A Madwoman's Journey Through the Song Dynasty

Chapter 11

"You!" Mei'er shyly slapped Liu Xiao lightly, then hid in his arms, smiling sweetly.

Lengyue Villa, Yifeng Garden.

At this moment, Bai Qianqian, with her hair in a ponytail and dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, held a small laser gun and was aiming at a homemade target in the distance. Flying Eagle stood silently watching her back, his eyes filled with satisfaction and tenderness.

"Hey, how can you do this! Let me give you some pointers, haha." Liu Xiao saw the scene from afar and shook his head with a smile.

A moment later, two large men hid behind a big tree, acting furtively. One of them was talking excitedly, while the other maintained a cold expression, his eyes occasionally glancing through the leaves at the woman who was engrossed in aiming and shooting.

"Hey Flying Eagle, are you even listening?" Liu Xiao was annoyed by his nonchalant attitude.

"Okay, go on," Flying Eagle said in a deep voice.

"I'm telling you, you need to be more assertive. Stop following her around like a shadow. At least show your jealousy so she knows!" Liu Xiao continued to nag.

"Jealous?" Flying Eagle murmured.

"Yes, don't tell me you don't know. When Qianqian was pulling on Young Master Bai..." Liu Xiao reminded her mischievously.

Instantly, Flying Eagle's heart sank. Was the feeling of oppression jealousy? "Then what should we do?" Flying Eagle frowned slightly and looked at Liu Xiao.

“Well, Enheng.” With a feigned cough, Liu Xiao solemnly offered his opinion, “First, you need to express your dissatisfaction in a just-right way, such as subtly separating them, then taking Qianqian’s hand, holding it slightly tight, and showing your jealous gaze to let her know that you care about her. In addition, you must not show mercy to your rival, otherwise you will be giving him the opportunity to get close to Qianqian and steal her away.”

"I won't let anyone take her away so easily, unless... she falls in love with someone else!" Flying Eagle said the last sentence with a firm yet painful tone.

"Good, good, that's the spirit. Hehe, then I'll see how you perform. Remember, use sweet words often, but when a rival appears, you must be assertive!" After saying the last sentence, Liu Xiao smiled and left. Well, he's off to continue his sweet talk with Mei'er and nurture their relationship.

Sweet words? That's rather...no, extremely difficult for Flying Eagle. However, Flying Eagle decided to give it a try. Forceful? That should work, but he had to respect Bai Qianqian's feelings first. If she fell in love with someone else, he...would have no choice but to let go. Even if it would be heartbreaking, even if it would cause him lifelong pain...

Evening, Haoyue Council Hall.

"Lord White House, I have a request, but I don't know..." Leng Haotian's calm smile was tinged with seriousness.

"May I ask what Master Leng has to say?" Bai Qianqian didn't really like this tone; it was tiring to talk like that.

"It is like this," Leng Haotian said, "Our manor possesses a treasure bestowed upon us by the late Emperor in gratitude for my father's life-saving act. This treasure is a luminous pearl, rumored to hold a special secret, concealing martial arts techniques and a treasure map. Therefore, it has brought considerable trouble to my Cold Moon Manor. I have already obtained His Majesty's permission to transfer it to someone capable of protecting and deciphering its secrets. Now, Palace Master, you saved my mother and younger sister, and you have countless capable individuals; you are certainly able to protect and decipher the secret of the South China Sea luminous pearl. I wonder, if I were to bestow this item upon Palace Master, what would your opinion be?" He finished speaking in one breath, remaining composed and smiling as he looked at Bai Qianqian and her group. She would probably agree; he hadn't misjudged her. She was someone who enjoyed challenges.

"A luminous pearl from the South China Sea!?" Bai Qianqian was very interested in seeing what was so special about it. "Since the Master thinks so highly of it, then my Xiaoyao Palace will accept it."

"Thank you for your kind offer, but I must remind Princess Bai of something. Not only are many people in the Central Plains coveting this pearl, but many nobles from foreign enemy countries also harass it from time to time. I hope Princess Bai will promise me that this pearl will not fall into the hands of foreign countries. I am willing to offer everything from Lengyue Manor!" Leng Haotian said solemnly.

"Okay! No problem!" Bai Qianqian said readily. Dangerous? She wanted to at least have some exciting memories of ancient times!

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Mad Thief

After dusk, she exchanged a few blows with Flying Eagle. Bai Qianqian had to admire him; even using only one hand to counter her full-force attacks, he handled it with ease. In no time, she was defeated.

"If it weren't for high technology, I wouldn't be able to make a living!" Bai Qianqian pouted playfully, her adorable appearance catching the eye of Flying Eagle.

"Qianqian, I will protect you, I will protect you with my life." Flying Eagle said softly but with unusual seriousness.

"Hmm?" Bai Qianqian was slightly surprised, but also a little sweet, and her heart started racing. Fei Ying... he didn't seem like the type to say something like that, did he? Why suddenly... "I... believe you." She smiled back, then said, "Um, it's getting late, I'll go back to my room to take a shower first, goodnight." Then she hurriedly left, seemingly in a rush.

Flying Eagle watched her departing figure with a smile. "Hehe, so cute," he chuckled, "was she shy?" "As Liu Xiao said, it seems to have worked quite well..."

At that moment, a lithe figure nimbly flew into Cold Moon Manor, disappearing into the night unnoticed...

Inside Bai Qianqian's room at Hechun Pavilion.

"La~~~~la, la, la! La~~~~~la la la~~~~~~~. That time, I met you at a certain space station, when I left this planet..." Bai Qianqian soaked in the bathtub, comfortably humming the love song of her 32nd-century idol. Eagle, you look especially handsome today! So happy...

Taking a petal bath is so relaxing! These petals were specially prepared for her by Xue'er, and they have excellent skin-beautifying effects. To better concentrate the medicinal effects, she specifically declined to bathe in the large private bathhouse. Looking at the necklace on the table—the miniature teleporter—Bai Qianqian thought about how she had been away from home for almost half a year. When could she go back to see her dear father? He must be very worried about her…

Suddenly, the door was pushed open silently, and a figure quickly slipped in.

"You! Who are you?!" Bai Qianqian hurriedly crouched down, pretending to shout. But the man suddenly leaped closer, striking her pressure point before she could utter a sound. Such speed! That was Bai Qianqian's first thought. This is it! That was Bai Qianqian's second thought. Hmm? He's quite handsome! That was Bai Qianqian's third thought.

This is a bold man, this is an unruly man, this is... a rogue!

He's clearly a thief, yet he doesn't wear night clothes or a mask—can you call that bold? He's stealing from Cold Moon Manor, yet he still wears his unique ethnic clothing—so unrestrained! He breaks into a woman's boudoir and stumbles upon her bathing—one should refrain from looking, but he smiles and sized her up—what a despicable rogue!

"What are you looking at, you pervert! I'll gouge your eyes out!" Helplessly silenced by the acupoint, Bai Qianqian glared wide-eyed and cursed inwardly.

"Hehe, the beauties of the Song Dynasty are truly breathtaking." A charming smile, a magnetic voice. But to Bai Qianqian, it was utterly irritating.

Sensing that he meant no harm, at least not murder, Bai Qianqian felt slightly relieved. Who exactly was he? Thick, slightly wavy long hair, loosely tied back with only a brown leather strap, a few stray strands flying wildly beside his face, just like him. Prominent features, deep blue eyes, and a strong, slender figure… After wandering around her room, he approached the marble table.

Bai Qianqian stared in horror at his devilish claws as he easily picked up the compression bag and miniature teleporter she had placed on the table. "No! Don't take them! Otherwise, if I catch you later, I'll tear you to pieces!" Bai Qianqian frantically stretched her hands out of the bathtub, angrily making various murderous gestures, accompanied by an extremely ferocious expression.

"Is this something very important to you?" the thief asked with great interest. The bracelet and necklace in front of him were very unusual; he had never seen them before.

Bai Qianqian nodded frantically, her eyes revealing an innocent and pitiful look, hoping that he would suddenly have a change of heart and return it to her.

"Then I'll keep it as a souvenir. I really enjoy collecting things related to beautiful women! That way you'll remember me, right?" Thief! Shameless thief! Bai Qianqian could only watch helplessly as he slipped her things into the lining of her clothes. A surge of anger welled up inside her. That damned thief! She really wanted to get up and beat him up without hesitation, but she wasn't wearing any clothes, and he seemed to be a martial arts expert… How frustrating!

"Oh, right, let's leave a souvenir here too!" He suddenly moved closer, and in the instant she was surprised, his lips pressed against hers.

A faint scent of grass filled her nostrils, and before she could unleash her fury, he deftly withdrew from her attack range. "Fiery temper, I love it! See you next time, darling!" he said wildly, ignoring Bai Qianqian's murderous glare, blowing her a kiss before silently leaving.

After a long while, He Chun Ge let out a thunderous roar, "I'm going to kill you! I'll chop you up and feed you to the cats, dogs, and sharks! You shameless bastard!" This was the first sound Bai Qianqian made after her speech acupoints were released.

"Hehe, this trip to the Song Dynasty wasn't in vain." He stroked his lips with one hand, as if they still carried her sweet scent. Back in his own territory, the "thief" Wanyan Lie held her bracelet and necklace in his other hand, examining them closely. She seemed to treasure them very much; were they gifts from her lover? Thinking of this, he inexplicably felt unhappy.

"The Palace Mistress of Xiaoyao Palace? Heh, I'm waiting for you to come and collect your treasure!" Originally, he came to the Central Plains to fulfill a bet with his stubborn father, the King of Western Xia, to steal the precious South China Sea Pearl in exchange for his freedom—to no longer concern himself with court affairs. Traveling the famous mountains and rivers and admiring the beauties of the world had always been the grand ambition of Wanyan Lie, the third prince of Western Xia. Although he had previously acted as he pleased, frequently sneaking out of the capital to wander around, he always faced endless harassment from the guards sent by his father. This time, he had finally reached a deal that would solve everything once and for all, so how could he not work hard? However, he overheard a maidservant at Cold Moon Manor loudly gossiping about how the Palace Mistress of Xiaoyao Palace, a guest at the manor, was as beautiful as a fairy, ethereal and otherworldly. He decided to see for himself. He also heard that Lord Leng Haotian had entrusted the Pearl to her, so he felt he had to meet her.

Then, following the direction the maid had given him, he found her room and stumbled upon that sensual scene. She truly possessed unparalleled beauty, but given her fiery temper, why did the maids describe her as dignified, gentle, and graceful? A careful search of her room yielded no trace of his desired luminous pearl, so he took one of her belongings. He thought that if she truly valued it, she would have traded it for the pearl, wouldn't she? Imagining her murderous glare and desperate stance, he couldn't help but chuckle softly. For the first time, he felt interested in a woman, and a foreign woman at that…

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Departure

"It's been five days, still no news?" Bai Qianqian asked Leng Haotian with slight anxiety. Coincidentally, Xiao Ke had run out of energy chips at this crucial moment and was currently "lying" on the bed with a smile on his face. The other energy chips were, of course, in the compressed bag. (One chip usually lasts for six months, but Xiao Ke consumed quite a bit after traveling through time, so he ran out of energy early. Bai Qianqian could only explain to others that Xiao Ke was in seclusion cultivating a special martial art and couldn't be disturbed for at least forty-nine days. After Leng Haotian assured her that no one would disturb him, Bai Qianqian's anxious heart finally calmed down a bit.)

"Don't worry, Lord Bai, we've narrowed down our search. We should have news in a few days." Leng Haotian wasn't relaxed either. He'd mobilized all the overt and covert networks of Lengyue Manor, yet they only had a few fragmented leads. What was the identity of that mysterious person who broke into the manor that night? But it certainly wasn't one of those thieves who frequently harassed them; that person's style was completely different, and according to Bai Qianqian, he was a foreign man. It seemed Lengyue Manor didn't have enough spies spread across foreign lands.

Just as the atmosphere in the council hall was heavy, Flying Eagle noticed a movement, flew out, and then turned back a moment later, with a white dove in his hand.

"A message sent by carrier pigeon!?" Leng Haotian exclaimed in surprise. "Who would send a letter at this time?"

"We have news. The intruder that night was Wanyan Lie, the third prince of Western Xia," Flying Eagle said succinctly after reading the letter.

"Hehe, Cold Moon Manor is really amazing, they even found out about this?" Bai Qianqian said in surprise. "But it's a bit unreasonable for a country to send a prince to steal things, isn't it?"

“This… As far as I know, the Third Prince of Western Xia is frail and sickly, and lives in a remote palace year-round, relying on medicine for food and rarely leaving the palace. Our spies would never trace him to him. Flying Eagle, who wrote this letter?” Leng Haotian was also very puzzled, as he had not planted any spies around Wanyan Lie.

"It came from Wuyabao Fortress." Flying Eagle looked at Bai Qianqian with some nervousness. He knew An's feelings for Qianqian, but he was unsure how Bai Qianqian felt about An.

"Wow? Wuya Fortress? That's amazing!" Bai Qianqian exclaimed in amazement. The strength of the Wuya Sect was indeed immeasurable. Not only did they know about the theft at Lengyue Manor that night, but they also discovered the identity of the thief beforehand. Especially since Wanyan Lie's identity was so shrouded in mystery. "A-Guai's strength is not bad!" An, it seems you've cheered up. A reassuring smile appeared, devoid of much emotion; any more would be apology.

"Boundless Fortress..." Leng Haotian mused. "Indeed, it's not to be underestimated."

“Wanyan Lie is on his way back to Western Xia. I’m going to catch up with him. You all stay here.” After saying that, Flying Eagle turned and left.

"Flying Eagle, I'm going too!" Bai Qianqian grabbed Flying Eagle's arm in a moment of panic as she saw him set off.

"Qianqian, this journey is fraught with danger. You should stay here. I will definitely bring the things back." Flying Eagle looked intently at Bai Qianqian, his eyes filled with reluctance.

"I absolutely have to go." Bai Qianqian looked at Fei Ying with determination. "Liu Xiao, Mei'er, Hong Feng, you guys stay here and help me set up Xiaoyao Palace. If all goes well, we can be back within half a month." Mei'er's martial arts skills are still developing, so Liu Xiao should stay by her side. She didn't want to separate the two of them. Besides, Xiaoyao Palace is just starting out, and it can't be delayed like this. Otherwise, it will be difficult to rebuild its reputation, and people are really admiring it.

"Alright, let's go together then." After a moment's internal struggle, Flying Eagle nodded in agreement.

"Master Bai, this is a token of our manor. The people of Lengyue Manor will protect you along the way. Please let us know if you need any help." Leng Haotian handed Bai Qianqian a translucent crescent-shaped jade pendant with a beautifully engraved character "Leng" on it.

"Thank you!" Bai Qianqian accepted the gift with a smile, then said firmly, "We will definitely return as soon as possible." At least, before the Northern Song Dynasty was declared extinct, they needed to find a place to settle the refugees, a place where they could live and work in peace!

Half an hour later, the two riders sped off from Cold Moon Manor toward Western Xia...

Wuyabao Fortress, Jue'an Palace.

"Any news?" the deep voice asked, his cold and handsome face showing no emotion, but worry lurking in his eyes.

"Reporting to the Master, two fast horses left Cold Moon Manor this afternoon," the scout replied respectfully.

"Two riders?" His brow furrowed. Flying Eagle, are you still going to put her in danger? He suddenly stood up. "Prepare the horses, let's go to Western Xia!"

"Yes!" Without the slightest hesitation, the leader's orders were absolute; regardless of whether they were reasonable or appropriate, they would obey them without question.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Beginning of Chaos in the Western Xia Dynasty

Half a month later, within the territory of Western Xia.

"Here..." Bai Qianqian was greeted by a sea of white as soon as she entered the capital of Western Xia. All the shops and households were adorned with white silk ribbons. Pedestrians hurried along the streets, and businesses were struggling.

The King of Western Xia, Wanyan Aguda, passed away three days ago...

"It seems there's going to be chaos again," Flying Eagle said softly, his handsome face showing a hint of seriousness.

As far as he knew, the eldest prince of Western Xia was overly kind, honest, and lacked cunning. Such a person was certainly unsuitable to be a king, or more precisely, unsuitable to be a king in such a chaotic world. The second prince of Western Xia, on the other hand, had long coveted the throne, ambitious, cunning, and rather ruthless, but was definitely not the makings of a wise ruler. The third prince of Western Xia, outwardly, was rumored to be frail and sickly, residing deep within the palace. But what secrets did he harbor? With constant warfare between nations, if internal strife were to erupt, then the demise of this nation would not be far off…

"Master, the other side has made a move." A plain-looking scout, whose face was easily forgotten, was unusually humble at this moment.

"Hmph, is that so? At a time like this..." Wanyan Lie's heart was filled with gloom. Western Xia, it is likely that it will perish prematurely because of the ambition of your second prince, Wanyan Kang... "Announce to the outside world that the third prince, Wanyan Lie, has been ill for a long time and died suddenly last night."

"...Yes!" After a slight hesitation, the scout accepted the order and left.

"Master! This..." The personal guard beside him was worried, fearing that this would be even more dangerous, and if the second prince found out, he would definitely kill them all.

"If he persists, then I will have no choice but to show no mercy!" He had witnessed the ugliness of the court and the power struggles since he was nine years old—a cold and ruthless existence. His mother was an innocent victim of the harem's infighting. After the truth behind his mother's unexplained death was revealed, apart from a sliver of kinship with his father, the court and the royal family held no meaning for him. Wanyan Lie's eyes were icy. "Kang, don't push your luck."

Two days later, night fell.

"Wanyan Lie." Bai Qianqian looked coldly at the person in front of her. His leisurely drinking manner was truly tiresome to look at!

"Hehe, the White House owner arrived very quickly." Wanyan Lie raised an eyebrow slightly, somewhat surprised. He was currently in this secluded villa, how did she find him?

"Hehe, I heard that the Third Prince of Western Xia passed away yesterday?" Bai Qianqian raised her eyebrows. Why aren't you dead yet?

"Hehe, the Third Prince has indeed passed away. The one standing before you now is nothing more than a swordsman who wants to wander the world." With an elegant air, Wanyan Lie poured himself a cup of fine wine, then poured it on the ground, bidding farewell to his past self.

"Then please return my things to this swordsman (scoundrel)?" Bai Qianqian deliberately emphasized the sound of the sword, her smile bordering on gritted teeth.

Wanyan Lie's guard, Zicheng, couldn't help but draw his sword, but Feiying's sword was faster and pointed at Wanyan Lie's neck.

"Hand it over." The cold eyes and deep voice sent a chill down one's spine.

Seeing that the eagle was already pressed against its master's neck, the guard could only retreat. Alas, when has the master ever suffered such humiliation!

"You're the one who discovered this place?" Wanyan Lie was quite intrigued by the unusual aura of the man before him.