The more Mu Wanyao cared, the more she felt Yan Shang might not like her.
He treated her very properly.
But didn’t he treat everyone the same way?
Mu Wanyao felt… perhaps to Yan Shang, she lacked that fatal attraction.
She wondered if she was missing something that could stir his emotions.
Beauty, talent, status – all these were enough for Yan Shang to treat Mu Wanyao well. But this wasn’t love. Love should be… that kind of excitement, intensity, should be feelings like hers, right?
But Yan Shang didn’t have that.
Her Prince Consort was a person who appeared gentle but was actually quite cold-hearted. In the deepest part of his heart, perhaps there was only himself. He was good enough for Mu Wanyao, but she couldn’t share in his inner self.
He belonged only to himself.
Yet Mu Wanyao wanted all of him—
Mu Wanyao had never looked through Yan Shang’s things before, but since she developed doubts, she began searching for clues. She read his letters to friends, and his correspondence with family… she had to admit, that Yan Shang rarely mentioned her.
His love was different from hers.
His feelings for her were different from hers for him.
How could a little princess who had grown up pampered since childhood endure such a blow? She sobbed, heartbroken over a love that didn’t exist. She didn’t dare return to the palace to complain to her imperial father and mother, nor did she dare go to others, fearing that if her parents knew, they would punish Yan Shang.
But why should Yan Shang be punished? Was it wrong not to love someone?
Mu Wanyao went to Yang Si’s residence to drink. After a while, urged by Yang Si, she sobbed out her troubles. Upon hearing this, Yang Si immediately drew his sword and stood up, wanting to settle accounts with Yan Shang. Mu Wanyao stopped him: “No!”
Yang Si said coldly: “He dares not to like you!”
Mu Wanyao sobbed with a hiccup: “He can’t control it either. If he could control it, he would have liked me at first sight. But he didn’t.
“Third Brother Yang, I’ve checked, he has no intimate female friends outside, and he’s extremely careful about such matters during social occasions. He’s just extremely proper, never allowing himself any trouble.
“He’s the same with me. He brings me pastries, picks me up to go home, and whenever I look for him to play, he’ll put down whatever he’s doing to accompany me… but Third Brother Yang, am I just trouble to him too? Does he need to deal with me like he deals with others?”
Seeing her eyes and nose tip red from crying, Yang Si’s heart softened. He felt indignant – Yaoyao was such a lovely and beautiful girl, and since Yan Shang had no other interests, why didn’t he love Yaoyao?
But he was also confused.
He thought, can emotions be controlled?
Emotions follow the heart, and if the heart doesn’t move, how can feelings flow like tides and streams? People can control what they do or don’t do, but they can’t force themselves to fall in love with someone.
Yang Si said glumly: “Then what will you do? Will you divorce him?”
Mu Wanyao stared at him with shock: “Are you crazy?! I like him so much, I haven’t even gotten him yet, why would I divorce him and benefit someone else? If I can’t have him, why should I give him to others!”
Yang Si: “…”
He was stunned: “Then what do you want to do?”
Mu Wanyao said sullenly: “I want to make him fall in love with me.”
She was quite defiant: “I’m so amazing, how dare he remain unmoved?”
Yang Si looked at her: “…So when you found me, it wasn’t to help you beat him up, what did you mean?”
Mu Wanyao revealed a smile, sitting closer to him: “Third Brother Yang, it’s like this. You know my brothers have kept me under strict supervision since childhood, I’ve hardly met any young men, I don’t understand men, and don’t know how to get along with people. I only know you, only have a good relationship with you… could you help me think of ways, what kind of lady does my husband actually like?”
Yang Si understood.
Sitting with her on the corridor railings, he rested his hand on his bent knee, smirking: “Let me tell you, young men all like well-behaved, sensible, virtuous, and gentle girls!”
Mu Wanyao was puzzled: wasn’t she well-behaved and sensible? Maybe she was a bit less virtuous, but she was very gentle too.
Yang Si hooked her shoulder, envisioning: “Come, come, silly sister, let Third Brother drink with you while we discuss this matter. Seducing a young man, we need to plan carefully…”
Mu Wanyao’s face flushed red, defending herself: “It’s about making my husband like me! Not seduction! I would never do that!”—
Yang Si pulled Mu Wanyao along, drinking until they were both completely drunk. The two initially remembered to discuss “what kind of lady does Young Master Yan like,” but later, Mu Wanyao became confused and dizzy, forgetting her original purpose.
At night, when Yan Shang came to the Yang residence searching, what he saw were two drunks hugging wine jars, looking foolish.
When Yan Shang saw them sitting in the corridor with their shoulders hooked together, he froze, his face slightly stiffening.
The servant guiding him quickly spoke up for his master: “Prince Consort, please don’t misunderstand. Our Third Young Master and Her Highness have called each other brother and sister since childhood, their relationship is extremely good, there’s no other meaning.”
Yan Shang forced a smile, but there was a thorn in his heart, seeing Mu Wanyao and Yang Si like this made him uncomfortable. He was surprised at himself and introspective, trying to convince himself not to think too much.
Yan Shang crouched down in front of Mu Wanyao, gently lifting her chin flushed from drinking, and patted her face lightly: “Your Highness… Your Highness…”
Mu Wanyao opened her eyes, drunk and hazy. Seeing her eyes open, Yan Shang showed a smile, not expecting tears to instantly well up in her eyes, full of resentment.
She was no longer the well-behaved young lady he knew daily, she pushed against his chest, causing the unprepared Yan Shang to fall back, sitting on the ground. Yan Shang was stunned as Mu Wanyao shouted: “Hateful person!”
Yan Shang’s face instantly reddened, then quickly turned pale.
For such a typically proper person as himself, being seen in such an unseemly state by Yang Si’s servants was as painful as death. And that Yang Third Young Master beside Mu Wanyao, with his hazy eyes, was looking over with a smirk… Yan Shang’s face turned from green to white, and after a long while he said: “It’s me.”
Mu Wanyao: “I know it’s you! Hateful person! Why do you always call me ‘Your Highness,’ not ‘Yaoyao’? Everyone likes me, only you don’t like me. You’re hateful!”
Being stared at in shock by the Yang household servants, Yan Shang’s face was as red as dripping blood. He supported himself up from the ground, gently trying to hold her shoulder to help her up. He spoke humbly: “Yes, yes, it’s my fault… let’s go home and talk about it, alright?”
Mu Wanyao: “Then call me ‘Yaoyao’!”
Yan Shang: “Alright, Yaoyao.”
Mu Wanyao sat on the ground, opening her arms and lifting her face to him: “Carry me.”
Yan Shang hesitated for a moment, then bent down to lift her in his arms. He tried hard to ignore the Yang household servants as he carried his drunk wife out of the residence. Mu Wanyao, being held in his arms, turned her face, looking at him with some surprise and some pride.
She was confused about drinking.
But her heart was also very clear.
Looking at her husband’s handsome profile and jade-like chin, the usually well-behaved little princess became exceptionally bold that night. She suddenly reached up to cup his face and leaned in, pressing her lips against his with a loud “smooch.”
Yan Shang, carrying her, stumbled and almost fell. He gave her a helpless look, while the young lady in his arms pursed her lips, tilted her head, and looked at him with an adorable smile.
His face reddened even more.
After a while, he managed to say: “Don’t do this outside.”
Tears instantly welled up in Mu Wanyao’s eyes, and she started sobbing: “You’re mine, I just marked you a bit, and you scold me. You don’t like me.”
Yan Shang panicked: “I, I didn’t mean that… when did I scold you?”
But he couldn’t argue with her.
But he didn’t need to argue with her.
Because just that one kiss from her made his head start spinning. Yan Shang thought to himself that this wasn’t good, knowing he would probably get drunk just from her touch. He usually didn’t drink at all and could get drunk just from smelling alcohol, let alone having a lady kiss him directly on the lips.
Afraid of embarrassing himself at the Yang residence, Yan Shang didn’t dare stay long, quickening his pace while carrying Mu Wanyao.
But after taking a few steps, the lady in his arms wouldn’t behave. Seeing him ignore her, Mu Wanyao began to feel sad again, sobbing that he didn’t care about her. Yan Shang was so uncomfortable he couldn’t speak, his face extremely red, and by now it wasn’t just a psychological issue.
Sweat beaded at his temples, his body stiff, his face and ears burning red.
Mu Wanyao, holding his neck, gently nuzzled his chin.
Yan Shang struggled: “Don’t, don’t…”
Mu Wanyao: “You won’t even let me touch you a bit now… ah.”
Yan Shang finally stumbled, he couldn’t hold on anymore. Still holding her, before they could walk past the screen wall, his body swayed and fell to the ground. He landed with a “thud,” his head hitting the cold screen wall. Before losing consciousness, he only managed to pull Mu Wanyao’s head to his chest, trying his best not to let her get hurt in the fall.
Before passing out, Yan Shang only remembered Mu Wanyao’s shocked wide eyes.
He laughed bitterly in his heart.
Not wanting to embarrass himself, he ended up embarrassed anyway—
Mu Wanyao sat dumbfounded on the ground, seeing Yan Shang’s head hit the screen wall, blood instantly appearing at his temple. Mu Wanyao was so scared she froze, while Yang Si suddenly pushed her aside, quickly lifted the unconscious Yan Shang onto his back, and headed inside.
Yang Si: “What happened to Yan Er?”
Mu Wanyao was confused: “I don’t know…”
After spending the whole night at the Yang residence dealing with this, Mu Wanyao finally took the unconscious Yan Shang back to the Princess’s mansion. Her drunkenness had been partially scared away when Yan Shang fainted, and after drinking sobering soup, by the time they returned to the Princess’s mansion, Mu Wanyao sat heavily by the bed, looking at the bandage on her husband’s forehead.
She was anxious and regretful—she knew Yan Shang didn’t drink.
But she didn’t know his tolerance was this poor.
Mu Wanyao held his hand sadly, crying for a while, praying he would wake up without a scar on his forehead and without resenting her for being unreasonable.
Mu Wanyao suddenly ordered: “Chunhua, Chunhua! Break all the wine jars in our mansion, we can’t have a single drop of alcohol in our mansion from now on!”—
When Yan Shang woke up the next day, he saw his wife busily taking care of him.
He sat up against the bed, while she was extremely guilty, directing servants to bring soup and medicine while keeping her head down: “I’ve asked Second Brother to excuse you, you should rest well for two days. Isn’t the imperial examination at the start of next year? You can study well at home…”
Yan Shang watched her for a moment, touching his forehead: “Did I get scared?”
Mu Wanyao immediately looked up and glared at him: “Of course not! I’m using the best medicine for you, you won’t get scared!”
Yan Shang laughed, then said gently: “Then why all this, Your High… Yaoyao?”
Hearing him call her “Yaoyao,” Mu Wanyao stared at him blankly.
Yan Shang blushed, saying embarrassedly: “Wasn’t this what you wanted me to call you last night? They say words spoken in drunkenness are true feelings, so it seems Yaoyao has been unsatisfied with me for a long time. I’ve neglected your feelings, I…”
Mu Wanyao interrupted: “Don’t reflect on it.”
Yan Shang was stunned.
The more Mu Wanyao cared, the more she felt Yan Shang might not like her.
He treated her very properly.
But didn’t he treat everyone the same way?
Mu Wanyao felt… perhaps to Yan Shang, she lacked that fatal attraction.
She wondered if she was missing something that could stir his emotions.
Beauty, talent, status – all these were enough for Yan Shang to treat Mu Wanyao well. But this wasn’t love. Love should be… that kind of excitement, intensity, should be feelings like hers, right?
But Yan Shang didn’t have that.
Her Prince Consort was a person who appeared gentle but was actually quite cold-hearted. In the deepest part of his heart, perhaps there was only himself. He was good enough for Mu Wanyao, but she couldn’t share in his inner self.
He belonged only to himself.
Yet Mu Wanyao wanted all of him—
Mu Wanyao had never looked through Yan Shang’s things before, but since she developed doubts, she began searching for clues. She read his letters to friends, and his correspondence with family… she had to admit, that Yan Shang rarely mentioned her.
His love was different from hers.
His feelings for her were different from hers for him.
How could a little princess who had grown up pampered since childhood endure such a blow? She sobbed, heartbroken over a love that didn’t exist. She didn’t dare return to the palace to complain to her imperial father and mother, nor did she dare go to others, fearing that if her parents knew, they would punish Yan Shang.
But why should Yan Shang be punished? Was it wrong not to love someone?
Mu Wanyao went to Yang Si’s residence to drink. After a while, urged by Yang Si, she sobbed out her troubles. Upon hearing this, Yang Si immediately drew his sword and stood up, wanting to settle accounts with Yan Shang. Mu Wanyao stopped him: “No!”
Yang Si said coldly: “He dares not to like you!”
Mu Wanyao sobbed with a hiccup: “He can’t control it either. If he could control it, he would have liked me at first sight. But he didn’t.
“Third Brother Yang, I’ve checked, he has no intimate female friends outside, and he’s extremely careful about such matters during social occasions. He’s just extremely proper, never allowing himself any trouble.
“He’s the same with me. He brings me pastries, picks me up to go home, and whenever I look for him to play, he’ll put down whatever he’s doing to accompany me… but Third Brother Yang, am I just trouble to him too? Does he need to deal with me like he deals with others?”
Seeing her eyes and nose tip red from crying, Yang Si’s heart softened. He felt indignant – Yaoyao was such a lovely and beautiful girl, and since Yan Shang had no other interests, why didn’t he love Yaoyao?
But he was also confused.
He thought, can emotions be controlled?
Emotions follow the heart, and if the heart doesn’t move, how can feelings flow like tides and streams? People can control what they do or don’t do, but they can’t force themselves to fall in love with someone.
Yang Si said glumly: “Then what will you do? Will you divorce him?”
Mu Wanyao stared at him with shock: “Are you crazy?! I like him so much, I haven’t even gotten him yet, why would I divorce him and benefit someone else? If I can’t have him, why should I give him to others!”
Yang Si: “…”
He was stunned: “Then what do you want to do?”
Mu Wanyao said sullenly: “I want to make him fall in love with me.”
She was quite defiant: “I’m so amazing, how dare he remain unmoved?”
Yang Si looked at her: “…So when you found me, it wasn’t to help you beat him up, what did you mean?”
Mu Wanyao revealed a smile, sitting closer to him: “Third Brother Yang, it’s like this. You know my brothers have kept me under strict supervision since childhood, I’ve hardly met any young men, I don’t understand men, and don’t know how to get along with people. I only know you, only have a good relationship with you… could you help me think of ways, what kind of lady does my husband actually like?”
Yang Si understood.
Sitting with her on the corridor railings, he rested his hand on his bent knee, smirking: “Let me tell you, young men all like well-behaved, sensible, virtuous, and gentle girls!”
Mu Wanyao was puzzled: wasn’t she well-behaved and sensible? Maybe she was a bit less virtuous, but she was very gentle too.
Yang Si hooked her shoulder, envisioning: “Come, come, silly sister, let Third Brother drink with you while we discuss this matter. Seducing a young man, we need to plan carefully…”
Mu Wanyao’s face flushed red, defending herself: “It’s about making my husband like me! Not seduction! I would never do that!”—
Yang Si pulled Mu Wanyao along, drinking until they were both completely drunk. The two initially remembered to discuss “what kind of lady does Young Master Yan like,” but later, Mu Wanyao became confused and dizzy, forgetting her original purpose.
At night, when Yan Shang came to the Yang residence searching, what he saw were two drunks hugging wine jars, looking foolish.
When Yan Shang saw them sitting in the corridor with their shoulders hooked together, he froze, his face slightly stiffening.
The servant guiding him quickly spoke up for his master: “Prince Consort, please don’t misunderstand. Our Third Young Master and Her Highness have called each other brother and sister since childhood, their relationship is extremely good, there’s no other meaning.”
Yan Shang forced a smile, but there was a thorn in his heart, seeing Mu Wanyao and Yang Si like this made him uncomfortable. He was surprised at himself and introspective, trying to convince himself not to think too much.
Yan Shang crouched down in front of Mu Wanyao, gently lifting her chin flushed from drinking, and patted her face lightly: “Your Highness… Your Highness…”
Mu Wanyao opened her eyes, drunk and hazy. Seeing her eyes open, Yan Shang showed a smile, not expecting tears to instantly well up in her eyes, full of resentment.
She was no longer the well-behaved young lady he knew daily, she pushed against his chest, causing the unprepared Yan Shang to fall back, sitting on the ground. Yan Shang was stunned as Mu Wanyao shouted: “Hateful person!”
Yan Shang’s face instantly reddened, then quickly turned pale.
For such a typically proper person as himself, being seen in such an unseemly state by Yang Si’s servants was as painful as death. And that Yang Third Young Master beside Mu Wanyao, with his hazy eyes, was looking over with a smirk… Yan Shang’s face turned from green to white, and after a long while he said: “It’s me.”
Mu Wanyao: “I know it’s you! Hateful person! Why do you always call me ‘Your Highness,’ not ‘Yaoyao’? Everyone likes me, only you don’t like me. You’re hateful!”
Being stared at in shock by the Yang household servants, Yan Shang’s face was as red as dripping blood. He supported himself up from the ground, gently trying to hold her shoulder to help her up. He spoke humbly: “Yes, yes, it’s my fault… let’s go home and talk about it, alright?”
Mu Wanyao: “Then call me ‘Yaoyao’!”
Yan Shang: “Alright, Yaoyao.”
Mu Wanyao sat on the ground, opening her arms and lifting her face to him: “Carry me.”
Yan Shang hesitated for a moment, then bent down to lift her in his arms. He tried hard to ignore the Yang household servants as he carried his drunk wife out of the residence. Mu Wanyao, being held in his arms, turned her face, looking at him with some surprise and some pride.
She was confused about drinking.
But her heart was also very clear.
Looking at her husband’s handsome profile and jade-like chin, the usually well-behaved little princess became exceptionally bold that night. She suddenly reached up to cup his face and leaned in, pressing her lips against his with a loud “smooch.”
Yan Shang, carrying her, stumbled and almost fell. He gave her a helpless look, while the young lady in his arms pursed her lips, tilted her head, and looked at him with an adorable smile.
His face reddened even more.
After a while, he managed to say: “Don’t do this outside.”
Tears instantly welled up in Mu Wanyao’s eyes, and she started sobbing: “You’re mine, I just marked you a bit, and you scold me. You don’t like me.”
Yan Shang panicked: “I, I didn’t mean that… when did I scold you?”
But he couldn’t argue with her.
But he didn’t need to argue with her.
Because just that one kiss from her made his head start spinning. Yan Shang thought to himself that this wasn’t good, knowing he would probably get drunk just from her touch. He usually didn’t drink at all and could get drunk just from smelling alcohol, let alone having a lady kiss him directly on the lips.
Afraid of embarrassing himself at the Yang residence, Yan Shang didn’t dare stay long, quickening his pace while carrying Mu Wanyao.
But after taking a few steps, the lady in his arms wouldn’t behave. Seeing him ignore her, Mu Wanyao began to feel sad again, sobbing that he didn’t care about her. Yan Shang was so uncomfortable he couldn’t speak, his face extremely red, and by now it wasn’t just a psychological issue.
Sweat beaded at his temples, his body stiff, his face and ears burning red.
Mu Wanyao, holding his neck, gently nuzzled his chin.
Yan Shang struggled: “Don’t, don’t…”
Mu Wanyao: “You won’t even let me touch you a bit now… ah.”
Yan Shang finally stumbled, he couldn’t hold on anymore. Still holding her, before they could walk past the screen wall, his body swayed and fell to the ground. He landed with a “thud,” his head hitting the cold screen wall. Before losing consciousness, he only managed to pull Mu Wanyao’s head to his chest, trying his best not to let her get hurt in the fall.
Before passing out, Yan Shang only remembered Mu Wanyao’s shocked wide eyes.
He laughed bitterly in his heart.
Not wanting to embarrass himself, he ended up embarrassed anyway—
Mu Wanyao sat dumbfounded on the ground, seeing Yan Shang’s head hit the screen wall, blood instantly appearing at his temple. Mu Wanyao was so scared she froze, while Yang Si suddenly pushed her aside, quickly lifted the unconscious Yan Shang onto his back, and headed inside.
Yang Si: “What happened to Yan Er?”
Mu Wanyao was confused: “I don’t know…”
After spending the whole night at the Yang residence dealing with this, Mu Wanyao finally took the unconscious Yan Shang back to the Princess’s mansion. Her drunkenness had been partially scared away when Yan Shang fainted, and after drinking sobering soup, by the time they returned to the Princess’s mansion, Mu Wanyao sat heavily by the bed, looking at the bandage on her husband’s forehead.
She was anxious and regretful—she knew Yan Shang didn’t drink.
But she didn’t know his tolerance was this poor.
Mu Wanyao held his hand sadly, crying for a while, praying he would wake up without a scar on his forehead and without resenting her for being unreasonable.
Mu Wanyao suddenly ordered: “Chunhua, Chunhua! Break all the wine jars in our mansion, we can’t have a single drop of alcohol in our mansion from now on!”—
When Yan Shang woke up the next day, he saw his wife busily taking care of him.
He sat up against the bed, while she was extremely guilty, directing servants to bring soup and medicine while keeping her head down: “I’ve asked Second Brother to excuse you, you should rest well for two days. Isn’t the imperial examination at the start of next year? You can study well at home…”
Yan Shang watched her for a moment, touching his forehead: “Did I get scared?”
Mu Wanyao immediately looked up and glared at him: “Of course not! I’m using the best medicine for you, you won’t get scared!”
Yan Shang laughed, then said gently: “Then why all this, Your High… Yaoyao?”
Hearing him call her “Yaoyao,” Mu Wanyao stared at him blankly.
Yan Shang blushed, saying embarrassedly: “Wasn’t this what you wanted me to call you last night? They say words spoken in drunkenness are true feelings, so it seems Yaoyao has been unsatisfied with me for a long time. I’ve neglected your feelings, I…”
Mu Wanyao interrupted: “Don’t reflect on it.”
Yan Shang was stunned.
Mu Wanyao pressed her lips together.
She said: “I don’t like Second Brother Yan always reflecting and reflecting on everything with me, always going along with me. Why do you always just go along with me? Is it because in your eyes, I’m no different from others? You’re someone who likes to self-reflect, always strictly demanding of yourself, never allowing yourself to make even a tiny mistake. I enjoy your consideration, but I, I… want more.”
She became lost in thought.
Her heart was in chaos, not knowing exactly what she wanted. She could only try her best to express her thoughts: “I want, want Second Brother Yan to treat me as a wife, as one of your own. You can ignore me, you can laugh at me, you can lose your temper with me…
“A person can’t possibly be without temper. If they have no temper, it must be because they’re keeping all their temper to themselves, making themselves endure it, making themselves suffer the grievance.
“I, I also want to be Second Brother Yan’s person.
“Second Brother Yan losing his temper with me makes me happier than when you speak to me gently and softly.”
Yan Shang frowned as he looked at her, this wasn’t like the words she would usually say. Mu Wanyao had been raised to be innocent and naive, how could she have such thoughts? Had he changed her?
After a long while, he held her hand and said softly: “Yaoyao, do you… have some complaint about me?”
Mu Wanyao: “No!”
Yan Shang said gently: “We are husband and wife, if there’s anything I’m not doing well, you can just tell me. There’s really no need to beat around the bush and be angry with me. Both Your Highness and I are very busy, why waste time on this?”
Mu Wanyao froze.
She actually lowered her head to seriously consider his words, and after a while, she said softly: “Second Brother Yan is good in every way, the only thing not good is that you don’t love me.”
Yan Shang: “Nonsense…”
Mu Wanyao interrupted: “Listen to me! You don’t love me, you’re good to me like you would be to a little sister. You care for me like you would for a family member. But that’s not love, is it? When you see me, your heart doesn’t race, right? I don’t know what kind of lady you like, but it’s certainly not someone like me!”
Yan Shang said with difficulty: “Yaoyao…”
Mu Wanyao hurriedly interrupted, afraid that if she didn’t continue speaking, she would lose her courage: “I’m not blaming you, I’m just saying I want to work hard to make you fall in love with me! Second Brother Yan, just watch, you’ll like me… but first tell me, what kind of lady do you actually like?”
Yan Shang: “I, I… don’t be like this…”
Mu Wanyao: “Tell me!”
Yan Shang didn’t want to say, but Mu Wanyao clung to him urging, kept asking, and finally pretended to cry. He had no choice and lowered his head, very helplessly: “I don’t have any. What do you want me to say?”
Mu Wanyao was too shocked: “Have you never looked at anyone twice? Have you never been attracted to young ladies?”
Yan Shang was extremely embarrassed and raised his voice: “No, really no! Stop asking!”
Mu Wanyao: “Your voice got louder when speaking to me…”
Yan Shang immediately restored his voice: “I’m tired, let me rest…”
He pulled the quilt wanting to sleep, but Mu Wanyao reacted extremely quickly, pouncing to hug him from behind. She shook his arm, saying excitedly: “You really raised your voice with me just now! Second Brother Yan, you have emotions, right? Try to let them out more, try again…”
Yan Shang covered his face with the quilt, being pestered severely by her, he couldn’t help but smile, yet was too embarrassed to let her see.
What kind of love she wanted, he didn’t quite understand. But he was willing to try to give it to her… They would be husband and wife for a lifetime, naturally, he would try his best to be good to her, this wasn’t empty talk—
So, from this day on, Yan Shang began watching his little princess make a fuss every day.
He didn’t like her hanging around with Yang Si all day, but given the current situation, he couldn’t say it directly, he could only think of finding an opportunity later.
And Mu Wanyao was right, with the imperial examination approaching, he no longer went to help the Crown Prince organize government affairs, but began seriously studying at home. Although everyone had no hope for his exam, just wanting him to go through the motions, Yan Shang didn’t want that.
He must prepare seriously, and must not let down Her Highness and his reputation.
This allowed Mu Wanyao to make a fuss over Yan Shang all day.
While Yan Shang was reading in the study, Mu Wanyao suddenly ran in to find him: “Second Brother Yan, look at me, look at me!”
Yan Shang looked up and was instantly speechless. He saw Mu Wanyao dressed in men’s clothes, with tight sleeves and a long robe, her hair tied up like a man’s. She even turned a circle in front of him, bending down with a smile: “Do you like it very much?”
Yan Shang held his book and laughed: “Of course.”
Mu Wanyao humphed and stood up, no longer smiling: “You’re just humoring me again. You don’t like it.”
Yan Shang was still smiling: “How am I not liking it? Are you me, able to judge my feelings this way?”
Mu Wanyao was annoyed.
She wasn’t joking with him, she was very serious. She leaned against the desk, very carefully reaching out to touch the corner of his eye: “I can judge! Your usual smile is that very shallow kind, very polite, very courteous. Then your current smile is a little more open, your eyes curved a bit.
“But I feel this still isn’t enough…”
She held her face, imagining: “There must be a time when you see me, your eyes will light up, and you’ll unconsciously walk towards me. There must be a time when you’ll keep following me with your gaze, attracted to me. At that time, you won’t need me to find you, you’ll come to find me yourself… you’ll be completely smitten with me!”
Yan Shang stared at her in a daze.
He said softly: “Don’t say silly things. Don’t use imagination to decide whether I love someone or not.”
Mu Wanyao: “Hmph, you don’t understand, I won’t talk to you anymore!”
She turned to leave, but Yan Shang still had a slight smile on his lips as he reached out to grab her wrist, pulling her back with a gentle tug. He still felt too shy to hold her in his arms, but he pulled her to sit beside him, his face also reddening slightly.
Yan Shang sighed: “Your Highness being like this puts pressure on me.”
Mu Wanyao studied him: “Then hurry up and love me.”
She hugged his neck, holding back her shyness, boldly going to kiss him. He was startled, his body leaning back and stiffening slightly, but he cooperated with her and didn’t push her away. After one kiss and then another, just as he was becoming dazed, he saw her look up at him from his arms, very obediently asking: “Are you head over heels for me yet?”
Yan Shang burst out laughing.
Mu Wanyao got angry: “You’re laughing at me again!”
Yan Shang soothingly held her in his arms, taking the initiative to kiss her face. His fingers caressed her brows and eyes, thinking how could he bear to laugh at such a lovely and beautiful girl.
Yan Shang: “Who’s laughing at you? I like you.”
Mu Wanyao: “I don’t believe it!”
Yet she hesitated, sitting in his arms refusing to leave. He rarely held her like this, and she held his neck, also liking it very much. After a while, the little princess couldn’t resist and pointed at her red lips.
She raised the corner of her eyes, her gaze rippling like clear waves: “Do you want to kiss me again?”
Yan Shang held back his smile.
He lowered his head to kiss her lips—
At the end of the second month of the new year, the imperial examination was held at the Ministry of Rites. Mu Wanyao had been unable to sleep since the previous night, even more nervous than Yan Shang himself.
It was raining that day, and when the Princess’s carriage stopped outside the Ministry of Rites, Yan Shang opened an umbrella as he got out, turning back to say softly to Mu Wanyao: “Yaoyao, go back, don’t wait here, it won’t be good if you get rained on.”
Mu Wanyao shook her head, looking at him eagerly, insisting on being a good wife. Yan Shang tried to persuade her in a low voice, when suddenly Mu Wanyao’s eyes lit up, pointing in a direction: “Second Brother Yan, that person is so handsome!”
Yan Shang was slightly stunned.
He turned around, following Mu Wanyao’s finger to see a graceful young man stepping down from a plain carriage. The youth was as pure and clear as fresh snow, and from the moment he arrived, everyone was subtly looking his way. Yet the youth used his umbrella to shield his face, avoiding everyone’s prying gazes.
Beside them, Chunhua realized and whispered to Mu Wanyao: “Your Highness, that’s Young Master Wei Seven, he’s your uncle’s disciple. Young Master Wei is only fourteen this year, your uncle asked you to take care of him.”
Yan Shang froze, standing under the carriage with his umbrella, half his sleeve wet from the rain, as he looked at Mu Wanyao.
Mu Wanyao was confused: “It seems there was something like that… but Young Master Wei never visited our mansion, I forgot. Only fourteen…”
She looked in that direction, smiling: “But he is handsome.”
Her view was blocked, and she saw Yan Shang in her line of sight.
Yan Shang coughed once.
Mu Wanyao’s eyes suddenly lit up: “Second Brother Yan, after your exam, invite Young Master Wei to our home to play! Didn’t my uncle ask me to take care of him? But that Young Master Wei is so young, he seems very shy… Second Brother Yan, why don’t you take care of him more?”
Yan Shang: “…”
Mu Wanyao whispered: “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Yan Shang smiled slightly: “Your Highness, don’t worry, I will take care of him.”
Mu Wanyao was unhappy: “Why are you calling me ‘Your Highness’ again, call me Yaoyao!”
Yan Shang ignored her and turned to walk towards the examinees. In his heart, he began to consider a question: A Great Wei Princess could only have one Prince Consort, right?
But if a princess were to have a change of heart, how should he respond?