Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 105

Chapter 105

Whenever the Princess stayed at a post house, everyone from the officials to the servants scrambled to provide attentive service.

The rain, which had already half-ceased, continued to drip from the eaves like a water clock, the sound crisp and clear. The rain splashed onto the ground, forming little puddles.

As Xia Rong led the maidservants—clad in white stockings and red skirts—filing past the veranda with trays in their hands, Fang Tong called out and pulled her aside.

Fang Tong looked toward the direction of one of the guest rooms. "Have you prepared new clothes to send to Young Master Yan? Also, Young Master Yan came through the rain; his old wounds have not yet healed, and he has been soaked all day. If he neglects himself and catches a cold, that would be bad. You should also prepare some medicinal ointment, bandages, gauze, and ginger soup to send over."

Xia Rong widened her eyes. "But Her Highness said not to prepare these things. She said, 'If he dies of illness, he deserves it,' and 'What does that have to do with me?' How can I defy Her Highness?"

Fang Tong sighed.

He offered her guidance through the fog: "Sometimes, you have to interpret what Her Highness says in reverse. How could she suddenly say something like 'if he dies, he deserves it'? It is clear she is worried about Young Master Yan in her heart, but she is too embarrassed to show it or visit him in person. This is where you need to guess Her Highness's true intentions."

Xia Rong realized the truth in an instant and quickly thanked him.

Just as she was about to go attend to it, she couldn't help but step back and ask: "Guard Fang, you have been by Her Highness's side the longest and understand her best. Can you give me a straight answer: what attitude should I take toward Young Master Yan? Are our Princess and Young Master Yan truly finished, or are they not?"

Fang Tong answered vaguely, "Just serve him as you would a Prince Consort."

Xia Rong’s eyes widened; for a split second, her hands holding the tray even trembled.

Mu Wanyao was in a state of restless agitation.

She had settled into the best room in the post house. After bathing, she sat on the edge of the bed, absentmindedly drying her damp hair. She had dismissed the maidservants, wanting no one to attend to her in the room. She had been in a state of disarray for a while when she heard a "knock-knock" at the door.

Mu Wanyao remained silent, glaring at the wooden door with a touch of anger.

Although the person outside did not speak, the rhythmic, gentle knocking made her intuition scream that it was him.

Sure enough, Yan Shang’s voice sounded from outside: "Your Highness, I have brought some ginger soup for you. May I come in?"

Mu Wanyao replied, "No."

There was no more speech from outside the door.

Mu Wanyao glared at the door, seeing the shadow cast upon it remain motionless. Clearly, if she did not answer, he would not leave.

Her heart became even more chaotic. Angry and annoyed, she threw her drying towel onto the floor, hating herself for being soft-hearted. Her tone was sharp: "Come in."

Yan Shang pushed the door open, stepped inside, closed it, and quickly scanned the room.

He picked up the towel Mu Wanyao had thrown to the ground, folded it neatly, and placed it on the table. Then, he carried the ginger soup to Mu Wanyao, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. He looked down at the Princess, who sat on the bed in her light gauze gown, looking sullen and unhappy, and began to urge her to drink the soup.

Mu Wanyao was annoyed by this kind of meticulous consideration.

She glanced at him briefly, noting that he had evidently already washed up.

His dark hair was only partially tied up with a silver hairpin, still slightly damp. He stood before her with lowered eyes, having changed into a clean, apricot-colored men's robe. The light color complemented his clear, gentle features, giving him an air of elegant, scholarly grace. The robe was slightly loose, likely so it wouldn't press against his hidden wounds.

Thinking of the unhealed wounds on his shoulders and back, and considering that he had chased after her for half a day and been soaked in the rain for so long, Mu Wanyao’s heart softened.

She drank the ginger soup and handed the bowl back. Her beautiful eyes, usually filled with charm, were lowered, refusing to look at him. "I've finished. You can leave now."

Yan Shang did not leave.

He stood before her for a long time, then said in a low voice: "I have something to say to you."

Mu Wanyao made no sound.

Yan Shang: "Let’s reconcile, shall we?"

Mu Wanyao let out a scoff. This time, she simply turned and rolled into the bed. She pulled the quilt over herself and covered her ears with her hands, putting on a show of "I don't want to hear you talk."

Yan Shang sat down, habitually reaching out to pull the quilt up and cover her shoulders.

He knew her temper was like this and felt no offense. He continued to speak in a warm, soft voice: "I have already thought it through. It doesn't matter if we have children or not. I can accept it."

Mu Wanyao had been prepared to ignore him regardless of what he said.

But hearing this, her anger flared up instantly, and she couldn't hold it back anymore.

Just as she had lain down, she whipped the quilt off and sat up. She sat on the bed with her legs curled, facing Yan Shang, and glared at him, mocking: "It took you a whole month to think it through—your deliberation certainly took long enough."

Yan Shang felt a sense of guilt.

His fingers, resting on the bed, curled slightly. With lowered eyes, he spoke softly: "I'm sorry... but this is truly a major matter; I really needed to think it through carefully. When I said it didn't matter before, didn't you blame me for just being perfunctory? When I didn't want to resolve the problem, you blamed me for avoiding it... Now I am not avoiding it; I have thought it through."

Mu Wanyao found it ridiculous.

She raised her voice: "I wanted an answer from you, and it took you over a month to think it through! What were you doing before? Now that you've thought it through, you want to reconcile; don't you think it's too late? Do you think I'll nod just because you chased after me? Who do you think you are? Do you think I can't live without you?!"

Her tone was impassioned, filled with anger and disappointment.

Seeing the fury in her eyes, Yan Shang panicked, unable to stop himself from defending his actions: "I—I have always been this kind of person... I'm sorry. But I am different from you... You only care about the fleeting moment, but I am thinking about the long term. You only care about the here and now, but I cannot do that... I had to think clearly about our future."

Mu Wanyao: "What have you thought through?"

Yan Shang paused and said, "I have seen Chunhua."

Mu Wanyao’s brow twitched sensitively, and her gaze upon him turned sharp and cold.

And as she suspected, her guess was correct.

Because Yan Shang’s next sentence was: "I asked Chunhua about your time in Wuman... Yaoyao!"

He only got halfway through before she jumped off the bed, ready to leave. Yan Shang reached out to grab her. She struggled violently, but he knew he couldn't let her leave like this. He held her tightly, pulling her back into his embrace.

Mu Wanyao kicked and hit, but she couldn't break free. She was flushed with anger, driven half-mad by her own pride. She lowered her head and bit his wrist hard. Yan Shang let out a muffled groan but still did not let go. Mu Wanyao looked up, her eyes gleaming with rage, and shrieked: "Who told you to ask? Who told you to be a busybody? We have already split up! Don't involve yourself in my affairs!"

Yan Shang was being kicked and beaten, his arms and knees struck several times. He was in great distress and felt he couldn't restrain her anymore. He couldn't help but raise his tone, his voice becoming louder: "I never wanted to split up with you. It was you who drove me away... I have been thinking about things between us all this time, I..."

Mu Wanyao: "Do you care that much about my past?!"

Yan Shang: "Is it me who cares? It is you who cares about it so much; it is you who forced me to be this way. If you didn't care yourself, how could it influence me?"

Mu Wanyao sneered.

Held in his arms, he gripped her waist to prevent her from leaving, but her hands were free. This position was truly ill-suited for arguing; the way she sat on his lap was far too intimate, but clearly, neither of them had that on their minds right now. Mu Wanyao raised her hand and pinched his chin, and while he was startled, she leaned in to kiss him.

Yan Shang was muddled; the arm restraining her relaxed. He couldn't explain it, but by the time he realized what was happening, their breaths were already entangled, inseparable, and her lips were kissed into a dewy, vibrant red.

His body temperature was burning, his heart thumping, and he couldn't help but lean in, wanting more. But Mu Wanyao leaned back, pulling away, looking at him with a cold gaze.

Yan Shang was a mess, shocked into clarity by her look.

Mu Wanyao scolded him: "You don't care? When I kiss you, don't you think about other men kissing me the same way? When you hold me, don't you think about other men doing the same? It is impossible for you not to care. Does lying make you seem noble..."

Yan Shang’s face flushed red, and he said, "I just didn't think about it."

Mu Wanyao: "I don't believe you!"

The two of them began to argue again.

Mu Wanyao pressed him step by step, and Yan Shang, anxious and angry, finally managed to blurt out: "Whenever you get close to me, I get muddled; I can't think about those things at all. I am not like you, needing to scheme and be naughty even while kissing... I wouldn't do that!

"You think everyone has a devious mind like you."

Mu Wanyao froze.

After Yan Shang finished, he realized what he had said. He was slightly stunned, and a bashful, ashamed blush rose to his cheeks.

He stared at her for a long while.

He whispered, "I really didn't think about those things."

Seeing him like this, Mu Wanyao actually started to believe him. She bit her lip, suddenly feeling ridiculous and truly unreasonable. She covered her face with her hand, turned her head away, and said flatly, "Oh."

Seeing her become obedient and stop making a fuss, Yan Shang let out a soft breath. Hugging her shoulders, he lowered his head to look at her. She covered her face, blocking his view. Yan Shang found it amusing and whispered, "What are you doing..."

Mu Wanyao did not respond.

Yan Shang: "Then... are you willing to sit down and listen properly to the conclusion I reached over the past month?"

Mu Wanyao: "I'll listen. I want to hear what you've been thinking about for the past month."

She felt a sense of defeat, a kind of relaxation that came from giving up.

If Yan Shang knew everything... her defenses were meaningless. She actually wanted to hear his thoughts—

Outside the door, the maidservants heard the quarreling inside, even hearing the Princess shriek. The Princess was so angry that they stood ready outside, waiting for the moment she called them in to chase Young Master Yan away. But after they had argued for a long time, the room fell silent instead.

Xia Rong and the other maids exchanged glances, then slowly retreated.

Inside the room, Yan Shang was using a towel to dry Mu Wanyao’s hair. He insisted on doing this work, and Mu Wanyao couldn't be bothered to argue with him. She listened to Yan Shang, who was very detailed:

"You have only harmed your body, and a place like Wuman didn't have any good physicians. Perhaps if you recuperate well for a few years, your body will improve. I suspect that after Your Highness returned to Chang'an, you never sought a physician, because you were afraid... I think we can invite a physician to take a proper look. Even if you truly cannot bear children, we can at least restore the damage your body has sustained over the years.

"Whenever the weather changes even a little, Your Highness gets sick; I am very worried about that."

Mu Wanyao glanced at him.

Her heart was filled with a sense of emptiness; she never thought that one day she could sit here so calmly, discussing her inability to bear children with a man. By her nature, she would usually be furious, and would have left at the first word. Yet, Yan Shang’s tone was calm... and her hair was still held firmly in his hands.

His tone was leisurely, as if he weren't talking about the major issue of her infertility, but merely discussing what to eat tomorrow.

This attitude truly comforted Mu Wanyao.

His conversational skills were so good that Mu Wanyao had no choice but to follow him into a state of calm.

Mu Wanyao said dejectedly, "If I can't have them, I can't. If finding a physician doesn't help, what then?"

Yan Shang: "If we truly cannot, then we can only accept it. Fortunately, I have a brother at home; my eldest brother has a son, so our family line will not end. Besides, did I tell Your Highness that my third brother is also getting married? He will soon have children too... I am the second-born in the family, so the burden of carrying on the lineage does not rest solely on me.

"You are a Princess. Even if we don't have children, no one would dare say anything to you. You don't have to worry about anyone blaming you... If you think about it, being a Princess is actually quite good, isn't it?"

Seeing him cracking jokes, Mu Wanyao turned her face away. She didn't smile, staring at him with her deep, dark eyes: "No one will say anything to me, but they will say things to you. You will be affected wherever you go. The blame of family, the questioning of clansmen, the concern of friends, the doubts of official colleagues... You will have to bear this pressure for the rest of your life."

Yan Shang lowered his head and gave a slow, "Hmm."

After a while, he said: "So... isn't that why I had to take a month to think it through?"

Mu Wanyao turned her face away, her lips pursed: "You really didn't need to do this. If it's out of pity for me, there's no need. You are so good; there are plenty of ladies who like you. You don't need to endure this pressure at all."

Yan Shang repeated: "That is why I took a month to consider it."

Mu Wanyao’s shoulders trembled slightly, but she intentionally played the villain, acting as if she didn't understand him: "Are you using your kindness to force me?"

Yan Shang: "It is a matter of heart for heart. I wanted to tell you my thoughts; if you don't accept them, there is nothing I can do."

Yan Shang leaned over to look at her; she turned her face away, refusing to let him see. He let out a light sigh and pulled her into his arms, letting her face rest against his neck. This time, he felt the moisture on his neck, but she didn't have to feel resentful about being seen.

The lady trembled in his arms, and Yan Shang stroked her back, comforting her.

Her voice was choked with tears: "But you like children so much."

Yan Shang whispered: "I also... like Your Highness very much."

He coaxed her: "In the future, if you really cannot have children, we can find my eldest brother or third brother and adopt one. If you don't want children from our family, there are plenty of orphans in this world abandoned by their parents... O-of course... if you don't want to, it doesn't matter. It is rare for life to be perfect; there is no need for everything to go as planned."

He spoke softly in her ear, sharing his plans and his thoughts. He had truly considered the consequences of this matter seriously and had then found ways to resolve them one by one. His attitude comforted Mu Wanyao. She had initially felt this was a monumental issue, but with Yan Shang acting like this, she felt dazedly that it didn't really matter.

As long as he was still here, it was enough.

Mu Wanyao lifted her face from his chest, her hands stroking his face, the mist on her eyelashes rubbing against his skin. She went to kiss him, but Yan Shang pulled back slightly, expressing his refusal.

Yan Shang lowered his head: "I gave you my answer. Aren't you going to give me yours?"

Mu Wanyao was confused: "What answer?"

He looked at her, pursing his lips, looking slightly sulky: "The answer regarding marrying someone else."

Mu Wanyao paused.

"That, you mean."

Yan Shang watched her.

Mu Wanyao couldn't help but curl her lips, smiling thoughtfully: "You’ve chased all the way out of Chang'an; do you know I was going to Jinling? I went to Jinling because I felt it couldn't be explained in a letter, and I intended to explain my refusal of the marriage proposal to my Great-Granduncle and the others in person. I never intended to marry in the first place. Didn't I tell you that long ago?"

Yan Shang was silent.

After a long time, he said: "What I was seeking wasn't about this one time. I want a proper title."

Mu Wanyao held her forehead.

Yan Shang thought she was going to refuse again. He held her hands and raised his tone: "Yaoyao!"

He said: "Power is very good, but am I not good? Do you really believe I have no way to help you? We can do it together. You never let me participate in many of your affairs, and I worry about you... Can we not be like this? Even if we don't have that kind of relationship, didn't I say I would be your house retainer? No lord constantly leaves their retainer on the outside; if something happens, the lord charges in themselves."

Mu Wanyao stared at him, watching to see what else he would say.

Yan Shang: "I just want a status... I cannot be with you without a name. What does this count as? Are you keeping me as a paramour? I don't like this. I don't like that I have to be secretive, unable to tell others about our relationship. When others ask me with guesses, I cannot admit it, fearing I will make you unhappy or cause you trouble... I don't want to be like this anymore."

Yan Shang gripped her wrists. He was afraid she would be evasive or dodge the question again, so he simply laid it all out at once: "I am not forcing you to give me a result right now... I am saying, at least give me a deadline! How long do you want me to wait? I am not afraid of waiting; I am afraid of you grinding me down, making me unable to see a future. Do you want me to wait a year, two years, five years... or a lifetime? You must tell me clearly."

Mu Wanyao: "If I asked you to wait a lifetime, what would you do?"

Yan Shang was slightly stunned.

He let go of her wrists and said in a low voice: "If that were the case, I would not be with you."

He said: "My bottom line is a status. You cannot continue to humiliate me."

Mu Wanyao sighed.

Yan Shang felt terrible hearing her sigh. He had waited for a long time and received nothing, and his heart turned cold. He didn't want to humiliate himself any further and began to rise to leave when Mu Wanyao laughed and clung to him. She pressed her hands on his shoulders, making him sit back down.

She knelt before him, and Yan Shang looked up at her.

Mu Wanyao looked at him with fascination and murmured: "I thought you were going to force me for a result right now, but it turns out you only wanted me to consider it and give you a deadline. Second Brother Yan, why are you so lenient with me?"

Mu Wanyao lowered her head to rub against his cheek and said softly: "Second Brother Yan, I won't hide it from you—having the past that I do, power is especially important to me. I cannot give up power for you; without power, I feel uneasy. I cannot have only love; I cannot have only you."

"But you are also very important. Power and you—I want both; I don't want to let go of either. Second Brother Yan, rest assured, if your bottom line is a status, I will definitely give it to you."

Her hand stroked his chin, and a flicker of light moved in his eyes, as if he wanted to speak. Mu Wanyao pressed a finger to his lips, stopping him.

Mu Wanyao stared at him very seriously: "But have you really thought it through to be with me? Even if there is a high possibility that we will have no children for a lifetime? Have you really thought it through, and will you not regret it? If you have thought it through, I will never torment myself with such things again, and I will not allow you to regret it. Second Brother Yan, you still have a chance to change your mind. Otherwise, if I end up with no children and bully you in the future, it will be too hard for you."

Yan Shang whispered: "Do not disparage yourself."

He didn't give a clear answer but raised his hand to hug her shoulders and looked at her. His eyes were like clear water. This subtle answer made Mu Wanyao laugh uncontrollably, finding him dear and adorable.

The withered flowers in her heart bloomed once again, the branches and leaves unfolding.

He had this very ability: to make her die and then live again.

Yan Shang still remembered his demand: "My status..."

Mu Wanyao widened her eyes and said deliberately: "You took a whole month to think of a result, how can you not allow me to think for two days? I must consider it seriously; I must also think through the consequences. Marrying you is too much trouble, and I am not that impulsive! If I don't get any benefits, I won't marry you!"

"Wait properly for me to think it through."

Yan Shang was stunned, realizing Mu Wanyao was taking revenge on him. He could only sigh and accept this answer—

Mu Wanyao pressed him down to kiss him again.

However, after hesitating for a long time, Yan Shang leaned against the bedpost, panting as he asked her: "Are we reconciled now?"

Mu Wanyao’s fingers were soft, kneading into his waist, causing him to tremble uncontrollably, as he pressed against her meddling hand through their clothes. She didn't answer him at all, and Yan Shang found it hard to keep asking and asking. He thought they must be reconciled, otherwise she wouldn't be like this...

Only, the hour grew later and later, and the sound of the water clock could be heard more than once.

Yan Shang said: "It is late... I should go back and sleep."

His tone carried a struggle; clearly, waking from a beauty's den, even a man like him would feel lingering attachments. Not to mention the two of them had just reconciled after a gap of over a month, and tonight, he had little self-control.

Mu Wanyao sat on the bed and watched him rise; he turned his head to look at her once.

Mu Wanyao raised an eyebrow.

Yan Shang said: "I am really going."

Mu Wanyao didn't speak.

Yan Shang: "Tomorrow... tomorrow I will return. I only came specifically to explain things to you; once it is clear, I must return to Chang'an."

Mu Wanyao still didn't speak, a smile that was not quite a smile on her lips.

Yan Shang turned to look at her again. He turned back three times like this, and Mu Wanyao couldn't help but curl her lips. Finally unable to hold it in, she fell backward onto the bed.

She laughed until she was rolling, her hand propping up her face as she looked up. Tenderness was in her brows, her eyes were filled with rippling water, and the smiles on her cheeks were like flowers: "Alright, alright, stop looking at me like that... I know what you mean. If you want to stay overnight, then stay!"

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I have never refused you, have I!"

Yan Shang was flushed red by her teasing.

He insisted: "That is not what I meant... I just wanted to speak with Your Highness for a while longer."

Mu Wanyao said solemnly: "Just staying under the quilt, purely to chat? You really have a way."

She was so sharp, it made him feel very uncomfortable. He was made so shy by her laughter that he felt increasingly like a cad. Just as he was about to give up and leave, Mu Wanyao affectionately pulled him down to sit, began to sweet-talk him, and kept him there—

When Mu Wanyao slept at night, she followed the routine of leaving a little lamp lit.

Yan Shang had always remembered her habit. He lit a lamp outside the curtains, let down the layers of fabric, and carefully returned to the bedside, leaning against the edge to lie down.

Mu Wanyao slept on the inside, staring at his back.

She looked as if she wanted to stare a hole right through him.

Mu Wanyao said with sour sarcasm: "You are just going to sleep like that?"

Yan Shang gave a soft "Hmm" and said: "Your Highness has to travel tomorrow, and I have to return to Chang'an tomorrow."

Hearing the worry in his tone, Mu Wanyao guessed his thoughts and couldn't help but laugh: "There you go again. You were the one who didn't ask for leave when you left Chang'an, and now, before it's even dawn, you are already restless, worrying about tomorrow’s official business. Can't you relax a little?"

Yan Shang: "I am sorry."

Mu Wanyao hummed: "You are sorry to me."

After a long silence, she suddenly spoke again: "You really are a piece of wood!"

In her coquettish tone, there was an added touch of disappointment and much helplessness.

Just as Mu Wanyao was complaining about his lack of response, she heard the young gentleman, with his back to her, say: "How am I a piece of wood?"

Mu Wanyao: "If you weren't a piece of wood, you wouldn't have a delicate beauty sleeping beside you, only keeping your back to me, not even turning your head."

He didn't speak.

Mu Wanyao reached out, wanting to poke him, but her fingertips only lightly touched his back. Remembering that his wounds hadn't healed, she didn't dare to touch him recklessly.

Feeling listless, she turned over, also wanting to have her back to him: "If I wasn't afraid of hurting you, I would have eaten you up."

Yan Shang sat up. He leaned against the edge of the bed and sat up, rising to pull open the bed curtains. Mu Wanyao peeked to see what he was doing, muttering to herself, wondering if he had gotten angry at what she said and was leaving.

She felt anxious, then saw Yan Shang turn to look at her. His gaze was still clear and moist, but perhaps the lamplight was too dim, for his eyes held layers of light and shadow, carrying deeper meaning.

Yan Shang leaned over to hug her and lifted her up. Mu Wanyao was confused, but the next moment, her face flushed with shame, for his fingers lightly hooked the belt around her waist, his warm fingertips rubbing against her skin. Mu Wanyao’s waist went soft all at once, and the air, which wasn't too cold, rushed over her icy skin, causing goosebumps to rise on her calves.

Her face was crimson, and she suddenly realized what he was doing. She had never seen Yan Shang take such initiative, so she looked at him with both shame and joy, trembling slightly as her knees hung in the empty air, exposed to the air.

Seeing him lower his eyes to look, she couldn't help but be shy, reaching out to cover his eyes while laughing: "Don't look!"

Yan Shang grabbed her hand, turned his head, and kissed her wrist. The intimate scent of the gentleman and the soft skin pressed together, Mu Wanyao trembled all over, her eyelashes fluttering incessantly. And he didn't stop; the rain-like touches followed her wrist, winding and twisting, crossing mountains and entering the water.

Yan Shang crouched barefoot at the bedside, his face against her abdomen, his other hand resting on her knee, gently pushing.

Mu Wanyao looked at him, uncomprehending.

For she had never imagined he would have such a bold moment.

The next moment, he lowered his head, and the kisses continued to flow along the mountains and valleys.

He knelt before the footstool, his long hair falling onto his shoulders, his lowered eyelashes like a dense curtain. Mu Wanyao let out a sound like a kite with a broken string; she couldn't take it, her upper body tilting backward, falling into the bedding. She was flushed all over, while his breath was soft below, dyeing her a peach-blossom red.

Mu Wanyao was going crazy.

Her long hair fell onto the pillow, her snow-white feet stepping on his shoulders, kicking him: "Let go! Let go! You aren't allowed to do this... you aren't allowed to do this!"

However, her voice carried a sob, and she trembled slightly from extreme pleasure.

The spring rain poured, the lamplight swayed heavily, her starry eyes were half-closed, and her lips were slightly parted. She covered her mouth in shame, the corners of her eyes filled with crimson and glistening tears.

Mountains and rivers twisted and curved, softly washing. The gentleman knelt on the ground, the lady lay on the bed. The curtains reflected their silhouettes, the light and shadow dim and hazy, a scene of warm, swirling mist—

In the city of Chang'an

The army in the northern outskirts had already fallen asleep, with only the patrolling soldiers standing tall.

In the main tent, only Liu Wenji leaned against a couch, holding a sword in his hand.

He closed his eyes, and even when drifting off to sleep, he did not leave the sword. Sometimes, he would be shocked awake from a nightmare, suddenly opening his eyes to see only himself in the dark tent, then he would close them again.

He was always on guard against a rebellion that could happen at any time outside—this northern camp must be subdued!—

At the Wei Manor, Zhao Lingfei had already retired, but Wei Shu still sat at the desk in his study.

He sat alone for a long time; the night was deep, and a cat’s cry outside startled him awake.

He stared at his desk for a long time, then spread out a sheet of paper and began to write a memorial—

Requesting to go on a diplomatic mission to various nations to connect and consolidate the relationship between Great Wei and its surrounding countries.

He wrote a memorial discussing the enemy-yet-friend relationship between Great Wei and the surrounding states, while also expressing his own great ambitions, using flowery language so that anyone who read it would be moved by his aspirations and grant his request.

The Wei family treated Wei Shu as a chess piece.

But Wei Shu intended to jump out of this chessboard.

He had failed his teacher, but he knew what was better. He would rather leave Great Wei to serve as an envoy to various countries, unable to return for several years, than be a pawn in someone else’s hand—

The Wei family could have the Censorate stop him from holding office.

However, they could not cover the sky with one hand and make the surrounding nations listen to them—

In the imperial palace, the Emperor woke from a nightmare in the middle of the night and could no longer sleep.

As he lay with his eyes open waiting for dawn, Cheng An, who was serving outside, knew the Emperor was awake and came in to attend to him.

After a while, Cheng An reported a piece of news: "Your Majesty, Young Master Yan seems to have left Chang'an."

The Emperor had previously sent people to monitor Young Master Yan, but Yan Shang had always acted by the rules. Now that he had finally done something that wasn't quite according to the rules, the subordinates below immediately came to report to the Emperor.

The Emperor was silent.

Thoughtfully, he asked: "When did Danyang leave Chang'an?"

Cheng An understood the Emperor’s meaning and said: "Her Highness the Princess left at daybreak, and Young Master Yan left after the noon meal... but the Princess was in a carriage, and Young Master Yan was on horseback... perhaps he really could catch up. Your Majesty, it seems Young Master Yan and Her Highness are truly close to a happy ending."

The Emperor’s eyes revealed a smile.

He whispered: "Then I must give Yan Suchen a good opportunity to rise in rank... it all depends on whether he can seize it."

He sighed: "If Yan Suchen is not strong, how can he protect Yaoyao?"