Dusk was falling, the sky growing dim; tree leaves rustled as night’s curtain descended.
After the evening meal, Shen Xihe was pacing in the small courtyard, both digesting and exercising her weak constitution.
“Kill it! Kill it!”
“My ma says this thing bites people and is poisonous!”
“Stone it! Stone it!”
The children’s shouting, tinged with a local accent, reached Shen Xihe’s ears, along with what seemed to be the strange, terrified, and pitiful cries of some creature.
The sound seemed familiar, so Shen Xihe left the courtyard and walked toward its source.
Ink Jade hurriedly followed with a lantern. In the village, there was a large courtyard with a huge banyan tree in the center. Due to local beliefs, lanterns hung year-round for illumination, which was why the village children weren’t confined to their homes after sunset.
When Shen Xihe and Ink Jade arrived, they saw seven or eight children surrounding the old banyan tree, throwing stones at its base. An awkward shadow was dodging and shrieking, its eyes glowing.
“Ink Jade.” Shen Xihe stood at the courtyard’s edge.
Ink Jade flashed to the old banyan tree, deflecting an incoming stone with her still-sheathed sword before stepping forward to pick up the blood-stained creature.
The children were all afraid of adults, especially having been warned these were noble guests who couldn’t be offended. Seeing Ink Jade and Shen Xihe, they didn’t follow.
“Princess, what creature is this?” Ink Jade held the bleeding, struggling little thing.
Like a cat but not a cat, similar to a civet but not a civet – Ink Jade had never seen such an animal.
“Go wash it and treat its wounds.” Shen Xihe, being fastidious, didn’t want to touch or even approach the creature while it was so dirty.
Knowing Shen Xihe wanted to keep it, Ink Jade’s attitude toward it improved, though the little thing’s claws were sharp and it tried to resist, thinking she meant harm. Its struggles in Ink Jade’s hands were futile, and after she cleaned it up, she brought it to Shen Xihe.
The cleaned and dried creature was presented to Shen Xihe. Its fur resembled a leopard’s, vibrant in color with clear markings and soft, fine hair – it was an endearing little thing. Shen Xihe reached out to pet it.
The little creature crouched low, flashing its sharp claws the instant Shen Xihe’s hand came near. However, before it could harm her, Ink Jade’s hand caught it by the neck, causing it to emit “woo woo woo” cries.
A round, delicate fingertip tapped the little thing’s head as Shen Xihe asked: “Have you learned your lesson?”
The little creature continued crying “Woo woo woo,” and Shen Xihe raised her eyes to give Ink Jade a look. Ink Jade released her hold.
The little thing lay on the table, not daring to move.
Shen Xihe lifted it by the neck, looking at its underside where there was a swollen pouch: “Go to the carriage and bring the box next to the incense set.”
This was a civet cat, a nocturnal animal. Judging by the wounds on its legs, it had likely fallen into a trap and barely escaped, ending up in the village where playing children surrounded it. Like cats, its eyes glowed at night, causing the children to see it as something strange they needed to eliminate.
Civet cats have scent glands that produce civet musk, an extremely precious and rare substance.
Civet musk could not only be used in medicine for pain relief and calming the spirit, but also for opening meridians, penetrating muscles and bones, and reducing swelling.
When used in perfumery, it could make fragrances rich, mellow, and long-lasting, while also helping prevent plague.
Ink Jade brought the tools, and Shen Xihe had her hold up the civet’s tail and grip its hind legs while she opened its scent gland and gently squeezed out the musk.
At first, the civet cat struggled fiercely, making sharp, piercing cries, but feeling Shen Xihe’s gentle touch, it became docile. After extracting the musk, she carefully applied glycerin to the area.
Having had its glands expressed without pain and now feeling comfortable, the civet cat lay prone, eyes half-closed as if enjoying itself.
Shen Xihe stored away the musk and washed her hands, returning to find the little thing curled up in place, clearly intending to stay.
“Very well, I’ll keep you for a few days.” She could collect musk every three days.
The little thing was seriously injured – if released now, it couldn’t hunt or climb trees for wild fruits, and would likely starve to death.
Shen Xihe had just settled down to sleep when the civet cat ran over, actually trying to stay beside her.
“Don’t push your luck.” She tapped its head and tossed it off the bed.
The civet cat landing on the ground whimpered once but didn’t jump up again.
After sleeping for about two hours, sharp arrows suddenly shot into Shen Xihe’s room, frightening the civet cat into whimpering and jumping back onto her bed.
Shen Xihe slowly opened her eyes, her soft hand resting on the civet cat’s back, gently stroking it while ignoring the incoming arrows.
The bed faced away from the window, and those who could aim arrows at the bed from their ambush positions were all her people.
After several arrows shot in, white mist leaked from the bamboo tubes attached to them – sleeping smoke.
“Crude datura fragrance.” Shen Xihe’s brows furrowed slightly; she strongly disliked poorly made things.
“Ink Jade…”
“Help! Save me!”
Just as Shen Xihe was about to give instructions to Ink Jade, a sharp cry split the night sky, instantly lighting up lanterns throughout the village.
Shen Xihe closed her eyes, appearing expressionless but extremely annoyed.
About the time it takes to burn a stick of incense later, Ink Jade returned from outside: “A poisonous snake crawled into Young Master Guo’s room, giving him a fright.”
“And those people?” Shen Xihe asked though she knew the answer.
“Young Master Guo’s cry scared them away,” Ink Jade replied.
After all, they had only intended to use sleeping medicine to deal with Shen Xihe quietly. Guo Daoyi’s cry woke the entire village of four or five hundred people.
Were they supposed to silence the entire village?
Massacring four or five hundred villagers would certainly trigger an official investigation.
“Meddlesome.” Shen Xihe’s voice carried night’s chill.
In Luoyang he had disguised himself as an Embroidered Messenger to interrupt her plans, last night he interfered again disguised as a scholar, and tonight he timed a cry perfectly.
The first attempt brings vigor, the second wanes, and the third exhausts.
Xiao Changqin would surely withdraw now, as he didn’t need her dead. Such consistent bad luck would make him feel uneasy.
The closer she got to the capital, the harder it would be for Xiao Changqin to act.
She had originally planned to make a bigger scene, making her position clear so she wouldn’t have to deal hypocritically with the Xiao family once she reached the capital.
Yet this person of unknown background repeatedly interfered. He didn’t seem to be helping Xiao Changqin, and Shen Xihe’s anger stemmed from not understanding his purpose.
“Princess, should this servant…”
“Rest now.” Shen Xihe closed her eyes.
Her body was weak and needed proper rest. When daylight came, she would make him suffer a bit.
Shen Xihe quickly fell asleep. Not far away in another small courtyard, Guo Daoyi took a few sips of tea to soothe his throat: “Tian Yuan, quickly pack the luggage, we’re leaving immediately.”
“Master, in the middle of the night…” Tian Yuan, also in disguise, looked at the dark sky outside.
“If we don’t leave now, your master will be in big trouble tomorrow.” A trace of amusement flashed in Guo Daoyi’s eyes.