Little Phoenix Is Not An Immortal - Chapter 5

APRIL 3, 2016 ~ LUEN

I decided to keep some terms of address in the original Chinese since 1) some of them were just impossible for me to translate into English without sounding horribly out of place and 2) since this is a Chinese novel I wanted to used some Chinese terms. So, terms like brother and sister or sworn brother and stuff will be left in Chinese from now on. Which means I can spend less time thinking of ways to translate the 20+ different ways that Chinese royalty have of addressing themselves. Yayyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!! Kinda sad I missed April Fool’s tho. Maybe I should have put up a prank chapter just for fun?

PS: since I can’t attach notes to all of them: biaoge = older male cousin on mom’s side, meimei/meizi = younger sister/ close younger female

Chapter 5: His Majesty the God Emperor (1)

Sure enough, the empress was sitting within the hall. Zhao Huajun had just entered inside and had yet to give his greetings when she actually sprang up at lightning speed and approached first to welcome him and pay her respects: “I heard His Majesty say that biaoge had arrived and  I would have been lacking in manners if I didn’t come to greet you.”

Zhao Huajun put down Tian Zhen and returned the greeting: “It was my fault just now. May the empress please forgive me.”

“Ya, such an ugly little phoenix!” The empress was surprised.

Tian Zhen silently walked to the corner of the hall in tears.

God, wasn’t it said that having a beautiful heart was the most important thing…….?

Zhao Huajun gave a rough explanation of how an accident occurred during her fire bathing rebirth. He invited the empress to sit down, but the empress told him over and over again to sit down before she was willing to sit down again. She smilingly looked at Heng Yue-ji¹: “Heng Yue-meimei wanted to go out for a stroll just now. How is it that she and biaoge came back together?”

Heng Yue-ji smiled a bit forcefully and answered that they had coincidentally met in the bamboo forest.

Seeing that Zhao Huajun’s complexion was the same as ever, the empress knew that a mishap had occurred. Hence, she moved away from this topic and said with deep concern: “Biaoge, has there been any news over there of Dragon Girl De Yin?”

Zhao Huajun shook his head.

Clearly seeing the sad look within those phoenix eyes, Tian Zhen was puzzled. Who’s Dragon Girl De Yin?

“The people that His Majesty had dispatched have continuously been looking all over the place at You Po Mountain.” The empress sighed and then softly advised, “From the time De Yin-meizi  disappeared, 20 years have already passed. Biaoge can’t go on like this forever.”

Zhao Huajun was obviously unwilling to continue with this subject: “I’ve heard that Imperial Concubine Ni is with child?”

Hearing the words Imperial Concubine Ni, Tian Zhen immediately focused her mind.

“I had come precisely to tell biaoge of this happy occasion.” The empress’s eyes flickered and drifted around while her face still wore that perfect smile. She raised her hand and ordered all the maids, “All of you withdraw.”

Once Heng Yue-ji and all the maids had withdrawn outside, the empress’ smiling expression rapidly became cold and she gave a soft snort: “Imperial Concubine Ni can’t serve and that Imperial Concubine He has become restless again. Recently, His Majesty has frequently gone over to her place and bengong² is worried that she’s planning something again……”

Zhao Huajun interrupted her with his tone still as warm as before: “The crown prince is hardworking and shows promise and the Bird God race would naturally assist him with all our strength. His Majesty understands this. Empress is too anxious.”

“What Zhao Huajun says is correct. Indeed, it was bengong thinking too much.”

The empress had put up this act for the sake of these words. Playing as a matchmaker between him and Heng Yue-ji was also because she wanted to deepen their relationship. Mentioning her own son, she tone was a somewhat prideful, “How could that lowly He be able to compare with the bloodline of our phoenix race. Nowadays, His Majesty regards the crown prince with utmost importance and often comes to bengong’s place.” (T/N: the He mentioned here is the imperial concubine)

A pause. She hurriedly said: “The crown prince had originally wanted to come and meet Zhao Huajun, but was ordered by His Majesty to go somewhere.”

Zhao Huajun reservedly said, “Empress was born a member of the Bird God race and originally  shouldn’t be secretly coming back and forth. The crown prince has to avoid arousing suspicion even more so as to prevent giving people a pretext for gossip as well as give His Majesty a piece of mind.”

“Bengong understands.” The empress nodded her head and said, “Only, Imperial Concubine Ni being with child, every race has heard this news and are all striving to send people over. Bengong came here to ask you whether you have made preparations?”

Zhao Huajun didn’t answer. He stood up and paced several steps with his hands placed on his back. Suddenly, he said: “Imperial Concubine Ni being pregnant will certainly attract jealousy and fear since she is a member of my phoenix race as well as General Ni’s daughter. At that time, I had decided to send her to the imperial court. If something were to happen, I’m afraid that our people will be bitterly disappointed.”

“Don’t worry Zhao Huajun. Bengong can’t eat these vinegars and only has the crown prince, this single hope.” The empress helplessly smiled, “If not her, then it’ll be someone else. Those on our side can at least be considered as arms. In these years, she can be considered to have been loyal to bengongand the crown prince. She has spoken well of the crown prince in the presence of His Majesty many times. So long as she quietly stays within her boundaries, bengong will certainly thoroughly protect the mother and child. Otherwise, who else will handle matters on our behalf? Were it not for bengong secretly paying attention to her, those cheap people would have placed a hand on her a long time ago.”

Zhao Huajun nodded his head in satisfaction: “It’s good so long as Empress gives thought to the general situation.”

Regarding the matter of Imperial Concubine Ni possibly being harmed, Tian Zhen was originally apprehensive as she wondered whether or not she should tell him. Who would have thought that while listening to this dialogue, she would receive huge blow——the hell. To have actually thought that she had heard some exclusive news from the corners. In the end, the others had long since anticipated this. The leader seemed cultured and refined, but was in fact a two-faced character of the highest degree! Each and every one of these deities are all more proficient than monkeys! Causing me, a tiny bird, to pointlessly worry!

“New candidate……”

“I’ll personally arrange it.”

Having received his word, the empress was relieved. She stood up and let the maids come inside: “It’s late. Bengong will return now.”

Zhao Huajun paid his respects: “I will respectfully walk Empress back.”

The empress said: “Biaoge is too courteous. You don’t have to alright?”

Heng Yue-ji sweetly said: “I heard that Zhao Huajun has to rush to Dong Yuan Yin Mountain tomorrow morning to supervise the battle. I hope that you will take care of yourself.”

Zhao Huajun expressed his thanks.

In the evening, the fist-sized pearls embedded in the corners of the eaves began to emit light. The cheerful sounds faded away, the imperial court becoming cold and cheerless during the night. The maids arranged the meal, a table abundant with food of every color under the sun.

Zhao Huajun stood alone in front of the window. His gentle appearance was nowhere to be seen within the pearl light and a sliver of desolate melancholy was shown from his back.

If was a long time before he turned around and walked over.

There was a black figure on the table. It was Tian Zhen silently standing there blinking her eyes.

“Little phoenix understands people’s thoughts. Are you also heartbroken?” Zhao Huajun softly asked, the smile at the edge of his lips a bit pained, “After going missing at You Po Mountain, I’ve already searched for so many years. Yet, there hasn’t been the least bit of news. In the end, she……what happened to her?”

That kind of gaze was, compared to the usually astute and calm appearance, too different. Tian Zhen couldn’t help being startled.

I’m not heartbroken. In truth, I’m just waiting to eat dinner.

So that’s why he said those words that night at the foot of You Po Mountain. So it turns out that the people who had met with mishap included his girlfriend, Dragon Girl De Yin.

Actually, according to Tian Zhen’s logic, being heartbroken and eating were two different things. Being heartbroken was originally painful. If you were to hurt your stomach as well, then it would be even less worth it. The leader is heartbroken and I’m willing to accompany you in being heartbroken. However, you have to hurry up and finish being heartbroken and eat dinner. Otherwise, I’ll eat first and then continue being heartbroken?

“I should have thought of her stubborn personality sooner. Leaving in a fit of anger, of course something would happen to her.” Zhao Huajun hugged her, “20 years, it’s been 20 years. Should I give up? Maybe she’s already……”

Those dark black eyes were just like the color of the night sky. Tian Zhen’s heart stirred.

TV dramas and magazines have informed women that they shouldn’t try to comfort an injured man. Otherwise, the you whose mother’s instinct has started to shine will fall in love with him.

Tian Zhen promptly lowered her head.

To be able to look for one woman for over 20 years, compared to His Majesty the God Emperor, he was already regarded as a very sentimental person.

She felt the hand on her back softly stroking her feathers. Gradually, the entire space within the hug and even the air itself became filled with grief.

In the end, Tian Zhen still extended her wing and softly patted his arm.

Seeing her having a comforting intent, Zhao Huajun was half amazed and half delighted: “Phoenix, you understand what I’m saying?”

I understand more than you think. Tian Zhen nodded her head.

The greater portion of the anxiety stuffed in his heart was dispelled. Zhao Huajun fetched a training seed to feed to her.

Leader, can’t you do something different? You’re eating food while giving me this thing to eat? Tian Zhen turned her head and jumped out from his arms. She then circled around the food the table.

The God Realm’s food wasn’t like the Human Realm’s crop. There wasn’t any impure air and the sweet scent assailed her nose.

Could it be that it wanted to eat food? Zhao Huajun was startled for a moment. With the intent to test things out, he simply took his own food and pushed it in front of Tian Zhen.

Receiving permission, Tian Zhen opened her beak wide and pecked.

The phoenix race had always fed on training seeds. Suddenly encountering an exception, Zhao Huajun secretly marveled at its strangeness: “So it turns out that little phoenix eats food.”

Receiving some influence from the common bird on her appetite, Tian Zhen felt very apologetic. She used her claw to take a plate of food and push it in front of him. After that, she turned to the other side with her back to him and continued to eat.

Thinking of how many years it’s been without anyone having a meal with him, today, the one sitting in front of him was unexpectedly a little phoenix who had yet to cultivate into human form. Zhao Huajun couldn’t help smiling and said: “Since you’re so clever, in the future, if you diligently cultivate you’ll definitely be able to cultivate into human form.”

Tian Zhen ignored these words.

Having been a person for so long, it’s very tiring. Being a bird, I have a beautiful man to hug me and there’s gossip to hear. Where is it bad?