Chapter 84: Confrontation

The next morning, Pear Blossom woke up with only one thing on her mind: finding them, no matter the cost.

She relentlessly asked around the village, gathering every piece of information about the mysterious green-curtained carriage, the appearance of the horse, the driver, and the man inside the carriage—leaving no detail overlooked.

And those people who had bought Fubao that day—who were they?

She found Mrs. Zeng and pressured her for information about the buyers.

Mrs. Zeng scolded, “I just sold her to whoever I could grab from the outside, as long as they paid! How would I know who they are! This filthy brat brought a child here, who knows if it’s a child from a big family or just some bastard from another man! Why should I waste my own food raising her!”

Furious, Pear Blossom beat Mrs. Zeng half to death. It was only when Zeng Guangjin desperately begged her that she spared the old woman’s life.

The villagers watched her in shock, murmuring.

Who would have thought that the little girl the widow Dong had saved out of kindness all those years ago would come to care about her so deeply?

Pear Blossom rode her horse, rushing around aimlessly like a headless fly. She asked everyone she met, whether they had seen the green-curtained carriage, whether they had seen the bearded man driving the carriage or the graceful young woman, or whether they had seen the delicate, jade-like girl.

To her surprise, she managed to find out a few things. According to the passerby, after leaving the village, the green-curtained carriage had headed southeast.

As soon as Pear Blossom heard this, her blood seemed to freeze, for that direction was toward Baihu Villa. No matter where her sister’s destination was, with the chaos of war and bandits roaming around, traveling in that direction would not be safe.

She quickly set off toward that direction. As she neared various bandit lairs, she urged the system to continuously search, asking if her sister or Fubao were nearby.

The system denied every time, stating that there was no sign of the mother and daughter in any of the lairs.

Pear Blossom’s heart was filled with both relief and despair, but she had no choice but to keep going. When she asked in other directions, the people she encountered shook their heads, saying they had not seen them.

Each shake of the head felt like a lash to her soul, leaving her filled with hopelessness.

Unwilling to give up, she turned to Murong Jin and the brothers at the Dart Bureau, but still, there was no good news.

Every few days, she would return to the village, hoping that the woman might have returned in the meantime.

She didn’t visit the Dart Bureau, nor did she stay in one place for too long. She only hurriedly ran around the corners of various places, letting the system search for the whereabouts of the mother and daughter continuously.

Yet still, nothing came up.

…

On the eighth day of March, eight days had passed since the incident at Baoxi Village.

Pear Blossom returned to the village, filled with disappointment, only to find a large crowd gathered in front of the Zeng family’s door.

Dozens of unfamiliar faces, dressed in familiar-looking clothing, made her pupils shrink and her hatred surge. If it weren’t for this group of vicious dogs, her sister wouldn’t be running around, being pushed away time and again.

It was all because of these evil people and the dog emperor behind them!

When they saw her ride past, the group looked over. Pear Blossom’s eyes gleamed coldly, and she stared at the leader without any fear.

The leader was none other than Bai Yichun, the deputy commander of the Beizhen Fusi. He hadn’t expected a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl to gaze at him so fiercely in such a remote rural area. Her eyes, though still youthful, were sharp like a hawk’s, filled with hostility toward him.

But who was Bai Yichun? As the second-in-command of the Beizhen Fusi, even the Southern Garrison commander had to show him respect. How could he tolerate such insolence from a country girl?

With a wave of his hand, two soldiers rushed forward, pulling Pear Blossom off her horse.

Pear Blossom was brought before Bai Yichun and ordered to kneel.

She held her neck high, staring at Bai Yichun and demanding, “Who are you?”

One of the soldiers behind her kicked her kneecap, angrily saying, “You little slut, you think you deserve to know our commander’s name? Kneel when you’re told!”

Pear Blossom’s heart burned with anger, but she had no choice but to obey and knelt on the ground.

In her mind, she activated the system to evaluate her combat strength against the leader before her.

The system quickly responded, “Host, do not act rashly. Your physical abilities are on par with this person. You might have more strength and stamina, but he has practiced martial arts for decades. His techniques are unparalleled. He is cunning and vicious, carrying hidden weapons that can kill silently. Furthermore, he is surrounded by many soldiers. You are not their match.”

The village head, seeing the soldiers’ brutality, couldn’t bear to watch. “Sir, this girl is called Pear Blossom. She’s just a little girl who’s never seen much of the world. She’s never met someone as important as you. She’s just a country girl, don’t stoop to her level.”

Bai Yichun coldly glanced at her, “Oh? A country girl? Anyone who can ride this fine horse is no ordinary country person.”

The village head hurriedly explained, “This girl works as a sparring partner for a wealthy family in the city. Her master is kind and rewarded her with this horse to help her travel.”

“Which wealthy family?”
“According to the messenger, it’s the Murong family of the Longwei Dart Bureau in Jingyang County.”
Bai Yichun paused slightly before clicking his tongue. “Longwei Dart Bureau? Murong Jiutian? Oh—so it’s Murong Qingshan’s useless younger brother. No wonder they have such confidence.”
Pear Blossom clenched her teeth inwardly, forcing herself to calm down.

Bai Yichun asked, “I heard that you were close to the princess in the past, even living and eating together?”
Pear Blossom was momentarily stunned at the question, and confusedly replied, “Princess?”
“Don’t tell me you don’t know that the widow Dong, whom you’ve known for years, is actually the late emperor’s only daughter, Princess Mingyue?” Bai Yichun scoffed.
Pear Blossom’s heart skipped a beat. Of course, she knew her sister Dong was Princess Mingyue, but how did these people immediately assume her sister’s identity?
She shook her head. “I didn’t know.”
Bai Yichun looked at her with a somewhat puzzled expression, as if she were truly ignorant, then sighed, “It’s no wonder you don’t know. The princess is incredibly intelligent, and if she intentionally kept her identity hidden, how could you have recognized her?”

Village Chief quickly tried to flatter, “That’s true. Us country folk, the most important official we’ve ever seen is the assistant who comes to collect taxes. The last time Master He visited, it was already a rare event. How could we, mere peasants, ever encounter someone as noble as the princess?”
Bai Yichun sneered, “You at least saw the granddaughter of the Minister of State, yet you couldn’t even sense the presence of the princess. Truly blind as a bat!”

Xia Xunyan, who had been silent until then, spoke calmly, “The villagers are simple, so they wouldn’t think too much. Lord Bai, why trouble them? I already told you before that as soon as I saw the princess, I had a letter sent to the authorities via Zeng Guangjin. As for why the officials didn’t act after receiving the letter, that’s beyond our knowledge.”

Bai Yichun stared at Xia Xunyan, his gaze piercing, his face full of mockery. “Miss Xia, as the princess’s companion, the princess treats you like a sister. She probably never imagined you would do such a thing, did she?”

Xia Xunyan’s expression remained unchanged. “I don’t understand Lord Bai’s meaning. The emperor issued an order to bring the princess back to the palace. The riches and comfort of the palace are far better than enduring hardship here in this countryside. The princess is of noble blood, of course, I don’t want her to continue to suffer in such a place.”

Bai Yichun moved closer to her, his voice low and angry. “Then why didn’t you personally go to the authorities? You knew well that the officials here were just living off their positions, but you didn’t take it seriously. You casually sent someone with the letter. Now the letter is gone, and the messenger is missing. Who’s to blame here?”

Xia Xunyan, unfazed by his harsh rebuke, responded calmly, “I would have gone myself, but if you knew how I ended up in Daliushu Village, you might not be asking me this!”

“Oh? I would like to hear about it!”

“I went to Huizhou last October, passing through Jingyang, where I was captured by a group of bandits. On the way to Baihu Villa, I was saved by Pear Blossom and narrowly survived. That’s how I ended up in Daliushu Village. I ask you, Lord, how could a weak woman like me report to the authorities?”

Bai Yichun angrily retorted, “Since the girl could save you, why didn’t you let her accompany you to report to the authorities?”

Xia Xunyan’s eyes flashed with mockery. “Lord, do you know why the bandits of Baihu Villa are so rampant? It’s because someone behind them supports them—Jingyang’s County Assistant, Li Shubi. Pear Blossom may know some martial arts, but can she resist nearly a hundred officials from the government? You want me to go with her to the authorities? Are you asking me to walk into a trap and be sent straight to Baihu Villa again?”

Li Xiancheng, hearing this, hurriedly kneeled and cried out in protest, “Lord, please see clearly! I have no ties to those bandits! When I heard the news, I immediately executed those thieves who offended Miss Xia. I didn’t show them any mercy!”

He then turned to Xia Xunyan, pleading, “Miss Xia, please don’t lump me together with those evil bandits! I really have no connection with them!”

Xia Xunyan coldly looked at him. “The day I was captured by those bandits, I overheard them clearly. The reason why these bandits have been so lawless is because they have an insider in the authorities—someone like you, Lord Li. When I told them my identity, they didn’t even care. They said that even if the princess came, they would still send me to Baihu Villa, because Lord Li is protecting them! Whether that’s true or not, I value my life and don’t want to go die. Besides, I’ve already had someone send a letter. As a weak woman, I did what I could. What do you all think?”

Hearing this, County Magistrate Zhang and the other officials exchanged glances, all too afraid to speak.

Bai Yichun glared fiercely at the three local officials, his face twitching with anger. His voice, cold and menacing, echoed, “The case in Baoxi Village is still unresolved, and now here in Daliushu Village, you’ve made a mess of things. You three really have it easy!”

The three officials, hearing this, felt a chill run down their spines. They could hardly stand.

At this moment, the sound of horse hooves approached, and those who had gone to retrieve the letter returned.

Bai Yichun, known for his cunning and guile, had been dealing with sensitive matters for the emperor for years. His sharp insight was unparalleled. Upon hearing of the murder in Baoxi Village, he had immediately led a team to Jingyang. However, instead of heading directly to Baoxi Village, he turned towards the family of the late princess’s guard, Zeng Dayou, in Daliushu Village.

This move was incredibly clever and perceptive.

If Dong Yun hadn’t fled, she would have been caught today.

Pear Blossom’s back instantly went cold at this realization.

She had been too weak, foolishly thinking she could stall the local authorities with the case in Baoxi Village. But these people didn’t follow the usual patterns! If her sister hadn’t left, her actions in Baoxi Village would have led to her sister’s capture early.

When Bai Yichun and his group arrived at Daliushu Village, they found the Zeng family’s western courtyard abandoned. He immediately ordered that the village head, the village elder, and the highly suspicious female scholar be brought in for questioning.

Upon speaking, he immediately accused the female scholar of withholding information. Xia Xunyan explained that she had asked Zeng Guangjin to help deliver a letter to the authorities several months ago.

Zeng Guangjin explained that when he went to deliver the letter to the authorities, the gatekeepers refused to let him in because he had no money to offer as a bribe. They were unwilling to help deliver the letter, so he placed it in the official’s copper box outside the office.

The previous emperor had established this system to open up communication, setting up “boxes” in the palace to collect suggestions from his officials. They also created a specific department to manage these letters, led by a senior official known as the “Zhikuang Shi,” who had a higher rank in the Ministry of Justice.

The current government had continued this system, setting up these boxes in local and central government offices. If ordinary citizens faced injustices or if officials had suggestions for correction, they could write materials and place them in the boxes.

This system was originally meant to ensure that public opinion could reach the emperor’s ears, but in practice, it had become ineffective due to various reasons.

When Bai Yichun heard that the county magistrate and the other officials denied receiving the letter, he was not surprised. As the deputy commander of the town’s enforcement office, how could he not know that under the current state of the bureaucracy, there were few officials who would bother checking the letters in the complaint boxes?

What infuriated him was that the female scholar, knowing full well the likely outcome, still chose to use this method, clearly shielding the princess and making excuses for herself!

Thinking about how the princess had once again slipped from under his nose because of this woman’s protection, Bai Yichun’s face twisted with anger.

But the other party was well-reasoned and had a special status. What could he do? He ordered a subordinate to go back to the government office with a bailiff and a head constable to find the letter. He thought that if they couldn’t find it, it would be easier to charge her with a crime and ease his anger!

When the two officers returned on horseback, Bai Yichun’s face darkened when he saw the bailiff holding the letter.

The bailiff presented the letter, and Bai Yichun glanced at Xia Xunyan before opening the letter. Inside, the neat handwriting clearly stated that Princess Mingyue was in Daliushu Village and was waiting for the authorities to come and take her away.

Bai Yichun angrily threw the letter at Zhang Xian’s face. Zhang Xian failed to catch it, and the letter fell to the ground. He hurriedly knelt and picked it up, his face turning pale, unable to speak a word.

The village head nervously asked, “Why didn’t you tell me directly when I came to the village that day?”

Xia Xunyan calmly replied, “Since I arrived at Daliushu Village, I’ve been hiding at Pear Blossom’s house. The bandits, unable to find anyone, had stationed themselves at the eastern hillside, and they even sent people into the village to search. The villagers can all testify to this, and I’m sure you gentlemen are well aware. I was afraid someone might leak the information, so if any visitors came, I wouldn’t even open the door. I didn’t know the princess was hiding here until the day Master He arrived and mistakenly thought I was the princess, forcing me out. That was when I had no choice but to reveal my identity and ask for his help. It wasn’t until the bandits left that I dared to go out and meet the princess, and then I wrote the letter.”

Master He was speechless upon hearing this.

It was Li County Magistrate, trembling, who spoke up: “It’s all the fault of the officials in the government who were lazy and didn’t do their work, which is why the letter in the copper box wasn’t read in time—”

“Good! Good! Good!” Bai Yichun angrily shouted. “You all are washing your hands clean of this! Now the person is gone, and you want to know what to do!”

Zhang Xian hurriedly defended, “Sir, this really isn’t our fault. If we have to blame someone, it’s the Zeng family for being bold enough to hide the princess and offer her protection. That’s why the princess could hide for so long right under our noses, and we wasted so much time searching without finding her.”

Zeng Guangjin tearfully pleaded, “Sir, we really didn’t know! As soon as I found out the truth, I immediately went to deliver the letter. Even if there’s no merit, at least I’ve worked hard! My mother was even beaten by Pear Blossom and is now bedridden. If you want to punish her, then punish me instead.”

Bai Yichun turned to Pear Blossom and asked, “Why did you hit her?”

Pear Blossom replied coldly, “Because she sold Fubao!”

The village head hurriedly explained, “Fubao is the princess’s daughter.”

Bai Yichun sneered, “What daughter? The princess is a precious flower; how could she have a child while fleeing? She’s just a wild child picked up to cover up the truth.”

Hearing the words “wild child,” Pear Blossom’s eyes flared with anger, and she retorted loudly, “Fubao is not a wild child!”

Bai Yichun, repeatedly contradicted by the girl, and with the princess still missing, his anger reached a boiling point. He suddenly reached out and slapped Pear Blossom across the face.

Pear Blossom didn’t dodge and took the slap. Her face, which had become fair from a beauty pill, immediately turned red and swollen, but her eyes still stared defiantly at Bai Yichun.

Seeing Bai Yichun about to strike again, Xia Xunyan quickly shouted, “Pear Blossom! How dare you speak to Lord Bai like that!”

Pear Blossom lowered her head but still clenched her fists, suppressing her fury.

The village head also nervously added, “My lord, don’t argue with this wild girl. She was saved by the princess when her family sold her. She has always remembered the princess’s kindness. Now that the princess is gone, she’s been searching everywhere for her.”

After hearing this, Bai Yichun looked at Pear Blossom’s worn-out appearance, then coldly said, “What are you staring at me for? Your benefactor, the princess, left of her own accord, not because of me. We’re just here by the emperor’s orders to take the princess back to live in luxury and wealth.”

At this point, thinking about how the princess had slipped away again right under his nose, Bai Yichun was even angrier. Although he was dissatisfied with Xia Xunyan’s actions, she was the granddaughter of the late prime minister, and the emperor still held some expectations for Xia Xunyan. He couldn’t afford to offend her, especially since she had sent a letter with valid reasons and evidence. He could do nothing about her, so he vented his anger on the three local officials.

“You all talk about it! What should we do now that we’ve delayed such an important matter of finding the princess?”

The three of them exchanged glances, unsure of what to do, but it was the magistrate who spoke up first, “My lord, I’ve been thinking about bringing the princess back at all times. Last time, I even sent over a dozen officers to seize her, but unfortunately, they captured the wrong person.”

Zhang Xian quickly followed up, “Your Excellency, I have already instructed the county officer to check on the copper casket matter regularly. But each time, he reports that everything has been checked without finding anything wrong. It’s indeed my fault for not being strict with my subordinates! Please, sir, punish me!”

But being lax with subordinates, while it might be a fault, didn’t absolve the responsibility related to the princess.

Only Li, the county officer, had no defense.

Bai Yichun fixed his gaze on Li, the county officer, and said, “Miss Xia just said that you are the one who has the closest ties with the bandits on Baihu Villa, correct?”

Li, the county officer, quickly knelt and bowed his head, saying, “Your Excellency, this is a grave misunderstanding! I serve my lord loyally, living honestly and peacefully, and it is impossible for me to have any dealings with mountain bandits! Please, sir, investigate thoroughly!”

Bai Yichun nodded, “Investigate thoroughly? Of course, I will! Someone, strip Li Shubi of his official robes and take him away to be interrogated properly!”

Li, the county officer, immediately collapsed, his legs giving out, and he fell to the ground.

Bai Yichun looked around at the chaotic scene, then at Mrs. Zeng, who was beaten and unable to move, and at Zeng Guangjin, who only returned home twice a year. Seeing that no further information could be obtained, he glanced at Xia Xunyan and Pear Blossom, his eyes flashing with a cold smile. He then walked over to a nearby horse and mounted it.

“Let’s go!” With a sharp command, he tugged at the reins, and the horse galloped away.