Chapter 3
Chapter 3
I immediately clutched my stomach and crouched down.
“My stomach… it hurts so much all of a sudden… I must have eaten something bad…”
The old woman looked at me with suspicion, then took a step back in disgust. “How unlucky. Go do your business elsewhere. Don’t go fouling up the warehouse grounds.”
She tossed several packets of ingredients to me.
I thanked her repeatedly and stumbled away.
It wasn’t until I rounded a corner that I realized my back was drenched in a cold sweat.
My sister never wore earrings.
This earring was a memento left behind by our mother.
She had always kept it hidden close to her body, saying she would touch it whenever she missed home.
That night, I stared at the porcelain bottle Shen Yujiao had given me and that single flower petal, unable to sleep a wink.
Part 2
The next day, I went to the Heir’s study to light the incense.
Mu Qing’an was sitting by the window, writing.
I knelt before the incense burner, adding incense chips and stirring the ashes.
Wisps of smoke rose steadily.
Mu Qing’an suddenly looked up, frowning as he took a deep breath.
“Today’s incense…”
I prostrated myself on the ground. “This servant is dull-witted. Does the fragrance not please the Heir?”
He set down his brush, his gaze falling upon me.
“The scent is rather unique. Stand up and speak.”
I rose, keeping my head bowed, not daring to look at him.
“I heard you are skilled at blending incense?”
“This servant… only knows the basics.”
He tapped his fingers on the desk. “This incense smells more refreshing than usual. Use this from now on.”
I secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
In the days that followed, Mu Qing’an seemed to grow accustomed to the scent and never questioned it again.
He was extremely focused when reviewing official documents, occasionally frowning and massaging his temples.
I took note of this.
From then on, when I lit the incense, I added an extra petal of a heart-clearing and mind-soothing flower that I had dried myself.
A few moments after the fragrance drifted through the room, he looked up at me.
“Today seems exceptionally different.”
“Seeing the Heir laboring for days on end, this servant took the liberty of adding a dried flower for tranquility. I beg the Heir’s forgiveness.”
He glanced at me but said nothing, returning to his work.
However, until the moment I quietly withdrew, he did not rub his temples again.
Part 3
One afternoon, while I was tidying the incense tools, Shen Yujiao suddenly arrived at the study with Nanny Zhao.
She walked toward the incense burner with a beaming smile. “The Heir’s complexion has improved lately; Ah Wu’s incense must surely be the reason. Let me see what fine ingredients are being used.”
She lifted the lid and sniffed carefully.
“This fragrance… seems a bit light? Ah Wu, did you not use the base incense I gave you?”
I hurriedly knelt. “In response to Madam, I did use it. It is only that the Heir dislikes strong scents and commanded me to make it lighter… I did not dare to disobey…”
Shen Yujiao stared at me.
After a long silence, she suddenly smiled.
“So that’s how it is. As long as the Heir likes it.”
I could hear the cold, murderous intent in her voice.
That night, my sleep was fitful.
My dreams were filled with my sister’s pale, bloated face.
Suddenly, someone clamped a hand over my mouth and nose from behind.
A massive force dragged me up.
In the darkness, I smelled the scent of Miluo Incense.
I bit the tip of my tongue with all my might, and a surge of clarity instantly flooded my mind.
Taking advantage of the moment the person behind me relaxed their grip, I screamed, “Fire! Help, put out the fire!”
The person behind me froze in shock.
I grabbed the scissors by my pillow and stabbed blindly behind me.
The grip holding me loosened.
At the same time, the sounds of commotion and running footsteps echoed from a distance.
Seeing this, the dark figure shoved me away violently.
They stumbled through the back window and vanished into the night.
I collapsed on the floor, my whole body trembling.
Footsteps and pounding sounded at the door.
“Concubine Wu, what happened?”
It was the voice of the old woman on night patrol.
I scrambled to open the door and pointed at the wide-open window. “An intruder! They ran out that way!”
Some of the women immediately went to give chase, while others went to report the news.
Soon, the courtyard was lit with torches.
Shen Yujiao arrived in a hurry with her retinue.
She stepped forward quickly. “How could an intruder break in out of nowhere? You must be terrified.”
A very faint scent of Miluo Incense clung to her.
I took the opportunity to slump down at her feet. “Madam, save me… that intruder… they seemed to head toward the Heir’s study!”