Yan Shang held Mu Wan Yao in a loose embrace, while she, having cried herself into a tearful mess, was startled. After holding back for so long, her uncontrollable sobs had been heard by him... Did that mean he now knew she couldn’t bear to be without him?
Mu Wan Yao stiffened, her back pressed against her husband’s chest, yet she wished to flee the scene.
But she was overthinking.
As she remained rigid, hoping this embarrassing moment had never occurred, Yan Shang merely cracked his eyes open briefly to glance at her before closing them again. Leaning against the bedpost, his already loose collar slipped further open, revealing the gauze bandages beneath.
His eyes shut, his face pale, and his dark hair brushing across his cheeks, he gently stroked her back as if soothing a tense, arched cat, comforting her: “Yao Yao, don’t cry. I’m fine…”
With that, his body slid downward along the bedpost.
Fortunately, Mu Wan Yao, in her flustered state, leaned forward and caught him.
Only to realize he had fainted.
Feeling the scorching heat of his cheek, she stared at the bandage covering his forehead, noticing a faint red stain seeping through the edge. Panic seized her once more: “Yan Shang? Yan Shang?”
Tears welled up effortlessly again, cascading down with every blink.
A suffocating grip seemed to tighten around her throat.
Frantic, Mu Wan Yao called out hoarsely. She thought her voice would carry authority, but it trembled with fear, quivering: “Where is the physician? The chief physician? The imperial physician? Someone, anyone… please, someone come!”—
As soon as Yan Shang was brought back injured, the Ministry of Revenue had summoned the most skilled chief physician from the Imperial Medical Office under the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to attend to Yan Erlang. After the chief physician bandaged Yan Shang’s wounds, Mu Wan Yao arrived, and shortly after, the princess personally summoned an imperial physician from the Palace Medical Bureau.
The imperial physician reassured the princess that the previous chief physician had handled the treatment appropriately and there was no need to worry.
Mu Wan Yao spoke with the imperial physician outside the screen. Earlier, when the physician re-bandaged Yan Shang, she had seen the extensive, shocking red burns covering his shoulders and back… It chilled her to the bone, yet she couldn’t help feeling relieved that his face had been spared.
If his face had been injured, his official career might have been cut short.
Still anxious, Mu Wan Yao asked, “After applying the medicine, will he recover fully? With proper care, there won’t be any scars, right?”
The imperial physician replied, “That would require expensive medicinal ingredients…”
Mu Wan Yao glared back: Did she look like she couldn’t afford it?!
The imperial physician had intended to explain that, as a government official, Yan Shang’s treatment should be handled by the Imperial Medical Office, not the Palace Medical Bureau reserved for imperial family members. Moreover, the cost of medicine should be covered by Yan Erlang himself.
But seeing the princess’s fierce glare, the imperial physician immediately understood: Danyang Princess intended to pay for Yan Erlang’s treatment out of her own pocket.
Mu Wan Yao declared, “Use the best medicine! The kind you usually reserve for me! Spare no expense on any ingredients. If he ends up with scars, I’ll hold you accountable!”
Accustomed to such threats from royal offspring, the imperial physician merely bowed in assent.
He only advised, “Erlang will need someone to watch over him at night to prevent him from turning over casually. If he experiences any pain or itching, ensure he doesn’t scratch the wounds.”
Mu Wan Yao nodded, carefully noting all the instructions given by the imperial physician.She frowned, "His temperature is burning hot—is he running a fever?"
The imperial physician replied, "That is precisely the most dangerous part. The burns are minor, but the fever is critical. Has Yan Erlang been overworking himself lately? His vitality and mental energy are depleted, and now with this injury, the illness has struck fiercely all at once. Your Highness, have someone watch over Erlang tonight to help bring down his fever... If not properly cared for, a persistent fever could easily burn his life away."
Mu Wan Yao was frightened, her face turning pale as she nodded repeatedly, promising to take good care of him. Then she refused to let the physician return to the palace, insisting he stay overnight at the Yan residence so he could attend to any emergencies promptly.
When it came time to arrange for someone to care for Yan Shang that night, Mu Wan Yao stood under the corridor and saw rows of servants and attendants from the Yan family. Frowning, she still harbored resentment toward them—some had earlier held white silk, frightening her into thinking Yan Shang had passed away.
How could such servants take proper care of Yan Shang?
Mu Wan Yao declared, "Five people will set up beds outside and take turns through the night. I will personally care for him inside; you are not needed."
The servants were all shocked, and Xiarong spoke up directly, "Your Highness, how can this be? What if you fall ill from exhaustion?"
Mu Wan Yao had always been delicate—a gentle breeze or an extra day of rain could easily confine her to bed. It was only because she was a princess, meticulously cared for by others, that she could maintain her current health. How could someone of her constitution care for another patient?
Xiarong had grown bolder over time, now daring to contradict Mu Wan Yao more often. But Mu Wan Yao ignored them all, turning away to enter the room and check on Yan Shang. Seeing the princess so determined, Xiarong could only sigh and arrange for the maids to ensure the princess was well looked after.
For the next two days, Mu Wan Yao slept at Yan Shang’s side. Fortunately, their residences were so close, and the servants all came from the Princess Residence, so no one learned of the princess’s willful behavior.
Mu Wan Yao held Yan Shang, caring for him with devotion, though clumsily.
She knew the servants could do a better job, but none would care for him with her level of heartfelt dedication.
Holding him close, pressing her forehead to his, she would panic at the slightest rise in his temperature; if he felt cold, she grew anxious. She held his hand, afraid to let him turn over at night for fear he might aggravate his injuries. Sleeping beside him, the slightest change in his breathing would startle her awake.
In Mu Wan Yao’s eyes, Yan Shang was not some formidable official in court—he was merely a frail scholar.
She treated him with such tenderness.
She asked for nothing in return; she only wished for him to recover so she could rest easy.
After two nights, Yan Shang’s fever finally broke, and only after the maids knelt and pleaded did Mu Wan Yao return to her own residence to sleep. Even then, she visited daily, overseeing his care with unwavering attention.
The maids exchanged glances—they had once thought the princess merely somewhat fond of Erlang; now they realized just how deeply she cared for him.
For two days, Yan Shang drifted in and out of consciousness.
He had initially been awakened by Mu Wan Yao’s sobs and tears, only to faint again shortly after. Over the following days, though mostly unconscious, he faintly sensed her constant presence. Her scent enveloped him as she applied his medicine and fed him congee.
At night, she would hold him, sometimes doing nothing, other times weeping softly and murmuring, "Second Brother Yan."Yan Shang's heart ached unbearably, as if soaked in bitter water, wishing he could wake up sooner so she wouldn't worry.
In his dreams, he always felt a dampness in the air, as if she had been crying constantly. Yet she only wept without uttering a word. The desperate words she had broken down with initially—"What will I do if you leave me?"—never surfaced again.
Subdued, indifferent. Yet she kept crying.
Why cry? Didn't she say she didn't like crying anymore? Didn't she vow never to cry again? Didn't she say they had parted?
Then why was she still like this?—
On the third day, Mu Wan Yao routinely sat by Yan Shang's bedside, lowering her head to feed him medicine. After finishing, as she was about to leave, her wrist was gently grasped.
The grip was extremely light.
Mu Wan Yao turned her head and saw the person lying on the bed, looking haggard and pale, but with eyes as gentle as an autumn pool now open, reaching out to hold her.
Stiffly, Mu Wan Yao lowered her gaze to meet his.
Facing a patient who had just regained consciousness, her reaction was overly cold—she merely looked down at him without a single hint of joy in her eyes.
Yan Shang whispered hoarsely, "Yao Yao..."
He had struggled desperately to wake up just to say something to her and ease her worries. But upon waking, his voice was too raspy to speak. He could only manage a strained smile, hoping she could read his expression.
Mu Wan Yao withdrew her hand from his and hid it behind her back.
Indifferently, she said, "I'm not here to take care of you. I'm just being a good neighbor, routinely visiting a sick person. Since all the ministers are coming, it would look bad if I didn't. Don't overthink it—this doesn't mean anything."
Yan Shang couldn't speak, only staring at her in a daze. She kept her eyes downcast, standing behind the bedside, her thick lashes obscuring any emotion in her gaze.
It seemed his awakening had once again frozen their relationship back to its lowest point.
Mu Wan Yao said coldly, "Don't call me 'Yao Yao.' We've already parted, Yan Erlang. Mind your words and actions—don't ruin my reputation. I've finished my visit and won't be coming again. Take care of yourself."
Yan Shang was stunned.
He struggled to sit up, to speak. But she turned and fled as if running away, leaving him no time to utter a word of retention. The next moment, servants rushed in excitedly, crowding around Yan Erlang to attend to him.
Inside, the servants wept and laughed in a clamor, sending for the physician. Outside, Mu Wan Yao leaned against the wall, steadying her emotions.
She had already instructed the servants that no one from either household was to mention how she had cared for him for two days and two nights.
She thought she had performed well just now—acting perfectly normal as an ex-lover visiting during an illness.
She was grateful she had run fast; otherwise, Yan Shang would have seen her tear-filled eyes and the pitiful state of her starting to cry again. She was glad she had escaped quickly, so she didn't throw herself into his arms or cling to him, choking back sobs.
Thank goodness she ran fast!
Otherwise, she wouldn't have wanted to leave for a single moment, yearning to stay by his bedside watching him every second.
But she couldn't do that.
She was a bad woman—she had been selfish for so long, indulging in Yan Shang's kindness for too much time. She couldn't let herself sink again... She had finally freed herself from his influence; she couldn't allow herself to fall back into the same trap!Yan Shang was like opium to her. She was truly afraid of becoming unable to live without him, afraid she would abandon everything for him and end up isolated and helpless... That was too terrifying. It would be like handing over her fate once again, tying it to someone else.
She never wanted to surrender her fate again.
Nor did she want to become a wicked princess, forcing Yan Shang to sacrifice his entire life for her.
She guarded her heart and her love, allowing no one to harm her last shred of dignity—
Yet Mu Wan Yao was distraught.
She somewhat regretted taking care of Yan Shang.
During the previous month when she hadn’t seen him, she truly believed she could endure it; but now, having seen him again, she couldn’t stop thinking about him. Every time she returned to the residence, standing between the two opposing gates, she couldn’t help but turn her head to glance at the Yan family’s door.
If this continued, Mu Wan Yao feared that one day, in a daze, she might step into the Yan residence, stand by Yan Shang’s bedside, and beg him to come back.
She felt her life had become so meaningless.
No one was constantly by her side, attentively caring for her every word and action; no one, when she wore a cold expression, would speak in a gentle, unhurried voice to cheer her up; no one, when she rushed over to hit him, would only endure the pain without retaliating; no one, when she kissed and hugged him, flushing bright red, would simply sigh and tacitly accept it.
At night, Mu Wan Yao sat in the three-story pavilion of her own residence, watching the lights from the opposite estate.
These days, the lights in the study of the opposite estate had not been lit in the evenings—only the lights in the bedchamber remained on.
Mu Wan Yao wondered if his injuries had improved.
Had he returned to the government office to work these past two days?
Had the official who pushed him into the lamp oil come to see him and apologize?
Mu Wan Yao knew nothing and forced herself not to ask. She feared opening a floodgate, afraid that once she started asking, she wouldn’t be able to stop.
She simply sat in the darkness for a long time, watching the lights of the opposite estate, that faint glow in the mist. Often, she would sit like this all night until it was time to sleep.
Then one night, abruptly, the window of the bedchamber in the opposite estate was pushed open, and a gentleman stood by the window... Mu Wan Yao, startled, tumbled from her rattan chair and crouched on the ground in panic, calling out, “Put out the lights! Put them out!”—
After Yan Shang was able to get out of bed, he thought of something and pushed open the window to look toward the opposite estate. He had just noticed the lights in the opposite pavilion were on when, the next moment, the lanterns were extinguished.
Standing by the window in his robe, Yan Shang was taken aback, reminded of the two days during his illness when he felt, in his dreams, as if she were holding him and crying. Those tears that had made him so uncomfortable seemed to linger in his memory.
Yan Shang stood dazed for a while, then, still in his robe and carrying a lantern, went out. His injuries prevented him from wearing anything but loose robes to avoid aggravating them. When Yan Shang went out with the lantern, Yun Shu tried to dissuade him but failed.
Yun Shu had no choice but to help carry the lantern and accompany Erlang as they went to knock on the gate of the neighboring residence.
After a moment, the gatekeeper of the Princess Residence apologetically opened the door: “Erlang, our Your Highness does not permit you to enter. Besides, it’s late now, and our Your Highness has already retired for the night.”
Yan Shang lowered his eyes and said softly, “I only knocked on the door. I didn’t ask you to report to her, yet you already know she’s asleep?”
The gatekeeper flushed with embarrassment at the lie.Yan Shang naturally knew who had given the order, but he only said, "I just want to speak a few words with her. Is there really no way to accommodate me?"
The servant replied, "Erlang... we have no choice."
Yan Shang said, "Very well."
The servant from the Princess Residence thought he was leaving and breathed a sigh of relief, only to see the young gentleman in front of the gate lower his eyes and whisper, "Then please inform Her Highness that I will stand here waiting for her tonight, unless she agrees to come out and see me."
The servant panicked and hurried back to report.
After the gatekeeper left, Yun Shu, who was accompanying Yan Shang, asked, "Erlang, will this allow us to see Her Highness? Once you see Her Highness and set your mind at ease, can we return to rest?"
But Yan Shang replied, "She won’t come to see me."
Yun Shu was taken aback.
Yan Shang said helplessly, "When she hardens her heart, this is how she is. If I stand here for even a moment, she’ll think I’m threatening her and will be even less likely to come. If I weren’t injured, she’d probably send guards to drive me away."
Yun Shu asked, "...Then why are we standing here?"
Yan Shang whispered, "To make a statement."
He lifted his head and gazed at the plaque above the Princess Residence, murmuring, "I must see her."
Mu Wan Yao had originally felt as though her heart had turned to ashes, so depressed she thought she might die. But in the past two days, as Yan Shang had been able to go out, she found herself utterly exasperated by him.
To avoid him, she now had to sneak out through the back door of the Princess Residence every day. Fang Tong had already gathered all the information about Chun Niang and returned to Mu Wan Yao’s side, but Mu Wan Yao no longer had the heart to worry about Chun Niang.
Fang Tong helped Mu Wan Yao leave, first scouting the situation at the back door of the Princess Residence before letting the princess, wearing her face-covering veil, slip out quietly and quickly mount her horse to leave.
Fang Tong asked, "Your Highness, must we always avoid the main gate like this from now on?"
Mu Wan Yao replied, "What else can we do? Yan Shang is so clever. If he truly wants to confront us, how could we avoid him?"
Fang Tong said, "But if we use the back door every day, Erlang will surely figure it out."
Mu Wan Yao hesitated, then said vaguely, "Well, he’s alone. We’ll avoid him for as long as we can."
Fang Tong asked, "Why is Your Highness so afraid of him? You’ve only parted ways. You owe him nothing, so why do you feel so guilty?"
Mu Wan Yao explained, "I’m afraid that with just one word from him, I won’t be able to resist reconciling! I’d agree to marry him, give up power, interests, and ambition—all for him... But I can’t abandon these things. I can’t lose them... It’s just his misfortune to have caught my eye, but he doesn’t love me that much either. I don’t want his pity-like kindness."
Fang Tong couldn’t help speaking up for Yan Shang: "Erlang has always been a calm and self-possessed person, never acting impulsively. How can Your Highness be sure that his feelings are merely sympathy and not a genuine resolve..."
Mu Wan Yao whispered, "A heart that weighs pros and cons—I don’t care for it."
But after a moment, as Fang Tong rode on horseback, he faintly heard the princess murmur, "He shouldn’t be left without descendants. He deserves a better life."
Fang Tong turned to look. The princess sat tall on her horse, her face-covering veil draping all the way to her ankles and skirt. That soft utterance seemed like an illusion, as if Mu Wan Yao had never spoken.
The Emperor summoned Mu Wan Yao to the palace.Ever since last month when the Crown Prince jokingly suggested arranging a marriage for Mu Wan Yao here, she had begun actively refusing the marriage arrangements proposed by the Li and Wei families. However, the Li family sent three or four follow-up letters in succession, but recently the correspondence ceased. When Mu Wan Yao tried to mobilize resources in the south, she found she could no longer do so.
The Li family was beginning to exert pressure.
The Emperor looked at his youngest daughter seated below. Though she appeared bright and charming, he sensed her sorrow and distress. The Emperor spoke softly, "Is Yao Yao still thinking about her marriage?"
Mu Wan Yao grew wary.
Unable to decipher the Emperor's meaning for a long moment, she leaned forward slightly, resting her head on his knee as if acting cute, "Father, I don’t want to marry again." I wish to stay by your side forever. Do you truly wish for me to remarry so badly?"
The Emperor stroked her jet-black hair. She lifted her dark, grape-like eyes from his knee, gazing at him with a sparkling, watery charm.
For a moment, the Emperor’s expression grew distant, as if he saw his A'Nuan come to life again, and then a wave of sorrow washed over him.
Slowly, he said, "Whether Yao Yao wishes to marry or not, and whom she wishes to marry, I will support her. All I want now is for you to live well and be happy."
Mu Wan Yao was taken aback, staring up at him in a daze. She had been acting, but unexpectedly, she saw genuine pity and affection in her father’s eyes... Why was he being so kind to her now?
The Emperor asked, "Is the Li family pressuring you?"
Uncertain of his intent, Mu Wan Yao dared not answer. After a long pause, she forced a smile and said, "What are you talking about, Father? There’s no such thing."
The Emperor pressed, "Does Yao Yao need me to step in and deal with the Li family for you?"
Mu Wan Yao was startled! Her first thought was not that the Emperor wanted to help her, but that he intended to use this as a pretext to uproot the Li family entirely. Without the Jinling Li Clan, how would she maintain her footing in the court?
Mu Wan Yao exclaimed, "No! I’ll handle it myself! Father... your health is not well, you should rest more... such a trivial matter is not worth your concern! Didn’t you say you didn’t want to intervene these past two years? Let me handle it this time too. I can do it. If I can’t, I’ll ask for your help. Surely you wouldn’t abandon me then?"
The Emperor saw fear and defensiveness in his beloved daughter’s eyes.
He smiled self-mockingly.
His thin hand stroked her long hair, reassuring her not to worry.
The Emperor repeated, "I’ve said I won’t force you anymore. Whether you plan to marry or truly wish to remain unmarried... I will not pressure you. But Yao Yao, in this life, meeting someone you love is not easy. I, too, hope you can find happiness. Don’t be too hard on yourself."
Mu Wan Yao fell silent for a long time.
She suspected the Emperor was subtly alluding to Yan Shang.
After a while, she said, "I want to go to Jinling."
The Emperor’s hand, resting on her head, stilled.
Mu Wan Yao looked up, "I want to go to Jinling to meet with my maternal grandfather and the others in person. Didn’t you promise me, Father, that I could handle this myself? Will you permit me to go?"
The Emperor said, "Yao Yao, Jinling is too far..."
Mu Wan Yao lowered her eyes, sounding somewhat sorrowful, "I know. Father, I don’t know if you can understand, but lately, I’ve been very unhappy, often distracted. I feel that if I stay in Chang’an any longer, I’ll make mistakes. I want to avoid someone, to forget certain things... I want to go to Jinling to clear my mind. I hope that by the time I return, all of this will be over."
After a long silence, the Emperor finally said, "You are my most beloved youngest daughter. How could I not agree?"With tears in her eyes, Mu Wan Yao expressed her gratitude, having received permission to leave Chang'an for Jinling.
A trip to Jinling would have been unthinkable two years prior, when the Emperor was wary of Mu Wan Yao growing too close to the Li Family... Now, however, the Emperor seemed less concerned.
Mu Wan wondered: Could it be that his prolonged illness had clouded his mind, making him recall his affection for his youngest daughter?
She did not believe it.
Nevertheless, she was now enjoying many privileges that the Emperor had granted her—
Mu Wan Yao chose the day of her departure from Chang'an with great care.
After all, the primary goal was to prevent Yan Shang from finding out.
She deliberately picked a day when Yan Shang had returned to the Ministry of Revenue to handle official duties and even arranged for court officials to seek him out frequently, keeping him occupied. While Yan Shang was overwhelmed with work, she quietly left, ensuring he remained completely unaware.
The Princess Residence had now cut off much of the information flow to Yan Shang. Every evening when he came to see the princess, she would refuse to meet him, and he would simply return home. Unbeknownst to him, just beyond the wall, the servants of the princess residence were packing their belongings, preparing to accompany the princess to Jinling.
Recently, Yan Shang had been busy with the handover of work between the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works.
The incident where he was scalded by lamp oil had been caused by an official from the Ministry of Works. Upon learning of this, Prince Jin, along with the Minister of Works, had visited to apologize and presented him with many precious medicinal herbs. When Yan Shang returned to the Ministry of Revenue, his superiors assigned him to liaise with the Ministry of Works and manage their funding requests for the year.
The Ministry of Revenue instructed Yan Shang to cut the expenses by half.
Having spent over a month in the Ministry of Revenue, Yan Shang had gained considerable insight into its operations. He murmured, "The Ministry of Revenue isn’t that short of funds."
The official briefing him glanced at him and chuckled, "Yan Er, is this your first day as an official? Those external departments are insatiably greedy. When they ask for money, giving them half is more than enough."
Yan Shang replied, "But this time, the Ministry of Works is repairing dams to benefit the people and secure a legacy for future generations. Should we still cut their funding by half?"
The official grew displeased and said, "When you become the Vice Minister of Revenue, then you can worry about such arrangements. These are orders from above. If we gave out all the money, who would pay our salaries? Who would build the dining hall that echoes with gossip every noon? The funds distributed by the Ministry of Revenue each month are several times that of other ministries... Haven’t you received your share?"
Yan Shang asked, "Yet the Ministry of Revenue always claims to have no money. Where does all the money actually go...?"
The official interrupted him, "Yan Er, are you trying to be a paragon of integrity?"
Under the threatening gaze of the official, Yan Shang fell silent for a moment before murmuring, "How could that be?" He accepted his assigned tasks and dropped the subject. Still uneasy, the official reported Yan Shang’s words and actions to the Crown Prince. After observing him for a few days and seeing that Yan Shang merely carried out his duties step by step without any extra actions, they finally relaxed.
After several consecutive days, Yan Shang grew disheartened.
His injuries had not fully healed, and he carried out his duties with little enthusiasm, even considering taking leave.
One early morning, as Yan Shang was heading to the Ministry of Revenue office, he encountered several eunuchs on the official road.
The leading eunuch had a refined and handsome appearance, while the younger eunuchs behind him kept their heads bowed, attending to him carefully.
When the eunuch glanced in his direction and saw Yan Shang, his eyes narrowed slightly. Recognizing Liu Wenji, Yan Shang’s expression also shifted subtly.
He stopped on the official road.
Liu Wenji, accompanied by two young eunuchs, stood before him. The two faced each other, standing in silence for a long moment. Liu Wenji bowed, keeping his eyes downcast, and said, "Greetings, sir."
Yan Shang felt a pang of sorrow in his heart.
Yet, he could not acknowledge Liu Wenji. Whether for the sake of his own official career or Liu Wenji’s position in the palace, it was impossible.
Yan Shang only said gently, "You’re here to work so early in the morning?"Liu Wenji slightly tensed his voice, striving not to let it become as shrill as other eunuchs. He tried to maintain his usual composure, speaking calmly: "By His Majesty’s order, I am to observe the military appearance of the Imperial Guards."
Yan Shang’s eyebrows twitched slightly. Was the Emperor planning to move the troops in Chang’an?
Was this targeting Prince Qin, or just a routine adjustment?
Yan Shang said nothing more. He exchanged a salute with Liu Wenji and watched as the eunuchs passed by. Only after they had gone far did he unclench his hand, revealing a tightly rolled note—secretly passed to him by Liu Wenji during their exchange of courtesies.
Yan Shang unfolded the note. In Liu Wenji’s handwriting, it read: "Danyang Princess cannot bear children."—
Yan Shang slowly tore the note into tiny pieces, leaving no trace behind.
He had long known that Mu Wan Yao was infertile.
That was not the value of Liu Wenji’s message. The true significance was this—the Emperor knew about it.
Liu Wenji must have wanted to inform him earlier, but Yan Shang had been at the Secretariat, where Liu Wenji could not reach him. Later, Yan Shang fell ill and rarely came to the government offices. Even if Liu Wenji tried to leave the palace daily and walk along the official road in front of the Six Ministries, it was difficult to chance upon Yan Shang.
So this note must have been something Liu Wenji had long intended to deliver, but only now succeeded.
And Yan Shang already knew.
Liu Wenji could only have learned this from the Emperor.
How did the Emperor find out?
...Most likely, from Meng Zaishi, King of Wuman.
Yan Shang closed his eyes, recalling that day in the palace when he saw the Emperor drinking with Mu Wan Yao.
He was her father... yet she did not know that her father had long been aware of all this.
Her eldest brother schemed against her, her father watched coldly from the sidelines, her lover hesitated at the first moment... Yan Shang’s eyelashes trembled, and he suddenly felt a pang of shame—
Mu Wan Yao boarded the carriage, taking one last look at Chang’an, at the residence opposite the Princess Residence.
Xiarong asked if there was anything left behind.
Mu Wan Yao shook her head, sat down in the carriage, and let the curtain fall.
Thus, she departed Chang’an for Jinling—
At Prince Jin’s residence, the Prince was handling agricultural matters in the suburbs, while the Princess Consort Jin had gone to the mountains to pray for a child. In the palace, the highest-ranking person left was Chunhua, who had been enfeoffed as a secondary consort for bearing the eldest son.
When Chunhua heard that a court official sought an audience with Prince Jin, she sent someone to inform him that the Prince was not in.
The messenger returned, saying the official seemed extremely urgent and insisted on waiting at the residence for Prince Jin’s return, wishing to know when he would be back.
As relaying messages back and forth was inconvenient, Chunhua tidied her appearance, had a screen set up for separation, and went personally to speak with the court official—
In the main hall of Prince Jin’s residence, Chunhua was astonished to see Yan Shang.
Through the screen, Yan Shang bowed to her, leaving her stunned.
For a moment, she could not tell whether Yan Shang had come to see Prince Jin or had deliberately used it as an excuse to see her.
Because he whispered: "I wish to know what exactly Her Highness experienced among the Black Barbarians. I want to know everything... I once thought it unnecessary to delve so deeply, believing there would always be a future, so why dwell on the past."
He stood with lowered eyes, appearing to Chunhua like cold moonlight under the sun—pale and dim.
Chunhua refused: "I cannot tell you. This is the Princess’s past, and it has nothing to do with you, sir."Yan Shang's voice was filled with profound sorrow: "But I'm about to lose my future... I can only beg you to tell me everything.
"Why did she become what she is today? Why can't she bear children? She told me she used to be very obedient, with a gentle temper; yet the person I know is nothing like that. When she confronted me at Southern Mountain asking 'since ancient times, must beauties only be taken by others?' - what was going through her mind then?
"I can't keep avoiding this anymore. I know she locked herself away. I heard her crying continuously back then, but when I woke up she denied everything... Chunhua, I want to support her."
He lifted his gaze, eyes shimmering with unshed tears that made Chunhua, who had been ready to leave, pause: "I want Mu Wan Yao to be able to rely on me."
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