“Master, you saved the Princess, how could she…” Tianyuan asked, puzzled.
“Why would she need my savings?” Guo Daoyi rose unhurriedly, staring at Tianyuan who was packing their belongings. “Her traveling alone was using herself as bait. Old Five has been clever all his life, yet he completely misunderstood this Princess’s temperament…”
After a pause, Guo Daoyi gave a short laugh: “Perhaps he knew but didn’t care. People truly shouldn’t be driven mad. Our master has already forcibly driven one son insane. How interesting, truly interesting. We must hurry back to the capital – how could such a grand show begin without me?”
Thus, when Shen Xihe rose at dawn, she learned that Master Guo Daoyi and his servant had departed in the night, claiming they were too frightened by snakes to stay.
Frightened by snakes?
Was he calling her a venomous beauty?
Shen Xihe’s lips curved upward: “Very well.”
The rest of the journey proceeded without incident. Shen Xihe, accompanied by the spirit cat, entered Shang Prefecture after nine days, with five more days needed to reach the capital.
The spirit cat’s wounds had healed, and Shen Xihe had collected incense from it three times. This day, passing through rolling mountains and forests, Shen Xihe released it back into the mountains. The little creature was reluctant to leave, repeatedly turning back to look at her.
“Go on, you belong to this wilderness.”
Shen Xihe only liked growing flowers and plants, not raising living creatures, finding them too noisy.
Moreover, these beings weren’t meant to be domesticated. She knew that noble ladies in the capital had recently taken to keeping cats, but to Shen Xihe, such confinement was an erasure of their natural essence.
Shen Xihe hadn’t expected that after leaving Shang Prefecture, she would encounter the little creature again. It had traveled for two days and two nights, seemingly attached to her.
Its eyes were round and moist as it circled Shen Xihe. She shooed it away several times, but it kept following.
The last time, it even came with an injury – one paw deeply cut to the bone.
Even with Shen Xihe’s cold heart, she was moved by such persistence: “This is your own choice. If you want to follow me, then follow.”
Arriving at the capital’s outskirts with the spirit cat, they successfully met with Mo Yuan and the others. Mo Yuan’s soul finally settled upon seeing Shen Xihe.
“Princess, Princess, what kind of cat is this?” Hong Yu was fascinated by the creature that looked like a fox and a cat wearing leopard fur.
However, the little creature was very aloof – besides Shen Xihe, it wouldn’t even let Mo Yu get close, let alone touch its fur.
Hong Yu could only look on longingly.
“A stray cat I picked up on the road,” Shen Xihe glanced at it. “It refused to leave, so I brought it back to keep you all entertained.”
“Princess, have you named it?” Bi Yu also loved furry animals.
“Name it?” Shen Xihe hadn’t thought about this at all, but since it was mentioned, she stroked the creature’s neck. “I heard the Crown Prince has returned to the capital?”
“Yes, with the Empress Dowager’s birthday approaching, His Majesty ordered preparations at Furong Garden months ago. The Crown Prince returned with the Empress Dowager, and his coming-of-age ceremony will be held after her birthday celebration,” Bi Yu replied.
“Hmm.” Shen Xihe responded faintly, her gaze falling on the spirit cat enjoying her caresses. “Call it Short-Life.”
“Ah?” Hong Yu and Bi Yu exclaimed in unison.
No one had ever given their pet such a name.
They didn’t want to overthink it, but why had the Princess asked about the Crown Prince before naming the cat?
This ‘Short-Life’…
“Short-Life.” Shen Xihe ignored the maids’ reactions and called softly. The spirit cat responded with a sound.
From then on, it was called Short-Life.
The deeper meaning wasn’t something for servants like them to ponder. Bi Yu cleverly changed the subject: “Princess, the two shops have been cleared out and arranged according to your instructions. What business will you conduct there?”
Shen Xihe had sent them ahead to the capital with a task: to prepare two shops inherited from her birth mother. One was in An Yi Ward, the other in Huai Yuan Ward.
An Yi Ward was before the East Market, Huai Yuan Ward before the West Market – excellent locations for business.
“Opening incense shops,” Shen Xihe was satisfied with their efficiency. “Have Mo Yuan select some clever, articulate people to contact incense merchants in Nanhai Commandery. Rinan Commandery has an incense market, and Zhuya Commandery has an Incense Isle. Give each person one hundred gold pieces to purchase large quantities of incense materials, regardless of type.”
“One hundred gold pieces?” Bi Yu managed Shen Xihe’s finances. Though three hundred gold pieces were a considerable sum, it wouldn’t strain Shen Xihe’s resources. But how much incense could be purchased with three hundred gold pieces?
“One hundred gold pieces.” Shen Xihe nodded calmly.
“Yes.” Bi Yu withdrew to make arrangements.
“Princess, what shall we name our incense shops?” Hong Yu was in charge of shop renovations.
“Name?” Shen Xihe strongly disliked naming things, but she also disliked others naming her possessions.
Her fingers stroked Short-Life’s soft fur as she raised her elegant eyebrows: “Du Huo, Du Huo Tower.”
“Du… Huo?” Hong Yu was dumbfounded.
Looking at Short-Life lying on Shen Xihe’s lap, first Short-Life and now Du Huo, it was really…
“Princess, Du Huo sounds so inauspicious,” Hong Yu truly didn’t understand why the Princess chose such strange names.
“When all flowers die, only I survive.” Shen Xihe’s eyes, deep as black jade, flickered, her gaze shallow. “How is that inauspicious?”
“Uh…”
Hearing it this way, Hong Yu suddenly felt it had an inexplicable power. The Princess carried an edge, like a prince returning victorious from battle. Hong Yu liked it: “It sounds good, Du Huo Tower is perfect.”
Bi Yu returned just in time to hear this and cast a glance at the slow-witted Hong Yu before stepping forward to ask quietly: “Princess, Du Huo is unique. Many will surely ask about its meaning in the future.”
They couldn’t just repeat the Princess’s words to everyone who asked – wouldn’t that offend everyone?
“What’s wrong with speaking directly?” Shen Xihe showed no concern.
Bi Yu looked ready to cry: “Princess…”
“Alright, I won’t tease you.” Knowing Bi Yu was considering her interests, Shen Xihe smiled faintly. “Du Huo can heal as medicine and blend as incense.”
Bi Yu sighed in relief: “Princess, when will Linglong be sent to Prince Kang’s mansion?”
Linglong had been handed to Mo Yuan and tortured according to Shen Xihe’s instructions but was not yet dead.
“Tonight.”
Previously not wanting additional complications, Shen Xihe had instructed them to wait before sending the person over. Now that she had returned, it was time to let Prince Kang’s household know: that Shen Xihe had arrived.
“Tomorrow when we enter the capital, will the Princess stay at the Prince’s mansion or the Princess’s residence?” Bi Yu asked.
In the capital, there was Shen Yueshan’s prince’s mansion and also the princess’s residence specially bestowed upon Shen Xihe by Emperor Youning.
However, the prince’s mansion had a concubine forced upon Shen Yueshan by Emperor Youning – this concubine was the legitimate daughter of Prince Kang’s household, Emperor Youning’s cousin.