Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Yan Shisheng, the second son of the Yan family, stood in the outer hall of his home and caught sight of the girl in splendid robes. After his initial shock, he quickly adjusted his emotions.

With calm composure, Yan Shisheng gave his home a swift, observant glance.

Lingnan was a barren and remote place; there were no wealthy people here. His family was merely a small household in Shawu Town. It wasn’t particularly grand, but it was slightly better than the average commoner’s home.

Yet, looking at it now, it was “better than better.”

The empty walls were now hung with calligraphy and paintings, along with a chessboard that had appeared from goodness knows where. The tables and chairs were covered with cushions, and floor mats had been laid out. The maidservants had perfumed the air in the house and hung up beaded curtains. The entire room had been transformed from its original simplicity into something understated and elegant.

Yan Shisheng judged that this woman was surely either wealthy or noble.

Such a prestigious lady must absolutely not be offended. In fact, one should even try to build a rapport with her.

Even if the other party was “fierce and malevolent.”

Having thought this through, Yan Shisheng ignored the smile lingering in Mu Wanyao’s eyes—a gaze that held more than a hint of provocation. He raised his sleeves, bowed, and performed a chashou salute to the Princess.

Mu Wanyao: “...”

The chashou salute was a greeting from this era—simple, respectful, and almost impossible to get wrong. But she had just mockingly taunted him, and he was saluting her without the slightest resentment?

Mu Wanyao stared at his handsome, fair face for a long time, her eyes filled with profound meaning.

She said: “What do you want to do?”

Yan Shisheng lowered his eyes and spoke, his tone gentle and deliberate: “My lady has traveled from afar. Perhaps you saw that my home was the best house in the vicinity and decided to borrow it for the night. But is it possible that my lady dislikes being disturbed by others?”

Mu Wanyao: “Tsk.”

She rested her chin on her hand, shifted her posture, and watched this long-winded scholar with languor.

Her voice was husky and tired, the corners of her lips curling slightly: “Say what you want to say. If you continue to beat around the bush like this, I’m going to have you thrown out.”

Yan Shisheng offered a faint smile. He still did not look up at her, having presumably prepared himself to keep his gaze lowered indefinitely.

Mu Wanyao was surprised that he was truly taking to heart the lesson from earlier—that she believed he had impure intentions.

Yan Shisheng continued: “I simply thought that a person as gentle and kind as you, my lady, would likely not enjoy seeing others suffer on your account. I suspect that your occupancy of this humble home and the subsequent eviction of my family was not your order, my lady. It must have been the servants acting on their own authority, which in turn would sully your reputation.”

Mu Wanyao arched her eyebrows gently. She had only been traveling south and, bored from the long journey, had found someone to tease for sport. She never expected that this person… this wild, rustic rogue, would be so good with words.

Mu Wanyao was the Princess Danyang of the Great Wei.

She had always been a person of high status; there was no reason for her to yield the way to commoners. Wherever she stayed, others were naturally expected to make room for her. This was so much a matter of course that Mu Wanyao didn’t even need to think about it. As for those whose houses she occupied, her subordinates would naturally handle their arrangements. Why should a princess bother herself with such trivialities?

Mu Wanyao had reached as far as the remote Lingnan region of the Great Wei; she did not mind becoming an infamous princess.

Yet, even though she was the wicked one, this scholar claimed that it was her subordinates who had tarnished her good name.

Mu Wanyao stared at Yan Shisheng without blinking. She began to feel that this person was truly somewhat interesting.

She said slowly: “Young gentleman, you are mistaken. In fact, the person who does bad things is me. The person who wants to occupy your house is me.”

Yan Shisheng was taken aback.

For a moment, he could not control his expression and instantly raised his eyes to look at her. It was his first time seeing a young woman who would write “I am a bad person” on her face and refuse to take the stepping stone he offered.

Yan Shisheng was stunned, his mind slightly dazed.

Seeing him like this, Mu Wanyao suddenly burst into laughter, leaning over the table. The gold and jade ornaments in her cloudy hair shook, her eyes and brows dancing with mirth; she laughed incessantly.

When she lifted her face to look at him again, the lady’s features were flushed, her expression soft and warm.

She said softly: “Keep talking. If you say it well, then I won’t be the villain anymore.”

Yan Shisheng felt his face heat up from her laughter. He turned his head to the side, adjusted his breathing, and then lowered his eyes again to answer respectfully: “This student dares not ask my lady’s identity, and I suspect you would not tell me anyway. However, judging by your accent, my lady, it seems you have come from the north. Lingnan is the most remote place in the Great Wei, a land beyond the reach of civilization, a place of miasma and disease, where education is not established and the population is sparse; it is different from everywhere else in the Great Wei. If you are only staying for the night, that is fine, but if you intend to stay for a few days, it would be best to have a local accompany you.”

Mu Wanyao: “The local you speak of, don’t tell me you mean yourself?”

Yan Shisheng gave a slight smile.

He continued: “I will not hide it from you, my lady: my father is a rare gentleman in these parts. In his youth, he passed the Imperial Examination, but he was too proud of his own talent and chose not to serve as an official!”

As he said this, his heart hammered in his chest, his cheeks burning hot. Feeling somewhat guilty, he snuck a peek at Mu Wanyao.

He prayed that this lady might be intimidated by the status of “Imperial Exam Graduate.” After all, in this era, being able to pass the exam meant one was a talent chosen from ten thousand. Even without an official position, an exam graduate would become a leader in their region, representing the commoners and interacting deeply with the local authorities.

Of course, as for Yan Shisheng’s father… well, it was better left unsaid.

But surely an exam graduate could intimidate someone, right?

Mu Wanyao remained smiling, noncommittal about his mention of the “Imperial Examination.” She patiently waited for him to continue.

Yan Shisheng steadied his nerves and continued: “My father is on good terms with the local magistrate; our families often interact.”

This was to show that his family was not so easily bullied.

“And my family is warm and hospitable, extremely welcoming to guests. Furthermore, the wine brewed by my younger sister is extremely fragrant and sweet; tomorrow, when my lady wakes, you may drink a bowl of warm wine. If you were to stay further away, you would not be able to taste this wine, which would be a pity.”

This was to explain that it would be best not to kick them out.

“The sky has already darkened. In this small, remote mountain town, having local care is always more convenient.”

“Of course, as you have traveled from afar, my lady, my family has always welcomed guests and is willing to sweep the beds to receive you. The best rooms in our house should indeed be reserved for guests. My home does have two guest rooms that are not often used; I would not dare let guests stay in them. We brothers and sisters can manage for the night.”

“I am only concerned that my older brother snores in the middle of the night, which might disturb you.”

He finally raised his eyes to look at Mu Wanyao, his voice carrying a degree of sincerity and earnestness: “If you find my brother’s snoring too noisy, we can borrow a neighbor’s house for the night.”

He had even left an exit strategy for Mu Wanyao.

Even if Mu Wanyao still intended to be a villain and kick his family out, he was clearly intent on maintaining a posture of building a friendship with this lady.

He was making it appear as if “It was our own choice to leave, not that you, my lady, were wickedly driving us out.”

This person… was truly skilled with words.

The maidservant Chunhua, peeking from the curtain of the inner chamber while helping the other maids clean for the Princess, heard the scholar’s calm and elegant voice from outside. Chunhua could not help but quietly observe. She saw the Princess sitting under the lamp, seemingly stunned by his words, looking straight at the scholar in white.

Chunhua felt a wave of shock and emotion: This hick is not a hick at all.

He is far too good at speaking.

He made someone as bad-tempered as their Princess unable to get angry!

He spoke until the Princess just sat there in a daze!

The humble room was quiet.

Mu Wanyao sat still; Yan Shisheng stood with his hands lowered.

After a long while, Mu Wanyao spoke: “Fang Tong!”

“Here!” A man’s voice echoed from outside the hall. Soon after, a tall guard in military robes stood with cupped hands in the middle of the hall.

Mu Wanyao did not even look at the guard, her eyes fixed only on Yan Shisheng: “The accommodation you arranged for tonight, was it to drive this family directly out without arranging where they would stay afterward?”

The guard named Fang Tong said in a low voice: “Yes!”

Mu Wanyao nodded.

Her expression was cold, her voice filled with a certain authority: “Clean up the side rooms for them to stay in. If you handle this matter poorly, go outside and take twenty strokes of the staff.”

Yan Shisheng was shocked; he had not expected that because of his words, someone would be punished. Before he could stop it, the guard, without even lifting an eyebrow, replied with a resounding: “Yes!”

Mu Wanyao then smiled and looked at Yan Shisheng: “Are you satisfied, sir? If you are still not satisfied, I will have him pay with his life for your family.”

Yan Shisheng looked at Mu Wanyao.

She was still smiling, yet there was not a hint of warmth in her eyes, like the edge of a blade hidden beneath ice and snow. The sword was not drawn, but who could not sense the chilling air?

Yan Shisheng sighed: “There is no need for this.”

He bowed and said: “Thank you, my lady, for presiding over this.”

Mu Wanyao nodded.

She lifted her chin slightly, a gesture meaning “You may go.” Her arrogant and indifferent manner was as if she naturally considered Yan Shisheng her servant. Yan Shisheng’s eyes narrowed; he suspected that her status was extremely high… he dared not think further. After saluting, he turned to take his leave.

Mu Wanyao called him back: “Are you a local?”

Yan Shisheng turned slightly and bowed: “I am.”

Mu Wanyao looked thoughtfully toward the rain dripping outside the window: “Then can you tell if the weather will clear tomorrow?”

Yan Shisheng replied: “I fear this rain will fall for a few more days.”

Mu Wanyao did not care; she gave a light “Oh” and said: “Then it seems we will be bothering you for a few more days as we live under the same roof.”

Yan Shisheng nodded.

He hesitated slightly, thinking perhaps he should build a closer relationship with this woman. He smiled and introduced himself: “It was too hasty before, and I failed to mention it to you, my lady. I am surnamed Yan, given name Shisheng, and I am the second child in my family…”

Mu Wanyao asked lazily: “Which ‘Shisheng’?”

Yan Shisheng explained the characters.

Mu Wanyao lowered her head, pondering for a moment, then suddenly lifted her face. Her beautiful eyes gazed at him, and in an instant, the coldness vanished, replaced by a teasing, mischievous smile: “I have heard that in your countryside, a cheap name is easier to raise. Is your original name ‘Stone’ (Shitou), and because you started studying and felt it was unrefined, you changed your name?”

Yan Shisheng’s expression stiffened.

Mu Wanyao burst into laughter. Her brows curved into crescents, she covered her mouth, and kept looking him up and down.

Yan Shisheng ignored her teasing and continued gently: “My lady may simply call me Yan Erlang. Since we will be under the same roof for the time being, might I ask how I should address you, my lady?”

Mu Wanyao said: “My name is Mu Wanyao. The ‘Mu Wanyao’ from ‘at dusk, the little boat sways late.’”

The maidservant Chunhua, who had been listening to the Princess, was startled. She had not expected the Princess to tell a stranger her personal name. How could the Princess’s name be shared so casually?

It was not only the maidservant Chunhua who thought this; even Yan Shisheng froze for a moment, unable to comprehend it.

But Yan Shisheng remained calm.

He praised: “My lady’s name is very beautiful; one can see how much your parents loved you.”

Mu Wanyao’s tone was hollow: “Unfortunately, one sent me away to a distant marriage, and the other wished for my death.”

The maidservant Chunhua, who was still hanging curtains in the inner room, turned pale with fright. In a flurry, all the maids and guards in the room knelt down, calling out in terror: “My lady!”

How could she… how could she speak of the Emperor and the late Empress in such a way!

What if someone were to overhear this?!

Yan Shisheng: “...”

He pondered: Why did they… kneel down just like that?

What exactly is this woman’s status?

Mu… wait, Mu is the national surname.

Yan Shisheng felt his heart skip a beat, but his face remained calm. He continued to act as if he did not understand what the woman and her servants were doing, and said cordially: “Then I shall simply call you ‘Lady Mu’, my lady.”

Mu Wanyao rested one finger against her chin, tilting her head to glance at him, the corners of her eyes flicking upward.

She blinked and pretended to be innocent: “You may also call me ‘Yaoyao’.”

Her eyes were like flowing water, her affection subtle yet present.

Yan Shisheng: “...”

The maidservants cried out in alarm again: “My lady!”

How could she let someone call her that!

Yan Shisheng said awkwardly: “My lady is truly good at joking.”

He gave a bitter smile. If he truly dared to call her that, she would likely turn hostile on the spot.

Yan Shisheng turned and walked away, escaping as if to avoid the woman saying something even more terrifying.

His long, clear silhouette dissolved into the night rain, the water clinging to his sleeves, his robe fluttering like a crane. In this desolate wilderness, he stood out like a crane among chickens, as handsome and elegant as jade carved from green mountains.

Mu Wanyao gazed at him for a long time until he vanished from sight. She stared into the void, withdrawing her gaze with a touch of loneliness.