Fire Phoenix Chapter 36

   Chapter 36 Yun Canglan Poisoned

On the fourth day of the second month of the year 1011 by the Shuihuo calendar, Yun Canglan, daughter of the Dingguo Duke and wife of the Crown Prince of Can Kingdom, died outside the imperial palace gates just one day after she was married to the Crown Prince.

On the seventh day of the second month of the year 1011 by the Shuihuo calendar, the Crown Prince of Can Kingdom ignored the old burial customs to intern Yun Canglan in the imperial tomb and guard the tomb for seven days. Stories spoke of how Huo Liuyun loved Yun Canglan. He had Yun Canglan's memorial tablet carved with "Beloved Wife". Huo Liuyun suffered from a severe illness, and for three months, he didn't even show for work. The Grand Preceptor's party now had the upper hand.

On the eighteenth day of the second month of the year 1011 by the Shuihuo calendar, the Dingguo Duke turned military leadership over to the Emperor because his grief at losing his daughter was too much to bear. After deliberating, Emperor Huo Yang appointed the military command to Xue Ying and made him Shenyong General. The Dingguo Duke faded into stories of yesterdays.

On the evening of the fifteenth day in the second month of the year 1011 by the Shuihuo Calendar, light from the full moon tore through the cracks of the clouds overhead. The snow was melted, the plum blossoms had faded and spring finally arrived.

The imperial tomb of the Can Kingdom, which was located outside the Dragon Mountain, was a blessed land.

Several covert figures swept past imperial guards heading to the entrance of the tomb.

They stared up at the giant stone gate confused.

"Yun Qin, why have you led us here? To steal the Mistress's body?" Yun Shu gazed on the carvings of the dragon and the phoenix that adorned the gate.

Yun Canglan's body lay buried within the imperial tomb. The Crown Prince had declared she would be his only wife. In the minds of those present, it was the actions of the Crown Prince's that killed Yun Canglan that day.

Yun Qin shook her head, "It wasn't me who asked you to come here."

Yun Hua looked confused, "Who did then?"

"It was me." The cold voice could be heard even though it was a distance away. Turning, they saw a man in black slowly making his way towards the stone gate, and them.

Yun Shu and Yun Hua were angered. Yun Hua, pulled her sword ready for combat, "Shui Minghan, why are you here? As the personal guard of the Mistress, you were sworn to protect her! Where were you when Mistress Yun was killed? Shui Minghan, you are the Mister Wu Hen, and No. 1 kung fu master throughout the world. Why didn't you protect our Mistress?"

Yun Shu, calmer than Yun Hua, had taken Yun Canglan's death hard, numb to her surroundings. She was just going through the motions.

"Shui Minghan, have you forgotten why the Mistress saved you to begin with? Have you forgotten her kindness?" Yun Shu continued bombarding Shui Minghan with questions. "What have you done in return? You should be responsible for her death! I don't care who you are, I will avenge my Mistress!"

Shui Minghan listened to her words quietly without reacting up till then, "I was the man in black."

It took a moment for this new revelation to sink in. Yun Hua was furious, "You were the assassin! You killed the Mistress! Shui Minghan, you bit the hand that fed you! I'll avenge her!" She raised her sword, lunging toward him.

Yun Shu put her hand up and stopped Yun Hua from striking. "Are you protecting him?" Yun Shu asked.

Yun Shu didn't answer her, something felt off and she needed to know, "Did Mistress arrange this?"

Yun Hua nearly dropped her sword, and her mouth fell open as she looked over to Shui Minghan, and then to Yun Qin and Yun Qi who were standing quietly, and she realized the three knew something she and Yun Shu did not grasp.

"What the hell is going on?" Yun Hua demanded.

Shui Minghan calmly told her, "Canglan isn't dead." He had never considered calling her Mistress even though Yun Canglan had saved him like many others.

Yun Qin and Yun Qi smiled. While Yun Shu and Yun Hua stood silent, waiting for an explanation.

"Before she went to the palace, she knew it would be a dangerous journey. So she took 'Jiahun*'. I don't think I have to tell you the effect." Shui Minghan shrugged his shoulders as he explained.

(*TN: Developed by Yun Qi, when somebody eats Jiahun, it places the person in a suspended animation of sorts.)

Yun Shu and Yun Hua hugged each and excitedly exclaimed, "Jiahun!"

Yun Shu was full of life now and smiling ear to ear, "Shall we steal her?" The gloomy atmosphere lifted, the four were ready, it seemed, to take on any challenge.

Yun Canglan had saved and groomed all five of them. She gave them new lives, taught them kung fu and knowing she was alive; hope rekindled because Yun Canglan meant everything to each of them.

Shui Minghan nodded, "Yes, I need you to remove her."

"Don't worry, we will help you bring the Mistress out safely." The four answered in unison.

Yun Hua looked at the stone gate smiling, touched it lightly before moving her hand along it.

Yun Qin had a talent for medical skills, while Yun Qi was adept at poisons. They were known as "The Medical Sage and Poison Sage" and had been Kenway's apprentices. Yun Shu could foresee the fortunes of people, while Yun Hua had a knack for finding things unseen like mechanisms hidden within doors.

Yun Hua discovered the switch to open the gate after an exhaustive search. The companions were cautious about entering the imperial tomb and avoided numerous arrows. They had to pass through several hidden doors before finally, they found Yun Canglan, laid to rest in a crystal coffin.

Yun Canglan was dressed in a red wedding gown, and her black hair was unbound. She looked as though she had fallen asleep.

Shui Minghan stared at her face as he pushed the cover off the coffin.

"Yun Qi!" Shui Minghan sounded anxious as he called him to him.

Yun Qi went over and holding a pill opened Yun Canglan's mouth to feed it to her.

When he opened Yun Canglan's mouth, a dazzling light lit room, brighter than the radiant pearls decorating the walls.

Yun Qi didn't know how this could be, but Yun Qin frowned, examining Yun Canglan's situation.

He removed a bead that was tucked inside Yun Canglan's mouth, carefully examined it and proclaimed, "Sanhun Qipo!"

Yun Qi frowned too when he heard Yun Qin's words.

"Is there something wrong?" Shui Minghan didn't know what 'Sanhum Qipo' meant, but he had a feeling it wasn't good.

Yun Qin explained: "This bead, it is called Sanhun Qipo and it is the coldest item in the world. Rumors say that if a Sanhum Qipo bead is set in the mouth, it will keep the body preserved perfectly for a thousand years. Huo Liuyun must have put it in her mouth to keep her body."

"Since the Mistress isn't dead, what will that do? Will it hurt her?" Yun Shu and Yun Hua posed the question, speaking in unison.

Yun Qin sighed, "The Mistress ingested Jiahun which has similar properties. Jiahun and Sanhun Qipo don't cause harm individually. If taken together, they become an altogether different toxin."

Shui Minghan was growing worried and raising his voice wanted to know, "What effects will it have? Can you heal her?"

Yun Qin frowned looking down, "I can't."

Yun Hua couldn't help but shout now, "What the hell are you saying? You are the Medical Sage! What kind of Medical Sage you are, if you cannot cure Mistress?"

Yun Qin raised his head and looked at Yun Hua, "The poison's effects can't be removed. Every night of the full-moon each month..."

Yun Qin turned red, too shy to continue what he was saying. He looked to each of his friends and with determination explained, "Well, when it is the full moon, that is to say, the night of the full moon, it will affect her like a philter, and she will only find relief if she had sex with a man. If she doesn't, the poisons will consume and kill her."

The room went dead silent at the information, and hope began to feel almost out of reach again.

Yun Qi quietly offered, after a long period of silence, "Tonight is the full-moon."

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