The corridor was bathed in a silvery white hue, and the singing and dancing in the hall had just ceased.
Princess Danyang stepped away from the banquet and walked toward the assembled ministers of Great Wei, foreign envoys, and Meng Zaishi, whose gaze was fixed intently upon her.
She moved toward them slowly, her eyes sweeping over each of their faces. Perhaps subdued by the princess's imposing presence, they stepped aside one by one, allowing Mu Wan Yao to stand at the center, directly facing the Emperor seated above. Mu Wan Yao cupped her hands, her sleeves hanging low, and addressed the throne: "Your Majesty, allow me to explain. It is not that I am unwilling to marry."
She lifted her head to look upward.
In a daze, Mu Wan Yao recalled her first Peace Marriage when she was not yet fifteen.
Back then, she could not stand here as she did now to fight for herself. When the imperial decree was issued, she had merely accepted it in a daze. At that time, she had pleaded with everyone in vain, feeling lost and uncertain of the fate that awaited her.
At fourteen or fifteen, she had gone to the historical archives and read historical books, only to find that the records of princesses sent for Peace Marriage throughout history were brief and sparse—they were never allowed to return to the court for the rest of their lives. Back then, Mu Wan Yao had believed she would never see the Emperor and Empress again, and she had wept over it. Later, when she married into the Black Barbarians, she still clung to her identity as an envoy of Great Wei, hoping to foster peace between the two nations...
Now, thinking back, Mu Wan Yao could not help but laugh at herself, feeling how naive and foolish she had been.
What the Black Barbarians needed was not an envoy from Great Wei.
They needed the noble bloodline of Great Wei, the fusion of Great Wei's blood with their own. They needed Mu Wan Yao, her maids, and her attendants to blend the bloodlines of Great Wei and the Black Barbarians, giving birth to children with superior heritage.
They needed Great Wei's culture, technology, knowledge...
Women were merely tools for bearing children.
Returning to the present, Mu Wan Yao faced the Emperor, the ministers, and Meng Zaishi, declaring loudly—
"After all, I am a princess of Great Wei. I should not be expected to marry anyone who wishes to wed me. Though you speak of 'Peace Marriage,' for me, this would be a second marriage. As a princess, I believe I deserve some freedom, do I not? Shouldn't one win my heart before discussing whether a marriage is possible?
"Your Majesty and the ministers are here debating my fate, yet my fate cannot be decided in a single evening. I presume the ministers and envoys from various nations will need many more days of discussion to reach a conclusion, am I right?
"I have heard that among the Black Barbarians, a man must win a woman's heart to marry her. Why should the princess of Great Wei be an exception? Regardless of your traditions, the princess of Great Wei cannot be married off so casually. Matters of alliance between two nations should be handled with caution, I believe. Coercion should never be an option.
"The Black Barbarians rule from horseback, their combat prowess is naturally formidable, but Great Wei boasts countless troops and sophisticated equipment—we are no cowards, are we?
"Uman King, what do you say?"
Meng Zaishi gazed at Mu Wan Yao.
Her chin was slightly raised, her tone casual yet tinged with a hint of laughter. As she looked into his eyes, there was seven parts amusement and three parts sharpness.
Meng Zaishi replied, "Naturally. An alliance between two nations cannot be settled in a day. Today, I merely expressed my admiration for Your Highness upon seeing you, with no intention of coercion.
"I wish to request His Majesty's permission to marry the princess. But of course, it must be with Your Highness's willing consent."
Hearing Meng Zaishi's words, Mu Wan Yao's stiffened spine remained tense. She glanced upward, knowing that the final say lay with the Emperor.Her father, the Emperor, had always hoped she would go to the Black Barbarians and not disrupt the affairs of Great Wei.
Though Mu Wan Yao knew it might be futile, she couldn’t help but silently plead with the spirits and pray to her late mother—
Mother, I no longer resent you for wanting me to marry into the Black Barbarians. But I am your only remaining daughter. Could you, from the underworld, help me? Could you speak on my behalf before Father?
I truly do not want to go to the Black Barbarians again.
Even if I never marry in my entire life, I still don’t want to go to the Black Barbarians!
I beg you! I beg you!
Whether her prayers had taken effect or the Emperor’s resolve on the matter was not particularly strong, after observing for a long while and hearing Mu Wan Yao and Meng Zaishi’s words, the Emperor chuckled lightly.
The Emperor said casually, “The envoy is still in Great Wei. The Secretariat shall handle these matters from now on.”
He removed the Crown Prince directly from the center of political authority, preventing him from managing the affair. Seated behind his desk, the Crown Prince, holding a wine cup, stiffened slightly. He understood that the Emperor knew he opposed Mu Wan Yao’s peace marriage and had stripped him of his say in the matter.
The Crown Prince remained silent for a long moment, a chill running through his heart as he reflected on how heartless the Emperor was toward his own children. Yet, in the end, he said nothing.
Prince Qin, on the other hand, felt a stirring of ambition, but his maternal uncle, the Minister of Justice, coughed softly from his seat behind him, restraining him. He knew it was not the right moment to step forward.
Here was a rare opportunity to seize power from the Crown Prince, yet the unpredictability of the Emperor’s will made him hesitate... Prince Qin’s face turned green with frustration, and he could only drown his feelings in more wine.
Below, the Chief of the Secretariat, who had been observing the dispute for some time, heard the Emperor’s command for the Secretariat to handle the matter. Lord Liu and several other chancellors rose from their seats and reluctantly accepted the imperial decree. The four chancellors exchanged glances, all sighing inwardly, knowing this task would be difficult to manage.
From his throne above, the Emperor turned to Mu Wan Yao, his gaze deep and enigmatic. “Matters between you young people should be resolved among yourselves. There is no need to consult me. I am not an unreasonable father. If the Uman King and others wish to win the princess’s heart, they may proceed to the next step. I find it quite entertaining to watch.
“You may discuss and decide among yourselves.”
Everyone present could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.
This Emperor was profound and inscrutable. Before imperial power, everything could be measured and traded—whether emotions, interests, or even those he favored or valued.
This Emperor was cold and unfeeling, with his only redeeming quality being his preference for delegating authority, pushing many governmental affairs onto his princes and ministers for their training.
The Emperor was not power-hungry.
It was precisely this trait that allowed those below him room to maneuver.
Yet, precisely because he was not power-hungry, the ministers and princes fought fiercely among themselves, achieving a strange balance of interests.
Thus, the banquet continued with music, dance, and clinking cups. The earlier discussion of the peace marriage felt as fleeting as an illusion to all—
In the alley where Danyang Princess Residence was located, a thin layer of snow covered the ground, and the night sky continued to drift with flurries.
Lanterns were placed beside the bushes along the wall, half of them already hung. Yan Shang and Wei Shu sat shoulder to shoulder against the wall, watching the falling snow.
Wei Shu’s eyes were as dark as lacquer and as clear as ice and snow. “I, too, am very fond of Your Highness.”
Yan Shang turned to look at him, his gaze gentle and warm. He reached out to brush the snow from Wei Shu’s shoulder, his movements slow and deliberate.Wei Shu hugged his knees, slowly reminiscing: "My teacher is the princess's maternal uncle. Before my teacher was demoted to Lingnan, he passed through Luoyang. At that time, I had run away from home and was sulking alone outside when I encountered my teacher. He treated me very well. I wanted to follow him to Lingnan, but he sternly refused. He said he had no future left, and I shouldn't ruin my own prospects.
"So the first time I came to Chang'an, it was with the travel expenses my teacher left me before he departed. I secretly ran away from home. My mother was an unofficial concubine of the Wei family, and initially I couldn't even obtain the status of a secondary son. When I studied with the Wei family, they all disliked me and ostracized me. When I first arrived in Chang'an to seek out the princess, I was very nervous and afraid."
Wei Shu's face flushed slightly as he lowered his eyelashes.
He whispered: "Because my teacher wanted me to marry the princess. Although he told me to wait a couple of years, throughout my journey to Chang'an, I kept fearing... fearing that the princess would bully and oppress me. If not for wanting to repay my teacher... I wouldn't have wanted to go to the Princess Residence at all.
"Then I met Your Highness. She was indeed... as my teacher had said, she wouldn't disgrace me. But initially, I was still very afraid, always worried about when Your Highness might approach me, or suddenly propose when we should marry."
Yan Shang sighed and placed his hand on Wei Shu's shoulder.
Wei Shu when he first arrived in Chang'an was probably only about fourteen years old. A fourteen-year-old youth, particularly one who didn't like talking or socializing, meeting a princess four years his senior who was likely to be his future wife... Wei Shu certainly had it difficult.
Yan Shang said: "Yet you still frequently visited Her Highness?"
Wei Shu said: "After she found out my age, her expression became quite strange too. But she didn't dislike me and still took care of me. She helped me find accommodation in Chang'an and arranged servants for me. She personally went to inspect everything, worried that the servants might take advantage of my youth or that I wouldn't be comfortable living in Chang'an.
"I don't particularly like talking, and after she understood this, she easily prevented others from speaking to me. Moreover, every time she saw me she smiled, every time she saw me she was happy... Since she was always so cheerful, I became happy too.
"Initially, she treated me very carefully, like an older sister. She has a terrible temper, but at first she never let me see it. The first time I witnessed her anger, I was startled, and she actually comforted me instead, worried I might be traumatized, assuring me she wouldn't lose her temper with me without reason. At that moment I thought... this sister is really good."
Snow had collected on Wei Shu's eyelashes, melting into water that made them stick together.
He turned to look at Yan Shang.
Wei Shu said: "Actually, I've long been willing to follow my teacher's advice and become Your Highness's Imperial Son-in-Law. I've come to understand more and more how difficult things are for Your Highness. If she needs me, of course I would stand by her side. But probably because I'm too young and also because I'm from the Luoyang Wei family, Your Highness became very close with you, Second Brother Yan, but doesn't often let me help her.
"Second Brother Yan can serve as Your Highness's retainer. But I cannot."
Wei Shu leaned his head against the wall, looking up quietly as he said: "Even though my relationship with my family is poor, as long as I bear the Wei surname, I cannot escape the benefits provided by the Wei family. Since I receive these advantages, even if I don't actively help the Wei family myself, others will automatically align me with them.
"That's why the Li Family wants to form a marriage alliance with the Wei family, wanting to use me and the princess.""I believe Your Highness likes me... because she smiles when she sees me, gives me this and that, and grants whatever I ask from her. It's just that her affection for me isn't the romantic kind between a man and a woman, is it?"
Yan Shang said softly: "Ju Yuan, you're a very good... younger brother. Both to me and to Her Highness. We're both very fond of you."
Wei Shu felt somewhat puzzled, wondering what there was to like about him? He hardly ever spoke.
Wei Shu pursed his lips and said: "It must be because you're all good people."
With rare defiance, he continued: "If anyone else told me they liked Her Highness, I would definitely get angry and think that person wasn't worthy of her, that they didn't understand her. But if it's Second Brother Yan... I feel that Second Brother Yan would do better than me. Someone like Second Brother Yan could truly unravel Her Highness's emotional knots and make her happier. If I were a woman, I'd like Second Brother Yan too.
"I've seen the way Her Highness looks at Second Brother Yan. I don't quite understand it... but that kind of gaze is very different.
"Her Highness smiles when she sees me, but when she sees Second Brother Yan, she blushes.
"But if Second Brother Yan were to be with Her Highness, would you object to me frequently visiting her?"
Yan Shang turned his head to look at him, shook his head, and said softly: "Ju Yuan, don't say that. No matter what happens between me and Her Highness, whether we can achieve a positive outcome or not... neither of us would ever dislike you. You can visit Her Highness anytime, and me as well."
He added apologetically: "It was wrong of me to develop a close relationship with Her Highness privately without telling you. I just genuinely didn't know how to tell you. Because our situation is too complicated... Her Highness isn't very willing... and I feel guilty toward you... I..."
He paused for a long time, frowning, unable to continue several times.
He didn't want to say that Mu Wan Yao had some psychological issues, nor that he couldn't grasp the appropriate boundaries. He was increasingly unsure how to handle matters concerning Mu Wan Yao, growing more and more anxious about potential gains and losses. If he were to tell Wei Shu... perhaps the very next day Mu Wan Yao would break up with him?
What a joke that would be.
Wei Shu couldn't help but laugh: "It's rare to see Second Brother Yan so troubled. I feel somewhat pleased. Only Her Highness could make you so torn."
He brushed the snow off his clothes and stood up, turning to look at Yan Shang who had also risen and was slightly taller than him. Yan Shang also shook his head and smiled at his own helplessness.
Yan Shang said: "Alright, let's not talk about those things between us brothers. We should finish hanging these lanterns."
Wei Shu: "Mm."—
The palace banquet ended, and Mu Wan Yao hadn't made any mistakes all evening, except for that small incident during the banquet.
Her abilities had been recognized, and according to plan, she could have expanded her influence among the court officials of Great Wei... However, if she were to return to the Black Barbarians, all of this would be meaningless.
Mu Wan Yao's face was as dark as ink. Fang Tong, Xiarong, and others caught up with Mu Wan Yao at the palace gate, and the group headed together toward the direction of the estate's carriage.
Someone called from behind: "Your Highness!"
That casual, smiling and probing voice brushed softly against Mu Wan Yao's ears.Mu Wan Yao abruptly turned her head and met the gaze of Meng Zaishi, who had already put his mask back on. Facing that fanged mask, her expression grew even more unpleasant. She raised her hand to strike him but was stopped as Meng Zaishi grabbed her wrist.
Meng Zaishi smiled faintly, as if amused. "Such a temper?"
Mu Wan Yao's voice was icy. "You've disrupted my life, and you expect me to speak kindly to you?"
The hatred in her tone was barely concealed.
Meng Zaishi paused for a moment before releasing her wrist. He took a step back and said, "When you used my brother and my father to try to kill me, I didn't see this expression on your face. I barely survived, and I need an explanation from you."
Mu Wan Yao's eyes suddenly reddened.
She stepped forward, struggling to keep her voice low. The effort to suppress her emotions made her tremble slightly, her voice turning hoarse and choked with sobs:
"What kind of explanation? The two or three years I spent among the Black Barbarians, treated like a prostitute by your father, used to reward others—wasn't that explanation enough? You used my body, and I gave you information—wasn't that explanation enough?
"Yes, you taught me many things, but haven't I repaid you? The thrill, the hidden pleasure you got from me—dare you say you never felt it?
"And the sacrifices I made for you... weren't these explanations enough?
"Can't I want to kill you? Do I not have reasons? First, it was your father, then your brother, and after you killed your brother, it was you... In any case, I remain the unchanging Queen of the Black Barbarians. Can't I resist? Can't I want to leave? If I want to break free from all of you, does that make me wrong?"
Each word dripped with blood, each word sharp as a blade, pressing inch by inch against Meng Zaishi's heart.
For a moment, he felt so pained he could hardly breathe. It was as if he could see those past days, the sight of her crying in his arms...
Now she no longer cried, but the way she looked at him with reddened eyes hurt him even more.
Behind the mask, Meng Zaishi no longer wore his previous mocking smile. He spoke softly, "My father wronged you, but I am not like him. You schemed against me, tried to kill me—I can let that go. Our past grievances are wiped clean.
"Just as you said in the hall... let me pursue you again. Let's start over, alright?
"Little Princess... come back to the Black Barbarians with me."
Mu Wan Yao's lips trembled. There were many things she wanted to shout at him, but she knew she couldn't.
At least for now, she couldn't burn all bridges with Meng Zaishi. If she did... if he turned ruthless and conspired with the Emperor, she would still have to return to the Black Barbarians. She couldn't push him to that point just yet.
For now, Meng Zaishi was being reasonable only because... only because he believed she would come back, that she still cherished their past feelings.
Mu Wan Yao lowered her eyes and did not respond to Meng Zaishi. Instead, she turned and walked away. This time, Meng Zaishi stood quietly in place, watching her retreating figure without following.
He knew Mu Wan Yao had suffered among the Black Barbarians... but things were different now.
Now, he was the King.
As long as she returned, as long as she looked back, they could still have a future. After all... they had been so good together before. He refused to believe she had never loved him at all—
Following behind Mu Wan Yao, Fang Tong kept her head lowered, not daring to look up at Meng Zaishi, afraid her hatred would show and give away her true feelings.She still remembered how many of his brothers the Black Barbarians had killed... In the end, only a handful survived their return from Uman.
Fang Tong feared that if he looked up, he wouldn't be able to resist the urge to kill on behalf of the princess. Of course, this wasn't Meng Zaishi's fault, but... Meng Zaishi was the Uman King after all.
Meanwhile, the maid Xiarong, who followed the princess, remained utterly bewildered throughout, yet dared not ask too many questions.
From the fragmented conversation between the princess and that Uman King, she gathered there seemed to be some hidden circumstances—that the Uman King appeared to harbor feelings for their princess... But why was the princess so angry?
Xiarong didn't dare inquire further, so she simply followed Mu Wan Yao in confusion.
When they reached the carriage, Mu Wan Yao stood watching them prepare the horses. Just as Xiarong was about to mount, Mu Wan Yao suddenly pulled her down. Amid the maid's startled cry, Mu Wan Yao stepped onto the stirrup and leaped onto the horse's back.
With a tug of the reins, the white horse turned its head and instantly charged toward the palace gates—
In the ensuing chaos, only Fang Tong's urgent shouts could be heard as he quickly mounted his horse and chased after the princess: "Make way! Open the gates! It's Danyang Princess—do not offend Her Highness!"
Fang Tong continued shouting: "Your Highness! Your Highness!"
Mu Wan Yao's horsemanship was exceptional; she didn't wait for Fang Tong at all. Crouched low on the horse's back, her snow-white sleeves fluttering like wings, the horse's speed grew faster and faster—
As a princess, she had learned horseback riding since childhood. Later, while in Uman, where the barbarian cavalry was formidable, she had further honed her skills under Meng Zaishi's tutelage.
Indeed, as Meng Zaishi had said, he had taught her many things.
Yet the more this was true, the more she hated him!
The more she hated!—
Blizzard filled the sky.
Mu Wan Yao urged her steed onward at breakneck speed, the noble horse moving like lightning.
She left Fang Tong and the others far behind, driving the horse ever faster as if her life depended on it.
She would kill Meng Zaishi! She must kill Meng Zaishi!
The howling wind screamed past her ears, snow freezing into ice on her eyelashes—only like this could Mu Wan Yao's mind go blank.
Yet in that emptiness, she couldn't help but think—
Again and again, everything could be wasted with the slightest carelessness.
The humiliation of staying in Uman, the abandoned past.
Her Emperor's cold indifference, her mother's power manipulations, the schemes among her brothers.
What had she done wrong to deserve such a life?
Had she committed some unforgivable sin to suffer such hardships?—
The distance between the palace, imperial city, and Princess Residence had never been far.
That very day, Mu Wan Yao had used this as an excuse to have Yan Shang live next door as her neighbor.
Moreover, with Mu Wan Yao riding so fiercely tonight, the fire in her heart hadn't yet subsided when she already entered the ward containing the Princess Residence, heading straight for the alley.
At the alley entrance stood a man with his back to her, holding a lantern. A bamboo ladder leaned against the wall, with servants standing on it adjusting lanterns.
Mu Wan Yao didn't register what they were doing—her horse's speed never decreased as she charged directly into the alley.
Hearing the thunderous hoofbeats, the servant on the bamboo ladder turned first, horrified to see a speeding horse rushing toward them. Then the young man holding the lantern on the ground turned gracefully, looking back—
Yan Shang and Mu Wan Yao locked eyes.
Mu Wan Yao froze, wondering faintly if this was an illusion—why was he appearing in her nightmare?
Yan Shang had always been clear and bright, smiling gently at her. But now, as she rode toward him at full speed and met his gaze, she saw panic in his eyes.It was rare for her to hear Yan Shang abandon his gentlemanly demeanor and raise his voice: "Yaoyao, the reins—"
Mu Wan Yao snapped back to reality and realized that while she had been staring at Yan Shang in a daze, the reins had slipped from her hands. The horse had charged into the alley, galloping recklessly—how dangerous this was!
Fortunately, Mu Wan Yao was already an expert equestrian. She only lost focus for a moment before snapping back to attention, tightening her legs against the horse’s sides, lowering her body further, and synchronizing her breathing with the horse’s rhythm as she pressed close to its back. Leaning forward, she reached for the reins and gripped them firmly.
The horse’s hooves slipped in the snow, then suddenly jerked to a halt as the reins were pulled taut.
With a heavy thud, the horse collapsed to its knees. The young woman, who had been clinging tightly to the reins, was only thrown off at the last moment when her strength gave out, landing her in a snowdrift.
Buried in the snow, Mu Wan Yao choked and coughed, struggling to breathe. Her vision was a blur of whiteness until, suddenly, that expanse of white was parted, and a slender, elegant hand reached toward her from outside.
Yan Shang knelt on the ground, digging through the snow pile to lift out the person buried beneath. His entire body trembled slightly, and for a moment, he was too horrified to speak. His cold hands cradled her face as he looked down at her, snowmelt clinging to his eyelashes.
Mu Wan Yao guessed she had worried him.
She said, "I’m sorr—"
Before she could finish, Yan Shang pulled her into a tight embrace.
Mu Wan Yao remained dazed in his arms, listening to his breathing, and wondered: What had she done right to meet someone like him and be granted such a wonderful life?
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