Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Because she had been drinking at the Crown Prince’s residence and had no appetite for dinner, Mu Wanyao immediately ordered her ladies-in-waiting and guards to line up in the main hall.

She intended to interrogate them: who exactly had been receiving letters from Second Young Master Yan?

Chunhua, also being among those to be questioned, stood below the hall. She carefully lifted her gaze to observe the Princess's expression, noticing that the gold and silver makeup at the corners of the Princess's eyes had smeared, and her face looked somewhat pale.

The Princess lay slanted on a long couch, resting her head on her arms. The ladies-in-waiting served her cautiously, not daring to even breathe loudly for fear of provoking Her Highness's anger.

Under Mu Wanyao’s questioning, the guards and ladies-in-waiting stepped out one by one, uneasy as they admitted to receiving letters from Second Young Master Yan—

"Back when we were in Lingnan, this subordinate chatted with Second Young Master Yan and mentioned that I had some old injuries that caused headaches on rainy days. Later, the Second Young Master wrote to ask about it and even sent some herbal medicine."

"When the maidservant was in Lingnan, I caught a cold one day, and it was the Second Young Master who provided the medicine. After returning to Chang'an, when the Second Young Master asked about some trivial matters in the city, this servant saw how kind he was and answered him truthfully."

As the people below rambled on, Mu Wanyao’s expression grew increasingly unsightly as she listened.

She finally understood. That omnipotent Second Young Master Yan not only corresponded with her servants but also sent them gifts from time to time.

Seeing that others were still talking, Mu Wanyao rose and splashed a cup of tea across the floor.

Silence immediately fell over the room.

Mu Wanyao said, "Guard Fang."

Fang Tong: "Here!"

Mu Wanyao was heavily intoxicated, and her temper was fiercer than usual: "Why bother someone else for a single task? Since you once scolded Second Young Master Yan and even built a rapport through those insults, this time, you dictate the letter and have Chunhua write it. You help this Princess give Second Young Master Yan a thorough scolding. Ask him why he is so ungrateful.

"Why haven't I heard a single word from him? Didn't he utilize me quite well back then? Wasn't he fawning over me like a dog? How is it that he turned his face and stopped recognizing people in the blink of an eye?

"That won't do, Yan Shisheng! If you want to curry favor with this Princess, you must be persistent!"

Mu Wanyao’s words were harsh, and she gritted her teeth while slapping the table: "Scold him properly for me!"

The ladies-in-waiting nearby whispered persuasively, "Your Highness is drunk; you should go and rest."

The group of women crowded around the Princess to help her to her quarters. Chunhua dismissed the servants, and she and Fang Tong exchanged helpless glances.

A while later, the lady-in-waiting Xiarong came out and told them, "Today at the Crown Prince’s banquet, a minister said that a Princess who has already been married off shouldn't be wandering about. Her Highness lost her temper at the Crown Prince's place and was even scolded by him. Her Highness left immediately afterward.

"That’s why she is in a bad mood and spoke so harshly upon returning. Fortunately, she was venting her anger at Second Young Master Yan and didn't strike or punish us."

Chunhua and Fang Tong sighed, feeling a sense of bitterness in their hearts. They were also worried that by showing such blatant disrespect to the Crown Prince, the Princess would likely have to force herself to apologize to him once she sobered up...

Her Highness wasn't doing this just for herself; she was doing it for everyone in the Princess’s estate.

Fang Tong asked, "So, should we still write this letter scolding Second Young Master Yan?"

Chunhua sighed helplessly, "Write it. If we don't, the Princess will just get angry again. We can just add another letter explaining the situation to Second Young Master Yan and tell him not to blame our Princess."

The letter was written, and the next day, after Mu Wanyao had sobered up, she took a look at it, gave an "mmph" sound, and said nothing further.

Chunhua went out to arrange for someone to deliver the letter to Lingnan. A lady-in-waiting came to inform her, "Sister Chunhua, Young Master Liu is here at the estate looking for you."

Chunhua was startled. The joy of being able to see her lover was naturally immense. When the examination results were posted yesterday, Liu Wenji's name was not among them, and she had been worrying about him constantly.

She wondered how Liu Wenji was faring today?

Still holding the letter in her hand, she left the inner residence and went to the guardhouse outside the outer gates. Sure enough, she saw a young gentleman in a plain light-colored robe standing with his back to her, staring blankly at the walls of the Princess’s estate.

Hearing footsteps, Liu Wenji turned around. His refined features were marked by red, bloodshot eyes from a sleepless night.

He offered Chunhua a smile.

Chunhua said, "Yesterday, the results were posted..."

Liu Wenji interrupted, "It’s nothing, just failing the exam! These two months in Chang'an have shown me that there are so many talented scholars here; I simply haven't adapted yet. I plan to write to my family and tell my father and mother that I will stay in Chang'an and take the exam again next year. If I don't become a Jinshi scholar, I will never return to Lingnan! With this first experience, I will surely pass next March!"

Chunhua was filled with worry, as she had grown up in Chang'an following the Princess and knew exactly how many talented scholars were here—the chances of passing the Jinshi exam were less than one in ten million.

But seeing Liu Wenji full of confidence, his eyes shining with the unique arrogance and certainty of a young man, Chunhua smiled gently and nodded to encourage him.

Seeing her tender smile, Liu Wenji blushed slightly and felt ashamed for avoiding her the previous day.

He cleared his throat and changed the subject: "What are you holding in your hand? Delivering a letter for your Princess?"

Chunhua said softly, "Yes, Her Highness needs to send a letter to Lingnan, to… ahem, ask Second Young Master Yan some things."

Liu Wenji paused, his mood turning strange: "Second Young Master Yan is still in contact with the Princess?"

Liu Wenji naturally corresponded with Yan Shisheng, and hearing now that Yan Shisheng was writing to the Princess, he felt uncomfortable.

He thought of what he had heard in Chang'an—so many scholars carrying their poetry and portfolios, running everywhere to find ministers and imperial relatives, hoping to gain their favor so they could pass the imperial examinations.

Liu Wenji had always looked down on such people.

He never expected that Yan Shisheng would also...

Chunhua asked with a smile, "By the way, Young Master Liu, are you also planning to send a letter to Lingnan? Why not bring it to me, and I can have the Princess’s estate send it out together? Letters sent from the Princess’s estate are handled very quickly by the post stations; you’ll get a reply very soon."

A flash of shame and annoyance crossed Liu Wenji’s eyes. He said, "I am not one who fawns over the powerful or flatters the elite! I have no fate to receive the favors of the Princess’s estate."

Chunhua bit her lip, knowing his pride was strong and that he had always disliked those who relied on connections, so she said nothing more.

She only wondered when Young Master Liu would finally understand that when water is too clear, there are no fish—

One month later, in Shashui Town, Lingnan, Yan Shisheng sat in his room, looking at the letter from Chang'an—from Mu Wanyao.

The Princess was questioning him as to why he did not write to her.

Yan Shisheng sat in silence.

Remembering Mu Wanyao, he recalled how she had pulled him into the carriage and kissed him as they parted... The feeling of her hand stroking his cheek and the delicate fragrance of her lips made him feel restless and unable to sleep at night, even now.

He did not know how to face Mu Wanyao.

But at least for now, it seemed the Princess had not been affected at all.

She didn't think that kiss at her departure meant anything, nor did she feel that it would make their relationship strange... She didn't really like him; it was just a moment of impulse, and she was just teasing him.

Princess Danyang treated him like a plaything. When she left, she didn't say a word, and after she left, she didn't give a single message.

With her cold actions, she told him that it meant nothing, and he shouldn't think to hold it against her.

Sitting by the window, Yan Shisheng’s expression was gentle and refined as he secretly pondered her meaning.

She was a willful young lady. She neither wanted him to overthink their relationship nor did she want him to deliberately avoid her. However, Guard Fang had said the Princess was struggling right now...

Yan Shisheng did not want to make her sadder.

He sat withered at his desk, holding a wolf-hair brush, not knowing for a long time how to respond to such a letter.

Outside, his younger sister Yan Xiaozhou called out, "Second Brother, you've been sitting there all afternoon! Eldest brother is calling you to go out and run with him!"

Yan Shisheng replied and put down his pen—

Mu Wanyao did eventually receive Yan Shisheng’s letter.

She had written to scold him; given Second Young Master Yan’s aptitude for diplomacy, how could he possibly not reply to her?

In the fifth month, Mu Wanyao sat on the gallery eating cherries, listening to Chunhua read the letter.

Chunhua said, "...In short, the Second Young Master apologizes to Your Highness. To make amends, he has also gifted you stones for eyebrow painting. He says they are famous Shidai (eyebrow ink stones) from Lingnan, for Your Highness to use."

Mu Wanyao was unimpressed—

Lingnan produced Shidai, which was fine and soft. By adding fragrant dew, the resulting ink was bright and pleasing; it was the freshest and most beautiful for painting eyebrows.

Who didn't know that? He was just using someone else's flowers to offer Buddha.

However, when Chunhua brought the box over, Mu Wanyao still opened it slowly.

Twelve eyebrow stones shaped like the zodiac animals lay in the box, carved so vividly that they seemed like twelve little creatures staring expectantly at Mu Wanyao.

The ladies-in-waiting cried out in unison, "My goodness!"

Mu Wanyao was stunned. She reached out to play with one of the stones, and then, unable to put it down, she began playing with another. Her fair, slender fingers stroked them gently, and she could tell they had just been carved.

Mu Wanyao’s heart skipped a beat. Given Yan Shisheng’s cautious nature, these twelve zodiac animals must have been carved by his own hand; he would never have left it to someone else.

This man... he always performed the superficial gestures perfectly.

It was as if he were terrified that the recipient wouldn't feel the effort he had put in.

Mu Wanyao pursed her lips, hating that he knew so well how to please people, but as she stroked the zodiac animals with lingering attachment, she smoothed her cheek and laughed, her eyes curving into crescents.

No matter what gifts he sent to others, the ones he sent to her were always the most laborious and the best.

Seeing the smile in the Princess’s eyes, Chunhua knew her anger had dissipated and deliberately said, "Is Your Highness happy now?"

Mu Wanyao said, "Happy? He carved the eyebrow stones so beautifully, how could anyone bear to use them? He’s doing this on purpose so I can only look at them and not use them, right?"

Chunhua: "..."

The Princess was truly too difficult to please.

Mu Wanyao pursed her lips and then whispered, "Send some grapes shipped from the Western Regions to Lingnan."

Chunhua was startled, "Is this the batch the Crown Prince sent to the Princess? The journey is long; if they go bad halfway..."

Mu Wanyao covered her face with her fan and rolled over on the couch. The curtains fluttered, hiding her figure.

The ladies-in-waiting could not see the Princess’s expression, only hearing her nonchalant voice: "If they go bad, then so be it. I just think that country bumpkin has never tasted grapes, so I’m just letting him have a taste. If they rot on the way, it just means he didn't have the fate to eat them."

As the ladies were gathered around the Princess, trying to curry favor with her, someone suddenly relayed a message from outside: "Your Highness, a certain Seventh Young Master Wei requests an audience, saying his teacher sent him to pay his respects."

The ladies-in-waiting were confused.

Mu Wanyao, her face buried in her pillow, opened her eyes and remembered. The illegitimate son of the Wei family, Wei Juyuan, recommended by her uncle, had arrived in Chang'an.

According to her uncle’s plan, this man was supposed to be her future husband.

...Time to go and make things difficult for him.