Prince Qing’s Residence.
Prince Qing descended from the carriage and brushed aside the attendants who wanted to hold an umbrella for him, striding into the prince’s residence with large steps.
He wasn’t as delicate as Second Brother—this little bit of snow required an umbrella? It wasn’t even raining.
The young prince wearing a sapphire blue python robe went directly to the princess consort’s side. Seeing his beautiful cousin sitting warmly on the kang in the secondary room, Prince Qing removed his cape and tossed it to a maid. After the maid took the cape and withdrew, Prince Qing removed his boots, climbed onto the kang, reached out to embrace Zheng Yuanzhen who was reading with a proper appearance, and lowered his head to kiss inside her collar.
Zheng Yuanzhen complained with distaste: “Cold!”
Prince Qing laughed: “It’ll warm up after kissing for a while.”
Newly married and full of vigorous energy, Prince Qing directly pressed Zheng Yuanzhen onto the kang and fully indulged himself before dinner.
When finished, Prince Qing looked at his cousin with her loosened hair and flushed face like rosy clouds. Thinking how at this time last year his cousin had still treated him politely and courteously but now was willing to engage in intimate pleasures with him, Prince Qing felt increasingly satisfied and continued to hold Zheng Yuanzhen tightly, not allowing her to tidy herself.
Zheng Yuanzhen chided with feigned annoyance: “It’s almost time to eat. Get up quickly.”
Prince Qing: “No rush. I like holding you like this. Keep me company and talk a bit longer.”
Zheng Yuanzhen: “Talk about what?”
Prince Qing thought for a moment, laughed, and while playing with her hair said: “Second Brother sits in a wheelchair, right? Hard wooden seats—other seasons are fine, but sitting continuously in winter must freeze a person. Second Sister-in-law is clever. She had a carpenter change it to a cowhide cushioned seat surface. It looks seamlessly integrated with the wheelchair and is both soft and warm to sit on.”
Zheng Yuanzhen couldn’t imagine it and remarked with light mockery: “It’s difficult for her to think of so many methods to win Second Brother’s favor.”
Zheng Yuanzhen didn’t believe that the dignified and noble Prince Hui could treat a hundred-household commander’s daughter who was greedy and lazy with mutual respect. So for Yao Huang to secure her position as Princess Consort Hui, she could only rack her brains to win Prince Hui’s favor. Yao Huang was completely ignorant of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—she could only work on Prince Hui’s clothing, food, housing, transportation, and entertainment.
Zheng Yuanzhen was a pampered princess who had been indulged and doted on by her mother, Princess Imperial, since childhood. Even after marrying Prince Qing, it was always Prince Qing trying to please her. In her bones, Zheng Yuanzhen looked down on the humble tactics of women using gentleness and consideration to compete for favor.
Prince Qing understood his cousin’s meaning and laughed: “After all, she’s different from you. Second Brother also has an ascetic temperament. If she doesn’t put in the effort, she’d likely end up a living widow.”
Zheng Yuanzhen had no interest in Yao Huang’s affairs and asked him: “Second Brother has been working at the Ministry of Works for a month now, hasn’t he? Has he gotten involved in any projects?”
Although Emperor Yongchang had later given Prince Kang and Prince Qing a reassurance after going to such great lengths to modify the palace gates large and small everywhere, thinking of Prince Hui’s talents and Emperor Yongchang’s favoritism toward him, Zheng Yuanzhen felt somewhat uneasy. She feared more that Prince Hui would also shine brilliantly at the Ministry of Works, shaking Emperor Yongchang’s current thoughts on establishing an heir.
Prince Qing naturally kept an eye on this and said: “Reportedly he’s been shut in his office reviewing last year’s project documents the whole time, with every intention of continuing until New Year’s. At court assemblies he never voluntarily interferes with government affairs either. In my view, Second Brother fears we’ll suspect him and doesn’t dare compete anymore.”
A prince born of a lowly dancing girl, without maternal clan support—the only thing he could rely on was his literary and martial talents. Second Brother had pretended to be forbearing and honest for over ten years, finally seizing an opportunity at eighteen to establish military merit and become Father Emperor’s most beloved son in one leap. Unfortunately, Second Brother’s fate was bad—his legs were crippled. Like a thoroughbred horse with broken legs having no hope whatsoever, if Second Brother was smart enough, he should know not to overshadow his brothers anymore.
Zheng Yuanzhen touched the back of Prince Qing’s hand and said in a low voice: “I hope that’s the case.”
Prince Qing turned her face: “What are you worried about? Even if he wants to compete, sitting in a wheelchair at the Ministry of Works, how can he still surpass me?”
When Second Brother established military merit, he was still young. Now he had grown up—even if Second Brother’s legs healed, he wouldn’t fear him.
Prince Qing disliked the contempt toward himself and high regard for Second Brother that his cousin’s words revealed.
Zheng Yuanzhen smiled: “Yes, Third Brother just lacks an opportunity to prove himself.”
Prince Qing pressed her down for another fierce kissing session before the couple got up to tidy themselves.
Walking to the dining table, Prince Qing looked at the two carved huanghuali armchairs beside the table and said to Zheng Yuanzhen: “I have to say, Second Brother’s cowhide chair really is comfortable. How about this—tomorrow I’ll go with you to make a visit to Second Brother’s place. I’ll keep Second Brother company while you have tea with Second Sister-in-law and mention to her that she should make us two armchairs. We can pay for them.”
Zheng Yuanzhen: “…Not interested. If you like it, go ask Second Brother yourself.”
Prince Qing: “Second Brother’s legs are crippled while mine are fine—how can I have the nerve to ask him? It’s easier for you sisters-in-law to speak up.”
Zheng Yuanzhen: “I have no personal relationship with Madam Yao whatsoever. If she comes to ask me for help, I’ll help. But I couldn’t possibly lower myself to her for two cowhide chairs.”
Prince Qing: “…Fine, your face is precious, mine is thick. In any case, tomorrow you and I will go together. I’ll find an opportunity to ask Second Sister-in-law for them—that should work, right?”
Zheng Yuanzhen was about to refuse when Prince Qing said seriously: “Don’t forget—although Father Emperor has given up on Second Brother, he feels even more compassion for him. Even Eldest Brother knows to visit once a month to show concern. If you and I as younger brother and sister-in-law always act as if Second Brother doesn’t matter, how will Father Emperor view me?”
Brothers showing friendship and respect, sisters-in-law being harmonious—these were all what Father Emperor hoped to see from them.
Zheng Yuanzhen swallowed back the refusal that had reached her lips.
At least before Prince Qing obtained that position, she and Prince Qing indeed had to put on a show.
Prince Hui’s Residence.
The inner chamber heated by underfloor heating was warm as spring. However, within the still pitch-dark bed curtains of the winter morning, Yao Huang was still awakened by the cold of Prince Hui’s slightly cool legs.
She wanted to shrink inward, but her shoulders were pressed firmly by Prince Hui. Finally, he braced himself over and had her lift her legs.
Everything improved with practice. By now Prince Hui had learned to support his body weight with his elbows, which brought the two of them even closer.
Yao Huang could refuse to cooperate, but at this moment Prince Hui couldn’t even move his hands—success or failure was entirely up to Yao Huang to decide. If she truly didn’t give in, it would seem like bullying his disability.
So whenever Prince Hui assumed this position, no matter how tired Yao Huang was, she had to let him have his way.
The faint snowy light gradually filtered in from the window. Just before Yao Huang could make out Prince Hui’s handsome face, Prince Hui made her cry out one final time.
By the time Yao Huang had the strength to tidy up, Prince Hui had already arranged his inner robe and sat up.
Yao Huang grabbed his wrist and forcefully pulled him back down.
The princess consort half-leaned over, using an investigating gaze to look at him. The princess consort’s face was completely flushed, and her eyes, which had wept for a long time, were somewhat red and swollen.
Zhao Sui closed his eyes.
Yao Huang huffed: “You dare to bully people but don’t dare to face it?”
Zhao Sui: “It’s still early. You can sleep a bit more.”
Yao Huang: “It’s already light outside—what sleep?”
Zhao Sui remained silent, his left hand pulling over the quilt to help her cover her shoulders properly.
Yao Huang glanced outside the curtains and said excitedly: “I’ll accompany the prince to see the snow scene in the back garden. After accumulating all night, it’s probably become a fairyland over there.”
Yesterday she had already had Eunuch Cao give instructions not to let the servants clear the accumulated snow on the back garden paths yet.
Zhao Sui agreed.
Only then did Yao Huang let him go to the washroom. She dressed herself, wrapped herself in a cape, and came to the window. Opening the window, a bone-chilling coolness immediately rushed in, bringing a few scattered bits of snow like salt grains.
Outside the window was a vast expanse of white. The courtyard walls and rooftops in the distance were all white too.
Zhao Sui came out from washing his hands in the washroom and saw the princess consort wrapped in a bright red cape lying on the windowsill, exposing only a flushed side of her face and a pair of jade-white delicate feet half-revealed in white fox fur sleeping shoes.
Zhao Sui pushed his wheelchair behind the princess consort.
Hearing the sound, Yao Huang saw he was only wearing his inner robe and quickly closed the window to prevent him from catching cold.
After a tender moment, Yao Huang went inside. When she came out, Prince Hui had already dressed in his outer robe. As he now regularly stayed in the back courtyard, Qing Ai had sent over several sets of the prince’s regular clothing and python robes. This morning Prince Hui had chosen a tea-white brocade robe, looking as handsome as a jade-faced immortal from storybooks.
After breakfast, Yao Huang still wore that red satin-surfaced cape. After adding Prince Hui’s ink-colored cape with gold-threaded auspicious cloud patterns, Yao Huang personally pushed Prince Hui to the back garden.
The accumulated snow on the ground was three fingers thick. Zhao Sui listened to the sound of the princess consort’s footsteps in the accumulated snow and asked: “Are your feet cold?”
Yao Huang: “Thanks to the prince’s blessing, I’m now wearing sable fur boots worth hundreds of taels of silver. Warm inside and waterproof outside—I’ve already warmed up just walking this short distance.”
Zhao Sui: “…”
The back garden was covered in silver. Even that patch of dark green bamboo grove was covered with a layer of white snow.
Circling around to the western lakeside, Yao Huang’s heart stirred and she asked Prince Hui in the wheelchair: “Has the prince ever ice skated?”
Zhao Sui shook his head.
Yao Huang smiled and pointed at the lake surface that had long since frozen solid: “Shall I push the prince to walk on the ice? Don’t worry, Your Highness—I’ve already taken A’Ji and the others to slide on it many times. We won’t fall through.”
Prince Hui’s heart beat somewhat faster. To be cautious, he still wanted to call Qing Ai and Fei Quan over first, just in case.
But the princess consort directly pushed him onto the ice surface.
Yao Huang first slowly pushed Prince Hui in a small half-circle on the ice surface. After Prince Hui was convinced of the ice’s solidity, Yao Huang reminded Prince Hui to grip the armrests firmly, then forcefully pushed the wheelchair forward.
The large golden wheels rolled smoothly through the snow, creating two thin, long wheel tracks. The crisp wind brushed past Prince Hui’s ears. Only when the wheelchair’s speed slowed did his heartbeat also slow down.
He turned the push rims, slowly rotating the wheelchair to face behind him.
The princess consort stood thirty paces away, bending down to scoop up snow.
Zhao Sui watched as the princess consort, unafraid of the cold, directly used her hands to pack a fist-sized snowball. Standing straight, the princess consort gave him a brilliant smile: “The prince has never played at snowball fighting either, has he?”
Zhao Sui: “…”
Yao Huang: “Catch!”
She forcefully threw the snowball aimed at Prince Hui’s face.
Zhao Sui very much wanted to dodge and was capable of dodging—whether leaning sideways or slightly propelling the wheelchair to turn, there was time. However, if the snowball didn’t hit, wouldn’t the princess consort have frozen her hands for nothing?
Zhao Sui closed his eyes.
The snowball, neither very heavy nor very light, struck his forehead and then fell into his lap.
Yao Huang: “…”
Prince Hui, who had even spent two or three years on battlefields, couldn’t block her snowball?
Oh no—with such an accurate hit, Prince Hui was going to be angry, wasn’t he?
Yao Huang quickly ran over. While picking up the snowball and tossing it aside, she frantically used a handkerchief to help the prince wipe away the broken snow from his forehead. Looking at Prince Hui’s lowered lashes, Yao Huang asked nervously: “Why didn’t the prince dodge? Does it hurt?”
Zhao Sui shook his head.
Prince Hui had no intention of holding her accountable, but Yao Huang felt terribly guilty. So she repacked an even larger snowball and stuffed it into Prince Hui’s hands, then retreated about twenty paces, letting Prince Hui throw one at her too.
Zhao Sui looked at the princess consort watching him with an expectant and encouraging expression, then at the snowball in his hands, but ultimately didn’t throw it.
“Let’s build a snowman.”
He couldn’t bear for the princess consort to feel pain.