The first ray of dawn light poured down from the mountain peak. Mist swirled, purple light flickered, and thousands of rosy clouds streaked the sky. The entire Purple Mountain was shrouded in a haze of clouds and sunset glow, like a heavenly realm on Earth.

Though watching out for Xiao Changqin didn’t delay Shen Xihe’s main business. Early the next morning, she brought Zhenzhu and Moyu to Mount Laojun.

That white-haired elder lived here, surrounded by martial arts practitioners. Shen Xihe handed a scroll to Moyu: “Give this painting to the elder, no need for words.”

This place was full of all sorts of characters, so naturally Shen Xihe couldn’t bring the Immortal’s Sash. Last night she had painted it, waiting for the white-haired elder to seek her out.

While waiting for Moyu, Shen Xihe encountered a familiar face.

He wore plain tea-colored clothing of the poorest fabric, without any embroidered decoration. His black hair was simply fastened with a wooden hairpin. He came toward them in the rosy light, his handsome, refined features gentle and warm in the morning glow.

“Lady Shen.” Xie Yunhuai walked straight toward her and gave a slight bow.

His form of address made those around them who were either observing or harboring ill intentions change their expressions slightly.

Unmarried women were usually called “Miss,” with only refined noble ladies from official families being addressed as “Lady.”

Common people didn’t fight with officials – these people assumed she was just some official’s female relative passing through.

Shen Xihe, wearing a veil, nodded slightly to Xie Yunhuai: “Doctor Qi is here as well.”

“Just watching the excitement.” Xie Yunhuai smiled openly.

“Please sit, Doctor Qi.” Shen Xihe gestured to the side.

“Thank you.” Xie Yunhuai didn’t refuse. His presence here could make others think twice.

It was hard to say whether to praise this princess’s courage. Even with her veil, her graceful figure and voice like clashing pearls and jade would let anyone guess she was quite beautiful.

Yet she came with just one maid. If she encountered someone bold enough…

“Doctor Qi need not worry, I know what I’m doing,” Shen Xihe could see right through Xie Yunhuai’s thoughts. “If I obtain the Bone-Melting Pill, might I trouble Doctor Qi to examine it?”

“Princess…” Xie Yunhuai almost blurted out Shen Xihe’s identity in excitement but stopped himself in time. “You’ll truly let me examine it?”

The Bone-Melting Pill must be real – Xie Yunhuai had only confirmed this a few days ago. No doctor could resist such a nearly miraculous medicine.

“Of course. I trust Doctor Qi’s medical skills, and medicine can’t be taken carelessly. If the elder won’t explain, we’ll need Doctor Qi to put in more effort.” Shen Xihe smiled faintly.

Just then a breeze lifted her gauze veil slightly, and Xie Yunhuai caught a glimpse of that faint smile.

Her smile was as light as spray flying up from the blue sea or like a silken white cloud drifting beneath the blue sky – clean, gentle, graceful, yet fleeting.

Though Xie Yunhuai came from an illustrious background and had traveled far and wide, meeting many people as a doctor and seeing much beauty, he had never seen such a beautiful smile.

Zhenzhu lowered her eyes, inwardly admiring her mistress’s skill at winning people over. Examining medicine wasn’t the work of just a day or two – Doctor Qi would surely have to travel with them.

With this connection established, how could Doctor Qi refuse if they needed his help in the future?

Yet Doctor Qi clearly understood this and willingly walked into the trap.

Though she didn’t know how Doctor Qi had won her mistress’s favor or what abilities he had, Zhenzhu had learned to watch more and speak less.

They had thought Moyu would return in two or three hours, but they waited through lunch at the teahouse until sunset without his return.

“Lady, we should head back.” Zhenzhu worried about Moyu – if they didn’t leave soon, traveling in the dark would be dangerous.

“He hasn’t sent a distress signal, so Moyu hasn’t encountered danger,” Shen Xihe wasn’t worried. “Let’s set out.”

“Let me escort Lady Shen.” Xie Yunhuai worried these people might follow and harm Shen Xihe.

Shen Xihe knew someone had moved against her, and Moyu must have been detained. Not wanting to involve Xie Yunhuai, she said: “Stay here, Doctor Qi. Don’t worry – such a motley crowd isn’t worth fearing.”

“I wouldn’t be at ease unless I see Lady Shen safely back to the inn.” Xie Yunhuai thought Shen Xihe just didn’t want to trouble him, given his experience in the martial world.

After a moment’s silence, Shen Xihe stopped declining: “Thank you, Doctor Qi.”

If she told him the truth now, Xie Yunhuai would be even less likely to stand aside.

She and Zhenzhu got into the carriage, with Xie Yunhuai and the driver sitting outside. The carriage swayed as it traveled into the setting sun.

When the last ray of twilight was swallowed up, the carriage reached a quiet official road. The city gates would close in half an hour, and with no villages or inns nearby, there were no other travelers.

The horse suddenly whinnied and refused to go forward. Steadying herself from the jolt, Shen Xihe lifted the carriage curtain to see dense, straight trees on both sides, their branches swaying in the night wind: “A dark and windy night – indeed a good time for murder.”

Shen Xihe tapped the cushion, and copper panels rose on three sides – left, right, and back – embedding into the carriage roof. Almost simultaneously, volleys of cold arrows shot from the dark forests on both sides, all striking the carriage.

“Doctor Qi!” Shen Xihe threw two silk-wrapped, delicate cotton balls to Xie Yunhuai.

Xie Yunhuai caught them, turning to see the driver pulling out a gleaming sword with his nose stuffed with a cotton ball. Without time to ask questions, he quickly stuffed his nostrils too, discovering the cotton balls had a medicinal fragrance.

At this moment, several people wielding weapons flew out from the forests on both sides. These people weren’t wearing night-raid clothes, their weapons were all different, and they included both men and women – a mixed group of various backgrounds.

The driver threw a sword at Xie Yunhuai before leaping to meet them with his sword, and Xie Yunhuai grabbed the sword and followed closely.

The sounds of clashing blades rang outside the carriage, with occasional flashes of cold steel when the wind lifted the curtains.

“Princess, they’re just bandits.” Zhenzhu glanced at their clothing and bearing.

“Bandits are good.” Shen Xihe shifted slightly, holding a bamboo fan with ultra-thin bamboo strips woven into the face, gently waving it.

Beside the fan was an elegant brown cloud-patterned incense burner with holes. Cotton-like smoke rose steadily from its lid, following Shen Xihe’s fan direction and flowing out through the holes.

Though they couldn’t smell this incense, Zhenzhu noticed the smoke was thicker than other incense.

By the light of the night pearls inlaid in the carriage corners, Zhenzhu secretly observed Shen Xihe. Because of her weak constitution, the princess couldn’t practice martial arts, so she had put great effort into the four arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and had always loved perfuming and brewing wine.

Previously, she never knew her mistress had such deep attainment in incense-making, nor that incense could be used so ingeniously against enemies.

Meeting Shen Xihe’s glance, Zhenzhu immediately lowered her eyes: “Princess, why do you say bandits are good?”

“First come bandits, and when bandits can’t be handled, then official forces can be mobilized to suppress them.” When one plan fails, another emerges.

This was Xiao Changqin’s way of doing things.