It was April, a time of blooming flowers and lush greenery. Two carriages bearing the insignia of the Left Prime Minister's residence moved slowly along the official road. In the spacious carriage at the front, Bai Chuxiao, dressed in a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) over a blue long robe, held a teacup and listened to Qingzhu telling stories. Bai Chuxiao and Lanxiang were laughing heartily at Qingzhu's witty remarks. They had been away from Dingzhou for over half a month and had already reached Qingzhou; in a few more days, they would arrive in the capital.
"Young Miss, we're almost at Lin'an City. We'll stay here tonight and set off again tomorrow," Granny Xu announced loudly from outside the carriage.
Bai Chuxiao lifted the curtain, revealing a face that was unlike her usual bright and beautiful one. Her entire face and lips were deathly pale, devoid of any color. She weakly murmured, "I know, Granny," and coughed a few times as she spoke, looking sickly.
"Oh dear, what's wrong with the young lady? She wasn't like this in Dingzhou," Xu Mama mocked sarcastically, thinking to herself, "She really is a wild girl from Dingzhou, never seen the world before. She's already worn out after just a few days. Let's see how she gets dealt with when we get back."
Bai Chuxiao covered her lips with a handkerchief, coughing incessantly. "Granny, I've never left Dingzhou before. I'm not used to the local climate and water; I've probably caught a cold."
Seeing this, Granny Xu couldn't help but chuckle. A wild girl is a wild girl; how could she compare to the Second Young Lady? However, she was also worried; she couldn't let this little brat really die on the way. So, she said obsequiously, "Young Lady, please get down and rest first. There's no rush. We can stay in Lin'an tonight."
Lanxiang led the carriage through the woods to a stream to rest. Granny Xu and the others stood guard along the outer edge of the main road. The three of them, mistress and servants, sat by the stream, playing in the water. Qingzhu asked, puzzled, "Miss, why are you pretending to be weak? Won't they look down on you?"
Lanxiang tapped Qingzhu's head. "There are rumors that Miss is in poor health and was sent to Dingzhou to recuperate. Miss's appearance here will make them lower their guard even more."
Bai Chuxiao smiled and said, "Lanxiang is right. Everyone in the capital is praising my second sister for her unparalleled beauty and extraordinary talent. My sickly appearance is exactly what they want. Let's see what other tricks they can pull."
As they were talking, Lanxiang suddenly pointed to the right, "Miss, there seems to be someone lying there." Bai Chuxiao looked in the direction Lanxiang was pointing and indeed there was someone next to the large rock.
Bai Chuxiao instantly became alert. "You two stay here, I'll go check it out." Upon closer inspection, she saw a man in black, covered in blood, wearing a silver mask, lying half-dead. Helping those in need wasn't her motto; in this situation, pretending not to see him and leaving was the best option to avoid trouble.
But Bai Chuxiao was curious about the face beneath the mask. After a moment's thought, she murmured softly, "If you were good-looking, I would be so kind as to save you today. Meeting me would be your good fortune."
As she spoke, she raised her hand to remove her mask. Just as she was about to do so, the man suddenly moved, firmly grasping Bai Chuxiao's hand on the mask. Feeling the strength in his hand, Bai Chuxiao was slightly surprised, "This kid, his internal energy is so strong!" She then used her internal energy to break free from the man's grip. Bai Chuxiao looked at the man, clapped her hands, and said, "If you won't let me see, I'm not saving you anymore. You can just wait to die here." Bai Chuxiao stood up and turned to leave.
Just then, the man grabbed Bai Chuxiao's skirt hem and said weakly, "Wait." Bai Chuxiao turned around and squatted down to look at the man. At this moment, the man opened his eyes with difficulty. The moment Bai Chuxiao broke free from his grasp, he knew that this woman's martial arts skills were definitely not weak, but he did not expect to see such a pale face. Looking into the man's eyes, Bai Chuxiao's heart skipped a beat. These eyes were deep and resolute, the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen in this world.
The man managed to utter a few words with difficulty, "Miss, save me, and I will reward you handsomely." Bai Chuxiao gave him a mischievous look, "I wouldn't want someone so worthless. How about letting me see your face, or exchanging it for your beautiful eyes?"
"You flatter me, young lady. Fifty thousand taels of silver is certainly enough to save my life," Bai Chuxiao thought to herself. This man was no ordinary person, offering fifty thousand taels so readily. Bai Chuxiao waved her hand. "Just for your eyes, fifty thousand taels won't buy your life. A thousand taels of gold, or forget it." Bai Chuxiao, of course, wouldn't refuse money offered so readily.
Without a second thought, the man replied, "Alright, one thousand taels of gold." No sooner had he spoken than two masked men in black suddenly rushed out of the woods. "So you were here. Now let's see how you escape!"
Bai Chuxiao was unarmed, but she showed no fear as she watched the two men in black charging towards her with swords. She shouted, "You two petty thieves, do you think I don't exist? You want to cut off my source of income? No way!"
Having said that, she immediately charged forward unarmed. She was skilled in close combat, and these two were at most second-rate experts; she defeated them in less than ten moves.
"You have excellent skills, young lady," the man lying on the ground exclaimed. Bai Chuxiao looked at him and sneered, "A thousand taels of gold, and if you dare to shortchange me even a penny, I'll kill you."
Bai Chuxiao summoned Lanxiang and Qingzhu, and they carried the man onto the carriage. She instructed, "Qingzhu, you drive. Make sure Xu Mama and the others don't notice there's an extra person in the carriage. Anyone trying to get in, just beat them."
After entering Lin'an City and settling into a fine inn, Bai Chuxiao instructed, "Lanxiang, go and buy some good wound medicine. Qingzhu, you stay outside and keep watch."
There were only two people in the room. Bai Chuxiao sat on the edge of the bed, casting several bursts of internal energy towards the man's chest. After a while, she said calmly, "Your internal injuries are quite severe. I've helped you regulate your internal energy. If you meditate on your own for one night, leaving tomorrow shouldn't be a problem."
The man clasped his hands in thanks. "Thank you, young lady. May I ask your name? Are you going to the capital?"
Bai Chuxiao sized him up. "Take off your mask, and I might consider telling you my name."
The man smiled faintly and handed Bai Chuxiao a moon-white jade pendant. "It's snowing heavily now. When you arrive in the capital, please visit Qingyi Pavilion. Once you see this jade pendant, the manager will give you gold."
Bai Chuxiao took the jade pendant and examined it for a moment. She knew Qingyi Pavilion; it was a famous teahouse frequented by scholars and even princes, known for its storytelling. It seemed this man's identity was indeed extraordinary.
After a while, Lanxiang pushed open the door and came in. "Miss, you've bought everything." Bai Chuxiao took a set of clean clothes and several bottles of high-quality healing medicine, and tossed them to Xue Wuyun. "Take care of yourself. I'm going to have my meal first."
After Bai Chuxiao left, Xue Wuyun picked up the clothes, a slight smile playing on her lips, and murmured: Interesting. This is the Left Prime Minister's carriage; he would naturally recognize it. The maids have all been replaced by her mistress, and her accent doesn't sound like that of someone from the capital. She's never seen such a person in the capital before. Could it be… that one from Dingzhou? Thinking this, Xue Wuyun's smile deepened…
The next morning, when Bai Chuxiao opened her eyes again, Xue Wuyun was nowhere to be seen. Lanxiang and Qingzhu came over to help Bai Chuxiao wash up and couldn't help but ask, "Miss, what happened yesterday? Didn't you always teach us not to help people on the street?"
Bai Chuxiao chuckled and tapped their heads. "That person's identity is not simple. He always said he wouldn't save someone for nothing. If he can afford the money, then of course he can."
After saying that, he added, "Once we leave Lin'an, we'll be in the capital soon. You two must be on your guard when we get back to the manor." Lanxiang and Qingzhu both nodded.
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