Pheonix Ascending(PA)

Chapters 58-69

Chapter 58: Introduction

At night, Nan Jihan was having trouble falling asleep. He kept thinking back to what happened earlier. He couldn’t figure out why Nan Xun punched him. He had never done anything to Nan Xun to deserve it.

He kept his thoughts to himself. He was too ashamed to tell anyone about it.

The candlelight chased away the darkness of the night. Nan Jihan stared out of the window for a long time before he finally fell asleep. When he opened his eyes again, it was the next morning. Sunlight shone through the paper windows1, illuminating the whole room. There was still a prickling pain in the corner of his eye.

“Your Highness, brother Feng has asked for an audience with you,” Nan Jihan’s shadow guard knocked on the door and said. Nan Jihan had brought him here from Southern Mu.

It was a pleasant surprise for Nan Jihan. He hurriedly got off the bed and answered, “Let the gentleman in.” He put on a robe and made himself presentable. Jun Huang opened the door.

As usual, Jun Huang greeted Nan Jihan with cupped hands immediately. When she straightened up, she noticed that Nan Jihan’s eye was a little swollen. It made him look ridiculous. She covered up her smile, her eyes crinkling. “What happened to Your Highness?”

Nan Jihan was upset enough before she pointed it out. Jun Huang’s amusement at his expense didn’t help. He was going to say it was the mad man Nan Xun, but he swallowed the words down. “Nothing serious,” he said, the corner of his lips twitching. “I tripped and fell last night on my way back.”

Jun Huang raised an eyebrow. He clearly wasn’t telling the truth, but she didn’t ask any more questions. She looked over Nan Jihan from the corner of her eyes. There was no other visible injury on him.

Nan Jihan woke up from his trance and waved Jun Huang over, taking a seat at the sandalwood table. “Don’t just stand there. Come, have a seat and enjoy some tea.” He picked up the pot of tea the clerk had brewed for him in the morning and poured Jun Huang a cup. Then he patted the stool next to him.

Jun Huang sat down and picked up the teacup. It was Dragon Well green tea. The taste was bitter with a hint of sweetness. It must be a rare premium brand. She took a sip, enjoying the sweetness lingering in her mouth.

Nan Jihan couldn’t tear his eyes away. Everything Jun Huang did was alluring. Every minute change of her expression showed her character. She was addictive. If Jun Huang were wine, countless people would willingly get drunk on her. But she wasn’t. Jun Huang was a clever and calculating man. She didn’t look particularly masculine, but every move she made had a unique charm to it.

Jun Huang noticed that Nan Jihan was staring at her again. Alarm bells started to ring in her head. There was desire in his eyes. It made her skin crawl.

“If Your Highness continues to behave like this, this gentleman will have no choice but to leave,” Jun Huang said casually, but it was clear she meant it as a warning.

Nan Jihan looked away and took a deep breath. “You and I are now allies,” he said with a smile. “The gentleman doesn’t need to be so cautious. I admit I may have acted inappropriately. I hope the gentleman can forgive me.”

Jun Huang snorted without saying anything. She didn’t care what he said or did.

Just when Jun Huang was going to tell him what she was here for, Nan Jihan made the stupid move to provoke her again. “Does the gentleman really not want to go to Southern Mu with me? Southern Mu isn’t as powerful as Northern Qi, but there is less of a need for scheming and plotting. It will be much easier than being here. Why does the gentleman have to insist on staying? Do you consider the whole Southern Mu too small for you, even though you only have Prince Chen Manor now?”