Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Military drills and martial force were not among Yan Shang’s strengths.

Mu Wanyao naturally shielded Yan Shang, unwilling to let him be bullied by Meng Zaishi.

However, Meng Zaishi had come to provoke Yan Shang in his capacity as the King of Wuman. If they refused to respond, would it not imply that Great Wei was incompetent?

Yan Shang gently pulled Mu Wanyao away from where she stood in front of him and asked, "Does the Great King hope for me to act as a soldier and head to the battlefield?"

Meng Zaishi revealed a smile.

He teased, "Even if I wanted you to, you wouldn't be up to the task. If you were to suffer any harm, wouldn't the little Princess eat me alive?"

He looked toward Mu Wanyao; sure enough, Mu Wanyao looked as if she were about to breathe fire, glaring fiercely at him. Meng Zaishi’s expression dimmed slightly, and he mocked himself inwardly, thinking that, indeed, times were no longer what they used to be.

He had lost that young Princess who once rode beside him across the grasslands and stone cliffs—the Princess he had once gotten tipsy on wine until she collapsed against his shoulder, the helpless Princess who knew only how to hide and cry...

He had cultivated her into a young woman who feared nothing, and now, that fearlessness... happened to be turned against him.

Yan Shang stepped forward slightly, subtly blocking Meng Zaishi’s gaze toward Mu Wanyao. Liu Ruozhu stood to the side, silently observing the subtle atmosphere between the three of them, seemingly intuiting something.

Meng Zaishi snapped back to reality and laughed heartily, "Of course I won't bully you. No matter how Great Wei dispatches its people or arranges its soldiers, as long as they are under twenty-five... After all, I am abiding by this principle myself, and I will not use the Wuman warriors I am accustomed to. Let us compare our strengths; regardless of success or failure, we remain friendly neighbors."

Having said this much, to refuse now would be nothing short of cowardice.

Yan Shang had no choice but to accept, hoping to find a way to deal with the military drill later. After all, he had never involved himself in such matters; his frequent visits to the Ministry of War were merely to understand the Wuman military strength... Engaging in armchair strategy like this made him feel rather guilty.

Mu Wanyao, standing by, was already extremely displeased.

She tried to retort several times, but she knew that since Meng Zaishi was targeting Yan Shang, even if she refuted him once, he would simply find new excuses to make things difficult for him.

After Yan Shang agreed, Mu Wanyao blurted out, "Knowing only how to fight and fight—you are a barbarian, a savage! King of Wuman, we have accepted your challenge to a military drill, but if we were to challenge you to a test of literary talent, would you dare to accept?"

Meng Zaishi, Yan Shang, and even Liu Ruozhu looked at Princess Danyang in surprise.

Mu Wanyao steadied herself and said, "This celebration is not only because of the New Year, but also because next month is my Imperial Father’s birthday. We will hold the military drill during his birthday celebrations. To celebrate, all you envoys from neighboring small countries may participate. How about competing with us in literary talent? Poetry, books, chess, or painting—the choice is yours."

By using the excuse of celebrating the Emperor, she made it difficult for them to refuse.

Meng Zaishi squinted, "Is the Princess making fun of us? We cannot even speak Great Wei’s language fluently, yet you want to compete with us in your poetry, books, chess, and painting?"

Mu Wanyao retorted sharply, "It is you Wuman who cannot speak Great Wei’s language clearly. I see that people from other nations, who admire Great Wei’s culture, have many among them who can compose poetry and prose. Great Wei has always welcomed envoys who come to learn our culture; such a competition is still a friendly exchange."

She deliberately mimicked Meng Zaishi’s tone, her voice delicate and crisp, making people smile: "Regardless of success or failure, we are friendly neighbors!"

Meng Zaishi remained silent and did not respond.

After all, the people of small nations could not match the talents of the Great Wei people. According to his understanding, Great Wei officials were chosen based on their mastery of poetry and prose; how could outsiders possibly compare?

Mu Wanyao gave a small, subtle eye-roll upward.

Yan Shang immediately disapproved: "Your Highness!"

How could she become increasingly vulgar? She was a Princess, after all. It might be one thing in private, but how could she roll her eyes in public? Even if rolling her eyes looked charming, she still should not do it.

As soon as he spoke, Mu Wanyao knew what Yan Shang meant. Mu Wanyao huffed, slightly restraining her expression, though her eyes remained fixed on Meng Zaishi as she said, "Fine, fine, we can add conditions. You small nations can join forces to compete, and we Great Wei will have only the young ladies compete against you, how about that? And they must all be unmarried ladies."

"This way, both sides have their weaknesses; that’s fair enough, right?"

Meng Zaishi looked at her for a long while before laughing loudly, "Fine. I will discuss it with the other envoys, and then we will accept the challenge. Since the Princess has put it this way, if we still refuse to fight, would we men not be too lacking in mettle?"

He said loudly, "Your Highness, please await my reply."

With that, without any lingering, he turned and swung onto his horse, riding away with graceful ease.

The people from the Princess’s residence watched Meng Zaishi’s retreating figure. Amidst the collective silence, they heard Liu Ruozhu say in a worried tone, "Is this the King of Wuman? He actually possesses quite a heroic spirit. To have such a figure leading Wuman as a neighbor to Great Wei is always unsettling."

Yan Shang said gently, "The King of Wuman may have a heroic spirit, but the men of Great Wei are not necessarily inferior. You need not worry, Young Lady."

Liu Ruozhu nodded, laughing at herself for overthinking; this was not something she should concern herself with. She was more concerned, "Second Brother Yan, you accepted the Wuman King’s challenge to a military drill—what is to be done? You haven't even visited the parade grounds, have you?"

Yan Shang gave a bitter smile and rubbed his forehead, "…I don't mind, but I must first go find some young men under twenty-five to see if there is any military talent that can assist me."

But in his heart, he already knew there was no one.

When he had checked the data earlier, he had a clear grasp of the situation at the Ministry of War. Just as he had told his teacher, the old generals were withering away, and the new ones were not yet ready… Great Wei truly had no military talent now.

Regardless, he would go and search for them first.

Mu Wanyao, standing to the side, felt extremely unhappy listening to this. She tilted her head, watching Liu Ruozhu and Yan Shang exchange words, and her heart felt as if it were being twisted into a knot. She did not know where those two found so much to talk about.

She secretly hated herself for being a step too late: Liu Ruozhu cared about Yan Shang, and she—she could care too! She just hadn't thought of it at first; she was a step behind Liu Ruozhu…

Liu Ruozhu is so annoying.

Mu Wanyao was unhappy, but unexpectedly, while Liu Ruozhu and Yan Shang were talking, Liu Ruozhu suddenly turned her head and asked her with a smile, "Did Your Highness plan to handle the matter of the Wuman King agreeing to the literary competition yourself?"

Mu Wanyao said nonchalantly, "Yes."

Handling this matter meant gaining a good reputation; how could she miss such an opportunity?

Liu Ruozhu was also worried, "As Your Highness said, there are not a few envoys who are proficient in our Great Wei’s culture. If our side has no young men to enter the competition and only young ladies… we must be cautious. We may not win."

Mu Wanyao was impatient, "I know a little bit about the skills of the noble ladies."

Liu Ruozhu was startled, then blushed and bowed, "If Your Highness says so, then I should not decline. When Your Highness selects people, you may include me."

Mu Wanyao turned her face, "What are you skilled at?"

Liu Ruozhu said in a soft, gentle voice, "Anything is fine."

Mu Wanyao was unimpressed in her heart: Not humble at all!

Yan Shang laughed from the side, "The two ladies are indeed having a pleasant conversation."

Mu Wanyao immediately glared at him: …With which eye did he see her having a pleasant conversation with Liu Ruozhu? They were clearly rivals in love! She was clearly holding a grudge against Liu Ruozhu!

Could it be that all men who enjoy having women by their sides are this blind? Do they all fantasize that their wives and concubines live in harmony and do not fight at all for his sake?

Yan Shang turned his face away, pretending not to see Mu Wanyao’s round eyes glaring at him, shining with fury. He loved the way her eyes looked when she was angry—they were round and bright, like stars, like lakes, and infinitely charming. They were like a raging fire, making his heart race.

But Yan Shang could not show it; he could not keep staring into her eyes.

His face felt scorching hot, and he coughed twice—

Yan Shang said he intended to return to the Secretariat and asked Mu Wanyao and Liu Ruozhu to stroll through the East Market. In his imagination, his departure would give them a chance to get along. He always felt stuck in the middle, and it felt like both ladies were behaving strangely, which made him feel very uncomfortable.

Who would have thought that Mu Wanyao would grab him and say with a cold face, "You behave and wait for me. Once I’ve finished my business, I will send you back to the Secretariat."

Yan Shang, "There is no need to trouble Your Highness…"

Mu Wanyao, "If you dare to leave, never set foot in my residence again."

Yan Shang had no choice but to stand in place and wait for her.

Watching the Princess walk into a shop in the East Market, Yan Shang waited helplessly by the carriage. Liu Ruozhu, who had been waiting obediently on the side, let out a chuckle. Yan Shang turned his head, and Liu Ruozhu hurriedly covered her mouth, her face turning red.

Liu Ruozhu, "I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I shouldn't laugh at Second Brother Yan. But seeing Second Brother Yan being talked to like that by Her Highness and having no choice but to listen… I find it really… really interesting."

"Second Brother Yan is not like the Second Brother Yan I know."

The Yan Shang she knew was always calm and composed, unmoved even if Mount Tai crumbled before him.

Perhaps only Princess Danyang could disrupt his plans.

Liu Ruozhu thought somewhat mischievously: It really is quite fun to watch Second Brother Yan get deflated.

Yan Shang looked at Liu Ruozhu helplessly, muttered an apology, smiled, and returned to his usual peaceful self.

Once Mu Wanyao asked when her "Merit Stone" would arrive in Chang'an, she had Yan Shang and Liu Ruozhu get into the carriage together to send them back to their respective places.

Liu Ruozhu’s heart fluttered, thinking that the Princess truly was not as indifferent as she appeared. The Princess acted as if she disliked her, yet she took the initiative to send her home.

Mu Wanyao, having counted the days in her heart, thought that the "Merit Stone" would arrive before the Emperor’s birthday, and only then did she relax. Glancing at Yan Shang and Liu Ruozhu in the carriage, Mu Wanyao felt a surge of joy: she had let Liu Ruozhu into the carriage with the hope that Liu Ruozhu would see how she and Yan Shang interacted and withdraw in the face of difficulties.

However, the three of them in the carriage felt very strange.

Mu Wanyao wanted to talk to Yan Shang so that Liu Ruozhu would see the reality of the situation; but Liu Ruozhu kept talking to her, asking this and that, which annoyed Mu Wanyao and left her no chance to speak to Yan Shang.

Yan Shang sat to the side, watching the two ladies talk, watching Mu Wanyao have to patiently tolerate Liu Ruozhu. He gave a slight smile; it was the first time he had seen Mu Wanyao unable to do anything while being pestered by another lady.

When the carriage entered the Imperial City, Yan Shang had to get off.

Mu Wanyao seized the opportunity. Trying hard to get away from Liu Ruozhu’s topic about lute strings, she grabbed her muli (veil hat), bent over to push open the carriage door, and called out after Yan Shang, "Hey!"

Yan Shang stepped off the carriage, stood beside it, and looked back at her. He saw her bent over, one hand supporting the carriage door, the white silk of her gem-encrusted muli fluttering slightly.

She looked down at him, her appearance magnificent, her skin like cream. Because of her clothing, which was half-covered and half-revealed, a long, slender curve was exposed between the snow-white mounds of her neck and chest.

Yan Shang immediately pulled at her clothes to cover her chest. His earlobes were slightly red, "…Your Highness’s clothes are not worn properly."

Mu Wanyao was slightly startled, glanced down casually, and her smile grew deeper. She lifted her chin toward him, her eyes alluring, signaling him to come closer.

Through the curtain, Liu Ruozhu, who was sitting in the carriage holding her books, saw the Princess kneeling by the carriage door, leaning forward to let Yan Shang come close, whispering into his ear—she did not know what they were talking about. But those two… Liu Ruozhu’s face burned, and her heart raced: They are so close.

If Grandfather saw this, he would definitely say the Princess is "frivolous."

Mu Wanyao was smiling brightly at Yan Shang, "I went out of my way to send you back to the Imperial City; you turn around and leave, and you don't even have a gesture of gratitude?"

Yan Shang met her gaze, his expression flickering before he lowered his head.

Mu Wanyao knew that with his exquisite sensibility, he had guessed her meaning after just one look.

But this "Second Brother Yan," who had long since guessed her intent, moved back a step without changing his expression, lowered his head, and spoke slowly, "Does Your Highness want me to give you a gift?"

Mu Wanyao, "No need for a gift. Just a kiss."

Yan Shang, "..."

He lowered his head as if doing so would make him unable to see her. Seeing the red flush under his eyes and his trembling eyelashes, Mu Wanyao felt a sense of sympathy, thinking that he had been frightened into stiffness by her.

Yan Shang, "In public view..."

Mu Wanyao said kindly, "I will use my muli to cover us; no one will see."

Yan Shang, "What could that possibly cover? Who doesn't know… it can't be like that! Your Highness…"

He looked up earnestly, and the moment he did, Mu Wanyao leaned over quickly and kissed his lips.

He backed away in horror, his heart beating violently. The redness at the corners of his eyes spread across his entire face and even his neck. He gripped the door frame, glancing around furtively to see if anyone had seen.

Mu Wanyao laughed so hard she was practically slumped against the door.

Then she heard Yan Shang say in a low, slightly dissatisfied voice, "Your Highness!"

Mu Wanyao looked up, smiling slightly, her eyes still holding starlight-like, fragmented beams of light.

Yan Shang could no longer stay angry. After a long while, he whispered, "I am leaving then."

Mu Wanyao waved at him.

Back in the carriage, Mu Wanyao covered her warm cheeks, laughing to herself. Looking over, she saw that Liu Ruozhu was also blushing red. Clearly, while those further away might not have seen the scene, Liu Ruozhu, sitting in the carriage, certainly had.

Mu Wanyao tossed her hair lazily, glancing at Liu Ruozhu, meaning to tell her to withdraw in the face of the reality.

Liu Ruozhu whispered, "…Your Highness is so bold."

Mu Wanyao said languidly, "What of it? Being a woman in this world is not easy; one should learn to make oneself happy."

Liu Ruozhu stared at the Princess. After a long while, just when Mu Wanyao had forgotten the conversation, she saw Liu Ruozhu nod, as if she had understood something.

Mu Wanyao looked away with a guilty conscience: Restraint, restraint. I must not teach Chancellor Liu’s granddaughter bad habits.

If Liu Ruozhu is corrupted, Chancellor Liu will be out for blood. ——

There was still more than half a month until the Great Wei Emperor’s birthday. Only after the birthday celebrations concluded would the envoys from various countries leave with Great Wei’s rewards.

Currently, the main things keeping everyone busy were the literary competition and the military drills.

Watching the Wuman King devote himself to the military drills, there appeared a possibility that he might abandon the plan to marry Princess Danyang. The Prince of Qin even went out of his way to seek out the Wuman King once, but returned disappointed.

At the same time, Princess Danyang’s reputation reached its peak during this month.

There was no other reason than the fact that the poetry gathering held by the Hanlin Academy for all the scholars in the world was centered on the theme of "marriage alliance."

If one didn't speak of distant marriage alliances, wasn't the recent one just Princess Danyang?

Princess Danyang’s name was mentioned repeatedly. Scholars used her as a subject for their poetry, praising her contributions to Great Wei and celebrating the friendship between Great Wei and its neighbors. Others used the past to criticize the present, speaking of the difficulties faced by princesses sent for marriage alliances throughout history.

Among these poems, one stood out as exceptional and catchy. By the time Mu Wanyao learned of it, it had already spread among the common people.

But the author of this poem—Mu Wanyao was bewildered: "Feng Xianyu? He has such talent?"

But thinking about it, poetry could just be "stumbling upon a beautiful line"; it was nothing extraordinary.

What Mu Wanyao cared more about was: "However, if Feng Xianyu presented this poem without Aunt’s support, he would be suspected of trying to escape Aunt’s control. He gained a name for himself, but perhaps Aunt will not spare him."

Because Fang Tong was still being detained by the Ministry of War, Mu Wanyao could only have people take care of him, and the guards she used were changed for a new batch.

A guard asked, "If Your Highness does not wish to have a falling out with the Eldest Princess, you should suppress Feng Xianyu’s poem and not let him win first place."

Mu Wanyao paused, shook her head, and said softly, "It is not easy for these scholars without a background to move upward, and this does not harm my interests. Even if I don't help them, there is no need to block their path. No need to worry about it."

The guard said, "However, if Your Highness does not worry, the Eldest Princess might not spare him."

Mu Wanyao said, "It depends on Feng Xianyu’s fortune. Princesses… are all quite difficult to coax. Getting involved is easy, but getting off the boat is hard."

And so, the matter was not mentioned again—

The imperial court finalized the procedures for the literary competition and the military drills, and the troops stationed around the capital began to be mobilized frequently.

Because the Wuman King had specifically named Yan Shang, regardless of how others were arranged, the Great Wei side had to include Yan Shang. The ministers only pitied Yan Shang, thinking: Who told him to provoke the Wuman King?

When the Crown Prince heard that the Ministry of War had begun mobilizing troops and that the Wuman King insisted on Yan Shang participating, he pondered for a while and sent Yang Si, the Third Young Master of the Yang family, over.

The Crown Prince wished to use this opportunity to seize a bit of military power from the hands of the Prince of Qin. At the very least, if Yang Si participated in the military drill, and others from the Crown Prince’s side followed him, then once the drills were over, the Crown Prince did not intend to let go of any military strength in the capital region he could get his hands on.

The Prince of Qin naturally knew this as well; both sides fought fiercely in the shadows.

The Prince of Jin’s residence, as always, was "peaceful under heaven," as if the fighting between all the factions in Chang'an had nothing to do with him. Besides entering the palace daily to play the role of the filial son, the Prince of Jin stayed in his residence to keep his concubines company.

Chunhua’s child was almost due, and they were at a critical period. The Prince of Jin’s residence was about to welcome its first child; everyone was excited and nervous, all hoping the child would be born safely.

The Princess of Jin was both diligently taking care of Chunhua and feeling desolate in her heart. Because, watching the other concubines of the Prince of Jin’s residence getting pregnant one by one, yet she herself could not conceive… Now, looking at Chunhua’s impending labor, the Princess of Jin’s mood was naturally complicated—

Over the past month, Yan Shang’s name was frequently mentioned by the Ministry of War, and Mu Wanyao’s name was frequently mentioned by scholars throughout the world. It was said that someone had even submitted a petition requesting a monument be erected for Princess Danyang to reward the merit of her marriage alliance. The imperial court naturally ignored such boring opinions, but in casual conversation, such matters would be used as fodder for gossip and jokes.

After the procedures for the literary competition and the military drills were set, because they planned to hold both on the day of the Emperor’s birthday, they naturally had to ask the Emperor if he had any objections.

The Emperor looked at the state they had brought matters to, and after a long silence, he felt quite moved.

The Emperor said, "Summon the Wuman King for an audience." ——

When the Wuman King arrived for an audience, the Emperor was in the Xingqing Palace.

Dragon saliva incense burned in the hall, and Meng Zaishi bowed to the Emperor, following the etiquette of Great Wei. When he rose, he gave the Emperor a calm, indifferent look.

Different from the solemn and dignified Emperor seen at the ceremony that night, in private, the Emperor was merely a middle-aged man with a thin frame and cheeks slightly sunken due to his thinness. His temples were gray, and his expression was weathered.

The Emperor met him in casual robes, sitting under the window of the Bright Hall, turning through books. After Meng Zaishi arrived, the attendants changed the tea, and the Emperor motioned for the Wuman King not to be overly formal and to sit down and talk.

The entire hall was silent.

Two palace maids accidentally spilled something while putting down a fruit tray, and their complexions changed instantly. Just as they were about to kneel and beg for mercy, a clever attendant grabbed them by the collars and pushed them out.

The attendant calmly removed the fruit tray and replaced it with a new one. Then, he changed the incense in the burner. As he stepped back, he accidentally met Meng Zaishi’s eyes.

Meng Zaishi thought nonchalantly: This attendant is so methodical, and he is actually quite handsome.

Liu Wenji finished changing the incense and retreated outside the pearl curtain, so as not to disturb the conversation between the Emperor and the Wuman King. His back was already drenched in sweat due to the disturbance the palace maids had caused, but fortunately, he had handled it safely without disturbing the Emperor.

Today was Liu Wenji’s turn on duty; he knew that in serving the Emperor, besides observing his expression, calmness was of the utmost importance—

The Emperor looked through the memorial in his hand and asked Meng Zaishi nonchalantly, "I heard it was the Wuman King’s suggestion to have this military drill?"

Meng Zaishi bowed and said loudly, "Yes."

The Emperor flipped through the memorial, smiling yet not smiling, "I seem to see the name 'Yan Shang' frequently. I heard people say that you specifically requested him? Why, has my Great Wei official offended the Wuman King?"

Meng Zaishi replied cautiously, "It is just some private dispute."

Not knowing the Emperor’s attitude, he naturally would not be arrogant.

The Emperor said with interest, "Over this past month, it is not only Yan Shang’s name I have heard frequently. Yao-yao’s name has also frequently reached my ears. The poems and essays held by the Hanlin Academy, everyone wants to write about Yao-yao… Yao-yao’s reputation now is quite significant."

Meng Zaishi listened for a long while before he understood that "Yao-yao," as referred to by the Emperor, was Princess Danyang.

Meng Zaishi could only praise the Princess’s grace, saying it was enough to make one swoon.

The Emperor looked down, "Since you are swooning, why do you not want to marry her anymore?"

Meng Zaishi suddenly looked up. Although he knew the rules of Great Wei dictated one could not look up when facing the Emperor, he truly could not help it; he wanted to see what the Emperor meant.

The Emperor sneered, "I heard about the incident at the Southern Mountains. Wuman King, look—you alone forced my court officials and the Princess to this point. One was forced by you into a military drill, and the other has achieved such renown, threatening to make an uproar known to all under heaven…"

The Emperor said slowly, "Look, if you had married Danyang directly, would there have been so much trouble?"

Meng Zaishi’s face tightened slightly, and an icy aura filled the air.

As a king, he did not fear this Great Wei Emperor, who had already become like a piece of rotting wood. His gaze was cold and sharp as he said slowly, "Does Your Majesty think I handled the Southern Mountains incident poorly?"

The Emperor said, "Yao-yao lost her composure and struck at you. You were seriously injured, and you could have taken advantage of this to threaten Great Wei and demand the Princess’s hand. Yet, it ended up like this. I am curious what conditions you and Yan Shang reached that made you give up on demanding Danyang’s hand?"

Meng Zaishi was startled.

He met the Emperor’s deep eyes.

In an instant, he understood that these tactics of theirs had not escaped the Emperor’s eyes. Although the Emperor did not interfere, he had known what they were doing all along. And… perhaps the Emperor even saw through their respective goals very clearly.

But for the Emperor to use this tone, was he suspecting Yan Shang?

Normally, Meng Zaishi would not mind casting aspersions on Yan Shang. Great Wei’s Emperor hating Yan Shang was a good thing for Wuman. But now, Meng Zaishi was in the middle of negotiating conditions with Great Wei’s officials through Yan Shang… If Yan Shang were to be demoted by the Emperor at this time, or if something else happened, it would be detrimental to Wuman.

Meng Zaishi smiled, "I do not understand Your Majesty’s meaning. I have my own reasons for giving up on demanding Danyang’s hand. Great Wei and Wuman are alliance nations, and for the two countries to be on good terms, other methods will suffice. For matters detrimental to my Wuman, even if I admire Princess Danyang, I should give it up after thinking it over carefully."

The Emperor was curious, "What reasons?"

Meng Zaishi looked up. After a long silence, he said, "She cannot bear children."

In an instant, Meng Zaishi caught an expression of blankness on the Emperor’s face. The Emperor seemed not to understand his words as he stared at him, "Say that again."

Outside the pearl curtain, Liu Wenji’s pupils contracted, and he was secretly shocked: Princess Danyang cannot bear children?

Then… what will happen to Yan Shang? ——

After Meng Zaishi left, Liu Wenji suppressed the countless thoughts in his heart and went in to serve. However, he saw the Emperor slumped over his desk, and suddenly, he opened his mouth, and a large mouthful of blood sprayed out.

The Emperor’s condition became critical, and the Xingqing Palace was immediately thrown into a flurry of activity, sleepless throughout the night.