The Rise of the Phoenixes: On Broken Wing

Ning Yi in Mourning

Ning Yi woke up thrilled that morning. Soon he would set off with his entourage in grand fashion to collect his future empress. He would show her wholehearted sincerity.

So many things had gone wrong in his life, especially when it came to his loved ones. So, Ning Yi did not try to anticipate his upcoming marriage, but he did anyway.

Feng Zhiwei's beauty, courage, and cleverness had won him over many times. He knew of her desire to make a positive difference. She always used her talents to help others.

She needed no one. But Ning Yi needed her. She would be his empress. With her by his side, there was unlikely to be a scheme or disaster they could not overcome together.

When he first bargained with her, to have her join the imperial harem, Feng Zhiwei had not been happy. She said it would be humiliating to be in his harem.

He knew she loved him but realized being one of many wives could never suit Feng Zhiwei. Her pride would never allow her to share a husband. A typical harem had never been his intention anyway.

Ning Yi did not blame Feng Zhiwei for her reluctance. The imperial harem was known for murder and mayhem. This is why he had offered for her to become his legal wife.

He only planned to take other concubines in name only when politics deemed it necessary. Then he would gift these concubines to loyal officials or make foreign alliances.

He knew what it was like to be one of many children of the emperor competing for love and power. He did not want this for his descendants.

Ning Yi was confident Feng Zhiwei could give him fine children. They would grow up inside a loving family unit with an attentive mother and father. There would not be love-starved children vying for a place in their father's heart or the throne.

If this happened, he will have accomplished nothing. Ning Yi learned from the mistakes his father made. He redeemed his 3rd brother and took down the Cheng family to right the wrongs of the past.

Ning Yi hoped to make his intentions clear to his beloved Zhiwei. He wanted her to accept their marriage. He knew she only agreed for the sake of a few miserable Dacheng supporters.

He dressed and gave many instructions to make things ready for Zhiwei's arrival. The entourage had been well thought out the last three days. He had readied a grand palace for his future empress.

Ning Yi had handpicked servants for Feng Zhiwei. He decided Zhiwei's specific title as Empress of Tiansheng. Her coronation ceremony was being planned by gifted coordinators.

He had so anticipated this day he could hardly stand still. Finally, things would be well. Everything would begin afresh. They did not have to look back at all the tragedy. Together with their remaining supporters, the future would be bright.

Inside the ornate carriage, Ning Yi smiled to himself. This would be his first official outing as emperor. He would not have considered himself romantic, but perhaps he was. His first full parade of servants and soldiers set out to retrieve a wife.

The joy did not last. The retreat of good feelings started as a slow sinking feeling. Ning Yi had hardly thought of the frosty temperature until a creeping dread surfaced.

As the royal carriage, cleared the outer palace wall, a whisper of a floating tune drifted into his heart. His ears might not have heard the tone and intention of the light flute but his heart and mind did and they froze.

Time slowed down. The snow caught Ning Yi's attention now. The beauty of the snowflakes contrasted with the looming dread inside him.

Ning Yi's genius awareness was waking up. Recently blind determination to keep Feng Zhiwei by his side distracted him. He remained in an oblivious happy state at her agreement to marry him.