Chapter 10

Sharing the same plight, sympathizing with each other

As Qin Xiang Lian was momentarily stunned, Chen Shi Mei stepped back, freeing her hand, “If Your Highness has no further business, I’ll take my leave.” With that, she turned and walked away.

Qin Xiang Lian did not follow her but watched from behind. As Shi Mei was about to leave the forest, he let out a sigh of relief... only to hear a cold laugh nearby.

Startled, Shi Mei realized Qin Xiang Lian had already approached her. He said in a low voice, “Even your walk is different from hers!”

Chen Shi Mei was taken aback, her initial panic replaced by disbelief and anger.

Qin Xiang Lian had expected her to be disconcerted, but instead of distress, she looked upset. Was she angry?

Chen Shi Mei faced Qin Xiang Lian, “Your Highness, you actually remember how Shu Mei walked? Then how did you not notice her devotion to you?”

Qin Xiang Lian was caught off guard by her response, feeling an inexplicable annoyance, “What do you mean?”

Chen Shi Mei smoothed out the creases on her sleeve from Qin Xiang Lian’s grip, and said lightly, “If Shi Mei were just an ordinary woman, without the Empress Dowager as her mother, would Prince Qin have cherished and loved her?”

Qin Xiang Lian frowned and remained silent.

Chen Shi Mei shook her head with a smile, “I don't pay attention to people who don't care about me. I don’t remember their mannerisms, and I certainly don’t have any special disdain or disgust for someone who is indifferent to me. The rarest thing in this world is true sincerity, Prince. You lack this fortune. You will regret it later.” After leaving a stunned Qin Xiang Lian behind, she quickly exited the forest. Shi Mei sighed inwardly; poor Chen Shi Mei, how did she view Qin Xiang Lian before she died? Did she think he cared for her, or did she believe he had lost interest? If she died with resentment, it was a pity. Or perhaps she had an epiphany before dying, realizing she would never fall for someone like Qin Xiang Lian if she had a second chance. Was that why she was reborn, to start anew?

Shi Mei walked back, feeling inexplicably sad. Xiao Xiang Er, noticing her distress, came up and asked worriedly, “Sister Mei, did he bully you?”

Chen Shi Mei looked at her and then smiled, pinching her cheek, “No, this time I bullied him.”

“Ah?” Xiao Xiang Er was confused.

“Let's go back,” Shi Mei said.

Bai She, who had been silent, then spoke to them.

"Look, Sister Mei, Bai She even had a carriage ready for us," Xiangyi said, pulling Chen Shimei towards the waiting carriage.

Chen Shimei, composing herself, followed Bai She with Xiangyi to the carriage and headed back.

Left behind, Qin Xianglian stood motionless, his mind eventually filling with frustration and anger, feeling an inexplicable rage.

When Chen Shimei arrived back at her residence, she noticed several carriages parked in front of her fragrance mansion.

“A small mat?” Shi Mei was puzzled to see the carriage laden with household items and necessities. “What's all this about?”

"Mistress, the Empress Dowager had prepared a suite for you in the palace, thinking you'd stay there," Xiaoxi explained. "But since you prefer living outside, she sent all these to you. From now on, when you visit the palace, you'll stay in her quarters."

Chen Shimei felt grateful. Having grown up motherless, she now savored this affection. She realized how wonderful it was to have a mother's love, something she had envied in others since childhood.

Shi Mei smiled, “I'll make some pastries later. Could you deliver them to the Empress Dowager for me?”

Xiaoxi nodded. "Just instruct me, Mistress. No need for formality. Oh, and..." He pointed to three palace maids, an elderly maid, four guards, and a butler, getting off another carriage. "These are all from the Empress Dowager's personal staff, assigned to serve you from now on. They'll collect their wages from the palace monthly. If anyone disobeys, your word is enough to dismiss them."

Chen Shimei, realizing the grandeur of being a princess, courteously acknowledged everyone, "I appreciate your future efforts."

They all promptly bowed, expressing their unworthiness.

The three young maids and the elderly maid were put under Xiangyi's supervision. The butler, Zhong Bo, a eunuch from the palace, was experienced and loyal.

Under Zhong Bo's direction, the fragrance mansion was quickly set up, becoming habitable within half a day.

Xiangyi, along with the maids, busily arranged Chen Shimei's bedroom, aiming for elegance and simplicity.

Chen Shimei entered her newly arranged bedroom and was very pleased with Xiangyi's efficiency.

"I realized there's no need to stay at Bai She's house any longer," Chen Shimei thought, considering the gossip her stay could cause. She decided to visit Bai She to inform him of her departure.

The butler served Chen Shimei tea and asked her to wait in the garden for Bai She, who was currently with a guest.

While waiting, Chen Shimei admired a white peach blossom tree in the yard and contemplated planting similar ones in her garden. Suddenly, she heard a noise from the room where the aggressive woman who had previously accosted her was resting. Chen Shimei wondered if the woman had regained consciousness.

Realizing it wasn't safe to stay, as the woman was known for her ferocity and she lacked self-defense skills, Chen Shimei considered fleeing.

As she was about to leave, the woman appeared, leaning against the door frame.

Caught off guard, Chen Shimei debated whether to run or walk away, ultimately realizing she should have run immediately.

The woman, despite her injuries, quickly approached Chen Shimei, who realized too late that she could no longer escape. The woman grabbed Chen Shimei, who was defenseless.

"Thinking of running?" the woman demanded.

Chen Shimei was grabbed by the arm and pushed against a rockery. "Where's Bai She?" the woman yelled.

"He said he'd be here soon," Chen Shimei replied, trying to deescalate the situation, while noting the woman was still too injured to move around much.

"I'll kill Bai She!" the woman declared with hatred.

"Your brother wasn't killed by Bai She," Chen Shimei assured her.

The woman spat in contempt. "You're his woman, of course, you'd defend him. I saw it with my own eyes!"

"What you saw was like a dream, unclear, right?" Chen Shimei muttered.

The woman paused, surprised. "How do you know?"

"I just visited the ruined temple where your brothers were attacked with Bai She," Chen Shimei explained seriously. "We found some incense pouches on your brothers' bodies."

"Incense pouch?" The woman paused in confusion. "What about it?"

"If you saw Bai She yesterday, then you must also have one of those incense pouches on you," Chen Shimei stated.

The woman's eyes flickered with doubt as she stared at Chen Shimei, "What's the matter with that incense pouch?"

"It contains special incense," Chen Shimei explained. "Not ordinary incense, but one that can make people see illusions!"

The woman hesitated, shaking her head in disbelief. "That's nonsense! Impossible!"

Noticing her skepticism but also her reluctance to accept the truth, Chen Shimei softened her tone, "May I know your name, miss?"

"Who's your miss?" the woman scoffed at Chen Shimei.

Chen Shimei playfully stuck out her tongue, thinking how fierce the woman was. She then continued smiling, "Miss, would you like to sit down? My back hurts from leaning against this rockery."

The woman eyed Chen Shimei skeptically but considering her own inability to stand firmly, she reluctantly pulled Chen Shimei towards a bench.

Chen Shimei offered no resistance and helped the woman to sit down, pouring her a cup of hot tea.

The woman's throat was parched, but when she tried to grasp the cup, her fingers were stiff and unresponsive. Frustrated, she decided against drinking.

Seeing this, Chen Shimei gently took the cup and helped the woman drink.

Hesitant at first but overwhelmed by thirst, the woman accepted the drink. After consuming three cups, Chen Shimei noticed she had enough and called for the butler, asking if there was any porridge available as she was hungry.

The butler was slightly surprised to see the woman awake but remembered Bai She's instructions to treat Chen Shimei as an honored guest.

Without further ado, the butler brought a serving of millet porridge and some side dishes.

Seeing the woman, Hongye, almost falling over, Chen Shimei helped her to a room, propped her up on the bed, and began to feed her.

"What's your name?" Chen Shimei inquired, finding Hongye fierce but not inherently bad, and noticing her many scars, a sign of a hard life.

Hongye, amused by Chen Shimei's perceptiveness, smirked, "You're good at reading people. Born into poverty, I guess?"

Shaking her head, Shimei replied, "No, I come from a wealthy family. It's just that I'm not cherished at home, which led me to become independent."

Hongye was puzzled, "You're so beautiful, why wouldn't they love you? Jealous siblings?"

Chen Shimei smiled, countering, "Aren't you also beautiful, yet unloved?"

Annoyed, Hongye retorted, "Don't be ridiculous. My brothers did love me, even though they're gone now."

Chen Shimei thought, those rough brothers could only have cared for her in their way, not truly cherishing her.

After eating some porridge, Hongye regained some strength and attempted to get up.

"Don't strain yourself," Chen Shimei cautioned her. "You'll only worsen your condition."

"Am I to stay here and wait for Bai She to kill me?" Hongye demanded, pulling Chen Shimei, "Come with me!"

Chen Shimei sighed, "Where would we go? You'd faint in fifty steps, and be dead in a hundred!"

Hongye's anger flared again, but Chen Shimei dodged away, picking up a fan to cool her, "Calm down! Bai She wouldn't have saved you if he wanted you dead."

Hongye remained unconvinced.

"Deep down, you know the truth," Chen Shimei stated. "Think about it, if Bai She wanted you dead, he'd have done it already. Why would he save you only to kill you later? It's nonsensical."

Hongye held the corner of the blanket tightly, her fingers turning white with tension.

"The only explanation is... the person who gave you those sachets, they deceived you..."

"Impossible!" Hongye interrupted Chen Shimei sharply.

Noticing Hongye's mix of anger and anxiety, Chen Shimei asked, "Hongye, was that person a relative... or a lover?"

Hongye's face paled, and she looked up at Chen Shimei with a hint of resentment.

Chen Shimei realized — it was a lover...

After a moment of silence, Hongye asked, “What's your name?”

Chen Shimei mumbled her reply, "Chen Shimei."

"Which Shimei?" Hongye didn't understand.

"Stone as in rock, plum as in the flower," Chen Shimei clarified.

Hongye laughed, "Why such an odd name?"

Chen Shimei remained silent.

"I get it, your parents mustn't have loved you!" Hongye teased with a smirk. "No, it's a name for a girl without a mother!"

Chen Shimei felt her painful past prodded and glared at Hongye, knowing it was intentional.

Seeing Chen Shimei's reaction, Hongye guessed she was right and sighed, "Okay, I have no mother either."

Chen Shimei looked at her and said, "Then we're even. No more harsh words!"

"Fine, I won't say it," Hongye sighed deeply. "I need a couple of days to heal before confronting him for clarity."

Sitting beside her, Chen Shimei asked, "About the investigation into the incense... would you like to stay at my place?"

"Huh?" Hongye looked surprised. "You mean, stay at your courtyard?"

Chen Shimei shook her head. "I've already said I have no ties with Baishu. I live across from him."

Hongye was initially shocked, then tried to get up. "Why didn't you say so earlier? I don't want to stay here. Let's go to your place right away!"

As they were speaking, footsteps approached and Baishu entered the room.

Seeing both of them there, Baishu appeared slightly surprised, but he wasn't one to show much emotion or ask many questions.

To Hongye, Baishu said, "I had Ghost Head Wu examine the bodies. The fatal wounds were from a sword, not a blade like mine. I'm left-handed, and the assailant was right-handed, of similar build to me but less skilled. Think about who it could be."

Chen Shi Mei noticed Hongye's face darken with each word from Bai She, feeling a pang of sympathy. Like Chen Shi Mei, here was another woman used and abandoned by a man, her heart deeply wounded.

"Baishu, will you help?" Chen Shimei asked. "Is the real culprit powerful? She's just a vulnerable woman."

Baishu slightly raised an eyebrow. "It wasn't my concern initially, but he used my name to commit murder, and it's linked to my friend's death. Of course, I'll intervene," he said, then glanced at Chen Shimei. "About the sachets..."

"I'll investigate tonight. And is it okay if I take Hongye with me?" Chen Shimei inquired. "There are more women in my household; it'll be easier to care for her."

Baishu casually shrugged, as if to say—up to you.

Soon, Hongye was settled into a newly decorated guest room in the lavish Xiangfen Residence.

Surveying the opulent surroundings, Hongye smirked, "So much for no one doting on you. Look at all this wealth."

Holding a bowl of lotus seed soup handed by Xiang'er, Chen Shimei sat beside Hongye's bed to feed her. "If you like, you can stay as long as you want. You're welcome here anytime; I enjoy lively company."

Hongye glanced away, surprised but without rejection. Chen Shimei smiled, sensing Hongye's lack of a home.

After eating and taking her medicine, Hongye lay down to rest. Chen Shimei, with the sachets in hand, joined Xiang'er in the fragrance workshop.

Aside from the guards sent by the Empress Dowager, Baishu, honoring his promise, had assigned skilled protectors to rotate around the Xiangfen Residence, ensuring Chen Shimei's safety, as per Xiang'er's request.