After entering the book, the cold prince begs for favor

Chapter 434 The Soul-Gathering Incense of Yaoguang Palace

Inside the Yaoguang Palace, the golden beast exhaled auspicious omens, and the lingering fragrance of agarwood was quietly replaced by a new and strange aroma.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the crimson gauze window, turning into a hazy golden mist that lazily spread across the gleaming gold brick floor.

Lady Zhaohua leaned against the chaise longue covered with a soft cushion of autumn-colored brocade, looking at the young man standing with his head bowed in the hall with a kind expression.

"Aunt is well."

Chen Zhengxuan wore a brand-new royal blue silk robe, his posture was upright, and his face carried a hint of the deliberate restraint of a noble young master.

He presented a small, palm-sized jade box, its surface as white as mutton fat, with both hands.

“I recently came across an ancient incense, and after some effort, I gathered all the ingredients and prepared it according to the ancient method. I am presenting it to you, my aunt, and respectfully request that you taste it.”

The palace maid standing to the side stepped forward carefully, took the jade box, and then stepped back to Lady Zhaohua's bedside, gently opening the lid.

Inside the box was a thin layer of powder, its color an indescribable pale gold. Under the soft light of the hall, it seemed to shimmer with a subtle glow. Upon closer inspection, the powder particles were extremely fine and uniform.

An indescribable fragrance instantly spread, its initial scent crisp and clear, like snow-covered pines on a high mountain, carrying a subtle coolness that entered the nose.

Immediately, the coolness dissipated, transforming into a strange, warm sweetness, subtle yet lingering, like the quiet life stirring deep within the soil during the melting of snow in early spring, carrying a hidden allure, gently entwining the heart.

Lady Zhaohua's previously nonchalant gaze suddenly froze.

She sat up slightly, extended two jade-like fingers, and very carefully picked up a small pinch of powder from the jade box, placed it under her nose, and took a deep sniff.

That strange, warm, and sweet scent instantly filled my lungs, like a warm stream flowing in from the Baihui acupoint, gently flowing through my limbs and bones, seemingly able to soothe and cleanse the tension and restlessness in my heart.

An indescribable sense of relaxation and a subtle, tingling, numbing sensation rise up together.

"This fragrance..."

Lady Zhaohua parted her lips slightly, her voice carrying a hint of huskiness and intoxication that she herself was unaware of, "What is your name?"

She twirled the pale gold in her fingers, her gaze lingering on it, almost reluctant to look away.

A hint of smugness flashed across Chen Zhengxuan's eyes, but his face became even more respectful: "Reporting to Aunt, according to the ancient prescriptions, this incense is called 'Ningpo,' which means to concentrate the spirit and gather energy, and to strengthen the soul and nourish the essence."

"Soul Condensation..."

Lady Zhaohua repeated softly, a smile as beautiful as peach blossoms slowly curving her lips, "What a wonderful name! What's even more remarkable is that this fragrance is clear yet not cold, warm yet not cloying, lingering and penetrating to the bone, with a long-lasting aftertaste, much better than the incense you offered before."

"My aunt's pleasure is the greatest blessing for this incense, and also the greatest honor for your nephew."

Chen Zhengxuan bowed at the opportune moment, his voice filled with pride.

It was worth all the effort he put into making this incense.

Lady Zhaohua was in a good mood. With a flick of her finger, she sent the powdered spirit back into the jade box and ordered, "Keep it safe. Go and summon Physician Liu, who is on duty, immediately."

Even though it was presented by her own nephew, and even though the fragrance made her feel comfortable, she knew that being in the deep vortex of the palace, where every step was fraught with danger, meant that caution was the key to survival.

Especially for spices, which are ingested, smelled, and kept close to the body, absolute safety must be ensured.

Before long, the white-haired and white-bearded Physician Liu hurriedly arrived at Yaoguang Palace with his medicine box.

He first bowed respectfully to Lady Zhaohua before carefully accepting the jade box that the palace maid presented to him again.

The hall was utterly silent for a moment, except for the faint sound of Physician Liu opening his medicine chest and taking out a small silver spoon, a jade pestle, a white porcelain dish, and incense-testing paper.

He was focused, first using a silver spoon to scoop out a small amount of powder, then holding it under his nose and sniffing it repeatedly, sometimes closing his eyes in thought, sometimes furrowing his brows slightly.

Next, he took some powder and placed it in a white porcelain dish, added a few drops of a special medicine, and carefully observed its color changes and reactions.

Finally, he took out a thin, translucent fragrance tester, lightly dipped it in some powder, placed it on a small brazier, and slowly heated it with a very weak charcoal fire.

As the charcoal fire warms, the fragrance powder adhering to the fragrance test paper slowly releases its aroma, making people feel refreshed and relaxed.

Finally, after all this was done, Physician Liu said with great certainty, "This incense has a calming and nourishing effect on the mind and is very beneficial to the body. Your Majesty can use it with complete peace of mind."

Lady Zhaohua waved her hand, dismissing Physician Liu.

She was very happy and said to her nephew with a smile, "Zhengxuan is so thoughtful."

Over the years, Chen Zhengxuan had been doing business outside and had seen many rare and precious treasures. Every year, he also presented Lady Zhaohua with many fine things.

Lady Zhaohua was quite fond of this nephew.

"You're just unruly. You're a proper young master from a noble family, but you insist on becoming a businessman."

“Your father has been angry for so many years, but now he’s come to terms with it.”

"Other things aside, now that you're married, you should spend more time at home. Our Chen family needs to have more children."

Speaking of this, Lady Zhaohua thought of the Fifth Prince again.

Since Liang Yuhua's incident, the child has indeed become irritable with her and has been reluctant to visit her in the palace lately.

The issue of the Fifth Prince's offspring was also a major concern for Lady Zhaohua.

After chatting about everyday matters, Chen Zhengxuan left the palace.

-

That night.

Inside the Yaoguang Palace, the smoke from the Ningpo Incense swirled in the candlelight, dyeing the layers of silk curtains a warm, ambiguous amber color.

Lady Zhaohua leaned against the embroidered stool, wearing a rouge-red nightgown that accentuated her fair skin and made her look charming and beautiful.

She casually tossed the incense ash in the purple-gold censer with the gold incense shovel between her fingertips, while keeping a close eye on the direction of the palace door.

"Your Majesty has arrived."

As the eunuch announced his arrival in a high-pitched voice, the emperor strode into the hall.

Lady Zhaohua rose and curtsied, saying, "My dear consort, there's no need for such formalities."

The emperor's voice was as usual, but if you listened carefully, you could clearly hear the weariness in it.

Lady Zhaohua carefully observed the Emperor's expression; the wrinkles that were not very clear before seemed to be more obvious under the candlelight.

The emperor is getting old.

Lady Zhaohua's heart trembled.

She knew that the Emperor was no longer able to perform sexually, and that he had come to her only wanting a gentle and attentive woman to serve him, not for sexual pleasure.

As usual, Lady Zhaohua personally served him as he changed clothes and drank tea. The emperor leaned back in his chair, enjoying the beauty's attentive service.

He caught a whiff of the fragrance in the room and casually remarked, "This fragrance smells wonderful today."

Lady Zhaohua smiled and said, "Zhengxuan obtained an ancient recipe and went to great lengths to make it. It was just delivered to the palace today."

"I have already had Physician Liu examine it, and he said it would be very beneficial to my health. I also like the taste, so I ordered it."

The Emperor closed his eyes to rest for a while, and felt much more relaxed. "He is indeed thoughtful."

"you do not say."

The two exchanged a few perfunctory words, and the Emperor, feeling drowsy, said, "Make the arrangements."

Lady Zhaohua helped the Emperor to bed, and soon the two of them fell asleep.

The next morning, when the emperor woke up, he felt refreshed and invigorated.

The Emperor slept well last night, without any dreams. He hadn't had such a high-quality sleep in a long time. He glanced at the Soul-Gathering Incense that had burned out in the incense burner and said to the eunuch, "Have this incense sent to the Imperial Hospital for further examination."

"The slave obeys the order."