Chapter 16: Charming Phoenix, Wandering Dragon (1)

"Within the Nine Domains, without war, a country cannot be formed; beneath the four seas, without the light of heaven, there is no brightness. The military is ominous, a tool of misfortune, the most dangerous path. If you poison the world with this, and the people follow, what blame is there in good fortune?"

"The fatigue of the common people lies in me alone; the sorrow and suffering of the world lie in me alone; and the crimes of the ten thousand directions lie in me alone. My sin alone cannot be borne by the ten thousand directions..."

Chu State, Feng Shui Ferry. Fine rain like awns slanted into the wind, staining the edict carved from bamboo and wood at the ferry into a deep, dark yellow, and also turning this surging river into a thousand miles of misty waves.

Three days ago, the Eastern Emperor issued an edict of self-reproach, which was promulgated throughout the Nine Domains. The world was full of different opinions, with both praise and blame. Some obeyed, some sighed, some praised, and some slandered. This unprecedented edict shocked all the states in the Nine Domains.

Zi Rao stood before the wooden pier, reading word by word through the dense curtain of rain. A breeze suddenly passed, lifting the black gauze on her bamboo hat, revealing a faint smile at the corner of her lips. Half of her jade-like face was exposed, a stunning glimpse that made the pedestrians taking shelter from the rain hold their breath.

The wind passed like smoke. Zi Rao's beautiful eyes turned low, and she couldn't help but sigh with a smile. This person is truly deep as the sea, turning the world upside down with a backhand. With such an edict, a mere two or three hundred words—the Witch Clan's lineage has withered, so that's that; but how could the Jiu Yi tribe still escape his palm? Even the dignified Chu State was slapped for nothing; I'm afraid they will have to stop the war and rest for a while.

She turned and left the pier, stepping onto a ferry boat moored by the river. She took off her bamboo hat, and the charming color of her smile, which had not yet faded, made the boatman who came to meet her stare blankly. His speech was also slightly stuttering. "Mi... mi... miss..."

Zi Rao hooked the corner of her eye and smiled. "Do I look very old that I could be your aunt?"

"No, no, Miss is joking." The boatman piled up a smile to explain, hurriedly retreated two steps, and let Zi Rao into the upper cabin, appearing very attentive.

This was a spacious ferry boat, decorated luxuriously, different from ordinary boats. Both the upper and lower levels of the cabin were equipped with fine mats and elegant seats for guests to drink wine, eat dishes, and enjoy the scenery on the river. The water route from Feng Shui Ferry to the Chu capital, Shangying, took two or three hours, and such ferry boats were not uncommon. But today, whether because of the wind and rain, this was the only one moored here.

At this time, the boat had not yet weighed anchor, and there were already some guests sitting in the cabin. In the middle of the upper cabin, two tables were occupied by seven or eight people wearing soft armor and carrying long swords. They were all in white, looking like disciples from the same sect. Nearby were several merchants, whose clothing seemed to be from South Chu. Not only were they luxuriously dressed, but the wine and dishes they ordered were also extremely particular. Each of them carried a long package beside them, not knowing what goods they were. Further inside, four big men were sitting, their faces quite similar, all with large pieces of wine and meat in front of them. The accent of their speech was not from Chu. The two middle-aged men dressed as scholars sitting closest to Zi Rao, one in a green robe and one in an ocher robe, looked elegant, but they had wide hands and long arms, and were tall and strong. Especially the one facing Zi Rao had falcon eyes and a hawk nose, and his expression was gloomy, making people feel cold at first sight.

Zi Rao sat at the last empty table on the boat. The boatman came up and asked with a smile, "Does the Miss want to have some wine and dishes?" As he spoke, his eyes kept wandering over her graceful figure.

Zi Rao's eyes swept past, and she turned to smile. "Anything will do, just pick some delicious and exquisite ones."

The boatman agreed and left. After a while, he brought the food and wine. Zi Rao was not in a hurry to taste it, leaning by the window and looking at the passenger boat. She found that the lower cabin was covered with oilcloth for some reason and did not entertain guests, and there were no boatmen busy on the deck, only the wind and rain gradually becoming urgent, a piece of smoky color.

The waves surged by the river, and the boat rose and fell with the river water, swaying slightly. At this moment, the cabin curtain was suddenly lifted, bringing a slant of fine rain, and a young man strode in. Behind him followed the boatman's greeting, "An honored guest has arrived—"

The moment this person appeared at the door, Zi Rao keenly noticed a slight strangeness in the atmosphere on the boat, as if it were a momentary stagnation, and then it immediately returned to normal. She raised her eyes to look at the man, only to see him wearing a tight-fitting black martial arts suit, slightly damp from the rain, but not at all embarrassed. His hair was tied with a crown, a long sword was stuck on his back, his figure was tall but not thin, his shoulders were wide and his waist narrow, and he walked like a dragon and a tiger. His eyes were bright and contained sharp light, and his sweeping gaze actually had an imposing manner, making people admire him.

The man looked around, and seeing that it was full, he walked to Zi Rao's table, cupped his fists, and said, "I am being abrupt, I wonder if I may sit at the same table with you for a while, Miss?" He looked directly into her eyes when he spoke, and his every move carried great confidence, with a very attractive temperament. Zi Rao nodded. "Please do, Young Master."

The man thanked her and sat down, brushing his clothes. The boatman hurried over to serve, full of smiles, watching the man intently, as if a God of Wealth had suddenly fallen from the sky, while the stunning beauty beside him, who had been drooling, became insignificant.

The man threw out a piece of Chu gold and ordered, "Any dish will do, but the wine must be good, bring it quickly."

The boatman's gaze met his, and he didn't dare to look directly, hurriedly bowing and scraping to take the reward money to handle it.

The boat swayed and finally slowly left the ferry. Zi Rao only tasted the dishes casually, leaning on the railing and looking out the window. Occasionally, her gaze met the man's, and they smiled at each other slightly. There was no undisguised amazement in his eyes, but it didn't make people feel abrupt.

Outside, the rain was slightly urgent, and it was difficult to see boats on the river. The royal edict, which had been washed bright by the rain at the pier, gradually disappeared from sight. Zi Rao sighed again without a trace. As proud as he was, as aloof as he was, for the sake of this crumbling empire, he had practiced the word "endure" to the extreme. The Nine Tribes of the world, the subjects of the four seas, the inheritance that had remained unchanged for generations...

Just as she was lost in thought, she suddenly heard the two men dressed as scholars chatting casually. One of them sneered, "Looking at the royal edict at the ferry just now, the dignified Son of Heaven condescending to reproach himself—could it be that he is truly at the end of his rope? A mere Jiu Yi tribe is worth this much; it's truly surprising."

The ocher-robed man said, "The royal family is declining, the princes of the Nine Domains are rising together, and the current Eastern Emperor is just a youth who has just reached adulthood. What ability does he have to support the world?"

"That's right, I think the royal family's fate is exhausted. Now that he is reproaching himself, the next step should be to abdicate and yield to the virtuous. Eight hundred years of decline, it's not surprising."

"Even a woman from the Jiu Yi tribe could force him to this point. If it were the Chu, Mu, or other states, I'm afraid he would be scared to his knees and beg for mercy? Hahaha..."

The two drank to each other. Although their voices were not loud, Zi Rao heard them clearly. Her phoenix eyes swept coldly, a blade of clear light like a feather touching the water, fleeting, and her bright red lips were pursed lightly. The man in black opposite also heard these words clearly, his brows lifted slightly, looking toward the pier that was no longer clear, but there was a trace of deep thought in his eyes.

At this time, the boatman brought the wine and dishes. The dishes were not unusual, but the wine was top-grade. The fine wine was moist in color and clear in taste, pouring like a pool of beautiful jade, smelling like lush orchids.

Zi Rao sat opposite, watching him pour the wine leisurely. The wine was mellow and rich, permeating the heart and lungs. She couldn't help but take a slight breath, but a trace of surprise flashed in her eyes. The man was about to drink, but Zi Rao suddenly interrupted him. "Young Master!"

The man looked up. Zi Rao's eyelashes lifted, and she smiled softly. "What fragrant wine, may I be so bold as to ask for a cup?"

The man was stunned, then showed a charming smile, gave up the wine cup, and raised his hand. "Drinking alone is not as good as drinking together, please, Miss."

Zi Rao took the wine cup but didn't drink, still looking at him. "I want this pot of yours, I wonder if you are willing?"

The man laughed heartily. "I didn't expect you to have such a good capacity for liquor, Miss." He sent the double-ring ear pot to Zi Rao and said loudly, "Bring another pot of wine!"

The boatman responded loudly and immediately sent the wine over. Before leaving, he stared at Zi Rao, his eyes showing surprise. Zi Rao ignored it and just looked at the man. "This wine is made of extraordinary materials, rarely seen. Can you give me this pot too, Young Master?"

Although the man was a bit strange, he was very generous and smiled. "If you don't think it's enough, Miss, then let them take more wine. No matter how much, it will be on my account. Today I will make a friend of you, Miss, how about that?"

"Alright." Zi Rao's jade-like fingers tapped the pot, smiling charmingly at him. "But two pots are enough." As she spoke, her phoenix eyes rippled and turned to the two scholars. The two were also looking at this side, listening to their conversation, and suddenly met Zi Rao's face, all shaken.

A pair of soul-snaring beautiful eyes, like clear autumn water in a heavenly lake, clearly clear and untainted by lead, but flowing and smiling, like an immortal or a demon, charming as quenched bright poison.

Zi Rao opened her mouth, her charming words soft. "I heard your high-minded talk just now, it is truly extraordinary. I borrowed this young master's wine to toast you both!" As she spoke, her plain hand brushed, and True Essence penetrated the pot. Two clear streams burst out of the jade pot, turning into a pair of water arrows shooting out, hitting the wine cups in front of the two people accurately, and the remaining force did not stop, splashing back, rushing directly to their faces.

The two were terrified, suddenly bending their bodies, both dodging urgently, their movements flexible and reactions extremely fast, their martial arts were actually extraordinary. Even though they dodged in time, several drops of residual wine still splashed on their clothes. With a few light sounds of *chi-chi*, the clothes were actually pierced with several small holes, and two or three drops splashed on the person at the next table. The man immediately fell to the ground screaming, his flesh and blood corroded, and a horrifying smell of blood came.

The "Tianming Water," a deadly poison from South Chu, was colorless and odorless, dissolving bones and devouring blood, killing people invisibly with one drop, and was as precious as a thousand gold. If it weren't for being born in the Witch Clan and having seen various exotic poisons since childhood, Zi Rao might not have been able to distinguish it. The man in black didn't know what his background was, actually making these people use such means. Zi Rao swept her gaze to the side, and just at this moment, a loud shout came from outside the cabin, "Do it!" It was exactly the boatman's voice.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 17 =====