Yan Shang had nothing to say.

Coming from Lingnan, he truly had never seen women dress this way. But seeing the princess’s bearing, and noting how those around them reacted with complete normalcy, he realized that in Chang’an, there were quite a few women like the princess who deliberately wore men’s clothing despite being female.

He was rather impressed by Chang’an’s open and forthright customs.

Just as he was pondering this, he was pushed aside by Mu Wanyao, and the poetry board was snatched from his hand: “Move aside!”

When Princess Danyang found someone in her way, naturally all under heaven should make way.

Mu Wanyao took Yan Shang’s poetry board, completely ignoring the modest corner spot he had carefully chosen, and pushed her way toward the group of scholars instead.

Yan Shang followed behind her: “My poem is mediocre, there’s no need to put it in too prominent a place…”

Mu Wanyao: “If your poetry is mediocre, why did you come to Chang’an? To try your luck? I think you’re hopeless – you should go back to farming in your rural Lingnan.”

Yan Shang was helpless. He followed behind Mu Wanyao and saw several literati gathered nearby step backward, nearly stepping on her. He immediately moved forward, extending his hand to block the scholar’s back, shielding Mu Wanyao from the impact.

Mu Wanyao turned her head, her enchanting eyes lowered, cherry lips half-bitten, casting a coquettish glance at Yan Shang.

Yan Shang’s face grew warm at her watery gaze. He hurriedly turned his face aside, coughing once, avoiding Mu Wanyao’s lingering look.

The scholar whom Yan Shang had blocked turned around, saw Yan Shang, and greeted him, then noticed Mu Wanyao in her male attire. The scholar’s eyes brightened: “Yan Suchen, this young lady is your…”

Yan Shang cut off the suggestive speculation: “Friend, friend.”

He turned back to find Mu Wanyao had already slipped into the crowd of scholars. Worried she would carelessly hang his poem board anywhere, he hurriedly followed again.

This time, Mu Wanyao finally chose an appropriate spot. She properly held up the poetry board to measure, then hung it in the center of the wall at eye level, ensuring that anyone touring the temple would immediately see Yan Shang’s work when they glanced at the wall.

Meeting the astonished gazes of friends around him, the usually low-key Second Young Master Yan rarely found himself so prominent. He covered his sleeve and coughed heavily.

Without turning her head, Mu Wanyao said: “If you’re sick, go see a doctor. Cough, cough, cough – will you ever stop coughing?

“Now that you’re in Chang’an, even if you think your poetry isn’t good, you need to carry yourself with presence. If you think so little of yourself, what will you ask for when you face the Emperor?”

Put this way, it made a lot of sense.

Yan Shang pondered thoughtfully.

Where Mu Wanyao surpassed him was that no matter what she did, she carried herself with tremendous presence.

He stared at the princess from behind as she chattered away endlessly, not saying particularly pleasant things, yet from his perspective, he only noticed how the sunlight fell on her, how exquisitely delicate her profile was.

This bold and beautiful Princess of Great Wei had her cloud-like hair bundled in a black gauze headwrap, wearing a round-collared robe with side vents. Her graceful figure stood perfectly straight, the small holes in the decorative belt at her waist draping fine threads from which hung a small knife, fragrance pouch, jade pendant, and other items.

She was so gallant and spirited.

Mu Wanyao turned back to show Yan Shang how well she had placed his poetry board, only to find him standing behind her, staring at her intently. His eyes were jet black, flowing with light like water, his clear pupils reflecting her suddenly turning back with that somewhat proud smile.

In the flowing crowd, their eyes met abruptly.

Mu Wanyao froze slightly, then seemed to suddenly remember her status, annoyed at herself for going out of her way to help Yan Shang hang his poetry board. He didn’t even care about it himself.

She bit her lip, somewhat angry, her lovely face instantly darkening.

She pushed past Yan Shang without a word and left.

Yan Shang was slightly startled, quickly wrapped up matters there, and went to chase after the princess—

He could have not chased her, pretended nothing had happened;

But if she remembered later, she would blame him for not chasing after her—

“Your Highness, Your Highness…” Yan Shang followed behind Mu Wanyao.

Mu Wanyao stopped, her face stern as she scolded: “What are you calling out? How can you call out like that in public?”

Yan Shang: “Then… Miss Mu?”

Mu Wanyao: “Are we that formal with each other?”

Yan Shang: “…”

Mu Wanyao raised an eyebrow, looking at him.

Yan Shang hesitated: “Yaoyao?”

As he had predicted, Mu Wanyao flew into a rage: “Are we that intimate with each other?”

In short, nothing was right, whether left or right.

She was just here to make things difficult.

However, what kind of person was Yan Shang?

He was someone who could make everyone around him feel like a spring breeze, someone everyone liked.

With the princess’s rebuke in his ears, Yan Shang was neither embarrassed nor flustered. He looked down at her, his gaze calm. Even after Mu Wanyao turned away displeased, he still followed her, saying: “You’re in a bad mood. Did someone make you angry?”

Mu Wanyao: “How do you know someone made me unhappy, rather than me just finding you annoying and deliberately trying to anger you?”

Yan Shang said gently: “Though you have a fierce temper, you’re not someone who gets angry at others without reason. Someone must have upset you. If you can vent some of that on me, then that’s my purpose.”

Mu Wanyao’s face suddenly flushed.

She felt somewhat embarrassed by his words.

She was exactly the type of person who would get angry without reason. But Yan Shang had painted her in a better light as if she had suddenly become an adorable princess who had suffered great grievance and could only vent through small fits of temper.

She wasn’t as good as he made her out to be.

He kept following behind her as they strolled through the temple. There were countless couples like them touring the temple, but some couldn’t help but cast amazed glances their way.

Because the young lady in men’s clothing ahead was lovely and endearing, while the young gentleman following her had lowered eyes and was scholarly and modest. A handsome man and a beautiful woman walking together naturally drew attention.

After Yan Shang’s few words, Mu Wanyao oddly fell silent, too embarrassed to stay angry at him. She thought to herself, forget it – arguing with someone as good-natured as Yan Shang was like punching cotton, achieving nothing. Why tire herself out?

She fell silent, and Yan Shang observed her profile for a moment before repeating: “If someone has upset you, or if you have something troubling you, you can tell me about it. Perhaps I can help you think of a solution.”

Mu Wanyao said dismissively: “Your status is lowly, without even half an official position – what solutions could you possibly think of?”

Yan Shang said: “Let’s try and see.”

He was utterly calm. Mu Wanyao glanced back at him, thinking of those few suggestions he had made back in Lingnan. Just that time with the white bull tea – he had played her perfectly, and she hadn’t realized until her uncle pointed it out.

Mu Wanyao couldn’t help but feel moved, thinking that since her uncle had said he wanted Yan Shang as a strategist, perhaps Yan Shang was really capable in this area.

Mu Wanyao tilted her head to study him for a moment, then tilted her head toward herself, gesturing for him to come closer.

Yan Shang said “Excuse me” and stepped forward, standing almost shoulder to shoulder with Mu Wanyao.

Her shoulder bumped against his arm, and they both stiffened, then both pretended nothing had happened.

They continued walking, Yan Shang lowering his head to listen to her speak.

Willow branches brushed the water, incense smoke curled through the temple.

Yang Si was being dragged around Yongshou Temple by his sister-in-law and cousin, hands clasped behind his back, expressionless as he followed the family’s women. His sharp eyes narrowed as he spotted a young couple leaning against a wall and holding onto a tree in the distance.

Yang Si recognized Mu Wanyao at a glance.

Even in men’s clothing.

But that young man beside her… if not Wei Shu, who was he?

Yang Si folded his arms, thoughtfully watching the pair—

Mu Wanyao was saying to Yan Shang: “…In short, the Crown Prince is unhappy that I helped Wei Seventh Young Master. The Wei family doesn’t think much of the Crown Prince. If Wei Seventh Young Master enters the court, he’s very likely to not side with the Crown Prince, but be pulled to my uncle’s faction instead.”

Yan Shang: “Why doesn’t the Wei family think much of the Crown Prince? Wouldn’t following the Crown Prince be much easier?”

Mu Wanyao paused, then said concisely: “Because if my second brother hadn’t died young, the Crown Prince position wouldn’t have gone to the current one. Great families that value orthodox succession naturally look down on the Crown Prince. However, the Crown Prince is the one with real power, and I think he’s quite good.

“The Crown Prince will certainly have great prospects in the future, so the Li family doesn’t object to me relying on him. But because my mother the Empress ran into conflict with my father the Emperor due to the Li family’s power being too great, the Li family now doesn’t want to be tied to the royal family on the same boat.”

Yan Shang glanced at her.

He understood that Mu Wanyao was aligned with the Crown Prince.

The current problem was that while Mu Wanyao sided with the Crown Prince, she was also entangled with the Li family of Jinling. One wrong move could easily offend both sides.

Now that she had promoted Wei Shu, she had planted a thorn in the Crown Prince’s side.

Seeing his silence, Mu Wanyao impatiently pushed him: “Do you have any ideas? Don’t just listen to my information without giving me any analysis.”

Yan Shang came back to himself.

He smiled slightly.

He said slowly: “Actually if Your Highness wants to avoid offending both the Crown Prince and the Li family in this matter, there is a way.”

Mu Wanyao was startled, looking up at him in surprise, not expecting he could think of a solution.

Yan Shang said: “Besides promoting Wei Shu, you could promote several more people, increasing the Crown Prince’s power base.”

Mu Wanyao thought for a moment, then shook her head: “I don’t want to promote anyone else. Because the great families each have their positions, there aren’t many like Wei Shu. They will certainly have chosen their sides before the examination. Even if I promote them, they won’t repay me for this in the future.”

Yan Shang: “It’s not about making them take sides. No one will easily take sides. It’s about showing sincerity to the Crown Prince, showing him that you’ve taken a step back, made a concession.”

Mu Wanyao suddenly stopped, seeming to understand. But after a moment she still denied it: “Your solution isn’t bad, but the sons of great families are too troublesome – once you get involved with them, they’re hard to shake off. I already have enough trouble, I don’t want to bring more trouble upon myself.”

Yan Shang seemed to have anticipated she would say this. He calmly led her step by step: “Then promote scholars from humble backgrounds.”

Mu Wanyao laughed derisively: “If they’re not from great families, how many can succeed in the examinations? How would I know that someone I promote would emerge from thousands of scholars? If they fail to pass, how would I show sincerity to the Crown Prince? Say I recommended them but they weren’t capable enough, that I’m innocent?”

Yan Shang smiled without speaking.

Mu Wanyao suddenly understood.

She looked up, meeting his eyes.

Mu Wanyao narrowed her eyes, grabbed his sleeve fiercely, and said: “That humble scholar you’re suggesting I could promote… is yourself?”

Yan Shang smiled.

Mu Wanyao’s beautiful eyes widened, her round eyes staring at him: “Earlier you didn’t even want to properly hang a poetry board, and now you’re guiding me to promote you?

“Are you giving me advice, or are you using official business for private gain, seeking benefits for yourself?”

Yan Shang stepped back, leaning against the tree. Mu Wanyao pressed closer, scrutinizing him.

Yan Shang smiled, saying softly: “Didn’t you just advise me to strive for something?”

Mu Wanyao gave a contemptuous laugh.

Her jade-white finger poked his chest, tapping twice: “Getting Minister Zhang to sponsor your examination paper failed, right?”

Yan Shang: “Mm.”

Mu Wanyao gloated: “I told you already, Minister Zhang doesn’t get along with the chief examiner.”

Yan Shang helped her stand properly, a bit further from himself. He bowed deeply to her, saying softly: “Then I beseech Your Highness to take pity on this humble scholar.”

Mu Wanyao remained silent.

Yan Shang looked up, and she glanced behind him, her expression suddenly changing as she grabbed him: “Let’s go!”

Yan Shang was puzzled.

Mu Wanyao said urgently: “I think I saw someone I know – I don’t want to meet him.”

At this, Yan Shang said nothing more and joined Mu Wanyao in melting into the crowded areas.

When Yang Si came forward to investigate, all he saw was Mu Wanyao pulling that young man into the crowd and disappearing.

Yang Si clicked his tongue, knowing Mu Wanyao must be avoiding him.

Huh, she was avoiding him?

He couldn’t be bothered with her anyway.

Just then his cousin called for him from behind, and Young Master Yang turned and left—

After mixing into the crowd with Yan Shang, knowing Yang Si’s exceptional martial arts skills, Mu Wanyao’s heart pounded as she didn’t dare look back. She feared that if she turned her head, she would meet Yang Si’s ambiguous smirking gaze.

She didn’t want to see Yang Si at this time.

Yang Si, who only had the Crown Prince in his heart, upon seeing her would likely go gossip to the Crown Prince. Mu Wanyao did not want the Crown Prince to know her every move.

Mu Wanyao didn’t even know what queue she and Yan Shang were joining with the crowd. She had just seen many people and pulled Yan Shang over.

As she worriedly wondered if Yang Si had pursued them, Yan Shang suddenly pushed her arm. A young novice monk ahead chanted “Amitabha” and said: “Please draw lots, benefactors.”

Mu Wanyao turned back in surprise to find it was their turn in the queue.

On the table before them were two bamboo tubes filled with ivory tablets. The young monk was naturally asking them to draw lots.

Mu Wanyao was bewildered.

Yan Shang observed her expression and explained: “It’s like drawing lots, called tablet divination, similar to fortune-telling. Whether you believe it or not, just casually draw one or two, don’t delay those behind us.”

Mu Wanyao nodded.

Wasn’t this the same psychology as the Princess of Jin praying for children?

The young monk smiled: “Both benefactors should silently think of what you wish to ask, then draw from the bamboo tubes. The lady benefactor takes from the left, the gentleman from the right. What’s written on the tablet will naturally be the answer to what’s in your hearts.”

How could Mu Wanyao, who wouldn’t even properly worship Buddha with her sister-in-law, believe in this?

She roughly understood this was just a scam for peace of mind.

People came to temples seeking peace of mind – women only asked about marriage, children, and the wellbeing of husbands and family, while men asked about marriage prospects, careers, and how many beautiful concubines they could take. What was written on these tablets were just auspicious words that could apply to any question anywhere.

Mu Wanyao had no intention of spoiling others’ game.

She casually thought about marriage in her heart: Let’s see what kind of tablet this princess who doesn’t want to marry draws.

She drew an ivory tablet from the bamboo tube, glanced at it, and her hand suddenly tightened around it. The tablet read:

“Fallen flowers wound spring’s wind, cherish the one before your eyes.”

The one before your eyes…

Mu Wanyao held the long tablet, raising her eyes in a daze to look at Yan Shang standing a step away. Her strange gaze fixed on him, looking him up and down. His profile was gentle, but he remained silent.

Seeing Yan Shang’s expression seemed… identical to hers.

Yan Shang held his tablet, also staring at it for a long time before raising his eyes to meet Mu Wanyao’s gaze.

Yan Shang broke the silence: “Was yours… accurate?”

Mu Wanyao gave a dry laugh: “Doesn’t seem very accurate.”

Yan Shang sighed in relief, smiling: “Mine isn’t accurate either.”

They both gave a peaceful “oh” and turned to put the tablets back in the tubes. But perhaps affected by the tablets’ contents, they were both somewhat distracted, and Mu Wanyao’s right hand holding the tablet touched Yan Shang’s left hand. They both trembled, and the long tablets fell to the ground.

They both crouched down to pick them up.

Mu Wanyao picked up Yan Shang’s tablet and glimpsed the words:

“Purple robe and gold jade belt, first among all officials.”

Mu Wanyao gripped this long tablet tightly.

Waves of shock rose in her heart.

She suddenly raised her head to look at Yan Shang: Purple robe and gold jade belt, first among all officials… this was the Prime Minister’s tablet!

The Prime Minister’s tablet!

Had Yan Shang asked about his career?

And he drew the Prime Minister’s tablet?

Yan Shang picked up Mu Wanyao’s long tablet, saw “cherish the one before your eyes,” and after a moment of silence, asked her: “What did you ask about?”

Mu Wanyao’s beautiful eyes met his.

She had asked about marriage, but seeing Yan Shang’s Prime Minister tablet, she picked up their half-abandoned topic from earlier.

She had made up her mind.

She smiled at Yan Shang: “I asked whether I should promote you.”

Cherish the one before your eyes.

The Princess of Jin had successfully prayed for children here, and Yan Shang had drawn the Prime Minister’s tablet… this inevitably gave Mu Wanyao a subtle sense of faith in this Yongshou Temple.

If he would become that powerful in the future… then if she helped him at the start, he would have to repay her later.

Thinking of this, Mu Wanyao’s beautiful eyes lit up, and she grabbed Yan Shang, pulling him up.

She hurriedly threw their tablets back to the young monk and dragged Yan Shang out of the crowd—

Back in the temple’s rear courtyard, familiar with the way, Mu Wanyao pushed open the door to Yan Shang’s humble quarters. Yan Shang was puzzled at being dragged back here, and before he could react, he was forcefully pushed by the princess.

Yan Shang fell sitting behind the table, looking up in surprise as Mu Wanyao leaned over toward him.

He leaned back warily, probing: “Your Highness is…”

He had just raised his hand when Mu Wanyao grabbed it.

Mu Wanyao held his hand, her eyes fixed on him, smiling: “Didn’t you want me to promote you? I agree!”

Yan Shang, usually such a cautious person, seeing her unusually changed attitude, immediately declined with a smile: “There’s no need…”

Mu Wanyao: “I want to promote you, do you dare stop me?”

Yan Shang: “…However, I might not pass the examination…”

Mu Wanyao said gently: “It doesn’t matter. It’s just a try.”

Yan Shang reminded her: “I also won’t side with the Crown Prince.”

Mu Wanyao’s smile became more genuine, her voice soft: “I don’t mind.”

She released his hand and touched his face. She looked at him tenderly, but not with a lover’s gaze – rather with the excited look of someone eyeing a pig about to be served at her table.

As Yan Shang felt his hair stand on end, her hand caressed his face as she murmured: “You’re so handsome, why didn’t I think of this earlier? With looks like yours, you really could easily pass the examination.”

Yan Shang: “…”

He respectfully asked: “What does Your Highness mean?”

Mu Wanyao gave him a coquettish glance, her gaze bewitching, and said: “A beautiful young man like you is exactly what the central government likes best. You don’t know that for official positions, looks are very important.”

Yan Shang didn’t know what to say.

After a long while, he could only say dryly: “Thank you for Your Highness’s praise.”

Mu Wanyao laughed, then said: “Alright, since I’m going to help you, let’s start now. I’ll tell you how to make the chief examiner like you.”

Yan Shang’s face, somewhat uncomfortable from her teasing, now turned serious as he said: “Please instruct me, Your Highness.”—

That night, Mu Wanyao stayed at Yan Shang’s humble quarters for a long time.

The Princess of Jin couldn’t wait any longer and left, and the maids waiting outside grew drowsy, some so exhausted they simply lay their heads on their knees and dozed on the carriage.

Inside the humble quarters, the lamp burned as small as a bean.

The handsome young gentleman sat on the lamplight, writing casually.

Mu Wanyao, in her men’s clothing, paced before him, saying leisurely: “You say your poetry isn’t good, but that doesn’t matter. When the chief examiner selects poetry, he’s not looking at how well you write, but whether your poetry has the air of the Jade Hall and Golden Horse Gate.

“Whether your poetry is grand and magnificent, with rich and beautiful rhetoric. To be honest, what can you successful candidates do? At first, you’re just flattering the court, writing poetry that makes my father the Emperor happy and praises him more.

“The better you are at flattery, the more the chief examiner will approve. Hide your frugal air, and be as magnificent as possible. Practice how to praise people, how to praise subtly yet with gorgeous rhetoric.

“Oh, and when you go to the Ministry of Personnel for the examination, make yourself look handsome.”

Mu Wanyao dreamed: “Perhaps seeing your face, the chief examiner might make you the ‘Flowering Talent’ rank?”

Yan Shang couldn’t stop coughing and poured himself tea.

Mu Wanyao glared at him, hating how this thin-skinned man lacked ambition.

And so it went on until very late when Mu Wanyao finally left the temple. Her activities naturally made those tracking her movements feel something was strange—

On the day of the imperial examination in mid-second month, it was raining.

Yan Shang, Liu Wenji, Feng Xianyu, and others entered the Ministry of Personnel together. As they closed their umbrellas, they saw a carriage stop outside the courtyard gate, and Wei Shu emerged with an umbrella.

Young Wei Shu was as pure as floating snow, attracting everyone’s attention.

Yan Shang looked over with the others and saw the carriage curtain lift slightly at one corner. Through the rain curtain, Mu Wanyao looked in their direction.

He quickly turned his face away.

Others thought she was looking at Wei Shu, but Yan Shang knew she was looking at him. Having rarely invested much effort in him, she certainly wanted to see results.

“Next.”

It was Yan Shang’s turn.

Yan Shang closed his umbrella and was searched by the guards. A civil official stood nearby, expressionlessly watching these scholarly examinees.

The candidates didn’t know that this was the newly appointed External Bureau Official of Merit Evaluation of the Ministry of Personnel, who would be their chief examiner.

The chief examiner stood at the courtyard gate watching them enter the examination hall. None of them recognized him, so naturally none tried to curry favor.

The chief examiner heard his subordinate announce the young man’s name as “Yan Shang.”

His ears suddenly twitched as he recalled the examination paper Princess Danyang had sent two days ago.

He couldn’t help but glance at Yan Shang, seeing the young gentleman’s tall, handsome figure and jade-like clear coldness. The rain on his robe didn’t make him look bedraggled but rather made his temperament more transparent.

The chief examiner paused, thinking to himself: …He must be the most handsome among this year’s candidates.

If the poetry and prose are similar, then he could be named the Flowering Talent.

Since the first day the imperial examinations were established, the Flowering Talent rank had always been about looks.