Yan Shang supported himself on the bed with one hand, opened the curtain with the other hand, and looked down at the princess who was lying there gasping for breath.
Her hair was like algae, her cheeks were rosy. It was like a ray of pure moonlight shining on her body, and the hills and lakes were covered with ice and snow. Her eyes blinked with a misty light, and the spring love and poetry were floating between her eyebrows. After everything was over, she was still a little dazed, frowning and staring at Yan Shang.
Yan Shang's heart was pounding, and he looked at her in surprise and daze.
It was the first time he saw such a lazy and wanton style in her, and she was in much better condition than the previous two times. For the first time, he felt that he really made Mu Wanyao feel comfortable.
The girl's eyes were red, she was sweating, and she was panting softly. He was a little uncomfortable with her voice, but every time that cat-like breath brushed his ears, he wanted to try harder to please her and hear more from her.
Yan Shang's heartbeat was so loud that he felt like it was about to jump out of his chest.
He was immersed in her beauty at this moment and couldn't help but bend down and want to kiss her lips.
Mu Wan stretched out her hand to block his breath. Her voice was still a little hoarse, but she said tenderly: "No! It's dirty!"
Yan Shang helplessly whispered: "You think your own things are dirty?"
Mu Wan shook her head and glared at him.
He lowered his eyebrows, his face was dyed with clouds, and his black hair was flowing. He smiled slightly like this, and it was as moving as the gentle waves of mountains and rivers that moved people's hearts. When Mu Wanyao was moved by the sight, Yan Shang had already put down the tent and left.
Yan Shang went to get some tea to rinse his mouth, and then found a towel. He guessed that Mu Wanyao must be too lazy to wash, so he wanted to wipe her. He tossed back and forth like this for a long time, and when he returned to the bed, he just opened the bed curtains and knelt on the wooden board, and a delicate little person opened her snow-white arms and hugged him, letting him take full advantage of her warmth and softness.
Mu Wanyao complained, "You've been gone for so long again! I was kind of in the mood, but you've ruined my mood by going back and forth."
Yan Shang was a little shy, he explained: "I'm just going to clean up."
Mu Wan smiled and said, "Did you manage to get Yan Xiaoer down?"
I still don't understand what you said.
She made him understand directly with her actions - she stretched out her hand to rub his waist and abdomen, and her fingertips touched. Yan Shang froze, and the blood immediately flowed backwards, and his reaction was out of control. She smiled knowingly, turned her face, and looked at him with a bit of teasing and a bit of watching the fun.
His face turned red: "Shake!"
Mu Wan shook: "Do you understand?"
Yan Shang was helpless: "You are already like this... I am not a fool."
Mu Wan smiled, thinking that it was fun to play with smart people. With a little guidance, he understood. But Yan Shang paused, gently pushed her hand away, and said softly: "I have to go back tomorrow... It's not convenient."
Mu Wanyao was surprised: "Can you still toss and turn all night? Do you have that ability?"
Yan Shang was slightly annoyed and said, "Can you please stop being so outspoken? I mean... I don't feel comfortable in other people's territory."
Mu Wan shook her head and snorted, "When have you ever been at ease? You have never been at ease. You complain that the light is too bright during the day and you can't avoid suspicion. You complain that you are alone at night and you are subject to gossip. You complain that it's not a bed and it's not proper. You complain that the bumpy carriage makes you scared. You complain that the time is too short and I'm not satisfied. You complain that the time is too long and people will find out. You complain that things are not going well before marriage and that I'm slow to agree to the marriage... You have never been at ease."
There are no words yet.
He was speechless, wondering if he was being so obvious.
Seeing Yan Shang holding a handkerchief in his hand, struggling for a long time, Mu Wan sighed and pulled him to sit down. She took the handkerchief from his hand and was about to wipe herself. She raised her knees and paused for a moment, then saw Yan Shang hurriedly turned his back to her and didn't look at her.
Mu Wanyao wrinkled her nose at his back, disliking his inability to let go.
She thought that she had to let Yan Shang open up once in a while... The relationship between men and women, the joy of the boudoir, was natural, but he had never been able to truly open up to himself, and he could never enjoy the happiest moments. Mu Wanyao thought about it and felt a little sorry for him.
After a long while, she heard Yan Shang, who had his back to her, whisper, "Have you finished wiping?"
Mu Wan shook: "Yeah."
He turned his shoulder and saw that she had already put on her undershirt and did not lie to him. He breathed a sigh of relief and leaned over to take the handkerchief she had wiped. Seeing that he was about to get up to clean up again, Mu Wan convinced him, snatched the handkerchief from his hand and threw it on the ground outside, pulled him to lie down, and said unhappily: "Don't worry about it! The maid will clean it up tomorrow."
Yan Shang was pulled by her to lie on his side.
The golden curtains and candlelight shone on them, and Mu Wanyao slept face to face with him. Lying quietly, their eyes met, the air became hot as if it were boiling.
His eyelashes trembled, his eyes drooped, and he looked a little evasive.
Seeing him like this, his messy black hair, and the redness on his face that had not yet faded, Mu Wanyao was happier and happier. She lowered her eyes to look at his waist and asked, "You really don't need my help? I can use my hands. Although your back is injured, you can do it sideways... It's okay."
Yan Shang shook his head and said, "It will be fine in a while."
Mu Wanyao deliberately said, "Other girls make their lovers more and more excited the more they look at them. But I make you more and more cool the more you look at me. Did you do that on purpose? Or am I just so unattractive?"
Yan Shang: "What do you mean by getting angry and relieving heat?"
Mu Wan shook: "..."
After several attempts, she found out that he was still the Yan Erlang she knew. Even though he did this for her, he was still not very good at listening to the dirty words and ambiguous teasing between men and women. When she was with him, Mu Wanyao felt that she was really dirty.
Mu Wan shook her head and covered her face.
Yan Shang came over and pulled her hand away, wanting to see her face. He said softly but firmly: "Don't hide. I want to see you."
Mu Wanyao raised her round eyes from between her fingers and looked at him. Seeing his brows relaxed and slightly smiling, she relaxed as well and he pulled her hand down. The two of them looked at each other like this and couldn't help but smile. Mu Wanyao coquettishly called him "Second Brother Yan" and she rubbed and rubbed into his arms.
She ruffled her hair against his neck and hugged his waist with a sigh.
Yan Shang whispered in her ear: "Did I do well?"
Mu Wan shook: "What?"
Yan Shang was embarrassed for a moment, but continued: "Just now."
Mu Wan raised her eyes and commented after a while: "...You have changed."
Yan Shang blushed and even stuttered a little: "I, I just asked, I don't mean anything else. If you don't want to say it, forget it."
Mu Wan shook her head and smiled: "It's not that I don't want to say it. I dare to say anything, it depends on whether you dare to listen."
She raised her eyebrows at him, her eyes flirting. He felt like laughing and was a little happy. Before he could savor this happiness, Mu Wanyao in his arms started to laugh: "Tell me what you think first?"
Yan Shang was stunned for a moment before hesitatingly saying, "I think... it's pretty good."
Mu Wanyao: "Do you also think that your skills are pretty good?"
Yan Shang was shocked.
After digesting her boldness for a while, he said, "I mean you're fine."
Mu Wan was puzzled.
He really struggled for a long time before he put his ear close to her ruby-like earlobe and whispered a few words: "Yaoyao, so sweet and soft."
This time, it was Mu Wan's turn to blush.
She was so angry that she hit his chest: "How can you say such a thing? You shouldn't say such things!"
Yan Shang blushed: "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it."
Mu Wan shook his face and frowned: "Where did you learn all this?"
Yan Shang: “I didn’t learn it from anywhere…”
Mu Wan shook her head: "Is it your Chunniang?"
Yan Shang was stunned for a moment and said, "What does it have to do with her... Yaoyao, did you go check her out?"
Mu Wanyao snorted immediately.
She wanted to lose her temper and quarrel with him for Chunniang. She asked Fang Tong to check and found out how Yan Shang knew this person. Knowing that Yan Shang might have some hidden plan, Mu Wanyao was not so angry.
But when she thought about him teaching a beautiful famous prostitute how to write and read, and living in the same room with her...they had separated before, and Mu Wanyao had no right to care about him; now, of course she had to have a quarrel.
However, the atmosphere was so good right now that Mu Wanyao couldn't make any noise.
Yan Shangyi explained in a rambling way: "Chun Niang is the lady that Brother Liu rescued before... Shiyilang from Doctor Zhang of the Ministry of Revenue will eventually come back to Chang'an. I think Brother Liu's matter cannot be let go... and I need a spy in Beili..."
Mu Wanyao said impatiently: "Alright, alright! I already know it, I don't want to hear you say it again!"
Yan Shang was helpless: "Then what do you want to hear?"
Mu Wanyao: "Did you sleep in the same room with her at night? When you taught her to write, did you teach her step by step? Were you as close to each other as we are now? Did you smile at her, did you flirt with her..."
Yan Shang smiled.
Mu Wan shook his head: "What a joke!"
Yan Shanglai covered her mouth and whispered, "You used dirty words again. A princess should not learn bad things like this. I'm just a little happy that you care about me... Don't worry, I know my limits and won't embarrass you."
He threatened her: "If I'm the only one for you from now on, I'll only have you."
Mu Wanyao felt that she could do it, so she immediately agreed with a smile.
Let’s go back to the beginning: “But if you didn’t learn it from Chunniang, where on earth did you learn such a skill? Don’t be afraid, I just want to see who taught you bad things. I’m going to kill him!”
Yan Shang whispered: "I learned it from you. Do you want to kill yourself?"
Mu Wan was stunned: "Ah..."
Yan Shang raised his eyelashes and looked at her. He blushed, "When you did this to me for the first time, I wanted to do this for you...but you struggled too hard at that time and refused to let me touch you. I felt that if I could feel something, you should feel the same. It's not that big of a difference between men and women."
Mu Wan shook her head blankly: "You really..."
Yan Shang: “What?”
Mu Wan shook his head and said dejectedly: "You are too smart. It makes me panic. If I didn't have a little more ability, I would not be able to suppress you..."
Yan Shang smiled: "No."
Mu Wan raised her face, stroked his delicate eyebrows, and said softly: "But Brother Yan, you are actually very tired. Can you try to relax yourself? At least when you are with me, learn to put down your burden and don't always think about too many things.
"You worry too much. If you don't have a place where you can rest for a while, you will collapse sooner or later. Brother Yan, try to relax here with me."
Yan Shang looked down at her, his eyes seemed to be filled with sparks, charming and tender.
He said nothing, but bent his head to suck her.
Everyone in the world praised his demeanor, loved him for his meticulousness, and liked his moderation in his actions. Only Mu Wanyao hoped again and again that he could relax and relieve himself. She complained that he was too tense and asked him not to push himself too hard.
Everyone in the world loves him as a gentleman and a saint, but only she loves him as a gentleman.
Yan Shang said softly: "I'll try."
Mu Wanyao and he gritted their teeth and smiled vaguely: "Okay, then let's continue the fun in the boudoir, shall we?"
He smiled and said hello.
The two of them were like young children, hiding in the tent and talking like this. They were full of curiosity about each other's bodies and feelings. Mu Wanyao said she wanted to take a look at his, but he refused, saying "What's so good about that?"
The two of them were fighting. The girl wanted to slide down, but the man held her to stop her from tossing. He relied on the injuries on his shoulders and back, hissed a few times, and used this trick to make her stay still. But Mu Wanyao enthusiastically invited him to look at her neck. She was willing to pull open her collar for him to see and touch, and openly showed him her charm.
Yan Shang trembled, leaned over and kissed her a few times. He was a little intoxicated, and his face was even redder than before. But he quickly controlled himself and covered her collar.
Mu Wan rocked him in his arms and laughed at him.
The shadows of the bamboo trees outside the house fell on the ground like green waterweeds; the lanterns under the corridor shone between the tree shadows like sparks. The wind rustled, and then the rain stopped completely.
-----
The next day, before dawn, Yan Shang was going back to Chang'an. Mu Wanyao was unhappy and had a fight with him, mocking him that it was too late to go back now: "Your superior will not be happy if you go back today, but I will also be unhappy if you leave now."
Yan Shang stayed with Mu Wanyao at the post station until noon. During this time, he finally got what he wanted and discussed her trip to Jinling with Mu Wanyao. He listened to what she wanted to say, and he analyzed and modified it. It was not too important, but Yan Shang felt that he could finally participate in her affairs, and he was happy.
But his joy was so shallow that no one noticed.
At noon, Fang Tong urged Mu Wanyao, saying that if she didn't hurry up, she would not be able to make it to the next post station to rest. Yan Shang then said goodbye to Mu Wanyao and promised to wait for her to come back in Chang'an.
Mu Wanyao was regretting going to Jinling. She had originally gone to Jinling in large part to avoid Yan Shang, but now that she and Yan Shang had reconciled, the distance between Jinling and Chang'an had become a huge obstacle between them.
It would take at least a month to get back to Chang'an and see Yan Shang again...Mu Wanyao hated that Yan Shang was a Beijing official. If he was still the Yan Shisheng from Lingnan, she could have ignored his wishes and forcibly taken him away to Jinling, and no one would have been able to say anything.
And now, Mu Wanyao could only say: "I won't stay in Jinling for long, and I'll try to come back in a month. You wait for me to come back, okay?"
Being stared at by the guards and maids, Yan Shang felt very uncomfortable, and just quietly said yes under Mu Wanyao's gaze.
He watched her carriage leave. The beauty was sitting in the carriage, but he could no longer see her. Yan Shang felt a sense of loss. He couldn't bear to let her go, but she had already shown that she was reluctant to leave, so he couldn't be reluctant to leave with her. If the two of them continued to be sad together, they would not be able to continue on this road.
-----
Yan Shang returned to Chang'an that day and went to apologize to his superiors the next day. He thought he would be scolded for his absence without reason, but when he returned to the Ministry of Revenue, he found that everyone was busy and had no time to care about his absence. Yan Shang hurriedly asked what happened and got the answer -
"An earthquake occurred in sixteen counties in the north, and some rivers dried up immediately. There has been no rain for a long time, and drought has occurred in some places. The people are in chaos..."
Yan Shang murmured: "Whenever a great disaster strikes, there will be rebellion and refugees..."
The official he stopped to question nodded perfunctorily and continued to deal with the matter.
Yan Shang also hurried to help.
At this moment, the Ministry of Revenue's top priority has changed from sending envoys to visit various countries to disaster relief. For half a month, news from local areas has been continuously transmitted to the Ministry of Revenue. The rivers have dried up, and more and more places are suffering from drought. The Ministry of Revenue has approved batches of grain and money, but the disaster situation does not seem to have eased at all. It is said that in some places, cannibalism has occurred...
Yan Shang was called to meet the Minister of Revenue and the Vice Minister of Revenue, and the Crown Prince was also sitting with them.
The Minister of Revenue was originally the head of the Ministry of Revenue, but because of his age, he would have to retire in a few more years. So although Yan Shang had been in the Ministry of Revenue for more than two months, he had never seen the Minister of Revenue take care of anything. The person who really managed the Ministry of Revenue was the Assistant Minister of Revenue who sat next to the Minister of Revenue.
I am very familiar with this minister.
Because this Minister of Revenue had been Mu Wanyao's staff. He left the Princess's residence to be an official, and later rose through the ranks with the support of the Crown Prince. With such a high position, this Minister was already the most powerful of the ministers that Mu Wanyao had made friends with.
What's more, this assistant minister is loyal to Mu Wanyao and has always taken good care of Yan Shang since Yan Shang arrived at the Ministry of Revenue.
When Yan Shang saw these three people at this time, he bowed to them. Only the Minister of Revenue smiled at him in a friendly manner.
The Minister of Revenue said, "Su Chen, you should have known the importance of the drought in the north and the displacement of the people. According to the rules, the central government will send an official to the local area to supervise the disaster relief. Officials have been arranged in other states, but in the counties of Shuzhou, the people have been fierce since ancient times and the land is barren, so no one in the court is willing to go.
"I've thought about it and found that among all the doctors in the Ministry of Revenue, you are the only one who is careful and courageous, and you are also cautious. You don't have to worry about being framed and held hostage by local officials. I suggest to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince that you go to Shuzhong to provide disaster relief. I wonder if you are willing?"
Yan Shang did not hesitate: "Of course I am willing."
The three of them were also stunned for a moment by Yan Shang's decisiveness before they praised him and said it was a good idea.
In fact, most of the officials in Chang'an were unwilling to go to the countryside. They thought the area was too poor, the governance was too troublesome, and the people were too ignorant. Going to Shuzhong was a tough job. Since ancient times, many officials from the capital were demoted to Shuzhou. Although the Ministry of Revenue arranged for people to go, most of the officials in the court were children of aristocratic families, so they couldn't force them to go... After thinking about it, only Yan Shang could do it.
However, it was still surprising that Yan Shang nodded so decisively.
The prince sat aside and listened to Yan Shang asking the minister if he had any matters to pay attention to. The prince frowned slightly, feeling that something was wrong.
Because Yan Shang was not recommended by him to provide disaster relief.
The prince needs Yan Shang in the court. If Yan Shang handles the mission properly, it will be a great merit for the prince. The prince thinks that Yan Shang's role in the central government is much more useful than disaster relief. With Yan Shang's talent, disaster relief is a waste of talent.
However, it was the emperor who specifically asked Yan Shang to go to Shuzhong.
The emperor showed complicated emotions towards Yan Shang. One moment he said that Yan Shang had disrupted Mu Wanyao's marriage, the next moment he said that Yan Shang had taken leave without reason, and the next moment he said that Yan Shang's official position was promoted too quickly, which would make the ministers dissatisfied... In short, the prince understood the emperor's hint.
The emperor hopes that the prince can suppress Yan Shang.
This time, sending Yan Shang out of the capital to provide disaster relief was the prince's explanation to the emperor. The emperor said nothing more and seemed satisfied. But the prince still felt something was strange... Was his father really going to suppress Yan Shang? Why?
I always feel that the reasons given by the emperor are perfunctory.
-----
At the same time, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Personnel finally discussed the list of court officials who would be sent on diplomatic missions to various countries.
Wei Shu was among them.
Wei Shu was appointed as deputy envoy, following the main envoy to visit Wei and other countries.
When the list of officials to be transferred from the central government came out, the Wei family fell silent. Wei Shu had been away from Chang'an for at least a year, or at most several years. Their plan to use Wei Shu to form a marriage alliance with the Li family... was basically over.
Because who knows when Wei Shu will be able to return to Chang'an?
-----
At the end of May, Yan Shang was going to Shuzhong and Wei Shu was leaving Wei. When the two learned of each other's news, they made an appointment to see each other off at a tavern in the north of Chang'an.
When Yan Shang was heading for Beili, he met the Beiya army returning to Chang'an in the street.
The soldiers were in line, and the army was in good order. The leader was not the general, but the eunuch Liu Wenji. Liu Wenji was riding on a horse, wearing the uniform of an eunuch, but he could not hide the coldness and pride between his eyebrows.
The onlookers whispered:
"Why let a eunuch lead the team? How can Your Majesty use eunuchs as officials?"
"He is just taking advantage of his master's power! A eunuch dares to walk in front of the general... It is so unruly."
Liu Wenji looked at the crowd coldly, and soldiers immediately came out and tied up the talkative people. When Liu Wenji was about to order the people to be beaten to death, he suddenly saw Yan Shang in the crowd. Yan Shang looked at him with a smile in his eyes, and seemed to be happy for him.
Meeting his eyes, Yan Shang bowed and nodded.
The eunuch next to him whispered to Liu Wenji: "Do you want to kill him?"
Liu Wenji didn't want Yan Shang to see this side of him, so he frowned and said, "Give him a little lesson, and then let him go."
He thought it wouldn't be too late to kill him when Yan Shang couldn't see anymore.
The Northern Ya army... The emperor has the vague intention of letting the eunuchs take control, and he must seize this opportunity.
Yan Shang just watched Liu Wenji's scenery return to the city on the street for a while, feeling gratified for his old friend. He didn't look at him for long, and hurried away to meet Wei Shu in Beili.
-----
In the palace, the emperor listened to news from all sides.
The emperor laughed and said, "It seems that Yan Shang is really going to Shuzhong..."
Cheng An said, "I don't understand why Your Majesty wants to promote Yan Erlang and send him to do such a thankless task."
The emperor said: "To clean up the Ministry of Revenue."
The emperor sneered: "The Ministry of Revenue has been managed by the crown prince for several years, and the more he manages it, the more money it has. There is no money every year... I don't understand, he has made a fortune several times, how can he still be so short of money? The Ministry of Revenue needs to be cleaned up."
Cheng An said: "Your Majesty let the eunuchs get involved in the Northern Court in order to weaken the power behind His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin. I don't understand why Your Majesty doesn't just wipe out the forces of the Prince of Qin, but still wants to distract you from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince? If Yan Suchen didn't follow Your Majesty's plan..."
The emperor said calmly: "So I am not testing Yan Suchen? I am testing what kind of person Yan Suchen is."
He murmured meaningfully, "It depends on who he wants to use and which side he stands on."
Cheng An: "Everyone in the court knows that Yan Erlang is the prince's man."
The emperor said calmly: “Not necessarily.
"That day he shot and killed the head of the Zheng family with an arrow. It seemed like he was helping the prince, but it might just be a coincidence. But no matter what... this time, it is unlikely to be a coincidence. I want to find a good backer for Yaoyao, but first I have to know whether this backer is worth it. I can tolerate selfishness for a while, but I cannot tolerate selfishness for a lifetime."
Cheng An thought, it seems that His Majesty is gambling, this time Yan Erlang will go against the Ministry of Revenue and the Crown Prince.
But...will Yan Shang really be like this?
He has clearly stood on the right side, will Yan Shang really give up the prince?
The emperor suddenly asked, "Yaoyao, you should have arrived in Jinling by now, right?"
Cheng An said quickly: "Yes, Your Majesty, rest assured. The princess is much smarter now. She will be able to appease Li and return to Chang'an safely."
The emperor nodded and closed his eyes.
-----
Mu Wanyao was already in Jinling at this time.
She was extremely anxious and wanted to settle her marriage and return to Beijing to reunite with Yan Shang.
But Li from Jinling refused to see her.
After giving them face for two days, Mu Wanyao became impatient. Her guards cleared the way and fought with the Li family guards, while Mu Wanyao, holding a sword, broke into the study and met her grandfather.
Mu Wan got straight to the point: "Grand Duke only wants the Li family to prosper, and he wants me to marry him. But before that, doesn't Grand Duke want to see if the Li family can survive?"
Looking at the old man who was reading a book in front of the bookshelf with his back to her, Mu Wan shook her eyebrows and pressed on: "Does Grand Duke think that my father will watch the Li family grow stronger and the Wei family grow stronger? Fang Tong, take the news I just received from Chang'an and let Grand Duke see it - who is my father dealing with now!
"The power behind my third brother is second only to the Li family, so he has been so arrogant in Chang'an for so many years. Now my third brother is confined at home, and the Northern Yamen's military forces have begun to be taken over by the eunuchs... Does Grand Duke think this is a coincidence? Does Grand Duke think that my father's arrangement is a coincidence?
"Now we should unite to deal with my father! My father wants the Li family to die... You have been in Jinling for too long and have lost your keen political perception... Now, it is time for us to cooperate, so don't get dragged into other people's plots!"
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