The guards and maids at the Princess Residence could all sense the oppressive atmosphere between Mu Wan Yao and Yan Shang after they emerged from the Cien Temple.
Unlike their usual exchanges where a single glance would create an impenetrable bubble around them, now Mu Wan Yao walked ahead wearing her face-covering veil, with Yan Shang trailing behind, staring at her back. His gaze was distant, and when Mu Wan Yao turned, she caught him looking at her with a sorrowful, absent-minded expression.
His mournful stare felt like a needle piercing her heart.
After a moment of silence, Mu Wan Yao suppressed the surge of emotion.
She said, "Get in the carriage. We're returning to the residence together."
Yan Shang: "There's no need..."
Mu Wan Yao snapped impatiently, "When I say get in, you get in! Stop with the nonsense!"
The princess's sudden outburst startled everyone. The guards and maids exchanged confused glances, unable to understand why she would inexplicably lose her temper with Yan Erlang.
But Yan Shang understood.
He glanced at her, unable to see her expression through the veil, yet he could imagine her shutting that door to her soul once again. She had sealed herself in ice, beginning to guard against him with thorns.
Yan Shang's mind was in turmoil, filled with unresolved confusion. He wanted to say something but felt that anything he uttered now would sound hypocritical and formal. In the end, he remained silent and followed her into the carriage.
It was the first time they shared a carriage in complete silence.
She neither teased nor provoked him, and he sat quietly throughout the journey. A table between them served as a clear boundary, like the river dividing two opposing territories.
The suffocating atmosphere became unbearable. When they finally reached the residence, Mu Wan Yao felt a wave of relief at not having to face Yan Shang any longer. Eager to escape, she reached for the carriage door, not waiting for him to alight and offer his hand, instead preparing to disembark with the assistance of a maid outside.
Her sleeve was gently tugged from behind.
Yan Shang whispered, "Yao Yao..."
Mu Wan Yao's back stiffened instantly.
Yan Shang: "I don't mind..."
Keeping her back turned, Mu Wan Yao interrupted him with deliberate disgust: "Yan Shang, I beg you, when will you stop being so hypocritical? You think I'm upset, you feel compelled to state your position, so you have to speak up? I don't care how many schemes you employ with others, but with me, can't you drop this pretense?
"Let go!"
The person behind her said nothing but didn't release her sleeve either. Mu Wan Yao couldn't be bothered with him and yanked her sleeve free with force. She walked away without looking back, leaving Yan Shang alone, staring blankly at his palm—
But this wasn't the only issue awaiting Mu Wan Yao.
Although she had promised Yan Shang to drink less, that night she still ended up drinking until dawn. She slept through the entire next day before recovering. By the following evening, she finally read the letters from the Jinling Li Clan.
There was a letter from the Li Family Head, along with one from her uncle, Li Zhi, the County Magistrate of Nanhai.
Both letters conveyed the same message: urging her to become engaged to Wei Shu.
The letters stated that the timing was now ideal—Mu Wan Yao held significant power in Chang'an, and Wei Shu currently faced no major issues, making it the perfect opportunity for their engagement. Even if they were to marry the following year after the engagement, it would be acceptable.The Li and Wei families were simply afraid of complications arising, worried that Mu Wan Yao's power would grow too formidable and become uncontrollable in the future. Thus, they were eager to settle the marriage alliance now, while her influence had not yet reached the point of dominating everything. Once the engagement was fixed, the two families could interact more freely. The Li family could then leverage Mu Wan Yao's influence and the Wei family's assistance to gradually return to the political center of Chang'an.
Forced marriage, forced marriage!
Yet another forced marriage!
Reading these two letters, Mu Wan Yao flew into a rage, feeling besieged by troubles on all sides.
All they knew was to pressure her into marriage, to exploit her marital prospects for their schemes! Even after all she had achieved, in their eyes, her greatest value still lay in forming alliances through marriage!
Furious, Mu Wan Yao cursed loudly and smashed an entire room of utensils, cups, and precious porcelain, terrifying the maids of the Princess Residence. The princess usually had a temper, but since Yan Erlang came into the picture, she had mellowed considerably.
This was the first time in two years that Mu Wan Yao had lost her temper so violently.
Spotting Xiarong retreating pale-faced toward the exit, Mu Wan Yao slammed the table and roared, "Don't you dare summon Yan Shang! If any of you in this residence let Yan Shang catch even a whisper of today's affairs, I'll have your tongues ripped out!"
The princess's eyes were filled with menace and ferocity; her usual charm had vanished, replaced by a cold, sharp edge. The household staff trembled in fear and obeyed without question. Xiarong, as the personal maid, shook uncontrollably while attending to the princess. Merely for trembling a few times, she was punished with washing dishes in the kitchen.
Ah... how they missed the days when Sister Chunhua was here.
After venting her anger, Mu Wan Yao felt slightly better. She had no appetite for dinner and retired to her chambers to study the letters. Meanwhile, two hesitant maids brought a fruit platter to the princess, just as Mu Wan Yao emerged from her room.
Complaining of stifling boredom, Mu Wan Yao declared she needed fresh air. The maids hurriedly arranged for her to stroll within the residence, considering whether to summon musicians to entertain and please her. But before they could settle on a plan, Mu Wan Yao had already climbed to the top floor of the three-story pavilion on her own.
With lanterns lit and a thin quilt draped over her legs, she sat in the pavilion, habitually hugging her arms as she gazed blankly at the lights from the opposite mansion.
She pondered the marriage alliance between the Li and Wei families.
Calmly, she resolved to reject this engagement.
With Yang Si gone from the Crown Prince's side, it was a critical time for recruiting talent. She needed to install more of her people and win over court officials—how could she afford to announce an engagement with the Wei family now? What would the Crown Prince think of her? Would the footing she had painstakingly secured be undermined by this?
And what benefits would agreeing to this marriage bring her?
Very few.
It would only advantage the Li and Wei families.
Once those two families joined forces, a childless princess like her could easily be cast aside. They might even arrange another marriage alliance, reducing Mu Wan Yao to a mere bridge for the Li family's return to court. They valued her royal bloodline... but without heirs, her usefulness would be uncertain.
Coldly, Mu Wan Yao reflected that she could not allow herself to be driven into such a desperate corner.The Mu Wan Yao of today was no longer the same as the one who had just returned to Chang'an. Having been tempered in the political arena for three years, she now understood far better what these people were truly thinking. She knew very clearly that only by positioning herself between the Crown Prince and the Li Family could she leverage their influence to rise. Tilting toward either side was not worthwhile unless that side had already secured an unshakable dominance.
This marriage alliance did not offer her enough benefits.
She would either reject the proposal or drive a hard bargain, demanding greater concessions from both families before agreeing to the marriage. With sufficient advantages, she would wield even greater power after marriage, beyond their control. Whether she had heirs or not, neither family would be able to manipulate her.
But… what about Wei Shu?
And what about Yan Shang?
Were they both to be sacrificed for her selfish desires?
Mu Wan Yao hesitated slightly, her distant gaze sharpening as she expertly located the study in the opposite mansion and looked toward it. The sight made her heart skip a beat—through the night mist, she glimpsed a faint figure pushing open a window and standing before it.
She had no idea how long he had been standing there.
Mu Wan Yao stared blankly, her heart leaping into her throat.
She thought sorrowfully: Is he looking at me? Can he see me?
Will he keep watching me?—
Yan Shang’s mind was in turmoil.
A single remark had revealed the whole picture.
His heart had been in disarray ever since Mu Wan Yao claimed she could not bear children. He couldn’t help but wonder why she had said it—was she inherently infertile, or had it happened later? How did she know? Could a woman truly be born unable to bear children?
And if it was something that happened later… what had she endured among the Black Barbarians to end up like this?
His heart ached with a numbing pain. He despised his own lack of imagination and his fear of even contemplating the possibilities. He recalled Mu Wan Yao standing in the water at Nan Mountain, weeping and crying out to him, "Since ancient times, must beauties only be seized by others?"…
Yan Shang bent over, clutching his chest, wondering why he hadn’t realized it back then.
Her suffering ran far deeper than he had ever imagined!
If her pain was caused by the Black Barbarians… how heartbroken and desperate she must have felt when he stopped her from killing Meng Zaishi at the onset of the battle at Nan Mountain. Isolated and unsupported, even he had doubted her, deemed her reckless…
But in the affairs of this world, who could remain calm in every situation?
Only sages could maintain such composure—neither Mu Wan Yao nor Yan Shang were among them.
Meng Zaishi… why hadn’t they killed him back then?
Yet Yan Shang forced himself to stop dwelling on the past—it was useless now. The more pressing issue was the present: if Mu Wan Yao could not bear children, what would become of them?
Since ancient times, filial piety had been the foundation of governance.
To have no descendants was to be unfilial, a grave transgression.
Why were eunuchs so despised and looked down upon by scholars? Firstly, for their loss of dignity, and secondly, for their severed lineage and lack of heirs.
Yan Shang propped his forehead in his hand, his thoughts giving him a headache. Slowly, he opened a letter from Lingnan that he had received that morning before leaving home. Busy all day at the Ministry of Revenue, he only now found the time to read it.Due to the great distance and knowing that his relationships with his father, brothers, and sisters might only be maintained through letters in this lifetime, Yan Shang treasured every piece of correspondence from home. He frequently wrote to his family and sent them gifts. After he no longer lacked for money, he often sent funds home, hoping in vain to alleviate his guilt over being unable to care for his father in person.
Whenever he received a letter from home, he would cherish it, reading it over and over to ease his homesickness.
However, this evening, merely seeing the envelope made Yan Shang’s arm go numb, and he felt an immense pressure. He struggled to breathe, remaining numb for a long while before finally opening the letter.
The letter contained updates on recent family matters and expressions of concern for him. There was one piece of good news: his third brother had become engaged to a young lady of good family and was to marry later that year. Knowing that Yan Shang, as an imperial official, could not easily leave Chang’an and return to Lingnan, the family comforted him in the letter, saying that once his third brother passed the provincial examination, he might bring his wife to Chang’an so Yan Shang could meet his sister-in-law.
The tone of the letter was joyful.
Yan Shang was also happy for his third brother.
However, at the end of the letter, his father urged him, asking why he was still delaying marriage. Would he remain unmarried even after his third brother had children and Yan Xiaozhou had married?
Compared to the gentle admonishments in previous years, this year, with Yan Sanlang’s engagement, Yan Father had grown extremely anxious and impatient. Yan Shang’s failure to marry had put considerable pressure on his father among the neighbors. If Yan Shang were to marry, the entire Yan family might seize the opportunity to reunite with him.
Yan Shang was only a year away from reaching the age of capping ceremony, and being unmarried at such an age was enough to worry even his usually mild-tempered father, who seldom interfered in his son’s affairs.
Yan Father asked if the young ladies in Chang’an were too difficult to please, worriedly suggested whether he should find a matchmaker for Yan Shang, and urged him not to be too picky—settling for someone suitable would suffice, so as not to become a laughingstock in the Yan family. Yan Father believed that his second son, gentle, amiable, handsome, and eloquent, could not possibly be unloved by the young ladies of Chang’an.
It must be Yan Shang’s excessive pickiness that was delaying this important matter of marriage.
Yan Father concluded the letter by envisioning a future with grandchildren filling the halls.
As Yan Shang read the letter, propping his forehead with his hand, he found it almost unbearable to continue by the end. He was overwhelmed with guilt, for not only could he not marry, but he might also… never have children.
He loved Mu Wan Yao, but he could not have children with her.
His heart bleeding, Yan Shang closed his eyes, slumped over the desk, feeling lost, resentful, and powerless.
For the first time, he felt hesitation, fear, and uncertainty about this relationship.
Among the three forms of unfilial conduct, having no descendants is the gravest.
In this era, the consequences of having no heirs—being criticized for a lifetime—were too terrifying. He was not like Mu Wan Yao, a princess whose status shielded her from such reproach; people would only blame him. The entire clan would watch him, and the label of “unfilial” would crush him, making him despised by society and his kin. Even if he could endure it, he would still have to face his family’s disappointment and their sighs.
The price of sacrificing a lifetime was far too great.
It was so great that it jolted him awake, leaving him chilled and bewildered, wondering why things had to be this way.
What had he done wrong? What had his Yao Yao done wrong, that they had to face such a dilemma?Yan Shang pushed open the window to get some fresh air, and as expected yet still caught off guard, he saw the lamplight from the opposite mansion's pavilion. Under the swaying lantern, the faint silhouette of a lady sat in a rattan chair.
The lady sat alone in the high tower, driving him wild with longing.
Now... now... Yan Shang simply stared fixedly there, unblinking.
Faintly, he felt moisture gathering in his eyes. Nailed to the spot, his heart ached unbearably, overwhelmed with bitterness.
He could only watch her from afar with sorrowful eyes—
For many days afterward, Yan Shang and Mu Wan Yao did not cross paths.
Though living in the same alley as neighbors, avoiding each other proved far more difficult than meeting intentionally. Yet as if by tacit agreement, when Yan Shang went to the government office, Mu Wan Yao never left home; when Mu Wan Yao returned at dusk, Yan Shang remained at the office handling official duties.
Only the lantern in the pavilion remained lit every night.
In early April, Mu Wan Yao visited the palace to accompany her father, the Emperor. Her household cook had brewed this spring's "Peach Blossom Wine," which she specially brought for the Emperor to taste. Perhaps because spring had arrived and the weather warmed, the Emperor's illness had eased, leaving him spirited and fond of having Mu Wan Yao visit daily to chat and laugh with him.
Seated beside the crabapple tree by the window, her peach-red skirt spilling across the floor tiles, Danyang Princess wore her hair loosely tied, with rouge accentuating the corners of her eyes and vermilion coloring her lips. Her beauty far surpassed the vibrant crimson of the crabapple blossoms by the window.
Holding a small cup, she was cheerfully explaining the wine to the Emperor when a eunuch announced from outside: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince and the Director of the Ministry of Revenue's Bureau of Operations request an audience."
The Emperor noticed his youngest daughter's hand trembling slightly as she held the glass cup, her thick lashes fluttering.
The Director of the Ministry of Revenue's Bureau of Operations was Yan Shang.
The Emperor watched as Mu Wan Yao calmly set down the glass cup, lifted her snow-white face, and coquettishly smiled at him. "Then I shall take my leave, Father."
The Emperor smiled and stopped her. "No need to withdraw. We are all family here."
Who was family? Yan Shang?
Mu Wan Yao reacted swiftly. "Princesses must not interfere with state affairs."
The Emperor's smile deepened.
Though forbidden, she had interfered so much already. After all, Great Wei was quite lenient toward princesses—as long as it wasn't rebellion, most matters involving princesses were overlooked, and no officials vehemently opposed their involvement in politics.
The Emperor simply said, "It's fine. They likely only have a few words to say."
With the Emperor's reassurance, Mu Wan Yao could not easily excuse herself. Yet her heart raced violently; her hands rested properly on her knees but tightly clenched her sleeves. She hadn't seen Yan Shang for so many days... Was she about to see him now?—
"Your servant pays respects to Your Majesty and to Her Highness the Princess."
The familiar, gentle voice flowed like spring water, trickling into one's heart. The withered chambers of her heart seemed to revive at the sound, as if dead wood meeting spring.
Mu Wan Yao tilted her face slightly to look at Yan Shang.
Their eyes met.
But he dared not look too long, quickly averting his gaze. He stepped back, standing behind the Crown Prince. Both the Crown Prince and the Emperor observed Mu Wan Yao and Yan Shang. Seeing their interaction, the Emperor and Crown Prince exchanged a glance. The Crown Prince revealed a relaxed smile, feeling his schemes might succeed.
The Emperor, however, remained composed, thinking it might not be.The Crown Prince came to see the Emperor to discuss the selection of envoys for diplomatic visits to various countries and the matter of opening trade routes for Great Wei. After much discussion, it circled back to the lack of funds, prompting him to seek the Emperor's assistance.
The Emperor clicked his tongue and looked at the Crown Prince. "Last year's crackdown on the powerful families brought the Ministry of Revenue a windfall. Has it been depleted so quickly? I doubt it."
The Crown Prince stiffened.
The Emperor’s hint ended there. "Find a solution yourself."
The Crown Prince felt as though the Emperor was subtly accusing him of embezzlement, yet no further details were given. Uncertain how much the Emperor knew about the Ministry of Revenue’s affairs, he gritted his teeth and forced a smile. "This son has been presumptuous. I will find a way to fill the gap."
The Emperor responded indifferently, "Hmm."
Eager to change the subject, the Crown Prince said, "The matter of opening trade routes between Great Wei and other nations is being handled by Yan Suchen. I brought him along so he could explain the details to you, Father."
The Emperor nodded—
Mu Wan Yao had been listening to their political discussion from the side. Occasionally, her mind wandered, and she wondered: Hadn’t Yan Shang just joined the Ministry of Revenue? Why was the Crown Prince already putting him to use so eagerly?
By noon, the Emperor unexpectedly invited the Crown Prince and Yan Shang to stay for the meal.
Mu Wan Yao was taken aback.
The Emperor had always been reserved toward the Crown Prince—neither praising nor criticizing him. Still, as the Crown Prince, he was usually granted some respect. While it was rare for the Emperor to invite him to dine, it wasn’t entirely strange. What was strange, however, was why Yan Shang was included.
Why keep Yan Shang?
Yan Shang was only a seventh-rank official, barely above the lowest ranks. By protocol, someone of his status wasn’t even qualified to attend court sessions, let alone have an audience with the Emperor… Why was the Emperor showing him such favor?
Mu Wan Yao studied Yan Shang inquisitively.
She noticed a flicker of surprise in his eyes as well.
So he hadn’t expected it either.
Mu Wan Yao steadied herself, reminding herself to remain vigilant—
The meal proceeded with proper decorum. However, when the Emperor and Crown Prince drank together, they discovered Yan Shang couldn’t hold his liquor and found it amusing, asking him a few questions about it. Yan Shang drank a small amount of unfiltered wine with them, but not much. As the wine flowed, the tense atmosphere eased considerably.
Listening from the side, Mu Wan Yao heard them discussing trivial matters and relaxed, focusing on her meal.
Her eyes lowered, she handled her chopsticks with utmost elegance—never once touching the cups or small plates, and making no sound at all. Her dining posture was a pleasure to behold, truly befitting a princess.
After several cups of wine, the Crown Prince grew slightly intoxicated. He glanced at Mu Wan Yao, then at Yan Shang, who sat properly across from him. Yan Shang hadn’t once looked at Mu Wan Yao, which impressed the Crown Prince. Any other young man would have struggled to resist stealing glances at such a beautiful princess.
Especially since the Crown Prince knew Yan Shang and Mu Wan Yao shared an unusual relationship.
Yet, in front of the Emperor and Crown Prince, Yan Shang and Mu Wan Yao acted as if they were barely acquainted.
How deceptive.
The Crown Prince chuckled softly, then leaned forward and looked at Yan Shang. "Suchen."
Yan Shang lifted his gaze.
The Crown Prince smiled at the Emperor. "Father, don’t you think Suchen and Yaoyao make a particularly well-matched pair?"
Mu Wan Yao froze and raised her head.
The Emperor’s eyes swept over them, and he smiled in agreement. "They do seem well-suited. Did I not arrange a marriage for them once before? It’s a pity Yaoyao was too immature and refused. As I recall, Official Yan also claimed he was unworthy of Her Highness the Princess?"Yan Shang was about to speak when the Crown Prince forcefully interrupted, "Oh? So Yan Suchen also declined back then."
Half-jokingly, he pointed at Mu Wan Yao and said to Yan Shang with a teasing smile, "Suchen, take a closer look today—where exactly is our Yao Yao mismatched with you? Or where do you fall short? You're of similar age, both possessing youthful elegance—isn't that the perfect match? You even helped her back in Nan Mountain—could it be you harbored no feelings at all? I refuse to believe it."
The Crown Prince drawled lazily, "Tell me, if the Emperor were to arrange your marriage once more, Yan Suchen, would you still refuse?"
Yan Shang's gaze froze.
He looked at the Crown Prince, then at the Emperor seated above, and understood their intention—they were actually trying to match him with Mu Wan Yao. The previous marriage arrangement had ended unhappily, and now they were revisiting the idea.
Yan Shang remained silent.
For a moment, he actually considered letting things be.
He couldn’t defy the Emperor’s decree, nor could he resist with his life, claiming once again that he was unworthy of the princess. The Emperor and the Crown Prince seemed to have given him a push. He had been lost, unsure how to handle his relationship with Mu Wan Yao... Now, he didn’t have to think about it anymore.
Someone had arranged the marriage for him. Regardless of what the future held, he couldn’t resist anyway. All he needed to do was figure out how to face the challenges ahead, without having to make any choices himself.
Yan Shang’s silence brought a surge of joy to the Crown Prince’s heart. Knowing Yan Shang’s reserved nature, this almost certainly meant he agreed... But Mu Wan Yao spoke coldly, “Father, Eldest Brother, have you forgotten me again?”
The Crown Prince was taken aback and looked at her. “What? You disagree again?”
Mu Wan Yao’s eyes reddened with anger at his surprised tone. She sneered and threw down her chopsticks. “Does my marriage always have to be decided without my input? Must you repeatedly discuss and arrange it right in front of me?”
She stood up.
Since it wasn’t a formal banquet and only a few people were present, Mu Wan Yao made no effort to hide her temper.
Her icy gaze fixed on Yan Shang as she spoke, word by word, “I disagree! I still disagree!”
With that, Mu Wan Yao turned and strode out of the palace hall without looking back.
The atmosphere in the hall instantly turned cold.
Yan Shang rose and bowed to the Emperor and the Crown Prince. He was about to say something more when the Emperor spoke calmly, “Enough. Go after her and see how she is. Yao Yao has a fiery temper—she’s probably upset.”
Yan Shang’s eyes narrowed slightly. He felt that the Emperor’s tolerance toward the princess seemed much higher now than during the first marriage proposal—
Yan Shang hurried out of the hall, but Mu Wan Yao was already nowhere to be seen.
Just as he was about to chase after her, the Crown Prince’s voice came from behind as he followed him out, “Su Chen, wait.”
Though anxious, Yan Shang stopped and turned to bow to the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince said, “You must appease Yao Yao, understand?”
Yan Shang naturally agreed.
The Crown Prince paused thoughtfully for a moment, then added, “Don’t take this lightly. I’ve learned that the Jinling Li Clan and the Luoyang Wei Clan are considering arranging an engagement between Yao Yao and Young Master Wei the Seventh. If you don’t seize this opportunity and fail to win her back, she might end up marrying Young Master Wei.”
Yan Shang froze.
He looked at the Crown Prince, his gaze calm for a moment, and said, “So this is the real reason Your Highness wanted to arrange the marriage.”
It wasn’t for Mu Wan Yao’s sake after all.
The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes, sensing a hint of coldness in Yan Shang’s tone. But Yan Shang quickly adjusted his attitude, respectfully promised to do his best, bowed once more to the Crown Prince, and hurried away—
Mu Wan Yao had already taken her carriage back to the Princess Residence. Yan Shang chased after her all the way into the residence.
He knocked gently on the door of her bedchamber, pleading to be let in. There was no response from inside. Gritting his teeth, Yan Shang lowered his voice and said, “Your Highness, we must resolve this matter today! We cannot delay any longer! How can Your Highness keep avoiding it?”
A cold laugh came from inside, and the woman said, “Come in.”
Yan Shang pushed the door open and entered, finding Mu Wan Yao sitting upright, her gaze piercingly cold as if she had been waiting for him.
Yan Shang closed the door and stood in place for a long while before asking, “Why did Your Highness refuse the marriage proposal again earlier?”Mu Wan Yao: "Hah, so you don't want to refuse the marriage. You're hoping someone else will push you, directly solving the dilemma for you. Later you can claim the marriage was imperial decree, that you had no choice, that you couldn't resist. The problem I gave you wouldn't need solving at all - you'd only have to deal with the consequences."
Yan Shang looked at her and said: "What's wrong with that? I'd only need to consider how to face my parents, my clan, and society's judgment... What's wrong with that?"
His tone couldn't help carrying a trace of resentment.
Mu Wan Yao slammed the table: "Because this isn't your true intention! You're being forced into this! Your heart is hesitant, unclear! You're just a coward, afraid to think deeply!"
Yan Shang's eyes reddened as he burst out: "Then what do you want me to do? What do you want? If I swore to you immediately that it doesn't matter, you'd call me hypocritical. Now that I'm accepting, you say it's not from my heart. What is true intention? Don't I need time? Don't I need to consider? Such an important matter... and you want me to unquestionably choose you, support you... You only seek momentary satisfaction, without considering consequences, without considering my difficulties?"
Mu Wan Yao flew into a rage.
She stood up abruptly, grabbed the cup in her hand and threw it at him.
She said: "Then think carefully! But I'll tell you, whether you think or not is useless, because..."
Yan Shang: "Because whether I can figure it out or not, you won't marry me anyway!"
They fell silent momentarily. Mu Wan Yao stared at him blankly.
Seeing his reddened eyes - this gentle man whom she had angered to this state. He struggled to control his emotions, yet his voice remained strained: "You're considering the Wei family marriage, considering a political alliance... What I think ultimately doesn't affect you, does it?"
Mu Wan Yao raised her chin, her face paling slightly.
She said coldly: "I ordered the Princess Residence to seal the news. Who told you?"
Yan Shang said softly: "So you planned to keep hiding it from me? The problem between us isn't just about what I think, but what you think... You're ultimately unwilling to give me proper status? Your marriage is only about benefits? You'll marry into the Wei family without considering me?"
Mu Wan Yao: "I won't marry."
Just as hope flashed in Yan Shang's eyes, she added coldly: "But my refusal is only because the benefits aren't sufficient to move me. I'll handle this marriage matter properly, but it has nothing to do with you. It's not because of you."
Yan Shang: "Why... after all this, you still think benefits matter more than me? I'm willing to remain childless for life for you, yet you won't give up your..."
Mu Wan Yao: "Ridiculous! You're willing? You're being forced!"
Yan Shang stared at her.
Seeing his shattered gaze, Mu Wan Yao's heart softened momentarily with regret. She regretted telling him about her infertility.
Mu Wan Yao tried to gentle her tone: "Yan Shang, why don't we both compromise? You don't need to consider whether I can bear children, and I won't marry anyone else. Let's return to our previous relationship... Being lovers isn't so bad, is it?"
Yan Shang said softly: "You think being lovers is good? A relationship without responsibility is good?"Mu Wan Yao: "What are you dissatisfied about? You've had your fill and wiped the plate clean. You don't need to worry about whether you'll swell my belly, nor do you need to take responsibility for me. Don't all men dislike being responsible for women? I've directly solved this problem for you. Isn't that good? You haven't lost out! You haven't lost anything, you haven't suffered any loss!"
Yan Shang's vision darkened.
He was both angry and disappointed.
Waves of chill ran through him, the entire room seeming to spin before his eyes from the lingering effects of alcohol.
Struggling to restrain himself, his voice still involuntarily rose: "I haven't suffered any loss? I haven't lost out? The emotions I've invested in you—do they count for nothing? My affection, my love—aren't these contributions? Only material contributions count as giving?
"It was clearly you who came to provoke me first! Yet you treat me like this in the end! What do you want me to do? You didn't tell me many things from the beginning, only saying them now. The feelings I've given can't be taken back like spilled water—what do you want me to do?!"
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