Yan Shang was very determined and said, "Your Highness, why are you talking about this again? I've already said that it's impossible for me to be friends with Your Highness."
Either we become lovers or we die together.
The possibility of never seeing each other again seems too low now. Then just be her lover... Yan Shang has been struggling in his heart. He feels that Pei Qing can't protect her, and that only he can help her unconditionally. But Yan Shang doesn't believe that he can always stand by her side. His love is too strong, so he always gives in when facing personal love.
And Mu Wanyao probably still likes him.
But I also hate his betrayal.
That's why she said she wanted to be friends. But she was afraid that this friend would really do what Mu Wanyao did... and go to bed with her. But she wouldn't give him any status.
Yan Shang didn't want to do that.
Yan Shang was confused. He sorted out his thoughts and was about to tell Mu Wanyao that he rejected her "friend's" proposal. But Mu Wanyao didn't care about her friends at all. She didn't care about his rejection.
Mu Wanyao still had a hint of smile on her face, and pushed his arm. The moonlight shone on the couch, and she said excitedly: "Don't worry about that. Tell me about your ideas and ambitions. I'm really curious about you. It's been three years... Are you still the same as before? Are you still the same person with a noble mind and not moved by external things?"
Yan Shang was embarrassed by her pushing him. He forgot his original thoughts and said uncomfortably: "What is there to say? I am still me."
But being pushed by Mu Wan, he still spoke intermittently about what he had done in the past three years.
He talked about how he reached a balance with the Jiang family of Nanyang in the beginning, how Rang County was dominated by one person in the beginning, how difficult it was to build a private school at that time, and how the Jiang family forced him to kill a chicken to scare the monkey.
Mu Wan was surprised: "You killed someone again?"
Yan Shang responded softly, “Yeah.”
Mu Wan looked at him. When facing justice, Yan Shang rarely regretted his actions. But when he reflected on it afterwards, he still felt sorry for the dead. He might be suffering, but he would still do what he had to do.
He opened up a gap in Rang County, and he cooperated with Jiang to develop Nanyang. In the second year, the crops had a bumper harvest, and Jiang collected more rents and grain than before, so Jiang gradually recognized Yan Shang's reforms to Nanyang.
In the following two years, Yan Shang focused on only three areas: encouraging agriculture, promoting education, and maintaining public security.
Mu Wanyao nodded with a smile: "Since ancient times, officials have to consider these three aspects. However, most officials like to do superficial work and write beautiful articles. When the officials who are inspecting and investigating see beautiful articles, they think that the governance is really that good. Such officials are promoted faster. In fact, perhaps most of their energy is spent on writing articles."
She looked at Yan Shang lovingly: "What a pity. You are not very good at writing beautiful articles. What you write is too... bland."
Yan Shang didn't care and said, "I don't want to spend my time on writing articles. I want to do more for the people. In the past few years, I have been using Nanyang as an experiment to see how far I can change Nanyang and how far I can take Nanyang.
"Although the purpose of suppressing the bandits now is to contain the Jiang family, in fact, this is also a step I take. No matter how much I persuade farmers, the bandits come down the mountain every year, and the people suffer heavy losses. Moreover, these bandits do not engage in production and often collude with officials to some extent. They spend some money to pay tribute, and some officials will take risks and let them go easily. Therefore, in addition to the high taxes, the people's annual harvest has to be given to these bandits... How much can be left? Suppressing the bandits is an inevitable step for Nanyang.
"I was afraid that the officials in Nanyang would not do a good job in suppressing the bandits, so I wrote an article saying that over the years, because of the bandits, many officials who came to Nanyang to serve as officials were demoted and had bad careers. I counted the careers of officials in the past fifty years, and they all got lower and lower. This is because Nanyang's feng shui is not good, and the direction of the mountains must be changed. Since the mountains are occupied by those bandits, suppressing the bandits naturally becomes an important step. In this way, the official career is blocked, how dare those officials not do their best to suppress the bandits?"
Feng Shui has been around since ancient times, and those who believe in it naturally believe in it. After Yan Shang listed so many ways that officials were demoted, these officials, even if they were half-believing and half-doubting, had to start working.
Mu Wanyao immediately grabbed his arm and said, "What? All the local officials who came to Nanyang have bad careers? Have you counted the past fifty years and it's always been like this? Then you..."
Doesn't that mean Yan Shang can't go back to Chang'an? And Yan Shang's career as an official will also be difficult?
Mu Wanyao didn't believe in these superstitious words at first, but the person who listed the data was Yan Shang...she also began to become suspicious.
Yan Shang blushed and said ashamedly, "It's just a trick to fool people. I said that a high-ranking official like the Minister of Rites thirty years ago was 'a pity that he failed to make further progress'. Such a trick is not obvious in such a long article. However, if you look closely, you will find problems everywhere. But the officials are used to being suspicious, so they won't look into it in detail."
Mu Wanyao suddenly realized: "Ah..."
Then I listened to him talk about how he dealt with disputes among the people in Rang County, and how he personally led the people to farm every spring...
Mu Wanyao held her chin with her hand as she listened. She held his arm and leaned towards him unconsciously the more she listened.
She looked up at him, her breath floating on his face, but he couldn't see it, so he naturally didn't know that Mu Wanyao was almost kissing him on the face. Maybe he felt it, but he didn't know how intimate Mu Wanyao's posture was, and she didn't know that she wanted to hold his face and look at him carefully inch by inch -
Look at this nasty person.
Look at this amazing man.
He was much more mature than he was three years ago, and he wanted to do a lot in Nanyang. He set up a very complete plan for Nanyang. With the status of a county magistrate, he made the governor of the state give way to him and work with him. He did not seek fame or profit... However, when things got to this point, the people's hearts flew to him without asking for anything.
The poor family is proud of him.
He will be the guide in the future.
Mu Wanyao has supported the poor for three years. She blocked any information about Yan Shang, but she would still occasionally hear officials talking about Yan Suchen. It was a pity that Yan Shang was a local official and had little control over Chang'an. His influence on Chang'an was too weak... And Mu Wanyao couldn't help thinking that night, if Yan Shang was in Chang'an, the person leading the poor now would be Yan Shang, right?
And what is Pei Qing.
Pei Qing will have to give way to Yan Shang.
Yan Shang has a noble character, and his methods have gradually become more sophisticated after years of experience... Mu Wanyao sat beside Yan Shang that night, listening to him talk about what he had done over the years in a plain and dull manner. She couldn't help but feel her heart pounding and she bowed to him.
His whole body was glowing.
She couldn't bear to look away for a long time.
Yan Shang had said enough, so he paused and smiled slightly. Mu Wanyao was already listening attentively. Unconsciously, he was not only talking about himself, but also discussing the way of being an official with Mu Wanyao. He suddenly stopped talking, and Mu Wanyao urged him anxiously: "Why don't you say anything? Continue."
Yan Shang whispered: "We've been talking for a long time, I'm a little thirsty."
Because of his eyesight problems, the two of them had lived in the same room as husband and wife for half a month, and Mu Wanyao had learned to take care of him in small matters. When she heard that he was thirsty, the princess condescended to get off the bed and pour him some water. But Yan Shang held her back and said helplessly, "What I meant was... it's already very late, Your Highness, aren't you going to bed?"
Mu Wan was stunned for a moment, looked at the bed behind the screen, and said, "I don't want to sleep."
Although the two lived in the same room, Yan Shang was polite and they always slept in separate beds. Yan Shang slept on the couch outside, and Mu Wanyao slept on the bed inside. But tonight, Mu Wanyao was a little reluctant.
Mu Wan looked at him blankly and murmured, "I want to hear you talk."
She sat back, lowered her head, and gently tugged at his sleeve: "I'll sleep on the same couch with you tonight, and we can chat all night, okay?"
Yan Shang's heart skipped a beat, and his mind was so shocked that his fingertips were slightly numb. The girl said such words in the middle of the night... For a young man and woman who had just kissed so passionately in the alley, it was too ambiguous.
Yan Shang: "You are engaged, so I..."
Mu Wan shook her head and said sternly: "You promised me that you would cancel the engagement, do you want to go back on your word?"
Yan Shang was stunned, then he comforted her softly: "I don't regret it, I will deal with this matter when I return to Rang County, but even if I don't have an engagement, you..."
Mu Wanyao softened her tone and said nonchalantly, "I will also cancel the engagement. Do you think Pei Qing will still be able to move forward in his career if he treats me like this? My marriage is for the sake of profit. If I am not satisfied with this profit, I will naturally make amends. You don't need to worry about it."
Yan Shang heard her firm tone in breaking off the engagement, and he was secretly happy for her. He was happy that she could finally control her destiny now, and she didn't have to be urged to get married by various forces like before.
However...Yanshang still felt that it was inappropriate to sleep in the same bed.
Yan Shang hesitated for a long time, and Mu Wanyao was getting impatient. She felt that his nagging was no better than before. She said dissatisfiedly: "What are you afraid of? You are a grown man, what can I do to you?"
Yan Shang smiled bitterly.
She still felt that he was as young and innocent as he was three years ago. He would not have any thoughts at all when faced with a charming girl sleeping on his bed.
But Mu Wanyao became arrogant, and Yan Shang could not refuse. He still made room for her, and saw her come back excitedly with a soft pillow, happily sitting on his couch, and then pulling him to lie down and talk. Yan Shang's heart was beating fast, and although he could not see it, the girl's fragrance was right in front of his mouth and nose, and his self-control became particularly weak.
Yan Shang couldn't say anything about himself anymore, but Mu Wanyao kept urging him, so he complained, "You're always like this."
Mu Wanyao's eyes widened in confusion: "What's wrong with me?"
She was just listening to him obediently now, not doing anything and not bullying him, so what was he complaining about?
Yan Shang said softly: "Kissing and hugging are meaningless to you, they don't mean anything. But I... don't be like this to your husband in the future."
Mu Wan shook her head and said, "There is no other lover, only you."
She slept on the couch with him, watching him sleeping on his side, and the veil on his eyes. He was warm and soft, not aggressive, and he gave her a sense of security like a saint.
He also has a lovability that saints don't have.
She particularly liked him, and began to find that time could not make this love fade away. She would still rekindle her old love when she saw him. Mu Wan shook her long hair and spread it on the pillow, smiling: "Pei Qing has never been on my bed."
Yan Shang: “…”
His face suddenly tensed up, a little unhappy: "Why are you telling me this?"
He didn't like discussing other men with her, or her other men.
Mu Wanyao tried to hold back her laughter but didn't say anything. Once the conversation started, Yan Shang hesitated and took the initiative to start the topic: "What has your highness been doing in the past three years?"
Mu Wanyao replied perfunctorily: "What can I do? I am busy trying to gain power and recruit people. It's meaningless to talk about me. Let's talk about your business."
She really liked to hear what Yan Shang was doing, and didn't care about what she was busy with. She felt that she was just mediocre, and what she wanted to hear more was the story of people like Yan Shang. When she was young, she admired heroes all over the world, and now a powerful hero was sleeping on her couch, how could she not be moved?
She seemed to be particularly envious of people like Yan Shang.
Yan Shang was stubborn, "I also want to hear about His Highness. How could what His Highness did be meaningless? I think it's very interesting. Why does His Highness always belittle himself and think he's not good enough? What I did to you back then... His Highness forgave me. His Highness is, is..."
He said sincerely and emotionally: "Your Highness is the best princess and the best girl in the world."
Mu Wan was stunned for a moment, then sat up suddenly, with her long hair draped over him: "What did you say?"
Yan Shang's face turned red instantly, realizing that he had been reckless.
He clutched a corner of the quilt covering him, turned his face away, and said in an uncomfortable tone: "I didn't say anything. I meant that His Highness is getting better and better..."
Mu Wanyao felt ashamed.
Because she was not what Yan Shang said, but he felt that way, which made her reflect on herself and want to become like what he said. She wanted him to admire her and be proud of her... Mu Wanyao looked down at him for a long time and whispered: "I still love power the most. You know, I am different from you. I can't lose power."
Yan Shang didn't say anything.
Mu Wan leaned down and lay down beside him again. He didn't know if he was dreaming, but he continued to chat with her. When he gradually became sleepy, he heard her mumble: "...But besides power, you are second.
"Only you can resist the power of my love and prevent me from being swallowed by it."
Yan Shang woke up instantly, but he held his breath and didn't hear Mu Wanyao's voice. It was pitch black in front of him, and he felt that the night was probably very late. Next to him, Xinxiang was still the same as before, and Mu Wanyao was leaning gently on his arm, breathing steadily.
He called her softly, "Yaoyao," but she didn't respond, so Yan Shang thought she should be asleep.
He sighed softly, fumbled to cover her with the quilt, and gently touched her face with the back of his hand. He was always worried about her health, afraid that she would get sick after all the escape, so he paid special attention to this aspect. He was completely relieved when he felt that her temperature was normal.
However, Yan Shang was tormented by the last sentence, not sure whether it was something he had imagined or something Mu Wanyao really said.
He turned over gently and sighed softly. His heart was beating fast, but he was afraid that she would refuse him, and that he couldn't do it. He reflected on himself in the darkness, torturing himself -
Can he really balance the relationship between his big self and his small self, and can he really prevent Mu Wanyao from getting hurt again?
If what happened three years ago happened again...Mu Wanyao would collapse, and he would collapse too.
When Yan Shang turned over and sighed, Mu Wanyao, who was sleeping beside him, was actually awake the whole time. She opened her bright eyes in the darkness and looked at him, watching him toss and turn, watching him struggle because of her, and her heart couldn't help but feel light and soft like water.
…She was actually moved by Yan Shang again and again.
Not only do I want to sleep with him, I also want to get him.
She wanted to build a tall building and a golden house to keep the words properly.
She wanted to treasure him well, so that no one could get him, no one could see his goodness, and no one could share him. But how could this be possible?
So Mu Wanyao also felt melancholy and sighed.
She sighed, and Yan Shang, who had his back to her, immediately jumped up. He called her tremblingly, but she didn't respond, so he calmed down again, thinking that she was just sighing in her dream. But Mu Wanyao would sigh in her dreams, which made Yan Shang feel even more distressed, and he felt that it was all his fault.
Thus the night passed.
-----
Last night was so good.
Mu Wanyao had never talked to Yan Shang as much as she did, and had never tried to understand his world and his thoughts so seriously. Three years ago, she only wanted to establish a physical relationship with him. Three years later, the road between her and Yan Shang became a dead end, and she could not go on any further, so Mu Wanyao had to open her heart.
Just because she didn't open up, she might lose him completely.
If she didn't open up, she and Yan Shang would be stuck in this dead end.
Last night was very good. Mu Wanyao felt that she and Yan Shang were much closer in heart. He also tried to understand her. She said one or two things embarrassedly, and he listened so attentively. His concentration made her very happy, and gave her the illusion that she was being rewarded.
Kissing in the alley can certainly make one's body tremble, but having a heart-to-heart talk at night can bring the souls closer.
I don't know how long we talked last night before I fell asleep, but when I woke up the next morning, the good impression of last night remained in my dreams. When Mu Wanyao woke up in the morning, she couldn't help but smile. She was a little afraid that the good atmosphere last night was just a dream, but she had never dreamed of the day when she and Yan Shang would reconcile.
Mu Wanyao quietly opened her eyes and saw the young man lying on the bed with his back to her, still asleep. His dark and thick hair spread across the pillow like ink. He habitually turned his back to her, wearing a thin shirt, and his jagged and handsome spine was as broad and beautiful as mountains and rivers.
Male beauty is so tempting.
Even if it was just his back, even if he was still wearing his shirt.
Mu Wanyao's cheeks were burning hot, and she felt something for a moment, and her heart was restless. She secretly wondered what was wrong with her, was it because she hadn't had a man for too long that she felt so hungry after seeing a man's back.
Suddenly, Mu Wanyao heard Yan Shang sigh.
Mu Wanyao was startled, she covered her heart, almost thinking that he had discovered her staring at him early in the morning. But she soon realized that he was blind and had his back to her, what could he discover? Mu Wanyao stared at him calmly and generously, curious about why he sighed so early in the morning.
Yan Shang lay on the bed for a while. He was used to being self-disciplined. He only lay there for a while. When Mu Wanyao wanted to stay in bed, he had already sat up with his arms propped up. Mu Wanyao felt him turn around to "look" at her, so she quickly closed her eyes.
Then she remembered again that he couldn't see.
So she quietly opened one eye again.
Seeing him leaning over, with his collar slightly open, some black hair rubbing against his collarbone, he looked extremely beautiful. Yan Shang reached out to touch her forehead, Mu Wanyao remained motionless, letting him test her body temperature. She hugged the quilt tightly, blushing as she watched his face approach. As a result, when he got closer and closer, Mu Wanyao saw him freeze, and he sighed again, and before his hand even touched her forehead, he left.
Mu Wan shook: "..."
She stared for a while, then couldn't help but smile slightly, understanding everything.
Because she knew what Yan Shang was sighing about.
When he leaned forward, the vigorous reaction in his waist and abdomen was particularly noticeable. This reaction confused him, made him helpless, and made him sigh many times when he just woke up.
Mu Wanyao looked at him leisurely and somewhat like watching a show, and saw Yan Shang turned his back to her and sat there in shock. Mu Wanyao was still waiting to see how he would solve his morning problem, but he just sat there like that, not moving for a long time, and then sighed again.
Yan Shangze sat on the edge of the couch, propped up his hands, and sighed. The natural reaction in the morning was originally fine, and it would pass after a while. But he underestimated Mu Wanyao's influence on him, and he spent the whole night resisting the urge to get close to her. He finally made it to dawn, but his erect body was more honest than him.
He had been lying there for a long time, but the pain was not going away. However, he knew that if he continued like this, Mu Wanyao would wake up. If she woke up, how could he face her in this state?
Yan Shang frowned in worry for a long time, and he sat there stiffly until he was about to collapse. The more he wanted to calm down, the harder his body became, and it was no longer under his control. Yan Shang was too afraid that Mu Wan would wake up and find out, so he struggled for a long time, but still reluctantly reached for his belt, his fingers trembling downwards...
The female voice behind me chuckled.
The words still froze.
He was hugged from behind.
Very naturally, Mu Wanyao hugged his waist from behind, her soft and warm hand stretched out, pressed on the back of his hand, then turned the other way, gently held his hand, and hooked it. Yan Shang was extremely stiff, Mu Wanyao used force with her fingers, and his waist unconsciously pressed against him. After that, he was ashamed to death, and his whole face and neck instantly turned red.
He said in fear: "Shake, shake?"
Mu Wan leaned against his neck and smiled, "What are you afraid of? Why are you still so reluctant to let go... We kissed so passionately in the alley last night, I thought you had grown up. But it turned out to be an act. This is you."
He said hoarsely: "Stop talking."
He bent his shoulders uncomfortably and pushed her with his elbow. He trembled: "Go away, don't, don't worry about me, it will be fine in a while..."
Mu Wan shook her head: "It's nothing. Why are you like this? I'll help you."
He was still nervous and still didn't dare. But she made him feel comfortable, letting him open his mouth to breathe, tighten his jaw, and his body stiffened and relaxed. Mu Wan leaned against his face and saw him open his mouth and indulge in it, which was handsome and moving. She couldn't help but lean over and kiss his lips. When he was shocked, she blamed him with a plausible argument: "You opened your mouth."
The sunlight fell into the house, and the two of them were overwhelmed with affection.
Mu Wan shook Yan Shang to the bottom, he slept between the quilts, the girl playfully and forcefully lay on his shoulder, she grabbed his hand, ignoring his refusal, and teased him with his hand. He trembled all over, and the waves of heat made his breath disordered.
In the end it was hard to tell who was kissing and who was unwilling to leave.
After everything was over, Mu Wanyao also blushed, but she lifted the hair that was stuck to Yan Shang's face and looked down at him. His lips were bright red, and his ears were red. He was panting, and he tilted his head towards her in a daze: "Yaoyao..."
Mu Wan shook her head with a red face and said nothing.
Yan Shang held her fingers, hesitated, and asked, "Do you need my help?"
Mu Wan shook: "......?"
He still has such courage? How come she doesn't know?
Mu Wan laughed and said, "How can I help? With my hands? No need, haha. I don't have as strong a need as you do."
Her laughter was soft and her tone was suggestive, making his face turn even redder.
-----
During breakfast, Han Shuxing felt that there was something wrong with the two men, but he had never been able to understand the people of Wei, so he didn't pay much attention to it and instead talked about the information he had gathered.
Yan Shang then said that he would wait for two days and he wanted to discuss the current situation with the county magistrate.
Two days later, the local county magistrate was almost going crazy because the princess could not be found for a long time, and the princess's guards were getting closer and closer. With the pressure from the Jiang family, everyone would have to pay the price for this... and it was at this time that Yan Shang felt that the time had come to negotiate with the county magistrate.
Before leaving, Yan Shang asked Mu Wanyao hesitantly: "After this is over, you will go to Jinling. Then... can you wait for me?"
Mu Wan shook her head in surprise: "What are you waiting for?"
Yan Shang said: "...wait for me to go to Chang'an. I wonder if we can start over again?"
Mu Wan was stunned. She didn't expect Yan Shang to say that.
He said goodbye to her at the door, lowered his head and whispered to her: "I will come to you after I settle the marriage, and I will come to you after my one-year term in Nanyang is over... Okay?"
Mu Wan shook her head for a while, then lowered her eyes to his nervousness and said, "Okay."
But a year is too long.
-----
After Yan Shang left, Mu Wan played alone on the swing in the yard.
She finally finished the swing in the afternoon, and after swinging for a while, she heard a sound outside the yard. When she looked up, she saw Fang Tong and others leading the guards.
Fang Tong was excited and relieved to see the princess, and Mu Wanyao also smiled slightly, very happy to see them. Fang Tong's arrival meant that Pei Qing had taken control of Rang County, and Chang'an could free up to deal with Nanyang.
It's all coming to an end.
But when it was all over, Fang Tong said with confidence that they could go to Jinling. However, Mu Wan sat on the swing and chatted with Fang Tong who came to find her: "I want to live a life like Yan Shang."
Fang Tong was stunned: "What do you mean?"
Mu Wanyao said nonchalantly: "Nothing, tell me in detail about the current situation in Rang County."
Fang Tong was silent for a moment, and then he talked about something that the princess must be very concerned about: "Yan Erlang's fiancé Miao Niang...Rang County now thinks Erlang is dead, but his fiancée still wants to remain a widow for him. Miao Niang's father is trying to persuade his daughter not to do so."
Fang Tong's words made Mu Wan make up her mind, which was already hesitant. She curled her lips and said, "Be a widow for him? Does that mean that as long as he goes back and knows that Yan Shang is still alive, Miao Niang will still want to marry him? That's a bargain for Yan Shang. In this case, I want to leave Pei Qing in Rang County, and Yan Shang... I want to imprison him, imprison him, and force him to go to Jinling with me and return to Chang'an together. I want to imprison him and force him to marry me."
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