Rising Phoenix

"Wooo…" The ten thousand cavalrymen lowered their heads and weeped and wailed. All steppe men were warriors, and those who had died fighting Da Yue had been their fathers, uncles, and brothers.

"Cry! Cry harder! Today you shed your tears, and tomorrow we will make Hongji Le Golden Roc and all those traitorous animals bleed!" Helian Zheng yelled out, his hand slashing the air in front of him and his face as cold and severe as primordial ice on the peaks of snow mountains.

A sack flew through the air and plopped down in from of the army, countless bloody ears spilling out from the loose opening.

"Last night the Pixiu Tribe colluded with the Golden Roc Tribe, holding the Queen Mother hostage and attempting an assassination on this King." Helian Zheng continued in his frosty voice. "I have sent the entire tribe to meet Tengri."

The entire tribe!

Mouths fell open, forgotten tears even slipping down onto their tongues.

The Twelve Hu Zhuo Tribes were all descended from one great ancestor generations before the modern branches had come into existence. In all the years of strife, the steppe had never exterminated an entire tribe whatever the crime, always preserving the seeds for renewal.

Thirty years ago Old King Kuku had swept from the distant north to the far south and united the Twelve Tribes, in the process shedding the blood of the most rebellious Golden Roc Tribe in a great river, but he spared the ten year old Hongji Le Golden Roc.

Thirty years later Hongji Le Golden Roc rebelled, betraying four thousand Irgi warriors to Da Yue and assassinating King Kuku, but even then, Hongji Le Golden Roc did not dare exterminate the Irgi name.

And so the taboo that Old King Kuku and usurper Hongji Le Golden Roc both dared not commit was unexpectedly commanded by their new roguish, mirthful King.

"All sins must be washed clean with blood. The Irgi Name accepts no betrayal." Helian Zheng coldly exclaimed. "The Pixiu Tribe is only the first, and I do not care if there is a second. Whoever dares touch my people will lose their entire tribe…" Helian Zheng lifted his hand to the heavens and roared: "Golden Roc, get ready for me to f*** your mother!"

"Golden Roc, get ready for me to f*** your mother!" The ten thousand warriors shouted as one, their vigorous voices weeping across the steppe like a storm. In the far distance, a startled eagle leapt from its news, crying out in alarm as it rose up into the blue heavens!

Anger and pain leading to humiliation and the promise of vengeance.

The buried indignation and fury burst out from the hearts of the soldiers as they roared for iron and blood.

"Clang!"

Helian Zheng unsheathed his blade and lifted it high, the gleaming metal more dazzling than the sun.

Spurs clattered and armor clanged as the ten thousand cavalrymen dismounted, a hand on every sheathed sabre as the soldiers kissed the ground and roared.

"King!"

Just as they cried out.

The huge, red circle of the sun lifted up over the horizon, its blazing light burning across a thousand li.

In that burning glow, Helian Zheng stood with the dignified and imposing majesty of a mountain, his sleeves floating in the wind.

In that burning glow, the last shreds of worry disappeared from Mudan Hua's eyes and she let out a long breath, finally smiling with real brightness and the pride of a blossoming peony.

…

"Hongji Le Golden Roc is a schemer." Feng Zhiwei advised Helian Zheng as they rode with the King's Army towards the King's Court.

"He lay in wait for you at the border, already holding the Queen hostage to force you into his trap. Even if you crossed the river safely, the Pixiu and Golden Roc warriors would have attacked, and even if they could not kill you, they could be certain that you would suffer a great loss and begin your campaign in difficulty. In the situation, when your King's Army arrived, you cannot be certain that the proud soldiers would acknowledge you as king. Even though all the soldiers are considered men of the Golden Lion Tribe, many of them are from the side-branches of White Deer, Blue Bird, and Fire Fox. If things went badly, you would have already been buried in the riverside."

"Yes." Helian Zheng acknowledged easily. "The winner will be King; there are no other rules. My brothers[1] and cousins are all fighting fiercely, each one with their own power and strength. If I could not subdue the King's Army, I probably would not have been able to defeat the Pixiu Tribe."

"Even if you've subdued them for now, it is hard to say whether you will still have their loyalty after our future battles." Feng Zhiwei replied, smiling.

"I am not stronger than the others in any way." Helian Zheng replied, smiling modest and proud. "My only strength is that the Queen Mother supports me."

Feng Zhiwei paused in surprise. Steppe women had no status, why was Mudan Hua so important?

That crazy woman is a child of the heavens. Dama Living Buddha said that she is the Guardian God of the Steppes." Helian Zheng explained in an amused huff. "Heihei! Guardian God! But the Trumpet Flower does have her strengths. My Father King found her on the battlefield and she ended saving his life. She carried my Father King off the battlefield and led his personal guard to safety, directly responsible for the survival and prosperity of our Golden Lion Tribe. That is why the Trumpet Flower is the one and true Queen of the Steppes."

"Then you are fortunate your fate is troubled." Feng Zhiwei replied jokingly. "For if your younger brothers had survived and won Mudan Hua's love, the situation might be different."

When no response came, Feng Zhiwei turned curiously. The young king's lips were thin with tension and a curious glitter filled his purple eyes.

"No… actually…" Helian Zheng began slowly."

"Sir!"

A loud call interrupted as a calm faced rider rapidly approached, his tone somewhat panicked.

"Hongji Le Golden Roc has summoned the Patriarchs of the Twelve Tribes for a Hu Zhuo Gold Alliance Meeting at the banks of the Bing Valley River!"

Helian Zheng's face turned ark as iron, and he immediately asked: "Did all the Patriarchs attend?'

"The White Deer and Blue Bird Patriarchs did not go. They're still guarding the King's Court."

Helian Zheng relaxed a little, nodding.

"Patriarch Fire Fox… went." The rider whispered. "And someone from the Golden Lion Tribe… also attended."

Helian Zheng's face instantly fell. "Who?"

"Kulcha Irgi."

Helian Zheng did not reply, finally dismissing the rider with a wave.

Feng Zhiwei quietly waited, not interrupting the young King's heavy thoughts as she gestured for Zong Chen to gather his men close.

"The Hu Zhuo Gold Alliance Meeting is called by a majority of the Tribe Patriarchs when the King's Court is unable to command the steppes. It is a moot to select the new Steppe King or negotiate land rights and… to banish a King." Helian Zheng finally broke his silence to explain.

[1] Brothers from the other wives of the Old King.