Reign of the Phoenix - Chapter 64

Chapter 64 – She is No Longer Princess
Evening, an arrow zoomed into Lian Kun’s estate. Chiyun Yuexuan pulled it out from the tree trunk and unfolded the paper attached to its tip under the lamplight.

The rest gathered around him, urgent to know the contents of the note.

Chiyun Yuexuan quickly read it aloud, “I will bring Princess Fengyi to Shunyi. Don’t push your luck and try any tricks. Tuoba Lan has been fed a deadly poison. I will you send her antidote regularly. Only after taking it for 10 days in a row will she be completely detoxified. As long as I acquire that precious book, I will release Princess without asking for anything else. Don’t try to think of rescuing her; she’s also poisoned. I’m sure you don’t want to risk her life.”

Tuoba Zhi had a maid bring Tuoba Lan out.

Tuoba Lan’s face and arms were covered in stripes like that of a snake. She scratched all over. “It’s so uncomfortable. What’s happening to me?”

Tuoba Zhi tried to hold back the tears of his heartache. “You’ve been poisoned by that dog Gao Chenghao. There’s an antidote here. Eat it and you’ll get better.”

Tuoba Zhi held out the pill enclosed inside the paper to Tuoba Lan, but the latter abruptly swept the pill to the ground and repeatedly shook her head in fear. “I don’t want it… You all want to hurt me!”

The girl trembled all over. She ran behind a curtain and curled up into a ball. “Don’t come over, don’t kill me…”

Tuoba Zhi carefully approached her. “Lan’er don’t be scared, it’s me, your older brother. Listen to me, eat this pill and you’ll feel better, okay?”

Tuoba Lan let out a horrified scream at that, “Stay away! I’m begging you, please don’t kill me, don’t kill me…”

Just when everyone was at a loss of what to do, Chiyun Yuexuan strode over to Tuoba Lan’s side. He held her down with one hand and clasped her jaw with the other. “We can only try this medicine. Since Gao Chenghao wants the treasure, he won’t cheat us.”

Tuoba Zhi took this chance to put the pill into Tuoba Lan’s mouth. Sensing the girl starting to struggle hard, Chiyun Yuexuan covered her mouth to prevent her from spitting it out.

After Tuoba Lan got tired from all the struggling and finally calmed down, Tuoba Zhi fed her a cup of water, then carried her to a bed so she could rest.

The next morning, everyone packed up and headed for a tea shop owned by the Tuoba clan in Shunyi County. Chiyun Yuexuan rode Flash at the very front of the group. Tuoba Zhi and Lian Kun were right behind him, and Yuan Dong rode next to Tuoba Lan’s carriage with a heavy heart. Huyan Qi and a group of guards in imperial armor followed behind the carriage.

Gao Chenghao was also on the road leading to Shunyi County with Murong Zhining, who sat inside the carriage while he rode a horse beside the carriage with a satisfied face.

Murong Zhining lifted the curtain and innocently looked at Gao Chenghao. “Master, where are you taking Ning’er?”

Gao Chenghao turned to her with a smile. “I’m taking you on a treasure hunt? Do you like it?”

Murong Zhining clapped her hands. “Yes! Ning’er is happy as long as it’s with you. But, Ning’er seems to have forgotten who I am and where I come from…”

Gao Chenghao chuckled. “You only need to remember that I’m your master, and also your only family. Except for me, everyone else is a bad person and they all want to hurt you, do you understand?”

Murong Zhining nodded vigorously. “Ning’er understood! Only Master would treat Ning’er well.”

This attitude was the result of a pill unique to Wuli Country – the Exquisite Heartwash Pill – that could cause one’s mental maturity to regress. In order to make sure he’d get the treasure, Gao Chenghao was ready to resort to the most extreme of measures.

Chiyun Yuexuan had been looking distressed, plagued with pain and guilt ever since he knew Murong Zhining had also been poisoned. They had actually thought up an escape plan, but had been unable to carry it out as Gao Chenghao, who had suffered two setbacks from their hands, became not only vigilant, but also much more cunning and vicious.

Chiyun Yuexuan truly regretted not having killed Gao Chenghao when all was needed was only one slash of sword. Thinking of the torture Murong Zhining may suffer in Gao Chenghao’s custody, he felt like his heart was being torn apart.

At dusk, a guard of Gao Chenghao’s galloped towards them with the antidote according to agreement. Chiyun Yuexuan said to the guard, “Tell your master, if Princess loses just a hair, not only will I destroy him, but I’ll also flatten Wuli. And I, Chiyun Yuexuan, am a man of my word.”

Intimidated by his aura, the guard answered, “His Highness didn’t make it difficult for the princess. He’s taking her with him behind you on the road. She’s very safe, General can rest assured.”

Upon knowing that Gao Chenghao’s team was right behind them, Chiyun Yuexuan sank into contemplation, wondering how he could rescue Murong Zhining. He thought of using force, because as the cold-blooded man he was, Chiyun Yuexuan couldn’t care less about Tuoba Lan’s life. The only thing he was worried about was that he had no antidote for Murong Zhining’s poison even if he successfully rescued her.

Unable to suppress his longing for Murong Zhining, Chiyun Yuexuan still decided to find a chance and try to snatch her back after long and hard consideration.

Chiyun Yuexuan turned his steed around. As expected, he saw Gao Chenghao and his team after running for several miles.

Grasping the lives of both Murong Zhining and Tuoba Lan in his hand, Gao Chenghao wasn’t afraid of Chiyun Yuexuan. He stopped his horse and shot the latter a provoking look. “Are you planning to take Princess away? I’m afraid that’s not at all possible.”

Hearing Gao Chenghao’s voice, Murong Zhining lifted the curtains curiously. “Who are you talking to, Master?”

Gao Chenghao replied with an amiable smile, “Only an irrelevant person. I’m not very familiar with him. Ning’er, take a look and see if you know him?”

Murong Zhining looked at Chiyun Yuexuan and slightly frowned. “He looks so familiar, but I can’t remember where I saw him… What’s your name, this gentleman?”

Chiyun Yuexuan was stunned. He thought Murong Zhining was trying to send him some kind of message. “Ning’er, this animal hasn’t done anything to you, right? Don’t worry, I’ll definitely save you.”

Murong Zhining looked doubtfully at him. “How do you know my name, gentleman? You know me?”

Gao Chenghao chided her in a low voice, “Ning’er, didn’t I tell you that everyone else is a bad person trying to hurt you? How can you forget?”

Murong Zhining bit her lips. “Ning’er remembers well what you said, but he feels so familiar, like I’ve seen him somewhere but can’t recall, so I just asked a question.” She put down the curtain and didn’t speak anymore.

Chiyun Yuexuan shouted at Gao Chenghao, “What did you do to her?!”

Gao Chenghao shot him a glare. “You might as well give up on saving her or whatever. Even if I hand her to you, she won’t follow you. We can negotiate after I get what I want.”

Chiyun Yuexuan charged to the carriage and used his halberd to lift the curtain. “Ning’er, leave with me!”

Murong Zhining shrank back. “I don’t know you, of course I won’t leave with you. My master won’t allow you to take me away either.”

Chiyun Yuexuan creased his brows and stared into her almond eyes. From those calm without a ripple eyes, he saw nothing but distance and resistance. She was no longer the Murong Zhining he knew. Chiyun Yuexuan was very certain that Gao Chenghao had somehow gained control of her mind.

Chiyun Yuexuan didn’t dare to forcefully take her away, fearing that the poison would endanger her life. He could only retreat for now and think of another solution.

When Chiyun Yuexuan turned around to leave, Gao Chenghao called out, “General Chiyun, please stop. I’d like to make a deal with you.”

Chiyun Yuexuan pulled in the reins and coldly stared at him. “What deal?”

Gao Chenghao spurred his horse forward. He didn’t want Murong Zhining to hear what he was going to say.

Chiyun Yuexuan followed him. While he hated that he couldn’t kill Gao Chenghao right here and now, the guy still held both Murong Zhining’s and Tuoba Lan’s life in his hands.

Gao Chenghao lowered his voice, “If you still remember, General, I’m still suffering from that needle of yours. Give me the antidote and I’ll give you the complete antidote for Tuoba Lan. Moreover, I can even promise not to hurt Princess. I only want that book. After I get it, you can have her back.”

Chiyun Yuexuan coldly spat, “You actually reminded me, Your Highness. Now I’m relieved to know that you can’t harm her for the time being. I know the taste isn’t pleasant at all, but for Princess’ safety, you’ll just have to slowly savor it. Remember this well, hurt a hair on her head and I’ll turn your Wuli upside down. If you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to try. Oh, by the way, I’m not in a hurry for Miss Tuoba’s antidote either. However, you best deliver it on time every day. Her father and brother really aren’t the kind you can push around.”

Murong Zhining’s pretty brows knitted at the palpable hostile atmosphere between the two men, which she could feel even from a distance. Her palms sweated in fear for her master, because that man called Chiyun Yuexuan didn’t look like someone to be trifled with.

Chiyun Yuexuan turned to Murong Zhining who was watching them from the window and shouted, “Ning’er, Flash misses you. Even if you cannot remember me, please remember Flash. I’ll come to save you.”

Flash let out a long neigh and sounded so familiar to Murong Zhining. When she looked again, the steed had already carried Chiyun Yuexuan far away.

But briefly after, Chiyun Yuexuan returned. Stopping at a distance, he shouted towards Gao Chenghao, “I forgot to give you a present, Fourth Prince.”

A copper tube appeared in his hand, the sight of which scared Gao Chenghao out of his wits. When the guy wanted to dodge, a needle with a red tassel tail was already stuck in his leg.

Chiyun Yuexuan once again galloped off in the dust. “There you go, Fourth Prince. No need to thank me!”

Gao Chenghao swayed and fell off his horse. Seeing that Murong Zhining had shrunk back in the carriage in panic, the guards had to lift him into her carriage of their own accord.

…

When Chiyun Yuexuan returned, a concerned Tuoba Zhi asked, “How is Princess? Did Gao Chenghao really poison her too?”

Chiyun Yuexuan seemed filled with a sense of dejection. “I don’t know what poison that animal fed her, she’s no longer Princess.”

Tuoba Zhi paled in shock. “Just what on earth happened? Tell me in detail.”

Chiyun Yuexuan was displeased by Tuoba Zhi’s excessive concern but still described the situation to him.

Tuoba Zhi said thoughtfully, “I once heard that the imperial clan of Wuli had a drug called the Exquisite Heartwash Pill. It can make people forget about their past and become obedient. As for whether there is an antidote or any side effect on the body, I don’t know.”

Chiyun Yuexuan clenched his hands. “After Miss Tuoba is cured of the poison, I will just take Princess back.”

Tuoba Zhi hurriedly said, “Don’t be rash. Let me send people to investigate if there’s any antidote for the Exquisite Heartwash Pill.”