After the palace banquet ended and they returned to Yunshan Hall, it should have been time for an afternoon nap. However, Yao Huang, who had been quite drowsy lately, had no desire to sleep.

From returning from the hunting grounds until before attending the banquet, Yao Huang had been worried that her brother would incur the resentment of Prince Kang and the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion, worried about another innocent young lady’s attitude toward this bestowed marriage. But once she actually sat at the banquet table, Yao Huang discovered that the Duke of Zhenguo’s wife still had that same amiable and pleasant demeanor. Li Fuwei was calm and composed, and when their eyes met, there was neither shame nor resistance or rejection in hers.

Yao Huang breathed a sigh of relief. Even though one exchange of glances couldn’t prove much, the fact that Li Fuwei could be so peaceful was always better than her displaying contempt for the Yao family’s status like the Second Princess or Zheng Yuanzhen had initially done.

But immediately after, Yao Huang noticed that Consort Xian, Consort Rou, and Grand Princess Fucheng were looking at her more frequently, each with complex expressions. Even other officials’ wives appeared very cautious, preferring to speak less rather than risk accidentally offending some noble person. The atmosphere was so complicated that for the first time, Yao Huang lost her good mood and appetite for banqueting.

Consort Xian was Prince Kang’s mother consort and also related by marriage to the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion. It was natural for her to be angry at the Yao family over the bestowed marriage. But why were Consort Rou and Grand Princess Fucheng joining in?

Over that position, Consort Xian, Consort Rou, and Consort Du were rivals—the kind of relationship where if one family lost face or suffered a loss, the other two would take schadenfreude. Today Prince Kang had been rebuked by Emperor Yongchang. Consort Rou and Grand Princess Fucheng on Prince Qing’s side should have been happy. Why were their faces still full of dark clouds?

Because both the Prince Kang and Prince Qing families were implicated, Yao Huang finally thought of the succession struggle.

Her own Prince Hui had long been unrelated to the position of heir apparent, but Emperor Yongchang deeply cherished Prince Hui—even the palace threshold had been replaced with a new one!

Although Emperor Yongchang wanted to use her brother, who had delivered himself, to rebuke Prince Kang and the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion, Emperor Yongchang had promoted her brother by two official ranks! Her brother was only twenty years old, jumping from a sixth-rank company commander to a fifth-rank battalion commander in one step. This was quite the achievement for someone young and promising. He was also Prince Hui’s brother-in-law. Together, it wasn’t too humiliating for the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion…

But once the marriage was complete, both Prince Kang and Prince Hui would become relatives by marriage to the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion, making the brothers even closer relatives!

Four brothers competing for the family property—the second was crippled, the fourth was young and incompetent. When it came down to choosing the heir between the eldest and third, the patriarch father suddenly pushed his cherished and beloved second son to the eldest’s side…

Yao Huang sat bolt upright, shocked at first, then wildly delighted!

Prince Qing had been disrespectful to Prince Hui, and Zheng Yuanzhen had been disdainful toward her. Yao Huang wasn’t stupid—she naturally hoped Prince Kang would inherit the throne.

If she hadn’t guessed wrong and Emperor Yongchang had truly decided on Prince Kang, then her simple-minded brother would become the future new emperor’s brother-in-law!

Moreover, if Consort Xian and Consort Rou could think of this, if she could think of this, the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion should be able to think of it too, right? Then they would understand that Emperor Yongchang wasn’t truly trying to rebuke them, but rather hinting that Prince Kang would ascend to that position. In that case, Prince Kang and the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion would be overjoyed—how could they possibly resent her brother?

With this great fortune benefiting the entire Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion, Li Fuwei probably wouldn’t be too resistant to the Yao family’s status. At most, she might disdain her brother’s rough manners?

After this round of analysis, Yao Huang felt as if she’d swallowed two anxiety-relieving pills. She no longer needed to worry about the succession struggle in her husband’s family or her natal brother’s marriage.

Feeling happy, Yao Huang was even less sleepy. She hummed a little tune and picked up a story book.

The banquet on the officials’ side ended late. When Yao Huang’s mood had gradually calmed and she was growing drowsy over her story book, Prince Hui finally returned. After bathing and changing clothes, he came to the rear courtyard.

Sitting in his three-wheeled wheelchair, he propelled himself to the canopy bed. Seeing his princess consort lying with her back to him on the innermost side, the quilt properly covering her, and guessing she had already fallen asleep, Zhao Sui lifted himself onto the bed, removed his shoes, moved his legs, and had just lain down flat when the princess consort beside him suddenly turned over, moved close to him, and looked at him with bright eyes full of laughter.

Zhao Sui asked, “…Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

Yao Huang smiled. “Waiting for you, my prince.”

Zhao Sui asked, “…Why are you so happy?”

Before the banquet, she had still been worried about the bestowed marriage.

Yao Huang became excited again. She sat up and said to Prince Hui with radiant spirits, “About Father Emperor’s bestowed marriage, I have new thoughts. May I tell you about them?”

Zhao Sui nodded.

Yao Huang then lowered her voice and carefully recounted her observations at the banquet and her deductions after returning.

Of course, she didn’t mention Prince Hui’s legs or the Fourth Prince’s mediocrity, only discussing the competitive situation between Prince Kang and Prince Qing based on the facts.

Zhao Sui liked watching his princess consort smile so carefree. Setting aside the fact that she was currently pregnant and needed to maintain a joyful and relaxed mood, even if his princess consort weren’t pregnant, Zhao Sui hoped she could always be happy rather than anxious about gains and losses while also worrying about being resented and retaliated against by others.

Moreover, Father Emperor quite possibly did mean exactly that.

So he held his princess consort’s hand and instructed, “Just keep it to yourself. Don’t show it outwardly.”

Yao Huang understood. When Prince Kang and Consort Xian were satisfied, Consort Rou and Grand Princess Fucheng’s side was gloomy. If she obviously tried to curry favor with Consort Xian and Chen Ying, she would become a thorn in the side of Consort Rou and Grand Princess Fucheng. So Yao Huang would act as if she knew nothing, neither ingratiating herself with nor offending either side, lest Prince Qing’s faction, jealous of Prince Kang but not daring to strike at him, would only dare to squeeze her and Prince Hui, these two soft persimmons, to vent their anger.

After the hunt came three days of Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.

On the morning of the fourteenth, Yao Huang brought Prince Hui to the North Lake shore to fish. They came by carriage, and after disembarking, they spread felt cushions on the grass and set up a canopy. They could sit or lie down—it was extremely comfortable.

Although the Grand Princess and Second Princess liked playing with their second sister-in-law, seeing this setup, they guessed that today was time for their second sister-in-law to accompany their second brother, so they wouldn’t come to disturb them.

Before long, at the princess consort’s instruction, Fei Quan brought Yao Lin over from the Imperial Guards.

At this moment, Prince Hui was fishing by the shore while his princess consort sat on the felt cushion looking at the scenery.

Yao Lin suppressed his anxiety and first performed the proper courtesies to the prince and princess consort according to protocol.

Zhao Sui said, “We’re family. No need to be so formal. Keep the princess consort company and talk.”

The implication was: no need to disturb his fishing.

Yao Lin looked at his younger sister.

Yao Huang patted the felt cushion beside her, having her brother come sit.

Yao Lin didn’t want to dirty the cushion that the prince might sit on later, so he sat cross-legged directly across from his sister. Scanning around and seeing that A’Ji, Qing Ai, Fei Quan, and the two accompanying guards were all far away, Yao Lin immediately complained to his sister in a low voice, “How was I supposed to know you couldn’t just shoot the red fox? When I came across it in the mountains, all I could think about was that hundred taels of reward silver… Oh right, this is for you.”

Yao Huang watched as her brother pulled out a five-tael silver ingot from each sleeve and quickly stuffed them into her hands.

Yao Huang: “…”

Yao Lin said, “I know you don’t care about ten taels of silver anymore, but this is the first time your brother has earned big money. No matter what, I have to share some with you so you can be happy too.”

Of the remaining ninety taels, fifty would go to Mother to save, and forty would be divided into two portions—one portion to treat his subordinate soldiers to drinks after returning to the capital, one portion to treat Li Guantang to drinks. Of course, it would be even better if Li Guantang angrily refused, saving him some silver.

Thinking of the Li family, Yao Lin glanced at Prince Hui’s back and asked his sister, “Yesterday I saw the Duke of Zhenguo and his sons go to see His Majesty. It must have been to request His Majesty withdraw the marriage. Were you inside? Did you hear any news? Did His Majesty rescind his decree?”

Yao Huang picked up one silver ingot and lightly tapped it on her brother’s forehead. “His Majesty’s word is law. He bestowed the marriage in front of so many people. How could he possibly rescind his decree? What, you’re still unwilling to marry the Li family’s young lady?”

Yao Lin rubbed the spot his sister had tapped. “Does it matter whether I’m willing or not? Miss Li definitely looks down on me. Rather than marry her and have her despise me, better to cancel the marriage before we’ve even met. Everyone saves face.”

Yao Huang said, “Then give up on that idea. An imperially bestowed marriage is settled once it’s decided. Don’t keep thinking about this, and don’t go talking nonsense to others.”

Yao Lin replied, “Who could I talk to? The Li family already looks down on me. If I go around talking and they think I don’t fancy Miss Li, the Li brothers really will come beat me up.”

Yao Huang comforted her brother. “Don’t worry. This afternoon I’ll invite Miss Li to tour the gardens. I’ll first feel out her attitude toward you. If she really doesn’t despise you, I’ll tell you, so you won’t worry yourself sick.”

With an imperially bestowed marriage, as the princess consort, she should indeed invite her future sister-in-law over to talk, showing that she too was very pleased with this marriage.

Yao Lin asked, “What if she does despise me?”

Yao Huang replied, “Then it depends on your performance after marriage. Change all those things that Mother and I usually criticize about you. Be good to her. If you strive to have nothing that can be despised, what else can she despise about you?”

Yao Lin said, “No matter how well I do, my family background still won’t match hers.”

Yao Huang replied, “If she really picks on you for that, then just watch her expressions and act accordingly. When she calls you over, go over. When she doesn’t call you, stay by yourself. The prince and I started out the same way. Only after becoming familiar did we gradually grow closer.”

Prince Hui, who wasn’t very far away and could completely hear the siblings’ conversation: “…”

After discussing the bestowed marriage, Yao Lin wanted to leave. The nobles and officials inside the traveling palace had a Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, but the Imperial Guards’ duty to guard the traveling palace couldn’t be delayed.

Yao Huang looked at her brother, coughed, and asked, “Since coming here, has Brother written home?”

Yao Lin replied, “No. We’re so close—what’s there to write about?”

Imperial Guards, Imperial Guards—at this time, having correspondence with outsiders could easily create suspicion.

Yao Huang reached out her hand toward her brother.

Yao Lin instinctively grasped his sister’s hand and pulled her up.

Yao Huang turned in a circle in front of her brother. “Can you tell if there’s any change in me?”

She had only written to tell Mother about her pregnancy. As for her unmarried brother, specially sending someone to announce the good news seemed a bit awkward.

Yao Lin looked his sister up and down and smiled. “Following the prince, eating and drinking well, you’re being nourished more and more beautifully.”

Prince Hui, who could no longer concentrate on fishing: “…”

Yao Huang deliberately tightened her skirt at the waist. “You still can’t tell?”

Yao Lin asked, “Tell what?”

Yao Huang saw Prince Hui turning his head toward them and immediately loosened her skirt. She smiled at her brother and said, “Next year you’ll be an uncle!”

Yao Lin first widened his eyes, then broke into a grin. He instinctively wanted to pick up his sister and spin her around a few times, but then worried about hurting her. Yet holding in this burst of joy without releasing it was unbearable!

Yao Huang watched her brother raising his hands then lowering them, wanting to say something but unable to speak—such a foolish appearance.

Yao Huang prompted him, “Are you happy?”

Yao Lin nodded repeatedly.

Yao Huang asked, “Do you want to drink?”

Yao Lin kept nodding.

Yao Huang pointed in the direction he’d come from. “Go on then. Go back to your duties first. This evening, I’ll have the prince treat you to drinks.”

Yao Lin then strode off at great speed, running as fast as his happiness was great!