DTBCF Chapter 19

Bai Xiangxiu couldn’t care less about what others were thinking. She hurriedly dressed herself and asked Madam Ye, “Madam, do you think it’s alright if I give this sachet to the Prince?”

“Of course it is. The Prince has no obligations today; he should be in the Fragrant Courtyard!”

Madam Ye was hoping that Lady Xiu would successfully complete this task alone. Not to mention, with Lady Xiu’s charming and cheerful demeanor, which man could resist?

Bai Xiangxiu was overjoyed. She couldn’t miss this opportunity—she had to ensure the second male lead remembered her. Clenching her fist mentally, she prepared the gift she had been holding onto for days. She didn’t care about breaking any taboos or rules—after all, the second male lead wasn’t the type to make a fuss over such things.

The novel had already described his personality, so she wasn’t too worried. Besides, fortune favors the bold. If she kept playing it safe, the second male lead would never give her a second glance, let alone rescue her from this hellhole.

She had been preparing this gift for several days but hadn’t had the chance to give it yet. The gift was wrapped in a small cloth pouch—not quite like a traditional sachet. Once everything was ready, she and Xiao Shi set off.

From Madam Ye’s perspective, Lady Xiu leaving had an almost heroic vibe to it.

Bai Xiangxiu used to be rather oblivious. In high school, a boy had pursued her for a long time, all the way to senior year, and she hadn’t realized his feelings until after he’d already gotten married and had kids. Considering how oblivious she’d been, her current actions in this ancient time were driven more by the fear of getting beaten to death than by courage.

The scenery around the Prince’s estate was becoming more beautiful by the day. Though the trees were starting to yellow, there was still a certain melancholy beauty in the air. But Bai Xiangxiu, too nervous to appreciate it, followed Xiao Shi’s lead until they arrived at the Fragrant Courtyard.

Although the Prince was a military man, his taste in the arts was quite refined. The Fragrant Courtyard was situated beside an artificial lake, complete with fountains and strange rock formations. It was grand, antique, and exuded a majestic beauty. Even the couplets on the entrance pillars were written in beautiful, flowing script.

She secretly admired the Prince’s refined tastes—after all, he was the male lead. Despite his penchant for killing, he did have his good points.

A servant blocked their way, asking, “Lady Xiu, may I ask what brings you here?”

“I have something to discuss with the Prince. Is he available?” Bai Xiangxiu wasn’t sure how to phrase things in ancient terms, so she opted for a modern way of asking.

The servant was taken aback by her directness. He knew the Prince cared for her more than the other three wives, so he replied, “Please wait here, Lady Xiu. I will go and inform the Prince.” He then turned and went inside.

Inside, the Prince was enjoying tea with Song Jiaoyue. With no pressing matters at hand, they were discussing the current state of the court, as both were familiar with the political landscape.

The servant entered and said, “My Lord, Lady Xiu requests an audience.”

Long Heng raised an eyebrow, unexpectedly feeling a flicker of happiness. Spring, Summer, and Autumn often sought him out daily, offering drinks or other small favors, but this was the first time Bai Xiangxiu had come to see him. However, he still put on a stern face and said, “Can’t you see I have a guest? Let her wait.”

The servant was a little confused. Normally, the Prince would have said, “Send her back.” But asking her to wait? That meant she was different from the others. Without further ado, he relayed the message.

Song Jiaoyue easily picked up on his friend’s hidden meaning. No man is immune to a beauty’s charms. The Prince’s tough act was amusing, so Song Jiaoyue took a sip of tea and suggested, “How about we play a game of chess?”

Long Heng shot him a glance, his alluring, almond-shaped eyes narrowing slightly. Though he had a cold, handsome face, those eyes had a charm that could rival any woman’s beauty.

Song Jiaoyue, who appreciated beautiful things, had always admired his friend’s eyes. Sometimes he even drew them on women in his sketches, though he’d never dare mention it to Long Heng, fearing he’d get cut down on the spot.

Now, though, those usually frosty eyes seemed to soften for a moment. Song Jiaoyue, knowing his friend all too well, realized that suggesting chess was just a distraction. Sighing inwardly, he stood up and said, “Actually, never mind. If I keep you from meeting your lovely guest, our friendship might suffer.”

He smiled warmly. Even though Long Heng had been caught off guard, he couldn’t refute his friend’s teasing.

With that, they amicably said their goodbyes.

Meanwhile, outside, Bai Xiangxiu was growing more anxious by the minute. She had come all this way to see the second male lead, but now the servant was telling her to wait?

Just as her impatience was peaking, she spotted Song Jiaoyue leaving from afar. Seeing him was one thing, but just catching a glimpse wasn’t going to help her at all!

In a moment of panic, her usually questionable intelligence dropped even further. When the servant returned and said, “Lady Xiu, the Prince will see you now,” she hurried forward and, in a not-so-dignified move, “accidentally” tripped.

As luck would have it, Song Jiaoyue was closest and reached out to steady her, but as his hand touched hers, he felt a sharp pain as if something had slipped into his palm.

Still puzzled, he watched as Bai Xiangxiu, her large, innocent eyes brimming with unshed tears, quickly straightened herself and walked away. That fleeting glance made his heart skip a beat. He’d had his share of women, but none compared to her beauty and unique charm—a mix of delicate innocence and allure that could captivate any man.

But what exactly had she slipped into his hand?

Once she had gone, he discreetly opened his hand and froze.

Anger flared up. What kind of woman would dare do something like this? He wanted to confront her but hesitated. Finally, he clenched his hand and muttered, “Ridiculous.”

“Huh?”

Everyone nearby looked at him, confused as to who or what he was referring to.

Then, in front of Bai Xiangxiu’s astonished eyes, Song Jiaoyue flicked his wrist, sending a small cloth and a puff of smoke floating from his hand.

What… was this? Was this the “internal strength” mentioned in the novel? It was said the second male lead was a martial arts expert, though not as skilled as the male lead.

But he had just destroyed the gift she had given him, dismissing it as “ridiculous.” Her plan had failed.

Bai Xiangxiu panicked and practically ran into the Fragrant Courtyard. Her heart pounded in her chest. Not only had she failed to win over the second male lead, but she might have made him despise her instead. What was she supposed to do now?

She awkwardly approached the male lead, Long Heng, who was sitting behind a lavish desk in his study. Though it had been redecorated, the room still exuded a refined and classical beauty.

Long Heng was deeply engrossed in his book. Without looking up, he asked, “What do you want?”

Bai Xiangxiu didn’t have a reason for seeing him. She was still reeling from her encounter with Song Jiaoyue. Absentmindedly, she pulled the sachet from her sleeve and placed it on his desk. Only then did she realize it looked unfamiliar—upon closer inspection, it was a cloth pouch she used to wrap bookmarks!

Oh no, she wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

How could she have mixed up her gifts? Someone, please tell her how to fix this mess! Urgently awaiting advice!