Yan Shisheng stood outside the chamber holding a medicine bowl, seeking permission from the princess within.
But evidently, Mu Wan Yao was too ill to respond.
When Yan Shisheng entered, he found the room tranquil, with maids diligently performing their duties—some dusting furnishings with whisks, others carefully trimming flower branches by the window... All were intensely focused, almost excessively so.
Passing the screen, he saw emerald bed curtains hanging low, adorned with sachets and golden orbs at the corners. The inner chamber exuded a maidenly, rosy youthfulness, though today, incense seemed to be burning.
Lifting the curtain, he found Mu Wan Yao asleep, half her fair face buried beneath the quilt, revealing only a milky-white forehead. The light from the parted curtains disturbed her; she clutched the bedding and slowly emerged. Her dark, limpid eyes and delicate, charming nose came into view.
Yan Shisheng sat by the bed, reaching out to help her up. His voice was gentler than usual: "Yaoyao, awake so early today? Did you sleep well last night? Time for your medicine."
Mu Wan Yao stared at him wordlessly.
As she had been like this the past two days, Yan Shisheng paid it no mind, continuing to coax her softly. The princess slowly rose from the warm bedding, seemingly stifled, her entire face flushed as he drew her into his embrace.
Yan Shisheng glanced down, seeing only her thick, dark hair and lightly upturned lashes beneath—the slight glimpse of her fair face revealed nothing of her expression.
Like magic, he produced a piece of candy from his sleeve and slipped it into her mouth as she opened it.
Mu Wan Yao was suddenly filled with candy: "..."
Her cheeks bulged.
As she prepared to rage at his impropriety, her refined upbringing prevented her from spitting it out. She could only chew the candy indignantly—it was sweet yet not cloying, with a hint of tartness...
What kind of candy was this?
Yan Shisheng scooped a spoonful of dark, concentrated medicine, aiming to feed it to her.
The lady in his arms was now fully awake; her earlier pretense had been to test what he might have done to her. Since she was long awake, Mu Wan Yao naturally refused the medicine. She murmured sadly, "So this is how you deceive a poor, sick soul into taking medicine?""
Yan Shisheng’s hand holding the medicine spoon trembled slightly.
Leaning against his shoulder and refusing the medicine, Mu Wan Yao slowly lifted her gaze, her cold anger and ambiguous lethargy simultaneously enveloping him.
She was imposing.
Had the incompletely swallowed candy not muddled her speech, Danyang Princess ought to have been even more imposing.
Yet Yan Shisheng remained calm.
He had guessed she was awake—otherwise, the maids wouldn’t have feigned composure so strenuously.
But since the princess wished to test him, he had no choice but to comply and be tested.
Yan Shisheng changed his address: "Your Highness."
A faint smile touched Mu Wan Yao’s lips. As Yan Shisheng rose to apologize, she swept her hand, overturning the medicine bowl onto the floor. The bowl shattered, medicine splattering, startling the maids outside who rushed in anxiously to plead for forgiveness.
While stepping back, Yan Shisheng’s coarse robe hem was splattered with medicine.
Yet he merely bowed in deference, not even glancing at the spill near his feet, and said cheerfully, "Seeing Your Highness awake, this humble one is finally relieved."
Mu Wan Yao slapped the bed board: "Relieved, my...!"She swallowed the last word "fart" for its impropriety. But sitting on the bed, she glared imperiously at Yan Shisheng, clearly poised to settle scores later.
Yan Shisheng spoke gently, "To be honest, I've long considered this. Though I cared for Your Highness's health, I also overstepped boundaries indirectly. I knew once Your Highness awoke, accounts would be settled. Since I could neither neglect Your Highness nor await death passively, I racked my brains and devised a method to assist Your Highness in this reckoning."
Mu Wan Yao sat disheveled on the couch, her delicate shoulders partially exposed, her jade-like neck slender, and her bosom faintly visible beneath cascading hair. Leaning forward with interest, she asked, "You have another way to solve my dilemma?"
Yan Shisheng immediately averted his eyes, refusing to look further. He said, "Punishment essentially boils down to prolonged or brief suffering. For brief suffering, Your Highness could simply run me through with a sword and end the matter. For prolonged suffering, tormenting me over several days might suffice to vent your anger."
Mu Wan Yao's gaze grew inscrutable.
She said, "Do you presume I would choose prolonged suffering?"
Mu Wan Yao laughed, "I choose brief suffering."
Yan Shisheng faltered.
From his peripheral vision, he saw her step off the couch, her snow-white bare feet touching the ground covering before her skirts settled, concealing them. She walked toward him step by step, her fragrance drifting closer until she halted before him.
A metallic "clang" signaled a drawn sword.
Yan Shisheng recalled the sword hanging near the bed curtains. Mu Wan Yao could easily unsheathe it.
He abruptly looked up at her. Sure enough, she held the drawn sword, and under his gaze, she rested its blade on his shoulder.
Mu Wan Yao drawled, "This sword was gifted by the current Crown Prince, who vowed to bear full responsibility should I kill anyone with it. I tested it earlier—it slices through dust and severs fine hairs. Far superior to Guard Fang's blade. I hung it by my bed precisely to ward off disrespectful scoundrels."
Yan Shisheng met her eyes.
Thus unfolded the battle of wits between man and woman.
Yan Shisheng said, "The Crown Prince gifted this sword out of protection, yet also as a warning. I believe Your Highness should wield it cautiously, without escalating trivial matters."
Mu Wan Yao retorted, "Calling me 'Yaoyao'—is that trivial?"
Yan Shisheng sighed, "Your Highness forced me to address you so, threatening to refuse medicine otherwise. I couldn't stand by idly—what choice did I have?"
While Yan Shisheng tensed at the sword on his shoulder, Mu Wan Yao remained relaxed. "Your words imply certainty I won't kill you. Why are you so sure?"
Yan Shisheng gazed at her.
He slowly replied, "I am indeed gambling.
"Gambling that Your Highness... pities me."
Mu Wan Yao: "..."
Yan Shisheng knew when to yield.
He grasped her wrist, removed the sword, and tossed it aside. Bowing, he pleaded, "Your Highness, spare my life. Killing me is easy, but the aftermath would be troublesome. Wouldn't it be better to grant me mercy and let me serve Your Highness through 'prolonged suffering'?"
His tone was soft, his eyes smiling—half in jest, half in genuine apology.
This attitude left Mu Wan Yao unable to sustain her anger.
Because... it was truly a minor matter.
Mu Wan Yao sternly said, "My appearance during illness..."
Yan Shisheng: "I will not breathe a word of it."
Mu Wan Yao: "And calling me 'Yaoyao'..."Yan Shisheng: "I won't dare call you that again!"
Mu Wan Yao's expression turned cold, as if angered by something, though it was unclear what. Finally, she muttered sullenly, "Then let this matter rest, but don't let it happen again."
Yan Shisheng breathed a sigh of relief.
The maids cautiously observing from outside also relaxed.
Having resolved the issue, Mu Wan Yao's mood improved considerably. She tilted her chin toward Yan Shisheng: "I plan to visit Chunhua."
Understanding her implication, Yan Shisheng immediately responded, "Then I shall accompany Your Highness. Lady Chunhua has already awakened and should be fine."
Mu Wan Yao nodded.
She declared, "I need to change clothes."
Yan Shisheng turned to leave.
Mu Wan Yao snapped, "Why are you leaving?!"
Yan Shisheng stiffened, hesitantly glancing back: "...Surely you don't expect this humble scholar to assist?"
Mu Wan Yao flared with anger, opening her mouth to retort before pressing her lips together, unable to find words. Yan Shisheng watched her with puzzled focus, waiting quietly. After a long moment, Mu Wan Yao's gaze drifted upward slightly.
She said, "The candy you gave me..."
Yan Shisheng understood.
He whispered, "Do you want more?"
Mu Wan Yao: "...No."
Yan Shisheng said nothing. He simply walked back and placed the candy-filled pouch from his sleeve on the bedside table, within Mu Wan Yao's reach. With another cupped-hand salute, he truly departed this time.
After he left, Mu Wan Yao felt for the pouch and retrieved candy beans from the well-used, rather plain pouch to eat.
It was still sweet and sour.
Mu Wan Yao sat alone in the room eating candy for a while.
Her eyes drifted toward the window, where she could faintly hear her maids concernedly asking Yan Erlang if the princess had frightened him, and Yan Shisheng's gentle replies.
Mu Wan Yao bit her candy with a scoff, mentally cursing his hypocrisy.
A man like him, so considerate in every way—too easy to like—
The sun had just risen. Chunhua sat before her house basking in the sunlight.
Liu Wenji hesitantly approached, his steps growing flustered at the sight of her pale face under the sun. After fidgeting for a long while, he stepped forward blushing and placed a grass-woven figurine on the steps.
Liu Wenji said softly, "I heard you were awake... I brought this for you to play with."
Chunhua looked up in surprise at the handsome scholar. Her fingers trembling slightly, she accepted the grass figurine. Blushing, she lowered her head without speaking.
Liu Wenji stammered, "I know you're a maid serving the princess. Someone like me, without rank, isn't worthy of you now. But please wait... after I pass the imperial examinations..."
A lazy female voice interrupted: "Wait for what?"
Chunhua immediately stood up in panic: "Your Highness!"
Liu Wenji looked over in confusion—
The young woman swaying a fan turned from the corridor, her hair styled high with dangling hairpins. Her skirt trailed the ground, silk ribbons fluttering.
Following behind her was a man in narrow-sleeved scholar's robes, hair tied simply with cloth, eyes clear and elegant. It was Yan Shisheng.
Yan Shisheng glanced at Liu Wenji, signaling him to quickly pay respects and avoid offending Danyang Princess.
But Liu Wenji was lost in thought: Why is Yan Erlang accompanying the princess?
How is Yan Erlang so familiar with the princess?
If Yan Erlang is this close to the princess, then what about him and Chunhua...
Before he could finish pondering, hurried footsteps approached. Mu Wan Yao looked over to see guards stopping someone trying to force their way through. The intruders were Yan Shisheng's eldest and third brothers.
Mu Wan Yao was astonished.
Yan Shisheng's heart stirred.Yan Dalang and Yan Sanlang arrived at their location, hastily paying their respects to the princess before announcing with complex expressions: "The provincial exam results are out... this year's quota goes to Young Master Liu, Liu Wenji."
Yan Shisheng remained silent.
Yan Dalang, unsure how to phrase it, tried hard to suppress his sympathy: "...Erlang, it's alright, we still have next year."
Yan Shisheng snapped out of his thoughts and smiled: "We should congratulate Brother Liu. Eldest Brother, Third Brother, I'm not sad."
Because this was exactly what he had anticipated.
But the atmosphere remained clouded with gloom. Aside from Liu Wenji and the princess, everyone else seemed fond of Yan Erlang, and no one appeared happy—
"Yan Erlang, it doesn't matter, you'll definitely make it to Chang'an."
"Erlang, don't be heartbroken."
"Erlang, maybe you could ask someone for help?"
The last remark came from Chunhua, hinting that Yan Shisheng should seek the princess's assistance. Yan Shisheng responded to everyone's concerns one by one, appearing quite busy.
Mu Wan Yao leaned against the corridor pillar, fanning herself as she watched them.
She truly couldn't understand why they were so distressed.
She remarked curiously: "Wasn't his failure expected? Why are you all so worried?"
The crowd felt resentful but dared not speak up.
Mu Wan Yao didn't care about any of this. She turned to Yan Shisheng: "What scent is that on you?"
Yan Shisheng: "Huh?"
Mu Wan Yao looked at him: "I want it."
Among everyone present, Mu Wan Yao was probably the only one completely unaffected by Yan Erlang's failure in the provincial exam. Yan Shisheng glanced at her helplessly, a faint smile on his lips.
OpenNovel