The small piece of collar Duan Changchuan cut, while the concentration was not as obvious as when he was near Bai Su, but he can still smell it.

At first, Ruan Qiao used her hand to fan and sniff the scent, but later she directly placed the cloth under her nose. Sniffing and smelling, she became increasingly confused.

In the end, she shook her head, “I really can’t smell the floral fragrance… I can distinguish the remaining soapberry scent in this collar, and the clothes seem to have been soaked with rose petals, but I truly can’t smell the peony fragrance that Your Majesty mentioned.”

Yun Xie leaned forward and asked, “Could he have mistaken roses for peonies?”

She shook her head, “It shouldn’t be. Moreover, roses are the most commonly used fragrance in the palace, and Your Majesty has it on his own clothes, he wouldn’t mistake it.”

For a moment, the three fell into silence.

Yun Xie took the small piece of collar fabric, “What kind of smell is it? Let me have a sniff.”

Before he could bring it to his nose, Duan Changchuan snatched it away, “Even Miss Ruan can’t smell it, can you?”

Yun Xie, “…”

Ruan Qiao, who had been deep in thought, suddenly spoke, “Why don’t we analyze it from a pharmacological perspective… Your Majesty, do you think this fragrance has an aphrodisiac effect?”

Duan Changchuan frowned at her words, “Actually, it’s more than that…”

Then he followed his memories, and spoke slowly, “The first time I smelled this fragrance…”

When he reached a certain point, he suddenly stopped, and the teacup in his hand fell to the ground with a “crash.”

Because he suddenly remembered, the last time he blushed suddenly at the archery field was not the first time he smelled this fragrance. On the second day of the wedding, when Imperial Physician Fang examined his neck, the sudden peony fragrance was also not the first time…

The real first time was the moment they first met in front of the palace.

When the Phoenix Seal fell, Bai Su caught it easily. At that moment, a flash of an image passed through his mind, someone was holding him and whispering, “Duan Changchuan, why are you so obedient…”

The voice was exactly the same as Bai Su’s. That was the first time he smelled the peony fragrance on the woman.

But why…

Why was there such an image?

In front of him, Chang Le rushed over because of the spilled tea, while fussing, “Your Majesty, why are you so careless,” as he wiped his wet clothes.

Yun Xie also put away his usual carelessness and asked him seriously, “What did you remember?”

But Duan Changchuan felt like his mind was blank, without the ability to think.

After a while, the scene in front of him refocused.

He nervously looked at Yun Xie and whispered, “Yun Xie… I feel that the fragrance on her can… convey some information…”

The scent can convey information…

Yun Xie’s expression was a bit magical. Mainly because this matter was quite magical.

Now, Duan Changchuan had changed into clean clothes, and the three of them sat together again.

Yun Xie and Ruan Qiao glanced at each other, and Yun Xie asked, “You said, her fragrance can convey information? Can you be specific? Is this information constantly changing, or is it always the same? What kind of information is it?”

The young emperor looked at Yun Xie at the side, then looked at the Lady on the other side…

After thinking for a long time, he carefully spoke, “It wasn’t just once I’ve smelled her fragrance. Most of the time, it makes my heart beat fast, and there’s a slight surge of vitality… But two occasions were different.”

“Yesterday, when I feigned illness, the fragrance on her became somewhat calming.”

“And then there was another time, I was bitten by a bug on the nape, when Imperial Physician Fang came to check, and she became very agitated. Questioning what Imperial Physician Fang was going to do. That scent… seemed like created a barrier in front of me.”

Duan Changchuan spoke intermittently, and Ruan Qiao’s brow furrowed even tighter.

“Are the scents all the same fragrance? Aphrodisiac, and calming, are effects that fragrances can achieve, but correspondingly, the formulas must be different. Even the most skilled fragrance master cannot create two scents that are exactly the same but with vastly different effects.”

Duan Changchuan, “The scent is exactly the same. I smelled it completely the same.”

Ruan Qiao, “This… Your Majesty, please forgive me. It might be the lack of skill in this humble girl’s artistry… I can’t comprehend it. It would be better if I could smell this fragrance, but… I truly didn’t smell anything at all.”

The discussion reached a deadlock. It sounded more like Duan Changchuan himself being unreasonable.

Yun Xie, who had been silent, suddenly unfolded a folding fan between the two, “Have you ever considered… that this might be a simple case of the first awakening of love?”

Duan Changchuan: ???

Ruan Qiao also followed suit:…?

Yun Xie raised his folding fan between the two and said, “Everyone has their own unique scent… And you, when sick, it becomes calming your nerves. Not wanting to be touched by others, feels like someone protecting you with a barrier, and normally blushing and heart-pounding… it all seems like deep-rooted love ah, my Emperor.”

Duan Changchuan, “…”

“Your Highness, it’s not smelling someone’s scent and having your heart pound. It’s clearly seeing this person and having your heart pound.”

Duan Changchuan:…?

#Nonsense! How could I have deep feelings for a woman whom I’ve only lived with for less than half a month?#

#I’m definitely not such a pathetic emperor!#

A “pfft” sound came from the side.

Turned around, Duan Changchuan saw Ruan Qiao, who had been analyzing things seriously for him, covering her face and laughing.

Duan Changchuan, “…”

“Guards, take this guy away and give him a slap!”

–

Dragging his heavy steps back to the palace, it was already noon.

In the study, the woman was still sitting by the window at a small table, calmly writing.

It was noon, the best time for sunlight. The woman wore simple clothes without any makeup, and a halo of light surrounded her.

The charcoal fire beside the couch burned quietly, still unable to conceal the faint scent of peony that appeared from time to time.

“You’re back?” Hearing the movement, the woman put down her brush and turned her head towards him.

Duan Changchuan responded softly, walking over, “Are you learning to read?”

Bai Su actually had been reading and writing like this for a long time, but he hadn’t paid much attention to it before. Today, he suddenly became curious about how someone who had never learned to read and didn’t have a tutor, learned to read.

Upon approaching, he found that Bai Su’s learning was much better than he had imagined.

The brushstrokes were written stroke by stroke. Horizontal and vertical lines, one could see that she was indeed a beginner, but what she wrote looked much better than most beginners. Especially in some places, she even hid or exposed certain strokes.

“Aren’t you illiterate?” Duan Changchuan looked at the half-page of the Three-Character Classic with suspicion.

But the woman didn’t show any guilty conscience, instead, she leaned on the table, supporting her chin, looking at him calmly, “Why, do you doubt me?”

Duan Changchuan, “…”

Why did he feel like he was being turned against?

He immediately countered, “Don’t you deserve to be doubted?”

He could play this game of turning things around too!

White Su didn’t continue teasing him. She sat up straight, explaining directly, “I’ve heard the Three-Character Classic and Thousand-Character Classic. Even though the characters don’t match, I’m now memorizing them while looking at the book.”

“Actually, I also want to discuss with you. I’ve been staying in your sleeping palace these days, and you should feel it’s not very convenient for both of us. I’m planning to go back to Qing Lu Palace. Although it’s against the rules, you can find any excuse to send me away. The Empress Dowager and the Regent won’t interfere too much.”

Duan Changchuan listened to her words sentence by sentence, feeling bewildered.

From the beginning, when he wanted to question her, why can you memorize the Thousand-Character Classic? Did Lin Qing teach you?!

To later, feeling annoyed, I didn’t mind you affecting my reception of various information, didn’t mind being inconvenient, but you wanted to leave first?

She would rather be driven away than live with him then?!

Duan Changchuan’s thoughts were in chaos, He finally summarized his thoughts with the words: Outrageous!

Very outrageous!

“You also know that is against the rules, Do you know how many people in the palace are watching your every move? Today, if you are driven out of the Ming Sheng Hall, tomorrow rumors will spread at the whole palace that you’re banished to the cold palace.”

“A few days ago, when you stayed in the Ming Sheng Hall, even the maidservants of Duan Qinxue dared disregard you. Tomorrow, when you have driven away, don’t mention Duan Qinxue’s maidservants, the stablemen in the stable, eunuchs, and palace maids from various departments, all of them will disregard you.”

Duan Changchuan was really angry.

He didn’t even know why he was so angry.

Bai Su leaving for Qinglu Palace was clearly what he wanted, so he wouldn’t have to secretly let Chang Le pass on messages, and he could directly summon Yun Xie for discussions without worrying about eavesdropping. And… keeping a distance from Bai Su was what he wanted from the beginning.

It fulfilled his wishes in all aspects, but in the end, it was he who was most angry. The young man stood by the table, his beautiful black eyes tinged with a faint red due to anger.

Bai Su subconsciously went over to pull him, “Don’t be angry, I just…”

She stopped halfway. How should she explain?

Tell him that she’s an Alpha, and now is going through differentiation, and her susceptible period is coming soon. When she loses control, she might cling to him not letting go and even bite him…?

What a joke, the kid probably would just think she’s making excuses.

Moreover, saying things like “We actually got married in another world”, and “my wife looks exactly like you, but you’re not him” would probably make him collapse.

“…I’m moving to Qing Lu Palace, it’s the best for both of us.”

The young man tore his sleeve from her hand, turned around, and left, “Do as you wish. Chang Le, serve the noon meal.”

“Yes…”

–

Dishes were brought up one by one, and the fragrance wafted in the air.

But Duan Changchuan and Bai Su had just quarreled, and the atmosphere was visibly tense.

Chang Le and Yi Man, leading the eunuchs and maids, all watched with their eyes wide open and not daring to make the slightest movement.

The young man is probably in a bad mood, his appetite has also decreased significantly. Bai Su saw that he only took a few bites and put down the chopsticks.

Helplessly, she picked a chicken leg from the plate and put it in his bowl.

“If you eat so little, you’ll get hungry later. Don’t you have to handle official matters with the Regent this afternoon? Be careful that your stomach will growl in the middle of the process.”

The young man remained unmoved.

She continued, “Eat a bit, otherwise, how will you suppress Duan Jing’an with such momentum, huh? Be good.”

The young man finally picked up the chopsticks again, reluctantly picking up the chicken leg in his bowl, biting into it with small bites.

While eating, he complained, “Such a big chicken leg, no one bothered to debone it for me…”

Stubborn yet adorable.

Bai Su couldn’t help reaching out, patting his hair, “Understood, I’ll help you debone it next time.”

“Uh, don’t talk to me in this tone!”

“Okay, okay.”