Chapter 22 What could her magic do?

    Bai Yu decided to escape from the situation by faking a faint. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the pain when she hit the floor, in case that no one could catch her in time. However, a loud voice interrupted before she could do as she had planned.

    “Make way for the Emperor.”

    Thank heavens! Wait, no. Thank Son of Heaven!

    “Blessings to the Emperor. May you live and reign for ten thousand years, tens of thousands years, ten thousand of ten thousand years.”

    The mind game between the two pillars of the inner court was interrupted by the monarch of Da Yang. The figure clothed in gold arrived with Taizi, Qin Wang, and Wei Wang. It seemed they came after the royal meeting at the throne hall had concluded.

    Bai Yu hid a sigh of relief. She lowered her head, staring at the hem of the golden clothes worn by the Emperor who had unknowingly saved her life. This royal garden was located between the throne hall and royal study, so it was not unusual for the Emperor to encounter them.

    “What a coincidence. Mother and Empress both come to view the flowers here at the same time.” The gentle voice of the middle-aged emperor was strangely familiar to Bai Yu.

    For a brief moment, she wanted to see the face of the man who sired the two male love interests of the story. She wanted to see how much of their handsomeness was inherited from him. And she wanted to see his face even more after hearing the warmth in his tone toward his own mother. However, Bai Yu did not dare to risk offending the Son of Heaven to merely satisfy a passing curiosity.

    “I happened to meet mother here, Your Majesty.” Empress Wang’s voice was sweet as honey. The polar opposite to how she spoke to Empress Dowager Wei moments before.

    “Aijia came to admire the flowers with Miss Bai. She’s keeping this old woman company.”

    “Miss Bai, huh?” Bai Yu sensed the gaze that turned to focus on her. She curtsied and mannerly introduced herself.

    “Your Majesty, I am Bai Yu.”

    “You’ve grown a lot…” His voice was kind. “…Beautiful like the rumor says.”

    “Thank you, Your Majesty,” Bai Yu said with a pounding heart, knowing full well that he was merely being polite. It was impossible to see her face clearly when she was looking down like this.

    This man was as old as your father. Your heart can’t just skip a beat like this, Bai Yu.

    The villainess never thought she would have the opportunity to come this close to the Emperor. This was the Son of Heaven who she had heard of only from textbooks. Though this life was not related to any history, the power that could be felt from that golden presence alone was enough to humble Bai Yu. Even with that gentleness, it still could not conceal his great might.

    “And those…”

    “They are the third and fourth miss from the Bai family,” Ouyang Wenrou informed his father when he saw Emperor Ouyang Hongxian asked about the other two women who just caught up with the group and came to curtsy him.

    “You must be Bai Hua,” the Emperor said to the woman in pink without any hesitation that he might be talking to the wrong person. “You were the one who discovered the cure for the villagers.”

    “Yes, Your Majesty. It was me, Bai Hua.”

    Bai Yu was not sure whether Bai Yue looked like a fool, or the Emperor was so perceptive that he could accurately pick out Bai Hua.

    “Zhen* has much to talk with you. Today’s meeting may be counted as a blessing. Now that everyone is gathered, why don’t we have tea together?”

    “Yes, Your Majesty.”

    Ouyang Hongxian nodded, then took Empress Dowager Wei’s arm to support her. They walked together at the frontmost, leading further into the royal garden. Deeper within, there was a gazebo for the palace residents to come to drink tea while viewing flowers. The snow today was not heavy, and the weather was not too cold. The light winter breeze made this gazebo most suitable for relaxing.

    When they reached the large gazebo, Ouyang Hongxian who was Emperor sat in the middle. To his left was Empress Dowager Wei and to his right was Empress Wang. They all sat in a circle to talk, just as the Emperor had intended. Next to Empress Wang were Taizi Ouyang Yongxian and Taizi Fei, then Bai Yu, Bai Hua, and Bai Yue. After Bai Yue was Ouyang Wenrou and Ouyang Mingxian who seated next to Empress Dowager Wei.

    After everyone was seated, the royal maids brought tea and desserts to the table. The Emperor was the first to drink, then others could follow suit.

    Bai Yu sat with her back straight and her gaze cast down. She hid the lower half of her face as she drank a whole cup of tea in one go without realizing that the tea was still hot and she was not used to drinking hot tea like the people in this world. Luckily, her sleeve was wide enough to hide the fact that the number one beauty was sticking out her scalded tongue to lessen the pain.

    While still suffering from the burn on her tongue, the villainess intently listened to Emperor Ouyang Hongxian asking Bai Hua about her treatment for the villagers, with Ouyang Mingxian occasionally adding to the conversation.

    Bai Hua conversed with the Emperor and Qin Wang in a modest manner, even when her words were full of confidence. The topic of treatment and recovery that were being discussed in detail made Ouyang Wenrou join in on the conversation as well.

    When others saw that the subject interested the Emperor, they also asked some relevant questions and shared their own opinion as to not be left out. Except Bai Yu was sitting by herself without uttering a word as if she did not have any part in the said situation.

    Because of her tongue, Bai Yu did not feel like talking or saying anything. And when she had nothing else to do in a conversation where no one paid attention to her, the quiet first miss stole a glance toward the Emperor who was being entertained by stories from Bai Hua and Ouyang Mingxian.

    After seeing the face of the Son of Heaven, Bai Yu lowered her head again.

    ‘Ouyang Hongxian’ was the name of the current Emperor. Though he was already forty-four years old, he still looked younger than his age. Moreover, he was more than seventy-percent identical to Li Wenrou, and the similarity was not only limited to his appearance but included his gentle voice that Bai Yu recognized since the first time she heard him.

    Both Ouyang Hongxian and Ouyang Wenrou had faces and personalities that were so similar to Li Wenrou that it surprised Bai Yu.

    The one main difference between the father and his son was that the Emperor had golden eyes.

    Even with the formal headwear and its beaded strings which he wore to the royal meeting every morning obscuring the wearer’s face, it still could not hide the power of gold level magic in those eyes.

    Ouyang Hongxian was truly the Emperor who possessed the golden eyes of the mighty dragon!

    Bai Yu frowned. In terms of look and character, Ouyang Wenrou was like a copy of his father. Then why would he not be favored?

    Still, that question was not as important as her heartbeat when she sneaked another glance toward the Emperor. She knew that Ouyang Wenrou was Li Wenrou, but the kind atmosphere surrounding this middle-aged Ouyang Hongxian was much more similar to her past life’s Li Wenrou than Ouyang Wenrou.

    It might be because of the fact that the current Ouyang Wenrou was not at the same age as Li Wenrou when she left that world, so Ouyang Hongxian reminded Bai Yu more of her past lover. Her heart raced because of that similarity. She swore that she did not have any feelings toward this man…

    “The cause of the disease was discovered by the first miss Bai Yu, Your Majesty.”

    Her name that was uttered from Ouyang Mingxian pulled Bai Yu from her reverie. A slight smile appeared on her beautiful face when the golden eyes gazed at her.

    “What a meticulous young lady, solving the problem at its cause. Zhen has to thank you for putting an end to this plague,” the wielder of gold magic continued in the same gentle voice. Bai Yu knew full well that he was privy to the ‘true cause’ of the disease, so she did not brag or exaggerate her ability, but simply smiled and thanked him.

    “Zhen heard that the inventor of the multiplication table is also you.”

    “Regarding this matter, I just happened to read about it from an ancient text and then decided to share it with others. I could not take full credit for the invention at all. Moreover, I did not think such a trivial matter would reach Your Majesty’s ears.” The Son of Heaven smoothly changed the subject, so the villainess also went with his flow.

    “A novel idea from a young lady who is both learned and meticulous. Of course, Zhen would be interested.”

    “It is an honor, Your Majesty.”

    “Your Majesty…” Suddenly, Empress Dowager Wei interjected. “…Yu-er’s manner is impeccable. She’s not only skilled in every field but also wise. Aijia admired her highly.” It seemed Empress Dowager Wei took this opportunity to praise her in front of the Emperor to announce her own agenda.

    “This time Yu-er and Ming-er came together to help with your royal affair. Your Majesty should not be so indifferent.”

    “I know, mother. At this royal banquet, zhen will reward you all handsomely.” In the latter sentence, the Emperor turned to the three people who contributed, not just two of them that were mentioned by the Empress Dowager.

    It meant that this time, her implication of tying the knot between Bai Yu and Ouyang Mingxian was not accepted or refused by Ouyang Hongxian. And so, he chose to mention all of them equally.

    Hearing his words, Empress Wang then happily said “Bengong had good quality silk, exquisitely embroidered with plum blossoms. Bengong will give it to Miss Bai Yu so that she can use it for this banquet.”

    “Empress is most gracious.”

    “Aijia also has a high-grade fabric made from the fur of white fox. Yu-er, you take it back with you too.”

    “Empress Dowager is most gracious.”

    Even after talking with Bai Hua for a long while, no one among the nobles gave her rewards or praises. Instead, Bai Yu received both praises and silk in heaps and chests. In the end, what she got was not only from Empress Wang but also from Empress Dowager Wei as well. The action of these two powerful women forced Bai Yu to choose sides yet again.

    They continued to talk for almost one shichen before the Emperor accompanied Empress Dowager Wei back to her palace by himself. Bai Yu and her sisters left the palace together with Ouyang Mingxian who was again ordered by the Empress Dowager to see them off.

    In front of the carriage were two horses ridden by the princes. Inside, there was only silence.

    With weariness weighing in her heart, Bai Yu had to shut her eyes all the way back to the residence.

    Bai Hua discreetly stared at Bai Yu’s face while pondering to herself all the way to the front gate.

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    “I want the best tailor in the capital.”

    “But Miss, you don’t want to have your clothes made by the same shop that Bai family always used?”

    “No. You two go and find the handiwork from every tailor shop in the capital. I want to see them all today.”

    “Yes, miss.”

    Bai Yu ordered her two maids while choosing silk fabrics that caught her eyes from the chest given by the Empress and Empress Dowager. It was fortunate for her that she would not have to go out to buy the fabrics herself. Still, the color of fabrics within both chests was mostly light or pastel, only a few had darker tones she liked.

    Receiving an invitation to a banquet was always important for women in high society, because it was the opportunity for them to show their appearances, dress, and other accessories befitting of their social standing. And obviously, a fashionista-cum-villainess like Bai Yu would not lose to any other woman.

    In this era, women wore a thin bodice, which Bai Yu did not like at all, as undergarments. Then, they wore a strapless, low-cut dress that had a full-length skirt embroidered with different patterns according to the wearer’s preference.

    Apart from those was a strip of fabric tied around the chest or under the bustline to emphasize women’s natural curves. The outermost layer was a wide sleeves coat that limited movements for both elegance and a show of wealth. Finally, they would complete the look with a long shawl that would flutter with their every step.

    Mostly, fabrics for these dresses would change according to the season. It was currently winter, so others would wear clothes with thick fabrics, while shawls were substituted by furs. From Bai Yu’s own observation, she noticed that women’s clothes were made in a lighter color to bring out youthfulness, and they would dress in only one color, sometimes with white mixed in. For instance, if their inner dress was pink, then the coat and bust ribbon, or the shawl would also be pink, only darker or lighter in shade.

    Bai Yu was mostly satisfied by the clothes women wore in this era. However, she wanted to design a dress that was more beautiful than what already existed in order to add some variety. Another factor she had to consider was also the cold weather in winter, even though people in this world were used to the temperature already.

    But before designing something new, the most important step was tailoring. She wanted someone with the best needlework, who could make the dress exactly as she wanted. Bai Yu was determined to be the star of the banquet!

    Xiao Xi and Xiao Chang brought dozens of dresses from different tailor shops for Bai Yu to choose from. She examined the gatherings and stitching of each dress. Though Bai Yu was not a designer, she had plenty of experience modeling for clothing brands and had some knowledge about sewing.

    “Which shop is this from?” The intricacy and meticulousness of the needlework reflected how much care was put into the work.

    “It was from an anonymous master. He would accept only a few orders each month,” Xiao Chang answered. “I heard that the owner of that shop is hard to please, but has an exceptional skill. He might be a little odd, but his handiwork is superb. Nobles who want to have their clothes made with him have to rely on luck because he chooses his clients on a whim, no concern for statuses at all.”

    “And whose dress is this?” Bai Yu looked at a light yellow dress in her hand.

    “It is the first Furen’s. The shop made this dress as a gift for when she married into Bai mansion.”

    Bai Yu nodded. “That means this master is not a young man.”

    “I heard that it has been a well-known shop for a long time, miss. It seems to be a family business of a family that was quite powerful since no one can find the identity of this anonymous master.”

    “Then bring me there.”

    “Yes?” Xiao Xi made a confused face.

    “I want that master to tailor my dress.”

    -----------------------

    “Benxiaojie came to see your master.”

    “Master does not accept guests today.”

    “So your master is here?”

    “Um…”

    “Answer.”

    “Y…yes, miss.”

    “Give this to your master. Tell him that benxiaojie will wait for only half a ke.”

    “But master said—Yes, I will inform him right now.”

    A maid at the tailor shop immediately ran upstairs. Even though she tried to follow her master’s order and refuse, the gaze from this miss was even scarier than when her master was angry.

    Bai Yu knew how talented people were hard to order around. The higher their skills, the more they would play hard to get. However, the halfly designed dress that she sent with the maid should pique that anonymous man’s interest and make him more willing to work for her. As a talented person, he must like being challenged, and her design should be enough of a challenge to excite him.

    Not a half a ke later, the same maid returned with a note that said ‘Explain’. The corner of her mouth lifted. He must be talking about the details of the dress she wanted him to make.

    “What else did your master say?”

    “Master has ordered me to ask when miss would like this dress.”

    “Benxiaojie wants to wear it in the next seven days. Your master can do anything to finish it in time.”

    “Then I will take your measurement, miss.”

    “No need” Bai Yu responded and gave the finished design with detailed explanation of her dress, including her proportions, that the tailor would need to the maid.

    “Benxiaojie will be waiting at the Bai mansion.”

    Xiao Chang gave silk fabrics that they prepared for the dress to the shop’s maid, including some accessories that Bai Yu wanted him to sew into the clothes.

    “T…Thank you, Miss Bai.”

    This young lady, Miss Bai, took less than one ke to negotiate with her self-centered master. Furthermore, it was only conducted through pieces of paper. What an extraordinary lady.

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    “How did you do it, miss?”

    “It’s a secret.”

    Bai Yu did not pay attention to Xiao Xi who was excited by the smooth proceeding. Xiao Chang looked at her companion and wearily shook her head.

    “But miss, are you really sure you want to make that dress?” Xiao Chang, who had seen the drafted design, asked.

    “Why?”

    “It is quite…”

    “Different is not abnormal. It’s human’s thoughts that label what’s normal or abnormal.”

    Xiao Chang listened to her miss and then nodded. “If it is my miss, then everything is possible.” The first miss was more beautiful and intelligent day by day, and braver too.

    Suddenly, the carriage stopped in the middle of heading back to the mansion. The three women inside looked at each other in confusion. Bai Yu nodded to Xiao Xi, signaling her to draw the curtain, and asked the driver about the situation. However, when the curtain opened, they discovered that the driver had disappeared, and somehow, they were in the middle of the forest without realizing it!

    “M…miss”

    “What’s the name of the driver?”

    “I…I don’t know.”

    Bai Yu could faintly guess that she was kidnapped. It was her mistake that she was not careful about her own safety enough. She did not even remember the carriage driver’s name!

    “What should we do, miss?” It was Xiao Chang who could stay calm.

    Bai Yu pulled out three hairpins from her hair. She had to thank Xiao Xi for going all out when she helped dress her up to go to the palace in the morning. She also thanked herself for not changing her clothes before going to the anonymous man’s shop.

    “Hide this. Use it for self-defense.” At least they were sharp enough for them to use as makeshift weapons.

    “Is there anyone outside?” Xiao Chang and Xiao Xi slowly peeked out from the gap in the curtain. They shook their heads as answers.

    Strange. Male servants that were guarding her were eliminated, and then she was brought here. But was it just that? What kind of plan was this?

    “Where is the forest nearest to the capital?”

    “Opposite to the mansion.”

    So she was in that forest. And if it was not far from the capital, then that must mean there were no dangerous animals. She should take this opportunity while nobody was outside and risked finding her way back on her own.

    “We have to return to the mansion before dark. Be careful.” Bai Yu ignored the look of protest from Xiao Xi. She reached out to open the curtain and surveyed the surrounding, confirming again that there was no one, before slowly getting out of the carriage with Xiao Xi and Xiao Chang following closely behind her.

    Bai Yu was not the kind of transmigrated heroine who could easily survive when she was left in the woods. She was the eye candy villainess! There was no way she could walk around, come across a bear, then kill it and eat its meat.

    “Which way should we go?”

    “We have to leave this area. If there is truly anyone behind this, then that will make them unable to find us. But we should not go too far, or else we’ll get lost,” she explained in a low voice as she sped up her pace.

    Antagonists all died because they wasted their time talking. She would not let herself end up like that.

    The three carefully walked away from where the carriage stopped at. Bai Yu was certain that there must be someone watching them. At the very least, that person should be the missing driver. She guessed that the intention was to make them get lost in the woods.

    And so Bai Yu went along with their plan, taking her maids and walking around aimlessly. While walking, Bai Yu contemplated what was happening. If this was their true intention, then it was merely a warning.

    But who would dare warn this Miss Bai Yu?

    “Can you climb trees?” While in the woods, being high up on the tree was safest. If this plan did not work, then hiding was another good option.

    “N…no.”

    Bai Yu sighed.

    “Then sit around here and wait.”

     “Why don’t we continue walking? In case we find a way out.” Xiao Xi finally regained her wits when she saw her lady’s calmness.

    “When we’re in the woods that we don’t know like this, the more we walk, the more we’ll be lost.” It was still daytime, so they could not see the north star. Bai Yu also did not have GPS, so they could not risk it.

    “Then what should we do next?”

    “Cry.”

    “Huh?”

    “Let’s fake crying.”

    Then Bai Yu sat down on the ground that was covered in leaves mixed with snow. Her slender frame trembled like she was crying hard. Her lips moved to repeatedly shout ‘Help me’ while sobbing without shedding a single tear.

    Xiao Chang was puzzled for a moment before kneeling down, acting like she was comforting her miss with an equally frightened expression.

    It was Xiao Xi who actually cried out loud. Since birth, she had always been beside her beloved first miss, living comfortably in the mansion. It was the polar opposite to this forest that she had never seen before. She did not know how her miss could suppress her fear, but she could not, so she bawled immediately when her miss allowed so.

    While the three women were wailing like they were shocked into a panic. Those who were observing then slowly retreated to report to their client.

    The mission was to leave a young lady in the middle of the forest. It was a simple task, yet their pay was excessively handsome. After reporting a success, maybe they could take that little miss as their own Furen.

    The two thieves hungrily imagined the pure white skin without any covering.

    -------------------------------

    What could her magic do right now?

    The answer was nothing. Then why would she have magic for?

    “Does anyone know a flare?” Bai Yu muttered while imagining her red magic being shot into the sky like an emergency flare that she saw in movies from her past life.

    “What did miss say?”

    “Nothing. You two hurry up before they come back.”

    “Yes, miss.”

    Bai Yu led her maids back to the track, following the trail of carriage wheels left behind on the ground and snow. She thought of this method after she had collected herself. Though she actually wanted to ride horseback, she did not know how to do it, and she also did not know how to drive a carriage. In the end, she had to walk along the tracks to find her way out of the woods.

    Bai Yu chose to send out her red butterfly instead of a beam of light or a flare. She hoped that the person who came across her butterfly would have high enough magic to read its message and know that she was the owner, and could come to help her in time. Bai Yu was afraid that the people who left her there would return, so she had to hurry and find help. That was the most she could do with her magic.

    Shortly after leaving the carriage, Bai Yu’s fear came true.

    “Where’re you going, miss?”

    “None of your business.” Xiao Xi walked in front of Bai Yu, trying to hide her miss from the ogling eyes of those two men. One of them was wearing a male servant uniform from Bai mansion, meaning that he disguised himself as the driver.

    “Move. Unless you want to be Bai family’s enemy.” Xiao Chang joined in with a threat.

    “Now that Miss Bai’s already here. Why don’t you have some fun with us?” The man continued to make rude remarks. Bai Yu gripped the hairpin she hid in her wide sleeve, hiding the fact that she had a weapon. The men advanced toward the three women without fear.

    “Benxiaojie does not like the view of the forest.”

    “Then what about the view from beneath us?”

    “Ahhh!” Xiao Xi was easily shoved away by the strength of a man. Her small figure stumbled and fell, while Xiao Chang was captured by the carriage driver. The hands that pushed Xiao Xi reached out toward Bai Yu’s multi-layered clothes next, but the villainess could brush them away in time.

    She raised her hand, showing red magic fluttering like flames through the hairpin she used as the medium of her magic.

    “Are you sure you want to go against a magic user like benxiaojie?”

    Seeing her power, they immediately released Xiao Chang. Bai Yu rushed to help Xiao Xi who was still collapsed on the ground. She used her own body to shield the two, red magic burning in her hand. The two thieves hesitantly looked at each other as Bai Yu stared back at them with a threat in her hand, even though the truth was that she did not know what to do at all!

    “What’s Miss Bai gonna do with that magic? Entertain us with guqin?”

    “But I want that body to entertain me more.”

    Bai Yu remained calm on the outside. Damn their mother! She really could only use magic to play guqin like they said.

    While still thinking of a way to escape, her two maids suddenly charged at the men. Xiao Xi and Xiao Chang tried to use hairpins to stab them.

    “Miss! Run!”

    Are you crazy? Was this a test to determine her heroine-ness?!

    “Ahhh!!” Xiao Xi who was enduring the pain from falling before was pushed down again. This time, her head hit a stone. Bright, red blood started to ooze from the wound.

    “Haha. I guarantee that you’ll like my touch, little miss.” He took the moment that Bai Yu was still shocked by Xiao Xi’s blood and grabbed her arm. She raised the other free hand up and then stabbed the carriage driver in the shoulder.

    Her arm was freed, but her outer coat was torn by the grip of the man that had held Xiao Chang. Right now, her two maids were beaten and unconscious.

    The bare cleavage appeared to the leering eyes. Bai Yu who had modeled in swimsuits numerous times was not stunned by being in a vulnerable state at all. She raised her hairpin again, not realizing that her magic had faded out the moment she saw blood before.

    The two thieves took that opportunity to dart at their target with the intention to capture the slender body as their own. Lust was bright in those two pairs of eyes.

    Thud! An arrow flew straight into the man’s eye.

    Thud! His other eye met the same fate even before he could scream out.

    Thud! Another arrow stuck into his forehead. The man in front of her was swiftly eliminated.

    Bai Yu lost all the strength in her body and crumpled down. Her breath was rapid, shocked by the image in front of her. She could not even scream out, or go to check on Xiao Xi, or wake Xiao Chang up.

    “Miss Bai, are you alright?”

    A gentle voice came with the warmth from the white fur cloak that wrapped around her shoulder. The one who shot those arrows kneeled down in front of Bai Yu without considering his own status. Strong hands wrapped the cloak more tightly, covering up her bare body and keeping it warm.

    A drop of tear fell from the phoenix's eyes. Bai Yu hugged the man in front of her as if she had lost her mind. As if she had forgotten that he was not the same person she had known. But this face, this voice, in the time like this. She needed him so much.

    “Wenrou”

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*Zhen: A first-person honorific used by the Emperor