Mistakenly Treated The Princess As A Concubine - Chapter 5

“Tch, that fool doesn’t know any better. The new one is so fiery, and still goes to provoke!” The woman accompanying Wen Zhuojin cursed under her breath.

“Young master, please wait here for a moment. I’ll be right back.” The woman turned to Wen Zhuojin, gesturing toward a room and hurriedly leaving after her words.

Without thinking, Wen Zhuojin followed. Inside the dimly lit room, the air felt heavy and stifled.

The woman didn’t tend to the injured person, nor did she go for a doctor. Instead, she walked straight into the room.

“All I did was bring you food, yet you hurt someone like that. The meal is ruined now. What was the point of this? At this point, you should just let go. You’re getting older, and there aren’t many good days left. Why not earn some silver while you still have some beauty left? What’s chastity worth? Staying alive is what matters most. If you keep acting this way, you’ll regret it.” The woman spoke as she entered.

The woman in the room remained silent, only lifting her hand, turning slightly as if to face the newcomer.

Her pale, bloodstained fingers clutched a broken hairpin still dripping with bl00d, causing the other woman to take a step back.

The gauzy curtain swayed lightly, and Wen Zhuojin glimpsed the woman’s eyes.

They were beautiful, almond-shaped eyes, with the ends gently upturned. The surrounding redness resembled the blooming of peach blossoms, and her pupils appeared like black jade sinking in a tranquil lake, surrounded by a misty radiance. The moisture in her eyes spilled over, sliding down from the corners like pearls glistening in the dim light.

Pure, sorrowful, fragile, and seductive, exuding a captivating allure.

Wen Zhuojin’s heart raced, feeling as if a hidden part of her had been exposed.

“Young master, is this what you like? Unfortunately, she’s still new, not properly ‘trained’ yet. She used to be a noble wife, a young lady, and now she’s fallen so low. It’s inevitable she has some fiery temperament for a few days. If you’re interested, you can wait a few more days.”

The voice of the flirtatious woman rang out, and Wen Zhuojin felt a poke on her shoulder.

Coming back to her senses, Wen Zhuojin realized her lapse in composure. She cleared her throat.

She had come here to sell her incense and raise money to save her uncle, not to lose herself over a woman.

She wasn’t one of those “customers” seeking pleasure.

The woman beside Wen Zhuojin eyed her again, taking in her presence.

The attire was not only made from fine brocade, but even the ornamental belt at the waist, inlaid with gold and jade, was clearly expensive.

“If the young master can’t wait, and doesn’t mind the trouble, you could buy her freedom and take her home to train yourself. It would be quite interesting. Such noble ladies are rare to find. This one is particularly exquisite, which is why she’s being kept secluded. As you know, there’s a lot of turmoil in Yun Jing recently, and many noble women have fallen from grace. This one, before being fully trained, can be redeemed for just two thousand taels of silver. It’s a good time to buy. If the young master likes her, you might want to consider it.”

The woman giggled and continued speaking.

In the room, the “fiery woman” had many issues, but at least her face was beautiful, though one couldn’t look too closely.

This young “master” clearly seemed like a novice—one with money—looking like an easy mark.

Wen Zhuojin tightened her grip on the dagger, her knuckles turning white.

The words in her ears were deeply unpleasant.

Humans were treated like weeds, with so many pitiful people in the world.

Moreover, she didn’t have that much silver.

“No need. Take me to the private room.” Wen Zhuojin turned and walked away.

Behind her, the woman gave a soft snort, closed the door, and followed Wen Zhuojin to the private room.

Once inside, Wen Zhuojin glanced at the room’s furnishings: a poorly made incense burner, and a charcoal brazier by the side.

She walked over and placed an incense pellet near the brazier.

The pellet quickly released a fragrant aroma as it heated.

Wen Zhuojin’s mood, which had been a bit unsettled, calmed slightly.

“Oh, what is this fragrance? It smells wonderful.” The woman who had followed in asked.

“May I ask what you’re called, sister?” Wen Zhuojin asked politely.

“Just call me Luan Niang,” the woman said, and Wen Zhuojin could tell she had a better impression of her after the polite address.

“Do you like this incense, Luan Niang?” Wen Zhuojin asked.

“Of course I do. I’ve never smelled anything like it in the official stores. Did you buy it from the female Taoist at Heavenly Xuan Palace?” Luan Niang leaned over the brazier to inhale the scent.

Upon hearing this, Wen Zhuojin’s heart stirred.

Heavenly Xuan Palace indeed sells various types of incense, including incense sticks, incense pellets, and so on, all at extremely high prices, even higher than in the official stores.

Access to Heavenly Xuan Palace is restricted by status, so those who are able to purchase incense there are either wealthy or noble.

“Luan Niang, you have a good eye. If you like it, I’ll give this one to you. It hasn’t been lit yet, and even if you leave it in a scent pouch for over ten days, the fragrance won’t fade. If placed near the brazier, it will last for three to four days, and if lit, it will last for a day, and the scent will be very strong,” Wen Zhuojin said slowly, deliberately lowering her voice to sound like a young boy of fifteen or sixteen.

“Really giving it to me? If so, I’ll find you a skilled courtesan, one about fourteen or fifteen years old, gentle, and talented,” Luan Niang said, her eyes lighting up as she looked at Wen Zhuojin.

“No need. I’m not in a good financial situation lately. I’ve already spent a lot of silver buying incense, and there’s something else I’d like to buy, but my family won’t give me the money. So, I thought I’d sell the incense I bought earlier. If you can help me find a buyer, I would be very grateful. I bought this incense pellet for two hundred taels each, and I can sell it for one hundred taels each to someone you recommend. How does that sound?” Wen Zhuojin said, speaking directly to the point as she could tell Luan Niang was knowledgeable about incense.

Hearing Wen Zhuojin’s words, Luan Niang began to guess at his identity—a young master from a distinguished family, generous with money.

“Ah, so you’re here to sell incense,” Luan Niang remarked with understanding.

“Each time I sell one, I can give you one tael of silver as a token of thanks,” Wen Zhuojin added.

“That sounds like a good deal. What kinds of incense do you have?” Luan Niang asked.

“This one is calming incense, it helps with headaches and aids sleep. There’s also the plum blossom incense pellet for dispelling cold and treating wind chills, and jasmine incense pellets that help with skincare and soothing the mind…” Wen Zhuojin explained the incense she had brought.

“All the incense sounds good, but I’m afraid you don’t know that the most popular here is aphrodisiac incense. Do you have any of that? There’s always a demand for it,” Luan Niang added.

“N-No, I don’t have that kind of incense,” Wen Zhuojin stammered.

“At this hour, those who can afford your incense haven’t woken up yet. Would you like to wait a little and have a drink with one of the girls?” Luan Niang smiled as she spoke.

“I’ll come back another day,” Wen Zhuojin said after hearing Luan Niang’s offer, standing up to leave.

This was the first time she had heard of such a schedule.

Luan Niang teased her, trying to keep her, but Wen Zhuojin hurriedly walked out.

Once outside, her face still felt warm.

She exhaled a heavy breath and quickly left the incense shop.

As Wen Zhuojin distanced herself from the scent of the incense shop, her mind couldn’t help but recall the half-visible face she had seen earlier. It felt as though something had a tight grip on her heart, pulling her deeper into troubling thoughts.

That person, so fragile, like a delicate flower, yet left to suffer in such a place…

If only there were silver, if only her uncle were safe…

By the time she reached the Hou residence, she was finally able to suppress the increasingly intense thoughts.

She climbed over the wall to enter Qinfang Courtyard and heard a familiar voice—second young miss Wen Peishu had arrived.

Upon hearing about the troubles with Wen Zhuojin’s uncle, Wen Peishu had been thrilled. Though she hadn’t been certain of the situation at first, fearing it might be a temporary issue, and with the suppression from the madam of the Hou family, she had held back for a couple of days. But when she learned that Wen Zhuojin’s uncle was still being detained, she came to find Wen Zhuojin.

Usually so suppressed, this time she intended to make her presence known.

“Our sisters are meeting, when did it become your business, servants? Get out of my way!” Wen Peishu said rudely to the servants blocking her way, pushing forward without a care.

Nanny Jiang was stopped by Wen Peishu’s maids, while Qinggui was knocked aside. With great force, Zirong stepped forward to block the way, not letting them pass.

“You dare block my way?” Wen Peishu fumed, pointing at Zirong. She had never been afraid of Wen Zhuojin before, and now that Wen Zhuojin’s powerful backer had fallen, her maids were nothing in her eyes.

When the maidservants that Wen Peishu brought were about to act, the voice of Wen Zhuojin came from inside the room.

“Second sister is here. Why stop her? Let her in,” Wen Zhuojin said softly.

Zirong immediately stepped aside, and Nanny Jiang and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

Wen Peishu snorted, twisting her waist as she entered the inner room.

At this moment, Wen Zhuojin was only wearing an undergarment, her hair disheveled, looking somewhat disheveled and haggard.

Wen Peishu approached Wen Zhuojin and, seeing her face, her delighted expression became even more obvious, no longer bothering to hide it.

“Sister, what about the matter with Duke Changyuan? I heard that your family was raided. Tsk, they always say Duke Changyuan is upright, but who would have thought…” Wen Peishu said, her smile uncontrollable.

Wen Zhuojin sighed inwardly as she looked at Wen Peishu’s pretty face. She was a good girl, but why did she enjoy kicking someone when they were down? How hard must it have been to act so obedient in the past?

“Little sister, I have heard. My uncle was wronged. Father won’t let me go out, could you help me send a message to the Rongguo Duke’s manor? I would be forever grateful,” Wen Zhuojin said.

“What are you thinking? Are you still trying to drag Brother Yu down with you? Brother Yu never liked you. He said he wanted to break the engagement a long time ago, but because of your uncle’s face, he kept his promise and didn’t break it. Now this has happened, and you still want him to help you? Not gonna happen!” Wen Peishu gritted her teeth and said.

Wen Zhuojin wasn’t sure how much of what Wen Peishu said was true, and she didn’t care about Shen Yuque’s feelings either. But the way Wen Peishu spoke made Wen Zhuojin sense something.

“Brother Yu said that if the engagement with you were off, he would marry me. Every time he comes to the Hou residence, he brings me gifts. Your gifts are just an afterthought,” Wen Peishu said, her face flushed red as she couldn’t help but show off.

“My uncle has a good reputation in the Qingliu, and with the protection of the Prime Minister, he hasn’t been convicted yet. Besides, I’m the legitimate daughter of the Hou family, devout in my belief in the Heavenly Goddess. Heaven and Earth can bear witness. I have no fault. The son of the family and I have already had our birthdates matched at the Heavenly Xuan Temple, and we left a name card with the Heavenly Goddess. The incense I received while praying for blessings was also the auspicious incense. If the son of the family breaks the engagement now, it would be disrespectful to the Heavenly Goddess, and he would be criticized in Qingliu,” Wen Zhuojin said lightly, thinking about money, and suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck.

“What did you say?” Wen Peishu asked, not fully understanding Wen Zhuojin’s words, but she became worried when she heard that breaking the engagement with the heir would have bad consequences.

“I have a way, which would be good for everyone. I can bear the disrespect to the Heavenly Goddess and voluntarily break the engagement. This would preserve the reputation of the Rongguo Duke’s manor and prevent my uncle’s matters from affecting them. If you can raise the money to compensate me, I will voluntarily break the engagement and go to Heavenly Xuan Temple to apologize to the Heavenly Goddess,” Wen Zhuojin continued.

The Rongguo Duke’s manor was avoiding the matter, and the engagement cancellation was probably only a matter of time. It would be difficult for her uncle to recover, but Wen Peishu likely still didn’t fully understand. Since they were all so devoted to the Heavenly Goddess, and they happened to be short on money, it was a good opportunity to raise funds through her and the stepmother.

The Hou Madam was her uncle’s choice for a stepmother: beautiful, timid, and lacking in intelligence.

“Cousin has asked the Prime Minister to help uphold justice, so it will eventually be cleared up. But the weather is so cold, and the hardships the family is facing after the raid are hard to bear. I’m afraid that during this time, my uncle may suffer in the Ministry of Justice. I wanted to use some silver to bribe the officials… Never mind, if you’re not willing to be the proud daughter-in-law of the heir and instead show disrespect to the Heavenly Goddess, causing the heir to suffer too, and be criticized in Qingliu in the future, then let the heir break the engagement himself,” Wen Zhuojin said, seeing that Wen Peishu’s expression faltered, so she spoke again.

Wen Peishu didn’t understand how Wen Zhuojin was bringing the Heavenly Goddess into this, but the more she listened, the more it made sense.

In fact, the words Wen Zhuojin had said earlier were also just a bluff. Shen Yuque still cared about Wen Zhuojin.

If the Rongguo Duke’s manor insisted on not breaking the engagement, it was still possible.

“How much silver do you want?” Wen Peishu asked.

“Ten thousand taels of silver. You can discuss it with Madam,” Wen Zhuojin replied, looking at Wen Peishu.

The amount was based on Wen Zhuojin’s estimate of the Hou family’s potential wealth. It should be affordable if they were willing to part with it.

Wen Peishu, no longer in the mood to ridicule Wen Zhuojin, quickly turned and left, deep in thought.

Once Wen Peishu had left, Nanny Jiang and the others entered.

“Miss, how can you say such things? This marriage was arranged by the late Madam, and even the Heavenly Goddess approved of it, saying it was a match made in heaven. How can you disrespect the Heavenly Goddess?” Nanny Jiang said anxiously.

“Nanny, what’s more important, the engagement or my uncle? As long as my uncle is reinstated, what marriage could I not have? The Heavenly Goddess is magnanimous and will surely understand,” Wen Zhuojin said calmly.

She hadn’t expected that the engagement she wanted to cancel could be undone with such a reason. Not only would she not need to spend any money, but she might even make money from it.

Nanny Jiang wept, and several maidservants also felt sorry for Wen Zhuojin.

Wen Zhuojin, on the other hand, felt lighter in mood. She called for Qinggui, who was good at making incense, and continued making incense pills.

By evening, Wen Heming and the Hou Madam arrived.

“Ah Zhuo, have you decided to voluntarily break the engagement?” Wen Heming asked as soon as he saw Wen Zhuojin.

What Wen Zhuojin said had already been conveyed to Wen Heming.

Naturally, Wen Heming was aware of the situation outside. The Rongguo Duke’s manor had to protect itself, and with the matter escalating, it was likely that the engagement with Wen Zhuojin would not be preserved.

The reason the Rongguo Duke’s manor hadn’t broken the engagement yet was because they were still observing the situation.

The Hou family needed the engagement with the Rongguo Duke’s manor.

Thus, it wouldn’t be bad to switch daughters to fulfill the engagement, especially while Wen Zhuojin’s uncle hadn’t been sentenced yet.

Wen Zhuojin voluntarily taking on the responsibility of breaking the engagement would ease the concerns of the Rongguo Duke’s manor. Even if Wen Zhuojin’s uncle were later acquitted, they wouldn’t hold any grudges against him.

From Wen Heming’s perspective, Wen Zhuojin’s proposal wasn’t bad.

The ten thousand taels of silver given to Wen Zhuojin was mostly from the Hou Madam’s personal savings.

Moreover, when the time came, Wen Zhuojin would be married to someone beneficial to Wen Heming’s career, ultimately benefitting him.

Wen Heming’s mind was busy calculating all these aspects, but on the surface, he still maintained the demeanor of a loving father.

“Since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t stop you. If your uncle asks, it will all be my decision. Here is the letter of engagement cancellation that I’ve written, and the heir’s ceremonial letter is also here. On an auspicious day, I’ll go to the Heavenly Goddess Temple to apologize,” Wen Zhuojin said, trying to appear solemn as she handed the items to Wen Heming.

“Ah, good. Since you’ve made your decision, I won’t obstruct you. As for the silver, the family doesn’t have that much cash on hand, but here are five thousand taels. Additionally, there are the deeds to some properties and shops…” Wen Heming said as he received the items from Wen Zhuojin and glanced at the Hou Madam. The Hou Madam took out a box, looking pained as she handed it to Wen Zhuojin.

Wen Zhuojin noticed that the cash was not quite ten thousand taels, but five thousand was still quite a good sum.

After seeing off Wen Heming, Wen Zhuojin took a deep breath. Under the worried gazes of Nanny Jiang and the others, she took a hot bath and climbed into her warm bed to sleep.

Wen Zhuojin fell asleep quickly, but the things she had suppressed during the day resurfaced after she fell asleep.

That corner seemed to have been pressed down too hard, and once it was lifted, more was revealed.

The beauty she had seen during the day appeared in her dreams—her beautiful peach blossom eyes shimmering with a hint of melancholy.

Wen Zhuojin’s heart tightened, throbbing with a dull pain and a sense of restlessness.

No one called Wen Zhuojin awake, and at the hour of the tiger (early morning), she woke up on her own, a fine layer of sweat covering her forehead.

Covering her burning face, Wen Zhuojin looked dazed.

She… seemed to really be attracted to that woman.

It was simply because she had looked at her once.

And then thought about her, longed for her, even…

Before this, Wen Zhuojin had known that she did not like men, and preferred spending time with women. She knew that she was different from others.

But it was the first time that she had developed such strange feelings for a woman she had only met once.

All the maids who served her were beautiful, but Wen Zhuojin had never felt that way towards any of them.

Perhaps, like those wicked men, she was simply driven by lust?

Sitting still on the bed for a long while, Wen Zhuojin no longer felt sleepy, so she decided to get up.

Qinggui, who was on night duty, was surprised and helped Wen Zhuojin get dressed.

It was still early, so Wen Zhuojin went to the incense-making room to work on incense until the hour of the Dragon. After having breakfast, she changed into men’s clothing, took the silver, and quietly climbed over the wall once more.

Wen Zhuojin first went to find Wu Yuanheng and gave him the silver.

“This is the silver from the broken engagement. Since the Rongguo Gongfu refuses to help, that person will be cast off sooner or later. Today, my father will send an official matchmaker to Rongguo Gongfu to annul the engagement,” Wen Zhuojin explained to Wu Yuanheng.

“Ah Zhuo, you’ve gone through a lot. I will definitely find you a husband better than Shen Yuque!” Wu Yuanheng looked at Wen Zhuojin, unsure of what to say.

“Don’t say too much, the important thing now is to rescue my uncle,” Wen Zhuojin quickly replied.

Having finally gotten rid of one, she really didn’t want to deal with another.

After sending Wu Yuanheng off, it was still early, so Wen Zhuojin returned to the Marquis’s residence.

After the engagement was broken that day, the written agreement was returned. Shen Yuque and Wen Peishu exchanged their agreements, and they were officially engaged.

In the days to follow, the six traditional rites would be performed for their wedding.

Completely severing her connection with Shen Yuque made Wen Zhuojin feel like she had wiped off a stain, and she felt refreshed.

So when Wen Peishu came to flaunt her engagement, Wen Zhuojin was in a good mood.

“Little sister, there’s something I want to ask you, do you mind? The Young Master has body odor, it’s quite unpleasant. If you regret it, it’s not too late to back out,” Wen Zhuojin reminded Wen Peishu.

Wen Zhuojin had a sensitive nose; she could smell it from a normal distance, something that most people wouldn’t notice unless they got closer. It didn’t mean the smell didn’t exist, just that it wasn’t easily detectable by others unless they were closer and it was more intense.

“Wen Zhuojin, you’re just talking nonsense. You can’t have what I have, so now you’re saying bad things about it!” Wen Peishu sneered, clearly not taking kindly to Wen Zhuojin’s words, thinking she was just sour over losing out.

“If you don’t mind, then it’s fine,” Wen Zhuojin said, not wanting to argue further. She spoke kindly, with a calm demeanor.

“You’re just envious and jealous of me. It’s too late to regret now, hm!” Wen Peishu said through gritted teeth, not wanting to say more. She stormed off in anger.

Now that no one was disturbing her, Wen Zhuojin enjoyed the peace and continued making incense pills.

In the afternoon, Wen Zhuojin prepared her things, bringing the self-made incense pills and cakes, planning to sneak out again.

It was getting late, and Nanny Jiang was worried, so she had Zirong follow Wen Zhuojin.

With Zirong accompanying her, Wen Zhuojin had more incense to bring.

As the sky darkened, Wen Zhuojin hired a carriage and, with Zirong, set off for the Xiangxiang Pavilion.

She wasn’t sure if the silver she had given Wu Yuanheng was enough.

Even if it was, Wen Zhuojin still needed to make some money.

After all, her savings had been nearly emptied during this time.

On the way to the Xiangxiang Pavilion, Wen Zhuojin noticed that there were many officers and soldiers outside, as well as people wearing Imperial Guard uniforms.

The turmoil during this period didn’t faze Wen Zhuojin much. When she saw the officers and soldiers, she simply avoided the routes they were on.

When she arrived near the Xiangxiang Pavilion, she had the carriage stop in a discreet corner. Wen Zhuojin told Zhirong to wait in the carriage while she took a box of incense pills and entered the pavilion.

Zhirong never imagined that Wen Zhuojin would enter such a place. She nervously waited outside.

“Ah, sir, you’re here! I thought you wouldn’t come! Is the incense you mentioned still available?” As soon as Wen Zhuojin entered, the familiar Luan Niang came forward to greet her, lowering her voice to ask.

“Naturally, I brought some with me. Let’s talk in a private room,” Wen Zhuojin replied.

Luan Niang’s face brightened with a smile as she led Wen Zhuojin upstairs.

While the outside sky darkened, the Xiangxiang Pavilion was bustling with activity, and the smells were a complex mix.

As Wen Zhuojin climbed the stairs, she glanced at the tightly closed door.

“You don’t know, the last incense pill you left behind was noticed by one of our courtesans. If you can bring more of the same quality, she wants to buy it,” Luan Niang said with a smile.

Wen Zhuojin felt relieved hearing that someone was interested in buying the incense.

Each pill was worth a hundred taels, and since she had twenty pills in the box, it would bring in two thousand taels.

As Wen Zhuojin was led to a private room, Luan Niang quickly called for others, and in no time, all twenty pills were sold.

Wen Zhuojin went out again, delivering the silver and returning with another box of incense.

As she went upstairs, she glanced once more at the closed door.

The faint fragrance of the incense had almost disappeared among the increasingly overwhelming smells.

It was only noticeable when she was near, a delicate, almost imperceptible scent.

Wen Zhuojin felt as if she were looking at a transplanted flower, slowly withering away.

Just the thought made it hard for her to breathe.

Wen Zhuojin walked slowly. When she turned to head toward her previous private room, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Sir, what about the one from last time? If you give me this box of incense pills, I’ll send her to you,” Luan Niang’s voice came.

Luan Niang had been waiting for Wen Zhuojin, worried that she might not come, and noticed that Wen Zhuojin was heading toward the room she had been to earlier. Her thoughts shifted.

The person inside was indeed beautiful, but there were too many problems. Even the doctor specifically hired for her couldn’t do much.

“I only need silver,” Wen Zhuojin said in a low voice, continuing to walk forward.

Luan Niang saw this and quickly followed Wen Zhuojin.

“What about the half box of incense?” Luan Niang continued talking to Wen Zhuojin.

Wen Zhuojin’s hand holding the box trembled slightly.

People who had been waiting to buy the incense saw Wen Zhuojin pull someone into the private room.

Soon, only a few incense pills were left in the box.

The Xiangxiang Pavilion had many people, but few could afford the hundred-tael incense pills.

With only a few pills left, the customers had already left.

“How about these remaining pills? Consider it as buying a favor,” Luan Niang’s voice came again.

“What’s wrong with her? Sister, don’t lie to me. I’ll come back to sell incense here in the future,” Wen Zhuojin asked, sensing something was off. From the original price of two thousand taels to now continually dropping, anyone would have noticed.

“There’s no real problem. It’s just… well, let me be honest. She’s too fiery in temperament, doesn’t eat, and has fallen ill again. Hiring a doctor to treat her costs silver. The Xiangxiang Pavilion doesn’t do business at a loss. Sir, you’ve seen her. If that color of hers can continue at the Xiangxiang Pavilion, she could be the courtesan. If you don’t want her, in a few days, she might die from her illness. The bedding will be rolled up, and she’ll be thrown in an unmarked grave. It’s such a shame. If you’re interested, I can make it cheaper,” Luan Niang’s face stiffened for a moment before speaking.

“One incense pill,” Wen Zhuojin said just as Luan Niang thought she wasn’t interested.

“Alright, one incense pill!” Luan Niang immediately agreed.

Wen Zhuojin’s heart was heavy, unsure whether her decision was right or wrong.

But rescuing the person was something that had been weighing on her mind for the past few days.

If she didn’t act now, she feared she would regret it.

She had originally planned to wait for her uncle’s situation to settle and accumulate some silver before making a move, but things had progressed much faster than she expected.

Compared to the two thousand taels of silver that had been mentioned as the ransom, the cost of one incense pill was less than ten taels.

When her mother had selected her maidservants, she had been particular—she wanted them to be skilled, talented, and versatile.

So even the cheapest maidservants cost at least twenty taels of silver.

Luan Niang seemed to fear Wen Zhuojin might change her mind. She took the incense pills and immediately handed Wen Zhuojin a deed of sale.

Wen Zhuojin didn’t bother to examine the deed in detail, instead rushing to check on the person inside.

The door to the room was opened, and Wen Zhuojin immediately recognized the familiar cold fragrance, along with a faint smell of bl00d.

In the dim candlelight, behind the gauzy curtain, someone was lying, their form blurry, with long hair spread out, their breath faint and nearly imperceptible.

Wen Zhuojin lifted the curtain, revealing the person inside.

They had lost much weight since the last time Wen Zhuojin saw them. Their complexion had grown pale, and even the haze around their peach blossom eyes had diminished.

A wave of discomfort surged in Wen Zhuojin’s chest. She wanted to wrap the person in her cloak, but as she bent down, she felt something sharp press toward her. Instinctively, Wen Zhuojin raised her hand to block it.

Her palm was scratched by something sharp, and she quickly grabbed the thin, weak wrist.

The person was frail, but still struggling desperately, their teeth sinking into Wen Zhuojin’s hand.

“Don’t be afraid, sister. I mean you no harm. Let me take you away from here, please?” Wen Zhuojin said softly, her voice low and calming, trying to lower the other person’s guard while enduring the pain.