With Chen Ying voluntarily withdrawing, Emperor Yongchang issued an irrefutable decree, having Yao Huang and the second princess team up with him, while Prince Kang and Prince Hui took the eldest princess as their group.
Yao Huang and the second princess exchanged glances. Yao Huang didn’t dare pout at Emperor Yongchang, but the second princess’s little mouth pouted up: “The Emperor is biased, giving elder sister the chance to win your stakes.”
If the two elder brothers won, they would definitely let the eldest princess have the Emperor’s stakes.
Emperor Yongchang first instructed an attending eunuch to fetch nine five-tael gold ingots, then said to the circle of children and daughters-in-law: “Don’t bother putting out your small stakes. I’ll play three rounds with you. Each round I’ll put up three gold ingots. If the eldest and his siblings win, you each get one gold ingot. If my side wins, the three gold ingots can be divided however Se’er and her second sister-in-law wish.”
Yao Huang looked toward the second princess.
The second princess’s eyes turned, and she smiled: “Second sister-in-law, play well. If we win, you take two and I’ll take one.”
Her skills and the eldest princess’s were about equal. Whether they could win depended entirely on the Emperor and second sister-in-law.
The eldest princess said, “With this distribution… will second brother deliberately lose?”
Zhao Sui: “…”
Emperor Yongchang laughed heartily: “Whoever dares cheat and gets caught by me will also have to put up three gold ingots.”
Civil and military officials enjoying their rest days viewing the scenery, accompanying female relatives, and Empress Zhou, Consort Xian, Consort Shen, and Princess Imperial Fucheng touring the gardens at the traveling palace received word and gradually gathered over.
While waiting for the young eunuch to fetch the gold ingots, Emperor Yongchang first hit a few balls to get a feel for it. When he got them in, Yao Huang and the second princess cheered from the sidelines.
What Emperor Yongchang wanted was exactly this vitality from his second daughter-in-law and his two daughters. It was just that the second princess wasn’t good at taking care of people, so he had placed the eldest princess with her two brothers’ group, where she could occasionally help push her second brother’s wheelchair.
After the competition began, the two groups remained evenly matched, the scores closely contested. Prince Kang, teaming up with his second brother and younger sister, gradually calmed down and played at a level comparable to Yao Huang’s.
Princess Imperial Fucheng watched Prince Hui, who could get the ball in the hole with every stroke even while sitting in a wheelchair, and suddenly smiled, praising to Empress Zhou: “Prince Hui really is excellent, able to play so well even like this.”
This was a fact, and Empress Zhou nodded with a smile.
Consort Xian on the other side heard the subtext in Princess Imperial Fucheng’s words—she was mocking how her eldest son couldn’t even beat his second brother despite the latter’s crippled legs.
Consort Xian didn’t take the bait. Prince Hui had long been forced to withdraw from consideration as heir apparent. He himself was clear about this, which was why he now played freely with his princess consort, no longer cautiously avoiding suspicion as in earlier years.
Just then, Prince Kang also got a ball in.
Empress Zhou immediately praised Prince Kang as well, offering compliments to both sides.
After three rounds ended, Emperor Yongchang’s side won two rounds, while Prince Hui, Prince Kang, and the eldest princess won one round.
Yao Huang received four gold ingots and distributed one each to the eldest princess, second princess, and Chen Ying: “If you hadn’t played with me, the Emperor wouldn’t have come over. If the Emperor hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have earned these four ingots.”
The second princess said, “But then we all have more than second sister-in-law.”
The eldest princess looked at her two elder brothers and smiled: “Eldest brother and second brother, hand over what you’re holding. Then eldest sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, and I will each have two. Younger sister is the youngest, so second sister-in-law is giving you a break this time.”
The fourth prince, who had somehow appeared nearby, said: “If second elder sister thinks it’s too much, I can help you divide one.”
The second princess ignored him completely.
Emperor Yongchang, who had already walked some distance after distributing the rewards, heard these words and was even more satisfied with his second daughter-in-law. Love money though she might, she wasn’t greedy.
With Emperor Yongchang’s departure, the observing officials and female relatives also dispersed.
Consort Shen and Princess Imperial Fucheng walked alone to one side. When people nearby had all gone far away, Consort Shen sighed: “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the Emperor in such high spirits. This lively family happiness—it’s just a pity that the third prince and Yuanzhen weren’t here.”
The third prince was best at having fun. If he had been there, how could Prince Kang have received the Emperor’s smiling face?
Princess Imperial Fucheng said, “If Yuanzhen weren’t pregnant, I definitely would have called her when I came out just now.”
Consort Shen replied, “That’s not necessary. I wouldn’t feel comfortable letting Yuanzhen play ball games while pregnant either. On Prince Hui’s side, there’s no mother consort above watching over things, which is why the princess consort runs around outside all day. Of course it’s fine if nothing happens, but if there’s any mishap, it’ll be too late for regrets.”
Princess Imperial Fucheng thought of the way Prince Hui looked at Yao Huang and said coolly, “Prince Hui has always had a good temperament. Now, in his current state, he’s even more willing to indulge his princess consort in everything.”
Yao Huang was fortunate to have married a clay-figurine prince molded by Consort Du. With a different prince, even with crippled legs, he wouldn’t let his princess consort push him around.
They had played chuiwan for so long that the sun was already high when they finished. Yao Huang boarded the carriage with Prince Hui and headed toward the traveling palace.
Holding a gold ingot in each hand, Yao Huang quietly asked Prince Hui: “In that last round, did you still hold back?”
The wooden ball that should have determined the outcome under Prince Hui’s control had rolled right to the edge of the hole. Even a gust of wind might have blown the ball in, making it impossible to tell whether Prince Hui had fallen just short on strength, or whether his control of strength was too precise.
Zhao Sui looked at the princess consort and said, “You overestimate me. I didn’t notice that the ground on this side of the hole was slightly higher.”
Yao Huang replied, “Alright then, so the Emperor really is formidable—both princes together weren’t his match.”
Returning to Cloud Mountain Hall, the couple tidied up separately in the front and back courtyards, then gathered together for lunch.
During the afternoon rest, Yao Huang kneaded Prince Hui’s arms up and down, as if rewarding these arms for helping her earn a gold ingot today.
Prince Hui kept his eyes closed: “Sleep.”
Yao Huang teased him: “Ever since my pregnancy was diagnosed, you’ve been saying those two words more and more. Before, you used to let me hug and squeeze you as I pleased.”
Prince Hui didn’t respond.
Yao Huang released Prince Hui’s arms and sneakily burrowed under the hem of Prince Hui’s robe. Just as she touched his waist, Prince Hui covered her hand from outside: “Don’t make trouble.”
Yao Huang insisted on making trouble.
Zhao Sui was helpless. After the princess consort had her fill of mischief, he turned her around and held her from behind.
In the past when the princess consort had her monthly courses, the couple occasionally did this too, but back then Prince Hui’s hands didn’t need to behave. Now, fearing the princess consort might become too excited, Prince Hui’s hands could only properly hold the princess consort, keeping her calm and peaceful. Inside the bed curtains, only Prince Hui’s breathing grew heavier and heavier, unable to restrain himself no matter how he tried.
Extraordinarily, Prince Hui took the initiative to find a topic, steadying his voice to ask: “Why did you give away an extra ingot?”
Yao Huang: “…At a time like this, you’re still thinking about the ingot?”
Zhao Sui: “…”
Yao Huang grasped the hand resting on her shoulder, tracing Prince Hui’s hand intermittently.
Prince Hui immediately held her even tighter.
On the twenty-fifth of the seventh month, when Yao Huang and the others came to Empress Zhou for formal greetings, they finally learned of Zheng Yuanzhen’s happy news.
Yao Huang likewise offered her congratulations, then lingered a while longer. After everyone else had left, Yao Huang said to Empress Zhou: “Has Mother also exempted third sister-in-law from formal greetings?”
Empress Zhou replied, “Yes, I’m afraid she’ll learn from you and insist on coming.”
Yao Huang smiled: “Then I won’t come on the fifth anymore. But I’m only doing this so third sister-in-law won’t be tired on my account, not because I don’t want to come see Mother. Next time Mother hears I’ve gone out to play again, don’t scold me for it.”
Empress Zhou gave her a reproachful look: “Always so glib-tongued. You’ve even corrupted the eldest princess.”
Yao Huang said, “Look how happily Mother is smiling. You must also enjoy hearing us be glib-tongued with you.”
Empress Zhou naturally did enjoy it. The palace was full of rules everywhere. Suddenly having this sweet little fruit who loved to play but had never truly broken any rules, and who had no conflicts of interest with her and her daughter—why wouldn’t she like her?
Empress Zhou even specially praised Yao Huang’s thoughtfulness to Emperor Yongchang: “Yao Huang seems carefree, but she’s actually very attentive and good at taking care of others.”
Emperor Yongchang replied, “Indeed. If she only knew how to play, the second prince wouldn’t necessarily bother with her.”
Taking care of people also had its nuances. The same good intentions—some ways of caring made people feel refreshed as if bathed in spring breeze, while other ways made people irritable and angry.
In the blink of an eye, it was August, and the weather was noticeably cooler than the previous period.
There was a mountain peak in the North Garden area that had been separately fenced off as a hunting ground. Since Emperor Yongchang had come, he wanted to arrange a hunt to exercise his muscles and bones, and also give the young military officials accompanying him a chance to display their skills.
However, Emperor Yongchang was troubled by one matter: he wanted his second son to participate, but didn’t know whether his second son could shoot arrows while riding.
When his son was lifeless and dejected, Emperor Yongchang hadn’t thought of this and hadn’t dared ask. Now…
Emperor Yongchang had Empress Zhou speak with his second daughter-in-law, asking her to find a way to probe whether his second son could still ride and shoot. If he could, he would invite his second son to join. If his second son couldn’t, Emperor Yongchang would simply cancel the hunting competition altogether, to spare his second son’s feelings upon hearing the news.
Fearing putting pressure on the young couple, Empress Zhou didn’t mention the hunting competition to Yao Huang. She only said that seeing Prince Hui ride had reminded her of his heroic archery form in years past, and she was curious whether Prince Hui’s riding and shooting skills remained.
Yao Huang pondered this all day, always feeling that Empress Zhou’s sudden curiosity about this matter must have another reason behind it.
But regardless of the reason, Yao Huang would never use Prince Hui’s trust in her to coax him into attempting something just because others wanted to know whether the disabled Prince Hui could accomplish it.
Prince Hui had to use both hands gripping the reins or saddle to maintain balance while riding. If he tried releasing both hands to draw a bow and shoot arrows, what if he fell from the horse? Never mind losing face—what if he got injured?
When Prince Hui returned at dusk, Yao Huang directly conveyed Empress Zhou’s meaning to him. Whether he could do it or not, Prince Hui himself would certainly know.
Zhao Sui was silent for a moment, then said: “I can gallop on horseback. I can stop and shoot arrows. Shooting while galloping is too risky. Unless absolutely necessary, I won’t attempt it.”
Without trying, he had nothing to lose. If he tried, not only might he fall and get injured, he would inevitably be watched by onlookers.
Yao Huang asked, “Should I respond to Mother like this?”
Zhao Sui replied, “In the past, whenever the Emperor came to the North Garden, he would hold a hunting competition. It’s probably the Emperor wanting to know if I can participate.”
Yao Huang was stunned for a moment, then said admiringly: “You’re truly amazing. Last year when Mother summoned me to the palace to view flowers, you immediately guessed it was related to the Dragon Boat Festival palace banquet. Now you’ve guessed about the hunting competition again. Nothing can escape you.”
Zhao Sui said, “…This is your first time at the North Garden, so you don’t know the old customs and couldn’t guess. To Mother, just say I can hunt, but only for the fun of it—I won’t compete for game.”
He couldn’t compete, and didn’t want to compete either.