Tigers Sniff the Rose - Extra Chapter 6

Extra Chapter - Young Wanderer (Part 6)

Yan Shang kept his word; once the imperial examinations were over, he invited Wei Shu to their home as a guest.

Because Mu Wanyao had forgotten that her uncle had entrusted her with looking after the young man, she felt rather embarrassed. When she saw Wei Shu arrive at the door, she put on an elegant and gentle smile.

Wei Shu bowed his head to pay his respects.

Yan Shang stood to the side with a peculiar expression.

During dinner that night, both husband and wife busied themselves trying to get Wei Shu to eat more, taking care of him. Wei Shu was embarrassed and could only keep his head down, eating in silence without a word.

His jade-like, snow-white profile already showed traces of the brilliance he would possess in the future.

Although Mu Wanyao was a married woman, she still couldn't help but take a few extra glances whenever she saw a handsome youth. And those extra glances were all caught by Yan Shang.

After arranging for Wei Shu to stay the night in the mansion, Mu Wanyao went to personally check the guest room the maids had tidied up. As she walked back to their bedroom satisfied, Yan Shang was waiting for her at the entrance of the corridor to accompany her.

Yan Shang said with veiled meaning: "Juyuan hasn't bought a mansion in Chang'an yet. He came to the capital in such a rush for the exams and has no one to look after him. Juyuan isn't one for conversation, so it has been quite difficult for him."

Mu Wanyao: "That's why my uncle asked me to take care of him!"

She said with some regret: "It’s true, Juyuan is too quiet and doesn't want to trouble others. Since he didn't come to visit, naturally I forgot about it."

Yan Shang turned his head to look at her: "Your Highness, do not worry. Since you and I are husband and wife, your business is my business. I will help you take good care of Juyuan."

Mu Wanyao’s eyes curved and her lips tilted up; she tucked her arm into his: "Second Brother Yan is a good man; I have never worried about this."

Yan Shang whispered: "But I am not a saint."

Mu Wanyao blinked; she looked up at him with a dazed expression, not understanding what he was talking about.

Yan Shang suddenly asked: "Let me ask you, if Wei Qilang didn't look so handsome, would you have remembered to take care of him and invited him to stay at our mansion?"

Mu Wanyao was stunned, and then her gaze drifted a bit.

Yan Shang gripped her wrist, his tone growing heavier: "Yaoyao!"

Mu Wanyao stammered quietly: "I—I didn't mean anything by it... when a person sees a good-looking person or thing and wants to take a few extra looks, there’s nothing wrong with that, right?"

Yan Shang leaned down to look at her: "Then have you ever thought about possessing all the good-looking people or things you see?"

Mu Wanyao stared at him with her clear, black-and-white eyes: "Everyone wants to possess beautiful things; I am no exception. I don't understand what Second Brother Yan means."

Yan Shang pursed his lips.

A thread of irritation rose in his heart.

His tone remained consistently gentle, and he even reached out to brush away the strands of hair on her cheek that had been stirred by the wind.

Yan Shang: "Then let me be clearer. Your Highness, do you want to possess Wei Juyuan?"

Mu Wanyao: "Possess him in what way?"

Yan Shang: "Do you want him to become one of the men kneeling beneath your skirt?"

Mu Wanyao widened her eyes in total shock. She had never thought so deeply, nor did she have any such intention.

She merely thought Wei Shu was good-looking and took a few extra glances!

Mu Wanyao: "No!"

Yan Shang lowered his eyes: "Then do you intend for him to replace me?"

Mu Wanyao immediately grabbed his arm tightly. She had been questioned about various things before, and it had been fine, but only this question made her bristles stand up like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on.

Mu Wanyao: "No one is allowed to take Second Brother Yan away from my side!"

Yan Shang was startled.

Mu Wanyao shouted: "Second Brother Yan is mine! He is mine! I will kill whoever tries to take you from me!"

Yan Shang stared at her blankly.

He saw that the girl’s pupils were dark, clean, and crystal-clear, but her expression was deadly serious; she wasn't joking.

Yan Shang had always known that Mu Wanyao held an inexplicably huge fondness for him—perhaps his temperament suited her preferences, perhaps it was some trait of his that even he didn't understand that had moved Mu Wanyao... Yan Shang had always known Mu Wanyao liked him very much.

But at this moment, looking at this girl whose eyes flowed with the light of the lamps, who was innocent and ignorant yet spoke the word "kill," he truly realized the extent of his attraction to Mu Wanyao.

Unparalleled.

Irreplaceable.

Never let go.

He found it laughable and shameful to even think such words; what virtue or ability did he have to deserve such a high evaluation? But this was how Mu Wanyao felt about him.

A sense of shock and joy welled up in Yan Shang’s heart. He suddenly felt very embarrassed, suddenly felt quite shy. He had only wanted to ask about Wei Shu; he hadn't expected to suddenly receive such a grand, surprising confession.

To Yan Shang, words like these from Mu Wanyao were no different from a passionate declaration of love.

He averted his gaze and whispered: "Why talk about killing or not killing? Holding a sharp blade and possessing the power over another’s life is all the more reason to keep the sword well-sheathed. Does Your Highness intend to not let people live because of some petty, trivial matters?"

Mu Wanyao remained innocent: "You say I hold a sharp blade and possess power over others' lives, and that I should keep my sheath well-maintained. Then Second Brother Yan, come and be my sheath."

Yan Shang coughed.

Her words were innocent, with no other intent. But to others—and in his heart—it was as if he had been lightly brushed by a feather. She was a natural-born tease who didn't even know she was teasing; it was truly wicked of her.

Yan Shang leaned over and looked at the little Princess, genuinely wanting to pull her into his arms and coddle her.

The rational and self-controlled Yan Shang straightened up. Fearing that he would make an ugly display, he took one last look at Mu Wanyao and headed back to the bedchamber alone.

Mu Wanyao was left bewildered in the middle of the way by her husband.

She didn't know why she had been suddenly left behind... hadn't they been getting along perfectly just a moment ago?

Hey, could this be what they call... "jealousy"?

Mu Wanyao chased after him: "Second Brother Yan, wait for me. Are you jealous? Let me explain. Brother..."

Yan Shang was caught up by her and had his sleeve tugged. He turned his face away from her. She was incredibly anxious, so she simply bent down and crawled out from under his arm.

The lantern was blown by the wind, and its light flowed across the ground like algae.

Yan Shang was startled and forced to lift his arm, only to see a delicate, beautiful girl emerging from his arms and smiling at him.

Mu Wanyao’s voice was soft: "Second Brother Yan, listen to my explanation..."

Yan Shang said helplessly and softly: "There is no need to explain. I know what is going on."

Mu Wanyao was baffled: "Then why are you running away? I thought you were angry."

Yan Shang leaned against a pillar. Whether it was the red light of the lantern or the fact that he was truly blushing, Mu Wanyao pressed against him and felt that as he turned his face away, his entire body was as stiff as stone.

Yan Shang whispered: "Does me not being angry mean I can't leave? Hurry up and get up, don't be like this."

His hand rested formally on her shoulder, wanting to gently push her away. Mu Wanyao refused; he always pushed her away, constantly pushing her away—why did he have to be like that?

Mu Wanyao thought she was clever: "Brother, you must still be angry. Look, you won't even look at me. Although I don't know what you are angry about, I will coax you until you are happy."

So she insisted on crawling beneath his line of sight, making faces at him and sticking out her tongue. She pulled at her own skin, making all sorts of strange, ugly expressions. Her eyes were like a cat’s, with the corners hooking upward again and again.

Amidst the flickering lights and the mirrored water of the lake, Yan Shang watched her making all sorts of cute faces, watched her trying all sorts of ways to tease him and make him happy. The ripples in his heart had long since been circling in waves, and she, this little cat secretly paddling in the water, kept reaching out her cat paws to test him...

And she still thought he felt absolutely nothing!

Mu Wanyao’s face was almost stiff, and seeing him look over with pitch-black eyes without saying a word, she suddenly felt a bit discouraged. Just as she was complaining in her heart that he was hard to please, Yan Shang suddenly leaned over and pulled her into his arms.

He turned his head, his long hair entangling with hers; he was burning hot, his whole body trembling. He could no longer restrain himself; unable to hold back his feelings, he finally succumbed to the deepest desire of his heart and kissed the tip of her ear lightly.

Mu Wanyao jumped back as if her fur had been set on fire, wanting to cover the ear that had been kissed. She widened her eyes, only to be pulled back into his embrace. It really was him—his hand gathered her back to him, he was actively hugging her... and he had kissed her!

Mu Wanyao: "You actually hugged me in public!"

Yan Shang was extremely bashful and lowered his voice: "Where is it public? This is inside our home, and it’s already dark."

Mu Wanyao looked up, accusing him in a somewhat smug tone: "You also stole a kiss from me."

Yan Shang had no rebuttal.

His eyes stared at her opening and closing red lips, forcing himself with great difficulty to shift his gaze away, trying not to overthink it. Mu Wanyao, however, happily pulled Yan Shang along and returned to their room with him.

Yan Shang felt a wave of scorching heat from the hand she was pulling.

He smiled bitterly in his heart, knowing that he definitely wouldn't sleep well again tonight.

—

Yan Shang was starting to fear Mu Wanyao a little.

It was hard for him to put his thoughts into words.

He had known she liked him for a long time, but Mu Wanyao that night made him realize that the "like" he had imagined and the "like" in reality were completely different in degree.

And while she held his hand, while she kept making faces to tease him, Yan Shang’s heart had been thrown into disarray.

He feared this feeling in himself.

He started tossing and turning at night; with his wife sleeping right beside him, the torment he had to endure was even greater than before. Sometimes when she was asleep, he would lie next to her and watch her, and in his heart, he would think how truly beautiful she was.

Yan Shang was no longer the Yan Er-lang who could handle any social situation with ease; how was he supposed to get along with Mu Wanyao?

Yan Shang felt awkward and embarrassed, yet he couldn't let anyone notice. He had no choice but to try his best to avoid her, to maintain his composure.

Fortunately, the imperial examinations were over, and he soon became busy, having little time to obsess over matters of the heart.

—

At the end of that year, because of the Emperor’s birthday, diplomatic envoys from various countries came to Chang'an.

Yan Shang was temporarily transferred by the Crown Prince to help at the Court of State Ceremonial, keeping him overwhelmed from morning till night. With the envoys arriving, Chang'an became much more lively.

It was Mu Wanyao’s first time seeing such a grand event, and she was happy in her heart. In order to showcase the style of the Great Wei, the Empress asked her, the Princess, to lead the foreign women in their activities, and Mu Wanyao agreed.

Great Wei worshipped poetry and prose.

The name of Princess Danyang became, all of a sudden, renowned among the diplomatic corps of the various nations.

Writing poems and composing prose were things Mu Wanyao excelled at; she could produce them at will, and they were all better than the poems Yan Shang would labor over for days. Mu Wanyao was also very happy to use her talents to help the country gain prestige...

Mu Wanyao sat in the Empress’s palace, excitedly talking about the interesting parts of the year’s grand ceremony. Mu Wanyao pouted: "The grand ceremony Second Brother organized is good in every way, except for one thing: Second Brother Yan is so busy that I can barely see him a few times."

The Empress said: "You two are a young married couple; there will be plenty of times to see each other. Better focus on handling the grand ceremony first."

The Empress looked back at her daughter, who was sitting obediently, her eyes lifted, and suddenly she smiled: "Yaoyao, do you know that everyone in the diplomatic corps is asking who Princess Danyang is? According to your father the Emperor, many small nations, having seen your elegance, have all been begging the Great Wei to marry a princess to their kings.

"You, you were just married off early. Otherwise, who knows how many would have come to ask for your hand."

Mu Wanyao blushed and lowered her head, saying she had done nothing.

Just as mother and daughter were talking, a palace maid came in to report, her expression looking grim: "Reporting to Your Highness, for the polo match originally scheduled for this afternoon, Chen Liuniang has suddenly fallen and injured her leg; she is unable to participate."

The Empress’s expression sank for a moment.

The Empress: "Then we must find a substitute..."

Her gaze, along with the maid’s, fell upon Mu Wanyao.

Mu Wanyao was startled and hurriedly jumped up, waving her hands: "I, I, I can't do it! Mother, it’s fine if you ask me to recite poetry, but how can you ask me to ride a horse and play polo? I’ll be scared!"

The Empress laughed: "Just play for fun. Yaoyao, you never move around all day; wouldn't it be good to go to the polo field and have some fun?"

Mu Wanyao’s face turned red, but she still waved her hands, saying it wouldn't work.

The Empress said: "I vaguely remember that Yan Er-lang is helping the Court of State Ceremonial manage these matches, right? Didn't you say you hadn't seen your husband in a long time? Isn't this just the right time to see him?"

Mu Wanyao flattened her lips and stopped speaking.

—

The polo match was held at Leyouyuan.

As the Empress had said, Yan Shang was responsible for the affairs here. There was no lack of entertainment for the noble men and women; this kind of match, with the addition of men and women from foreign lands, was even more popular with the nobles of Chang'an.

Many people drove their carriages to Qujiang and Leyouyuan specifically to watch the polo match.

The more people there were, the more they feared accidents.

Yan Shang naturally couldn't leave for even a step, keeping watch the entire time.

Just as Yan Shang was lowering his head to give instructions to a subordinate about some matters, he suddenly heard gasps all around him, and heard an envoy from a small country shouting loudly in broken Great Wei officialese: "Danyang! Danyang!"

Yan Shang was startled and immediately looked up.

He was currently on the outskirts of the match, and the sea of people in front blocked his view. Yan Shang’s heart skipped a beat; he hurriedly dismissed the official and entered the crowd, wanting to see if it was really her.

But how could it be her?

Wasn't she a talented woman?

How could she be here?

Yan Shang wove through the crowd and inadvertently bumped into a tall, brawny man. Yan Shang immediately bowed to apologize, realizing it was the Umian King, Meng Zaishi.

Yan Shang finally reached the front of the crowd. He rested his hands on the railing and looked toward the grass. And the moment he looked, his heart almost leaped out of his chest.

It really was Mu Wanyao!

She was wearing a black and red men’s riding suit, holding a long mallet, riding her horse in pursuit of the small white ball. Zhao Lingfei, Yang Si’s cousin, was coordinating with her; the two women had perfect chemistry. The small ball moved rapidly beneath their mallets, yet it never once slipped out of their control.

Envoys from foreign nations were cheering for the women of their own countries.

The Great Wei side was not to be outdone, either.

The hubbub was earth-shaking, the flags were fluttering—how unbridled and unrestrained!

Yan Shang watched his wife without blinking. The light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter; the stagnant pool of his emotions stirred with a monstrous tide.

He was never able to remain calm in the face of such a glamorous, ostentatious, proud, and courageous person.

Meng Zaishi stood beside Yan Shang, also watching Mu Wanyao riding on the field without blinking.

The Great Wei actually had a girl of such rich and vibrant color; she had moved his heart... Meng Zaishi had only arrived a short while ago; he had only heard the name "Princess Danyang" and didn't even know who she was.

—

Mu Wanyao was covered in sweat. When she was on her horse, she saw Yan Shang. He was refined and elegant, his robes like flying clouds—his temperament was so good that she could see him at a glance.

She felt nervous in her heart, afraid he would dislike her for being like this.

But since she was already on the field, naturally she had to win; everything else could be talked about later.

The match ended, and because of the cooperation between Mu Wanyao and Zhao Lingfei, the Great Wei won. After getting off her horse, Mu Wanyao ran toward Yan Shang without being able to wait.

Meng Zaishi stood next to Yan Shang, watching helplessly as the burning, vibrant young girl rushed over and threw herself into Yan Shang’s arms.

Yan Shang bent over and caught Mu Wanyao, as if catching a fireball. He stroked her sweat-drenched face and asked: "Are you thirsty? Let's go get some water."

Mu Wanyao acted spoiled: "You feed me."

Yan Shang coughed and pulled Mu Wanyao, signaling her to notice that there were other people around. Yan Shang cleared his throat into his hand, and bringing Mu Wanyao along, introduced her to Meng Zaishi: "This is Princess Danyang, and also my wife."

Meng Zaishi was struck dumb.

He looked at Mu Wanyao.

It just so happened that Mu Wanyao looked back.

So this was... what the people of Great Wei meant when they said Luo Fu already had a husband, right?