Chapter 2 Tale of Two Phoenixes

 FlamingoBees 

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Tale of Two Phoenixes

 Chapter 2: 

Where is the Soul Now

This was a bedroom.

The furnishings in this bedroom were exquisite and elegant, exuding a sense of grace and beauty. Golden phoenix lamps hung on the walls, and the screens and tables were dignified and elegant, all antique furniture.

The reason Chu Yu began to doubt that this was not a joke was because, after regaining her clarity, she finally remembered that, according to common sense, she should have been dead.

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

Before waking up this time, her last memory was of a plane crash, not a good memory, but one she had to face.

The plane crash, and then she found herself in a strange place, sleeping beside five young men, without a single injury on her body. The furnishings in the room were unbelievably luxurious and ancient, and her hands... Chu Yu looked at her hands raised to her eyes. These were not her hands at all. The bones were even, the skin fair and delicate, without any scars or rough calluses. These hands were pampered to the extreme, not the long and powerful hands Chu Yu used to have, which had climbed high mountains and ventured into primeval forests.

This was the biggest inconsistency and the greatest evidence.

This was not a joke. Among the people she knew, no one could play such a big joke on her.

In her spare time, Chu Yu had also read popular novels online, some of which were about crossing time and space, borrowing bodies, and reincarnating. Although they were extremely novel and interesting, Chu Yu had never taken them seriously, only considering them as wonderful fantasies. But when undeniable evidence was placed in front of her, Chu Yu remembered this impossible possibility.

A strange environment, unfamiliar young men, and a strange body.

Besides time travel, Chu Yu couldn't think of any other more reasonable explanation.

Chu Yu's vision darkened for a moment, almost causing her to faint. Her heart contracted violently, and the tremendous upheaval made it almost impossible for her to accept. However, she had to force herself to accept the reality before her and began to contemplate.

The young man's accent was somewhat strange, his pronunciation markedly different from modern Mandarin. It sounded like a dialect from a certain place, yet it wasn't any that Chu Yu herself knew. Strangely, though, Chu Yu could understand him effortlessly, as if she had always been proficient in that pronunciation.

Chu Yu knew that the pronunciation of ancient Chinese had changed somewhat after thousands of years, different from modern Mandarin. However, this wasn't the main point she wanted to investigate. At the moment, her most pressing concerns were: Who was she? Where was she? And when?

Her heart was filled with extreme panic, fear, and confusion, but when her rationality was pushed to its limits, there emerged a kind of cold calmness, as if her rationality had been extracted and divided into another soul, coldly observing, contemplating, and assessing.

The young man called her princess. Judging by his clothes, they were most likely not from the Qing or Yuan Dynasties, which could be ruled out. But was she really a princess now?

As her thoughts raced, Chu Yu's mind quickly flashed through several ideas. She spoke in as steady a voice as possible, "You all should get up and put your clothes on." Almost immediately after the words left her mouth, she regretted it. What if they noticed the difference in pronunciation? But moments later, she suddenly realized that even her own speech, the tone and pronunciation, had changed due to the alteration in her body.

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

The question of pronunciation changes could be temporarily set aside, because Chu Yu distinctly noticed a flicker of surprise in the dark eyes of the first young man standing up after she spoke. Although it lasted only a moment, the sensitive Chu Yu caught it.

Had she said something wrong?

Chu Yu's heart raced, filled with anxious speculations. After the brief flicker of surprise on the young man's face, he displayed a smile that seemed to hold deeper meaning. "Princess, you seem different today," he said casually, then instructed the other four young men, "You all should leave for now. I'll call you back in when needed."

His words carried considerable authority. Although the four young men had initially remained motionless when Chu Yu told them not to kneel, upon hearing his words, they immediately stood up and put on their clothes. Chu Yu could even hear a slight sigh of relief among them, which only deepened her suspicions and unease.

As the four men left one by one, passing by the standing screen at the doorway, Chu Yu was left alone with the elegant and composed young man. Despite his innocent appearance, Chu Yu still felt uneasy. She spoke softly, "You should leave too." She needed a space enough to calm herself. Since this young man addressed her as princess, she believed she still held some authority.

"Princess?" The young man looked surprised, apparently not expecting to be treated this way. His gaze at Chu Yu turned somewhat peculiar, as if accusing her of wrongdoing. Chu Yu felt extremely guilty under his gaze, but at this moment, she had no spare energy to care about others' feelings.

After waiting for a while without Chu Yu rescinding her order, the young man, whose demeanor carried a hint of mystery, nodded slightly. "If that's the case, Rong Zhi will take his leave. But Princess, if you need anything, please summon Rong Zhi at any time."

With these words, the young man, self-identified as Rong Zhi, left the bedroom calmly, following the footsteps of the four young men before him. He walked neither fast nor slow, his figure isolated and lonely in the dim light, contrasting with his gentle demeanor.

Subsequently, the spacious room was left with only Chu Yu. The solitude and helplessness enveloped her like clouds, and Chu Yu took a few deep breaths, forcefully suppressing the overwhelming sense of weakness swelling in her chest.

Even when she was lost in the primeval forest, groping her way through the darkness to safety, she had never experienced such bleak emotions.

Because this had already exceeded her control.

Wrapped in the silk quilt, Chu Yu subconsciously searched for clothes to cover herself. Not far from the bed, there was a square table with neatly stacked clothes on it, layer upon layer, making Chu Yu feel a bit dizzy as she looked at them. She didn't know which one to choose first.

Before Chu Yu could ponder further, a timid female voice came from outside the door. "Princess, Yu Lan is here to help you change."

Initially, Chu Yu intended to ignore it, but suddenly she changed her mind, pursing her lips and speaking loudly, "Come in."

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

Emerging from behind the standing screen at the door into Chu Yu's sight was a timid-looking girl of about fifteen or sixteen. She was the one called Yu Lan. Yu Lan wore a light blue curved dress and held a copper basin. Behind her followed two other young girls, each carrying a folded towel, bowing their heads as they followed behind Yu Lan.

After Yu Lan entered, she cautiously glanced at Chu Yu before placing the basin on the six-legged stand against the wall.

Chu Yu stopped her from taking the towel and placing it in the basin, saying, "You two, go out... Yu, Yu Lan, you stay." Attempting to pronounce Yu Lan's name in a practiced tone felt awkward to Chu Yu.

The two girls dared not object, they bowed and slowly exited the room. Chu Yu coldly instructed Yu Lan, "Come closer."

A flicker of unease flashed across Yu Lan's expression. She slowly approached the side of the bed and knelt down upright, fearing to provoke Chu Yu.

The girl's fearful attitude brought a hint of comfort to Chu Yu's frantic heart. Just now, when facing the young man called Rong Zhi, his confident demeanor left Chu Yu feeling uncertain and unable to grasp control. She wanted to find out who she was and where she was, and the fastest and most direct way was to ask the people around her. However, Chu Yu was cautious and knew that her questions might arouse suspicion. Rong Zhi seemed difficult to fool. In contrast, the timid Yu Lan was the best person to ask at the moment.

Chu Yu had never imagined that she would one day seek confidence and courage from someone else's fear and timidity, but that was the reality now.

She needed courage to face it all.

Stabilizing her emotions, Chu Yu smiled slightly and asked, "Yu Lan, can I ask how old you are this year?"

Yu Lan's expression was somewhat fearful, and she timidly replied, "Princess, I am sixteen."

Chu Yu pondered for a moment. "How long have you been here with me?"

"Three months."

Skillfully leading the conversation, Chu Yu turned to the main point after a while. "I have some questions for you. If you answer well, I won't mistreat you. But if you dare to tell even half a lie or deceive me, you'll have to be extra careful... Look at me when you reply!" The last sentence was suddenly raised in tone, with a cold and stern tone, aimed at intimidation.

Facing different people required different methods. Although scaring a younger girl wasn't very fair, Chu Yu couldn't afford to think too much about it.

The final stern command made Yu Lan tremble timidly. She dared not disobey and timidly lifted her face to look at Chu Yu. "Princess, please ask."

Seeing that the desired effect had been achieved, Chu Yu softened her tone and went straight to the point. "Who am I?"

Yu Lan was puzzled, not understanding why Chu Yu would ask such a question. "You're the princess."

Chu Yu internally remarked that they already knew she was the princess without asking. She pointed out the crucial point. "What I'm asking is, my name. I want you to say it."

Yu Lan quickly prostrated herself on the ground. "Yu Lan doesn't dare to address the princess by name directly."

Chu Yu said lightly, "Just say it if I ask you to. I won't blame you." Despite her urgency to know the answer, she had to maintain a casual and indifferent demeanor on her face, hiding her anxiety.

"Princess..." Her voice still hesitated.

In Yu Lan's hesitation, after a few breaths, Chu Yu's patience had worn thin. "Speak!"

Chu Yu's stern command made Yu Lan tremble all over in fear, and she quickly said while kneeling on the ground, "The princess's surname is Liu, her name is Chu Yu, and her title is Shan Yin."

Shan Yin Princess Liu Chu Yu?!

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

For a second.

For one second, Chu Yu's mind was blank, as if she had lost her vision in an instant.

Shan Yin Princess... Liu Chu Yu?

In history, there was such a person. Chu Yu knew who Liu Chu Yu was.

In this era, there were figures like Pan An who could throw fruit and fill carriages, Wei Jie who possessed pearls and jade, Murong Chong who could stop the music of the Qin dynasty, Du Guxin who was elegant with his side hat, Lan Ling Wang who was both beautiful in appearance and voice, Ji Kang who echoed throughout Guangling, Wang Xizhi who wrote the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection, and also... Shan Yin Princess Liu Chu Yu.

Most princesses in history were only recorded with their titles and not their names, but Shan Yin Princess Liu Chu Yu, this princess born in the Southern Song Dynasty, her name was passed down more than a thousand years later. This was not a good reputation. The name Liu Chu Yu, more than a thousand years ago, was nailed to the pillar of shame in a humiliating posture.

The most famous achievement of this princess lies in her brother, Liu Ziye, becoming emperor. She said to Liu Ziye, "Although Your Majesty and I are of different genders, we share the same father. Why can you have so many women while I can only be with one husband every day? This is unfair."

Although there were many women in the palace who sought pleasure secretly, none dared to openly ask the emperor for men like Princess Shanyin did. She was unprecedentedly bold! Not just bold, but also boldly justifiable.

Even the daughter of the President of the United States wouldn't dare to be so audacious, but over a thousand years ago, Princess Shanyin dared, and not only dared but also did so with righteousness.

As for Chu Yu, the identity of Princess Shanyin was secondary. She almost forgot the shame and humiliation she had just experienced, bent over, and from the mouths of others, confirmed the era she was in. Her entire soul was in rapid turmoil, as if the world around her was collapsing inch by inch.

Over a thousand years!

Time is terrifying!

Her body is no longer hers, and the environment has undergone tremendous changes.

Perhaps she should be content. After all, she should have been dead already, but life was reborn in this way. This life could be said to have been salvaged.

But...

Her family, friends, everything, all seemed so distant, so far away that even if Chu Yu stretched out her arms as far as she could, stretching until they broke, she still wouldn't be able to touch the faint shadow of the 21st century over a thousand years later.

Her father's low, stern demeanor hiding paternal inquiries, her mother's somewhat nagging but deeply caring concern, the occasional words flitting by from her siblings, the laughter in the eyes of her friends... All gone.

What a tumultuous calamity.

So much attachment and connection, ruthlessly severed by the blade of time.

It pained her, agonizingly.

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

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