Her heart pounded like a drum, her ears buzzing. Neither had experienced such intimacy before, leaving them both momentarily speechless.

Mu Wan Yao clutched her wildly beating heart, secretly raising one eye to steal a glance at Yan Shang. She saw his face had flushed red, his pressed lips slightly stiff. Unconsciously, she found herself staring at his lips, recalling the recent sensation.

He shifted uncomfortably, his elbow pressing firmly against the desk as if startled to stand but deliberately restraining himself. His long fingers curled involuntarily, tightening around the document in his hand.

His exposed ears grew even redder.

Mu Wan Yao’s eyes widened: Was he being shy? She had no idea he could be this shy!

A thought crossed her mind – feeling somewhat sympathetic toward Yan Shang, she reasoned that having grown up in the palace, she was more worldly and should guide him.

But… guide him in what?

Perhaps her gaze was too obvious, as Yan Shang lowered his head toward her with mild reproach: “Your Highness!”

Mu Wan Yao grabbed his sleeve, her upturned eyes catching the golden light, sparkling with allure. Yan Shang found himself lost in her gaze, while Mu Wan Yao displayed a mix of shyness, curiosity, and a hint of boldness unique to private moments.

She whispered, “Brother, come closer, I have something to tell you.”

Yan Shang fought his discomfort and lowered his ear toward her.

She tilted her face up, cupping her hand beside his cheek, her red lips near his ear, her delicate breath floating like a feather against his ear.

Yan Shang’s grip on the memorial tightened further, veins visible on the back of his hand, his throat bobbing unconsciously.

Mu Wan Yao remained oblivious, merely whispering mysteriously against his ear with great solemnity: “Second Brother Yan, this is called kissing!”

Yan Shang: “…”

He moved back slightly, giving her an odd, indescribable look.

Mu Wan Yao said with slight pride: “I’ve seen it in the palace.”

Yan Shang asked slowly: “Who did you see? Is it proper for a princess to witness such things?”

Mu Wan Yao was about to answer that she had seen it in illustrated books, but suddenly remembered how after her previous discovery, the books were banned the next day and her mother had replaced all her palace maids.

Though she was now married and the highest authority in her household, the shadow of her younger years still made Mu Wan Yao wary.

So she responded cleverly, avoiding the question: “Well, I’ve seen it! At least I know what kissing is. Second Brother Yan, do you know? You don’t, right? Beg me, and I’ll tell you what it’s all about!”

Yan Shang raised an eyebrow slightly.

A smile rose in his heart.

He might not be entirely ignorant. At regular feasts in the Northern District, he had accidentally seen quite a bit. He was just shy, considering it inelegant. Second Young Master Yan, who always minded his conduct, would never allow himself to appear unrefined.

But he suddenly realized that the little princess he thought was clever and sensible, his little wife, wasn’t always so well-behaved.

Yan Shang struggled between blushing and holding back laughter. He asked, “What do you mean by kissing?”

Mu Wan Yao: “After kissing, babies are made!”

Yan Shang: “…”

Mu Wan Yao: “What?”

Yan Shang was embarrassed.

He coughed once, unable to resist his instinct to correct her: “After our wedding night… Your Highness still thinks kissing alone makes babies?”

Mu Wan Yao froze, her face instantly burning red.

She might be innocent, but she wasn’t truly foolish. She might be confused about some things, but once Yan Shang posed the question, she could understand.

Greatly embarrassed, she immediately buried her head like a quail, pretending she hadn’t just humiliated herself. She stammered: “Y-you forget what I just said!”

Yan Shang smiled.

He acquiesced: “Alright.”

Looking at the water clock, he said gently: “Well, Your Highness has played for so long, surely it’s time to sleep now?”

Mu Wan Yao hesitated.

She suddenly looked up, saying softly: “Second Brother Yan.”

Yan Shang: “Hmm?”

Mu Wan Yao: “Do you want to… kiss again?”

Yan Shang froze in shock.

He looked down at her, gazing at her pink and white face. Her eyes were clear and distinct, like a pristine lake. She was completely curious yet shy, but curiosity had overcome shyness. Her eyes fixed on his lips, her small crimson lips slightly parted, a red glow flowing beneath his gaze.

Yan Shang’s heart suddenly burned.

Thinking that she was his wife… what was there to hold back?

Moreover… he also… was curious.

Yan Shang lowered his head, under Mu Wan Yao’s wide-eyed gaze, his lips gently touching hers. His hands embraced her shoulders, she held her breath in surprise, her face growing redder. Mu Wan Yao saw Yan Shang close his eyes, his eyelashes trembling against his eyelids.

He wasn’t much better than her—

Young men and women are merely driven by curiosity.

With half-understood comprehension, they innocently believed that lips touching constituted a kiss.

So they both held their breath, both hearts nearly jumping out of their throats with nervousness, yet both found joy in it.

Nibbling, touching, caressing, thinking this was what kissing meant.

After just a brief exploration, not only was Mu Wan Yao’s face completely red, but sweat had appeared at Yan Shang’s temples. He instinctively wanted something, but being accustomed to self-restraint, he wasn’t quite clear what. Yet the emerging desire made his hands burn hot on her shoulders, gripping firmly.

One kiss led to another. Though not true kisses, they were beginning to find their way.

Unknown who initiated, unknown who clutched whose sleeve. Between lowered heads and raised faces, closed eyes, and open ones, their breaths merged into a sweet fragrance.

When Mu Wan Yao came to her senses, she was no longer just leaning against his shoulder waiting for him. Without realizing when, Yan Shang had lifted her, seating her on his lap. One hand embraced her shoulder, the other cradled her cheek. As her cheeks burned, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck, whimpering softly.

Yan Shang withdrew with difficulty.

Mu Wan Yao stared at him with round eyes, shocked.

Yan Shang turned his face away, somewhat embarrassed.

Mu Wan Yao pressed against his ear, whispering shyly: “You… your body seems different… kind of like, like our wedding night, do you know?”

Yan Shang pressed his lips together.

He said awkwardly: “I know. Can you please stop talking?”

For a moment, he had forgotten to address her as “Your Highness” or himself as “your subject.”

Mu Wan Yao obediently said “oh” and nestled against his neck, letting him hold her. She gazed dreamily at his bobbing Adam’s apple, somewhat wanting to reach out and touch it, but feeling it might not be appropriate. So she stared fixedly, wrestling with her inner impulse.

Meanwhile, she also saw sweat on Yan Shang’s neck. Fine beads of sweat, his Adam’s apple moving.

He was stiff as a stone.

Just as Mu Wan Yao almost couldn’t resist reaching out to touch, her raised fingers were caught by Yan Shang. She was startled, thinking he had discovered her curiosity and wouldn’t let her touch.

Mu Wan Yao guiltily looked up at Yan Shang, who lowered his eyes to meet hers.

After restraining himself for a moment, he still couldn’t help whispering in her ear: “Could we… could we try once?”

Mu Wan Yao was confused: “Sure. Your face is so red. But try what? I don’t understand. Second Brother Yan, can’t you speak more clearly?”

Yan Shang’s face reddened further.

He struggled for a long while, his voice dropping even lower, so low that if Mu Wan Yao hadn’t been pressed against him, she truly wouldn’t have heard what he was saying: “…Just, just like that night, our wed-wedding night. I… I want… want to.”

Mu Wan Yao froze for a moment.

She remembered the pain and was somewhat reluctant. But the palace matrons had said it wouldn’t hurt after the first time. Moreover… moreover… last time she had been so nervous and shy, keeping her eyes closed the whole time, she hadn’t properly seen what Second Brother looked like undressed.

And when you like someone, instinctively, you want to see them.

See all of them, especially in bed.

Mu Wan Yao nodded promptly, her eyes curving: “Alright!”—

However, saying it was easy, doing it was difficult.

Mu Wan Yao was very much attracted to Yan Shang, but when he pressed her against the bedding and began, all her tender feelings were driven away by pain. Her face turned deathly pale, and seeing his restraint, she tried her best to cooperate. But something was wrong somewhere – she just felt pain, such pain… Not as severe as the first time, but still uncomfortable!

His hand rested beside the pillow, brows furrowed, fists slightly clenched. Mu Wan Yao closed her eyes, whimpering softly.

Tears hung on her eyelashes as she gasped and trembled.

Hearing her sobs, Yan Shang barely managed to regain his senses from the intense pleasure, staring at her blankly. The warm curtains emanated fragrance, but the young lady in his arms was crying and sobbing, while he… Yan Shang instantly felt defeated, utterly embarrassed.

Amidst the silk brocade, he withdrew, embracing her shoulders and helping her sit up. He comfortingly patted her shoulder, voice hoarse: “Alright, alright, we’ll stop, don’t cry.”

Mu Wan Yao choked: “I don’t want to cry either…”

It actually wasn’t that painful, but it still hurt… And when Yan Shang comforted her, she seemed to become truly fragile, turning what should have been five parts pain into ten. The more he consoled her, the more tears fell. She wondered confusedly why it had to be like this – it wasn’t pleasant at all.

Leaning against the quilts and pillows, her long hair disheveled, her face flushed pink yet pale. She still tried to endure: “Don’t mind me, you can continue…”

Yan Shang smiled bitterly, his hand wiping the tears beneath her eyes, finding even her tears endearing, but he dared not let her cry.

Yan Shang said: “How could I not mind you? I really won’t continue, don’t furrow your brow.”

He held her and spoke many sweet words, gentle and soft. He forcefully suppressed his discomfort, initially drenched in cold sweat, but gradually it subsided. While Yan Shang kept sighing internally, Mu Wan Yao finally stopped crying.

She clutched his hand, speaking brokenly: “Can we not do this anymore? It’s uncomfortable and not fun at all. I think we’re fine as we usually are, right, Second Brother Yan?”

Yan Shang fell silent.

He had guessed he must have done something wrong since others didn’t seem to have this problem, others seemed to enjoy it… But looking into Mu Wan Yao’s eyes, Yan Shang realized distractedly that she had no intention of giving him another chance to experiment – she was directly refusing him, cutting off any possibility.

After a while, Yan Shang resigned himself, sighing with a slight smile: “Your Highness is right. We won’t do this anymore in the future.”

Mu Wan Yao felt relieved and was willing to intimately embrace his neck again, pleading with him to stop reading memorials and sleep together. Yan Shang’s face and ears reddened at her coquettish voice, arousing that impulse again, but he feared his reactions.

The light in the curtains dimmed, and Yan Shang said softly: “Allow me to go wash up.”

Mu Wan Yao sniffed his neck, making him stiffen and gasp, his tailbone tingling again.

Under the autumn silk curtains in the moonlight, the rich feminine fragrance wafted gently.

Yan Shang knelt sideways, while Mu Wan Yao clutched the silver hooks of his silk belt, refusing to let go. Usually so obedient, yet privately showing such stubbornness, making one helpless.

She looked at him pleadingly: “You’re not dirty, didn’t you just wash tonight? No need to wash again.”

After a long moment, Yan Shang said: “Could Your Highness not sniff me in the future?”

Mu Wan Yao asked curiously: “Why? Don’t you like it?”

Yan Shang frowned, unable to say whether he liked it or not. But Mu Wan Yao was understanding and very sensible: “I get it! Second Brother Yan, just tell me what you don’t like me doing, and I’ll change in the future!”

Yan Shang was speechless.

He thought to himself: could she manage if he told her he preferred sleeping alone and didn’t like sharing a bed with her?

But such words would hurt her, so Yan Shang could only keep reciting purification mantras to himself, trying not to become so base—

As Yan Shang gradually adjusted to his newlywed wife, Mu Wan Yao was also very happy.

Mu Wan Yao felt she was doing well as a helpful wife. Since Yan Shang was still busy preparing for next year’s imperial examinations, whenever he returned, she would go to his study and teach him the quickest and best ways to compose poetry. Every time he looked at her, she could see appreciation in his eyes, making her even happier.

Mu Wan Yao would also watch Yan Shang help her second brother review memorials, organize documents, and write comments. After spending long hours with him in the study, Yan Shang would soften and accompany her to bed early.

Sometimes when the mood struck, she would casually flip through his memorials.

Yan Shang asked: “Can Your Highness understand them?”

Mu Wan Yao: “No.”

She tossed aside the memorial, leaning on his shoulder and mumbling: “I don’t want to read these, these memorials aren’t as interesting as my music scores. It’s good enough that Second Brother is busy with them, I have zero interest in your political affairs.”

Yan Shang just smiled without saying anything.

Mu Wan Yao believed her married life with Yan Shang was very harmonious and enviable to others, and she was quite proud of this.

One day, her Fourth Sister sent her an invitation to go appreciate the snow. The gathering was for married women, and Mu Wan Yao, considering herself a young married woman now, hurriedly went to join the other married ladies. She felt that after marriage, women shouldn’t play with unmarried girls anymore.

How could unmarried young ladies understand the joy of their married life?

Mu Wan Yao was quite proud of this.

As Princess Danyang attended the gathering, the noble young wives naturally welcomed her. As Mu Wan Yao had expected, the married ladies inevitably began talking about their husbands. Hearing their topic, she quickly put down her melon seeds and listened intently, preparing to offer her opinion at the right moment to show off her married life.

The women mentioned their husbands, unconsciously revealing intimate smiles.

They asked the little princess: “Your Highness has just recently married, surely the Prince Consort must tire you out?”

Mu Wan Yao replied innocently: “No, I’m not tired. Second Brother Yan is very good to me.”

The young wives teased: “That’s not what we meant… we’re talking about bedroom matters.”

Mu Wan Yao was confused.

Looking at the knowing smiles in these ladies’ eyes, she suddenly realized she might be quite different from other women. She didn’t quite understand what they were saying and didn’t quite grasp the meaning behind their suggestive expressions.

Mu Wan Yao remained composed. When uncertain about something, she wouldn’t speak carelessly and risk being laughed at. So she responded vaguely and evasively.

The Fourth Princess, seeing them embarrassing her sister, quickly came to her rescue, chiding: “What are you all talking about? Aren’t all men the same? As if you’ve never been married.”

Princess Yuyang, the Fourth Princess, turned to quietly instruct her sister, her face reddening: “Sister, you’re newly married, and I heard you sent the palace matrons back last month. I know you young couples might lack restraint… but you can’t be too unruly. The Prince Consort is young, and being a man, he might lack control. But we women must take care of our health.

“Sister, you can’t always yield to him. You can’t just give in whenever he wants.”

Another woman shared her experience: “You can’t spoil these young lords. If you always give in, once they tire of you, they’ll go looking for little vixens outside. Of course, Your Highness is a princess, so the Prince Consort probably wouldn’t dare… but didn’t the Imperial Princess’s consort do exactly that? Still, best to be careful.”

Mu Wan Yao nodded bewilderedly.

Then a maid whispered something to another woman, who turned with a smile, boasting: “My husband is so annoying, always seeking me out, calling me back home.”

Others enviously responded: “Madam has such harmony with her husband, we’re all jealous.”

Mu Wan Yao perked up her ears: Oh? Other people’s husbands actively seek out their wives?

Another spoke of being begged by her husband to go somewhere.

Mu Wan Yao: Oh? Other people’s husbands beg their wives to go places.

Others spoke of husbands asking them to make shoes or embroider pouches, of husbands helping them apply eyebrow powder, of how their husbands’ gazes differed when looking at them… They might not all have truly such good relationships, but in public, they always tried to find such traces to show off their marital happiness.

Mu Wan Yao was truly stunned.

She didn’t know how much truth was in their words, but she didn’t need to know – she only needed to realize that all these things they were bragging about, she had none of them.

She had firmly believed her married life was especially good, that she and Yan Shang were particularly loving, but now she suddenly discovered… perhaps it was just her illusion.

She suddenly realized that maybe Yan Shang didn’t like her at all. Maybe this marriage was forced upon him by her father and mother, and he was just enduring it—

Early winter brought snow.

Yan Shang couldn’t handle Chang’an’s cold weather, and while serving the Crown Prince during the day, he sneezed several times, seeming to have caught a cold. The Crown Prince let him off early to rest. But how could Yan Shang have time to rest?

He was invited to a feast in the Northern District.

He was distracted, but upon tasting a certain pastry at the banquet, he couldn’t help but smile.

The host immediately asked: “Does Master Su like this dessert?”

Yan Shang came to his senses, slightly embarrassed: “No, I just think my wife would like it.”

She loved sweets.

The sweeter, the better she liked them. The desserts she made during their early marriage were always too sweet for Yan Shang to swallow. But seeing the little princess’s expectant, eager eyes, how could Yan Shang say he didn’t like them?

The gentleman across from him smiled: “It seems Master Su and Her Highness are very close.”

Yan Shang lowered his eyes, his face slightly reddening—

Because of this incident, Yan Shang hurriedly bid farewell, taking some of the pastries with him, wanting to bring them to Mu Wan Yao while still warm. Hearing from the household staff that the princess had gone to a feast, Yan Shang thought for a moment, then took the pastries and went to pick her up in the snow.

Hearing the Prince Consort had come, the ladies at the feast were all envious. They had only spoken of how their husbands loved and cared for them, but only Princess Danyang’s consort came through the snow.

Mu Wan Yao, however, wore a stern face, humphed, and didn’t seem very happy.

She went out with her maids and saw Yan Shang waiting outside the carriage. His wide sleeves swept the ground, his figure jade-like, standing in the snow, his dark eyes smiling at her. Seeing him like this, Mu Wan Yao couldn’t help but smile back.

Then she caught herself: Why should she smile at him? He doesn’t even like her!

Yan Shang embraced her shoulders, helping her into the carriage, speaking gently: “I brought those pastries you like, they’re still warm. Let’s try them in the carriage, and if you like them, we can go to that restaurant tonight, alright?”

Mu Wan Yao nodded obediently: “Yes, yes.”

Then caught herself again: No! Not alright! He doesn’t even like her…

With his light push on her shoulder, she climbed into the carriage. Just as Mu Wan Yao was struggling with whether to ask if he had been forced into marriage, if he didn’t like her at all, Yan Shang lifted a handkerchief and carefully took out a soft pastry to feed her.

Mu Wan Yao took a bite, her eyebrows immediately relaxing, her eyes becoming moist and bright.

Yan Shang smiled: “I knew you’d like it, don’t rush, have some tea first.”

He gently fed her the pastries, and the young couple made plans to dine at the restaurant that evening. During this time, Yan Shang sneezed several times, making Mu Wan Yao worried that he might be sick, fussing over his health. Her attention made him blush and lower his head, unable to hold back his smile.

After all this fuss, Mu Wan Yao felt too embarrassed to question him anymore.

Well… she could wait until after dinner, after eating the pastries she liked, then argue with him.

Ah no, he seemed to be getting sick.

In that case, she’d wait until he recovered to argue.