Little Pink Starfish

Conditions for Rescue: The Red Jade Phoenix

Jiang Zhuojun and his group of five didn’t return to the cave until nearly noon the next day. They were covered in snow and clearly half-frozen.

The chief and the others rushed over to pull them toward the fire to warm up.

Yu Xiaoxiao stopped them and said to the chief, “Rub their hands and feet warm first. If they warm up directly by the fire, their limbs could be damaged.”

The chief nodded and quickly got to work with the others.

Once Jiang Zhuojun had caught his breath, he looked at Yu Xiaoxiao and Gu Xinglang and shook his head.

Yu Xiaoxiao turned to Tian Xingzi and said, “See? The people from Bodhi Temple refuse to help.”

Jiang Zhuojun added, “It seems we have no reason to stay here any longer.”

Tian Xingzi squatted down beside him and asked, “What did Jing Shi say to you?”

Jiang Zhuojun’s hands trembled as he held the bowl of hot water.

One of the Jiang clansmen said, “That monk asked us for a Red Jade Phoenix!”

“Don’t say it,” Jiang Zhuojun interrupted him.

Granduncle Third asked, “What Red Jade Phoenix?”

The clansman replied, “Jing Shi said their temple holds a dragon statue carved from a single block of red jade. If we can offer a phoenix statue carved from a single block of red jade, he’ll save Young Master Wenze and the others.”

Now, asking for medical fees to save a life was reasonable—but this request was clearly made to make things difficult for Jiang Zhuojun. The Jiang family was down to their last coins—where were they supposed to get a whole Red Jade Phoenix?

Several women began to weep quietly.

Yu Xiaoxiao and her group exchanged complicated glances. A Red Jade Phoenix, huh.

Yu Xiaoxiao whispered to Gu Xinglang, “Didn’t you tell me the vermilion bird statue we’re carrying looks a lot like a phoenix?”

Gu Xinglang replied, “Yes. And it’s carved from a single block of red jade.”

“Do you think Jing Shi can tell the difference between a phoenix and a vermilion bird?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked.

Gu Xinglang shook his head. “No idea. Xiao Wei and I can’t tell them apart.”

Yu Xiaoxiao propped her chin on her hand and thought for a bit. Then she said, “If smart people like you two can’t tell, how could some monk from Yongsheng Temple possibly know the difference?”

Gu Xinglang looked at her. “What are you thinking? You want to pass off the vermilion bird as a phoenix?”

Yu Xiaoxiao said, “Do you think it’ll work?”

The issue wasn’t whether it would work. If they handed the Red Jade Vermilion Bird to Bodhi Temple, what would they do about Li Xiaoyuan’s birthday? They couldn’t just tell the King of the Vermilion Kingdom that they got robbed on the way and the statue was stolen, right? And by robbers who only took that one thing and ignored all the others?

“Will it work?” Yu Xiaoxiao tugged Gu Xinglang’s sleeve.

Gu Xinglang said, “Then the birthday gift will be missing something.”

“We won’t say anything,” Yu Xiaoxiao whispered. “Who would know there was a Red Jade Vermilion Bird among the gifts?”

Gu Xinglang twitched at the corner of his mouth. “Xiaoxiao, the gift list was sent to Chiyang City in advance. We can’t hide this.”

Yu Xiaoxiao blinked. “Who made that stupid rule?”

Gu Xinglang… He didn’t know who made it. As long as he could remember, that had always been the rule. If the list weren’t sent ahead, someone could change it midway and steal something.

“So we’re just going to pretend this never happened?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked.

Gu Xinglang glanced at the four children clutched in the arms of crying women. He could kill countless enemies on the battlefield, but standing by and watching four young boys die of poisoning? He couldn’t do it. “How much longer can they hold on?” he asked Tian Xingzi.

The old Daoist said, “Once the poison reaches the heart, not even gods can save them. They’ve got maybe a day.”

His words weren’t even finished before the cave was filled with weeping.

One more day meant there was still time to save them. Thinking this, Gu Xinglang said to Jiang Zhuojun, “We actually do have a Red Jade Phoenix.”

The bowl Jiang Zhuojun was holding dropped to the ground.

“Phoenix?” Yu Xiaoxiao said to Gu Xinglang, “Xiao Gu, but ours is a Vermilion—”

Gu Xinglang covered her mouth and looked at Jiang Zhuojun. “You can take it to Jing Shi.”

No one from the chief’s group said a word. They all knew it was a Red Jade Vermilion Bird, not a phoenix—but if the prince consort said it was, then he must have his reasons.

Jiang Zhuojun couldn’t believe his ears. “A Red Jade Phoenix?”

“Yes,” Gu Xinglang said. “It’s a gift meant for Imperial Concubine Yu.”

Several women rushed over and knelt before Gu Xinglang, kowtowing in gratitude.

Gu Xinglang quickly stepped aside to avoid the gesture and said to Jiang Zhuojun, “But what if Jing Shi takes the phoenix and still refuses to help?”

“Master Jing Shi is a monk,” one woman said before Jiang Zhuojun could speak, crying as she addressed Gu Xinglang. “He wouldn’t lie to us.”

Yu Xiaoxiao, in her heart, didn’t trust anyone from Yongsheng Temple.

“He’s your uncle! You have to save Wenze and the others!”

“Wenhai is your second brother’s only bloodline!”

…

The women all turned to cry and plead with Jiang Zhuojun.

Now Yu Xiaoxiao understood what the old Daoist meant when he said Jiang Zhuojun couldn’t not save these children. To the Jiang clan, if he didn’t save them, he might as well be guilty of murder.

Tian Xingzi stood up and said to Jiang Zhuojun, “I’ll go with you this time.”

Jiang Zhuojun looked at Gu Xinglang, speechless. The more favors he owed this man, the heavier the burden became. How could he ever repay them?

“Go bring in the Red Jade Phoenix along with the box,” Gu Xinglang told the chief.

Soon, the chief and a few men returned carrying a redwood chest.

Gu Xinglang stepped forward and reached to tear off the seal.

“Wait!” Jiang Zhuojun suddenly shouted when he saw the stamp on the seal.

Gu Xinglang looked back. “What is it?”

Jiang Zhuojun shook his head. “That seal is from the imperial family of Fengtian. This is a royal gift meant for Chiyang City. How can we give it to Jing Shi?”

As soon as he said this, the women began wailing again.

“How can you face your second brother?” one woman sobbed.

“Second Sister-in-law,” Jiang Zhuojun said, looking at her. “We have to be reasonable. If we use this gift, the princess and prince consort will be in serious trouble. If His Majesty becomes angry, they could lose their lives.”

Madam Liu’s gaze grew increasingly furious. Her husband and two sons were already dead—Wenhai was her only hope. And now this illegitimate brother-in-law said he wouldn’t let the princess and her husband take the fall? So her child deserved to die?

“He’s not your son after all,” Madam Liu said coldly to Jiang Zhuojun. “You’re going to sacrifice Wenhai and the others to protect your so-called righteousness?”

“Liu-shi!” Jiang Yue-niang couldn’t take it anymore. Her little brother had suffered so much for their clan, and this woman still dared to say such things?