On the first day of the new year, three pairs of princes and princesses entered the palace to pay New Year respects to the Emperor, Empress, and consorts. Since they were all new daughters-in-law, each princess received a generous amount of New Year’s money from Empress Zhou and their respective mothers-in-law.
Empress Zhou uniformly gave two hundred taels. Consort Liu and Consort Shen each gave Chen Ying and Zheng Yuanzhen one hundred sixty-six taels respectively. Consort Du, being of higher rank, gave Yao Huang one hundred eighty-eight taels.
This was probably when Yao Huang viewed Consort Du most favorably!
“Wishing Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law a prosperous new year.”
Following behind the two princesses, the newly fourteen-year-old Fourth Prince came to pay New Year respects to his elder brother and sister-in-law.
At this age, the Fourth Prince was already as tall as Yao Huang, and would surely shoot up another significant height by year’s end.
Consort Du was the greatest beauty in the palace, and the Fourth Prince was also extremely handsome. His pair of peach blossom eyes, so similar to Consort Du’s, were even more captivating than his second brother’s phoenix eyes when he smiled.
Yao Huang hadn’t met the Fourth Prince many times. Her understanding of him came entirely from Bai Ling, who said the Fourth Prince neither enjoyed sitting still to study nor could endure the hardships of martial training. Prince Kang was diligent in both study and martial practice but limited by natural talent, whereas the Fourth Prince was lazy and gluttonous, making it impossible to tell whether he had any talent at all. Consort Du only had this one biological son—she couldn’t bear to beat or scold him, and Emperor Yongchang, busy with state affairs, had no time to supervise his youngest son’s studies daily.
As for the Fourth Prince’s relationship with Prince Hui, the brothers were ten years apart. The Fourth Prince wouldn’t seek out his second brother for play, and having everything he wanted, he never thought to compete with Second Brother for anything. Even when occasionally showing childish mischief, Prince Hui didn’t hold it against him, so the brothers never quarreled. Then, just a few years after the Fourth Prince became aware of things, Prince Hui was enfeoffed and left the palace.
From these few brief encounters, Yao Huang felt the Fourth Prince had no brotherly affection for Prince Hui. However, the Fourth Prince had an idle, unambitious temperament—he bore no grudge against Prince Hui either, and even seemed somewhat afraid of him. Probably from being faced with Prince Hui’s cold expression since childhood, he’d grown accustomed to the fear. Yao Huang herself hadn’t dared approach naturally stern-faced older children when she was young.
Such a Fourth Prince who clearly wouldn’t amount to much—yet Emperor Yongchang actually quite doted on him!
Thinking carefully, Yao Huang believed the Fourth Prince’s imperial favor stemmed mainly from two points: first, the Fourth Prince was Emperor Yongchang’s youngest son, born when the Emperor was in his early forties—a son obtained in his later years; second, the Fourth Prince was too pleasing to look at. Even someone with Consort Du’s temperament could win favor through beauty in her youth. The Fourth Prince being both handsome and Emperor Yongchang’s biological son—how could he not be cherished? Besides, there were already two adult prince candidates who could inherit the throne. If the youngest one didn’t amount to anything, so be it?
After exchanging a few auspicious phrases, Yao Huang presented a red envelope containing two small five-tael ingots. She had inquired about this with Nanny Liu beforehand and had also discussed it with Chen Ying and Zheng Yuanzhen last night—the New Year’s money for younger sisters-in-law, younger brothers-in-law, and the three children from Prince Kang’s household was all ten taels.
After eating the noon meal in the palace, the New Year palace visit was finally complete.
On the way out of the palace, while Chen Ying spoke with Prince Kang, Yao Huang moved closer to Zheng Yuanzhen and asked in a low voice, “Tomorrow is the second day—will Third Sister-in-law return to the Princess Imperial’s mansion?”
Among commoners, new daughters-in-law all returned to their maiden homes on the second day. Yao Huang wanted to learn from Zheng Yuanzhen about the practices for imperial daughters-in-law.
Zheng Yuanzhen had thought Yao Huang wanted to tell her some secret. Hearing this question, she gave a light “mm.”
Yao Huang’s smile didn’t change. “Then how many days does Third Sister-in-law plan to stay at the Princess Imperial’s mansion? I also need to return to my maiden home, but I don’t know how long is appropriate to stay.”
Zheng Yuanzhen: “…I might stay three to five nights, but the Third Prince will also stay with me. As for Second Sister-in-law, it would be best to discuss it with Second Brother first.”
The Princess Imperial’s mansion was no less grand than a prince’s mansion. However long she and Prince Qing stayed, her mother wouldn’t mind and could accommodate them according to princely standards. Could the Yao family do the same?
Yao Huang understood Zheng Yuanzhen’s implication, but she had already learned what she wanted to know, so she didn’t mind.
Once in the carriage, Yao Huang brought up tomorrow’s visit to her maiden home with Prince Hui.
Prince Hui would certainly accompany her back. As for staying…
Yao Huang took the initiative: “My family’s conditions are modest—without underfloor heating, Your Highness surely won’t be comfortable. Your Highness can return after the noon meal. As for me, how many nights will Your Highness permit me to stay at home?”
Zhao Sui: “What is customary among commoners?”
Yao Huang: “There’s no fixed number. If parents can’t bear to part with their daughter and the in-laws have no objections, some stay seven or eight days. If parents don’t welcome their daughter or the in-laws need her to manage household affairs, some only stay one night or even leave the same day.”
Zhao Sui thought—the Yao family would certainly welcome the princess to stay longer, and the prince’s mansion had no mundane affairs requiring the princess to personally manage.
Looking at the expectation in the princess’s eyes, Zhao Sui said, “As you wish. Three to five days, seven to eight days—all acceptable.”
Yao Huang smiled. “Seven or eight days is too long. Even if Your Highness can bear to part with me, I can’t bear to part with Your Highness. Let’s say three nights. Your Highness can come fetch me at noon on the fifth, have a meal at my home, then we’ll return together.”
Zhao Sui: “Good. Do you need guards arranged?”
Yao Huang: “Of course—after all, that entire row of seventeen or eighteen-year-old young men in Longevity Lane are my childhood friends. I don’t want any gossip reaching Your Highness’s ears because there were no guards watching.”
After the selection and imperial marriage decree, having the palace or prince’s mansion arrange guards for the modest Yao family was to prevent the future princess from associating with outside men. Li Tingwang had appeared before Prince Hui just before New Year’s, causing Prince Hui a moment of mild jealousy. Yao Huang needed to be even more cautious now.
Prince Hui: “…”
On the second day of the new year, Prince Hui accompanied the princess to pay New Year respects to his father-in-law and mother-in-law.
Just as the in-laws gave new daughters-in-law generous New Year’s money, new sons-in-law received the same treatment at their in-laws’ homes. Upon entering the main room, Luo Jinhua somewhat embarrassedly handed Prince Hui a bright red envelope, explaining, “This is customary among commoners, for good fortune and celebration. I hope Your Highness won’t disdain it.”
Zhao Sui accepted it with both hands, saying, “Mother-in-law need not be so formal.”
Just as Prince Hui was about to tuck the red envelope into his sleeve, the princess suddenly reached out, snatched away the envelope, opened it and pulled out a corner of a banknote, exclaiming in surprise, “Fifty taels?”
Luo Jinhua’s face flushed red as she glared at her daughter. “Are you deliberately trying to embarrass me?”
A fifty-tael banknote dropped at the prince son-in-law’s feet—His Highness probably wouldn’t even bother bending down to pick it up.
Yao Huang explained to Prince Hui, “Among our Longevity Lane neighbors, families with conditions similar to ours typically give ten taels of silver as New Year’s money to new daughters-in-law and sons-in-law in the first year. My mother used to grumble about it through gritted teeth, saying when my brother marries or I marry, she’ll have to give the same amount. Now our family’s finances are still the same, yet my mother is willing to give fifty taels. You can see how satisfied she is with you as a son-in-law.”
Prince Hui lowered his eyes at the princess’s teasing.
Yao Huang tucked the red envelope into his sleeve. “Put it away quickly—my mother might regret it later.”
With the prince present, Luo Jinhua was helpless against her daughter. Otherwise, she would definitely spank her daughter’s bottom.
After the noon meal, Prince Hui prepared to leave. Yao Huang brought her family out to see him off.
The carriage door quickly closed, separating their lines of sight.
Zhang Yue remained with one guard.
About an hour later, Prince Hui sent Fei Quan over, carrying in his arms a fox fur cloak the princess often wore.
Yao Huang met Fei Quan alone in the main room. Looking at the luxurious cloak so out of place with her home, Yao Huang said helplessly, “Take it back. I don’t want to show off to the neighbors.”
Fei Quan smiled. “The princess need not wear it, but this is His Highness’s heartfelt gesture. Please accept it, Princess.”
Yao Huang had no choice but to have A’Ji carry the cloak to her west wing room.
Fei Quan followed A’Ji out and gave a low instruction.
After Fei Quan left, while arranging the cloak, A’Ji found a letter that fell from inside the sleeve, inscribed “For Princess’s Eyes Only.”
A’Ji hurried to bring it to the princess.
Yao Huang opened the letter. First, she saw two banknotes inside, each for one hundred taels. Then she read the note, which contained just one sentence: “Staying briefly at home—don’t let your father-in-law and mother-in-law overspend.”
Yao Huang smiled and handed the two banknotes to her mother. “Here, from your good son-in-law honoring you.”
Luo Jinhua refused to accept them, her face reddening as she scolded her daughter. “It’s all your fault for talking too much. If you hadn’t cried poverty to him, why would His Highness send this?”
Yao Huang: “Mother made the grand gesture first. After Brother finishes the military examinations, he’ll probably need to marry soon. You gave His Highness fifty taels as New Year’s money—I’m afraid you won’t have silver left to arrange Brother’s marriage? Besides, what I said wasn’t crying poverty to His Highness. I wanted him to know that though Father and Mother don’t have much silver, they treat their son-in-law with sincere hearts. To His Highness, your heartfelt gesture is more pleasing than five hundred taels.”
Luo Jinhua fell silent.
Yao Lin glanced at his mother, then at his sister, saying, “I’m in no rush to marry. At worst, I’ll wait a couple years. Once I pass the military examination and receive an official position with salary, I’ll save up the betrothal money myself.”
Yao Zhenhu looked at his wife, then at his children, hanging his head. “It’s my fault. If I had the ability to get promoted…”
Luo Jinhua poked him with one finger. “Shut up. Nobody’s complaining about you!”
With her husband’s temperament, not getting promoted was actually good. If he did, she’d only worry more, fearing he’d get embroiled in some palace intrigue.
Spending the afternoon with her family, darkness fell quickly.
A’Ji went to sleep with her sister Qiao Niang. Tonight Luo Jinhua would sleep with her daughter. The heated bed platform in the west wing was toasty warm, and a hot water bottle had been placed in her daughter’s bedding in advance.
Mother and daughter chatted until the third watch before falling asleep.
Early on the third morning, Yao Huang sent Zhang Yue to relay a message to Prince Hui. Thus, near noon, Prince Hui’s carriage arrived at Longevity Lane again.
After the noon meal, Yao Huang accompanied Prince Hui onto the carriage together.
As soon as the carriage door closed, Yao Huang sat on Prince Hui’s lap.
Zhao Sui lowered his head to look at the princess’s face, seeing only a flush of crimson, her eyes closed in a somewhat shy manner.
The hand resting on the princess’s waist tightened slightly as Zhao Sui asked, “Didn’t you say you’d stay three nights? Why did you suddenly change your mind?”
Yao Huang said in a muffled voice, “My family’s heated platform is too hot. Away from it, everything’s cold. Not like the prince’s mansion where it’s warm and comfortable from the inner chambers to the main halls.”
Zhao Sui: “…I’ll have craftsmen come over to dig heating channels for your side?”
Yao Huang lifted her eyes, looking at him reproachfully. “Is it just about the heating channels? With heating channels, you still need to burn firewood and charcoal. The charcoal for one winter alone costs a large sum of silver. Forget about you providing it—my father and mother would never take such advantage of their son-in-law. Besides, they’ve long grown accustomed to the home’s heated platform, unlike me—going from frugality to luxury is easy, going from luxury back to frugality is hard.”
Zhao Sui remained silent.
Yao Huang asked him, “Without me last night, where did Your Highness sleep?”
Zhao Sui answered truthfully, “The front courtyard.”
Yao Huang hooked the jade pendant at his waist. “Without my chatter, did Your Highness sleep particularly well?”
Zhao Sui lowered his eyes. “I’ve never found you chatty.”
Yao Huang looked at Prince Hui’s lowered lashes. “Your Highness still hasn’t said whether you slept well or not.”
Zhao Sui turned his head slightly. “It was alright.”
Yao Huang: “I see. Then have the carriage stop. I’ll continue staying the full three nights. After all, I only wanted to return to the mansion early because I worried Your Highness wouldn’t sleep well without me.”
Her parents and brother missed her, but they still had each other and could see her regularly. Prince Hui was different—she was his only truly intimate bedfellow.
Before falling asleep last night, the image of Prince Hui lying alone in bed, cold and desolate, had flashed through Yao Huang’s mind. Normally it would be one thing, but this was the New Year celebration period.
But Prince Hui’s answer was so noncommittal that Yao Huang turned her head to look outside. “Stop…”
She’d only uttered the short sound when Prince Hui’s large hand suddenly covered her mouth.
He didn’t make the princess turn back around, nor did he offer any explanation. He just covered the princess’s mouth like this until the carriage turned out of Longevity Lane. Only then did Prince Hui release his hand.
Yao Huang glared at him indignantly. “Why cover my mouth?”
Zhao Sui didn’t answer, because he knew the princess understood.
Not hearing what she wanted to hear, Yao Huang angrily moved to bite Prince Hui’s two thin lips that seemed purely decorative despite being so attractive.
Prince Hui reacted quickly. In the instant before the princess could bite, he opened them first, clasped the back of the princess’s head, and kissed her deeply.