Mistakenly Treated The Princess As A Concubine - Chapter 103

“Ah Zhuo, I’ll use the incense you made tonight. If any adjustments are needed, I’ll let you know tomorrow. Stay at Shoukang Palace tonight to save yourself the trouble of running back and forth. With the Emperor and the Princess absent today, the palace feels quite lonely. Consider it a favor to this old woman.” Lady Li, the kind-faced dowager consort, said to Wen Zhuojin as the afternoon light faded. Wen Zhuojin had just finished preparing the incense for her.

“Your words humble me, Your Highness. It is an honor for a junior like me to accompany you.” Wen Zhuojin replied with a polite smile, though her body was stiff and trembling slightly.

It was exactly as she had feared!

The Emperor and the Princess were not returning today, and she was being forced to stay overnight in the palace!

Wen Zhuojin didn’t know how she managed to see Lady Li off. Once the woman left, she slumped into a chair, staring blankly for a while.

When a palace maid brought her dinner, Wen Zhuojin rubbed her cheeks to force her expression back to normal.

What if Lady Li’s request for her to stay was just a coincidence?

After all, she had stayed at Shoukang Palace for several days before.

Wen Zhuojin desperately wanted to leave the palace and check if anyone was at the residence in Wujiu Alley.

However, the palace walls were not ordinary in height, and Wen Zhuojin wasn’t confident she could scale them. Moreover, the palace was heavily guarded. Even if she could avoid the patrolling imperial guards, her lack of speed and familiarity with the routes would likely lead to her capture.

Wen Zhuojin felt a growing sense of panic, unable to sit still. After dinner and washing up, when she was finally alone in her room, she dipped her finger in water and sketched a rough map of the palace layout on the table.

To the southeast of Shoukang Palace was the Princess’s Zichen Hall.

If the Princess who had left the palace was the real one, and no one was at Wujiu Alley, then there must be a fake Princess hidden somewhere.

Most likely, she was hidden in the Princess’s own residence.

Wen Zhuojin thought for a while, her mind a chaotic mess of questions she needed answers to. She couldn’t sleep.

She wanted to take a look inside Zichen Hall.

After waiting a bit longer, until the surroundings had quieted down and most people were asleep, Wen Zhuojin quietly opened the window and slipped out.

To avoid making noise, she wore only socks on her feet as she ventured out.

After walking for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea and avoiding a patrol of eunuchs, Wen Zhuojin arrived outside Zichen Hall.

At the entrance of Zichen Hall, she caught the scent of divine incense.

The divine incense, now classified as a poisonous substance, appearing in the Princess’s residence was highly unusual.

Wen Zhuojin infiltrated Zichen Hall, moving with even greater caution.

Zichen Hall was about the size of a three-courtyard residence, with many rooms and a much larger area than Lady Li’s Shoukang Palace.

Wen Zhuojin first followed the scent of the divine incense. As she passed a side hall, she noticed a room with candlelight and shadows moving inside.

“She goes mad several times a day. Last night, she almost strangled me to death. What are we supposed to do?” a low voice said.

“Wait for His Highness to return and decide how to deal with her.” another voice replied.

“Divine incense… I need divine incense… Give it to me!” a third voice interrupted, hoarse and desperate, filled with both anger and pleading.

“Seeing her, with the same face as Her Highness, acting like this… it’s unsettling.” the first voice said again.

Wen Zhuojin stared in that direction until the door opened, and one of the people inside stepped out with a lantern.

Through the gap between the person and the door, Wen Zhuojin caught a glimpse of a woman inside, disheveled and writhing on the floor. As Wen Zhuojin watched, the woman looked up and clung to the leg of a palace maid.

Wen Zhuojin’s breath, which she had been holding, nearly stopped.

Even with strands of hair partially obscuring her face, Wen Zhuojin recognized her.

It was the same face as her beautiful sister.

For a moment, Wen Zhuojin wanted to rush in and save her.

But the woman’s scent was not that of her beautiful sister, and the way she was completely dominated by the incense poison was not something her beautiful sister would ever succumb to.

The exposed part of her neck was clean, without any kiss marks.

The marks on her beautiful sister’s neck wouldn’t fade for at least three or four days.

Even if she rushed in, she couldn’t save her.

This was the palace, after all.

Wen Zhuojin’s scalp tingled, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

This woman, simply because she resembled the Princess, was forced to act as a stand-in in the palace and was fed poisonous incense.

They knew it was poison.

She knew it too…

When the door closed and the surroundings quieted down, Wen Zhuojin stood in the shadowy corner, almost merging with the darkness.

After a while, she slowly moved, retracing her steps and returning the way she came.

By the time Wen Zhuojin lay down on the bed in Shoukang Palace, she looked alive, but it felt as though her soul had already left her body.

She was utterly drained.

The next morning, as Wen Zhuojin washed up, she caught a glimpse of her pale face and dark circles in the blurry bronze mirror. She splashed water on her face, scrubbing until a bit of color returned.

After breakfast, she went to pay her respects to Lady Li.

“His Majesty has assigned me a task. I need to visit the newly opened medical clinic every day, and today is no exception. If you need anything, Your Highness, you can send for me later.” Wen Zhuojin said after discussing the incense she had prepared the previous day with Lady Li.

This time, Lady Li didn’t insist on keeping Wen Zhuojin. She gave her a few small trinkets and had someone escort her out of the palace.

Once outside the palace, Wen Zhuojin first went to the incense shop to busy herself for a while. Taking advantage of a trip to the restroom, she shook off the people following her, changed into men’s clothing, and slipped out the back door.

Alone, she returned to the residence in Wujiu Alley.

More cautiously than ever, she climbed over the low wall of the Wujiu Alley residence and reached the window leading to the inner chamber.

Taking a deep breath, she slipped through the window into the inner chamber.

The familiar furnishings were there, but the familiar scent was faint.

The bed was empty.

A bitter smile crept onto Wen Zhuojin’s lips.

She could no longer deceive herself.

After a moment’s thought, Wen Zhuojin climbed onto the bed and opened a small chest, taking out a wooden box.

It was the box she used to store things for Yan Qinglan. Inside were the “dowry” she had given her, the deed of sale, and the banknotes she had later provided.

Wen Zhuojin stared at the box, her fingers tightening until her knuckles turned white.

Finally, she opened the box.

The banknotes were gone.

Only the identity token bearing the name Ye Yuanniang remained inside.

Wen Zhuojin closed the box, tilted her head back, and closed her eyes for a few breaths before putting the box back.

She didn’t linger in Wujiu Alley for long and soon left, heading straight to Wu Yuanheng.

“I’ve offended a very powerful figure. I need to leave the city for a few days to lay low. If this affects you or my uncle, you can present these incense formulas one by one and see if they can persuade that person to let you go. If she still refuses, tell her to find me at the manor outside the city.” Wen Zhuojin instructed Wu Yuanheng.

“What powerful figure could make you flee Yunjing City?” Wu Yuanheng asked, shocked.

“It’s complicated. Don’t ask too many questions. Knowing too much might put you in danger. This is really serious. You need to be careful.” Wen Zhuojin said, unsure how to explain it to Wu Yuanheng.

This was a scandal involving the Princess. If Wu Yuanheng knew the truth, he might not be spared either.

Wen Zhuojin didn’t elaborate further and soon left. She then went to the government office to obtain a new identity token for herself.

With Jiangxiao’s spies gone and Luan Niang no longer causing trouble, Wen Zhuojin avoided familiar scents and quickly obtained a new identity token.

After securing the token, Wen Zhuojin went to the Taipu Temple to retrieve her horse and prepared to leave the city. On her way, she remembered Xuan Zhen was still at Lanyuan.

After some thought, Wen Zhuojin decided to take Xuan Zhen out of the city to prevent her from causing more trouble at Lanyuan.

When Wen Zhuojin found Xuan Zhen at Lanyuan, she was dressed in maid’s clothing, her hair styled differently. Wen Zhuojin almost didn’t recognize her.

“Ah Zhuo, why did you take so long? I couldn’t find you yesterday and heard you had entered the palace. I was so anxious that I went out on my own and contacted some Northern Qiang people in Yunjing City. They said they were going to rescue Master. Yesterday, the Emperor and the Princess went to the temporary palace near Tianxuan Palace, and the Princess met with Master. They’re just trying to get the location of that gold from her. Master would never tell them so easily. I think this must be part of Master’s plan. I’m going with the Northern Qiang people to rescue Master. Are you coming?” Xuan Zhen said to Wen Zhuojin.

“…” Wen Zhuojin’s lips twitched as she listened to Xuan Zhen.

She wanted nothing to do with Jiangxiao or the Princess. People like them were too complicated.

“Let’s get out of the city first.” Wen Zhuojin said.

Dressed as a man and riding a horse, Wen Zhuojin hired a carriage for Xuan Zhen, and the group left the city.

Under normal circumstances, entering and exiting the city didn’t require registration unless someone looked suspicious and needed their identity token checked.

By keeping a low profile, they passed through the city gates without issue.

Although Wen Zhuojin tried to remain calm, her hands gripping the reins were stiff and tense.

Only after leaving the city did she finally relax.

“I have a manor outside the city. I need to prepare a few more things. You go ahead, and I’ll catch up later.” Wen Zhuojin said to Xuan Zhen after they had traveled a short distance.

“What do you need to prepare?” Xuan Zhen asked.

“Incense poison.” Wen Zhuojin replied casually.

“The Northern Qiang have a particularly potent weapon called the Nine Poison Divine Incense Cannon. It’s incredibly powerful, made from nine different incense ingredients. I heard they’ve prepared several of them this time. They’ll launch them using siege catapults, creating thick smoke. Inhaling just a bit will make you dizzy, and a few more breaths will cause bleeding from all orifices. They plan to launch them into the midst of the Emperor’s guards surrounding Tianxuan Palace. We’ll wait for the poison smoke to dissipate before rushing in to rescue Master. You don’t need to prepare incense poison.” Xuan Zhen said.

“…That thing sounds terrifying. Could it cause collateral damage?” Wen Zhuojin frowned.

This Nine Poison Divine Incense Cannon sounded extremely vicious.

The Princess was too cunning to fall for such a trap, wasn’t she?

“As long as you’re not at the center, covering your mouth with a cloth will block most of the smoke. The Northern Qiang also have antidote incense pills. Here, take one.” Xuan Zhen said, tossing Wen Zhuojin a wax-sealed pill.

“Thank you, Senior Sister. I’ll prepare some more, just in case. The Emperor has a lot of men.” Wen Zhuojin said.

“Fine, you go ahead…” Xuan Zhen said.

Wen Zhuojin spurred her horse and rode off, leaving Xuan Zhen behind. She should have felt the exhilaration of freedom, the sky vast and the sea wide. Yet, as the horse galloped and the wind whipped against her face, Wen Zhuojin’s heart grew heavier.

A poison smoke that could make you dizzy with one breath and cause bleeding from all orifices with a few more!

What if…

Wen Zhuojin shook her head, feeling she was overthinking things.

Her life was on the line, and she was worried about the person who wanted her dead?

As the horse galloped further, Wen Zhuojin saw thick smoke rising in the distance ahead, accompanied by a strong smell of bl00d and the mixed scents of various incense ingredients.

Wolfsbane, aconite, arsenic, realgar, orpiment, ginger powder, polygonum, pepper…

Wen Zhuojin’s expression froze.