TL-checked: Zaki

  Edited by Zaki, Animeart

  ———–

  The mourning bell struck.

  Everyone in the Palace immediately knelt down as one.

  Lin Shu didn’t kneel. He was an outsider and didn’t have to kneel. Ling Fengxiao didn’t ask him to kneel.

  He stood under the peach tree in the palace garden, watching Ling Fengxiao kneeling at the front of the hall with Xiao Lingyang.

  In the solemn atmosphere, time seemed to stand still. Only, suddenly they heard a cry of alarm.

  More and more Palace officials and courtiers who were kneeling on the ground raised their heads.

  It was noon time. It was originally a sunny day with the sun high in the sky, but a layer of red clouds suddenly spread over the western sky.

  The red haze covered the sky, like a glorious tapestry, and there was a faint sound of music coming out from the clouds.

  It wasn’t known who, but one of the Palace maidservants let out an “ahh”.

  Among the red clouds, there was a faint shadow moving; it was in the shape of a bird. With its movement, the red clouds all over the sky also slowly dispersed – finally, half a quarter of an hour later, people could see what it was.

  A Phoenix in red gold color.

  In the sea of clouds, the distance unknown, the size of the Phoenix was very large and elegant; flying leisurely through the red clouds.

  Suddenly, a clear, long cry resounded through the sky——

  No one had heard this cry before, but a strange feeling ran through everyone’s mind, no one would doubt that this was the Ancient divine beast of the legends; a Phoenix.

  The next moment, the beautiful Phoenix slowly flapped its wings and took off from the western sky, flying down, getting lower and closer to the Palace. It’s wings vibrated, emitting meteor-like sparks, slowly falling on the red walls of the palace, and then slowly dispersing like an illusory light.

  A huge Phoenix shadow slowly fell on the Chenji Hall where the Emperor and Empress lived, tamely lowered its head in a bow, and then dissipated with a long cry.

  The crowd was in an uproar.

  In the midst of the uproar, the official in charge of religious order, astrology and calendars said, “The sky has sent down a vision, the Phoenix is the envoy of heaven, this must be a sign!”

  Others said, “An auspicious sign! It’s a blessing for our Great Xia!”

  There were also voices of concern: “This vision, coming at this …… time, I don’t know what it means.”

  Lin Shu didn’t feel anything. He just felt a little unscientific.

  He looked at Ling Fengxiao, but he saw that Ling Fengxiao frowned, shook his sleeves, got up and walked quickly into the hall.

  But seeing his tall and upright figure, walking fast, making his red clothes fly and extraordinary posture, he looked quite similar to the illusionary phoenix.

  Phoenix, Phoenix.

  Did it have anything to do with Phoenix Mountain Villa?

  Lin Shu did not have time to think about it, he only knew that Ling Fengxiao, who had been suffering from grievances, was emotionally unstable and could not be away from him for long. He cast a little magic, using Qinggong, he also floated into the hall and disappeared on the beam column at the top of the hall.

  Ling Fengxiao walked quickly to the Emperor’s bed: “Empress Mother!”

  The Empress sat by the bed of the late Emperor, her wide skirt spread out like the flowing clouds at sunrise, a bright red blood jade flute in her hand, and looking at the movement, it seemed she was about to put it away.

  Seeing him come, the Empress looked at him, the look in her eyes was very gentle. There was no sadness that should have been present due the death of her husband.

  “Xiao’er.”

  “Empress Mother,” Ling Fengxiao’s expression was a little serious, “What do you mean by playing the Phoenix Flute and attracting the visions of heaven and earth?”

  The Empress’s fingers slowly caressed the crimson jade flute. The shape of the flute was beautiful, the pattern was unique and simple, it seemed to have an ancient legacy.

  \r \r \r

  “With the sound of the musical jade flute, the Phoenix makes an appearance.” She slowly recited a phrase from an ancient book, her voice was soft, like a sweet spring in the mountains, and she said gently, “When I was young, your grandmother gave me a Phoenix Flute, saying …… that if you play the music of 《Ancient Wind Melody》 with the Phoenix Flute, you can attract a wisp of Phoenix residual soul between heaven and earth. Just now I played the flute, it was indeed as my mother said. It turns out that the Phoenix Blood, indeed, was an ancient heritage and is not a delusion.”

  “This son doesn’t understand,” said Ling Fengxiao. “The Phoenix’s Blood is really different from ordinary people, but why should the Empress Mother verify it at this time?”

  “Do you still remember what your mother said when you came to the capital?” The Empress put away the jade flute and asked.

  Ling Fengxiao said, “Yes, I remember.”

  The Empress looked at Ling Fengxiao and sighed softly, “Xiao’er, come here.”

  Ling Fengxiao went to the Empress.

  The Empress reached out to stroke his cheek and hair: “In a blink of an eye, you have grown up.”

  Ling Fengxiao didn’t speak.

  “I have lived in the Palace for a long time, but I know that you are the most outstanding one in all generations of Phoenix Mountain Villa.” The Empress said sincerely.

  Ling Fengxiao said, “Mother is praising me without cause.”

  “Over the centuries, the Phoenix Mountain Villa has had countless beautiful and outstanding daughters buried within these palace walls.” The Empress’s eyelashes dropped slightly, “Phoenix blood is a peerless furnace constitution, because of this, the Phoenix family has been a royal plaything for generations. Mother was very lucky to have a good appearance, so she won the love of your father and was favored alone for 30 years. And when the new emperor ascended the throne and is…… ”

  Ling Fengxiao said, “Lingyang is not a dissolute person. Once he focuses on the task, he can be entrusted with responsibilities.”

  “Every man is innocent, and the Phoenix’s blood is the beginning of disaster. The Royal family has always accepted the Phoenix family’s daughters as Empresses, Concubines and Wives. There was never a limit on the number. Even if Lingyang could be kind to the Phoenix Mountain Villa, who can expect the same from the new Emperor after a hundred years? ”

  Ling Fengxiao looked at the Empress and said, “The first daughter of the Phoenix Mountain Villa was a tribute to the Heavenly Family. The Heavenly Family also rewarded the Villa with power and wealth, so that the Villa could take in the world’s lost orphan girls, businesses and martial arts, but also by virtue of Heaven’s grace to stand in the Jianghu, away from strife. This son has always thought that the Mother and the generations of Phoenix Mountain Villa predecessors, although there is intolerance, there was no resentment.”

  The Empress said softly, “How can there be no resentment? Phoenix is a mysterious bird of destiny. It was a descendant of the Ancients Gods, but it has been held in the hands of Mortal Emperors on earth for generations. How can it not be resentful? ”

  “The Ancient Gods are just a fanciful legend, Empress Mother does not need to think too deeply in her heart about it.” Ling Fengxiao lightly said: “Empress Mother’s intention is to abolish the rule of the Imperial family to establish the Phoenix as Empresses?”

  The Empress nodded, “Yes.”

  Ling Fengxiao said, “Xiao Lingyang is pure and good-natured, I will immediately convey it to him.”

  “Xiao’er.” The Empress’s voice was cold: “Although you have grown up in the villa in the past 20 years and shown yourself as a woman, because of your skills, you are not tainted with feminine Qi. You still have a man’s body, don’t you understand a man’s temperament?”

  Ling Fengxiao said, “This son does not understand.”

  Lin Shu, who was secretly observing, thought to himself, this man is a black crow through and through, but has always prided himself on being a white crow, so when it comes to his mother, he is also like this – it seems that the self-hypnosis was carried out too successfully.

  In his opinion, no matter how much the little Phoenix advertised himself as snow-white, it was a lie. Even if he was good enough to ascend, he was at most a black boned chicken with white fur.

  The Empress smiled and shook her head, with a sad look in her eyes: “the Phoenix furnace, after use, would prolong life and eliminate all diseases – how many people in the world can resist it? When I was young, I swore an oath with your father and believed in the love he spoke of. However, people’s hearts are fickle, and only after a few years did I realize that what he wanted in his heart was only a long life and a solid throne.”

  Lin Shu thought that Ling Fengxiao, a Royal heir, had a complicated family composition. Listening to the meaning of the Empress’s words, she and the previous Emperor, though looked harmonious from the outside, had been separated for a long time and her heart was greatly resentful against the previous Emperor.

  Just as he was thinking, he heard Ling Fengxiao say, “Does Empress Mother think that Xiao Lingyang will not be able to resist temptation?”

  The Empress said, “He is still young now. You can discipline him. Twenty years later, when he will already be powerful. Can you still discipline him? Forty years later, at the end of his life, will he still have no intention? Even if he is good for a lifetime, the next generation of Emperors, it is unknown.”

  Ling Fengxiao was silent for a moment.

  By the slightly despondent gaze when he was silent, Lin Shu knew that he understood something.

  Only to hear his faint voice resounding in the hall.

  “Does Mother and Empress Mother want me to become the Emperor after all?”

  “Today there is a vision, and Mother has prepared the evidence of the past, Xiao’er, only you need to nod, this Southern Xia throne is in your bag. From now on, the Emperor will be my Phoenix bloodline, and the Phoenix Mountain Villa will be liberated from the old rule.”

  After that, she looked at Ling Fengxiao with keen eyes.

  Ling Fengxiao’s silence this time was longer than the last time, so long that the Empress gently asked, “Xiao’er?”

  “Replying to Empress Mother.” Ling Fengxiao said quietly, “Empress mother gave birth to me and Mother raised me. Phoenix Mountain Villa protected me and gave me wealth and power. I can never repay this kindness. This son…… Since childhood, has admired and respected Empress Mother. There has never been any disobedience on Mother’s orders. If…… This is the wish of the Empress mother, this son will act according to my mother’s order. It’s not impossible, just——- ”

  When the Empress heard this “just”, she leaned forward slightly, looked at him tenderly, and asked, “Just what?”

  “It’s just that being Emperor or a King has never been my wish.” Ling Fengxiao slowed down and said, “This son’s life’s wish is only to do my duty for the Phoenix Mountain Villa, Mother and Father, and then stay away from the Jianghu and the imperial court, or become a free wanderer, or become a mountain hermit, or travel the world, rivers and lakes, and live the rest of my life. It is true that power is valuable in this world, but this son’s ambition is not here. In the past twenty years, I have never coveted the throne or the sacred weapon. So, I hope …… Empress Mother would consider this twice.”

  “You are the first son of our dynasty, and should inherit the throne. Why spy on the throne, covet the divine weapon when you are entitled to the throne?” The Empress shook her head slowly: “Xiao’er, could it be that you are used to living as a subject?”

  “Xiao Lingyang is not unreasonable, Phoenix Mountain Villa also has the power to protect itself, if we take it slowly, after ten years, the Villa will be able to break free from the shackles,” Ling Fengxiao looked at the Empress: “Empress Mother still wants this son to be the Emperor?”

  Lin Shu looked at Ling Fengxiao’s eyes from above and felt as if he had his heart broken.

  He coldly watched the Empress’s every move.

  Unparalleled appearance and unique elegance. Anyone with eyes would be enchanted by her and their hearts would be bewitched.

  But although he also had eyes, he practiced the Heartless Dao. Even the most beautiful appearance was just another appearance on Earth. They made no difference to him.

  He was able to discard the Empress’s tenderness and only focus on her actions.

  He expected right, the Empress’s intention, from the beginning, was for Ling Fengxiao to become the Emperor – and also the Royal bloodline was thin, so when the Phoenix Mountain Villa quietly became the Southern Xia’s Royal family, not only would it get rid of the shackles on the Phoenix Mountain Villa but also they would be able to rule the throne for thousands of generations.

  She kept saying that every man was innocent, and that men’s desire for life and power made them desire endlessly. But didn’t she also want the prosperity of the Phoenix lineage?

  For this reason, she needed Ling Fengxiao to ascend the throne, even if Ling Fengxiao said he didn’t want to.

  He continued to look at the eyes of Ling Fengxiao looking at the Empress, it was a very soft kind of look, with vague expectations and requests.

  He thought to himself, this little phoenix was twenty-three years old, he really was still just a fluffy little chick.

  Ling Fengxiao looked at his mother, whom he had always admired, and wanted to hear some gentle message from her, that he might feel that she doted on him enough not to force him to do what he was very unwilling to do, not to use his life’s destiny as a pawn or tool in the struggle for power and profit.

  However, the Empress only looked gentle on the outside and lightly opened her vermilion lips.

  She said, “Xiao’er, you need to look at the big picture.”

  It seemed that some kind of light dimmed down. He lowered his eyes slightly: “This son understands.”

  The blood mist vaguely emerged around him, lingering for a moment, then trembled a few times, as if he was trying desperately to suppress it.

  Lin Shu sent a wisp of frosty spiritual energy to his side and wrapped it around his body a few times.

  Ling Fengxiao’s frown slightly relaxed, and the blood mist was suppressed.

  The Empress came forward, wanting to caress his cheek: “Did mother’s eyes get blurry? What happened just now? ”

  At the instant when she was about to touch him, Ling Fengxiao stepped back and the Empress’s hand fell empty.

  “There’s nothing wrong with this son,” but his voice was faint. “The Empress Mother doesn’t have to worry.”

  “Nothing wrong is good.” The Empress whispered.

  After that, she said: “This matter still needs to be thoroughly prepared, today you and I will take a long time to discuss ……”

  Lin Shu’s mind faintly showed a trace of impatience that had never appeared before.

  He wanted the Empress to hurry up and stop talking.

  Your son’s heart is already annoyed and aggrieved, his heartbeat is already slowly slowing down, I don’t know when it will be completely out of control, I want to take him back quickly.

  Besides, he loves his brother so much, and he may not really listen to you.

  He didn’t want to listen to the Empress’s deceiving words anymore. He looked around the hall, wanting to create a distraction to interrupt them.

  It wasn’t serious but, on the wall not far away, where it couldn’t be seen from the normal perspective, a black flat round spirit stone was pasted.

  His pupils contracted abruptly.

  He recognized this thing!

  Like the shadow bead, it was a small object with strange ability in the treasure pavilion of the Shangling Academy. The shadow bead could record images, while this object was called the sound stone, two in one, a wiretap, what this stone would hear would be transmitted to the other ear.

  Someone was listening in on the conversation in the hall?

  Besides…… It was when the Empress and Ling Fengxiao were discussing this kind of matter.

  He immediately shattered the sound stone with his spiritual power, then released his divine thoughts and scouted a one-mile radius – the effective distance of the sound stone was limited, so that person would not be very far away.

  Almost the next moment, he stopped searching.

  In a secluded corner of the Palace wall, under a begonia tree with falling flowers, stood a disoriented Xiao Lingyang.

  He held an almost identical flat round spirit stone in his hand, and the next moment, the stone fell from his powerless right hand and fell into the splendid tree shadows and the fallen red flower petals, all over the ground.

  ———-

  TN: Can I just say- both the mothers are wicked witches!! Poor Xiao Lingyang and Xiao Shao!

  Thank you Miimaas for the Kofi! :)~Elanor