Chapter 51

Embarking on a Journey, With Companions by Side

That night, they set off on their journey.

Bai She had arranged for a comfortable carriage parked at the back door of the Fragrance Powder Residence to pick up Shi Mei and Hong Ye. A Ghost Blade Clan disciple drove the carriage, taking back routes out of the city, heading south.

Inside the carriage, Shi Mei and Hong Ye sat together.

Hong Ye was still upset about Qin Daiyu's antics. Shi Mei tried to comfort her, "Ye Zi, Qin Daiyu may be a bit reckless, but I think he means no harm. Don't be too upset with him."

Hong Ye nodded, and as the night deepened, they lay down to rest.

The next morning, Shi Mei awoke to the sounds of bustling activity, seemingly in the middle of a lively market, yet lying on a soft, comfortable bed – a peculiar feeling.

"Hmm," Shi Mei yawned and got up, noticing Hong Ye peering curiously out the window.

"What are you looking at?" Shi Mei approached to ask her.

"You're awake? We've arrived at a market, seems like we've left the capital," Hong Ye said with a smile.

Shi Mei noticed it was already broad daylight outside and felt sore all over. She suddenly remembered Bai She hadn't slept well the night before, and after riding all night, he must be exhausted. She thought of going out with Hong Ye for a horse ride or finding an inn to rest and let Bai She have a good night's sleep.

With this in mind, Shi Mei drew back the curtain of the carriage.

Hong Ye also looked out the door, seeing two horses side by side in front – one white with Bai She on it, and the other a fiery red, Hong Ye's cherished Fire Kirin, brought specially to prevent Qin Daiyu from stealing it again... and Qin Daiyu was the one riding it.

"Huh..." Hong Ye gasped in shock, and Shi Mei quickly intervened, "Ye Zi, calm down, breathe!"

But Hong Ye couldn't hold back any longer, yelling out, "Qin Daiyu!"

Qin Daiyu was chatting with Bai She on the horse and scratched his ear, "Weird, I keep hearing that girl's screeching voice in my head. Must be because I think of her too much."

"What did you say?!" Hong Ye shouted, hearing him clearly.

Qin Daiyu, realizing something was off as the hallucination seemed too real, turned around, "You, the dead girl?!"

"You're the dead one! Get down from there!" Hong Ye hurried outside, "Who allowed you to ride my Fire Kirin! Get away!"

Qin Daiyu glared at Bai She, "Why didn't you tell me she was coming too?"

Bai She looked innocent, "I didn't say she wasn't coming."

"You... I thought it was just the two of you!"

Bai She chuckled, "How could I possibly bring you along if it were just us two?!"

"Uh..." Qin Daiyu paused, scratching his chin, "That does make sense."

Red Ye stood by the carriage, pointing at Qin Zai, "Back off, the horse is mine, and I won’t let you ride it!"

"Don't be so stingy," Qin Zai said with reluctance, patting the Fire Qilin's neck. "I’ve just started to bond with it…"

"I don’t care!" Red Ye glared at him angrily.

Sighing, Qin Zai said, "Alright, then I'll ride in the carriage."

Before he could move, Baisha grabbed him, glancing towards Shimei inside the carriage.

"Fine, then give me your horse!" Qin Zai said, irritated. "Go and accompany your princess inside."

Qin Zai consented with a glance at Shimei.

Shimei, inside the carriage, pondered… Surely she wouldn't have to share the carriage alone with Baisha? Bringing Red Ye was meant to avoid any awkwardness.

However, Baisha had already leaped onto the carriage.

Reluctantly, Qin Zai mounted a white horse, while Red Ye returned to the Fire Qilin, glaring at him.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Qin Zai joked, “Come on, smile a bit. Why does such a beautiful person have to frown all the time?”

Red Ye turned her face away, ignoring him, and stroked the Fire Qilin's neck, muttering, “Fire Qilin, don’t let him ride you, he’s a rogue.”

Speechless, Qin Zai looked up to the sky, lamenting that only scoundrels and women are difficult to please in this world.

Baisha entered the carriage.

Initially, the carriage felt spacious enough for Shimei and Red Ye, but once Baisha entered, Shimei suddenly felt it became smaller and somewhat warmer.

The two exchanged glances, and Baisha wasn’t sure if Shimei was still angry with him.

The carriage briefly stopped, and Red Ye and Shimei found a secluded alley to freshen up before continuing their journey.

Disciples of the Ghost Blade Sect had brought them hot soy milk and steamed dumplings.

Receiving the food, Shimei looked outside to see Red Ye munching on a flatbread, still exchanging glances with Qin Zai. She then turned to Baisha, "Aren't you eating?"

Baisha shook his head, "I’ve already eaten." Noticing Shimei sitting near the door, he gestured, "It’s windy outside. Come here to eat."

Shimei moved inside, and Baisha sat next to her, holding the basket of dumplings.

"Where are we?" Shimei asked while sipping the warm soy milk.

"Ping'an Town."

"That's not far from the capital."

"Hmm," Baisha nodded, "We didn’t travel too far last night."

"Are you tired?" Shimei inquired. "Should we stop at an inn to rest?"

"Not yet. It’s better to travel for another two or three days away from Ping'an Town before stopping."

"Oh." Shimei nodded, enjoying a dumpling, savoring the soup that burst from its delicate skin, delicious and not scalding.

Finding it tasty, she impulsively fed one to Baisha with her chopsticks.

As Baisha accepted it, Shimei’s cheeks flushed... Accustomed to playfully sharing food with the girls at Xiangfen Residence, she had acted out of habit, realizing her mistake.

Seeing Shimei offering him food, Baisha sensed her anger had subsided and gently wiped the soup from the corner of her mouth.

Shimei glanced at him and continued eating. The two interacted harmoniously.

Outside, Qin Zai peered into the carriage and frowned... Baisha had a way with Shimei, making her so gentle. Indeed, it's all about compatibility; Shimei was like a delicate oriole inside, while outside sat a fierce tigress.

Muttering to himself, Qin Zai's thoughts inadvertently slipped out.

"What did you say?!" Red Ye shot him a glare.

"Nothing, just admiring your strong personality," Qin Zai hurriedly offered a conciliatory smile.

Red Ye massaged her neck, recalling the cramped sleep in the carriage last night. To avoid crowding Shimei, she had slept on her side. Ironically, Shimei, cat-like, had snuggled for warmth, using her arm as a pillow all night. Red Ye hadn’t dared to move, fearing she would wake her. Seeing Shimei's exhaustion, Red Ye knew the overnight stay in the woods hadn't been restful. Unlike her, a martial artist, Shimei's physique wasn't as robust. On this long journey, she hoped Shimei wouldn’t fall ill.

"Ahem."

Noticing Red Ye constantly rubbing her neck, Qin Zai commented, "Slept in an awkward position, huh?"

Red Ye, not wanting to bicker, petted Fire Kirin's back and walked on.

Finishing her dumplings, Shimei leaned out to hand back the basket to a disciple of the Ghost Blade Sect.

Gratefully, she said with a smile, "Thank you."

Qin Zai, watching from the front, turned back to glance at Red Ye, sighing, "Ah..."

Irritated, Red Ye found Qin Zai truly annoying.

Shimei, hearing this, returned to the carriage and asked, "Why is Qin Zai upsetting Red Ye?"

Baisha pondered, "That’s just Qin Zai's usual approach, but it seems ineffective with Red Ye."

"I wanted to bring Red Ye along to relax, but now she seems even more annoyed," Shimei sighed.

"This must be what they call fate," Baisha said as he turned over and lay down, resting his head on Shimei's lap.

Shimei was initially startled, but realizing the carriage was quite cramped, she understood this position allowed Baisha to stretch out more comfortably.

Baisha soon fell asleep, his breathing even and eyes closed in rest.

Once the carriage left the county town, the smooth cobblestone roads gave way to uneven mountain trails.

The ride became bumpy. Shimei, with Baisha resting on her, remained motionless, quietly flipping through a book. After a while, her gaze involuntarily drifted to Baisha.

Glancing at the carriage door, she noticed the curtain was drawn. Assured of their privacy, Shimei allowed herself to gaze openly at Baisha.

Indeed, Baisha was remarkably handsome. Shimei, resting her chin in her hand, observed him closely, her fingers unconsciously reaching out to touch the soft black locks of his hair that lay near her hand.

Shimei had noted before how soft Baisha's hair was, unlike the few men she knew, including her father whose coarse hair seemed to mirror his stern temperament. But Baisha was different. Despite his martial prowess, he never lost his temper, especially speaking gently to her.

Lost in thought, Shimei's fingers wandered, playfully poking Baisha's ear and then his cheek, marveling at his clean and pretty features, so different from other men she had seen.

Absorbed in her musings, she was startled when Baisha spoke in a low voice, "You touch when I'm asleep… why not when I'm awake?"

Shimei's ears warmed as she withdrew her hand, and Baisha opened his eyes, smiling at her.

"You're awake? I thought you were sleeping."

"I was, just now," Baisha replied, rubbing his neck, "Slept quite well."

Shimei whispered, "Then sleep a little longer, you've been tired these past few days."

Baisha sat up, leaning close to her, "No need, I'm rested enough."

As Baisha regained full consciousness, Shimei felt a bit uncomfortable and muttered to herself, "I wonder how Zanyue and the others are doing."

"Aunt Huo has moved in with Miss Wang. Don’t worry," Baisha reassured her, then added somewhat regretfully, "I wish we had brought that chubby cat along."

"Xiaofuzi?" Shimei chuckled, "I've been meaning to ask you, why do you like Xiaofuzi so much?"

"Reminds me of you..."

Baisha blurted out, noticing Shimei’s eyes narrowing in response.

He quickly remembered something Qin Peng once told him – never to compare a girl to anything other than a flower.

"Hey."

At that moment, the carriage curtain was pulled aside, and Qin Peng asked, "We've left Ping'an Town. Should we head south or southwest?"

"Isn't southwest faster?" Shimei inquired, "Doesn’t heading south mean taking a longer detour?"

"It's different," Baisha gestured lightly, "Heading south is mostly on official roads. Though longer, it’s easier to travel with towns and official troops along the way. Southwest might be quicker but is mostly mountainous, frequented by bandits and outlaws."

"I see…" Shimei nodded, feeling they should err on the side of caution.

"Let’s take the southern route," Baisha suggested, pointing towards the official road heading south. "We’re not in a hurry. It doesn’t matter if it’s slow or fast." Then, he pulled Shimei back into the carriage.

Qin Peng enviously watched Shimei and Baisha, who were chatting and laughing inside the carriage. He sighed, realizing that the lovey-dovey couple indeed had no rush, enjoying a leisurely journey to Qianzhong. Meanwhile, he faced a fierce battle with the 'tigress' outside.

Lost in his gloomy thoughts, Qin Peng looked up... Red Ye, riding the fiery Fire Qilin, stood against the wind at the front, turning back to call out to him, "You're so slow. Are we going or not?!"

Qin Peng raised an eyebrow. The lady in red on a red horse was indeed a beauty, just with a bit of a temper.

Resigned, he spurred his horse forward, riding alongside Red Ye, leading the carriage onto the southern official road towards Qianzhong.

The journey was smooth and uneventful. In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed, and they were nearing Qianzhong.

That day, as their carriage reached the vicinity of Chenzhou Prefecture and night fell, the group decided to stay at an inn.

As soon as Bai She and the others entered the inn, Shimei detected a strange fragrance. This scent was particularly fresh and elegant, not as strong as sandalwood. She inquired of the approaching waiter, "Excuse me, what is this fragrance?"

"Oh, are you travelers from afar?" the waiter replied with a smile, "This is the Unique Fragrance."

"Unique Fragrance?" Hongye asked, puzzled. "Is it a type of incense powder?"

"It's just licorice grown here, burned directly in incense burners. Nearly every household in this area uses this fragrance."

"Really?" Intrigued by the distinctive scent, Shimei inquired where it could be purchased.

According to the waiter, it was available at most herb shops in the area. Bai She gave him some silver, asking him to buy about ten to fifteen pounds to store in the carriage.

When the meal was served, everyone began to eat.

"Yikes..." After a few bites, Shimei started asking for herbal tea, exclaiming, "It's so spicy!"

"This area is humid, and the food is typically spicy," Bai She noticed her discomfort and asked the waiter to prepare some less spicy dishes.

"It seems... not only is the humidity an issue here, but also the diversity of people," Qin Dai, sitting on the bed, suddenly remarked.

Everyone followed his gaze... Below the second-floor window was a busy street, where a group of people hurriedly passed by.

Leading them was Fu Si, whom they hadn't seen in many days.

"Why is Fu Si here?" Shimei wondered.

"The Qianzhong area is the turf of the Duan family. The Fu family doesn't hold much sway there; it's unlikely to be a mere coincidence," Baisha put down his cup and served Shimei some dishes. "Let's not worry about them and just focus on our journey."