Light of the candles reflects against her polished nails. It causes their colours to shine brightly, seems like they were laughing at her hand, how she cannot even hold a small wine cup.

  Is she poisoned? Tendon Weakening Powder? Or more vicious poison?

  Only a moment ago, she praised the wine in her heart, it was sweet, rich and mellow tasting than she ever had drank, a bride should drink this kind of wine. She never once thought this was actually a cup of poisoned wine.

  She has just returned to Beijing a few days ago and idled for several days, her vigilance will be degenerate to such an extent. Which bride would have thought of drinking a cup of poisoned wine on her wedding night?

  She wants to take a look at Ji Feng Li, whether he was also poisoned. Because of a mandarin duck embroidery bridal veil on her head, she cannot see anything clearly besides red colour of her veil. By this time, she cannot even lift a thin layer of the bridal veil. All of her strength drained out of her body, she is unable to get up out of bed and slowly falls limp onto the ground.

  If it was in the past, a cup of poisoned wine could not take her down easily no matter how strong the poison was. Now, she is no difference with ordinary people without her internal force¹.

  ¹Internal Martial Art

  Since returned to Beijing, Dad sealed her internal force, fear she would get into trouble. In fact, she knew that Daddy was afraid she would not want to marry Ji Feng Li and flee from this arranged marriage. However, Daddy did not know her, since she was young, she felt admiration for Ji Feng Li.

  Unlike Beijing’s aristocrats who have backing from their families in Imperial Court, Ji Feng Li originally was a poor scholar who relied on his own capabilities.

  “Come!” Hua Zhu Yu hears Ji Feng Li’s voice in her head. His voice is light, like a warm South wind. She comes to a realization upon hearing this warm South wind kind of voice. Obviously, Ji Feng Li was not poisoned.

  Hua Zhu Yu laughs, a smile is slowly blooming upon her face, after a while, it fades a bit and eventually freezes on her lips.

  She should have thought, such an outstanding person like Ji Feng Li who has ten thousand people at his command, in this world which people could poison under his nose, except it was his own doing.

  Two maids walk into the room gingerly and sweep away shards scattered on the ground. The maids do not know she is kneeling on a shard of the cup. A sharp pain is spreading in her knee, tingling that reminds her all of this is not a dream.

  “Why?” Hua Zhu Yu asks coldly. Why did he do this to her? He did not need to go so far as to poison her just to break up this marriage right?

  She really cannot figure out!

  Was this the best lover in Yu City ladies’ hearts would do?

  She does not hear an answer, only feel two shining eyes looking at her, it is sharp and deep. Hua Zhu Yu’s heart is filled with thrill. Such sharp eyes, his existence cannot be ignored.

  A man’s slender hand reachs toward her body slowly, that hand fingers touch a tip of the veil, seems to want to uncover the red bridal veil. However, his fingers which about to lift the red veil pause and then suddenly withdraw. He does not uncover her veil, perhaps he does not want to see her!

  “Why do you ask it? Even the cup will not ask why do you throw it!” he answers calmly.

  Of course the cup will not ask because it is a thing!

  Is she in his eyes same as that cup? Even she was dashed to pieces, she did not need to ask why.

  Hua Zhu Yu’s eyelashes tremble, her lips curl with a hint of sneer.

  No one speaks and the room goes silent, while there is a sound of someone walks gingerly coming from outside.

  “Xiangye……” a maid whispers at the door to announce her presence, “Chang gong gong² from Palace comes to announce an imperial edict.”


  ²gong gong: eunuch

  “Arrange an incense table to receice the imperial edict here!” Ji Feng Li says lightly.

  Two maids arrange an incense table in bridal chamber hurriedly. After a while, brocade curtains are opened, there is a numerous and diverse sound of footsteps, an old chamberlain in his high-pitched voice shouts: “Hua Zhu Yu, please receive an imperial edict……”


  Two maids kneel before the incense table and that Chang gong gong starts to read out the edict.

  Hua Zhu Yu did not think this edict was inteded for her. No wonder Ji Feng Li commanded to arrange the incense table here. After he finished the day in worship hall, he left hastily, she heard that he went to Palace. He should be aware this edict is inteded for her or maybe it was requested by him.

  The edict content is very simple, she, Hua Zhu Yu will be sent and married to a Kingdom in North.

  She will be sent to marry!

  If she did not remember incorrectly, the one who will go and marry is Wen Wan, a daughter of Grand Tutor Wen.

  Ever since South Kingdom has defeated Western Liang, South Kingdom’s influence is becoming increasingly powerful in various states. Eastern Yan and North Kingdom have sent an envoy came to befriend with South Kingdom.

  A few days ago, a Crown Prince of North Kingdom sought a marriage alliance and that is a marriage to take an Imperial Consort.

  However, no one is willing to go to North Kingdom and marry its Crown Prince. Between four Kingdoms, North Kingdom has a frigid climate. South Women are not fit to live there. Previously, North Kingdom had taken a Princess from other state, because she could not adapt to cold climate, less than a year she got cold and eventually died young.

  Furthermore, Prince of North Kingdom is said to be very oppressive. Emperor is naturally reluctant to marry off his only daughter, Huang Fu Yan who is a pampered and favorite child, to North Kingdom’s Prince and to let her suffer a lot of hardships. Therefore, it is promised to choose a daughter from imperial officials.

  An envoy of North Kingdom requested several paintings of most prestigious imperial officials’ daughters in South Kingdom and has delivered them to North Kingdom as quickly as possible³. Finally, North Kingdom’s Prince chose Wen Wan. Although Wen Was was reluctant, but it was difficult to disobey a sacred decree. She heard that Ministry of Rites has sent to hundred soldiers, and tomorrow early in the morning along with an envoy of North Kingdom escorts Wen Wan to North Kingdom.

  ³Actually I simplified this sentence, originally, the novel used this idiom 快馬加鞭 (kuài mǎ jiā biān) which literally means to spur on a swift (making an effort to accelerate the speed of progress in order to develop rapidly and advance as quickly as possible).

  Now, all of a sudden, the Emperor issues an edict, orders her to go to North Kingdom and marry its Crown Prince. The Emperor was getting old that he seems to forget she get married according to his will, but it is not mentioned in the edict and she is just referred as Miss Hua.

  Miss Hua?!

  Turning his hand palm up he gathers the clouds, turning his hand palm down he turns them to rain ¹¹, hide the sky with one hand¹², do whatever he pleases.

  This is exactly the Emperor!

  ¹¹翻手为云覆手变雨 (fān shǒu wéi yún fù shǒu biàn yǔ) : very poweful and capable.

  ¹² 一手遮天 ( yī shǒu zhē tiān) : to hide the truth from ma.s.ses.

  Chang gong gong has completed his task to read out imperial edict, he holds the edict in his hands and arrogantly says: “Please Miss Hua receives the imperial edict!”


  Hua Zhu Yu’s knees do not move nor does she speaks!

  A silence in the room.

  “Please Miss receives the imperial edict!”


  Chang gong gong in high voice shouts again.

  Even if she could do it, Hua Zhu Yu still would not move. However, even though she is unwilling, two maids forcefully help her to stand up, hold both her hands to take that bright yellow edict.

  In her whole life, this is her first time feeling “They are the knife and cutting board, we are the fish and the meat”, so powerless. She feels humiliated for the first time in her life.———


  “Hold on!” At lenght she speaks.

  Her voice is not loud, the tone is very light, but everyone who listens to it can feel cold murderous intent in this tranquil voice.

  ————————————————— ———


  Ji Feng Li is one of male leads, so what do you think of him?

  I’m the kind of person who holds on to grudge (not in real life). I have this tendency of “poisoning my own heart”. Sometimes, when I have read to many sweet and fluffy novels, I will want to read angsty novels where I can hate the male lead(s) for treating the first female lead badly. I will put him on my blacklist and decide to never forgive him for whatever reason(s) he has, not that easily…… haha…… (Till the newest chapter of Black Bellied Prince’s Stunning Abandoned Consort in Suteki’s blog, I still do not forgive Mo Wen Chen yet :p ).

  How about you? Clearly here, Ji Feng Li made a bad impression to us reader in this chapter, will he be able to make this up? Could you forgive him for whatever reasons that he did this to our female lead?

  World of Hidden Phoenixes 3

  The two maidservants at Hua Zhu Yu’s right side and left side could not help but tremble from fear, thought that this person made them felt uneasy for no reason.

  “Miss Hua also has something to say, does Miss Hua want to defy the imperial edict?!” Chang gonggong asked in an unpleasant tone.

  If she had been able to disobey the edict, she would done it. However, Hua Zhu Yu knew she could not afford to do that. Her father, Hua Mu from Ping Xi, was loyal and devoted to this Northern imperial court, if she fails to comply imperial edict, the first one who want to execute her is not someone else but her father. Perhaps, because this kind of blind loyalty, emperor would be able to treat them, Hua family, this way. Her father was stationed in border region. Because the border region was still unstable, the emperor did not let him return to capital for ten years. This time, Hua family’s army succeeded in defeating Western Liang. Western Liang was left with no choice but to make peace by offering its five great cities. The entire country celebrated this and Hua family asked for many rewards. The emperor had no choice but to allow her father to return to capital and honored him a t.i.tle of Marquis of Ping Xi. She, this nameless, lack of talent and virtue daughter of Hua Mu, was also granted an enviable marriage.

  Now, the emperor again all of a sudden decreed her to go and marry, this matter is really complicated and she cannot understand at all, but sooner or later she is going to investigate it throughly. Presently, she still needs to discuss the matter with her father to make a decision. However, they wants her to accept this imperial edict now? It is not so easy.

  Hua Zhu Yu made up her mind and said in a light tone: “Chang gonggong, now your servant is no longer Miss Hua but Madam Ji, does not know whether this imperial edict should be accepted or not? Your servant and Chancellor Ji’ marriage was also decreed. If your servant accepts this edict, does not it mean your servant goes against the sacred edict, your servant really does not what to do.”


  Chang gonggong was rendered speechless. He did not antic.i.p.ate that Hua Zhu Yu would say this. The emperor did indeed issue an edict to bestow a marriage upon her before. The emperor should annul the first edict before granted her another marriage decree, but that will make the emperor go back on his words.

  Chang gonggong was somewhat awkward, hesitating over whether he needs to return to the palace to request for another imperial edict or not. However, emperor will blame him for being incompetent in handling this affair. In the midst of confusion, he spotted Ji Feng Li, put on his ingratiating smile and asked cautiously “Xiangye, you see……”


  Ji Feng Li was looking at the burning red candles, his eyes were dark and liquid like ink, and they were shimmering elegantly. He looked back toward Chang gonggong, faintly smiled and told a maidservant who was standing near him “Bring an ink brush, ink stick, paper and ink stone here.”


  The maidservant left hurriedly and soon returned with a tray that held a writing brush, ink stick, paper and ink stone in her hands. She moved cakes and pastries on a table aside, spread the paper there, put some water into the well if the ink stone, grinded the ink stick on the surface of the ink stone, and handed the writng brush to Ji Feng Li.

  Ji Feng Li took the writing brush and dipped it into grinded ink and started to sway the brush on the white paper. Before long, the white paper was filled with black ink words.

  The ink on the paper had not yet dried, the maidservant picked it up. She blew it gently and then put it in Hua Zhu Yu’s hands.

  A snowy white paper, black ink words.

  His handwriting was bold, unrestrained, vivid and lively. It was so elegant that Hua Zhu Yu really admired it.

  Unfortunately, this was a piece of divorce certificate.

  Hua Zhu Yu gazed at two big words of divorce certificate written on the paper before her eyes, a chilly smile touched the corner of her mouth, her prideful eyes flashed a trace of sadness.

  Indeed, in life, troubles should be expected. It did not occur to her that someday, she, Hua Zhu Yu would get a divorce certificate.

  This Ji Feng Li was indeed worthy to be an Imperial Chancellor who gained the favor of the Emperor.

  By divorcing her, she was unbound from Ji Feng Li. This allowed the Emperor to decree her to marry Northern Kingdom’s prince. The previous imperial edict did not need to be discarded this way so that no one will say the Emperor reneged on his promise.

  “Indeed, worthy of being an Imperial Chancellor, the handwriting is really beautiful, Hua Zhu Yu is very honored to be able to get a valuable calligraphic work of Chancellor Ji. Hua Zhu Yu will surely treasure it.” She said in a lazy voice with admiration in her tone, not a trace of insincerity could be heard it seemed like she was really fond of Ji Feng Li’s handwriting.

  There was no one in the room who did not feel amazed. Normally, If other woman was put in this kind of situation, she would cried, got angry or hysterical.

  However, she did not cry, get angry or even have a complaint.

  is this woman stupid? Why is she so calm? They thought.

  “Sorry to trouble jiejie to help Hua Zhu Yu accepts the imperial edict, and Hua Zhu Yu thanks jiejie in advance.” Hua Zhu Yu smiled and said to a maidservant at her right side.

  Hearing that, the maidservant reached out her hands to take the imperial edict from Chang gongong and then shoved into Hua Zhu Yu’s sleeve.

  “Please, Princess Mu Yun, stay in palace temporarily tonight, tomorrow early in the morning, the Northern kingdom’s envoy will come to the palace and pick Princess Mu Yun up.” Chang gonggong spoke. He changed so fast that now he addressed Hua Zhu Yu as Princess Mu Yun.

  The maidservants who were brought by Chang gonggong from Palace came over and held onto Hua Zhu Yu’s arms to help support her.

  With a divorce certicate tucked in one sleeve and an imperial edict tucked in another sleeve, head covered by red veil, Hua Zhu Yu left the room.

  She could not move and no one helped her to lift the veil.

  Even if she had been able to move, she still would not lifted her veil. She did not want to see these people.

  Outside the room, snow was still fluttering intermittently. The red veil was being blown up occasionally, allowed Hua Zhu Yu to see the courtyard which was decorated with big red lanterns and double happiness words. Nevertheless, she could not feel festive atmosphere. In contrary, she felt those red colors looked like blood that shined with a harsh bright light.

  Hua Zhu Yu took a deep breath, pulling the chilly air into her lungs. She was shivering from the cold.

  This was her wedding night.

  An unforgettable night in her life!

  The two maidservants helped Hua Zhu Yu to get into a sedan chair. The sedan chair was then lifted by imperial guards and headed toward the Imperial Palace. Hua Zhu Yu sat down on the sedan chair, felt a stinging pain in her knee gradually fading as the effect of poisoned wine getting stronger. She stumbled and sank into darkness.

  ———————————————————————————————————————–


  Note: I make some changes because I think it is more appropriate: