After chatting with Prince Hui for a while, Yao Huang slept a long sleep. When she woke, it was already dark outside the window.

Dazed for a moment, Yao Huang looked to the side and discovered that the swaddled bundle previously placed here was gone. Instead, there was Prince Hui lying fully clothed beside her.

Yao Huang: “…”

Though the Princess Consort hadn’t made any obvious movement, Zhao Sui still woke. Meeting the Princess Consort’s clear gaze—not knowing how long she’d been awake or how long she’d been watching him like this—Prince Hui stiffened slightly for a moment, then while propping himself up to sit, asked in a low voice: “Is there any discomfort?”

Yao Huang indeed felt a bit uncomfortable. She pointed at her chest covered by the quilt and said: “Very swollen.”

This wasn’t teasing the reserved Prince Hui—the Princess Consort’s brow was furrowed.

Zhao Sui immediately sat in the wheelchair and called out for someone.

Nanny Jin and Luo Jinhua entered one after the other.

Prince Hui found it inappropriate to explain the Princess Consort’s discomfort aloud. He glanced at the Princess Consort and pushed himself out.

Yao Huang looked toward her mother: “Where’s the child?”

Luo Jinhua smiled: “Given to the wet nurse for feeding. Seeing you and His Highness both asleep, we kept him with the wet nurse. The little fellow ate his fill and is also sleeping soundly right now.”

Having resolved her confusion, Yao Huang looked pleadingly at Nanny Jin.

Nanny Jin then gently massaged and kneaded for the Princess Consort. Feeding children was hard work. The palace consorts and female family members of high-ranking official families all hired wet nurses to feed.

After marrying into the imperial family, Yao Huang had enjoyed so much—naturally, child-rearing matters should also be handled in the most comfortable way possible.

According to Nanny Jin, as long as Yao Huang drank the medicinal food soup Nanny Jin had the kitchen prepare for three to five consecutive days, her chest would return to its original ease.

Luo Jinhua, watching her daughter’s increasingly comfortable expression, said happily: “Mother has also heard about this massage technique from other official madams. After the massage it’s comfortable, but during the massage it’s quite painful. Looking at Nanny Jin’s superior technique, you must reward Nanny Jin well, and also be even more filial to Empress Dowager later.”

Yao Huang: “That’s natural. Without Nanny here, how could I have been so worry-free these past months?”

Nanny Jin had long experienced the Princess Consort’s sweet tongue. Now being praised by the Princess Consort and her mother together, at her age, she was actually becoming embarrassed.

After cleaning up again, Luo Jinhua went to bring the child back. After she and Nanny Jin withdrew, Prince Hui came again, with a tray covered in red silk on his lap.

The Princess Consort, who had been focused on examining the child, was attracted by the red silk and asked: “What’s this?”

Zhao Sui: “A reward bestowed by Father Emperor.”

The Princess Consort’s eyes lit up. She leaned up to sit, moved the swaddled bundle beside her, making room for Prince Hui to place the tray.

Zhao Sui watched with alarm: “You can sit up already? Won’t you be cold wearing only an inner garment?”

Yao Huang didn’t feel cold, but to put Prince Hui at ease, she still picked up a short cotton-padded jacket left nearby and put it on.

Zhao Sui placed the tray to one side of the pillow and removed the red silk.

Yao Huang first saw a peony hairpin made of gold inlaid with gemstones. The outer layer of the peony flower at the hairpin head had seven red gold petals, each petal’s center embedded with a longan pit-sized ruby. The second layer had seven petals carved from mutton-fat white jade. The third layer had seven golden filament stamens, each filament curled around a bean-sized lustrous white pearl. The fourth layer also had golden filament stamens, but these were shorter, densely packed around the hawthorn fruit-sized ruby wrapped in the very center!

Just looking at it melted Yao Huang’s heart. Prince Hui helped place the peony hairpin in her hand.

Yao Huang tried prying at the ruby inside, confirming it wasn’t easy to pry out. Only then was she reassured—otherwise, if she wore it out someday and while walking this most valuable ruby fell off, she would cry from heartache!

On the tray was also a gold collar hung with a red gold longevity lock, and a pair of gleaming golden infant bracelets, all for the little imperial grandson.

Yao Huang thought to herself that Emperor Yongchang definitely cherished his own grandsons more, but a newborn grandson didn’t understand anything yet and was easy to fool. He could only improve the reward given to her to show his satisfaction with this imperial grandson.

“Father Emperor is truly too good. Your Highness must be very filial to Father Emperor in the future, with or without reason, show more care and concern for Father Emperor.”

Yao Huang instructed sincerely, because she and the child were the “two crows” of Emperor Yongchang’s love extending to all related to Prince Hui. Only if Prince Hui continued receiving Emperor Yongchang’s favor would rewards for her and the child flow endlessly.

Zhao Sui ignored the Princess Consort’s foolish words. He picked up a bracelet and compared it to the child’s small wrists raised beside his shoulders—it couldn’t be fitted on at all.

Yao Huang felt that Prince Hui being like this was also quite foolish.

After nightfall, the wet nurse carried the child away. Prince Hui lay on the birthing room bed accompanying the Princess Consort to sleep.

The couple discussed the child’s informal name.

All three of Prince Kang’s children received names bestowed by Emperor Yongchang after their first birthday. Then the children of both Prince Hui and Prince Qing’s families would definitely continue this custom. The two couples only needed to think of temporary informal names for their children.

Yao Huang: “Actually ‘Egg’ is really quite cute, and sounds easy to raise.”

Zhao Sui: “Inappropriate.”

Yao Huang: “Then how about ‘Dan’? The ‘dan’ for morning—a day’s plan lies in the morning. So meaningful.”

Zhao Sui: “…Inappropriate.”

Yao Huang pushed him: “Your Highness, you think of one. The ink you’ve read is more than all the water I’ve drunk since childhood.”

Zhao Sui: “But that ink isn’t suitable for thinking up informal names.”

Informal names should sound very affectionate upon hearing. Prince Hui still hadn’t figured out how to address the Princess Consort affectionately, so he knew he similarly couldn’t come up with a suitable informal name for the child.

Yao Huang: “My brother’s informal name is Little Tiger, mine is Little Flower—both taken from one character from my parents’ names.”

Zhao Sui looked at the Princess Consort.

Yao Huang immediately covered his eyes: “You’re not allowed to use my name!”

Zhao Sui: “…My name is too proper.”

Yao Huang: “Then mine is too common!”

She withdrew her hand. The couple each stared at the bed canopy thinking. Prince Hui silently worked on variations of “huang.” Yao Huang thought of the bamboo grove they passed through when the child started coming this morning, thought of how Prince Hui liked living in the Bamboo Courtyard when she first married over, then looked at Prince Hui beside her, elegant as a bamboo stalk. She smiled, leaned on Prince Hui’s shoulder and said: “Let’s call him Little Bamboo. Your Highness is the big bamboo, he is the little bamboo. Bamboo grows quickly—this name has good meaning too.”

Prince Hui, praised by the Princess Consort as bamboo, tilted his head. After a while he said: “Call him Jun’er. ‘Leaf by leaf new spring bamboo, below flows clear shallow stream’—’jun’ is the elegant name for bamboo.”

Yao Huang felt this poem was very beautiful and perfectly suited the bamboo grove scene from this morning. She was especially satisfied and kissed Prince Hui on the face.

On the third day bathing ceremony for Prince Hui Manor’s young master, relatives from both His Highness and the Princess Consort’s sides who could conveniently travel all came.

First Princess and Second Princess came from the palace together. Living close by, they arrived quickly, each bringing gifts for Second Sister-in-law and little nephew. The consorts’ gifts would arrive simultaneously with Emperor Yongchang’s rewards.

“The character ‘jun’ is wonderfully chosen. I’ve also always felt Second Brother has the bearing of a bamboo stalk.” First Princess praised with a smile.

Prince Hui, unaccustomed to such praise, left early, leaving the east side room in the back courtyard to the three sisters-in-law.

Luo Jinhua, who had just moved back to the new residence the day before, soon arrived at the manor with Yao Zhenhu and his sons, along with various Luo family members who had moved into the Yao family guest rooms in advance for this occasion. Prince Hui, just as when receiving his two princess sisters, secretly observed everyone, confirming none carried any sickness before having Eunuch Cao lead the female family members to the back to visit the Princess Consort and child.

Prince Kang and Chen Ying brought the young heir. Prince Hui continued observing.

Prince Qing, accompanying Princess Imperial Fucheng, arrived last. Zheng Yuanzhen was still in confinement and unsuitable to go out.

After Prince Hui’s observation, he had Eunuch Cao guide Princess Imperial Fucheng over.

Upon entering the east side room, Princess Imperial Fucheng first saw the Yao and Luo family members wearing ordinary silk clothing. Whether in clothing bearing, facial features, or mannerisms, they were distinctly different from noble families.

Princess Imperial Fucheng frowned.

Luo Jinhua, with her mother and two sisters-in-law, prepared to step forward and pay respects, just as they had curtsied to the two princesses.

Yao Huang stopped them, smiling: “We’re all family relatives. Where are all these empty formalities needed? Aunt, wouldn’t you say so?”

Princess Imperial Fucheng’s obvious frown showed she wasn’t giving her face. Since that was the case, on her own turf, why should Yao Huang wrong her natal family to preserve an outsider’s face?

Back when she first married Prince Hui, Prince Hui had never looked down on her natal family relatives.

Princess Imperial Fucheng smiled faintly: “Of course.”

Ignoring those common female family members, Princess Imperial Fucheng came to the bed platform and looked at the little baby in the swaddled bundle. Just looking, he seemed small, but if placed together with her premature grandson born a month early, Prince Hui’s family’s child would be a whole size larger.

Princess Imperial Fucheng politely praised him and gave the child a gold collar.

Yao Huang expressed thanks and, in the capacity of Second Sister-in-law, showed concern for Zheng Yuanzhen and her child’s situation.

Princess Imperial Fucheng’s smile became more genuine. She explained: “Yuanzhen’s pregnancy symptoms weren’t good in the early stages, causing San Lang to be born prematurely. At birth he was only just over five catties. Fortunately, San Lang can eat and sleep well—these past days he looks much plumper. Yuanzhen said once she finishes her confinement month, she’ll bring the child to see his younger brother. You two sisters-in-law married into the imperial family in the same year, and your eldest sons were also born in the same year—this is all fate.”

Yao Huang: “…”

She was a bit unaccustomed to the Princess Imperial’s sudden amiability and warmth.

Princess Imperial Fucheng sat for a while before going to the front courtyard. After eating at Prince Hui Manor, she returned to the manor with Prince Qing to visit her daughter.

Children are always most precious to their own families. As soon as Prince Qing entered Zheng Yuanzhen’s room, he picked up his little San Lang and kissed him, saying to Zheng Yuanzhen: “After looking around, our San Lang is still the best looking.”

Zheng Yuanzhen looked toward her mother.

Princess Imperial Fucheng: “That one was born full-term, so his cheeks are definitely plumper than San Lang’s, but his features truly aren’t as good as San Lang’s.”

Zheng Yuanzhen naturally didn’t believe it. No matter how proud she was, she had to admit she wasn’t as beautiful as Yao Huang, and Prince Qing was less handsome than Prince Hui.

But none of this was important.

After Prince Qing left, Zheng Yuanzhen quietly inquired of her mother about the canal destruction matter in Liangzhou.

Princess Imperial Fucheng patted her daughter’s hand: “Rest assured, I’ve arranged everything. They’re two death-sworn warriors burdened with wives and children. I’ve already given each five hundred taels of silver. After the deed is accomplished and they return, each can receive another thousand taels.”

This was what she promised, but as long as the two actually returned, she would arrange for guards who knew nothing of the inside story to silently eliminate them both, completely destroying the evidence. Their wives and children were also under her control and would soon reunite with the two death-sworn warriors on the road to the Yellow Springs.

If the two were unfortunately captured, to preserve their wives’ and children’s lives, they would follow her orders and insist they were sent by the承恩公府 承恩公府 Duke Cheng’en Manor, the Du family.

When the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman profits. If Prince Kang and Prince Hui met with trouble, Consort Du and the Fourth Prince were similarly fishermen who could profit. Moreover, Consort Du’s dislike of Prince Hui was known to all. Combined with the death-sworn warriors’ confessions, Imperial Brother would find it difficult to suspect her.

Princess Imperial Fucheng finally instructed her daughter: “Put your mind at ease. Don’t think about anything. Only if you yourself believe this matter has nothing to do with you or me will you not reveal any flaws when the Emperor investigates after the incident.”

Zheng Yuanzhen looked at her sleeping child and slowly but firmly nodded.