Yan Shisheng was pelted with chess pieces by Mu Wan Yao, his clothes splattered with mud. To make matters worse, Mu Wan Yao decided to extend her stay at their home for two more days.
For the Yan family, whose residence had been occupied, this turn of events struck like a bolt from the blue.
Since his clothes were soiled, Yan Shisheng had no choice but to change. When he emerged from his room, he carried a stack of his old garments, clearly intending to wash them.
"I'll do it! I'll do it!" No sooner had he stepped outside than his younger sister Yan Xiaozhou, who had been waiting by the door, snatched the clothes from his arms.
She offered her brother an uneasy, ingratiating smile. "Second Brother's clothes are dirty—let me wash them for you. You should focus on your studies; don't bother with such trivial tasks."
Yan Shisheng made no attempt to reclaim the clothes. Looking down at his little sister clutching his garments tightly, he smiled gently. "Thank you, then, little sister."
With that, he turned and went back inside.
Yan Xiaozhou stood frozen for a moment, biting her lip before pushing the door open and following him in. She saw her brother's slender back turned toward her, seemingly searching for something in the room.
Thinking he was angry and ignoring her, she felt a pang of hurt. Approaching him softly, she whispered, "Second Brother, please don't give me the silent treatment. It's my fault you got hit by that Lady Mu with the chess pieces."
Yan Shisheng replied, "It's nothing."
He sighed. "Even if you have secrets to share with me, you shouldn't sit beneath a guest's window to do so. It's not only impolite but also easily noticed. Besides, I don't know how Lady Mu offended you, but was it necessary to chase after her just to speak ill of her?"
He continued searching.
Yan Xiaozhou grew anxious. "She's taken over our home—shouldn't I criticize her?"
Yan Shisheng turned, his clear, gentle eyes resting on his young sister.
He spoke softly, "Do you know she is of noble status?"
Yan Xiaozhou stammered, "I... I know."
Yan Shisheng continued, "Then do you understand the distinction between scholars and commoners? That those of high status are naturally entitled to more privileges than ordinary folk like us? Do you realize our lives hang on their whims? If Lady Mu were truly angered and demanded our family's lives, we might have no means to resist."
Yan Xiaozhou was left speechless.
She mumbled, "But... that's not right."
Yan Shisheng said gently, "Such is the way of the world. What does right or wrong matter to you? You cannot shake the foundations of authority. If you wish to uphold justice, wait until you have the power to do so. Only when you can stand as an equal to Lady Mu should you challenge her—that way, you won't throw your life away needlessly, and I won't have to worry for you."
The young girl, still clutching her brother's clothes, sank onto the sitting mat in dismay. After a long pause, she bowed her head. "I understand my mistake, Second Brother."
Only then did Yan Shisheng approach, reaching out to ruffle her hair with a sigh. "Share these thoughts with Father, Eldest Brother, and Third Brother as well. If you cannot swallow your pride, stay away from Lady Mu. Since she wishes to stay with us for two more days, I will keep a closer watch. Do not provoke conflicts with her attendants."
Yan Xiaozhou nodded in shame.
Perhaps because Second Brother was well-read, he saw the world more clearly than they did. In the Yan household, major and minor affairs had always been decided by him.Yan Xiaozhou had already decided to spread her second brother's words among others, especially Third Brother. Third Brother had a fiery temper and mustn't cause trouble. If they waited quietly for that Lady Mu to leave, they might actually gain some benefits. Even if it was just some money...
As Yan Xiaozhou was thinking this, she saw Yan Shisheng retrieve a hidden bottle of medicinal powder from beneath the layers of bedding. Yan Shisheng took the powder and was about to leave.
Yan Xiaozhou was slightly startled: "Second Brother, why are you taking medicine? Were you injured by the chess pieces? Quickly take off your clothes and let me check."
She anxiously tugged at her second brother's sleeve, urging him to undress.
Yan Shisheng felt both embarrassed and helpless, his face slightly reddening as he said: "I'm not injured. It's just that last night, one of Lady Mu's guards was caned twenty times because of us. I'm going to bring him some medicine."
Yan Xiaozhou: "Ah..."
...This was exactly the kind of thing her second brother would do—
Fang Tong was the captain of Danyang Princess's guards.
He had followed the princess north and south, vowing to protect her with his life wherever they went. Last night, because he hadn't properly handled the matter of the Yan family's accommodation, the princess had ordered him to receive twenty cane strikes. He bore no resentment.
These twenty strikes weren't life-threatening, merely flesh wounds. But today he was resting in his room to recover, unable to report to the princess in his injured state.
Fang Tong lay bored on the long couch in his room, staring into space and wondering how to pass this recovery time. Two unhurried knocks sounded at the door.
Fang Tong impatiently called: "Come in."
Thinking it was one of the guards returning, he couldn't even be bothered to move. But when he looked up, he saw the young scholar in blue robes and black headpiece.
Fang Tong was taken aback, sitting up while still bare-chested. Remembering this person was the reason for his punishment, he spoke coldly: "What do you want?Yan Shisheng first bowed respectfully, then set down the medicine bottle in his hand, speaking gently: "This is a wound medicine my family has treasured for many years. Usually when my eldest brother gets injured by tigers while cutting wood in the mountains, this medicine shows effect after just one night."
Fang Tong sneered: "No need."
Having served the princess, what kind of good medicine hadn't he seen?
Yan Shisheng, observing his expression, said: "Naturally it can't compare to the fine medicines you use, but it represents my sincere feelings. I am ashamed that mere verbal disputes caused your injury. Not knowing how else to apologize, I can only offer some wound medicine."
Fang Tong: "..."
Yan Shisheng continued: "You must be quite bored staying alone in the room. Perhaps I could stay and keep you company with conversation?"
Fang Tong indifferently replied: "I have nothing to say to you.Yan Shisheng looked at him with extremely tolerant eyes, smiling slightly: "I've read several storybooks and can tell some legendary tales to help pass the time for you.""
Fang Tong was perplexed: "...Don't you have anything else to do?"
Yan Shisheng said: "This is merely to express my apology. You may not accept it, but I must do this."
Fang Tong: "..."
He gave a dry cough.
The young man's dark face twitched slightly under Yan Shisheng's spring-like gaze.
He even began to feel somewhat ashamed.
Thinking that the other party hadn't acted intentionally, and that he was the one occupying their house... yet they were bringing medicine and offering companionship... Was he being too defensive?
Thus, the room maintained an诡异 atmosphere until Yan Shisheng actually began telling storybook tales to Fang Tong—With a mix of embarrassment and peculiar feelings, Fang Tong applied the ointment sent by Yan Shisheng under the scholar's earnest persuasion. By the time Yan Shisheng departed, Fang Tong had completely revised his opinion of this scholar, now considering him exceptionally kind-hearted.
He had previously measured a gentleman's heart with his own mean standards.
Especially when he woke at dawn the next day and was pleasantly surprised to find his injuries had truly healed, his admiration for the man grew even stronger. Though the wounds hadn't been serious to begin with, the guard captain Fang Tong—now holding Yan Shisheng in high regard—attributed his rapid recovery entirely to the miraculous medicine sent by Yan Erlang.
With his injuries healed, Fang Tong naturally went to report to the princess.
When Fang Tong paid his respects, Mu Wan Yao was reclining against an armrest at a wooden desk, watching her maid Chunhua organize her books.
Noticing the continuous drizzle outside, Chunhua asked with concern: "My lady, with this heavy rain persisting for days, it seems heaven itself obstructs our path. Must we truly remain in Lingnan to visit Lord Li?"
What Chunhua referred to was precisely the purpose of Danyang Princess' long journey to Lingnan—
To visit Mu Wan Yao's maternal uncle, Li Zhi, who currently served as magistrate of Nanhai County.
The Empress's death signified the Li family's defeat in their power struggle with the Emperor. The entire clan had returned to Jinling, while the most capable member—the late Empress's brother and Mu Wan Yao's uncle—had been demoted by the Emperor to these remote wildernesses of Lingnan.
The maids felt uneasy, thinking that since the Empress had passed and the Li family had left Chang'an, wouldn't the Princess' high-profile visit to Li Zhi in Lingnan arouse the Emperor's suspicion?
Mu Wan Yao replied languidly: "Set your mind at ease. After returning to Chang'an following my former husband's death, given current circumstances, my father would only become suspicious if I showed complete indifference toward my uncle. By visiting him, my father might actually consider me filial and true to my roots."
Upon hearing this, Chunhua showed thoughtful understanding yet her eyes held sorrow.
She knew better than anyone how difficult the Princess' return to Chang'an had been, and now to dispel the Emperor's suspicions, Her Highness had to travel thousands of miles to visit Lord Li in Lingnan... The Princess was imperial nobility—why did the Emperor treat her so?
It hadn't always been this way.
She whispered inwardly that in the past, the Emperor and late Empress hadn't treated the Princess like this—
Before turning fifteen, Danyang Princess, the Emperor's youngest daughter, had been the most beloved child of the Emperor and Empress.
Back then, while the Empress still lived, the Emperor's gaze upon Mu Wan Yao had overflowed with affection.
Every year on Mu Wan Yao's birthday, her father would personally craft hairpins and engrave books for her, while her mother would grind facial creams, hand ointments, and cosmetics.
The hairpins from her father came in endless varieties—from insects and birds to flowers, all vividly lifelike. The cosmetics from her mother filled her chambers, their brilliant colors envied by countless others...
Suddenly, tearful commotion from outside startled Mu Wan Yao from her reminiscence.
Mu Wan Yao raised an eyebrow.
Chunhua, standing nearby, grew anxious, knowing how much the princess disliked being disturbed.
"I shall go see what's happening," Chunhua said.
Mu Wan Yao remained silent. After Chunhua left, she flipped through the books being organized, wondering if among them were rare editions once gifted by her father... Amidst her wandering thoughts, Chunhua's hurried footsteps returned.
Mu Wan Yao looked up.
She saw the beautiful maid's face had turned pale, her expression distraught.Chunhua knelt with a thud before Mu Wan Yao, her voice trembling: "Mistress, it is this servant's fault for failing to discipline properly... The rouge and powders in the chest we brought—the box of facial creams and hand balms that the late Empress once gifted to the Princess—have inexplicably been drenched by rain and soiled. They are now completely unusable..."
Mu Wan Yao abruptly rose to her feet.
Her voice sharpened: "Who did this?"
Chunhua stammered: "The servants say it was the Yan family..."
Before the maid could finish speaking, Mu Wan Yao let out a cold sneer. She strode forward, and as she passed the guard, she snatched the sword from Fang Tong's waist in one swift motion.
Yan Shisheng, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion, stood holding an umbrella in the rain. He suddenly lifted his gaze—
To see the young maiden stepping out of the house with a sword in hand, her sleeves billowing and splashing rain, radiating murderous intent!
OpenNovel