Early autumn of the 28th of the Minh Duong dynasty, the backyard of the Duong Minister was in turmoil, servants and subordinates were running back and forth in a rush, everyone's faces were full of anxiety and panic. 

Lan Lady was about to give birth, but because the pregnancy was too large, it was difficult to deliver. In the room, the midwives were surrounding the pregnant woman to take care of her. 

Outside, the Elder Lady sent her subordinate to invite Van Khoi priest, but the servant returned to report that he had suddenly left the capital two days ago, which enraged her because the priest had already confirmed five times that he would definitely come. She kept standing in front of the labor room's door, impatiently looking inside.

When the children's voices were heard, the Elder Lady hurried to the door of the room, and two midwives came out, each of them holding a newborn baby.

- “The twins are both female, Madame.” - A Thien, who was already staying in the labor room, came out and whispered to her ear. Van Khoi's prophecies were known only to her, so she clearly understood the meaning of this sentence - “Lan lady has fainted because she was so exhausted.”

The Elder Lady approached the two nieces, and with a trembling hand she lifted wrappings of each child and looked at the two newborn children.

“The priest was right! It can’t be helped” - She muttered in disappointment then glanced at A Thien, nodded, and signaled her to do what she had instructed before, then said to the two midwives - “Follow me to the bathroom.”

The wooden door of the bathroom closed after the three of them entered. The Lady gazed closely at the two nieces, and she pointed to the child with a red birthmark patched on the temple and sighed heavily. Seeming to have made up her mind, she closed her eyes and nodded.

When the same door opened again, only one little girl was lucky enough to continue to breathe the earthly air, she snuggled into the midwife's plump breasts and sucked. A tiny hand kept swinging in the air happily, not knowing what had happened to her sibling.

On that day, the backyard of the Duong family suddenly lacked few servants, the pungent smell of blood pervaded from the maternity room, but it was not only from the Lan Lady.

- “Create drama, receive karma!” - The Elder Lady narrowed her old eyes, looked at the sky and sighed. - “Doom has come to us all…”

It was only mid-noon, but the sky suddenly became overcast, dark clouds covered more than half of the sun. A Thien was on her knees wiping each brick crevice line, she looked up at the sky while her whole shaking body was trying to squeeze out the water from the cleaning towel. 

This was the third time she cleaned the floor, but she still didn't feel it was clean enough. Looking at her silhouette reflected in the wooden basin of water, she kept seeing that instead of water there was only blood, panicked, she threw the rag on the ground, got up, and ran straight to the door. 

“Run where?”

“Ma...madame!” - Frightened because she accidentally hit the Elder Lady, A Thien almost screamed. To the later days, she still couldn't believe how such a benevolent woman could coldly order the extermination of her niece and nearly ten other people's lives. - “I’m...m just going to get more water to clean the room.”

“You've been with me for so long, don't I know you well enough? A Thien, don't be afraid.” - Knocking the wooden cane on the ground and then calmly getting into the room, the Elder Lady slowly peered at each brick under her feet - “I am the one who created this karma, but still not afraid. What are you scared of? Are you afraid that I will kill you too?”

“Madame! It’s not like that” - A Thien panicked, knelt down and banged her head on the brick floor.

“Keep working with peace of mind, I'm not someone who can’t tell right from wrong, this time you have done a great deed, my whole family must thank you.” - The Elder Lady turned around to face the kneeling maid - “You will be my niece’s nanny in the future, grow old with her and be one of my family members.”

“Madam, it is such a pronounced honor, I swear to devote all my strength and wisdom to protect Miss Nguyet from now on, she will be my one and only Lady!’ - When A Thien finished speaking, she bowed three times.

“Alright, I think it's clean enough. Finish it and pack your things back to the Moon gate. Use all your heart to take good care of the baby. This secret must be treated as if it has never happened.” - Finally, she tapped the wooden cane on the ground as if to warn and left.

A Thien sighed in relief because she was not only luckily getting out of danger, but also taking a new step to a higher status. Gently, she fondled the heart that was still bouncing fiercely in her chest and immediately went back to clean the floor one last time, took away the bucket of water and walked toward the door. Only stopped for a moment, kneeling down and mumbling prayers to herself, then quietly closed the door and left. 

At the Southern gate, Lan Lady was lying on the bed while holding her little soundly sleeping daughter, her finger lightly contouring the baby's soft lips and smiling happily. The Elder Lady sat at the end of the bed, her hands clasped on the top of the wooden cane, her view locked on the child, but no one knew what she was thinking.

Lan Lady was playing with the child, but for a moment her eyes stopped at the expression of her mother-in-law and quickly withdrew as if nothing had happened.

“Today, my husband came back too late, I don't know if there is anything on the court” - Lan lady absentmindedly speaks.

“That's man business, women just need to take good care of the family, raise and educate children. You don't have to think too much!” - Listening to her story, the Elder Lady was a little startled and then reluctantly looked for an answer. - “How are Van Truong's studies these days? You have to urge him, no matter what, he is the eldest son, in the future our Nguyet will need a lot of help from him.”

 

“My dear mother,” - Lan Lady stopped fondling the baby, she looked up at the old lady and asked - “What did the old Taoist say to you that day? Why can't you tell me? I have heard that you are still looking for him until now.”

Seeing her daughter-in-law's adamantness, the Elder Lady sighed and waved her hand for the servants to retreat. When the door of the room was closed, she said slowly:

“Our little Nguyet has Phoenix fate!”

“Who said? He? - Lan Lady covered her mouth in surprise. - “Do you plan to…”

“Plan to what? You think I'm going to kill him?” - The old lady glared at her - "The priest said that her Phoenix fate was defective, he promised that when she was born, he would come and perform the magic ceremony to gather the soul for her. But I don't know why he has gone, I still can't find him now. -sigh-…”

“I am just…”

The atmosphere in the room was as if freezing, the two women sinking in their thoughts, deeply understanding what those two words “Phoenix fate” mean, hardly ignoring it's powerful temptation, for that they would do everything to remove the word “half” in it no matter what it takes.

“Madame, Lan lady, Master has just arrived!” - The sound of a servant from outside the door woke them both from their dream.

“Alright, I'll go back to my room. Go ahead and talk to each other.” - Hearing that her son had returned, the old lady stood up and prepared to leave.

“Yes, mother. About the Taoist, I will ask the people of the Marquis for help, I hope we can find him soon.” - Lan lady said.

“That's good.” - Nodding satisfied, the old lady pushed the door and walked out.

 

From the room, Ninh Lan could hear her husband talking happily to his mother in the yard. She still held her baby daughter in her arms, gently swaying while softly singing folk lullabies with her sweet voice.