Yan Shang couldn’t quite explain the current situation. Mu Wanyao left the carriage and returned to her residence in anger.

Yan Shang sighed, turning back helplessly to look at Zhao Lingfei.

Seeing him turn around, Zhao Lingfei immediately gave him an understanding smile.

At fourteen or fifteen years old, she was in the prime of her youth. Her smile was both graceful and radiant, causing all the servants in the alley to stare in amazement.

Yan Shang could only sigh again, feeling a headache coming on—

Zhao Lingfei had been confined at home by her father for two months. After fighting and arguing with her father for so long, she finally learned to pretend to be well-behaved.

So Lord Zhao allowed his daughter out again.

After all, his naturally outgoing and lively daughter had withered away being confined at home all day.

Zhao Lingfei acted obediently in front of her father, but as soon as she was out of his sight, she happily went to find Young Master Yan again. In her heart, she thought that since her father couldn’t resist her forever, maybe after enduring for two more years, he would agree.

After all, Young Master Yan had told her he had no plans for marriage in the next two years, so she could wait two years.

The important thing was to make Young Master Yan like her and get used to her presence.

For someone as gentle and refined as him, it would be difficult for him to actively pursue any lady. Zhao Lingfei seized this opportunity to stay by his side daily.

Adding her feminine charm while serving tea, love would naturally develop over time. She believed he would eventually be moved.

Zhao Lingfei first went to Yongshou Temple to find him and panicked for quite a while after discovering Yan Shang had moved away. Fortunately, she lingered at Yongshou Temple for a while longer and met the children from the temple’s infirmary.

Learning that Yan Shang still frequently returned to see them, bringing food and drinks and teaching them to read, Zhao Lingfei easily found out where Yan Shang now lived.

Watching how the children anticipated and liked Yan Shang, Zhao Lingfei felt even happier for him and proud of her judgment:

The young man she loved was such a kind person!

So naturally, Zhao Lingfei came to find Yan Shang.

While Princess Danyang’s district usually blocked ordinary civilians, Zhao Lingfei merely needed to spend a bit more time before easily making her way in. Feeling it had been long since she’d seen Yan Shang, she specially prepared many gifts to congratulate him on moving to a new residence.

Yan Shang could only thank her and invite her in for tea.

Following behind Yan Shang, seeing his dignified bearing and unique temperament, she excitedly clenched her fists, encouraging herself to continue working her way into Young Master Yan’s heart—

Yan Shang invited Zhao Lingfei to drink tea in the main hall.

Inevitably, they returned to their old discussion.

Yan Shang: “Why must you do this, young lady? Your daily pursuit of me truly troubles me.”

Zhao Lingfei said: “My lord, just pretend I’m not here. I’ll only follow you from afar and won’t approach to speak unless you initiate conversation, alright? If you don’t speak to me first, I won’t come forward, how’s that?”

Yan Shang frowned slightly.

He said: “I truly cannot reciprocate your deep affection. When you act this way, yet I cannot respond in kind, doesn’t it just make me feel guilty? There are many unmarried young men in Chang’an and many who match your social status. Why must you insist on pursuing me?”

Zhao Lingfei sighed: “When you see someone and your heart moves at first sight—how can such destiny be easily found?”

Yan Shang was stunned for a moment.

But he said: “But I don’t like you behaving this way.”

Seeing his serious expression, Zhao Lingfei became anxious. She said softly: “Then… then… how about I come to see you once every three days? You don’t need to speak to me, I’ll just look at you, and that will make me happy.”

Yan Shang said gently: “…Why must you do this?”

Zhao Lingfei said: “Just give me a chance. Either I’ll eventually lose hope after you keep rejecting me and stop pursuing you, or you’ll finally be moved and see my good qualities. My lord, since you’re not married, why won’t you give me even a small chance?”

Yan Shang said: “…I fear my view of marriage differs from yours.”

Zhao Lingfei’s eyes lit up, thinking he was willing to discuss marriage with her. She quickly perked up her ears to hear what someone like him thought about marriage, so she could adjust accordingly.

Yan Shang said: “Marriage to me is merely a responsibility to continue the family line. I have no interest in romance.”

Zhao Lingfei was stunned.

She said: “You mean you don’t care who you marry or what your future wife’s personality is like?”

Yan Shang nodded.

He thought that being so cold and loveless would surely make this young lady give up.

Who knew Zhao Lingfei would blush and say very boldly and passionately: “I… I can bear children for you too!”

She was even more brazen than Yan Shang had imagined: “My lord, how many children do you want in how many years? Do you prefer boys or girls? I can do it all. My body is very healthy! Because I’ve practiced martial arts since childhood, you can’t tell now, but you’ll understand later…”

She winked at him suggestively.

Yan Shang had tea in his mouth and was so caught off guard by her words that he could neither swallow nor spit it out politely. He covered his mouth with his sleeve as he coughed, hurriedly putting the tea far away.

He looked helplessly at Zhao Lingfei, who gazed back joyfully.

Yan Shang held his forehead, his headache growing—

Zhao Lingfei began habitually finding opportunities to come by.

To avoid her, Yan Shang now spent most of his time hiding in the Hongwen Academy. After all, it was within the imperial city, and without a fish tally or official waist token, it would be very difficult for Zhao Lingfei to enter.

Naturally, Zhao Lingfei begged her cousin to take her in, since Yang Si went to the Eastern Palace almost daily and would enter the imperial city. But Yang Si had been instructed by Lord Zhao, and he unhesitatingly refused his cousin’s request.

However, Zhao Lingfei persisted in pestering her cousin, begging him to think of a way to help. Most importantly, she wanted Yang Si to use his Eastern Palace connections to get her a waist token so she could freely enter the imperial city.

Yang Si grew annoyed.

Yang Si said: “What use is begging me? Can I tie Yan Er to your bed and force you two to consummate the marriage?”

Zhao Lingfei stuck out her neck: “…That’s not entirely impossible!”

Yang Si: “…”

He was stunned for a while, looking at Zhao Lingfei: “You like Yan Er that much?”

Zhao Lingfei nodded.

Yang Si thought of the Yan Shang he had met and couldn’t understand: “What exactly do you like about him?”

Zhao Lingfei began listing like a family treasure: “He’s handsome, and he values self-cultivation. Whenever I see him, no matter what he’s wearing, his bearing is always clean and bright. He speaks neither too fast nor too slow, will listen to what I say, and knows when to stay quiet and listen, unlike you stinking men who only care about your pleasure when you get excited.

“He has such a good heart. When he sees others in trouble, whether he knows them or not, he’ll help if he can. He doesn’t seek rewards, and it doesn’t matter to him whether people remember his kindness or not.

“He has many friends. Everyone who knows him praises him endlessly. Just look at you, cousin—last time you looked down on him, but now you don’t say anything bad about him anymore.

“And also…”

Yang Si coldly looked over and covered Zhao Lingfei’s mouth.

He could see that Yan Er had too many good qualities, so it was normal for Zhao Lingfei to like him.

Yang Si frowned slightly.

But he felt that the relationship between Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao was rather strange…

Yang Si propped his chin, deep in thought.

He rarely saw Mu Wanyao get close to any young man. When she was younger, she was obedient and quiet, never actively pursuing any man; now that she had grown up, she associated with men purposefully but didn’t take them seriously.

However, Yang Si had seen Mu Wanyao together with Yan Shang twice.

Once at Yongshou Temple; once when Mu Wanyao and Yan Shang shared a carriage to the Eastern Palace.

Moreover, the Emperor had once arranged their marriage, but Mu Wanyao had refused.

Under normal circumstances, even to avoid suspicion, Mu Wanyao shouldn’t have gotten close to Yan Shang again.

Yet that day they shared a carriage… and Yan Shang had become Mu Wanyao’s retainer.

Was their relationship just that?

“Cousin, can you help me or not?” Zhao Lingfei tugged at his arm a couple of times, pulling him back to reality.

Yang Si looked down at Zhao Lingfei for a moment, then said slowly: “I can’t give you a fish tally to freely enter and exit the imperial city. If something went wrong, the Crown Prince would have to cover for you. But I can help delay your father—when you go to find Yan Er, tell your father you’re coming to play with me. At least this way your father won’t always stop you.”

Although Zhao Lingfei didn’t get what she wanted most, seeing Yang Si so determined, she could only nod.

Her cousin had a strong and stubborn personality, and it would be very difficult to persuade him.

Zhao Lingfei lowered her head and muttered: “Every time I see Princess Danyang, I feel like her eyes are like knives staring at me, it’s terrifying. Aren’t you close with Princess Danyang? Can you put in a good word for me? I just want to see Yan Er, why does she look so grim every time she sees me?”

Yang Si was startled.

Then he chuckled.

His eyes showed some tenderness.

He said: “Yaoyao…

“Don’t mind her. Her temper is just like that now, she doesn’t look happy to see anyone. But,” thinking of someone, he even smiled, his voice softening: “…she hasn’t reached the point of being unreasonable. If you don’t provoke her first, she won’t find an excuse to deal with you.”

Zhao Lingfei nodded, half-understanding, staring at Yang Si for a while before suddenly saying: “Cousin, is it true that you’re still unmarried because you’re waiting for Princess Danyang?”

Yang Si: “Ah?”

He was stunned for a moment before saying vaguely: “I suppose you could say that.”

Zhao Lingfei sighed sympathetically: “Then you should talk to Princess Danyang more often. If you just leave her alone, how can a beauty fly into your arms?”

Yang Si sneered and reached out to rub Zhao Lingfei’s head. He said lightly: “Don’t worry about my affairs. I know what I’m doing.”

In his heart, he felt apologetic to his parents.

As long as Mu Wanyao remained unmarried, he would not marry to serve as her shield.

He had the Crown Prince and the Yang family behind him. The range where he could act willfully was too small… he wasn’t someone with exceptional wisdom and strategy, just martial skills.

Yet even these skills couldn’t withstand the harsh winds and frost, and couldn’t protect Mu Wanyao.

Not marrying, not taking a wife, being brought up every time Mu Wanyao faced marriage pressure—this was already the only thing he could do to help her.

Better to let people think he didn’t like her, that he was dragging his feet about marrying her.

Rather than let people think he had long agreed, forcing all the pressure onto Yaoyao alone.

Yang Si lowered his eyes, falling silent in contemplation.

Zhao Lingfei said anxiously: “You’re not worried, but your parents are very anxious, they come to my house every day to talk about it. They’re even somewhat dissatisfied with the Crown Prince, thinking it’s the Crown Prince forcing them to marry Princess Danyang, delaying their marriage. Other young men your age should have already started discussing marriage.”

Yang Si said carelessly: “What does it have to do with the Crown Prince, what does it have to do with Yaoyao.”

He narrowed his eyes, standing up to go to the window, gazing through layers of clouds toward the distant horizon.

He crossed his arms, his voice flat: “Whether the Crown Prince summons me back to Chang’an or not, I won’t marry at this time. If I weren’t in Chang’an now, I would be in the northern desert, in Longxi, at the frontier… I should be sleeping under the stars, resting against high mountains. I should be fighting life and death battles with my fellow soldiers, should be bravely killing enemies on the battlefield…”

He gazed into the distance, vaguely, as if looking beyond Chang’an, looking at those wrapped in horse hide for burial, at the thousands of troops and horses… at those things that made his blood boil and filled him with drive.

Zhao Lingfei stared at his tall, majestic figure in a daze. He stood straight as a sword, but that sword was bound by iron chains, not daring to leave its scabbard.

She felt her cousin was like an eagle, such an eagle should soar high in the sky, and fly beyond Chang’an. Yet in reality, Yang Si was confined in Chang’an, trapped here.

He couldn’t display his aspirations, couldn’t abandon Chang’an…

One day… hopefully one day…

Yang Si turned back to look at Zhao Lingfei, his gaze bright and fearless.

In that instant, meeting his calm gaze, Zhao Lingfei felt she could somewhat understand him, feeling sorry that he was trapped here.

Zhao Lingfei didn’t want to show a young girl’s sympathetic expression, for what right did she have to sympathize with her cousin?

Even though he was now bound in shackles, trapped in Chang’an… one day, cousin would break free from here and move toward the stage he truly wanted to be on.

Zhao Lingfei’s eyes sparkled as she said with a smile: “I’ve never been outside Chang’an, never been to Longxi or the northern desert, never been to the frontier, never seen a real battlefield or soldiers. I hope one day I’ll have the chance to follow my cousin out to experience it all. I want to see all those things cousin has seen!”

Yang Si sneered: “You? You’d better focus on getting married first. After you’re married, you’ll have even less chance of experiencing these things with me.”

Zhao Lingfei glared at him: “Then you should try to leave Chang’an before I get married! The Crown Prince dotes on you so much, that as soon as Chang’an’s situation is slightly more stable, he’ll let you go. Or you could beg him a bit more, he won’t want to keep you trapped… In short, can’t you let me see your glory before I get married?”

Yang Si was slightly stunned, saying: “What do you know?”

Then he walked back, smiling as he put his arm around Zhao Lingfei’s shoulder, saying carelessly: “Alright then. I’ll try to take you out of Chang’an once before you get married. It would be too embarrassing if you got married without any experience of the world.”

Zhao Lingfei immediately kicked at him, but he easily dodged.

Zhao Lingfei suddenly became eager to try, chasing after Yang Si to spar with him—her martial arts naturally couldn’t compare to her cousin’s, but she had always liked practicing martial arts since childhood. Although she was always suppressed by her cousin when fighting, she still wanted to test if she had improved at all—

After discussing with Yang Si, Zhao Lingfei continued going to the alley where Yan Shang lived, staking out daily to watch for him.

Zhao Lingfei rarely encountered Yan Shang, as he left early and returned late to avoid her. After all, when the district gates closed at night, Zhao Lingfei had to return home and couldn’t stay out too long.

That was fine.

The pitiful thing was that while Zhao Lingfei rarely met Yan Shang, she often encountered Mu Wanyao coming and going from her residence.

Mu Wanyao usually rode horseback, followed by many male and female riders. This princess always appeared graceful and charming, adorned in gold and silver, quite eye-catching.

However, every time Mu Wanyao saw Zhao Lingfei, her face would instantly darken, her eyes cutting like knives.

Zhao Lingfei was bewildered, not knowing how she had offended Mu Wanyao. But she carefully remembered her cousin’s instructions, not actively provoking Mu Wanyao, always politely greeting her with a smile when they met.

So she watched as Mu Wanyao’s expression grew darker day by day, yet couldn’t find a reason to get angry at Zhao Lingfei.

Zhao Lingfei felt relieved, thinking her cousin did understand this princess well.

Mu Wanyao became angry just seeing Zhao Lingfei, yet had no reason for it. She was so angry she worked herself into a fever, getting mouth sores.

And this made her even angrier.

In such an angry state, at a banquet in her residence, Mu Wanyao was stunned when she saw Yan Shang, her eyes widening.

She hadn’t expected him to dare appear before her!

Since this banquet was for the Vice Minister of Revenue and other court officials, Mu Wanyao had thought a few days ago about letting Yan Shang build good relationships with her subordinates, letting everyone recognize each other’s faces, and know they were on the same side, and give each other convenience.

But when she invited Yan Shang, Zhao Lingfei hadn’t appeared yet!

Now that Zhao Lingfei had appeared… how did Yan Shang have the face to come to her banquet?

When Yan Shang saw Mu Wanyao appear, her saffron gown trailing the ground, draped in gossamer silk, how elegantly graceful she was. While he conversed with the court officials, they all turned to look at her together, their gazes couldn’t help but waver.

She was truly suited for such rich and gorgeous beauty.

However, while Mu Wanyao spoke casually and gracefully with others when she turned to him, her eyes blazed with fire, as if she wanted to devour him.

Yan Shang couldn’t help but smile.

Seeing that he had the nerve to smile, Mu Wanyao’s chest felt even more stifled with anger, feeling the sores in her mouth hurt even more.

Throughout the hour-long banquet, Mu Wanyao was unhappy watching Yan Shang the entire time. She had originally planned to introduce these people to him, but now she didn’t introduce anyone at all, leaving Yan Shang to get to know them on his own.

But seeing Yan Shang able to converse with those officials much higher in rank than himself… Mu Wanyao’s mouth hurt even more.

She thought, why were all these people so easy to talk to, why didn’t anyone give Yan Shang any trouble?

There might have been some trouble, but with Yan Shang’s abilities, Mu Wanyao couldn’t appreciate it.

When the banquet ended, Mu Wanyao hurriedly sent people away, and the officials thought the princess wasn’t feeling well that day, so they didn’t linger.

Mu Wanyao turned to return to her rear courtyard, hearing footsteps pursuing her from behind.

Yan Shang sighed: “Your Highness… what kind of anger is this?”

Mu Wanyao walked through the long corridor, fallen flowers in the empty gallery, willows dark in the light. Layer upon layer of slanting light came through, creating a dappled effect, trailing over that brilliant saffron gown.

Mu Wanyao suddenly turned back to look at Yan Shang.

She said: “Did any young lady come crying and begging to marry you today?”

Yan Shang was confused.

Then suddenly understood.

His gaze lifted slightly to look at her, saying softly: “…Is Your Highness angry about Fifth Miss Zhao?”

Mu Wanyao: “So you even know she’s the fifth daughter! When are you getting married, should I, this princess, send you a grand gift?”

After speaking she turned and left.

Now that Yan Shang knew what she was angry about, he naturally had to follow and explain.

He followed behind her, speaking gently: “What’s so hard about knowing she’s the fifth daughter? Don’t we have to introduce ourselves when meeting? Besides, I’m not going to get married. Didn’t I say I wouldn’t marry for a year or two?”

Mu Wanyao walked very quickly, speaking just as fast: “Back then you said I was holding up your marriage, that you had no choice and couldn’t get married. Now it’s different, Fifth Miss Zhao would love to live in your residence, throwing herself at you every day, right? So what are you waiting for, why not hurry up and marry her? The young lady has come pursuing you actively, why don’t you show any initiative?

“Are you someone who can only let others take the initiative?”

Yan Shang had a headache from her rapid-fire words, hearing her talk about one thing and then another. On the left, she was telling him to hurry up and marry, before he could figure that out, on the right she was asking about whether he took initiative or not…

Yan Shang was thoroughly confused.

Seeing her so angry, he immediately grabbed her wrist from behind, making her stop to talk properly with him.

Mu Wanyao was pulled around by him, her wrist held through her sleeve, and she glared at him.

Seeing her like this, Yan Shang blurted out: “Why… why are you so angry?”

Mu Wanyao was stunned.

Then immediately remembered she had no position to be angry.

She was greatly annoyed, wanting to shake off his hand, not even wanting to hear explanations anymore. Fortunately, Yan Shang immediately realized he had said the wrong thing—he shouldn’t have questioned Mu Wanyao like that, his question left her with nothing to say.

He quickly tightened his grip on her wrist, not letting her leave.

He explained patiently: “I don’t want to marry anyone, whether Fifth Miss Zhao or anyone else. If I had such intentions, why would I have moved?”

Mu Wanyao was stunned, then her eyes grew even wider.

She wasn’t stupid, usually one hint from him and she understood. She couldn’t help exclaiming: “What? Are you saying you moved out of Yongshou Temple to avoid Fifth Miss Zhao? You didn’t want to be my neighbor, didn’t want to help me, you were trying to avoid someone? From beginning to end, it was all for her?”

Yan Shang was also stunned.

He said: “That’s correct… but Your Highness’s interpretation seems different from what I meant.”

Mu Wanyao: “In any case, it was for her.”

She yanked her hand away from his grip, walking even faster this time, making Yan Shang tired and confused as he pursued her.

He followed her, inadvertently speaking faster: “How is it for her? I was just avoiding someone. These past days I’ve been leaving early and returning late, isn’t it precisely to…”

Mu Wanyao: “Again for her!”

Yan Shang: “…”

He said helplessly: “Then what should I do?”

As they spoke, Mu Wanyao had already entered her chambers, with Yan Shang following to the doorway.

The maids looked at each other, seeing the princess angry, they quickly scattered far away, afraid her anger would sweep over to them.

They watched as the usually very good-tempered Young Master Yan hung by the door, speaking softly to the lady inside.

But Mu Wanyao’s voice showed no mercy: “You don’t know what to do, right? I see you’re very happy! Do you know why she likes you? I’ll give you a suggestion—go ruin your face, then she won’t chase after you anymore!”

Yan Shang sighed softly: “Your Highness…”

Mu Wanyao stood before her dressing table, extremely unhappy, grabbing the hairpins and ornaments neatly arranged in the bronze mirror’s box and throwing them at Yan Shang behind her.

Yan Shang stepped back in shock, most of the hairpins falling to the ground with a clatter two or three steps in front of him, but one pin flew with extreme force directly at his face. Yan Shang hurriedly dodged sideways, but the sharp tip of the pin grazed his face.

Mu Wanyao stared with wide eyes, frozen in place.

When Yan Shang turned back, she suddenly saw the bleeding scratch on his face.

Mu Wanyao immediately became panicked and anxious, forgetting her anger as she rushed over to look at him: “Your, your face… ouch!”

She suddenly covered her mouth.

Yan Shang caught her arm.

Yan Shang’s face had been scratched, blood beading up. He hadn’t felt it himself but saw Mu Wanyao rush over. Then she cried out and covered her face, and Yan Shang thought she had scratched herself with a hairpin, quickly grabbing her arm to look.

Mu Wanyao covered her cheek, whimpering: “It’s nothing… I just got a fever these past few days and got mouth sores. You made me angry and I bit my lip, now it really hurts.”

Yan Shang looked down at her.

He asked: “Have you applied medicine?”

Mu Wanyao glared: “How can I apply medicine? Let people look at my mouth?”

Yan Shang was speechless.

He couldn’t help but smile bitterly: “Well now Your Highness and I are both wounded.”

Mu Wanyao covered her cheek, quickly glancing at his face, feeling more guilty with each look. Yan Shang couldn’t see it himself, but she could see the blood seeping from that scratch…

Yan Shang touched his face, looking wordlessly at the blood on his hand. Mu Wanyao grabbed his arm from behind, as if afraid he would be angry, saying guiltily: “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Yan Shang paused, looking up with a smile: “I know. Shall we call it even, Your Highness?”

Mu Wanyao: “What do you mean even?”

Yan Shang: “Your Highness got angry because of me and got mouth sores, I got scratched by Your Highness’s hairpin. If we’re even like this, will Your Highness stop being angry with me?”

Mu Wanyao was stunned for a while, thinking she shouldn’t forgive so easily. But with Yan Shang’s bleeding face and gentle gaze looking at her… she couldn’t continue acting haughty.

After a while, Mu Wanyao said: “Sit down, let me help you apply medicine.”

She paused: “You help me apply medicine too.”

Yan Shang was stunned, his face instantly reddening as he stammered: “That probably wouldn’t be… wouldn’t be appropriate…”

After all, where she needed medicine applied was different from his face.

Mu Wanyao gave him a sidelong glance: “If you refuse, that means you still like Fifth Miss Zhao and want to marry her, you’re not sincerely asking for my understanding. You’re a gentleman, you won’t take advantage. I trust you, don’t you trust yourself?”

Yan Shang was speechless, looking at her somewhat helplessly with a smile: now she would use “gentleman” to trap him at every turn.

Seeing him smile at her, Mu Wanyao smiled cunningly. Seeing he still had no way to deal with her, she just felt that she was still formidable.

But while she frowned and pulled him inside to sit down, she pondered worriedly: how exactly should she drive away that Fifth Miss Zhao?

Although it was completely unreasonable… she just wasn’t happy having other women surrounding him.