Yan Shisheng's scheme was not complicated.
Mu Wan Yao had told him that without patronage, he likely wouldn't secure the capital quota after the provincial exams.
Yan Shisheng didn't reveal to Mu Wan Yao that he had long been aware of this, needing no reminder. After years of study, he knew perfectly well that the poetry and prose emphasized in the imperial examinations were his weakest areas. Challenging the exams with his least proficient skills offered almost no chance of success.
Thus, his path diverged from that of the prodigy Liu Wenji.
While Liu Wenji might reach Chang'an through talent alone, Yan Shisheng required additional means—such as becoming the Danyang Princess's savior.
Demonstrating how White Ox Tea could shatter copper coins was premeditated; confirming Mu Wan Yao's identity as the princess was premeditated; sketching the tea tree without personally guiding her to find it in the wild was also premeditated... He gambled on the princess's desire to obtain the tea tree and transport it away.
From his knowledge, the area where the tea tree grew housed snake nests and hallucinogenic herbs. With the princess's guards present, Yan Shisheng doubted she would face mortal danger. Yet, under the influence of the herbs, getting lost in the wilderness for days seemed inevitable.
Inevitably, someone would notice the princess's disappearance and seek Yan Shisheng's help to rescue her.
By becoming the princess's savior, even if she didn't advocate for him, Yan Shisheng trusted that Lingnan's officials, eager to curry favor, would grant him a Chang'an quota.
Since this year's provincial exams had concluded, and news of the princess's arrival in Lingnan was well-concealed and unlikely to spread promptly, Yan Shisheng calculated that while Liu Wenji would claim this year's quota, the following year's would be his.
He had given Liu Wenji this opportunity to showcase his brilliance this year, hoping Liu Wenji could capitalize on it.
This was an overt scheme. Whether to pursue the White Ox Tea tree, whether to search for it personally—these were Mu Wan Yao's own decisions. Yan Shisheng couldn't force her to seek the tree or deliberately lead her astray.
Even if someone later discerned this scheme, they couldn't rightfully blame Yan Shisheng.
Unfortunately, Yan Shisheng accounted for everything except Mu Wan Yao fainting.
The princess's collapse exceeded his expectations and left him momentarily flustered—Lingnan, rife with miasma, was known as the "Land of Pestilence."
The Danyang Princess wasn't harmed by snakes.
Instead, she succumbed to the dense, bewildering miasma of the wilderness.
Alone afflicted by the miasma's poison, while her maids and guards remained unharmed.
It could only mean... the princess was physically frailer than most.
This unforeseen circumstance filled Yan Shisheng with remorse and frustration—
Believing his lack of foresight had caused the princess's illness, he personally prepared her medicine when she was brought to the nearest Yan residence to recuperate.
In this remote part of Lingnan, finding skilled physicians was challenging. After the princess fell ill, guards had rushed to Guangzhou to fetch doctors, but fortunately, as it was miasma poisoning, the local Yan family possessed remedies to help outsiders recover before the doctors arrived.
Thus, when the guards dispatched by the Nanhai County magistrate saw the princess return to the Yan family to recuperate, they hurried back to Nanhai to report the news.After learning Mu Wan Yao's true identity, the Yan family nervously vacated the residence again for the princess's use. This time, not only did they clear out the largest room the princess had previously occupied, but they also specially selected the second-best quarters for the unconscious maid Chunhua.
After all, Chunhua had been afflicted with snake venom.
Truth be told, Chunhua's condition was far more critical than the princess's.
In the drowsy afternoon sunlight, Yan Shisheng crouched under the eaves, fanning a small stove while coughing from the smoke as he brewed medicine for the princess. The maids attending inside, glimpsing the diligent Yan Erlang through the curtain, inwardly sighed at what a good man he was.
Yet the maids were also deeply worried, for the princess remained lethargic and unresponsive.
As they fretted, they saw Yan Shisheng enter with the medicine, coughing as he said, "Please give this to Your Highness. This is the remedy we locals use for miasma poisoning. If it proves effective, perhaps Your Highness will awaken before the physician arrives."
The maids took the medicine from him, thanking him profusely: "Sir, you've been working tirelessly since returning last night without a moment's rest. You should go and get some sleep."
Yan Shisheng replied gently, "I'll leave once I know Your Highness has taken the medicine."
The maids nodded and carried the medicine inside to feed Mu Wan Yao. Yan Shisheng hesitated briefly but didn't withdraw; instead, he followed them into the inner chamber, clearly wanting to observe the situation. The maids only glanced back at him curiously but, considering he was a local, didn't stop him.
After all, he was such a gentle and kind-hearted man—who would have the heart to scold him and drive him from the princess's quarters?
The maids sat by the princess's bedside, attempting to feed her the medicine. Peering through the bed curtains, Yan Shisheng watched as they whispered among themselves, taking turns retreating one after another, yet none succeeded in getting her to drink. His eyes flickered with concern from behind, but being an outsider, he knew it was already remarkable that he was allowed to stand there and refrained from commenting.
Finally, the maids emerged from behind the curtains with the medicine bowl, sighing in dismay, "Sir, it's no use. Her Highness refuses to drink."
Yan Shisheng asked, "Might I take a look?"
One maid hesitated but, thinking Yan Shisheng likely couldn't do any better, handed him the bowl. Meanwhile, the other maids discussed among themselves and headed out, saying, "We must hurry someone to bring the physician quickly."
Yan Shisheng thought to himself: The issue with Your Highness is her refusal to take medicine—what use is summoning a physician?
Lifting the curtain, Yan Shisheng leaned down to observe the young woman lying within the bed curtains.
Her eyes were closed, her hair as dark and dense as ink fanned across the pillow. Her face, flushed with fever, bore a rosy hue like applied rouge, exuding unparalleled delicate beauty. As she lay there, perhaps sensing someone's gaze, she suddenly opened her eyes.
Her thick lashes fluttered slightly, and her dark, ink-like eyes gazed dazedly at Yan Shisheng.
She appeared so docile and fragile.
Yan Shisheng's heart warmed, but he steadied himself, refusing to entertain further thoughts. He whispered, "Your Highness, are you awake?"
Mu Wan Yao merely looked at him without speaking.
Glancing at the maids standing outside, Yan Shisheng tentatively scooped a spoonful of medicine and brought it to her lips. Just as the maids had said, she pressed her lips together, refusing to open her mouth. After several attempts, he smiled faintly and, without a word, quickly slipped a piece of candy from his sleeve and placed it by her lips.
Mu Wan Yao's eyes widened roundly, like those of a cat.She actually opened her mouth and ate the candy.
Yan Shisheng understood clearly. Sitting by the bed, he watched her eat the candy and then whispered to her, "...Your Highness, I sneaked this candy to you behind your maids’ backs. You mustn’t betray me. Since you’ve eaten my candy, drink the medicine now. Otherwise, there’ll be no more candy next time, alright?"
Mu Wan Yao lowered her gaze, puffing her cheeks as she chewed the candy, ignoring him entirely.
Yan Shisheng couldn’t tell if she intended to listen. He tried feeding her the medicine again, but she turned her head away, still refusing to drink.
Yan Shisheng: "Your Highness?"
Yan Shisheng was at a loss.
With so many maids watching, he couldn’t exactly pinch her cheeks and force the medicine down her throat, could he?
He stared at her for a moment before rising to leave and think of another approach. But as soon as he stood up, his sleeve was tugged by Mu Wan Yao. Startled, he turned back to look at her.
Lying beneath the heavy quilts, her voice was hoarse and weak: "Don’t go."
Her eyelids drooped, her eyes half-open, serene yet frail: "Don’t leave me behind."
Yan Shisheng stared at her in a daze—he had never seen her like this before.
He whispered, "If you won’t drink the medicine, what’s the point of me staying?"
Mu Wan Yao: "You don’t call me properly. Why should I drink the medicine?"
Yan Shisheng was puzzled: "When have I not called you properly? Haven’t I been calling you ‘Your Highness’ all along?"
Mu Wan Yao didn’t look at him. Her eyes, clear as spring water, were fixed on the sleeve she held. Her gaze was empty, quiet, and fragile.
With a hint of childish petulance, she insisted, "You haven’t called me. I’m not ‘Your Highness.’"
A thought stirred in Yan Shisheng’s heart, and he whispered, "Mu Wan Yao?"
She closed her eyes, still clutching his sleeve, but said nothing.
And Yan Shisheng was clever enough to understand.
He sat back down and began to test the waters: "If I call you Mu Wan Yao Your Highness, will you drink the medicine?"
Mu Wan Yao opened her eyes: "My name is Mu Wan Yao, not Mu Wan Yao Your Highness."
Yan Shisheng hesitated: "Mu Wan Yao?"
Mu Wan Yao murmured softly, "But as a princess, how can you address me by my personal name?"
Yan Shisheng: "..."
He couldn’t help but laugh.
He sighed, realizing that her current state was unlike her usual self. Normally proud and strong-willed, she now seemed so vulnerable—and yet so docile.
Chuckling softly, he whispered, "Yao Yao."
Mu Wan Yao’s eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes. After a moment, she nodded with a soft "Mm," offering him a faint, gentle smile. It was as delicate as a snow pear blossom in the wind, utterly enchanting.
Yan Shisheng gazed at her for a long while before suddenly saying, "...Right now, I only hope that when you wake up, you won’t hold this against me or try to kill me for calling you that."
Mu Wan Yao looked at him in confusion.
She watched as he reached out and pinched her cheek, as if venting his frustration.
As Yan Shisheng leaned closer, the cool fabric of his sleeve brushed against her face, covering her eyes. In the darkness, she felt him lift her and heard his gentle voice: "Alright, Yao Yao, no more fuss. Sit up and drink your medicine."
When the maids turned back after their discussion, they saw the young scholar inside the bed curtains, holding their princess, successfully feeding her the medicine.
The maids: "..."—
Yao Yao.
He coaxed and cajoled her like this.
For two whole days, he kept calling her that, feeding Mu Wan Yao medicine many times. And Mu Wan Yao, truly seeming foolish, would open her mouth whenever he offered candy, smile whenever he called her "Yao Yao," and rarely argued with anything he said. She even clung to his sleeve, reluctant to let him leave, making the maids constantly try to persuade her otherwise.The princess was persuaded to tears, evoking pity in others.
And also amusement.
As she took the medicine, Mu Wan Yao gradually recovered, bringing a sigh of relief to everyone.
One evening, Mu Wan Yao awoke from her dazed state. Rubbing her forehead, she suddenly recalled how Yan Erlang had been calling her "Yao Yao" these past few days.
Mu Wan Yao froze, overwhelmed by a wave of intense shame—
Had she gone mad during her illness!
Since she turned fifteen, no one had called her that.
Mu Wan Yao pondered, wondering if she should kill Yan Shisheng to bury this humiliating secret.
At daybreak, the maids began to rise and freshen up. Mu Wan Yao remained seated on the couch, lost in thought, until she heard Yan Shisheng's gentle voice outside: "Yao Yao, it's time for your medicine."
Mu Wan Yao sat cold-faced inside the bed curtains: "..."
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