Chapter 20

Snake strikes the vital part, revealing just a hint of a lotus.

Qin Xianglian hadn't expected Baishi to appear so suddenly behind Stone Meimei, and was further irritated by Baishi's flirtatious remark made right in front of him.

With a displeased expression, Stone Meimei turned and glared fiercely at Baishi.

Baishi, appearing somewhat innocent under her glare, thought for a moment and then suggested, "A decoction made from bitter gourd and Poria can wash it off."

Stone Meimei looked back at him, surprised.

Baishi's eyes twinkled mischievously as he explained, "My mother is a physician; I've heard her mention this... don't overthink it."

Stone Meimei's face flushed even more, turning red to the tips of her ears and neck, realizing she had misunderstood Baishi's intentions and embarrassed about her own thoughts.

She adjusted her sleeve and glanced back at Qin Xianglian, who had a peculiar expression, and then moved closer to Baishi.

Qin Xianglian's gaze turned sinister as he coldly remarked to Baishi, “You dare to intrude into my residence and kill my guards, such audacity.”

Baishi slightly raised the corner of his mouth and coolly responded, "So what?"

Stone Meimei felt nervous, knowing that while she didn't care much for Qin Xianglian, Baishi getting involved in trouble for no reason was not ideal, given Qin's status as a lord.

Seeing Baishi appearing to defend Stone Meimei, who stood beside him with a demure demeanor, Qin Xianglian, filled with dissatisfaction, arrogantly warned, “Baishi, I advise you to stay out of this. This isn’t something a mere man of the martial world can handle.”

Baishi looked at him coldly and retorted dismissively, “Really distasteful.”

Qin Xianglian’s face changed slightly at Baishi's arrogant dismissal, clearly taking him as a direct challenge.

Stone Meimei, fearing a clash between the two, tugged at Baishi's arm, “Baishi.”

Baishi turned to look at her, seeing the worry on her face, he chuckled and reassured her, “What’s there to fear? He's not the emperor.”

His comment struck a nerve with Qin Xianglian, hitting his sore spot. As expected, Qin's face turned extremely unsightly, interpreting Baishi's words as a provocation.

Baishi continued, unfazed, “He's just a deposed prince. The emperor would probably be glad if he met an untimely end, eliminating future troubles.”

Stone Meimei glanced at Qin Xianglian and saw his expression turn unprecedentedly dark. Despite being handsome and imposing, he lacked Baishi's graceful demeanor. Qin Xianglian's eyes glowed fiercely, his expression terrifying, as if he was ready to kill Baishi on the spot. Stone Meimei realized then that Qin Xianglian was a man of deep resentment and vengefulness.

Qin Xianglian pulled out a jade hairpin from his robe and slammed it on the table, saying coldly, “Very well, we shall see.” He then turned and walked away.

Shimei sighed with relief, only to hear Bai She ask, "Leaving just like that?"

Qin Xianglian paused, and Stone Meimei looked at him in surprise.

Baishi turned his head slowly, expressionless, and observed Qin Xianglian, “It won’t be that easy.”

Before Stone Meimei could grasp the situation, Baishi disappeared in a flash.

Qin Xianglian instinctively stepped back as Baishi suddenly appeared before him. He attempted to retaliate, but Baishi vanished again just as quickly. Qin Xianglian, skilled in battlefield combat, was no match for a martial arts master like Baishi. In just a moment, Qin felt a chill at his throat, followed by a slight pain, and realized someone was behind him.

"Don’t move, my blade is swift."

Bai She's chilling voice rang out. Qin Xianglian froze awkwardly in place, unable to move, as Bai She's half-drawn sword gleamed ominously, half sheathed in its exquisite scabbard.

The blade was an ancient and malevolent weapon, its murderous aura palpable even at Qin Xianglian's neck, sending a chill down his spine.

Shimei, too, was petrified, noticing a thin line of blood forming on Qin Xianglian's neck, as if his head might fall off with the slightest movement. Bai She, cold and detached, stood behind him, leaning in to whisper, "Do you know the consequences of crossing me, Bai She?"

Qin Xianglian clenched his teeth, feeling humiliated... such a question was always his to ask others, never to be asked of him. His life now hung by a thread in Bai She's hands; a mere flicker from him would mean death. Bai She could kill him, and he was well aware of it.

"Remember, I'm sparing you for her sake," Bai She spoke without emotion, unyielding. Qin Xianglian, usually the dominant figure, was now experiencing the vulnerability of defeat firsthand.

Bai She smirked coldly, "You have troops stationed in the northwest border, hidden armaments in Luoyang enough for ten thousand men, and numerous rich merchants under your influence... any one of these facts could be your downfall."

As Bai She spoke, Qin Xianglian's face paled, stunned by the ghost-like figure behind him.

Bai She's eyes flickered with a hint of amusement, "Just mentioning any of these to the right ears, and your head could roll, Qin Xianglian."

Shimei nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. This was leverage, ensuring Qin Xianglian would never dare trouble her again.

With a 'clang,' Bai She sheathed his sword, patting Qin Xianglian on the shoulder, "Don't offend those in the martial world, and stay away from this woman."

Qin Xianglian stumbled to the side, barely managing to stay upright - a bitter pill to swallow. He now fully comprehended the gravity of his situation. Bai She had all his vulnerabilities laid bare, striking him a fatal blow.

Shimei gazed at Bai She in astonishment, realizing his true strength. She had thought Qin Xianglian, being a prince, would be more formidable, but in reality, he stood no chance against Bai She.

Admiration for Bai She surged within Shimei, her heart racing.

Bai She, having settled the matter, beckoned Shimei over. She picked up a jade hairpin from the stone table and returned to Bai She's side.

Bai She gently guided her out of the courtyard.

As soon as they stepped outside the manor, they saw several horses approaching from afar. Leading them was Red Leaf, clad in red with a sword in hand, followed by Zan Yue and the imperial guards responsible for the security of the Fragrance House.

"Sister Meimei!" exclaimed Xiang'er, who had been anxiously waiting at the entrance. She rushed to embrace Stone Meimei, relieved. "Are you alright? You scared us to death." Seeing her torn sleeve, she angrily asked, "Did the prince bully you?"

Stone Meimei shook her head, gently patting Xiang'er's head, "I'm fine." She felt grateful for Xiang'er's quick thinking in calling for Baishi, which saved her from a bad situation.

As Zan Yue and the others arrived, they too were relieved to see Stone Meimei unharmed. Baishi, seeming unaffected by the recent events, mounted his horse to leave, but Stone Meimei stopped him, "Wait... I wanted to see you about this jade hairpin. It has a problem."

Baishi paused and helped Stone Meimei onto his horse. As they rode back, she explained in detail.

"What's the problem with the jade hairpin?"

"It causes people to dream!" said Stone Meimei.

Baishi frowned, "Dream?"

"Does it have some significance?"

"Yes!" Stone Meimei nodded, "This fragrant jade is originally called Mò Jade."

"Mo?"

"It's a mythical beast that eats people's nightmares, also known as the Dream Mò," Stone Meimei explained. "This jade was originally a large piece, completely white."

Baishi nodded, indicating for her to continue.

"Legend has it that a king of a small kingdom once received a painting of a stunningly beautiful woman. He became obsessed with her but couldn’t find her anywhere. Later, he learned that the woman in the painting was a fairy. A sage then carved the fairy's likeness from a large piece of white jade, Mò Jade, and gave it to the king. He said that at night, the fairy would come to meet the king, but only in his dreams. The king, overjoyed, began taking sleeping pills to dream of the fairy every night, neglecting his duties and eventually leading to his madness and the downfall of his kingdom. This tale is known as 'The Nation-Toppling Mò Jade.'"

After hearing the story, Baishi raised an eyebrow in appreciation and nodded to Stone Meimei, "Indeed fascinating."

It was Stone Meimei's first time seeing Baishi show such interest. She thought to herself, 'So there are things that can pique your curiosity.'

"This jade hairpin," Stone Meimei said while handing it to Baishi, "is likely a part taken from the Mò Jade figure." She pointed out, "Do you see the patterns inside?"

Baishi leaned in to look closely and indeed, within the white jade, he could faintly make out some light yellow lines, resembling ripples in water.

"This jade isn't naturally formed; it's been soaked in a medicinal solution and smoked with medicinal incense."

Baishi nodded in realization.

"It's said that the jade fairy had her hair up, with this jade hairpin intricately placed. Besides, inside the body of the jade figure, there was also a jade Buddha."

"What?" Baishi was taken aback and looked at Stone Meimei, "The jade Buddha was inside the jade figure?"

"Yes," Stone Meimei nodded and explained, "That king wasn’t a fool. After realizing his obsession with the jade figure and unable to extricate himself, he suspected it was an enemy's revenge. Seeing his kingdom in peril, he devised a plan for revenge."

Baishi, curious, asked, "How so?"

"The king gathered all the national treasures in one place. Then, he carved an ordinary jade stone into a white Buddha statue, hiding the secret within it."

"Hidden inside the Buddha statue?" Baishi wondered, "Was it a map or some kind of mechanism hidden inside a document?"

"That’s unknown," Stone Meimei shook her head, "But what’s more ingenious is that he had skilled craftsmen split the jade figure, extracting a piece the size of the Buddha statue from it, and carved an identical jade Buddha."

Baishi immediately understood, "I see. He switched the two Buddhas. The Mò Jade Buddha was displayed outside, while the real Buddha was hidden inside the jade figure. Even if enemies came, they would only take the Mò Jade, mistakenly searching for the treasure, eventually leading to their downfall."

"Smart!" Stone Meimei nodded in appreciation.

"So what happened to the Mò Jade figure in the end?" Baishi inquired.

"The emperor embraced the jade figure and poisoned himself," Stone Meimei replied. "When the enemies invaded the palace, they deemed the jade figure unlucky and ordered it to be buried alongside the emperor."

Baishi chuckled and shook his head, "What about the enemies?"

"There's no further story to that," Stone Meimei explained earnestly. "During those chaotic times, the next ruler didn't even last a year on the throne before dying, apparently from a wind demon. I believe it must be related to the Mò Jade!"

"Really?" Baishi looked down at her.

"Yes!" Stone Meimei nodded and, noticing Baishi's smile, turned her face away, her cheeks flushing slightly.

By then, they had reached the gate of the Fragrance Powder House. Baishi lifted Stone Meimei off the horse, a common occurrence lately.

"I'll have someone investigate more about the Mò Jade and might need your help," Baishi told Stone Meimei.

"Sure," Stone Meimei looked up at Baishi on his horse. "Don't mention it. You've helped me so much; this is nothing."

Pleased with her straightforwardness, Baishi nodded and left.

Turning around, Stone Meimei saw Zanyue and Red Leaf leaning against the door, watching her.

"Oh, Stone Meimei," Red Leaf laughed, "You didn’t even glance at us sisters on your way back. Is Baishi that handsome?"

Stone Meimei's face turned beet red.

Zanyue, laughing, pulled her into the house, while Xiang'er ran to fetch new clothes for Stone Meimei.

Eagerly, Red Leaf inquired about the recent events.

After hearing Stone Meimei's account, Red Leaf stamped her foot and exclaimed, "That was awesome! That despicable Qin Xianglian now dreams of returning to favor? Keep dreaming!"

"But..." Zanyue interjected with concern, "About the palace maidens' sand... Stone Meimei, haven’t you consummated your marriage with the prince?"

Stone Meimei hesitated momentarily but then nodded, not wanting to deceive her friends.

However, Zanyue and others didn't delve deeper. They comforted her, feeling indignant that the prince married her yet never consummated the marriage, leaving her in a state akin to widowhood, squandering her youth—truly infuriating!

During dinner, Zanyue suddenly asked, "What did Baishi say about washing off the palace maidens' sand?"

Stone Meimei thought for a moment and replied, "Oh, he mentioned using Poria and Bitter Ginseng."

"Pshaw!" Zanyue exclaimed. "That's used for cough relief and expectorant purposes."

Stone Meimei paused, surprised.

Red Leaf also nodded in agreement, "Exactly, palace maidens' sand can't be washed off, absolutely not!"

Stone Meimei paused, recalling Baishi's somewhat teasing demeanor, feeling a mix of wanting to cry and laugh—how unpredictable he was! Was he naïve, or actually crafty?!