Upon hearing this, King Xiu stood up instantly, his narrow eyes wide with confusion on his face.
He Yunze also stiffened, feeling as if the Prince of Ning's words had struck him like a thunderbolt, leaving him scorched and battered.
That's impossible! This incense was developed by Ruo'an. Ruo'an never told him about it. She once sent this incense to Prince Ning!
Prince Ning could not possibly have smelled it!
But what Prince Ning said next caused an uproar: "Moreover, it wasn't just me who heard about it; all the scholars of the Huaijia School also appreciated it with me."
"Even all the literati who wrote poems just now will each receive two taels. This is because the so-called 'human world of plants and trees' is exactly the same as the wood that Pinxianglou sent a few days ago."
The incense in the incense burner continued to burn, and under the sunlight, it resembled steam rising from a pot, with wisps of smoke that transported one to a dreamlike state.
Ning Wang's words were like a pebble thrown into boiling water, causing an uproar in the entire room.
Everyone was shocked and confused, including Prince Ning himself, while He Yunce and Prince Xiu even stiffened.
Amidst the bustling crowd, only Song Xizhi sat quietly on the soft couch, gazing through the rising white smoke at He Yunce's bewildered face.
Song Xizhi was the only one in the room who wasn't surprised at all. She took a sip of tea and squinted her eyes contentedly.
Prince Xiu turned his head in disbelief, then said, "Impossible, Uncle, are you sure you didn't smell it wrong?"
"The world's rarest herbs and plants, some as rare as one tael, are all in my hands. How could this incense shop possibly give everyone two taels?"
The difference is just too big!
The things he once cherished and showed off are now commonplace outside, which is incredibly embarrassing!
Prince Ning shook his head: "I also want to know what happened, but my nephew, my nose doesn't lie. It seems that you have been deceived."
Prince Xiu's eyes narrowed, and he glanced sharply in He Yunce's direction, his eyes filled with boundless anger and accusation.
Feeling the look in Xiu Wang's eyes, He Yunce's heart started racing, and his mind went blank for a moment.
Impossible! He didn't believe it!
He hurriedly asked, "Is there some misunderstanding? Perhaps the wood traces that Pinxianglou is going to distribute to everyone are different from those of plants and trees in the human world, and also different from what His Highness Prince Ning has smelled?"
If the plants and trees of the world were truly just a trace of wood, then the news would have spread throughout the capital long ago, and it would even be outdated!
Because Pinxianglou wants to launch its signature Penglai Wonderland, and they might even give away wooden toys for free!
Prince Xiu was actually holding up outdated, free incense, claiming it was one in a million, absolutely unique, and he was so pleased with himself that he even wanted to give it to His Majesty!
Isn't this incredibly embarrassing?
He Yunze thought this was impossible, absolutely impossible!
How could Ruo'an's invention have spread throughout the capital?
How could something developed by Ruo'an possibly be appearing in this Fragrant Pavilion and being distributed for free?
Other scholars also felt that the wooden traces distributed free of charge by Pinxianglou could not possibly be the same as the "Plant and Tree World" launched by Xiuwang.
After all, the plants and trees of this world are so enchanting. Even after all the effort, Prince Xiu only managed to obtain one tael, which was meant to be given to His Majesty. How could Pinxianglou be so wealthy and powerful?
Prince Ning simply waved his hand: "In that case, let Pinxianglou take out the wooden talismans in advance, distribute them to everyone present, and then light them on the spot. That way, we can compare whether the two are the same."
A glimmer of hope ignited in He Yunce's eyes.
Song Xizhi sensed a glimmer of hope rekindled in He Yunce's despair, and simply leaned back on the soft couch. Then, he turned his head and nodded in the direction of Madam Xin.
Madam Xin was also extremely puzzled at this moment and dared not make a decision on her own.
She received Song Xizhi's answer with a pounding heart, as if she had found a pillar of support, and then subtly gestured with her eyes towards the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper then took out the wooden sticks he had prepared beforehand and distributed them to the literati who had composed poems on the spot. He then stepped forward, extinguished the incense burning in the incense burner, and relit the wooden sticks.
One breath, two breaths, three breaths.
The wooden trace had been burning for the time it takes to burn half an incense stick when everyone present closed their eyes, carefully appreciating and distinguishing the differences between the two.
The more they smelled it, the quieter the scene became, and the more unpleasant Xiu Wang's expression grew.
He Yunze smelled the familiar scent on the tip of his nose. This incense was exactly the same as the one Ruo'an had given him in his previous life. It was the only remaining one or two ounces of the Herbal World in the hands of the Prince Xiu.
He collapsed onto the couch in disbelief, cold sweat beading on his back, his heart pounding like a drum.
He Yunze's mind went blank, and countless guesses flashed through his mind in an instant, but in the end, they all boiled down to one sentence: "Impossible...impossible..."
As Prince Xiu smelled the incense, he deeply understood that this thing, which everyone could easily obtain and which the incense shop gave away for free, was his prized possession.
Everyone present looked at him with probing, curiosity, doubt, and pity, making him feel ashamed and fueling a burning anger within him.
How utterly shameful!
He made such a boast in front of an incense that was readily available, and even said that he would offer it as tribute to his father!
He thought he could impress everyone with his incense and leave a good reputation and impression, but at this moment he seemed to have never seen the world and became a joke.
Xiu Wang felt as if his brain was buzzing with pain.
He clenched his teeth, his face paling. Prince Ning glanced at him and said indifferently, "Actually, it's nothing. It's indeed a good thing to be able to appreciate the beauty of nature with everyone."
"The incense that my nephew found is indeed a sign of filial piety, and it is indeed of good quality. Even I was amazed when I first saw it, but it cannot be called a unique item."
"As long as your intentions are sincere, I'm sure your brother will appreciate your filial piety. You were simply deceived by the so-called incense maker. That craftsman had ulterior motives, made exaggerated claims, and that's how this misunderstanding happened."
"It wasn't your fault, it's just that you trusted others too easily."
Upon hearing this, the others chimed in, "Yes! It's all that craftsman's fault; he lied to people for no reason!"
"I have no idea where he got that incense, and he only gave me an ounce!"
The reassurance from his own royal uncle eased the Prince Xiu's expression considerably, but as if pondering the meaning behind the Prince Ning's words, his anger grew even stronger.
The Imperial Uncle is right. This incense is indeed exquisite, and it can open everyone's eyes to a whole new world. His aesthetic sense is also impeccable.
No matter what, it's all He Yunce's fault!
He said it was a unique item and only gave him an ounce, making him think it was incredibly precious. So he carefully preserved it, but who would have thought it was so readily available in the Fragrant Pavilion, which led to this ridiculous situation!
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