyes, the eyes that had always been slightly cold and deep, were now as warm as jade, like a jade chess piece immersed in shimmering water. 

Feng Zhi Wei leaned against the door frame, stunned. 

 There was a thin layer of night dew all around. Clear icy water vapor condensed on her dense eyelashes, making her eyes look even more misty, making it impossible to tell what kind of thoughts were churning behind them. 

Seeing her like this, Ning Yi smiled. 

A smile that blossomed in the dim yellow rays of light. 

He dropped the things in his hand, walked over, held the door open, and leaned down to look at her with a smile as he said, “What? Shocked out of your mind?” As he spoke, he scraped his hand against the nose of a certain someone who was still standing there dumbfounded. 

Feng Zhi Wei felt an itch on the tip of her nose and sneezed, setting off a puff of white mist in front of her. Her eyes widened, she rubbed her nose and discovered that her hand was covered with white flour. 

She looked at Ning Yi. His hands were covered in flour, and even the door panel he had just grabbed was now left with white finger marks. 

Feng Zhi Wei’s eyes followed the white fingerprints upward, she saw Ning Yi’s sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, his hands were covered with flour, and even his eyebrows had gotten some flour on them. She saw that he was still completely unaware and raised an eyebrow out of habit causing the white flour still on his brows to start falling, scattered white little dots on his black brows. The more she looked, the more comical it became to her. Staring at a certain someone who was usually so cool and collected in such an adorable state, Feng Zhi Wei couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

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