At the relay station, upon hearing Fang Tong’s report, Mu Wanyao went to see Yan Shang. She composed herself briefly before the door of a chamber, then pushed it open.

“Refusing food in protest?” Mu Wanyao asked.

She saw the blindfolded young man leaning against a desk, his elegant sleeves draping over his knees and the floor covering. He sat with quiet grace, like white snow covering a green pine – cutting a noble figure unbending to power.

Mu Wanyao couldn’t help but admire him.

Yan Shang’s brows furrowed slightly upon hearing Mu Wanyao’s voice.

Since regaining consciousness, he had found himself in this situation – surrounded by Mu Wanyao’s people, everyone treating him like a prisoner. Whatever he wanted, those around him had to seek the princess’s permission. Throughout the morning, Yan Shang hadn’t even been allowed to touch a brush. How could he have any appetite?

Even though Mu Wanyao hadn’t given him muscle-weakening powder or similar drugs, the effect was practically the same.

This princess was truly awful!

As Yan Shang was thinking this, Mu Wanyao sat beside him, smilingly placing her hand on his arm, coaxing him: “You still need to eat even when angry. If you fall ill from hunger, how worried I’ll be. Don’t you care for me at all, Second Brother Yan?”

Yan Shang blurted out: “I care for you, but who cares for me? I consider you in everything, and this is how you repay me? Keeping me under house arrest and taking me away – is this your idea of treating me well? You go too far.”

Mu Wanyao couldn’t help but smile.

He was truly accustomed to being gentle – his voice always soft and low, particularly deep and pleasant. He rarely raised his voice; even now when angry, his voice remained low. Rather than questioning, it sounded more like gentle complaining.

Mu Wanyao coughed once.

Her eyes curved in an autumn-pool smile as she said: “I am truly treating you well. But let’s discuss that later – shall we eat first?”

It was rare for her to be so conciliatory due to her wrongdoing, but Yan Shang coldly refused: “Let’s discuss this matter first. From now on, I won’t eat your food or drink your water. Who knows what other tricks you might use against me when I trust you so.”

Mu Wanyao lowered her head, somewhat displeased by his words.

She said: “Why do you think I brought you away against your will?”

Yan Shang: “Who knows what evil schemes you have!”

Mu Wanyao: “It’s because my great-uncle is dying, and I want to see him one last time. When I go to see him, I want to bring the man I love, to put his mind at ease about what happens after he’s gone, so he won’t worry about me. Was I wrong?”

Yan Shang paused briefly, then said: “You can make black sound white.”

Mu Wanyao argued righteously: “My intentions are purely good!”

Yan Shang grew slightly annoyed.

He said: “Must you make me spell it out so plainly?”

Mu Wanyao: “Please do.”

Being the clever person he was, even while detained, his mind remained sharp. He suppressed his voice, speaking softly in anger: “You’re not doing this for my benefit at all. You think this county magistrate position can be given to someone else, that it’s not important anyway. You don’t care that my leaving Nanyang as a magistrate is a violation. Court regulations forbid me from leaving Nanyang – you’re deliberately making me commit an offense!”

“Are you trying to strip me of my position?”

Mu Wanyao coaxed him: “It’s just a seventh-rank county magistrate position, we can do without it. What’s so good about staying in Nanyang? Even though you’ve made many arrangements for Nanyang, now that everything’s set up, others can carry it out just as well. Let’s return to Chang’an instead.”

Yan Shang: “You’re being reckless! You’re just relying on your status as a princess and your power to arrange others’ lives as you please!”

Seeing his tense face truly angry, Mu Wanyao knew he would be upset, so she tried to pacify him. When he rose to leave supporting himself on the desk, not wanting to speak with her, she quickly pressed him back down and said firmly: “Now that things have come to this point, I can’t send you back. But I can compensate you somewhat. Do you like being the Rang County magistrate that much? You haven’t made Rang County your home, have you?”

Yan Shang was pressed back down by her hands. Frowning, he turned his head to “look” at her and said: “You… fine, I know I can’t persuade you. If you insist on taking me away, what can I do? But during my tenure, I’ve never neglected my duties for ridiculous reasons, so I certainly can’t lose my position for the ridiculous reason of being forced to leave Nanyang.”

“Whatever method you use, I cannot lose my position as Rang County magistrate. If you cause me to lose my position because of this, I’ll… never speak to you again.”

Even his threat lacked force.

Mu Wanyao hesitated, wondering why he cared so much about a county magistrate position. Could there be arrangements in Rang County she didn’t know about? She never dared underestimate Yan Shang’s intelligence. Even with him detained, she feared he might turn the situation around.

After waiting a while without response from Mu Wanyao, Yan Shang said angrily: “Are you really going to make me lose my position because of your wrongdoing? You can’t even fulfill this one condition for me – you’re too much.”

Seeing his clenched jaw, Mu Wanyao thought it was just a county magistrate position after all. Now that she had cut off Yan Shang’s contact with the outside world, what harm could there be in letting him keep his official title? When she brought him back to Chang’an and forced him to marry her, he wouldn’t be able to return to Nanyang anyway.

There had never been a case of a prince consort and princess living separately.

Considering that Yan Shang would never return to Rang County in the future anyway, Mu Wanyao nodded readily: “Alright, I agree. Now will you eat?”

Yan Shang quickly said: “We haven’t finished talking!”

Mu Wanyao grew impatient: “What else?”

Yan Shang hesitated, then asked: “Tell me, when you took me away like this, did you make proper arrangements for Miss Miao?”

Mu Wanyao’s expression turned cold as she turned to look at him: “What do you mean? You’re concerned about another woman in front of me?”

Yan Shang had been angry all day, and was still annoyed: “What are you thinking? Must I spell it out? Dare you say you don’t disapprove of how I handled things, wanting to use power to force people instead? You’re forcibly taking me from Miss Miao – of course, she can’t compete with a princess. But I do have a marriage agreement with her. Is it right for you to bully a lady like this?”

Mu Wanyao: “Forcibly taking you? How dare you say that.”

Yan Shang’s face instantly reddened.

To Mu Wanyao, he was truly adorable – even angry, he could still blush at such things.

He said softly: “That’s exactly what this is. You did it, so why can’t I say it?”

Because of his blush, Mu Wanyao didn’t get angry about his marriage agreement and said leisurely: “As for your Miss Miao, don’t try to fool me. I’ve investigated everything about your relationship with her. I heard from Fang Tong that your father-in-law got you drunk at a banquet and recommended his daughter to you, and you agreed in your confusion. You didn’t back out afterward either. What’s that? Isn’t that just taking advantage of your poor alcohol tolerance?”

Yan Shang explained: “Master Chen isn’t the kind of person you describe. I was in low spirits and drunk at the time, it wasn’t that Master Chen deliberately planned…”

Mu Wanyao adjusted to a more comfortable position, leaning against his arm. When he turned away refusing to let her lean on him, she simply grabbed his arm and wouldn’t let go, naturally pressing close, even nuzzling against him somewhat triumphantly. Yan Shang wanted to glare at her but couldn’t due to his blindness, and Mu Wanyao had already started speaking: “Fang Tong found out that you agreed to marry Miss Miao on the second day of the second month. This timing is very interesting.”

Yan Shang said coldly: “Interesting how?”

Mu Wanyao turned to look at him: “Interesting because if you go back four days from that date, that’s when I agreed to marry Pei Qing.”

Yan Shang remained silent.

Mu Wanyao’s heart had already softened, filled with tenderness. She held his shoulders making him lower his head, gently rubbing her nose against his, speaking softly: “Brother, you were heartbroken about my engagement, that’s why you drank and were tricked into an engagement. Then because she posed no real threat to you, you became disheartened, feeling you weren’t suited for love, so you didn’t refuse this marriage agreement, right?”

“It was because of me, wasn’t it?”

Yan Shang reached out and pushed away her face nuzzling against his. Mu Wanyao couldn’t believe it, but his attitude was resolute. Even though his face was red, he wouldn’t allow this from her.

Mu Wanyao burst out in frustration: “Have you lost your mind? Do you dare push me away? Don’t you know that if I wanted to force myself on you, you couldn’t…”

She spoke without thinking and was severely interrupted by Yan Shang before finishing: “What are you saying! How can a lady speak like that?”

Mu Wanyao’s momentum faltered, deflating.

She said huffily and sourly: “Fine, I’ll say no more. Don’t worry, I won’t ruin your reputation, and I’ll find your Miss Miao a husband so good even you couldn’t find fault with him. Do you think you’re gold, that everyone treasures you and can’t live without you? Eat your food first.”

Hearing her casually arrange Miss Miao’s marriage as if she were just a passerby, Yan Shang could only accept it helplessly. He thought that even if Mu Wanyao arranged Miss Miao’s marriage carelessly, with him overseeing, she couldn’t go too far.

But Yan Shang had too much on his mind to have any appetite: “I won’t eat. The way you’re imprisoning me…”

Mu Wanyao coldly interrupted: “Am I being too nice to you? Even if I took you away for various reasons, is it all just for my selfish desires? Has none of it been for your benefit? Can’t you think of me as a good woman instead of just seeing me as a villain?”

Yan Shang was stunned, eyes widening, unable to believe she would truly try to paint black as white.

He said: “Beneficial to me? What benefit? How can I possibly see how imprisoning me is for my good?”

Mu Wanyao righteously declared: “A delicate beauty freely offering herself to you – what more could you want?”

Yan Shang grew angry, speaking without thinking: “Am I that kind of person? What do you mean by ‘offering’? I won’t accept such offers. What use is your beauty when I can’t even see it?”

Mu Wanyao immediately seized the opportunity, grabbing his hand: “See! This is exactly how I’m helping you! I’m helping treat your eyes! I’ve invited an imperial physician from Chang’an – he’s still on his way and will meet us in Jinling. I was worried that if your eyes went untreated for the month you’d be with me, your condition would worsen. That’s why I insisted on seeing you regain your sight before I could rest easy!”

Yan Shang pressed his lips together, lowering his face.

Seeing his attitude soften slightly, Mu Wanyao continued: “And I truly am thinking of your welfare. Look how exhausted you always are, working on official business day in and day out. You never take time for yourself – look what you’ve done to yourself. You’ve grown so thin, only getting away with it because you’re young. I’m afraid if you keep working so hard, you’ll eventually break down your health.”

“Second Brother Yan, even if you love your work, shouldn’t you care for your health? With your eyes in this condition, why are you in such a hurry to return to Rang County? Why not take this opportunity to rest properly? Do things you enjoy, take a proper vacation?”

“You’re always wound so tight, never taking a moment to relax – is that good?”

Yan Shang was slightly taken aback.

He turned his face toward her, saying softly: “You… you think this way?”

Mu Wanyao stroked his cheek, touching his lips lightly, and promised him: “I truly mean it. Seeing you like this pains my heart. I don’t want you always working, always being the one everyone runs to with their problems. In Rang County, you were so busy you moved into the government office… I want you to rest properly. We’ll brew medicinal soups every day, properly nourish your body.”

She said dreamily: “I want to fatten you up nice and plump.”

Yan Shang spat: “Nonsense again.”

Mu Wanyao smiled sweetly.

Yan Shang said softly: “What’s wrong with me being busy with official duties? Do you think I’m too tense? No one else has ever said this about me, only you keep saying it.”

Mu Wanyao rested her face gently against his cheek, speaking quietly: “Because they don’t love you – only I love you. Others see you as Yan Suchen, but I see you as Yan Shang, my Second Brother Yan. Everything I do is for your good. You should understand me.”

She was taking the opportunity to speak well of herself again.

Yan Shang felt both moved and angry.

After a while, he said softly: “I don’t want to talk to you, don’t want to deal with you.”

Mu Wanyao burst out: “How are you still angry?!”

Yan Shang thought: For something this serious, how could I forgive you after just a few words? Don’t I have any principles?

She truly acted willfully, capable of anything. Yan Shang realized he had been too accommodating with her, which led her to be so unrestrained with him, thinking he would forgive anything she did.

The tragic part was, she was right.

Yan Shang knew he couldn’t truly be angry with her in his heart, knew he was always easily softened toward her. But this wasn’t right – this way she would never realize she should respect him. She was high and mighty, now even more so, thinking she could get whatever she wanted. But some things in this world couldn’t be forced out through power and pressure.

After a while, Yan Shang said flatly: “I want someone I can trust to test my food and water. I don’t trust you anymore. Without this, I won’t touch any food or drink you provide.”

Mu Wanyao let out an “Ah!”

She rubbed her forehead: “Where am I supposed to find someone you trust to test your food every day? We’re on the road to Jinling! Even if I randomly bought someone for you to use, would you believe they weren’t my person?”

Yan Shang turned his face away, saying: “Haven’t you imprisoned Han Shuxing? I don’t believe Han Shuxing would be indifferent to my kidnapping.”

Mu Wanyao: “…”

She cursed under her breath, helplessly accepting that the man she chose was truly clever, showing such judgment even while confined. All the more reason she needed to prevent Yan Shang from contacting the outside world and escaping her grasp—

Yan Shang was helped by a servant to see the imprisoned Han Shuxing.

Han Shuxing was bound hand and foot, his mouth stuffed with cloth, thrown into a dark room. He wanted to struggle against his bonds, but the ropes were in dead knots, and he was completely weak – they had drugged him the entire journey, leaving him without the strength to stand.

As Han Shuxing was despairing over how to escape, Second Young Master Yan arrived.

Yan Shang had the servant untie Han Shuxing and bring him food. While Han Shuxing wolfed down the food, he secretly observed Second Young Master Yan. He saw that Yan Shang was calm and composed, wearing clean robes with a jade crown and silver belt, cutting an elegant figure with no visible injuries from the princess’s torture.

This beautiful young man of golden quality and jade appearance was different from the Second Young Master Yan who had been at a disadvantage and injured during their escape due to his blindness, and even different from the Second Young Master Yan who had been buried in complicated official duties all day in Rang County. Han Shuxing couldn’t find better words to describe it – he just felt that Second Young Master Yan now looked like those clean and beautiful noble young masters from Chang’an, soft and fragrant, pure and pristine.

After finishing his meal, Han Shuxing forcefully drove out the servant attending to Second Young Master Yan. He grabbed Yan Shang’s hand, trying to make him stand.

Yan Shang was surprised but had no intention of following him, laughing: “What are you doing?”

Han Shuxing spoke tensely: “Second Young Master, Her Highness the Princess is not a good person at all! I don’t know what she told you to deceive you, but I saw with my own eyes how you collapsed after drinking just one cup of her wine that day. When I chased after you, her guards were truly brutal with me. And that’s not all – they drugged me, leaving me without strength all day… This shows evil intentions! I suspect the Princess means to kill us both!”

Yan Shang: “…”

Yan Shang said softly: “Because you’re a martial artist, she fears your fighting skills could help me, so she drugged you to keep you weak all day, unable to help me escape. This is normal – I’ll talk to her about using less medicine on you, as it’s not good for your health. Don’t think about escaping anymore. Putting aside everything else… just Fang Tong’s martial arts are on par with yours. He alone could match you, not to mention her other guards.”

“Since we’re here, we should make the best of it. You’ve been implicated because of me. Stay by my side from now on. I told her to let you test my food and water because I wanted to get you out of imprisonment.”

Hearing him speak so gently and logically, as usual, Han Shuxing relaxed slightly. As long as the Second Young Master had his wits about him, Han Shuxing wasn’t worried. When Yan Shang told him not to make trouble and not to try escaping, although Han Shuxing was unwilling and felt they shouldn’t just sit and wait for death, he still reluctantly agreed with Yan Shang.

Han Shuxing asked Yan Shang softly: “Why did the Princess capture you, Second Young Master? I saw during our escape that her relationship with you wasn’t that bad. How did she turn against you so suddenly? You even saved her – is this what you Great Wei people call ‘repaying kindness with enmity’?”

Yan Shang was slightly angry, muttering: “Isn’t it just repaying kindness with enmity.”

Han Shuxing frowned: “If Her Highness isn’t planning to kill you, what does she want by capturing you?”

Yan Shang suddenly became uncomfortable.

He said: “Nothing important. Don’t worry about it.”

Han Shuxing stared at Yan Shang for a moment. Though he didn’t quite understand the subtle expressions of the Great Wei people, he was still a grown man and had been around Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao long enough. Seeing Yan Shang lower his face with reddening ears, enlightenment struck as he remembered that night outside the temple when he had seen the two of them kissing so passionately.

Han Shuxing frowned: “Does she want to sleep with the Second Young Master?”

Yan Shang choked on these direct words, stumbling over the threshold as Han Shuxing helped him out the door.

Han Shuxing was already deeply worried: “How could someone of Second Young Master’s noble character be made to share Her Highness’s bed? How could Her Highness insult the Second Young Master like this? Don’t worry, Second Young Master, with me here, I won’t let her take advantage of you.”

Yan Shang: “…”

Yan Shang smiled helplessly: “Han Shuxing, I really should teach you more about Great Wei customs – many things shouldn’t be said so… directly. And you don’t need to protect me from being taken advantage of…”

Han Shuxing was surprised: “Could it be that Second Young Master wants to be bedded by her?”

Yan Shang: “…I mean, I have my plans! You needn’t concern yourself with matters between Her Highness and me! You… starting tomorrow, I’ll teach you to read.”

Hadn’t Mu Wanyao wanted him to relax?

Since he had nothing he particularly liked to do, nothing he particularly wanted, he might as well teach Han Shuxing to read and write—

The carriages continued their journey.

In the Princess’s carriage, however, the atmosphere was very low, everyone afraid to breathe too loudly for fear of angering Her Highness.

All because Second Young Master Yan, true to form, was quite skilled at pressing his advantage, and had nearly driven the Princess to death with anger.

Mu Wanyao had brought Yan Shang along just so she could spend time alone with him during the journey, repair their relationship, hopefully, rekindle their old feelings, and return to when their relationship was at its best. This way, when she forced Yan Shang into the bridal chamber, he wouldn’t be entirely unwilling.

But Yan Shang insisted on teaching Han Shuxing to read.

As a result, the originally spacious carriage, which had been just right for Mu Wanyao and Yan Shang, now felt crowded with Han Shuxing added. And Han Shuxing was particularly obtuse to social cues – no matter how long Mu Wanyao’s face grew, he kept his eyes fixed only on Yan Shang.

In the ancient-style carriage, Mu Wanyao stubbornly sat next to Yan Shang despite his resistance, while the tall and large Han Shuxing ignored her protests about the carriage being too cramped. He simply lifted his robes and sat on the floor, taking out wrinkled books and a thick brush under the princess’s withering glare, letting Yan Shang teach him to read and write.

And he was sufficiently stupid.

For a full hour, Mu Wanyao listened to Yan Shang teach the same poem over and over. She dozed off and woke up leaning against Yan Shang, yet Han Shuxing still hadn’t learned such a simple poem.

Mu Wanyao sighed: “He’s quite dim.”

Han Shuxing sat on the floor expressionless, completely ignoring the princess’s words.

Yan Shang turned his face to “look” at the lady who insisted on crowding into the same carriage with him in this heat, saying: “How can you call someone stupid to their face? Han Shuxing is from Wu Man – the fact that he’s learned the Great Wei language is already remarkable. He’s just starting to learn Great Wei characters now like a child first holding a brush. It’s normal to be awkward at first. Besides, Han Shuxing knows some simple characters already, which is quite impressive.”

“If you don’t like listening to us, why not take another carriage by yourself?”

Mu Wanyao said coldly: “I won’t leave. I want to sit with you, I want to keep an eye on you.”

Yan Shang sighed: “Aren’t you hot?”

Mu Wanyao playfully tilted her head up and kissed his jade-white neck, saying softly: “That’s the advantage.”

Her voice was low, soft, and slightly husky. The sudden kiss, especially with Han Shuxing present, startled Yan Shang. His hand gripping the wooden armrest tightened as his body tensed. In his confused state, he heard Mu Wanyao scolding Han Shuxing: “What are you looking at? Focus on your writing!”

Yan Shang nervously thought: Did Han Shuxing see Yaoyao kiss him? How could she be so… so unrestrained!

Seeing sweat on his neck, Mu Wanyao enthusiastically took out a handkerchief to wipe it. But he felt awkward and kept twisting his neck away. With Han Shuxing present, Yan Shang dared not struggle too much or make too much noise. With all this pushing and pulling, his neck had turned quite red.

Who knows how strange this scene appeared to Han Shuxing?

Han Shuxing coughed once.

Mu Wanyao loved playing with Yan Shang so much – his hair, his fingernails, even his collar that tightly covered his collarbone, she could spend ages toying with him while hanging over him. Just as she was about to scold Han Shuxing for his pointless coughing, the carriage stopped, and Fang Tong announced from outside that they had reached their destination.

Yan Shang, leaning against the carriage wall, was startled at this news. Though he couldn’t see, he had been mentally calculating their journey – by any measure, given their progress, they shouldn’t reach the relay station until evening. How could they arrive at their destination in the middle of the day?

Mu Wanyao kicked Han Shuxing who was sitting on the floor, extremely impatient: “We’ve arrived at our destination, didn’t you hear? Get out first! Crowding in with us in this heat – if Yan Shang and I get heatstroke, it’ll be all your fault!”

After Han Shuxing was driven out, Mu Wanyao turned back to see Yan Shang’s fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. She felt he was calculating something… Mu Wanyao casually snuggled closer, interrupting his thoughts as she hooked his chin and moved to kiss him.

Yan Shang pushed her away in shock: “…I told you I don’t want to deal with you, yet you still act like this!”

Mu Wanyao said sweetly: “Act like what? I’m just asking for a reward.”

Yan Shang said irritably: “Reward for what? For kidnapping me against my will?”

Mu Wanyao ignored the content of his words – his gentle speaking voice was enough to please her. After nuzzling against him a while longer, she took his hand and helped him out of the carriage.

Yan Shang was extremely annoyed, but seeing her so unconcerned, he could only pull her back and feel around to fix her collar, tie her sash, and make her clothing presentable.

Mu Wanyao’s lips curved in a smile as she let him tend to her, then supported him as they got down from the carriage.

Standing beside the carriage, Mu Wanyao pointed to the lush green fields ahead: “You can’t see it now, but we’re standing in front of farmland. Everything is emerald green, with common folk working in the fields. You always said I didn’t understand the hardships of ordinary people, and you wanted to take me spring plowing, to get closer to the common people.”

“We’re close enough now. We can continue what we started back then.”

Yan Shang was stunned.

Mu Wanyao turned to look at him, smiling: “Don’t you love the people’s welfare? Then let me feel what you feel. I want to know what those things we read about in books mean in reality. We’re standing here now – take my hand, let’s go farming together.”

Yan Shang was moved, his hand in hers trembling slightly.

Mu Wanyao thought she had touched his heart, but his next words were stiff: “How can a blind man lead you? How could I hold onto you?”

Mu Wanyao stared at him, choked by his lukewarm response. She was angry again, but after glaring at Yan Shang for a long while, there was nothing she could do. Since he wouldn’t give her face, she pushed his hand away and went into the fields alone, holding up her skirts.

Yan Shang stood by the road, listening to the sounds.

After a while, he heard Fang Tong’s voice: “Second Young Master, why must you be like this?”

Yan Shang hesitated, then said: “It’s so hot, Guard Fang, you should go watch over her. Her health isn’t good – why is she putting on a show in front of me?”

Fang Tong was at a loss for words with these two but had no choice but to lead the guards into the field. Meanwhile, Han Shuxing quietly crept to Yan Shang’s side and whispered: “Second Young Master, they’re all gone – this is a good chance to escape. I’ve already scouted the route and secretly saved up medicine for several days…”

Before Yan Shang could say anything, Han Shuxing had used his lightness skill to lift him onto horseback. The horse let out a long neigh, and when Mu Wanyao and the others standing in the field turned around in shock, they saw a cloud of dust as the horse and riders disappeared into the distance.

Yan Shang: “…”

An hour later, Han Shuxing was again bound hand and foot and locked in the dark room under confinement.

Yan Shang sat quietly as Mu Wanyao burst in angrily, shouting: “You dared to escape! I trusted you, that’s why I didn’t bind you. Do I need to tie you up too before you’ll stop trying to run away?”

Yan Shang tilted his face up, and after a moment said both helplessly and gently: “I wasn’t trying to escape.”

Mu Wanyao: “I saw it with my own eyes – do you think I’m blind?”

After a moment of silence, Yan Shang said: “…Are you questioning my intelligence?”

Mu Wanyao: “…”

Yan Shang said softly, his tone rather peculiar: “Even if I wanted to escape, would I use such a method?”

Mu Wanyao raised an eyebrow.

She heard in Yan Shang’s words… a hint of disdain?

Ah.

Was Yan Shang looking down on Han Shuxing?

She burst out laughing, covering her mouth. In her heart, she decided that stronger medicine was needed.