Yan Shang was resolute as he said, “Why does Your Highness bring this up again? I’ve already said, I cannot be friends with Your Highness.”

Either they would become lovers, or remain forever estranged.

The possibility of remaining estranged now seemed extremely low. So then, to become her lover… Yan Shang’s heart was in turmoil. He felt Pei Qing couldn’t protect her, that only he could help her unconditionally. But Yan Shang also didn’t trust himself to forever stand by her side – his sense of greater duty was too strong, making him always retreat when faced with personal love.

And Mu Wanyao likely still had feelings for him.

But she also hated his betrayal.

That’s why she spoke of being friends. Though following Mu Wanyao’s way of “friendship”… it would likely lead to her bed. But she wouldn’t give him any official status.

Yan Shang didn’t want that.

As Yan Shang’s thoughts tangled in his heart, he tried to organize his thoughts, wanting to clearly express to Mu Wanyao his determination to reject her “friendship” proposal. But Mu Wanyao hadn’t really taken the friendship matter to heart – his rejection didn’t seem to concern her.

Mu Wanyao still carried a hint of a smile as she pushed at his arm. Moonlight shone on the long couch as she asked eagerly, “Never mind that. Tell me quickly about your thoughts, and your aspirations. I’m very curious about you. After three years… are you still the same? Still that person of noble aspirations unmoved by external things?”

Pushed by her, Yan Shang felt embarrassed. He forgot his original train of thought and said uncomfortably, “What’s there to say? I’m still me.”

But with Mu Wanyao’s prompting, he gradually spoke of what he’d done these past three years.

He told of how he initially reached a balance with the Jiang clan of Nanyang, of how Rang County was ruled by one voice at first. He spoke of the difficulties in establishing private schools then, of how the Jiang clan forced him to make an example of someone.

Mu Wanyao was surprised: “You killed again?”

Yan Shang gave a soft affirmative: “Mm.”

Mu Wanyao looked at him. When facing matters of greater righteousness, Yan Shang rarely regretted his actions. But when reflecting afterward, he would still feel sorry for those who died. He may have been tormented, but what needed to be done, would still do.

He had torn open a gap in Rang County. He cooperated with the Jiang clan to develop Nanyang. It was also the second year’s great harvest – the Jiang clan’s collection of various rents and grains was more than before – that the Jiang clan gradually approved of Yan Shang’s reforms in Nanyang.

In the following two years, Yan Shang focused on just three directions: encouraging agriculture, promoting education, and maintaining security.

Mu Wanyao nodded with a smile: “Since ancient times, officials have always looked at these three aspects. But most officials like to do surface work, writing beautiful reports. When inspecting officials see beautiful writing, they think the actual governance is that good. Such officials get promoted faster, though in fact, perhaps most of their energy was spent on writing reports.”

She looked at Yan Shang lovingly: “What a pity. You’re not very good at writing beautiful reports – your writing is too… sparse.”

Yan Shang didn’t mind, saying: “I don’t want to spend my energy on reports. I’d rather do more things for the common people. These years, I’ve just been using Nanyang as an experiment, seeing how far I can reform Nanyang, and exactly what level I can bring Nanyang to.

“Though suppressing bandits now is to keep the Jiang clan in check, in reality, this is also one of my steps. No matter how much I encourage farming when bandits come down from the mountains each year, the common people suffer heavy losses. Moreover, these bandits don’t produce anything, often colluding with officials to some extent. They spend some bribe money, and officials will risk letting them go easily. So from the people’s yearly harvest, besides high taxes, they still have to give to these bandits… how much can be left? Suppressing bandits is a necessary step for Nanyang.

“Fearing Nanyang’s officials wouldn’t properly suppress the bandits, I specifically wrote an article saying how over these years, due to bandits, many officials who came to serve in Nanyang were demoted, their official careers unsuccessful. I counted the career paths of officials from the past fifty years – all ended up in lower positions. This was because Nanyang’s feng shui was bad, requiring changes to the mountain’s direction. With bandits occupying the mountains, suppressing them naturally became an important step. With this, their official careers obstructed, how dare those officials not put effort into suppressing bandits?”

Regarding feng shui sayings, since ancient times, believers naturally believed. These officials, after Yan Shang listed so many officials’ demotions, even if half-believing, had to start working.

Mu Wanyao suddenly gripped his arm tightly: “What? Everyone who served as a local official in Nanyang had unsuccessful careers. You counted fifty years and they were all like this? Then you…”

Wouldn’t that mean Yan Shang couldn’t return to Chang’an? That Yan Shang’s official career would also be unsuccessful?

Mu Wanyao originally didn’t believe in such superstitions, but since the person presenting the data was Yan Shang… she also began to have doubts.

Yan Shang blushed, saying shamefully: “It was just a trick to fool people. I took great officials from thirty years ago, like the Minister of Rites, and said things like ‘unable to advance further, truly a pity.’ Such tricks mixed into such a long article weren’t obvious. However, upon careful examination, there were problems everywhere. But officials are used to being superstitious – they won’t examine it carefully.”

Mu Wanyao suddenly understood: “Ah…”

Then she listened to him tell of how he handled the common people’s disputes in Rang County, how each spring he personally led the people in farming…

Mu Wanyao listened while resting her chin in her hand. She held his arm, unconsciously drawing closer to him as she listened.

She looked up at him, her breath floating near his face, but he couldn’t see and naturally didn’t know that Mu Wanyao was almost kissing his face. Perhaps he sensed something, but he didn’t know how intimate Mu Wanyao’s posture was, didn’t know that she wanted to cup his face and examine him inch by inch—

Look at this annoying person.

Look at this remarkable person.

His thinking had matured much since three years ago; he wanted to do many things in Nanyang. He had set very complete plans for Nanyang. As just a county magistrate, he made the provincial governor give way to him, cooperate with him. He didn’t seek fame or profit… yet with things done to his level, people’s hearts flew to him without him seeking it.

The common-born took pride in him.

In the future, they would also take him as their standard.

Mu Wanyao had supported the common-born for three years. Though she blocked any news about Yan Shang, she would still occasionally hear officials discuss Yan Suchen. Unfortunately, Yan Shang was a local official, with too little connection to Chang’an. His influence on Chang’an was too weak… Yet this night, Mu Wanyao unconsciously thought, if Yan Shang were in Chang’an, wouldn’t he be the one leading the common-born now?

And what was Pei Qing then?

Pei Qing would have no choice but to give way to Yan Shang.

Yan Shang possessed noble character, and through years of experience, his methods had gradually become smoother… Mu Wanyao sat beside Yan Shang that night, listening to him speak plainly and sparsely of what he’d done these years, and her heart couldn’t help but pound, bowing to him.

His whole being was radiating light.

Making her unwilling to look away for a long time.

Yan Shang had spoken enough and stopped, giving a slight smile. Mu Wanyao had become very engrossed in listening – unconsciously, he wasn’t just talking about himself, he was also discussing the way of being an official with Mu Wanyao. When he suddenly stopped speaking, Mu Wanyao urgently urged him: “Why did you stop? Continue.”

Yan Shang said softly: “I’ve been talking for a long time, I’m a bit thirsty.”

Because of his eye condition, over the half month they had been posing as husband and wife sharing a room, Mu Wanyao had learned to take care of him in small matters. Hearing he was thirsty, the normally proud princess was about to get off the couch to pour him water. But Yan Shang held her back, saying helplessly: “What I actually meant was… it’s very late, isn’t Your Highness going to sleep?”

Mu Wanyao was stunned, looked at the bed behind the screen, and said: “I don’t want to go to sleep.”

Though they shared a room, Yan Shang maintained propriety – they had always slept in separate beds. Yan Shang slept on the couch outside, Mu Wanyao slept on the bed inside. But tonight, Mu Wanyao was a bit unwilling.

Mu Wanyao gazed at him intently, murmuring: “I want to hear you talk.”

She sat back down, lowered her head, and lightly tugged at his sleeve: “Tonight I’ll sleep with you on the same couch, we can talk all night, alright?”

Yan Shang’s heart thumped, the shock making even his fingertips slightly numb. For a young man and woman who had just been passionately kissing in an alley, such words from a lady in the deep night… were too ambiguous.

Yan Shang: “You’re already engaged, and I also…”

Mu Wanyao said harshly: “You promised me you would break off your engagement, are you going back on your word?”

Yan Shang was stunned, then softly reassured her: “I’m not going back on my word. I’ll handle this matter when I return to Rang County, but even if I had no engagement, you still…”

Mu Wanyao softened her tone, saying carelessly: “I’ll break off my engagement too. Do you think Pei Qing’s official career can still advance after treating me this way? Since my marriage was arranged for benefits if these benefits don’t satisfy me, I’ll naturally correct it – no need for you to worry about it.”

Hearing her firm tone about breaking the engagement, Yan Shang felt vaguely happy for her. Happy that she could now control her fate, that she didn’t have to be pressured and forced into marriage by various forces like before.

However… Yan Shang still felt sharing a bed was inappropriate.

Yan Shang hesitated for a long while. Mu Wanyao grew impatient waiting, feeling his fussiness hadn’t improved from before. She said dissatisfied: “What are you afraid of? You’re a grown man, what can I do to you?”

Yan Shang smiled bitterly.

She still thought he was as pure and naive as three years ago, that he would have no thoughts about a beautiful lady sleeping on his couch.

But when Mu Wanyao became imperious, Yan Shang couldn’t refuse. He still made room for her, watching her excitedly hug a soft pillow back, happily sit on his couch, and pull him to lie down and talk together. Yan Shang’s heart kept beating heavily – though he couldn’t see, the lady’s fragrance was right before his nose and mouth, making his self-control especially weak.

Yan Shang could no longer talk about himself, but Mu Wanyao still urged him, so he complained: “You’re always like this.”

Mu Wanyao widened her eyes, confused: “What did I do now?”

She was now obediently listening to him talk, hadn’t done anything, hadn’t bullied him – what was he complaining about?

Yan Shang said softly: “Kissing and embracing mean nothing to you, don’t represent anything. But I… don’t be like this with your future husband.”

Mu Wanyao was quiet for a moment, then said: “There is no other husband, only you.”

She lay with him on the couch, looking at his side-sleeping form, at the gauze over his eyes. He was gentle and soft, without aggression – he gave her the same sense of safety as a sage.

He had lovable qualities that a sage didn’t have.

She especially liked him and began to discover that time couldn’t diminish this liking. Seeing him still rekindled her past fondness. Mu Wanyao’s long hair scattered on the pillow as she smiled: “Pei Qing has never been on my bed.”

Yan Shang: “…”

His face suddenly tensed, somewhat displeased: “Why are you telling me this?”

He didn’t like discussing other men with her, discussing her other men.

Mu Wanyao held back her laughter in her heart but said no more. As the conversation had started, Yan Shang hesitated, then actively opened a topic: “What has Your Highness been doing these three years?”

Mu Wanyao brushed it off: “What could I do? Busy gathering power and people. Talking about me isn’t interesting – let’s still talk about your matters.”

She very much liked hearing what Yan Shang had been doing but was very indifferent about what she had been busy with. She felt she was just mediocre and ordinary, while what she wanted more to hear were stories of someone like Yan Shang. In her youth, she had admired the heroes of the world, and now a formidable hero was sleeping on her couch – how could her heart not be moved?

She seemed to especially admire people like Yan Shang.

But Yan Shang persisted: “I also want to hear about Your Highness’s matters. How could Your Highness’s affairs be uninteresting? I find them very interesting. Why does Your Highness always belittle yourself, thinking you’re not good? Back then, what I did to you… Your Highness has forgiven me. Your Highness is, is…”

He spoke with genuine feeling: “Your Highness is the best princess in the world, the best lady.”

Mu Wanyao froze, suddenly sitting up, her long hair falling onto him: “What did you say?”

Yan Shang’s face instantly reddened, realizing he had been too forward just now.

He gripped a corner of the brocade blanket covering his body and turned his face away, his tone somewhat uncomfortable: “I didn’t say anything. I meant Your Highness is becoming better and better…”

Mu Wanyao felt ashamed in her heart.

Because she really wasn’t as he described, but him thinking so made her unable to help reflecting on herself, wanting to really become as he said. She wanted him to admire her, wanted him to be proud of her… Mu Wanyao looked down at him for a long while, saying softly: “I still love power most. You know, I’m different from you, I can’t lose power.”

Yan Shang didn’t speak.

Mu Wanyao leaned down, lying back beside him. He didn’t know if he was dreaming, but later as he continued talking with her, gradually feeling drowsy, he heard her mumble: “…but after power, you’re second.

“Only you can compete with the power I love, pulling me back from being devoured by it.”

Yan Shang instantly became alert, but as he held his breath, he heard no more from Mu Wanyao. Before his eyes was pitch black, and he felt the night must be very deep now. Beside him the fragrance remained the same, Mu Wanyao lightly leaning against his arm, breathing steadily.

He softly called her “Yao Yao,” but she didn’t respond, so Yan Shang thought she must be asleep.

He let out a light sigh, feeling around to tuck her in properly, his hand back lightly touching her face. He was always worried about her health, afraid she would fall ill from all this fleeing, paying special attention to this aspect. Feeling her temperature was normal, he finally felt completely relieved.

But Yan Shang was also tormented by those last words, unsure if they were his imagination or if Mu Wanyao had said them.

He turned over gently, sighing softly. His heart was turbulent, yet he feared her rejection, feared he couldn’t manage. In the darkness, he reflected on himself, tormented himself—

Could he truly balance the relationship between greater duty and personal desires, could he prevent Mu Wanyao from being hurt again?

If what happened three years ago happened again… Mu Wanyao would break down, and he would too, right?

As Yan Shang turned and sighed, Mu Wanyao lying beside him was still awake. She lay in the darkness with bright eyes watching him, watching him toss and turn, watching him agonize because of her. Her heart couldn’t help but float lightly, softening like water.

…She kept falling for Yan Shang again and again.

Not just wanting to sleep with him, but wanting to have him.

She wanted to build high towers, construct golden chambers, to properly collect and store Yan Shang.

She wanted to treasure him well, so no one else could have him, no one else could see his goodness, no one else could share him. But how was that possible?

So Mu Wanyao also grew melancholy, letting out a sigh.

Her sigh startled Yan Shang, who was facing away from her. He tremblingly called out to her, and when she didn’t respond, he settled down again, thinking she was just sighing in her dreams. But Mu Wanyao sighing even in her dreams made Yan Shang’s heart ache more, feeling it was all his fault.

Thus the night passed—

Last night had been so good.

Mu Wanyao had never talked so much with Yan Shang before, had never so seriously tried to understand his world, his thoughts. Three years ago she had only wanted to establish a physical relationship with him. Three years later, when her path with Yan Shang had become a dead end, truly impossible to continue, only then was Mu Wanyao forced to bear her heart.

Only because without baring her heart, she might completely lose him.

Without baring her heart, this dead end with Yan Shang truly couldn’t be broken through.

And last night had been so good. Mu Wanyao felt the distance between her heart and Yan Shang’s had grown much closer. He also tried to understand her; she shyly said one or two things, and he listened so attentively. His attention made her very happy, giving her the illusion that she was receiving praise.

The kisses in the alley certainly made one’s body tremble, but talking heart-to-heart at night brought souls even closer.

Who knew how long they talked before falling asleep, but the next morning upon waking, the good impressions from last night still lingered in her dreams. When Mu Wanyao woke in the morning, her lips couldn’t help but carry a smile. She was somewhat afraid last night’s good atmosphere was just her dream, but even in dreams, she had never had this day of reconciliation with Yan Shang.

Mu Wanyao quietly opened her eyes to see the young man on the bed still sleeping, facing away from her. His thick black hair was scattered on the pillow like spilled ink. He habitually faced away from her, his undergarments thin, the young man’s prominent and handsome spine as magnificent as mountains and rivers.

Male beauty was so enchanting.

Even if just his back, even if he was still wearing his undergarments.

Mu Wanyao’s cheeks grew hot as she looked, suddenly feeling aroused, her heart growing restless. She secretly wondered what was wrong with her, if she had gone too long without a man, that she would feel such desire just from seeing a man’s back.

Suddenly, Mu Wanyao heard Yan Shang sigh.

Mu Wanyao was startled, covering her heart, almost thinking he had caught her staring at him early in the morning. But she quickly realized that he was blind and facing away from her – what could he discover? So Mu Wanyao confidently and openly stared at him, curious about what he was sighing about so early in the morning.

Yan Shang lay in bed for a while. Used to self-discipline, he only lay there briefly. While Mu Wanyao still wanted to stay in bed, he was already propping himself up to sit. Mu Wanyao felt him turn his head to “look” at her and quickly closed her eyes.

Then she remembered again that he couldn’t see.

So she quietly opened one eye again.

She saw him lean down, his collar slightly open, some black hair tangled at his collarbone, extremely beautiful. Yan Shang reached out to feel her forehead. Mu Wanyao stayed completely still, allowing him to check her temperature. She hugged the quilt tightly, watching his face draw near with reddened cheeks. But as he got closer, Mu Wanyao saw him freeze. He sighed again, his hand not even touching her forehead before he withdrew.

Mu Wanyao: “…”

She stared for a while, then couldn’t help but smile slightly, understanding completely.

Because she knew what Yan Shang was sighing about now.

When he had leaned forward, his vigorous response below the waist had been particularly obvious. This response confused him, made him helpless, and made him sigh many times just after waking up.

Mu Wanyao watched him leisurely, somewhat amused, as Yan Shang turned his back to her and sat dazed. Mu Wanyao waited to see how he would resolve his morning issue, but he just sat there, not moving for a long time, and then sighed again.

Yan Shang sat on the edge of the couch, hand propping himself up, somewhat sighing. The natural morning response would normally be fine but would pass after a while. But he had underestimated Mu Wanyao’s influence on him – he had spent all night fighting the urge to get close to her. Finally enduring until daybreak, his aroused body was more honest than he was.

He had already lain there for a long time, unable to calm down, but he knew if this continued, Mu Wanyao would wake up soon. If she woke up, how could he face her in this state?

Yan Shang frowned in distress for a long while, sitting so stiffly he was about to break down. And the more he tried to make the response subside, his body became even harder, beyond his will to control. Yan Shang was too afraid of Mu Wanyao waking and discovering this. After struggling with himself for a long while, he still reluctantly reached for his clothes’ ties, his fingers trembling as they moved downward…

A light laugh came from behind.

Yan Shang froze.

Then he was embraced from behind.

Very naturally, Mu Wanyao hugged his waist from behind, her soft warm hand reaching over, pressing on his hand’s back, then turning direction, lightly gripping his hand, hooking it slightly. Yan Shang was completely rigid. Mu Wanyao’s fingers applied force, and his waist involuntarily pushed back once. Afterwards he was mortified, his entire face and neck instantly turning red.

He said fearfully: “Yao- Yao Yao?”

Mu Wanyao leaned against his neck, smiling: “What are you afraid of? Why are you still so reserved… Last night in the alley you kissed so passionately, I thought you had improved. But it turns out that was just an act, this is really you.”

He said hoarsely: “You- you stop talking.”

He uncomfortably hunched his shoulders, using his elbow to push her away, trembling: “Go away- don’t- don’t mind me, it’ll be fine in a moment…”

Mu Wanyao: “This is nothing. Why act like this? Let me help you.”

He remained nervous, still not daring. But she made him comfortable, made him open his mouth to pant, jaw tightening, body alternating between rigid and relaxed. Mu Wanyao leaned against his face, seeing his entranced expression as his mouth opened, handsome and moving. She couldn’t help but lean in to capture his lips. When he was shocked, she justified herself righteously: “You’re the one who opened your mouth.”

Sunlight fell into the room as the two were overcome with passion.

Mu Wanyao finally pressed Yan Shang down. He lay in the bedding as the lady playfully yet dominantly lay on his shoulder. She grabbed his hand, ignoring his refusal, using his hand together with hers to tease him. His whole body trembled, waves of heat making his breathing chaotic.

By the end, it was unclear who was kissing whom, or who refused to leave.

After everything finished, Mu Wanyao was also red-faced, but she brushed aside the loose hair sticking to Yan Shang’s face, looking down at him. His lips were crimson, his ears completely red. He panted, somewhat dazedly turning his face in her direction: “Yao Yao…”

Mu Wanyao said nothing, face red.

So Yan Shang held her fingers, hesitating before asking: “Do you need me to help you?”

Mu Wanyao: “…?”

He even had this kind of courage? How did she not know?

Mu Wanyao started laughing: “Help how? With your hand? No need, haha. I don’t have such strong desires as you.”

Her laugh was tender and seductive, her tone suggestive, making his face redden even more—

During breakfast, Han Shuxing felt something was off about those two, but he had never really understood Wei people, so he didn’t mind it, instead bringing up the news he had discovered.

Yan Shang said to wait two days, he needed to discuss the current situation with this county magistrate.

Two days later, the local magistrate was nearly going crazy, because they still couldn’t find the princess, while the princess’s guards were gradually getting closer. Under pressure from the Jiang clan, everyone would have to pay the price for this… It was at this time that Yan Shang felt the timing was right to negotiate with the magistrate.

Before leaving, Yan Shang hesitantly asked Mu Wanyao: “After this is over, you’ll go to Jinling. Then can you… can you wait for me?”

Mu Wanyao was puzzled: “Wait for what?”

Yan Shang said: “…Wait for me to go to Chang’an. I think, can we start over?”

Mu Wanyao was stunned, not expecting Yan Shang to say this.

He said goodbye to her at the door, lowering his head to softly tell her these things: “I’ll come find you after I resolve the marriage matter, come find you when my one-year term in Nanyang ends… alright?”

After a while, under his anxiety, Mu Wanyao curved her eyes: “Alright.”

But one year was too long—

After Yan Shang left, Mu Wanyao played alone on a swing in the courtyard.

By afternoon she had finally finished making the swing, swung for a while, then heard sounds outside the courtyard. When she looked up, she saw it was Fang Tong and others leading the guards who had arrived.

Fang Tong was naturally excited and relieved to see the princess, while Mu Wanyao also smiled slightly, happy to see their arrival. Because Fang Tong’s arrival meant Pei Qing had controlled Rang County, Chang’an could now spare forces to deal with Nanyang.

This was all going to end.

However, as everything was ending, Fang Tong reassuringly spoke of how they could go to Jinling now, but Mu Wanyao sat on the swing, chatting with Fang Tong who had come to find her: “I’ve thought about living a life like Yan Shang’s.”

Fang Tong was stunned: “What do you mean?”

Mu Wanyao said carelessly: “Nothing, tell me specifically about the current situation in Rang County.”

Fang Tong was silent for a moment, first mentioning something the princess surely cared about: “Second Young Master Yan’s fiancée Miao Niang… now in Rang County, they think the Second Young Master is dead, but his fiancée still wants to remain faithful to his memory. Miao Niang’s father is currently trying to persuade his daughter not to be like this.”

Fang Tong’s words made Mu Wanyao finalize a decision she had been hesitating about. She curved her lips: “Remain faithful to his memory? Do you mean that as long as he returns, as long as they know Yan Shang is still alive, Miao Niang still wants to marry him? How fortunate for Yan Shang. Since that’s the case, I want to leave Pei Qing in Rang County, and Yan Shang… I want to imprison him, imprison him, and force him to come with me to Jinling and return to Chang’an together. I want to imprison him, force him to marry me.”