Tigers Sniff the Rose

A refreshing breeze brushed against the window, and the verdant mountains outside the screen shimmered like emerald droplets.

Seated by the window, Mu Wan Yao added incense to the golden duck-shaped censer placed on the table while her maids held a comb, preparing to style her hair.

She was waiting for the court session to conclude.

A banquet had been prepared at the residence, inviting several officials who had once served under Danyang Princess. Among them, the highest-ranking was now the Vice Minister of Revenue, second only to the Minister of Revenue within the ministry.

After the marriage rejection incident, Mu Wan Yao had come to a clear realization. Merely balancing between the Crown Prince and the Li family was insufficient—she needed to strengthen her own influence and increase her bargaining power.

Only a three-way stalemate could secure her position.

Otherwise, she would merely be paving the way for others.

Mu Wan Yao contemplated silently: to discreetly win over court officials for her own use, the simplest approach was to start by rallying those who had once served in her princess residence. Due to the scholars' reverence for loyalty and integrity, these individuals would always regard her as their former master, as long as she remained their sovereign.

This was beyond doubt—those who betrayed their masters would be scorned. At the very least, Mu Wan Yao knew that even if these officials chose new allegiances, they would not abandon her entirely.

Through them, she intended to draw in more supporters and gain greater influence in court affairs.

Much like how the Crown Prince, whose backing was not particularly strong, operated on a daily basis.

Mu Wan Yao was not a naturally shrewd or politically astute individual. On the contrary, she was once naive and remained far from clever. Many lessons, she had to learn through hardship before understanding.

Her mother had been highly skilled in political maneuvering, but while her parents were alive, they doted on her so much that she never had any exposure to politics.

Later, in the land of the Black Barbarians, those savages were crude and uncivilized—what could they possibly teach her? Meng Zaishi was ambitious, but their relationship was one of mutual benefit and assistance. Her understanding of politics remained shallow.

Now back in Chang'an, she was still fumbling her way through, learning everything from scratch. With no one to guide her, she picked herself up after every stumble and started over. Bit by bit, she pondered and reflected, believing she would eventually grasp these intricacies... After all, by following the Crown Prince, she could secretly learn from his methods.

She didn’t need to become immensely influential—only enough to restrain both the Crown Prince and the Li family, ensuring neither could push her too far.

No one could predict how the future political landscape would shift; she could only take one step at a time.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, Mu Wan Yao continued tending to the incense without pause.

She removed the mica separator, took the incense tongs, and brushed away the ash in the censer that resembled frost or snow. Then, she pierced delicate holes into the incense ash, waiting for the embers to reignite.

Chunhua asked, "Your Highness, which incense would you like to use?"

Mu Wan Yao replied, "Jiangzhen incense."

She was thinking of the scent on Yan Shang. Initially, she had found the fragrance from Lingnan novel—it smelled like orchids and musk, clear and mellow—but how could it compare to the long-lasting elegance of the palace’s ambergris?

Yet, that scent suited Yan Shang quite well.

Feeling somewhat competitive, Mu Wan Yao decided to blend her own incense, aiming to replicate the Jiangzhen fragrance Yan Shang used. By smelling it frequently, she hoped to grow accustomed and no longer find his scent appealing.

Setting down the incense tongs, she wiped her hands with a handkerchief and carefully placed the mica piece, adorned with exquisite ice-patterned veins, back over the incense ash.Chunhua promptly stepped forward, holding an incense box containing fragrant cakes. Mu Wan Yao picked up a piece of sandalwood from the silver box. As the incense rolled onto the mica sheet, she stirred the clean charcoal to warm it, waiting for the fragrance to grow richer.

Yet Mu Wan Yao sighed and gestured for the incense burner to be moved farther away.

While having a maid take the burner away, Chunhua asked in confusion, "Does Your Highness not like this incense?"

Mu Wan Yao replied, "It doesn’t smell as good as I imagined. It’s not as pleasant as the scent on a person."

Chunhua fell silent for a moment, guessing that the princess was referring to Yan Erlang, and refrained from saying more.

How could she encourage the princess to summon Yan Erlang?

What kind of impression would that give?

The princess’s best options were either Yang Sanlang or Young Master Wei the Seventh. Constantly mingling with Yan Erlang... was not beneficial for the princess’s future. The princess knew this herself, so as a maid, Chunhua shouldn’t merely aim to please her by encouraging her down an unfavorable path.

Mu Wan Yao rested her chin in her hand, feeling gloomy, and asked again for the time, wondering when the invited court officials would arrive.

As the time drew near, Mu Wan Yao signaled the maids to prepare the banquet dishes and arrange for singers and dancers. She intended to send wine and beauties as gifts when the officials departed, aiming to be a benevolent ruler who cared for her subordinates.

During this waiting period, Mu Wan Yao chatted idly with Chunhua. She noticed her maid seemed downcast, as if veiled in sorrow.

Pausing, Mu Wan Yao asked, "Haven’t you been meeting with Liu Wenji lately?"

Chunhua was taken aback, then fell silent, realizing that her frequent interactions with Liu Wenji had not gone unnoticed by Her Highness. She shook her head softly and said, "This servant has encountered some issues with Young Master Liu and needs time to think."

Mu Wan Yao snorted, "Then you’d better think quickly. He comes to the Princess Residence every day hoping to see you, only to be turned away. If he persists a few more days, rumors might spread throughout Chang’an that I keep male favorites."

Chunhua bowed her head in shame, "This servant has troubled Your Highness."

Mu Wan Yao waved it off casually, "You people should handle your own affairs. I won’t interfere or offer advice. I can’t even sort out my own life, so I won’t be giving you any guidance.

"But all of you listen carefully. If any of you wish to marry from my Princess Residence, I forbid anyone to become a concubine—it would lower my standing. When the time comes for you to leave, I will grant each of you ten gold pieces, showing no favoritism.

"As for the guards, they tend to have higher expectations for marriage. Let it be twenty gold pieces, then."

The maids and attendants expressed their delighted thanks, praising Her Highness for her generosity. After all, for ordinary families, ten gold pieces could ensure a comfortable life.

While casually discussing this, Chunhua stepped out briefly and returned with two letters. One was for Chunhua herself, which Mu Wan Yao naturally had no interest in reading. The other was an invitation, simple and elegant, with a pressed orchid on the back of the card.

Its fragrance was exceptionally refined.

Seeing the invitation, Mu Wan Yao felt a slight stir in her heart.

She didn’t look at it herself, instead instructing Chunhua to read what the invitation said. Chunhua read it and smiled, "Your Highness, for this year’s Buddha’s Birthday celebration to welcome the Buddha’s relic, Yan Erlang has invited you to view the relic together."

Mu Wan Yao was momentarily stunned, but her expression remained unchanged. She merely tilted her head to gaze out the window, preventing her maids from detecting her true feelings or catching sight of the smile she couldn’t suppress.Since that night when she and Yan Shang had mutually rejected each other, they hadn't seen each other again. She felt somewhat awkward, yet also thought Yan Shang wasn't that important - there was no need for her to seek him out actively.

Yet when he immersed himself in studies and stopped visiting her, Mu Wan Yao couldn't help feeling displeased.

Now then...

Mu Wan Yao remarked: "Welcoming the Buddha's relics on Buddha's Birthday? He certainly seems to be in good spirits."

Chunhua smiled: "Then will Your Highness accept the invitation?"

Mu Wan Yao said: "That depends on whether I have time that day."

Chunhua mentally arranged Her Highness's schedule, deliberately keeping Buddha's Birthday free.

The Princess and Yan Erlang hadn't met for over half a month now. During these weeks, the Princess had been constantly dealing with court officials, and whenever she was in a bad mood, she would vent her anger on the household staff. The entire Princess Residence had been walking on eggshells for weeks, so now that there was a chance to breathe easier, everyone prayed that Yan Erlang could improve Their Highness's mood—

Setting aside how Mu Wan Yao was handling affairs with court officials, Yan Shang and Wei Shu, after passing the imperial examinations, had been assigned by the central government to await appointment at the Institute for the Advancement of Literature.

"Awaiting appointment" meant they currently held no official position but could receive one at any time, waiting for the court's arrangement. Although these candidates weren't formal officials, the court provided them with a modest stipend to cover basic expenses.

This stipend was merely nominal—the amount was extremely low, completely insufficient for the daily social interactions and expenses of successful examination candidates. No one took this stipend seriously.

Even for Yan Shang, this stipend was better than nothing. The substantial funds he had been spending so far were all sent by his father and elder brother from Lingnan, which made him quite ashamed. He could only endure this situation, hoping that once he officially became an official, this financial difficulty would be resolved—

Because in Great Wei's official system, especially for capital officials in Chang'an, the salaries were quite substantial.

Great Wei's preferential treatment and care for officials far surpassed that of other dynasties.

For Yan Shang, the greatest advantage of awaiting appointment at the Institute for the Advancement of Literature was the exceptional convenience for reading, far better than before. Books he couldn't access in Lingnan, or even at the Imperial Academy and National University, were all collected in the Institute.

The Institute gathered renowned scholars from across the land, housing over two hundred thousand volumes—making it the most extensive collection of books in the empire.

After discussing with Wei Shu, Yan Shang learned they currently had three paths to secure official positions—

First, wait for court summons, which could take who knows how long;

Second, Danyang Princess could directly bring them to audience with the Emperor to request official positions, but Mu Wan Yao was highly unlikely to do this, and Yan Shang didn't want to take this path either;

Third, take examinations.

To address the problems arising from examination graduates waiting for appointments, Great Wei established specialized subject selections held every October. The subjects included extensive learning and literary composition, outstanding judgment in documents, three ritual classics, three historical classics, three commentary classics, five classics, nine classics, Kaiyuan ritual codes, and mastery of legal statutes. Those who excelled in these examinations could immediately enter official service regardless of how long they had held their graduate status.

These subject examinations were far more difficult than the regular imperial examinations.

While the imperial examinations selected graduates from thousands of ordinary candidates, the subject examinations gathered all remaining jinshi from previous years to compete together.

Upon further inquiry, Yan Shang understood that these numerous subjects, as their names suggested, tested comprehensive talent—not just poetry and composition. While this relieved him from competing in his weak areas, it plunged him into new worries.

Since he was poor at poetry and composition, his overall literary talent... was likely even worse.Since most of these scholars came from noble families with very few from humble backgrounds, they had been exposed to books and experiences far beyond Yan Shang's reach since childhood. If even they couldn't pass the exam, how could someone like Yan Shang from a common family hope to succeed?

Nevertheless, this remained the best path forward for now.

After consulting with his mentor, Yan Shang decided to take the Erudite and Eloquent Examination. The reason was simple: among all the imperial examinations, this one held the highest prestige. Those who passed would not only secure official positions directly but also receive higher-ranking appointments than other candidates.

Wei Shu, coming from a family of profound scholarly tradition, naturally looked down upon other options and chose the Erudite and Eloquent Examination without hesitation. After much deliberation, Yan Shang also selected this path. His current task was to dedicate more time to studying than others, ensuring that his six months at the Institute for the Advancement of Literature would not be wasted.

Before dawn, Yan Shang left his modest rented room at Yongshou Temple and walked directly to the Institute. He timed it perfectly—the Institute would open just as he arrived.

However, there was one persistent annoyance...

As Yan Shang exited through the temple's back gate into the alley, he spotted three or four servants peeking around corners and let out a long sigh. Sure enough, the moment they saw him, the servants scattered and vanished. Shortly after, as he walked through the alley, a young maiden on horseback began following him.

It was Zhao Wuniang, Zhao Lingfei.

She came daily to intercept him.

Zhao Lingfei had initially tried to present herself as a refined young lady from a noble family, but she soon realized that such demure shyness was no match for Yan Shang's eloquence. Abandoning pretense, she now confronted him with her true temperament.

For instance, at this moment, as Yan Shang walked ahead,

Zhao Lingfei followed on horseback, calling out, "Yan Erlang, don't be disheartened. Even though those who wanted to marry you changed their minds after the princess rejected the proposal, I'm still here! They're blind not to see your worth. Not everyone in Chang'an lacks discernment. I know how exceptional you are, so you mustn't lose heart."

Yan Shang: "..."

He replied helplessly, "Do I appear stricken to you, my lady?"

Zhao Lingfei pursed her lips into a smile. "I'm just encouraging you! My father is the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy. If you encounter any difficulties in your studies, you can always seek my help. I see great talent in you, Erlang."

Yan Shang spoke gently, "My lady, I've told you many times—I truly have no plans to marry for now..."

Zhao Lingfei: "That's alright. Even if we can't be husband and wife, we can still be friends."

Yan Shang was left speechless.

This was the first time he had encountered such a persistent, thick-skinned, and cheerfully relentless young woman. No matter how many times he refused, Zhao Lingfei remained undeterred, reasoning that since he wasn't married yet, she could at least be his friend.

But her demeanor was hardly that of a mere friend—

She seemed ready to drag him to the altar at any moment.

Yan Shang said, "Aren't you afraid such behavior will make gentlemen resent you, my lady?"

Zhao Lingfei looked puzzled. "But you have such a gentle temperament, and I've never offended you. Why would you resent me?"

Leaning forward on her horse, she asked with concern, "Do you resent me?"Yan Shang was taken aback, turning his head to glance at her. It was truly difficult to dislike a lady so spirited and amiable. Zhao Lingfei knew exactly how to maintain the right distance—neither pressing too close to make Yan Shang uncomfortable, nor staying so far that he would forget her.

Yan Shang said softly, "I do not dislike you, but neither do I harbor affection for you. I truly... truly have no heart for such matters. What will it take for you to give up?"

Zhao Lingfei replied, "The road is wide and open to the sky; we are merely traveling the same path for a while. You walk your way, I ride my horse—you need not concern yourself with me."

Yan Shang said, "There are many outstanding young men in this world. I could introduce you to some..."

Zhao Lingfei answered, "But I only find you pleasing."

She mused thoughtfully, "At first, I only thought you were handsome, like an embroidered pillow. But after knowing you for so long, I’ve discovered your temper is gentle, your demeanor noble, and you have countless friends—you seem to know everyone you meet. I feel I still don’t understand you fully; you might be even better than what I’ve seen.

"I’m not a fool. Seeing how exceptional you are, my heart is deeply fond of you. How could I bear to give up?"

Yan Shang fell silent.

This... was truly putting him in a difficult position.

He was genuinely afraid of Zhao Lingfei, yet he couldn’t bring himself to speak harshly to a maiden who merely admired him... Yan Shang could only think of other ways—

Time arrived at the eighth day of the fourth month, the Buddha’s Birthday.

The Buddha’s relics were transported from India to Chang’an, with various princes personally welcoming them at Anfu Tower. The streets and ancient temples were bustling and lively, filled with onlooking commoners.

The people of Chang’an crafted dragon-horse and cloud-phoenix shapes from colored silk, and fashioned monks, buddhas, and deities from paper and bamboo. The spectacle was grand, with banners, flowers, and canopies lining over twenty li, crowds jostling shoulder to shoulder in an endless stream.

This was only on the main streets of Chang’an. The Buddha’s relics would rotate among the city’s temples, openly allowing the public to pay homage today. To welcome the relics, over ten thousand incense altars were erected across Chang’an’s temples. Beneath the ancient eaves, monks chanted sutras while scholars and ladies gazed in reverence.

Solemn and dignified.

A great delight.

When Yan Shang invited Mu Wan Yao to watch the Buddha’s relics enter the temple, he had inquired with the servants at the Princess Residence and learned that during her time in Chang’an, Mu Wan Yao visited the Great Wei’s most famous and largest temple, Daci’an Temple, every year.

Mu Wan Yao sponsored Buddha lamps at Daci’an Temple. Whenever she was in Chang’an, she would almost always visit to see her sponsored lamps and add incense offerings.

It stood to reason that now that Danyang Princess had returned to Chang’an, she would certainly go to Daci’an Temple on this Buddha’s Birthday.

Yan Shang went to Daci’an Temple early to await the princess. The temple was noisy and bustling today, voices clamoring incessantly. Even a princess couldn’t have the area cleared for fear of commoners offending the nobility. Thus, it was highly likely Mu Wan Yao was traveling incognito today.

Yan Shang scanned the crowd for ladies.

He thought, Mu Wan Yao shone as brightly as a pearl. Even in plain clothes among the masses, he would surely recognize her at a glance.

Yan Shang watched all morning... until his eyes grew sore, but he still didn’t see Mu Wan Yao.

Yan Shang was slightly stunned, thinking Mu Wan Yao had forgotten their arrangement. After all, he had only sent an invitation—she neither agreed nor refused. His assumption that she would come was entirely based on her usual temperament. If she didn’t refuse, it should mean consent.

But what if she had matters to attend to today and couldn’t come?Yan Shang's heart was filled with an indescribable mix of anxiety and disappointment. He had waited an additional two hours that afternoon when suddenly, a flash of insight struck him—a possibility that made his heart pound so fiercely it nearly leaped from his chest.

Against the flow of the crowd, Yan Shang hurried back to Yongshou Temple where he was staying, retracing the same search process he had used at Daci'an Temple. This time, beneath an incense burner, he spotted a young lady standing among others with hands pressed together, gazing up at the eminent monk as she quietly listened to his teachings.

She stood amidst the crowd, wearing a pomegranate-red skirt, graceful and slender like a budding lotus. Without her usual dazzling brilliance, her simple makeup today made her resemble a young maiden from some modest household who had sneaked out to play. Only three or four maidservants and guards followed behind her.

Yan Shang stared in a daze, his emotions in turmoil, blood burning hot within him.

He had assumed that someone as willful as her, who always prioritized her own whims, would have gone to Daci'an Temple today. He never expected her to come to a small temple like Yongshou Temple.

Moreover, he might have kept her waiting all morning—yet she remained in the temple, unwilling to leave—

Mu Wan Yao was impatiently listening to the monk's incomprehensible murmuring when someone tapped her shoulder from behind.

Assuming it was just another devout commoner squeezing through the crowd, she paid no mind and simply shifted aside to make space.

But her shoulder was tapped again.

Pursing her lips, Mu Wan Yao moved aside once more.

Another tap on her shoulder.

Mu Wan Yao: "..."

How large was this person behind her? She had already made so much space—why keep tapping?

Mu Wan Yao was not one for patience. After yielding twice, she grew irritated and turned around with a fierce glare, eyebrows raised ready for confrontation. But when she turned, she saw Yan Shang.

His face was as refined as jade, his demeanor tranquil, maintaining a slight smile at the corners of his mouth despite her scowling expression. Looking further back, she saw it was Chunhua and the others who had made way for Yan Erlang to approach.

As the eminent monk was delivering Buddhist teachings, voices below were hard to hear. Mu Wan Yao opened her mouth, but Yan Shang couldn't make out her words.

Yan Shang leaned down: "What?"

Mu Wan Yao tilted her chin, signaling him to bring his ear closer.

As Yan Shang inclined his head, her voice brushed against his eardrum—crisp yet subtly alluring.

Her tone was mocking: "I said, our pure and aloof Yan Erlang has finally decided to grace us with his presence."

Yan Shang's ears burned.

He took a step back.

Mu Wan Yao grabbed his wrist, preventing his retreat, her expression stern and displeased.

Understanding her meaning, Yan Shang reluctantly leaned close to her ear and whispered: "There are too many people here—we can't hear each other. Let's find another place."

His breath brushed against her earlobe.

Mu Wan Yao immediately covered her ear, her face flushing crimson as she suddenly understood why Yan Shang had retreated earlier when she spoke to him.

Breath against the opposite sex's ear indeed felt... intimate.

Mu Wan Yao lifted her gaze to study Yan Shang.

He calmly averted his eyes.

Then, through their sleeves, he turned his hand to gently grasp her wrist and led her outward. When Chunhua and the others moved to follow, Mu Wan Yao shot them a sharp glance over her shoulder, making the attendants stop and pretend to gaze at the sky while continuing to listen to the Buddhist teachings—

The two walked through the bamboo grove in Yongshou Temple's rear courtyard.

Finally alone, the moment they entered the bamboo forest, Yan Shang uttered an apology and released his hold on Mu Wan Yao's wrist.Mu Wan Yao rubbed her wrist, glanced at him, and said nothing.

The two walked in silence.

This was their first meeting since that night. Upon seeing each other, they couldn't help but recall what had happened... If Yan Shang hadn't dodged at that time, they would have accomplished it.

Even though he had dodged, now... it was still very awkward.

Mu Wan Yao coughed lightly, breaking the strange atmosphere between them: "What have you been busy with this past month?"

Yan Shang lowered his gaze and spoke softly, "I have discussed with Ju Yuan about taking the Erudite and Eloquent Examination together. The results will be announced by October this year. I will be occupied with this matter for the next few months."

Mu Wan Yao replied dryly, "Oh."

Then silence fell again.

Gradually, Mu Wan Yao grew somewhat angry—why wasn't he speaking? Did he expect her to come up with topics? Why should she be the one to think of things to say? What did she even have to say? She hadn't seen him for a month—what matters could she possibly discuss with him?

She didn't even understand him!

Fuming, Mu Wan Yao immediately quickened her pace, leaving Yan Shang behind.

Yan Shang was startled. In the blink of an eye, the princess who had been barely walking beside him moments ago was now striding ahead as if leaving dust in her wake.

Yan Shang had no choice but to catch up: "Your Highness, Your Highness... Your Highness!"

He had to reach out and grasp her wrist again to make her stop. She pressed her lips together and glared at him, her face full of displeasure. Yan Shang met her gaze and sighed softly, "It's my fault. My silence made Your Highness uncomfortable."

Mu Wan Yao shook off his grip on her wrist and turned to look at the bamboo leaves: "...You should know that!"

She said coldly, "You seem quite busy. Did you seek me out today just to see some Buddhist relics? If you have something to say, say it quickly. I have other matters to attend to and no time to waste with you."

Yan Shang took out a memorial from his sleeve and handed it to her. Mu Wan Yao took it doubtfully, flipped through a couple of pages, and her eyelids twitched slightly.

It was a register of names.

Not just names, but also life records, origins... exceptionally detailed.

Yan Shang said, "I've met some scholars at the Institute for the Advancement of Literature and discovered that some of them don't actually want to take sides. They're willing to align with someone, but not to be bound to one ship for life. I heard from Ju Yuan that major families like the Wei Clan never take sides. Coupled with the lesson from the Jinling Li Clan, what the Wei Clan seeks is longevity, not prominence. So the Wei Clan likely won't attach itself to any prince—at most, they might assign some members to offer assistance here and there."

Mu Wan Yao pondered thoughtfully.

Yan Shang looked at her and suddenly asked, "Does Your Highness understand Ju Yuan?"

Mu Wan Yao was taken aback, then her face darkened abruptly, thinking he was criticizing her closeness to Wei Shu. She retorted, "What business is it of yours? Can't I befriend other men?"

Yan Shang was startled, realizing she had misunderstood. He explained, "I only meant to use Ju Yuan's situation to illustrate the mindset of certain noble families.

"Someone like Ju Yuan, who has conflicts with his family, is likely aiming to become a pure minister. Some time ago, it was said that Ju Yuan had a quarrel with his eldest brother, making it known throughout Chang'an that Young Master Wei the Seventh was at odds with the Wei Clan. I believe the Wei Clan intentionally let all of Chang'an know about Wei Juyuan's discord with them, clearly intending for him to break away from the Wei Clan's circle and take a different path. After all, if you think about it, since Ju Yuan has no intention of currying favor with imperial power, why would the Wei Clan's eldest son publicly criticize his younger brother? It seems they simply want the Wei Clan to have more than one path to follow."

Mu Wan Yao grasped his meaning immediately: "You mean the Wei Clan actually tacitly approves of Wei Shu's friendship with me, hoping he'll take a different path from other Wei family members. If Wei Shu succeeds, the Wei Clan benefits; if he fails, the Wei Clan loses nothing. Although the Wei Clan is truly grooming their eldest son, they've never actually given up on Wei Shu? The Wei Clan simply doesn't want to bind themselves and become trapped by their own actions."

Yan Shang nodded.He continued: "From Ju Yuan, I've drawn some immature speculations. I've been thinking that I still don't understand aristocratic families well enough—each family's circumstances are different. Top-tier families like the Wei and Li families have different aspirations compared to others. The upper-middle families beneath them seek prominence and advancement to higher status; further down, families that have only recently risen from commoner or local strongman status naturally have yet different pursuits.

"I believe selecting suitable families to cooperate with—not necessarily the most illustrious ones—would be quite appropriate for Your Highness. Like those on this list, these people could be very useful to you without seeking the extraordinary merit of supporting imperial succession. Your Highness should memorize these names and can draw them to your side. I'll burn this memorial afterward, leaving no trace."

Mu Wan Yao was lost in thought, clutching the memorial tightly.

Clearly, both she and Yan Shang were novices in politics. But Yan Shang was more skilled than her... some people might just be naturally gifted.

Mu Wan Yao couldn't help feeling melancholy, yet somewhat moved. She hadn't even considered that Yan Shang, without any official position, could still be of help to her.

She looked at Yan Shang and said softly: "Thank you for teaching me."

Yan Shang was momentarily taken aback, then smiled: "Your Highness helped me with my submission of literary works—this is what I should do. Moreover, I'm not even sure if my thoughts are correct, and I fear I might mislead Your Highness."

Mu Wan Yao shook her head: "You've always been adept in social situations, you probably aren't wrong. You could have chosen not to tell me these things, yet you used the Buddha's birthday as an opportunity to inform me... I really should thank you."

She asked: "How can I repay you?"

Yan Shang hesitated, thinking of Zhao Lingfei who kept pestering him. He paused: "There is indeed one matter I'd like to trouble Your Highness with."

Mu Wan Yao snorted, disliking most how whenever she asked if he needed anything, he always had some request.

Couldn't he just help her once purely, without asking for anything in return?

Always having requests—this person was truly the epitome of mercenary!

He maintained such extreme clarity between public and private in their relationship!

Mu Wan Yao said: "What do you need my help with?"

Yan Shang: "Currently I'm awaiting appointment at the Institute for the Advancement of Literature while still living in such a remote place as Yongshou Temple. The daily commute to the Institute is too long. I'd like to ask Your Highness to help me find new lodgings so I can move away from Yongshou Temple. Ideally, the new residence would have more restrictions, limiting close interactions with ordinary people and maintaining some distance from commoners."He was subtly expressing his hope that the new residence would have more requirements, making it impossible for Zhao Lingfei to see him just by waiting at Yongshou Temple whenever she wanted."

He thought that with some distance, that young lady would probably retreat when faced with difficulties?

Mu Wan Yao agreed immediately—

Yan Shang thought that even if Mu Wan Yao agreed to help him find new lodgings, it would take some time.

But after only two days, Mu Wan Yao came to pick him up in a carriage, saying she had already found suitable new lodgings for him and inviting him to see if he was satisfied.

Yan Shang was touched that Mu Wan Yao had actually taken his words to heart so unusually—she used to only care about herself and never listened to what he said.

The carriage gradually headed toward the Danyang Princess Residence.

Yan Shang: "...?"

He thought to himself: Was the Princess returning to her own residence before viewing the new lodgings, perhaps to invite him for tea?

Well... that would be acceptable too.

The carriage stopped in front of the Princess Residence, and Mu Wan Yao and Yan Shang alighted together.

Yan Shang fell silent, staring at the plaque hanging above the gate of the Danyang Princess Residence.

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind, filling him with alarm.He said with some difficulty: "Your Highness said you would help me find a residence... surely you don't mean for me to stay at Your Highness' residence? This... I absolutely cannot accept."

Mu Wan Yao shot him a glare: "How could I possibly let you live in my residence?"

Yan Shang felt relieved.

Mu Wan Yao pointed to the large courtyard opposite the Princess Residence: "This is the residence I found for you."

Yan Shang: "..."

He spoke with even greater difficulty: "Right across from the Princess Residence?"

Mu Wan Yao confirmed: "Right across. Just a single alley away, facing my Princess Residence directly. Quite close indeed. We might bump into each other whenever we go out. From now on, you'll probably have to make way for my carriage every day."

Yan Shang was speechless.

...He really shouldn't have asked the princess to help him find a residence.