The Princess had taken residence at the relay station, where everyone from officials to servants was eager to attend to her needs. The recently subsided rain continued to drip rhythmically from the eaves like a water clock, creating small puddles as droplets splashed against the ground.

When Xia Rong led her maids, all dressed in white socks and red skirts, carrying trays along the corridor, Fang Tong called out and pulled her aside.

Glancing toward one of the side rooms, Fang Tong asked, “Have you sent new clothes to Young Master Yan? Also, he came through the rain with his old wounds not yet healed, and after being drenched all day, it would be terrible if he caught a cold. You should send him some medicinal ointment, bandages, gauze, and ginger soup.”

Xia Rong’s eyes widened: “But Her Highness specifically said not to prepare these things. She said ‘Let him die of illness’ and ‘It’s none of my business.’ How could I disobey Her Highness?”

Fang Tong sighed.

He enlightened her: “Sometimes you need to interpret Her Highness’s words in reverse. Why would she suddenly say ‘Let him die of illness’? It’s clear she’s worried about Young Master Yan but too embarrassed to show it or visit him personally. This is when you need to read Her Highness’s true intentions.”

Xia Rong had a sudden revelation and hurriedly expressed her thanks.

As she was about to leave to attend to these matters, she couldn’t help but turn back to ask: “Guard Fang, you’ve been with Her Highness the longest and understand her best. Can you give me a straight answer – how should I treat Young Master Yan? Are Her Highness and Young Master Yan separated or not?”

Fang Tong answered vaguely: “Just treat him as you would a Prince Consort.”

Xia Rong’s eyes grew wide, and her hands holding the tray trembled for a moment—

Mu Wanyao was restless.

After settling into the best quarters at the relay station and taking a bath, she sat on the edge of the bed, absent-mindedly drying her wet hair. She had dismissed her maids, not wanting their attendance in the room. After some time alone with her scattered thoughts, she heard a gentle “knock knock” at the door.

Mu Wanyao remained silent, glaring at the wooden door in slight anger.

Though the person outside hadn’t spoken, she instinctively knew it was him from the gentle, rhythmic knocking.

Sure enough, Yan Shang’s voice came from outside: “Your Highness, I’ve brought you some ginger soup. May I come in?”

Mu Wanyao: “No.”

The voice outside fell silent.

Mu Wanyao glared at the door, seeing his shadow remain unmoved. He wouldn’t leave without her permission.

Growing more unsettled and angry at her soft-heartedness, she threw her hair towel to the ground and snapped: “Fine, come in.”

Yan Shang entered, closed the door, and quickly surveyed the room.

He picked up the towel she had thrown, folded it neatly, and placed it on the table. Then he brought the ginger soup to the Princess, who sat on the edge of the bed. Looking down at the Princess in her thin silk nightgown, sitting sulkily by the bed, he began urging her to drink the soup.

Mu Wanyao was irritated by his meticulous attentiveness.

She glanced at him quickly, noting he must have freshly bathed.

His black hair was halfbound with a silver hairpin, still slightly damp. Standing before her with downcast eyes, he wore a clean apricot-colored male robe. The light color complemented his clear, gentle features, giving him an air of refined elegance. The robe was somewhat loose, likely to avoid aggravating his wounds underneath.

Thinking of his unhealed shoulder and back injuries, and how he had pursued her for half a day in the rain, Mu Wanyao’s heart softened.

She drank the ginger soup and returned the bowl, her usually alluring eyes downcast, avoiding his gaze: “I’m done. You can leave now.”

Yan Shang didn’t move.

He stood before her for a while, then said softly: “I need to talk to you.”

Mu Wanyao remained silent.

Yan Shang: “Let’s reconcile, alright?”

Mu Wanyao let out a scornful laugh, this time simply rolling onto the bed and turning away. She wrapped herself in the blanket and covered her ears, clearly showing she didn’t want to hear him speak.

Yan Shang sat down and, quite accustomed to her ways, reached out to adjust the blanket over her shoulders.

Understanding her temperament, he took no offense and continued speaking gently: “I’ve thought it through. It doesn’t matter whether we have children or not. I can accept that.”

Mu Wanyao had resolved to ignore whatever he might say.

But when he came out with this, her anger immediately flared up, and she couldn’t hold back anymore.

So the Princess who had just laid down suddenly threw off the blanket and sat up. She sat cross-legged on the bed, facing Yan Shang, glaring at him, and said mockingly: “It took you a whole month to figure that out? You certainly took your time thinking.”

Yan Shang felt ashamed.

His fingers resting on the bed curled slightly as he lowered his eyes and said softly: “I’m sorry… but this is indeed a major matter, and I needed time to think it through properly. Before, when I said it didn’t matter, didn’t you accuse me of just placating you? When I wasn’t trying to address this issue, you accused me of avoiding it… Now I’m not avoiding it anymore, I’ve thought it through.”

Mu Wanyao found it laughable.

She raised her voice: “I asked you for an answer, and it took you over a month to think it through! What were you doing all this time? Do you think just because you’ve figured it out, you can come back and make it with me? Don’t you think it’s too late? Did you think I’d just nod in agreement because you chased after me? Who do you think you are? Do you think I can’t live without you?!”

Her tone was passionate, filled with anger and disappointment.

Seeing the fury in her eyes, Yan Shang became flustered and couldn’t help defending himself: “I… I’ve always been this kind of person… I’m sorry. But I’m different from you… You only care about immediate satisfaction, but I think about the long term. You focus on the moment, but I can’t do that… I must think clearly about our future.”

Mu Wanyao: “What exactly have you figured out?”

Yan Shang paused for a moment, then said: “I met with Chunhua.”

Mu Wanyao’s eyebrow twitched sensitively, and her gaze toward him turned sharp and cold.

Her suspicions were confirmed.

Yan Shang’s next words were: “I asked Chunhua about what happened to you in Wuman… Yaoyao!”

He was cut off mid-sentence as she jumped off the bed to leave, but Yan Shang reached out to grab her. She struggled violently, but he knew he couldn’t let her leave like this. He held her tightly and forcefully pulled her back into his embrace.

Mu Wanyao kicked and struck out, but couldn’t break free. Her face reddened with anger and wounded pride. She lowered her head and bit his wrist, causing Yan Shang to grunt in pain, but he still wouldn’t let go. Mu Wanyao raised her head, eyes blazing with anger, and shrieked: “Who permitted you to ask? Who told you to meddle? We’re already separated! Stop interfering in my affairs!”

Yan Shang endured her kicking and hitting, taking several blows to his arms and knees. Finding it increasingly difficult to restrain her, he couldn’t help but raise his voice slightly: “I never wanted to separate from you. You were the one who drove me away… I’ve been thinking about everything between us, I…”

Mu Wanyao: “Do you care that much about my past?!”

Yan Shang: “Am I the one who cares? You’re the one who cares too much, you’re the one forcing me to be like this. If you didn’t care so much yourself, how could it affect me?”

Mu Wanyao gave a cold laugh.

She was held in his embrace, with his arms restraining her waist to prevent her from leaving, but her hands were still free. Their position was rather intimate for an argument, sitting on his lap, but clearly, neither of them was in that frame of mind. Mu Wanyao raised her hand and grabbed his chin, and while he was caught off guard, she leaned in to kiss him.

Yan Shang was confused, his restraining arms loosening, and before he knew what was happening, they were deeply entangled in a passionate kiss, their lips becoming moist and bright.

His body temperature soared, his heart pounding, and he couldn’t help leaning in for more. But Mu Wanyao leaned back, breaking away, and looked at him with cold eyes.

Yan Shang’s mind was in a fog, but her gaze brought him back to reality.

Mu Wanyao berated him: “You don’t care? When I kiss you, don’t you think about other men kissing me like this? When you hold me, don’t you think about other men holding me? You absolutely can’t not care, does lying make you seem noble…”

Yan Shang’s face reddened, and he said: “I wasn’t thinking about that.”

Mu Wanyao: “I don’t believe you!”

They seemed about to start arguing again.

Mu Wanyao pressed on, while Yan Shang grew increasingly anxious and frustrated, finally blurting out: “When you’re close to me, I become confused, I can’t think about anything else. I’m not like you, calculating and playing tricks even while kissing… I’m not like that at all!

“You think everyone has as many schemes as you do.”

Mu Wanyao froze.

Yan Shang, realizing what he’d said, also paused, a blush of embarrassment spreading beneath his eyes.

They stared at each other for a while.

He said softly: “I wasn’t thinking about those things.”

Looking at his expression, Mu Wanyao began to believe him. She bit her lip, suddenly feeling foolish and unreasonable. She covered her face with her hands, turned away, and said stiffly: “Oh.”

Seeing her calm down and no longer struggling, Yan Shang finally let out a slight sigh of relief. Holding her shoulders, he lowered his head to look at her. She kept her face covered, not letting him see. Yan Shang found it amusing and said softly: “What are you doing…”

Mu Wanyao remained silent.

Yan Shang: “So… would you be willing to sit down and listen to what I’ve been thinking about for a month?”

Mu Wanyao: “Go ahead. I’d love to hear what you’ve been thinking about all this time.”

She felt a sense of resigned liberation.

If Yan Shang knew everything… her defenses would be meaningless. She wanted to hear his thoughts—

Outside the door, the maids heard the commotion within, including the Princess’s screams. With the Princess so angry, they stood ready, waiting for her to call them in to drive Young Master Yan away. But after the long argument, everything had grown quiet.

Xia Rong and the other maids exchanged glances before slowly retreating.

In the room, Yan Shang was now drying Mu Wanyao’s hair with a towel. He insisted on doing this menial task, and Mu Wanyao couldn’t be bothered to stop him. She listened as he spoke in great detail:

“You only suffered physical injury, and Wuman didn’t have any good physicians. Perhaps with proper care for a few years, your body could heal. I suspect that since Your Highness returned to Chang’an, you’ve never dared to see a physician… I think we should consult one properly. Even if you truly cannot bear children, we can at least restore Your Highness’s health after years of damage.

“I worry when you fall ill at the slightest change in weather.”

Mu Wanyao glanced at him.

She felt bewildered, never imagining there would be a day when she could sit so calmly discussing her inability to bear children with a man. By her nature, she should have been angry and should have walked away after hearing just one word. Yet Yan Shang spoke so calmly… and her hair was still in his hands.

His tone was serene, as if discussing not the grave matter of her infertility, but something as ordinary as tomorrow’s meal.

This attitude truly comforted Mu Wanyao.

His conversational skills were so good that Mu Wanyao couldn’t help but remain calm along with him.

Mu Wanyao said dejectedly: “Not being able to bear children is just that. Even with medical treatment, if I still can’t bear children, what then?”

Yan Shang: “If it’s truly impossible, we’ll have to accept it. Fortunately, I have an elder brother with a son, so our family line won’t end. And, have I told Your Highness? My third brother is also getting married soon. He’ll have children soon too… I’m the second son, so the responsibility of continuing the family line doesn’t rest solely on me.

“And you’re a Princess. Even if we don’t have children, no one would dare criticize you. You needn’t worry about being blamed… Thinking about it this way, being a Princess isn’t so bad, is it?”

Seeing him even joke about it, Mu Wanyao turned her face away. She didn’t laugh, her dark eyes fixed on him: “No one would criticize me, but they would criticize you. You’ll face it everywhere you go. Family reproach, clan doubts, friends’ concerns, colleagues’ questions… You’ll bear this pressure for the rest of your life.”

Yan Shang lowered his head and slowly murmured an “mm.”

After a while, he said: “So… isn’t that why I took a month to think it through?”

Mu Wanyao turned away, pressing her lips together: “You don’t have to do this. If it’s out of pity for me, there’s no need. You’re such a good man, there are plenty of ladies who would like you. You don’t need to bear this pressure at all.”

Yan Shang repeated: “That’s why I thought about it for a month.”

Mu Wanyao’s shoulders trembled slightly, but she deliberately played the villain, pretending not to understand him: “Are you using your kindness to pressure me?”

Yan Shang: “I’m offering my heart in exchange for yours. I want to tell you my thoughts, but if you don’t accept them, there’s nothing I can do.”

Yan Shang leaned in to look at her, but she turned away. He sighed softly and pulled her into his embrace, letting her face rest against his neck. This time he felt the dampness on his neck, but she didn’t have to feel ashamed about being seen.

The lady trembled in his arms as Yan Shang gently stroked her back, comforting her.

Her voice was choked with tears: “But you love children so much.”

Yan Shang said softly: “I also… love Your Highness very much.”

He consoled her: “In the future… in the future, if you truly cannot bear children, we can adopt one from my elder brother or third brother. If you don’t want a child from our family, there are many orphans in this world abandoned by their parents… Of course… if you don’t want any, that’s fine too. Life doesn’t have to be perfect in every way, it’s enough to have most things go well.”

He whispered in her ear about his plans, his thoughts. He had truly considered the consequences of this matter seriously and found solutions one by one. His attitude comforted Mu Wanyao; while she had thought this was an insurmountable issue, Yan Shang made her feel that perhaps it wasn’t so important after all.

As long as he stayed with her, everything would be fine.

Mu Wanyao raised her face from his embrace, her hands caressing his features, her damp eyelashes brushing against his face. She moved to kiss him, but Yan Shang pulled back slightly, showing his reluctance.

Yan Shang lowered his head: “I’ve given you my answer, won’t you give me yours?”

Mu Wanyao was confused: “What answer?”

He glanced at her, and pressed his lips together, showing a slight petulance: “About your marrying someone else.”

Mu Wanyao paused.

She said: “Oh, that.”

Yan Shang looked at her.

Mu Wanyao couldn’t help but curve her lips in a thoughtful smile: “You chased me from Chang’an, did you know I was heading to Jinling? I went to Jinling because I felt I couldn’t explain clearly in a letter, and planned to personally tell my maternal grandfather’s family about refusing the marriage. I never intended to marry. Didn’t I tell you that before?”

Yan Shang was silent.

After a long while, he said: “What I’ve been asking for was never just about this time. I want official status.”

Mu Wanyao raised her hand to her forehead.

Thinking she would refuse again, Yan Shang grabbed her hand, his tone intensifying: “Yaoyao!”

He said: “Power is good, but am I not good enough? Have you decided I can’t help you? We can work together. You don’t let me participate in so many things, I worry about you… Can we not be like this? Even if we’re not in that kind of relationship, didn’t I say I’d be your retainer? What kind of lord leaves their retainer outside and handles everything alone when troubles arise?”

Mu Wanyao stared at him, waiting to see what else he would say.

Yan Shang: “I just want official status… I can’t be with you without a proper position. What would that make me? Your Kept-man? I don’t like that. I don’t like having to be secretive, unable to tell others about our relationship. When others ask me about us, I can’t even acknowledge it, afraid of upsetting you or causing you trouble… I don’t want this anymore.”

Yan Shang gripped her wrist, afraid she would again evade the issue or dodge the question. He decided to be clear once and for all: “I’m not forcing you to give me an answer right now… I’m saying, at least give me a timeframe! How long do you want me to wait? I’m not afraid of waiting, I’m afraid of you wearing me down endlessly, leaving me with no future to look forward to. Do you want me to wait one year, two years, five years… or a lifetime? You have to tell me.”

Mu Wanyao: “What if I make you wait a lifetime?”

Yan Shang froze slightly.

He released her wrist and said softly: “In that case, I won’t stay with you.”

He said: “Official status is my bottom line. You can’t keep humiliating me forever.”

Mu Wanyao sighed.

Hearing this, Yan Shang’s heart ached. He waited for a long time but received no response, and his heart grew cold. As he was about to leave, not wanting to further humiliate himself, Mu Wanyao laughed and clung to him. She pressed on his shoulders, making him sit back down.

She knelt before him, and Yan Shang looked up at her.

Mu Wanyao gazed at him intently, murmuring: “I thought you were going to force me to give you an answer now, but you only want me to consider it and give you a timeframe. Second Brother Yan, why are you so tolerant of me?”

Mu Wanyao lowered her head to nuzzle his face, speaking softly: “Second Brother Yan, I’m not afraid to tell you, with my past, power is especially important to me. I can’t give up power for you; without power, I feel insecure. I can’t have just love, can’t have just you.

“But you’re also very important. I want both power and you, I don’t want to give up either. Second Brother Yan, don’t worry, if official status is your bottom line, I will give it to you.”

Her hand caressed his chin, and as his eyes flickered with words he wanted to say, Mu Wanyao pressed a finger to his lips, stopping him.

Mu Wanyao gazed at him very seriously: “But have you thought through what it means to be with me? Even if there’s a high chance we’ll never have children? Have you thought it through and won’t regret it? If you’ve thought it through, I won’t trouble myself with these matters anymore, nor will I allow you to regret it. Second Brother Yan, you still have a chance to change your mind now. Otherwise, if I end up both childless and bullying you, your life will be too difficult.”

Yan Shang said softly: “Don’t belittle yourself.”

Though he didn’t answer directly, he raised his arms to embrace her shoulders, looking up at her. His eyes were clear as water, and this subtle response made Mu Wanyao suddenly unable to suppress her smile, finding him dear and lovable.

The withered flowers in her heart bloomed anew, their branches stretching forth.

He had this ability to bring her back to life even after she felt dead inside.

Yan Shang still remembered his request: “My official status…”

Mu Wanyao widened her eyes, deliberately saying: “You took an entire month to reach your conclusion, how can you not allow me a few days to think? I also need to consider carefully and understand the consequences. Marrying you is too troublesome, I’m not such an impulsive person! If I can’t get any benefit from it, I won’t marry you!

“You’ll just have to wait patiently while I think it through.”

Yan Shang was stunned, realizing Mu Wanyao was getting back at him. He could only sigh and accept this answer—

Mu Wanyao pressed against him for another kiss.

However, after hesitating for a moment, Yan Shang leaned against the bedpost, catching his breath as he asked her: “Does this mean we’ve reconciled?”

Mu Wanyao’s soft fingers kneaded into his waist, making him tremble as he grabbed her mischievous hand through his clothes. She didn’t answer him at all, and Yan Shang didn’t want to keep asking. He thought they must have reconciled, otherwise she wouldn’t be acting this way…

But the night grew later, and the water clock chimed multiple times.

Yan Shang said: “It’s late… I should go back to sleep.”

His tone carried a hint of struggle, clearly reluctant to leave the beauty’s embrace, as any man would be. Moreover, they had just reconciled after being apart for over a month, and tonight he was having trouble controlling himself.

Mu Wanyao sat on the bed watching him rise, and he turned back to look at her.

Mu Wanyao raised an eyebrow.

Yan Shang said: “I’m leaving.”

Mu Wanyao didn’t speak.

Yan Shang: “Tomorrow… tomorrow I’ll head back. I only came specifically to explain things to you, and once things are clear, I need to return to Chang’an.”

Mu Wanyao still said nothing, wearing an ambiguous smile.

Yan Shang turned to look at her again, and this was the third time he’d turned back to look. Mu Wanyao couldn’t help but curl her lips upward, finally unable to maintain her composure as she fell backward onto the bed.

She rolled around laughing, propping her face up with her hand, her brows soft with affection, eyes sparkling with moisture, dimples blooming like flowers: “Alright, alright, stop looking at me… I understand what you mean. If you want to stay the night, just stay!

“A brief separation makes the reunion even sweeter—I’ve never been unwilling!”

Yan Shang’s face reddened at her teasing.

He insisted: “That’s not what I meant… I just wanted to talk with Your Highness a bit longer.”

Mu Wanyao said solemnly: “Just talking under the covers? How noble of you.”

Her teasing made him extremely uncomfortable. Her laughter made him increasingly embarrassed, feeling crude. Just as he was about to leave in self-disgust, Mu Wanyao affectionately pulled him back to sit, began coaxing him with sweet words, and kept him there—

When Mu Wanyao slept at night, she routinely kept a small light burning.

Yan Shang always remembered her habits. He lit a lamp outside the curtains, lowered the layers of bed hangings one by one, and carefully returned to the bedside, leaning against the edge before lying down.

Mu Wanyao lay on the inner side, staring at his back.

Nearly boring holes into his back with her gaze.

Mu Wanyao said sarcastically: “So you’re just going to sleep like this?”

Yan Shang gave a soft “mm” and said: “Your Highness needs to travel tomorrow, and I need to return to Chang’an.”

Hearing the worry in his tone, Mu Wanyao guessed his thoughts and couldn’t help but laugh: “There you go again. You’re the one who left Chang’an without taking leave, and now before dawn, you’re already restless, worrying about tomorrow’s official duties. Can’t you relax a little?”

Yan Shang: “I’m sorry.”

Mu Wanyao snorted: “You should be sorry to me.”

After a long pause, she suddenly spoke again: “You’re such a wooden block!”

Her coquettish tone carried notes of disappointment and resignation.

As Mu Wanyao was complaining about his unresponsiveness, she heard the young lord who was facing away from her say: “How am I a wooden block?”

Mu Wanyao: “If you weren’t a wooden block, you wouldn’t lie there with a delicate beauty beside you, just turning your back to me without even looking back.”

He remained silent.

Mu Wanyao reached out to poke him, but her fingertip only lightly touched his back. Remembering his unhealed wounds, she didn’t dare disturb him further.

Her interest waning, she turned to face away from him as well: “If I weren’t worried about your injuries, I would have my way with you.”

Yan Shang sat up, leaning against the edge of the bed as he rose to open the bed curtains. Mu Wanyao secretly watched to see what he was doing, wondering if her words had angered him and made him want to leave.

As she worried, Yan Shang turned back to look at her. His gaze was still clear and gentle, but perhaps due to the dim lamplight, his eyes held layers of shadow, carrying deeper meaning.

Yan Shang leaned down to embrace her, lifting her. Mu Wanyao was bewildered, but the next moment her face suddenly flushed red as his fingers gently tugged at the sash around her waist, his warm fingertips caressing her waist. Mu Wanyao’s waist instantly softened, and the cool air against her snow-white skin raised goosebumps all over her legs.

Her face was crimson, suddenly realized what he was doing. She had never seen Yan Shang so initiative, and she looked at him with both embarrassment and joy, trembling slightly as her knees felt the empty air.

Seeing him lower his gaze to look, she couldn’t help but feel shy, covering his eyes with her hands while still giggling: “Don’t look!”

Yan Shang caught her outstretched hand, tilting his head to kiss her wrist. The intimate touch of his gentle breath against her soft skin made Mu Wanyao’s whole body tremble, her eyelashes fluttering constantly. And he didn’t stop there—his rain-like kisses followed from her wrist, winding like a meandering stream through mountains and waters.

Yan Shang crouched barefoot beside the bed, his face against her abdomen, his other hand resting on her knee, gently pushing.

Mu Wanyao looked at him in confusion.

For she had never imagined he would be so bold.

The next moment, he lowered his head, his kisses continuing to flow slowly along the hills and valleys.

He knelt before the footboard, his long hair falling over his shoulders, his lowered eyelashes like dense curtains. Mu Wanyao suddenly cried out like a kite with its string cut, unable to bear it as she fell back onto the bedding. Her entire body flushed red as his gentle breath below painted her in peach blossom hues.

Mu Wanyao was going mad.

Her long hair spread across the pillow as her snow-white feet pressed against his shoulders, kicking at him: “Stop! Stop! Don’t do this… don’t do this!”

Yet her voice carried traces of tears, trembling with extreme pleasure.

Spring rain fell steadily, lamplight flickered wildly, starlit eyes half-closed, lips slightly parted. She covered her mouth helplessly, the corners of her eyes filled with crimson and glistening tears.

Mountains and waters curved gracefully, gently, and pure. The young lord knelt on the ground, the lady lay on the bed. The bed curtains cast their shadows, the light dim and hazy, suffused with warm colors—

In Chang’an.

The troops at the Northern Camp on the outskirts had already gone to sleep, with only the patrol guards standing stern watch.

In the main tent, Liu Wenqi leaned against a couch, gripping a sword.

Even as he dozed, he didn’t let go of the sword. Sometimes he would wake suddenly from nightmares, eyes snapping open to find only darkness in the tent, before closing them again.

He remained constantly vigilant for potential rebellion outside—the Northern Camp must be subdued!—

In the Wei mansion, Imperial Consort Zhao had already retired, but Wei Shu still sat at his desk in the study.

He sat alone for a long time, until the deep of night when a cat’s cry outside startled him awake.

He stared at his desk for a long while before spreading out paper and beginning to write a memorial—

Requesting to be sent as an envoy to various countries, to maintain and strengthen Great Wei’s relationships with neighboring states.

He wrote a memorial discussing Great Wei’s complex friend-and-foe relationships with surrounding countries, expressing his grand ambitions, adorning it with elegant prose to move those who would read it into granting his request.

The Wei family was using Wei Shu as a chess piece.

But Wei Shu wanted to jump off this chessboard.

He had let down his teacher, but he knew what would be better. He would rather leave Great Wei as an envoy, unable to return for years, than remain a pawn in others’ hands—

The Wei family could stop his position at the Censorate.

But they couldn’t control everything and make the neighboring countries comply—

In the imperial palace, the Emperor woke from a nightmare in the middle of the night and could not fall back asleep.

As he lay awake waiting for dawn, Cheng’an outside knew the Emperor was awake and came in to attend to him.

After a while, Cheng’an reported some news: “Your Majesty, it seems Young Master Yan has left Chang’an.”

The Emperor had already had people watching Yan Shang, and while Yan Shang usually conducted himself with perfect propriety, now that he had finally done something slightly improper, the observers immediately reported to His Majesty.

The Emperor remained silent.

Lost in thought, he asked: “When did Danyang leave Chang’an?”

Cheng’an understood the Emperor’s meaning and said: “The Princess left at dawn, and Young Master Yan left after the noon meal… but the Princess was in a carriage while Young Master Yan was on horseback… perhaps he really could catch up. Your Majesty, it seems Young Master Yan and Her Highness may truly be approaching a happy event.”

The Emperor’s eyes showed a hint of a smile.

He said softly: “Then We shall give Yan Suchen an opportunity for promotion… it all depends on whether he can grasp it.”

He sighed: “If Yan Suchen is not strong enough, how can he protect Yaoyao?”