The Rise of Phoenixes Novel Translation #324

Feng Zhi Wei raised an eyebrow, thinking that there were not many people who walked with such grace and control. 

Then she heard the person saying with a laugh, “I heard that the Marquis of Wei is in a rare mood to paint? Could I be an observer?” 

Feng Zhi Wei stood up, the door curtain lifted, and the person had already entered with a smile. 

Feng Zhi Wei felt the room suddenly become brighter. 

The person was dressed luxuriously, with a purple-gold black crystal crown, a coral belt, and a dark green robe with twelve golden dragons. His was glittering all over, but the brilliance of his body could not suppress his outstanding aura. Anyone who sees this man would not be distracted by the brilliance of his clothes, but would without a doubt see his eyes first. 

They were eyes that were charming yet filled with the vicissitude of life. They were not big, nor were they the bright and beautiful type but they were deep and distant, seemingly a bit melancholy. Not the pretentious sort of melancholy, but the loneliness that is natural of the noble-born. Like the water in the deep abyss of the far north, the deep black with a slight hint of blue, shimmering like fire, bewitching one’s heart, causing it to dance with excitement, causing one to want to throw themselves into it and turn into ash. The eyes held the two extreme contradictions, intertwined into a unique charm, tempting all who behold it to fall into its abyss. 

In Feng Zhi Wei’s recollection, among the thirty-something men she has met, this person has the most outstanding elegance, that can be said to be unparalleled. She once thought that Xin Ziyan (Ning Yi’s most trusted mentor) was the most handsome uncle, but compared with the Regent of Xiliang, his kind of beauty lacked the refining of life and was a bit superficial, like a gorgeous mask that once the wind blew by would fall into the cherry blossom bushes. 

The surprise lasted only a moment. After all, she was a person who had seen many handsome men. She immediately went to greet him with a faint smile and said, “His Royal Highness, the Regent? How come no one came to inform us and allow me to welcome you personally? It was so rude of me.” 

“It was me who asked them not to disturb you.” The Regent shook his hand, “I heard Marquis Wei was painting so I thought to myself, this is truly a rare opportunity, I wouldn’t want to be a bad guest and disturb him. Marquis Wei’s art is not something just anyone would have the privilege of seeing…” As he spoke, he walked towards the table leisurely. Before he even got to the table, he was already praising “Is this Marquis Wei’s painting? Oh, it is so vibrant, elegant, and superb…..uh.”

His flowing praises, upon seeing the painting abruptly stopped. A man so noble and so accustomed to facing the storms of life actually got stuck for words. Leaning against the side of the table staring at the painting, no words at all were coming to him at that moment. 

On the snow-white, delicate, gold-threaded paper, there were a bunch of circles, and there were even smaller circles inside the circles. A bunch of circles with no technical skills. It would’ve been alright if the circles were at least beautiful but they were crooked and twisted, the brush strokes dragged, by no means expert work. It was probably just a tad bit better than a kinder child’s drawing. 

This is…the painting of a world-famous scholar? 

“…Uh, the style is very special!” The Regent is after a regent after all, and not an ordinary man. After a brief shock, he immediately kept on talking. He spun around, resolutely not looking at the painting, and did not give Feng Zhi Wei any chance to make any humble retort as he quickly changed the subject with a slight smile, “Marquis Wei, this location is barren and we dare not delay the Marquis here any longer. We have renovated a receiving hall to await Marquis’ arrival. I have come here especially to personally escort Marquis Wei to the capital.” 

He didn’t mention a word of what happened previously. His tone was friendly but without losing any self-respect, perfectly balanced. Feng Zhi Wei also acted like all those fierce angry words were not said by her as she humbly repeated that she wouldn’t dare to trouble the regent to escort them himself, and that the regent should speedily return to the capital and Wei Zhi only need the Ministry of Rites’s escort. The two of them were in harmony as they talked, their hands clasped as they walked out and laughing together. The sight of them laughing together caused all who were worriedly observing them to let out a sigh of relief. 

On the Xilaing’s side, they were relieved that the Tiansheng envoy was a man who knew when to back down and did not insist on embarrassing them. On the Tiansheng side, they were glad that the Regent was willing to bend and condescended to handle this matter personally, finally giving them a way out. The people on both sides smiled at each other, reaching a truce temporarily. 

Feng Zhi Wei and the Regent, with their hands clasped together on the steps, grinned at each other, both of them laughed warmly and heartily. 

But in their eyes, there was no smile. 

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Time: 2 o’clock on the fifth day of the seventh month. 

Location: Longjiang Posthouse, Jincheng, Xiliang.

Characters: Still the same two. 

Event: Feng Zhi Wei taught Gu Nan Yi to paint. There were so many things she could’ve taught but she insisted on painting walnuts and she didn’t even paint well. She licked the paintbrush and then Gu Nan Yi licked Feng Zhi Wei’s mouth. 

Personal opinion one: Licking this and licking that, that is the most unclean! 

Personal opinion two: I know the previous line is not the point. Licking this and that depends on who you lick. For example, if it was Your Highness who licked Feng Zhi Wei, I know you would never feel unclean. 

Personal opinion three: I know the second point is still not the point. The point is that Gu Nan Yi licked Feng Zhi Wei. 

Personal opinion four: But he had already licked and it was not like I could lick it back for you. At most, I can be angry for you (actually, I am not angry either. I loved seeing Feng Zhi Wei looking dumbfounded.) 

Personal opinion five: Feng Zhi Wei’s painting was truly appalling.

Personal opinion six: I saw half of Gu Nan Yi’s face today.

Personal opinion seven: Your Highness, you can wash up and go to bed. (That’s a Chinese saying for you are done for, and might as well give up.) 

——————————————————-

On the sixth day of the seventh month of the fifteenth year of Tiansheng, the Tiansheng envoy team led by Feng Zhi Wei finally entered Jincheng under the personal welcome of the Regent. 

When her envoy team entered the city, the city of Jincheng emptied out, and both sides of the long street were crowded with people, vying to see the unparalleled national scholar of Tiansheng. 

Riding on the horse, Feng Zhi Wei smiled and waved with a graceful demeanor, drawing screams of joy from the Xiliang girls. The flowers and fruits fell like rain but without missing a single one, they were all caught by Master Gu, filling a full basket. 

Feng Zhi Wei kept on smiling stiffly while complaining silently that this street was so long that her face was sore just from smiling. Suddenly, she felt a sensation like a thorn was pricking at her back. She tilted her head slightly and searched her surroundings out of the corner of her eyes, but there were too many people. Other than a string of shops and teahouses, there was no way for her to pinpoint where the feeling of surveillance came from. 

She turned her head back and continued forward as if nothing had happened. 

In a teahouse about ten feet away from her, behind a half-closed long window, someone stood there quietly. The person wore a dark blue brocade robe with an auspicious cloud pattern that was low-key yet gorgeous. 

The street was filled with crowds of people but his eyes were always following one single person through the midst of people. 

At this moment, the capital was full of dignitaries, and colorful silks flying in the air. All the excitement and the crowds were all for that person. 

His mortal rival. 

His enemy.

His…concubine. 

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