The sound of rain nearly drowned out the voices of the servants outside.
Yet fragmented words still drifted into the carriage, leaving Yan Shang feeling as though drenched in icy water.
Leaning quietly against the carriage wall, he clearly overheard the conversation between the outsider and the princess seated beside him—
Danyang Princess was furious, demanding, "Wasn't the Tanhua Scholar designated by the Ministry of Personnel themselves? Why was he replaced at the last moment? Who did this?"
The servant replied, "It was changed on the orders of Luling Grand Princess. The Minister of Personnel couldn't defy the Grand Princess, so he directly submitted the revised list to the Secretariat. It was only because Your Highness had previously informed the Crown Prince that His Highness noticed something amiss upon seeing the list and withheld his approval. But after all, she is the Grand Princess, and the Crown Prince said that as a junior, one must show some respect to elders."
Mu Wan Yao's fingers dug into the carriage window frame, her tone icy: "Then who did my aunt replace the Tanhua Scholar with?"
The servant: "A common scholar named Feng Xianyu. This is already his fourth year taking the imperial exams. He has curried favor with the Grand Princess—Your Highness would be wise not to provoke him."
Having conveyed all necessary information, the servant bowed and retreated under his umbrella.
With a loud slam.
Mu Wan Yao angrily shut the carriage window. Her carriage remained stationary at the palace gates, but the mounted attendants and maidservants nearby dared not disturb Her Highness by asking their next destination.
Sitting across from her, Yan Shang observed the fierce resentment etched between Mu Wan Yao's brows, casting a stern, chilling pallor over her beautiful features.
Her chest heaved with rage as she violently swept all teacups from the small carriage table. With heavy thuds, the vessels landed on the cushioned carriage floor—unbroken, yet no one moved to retrieve them.
Mu Wan Yao fumed: "What Feng Xianyu? I've never even heard of him..."
Yan Shang looked at her: "I have."
Mu Wan Yao started, turning to him.
Yan Shang said: "When I first entered the Imperial Academy, I was looked down upon by scions of great noble families. Feng Xianyu once intervened on my behalf. After some interactions, we became friends, and I came to know him quite well. I never imagined he could gain the favor of the Grand Princess and obtain such an opportunity."
Mu Wan Yao: "..."
She stared incredulously: "You call him a friend? What kind of friend steals what rightfully belongs to you? I understand my aunt far better than you—she doesn't engage in politics, she merely enjoys keeping handsome young men around. Do you think there's any path for your 'friend' to win my aunt's favor besides selling himself?"
"Do you believe all princesses are as reasonable as I am?"
Yan Shang watched her, remaining silent.
After venting her fury for a long while, Mu Wan Yao remained seething. She spent more time cursing her aunt, but when she looked over, she saw Yan Shang sitting indifferently across from her—neither angered nor comforting, simply listening to her rage.
Mu Wan Yao glared at him: "Your hard-earned honor has been stolen, and you have no reaction at all? Nothing to say?"
Her cold eyes sharp as ice: "With me, if you don't ask, I will never intervene on anyone's behalf."
Yan Shang remained silent.
Only when Mu Wan Yao was about to direct her wrath at him did he slowly say: "At this stage of the matter, what does Your Highness believe I could possibly say?"
Mu Wan Yao stared, speechless: "..."Yan Shang gazed at her: "Should I really encourage Your Highness to stand up for me? Would you, Your Highness? Offend the Eldest Princess for my sake, make an enemy of Her Highness? I'm but a commoner—should I put on a heartbroken act, beg Your Highness to confront the Eldest Princess on my behalf?"
Outside, rain tapped against the window. As his calm eyes fixed on her, Mu Wan Yao's heart abruptly tightened, leaving her momentarily dazed.
Her rising anger subsided slightly at this.
Indeed.
What was Yan Shang to her?
Just a country bumpkin she'd met in Lingnan.
She had been moved by him briefly, but both she and Yan Shang knew it was merely the circumstances—nothing substantial.
After leaving Lingnan, she had coldly cut ties, and he never brought up the past. They maintained an unspoken understanding neither wished to break.
Burdened with her own troubles, how could Mu Wan Yao possibly stand up for some commoner she'd known for only a few days? Perhaps she appreciated Yan Shang in some ways... but faced with power, that appreciation meant little.
At this thought, Mu Wan Yao lowered her eyes, suddenly feeling ashamed.
Flustered and stifled, she muttered: "I thought you'd at least show some sorrow."
Yan Shang remained silent for a long moment before saying: "I'd rather not sway Your Highness with such emotions."
Mu Wan Yao kept her gaze downcast as he abruptly stood. Their robes brushed lightly in the cramped carriage. When he rose, the elegant scent of Jiang Zhen Xiang once again reached her nostrils... The carriage door opened, letting in a trickle of rainy mist.
Mu Wan Yao looked up to see Yan Shang preparing to disembark.
She couldn't help calling out: "Yan Shang!"
He turned back to look at her.
After a moment of silence, their eyes met—tense, suppressed emotions flowing between their locked gazes. Like volcanoes simmering beneath icebergs, they strained to contain the eruption.
Mu Wan Yao slowly said: "How do you know I wouldn't confront the Eldest Princess for you, to demand an explanation on your behalf?"
Yan Shang: "Is that so."
He replied: "Even if Your Highness intended to, I would stop you."
Mu Wan Yao stared at him in surprise.
He smiled faintly, his voice gentle: "Have you considered, Your Highness? The Crown Prince stationed people here to inform you—just before the official announcement—about the last-minute quota change precisely to provoke you into confronting the Eldest Princess. I don't know what internal gains are at stake, but you're being pushed forward as the Crown Prince's pawn.
"If you clash with the Eldest Princess—and given your strong-willed nature—you'd inevitably engage in a bitter struggle. Should this year's imperial examination scandal erupt, the Ministry of Personnel would bear responsibility. When the matter eventually reaches His Majesty, both you and the Eldest Princess might receive equal blame. Perhaps Feng Xianyu and I could still be admitted, but what would the Crown Prince truly gain from this?"
Mu Wan Yao followed his reasoning.
Knowing far more about the court intrigues, she immediately grasped his point: "...Perhaps the Crown Prince's aim is to wrest control of the Ministry of Personnel from Third Brother. Indeed, the Crown Prince already holds significant power, but he's never accepted Qin Wang's control over official appointments. These past months, he's been testing Third Brother through subtle maneuvers."
Growing more assured as she spoke, she concluded: "In the end, perhaps both the Eldest Princess and I would lose—with the Crown Prince as the sole victor."
Yan Shang nodded silently.Mu Wan Yao asked, "But what does this have to do with you? If I stand up for you and you can reclaim what originally belonged to you, why are you stopping me?"
Yan Shang had already descended from the carriage.
Beside him, Chunhua thoughtfully held up an umbrella for him. Standing in the rain, he bowed toward the princess's carriage and said, "Because I cannot bear the great favor of Your Highness standing up for me."
He raised his eyes in the curtain of rain, his robes quickly dampened by the water: "The kindness of Your Highness helping me with the submission of literary works, I can still repay. But how could I ever repay the favor of Your Highness offending the Eldest Princess on my behalf? Your Highness's grace is too great—I could only repay it with my death, with no other way."
Mu Wan Yao fell silent.
Actually, there was another way to repay.
Just as Feng Xianyu had devoted himself to the Luling Grand Princess, Yan Shang could offer himself in return.
Yet Yan Shang's words made it clear he was not that kind of person. Such immense favor made him retreat; he was unwilling to repay even with death... let alone anything else.
Mu Wan Yao wiped all expression from her face.
Sitting motionless in the carriage, she found even looking at him repulsive.
She closed her eyes and said angrily, "Get lost!"
The carriage door closed—
Chunhua sympathetically handed the umbrella to Yan Shang, watching as he trudged through the rain, step by step, making his way back to Yongshou Temple.
The young man's figure appeared solitary, his sleeves soaked, looking utterly pitiful.
Chunhua sighed, a sense of bewilderment rising in her heart.
Young Master Liu was like this, Yan Erlang was like this, and Feng Xianyu had turned against Yan Erlang for an official position... Was the path upward truly so difficult?
It was afternoon by the time Yan Shang returned to Yongshou Temple. He had slipped and fallen in the mud along the way, and by the time he reached his quarters, he was in a sorry state.
Looking down at his soiled clothes, Yan Shang sighed.
After a moment, he changed into fresh garments and sat at his desk. He remained there dazed for a long while before wiping his face and forcing himself to calm down.
He spread out the scrolls and paper on his desk and began practicing calligraphy, treating it as a way to cultivate his character. After coming to Chang'an, he had learned this method when befriending Young Master Wei the Seventh.
The scions of noble families all possessed excellent handwriting. Young Master Wei the Seventh had told him that there was no other way to achieve good penmanship except through daily practice. Common-born scholars might envy those from noble families, but in terms of talent and learning, the noble scions indeed advanced further.
From then on, Yan Shang had persisted in practicing calligraphy every day. Even when in low spirits, he would unroll paper and practice writing.
Now, dipping his brush in thick ink, after repeatedly writing several large characters, his emotions gradually settled, allowing him to think clearly about certain matters.
He spread out a fresh sheet of paper and, after a long silence, wrote the three characters "Feng Xianyu" on it.
Then he began documenting what kind of person the Feng Xianyu he knew was—his ancestral hometown, his family background, how long he had been in Chang'an, his usual temperament, and whom he associated with... Had Feng Xianyu been present, he would have been horrified.
For Yan Shang seemed to be analyzing him, and with remarkable accuracy.
After filling an entire sheet with details of Feng Xianyu's life, Yan Shang unrolled another piece of paper and began listing the friends he had made since arriving in Chang'an—those he met directly, through his teacher, or through fellow disciples... The entire network laid out was somewhat alarming.
For within its intricate connections, it seemed there truly were links that could reach the Eldest Princess or other powerful figures in high positions.To an outsider, it would be unimaginable that Yan Shang, having been in Chang'an for just over a month, had already made so many friends.
His talent for forging friendships was no empty boast. Half a month earlier, Mu Wan Yao had mockingly called him a "busy man" precisely because he never focused solely on the Danyang Princess Residence.
He had far too many friends to attend to, each requiring his attention.
Now, with this network laid out before him, Yan Shang threw down his brush and stared at the paper filled with names, feeling a wave of frustration.
His starting point was simply too low, and time too short. Despite having made so many connections, none could offer much help at this critical moment.
Yan Shang crumpled all the papers into a ball and tossed them aside for the time being.
Leaning against the antique shelf, he wearily covered his face with his sleeve and closed his eyes to rest.
He couldn't help but imagine how much simpler things would be if the friends he knew were all at the level of the Danyang Princess...—
Mu Wan Yao stormed back to the Princess Residence and spent the entire afternoon fuming.
Perhaps due to her foul mood or utter despondency, she went to bed as soon as darkness fell.
Seething with indignation and feeling humiliated by the Eldest Princess, Mu Wan Yao had suppressed her anger all day, hoping sleep would bring relief. Instead, she dreamed of an incident from her two years in the Peace Marriage—
"Husband! Husband!" Between the tents of the Uman tribal king's court, the young Great Wei princess stumbled frantically after a tall, impatient man.
She fell to the ground, surrounded by Black Barbarians who watched her with mocking eyes, interspersed with a few pitying glances.
The sixteen-year-old Mu Wan Yao sat on the ground, looking up to see the Uman King hesitantly pause. Seizing the opportunity, she grabbed his sleeve and pleaded, "Nong Hua has been my maid since childhood! Husband, please return her to me. I... I can help you find other beauties..."
The Uman King, in his thirties or forties, stood tall and imposing, covered in tattoos like a mighty lion. He laughed scornfully at his naive wife and said, "I'm only asking for one of your maids, and you want to trade? What's the difference if it's not the same person?"
He dismissed her casually, "I'll return your maid to you tomorrow."
Mu Wan Yao stared blankly.
In the distance, two burly Black Barbarians dragged the young, beautiful maid, who struggled and cried out, "Your Highness, save me—"
Mustering her courage, Mu Wan Yao pleaded again, "No. Husband, give her back now. Tomorrow won't do... half an hour, just half an hour..."
She begged desperately, her sleeves dragging through the dirt, leaving dark stains.
Before the Peace Marriage, she had been nothing but a delicate little princess. After the marriage, she remained a puppet to be manipulated.
She was too fragile, utterly powerless against the formidable Uman King... but not her maid!
Absolutely not!
Surrounded by onlookers, the humiliation was unbearable. Suddenly, the young princess kneeling on the ground drew a dagger from her sleeve and swung it at the somewhat startled Uman King...
"Your Highness! Your Highness!"
She had had enough! She wanted to kill this husband! But she was too weak, and with all her strength, she only managed to wound his arm. After that, she was imprisoned. Apart from meager rations, the Black Barbarians said the Uman King was furious and would not spare her.
"Let me out! Let me out!" Mu Wan Yao wept, pounding on the door.Two days later, Uman King's eldest son Meng Zaishi cracked open a window and spoke to her with some sympathy: "That maid of yours is already dead. Stop crying, it's useless."
Meng Zaishi sighed: "Princess, you are too weak. If you cannot become stronger, everyone around you will disappear like this."
The girl confined in the room, sitting against the wall with her knees drawn up, lifted her head and gazed blankly at the young Uman prince speaking to her through the window crack. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes stained with mud, and her mind kept echoing the young man's sympathetic voice—
"That maid of yours is already dead."
Actually, some people had died before, and more would die later. But only Nong Hua's death made Mu Wan Yao instantly collapse, making her wonder what she had done wrong, why she couldn't even protect those close to her...
As a princess of Great Wei, she should have been high above. It wouldn't matter if she was somewhat delicate, someone would protect her. Yet here among the Black Barbarians, these savages didn't take her seriously at all... Their humiliation and torment continued day after day, year after year...
Meng Zaishi's voice sounded again: "You must become stronger."
Through the window, he whistled and reached out his hand to her, smiling ambiguously: "How about cooperating with me, Princess?"—
Mu Wan Yao suddenly woke from her dream, opening her eyes to find her heart still pounding violently, her entire face burning hot.
Pressing her hand against her chest, she abruptly lowered her brows and made a resolution.
Mu Wan Yao stepped barefoot from her bed and called to the maid outside: "Come with me to the Eldest Princess' residence! I absolutely cannot let this go like this!"
"She can fight for other things for her Feng Lang, but she cannot touch my people!"
Lights gradually brightened in the Princess Residence as maid Chunhua and attendant Fang Tong woke up. Chunhua, while attending to the princess, grew frightened knowing the princess intended to confront the Eldest Princess. When the princess called her into the room, she quickly instructed Fang Tong to absolutely prevent the princess from doing anything foolish—
At Yongshou Temple, rain pushed the window slightly ajar, the curtain of rain drifting indoors awakening Yan Shang who had been dozing lightly at his desk.
Yan Shang rubbed his forehead and rose to close the window. His hand resting on the window frame, he suddenly stilled upon seeing Guard Fang approaching through the cold night's heavy rain.
The two gazed at each other across the window.
Fang Tong bowed with clasped hands and said anxiously: "Yan Erlang, this matter started because of you—you cannot stand by and do nothing!" For your sake, our princess is going to settle accounts with the Eldest Princess... There are still a few hours until dawn, she wants to change the selection back!"
Yan Shang's eyes showed some bewilderment.
Fang Tong called out: "Yan Er, Yan Erlang? You wouldn't let our princess offend someone she shouldn't offend for your sake, would you?"
Yan Shang snapped back to attention and quickly said: "Of course not!"
Fang Tong breathed a sigh of relief as Yan Shang had already opened the door: "Guard Fang, did you come on horseback? Lend me your horse!"—
The night rain pattered softly.
The lantern hanging before the carriage swayed in the rain curtain, its multiple flames silent in the dark night, with only the sound of carriage wheels clattering audible.
When the carriage arrived outside Luling Grand Princess' palace complex, Chunhua held an umbrella as Mu Wan Yao, dressed in magnificent robes, descended from the carriage and stood outside the complex, looking up at this residence she rarely visited. The guards at the entrance also watched with puzzlement as Danyang Princess arrived, wondering why the princess was visiting so late at night.Her expression was cold and detached. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her foot to ascend the steps when, from behind her in the thick fog and heavy rain, came the thunderous sound of hooves pounding against the ground. A clear, urgent voice called out from atop a horse—
"Your Highness!"
Mu Wan Yao remained focused, never paying attention to irrelevant matters. Though Chunhua turned to look back, she merely gathered her skirts and stepped onto the stairs.
Just as she was about to ask the guards to announce her arrival, a hand reached from behind and seized her wrist. The person behind her was too strong, and Mu Wan Yao, standing on the steps, stumbled and was pulled around to face him.
Her nose bumped against the damp chest of the gentleman.
His heart was beating fiercely. As she swayed, about to fall, he caught her by the shoulders.
On that single step, the two of them appeared as if embracing in front of the Princess Residence.
Standing on the step, Mu Wan Yao met Yan Shang’s calm yet relieved gaze. His eyes held a mix of complexity, confusion, and a scrutiny as though he didn’t recognize her.
And within them, scattered sparks gradually began to glow.
In the night rain, his arm around her shoulder, he slowly leaned down.
He pressed close to her ear and whispered gently, "I know what you intend to do. I have a better way—come with me."
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