Startling Mist carried the prince and princess in front, while Ni Guang leisurely followed behind.

Yao Huang’s palms gradually grew sweaty because Prince Hui’s hands had been holding her waist the entire time.

She knew the prince had to hold onto something to maintain balance, but she wasn’t made of wood. In broad daylight, such intimacy truly made one blush—she was very afraid the servants would see.

The hooves rhythmically trod upon the stone-paved road. Her waist twisted in small movements accordingly. Prince Hui, probably fearing she felt awkward, didn’t grip too tightly. His hands gradually slid down from her waist bit by bit.

The vegetable garden on the right became her savior. Yao Huang asked as if nothing were amiss: “Has Your Highness ever eaten little bok choy buns before?”

Zhao Sui glanced at those few bare vegetable beds and said: “Never.”

In the palace and prince’s manor, what was brought to the table were mostly meat-filled buns. If vegetarian, they were three-treasure vegetarian or other elaborate varieties. Plain bok choy was too ordinary—unless the masters specifically requested it, the imperial cooks looked down on it.

Noticing the prince had moved his hands back up, Yao Huang relaxed somewhat: “When the little bok choy in our plot grows, I’ll show Your Highness my skills. Like my mother, I both enjoy eating and making wheat-based foods.”

Zhao Sui: “Good.”

After proceeding forward a while longer, Zhao Sui had her dismount.

Yao Huang knew it—the prince also didn’t want people to see the couple riding together.

On the second circuit, passing the lakeside again, Yao Huang invited: “Your Highness, I’d like to take a boat on the lake afterward. Will you come?”

She was a complete landlubber. The more landlocked, the more she loved water. Every year when times were good, she’d rent boats with her family to tour the river, but when she toured, others toured too. The small boats on the river crowded together cheek by jowl. Occasionally she’d even encounter seven or eight-year-old boys standing at the bow blatantly urinating into the river, not knowing shame even when seen!

Now it was wonderful—this entire large expanse of lake water belonged to her and the prince. The scenery was beautiful and peaceful, and taking a boat didn’t require queuing or spending money.

Zhao Sui looked toward the lake surface, thinking of the inconvenience of boarding and disembarking.

Sitting steadily in the wheelchair, he could still preserve a few degrees of dignity. Beyond that, every time he was carried up and down by others proclaimed his incompetence. Unless necessary, Zhao Sui didn’t want the princess or anyone else to see him that way.

“No, you go touring with the maids. Have Eunuch Cao arrange two water-capable eunuchs to stand guard on the shore.”

Yao Huang’s face showed regret, her heart breathed a sigh of relief. If the prince came, she would certainly take good care of him, but facing such a taciturn husband, Yao Huang racking her brains for conversation topics was actually quite tiring. She had to be careful not to violate imperial or princely taboos, yet couldn’t let the prince think she was forcing conversation. Ordinary household matters—she feared the prince would find them tedious.

Calculating this way, Yao Huang suddenly discovered the prince at night was actually easiest to get along with. Even without words, going over to embrace him was enough to demonstrate her affectionate heart toward him. If the prince had interest, she just needed to cooperate with her body—at most cry and call out, not needing to think about anything.

Daytime required mental effort, nighttime required physical effort. If forced to choose one, Yao Huang would prefer the latter.

She knew best how much ink filled her own belly. Let Yao Huang chat with neighboring aunties and grannies about household affairs—she could chat all day. Let her discuss story books with A’Ji—she could stay up until midnight. Let her speak elegant words with the prince—Yao Huang truly couldn’t manage it!

Morning touring the lake, afternoon touring the garden while determining several places to put swings—because the garden was large enough and the scenery still fresh, another day passed in a blink.

Once dusk arrived, Prince Hui punctually came to Ming’an Hall. From the moment Yao Huang sat beside him, her heart began pounding. During the day, thinking about nighttime seemed easy, but when night truly came, she feared those wave after wave surges that gave her no breathing room.

Staring at the food before her, Yao Huang secretly encouraged herself—endure tonight, and she could welcome four easy days and nights of not having to deal with the prince!

After the meal, Zhao Sui needed to wait for the physician to come give him massage. Yao Huang didn’t know the details and wasn’t curious to inquire. She only followed the prince’s instructions.

This was Yao Huang’s first marriage, but she’d heard too much about other couples’ affairs in Longevity Lane. Basically, the men served as officials outside or worked to earn money to support the family, while the wives washed clothes, cooked, and managed household affairs. Some men, relying on their earning power, practically treated their wives like cattle and horses at home. If the food flavor was slightly not to their liking, they’d curse and shout.

Though her prince no longer held office, his annual noble stipend alone was five thousand taels of silver—more than a first-rank chancellor’s salary. With such a large estate, he said she could spend the silver freely. His temper was good, and he didn’t need her attending him every day. Having encountered such a good marriage, Yao Huang truly had no other demands. In matters unrelated to vital interests, however the prince arranged things, she would comply.

Walking around the courtyard to aid digestion, then going to the west side chamber to bathe. This room was as spacious as the inner chamber to the east, specifically for the masters’ bathing. On the north side, corresponding to the bed position in the east room, stood a narrow couch where masters could sit to dress before and after bathing.

At the front left of the narrow couch, closer to the door, sat a large carved cedar wood bathing tub. Yao Huang had soaked in it alone several times. Arms resting on the tub’s edge, feet extended—with a slight push, her entire upper body and legs could float up with the water’s motion.

At the front right of the narrow couch was an excavated circular pool. From the pool bottom to its edges, everything was laid with bluestone tiles, the edges polished smooth as jade.

This pool was even larger than the bathing tub. Someone who could swim could circle around swimming in it.

Between the pool and bathing tub stood an eight-panel embroidered screen. With misty vapors everywhere, it exuded an air of elegance.

Yao Huang hadn’t yet used the pool, thinking to enjoy it again in a few days. Using it right after marrying in would make her appear eager to indulge in extravagance. Touring the garden was also a form of enjoyment, but that didn’t require servants to arduously attend her. Yet for the water room matrons to fill this pool, they’d have to carry at least a dozen or even more buckets of water, wouldn’t they?

Sitting in the tub facing the screen, Yao Huang let A’Ji and Bai Ling wipe her arms and legs while fantasizing about the good days ahead.

A’Ji, accustomed to seeing the princess’s body, concentrated on her task. This was only Bai Ling’s second time. When the cloth moved to the princess’s armpit, her face had already flushed completely red, her gaze drifting, not knowing where to settle.

Noticing this, A’Ji laughed at her: “Why are you getting embarrassed? It’s not like you don’t have them yourself.”

Bai Ling stammered, not knowing how to explain.

Yao Huang glanced at Bai Ling with some understanding. After all, not every seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl could develop like her. She’d completely taken after her mother. A’Ji had eaten similar meals with her since childhood yet hadn’t grown the same way.

Yao Huang didn’t know which was actually better. As a child, she practiced spear and boxing easily. After thirteen, when she wanted to practice martial arts, she first had to wrap herself in a circle of soft cloth—otherwise the bouncing felt uncomfortably strange. It was also from that time that when Li Tingwang saw her, his gaze would sweep over her body. When she noticed, Li Tingwang would mock her for being fat!

This time Yao Huang had A’Ji add less floral dew. When emerging from the bathing tub, every strand of her hair carried a faint osmanthus fragrance.

The wrung-out long hair still felt heavily damp to the touch. Yao Huang had chairs moved to the courtyard to dry her hair in the refreshing evening breeze.

Having just bathed, Yao Huang wore proper clothing, but her feet went without socks, comfortably propped on another chair.

Her hands were plump, and her insteps felt quite fleshy when pinched. Every time A’Ji helped wash her feet, her fingers could press a small dimple into her instep, whereas A’Ji’s own instep felt like just a layer of skin when poked.

Previously Yao Huang had at most dyed her fingernails with flower juice. Before the wedding, the palace sent a nanny to dress her up properly, even applying red henna to all ten toes. After washing her feet many times, not a bit had faded. However, such a pair of feet looked plump and adorable. Yao Huang quite liked them and had already decided to continue using henna.

Days grew longer each passing day. Yao Huang’s hair wasn’t yet fully dry, the western sunset glow hadn’t yet turned blue, when accompanied by the rolling sound of wooden wheels, Qing Ai’s figure pushing the wheelchair appeared on the western covered walkway.

Yao Huang had prepared in advance. Upon hearing movement, she withdrew her feet into her skirt beforehand, then didn’t panic further. The days ahead were long—Yao Huang needed to proactively grow accustomed to Qing Ai, Fei Quan, or other young eunuchs’ proximity. Constantly dodging and hiding was purely making trouble for herself.

“Your Highness has arrived.” Yao Huang didn’t rise. Sitting in her chair, she showed Prince Hui a brilliant smile to let him know she eagerly anticipated his coming. “I’m drying my hair—it’s not completely dry yet.”

Zhao Sui typically didn’t respond to such meaningless pleasantries. Yet the courtyard at dusk was very suitable for enjoying the cool air. Zhao Sui signaled for Qing Ai to push the wheelchair beside the princess’s chair, then dismissed him. On the maids’ side, Hua Mei and the other three, knowing the prince disliked crowds, similarly departed, leaving only A’Ji who was on night duty tonight to hide herself inside the main hall.

Yao Huang hadn’t expected Prince Hui would accompany her while waiting for her hair to dry. Seeing the prince look toward her embroidered shoes set aside, Yao Huang quietly drew her feet further under her skirt, explaining: “Sitting like this isn’t comfortable. Propping my legs on the chair risks dirtying it, so I took off my shoes and let my feet breathe too.”

Zhao Sui looked at her armchair and asked: “There are reclining chairs specifically for enjoying cool air. Why aren’t you using them?”

Yao Huang: “I just married in. The reclining chairs are stored in the warehouse. I told them to move them over tomorrow—too much trouble for today.”

Zhao Sui nodded, leaned back against his backrest, and raised his eyes to the sky.

Yao Huang seized this opportunity to quietly extend one foot to reach for her nearby embroidered shoe.

Both shoes on, seeing the prince hadn’t noticed, Yao Huang’s heart settled. She periodically touched her hair. Once fully dry, she asked: “Should Your Highness continue staying outside awhile, or retire to rest?”

Zhao Sui: “Let’s go in.”

Yao Huang came to push him. None of the doors had thresholds. All the way smoothly into the inner chamber, she positioned the wheelchair by the bedside as Qing Ai did.

Zhao Sui propped himself to sit on the bed’s edge, turned sideways, first moved his left leg onto the bed, then his right. His arm strength was sufficient, this movement habitual—it looked easy and simple, completely effortless.

Yao Huang: “Should I extinguish the lamps?”

Zhao Sui: “No rush. I want to read. Have A’Ji go to the front courtyard to fetch it—Qing Ai knows which book I want.”

Yao Huang went out to instruct A’Ji.

Returning, she discovered the prince leaning against the headboard, quilt covering to his waist, wheelchair empty.

Yao Huang walked to the table and poured herself a bowl of warm water.

Soon A’Ji brought back the book. Yao Huang handed it to the prince, suddenly uncertain whether she should climb into bed and lie down, or sit below waiting to extinguish the lamps.

Zhao Sui patted beside him: “Come up.”

Yao Huang had no choice but to remove her shoes and climb onto the bed.

Burrowing into the quilt, Yao Huang maintained distance, glancing at the prince’s profile as he earnestly read, not daring to randomly interrupt.

After turning a page, Zhao Sui seemed to sense the princess’s gaze. Looking at Yao Huang, he set down the book while saying: “Turn around.”

Yao Huang complied, hearing him set the book aside, hearing the sounds of him moving his legs and removing his pants.

Yao Huang’s heart lifted. The prince’s manor was wealthy—just the inner chamber alone had several lamps lit. The room wasn’t bright as day, but at least comparable to the dusk scenery outside, far brighter than the wedding candles on their first night.

She propped herself halfway up with her back to the prince, lifting the quilt while saying: “I’ll go extinguish the lamps.”

A hand pressed her shoulder: “No need.”

Yao Huang lay on her side, anxious to the point of tears: “It’s too bright. I can’t sleep.”

Zhao Sui looked at her crimson face and slightly trembling lashes. His left hand propped the bed while his right hand turned her to face him properly, unhurriedly helping her unfasten her middle garment.

If his legs were fine, even if he were a prince, Yao Huang wouldn’t just lie there like this—she’d dodge at least a little.

But the prince had a leg ailment. Yao Huang could only cover her face with both hands, trembling as she yielded to him.

When it came to the pants, Zhao Sui took away Yao Huang’s pillow, having her lie further up. Between the pillow and headboard was still over a foot of space. If Yao Huang’s head pressed against the headboard, it would be more convenient for Zhao Sui to help her.

Yao Huang’s trembling voice leaked through her finger gaps: “Should I do it myself?”

The female physician had said—she should attend the prince, not the prince attend her!

Prince Hui’s answering tone was very gentle: “No need. Be good.”