Chapter 61

Perilous Return to the Capital, Amongst Tigers and Wolves

Bai She and Shi Mei, on their way back to the capital, hurried along their journey. They needed to conceal their movements to avoid the martial artists pursuing them, proceeding with utmost caution.

However, the closer they got to the capital, the more puzzled they became — why were the security measures increasingly stringent?

At every state and county, they encountered numerous checkpoints. Bai She noticed an absence of Ghost Knife Sect members along the way, hinting at some major upheaval.

That day, they entered the city, sharing a single horse as they rushed back to the Fragrance Residence.

Shi Mei, sitting in front of Bai She, looked ahead anxiously. She worried about the Fragrance Residence, having been away for so long. She longed to see her family, wondering how Zan Yue, Hong Ye, and others were doing, not to mention Xiao Xi, Xiao Fu Zi, and of course, the Empress Dowager. It had been days since she'd seen her, and she wondered if her health had improved and if she was using the incense Shi Mei made for her rheumatism.

Bai She, sensing Shi Mei's restlessness, whispered in her ear, "Mei Zi, something might have happened."

Shi Mei turned to him in surprise, "What happened?"

"Look around. Many of the commoners seem to be disguised officials, watching us," Bai She whispered, instructing her discreetly, "Don't look too closely, we might give ourselves away."

"What could have happened?" Shi Mei withdrew her gaze, her heart beginning to race.

As they turned the corner, the Fragrance Residence and the Ghost Knife Sect's gate came into view. But the streets were eerily quiet, with no one to greet them. The gate was firmly closed, and a thick layer of leaves covered the road, indicating long neglect and desolation.

Bai She frowned, "Everyone has moved away."

"What?" Shi Mei didn't understand, but Bai She gestured for her to look at the alley's end where a distinct white pattern marked a slanted knife.

"That's a secret sign of the Ghost Knife Sect. Slanted means they've moved, horizontal signifies death, and vertical means they are here," Bai She explained, his voice growing even softer, "Also, it seems we're surrounded."

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of synchronized footsteps approached.

Shi Mei was startled. How many were there? It sounded like an army was upon them!

Bai She reined in the horse and looked up to see countless soldiers, clad in official uniforms and wielding sharp weapons, surging from both ends of the street, clearly representing the government's forces.

Leading them was a figure with a smile on his face and an air of triumph about him — the long-absent Qin Xianglian.

Shi Mei felt a surge of revulsion at the sight of him, worried about the implications of his presence for those at the Fragrance Residence.

"Don't worry about the people at the Fragrance Residence," Bai She reassured her, seeing her furrowed brow. "Since Qin Dai and the others have relocated, they would have certainly taken everyone from the residence with them. They'll be safe."

Shi Mei nodded, steadying her nerves. The Fragrance Residence did seem deserted. But why was Qin Xianglian so bold? Hadn't the Empress Dowager intervened?

"Right," Bai She suddenly remembered. "I'm now the court's wanted criminal for abducting you."

Realization dawned on Shi Mei — Qin Xianglian was sure to seize this opportunity!

"Princess... unharmed, I see," Qin Xianglian moved his horse forward, greeting Shi Mei with a smug smile. "It's been days since we last saw you. You seem to have lost weight from the journey. Why endure such hardship, princess? Wouldn’t it be better to enjoy the comforts of home?"

Shi Mei, irritated by his smooth talk, thought resentfully how utterly detestable he was.

"Come, seize this thief Bai She!" Qin Xianglian quickly changed his tone, and at his command, the soldiers prepared to charge.

Shi Mei, angered, intervened, "Hold on, who dares!"

The soldiers exchanged glances, all looking towards Qin Xianglian for direction.

This time, Qin Xianglian didn't back down but instead laughed, "Princess, this is the Emperor and Empress Dowager's decree. No one can defy it."

"What?" Shi Mei disbelieved, convinced the Empress Dowager would never issue such an order. She shook her head, "Impossible!"

"The imperial edict is right here with me," Qin Xianglian said, and with a gesture, he tossed a rolled-up yellow imperial edict towards Shi Mei.

Bai She caught the imperial edict and unfurled it for Shi Mei to see. Indeed, it declared that Bai She had abducted the princess, committing a heinous crime. The Ghost Knife Sect was to be disbanded, and Bai She was condemned without pardon.

Shi Mei couldn't confirm if the handwriting was the Emperor's, but the jade seal stamp was unmistakably authentic.

Shi Mei refused to believe that the Empress Dowager would issue such an order, nor could she imagine the Emperor consenting to Qin Xianglian's actions. Could something have happened in the palace? It seemed improbable. Had Qin Xianglian really turned the tables in just the few days they were gone?

"I want to see the Empress Dowager," Shi Mei demanded of Qin Xianglian.

"Certainly! I'll take the princess to her shortly. The Empress Dowager has been missing you terribly, unable to eat or drink," Qin Xianglian said courteously. "But first, we must execute this criminal Bai She!"

With a wave of his hand, he signaled the soldiers to proceed without hesitation.

Realizing the situation was grim, Shi Mei glanced back at Bai She to find him with his usual sluggish expression, seemingly unconcerned.

"I'm still here; who dares to come closer?!" she challenged.

Shi Mei, fierce as ever, caught Qin Xianglian frowning in thought. Just as he pondered his next move, Bai She gently wrapped his arm around Shi Mei and said, "Let's go!"

With those words, he leaped effortlessly onto the rooftop.

Qin Xianglian frowned; Bai She was cunning indeed. He immediately ordered his troops to pursue. As the soldiers swarmed forward, Bai She whistled, and amidst the chaos, his white horse dashed into an alley.

Who would chase after a horse? The crowd focused on surrounding the rooftop to prevent Bai She and his companion from escaping.

Holding Shi Mei tightly, Bai She swiftly leaped across several rooftops, eluding their pursuers. Reaching a shop facing the main street out of the city, they heard the sound of hooves – the white horse was galloping out of the alley.

Bai She, with a smile for the stunned pursuers behind him, scooped Shi Mei onto the horse's back in one fluid motion, then sped off with a flick of the reins.

Qin Xianglian, still waiting for news, had just turned the corner when he heard that Bai She and Shi Mei had escaped. Enraged, he commanded, "Chase them now!"

Bai She spurred his horse into a frantic gallop, intending to take Shi Mei out of the city, but at the gate, they encountered a blockade. This time, it wasn't Qin Xianglian's men but rather figures from the martial arts world, led by Duan Yan and Fu Si, to Shi Mei's concern.

Shi Mei no longer trusted any of these martial artists. Not only did they harbor ulterior motives, but their words were also unreliable. Although she was unsure of their exact plans, it was clear they all bore ill intentions towards Bai She.

Frowning, Bai She realized that Qin Xianglian's forces would soon catch up. Seeing the martial artists apparently allied with the authorities, his expression turned cold as he prepared to break through, concerned for Shi Mei's safety.

As he pondered their next move, a voice suddenly boomed from atop the city gate, "Ha ha! You bunch of hypocrites, taste my Thunder Bombs!"

As he spoke, several bamboo tubes were thrown down, spewing black smoke.

Recognizing the smoke and hearing 'Thunder Bombs', the martial artists scattered in panic. Upon closer inspection, the figure on the city wall was rugged and imposing, wielding a large saber with an air of ferocity – it was the notorious bandit Guan Luori!

Bai She, catching Guan Luori's meaningful glances, realized the smoke was a diversion. Seizing the opportunity, he charged towards the city gate with Shi Mei.

The gate was wide open, with the martial artists scattered to the sides. By the time they reacted, Bai She and his horse had already left the city, prompting a hurried pursuit.

As they regrouped, Guan Luori shouted again, "The Thunder Bombs were fake, but these Earthquake Bombs are real!" He then threw down two more smoke tubes.

Thinking it another bluff, the martial artists hesitated, only to be startled by two loud bangs.

They quickly ducked, fearing an explosion, but when nothing happened, they looked closer and were infuriated to find just two firecrackers.

By the time they thought to pursue again, Bai She and Shi Mei were long gone.

By this time, Qin Xianglian's large troop had caught up, seeing that a whole group of martial artists couldn't stop Bai She. Realizing that the duo had escaped again, he angrily ordered a citywide manhunt.

Meanwhile, Fu Si and others noticed that Guan Luori had also vanished without a trace.

"Unbelievable!" exclaimed several senior martial artists, outraged that Bai She, a renowned figure in their world, had stooped to collude with a ruffian like Guan Luori.

"Birds of a feather flock together, as they say." Some of the younger generation took this opportunity to gossip disdainfully about Bai She.

Only Fu Ying stood aside with a dark expression, deeply displeased. How had Bai She, for the sake of Chen Shimei, gotten himself into such a mess? Now a wanted criminal by the government and hunted by the martial arts community, all for a woman!

Leaving aside the frustrated martial artists and Qin Xianglian for a moment.

After Bai She and Shi Mei had fled far from the city gates, Guan Luori caught up with them using his light-footed skills. After surveying their surroundings, he led them into a forest.

"I've long wanted to blow up those hypocrites!" Guan Luori declared, seemingly exhilarated and laughing heartily.

Bai She looked at him, "Your eyes are better?"

"All healed, so I came to repay my debt to you." Guan Luori replied, noticing Shi Mei's preoccupied look, he playfully tugged at her clothes, "Hey girl, the ladies at the fragrance house are still safe, don't worry!"

Shi Mei snapped back to reality, "Really? Where are they?"

"They're all hiding inside. Luckily, Aunt Huo was alert and led everyone away. Qin Dai and the girl in red are there too. They happened to join our breakout and lent a hand!" Guan Luori said, sheathing his saber and gesturing to Bai She, "I've repaid my debt to you. I won't cause more trouble here. See you in the jianghu!"

Bai She bowed to him, expressing his gratitude, "Take care."

Guan Luori nodded and left with an air of nonchalance.

Watching him leave, Shi Mei curiously asked, "So, is he a good guy or a bad guy?"

Bai She smiled slightly, "In the jianghu, it's hard to label someone simply good or bad. As long as no debts are owed, whether we meet again or not doesn't matter."

Having said this, he led Shi Mei into the mountains. As they approached a cliff, it seemed like a dead end, but to their surprise, a hidden path appeared, leading them around the mountain with an expanding view.

Shi Mei saw a residence hidden behind a forest of huge rocks, with figures moving about in the distance.

"This is the Ghost Blade Sect's residence," Bai She explained to Shi Mei. "It might not be fully built yet, considering they moved here recently. This is a refuge. Wherever the Ghost Blade Sect is, there's always a hidden sanctuary in nearby mountains, stocked with food, clothing, and essentials for shelter."

Shi Mei couldn't help but admire Bai She's foresight and thoroughness.

"Mei Zi!"

As expected, upon entering the gates, they saw Zan Yue and Hong Ye rushing out.

Shi Mei hadn't seen Hong Ye for just a few days and Zan Yue for much longer. She hurriedly went to meet them.

Xiao Xi also ran out, "Miss, you’re back! We were worried something had happened to you."

The group caught up on their respective experiences since parting, all baffled by the recent events.

"Miss, how could the Empress Dowager issue such an order to seize the Fragrance Residence and have us all arrested, especially by Qin Xianglian?" Xiao Xi said with indignation. "Fortunately, Master Xu and Aunt Huo moved us in time, or we would have been captured by Qin Xianglian. That would have been troublesome!"

"You mean... the Empress Dowager ordered Qin Xianglian to arrest you?" Shi Mei was shocked. "Impossible! The Empress Dowager despises Qin Xianglian."

"The situation is indeed odd," Xu Xian added as he approached Bai She. "There’s been significant military movement around the Imperial City recently, as if preparing for an adjustment of forces. Additionally, the Emperor fell ill with a strange disease and hasn't attended court for a while, leaving many in the court uneasy."

"A strange illness?" Shi Mei’s intuition kicked in upon hearing this. She gently pulled Bai She's sleeve, "I want to see the Empress Dowager!"

Bai She nodded, signaling — understood!