The Rise of Phoenixes

Chapter 184

Feng Zhiwei struggled out of the half collapsed wash closet by the wall outside the back window. She was not at all prepared for Gu Nanyi’s sudden decision to smash the latrine open, but despite her mussed clothes she had somehow avoided any bricks. Gu Nanyi reached in and grabbed her, giving Feng Zhiwei no time to speak and react as she hastily arranged her trousers. Just as Gu Nanyi was turning to leave, Ning Yi’s window slid open.

Feng Zhiwei turned her head. Ning Yi held a woman in his embrace, both their clothes ajar, his hand firm on the woman’s naked shoulder, her face plastered against his exposed chest.

Feng Zhiwei looked at his smile as he gestured lazily, the confident quirk to his lips the same seductive smile she had once seen when they had met in the brothel. He called out: “Minister Wei, this Prince’s new concubine is very talented, and this Prince is now fatigued. Since you are here, come in and help us prepare water for washing up.”

Feng Zhiwei eyed him, her gaze slowly sweeping over him.

From top to bottom.

From Ning Yi’s hand to Yan Huaiying’s clothes, and then to their waists.

She carefully examined them without a hint of anger, ignoring the provocative insult.

Ning Yi waited silently, and just as he was raising his eyebrow and opening his mouth, Feng Zhiwei slowly replied: “Serving his Highness is this Minor Minister’s honor.”

Ning Yi lidded his eyes as Feng Zhiwei answered him, and he quietly pulled Yan Huaiying from the window.

Yan Huaiying’s pride and satisfaction shone through her embarrassment and she could not resist turning her face from Ning Yi’s chest to smile at Feng Zhiwei.

But she was only met with Feng Zhiwei’s bafflingly pitying eyes.

As Yan Huaiying shifted in his arms, Ning Yi frowned quietly. He could sense that this woman was somehow extremely happy by this turn of events.

As soon as he turned from the window, he pulled the shutters closed and pushed Yan Huaiying away.

The surprised woman lost her balance and fell onto the bed; thinking that His Highness was eager for their pleasure, she moaned quietly and lay submissive and ready.

Her heart pounded as she lay in bed. She was still a virgin, a wealthy and proud young lady who had never learned anything about bodily pleasure. She clutched the silk quilt, the smooth fabric sticking to the sweat in her palms. Her heart beat loudly in her ears as she gasped haltingly, her eyes staring into the dark as she listened for the prince, but the man never moved.

In the dark room, his hurried breath slowly calmed and lengthened.

A crash filled the room and startled Yan Huaiying upright. The door flew open and Feng Zhiwei stumbled through, clutching a basin almost too big for her arms. Water spilled from the tub, spraying Ning Yi’s boot as Feng Zhiwei passed him.

“The water is here.” Feng Zhiwei announced, panting. “This Minor Minister thought that Your Highness and Madam Concubine must be tired, so I brought some extra water in case you two wanted to bathe.”

Feng Zhiwei stood at attention, smiling innocently in the moonlight as she clutched the massive basin.

The room was filled with eroticism — a mussed bed, unlit candles, and the fragrance of peonies hung around the half clothed couple.

Feng Zhiwei’s eyes slid over Yan Huaiying’s ripped clothes.

Ning Yi ah Ning Yi.

You love these testing tricks.

If they really had already done it, Ning Yi would know that she was wearing a sheer open-necked dress easily stripped aside — all he needed to do was grab the neckline and pull, why waste all the effort in ripping off the sleeves?

And even though he had clutched her so closely to his chest, why had his legs been a distance away? His hand on her shoulder had been more force than caress.

He hated her presence.

Feng Zhiwei’s stomach ached, and she could not help but lament her fate. Now only was she abandoned to face the tortures of the raw seafood by herself, she now had to suffer at the hands of two men — one was naive and the other eccentric, and neither of them made her life easy. Unfortunately, she was in too much pain to deal with these handsome boys.

As she silently complained to herself, Feng Zhiwei met Yan Huaiying’s eyes. Her eyes once again swept down to Yan Huaiying’s strange little dress and she could not hold back a smile.

Yan Huaiying’s mouth fell open as Feng Zhiwei smiled. She could not understand how this minister could smile right now; in all her fantasies where she humiliated Wei Zhi after winning His Highness’s favor, she had not come up with anything more humiliating than making Wei Zhi serve her; but now that Wei Zhi had arrived, basin in his embrace, Yan Huaiying saw none of the expected gloom or resentment.

Wei Zhi’s eyes were tranquil like smooth jade, and when he cast that clear gaze on her, she shifted uncomfortably and pulled her clothes around her, feeling like she had tumbled through worldly dust.

Ning Yi was silently listening to Feng Zhiwei’s breath. He could hear her standing to the side, examining the room, her breath calm and tranquil without sign of sadness or happiness, resentment or anger. He listened intently, and with Feng Zhiwei’s every steady breath his heart sank deeper and deeper into an abyss.

Finally, the basin clattered to the floor and water spilled over the sides once more. Ning Yi’s other foot was drenched as Feng Zhiwei called out, a smile in her voice: “This Minor Minister’s clumsy hands do not know how to serve, how about letting Madam Concubine attend you?”

As she said ‘concubine’, Ning Yi could hear a hint of grit teeth and anger.

A smile bloomed on his face.

For a moment, he really had believed the she was unaffected.

But this deep, cunning fox was finally losing some control.

He smiled, smirking brightly as hints of light glittered in his eyes, his falling heart soaring from the depths.

He hummed in agreement as he sat. After a moment, he turned to the side and called out coldly: “Are you deaf?”

Since he was not actually looking at Yan Huaiying, she failed to understand and react. Feng Zhiwei happily assisted, waving to her and pointing at the basin.