Chapter 94 Recognizing a Person by Their Scent: "He's my fiancé!"

Shen Xiaoshan was ordered to escort Xie Jingqiu home. Xie Jingqiu agreed out of respect for Meng Lingyao, but in reality, she was very unhappy.

She grew up in Jinling City and was the apple of Old Master Xie's eye. Everyone else spoiled her, and she was fearless from a young age. She loved to go her own way and could find her way around the streets and alleys with her eyes closed. She never thought that going home would require people to follow her step by step.

But since it was Sister Yao who had spoken, she didn't want to offend her, so she had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

Shen Xiaoshan followed silently two steps behind her, neither too far nor too close, just the proper distance for a guard. The autumn twilight deepened, and the sounds of people in the streets and alleys gradually thinned, leaving only the echoes of their footsteps on the bluestone slabs.

Xie Jingqiu couldn't stand the silence, and after taking a few steps, she couldn't help but speak up, her voice clear and full of curiosity, "Young Master Shen, your sister said you are her younger brother, are you her cousin?"

Shen Xiaoshan was slightly taken aback. After a moment of silence, he briefly said, "That's not the case. My family suffered a misfortune and we ended up on the streets. Fortunately, Miss Meng took pity on us and took us in." He spoke in a low and calm voice, picking out the parts he could say and recounting the story.

When Xie Jingqiu first heard Meng Lingyao call him "younger brother," she assumed he was the young master of some official's mansion in the capital, never expecting him to have such a troubled past. She was speechless for a moment, opening her mouth to speak, before finally stammering, "Well... well, that can be considered a turn for the better after the worst, a sweet taste after bitterness."

Shen Xiaoshan glanced at her; there was no pity or disdain in the girl's eyes, only pure admiration. He nodded, "Thank you for your kind words, Miss."

Xie Jingqiu quickly regained her lively nature and pressed him for details about the differences between the capital and Jiangnan. Shen Xiaoshan was not good with words, but he answered patiently, and although his words were brief, Xie Jingqiu listened with great interest.

Reaching a fork in the road, Xie Jingqiu turned and headed into a deep, narrow alley on the left.

“Follow me here, we’ll take a shortcut and save you half the time.” She was very enthusiastic, clearly very familiar with this shortcut.

“Miss, you mustn’t.” Shen Xiaoshan frowned, stepped forward, grabbed her sleeve, and said solemnly, “This alley is secluded and dark, and there may be unforeseen circumstances. Please take the main road.”

"Oh dear, you're being too cautious." Xie Jingqiu said dismissively, trying to pull her hand away from his. "I've been walking around since I was little, what could possibly happen to me..."

Before the words were even finished, a sudden change occurred!

A flash of cold light suddenly appeared from the alley. Shen Xiaoshan's pupils shrank sharply. In a split second, without having time to think, he instinctively pulled Xie Jingqiu hard behind him and simultaneously turned to block her.

"Sizzle—"

The cold blade tore through his left arm, and crimson blood instantly seeped out.

Several dark figures leaped out of the alley like ghosts, each wearing a black mask and holding a sharp blade. Their target was clear: Xie Jingqiu, who was being protected.

Shen Xiaoshan gritted his teeth and met the attack head-on. He had learned some physical exercises in the temple during his childhood, giving him a solid foundation. After entering the Dali Temple, he received dedicated instruction from his master, resulting in rapid progress in his martial arts. Otherwise, Pei Xu wouldn't have taken him along on this trip south. However, his opponents were clearly prepared, outnumbered, and well-coordinated. Blood flowed continuously from Shen Xiaoshan's arm, his strength waned, and his movements gradually became chaotic.

Xie Jingqiu had never seen such a scene before. Jinling City had always been peaceful. She had only heard rumors of the dangers of the martial arts world in teahouses and never thought that anyone would dare to attack her in the city.

Seeing that Shen Xiaoshan was gradually losing ground, she was both shocked and furious, and asked sharply, "Who sent you? Do you know what price you will pay for attacking me in Jinling City?"

The man in black did not answer, and his attacks became even more ferocious.

"Stop!" Xie Jingqiu was extremely anxious, and his voice changed. "No matter who sent you, as long as you stop now, I am willing to pay double... no, five times the reward! I will not go back on my word! As long as you stop, I guarantee that the Xie family will not pursue this matter."

One of them finally spoke, his voice hoarse, "Miss Xie, we have no intention of taking your life. All you need to do is come with us obediently. As for this kid..."

"He's my fiancé!" Xie Jingqiu blurted out, interrupting him. "If you dare hurt him, I won't live alone. Since you're inviting me, what harm is there in having one more person?"

The men in black paused, clearly not expecting her to say that. After a few moments of silence, the leader waved his hand, "Take them all away! Gag them!"

Several men in black rushed forward. Shen Xiaoshan struggled fiercely, knocking down two of them, but eventually, due to his severe injuries and exhaustion, he was struck hard on the back of the neck from behind, his vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground.

Xie Jingqiu's arms were also tied behind her back and her mouth was gagged. Just as she was being roughly dragged into the dark alley, she used the strength of her struggle to quickly reach into her sleeve, pinch a plain handkerchief, and twist it with her fingertips. With the shoving and staggering, the handkerchief fell silently into the shadows at the alley entrance like a flower petal blown by the wind.

The night was deep and still, enveloping the small courtyard that Meng Lingyao had prepared in a somber silence. Inside the study, the candlelight flickered, illuminating Pei Xu's aloof and cold profile.

The study door was silently pushed open, letting in a cool night breeze. The guard slipped in, his dark, close-fitting clothes almost blending into the night. He moved swiftly, bowing and clasping his hands in a fist salute. "Reporting to you, sir," he said, "we searched along the way and found signs of a struggle at the entrance of an alley not far from the Xie residence. There were fresh bloodstains in the cracks of the bluestone slabs, though not a large amount. In addition, we also found this." He presented a light-colored, plain silk handkerchief with both hands.

The inner room curtain fluttered slightly, and Meng Lingyao strode out. She had changed out of her slightly disheveled clothes and restyled her hair.

She tried her best to remain calm, but her eyes were still filled with worry that was about to overflow. She immediately noticed the plain handkerchief in the guard's hand, her heart skipped a beat, and she rushed forward to take it.

The moment her fingertips touched the soft silk, a faint fragrance wafted into her nostrils. Meng Lingyao immediately brought the handkerchief closer and inhaled deeply—a sweet fruity scent with a subtle, almost imperceptible astringency in the finish. It was the scented balm she had personally prepared for Xie Jingqiu as a token of her gratitude.

The little girl felt that the sweetness alone was not interesting, so she added a touch of cloves, which added a warm and spicy balance.

This fragrance is unique, and she has never blended it for anyone else since.

“It’s Jingqiu.” Meng Lingyao clutched the handkerchief tightly. “This must be the handkerchief she used close to her body.”

Pei Xu's gaze fell on the plain handkerchief, without questioning Meng Lingyao's judgment. He then looked up, his gaze meeting hers anxiously. He nodded slightly and turned to the guards, "Have you found out anything about the Xie family's movements?"

The guard replied in a deep voice, "The Xie family is also searching in secret, and their actions are extremely discreet; they have not reported it to the authorities." Xie Jingqiu is, after all, a woman, and out of consideration for her reputation, the Xie family will not choose to make a public announcement unless absolutely necessary.

A brief silence fell over the study. The candlelight flickered in Meng Lingyao's dark eyes. Suddenly, she pressed Pei Xu's hand down, their eyes met, and they both spoke almost simultaneously, "Commander Yuan."

With a quick thought, Meng Lingyao had already figured out the key to it.

Over the years, thanks to General Xie's military power, Consort Jing has not been the sole recipient of imperial favor in the palace, but she still enjoys some imperial affection.

A tall tree catches the wind.

The Xie family understood this principle well, and therefore, in the midst of court disputes and local power struggles, they always maintained neutrality, kept to themselves, and never easily expressed their opinions or took sides.

Commander Yuan colluded with the Cui family to illegally open mines and make huge profits, and it may even involve arms... Such a serious crime that could lead to the confiscation of property and the extermination of the clan is something that Old Master Xie may not be unaware of. With his keen eyesight, how could he possibly hide the slightest movement in Jinling City?

However, after weighing the pros and cons, he chose to stay out of it, unwilling to get involved in the mess, and even less willing to get caught up in the vortex that might implicate General Xie and Consort Jing.

Pei Xu's trip, ostensibly to investigate embezzlement in river works, was actually aimed at the serious crime of Yuan Shoubei colluding with the Cui family to illegally seize mineral resources. Now, with witnesses and evidence gradually coming to light, he is a trapped beast.

Meng Lingyao pursed her lips, "He is now desperate, so he wants to take a risk and kidnap the Xie family's most beloved daughter in order to blackmail the Xie family into intervening, or even... force the Xie family to help him get out of trouble or disrupt the situation."

She closed her eyes, her heart filled with worry. "If Commander Yuan finds out that the Xie family refuses to submit, or if we investigate too closely, what if he..."

“He wouldn’t dare for now,” Pei Xu said firmly. “Miss Xie is his only bargaining chip, and he will never easily destroy this card unless absolutely necessary. He needs time and needs to use Xie Jingqiu to pressure the Xie family.”

"What about the small hill?"

“He was injured in the fight, but judging from the bloodstains at the scene, he didn’t bleed much. If those people wanted to kill him, they could have done so on the spot; there was no need to take him away,” Pei Xu comforted him. “Xiao Shan and Miss Xie are both intelligent and resourceful people. You must believe that they will definitely find a way to survive. However, the longer it drags on, the greater the variables will become.”

At this point, he turned to the guards and gave them instructions one by one, “Immediately use the fragrance on this plain handkerchief as a guide. This fragrance is unique and does not dissipate easily, and Miss Xie must have been tainted with it even more strongly. Mobilize all available manpower and release all tracking dogs to search inch by inch along the trail of this fragrance. Focus on patrolling the strongholds where Commander Yuan and his confidants may be hiding.”

Pei Xu recited several locations word by word, covering various parts of Jinling City, from the riverside dock in the east to the nameless tavern in the west.

Meng Lingyao couldn't help but glance at him, unconsciously rubbing the plain handkerchief in her hand.

No wonder Commander Yuan was desperate; if this dragged on for a few more days, Pei Xu's sword would probably be at his neck.

"...Closely monitor all personnel entering and leaving the Yuan residence. If there are any unusual movements or messages being transmitted, intercept them immediately. If necessary...execute first and report later."

He spoke the phrase "execute first, report later" softly, yet it carried a chilling, ruthless undertone.

"Yes!" The guards acknowledged the order and immediately split up. Several agile figures, like cheetahs blending into the night, quickly dispersed.

Several specially trained tracking dogs were brought over, sniffed the handkerchief, and then led by a designated person to search the alley.

"There's one more thing I need Yaoyao's help with." After everyone left, Pei Xu shook Meng Lingyao's hand.

"Please introduce me to the Xie family patriarch."