Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 69

Chapter 69

At daybreak, the envoy sent by the Southern Barbarian King was finally granted an audience with the Wuman King.

Having heard that the Wuman King was a brutal, bloodthirsty character—a figure akin to a "butcher"—the envoy felt somewhat timid. However, after being led into the Wuman royal palace, which was only half-finished, and seeing the King in the main hall, the envoy paused; he was not quite so panicked anymore.

For the Wuman King sitting on the throne was wearing a bronze mask.

The bronze mask perfectly concealed the scar on the Wuman King's face, while simultaneously obscuring the formidable aura of a ruler looking down from above.

The Southern Barbarian envoy awkwardly performed a rather improper salutation, the origin of which was unknown: "Your humble servant pays respects to the Great King."

The two rows of Wuman officials in the main hall stood in the fashion of the Great Wei. Yet, strangely, as the envoy bowed to the Wuman person above, the expressions of the Wuman officials nearby were very peculiar. Some even turned their heads and closed their eyes, looking as if they were witnessing something "too tragic to behold."

Assuming these people were ignorant of etiquette, the envoy was somewhat angered.

But then, the envoy suddenly noticed a burly, long-limbed young warrior standing behind the masked Wuman King.

The man wore a shining silver ring in his left ear, and a scar ran across half of his face. It was frightening at first glance, but upon a second look, one found him compellingly handsome. The aura he exuded while standing with arms crossed was no less imposing than that of the Southern Barbarian King Bule, whom the envoy had previously seen.

The young man smiled at the envoy, revealing white teeth.

The expressions of the court officials became even more bizarre.

The envoy, however, felt that this warrior beside the Wuman King was quite well-mannered.

The masked Wuman King cleared his throat at this moment, drawing the envoy's attention: "This year, the Great Wei Emperor’s birthday ceremony happens to clash with their New Year festival. I have decided to take a trip to the Great Wei in person. I shall keep King Bule’s favor in my heart, and I cannot forget the rewards of the Great Wei’s sovereign father, either."

The envoy said anxiously: "Great King, King Bule’s meaning is that we are truly Southern Barbarians, and the Wuman will sooner or later..."

Under the gaze of the crowd, the envoy did not dare speak too bluntly and mumbled vaguely: "We are all one family. The alliance between the Wuman and the Great Wei must be abolished sooner or later..."

The Wuman King on the high seat replied: "Since the alliance has been established, it shall not be easily abolished."

Unless there were greater interests involved.

The envoy tried to persuade him again, repeating the arguments King Bule had instructed him to use to convince the Wuman.

The Wuman King’s attitude was firm: "My mind is made up!"

The envoy felt helpless. In truth, he had suspected long before this trip that it was highly unlikely he could persuade the Wuman. Currently, King Bule was unable to unify the four tribes of the Southern Barbarians and could only watch the Wuman and the Great Wei grow increasingly close. But... all of this would pass in time.

As long as the Wuman submitted to the Southern Barbarians again, these problems could be resolved.

The envoy fell back to a secondary request: "Very well. Since the Great King insists on going to the Great Wei in person, King Bule hopes to have this humble servant accompany you on your journey."

The Wuman King asked: "What is your name?"

The envoy replied: "Luo Xiu."

The Wuman King did not speak again, but the warrior with the scar on his face, standing behind the Wuman King, inexplicably spoke up: "Are you from the Great Wei?"

The envoy named Luo Xiu was stunned for a moment and said: "My father was from the Great Wei, and my mother was a Southern Barbarian. During the great drought, my father fled the Great Wei to save his life and never intended to return alive; naturally, I am a Southern Barbarian."

The young man nodded and said no more.

Luo Xiu felt this person was strange, but did not dwell on it.

But after Luo Xiu left, the Wuman King sitting on the throne acted as if his bottom had been burned; he hurriedly stood up and yielded the seat: "Great King..."

It was the warrior who had been single-mindedly playing the guard just moments before who laughed casually, swept his robes, and sat on the throne, looking exceptionally unrestrained.

This was the true ruler of the Wuman, Meng Zaishi.

After the Southern Barbarian envoy left, the Wuman naturally held their own discussion. Some officials intending to follow the Wuman King to the Great Wei were uneasy: "Great King, do you intend to have someone impersonate you for the entire journey, while you follow along as a mere guard?"

Meng Zaishi countered: "Is that not very interesting?"

The officials were bewildered: What was interesting about that?

However, as Meng Zaishi had long held them in awe, they dared not argue.

They suggested: "Since the Great King has decided to go in person, we should prepare a national letter for the Great Wei..."

Meng Zaishi: "Heh."

His long fingers tapped the armrest of the throne one by one, and he said slowly: "No national letter. We shall first enter the Great Wei borders under aliases as merchants and travel all the way to the capital. There is still a month before the Great Wei Emperor’s birthday; would it not be wonderful to enjoy the scenery of the Great Wei along the way to the capital?

"When we are nearly there, we shall prepare a letter for the Great Wei to make preparations.

"This journey is the perfect opportunity to see what the Great Wei is truly like."

Meng Zaishi narrowed his eyes, thinking that only in this way could he perhaps see the true Great Wei and find the solution to the problem in his heart—how the Wuman should develop to become as strong and prosperous as the Great Wei—

The next day, Luo Xiu, the Southern Barbarian envoy tasked by his King, was bewildered as these Wuman people gave him a complete makeover, transforming him into a Wuman merchant.

The Wuman King seen the day before was still wearing a mask, but he, too, was dressed as a businessman.

Their party of about a hundred people entered the Great Wei borders in groups and then merged one by one.

The tall guard with the scar on his face was exceptionally reliable, staying close to the Wuman King the entire way, causing Luo Xiu to remark that this was exactly how a personal guard should be.

However, every time Luo Xiu praised that guard, the expressions of several people in the group would turn very strange, which left Luo Xiu quite puzzled.

When Meng Zaishi’s party was disguised and entering the Great Wei border, a group of true merchants was also leaving the Wuman border, returning to Chang’an in the Great Wei.

In the depth of winter, this party of merchants trudged forward.

Six months ago, at the West Market in Chang’an, they had received a mission: to use business as a pretext to live among the Wuman for six months and help a guest scout out the situation of the Wuman.

Now the six months were up, and the money provided by that guest had been spent. Although these merchants were foreigners (Hu), they had long since submitted to the Great Wei, and their wives and children were in Chang’an. Moreover, this year’s grand ceremony in Chang’an was different from previous years.

The Hu merchants, hearts racing with the desire to return home, did not want to spend the New Year in such a desolate place as the Wuman territory; naturally, they were in a rush to return to Chang’an before the end of the year.

But the pace of these true merchants could not compare to that of Meng Zaishi’s group; although they had set off around the same time, they were still many days slower than Meng Zaishi’s party—

At this time in Chang’an, because of the arrival of envoys from various small states, and because the end of the year was approaching, everywhere was exceptionally bustling.

As for Princess Danyang, Mu Yaoyao, she watched with cold eyes; at her residence, she had entertained Yan Erlang from next door for dinner for five consecutive nights.

The midday meal was left to his own devices.

It was not because Mu Yaoyao did not return to her residence, but because the imperial court provided "communal meals" for the ministers working in the various offices of the imperial city. An eighth-grade minor official like Yan Shang, since he was dispatched from the Secretariat to the Court of State Ceremonial, could choose to eat at either office at midday.

In any case, he would not go hungry.

Yet, the fact that he was thick-skinned enough to come and scrounge a meal at Mu Yaoyao’s residence every night—that was certain.

At first, Mu Yaoyao thought he had some ulterior motive, but after watching him for two days, she realized he was simply there to eat and chat with her. She was absolutely awestruck by him—

Who would have thought that Yan Erlang had actually learned how to scrounge for meals!

Just how poor was he?

This evening, Yan Shang was having dinner at Mu Yaoyao’s place as usual.

The two did not eat at separate tables; instead, a long table was laden with dishes. However, Mu Yaoyao was only swirling her wine cup, drinking but not eating much, simply enjoying the sight of Yan Shang eating.

After Yan Shang finished his meal, before the dishes were cleared, he raised his head to look at Mu Yaoyao, meeting the Princess's eyes.

Yan Shang paused slightly and slowly put down his chopsticks, recalling that he shouldn't have shown any awkwardness just now.

He said politely: "Your Highness is only drinking wine, not eating?"

Mu Yaoyao frowned: "Eating food while drinking wine creates a strange taste; who could stand that?"

Yan Shang: "Your Highness, drink less wine."

Mu Yaoyao shot him a glance, and as if to deliberately defy him, she poured herself a full cup of wine, signaled to him with it, and drained it in one gulp.

Yan Shang: "..."

Although he knew she wouldn't listen to him, Yan Shang still said in a low voice: "Then Your Highness should drink warm wine. Your Highness is a woman and should know that one ought not to drink cold wine. It causes not only stomach pain but headaches as well. I specially asked the imperial physician..."

Mu Yaoyao was tired of him: "I know, I know, you are so annoying."

She was still feeling lingering fear and had the maids clear the wine from her side. She truly found Yan Shang’s slow, steady style—where he insisted on speaking until she agreed—annoying.

Yet she could only endure it.

As the maid cleared the food table, Mu Yaoyao saw Yan Shang still sitting there and could not help but look at him with surprise.

Yan Shang braced himself, a warm smile on his face, and idly chatted with Mu Yaoyao: "What did Your Highness do today?"

In the candlelight, Mu Yaoyao thought he was planning to chat with her after dinner again.

Sigh, what was there to talk about?

She and Yan Shang rarely saw each other all day, and they had no shared experiences; what on earth was worth talking about every single night?

Perhaps because she was slightly tipsy, she rested her chin on her palm and scoffed: "I don't want to say."

Yan Shang paused, pretending not to understand the indifference in her tone, and smiled: "Then let me tell Your Highness about something interesting from my day..."

He began to report his daily schedule to her as if telling a story. Mu Yaoyao did not utter a word. At least his voice was pleasant and his stories were quite interesting. Although she did not want to pay attention to him, listening to him was no bother.

Just then, the maid Xia Rong appeared outside holding a notebook, tiptoeing as she peered into the room. Mu Yaoyao saw her and lifted her chin in that direction. Xia Rong then entered with the book, placed it on the table in front of Mu Yaoyao, and curtsied before retreating.

Yan Shang continued his gentle, pleasant chatter.

Although it was only him talking, Mu Yaoyao kept her head down, flipping through the notebook the maid had brought, with no intention of responding to him.

Yan Shang felt slightly uncomfortable.

But he was helpless, knowing Mu Yaoyao had always been this kind of person.

When she was happy, she became very cute, clinging to him and acting like a spoiled child; when she was not happy, her simply ignoring him was already considered having a good temper.

When Yan Shang decided to be with her, he had already prepared himself for this side of her. But with her constantly like this... he still could not help but doubt himself, wondering if he was truly so boring that she had no intention of responding even after he had talked for so long.

Could it be... could it be that he could only attract her attention by selling his looks? Perhaps he was not doing well enough, but he was struggling and trying, while Mu Yaoyao... she was not trying at all!

The two were clearly lovers, yet Yan Shang felt that Mu Yaoyao simply... did not want to be with him.

Passion makes a smart person paralyzed; it makes a smart person lose their composure. While Yan Shang was lost in such wild thoughts, it did not delay his verbal chatting with Mu Yaoyao. However, when he himself became distracted while talking, Mu Yaoyao patted the table.

Mu Yaoyao complained: "Do you know what you are saying? One moment it was your Teacher Liu being dissatisfied with the teacher your father chose for you, and the next you were talking about how you practiced archery. Yan Shang, since when did you become so incoherent?"

Yan Shang was startled. He was not ashamed by her questioning, but rather, his eyes lit up slightly, feeling a bit pleasantly surprised: "So Your Highness was listening to me after all?"

Mu Yaoyao was puzzled: "...I am not deaf."

Yan Shang’s lowered eyelashes trembled slightly. His face flushed a little, and the previous feelings of depression suddenly vanished, replaced by a sense of rejuvenation. However, before he could continue the previous topic with Mu Yaoyao, she raised her head from the notebook she was looking through, her eyes holding a trace of a smile.

She said: "Stop! I don't want to hear about those boring things anymore. I ask you, do you know you are wrong?"

Staring into her cold eyes, Yan Shang was momentarily dazed.

He said: "What did I do?"

Mu Yaoyao patted the table: "Are you keeping a woman on the side behind my back?"

Yan Shang was left between laughter and tears: "Your Highness is joking again."

Seeing that he was not the least bit anxious and appeared completely open and honest, Mu Yaoyao felt both disappointed and relieved: nothing had been exposed. Perhaps he really had not done anything improper.

Mu Yaoyao then spoke her true mind: "And you say you are not wrong? You come to my residence every night—do you not know in your heart what for?"

Yan Shang suddenly felt uncomfortable.

He turned his face away, still sitting upright, and looking down at her, said: "I simply cannot see Your Highness all day, and I want to talk to you. Is that also a mistake?"

Mu Yaoyao rested her chin on her hand, watching him make such solemn vows.

In her heart, she cursed that sure enough, no man could be trusted.

She suddenly threw the account book, hitting Yan Shang, and scolded: "Stop lying about wanting to see me! You are simply so poor you cannot make ends meet, so you come here to scrounge for food and drink. Yan Shang, I truly misjudged you. You look so dignified and seem so upright, yet you could do such a thing!"

Yan Shang was hit directly in the face by the account book and was a bit stunned.

He picked up the item Mu Yaoyao had thrown and flipped through it quickly. He had an excellent memory. The account book of the household that Yun Shu had shown him the day before yesterday was exactly the same as this one. He immediately understood that what Mu Yaoyao had thrown was the account book of his own household.

Although the house next door was said to be Yan Shang’s, the servants and everything else were from Princess Danyang’s side. If Mu Yaoyao really wanted to know something, there was no way to stop her.

Moreover, Yan Shang was open and honest; he had never intended to stop her or hide anything from her.

Seeing this account book, Yan Shang knew his little secrets had been discovered by Mu Yaoyao. He was extremely ashamed, but when he looked up, he saw Mu Yaoyao’s face flushed red, so angry that she stood up and prepared to leave. He was momentarily panicked and hurried to chase after her.

Reaching the door, Yan Shang grabbed Mu Yaoyao’s hand: "Your Highness!"

Mu Yaoyao: "What?"

She stood at the doorway of the hall, looking back at him. Her expression was indifferent, making it impossible for Yan Shang to tell if she was really unhappy.

Yan Shang observed her for a long time. Mu Yaoyao shook off his hand, and he frowned, his expression revealing a bit of a struggle.

After a long while, he said: "It is my fault. But I could not help it..."

Mu Yaoyao gave him a sidelong glance; she was a bit unhappy, but not to the point of anger over such a small matter.

Held back by Yan Shang, Mu Yaoyao said: "If you cannot afford to eat, just say so. I can even lend you money. Why must you act this way?"

Yan Shang looked at her and said after a long time: "Do I do this only because I am short of money? Would it be enough if Your Highness simply lent me money?"

Mu Yaoyao was puzzled: "What else?"

He lowered his eyelids, looking at the wrist of hers he was holding, and said: "Has Your Highness never thought that I do this... also because I want to find an excuse to see Your Highness?"

Mu Yaoyao: "..."

Silence for a moment.

Yan Shang raised his eyes and looked at her.

Mu Yaoyao said after a beat: "Huh?"

Yan Shang frowned slightly; he had been frowning almost all night. He was still holding her wrist, standing with her at the hall doorway. He looked at her and saw she appeared truly unable to understand, and he felt genuinely wretched.

Yan Shang said: "Do, do you... do you never want to see me? We do not see each other all day. I am at the Court of State Ceremonial, and you are busy with your affairs. And when I return at night, sometimes you go to banquets with ministers and return very late... I also have to study and practice calligraphy at night.

"We often do not see each other all day long and cannot say a single word."

Mu Yaoyao was silent.

She said: "And so what?"

Yan Shang was slightly anxious.

He said: "Lovers are not like you and me. They ought to see each other often and speak often... I am always thinking of you, but I do not know if you have thought of me."

Mu Yaoyao shot him a glance and said: "How am I supposed to answer that..."

She struggled and freed her wrist from his grip.

She rubbed her hand, stepped on the shadows of the lanterns in the gallery, and walked toward her own living quarters. Yan Shang followed behind her, sometimes reaching out to lift the curtain for her. He heard Mu Yaoyao slowly say: "Since we live so close, wanting to meet is actually very easy."

Yan Shang: "Why is it easy?"

He paused and said: "You are a princess after all. I find no excuses, so I have no way to call upon you. One moment I say I need to discuss government affairs with you, and the next I have to rely on scrounging meals to see you... You are a golden branch and jade leaf, high above, and truly know nothing of my difficulties."

His face flushed, and he said in a low voice: "How could I lie every day? How could I invent excuses every day? My head is about to burst from thinking, but if I cannot see you, what is the use?"

Mu Yaoyao walked in front, listening to him complain repeatedly behind her.

She was extremely surprised.

Because Yan Shang spoke in a very low voice, just following her and saying this, the maids not far behind them could not hear their voices. Mu Yaoyao naturally understood that Yan Shang was too concerned with his reputation and did not want others to know what he was saying to her, but the fact that he... kept whispering such words to her, really... Mu Yaoyao was originally very calm, but now she was blushing because of him.

Who ever kept saying "I want to see you" and "I especially want to see you" like that?

Mu Yaoyao flushed with crimson.

She found it both funny that he had such a side, and happy that he actually wanted to see her so much.

In fact, she missed him too... but did he not always have excuses to call upon her? That saved her the trouble.

Mu Yaoyao walked to the door of her room, pushed it open, looked back at him, her eyes slightly coquettish: "Alright, I understand what you mean! You may come to my residence directly in the future; I will not let the servants stop you and question you anymore."

Yan Shang blushed.

He shut his mouth and said nothing.

He also knew his behavior was not good, but... he truly had no other choice. Hearing Mu Yaoyao say this, the corners of Yan Shang's lips curled up slightly.

Closing the door of her room, Mu Yaoyao slowly lit the lamps and candles in the room, standing with her back to Yan Shang, and said softly: "Yet why must you want to see me?"

Yan Shang was stunned and said: "What do you mean by that?"

He looked at her slender back and heard her slowly say: "I feel it makes no difference whether you see me or not. In any case, even if you see me, you just pull me to sit and chat, chatting about your endless words, telling me what happened in the Government Affairs Hall today, what will happen tomorrow... Such boring things, I do not really want to hear."

Yan Shang: "...Is this the reason why you have never really liked seeing me?"

Mu Yaoyao blew out a candle gently, and all the candles on the lamp stand lit up, illuminating the hall brilliantly. She turned around to look at him, the bright fire shining on her face, making her look supple, bright, and charming.

Mu Yaoyao scolded coquettishly: "What is it? You are the one pulling me to talk this nonsense; can I not dislike listening to it? Must I happily applaud everything you say?"

Yan Shang lowered his head to reflect.

He was slightly embarrassed and said: "I did not know... Then what would you like to hear? Shall I tell you that?"

Mu Yaoyao tilted her head to think, then said as if giving up: "I like to hear... forget it, I do not want to hear you talk at all."

Yan Shang: "..."

Yan Shang looked up in a daze, meeting her alluring eyes. He was not a stupid person; with such a light flutter of her eyes, he immediately understood what she meant.

This time, even the roots of his ears were red.

After a moment of daze, Yan Shang sat down and lowered his gaze, saying: "I thought... between men and women, it is not only that one thing that is interesting."

Mu Yaoyao: "Oh, that is a pity. You and I have no common language. In my eyes, only 'that one thing' that you do not even dare to mention is the most interesting."

Yan Shang struggled: "...Do you not want to communicate with me and become more familiar with me at all? We have known each other for so long, but I feel you do not understand me at all, and I do not understand you either."

Mu Yaoyao sat under the bed curtains; it was hot in the room with the charcoal burning, so she picked up a feather fan to fan herself. She looked at Yan Shang, who was sitting about three or four zhang away from her, with a smile that was not quite a smile, secretly complaining in her heart that at such a distance, why didn't he just leave the door.

Mu Yaoyao: "Then perhaps I am vulgar."

Yan Shang had nothing more to say.

After a long while, he tried again: "I am not opposing you; I just feel that having spiritual communication is more meaningful and longer-lasting. Always on the physical level... it is somewhat famished..."

Mu Yaoyao’s face fell, and she smashed the fan onto the bed board with a slap.

She was slightly angry: "What do you mean? You are the only one I have, and I cannot even touch you, and you call it famished? It would not be too late for you to say this if I had three or four men at the same time, right?"

Yan Shang hurried to stand up: "That is not what I meant..."

Mu Yaoyao: "Get out!"

Yan Shang was anxious; this time he took the initiative to walk over, sat beside her, and lightly hooked her hand, only to be shaken off by Mu Yaoyao. Yan Shang said: "That is not what I meant; I just feel that if love fades as beauty wanes, if you only value the appearance, what if I grow old and ugly..."

Mu Yaoyao was even more furious: "I have not done anything yet, and you are already thinking about love fading as beauty wanes? It was only no bed before, now it is not even kissing and hugging. For a person like you, who would dare to be with you?"

Seeing her even more unhappy, Yan Shang was also a bit panicked.

After a long while, he said: "Then, then you can kiss me."

Mu Yaoyao was laughed at in anger: "Are you giving alms? Are you so reluctant?"

Yan Shang: "I just, I just..."

Mu Yaoyao: "What on earth is it? Speak clearly! If you do not speak clearly, let us call it quits, and do not come looking for me in the future!"

Sweat was already seeping onto Yan Shang’s forehead. He stuttered for a long time, but finally broke down because of her harsh words. He grabbed her hand, fearing she might leave, and with a face that turned from pale to white, he leaned into her ear and whispered a few words.

Mu Yaoyao: "..."

She was instantly dazed.

She looked back at him.

The few words he whispered softly in her ear were: "You always leave me unsatisfied, which is why I do not like it.”