Tigers Sniff the Rose

Most of Chang'an's theaters were concentrated in the Daci'en Temple of Jinchang Ward.

Mu Wan Yao had gone with Yang Si to watch plays at Cien Temple.

In this era, temples served many functions—not only for worshipping Buddha and seeking fate, but also providing lodging for scholars, convalescence for the sick, Dharma lectures by masters, and entertainment through theaters. As a sufficiently famous temple in Chang'an, Cien Temple had specially reserved seats for princesses during performances.

However, today neither Mu Wan Yao nor Yang Si used their aristocratic privileges. Instead, they mingled among the common people like ordinary folks and watched plays all afternoon.

In the evening, the temple would light lanterns, but as dusk fell, rain began to pour. The crowd hurried into the temple halls or under the corridors to take shelter from the rain. Yang Si and Mu Wan Yao followed the crowd to hide under the eaves. Just as they reached the shelter, Mu Wan Yao shivered, and Yang Si immediately took off his outer robe to drape over her shoulders.

She glanced at him sideways.

The handsome, tall, brother-like young man rested his hand on her shoulder and smiled at her. That carefree style belonged uniquely to Yang Sanlang. Mu Wan Yao couldn't help but smile too, accepting Yang Si's robe draped over her with complete ease.

Together they watched the sudden downpour under the gloomy sky, observing other commoners still rushing through the rain, searching for shelter.

Suddenly, Mu Wan Yao pursed her lips and smiled.

Yang Si: "What is it?"

Mu Wan Yao gazed at the people taking shelter from the rain and said softly: "I was just thinking that if Yan Shang were here, he would definitely go down to offer people umbrellas or direct them on where to take shelter."

Yang Si paused briefly.

He said: "Does he love meddling in others' affairs that much?"

Mu Wan Yao replied lightly: "Mm."

She narrowed her eyes, her vision blurred by the rain. Her voice was gentle: "I was someone he meddled to help in the first place."

If not for his meddling when they first met—directing her where to take shelter from the rain—they wouldn't have the connection they share today.

Yang Si looked down at her inquisitively, noticing her snow-white profile, dark eyes and long lashes. She watched the heavy rain with perfect serenity, her tranquil appearance so moving, so docile... somewhat resembling the Mu Wan he had known before.

Yang Si murmured: "That's good."

This way he could leave Chang'an with peace of mind, entrusting Mu Wan Yao to Yan Shang. Someone whom this princess covered in thorns trusted—shouldn't he be worthy of Yang Si's trust too?

Mu Wan Yao didn't ask what he meant by "that's good," instead saying: "When are you leaving the capital?"

Yang Si smiled: "Tonight."

Mu Wan Yao turned to him in surprise: "So soon? Are you going alone?"

Yang Si clicked his tongue, answering in a casual tone: "Why not? I have nothing keeping me in Chang'an, no attachments left. Better to leave early than drag things out."

Mu Wan Yao said quietly: "Yang Sanlang has always been such a free spirit, unbound by anyone."

Yang Si remained silent for a long moment before smiling self-deprecatingly.

He said: "I'm constrained by others too, not as free as you imagine."

Seeing Mu Wan Yao's doubtful look, Yang Si explained: "I hope my father and mother remain safe and healthy. I hope those I care about live exceptionally well."

He paused slightly before lowering his voice: "I also hope that by going to Longyou this time, I can help Eldest Brother Lang."

Mu Wan Yao said nothing.

The "Eldest Brother Lang" Yang Si referred to was naturally the Crown Prince, Mu Lang. Though no one else would address him so familiarly.They had been avoiding people all along, with guards preventing ordinary civilians from approaching the two. Yang Si spoke calmly: "Eldest Brother has never held military power. Chang'an is tightly controlled by Prince Qin's men, making his situation truly difficult. He barely managed to infiltrate the Ministry of War through the Military Exercise, forcing Prince Qin to remain confined in his residence... Now that I'm leaving, his arrangements in Chang'an have to be reorganized."

"As for me, I hope to start from the lowest rank and utilize my advantages in Longyou. If someday I earn a general's position through my own efforts in Longyou, Eldest Brother's situation in Chang'an might improve. A Crown Prince who barely controls financial authority but lacks military power... is more pitiful than a mere commandery prince. It's truly ridiculous."

Mu Wan Yao said: "You're so good to him."

Yang Si didn't elaborate further.

His relationship with the Crown Prince had always been excellent, needing no explanation from others. Though the Crown Prince clearly needed him in Chang'an, he still let him leave. And while fighting in the bloody battles of Longyou, Yang Si also hoped to assist the Crown Prince.

Yang Si lowered his head earnestly: "Yao Yao, I hope after I leave, you can coexist peacefully with His Highness."

Mu Wan Yao mocked: "That depends on him, doesn't it? He's my natural option—I have no one else to choose. Yet he treats me, his own blood sister, with less sincerity than he shows you, an outsider. Naturally, I want to coexist peacefully and cooperate well with him. But I can't make you any promises."

"Yang San, you wish the best for all of us. I also hope we can each get what we need. But all this comes with conditions, doesn't it?"

Yang Si looked down at her without speaking, reaching out to ruffle her hair. He lifted his head to watch the rain, which poured down heavily before gradually lightening. Mu Wan Yao heard Yang Si sigh.

Hearing such a dashing and spirited person like Yang Si sigh made Mu Wan Yao's heart ache.

Mu Wan Yao lowered her eyes: "After all, I'm no longer the Mu Wan Yao from your memories."

She could still come to Ci'en Temple with Yang Si to watch operas, but the young princess who once followed obediently behind Yang Si during her girlhood had truly vanished. She could pretend she was still that same person, yet both she and Yang Si knew that watching one opera couldn't bring them back to the past.

Yang Si looked down at her and said: "Don't say that, Yao Yao. Everyone grows up. After all you've been through... if you were still the same as before, wouldn't that be truly terrible?"

Mu Wan Yao lifted her face, her dark, watery eyes gazing at him.

He leaned closer, looking into her eyes, and said: "Actually, I have many regrets too. I regret not taking you away when you were sent for the Peace Marriage. I regret not following you to the Black Barbarians. I regret being Yang San, unable to do as I please."

"Countless times I had the impulse to find you, but was always stopped. Sometimes I even regret... why we weren't engaged earlier, much earlier."

He looked at her quietly: "Sometimes I wonder, if we had been betrothed back then, perhaps you wouldn't have had to go for the Peace Marriage. I wanted to protect you, but I lacked the capability. You don't know how many times I've hated myself for this."

Mu Wan Yao pressed her lips together.

Her eyes glistened with mist, all stirred up by the rain. Except before Yan Shang, she had completely lost the desire to cry before anyone.

So now she couldn't cry either. She just felt heartache and some grievances.Mu Wan Yao finally lowered her gaze with a soft laugh: "I believe you. But I'm doing quite well now, aren't I?"

Yang Si hummed in acknowledgment.

He straightened up and fell silent. Resting his arm on her shoulder, they watched together as the rain gradually lightened across the world.

The rain diminished as darkness fell. Throughout the temple complex, lanterns were gradually lit - beneath the steps, in the courtyards, along the corridors - lamps flickering to life everywhere.

The world grew both dim and luminous. The drizzling rain couldn't extinguish the lanterns' glow, and the crowds that had taken shelter under the eaves began to bustle with activity again. Paying no mind to the light rain, people gathered in small groups to view the lanterns and make donations.

Mu Wan Yao heard Yang Si whisper near her ear: "Yao Yao, neither of us can return to the past to mend our regrets. But we still have the future."

These words, spoken by Yang Si when he was still a youth not yet crowned, became the most important words he left imprinted in Mu Wan Yao's heart. Through long years and endless days, in midnight dreams, she would often recall this phrase—

Later, Yang Si bid farewell to Mu Wan Yao, saying he needed to leave the city. Reluctant to see him go, she had her horse brought forth and insisted on accompanying him. Yang Si thought to himself that no matter how far one escorts a departing friend, parting is inevitable - why bother?

Yet after glancing at Mu Wan Yao, he silently acquiesced to her company.

The two rode out from the temple, traversing through the dark night. The freshly rained-upon world carried a rich dampness in the air, with scents of earth and blossoms lingering subtly in the atmosphere. Quiet and serene, the fragrances wove through the air like delicate threads. As they rode, they conversed just as they always had—

Yang Si, mounted on his horse, declared loudly: "Speaking of which, I should thank Yan Erlang for taking you off the market, such a difficult woman to handle."

Riding behind his straight-backed figure, Mu Wan Yao glared at him through her face-covering veil: "Nonsense! He hasn't taken me off anything."

Yang Si turned to look at her, laughing: "What, are you planning to love him and leave him? How cruel, Yao Yao."

Mu Wan Yao: "My situation is complicated, unlike your simple one."

Yang Si: "You're just hung up on interests. Stuck between the Crown Prince and the Li Family - the Li Family can only rely on you now, you don't need to constantly defer to others. Are you never going to marry? One failed marriage shouldn't make you avoid relationships forever.

"If I were you, I'd have agreed to marry Yan Er long ago. Yan Er is so easy to bully."

Mu Wan Yao retorted: "Of course you would! You've always said you prefer women like him, and you keep asking me if there's a female version of Yan Er. You should be ashamed!"

Yang Si laughed heartily.

He said casually: "Why not? We siblings share the same taste in the opposite sex. Speaking of which, does Yan Er really not have a sister?"

Mu Wan Yao: "No! Stop dreaming!"

Yang Si sighed regretfully, then tried to persuade her again: "Good men won't wait forever - if you hesitate too long, they'll be gone. Everything ultimately comes down to that final decisive moment. If you keep hesitating and fearing like this, you might miss your chance entirely. You need to be more honest... Although Yan Suchen has a gentle temperament, you shouldn't play with his feelings. How can you bear to toy with him?"

Mu Wan Yao thought to herself how simple he made it sound.

She couldn't help but sigh.

She said: "Looking back now, if only I hadn't gone to Lingnan. Anyway, the Crown Prince was forcing me to marry you - marrying you would have been quite good too."Yang Si: "Stop! Let's not torment each other anymore! I prefer the sweet and obedient younger sister Mu Wan Yao from before, not this fierce and aggressive Mu Wan Yao now. As for me, I want a heart that's like crystal, one that belongs solely to me. You no longer have that, so don't come and torment me."

Being rejected like this angered Mu Wan Yao. She tightened her grip on the reins, urged her horse forward a few steps, and whipped Yang Si's horse. Startled, the horse instantly reared and bolted.

Yet Yang Si remained completely unruffled, effortlessly regaining control of his horse. As the horse charged ahead, his hearty laughter echoed in the wind: "Are you throwing a tantrum out of shame? Hahaha..."

Hearing his laughter, Mu Wan Yao couldn't help but smile.

She spat out, "Madman."

And had no choice but to chase after him.

The guards followed at a distance behind the young master and the princess, watching them banter and chase each other with such ease and freedom. The guards also relaxed, not worried that the princess would face any danger—after all, Yang Sanlang was with her.

The two dismounted at the city gate, presented their identification tokens, and led their horses out of the city.

Having said all that needed to be said, Yang Si offered one last piece of advice: "Anyway, if you run into any trouble, you must tell Yan Erlang. Even if you can't marry, speak up. Keeping it bottled up will only lead to mutual destruction. There are far too many cases like that. Yao Yao, don't act as if you've lost your tongue."

Mu Wan Yao retorted, "If I speak up, I'll just scare people away."

Yang Si turned back: "Maybe you won't scare them off? Why not give it a try? Can't you have a little more faith in people?"

A flicker passed through Mu Wan Yao's eyes: "Ah..."

She spotted a group of dark figures standing at the city gate, seemingly waiting for someone. Recognizing the one at the front, she was about to warn Yang Si when he continued to tease and joke with her. But as soon as he turned his head and saw the people outside the gate, he took a sharp breath.

Yang Si immediately straightened his posture, his tone turning serious: "Father... why have you come?"

Yang's father, leading the household guards, stood waiting outside the city gate for his son. Seeing his son with the princess—Mu Wan Yao looking indifferent and Yang Si somewhat awkward—Yang's father merely glanced at them without comment.

Though Mu Wan Yao's expression remained cold, she inwardly flinched. Yang Si's father was a stern man, extremely serious. Yang Si had often been hung up and beaten by his father as a child... to the extent that Mu Wan Yao still felt her calves tremble at the sight of him.

It was understandable why Yang Si stood so rigidly.

He was somewhat afraid of his father.

Yet Yang's father simply said, "Your mother was crying uncontrollably and insisted I come to see you off. So I came."

Yang Si scratched his head and muttered dryly, "...Oh."

He added awkwardly, "Thank you both... for your concern?"

Mu Wan Yao: "..."

Thinking he was definitely asking for another beating.

But after years apart—perhaps because Yang Si had grown up and it was no longer fitting to beat him, or perhaps because Yang's father had aged and could no longer wield a whip—Yang's father showed no reaction to his son's impertinence.

Yang's father said, "You had the Crown Prince plead your case to us. The Crown Prince said he was the one who sent you to the battlefield... but we know you well enough. If you didn't want to go, how could Your Highness force you? It's most likely your own idea. Our Yang family has never had influence in the border armies, and no one there can look after you. We only have some connections with noble families. If you encounter difficulties in Longyou, seek help from them.

"It seems you plan to stay there for a long time this time. Take these documents; they might be useful."With a stoic expression, Father Yang instructed a guard to retrieve a bundle and hand it to Yang Si.

Father Yang glanced at the bundle. "Inside, there should be clothes and provisions prepared by your mother, along with some miraculous medicines for healing wounds. Write home often after you leave."

Yang Si listened quietly to his father's arrangements. The initial worry that his father might scold him faded, and his body relaxed. Yet, seeing the extensive preparations laid out before him, he fell silent again.

After a long moment, Father Yang finished his instructions and turned to head back to the city without hesitation. Yang Si hurried a step forward. "Father... will my departure cause you any trouble?"

Father Yang looked back. "What trouble?"

Yang Si: "Well, I am the only legitimate son of our family, after all..."

Father Yang: "No need to worry about that. I plan to have another son while I still have the energy. Even if that doesn’t happen, we can adopt one later. Did you really think the family line was counting on you to bring honor to our ancestors? We never had such expectations for you."

At these words, Mu Wan Yao couldn’t help but chuckle.

Yang Si shot her a glare.

Yang Si himself was left speechless by his father’s bluntness and forced a dry laugh. "I see... That puts my mind at ease."

Yang Si had never been one to dwell heavily on matters. With a light heart, he bid farewell once more to Mu Wan Yao and Father Yang, then mounted his horse and rode off. Dust swirled behind him like a thick, yellow wind. His horsemanship was superb, and his commanding presence on horseback drew the gaze of everyone at the city gate as they watched his receding figure.

Mu Wan Yao stood beside Father Yang and heard him let out a soft sigh.

She heard him murmur, "Third Son, we never asked you to bring glory to our ancestors—only to live a safe and peaceful life.

"Do not die on the battlefield and leave us to mourn you with white hair."

His voice was barely audible, tinged with desolation. It was a tone Mu Wan Yao had never heard from him before. Surprised, she turned to look at him. In the darkness, she faintly sensed that Father Yang was not the stern, intimidating man she had assumed him to be.

Father Yang said to her, "My apologies for the unsightly display, Your Highness."

Mu Wan Yao flustered slightly and replied softly, "I just never expected... you to have such a side."

Father Yang: "Did you think I only wanted to beat Yang Si every time I saw him? Your Highness, are there any parents in this world who do not love their children?"

Mu Wan Yao remained silent.

She stood at the city gate, stepping aside to make way. After some polite insistence, she allowed Father Yang and his party to return to the city first. Then, Mu Wan Yao glanced outside the city, where no trace of Yang Si remained, and back at Father Yang’s retreating group within the city.

The thought that she would not see Yang Si for a long time filled her heart with a sense of loss and sorrow.

Then, inwardly, she answered Father Yang: Yes, there are. There are parents in this world who do not love their children—

Mu Wan Yao returned to Ci'en Temple. There was no particular reason—her maids were still waiting for her at the temple, and she needed to retrieve them before leaving.

This time, however, as she arrived at Ci'en Temple, the rain had stopped. The temple was brightly lit, with lanterns glowing throughout the night, illuminating every corner. The place was packed shoulder to shoulder, a dense crowd that made Mu Wan Yao’s head spin.

She instructed the guards to go inside and find her maids, then stood waiting alone in a small area near the temple entrance. Uninterested in the temple’s illuminated scenery, she removed the face-covering veil from her hair and fanned herself with it, swaying it idly in her hand. As she casually observed the stream of people coming and going, her gaze suddenly sharpened.

She had spotted Yan Shang.He wore a blue-white robe with a tied belt, his long hair bound by a white ribbon. The ribbon fell onto his clothes, tangling with his sleeves. As he walked among the crowd, he looked around. His refined and handsome appearance stood out conspicuously among the people, attracting the discreet gazes of many young women.

A bold young woman approached to speak with him, and he politely stepped back three paces to bow before responding, seemingly asking her something.

Mu Wan Yao watched Yan Shang from across the crowd, thinking to herself, So this is how he behaves outside.

Ah, like a jade bamboo—elegant, handsome, and serene.

While Yan Shang was searching for someone, Mu Wan Yao stood outside the crowd observing him. He paused for a moment, looking somewhat lost, and his gaze drifted toward the temple entrance. At that moment, Mu Wan Yao saw him freeze briefly, then his eyes brightened slightly.

He gave a relieved smile and began to walk toward her.

Mu Wan Yao thought to herself: Ah, this person is so dull. Even after noticing her observing him from afar and deliberately watching him search, he didn’t get angry? Does he have no temper at all? And he was upset with her earlier.

She felt increasingly guilty.

Just as Yan Shang was walking toward her, a child in the crowd between them suddenly fell and burst into tears. Adults nearby stopped with concern, but for a moment, no one stepped forward. Mu Wan Yao watched as Yan Shang hesitated, glanced at her apologetically, and then, as she expected, decisively went over, crouched down to check on the child, and spoke softly to comfort and inquire.

Mu Wan Yao finally stopped waiting and walked over, standing beside Yan Shang. The temple was crowded with people coming and going, and she noticed that as Yan Shang crouched there, many were jostling past, threatening to knock him and the child he held off balance. With a single glance from Mu Wan Yao, guards immediately cleared a space around them.

Mu Wan Yao asked Yan Shang, "What’s wrong?"

She watched as he continued to hold the child, speaking quietly to him.

Yan Shang looked up, frowning softly. "He’s lost his parents, and he has a fever. I want to take him to the temple’s Convalescence Center and wait for his parents to find him. Your Highness…"

Mu Wan Yao nodded. "That’s fine."

She didn’t mind, and Yan Shang breathed a slight sigh of relief, standing up with the child in his arms.

Perhaps Yan Shang truly had a calming presence. As Mu Wan Yao and the guards followed him to the Convalescence Center, the child in his arms went from sniffling at first to eventually stopping his cries, comfortably wrapping his arms around Yan Shang’s neck and resting his tired, tear-stained face on Yan Shang’s shoulder.

The child peered over Yan Shang’s shoulder at the beautiful lady following behind.

Mu Wan Yao saw that the child was only about four or five years old. Though Yan Shang said he had a fever, Mu Wan Yao thought he seemed fairly normal.

The child began to communicate with Mu Wan Yao, who was walking behind Yan Shang: "Sister, are you Brother Yan’s wife? Like my father and mother."

Mu Wan Yao remained silent.

Yan Shang said softly, "No, this sister isn’t married yet. Don’t say such things."

The child widened his eyes in surprise. "Then why is she following you, Brother?"

Yan Shang replied quietly, "We’re friends."

The child nodded, only half-understanding, and rested his head on Yan Shang’s shoulder without another word.

Mu Wan Yao, however, felt uncomfortable hearing this. Because she hadn’t responded, was Yan Shang forced to say they were just friends?—

After finally delivering the child to the Convalescence Center, Mu Wan Yao and Yan Shang stepped out.Mu Wan Yao said, "I thought you would wait there until the child's parents arrived before feeling reassured enough to leave."

Yan Shang replied softly, "Your Highness is still here—how could I abandon you? This is already sufficient. It's not as if waiting there guarantees finding them. I've informed the Convalescence Center staff to inquire again tomorrow. If the child is reunited with their parents, that would be ideal."

Mu Wan Yao tilted her head to look at him and remarked, "You're truly kind to everyone."

Yan Shang turned to her, momentarily taken aback. "Do you dislike that about me?"

Mu Wan Yao thought for a moment: "It's fine. You're a bit troublesome like this, but not unpleasant."

Yan Shang revealed a slight smile.

Walking under the lantern light, Yan Shang asked her quietly: "You and Yang Sanlang... were you alright spending the afternoon together?"

Mu Wan Yao: "Mhm."

Yan Shang hesitated again, nearly tangled as he asked: "When I came to the temple and couldn't find you, I asked the abbot, and he said he didn't know either. Did you escort Yang Sanlang back to his residence?"

Mu Wan Yao: "I saw him out of the city. He left directly."

Yan Shang: "I see."

He fell silent then, and it was Mu Wan Yao's turn to study him sidelong. She saw him frowning—partly relieved, partly regretting his own base thoughts, partly conflicted about why he was like this, and finally... somewhat jealous too.

Yan Shang lifted his gaze and met her eyes.

The layered lantern flames reflected in both their pupils.

They both froze simultaneously, quietly gazing into each other's eyes.

The surrounding sea of people seemed to vanish instantly. In this mutual gaze, there was serene stillness, a sense of fate beyond their control—they became utterly captivated, lingering with deep attachment.

Both could see the affection in the other's eyes.

After watching her for a long moment, Yan Shang's throat moved. He suddenly grasped her wrist, pulling her hand and drawing her closer. Yan Shang: "Yao Yao, for my sake, could you... from now on, avoid other gentlemen..."

Before he could finish, Mu Wan Yao: "I can."

He looked at her in surprise.

Mu Wan Yao's expression was cool: "I never liked any of them to begin with, so you needn't worry. I'm not like my aunt—I don't love a messy crowd of people."

Yan Shang's eyes softened tenderly, his voice gentle: "Why say that? Of course you're not like her. I know that in my heart."

Amid the crowd, he ultimately felt too embarrassed to do more. Just holding her wrist without letting go was already his boldest move.

Meanwhile, Mu Wan Yao watched him, her thoughts drifting—sometimes to Yan Shang's earlier kindness toward that child, sometimes to Yang Si's words: "You need to speak up, don't delay others," sometimes to the suffering she endured among the Black Barbarians, and even to Yan Shang's family she had seen in Lingnan...

She suddenly said: "But there is one thing I share with my aunt.

"I cannot bear you children."

In the chaotic crowd, Yan Shang was carefully guiding her, afraid she might be jostled. Her sudden statement, mixed with the noisy surroundings, should have been inaudible. But Yan Shang was so attuned to her that he caught it immediately.

He turned to look at her, his grip on her wrist tightening.

He said: "What did you say?"

Mu Wan Yao: "I cannot give you children."

Yan Shang was silent for a long moment before forcing a smile: "It doesn't matter. I don't ask for that. We're still young. Right now, I only wish to be with you, to... to reach a happy ending with you..."

Mu Wan Yao smiled faintly.

But her eyes were cold.

She said: "Yan Shang, you understood my meaning. Don't pretend otherwise. I'm not saying I'm unwilling to give you a child—I mean I cannot, I lack the ability. I'm incapable of bearing children."

Yan Shang stared at her blankly.

The sudden revelation left him gazing at her in bewilderment.

He held her wrist, and Mu Wan Yao felt his hand trembling slightly. After a long pause, he said: "You're lying to me, aren't you?"

Mu Wan Yao: "What do you think?"

Yan Shang said nothing.Mu Wan Yao smiled at him and said, "There's no need to rush to speak with me, no need to hurry with your response. Are you feeling confused and lost right now, unable to distinguish my truths from lies? Go back and think it over carefully, ponder this matter thoroughly.

"I didn’t want to say it originally. But I can’t keep deceiving you, taking advantage of your ignorance. Yang Si was right—I can’t keep fooling you just because you’re easy to manipulate.

"Think it over carefully, Yan Shang."

In the Emperor’s bedchamber, having just sent off the Crown Prince, the old Emperor couldn’t sleep, lost in thought about his youngest daughter’s marriage.

At this point, whom Mu Wan Yao married no longer mattered to the old Emperor.

What if the Li Family allied with the Wei Family? Mu Wan Yao had no children, so such an alliance would only be temporary and insignificant. Without blood ties, neither the Li Family nor the Wei Family would sacrifice for the other. Even without Mu Wan Yao, the two families could still form a marriage alliance.

But the Li Family was still reluctant to let go of Mu Wan Yao’s imperial lineage.

The Emperor murmured in the darkness, "Yan Shang, then…"

It wasn’t entirely out of the question.

After all the twists and turns, it was the same person he had once intended for her. But unlike before, when the old Emperor had simply wanted to get rid of Mu Wan Yao, this time he couldn’t help but start planning for her future.

If Mu Wan Yao liked him, he would force Yan Shang to marry her, no matter what.

Yan Shang must not betray Mu Wan Yao, so he would ensure Yan Shang could not have children… no other children to threaten Mu Wan Yao’s position.

Moreover, Yan Shang must become strong enough to protect Mu Wan Yao after the Emperor was gone.

The Emperor’s love and hatred were both tinged with a chilling indifference that made one’s heart tremble.

As the Emperor secretly pondered these things, he had already begun weaving a web of schemes in his mind. Yet, on the surface, he remained detached, as if completely unconcerned with the affairs of his children. It was precisely this seemingly indifferent attitude that… emboldened everyone to scheme for themselves.