Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 151

Chapter 151

Beneath the warm autumn sun, the lush foliage cast deep shadows across the ground, where the flickering light played upon the water’s surface, dancing between brightness and gloom.

In Princess Danyang’s estate, it was a novelty for the Princess Consort to be free from official duties and remain at home all day. Yet, staying home was not nearly as dull as Yan Shang had anticipated. Dragged along by Mu Wanyao to amuse himself, he had been virtually inseparable from the Princess for the past few days.

The afternoon light spilled into the warm pavilion at the heart of the lake. Although the windows were open on all four sides, a thin mist of vapor clung to the air, shrouded by the silk curtains draped within the room, obscuring the scene inside.

An hour had passed since Mu Wanyao had pulled Yan Shang into this pavilion after lunch. Boats moored at all four corners of the pavilion had been pushed away, and the serving maids had been dismissed to the lakeshore; no one knew what the two of them were doing inside.

In truth, they were painting.

Mu Wanyao’s skirts were piled up to her waist, her snow-white skin bared beneath her shoulders, and her long, obsidian hair cascaded over the daybed.

With one hand, she held her tresses aside; with the other, she braced herself against the couch. Her red lips were slightly parted, her watery eyes misty. She looked down, gazing at the blooming vine of flowers snaking out from the center of her chest. The tip of the wolf-hair brush moved gently across her heart; the cool temperature of the bristles against her delicate skin made the flower stamen tremble and the leaves sway.

Mu Wanyao furrowed her brows and let out a soft moan, sounding much like a sigh.

The pile of clothing looked like a cluster of flowers rising on the moon. Yan Shang sat before her, holding the brush. When she whimpered, the brush in his hand paused, and he lifted his gaze to look at her.

Mu Wanyao blinked at him, her eyes dark and clear, charming and playful.

Yan Shang’s eyelashes fluttered, and he looked away. His face was flushed crimson, for even if he didn't look at her face, his gaze had nowhere to land. It was either her flushed brows and eyes, her ice-white jade skin, or the swaying flower blooming upon her chest.

Under Yan Shang’s brush, a magnificent peony blossomed from Mu Wanyao’s chest, its flowers and leaves seemingly in motion, a grand and breathtaking sight.

Such overwhelming beauty made the hand holding the brush tremble slightly, but since he had to paint, he could not stop himself from looking.

Yan Shang spoke in a voice that sounded almost like a reproach: “It’s just painting, why are you whimpering?”

It sounded as if he had done something to her.

Mu Wanyao retorted: “It’s just painting, why are you reacting so strongly?”

Without hesitation, she reached out to rub his waist, only to be blocked by his raised hand. Yan Shang lowered his eyes: “...We are painting, don’t mess around.”

Mu Wanyao stared at him and couldn't help but laugh. Others would consider painting a beautiful woman a romantic, scandalous affair, but to Yan Shang, it was like suffering. He worried that he wouldn't paint well and would ruin her beautiful chest; he worried the pigments were toxic and would harm her; he worried she would move around; and he worried his own hands would shake.

He simply had no fate for enjoying such pleasures.

Mu Wanyao leaned over and snatched the wolf-hair brush from Yan Shang’s hand. Yan Shang looked up, and Mu Wanyao snuggled against him. He hurriedly wrapped her in a thin silk cloth, saying: “Don’t mess around, I haven’t finished yet.”

Mu Wanyao hugged his shoulder with one arm and held a golden cup of wine to Yan Shang’s lips with the other. Smiling, she urged him: “Drink some wine.”

Yan Shang said softly: “I shouldn't drink randomly. I get drunk easily, and when I’m drunk, I can’t remember things clearly.”

Mu Wanyao’s eyes held a smile, thinking that getting him drunk was exactly what she wanted.

Mu Wanyao: “What does it matter if you get drunk?”

Yan Shang: “You always behave recklessly. If I get drunk with you, and there’s no one to keep us in check, we’ll be finished.”

He meant to advise her against drinking, but his words only made her eyes light up.

Mu Wanyao said excitedly: “Will we both go crazy together? Come on then.”

She enticed him: “I just like watching you go crazy with me. Stop holding back, let’s play.”

A dignified Princess, yet in private, she was like a rascal. Mu Wanyao kept pressing the cup to his lips. Yan Shang helplessly took a small sip, then pushed it away again: “I can’t drink anymore. If I drink too much, my hands will shake and I won't be able to paint well.”

Mu Wanyao scolded him: “Is the painting really the most important thing?”

Yan Shang stared at her chest; after a moment, he felt his gaze was too direct, so he looked away, his heart pounding. Having been coaxed into drinking several times by Mu Wanyao, he was already a bit dazed, merely putting up a weak defense. Yan Shang said anxiously: “Don’t mess around, you’ll ruin the painting.”

Mu Wanyao was dissatisfied: “You only care about the painting!”

She tossed the wine cup away. Yan Shang’s brows jumped, his gaze following the cup as it was thrown out the window, but he was already held tight by her, his face covered in her kisses, mixed with her saliva. She kissed him chaotically like a child, with no technique at all. Yan Shang felt his heart soften into a puddle and couldn't help but be amused by her.

He supported her and pulled her up higher.

Yan Shang whispered: “Didn’t you say you wanted me to paint peonies? I’m painting them for you, don’t you like it?”

Mu Wanyao: “Weren't we supposed to be playing? Why are you being so uncooperative? Who told you to finish the painting all at once... Brother Yan Er, do the flowers look good?”

She hugged his shoulder, her chin pointing toward the skin beneath her snow-like neck. His face was beet red, likely also because he was forced to drink a bit too much. Unable to find the right words, he just smiled at her, and after a long while, he muttered dizzily: “They look good.”

Mu Wanyao was overjoyed and pushed him to lie down.

Yan Shang propped his head up and said: “I think I’m a bit drunk.”

Mu Wanyao coaxed him: “It doesn’t matter if you’re drunk. There’s only you and me here, no one can see your drunken state.”

Yan Shang’s hand went around her waist. His cheeks were scorching hot, and he looked at her with eyes like water, full of tenderness. So handsome and gentle, a refined gentleman lying there, falling over with a single push. He looked at her with that dazed, drowning, pampered gaze—who could withstand such a look from him?

Mu Wanyao’s heart hammered, and she felt her own face flush under his stare. She felt incredibly happy and, resting her chin in her hands, stared back at him with a goofy grin.

Like a child, she lay in his arms and pouted her red lips at him: “Brother Er, kiss me.”

Yan Shang laughed: “Aren’t we painting?”

Mu Wanyao: “Kiss me first.”

Yan Shang gathered her in his arms and gently pressed his lips against hers. His kiss, like the man himself, was gentle, warm, soft, and clear. Mu Wanyao’s face steamed until she was ripe-red; she smiled with her eyes closed, innocent and pure, yet wildly seductive. She pointed to her chest, gesturing to the vibrant flower blooming in that snowy light.

Mu Wanyao: “Kiss the stamen.”

Yan Shang didn't move.

Mu Wanyao didn't open her eyes. The reddish tint at the corners of her eyes extended toward her temples. She was charming and adorable, both wheedling and coercive: “Kiss here.”

Yan Shang muttered: “If I kiss it, it will get messy.”

Mu Wanyao: “There’s only you and me, what are you afraid of?”

Yan Shang: “The painting isn’t done yet.”

Mu Wanyao: “Paint while we do it.”

Yan Shang was startled and said: “What?”

Mu Wanyao opened her eyes and glared at him, ready to scold him for being a killjoy, but he actually smiled, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her. Her clothes were gathered at her waist, her legs brushing against his. Suddenly, Mu Wanyao was happy again, as if she had been kneaded into his very embrace.

Scattered begonia petals blew in through the window, spreading dark red and light red across the floor. Yan Shang’s breath was scorching as he pressed against her ear, asking what they should do about the painting.

Mu Wanyao hummed: “Silly brother.”

Yan Shang pinched her cheek, smiling: “Bad sister.”

It didn’t matter that the generations were a bit muddled; there were only the two of them, anyway. It didn’t matter that the painting was only half-finished, or that the ink and colored water had been knocked over and splattered everywhere. Their bodies were stained with those colors, magnificently colorful, just like the world in each other’s eyes.

Yan Shang had drunk too much wine, and the nerves he usually controlled snapped one by one. He looked at her with blurred eyes; every time she smiled at him, the depths of his gaze darkened. And she pulled at him, and he was easily dragged down.

It felt like drowning; it was like the world in a half-asleep, half-awake dream.

Bizarre, confusing—

The Princess and the Consort made a great fuss in the pavilion, wasting the entire afternoon inside. The maids didn't dare ask, only seeing the two come out halfway through to fish, before diving into the bedchamber again. Shortly after, the washroom behind the bedchamber fell victim as well.

A moment later, they needed pigments, then clothes, then food.

When Qiu Si placed the newly prepared pigments at the door of the bedchamber, she saw the Consort’s long, slender fingers reach out, his white wrists stained with paint. Qiu Si’s face flushed red, and she quickly looked away, inwardly chortling that the Princess really knew how to play.

The two of them were simply making a mess of things.

Yan Shang’s tolerance for alcohol was poor to begin with, and even after training for so many years, it remained weaker than the average person’s. Mu Wanyao’s tolerance, however, was far beyond the ordinary, yet she pretended to be drunk and foolish, demanding that Yan Shang hold her, kiss her, and feed her—she took every opportunity to tease him.

He was good-natured by design, and after drinking, he was even easier to talk to. He didn’t mind whatever she did, and he let her have her way, which made Mu Wanyao inwardly delighted. If it weren't for the fact that his face was so red and she worried that drinking too much would hurt his health, Mu Wanyao would have loved to pour him much more.

Wine was meant to add to the fun, after all.

In their private quarters, it was far more than just "adding to the fun." Yet, Yan Shang’s intensity later left Mu Wanyao feeling vaguely fearful—his body was fragile now, and she regretted giving him so much to drink.

Mu Wanyao coaxed him, not daring to go too far. When his face was scalding and his eyes were dazed, she would sit in his lap, stopping every now and then. When she was tired, she would pull him to chat or eat, and once rested, they would continue.

Both of them were currently burdened with a mountain of official duties, and even while chatting, they couldn't help but discuss them. No matter how drunk Yan Shang was, while his speech was a bit slow, his thinking remained clear, and he never let Mu Wanyao misunderstand him.

Mu Wanyao: “...So, you don’t actually like our new Emperor?”

Yan Shang held her in his arms, his hand sliding inside her robe. He stroked her absently; her ice-white, snow-soft skin felt like dough to him, soft and fluffy. He was casual and dreamy, his refined face, with eyes closed, both gentle and filled with desire. His long hair stuck to his face, his lips slightly parted, his breathing like a sigh.

He wouldn't usually be like this, but Mu Wanyao stayed calm, pretending not to notice his provocation.

After a while, Yan Shang responded casually: “I don’t like him much. He has limited ability but high ambitions. When virtue does not match one's position, it is a tragedy for the ministers and the common people. Sooner or later, he will bring disaster to others.”

Mu Wanyao: “Actually, Fifth Brother wants to be a good Emperor... It’s just that he was suppressed for too long. To gain the trust of the former Crown Prince and my third brother, he suppressed himself for too long. A person might not have been foolish originally, but if you pretend to be a fool for a dozen years, you end up becoming a real fool.”

“He must be very bewildered now... But what does that have to do with me? I don’t care about him.”

Yan Shang sighed: “You cannot ignore it. If those in power are incompetent, the world will surely fall into chaos. If you can help him, you should.”

Mu Wanyao’s beautiful eyes held worry, thinking, what if he can’t be helped? Would Yan Shang have to exhaust himself to death for him?

The imperial physician said that he...

Mu Wanyao immediately pushed the thought from her mind, telling herself not to let her imagination run wild. She made a firm resolution in her heart; she was a person who was exceptionally determined once she had a goal. No matter how poor Yan Shang’s health was, she would nurse him back to vitality... No matter what means she had to use, she would make him well again.

As Mu Wanyao’s thoughts wandered, Yan Shang gently pinched her chin and looked down: “Are you keeping those actors just for His Majesty?”

In bed, there was nothing that couldn't be said. Mu Wanyao replied perfunctorily: “Harem matters, you don’t need to worry about them.”

Yan Shang felt helpless: “Then why are there male actors as well as female ones? I’ve never heard that His Majesty has such hobbies.”

Mu Wanyao shot him a charming glance, her expression half-smile: “That’s because you haven’t played around enough. Among the nobility, well...”

Yan Shang covered her mouth: “Enough, you don’t need to tell me. I can probably guess.”

Seeing his strange expression, Mu Wanyao suddenly became gleeful and giggled. She hugged him and kissed him over and over, loving every feature of his face down to the bone, finding him so adorable. She was wild and unrestrained; in a sudden burst of intense love, she pressed him down and kissed him desperately.

Her intense affection met the water-like gentleman, his gentleness calming her inner restlessness, making her press against his heart and hold him tight.

Mu Wanyao: “Brother Yan Er, you are mine. No one can steal you away.”

Yan Shang propped himself up to a half-sitting position and teased her: “Didn’t you say I was ‘old and faded’ just a couple of days ago? Today you’re afraid I’ll be stolen?”

Mu Wanyao looked up, whispering: “When someone is good to the extreme, it has nothing to do with their appearance. Someone like you, Brother Yan Er, is someone everyone wants to steal from me.”

She said half-jokingly: “Relatives want to steal you, friends want to steal you, brothers and sisters want to steal you. Ministers want to steal you, rivals want to steal you, and even the Emperor... wants to steal you from me. But you are mine, and I won't give you to anyone. Shall I build a golden house and hide you away quietly?”

Yan Shang looked down at her, unable to suppress his laughter. He was both shy and happy. Mu Wanyao was someone who loved to confess her feelings to him constantly, and he often felt her affection for him. He wondered why anyone would enjoy talking about love so much—wouldn’t she be embarrassed?—but at the same time, he was happy to be loved by her.

The hand inside his sleeve clenched lightly; he turned his head, unable to stop the smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

After a long time, Yan Shang whispered: “Didn’t I tell you long ago that you would obtain me?”

Mu Wanyao was blank, but after meeting his shy gaze and being prompted by his helpless expression, she finally remembered—oh, the first time Yan Shang got drunk in front of her, he had said: May you obtain me.

Mu Wanyao stared at Yan Shang in a daze.

She crawled over and pressed her face against his. She said foolishly: “Then have I obtained you?”

Yan Shang reached out and hugged her, laughing softly: “You obtained me a long time ago.”

“You obtained my body, tricked away my heart, and abducted my soul.”

“Are you really a Princess? You’re a thief. A heart-stealing thief who has led me in circles. My person and my heart are yours—what other path do I have to walk?”

He cradled her face, speaking as if they were the drunken ramblings of a man under the influence, or perhaps using the alcohol to express his true feelings. He said: “Yaoyao, I am yours.”

Mu Wanyao: “And you won’t let anyone else have you?”

Yan Shang: “Mm.”

Mu Wanyao: “Then split your heart into two halves. Give one half to your friends, family, the people of the world, and the officials; and the other half—the complete one—give entirely to me. I want to occupy half of your heart all by myself. That half will be entirely me, only me! Is that okay?”

Yan Shang laughed.

She pushed him: “Is it okay or not!”

Yan Shang: “Okay.”

His eyes were full of love, seeing that she was so happy she flushed with excitement. Yan Shang felt a pang of guilt, thinking he hadn't treated her well enough, yet Mu Wanyao already felt it was more than enough. His love was so good and so abundant that even half was more than anyone else's whole... let alone that the entire half was hers.

Mu Wanyao was immensely satisfied, pressing him down and pouncing on him, rubbing and biting him. She would break his composure, leave her marks on his jade-like perfection, make him fall from the heavens into the mortal world, stain him with worldly desires, and ensure he could never leave her again—

At the third watch, when Yan Shang was sound asleep, he was pushed awake by Mu Wanyao.

Lying under the blankets, Yan Shang looked dazedly at Mu Wanyao, who was lying beside him. He didn't speak, but her eyes held a smile: “Brother Yan Er, I’m hungry.”

Yan Shang gave a bitter laugh.

He propped himself up, sighed, and habitually asked what she wanted to eat. Mu Wanyao knelt beside him, looking at him without a word. Yan Shang looked at her with confusion, and only then did Mu Wanyao smile brightly: “Are you very tired?”

Yan Shang paused.

He retorted: “Aren’t you tired?”

Mu Wanyao watched him and smiled. After a moment, she said: “If you’re tired, why didn't you say so? Is it that hard to refuse me?”

Yan Shang was confused: “What?”

Mu Wanyao: “You were clearly tired, but because I said I was hungry, you were ready to get out of bed to find food. Because I said I had a nightmare, you were ready to get up and chat. Didn’t we agree that you would learn to relax? Is this what you call relaxing, just obeying me in everything? Don’t you have a temper of your own? Can’t you refuse me?”

Yan Shang was stunned: “...Are you telling me to refuse you?”

Mu Wanyao was angry: “I’m telling you to pay attention to your own feelings! Don’t always worry about others and neglect yourself! Anyone can call you away from my bed—how can that be?”

Yan Shang looked at her, and a ripple of emotion stirred in his eyes.

After Mu Wanyao finished venting, her tone softened, and she coaxed him like a child: “Now let’s try this again—I’m hungry, what should you say?”

Yan Shang watched her for a moment and couldn't help but laugh.

Mu Wanyao pushed his shoulder, scolding: “What are you laughing at!”

Yan Shang: “Don’t use foul language.”

Mu Wanyao: “I don’t care. What should you say?”

Yan Shang: “You want me to stop worrying about you, and say ‘I’m tired too,’ right?”

Mu Wanyao’s eyes lit up, and just as she was about to nod, she was pulled into his embrace. He laughed casually, reaching out to pinch her cheek: “But what can I do? I just want to take care of you, I want to treat you well. You’re asking me to resist my own true feelings and treat you coldly—that’s just too difficult.”

Mu Wanyao froze.

She instantly flushed red, both angry and stammering: “Y-you’re just saying sweet things on purpose to make me happy... You—you’re the type of person who speaks especially well, I—I don’t believe you.”

Yan Shang lowered his head and kissed her lips.

Mu Wanyao: “Don’t believe it.”

Yan Shang kissed her again.

Her eyelids twitched slightly, and she whispered: “...Still don’t believe it.”

He just looked at her and laughed. This time, it was Mu Wanyao’s turn to push him and kiss him. She pressed down on him and kissed him for a while, forgetting what she had wanted when she first woke him up. Mu Wanyao was happy for a long time, and seeing him respond, she climbed up, her cheeks crimson, and clapped her hands, laughing while teasing him: “You lecher!”

Yan Shang: “...”

He became embarrassed, pulled her up, and whispered: “Then, shall we, as husband and wife, go find something to eat together?”

And so, in the dead of night, the couple didn't disturb the maids and slipped out of the bedchamber. The next day, when the cook was preparing food in the kitchen, she suspected there were mice in the estate, muttering and worrying for half the day—but that is a story for another time.

Yan Shang was kept at the estate by Mu Wanyao to rest for five days, and both his mind and body were much more relaxed. But unfortunately, he could not keep up such a rest for long.

Many people were waiting to see him, and many matters were waiting for his approval. Ministers were waiting to see him, and the Emperor was waiting to see him.

The great aristocratic clans were waiting for him, the palace eunuchs were waiting for him, and the scholars from humble families were waiting for him.

Yan Shang had been gone for only five days, and many in the imperial court could no longer sit still.

On the evening of the fifth day, the leader of the aristocratic clans came to call, requesting an audience with the Princess and the second son of the Yan family. This leader’s surname was Liu, and he was the son of Yan Shang’s teacher, Chancellor Liu.

Chancellor Liu was old now and nearing retirement. After the new Emperor ascended the throne, the aristocrats in Chang’an had a new leader—this Mister Liu.

Having just been chosen as the spokesman for the Chang’an aristocrats, he couldn't wait to see the Second Master Yan and the Princess.

The couple invited him into the hall for tea. Before the tea was even served, Mister Liu got straight to the point: “Shuchen, you took sick leave to rest at your estate. We shouldn’t have bothered you, but state affairs are heavy, and I hope you can understand.”

Yan Shang exchanged polite pleasantries with a smile.

Mu Wanyao sat to the side, blowing on her tea, lost in thought.

Sure enough, after asking about several unimportant state matters, he revealed his true purpose: “...Nowadays, the palace eunuchs have grown powerful, and His Majesty listens only to them, ignoring us scholars. I heard that Liu Wenji is inciting His Majesty to bring the Hai clan into the capital, and is also encouraging the daughter of Duke Zhao to marry the seventh son of the Wei clan from Luoyang... The eunuchs are so restless; clearly, they aim to create a rift between the aristocratic clans and the humble scholars, trying to alienate us from one another.”

“Whether we are aristocratic or humble-born, we are all scholars! By what right do those eunuchs stand on equal footing with us?!”

“I represent the aristocratic clans to see Her Highness and Shuchen. I am here to propose cooperation between the clans and the humble scholars... Let us stop fighting each other for now. What is more important is to join forces and strike down the influence of the eunuchs! His Majesty must not be incited by such villains! The eunuchs will surely bring chaos to the government!”

He spoke with a silver tongue, talking about cooperation, while Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao received him with courtesy.

After he left, Mu Wanyao returned to the inner chamber to see Yan Shang sitting at the desk, lost in thought. She felt a pang of heartache that he couldn't have a single moment of leisure, having barely rested for two days before having to deal with these issues. But now that the matter was at their doorstep, even Mu Wanyao couldn't let Yan Shang walk away and ignore official business.

Mu Wanyao sat down and said: “Cooperating with the aristocratic clans to expel the eunuchs is the righteous path, yet you don’t look happy. That is your teacher’s son; you wouldn't give him face, nor would you agree. What are you thinking?”

Yan Shang looked up.

Yan Shang said: “Currently, the aristocratic clans, the humble scholars, and the eunuchs are in a three-way standoff, which is the most stable state. Whether it is Liu Wenji or the aristocrats, they all want to win us over or suppress us. They all want to turn the three forces into two, and everyone has some reason of 'justice'... but these struggles are of no benefit to the state, and no benefit to the people. Because His Majesty is incompetent, these struggles, which involve imperial power, will only become more chaotic the more they fight.”

“The entire Great Wei will be dragged into the vortex. That is why I cannot agree.”

Mu Wanyao said indifferently: “If you don’t agree, both sides will turn around and cooperate to deal with us. If you don’t agree, the people from humble backgrounds will be resentful and stir up trouble below, questioning why you and I would refuse such a benefit that favors their rise. When that happens, what then?”

Yan Shang’s brows lifted: “We must think of a way... to give everyone something to do.”

Mu Wanyao raised an eyebrow and smiled.

Yan Shang: “What is it?”

Mu Wanyao watched him smile, and reminded him casually: “You are becoming more and more like a Chancellor... not just a leader of the humble scholars, but a leader of all scholars, a leader of the world. That Majesty of ours is going to be spoiled by you. Be careful that he doesn't become addicted to you and can’t let you go. The more capable you are, the more incompetent he appears.”

“But don’t forget—this Great Wei is, after all, the Mu family’s empire.”

Yan Shang was slightly stunned, then fell into deep thought.

Mu Wanyao furrowed her brows, both annoyed that he had so much on his mind, and unsure of how she could make him feel at ease to nurse his health during such a turbulent time, without having to worry about these matters. They were in the center of the vortex; how could they possibly get out? Mu Wanyao bit her lip, also falling into deep thought.