Mistakenly Treated The Princess As A Concubine - Chapter 27

“Fairy Sister, I still need to attend the Incense Contest. Where are you headed? Let me take you there first.”

Wen Zhuojin didn’t have time to say more to the woman but, seeing her sitting in a wheelchair, asked again.

“No need. I’ll stay here and enjoy the scenery. Someone will come to take care of me. You may go.” The woman replied lightly.

“Thank you. Here, take this as a token of appreciation. These are pear incense balls I made—try burning them for fun.” Before leaving, Wen Zhuojin thought for a moment and took two wax-sealed incense balls from her pouch, handing them to the woman.

Having accepted something, the woman would likely hold her tongue and not say anything unnecessary.

The woman glanced at the incense balls and nodded at Wen Zhuojin, signaling her to leave.

Wen Zhuojin quickly jogged off toward the area filled with mixed scents.

The maidservant earlier said the contest was just past the rock garden. She wasn’t wrong, though the path was a bit roundabout.

When Wen Zhuojin arrived, the event hadn’t yet started.

The venue for the Incense Contest was a grand banquet hall. At the very top sat four immortal masters. Below them were some lower-ranking priestesses and Daoists, while observers were seated on both sides. Those officially participating in the contest were seated in the inner circle, with a large open area left in the center.

As soon as Wen Zhuojin entered, several gazes landed on her.

Her smooth passage through the earlier round had astonished the people from the Marquis’ residence.

Wen Peishu, in particular, was deeply conflicted. She had been closely watching Wen Zhuojin and Shen Yuque’s movements earlier. When she realized they were both missing, she grew extremely anxious. Now that Wen Zhuojin had returned, her suspicion deepened—she was worried that Wen Zhuojin might interfere and compete for her chosen person.

Meanwhile, Madam Ming regarded Wen Zhuojin with a complicated expression. When she led her people earlier, she hadn’t found Wen Zhuojin but instead discovered the injured Shen Yuque.

Oddly, Shen Yuque claimed he had fallen and injured himself.

Regardless, Wen Zhuojin had made her reassess her opinion.

Wen Zhuojin remained calm, ignoring the reactions around her.

Before the incense competition began, a maid came to distribute a bamboo slip to everyone present.

In front of the participants of the competition, however, there was a bamboo tube placed.

During the incense identification round, another group of participants was eliminated. This time, silver couldn’t be used to remedy mistakes, so the number of those eliminated increased significantly, leaving fewer than thirty contestants.

Each remaining participant burned the incense they had brought. If the surrounding audience found it pleasing, they could place their bamboo slips into that participant’s bamboo tube. In the end, the number of bamboo slips in the tubes would determine the winner.

Most of the blended incenses followed conventional methods commonly found on the market, with little originality. The materials used might have been of higher quality, and some incorporated clever ideas, creating subtle differences in the aroma depending on the technique used.

Participants had to wait for the incense to finish burning before the next person could start. During this wait, they could explain their incense, the process of its creation, and its meaning. The pace was slow, but since the audience members were incense enthusiasts, they didn’t find it boring.

Wen Zhuojin carefully sniffed the air, listened to the explanations, and took out a charcoal pencil from her sleeve pouch to take notes.

She recorded any incense-blending methods or techniques she hadn’t tried before.

When it was Wen Zhuojin’s turn, she took out a wooden box sealed with oil paper from the cloth bag she carried. Opening it, she revealed a piece of bamboo.

This surprised everyone.

All the other participants had put great effort into blending various fragrant materials into incense paste and shaping them into incense balls. What was Wen Zhuojin planning to do with a single piece of bamboo?

“The incense I’ve brought today is called Hundred Flowers Incense. Don’t underestimate this piece of bamboo. I spent an entire year collecting flowers from all four seasons, repeatedly steaming this bamboo with them. Since everyone here is an enthusiast of fine fragrances, please take a moment to smell it and see how many types of flowers you can identify,” Wen Zhuojin said in a clear, confident voice.

Naturally, Wen Zhuojin was capable of making incense balls like the others, but to stand out today, she decided to use a more unconventional method. Thankfully, her usual hobby was experimenting with different ways of crafting incense.

Unable to predict the preferences of the immortal masters, she chose this Hundred Flowers Incense to attract attention.

As Wen Zhuojin finished speaking, the audience’s interest was piqued.

Wen Peishu watched her, feeling that the person in the center of the room seemed even more unfamiliar now.

There was a sense of brightness and grandeur about her that Wen Peishu wasn’t familiar with. Her confidence and composure, combined with the smile on her face, seemed to hold a kind of magic, making her appear even more attractive.

By contrast, the hostility in Wen Peishu’s heart suddenly felt somewhat laughable.

Wen Zhuojin lit the piece of bamboo and placed it into the incense burner.

As the smoke rose, it surprisingly formed the shape of auspicious clouds. After ascending, it dispersed, and the surrounding people quickly caught the scent.

In an instant, the entire hall was filled with the vibrant feeling of spring.

“I smell peach blossoms and plum blossoms!”

“There’s also lily and lotus!”

“I can detect lilac, jasmine… even peony and red rose!”

The crowd marveled as they identified the myriad floral scents within the Hundred Flowers Incense, utterly astonished.

“All the flowers from each season were freshly picked at their prime. The most fragrant ones are those gathered in the morning, still glistening with dew. The flowers were then placed in a steaming basket…”

“I’ve also crafted other versions of Hundred Flowers Incense using sandalwood, agarwood, and rare sinking incense. However, those varieties, once burned, linger for seven to eight days without fading, which is why I chose this bamboo piece instead.”

Wen Zhuojin gave a brief introduction.

The eyes of the noble ladies and young misses sparkled as they gazed at her.

The Hundred Flowers Incense, when burned, felt like stepping into spring—it smelled even better than a garden full of blooming flowers.

Especially during this early spring, when no flowers had yet blossomed, it was even more extraordinary.

And to think, there was an upgraded version too!

If it weren’t for the fact that the incense competition was still ongoing and a few immortal masters were present, these people would have likely swarmed around Wen Zhuojin, begging her for the Hundred Flowers Incense.

Wen Zhuojin was quite pleased with the expressions of those around her. She bowed gracefully to the high-ranking priestesses and returned to her seat.

The next participant soon began.

However, after Wen Zhuojin’s stunning display, the subsequent presentations felt lackluster in comparison.

Once everyone had finished their demonstrations, the voting began.

The majority of bamboo slips were cast into the tube in front of Wen Zhuojin.

“Miss Wen, I want two pieces of the Hundred Flowers Incense—make sure to save them for me!”

“Ah Zhuo, considering my relationship with the Marquis’ residence, don’t forget to leave one for me, and make it with sandalwood!”

“Miss Wen, if the Hundred Flowers Incense is gone, do you have any other fragrances?”

As they cast their bamboo slips, some whispered a word or two to Wen Zhuojin.

Wen Zhuojin responded with a bright, smiling expression.

All of this meant money!

Privately selling incense was illegal, but with Wen Zhuojin performing so well, it seemed highly likely that she would soon join the Heavenly Xuan Palace. At that point, she would be able to legally sell incense.

Once everyone finished casting their bamboo slips, a priestess came forward to tally the votes. After combining the results with prior scores, the rankings were announced, which took a bit of time.

“Wen Zhuojin, first place!”

As soon as the rankings were announced, Wen Zhuojin’s position was the first to be revealed.

The crowd’s gazes toward her became even more fervent.

“Tsk, my judgment isn’t bad, right?” Xuanmiao, sitting in the highest seat, looked toward Xuanzhen with a smile.

Xuanzhen glanced in Wen Zhuojin’s direction, her hand clutching a note tightly.

That note had been delivered by her reclusive master earlier, even before Wen Zhuojin had demonstrated her incense-making skills.

Who knew when this legitimate daughter of the Wen family had caught her master’s eye?

“Xuanzhen, don’t compete with me for this one. I’m taking the Wen family’s daughter as my disciple,” Xuanmiao declared.

Xuanzhen didn’t reply but instead handed the note in her hand to Xuanmiao. The moment Xuanmiao read it, she was utterly stunned.

Once the rankings were finalized, it was time for the immortal masters present to choose their disciples.

Four masters with the qualifications to take disciples were present, and they called out names in turn, accepting a few individuals and giving them identity tokens signifying their status as registered disciples of the Heavenly Xuan Palace.

One by one, the top-ranked participants were chosen, but no one called Wen Zhuojin’s name.

This left those who had tried to curry favor with her during the bamboo slip voting feeling a bit awkward.

The expressions of the people from the Marquis’ residence varied.

If Wen Zhuojin’s first-place win in the incense competition didn’t lead to her being accepted into the Heavenly Xuan Palace, it would all be meaningless.

Wen Zhuojin glanced around, feeling slightly uneasy. Despite achieving first place, no one had chosen her yet. Should she have offered bribes in advance?

But she didn’t even have any money at the moment!

“Wen Zhuojin, legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Jing’an, I accept you as a registered disciple on behalf of my master. Remember this well—from today onward, you are a registered disciple of Master Jiangxiao of the Heavenly Xuan Palace. Conduct yourself with caution, speak carefully, and strictly adhere to palace rules.”

Finally, Xuanzhen stood up and made the announcement, her expression cold as she looked in Wen Zhuojin’s direction.

“To accept the Wen family’s legitimate daughter as a registered disciple on behalf of the master.”

The note contained only these simple words.

Her master hadn’t accepted a disciple in a long time, and though this was only a registered disciple, Xuanzhen still felt a little displeased.

She cast a somewhat critical gaze at Wen Zhuojin.

As soon as Xuanzhen spoke, the crowd burst into astonishment.

Wen Zhuojin blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected her luck to be so good—being accepted as a registered disciple by Jiangxiao herself.

Jiangxiao was currently the highest-ranking figure in the Heavenly Xuan Palace and its Palace Master.

She had four formal disciples, and while the number of registered disciples was substantial, they were mostly noblewomen of rank—such as titled ladies, county princesses, or duchesses.

Someone like Wen Zhuojin was the first of her kind.

Wen Zhuojin stepped forward to receive her registered disciple token and a small box.

“As a disciple of my master, you may receive one divine incense per month. Furthermore, on the first and fifteenth of each month, you must go to the Heavenly Xuan Palace to offer incense. Remember, your future marriage will be decided by my master,” Xuanzhen said coldly as she handed over the items.

“Disciple will remember,” Wen Zhuojin responded respectfully. Though she found the required incense offerings a bit bothersome, the benefits of being a registered disciple made up for it.

“Senior Sister, does this mean I can now open a fragrance shop to sell incense products?” Wen Zhuojin asked before stepping down, wanting to confirm.

Xuanzhen paused, surprised that Wen Zhuojin would ask such a question.

The women selected for discipleship typically saw their newfound status as an opportunity to secure favorable marriages. Fragrance-making was merely a stepping stone for advancement.

Especially for Jiangxiao’s registered disciples, it was almost certain they would marry into the imperial family or noble clans.

Eager to open a store—she’s certainly the first.

“You may. However, all incense products sold must be reported to the Heavenly Xuan Palace. Additionally, beyond regular government taxes, the palace will collect an extra 10% tax. Inspectors will check accounts monthly to collect the tax. If any falsification is discovered, your status as a registered disciple will be revoked at any time,” Xuanzhen said sternly.

“Senior Sister, may I ask whom I should report to and how I should file the report?” Wen Zhuojin inquired humbly, all while secretly grumbling to herself that the Heavenly Xuan Palace was far too greedy, always looking for ways to make money.

Xuanzhen, holding back her impatience, answered Wen Zhuojin’s questions.

“Thank you, Senior Sister!” Wen Zhuojin expressed her gratitude once she understood the process.

Xuanzhen waved her hand dismissively, watching Wen Zhuojin leave in a hurry.

She couldn’t help but wonder what was so special about this girl. So far, aside from her striking looks and decent incense-making skills, nothing stood out. Perhaps more time would reveal something.

The next segment involved free fragrance appreciation, where the elegant attendees showcased their talents in poetry and painting.

Wen Zhuojin, however, busily requested pen, ink, paper, and inkstone and spent quite some time writing and sketching. Many assumed she was composing poetry or painting something, preparing to shower her with compliments.

To their surprise, Wen Zhuojin took the paper she had filled and approached Xuanzhen again.

“Senior Sister, this document lists the shop’s name and the incense products to be reported. Today, I only brought four types of incense, and I will deliver the rest another day,” Wen Zhuojin said, handing over the rice paper stamped with her personal seal and a box containing samples.

Within a short period, Wen Zhuojin had already decided to convert her clothing shop into an incense store, even renaming it and drafting a list of products for sale.

Xuanzhen glanced at the document and couldn’t help but feel astonished. Wen Zhuojin had written all this in such a short time and was already submitting it?

Was she rushing to reincarnate?

Xuanzhen secretly criticized Wen Zhuojin, but out of respect for her master, she didn’t show any sign of it on her face. She received the items and waved her hand, signaling that she understood.

Wen Zhuojin, currently financially strained, had only incense left in her hands, which naturally made her anxious.

Her beautiful sister’s medicine was running low, and she needed to buy better food to nourish her body, perhaps even some phoenix pastry. She also wanted to buy softer fabric to make her beautiful sister new clothes…

Such a beautiful sister couldn’t go without proper accessories, could she?

There was so much to buy, and Wen Zhuojin needed a lot of money.

However, Wen Zhuojin hadn’t brought much incense to the competition, and of course, she would need to charge for her incense.

Though everyone at the fragrance contest wanted the incense, they all hoped to build relationships and get it for free.

Since everyone already knew her incense was excellent, and her reputation had spread, Wen Zhuojin didn’t want to keep doing favors and giving it away for free anymore.

If someone wanted to buy it, they couldn’t just ask her directly—they would have to go to her shop.

Wen Zhuojin held back her impatience and didn’t sell incense directly at the contest.

“My incense shop will open on Shangqin Road in two days. If Madam would like any incense, you can come by and have a look then,” Wen Zhuojin said when someone inquired, promoting her soon-to-open shop.

When the fragrance contest ended and everyone began to leave, Wen Zhuojin recorded several orders for incense. The task of making incense was quite arduous.

On her way back, Wen Zhuojin was still calculating which incense to sell first, what materials to buy, and what kinds of incense to make…

Now, her problem was a lack of money, and she also needed more help.

When she got off the carriage, Wen Zhuojin saw Wen Heming waiting for her with a warm smile.

This smile was very familiar to Wen Zhuojin, reminding her of the way her uncle used to smile before he passed away.

Wen Zhuojin smiled back at Wen Heming.

“Father, could you please provide me with one thousand taels of silver from the treasury? I have a use for it,” Wen Zhuojin tried to say.

Wen Heming’s expression stiffened for a moment. His daughter was asking him for silver right away.

“Alright, I will have the housekeeper give you one thousand taels in silver notes. It’s about time you take care of things and show more respect to your master and senior brothers and sisters. It will also benefit your future marriage,” Wen Heming paused for a moment before agreeing to Wen Zhuojin’s request.

Many people had come to congratulate him today, and even those with higher ranks and titles had shown a change in attitude towards him.

It was foreseeable that if Wen Zhuojin truly married into the royal family, she would certainly enjoy even more glory.

Wen Zhuojin heard what Wen Heming said, knowing he misunderstood her request, but she didn’t explain.

Everything would be planned after she got the silver.

After receiving the silver notes, Wen Zhuojin quickly changed clothes at Qinfang Pavilion, took Zirong with her, and climbed over the wall to head towards the house in Wujiao Alley.

She hadn’t seen her beautiful sister for a day, and she was worried. She wondered if she had eaten well or had suffered from any withdrawal symptoms.

Wen Zhuojin was deeply concerned.