Chapter 13

Gradually getting familiar, full of life and vigor.

That evening, after her bath, Shi Mei wore a pink, silver-edged bellyband and a lotus-edged silk skirt, covered with a thin, white shawl, sitting on the bed reading.

Xiang Yi was sitting at the foot of the bed, embroidering with a hoop.

Xiao Fu Zi lay beside Shi Mei, happily licking its white fur on the chest.

Zan Yuwei had a tiring day playing with the ladies and had gone to bed early.

Hong Ye, however, was full of energy. She wanted to practice her martial arts, but Shi Mei wouldn't let her exert herself, so she sat in Shi Mei's room, helping Xiang Yi choose embroidery patterns.

"Little Mei, are you going out with Bai She tomorrow?" Hong Ye inquired.

"Yes," Shi Mei said, feeling annoyed just thinking about it. It wasn't about being shortchanged; the silver censer was worth at least a thousand taels and hard to come by. But Bai She's approach was infuriating. Had he simply gifted the censer and then asked for help, she would have been happy to assist. But he had to make things complicated!

However, Shi Mei thought again, if he had directly given her such an expensive gift, she wouldn't have accepted it due to her character.

Hong Ye climbed onto the bed, cuddled Xiao Fu Zi, and began to rub its belly while saying to Shi Mei, "Shall I tell you some rumors about Bai She from the Jianghu?"

Shi Mei put down her book and asked, "Is he well-known in the Jianghu?"

"Bai She is a well-known figure in the martial arts world, especially his Ghost Blade Villa," Hongye said, sitting cross-legged and playfully flipping a small puppy, scratching its armpit as it hummed contentedly.

"Ghost Blade?" Shimei pondered, "Is that the knife he always carries, wrapped in cloth?"

"Yes," Hongye nodded. "I've only heard rumors, but it's said no one has ever seen the true form of his Ghost Blade. If someone does, it means Bai She has drawn his blade, and their death is certain."

"Really?" Shimei was somewhat surprised. "I would never have guessed..."

"He's that capable?" Xiang'er was also astonished. "When we first met him, we thought Bai She was a simpleton!"

Hongye chuckled, "His Ghost Blade Villa, if not the foremost martial arts sect, is definitely among the top. A young man with such accomplishments can't be a fool. He was just preoccupied then, hard to read his thoughts."

"That's true," both Shimei and Xiaoxiang agreed.

"Ah," Xiang'er suddenly said, "Sister Meizi, what if Bai She, playing the fool, harbors improper thoughts towards you?"

Shimei's face flushed, "Nonsense, what are you talking about?"

Hongye raised an eyebrow, "Careful, little Meizi, Bai She is no simple character."

Shimei pondered, "Has he... ever deceived a woman before?"

"Oh, I haven't heard anything like that!" Hongye thought for a moment, then confidently said, "Bai She is quite a mystery. I've only heard about his eccentric temperament and formidable skills, but never about any romantic entanglements with any lady."

Shimei nodded, feeling somewhat reassured.

"Sister Meizi, maybe we shouldn't go tomorrow morning," Xiang'er suggested worriedly. "Think about it, you can't even kill a chicken, and Bai She is so formidable. What if he tries to do something to you? You won’t have anywhere to call for help!"

Shimei's heart tightened at the thought, shaking her head, "That won't happen!"

"Who knows?" Xiang Yi spoke seriously. "Men are all the same; how many can resist a beautiful woman?"

The more Shi Mei heard, the more anxious she became, waving her hands at the two. "Wait, I don't particularly like Bai She, but he doesn't seem to be that kind of person. He just needs my help to investigate his brother's case."

"You can never be too careful!" Hong Ye pondered. "You should carry something for self-defense."

"Something for self-defense..." Shi Mei looked around and finally picked up the clueless Xiao Fu Zi. "Should I take it with me?"

Hong Ye and Xiang Yi couldn't help but laugh at this suggestion.

"Come here!" Hong Ye pulled Shi Mei off the bed. "I'll teach you some self-defense moves. If there's real danger, aim for his vital points!"

That night, Shi Mei learned a couple of so-called self-defense moves from Hong Ye before retiring to bed.

Early the next morning, Bai She indeed arrived.

Xiang Yi wanted to go along, but Bai She declined, saying, "Too many people are inconvenient." He then pulled Shi Mei onto the horse and galloped away.

Xiang Yi shouted from behind, "Hey, Bai She, where are you taking my mistress?"

She quickly sent two guards after them, but they lost track of Bai She halfway and couldn’t catch up.

Xiang Yi paced anxiously in the courtyard, while Hong Ye and Zan Yue sipped tea.

Hong Ye reassured her, "Don't worry, Xiang Yi. I've taught Shi Mei some secret moves; she won't be at a disadvantage! Besides, Bai She, as the head of a reputable sect, won’t behave inappropriately."

"Really?" Xiang Yi remained skeptical.

"Besides," Zan Yue chuckled softly, "Bai She is handsome, wealthy, influential, and has a high status in the Jianghu. If he takes advantage of her, let him take responsibility!"

Saying this, she and Hong Ye exchanged glances and stifled their laughter.

Xiang'er sighed, pacing at the doorway waiting for Shimei's return.

……

Bai She rode out of the city, winding his way into the mountains.

Initially, Shimei wasn't concerned, but gradually she began to feel uneasy. Why were they heading deep into the forest? If Bai She did something to her and left her in a ravine, nobody would find her. She couldn't help but ask, "Bai She, where are we going?"

"To see a friend," Bai She replied.

"What friend?" Shimei continued to inquire.

"An odd one," Bai She answered indifferently. "Might be dead already."

Shimei was startled, "Dead?"

As they spoke, the rustling of the forest reached her ears. She instinctively moved closer to Bai She, scanning her surroundings.

"Just wild animals," Bai She said, noticing her fear. "This mountain isn’t wild; at most, there might be wolves or wild boars, but no tigers or leopards. Don’t worry."

His words only made Shimei more nervous.

"We're here."

Just then, Shimei saw Bai She pointing towards a distant hillside. She leaned out to look and saw an old house with black tiles, white walls, a fenced yard, and an overgrown garden. "Who lives in such a secluded place?" Shimei wondered.

"His name is Wei Bufan, an old man," Bai She explained as they climbed the hill. After dismounting, he tied the horse to the fence and added, "He’s a bit of a lecher. If he tries anything with you, just yell. I'll take him down."

Shimei couldn't help but laugh, following Bai She into the yard.

……

Meanwhile, back at the prince's manor.

"Prince," a guard reported to Qin Xianglian, "Bai She has taken the princess to the wild mountains outside the city."

Qin Xianglian frowned, puzzled by their actions. "What are they doing there?"

"We don't know; we didn't follow them. After entering the mountain, we lost track of them," the guard replied.

"Just the two of them, no one else?" Qin Xianglian inquired.

"No one else," the guard shook his head.

Qin Xianglian's expression darkened even further.

At that moment, Luan Jing'er walked in. Qin Xianglian waved his hand to dismiss the guard.

"Prince," Luan Jing'er approached and sat with Qin Xianglian for a while.

Qin Xianglian observed Luan Jingyi and felt a strange sense of indifference. Previously, he had admired her beauty and grace, but now she seemed ordinary and unremarkable. His mind was occupied with thoughts of Chen Shimei and their recent conversation, causing him an inexplicable irritation. He had sent people to monitor near the Fragrance Residence, reporting Chen Shimei's activities daily. The more he heard, the more agitated he became.

In the past few days, Qin Xianglian had been absent-minded and seldom visited Luan Jingyi. Even Mingfu, his other consort, hadn’t seen him for several days, leaving her in tears.

Luan Jingyi, with her astuteness, had guessed that Qin Xianglian's change of attitude was somehow related to Chen Shimei.

"Your Highness, are you missing Trumei?" Luan Jingyi asked.

Qin Xianglian glanced at her. Aware of his recent neglect, he reassured her dismissively, "Don't overthink."

Luan Jingyi nodded obediently, internally sighing about the fickleness of men: only valuing something once it's lost.

……

After touring the old house with Bai She and finding no one there, Bai She frowned, "Gone out?"

Chen Shimei followed him closely, thinking to herself not to lose sight of him in the deep woods.

Suddenly, Bai She stopped, causing Chen Shimei to bump into him. Rubbing her head, she stepped back.

Bai She looked down at her, noticing a white jade hairpin in her thick black hair, intricately styled and adorned with a red beaded hair tie.

Bai She softly suggested, "He's probably not here. Let’s look for something else."

"Look for what?" Chen Shimei asked, puzzled.

"A sachet," Bai She replied.

"A sachet?" Chen Shimei was still confused.

"This man is a notorious lecher; he has a collection of items belonging to young women, especially sachets, with a variety far surpassing what's available in shops. Help me identify if the sachet from that day is here.”

"Okay," Stone Meimei nodded, beginning her search. Despite its plain exterior, the house concealed a vast array of chests and cabinets filled with potential hiding spots.

Opening a corner cabinet, she found cosmetics and women's undergarments, which made her blush... indeed, a licentious old man.

Bai She busied himself rummaging through a chest.

Approaching a row of cabinets near the window, Stone Meimei was startled by a fleeting shadow outside.

"Ah!" she exclaimed. Bai She, seeing the shadow too, swiftly leaped out the window, chasing the figure into the woods with remarkable speed.

Left alone, Stone Meimei panicked, realizing she was now isolated in the wilderness.

After a moment's thought, she climbed out the window herself, landing in the backyard, hesitant to venture into the woods recalling Bai She's warning about wolves and wild boars.

As she debated calling for Bai She, she heard a sinister chuckle behind her.

Chilled, she turned to see an old man appearing from behind a wall.

He looked in his sixties or seventies, plump, with a ruddy complexion and squinting eyes, smiling maliciously as he approached her. "Oh... what a beauty we have here."

Stone Meimei, pale with fear, took a step back, asking, "Are you Bai She's friend?"

"Who? Green Snake, White Snake?" The old man leered at her. "I don't know them. Ah, pretty girl, come give me a kiss."

As he moved towards her...

Stone Meimei screamed in terror, but as the old man hesitated, she swiftly pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and flung it at him.

The old man was instantly covered in a powdery substance, causing him to tear up and sneeze uncontrollably. "Ah...achoo, it's so spicy! Achoo..."

The pepper powder in Stone Meimei's sleeve, given to her by Hongye that morning, was meant as a defense against any misconduct from Bai She. Remembering this, Stone Meimei lifted her leg...

Earlier, Hongye had fastened a metal plate to her calf. Stone Meimei's kick, aimed as per Hongye's instruction, struck the old man squarely in the groin.

The kick landed solidly.

“Ow…”

The old man, clutching his groin in agony, hopped up and then fell, rolling around and wailing, "Ah, I'm ruined! This lady's too ruthless, ah..."

Meanwhile, Stone Meimei saw Bai She return from the woods, carrying a brown monkey. She realized that the fleeting shadow was this monkey.

Bai She, emerging from the woods and witnessing the scene, was taken aback.

He saw the old man rolling on the ground, his face covered in pepper powder, still clutching his groin and howling.

Dropping the monkey on the old man, who scurried away into the house shrieking, Bai She shook his head, “Look at you, such a disgrace.”

The old man, gnashing his teeth as he got up and wiping his face with his sleeve, cursed, "Bai She, why is your wife so fierce?!"

“I'm not his wife!” Stone Meimei retorted angrily. Feeling braver with Bai She's return, she pulled the metal plate from her trouser leg and hurled it at the old man, still shaken from the near scare.

The plate struck its target with a “clang.”

“Ah…”

Feeling vindicated, Stone Meimei looked up to see Bai She watching her with a hint of surprise. She thought, What are you staring at? You'd do the same! Leaving me alone to fend for myself!

Bai She seemed to understand the unspoken question in Shimei's eyes. He smirked and walked over to the old man who was still acting up. "Stop the act, get up. Show me those sachets of yours."

The old man, seemingly unharmed and slightly disappointed, stood up straight, wiped his face, and headed inside, leaving Stone Meimei puzzled. Was he just playing a trick on her?

Inside, the old man glanced around the room and mused, "Where did this interesting and pretty young lady come from?"

"The sachets," Bai She demanded, ignoring the old man's comments and urging him to bring out the sachets.

The old man, chuckling, beckoned Stone Meimei inside, "Come in, miss. Beware of zombies in the mountains."

Stone Meimei glanced back at the dark woods, the branches rustling in the wind, and felt a shiver.

Rushing towards the house, she found the old man had quickly shut the doors and windows, blocking her entry.

Stone Meimei banged on the door in frustration, "Let me in, you old coot!"

"Say 'dear grandpa,' and I'll let you in... Ugh..."

Suddenly, Stone Meimei heard the old man grunt inside, followed by several thuds. Soon after, the door opened, revealing Bai She.

Entering, she saw the old man nursing a swollen face, reluctantly pulling out a box from under the bed, and dumping it on the table - a mountain of sachets rolled out.

Stone Meimei's eyes widened in disbelief at the sight.

The old man, with a twist of his mouth, boasted, "Back in my day, I was a real charmer. These youngsters like Bai She are nothing compared to me. These sachets, see them?" He gestured towards the pile, "All given by girls trying to catch my attention."

Stone Meimei chuckled at the thought, and the old man, seeing her smile, moved closer, "Such a pretty smile you have, miss."

Bai She pulled Stone Meimei aside and questioned the old man, "You know where all these things came from, right?"

The old man sighed, deflated, "Each sachet has a paper inside. They all have records of their origins."

Curious, Stone Meimei picked up a sachet and found a note inside: "Suzhou Prefecture, Ye County, lady in green."

Shimei looked at the old man with a hint of disgust, "Old man, you're quite improper."

The old man, unfazed, replied, "My dear, you can't just look for free. Remember to leave a sachet for this old man!"

Shimei rolled her eyes at him and began rummaging through the sachets. Quickly, she found one of similar craftsmanship — from Qiong County in Guizhou Prefecture, featuring an image of a beautiful woman playing the qin.

"This is the one," Shimei said to Bai She, "it's a handicraft from Qiong County in Guizhou."

Bai She nodded, taking the sachet to examine it, murmuring to himself, "Qiong County, the Sea of Yao..."