Duke Rocard sat down heavily in his chair, even suspecting that the wicked Lorisha Roar might play a prank with the herbs.
“Director Roiman, did you thoroughly inspect the herbs?”
“The herbs were only of the highest quality, and poison testing was done at every stage of processing. I did everything from beginning to end with my own hands, so don’t worry.”
“You’re indeed the Director.”
On reflection, it was a baseless suspicion. The third lion’s daughter—who emphatically stressed her illegitimate birth—had nothing to gain from assassinating the second prince, not even a speck.
“Are the herbs enough?”
Duke Rocard’s voice was quite irritable, and Whinid looked back at him with a slightly puzzled face.
“The ingredients are sufficient. If this treatment works, I plan to secure plenty.”
Through Lorisha Roar?
Duke Rocard barely suppressed the words that came to his throat, saying he would personally go to the herbalist for the sake of the second prince’s health.
He wouldn’t allow his pride to approach Lorisha Roar first. She had to come and beg him first.
‘How do I pay her back…’
His thoughts were interrupted by Grayien’s voice.
“How’s the academy?”
When the second prince started the small talk, Whinid quietly closed the door and left.
Duke Rocard knew that Grayien was not curious about his school life.
“A few promising buds are showing, so I’m keeping an eye on them. But you know, they’re only firstyear students.”
“I heard that the daughter of the Earl of Ancarte is outstanding. She’s your classmate.”
As a darker irritability appeared on Duke Rocard’s face, Grayien wore an intrigued expression.
“Carlin Ancarte. She’s excellent.”
“But?”
Grayien looked a little crumpled, finding it tiresome to turn his head while lying down.
Duke Rocard answered, mimicking the scales of a balance with both hands.
“She’s already approached me. Carefully weighing.”
Grayien laughed contentedly. The joy of an ambitious top student choosing him first was apparent.
“Let’s see how well you do.”
“I don’t like assertive women much.”
“I thought it was your taste?”
“…….”
At Rocard’s silence, Grayien narrowed his eyes. It wasn’t due to the pain of the treatment.
“Rocard. Will you only pick the easy ones to offer me?”
Is that also a symptom of the disease?
After his injury, Grayien had become increasingly impatient and doubtful. Sometimes Rocard found this harder to handle than the battle itself.
But he knew an essential fact.
Neither appear threatening nor weak to the royalty. That was the way to get what he wanted, staking his survival.
“Wasn’t it you who wanted blind loyalty, Your Highness?”
“That’s why I’m doubting you now, Rocard.”
The question was quite sensitive, but Duke Rocard answered with composure.
“Have you already forgotten the position that Earl Ancarte took in the Amata war, Your Highness?”
Duke Ankart spurred on the opposition to war in the debate that arose when the Amata tribe informed the empire that they would cease iron ore exports.
The argument of the opposition was that the Tunbar Mountain Range was rugged and no outside force had ever won there, but it was not difficult to know the duke’s inner thoughts.
If the iron ore imports from the Amata tribe in the north were interrupted, the empire had no choice but to rely on imports through the maritime trade routes of the southeast sea. It promised tremendous profits to Duke Ankart.
Duke Rocard believed that one who prioritized personal interests over the empire could be the subject of a temporary alliance, but could not be an ally.
He already knew the tricks of those who sought to satisfy their desires by using the emperor as a stepping stone.
The emperor’s purges in their grandfather’s generation had sufficed to prove how pitiful the fall from the threshold of absolute power could be.
Greion was also no less than the former emperors in such cruelty and determination.
Duke Rocard had no intention of being held responsible or injured in the confusion.
Whether Greion knew Duke Rocard’s mind or not, he responded pleasantly.
“That’s the father’s stance.”
“How can you be sure that she will take a different stance?”
“I don’t dislike wealthy women. Look at my grandmother. Gathering nobles through business connections from my grandfather’s time, she started her own school to personally raise administrators. Look at the power it exerts on the noble academy and managers.”
Turning his head to one side, perhaps tired, Greion spoke in a joking tone and then lay down straight.
Duke Rocard smiled faintly.
He understood the envy in Prince Greion’s heart for the support the future empress had from the empress. But the situation with Duchess Ankart was different.
While the empress was from a longestablished noble family, the provincialborn Duke Ankart had not yet set foot in high society. Therefore, the value of 1 gold from the empress’s family and 1 gold from Duke Ankart were different.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
