In mid-August, Princess Danyang and Yan Shang returned to Chang’an.

They each went to the palace separately to pay their respects to the Emperor and report back.

By this time, preparations for the Princess’s wedding were nearly complete, becoming the most talked-about topic among Chang’an’s citizens. Not only because it had been long since a royal wedding had taken place, but also because this particular Princess had an extraordinary past—returning from a political marriage and successfully arranging a second marriage, which amazed everyone.

As Yan Shang walked through the marketplace, throughout Chang’an’s streets and alleys, no one mentioned the previous Prince Consort Pei Qing anymore. The citizens of Chang’an had short memories; a Prince Consort without results wasn’t considered a true Prince Consort at all. Even for someone as low-key as Yan Shang, hearing his name and deeds frequently mentioned among the common people made him struggle to suppress his joy, reminding himself to stay humble.

Dismounting at the alley entrance, a servant came to take his horse. Yan Shang looked up at the mansion he hadn’t returned to in three years, his emotions churning complexly. When he had left Chang’an back then, filled with despair, how could he have imagined he would return?

His residence, located opposite the Princess’s mansion, remained unsold—Mu Wanyao had refused to have other neighbors.

Yan Shang pondered: After he and Yaoyao married, he would naturally move to live in the Princess’s mansion. Should he then sell this property? Why keep it unnecessarily and bear the extra expenses?

While lost in thought at the mansion’s entrance, he heard hurried footsteps from inside. The old Imperial Physician’s skills and experience were exceptional, and now with his vision restored to eighty percent, he looked toward the sound, meeting several people approaching him. His eyes widened, a thousand emotions flooding his heart.

Approaching him quickly was a handsome, elegant middle-aged man, leading two young gentlemen, followed by two unfamiliar women with married women’s hairstyles. Children pattered along behind the adults, clutching their parents’ clothes, black eyes curiously looking toward Yan Shang.

Yan Xiazhou walked the slowest, seeing her second brother standing dumbfounded at the steps, she couldn’t help but break into a joyful smile. She called out: “Second Brother!”

Yan Xiazhou moved swiftly, passing her father and brothers and sisters-in-law, tears glistening in her eyes as she ran toward her second brother. Among all her brothers, she was closest to Second Brother. When she was young and their mother was ill, their father had to care for their mother, and among her brothers, only Second Brother was attentive enough to wholeheartedly play with her.

When Second Brother left home, she was only thirteen; now as he was about to marry, she was eighteen.

Five years had passed!

Yan Shang opened his arms, embracing his sister who threw herself into them. His sister had grown up, with curved eyebrows and graceful features, now having the demeanor of a gentle young lady, yet her eagerness to embrace him reminded him instantly of their childhood.

Yan Xiazhou’s voice choked: “Second Brother, you’ve gotten so thin. How did you become like this?”

—His years as an official must have been extremely difficult.

Yan Shang gently consoled her not to cry, his soft-spoken manner unchanged from before, making Yan Xiazhou laugh through her tears as she stepped back from her brother’s embrace. Only then did Yan Shang step forward to face his tearful father and his eldest brother and third brother.

He was about to kneel, lifting his robes, when his father rushed forward to grab his arm.

Lord Yan, middle-aged, showed no signs of aging and maintained his scholarly elegance, having been quite popular among the ladies while in Lingnan. Now, with tears in his eyes, he bore none of his usual composure: “Er Lang, stand up quickly.”

Yan Shang’s voice grew more choked: “Your son has been unfilial, making Father travel so far…”

Lord Yan, even more tearful than him, tears streaming down both cheeks: “What does that matter? We finally get to see each other, thanks to your wedding. I’m overjoyed to attend your marriage…”

Yan Shang suppressed his surging emotions, urging his father not to cry. His father’s gentle nature, even somewhat timid, often made him more emotional than Yan Shang himself. While Yan Shang barely showed tears, his father was already crying uncontrollably. This amusing scene instantly transported Yan Shang back to his youth at home, when he not only had to worry about his brothers’ affairs but also cared for his father…

Yan Shang comforted his father, supporting him into the mansion, smiled at his eldest brother, and paid respects to his sister-in-law. He did the same with Third Brother’s family. Finally seeing the children, he regretted not having prepared any gifts due to his hurried return.

Yan Shang escorted his father to his chambers first, while the two sisters-in-law lingered behind, whispering about the Yan family’s second son: “Elder Sister, Second Brother seems very good-natured, not like typical officials.”

“Second Brother’s position must be quite high, right?”

“That’s the Princess’s mansion next door, isn’t it? I haven’t dared to go out these past few days, afraid of running into the Princess. We’re from the countryside, I wouldn’t want to embarrass Second Brother… Ah, Chang’an is truly prosperous, everyone here is especially beautiful, and their clothes are made of materials and styles we’ve never seen before, completely different from our Lingnan.”

After receiving the imperial decree of their second son’s betrothal to the royal Princess, the Yan family traveled thousands of miles from Lingnan to Chang’an. Before Yan Shang arrived in Chang’an, Lord Yan and the others had already set out from Lingnan. They had been staying in Yan Shang’s mansion for half a month, watching the Princess’s mansion next door daily with trepidation, feeling somewhat surreal.

Early that year, Lord Yan had learned of his second son’s engagement through correspondence. He had just prepared the customary betrothal gifts to be sent to Nanyang when they received the imperial decree, saying his second son wasn’t marrying an ordinary lady, but a royal Princess. So Lord Yan and the others changed course midway, heading to Chang’an instead of Nanyang.

After exchanging pleasantries, Yan Shang briefly explained his marriage situation to Lord Yan and the others, with Third Brother and Yan Xiazhou, who had arrived in Chang’an earlier, adding details, finally convincing everyone: that Second Brother was truly going to marry the Princess.

The two sisters-in-law looked at each other in bewilderment. When they had married the eldest and third brothers, they only knew that Lord Yan was a jinshi scholar and the second son held an official position in Chang’an. How could they have known the second son was so capable… able to marry a Princess?

Setting aside their excitement and timidity, Lord Yan was filled with anxiety about this marriage.

Lord Yan mumbled: “Marrying a royal Princess is no easy matter… How is becoming her husband any different from being adopted into the royal family?”

Great Wei Princesses held immense power as long as they didn’t rebel. Traditional Confucian scholars got headaches just hearing about marrying princesses. Lord Yan, having stayed in Chang’an before, knew well the temperament of these princesses. Moreover, the Princess his son spoke of—they had met her in Lingnan—remembering Mu Wanyao’s dismissive attitude toward all of them back then, Lord Yan grew even more apprehensive.

Yan Shang reassured them: “Father need not worry, the Princess and I… are compatible. I’m not being forced into this.”

Lord Yan sighed, staring at his second son’s handsome, slightly flushed face. After a moment’s observation, he could tell his second son was quite happy about this marriage. In that case… they would have to summon their courage and support him.

Lord Yan instructed Yan Shang: “If so, then after you move into the Princess’s mansion, you must be considerate of the Princess and serve her well. You must be very attentive, lest you get thrown out…”

Yan Shang: “…”

He had to emphasize: “I am taking a wife, not being adopted into her family.”

Lord Yan waved his hand dismissively, thinking you dare say you’re taking a wife, but I wouldn’t dare to have a Princess bow to me or show filial piety before me.

From this moment on, Lord Yan felt a sense of helplessness, as if selling his second son to the royal family… but there was no choice—

Having heard that her future in-laws had arrived in Chang’an and Yan Shang had gone to receive them, Mu Wanyao grew distracted while listening to the Emperor speak in the palace.

Unlike her previous marriage, this one was different; she had no experience interacting with the groom’s family elders and brothers. Now thinking about her previous brief stay in Lingnan, where she had been nothing but arrogant toward the Yan family, Lord Yan and the others probably had a poor impression of her…

Mu Wanyao thought: What does it matter, surely they wouldn’t dare refuse me entry into their family?

“Yaoyao,” the Emperor sighed with a smile, “Yaoyao, why are you distracted again?”

Mu Wanyao came back to herself, acting girlish as she gave her father an embarrassed smile. The Emperor sighed: “We were asking about the southern troops entering Chang’an through the noble families’ private roads, have you discussed this with your uncle’s family?”

Mu Wanyao responded: “Yes, Father Emperor need not worry. The Li family and I are now mutually dependent, this matter won’t go wrong.”

The Emperor nodded, about to say more, but seeing his daughter’s gaze drift slightly, somewhat absently looking out the window, he couldn’t help but smile. The Emperor said: “Never mind, clearly your thoughts are elsewhere today. Yan Su Chen’s family has arrived in Chang’an, hasn’t they? If you want to meet them, go ahead.”

Mu Wanyao played the role of an obedient daughter before the Emperor, saying shyly: “Father Emperor teases me.”

Seeing her happy made the Emperor’s mood improve as well. Originally, everything had been his political calculations, even his children’s marriages were part of his schemes. But seeing how much Mu Wanyao liked this marriage, he felt as if he had truly done something good.

He smiled: “It’s fine to like Yan Shang. Just remember you are the ruler, he is the subject. If anything is amiss, come directly to Father Emperor, and Father Emperor will handle it for you.”

Mu Wanyao knew the Emperor’s warning meant she and Yan Shang should keep each other in check, but having Father Emperor to rely on still moved her. Her Father Emperor was the ruler of all under heaven, his mind not on family matters, not a father who concerned himself with his children, so these rare moments of genuine emotion were all the more precious.

Mu Wanyao lay across the Emperor’s knee, saying softly: “Father Emperor need not worry, this marriage will surely go well.”

The Emperor’s heart ached slightly as he stroked her thick black hair. Then he said quietly: “Annuan, I haven’t made a mistake this time, have I?”

Mu Wanyao froze, suddenly looking up to see her father turn his face aside, staring into space. He mumbled, speaking to someone in his imagination, his eyes full of tender affection, his words rambling. Mu Wanyao stared at his aging, haggard face, watching him cough occasionally, but his gaze into the void carried infinite tenderness amid the pain…

Tears fell silently from Mu Wanyao’s eyes as she bent to embrace her father’s knees.

On one hand thinking this was karma, on the other aching that he had finally reached such confusion—

Leaving the palace, Mu Wanyao didn’t return directly to her mansion, but went to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to burn incense for her deceased Empress Mother.

She gazed at her mother’s memorial tablet, silently telling her mother about her marriage. She found it difficult now to say what she felt toward her father and mother; she understood their difficulty in sending her for a political marriage, she didn’t hate them, but she didn’t forgive them either.

She said coldly: “…I will marry Yan Shang. This marriage is my own choice. Someone like him is different from all of you—once we marry, he will never betray me. So even if it kills me, I will drag him, force him to marry me.”

The temple abbot lowered his head nearby, thinking everyone in Chang’an said the Princess and Prince Consort were a match made in heaven, why did the Princess speak of her marriage so coldly.

After Mu Wanyao finished speaking and turned to leave the ancestral temple, she happened to meet someone entering.

Princess Imperial of Luling saw her; Mu Wanyao barely nodded before moving to leave, but Princess Imperial of Luling spoke with sarcastic disdain: “Yaoyao, you’ve become quite arrogant now, just nodding to your aunt without showing any proper respect?”

Mu Wanyao, supported by her maid Qiu Si, had already reached the temple door and was about to descend the steps. Hearing this, she turned back, giving her aunt a composed smile: “I thought Aunt didn’t want to acknowledge me.”

Princess Imperial of Luling glared at her hatefully, gritting her teeth: “You’re riding high now, not taking me seriously. I have no power or influence, so I can’t say much. But let me give you one piece of advice—a married princess should be like your Fourth Sister, sitting quietly at home bearing children, not going out and showing your face everywhere like you do now, making people say our royal princesses have no proper upbringing!”

Qiu Si grew angry listening from the side.

Mu Wanyao laughed indifferently: “How am I lacking in proper upbringing? I am compatible with my future husband, I haven’t planned to keep male concubines, nor have I collected beautiful young men for my bed. I haven’t done a single thing that truly shows poor upbringing. If people say royal princesses lack proper education, they surely aren’t referring to me.”

She looked at Princess Imperial of Luling’s stiffened face, utterly calm: “Moreover, Aunt, as you know, Yan Shang and I have known each other for years, we understand each other thoroughly. He isn’t the type of pedantic man who wants me to sit at home bearing children all day. Aunt, you’ve dealt with him before, don’t you understand this?”

Princess Imperial of Luling suppressed her anger: “You’re good at putting on an act in front of others, I know better. Someone like Yan Er Lang…”

Mu Wanyao drew closer to her, eyes twinkling: “You’ve always regretted not getting him, haven’t you, Aunt?”

Princess Imperial of Luling: “I was tricked by you all that day into letting Yan Er Lang go, ending up in my current situation—I do regret it indeed…”

She referred to how she now didn’t dare keep male favorites and even sensible men like Feng Xianyu had been driven away. Though she held the prestigious title of Princess Imperial, she had no one close by her side, couldn’t seek pleasure, and had to worry about her future…

Mu Wanyao’s eyes still held a trace of mockery, but her gaze was cold: “Regret or not, that’s up to you, Aunt. But if you dare covet him like you did before, I absolutely won’t let you off.”

Princess Imperial of Luling, frightened by the coldness in her eyes, stepped back. Mu Wanyao’s stubborn determination and suppressed ruthlessness made her wary. She retreated two steps before realizing how ridiculous it was that she, a Princess Imperial, was being intimidated by a younger generation—”How dare you speak to me like this?! Let’s go to your father emperor and settle this!”

Mu Wanyao just smiled at her, ignoring the Princess Imperial’s hysterical ranting behind her. Supporting herself on Qiu Si’s hand, she simply walked away.

As Qiu Si helped the Princess into the carriage, she muttered complaints on the Princess’s behalf: “The Princess Imperial really makes trouble out of nothing, we didn’t provoke her, she came at us…”

Mu Wanyao spoke softly: “She’s pitiful too. Seeing me like this now, she’s just jealous. Besides, she was also warning me, with good intentions, just expressed poorly. I won’t hold it against her.”

Qiu Si didn’t understand: “She holds the prestigious title of Princess Imperial, why would she be jealous of Your Highness? And how was she warning Your Highness? This servant doesn’t see it.”

Mu Wanyao stepped onto the footstool to enter the carriage, gazing at the sunset on the horizon as she explained softly to Qiu Si: “You don’t know, my aunt had it very difficult. When she married, she was also deeply beloved, and extremely prestigious, and after marriage, she was in harmony with her Prince Consort. But the conflict between the royal family and the noble houses stood between her and her Prince Consort. She repeatedly reported to my father emperor at the time, making her Prince Consort quite displeased with her.”

“Though the Prince Consort didn’t dare take concubines, he had other women outside. My aunt was pregnant at the time, and when she learned of this, she ordered that woman beaten to death. The Prince Consort was also fierce-tempered and came to confront her. Who knows how they argued, but in the end, the Prince Consort committed suicide, and my aunt gave birth to a stillborn child.”

“Since then, my aunt wanted to become a Daoist nun and refused to marry again. She began indulging in sensual pleasures, developing a fondness for beautiful young men. She always liked gentle, clever men, I think they all somewhat resembled her Prince Consort.”

“When I was young and saw my uncle, he seemed good-natured too. Who would have thought his temperament was so fierce that he would end up taking his own life.”

“My aunt came to warn me—she thinks my personality is bold and willful, doing as I please, much like she was back then. She fears I won’t be considerate of my Prince Consort, won’t know how to be a wife, might mishandle the balance between the royal family and other powers, and end up causing the death of my loved one.”

Qiu Si let out a soft “ah,” her lips drooping as she said sympathetically: “Put that way, Princess Imperial had it very difficult too.”

Mu Wanyao nodded.

She said: “All of us royal princesses have it hard, because from birth, our marriages are business transactions. I’m just lucky to have waited for Yan Shang.”

The sunset clouds filled the horizon as she gazed long into the distance, murmuring a vow: “I will be very good with Yan Shang.”—

In September, leaves flew and red maples covered the imperial palace.

It was time for Princess Danyang’s wedding.

Though the Emperor was unwell, he held himself up on this day to see his daughter in her elaborate and exquisite wedding attire at the blue canopy. When the auspicious hour arrived, Yan Shang, dressed in wedding attire, knelt with the marriage assistant to receive the Emperor’s marriage decree.

After receiving the decree and performing three kneelings, Yan Shang looked toward the new bride holding her wedding fan.

Under the candlelight, she didn’t look at him, keeping her eyes downcast on her fan, intently listening to the ceremonial master’s instructions. Mu Wanyao took this marriage very seriously; only when the ceremonial master directed the Prince Consort to bow did she face Yan Shang.

Yan Shang cupped his hands and performed a grand bow to her, then escorted the Princess to depart. The group grandly left the palace city, boarded carriages, and headed for the Princess’s mansion. The Emperor had appointed Liu Wenji to preside over their wedding feast, so the palace gates opened wide, the Prince Consort holding the whip to drive the Princess’s carriage, followed by palace attendants, with lanterns extending for ten li.

Chang’an’s night was filled with lights like stars, a sea of stars streaming down. Common people gathered in crowds to watch the Princess’s grand wedding. The Princess’s maids and palace eunuchs scattered gold leaves along both sides of the road, while people behind the imperial guards scrambled to collect them, creating quite a spectacle.

They were led in shouting auspicious phrases, voices rising in a great clamor.

The wedding’s main participants circled the city before riding the grand carriage into the Princess’s mansion. The Prince Consort walked in front while the Princess followed in the carriage.

The Princess’s mansion was open to all tonight, and minor officials who normally had no chance to see the Princess could glimpse her on this evening. The officials, like the common people outside, watched the Princess’s grand wedding. Having heard many rumors about the Princess and Prince Consort, now seeing these two married, they felt quite emotional.

The Crown Prince, Prince of Qin, Prince of Jin, and others, regardless of how they had previously quarreled with Mu Wanyao to the point of falling out, all had to act as good brothers tonight to support their sister. The most sincere in hoping for Mu Wanyao’s happiness after marriage was probably the Fourth Princess, Princess Yuyang. Seeing her sister marry brought tears to Princess Yuyang’s eyes, making her Prince Consort tease her.

Amidst the chaos of officials, they watched Yan Shang supporting Mu Wanyao’s hand as they walked across the felt carpet. As the Princess and Prince Consort passed before the officials of the Court of State Ceremonial, one official among them let out a surprised sound—

“Your Highness… looks so familiar…”

His voice was extremely soft, but at that moment the ceremonial master wasn’t speaking, and no one else was talking. This minor official’s exclamation was heard by the newlywed couple.

Yan Shang looked over, recognizing his former colleague, and nodded with a smile in acknowledgment. Mu Wanyao beside Yan Shang also looked over. With her head adorned in gold and jade ornaments, a decorative band across her forehead, the gold leaf at her eye corners created an alluring and dignified effect in the light. Her graceful gaze and brilliant radiance made hearts tremble.

She didn’t remember this official, but Yan Shang leaned close to whisper a few words in her ear. Mu Wanyao then showed an expression of sudden realization, giving the official a teasing smile and even winking at him.

In that instant, as if struck by lightning, the official suddenly remembered—

Years ago when Yan Er Lang was helping at the Court of State Ceremonial, there was a maid who claimed to be Yan Er Lang’s servant, boldly scolding them at the Court, acting superior and berating him thoroughly.

He had asked Yan Er Lang to hand over this maid at the time, but Yan Er Lang refused.

Looking back now… looking back now… she was no mere maid!

Even that early on, Yan Er Lang had hidden the Princess behind him, shielding her from view.

Even that early on, the Princess and Yan Er Lang had been secretly involved!

The official stared dumbfounded as the newlyweds walked toward the brightly lit wedding chamber, where they still had to offer wine to the Prince Consort’s father… The official suddenly smiled, feeling both wistful and understanding, with a touch of loss.

He shook his head and muttered to himself: “Interesting.”

Afterward, the couple made sacrificial offerings, performed the ceremonial mixing of wine, and shared the ceremonial meal. Thus and so, the marriage was finally complete!—

Yan Shang was called to the front to drink with guests, leaving Mu Wanyao sitting alone in the chamber.

In the front courtyard, the Yan family helped the Princess and Prince Consort entertain guests. Amid her busy activities, Yan Xiazhou bumped into someone. She turned around, and that person steadied her by the shoulders. Just as she was about to lower her head and apologize, that person, still holding her shoulders, gave a gentle squeeze, quite forward.

In the dim candlelight, the two unexpectedly met at an informal moment. Yan Xiazhou looked up to see Yang Si.

Yang Si asked: “What are you doing here?”

Yan Xiazhou smiled with curved eyes; she had known they would meet. Just as she was about to answer, her Third Brother’s loud voice called from behind: “Xiazhou, Second Brother is looking for you…”

Yan Xiazhou responded verbally, while Yang Si showed surprise and then joy, saying: “So you’re Yan Er’s sister? Yaoyao even lied to me saying Yan Er had no sister, there wasn’t a word of truth from her…”

Yan Xiazhou blushed and smiled, curtsied in that direction, then turned and left. Yang Si stared intently at her retreating figure until the Crown Prince came up behind him with a displeased expression.

The Crown Prince frowned: Yang Si’s dream goddess turned out to be Yan Shang’s sister. This wouldn’t do—

The Prince of Jin’s family was also at the wedding feast. Chunhua followed the Prince of Jin and his Princess Consort, trying to remain invisible and avoid provoking those two today.

During the feast, while the Prince of Jin and his Princess Consort were conversing with officials from all directions, the children running about below disappeared. Chunhua heard that her son had led the Princess Consort’s son off somewhere to play amid the chaos. Worried the Princess Consort would blame her, she quietly left her seat without alerting the servants to search for the two children.

Chunhua knew the Princess’s mansion extremely well and didn’t need directions. Although it had been changed for the wedding and was somewhat different from before, the familiar traces everywhere still gave her a sense of déjà vu. She walked by the lake in the back courtyard, softly calling the names of her son and the Princess Consort’s son, worried the two little troublemakers might cause problems.

In the darkness, some distance from the seats, she saw an elderly woman with white hair standing confused by the lakeside reeds and kindly approached to inquire.

Seeing Chunhua’s kind face, the elderly woman quickly grabbed her hand and pleaded: “Young lady, I came out to relieve myself earlier but can’t find my way back. Could you help…”

Chunhua smiled gently, thinking the two children couldn’t leave the Princess’s mansion anyway, so she decided to help the elderly woman back to her seat first. Her willingness to help made the elderly woman extremely grateful.

Chunhua was surprised that while tonight’s feast was full of nobles and officials, this elderly woman didn’t seem like a noble… Could she be one of Yan Er Lang’s relatives? But Yan Er Lang’s mother had passed away long ago. Who was this elderly lady?

Though puzzled, Chunhua didn’t ask many questions. She could see this elderly woman was somewhat timid, and very nervous the whole way, so she tried to discuss lighter topics to help her relax. Before they reached the seats, they encountered a somber-faced middle-aged man who had come out searching.

Chunhua thought the elderly woman must be his mother, but heard the middle-aged man reproach in a low voice: “Don’t wander around. Yan Zimi was kind enough to secretly bring us here to quietly see Wenji. If someone discovers you, how will the Yan family explain this?”

The elderly woman released Chunhua’s hand, repeatedly apologizing to the man. The middle-aged man glanced at Chunhua, hesitantly bowing: “This is my wife. Thank you for your help, young lady. Please don’t mention seeing us to others.”

Chunhua’s face went pale as she stared at the couple.

The man’s temples were frosted with gray, while his wife’s hair was completely white. At first glance, they seemed like mother and son, but they were husband and wife… They had mentioned “Wenji.”

Liu Wenji.

They were Liu Wenji’s parents.

Amid the brilliant lights, feast aromas, and bustling voices, Chunhua stared dazedly at the middle-aged couple supporting each other. She vaguely searched for traces of Liu Wenji in their features, but her vision blurred. As the couple walked away, Chunhua covered her face and crouched down.

Full of sorrow and guilt. Those years couldn’t be passed through, nor could they return. Tears fell unexpectedly from her eyes as her heart recalled so many past events, so much laughter—

That couple had already become white-haired!

“Princess Consort, is something troubling you? Why are you crouching here?”

Chunhua heard the eunuch’s voice and looked up, her eyes blurred with tears, to see the cold Liu Wenji standing behind the eunuch. He gazed at the scene indifferently, as if looking at strangers.