Chapter 11

Framed and unable to fight back.

"Meizi Sister, why are you standing out in the courtyard?"

Xiang Yi, carrying a late-night snack, entered the courtyard to find Chen Shimei standing in the middle, lost in thought.

"Hmm," Chen Shimei seemed preoccupied with heavy thoughts.

"What's wrong?" Xiang Yi ran over and asked, "Have some food."

Shimei glanced at the bowl on the tray and opened it, frowning, "Chicken with ginseng?"

"Yes!" Xiang Yi nodded enthusiastically, "Just stewed, it smells so good, made a whole big pot."

"I'm not hungry, you eat it," Shimei ushered her to sit by the stone table.

"I just ate," Xiang Yi frowned, "Eating two portions will make me fat."

"How old are you now?" Shimei chuckled, "It’s good to gain weight now, it'll benefit your health when you grow up."

"Then why don’t you eat?" Xiang Yi wondered.

Shimei looked away, "Eating at night makes you gain weight."

Xiang Yi glanced at her sideways, teasing, "In the palace, I never saw you skip a meal at night. What's up today? Who said you’ve gained weight?"

"No one..." Shimei muttered softly.

"Hehe." Xiang Yi giggled enigmatically, eating with a spoon, and then fed a piece of chicken heart to Chen Shimei.

In fact, the Empress Dowager had sent not only furniture and food today but also several boxes of clothes.

These were clothes the Empress Dowager had made in her youth, brand new and never worn. Today, Shimei had browsed through them and found each one more beautiful than the last, but they were tight around the waist when worn.

Shimei thus decided to slim down a bit more to look even better in those lovely clothes, and therefore resisted eating that late-night meal.

Seeing her sitting aside and occasionally rubbing her waist, Xiang Yi laughed, "Meizi Sister, what's wrong? Think your waist is too thick?"

Chen Shimei glared at her and declared, "Starting tomorrow, I'm going vegetarian. I won't eat meat until I lose an inch off my waist. You all eat meat, but don't let me see it! If I do, I'll be really upset."

Xiang Yi trembled with laughter.

Shimei glanced at the sky, "Is it the Hai hour (9-11 pm) already?"

"Yes," Xiang Yi nodded, asking, "Meizi Sister, are you planning to go out?"

"Hmm... I wonder if Zan Yu has gone to bed yet." Shimei propped her chin with her hands, "I want to visit her. The Empress Dowager brought two large Ganoderma lucidum earlier. I'll give her one."

"What about the sachet issue?" Xiang Yi inquired, "Did you figure it out?"

Shimei sighed, feeling somewhat powerless regarding the sachet. Chen Shuimei had been studying fragrances for years, but Shimei had only skimmed through her notes recently, barely understanding half of it. After researching all day, she was still clueless.

Seeing Shimei's furrowed brows and distressed look, Xiang Yi brought her a grey fur shoulder wrap, suggesting, "Put this on. A walk might do us good. Sometimes, overthinking can really mess with your mind!"

Shimei nodded, donned the wrap, and had Xiao Xi prepare the carriage to head to General Wang's mansion with Xiang Yi.

The general's mansion wasn't too far from the fragrance house. Although Shimei didn't see herself as important, she was a princess by title. Zhong Bo promptly sent word to General Wang, mentioning the princess's visit to see Miss Wang, without any need for formal reception, thus avoiding any lack of preparation on the Wang family's part.

Soon, Shimei's carriage arrived at the mansion's gate.

General Wang personally came out to greet her, expressing his gratitude for Shimei saving Zan Yu’s life.

Shimei quickly went to support him, exchanging pleasantries.

Xiang Yi, cautious, didn't reveal the Ganoderma lucidum, not wanting the maids or the old women to benefit while Zan Yu missed out. If necessary, she'd cook it herself and deliver it!

The courtyard, belonging to a martial family's daughter, was tastefully arranged but lacked exquisite delicacy.

Shimei and Xiang Yi were accompanied by General Wang into the house. Leaving Shimei to converse with Zan Yu, General Wang respectfully excused himself.

Leaning against the bedpost, Zan Yu's face lit up with a smile upon seeing Shimei enter.

"How are you feeling?" Shimei asked softly as she sat beside Zan Yu's bed.

"My injuries weren't severe," Zan Yu chuckled, "The servants were just putting on a show, they didn't really hurt me."

Shimei had expected Zan Yu to be frail and weak, but to her surprise, she looked healthy and radiant.

"Did you think I'd be pining away for him?" Zan Yu teased Shimei, "Don't underestimate me!"

Nodding, Shimei advised, "Yes, don't be heartbroken over that man."

"I've been waiting for you," Zan Yu gestured towards a packed bag at the foot of her bed, "Take me with you!"

Glancing at the bag, Shimei inquired, "Leave now or wait until you're fully healed?"

"Let's go now. I'll stay with you until I find a good man to marry. I can't stand my father's concubines anymore, one of them is even younger than me."

Laughing, Shimei agreed, "Alright! Let's leave right away."

Zan Yu brought only two close maids with her.

Shimei realized that both Chen Shuimei and Zan Yu had very clever and obedient maids. The maids, once close with Xiang Yi in the Wang mansion, were now reunited, chattering non-stop.

Seeing Zan Yu's decision to stay with Shimei, General Wang didn't object. He arranged for several items and money to be sent with her.

Settling Zan Yu into the fragrance house took some time. The three main rooms were now fully occupied; Shimei in the center, Zan Yu in the west, and Hong Ye in the east.

The maids busied themselves in and out of the rooms, bringing a lively atmosphere to the fragrance house.

"Sis Mei, it's really lively now. But with Hong Ye's temper and Zan Yu's fierceness, won't they end up fighting?" Xiang Yi pondered.

Shimei chuckled, "That would be fun, watching them argue."

After laughing, Xiang Yi asked in confusion, "Sis Mei, you never liked noisy scenes before. What changed?"

Shimei simply smiled, sitting at the table, gazing towards the distant fragrance house, which was originally left by Chen Shuimei. She had instructed the workers to preserve it exactly as it was.

Thinking of the fragrance house, Shimei felt restless again, still lacking clues and missing important information... Most of which she assumed were stored in Chen Shuimei's mind, unlike her own.

"Sis Mei, you should sleep," Xiang Yi said, noticing it was almost dawn. "We can talk more in the morning."

Shimei shook her head and stood up, "I won't sleep. You go ahead." She then walked towards the fragrance house.

In the fragrance house, Shimei rummaged through boxes and cabinets, finding two large camphor wood boxes full of notes, filled with dense writing and drawings.

Treating them as treasures, she sat down quietly and began perusing each page, gradually making sense of the information. She quickly started noting down important points.

Xiang Yi checked on Shimei twice, seeing her engrossed in her work and not intending to sleep. Worried Shimei might need help, Xiang Yi took a small brocade blanket and lay down to sleep on a couch in the adjoining room.

……

Xiang Yi slept until dawn when she felt someone nudging her.

Opening her eyes, she saw Shimei.

"Sis Mei."

"Why are you sleeping here? Aren't you cold?" Shimei, yawning beside the couch, said, "Go back to your room and sleep. I'll join you after talking with Bai She."

Xiang Yi sat up suddenly, "Sis Mei? Have you figured it out?"

"Yeah... pretty much." Though exhausted, Shimei felt a sense of accomplishment. She was determined to delve deeper into the intricacies of fragrances, honoring the title of the 'Fragrance Empress.'

"I'll go find Bai She!"

"I've already sent someone to fetch him," Shimei urged her, "Go get some sleep."

"I'll make some food first!" Xiang Yi quickly got up and headed out.

"I want some too! I'm starving!" Shimei called after her.

"I'll buy some buns at the gate. How many do you want, Sis Mei? Meat or vegetarian?"

Hungry from staying up all night, Shimei exclaimed, "Meat ones, of course, make it three!"

As she finished speaking, Bai She entered with Xiao Xi.

Bai She's face was expressionless, while Xiao Xi tried to hide a smile. Shimei's face turned slightly red, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Got any clues?" Bai She asked upon entering.

"Yes," Shimei nodded and turned back into the fragrance house. The place was chaotic, with papers scattered all over and piles of books and disarrayed fragrance ingredients on the table. Shimei felt even more embarrassed, thinking Bai She must find her disorganized and gluttonous.

"Ahem," Shimei coughed, trying to cover up, "Just moved in, so it's a bit messy."

"Hmm," Bai She nodded, acknowledging the mess.

Shimei, half laughing and half crying, thought to herself, 'Why can't Bai She say something polite for once?'

"It'll be clean once tidied up," Shimei said, picking up the notes she wrote last night. Bai She, ever serious, asked, "Do you need help organizing? I can find people to help you."

Shimei looked at Bai She with a complex expression, thinking how his handsome face belied a surprisingly single-minded nature.

Seeing Chen Shi Mei glance at him as if she had something to say, Bai She inquired, “What’s on your mind?”

"Nothing," Shimei shook her head and addressed Bai She, "The fragrances in these sachets are unusual. Let's start with the one from Hongye."

Bai She nodded, listening intently as Shimei continued.

"There's a unique fragrance here called civet musk," Shimei explained, pulling out a small black and white wooden piece from the sachet and handing it to Bai She.

"What's this?"

"It's from a rare civet known as the 'Yao Sea Spirit Civet,'" Shimei elaborated. "It's seldom seen and only produces this scent once every ten years, making it extremely valuable. Carrying it enhances one's alertness, especially useful for martial artists. However, one must abstain from alcohol when wearing it, as drinking can trigger hallucinations."

"What kind of hallucinations?" Bai She queried.

Shimei responded, "Simply put, one's fears manifest. Hongye saw you because she was afraid of you after your recent fierce battle. She probably mistook someone else in white as you."

"That's quite peculiar," Bai She remarked, visibly surprised.

"Yes," Shimei added thoughtfully. "This fragrance isn't readily available; perhaps you can start your investigation there."

Bai She nodded, then asked, “What place is Yao Hai?”

"It's in Guizhou, named after a mountain range," Shimei replied. Just then, Bai She let out a cold laugh, "That settles it."

Shimei looked at him, puzzled.

"My friend was in Guizhou," Bai She revealed, then turned to Shimei, "What about the fragrance on him?"

"Yes, I've figured that out too," Shimei brought out a small purple mushroom with white spots. "This is the White Spotted Fragrant Ganoderma."

Bai She took it, looking puzzled at Shimei.

"The Fragrant Ganoderma is purple and non-toxic, used in incense for invigorating blood circulation and clearing the lungs. However, this white-spotted variant is toxic. Consuming it can cause unconsciousness, and prolonged exposure leads to numbness and gradual loss of strength."

Bai She frowned, understanding why his friend couldn't fight back in his final moments – he had lost his strength.

"The incense on Hongye is formulated into a blend called 'Framing Incense,'" explained Shimei. "The one on your friend is 'No Return Incense.'"

Bai She looked up and asked, "Is this recorded in a book?"

"No, I figured it out myself," Shimei smiled. She liked Chen Zhenmei's method of categorizing mixed incenses with idiomatic names, clearly indicating their effects, so she made up names for these two varieties, quite pleased with them.

Bai She's gaze turned complex as he looked at her.

"What's wrong?" Shimei asked.

"They sound terrible," Bai She commented bluntly.

Shimei's heart skipped a beat, then irritation set in. This dullard was infuriating, incapable of saying anything pleasant!

"Anything else?" Bai She, oblivious to having offended Shimei, continued his inquiry.

Shi Mei mumbled, “Gone, and even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you.”

Bai She paused, then finally uttered, "Oh…"

Exasperated, Shimei sighed. Why was she even bothering with this simpleton? "This White Spotted Fragrant Ganoderma is also from Guizhou, a poison. There shouldn't be many places selling it."

"Alright," Bai She nodded, "I'll have someone look into it."

"Alright, that's all for now. I'll talk to Hongye about her side of things once she recovers," Shimei said, yawning. She didn't care about appearing dignified anymore; after all, Bai She was too simple to notice… She was so hungry.

Bai She collected everything and thanked Chen Shimei before turning to leave.

Shimei nodded lazily, but then she heard Bai She pause at the door and say, "About that name…"

"Hmm?" Shimei looked up at him.

Bai She smiled, "It's not too bad, actually."

……

Shimei was stunned. As Bai She walked away, she muttered, "Let's eat some buns, I can hear your stomach growling."

Right after he spoke, Shimei smelled the aroma of fresh buns and her stomach embarrassingly grumbled.

"Shimei!" Xiangyi came in with a packet of buns, nodded to Bai She leaving, and rushed in, "They're hot, just out of the oven… Shimei, why is your face so red?"

Shimei watched Bai She's departing figure. Although it was just his back, she was sure he was smiling!

"What's wrong, Shimei?" Xiangyi handed her a bun, and Shimei, after a long pause, grabbed a bun and began to eat furiously. After a couple of bites, she grumbled, "Stupid man! Pretending to be innocent!"

"Exactly!" Xiangyi agreed naively, munching on her bun, "There are no honest men!"

Shimei devoured three buns, washed up, and went to her room to sleep soundly.