A single day passed, but Yunyan Pavilion was no longer the peaceful, fragrant heaven it used to be.
Rouyuan acted swiftly.
She ordered every product from the suspicious batch to be removed from shelves.
The entire first floor in the fragrance section, became a temporary investigation hall — tables cleared, documents spread out, shelves emptied.
Meanwhile, the second floor had transformed into a war room.
Men and women in plain clothing slipped in and out quietly, but their movements were sharp, decisive.
These were no ordinary people.
They were agents of the 'Silk Whisper Guild' … and operatives of the 'Strategic Intelligence Unit.'
They reported directly to Bai Yanyu and Prince Murong Yunxi.
And thus, Yunyan Pavilion — once famous for its scents — now smelled of ink, urgency, and danger.
A Blossoming Affection
Wen Xianyi had been running back and forth assisting the investigators.
When she turned a corner too quickly, she nearly collided with a tall figure.
Strong hands steadied her.
Murong Yunxi.
Their eyes met — too close, too suddenly.
Xianyi's face turned crimson.
She stepped back quickly, bowing like a startled rabbit.
"S–sorry, Your Highness!"
Yunxi chuckled softly.
"You've apologized to me five times today, Ah-Yi."
"I—I was… busy!"
"I noticed," he said gently, brushing dust from her sleeve.
"You work harder than half the men here."
Xianyi stared up at him — surprised by his softness.
And for the first time, Yunxi lifted a strand of hair stuck to her cheek and tucked it behind her ear.
Her heart exploded.
Bai Rouyuan, watching from across the room, nearly burst into laughter.
The Evidence Emerges
After hours of checking reports, Bai Yanyu placed the final scroll on the table.
"Ah Yuan… the delivery man doesn't exist."
Rouyuan frowned, "Meaning?"
"The raw materials he brought did not come from Huayan Pavilion Workshop."
"And," Yanyu added, "the legitimate delivery from Huayan Pavilion never arrived, because the Store Unit claimed they 'already received sufficient stock.'"
Rouyuan exhaled slowly.
"So, someone pretended to be our courier…and delivered fake raw materials."
Bai Yanyu nodded.
Murong Yunxi stepped forward, his expression turning grave.
"The Strategic Intelligence Unit checked with the Ministry of Trade. There is no registration for that courier. No records. No trace."
"It is clearly sabotage," Rouyuan said.
Her voice was calm — too calm.
A storm lay beneath it.
From the Rooftop — A Silent Watcher
High above Yunyan Pavilion, hidden among roof beams, a Shadow Guard listened intently.
He slipped away soundlessly to report.
Far from the crowd, Murong Yexuan stood beneath a flowering tree.
"Your Highness," the Shadow Guard whispered, kneeling.
He reported everything — every detail.
Murong Yexuan's eyes turned ice cold.
"Find that courier," he ordered.
"Alive."
The Shadow Guard vanished into the wind.
The Next Day — The Culprit Appears
Late morning.
Bai Yunchen stormed into Yunyan Pavilion with several Snow Wolf Cavalry elites dragging a man tied with ropes.
"This is the courier who deliver that last batch of raw materials."
Rouyuan immediately summoned the Head of the Store Department.
The man confirmed it.
"Yes, My Lady… I remember him clearly. He had a long scar on his right hand."
Rouyuan's expression didn't change, but Bai Yunchen's jaw tightened dangerously.
Interrogation began.
The courier broke within a breath.
"I—I was paid," he stuttered, "a few gold pieces. A merchant told me to deliver those crates."
"Name," Bai Yunchen demanded.
"Guo Qilin… from Emerald Merchant Pavilion!"
The moment the name left his mouth, Bai Yunchen turned to his soldiers.
"Capture him."
Unravelling the Plot
Guo Qilin was dragged in within an hour, screaming for mercy.
Under questioning, he crumbled quickly.
"A young maid came to me! She paid me a bag of gold and said to sabotage Yunyan Pavilion! I only wanted revenge — your shop ruined my sales!"
"Describe her," Murong Yunxi said coldly.
"I didn't see her face—she wore a cloak. But—her carriage bore the Zhao clan emblem."
Everyone froze.
The Zhao clan…Prime Minister Zhao Jinming's household.
Bai Yunchen's eyes darkened.
Rouyuan remained expressionless.
But inside… she felt the chill of confirmation.
The Girls… Dead?
The next morning, a sealed letter arrived from Murong Yunxi.
'The three women involved in the complaint have been found dead.
Their neighbor's say they always had poor skin since birth.
Yunyan Pavilion's products were not the cause.'
Rouyuan felt something sink inside her chest.
Murdered…to erase evidence.
This was no simple sabotage.
Someone wanted Yunyan Pavilion destroyed — completely.
But before she could think further—
Empress Dowager and Prime Minister Zhao Jinming demanded the immediate punishment of Guo Qilin and the courier.
Evidence was swept aside.
Loose ends were quickly 'resolved.'
Rouyuan clenched her hands quietly.
The Public Clearing
The next day, Rouyuan set a table in front of Yunyan Pavilion.
By noon, a huge crowd gathered.
"Dear citizens," Rouyuan said calmly, her veil fluttering, "our investigation has concluded."
"There was sabotage in the raw material delivery."
"The criminals responsible have been punished."
"To prove the purity of Yunyan Pavilion's products, we will conduct live testing."
Gasps. Murmurs.
Rouyuan and her research team began testing each product,
one by one.
Facial cream.
Powders.
Sunscreen.
Soap.
Hour after hour, the crowd watched.
The sun dipped low.
Every test passed flawlessly.
People bowed deeply.
"Miss Bai, forgive our misunderstanding."
"We trust Yunyan Pavilion!"
Xianyi placed her hands on her hips.
"If anyone has complaints next time," she said loudly, "don't scream outside like a goose. Just tell us properly!"
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
The air lightened.
Yunyan Pavilion was reborn.
A Shadow on the Rooftop
From the roof, unseen by all, Murong Yexuan watched the entire scene.
A soft smile touched his lips. "…Brilliant."
His heart swelled with pride.
No one except Bai Yunchen and his Celestial Shield friends knew how much he had done in the dark to protect her.
And Rouyuan still had no idea.
Yunyan Pavilion Shines Again
Within days, business surged like never before.
Fragrances sold out.
Skincare flew off shelves.
The clinic saw new patients every hour.
The storm had passed.
But the enemies behind it…
They were far from finished.