Chapter 1, The Birth of the Phoenix

The young man in black then stood up, but he merely bowed his head and stood to the side, his hands hanging down at his sides, respectful and cautious

Wait for a key

The galloping horse treading on the snow in the dead of night cannot have a second reason

He was a handsome young boy, with traces of youthful innocence still visible between his brows. Although many snowflakes had fallen off him during his frantic run, his clothes remained quite damp.

Apart from an elderly servant still waiting downstairs to attend to them, the people in the residence had long since fallen asleep. The originally tranquil world was so quiet that one could even hear the soft rustling of snowflakes landing on the ground

Outside the window lies a vast expanse of darkness, with a sky thickly covered in dark clouds, where not even a single ray of moonlight can penetrate. Although the ground is blanketed in pristine white snow, all that can be seen from the window is an endless stretch of darkness

Han Zhuo, listen, the wind is rising

Putting down the wine goblet, Wang Mang once again approached the window and gazed outside.

In an instant, the entire county office was illuminated with a bright red light, filling the room with brightness

Wang Mang drank the wine in the goblet in one gulp. The icy liquid slid down his throat, yet a wave of warmth in his chest was not extinguished in the slightest; rather, it intensified as if oil had been poured onto a fire, making it burn even more fiercely

On the table, there are a few simple plates of side dishes and a bottle of wine.

Even the servants in the residence often occasionally discuss in private whether the master has developed hysteria and has become foolish.

However, the sound of the hooves has become increasingly clear and closer with the passage of time

Waiting for a key to unlock this cage

The sound of hooves approached from afar, and by the direction of the sound, the horse and rider had already arrived at the gate of the residence

The servants in the manor had long fallen asleep, and no one was able to open the door. However, the visitor had already leaped from the horse's back, nimbly vaulting over the tall gate and landing in the courtyard

In the first year of the Yuan Shou era of Emperor Ai of Han, in Xindu

The charcoal fire at the bottom of the urn has long since extinguished, and the wine has cooled. Although there is no wind, the chill has already seeped in through the wide-open window, permeating this small room high above the ground

In an instant, the figure had already crossed the courtyard and rushed into the small building. Before the old servant could finish his exclamation, the figure had already ascended to the rooftop, removed the bamboo hat, and knelt before Wang Mang

Moonlight spilled through the gaps in the dark clouds, landing on the ground and casting a long beam of light between the gate of the residence and the small building, resembling a pathway

That was a small, slender figure dressed in a black tight-fitting outfit, wearing a large conical hat on his head. It seemed that the long journey had not diminished his energy in the slightest; as soon as he landed, he took off running towards the small building.

In the night sky, a whistling sound gradually emerged. A gentle breeze blew in through the window, filling this small room, lifting the corners of Wang Mang's robe, causing it to flutter and make a sound.

The fierce winds of the era have begun to blow... Before coming to a halt, is it that every snowflake cannot escape the fate of dancing to its death...

Since the death of Emperor Cheng five years ago, the new emperor has ascended the throne, and the Ding clan, as the imperial relatives, has gained power. Meanwhile, Wang Mang could only return to his fiefdom in Xindu, isolating himself within his residence.

Yes, my lord

"You naturally do not understand." Wang Mang walked up to Han Zhuo and heavily patted the boy's frail shoulder: "But... not just you, who else under heaven has ever heard these two lines of poetry?"

The tallest building in the residence is merely a three-story small building

The key he was waiting for has finally arrived

At the hour of Jiazi, the cry of a newborn baby shattered the tranquility of the county office

Just as Wang Mang's heart was surging with tumultuous emotions, the dark clouds in the sky suddenly dispersed

In the same year, a ballad circulated in Jiyang: "Red light pierces the sky, phoenixes gather, auspicious grain with nine ears, the king descends"

With the birth of the infant, in an instant, the phoenix descended into the county office of Hetushu.

Wang Mang could clearly feel his heart starting to pound wildly

Moreover, it gradually grew larger from a distance to proximity

Blow fiercely, O tempest of destiny that has descended upon me

Since returning to Xindu, Wang Mang has spent every day from morning till night merely sitting here, gazing out of the window from the high building. Day after day, this has never changed

Yet at this moment, from the distant darkness, there came the almost imperceptible sound of galloping hooves.

Wang Mang supported himself with one hand on the window frame, while the other hand had already clenched into a fist. His nails dug deeply into the flesh, yet he felt no pain at all, along with a trickle of fresh blood.

Wang Mang curled his lips and smiled

Your Majesty, the Son of Heaven has already decided to summon Your Majesty back to court. The edict has been drafted and will be issued shortly

However, only he himself knows why Wang Mang did this

It was as if a giant hand had split the dark clouds apart from the center, revealing a narrow gap through which a full moon barely emerged from the sky.

It seems that today is yet another day wasted

Wang Mang let out a light sigh, raised the wine cup, and was about to drink it all in one go when his hand suddenly froze in mid-air

Accompanied by Wang Mang's hearty laughter, the dark clouds in the sky have completely dispersed, revealing a clear sky, and the gentle breeze has gradually transformed into a fierce wind

Wang Mang scooped up the last drop of wine with a spoon and filled the final cup to the brim

At this moment, Wang Mang no longer harbored any doubts in his heart

Get up, Han Zhuo. I have said it many times, you do not need to be like this

The young man in black lowered his head and spoke in a deep voice

Now, his world consists only of this small new capital.

A crimson light soared into the sky, pulsating and shifting in an unpredictable manner, resembling a phoenix, exuding a mysterious and grand aura, spiraling above the Jiayang County government office, as if waiting for something

He could no longer afford to drink, and he heavily placed the wine cup on the table, standing up and walking towards the window

In the year, in Jiyang County, all the rice plants have one stem with nine ears, known as "Xiu"

It is precisely along that path illuminated by the moonlight.

"Close the window? The winds of the era have already arrived, why should we block them outside?" Wang Mang laughed heartily and shook his head: "Do you not hear, as the ancients have said in poetry: 'A good wind often lends its strength, sending me up to the azure clouds'?"

"Yes. I shall close the window for you, my lord," said the young man named Han Zhuo in a soft voice

However, Wang Mang never closed the window.

Then after finishing this cup, let us retire for the night

Although the snow in the air has stopped, the accumulated snow on the ground is being wildly blown up by the fierce wind, scattering and swirling chaotically in the air, making it appear even more substantial than before

In the first year of the Jianping era of Emperor Ai of Han, in Jiyang

At the age of forty-three, Wang Mang sat alone by the small window at the top of the tall building, gazing despondently at the heavy snow outside.

This is his residence, and it is also his prison

He is waiting

In the deep of winter night, there is no wind. In the night sky, dense snowflakes fall like white feathers, covering the earth in a blanket of silver white

***

The dishes have hardly been touched, yet the bottle of wine is nearly empty.

Even though Xindu County is his fief, this residence is still somewhat too small in relation to his status

"I have not read books, do not understand poetry, and have never heard these two lines before," Han Zhuo said calmly, shaking his head

The dark clouds in the sky, that narrow crack, are gradually widening. The moonlight that shines down has transformed from a narrow path into an increasingly broad avenue

Wang Mang extended his hand and picked up the wine goblet from the table beside him. However, he had to exert tremendous effort to keep his hand from trembling.

On the top floor of the small building, there is only a small attic, measuring no more than one zhang in circumference. There are no intricately carved beams or painted rafters, nor any precious treasures or jade artifacts. Inside the attic, there is only a table and a seat, placed by the window.

After a long while, Wang Mang turned around and looked at the young man in black, his originally calm face now ablaze with passion