From the start of the drinking, Yan Shang had shown perfect propriety in his conduct, his words and actions as refreshing as a spring breeze. His sudden tea-spitting incident, where he hurriedly covered himself with his sleeve while choking, startled both Feng Xianyu and Wei Shu at the table.

Yan Shang said between coughs: “My apologies for my lack of composure…”

Feng Xianyu looked inquisitively at the red-faced, disheveled Yan Erlang, then at Wei Shu. Sure enough, the young Wei Shu’s expression had grown even more distant than before.

Wei Shu said: “Does the mention of Princess Danyang shock Brother Yan so much?”

Yan Shang’s coughing subsided.

He helplessly looked down at the tea stains on his sleeves and collar, feeling somewhat distressed. After all, this Famous Flower Banquet would cost at least 500 wen tonight, and with his clothes soiled, he would need to change when he returned.

Because he was more concerned about money than the princess when Yan Shang faced Wei Shu again, he was much calmer: “I just think that you, Juyuan, are so young, and that princess must be many years your senior… it’s quite surprising.”

In his mind, he couldn’t help but think of that lady with the beautiful eyes and brows.

Indeed, she was very beautiful.

However, no matter how beautiful… wasn’t that princess about to turn nineteen? Wei Shu looked only fourteen or fifteen.

To say it was an old cow eating tender grass wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Thinking of how Mu Wanyao had kissed him during their parting, Yan Shang couldn’t help but wonder what kind of peculiarity he shared with Wei Shu that made them both appeal to Princess Danyang in some way.

Yan Shang lowered his eyelashes, observing Wei Shu. Due to his young age, the others at the table took care of him, not letting him drink too much.

Thus far, except for Yan Shang who never touched alcohol, whether it was Liu Wenji who had gone to relieve himself, or Feng Xianyu who now lay sprawled on the table, all had reddened faces. Only Wei Shu remained crystal clear, his entire bearing pure and clean.

Wei Shu raised his eyes to look at Yan Shang, and after a moment, his voice softened slightly: “How do you know the age difference between Princess Danyang and me? How do you know how old Princess Danyang is this year? Could it be… you know Her Highness?”

Yan Shang’s expression remained unchanged, very natural: “I’m just a commoner, how could I know Her Highness? It’s just that Princess Danyang is quite famous, I’ve only heard about her.”

His words convinced Wei Shu.

Indeed, His Majesty had only two princesses, and Princess Danyang was famous not for any other reason but because she had been sent in a political marriage.

A princess who returned to Chang’an after a political marriage, Princess Danyang naturally drew people’s attention. The eyes of the world were on her.

Wei Shu said: “…It’s my teacher who hopes that Her Highness and I… but exactly how things will turn out remains uncertain. The political marriage was for Great Wei’s sake, and now that she’s returned, people still gossip. Regardless of the future, at present, I feel somewhat sorry for Her Highness.”

Yan Shang remained silent.

After a while, he said: “Pity isn’t the right word – this is what a princess should bear. But having the fate of the state and empire placed on a woman’s shoulders is surely a shame for all men under heaven.”

Wei Shu’s eyes lit up slightly as he looked at Yan Shang and said: “Brother Yan speaks truly.”

He continued: “If one day you and I serve together in officialdom, let’s hope such things never happen again.”

Yan Shang smiled without speaking, only pouring tea again, using tea instead of wine, standing to toast Wei Shu.

Feng Xianyu, who had been watching from the side, was startled by these two’s level of thinking.

These two were so compatible, moving from discussing a princess’s political marriage to how to serve as officials…

This wasn’t just one monster.

It was two.

“What are you talking about?” As Yan Shang and Wei Shu toasted each other with tea, Liu Wenji returned to his seat, looking curiously at the unusual atmosphere.

Just as Feng Xianyu was about to explain in a casual tone, Yan Shang intercepted, smiling at Liu Wenji: “Nothing much, Wei Juyuan and I were just discussing some new drinking games.”

Yan Shang knew Liu Wenji was somewhat arrogant and looked down on those who curried favor with the powerful. He feared that if Wei Shu’s involvement with the princess reached Liu Wenji’s ears, Liu Wenji would make some sarcastic remarks.

He smoothly changed the topic, Wei Shu glanced at him without speaking, and Feng Xianyu just smiled without contradicting.

Evening wind, cold moon, wine’s intoxicating fragrance. Feng Xianyu, tucking his sleeves, hummed a tune: The new friends met today were all quite interesting—

Meanwhile, at Mu Wanyao’s side, the princess’s residence received a visitor with a distraught face – it was the Prince of Jin’s wife.

Among the three living princes, the Prince of Jin was the least notable, and naturally, his wife had also become invisible in Chang’an. Moreover, this princess consort was his second wife, making her position even lower.

While other princess consort had various entertainments and admirers, the Jin Princess Consort looked around and felt that only Princess Danyang, who had just returned to Chang’an, might understand her situation.

The Jin Princess Consort held Princess Danyang’s hand and wept for an hour: “…Married for three years, I haven’t been able to give our prince even half a child. Sister, I believe you can understand my suffering as a wife who cannot bear children…”

Mu Wanyao was amused.

She rested her chin on her hand, smiling ironically: “How would I understand? Just because I was married, does that mean I must understand your desire to bear children, Sister-in-law?”

The Jin Princess Consort’s eyes widened.

She said: “Because you also have no children…”

The maids like Chunhua waiting outside the curtain exchanged glances, thinking this princess consort was indeed unpopular in Chang’an for good reason – how could she speak like this? Was she deliberately stepping on their princess’s sore spot?

Their princess had been married, but who said marriage meant wanting children? Their princess would have rather castrated that man.

Sure enough, the maids heard their princess’s cool voice: “Sorry, Sister-in-law. I don’t understand you. I have no plans to bear children for anyone in this life, but if you wish, I can send some beauties to my Fifth Brother’s bed to help him have children.”

Jin Princess Consort: “…”

The Jin Princess Consort’s tears fell even harder, sobbing continuously: “I’m only thinking of the royal family’s descendants! Sister, why must you pierce my heart like this?”

Mu Wanyao thought she had spoken too harshly.

Unexpectedly, this princess consort said: “These past few years, I’ve sent many concubines to your Fifth Brother’s bed, but our household still has no children. I suspect… I suspect…”

Mu Wanyao also began to wonder.

She asked curiously in a low voice: “Is my Fifth Brother unable to father children? Does he have some physical problem?”

The Jin Princess Consort cried: “The Imperial Physicians have examined him and say there’s no problem. Yet our prince’s household still has no children.”

With no juicy gossip to hear, Mu Wanyao grew bored.

She changed her sitting position, yawning lazily: “Well, I’m not the Guanyin who grants children, so why tell me all this?”

The Jin Princess Consort looked up, her gaze flickering with hope: “I heard the Child-Granting Guanyin at Yongshou Temple is very efficacious. I want to ask sister to accompany me there.”

Mu Wanyao refused: “Why don’t you go by yourself?”

The Jin Princess Consort said: “I don’t want our prince’s household matters to become public knowledge. Come with me, sister – I’ll pray for children, and you can pray for marriage!”

Mu Wanyao was finally so annoyed by the Jin Princess Consort’s endless chatter that, having nothing better to do anyway, she agreed to accompany her to Yongshou Temple—

That afternoon, Yan Shang sat alone in his room. Outside, the weather was cold and gloomy, the light dim. He lit candles to write, thick scrolls piled like mountains on his desk.

In this era, to pass the imperial examinations, besides the regular examination, one could also compile their usual poetry and prose into volumes, have prominent officials act as intermediaries, and submit these to the examination officials for self-recommendation.

This way, the examination officials could judge the candidate’s usual scholarly attainments when deciding the final results.

This method was called “traveling scrolls.”

Liu Wenji had always looked down on this method and never participated in it.

But Yan Shang knew his situation, and being neither for nor against it, both he and Feng Xianyu were very interested in “traveling scrolls.”

The two had agreed to submit their scrolls together to a certain minister’s (respectful term for prime minister) household, and their primary task was to first produce outstanding scrolls.

Yan Shang had spent the entire day cooped up in his room, busy organizing and revising old writings, compiling them together.

Outside, a drizzle suddenly began to fall, and he got up to close the doors and windows—

Mu Wanyao, accompanying the Jin Princess Consort to Yongshou Temple, grew bored after just a short while. While the Jin Princess Consort went to pray devoutly, Mu Wanyao wanted to leave. At this moment, a maid came to say that Wei Shu had come to see her.

Mu Wanyao quickly seized this excuse to escape from the Jin Princess Consort’s side, saying she would go to the small bamboo grove behind the temple to speak with Wei Shu.

Wei Shu and Mu Wanyao walked through the verdant grove, discussing the matter of traveling scrolls: “I have prepared my scrolls, and hope Your Highness can recommend me another day.”

Mu Wanyao responded with a “mm.”

Examination candidates couldn’t recommend themselves to the examiners; they needed prominent officials to vouch for them.

Wei Shu asked further: “Does Your Highness know who the Ministry of Rites has sent to be the chief examiner this year?”

Mu Wanyao smiled, about to answer when suddenly from the sky came a “drip-drop” sound as a raindrop fell—

As the bamboo grove filled with mist and the rain just began, Mu Wanyao and Wei Shu retreated from the grove. They had only gotten halfway when the rain grew heavy, striking down with loud pattering sounds.

Through the rain curtain, Wei Shu suddenly said: “Your Highness, I just remembered, that one of my senior brothers is staying at Yongshou Temple. With the rain so heavy, and your attendants likely taking shelter in the front courtyard, why don’t we seek shelter at my senior brother’s quarters?”

Mu Wanyao scolded: “Why so many unnecessary words? Lead the way!”

Wei Shu’s face suddenly reddened, and muttering “Excuse me,” he grabbed Mu Wanyao’s sleeve and hurriedly led her out of the bamboo grove.

After several twists and turns, they emerged from the grove to find the rain even heavier, but fortunately, Wei Shu’s senior brother lived right next to the bamboo grove.

Wei Shu pulled Mu Wanyao as they ran through the rain. As Mu Wanyao stood under the corridor wiping rain from her face and clothes, Wei Shu knocked on the door: “Brother Yan!”

There was no answer from inside, but there was a sudden crash as if something had fallen.

Wei Shu paused, then pushed open the wooden door, calling again: “Brother Yan, are you alright?”

A gentle male voice drifted through the misty rain from among the mountain-like pile of scrolls on the desk: “I’m fine.”

Hearing this voice, Mu Wanyao, standing behind Wei Shu arranging her appearance, felt it vaguely familiar.

As she absentmindedly smoothed her wet hair clinging to her cheeks, she looked toward the desk.

She saw the person who had been kneeling at the desk organizing books gradually stand up from behind the layers of scrolls.

Long, distant brows, dark warm eyes, a high straight nose, refined facial features… time slowed as he gradually revealed his elegant features from bottom to top, his smiling lips tinged with vermillion.

The clear shore in the evening wind grows cold, jade bones of green mountains grow lean.

The rain pattered against the eaves, bamboo leaves rustled in the wind, and for an instant, heaven and earth fell silent.

Cold rain fell thickly, dripping and dropping, the winding years like a river – how many cold days had come late?

Standing at the doorway under the corridor, as a cool breeze blew past, Mu Wanyao, who had been wiping her black hair and clothes, unexpectedly found herself staring unblinkingly at Yan Erlang.