Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Most of Chang'an's theaters are concentrated in the Da Ci'en Temple of Jin-chang Ward.

Mu Wanyao had gone to Ci'en Temple to watch a play with Yang Si.

In this era, temples served many functions; they were not only for praying to Buddha and seeking favors, but also for scholars to lodge in, for patients to recuperate, for masters to lecture on Buddhist dharma, and for theaters to provide entertainment. As a sufficiently famous temple in Chang'an, Ci'en Temple had specially designated seats for princesses when watching plays.

However, today, neither Mu Wanyao nor Yang Si made use of their aristocratic privileges. Instead, like ordinary commoners, they mingled in the crowd and watched the play for an entire afternoon.

The temple would light lamps at night, and it began to rain in the evening. Everyone scrambled to hide from the rain in the temple or under the corridors. Yang Si and Mu Wanyao followed the crowd to shelter under the eaves. The moment they fled into the rain and reached the eaves, Mu Wanyao shivered, and Yang Si took off his outer robe and draped it over her.

She cast a glance at him.

The handsome, tall youth, who felt like an older brother, had his arm draped over her shoulder and smiled at her. That kind of carefree style was unique to the Third Young Master Yang. Mu Wanyao couldn't help but smile, peaceably accepting Yang Si’s outer robe draped over her.

The two of them watched the sudden downpour beneath the dim sky, watching the other commoners still weaving through the rain, looking for a place to hide.

Mu Wanyao suddenly pursed her lips and smiled.

Yang Si: "What is it?"

Mu Wanyao looked at the commoners taking cover in the rain and said softly: "I was thinking, if Yan Shang were here, he would definitely go down there to give people umbrellas, or direct them on how to find shelter."

Yang Si paused slightly.

He said: "Is he that fond of meddling in other people's business?"

Mu Wanyao said indifferently: "Mhm."

She squinted her eyes, which were misted over by the damp air from the rain. Her voice was soft: "I am a product of his meddling from back then."

If they hadn't met for the first time, and he hadn't meddled by pointing out where she should go to hide from the rain, there would be no connection between the two of them today.

Yang Si looked down at her inquisitively, observing her snow-like profile, her dark eyes and long lashes. She looked at the heavy rain in the world with such peace; this tranquil appearance was so moving and well-behaved... she looked somewhat like the Mu Wanyao he used to know.

Yang Si said in a low voice: "That's good."

Only then could he leave Chang'an in peace and entrust Mu Wanyao to Yan Shang. Someone who could gain the trust of a princess covered in thorns must be someone worth his trust, right?

Mu Wanyao did not ask what he meant by "That's good," but simply said: "When are you leaving the capital?"

Yang Si laughed: "Tonight."

Mu Wanyao was surprised and turned to look at him: "In such a hurry? Are you going alone?"

Yang Si clicked his tongue, saying in a cavalier manner: "Otherwise? I don't have anything to do in Chang'an, and I have no more attachments. It's better to leave sooner and have done with it; why keep dragging things out?"

Mu Wanyao said calmly: "Third Young Master Yang is always such a free and easy person, unconstrained by anyone."

Yang Si was silent for a long moment, then gave a self-deprecating laugh.

He said: "I am also constrained by others; it is not as free as you imagine."

Seeing Mu Wanyao looking at him in disbelief, Yang Si said: "I hope my father and mother are safe and healthy, and I hope the people I care about live exceptionally well."

He paused slightly before lowering his voice: "I also hope that my trip to Longyou will be able to help Brother Lang."

Mu Wanyao did not speak.

The "Brother Lang" in Yang Si's mouth was naturally the Crown Prince, Mu Lang. It was just that no one else would address him like Yang Si did.

They had been avoiding people all along, and the guards did not let ordinary people near the two of them. Yang Si’s tone was calm: "Brother Lang has never had military power, and Chang'an is managed by the Prince of Qin’s forces so tightly that not a drop of water can get through; he is truly in a difficult position. It was not easy to use the military exercises to infiltrate the Ministry of War a little, keeping the Prince of Qin confined to his residence to rest... and now I am leaving, forcing him to rearrange his layout in Chang'an.

"As for me, I just hope that starting as a lowly soldier, I can bring some advantage to bear in Longyou. If one day I can earn the position of a general on my own merits in Longyou, Brother Lang's situation in Chang'an might improve. A Crown Prince who has finally grasped financial power but lacks military power... he's not even as good as a Commandery Prince; it's truly laughable."

Mu Wanyao said: "You are truly good to him."

Yang Si did not say anything more.

His relationship with the Crown Prince had always been good, and there was no need for others to say anything. The Prince clearly needed him in Chang'an, yet let him leave. And as he went to fight on the killing fields of Longyou, he also hoped to be able to help the Prince.

Yang Si lowered his head and said earnestly: "Yaoyao, I hope that after I leave, you can coexist peacefully with the Prince."

Mu Wanyao said mockingly: "That depends on him, doesn't it? He is my natural choice; I have no one else to choose. Yet, he treats you, an outsider, with more sincerity than he treats me, his own sister. I will naturally try to coexist peacefully with him and cooperate well. But I cannot give you a guarantee.

"Yang San, you hope we are all well. I also hope we each get what we need. But all of this has prerequisites, doesn't it?"

Yang Si looked down at her without speaking, reaching out to ruffle her hair. He looked up at the rain; it was pouring down, then gradually let up a little, and Mu Wanyao heard Yang Si sigh.

To hear someone as spirited and dashing as Yang Si sigh made Mu Wanyao feel a bit troubled in her heart.

Mu Wanyao lowered her eyes: "I am not the Mu Wanyao in your memories after all."

She could still come to Ci'en Temple with Yang Si to watch a play, but the little princess who used to follow closely behind Yang Si in her youth had finally disappeared. She could pretend she was still who she was back then, but both she and Yang Si knew that watching a play could not take them back to the past.

Yang Si looked down at her and said: "Don't say that, Yaoyao. People grow up. You have been through so much... if you were still the same you, wouldn't that be too terrifying?"

Mu Wanyao lifted her face, her eyes as dark and liquid as water looking toward him.

He leaned down to look into her eyes and said: "I actually have many regrets, too. I regret that when you went for the marriage alliance back then, why didn't I take you away. I regret why I didn't follow you to Wuman. I regret why I am the Third Young Master of the Yang family, unable to do whatever I want.

"I had the impulse to find you so many times, only to be stopped. Sometimes I even regret... why we didn't get engaged earlier, much earlier."

He looked at her quietly: "I sometimes think, if we had been engaged then, you might not have had to go on that marriage alliance. I wanted to protect you, but I didn't have the ability. You don't know how many times I hated myself for that."

Mu Wanyao pursed her lips.

Her eyes were filled with mist, entirely stirred up by the rain. Except when in front of Yan Shang, she had absolutely no desire to cry in front of anyone else.

So she couldn't cry now either; she just felt troubled in her heart, feeling a sense of grievance.

Mu Wanyao finally lowered her eyes and smiled: "I believe you. But I am also doing very well now, aren't I?"

Yang Si said "Mhm."

He stood up straight and did not speak again. He draped his arm over her shoulder, watching the rain in the world slowly ease with her.

The rain lessened, and the sky turned dark. Lamps lit up one after another in the temple; lamps were lit along the foundations, in the courtyards, and in the corridors.

The world became both dim and bright; the light, drizzling rain could not extinguish the candles, and the flow of people hiding under the corridors became lively again. Regardless of the light rain, people went in twos and threes to view the lanterns and donate money.

Mu Wanyao heard Yang Si say by her ear: "Yaoyao, neither of us can go back to the past to make up for our regrets. But we still have the future."

This was the most important sentence left in Mu Wanyao's heart by Yang Si, who had not yet reached the age of twenty and was still just a youth. Long years, day and night, in the middle of her dreams, she would often think of this sentence—

Afterwards, Yang Si bade farewell to Mu Wanyao, saying he was going to leave the city. Mu Wanyao was reluctant to part with him, so she fetched her horse, saying she wanted to see him off. Yang Si thought that even if one sees a friend off for a thousand miles, there must eventually be a parting; why bother?

However, looking at Mu Wanyao, he tacitly allowed her to come along.

The two rode out of the temple, traveling through the dark night. The world that had just been rained upon exuded a rich dampness; the scent of soil and the fragrance of flowers were all masked in the air. It was quiet and serene, delicate and lingering. As they rode, they chatted, just as they had in the past—

Yang Si rode on his horse and said loudly: "Speaking of which, I am still grateful to Second Young Master Yan for taking you, this troublesome young lady, off my hands."

Riding behind his straight and tall back, Mu Wanyao glared at him through her veil: "Talk nonsense! He did not take me off your hands."

Yang Si turned his head to look at her and smiled: "Why, are you planning to start something and then abandon it? That would be too cruel, Yaoyao."

Mu Wanyao: "My situation is complicated; who is as simple as you?"

Yang Si: "You just can't let go of the benefits. Aren't you just caught between the Crown Prince and the Li family? The Li family can only count on you now, so you don't have to worry about looking at others' faces everywhere. Are you never going to get married in your life? Does a failed marriage make you run away forever?

"If I were you, I would have long ago nodded and married Yan Er. Yan Er is so easy to bully."

Mu Wanyao retorted: "Of course you would! You said long ago that you like a young lady like him, and you ask me every day if there is a gender-swapped Yan Er. You have the nerve!"

Yang Si burst into laughter.

He said casually: "Why not? As siblings, don't we have the same taste in the opposite sex? Speaking of which, does Yan Er really not have a sister?"

Mu Wanyao: "No! Don't you dream about it!"

Yang Si felt regretful and came to persuade her again: "A good man cannot wait; if you wait and wait, he'll be gone. Everything, in the end, is actually just a matter of that final push. You are always so hesitant and fearful; don't ruin yourself. You also need to be more honest... although Yan Suchen has a good temper, you cannot play with people's feelings. How can you have the heart to play with him?"

Mu Wanyao thought what he said sounded really simple.

She couldn't help but sigh.

She said: "Thinking about it now, if I hadn't gone to Lingnan in the first place, it would have been fine. Anyway, the Crown Prince was forcing me to marry you; marrying you would have been quite good."

Yang Si: "Don't! Let's not torture each other! I like the obedient little sister Mu Wanyao from before, not the Mu Wanyao who bares her fangs and claws now. As for me, I want a heart as clear as glass that belongs solely to me. You don't have that anymore, so don't come to torture me."

Being rejected like this, Mu Wanyao was angry. She tightened her grip on the reins and sped up a few steps, whipping the horse Yang Si was riding. The horse was startled and instantly raised its hooves to run fast.

Yang Si, however, was not the least bit panicked; he easily regained control of the horse. The horse rushed out, and instead, his hearty laughter drifted back on the wind: "Anger turned into embarrassment, isn't that right? Hahaha..."

Hearing his laughter, Mu Wanyao couldn't help but smile.

She spat: "Madman."

But she had no choice but to chase after him.

The guards followed far behind the young master and the princess. Seeing the two talking and laughing, chasing each other, how relaxed and free they were. The guards were also very relaxed and not worried that the princess would be in danger. After all, Third Young Master Yang was there.

The two dismounted in front of the city gate, and after presenting their waist tokens, they led their horses out of the city gate.

The words had been said to the end, and Yang Si offered one final piece of advice: "Anyway, if you have any trouble, you must tell Second Young Master Yan. Even if you can't marry, you have to say it out. Bottling it up forever, bottling it until both sides are hurt. There are too many such things. Yaoyao, don't be a person without a mouth."

Mu Wanyao retorted: "If I grow a mouth, I'll scare people away."

Yang Si turned back: "Maybe it won't scare them away? Why don't you try it? Can't you have a little more confidence in people?"

Mu Wanyao’s eyes flashed: "Hey..."

She saw a group of shadows standing at the city gate, seemingly waiting for someone. She recognized the person in the lead and was about to warn Yang Si, but Yang Si was still teasing her. Just as he turned his head, Yang Si saw the people outside the city gate, and his breath hitched.

Yang Si stood up a bit straighter, and his tone became very serious: "Father... why are you here?"

The elder Yang, leading the mansion's guards, was waiting right outside the city gate for his son to exit. Seeing his son with the princess, Mu Wanyao's expression was cold, and Yang Si was a bit awkward, but the elder Yang only glanced at them indifferently and didn't mention them.

Mu Wanyao's face was cold, and her heart shrank slightly. Yang Si's father was a cold-faced man, especially stern. When Yang Si was a child, he was often hung up and beaten by his father... so much so that Mu Wanyao felt her calves tremble a little now when she saw the elder Yang.

Seeing Yang Si standing so straight, it was understandable.

He was a bit afraid of his father.

The elder Yang only said: "Your mother was crying so much she couldn't take it, insisting I come to see you off. So I came."

Yang Si scratched his head and said dryly: "...Oh."

He was a bit uncomfortable: "Thank you... for your concern, old folks?"

Mu Wanyao: "..."

She felt he was definitely asking for another beating.

However, after many years of not seeing them, perhaps it was because Yang Si was grown up and it wouldn't be good to beat his son, or perhaps it was because the elder Yang was old and couldn't swing the whip, but the elder Yang actually had no reaction to Yang Si's nonsense.

The elder Yang said: "You let the Crown Prince be a lobbyist for us, and the Prince said it was he who sent you to the battlefield... but do we not know you? If you didn't want to go, would the Prince have forced you? It's most likely your own idea. My Yang family has never had any influence in the border army, and no one can take care of you. There are only some family friendships; if you run into difficulties after you get to Longyou, just find someone to help you.

"I see that this time you intend to stay there long-term. Take these materials; they might be useful."

With a stern face, the elder Yang had a guard take out a package and hand it to Yang Si.

The elder Yang looked at the bundle: "Inside, there should also be clothes and dry rations your mother prepared for you, along with some miraculous medicine for treating wounds and the like. Write home often after you go."

Yang Si listened quietly to his father's arrangements for him. Once the latent threat of his father scolding him disappeared, his body relaxed. Then, seeing this variety of preparations, he fell silent again.

After a long while, when the elder Yang finished his instructions and turned to return to the city without hesitation, Yang Si chased after him a step: "Father... if I leave, will it cause you trouble?"

The elder Yang looked back: "Trouble with what?"

Yang Si: "It's just, I am the only direct descendant of our family..."

The elder Yang: "You don't need to worry about that. Your father is preparing to use the strength I still have to produce another son. Even if I don't, I'll adopt one later. Do you think the direct line is counting on you to bring honor to our ancestors? We have never counted on you."

At these words, Mu Wanyao burst into laughter.

She was glared at by Yang Si.

Yang Si was also choked by his father, and he laughed dryly: "Is that so... then I can rest easy."

Yang Si didn't have such heavy thoughts to begin with. After easily bidding farewell to Mu Wanyao, his father, and the others again, he mounted his horse and left directly. Dust kicked up behind him like a concentrated yellow wind. His horsemanship was superb, and his bearing on horseback was excellent, making everyone at the city gate watch his retreating back.

Mu Wanyao stood beside the elder Yang and heard him sigh low.

She heard him say: "Sanlang, I have never asked you to bring honor to the family, only that you live your whole life in peace.

"Do not die on the battlefield and let us send you off in white hair."

That voice was extremely low, with a tone of loneliness. It was something Mu Wanyao had never heard from the elder Yang. She turned to look at him in surprise; in the darkness, she vaguely felt that the elder Yang was not the stern and terrifying person she had thought.

The elder Yang said to her: "I have let the princess see a joke."

Mu Wanyao was a bit flustered and said softly: "I just didn't expect... that you had such a side."

The elder Yang: "Did you think I wanted to beat him the moment I saw Yang Si? Your Highness, is there any parent in the world who does not love their own children?"

Mu Wanyao did not speak.

She stood at the city gate, giving way, and after some polite deferring with the elder Yang, she still let the elder Yang and his group return to the city first. Afterwards, Mu Wanyao looked at the area outside the city where she could no longer see anyone, and then at the elder Yang’s group going off into the distance within the city.

Thinking that she would not see Yang Si for a long time, she also felt a wave of loss and sadness in her heart.

Then, in her heart, she answered the elder Yang: There are. There are parents in this world who do not love their own children—

Mu Wanyao returned to Ci'en Temple. There was no other reason; her maids were still waiting for her in the temple, and she had to return to the temple to take them with her.

However, this time upon returning to Ci'en Temple, because the rain had stopped, the temple was bright, with lamps lit everywhere until dawn, shining brightly. People were rubbing shoulders, dense and packed, making Mu Wanyao feel a headache.

Mu Wanyao had her guards go in to find the maids, while she stood in a spot at the temple gate waiting for people. She had no interest in looking at the lamps in the temple; she took off the veil from her hair and shook it in her hand to fan herself. And as she watched the pedestrians coming and going in the temple so casually, Mu Wanyao’s gaze suddenly froze.

She saw Yan Shang.

He wore a long robe and belt, all in cyan and white, with his long hair tied back with a white ribbon. The ribbon fell on his clothes, tangled with his sleeves. He walked among the people, looking around. His elegant, jade-like appearance was extremely conspicuous in the crowd, drawing countless young ladies to steal glances at him.

A bold young lady went up to speak to him, and she saw him politely take three steps back to bow, even speaking with that young lady who took the initiative to approach, as if asking something.

Mu Wanyao watched Yan Shang from across the crowd like this, thinking that so this is what he is like when he is outside.

Alas, like jade bamboo, handsome and elegant.

While Yan Shang was looking for someone, Mu Wanyao was observing him from outside the crowd. He stood there in a daze for a while, his eyes looking randomly in the direction of the temple gate. At that moment, Mu Wanyao saw him freeze, and then his eyes brightened slightly.

He revealed a relieved smile and started walking toward her side.

Mu Wanyao thought: Alas, this person is so boring. Watching her observe him across the people, deliberately watching him look for someone, is he not angry? Does he have no temper at all? He was still angry with her earlier.

She felt increasingly guilty in her heart.

And just as Yan Shang was walking toward her, a child among the crowd between them suddenly fell and started crying loudly. Adults nearby stopped out of concern, yet for a moment, no one stepped forward. Mu Wanyao watched Yan Shang look at her hesitantly, revealing an apologetic expression.

Sure enough, as she expected, he decisively went over, crouched down to look at the child, and comforted and asked about him in a soft voice.

Mu Wanyao finally did not wait in place, but walked over and stood by Yan Shang’s side. The temple was very crowded, and she watched Yan Shang crouched here, with many people squeezing over, about to squeeze him and the child he held in his arms until they fell. Mu Wanyao sent out a look, and immediately guards opened a path, clearing an empty space.

Mu Wanyao asked Yan Shang: "What happened?"

She watched Yan Shang still holding this child, speaking to the child in a low voice.

Yan Shang looked up, frowning slightly, and said softly: "His parents are missing, and he has a fever. I want to take him to the nursing ward in the temple, and wait for his parents to come find him. Your Highness..."

Mu Wanyao nodded: "That is fine."

She did not mind, and Yan Shang relaxed slightly, standing up while holding the child.

Perhaps Yan Shang truly had the power to comfort people; Mu Wanyao and the guards followed him, and as they walked all the way to the nursing ward, they saw the child in Yan Shang’s arms go from sniffling at the start to actually stopping his crying, peaceably hugging Yan Shang’s neck and resting his tired face on Yan Shang’s shoulder.

The child looked from Yan Shang’s shoulder to the beautiful young lady following behind.

Mu Wanyao saw that this child was only four or five years old. Yan Shang said he had a fever, but Mu Wanyao looked and felt it was fine, quite normal.

The child started communicating with Mu Wanyao who was behind Yan Shang: "Sister, are you Yan-brother's wife? Just like my father and mother."

Mu Wanyao did not utter a sound.

Yan Shang said in a low voice: "No, this sister is not married yet, you shouldn't talk nonsense."

The child opened his eyes wide in surprise: "Then why is she following you, brother?"

Yan Shang said in a low voice: "We are friends."

The child nodded half-understandingly,趴 on Yan Shang’s shoulder and stopped speaking.

Mu Wanyao, however, found it painful to hear. Because of her non-response, could Yan Shang only say they were friends?——

With much difficulty, they delivered the child to the nursing ward, and Mu Wanyao and Yan Shang came out.

Mu Wanyao said: "I thought you were going to wait there until that child's parents arrived before you were willing to leave."

Yan Shang said in a low voice: "Since Your Highness is still there, how could I abandon Your Highness and not care? This is enough. It's not that if I wait there, I can find people. I have already instructed the people at the nursing ward to come back tomorrow and ask; if that child finds his parents, that would be the best."

Mu Wanyao turned her head to look at him and said: "You are truly good to everyone."

Yan Shang looked toward her and froze: "Do you dislike me being like this?"

Mu Wanyao thought for a moment: "It's fine. You being like this is a bit troublesome, but I don't dislike it."

Yan Shang revealed a smile.

The two walked under the lamps, and Yan Shang asked her in a low voice: "Did you and Third Young Master Yang... have a good time this afternoon?"

Mu Wanyao: "Mhm."

Yan Shang hesitated again, asking with almost tangled emotions: "I didn't find you when I came to the temple and asked the abbot, but the abbot said he didn't know either. Did you take Third Young Master Yang back to his residence?"

Mu Wanyao: "I saw him out of the city, and he left directly."

Yan Shang: "I see."

He did not speak again, so Mu Wanyao turned her head to observe him. Seeing him frowning, he was both relieved and regretful of his own dirty thoughts, as well as struggling with why he was like this. In the end, it was... well, there was still some jealousy.

Yan Shang lifted his eyes and met her gaze.

Heavy light shone in their eyes.

Both of them froze for a moment, looking at each other’s eyes quietly.

The sea of people all around seemed to suddenly empty. As the two looked at each other, silent and peaceful, life beyond their control, they were actually enchanted, unwilling to let go.

They both saw affection in each other’s eyes.

Yan Shang looked at her for a long time, his throat moving. He suddenly grasped her wrist, pulled her hand, and dragged her closer to himself. Yan Shang: "Yaoyao, for my sake, can you not... with other young gentlemen in the future?"

Mu Wanyao did not wait for him to finish: "I can."

He looked over, surprised.

Mu Wanyao’s eyes were cold: "I never liked any of them anyway, so you don't need to worry. I am different from my aunt; I do not like a lot of messy people."

Yan Shang’s eyes were filled with gentleness, and he said softly: "Why say that? Of course you are different from her, I know that in my heart."

In the crowd, he was embarrassed to make any further moves after all. Holding her wrist and not letting go was already his boldness.

And Mu Wanyao looked at him, thinking from time to time of Yan Shang's kindness toward that child, thinking of Yang Si’s words, "You have to grow a mouth, don't delay other people," and even thinking of the pain while in Wuman, and even the Yan Shang family she saw when she was in Lingnan...

She suddenly said: "But I have one thing in common with my aunt.

"I cannot bear you a child."

In the chaotic crowd, Yan Shang was carefully leading her along, afraid she would be bumped into by someone. She suddenly said this, mixed in with the noisy crowd, it should have been impossible to hear. But Yan Shang was so focused on her that he heard it immediately.

He turned his head to look at her, and his grip on her wrist tightened.

He said: "What did you say?"

Mu Wanyao: "I cannot give you children."

Yan Shang was silent for a long moment before laughing bitterly: "It doesn't matter, I am not asking for that. We are still young; I just want to be able to... to achieve a happy ending with you..."

Mu Wanyao smiled slightly.

Her eyes, however, were cold.

She said: "Yan Shang, you understood what I meant; don't pretend you don't. I don't mean I am unwilling to give you a child, but that I cannot, I have no ability. I cannot have children."

Yan Shang stared at her blankly.

The sudden information made him look at her in a daze.

He was holding her wrist, and Mu Wanyao felt his hand trembling slightly. After a long while, he said: "You are lying to me, right?"

Mu Wanyao: "What do you think?"

Yan Shang did not speak.

Mu Wanyao smiled at him and said: "No need to be in a hurry to talk to me, no need to be in a hurry to give me a response. Are you very confused now, very blank, unable to tell the truth from my lies? Go back and think about it properly, think carefully about this question.

"I originally did not want to say it. But I cannot keep lying to you, keep bullying you for being ignorant. Yang Si is right; I cannot look at how easy you are to bully and keep coaxing you.

"Think about it carefully, Yan Shang."——

In the emperor's bedroom, having just sent away the Crown Prince, the old emperor could not sleep, deep in thought about his youngest daughter's marriage.

In fact, reaching this point today, who Mu Wanyao marries did not matter to the old emperor.

What if the Li family and the Wei family want to form an alliance? Mu Wanyao has no children; this alliance will only become short-lived and will not be able to form a climate. Because there is no blood connection, neither the Li family nor the Wei family can sacrifice themselves for the other party. Leaving Mu Wanyao aside, the two families can of course marry.

However, the Li family was still reluctant to let go of Mu Wanyao, this royal bloodline.

The emperor murmured in the darkness: "Yan Shang..."

It is not impossible.

After all, it is still the same person intended for the marriage. It’s just that compared to the old emperor wanting to get rid of Mu Wanyao, this time, the old emperor could not help but start planning for Mu Wanyao.

As long as Mu Wanyao likes him, even if he has to force it, he will get Yan Shang for Mu Wanyao.

Yan Shang cannot betray Mu Wanyao, so he must ensure that Yan Shang cannot have children... cannot have other children to threaten Mu Wanyao’s position.

And he must make Yan Shang strong enough to be able to protect Mu Wanyao after he is gone.

The emperor's love and hate both exuded a cold and ruthless indifference, making people’s hearts flutter.

When the emperor pondered these things secretly, he had already woven a net in his heart and started planning, while on the surface he remained indifferent, as if he did not care at all about the affairs of these children. It was precisely this attitude of his, as if he did not care about everything, that... allowed everyone to be very bold, plotting for themselves.