Mistakenly Treated The Princess As A Concubine - Chapter 10

Wen Zhuojin felt as though she might have gone mad.

A deeply buried, hidden part of her had been revealed, uncovering a side of herself she didn’t even recognize.

Suppressing the strange thoughts with great effort, she guided the spoonful of congee into Yan Qinglan’s mouth.

The spoon was held halfway by Yan Qinglan’s lips as the warm, soft, fragrant congee slipped into her mouth.

Her stomach growled noisily, grumbling as though demanding food. After swallowing that mouthful of congee, it gurgled again, almost as if cheering with delight.

Yan Qinglan’s expression showed a hint of discomfort as her bound hand pressed against her abdomen, trying to quiet the growling.

Wen Zhuojin’s attention was drawn back to her. Seeing Yan Qinglan’s wide, glistening eyes and the way she pressed her hand against her stomach, Wen Zhuojin couldn’t help but find her both pitiful and endearing.

The person who no longer resisted or struggled had become so soft, so obedient.

With every spoonful Wen Zhuojin brought to her lips, Yan Qinglan opened her mouth to eat, her movements refined and delicate. She really did resemble a little kitten more and more.

Even though it was just feeding congee, Wen Zhuojin felt as though she could keep doing it forever.

However, Yan Qinglan’s appetite was limited. After eating only half the bowl, she began to gag as if she might throw up. Wen Zhuojin dared not feed her any more.

“If you’re full, let me know. Don’t force yourself,” Wen Zhuojin said softly, using a handkerchief to wipe Yan Qinglan’s lips.

Yan Qinglan murmured in acknowledgment, her hand still pressed against her stomach.

Her stomach felt warm now, and the gurgling had stopped, leaving her body feeling a little more comfortable.

However, she had always had a poor appetite. She couldn’t eat much of anything, and overeating always made her vomit. In truth, she hadn’t eaten her fill.

After putting the bowl away, Wen Zhuojin took over feeding her medicine when the decoction was ready.

The bitter taste of the medicine made Yan Qinglan shiver involuntarily after just one sip.

After that first mouthful, she braced herself for the next to be just as bitter—only to be met with a sweet mouthful of sugar.

Yan Qinglan had always feared bitterness.

However, even when she had been ill and taking medicine, she had never thought about eating sugar.

That was something only children would do.

She never expected someone to treat her this way.

A strange feeling rose in Yan Qinglan’s heart, but it was quickly replaced by indifference.

It was nothing more than a ploy to win her trust.

Once the medicine was finished, Yan Qinglan lay down, closing her eyes as if utterly drained.

Wen Zhuojin wanted to ask about her physical condition but, seeing her close her eyes, decided not to disturb her. Instead, she left the calming incense burning.

Yan Qinglan had no desire for further interaction. She only wanted to take this opportunity to recover her strength.

If the food or medicine she just consumed had been tampered with, she would need her energy to resist it.

After leaving the room, Wen Zhuojin let out a long sigh.

The thought of eventually sending Yan Qinglan back to her family clashed with the thoughts she had just had while tending to her, leaving her feeling unsettled.

For now, her uncle’s affairs were temporarily resolved, but she had little silver left on hand. She needed to find a way to earn more quickly.

Additionally, there was the matter of the incense poison. She needed to intensify her research on it.

She would have to identify the source of the incense poison to develop the appropriate antidote.

If it wasn’t in the Xiangxiao Pavilion, it would be in the Jiaofang Division. She would need to visit and investigate thoroughly.

After giving some instructions to Jinrui, Wen Zhuojin donned a veiled hat and headed out.

The moment she stepped into the Xiangxiao Pavilion, Luan Niang, with her sharp eyes, spotted her. Twisting her waist, she greeted Wen Zhuojin with a smile, leading her to a private room to talk.

“Oh, Young Master, you’ve finally come! The girls who bought your incense yesterday did exceptionally well in their business. Those who didn’t buy it before are green with envy and want to purchase some now,” Luan Niang said with a grin.

Hearing this, Wen Zhuojin didn’t feel pleased; instead, she felt a little uncomfortable.

Her incense being sold in a place like this—she should have anticipated it from the beginning.

“Today, I’m not here to sell incense. I only want to ask you a few questions, and I need you to answer honestly. If your answers satisfy me, you won’t miss out on your reward,” Wen Zhuojin said in a low voice.

“…What kind of questions?” Luan Niang paused for a moment, hearing Wen Zhuojin’s tone, sensing that the young master sounded quite upset.

“I bought back Liu Suniang to redeem her; why did she get poisoned by incense? What’s the deal with the shackles on her ankle?” Wen Zhuojin asked.

“Oh, how would I know? She was like this when she was brought here. You can’t blame our Xiangxiao Pavilion for that. We made it clear that once something was bought, it was final, and that Liu Suniang’s looks were a real gift for you,” Luan Niang quickly replied.

Wen Zhuojin hesitated, unsure of whether Luan Niang’s words were true.

If it wasn’t the Xiangxiao Pavilion’s doing, then could it be Jiaofang Division?

“Do the people at Xiangxiao Pavilion use incense as well? If so, what kind of incense do they use?” Wen Zhuojin asked, weighing a silver ingot in her hand.

“Oh, Young Master, you know incense is very expensive. How could we afford to use it? Here, we usually just lock them up, let them get hungry, pressure them, or if that doesn’t work, threaten them with their family members. Only if that still doesn’t work do we use aphrodisiac incense, but it’s only the milder kind. If the color is bad or it’s too strong, we just take our time. That Liu Suniang was only here for a few days; it wasn’t yet time to use the incense,” Luan Niang explained, noticing the silver ingot in Wen Zhuojin’s hand.

Wen Zhuojin frowned. Luan Niang’s words reminded her that the city had only been in turmoil for a short time.

She still didn’t know how long the woman had been poisoned by incense.

“Is there only aphrodisiac incense? Are there any other kinds?” Wen Zhuojin asked.

“Pills are also used. But they’re rarely used; no one would waste money on them if they’re not making a profit. I’m telling you the truth. As for the aphrodisiac incense, if you want it, I still have a piece here. It’s only fifty taels of silver,” Luan Niang added, trying to earn a bit more money from Wen Zhuojin.

“Show it to me,” Wen Zhuojin said.

Luan Niang took out a wax-sealed item from her pouch.

“I’ll trade you two of my incense pills for one of yours,” Wen Zhuojin said, taking out one of her own incense pills.

She wasn’t sure what kind of incense poison had affected Yan Qinglan, and Luan Niang’s words had some truth to them but could not be fully trusted.

The incense in front of her could be examined to check its composition, to see if it had anything to do with Yan Qinglan’s poison.

“Of course, that works,” Luan Niang replied, knowing that Wen Zhuojin was knowledgeable about incense. She didn’t say much else and handed over two pills to Wen Zhuojin.

“Does Jiaofang Division also use incense or methods like chains?” After exchanging the incense, Wen Zhuojin asked again.

“Jiaofang Division uses similar methods as ours, at most adding some punishment. It’s common for them to kill someone every day. Young Master, don’t dwell on these things too much—they won’t live long anyway, so they might as well have some fun while they can,” Luan Niang said.

Wen Zhuojin didn’t want to speak any longer with Luan Niang, as she couldn’t gather any more useful information. She decided not to linger at the Xiangxiao Pavilion.

As she was about to leave, Wen Zhuojin smelled bl00d and the metallic scent of weapons. It was a familiar smell, likely coming from the Imperial Guard or officials.

Wen Zhuojin put on her veil to conceal her identity, not wanting to be noticed. She turned and left through the small door Luan Niang had previously shown her. Behind her, the sound of footsteps and voices grew louder, but Wen Zhuojin paid no attention. She turned into an alley and left.

What she didn’t know was that, just after she left, the Xiangxiao Pavilion was surrounded by the authorities.

When Wen Zhuojin returned to her residence, Yan Qinglan was still asleep. Wen Zhuojin didn’t disturb her and continued studying her notes on incense poison.

In the afternoon, Zheng Qianqin was free and came over to examine Yan Qinglan’s ankle injury and take her pulse.

“Although the bones weren’t injured, the meridians were, and it’s likely to be difficult to heal. The effects of the medicine may not be good. As for the aftereffects, let’s take it slow for now. If the external injury isn’t healed, the incense poison might get harder to suppress…” Zheng Qianqin said.

“Aunt Zheng, do you know how long she has been poisoned by this incense?” Wen Zhuojin choked up, thinking about the time of the poisoning.

“It’s hard to say exactly how long the incense poison has been in her. Some potent poisons can be fatal in an instant. However, her body shows signs of organ failure, so she hasn’t died that quickly. The pulse today and yesterday are similar, so if we calculate based on this time, she must have been poisoned for at least half a year. The weakness in her stomach suggests it’s been at least ten years. It’s a deep illness, difficult to cure; we can only do our best and leave the rest to fate,” Zheng Qianqin said. Seeing Wen Zhuojin’s expression change, she tried to comfort her.

Wen Zhuojin clenched her fist under her sleeve.

Based on Zheng Qianqin’s timeline, some of the woman’s health issues couldn’t have been caused by the Jiaofang Division or Xiangxiao Pavilion.

They claimed to be deeply in love, but how could a husband take care of his wife in such a way that she became so weak?

Wen Zhuojin felt a surge of anger.

After sending Zheng Qianqin away, it was time for meals and medicine again.

Wen Zhuojin gently called Yan Qinglan awake, helped her wash up, fed her, and then gave her medicine.

Yan Qinglan remained silent, her weak breath shallow, obediently eating the porridge and drinking the medicine.

For most of the past half-day, Yan Qinglan hadn’t really been asleep.

She had been aware of her body’s changes.

To her surprise, things hadn’t gotten worse.

The medicine for her wounds was cooling, and the pain in her injuries was easing.

This surprised her, though it was only a small surprise.

Wen Zhuojin’s mood while feeding her this time was slightly different from before.

“Madam, do you still want to see your family, to see your husband?” Wen Zhuojin asked softly as she helped Yan Qinglan lie down.

Yan Qinglan froze for a moment.

When had a husband been arranged for her?

Right, she had said she was just passing by when she saved her. Was this an attempt to give her a new identity, pretending to not know her real one?

“Mm.”

Yan Qinglan only responded with a simple “mm,” not wanting to say anything more.

Wen Zhuojin’s clenched hand nearly had her nails digging into her palm, causing pain.

“Even if he treats you poorly, do you still want to see him?” Wen Zhuojin asked again.

Yan Qinglan heard the question and simply responded with another “mm.”

Wen Zhuojin didn’t ask any more questions. She helped Yan Qinglan lie down and covered her with the blanket.

Wen Zhuojin then went to the incense-making room, forcing herself to calm down and focus on the poison incense notes.

She took the incense pill she had brought back, crushed one of them, and tried to smell its components. She burned a small amount to see if there were any other ingredients.

The effect of the aphrodisiac incense made Wen Zhuojin’s face flush slightly.

Unbidden, her mind again wandered to the image of Yan Qinglan—her exposed shoulder and neck, the loose tie of her robe, her lips slightly parted, the pink tip of her tongue…

Wen Zhuojin shook her head sharply, dismissing those thoughts, and focused on analyzing the components of the aphrodisiac incense.

Wen Zhuojin’s sense of smell was sharp, and she never forgot a scent she had encountered.

She roughly analyzed the components of the aphrodisiac incense, finding that it didn’t contain any additional poisonous substances. The effect was not enough to cause Yan Qinglan’s organ failure.

The poison incense notes also recorded many types of slow-acting poisons, some of which seemed to match Yan Qinglan’s symptoms.

If the Jiaofang Division and Xiangxiao Pavilion hadn’t done anything…

Were all of Yan Qinglan’s injuries and illnesses caused by her original family?

Did her husband use poison incense on his own wife?

How could such a person be worthy of being her husband?

Yan Qinglan had only been obedient and taken her medicine to see her family again.

It was likely just like those who were bewitched by the Heavenly Goddess—thinking they were receiving great benefits while unknowingly being poisoned by the incense.

Wen Zhuojin thought this, her hand tightening again.