Unruly Phoenix Xiaoyao

Chapter 8: His Majesty and the Supreme Commander 

"Yah!" Fang Tang shouted as he snatched away a soldier's sword to fight to the death.

Two rows of helmeted, armor-wearing imperial guards followed the orders of a military officer to squeeze past the crowd towards Ning Xiaoyao. The execution grounds were previously filled with angry people and the stench of blood, but now everything had suddenly turned tense. The pressure was enough to make breathing difficult.

"You!" the general trapped by Ning Xiaoyao's hand was too angry to speak. He decided that he might as well kill her then and there. The hand pressed against her throat tightened, but Ning Xiaoyao didn't mind. She pushed the general aside and fled up the execution platform. Right now, Fang Tang and a few others had surrounded Lou Zigui in a protective circle. If Ning Xiaoyao were to take another step forward, they'd fight her to the death. Meanwhile, hundreds of archers stood beneath the platform, their arrows all aimed at the leader atop the execution platform.

"The fault for all this rests only with me," Lou Zigui shouted hoarsely at Ning Xiaoyao. "It has nothing to do with them!"

Ning Xiaoyao simply lifted her head to stare at the skies. A tiny raindrop had fallen on her face. Unexpectedly, a spell of spring rain had arrived.

"It's raining!" This was her first time seeing such clear, clean rain. Ning Xiaoyao was pleasantly surprised as she turned to grin at Lou Zigui.

"Your Majesty?!" the Grand Preceptor shouted from the opposite platform. When he saw Ning Xiaoyao run up the execution platform by herself and starting smiling and talking to Lou Zigui, he realized that something was wrong. Still, Grand Preceptor Xie didn't dare to believe that his timid, weak granddaughter would actually defy his wishes.

"We're not killing anyone today," Ning Xiaoyao said imposingly as she waved her hand.

A deathly silence fell upon the execution grounds as everyone stared at Ning Xiaoyao. Before, Lou Zigui had been accused of colluding with the enemy to sell out his country, but now they weren't going to kill him? Are you joking?!

Ning Xiaoyao walked towards Lou Zigui. Her steps were absolutely soundless, a habit carried over from the apocalypse where a single step could startle a zombie. Fang Tang and the rest were like the rest of the crowd, stunned by Ning Xiaoyao's words. When she approached them, they even forgot to bar her way. Ning Xiaoyao stood in front of Lou Zigui and bent down to examine his wounds. In a low voice, she said, "Don't be afraid."

Her fingers moved until she felt warmth emerge from her palm. Ning Xiaoyao rested her hand on Lou Zigui's shoulder at the same time she exhaled a breath. After her transmigration here, she'd not only retained her ability to understand animals, but her healing skills as well. Since Lou Zigui was kneeling on the ground, he could only lift his head to see Ning Xiaoyao. Right now, she'd already stopped his bleeding and was looking at the injuries on his face, so their eyes met.

This was Supreme Commander Lou's second time seeing the current emperor. The first they'd met, it was just a quick glance before he was ambushed by the armored palace guards lying in wait in the audience hall. At that time, this brand new monarch was scared into tears, making it impossible for Lou Zigui to get a clear view of his face. This time, Ning Xiaoyao was bending over right in front of him. Her round, almond eyes were nothing like Empress Dowager Xie's long phoenix ones. With her tiny nose and mouth, as well as traces of baby fat around her face, she looked more like a child, or maybe some harmless little animal. This realization made Lou Zigui choke back his curse of 'fatuous ruler' in his throat.

On the other hand, Ning Xiaoyao blinked. Just then, she'd been focused on all the blood that she hadn't paid attention to this Supreme Commander's looks. Now she had the mood to see and discovered that he was very young. Though his face was covered in blood, it was still gracefully handsome. His eyebrows even looked like they were painted on.

Geez.

Ning Xiaoyao sighed with feeling in her heart. There was no reason for a guy to be so good-looking. Even she wasn't that handsome! (Author: 'Scuse me, you're a girl, all right?)

"You can't save me," Lou Zigui gradually calmed down. He suddenly smiled at Ning Xiaoyao and said in a low voice, "You're nothing more than a puppet in the Xie father and daughter's hands."

"….." Ning Xiaoyao didn't reply. Did he really have to wound her dignity?!

"Don't bother with me," Lou Zigui's dark gaze rested on Ning Xiaoyao. Word by word, he stressed, "These lands are swaying in the midst of a raging storm. Your Majesty, you have to be careful yourself."

Ning Xiaoyao felt a little muddle-headed. This man was already in this situation, but he still had the mind to care about her?