Tigers Sniff the Rose

Yan Shang was resolute, saying, "Your Highness, why bring this up again? I've long made it clear—I cannot be friends with Your Highness."

Either become lovers, or sever ties forever.

The possibility of severing ties now seemed exceedingly slim. That left becoming her lover... Yan Shang had long struggled with this internally. He felt Pei Qing couldn't protect her, believing only he could unconditionally support her. Yet Yan Shang doubted he could forever stand by her side—his sense of greater compassion was too strong, causing him to retreat when faced with personal affection.

As for Mu Wan Yao, she likely still held feelings for him.

But she also resented his betrayal.

Hence her talk of friendship. Yet if it truly followed Mu Wan Yao's approach... it would likely lead to her bed. But she would grant him no formal status.

Yan Shang refused such an arrangement.

Lost in tangled thoughts, he organized his reasoning, preparing to firmly reject her "friendship" proposal. But Mu Wan Yao paid no mind to the concept of friendship—his refusal meant nothing to her.

With a faint smile, Mu Wan Yao nudged his arm. Moonlight bathed the long couch as she asked eagerly, "Never mind that. Quickly, tell me your thoughts, your aspirations. I'm truly curious about you. Three years have passed... are you still the same? Still that noble-minded person unmoved by worldly temptations?"

Flustered by her nudging, Yan Shang forgot his original train of thought and replied awkwardly, "What's there to say? I'm still myself."

But urged by Mu Wan Yao, he haltingly recounted his deeds over the past three years.

He spoke of how he initially achieved balance with the Nanyang Jiang clan, how Rang County was initially dominated by single-minded rule. He described the difficulties in establishing private academies, how the Jiang clan forced him to make an example by punishing a minor offender to warn against greater disobedience.

Mu Wan Yao expressed surprise, "You killed someone again?"

Yan Shang responded softly, "Mm."

Mu Wan Yao observed him—when facing greater righteousness, Yan Shang rarely regretted his actions. But upon reflection, he would still lament the lives lost. He might suffer inwardly, yet he would proceed with what needed doing.

Having torn open a breach in Rang County, he collaborated with the Jiang clan to develop Nanyang. Only in the second year, when crops yielded abundant harvests and the Jiang clan collected more rents and grain than before, did they gradually acknowledge Yan Shang's reforms in Nanyang.

Over the subsequent two years, Yan Shang focused on just three directions: encouraging agriculture, promoting education, and maintaining public order.

Mu Wan Yao nodded with a smile, "Since ancient times, officials have prioritized these three areas. But most prefer superficial efforts, crafting elegant reports. Inspecting officials see polished documents and assume governance is truly that exemplary. Such officials advance faster, though in reality, they might devote most energy to writing."

She gazed at Yan Shang affectionately, "What a pity. You're not skilled at writing flowery reports—your compositions are too... austere."

Yan Shang remained unfazed, stating, "I refuse to expend effort on documents. I'd rather do more for the people. These years, I've used Nanyang as an experiment—to see how far I can reform it, to discover the limits of what I can achieve for Nanyang.""Although suppressing the bandits is currently meant to restrain the Jiang clan, in reality, this is also my own strategy. No matter how much I encourage farming, every year when the bandits descend from the mountains, the common people suffer heavy losses. Moreover, these bandits don't engage in production and often collude with officials to some extent. By paying some bribes, they can easily get officials to take risks and let them off. So after the common people's annual harvest, besides the heavy taxes, they still have to give to these bandits... how much can they possibly keep? Suppressing the bandits is an inevitable step for Nanyang.

"I was afraid the officials in Nanyang wouldn't properly suppress the bandits, so I specifically wrote an article stating how many officials sent to Nanyang over the years had been demoted due to banditry, with their official careers hindered. I examined the career paths of officials over the past fifty years, and all showed their positions becoming lower and lower. This suggests Nanyang has unfavorable feng shui that needs correction by altering the mountain's alignment. Since those mountains are occupied by bandits, suppressing them naturally becomes crucial. With official careers being blocked this way, how could those officials dare not exert their full effort in suppressing the bandits?"

Throughout history, those who believe in feng shui naturally believe it. These officials, after Yan Shang listed so many cases of demoted officials, even if half-doubting, had to start taking action.

Mu Wan Yao immediately gripped his arm: "What? Every local official assigned to Nanyang had their career hindered? You examined fifty years and they were all like this? Then you..."

Didn't this mean Yan Shang couldn't return to Chang'an? Would Yan Shang's official career also be hindered?

Mu Wan Yao didn't originally believe in such superstitious talk, but since the data was compiled by Yan Shang... she began to feel suspicious too.

Yan Shang blushed, ashamed as he said: "It's just a trick to deceive people. I even described high-ranking officials like the Minister of Rites from thirty years ago as 'failing to advance further, truly regrettable.' Such tricks mixed within such a long article aren't obvious. However, upon careful examination, problems can be found everywhere. But officials are accustomed to being suspicious - they won't scrutinize it carefully."

Mu Wan Yao suddenly understood: "Ah..."

Then listening to him describe how he handled common people's disputes in Rang County, how he personally led the people in farming every spring...

Mu Wan Yao rested her chin in her hand, holding his arm, and as she listened, she unconsciously leaned closer against him.

She looked up at him, her breath brushing against his face, but since he couldn't see, he naturally didn't know Mu Wan Yao was almost kissing his face. Perhaps he could sense something, but he didn't know how intimate Mu Wan Yao's posture was, didn't know she wished she could hold his face and examine him inch by inch—

Looking at this annoying person.

Looking at this remarkable person.

His thinking had matured considerably compared to three years ago, and he wanted to accomplish many things in Nanyang. He had established very comprehensive plans for Nanyang, and as a mere county magistrate, he made the provincial governor yield and cooperate with him. He sought neither fame nor profit... yet having achieved what he had, the people's hearts were flying to him unbidden.

The humble classes took pride in him.

In the future, they would also take him as their guide.

Mu Wan Yao had been supporting the humble classes for three years. She blocked any news about Yan Shang, but would still occasionally hear officials mention Yan Suchen. Unfortunately, Yan Shang was a local official with too few connections to Chang'an. His influence on Chang'an was too weak... And this night, Mu Wan Yao unconsciously thought that if Yan Shang were in Chang'an, the one currently leading the humble classes would be Yan Shang, wouldn't it?

And what was Pei Qing compared to him?

Pei Qing would have no choice but to make way for Yan Shang.Yan Shang possessed noble character, yet through years of experience, his methods had gradually become more polished... Sitting beside him that night, Mu Wan Yao listened as he recounted his endeavors over the years in a plain and unadorned manner. Despite the simplicity of his words, her heart raced uncontrollably, and she found herself deeply moved by him.

He seemed to radiate light.

She couldn’t bring herself to look away for a long time.

After speaking at length, Yan Shang paused and smiled faintly. Mu Wan Yao, utterly captivated, hadn’t even realized that he had shifted from talking about himself to discussing the principles of governance with her. When he suddenly stopped, she urged him impatiently, "Why did you stop? Go on."

Yan Shang replied softly, "I’ve been talking for a long time. I’m a bit thirsty."

Due to his visual impairment, the two had been posing as a married couple and sharing a room for half a month, during which Mu Wan Yao had learned to attend to his minor needs. Hearing he was thirsty, the princess, despite her noble status, prepared to rise from the couch to fetch him water. But Yan Shang held her back and said helplessly, "What I meant was... It’s already very late, Your Highness. Shouldn’t you be going to bed?"

Mu Wan Yao was taken aback. Glancing at the bed behind the screen, she said, "I don’t want to sleep."

Although they shared the room, Yan Shang adhered strictly to propriety, and the two had always slept separately—he on the couch outside, she on the bed inside. But tonight, Mu Wan Yao was reluctant to part.

Gazing at him dreamily, she murmured, "I want to hear you speak."

She sat back down, lowered her head, and gently tugged at his sleeve. "Tonight, let me sleep on your couch. We can talk all night, alright?"

Yan Shang’s heart thumped violently, the shock of her words sending a tingling numbness to his fingertips. For a young woman to say such things late at night... especially for a couple who had just shared an inseparable, passionate kiss in the alley—it was far too ambiguous.

Yan Shang said, "You are already engaged, and I too..."

Mu Wan Yao snapped sharply, "You promised me you would break off your engagement. Are you going back on your word?"

Yan Shang was startled, then softened his tone to reassure her, "I’m not going back on my word. I will handle the matter once I return to Rang County. But even if I were free of my engagement, you also..."

Mu Wan Yao relaxed her tone and said dismissively, "I will break off my engagement as well. Did you think that after how Pei Qing has treated me, his official career would still advance? My marriage was formed for political gain, and if that gain no longer satisfies me, I will naturally correct it. You needn’t worry."

Hearing the firmness in her tone about breaking the engagement, Yan Shang felt a faint sense of joy for her. He was glad that she could now take control of her own destiny, no longer forced into marriages by various factions as she had been in the past.

However... Yan Shang still felt that sharing a bed was inappropriate.

He hesitated for a long while. Mu Wan Yao grew impatient, feeling that his indecisiveness hadn’t improved from before. She complained, "What are you afraid of? You’re a grown man—what could I possibly do to you?"

Yan Shang smiled wryly.

She still thought of him as the same inexperienced and innocent youth from three years ago, believing he would have no thoughts at all about a captivating young woman sleeping on his couch.

But when Mu Wan Yao became willful, Yan Shang found it impossible to refuse her. In the end, he made room for her, watching as she eagerly brought back a soft pillow, happily settled onto his couch, and pulled him down to lie beside her and talk. Yan Shang’s heart continued to beat wildly. Though he couldn’t see, the delicate fragrance of the young woman filled his senses, and his self-control grew exceptionally fragile.Yan Shang could no longer speak for himself, yet Mu Wan Yao still urged him on, so he complained, "You're always like this."

Mu Wan Yao widened her eyes in confusion, "What have I done now?"

She was obediently listening to him, doing nothing, not bullying him—what was he complaining about again?

Yan Shang said softly, "Kissing and hugging mean nothing to you; they don't signify anything. But I... in the future, don't act this way with other men."

Mu Wan Yao paused for a moment, then said, "There are no other men. Only you."

She lay beside him on the couch, watching his profile as he slept, the gauze over his eyes. He was gentle and soft, unaggressive, and he gave her a sense of security, much like a sage would.

He also had a cuteness that sages lacked.

She adored him deeply and began to realize that time could not diminish this affection. Seeing him still rekindled the fondness she had felt years ago. Mu Wan Yao's long hair spilled over the pillow as she smiled, "Pei Qing has never been on my couch."

Yan Shang: "..."

His face tightened instantly, displeased. "Why are you telling me this?"

He didn't like discussing other men with her, or her other men.

Mu Wan Yao suppressed a laugh inwardly but said no more. Once the topic was broached, Yan Shang hesitated, then took the initiative to change the subject: "What has Your Highness been doing these past three years?"

Mu Wan Yao brushed it off, "What could I be doing? Busy consolidating power and gathering followers. Talking about my affairs is boring; let's talk about yours instead."

She loved hearing about what Yan Shang was up to, but was utterly indifferent to her own busywork. She felt she was merely mediocre, and what she truly wanted to hear were stories of someone like Yan Shang. In her youth, she had admired heroes from across the land, and now one such remarkable hero lay on her couch—how could she not be moved?

It seemed she particularly envied people like Yan Shang.

But Yan Shang insisted, "I'd like to hear about Your Highness's affairs as well. How could what you do be uninteresting? I find it very intriguing. Why do you always belittle yourself and think you're not good enough? Back then, I treated you so... and yet you forgave me. Your Highness is... is..."

Sincerely and from the heart, he added, "Your Highness is the finest princess in the world, the finest lady."

Mu Wan Yao was stunned, sitting up abruptly, her long hair cascading over him. "What did you say?"

Yan Shang's face flushed instantly, realizing he had been too forward.

Gripping the corner of the brocade quilt covering him, he turned his face away, his tone uneasy. "I didn't say anything. I meant that Your Highness is getting better and better..."

Mu Wan Yao felt a pang of shame.

Because she was nothing like what Yan Shang described, but his belief in her made her reflect on herself, wanting to truly become the person he thought she was. She wanted him to admire her, to be proud of her... Mu Wan Yao gazed down at him for a long time, then whispered, "I still love power the most. You know, I'm not like you—I can't afford to lose power."

Yan Shang said nothing.

Mu Wan Yao leaned down and lay beside him once more. He didn't know if he was dreaming, but as he continued chatting with her and gradually grew drowsy, he heard her murmur indistinctly, "...But aside from power, you come second.

"Only you can rival the power I love, pulling me back from being consumed by it."Yan Shang instantly sobered up, but holding his breath, he didn't hear Mu Wan Yao's voice. The darkness before his eyes suggested the night had grown deep. The familiar fragrance beside him remained, and Mu Wan Yao was lightly pressed against his arm, her breathing steady.

He softly called her "Yao Yao," but she didn't respond, leading him to believe she was asleep.

With a gentle sigh, he fumbled to pull the quilt over her, his hand brushing lightly against her cheek. He always worried about her fragile health, fearing she might fall ill after their arduous escape, so he paid extra attention to such matters. Only when he confirmed her temperature was normal did he fully relax.

Yet Yan Shang tormented himself over that final phrase—whether it was his own imagination or something Mu Wan Yao had truly uttered.

He turned over quietly and sighed softly. His heart churned with turmoil; he feared her rejection and his own inadequacy. In the darkness, he engaged in self-reflection and self-torment—

Could he truly balance the greater good with personal desires? Could he really prevent Mu Wan Yao from being hurt again?

If what happened three years ago were to recur... Mu Wan Yao would shatter, and so would he.

As Yan Shang tossed and sighed, Mu Wan Yao, lying beside him, had been awake all along. Her bright eyes watched him in the dark, observing his restlessness and his inner turmoil over her. Her heart couldn't help but feel light and soft, melting like water.

...Time and again, she found herself moved by Yan Shang.

She didn't just want to sleep with him; she wanted to possess him.

She longed to build a high tower, a golden house, to keep Yan Shang safely tucked away.

She wanted to cherish him properly, ensuring no one else could have him, see his goodness, or share him. Yet how could that ever be possible?

So Mu Wan Yao also sighed in melancholy.

Her sigh startled Yan Shang, who had been facing away from her. He trembled as he called her name, but she didn't respond, so he quieted down, assuming she had merely sighed in her dreams. Yet the thought that she sighed even in her dreams made Yan Shang's heart ache more, convinced it was all his fault.

Thus the night passed—

How wonderful last night had been.

Mu Wan Yao had never spoken so much with Yan Shang before, never tried so earnestly to understand his world and his thoughts. Three years ago, she had only sought a physical connection with him. Now, three years later, with their path at a dead end and no way forward, Mu Wan Yao had no choice but to bare her heart.

Because without baring her heart, she might lose him completely.

Without baring her heart, the dead end between her and Yan Shang would remain impassable.

But last night was perfect. Mu Wan Yao felt the distance between their hearts had narrowed significantly. He had tried to understand her, and she, somewhat shyly, shared a thing or two, which he listened to with rapt attention. His focus brought her immense joy, giving her the illusion of being rewarded.

While the kiss in the alley had made her body tremble, the heartfelt conversation at night brought their souls closer.

She didn't know how long they had talked before falling asleep, but upon waking the next morning, the warmth of the previous night lingered in her dreams. When Mu Wan Yao awoke, a smile unconsciously touched her lips. She feared the beautiful atmosphere of last night might have been just a dream, but even in her dreams, she had never imagined a day of reconciliation with Yan Shang.Mu Wan Yao quietly opened her eyes and saw the young man lying on the bed with his back to her, still asleep. His thick, raven-black hair spilled across the pillow like ink unfurling. Habitually turned away from her, his thin inner robe revealed the elegant, prominent line of his spine—broad and graceful like mountain ranges.

Such masculine allure was utterly intoxicating.

Even just his back, even while still clothed.

Mu Wan Yao felt her cheeks burn, a sudden stirring within her, a restless heat in her heart. She wondered what was wrong with her—had it been too long since she’d been with a man? How could the mere sight of a man’s back make her feel so desperately hungry?

Suddenly, Mu Wan Yao heard Yan Shang sigh.

Startled, she pressed a hand to her chest, fearing he had caught her staring at him so early in the morning. But she quickly remembered—he was blind, and with his back turned, what could he possibly notice? Reassured, Mu Wan Yao gazed at him openly, curious about the reason for his morning sigh.

Yan Shang lay in bed a while longer. Accustomed to discipline, he rested only briefly before propping himself up on his arms to sit, just as Mu Wan Yao was thinking of lazing in bed a little longer. Sensing him turn to "look" at her, she hurriedly shut her eyes.

Then she remembered—he couldn’t see.

So she cautiously cracked one eye open again.

She watched as he leaned closer, his collar slightly open, strands of dark hair brushing against his collarbone, exquisitely graceful. Yan Shang reached out to feel her forehead. Mu Wan Yao stayed perfectly still, letting him check her temperature, clutching the quilt tightly as she blushed and watched his face draw near. But just as he came closer, she saw him freeze. He sighed once more, withdrew his hand before it even touched her forehead, and moved away.

Mu Wan Yao: "…"

She stared blankly for a moment, then couldn’t help but curve her lips into a faint, knowing smile.

For she understood exactly why Yan Shang was sighing.

As he leaned in, the unmistakable, vigorous reaction below his waist had become all too obvious. That reaction left him bewildered, helpless, sighing repeatedly so soon after waking.

Mu Wan Yao observed him with leisurely amusement, watching as Yan Shang turned his back to her and sat there in a daze. She waited, curious to see how he would handle his morning predicament, but he simply sat there, motionless for a long while, then sighed again.

Yan Shang sat on the edge of the bed, hands braced against the mattress, sighing softly. Morning reactions were usually manageable—they’d fade with a little patience. But he had underestimated Mu Wan Yao’s effect on him. All night, he had struggled against the urge to draw closer to her. Having endured until daybreak, his body now proved more honest than his will.

He had lain there a long time, but the reaction wouldn’t subside. And he knew if this continued, Mu Wan Yao would wake. How could he face her in such a state?

Frowning in distress, Yan Shang sat rigidly, on the verge of breaking. The more he tried to suppress the reaction, the more stubbornly his body defied his control. Terrified that Mu Wan Yao might wake and discover him, he wrestled with himself for a long time before reluctantly reaching for his sash, fingers trembling as they moved downward…

A light feminine laugh sounded behind him.

Yan Shang froze.

Then he was embraced from behind.With perfect naturalness, Mu Wan Yao embraced him from behind, her soft, warm hands reaching over to press against the back of his hand before turning to gently hold his fingers, giving them a light tug. Yan Shang stiffened completely, and as Mu Wan Yao’s fingers tightened, his waist instinctively arched backward. Immediately afterward, he was overcome with shame, his entire face and neck flushing crimson in an instant.

He stammered in alarm, “Yao… Yao Yao?”

Mu Wan Yao leaned against his neck and chuckled, “What are you afraid of? Why are you still so reserved… Last night in the alley, you kissed me with such abandon—I thought you’d made progress. But it turns out that was just an act, and this is the real you.”

He rasped, “You… stop talking.”

He hunched his shoulders uncomfortably, nudging her away with his elbow. Trembling, he pleaded, “Go away… don’t… don’t mind me. I’ll be fine in a moment…”

Mu Wan Yao replied, “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Why act like this? Let me help you.”

He remained tense and hesitant on his own. Yet she made him feel at ease, made him gasp for breath with parted lips, his jaw tightening as his body alternated between stiffness and relaxation. Mu Wan Yao leaned close to his face, watching his captivated expression—elegant and stirring. Unable to resist, she leaned in to capture his lips, and when he jolted in surprise, she chided him with feigned righteousness: "You’re the one who opened your mouth."

Sunlight streamed into the room as their emotions grew unrestrained.

In the end, Mu Wan Yao pressed Yan Shang down. He lay among the bedding while the young woman, both playful and assertive, draped herself over his shoulder. She grasped his hand and, ignoring his resistance, guided it to tease him. Trembling all over, waves of heat left him breathless and disheveled.

By the end, it was unclear who was kissing whom or who refused to pull away.

When it was all over, Mu Wan Yao’s face was flushed as well. She brushed aside the stray hairs clinging to Yan Shang’s face and looked down at him. His lips were crimson, his ears thoroughly red. Gasping for air, he tilted his head vaguely in her direction: "Yao Yao…"

Mu Wan Yao, blushing, remained silent.

Yan Shang then took her fingers in his, hesitating before asking, "Do you need me to help you?"

Mu Wan Yao: "…?"

Did he still have that kind of courage? How had she not known?

Mu Wan Yao laughed softly: "How? With your hands? No need, haha. I don’t have such intense needs as you do."

Her laughter was alluring, her tone suggestive, making his face flush even more—

During breakfast, Han Shu Xing sensed something off about the two but, never quite able to understand the people of Great Wei, paid it no mind and instead shared the news he had gathered.

Yan Shang suggested waiting two days, as he intended to discuss the current situation with the local magistrate.

Two days later, the magistrate was nearly frantic. The princess remained missing, her guards were drawing closer, and pressure from the Jiang family meant everyone would pay the price… It was at this moment Yan Shang felt the timing was right to negotiate with the magistrate.

Before leaving, Yan Shang hesitantly asked Mu Wan Yao, "Once this is over, you’ll be heading to Jinling. Could you… wait for me?"

Mu Wan Yao was puzzled: "Wait for what?"

Yan Shang replied, "…Wait for me to go to Chang’an. I was thinking… could we start over?"

Mu Wan Yao was taken aback, never expecting Yan Shang to say such a thing.

At the doorway, he bid her farewell, lowering his head to whisper, "I’ll come find you after I resolve my marriage arrangements. Once my one-year term in Nanyang ends, I’ll come for you… alright?"

After a long pause, under his anxious gaze, Mu Wan Yao curved her eyes into a smile: "Alright."

But a year was far too long—

After Yan Shang left, Mu Wan Yao amused herself by building a swing in the courtyard.

By the afternoon, she had finally finished the swing and was swaying on it when she heard noises outside the courtyard. Looking up, she saw Fang Tong and others arriving with the guards.

Fang Tong was both excited and relieved to see the princess, and Mu Wan Yao smiled faintly, pleased by their arrival. Fang Tong’s presence meant Pei Qing had secured Rang County, freeing up Chang’an to deal with Nanyang.

It was all coming to an end.

As everything wrapped up, Fang Tong reassured her that they could now depart for Jinling. However, Mu Wan Yao, seated on the swing, chatted with him and remarked, "I’ve thought about living a life like Yan Shang’s."

Fang Tong was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

Mu Wan Yao replied casually, "Nothing. Tell me in detail about the current situation in Rang County."Fang Tong fell silent for a moment, then first addressed a matter that would certainly concern the princess deeply: "Yan Erlang's fiancée Miao Niang... Now that Erlang is believed dead in Rang County, his fiancée still wishes to remain faithful to his memory as a widow. Miao Niang's father is currently trying to persuade his daughter against this."

Fang Tong's words solidified a resolution that Mu Wan Yao had already been hesitating over. She curled her lips: "Remain faithful to his memory? So as long as he returns, as long as she knows Yan Shang is still alive, that Miao Niang still wants to marry him? Yan Shang gets off easy. In that case, I want to leave Pei Qing in Rang County, while Yan Shang... I want to imprison him, confine him, and force him to go to Jinling with me, to return to Chang'an together. I want to imprison him, compel him to marry me."