The Wuman tribesmen stood dutifully behind Meng Zaishi, on high alert. Their sharp gazes fixed upon the young Wei official casually writing at his desk, as if Yan Shang’s office chamber was some fearsome beast.

Not only did Yan Shang counter-question upon hearing Meng Zaishi’s inquiry, but the Wuman behind Meng also showed looks of sudden realization. During these past two years, while the Wuman were busy warring with the Chiman, the Wuman King never forgot who had instigated this conflict. Meng Zaishi had sent people to infiltrate Wei’s border army, following that trail to the Nanhai County Magistrate Li Zhi, Princess Danyang’s uncle.

Li Zhi possessed a letter, written by someone named “Yan Shisheng” who had proposed the poisonous scheme to incite internal strife among the Southern barbarians.

However, Li Zhi ran Nanhai with watertight security, making infiltration impossible. The Wuman investigators spent considerable time there, but the trail went cold in Nanhai. They suspected this Yan Shisheng must be Li Zhi’s strategist, but after six months of surveillance in Nanhai, they never encountered any strategist by that name.

Furthermore, after that letter, it was as if Yan Shisheng ceased to exist. They never witnessed Nanhai’s Magistrate Li Zhi actively contacting this person.

When the scouts reported back, Meng Zaishi was at a loss. Now in Great Wei, though Meng Zaishi had no time to personally visit Nanhai, seeing this young official surnamed Yan being so intimate with Princess Danyang while touring Beili… Meng Zaishi didn’t think Yan Shisheng and the official before him were the same person, but felt there must be some crucial connection between them.

Leaning against the wall with his hand resting on a nearby flower stand, Meng Zaishi casually played with the winter plum blossoms growing in the corner.

Having never seen such yellow winter flowers before, Meng Zaishi showed great interest as he replied offhandedly, “I merely asked because Princess Danyang mentioned this person in passing when we associated previously.”

With these words, Yan Shang knew he was lying.

Though Meng Zaishi maintained a calm expression, the Wuman behind him hadn’t mastered their king’s ability to lie without blinking.

The Wuman were far behind the Wei in cultural development. Years of nomadic life and warfare had made their personalities straightforward and crude. They lacked the cleverness of the Wei people, what they termed as “cunning” and “inconsistent.”

So when Meng Zaishi lied up front, these Wuman showed indignant expressions upon hearing the name “Yan Shisheng,” then recalled their king’s instructions and struggled to contain themselves.

Seeing their expressions and combining them with Meng Zaishi’s demeanor… Yan Shang’s mind worked rapidly, deducing that if there were no other reasons, this must be trouble stemming from the strategy he had proposed to Muwan.

Yan Shang’s eyes flickered slightly.

He smiled, “Oh, is that so? Then I must not know any Yan Shisheng.”

As he spoke, he removed the completed register from his hands and opened a fresh blank one, beginning to translate and copy anew from the “birthday congratulatory message” Meng Zaishi had provided.

Meng Zaishi stared at Yan Shang: “Didn’t you just say you’d heard of him vaguely?”

Yan Shang replied casually in the Wei official language: “My lord may not understand our Great Wei customs. Between hearing vaguely and hearing clearly, a minute difference can lead to vast divergence.”

The Wuman behind Meng Zaishi began to feel dizzy: What did that mean? Was he using those flowery Wei idioms again?

Even though Meng Zaishi understood some Wei language, he found this speech difficult to follow. Yet Meng Zaishi remained unfazed, still watching Yan Shang: “I would have thought someone like Yan Shisheng would be quite famous.”

Yan Shang replied: “Then my lord is mistaken. I don’t know who this Yan Shisheng you speak of is, but clearly, he’s not a famous figure. My lord can freely ask others in Chang’an, and everyone will be as ignorant of this person’s existence as I am.”

Meng Zaishi: “Does Princess Danyang not know either?”

Yan Shang glanced up briefly, leaving no room for ambiguity: “Then you should ask Princess Danyang. Does my lord have a history with Princess Danyang?”

Meng Zaishi: “Some vague history, I’m not very clear myself.”

Yan Shang: “Given my lord’s bearing, you must be a general. If Princess Danyang was sent for a marriage alliance, how could you not know her?”

Meng Zaishi: “Her marriage alliance is her business, what does it have to do with me?”

The two traded pointed remarks, each response following rapidly. Everyone else in the room felt the tense atmosphere of probing, sensing the pressing urgency between these two men.

The Wuman in the room stood even straighter, while a Wei official who had reached the door to enter quietly withdrew upon hearing the situation inside, choosing not to join this confrontation.

As Yan Shang and Meng Zaishi locked eyes, Yan Shang’s brush never stopped writing; Meng Zaishi leisurely appreciated the winter plum blossoms in the corner, appearing thoroughly engrossed in the flowers.

Just as Yan Shang set down his brush on the brush rest and rose to take out the completed register, a Wuman joined this silent war between Yan Shang and Meng Zaishi: “Stop!”

The shout was directed at the rising Yan Shang.

Even Meng Zaishi looked over curiously, wondering what this Wuman had discovered to address a Wei official this way.

The Wuman strode forward toward Yan Shang.

His manner was fierce, bearing the appearance of one about to kill.

All along the way into Chang’an, many Wei civilians had fled at the sight of such Wuman aggression. This Wuman intended to use these tactics to frighten this Wei official, yet saw Yan Shang’s expression remain unchanged, his gaze calm.

Outside the room, other Court of State Ceremonial officials who had been quietly observing the situation couldn’t help but smile—

Wasn’t Yan Er the one who had executed the head of the Zheng family on the spot? How could someone so decisive in thought and action be frightened by Wuman’s weapons?

Having failed to intimidate Yan Shang, the Wuman gave him a surprised look. But this wasn’t his intended purpose. He walked to the desk where Yan Shang had just been sitting and snatched up the first register Yan Shang had written to examine it.

Yan Shang maintained a polite smile, affecting appropriate surprise: “What are you doing, my lord?”

The Wuman quickly reviewed the first register, seeing the calligraphy was steady and ancient in style, beautifully written straight through to the end without a single blemish. This copy was already perfect, so why had the Wei official discarded it to write another?

The Wuman approached Yan Shang again, demanding the second register he was about to submit.

Yan Shang smiled: “It seems my lord intends to accuse me of something. Then my lord should be prepared – this is Wei territory. To accuse a Wei official of wrongdoing, even a low-ranking one like myself, requires taking thirty strokes of the rod before making the accusation. Since my lord is in our Great Wei’s domain and is not a Censorate official authorized to investigate, you must follow our Great Wei’s rules.”

That Wuman was stunned: “We are Wuman!”

Yan Shang smiled: “This is Chang’an, the capital of Great Wei.”

Wuman: “We are guests.”

Yan Shang: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

The Wuman was furious: “You… you…”

Yan Shang waved the register in his hand: “Are you still certain you want to see it?”

By this point, the atmosphere in the room had reached an impasse. The Wuman who had started the trouble couldn’t make the decision himself and looked back at Meng Zaishi, who was still standing with folded arms appreciating the flowers. Yan Shang’s eyes paused briefly, thinking this person must hold a very high status.

Meng Zaishi looked at their confrontation with surprise and smiled: “Why look at me? I can’t make the decision either.”

He glanced at the troublemaking Wuman, his words carrying a smile but with a trace of cold threat.

That Wuman shuddered, but when facing Yan Shang again his manner remained forceful. He said in the Wuman language: “I’m certain there must be something wrong with the register in your hand! I must see it! If you’ve done nothing wrong, I’ll take thirty strokes of the rod right after leaving.”

Yan Shang insisted: “Take the thirty strokes first, then I’ll let you look.”

The Wuman: “Damn it, you’re playing with me…”

In his great anger he moved to strike this seemingly refined and frail Wei official, who calmly said: “If you assault a Wei official, there will be no need for Wuman’s presence at this grand ceremony.”

From behind came Meng Zaishi: “Kelilu!”

That was the Wuman’s name.

The Wuman called Kelilu’s face cycled through shades of blue and purple, changing back and forth before he finally turned away with a dark expression and left the chamber to receive his punishment first.

Soon everyone in the chamber could hear the “thud thud” sound of wooden rods striking flesh outside.

The Court of State Ceremonial had become quite lively.

The Director of the Court had come out to stand before the main hall, watching the beaten Wuman in the courtyard with shock and rigidity.

The Wei clerks, accompanied by Western Market merchants who could speak the Wuman language, tried to persuade him this wasn’t necessary, that it would harm relations between both sides. But Kelilu’s face was purple as he shouted: “I willingly accept your thirty strokes! This is my choice!”

Unable to dissuade him, they could only proceed with the punishment.

Hearing his subordinates’ report, the Director sighed: “Young Master Yan… I seem to glimpse again his bearing from when he killed the Zheng family head with one arrow.”

The Director’s face went pale thinking of what would happen if someone died during this grand ceremony. His head spun at the thought.

He could only smile bitterly: “Truly worthy of being the renowned Yan Suchen of Chang’an.”

A protocol official beside him asked trembling: “Should we intervene?”

The Director looked to the sky: “No need to intervene. After all, Yan Suchen isn’t an official proper of our Court of State Ceremonial…”

The Director said craftily: “Yan Suchen’s position is in the Central Secretariat. If the Wuman makes any real trouble here, let the central government question the Central Secretariat themselves. Isn’t Minister Liu Yan Suchen’s teacher? Having such a student must give Minister Liu quite the headache.”

The subordinates nodded repeatedly, relieved they wouldn’t be responsible for Yan Suchen’s actions. Everyone settled in to watch the show.

Back in the chamber, a limping Kelilu returned and extended his hand to Yan Shang with a dark expression. Yan Shang smiled at him and handed over the register he had prepared to submit to the central government.

Kelilu’s breathing suddenly grew heavy. He anxiously flipped through it—if there was nothing wrong with this register, he had been beaten for nothing and made a fool of himself.

The king would surely punish him! Maybe even kill him!

The pages rustled as he reviewed them. Kelilu’s eyes suddenly lit up as he turned back to report to Meng Zaishi: “Big- Big Brother! These two registers are different! The one this Wei official was going to submit later got much thicker, with many more characters than what he was going to submit before.”

Kelilu’s breathing was heavy but excited as he shouted: “He must have tampered with it! Taking advantage of our inability to read Wei’s writing to trick us in front of the emperor!”

Yan Shang sighed with a smile: “My lord, let me remind you once again, falsely accusing me will earn you another beating.”

Kelilu’s expression changed abruptly.

Thinking of the very real beating he had just received, his bottom still aching.

But as he handed the registers to Meng Zaishi, Kelilu remained adamant: “We Wuman people, raised from childhood on horseback, how can we be compared to you delicate Wei people! How could I fear a beating!”

Meng Zaishi ignored his subordinate’s clamoring and lowered his head to examine the two registers. Although he had learned some Wei language and simple Wei characters from Muwan, while Meng Zaishi could understand simple Wei writing, clearly of the characters Yan Shang had written… he couldn’t recognize nine out of ten.

The scholarly penmanship, rich vocabulary, and deliberate embellishments… these were things the straightforward Wuman would never understand.

Moreover, Yan Shang was already considered one of the rare Wei scholars lacking in literary flourish. If Wei Shu were here, or even Feng Xianyu or Liu Wenji, the passages they could write would completely bewilder the Wuman.

And even now with just Yan Shang, seeing the second register had at least three more pages than the first, Meng Zaishi narrowed his eyes, feeling something was unusual.

Meng Zaishi looked at Yan Shang: “Do you admit it?”

Yan Shang: “That depends on how my lord decides.”

The two men faced each other.

Meng Zaishi smiled slightly: “Naturally, I believe you. Your bearing and manner… make me feel like an old friend at first sight. You surely wouldn’t make any mistakes.”

Yan Shang smiled.

As expected, the other’s tone shifted: “…However, we Wuman have come from afar to pay respects to the Wei Emperor, no small feat, and cannot allow any mistakes during this time. Even if it offends you, I must verify.”

Yan Shang made a “please” gesture—

While the Court of State Ceremonial was receiving the Wuman, news finally reached the palace that arrangements for the palace banquet and ceremonies needed to include the Wuman.

Moreover, the Court brought news that the Wuman King had come personally to pay respects, showing great reverence for Great Wei. They would need to put in a hundred thousand times more effort to properly host them, to avoid disappointing the Wuman.

When this news was received, Muwan had just left the old emperor’s chambers, remarkably accompanied by her fourth sister, Princess Yuyang.

A palace servant reported the news in Muwan’s ear, and seeing Princess Danyang’s expression remained unchanged, finally relaxed.

Muwan nodded: “I understand.”

Her hand clenched inside her sleeve, cold wrapping around her heart: …the Wuman King came personally!

It must be Meng Zaishi!

He truly wouldn’t let her go!

The palace servant handed over a register of the Wuman audience for Princess Danyang to review, then slowly withdrew.

Behind Muwan, Princess Yuyang had been staring at her sixth sister’s slender back for a long while.

Princess Yuyang was conflicted. Recently, with Noble Consort under house arrest and the grand ceremony arrangements falling to Muwan, both her mother and third brother were unhappy. Moreover, those ministers close to Muwan had been keeping her third brother busy in court lately.

Her third brother now wanted to intervene in the ceremony matters. So Prince Qin hoped to temporarily reconcile with Muwan, sending his blood sister Princess Yuyang as mediator.

Princess Yuyang called out softly: “Sixth Sister.”

Muwan tilted her head slightly, looking over questioningly.

Princess Yuyang walked over, smiling gently: “I think I’m pregnant with my second child, but haven’t told my husband yet. I wanted to share this joy with Sixth Sister first.”

Muwan’s expression blanked for a moment before she looked down at Princess Yuyang’s still-flat belly.

Muwan looked her fourth sister over and smiled politely: “Congratulations.”

Princess Yuyang stroked her abdomen, saying tenderly: “What does Sixth Sister think of my life? Though my husband is busy, I am a princess, so he must respect me greatly and cannot take concubines. There are no conflicts with my mother-in-law either, all because I am a princess. The benefits of being a princess – having a husband and children – for us women, is a blessing.”

Muwan said: “What does Fourth Sister want to say?”

Seeing her cold, impenetrable manner, Princess Yuyang grew somewhat anxious: “I mean that we women are born to be virtuous wives and good mothers, to bear children for our husbands, to have conjugal bliss and complete families. This is true happiness for us women!

“Not like you, Sixth Sister, always entangled with ministers and political affairs. What use is power? We are not men after all, and cannot truly compete. Why doesn’t Sixth Sister also find a prince consort, properly bear children, and be a princess like me?”

Princess Yuyang: “Must you oppose my brother and the others?”

Muwan stared at her fourth sister.

A trace of envy rose in her heart.

Virtuous wife and good mother, bearing children, conjugal bliss, complete family… each word transformed into an icy blade, piercing her heart. That feeling of slow torture, those things she had long lost, Princess Yuyang would never understand.

Muwan said: “I forgive you.”

Princess Yuyang: “…?”

Muwan said coldly: “I forgive you for your ignorance. Because you haven’t experienced what I have, you’ve lived peacefully as a normal princess, you don’t know how I died and came back to life. You don’t know my pain, so you can ignorantly advise me to let go. I don’t blame you. You’re my sister, and I hope you’ll always remain this naive. How fortunate it is that you don’t understand my situation.”

Princess Yuyang’s face flushed red.

Feeling her youngest sister’s mockery.

Despite her usual gentleness, she now couldn’t help but grow flustered: “Why must you play at politics!”

Muwan threw the register she had just received at Princess Yuyang, her voice like a knife: “This is why—”

With that, she left without looking back.

The register struck Princess Yuyang, who hurriedly caught it, hearing Princess Danyang call loudly for someone to “drive to the Court of State Ceremonial.”

Princess Yuyang crouched down, picked up the register, and opened it, immediately seeing the words—

Wuman comes to court, and Wuman King personally congratulates him.

Princess Yuyang’s fingertips trembled, instantly remembering that Muwan was a princess who had been married to the Wuman. Now the Wuman envoys had come, the new Wuman King had come… what would Muwan do?

Princess Yuyang looked up toward Muwan. She saw the crimson dress hem embroidered with phoenixes and adorned with large peonies and peonies. Muwan walked on the imperial path in the sunset, noble and dignified.

Each step was steady, never looking back.

While Princess Yuyang already trembled with fear for her sixth sister, her whole body cold, regretting that she had said such things—

At the Protocol Office of the Court of State Ceremonial, the sky was gray and gloomy, the cold penetrating to the bone.

The Director of the Court was called out, his eyelid twitching, forced to personally take the two registers and examine them under everyone’s watchful eyes. The Court officials and the Wuman led by Meng Zaishi all stared at him intently, making the old man sweat profusely and feel extremely uncomfortable even in the cold winter month.

After a while, the Director looked up, giving Yan Shang a complex look.

That look contained admiration, approval, and no blame.

Meng Zaishi keenly noticed this and grew thoughtful.

Indeed, the Director explained to the Wuman who couldn’t read Wei’s characters, making it very clear at least to Meng Zaishi who understood Wei’s speech, while Yan Shang translated the Director’s words for the other Wuman: “…These two registers are actually both correct. But according to Wei etiquette, the second one is better to submit.

“Looking at the character count, the first one is translated exactly according to the message provided by the Wuman state. But envoys, you don’t understand, the etiquette between Wuman and our Great Wei differs greatly. What you consider simple words, we here must embellish at length. For example, you have no kowtowing ceremony, but in our Great Wei, at such grand ceremonies, kowtowing is necessary. You address our emperor only as ‘Lord Father,’ but we must certainly add many honorifics for you to appear appropriately respectful.

“Generally, the messages submitted by envoys, we will polish them up, making them much thicker than the original message, with many more words and courtesies added.”

The Director looked at Yan Shang and asked: “Why did you only translate literally in your first register, without embellishment, and only add embellishments in the second?”

Yan Shang lowered his eyes: “Because I am not originally a Court official, only temporarily assigned here, and am not very familiar with the administrative duties, I made a mistake. Fortunately, I remembered in time and corrected it, not wanting the Wuman envoys to misunderstand.”

The Court officials exchanged glances, all doubting that Yan Shang would be unfamiliar with the duties here.

If he had been temporarily assigned for ten days or half a month he might be unfamiliar, but Yan Shang had been here for a month already and had never made mistakes before. To say he forgot now… seemed rather perfunctory.

On the Wuman side, realizing they had misunderstood, their expressions were already unpleasant.

Kelilu lowered his head, falling to his knees with a thud, his face pale as he prepared to accept punishment.

Meng Zaishi gave Yan Shang a deep look but ignored Kelilu. Meng Zaishi returned both registers together with composure, saying politely: “So I misunderstood Young Master Yan.”

Hearing others address Yan Shang this way, he followed suit. At least “Young Master Yan” was much easier to pronounce than whatever Yan Suchen was.

Yan Shang sighed: “It was just a misunderstanding. My unfamiliarity with administrative duties has made our guests laugh.”

Meng Zaishi smiled: “Young master’s methods are already quite impressive.”

Yan Shang smiled similarly: “My lord’s powers of observation are also quite impressive.”

The two praised each other, completely ignoring the earlier explosive atmosphere. While Kelilu was led away pale-faced for another beating, Meng Zaishi and Yan Shang appeared to appreciate each other, creating an indescribably strange atmosphere.

The Wei officials’ expressions were most peculiar: they naturally knew Young Master Yan’s charm could make anyone like him and want to associate with him.

But for this affability to even move foreign Wuman… wasn’t that too strange?

Under such a friendly atmosphere at the Court and international exchange, the Court had reached today’s closing time. As the group of officials walked out of the Court, amid insincere courtesies, they happened to see Princess Danyang’s carriage pass by.

Princess Danyang’s carriage stopped.

Meng Zaishi’s eyes met those of Guard Fang Tong beside the carriage. Old acquaintances meeting again, Fang Tong’s muscles tensed while Meng Zaishi continued smiling, his eyes narrowing.

Meng Zaishi immediately recognized that Muwan must be sitting in the carriage.

Fang Tong lowered his head to say something to the carriage, and a young maid Meng Zaishi didn’t recognize rode her horse a few steps onto the official road, saying: “Young Master Yan, our Princess says, since you live in the same lane and are neighbors if you’re returning home, why not let us give you a ride?”

The officials all looked toward Yan Shang, who was walking quietly and slowly at the very back.

Everyone’s expressions were too strange.

On one side were the Wuman, and on the other was Yan Shang, who had once been arranged to marry the princess but was rejected.

Now Princess Danyang was inviting Yan Shang into her carriage in front of the Wuman.

Yan Shang’s expression remained unchanged as he bid farewell to his colleagues and walked toward the carriage.

The carriage door lifted.

In the silence, as the door creaked open, the beauty inside like an ancient painting was so vivid and enchanting that everyone was momentarily dazed.

Meng Zaishi’s gaze met directly with Muwan’s, who sat in the carriage with her dress spread out.

He wore an ambiguous smile, his eyes suddenly turning sharp.

She was cold and proud, her eyes floating lightly past Meng Zaishi.

The setting sun’s remaining light spilled across the blue stone pavement, covering everything in dusky red. Yan Shang stood tall and jade-like, a talented young gentleman.

Several years had passed in an instant. In the howling bitter wind, the three remained silent, tacitly understanding, undercurrents surging.