The Legend of the Pheonix

Finally I managed to escape but I wonder how Yang Mei is doing now, whether his majesty got the jade hairpin I left, he gave it to me as a birthday present when I was a kid, he said I can use it as a shield against his anger or ask anything from him and he will grant it but I never feel the urge to use it because since that day my life got snatched from me by my fate.

How will I find Lu Qian Feng now and I don't even know where he is or where he lives?

He is a ghost right, where do ghost usually live?

Could it be in the cemetery but he doesn't even have a graveyard and even if he has one, it will be in Hu county not in Chang'an.

How do I find you and you said we should meet after I escaped, then where are you now?

Ahhhh... I'm so hungry, I didn't even eat anything and is already lunch time, I don't have any money on me.

Why didn't I just bring some money with me even one tael of silver will do, what do I do???

Mister can I have one steamed bun for free, please?

Young man, we do business if we keep giving for free there won't be any profits, then how can we fend for our family?

I'm sorry mister...

Feeling all disappointed, she turned to leave but before she could leave.

Young man, here have this one, you know at the Buddha's temple,the Chen family are distributing food.

What really?

All the beggars, the commoners even the refugees are there, go you will find something to eat there.

But why are they distributing food at the temple?

Don't you know, today is the lanterns festival and is also the death anniversary of marquis Chen's only son that died in the battlefield.

So the Chen family are distributing goods in honour of their late son?

They do so every year didn't you know young man?

No I'm new to town, I just came to Chang'an.

Oh I see, you look like a refugee, are you a refugee?

Yes, I am a refugee from LuoYang and I'm very new to the capital, so I don't know much about things here.

Oh I see, so you are from LuoYang, they said LuoYang is very unstable at the moment?

Yes the two dynasties are at war with each other because of that they're so many bandits in LuoYang.

Luo Yang is at the boundary between the two borders so there is a lot going on there, many citizens are imgrating from Luo Yang to Chang'an and other areas.

Okay take care young man.

Thank you mister for everything.

See you young man.

Move, move .....

Everyone should stand in line, there is enough for everyone.

No I will go first, no me...

So this is it, they are really distributing goods for his late son but why didn't I heard about his son and nothing about him in the historical records because I have been in the royal labrary before and I have seen most of the historical records of those in the militaries and officials, alive or dead.

The royal labrary has records of everyone working in or out of the palace however, I haven't seen any record of his son, why?

I think I should also participate in this, look even the monks and nuns are collecting it as alms and also it might be beneficial to us.

~His majesty ~

Your majesty, is sometime bothering you? Eunuch Mo asked.

Did eunuch Jan delivered the message to Duke Li? Yes your majesty, he did and he is on his way back to the capital.

Go and summon the royal guard for me.

Okay, your majesty.

There is something about Ling Xian's palace than I know, why is her palace so shabby not like a palace at all but more like a dungeon and that maid she resembles the late empress so much when she was young.

What is going on?

Your majesty, the royal guard has arrived.

Send him in.

Your majesty, you summoned me, said Yang Yu.

Yes, I want you to investigate everything about Shu palace, I want every detail and also investigate the background of the second princess's maid.

Okay your majesty, I will take my leave.

Your majesty is something wrong with Shu palace?

Eunuch Mo, how long have you been serving me?

I have been serving your majesty, long before you became the crown prince.

You know in the whole palace, I can only trust you and eunuch Jan,outside the palace I can only trust Duke Li.

When I was in Shu palace, I found this and you know Ling Xian never leaves any clues or evidences that can lead to her but look at this.

The Jude hairpin?

Isn't this the jade hairpin your majesty gave her on her 5th birthday?

Yes and I found it lying on the ground, the hairpin was placed so well like it was trying to show something.

But why didn't you said anything back then your majesty?

Do you know what this hairpin symbolise?

No, your majesty!

It symbolises redemption.

Redemption?

Yes redemption and she is giving it to me as a ransom for her maid.

She took such a big risk there must be a reason and that reason isn't just to protect her maid.

Eunuch Mo, do you know anything about Shu palace which I don't?

No your majesty, I'm always with you here in the palace, I don't know anything outside Lotus pavilion your majesty but I heard some rumours that the empress is always going after the second princess and her palace.

Why didn't you tell me?

Sorry your majesty, I took it as mild rumour and I didn't pay much attention to it but I think Duke Li knows something.

Duke Li?

Yes, he was always closed to the princess before.

After everything is settled, send for Duke Li to return to the capital, he has been in the military camp for so long.

Okay your majesty.

Your majesty, when should her Highness's maid start serving here?

Go summon her.

Yes your majesty... Anything else?

Well your majesty, the empress don't seem to be pleased with her serving in the lotus Pavillion and also about the lanterns festival, is the royal family still going to the lake's

oracle?

No, let's go pay a visit to longevity hall and also summon Ming Xi there,we will celebrate lanterns festival with the empress dowager.

Noted your majesty.

What is wrong with Lu Qian Feng, is already twilight, why isn't he here???

What are you doing if you don't wish to have it, then move.

You... Is mine this is the last bit of it and I won't share it with anybody.

Fine when I trash you so hard, you ought to get it give up.

What I can't fight him no matter what happened because it will hinder our plan so...

Give it to me. No I won't... Then a holy monk came, Amitabha ( merciful Buddha) here is mine, please don't beat this young man.

A nun also came and caressed my wounds, do you need more young man?

To go with the pretend I said yes...

Everyone left but I stayed back at the temple.

Thank you everyone, I'm going to the lake's Oracle to pray for my late family's souls to rest in peace.

Fine young man, do visit us okay and take care,the nuns said.

Ling Xian, Ling Xian.

Where were you,I have been waiting for you, all because of you those beggars beat me like a pyramid.

Well don't you know, ghosts only roamed at night not during the day even those with graveyard.

But you said I should meet you after I escaped, right?

l..I didn't know you will be able to escaped so soon.

Sorry!!

Fine, is okay.

What do we do now?

Well let's go and get a lantern.

How to we get the lantern, do you have money?

No, you will steal it.

Me? Why will I steal?

Yes you, because I don't have the ability to get in contact with objects.

You don't? Of course I don't because I am a ghost and I don't have a body, remember?

Oh, we'll have to get the lantern but do we have to steal?

How do you plan on getting the lantern without stealing it, is your brilliant idea begging?

No... Then how do you plan on getting it then?

Well let me finish, how about we make leaf lantern and if you steal, do you think marquis Chen and his family will believe us after everything?

you don't know marquis Chen,he is an official, officials are very judgemental and calculative.

Okay, he said.

Lu Qian Feng, you said you will tell me the whole plan.

About that, let's compete everything first and call me Qian Feng. Okay Qian Feng.

.....

Make a wish Qian Feng.

No you should, I don't have anything to wish for.

Heavens, please help us prove Lu family's innocence, help me get justice for my mother, help Qian Feng attain salvation also protect the Tang dynasty and it's people.

What did you wish for?

I won't tell you, if I do, it will never come true.

Really, even I used to believe in such things decades ago but not anymore.

They have arrived, are you ready?

Wish me luck.

Don't worry we will be fine.

What is that ????

Why is it lunar eclipse on the lanterns festival?????

Everyone should go, a tornado is coming.

Out of the way, out of the way...

Lu Qian Feng, why is the sky so dark and with such a strong storm?

Is the heavens against us?

Help, help... someone from the Chen's family has fallen into the lake.

Please someone help, the young lady from the Chen's family has fallen into the lake and there are so many lanterns in the lake, please help...

Go, Ling Xian, I think the heavens are on our side.

But look that servant is getting into the lake to save her.

What is going on here, why is it when the servant got into the lake there is even a stronger vortex?

Qian Feng, I have never seen a lake tornado before, I'm very scared now.

Go, nothing will happen okay? Okay...

Young man, thank you for saving the young lady from the lake, we are all indebted to you but why is she still unconscious?

I think just now she was drowned in the lake but let me give her back to life skill.

Back to what, is the young lady dead??

No... She is just unconscious due to being in lake for long and if I give her back to life skill, she will be fine.

Okay...

Wow young man, your skill is really amazing.

Young lady, are you alright?

Yes, I'm fine.

This young man saved you.

Thank you for saving me, I'm Shao Yin.

I'm Lu Qian Feng, since you're alright now, I will take my leave.

Wait.. you have saved my life and now you're my saviour.

No really miss!

You are, so come with me to the Chen residence and receive your reward from my father.

I don't need any rewards from you, I have done this to save a life and my mother has said "is better to save a life than to build thousands storied pagodas".

Even my father has said "we should never own anyone, especially strangers and we should repay kindness with rewards".

But I don't need it, I only accept kindness as help not as rewards, I will take my leave and I hope we never see each other again.