Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 127

Chapter 127

After Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao finalized the details of their upcoming journey, they had to go through the process of disguising themselves.

There were already some rough, simple garments left in the wooden hut. After the three of them changed, they verified each other’s assumed identities. Finally, Han Suxing brought over some cool water, and Mu Wanyao helped him carefully remove the gauze covering Yan Shang's eyes.

Initially, Mu Wanyao was somewhat hesitant, as she had heard from the servants earlier that Yan Shang’s eyes could not endure strong light. However, Yan Shang insisted it was fine, noting that since he was currently blind anyway, whether he saw light or not made little difference.

Mu Wanyao knew in her heart that there must still be an impact. Otherwise, he would not have kept his eyes covered with gauze for so long.

Yan Shang gently gripped her hand. Mu Wanyao lowered her eyes, looking at his slightly prominent wrist bones for a moment, but in the end, she did not refuse. Though Yan Shang appeared gentle on the surface, she had already witnessed how ruthless and determined he could be. Even if she forbade him from following her now, if he truly wished to, the final result would still unfold according to his own plans.

Mu Wanyao pulled the corners of her lips into a self-deprecating smirk. Under Han Suxing’s watchful gaze, she leaned forward to slowly peel back the gauze covering Yan Shang's eyes, bit by bit. As the layers grew thinner, the outline of his eyes began to emerge... Mu Wanyao felt her heartbeat quicken involuntarily.

Once the gauze was completely removed, Mu Wanyao watched him silently.

He sat with his eyes closed, and after a moment of adjustment, he opened them. Mu Wanyao’s heart raced along with the opening of his eyes, but when he finally opened them fully, she saw those long, thick eyelashes lift. Looking into those eyes, the feeling that had made her heart flutter earlier slowly settled back down.

His eyes remained gentle, yet they lacked the vibrant spirit that had once captivated her. Sunlight no longer gathered in his eyes, and they no longer seemed to "speak."

Yan Shang sensed the change in atmosphere and asked, "What’s wrong... Can people tell I am blind just by looking at me?"

Han Suxing was just about to comfort his master when he heard Mu Wanyao reply coldly: "Yes, it is very easy to tell. So you had better be careful. If you get caught, I will not be the one to save you."

Han Suxing: ...She truly is the Princess Danyang he is familiar with; her tongue is sharp indeed.

Yan Shang lowered his gaze and whispered softly: "Your Highness is truly heartless."

Mu Wanyao: "I have always been this heartless; you are not meeting me for the first time today. Pray for your own good fortune."

Yan Shang smiled faintly: "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."

Mu Wanyao: "You are welcome."

Han Suxing watched the two of them speaking so earnestly with a look of confusion, feeling once again that the people of Great Wei were too complex. Perhaps he would truly never be able to fit in—after all, when had the Princess ever shown concern for Yan Erlang?——

In the fifth month, the news of Princess Danyang being attacked in Nanyang reached Chang'an, causing an uproar throughout the capital's officialdom.

Pei Qing, the future consort who had accompanied the Princess from the capital, remained in Nanyang, working alongside the regional governor and the regional commander to investigate the bandits, aiming to redeem the Princess from their clutches. Along with the Princess, the life and death of Yan Erlang, the magistrate of the Nanyang prefecture seat, hung in the balance. However, compared to the Princess, Yan Erlang’s fame did not matter.

The officials in Nanyang pleaded guilty to the throne in Chang'an, requesting that the Emperor approve more troops to assist Nanyang in suppressing the bandits and rescuing the Princess. The two high-ranking Nanyang officials were willing to forfeit their official caps to take responsibility, provided they could rescue the Princess first.

Using this as a pretext, the officialdom in Chang'an was clearly divided into two factions. Officials from humble backgrounds seized the opportunity to attack the Prince of Qin. Rumors spread rapidly, forcing the Prince of Qin to enter the palace to plead his innocence to the Emperor, swearing he would never harm his own flesh and blood. Meanwhile, the Emperor, distraught over his daughter's unknown fate, grew even more gravely ill.

The momentum the Prince of Qin had painstakingly built in Chang'an, along with the power he had reclaimed, had to be sacrificed to balance the pressure from the officials of humble origins, resulting in much of his authority being carved away. Despite his deep resentment, the Prince of Qin had to continuously send letters to Nanyang, inquiring about Mu Wanyao’s status.

This time, palace eunuchs like Liu Wenji even used this as an excuse to send troops to Nanyang to seize the military tallies from the regional commander, intending to replace the Nanyang troops. As the Prince of Qin cursed everyone for "kicking a man when he is down," he couldn't help but feel a shred of gratitude toward the Crown Prince—the Crown Prince was perhaps the only one in this entire incident who had not taken the opportunity to give him a push.

The Prince of Jin, who never seemed to participate in anything, was simply forgotten by the Prince of Qin.

The struggle between the Prince of Qin and Princess Danyang, subtly driven by the underlying conflict between aristocratic families and officials of humble origin, blew up this time. Not only did the officials take sides, but the gossip reached the commoners as well. The people were deeply interested in the topic and composed many folk tales about it.

As a princess who had returned from a marriage alliance, was known for her romantic flair and talent, and now held significant power, Princess Danyang’s name recognition among the commoners far exceeded that of Princess Yuyang, who was busy raising children at home.

Yan Xiaozhou wore a veil and sat in a tavern in Chang'an, drinking wine. She was slender and delicate, and her snow-white veil draped to the ground, concealing her entire form thoroughly. She sat in a private room shielded by bamboo curtains, listening to the storyteller outside, who was spitting as he enthusiastically narrated the story of Princess Danyang’s ordeal in Nanyang.

The folk tale depicted how corrupt the Nanyang officialdom was and how a naive, spoiled princess arrived in Nanyang, only to use her wit to fight against those men. To appease the commoners’ tastes, the story even fabricated a scholar who cracked jokes amidst the tense political struggle and engaged in a romance with Princess Danyang.

The commoners listened to the story while drinking, utterly enthralled, all eager to know if the fair-skinned scholar would eventually marry the delicate princess.

Sitting behind the bamboo curtains, Yan Xiaozhou saw the people outside clapping, sighing, and cheering, and couldn't help but smile faintly. After years of struggling, her Third Brother had finally passed the imperial examination this year, allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.

Yan Sanlang was currently waiting for an official appointment, but according to their own plans, he had no intention of serving in the court. Yan Sanlang only wanted to use his status as a successful candidate to quietly earn some money after returning to Lingnan. After all, the status of a scholar was extremely useful... as for serving as an official, they already had their Second Brother for that.

Now, the two siblings were staying in Chang'an, residing in Yan Erlang’s residence. They had originally been waiting for Yan Erlang to return, but now their newest worry had become whether Yan Erlang was alive or dead in Nanyang. To find out, not only did Yan Sanlang go out every day to shamelessly rub shoulders with the waiting officials, but Yan Xiaozhou also went out daily.

Yan Xiaozhou looked at the number of people listening to the story today, and seeing nothing remarkable, she left a few copper coins on the table and rose to leave the tavern. Yan Xiaozhou walked through the streets as usual, but when she arrived at an alley, leaning against the wall ahead was a tall man dressed as a wandering hero, wearing a rain hat.

Through the veil and the hat, the young man turned his head to look at her.

Yan Xiaozhou paused, bowed to offer a greeting, and was just about to gently brush him off when the young man pulled a black lacquer waist medallion from his belt and flashed it before her eyes. His voice was cold and indifferent: "From the Northern Guard of the Imperial Guards. I’m here to investigate you regarding a matter. This tavern is quite bold, daring to dramatize a Princess of the court. You have spent time in this tavern—speak! What is your purpose!"

Yan Xiaozhou curtsied: "Kind sir, please listen. This lowly woman has no ulterior purpose. I merely found the storytelling pleasant."

The young man said coolly: "Is that so? But someone reported to the government that a young girl wrote this story. No matter how I investigate, I feel this story was written by you."

Yan Xiaozhou asked gently: "And what if I did write it? It is just a story. I have not slandered any of the highnesses. I have heard stories from other taverns saying how brutal the Prince of Qin is and how he attempted to harm Princess Danyang... and I have only written a story of a talented man and a beautiful woman; what is wrong with that?"

The young man sneered, and through the rain hat, his downward gaze felt like a physical presence—sharp and cold: "Are you mocking me with a half-step? You may not have dramatized the Prince of Qin, but you have dramatized the Nanyang Jiang clan. If such stories circulate, the Prince of Qin will not spare you. Do you still claim you have no purpose?"

Yan Xiaozhou replied softly: "If one wishes to convict, one can always find a pretext. The aristocratic families and the common officials in the court are already at odds, and their battle has reached a fever pitch. Do you truly think a single story of mine could incite them further? You simply see me as weak and want to use me as a prop to intimidate the other side.

"Enough. Since you do not believe me, sir, then let me take a trip to the jail."

She was incredibly composed, knowing in her heart that the social atmosphere in Chang'an was far more open than in Lingnan. Before writing the story, she had investigated: the people of Chang'an were hardy, and the authorities had never cared about the people dramatizing the royal family. The worst punishment for the most severe dramatization was merely being locked up for a few days or receiving a few lashes.

Yan Xiaozhou’s goal was to make contact with them, hoping to learn news of her Second Brother from the officials. Third Brother was trying other methods to find out... she could not enter the official circles, so she had to take a dangerous path, using these crooked means to contact the people of the government offices.

The young man stared at her deeply, then suddenly laughed: "What a sharp-tongued little girl."

He lifted the black rain hat he was wearing, revealing his handsome face. His posture leaning against the wall had not changed, and now he looked over with a smile that wasn't quite a smile. Yan Xiaozhou was surprised, then removed her veil, revealing her own face.

Yang Si stared at her.

Yan Xiaozhou lowered her eyes: "Sir, are we not leaving yet?"

He raised an eyebrow and said: "I heard that some taverns were telling wild stories, and the Jingzhao Yin is arresting people everywhere. I had nothing to do, so I came over to help take a look. I also wanted to see which little girl had the guts to do this, but I never expected it to be you... you really have quite the nerve."

Yan Xiaozhou paused, catching the loophole in Yang Si’s words: "You said you were from the Northern Guard of the Imperial Guards, and now you say you are from the Jingzhao Yin. Which side are you truly on?"

Yang Si looked at the sky.

He laughed: "Neither side. I don't hold any troops in my hands right now, and I’m bored staying in Chang'an, so I’m just doing a favor for someone to test you."

Yan Xiaozhou was slightly startled, her eyes widening slightly. Clearly, he was not the person coming to arrest her, and she wouldn't be going to jail, which made Yan Xiaozhou slightly flustered. She bit her lip involuntarily, bowed to him, and turned to leave the alley.

Yang Si clicked his tongue; now that she had fallen into his hands, how could he let her run away again?

Yang Si stood there lazily, watching her back, and said: "So eager to enter the jail, to be questioned once? Tell me your name, where you live, and why you came to Chang'an, and I will help you once."

Yan Xiaozhou stopped and looked back. Her eyes were like clear water, the corners of her lips carrying a trace of a smile, revealing a bit of natural playfulness.

She asked: "Is that all?"

Yang Si suddenly felt somewhat uncomfortable. He coughed and straightened his body. His tone, however, remained cold and indifferent: "Also... you will go out with me to set off river lanterns on the Dragon Boat Festival. As long as you don't land in my hands for committing a crime, I will not investigate your background."

Whether he investigated or not, Yan Xiaozhou didn't really care. She was a law-abiding citizen, not a spy. Her Second Brother was so famous that even if she went to jail, no one would dare to use torture on her. But clearly, Yang Sanlang thought she had an ulterior motive... Yan Xiaozhou sighed and said sincerely: "I only came to Chang'an to find my brother."

Yang Si: "Brother?"

Yan Xiaozhou: "...Not a 'romantic brother' (boyfriend)."

Yang Si burst into laughter, teasing: "You know quite a lot."

Yan Xiaozhou’s cheeks instantly burned hot, and she felt quite embarrassed by his laughter. She didn't have to study for imperial examinations, so the books she read at home were extremely varied... Yang Si walked toward her. Yan Xiaozhou felt the pressure and took a step back, but Yang Si blocked her path.

He said coolly: "Let’s go, Brother will accompany you for a walk.

"As for our appointment on the Dragon Boat Festival, don't forget, little sister."——

Before the Dragon Boat Festival, Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao, pursued by the authorities across Nanyang, reached a city.

Although it was a pursuit, the Nanyang officials had Pei Qing holding them back in the rear, and coupled with Mu Wanyao’s identity as a Princess, they did not dare to make a grand public spectacle of the arrest.

They could only claim they were searching for the Princess.

In reality, the pursuit was open while the killings were secret; this was not rare.

As Mu Wanyao’s life and death remained unconfirmed, Nanyang was constrained, the attacks from the humble officials in the Chang'an officialdom put the Prince of Qin in a dilemma, and the situation in Nanyang grew increasingly anxious. When Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao entered this city and saw the wanted notices for bandits posted at the city gates, they knew that entering this city would be easy, but leaving would be difficult.

Clearly, the Nanyang officials were being driven mad. It would be fine if the Princess were dead, but by keeping her in this state of limbo, they were put in the most passive position. In order to capture or kill Mu Wanyao, they began to exhaust every possible means—for example, throughout the entire Shannan Circuit, they cut off the supply of the three medicinal herbs needed to treat Yan Shang’s eyes.

Yan Shang had not applied medicine throughout the entire journey.

Mu Wanyao grew irritable because of this; unable to buy the herbs anywhere, she kept a cold face all day, and even Han Suxing did not dare to look her in the eye. However, upon reaching this city, after inquiring, they learned that the Puji Temple here actually possessed the herbs they had been searching for everywhere.

The authorities had blatantly placed the herbs on the altar. The commoners entering and leaving the temple to worship every day, as long as they approached to burn incense for the Bodhisattvas and Buddhas, could see the three herbs.

It was no longer hidden; clearly, they were using this as bait. The Nanyang authorities were not certain that Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao were together, but they had to try. The rumors of intimacy between Yan Erlang and Princess Danyang from years ago were impossible for those in Nanyang to be unaware of.

After Han Suxing brought back the news of the herbs in Puji Temple to their temporary residence, Yan Shang said: "We cannot sacrifice the greater goal for a small gain. My eyes are not important. If you take a risk because of this, all our previous efforts will be wasted; it is simply not worth the loss."

Mu Wanyao gave a perfunctory "Mmh."

Hearing her indifferent attitude, Yan Shang felt anxious and couldn't help saying: "This journey is to help you. If it causes you to fall into difficulty because of me, I would rather not have followed you from the beginning. Do not take risks... my eyes will be fine once we get back and can re-apply the medicine; this delay will not hinder me."

Mu Wanyao: "I know. Rest assured. You are not important to me."

But every day, she looked at his dim, lackluster eyes—perhaps because the three of them were now relying on each other for survival, Mu Wanyao had to pay more attention to Yan Shang. She could observe the red bloodshot lines in his eyes gradually increasing; his eyes often felt sore, and he often needed to close them to rest...

Mu Wanyao took advantage of a moment when Yan Shang wasn't paying attention to grill Han Suxing, learning what the doctor had said at the time: that he needed to apply the medicine continuously for two months to regain his sight. Yan Shang had originally been nearly healed, and now that it was interrupted midway, re-applying the medicine would inevitably be affected... the increasingly red bloodshot lines in his eyes were the evidence.

And if he were left with a lifelong ailment because of this delay, Mu Wanyao would likely regret it for the rest of her life.

Wealth is sought amidst danger.

Mu Wanyao pondered in secret how to obtain the medicine right under the noses of the authorities—

That afternoon, Mu Wanyao and Han Suxing went out to inquire for information as usual, leaving Yan Shang alone.

Yan Shang was in the side room of the home where they were staying, hunched over the desk writing a letter. Because he could not see, he had explored and devised a wooden tool with square grids. Every time he needed to write, he placed the tool over the rice paper, relying on the raised and lowered surfaces to determine if his characters were crooked or if he had written outside the frame.

Although this method was still not as convenient as having someone else write for him, Yan Shang could not always let others do everything for him. Yan Shang was too embarrassed to always let Mu Wanyao act as his scribe, as it made him seem so useless. Furthermore, the official letters he was processing now concerned the affairs of Rang County, containing some confidential texts that were inconvenient for Mu Wanyao to know.

Yan Shang spent the afternoon in the room writing letters. He had completely finished handling the affairs here, yet Mu Wanyao and Han Suxing still hadn't returned. Yan Shang felt slightly uneasy, fearing something had gone wrong. He had never been the type to sit and wait; when his heart felt that something was amiss, he had to take action.

Feeling his way along the wall, Yan Shang left the room. Relying on his amiable temperament and handsome face, he gave a few copper coins to the young son of the family, asking the child to inquire about news according to his instructions.

Half an hour later, after the child returned, he told Yan Shang the news he needed to know. The child was incredibly excited—

"There are so many people near Puji Temple! There are people in official uniforms checking everyone going in and out. Brother Yan, will Sister Mu also go there to see the Bodhisattva? It is very safe there now..."

Yan Shang’s chin tightened slightly, and he softly asked the child to take him out. He feared precisely because Puji Temple was too safe—it was filled with government officials... perhaps it was just his overthinking, but based on his understanding of Mu Wanyao... led by the child, Yan Shang left the house, saying he wanted to go for a stroll on the street.

The child sympathized with his blindness and generously helped Yan Shang stroll through the market. On the market street, Yan Shang effortlessly used a few pieces of candy to get the child to watch a magic trick while he hired a few beggars.

Giving each beggar a string of coins, Yan Shang reflected and said: "Tonight is the birthday of the Magistrate’s mother, and Puji Temple is distributing rice for free; everyone should go and receive it. However, they are only helping the poor. The government, fearing chaos, did not notify the entire city."

"Spread this news."

The beggars, who had been summoned and originally wanted to tease a blind man, were stunned and slightly excited: "Kind sir, is what you say true? Are they really giving away food for free?"

Yan Shang opened his mouth and said: "My wife is a maid in the Magistrate’s residence; this news was told to me by her personally—how could it be fake?"

And through the word of the beggars, all the beggars in the city rushed toward Puji Temple. The more chaotic it was there, the more opportunities there were to fish in troubled waters.

And even if Yan Shang’s judgment was wrong and Mu Wanyao and Han Suxing didn't do anything reckless... resolving the gathering of beggars in the city for the authorities wasn't really a mistake—

Mu Wanyao was sitting in a relatively small tavern diagonally across from Puji Temple, drinking wine. From the position where she sat, she could easily see the situation inside Puji Temple.

Today was the Dragon Boat Festival; the commoners in the entire city were busy celebrating the holiday, and the flow of people in and out of Puji Temple was massive. Even if the government authorities checked and re-checked the commoners entering and leaving the temple in the name of capturing bandits, they could not block the commoners’ enthusiasm for entering the temple to worship the Buddha.

Mu Wanyao had used makeup to disguise herself slightly, making her appearance lean as much as possible toward that of an ordinary young lady. Only when she felt that her current appearance was not so similar to the portrait of Princess Danyang held by the authorities did she dare to come out, boldly sitting in the tavern to observe them.

She had to get those three herbs.

If she missed today, such a perfect opportunity for the Dragon Boat Festival, there would be no better time in the short term when the commoners would gather in such numbers. Yan Shang’s eyes could not wait any longer.

As the lanterns were lit, the lanterns in the temple were ignited one by one, shimmering in a brilliant red. Puji Temple was swarming with people, yet the government had never managed to identify anyone among them who resembled the Princess. As night deepened, the government’s actions began to intensify. Mu Wanyao watched as the officials, who had initially only checked people entering and leaving the temple, began to check the customers in the surrounding taverns bit by bit.

This was precisely Mu Wanyao’s plan. To make these officials feel that the person was not in the temple, but in the vicinity of the temple.

Calculating that the time was about right, Mu Wanyao put on her veil, left a tael of silver on the table, and left the tavern. After she went downstairs, she indeed encountered officials at the entrance of the tavern. Those officials were blocking the door, and regardless of whether they were men or women, they would stare at them for a long time.

Mu Wanyao lowered her eyes and joined the queue to leave the building. She calculated the time, figuring that by the time it was her turn, the woman she had hired and arranged to enter the temple would go to enter Puji Temple, which should be enough to attract the attention of the government personnel.

One by one, the ladies and young gentlemen left the tavern under the gaze of the officials. When it was Mu Wanyao’s turn, she removed her veil, putting on a shy and timid look, and carefully glanced at the minor official checking her.

She shook the jar of wine she was carrying and begged in a low voice: "My husband asked this lowly woman to buy wine..."

The minor official glanced at her casually, seeing the woman wearing heavy makeup with the scent of cheap spices all over her body; it was impossible for her to be the Princess. The minor official waved his hand, about to let her pass, but Mu Wanyao suddenly made a look of shock followed by delight, and hurried out of the tavern with quick steps.

And this sudden, rushed appearance of hers caught the official’s attention: "You, wait!"

Mu Wanyao made a fearful face; after leaving the tavern, she didn't look back at all, and clutching her skirt, she started running quickly. At this, the officials, who had only been slightly suspicious, became alert and immediately cried out: "Chase her!"——

"It looks like they’ve found the culprit outside the temple!"

"Quick, go and see!"

Yan Shang was led to the vicinity of Puji Temple; after getting off the carriage, among the chaotic sounds in his ears, these voices suddenly rang out. His heart tightened, and he hurriedly identified their voices, recalling the terrain of the area in his mind.

Every time he reached a city, he would use Han Suxing’s help to memorize the city’s layout. It might not have been useful before, but tonight it was clearly useful—

Numerous officials blocked Mu Wanyao in the road. Mu Wanyao’s face turned white, as if she were somewhat afraid: "Sir, this lowly woman was only here to buy wine, why are you chasing me and refusing to let go?"

The officials surrounded her, and the leader said: "If you aren't feeling guilty, why are you running?"

Mu Wanyao felt aggrieved and cried out that she was innocent: "That gentleman spoke so fiercely, I was just frightened."

Everyone held torches and surrounded her, staring at her heavily made-up face. For a moment, they felt this woman really did look like the portrait given by their superiors, while on the other hand, they couldn't be sure because the makeup was too thick. The leading official said coldly: "Don't play tricks! Come here, take her to wash her face clean and see what she really looks like!"

Mu Wanyao naturally resisted, sobbing and begging for mercy. The officials felt more and more that she was suspicious. A minor official came forward, grabbed her hand, and while pushing and pulling, wanted to take her to the tavern’s backyard to wash her face. This minor official held onto Mu Wanyao tightly, and everyone almost firmly believed that Mu Wanyao was the person they were looking for.

Suddenly, a minor official ran from afar, shouting loudly: "Brother Chen, quick! We’ve found her! At the gate of Puji Temple, that person tried to enter the temple after disguising herself, and we found her!"

The minor official grabbing Mu Wanyao’s hand was stunned. He turned his head and saw the officials behind him all standing there in a daze. Everyone gritted their teeth, and immediately, only that one minor official remained grabbing Mu Wanyao, while all the others ran to the temple gate to catch the person—

The gate of Puji Temple was in a state of chaos. A strange woman, disguised as Mu Wanyao, was crying and complaining that she just liked this kind of heavy, colorful makeup and hadn't committed any crime.

All the officials surrounded the temple gate, interrogating the strange woman as a prisoner, and the screening inside the temple was consequently eased. Just as the government’s focus shifted to the temple gate, Han Suxing stepped on his light-foot skills, hopping into the temple through the back door with light, stealthy steps, and slipped into the largest temple hall to steal the three medicinal herbs...——

This kind of deception could only fool people for a moment. After the strange woman at the temple gate wailed for a quarter of an hour, the officials all began to feel that something was wrong. And when the identity of this strange woman was checked, and at the same time the news of the theft of the medicinal herbs in the temple spread, all the officials were shocked: "Investigate! The thief must not have escaped far yet!"

In the chaos, the authorities gritted their teeth, intending to seal off everything around Puji Temple, prohibiting the commoners from coming and going tonight. But when the order was issued, a swarm of beggars broke through like locusts. In the noisy confusion, the officials, the commoners, and the beggars were all mixed together.

They were catching people openly while killing people secretly.

However, in the sea of confusion, everyone had lost their direction.

Mu Wanyao took advantage of the chaos, and when the minor official holding her became distracted, she broke free and turned to run. The minor official turned to chase her, but the crowd surged toward them. In the messy scene, Mu Wanyao suddenly saw Yan Shang standing at a loss in the bustling crowd...

Yan Shang felt the surroundings begin to descend into chaos. He couldn't see, and he was being bumped into by everyone, pushed by the tide of people. He was thin and fragile; he could no longer handle this situation and could only try his best to identify the information he wanted to hear from the confusion... As he was being constantly squeezed aside, his wrist was suddenly grabbed by someone.

Yan Shang was slightly startled: "...Yaoyao?"

Mu Wanyao whispered: "Come with me... the officials are chasing me."——

They hid in a narrow alley. Leaning against the wall, Mu Wanyao wiped the sweat from her face slightly. By the dim moonlight, she saw the white powder stained on her palms. Resting her forehead against his shoulder and smelling his scent, her wildly racing heart finally settled back down.

Yan Shang grabbed her arm lightly, letting her lean in his arms to calm her breathing: "I knew you were here."

Mu Wanyao was instantly angry, raising her face to glare at him: "What are you running around for? If it hadn't been me just now, you would have been bumped into and fallen over..."

Yan Shang: "You clearly promised me you wouldn't do anything reckless..."

Mu Wanyao: "I wasn't doing anything reckless! My plan was quite good..."

Yan Shang was slightly angry: "You clearly said I wasn't important. How can you go back on your word like this?"

Mu Wanyao said impatiently: "You are just not important! Why did you come here to interfere with me?"

She suddenly stopped speaking because she heard the shouts of the officials coming closer and closer to the alley where they were hiding. The officials were still searching for people. Mu Wanyao looked up at Yan Shang, stamped her foot in secret, and whispered: "...Hide yourself, I’m going to draw them away."

She wanted to leave, but her wrist was caught by him.

Yan Shang’s voice was very low: "There is no need for such trouble."

He pulled her back and held her in his arms. He took off his outer robe and draped it over her. And in Mu Wanyao’s confusion, he felt his way up to pull the hairpin from her hair, and her beautiful long hair scattered down, draping over the moonlight-colored robe he had covered her with.

Yan Shang lowered his head, his hand supporting her face, and leaned down to kiss her.

A deep blue light fell into the long alley, and baskets, boxes, and other debris were scattered messily behind them. Mu Wanyao felt as if struck by lightning; she retreated in astonishment and leaned against the wall covered with vines. Her long hair scattered over his hands, his face pressed closely against hers, their breaths mingling.

His scorching-hot breathing covered the corners of her lips, and his hand moved down to caress her delicate neck. His voice was very soft: "I'm sorry... under such circumstances, I can only ask Your Highness... to act as a courtesan from a brothel once again."