Once New Year’s Eve passed, bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, it became the first year of Jingping.

At the beginning of the second month, the plum blossoms in the imperial garden bloomed. Empress Dowager Zhou invited Yao Huang and little Princess Qin’er to view the plum blossoms in the imperial garden.

Qin’er wouldn’t turn three until the fourth month. Yao Huang placed the little one in a stroller and left the rear hall of Qianyuan Palace. The spring light was brilliant. Qin’er sat in the stroller looking around in all directions. Upon entering the imperial garden and seeing Empress Dowager Zhou standing under a plum tree with a nanny from afar, Qin’er immediately smiled with her eyes curved, calling out crisply, “Imperial Grandmother!”

Empress Dowager Zhou turned around. Seeing the little princess in the stroller who looked exactly as if printed from the same mold as Yao Huang, she smiled and personally lifted Qin’er out of the stroller.

Qin’er looked up, wanting to pick the plum blossoms overhead.

Yao Huang plucked two small short branches for the little one—one branch for Qin’er to hold in her hand, one branch to pin in Qin’er’s hair.

“Mother should wear flowers too.” Qin’er looked at her mother’s hair bun adorned with only a jade hairpin and raised the plum blossom branch in her hand.

Yao Huang then lowered her head, letting her daughter help her insert it.

This way Qin’er had finished viewing the flowers. She squirmed in her imperial grandmother’s arms, and once her feet touched the ground, she walked forward on her own.

Empress Dowager Zhou and Yao Huang followed side by side behind her. Looking at Qin’er’s small figure, Empress Dowager Zhou smiled in reminiscence: “Truly worthy of being siblings—Qin’er’s lively manner is exactly like the Crown Prince when he was young.”

When Jun’er turned three, he was invested as Heir Apparent of the Eastern Palace. Last year when the new Emperor ascended the throne, right after investing the Empress, he immediately designated the Crown Prince as well.

Yao Huang said, “Yes, the Crown Prince liked watching fish back then. Qin’er is the same.”

As they spoke, Qin’er indeed walked toward the pond. Unfortunately, the water in the pond hadn’t completely thawed yet. Those koi had long been moved indoors to be raised before winter last year and would be released back once the water warmed.

Unable to see the koi, Qin’er returned to the imperial garden’s main path. One moment she entered the pavilion, the next moment she climbed the artificial mountain. Yao Huang needed to converse with Empress Dowager Zhou, so she had the wet nurse follow closely.

After chatting about the siblings, Empress Dowager Zhou began showing concern for the elder: “Has His Majesty still been eating vegetarian meals recently?”

Yao Huang replied, “He wanted to observe mourning for another year or half year, but this daughter-in-law feared he couldn’t endure managing state affairs while only eating vegetarian food. After the Lantern Festival, I coaxed him into eating several meat dishes.”

Empress Dowager Zhou patted Yao Huang’s hand: “You did right. The Son of Heaven should prioritize the realm and state. The new Emperor observing mourning by counting days as months has long become established practice. Now that the late Emperor has been interred in the imperial mausoleum for half a year, His Majesty should look forward and must not continue wallowing in grief.”

Yao Huang said, “Yes, this daughter-in-law will counsel His Majesty well.”

Empress Dowager Zhou continued, “I remember you go to the prince’s residence garden every spring to view spring scenery. This year, pick a rest day to visit as well. His Majesty was taciturn and rarely smiled even as a youth. After ascending the throne, his august bearing has grown heavier. The court officials cannot fathom His Majesty’s thoughts. If they think His Majesty hasn’t emerged from grief, the officials will have to continue commemorating the late Emperor along with His Majesty. Even if families have joyous occasions, they won’t dare make arrangements. Over time, this will only breed resentment.”

Yao Huang said admiringly, “Mother Empress thinks so thoroughly.”

Empress Dowager Zhou smiled.

The new Emperor was an extremely disciplined and proper person. Although the Empress was bright and loved to smile, she didn’t dare casually speak up to counsel in such matters. It had to be her as the elder to give a push, urging the young Emperor and Empress to quickly restore their former days of laughter and conversation.

In the morning, Zhao Sui handled state affairs in the imperial study. When nearly time for the midday meal, he returned to Qianyuan Palace to dine.

Jun’er, about to turn six, had returned early from the academy ahead of his father Emperor. After washing his hands, he sat on the heated kang playing with his sister. Qin’er also liked her brother and displayed for him several pretty pebbles she had gathered from the imperial garden, already washed clean.

When the sound of palace maids respectfully welcoming “His Majesty” came from outside, Jun’er wanted to get down from the kang. Qin’er thought her brother was leaving and wrinkled her little face, about to cry.

Jun’er looked toward his mother Empress in difficulty.

Yao Huang asked with a smile, “Why must you get down?”

Jun’er looked toward the doorway of the secondary chamber.

The next moment, the hem of a black dragon robe appeared there. The black dragon boots lifted and crossed, and the new Emperor entered the room.

Zhao Sui’s first glance went to the Empress. Seeing her looking at the kang, Zhao Sui’s gaze shifted and he saw his daughter with her little arms spread, hugging her brother. Jun’er looked at him nervously while changing to a kneeling position and cupping his hands: “This son pays respects to Father Emperor. Unable to descend from the kang in time to respectfully welcome Father Emperor, this son begs Father Emperor’s forgiveness.”

Qin’er didn’t quite understand what her brother was saying and continued lying on her brother’s back, hugging him tightly while complaining to Father Emperor: “I don’t want brother to leave. I want him to play with me.”

Zhao Sui observed Jun’er for a while longer, then said, “No need for such formality. Play with your sister.”

Jun’er replied, “Yes.”

Zhao Sui gave the Empress a look and went to the inner chamber inside.

Yao Huang followed in and saw the new Emperor stop before the lacquered and gilded washing stand, about to roll up his sleeves to wash his hands.

Yao Huang walked quickly forward, imitating Jun’er’s respectful manner: “Your Majesty, don’t move. This consort will serve you.”

Zhao Sui: “…”

Yao Huang saw clearly—the not-very-obvious fine hairs at His Majesty’s wrist all stood up. But she pretended not to see, pulled over His Majesty’s left hand, and with lowered brows and obedient eyes helped him roll up his sleeves.

Zhao Sui asked, “Why suddenly use the humble form of address? And Jun’er—why did he perform a kneeling bow?”

Yao Huang looked at the sleeve in her hands: “Because Your Majesty is the supreme sovereign. Your Majesty’s dragon authority grows ever weightier. This consort—”

Before finishing her words, the new Emperor suddenly pulled her into his embrace, rubbing the back of her head: “Don’t address yourself that way anymore.”

Yao Huang said, “Alright then. This is an edict Your Majesty has given me. In the future, Your Majesty mustn’t fault me for this form of address.”

Still that distant tone. Zhao Sui didn’t like her being this way. To remind the Empress of what kind of relationship they had, his hand squeezed through the Empress’s back collar, sliding along the Empress’s skin fine as congealed fat all the way down to her lower back.

Yao Huang gasped and collapsed softly into the new Emperor’s embrace.

The former Prince Hui and Crown Prince had done even more audacious things to her, but in the over half year since the late Emperor’s passing, the newly ascended Emperor had devoted himself to observing mourning. At most at night he would hold her to mutually console each other in remembrance of the late Emperor. Apart from that, there had been no other intimate gestures. This sudden move—how could Yao Huang withstand it?

Zhao Sui truly hadn’t intended to be lustful—at least not before making this gesture. But the Empress was deliberately provoking him, and then as his palm slid over that familiar body, that fire suddenly ignited.

But the two children were right outside, still waiting for Father Emperor and Mother Empress to come out for the midday meal. Zhao Sui withdrew his hand in time. With one arm supporting the Empress who had gone boneless, one hand straightening her loosened collar, he continued asking, “What exactly is going on with Jun’er? Did someone say something to him?”

Yao Huang leaned against his chest that had grown somewhat thinner, saying in a muffled voice, “Does anyone need to say anything? These past six months you haven’t had a trace of a smile on your face, nor any mood to play with the siblings. Of course I know you have your difficulties, but children of just a few years can only see what you display. Wearing the dragon robe makes you His Majesty. Jun’er is also intelligent. Your august bearing as Emperor has surpassed the gentleness of Prince Father from before. Naturally he’ll learn from your previous reverence and respect toward the late Emperor.”

Half a year ago, Jun’er had already been very attentive to propriety before Father Emperor. This time it just happened that he was on the kang accompanying his sister, which made the estrangement between father and son obvious.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Sui said, “At dusk, our family of four will stroll through the imperial garden.”

Yao Huang nodded.

Zhao Sui helped her stand straight and rolled up his own sleeves to wash his hands.

Yao Huang watched from the side and mentioned what Empress Dowager Zhou had said to her in the imperial garden.

Zhao Sui asked, “Then shall we return on the tenth?”

Yao Huang replied, “We three—mother and children—have time anytime. Can you truly spare the time?”

Zhao Sui said, “The tenth is originally a rest day.”

Yao Huang huffed, “New Year should be for rest even more, yet didn’t Your Majesty spend most of the time in the imperial study reading old memorials from previous years?”

Zhao Sui fell silent.

This was the first New Year after Father Emperor’s passing. Although his heart was no longer so heavy, he also couldn’t appear as if nothing had happened.

And he truly needed to understand some officials, unfinished construction projects in various regions, and unsettled major cases through old memorials from previous years. He simply took advantage of the leisure time before and after New Year to read several more days at once.

But he couldn’t say this to the Empress, because he didn’t want her to think he was an unfilial person who had returned to normal just months after Father Emperor’s passing.

He lowered his head to wash his hands.

Yao Huang embraced his waist from behind, saying fondly, “I also miss Father Emperor, but I miss you more. I want you to spend more time with us three—mother and children.”

Zhao Sui replied, “I will. However we lived before, we’ll continue that way going forward.”

Later during the midday meal, Zhao Sui served dishes to both Jun’er and Qin’er several times.

Qin’er ate with relish. Jun’er secretly glanced at Father Emperor several times.

Zhao Sui said, “After finishing your studies this afternoon, come to Qianyuan Palace. It’s been some time since I checked your lessons.”

Jun’er, who had been personally praised as intelligent by his imperial grandfather, wasn’t nervous at all—only happy that Father Emperor finally had time to accompany him again.

After the midday meal ended, Jun’er returned to the Eastern Palace for his afternoon rest. Qin’er was also carried by the wet nurse to the side room of the rear hall.

Yao Huang looked at the jade pendant at the new Emperor’s waist. These past six months, the new Emperor had been busy with state affairs and relied on his youth—he rarely rested at midday. When he occasionally did rest, he always napped alone in the central hall. Yao Huang could understand the new Emperor not coming to the rear hall for the first half year. But now the new Emperor had decided to look forward, and in broad daylight he had touched her like that—

Zhao Sui said, “Today there are quite a few memorials. I’ll return to the imperial study first.”

Empress Dowager Zhou had just this morning counseled him through the Empress to look forward. If he accompanied the Empress for an afternoon nap at midday, wouldn’t it seem his previous commemoration of the late Emperor was merely for show, and he’d recovered immediately once someone counseled him?

He should recover, but not in this manner.

Yao Huang smiled: “I’ll see Your Majesty off.”

If he wouldn’t accompany her, so be it. He wasn’t hungry—Yao Huang was even less famished!

At dusk, after Zhao Sui had checked Jun’er’s lessons, he accompanied the Empress and the pair of children to tour the garden as promised. Because the imperial garden wasn’t large enough, after strolling one circuit it was still early. Zhao Sui glanced toward the Eastern Palace direction: “Let’s also stroll through the Eastern Palace’s two gardens. After touring, we’ll dine directly at the Eastern Palace.”

Yao Huang happened to miss Master Gao’s cooking as well. Holding Jun’er’s hand while walking beside the new Emperor pushing their daughter, she planned that once they returned to the prince’s residence on the rest day, she’d take the opportunity to transfer Master Kong into the imperial kitchen.

The Eastern Palace remained as before, only lacking the multitude of palace servants the Emperor and Empress had taken to Qianyuan Palace.

The family of four first toured the western garden. Because the space was too small, only two plum trees were planted inside. The flower beds weren’t large either—the eighteen peony plants were all Yao Huang variety, their leaves lush green but not yet showing flower buds.

Coming to the eastern deer park, Qin’er led her brother to see the deer. Now there were three generations of doe inside.

Zhao Sui, worried about the siblings, followed to the deer shed area.

Yao Huang lazily leaned against the long bench to the left of the garden gate. She glanced at the one large and two small figures before the deer shed, glanced at the maple trees on the southern hillock. Her gaze made a circuit and naturally fell on the wall top and wall base to the right of the garden gate.

Thinking of what good deeds the former Crown Prince had done to her pressed against that wall, Yao Huang’s face grew hot. Looking toward the deer shed again, she saw that although the new Emperor stood guard beside the two children, his handsome face was turned toward her—who knew for how long. Only when she discovered him did he hurriedly turn back. Still an Emperor, yet so clumsy at peeking.

The setting sun descended. The family of four went to the main hall to dine. After eating, they should return to Qianyuan Palace, but Qin’er was reluctant to part with her brother and refused to leave.

Yao Huang was just about to decide to let Qin’er stay overnight at the Eastern Palace when the new Emperor beside her spoke, saying the same thing.

Thus, when leaving the Eastern Palace, only the Emperor and Empress remained.

Twilight gathered on all sides. The cool evening breeze of early spring blew across the palace path between the Eastern Palace and Qianyuan Palace. Yao Huang didn’t feel cold at all, because the new Emperor’s gaze that fell on her face from time to time was itself a ball of fire.

After returning to Qianyuan Palace, Zhao Sui bathed and changed clothes in the central hall, then went to the rear hall to find the Empress.

Tonight Yao Huang soaked in the bathtub a bit longer. Some thoughts needn’t be spoken—they could be seen just from eye contact. And her husband was already quite restrained.

Half a year—aside from when pregnant with the siblings, this was the first time the couple had been separated for so long.

Twenty-five-year-old Yao Huang seemed to return to that night when she first married Prince Hui. No, actually she was even more nervous than that night. After all, that night she still didn’t know whether Prince Hui could perform or not. Tonight she knew the new Emperor performed very well. What she feared was his abnormal vigor every time after abstaining too long.

Drying her body, Yao Huang changed into a set of white silk undergarments embroidered with a few simple plum blossoms. They looked as plain as her previous pure white undergarments yet added a touch of gentle beauty.

As she sat on the kang in the eastern secondary chamber combing her hair, the new Emperor arrived.

Yao Huang maintained a posture of slightly lowered head while gently moving the comb, asking in puzzlement, “Why has Your Majesty come so early tonight?”

The first half year, first they slept in separate rooms for a hundred days. The following three months, although he came to the rear hall, it was never before the hour of xu.

The new Emperor didn’t answer and went directly to the inner chamber.

Yao Huang waited until her long hair was completely dry before going in.

Qianyuan Palace’s rear hall actually also belonged to the Emperor. The Central Palace in the rear three sections was where successive Empresses should reside. It was just that the newly ascended Jingping Emperor didn’t want to be separated from his only Empress, so after the enthronement ceremony, he arranged for the Empress to reside in Qianyuan Palace.

The rear hall was more spacious than the bedchambers of princes and crown princes. But once all the lamps inside were extinguished, this spacious bedchamber seemed even darker—pitch black without seeing one’s hand before one’s face.

Yao Huang stood at the doorway a while longer, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darkness before walking toward the canopy bed.

Just as she lifted the first layer of gauze curtain on the canopy bed, a hand suddenly reached over from the side.

Yao Huang bumped into a familiar broad chest. Before she could stand straight, that slender and strong hand explored into her back collar just as it had at the washing stand during the day.

The thirty-one-year-old new Emperor had a more robust physique than Prince Hui who sat in a wheelchair at their wedding, and was also more skilled and uninhibited than the twenty-six-year-old Crown Prince who had just recovered his legs. At least on such pitch-black nights, he was never afraid of the complaints—real or feigned—from the person in his arms.

Yao Huang was truly panicked: “Slower, Your Majesty, you—”

Zhao Sui closed his eyes.

Since childhood he had revered Father Emperor, because Father Emperor possessed the highest authority in this palace and in all under heaven. Those closer to the Emperor had to be more careful in word and deed.

He commemorated Father Emperor because Father Emperor had given him imperial favor far exceeding other princes and princesses.

But now, he had succeeded Father Emperor to become that person with the most authority. His wife no longer needed to find appropriate reasons for every departure from the palace. His children didn’t need to walk the cold paths he had walked as a child.

From childhood to adulthood, Zhao Sui had been accustomed to propriety. But he ultimately wasn’t a true gentleman. He would also secretly rejoice at obtaining imperial authority.

Yao Huang had long been accustomed to her husband’s silence when doing these things, but he was after all a living person. Whether the force was light or heavy, whether the time was long or short—all could reveal some of his thoughts.

For instance, the first time Yao Huang scolded him, the disabled Prince Hui immediately relented, clearly misunderstanding that she was truly angry.

For instance, the first time Yao Huang complained he was too big there, the disabled Prince Hui immediately finished, showing the proper prince couldn’t withstand common folk’s crude language.

For instance, the first time Yao Huang called him Crown Prince in his ear, the Crown Prince still in the carriage couldn’t control himself, demonstrating he was also happy about being “promoted.”

Now whenever she called out “Your Majesty,” the new Emperor behind her displayed an attitude as if his strength had also increased along with his status. Yao Huang knew how much he liked being this Emperor.

Yao Huang liked this husband of hers—liked how he was forever cool and aloof before others, appearing without desire, yet came completely alive before her.

Half a double-hour, or perhaps longer, the new Emperor finally was willing to leave her, embracing her as they collapsed on the bed.

Yao Huang turned with difficulty and lay against his chest, rising and falling with his breathing.

Zhao Sui pulled up the blanket, covering the Empress’s shoulders that kept producing new perspiration.

By the time Yao Huang recovered, the new Emperor had already returned to complete calm.

Yao Huang reached toward his face, from chin to brow peak, then from brow peak back to chin.

It tickled somewhat. Zhao Sui grasped the Empress’s hand.

Yao Huang asked, “What, having become Emperor, has your face become a dragon face that I can no longer touch?”

Zhao Sui replied, “If I have a dragon face, what is your face?”

Yao Huang answered, “Either flower countenance or moon beauty. Your Majesty can choose whichever you prefer.”

Zhao Sui then turned over to press down on the Empress, inch by inch kissing her flower countenance and moon beauty.

Kissing and kissing, the Empress began crying and sobbing again. However, because the new Emperor had become gentler, the Empress could still intermittently speak complete sentences.

“Your Majesty ate vegetarian meals for half a year. You’ve grown thin, so how is it that the place that should have thinned shows no signs of thinning?”

Zhao Sui didn’t speak.

Yao Huang said, “Your Majesty won’t acknowledge me, so I don’t want to acknowledge you either.”

She pushed the new Emperor outward, but at this time how could she possibly push him? Instead, both her wrists were pinned, and she was punished twice more.

Yao Huang complained, “Your Majesty only knows how to bully people.”

Zhao Sui replied, “You brought it on yourself.”

Yao Huang: “…”

After three rounds in succession, the new Emperor finally went to clean his body. He then lit several lamps, brought over a bucket of water to the bedside, and attended to his Empress.

Yao Huang bit her lip bashfully.

After the new Emperor extinguished the lamps and lay down again, Yao Huang skillfully burrowed into his embrace, tracing his shoulder: “When I call you Prince, Your Majesty loves to hear it. When I call you Your Highness, Your Majesty also loves to hear it. When I call you Your Majesty, Your Majesty loves it even more. How wonderful for you—in eight years of marriage, I’ve changed three nice forms of address for you consecutively, yet Your Majesty has never called me anything.”

“Huang Huang” didn’t count—that was him deliberately being mischievous.

Zhao Sui said, “I don’t need to call you.”

He didn’t like having palace servants attending nearby. Every time he saw her, the couple was alone. Naturally his words were spoken to her.

At night, she had many requirements of him. Zhao Sui had none—didn’t even need to speak.

Yao Huang thought for a moment: “As an example, if one day I fell ill and needed to take medicine but didn’t want to, Your Majesty would surely need to coax me, right? So how would you coax me? When I coax Jun’er and Qin’er, I always call them by name.”

Zhao Sui immediately thought of those gentle-as-water voices of hers—”Good Jun’er,” “Good Qin’er”—coming so naturally.

Yao Huang touched the new Emperor’s lips that seemed about to open and said in advance, “You mustn’t call me Empress or Good Empress. That doesn’t sound nice.”

Empress, Empress—just hearing it sounded dignified and proper, completely unrelated to intimacy.

Zhao Sui grasped her fingers: “Let me think about it. I’ll tell you tomorrow morning.”

Having been tormented for so long, Yao Huang was indeed tired and fell asleep leaning on his shoulder.

But the new Emperor was wicked. When Yao Huang was awakened by him again, the bed curtains were still dark.

She refused to cooperate no matter what he said.

The drowsy Empress had no strength at all. Zhao Sui could have made her comply using just his knee, but he didn’t do so. He kissed along the Empress’s warm neck to her ear. Because the surroundings were pitch black, because she was drowsy and confused, he very naturally called out, “Huang’er, be good.”

Yao Huang was startled awake by this unfamiliar form of address from the new Emperor’s mouth: “You—what did you just call me?”

Zhao Sui paused briefly: “Huang’er. Huang from Yao Huang.”

Yao Huang asked, “Of course it’s huang from Yao Huang. What other huang could I possibly think of?”

Zhao Sui explained, “It sounds the same, so I’ve long thought of calling you this, but never used it.”

Under heaven, only the Emperor and Empress, as well as the Emperor’s children, could use the character “huang”—Emperor, Empress, or Imperial Prince, Imperial Princess.

Zhao Sui had been a cautious prince since childhood. Therefore, when he was still Prince Hui or Crown Prince, he couldn’t call his Princess or Crown Princess “Huang’er,” which sounded the same as “Imperial Child.”

Yao Huang called it several times in her heart. The more she thought about it, the more nauseating it felt. She said awkwardly, “Then you’d better not call me that. Huang’er, huang’er—it’s like calling a child.”

Zhao Sui replied, “You are younger than me.”

Yao Huang protested, “But not young enough to be your imperial child.”

Zhao Sui said, “But only calling you this is intimate enough.”

Yao Huang countered, “Yao Yao is also very intimate.”

Zhao Sui stated, “I can’t say it.”

Yao Huang retorted, “Can’t open your mouth, but you can use your hands and feet, right?”

The new Emperor stopped speaking and continued doing what he was very accustomed to and enjoyed doing.

The Emperor and Empress were deeply in love, but in the following years, the imperial couple still had only the Crown Prince and one princess under their knees.

Gradually some officials, citing concern over insufficient imperial heirs, memorialized requesting Jingping Emperor to hold consort selections to fill the harem.

At morning court, Jingping Emperor—also taciturn, sparing with words yet every word hitting the mark—looked at the official surnamed Zheng kneeling in the great hall and stated frankly, “In my early years, I suffered from a leg ailment. It was Huang’er who never abandoned me, helped me unlock my mental barriers, and return to court. One could say that without Huang’er, there would be no me sitting before you ministers today. My meeting Huang’er was like withered trees meeting spring—we are inseparable. I once stated frankly to the late Emperor that I would grow old together with Huang’er and absolutely never take concubines. The late Emperor, who valued imperial heirs more than all you ministers, never interfered with my decision. Minister Zheng has repeatedly submitted memorials about consort selection matters. Do you think you are more qualified than the late Emperor to discipline me?”

The full court of civil and military officials: “…”

Even the Court Diarist sitting to the side diligently writing paused for a moment. Huang’er? Huang’er? The Empress?

Although this form of address was overly intimate, the Court Diarist still faithfully recorded Jingping Emperor’s words exactly as spoken on paper.

The official surnamed Zheng, covered in goosebumps, defended himself: “This humble minister dares not. This humble minister only—”

Zhao Sui interrupted, “Those who don’t know aren’t blamed. But today I have made my intentions clear. Henceforth, anyone who counsels me to hold consort selections will all be punished for the crime of defying imperial will.”

All civil and military officials knew that Jingping Emperor either didn’t speak, but once he spoke, his word was law.

Thus from this day forward, no one dared publicly discuss even half a sentence about Jingping Emperor’s harem.

When news spread to the common people, it naturally became a fine tale of the Emperor and Empress’s deep love.