The mere act of taking out the "Plants and Trees of the Human World" pot, before even lighting it, had already stirred up the entire audience of literati and scholars.

Many people were inspired to write poetry, stood up, and recited their innermost thoughts and feelings with unparalleled fluency, expressing their profound shock.

Sensing the reactions of the crowd, He Yunze could no longer suppress the upward curve of his lips, and his hands, which were resting on his knees, clenched tightly.

Someone at the table asked, "Your Highness, does this incense have a calming and soothing effect? ​​Just one sniff makes one feel refreshed and incredibly comfortable."

Prince Xiu nodded happily: "You guessed right. This incense has a calming effect, can soothe emotions, and is beneficial to the body. This is why it is one in a million and extremely precious, and it is also why I wanted to give it to my father."

Upon hearing Xiu Wang's explanation, everyone present was even more amazed. They sniffed hard, wishing they could fill their nasal cavities with this rare treat.

No wonder it was so difficult for Prince Xiu to find such a rare incense; it all stemmed from his unwavering devotion to His Majesty!

The so-called calming incense and benzoin of the past only had nice-sounding names, but their strong fragrances did not have such rapid and miraculous effects!

Feeling the praise and flattery from everyone, Prince Xiu turned his expectant gaze to Prince Ning, who remained silent.

He eagerly awaited the Prince of Ning's reply: "Young Imperial Uncle, you are an expert in the art of incense. Do you think this incense is one in a million?"

As he spoke, he looked in Liang Cunning's direction with some doubt: "This poetry gathering is organized by the Huaijia School, so why are the scholars, who are usually full of poetic inspiration, so silent today?"

"Is this fragrance unappealing to your eyes?"

Liang Cunning smelled a faintly familiar incense at the tip of his nose; the scent was exactly the same as the "Wood Trace" he had tasted before.

But that's impossible. "Mu Zong" is an incense developed by Pinxianglou, and everyone can even get two ounces. But this "Cao Mu Ren Jian" Xiu Wang said that there is only one ounce in the world, which he obtained with great effort. How could they be the same?

Liang Cunning was a complete novice when it came to incense. He thought his nose might be malfunctioning, and he was utterly confused.

Just as he was about to get up to reply, Prince Ning touched his nose and said to Prince Xiu, "I find this incense wonderful, but its mystery puzzles me. I am not sure how to solve it. Why don't you light this incense first and let me savor it?"

Upon hearing this, Prince Xiu smiled and said, "There is indeed an incense in the world that even the Imperial Uncle cannot decipher. It seems that this incense truly lives up to its name."

"Guards, take out a small amount of herbs and plants from the mortal realm and place them in the incense burner for everyone to appreciate and enjoy!"

"In fact, without lighting this incense, it is impossible to fully appreciate its subtleties. Only after lighting it can one discover that this incense has three scents: top, middle, and base, corresponding to three different scenes in the forest..."

"Of course, I cannot say too much. You will have to judge for yourselves for the details."

Upon hearing what Prince Xiu said, Liang Cunning and the other scholars in the school became even more confused.

How come the three scenes and the medicinal properties are so similar to the old wooden trace?

But if this wood is truly a plant in the human world, surely Prince Xiu would never say in front of everyone that he would offer one ounce of this unique incense to His Majesty?

After all, even an ordinary scholar could earn two ounces of wood by casually composing a sentimental poem!

Thinking about this, Liang Cunning felt that it might smell similar, but once lit, the difference would become apparent.

Prince Ning, however, kept his eyes deep, his hand resting on the armrest against his chin, his expression showing a hint of interest.

Seeing the manager of Pinxianglou personally step forward, take the incense from the Xiuwang wooden box with both hands, and place it in the incense burner with utmost solemnity.

Her every move was quite elegant.

Sunlight streamed through the various carved windows, and wisps of smoke rose gradually from the incense burner.

As the smoke rose, He Yunce's surging emotions reached their peak.

Once the incense has won everyone's praise and is presented to the emperor by Prince Xiu, Prince Xiu will reveal Ruo'an's name, and all misunderstandings about Ruo'an will be dispelled.

Sure enough, once they smelled the incense, everyone was captivated by it, and poets flocked to the area in droves.

"A rare sight indeed, truly a rare sight indeed! How did this craftsman manage to make such a heavy incense so light and airy?!"

"This woody incense truly makes you feel as if you are in a forest; I can even smell the fragrance of the morning dew evaporating under the first rays of the sun."

Everyone was praising the incense. He Yunze, standing among them, observed the joyful expression on the Prince of Xiu's face. He felt his heart slowly rise, as if all the glory of his past life was beckoning to him.

No one noticed that Prince Ning's eyes were growing increasingly dark, and all the scholars of the Huaijia School began to whisper among themselves.

Their puzzled and bewildered gazes turned to Prince Ning one after another, and even Liang Cunning looked at Prince Ning on the main seat, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

Then everyone heard Prince Ning's clear voice ring out in the empty incense pavilion, breaking all the noise: "The top notes of this herbaceous earth are agarwood, cedarwood, and patchouli?"

"The middle notes are musk, amber, and kalanchoe?"

"The base notes are mugwort, white-tailed cudweed, and borneol?"

"This corresponds to the three seasons of summer, autumn, and winter in the forest, and also signifies a change in perspective, from looking down at the vast treetops, to being surrounded by the vegetation in the forest, and finally looking up at everything on earth, integrating people with nature and having a calming and soothing effect on emotions."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!