Rising Phoenix

"Mom, are you insane!" Feng Hao screamed, shrinking back into the far corner of the room. He cried out in desperation: "She's insane she's insane! I didn't ask her to break in! Not my fault not my fault!"

The passing patrol had naturally turned to investigate the uproar and were barely able to believe their eyes — there actually existed people who would dare waltz into a jail in the middle of day and begin chopping down cell doors in front of the guards!

For a moment, the Yamen Bailiffs did not know how to react. Before they had recovered, Madam Feng had already broken down the cell door, tossing the axe aside as she rushed in and grabbed Feng Hao, completely ignoring his panicked shouts.

"Son, we're leaving!"

Feng Hao stumbled forward as Madam Feng grabbed him, jerking out of his shock and immediately pulling away from her. "No no no… I'm not leaving! You're insane! You're framing me!"

He would not die from being locked away, but a prison break was a capital offense!

He struggled to pull away but Madam Feng's grip was an iron vice. In his panic and confusion, Feng Hao barely had the presence of mind to wonder when his mother had learned Kung Fu.

The Yamen Bailiffs finally reacted and began rushing over, crying out in shock and anger: "Get them!" A few swift runners darted off for reinforcements as more and more figures began filling the corridors and surrounding them.

Madam Feng grabbed Feng Hao close, using her foot to flip her cloth wrapping into the air and swiftly securing it to her back as she charged out of the cell.

Feng Hao flailed, his eyes absently following her mother's actions as the cloth wrapping flew by her face. His mother's strange expressions suddenly filled his eyes as more and more bailiffs and guards surrounded them in a layered encirclement. A small, peculiar smile crossed her lips as a tiny pearl of tear dropped from silently from the corner of her eye.

She lifted her sorrowful chin, the tear slipping back into her hair as she raised a defiant and unshakable jaw in the flickering light of the oil lamp.

Feng Hao's heart jumped.

The crowd of guards rushed forward blocking every path and nothing could free his mother's grip on his wrist.

His mother whispered sadly into his ears:

"Hao er, I'm sorry."

Meanwhile.

The Golden Feather Guards marched like a roaring tide through the bustling streets, carving a path straight to the Qiu Mansion.

The gates exploded inward and panicked screamed filled the grounds as the plated guards surrounded Madam Feng and Feng Zhiwei's courtyards.

"Where is Feng Zhiwei!"

Three days ago.

West Imperial City, a sealed location by the Cold Palace[1].

Guards stood by every entrance as overlapping patrols kept constant vigil over the grounds. Only a few high-level Imperials knew about this secret Golden Feather dungeon, the most heavily guarded prison under heaven, reserved for offenses of high treason and criminals threatening the dynasty.

The secret dungeon had sat empty for over a decade; today, finally welcoming new guests.

A miserable oil lamp shone above the dark green metal wall against which Madam Feng sat crosslegged, her eyes closed and her mouth shut. Feng Hao huddled a small distance away from his mother, terrified and quivering as he stared around at the imposing cell that was absolutely incomparable to his room in the Ministry of Punishment.

Every time his eyes flicked over the bloody racks and instruments, his trembling intensified.

"Mom! Mom!" He cried, crawling over to Madam Feng, his chains clattering behind him. He desperately arched out to shake in unmoving mother, calling out: "Where are we? What happened? Tell me! Tell me!"

Madam Feng slowly opened her eyes, her gaze a deep, calm pool.

"This is the Golden Feather Imperial Guard's secret dungeon." She calmly replied as she looked down at Feng Hao. "Also known as Heaven's Prison."

"Heaven's Prison!" Feng Hao gasped in horror, his fine features twisting in panic. "Mom! What did we do to get sent to Heaven's Prison?"

"Was it because you tried to break me out?" He cried out, hatefully pushing himself up. "I never asked you to! Never!"

"You have to explain to them!" He shouted, urgently trying to pull Madam Feng to her feet. "Tell them you did it! It had nothing to do with me! Have them release me and then I'll come back to save you!"

For a long moment, Madam Feng could only stare quietly. Finally, she let out a long sigh and shut her eyes once more.

Feng Hao turned from his mother and dragged his chain to the cell door, smashing his fists against the metal. "Let me out! Let me out! I didn't ask her to break me out! I'm innocent!"

Only the cries of "innocent" answered him, echoing through the deep, dark dungeon.

"It's useless." Madam Feng said calmly. "It's an iron jail with countless traps. No guards watch within, and no voice can escape the thick metal halls."

"You've lost your mind!" Feng Hao turned, his eyes red as he gnashed his teeth. "If you want to walk a path to death, why did you have to bring me along!"

"It may not be a death path." Madam Feng quietly replied, her gaze complicated as she stared at her son, sadness and happiness mixing in her eyes.

"How?" Feng Hao cried anxiously, his eyes gleaming as he rushed over.

"Your mother has an old case and you've been pulled in." Madam Feng explained gently, finger combing her son's messy hair. "You never knew anything about it and you were never supposed to. You understand; some things, knowing will only make matters worse."

Feng Hao nodded. After so many years in a large, noble family, he understood this wisdom.

"No guilt to the unknowing; your mother carries all the mistakes. Just remember, don't say anything stupid." Madam Feng continued, holding his hands in her palms. "In the future, all you need to say is you don't know. You must remember this."

"En." Feng Hao nodded. "If I say I don't know, will they let me go?"

Madam Feng gazed deeply into his eyes before she finally answered. "Yes."

Feng Hao forced a smile, staring back into his mother's eyes as he quietly replied. "Mom, I'm your son, don't lie to me."

Madam Feng looked over her ragged son, her eyes lingering on the small scratches on his face from when the Golden Feather Guards had dragged them into this cell. Though Feng Hao had acted the spoiled young master all this time, never suffering pain or hurt, now that his life was at risk, all the pained crying and moaning had disappeared and he had even forgotten to act spoiled.

[1] Cold Palace: a palace for an unflavored concubine or prince/princess