Military exercises and martial prowess were not Yan Shang's strengths.
Mu Wan Yao naturally wanted to protect Yan Shang and was unwilling to let him be bullied by Meng Zaishi.
However, Meng Zaishi, as the Uman King, was provoking Yan Shang. If he didn't respond, wouldn't it imply that Great Wei was incompetent?
Yan Shang gently moved Mu Wan Yao aside, who had been shielding him, and said, "Does Your Majesty wish for me to serve as a soldier on the battlefield?"
Meng Zaishi smiled mockingly.
He teased, "Even if I wanted to, you wouldn't be capable. If anything were to happen to you, wouldn't the little princess devour me alive?"
He glanced at Mu Wan Yao, and sure enough, her eyes blazed with fury as she glared at him fiercely. Meng Zaishi's expression softened slightly, and he inwardly mocked himself, realizing that times had truly changed.
The young princess who had once ridden alongside him across the grasslands and between stone cliffs, the princess he had plied with wine until she grew dizzy and leaned on his shoulder, the helpless princess who could only hide away and weep... he had lost her.
He had nurtured her into a woman unafraid of trouble, and now this fearlessness... was turned against him.
Yan Shang subtly stepped forward, almost imperceptibly blocking Meng Zaishi's line of sight to Mu Wan Yao. Liu Ruozhu stood to the side the entire time, quietly observing the delicate tension among the three of them, sensing something unspoken.
Meng Zaishi snapped out of his thoughts and laughed heartily. "Of course, I won't bully you. No matter how Great Wei selects its personnel or arranges its troops, as long as they are under twenty-five years of age—after all, I adhere to this principle as well, and I won't use my accustomed Black Barbarians—let us compete. Regardless of the outcome, we remain friendly neighbors."
With things put this way, refusing would be nothing short of cowardice.
Yan Shang had no choice but to agree for now, planning to figure out how to handle the military exercise later. After all, he had never been involved in such matters and had only frequently visited the Ministry of War previously to understand the Black Barbarians' military capabilities... discussing strategy on paper was one thing, but practical application made him uneasy.
Mu Wan Yao, standing nearby, was extremely displeased.
She wanted to retort several times but knew that since Meng Zaishi was targeting Yan Shang, even if she refuted one point, he would find another excuse to trouble him.
After Yan Shang agreed, Mu Wan Yao blurted out, "Only knowing how to fight and brawl is the way of brutes and savages! Uman King, we accept your challenge for a military exercise. But if we challenge you to a contest of literary talent, would you dare to accept?"
Meng Zaishi, Yan Shang, and even Liu Ruozhu all looked at Danyang Princess in surprise.
Mu Wan Yao composed herself and said, "This grand ceremony is not only for the New Year but also in celebration of my father the Emperor's birthday next month. While we hold the military exercise for His Majesty's birthday, as a form of celebration, all envoys from neighboring states are invited to compete with us in literary talent. Poetry, calligraphy, chess, or painting—you may choose whichever you prefer."
Using the Emperor's birthday as a reason made it difficult for anyone to refuse.
Meng Zaishi narrowed his eyes. "Is the Princess making fools of us? We can't even speak the language of Great Wei fluently, yet you want to compete with us in your poetry, calligraphy, chess, and painting?"
Mu Wan Yao retorted sharply, "It's your Black Barbarians who can't speak the language of Great Wei clearly. I've seen envoys from other countries who admire our culture—many of them can compose poetry and couplets. Great Wei has always welcomed envoys who come to learn our culture. Such a contest would still be a friendly exchange."
Deliberately mimicking Meng Zaishi's tone, her voice remained charmingly crisp, amusing those who heard it: "Regardless of the outcome, we remain friendly neighbors!"
Meng Zaishi remained silent and did not respond.After all, the talents of people from small countries cannot compare to those of Great Wei. From what he understood, officials in Great Wei were selected through examinations in poetry and prose—how could outsiders compete?
Mu Wan Yao subtly rolled her eyes upward.
Yan Shang immediately expressed disapproval: "Your Highness!"
How could she become increasingly unrefined? A princess, even in private, should not roll her eyes in public. No matter how charming her eye-roll might be, she ought not to behave this way.
The moment he spoke, Mu Wan Yao knew exactly what Yan Shang meant. She snorted lightly, slightly moderating her expression, but kept her eyes fixed on Meng Zaishi as she said: "Fine, fine. We’ll add conditions too. Your small countries can unite to compete, while our Great Wei will only have young ladies compete against you. And only unmarried young ladies at that.
"This way, both sides have their own shortcomings—surely that’s fair, isn’t it?"
Meng Zaishi studied her for a long moment before bursting into laughter: "Very well! Once this king consults with the other envoys, we shall accept the challenge. Since Your Highness has spoken to this extent, if we refuse, wouldn’t we men appear utterly spineless?"
He declared clearly: "Your Highness, please await my reply."
With that, he showed no lingering attachment, turned, mounted his horse, and galloped away with effortless grace.
As the people from the Princess Residence watched Meng Zaishi’s retreating figure, Liu Ruozhu’s worried voice broke the silence: "So that is the Uman King? He carries quite a heroic aura. With such a leader guiding the Black Barbarians as Great Wei’s neighbor, it’s inevitably unsettling."
Yan Shang reassured gently: "Though the Uman King possesses heroic spirit, the men of Great Wei are by no means inferior. There’s no need for you to worry, my lady."
Liu Ruozhu nodded, laughing at her own overthinking—this wasn’t something she should be concerned about. What preoccupied her more was: "Second Brother Yan, you’ve agreed to the Uman King’s military exercise challenge—how will you manage? You’ve never even set foot on a training field, have you?"
Yan Shang smiled wryly, rubbing his forehead as he replied: "...I’m not worried about myself. First, I need to find gentlemen under twenty-five to see if any have the military talent to assist me."
But inwardly, he already knew there were few options.
While researching earlier, he had largely grasped the Ministry of War’s situation. Just as he had told his mentor—veteran generals were fading, new ones had yet to mature... Great Wei currently lacked true military talent.
Well, he would start searching anyway.
Meanwhile, Mu Wan Yao listened nearby with growing displeasure. She tilted her face away, watching Liu Ruozhu and Yan Shang converse back and forth until her heart twisted into knots. She couldn’t fathom why those two had so much to say to each other.
Secretly, she cursed herself for being a step too late: Liu Ruozhu showed concern for Yan Shang—she, too, could have done that! She just hadn’t thought of it initially and had lagged behind Liu Ruozhu...
How annoying Liu Ruozhu was.
Just as Mu Wan Yao was stewing in her irritation, Liu Ruozhu unexpectedly turned to her with a smile during her conversation with Yan Shang and asked: "Your Highness, since you made the Uman King agree to a literary competition, does that mean you intend to oversee this matter?"
Mu Wan Yao replied indifferently: "Hmm."
Overseeing such an event to gain prestige—how could she possibly miss such an opportunity?
Liu Ruozhu also expressed concern: "As Your Highness mentioned, there are quite a few envoys skilled in our Great Wei’s culture. If our side has no gentlemen participating, only young ladies... we must still be cautious. Victory is not assured."
Mu Wan Yao responded impatiently: "I have some understanding of the capabilities of noble young ladies."
Liu Ruozhu paused, then blushed and bowed: "If Your Highness says so, then I should not decline. When Your Highness selects participants, you may include me."Mu Wan Yao turned her face: "What are you skilled at?"
Liu Ruozhu replied softly: "Anything will do."
Mu Wan Yao thought disdainfully: How immodest!
Yan Shang smiled beside them: "You two ladies seem to be getting along quite well."
Mu Wan Yao immediately glared at him: ...Which eye of his saw her getting along well with Liu Ruozhu? They were clearly rivals in love! She was clearly at odds with Liu Ruozhu!
Could it be that all men who enjoy having multiple women in their arms are this blind? Do they all fantasize about harmonious relationships between wives and concubines, imagining they wouldn't compete over him at all?
Yan Shang turned his face away, pretending not to see Mu Wan Yao's round eyes glaring at him so brightly. He quite enjoyed seeing her eyes when she was angry - those round, shining eyes resembled both stars and lakes, with boundless charm. Like blazing fire, they made his heart race.
But Yan Shang couldn't show it, couldn't keep staring at her eyes.
His face burning hot, he lightly coughed twice—
Yan Shang said he planned to return to the Secretariat, suggesting Mu Wan Yao and Liu Ruozhu shop in the East Market. In his imagination, his departure would give Mu Wan Yao and Liu Ruozhu a chance to interact. He always felt awkward being caught between them, making both ladies seem strange and leaving him uncomfortable.
Unexpectedly, Mu Wan Yao grabbed his sleeve, her face cold: "You wait here obediently. After I finish my business, I'll escort you back to the Secretariat."
Yan Shang: "There's no need to trouble Your Highness like this..."
Mu Wan Yao: "If you dare leave, don't ever set foot in my residence again."
So Yan Shang had no choice but to stand there and wait for her.
Watching the Princess enter a shop in the East Market, Yan Shang waited helplessly by the carriage. Liu Ruozhu, who had been waiting obediently nearby, suddenly giggled. Yan Shang glanced sideways at her, and Liu Ruozhu quickly covered her mouth, blushing.
Liu Ruozhu: "Sorry, sorry, I shouldn't laugh at Second Brother Yan. But seeing Second Brother Yan being spoken to like that by Her Highness and having to obey her, I just found it... quite amusing.
"Second Brother Yan doesn't seem like the Second Brother Yan I know anymore."
The Yan Shang she knew was always so composed and unflappable, maintaining his calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before him.
Perhaps only Danyang Princess could disrupt his plans?
Liu Ruozhu thought somewhat mischievously: She really did enjoy seeing Second Brother Yan being bested.
Yan Shang looked helplessly at Liu Ruozhu, smiling wryly as he expressed his embarrassment, returning to his usual peaceful demeanor.
After Mu Wan Yao finished inquiring about when her "Merit Stone" would arrive in Chang'an, she had Yan Shang and Liu Ruozhu board the carriage together to escort them back to their respective destinations.
Liu Ruozhu felt touched, thinking the Princess wasn't as cold as she appeared. Though Her Highness acted like she didn't like her, she actually took the initiative to see her home.
Meanwhile, Mu Wan Yao calculated the dates and relaxed upon realizing the Merit Stone would arrive in Chang'an before the Emperor's birthday. Glancing at Yan Shang and Liu Ruozhu sharing the carriage, she smiled inwardly: The reason she had Liu Ruozhu board the carriage was so she could witness her interactions with Yan Shang and retreat upon recognizing the difficulty.
However, the atmosphere among the three in the carriage became quite peculiar.
Mu Wan Yao wanted to talk with Yan Shang to make Liu Ruozhu face reality, but Liu Ruozhu kept engaging her in conversation, asking about this and that, which annoyed Mu Wan Yao and left her no opportunity to speak with Yan Shang.
Yan Shang simply sat watching the two ladies converse. Seeing Mu Wan Yao forced to patiently deal with Liu Ruozhu, he smiled slightly - this was the first time he'd seen Mu Wan Yao being pestered by another lady with no way to escape.The carriage entered the imperial city, and Yan Shang prepared to disembark.
Seizing the opportunity to escape Liu Ruozhu’s discussion about zither strings, Mu Wan Yao grabbed her face-covering veil, bent over to push the carriage door open, and called after him, “Hey!”
Yan Shang had already stepped down and stood beside the carriage, turning to look at her. She was leaning forward, one hand holding the doorframe, the pearl-adorned white gauze of her veil fluttering slightly in the breeze.
As she leaned down to gaze at him, her stunning features and creamy skin were accentuated by the casual movement. Her partially open collar revealed a subtle, slender curve between the snowy slopes of her chest.
Yan Shang immediately reached to adjust her garment, covering her chest. The tips of his ears flushed red as he murmured, “…Your Highness, your robes aren’t properly fastened.”
Mu Wan Yao was momentarily taken aback, then glanced down casually, a knowing smile spreading across her face. She tilted her chin up, her eyes sparkling with mischief, signaling him to come closer.
From inside the carriage, Liu Ruozhu—who had been obediently holding her books—watched as the princess knelt by the doorway, leaning forward to whisper something into Yan Shang’s ear. The two of them… Liu Ruozhu’s face heated, her heart racing. They were so close.
If her grandfather had seen this, he would surely have called the princess “immodest.”
Mu Wan Yao smiled brightly at Yan Shang. “I went out of my way to escort you back to the imperial city, and you just turn and leave without any gratitude?”
Yan Shang met her gaze briefly, his expression flickering before he lowered his head.
Mu Wan Yao knew that with his perceptive nature, a single glance was enough for him to guess her intentions.
Yet this Yan Erlang, who had already discerned her meaning, subtly took a step back and said slowly, without raising his head, “Does Your Highness expect me to offer a gift?”
Mu Wan Yao replied, “No gift needed—just a kiss.”
Yan Shang: “…”
He kept his head down, as if avoiding her gaze would make her disappear. Mu Wan Yao noticed the blush spreading under his eyes and his trembling lashes, feeling a pang of sympathy. He seemed almost rigid with shock.
Yan Shang protested, “In public…”
Mu Wan Yao offered kindly, “I’ll use my veil to cover us. No one will see.”
Yan Shang retorted, “What would that hide? Everyone would know… We can’t do that! Your Highness…”
He lifted his eyes to plead with her, but in that instant, Mu Wan Yao swiftly leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips.
He stumbled back in alarm, his heart pounding wildly, the blush spreading from the corners of his eyes across his entire face and even his neck. Gripping the doorframe, he glanced around nervously, checking if anyone had witnessed the scene.
Mu Wan Yao laughed so hard she nearly collapsed against the door, unable to stand straight.
Only then did Yan Shang mutter in a low, slightly aggrieved voice, “Your Highness!”
Mu Wan Yao looked up, a faint smile still playing on her lips, her eyes shimmering like scattered starlight.
Yan Shang’s anger melted away. After a moment, he whispered, “I should go now.”
Mu Wan Yao waved him off.
Back inside the carriage, Mu Wan Yao covered her slightly warm cheeks, chuckling to herself, when she noticed Liu Ruozhu’s flushed face. Clearly, while distant onlookers might have missed the scene, Liu Ruozhu, seated right there in the carriage, had seen everything.
Mu Wan Yao lazily tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and cast a sidelong glance at Liu Ruozhu, hinting that she should back off.
Liu Ruozhu whispered, “…Your Highness is so bold.”
Mu Wan Yao drawled leisurely, “What of it? Women already have it hard in this world—we ought to learn to find our own joy.”
Liu Ruozhu stared at the princess for a long moment. Mu Wan Yao had nearly forgotten the exchange when she saw Liu Ruozhu nod slowly, as if she had understood something profound.Mu Wan Yao guiltily averted her gaze: Restrain yourself, restrain yourself. I mustn’t corrupt Lord Liu’s granddaughter.
If Liu Ruozhu were led astray, wouldn’t Lord Liu come after her with his life?—
There were still over half a month until the Great Wei Emperor’s birthday celebration. Only after the celebrations concluded would the envoys from various nations depart with Great Wei’s rewards.
At present, everyone was primarily occupied with two matters: the Scholarly Duel and the Military Exercise.
Seeing the Uman King fully immersed in the Military Exercise, with the possibility of abandoning the Peace Marriage with Danyang Princess, Prince Qin specially sought out the Uman King once but returned disappointed.
Meanwhile, Danyang Princess’s reputation had nearly peaked over the past month.
There was no other reason—the poetry gathering hosted by the Hanlin Academy for scholars across the land had taken "Peace Marriage" as its theme.
Setting aside distant Peace Marriages, the most recent one involved none other than Danyang Princess.
Danyang Princess’s name was repeatedly invoked, with literati composing poems in her honor—some praising her contributions to Great Wei, others extolling the friendship between Great Wei and neighboring nations. A few even used the occasion to reflect on the historical hardships faced by Peace Marriage princesses.
Among these poetic works, one stood out for its excellence and memorability. By the time Mu Wan Yao learned of it, the poem had already spread among the common people.
Yet the author of this poem—Mu Wan Yao paused in confusion: "Feng Xianyu? He possesses such talent?"
But upon second thought, composing poetry might simply be a matter of "stumbling upon a brilliant line"—nothing particularly remarkable.
What concerned Mu Wan Yao more was: "However, if Feng Xianyu presented this poem without my aunt’s support, it suggests he may be attempting to break free from her control. He gains fame, but my aunt might not let him off easily."
As Fang Tong remained detained by the Ministry of War, Mu Wan Yao could only arrange for others to look after him, replacing the guards she typically used.
A guard advised, "If Your Highness wishes to avoid conflict with The Eldest Princess, you should suppress Feng Xianyu’s poem and prevent him from winning the top prize."
Mu Wan Yao hesitated briefly, then shook her head softly. "Scholars like him, without backing, struggle to advance. Since it doesn’t harm my interests, even if I don’t assist them, there’s no need to block their path. Let it be."
The guard replied, "Yet if Your Highness does nothing, The Eldest Princess may not show mercy."
Mu Wan Yao said, "Let it depend on Feng Xianyu’s fate. Princesses... are difficult to appease. Once entangled, disembarking is no easy task."
With that, the matter was set aside—
Once the court finalized arrangements for the Scholarly Duel and Military Exercise, troops stationed around the capital began frequent mobilizations.
Because the Uman King explicitly named Yan Shang, regardless of other arrangements, Great Wei had to include Yan Shang. Officials could only sympathize with him, thinking, "Who told him to provoke the Uman King?"
When the Crown Prince learned that the Ministry of War had begun mobilizing troops and the Uman King insisted on Yan Shang’s participation, he contemplated briefly and then assigned Yang Sanlang Yang Si to the task.
The Crown Prince aimed to seize some military authority from Prince Qin through this opportunity. At the very least, with Yang Si involved in the Military Exercise, the Crown Prince’s faction could follow Yang Si’s lead. After the exercise concluded, the Crown Prince intended to secure a foothold in the capital’s military forces and not let go.
Prince Qin, naturally aware of these maneuvers, engaged in a covert struggle with the Crown Prince, each side vying fiercely.
Meanwhile, Prince Jin’s residence remained as tranquil as ever, as if the power struggles in Chang’an had nothing to do with him. Aside from daily visits to the palace to play the filial son, Prince Jin stayed in his residence, accompanying his concubines.Chunhua's child was nearing birth, now at a critical stage. The Prince Jin's residence was about to welcome its first child, filling everyone with excitement and tension as they all hoped for the child's safe delivery.
Princess Consort Jin attended to Chunhua with earnest care while feeling wistful in her heart. Watching each of Prince Jin's concubines become pregnant one after another while she herself remained unable to conceive... Now observing Chunhua approaching labor, Princess Consort Jin's feelings were naturally complex—
Over the past month, Yan Shang's name had been frequently mentioned by the Ministry of War,
while Mu Wan Yao's name was being discussed by scholars throughout the land. It was said some had even submitted memorials proposing to erect some kind of monument for Danyang Princess, commending her merits in the Peace Marriage. The court naturally paid no attention to such trivial suggestions, but during casual conversations, people would use such matters as talking points for amusement.
After finalizing the procedures for the Scholarly Duel and Military Exercise, since both events were scheduled to occur on the same day as the Emperor's birthday celebration, it was necessary to consult His Majesty to see if he had any objections.
Seeing how they had managed to arrange matters in this manner, the Emperor pondered for a long time before expressing considerable emotion.
The Emperor said: "Summon the Uman King for an audience."—
When the Uman King arrived for his audience, the Emperor was in the Xingqing Palace.
Dragon's incense burned within the hall as Meng Zaishi performed the Great Wei ritual of kowtowing to the Emperor. Upon rising, he discreetly glanced at the Emperor.
Unlike the dignified and solemn Emperor he had seen during the ceremony that evening, in private the Emperor was merely a thin, middle-aged man with slightly sunken cheeks due to his leanness. His temples were graying, his expression weathered.
The Emperor received him in informal attire, casually draped in robes while reading by the window in the main hall. After Meng Zaishi's arrival, the eunuchs replaced the tea, and the Emperor indicated that the Uman King need not stand on ceremony and should sit to converse.
The entire hall remained utterly silent.
Two palace maids accidentally spilled a fruit platter while setting it down, their faces immediately paling with fear as they prepared to kneel and beg for mercy. But a quick-witted eunuch grabbed them by their collars and pushed them out.
The eunuch calmly removed the fruit platter and replaced it with a new one. After changing the incense in the burner, he retreated with quick steps, accidentally making eye contact with Meng Zaishi.
Meng Zaishi thought indifferently: This eunuch handles matters so methodically, yet he's quite handsome.
After replacing the incense, Liu Wenji withdrew outside the beaded curtain so as not to disturb the Emperor's conversation with the Uman King. His back was soaked with sweat from the earlier commotion caused by the palace maids, but fortunately he had managed the situation smoothly without disturbing the Emperor.
On duty today, Liu Wenji understood that when serving the Emperor, besides reading expressions and moods, maintaining composure was extremely important—
The Emperor flipped through the memorial in his hand and casually asked Meng Zaishi: "We hear it was the Uman King who suggested this Military Exercise?"
Meng Zaishi cupped his hands and replied clearly: "Yes."
The Emperor continued turning pages, smiling faintly: "We seem to keep encountering Yan Shang's name. We've heard you specifically pointed him out? What, has Our Great Wei's official offended the Uman King?"
Meng Zaishi answered cautiously: "It was merely some private disagreements."
Uncertain of the Emperor's attitude, he naturally wouldn't act presumptuously.
The Emperor said with interest: "Over this past month, it hasn't just been Yan Shang's name We've frequently heard. Yaoyao's name has also kept reaching Our ears. Whatever poetry compositions the Hanlin Academy holds, everyone writes about Yaoyao... Yaoyao's reputation has grown quite substantial now."
It took Meng Zaishi a while to understand that the "Yaoyao" the Emperor referred to was Danyang Princess.
Meng Zaishi could only praise the princess's elegance and charm, saying it captivated people's hearts.The Emperor lowered his gaze. "Since you admire her so deeply, why do you no longer wish to marry her?"
Meng Zaishi abruptly raised his head. Though well aware that Great Wei's etiquette forbade looking up at the Emperor, he truly couldn't restrain himself—he needed to see what expression the Emperor wore.
The Emperor gave a mocking laugh: "I've heard about the Nanshan incident. Uman King, look at what you alone have driven my court officials and princess to. One is forced by you into military exercises, the other is making such a spectacle that the whole world will know..."
The Emperor said slowly: "You see, if you had simply married Danyang directly, wouldn't all this trouble have been avoided?"
Meng Zaishi's face tightened slightly, radiating cold intensity.
As a king, he held no fear for this decaying Emperor of Great Wei. His gaze sharp and cold, he said deliberately: "Does Your Majesty believe I handled the Nanshan incident improperly?"
The Emperor said: "Yao Yao couldn't restrain herself and attacked you. You sustained serious injuries and could have used this to threaten Great Wei into granting the princess's hand. Yet it ended like this. What I'm curious about is - what terms did you negotiate with Yan Shang that made you abandon your pursuit of Danyang?"
Meng Zaishi started.
Meeting the Emperor's profound gaze.
He immediately realized their schemes hadn't escaped the Emperor's notice. Though the Emperor didn't intervene, he had always known what they were doing. And perhaps... he saw through each of their objectives clearly.
But with such a tone, was the Emperor suspecting Yan Shang?
Normally, Meng Zaishi wouldn't mind causing trouble for Yan Shang. The Great Wei Emperor's dislike of Yan Shang would benefit the Black Barbarians. But currently, Meng Zaishi was negotiating terms with Great Wei court officials through Yan Shang... If Yan Shang were demoted by the Emperor or encountered other troubles at this time, it would disadvantage the Black Barbarians.
So Meng Zaishi smiled: "I don't understand Your Majesty's meaning. I abandoned my pursuit of Danyang for my own reasons. Great Wei and the Black Barbarians are allied nations, and there are other ways to maintain friendly relations. After careful consideration, even though I deeply admire Princess Danyang, I should abandon anything that would harm my people."
The Emperor asked curiously: "What reasons?"
Meng Zaishi looked up, remaining silent for a long time before saying: "She cannot bear children."
Instantly, Meng Zaishi caught a blank expression on the Emperor's face. The Emperor stared at him as if not comprehending his words: "Say that again."
Outside the beaded curtain, Liu Wenji's pupils contracted, inwardly shocked: Princess Danyang cannot bear children?
Then... what about Yan Shang?——
After Meng Zaishi left, Liu Wenji suppressed his tangled thoughts and entered to attend to the Emperor. He saw the Emperor slumped over the desk, suddenly opening his mouth and vomiting a large amount of blood.
With the Emperor's critical condition, Xingqing Palace immediately descended into chaos, remaining awake throughout the night.
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