Chapter 4: Slipping Out of the Residence to Unveil the Imperial Edict

Bai Huan gazed at the faces before her, each exuding an air of opulence and each smiling at her with conspicuous enthusiasm. Yet in her mind, her parents’ earnest instructions echoed relentlessly.

Her parents had urged her to keep a low profile after marriage. As the head family of the incense craft, the Bai clan was always in the eye of the storm, a thorn in the side of their rivals. They knew that if disaster struck, Bai Huan, married and away, might be spared.

This was the first thing Bai Huan understood after being reborn.

Her mother had agreed to let her marry early, and had even accepted Lady Gu’s suggestion—under the guise of protecting the Bai family’s assets—to increase her dowry, deliberately doubling it in the process.

Her mother’s true intent was not to have her marry into the Gu household to enter the palace and save her father, but to protect her, to remove her from harm’s way.

But would this world allow her to keep a low profile?

The more one endured, the more others saw them as an easy target, stepping all the harder.

Without her family, she would have no support, and these predatory nobles would discard her as carelessly as one would throw away a rag.

Ha!

Bai Huan had no intention of keeping a low profile any longer.

After tonight, her reputation as a wealthy, generous, and virtuous woman would be firmly established.

Having accepted her precious sachets, which she had gifted them, which of those women would not boast to others of her as the ideal daughter-in-law of the Marquis’s household?

Not only would this ruin Gu Yuan Zhou’s reputation, but it would also elevate Gu Yuan Huai, all while leaving herself without a single flaw for others to seize upon.

After the festivities, Bai Huan pulled the flushed, exhilarated Gu Yuan Huai back to the bridal chamber.

As soon as the door closed, she shook off his hand, sweeping away her earlier gentleness. Her clear, cold eyes fixed on him: “Gu Yuan Huai, I must slip out of the residence at once. Do you have a way?”

The warmth of Gu Yuan Huai’s palm, slightly damp with sweat, suddenly vanished, leaving his heart feeling as though a chunk had been gouged out.

He quickly patted his chest to steady himself. “I have a way.”

“I’m leaving immediately. You must pretend to be consummating the marriage with me in the bridal chamber so that no one suspects a thing.”

Gu Yuan Huai stared.

On his wedding night, he was to spend it alone—and even pretend to consummate the marriage by himself?

Alas.

For the sake of the five hundred taels of silver and a shop that brought in a hundred a month, he could manage.

Chen Xiang and Dou Kou wanted to follow Bai Huan, but she stopped them. “You must cooperate with Fourth Young Master. Even if someone comes from the Bai residence to report something about my father, you must not let anyone realize I’ve left.”

Chen Xiang grew anxious. “But miss, you’re going alone…”

“Listen to me. You must guard my dowry for me!”

Bai Huan grasped Chen Xiang’s hand with a force she could barely control, her fingers trembling, her eyes brimming with tears—urgency and determination shining through.

Chen Xiang knew her mistress’s temperament: gentle on the surface, but strong-willed and stubborn underneath.

With the head of the Bai family in trouble and imprisoned in the palace, her mistress was clearly going out to try to save him.

“Very well, this servant promises to do as you say.”

Bai Huan quickly changed into a brick-red, narrow-sleeved short tunic—her usual attire when making incense—tucked one corner of her skirt into her belt, and slung a small backpack filled with raw incense materials over her shoulder.

To run quickly, she could only travel light, unable to take anything else.

She followed Gu Yuan Huai to the overgrown back wall of his small courtyard. He rummaged around in the weeds, butt in the air, and revealed a small hole.

“A dog hole?” Bai Huan asked.

How rude!

Gu Yuan Huai scowled. “I made the hole myself for easy entry and exit!”

Bai Huan hesitated. She hadn’t expected him to be so… casual about crawling through holes.

But it certainly made coming and going convenient.

She crawled out and dashed towards the nearest main street, Zhengyang Street, running with all her might.

The sudden appearance of a fake account book at home meant there was a traitor in the family.

The Bai family was exposed, their enemies hidden; countless eyes watched their every move. Any rash action could alert the enemy, making things even harder.

At this hour, her father had not yet been sent out of the palace. She had no time, no room for error.

Now, there was only one path left: to seize the imperial notice and enter the palace to plead her case directly.

The night on Zhengyang Street was like a boiling cauldron. Hundreds of glazed lanterns were strung beneath the eaves, forming a river of stars, casting a kaleidoscopic brilliance on the night.

Vendors hawked osmanthus cakes from their food boxes, clouds of steam mingled with the music and dancing drifting from taverns, and the whole street was thick with a cloying sweetness.

At the government’s posting board, two Jinwu Guards—one fat, one thin—leaned against the stone wall, arms folded, chatting idly. Suddenly, a shadow flashed by. Before they could react, a disheveled girl tore down the imperial notice and shouted hoarsely, “I can craft incense that will help the Noble Consort sleep! Please, sirs, take me to the palace at once!”

The fat guard scowled and kicked at her. “Get lost!”

Bai Huan stumbled and fell hard, pain shooting through her pelvis, tears springing to her eyes.

But she ignored the pain, scrambling over to kneel and plead, “Sirs, those who answer the notice may speak to His Majesty directly! If I fail, the punishment falls on me alone, not on you. But if I succeed, I will not forget your help—I will give you a hundred taels of silver as soon as I return!”

The thin guard rolled his eyes. “Just say you have no money! Who’d believe such empty promises?”

“Get out of here before we skin you alive!” the fat guard threatened, swinging the tip of his sword scabbard at Bai Huan’s chest.

Just as the scabbard was about to hit her, a white-feathered fan suddenly appeared, lightly blocking the blow.

A voice, warm and gentle as a spring breeze, sounded: “Such a temper.”

The two guards turned to see an elegant, striking young man. They immediately straightened and greeted him with beaming smiles: “Greetings, Lord Chamberlain.”

Bai Huan looked up, momentarily dazzled by his moon-bright features. She took in his white Sichuan brocade robe, embroidered with silver clouds and peonies, and the shell-inlaid silver carriage drawn by four adorable, snow-white sheep behind him.

The flamboyant carriage and the man as radiant as jade—who else could he be but Dong Yi, renowned as the most handsome man in the empire?

He was both Chamberlain and Inspector of Incense and Medicines.

Bai Huan was overjoyed and quickly kowtowed to him. “Bai Huan, humble daughter of the Bai family, greets the Inspector…”

Dong Yi twirled his feathered fan, smiling at her. “A Bai? You know me?”

“I once accompanied my father to the incense competition, and was fortunate to witness your grace, my lord. I can craft a rest-inducing incense suitable for the Noble Consort. I beg you to help me.”

“Ha! Your father’s committed a crime. If I help you, won’t I be inviting trouble for myself?”

Bai Huan hurriedly replied, “Not so, my lord. You personally crowned the Bai family’s incense as champion at the competition. I am duty-bound to share your worries and solve your problems.”

Dong Yi’s eyes widened.

Well, she certainly knew how to leverage a connection!

He sneered, “Why should I need your help? If one family fails, there are others to take their place. The Bai family is not the only incense clan.”

He waved his fan and turned to go, but the young woman grabbed his calf with one hand and his robe with the other, wailing, “My lord, you are the patron deity of incense makers! Please help me. I am willing to be your slave, to do whatever you command!”

Her peculiar cries drew attention.

This was a bustling part of town, the night lively, the sheep-drawn carriage eye-catching, and the man even more so. Soon, a crowd had gathered.

Dong Yi was used to being gawked at and didn’t mind, but Bai Huan’s words piqued his interest. “Oh? You said it—you’re willing to be my slave. I am not coercing you or taking advantage of your plight.”

Bai Huan, tears streaming down her face, found herself unable to keep up the act. She felt this man harbored ill intentions!

Dong Yi put on a solemn face. “I am just about to enter the palace. You may come with me.”

With no other options, Dong Yi was her only lifeline.

Bai Huan’s long-suppressed tears finally fell. She bowed deeply in gratitude. “Thank you, my lord.”