Chapter 17

Memories and perceptions, obscure and clear.

Holding Xiao Fu Zi, Shi Mei walked a few steps before regaining her composure, wondering why she was upset. Bai She visiting a brothel had nothing to do with her.

Just then, she slowed her pace, only to hear Xiang Er shout from behind, "Sister Mei, watch out!"

Startled, Shi Mei heard the sound of hooves approaching.

Looking up, she saw several official horses galloping towards her. Frozen and unsure of what to do, she suddenly felt someone pull her tightly to the side of the road.

As the horses dashed past, she heard cursing, something about recklessness...

Looking up, she saw Bai She standing before her, having just pulled her to safety and now letting go.

"Sister Mei!" Xiaohui ran over. "Everything okay? May the Bodhisattva protect you."

Shi Mei looked at Bai She, sensing he might want to explain something.

Bai She remained expressionless and advised her, "Be careful when walking." After saying this, he turned and walked away.

Shi Mei felt annoyed, thinking to herself that he really did go to the brothel.

As she pondered, she saw Bai She stop next to Xiang Er and hand her a small porcelain bottle.

Xiang Er, puzzled, accepted it and opened it to look inside, releasing a strong scent of ginger.

"Ginger tea?" Xiang Er asked.

Bai She nodded silently, continuing his walk.

Seeing him walk away without looking back, Shi Mei gradually felt disappointed. Xiang Er, noticing her dejected expression, was about to speak when Bai She stopped again, turned, and said, "By the way."

Shi Mei and Xiang Er looked up.

"Tea flowers and wood hibiscus look very similar," Bai She said, his lips curling slightly. "The shop with the wood hibiscus sign is actually a medicine store."

Shi Mei froze. Bai She coughed lightly and added, "Drinking ginger with vinegar is a folk remedy for dispelling cold." He finished speaking and saw Shi Mei's face turn bright red.

Bai She observed her expression and smiled before turning away.

Shi Mei stood there, dumbfounded, feeling her face burning hot.

Xiang Er turned to her with a smile, "Oh my, Sister Mei, Bai She can actually smile like that, and he looks even more handsome when he does!"

Shi Mei remained stunned for a moment, then took the ginger tea from Xiang Er's hand, handing Xiao Fu Zi to her. She opened the bottle to smell the tea, noting the fragrance of tangerine peel and loquat syrup.

"Sister Mei," Xiaohui leaned in and said, "I heard that men who smile beautifully are prone to romantic entanglements."

Shi Mei playfully tugged at her braid, "Say that again."

Xiaohui, covering her braid, giggled, "Shall we go back and drink ginger tea? I’ll add a bit of vinegar for you."

Shi Mei blushed, feeling slightly embarrassed. Why should she be jealous? She had only known Bai She for a few days. She reasoned it was probably because she trusted Bai She's character and felt disappointed to find him at a brothel. It had nothing to do with jealousy.

Lost in thought, she saw Hongye and Zan Yu catching up. Hongye grabbed Shi Mei, exclaiming, "Little Mei, you misunderstood Bai She. There was only an old herbalist in there. He sells the best ginger tea in the capital, just needs hot water to brew, perfect for dispelling cold!"

"Hmm," Shi Mei shook the ginger tea bottle in her hand, recalling how Bai She had asked if she was cold on the horseback ride, and how she had said drinking ginger tea would make her feel better.

"Enough now!" Zan Yu patted her back. "We made a good deal, and I even gave that wretch Ming Fu a slap, so satisfying!"

Shi Mei's eyes widened in surprise, and Xiaohui applauded, "Good job, Sister Zan Yu!"

After resolving the tumult, Shi Mei and others shopped a bit more before returning to the Fragrance Residence in the carriage. The shop at the front of Fragrance Residence was nearly finished. Xu Xian had also arrived with blueprints for everyone to choose from.

Xiang'er, trying to gather information subtly, asked Xu Xian, "Master Xu, do you know Bai She?"

Xu Xian smiled and nodded, "Yes."

"Are you well-acquainted with him?"

Xu Xian replied with a slight smile, "Quite well, I would say."

"How old is he this year?" Xiang'er inquired.

Engrossed in selecting patterns, Shimei was absent-mindedly responding with mere "Hmm"s to any questions from Zan Yue and the others, all while keenly listening to the conversation between Xiang'er and Xu Xian.

"Probably not yet twenty-five," Xu Xian pondered. "I never asked his exact age."

"So young?" Hongye was somewhat surprised. "Bai She has been renowned in the martial world for quite some time."

"Yes, he ventured into the martial world at fifteen," Xu Xian said with a smile.

"You knew him since you were fifteen?" Xiang'er asked, astonished.

After a moment of thought, Xu Xian suggested with a smile, "Right, the courtyard seems a bit empty. How about we bring in more plants and flowers?"

"Sounds good," Zan Yue agreed, nodding. "Let's plant a few more plum trees."

Once he had selected all the patterns, Xu Xian took his leave with the items.

Xiang'er accompanied him to the door, hanging two jars of osmanthus wine on the hooks of his saddle. Xu Xian expressed his gratitude and galloped away.

Xiang'er waved goodbye from behind, wondering why this scholar chose to ride a horse instead of traveling in a carriage. Aren't scholars usually delicate and frail?

Instead of returning to the palace, Xu Xian headed to the lakeside.

As the lanterns were just being lit, he gazed across the lake, where decorated boats dotted the waters.

Dismounting, Xu Xian carried the two jars of wine to the riverbank and scanned the horizon. He quickly spotted a small, elegantly simple white boat moving slowly across the lake.

Smiling slightly, he heard someone call out from below, "Young Master, which boat would you like to board? I can row you there."

With a faint smile, Xu Xian made a swift leap...

The boatman, startled, saw a figure flash by... and then Xu Xian was gone. Looking around, he saw no one.

Terrified, the boatman exclaimed, "Oh my!" fearing he had encountered a ghost, and quickly rowed away.

Holding his breath, Xu Xian made several agile leaps and deftly landed on the white boat, flicking his wrist and sending a jar of wine flying.

On the railing at the front of the boat, a figure reclined casually, dressed in white, with one leg bent and an arm resting nonchalantly. His black hair fluttered gently in the river breeze. He turned his face slightly, revealing a pleasing profile with a prominent nose, expressionless as though lost in thought, yet deftly catching the flying wine jar with an accurate grasp.

After placing the jar down, he turned his head back reluctantly, casting a lazy glance at Xu Xian.

"You, young man, take a look around. The beauties on these boats are almost dropping their eyes at you."

The person lost in thought was none other than Bai She.

He set the wine jar aside, noticing the large imperial character on it, but seemed uninterested.

"It didn't come from the palace," Xu Xian said as he poured himself a drink, took a sip, and coughed lightly. "Ah, this is good wine."

Bai She turned to look at him and asked in a low voice, "Shouldn't you, being sick, drink less?"

Xu Xian smiled, "The illness and the wine are unrelated. Don't blame the wine unfairly."

Bai She turned away, showing no further intention of persuading him.

Xu Xian took another sip and asked with a smile, "Do you know where this wine comes from?"

Bai She remained uninterested.

"Ah, it would be even better to drink this with some plums," Xu Xian remarked meaningfully, causing Bai She to raise an eyebrow slightly.

"Ha... you're quite something," Xu Xian chuckled, shaking his head. "I heard you and Qin Xiang were competing over a woman?"

Bai She gave him a sidelong glance, seemingly displeased.

"Cough, cough." Choked by the wine, Xu Xian quickly waved his hand, "I just heard about it."

Bai She descended from the railing and poured himself a drink, asking, "How's the investigation going?"

"Oh," Xu Xian took out a map from his chest, "This is a map of Yao Hai. I've inquired a bit, and indeed, strange things have been happening in that area."

"Like what?"

"For instance, in some villages, all cattle and sheep died overnight, but no cause of death could be determined," Xu Xian explained. "Or someone went into the mountains to gather herbs and never returned, with no remains found despite the village searching."

After listening, Bai She inquired, "What exactly was Lao Kuan doing that day, meeting whom?"

Xu Xian hesitated before replying, "I heard from one of his old friends that it indeed involves a woman, tied to an incident from over a decade ago."

After a moment of silence, Bai She suddenly asked, "Is the core of the Jade Buddha actually fragrant jade?"

"Yes, it emits a faint fragrance. You can smell it from a distance, but not up close," Xu Xian pondered, then asked, "Wasn't there any on Yu Yan?"

Bai She shook his head, "He's just a small fry, exploited by others." As he spoke, he set down his cup and instructed the boatman behind him, "Let's head back."

"Are we returning already?" Xu Xian, resting his chin on one hand, gestured towards Bai She's back.

Turning, Bai She saw a woman standing at the stern of a nearby boat, clad in a light purple silk gown, cradling a pipa, gazing in his direction.

Bai She looked at Xu Xian with some confusion.

Xu Xian smiled, "Don't you recognize her? She's the famous qin lady of the capital, Lady Jiu."

Bai She’s expression revealed he hadn't heard of her, merely asking, "What does she want?"

Xu Xian chuckled, "You really are clueless. What else? She sees you, the handsome and dashing Master Bai, affluent and charismatic, and perhaps wishes to invite you as an honored guest. Go listen to her play; it's a privilege many men in the capital would pay dearly for."

Bai She chuckled, placing the wine jar down, and said indifferently, "I'm quite selective about women."

"Isn't this woman good enough?" Xu Xian asked with keen interest.

"Being good isn't enough," Bai She said as he picked up a knife from the table.

Watching the boat drift further away from the qin boat, Lady Jiu frowned slightly, sighed softly leaning on the railing, and then turned to go back inside her boat.

Xu Xian clicked his tongue and shook his head, "Master Bai, you've hurt a lady's heart."

"Then you go and comfort her," Bai She replied.

As the boat approached the shore, preparing to disembark, Xu Xian asked, "If being good isn't enough, then what kind are you looking for?"

Bai She paused briefly, tapping his chin with his slender index finger, seemingly lost in thought. After a long moment, he smiled ambiguously and left with the cryptic remark, "I'm looking for someone interesting."

With that, he departed.

"Ah... what kind of person do I really want?" Xu Xian mused to himself, shaking his head and holding his chin while drinking on the boat.

……

Inside the royal mansion, Luan Jing'er went to look for Ming Fu and found her sitting beside the bed, flipping through a book with a sullen expression, occasionally glancing outside, appearing somewhat anxious.

"Stop looking," Luan Jing'er entered and said, "The lord has gone out, it seems he has invited friends for a feast today."

"Lately, the lord has been going out to feasts quite often," Mingfu said worriedly. "Do you think he might remarry?"

Luan Jing'er also looked distressed. "Maybe, men are like that..."

"Ah," Ming Fu was somewhat anxious, "Chen Shimei has already left, why won't the lord make you his official wife? He dotes on you so much, and your status is not low either."

Luan Jing'er shook her head. "I don't know. It's been a long time since he's been intimate with me."

"Then... where does he spend his nights?"

Hearing this, Luan Jing'er began to wipe her tears with a handkerchief. "I don't know. Sometimes he returns in the morning, and I can smell those vulgar perfumes on him, and see lipstick marks."

"Outrageous..." Mingfu frowned. "What on earth is going on?!"

Luan Jing'er sighed softly. "To speak of it, we all fell a step behind Chen Shiming. She initiated the divorce, and the lord must have felt humiliated. You know, men and their pride. It seems the lord still harbors old feelings for her."

"Really?!" Mingfu stood up and said, "That schemer, we can't let her get away with this!"

Luan Jing'er looked at her and asked, "Do you have a plan to deal with her?"

Mingfu thought for a moment. "We can't let her off easily!" she said and then walked out. "I'm feeling upset. I'll go see my brother. Stop crying; your sad face will only make the lord dislike you more!"

"Okay." Luan Jing'er nodded weakly. Mingfu shook her head, thinking Luan Jing'er was really helpless, then left to find her brother, Commander Ming Jie.

After Mingfu left, Luan Jing'er wiped her tears with a handkerchief, a faint smile appearing on her face. She stood up and returned to her own courtyard.

……

These past few days, the Xiangfen Residence was bustling. Many items were being moved in, with Hongye and Zanyue busy arranging everything, and Shimei also occupied in the fragrance workshop, preparing perfumes.

After lunch, Xiang'er ran over. "Sister Meizi, Bai..."

Hearing the word "Bai", Shimei looked up at Xiang'er.

Xiang'er smiled helplessly and said, "Someone from the Bai Residence has come. They brought spices from Guizhou and have delivered them to the courtyard."

"Oh..." Shimei felt a bit disappointed but didn't say much. She went out, instructed Xiang'er to reward the Bai Residence servants well, and brought the spices inside to examine.

After searching, she found a heavy wooden box.

Shimei took out the box to inspect it and gently opened it, revealing a white jade hairpin inside. Shimei was puzzled – where had this hairpin come from? She wondered if it might be a gift from Bai She, but upon closer inspection, she felt something was amiss. This jade hairpin seemed more suited for an elder.

With that thought, Shimei placed the hairpin back in the box and stepped outside.

Xiang'er asked her, "Sister Meizi, where are you going?"

"Oh..." Shimei replied, "They delivered the wrong item, I'm going to return it."

"I can go for you," Xiang'er offered, about to run off, but Zanyue grabbed her, saying, "Let Shimei handle it. You help me move these things."

"Sure!" Xiang'er, young and straightforward, started helping with the task.

Shimei glanced up and saw Zanyue smiling at her, causing her to blush slightly.

Humming a tune, Zanyue busied herself with tasks. When Shimei reached the neighboring Bai Residence, she intended to ask the gatekeeper to send a message inside. To her surprise, the gatekeeper respectfully ushered her in, "Miss Chen, the master is in the pavilion in the back garden. Please, this way."

Shimei nodded and walked in. The large house seemed empty, as if nobody cared about her presence. She walked further, unsure where the back garden was, until she finally saw a hurrying butler.

"Ah, Miss Chen, looking for the master? He's in the back," the butler pointed.

"How do I get there?" Shimei hoped the butler would lead the way, but he only pointed out the direction.

Shimei had no choice but to proceed, winding through corridors and stone walkways until she finally saw a courtyard gate.

Peering inside, she saw tall paulownia trees, their purple flowers fallen, covering the courtyard's small white stones like a light purple blanket.

In the middle of the courtyard was a bamboo couch, upon which lay a man in white... it was Bai She.

Standing at the gate, Shimei noticed Bai She still wore his usual white robe. Although always white, the styles varied. Under the sunlight, she could see the silver edging on his garment and the subtle patterns on the front – resembling either bamboo, sturdy pine, or a combination of both.

Lost in thought, Shimei's gaze landed on Bai She's face.

It was mid-afternoon, and sunlight filtered through the paulownia branches, casting mottled patterns. Bai She's figure was touched by a faint light, especially highlighting his well-defined features, casting perfectly balanced shadows...

Shimei slowly approached, intentionally making some noise with her steps, thinking Bai She might wake up.

But Bai She didn't stir, as if in deep sleep.

Shimei reached his side and softly called out, "Bai She."

Bai She remained motionless.

As Shi Mei moved to push him, her gaze landed on his hand resting beside the couch.

For the first time, Shi Mei observed a man's hand so closely. Bai She's hand was attractive, with well-defined but not protruding joints. It was slender, with fair skin, long fingers, and neatly shaped nails.

Noticing a few tiny leaves on his hand, Shi Mei reached out to brush them off. The moment her fingertips touched his hand, she felt its warmth, contradicting his usually cold demeanor.

Expecting a man's hand to be rougher, Shi Mei gently prodded it. Lost in thought, she was startled by a low, seemingly amused yet gentle voice, "Does it feel nice?"

Surprised, Shi Mei looked up to see Bai She propping his head with one hand, watching her.

Quickly standing up, Shi Mei felt uneasy under his gaze. Realizing she'd been teased by Bai She again, she impulsively kicked his bamboo couch in response.

Bai She sat up.

Shi Mei's eyes inadvertently caught sight of his slightly open collar and, feeling embarrassed, she quickly looked away.

"I need to ask you something," Bai She said, slowly standing up and looking down at Shi Mei, pointing to the box in her hands.