Chapter 16: The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate

“Alas, my beloved is not by the east wall; I shall use my zither as a voice to pour out my heart.”

The journey home lacked the excitement of their arrival, feeling rather dull.

Wǔ Xīyǔ, amidst the bumps of the road, began to softly sing a beautiful ballad.

“Oh Phoenix, oh Phoenix, return to your homeland, roaming the four seas in search of your mate…

Jūn’ān, why are you staring at me?

Is there something strange on my face?”

“No, no, no,” Hè Jūn’ān quickly shook his head in denial.

“I just found the song quite pleasant, and inadvertently drifted off.”

“The name of this melody is ‘Phoenix Roaming, Phoenix Dancing.’

Speaking of it, one cannot help but mention His Majesty Bái Tiányè, the current Emperor.

He is an exceptionally talented man.

It is said that before his ascension, while still an imperial heir, he composed ‘Phoenix Roaming, Phoenix Dancing’ specifically to woo a maiden he held dear.

Its melody conveyed the heartfelt wish: ‘May I hold your hand, roam the mundane world, and share the magnificent beauty of a flourishing era.’”

Wǔ Língfēng cautioned them.

“Xīyǔ, in the future, do not utter His Majesty’s name so directly.

If the authorities were to hear it, it could mean execution.”

“Yes…”

“Are you happy about going out today?”

“Happy, of course I am happy,” Wǔ Xīyǔ paused, then mumbled softly, “After all, it’s my first time traveling far from home…”

“When the Bountiful Harvest Festival arrives, Father will take you to Celestial Edict City to experience the most prosperous and magnificent sight in the world.”

“Alright~~~!”

Hè Jūn’ān asked curiously, “What kind of festival is the Bountiful Harvest Festival?”

“The Bountiful Harvest Festival is our Glorious Xia’s annual coming-of-age ceremony.

It is also a grand celebration to implore the Illustrious Ancestor to bless our descendants, ensuring peace and prosperity across the land in the coming year.

This year, you happen to be ‘two eights,’ so I will take you to Celestial Edict City to see the world.”

Hè Jūn’ān nearly leaped up upon hearing this.

“Twenty-eight?!”

Wǔ Língfēng, with an impatient expression, explained, “Two eights is sixteen.”

“Why can’t you just say sixteen?”

Wǔ Língfēng frowned deeply in response, “Why do you have so many ‘whys’?”

“I think I only asked one…”

Hè Jūn’ān could vaguely sense that Wǔ Língfēng was in a foul mood, easily becoming agitated.

“Father, why wait for another day when we can go tomorrow?

Let’s pack our things and head to Celestial Edict City to play!”

“Absolutely not,” Wǔ Língfēng retorted, speaking to her in a rare, stern tone, as if his dragon’s tail had been stepped on.

“When the time is ripe, I will naturally take you.”

“Alright,” Wǔ Xīyǔ timidly took a step back.

“Then I’ll just go to Moxuan for now.

It’s quite large anyway.”

“No!” Wǔ Língfēng’s voice grew increasingly stern.

“Everything remains as usual before the Bountiful Harvest Festival.

You are not permitted to go anywhere without my permission!”

“Why?”

“Why do you also have so many ‘whys’?” His tone was unyielding, like a military official unwilling to yield an inch, leaving no room for argument.

“Father, how could you…”

Hè Jūn’ān mustered his courage and spoke up for Wǔ Xīyǔ.

“Uncle, she’s not a child anymore.

Why are you unwilling to let her go out and broaden her horizons?”

“I am protecting her.

A girl should remain secluded within the women’s quarters before marriage.

Appearing in public would not only harm her reputation but also attract wolves and tigers.

If something were to happen, how could I face her mother’s dying wish?”

“The word ‘protection’ is a term of praise.

Your actions, at best, are control.

You treat her like a caged bird.

Yes, perhaps she would be very safe in that cage, but she would also lose her freedom.

The blue sky she yearns for is within arm’s reach, yet flapping her wings proves futile.

Is that not a torment?”

“You brat, don’t forget whose food and drink you’re consuming.

How dare you talk back to this old man?”

“I’m just speaking plainly…”

“Do you believe I’ll throw you off this carriage?”

“I…” Hè Jūn’ān had just opened his mouth to say something when Wǔ Língfēng’s piercing glare choked back his words, and he meekly uttered a single word, “I do.”

The previously harmonious atmosphere suddenly turned strange.

After that, Wǔ Língfēng said almost nothing, and Wǔ Xīyǔ became taciturn.

As for Hè Jūn’ān, he dared not utter a sound.

A stifling tension hung in the air, thick with the scent of gunpowder, fearing that a single spark would ignite the powder keg.

***

It was not until they arrived at the small wooden house that Wǔ Língfēng finally broke the eerie silence.

Leaping nimbly from the carriage, he turned and reached out to help Wǔ Xīyǔ.

Unexpectedly, the usually obedient Wǔ Xīyǔ paid him no mind, jumping down on her own accord.

She stumbled, nearly twisting her ankle, “Oof—!”

“Your wings have grown stiff, haven’t they?”

Wǔ Xīyǔ ignored him.

She turned and tried to drag Hè Jūn’ān out of the carriage, but his weight was like a small white rabbit attempting to drag a large grey wolf—clearly an impossible feat.

Even so, she continued to tug him little by little, showing not the slightest inclination to ask Wǔ Língfēng for help.

“Move aside,” Wǔ Língfēng couldn’t bear to watch.

He stepped forward without hesitation and picked up Hè Jūn’ān, then turned to enter the small wooden house.

However, just as he was entering, he accidentally tripped on the threshold, stumbling and nearly dropping the unfortunate Hè Jūn’ān.

“Father, be careful!

Jūn’ān will be hurt!”

Wǔ Língfēng, with a face full of impatience, clumsily tossed Hè Jūn’ān onto his own bed.

He then quickly turned and walked to the square table, slumping onto a wooden chair, crossing his legs with a sour expression.

“Ouch…”

Before long, Wǔ Xīyǔ walked over, carrying a ceramic jar, which she carefully set on the ground.

“These are Jade Nectar Cherries stored at home.

If you’re hungry, you can have some to tide you over.

Later, I’ll cook you something delicious.”

“Jade Nectar Cherries…” As Hè Jūn’ān recalled the small fruits he had eaten in the cave, his mouth began to water uncontrollably.

His eyes were fixed on the jar, unable to tear away.

“They truly smell wonderful.”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Wǔ Língfēng, hearing it was Jade Nectar Cherries, immediately strode over and demanded indignantly, “Where did you find these?

Didn’t I hide them?”

“I know perfectly well where Father hides things.”

“Absolutely not,” Wǔ Língfēng declared resolutely.

“Quickly return the Jade Nectar Cherries to me, or I’ll throw him out and bury him.”

Hè Jūn’ān looked astonished, “Why, after all that, do you want to bury *me*?”

Wǔ Xīyǔ smiled and replied, “Patients first.”

“Uncle, I’ll just eat a tiny bit, and give the rest back to you…”

“Shut your mouth, you!” Wǔ Língfēng roared fiercely at him.

“Do you believe I’ll drag you out and hang you from a tree?”

“I…” Hè Jūn’ān had just opened his mouth to say something when Wǔ Língfēng’s piercing glare choked back his words, and he meekly uttered a single word, “I do.”

Wǔ Xīyǔ transformed from a docile little rabbit into a prickly hedgehog.

“Father always likes to utter harsh threats to scare people, but he has never once followed through.

Don’t be afraid of him.”

“Do you believe I’ll do it this time and show you?”

“If you dare to hang Jūn’ān out there, I’ll…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Wǔ Língfēng’s eyes widened, bloodshot with fury.

“You’ll what?”

Hè Jūn’ān, seeing the atmosphere turn sour, quickly interjected, playing the peacemaker.

“We’re all family, let’s speak more amiably.

There’s really nothing major to quarrel about…”

“Talk, talk, talk!” Wǔ Língfēng indeed lost his temper, his face flushing crimson like a monkey’s backside.

“One day, I’ll tear your mouth apart!”

His anger, like an ice pick, pierced Hè Jūn’ān’s heart, chilling him to the core, as cold sweat trickled down his back.

‘Did I say something wrong?’

Wǔ Xīyǔ lowered her head slightly, her expression suddenly turning exceptionally grim.

“Father, from now on, I will take care of Jūn’ān.

You are not to approach him.”

“Fine, fine, fine, so you like to defy me now, do you?” Wǔ Língfēng, enraged, pointed a finger at her nose and reprimanded her.

“If you have the guts, go find another home for yourselves!

Don’t you dare flit about in front of me!

Both of you get out of my house!” With that, Wǔ Língfēng turned and kicked the door panel clean off its hinges.

“Get out, you!

If you have the guts, never come back for the rest of your lives!

I’ll consider it as if I never raised you—!”

Wǔ Xīyǔ’s eyes reddened with grievance, tears welling up and threatening to spill, a sight that truly tugged at one’s heartstrings.

“Jūn’ān, let’s go…”

“Go? Where to…”

“I don’t know.

In any case, let’s find a place to settle down first, then figure out how to find a job to earn some money to support you.

Don’t worry, I’ll take responsibility for you.”

“Wait a minute, our lines seem to be reversed, don’t they?”

Just as the atmosphere in the small wooden house plummeted below zero, an uninvited guest burst into the room.

With high spirits, he pointed at Hè Jūn’ān’s nose and challenged him, “You, Hè!

I’ve already developed a set of martial arts that can perfectly counter your ‘Crow Sits on Plane.’

Come, come, let’s fight again!”

Indeed, the newcomer was none other than Yáo Tiān, the most cherished grandson of Tianmen Village Chief.

He looked at Wǔ Xīyǔ, then at Wǔ Língfēng, and finally at Hè Jūn’ān.

A perfectly logical short story instantly formed in his mind.

‘Whose child is it?’

“What kind of family drama scenario is playing out in your head?!” Hè Jūn’ān couldn’t help but retort.

Yáo Tiān scratched the back of his head, asking with a puzzled expression, “So… what’s the situation now?

Did Uncle Wu beat you to this state?”

“Father doesn’t want us anymore,” Wǔ Xīyǔ wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

“For the sake of our friendship, can you help me find a place to stay?”

“Ah?” Hearing her words, Yáo Tiān immediately widened his eyes, so surprised he nearly leaped up.

“Uncle Wu, you… don’t want Xīyǔ anymore?”

“Don’t listen to her nonsense.”

Yáo Tiān’s brow furrowed slightly, and his eyes darted around, then a look of profound realization dawned on his face.

“Xīyǔ, it’s not for me to say, but children should listen to their parents.

Don’t sulk with Uncle Wu.”

Hè Jūn’ān kindly advised, “Yáo Tiān, I think you’d better stop talking…”

“Let me finish,” Yáo Tiān did not heed his advice, chattering on incessantly.

“As the saying goes, at home, the father is revered; after marriage, the husband is paramount.

The husband is like heaven.

If heaven is displeased, you must coax him.

This is true feminine virtue.”

Wǔ Xīyǔ’s expression grew increasingly grim, but Yáo Tiān was completely oblivious, continuing with his grand pronouncements.

“So, once you enter our Yáo family’s household, your father will truly no longer have any say over you.

You can consider it.

Let’s get things settled quickly, and he won’t be able to control you anymore.”

Unexpectedly, this Cheng Yaojin who appeared out of nowhere, without understanding the full context, instantly infuriated both parties involved with his extraordinary conversational prowess, causing Hè Jūn’ān to cast him a look of admiration.

‘What a Canadian self-detonating infantryman…’

“You brat,” Wǔ Língfēng’s veins bulged on his forehead upon hearing Yáo Tiān’s words.

He angrily seized him by the collar, unceremoniously dragging him closer.

“What do you mean, once she’s married off, I’ll have no say?”

Wǔ Xīyǔ quickly added, “Little Tiān, until you learn to show respect, I will not consider marrying you.”

“No, that’s not what I meant!

Listen to me explain…” Taking two metaphorical blows to the head, Yáo Tiān was at a loss, his thoughts momentarily in disarray.

“Actually, I’m not, I’m not saying that.

You’ve all misunderstood.

What I meant was… what was it I meant?

Anyway, I really didn’t mean that!” After a moment, Yáo Tiān finally realized, looking at them with an innocent expression, “Did you two, father and daughter, have a fight?”

“Has your reaction time been devoured by your own intelligence?” Hè Jūn’ān couldn’t help but retort again.

“I’m leaving.” Wǔ Língfēng dropped this statement, then turned and left the small wooden house without a backward glance.

“Go ahead and leave then…” Wǔ Xīyǔ mumbled softly.

Yáo Tiān pondered for a moment, then suddenly remembered something, slapping his forehead abruptly.

“Right, you, Hè, I came to challenge you!”

Hè Jūn’ān replied with a helpless expression, “Bad timing.

Right now, I’m only fit to be a punching bag…”

Yáo Tiān lightly poked his calf with a finger, “Are you crippled?”

Wǔ Xīyǔ lightly smacked the back of his hand, as if swatting a fly.

“He was injured by someone and needs a few days to rest.

Don’t bother him.”

“Who did it?!” Yáo Tiān initially seemed angry, but then gradually could no longer conceal the joy in his heart, saying with a mischievous grin,

“I must personally visit him to express my gratitude, thanking him for his indelible contributions to Tianmen Village.

Next year, I’ll nominate him for the ‘Top Ten Outstanding Youths of Tianmen who Moved Us.’”

Wǔ Xīyǔ said with a displeased expression, “You’re truly annoying!”

“Seriously, what medicine do you need?” Yáo Tiān patted his chest.

“I’ll go directly to Uncle Wang’s house to get it.

His family supplies medicinal herbs to apothecaries year-round, so they’ll have whatever you need.”

Hè Jūn’ān asked weakly, “When did you become so loyal?”

“I’m hoping you get better soon.

The sooner you recover, the sooner I can beat you until you’re spitting teeth, and avenge my previous humiliation!”

“Do you want to win against me that badly?”

“Of course!

I, Yáo Tiān, have never lost a fight since I was a child.

Not now, and certainly not in the future!”

“How about I give you a plan to win against me right away?”

Yáo Tiān’s interest perked up immediately.

“Tell me.”

“The people who beat me until I was spitting teeth—if you can beat *them* until they’re spitting teeth, wouldn’t that prove you can beat me until I’m spitting teeth?”

“That’s right,” Yáo Tiān rubbed his hands together eagerly.

“Quickly tell me who beat you; I’ll go give them a good thrashing!”

Wǔ Xīyǔ replied for him, “Young Master Lin, Lin Shaodong, of the Lin family from Moxuan Market Town.”

Upon hearing that name, Yáo Tiān’s restless heart felt as though it had been struck by a heavy hammer.

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly and sat down.

“I’m a straightforward person; I don’t like beating around the bush.

It would be more direct to settle the score with you once you’ve recovered.”

Watching his slightly comical expression and actions, Hè Jūn’ān and Wǔ Xīyǔ burst into laughter in unison.

Somehow, even Yáo Tiān couldn’t help but join in the laughter.

The three of them giggled as if possessed by some mischievous spirit, and the previous unpleasant and oppressive atmosphere instantly dissipated amidst their joyful laughter.