The Emperor's Phoenix

Chapter 1 | Her Return

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Liu Ying Yue

As the palanquin halted and was set to the ground, a servant opened the door for Ying Yue. Setting a foot out, she glanced around with a cold expression at the surroundings of her family's palace in the nation of Sui--the Water Realm.

"Here, Miss Liu," the servant handed her a scarlet parasol. "The sun is awfully overbearing today."

"Thank you. You may take your leave now."

The servant gave a bow before turning the palanquin back. Ying Yue's eyes narrowed at the large exterior of the palace she hadn't been to in a while. She was escorted by a palace maid around the garden, where they suddenly spotted a middle-aged woman in extravagant red robes. The empress excused the maid and walked towards Ying Yue with a distasteful smirk on her red lips.

Great. Consort Sui.

Up close, Ying Yue noticed how her step-mother looked especially cunning with the layers of makeup applied on her face. However, Ying Yue noted in smugness how she slightly towered over the consort, forcing the older woman to look up to her.

"Ying Yue," she drawled out the younger woman's name in revulsion. "It has been a while. I'm certainly glad to see you..."

"Indeed. After aunt's death, I supposed it was time for me to come back after you sent me away many years ago."

With a fake smile plastered on her face, her step-mother glanced over Ying Yue's plain blue robes with a hint of superiority in her eyes.

"It's a shame that your aunt could never afford more lavish robes."

Ying Yue gave a calm smile which hid her hatred. "After all, we focused more on educating ourselves and making a living rather than how certain others leeched off the family fortune despite their lack of ability."

She was used to how the consort viewed her as a peasant--it wasn't necessarily false considering how her mother was a palace maid who got involved with her father, who was the emperor of Sui back then, in an affair. After Ying Yue's mother passed away from a disease when she was younger, the consort sent her off to live with her aunt so she wouldn't be a burden to her father. It would only be years later when he met his end through a successful assassination attempt. As a result, the consort's only son ended up taking the throne, as the First Empress was unable to produce an heir and ended up dying giving birth to a stillborn.

Ying Yue's lips curled into a smirk of victory as the woman's face twisted into an expression of rage. The consort narrowed her eyes.

"Watch your words. You are just a lowly peasant and a disgrace to the Sui family name, after all...There's no need to act all high and mighty when your mother was simply a lowly palace maid through an affair."

"Ah, I see...But let me remind you of your vain attempts to gain my father's affection despite how he never loved you..."

The younger woman watched in satisfaction as the blunt truth knocked the smile from her step-mother's face.

This crafty hag deserves to suffer from the truth--especially since I know she was the one behind my mother's death.

"Now, if you shall excuse me..." Ying Yue bowed, "I suppose I should go and say hello to my fellow sisters...I suppose they are busy wasting time as always."

With a final smirk, she walked past the vile woman. Her mood had immediately dampened upon seeing her wrinkly face, and she didn't feel like staring at it any further. Ying Yue's everyday life had been hell for the past few years when she was living with her aunt and cousins, where they didn't give a damn about her existence and forced her to labor for them because of her lowly status. The only time she received any sort of break was during their family gatherings in the Sui palace, and even then, they still viewed her with much contempt.

I have to admit that my ego was slightly wounded when my cousins kicked me out like a dog after aunt's death...But then again, I am no longer the naive and innocent girl as before. I am now more experienced in the ways of the world, and I am capable of surviving.

Ying Yue was escorted by a palace maid inside the main hall, where her half-sisters sat at a table drinking tea and gossiping.

"It certainly has been a while, hasn't it?...Sui Cang, Sui Diao Chan, Sui Li Mei..."

She heard a cup fall and break as they snapped their heads in their oldest sister's direction in shock.

"J-Jie Jie!" The middle sister, Sui Cang, called out in disdain. 

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Hello, everyone...I'm starting a new Chinese fantasy novel alongside my other novel, LOTN...This novel will focus more on the romance/chemistry between the two leads ^^

(Ahh I have a feeling I might regret writing two books at once when my update schedules become messed up...but I shall see)

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the journey of the savage female lead ~

-Y.P.