Chapter 31

"Strategic moves, talking of love and romance."

Shimei was surprised to see the female ghost following them. On second thought, she was even more shocked – how did Baisha know the ghost had come? Could it be he had been lurking near the Perfume Residence?

Shimei's face flushed instantly. So, when she was hopping from one room to another, cuddling Xiaofuzi and complaining about not being able to sleep, Baisha heard it all? How embarrassing!

Shimei was so awkward and embarrassed, her face beet red as she hugged Xiaofuzi, forgetting all about the ghost.

Hongye, in her room, tilted her head, wondering about the scene outside. Shimei, her face full of infatuation, stood in the courtyard staring at a ghostly woman in white. And Baisha was hiding behind the rockery? It was all so puzzling...

"You actually survived."

At that moment, the female ghost suddenly spoke up, staring at Shimei for a long time before asking, “I thought you were dead.”

Shimei snapped back to reality, realizing the importance of this person. Besides possibly knowing the whereabouts of the Jade Buddha, she might also know the cause of Chen Shimei's death. It was crucial to carefully extract every piece of information from her!

Collecting her thoughts, Shimei replied, “I had some accidents recently.”

"I heard about it, was it a fire?" The female ghost scrutinized Shi Mei, appearing quite puzzled.

Shi Mei suddenly realized that something was off!

If she had only heard rumors of her death in a fire, that would be unlikely. The gossip about her and Qin Xianglian’s divorce was far more widespread than her supposed death in a fire! Although the ghost lived in seclusion, she couldn’t be unaware of these rumors. Why was she so certain of Shimei's death?

After much thought, there was only one reason: the ghost was certain that Chen Shimei was already dead! Either she had seen Chen Shimei's corpse, or… could she be the murderer?

Shimei thought this second possibility unlikely. Discovering that someone you thought dead was actually alive would be terrifying, especially if you were guilty of a crime. The first reaction would probably be fear of retribution, not this kind of suspicion.

Shimei's mind raced—before the fire collapsed the Fragrance House, Chen Shimei might have already been murdered. Otherwise, she should have been able to escape from the relatively simple structure. The ghost likely arrived after Chen Shimei's death, found Shimei dead, and then left.

Shimei felt there was a fifty to sixty percent chance this theory was correct.

Seeing Shimei momentarily stunned, the ghost asked, “Are you really alive? Or someone pretending to be you? You don’t quite seem right to me. I thought maybe the lord, fearing a scandal, had replaced the princess with a fake to deceive people.”

Keeping her composure, Shimei countered, “If I don’t act a bit unconvincing, should I wait to die again?”

Baisha, listening from behind the rockery, was somewhat surprised but nodded in approval. Smart girl! Her answer was clever, seemingly touching on nothing, yet hinting at everything, prompting the ghost to reveal more.

Indeed, the ghost’s face showed understanding as she nodded and said, “Right. But that day, I really thought you were dead. You were completely breathless.”

Seeing her expression, Shimei was sure she had guessed correctly. Then, she considered further—Chen Shimei likely didn’t have this kind of “friend.” The ghost’s reaction upon discovering Chen Shimei wasn’t dead wasn’t jubilation or frustration, but mere surprise, suggesting a casual acquaintance. The only people connected to Chen Shimei, besides Qin Xianglian, would be the Fragrance House.

At the ruined temple, Qin Xianglian clearly didn’t recognize the ghost. And concerning the Fragrance House… the ghost didn’t seem the type to want fragrances for herself. It was likely she had come to ask Chen Shimei for something or to study something Chen Shimei gave her. Therefore, her arrival after Chen Shimei's death must be significant.

Suddenly, Shimei remembered her childhood, when she used to argue with her sisters at home.

She was quick-witted and always had the upper hand in arguments, but her sisters would cry and complain to their father, accusing her of being spiteful. In the end, her father would always punish her, regardless of whether she was right. An old nanny who doted on her once said, “Sometimes, women don’t need to be reasonable, because the world is evenly split between those who are reasonable and those who are not. Those who are truly reasonable won’t argue with you. In other words, those who argue with you are the unreasonable ones. If you try to reason with the unreasonable, aren’t you setting yourself up for defeat?”

At that time, Shi Mei asked, "How should I respond?"

The old nanny pinched her chin and told her, "You, my dear, are a beauty in the making. A pretty woman should learn to be a bit unreasonable at times. The ability to appear pitiful is a gift from the heavens."

After that, whenever Shi Mei argued with her sisters, she no longer complained or reasoned; she simply threw a tantrum, saying, "You all bully me just because I don't have a mother. Father doesn't care for me either. I'm just an extra in the Chen family, unwanted by anyone. Maybe I should just die and join my mother, at least she would care for me..."

Every time she did this, her sisters would quiet down and stop arguing with her. Even the normally indifferent Old Master felt somewhat guilty.

Remembering this, a familiar bitterness welled up in Shi Mei. Her face showed her grievance as she looked at the female ghost, "Why are you even here? Do you think I haven't suffered enough?!"

Bai She raised an eyebrow. Shi Mei's reaction was sharp, and the distress didn't seem feigned.

The female ghost also frowned slightly, a hint of guilt appearing on her face. "Tsk... I didn't know they would harm you. It's good you're alright. Now that they have taken the item, they won't bother you anymore."

The item!

Shi Mei keenly latched onto this detail. Her mind raced – it was the female ghost who had given something to Chen Shiming!

By now, Shi Mei was piecing together all the clues she had.

"The female ghost gave something to Chen Shimei!"

Chen Shiming was killed for that item, and it was stolen from him.

Previously, Zan Yue mentioned that Chen Shiming knew a secret, a secret that could make Qin Xianglian emperor.

Currently, Qin Xianglian's military and financial power were no match for the royal family. The simplest way for him to become emperor was through wealth – financial power equals military power!

And the female ghost came from Dayu Mountain, where Shi Mei and Bai She's goal was the Jade Buddha.

Many sought the Jade Buddha, for it was tied to an ancient treasure.

This treasure equated to wealth, which, if acquired by Qin Xianglian, might actually enable him to usurp the throne.

Chen Shiming's specialty was in fragrances, and the only link between the Jade Buddha and the fragrances was – there were two Buddhas, one real and one fake. The fake was made of musk jade, a fragrant stone. Only Chen Shiming knew which was real and which was fake!

From this, it was clear that the item in question was most likely the Jade Buddha, and indeed, the real one!

Shi Mei looked up at the female ghost, puzzled why she lingered if the Jade Buddha had already been stolen. What was she doing here?

That's right!

Shi Mei instantly realized that since Chen Shiming had come into contact with the real Jade Buddha, it was highly probable that he had uncovered its secret!

Shi Mei felt a sense of helplessness. Unfortunately, with Chen Shiming dead, even if he knew the secret, he couldn't reveal it. And she herself was completely in the dark. She had to be cautious in dealing with this matter, for revealing any knowledge might put her in danger. Just as seeking the Jade Buddha would. She could only feign ignorance.

Thinking this, Shi Mei said, "I won't hide it from you, the task you entrusted me with is not yet complete."

The female ghost sighed in slight disappointment, yet it seemed she expected as much. "That's true, you did say if you found any clues, you would send someone to inform me."

Shi Mei inwardly shook her head. Even if Chen Shiming had discovered it, he wouldn't have shared such a secret with her. He was saving it for Qin Xianglian's coup.

"However, I've also found some clues," Shi Mei called out to the female ghost who seemed ready to leave.

A glint of hope flickered in the female ghost's eyes as she eagerly asked, "Really?"

"Yes," Shi Mei nodded, "Otherwise, we wouldn't continue searching in the mountains."

"You mean, the half of the Jade Buddha is real?!" the female ghost exclaimed in joy.

Shi Mei inwardly breathed a sigh of relief—it was only half! She was glad she hadn't spoken rashly, which would have given her away. But while she felt relieved, she remained clear-headed and continued, "I need to see the other half before drawing any conclusions."

The female ghost shook her head, "That half is deep within Dayu Mountain. We've sent hundreds in search, but to no avail!"

Shi Mei pondered for a moment, then frowned, "Half is useless on its own. To unlock the secret, both halves are necessary."

"Don't worry about that!" the female ghost seemed quite confident. "The item is with Fu Lao Si, and we've already sent word to the Duan family. By now, they're probably at each other's throats over it. Once we find the other half, our leader will arrive, and the item will naturally be ours. Your assistance to our Ye Yue Sect won't go unrewarded." With that, she turned and left.

Shi Mei exhaled in relief, and Xiao Fuzi in her arms looked up at her, "Meow~"

Shi Mei, sweaty with tension, turned to see Bai She already leaning against a rockery, watching her with a half-smile. Just as she was about to speak to him, she heard the door of the Red Leaves Room creak open behind her. There stood Red Leaves, her eyes flickering uncertainly, filled with shock and panic.

Shi Mei was momentarily startled, then quickly realized. The details she had shared with them about the Jade Buddha were all later deductions, but her conversation with the female ghost made it seem as though she had known all along. Red Leaves must be suspecting her of harboring ulterior motives or even being a fraud.

"Ah!" Shi Mei quickly put on a distressed face and shook her head at Red Leaves, "I didn't lie to you, I was bluffing her! I really don't remember anything about the past!"

Red Leaves paused, looking at Shi Mei.

"Really!" Shi Mei quickly swore, "I truly didn't lie to you. If I'm deceiving you, may I be struck by lightning... I'll never marry in my life!"

Seeing Shi Mei's genuine urgency, Red Leaves couldn't help but laugh, "Don't be so anxious, I believe you."

"Really?" Shi Mei sought confirmation again.

Red Leaves shook her head, "I'm not of much use, with no status or exceptional abilities. Keeping me by your side serves no purpose."

"Don't say that," Shi Mei frowned, "You and Zan Yue are both very capable, managing the fragrance estate."

Red Leaves smiled and nodded playfully, "True, you were so worried about my suspicions that you even ignored your sweetheart. I must say, I'm quite a valuable sister." After saying this, she yawned and turned to go back to sleep.

In Zan Yue's room, she had already been awakened by the commotion and was watching from the window.

Shi Mei turned and saw her as well.

Zan Yue smiled and shook her head, "At least wear a pair of shoes. Aren't you cold?" After advising her to go to bed early, she closed the window.

Relieved yet sweaty, Shi Mei felt the chill of the night air, hugging Xiao Fuzi tightly and casting a sideways glance at Bai She.

Bai She, seeing her scowl, guessed she was blaming him for not sharing the truth earlier, catching her off guard and nearly damaging her sisterly bond.

Bai She touched his prominent nose, realizing that Shi Mei was unexpectedly clever, and that this sisterly bond seemed more important than a lover...

Shi Mei, hugging Xiao Fuzi, headed inside to sleep, with Bai She following.

"You're coming in too?" Shi Mei paused at the door, Xiao Fuzi clinging to her arm, both looking back at Bai She, who couldn't help but smile—their expressions were so alike!

"About what just happened," Bai She spoke softly.

"Let's talk tomorrow," murmured Shi Mei, "Aren't we going to the mountains again? It's late, time to sleep."

Bai She smiled, teasing, "I thought you couldn't sleep?"

Shi Mei's face flushed red, realizing Bai She had overheard her earlier. That rascal!

Bai She reached out, gently patting Xiao Fuzi's head. Xiao Fuzi playfully flicked his fluffy tail in response.

With her cheeks burning to her ears, Shi Mei watched as Bai She withdrew his hand and said, "Then I'll come find you in the morning."

"Mhm." Shi Mei mumbled in agreement, nodding slowly, and after a long pause, she finally replied, "Take care…"

Bai She's lips quirked up as he walked away. Just as Shi Mei was about to enter her room, she heard Bai She's teasing voice from the courtyard, "Sleep early… my dear."

Startled, Shi Mei stumbled over the threshold.

She bumped into Xiang'er, who was coming out with a large fox fur cloak in her arms.

"Ouch!" Xiang'er quickly reached out to steady Shi Mei, while Xiao Fuzi meowed and scampered back to bed.

"Sister Mei, if you're planning a late-night rendezvous, give me a heads-up next time. I'll sleep at Zan Yue's place. Don’t linger in the courtyard and catch a cold."

Embarrassed to death, Shi Mei, fuming at Bai She's audacity, hurried back to bed and burrowed under the covers.

Xiang'er shook her head, resigned, closed the door, and snuffed out the candle to sleep.

Just as Xiang'er was drifting off, half-asleep, she suddenly heard Shi Mei grumble indignantly, "Scoundrel!"

Xiang'er wasn't sure if Shi Mei was talking in her sleep or just too frustrated to fall asleep.

Turning over, Xiang'er comfortably settled into sleep, thinking, "Ah, no matter how wise people are, they all turn foolish when it comes to love."