On the third day of my house arrest, I felt completely numb.

Outside the window, the sun was still bright, and the birds were still singing on the branches. But for me, the world had lost all its color. I sat by the bedside like a walking corpse, even blinking felt like an unnecessary movement.


Jade came every day to deliver meals, calling my name outside the door, but I never responded again. The food would grow cold at the door, only to be taken away untouched.

Eat? Why should I eat? The emperor would eventually execute me anyway. What difference does it make whether it's sooner or later?

On the fourth day, I heard some commotion outside, as if someone was talking to the guards at the door.


"Is Lin inside?" It was a voice I recognized.

Starson? What is he doing here?


"Your Highness, His Majesty has decreed that no one is allowed to visit Fenglin," the gate guard said respectfully.

"I know, I’m not here to visit," Starson’s voice was calm. "I just want to read a book here for a while. You don’t need to mind me."

Then came the sound of a chair being moved and pages being turned.

Is Starson really sitting outside my door reading? What is he doing? Feeling sorry for me?

I let out a cold laugh. Now that he knows I’m the descendant of a disgraced official, he probably feels he treated me too well before. But after all, the Crown Prince is a civilized man. He won’t express his disdain as blatantly as others. He’s just sitting here symbolically for a while, as a way to settle the past affection.

"Fenglin, can you hear me?" Starson’s voice came through the door.

I didn’t answer.

"I want to tell you a story."

A story? How could he be in the mood to tell a story at a time like this?

"Once upon a time, there was a phoenix who lived in a phoenix tree, singing beautiful songs every day. But one day, a group of wicked men came to the forest. Envious of the phoenix's beauty, they wanted to kill her."

I furrowed my brow. What kind of childish fairy tale is this?

"The phoenix was severely injured by them, her feathers withered, her voice hoarse. She thought she was going to die. She hid in a cave, afraid to come out, afraid to sing, and even doubted if she was still a phoenix."

My heart suddenly skipped a beat.

"But a true phoenix never dies. When she was in the most pain and despair, a miracle happened. Her body ignited in flames, not flames of destruction, but flames of rebirth. In the fire, she shed all her pain, grew even more dazzling feathers, and sang even more enchanting songs."

I bit my lip, forcing back the tears.

"From then on, she was no longer afraid of those evildoers, because she knew that true light could never be obscured by darkness. She flew higher than before, her voice louder than ever, letting everyone know that she was the undying phoenix."

Starson paused for a moment, then said: "Feng Lin, do you know why your surname is Feng?"

I was stunned. Yes, why is my surname Feng? I had never thought about it before.

"The phoenix, the king of all birds, the undying bird, a symbol of rebirth. Your gift is not a curse, but the honor of your family's legacy. They tried to bury it, and what you must do is let it shine with a brilliance no one can match."

His words were like a bolt of lightning, tearing through the fog in my heart.

Yes, my gift... my ability to perceive everything through taste, isn't that the most unique and precious thing about me?

But...

"But my father really was a traitor," I finally spoke, my voice terrifyingly hoarse, "I really am the child of a disgraced official."

"Is that so?" Starson's voice was soft, "Are you sure?"

"What do you mean?"

"Fenglin, do you believe in the kind of person your father was?"

I thought of my father's face, of his gentle smile, of the patience he had when teaching me to read, of the care he took when teaching me to cook...

"He... he was a very gentle man," I choked out, "He would never harm anyone, not even step on an ant. How could he have plotted a rebellion?"

"That's right," Starson said, "The answer in your heart is truer than anyone's accusations."

"But the Emperor said there's evidence..."

"Evidence?" Starson chuckled lightly, "Fenglin, do you know? Paper is the easiest thing to fabricate, evidence is the easiest thing to forge. But a person's character, their true nature, that is the hardest thing to fake."

I heard the sound of pages being flipped, and then Starson continued, "In the past few days, I’ve been reviewing many historical documents from that time and came across some very interesting things. Your father, Feng Wenyuan, courtesy name Ziyu, was indeed once the teacher of the deposed crown prince, but he was also one of the most renowned scholars of his time. His poems and essays were included in the imperial literary collections, his character was praised by his peers, and even the current Emperor, when he was still a prince, once sought his guidance on writing."

"Really?"

"Moreover, according to the records in the palace diaries from that time, your father, a month before being accused of treason, had submitted a memorial advising the deposed crown prince to be cautious in speech and conduct and not to get involved in factional struggles. Would someone like that really help the deposed crown prince to rebel?"

My heart began to pound intensely.

"Then why... why was he convicted?"

"Because someone needed a scapegoat," Starson's voice turned cold, "The case of the deposed crown prince involved too many people, it was too complicated, someone had to bear the blame. And your father, as the teacher of the deposed crown prince, became the perfect target."

I felt something burning in my chest.

"Who?" I asked, "Who framed my father?"

A sound of footsteps came from outside the window, and then I heard Starson stand up.

"The time has come, I must go," he said, "Feng Lin, remember my words. You are a phoenix, an immortal bird. The pain you feel now is only to make your rebirth even more glorious."

The footsteps gradually faded away, and the outside fell silent again.

But my heart could no longer remain calm.

Father... my father was not a traitor, he was framed!

Then I am not the child of a criminal, I am an innocent victim!

But who is it that wants to harm us like this?

I recalled the smug smile on Noble Consort Liu's face when she saw me being captured, and the words she had spoken...

Could it be her?

But why? Why would she target me? Was it simply because I opposed her?

Or... or is there a deeper reason behind this?

I stood up and began pacing around the room. That long-lost ability to think was slowly returning to me.

No, I can’t just sit here and wait for doom. I need to uncover the truth, I need to clear my father’s name, I need to make those who framed us pay!

But I’m under house arrest; I can’t do anything...

Just as I was in utter distress, faint footsteps sounded outside the door again.

This time, the footsteps were light, cautious, unlike the guards patrolling.

I held my breath and pressed my ear closely against the door to listen.

The footsteps stopped at my door, and then an extremely faint voice came:

"It's me."

That voice... was it Ashen?

"Ashen?"I couldn't help but whisper softly.

"Shh, keep your voice down."Ashen's voice was very low,"I can't stay here for long, I just wanted to tell you that I’ll find a way to help you."

"You... shouldn’t you be avoiding me?"I couldn’t quite believe it,"I’m now the descendant of a disgraced official, associating with me won’t do you any good."

"Nonsense,"Ashen’s voice carried a hint of annoyance,"Who do you think I am? If I, Ashen, don’t have the courage to take responsibility, what kind of man am I?"

My nose tingled, and I almost burst into tears again.

"Besides,"Ashen continued,"I’ve used my position these past few days to look into the case files of the deposed Crown Prince. There are many questionable points, and many strands of evidence ultimately point in the same direction..."

"What direction?"

"The Lewis family."

It was them after all!

"Ashen, could you..."

"I'll figure something out," Ashen interrupted me, "What you need to do now is take care of yourself and not give up hope. Remember, I won't let anyone harm you."

The sound of footsteps echoed again, quickly fading into the night.

I leaned against the door and sat down, my heart filled with mixed emotions.

Starson used his wisdom to light up hope for me, and Ashen used his actions to shield me with protection.

And yet... Here I was, wallowing in self-pity, curled up in a corner like a useless waste.

No, I can't go on like this. I am a phoenix, I will be reborn!

The night was already deep, and the palace was so quiet that only the distant sound of the night watch could be heard.

I was just about to lie down and rest when I suddenly caught a familiar scent.

Is that... the aroma of noodles?

And this smell... so familiar, as if I've smelled it somewhere before...

I quietly walked to the door and sniffed carefully.

This taste... it's the hometown noodle soup! The kind made with chicken broth as the base, topped with green vegetables and a poached egg!

My heart began to race.

Who? Who knows this taste? Who would send me noodle soup at this time?

I gently pulled the door latch and cautiously opened a crack.

On the ground at the doorway was a delicate food container, from which wafted that familiar aroma.

I looked around but couldn't see anyone. Only in the distant corner of the wall did a shadow seem to flash by.

I carried the food container into the room and opened the lid.

Inside was a bowl of steaming noodle soup, with snow-white, slender noodles in a fragrant broth, topped with a tender poached egg and a few vibrant green vegetables.

This was the noodle soup I loved most as a child, made in exactly the same way, with exactly the same taste.

I picked up the bowl and gently took a sip.

The warm soup slid down my throat, its familiar taste instantly awakening all my memories.

I remembered the noodle soup my father made for me when I was sick as a child; the warm nights when our family of three sat together for dinner; how my father always gave me the best poached egg and smiled as I devoured it...

Tears finally flowed uncontrollably.

Not tears of despair, nor tears of fear, but tears of emotion, tears of warmth.

Someone remembered my taste, someone remembered my past, someone was willing to make a bowl of hot noodles for me on such a night.

No matter who this person was, no matter why they did it, this gesture alone was enough to warm my cold heart.

I sipped the soup bit by bit, just like when I was a child, not wasting a single drop.

The noodles were fragrant, the soup was savory, and the poached egg was tender, just like how my father used to make them.

After finishing the noodles, I felt warmth and strength return to my body.

Yes, how could I give up?

I am Feng Lin, the Feng Lin who rises from the ashes like a phoenix.

I possess unmatched talent, I have friends who love me deeply, and I have injustices that need to be cleared.

Noble Consort Lewis thought she had won, thought she had successfully destroyed me, but she was wrong.

A true phoenix will not be brought down by mere rumors and slander.

Since she wants to play this game, I'll play it with her properly.

I’ll make her realize that she didn’t mess with a weak little sparrow.

But a phoenix reborn from the flames.

I gently touched the empty soup bowl and silently vowed in my heart:

Father, I will surely clear your name.

Ashen, Starson, thank you for not giving up on me.

Starting tomorrow, I will rise again.

I want everyone to see the radiance of the phoenix reborn!