Yao Huang had never dared to directly discuss Prince Hui’s legs with him—for instance, besides being unable to move, whether his legs and feet still had sensations of cold, heat, pain, or itching.

However, having been husband and wife for over half a year, through some inadvertent small gestures, Yao Huang had judged the answer herself: yes. The evidence was that when turning over, if her foot accidentally touched Prince Hui’s legs, Prince Hui would look over questioningly, and in summer, the rush mat she’d personally woven—Prince Hui indeed continued using it in the Bamboo Courtyard study.

The news about the rush mat was information Yao Huang had extracted from Qing Ai.

Since he had sensation, Yao Huang didn’t want Prince Hui to only be able to sit in ice-cold hard wooden wheelchairs in the dead of winter. Unable to walk, he was naturally more susceptible to cold than others.

Therefore, when Prince Hui returned to the mansion in the evening, he saw those three new leather-surfaced chairs in the hall.

Yao Huang pushed the four-wheeled wheelchair before him, having him reach out to feel it.

Zhao Sui pressed it briefly.

Yao Huang leaned on the chair back, looking expectantly at Prince Hui’s calm and composed face. “How is it? Isn’t it both comfortable and dignified?”

Zhao Sui looked toward the other normal armchair whose back and seat were both wrapped in golden brocade.

Yao Huang leaned back comfortably and smiled. “This one’s mine. Knowing Your Highness doesn’t like chairs made too elaborate, I didn’t have Master Deng make you a leather backrest. Does Your Highness want to try it? If you like it, I’ll have someone tell Master Deng.”

Zhao Sui looked at this Princess Consort, thinking that when he grew tired reading records, he also wanted to lean back, but recently these lightweight wheelchairs all had backrests unsuitable for prolonged leaning.

Zhao Sui couldn’t accept deliberately stuffing a cushion behind, but if it were made like the Princess Consort’s…

“Push it over.”

It was rare for Prince Hui to show interest. Yao Huang quickly jumped up.

Pushing the heavy armchair to the position Prince Hui designated, Yao Huang cooperatively secured Prince Hui’s wheelchair, then watched as he propped one hand on the armchair and one on the wheelchair, very skillfully changing positions.

After trying it, Zhao Sui said, “Tell Master Deng. Remember to use only plain leather.”

Any silk facing, any embroidery—he didn’t need any of it.

Seeing Prince Hui satisfied, Yao Huang sat on his lap and happily shared the wonderful news of earning a full five thousand taels in banknotes thanks to this leather chair.

Zhao Sui leaned against the comfortable, springy cowhide backrest, looking at the Princess Consort’s bright eyes filled with smiles. He thought about how all those officials and wealthy merchants of all ranks outside, as well as their relatives and family members, who would soon use this type of comfortable leather chair, were all benefiting thanks to the Princess Consort’s concern for him.

However, in Yao Huang’s eyes, Prince Hui’s handsome face remained just as placid. Only his relaxed leaning posture revealed that his mood at least hadn’t worsened because she’d accepted silver from a merchant.

Yao Huang cautiously added, “Your Highness can rest assured—I’m only accepting this one payment. However much he sells afterward has nothing to do with our mansion.”

Zhao Sui grasped the Princess Consort’s hand. “You thought of the method. These five thousand taels are what you deserve. No need to worry.”

Yao Huang gave him a reproachful look. “If Your Highness would smile with me, I’d definitely just be happy without concern.”

Zhao Sui fell silent. He was merely crippled, not impoverished. To show joy openly over five thousand taels of silver—wouldn’t the Princess Consort think him shallow?

Of course, the Princess Consort’s smile was very beautiful. Prince Hui hoped his Princess Consort could be this happy every day.

Happy as she was, Yao Huang was quite self-aware. Leaning on his shoulder, she said, “If I weren’t a Princess Consort, Proprietor Fu would probably have just made finished products and started selling them. He wouldn’t have run over to seek my consent. His willingness to give me five thousand taels is because he fears that afterward I’d be jealous of the big money he earns and use the mansion’s power and influence to cause him trouble.”

Without the idea for leather chairs, Yao Huang couldn’t have earned these five thousand taels. With just the idea but no backing, how much she could get would depend entirely on Proprietor Fu’s conscience.

“So you see, this silver also has Your Highness’s contribution. I’ve already decided—I want to give Your Highness an expensive gift.”

Yao Huang raised her head and told Prince Hui quite magnanimously.

Previously, she only gave Prince Hui small snacks and trinkets that could be bought with copper coins. What she actually gave was her sentiment. She could give expensive things too, but using the ceremonial funds given to her by the imperial family or the banknotes and monthly allowance Prince Hui gave her to buy expensive gifts to then give to Prince Hui—no matter how Yao Huang thought about it, it felt like offering Buddha flowers borrowed from another, showing no sincerity at all.

Now, having earned five thousand taels from outsiders through her clever thinking, this would be truly paying out of her own pocket to give Prince Hui a gift.

Zhao Sui could see the Princess Consort was serious. He asked, “What kind of expensive gift? A hair crown or jade pendant worth one thousand taels, brocade robes or fox furs worth two or three thousand taels, or famous calligraphy and paintings worth four or five thousand taels?”

Yao Huang was speechless.

Zhao Sui continued, “The mansion has all of these. Besides famous calligraphy and paintings which I’m still interested in collecting, you don’t need to spend money on other clothing and accessories.”

Yao Huang protested, “…What famous calligraphy and paintings cost four or five thousand taels? I think Your Highness’s painting skills are quite good—actually the best in the world. Your Highness has your own calligraphy and paintings but won’t appreciate them, insisting on spending several thousand taels to buy others’—that’s simply being a fool. I refuse to be such a fool. I’d rather buy you a one-thousand-tael hair crown or jade pendant.”

One gift wanting to use up all her private savings? No way!

Zhao Sui smiled briefly atop the Princess Consort’s head and said slowly, “My meaning is, I don’t need expensive gifts.”

Yao Huang breathed a sigh of relief. “Fine, then on the next rest day, I’ll take Your Highness to South Main Street to eat freshly roasted lamb skewers.”

Zhao Sui replied, “Gifts should be more suitable for collecting.”

Yao Huang said, “…The wheelchairs I’ve given Your Highness are almost filling up an entire storeroom.”

Zhao Sui countered, “Wheelchairs don’t come from your hands. They don’t count as gifts.”

Yao Huang caught on. Sitting up straight, she tilted her head and smiled at Prince Hui. “So Your Highness wants a gift I make with my own hands. I already gave the rush mat, Your Highness doesn’t like cotton cushions, so shall I sew Your Highness a pair of thick socks? My needlework isn’t good, but you wear socks inside your boots—no fear of people seeing them and laughing.”

Prince Hui lowered his eyes. “Socks are practical, but not suitable for collecting.”

This appearance of clearly having something he wanted but still pretending to be reserved suddenly reminded Yao Huang of one type of item beauties in story books often gave their lovers. She asked casually, “Embroider a handkerchief?”

Prince Hui pondered for a moment, then made a faint sound of agreement.

Yao Huang was speechless.

The next day was the eighth, with no court assembly. The few officials Prince Hui encountered on the road in and out of the palace didn’t notice that although Prince Hui still sat in a golden nanmu wheelchair, the chair seat had quietly changed to soft cowhide. The officials of the Ministry of Works, large and small, had even less opportunity, because Prince Hui spent the entire day in his own office reading records and didn’t show his face at all.

The ninth had a court assembly. Qing Ai pushed Prince Hui to below the high white jade steps at the front of the great hall and temporarily withdrew to the side. Due to status, Prince Kang still helped with pushing when His Highness attended and left court.

The predawn hours of deep winter could freeze dripping water to ice. Prince Kang deliberately stood to Second Brother’s left front, using his reasonably robust body to block the cold wind for Second Brother.

Prince Qing, who had just arrived, saw this and positioned himself right next to Second Brother’s wheelchair back, actively borrowing Elder Brother’s back as a windbreak.

Zhao Sui was speechless.

When Prince Qing stamped his feet, his knee bumped the rear side of the wheelchair seat. The sensation was wrong. Prince Qing bent down curiously and reached out to feel it.

The two Prime Ministers standing behind the three princes couldn’t see Prince Qing’s specific movements clearly and each turned left and right respectively, showing they had seen no improper behavior. The next moment, they heard Prince Qing’s puzzled voice: “Second Brother, is your chair seat made of leather?”

The two Prime Ministers and nearby civil and military officials all looked over simultaneously.

Prince Qing asked a palace attendant for a lantern and circled Second Brother’s wheelchair once, allowing everyone to see clearly.

If Prince Hui had stuffed a cushion into the wheelchair, it would certainly make officials laugh at him for losing face to gain comfort. But Prince Hui’s new wheelchair directly changed the hard wooden seat to cowhide—the cowhide was the same texture as the official boots beneath their feet, just dyed a different color, and the appearance was dignified and imposing. The officials could only appreciate and envy.

Especially the civil officials, who sat year-round on hard wooden chairs in government offices, knew perfectly well in their hearts whether it was comfortable or not.

Prince Hui only explained it was cowhide, leaving everything else to Prince Qing and the officials’ discussion.

Prince Qing also wanted a cowhide chair and asked Second Brother where he’d bought it.

Zhao Sui replied, “It wasn’t bought. Your second sister-in-law had a carpenter modify it. My legs and feet are inconvenient. She worried I’d grow colder the longer I sat.”

Prince Qing was speechless.

Prince Kang, hearing this, both felt sorry that Second Brother actually had this layer of hardship and was gratified that Second Sister-in-law truly knew how to care for people. He couldn’t help but offer several words of praise.

His voice carried to the officials behind, and everyone also began praising Prince Hui’s consort’s orchid nature and intelligent heart in low voices.

Minister of Works Yan Lun and Minister of Revenue Meng Bing exchanged meaningful glances twice in succession.

The first time, Yan Lun felt he could request a memorial from the Emperor to have leather chairs made for officials in all government offices—rabbit or mouse fur soft enough would do. Fearing excessive silver expenditure, they could issue them only to officials of fifth rank and above. Meng Bing understood his gaze and used his own gaze to show support.

The second time, Yan Lun thought it was over—Prince Hui used a leather chair because his legs were crippled and he feared cold. How could these officials have the nerve to complain wooden benches were hard? Meng Bing understood again. Even the Minister of Works had given up this notion; he who managed silver funds even less should proactively have the court disburse silver.

On the three princes’ side, Prince Qing returned the lantern to the palace attendant, thinking he must tell his cousin when he returned tonight to have her visit Second Sister-in-law. This chair craftsmanship was so exquisite—it surely took considerable effort. Rather than have carpenters in his own mansion figure it out from scratch, wasting time, better to directly ask Second Sister-in-law to employ those carpenter masters she was accustomed to using.

The hour of Mao arrived. Prince Kang pushed Second Brother toward the ramp.

After all civil and military officials stood in position, Emperor Yongchang appeared.

From his elevated position, Emperor Yongchang shouldn’t have noticed the change to Prince Hui’s wheelchair seat, but he discovered several military officials on the right were craning their necks to steal glances at the three princes. Even the third was looking beneath his second brother’s bottom. Emperor Yongchang grew suspicious, and extremely disliked this taste of everyone knowing while he alone was kept in the dark. He immediately shouted sternly: “Prince Qing, standing without proper posture—what are you constantly looking down at?”

Prince Qing, who was mentally selecting cowhide colors, felt his heart jump. He stepped forward several paces and said respectfully, “In response to the Emperor Father, this son was looking at Second Brother’s cowhide chair seat. Cowhide provides warmth. With a cowhide seat, Second Brother won’t fear prolonged sitting in the cold. This son was happy for Second Brother and momentarily forgot the rules.”

It was indeed good news. Emperor Yongchang waved his hand and didn’t hold it against the third prince further.

After court dismissed, just as Qing Ai took over the wheelchair from Prince Kang, Eunuch Wang sent a young eunuch to relay a message saying the Emperor summoned Prince Hui to the imperial study.

Emperor Yongchang naturally wanted to observe Second Prince’s cowhide wheelchair up close.

Having looked and pressed it, Emperor Yongchang sighed, “You married a good wife.”

Zhao Sui replied, “…The Princess Consort says cowhide seat surfaces can block cold air. Installing cowhide backrests might also alleviate desk-work fatigue. She’s currently having carpenters rush the work—wheelchairs for this son’s personal use, armchairs to present to the Emperor Father. If the Emperor Father finds them useful, they can be handed to palace craftsmen to improve the techniques.”

Emperor Yongchang smiled. “Good! Thanks to you, We have gained a good daughter-in-law as well!”