Chapter 8: The Danruo Flower Lure

The dishes at the royal residence were exquisitely prepared, pleasing to both the eyes and palate. Imperial banquets were indeed different from what Di Jiang usually ate at home. This change in cuisine made her dining experience exceptionally enjoyable. Especially when the desserts were served one after another, she became even more enthusiastic, wishing she could pack them all up to take back for Wen Yao and Shu Xiang to try, and for Zhu Chai to learn from, so as to benefit the Jiansu Medical Clinic in the future.

“Your High...” Di Jiang began, intending to bring up the matter of packing the food, but looked up to see Wu Rui’an glaring at her with a dark expression.

“What’s wrong, Your Highness?” Di Jiang asked, puzzled.

“Nothing.” Wu Rui’an avoided her gaze and answered curtly.

“What’s really wrong?” Di Jiang persisted, lifting his chin to force him to look at her.

“You have sesame on your lips,” Wu Rui’an squinted, answering off-topic.

Upon hearing this, Di Jiang was about to wipe it off when Wu Rui’an stopped her. He took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped away the smudge for her.

“...”

Di Jiang froze, staring intently at him.

Wu Rui’an blushed and turned away, unable to meet her gaze.

Seeing Di Jiang’s innocent, wide eyes that seemed harmless only made him more restless. He wished he could push her onto the bed right there and keep her there for three days!

No, make that every day in the future!

This intimate gesture, witnessed by the group of people on the shore, appeared incredibly close and affectionate, as if they were oblivious to everything around them.

It wasn’t until Jin Yu, a top maid of the Wu Royal Residence, announced for the third time, “The Emperor has arrived—” that Wu Rui’an suddenly snapped out of it, startled awake.

Wu Rui’an raised his head to see Chen Zhao leading a group of palace maids and eunuchs appearing on the shore. She stood with her hands crossed, exuding an imposing presence that made the surrounding atmosphere tense and oppressive.

At this moment, Chen Zhao was coldly staring at him—or rather, precisely speaking, at Di Jiang beside him.

Chen Zhao’s expression was unpredictable, her eyes revealing a hint of murderous intent.

Wu Rui’an was Chen Zhao’s only legitimate son. Only noble young ladies from prestigious families should be by his side. Others could serve as concubines or maids, but entering the main household was absolutely out of the question.

Noticing Chen Zhao’s displeasure, Wu Rui’an quickly stood up and hurried out of the pavilion, leaving Di Jiang alone inside.

Seeing Wu Rui’an rush off, Di Jiang easily guessed the identity of the visitor. She retreated to the side, naturally kneeling like the other maids in the courtyard.

“Your child pays respects to Mother Emperor.” Wu Rui’an came before Chen Zhao and bowed deeply.

“Who is that?” Chen Zhao pointed to Di Jiang, not allowing Wu Rui’an to rise.

“She is a girl I invited to accompany me in drinking. To avoid sullying the imperial visage, I will send her away immediately.” Wu Rui’an then instructed Jin Yu, “Throw her out.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Jin Yu entered the pavilion, spoke a few words to Di Jiang, and Di Jiang, frowning deeply, followed her out of the residence.

After Di Jiang left, Chen Zhao finally allowed Wu Rui’an to rise and said, “I heard you had a high fever, so I came to visit. Now seeing that my son is fine, I can rest assured. I have state affairs to attend to, so I will return to the palace. My son should also rest early.”

“I thank Mother Emperor for your concern. I respectfully bid farewell to Mother Emperor.” Wu Rui’an clasped his hands and bowed deeply, showing utmost respect.

After sending off Chen Zhao and her entourage, Wu Rui’an finally let out a sigh of relief.

He never imagined that Chen Zhao would actually have the time to visit his residence to check on his illness?!

Had Mother Emperor changed?

What happened to their estranged mother-son relationship?

Where was the trust between people?

Though filled with doubt, Wu Rui’an could only have the leftovers cleared and hurried back to his room.

Meanwhile, Jin Yu escorted Di Jiang to the gate. Before leaving, she couldn’t help but smirk and consoled her, “Just now, His Highness referred to you as a drinking companion. Don’t take it to heart. He has invited you several times to banquets, which shows he holds you dear in his heart. Although he said you were from a pleasure house, deep down, he surely doesn’t think so.”

Di Jiang, slightly agape, nodded blankly.

Inside the pavilion, she hadn’t been able to hear their conversation clearly. Jin Yu’s hurried explanation must have been motivated by ulterior motives.

Sure enough, the next moment, she added, “His Highness has always disliked keeping women in the residence. In the past, he would send the girls away in soft sedan chairs. Tonight, with Her Majesty’s arrival, His Highness had no time to see to you, so please bear with going home by yourself.”

“Alright, I know the way.” Di Jiang gave her a big smile, showing no signs of displeasure.

At this, Jin Yu’s expression darkened, and she quickly turned and went back into the residence.

Di Jiang looked up at the three large characters “Wu Royal Residence” above the gate and found it amusing. Shaking her head, she leisurely walked away.

The moonlight illuminated the road, guiding her path forward.

Her heart was like the bright moon in the sky—bright, clean, clear, and transparent.

The next day, under the blazing sun, Di Jiang still lingered in bed in the middle of the afternoon, feeling like she hadn’t slept enough. Just as she was considering whether to roll over and continue sleeping, a sudden racket of clanging sounds erupted from downstairs.

“Crash—” followed by the sound of porcelain shattering on the ground, woke Di Jiang instantly.

“What are you doing! Do you want to die?!” Wen Yao’s breathless voice echoed.

Di Jiang went downstairs and saw Wen Yao, hands on her hips, scolding a group of burly men.

Di Jiang realized that the pharmacy downstairs had been completely wrecked by a gang of thugs.

Even Wen Yao and Shu Xiang’s clothes showed signs of damage from being shoved around. Especially Wen Yao, whose hair hung loose, eyes bloodshot, and veins visibly bulging on her hands, indicating growing anger.

This was bad! It was a sign of impending rage!

Di Jiang was alarmed and quickly stepped forward to stop her. She smiled apologetically at the intruders and asked, “Gentlemen, could there be some misunderstanding?”

“Who is Di Jiang?” The gang leader raised his chin and shouted loudly.

“I am Di Jiang,” Di Jiang smiled. “I am the proprietor of the Jiansu Medical Clinic.”

“We’re looking for you!” The gang leader narrowed his eyes, raising his axe and aiming it towards Di Jiang’s face. With a loud “clang,” the axe lodged firmly into the cabinet above Di Jiang’s head.

“This is just a warning,” the gang leader sneered in front of Di Jiang. “Stop dreaming of eating swan meat as a toad. There are no such good things in this world! Know your place and wear clothes appropriate to your status. Stop dreaming of turning from a sparrow into a phoenix!”

Di Jiang remained calm, still smiling faintly, but the coldness in her eyes made the thugs’ faces change color.

“If you glare at me again, I’ll gouge out your eyeballs!” The gang leader kicked a chair, causing the group of thugs to burst into laughter.

Seeing Di Jiang silent, they assumed they had intimidated the master and servants.

“Today is just the first day. We’ll come every day to play with you! Let’s see if you have time to seduce others!” After the gang leader finished speaking, they laughed uproariously, kicked over a table and a consultation desk, and then swaggered off.

However, Di Jiang remained calm, maintaining a serene demeanor.

Around her fingers twined a wisp of red mist, which flew from her fingertips and wrapped around the gang leader’s neck, though he remained unaware.

“Boss... should we eat them?” Wen Yao’s eyes glazed over, her fingernails becoming sharp and long.

“What’s wrong with you? Don’t act rashly!” Shu Xiang held her wrists tightly, urging, “Calm down!”

“They... they are bullying us too much!” Wen Yao roared in anger, and black scales began to appear on her forehead and cheeks.

Di Jiang nearly fainted from shock, but quickly steadied herself. She quickly extended her right index finger, circling the mist beneath Wen Yao’s nose.

In the next moment, the scales on Wen Yao’s face receded, replaced by an extremely twisted expression.

She felt her nostrils filled with a foul stench, invigorating yet nauseating.

Wen Yao clutched her stomach, feeling as if her insides were churning. Then, with a retching sound, she vomited last night’s dinner.

“Boss, why does it smell so bad?” Wen Yao groaned, the foul odor overshadowing her previous humiliation. At this point, she even forgot what those thugs looked like.

Di Jiang tossed her a dried pomegranate flower, saying, “Eat this, and you won’t find it so smelly.”

Wen Yao, seeing it as a lifeline, swallowed the flower without a second glance.

Indeed, the next moment, she felt refreshed, the air no longer foul but filled with a faint grassy scent.

“What is this?” Wen Yao marveled repeatedly.

“The Danruo Flower Lure.” Di Jiang replied.

“The Danruo Flower Lure?” Wen Yao was confused.

Di Jiang nodded. “To know oneself and the enemy ensures victory in every battle. Those thugs dared to act recklessly because they thought they knew us while we didn’t know them. But most thugs have family and friends and wouldn’t cause trouble without reason. We just need to use this flower lure to trace their superior, then address the issue accordingly. This way, we neither break worldly rules nor implicate others.”

“Isn’t this implicating others? I think I threw up last night’s dinner too!” Wen Yao lamented, her fair complexion now as pale as a piece of yellow paper fluttering in the wind.

Di Jiang and Shu Xiang were amused by her appearance.

Just then, Wu Rui’an, who had just finished lunch at the Left Chancellor’s residence, strode in. Upon entering the pharmacy, he frowned, his face turning green. “What happened to you? Were you robbed by a bunch of skunks?”

“Why are you here, Your Highness?” Di Jiang was surprised.

“You left in a hurry yesterday, so I came to check today,” Wu Rui’an suppressed his anger, pointing at the ruined Jiansu Medical Clinic. “Who did this?”

Although he knew it couldn’t have been skunks, the peculiar stench reminded him of them.

Di Jiang also shook her head. “I don’t know who sent them, but those thugs fell for my Danruo Flower Lure. Next time we smell this scent, we’ll know who the mastermind is.”

“The Danruo Flower Lure? What’s that?” Wu Rui’an pinched his nose. “Also, did you have a rotten straw mat? Or did someone not wash their armpits for half a year? More accurately, someone who hasn’t washed their armpits for half a year sleeping on a rotten straw mat covered in duck feathers...”

“That’s the scent of the Danruo Flower Lure.” Di Jiang smiled bitterly and nodded.

“The Danruo Flower?” Wu Rui’an was puzzled.

“The Danruo Flower is the pomegranate flower. Pomegranate flowers themselves have no scent, but after processing with tongue grass flowers into a ‘lure,’ the Danruo Flower Lure leaves a special odor on anyone it contacts. The fragrance is strong, unique, and becomes stronger the closer one gets.” Shu Xiang explained.

Wu Rui’an clicked his tongue. “Please don’t insult the word ‘fragrance.’ I fear I won’t be able to eat for the next half month.”

Wen Yao nodded in agreement beside him.

But Di Jiang and Shu Xiang exchanged a smile, their eyes meeting as if silently saying, “Everything is ready; we just wait for the thief to take the bait.”