In February of that year, while Yan Shang was still in Chang'an preparing for the imperial examinations, the decade-long civil war among the Southern Barbarians had finally come to an end. The valiant and heroic King Ale unified the plateau, merging the various tribes of the Southern Barbarians into one.
Meng Zaishi, the King of Wuman, became a key advisor to King Ale. Though Meng Zaishi’s resentment toward King Ale may never have truly faded, King Ale’s authority as ruler left him no room for open defiance. He could only bide his time, waiting for an opportunity to turn the tables.
King Ale despised the culture of Great Wei, but having unified his nation, the backward nomadic tribes had no choice but to learn from the advanced governance of Great Wei’s monarchs. Under Meng Zaishi’s guidance, King Ale awkwardly bestowed titles of generals and meritorious officials upon his followers, vowing to lead the Southern Barbarians toward prosperity.
Yet, when he looked back at the vast territory behind him, this grand ambition could not help but feel disheartening—
The decade-long civil war had exacted a heavy toll. Though unified, the Southern Barbarians’ lands were plagued by poverty, a sparse population, neglected production, and rampant banditry.
For the Southern Barbarians, the only solution to their domestic woes was war.
To plunder through war, to sustain their people through war.
The Southern Barbarians urgently needed an external conflict to seize resources, gain wealth, and improve their dire situation. The decade of civil war had left them exhausted and overburdened, yet without war, they could not even maintain their current state.
For this reason, King Ale, who had always looked down upon Great Wei, set his sights on his powerful neighbor.
Though King Ale, a warmonger at heart, boasted boldly about confronting the vast Great Wei, he took the matter seriously. Skilled in warfare, he would not underestimate any enemy. He meticulously planned the war, consulting Meng Zaishi day and night about Great Wei’s situation, and recalled the servant who had escaped years earlier from the deceased Luo Xiu.
The details of the deal struck years ago between Luo Xiu and the now highly influential eunuch Liu Wenji of Great Wei suddenly regained significance.
And it seemed as though heaven itself favored the Southern Barbarians, seeking to save this backward nation.
A man from Great Wei named Cheng An fled thousands of miles from his homeland, disguising himself along the way as he traveled from Hexi to seek refuge in smaller states. This man had never interacted with the envoy Young Master Wei the Seventh and did not realize that the small state he had fled to, according to his map, had already been conquered and its people annihilated by the Southern Barbarians.
The Southern Barbarians’ iron hooves showed no mercy, ready to crush this insignificant man from Great Wei like an ant. With graying temples, Cheng An knelt on the ground, wailing, "You cannot kill me! I am the Grand Eunuch by His Majesty’s side. I know many secrets… I barely escaped from Liu Wenji’s clutches. I should not die here!"
At that moment, Meng Zaishi happened to be on the street, coldly observing and contemplating how to profit from the impending war. Understanding the language of Great Wei, Cheng An’s public lament caught his attention.
The tall and imposing Meng Zaishi narrowed his eyes, studying the hunched, disheveled man weeping uncontrollably on the ground. After a long while, his gaze sharpened as he recognized who this person was. A few hours later, cleaned up and presentable, Cheng An appeared in Meng Zaishi’s tent.
A few more hours passed, and Cheng An was granted an audience with King Ale.
Upon learning that Cheng An was the Grand Eunuch of Great Wei’s late emperor and the mentor of the current Grand Eunuch Liu Wenji, King Ale mocked Great Wei, saying, "Ministers kill emperors, emperors hold no authority—Great Wei is nothing more than this!"Meng Zaishi saw that this barbarian who only knew how to fight was simple-minded and hadn't grasped the opportunity for exploitation at all. He sneered inwardly, feeling even more convinced that he had a chance to replace King Ale.
Once war broke out between the Southern Barbarians and Great Wei, how could prosperous and powerful Great Wei be as easily dealt with as the five tribes of the Southern Barbarians? Although Great Wei's military strength was inferior to the Southern Barbarians, its vast territory, abundant supplies, and ample reserves were the foundation of its existence.
The stubborn and self-righteous King Ale would surely suffer greatly at the hands of Great Wei.
And this was precisely Meng Zaishi's best opportunity to replace King Ale and negotiate with Great Wei. When King Ale died, he would adopt a humble posture and pledge allegiance to Great Wei. The hypocritical and self-proclaimed benevolent Emperor of Great Wei would inevitably reward them with countless treasures to help the Southern Barbarians grow stronger... Such an opportunity could not be missed.
Meng Zaishi thus advised King Ale: "We can use this Cheng An to threaten Liu Wenji. After all, Luo Xiu is already dead. If Liu Wenji doesn't admit to treason and is truly as capable in Great Wei as Cheng An claims, the Emperor of Great Wei might actually believe him. But with Cheng An in our hands, Liu Wenji will be apprehensive.
"We need Liu Wenji to cooperate with us, doing his utmost to hinder Great Wei and make them cede their vast territory to us. This is what the people of Great Wei call 'subduing the enemy without fighting.'"
King Ale was startled, then slapped Meng Zaishi's shoulder discontentedly: "Meng Zaishi, you're good! But don't learn everything from Great Wei. Great Wei is cunning, like a sly fox. We Southern Barbarians are protected by the goddess of the high mountains, and we carry the blood of eagles in our veins. If you learn everything from the people of Great Wei, you won't resemble a true son of the Southern Barbarians anymore!"
Meng Zaishi respectfully acknowledged the admonition.
After the strategy against Great Wei was decided, Meng Zaishi left the Royal Tent where King Ale resided. Standing with arms crossed outside the tent, he thought of King Ale's contemptuous attitude toward Great Wei and curled his lips, waiting for the other to reap what he had sown.
Perhaps he had indeed learned too much from Great Wei.
He stood here like an Evil Asura, plotting a war, tirelessly leading the entire Southern Barbarians toward a devastating conflict... But the Southern Barbarians needed war; he could not stop it.
Meng Zaishi simply lifted his head to gaze at the azure sky, cloudless and clear for miles, where a black falcon soared across the heavens. This made him think once again of that princess of Great Wei—
Five or six years had passed. He already had both sons and daughters. Had she emerged from the shadows of the past?
Where was that princess now?
Had she and that young minister originally named Yan Shisheng found their resolution? If she learned of the war he was plotting, they would be enemies again, wouldn't they?
In the legends of Great Wei, every star in the sky is the embodiment of a fallen hero.
If one day, after he killed King Ale, became the Southern Barbarian King, and formed a friendly alliance with the ruler of Great Wei, he would meet Mu Wan Yao again and ask her: After he unified the Southern Barbarians, ended the chaos of war, led the Southern Barbarians to peaceful coexistence with Great Wei, and taught the Southern Barbarian people to emerge from their primitive state—would he, by then, be worthy of becoming a star in the sky?
A smile unconsciously touched Meng Zaishi's lips. He murmured Mu Wan Yao's name and scoffed: "...Little Princess."——
In the fifth month, after parting ways with Zhao Lingfei and traveling for another half month, Yan Shang and his wife arrived in Lingnan.Upon first arriving in Lingnan, local officials led the common people to pay respects to the newly appointed Governor of Guangzhou, Yan Shang. For centuries, the relationship between the central government and the regions had always been a muddled affair. Guangzhou had feared that the highest official sent by the central government might be incompetent. Now, hearing that this Governor of Guangzhou was originally from Lingnan, and upon further inquiry into Yan Erlang’s reputation in Guanzhong, everyone felt greatly reassured.
In the carriage, Mu Wan Yao was awakened by the sound of gongs and drums.
Leaning on her maid’s hand, she stepped down from the carriage, her long skirt trailing on the ground. As she descended, the pointed tips of her red shoes peeked out from beneath her skirt. The officials below, who had been gently persuaded by Yan Shang not to be overly formal, were all struck silent as they gazed at the young master’s female companion, the Eldest Princess Danyang.
Mu Wan Yao lifted her chin, radiant as peach blossoms, yet as dignified as the most splendid peonies of Chang’an, like an endless stretch of crimson clouds spreading across the sky.
She bloomed in this remote, rustic countryside, and with a casual glance, she effortlessly compelled the officials to bow their heads humbly and pay their respects to the Eldest Princess.
Mu Wan Yao tilted her chin toward her husband, who was surrounded by the officials, as if bestowing a favor upon him: "This place isn’t bad. We’ll live here from now on."
Yan Shang looked at her helplessly: "This is the government office. I only work here; I don’t live here."
Mu Wan Yao: "…"
Instantly, she flushed with anger: "If there’s no residence, then build one here! I think the environment here is quite nice, and it’s close to your office. What’s wrong with wanting to live here? Not only will I live here, but I’ll also bring your father, your elder brother and his wife, your younger brother and his wife to keep me company. Do you have any objections?"
Yan Shang smiled: "No objections. I defer to Your Highness’s decision."
Hearing the young master’s gentle voice and seemingly good temper, the officials felt relieved, thinking the Governor would be easy to get along with. However, the Eldest Princess appeared domineering and willful, likely difficult to serve.
Regardless of the officials’ private thoughts about this couple, the two settled down here. Yan Shang took over the official seal and began organizing Guangzhou’s administrative affairs. Just as Mu Wan Yao had demanded, Yan Father and the others soon moved from the countryside to the Guangzhou prefecture to live with them.
Only the third son of the Yan family was still secretly doing business in the Western Regions and not at home. Meanwhile, the youngest daughter of the Yan family, Yan Xiaozhou, was in Jiannan, which drew some quiet complaints from Yan Father. But Yan Father, being timid by nature, merely muttered a few words about why his youngest daughter wasn’t married yet and said little more.
This kind of living arrangement faintly resembled their time as neighbors with the Yan family in Chang’an, yet it was far more relaxed than the turbulent situation in the capital.
At the very least, there weren’t many ministers lining up daily to see Mu Wan Yao and Yan Shang. At the very least, the stream of carriages and horses outside their residence no longer stretched on endlessly. At the very least, Yan Shang was no longer doing the work of several officials while drawing only one salary.
Yan Shang served solely as the Governor of Guangzhou, handling his duties with ease. Moreover, perhaps because he had returned to his homeland, while Mu Wan Yao struggled to adapt to Guangzhou’s heat, Yan Shang adjusted quite well.
Mu Wan Yao had originally intended to nourish Yan Shang’s health, but after returning to Lingnan, she fell seriously ill several times. Instead, it was Yan Shang who took care of her, and he never fell ill himself.
Yet this cycle of one falling ill after the other in their married life was truly both amusing and exasperating.Yan Shang was deeply concerned that Mu Wan Yao might not adapt to the local climate, fearing she would suffer from acclimatization. Her constitution had never been robust, and seeing her listless all day, he worried that her old ailments might resurface. Meanwhile, Mu Wan Yao, aware of Yan Shang’s current poor health, constantly urged him to take his medicine.
As a result, physicians frequently came and went from their residence.
This raised eyebrows and concerns among the Yan family living next door: Yan Shang and his wife had been married for two years without any sign of a child. They dared not inquire directly but fretted nonetheless.
Fortunately, Mu Wan Yao was a princess. Though initially affected by the unfamiliar environment, her spirits lifted in the new surroundings, aided by her maids’ meticulous care and Yan Shang’s gentle attentiveness. She soon acclimated and regained her vitality. Once her energy returned, Mu Wan Yao began seeking ways to amuse herself.
This was not Chang’an, where she had to engage in daily political discussions with ministers. Correspondence from Chang’an officials arrived at most once a month, and for the most part, Mu Wan Yao had no interest in competing with Yan Shang over the duties of a mere provincial governor.
With no court affairs to occupy her mind, after a few days of melancholy, she retrieved her long-neglected konghou, guqin, and books.
She began hosting guests daily, throwing banquets and stepping out in lavish attire, radiant and elegant. The Yan residence soon echoed with refined melodies and music, leaving Yan Shang slightly dazed each time he returned home. It reminded him that his princess was, in fact, a woman of remarkable talent.
A master of both arts and music.
She simply hadn’t had the chance to showcase it before.
And once she revived her former pursuits, she made him feel utterly commonplace by comparison.
Yan Shang, somewhat abashed, tentatively asked Mu Wan Yao during his leisure time to teach him to play the qin or the konghou. He had harbored such aspirations in his youth, but worldly affairs had dampened his enthusiasm. Now, rekindling this interest, Mu Wan Yao was equally eager.
Yet she refused outright.
Yan Shang sighed helplessly, “Why won’t you teach me? Didn’t you used to instruct me before?”
They sat in the pavilion within their estate, where the summer breeze offered little relief, relying instead on ice blocks placed beneath the altar for coolness. Mu Wan Yao tilted her chin up and declared, “It’s not that I refuse to teach. If I take on a student, I am exceptionally strict. I demand a tuition fee before I agree to instruct anyone!”
Yan Shang, seated beside her on the stone bench with his usual serene composure, turned to her with a smile. “What tuition fee do you want?”
Before she could answer, he added, “I am entirely yours. What more could you possibly ask for?”
Mu Wan Yao was taken aback, then flustered. “You’re so dull! Speaking so bluntly—you’re not nearly as endearing as when you used to be shy.”
Yan Shang sighed.
Mu Wan Yao rose gracefully and approached him. The pavilion was enclosed by bamboo curtains. She wrapped her arms around his neck, lifted a knee to kneel on his lap, and insisted he hold her. The maids averted their eyes, feigning interest in the lakeside scenery, but Yan Shang was genuinely embarrassed by her antics.
His hands resting lightly on her slender waist, he gave a gentle push. “Get down now. In such a public setting, this is hardly proper.”
Mu Wan Yao shot him a sidelong glance, mocking his feigned propriety. “If you don’t hold my waist, I’ll lose my balance and fall, won’t I?”
Yan Shang replied, “How could I let you fall?”
Her eyes sparkling with mischief and charm, Mu Wan Yao murmured, “Then blame your own soft heart.”
She reached out to pinch his cheek, leaning in to study his face before remarking with satisfaction, “Your face has filled out a bit.”Yan Shang blushed, unable to suppress a smile. His laughter was gentle, and Mu Wan Yao, holding his face, felt immense fondness in her heart. Her fingers traced his brows and eyes when suddenly an idea struck her, and she exclaimed joyfully, "I know what I want as my Tuition Fee."
She pressed close to his ear, alternating between kisses and playful nips, describing what she intended to do with him.
He was utterly shocked, lifting his head to look at her, and at that moment, he felt a bit reluctant to learn...
Yan Shang stammered for a while before sighing. Mu Wan Yao beamed with delight: "Tell me, am I impressive?"
Yan Shang flushed crimson: "How would I know if you're impressive?"
Mu Wan Yao hooked her finger along his brow bone, speaking with feigned seriousness: "I meant that I've managed to put some flesh on your face—I'm so capable. What did you think I was talking about?"
Yan Shang froze, then felt ashamed. He began to reflect on whether his own thoughts were vulgar, while Mu Wan Yao, seeing this, was even more delighted, hugging and kissing him incessantly.
When Yan Father came to visit, he vaguely spotted Erlang and the princess frolicking in the pavilion across the lake. His heart swelled with comfort, thinking that perhaps the unfavorable climate in Chang'an and the tense political situation had prevented the couple from having a child. With their relationship so harmonious, after settling in Lingnan for a couple of years, they might finally have one—
After reaching some agreement with Yan Shang, Mu Wan Yao began teaching him to play the qin. She felt the Konghou was more suited for women, while the ancient qin, with its elegance, was a better match for Yan Shang. Mu Wan Yao fantasized about the day when the couple would harmonize like paired instruments, making music together.
In her youth, before the Peace Marriage, the husband she had imagined was a celestial gentleman who shared her interests, someone who could play music and read books with her.
However, once Yan Shang started learning, Mu Wan Yao was deeply dismayed.
The qin sounds emanating from the residence day after day were as unpleasant as a pig being slaughtered. Whenever Yan Erlang was on break at home, the music would linger in the air, and within a ten-li radius of the estate, no passerby dared to stop and listen.
Mu Wan Yao scolded him: "How can you be so foolish? This technique is called 'plucking'! It's not strumming! You've got it wrong again!"
Yan Shang flusteredly corrected himself.
A moment later, Mu Wan Yao berated him again, pushing him aside to demonstrate herself.
She was ferocious, her reprimands loud and sharp, but when she glanced back at Yan Shang and saw him as calm as ever—Mu Wan Yao grew even angrier: "Are you even listening to me? Why do you have no reaction? Are you not taking my words to heart at all?"
Yan Shang looked bewildered.
He said softly, "I'm always like this."
Mu Wan Yao angrily strummed the qin strings: "Show some reaction!"
Qiu Si, listening nearby, trembled with fear, thinking the princess had a terrible temper and worrying that the Imperial Son-in-Law might be so chastised that he'd give up learning. Even his placid demeanor earned him the princess's scolding...
Yet, the reprimands Yan Shang endured during the day would, by evening, make Mu Wan Yao reflect and feel ashamed of her harshness. She vowed to herself to be gentler with him the next day, even if he was tone-deaf or lacked musical talent, she would be patient and kind...
Mu Wan Yao's affection welled up in her heart, and in the intimacy of the bedchamber, she would indulge Yan Shang in every way, calling him "brother" affectionately to please him.
But the next day, the scolding and humiliation would repeat... Over six months, this became the daily routine in the residence. Why Yan Erlang, usually so intelligent, remained utterly inept at the qin became a great mystery—On New Year's Eve that year, Yan Shang and Mu Wan Yao naturally spent it at Yan Father's residence. Yan Father once again gave them large red envelopes, this time almost explicitly hinting that they should have a child.
However, Yan Father observed that both of them remained as unresponsive as clay statues, showing no reaction to his words.
Could it be that the princess dislikes children?
Yan Father noticed that the children of the eldest and third sons all enjoyed gathering around Erlang, as his gentle nature made him a favorite uncle among them. Compared to Erlang, the princess seemed somewhat indifferent toward children... though she didn't appear to particularly dislike them either.
Growing anxious, Yan Father felt he could no longer rely on subtle hints.
After the new year began, one day when Yan Shang returned from the government office before even changing his clothes, Yan Father called him over for a conversation. After hesitating for a long time, Yan Father finally asked with embarrassment: "Erlang, you and Your Highness have been married for nearly three years now—why haven't you had children? I see you have a good marital relationship, and although Your Highness sometimes has a temper, she treats you quite differently from others.
"Since your relationship is so good, why no children? Could it be... you two have some hidden ailment? You're both so young—if there is any health issue, you mustn't avoid treatment out of embarrassment. Early treatment is crucial."
Yan Shang had long anticipated this day.
When he returned to Lingnan, he had considered this possibility. Staying daily by his father's side, he knew his father would eventually raise this concern.
Yan Shang smiled bitterly.
He offered his pre-prepared answer: "Father, are you aware that my health hasn't been good these past years?"
Yan Father looked confused, then sighed. He didn't understand court affairs well and dared not ask. But he did know Erlang had returned to Lingnan under the pretext of recuperating.
Yan Shang continued: "The prison ordeal I suffered years ago left me with chronic health issues that never fully healed. When I returned here to recuperate, I secretly consulted physicians. They all said I'd have difficulty producing heirs... likely remaining childless for life."
Yan Father: "..."
He stood stunned, bewildered and shocked.
He urgently responded: "Then shouldn't you seek treatment immediately?"
Yan Shang said: "How easily can root causes from old ailments be cured?"
After a long pause, Yan Father insisted: "...You must still try."
Yan Shang sighed: "I am treating it."
Yan Father whispered: "Does your wife... does Her Highness know?"
Yan Shang replied softly: "How could I let her know?"
Yan Father grew immediately agitated: "But aren't you... aren't you deceiving Her Highness? If she learns she can't have children because of you, wouldn't she be furious? What if she decides to kill you?"
Yan Shang smiled innocently: "Our marital bond is strong—she wouldn't kill me."
Though appearing the proper gentleman, handsome as jade, his brows now carried a shadow of gloom as he said: "Nor could I bear to see her with another man, bearing another man's children. So I must keep this hidden from her. Father, please don't tell her—help me this once, won't you?"
Yan Father: "...Erlang, how could you be someone who deceives a woman like this?"
Yan Shang: "When it comes to matters of love, who can remain clear-sighted? Who can truly claim nobility and rise above worldly attachments?"Yan Father had initially intended to say more, but perhaps Yan Shang had touched upon his own concerns. With a sigh, Yan Father hesitated, unsure of how to address the matter. Torn by inner conflict, he felt deep remorse toward the princess... Ultimately siding with his son, he did not wish for the princess to abandon his son due to his inability to bear children, yet he could not condone such deception in marriage.
Thus, Yan Father avoided Mu Wan Yao.
On the rare occasions when he accidentally encountered Mu Wan Yao, he treated her exceptionally well, often looking at her with a guilt-ridden expression.
Mu Wan Yao was baffled.
Yan Father also sent many peculiar medicines to their residence. In the Lingnan region, where sorcery and witchcraft thrived, he invited numerous Wizards to the young couple’s home, creating constant chaos with chants, music, and drumming. Every time Mu Wan Yao returned to the estate and heard the various incantations, melodies, and beats, she felt disoriented and unsettled.
Mu Wan Yao encountered Yan Father in the courtyard. He spoke to her at length about needing to understand Yan Shang’s situation and added that they had wronged Your Highness. If one day Your Highness wished to divorce her husband, the Yan family would accept it.
Returning to her chambers, Mu Wan Yao saw Yan Shang once again drinking the strange, pungent medicinal brew his father had procured for him.
He frowned, sighing as he drank, and Mu Wan Yao’s heart ached at the sight.
She said, “Has your father grown old? Why has he been so confused lately? Sending all sorts of people to our home, forcing you to drink these bizarre concoctions… Is he losing his mind? But he’s not even that old.”
Yan Shang listened as Mu Wan Yao vented about how his father had been tormenting her recently—how she wanted to lose her temper but felt too embarrassed to do so. Mu Wan Yao fumed, “He always looks at me with such guilt! Second Brother Yan, did you play some trick again? Why are you laughing?”
Mu Wan Yao added, “He even told me to divorce my husband!”
Yan Shang joked, “Perhaps my father discovered I’ve been having an affair behind your back and is afraid you’ll divorce me?”
Mu Wan Yao was taken aback, then replied earnestly, “No, you wouldn’t. Second Brother Yan would never do such a thing.”
Yan Shang said, “How do you know I wouldn’t? All men are the same.”
Over the past year in Lingnan, his health had improved significantly, and his spirits had lifted. He enjoyed bantering with her, a sign that he was growing more relaxed and comfortable in her presence—something Mu Wan Yao naturally cherished.
But Mu Wan Yao argued back seriously, “Second Brother Yan would never treat me that way. Even if every other man in the world would, Second Brother Yan wouldn’t. I refuse to believe it.”
Yan Shang gazed at her, moved by her unwavering trust in him. His heart trembled slightly as he set down the medicine bowl and said hoarsely, “Come here, Yao Yao. I want to hold you.”
Mu Wan Yao clasped her hands behind her back and refused to approach, putting on the full airs of a princess.
Yan Shang sighed in resignation. “If you come here, I’ll tell you why my father has been acting this way.”
OpenNovel