章 1: The Phoenix Overwhelms the World
Heaven's Mandate
For three years, the land suffered a great drought. Rivers dried up, the soil cracked, and despite it being the harvest season, not a single grain was produced. This was the fifth year of Qian Ning during the reign of Emperor Hui of the Zhou Dynasty.
The Zhou Dynasty, founded by the First Emperor, had endured nearly five hundred years by the time of Emperor Hui. The First Emperor was a man of great talent and ambition, possessing both literary and military prowess. He waged war for decades, conquering the east and west, finally ending the chaotic battles among various tribes and founding the vast Zhou Empire. After its establishment, the First Emperor rewarded his most prominent generals—six of whom had fought alongside him on these campaigns—by ennobling them as kings and granting them territories. These were the lords of the six states: Xuanyuan, Lan, Chu, Qi, Yan, and Feng. However, this division would later lead to grave problems.
A hundred years into the Zhou Dynasty's reign, the state of Qi rebelled. Though the rebellion was eventually quelled with the help of the other six states, the dynasty was left weakened. Natural disasters frequently followed, and the Zhou Dynasty began its decline. The feudal lords grew stronger, and the Zhou Emperor's title as the ruler of all under heaven became little more than symbolic.
By now, after decades of struggle, the political landscape had settled into a delicate balance. Six major powers emerged: Xuanyuan, Lan, Chu, Yan, Feng, and the central Zhou dynasty itself, ruling from the imperial capital. Outwardly, the land seemed peaceful with no major conflicts, but under the surface, each state was preparing for war, recruiting soldiers and sharpening their weapons.
In the winter of the fifth year of Qian Ning, the capital of the Feng Kingdom, Leicheng, was blanketed in snow for several days. The moat surrounding the city froze over with a thick layer of ice, and the distant Xianyue Mountain was covered in a sea of white.
The palace, usually resplendent with its golden and jade tiles, lay under a foot of snow. In the imperial garden, the sound of cracking echoed as the trees and shrubs, unable to bear the weight of the snow, snapped and broke. Meanwhile, in the imperial territory of Yan Yun, sixteen provinces radiating from the imperial capital of Zhou, three years of drought persisted. There, not even a drizzle of rain had fallen, let alone snow.
Night had fallen, and the stars hung sparse in the sky, like raindrops in the dark abyss. The snow on the glazed tiles, the branches, and the ground shimmered with a translucent glow, illuminating everything around it.
"Mama! Mama! I-I can't do it anymore!"
The beautiful woman on the bed had disheveled hair, her body drenched in sweat, and her face as pale as paper. She stretched out her delicate hand, gripping the brocade quilt beneath her tightly.
"Your Highness, you must push! Please, you must!"
The midwife, Madam Zhang, was sweating profusely. The empress had been in labor for an entire day and night, and from her experience, Madam Zhang knew this was a difficult birth.
The emperor had abolished the entire harem for the empress, a clear sign of his boundless love for her. If anything were to happen to her, Madam Zhang would bear the blame, and the thought sent chills down her spine.
In the bitter cold of the night, piercing screams echoed from the direction of Xuesang Hall. The sounds mixed with the howling winds, making the already freezing night even more terrifying.
"Brother Ling..."
"Your Majesty, the Empress will be fine. She is under the protection of heaven."
Eunuch Li Dequan stood at the doorway, nervously glancing toward Xuesang Hall while trying to keep an eye on the Feng Kingdom's sovereign beside him, fearing he might lose control and rush in.
A ruler of a nation should not be present at a woman's childbirth—it was considered highly inauspicious.
"I'm worried. I must see how Xiao'er is doing," Feng Xuanling said, his voice laced with anxiety.
Just as his words fell, the pitch-black sky suddenly erupted with starlight. A bright star shot across the heavens, its brilliance piercing through the night and illuminating the world.
"Father, look!"
Feng Xuanling paused and followed his son Feng Jiulan's pointing finger. High above, a radiant star shone, and within the gleaming sky, a phoenix soared. Its features—head like a chicken, chin like a swallow, neck like a snake, back like a tortoise, and tail like a fish—glowed with golden light, tearing through the night sky. The dazzling colors were so intense that they made one's eyes ache.
"It's a phoenix!"
All those present gazed up in astonishment. Even Li Dequan, standing by Feng Xuanling's side, lost his composure and gasped.
The phoenix spread its wings, circling above Xuesang Hall. Its sharp cry resounded, stirring the hearts of all who heard it.
Golden light gathered in the sky, lingering for a long time. The spectacle drew many palace servants who stopped to witness the heavenly sign—an omen of great fortune.
At the break of dawn the next day, the sound of a newborn's cry pierced the golden light. The phoenix raised its head and let out a long, clear call. The gloomy sky, which had been dark for days, suddenly brightened.
Madam Zhang, looking at the weak woman on the bed, wept with joy. "Your Highness! You've given birth! It's a beautiful little princess, and she looks exactly like you. She's bound to be a peerless beauty when she grows up."
"Bring her to me."
Despite the pale complexion of the woman, her features couldn't hide her breathtaking beauty. Though her voice was weak, she managed to smile, a smile that could bring nations to their knees.
Su Zixin, hearing the voices around her, struggled to open her eyes. Glancing at the room's antique furnishings, she was startled to find that she had become an infant.
She wanted to speak, but as soon as she made a sound, it came out as incomprehensible crying. Frustrated, she furrowed her brow and looked at the exhausted but stunningly beautiful woman beside her. What delighted her most was the gentle, loving gaze directed at her—something she had never experienced before.
It didn't take long for her sharp mind to process the situation. She quickly realized the truth—she had transmigrated.
Before, she had been wearing a wedding dress, set to marry Zhou family's eldest son, a man renowned in City C. But she had been betrayed, pushed off a cliff, and left to die.
After falling, she had neither encountered the rumored afterlife nor hell. Instead, she found herself trapped in a small, pitch-black space. Before she could comprehend what was happening, a tremendous force crushed her from all directions. Just when she thought she would die again, the pressure vanished, and her life started anew in this strange world.
The irony of her situation amused her. She had never imagined such things were possible, and yet, here she was.
On the other side, standing outside the room, Feng Xuanling finally relaxed upon hearing the baby's cry. Without hesitation, he rushed into the chamber.
"Xiao'er, how are you feeling?"
Feng Xuanling hurried to the bedside, kneeling down and gently brushing the woman's disheveled hair aside. He softly wiped the sweat from her forehead and face. "Xiao'er, you've worked so hard," he murmured, his voice tender and filled with affection.
"Brother Ling..."
Xiao'er weakly waved her hand, and Madam Zhang, understanding the gesture, carefully placed the child in front of Feng Xuanling.
"I've already thought of a name for our child—how about Xianyue? Feng Xianyue."
Xiao'er looked out the window toward the distant mountains. "The snow on Xianyue Mountain will melt soon, won't it?"
Her delicate hand stroked the face of the man she loved, and as her weak eyes struggled to stay open, a flood of blood poured from her body.
"Xiao'er!"
Feng Xuanling's eyes widened in horror. The blood gushed out like a river, the crimson staining the floor and stabbing into his heart like a dagger.
Xuanling stared in terror, his eyes wide, as the blood poured out like a surging tide, so vividly red, piercing his heart deeply.
"To give them even the love that was meant for me."
She pulled back her hand that had been caressing his face, and with both hands tightly gripping Feng Xuanling's, her eyes bulged, staring at him intently. It seemed that unless he nodded, she would not be able to close her eyes.
"Sang Xiao."
The trembling voice was filled with choked sobs.
Before he could respond, her grip on his hand slowly loosened, but her eyes remained wide open, still staring at him, as if she would forever be watching him.
"Your Majesty."
Zhang Momo, holding String Moon, called softly to him.
Rising to his feet, the enraged Feng Xuanling was about to execute these people.
Lowering his head, his gaze was drawn to the baby in Zhang Momo's arms, and he froze in place.
A face identical to hers, with pink skin so delicate it seemed it would shatter at the slightest touch. Although just born, the baby's eyes were dark and bright, sparkling like stars, especially the cinnabar mole between her eyebrows located in the same place as hers.
She lay quietly in Zhang Momo's arms, not crying or fussing, and at the moment he gazed at her, she opened her eyes slightly.
Your Majesty? Isn't that the emperor? Aren't emperors supposed to have a harem of a thousand beauties, being promiscuous and unfaithful?
Mount Xianyue? Xianyue? Did they meet on Mount Xianyue?
Feng Xianyue, what a beautiful name. She liked it much more than Su Zhixin.
Those eyes... Su's mother once looked at Su Zhixin with the same gaze, full of pity and love, even though that person was just a fool.
"Give them all the love I couldn't."
It was her fault that Sang Xiao died. If it weren't for her, Xiao'er would still be alive.
"Get out! Get out of my sight!"
Feng Xuanling clenched his fists, trembling with rage, as he turned and held Sang Xiao, who lay motionless on the bed, still bleeding profusely.
"What happened?"
Feng Xuanling rushed in, and Feng Jiulan wanted to follow, but Li Dequan held him back. He had been born prematurely, with a weak constitution, and couldn't bear the sight of blood.
Feng Jiulan saw Zhang mama rushing out, cradling the newborn, and quickly ran over.
"How adorable! Is this my little sister?"
Sister?
Feng Xianyue suddenly opened her eyes. The young boy in front of her, dressed in dark robes, looked like a delicately carved jade figure, his posture noble, though his face was somewhat pale. Yet those eyes, so familiar and gentle, were just like the woman's earlier—filled with warmth and affection.
He stood on tiptoe, finally able to see the baby in Zhang mama's arms, and gently stroked her tiny face. "Mama, let me hold her."
His fingertips were slightly cool, but his movements were careful, as if holding a precious treasure.
Zhang mama hesitated for a moment, but because of Feng Jiulan's status, she had no choice but to hand little Xianyue over. "Your Highness, be careful."
Feng Jiulan cradled Xianyue in his arms, kissing her lightly on the cheek. His slender face and deep, steady eyes were full of determination. "From now on, brother will protect you. No one will ever hurt you."
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