Tigers Sniff the Rose - Extra Chapter 2
Extra Chapter - Young Wanderer (Part 2)
Yan Shang didn't just guess that Mu Wanyao was a princess; he also guessed that she was the renowned Princess Danyang.
Because Yan Shang was accustomed to caution, he had spent his time since arriving in Chang'an learning about all the prominent figures in the city. This wasn't necessarily to curry favor with anyone, but to ensure he didn't offend the wrong people—one had to be careful in such matters.
He had guessed she was royalty the first time he met her, and now, seeing Mu Wanyao writing swiftly as she displayed her calligraphy, it wasn't hard to deduce that she must be the Emperor’s youngest and most doted-upon daughter, Princess Danyang.
The reason Yan Shang hadn't left yet was that his companion had remembered an urgent errand to attend to, and he was waiting here for him.
He never expected Mu Wanyao to come out.
Even less did he expect Mu Wanyao to rush straight toward him.
When she stood before him, asking for his name with such impatience, it had already made Yan Shang wary. And when she gazed at him with eyes as bright and twinkling as if they were filled with starlight, Yan Shang fell silent for a moment, sensing her girlish affection for him.
The country bumpkin Yan Shang only learned after arriving in Chang'an from Lingnan that he was the type of young man who was extremely attractive to young ladies. He found this troublesome and didn't know how to handle it. And now, he had actually attracted a princess... Yan Shang felt his head spinning, a bitter smile forming in his heart.
With his status, there was a chasm of difference between them, like heaven and earth.
He had no interest in romance, and her status was far too high... Under such circumstances, why bother getting tangled up in matters of the heart?
He had to distance himself from this princess and not give her any opportunity to let her imagination run wild.
As Yan Shang made this decision in his heart, Mu Wanyao, standing before him, felt her cheeks burning hot. Her heart beat faster and faster, simply because she had never stood so close or spoken so much to any man other than Third Brother Yang. She endured her shyness to speak boldly to Yan Shang, all because she could not help herself.
Perhaps she was truly just young and ignorant of love, her heart opening with startling speed the moment she saw a young man who caught her fancy.
Mu Wanyao lowered her head, not daring to get any closer to him. She whispered: "Big Brother Yan, do you want me to help you submit your scroll? You helped me last time, so I want to thank you."
Yan Shang was polite and courteous: "There is no need."
He wanted to draw a clear line between them.
Mu Wanyao looked up in surprise, waves of light flowing in her eyes: "Is Big Brother Yan not planning to submit a scroll, or do you just not want my help?"
Yan Shang smiled: "I do not plan to submit a scroll."
Mu Wanyao exclaimed in admiration: "Then Big Brother Yan must be overflowing with talent and have peerless poetic genius!"
Yan Shang was modest: "That is not the case."
But he was only seventeen, and he did indeed possess a certain spirit. Although he had failed the exams for three years running back in Lingnan, he had passed after just one year of his uncle’s instruction. Yan Shang thought perhaps it was because he had been like a frog at the bottom of a well, closed off from the world; besides, passing the provincial exam at seventeen was already quite impressive.
Having come to Chang'an to take the imperial examinations, even though his uncle did not have high hopes for him, Yan Shang still possessed a certain amount of blind confidence.
He was, after all, a young man who had yet to learn the true depth of the waters in Chang'an.
Mu Wanyao still wanted to talk to him, but Yan Shang’s friend arrived. Yan Shang then said goodbye to Mu Wanyao with a gentle but firm attitude and left with his friend. Mu Wanyao watched his back, feeling a sense of loss.
That friend of Yan Shang’s was called Liu Wenji.
As Liu Wenji walked away, he kept looking back at a beautiful maidservant standing below the tavern.
The maidservant kept her head down, acting as if she hadn't noticed.
Mu Wanyao stood there in a daze for a long while, struggling with her thoughts, before finally speaking: "Nonghua, Chunhua!"
Both maidservants responded at once. The one named Chunhua raised her face—it was the very one that Yan Shang’s friend, Liu Wenji, had kept looking back at.
Mu Wanyao whispered: "...Go and inquire about Big Brother Yan."
The two maidservants looked at each other and nodded.
Mu Wanyao knew that by demanding this information, it would be impossible to hide her investigation into Yan Shang from her Imperial Father, Mother, or Second Brother. She didn't want to be watched by them, but in order to learn Yan Shang’s status and background, she could no longer care about such things.
Sure enough, that same evening, as the information about Yan Shang reached Mu Wanyao, the Emperor, Empress, and the Crown Prince all learned the name "Yan Shang."
The Crown Prince pondered for a moment and decided to wait and see. His sister was only asking for a name; what if she merely admired his talent?
As for Mu Wanyao, seeing the rest of Yan Shang’s information was fine, but when she saw that he was half a year younger than her, she remembered how she kept calling him "Big Brother Yan" and her cheeks turned so red she felt too ashamed to face anyone. She felt a bit awkward—how could Big Brother Yan be younger than her?
That would make him a younger brother.
Ah... but how could she possibly have feelings for a younger brother?
He should still be a "big brother."
No, Yan Shang was the second in his family; he shouldn't be called "Big Brother Yan" anymore, but "Second Brother Yan."
Mu Wanyao agonized over this for a long time before deciding to forget about it, pretending she didn't know she was half a year his senior. She comforted herself with the thought that it was only half a year—in reality, they were the same age, so there was no need to split hairs over who was older or younger.
Mu Wanyao looked at the rest of the information, relieved to see that since Yan Shang arrived in Chang'an, he hadn't grown close to any other young ladies. She didn't know why she cared about this, but seeing it made her breathe a sigh of relief.
Mu Wanyao lay on her bed, thinking secretly and happily that with Big Brother Yan’s overflowing talent, the imperial examinations would surely be a success.
If Second Brother Yan could become the top scholar this year... she suddenly had so many thoughts that she felt terribly embarrassed, hiding under her quilt to giggle and kick the covers.
But Yan Shang did not occupy a place on this year’s list of successful candidates.
When the results were posted in the third month, Mu Wanyao had someone inquire for her and was nearly moved to tears. She was instantly worried that he must be very sad, but then she mentally lashed out at the old men in the Ministry of Personnel, thinking they must have been jealous of Second Brother Yan’s good looks and refused to give him a spot.
Mu Wanyao was truly kept within the palace by the Emperor and Empress and couldn't easily get out. She begged Yang Si to bring words of comfort to Yan Shang. As soon as she had a chance to leave the palace, she would go find Yan Shang herself.
Yang Si stared at her with a strange expression.
Mu Wanyao: "What are you doing!"
Yang Si: "...Do you like him that much? Didn't he just help you once? What do you like about him?"
Her secret exposed, Mu Wanyao felt too shy to admit it and denied: "I don't."
She whispered: "I only treat Second Brother Yan as a friend."
Yang Si said coldly: "He has never asked about you once."
Mu Wanyao retorted: "How do you know Second Brother Yan hasn't asked about me? I am a princess, and I live in the palace; even if he wanted to ask, he couldn't."
Yang Si’s eyes turned cold, and he spoke sternly: "You still say you don't like him! You’re so worried about whether he’s asked about you or not!"
Mu Wanyao was rendered speechless. Stared at by Yang Si, her eyes grew slightly moist, filled with anxiety and shyness. She didn't know what to do, yet she bit her lip and looked at him with a hint of stubbornness.
Seeing her looking so silly, Yang Si let go of his intensity and ruffled her hair.
Yang Si: "Yaoyao, you don't understand men. In my opinion, someone of his background is just intentionally pulling you in from a distance, playing with a young lady like you. Does he know you’re a princess? Look, he did it on purpose! He treats you this way, and he surely treats other ladies the same. I've seen this kind of scheme too many times!"
Mu Wanyao doubted him: "Is that so?"
Yang Si promised her: "That’s exactly how it is. How about this: I’ll help you go comfort him and find him an important position in Chang'an; that will serve as a way for you to repay his kindness. After this, don't worry about it anymore. Do you agree or not? If not, I won't help you go see him this time."
Mu Wanyao was filled with grievances.
The thought that Yan Shang might be the hypocrite Yang Si described, a man who hoodwinks young ladies, made her uncomfortable. She wanted to argue, but she couldn't find any evidence. Yet Yang Si spoke with such confidence, as if he truly understood Yan Shang. Mu Wanyao dejectedly agreed, forcing herself to bury her budding love in the dirt.
However, when Yang Si went to see Yan Shang, a different story unfolded.
Who knows how Yang Si saw it, but the end result was that he and Yan Shang began calling each other brothers. Yang Si quite appreciated Yan Shang and wanted to recommend him as an aide to the First Prince.
Yan Shang was a bit hesitant.
Because this year’s failure in the imperial examinations had dealt him a heavy blow; he hadn't realized his knowledge was so shallow until he took them. He was confused for a moment, feeling that perhaps he wasn't suited to strive in that direction.
No matter how Yang Si scrutinized him, Yan Shang’s ability to handle people allowed him to easily dispel Yang Si’s prejudices. It was only when Yang Si recommended he work for the First Prince that he hesitated, thinking this might be a way out.
Being an aide for a long time could also lead to becoming an official. It seemed better than obsessing over the imperial examinations.
But before Yan Shang could agree, he was summoned by the Crown Prince. Yan Shang was stunned; he vaguely guessed some reasons, feeling that these people were likely paying extra attention to him because of Princess Danyang. Otherwise, the Crown Prince wouldn't have summoned him right after Yang Si left.
Yan Shang felt quite wronged; he really had never fed the little princess any love potion.
But whether he did it or not wasn't important; what mattered was making others believe it.
Once Yan Shang was summoned by the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince gave him the status of an aide and kept him by his side. In the Crown Prince's eyes, Yan Shang was still young, but he showed talent in matters of strategy. If he were taught, in time, he would surely become his right-hand man.
Yan Shang’s uncle was very happy. He had spent so much energy on his nephew, and now his nephew was going to serve directly under the Crown Prince—that was even better than he had hoped... Even if he had become the top scholar, it wouldn't necessarily guarantee him a spot by the Crown Prince's side.
Yan Shang’s official career was off to a smooth start.
The Crown Prince had truly kept Yan Shang because he cherished his talent. But while cherishing talent, the Crown Prince also watched to see if his little sister would inquire about Yan Shang again.
Mu Wanyao did not.
Only then did the Crown Prince truly believe Yan Shang’s words—that there was no illicit affair between him and the Princess, and that he harbored no inappropriate ambitions toward her.
Yan Shang had not expected to meet Mu Wanyao again so soon.
One day at the end of the third month, Mu Wanyao came to the Eastern Palace to pay her respects to her elder brother, the Crown Prince, and his consort. She moved through the Eastern Palace as if it were her own, and no one stopped her. Hearing that her brother was handling state affairs in the palace hall, she pushed open the door and entered.
The curtains fluttered. The Crown Prince, sitting behind his desk, looked handsome and serious. Seeing his sister walk straight in, he raised his eyes and gave a subtle glance in a certain direction.
Mu Wanyao didn't notice.
She called out in a spoiled tone: "Second Brother!"
Like a little girl acting spoiled, she knelt beside the desk and threw herself into her brother’s arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. When she entered, seeing the palace hall empty, she assumed the Crown Prince was alone. Without waiting for him to say anything, Mu Wanyao was already clinging to his arm.
Mu Wanyao: "Second Brother, is Nonghua a spy you planted in my palace? Take her away, I really don't want this."
The Crown Prince coughed: "Yaoyao, get down, don't make a scene."
Mu Wanyao peeked at him with one eye; around those she was close to, and with no outsiders present, she was an expert at acting spoiled and silly. Mu Wanyao clung to the Crown Prince’s arm, shaking it, her voice soft and eyes brimming with mist as she complained about how pitiful she was, how she had no freedom...
Mu Wanyao heard a soft chuckle.
She froze instantly and looked toward the corner from which the sound came.
Deep within the curtains, leaning against a wall of bookshelves, sat two men at two desks. Apparently, they were helping the Crown Prince organize administrative matters and had overheard the Princess acting spoiled before the Crown Prince.
The one who had chuckled was a middle-aged man Mu Wanyao was very familiar with; her brother had said this person would soon become the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, though she didn't understand what that meant. But what made Mu Wanyao blush was that she saw another fair-faced scholar.
Yan Shang was sitting upright behind his desk, his face gentle and peaceful, showing no signs of mocking the Princess. He acted as if he hadn't heard the Princess’s temper tantrum at all, keeping his head down and reading the documents in his hand. Only when Mu Wanyao looked over, and he was implicated by his colleague’s reaction, was Yan Shang forced to reveal a polite smile, nodding and bowing to the Princess.
Yan Shang said gently: "Greetings, Your Highness."
In an instant, the blush on Mu Wanyao’s face spread all the way to her neck. Even though it was that middle-aged man who had laughed at her, Mu Wanyao could only see Yan Shang’s gentle appearance. He hadn't laughed, yet she felt incredibly awkward and embarrassed.
He must have been laughing in his heart.
Mu Wanyao turned to look at her Second Brother, a bit angry: "Second Brother, why didn't you tell me there were people here?"
The Crown Prince sighed: "I was just about to tell you, but then you pounced on me... Forget it, you two may retire for now. Alright Yaoyao, don't be angry."
Mu Wanyao pestered the Crown Prince to take Nonghua away, but the Crown Prince didn't agree in the end. Because Mu Wanyao was a bit distracted, she didn't pester her brother for long. She left the palace hall dejectedly, and just as she was about to return, she ran into Yan Shang again.
To be precise, it wasn't a chance encounter. She saw Yan Shang in the courtyard of the Eastern Palace, leaning against a pillar, talking softly to a blushing maidservant while he smiled with his head lowered.
His eyelashes were lifted, his eyes clear and dark, and when he looked at someone, he appeared focused and tender.
Mu Wanyao watched as the maidservant’s voice grew even softer than when she faced her. She was stunned, and when she saw the maidservant boldly try to tug at Yan Shang’s sash, Yan Shang seemed to turn his body just at the right moment, avoiding her touch.
As Yan Shang turned his head, he saw the little princess staring at him from below the hall.
Yan Shang was stunned, bowing and bending at the waist.
With his large sleeves fluttering, he looked magnificent, a polite smile on his lips. In that instant, when their eyes locked, Mu Wanyao’s heart beat faster than it ever had before.
Suddenly, a bold thought occurred to her—I want him so much.
I want this person so much.
I want him to be completely mine, to smile only at me, and to speak only to me.
Perhaps, as Yang Si had said, it was because she hadn't met many young men that she felt an inappropriate heart-fluttering every time she saw Yan Shang. But Mu Wanyao was a princess; no matter how gentle or mild-mannered her disposition, deep in her bones lay the pride of a Great Wei princess—
She liked him, so she wanted him. If she wanted him, she had to have him.
There wasn't a man in this world a princess couldn't have.
Having lived to seventeen, Mu Wanyao gathered her courage for the first time and decided to exercise her privileges as a princess.
She wanted Yan Shang to be her husband—
The Great Wei truly had no man a princess couldn't obtain. As long as a princess didn't intend to rebel, she could have anyone she desired. And that went double for a doted-upon princess. The only problem a doted-upon princess faced was if the man’s status was too low and the imperial family looked down on him.
Mu Wanyao first broke through the Crown Prince's defenses. The Crown Prince was her biological brother, and since Yan Shang was currently working by his side, he was the easiest to persuade.
The Crown Prince was indeed swayed and spoke on her behalf to the Emperor and Empress.
The Emperor and Empress remained hesitant.
Mu Wanyao snuggled in her mother’s arms for the whole evening, saying so many sweet words and swearing that she would be well-behaved in the future, yet the Empress wouldn't budge. Mu Wanyao even began to cry and wail about how much she wanted Yan Shang, and the Empress only hesitated a little.
The Crown Prince coughed and signaled to his sister to head back first.
After Mu Wanyao left, teary-eyed, the Crown Prince advised: "Since Little Sister likes him, he’s just a man, not born of a lowly class, so why not give him to her?"
The Empress was unhappy: "Nonsense! Just because he wasn't born of a lowly class, does that mean he can marry a princess? What status does Yaoyao have, and he, he... a commoner, without any official position, with an ordinary family background..."
The Crown Prince smiled: "It’s not hard to improve that. Let him take the imperial examination, grant him the title of the third-place scholar, and I’ll give him a position next year. Yan Shang’s talent isn't something that can only be used as an aide to me. Mother, the more you stop her, the more Yaoyao will want him. She’s at that age where a little girl is rebellious; you can't just keep stopping her."
He whispered: "Give him to Yaoyao. When Yaoyao doesn't like him anymore, she can just divorce him. She’s a princess, after all; there are plenty of men."
Naturally, in this world, men are superior and women are inferior, but before the superiority of men and women, the greatest thing is the sovereign, the imperial power.
Before her status as a woman, Mu Wanyao was first a ruler. A ruler can have as many men as she wants.
The Empress’s attitude softened as a result.
Yes, why should she stop her and create a rift with her daughter? Her daughter was at the stage where she cherished a man the most; when her daughter didn't like him anymore, she could just change him. There was no need for mother and daughter to be at odds—
At the end of the fourth month, Yan Shang unexpectedly received an imperial decree for marriage.
His uncle was overjoyed, while he remained bewildered as to how this had happened.
The Emperor had only summoned him to ask a few simple questions before ordering the construction of a Princess's Mansion, intending for the Princess to marry him in half a year. At the same time, the Emperor required Yan Shang to study diligently and participate in the imperial examinations once more next year.
A princess’s husband, even if it were just a formality, had to participate in the imperial examinations.
This was a new policy the Emperor was pushing, and his children had to support it.
Yan Shang received the decree in a daze and began studying at the Imperial Academy in a daze. By the fifth month, when the Yan family came to Chang'an from Lingnan for his wedding, Yan Shang could only offer a bitter smile.
He had no idea how this had come to pass.
Yan’s father mulled it over and secretly called his second son aside: "Do you like that Princess?"
Yan Shang sighed: "There is no such thing as like or dislike. I have met Her Highness a total of three times, I think."
His father knew his second son quite well, and seeing him so gentle, he knew in his heart he didn't like her. After struggling for a long time, his father said: "If marrying the Princess is not your wish, then why don't we all escape overseas..."
"You dare!" Before Yan’s father could finish, his uncle, who had been eavesdropping outside, burst in and cursed him: "You tricked my cousin into eloping back then and lived a life of hiding for your whole life—are you planning to make my nephew hide for his whole life too?
"Do you think the Emperor’s daughter is so easy to offend? Do you think everyone is as easy to bully as my family? You might be able to escape overseas with your family, but don't think about anyone else!"
Yan’s father: "But Second Son doesn't like..."
His uncle’s eyes widened: "What is there to like or dislike? The Princess is delicate and beautiful; I think he just doesn't know how lucky he is! He’s just ignorant now, but he’ll understand once he’s married. A delicate beauty is being handed to you, and you still want to run? Is there no justice..."
Yan Shang stopped his uncle from scolding his father.
He said helplessly: "I am not planning to resist the marriage. This is an imperial decree; how could I resist it? Besides... it doesn't matter to me."
It really didn't matter to him.
Perhaps, as his uncle said, he was yet ignorant of love.
But as far as Yan Shang’s personal feelings were concerned, whether he got married or not didn't really bother him. He would have to get married eventually, and now that he was marrying a princess, with such a massive stroke of good fortune landing on him, Yan Shang had no reason to run.
Before the wedding, Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao did not meet again.
The Emperor and Empress were strict about their youngest daughter, and it wasn't just talk. In the end, they didn't like Yan Shang, feeling he had hoodwinked their daughter, and so they were unwilling to let the two meet again before the wedding.
Yan Shang didn't care.
Mu Wanyao, on the other hand, was overjoyed that she would be able to move out of the palace and have her own Princess's Mansion after getting married. She wouldn't be watched by her father, mother, and brother every single day anymore... Mu Wanyao sent Chunhua out of the palace every day to check on how the construction of her mansion was coming along.
Mu Wanyao was indeed a talented woman; listening to Chunhua’s reports, and adding her own thoughts to the blueprints sent by the Ministry of Works, she could make adjustments to make the mansion suit her tastes.
Mu Wanyao remembered that she wouldn't be the only one living in the mansion later, and shyly sent Chunhua out of the palace to ask Yan Shang if he had any requests.
Chunhua replied: Second Young Master Yan had no requests, saying whatever pleased Her Highness was fine.
Mu Wanyao sighed: "Second Brother Yan has such a good temper."
With her heart full of girlish worries, she asked Chunhua anxiously: "Could he be pretending? Will he continue to be like this after we’re married? Chunhua, I don't want someone else who will boss me around all day."
Chunhua recalled Second Young Master Yan’s appearance and smiled: "Your Highness, please rest assured. In this servant’s opinion, he is a pragmatic person and not the type to have hidden agendas."
Just as the mistress and servant were about to discuss more about Second Young Master Yan, a palace maid reported that the Empress had sent a matron to teach the Princess things she should know before marriage.
Mu Wanyao thought of what that matron had shown her last time and turned red in an instant. She was too shy to say anything, and after enduring it for a long while, she said with a tremor in her voice: "Let the matron in."
The same instruction was taking place for Yan Shang.
The palace sent a eunuch to teach Yan Shang about marital intimacy; it was the tradition.
Yan Shang was quite embarrassed.
He wasn't shy; he just felt awkward... Thinking about having to do such things with a stranger on his wedding night left him embarrassed and speechless.
Why must people do this? Could they not remain pure and stay out of each other's way? Wouldn't one feel... that this behavior reveals the beastly nature within a person, and it is truly unrefined?
Second Young Master Yan’s strange thoughts, naturally, were unknown to anyone.
He never told anyone these thoughts in his heart; he only listened awkwardly to the eunuch’s teachings, enduring and learning. Since he felt awkward, he learned awkwardly. The eunuch also felt awkward about the matter, and with both sides sharing the same feelings, the teaching was very perfunctory, hurried, and vague.
And to Yan Shang, more importantly, after the marriage, he would have to take on the responsibilities of a husband. Responsibilities, compared to romance, made Yan Shang’s heart stir more—
After half a year of wedding preparations, in the tenth month of the second half of the year, the eighteen-year-old Princess Danyang was married off in grand style.
The procession stretched for ten miles, and the scenery of Chang'an was something that went without saying.
After all the intricate rituals were over, Mu Wanyao changed her clothes and waited in the room for her new husband. As she nervously thought about the驸马, she heard the creaking of the door. Her bright eyes lifted, and she met the gaze of Yan Shang as he entered.
The two were stunned.
They both fell silent.
Yan Shang lowered his eyes, momentarily dazzled by her magnificent attire. A vermilion gown, a phoenix hairpin with nine tails.
In his heart, during their few brief encounters, she had always been a naive, girlish figure. Tonight, her makeup was colorful and dazzling, her appearance rich and luxurious, making his heart beat faster for a moment, and he dared not look too much.
Mu Wanyao lowered her head, also thinking about his good looks.
She nervously listened to Yan Shang softly instruct the maidservants to leave, then heard his footsteps approach and sit beside her. After a long while, Yan Shang smiled and asked: "I have troubled Your Highness to work hard for the night."
Mu Wanyao whispered "Not hard at all," and then summoned her courage to add: "You returned very quickly."
Her jade-white, delicate fingers gripped the phoenix patterns on the quilt she sat on, and she added somewhat transparently: "Third, Third Brother Yang told me that on the wedding night, I would have to wait a long time for my husband to return. But you were so fast."
Yan Shang said gently: "Because I do not drink alcohol, the people at the banquet did not pester me."
Mu Wanyao was surprised, then said: "Then I won't drink alcohol in the future either."
Yan Shang smiled and said: "There is no need for that. Your Highness does not need to change your habits for me."
Mu Wanyao was very serious: "I must. We are going to live together for a lifetime, so naturally, we must get used to each other and take care of each other. I am willing, willing... to follow Second Brother Yan’s eating habits."
Yan Shang was stunned.
He turned his head and looked down at her.
He whispered: "What did you call me?"
At his touch, Mu Wanyao lowered her head. Her eyelashes trembled, her face filled with rosy light, and she hated herself for being so timid her face was about to burn up; the moment he looked at her, she couldn't help but feel nervous.
Mu Wanyao’s voice was soft and sweet: "Second Brother Yan... do you not like me calling you that?"
Yan Shang stared at her for a long while; because of a single form of address, ripples formed in his heart. But these ripples were quickly suppressed by himself, and he said: "Let us freshen up."
Mu Wanyao continued to nod, almost crying from embarrassment at her own incompetence—
Mu Wanyao kept thinking about what the matron in the palace had taught her; she felt somewhat uncomfortable, and at the same time vaguely curious and expectant. Thinking about being with a man in that way... she ordered the maidservants to hurry with the washing, still feeling a bit bashful.
When she rushed back from the bathroom, seeing the bridal chamber empty, Yan Shang hadn't returned yet, she instantly breathed a sigh of relief. She crawled into the quilt without hesitation, ordered the maidservants to blow out the candles, wrapped herself up tightly, and tucked herself deep inside the bed curtains.
She closed her eyes, feigning sleep, yet couldn't help but perk up her ears to listen to the sounds outside. She heard Yan Shang speaking softly to the maidservants outside, his voice clear and gentle, and her heart almost leaped out of her chest.
A while later, she saw Yan Shang enter, holding a candle. In the dim light, through the curtains, Mu Wanyao saw his clothes were still neat and tidy, his jade crown and silk belt showing not a single trace of disorder. He walked toward the bed, and Mu Wanyao hurriedly closed her eyes.
Yan Shang said gently: "Is Your Highness asleep?"
Mu Wanyao feigned sleep and didn't respond.
Yan Shang looked for a while through the curtains, a smile emerging in his eyes. He was remarkably intelligent and didn't believe for a second that she had fallen asleep so quickly. He was embarrassed himself, but seeing that his new wife was just like him, he found it amusing.
Yan Shang placed the candle on the small table outside the bed and gently blew out the light before slowly starting to undress.
Mu Wanyao opened her eyes again, secretly watching him.
As his robes fell open, his back was slender and winding like a landscape painting. He pulled out his jade hairpin, and his long hair fell to his waist, black hair contrasting with snow-white skin, a dazzling sight.
Yan Shang turned his face to look back, and Mu Wanyao hurriedly closed her eyes again in a panic.
Yan Shang crawled into bed slowly and lay flat on the outside. He was quite conflicted in his heart, wondering if it would be better to just go to sleep like this. He was fine on his own, but wouldn't she mind? Why should strangers sleep in the same bed...
Just as he was conflicted and about to turn his back to Mu Wanyao to sleep, he suddenly felt a small, warm body roll into his arms. His body stiffened, but because he was caught off guard, she pushed the quilt aside and crawled in.
She was mumbling, her voice like someone who had just woken up: "Second Brother Yan, you smell so good."
Yan Shang: "..."
He remained stiff, letting her hug him, not knowing where to put his hands, so he awkwardly said: "Perhaps it is because I just bathed."
Mu Wanyao sniffed at his neck. Instantly, Yan Shang’s whole body tightened, a tingling sensation arising at the base of his spine, and an inexplicable panic and heat rushed through his blood. He couldn't help but lean back, but Mu Wanyao was oblivious and innocent: "It’s not that. It’s the scent that is naturally on you... I smelled it the first time I met you. I always wanted to try and recreate it, but I never succeeded."
Yan Shang’s mind went blank.
After a long while, she looked up, and he replied in a hoarse voice: "Perhaps it is the fragrance from our side of Lingnan... I will teach Your Highness another day."
She curved her eyes, happily saying "Okay."
Yan Shang fell silent.
She buried her head in his chest, holding onto his narrow waist and refusing to let go.
The two of them persisted in this way for a long time, neither willing to yield.
He didn't pull away, and she didn't return to her side of the quilt. After a stiff moment, Mu Wanyao heard Yan Shang sigh softly. He reached out with hands that had been too polite to even touch her, and gently held her shoulders. He finally hugged her and took the initiative to hold her in his arms.
He rolled over with her, covering her within his embrace. He whispered: "It might hurt a little."
Mu Wanyao closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling as she held his neck, and whispered: "I am not afraid." —
The furnace of warm incense in the room burned out, and the red candles outside burned brightly. As she cried in his arms, he stiffened and stopped. He remained silent, and in the darkness, only their breathing intertwined.
He patted her back as if soothing a child until she stopped crying. And after he finished hurriedly, he hugged her to go wash up, patient and considerate. Mu Wanyao waited for him in bed, confused and lost for a long time, and only after he returned did she feel relieved and willing to close her eyes to sleep.
Before falling into a dream, Mu Wanyao thought happily: She and Second Brother Yan were finally husband and wife.
And Yan Shang also breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that it was finally over.
He calculated in his heart how to grasp the sense of proportion in the future, how to be both respectful to the Princess and yet not leave her feeling neglected.
Mu Wanyao didn't understand these things, and Yan Shang didn't care much for them either. Throughout the entire ordeal, he neither kissed her nor touched any part of her; Mu Wanyao only felt pain—terrible, excruciating pain. She assumed everyone was like this and simply endured it, innocently thinking what the matron said about it getting better later would come true.
The life of these two young, newlywed husband and wife, sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams, thus began.
Yan Shang didn't just guess that Mu Wanyao was a princess; he also guessed that she was the renowned Princess Danyang.
Because Yan Shang was accustomed to caution, he had spent his time since arriving in Chang'an learning about all the prominent figures in the city. This wasn't necessarily to curry favor with anyone, but to ensure he didn't offend the wrong people—one had to be careful in such matters.
He had guessed she was royalty the first time he met her, and now, seeing Mu Wanyao writing swiftly as she displayed her calligraphy, it wasn't hard to deduce that she must be the Emperor’s youngest and most doted-upon daughter, Princess Danyang.
The reason Yan Shang hadn't left yet was that his companion had remembered an urgent errand to attend to, and he was waiting here for him.
He never expected Mu Wanyao to come out.
Even less did he expect Mu Wanyao to rush straight toward him.
When she stood before him, asking for his name with such impatience, it had already made Yan Shang wary. And when she gazed at him with eyes as bright and twinkling as if they were filled with starlight, Yan Shang fell silent for a moment, sensing her girlish affection for him.
The country bumpkin Yan Shang only learned after arriving in Chang'an from Lingnan that he was the type of young man who was extremely attractive to young ladies. He found this troublesome and didn't know how to handle it. And now, he had actually attracted a princess... Yan Shang felt his head spinning, a bitter smile forming in his heart.
With his status, there was a chasm of difference between them, like heaven and earth.
He had no interest in romance, and her status was far too high... Under such circumstances, why bother getting tangled up in matters of the heart?
He had to distance himself from this princess and not give her any opportunity to let her imagination run wild.
As Yan Shang made this decision in his heart, Mu Wanyao, standing before him, felt her cheeks burning hot. Her heart beat faster and faster, simply because she had never stood so close or spoken so much to any man other than Third Brother Yang. She endured her shyness to speak boldly to Yan Shang, all because she could not help herself.
Perhaps she was truly just young and ignorant of love, her heart opening with startling speed the moment she saw a young man who caught her fancy.
Mu Wanyao lowered her head, not daring to get any closer to him. She whispered: "Big Brother Yan, do you want me to help you submit your scroll? You helped me last time, so I want to thank you."
Yan Shang was polite and courteous: "There is no need."
He wanted to draw a clear line between them.
Mu Wanyao looked up in surprise, waves of light flowing in her eyes: "Is Big Brother Yan not planning to submit a scroll, or do you just not want my help?"
Yan Shang smiled: "I do not plan to submit a scroll."
Mu Wanyao exclaimed in admiration: "Then Big Brother Yan must be overflowing with talent and have peerless poetic genius!"
Yan Shang was modest: "That is not the case."
But he was only seventeen, and he did indeed possess a certain spirit. Although he had failed the exams for three years running back in Lingnan, he had passed after just one year of his uncle’s instruction. Yan Shang thought perhaps it was because he had been like a frog at the bottom of a well, closed off from the world; besides, passing the provincial exam at seventeen was already quite impressive.
Having come to Chang'an to take the imperial examinations, even though his uncle did not have high hopes for him, Yan Shang still possessed a certain amount of blind confidence.
He was, after all, a young man who had yet to learn the true depth of the waters in Chang'an.
Mu Wanyao still wanted to talk to him, but Yan Shang’s friend arrived. Yan Shang then said goodbye to Mu Wanyao with a gentle but firm attitude and left with his friend. Mu Wanyao watched his back, feeling a sense of loss.
That friend of Yan Shang’s was called Liu Wenji.
As Liu Wenji walked away, he kept looking back at a beautiful maidservant standing below the tavern.
The maidservant kept her head down, acting as if she hadn't noticed.
Mu Wanyao stood there in a daze for a long while, struggling with her thoughts, before finally speaking: "Nonghua, Chunhua!"
Both maidservants responded at once. The one named Chunhua raised her face—it was the very one that Yan Shang’s friend, Liu Wenji, had kept looking back at.
Mu Wanyao whispered: "...Go and inquire about Big Brother Yan."
The two maidservants looked at each other and nodded.
Mu Wanyao knew that by demanding this information, it would be impossible to hide her investigation into Yan Shang from her Imperial Father, Mother, or Second Brother. She didn't want to be watched by them, but in order to learn Yan Shang’s status and background, she could no longer care about such things.
Sure enough, that same evening, as the information about Yan Shang reached Mu Wanyao, the Emperor, Empress, and the Crown Prince all learned the name "Yan Shang."
The Crown Prince pondered for a moment and decided to wait and see. His sister was only asking for a name; what if she merely admired his talent?
As for Mu Wanyao, seeing the rest of Yan Shang’s information was fine, but when she saw that he was half a year younger than her, she remembered how she kept calling him "Big Brother Yan" and her cheeks turned so red she felt too ashamed to face anyone. She felt a bit awkward—how could Big Brother Yan be younger than her?
That would make him a younger brother.
Ah... but how could she possibly have feelings for a younger brother?
He should still be a "big brother."
No, Yan Shang was the second in his family; he shouldn't be called "Big Brother Yan" anymore, but "Second Brother Yan."
Mu Wanyao agonized over this for a long time before deciding to forget about it, pretending she didn't know she was half a year his senior. She comforted herself with the thought that it was only half a year—in reality, they were the same age, so there was no need to split hairs over who was older or younger.
Mu Wanyao looked at the rest of the information, relieved to see that since Yan Shang arrived in Chang'an, he hadn't grown close to any other young ladies. She didn't know why she cared about this, but seeing it made her breathe a sigh of relief.
Mu Wanyao lay on her bed, thinking secretly and happily that with Big Brother Yan’s overflowing talent, the imperial examinations would surely be a success.
If Second Brother Yan could become the top scholar this year... she suddenly had so many thoughts that she felt terribly embarrassed, hiding under her quilt to giggle and kick the covers.
But Yan Shang did not occupy a place on this year’s list of successful candidates.
When the results were posted in the third month, Mu Wanyao had someone inquire for her and was nearly moved to tears. She was instantly worried that he must be very sad, but then she mentally lashed out at the old men in the Ministry of Personnel, thinking they must have been jealous of Second Brother Yan’s good looks and refused to give him a spot.
Mu Wanyao was truly kept within the palace by the Emperor and Empress and couldn't easily get out. She begged Yang Si to bring words of comfort to Yan Shang. As soon as she had a chance to leave the palace, she would go find Yan Shang herself.
Yang Si stared at her with a strange expression.
Mu Wanyao: "What are you doing!"
Yang Si: "...Do you like him that much? Didn't he just help you once? What do you like about him?"
Her secret exposed, Mu Wanyao felt too shy to admit it and denied: "I don't."
She whispered: "I only treat Second Brother Yan as a friend."
Yang Si said coldly: "He has never asked about you once."
Mu Wanyao retorted: "How do you know Second Brother Yan hasn't asked about me? I am a princess, and I live in the palace; even if he wanted to ask, he couldn't."
Yang Si’s eyes turned cold, and he spoke sternly: "You still say you don't like him! You’re so worried about whether he’s asked about you or not!"
Mu Wanyao was rendered speechless. Stared at by Yang Si, her eyes grew slightly moist, filled with anxiety and shyness. She didn't know what to do, yet she bit her lip and looked at him with a hint of stubbornness.
Seeing her looking so silly, Yang Si let go of his intensity and ruffled her hair.
Yang Si: "Yaoyao, you don't understand men. In my opinion, someone of his background is just intentionally pulling you in from a distance, playing with a young lady like you. Does he know you’re a princess? Look, he did it on purpose! He treats you this way, and he surely treats other ladies the same. I've seen this kind of scheme too many times!"
Mu Wanyao doubted him: "Is that so?"
Yang Si promised her: "That’s exactly how it is. How about this: I’ll help you go comfort him and find him an important position in Chang'an; that will serve as a way for you to repay his kindness. After this, don't worry about it anymore. Do you agree or not? If not, I won't help you go see him this time."
Mu Wanyao was filled with grievances.
The thought that Yan Shang might be the hypocrite Yang Si described, a man who hoodwinks young ladies, made her uncomfortable. She wanted to argue, but she couldn't find any evidence. Yet Yang Si spoke with such confidence, as if he truly understood Yan Shang. Mu Wanyao dejectedly agreed, forcing herself to bury her budding love in the dirt.
However, when Yang Si went to see Yan Shang, a different story unfolded.
Who knows how Yang Si saw it, but the end result was that he and Yan Shang began calling each other brothers. Yang Si quite appreciated Yan Shang and wanted to recommend him as an aide to the First Prince.
Yan Shang was a bit hesitant.
Because this year’s failure in the imperial examinations had dealt him a heavy blow; he hadn't realized his knowledge was so shallow until he took them. He was confused for a moment, feeling that perhaps he wasn't suited to strive in that direction.
No matter how Yang Si scrutinized him, Yan Shang’s ability to handle people allowed him to easily dispel Yang Si’s prejudices. It was only when Yang Si recommended he work for the First Prince that he hesitated, thinking this might be a way out.
Being an aide for a long time could also lead to becoming an official. It seemed better than obsessing over the imperial examinations.
But before Yan Shang could agree, he was summoned by the Crown Prince. Yan Shang was stunned; he vaguely guessed some reasons, feeling that these people were likely paying extra attention to him because of Princess Danyang. Otherwise, the Crown Prince wouldn't have summoned him right after Yang Si left.
Yan Shang felt quite wronged; he really had never fed the little princess any love potion.
But whether he did it or not wasn't important; what mattered was making others believe it.
Once Yan Shang was summoned by the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince gave him the status of an aide and kept him by his side. In the Crown Prince's eyes, Yan Shang was still young, but he showed talent in matters of strategy. If he were taught, in time, he would surely become his right-hand man.
Yan Shang’s uncle was very happy. He had spent so much energy on his nephew, and now his nephew was going to serve directly under the Crown Prince—that was even better than he had hoped... Even if he had become the top scholar, it wouldn't necessarily guarantee him a spot by the Crown Prince's side.
Yan Shang’s official career was off to a smooth start.
The Crown Prince had truly kept Yan Shang because he cherished his talent. But while cherishing talent, the Crown Prince also watched to see if his little sister would inquire about Yan Shang again.
Mu Wanyao did not.
Only then did the Crown Prince truly believe Yan Shang’s words—that there was no illicit affair between him and the Princess, and that he harbored no inappropriate ambitions toward her.
Yan Shang had not expected to meet Mu Wanyao again so soon.
One day at the end of the third month, Mu Wanyao came to the Eastern Palace to pay her respects to her elder brother, the Crown Prince, and his consort. She moved through the Eastern Palace as if it were her own, and no one stopped her. Hearing that her brother was handling state affairs in the palace hall, she pushed open the door and entered.
The curtains fluttered. The Crown Prince, sitting behind his desk, looked handsome and serious. Seeing his sister walk straight in, he raised his eyes and gave a subtle glance in a certain direction.
Mu Wanyao didn't notice.
She called out in a spoiled tone: "Second Brother!"
Like a little girl acting spoiled, she knelt beside the desk and threw herself into her brother’s arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. When she entered, seeing the palace hall empty, she assumed the Crown Prince was alone. Without waiting for him to say anything, Mu Wanyao was already clinging to his arm.
Mu Wanyao: "Second Brother, is Nonghua a spy you planted in my palace? Take her away, I really don't want this."
The Crown Prince coughed: "Yaoyao, get down, don't make a scene."
Mu Wanyao peeked at him with one eye; around those she was close to, and with no outsiders present, she was an expert at acting spoiled and silly. Mu Wanyao clung to the Crown Prince’s arm, shaking it, her voice soft and eyes brimming with mist as she complained about how pitiful she was, how she had no freedom...
Mu Wanyao heard a soft chuckle.
She froze instantly and looked toward the corner from which the sound came.
Deep within the curtains, leaning against a wall of bookshelves, sat two men at two desks. Apparently, they were helping the Crown Prince organize administrative matters and had overheard the Princess acting spoiled before the Crown Prince.
The one who had chuckled was a middle-aged man Mu Wanyao was very familiar with; her brother had said this person would soon become the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, though she didn't understand what that meant. But what made Mu Wanyao blush was that she saw another fair-faced scholar.
Yan Shang was sitting upright behind his desk, his face gentle and peaceful, showing no signs of mocking the Princess. He acted as if he hadn't heard the Princess’s temper tantrum at all, keeping his head down and reading the documents in his hand. Only when Mu Wanyao looked over, and he was implicated by his colleague’s reaction, was Yan Shang forced to reveal a polite smile, nodding and bowing to the Princess.
Yan Shang said gently: "Greetings, Your Highness."
In an instant, the blush on Mu Wanyao’s face spread all the way to her neck. Even though it was that middle-aged man who had laughed at her, Mu Wanyao could only see Yan Shang’s gentle appearance. He hadn't laughed, yet she felt incredibly awkward and embarrassed.
He must have been laughing in his heart.
Mu Wanyao turned to look at her Second Brother, a bit angry: "Second Brother, why didn't you tell me there were people here?"
The Crown Prince sighed: "I was just about to tell you, but then you pounced on me... Forget it, you two may retire for now. Alright Yaoyao, don't be angry."
Mu Wanyao pestered the Crown Prince to take Nonghua away, but the Crown Prince didn't agree in the end. Because Mu Wanyao was a bit distracted, she didn't pester her brother for long. She left the palace hall dejectedly, and just as she was about to return, she ran into Yan Shang again.
To be precise, it wasn't a chance encounter. She saw Yan Shang in the courtyard of the Eastern Palace, leaning against a pillar, talking softly to a blushing maidservant while he smiled with his head lowered.
His eyelashes were lifted, his eyes clear and dark, and when he looked at someone, he appeared focused and tender.
Mu Wanyao watched as the maidservant’s voice grew even softer than when she faced her. She was stunned, and when she saw the maidservant boldly try to tug at Yan Shang’s sash, Yan Shang seemed to turn his body just at the right moment, avoiding her touch.
As Yan Shang turned his head, he saw the little princess staring at him from below the hall.
Yan Shang was stunned, bowing and bending at the waist.
With his large sleeves fluttering, he looked magnificent, a polite smile on his lips. In that instant, when their eyes locked, Mu Wanyao’s heart beat faster than it ever had before.
Suddenly, a bold thought occurred to her—I want him so much.
I want this person so much.
I want him to be completely mine, to smile only at me, and to speak only to me.
Perhaps, as Yang Si had said, it was because she hadn't met many young men that she felt an inappropriate heart-fluttering every time she saw Yan Shang. But Mu Wanyao was a princess; no matter how gentle or mild-mannered her disposition, deep in her bones lay the pride of a Great Wei princess—
She liked him, so she wanted him. If she wanted him, she had to have him.
There wasn't a man in this world a princess couldn't have.
Having lived to seventeen, Mu Wanyao gathered her courage for the first time and decided to exercise her privileges as a princess.
She wanted Yan Shang to be her husband—
The Great Wei truly had no man a princess couldn't obtain. As long as a princess didn't intend to rebel, she could have anyone she desired. And that went double for a doted-upon princess. The only problem a doted-upon princess faced was if the man’s status was too low and the imperial family looked down on him.
Mu Wanyao first broke through the Crown Prince's defenses. The Crown Prince was her biological brother, and since Yan Shang was currently working by his side, he was the easiest to persuade.
The Crown Prince was indeed swayed and spoke on her behalf to the Emperor and Empress.
The Emperor and Empress remained hesitant.
Mu Wanyao snuggled in her mother’s arms for the whole evening, saying so many sweet words and swearing that she would be well-behaved in the future, yet the Empress wouldn't budge. Mu Wanyao even began to cry and wail about how much she wanted Yan Shang, and the Empress only hesitated a little.
The Crown Prince coughed and signaled to his sister to head back first.
After Mu Wanyao left, teary-eyed, the Crown Prince advised: "Since Little Sister likes him, he’s just a man, not born of a lowly class, so why not give him to her?"
The Empress was unhappy: "Nonsense! Just because he wasn't born of a lowly class, does that mean he can marry a princess? What status does Yaoyao have, and he, he... a commoner, without any official position, with an ordinary family background..."
The Crown Prince smiled: "It’s not hard to improve that. Let him take the imperial examination, grant him the title of the third-place scholar, and I’ll give him a position next year. Yan Shang’s talent isn't something that can only be used as an aide to me. Mother, the more you stop her, the more Yaoyao will want him. She’s at that age where a little girl is rebellious; you can't just keep stopping her."
He whispered: "Give him to Yaoyao. When Yaoyao doesn't like him anymore, she can just divorce him. She’s a princess, after all; there are plenty of men."
Naturally, in this world, men are superior and women are inferior, but before the superiority of men and women, the greatest thing is the sovereign, the imperial power.
Before her status as a woman, Mu Wanyao was first a ruler. A ruler can have as many men as she wants.
The Empress’s attitude softened as a result.
Yes, why should she stop her and create a rift with her daughter? Her daughter was at the stage where she cherished a man the most; when her daughter didn't like him anymore, she could just change him. There was no need for mother and daughter to be at odds—
At the end of the fourth month, Yan Shang unexpectedly received an imperial decree for marriage.
His uncle was overjoyed, while he remained bewildered as to how this had happened.
The Emperor had only summoned him to ask a few simple questions before ordering the construction of a Princess's Mansion, intending for the Princess to marry him in half a year. At the same time, the Emperor required Yan Shang to study diligently and participate in the imperial examinations once more next year.
A princess’s husband, even if it were just a formality, had to participate in the imperial examinations.
This was a new policy the Emperor was pushing, and his children had to support it.
Yan Shang received the decree in a daze and began studying at the Imperial Academy in a daze. By the fifth month, when the Yan family came to Chang'an from Lingnan for his wedding, Yan Shang could only offer a bitter smile.
He had no idea how this had come to pass.
Yan’s father mulled it over and secretly called his second son aside: "Do you like that Princess?"
Yan Shang sighed: "There is no such thing as like or dislike. I have met Her Highness a total of three times, I think."
His father knew his second son quite well, and seeing him so gentle, he knew in his heart he didn't like her. After struggling for a long time, his father said: "If marrying the Princess is not your wish, then why don't we all escape overseas..."
"You dare!" Before Yan’s father could finish, his uncle, who had been eavesdropping outside, burst in and cursed him: "You tricked my cousin into eloping back then and lived a life of hiding for your whole life—are you planning to make my nephew hide for his whole life too?
"Do you think the Emperor’s daughter is so easy to offend? Do you think everyone is as easy to bully as my family? You might be able to escape overseas with your family, but don't think about anyone else!"
Yan’s father: "But Second Son doesn't like..."
His uncle’s eyes widened: "What is there to like or dislike? The Princess is delicate and beautiful; I think he just doesn't know how lucky he is! He’s just ignorant now, but he’ll understand once he’s married. A delicate beauty is being handed to you, and you still want to run? Is there no justice..."
Yan Shang stopped his uncle from scolding his father.
He said helplessly: "I am not planning to resist the marriage. This is an imperial decree; how could I resist it? Besides... it doesn't matter to me."
It really didn't matter to him.
Perhaps, as his uncle said, he was yet ignorant of love.
But as far as Yan Shang’s personal feelings were concerned, whether he got married or not didn't really bother him. He would have to get married eventually, and now that he was marrying a princess, with such a massive stroke of good fortune landing on him, Yan Shang had no reason to run.
Before the wedding, Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao did not meet again.
The Emperor and Empress were strict about their youngest daughter, and it wasn't just talk. In the end, they didn't like Yan Shang, feeling he had hoodwinked their daughter, and so they were unwilling to let the two meet again before the wedding.
Yan Shang didn't care.
Mu Wanyao, on the other hand, was overjoyed that she would be able to move out of the palace and have her own Princess's Mansion after getting married. She wouldn't be watched by her father, mother, and brother every single day anymore... Mu Wanyao sent Chunhua out of the palace every day to check on how the construction of her mansion was coming along.
Mu Wanyao was indeed a talented woman; listening to Chunhua’s reports, and adding her own thoughts to the blueprints sent by the Ministry of Works, she could make adjustments to make the mansion suit her tastes.
Mu Wanyao remembered that she wouldn't be the only one living in the mansion later, and shyly sent Chunhua out of the palace to ask Yan Shang if he had any requests.
Chunhua replied: Second Young Master Yan had no requests, saying whatever pleased Her Highness was fine.
Mu Wanyao sighed: "Second Brother Yan has such a good temper."
With her heart full of girlish worries, she asked Chunhua anxiously: "Could he be pretending? Will he continue to be like this after we’re married? Chunhua, I don't want someone else who will boss me around all day."
Chunhua recalled Second Young Master Yan’s appearance and smiled: "Your Highness, please rest assured. In this servant’s opinion, he is a pragmatic person and not the type to have hidden agendas."
Just as the mistress and servant were about to discuss more about Second Young Master Yan, a palace maid reported that the Empress had sent a matron to teach the Princess things she should know before marriage.
Mu Wanyao thought of what that matron had shown her last time and turned red in an instant. She was too shy to say anything, and after enduring it for a long while, she said with a tremor in her voice: "Let the matron in."
The same instruction was taking place for Yan Shang.
The palace sent a eunuch to teach Yan Shang about marital intimacy; it was the tradition.
Yan Shang was quite embarrassed.
He wasn't shy; he just felt awkward... Thinking about having to do such things with a stranger on his wedding night left him embarrassed and speechless.
Why must people do this? Could they not remain pure and stay out of each other's way? Wouldn't one feel... that this behavior reveals the beastly nature within a person, and it is truly unrefined?
Second Young Master Yan’s strange thoughts, naturally, were unknown to anyone.
He never told anyone these thoughts in his heart; he only listened awkwardly to the eunuch’s teachings, enduring and learning. Since he felt awkward, he learned awkwardly. The eunuch also felt awkward about the matter, and with both sides sharing the same feelings, the teaching was very perfunctory, hurried, and vague.
And to Yan Shang, more importantly, after the marriage, he would have to take on the responsibilities of a husband. Responsibilities, compared to romance, made Yan Shang’s heart stir more—
After half a year of wedding preparations, in the tenth month of the second half of the year, the eighteen-year-old Princess Danyang was married off in grand style.
The procession stretched for ten miles, and the scenery of Chang'an was something that went without saying.
After all the intricate rituals were over, Mu Wanyao changed her clothes and waited in the room for her new husband. As she nervously thought about the驸马, she heard the creaking of the door. Her bright eyes lifted, and she met the gaze of Yan Shang as he entered.
The two were stunned.
They both fell silent.
Yan Shang lowered his eyes, momentarily dazzled by her magnificent attire. A vermilion gown, a phoenix hairpin with nine tails.
In his heart, during their few brief encounters, she had always been a naive, girlish figure. Tonight, her makeup was colorful and dazzling, her appearance rich and luxurious, making his heart beat faster for a moment, and he dared not look too much.
Mu Wanyao lowered her head, also thinking about his good looks.
She nervously listened to Yan Shang softly instruct the maidservants to leave, then heard his footsteps approach and sit beside her. After a long while, Yan Shang smiled and asked: "I have troubled Your Highness to work hard for the night."
Mu Wanyao whispered "Not hard at all," and then summoned her courage to add: "You returned very quickly."
Her jade-white, delicate fingers gripped the phoenix patterns on the quilt she sat on, and she added somewhat transparently: "Third, Third Brother Yang told me that on the wedding night, I would have to wait a long time for my husband to return. But you were so fast."
Yan Shang said gently: "Because I do not drink alcohol, the people at the banquet did not pester me."
Mu Wanyao was surprised, then said: "Then I won't drink alcohol in the future either."
Yan Shang smiled and said: "There is no need for that. Your Highness does not need to change your habits for me."
Mu Wanyao was very serious: "I must. We are going to live together for a lifetime, so naturally, we must get used to each other and take care of each other. I am willing, willing... to follow Second Brother Yan’s eating habits."
Yan Shang was stunned.
He turned his head and looked down at her.
He whispered: "What did you call me?"
At his touch, Mu Wanyao lowered her head. Her eyelashes trembled, her face filled with rosy light, and she hated herself for being so timid her face was about to burn up; the moment he looked at her, she couldn't help but feel nervous.
Mu Wanyao’s voice was soft and sweet: "Second Brother Yan... do you not like me calling you that?"
Yan Shang stared at her for a long while; because of a single form of address, ripples formed in his heart. But these ripples were quickly suppressed by himself, and he said: "Let us freshen up."
Mu Wanyao continued to nod, almost crying from embarrassment at her own incompetence—
Mu Wanyao kept thinking about what the matron in the palace had taught her; she felt somewhat uncomfortable, and at the same time vaguely curious and expectant. Thinking about being with a man in that way... she ordered the maidservants to hurry with the washing, still feeling a bit bashful.
When she rushed back from the bathroom, seeing the bridal chamber empty, Yan Shang hadn't returned yet, she instantly breathed a sigh of relief. She crawled into the quilt without hesitation, ordered the maidservants to blow out the candles, wrapped herself up tightly, and tucked herself deep inside the bed curtains.
She closed her eyes, feigning sleep, yet couldn't help but perk up her ears to listen to the sounds outside. She heard Yan Shang speaking softly to the maidservants outside, his voice clear and gentle, and her heart almost leaped out of her chest.
A while later, she saw Yan Shang enter, holding a candle. In the dim light, through the curtains, Mu Wanyao saw his clothes were still neat and tidy, his jade crown and silk belt showing not a single trace of disorder. He walked toward the bed, and Mu Wanyao hurriedly closed her eyes.
Yan Shang said gently: "Is Your Highness asleep?"
Mu Wanyao feigned sleep and didn't respond.
Yan Shang looked for a while through the curtains, a smile emerging in his eyes. He was remarkably intelligent and didn't believe for a second that she had fallen asleep so quickly. He was embarrassed himself, but seeing that his new wife was just like him, he found it amusing.
Yan Shang placed the candle on the small table outside the bed and gently blew out the light before slowly starting to undress.
Mu Wanyao opened her eyes again, secretly watching him.
As his robes fell open, his back was slender and winding like a landscape painting. He pulled out his jade hairpin, and his long hair fell to his waist, black hair contrasting with snow-white skin, a dazzling sight.
Yan Shang turned his face to look back, and Mu Wanyao hurriedly closed her eyes again in a panic.
Yan Shang crawled into bed slowly and lay flat on the outside. He was quite conflicted in his heart, wondering if it would be better to just go to sleep like this. He was fine on his own, but wouldn't she mind? Why should strangers sleep in the same bed...
Just as he was conflicted and about to turn his back to Mu Wanyao to sleep, he suddenly felt a small, warm body roll into his arms. His body stiffened, but because he was caught off guard, she pushed the quilt aside and crawled in.
She was mumbling, her voice like someone who had just woken up: "Second Brother Yan, you smell so good."
Yan Shang: "..."
He remained stiff, letting her hug him, not knowing where to put his hands, so he awkwardly said: "Perhaps it is because I just bathed."
Mu Wanyao sniffed at his neck. Instantly, Yan Shang’s whole body tightened, a tingling sensation arising at the base of his spine, and an inexplicable panic and heat rushed through his blood. He couldn't help but lean back, but Mu Wanyao was oblivious and innocent: "It’s not that. It’s the scent that is naturally on you... I smelled it the first time I met you. I always wanted to try and recreate it, but I never succeeded."
Yan Shang’s mind went blank.
After a long while, she looked up, and he replied in a hoarse voice: "Perhaps it is the fragrance from our side of Lingnan... I will teach Your Highness another day."
She curved her eyes, happily saying "Okay."
Yan Shang fell silent.
She buried her head in his chest, holding onto his narrow waist and refusing to let go.
The two of them persisted in this way for a long time, neither willing to yield.
He didn't pull away, and she didn't return to her side of the quilt. After a stiff moment, Mu Wanyao heard Yan Shang sigh softly. He reached out with hands that had been too polite to even touch her, and gently held her shoulders. He finally hugged her and took the initiative to hold her in his arms.
He rolled over with her, covering her within his embrace. He whispered: "It might hurt a little."
Mu Wanyao closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling as she held his neck, and whispered: "I am not afraid." —
The furnace of warm incense in the room burned out, and the red candles outside burned brightly. As she cried in his arms, he stiffened and stopped. He remained silent, and in the darkness, only their breathing intertwined.
He patted her back as if soothing a child until she stopped crying. And after he finished hurriedly, he hugged her to go wash up, patient and considerate. Mu Wanyao waited for him in bed, confused and lost for a long time, and only after he returned did she feel relieved and willing to close her eyes to sleep.
Before falling into a dream, Mu Wanyao thought happily: She and Second Brother Yan were finally husband and wife.
And Yan Shang also breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that it was finally over.
He calculated in his heart how to grasp the sense of proportion in the future, how to be both respectful to the Princess and yet not leave her feeling neglected.
Mu Wanyao didn't understand these things, and Yan Shang didn't care much for them either. Throughout the entire ordeal, he neither kissed her nor touched any part of her; Mu Wanyao only felt pain—terrible, excruciating pain. She assumed everyone was like this and simply endured it, innocently thinking what the matron said about it getting better later would come true.
The life of these two young, newlywed husband and wife, sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams, thus began.