Regardless, on days ending in five while at the traveling palace, Yao Huang and the other princess consorts and secondary consorts should all go pay respects to Empress Zhou.

After eating breakfast, Yao Huang took A’Ji and went out.

The sisters-in-law going together to pay respects had already become routine. The specific time of departure had unknowingly come to be decided by Yao Huang’s side—mainly because Chen Ying was willing to wait for Yao Huang, and Zheng Yuanzhen didn’t want to quibble with Yao Huang over such small matters. However, aside from that first night arriving at the traveling palace when Yao Huang had slept in, on subsequent days requiring respects Yao Huang had never delayed, and Prince Hui also wouldn’t act recklessly on such days.

As soon as Princess Consort Hui left her quarters, the young eunuchs at Qinghui Hall and Songfeng Hall responsible for watching for this immediately went to report to their respective masters.

Yao Huang waited briefly, and Zheng Yuanzhen emerged, wearing an elegant outfit of white upper jacket and green long skirt.

The younger brother-in-law had just been scolded, and the emperor father-in-law might still be angry. Today Yao Huang also dressed plainly—just a light yellow upper jacket, with a skirt in a green much lighter than Zheng Yuanzhen’s, the combination fresh and suited to the vivacity proper for her age.

When the two sides met face to face, Zheng Yuanzhen remained noble and dignified as ever, showing no abnormality.

Yao Huang also didn’t keep staring at her for scrutiny. These matters were best understood tacitly—staring too long would become discourteous.

After simply greeting each other, the two walked forward shoulder to shoulder. Nearly reaching Qinghui Hall, Chen Ying and the two secondary consorts also emerged with the three children.

Yao Huang noticed that the two secondary consorts’ expressions were normal with natural smiles, while Chen Ying hardly dared look toward Zheng Yuanzhen. Evidently what Prince Hui would tell her, Prince Kang had also told Chen Ying—the brothers’ moods would just differ somewhat.

Arriving at the West Palace, those who lived nearby—Consort Xian, Consort Rou, Princess Imperial Fucheng, as well as the eldest princess and second princess—had all arrived.

Some words couldn’t be said, yet some matters couldn’t be avoided. As the legitimate mother, Empress Zhou asked Zheng Yuanzhen with concern: “How is Prince Qing’s injury?”

Zheng Yuanzhen lowered her eyes: “There’s nothing serious anymore. Mother Empress need not worry.”

Empress Zhou looked again at Consort Rou whose eyes were rimmed with red and said: “When a son travels a thousand miles, his mother worries. Moreover, Prince Qing returned with an injury. After this, you and the princess imperial should both go see him. I’ve already asked His Majesty on your behalf—he didn’t say we’re forbidden from visiting Prince Qing.”

Both Consort Rou and Princess Imperial Fucheng expressed gratitude to Empress Zhou.

The respects were simple. To avoid the awkwardness of Chen Ying and Yao Huang traveling the same route back to the eastern quarters as Consort Rou and the others, Empress Zhou invited Consort Xian and the younger generation to accompany her in admiring scenery within the traveling palace.

Consort Rou, anxious to see her son, walked quickly. Princess Imperial Fucheng took her daughter and fell back two steps, using her eyes to question her daughter.

Zheng Yuanzhen avoided her mother’s gaze.

Yesterday morning when she went to pay respects to Consort Rou and her mother, she hadn’t said much at Consort Rou’s place, but when alone with her mother, Zheng Yuanzhen had cried aggrievedly. Prince Qing himself was incompetent and failed to handle his assignment properly—why should he vent his anger on her? Before marriage, hadn’t Prince Qing eagerly come to curry favor and please her at every meeting? Now, married for less than a year, Prince Qing dared give her a sour face?

She felt wronged, yet her mother actually said she had been too hasty, that she should have first shown concern for Prince Qing’s injury, waited until Prince Qing’s pride recovered, then inquired about the bandit suppression details. Her mother also told her to go back and act as if nothing unpleasant had happened yesterday, to go show concern for Prince Qing again.

Zheng Yuanzhen hadn’t listened. Last night she had still slept alone in the rear courtyard.

Princess Imperial Fucheng saw her daughter’s stubborn expression and guessed as much. She prompted in a low voice: “Since you hope for his success, you should treat him with the respect befitting that status in advance. Otherwise, the imperial consort is your cautionary tale.”

When just being a cousin, one could act coquettish and willful with Prince Cousin or Crown Prince Cousin. But once cousin became emperor, receiving daily respect and fear from ministers, being courted and pleased by other consorts and beauties, if cousin then continued being willful and difficult, even if Emperor Cousin could indulge her for a time, he couldn’t indulge her for a lifetime.

Zheng Yuanzhen’s heart jumped. How favored had Consort Du been in earlier years? Now hadn’t she failed to even accompany them to the North Garden?

Her expression changing several times, Zheng Yuanzhen nodded to her mother.

At Songfeng Hall, Prince Qing had drowned his sorrows in wine last night, drinking himself dead drunk. He was still lying in bed now. In any case, Father Emperor had ordered him to reflect behind closed doors—people outside didn’t know what he was doing inside, and the close attendants at his side wouldn’t be foolish enough to talk about it outside.

“Your Highness, wake up quickly! The consort and princess imperial have come to see you!”

One close attendant went to open the window to disperse the wine smell, while another anxiously called out while using a towel to wipe Prince Qing’s face.

Prince Qing wasn’t afraid of his mother consort, but toward the imposing Princess Imperial who was both aunt and mother-in-law, he still felt some awe. After all, he still needed the princess imperial to speak well of him before Father Emperor. In such matters, the princess imperial’s words carried more weight than Mother Consort’s.

Enduring his headache, he sat up. Prince Qing cooperated with his close attendants to quickly dress, gulped a mouthful of tea, swished it around and spat into the porcelain spittoon held by an attendant, then strode outside, finally meeting the three people at the hall entrance.

Consort Rou rushed over first, grasping her son’s injured arm and asking about the injury.

While Prince Qing comforted Mother Consort, he looked toward Princess Imperial Fucheng, his peripheral vision sweeping over Zheng Yuanzhen standing to the side, somewhat worried that Zheng Yuanzhen had complained about him to the princess imperial.

But Princess Imperial Fucheng looked at him with only the same concern as Consort Rou: “Is it truly all healed? Yuanzhen told us there’s nothing serious, but don’t let it be something you told her to say to fool us.”

Prince Qing looked at Zheng Yuanzhen. Zheng Yuanzhen turned her face away—rather than being angry, it was more like the resentment of someone who had been treated harshly yet still had to help him deal with the elders.

The four moved to the inner chamber to talk.

Consort Rou personally examined her son’s knife wound. Seeing with her own eyes that the wound had indeed scabbed over leaving a long white scar, Consort Rou still felt such heartache that tears streamed down. Princess Imperial Fucheng also wiped the corners of her eyes and asked about the danger Prince Qing had faced at the time.

The more dangerous it was, the more it proved Prince Qing’s valor in counter-killing the bandit chief. Prince Qing was willing to discuss this, also emphasizing his thorough preparation in arranging cavalry support.

“If not for the traitor among Feng Gui’s people, my tactics that night were clearly flawless.”

Consort Rou nodded: “Indeed, who could have predicted that the bandit chief’s side would be so bold as to dare hide among the Tanzhou prefect’s people?”

Zheng Yuanzhen exchanged a glance with her mother. Both felt that Prince Qing had lost due to bad luck. Leading troops in battle required knowing both oneself and the enemy, but there was also the saying that speed was precious in war. The longer Prince Qing prepared in Tanzhou, the more likely information would leak and be learned by the bandit groups. Then even the stratagem to lure the snake from its hole would fail. Once the mountain bandits hid deep in the mountains and waters, the six thousand government troops would have to scatter to catch them. If it dragged on too long, he would still be accused of ineffective handling.

Princess Imperial Fucheng stated her guess: “It must be that Consort Xian whispered in His Majesty’s ear, using the lives of those over nine hundred prefectural soldiers to make a case. That woman is best at false benevolence and righteousness.”

Prince Qing’s expression darkened.

Consort Rou said: “Your maternal grandfather said that things being as they are, you should sincerely reform. What His Majesty wants is your attitude of knowing your errors and being able to correct them, not sophistry.”

Princess Imperial Fucheng: “Yes, Consort Xian criticizes you for excessive casualties, so you should write about how much you regret the wrongful deaths of those prefectural soldiers, write about the bleakness you felt seeing the prefectural soldiers’ corpses strewn everywhere after killing the bandit chief.”

Prince Qing’s literary talent was quite good. Hearing this, he immediately gained confidence.

After the two elders left, Prince Qing grasped Zheng Yuanzhen’s wrist and brought her back to the inner chamber, embracing her: “The other day I was wrong. I vented on you the anger from Father Emperor wronging me. Cousin can punish me however she wants—just don’t be angry anymore?”

Since he apologized first, Zheng Yuanzhen felt better: “Alright, it’s also my fault for being too hasty, only thinking about how to help you break through the situation, even forgetting to care about your injury.”

Prince Qing’s knife wound had long stopped hurting. When Zheng Yuanzhen spoke so gently and softly, it instead drew out the fire he’d been suppressing all along the journey. He picked her up and went to the bed.

Yao Huang had been preoccupied all day. By dusk when Prince Hui returned, her monthly courses still showed no signs of coming.

Prince Hui looked at her calmly and evenly. Yao Huang couldn’t remain calm. Unable to explain what was happening, she instinctively lowered her head.

In Zhao Sui’s eyes, the princess consort’s cheeks were somewhat flushed, the corners of her lips upturned as if wanting to smile yet unsure whether she should.

Prince Hui, extremely adept at reading expressions, actually couldn’t see through what such a princess consort was thinking.

Zhao Sui also didn’t dare ask, afraid the princess consort would think he was very anxious to hear good news, afraid the princess consort was smiling at him for deserving what he got by missing his chance last night when her courses came.

The couple each had their own thoughts, both avoiding the topic of monthly courses, until nightfall when the two lay in bed again.

Only then did Yao Huang lean into Prince Hui’s embrace and say softly: “How strange—today my monthly courses still haven’t come, and my waist isn’t sore and my chest isn’t swollen or anything.”

Prince Hui, who hadn’t been thinking such things yet was made tense and heated by the princess consort’s one sentence: “…”

Slowly releasing a breath, Zhao Sui said: “Let’s keep watching. If it still hasn’t come by the end of the month, it should mean you’re with child. Then we can have an imperial physician come examine your pulse.”

Yao Huang was so surprised that she half propped herself up, chin in hand, and asked: “Your Highness really thought about pregnancy? How do you understand this better than me?”

Zhao Sui had the princess consort lie down properly first, then said: “When I read medical texts in my youth, I saw it mentioned that if a woman is with child, a slippery pulse can be detected about a month after her courses end. If you and I wait another ten days or so, the pulse reading will be more accurate.”

If they were at the prince’s manor, they could immediately have the manor’s two physicians come examine the princess consort’s pulse. But this was the traveling palace. When Father Emperor traveled, he brought along most of the Imperial Medical Bureau. The accompanying princes, dukes, and ministers shouldn’t bring their own physicians.

If the couple summoned an imperial physician now, the news would certainly reach Father Emperor and Mother Empress’s ears. Zhao Sui didn’t want Father Emperor and Mother Empress inquiring when the couple didn’t yet have certainty.

Yao Huang understood. She threaded her fingers through Prince Hui’s: “If there really is one, is Your Highness happy?”

Zhao Sui gripped the princess consort’s hand in return and after a moment of silence said: “Happy. I only fear you’ll suffer hardship.”

When Consort Du was pregnant, Father Emperor would still accompany her to stroll in the imperial garden. When his princess consort became pregnant, if she wanted to stroll, the princess consort would have to push him.

Yao Huang couldn’t see Prince Hui’s face clearly, but Prince Hui’s hand holding hers suddenly tightened, then in the next moment loosened its force.

Yao Huang couldn’t fathom what Prince Hui was thinking in that brief moment. She only pillowed her head on his shoulder and smiled: “Carrying a child is like farming, right? There will certainly be hard times, but Your Highness is so handsome and I’m so beautiful—our child’s appearance certainly won’t be lacking. I even like the nephews and nieces at eldest brother’s place, so I’ll like my own child even more. A few months of hardship is worth it.”

Plant melons, get melons; plant beans, get beans. What Prince Hui had planted in her could be an imperial grandson or granddaughter.

Setting aside that she and Prince Hui would certainly treasure their own flesh and blood, just speaking of the benefits this child would bring her—with an imperial grandson or granddaughter, that old dragon Emperor Yongchang wouldn’t entertain thoughts of replacing his second son’s princess consort over small matters like her eating, drinking, and playing.

On the twenty-third of the sixth month, Emperor Yongchang received the first self-reflection memorial sent by Prince Qing after ten days of confinement.

The memorial didn’t mention at all his not listening to advice or stealing others’ credit. It only wrote a lengthy, flowing article regretting that he shouldn’t have rashly sought glory through reckless advancement, and expressing unbearable grief for the nearly one thousand prefectural soldiers who fell on the banks of the Xiang River. He still concealed the matter of the twenty-two close guards who had sacrificed themselves protecting him, as if by not mentioning it, his father emperor wouldn’t know. Or perhaps Prince Qing simply didn’t count the loss of his close guards among the court’s bandit suppression losses, and therefore felt no need to report it.

Emperor Yongchang smiled in derision. With his vermillion brush he wrote one character on it: Mm.

After eating dinner, several guards and palace attendants came to report some fresh matters that might be worth His Majesty hearing about today.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, after leaving duty, the prince went directly back to Yunshan Hall. After dinner he toured the traveling palace gardens with the princess consort for half an hour.”

Emperor Yongchang raised his eyebrows in surprise. Why wasn’t second son’s wife taking second son out to play recently? Could it be she was intimidated by the tantrum he threw at third son and it lasted until now?

The next evening, Emperor Yongchang held a banquet on the grassland by North Lake—roast whole lamb over bonfires!

When the lamb leg meat, roasted to a golden crisp and dripping with oil, was brought over still sizzling, Yao Huang watched longingly as palace attendants helped tear the meat and place it on a plate before presenting it to her. If this were at Longevity Lane among her own family, Yao Huang would definitely just grab it with her hands.

Emperor Yongchang sat on the other side. Casually glancing over, he saw second son’s wife eating so heartily and felt reassured.

However, over the following days, though second son’s wife would take the princesses to tour the lake and play chuiwan with continued laughter, she no longer accompanied second son in horse riding—they only wandered about within the traveling palace.

Emperor Yongchang secretly pondered: Could it be that second son’s wife, like eldest son’s wife in the past, found second son’s personality too dull and was unwilling to take second son along anymore?

Emperor Yongchang could understand daughters-in-law, but he felt more heartache for his own second son. Once heartache set in, Emperor Yongchang made the decision to have eldest son and second son accompany him horse riding on the rest day—if second son was willing to ride horses with his wife, surely he wouldn’t be unwilling to accompany Father Emperor?

“We’ll depart at the beginning of the chen hour tomorrow morning. How about it?”

Prince Kang respectfully agreed. Prince Hui met Father Emperor’s gaze for a moment, then also agreed.

Emperor Yongchang detected that second son seemed somewhat reluctant, and immediately felt uneasy again. Perhaps second son just found it troublesome?

The next day at dawn, Emperor Yongchang was awakened by a clap of thunder. Before long, rain began pelting against the windows outside.

Emperor Yongchang: “…”

On a rainy day they naturally couldn’t ride horses. Emperor Yongchang sent people early to pass word to his two sons, telling them to rest on their own.

The young eunuch going to pass the message to Prince Hui happened to encounter an imperial physician hurrying along under an umbrella. So he went in together with the imperial physician, and came out together with the imperial physician. The imperial physician who had received a reward changed to walking at a leisurely pace, while the young eunuch broke into a run, joyfully running back before Emperor Yongchang: “Your Majesty, Princess Consort Hui is with child!”

Emperor Yongchang: “…”