Hai Su sat at the gazebo as she gazed at the grounds of the Yang family's mansion. The birds sing their lullaby, the flowers dance to its sweet tune and the water ripples. Closing her eyes and fingers on the side of her lips, Hai Su listens carefully to it. The sound of someone's footsteps ruining the moment. "Fu Hai Su," the voice of a noble lady calls for her.
Her face was as delicate and soft as a fairy. Hua Zi Fen was a famous zither player and composer of thousands of poems. She and Yang Cuo are each other's half. Her gentle but strong will is the perfect match for the ambitious yet kind hearted Yang Cuo. One their own, they are strong but together, they are powerful. A fable love story that Hai Su desires for herself.
In the next following day, Hai Su will leave the Yang's family mansion and enter the Sacred Silent Forest. She had already prepared many fake letters as well as one that contained her will if she ever disappears. Yang Cuo had a friend from a far away village announce her death when the signal was sent.
"I wanted to thank you for the wonderful silk," Zi Fen smiled. "Where did you get it?"
"The finest weaver at Jingyue," Hai Su answered as she poured tea for Zi Fen. "It's none other than the master herbalist herself."
Zi Fen looked down at her tea, "It's a pity she couldn't live long enough for our wedding. Jingyue became a prosperous small village because of her and it's strange she never became the chief."
"Big brother might've told you this already. The emperor… actually once offered her a job in his court but things like high position and fancy titles aren't for her. And with all that money… many people could've bought a fancy house in the capital and lived a comfortable life without working too much but granny rather work and give the money to those who truly need it."
"She's quite a mystery," Zi Fen sighed with great regard. "I can see why you choose to stay in the shop."
"Yang Cuo wanted me to do something different but…this is something I want to do," Hai Su set aside the book she was reading and stared into the unknown of the gardens.
"What's the Sacred Silent Forest like anyway? Are there actually ghosts and spirits lingering?"
Hai Su shook her head slowly before she continued on, "I've been there many times and never… Never have I once seen a ghost or spirit."
"But there were cases where people disappear, right?"
"I never said that there wasn't any, it's just that I never saw it. Although there were times where… Can we not talk about this?"
Zi Fen suspire and noticed a book right next to Hai Su. "What are you reading?"
"It's a love story that takes place within the magical world," Hai Su sighed. "More specifically in the Heavens."
Zi Fen gave a light laugh, "So you believe that your… destined lover is in the Heavens?"
"People come and… they go at just the blink of an eye."
"I'm sorry. It's just that… I didn't know you were stubborn when it comes to romance. It seems like those novels have made you raised the standards in terms of men. So what qualities do you look for?"
"It's very silly but… most of the male leads started out as this handsome but arrogant and aloof person. Then he meets a girl who softens his heart. Things happened and they fell in love-"
"So your destined lover is an arrogant man?"
"No!" Hai Su shook her head quickly and giggled. "No… that's not it! Just to give you a short answer, I like someone who supports and would always stay by my side. It's hard to pinpoint the kind of man I want because no one's perfect. I guess… I want him to… only look at me lovingly and… not others?"
Zi Fen smiled at Hai Su and glimpsed the red mark from birth on her forehead. The following day, Hai Su had her hair tied in a low ponytail, packed her belongings and headed out for the gate. Why should there be a need to shake at an unforeseen future? Upon reaching the gate, there stands a well-builded swordsman and his delicate fairy. Hai Su took the deepest breath she had ever taken and looked the couple in the eyes. Neither did not say a word so Hai Su left with a smile. Zi Fen commands her attention towards her husband, "Something doesn't feel right-"
"What!" Yang Cuo had his eyes wide open at Zi Fen. " What do you mean?"
"Yesterday, Su'er seem to be troubled. She-"
"Eh… don't worry about it. She'll come back with those… Phoenix's Tears."
Zi Fen sighed before continuing, "Su'er says that the flower does not sprout by seed but by the tears of the phoenix. Do you think that there's such a thing?"
"My grandmother likes to tell a lot of tall tales for almost everything. I'm sure that maybe the flower just likes its natural soil at that forested mountain. What's really weird about Su'er is that she's a grown girl who still believes in fairytales."
It was a two day journey from Zhanshi village to the Sacred Silent Forest. Hai Su had her basket as she collected the herbs that made it into her list. The veil on her hat made the fiery-colored leaves seem out of place. She wanted to cut the veil out but it was a precious gift from Zi Fen. The brisk and crispy stride on the leaves that had fallen on the earth. Once everything is collected, the final ingredient is just ahead.
Squeaks and the chirps of a tiny nut eater was lusty. The herbal girl almost topples herself but finds her balance then she leaps over every stone in the pool of flowing water filled with the musky-sweet red and yellow leaves. Reaching the shore, her body aroused to the chilly blow of the trees.
"Do not disappoint your master or else," she whispered. She smiled and charged forward yet goosebumps were all over her body. Her legs wobble but somewhere at the back of her mind, something was telling her to move forward. The further she goes, the golden red leaves rustle and swish. The atmosphere had her shivering and the veil made the path seem endless. Hai Su took off her hat and gathered her two hands together. She closed her eyes as she let out the biggest of breaths. Fu Hai Su marches towards until she finally sees the sign her old master has left behind. This was where the safe road ends for mortals to wander.
A field that lays an aroma of a sweet but musky field of Phoenix's Tears Hai Su giggled and tears fell down from her eyes. One by one, she plucked all the flowers she needed. Hai Su's mind begins to dwell on the time when she had to wait for her old master at the very same spot.
A little girl's heart was racing and she trembled at the thought of losing her master to this forest just like her parents. Suddenly an old woman appeared with a basket of red flowers. Little Hai Su immediately sprinted towards her granny, she was amazed with what her grandmother had collected. The petal had a fiery colour and it resembled a part of a peacock's feather. As they head out of the forest, little Hai Su looked at her master. "What is it?" her master's back was crying agony.
"It's nothing," little Hai Su responded. "But why do the Phoenix's Tears withered within nine days?"
"This kind of flower is actually food for the soil. Good soil means good herbs and trees." Little Hai Su simply nodded but in her mind were flowing with thoughts about the One-Eyed Demon King. Beyond the field of the Phoenix's Tears, granny never speaks about it.
Just as she plucked the last flower she needed, right before her eyes there stood a white-hair figure.