Chapter 98: The Hallucinogenic Incense

“You’re already this sick, and you still have the energy to worry about what others are doing!”

Su Mingyou sat on the edge of the bed wiping away tears, anxious and distressed as she urged him, “Stop looking, come back and lie down. You haven’t taken your morning medicine yet…”

As she nagged behind him, Zhao Qian blurted out, “Why are you being so talkative lately?”

Su Mingyou froze.

Zhao Qian was also startled by his own words. He quickly turned around and said, “I didn’t mean it like that.”

He explained, putting on a pitiful and sorrowful expression as he said to her, “I’m just feeling so dizzy and muddled from being sick. I was in a bad mood, so I said that without thinking… Mingyou, you won’t blame me, will you?”

Su Mingyou shook her head in silence.

Zhao Qian felt a bit more relaxed.

He carefully studied Su Mingyou’s expression and noticed her exhaustion. Fearing that others would discover his identity as a man, Su Mingyou had to take care of him personally. She had barely closed her eyes all night, and combined with the swelling from her pregnancy, she looked as if she had aged ten years. Not a trace of her former graceful charm remained.

At the thought that he not only had to complete the mission Pei Xiao gave him but also had to waste his energy dealing with this old woman, Zhao Qian couldn’t help but feel a surge of annoyance.

Su Mingyou caught the flash of irritation in his eyes. Her brow furrowed, her hands clenched into fists, and her heart sank in panic.

With Zhao Qian’s illness, she fully realized one thing: she couldn’t go on living like this!

She was a person of standing—originally a daughter of a noble house, and later the exalted Crown Princess. Although things weren’t as they used to be, she still had her education and her upbringing. Why was she degrading herself like this, doing such low and scheming things? She had driven a wedge between Bao Ning and Pei Yuan, and she had curried favor with Pei Xiao, but what had she gained in the end? In her current state, she didn’t look like a daughter of the Su family at all; instead, she looked like a puppet blinded by greed! She was truly sick of this life and loathed the person she had become.

However, looking at Zhao Qian’s young and handsome face, Su Mingyou still couldn’t let go.

She suppressed her frustration, thought for a long time, and suddenly called out to him: “Zhao Qian.”

Zhao Qian looked up.

Su Mingyou asked, “Are you willing to elope with me?”

Zhao Qian was stunned. At first, he didn’t realize what she was saying, but then he started to laugh. He stared into Su Mingyou’s eyes, thinking this woman was truly as stupid as they come.

“Elope?” Zhao Qian asked with a light laugh. “How much money do you have?”

Su Mingyou lowered her head and seriously calculated in her mind before answering, “Including the jewelry Bao Ning gave me, and if I sell Xi’er, plus some other bits and pieces, it’s about a hundred and fifty taels.”

Fearing Zhao Qian would think it was too little, she said urgently, “We can go to a small county and use this money to start a small business. We can live a good life, and we won’t have to scheme or carry such heavy burdens on our hearts. You, me, and the child—we can live like human beings for a few days. Wouldn’t that be good?”

Good, my foot, Zhao Qian thought, too lazy to even respond.

A hundred and fifty taels wasn’t even enough for him to eat for two days. What kind of nonsense had gotten into this woman’s head for her to say such a thing?

Zhao Qian put on his outer robe and said, “I’m going out for a moment.”

Su Mingyou asked nervously, “Where are you going?”

Walking out, Zhao Qian replied flatly, “To the latrine.”

Su Mingyou believed him.

She watched as Zhao Qian’s back disappeared, then turned to pack her things. She still harbored fantasies—if she persistently tried to persuade him, Zhao Qian might eventually understand and agree to her request. She packed her belongings first, so that when he returned, they could leave together in secret.

Zhao Qian didn’t go to the latrine. He went to the front courtyard and watched the coachman feed the horses and put on the bridles; it seemed they were about to set off.

Zhao Qian paced around anxiously. Finally, he gritted his teeth, found a length of rope, and crawled under the carriage while the coachman wasn’t looking. Hooking his feet onto the crossbars of the carriage floor, he tied himself securely to the underside.

He knew he had already aroused suspicion. If this continued, he would be kicked out by Bao Ning before he could gather any useful information. Zhao Qian didn’t know how he had failed so miserably. Everyone in this manor was like a piece of dead wood—especially that Chen Jia…

Zhao Qian thought that since they were leaving so hurriedly so early in the morning, they must have important business to attend to. He would follow them secretly to see where they were going and what they would say inside the carriage.

He had learned some martial arts and was in decent physical shape. Although hiding under the carriage would be a grueling journey, it wasn’t impossible. Besides, this was likely his last chance, so he had to give it his all!

On the road, Pei Yuan told Bao Ning the whole story. Ji Xiangzhen’s current hysterics were largely thanks to Xue Fu from the Qingluo Pavilion.

Pei Yuan said, “I arranged for the madam of the Qingluo Pavilion to raise Xue Fu’s profile while simultaneously persuading her to go to the Jia household to demand her place. She was initially unwilling, thinking it was too risky. But the madam kept coaxing her, and as her belly grew larger and Jia Ling still showed no sign of redeeming her, Xue Fu grew desperate. About three days ago, she knelt at the Jia gate for half a day with her pregnant belly, and was finally welcomed in by the Old Madam Jia. Xue Fu demanded to be received with the rites of a secondary wife, or else she and the child would die at the gate. Fearing she would actually go through with it, Old Madam Jia reluctantly agreed and gave her a bridal sedan.”

Bao Ning felt for Ji Xiangzhen: “For a legitimate wife, that truly is a massive insult.”

“Old Madam Jia’s attitude is likely the reason your eldest sister finally gave up hope.” Pei Yuan patted the back of Bao Ning’s hand. “Everyone has their own thoughts. So-called ‘scheming’ is merely building a bridge; whether a person is willing to cross it is up to them.”

Bao Ning said, “This might be a good thing for Eldest Sister.”

“In the imperial examinations in early March, a scholar named Wu came out as the third-ranked candidate ( Tan-hua ). He is well-mannered, has good character, and has no wife or concubines. He’s been appointed to a fourth-rank position and has a bright future ahead.” Pei Yuan looked at Bao Ning. “If everything succeeds, we can ask the Emperor to grant a marriage.”

Bao Ning asked, “How old is that Wu Tan-hua?”

Pei Yuan said, “Around twenty-three or twenty-four. A talented young man—quite rare.”

Bao Ning clicked her tongue. “Still unmarried at twenty-three or twenty-four? I hope he doesn’t have some sort of secret ailment.”

“…He was poor and focused on his studies, so he couldn’t afford a wife. Why do you have to worry about everything!” Pei Yuan narrowed his eyes. “And how do you even know about ‘secret ailments’? Who taught you that?”

Bao Ning said, “Does that even need to be taught? I figured it out myself.”

The look in Pei Yuan’s eyes gradually changed. He gave a long, “Oh—” and said, “Since you’re so smart, I don’t need to worry about you being too young to raise children. What a pity—I had every intention of pampering you for another two years. In that case, let’s give it a try tonight. I’ll teach you personally, so you can see the difference between a man with an ailment and one without. That way you won’t have to imagine things and get the wrong idea.”

Bao Ning’s eyes widened in shock, her cheeks flushing a deep red. “I’m talking to you about serious business; why do your thoughts always wander to such things!”

“That’s because you don’t understand men.” Pei Yuan leaned in close to Bao Ning with an ambiguous smile and pinched her waist. “Call me ‘Good Big Brother,’ and I’ll teach you how to understand a bit more.”

Since the journey was still long, there was time for other things.

At the side gate of the Marquis of Chongyuan’s estate, Ji Xiangzhen had already sent people to wait.

Bao Ning’s legs were still weak when she got off the carriage. She nervously adjusted her clothes, fearing someone would notice something amiss. She looked back at Pei Yuan; he had a solemn and serious expression, as if nothing had happened.

Chen Jia hadn’t come today; Pei Yuan was disguised as Bao Ning’s guard. It wasn’t convenient for him to enter the Marquis’s estate in his true identity, so he had no choice. Bao Ning had applied some makeup to him to soften the sharp angles of his face and darken his skin tone. People who weren’t very familiar with him wouldn’t recognize him. But Pei Yuan had a unique aura—just by standing there, he didn’t seem ordinary. The little maid leading the way stole a few extra glances at him.

Pei Yuan kept his gaze straight ahead.

Walking behind Bao Ning, he stared at her slender waist and the curves below, secretly rubbing his fingers together with lingering desire.

He wasn’t a lustful man, but whenever he faced Bao Ning, his mind always filled with erotic thoughts.

After walking for less than fifteen minutes, they reached Ji Xiangzhen’s courtyard in the inner quarters. Hearing she had arrived, Ji Xiangzhen hurriedly came out from the inner chamber. She wasn’t in good spirits; her eyes were red and swollen like walnuts. Upon seeing Bao Ning, she threw her arms around her, buried her face in Bao Ning’s shoulder, and began to sob. “My dear sister, Eldest Sister can only rely on you now.”

Bao Ning patted her back comfortingly. After a while, Ji Xiangzhen regained her composure. She led Bao Ning to the door and pointed to a set of rooms to the west, crying out, “Look, Jia Ling has truly settled that woman in. He treats her like a precious treasure. A prostitute! She came to pay her respects to me this morning—I felt so humiliated! I can’t go on like this!”

Bao Ning looked at Pei Yuan. He gestured with his eyes for them to talk inside. Bao Ning led Ji Xiangzhen into the room. Realizing she had lost her composure, Ji Xiangzhen smiled apologetically, wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, and dismissed the servants.

“Bao Ning, I understood everything you said that day at Ruyi Pavilion. After I came home, I thought it through.” Ji Xiangzhen grabbed Bao Ning’s hand, her gaze earnest. “Jia Ling still trusts me to some extent. He doesn’t hide everything when he discusses business, so I know a bit. Besides, he talks in his sleep after getting drunk. I’ve tested him with a few questions, and he answered them… I know what he’s planning now!”

Tears welled up in Ji Xiangzhen’s eyes again. She shook her head and said, “He’s so foolish. How could he be so muddled as to do such a thing? I felt my heart jumping at the time. I wanted to write to you, but I couldn’t bring myself to actually frame him. If he hadn’t blocked my path, if he hadn’t brought Xue Fu home, I probably still wouldn’t have been able to make up my mind. He is the one who pushed me step by step!”

Bao Ning stroked the back of her hand and comforted her softly, “Eldest Sister, don’t panic. You are doing the right thing. Whether it’s for yourself or for the Duke’s Mansion, what you’re doing is right. In fact, you are even saving the Marquis of Chongyuan’s estate.”

Ji Xiangzhen nodded and let out a breath. “It’s getting late; let’s talk about serious business.”

She looked at Pei Yuan. “The Emperor is departing for the summer palace in four days. After the morning court today, the Emperor met with Jia Ling privately to finalize the arrangements for the carriages and horses. The Fourth Prince should have received the news already.”

Pei Yuan said, “Yes.”

Ji Xiangzhen continued, “Jia Ling’s connection with the Crown Prince is extremely secretive. The Emperor is suspicious, and every move of the Crown Prince is under his eye, so they are very cautious. Between the Marquis’s estate and the Crown Prince’s palace, there is a servant whose sole job is to deliver messages. If Jia Ling hadn’t accidentally let it slip while drunk one day, I wouldn’t have discovered it. That servant is the one who drives the manure cart. Every day at the hour of the Monkey ( 3 PM to 5 PM ), he comes here to collect the kitchen waste, and then goes to the Crown Prince’s palace to collect the waste there. In this way, messages can be passed without anyone knowing.”

Bao Ning glanced at the sky outside. It was just past noon. “The message for today hasn’t been sent yet.”

Ji Xiangzhen nodded. “Correct. He has been in his study since he returned from the palace. He’s likely working on this, as he needs to send a secret report to the Crown Prince. Before the hour of the Monkey, there is still a chance to change the report.”

Bao Ning asked, “How do we change it? Do you have a plan, Eldest Sister?”

“We can’t let him stay in the study; we need to lure him back. I’m familiar with the guards at the study and used to enter it often; they won’t stop me. As long as Jia Ling isn’t there, I’ll have a chance. However,” Ji Xiangzhen frowned, “if Jia Ling leaves, I won’t be able to get away, and I can’t be sure when he might return. If I’m caught in the act…”

Pei Yuan suddenly spoke up: “You can use hallucinogenic incense.”

He pulled a porcelain vial from his sleeve; it was only as tall as a little finger and very slender. “The incense in here is enough to make someone sleep for four hours, but you shouldn’t use that much. If he sleeps that long for no reason, Jia Ling will definitely be suspicious. Just use half on a handkerchief and let him inhale it. It will take effect very quickly.”

Bao Ning looked at Pei Yuan in surprise. He had planned this all along, and his preparations were so thorough.

Ji Xiangzhen took it, her fingers tightening around the vial. “Good. I’ll send someone to call him back right now.”

She stood up, but before she could take a step, she heard Jia Ling’s voice from outside, along with the greetings of the maids.

He had actually come back on his own!

Ji Xiangzhen panicked, and Bao Ning’s heart skipped a beat. She was afraid Jia Ling would recognize Pei Yuan, but there was no time to leave now. Pei Yuan grabbed her wrist, looked around, and spotted a wardrobe. He swiftly dragged Bao Ning inside and pressed his index finger to her lips. “Don’t speak.”

At that moment, Jia Ling stepped into the room, looking at Ji Xiangzhen with a smile. “I heard Fifth Sister is here? I haven’t met her yet, so I had some gifts prepared to come and pay my respects—just a small gesture of hospitality.”

Jia Ling still respected and loved his wife of the first rank. No matter what, he didn’t want to lose this proper and gentle wife. Jia Ling knew full well the importance of a good wife to a man. He didn’t want to give up the “birds and flowers” outside, but he also didn’t want Ji Xiangzhen to leave him. Therefore, he was willing to lower his status and do things to make her happy, like right now.

Jia Ling looked around the room. “Why are you the only one here? Where is Fifth Sister?”

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