Under the bright sun and clear sky, Meng Zaishi stared fixedly at Mu Wanyao, causing Yan Shang to slightly furrow his brows in displeasure.

Living up to her status as a princess of a great nation, Mu Wanyao only showed a moment’s shyness at the Wuman King’s intense gaze before offering a slight smile. Following her imperial parents’ teachings, she nodded acknowledgment to the Wuman King as any mature princess would.

Meng Zaishi’s eyes lit up like stars emerging from clear water, blazing with intense light. Just as he was about to speak more in his broken Great Wei language, a figure in cyan robes blocked his view.

Yan Shang cupped his hands in greeting and apologized: “Her Highness is somewhat tired. My wife and I need to change clothes, so we’ll have to excuse ourselves from Your Majesty.”

Meng Zaishi raised his long eyebrows.

Perhaps due to his unfamiliarity with the Great Wei language, he felt that this jade-like Second Young Master Yan had particularly emphasized the words “husband and wife.”

Hampered by his poor Great Wei language skills, Meng Zaishi wanted to stop them but couldn’t find the words. He could only watch as Yan Shang exchanged a few words with the officials behind him before taking Mu Wanyao’s arm and leading her away.

The officials behind Yan Shang were equally surprised: how could Su Chen, someone so meticulous and devoted to his duties, leave halfway with the Princess?

—

Yan Shang did indeed need to take Mu Wanyao to change clothes.

Mu Wanyao had her residence in Fanchuan. However, since Yan Shang had just become an official and hadn’t accumulated much wealth, he was still eating and drinking at the Princess’s expense. It was rather like being kept by the Princess, seemingly without any masculine dignity.

But having married a princess, Yan Shang had long prepared himself for such circumstances.

Now as Yan Shang led Mu Wanyao back to the residence, he smiled bitterly to himself. The melancholy he hadn’t felt when marrying the Princess had been appearing frequently lately.

He felt lost, and extremely helpless about the changes in his emotions.

But before he could sort out his own heart, Mu Wanyao had scattered hers to the four winds, captivating the eyes of young men everywhere.

Being pulled by the wrist, Mu Wanyao remained carefree: “Second Brother Yan, what you did earlier wasn’t right.”

Yan Shang pulled himself from his chaotic thoughts to focus on his wife: “What?”

Mu Wanyao’s forehead glistened with fragrant sweat, her cheeks flushed from intense exercise, and her lips curved upward, fresh and moist.

Her lips moved: “With the Wuman King! You showed no grace of a great nation. You just pulled me away without properly entertaining him. We should have talked more with him, let him experience Great Wei’s elegance.”

After speaking at length, Mu Wanyao noticed Yan Shang had stopped walking and was staring at her without response.

She waved her hand puzzled in front of his eyes, worried: “Second Brother Yan, what’s wrong? Why are you in a daze?”

Yan Shang suddenly turned away, his neck burning red from that moment of distraction. He awkwardly waved his hand, furrowing his brows, deeply hating himself for being this way.

Mu Wanyao grew anxious: “What’s wrong? Why are you suddenly blushing and frowning? Are you sick? Weren’t you fine just now?”

She worriedly stood on tiptoe and reached out to smooth his furrowed brow, causing Yan Shang to step back suddenly. Her hand touched his face, and ignoring his attempts to dodge, she exclaimed: “You’re burning hot, do you have a fever… it came on so suddenly, this illness looks serious. Brother, quickly sit down, let’s rest, don’t walk anymore. Fang Tong, Fang… ah!”

Yan Shang was pushed by her to sit on a jagged roadside rock. As she burrowed into his embrace, his mind was already in chaos, only focused on dodging, unable to speak.

As she turned to call for Fang Tong, Yan Shang finally panicked, covering her mouth with his hand and holding her in his arms: “Don’t call anyone! Haven’t you embarrassed me enough?”

Mu Wanyao didn’t understand.

She leaned against his thigh, standing between his knees in his embrace. She pulled down his hand covering her mouth, her delicate jade hands still mischievously touching his face.

She worriedly whispered: “But you’re sick, aren’t you? What’s embarrassing about that?”

Yan Shang stared at her.

After a while, he said: “You don’t understand?”

Mu Wanyao: “I don’t understand.”

Yan Shang’s gaze grew complex, and the temperature in his cheeks gradually cooled under her innocent stare.

Only then did he say softly: “I don’t believe you don’t know that I blush when nervous, yet you talk about me being sick. Yaoyao, are you doing this on purpose?”

Mu Wanyao said coquettishly: “Of course not!”

But she smiled and burrowed into his embrace, hugging his waist. She liked his waist, and whenever she touched it, she couldn’t help but gently nuzzle and squeeze it.

Yan Shang’s body instantly tensed, straightening his back, helplessly saying: “Yaoyao, don’t do that!”

After being married for a year, Mu Wanyao discovered his waist was extremely sensitive, and she liked to touch it occasionally, making Yan Shang very uncomfortable.

Called out by him, Mu Wanyao secretly nuzzled against his chest. Her cheeks were burning as she complained coquettishly: “I didn’t do anything.”

For some reason, she felt a hidden desire to tease him.

She tried hard to control this urge, shocked at having such thoughts, how could she be so mean to someone?

But every time she saw Yan Shang’s pure and clean appearance as if he were the most innocent and sacred being in the world, it was as if claws gently scratched at the walls of Mu Wanyao’s heart, constantly urging her — tease him, tease him.

He was so easily embarrassed, and nearly austere with himself. Such a fair-faced young master was too tempting to tease.

Not to push him would be wasting how easily teased he was.

However, Mu Wanyao also tried hard to control her desire: she should be an obedient and understanding girl who pleased her husband. Second Brother Yan hadn’t even grown to like her yet; if she carelessly teased him away, what would she do then?

Mu Wanyao looked up, wanting to speak with Yan Shang. Yan Shang’s expression suddenly tensed, and he grabbed the girl who was nearly melting like water in his arms, pulling her up and pushing her shoulders in one direction: “Someone’s coming.”

Mu Wanyao was stunned, not understanding why they needed to hide when people approached. Was a princess and one of the Crown Prince’s favored officials required to be so cautious of others?

Mu Wanyao was firmly pushed by Yan Shang into an artificial mountain cave, with Yan Shang following her in. The cave was narrow, but fortunately, they were husband and wife, so being pressed close together wasn’t inappropriate.

Mu Wanyao stood face to face with Yan Shang, nearly touching.

Mu Wanyao curiously turned her head to look outside. Her face instantly reddened as she realized why Yan Shang had pulled her to hide—

It was a pair of drunk noble lovers, one appearing to be a married woman. The two walked while kissing, and before reaching the concealing shrubbery, they impatiently stopped, hands wandering, kisses inseparable.

Mu Wanyao buried her blushing face in Yan Shang’s embrace, and he held her, signaling her to stay quiet.

But hiding like this wasn’t the solution. After blushing for a while, Mu Wanyao was drawn by the passionate sounds outside to peek again.

This glance revealed their half-undressed state, unable to contain themselves any longer as they began their tryst.

The sight of white skin threatened to burn Mu Wanyao’s eyes, while the lady’s passionate cries of “my lord” shook her soul. The lady’s eyes were seductive, her face upturned and lips parted, sighing and moaning, extreme pleasure turning her eye corners crimson and filling them with mist.

Yan Shang covered Mu Wanyao’s eyes with his hand and pulled back her exploring head.

Mu Wanyao looked up at Yan Shang to see his embarrassed expression as he shook his head, indicating she shouldn’t look.

Mu Wanyao’s heart pounded.

She whispered: “They’re… so passionate.”

Yan Shang: “…”

He hadn’t expected Mu Wanyao to still be in the mood for conversation at this moment, but fortunately, her voice was soft, and Yan Shang feared that if he didn’t respond, the little princess might do something else.

So he awkwardly responded quietly: “Mm.”

Mu Wanyao gazed at his face.

Thinking of the man’s face outside, she automatically substituted herself and Yan Shang for the couple, imagining if they were to lose themselves like that… The thought made her bite her red lips, feeling both shy and awkward.

Seeing her blush this way, Yan Shang bent down, his lips against her ear as he whispered: “Yaoyao, calm your heart, don’t let your thoughts wander.”

When his lips touched her ear, Mu Wanyao’s face instantly reddened further. Yet she opened her eyes wide in denial: “I wasn’t thinking anything!”

Yan Shang smiled politely: “If not, then… Yao…”

His urgent “Yaoyao” wasn’t fully voiced before Mu Wanyao wrapped her arms around his neck and moved to kiss him. His face turned blood-red, not just from her suddenness, but because a small tongue gently touched his lips.

Yan Shang awkwardly pushed her away, but due to the cave’s limited space, even as he pushed, she still clung to his embrace. Yan Shang clenched his teeth tightly, his hands on her back forming fists, forcefully resisting her temptation.

He pressed his lips together, sweating, his Adam’s apple bobbing. But he remained fully guarded, not daring to relax.

If she persisted any longer he wouldn’t be able to hold on; if she entangled him any more he would go mad.

Just as Yan Shang’s willpower was about to crumble, Mu Wanyao failed to break through his lips and had to withdraw in frustration.

Her eyes were filled with mist, full of accusation.

Only then did Yan Shang speak, his voice already trembling and hoarse: “What are you doing?”

Mu Wanyao looked ready to cry, lowering her head in extreme distress: “Let’s divorce.”

Yan Shang was caught off guard, momentarily thunderstruck, staring at her blankly.

After a while, he couldn’t control his voice as he said dazedly: “Why? You…”

Don’t like him anymore?

As soon as he opened his mouth, his teeth parting, Mu Wanyao’s sweet and soft little mouth took advantage, boldly entering like a successful burglar.

Yan Shang made a muffled sound pushing her away, but Mu Wanyao smiled mischievously and held him close.

So while the couple outside was inseparable, this young married pair in the cave also fell into an abyss of ice and fire.

Like opening a brilliant new world.

That door full of radiant light was pushed open, and Yan Shang’s whole body trembled, yet he couldn’t help being drawn to it. Gradually, it was no longer her clinging to him, but him pursuing her.

His pushing hands no longer pushed, but instead pulled her into his embrace, as if wanting to knead her into his very bones and blood.

Their breathing became chaotic, heads spinning.

Yan Shang had always known it would be like this, but he couldn’t control it. Once the floodgates were breached and emotions surged forth like a flood, what could he do? He was only flesh and blood, a mortal of this mundane world.

Finally, when he pressed against her exploringly, Mu Wanyao couldn’t bear it and pushed Yan Shang away.

By now, the couple outside had long since left. Mu Wanyao’s clothes were disheveled, his hand pressed against her soft bones. She let out a light moan like a kitten, and Yan Shang’s eyes turned red as he said hoarsely after a while: “Don’t make sounds like that, I… I can’t hold back.”

Mu Wanyao’s face instantly grew hotter.

She lowered her head to look at his hand gripping her waist, those long fingers, the slightly protruding veins on the back of his hand, inevitably reminding Mu Wanyao of Yan Shang’s earlier abandon.

She said softly: “You were… so passionate just now.”

She quietly added in her heart: that she had never seen him like this before.

But what exactly had made him lose control? Was it the stimulation she brought, or the stimulation of the environment?

Yan Shang answered distractedly: “Mm.”

He lowered his head to fix her clothes and hair, suddenly saying: “When you mentioned ‘divorce’ earlier, you were deceiving me, weren’t you?”

Mu Wanyao looked up in surprise, meeting his gaze. She burst out laughing: “Of course I was deceiving you! If I hadn’t said that, Second Brother Yan is so conservative, how would you have opened up? If you hadn’t opened up, how could I have kissed you?”

She exclaimed in admiration: “So that’s what a real kiss is when tongues touch! We were wrong before, how silly.”

Such innocent and unrestrained directness was even more bewitching. She didn’t understand, but Yan Shang’s fist at his side began to clench again, controlling himself.

Yan Shang said hoarsely: “You shouldn’t deceive me like that, I believed it. Don’t use such words to trick me in the future.”

Mu Wanyao was stunned.

She said softly: “Is brother afraid I’ll leave?”

Yan Shang bent down, pulling her into his embrace. He whispered: “Yaoyao, I’ll give you anything you want, but don’t do this. The moment I married you, I vowed in my heart to be your husband forever. I sincerely want to be your husband, otherwise… otherwise…”

Mu Wanyao stared up blankly. Held in his bent embrace, her eyes looked past his shoulder at the blue sky outside.

Mu Wanyao softly finished his sentence: “Brother sincerely wants to be my husband, otherwise when I get close to brother and always tease you, Second Brother Yan wouldn’t indulge me. You want to be with me, that’s why you allow me to get close, isn’t it?”

Yan Shang said softly: “Yes.”

Mu Wanyao’s lips curved as she wrapped her arms around his waist. She vowed: “I won’t tease you with such things anymore! Won’t make you sad anymore. But Second Brother Yan must believe in me too. I like you so much, how could I bear to let you go?”

She tilted her head, seemingly joking yet serious: “I’ll hold onto you and never let go.”

Yan Shang smiled shyly, his anxious heart settling back down.

He gently pushed her slightly away, lowering his eyes to look at her. Seeing her dark eyes and red lips, so lovely and kissable, he couldn’t help being moved and lightly kissed her lips.

Mu Wanyao’s eyes widened.

Yan Shang’s eyelashes trembled as he quickly stood up. Mu Wanyao held his hand, staring at his face in disbelief: “You blush even when you kiss me yourself! You said you blush when nervous, what are you nervous about? Am I not your most beloved Yaoyao now?”

Yan Shang both laughed and pushed away her hand. With no one outside now, he walked out, wanting to hurriedly escape.

Mu Wanyao hugged him from behind, lying against his back in even greater surprise: “You didn’t deny it! Am I already your most beloved Yaoyao? Am I, am I?”

Yan Shang was both embarrassed and angry at her persistence, yet couldn’t help smiling. Thus, the couple left the cave in sweet entanglement. When they reunited with their servants, everyone felt the relationship between Her Highness and the Prince Consort seemed much better, though they couldn’t quite explain how.

—

Mu Wanyao could feel the change in Yan Shang’s attitude.

Between lovers, no one understands each other’s emotions better than the two caught in the whirlpool of love.

Mu Wanyao was no longer the little bride she had been when she first married a year ago.

She now understood that Yan Shang’s initial attentive care was merely politeness and courtesy; his later avoidance was because he was shy and didn’t know how to handle feelings that were never under his control; and now, Yan Shang had begun to actively approach her.

He had begun to face his feelings, no longer avoiding them.

Thus Mu Wanyao enjoyed unprecedented care from Yan Shang. He wanted to solve all her troubles, and would actively inquire about matters around her, gradually participating in her world.

He imperceptibly came to understand her and everything around her. Patient and thoughtful, then thoughtful and considerate, he probably knew eighteen generations of ancestry about Yang Si and Wei Shu around her. Yang Si and Wei Shu even became his good friends.

Yan Shang would actively draw close to Mu Wanyao.

Before sleeping at night, he would often stare at her for a long time, then sigh as if defeated by himself and lean in to seek a kiss.

But kisses easily led to passion, easily sparked fires, and brought other intimate desires between men and women.

Especially for someone like Yan Shang who properly only sat at the bedside to kiss her.

When he kissed her within the bed curtains, when he pressed against her, it would bring more yearning. Every time kisses couldn’t ease it, Mu Wanyao’s face would burn red, made shy and fearful by his tender affection.

She could feel it.

Because when they got up each day, he sometimes couldn’t help coming to kiss her, but the more he kissed, the more his brows would furrow, his eyes filling with mist. One day when he was confused, Mu Wanyao accidentally touched him, startling her. Yan Shang sighed, turned back to comfort her, and then lay miserably on her shoulder sighing again.

Mu Wanyao thought: this isn’t the way.

She naturally wanted to be closer to Yan Shang, and besides, they had been married for a year and long knew how to be more intimate. But when Mu Wanyao recalled those two experiences, she thought they were painful… must his pleasure come from her suffering?

However, this seemed wrong too.

That day when she and Yan Shang encountered that pair of lovers, that lady’s entranced expression as she lifted her neck didn’t seem painful, but rather extremely pleasurable.

So, surely… surely there was something she and Yan Shang had misunderstood.

For people who had even misunderstood kissing, misunderstanding that kind of thing seemed quite normal.

While Mu Wanyao’s face reddened thinking about these things, she also blamed Yan Shang for his uselessness. But if he wasn’t anxious, she was!

Mu Wanyao made up her mind to visit the North District.

—

With only a few days left until the grand ceremony, Meng Zaishi frequented Chang’an’s North District daily. The North District was a mix of different people, hiding many secrets.

The Wuman wanted to ally with Great Wei to jointly deal with the troublesome Southern Barbarians, so they needed to gather information from the North District.

But Meng Zaishi pondered: his position was illegitimate. He had killed his father and brother to obtain the throne. The Wuman were one of the five Southern Barbarian tribes, so why would Great Wei ally with the Wuman instead of the Southern Barbarians?

In the end, Meng Zaishi needed Great Wei’s recognition to secure his throne, and perhaps even gain control of the entire Southern territory.

With such thoughts, Meng Zaishi frequented the North District. One evening as he sat drinking alone by a pavilion window, he happened to look down.

Beneath the brilliant lanterns, among the swirling crowd, Mu Wanyao walked boldly in men’s robes.

Great Wei’s customs were open, and women often wore men’s clothing, so people paid no attention to Mu Wanyao’s male attire, at most turning their heads to note how beautiful this lady was.

But what was such a lady doing in the North District?

Mu Wanyao walked alone in the crowd, only letting Fang Tong and others follow at a distance, not disturbing her. She was quite excited, as she had never gone shopping alone like this.

Before marriage, she couldn’t even leave the palace without Yang Si secretly taking her; after marriage, she could go anywhere, but there was no reason for the noble princess to visit the North District, so Mu Wanyao had never come here.

Tonight she was determined to experience the North District.

Mu Wanyao lowered her eyes, a crafty smile appearing in them. Because she knew Yan Shang was attending a banquet in one of the buildings here tonight.

She naturally had complete faith in her husband’s character, but she also wanted to secretly see what Yan Shang was like when not in front of her.

She wanted to give him a surprise.

As Mu Wanyao walked through the crowd with her hands behind her back, suddenly someone bumped her waist, she stumbled back a step, and a figure darted away.

While Mu Wanyao was still confused, another muffled grunt sounded, and the person who had run away’s knees buckled, falling to the ground, the jade pendant he had grabbed flying from his sleeve.

A tall, imposing young man strode past Mu Wanyao toward the fallen person. As the fallen person begged for mercy, the young man who bent to pick up the jade pendant turned back to look at the bright-eyed young princess.

Meng Zaishi removed his mask, the soft lantern light flowing warmly across his face, highlighting his strong, handsome features and deep, distant gaze.

Meng Zaishi smiled at Mu Wanyao, holding out the recovered jade pendant and speaking in the Wei language: “He stole this from you, I got it back.”

Mu Wanyao looked at him, then at the thief on the ground. Her delicate white fingers reached out to grasp her jade pendant. Meng Zaishi didn’t let go for a moment, and Mu Wanyao fixed her gaze on him.

Her voice was still as soft and sweet as he remembered: “Won’t you give it to me?”

Meng Zaishi coughed: “I am…”

Mu Wanyao smiled brilliantly, showing her pearl-like teeth: “I know you, you’re the Wuman King Meng Zaishi, invited to Great Wei’s ceremony.”

Meng Zaishi’s eyes brightened: “You remember me?!”

Mu Wanyao smiled: “Because I never forget a face!”

Meng Zaishi didn’t understand her phrase “never forget a face,” but seeing her smile made his heart burn, filling with both bitter and sweet emotions. He knew well what this meant, but as he quietly gazed at her slender figure standing in the lamplight, after a long while, he could only smile back resignedly, submitting to fate.

Mu Wanyao took back her jade pendant and withdrew her gaze: “I have some matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”

But Meng Zaishi followed her: “The North District isn’t safe, all sorts of people are here. Let me accompany Your Highness.”

Mu Wanyao hesitated, thinking it wouldn’t be good to offend this foreign king, and after failing to refuse twice, silently accepted his company.

Meng Zaishi walked with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on her figure. He suddenly said: “Your Highness is like a goddess.”

Mu Wanyao was confused: “What?”

Meng Zaishi looked into the distance: “In our Wuman legends, the highest deity is a goddess, we pray to her for blessings. I’ve never seen the goddess, but I think if there were a goddess in this world, she would be like Your Highness.”

He sighed: “It’s as if I’ve seen Your Highness in a dream.”

Mu Wanyao was bewildered, understanding this person’s bold hint. She moved two steps to the side, tactfully refusing him with wariness: “Then it must have been a nightmare.”

Meng Zaishi was stunned, then laughed.

He raised his hand to move aside the hanging lantern tassels for her, this commanding Wuman king showing rare tenderness in his eyes. He then lifted his gaze to look in a certain direction.

Not far away, Yan Shang pushed open a window, seeing them at that moment.

His gaze met Meng Zaishi’s.

Meng Zaishi smiled provocatively before looking away.

Yan Shang lowered his long lashes, feeling restless. He said to his friend beside him: “I’m going out to change clothes.”