Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Tonight, it was fated that no one would find sleep.

In the imperial palace, the Qingning Palace was the former residence of the Empress. Since her passing, the palace had been sealed, remaining empty ever since.

Tonight, having returned from outside the palace, the Emperor unexpectedly went to the Qingning Palace.

The palace attendants hurriedly and clumsily tidied up the space. The Emperor sat in the main hall, a board of black and white go stones set before him on the desk.

This game had been here since the day the palace was sealed. The Emperor had forbidden anyone from moving the stones. Now that he had returned to this place and saw the game exactly as it had been left, he was overcome with a mixture of grief and joy.

Yet, when he raised his eyes, the woman who should have been sitting across from him, playing against him, was long gone.

The Emperor propped up his forehead with one hand and coughed, his head bowed.

The eunuch attending to the Emperor heard the coughing and rushed in. Seeing the Emperor in this state, he immediately understood: it was a case of seeing familiar objects and longing for the person who used to use them. His Majesty was missing the Empress.

But why bother?

Was it not the Emperor himself who caused the Empress’s death?

The eunuch dared not mention the late Empress, so he said with the utmost caution: "Your Majesty, Qingning Palace is cold. Shall I have someone burn some charcoal? It is also time for your medicine."

The Emperor shook his head: "I only wish to sit for a while. My body has long since failed me; there is no need for today’s medicine."

The eunuch tried to persuade him further, but the Emperor ceased speaking, staring blankly at the unfinished game of go.

The eunuch sighed inwardly. The late Empress was a refined lady raised by the Li clan of Jinling—elegant, luxurious, and born to be an Empress. She was not only brilliant and wise but also possessed an innate grasp of politics. And the Li family behind her held such immense power.

This had touched upon the Emperor’s greatest taboo.

The Empress had to die.

Because if the Empress did not die, the one who would die… might have been His Majesty himself.

Yet, after the Empress passed, the Emperor’s health deteriorated with each passing year, as if his spirit had followed her, leaving him physically and mentally exhausted.

Because his health was failing, the Emperor had continuously delegated power. Now, the court was managed almost entirely by the three princes: the Crown Prince, the Prince of Qin, and the Prince of Jin. The Emperor held court once every three days, but he had not looked at a state memorial in a very long time.

It was precisely this extreme delegation of power that caused the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qin to fight so fiercely.

Yet, was this a good thing?

The Emperor said slowly: "Danyang rejected the marriage tonight. What do you think of that?"

The eunuch looked up and saw that the Emperor’s eyes were fixed on the empty seat across the game board; he was not speaking to him. The Emperor was asking the woman who was no longer there.

Sure enough, the next moment, the Emperor mumbled to himself: "Yes, starting from tonight, Yaoyao will understand that relying on anyone is unreliable; she must build her own power. The Crown Prince is skilled in schemes, the Prince of Qin in military might, and the Prince of Jin is gentle by nature. Tell me, of these three, who will be able to take this seat?"

The Emperor seemed perplexed: "It is strange to say, but perhaps I have become too skilled in the art of imperial intrigue; I always find it distasteful to watch others scheme. Every day, seeing those children below fighting each other, I find it laughable, and I want to… clear them all out at once."

The Emperor was silent for a long time, as if listening to the person opposite him speak.

He smiled and said: "Don't worry, I only said I wanted to clear them out, but in the end, I didn't, did I? As long as Yaoyao does not go too far, I will not hurt her. I truly did not kill Erlang. Why do you never believe me? Why do you always think I could be so heartless as to kill my own son?"

After a brief pause, the Emperor’s expression turned stern, as if provoked. He muttered to himself: "Correct, within a certain limit. Do not worry; I don't have many years to live anyway. Let us see what they grow into. Before I die, I will certainly pull out all the hidden dangers.

"Even if you say I am heartless, I will definitely do it."

The eunuch stood by, breaking into a cold sweat. He thought the Emperor’s illness was getting worse. Now, he was even suffering from delusions, chatting for so long with a dead person…

The eunuch, fearing that the Emperor would talk to the late Empress all day and eventually go mad, could not help but interrupt, forcefully intruding into the conversation between the Emperor and an non-existent person: "Your Majesty, you have delegated so much power—are you really not worried about being sidelined one day?"

The Emperor glanced at the eunuch.

He sneered: "I have held power for thirty years, with the will of the people behind me. Do you truly think the court officials are lining up because of their loyalty to those princes? It is merely because I am not managing affairs. The chaos in the court is just a result of me giving them the opportunity to muddy the waters.

"If I truly wanted to reclaim power, it would be as easy as turning over a hand. The majesty of an Emperor, the trust and belief of the scholars—how could a small eunuch like you understand such things?"

The eunuch claimed shame.

But he asked skeptically: "Then why does Your Majesty let the princes hold power? Why watch them muddy the waters? What does Your Majesty intend to do?"

The Emperor said indifferently: "Nothing. I am merely snuffing out all hidden threats before I die."

The eunuch could not understand, but seeing that the Emperor’s delusions had subsided, he resorted to lighthearted chatter, serving the Emperor as he returned to his sleeping chamber to rest, and he did not bring the matter up again.

That night at Princess Danyang’s manor, after Yan Erlang entered, the maids breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that with him there, tonight should be manageable.

For Yan Shang, he found he could not refuse a drunken princess.

He did not drink himself, so it was usually he who ended up taking care of the drunkards.

Yan Shang thought tonight would be much the same.

Based on his understanding of "drunkards," the person would either be incredibly difficult and unruly, or unusually docile and obedient… Yan Shang thought of how high and mighty Mu Wanyao usually was; wouldn't she be even more troublesome when drunk?

However, he was wrong.

Mu Wanyao was far more docile than he had imagined.

Aside from clinging to him and demanding to be held, she had no other unreasonable demands.

In the end, unable to refuse, Yan Shang felt a pang of shame before being forced into the princess’s sleeping quarters to sit on the edge of her bed.

As the curtains were lowered, Mu Wanyao was held in his arms. Yan Shang’s heart beat wildly, but he convinced himself to treat this young princess as he would his own younger sister. There was no need to overthink; tonight was an exception, and the princess would forget all this by tomorrow.

Constantly repeating this self-persuasion, Yan Shang’s body finally began to relax.

This was clearly felt by Mu Wanyao, who was leaning against him.

Yet, buried in his embrace, she could clearly hear his frantic heartbeat—thump, thump, thump—extraordinarily clear in the night.

Mu Wanyao smiled to herself, thinking that for all his outward composure, he was actually quite flustered.

Yan Shang moved to rise.

Mu Wanyao immediately looked up, glaring at him as if accusing him of leaving.

She thought she was glaring, but her eyes were misted and the corners were flushed red, and her disheveled hair made her face seem even smaller. In this state, she was not ferocious at all, but rather appeared utterly pitiful.

Yan Shang’s heart softened, and he said low: "I just wanted to find someone to fetch a cloth to wipe your face, Your Highness. You will feel better when you wake up tomorrow."

Mu Wanyao understood instantly.

Yan Shang thought she was drunk.

He thought he was coaxing a drunkard, unaware that Mu Wanyao had a remarkable capacity for liquor and did not get drunk easily. But since Yan Shang was treating her with such tenderness, Mu Wanyao did not want to spoil the moment. She preferred to be held by him like this, which made her feel much better.

Mu Wanyao said nothing, merely clutching his sleeve and looking at him.

As she looked, she softened Yan Shang’s heart.

He turned his head and gave a small cough. As the dim moonlight shone in, Mu Wanyao caught a glimpse of his red ears, and he looked momentarily flustered.

He sat back down helplessly, holding her: "Very well, I will not leave. Just go to sleep, Your Highness."

Mu Wanyao: "You are not allowed to leave tonight."

Yan Shang: "…That is not proper."

Mu Wanyao: "You are not allowed to leave."

Yan Shang was silent for a moment. She looked up at him again, and after he met her clear, cool gaze for a while, he nodded.

Only then was Mu Wanyao at ease.

She snuggled back into his embrace. The faint scent of jiangzhen incense on him lingered at the tip of her nose, and the warmth of his chest—not searing, but comforting—was exactly the temperature she preferred.

Mu Wanyao felt a bit dazed, thinking to herself that this was what it felt like to be in someone’s arms.

It was neither cold enough to frighten her, nor so scorching that it suffocated her.

He was always different from the other men she had encountered.

And yet, Mu Wanyao was skeptical: how much difference could there really be between men?

Thinking about these things, Mu Wanyao closed her eyes and murmured softly: "When my second brother was still alive, he would hold me like this all night whenever I fell ill. But after he passed away, I had to stay by myself."

Yan Shang was slightly silent.

He thought of the second brother Mu Wanyao mentioned—the former Crown Prince. That was the legitimate son born to the late Empress.

Brilliant, talented in both civil and military affairs. It was a pity that heaven was jealous of his talents; he died from a fall from his horse at fifteen, a youth taken too soon.

It was said the Emperor and the Empress were overcome with grief.

Yan Shang said gently: "Then, if the Princess treats me as her older brother, that is also fine."

Mu Wanyao: "…"

Even while feigning drunkenness, she couldn't help but sneer: "Have you forgotten that I am half a year older than you? Little brother Yan?"

Yan Shang: "…"

He said: "Your Highness is truly difficult to coax."

Mu Wanyao: "It is you who spoke wrongly. If you continue, I shall call you 'little brother'."

Yan Shang: "Yes, it is all my fault. I am the one at fault."

Mu Wanyao giggled, the corners of her lips curling upward. She quietly stretched out her arms, hugging his waist even more tightly.

This was not her fault.

Tonight, she had intended to bear it alone, but he was the one who insisted on coming over to say things that made her feel so wronged. It was indeed all his fault. She just wanted to be willful for once, to momentarily cast aside the affairs outside and do whatever she pleased.

And right now, she just wanted to lie here with him like this. Even if he wasn't very willing.

But who told him to have such a good temper?

If one has a good temper, one should be bullied by her—

The moonlight shone in, the cold light moving across the bricks.

Yan Shang gradually felt his body stiffen, and he didn't know if the princess in his arms was asleep yet.

He leaned back, his spine against the wall behind him, but then he paused, realizing his waist was held too tightly by the princess, making it impossible to break free. He extended his arms and discovered that below his waist, he was restrained and could not move at all.

Yan Shang frowned, feeling troubled, thinking about how he could shift Mu Wanyao back onto the bed and free himself without waking her.

As he was deep in thought, Mu Wanyao suddenly spoke—she hadn't been asleep after all: "Actually, marrying you wouldn't be bad."

Yan Shang was stunned and looked down, seeing the bit of snow-white cheek exposed beneath her black hair.

He sighed: "How is it that your Highness is still awake?"

Mu Wanyao kept her eyes closed and spoke to herself: "Marrying you wouldn't be bad. Although you have too many thoughts, after a few years of tempering, you will likely be flawless. But you are a righteous person and kind to everyone. Whether you are a true gentleman or a fake one, as I watch you, it seems you intend to continue like this for a lifetime. Even if you are a fake gentleman, if you pretend for a lifetime, you will have become a real one.

"And given your moral standards, once you marry me, whether you like me or not, you will treat me very well, cherish me deeply, and think of me with your whole heart. I have never met someone who cared for me wholeheartedly, but I feel that if we were married, you would do exactly that. Your morality restrains you; it keeps you from failing me, from making me sad. You won’t go to brothels like the other young men of Chang’an; you won’t learn their bad habits. You don't even drink, just to stay clear-headed.

"Although I think you live too tired a life. But if your exhaustion can lead to you treating me well, how could I be dissatisfied? If we were married, you would agree to every one of my demands; whatever I said, you would do your best to satisfy. You would draw my eyebrows for me, blend rouge for me, and serve me.

"Besides, you have such a good temper. I don't know what could ever make you truly angry. You won’t scold me, won’t be angry with me, won’t turn your back on me, won’t make me shed tears. If I were too willful, you would surely only sigh, looking at me helplessly. Looking at me with such affection, what else could I possibly be dissatisfied with…"

She spoke until her voice grew faint, becoming lost in her own words. It was as if she could truly imagine their life after marriage.

Slowly, she raised her head from his embrace to look at the silent Yan Shang, who was looking down at her.

Yan Shang’s eyes held complex emotions as he looked at her quietly, saying nothing.

An inexplicable, repressed affection swirled gently between them.

Tender, lingering, perplexed, and lost. Wanting to be close yet afraid to be; wanting to retreat yet unable to let go.

They simply watched each other in silence.

After a long time, Yan Shang’s voice grew slightly hoarse: "But you rejected the marriage."

Mu Wanyao smiled.

She lowered her eyes again, her eyelashes covering all the emotion in her eyes.

 

She said with a touch of melancholy: "Because I am just unwilling. My destiny is held in the hands of others; back then, I had to marry, and now, I am expected to nod to whatever is assigned to me. If so, my life will always be at the mercy of others. How long have I been back in Chang’an, and Father already wants to discard me once again.

"I am unwilling. I would rather seek a balance between the Crown Prince and the Li clan than be cast aside. I want to protect everyone around me; I want every person around me to never have to sacrifice anything again. I want power, and to have it, I cannot be out of the game right now; I cannot marry."

Yan Shang did not speak.

Mu Wanyao could not help but feel irritable: "Why aren't you answering?"

Yan Shang said: "I originally thought that you rejecting the marriage had another layer of meaning: that you were afraid that if you married me now, it would affect my career. That you were afraid the Emperor would suppress you and, in passing, suppress me. I didn't expect it was just me being overly sentimental; your Highness was not thinking of me at all."

Mu Wanyao was stunned, looking up at him.

There was a hint of a smile in his eyes.

She immediately knew he was only joking, trying to cheer her up.

Mu Wanyao gave a soft "Ah," and could not help but reach out to cup his face.

He stiffened, but she knelt upright, not letting him pull away, and said softly: "You are making excuses for me again… you really are a good person. I truly hadn't thought of you, but since you say it like that, I give you permission to look back on this later and feel that it was for your sake."

Mu Wanyao added solemnly: "You must believe I am a good person who cares for you. Forget all that 'unwillingness' I said before; just remember that I did it for you."

Yan Shang restrained his laughter and said: "I obey your command."

Mu Wanyao followed him by curving her brows. He was truly miraculous; with just a few words, he had made her feel better. Yet she was still worried, and could not help but ask again: "Do you truly not blame me for rejecting the marriage? Do you not blame me for saying those things about you?"

Yan Shang shook his head, never tiring of the question.

He said: "If you hadn't rejected it so fiercely, the Emperor might have continued to force you. The more wretched you made me sound, the more the Emperor would believe in your determination."

Mu Wanyao lowered her eyes, a few loose strands of hair scattered across her cheek.

For once, she felt sorry for him.

She bit her lip, uneasy: "But if I speak of you like that, tomorrow when it spreads, those noble families in Chang’an who want to marry into your house might all rethink it. No one will scramble to marry someone who was just ruthlessly rejected by the princess and painted as such a worthless wretch."

Yan Shang said: "It does not matter. I told you, I have no plans to settle down in the near term. My sister-in-law is already pregnant, and being the second in my family, my third brother below hasn't even begun his proper studies, and my little sister is even younger. We are all far from the age to talk of marriage.

"Even if I don't marry for a year or two, it will have little impact on my brother and sister."

Hearing this, Mu Wanyao felt a little happy.

She raised her head to look at him again, clinging to his waist, snuggling closer with an air of intimacy.

She said softly: "Why have you never wanted to marry?"

Yan Shang hesitated.

Mu Wanyao said unhappily: "I am drunk; I won't remember any of this tomorrow. Can't you tell me the truth?"

Yan Shang said: "It is not that I won't tell you, Your Highness; it is that I have not figured it out myself."

He frowned slightly, feeling a bit of self-doubt: "I am indeed not very interested in love between men and women. Settling down is, to me, merely a type of responsibility. Since it is a duty, it is merely fulfilling a duty. Before I am forced to fulfill that duty, I have no interest in love, so naturally, I have not wanted to marry."

His face turned slightly red.

He felt a bit embarrassed.

He whispered: "Is it strange for me to be like this?"

Mu Wanyao nodded.

Yan Shang: "…"

He could not help but glare at her.

Mu Wanyao then burst into laughter.

She said coquettishly: "Your way of thinking is indeed very strange; what is wrong with me nodding? Among other eighteen-year-old men, who isn't at the age to admire beauty? When they see a beautiful maiden, don't their eyes go straight and their feet lose the ability to move? And loving someone is such a wonderful thing; kissing, cuddling, and rolling around with someone you like—isn't that such a joyous thing?

"Yet you are not interested. If you are not strange, then who is?"

Yan Shang gave a polite smile.

It was clearly purely social.

He respected the thoughts of others; he himself was not interested, and there was nothing to be done about it.

A mischievous look emerged in Mu Wanyao’s eyes.

Even without a smile, she possessed an air of playful rebuke: "You are not interested in women simply because you haven't seen enough. It doesn't matter; I will teach you."

Before Yan Shang could react, she lunged forward. Yan Shang had only been leaning against the wall, and with the force of her sideways lunge, he was instantly pinned down on the bed.

Yan Shang’s heart stopped for a moment.

He grasped her wrists, his voice slightly taut: "Your Highness!"

But it was too late.

Mu Wanyao had a smile on her lips, her brows slightly lowered as if closing her eyes, the corners of her eyes flushed a dizzying wine-red. Pinning him down, she began to tug at his belt.

Yan Shang was stunned and resisted her, but his collar was pulled open, revealing his long, clean, and jade-like neck.

With her other hand, she pulled his hair tie, and his long black hair spread out on the pillow like ink spilled into water.

The youth lifted his long neck slightly; beneath the snow-white skin, his tendons and strength were pulled taut like a bowstring.

Mu Wanyao was dizzy, biting her lip, her brows slightly furrowed in an expression of both pain and joy.

She knelt before him like an enchantress, spring waves swirling in her eyes. The tassels of the bed curtains swayed, and layer after layer of fabric was swept aside like moonlight. Amidst their heavy breathing, he held her wrists to keep her from acting out, yet after her flurry of activity, his shoulders were exposed and his robes were clearly disheveled.

Yan Shang’s voice was no longer so calm: "Your Highness… Mu Wanyao!"

With rosy cheeks, her lips touched his cheek. He turned his head away, but she didn't care, her breath brushing against his neck, winding downwards like a streak of moonlight. Yan Shang’s breathing became ragged; her loose hair brushed against his face, and he began to feel flustered, starting to lose control.

Detecting his tautness and burning heat, Mu Wanyao revealed a knowing, mischievous smile, burying herself beneath the bedding. Only when teasing him like this did she realize that his frame was lean and firm—it was all the fault of the robes he wore, which were too loose to see it at all.

Yan Shang saw that things were going poorly, so he grabbed her and pulled her tightly into his arms, preventing her from continuing.

Mu Wanyao’s face was forced against his chest. She didn't care, and gently extended her pink tongue, just a little. The light in Yan Shang’s eyes scattered. He let out a sharp "Hmm," his body bending and arching slightly, trembling gently, with sweat beading on his forehead.

Mu Wanyao was just about to tease him further when, aside from helplessly calling out "Your Highness," he finally spoke—

"Is your Highness like this with your former husband, too?"

In an instant, the atmosphere turned cold.

Mu Wanyao looked up at his slightly flushed, sweaty, and handsome face, and his black-jade pupils.

Her face was utterly devoid of expression.

She said: "You are truly remarkable.”

As expected of Yan Shang.

"You truly know exactly where my lethal spot is; one step and you hit it precisely. Not only can you comfort me with words, but you can also use them to enrage me. Yan Shang, you are truly… very good at knowing what to say."

Yan Shang was silent.

Since she was no longer stoking the fire, he was able to slowly sit up. He bent his knees to hide the change in his body, but she had already understood and scoffed with disdain at his hypocritical pretense.

Yan Shang ignored her mocking gaze. After sitting up, he pulled his robes together. With his long hair scattered over his face and shoulders, in this instant, even with disheveled clothing, he remained elegant and inviolable.

Yan Shang said slowly: "Your Highness is drunk."

Mu Wanyao said coldly: "You are so clever; you know whether I am drunk or not."

Yan Shang was silent for a moment more, then said: "Your Highness simply does not want to be decorous; you want to be unbridled, to play and tease. Your Highness does not want any future with me, nor to discuss any possibilities; you are simply too unhappy tonight and wanted to use me for amusement."

Mu Wanyao did not deny it.

She said: "So what if I do?"

Yan Shang said: "It is not acceptable."

Mu Wanyao raged: "You!"

He looked at her, his eyes like clear snow, rendering her speechless in an instant. He said: "I am not that kind of person. If your Highness wishes to play, there are plenty of courtesans in Chang’an, and there are many who would wish to surrender themselves to you. I am not among them. I do not serve with my body; I assume your Highness knew that."

Mu Wanyao stared at him, her rage ready to erupt, her face flushed red with shame and indignation.

She had been rejected… She had vaguely guessed his character before, but she had assumed that he was different when it came to her, that he wouldn't refuse…

It was as if her dirtiest, most disgusting side had been seen by him, dissected by his gaze.

She couldn't accept it.

She lowered her head, burying her face in her knees, and shouted angrily: "Get out!"

Yan Shang said gently: "Rest well, Your Highness. I will stand guard outside and not disturb you further."

Mu Wanyao remained with her face buried in her knees, not wishing to see him at all. Hearing the sound of him getting off the bed and his retreating footsteps, she felt a hollow void in her heart.

She heard his footsteps stop, and he said softly: "Your Highness is simply overthinking; things will be better tomorrow. Rest well."

Mu Wanyao: "I am fine."

She feigned a lazy smile, suppressing the shame in her heart: "I rejected you once tonight, and you rejected me once tonight. We are even."

Yan Shang: "Mm."

He walked out of the inner chamber.

Mu Wanyao looked up. Seeing that the chamber was empty, she wailed inwardly and buried her burning red face into the pillow, filled with extreme vexation—

She had actually been rejected!

She, a beauty of a thousand charms, had actually been rejected!

Her past men had all been quite obsessed with her body; where exactly had things gone wrong… How could Yan Shang have possibly refused her?

She began to harbor doubts about her own charm.