Chapter 87: Flying Phoenix Seeks the Phoenix

Ten thousand lanterns illuminated the river, and fireworks flew incessantly. Beneath this night, the upper reaches of the Chu Jiang suddenly brightened, and a massive multi-storied ship rounded the bend, appearing within people's line of sight.

With carved ivory railings and jade-inlaid eaves, the ship had dozens of golden lanterns hanging in tiers on both sides, casting brilliant light that illuminated the interior and exterior of the giant vessel, making it look like a luxurious floating palace as it sailed slowly from the brightly lit river surface toward Du Xian Qiao.

Upon seeing the emblem on the prow, other painted boats and vessels on the river voluntarily cleared the channel, demonstrating the extraordinary status of this giant ship.

Zi Rao paused to look, seeing from afar that the giant fan-shaped observation deck at the prow was crowded with figures arranged in an orderly fashion; regardless of gender, all were dressed in fine silks and brocades, exuding an extraordinary air, yet as she raised her eyes, she saw only one person, and her brows rippled slightly.

That man stood smiling before the crowd, like a peak rising above the mountains, towering and distinguished. He wore a bright red gold-embroidered Flying Cloud Robe, covered by a soft bright-jade silk armor, with a three-foot sword at his waist and a gold crown binding his hair. He was none other than the most sought-after figure of power in the Nine Domains today, the Shao Yuan Lord, whom the people of Chu revered like a god.

Bright flames illuminated the sky, setting off those sword-like brows and star-like eyes, reflecting that arrogant and noble appearance. Red was already eye-catching, and worn by him, it was even more fiercely compelling, yet that natural, dashing, and unrestrained air was something no one else could match.

As the giant ship approached the bank of Du Xian Qiao, the few people of Chu originally on the prow and the bridge all respectfully stepped aside. For a time, the ten-mile-long bridge fell silent, leaving only Zi Hao and his companion standing calmly, their sleeves fluttering in the wind.

From the moment the giant ship appeared on the river, Zi Hao's gaze locked onto Huang Fei, ignoring everyone else, just as Huang Fei gazed at him, his dashing eyes smiling and shimmering with brilliant colors.

One was the Lord of the Four Seas, traveling in disguise; the other was a phoenix soaring through the long sky, whistling across the Nine Heavens. Though they had never met, their spirits had long been acquainted. Whether as monarch and subject or enemies and friends, in this exchange of gazes, they stirred the vast winds and clouds of the Nine Domains, causing the torrents to surge and fall.

Before the giant ship had even moored, someone beside Huang Fei called out first: "Brother Zi Hao, Sister Zi Rao!"

Only then did Zi Hao shift his gaze to look at Han Xi, who was dressed in crimson. Zi Rao also turned her head, and just as a pair of flying flames fell like flowers, sparkling in the air, she caught the burning gaze of Huang Fei at the moment of the brilliant display, her heart skipping a beat. She then heard Huang Fei laugh aloud: "An encounter is better than an invitation. I wonder if I might have the honor of inviting the King and the Princess to sail the river together and enjoy this beautiful night?" As he spoke, he shook his sleeves and bowed, his smiling eyes dazzling.

That he could pay respects to the Eastern Emperor so nonchalantly, and the words he spoke, shocked everyone present. No one had expected that the refined and slender man in white before them was actually the current Emperor. The news that the Eastern Emperor was in Chu tomorrow would surely spread rapidly across the Nine Domains. At a time when the military forces of Xuan Guo and Chu Guo were secretly stirring and the situation was complex, one could imagine what kind of shock the attitude of Di Du would bring to the various nations.

Two rows of emerald palace lanterns stretched out, leading to the magnificent three-story main cabin, where pearl curtains and crystal drapes shimmered, and the fragrance of jade-marrow wine wafted everywhere.

Huang Fei stepped aside and gestured, "Your Majesty, please!"

Zi Hao did not stand on ceremony and walked straight to the main seat to sit down. With exquisite jade goblets and crystal cups, the lantern light before the hall flowed and reflected, while thirty-six beauties in red played strings and bamboo, turned their sleeves, and danced gracefully to add to the excitement.

Beautiful flames dazzled on the river, and light songs and graceful dances filled the ship. As the boat traveled through the prosperous land, the moon shone on the thirteen bridges. The Shao Yuan Lord diligently raised his cup to toast, and the Eastern Emperor accepted everything, drinking while chatting and laughing. Although Han Xi sat at the same table as Zi Rao, she secretly glanced from the corner of her eye at the elegant man in front of the table, her rouged face as delicate as a painting. Zi Rao held her cup, sipping lightly, her gaze wandering between the two men before her. Under the golden lanterns and jade shadows, her pitch-black eyes were as deep as springs, rippling with an inexplicable, profound luster.

Waiting patiently, just as expected, after three rounds of wine, Huang Fei clapped his hands to dismiss the dancers, and the hall suddenly fell silent.

Zi Hao toyed with his cup, raised his eyes slightly, and scanned the two rows of red-clad generals standing guard with swords before the hall, their faces expressionless despite the clamor of music and dance. He smiled leisurely and said, "Observing the camp reveals the army; examining the soldiers reveals the general. Looking from across the bridge just now, the Liefeng Cavalry are heroic soldiers and fierce generals, their morale shaking the heavens. The upcoming battle to conquer Xuan Guo is already a sure victory, is it not?"

These words showed that he had long been aware of tonight's "chance encounter." Huang Fei wanted to destroy Xuan Guo with a legitimate excuse, and now that everything was ready, he only lacked the east wind. Feeling the thoroughness of this clear insight, he felt a sense of gratification. "Your Majesty has personally come to my humble country, planning with strategy; how could I dare to fail such painstaking efforts? In the game of 'Life Remaining in the Vast Sea' the other day, Your Majesty's calculations were flawless. I presume you can now deduce the tactical movements of my Liefeng Cavalry. Do you have any advice?" He raised his cup and arched his brows, his eyes shining brilliantly.

Zi Hao smiled slightly: "Fuchuan has just suffered a major disaster, the people are displaced, and internal and external defenses are empty. The Liefeng Cavalry will take advantage of the void and can take the city in a matter of days. Why speak of advice?"

"Oh?" Huang Fei asked with a smile, "Why is Your Majesty so certain that I will deploy troops in Fuchuan rather than Danzhou?"

Zi Hao met his gaze, and in that instant, it was as if the scorching sun shone on the sea surface, refracting ten thousand miles of golden waves.

In the war between Xuan Guo and Chu Guo, the seven cities were the must-contested points. Fuchuan in the east lay on the banks of the Moshui, intersected with the Wei River, backed by deep gorges, and connected to dangerous rivers in the west. It was truly the most difficult of the seven cities to attack and easy to defend. Moreover, after taking the city, only the small neighboring city of Yun Jian could provide support. To return the army to attack Danzhou would require crossing the deep currents of the Wei River, which was not conducive to cavalry attacks.

Danzhou, however, faced the vast Mingyuan land and was the gateway barrier for Quchi, Yanci, and other places behind it. If this city were captured, the Liefeng Cavalry could drive straight in and press directly on the Xuan border. With these cities as a base, military supplies would flow unimpeded, allowing for both offense and defense—it could be called foolproof.

Whether it was Ji Cang or Huang Fei, if they wanted to secure their footing and plan for victory, Danzhou was a must-take. This was the common logic of military strategists. But Ji Cang was a hero of the age, sweeping across the Northern Domains and the East Sea without an opponent; Huang Fei was a god in the Nine Domains, resisting the two powers of Xuan and Mu without a single defeat. Neither of these two was an ordinary commander; if one judged them by common sense, one would surely miscalculate.

Huang Fei now held the power over the six divisions of the Chu navy, adding wings to a tiger. Although taking Fuchuan with cavalry was not the best strategy, if he secretly deployed the navy to launch an attack and captured the city, it would mean opening the shipping lanes of the Moshui and Wei rivers. Warships could then head north from there to directly capture Yanci, and with the coordination of the cavalry in the rear, all seven cities would fall into his hands, and the border of Xuan Guo would be in danger!

The elites of the Royal Secret Division not only hid the movements of the Yue Ma Gang warships, ensuring the grain and fodder for the elite troops of Xi Ma Gu, but also helped Huang Fei blockade news of the Chu navy. Di Du wanted to use Chu to pacify the Northern Domains and purge Xuan Guo, so taking Fuchuan was imperative, but not at this time. Seeing the Eastern Emperor's smile fade slightly, he said indifferently: "You are deploying troops in Fuchuan only because the Ghost Master of the Imperial Domain once suffered a crushing defeat there and did not meet a good end. You want to avenge your father and complete his unfinished work. Furthermore, Danzhou has suffered very little damage this time; the city is strong and the grain is sufficient, and it cannot be taken in a day. Once delayed there, you will lose the initiative, and the Liefeng Cavalry's reputation for invincibility might be ruined in the hands of Ji Cang."

Huang Fei raised his eyebrows and glanced at the table, "Does Your Majesty think that I have no confidence in capturing Danzhou, and therefore abandoned it to take Fuchuan?"

Zi Hao curled his lips and said, "Ji Cang's troops are strong and his horses are sturdy, which is indeed not easy to deal with. This is not an unsound plan."

The two laughed and chatted happily, but their words were filled with hidden barbs. Zi Rao could not help but frown slightly. In the night light, the brightness was instead somewhat confusing, concealing the cold expression on her face.

His thoughts were like a thousand hills and ten thousand gullies, unknown in their depths. What kind of battle did he ultimately want?

Just as she was wondering, she heard a loud laugh from Huang Fei, who said arrogantly: "A mere Ji Cang, what is there to worry about? Your Majesty might as well wait and see. Within ten days, the Liefeng Cavalry will surely take the four cities of Danzhou. At that time, I am willing to request an imperial decree from Your Majesty."

"Oh?" Zi Hao asked with a faint smile, "For what matter?"

Huang Fei shook his sleeves and raised his cup, his expression turning serious, "I request, with the territory of the seven cities and two thousand miles of fertile land in Xuan Guo, to seek the hand of the Nine Princess of the royal family in marriage!"

As soon as the words fell, a strange light flashed in Zi Hao's eyes, and he suddenly looked up; Huang Fei stared at him without moving, the smile on his lips remaining calm.

Not only Zi Rao, but Han Xi was also taken by surprise. With an "Ah," her beautiful eyes widened, "Huang Fei! You are not..." She suddenly stopped her words in the cold silence of Zi Hao. She saw him deeply examining Huang Fei, the majesty in his eyes growing heavier, even faintly revealing a chilling, heart-stopping sternness.

This was the first time Han Xi had seen Zi Hao without a smile. Even though she would never see through him in her entire life, what kind of world was hidden behind this man's smile? At this moment, she felt surprised by his cold and stern demeanor.

The surrounding atmosphere suddenly became heavy, and even the bright lantern light seemed to be stifled, appearing somewhat dull and glaring. Yet suddenly, a soft laugh broke the breeze. Zi Rao raised her head charmingly beneath the glass lantern, narrowed her eyes to look at Huang Fei, and said in a rhythmic voice: "The Lord is truly strange. The person you want to marry is right here. Don't you think you should ask me first if I am willing to marry before going to ask for a decree from my brother?"

At such wanton and bold words, Huang Fei was stunned at first, and then his gaze suddenly brightened, "To tell you the truth, I have long been infatuated with the Princess. Does the Princess know of my painstaking efforts?"

Zi Rao's charming eyes hooked into his smile, which was half-true and half-false, the flowing light like jade.

Han Xi came back to her senses at this time, grabbed her arm, and called out: "Sister Zi Rao, you must not easily agree to him! He has countless beautiful maids and concubines in his mansion. Just a moment ago, he was earnestly teaching General Shan's sister how to shoot arrows. Every year at the bonfire party on the night of the Profound Origin, I don't know how many women throw themselves into his arms!"

Huang Fei was not embarrassed by her joke, but instead said dashingly: "That is not so! It is true that I, Huang Fei, am naturally romantic by nature, and I have never been willing to fail the beautiful faces of the world. But when I first saw the Princess on the peak of Jingyun Mountain, her heavenly appearance and divine demeanor shocked the world. Tasting wine on the jade terrace, drinking in the middle of the lake, and discussing the winds and clouds in Shaoling City—the Princess is the only woman I have seen who is unforgettable. Although I have many concubines and beauties like clouds around me, no one can match her words and smiles, and no one has such soul and courage. To compare them like this—in my heart, I have never thought of it!"

When he said this, his soaring brows and eyes had a compelling brilliance. That incomparable arrogance was enough to make one's heart skip a beat, yet in the moment he gazed and smiled, it turned into heart-moving sincerity.

Zi Rao could not help but narrow her phoenix eyes, a charming arc at the corners of her eyes reflecting the lantern light like a blade of lingering tenderness.

Han Xi smiled secretly and whispered something into Zi Rao's ear. Zi Rao's long eyelashes trembled suddenly, and she raised her eyes to scan Zi Hao. Han Xi, however, mischievously made a face at Huang Fei, "The maids and concubines are one thing, but what about Senior Sister Qie Lan? How will you explain that to your Uncle?"

Huang Fei glanced at her with a smile that was not a smile, "You girl are just making trouble. Do you want me to explain your thoughts to the King?"

"Huang Fei, you dare!" Han Xi's face turned as red as a sunset, and she gritted her teeth and glared at him.

Zi Rao's phoenix eyes lifted slightly, finally knowing why Zi Hao reacted to Huang Fei's request in such a way. He clearly knew the intentions of his uncle long ago; Chu Guo might form an alliance with the Nine Barbarians, and Han Xi was also a noble princess of Great Chu.

This move in the game—whose first move, whose brilliant calculation, on the black and white battlefield, who would win and who would lose the world.

Zi Hao had returned to normal at this moment. After a brief look at Zi Rao, he turned his gaze away, examined Huang Fei for a moment, and finally said: "I have only this one sister left among my siblings, and we have been apart more than together since childhood. I would like to keep her by my side for a while longer. The matter of marriage can be discussed in the long term; acting too hastily would inevitably wrong her. I, in my heart, cannot bear it."

His faint words were like a gentle spring in the middle of the night, flowing and rippling through the heart, with unprecedented tenderness. A firework in the sky cast light down on the pavilion, illuminating his clear smile and reflecting in her eyes, which were as clear as autumn water.

A momentary encounter, a fleeting beauty.

Suddenly, Zi Rao bit her lip and smiled, withdrew her sleeves, and stood up. She bowed gracefully to the monarch on the seat, her ten fingers interlaced, as dignified as a ritual, her dark ink-colored robes blooming in the bottomless abyss of his eyes.

She lowered her head, her black hair turning like clouds, a touch of delicate color staining her red lips, "Brother, time passes easily. Zi Rao will eventually have to marry. Surely you don't intend to keep Zi Rao by your side for a lifetime?"

Zi Hao stared at her and frowned, "Zi Rao."

Zi Rao lifted her brows and looked up, gazing at him lingeringly, "Didn't you say that you would marry Zi Rao to someone she likes? Why then do you not let Zi Rao choose for herself at this time?" As she spoke, her long eyes flowed with smiles, shining brilliantly at Huang Fei, "The three cups of wine on Jingyun Mountain—how could they be something only the Lord remembers?"

Beneath her snow-white sleeves, the hand Zi Hao had pressed against the side of his seat suddenly tightened, as if a startling wave like snow had splashed and shattered in the boundless darkness deep within his eyes. In an instant, the wind ceased and the clouds retreated, leaving no sound.

"Among the men of this world, only the Shao Yuan Lord is worthy of being my sister's husband." Zi Rao raised her sleeves and stood up, her wide sleeves dancing wildly in the wind, stained with golden light and beautiful shadows, a night of colorful brilliance shining on the beauty of the Nine Heavens.

"Huang Fei, if you want to marry me as your wife, from now on, you can only have me as your one woman. If you can do that, the day Xuan Guo is destroyed will be the day you and I marry!"

(End of chapter)