After leaving the estate, Yun Wan first headed to the incense workshop.
Located in the western part of the city, the workshop was originally a courtyard for drying medicinal herbs. After taking over Yunxiang Pavilion and seeing the business thrive, Yun Wan purchased it and converted it into an incense production facility.
After spending an hour at the workshop, Yun Wan proceeded to Yunxiang Pavilion.
Coinciding with the Cold Food Festival, the streets of the capital were bustling with activity, and Yunxiang Pavilion was also flooded with customers, its business booming.
The sharp-eyed attendant at the entrance spotted the Lu family's carriage and promptly went inside to announce her arrival. Moments later, Madam Hu came out to greet her with a bright smile.
"The proprietor is here! Please, come in!"
The "proprietor" naturally referred to Yun Wan. Although everyone knew she was the third madam of the Lu family, at her request, the managers and attendants running the shop all addressed her as "proprietor."
Yun Wan took Madam Hu's hand as she stepped down from the carriage. Upon entering the shop, she saw it packed with customers—mostly young ladies—all there to purchase incense.
Madam Hu said, "Proprietor, it's crowded here. Shall we go to the back?"
Her voice was hearty, matching her appearance—a woman in her thirties with a neat, dignified bearing, her hair coiled high and her attire immaculate, exuding an air of spirited confidence.
Yun Wan replied, "You've worked hard. Later, distribute these."
She pointed to the items in Yue Jian's hands.
Madam Hu took a look and was surprised to see they were qingtuan—sticky rice dumplings.
Each one was plump, round, and vibrant green, irresistibly tempting, stamped with the small characters "Lu State Duke's Residence." Yun Wan had brought them from the estate.
In prestigious households like the Lu State Duke's Residence, the kitchen would prepare seasonal delicacies during festivals—such as qingtuan, mooncakes, zongzi, or laba congee—to distribute to the servants as rewards or gifts, all for good fortune.
Freshly made, the qingtuan were still warm and fragrant.
Touched, Madam Hu beamed and said, "Seems we're in for a treat! I’ll thank the proprietor on their behalf!"
Yun Wan chuckled. "Why stand on ceremony with me? Let’s go inside first."
With the crowd milling about, some had already begun to notice them.
The two entered the back room, where Madam Hu poured tea for Yun Wan.
After sitting down, Madam Hu gazed at Yun Wan with familiar warmth and a hint of admiration. "The proprietor still looks as beautiful as ever, just like when I first met you. If I were a man, I’d surely fall at your feet."
Before meeting Yun Wan, Madam Hu had been a laborer at the medicinal herb workshop. As the only female worker, she was ostracized by the male laborers and always assigned the heaviest and most grueling tasks.
After Yun Wan purchased the workshop and converted it into an incense facility, hiring more women, Madam Hu stayed on.
Later, her exceptional performance and eloquence caught Yun Wan's eye, and she was assigned to Yunxiang Pavilion, eventually rising to the position of manager.
Madam Hu was endlessly grateful for Yun Wan's recognition. Born into poverty and married into hardship, it was only after meeting Yun Wan that she managed to turn her life around in middle age.
Yun Wan shot her a sidelong glance and raised a hand as if to swat her. "Enough with the flattery. Save your silver tongue for persuading customers and boosting our shop’s profits."
Madam Hu widened her eyes. "Heaven knows, these days, waves of customers have been coming for the Yunxiang incense. While it’s good for business, my voice is nearly gone!"
Only now did Yun Wan notice the slight hoarseness in Madam Hu's voice.
After studying her for a moment, Yun Wan asked with concern, "Is it serious? If so, take some time off and see a physician."
Madam Hu waved her hand dismissively and downed a cup of tea. "No need. I’ve had a few pots of herbal tea, and my throat feels much better."
Seeing that, though slightly weary, Madam Hu’s eyes still sparkled with energy, Yun Wan felt reassured.
"As long as you know your limits. Business matters, but so does your health. Don’t push yourself to the point of collapse, or people will accuse me of being a slave driver."
Madam Hu couldn’t help laughing. "Who’d dare believe such words from you? If anyone says that, I, Hu Sanniang, will be the first to confront them!"
In her excitement, her voice cracked on the last few words. Yun Wan sighed. "You’d better talk less for now."
Madam Hu smiled sheepishly before turning serious. "Enough joking. The proprietor didn’t come just to pass by, did you?"
Yun Wan nodded and glanced at the incense shelves along the wall. "You’re right. I wanted to pick out some fragrances."
Familiar with her habits, Madam Hu asked, "Is the proprietor working on a new incense blend?"
Yun Wan shook her head. "Not exactly."
"I’m just feeling uninspired, tinkering aimlessly."
She stood and lingered before the display shelves, carefully selecting fragrances while Madam Hu refrained from disturbing her.
After a quarter of an hour, Yun Wan sighed inwardly, her disappointment evident.
Noticing this, Madam Hu set down her teacup and asked curiously, "None of these will do?"
Yun Wan exhaled softly. "They all feel like they’re missing something."
The emperor’s request was truly troublesome.
But she couldn’t refuse.
Seeing her so vexed for the first time, Madam Hu was momentarily stunned. "All the fragrances in the shop are here. If you need something else, you might have to look elsewhere."
After a pause, she added, "How about you write down what you’re looking for? When the new shipment arrives in a couple of days, I’ll have it sent to the Duke’s residence."
Just as Yun Wan was about to agree, Madam Hu continued, "Oh, this morning I heard that the foreign merchant in Anyi Lane has returned from the Western Regions with a lot of rare goods. Maybe he has what you’re looking for..."
Foreign merchant?
Yun Wan caught on. "You mean Boss Luo?"
A well-known merchant from the Western Regions in the capital, Boss Luo had a sharp business mind. Based in Anyi Lane, he always returned from his travels with all sorts of exotic goods, including precious fragrances.
Yun Wan had not only heard of him but had also visited his shop before—some of Sui’s gifts had come from Anyi Lane.
Madam Hu confirmed, "Yesterday, one of our delivery boys passed by and saw carts upon carts of goods being unloaded. It seems this trip was quite profitable for him."
Intrigued, Yun Wan said, "Since it’s still early, I’ll go take a look."
Madam Hu replied, "Then I won’t keep you, proprietor. Take care."
After leaving Yunxiang Pavilion and boarding the carriage, Yuezhi asked, "Madam, are we heading to Anyi Lane?"
Yun Wan nodded. "Yes, since it’s on the way, let’s stop by."
The journey from Yunxiang Pavilion to Anyi Lane took half an hour by carriage, but with the Cold Food Festival crowds, it took even longer.
However—
Staring at the tightly shut shop, Yun Wan grew suspicious.
Yuezhi stepped forward and knocked. After a moment, the door opened slightly, revealing a burly attendant in coarse clothing.
Yuezhi said, "Is Boss Luo here? We’re from Yunxiang Pavilion and would like to purchase some fragrances from him."
The attendant waved dismissively. "Boss Luo isn’t here. Come back in a few days!"
He moved to shut the door, but Yuezhi blocked it, urgency in her voice. "But we heard he returned to the capital yesterday. Has he left again?"
The attendant scowled. "Stop pestering! I said he’s not here!"
With that, the door slammed shut.
Yun Wan and Yuezhi exchanged glances, both looking resigned.
As they turned to leave, a sudden, shrill scream pierced the air—
"Murder! Murder!"
In an instant, the door burst open again, and a bloodied figure rushed out, his face twisted in terror.
Yun Wan turned her head and was instantly startled, quickly dodging away.
When she looked up again, she saw flames roaring behind the gate, thick smoke billowing into the sky.
