In the deep courtyards of the Guhu Kingdom's royal palace, Zhao Lingfei wore a strange expression as she watched Wei Shu dressed in the king's robes. He must have used some method to infiltrate this place, but the entire Great Wei envoy mission was currently imprisoned in the dungeons. What plan could Wei Shu possibly have by returning?
Wei Shu saw her lost in thought without speaking. However, with people everywhere outside and time being of the essence, he grabbed her hand and pulled her up from the ivory couch to leave.
Zhao Lingfei, pulled to her feet, followed behind him and quickly clasped his hand in return. "Ju Yuan... Ju Yuan! Could you explain to me first? Did you infiltrate the palace to take me away single-handedly? Just the two of us? Where could we possibly escape to? The envoy mission is still in the city."
Wei Shu turned back.
Zhao Lingfei still possessed her delicate beauty, but over three years of life beyond the frontier, sharing hardships and fate with the envoy mission, had matured her greatly. Her eyes, gazing up at him, remained bright; she was still a lively young woman, yet no longer naive or simple.
She looked at him, speaking words that contrasted sharply with her spirited nature: "Ju Yuan, it is only by staying here that I can stabilize the Guhu Kingdom. You should return to Great Wei to seek reinforcements, to inform Great Wei that the Guhu Kingdom has betrayed them and allied with the Southern Barbarians... This is the true purpose of our diplomatic mission, isn't it?"
Wei Shu stared at her, a sudden, needle-like pain piercing his heart.
He said, "No."
Zhao Lingfei was taken aback, her starry eyes widening slightly.
Wei Shu continued, "The purpose of an envoy mission abroad is to manage Great Wei's relations with neighboring countries. The Guhu Kingdom is eight thousand li from Chang'an. Even if I return to Chang'an, the distance is too great. At best, I could persuade the armies of Shuofang and Helong to rescue you. But the journey would take at least half a month, possibly several months. What would become of you during that time? If circumstances change, am I to live on alone in your stead?"
He was on the cusp of adulthood, straddling youth and manhood, his features growing increasingly handsome. His cold gaze bore down like a bright pearl, radiant and piercing.
Yet Wei Shu's tone remained calm: "I, Wei Juyuan, cannot bear the weight of so many lives and hopes."
Zhao Lingfei's eyes reddened, her voice tinged with urgency and despair. "Then what should we do? What should we do? What use is saving me?"
Wei Shu gripped her hand firmly. "Saving you is of course useful! I need your martial skills to assist me! Do not belittle yourself, thinking your only value lies in being a woman who can aid me through marriage. We will fight our way out, not returning to Great Wei. The Guhu Kingdom's betrayal and alliance with the Southern Barbarians were unknown to us beforehand. We can seek troops from the neighboring eastern and western kingdoms under the banner of Great Wei, then turn back to attack the Guhu Kingdom and rescue the envoy mission.
"The eastern and western kingdoms flank the Guhu Kingdom. In the half-month we've been trapped here, the Southern Barbarians have never sent an envoy; otherwise, the King of Guhu would have handed us over as gifts long ago. On our journey here, we heard the Southern Barbarian King is busy quelling internal strife and unifying the Southern Barbarians. The Guhu Kingdom is but a small state. Even if our attack on Guhu reaches the Southern Barbarians' ears, the Southern Barbarian King, stretched thin, would be unable to lead troops abroad to fight.""Isn't he afraid of deception? Does he truly hold no fear towards our Great Wei? Even if he truly brings troops to fight... How could a small state like Guhu survive all these years sandwiched between the Southern Barbarians and Great Wei? Geographically speaking, defending a city is easier than attacking one!
"We must open trade routes for Great Wei and pacify unrest. Guhu, positioned in between, must never become the Southern Barbarians' pawn, the frontline in any conflict between the Southern Barbarians and Great Wei. We must restore Guhu to Great Wei's allegiance.
"Lingfei, do you know what 'jimi' means? Jimi means that when dealing with territories not under Great Wei's direct rule, we should adapt to local conditions and use local people to govern locally. This is the policy we should adopt towards Guhu. This is the purpose of our diplomatic mission."
Zhao Lingfei stared at him in a daze. She had always thought Wei Shu was talented and insightful. But he rarely spoke, always cold and quiet, and she had assumed... he didn't care much about others, wasn't concerned with people.
Zhao Lingfei looked down at his hand holding hers and murmured, "You're too bold. Since ancient times, diplomatic envoys sent beyond the borders have never taken it upon themselves to lead troops and conquer a state."
Wei Shu whispered, "What's wrong with us being the first?"
Wei Shu waited for Zhao Lingfei's response, but she suddenly changed expression, grabbed his wrist, and pulled him toward her. Wei Shu was momentarily stunned; though he practiced martial arts, he was clearly no match for Zhao Lingfei's deft strength. He stumbled as this incredibly strong young woman dragged him forward.
As Zhao Lingfei leaned back onto the bed, she wrapped her arms around Wei Shu. In their stumbling posture, Wei Shu ended up pressing her down within the golden curtains of the bed.
Nose to nose with the young woman, Wei Shu instantly froze.
Simultaneously, the palace door was pushed open. A palace attendant, speaking in broken Great Wei official language, impatiently announced: "Your Highness, the auspicious hour has arrived, you should... Your Majesty!"
The attendant caught sight of the wedding robes belonging to the King of Guhu visible through the bed curtains. Unaware that the real King of Guhu had been knocked unconscious and lay unnoticed in another part of the palace, the attendant glimpsed the corner of the robes and quickly glanced at the bed curtains before kneeling and speaking in garbled language.
Neither Zhao Lingfei nor Wei Shu understood what she said.
Wei Shu looked down at the girl whose breath mingled with his within inches.
Her bright eyes were like water, their breaths entwined.
Neither spoke, both waiting quietly.
After a long while, the attendant kneeling at the palace door, receiving no response from the king, quietly rose, closed the door, and withdrew. The moment the attendant left, Wei Shu immediately sat up, turning his back to Zhao Lingfei.
An awkward atmosphere permeated the room.
Zhao Lingfei's hand was grasped again. She trembled, her heart pounding like thunder, and stole a glance.
Wei Shu's fair complexion, usually resembling radiant jade, was now flushed with crimson. Yet he firmly pulled her up.
Dragged off the bed, Zhao Lingfei felt bashful but deliberately broke the strange silence between them, saying, "Since you've thought it through so clearly and have such courage, after escaping this predicament, you should just go borrow troops... No need to come back."
She muttered, "Or perhaps you should rescue the chief envoy. Why save me?"Wei Shu turned his head: "Because the one getting married tonight isn't the chief envoy, but you. Because when I helped you leave Great Wei, it wasn't so you could remain defined by marriage. Didn't you say it yourself, Lingfei? You want to be a free eagle in the sky, not someone's appendage."
Zhao Lingfei stared at him dazedly, then broke into a smile.
Her smile became dazzling, the dim light in her eyes rekindled. Though tears welled in her eyes, she nodded with a smile, nodding repeatedly, and actively grasped his hand. She had all the courage to charge forward—she only feared having no one to support her from behind.
As long as one person supported her!
If even one person supported her!
What did she have to fear on this path of breaking through thorns and thistles!
Zhao Lingfei stepped forward, tearing off the ceremonial headdress and ripping away the red wedding dress that had weighed her down for so long. Following Wei Shu, she fled from the palace, escaping along the paths he had previously scouted.
When they encountered palace guards along the way—they killed them!
When people tried to stop them—they leaped over them!
Initially, Zhao Lingfei had no sword, nor did Wei Shu. But Zhao Lingfei was highly skilled in martial arts and quickly seized a sword from the guards attacking them. For a time, the two fought back-to-back, evoking a sense of heroic determination and fleeing for their lives!
But this wasn't truly fleeing for their lives.
Wei Shu had come to rescue her with some preparations in place.
After Wei Shu gave Zhao Lingfei a few instructions, she glanced at him worriedly. Meeting his resolute gaze, she gritted her teeth and left, leaping away alone. The young woman moved with graceful agility, holding her own even against the guards' attacks in the night. Had it not been for the safety of the envoy delegation earlier, how could Zhao Lingfei have been captured?
She broke through the encirclement alone, leaving Wei Shu behind. As she made her dramatic escape, the palace guards, panicked at losing a bride-to-be, directed all their lethal attacks at Wei Shu—at least one person had to be captured!
Years of diplomatic missions beyond the frontier had honed Wei Shu's martial skills far beyond what they were in Chang'an. He could still hold his own here, fighting while mentally counting the time. But as time passed and flames drew nearer, sweat beaded on Wei Shu's forehead, worrying that the plan might fail.
Just as a tightly woven net descended upon him in his exhaustion, the clatter of horse hooves approached from afar. Zhao Lingfei's clear voice rang out:
"Brother Ju Yuan—"
Wei Shu looked up. Beyond the dense net, he saw her riding through the night, her sleeves and hair flying, her eyes bright as the Milky Way, luminous as candlelight. Leaning down, she reached out her hand to him while raising the sword in her other hand. A gleaming arc flashed—the fearless young woman swung her sword at the giant net about to ensnare Wei Shu!
Lightning streaked across the sky!
It was the most beautiful light Wei Shu had ever seen—
The lightning split the gray sky, lifting curtains that fluttered like rain and sand.
As if a night rain approached, the cool evening breeze silently pushed open a window. Lightning spread across the horizon, its brilliance bearing witness to the chaos between the young princess and her lover in a relay station on the way to Jinling.
Like a butterfly circling an ancient, naturally grown vine—unfettered and desireless. The radiant butterfly insisted on perching on the ancient wood. The moment it landed, the spot beneath its feet began to glow with brilliant light, blossoming into enchanting, fragrant flowers.Flowers and leaves grew along the ancient tree's limbs, radiant and brilliant. As the tree's vines extended, the blossoms flowed through its marrow, spreading across the entire tree. Thus, the tree burst into full bloom, filling the air with its fragrance.
Amidst the fluttering curtains, Yan Shang and Mu Wan Yao faced each other, their lips meeting in a lingering kiss. Their fingers intertwined, and he faintly sensed a breeze. When he turned his head slightly, her lips brushed against his cheek.
His brow twitched.
So she kissed him again.
Yan Shang couldn't help but laugh, his heart burdened with unresolved melancholy, yet threads of affection wove through him. She was like a bewitching enchantress, alluring and captivating—he only regretted he couldn't see her. Yet she was a dazzling butterfly, the dormant lotus in his heart that refused to bloom. He often wished to ignore her, yet found himself irresistibly drawn to her.
He was rigid, dull, and somber; he was benevolent yet detached, timid and cowardly.
He was unfit to be a lover, unfit to love anyone.
But Mu Wan Yao still reached for his hand, still came to love him.
And at times, he thought that Mu Wan Yao was far from perfect herself. She was self-absorbed, fickle, and selfish; she was cunning, eccentric, and restless. She swung between warmth and coldness, often acting recklessly, sometimes wounding his heart. Yet this was Mu Wan Yao—the vivid, vibrant beauty who captivated him utterly.
Both of them were flawed in countless ways, both unsuited to love or burden another. But fate twisted and turned, bringing them together time and again.
Yan Shang felt an unusual agitation, the rare heat in his veins ignited by her. He held her tightly, lowering his face to kiss her. He remained silent, speaking only through his actions. She, however, was different—her ragged, languid, warm breaths brushed against his ear, fueling his anxiety further.
Gasping for air, he pleaded almost desperately, "Yao Yao..."
Mu Wan Yao's face flushed crimson. Frowning, she felt as if she were submerged in ice yet drowning in fire. She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him fiercely. The intensity was overwhelming; she let out soft murmurs and reached up to brush aside the sweat-dampened hair from his cheek.
Her fingers traced the gauze covering his eyes, her sparkling gaze lingering on his flushed lips. A restless itch stirred within her, and Mu Wan Yao leaned in, their breaths tangling damply once more.
She whispered, "You seem... quite affected, don't you?"
He didn't respond, merely tilting his head back, his Adam's apple bobbing lightly. Unable to resist, she extended her pinky to teasingly trace it. He shuddered, reaching to catch her hand, and she giggled, burrowing into his embrace, nuzzling wildly as she cried out, "Dear brother!"
Three years—three long years.
Old passions rekindled, old affections unforgotten.
When it ended, he lay with his neck arched back, while she rested against his chest. Both frowned slightly, each releasing a soft, contented sigh.
Then they froze in unison.
Mu Wan Yao grinned mischievously. "Wonderful, wasn't it? See, I told you so. I asked you to come earlier, but you refused."
Yan Shang blushed, speechless. He was always at a loss for words at such moments. Mu Wan Yao gently tapped his cheek, then pulled him down to lie together. After a while of intimate entanglement, she held him back as they hastily tidied the traces of their passion.
She turned away to sleep, as was their habit. He had always slept with his back to her on the bed, and over time, Mu Wan Yao had adopted the same posture. Her mind hazy, she closed her eyes, but just as drowsiness set in, she felt someone lift the strands of hair by her cheek—a kiss pressed against her from behind.
A smile curved Mu Wan Yao's lips.Hearing Yan Shang's low, hesitant voice: "...Can you come again?"
Mu Wan Yao was instantly terrified. She was already satiated, how could she endure another battle? She hurriedly shrank deeper into the bed, saying: "I can't, I can't... Ah!"
She angrily slapped his arm, as he held her from behind—persistent, slow, clearly not listening to her words.
Mu Wan Yao: "How can you be like this? You're not my most caring Second Brother Yan anymore!"
Yan Shang flushed crimson, but he truly couldn't control himself. He whispered: "This is all your fault... what kind of messy medicine did you give yourself?"—
They remained sleepless through the night, only resting at daybreak.
In the dim and chaotic room, the curtains remained drawn. The servants outside all knew of the princess's intentions, and no one came to disturb them. Moreover, the young maid Qiu Si was very considerate—she called out softly twice outside the door, and upon hearing Yan Erlang's slightly hoarse response, she placed the meal on the ground outside, asking the lord and princess not to forget to eat.
But Mu Wan Yao slept deeply and dazedly, clearly without the energy to eat.
After sleeping the entire morning, when Mu Wan Yao woke, a lazy comfort radiated from her bones. The release of desire brought joy, and doing such things with someone she liked made her crave more. Mu Wan Yao sat on the bed for a while by herself, casually draping a light silk robe over her shoulders, barefoot with her hair hanging loose, she stepped down from the bed just like that.
Her jade-like feet stepped on the ground covering, delicate as lotuses blooming in a pond.
Her raven black hair cascaded lushly to the floor as Mu Wan Yao, languid and casual, drifted gracefully outward. Passing through several curtains, she paused her steps upon seeing Yan Shang.
Yan Shang had clearly woken much earlier than her. He knelt quietly by the window in the bright light, his hair also unbound and loosely draped, wearing thin summer robes. From behind, the faint outline of his slender backbone showed through, as elegant as spring mountains and clear waters, ethereally beautiful.
Mu Wan Yao studied the young man kneeling beneath the window, his eyes covered with gauze facing the window, unsure whether he was lost in thought or doing something else.
Her gaze swept over his lips, then passed over his long neck bearing some marks. Mu Wan Yao smiled silently, but perhaps because he had been without sight for so long, his hearing had become extremely sharp. Even though her bare feet made no sound on the floor, Yan Shang turned his head to "look" in her direction.
Mu Wan Yao scoffed: "What are you kneeling there for so early in the morning?"
Yan Shang said quietly: "What early morning? It's already noon."He paused, somewhat annoyed: "I'm reflecting on myself.""
Mu Wan Yao raised an eyebrow, humming a little tune as she leisurely passed by him. She said carelessly: "Then reflect slowly. I'm hungry, I'm going to eat."
The fragrant breeze approached then drifted away, and Yan Shang's self-reproach and shame turned into a wave of resentment. He reached out and grabbed a corner of her silk robe.
Yan Shang said with slight annoyance: "You seem to be in a very good mood?"
Mu Wan Yao smiled: "Yes, I'm in a very good mood. Even waking up to see your gloomy face, I'm still in a good mood. Reflect all you want—after all, I've slept with the person I wanted to sleep with, and that person couldn't refuse me. Who cares about you?"
Yan Shang's face stiffened slightly: "If you hadn't drugged yourself... how could I have been like this!"
Mu Wan Yao snorted: "There are plenty of men in the world. Would I not live without you? And didn't you enjoy it too? I've never seen you so obsessed before."She suddenly leaned down, hooked his chin, and lightly traced the stubble on his jaw. He shrank back, but Mu Wan Yao wouldn't let him retreat.
Mu Wan Yao smiled playfully: "After three years apart, Second Brother Yan has become much bolder. Hmm, I'm quite pleased."
Yan Shang flushed red.
He said: "...Why bring that up?"
Mu Wan Yao replied casually: "Just praising you."
Yet the shame and frustration of being pulled down by her had tormented Yan Shang all morning. He had pondered why he was like this, why he couldn't control himself. If he was so easily swayed, wouldn't that let her do as she pleased? He resolved to draw a clear line with her, but the moment she lowered her head to speak to him, her fragrant scent wafting over, he uncontrollably recalled last night.
Instantly, his face turned crimson.
The well-rehearsed words telling her to stay away died in his throat from embarrassment.
After a long pause, Yan Shang managed only: "Did you confine me just to make such things convenient? Don't you have anything else to do?"
Mu Wan Yao scoffed.
She said: "If you don't do these things while young, when will you? Wait until you're seventy or eighty and can't move? When you're young, you should cling together day and night, entwined constantly, living recklessly."
Yan Shang: "...I won't be like that with you!"
Mu Wan Yao waved her hand dismissively and stood up, humming a tune as she left: "Suit yourself."
After all, when she wanted him, he couldn't escape.
As Mu Wan Yao reached the door, she remembered something: "You should still eat. This afternoon we'll tour the local customs and see the common people. If you don't eat, where will you get the energy?"
Yan Shang was taken aback: "You... truly intend to visit the commoners?"
Mu Wan Yao turned and glared at him.
She said: "What, you want to be a great man remembered in history, while I'm the villain standing against you? I'm not putting on a show. Get up and eat now!"—
Yet Yan Shang and Mu Wan Yao remained at odds. It was a one-sided conflict. Unfortunately, this one-sided dispute made no difference to outsiders.
Because Yan Erlang was too soft-hearted.
He always said he wouldn't pay attention to the princess, but whenever something happened to her, he would grow concerned, often unable to resist interjecting, then regretting his loose tongue. Meanwhile, Mu Wan Yao, fully aware of Yan Shang's temperament, continued to engage with him enthusiastically regardless of whether he responded to her or not.
Along the journey, she dragged him into several more indiscretions.
Whether Yan Erlang successfully resisted remained unclear.
The maids didn't dare ask, simply delivering water to the rooms as usual. Whether the two used it or not, they pretended not to know.
Amid such friction, by late June, the party arrived in Jinling. Before rushing to visit her maternal grandfather, Mu Wan Yao clung to Yan Shang, carefully grooming him. Though naturally handsome, she still found it insufficient—since Jinling was the Li Family's territory, she absolutely couldn't let Yan Shang be looked down upon in plain cloth robes.
Mu Wan Yao also confirmed with the imperial physician that, after leaving Chang'an, he had headed straight for Jinling, traveling faster than her party dragging the reluctant Yan Shang. By the time they reached Jinling, the physician had already arrived.
This pleasantly surprised Mu Wan Yao.The imperial physician had no time to properly examine Yan Shang's eyes before Mu Wan Yao dragged him off to meet her maternal grandfather. As Yan Shang was led by Mu Wan Yao along the way, he only felt the sedan chair turning and stopping repeatedly. Mu Wan Yao's palm grew sweaty as she held his hand, and he thought to himself that she must be somewhat afraid of her maternal grandfather.
Lord Li was critically ill and directly received his granddaughter—the Danyang Princess of Great Wei—in his bedchamber.
The elderly man, with hair full of silver threads and a face etched with vicissitudes, was heavily afflicted by illness. Upon hearing that Mu Wan Yao and her Imperial Son-in-Law had come to see him, Lord Li mustered his spirits—he had been holding on precisely to wait for Mu Wan Yao.
When Mu Wan saw the old man, who had been vigorous and spirited during their last meeting, now reduced to such a gaunt and aged state, her heart was momentarily filled with sorrow. Sitting by the bedside, a faint shadow of melancholy surfaced in her eyes.
Lord Li patted her hand, his gaze falling upon the young man standing below the dais with white gauze covering his eyes. Startled by the sight of the eye covering, Lord Li still beckoned him closer: "You must be Yao Yao’s Imperial Son-in-Law, I presume?"
Yan Shang didn’t know what to say. Hearing no objection from Mu Wan Yao, he felt slightly uncomfortable, as if he were standing in for Pei Qing to meet her great-grandfather. Yet, despite his inner turmoil, Yan Shang didn’t wish to trouble an elderly man in his twilight years. He bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, Great-grandfather."
Lord Li thought the Imperial Son-in-Law’s manners were quite proper and nodded in approval.
Lord Li said, "Lord Pei..."
Yan Shang responded softly.
Mu Wan Yao paused and looked at Yan Shang. Without uttering a word of correction, he seemed prepared to act as "Pei Qing" and listen to Lord Li’s advice. His quiet compliance made Mu Wan Yao ache with frustration, annoyed that he always put others’ feelings first.
His heart was so soft that it made her feel as though she were constantly imposing on him.
Mu Wan Yao interrupted, "Great-grandfather, you’ve mistaken him."
Yan Shang seemed to sense something and turned his face in her direction. Under the puzzled gazes of everyone present, Mu Wan Yao walked to Yan Shang’s side. She took his hand, and though his hand trembled slightly in hers, he did not pull away. Facing Lord Li, she smiled and said, "Great-grandfather, he is my Imperial Son-in-Law. But my Imperial Son-in-Law is no longer Pei Qing—it is Yan Shang."
Yan Shang was momentarily stunned, lowering his eyes as he thought: Imperial Son-in-Law? Had she discussed this with him?
No.
Yet a faint smile touched his lips. Standing in the main hall, feeling the scrutinizing eyes of everyone, he did not refute or reject her claim—
"Yan Shang?" A voice entered from outside. "Could it be the renowned minister Yan Suchen, celebrated throughout the land?"
Mu Wan Yao turned and saw that her uncle, Li Zhi, who had been serving in Lingnan, had returned.
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