Phoenix Rising

078

"Zi-ning, look after yourself while on the way back to the capital, alright?" Yongxing said as he bade farewell to his younger sister in front of the Du manor.

Today, Zi-ning would be leaving Anyang to return to Huangcheng, accompanied by both Zhenghuan and Shengwu. After last night's debacle, Enling was nowhere to be seen, while Lady Du seemed more irritable than usual, frequently pressing her bag of medicinal salts to her nose.

"You take care of yourself too," Zi-ning replied, clutching tightly to her brother's hand. The events in her life had shifted dramatically, and the moment when she had witnessed her brother's death had come and gone, yet Yongxing was still standing fit and healthy in front of her. Till now, she still did not know what the true cause of her brother's demise had been in their previous lives, and how Lady Min and Meiyan might have had a hand in it, but it was enough for now to know that he was well.

"I'll be sure to return when it's time for your wedding," Yongxing teased. Glancing over at Zhenghuan, who was standing by his horse, he added, "If anyone dares bully you or not treat you well, you write to me immediately and I'll fly back immediately, got it?"

"Don't worry, nothing like that will happen when I'm around," Zhenghuan replied in all seriousness.

"Shouldn't you be calling me Da-ge? Seeing as you're looking to marry my little sister?" Yongxing said, sticking his chest out pompously.

Zhenghuan rolled his eyes behind his silver mask. "And I am still your commanding general," he replied drily.

"That's enough, both of you," Zi-ning chided. Was it appropriate for two grown men to be quibbling like that in front of the entire Du household? Already Lady Du did not think highly of her, so Yongxing and Zhenghuan's behaviour would only make the woman view her with more disdain. Although Lady Du was only Zhenghuan's adoptive mother, she had still been the one to bring up Zhenghuan throughout these years, so Zi-ning did not want relationships to become strained because of her.

"Zi-ning, Zhenghuan, have a safe trip," Yu Zixi said. She had also come to bid farewell to them this morning, and although she looked a little under the weather, she still forced a smile upon her face. Turning to Shengwu, she hesitated for a moment, then said, "Have a safe journey too, Shengwu."

Shengwu cleared his throat awkwardly. "Thank you," he said. "If you ever have the chance to visit the capital, let me know. I can show you where some of the better art shops are."

Zi-ning looked at Zixi, then at Shengwu, then back at Zixi again. Ever since Zixi arrived, she had noticed that the girl's eyes seemed to drift in Shengwu's direction every now and then, a little more than was normal. Even now, there was a little shyness in the way Zixi was speaking to him. A tiny smile crept upon Zi-ning's face. Given time and the right opportunity, perhaps there might be room for a budding relationship to blossom between these two. At least she wished there would, because Zixi and Shengwu seemed to be a good fit for each other. In her past life she had not lived long enough to see Shengwu get married—maybe things would change this time around.

"Shall we go?" Zhenghuan asked, holding out his hand to help Zi-ning board the carriage.

She nodded. Giving her brother another affectionate squeeze of the hand, she stepped onto the carriage. Through the window, she waved goodbye to Yongxing as the entourage began to trundle away from the Du manor, until they rounded a corner and all those faces vanished from view.

Zi-nign sighed, dropping the curtain. Her time at Zhuiya and Anyang had not been without troubles, but it had been reinvigorating to spend time away from the schemes and political machinations of Huangcheng and the royal court. Now, it was time to go home—and perhaps time for another battle to begin.