Since the beginning of the drinking, Yan Shang has behaved in a measured way, and his actions and words are refreshing. He suddenly spit out tea, choking himself and quickly covering it with his sleeves, which startled Feng Xianyu and Wei Shu who were sitting next to him.
Yan Shang coughed and said, "Sorry, I lost my composure..."
Feng Xianyu looked at the flushed and disheveled Yan Erlang inquiringly, then looked at Wei Shu. Sure enough, the young man Wei Shu's expression was even more indifferent than before.
Wei Shu said, "The other party is Princess Danyang. Does that shock Brother Yan so much?"
Yan Shang's cough eased.
He looked down helplessly at the tea stains on his collar and cuffs, feeling a little distressed. After all, the banquet cost at least 500 coins tonight, and if his clothes were dirty, he would have to change them again.
Because he cared more about money than the princess, Yan Shang was much calmer when he faced Wei Shu again: "It's just that I feel that Juyuan, you are so young, and the princess is probably much older than you... It's surprising."
He couldn't help but think of the girl with beautiful eyes and eyebrows.
It’s really beautiful.
However, no matter how beautiful she was... the princess was about to turn nineteen, right? Wei Shu looked only fourteen or fifteen years old.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that an old cow eats young grass.
Thinking of the time when Mu Wanyao kissed him before they left, Yan Shang couldn't help but wonder if there was something wrong with him that he, like Wei Shu, had somehow managed to please Princess Danyang.
Yan Shang's eyelashes drooped slightly as he observed Wei Shu. Because he was young, the people at the table took care of him and didn't let him drink too much.
So until now, except for Yan Shang who never drinks, Liu Wenzhi who left to change clothes, and Feng Xianyu who is now lying on the food table, all have red faces. Only Wei Shu is still clear and cool, with a transparent and clean temperament.
Wei Shu raised his eyes and looked at Yan Shang. After a pause, he said in a lighter voice, "How do you know that there is a big age difference between Princess Danyang and me? How do you know how old Princess Danyang is this year? Could it be that... you know Her Royal Highness the Princess?"
Yan Shang remained calm and said naturally, "I am just a commoner, how can I know Her Highness the Princess? It's just that Princess Danyang is more famous, so I have heard of her."
His words convinced Wei Shu.
Indeed, Your Majesty has only two princesses. Princess Danyang is famous not for any other reason but because she was married off to a foreign country.
After the marriage, Princess Danyang returned to Chang'an and naturally attracted attention. The eyes of the people in the world were all on her.
Wei Shu said: "...My teacher hopes that I can marry Your Highness...but the details are still unknown. The marriage was originally for the sake of Wei, and now that I am back, people are talking about me. No matter what the future holds, right now, I feel sorry for Your Highness."
The words are still silent.
After a while, she said, "It's not a pity. This is the responsibility of a princess. But it is a shame for all men in the world that the country is entrusted to a woman."
Wei Shu's eyes lit up slightly, he looked at Yan Shang and said, "Brother Yan is right."
He said: "If one day you and I are in the same officialdom, I hope this kind of thing will never happen again."
Yan Shang smiled but said nothing. He just poured tea again, replaced the wine with tea, and stood up to toast Wei Shu.
Feng Xianyu watched the show for a long time and was shocked by the ideological realm of these two people.
These two people actually got along so well that they talked about how to become an official from the princess' marriage...
This is not a monster.
Yes, two.
"What are you talking about?" When Yan Shang and Wei Shu toasted each other with tea instead of wine, Liu Wenzhi came back and sat back at the table, looking at the unusual atmosphere here in surprise.
Feng Xianyu was about to explain in a casual tone, but Yan Shang took over the conversation and said to Liu Wenji with a smile: "Nothing, I was just chatting with Wei Juyuan about some new drinking games."
Yan Shang knew that Liu Wenji was a little arrogant and looked down on people who fawned on the powerful. He was afraid that Princess Wei Shushang's affairs would get to Liu Wenji's ears and he would ridicule her again.
He calmly changed the subject. Wei Shu looked at him without saying anything. Feng Xianyu also smiled without refuting.
The night wind was cold and the moon was cold, and the wine was intoxicating. Feng Xianyu rolled up his sleeves and hummed a little tune: The few kids I met today are all very interesting.
-----
On Mu Wanyao's side, the princess's mansion welcomed a guest with a sad face, it was the Princess of Jin.
Among the three princes who are still alive, the Prince of Jin is the least noticeable one, and the Princess of Jin has naturally become a nobody in Chang'an. Moreover, this Princess is a second wife, so she has even less status.
The other princesses had all kinds of fun and were courted. Princess Jin looked around and it seemed that only Princess Danyang, who had just returned to Chang'an, could roughly understand her situation.
Princess Jin held Princess Danyang's hand and wiped her tears for an hour: "...After three years of marriage, I still can't give birth to a child for your Highness. Sister, I believe you can understand the pain of being a wife but unable to bear children for your husband..."
Mu Wanyao was amused.
She propped her chin up with her hand, as if smiling, "How can I understand? Just because I've been married before, does that mean I can definitely understand your desire to have children, sister-in-law?"
Princess Jin was stunned for a moment.
Said: "Because you, my sister, also have no children..."
The maids such as Chunhua who were standing outside the curtain looked at each other in bewilderment, thinking that it was no wonder that the princess was not liked by the people of Chang'an. How could she speak like that? Was she just trying to touch upon their highness's sore spot?
Their highness had been married before, but who said that being married meant having children? Their highness wanted to castrate the other party.
Sure enough, the maids heard the cold voice of their princess: "I'm sorry, sister-in-law. I really don't understand you. I have no intention of bearing children for anyone in my life, but if you want, I can send you some beauties to my fifth brother's bed to help him bear children."
Princess Jin: "..."
Princess Jin cried even harder, choking with sobs: "I am also doing this for the royal heir! Sister, why do you have to poke my heart like this?"
Mu Wanyao thought she had gone too far.
Unexpectedly, the princess said: "I have sent many concubines to your fifth brother's bed in the past few years, but we have no heirs. I doubt, doubt..."
Mu Wanyao also began to doubt.
She whispered curiously, "Is my fifth brother infertile? Is there something wrong with his body?"
Princess Jin cried, "The imperial physician checked and said there is nothing wrong. But our palace has no heirs."
There is no secret gossip to listen to, and the evening is boring.
She changed her sitting position and yawned leisurely: "I'm not the Goddess of Childbirth, why are you telling me this?"
Princess Jin raised her eyes, her gaze sparkling and full of hope: "I heard that the Guanyin of Yongshou Temple is very effective in giving birth to children. I would like to ask my sister to accompany me."
Mu Wan shook her head and refused: "Why don't you go by yourself?"
Princess Jin said, "I don't want everyone to know about our palace. Sister, come with me. I'll go and pray for a child, and you go and pray for a marriage!"
Mu Wanyao was really annoyed by Princess Jin's nagging, but she really had nothing to do anyway, so she agreed to accompany Princess Jin to Yongshou Temple.
-----
That afternoon, Yan Shang was sitting alone in his room. It was cold outside and the light was dim. He was writing by candlelight in his room, with thick scrolls piled up like a mountain on his desk.
In this era, if one wanted to pass the imperial examination, in addition to taking the formal examination, one could also compile one's usual poems and essays into a volume, and with the help of high-ranking officials, submit a letter to the chief examiner such as the chief examiner to nominate oneself.
In this way, the examiner can decide the final score based on the candidate's daily talents and learning.
This method is called "xingjuan".
Liu Wenzhi has always looked down on this method and he never participates in it.
But Yan Shang knew his own business, and he and Feng Xianyu were both very interested in "circulating the scroll".
The two of them agreed to submit their papers to a certain Xianggong (a respectful title for the prime minister). Their first priority was to produce an outstanding paper.
Yan Shang stayed in the house all day, busy organizing and revising old articles and compiling them together.
Suddenly, a few raindrops fell from the sky, and he got up to close the doors and windows.
-----
Mu Wanyao accompanied Princess Jin to Yongshou Temple, but soon she got bored. Princess Jin went to worship Buddha devoutly, and Mu Wanyao wanted to leave. At this time, the maid said that Wei Shu came to see her.
Mu Wanyao quickly seized this excuse to hide away from Princess Jin, saying that she and Wei Shu were going to talk in the small bamboo forest behind the temple.
Wei Shu and Mu Wanyao were walking in the quiet green forest, talking about the submission of the manuscript: "I have prepared the manuscript, and I hope Your Highness will help me recommend it someday."
Mu Wan shook her head and said “hmm”.
The candidates themselves cannot recommend themselves to the chief examiner; they must be guaranteed by high-ranking officials.
Wei Shu asked again: "Your Highness, do you know who is the chief examiner sent by the Ministry of Rites to preside over the examination this year?"
Mu Wan smiled and was about to answer when there was a "tick-tock" sound from the sky and a drop of rain fell.
-----
The bamboo forest was foggy and it was raining when Mu Wanyao and Wei Shu left the forest. But halfway through, the rain started to fall heavily, making a loud crackling sound.
In the rain, Wei Shu suddenly said, "Your Highness, I suddenly remembered that one of my brothers is staying in Yongshou Temple. It's raining heavily now, and the servants are probably hiding in the front yard. Why don't we find my brother's house to take shelter?"
Mu Wan shook his head and rebuked: "Why are you talking so much nonsense? Lead the way!"
Wei Shu's face suddenly turned red, and he whispered "I'm sorry", then grabbed Mu Wanyao's sleeve and hurriedly took her out of the bamboo forest.
After walking around for a while, we finally got out of the forest and saw that the rain was getting heavier. Fortunately, Senior Brother Wei Shu lived next to the bamboo forest.
Wei Shu pulled Mu Wanyao and ran over in the rain. Mu Wanyao stood in the corridor and wiped the rain off his face and clothes. Wei Shu knocked on the door: "Brother Yan!"
No one in the room answered, but there was a loud commotion, as if something had fallen over.
Wei Shu paused, pushed open the wooden door, and asked again: "Brother Yan, are you okay?"
A gentle male voice passed through the dusk rain and rang out from the pile of scrolls on the desk: "Not bad."
Hearing this voice, Mu Wanyao, who was standing behind Wei Shu and sorting out her clothes, felt vaguely familiar with it.
She absentmindedly stroked the wet hair that stuck to her cheek with her hand and looked at the desk.
The man who was kneeling at the desk and sorting books stood up little by little from behind the layers of books.
Long, distant eyebrows, dark and warm eyes, a high nose, and delicate facial features... Time slowed down, from bottom to top, he gradually revealed his elegant eyebrows and smiling red lips.
The evening wind in Qingpu is cold, and the green mountains are as thin as jade.
The sound of raindrops hit the eaves, the bamboo leaves rustled in the wind, and the world fell silent in an instant.
The cold rain is heavy and dripping, the winding years are like a river, how many cold days have come at night?
Standing on the porch steps at the door of the house, a cool breeze blew, brushing Mu Wan's black hair and clothes. She was caught off guard and saw Yan Erlang.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
