The Dragon and the Phoenix in the Mortal Realm – 4

 Within the span of an hour, each person’s folded papers were completed, and from beyond the hall echoed the sound of knocking. Subsequently, an inner attendant proclaimed, “Your Majesty, the noon repast has been delivered.”
 A faint fragrance wafted through the air, rousing the deeply slumbering Nan Pianyue, who sprang up like a carp leaping from the water, exclaiming, “It’s mealtime!” With quick strides, he reached the entrance and flung the doors open. Sure enough, outside stood two long tables laden with steaming delicacies. “Sixth Brother, come help me!”
 Hua Jingtai stretched his limbs before walking over to assist Nan Pianyue in carrying the tables into the hall.
 “Ying, wake up,” Dong Shixiu gently shook Feng Duying awake, then considerately handed her some tea to rouse her spirit.
 Thus, the eight people gathered around the tables and enjoyed their meal, each person displaying their own unique demeanor.
 Dong Shixiu reveled in the extravagant combination of food and drink; Huang Ti was methodical, taking one bite of rice followed by one bite of a secondary dish; Ning Jingyuan exhibited a calm and composed air even when picking up a morsel; Feng Ji’s eating manner was as graceful as a painting; Bai Yima adhered to the principle of “eating in silence” while chewing slowly and deliberately; Hua Jingtai wasted not a single grain of rice or a drop of soup, his movements swift as if the wind swept away the clouds; Feng Duying picked only her favorite dishes; and Nan Pianyue, with an open appetite and beaming face, offered praise as he enjoyed the meal most heartily.
 The fastest among them finished their meal in half a quarter-hour, while the slowest took half an hour.
 Once everyone had finished, the attendants outside the hall brought in tea.
 Clearing away the tables, the eight people sat or leaned as they enjoyed their tea. After the first round of tea, Ning Jingyuan produced a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Dong Shixiu, saying, “This is the confidential report we received this morning.”
 Dong Shixiu received the unfolded scroll and cast a brief glance at it, his eyebrows raising ever so slightly. He then handed it to Huang Ti, who read it with an air of calmness before passing it to Feng Ji. As Feng Ji perused the parchment, his lips curved into a beautiful arc before giving it to Bai Yima. Upon reading it, Bai Yima furrowed his brow, intending to study it more carefully. However, before he could do so, Hua Jingtao snatched it away with a swift movement of his hand.
 Once Hua Jingtao had gleaned the contents, his face took on an expression of agony, akin to that of the God of Wealth in times of suffering. Without further ado, he tossed the parchment to Feng Duying, who glanced at it while sipping tea. Feng Duying then passed it to Nan Pianyue, who was craning his neck in anticipation.
 Nan Pianyue held the parchment in his hands, scrutinizing it from top to bottom, right to left. His round, cat-like eyes sparkled brighter and brighter as he joyously exclaimed, “Meng Cheng is to form a marriage alliance with the Northern Sea! The princess of the Northern Sea is to wed the king of Meng Cheng! Let us seize this opportunity to capture the princess and add her to our Eldest Brother’s harem!”
 No sooner had the words left his lips than Dong Shixiu struck him on the head, admonishing him, “Show some ambition! Speak of capturing her to be your own wife!”
 “I don’t want that!” Nan Pianyue immediately retorted, jumping up in indignation, “I wouldn’t raise such a little rabbit!”
 “Do you believe such little rabbits are a common sight?” Ning Jingyuan cast a sidelong glance at his brother, “Even if you wanted one, you wouldn’t be able to find one.”
 “In truth…” Bai Yima suddenly interjected, “The Fifth Brother believes that you marrying a so-called ‘little rabbit’ princess would be more reassuring to us than a woman from a tavern.” As the most cultured of the seven brothers, he always believed that a virtuous wife should be chosen, and thus preferred his brother to marry a woman of pure background.
 Upon hearing these words, Nan Pianyue ceased his outburst and scoffed disdainfully, “Fifth Brother, there are few princesses as pure and innocent as a little rabbit like Princess Fei Ni in this world. Haven’t we seen for ourselves the many princesses from the houses of great heroes and tyrants, who are just as cunning and resourceful as any man? Moreover…” He stealthily turned his head to gaze at the person sitting across from him, murmuring softly, “There is a certain princess whose fierce means and ferocious personality surpass those of any man, is there not?”
 With a resounding “pop”, Nan Pianyue touched his forehead and cried out in pain. At the same time, a teacup lid swiftly flew away from his forehead and returned to Feng Duying’s hand. She held the teacup with one hand while delicately playing with the lid with the other, her phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, and her lips curved in a faint smile. “Little Eight, what did you say?”
 “Seventh Sister, I said… I said I don’t want to marry the princess,” Nan Pianyue pouted, his voice on the verge of tears, as he tugged at the sleeve of Bai Yima, who was standing next to him. “Fifth Brother, it hurts… wuwu… it hurts so much…”
 His chubby, childlike face appeared pitiful, with large round cat eyes filled with grievance. Tears circled in his eyes, threatening to fall but never quite doing so. Bai Yima, who had always been tenderhearted towards his siblings, quickly forgot about Nan Pianyue’s true age and nature, and reached out to gently rub his forehead. “It won’t hurt once I rub it. I’ve taught you this since you were young, but you never listen and always provoke your Big Sister. Look, you’ve been taught a lesson again.”
 “Wuwu… Fifth Brother, nobody cares about me, they always hit me…”
 Just as Nan Pianyue was deeply immersed in his act of grievance, the silent Huang Ti suddenly spoke with authority, “Enough! Sit down and focus on the matter at hand!” He glanced at his younger siblings with a stern expression. “If the court officials were to witness this, how could you face ruling the world?!”
 His gaze was as sharp as a blade, causing Nan Pianyue’s whimpers to retreat instantly and disappear into his stomach.
 In this moment, Dong Shixiu savored the last drop of tea in his cup before nodding in agreement. “Indeed, let us focus on the matters at hand instead of engaging in frivolous pursuits. Observe yourselves, sitting without decorum. You hardly resemble the esteemed Generals of our great nation. Should the people witness such a sight, they would surely harbor doubts entrusting the realm’s affairs to you, perhaps even considering raising an army in rebellion.”
 Hearing these words, Huang Ti cast a sharp and meaningful glance at Dong Shixiu, who touched his nose and fell silent. The other siblings exchanged glances with their Eldest Brother and Second Brother, hastily adopting a more formal posture. Even Feng Duying, who had been lazily sprawled across the table, straightened her back.
 Dong Shixiu was the eldest of the eight, but it was their Second Brother, Huang Ti, who commanded respect and inspired fear among the siblings. Once everyone was properly seated, Bai Yima was the first to share his thoughts. “Elder Brother, the recent alliance between Meng Cheng and Bei Hai through marriage is not a cause for celebration for our dynasty.”
 “Nefarious schemes must be afoot,” Ning Jingyuan casually remarked. “Our spies reported earlier that Northern Sea has secretly trained an elite force of a hundred thousand soldiers, and they have been discreetly stationed in Hao, Bo and Gui Cities, the locations closest to our realm. It is clear that Bei Hai has married off a princess to Meng Cheng as a gesture of goodwill, with the intention of ensuring that Meng Cheng would not backstab them when they launch an attack on our dynasty. Alternatively, Bei Hai might be seeking to form a military alliance with Meng Cheng to jointly invade our lands.”
 Hearing this, Nan Pianyue suddenly exclaimed, “Then let’s fight! I haven’t been in a battle for so long, I’m becoming rusty!”
 However, Hua Jingtai immediately voiced his disagreement. “That would not be wise. Waging war requires considerable funds and provisions, which would be akin to cutting off our own flesh.” Imagining the wealth he had painstakingly accumulated in the national treasury over the past two years being reduced due to war, Hua Jingtai could not help but feel torn.
 Huang Ti frowned and briefly glanced at the two, causing Nan Pianyue to shrink his head in response. To avoid his elder brother’s scrutinizing gaze, Hua Jingtai quickly turned his head and addressed Feng Ji with a question, “Fourth Brother, what is your opinion?”
 “Both Meng Cheng and Bei Hai have been coveting our empire for quite some time,” Feng Ji said indifferently. “However, now they are forming an alliance through marriage, combining their forces against us and creating a precarious balance. This is unfavorable for our empire.” He raised his hand, tapping lightly on the table, his rhythmic knocking continuing as he spoke, “Bei Hai alone poses no real threat, but Meng Cheng boasts powerful soldiers and brave warriors. We must not underestimate them. Even if we manage to repel their joint attack, we will suffer heavy casualties. Moreover, our empire is only three years old, with unstable foundations and limited national strength. A great war such as this would severely weaken us and shake our very core.”
 “Hmm,” the others nodded in agreement upon hearing his analysis.
 Dong Shixiu leaned lazily on the table, turning his head to ask the silent Feng Duying, “What about you, Seventh Sister?”
 Perched atop the table, Feng Duying bent one leg while the other dangled idly. Hearing Dong Shixiu’s question, she raised her long eyebrows and replied, “I can lead our troops to pacify Beihai, and the rest is up to you.”
 “I like that idea! Seventh Sister, I’ll go with you!” Nan Pianyue eagerly responded.
 “Eighth Brother, you’re not allowed to go,” Hua Jingtai hurriedly interjected. “With your profligate ways, every time you join a battle, I can’t imagine the amount of supplies and provisions you’ll waste. Seventh Sister, on the other hand, is not only victorious in battle but also spends less resources.”
 “Didn’t I always bring back plenty of the enemy’s supplies?” Nan Pianyue retorted, feeling indignant.
 “However, you still wasted what you wasted. If you hadn’t been so wasteful, we would have captured even more,” Hua Jingtai wished for the utmost frugality.
 Sixth Brother, one cannot desire a horse to gallop without offering it grass to graze upon. In this world, no such easy bargain exists. The essence of war lies in coin and provisions, and you…” Nan Pianyue spoke with fervor, yet his ears caught the resounding “Humph!” from Huang Ti, awakening his mind in an instant. Hastily, he silenced himself, turning his head with a smile that sought to appease and please Huang Ti, “Second Brother, I have always admired you the most. Whatever you say, I shall do!”
 “Tsk!” Hua Jingtao scoffed with disdain.
 Nan Pianyue shot him a furtive glance, twisting his mouth, and with a horizontal palm, he made a cutting gesture. Hmph, elder brothers and sisters could indeed be fearsome, but the one he feared the least was this Sixth Brother, who held wealth in the highest regard.
 Dong Shixiu paid no heed to their little exchange and asked Huang Ti, “Second Brother, what are your thoughts?”
 Huang Ti scanned his siblings and replied succinctly, “First, break through; then negotiate; finally, consolidate.”
At his words, the others paused for a moment before nodding with a faint smile.
Only Dong Shixiu rested his chin in contemplation.
Their gazes converged upon Huang Ti.
Huang Ti perceived the attention of his younger siblings and, without a trace of emotion, furrowed his brows. He then addressed Dong Shixiu, “Eldest Brother, your thoughts are ill-suited for the present situation.”
Dong Shixiu remained silent, for his nature held little regard for such circuitous tactics.
“Do not forget, you are now the Emperor.” Seeing Dong Shixiu’s expression, Huang Ti knew what he was thinking and hurriedly reminded him.
 Dong Shixiu looked at Huang Ti, who returned a cold stare. The two locked gazes, neither yielding, before Dong Shixiu averted his eyes to seek support from his other siblings. Alas…
 In a serene distance, Ning Jingyuan and Feng Ji disregarded his gaze, focusing on savoring their tea.
 “Elder Brother, as a gentleman, your every word and deed bear the weight of a nation’s fate, hence one must ponder thrice before acting,” Bai Yima gently advised.
 “Elder Brother, why not form a marital alliance with Meng Cheng? Our nieces are too young, so let us have Meng Cheng’s princess wed into our family. Firstly, you shall gain more consorts to attend to you; secondly, the alliance between both nations will foster harmony and reduce military expenses, benefiting our country; thirdly, it shall resolve the current crisis; and fourthly — and most importantly — we can profit from the princess’s generous dowry! This is a plan with multiple gains, why not seize the opportunity?” Hua Jingtao prioritized benefits above all else.
 “Elder Brother, I stand by your side. Let us lead the troops together and crush Meng Cheng and Bei Hai!” Nan Pianyue was always eager to provoke without considering the consequences.
 As for Feng Duying, she was currently examining her sleeve. On the pristine white sleeve adorned with exquisite phoenix feathers, there was a soy-yellow oil stain the size of a fingernail. After a moment, she raised her head and glared at Nan Pianyue: “At dinner, Sixth Brother and Little Eight were seated beside me. Sixth Brother, who wouldn’t even waste a drop of his saliva, would naturally not let any oil splatter out, so the stain must be from you, Little Eight.”
 Eh? Nan Pianyue was momentarily dumbstruck, while the others simply sighed and maintained their silence, accustomed to such occurrences.
 “Little Eight, later, you shall seek Du Kang and inquire about the fabric shop, tailor, and embroiderer. Then, have them create an identical garment and deliver it to my residence. Otherwise…” Feng Duying patted Nan Pianyue’s head and narrowed her phoenix eyes, “I will send that wine-selling girl to Meng Cheng for the marriage alliance!”
 “…”
 In a tranquil voice that belied the tumult within, Nan Pianyue opened his mouth, yet no words emerged. Was it due to the statement he had just uttered? “The might and fierceness of a certain princess are such that they eclipse even the most valiant of men.”
 Having concluded the discussion of garments, Feng Duying, seizing a moment of leisure, first cast a reproachful glance at Huang Ti, saying, “Second Brother, had you consented to become the emperor back then, we would have been spared from countless troubles by now.” She then shifted her gaze to Dong Shixiu, voicing her impatience, “Elder Brother, you are neither as obstinate as Second Brother nor as logical as Third and Fourth Brothers. Cease your hesitation, make your decision swiftly, or I shall return to my palace.”
 At her words, Huang Ti could only glare at her, displaying his displeasure at such treasonous speech. The great Eastern Emperor himself had no choice but to sigh resignedly, “If only we had another five or three years.”
 “In warfare, striking when the enemy least expects it is essential,” Ning Jingyuan spoke unhurriedly as he carefully folded, sealed, and stored the letter. “How could we wait for you to gather strength and sharpen your weapons before initiating the battle?”
 “Very well, let us consider this matter settled,” Dong Shixiu ceased his resistance, sweeping his gaze over Ning Jingyuan and Feng Ji before announcing without further deliberation, “Third Brother, Fourth Brother, the tasks of ‘breaking’ and ‘negotiating’ shall fall to you.”
 Both Ning Jingyuan and Feng Ji nodded in acquiescence without protest, answering in unison, “Yes.”
 “Then, we shall disperse for today and prepare accordingly,” Dong Shixiu instructed before rising to his feet. There was no need for explicit instructions; the eight shared a tacit understanding. Turning to Feng Duying, he smiled tenderly, “Little Feng Ying, let your Elder Brother escort you back to the palace.”
 With a flick of her sleeve, Feng Duying strode out of the hall, retorting, “I know the way.”
 In a swift and magnanimous gesture, she was forgiven for dashing out of the palace in such hasty way. Feng Duying also made some concessions, promising to return to the palace more often. As for Dong Shixiu, he granted her a General’s Mansion.
 “It has been a long time since we, siblings, have spoken. Let your Elder Brother, accompany you in conversation,” said Emperor Dong Shixiu, following his sister.
 “It was you who refused to speak to me, not the other way around,” Feng Duying recalled the frustration of the past two months.
 “I was merely angered on your behalf,” Dong Shixiu thought of his own suppressed feelings, equally unhappy.
 “Ultimately, the root of the issue does not lie with me.”
 “Very well, very well. Let’s say it’s my fault. Are you satisfied now?”
…

As the two of them gradually moved further apart, several others in the Hall rose and left in single row.
Upon stepping out of the Palace gates, Feng Ji gazed towards the direction of Feng Duying’s Palace, catching a glimpse of the receding figures. He stood silently for a moment, watching the two silhouettes vanish into the depths of the palace. As his gaze withdrew, he caught sight of a furtive figure hiding in the shadows of the trees behind the corridor. He hesitated, but did not call out, nor did he attempt to search for the person. Instead, he turned around and looked up at the plaque in front of the palace, with the three imposing vermilion characters “Lingxiao Hall.”
 “What’s the matter?” asked Ning Jingyuan, the last to leave, noticing Feng Ji’s peculiar expression.
 “I only hope that this Lingxiao Hall is not a mistake,” Feng Ji’s tone was melancholic and cryptic.
Ning Jingyuan paused and then joined him in looking at the plaque. After a long time, he spoke with determination, “This is our Elder Brother’s heartfelt intention, the only one since the beginning of time. We must not let him down!”
 Feng Ji remained silent, nodding in agreement. Indeed, this precious intention was incomparable, unprecedented, and never to be repeated. That was why they cherished and valued it so much, and found themselves caught in a dilemma. However… they could not, and did not want to, let him down!
 “Let’s go,” said Ning Jingyuan, stepping forward to catch up with their departing brother.
“Mm.”
The two of them left.
Behind them, the doors of Lingxiao Hall were gently closed by the palace guards. The scorching afternoon sunlight quietly penetrated through the cracks, much like the ever-present gazes that surrounded them.

NOTE: This translation belongs to me. It is prohibited to copy / Re-translate / Re-distribute my translations without my prior permission. Thank you.