Reign of the Phoenix

Chapter 68 – Losing the Antidote
Tuoba Lan gently soothed Murong Zhining, “Big sis, don’t be scared. General Chiyun isn’t a bad person, that Gao Chenghao is.” Only to be responded with Murong Zhining’s hostile gaze.

Tuoba Lan reached out, wanting to stroke her face, but Murong Zhining struggled to swat the girl’s hand away with her body. Unable to bear seeing her like this, Tuoba Lan tearfully walked over to Gao Chenghao, squatted down and pleaded, “Fourth Prince, I beg you, please give the antidote. I’m willing to be your hostage and make sure you can escape.”

Ignoring Tuoba Zhi’s dissuasion, she picked up the dagger on the ground to cut the rope binding Gao Chenghao, then delivered the dagger right to his hand.

By now, Gao Chenghao had calmed down from his craze. Pressing the tip of the dagger to Tuoba Lan’s waist, he retreated toward the door.

Chiyun Yuexuan pressed on step by step.

“Lan’er you’ve become muddled! You think you can make him hand over the antidote this way?!”

Tuoba Zhi and Yuan Dong also kept up.

When Gao Chenghao retreated back to outside the first door, he who only guarded against Chiyun Yuexuan didn’t notice a protruding stone behind.

As expected, Gao Chenghao was caught by the stone and toppled backward, and the dagger flew out of his hand. His body rolled to the edge of the cliff and in a panic, he grabbed Tuoba Lan’s foot, dragging her down. Chiyun Yuexuan quickly reacted and caught her hand.

Gao Chenghao was entirely suspended from the cliff, his hands tightly grasping on Tuoba Lan’s ankle. Chiyun Yuexuan who gritted his teeth and refused to let go was also dragged to slide toward the edge. Seeing this, Tuoba Zhi leapt over and grabbed his leg.

Chiyun Yuexuan anxiously shouted, “Get Gao Chenghao up, quickly! If he’s dead, Ning’er’s antidote… is no more…”

Gao Chenghao also strived to climb back up, but he was powerless with his arms growing weaker and weaker. With a wretched scream, his hands slid off Tuoba Lan’s foot and he fell towards the unseen river at the bottom of the cliff.

Chiyun Yuexuan paled at the peak of his fear. “Noooo! Gao Chenghao you can’t die…”

As his desperate cry echoed in the cave, from the river below also resounded a loud splashing thump.

When the sound came to pass, everything was quiet again. For a long time, there was nothing but silence, until Murong Zhining wept aloud, “Master… please don’t leave Ning’er…” She glared at Chiyun Yuexuan with intense hatred.

Tuoba Lan sat on the ground rubbing her ankle. “The antidote for Princess… Right! Gao Chenghao’s guards are outside. Hurry and seize them, maybe we can interrogate them about the antidote.”

Chiyun Yuexuan took Biwu from the groove next to the door and put it back on his neck. Carrying Murong Zhining on his shoulder, he exited the tunnel. By the time everyone returned to the shore, Gao Chenghao’s guards had all fled without a trace.

Chiyun Yuexuan put Murong Zhining down and dejectedly sat down beside her. Even with her hands and feet bound and her mouth covered, she still tightly bit his arm through the handkerchief. Drowning in remorse, Chiyun Yuexuan simply let her.

Unable to bear this, Tuoba Lan walked over and squeezed her cheeks. “Princess, be nice and let go. Your master took you hostage with a knife while General risked his life to save you, couldn’t you see it at all?” She then comforted Chiyun Yuexuan, “Don’t be sad, General. From her condition, I think the poison is not deadly. Maybe she’ll slowly get better in a few days.”

Tuoba Zhi and Lian Kun stood there, dispirited, not knowing how they should console Chiyun Yuexuan.

Huyan Qi oversaw the soldiers taking inventory of the treasure and carefully transporting the chests to the shore.

After the sorting was done, he reported, “After a preliminary check, there are 615 50-tael-weight gold ingots branded with ‘Dragon City Currency.’ All of the treasures have been put back in the chests and paper-sealed to be delivered to Nanjin so Her Majesty the Empress will assign experts to do a thorough sorting. Since Princess is not in the condition to run things, I’ll take charge for the time being. We’ll first move the chests to the Tuoba clan’s manor, and tomorrow everyone will escort them to Nanjin together. What do you think?”

Yuan Dong said, “General Huyan has handled this matter very properly. However, I won’t be joining this any further as I still have some business to take care of in Xingzhou. This will be entrusted to Zhi’er and you guys now.”

Huyan Qi respectfully saluted Yuan Dong. “Your ethics impress me, Old Mister Yuan. After I escort the treasure back to Nanjin, I will report your deeds to His Majesty the Emperor so as to bestow upon you the rewards you deserve.”

After Yuan Dong cupped his fists in courtesy to bid farewell, he said to Tuoba Zhi, “I still have some important matters to attend to. Take good care of your sister, Zhi’er.”

Tuoba Zhi respectfully replied, “Yes, please rest assured, Father.” Never before had he held this much admiration for Yuan Dong.

…

Exhausted from all the struggling, Murong Zhining had fallen asleep in a guest room in the Tuoba family’s manor.

Tuoba Zhi looked at Chiyun Yuexuan, “General should take Princess to Nanjin with us tomorrow. Maybe we can even find the Wuli people there for the antidote.”

Chiyun Yuexuan furrowed his brow. “We’re involved with Gao Chenghao’s death. Even if Wuli has the antidote, they won’t hand it over. Tomorrow, I will take Princess back to Huayan and let the Heavens decide our fate. I’ll take good care of her to the best of my ability, you guys can rest assured.”

That evening, Tuoba Lan stayed in the same room with Murong Zhining whose hands and feet were still tied and mouth covered. Feeling bad for her, Tuoba Lan pulled off the cloth on her mouth. “Big sis, you’re leaving with General Chiyun tomorrow. You need to listen to him, okay? General is not a bad person. You must believe Lan’er, because Lan’er won’t hurt you.”

Murong Zhining looked pleadingly at Tuoba Lan. “Ning’er doesn’t want to go with him, he killed Master. Ning’er is scared of him. Can Ning’er follow you instead, please?”

Tuoba Lan gently comforted her, “That’s not true. Gao Chenghao was the bad guy. He wanted to drag Lan’er down the cliff with him. General Chiyun wanted to save him, but he himself lost his grip and fell.”

Murong Zhining teared up. “Don’t let him take Ning’er, I’m begging you.”

Tuoba Lan smiled. “I can’t do that. General Chiyun is your future husband, you should be together with him. He’s handsome and strong, a lot of girls like him, but he only likes you, Ning’er. You guys will be together forever, you understand?”

As the two girls talked, Chiyun Yuexuan knocked on the door. Out of worry, he came to check on Murong Zhining with a bowl of hot porridge while he was at it. Murong Zhining was very resistant towards him, she tried her best to curl up behind Tuoba Lan.

Chiyun Yuexuan pulled her to him and held a spoonful of porridge to her mouth. “Eat, or I’ll keep the ropes on.”

Hearing this, Murong Zhining was cooperative and finished the porridge.

Chiyun Yuexuan then untied her hands. Painfully stroking the red rope marks on her skin, he tenderly blew on it. “I know you don’t remember anything. I’ll treat you well.”

Murong Zhining instantly pushed her luck and demanded, “Can General let Ning’er go with Lan’er tomorrow, please?”

Chiyun Yuexuan shook his head with a wry smile. “You’re making demands on me now? Miss Tuoba, please help Ning’er clean up and take care of her in my stead tonight,” he said before leaving the room.

Early the next morning, everyone arranged to set off. Tuoba Zhi prepared Chiyun Yuexuan a comfortable horse carriage. When Chiyun Yuexuan carried the bound Murong Zhining onto the carriage, she struggled. “I want to go with Lan’er!”

Huyan Qi said to Chiyun Yuexuan, “General, Princess’ current condition isn’t suitable for long-distance travel. What if she tries to run on the way? I think it’s better to take her to Nanjin first.”

Chiyun Yuexuan’s attitude was firm. “Princess only lost her memory, not her intelligence. General Huyan is over-worried. My subordinate has sent a team to meet us on the way in several days and Princess’ maid, Cai Sang, is also coming as well. Please don’t worry.”

A still reluctant Huyan Qi wanted to persuade Chiyun Yuexuan, but Tuoba Lan tugged on his clothes, “Everyone can see clearly General Chiyun’s love for Princess. Please just let them go, General Huyan. Even Her Majesty the Empress has approved their relationship. Let’s give them our blessing.”

Tuoba Zhi gestured at Murong Zhining’s carriage. “Phoenix Chant has completed its mission. Since it’s predestined with Princess, I’ll leave it with her as a memento.”

Chiyun Yuexuan cupped his fists farewell to everyone before getting on the carriage, riding it in the direction of Huayan. Flash happily trotted behind.

After they watched the carriage disappeared in the distance, Huyan Qi led the group towards Nanjin. It was completely silent as everyone sank into their own thoughts. The faces of the Tuoba siblings were full of parting sorrow.

——

Chiyun Yuexuan whistled. Flash ran to the front of the carriage to take over, unhurriedly leading the carriage horses. Chiyun Yuexuan entered the trunk. He hugged Murong Zhining like holding a lost and recovered treasure, unable to let go. Resistant but scared of him at the same time, Murong Zhining lay stiffly in his arms to avoid angering him.

She fearfully looked up to see his chin. “General, do you want to tie up Ning’er like this all the time?”

Chiyun Yuexuan lovingly said, “If you listen, I won’t.

Murong Zhining changed the topic, trying to plant a trap for him, “Those people all called me Princess. Am I really a princess?”

“Mhm, you are the princess of Shangxia.”

“Then, my family is in Shangxia?”

“That’s right.”

“Then, why did General take Ning’er away from them?”

“……”

“Do you have a family?”

“Mhm, of course.”

“If you can’t be with them, will you feel happy?”

“I won’t.”

“Ning’er won’t either.”

“I’m your family too, understand?”

“No you’re not. Master was my family. It’s you who killed him.”

Chiyun Yuexuan nearly sprang up at that. He squeezed her delicate chin. “Don’t think that I’ll let you be willful just because you can’t remember the past. You’re not allowed to mention Gao Chenghao from now on.”

Murong Zhining angrily bit down on his hand. Reluctantly, Chiyun Yuexuan once again wrapped a cloth around her mouth.

Then, he kept nagging by her ear. “You must remember that you’re my wife, but the bad people took you away and forced you eat a pill that made you forget me, understand? What ‘master’? Gao Chenghao was but a big fat asshole who wanted to compete for you with me. He didn’t even know that I already got you betrothed to me when you were five. You’ll remember your husband in time, we used to be so lovey dovey. Right, you should remember Cai Sang? You can see her in just two days.”

Unable to speak, Murong Zhining could only beat her head against Chiyun Yuexuan’s chest in displeasure. He looked down at her watery almond eyes and helplessly shook his head. “You can’t bite me again, alright?”

Then he took the cloth off her mouth.

Murong Zhining poutily complained, “General is such a babbler, I’ve never seen anyone who talks as much as you. Stop the carriage, I want to take a peepee.”