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Venom Phoenix
墨書 Inktalez
In the carved bronze mirror, a pale face stared back at me, and I gazed in a daze at the unfamiliar brows and eyes. The gilded candlestick cast mottled shadows on the plain gauze curtains, and the air was thick with the strange scent of Dragon's Blood Incense mingling with a bloody smell. As my fingertips brushed against the satin wrapped around my forehead, a sharp pain suddenly tore through the chaos—countless fragments of memories surged in like a tide, and amidst the thunderous sound of iron hooves trampling, the final image froze: my brother pierced through the chest by a spear.
"Your Highness, be careful!" The crisp sound of a copper basin hitting the ground shattered the suffocating silence. Zi Juan knelt in the puddles on the floor, her rounded shoulders trembling. "I am to blame! I will..."
I raised my hand to stop the Little Palace Maid from apologizing, my Silk Robes with Wide Sleeves sweeping past the Bronze ice mirror, bringing a chill. Outside the Lattice Window, the cicadas suddenly ceased their chirping, and behind the Vermilion Pillars adorned with Five Bats Bestow Longevity, a corner of dark blue fabric flashed—indeed, since awakening at Mao Time, there had been no end to the hidden watchers outside Phoenix Nest Palace.
"Change clothes." My fingertip traced over the hidden compartment at the bottom of the Makeup Box, curling slightly as it touched the cold iron. In the copper mirror, the girl's eyes were as red as blood-stained phoenix feathers; this body’s residual muscle memory was clamoring with murderous intent. The pain from being pierced by iron chains in my past life still burned in my bones, and now reborn as Da Chu's Eldest Princess Chu Mengli in this delicate yet valiant form lay a demon that had crawled back from hell.
Zi Juan's hands trembled as she held the Gilded Crown; the Nine Phoenixes Holding Pearls ornament shattered into countless stars under the morning light. I bent down to pick up the fallen Dong Zhu, my fingertip tracing over its beaded surface—this was Jadeite Tears from the southern frontier, which should have been embedded in the Queen's Nine Phoenix Crown.
"The Second Prince sent Anshen Incense this morning." The Little Palace Maid's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, and there was an obvious bruise around her neck. The Purple Copper Incense Burner in the Dressing Table's dark drawer still held warmth; through its hollow design, half-burnt Dragon's Blood Incense could be faintly seen. I pinched some ash and sniffed it at my nose, a cold smile curling at my lips. Anshen Incense mixed with mandrake? My dear brother is rather eager.
Suddenly, the Vermilion Palace Gate was flung open by a strong wind, and the sound of Blacksteel Armor clashing startled the copper bells hanging from eaves. Standing against the light was a man in a python robe with a jade belt; hanging at his waist was a dragon-patterned Jade Tally that matched perfectly with my memories. Chu Tiankuo raised his hand to stroke the Azure Jade Kui Dragon Zun on display; his knuckles rapped against the Bronze Taotie Pattern with a resonant clang. "Elder Sister looks well; it seems those quacks in the Imperial Medical Bureau should be replaced."
"Thank you for your concern, Prince." I twisted my wrist adorned with a Jade Bracelet; as its mechanism clicked softly, silver needles were already poised within my sleeve. His boots were stained with fresh blood—so thick that even Dragon's Blood Incense could not mask its presence—this morning thirty-seven dead warriors had just perished in Xingbu Prison, their fatal wounds all inflicted by Willow Leaf Blades.
Suddenly, a Jing Niao swooped through outside; at that moment when Chu Tiankuo’s fingertips glinted coldly, I spun around and pushed Zi Juan behind the Decorated Gold Screen. As Poisoned Silver Darts struck into the Sandalwood Table, eighteen Black-Clad Assassins burst through the window. The gleam of blades reflected crimson in my eyes; as silver threads from my sleeve coiled around one of their necks, warm droplets of blood splattered against the Crimson Gauze Window.
"Elder Sister has great skill!" Chu Tiankuo clapped and laughed heartily; however, his Soft Sword darted like a venomous snake straight for my throat. I hooked up a long knife from the ground with my toes; when gold clashed against iron with a clang that shook off dust from above beams. The phantom pain from severed tendons in my past life still lingered but this body seemed to have experienced countless battles; every move was etched into its marrow.
When the ninth dead warrior crashed to the ground, I stepped on his convulsing spine and lifted my bloodied blade to point under Chu Tiankuo's chin. "This is your meeting gift; I accept it." In that instant when his pupils constricted sharply, I leaned close to his ear and whispered with a laugh: "Tell Consort Shu to hire a more skilled perfumer next time."
As the sundial’s pointer moved past three quarters past noon, hurried footsteps suddenly echoed outside Phoenix Nest Palace. Accompanied by Yellow Gate Attendant’s sharp voice piercing through the hall: "Your Majesty commands that Eldest Princess immediately proceed to Zi Chen Hall for an audience!"
Chu Tiankuo’s expression changed drastically as I casually tossed aside my bloodied long knife and allowed Palace Maid to tremble while wiping away blood from my face. In Lattice Mirror, the girl smiled sweetly; her eye corner marked with Cinnabar glowed like weeping blood. The secret letter hidden in the copper mirror bore scorch marks; those two words "Southern Liang Kingdom" coincided perfectly with my family's sworn enemy that had perished in my previous life.
As I stepped out of the hall, I looked up towards the nine-tiered palace. A solitary shadow of an eagle swept across glazed tiles while blood-red remnants of clouds gathered on the southeastern horizon.
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