Rising Phoenix

“This servant brought breakfast, but everyone at everything together. The Queen cut a slice of meat for the King…”

“When the King came out, His Majesty did not want us. He walked only with the Queen, none of the maidservants knew anything…”

The servants were interrogated one by one and each was searched. A pregnant silence hung over the raised platform; Kereyid did not speak, and the smallest hint of a silent smirk hung around the corners of Gadd’s eyes. Blue Bird and White Deer looked at each other before the first called out in his deep voice: “Queen Mudan, what are your thoughts…”

Liu Mudan stared up with a dazed gaze, her whole body devastated and her mind clearly empty. She wiped her nose and then wiped her dirty hand on Kereyid as she quietly replied: “Uncles take charge; this old woman knows nothing.”

“Impossible!” The Eight Valiants protested. “Why would the Queen poison the King? Don’t spout nonsense!”

“Nonsense or not, we must investigate. If the Queen is innocent, she will forgive our offenses.” Kereyid replied calmly.

“Guards!” Blue Bird called out, nodding. “Invite the Queen!”

White Deer called out for a thousand soldiers to “invite” the Queen over, and mixed emotions filled every eye as they followed the King’s Army soldiers off to the palace.

Some were worried that this problem would burst once more into bloody war while others were holding back their excitement at the potential gain in the chaos that would follow.

Blue Bird, White Deer, Blue Bear, and Iron Cheetah rallied the King’s Army while the other patriarchs sent out secret summons to their own guards. In the shuffle, Gadd disappeared from the crowd.

Dama Living Buddha had been in a bit of a state since the morning and now he just sat quietly by Helian Zheng.

The King’s Army marched upwards to the Second Potala Palace and the dancing and celebratory commoners stilled as they turned to watch the solemn soldiers.

“There is no need for an escort, I can come on my own.”

A quiet, feminine voice cut over the crowd encircling the platform, the voice clear and calm.

The crowd slowly made a path as a woman walked forward in an unhurried stroll.

She was slender and tall, her black dress dignified and lent a touch of purity by the broad silver band edging her dress. The simplicity of her bearing seemed refreshing and noble against the color that surrounded her, and she passed through the crowd as if a goddess haloed in the sun, her dress floating behind her like flowing water.

With such startling elegance, the yellowed face and drooping eyebrows seemed to fade away and every eye was bewitched.

Feng Zhiwei had arrived.

The patriarchs turned from the noble and elegant woman with a sense of pity in their hearts. Such a woman would have made a great, peerless Queen, and yet now…

“The wolf of the steppes!” A voice called out in a grating yell. “Dama Ala was right, incurable poison covers her every hair!”

“Dama Ala warned that you were the King’s calamity and his downfall! To think our King was bewitched by an ugly woman and threw all caution aside!”

“Leave! Hu Zhuo needs peace and fortune, not the blood and fire that follows you!”

The Dama’s prophecy had been spread far and wide. Everyone knew that Helian Zheng had defied the Living Buddha for his Queen, and now it did not matter whether they had proof of her involvement; she was the easy target of all their rage.

A lamb bone flew through the air, igniting a flurry of impromptu thrown weapons.

Behind Feng Zhiwei Gu Nanyi calmly flicked his hand.

All the random flying objects smashed into a transparent wall and tumbled to the ground far from Feng Zhiwei. None of the Hu Zhuo people had ever seen such mystical Kung Fu and all of their eyes fell open in wide shock and fear. The silence only needed a cry about ghosts…

“Stop fussing.” Feng Zhiwei called out over the silence, a beautiful smile on her lips. “Take care or I might have you eat everything you threw.”

Her voice was light but her eyes piercing, and the retreating crowd knew she was not joking.

“Queen, it is good that you are here.” Blue Bird and White Deer began, stepping forward with some embarrassment. “Something has happened to the King…”

Feng Zhiwei looked up at the pair of loyal patriarchs, her eyes respectful. She nodded gently and walked over to Helian Zheng, frowning as she asked: “What happened?”

“What happened?” A cold voice smiled in reply. “We were about to ask you, Queen.”

“Oh?”

“Stop acting!” A distantly related cousin lifted his chin as he cried out: “The King was with you the entire morning and now he is poisoned. You vicious wolf, laying in wait to get your claws on our King. Bring out the antidote!”

“Why would I poison the King?” Feng Zhiwei asked with a calm smile. “How would his death benefit me?”

The man choked on his words as the harried and confused crowd fell silent. In all the feverish confusion, none of them had thought clearly. Feng Zhiwei was Helian Zheng’s Queen; without the King, the Queen was nothing.

Kereyid began chuckling.

“Queen.” He casually called out. “Irgi business should not be mine, but since this is a matter concerning our King, it is the business of the steppes. We all must take interest.”

Feng Zhiwei turned and smiled at the man, meeting his gaze.

Their gleaming eyes met, neither backing down.

“Gentlemen, my Fire Fox Frontier Guard recently intercepted a letter.” Kereyid declared, taking an envelope from his sleeve pocket.

“This letter was written by the Queen and addressed to the military grains officer in Shu Zhou City. It says…” He called out dramatically before slowly reading: “‘Recent matters in the steppes have temporarily relieved the need for military grain. Please set them aside until the Queen’s Guards come to collect.’ I wish for the Queen to explain this recent change in affairs you reference. Why have you stopped the shipment of army grain from Yu Zhou City? Why are your guards taking the grain meant for the King’s Army?”

A new clamor rose up both inside and outside the encirclement around the platform. None of the stunned patriarchs had known about this, and they all stared dazedly as Kereyid smiled elegantly and passed the letter around. All of the leadership knew Han characters, and though they were not familiar with Feng Zhiwei’s handwriting, they knew the characters to be delicate and striking, the fine letter paper clearly a Central Plains product, not to mention the clear ‘Sheng Ying’ seal at the bottom. They knew of no-one in the steppes who could have written such a letter except Feng Zhiwei.

Kereyid gestured and his men approached with a bound captive wearing the uniform of the Bridal Escort Team Guard, panic written all over his face.