Chapter 21 Strange Fragrance
The side hall was silent. Sitting on a mahogany lacquered armchair, Yun Wan's mind was in turmoil.
A quarter of an hour ago, the Imperial Chamberlain, Eunuch Jiang, suddenly stopped her on his way back and brought her here.
He didn't say it explicitly, but Yun Wan knew who ordered this.
Jiang Fusheng was an imperial eunuch, so he was naturally following the orders of Emperor Jingxuan.
The fragrant beasts in the hall exhaled smoke rings like clouds and fog, which gradually dissipated until there was no trace, leaving only a faint fragrance.
Cedar, frankincense, magnolia, perilla...
Yun Wan silently identified the spices used in it. They clearly had the effect of calming the mind and soothing the nerves, but she couldn't calm down at all.
What does Your Majesty mean?
Why did he summon me alone?
Could it be that she sold Yunyinxiang under the name of "Name bestowed by the Emperor" which caused his dissatisfaction?
Or had she behaved inappropriately in the palace today? For example, arguing with a court official at a critical moment, thus violating a royal taboo?
Or was it that Ah Sui's performance today was too good, displeasing His Majesty? Did he think he had stolen the limelight from the two princes?
Or is it that His Majesty is still remembering the last time Asui almost hit him while playing football?
Could it be that he noticed something?
Yun Wan's expression froze for a moment, then relaxed.
No, if that were the case, she would never be the only one called.
........
Yun Wan was thinking about all sorts of things without any clear purpose, and was carefully considering all the possibilities.
She was so immersed in her own thoughts that she didn't even notice when there was another person in the hall.
The ink-black court boots stepped silently on the smooth jade floor, and the gold-thread embroidered cloud and dragon pattern piping set off the gorgeous and hidden edge as he walked.
Since entering the palace, there has been a hint of gray in Emperor Jingxuan's eyes.
The woman sat upright in an armchair, her back slightly straight, her body graceful and elegant, her whole body exuding a tranquil and elegant temperament.
Her hair was like clouds, and she was wearing a blue-grey dress with dark patterns. These colors should have been the most inconspicuous, but on her they became a beauty that could not be ignored.
Her eyes were fixed on a certain place in front of her, focused and long, as if she was lost in deep thought. Even the deliberate sound of footsteps did not disturb her.
Seeing her frown and unpredictable expression, and the hands hanging on her legs constantly twisting the handkerchief as if she was going to tear it into pieces, Emperor Jingxuan frowned.
Jiang Fusheng, who was following behind his master, twitched his mouth and felt ashamed.
As expected of mother and son, they both have such big and scary hearts.
He covered his lips and coughed heavily. Jiang Fusheng was satisfied only when he saw that the other party was frightened like a frightened bird.
Right, that's more like it.
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted. Yun Wan turned his head sharply and was stunned when he saw Emperor Jingxuan. "Your Majesty?"
Realizing her behavior was inappropriate, Yun Wan quickly stood up and knelt, saying, "Your Majesty, may your Majesty be well and safe."
She lowered her head and stared at the ground, her collar slightly open, revealing a touch of delicate white skin and part of the back of her neck. Her demeanor was filled with a natural beauty and elegance that made it impossible to look away.
Until the person in front of him spoke, Yun Wan remained in his posture and did not dare to stand up.
Suddenly, he saw a pair of large and luxurious boots. Yun Wan held his breath and lowered his head half an inch.
"What was Madam Lu thinking about when I came in?"
The owner of the boots spoke, his tone calm and casual.
Yun Wan secretly complained that the people in the palace were incompetent. Why didn’t they inform them that the master was coming?
She didn't dare to relax and replied seriously, "I was just thinking about what spices are used in the incense burning in this hall."
This is Yun Wan's daily habit. When she first started learning to make perfume, she identified the spices and placed them in places where they could be seen. Whenever she saw them or smelled them while passing by, she would think carefully about them, thus deepening her memory.
Including when sitting and chatting with others on weekdays, Yun Wan would deliberately guess what kind of fragrance the other person was wearing that day, and what spices were used in it, even down to the exact amount.
"Has the lady figured it out?" Emperor Jingxuan asked indifferently, his voice as mellow as drumbeats.
He stood with his hands behind his back, his jaw slightly lowered when he heard her words, his lacquer-like eyes fixed on the white spot on the back of her neck.
It is so fragile that it seems to break if held tightly.
There was a slight chill on her spine, and occasionally a burning sensation. Yun Wan raised her head, trying to get rid of the strange feeling at that moment. Three or two jade hairpins in her hair swayed, gently tapping her fair earlobes.
Being so close, she could even smell the ambergris that only emperors in the world could use, mixed with the mature scent of a middle-aged man, rich and hot.
"Your Majesty, I can probably give you a few words."
Yun Wan listed a series of spice names without any hesitation.
A flash of surprise passed through his mind, but Emperor Jingxuan didn't think she had the ability to fool him.
His phoenix eyes slightly raised, he smiled casually: "Madam is indeed gifted. Not only is she quite talented in making incense, but she also has a talent for business. No wonder she was able to turn the shop around in a short period of time and make a fortune every day."
This doesn't sound right. It doesn't sound like boasting, nor does it sound like sarcasm.
Unsure of what he meant, Yun Wan bit her lower lip and asked tentatively, "Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty?"
“..........”
Jiang Fusheng standing aside was speechless.
If you want to thank someone, just say thank you. What does it mean to say it with an uncertain tone?
Emperor Jingxuan stared at her silently for two moments, then walked past Yun Wan.
The boots in front of him disappeared, along with the domineering and deep scent of ambergris, and Yun Wan breathed a sigh of relief.
When her legs were about to go numb, she heard a voice like the sound of nature:
"Mrs. Lu, why don't you get up quickly?"
Jiang Fusheng looked at the slow-witted beautiful woman in front of him and sighed in his heart.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
She lifted her skirt and stood up, adjusting the hem of her skirt.
She raised her eyes and quickly glanced at Emperor Jingxuan sitting on the armchair with a big horse and a golden sword, and chose to stand.
Jiang Fusheng poured tea for him. The sound of water could be heard in the quiet hall, followed by the aroma of tea.
The warm sunlight shone through the gaps in the carved window lattices and hit Yun Wan right on top, instantly adding a touch of warmth to her blue-grey clothes.
Yun Wan closed her eyes slightly, her thick eyelashes trembling slightly. She subconsciously raised her sleeves to cover them, but forgot that she could move.
A faint chuckle was heard in the air, and Yun Wan's ears felt slightly hot. She silently put down her hand.
Seeing that half an hour had passed and the topic had not yet been discussed, she felt anxious.
After hesitating for a while, Yun Wan simply spoke, "I wonder why Your Majesty summoned me?"
Emperor Jingxuan leaned back, supporting his chin with one hand, and looked at her. His eyes were deep and tinged with a faint smile: "What do you think, Madam Lu?"
Yun Wan frowned, thought for a moment, then shook her head honestly: "I don't know."
Emperor Jingxuan hid the last trace of emotion in his eyes and stopped beating around the bush. "I heard that Madam Lu's Yunxiang Pavilion has a wide variety of popular incense products. Are they all made by Madam Lu? Today, Yunyin Incense has become a popular incense in the capital. It sold out immediately. Madam, you made a fortune?"
Is it really because of Yunyinxiang?
Yun Wan suddenly felt like the dust had settled. She took a deep breath and said, "Thanks to your majesty's grace, I was given the imperial name 'Yunyin'. People flock to me because of my reputation, and this has brought me considerable benefits. All of this is thanks to your majesty's grace."
Her tone was sincere and full of true feelings. After she finished speaking, she looked up at Emperor Jingxuan with deep gratitude.
His words were full of gratitude to Emperor Jingxuan.
This flattery was so low-class that it was even worse than that of the lowest-ranking eunuch in the palace. Emperor Jingxuan turned his eyes away.
Yun Wan's expression was slightly stunned, and his heart sank.
Is Your Majesty dissatisfied?
Is it because of lack of sincerity?
"If Your Majesty feels that this is inappropriate, I will no longer sell Yunyinxiang from now on?" Yun Wan lowered her eyebrows and asked softly.
Emperor Jingxuan glanced sideways, and said with a half-smile, "Madam, are you planning to do business at a loss?"
Unconsciously twisting the handkerchief between her fingers, Yun Wan bit her lip and said, "Of course I don't want to..."
"If your Majesty doesn't mind, I can offer you 50% of the profits."
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