Chapter 4: Faint Fragrance Drifting

Three quarters past the chou hour.

In the dead of the latter half of the night, white banners fluttering in the bitter wind and cold rain rustled softly.

The inner residence of the Prince’s Estate was still brightly lit.

Third Master Du braved the rain and arrived at Mianze Pavilion in the inner residence. As soon as he entered, he saw his older brother, Second Master Du, sitting in the main seat with a sullen expression, while Steward Hou stood bent over to the side.

‘Big Brother just passed away, and you couldn’t wait to take the main seat. Someone who didn’t know better would think you were the Prince of Lanyang!’

After secretly complaining to himself, Third Master Du honestly sat down in the seat below. “Second Brother, where is Mother?”

“She’s asleep.”

“Did you find Madam Lin?”

“You’re asking me?” Second Master Du glared at Third Master Du and scolded, “The alley west of the estate was guarded by your men. Are you sure you didn’t see Madam Lin? Third Son, this matter is crucial. If you are hiding her, hand her over quickly, lest you ruin the important affairs of our family!”

“Second Brother! What kind of person do you take me for!”

“Do you think I don’t know what you’re thinking?”

That single sentence from Second Master Du silenced Third Master Du.

Years ago, when Madam Lin married into Prince Lanyangs Estate, Third Master Du was stunned by her beauty and had, on several occasions while drunk, spoken inappropriately about coveting her. Now, he was truly in a difficult spot.

Second Brother Du and Third Son are the younger full brothers of Du Jue, the current Prince of Lanyang.

More than forty years ago, the First Generation Prince of Lanyang followed the current Emperor in an uprising, overthrew the previous dynasty, established the Great Wu nation, and was granted the title Prince of Lanyang, one of the six non-imperial princes, due to his accumulated merits.

After the First Generation Prince of Lanyang passed away, his son inherited the title as the Second Generation Prince of Lanyang—the father of the three Du brothers. However, Du Jue was the legitimate son born to the Princess Consort, while the birth mother of Second Master Du and Third Master Du was the secondary consort, Madam Wu.

In the 26th year of legitimacy, the Second Generation Prince of Lanyang and his wife passed away sequentially in the same year, leaving behind their legitimate son, Du Jue, who was only five years old and was raised by the secondary consort, Madam Wu.

Madam Wu loved Du Jue even more than her biological sons, Second Brother Du and Third Son.

After Du Jue came of age, he inherited the title as the Third Generation Prince of Lanyang. Madam Wu chose Madam Lin as his wife. Second Master Du and Third Master Du moved out to separate residences. Because Madam Wu shared a deep affection with Du Jue, he kept her in the Prince’s Estate and honored her as his legitimate mother.

While Du Jue was alive, he always addressed Madam Wu as ‘Mother,’ and she single-handedly controlled all administrative and financial authority within the Prince’s Estate.

For many years, their motherly kindness and filial piety were widely celebrated.

Anyone in the entire Lanyang Prefecture who mentioned Madam Wu would praise her as ‘Greatly Virtuous’!

Meanwhile, Third Master Du, questioned by his Second Brother, was eager to clear his name. “Both ends of the alley west of the estate are blocked by my men. Madam Lin absolutely could not have escaped, unless she fled into the Prefecture Yamen! Since Second Brother doesn’t believe me, let’s take men and search the Yamen right now!”

Having said this, he actually got up and started to walk out.

“Stop!” Second Master Du said angrily. “Searching the Yamen in the middle of the night? Are you trying to rebel?”

“…” Third Master Du stopped, but still retorted unconvincedly, “Then what do you suggest we do?”

“Wait until dawn tomorrow. I will go find Li Fengrao and ask him to conduct a self-inspection of the Yamen.”

“What if she still isn’t found?”

“As long as you haven’t hidden her, I will find her even if I have to search the entire Lanyang Prefecture!”

“Second Brother! I really didn’t hide her! How could I not know the seriousness of this matter? When she married into the Prince’s Estate back then, her dowry alone included a hundred shop fronts, a thousand acres of fertile land, and a forty percent share of the profits from the Lin Family Silver Shop! If she doesn’t die, these things cannot truly be considered the property of our Prince’s Estate. Why would I risk everything for a woman…”

“Enough! Keep your voice down. You don’t need to shout it out for the whole world to know!”

‘Bang bang~’

“Fourth watch of the chou hour, the weather is freezing cold~”

The long, drawn-out cry of the night watchman drifted in the distance.

Lin Hansu wrapped herself in one of Ding Suian’s old robes, huddled on the hard chair, shivering from the cold.

A few feet away, Ding Suian was covered by a thick cotton quilt, sleeping soundly and contentedly!

It wasn’t that Young Master Ding didn’t know how to cherish beauty; before sleeping, he had invited Lin Hansu to squeeze in. Body heat is like milk—if you squeeze, you get some.

But since she refused, what could he do?

A moment later, the penetrating coldness and the clammy stickiness of her wet clothes made Lin Hansu unable to bear it any longer. She glanced around the cramped little room—just over a zhang wide and less than two zhang long—with nowhere to hide.

“Young Master Ding? Young Master Ding~”

After calling softly twice and seeing no reaction, Lin Hansu finally couldn’t resist the temptation of changing into dry clothes. She tiptoed up, went to the wardrobe, and took out a clean set of underclothes and an outer robe.

Rustle, rustle… In the silent deep night, the sound of fabric rubbing against skin was infinitely magnified, clear enough to make one’s heart tremble.

Lin Hansu felt her heart pounding. Every time she shed a piece of wet clothing, she nervously turned her head to peer at the bed, afraid the person there would suddenly wake up.

The faint light scattered by the horn lantern in the front courtyard passed through the window paper, casting a hazy, ambiguous yellow glow inside the room.

In front of the window, a shapely, breathtaking silhouette, full of curves and peaks, quietly appeared.

Faint Fragrance Drifting

‘Dong dong dong! Dong dong dong!’

“Boss! The sun is already high!”

The next day, early chen hour.

Lin Hansu, who had just dozed off briefly on the chair, shot up like a startled rabbit, instinctively wanting to dive under the bed again.

“What the hell, trying to rush me to my grave first thing in the morning!”

Ding Suian, who woke up a little later than usual, waved his hand at Lin Hansu, signaling ‘it’s fine.’

“Boss, why aren’t you up yet? It’s the chen hour, and breakfast has already been brought.”

Chest Hair found it strange. Ding Suian usually woke up precisely at the second quarter past the mao hour, but today it was the chen hour and he was still not up.

“It’s the chen hour? I’m getting up now.”

Ding Suian first replied to Chest Hair, then lowered his voice and said, “I’ll go get the food.”

Since last night, Ding Suian had remained by Lin Hansu’s side, giving her a small sense of security. Now, seeing him about to leave temporarily, Lin Hansu feared that Young Master Ding might change his mind once he stepped out and hand her over to Steward Hou.

She hurriedly stepped forward, lowering her voice, “I won’t forget what I promised you.” She then raised three slender fingers, her pretty face tight, and swore with extreme seriousness: “I, this Princess, swear to Heaven that if I break my word afterward, may I die a terrible death!”

Ding Suian merely looked her up and down, smiling. “Sister, you look much more approachable wearing my clothes.”

Although Lin Hansu was tall and voluptuous, she was not as large as the slender Ding Suian. Except for being slightly tight across the chest and hips, the rest of the clothes hung loosely, requiring her to roll up the sleeves and trouser legs.

This gave her a look of having cast off all worldly glamour.

Ding Suian pulled open the door, and Chest Hair poked his head in, looking around curiously.

“What are you looking at? Hurry to the front courtyard to eat.”

Ding Suian pushed him away, then closed and locked the door, pulling Chest Hair toward the front courtyard.

“Boss, why did you wake up so late today? Could it be that you’re hiding a beautiful woman inside? Hehe.”

Of course, he couldn’t wake up early. He heard movement in the middle of the night, accidentally watched for three minutes and twenty-seven seconds, which caused his vital energy and blood to rush downward, leaving him unable to sleep well for the rest of the night.

Young Master Ding was full of youthful vigor—tougher than reinforced steel!

“Hiding your big butt! Do you believe me if I say the Princess Consort is hiding in my room?”

“Hahaha, if the Princess Consort is in your room, Boss, I’ll eat the crap from the latrine!”

“You’re quite greedy.”

After eating in the front courtyard, Ding Suian used the excuse of not being full to take food back to the rear courtyard.

Unlocking the door and entering the room, Lin Hansu stood by the bed, her face inexplicably flushed, and offered a flattering smile.

Ding Suian assumed she was thanking him for bringing breakfast and didn’t think much of it. He just said, “Last night’s method can only fool them temporarily, not forever. The Du Family probably won’t give up if they can’t find you. If the imperial decree you mentioned can arrive before tonight, everything will be fine. If it doesn’t arrive tonight, it will still be big trouble.”

“Mhm~”

Lin Hansu’s eyes darted away, and she looked extremely uncomfortable.

Huh, why did this woman suddenly become so bashful?

Is she in heat?

Ding Suian looked suspiciously at the suddenly strange Lin Hansu, turned, and walked toward the washstand, planning to wash his face.

I got up in a hurry just now, and my handsome face hasn’t been washed yet.

If I don’t succeed in my career later, I still need to rely on it to latch onto a rich woman and be a kept man, so I have to take good care of it.

This was an ambitious young man.

“Where is my washbasin?”

Walking up to the empty washstand, Ding Suian felt confused.

The washbasin was here this morning. How did it disappear in just a moment?

“Um~”

Lin Hansu’s Phoenix eyes darted around, refusing to meet Ding Suian’s gaze. She mumbled and stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

The room wasn’t large. Ding Suian casually swept his gaze around and found the washbasin had run off underneath the bed.

“Why did you put my washbasin under the bed?”

Ding Suian stepped forward to grab the basin and draw water, but Lin Hansu suddenly moved sideways like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, blocking Ding Suian with outstretched arms, her beautiful face nearly dripping blood. “That… that, I really couldn’t hold it just now, and I couldn’t go out. Necessity, necessity knows no law. Don’t worry! I’ll pay you back with a golden one later!”

“…”

What the hell, you used my washbasin as a chamber pot!

Wait, what? You’ll give me a golden one!

Hah! It’s just a washbasin. Princess Consort, feel free to use it however you like, even if you spray flowers everywhere!

“Sister, don’t worry about it!”

Ding Suian waved his hand magnanimously, then pinched his nose and pulled the washbasin out.

“Wha—what are you doing?”

The flustered Lin Hansu asked foolishly.

“Of course, I’m taking it out to dump it! Do you seriously want to keep it for morning tea?”