Tigers Sniff the Rose

Yan Shang still had not left.

He asked the maidservant remaining at the Princess Residence where the princess had gone and when she would return.

This question was much easier to answer.

The maidservant Qiu Si curtsied to the gentleman and respectfully replied: "His Majesty has gone to Fanchuan to recuperate, and Your Highness has accompanied him to attend to his illness.""

Probably realizing it was somewhat unreasonable for Mu Wan Yao, who had just recovered from a serious illness herself, to rush off to attend to another's sickness, this young maidservant named Qiu Si—being rather inexperienced in lying—stammered to amend her previous words: "Your, Your Highness was seriously ill before, b-but she recovered quickly. B-because although the illness was severe, it wasn't that severe..."

Yan Shang remained silent.

The other party couldn't lie properly, making him almost want to help fabricate a more coherent story.

Probably Mu Wan Yao hadn't expected him to return so soon. She likely assumed he would return together with the convoy escorting the convicted officials to the capital... Hence, Mu Wan Yao hadn't yet taught the residence's maidservants how to construct lies.

Yan Shang helped the maidservant patch up her story: "So although the illness struck fiercely, it wasn't life-threatening?"

Qiu Si breathed a sigh of relief: "Y-yes!"

Yan Shang: "What were the symptoms? Headache, nausea, vomiting, body aches—things like that?"

Qiu Si: "Yes... exactly like that."

Yan Shang then quietly watched her for a long moment without speaking.

Yan Shang bid farewell to the maidservant, saying he needed to return to his residence to rest. He didn't give any specific instructions, truly feeling disheartened and uncertain how to proceed. Moreover, he still clung to a sliver of hope regarding Mu Wan Yao, so when leaving the Princess Residence, he encountered a low-ranking maid and inquired again about the princess's illness.

The low-ranking maid wasn't even privy to lies about the princess being ill, so when Yan Shang asked, she appeared completely bewildered.

Had Mu Wan Yao truly been gravely ill, the entire Princess Residence would have been in an uproar—how could things remain so calm as they were now?

Yan Shang sighed, realizing his last shred of hope had been shattered—

That night in his own residence, he contemplated how to draft the memorial regarding the Shu affairs. Since he had already reached an agreement with the Shu officials, he needed to be careful with his wording in the memorial and not implicate everyone. After all, Shu still relied on those officials for governance... Removing all officials from an entire prefecture wasn't that simple.

Yan Shang had long prepared a mental draft for this memorial.

But now, looking at this half-written memorial, ink coagulating on his wolf hair brush, the thick ink seeping from the tip and dripping onto the memorial, spreading into a dark pool—

This memorial was thus ruined.

Yan Shang discarded the memorial and started a fresh page. Yet he stalled again, still unsure how to proceed.

Because he thought of Mu Wan Yao.

He couldn't help but suspect: if he were still in Shu, he would definitely monitor the subsequent affairs of the Shu officials and only return to Chang'an after completely stabilizing the situation there. But Mu Wan Yao had used the pretext of feigning illness to lure him back—could it be that this case involved her, and she didn't want him to investigate further?

Yan Shang sat in a daze, almost afraid to ponder it deeply.

He guessed this case implicated Chang'an officials, involving the Ministry of Revenue. He himself had already been hesitant about whether to continue, and Mu Wan Yao's actions truly deepened his doubts.

Just how deeply was she involved, to fear this case being investigated further?Did she have a hand in directing those officials who prey on the people? Just like when she initially dealt with the powerful local magnates... Mu Wan Yao could let the magnates go because they were merely magnates; but now that it involves court officials, is Mu Wan Yao protecting them?

Yan Shang recalled how he had once heard Mu Wan Yao's eloquent arguments persuading Zhao Lingfei. The same words that had moved him back then now struck him as deeply ironic.

Back then, she had clearly been touched by his concern for the common people, she had clearly been won over by his moral integrity.

But in reality, was being won over one thing, while acting upon it another?

Yan Shang fell into profound confusion, uncertain of how he should position himself.

Should he continue investigating? And how deeply was she actually involved?

Did she even know this was wrong?

Loving power and influence was one thing, but had she become excessive in her pursuit... This wasn't how she should be!

Was the Princess Mu Wan Yao who had studied "The Great Rat" with him back in Lingnan merely his fantasy, never truly existing? Or had she drifted so far that she had abandoned the person she used to be?

Yan Shang's heart ached with bitterness and sorrow. He bent over his desk, resting his head on the table—the memorial beneath his brush remained unwritten, no matter how he tried.

Yan Shang's inner turmoil held little significance to the outside world.

Ultimately, he followed through with his final decision, placing the blame on the Governor of Yi Province. However, upon returning to the Ministry of Revenue, Yan Shang no longer needed to hesitate about whether to continue investigating, as the ministry directly assigned him to the Granary Bureau to handle years of backlogged trivial documents, keeping him away from the ministry's important operations.

Before the Governor of Yi Province arrived in Chang'an, the Ministry of Revenue paid no attention to Yan Shang, acting as if he had never been assigned this official task.

Those officials who had previously been on good terms with Yan Shang now began avoiding him.

Yan Shang understood perfectly well that the ministry's suppression had begun. This was only the start; the real conflict would erupt once the Governor of Yi Province entered the capital.

With no access to the ministry's crucial operations now, Yan Shang couldn't specifically investigate the higher-ups in the Ministry of Revenue regarding the Yi Province matter. Yet, these years of backlogged documents... Yan Shang smiled wryly, thinking that there might be quite a lot hidden within them too. Not knowing what else to do, he could only start examining them.

He would try his best not to alert those above—

The first snow fell in early October, spreading cold throughout Chang'an.

On this day, the Governor of Yi Province was escorted into the prison of the Ministry of Justice, entering Chang'an.

Since Yan Shang's return, Mu Wan Yao, who had been constantly accompanying the Emperor, never went back to the Princess Residence. The two had not met. But Yan Shang knew that with the Governor of Yi Province's arrival in the capital, storms were about to be stirred up.

Seated in an elegant house within the Northern Quarter Southern District, Yan Shang was bent over his desk by the window. This elegant house was reserved for famous courtesans of the Southern District, prized for its tranquility and refined atmosphere where no random people could easily intrude and disturb.

Yan Shang had been working at the desk for a long time when bamboo curtains outside made a sharp slapping sound. He heard the door creak open, followed by hurried footsteps approaching.

Turning his head, he saw a youthful, charming, and beautiful young woman hastily lifting her skirts as she hurried over.

It was Chun Niang.

Half a year apart, Chun Niang had fully followed the training regimen Yan Shang left her before departing the capital; she was now a renowned top courtesan in the Southern District. Though not yet officially the "Head Courtesan," she was not far from it. With another year or so of polishing, becoming the Head Courtesan wouldn't be difficult.Chun Niang was so flustered that when she met Yan Shang's gaze, she quickly suppressed her panic and bowed as calmly as possible to the gentleman writing at the desk: "Erlang, have I disturbed you?"

Staring at Yan Shang's face, her heart fluttered with anxiety, yet she couldn't help feeling a surge of admiration and longing. It had only been half a year since they last met, but Yan Erlang seemed even more handsome now.

She envied the fortunate wife in Yan Erlang's household. To have a husband so disciplined, handsome, and talented—how lucky that lady was.

Yan Shang asked gently, "Why are you in such a hurry?"

Only then did Chun Niang remember why she had rushed in. She exclaimed anxiously, "Erlang, I just saw an acquaintance downstairs... Zhang Shiyi Lang has returned to Chang'an!"

Assuming Yan Shang might not be familiar with this person, she was about to explain who he was when she saw Yan Shang pause slightly and say, "The eleventh son of Physician Zhang's family from the Ministry of Revenue, who harmed Brother Liu and you? The one who fled Chang'an to avoid trouble earlier? Now that the storm has passed, he's returned?"

Chun Niang was taken aback and could only nod dumbly, surprised that Yan Erlang remembered so clearly and had such a sharp memory.

Yan Shang pondered for a moment, then pushed open the window beside him to look down. Through the window of the Elegant House, the true extravagance of the Northern Quarter Southern District unfolded—a world of opulence and allure. Frivolous songs and dances drifted upward, and women with exposed bosoms danced and toasted below... a scene of revelry and indulgence.

A young gentleman, laughing heartily with his arms around women on both sides, pulled out his purse and money pouch from his belt, scattering gold leaf coins everywhere. Enthusiastic courtesans surrounded him as he boasted arrogantly, "Bring all your head courtesans here! I'm in high spirits today—everyone will be richly rewarded!"

Chun Niang quietly stood behind Yan Shang, peering through the window crack with him at the spectacle below. She pointed and whispered, "That's Zhang Shiyi Lang..."

As if sensing their gaze, the man looked up. Chun Niang paled in panic, but Yan Shang calmly closed the window.

Yan Shang seemed lost in thought.

Chun Niang considered playing the delicate damsel to seek Yan Erlang's protection, but when she glanced down and saw the contents of the rice paper on his desk, she froze. Her fleeting infatuation for Yan Shang was abruptly sobered.

Yan Shang turned to Chun Niang: "Are you willing to interact with him?"

Chun Niang hesitated, fear gripping her heart. Yet, recalling Yan Shang's purpose in saving her, she nodded.

Yan Shang said, "Good. You don't need to force contact. If you encounter him in the building and he still shows interest in you, keep him hanging. Men always linger over women they couldn't possess, especially since he fled Chang'an last year because of you... Now that he's back in glory, his feelings toward you will be complicated.

"But don't worry. I'll assign guards to follow you—your life won't be at risk."

Chun Niang felt uneasy, but she understood this was likely the real task Yan Shang had kept her for all this time. Gathering information was merely incidental. This Zhang Shiyi Lang was Yan Erlang's true target.

Chun Niang asked, "What do you want me to do, my lord?"

Yan Shang frowned, hesitating slightly once more.Thinking of last year's Director of the Ministry of Revenue, this year's Governor of Yi Province, the Vice Minister of Revenue, and the largely inactive Minister of Revenue... all were connected by the thread of the Ministry of Revenue. Yan Shang didn't necessarily need to do anything, but when he wished to act, he hoped this thread could be utilized.

Yan Shang said softly, "For now, engage in superficial diplomacy with this Eleventh Gentleman without taking unnecessary actions. When I require you to act, I will issue instructions in due time."

He remained silent for a long while.

Chun Niang stood before him, not daring to speak.

Yan Shang raised his eyes to look at her, gazing for a moment before saying, "I will do my best to protect you. If I cannot..."

Chun Niang knelt before him with tears in her eyes, "My lord, you saved my life. I know you are a man destined for great deeds. You are my savior, and I will certainly live up to your trust."

Yan Shang remained silent, motioning for her to rise and leave him to his thoughts.

As Chun Niang was about to leave, she turned back and, looking at the rice paper on Yan Shang's desk, asked, "My lord, is this the lady from your household that you've drawn?"

Yan Shang was taken aback for a moment, then looked at the rice paper on his desk.

On the paper stood a young maiden with the Appearance of Shunhua, possessing a youthful vitality and dignified elegance. A hint of cunning hidden between her brows added to her charming and lively demeanor.

Yan Shang smiled wryly.

He looked at the paper and murmured, "She told me to study painting well, saying it would be useful later... I naturally had to learn some painting, but I'm not skilled at it. I'm afraid I'm still far from meeting her expectations."

As he spoke, he crumpled the paper, preparing to discard the portrait. Chun Niang thought it a great pity and quickly begged to keep the painting for herself. She said, "The young lady is so beautiful—how could you throw it away? Let me keep it as a memento."

Chun Niang thought to herself that only a maiden of such appearance would be worthy of Yan Erlang.

Yan Shang felt the painting was extremely clumsy, but since Chun Niang wanted to keep it, he said nothing more and let her have her way—

Since the Governor of Yi Province had come to the capital, the contents of Yan Shang's memorial were not something that could be easily dismissed. The Emperor, still recuperating in Fanchuan, summoned Yan Shang for an audience.

Because the Emperor was convalescing in Fanchuan, the area had recently become very lively. Many important figures had come to reside in their private gardens in Fanchuan, finding excuses to await the Emperor's summons.

Such as Prince Jin.

When Yan Shang arrived at the imperial gardens in Fanchuan and was led by a eunuch to see the Emperor, he spotted Prince Jin arriving with his family, carrying his eldest son. Yan Shang's gaze swept past Prince Jin's heavily pregnant Princess Consort Jin and settled on Chunhua following behind them.

He bowed to His Highness Prince Jin and nodded in acknowledgment to his former acquaintance.

Chunhua only dared to return the courtesy along with the others, stealing a few extra glances at Yan Erlang. Her heart swelled with happiness for him—though she didn't know how well Yan Erlang was performing in his official position, any official summoned by the Emperor must be quite remarkable.

For Chunhua had heard Prince Jin say that only officials of the fifth rank and above could attend court daily and frequently see the Emperor. For officials below the fifth rank, seeing the Emperor was as difficult as climbing to heaven—

Yan Shang was taken to a warm pavilion. When he paid his respects to the Emperor, his gaze paused for a moment as he noticed Mu Wan Yao sitting beside the Emperor.

Mu Wan Yao sat sideways next to the Emperor, her slender shoulders and narrow waist accentuated by her posture. Her red lips and snow-white skin stood in striking contrast, while the gauzy silk of her dress hinted at the curves beneath, inviting imagination.She tilted her face to look at him, elegant and graceful, yet radiant and dazzling. Her resplendent beauty and the tender, affectionate gaze she cast toward him immediately warmed Yan Shang’s cheeks, causing him to avert his eyes.

He had harbored resentment toward her for nearly half a month, yet upon seeing her in person, he still found himself displaying such awkwardness.

Yan Shang lowered his gaze and respectfully greeted Her Highness the Princess.

Mu Wan Yao glanced at him with a charming and innocent lift of her eyes, both alluring and pure: “Rise!”

The Emperor pretended not to notice Mu Wan Yao’s flirtatious behavior toward Yan Shang. Instead, he lowered his head to read the memorial Yan Shang had submitted and said leisurely, “Yan Suchen, in your memorial, you claim that the faults in Shu lie solely with the governor. Is this true?”

Yan Shang paused briefly before replying, “Your Majesty, I did not speak the full truth.”

The Emperor raised an eyebrow. Initially feeling disappointed, he now found himself somewhat intrigued by Yan Shang’s response.

Yan Shang said softly, “Your Majesty, I could not report the full truth in the memorial. If I had revealed the actual situation, I fear this memorial would never have reached Your Majesty and would have been intercepted along the way. The circumstances in Shu are complex and cannot be fully detailed in a memorial.”

Mu Wan Yao’s expression stiffened slightly. She leaned forward, growing tense.

The Emperor looked at Yan Shang and said slowly, “What is the situation in Shu? There are no outsiders here. You may speak the truth now.”

Mu Wan Yao’s palms grew sweaty. Hearing the Emperor’s words, her face stiffened slightly, fearing that Yan Shang might exaggerate the matter and implicate the Ministry of Revenue. Her thoughts raced—the Vice Minister of Revenue had assured her that Yan Shang, upon returning to the capital, had been assigned to a remote department and would not be involved in important matters… Yet, how could Yan Shang’s capabilities be underestimated!

If he were to expose everyone… No, he couldn’t possibly have evidence.

Yan Shang’s gaze met Mu Wan Yao’s briefly.

The tension and rigidity in her eyes gave him pause.

It reaffirmed her stance to him once more.

Yan Shang remained silent for a while, and the Emperor did not rush him. It was like a multiple-choice question—the Emperor placed it in their hands but never interfered. After a long moment, Yan Shang began to answer the Emperor. He reported truthfully, stating exactly what he had witnessed in Shu…

Yan Shang said, “The officials in Shu colluded with merchants and should be punished. However, while I was in Shu, I had already reported to the court and adjusted their positions, thereby minimizing the impact. If we were to remove all of them from their posts, it would cause too much disruption, and the court would struggle to arrange replacements for so many positions at once. With vacancies left unfilled and Shu having just experienced a disaster, chaos could easily ensue. It would be better to proceed gradually…”

As Yan Shang elaborated on his views, Mu Wan Yao gradually relaxed from her initial unease.

He did not extend the matter or deliberately implicate officials in Chang’an.

This was for the best. Letting the matter conclude in Shu was the ideal outcome.

If the death of the Governor of Yi Province could bring this affair to an end, it would be perfect—

As night fell, the Emperor instructed Yan Shang to stay at Fanchuan.

After Yan Shang and Mu Wan Yao withdrew one after another, the Emperor sat in the dimly lit room and sighed deeply after a long while.

Cheng An brought the Emperor a bowl of medicine. The Emperor glanced at the dark liquid but had no desire to drink it.

The Emperor murmured, “Yan Suchen ultimately did not dare to offend the Ministry of Revenue. What a pity.”Cheng An bowed. "Yan Erlang might be trying to protect Her Highness the Princess, unwilling to take action against the Ministry of Revenue. Since Yan Erlang holds affection for Her Highness, wouldn't that put Your Majesty at ease? If Yan Erlang were to completely set aside the Princess for official matters, even if Your Majesty were pleased, you wouldn't dare entrust her to him, would you?"

The Emperor said calmly, "His current attitude isn't ideal either. Yaoyao was already mistaken, and for someone to abandon their principles just to protect her—how could I trust such a person?"

Cheng An replied, "Your Majesty's standards for human character are too harsh."

The Emperor fell silent.

After a while, he slowly said, "Let's observe further."

A long time passed before the Emperor spoke again, his voice weary. "Cheng An, my standards for human character are actually the least stringent. But Yaoyao... although I pity her and wish for Awarm and my bloodline to enjoy boundless glory after I'm gone, I don't want her to become a willful princess who controls court affairs and sidelines the Emperor... If no one can restrain her, I cannot rest assured about Yaoyao."

Cheng An murmured, "Your Majesty cannot arrange everything, nor can you fully calculate all human hearts."

The Emperor whispered, "I have sacrificed so much for this empire. If it repeats past mistakes, what meaning is there in my sacrifices? I have betrayed countless hearts, but never the empire. I only hope the empire will not betray me in return."

Tears welled in Cheng An's eyes as he thought of the Emperor, still sustaining such a frail body while laboring for Great Wei. Having become so isolated, what did the Emperor have left besides the Great Wei empire?

The Emperor closed his eyes, then suddenly remembered: "Has Liu Wenji not returned yet?"

Cheng An said, "He led the Northern and Southern Agencies hunting today and should be back soon. Liu Wenji... Your Majesty, this old servant still feels that using eunuchs to counterbalance court officials is... somewhat, somewhat..."

The Emperor said calmly, "What choice do we have when no one supports the humble-born? The humble-born aren't influential enough yet, so eunuchs must rise. These aristocratic families... someone must put locks and chains on them. Cheng An, never underestimate these aristocratic families... If we relax even slightly, their influence will resurge. Then I'll have no choice but to keep them leashed forever."

Cheng An said, "But the Crown Prince and Princess Danyang... both lean toward the aristocratic families."

The Emperor sighed and said no more—

Liu Wenji's military hunting expedition was merely using hunting as a pretext to pit the Northern and Southern Agencies against each other, hoping to overwhelm the Southern Agency.

The reason for his delayed return was that besides this overt mission, he had private motives.

The Great General of the Right Guard, Luo Xiu, had finally couldn't resist contacting Liu Wenji privately.

Relying on his previous assistance in helping Liu Wenji eliminate two eunuchs and facilitating his rise, Luo Xiu came to threaten Liu Wenji, demanding continued provision of Great Wei intelligence. Liu Wenji thought to himself that this man was indeed a liability—if the Emperor learned what he had done, his current glory would surely vanish.

Having developed murderous intentions toward Luo Xiu, Liu Wenji made use of this hunting trip.

During the hunt, Liu Wenji specifically brought along the Great General of the Right Guard. To Luo Xiu, he claimed they needed a private place to discuss personal matters. Luo Xiu accordingly brought some guards and joined the eunuch-led hunting party.

The hunting party ventured deeper into the Southern Mountain forests, moving further into remote areas.

The sky grew increasingly dark, with twilight's crimson clouds spreading across the horizon.When Luo Xiu grew wary and refused to continue following Liu Wenji's team, he noticed the palace eunuchs on horseback beginning to encircle him with ill intent. A shiver ran through Luo Xiu as he lifted his head and met Liu Wenji's icy gaze.

It felt like staring into the eyes of a venomous serpent, coiled and ready to strike with lethal poison.

Terror seized Luo Xiu.

He immediately wheeled his horse around and fled recklessly toward the forest's edge: "Stop him! He's trying to kill me! Help—"

Meanwhile, Liu Wenji's men instantly gave chase: "After him! Don't let him escape!"—

The hunting expedition on South Mountain had turned into a slaughter, with all the guards protecting Luo Xiu being systematically eliminated. These eunuchs, leading soldiers and brandishing blades, grew increasingly exhilarated and ruthless, their warped brutality—born from castration—finding release in the spilling of blood.

These men now followed Liu Wenji completely, obeying his every command. For their first major task, Liu Wenji led them with the assurance that Luo Xiu was an insignificant figure in the court—killing him would have no consequences. Liu Wenji would handle the disposal of the body and cover up the aftermath.

He was merely a Southern Barbarian.

Killing him was of no consequence.

The Black Barbarians would not go to war with Great Wei over one man, and Liu Wenji had countless ways to fabricate an accidental death.

It was a pity, however... Luo Xiu’s guards remained fiercely loyal. As Liu Wenji brandished his blade, chasing the rolling Luo Xiu on the ground, the last guard mustered all his strength, lunging forward to cling to Liu Wenji’s leg. He then sprang up and fought fiercely against the eunuchs and soldiers.

The guard shouted, "My lord, flee!"

Terrified, Luo Xiu tumbled down the hillside. The dense forest swallowed him, and though the pursuers chased for a stretch, they only found a rushing stream at the foot of the slope and a few bloody footprints—Luo Xiu was nowhere to be found.

Seething with rage, Liu Wenji ordered his men, "You must find him and kill him! If he dares to speak recklessly, we are all doomed!"

His subordinates understood the gravity of the situation. Knowing that Liu Wenji had to return and report to the Emperor, the task of silencing the witness fell to them. They immediately pledged to hunt Luo Xiu through the night, vowing to send him to his grave—

And so, Liu Wenji returned to Fanchuan, stained with blood.

As a returning hunter, a few bloodstains on his attire drew no questions. Liu Wenji, shrouded in a sinister aura, entered the imperial gardens and inquired about the Emperor’s whereabouts. He intended to change out of his bloodied robes before presenting himself to the Emperor to report on the conflict between the Southern and Northern Agencies.

A young eunuch hurried to keep pace with Liu Wenji: "His Majesty is preparing for the night banquet and has summoned Prince Jin. His Majesty is in excellent spirits..."

Liu Wenji frowned. "Prince Jin is here? What is he doing here again?"

He needed to grasp every detail to avoid missteps before the Emperor.

Yet Liu Wenji abruptly halted, falling silent. Suddenly, he no longer needed to ask—he understood in an instant why Prince Jin had come...

The setting sun sank into the dark lake, twilight gloom settled, and the garden grew hushed as lanterns began to glow.

A young woman knelt by the lakeside, cradling an infant, softly coaxing the child as they played. The night breeze stirred her sleeves, brushing against her cheeks.

She was like clear water.

She was like dewdrops.

By the lake, her smile was gentle and graceful, and Liu Wenji’s heart faltered at the sight. The world turned blank and silent because of her.

Hearing the commotion, she feared she had offended nobility and clutched her swaddled infant tightly, rising to look over. Her first instinct was to bow and apologize, but when she saw who had arrived, she froze in astonishment—

Chunhua stared blankly at Liu Wenji.

Liu Wenji, appearing out of nowhere. Liu Wenji, catching her completely off guard.

Across the eunuchs, across the palace maids, across the pavilions and ponds, she held her child, the maternal glow on her face fading like receding blood.

She gazed at Liu Wenji in his eunuch’s attire, even forgetting the sudden cries of the infant in her arms—

"Your Excellency?" the young eunuch asked Liu Wenji in confusion.

Awakening everyone.

Night birds resting on the lake flapped their wings and scattered in alarm. Chunhua, flustered, lowered her head to soothe her crying child, while Liu Wenji abruptly turned his back and strode swiftly in the opposite direction.Liu Wenji walked with great haste, the night growing exceptionally cold as he quickened his pace.

Dark clouds pressed densely overhead, and thunder rumbled distantly. Moving swiftly through the suffocating silence, he looked down at his eunuch's robes, at the bloodstains on his garments.

He thought again of Chunhua he had just seen, playing joyfully by the lake with her child in her arms. Happy, carefree.

She remained as beautiful and perfect as ever, while he had fallen into an abyss, sinking deeper and deeper.

Walking through the darkness, tears fell from Liu Wenji's eyes.

Silently, the tears kept coming, blurring his vision—

The distant thunder rolled ominously.

Yan Shang had been kept by the Emperor to stay overnight at Fanchuan. Instead of attending the Emperor's evening banquet, he was bathing in his room, preparing to retire early.

As he dressed with his back to the screen, he didn't hear the faint creak of the door opening from outside. Preoccupied with his thoughts, he let out a soft sigh.

Then a pair of arms wrapped around his waist from behind, and Mu Wan Yao pressed against him, her body fitting perfectly against his in only his inner garments.

Yan Shang stiffened slightly.

Mu Wan Yao hummed against his neck: "You're sighing to yourself again... What gives you so many reasons to sigh?"

Her breath against his skin made him flush crimson. Though his heart was tangled in conflict, every time she sought him out actively, it filled him with secret delight.

After secretly savoring the joy for a moment, Yan Shang managed to utter: "Your Highness... this isn't proper."

Mu Wan Yao complained plaintively: "I'm clearly here in Fanchuan, yet you don't come to see me. Have you changed your mind? Don't you want to be with me anymore?"