Phoenix Rising Over the World

Chapter 31

Chapter 31 – Yue Ran

From then on, one Liu Xuanya remained in the original Prime Minister’s residence, spending her days guarding Zi Haotian’s memorial tablet.

Meanwhile, Zi Moyan has spent everyday preparing for the trip to Yan Yang City in three days. She looked through the reports in her hands – ones delivered by middle rank officials – in the study and learned some useful information from it.

A trace of curiosity grew in her heart. Regarding her being a person who grew up in the twenty-first century, she didn’t believe in this ‘Spirit Tool’. However, she was rather expectant of what this so-called Spirit Tool looked like.

There was a flash of black shadow, and a dark-clothed person suddenly appeared in Zi Moyan’s study, kneeling towards her. “Master.”

Zi Moyan didn’t even lift her head. “How is the investigation coming along?”

The black-clothed person respectfully responded: “The poison which Zi Haotian died from was commonly referred as ‘One Day Safflower’. This kind of poison didn’t exist in the Long Lin empire, but a extremely rarely seen poison in the Yue empire. I heard that that only the Imperial Palace of the Yue empire has this type of poison and they called it ‘Saffron’.”

“Saffron?” Zi Moyan pondered slightly. Only Yue empire’s Imperial Palace has the poison? Could it me that Father’s death is related to Yue empire’s Imperial Family?

“Yes, this type of poison is very hard to detect because it’s colorless and odorless. Only when it’s been a year after it’s been used, on the last month, that it will suddenly take effect. Once the victim died, it will look as though the death was caused by serious illness with no trace of the victim being killed by poison. It’s a very mystical type of poison.”

“En, and?”

The black-clad person glanced up at their emotionless Master once before continuing. “This subordinate also heard that in the recent year, there were successive people in the capital purchasing Saffron from Yan Yang City’s merchants. The merchants smuggled the Saffron into the capital, with the transaction taking place in the capital’s Lingering Fragrance Pavilion.”

“Lingering Fragrance Pavilion?” Zi Moyan rather admired this person. Using a brothel as the place of transaction was indeed not a bad choice. However, the brothel has numerous people and many eyes. To be able to use it as the transaction spot, then this brothel perhaps may have some profound mystery.

“Did you investigate that person’s ident.i.ty?” Zi Moyan inquired lightly.

“That merchant is called w.a.n.g Xin. When this subordinate went there, that merchant has already been killed.”

[Knock, knock, knock!] There was the sound of knocking of the door from outside. Zi Moyan glanced at the black-clothed person, sending a look. The black-clothed person received the order and disappeared from the study in a flicker of black shadow.

“What is it?” Zi Moyan asked.

The voice of an eunuch sounded from outside. “Prime Minister, your elder brother has returned. He’s currently waiting for you in the main hall. He said that he has an important matter to discuss.”

“Un, got it. You go attend him for a bit, I’ll be out in a moment.”

Zi Moyan counted the date. He should’ve received the news and rushed back to the capital, so it should be the time of arrival by now. But he came to find her the moment he came back? Could it be that he discerned some suspicious points about their father’s d

eath?

“Yes!” The little eunuch responded and left soon after.

When Zi Moyan arrived in the main hall, she saw one Zi Haoran dressed in a long blue robe. The two of them haven’t seen each other for four years, yet Zi Moyan didn’t expect that the current Zi Haoran has already grown from a youth into a man of indomitable spirit.

Because of the long term post on the border, the previously fair skin turned a bronze color, the outline of his figure became more steadfast.

There was also a white-robed man standing by Zi Haoran’s side. There was an strong contrast between the two of them when standing together. If she said her elder brother was a sharp treasured sword, then this white-robed man was like a white plum tree standing proud among the snow — stainless without even a speck of dust!

His beauty let people not dare to look eye to eye with him. He doesn’t have a woman’s femininity nor a man’s masculinity, giving people a feeling of pure spirit and above the common populace!

A thread of white headband dexterously bind a part of his hair behind his head, a large part of the fine black hair scattering loose down until his waist. His countenance was picturesque, his posture was as if an immortal’s!

When Zi Haoran saw Zi Moyan, he went to give a bear-hug while his eyes were turning slightly red. “Little brother Mo, long time no see!”

“Big brother, you’re back.” Zi Moyan didn’t reject this bear-hug.

Zi Haoran released Zi Moyan and sized the latter up and down, then he sighed inwardly with regret. This little brother Mo grew to be a bit too good-looking. Why was it that the men by his side had these kind of good looks that it wounds his pride?

“Little brother Mo, how come you’re growing more and more like a woman?”

When Zi Moyan heard this, her heart tightened, but her face didn’t reveal anything. “A man is a man, how could one resemble a woman?”

Of course, no matter who it was, no man would be happy when they were told to resemble a woman. So when Zi Haoran saw that Zi Moyan seemed not very happy about it, he hurriedly raised a flattering smile, saying: “I have someone to introduce to you. This person’s appearance could be compared with even you.”

He pulled over the white-robed male at the side, introducing him to Zi Moyan. “This is a good friend I was acquainted with at the border. His family a trading business, his name Yue Ran — the same ‘Ran’ in your older brother’s name. Don’t you think this is fate?”