Phoenix: Rules Of The Harem
Chapter 5: The Soul That Is Trapped to Him

Wu Jin had arrived inside a hidden forest that was quite far from the capital, called the death forest because its place was not far from Jianhu's dead city. Many people said that the forest had been inhabited by evil spirits who were originally residents of Jianhu city, rumors say that many of Jianhu townspeople died suddenly for no apparent reason. Making the city abandoned and no longer inhabited, they believe the small town of Jianhu has been cursed by the Gods due to the greed of its inhabitants.

Her master, Fourth Princess Shao Ling Mei, gave the task of going to the forest of death. Of course, because in the forest full of bad rumors was stored the shadow guards and secret troops that Ling Mei had. Due to the limitations and lack of strength that Ling Mei had now, the number of troops she had was only five thousand. The number was very small compared to the number of troops led by Ming Fei as a General. But, in order to obtain a talented secret army, Ling Mei looked for people who had quite good abilities in martial arts to then be retrained by her shadow guards.

In order to control Yuyin's secret army, it needed a special token that Ling Mei now owned as the official owner of Yuyin's army. When Wu Jin had reached the center of the death forest, the young man saw a young girl with a sword on her back. He then smiled broadly at Wu Jin. "Oh! Wu Jin Xiong!"

(Shixiong: older brother).

"Lin Yin, about you, is that good?"

Lin Yin nodded with a pleased face, it had been quite a while since the last time Wu Jin visited the forest of death as well as their master, Fourth Princess Shao Ling Mei. "In that case, of course I'm good. What about Your Majesty?"

Chu Lin Yin, one of the thirty strongest shadow guards belonged to Ling Mei. He is 18 years old and has no intention of getting married. Back then, when Ling Mei took him, he was found to be poor and homeless because of being dumped by his family. Lin Yin who was intending to steal Ling Mei's item then attacked Ling Mei with martial arts that were admirable enough for a little girl made the fourth princess of the empire take an interest in her and took her to later be trained as a shadow guardians.

Thinking about the shadow guards, Ling Mei had three tiers of strength in her shadow guard formation. The strongest numbered thirty with his duties of training and leading Yuyin's army. The middle or second rank numbered fifty with the same strength as the imperial fifth level generals, they were also tasked with infiltrating and searching for information. The last or third rank numbered one hundred with a strength equivalent to that of an imperial seventh level general, in contrast to the army of the Yuyin secret army, which was, third level shadow guards had a special duty to guard the headquarters and some had been stationed within the empire to keep an eye on some matters.

"He's pretty good, it's just that lately the Moon Pavilion is full of annoying rumors."

In silence Lin Yin observed Wu Jin's expression when talking about it, it looked bad and full of annoyance. "ah! I had heard it while touring for some time ago, I heard that Second Prince Wei Yun Rui was rumored to be His Majesty's concubine in the future. Does that mean Prince Wei will be our brother-in-law?"

Wu Jin sighed, "I don't know, but Grand Empress and Empress Wei seemed to be involved in a plan."

"Wu Jin Xiong, aren't you jealous?" Lin Yin smiled seductively, he knew what his elder brother was feeling.

Wu Jin furrowed his brows, not understanding Lin Yin's question. "uh? Of jealousy? What am I feeling it for?"

"Eiy, don't be like that. Don't you like it, Shixiong?"

"Aiya! What do you like?! Nah! I didn't! Your Majesty is my master, in terms of liking I don't even dare." Wu Jin denied with round eyes and a red hue that spread almost all over his face and ears, seeing that Lin Yin was quite understanding with what was happening.

"I'm not even saying that it's His Majesty. You mustn't lie to Wu Jin Xiong, I quite understand that you like His Majesty. You take it easy, everyone in the forest of death is supporting you to become His Majesty's concubine."

Wu Jin cleared his throat, trying to cover up the nervousness that suddenly rose to the surface. "Stop talking about that! It's not a good thing if someone hears it. Now tell me, what in the forest of death does not happen any problem? His Majesty gave my duty to look at the state of our headquarters because seeing the many things that happened in the palace he said he couldn't leave for some time to come."

"Shin. Answering Wu Jin Xiong's question, since the place where the forest of death was located was close to the city of the dead and no longer inhabited by many people, there was currently no one who knew of our existence. It was good enough to train the members of Yuyin's army."

(Shi: means "good" in mandarin).

"Hangao, hangar. Unable to linger, after I see the progress of the troops and greet the others, I will return to the palace. It's not good for His Majesty if the people of the palace don't see me around him, this might be a suspicious thing for them."

(Hangao: means "good" in mandarin, for some conditions can be interpreted as "good").

"En, Lin Yin understood."

Lin Yin nodded in understanding, Wu Jin was right. It was not a good thing to leave their master in the palace without Wu Jin's escort. Even though Ling Mei's martial abilities were far above theirs, currently Ling Mei was known as a foolish and idiot imperial trash princess. It was not a good thing if the people of the palace saw Ling Mei without her loyal bodyguards for quite some time.

.

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Ling Mei looked solemnly at the book before her, this time calculating the monthly budget her pavilion had. His brows furrowed, This is not true when he looks at it carefully, it turns out that someone is trying to take something that does not belong to him. Ling Mei smirked, it had been a long time that she had not played with the servants in her pavilion. Seeing this kind of situation Ling Mei considered getting a new servant with a kind and polite attitude. After all having one butler and several male servants was not a bad thing.

Her old nanny was too old, and she did not want to be evil for holding the maid to work longer for her. It can shorten life and make it sick. About Wu Jin's departure to the forest of death, Ling Mei thought that it would be better if she looked for a new member for her Yuyin army. It will help him a lot in the future. Ling Mei sighed, she felt wary as Empress Wei chose to stay in the Shao Empire longer. As if waiting for something, the two powerful women looked calm and mysterious.

Thinking about the empire, Ling Mei had obtained one very important piece of information about her first brother, Shao Mu Lan. The crown princess was now eyeing a precious token that could be used to control thirty thousand imperial elite soldiers. Unlike the usual army troops, Huangjin's elite army possessed an extremely powerful and invincible fighting force. The token was owned by Grand Empress Shao Fang Hua and would be passed down through generations for future grand empresses. But it seemed that Shao Mu Lan was too impatient and immediately wanted the token in her hands. Ling Mei's gaze cooled, this time there would be no gap for Mu Lan to move any further.

The door was knocked, Ling Mei turned her head towards the door of her room and remained silent. "Your Majesty, there's a message from the Phoenix Palace."

The waiter snorted in annoyance, feeling lazy to deliver a message to the mentally disabled princess. Unfortunately, the orders of the Grand Empress were not things that could be ignored just like that. "The Grand Empress called you and asked you to visit her at the Phoenix Palace."

"Good! Alrighty! I'll come!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Then, after the maid left Ling Mei's eyes flashed cunningly. For what his mother called him, he seemed to understand quite well. Back with his trick mask, Ling Mei sighed silently. It looks like this is going to be a long conversation!

Seeing Ling Mei's arrival at the Phoenix Palace, many people snorted, staring in disdain at her. Everyone understood how much Empress Shao's affection for Ling Mei was so great that the other girls became angry and envious. Hmph! Truly an imperial disgrace! Not understanding what made the grand empress so fond of him. Even though her father was the imperial main escort beloved by the empress, it did not close that Ling Mei was unfit to become an imperial princess.

After entering into Ling Mei being guided by someone to enter a hidden room, Ling Mei saw and she knew it very well. It was a hidden room belonging to Shao Fang Hua, so closed and only a few people knew about it including himself. It had been a little while from the last time Fang Hua had taken her to speak in secret, Ling Mei guessed maybe her mother's shadow guard had managed to find something just as she had.

"Sit, daughter!" fang Hua's words were greeted obediently by Ling Mei, the most powerful woman in the Shao Empire was seated as her hand poured a glass of tea for her and for Ling Mei.

Ling Mei lowered her head in respect, saying politely. "Your Majesty, it is not polite to let you pour tea for this lowly me. Please Grand Empress not to do it again."

"It's okay, I just want to serve my daughter. It's not something against the law, it's nothing to exaggerate." Fang Hua flicked his hand, feeling that it was not important.

"Okay, this princess understands."

"About me calling you this I'm sure you've understood it, so what have you got?"

"According to His Majesty's question, I found that first brother was targeting Huangjin tokens earlier than the stipulation. Please for the Empress to keep the token even tighter."

"Being Crown Princess will not necessarily get the Phoenix seat. The new Grand Empress-to-be had yet to be officially determined, but she was willing to aim for Huangjin's token? Not shameless!" looking at the Grand Empress's expression that was not surprised, it said that Shao Fang Hua had also learned this information.

"Hm, I understand what I have to do. Seeing that you are the legitimate princess of the empire, she was so agitated and hasty. Has he suspected you?"

Ling Mei took the teacup gracefully and sipped it carefully, "That's impossible Your Majesty. I have had prudence for many years, seeing from the character of the first brother who was quite careless and hasty, this was not something that was easy to break through."

"Okay, I hold your word! Be careful for now, now is not the right time for you to show your true self. Then, seeing from Mu Lan's desire to be so ambitious as to obtain Huangjin's token, there was only one reason for all of that. I'm sure you can guess." Fang Hua nodded with both of his eyes glittering sharply.

Ling Mei smiled faintly, yet her eyes looked cold. "Your Majesty, you don't have to worry. I've taken care of everything well, this time I won't let first brother get the thing he wants."

"Good! What a filial son! I'll wait for what you'll show me, my daughter." Fang Hua smiled widely, he felt good and happy, his fourth daughter was completely reliable. This was something good for the future of the empire.

..................

Inside the Orchid Pavilion, Wei Yun Rui stared at the bunch of white plum blossoms that had withered and dried up. Staring at him once more, Yun Rui thought back to him. That thumping feeling felt like it was going to crush him, so quickly and impatiently.

"Shu Lian, will she find out after this that I love her?"

Shu Lian looked at her master cluelessly, why was her so charming master so adoring and loving to the mentally handicapped and ignorant fourth princess?

"Your Majesty, you have a beautiful face, are smart, and are good at martial arts. Isn't that enough for you not to expect the love of the Fourth Princess who is said to be a mentally disabled princess?"

"Shu Lian, you don't understand. We had spent some time to meet as a child, he was a good person. So assertive and clever. If not for the great events of the past, His Majesty might not have been humiliated like this. After all ten years ago we had promised for marriage, he had promised to marry me. Whether Fourth Princess remembers it or not, I have no problem waiting and loving her."

Hearing Yun Rui's reply, Shu Lian thought that the background of the fourth princess was not simple. Being able to make his master who could not be subdued into a loyal man who was willing to wait for him was a rare thing. Completely unpredictable, Shu Lian could not even say anymore. Even with her mental disability illness can make others submit to her, the fourth daughter is really something else.

Shu Lian smiled slightly, and said respectfully. "If that is the case, I hope good news will come for you, Your Majesty."

Yun Rui smiled and sighed softly. Waiting was his middle name, the arrival of his mother, Empress Wei to the Shao Empire, Yun Rui did not not not understand about it. Just hope to win Ling Mei's heart and become her husband. "I. .. I too, wish that, Shu Lian."