Chapter 113: Naming the Incense “Spring Essence”

Du Wanchun’s cheeks flushed as she quickly pulled her hand back.

Zhou Ruiyuan had always been someone who acted boldly once he made up his mind. Ever since she became pregnant, he had been exercising great restraint.

She didn’t dare to provoke him either.

Seeing that she had settled down, Zhou Ruiyuan carefully massaged the soles of her feet. “Doctor Xu told me that pregnant women often experience swelling in their feet. Soaking them regularly and massaging the acupoints will be beneficial in the long run.”

Du Wanchun felt a tingling, slightly sore sensation on her soles and instinctively pulled her foot back a little. “Husband, that’s enough. Let’s go to bed early.”

Noticing her slight discomfort, Zhou Ruiyuan didn’t continue. Doctor Xu had warned him that the first massage shouldn’t last too long.

He picked up a nearby cloth, gently wrapped her delicate feet, and carefully dried them before placing them on the bed.

“Wanchun, you rest first. I’ll go empty the water.” Zhou Ruiyuan spoke softly before turning to carry the basin outside.

Standing tall at eight feet, he carried the basin with a straight posture. Even though he was just disposing of foot-washing water, there was an undeniable air of nobility about him.

From a distance, Du Wanchun gazed at his back, feeling warmth in her heart.

Some people, no matter what they are doing, whether rich or poor, simply bring happiness just by being there.

The night was no longer as cool as before. The breeze brushing against her face carried a faint warmth.

After pouring the water, Zhou Ruiyuan returned to the room and gently embraced her, his hands resting lightly on her small belly. A faint smile curled at his lips, and even after he drifted off to sleep, that contented expression remained.

Moonlight softly spilled through the window—another ordinary yet tender night.

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As spring neared its end, the days grew increasingly warm. Within three days, the incense balls drying in the courtyard had completely hardened.

Madam Zhou picked one up and placed it in the incense burner.

A light, sweet fragrance gradually filled the room.

At first, the scent was the refreshing aroma of the fruit itself. Upon closer inhalation, a rich sandalwood fragrance emerged. After a while, a delicate floral sweetness lingered in the air.

One incense ball carried three distinct layers of fragrance.

Even Madam Zhou was amazed by it.

Curious, she lit another one and took a deeper breath. She soon realized that the scent was long-lasting, refreshing, and elegant, bringing a sense of calm and relaxation.

Even more remarkably, its longevity surpassed that of ordinary composite incense, making it ideal for perfuming a room. It bore similarities to the widely used avocado-based sachet incense from the capital but with a unique twist.

Unlike the usual avocado sachet incense, this one carried an extra layer of fresh, grassy notes, evoking the gentle essence of spring.

Madam Zhou couldn’t help but exclaim, “This fruit is truly remarkable! I’ve been making incense for so many years, yet I’ve never smelled one as exquisite as this.”

Zhou Feng and Zhou Zhao both nodded in agreement.

Du Wanchun smiled and said, “Mother, let’s give this He Xiang a name, shall we?”

Madam Zhou looked at the fragrant pellets in her hand for a moment before saying, “Let’s call it Chun Yi Nong—Spring Essence—since it was made in spring.”

Then, she turned to Du Wanchun and added, “It also has the ‘Chun’ from your name, Wanchun.”

Zhou Feng and Zhou Zhao, the two brothers, nodded repeatedly. “That’s a great name—Chun Yi Nong—fragrance drifting under the moonlight, spring blooming inside the chambers. Mother, that’s a wonderful choice.”

Madam Zhou then looked at Du Wanchun. “Wanchun, what do you think of this name?”

Du Wanchun picked up one of the fragrant pellets, her smile warm. “Mother, I think it’s a great name too.”

Since Zhou Ruiyuan had gone to the Du family’s porcelain kiln, Madam Zhou didn’t ask about him. And just like that, the family happily settled on the name.

Madam Zhou quickly took a wooden box and packed up the freshly made fragrant pellets. She carefully selected the best ones and handed them to Zhou Feng to bring back to the capital.

Then, she set aside another batch for Du Wanchun to take to the two incense shops in Cheng’an County for sale.

With the new He Xiang in hand, Zhou Feng rushed back to the capital without delay.

Even though he had only been away for just over half a month, the incense trade in the capital had already changed significantly.

The Yuan family, once the dominant force in the capital’s incense industry, could no longer produce any incense. It was as if they were cursed—no matter what methods they used, every batch of incense they made turned out foul-smelling.

As soon as their old stock sold out, their shop was left completely empty.

With no incense to sell, the Yuan family lost its hold on the market, and many new incense shops started opening up across the capital.

These new shops sold products similar to those the Yuan family once offered. Since customers could no longer buy from the Yuan family, they turned to these newly opened stores instead.

At first, Zhou family’s incense shop was packed with business, but over time, their customers dwindled as the market became more saturated.

When the shop assistant saw Zhou Feng return, he was overjoyed. “Manager, you’re finally back! If you had taken any longer, we wouldn’t have had any business left!”

That’s the nature of business—when one shop starts selling something, others will follow. But the number of customers remains the same, so naturally, the competition becomes tougher.

Zhou Feng, however, remained calm. He took out the new He Xiang he had brought. “Put these on display and burn two pellets inside the shop.”

The assistant, excited to see the new incense, quickly took them in his hands. “Yes, Manager!”

In addition to the new He Xiang, Zhou Feng had also brought along a new batch of fragrance balms made by Madam Zhou.

The previous peppermint balm had sold well, but some high-ranking officials and noble ladies disliked using the same products as commoners. To cater to them, Madam Zhou specially crafted a new fragrance balm infused with peony water, giving it a richer scent and skin-enhancing properties.

Zhou Feng instructed the assistant to put everything on display.

Not long after, the alluring fragrance inside the shop caught the attention of passing noble ladies.

Intrigued by the scent, they stepped inside and eagerly asked, “Manager, do you have a new fragrance in your shop?”