Yao Huang sensed Prince Hui’s appreciation for her four-character “supplementary reward.”

There had been several instances last month, but Prince Hui had always been quite careful, as if one wrong application of force would hurt her. This time Prince Hui finally released his restraint, only suddenly controlling himself again when she habitually began to cry, leaving Yao Huang feeling awkward, unsure whether to praise him for learning to be considerate or resent him for being so considerate.

From gale-force winds to spring breezes, after the spring breeze finished blowing, Prince Hui still held her tightly, his chin resting atop her head.

The soles of Yao Huang’s feet pressed against Prince Hui’s legs, which were much cooler than hers. After recovering for quite a while, she stroked the back of Prince Hui’s hand and thought of something: “Although Father Emperor outwardly scolded Your Highness, with County Magistrate Xu publicizing it this way, Father Emperor and the civil and military officials all know of Your Highness’s devotion to the people and talent for enriching them. Naturally I’m happy for Your Highness, but what about First Prince…”

Putting herself in his shoes, if she were Prince Kang, she would definitely feel stifled. Having clearly worked hard climbing mountains for a month, only to suddenly learn upon returning to the capital for merit evaluation that a brother who stayed in the capital had even greater achievements, stealing all the limelight in one fell swoop—even if Yao Huang wasn’t jealous of that brother, she would still feel upset about her own situation.

Of course, Yao Huang didn’t mean to sympathize with Prince Kang. She was afraid Prince Kang’s heart wasn’t broad enough, and that in the future when he became Emperor himself, he would target Prince Hui over today’s matter.

So it was said that some people often did bad things with good intentions. Xu Dongyang spoke the truth with a clear conscience, yet caused uncertainty in Prince Hui and Prince Kang’s relationship.

Zhao Sui squeezed the Princess Consort’s hand. Last time with Di Xian’s matter, he had concealed it from the Princess Consort fearing she would become overly excited. Now…

He moved close to the Princess Consort’s ear and said: “Actually, last April when Xu Dongyang first submitted his memorial requesting to clear wasteland, Father Emperor already knew I had instructed him to do so.”

Yao Huang: “…”

She tried to turn around, unable to comprehend.

Prince Hui pressed down on the Princess Consort’s shoulder and retrieved two cloths from beside the pillow—one for each of them.

After simple tidying, Yao Huang was finally able to face Prince Hui. Only now Prince Hui had become reserved again, the blanket pulled up to his waist, his inner robe worn properly.

Prince Hui always liked to keep his inner robe on. Only when facing the Princess Consort would his inner robe be pulled off by the Princess Consort in their confusion.

Yao Huang had asked once. Prince Hui held back for a long time before explaining: He didn’t want the Princess Consort to feel the sweat on his body.

Fortunately, at this moment Yao Huang wasn’t focused on removing Prince Hui’s inner robe. Pillowing on Prince Hui’s arm, she looked up at his face and asked: “How did Father Emperor know?”

Only then did Zhao Sui recount Yan Lun’s frank admission in the great hall of his merit in recommending talent.

“Father Emperor is wise. When coincidences multiply, he naturally thinks of me.”

Yao Huang was even more puzzled: “Why didn’t you tell me about Di Xian’s matter?”

Zhao Sui was about to explain when he heard the Princess Consort say: “Never mind. Your Highness doesn’t like self-praise, so how would you take it out to show off to me?”

Zhao Sui: “…”

Yao Huang pondered for a while but still found it strange: “Why would Father Emperor stage such a performance?”

Prince Hui lowered his eyes.

Yao Huang thought of Prince Kang again. After the matter of the betrothal at the hunting grounds last year came out, Yao Huang had determined that Emperor Yongchang favored Prince Kang as Crown Prince. That was why she worried Prince Kang would remember today’s matter against Prince Hui. But if this was Emperor Yongchang deliberately lavishing praise on Prince Hui, didn’t Emperor Yongchang know that enthusiastically praising his second son would make his eldest son beside him lose face?

Emperor Yongchang could disregard the feelings of a disfavored prince, but would never ignore the feelings of Prince Kang whom he regarded as Crown Prince, unless…

Unless Prince Kang fundamentally was not the Crown Prince candidate Emperor Yongchang favored!

Emperor Yongchang only had four sons! Prince Qing, who had developed an entire aura of death, definitely wasn’t it. Prince Kang, who looked upright and robust, surprisingly also wasn’t it. That left only two…

The embroidered-pillow face of the Fourth Prince had just intruded into her mind when Yao Huang kicked it out. Looking closely again at the reserved and restrained Prince Hui before her, Yao Huang shrieked and pounced, directly pouncing until Prince Hui switched to lying flat. She then knelt up, pressing down on him from above: “Is it what I’m thinking? Will Father Emperor really…”

Prince Hui thrust his waist upward to sit up, one hand bracing the bed to maintain balance, one hand covering the Princess Consort’s mouth: “It’s only my speculation. As long as Father Emperor hasn’t issued an edict for even one day, this matter has one more day of variables. You knowing is enough—you absolutely must not tell anyone else, including Jun’er, lest walls have ears.”

If not for the Princess Consort’s concern that Prince Kang might hold a grudge against him, and Zhao Sui not wanting the Princess Consort to worry about this, he would have continued concealing it.

The Princess Consort with her mouth covered blinked a pair of round eyes brimming with delighted surprise, nodding repeatedly.

Zhao Sui lowered his hand.

Yao Huang pounced again, hugging Prince Hui’s shoulders and shaking vigorously: “It’s real, right? I’m not dreaming, am I?”

Prince Hui smiled, secretly switching to bracing the bed with both hands. His legs couldn’t use strength, and the Princess Consort was shaking so vigorously—one hand might not hold steady.

Yao Huang didn’t shake for long, because she belatedly realized that between her and Prince Hui at this moment, they were actually only wearing one inner robe, and that inner robe was hanging on Prince Hui’s body.

Realizing this, Yao Huang couldn’t let go even more. At least hugging Prince Hui like this, he could only see her back.

But Yao Huang wasn’t thinking about those embarrassing matters at all. After a moment of awkwardness, she hugged Prince Hui tightly and said: “Don’t think I’m shocked and delighted as if I’ve just made a windfall. Actually I’m only surprised that my husband is about to sit in that position, not shocked that Your Highness can sit in that position. Because to me, Your Highness has long been Father Emperor’s most capable prince. In civil and military arts and character, Your Highness is the best in every aspect.”

It was only because Prince Hui sat in a wheelchair that Yao Huang hadn’t dared think in this direction.

Zhao Sui understood. The Princess Consort didn’t even need to speak—all the praise she gave him would flow from her eyes first.

“So happy—when going out to visit, can you hide it?” Zhao Sui stroked the Princess Consort’s shoulder.

Yao Huang laughed: “Your Highness rest assured. A cooked duck can’t fly away, but an uncooked one might still fly into someone else’s pot. Before Your Highness truly feeds thoroughly cooked duck meat into my mouth, I’ll act as if none of this exists. Your Highness, don’t forget—when it comes to acting, I’m much better than you.”

Prince Hui didn’t respond to that statement.

By dusk, when Yao Huang pushed Prince Hui back from their garden stroll, she saw a square box had appeared on the floor beside the arhat couch in the inner chamber.

Yao Huang looked toward Prince Hui: “What’s this?”

The four senior maids including A’Ji wouldn’t randomly place things without her instructions.

Zhao Sui: “For meritorious recommendation of Di Xian to build channels. Father Emperor’s reward.”

Upon hearing this, Yao Huang released the wheelchair and ran to lift the box lid. The next moment she was dazzled by the box full of large fifty-tael ingots.

Not afraid of Prince Hui laughing at her, Yao Huang extended her fingers to count. Exactly twenty—one thousand taels of silver!

So much silver, and Prince Hui had concealed it from her for half a year!

“To think I trusted Your Highness so much, yet Your Highness received a reward and didn’t tell me.” Closing the lid, Yao Huang sat on the box, glaring at Prince Hui.

Zhao Sui looked at the Princess Consort opposite whose sitting posture was unseemly yet utterly adorable, lowering his eyes: “At the time I feared you would become overly excited and disturb the pregnancy.”

Yao Huang: “I’ve worn rings with five gemstones each on every finger, and you think I’d still be excited to that degree over one thousand taels of silver? Fine! Your Highness first hid private savings from me, and now you look down on me!”

Zhao Sui: “…I wasn’t talking about the silver.”

Yao Huang blinked, thinking of Prince Hui’s future new title. Suddenly no longer angry, she smiled and moved closer, kissing Prince Hui’s handsome face once more.

On the ninth day of the fifth month, the First Princess married. Yao Huang and Prince Hui went to partake in the wedding feast and incidentally saw at the Princess’s residence the increasingly lifeless Prince Qing and his wife, as well as Prince Kang who, though still helping Prince Hui push his wheelchair, no longer initiated conversation topics.

On the twelfth day of the fifth month, Yao Huang’s brother Yao Lin married his bride Li Fuwei into the imperially bestowed mansion. Yao Huang brought Prince Hui along to partake in another wedding feast.

On the fifteenth day of the fifth month, while Yao Lin accompanied Li Fuwei to the Duke of Zhenguo’s residence for the bride’s return visit and Yao Huang had arranged to go with the First Princess to Prince Kang’s residence to play cards, two prison carts each holding a prisoner rumbled through the city gates under the curious gazes of the common people.

The next morning at court, Emperor Yongchang threw a memorial onto the great hall floor with a grim face, telling Prince Qing to pick it up and read it to the assembled officials.

Civil and military officials with varying expressions looked toward this Prince Qing who had returned to the capital with Prince Kang long ago but had delayed attending court.

Prince Qing, his face white as paper, picked up the memorial. What he should and shouldn’t do, Father Emperor had hinted at all of it. Prince Qing could only comply.

“It is, it is a memorial from Di Xian, county magistrate of Qingxia in Liangzhou…”

Prince Kang’s brows furrowed as he looked toward Second Brother in the wheelchair beside him, only to see Second Brother also frowning slightly, as if unable to understand how Di Xian had angered Father Emperor.

When Prince Qing read that Di Xian had captured two people digging channels at midnight, thinking of those channels he had personally inspected, Prince Kang’s face turned ashen and he clenched his fists. When Prince Qing read that after punishment the two channel-diggers confessed the mastermind behind them was Princess Imperial Fucheng, Prince Kang released his fists in shock, while the civil and military officials behind him erupted in uproar.

Prince Qing collapsed dejectedly to his knees in the hall.

Emperor Yongchang said coldly: “Bring Princess Imperial Fucheng into the hall.”

Emperor Yongchang was conducting a court trial. The Imperial Guards had naturally brought Princess Imperial Fucheng into the palace early. When footsteps sounded outside the great hall, except for Prince Hui in his wheelchair who couldn’t easily turn around and kneeling Prince Qing who didn’t want to turn around, all others including Prince Kang turned their heads to look back.

Princess Imperial Fucheng wore plain clothing. Though fine lines were visible on her face free of makeup, she remained beautiful and noble.

She raised her chin slightly, meeting the gaze of Emperor Yongchang on the dragon throne as she walked closer step by step with composure, finally stopping beside Prince Qing.

Emperor Yongchang: “The county magistrate of Qingxia captured two channel-diggers who said you sent them. Is this true?”

Princess Imperial Fucheng lowered her long lashes and smiled bitterly: “Yes.”

This morning she had been secretly brought into the palace. Finally seeing her imperial brother’s face, but unfortunately Prince Qing and her daughter were also present, confirming the dire news her daughter had let slip early on.

Since the death-sworn warriors had betrayed her, they would naturally reveal her other secrets as corroboration. So if she continued to argue sophistically, she would only lose her last shred of dignity.

Princess Imperial Fucheng didn’t want others to see her in disgrace.

She also didn’t blame her daughter for voluntarily dissociating from her. She was destined to be unable to escape. The less her daughter was implicated by her, the better.

Emperor Yongchang: “Why destroy the channels?”

Princess Imperial Fucheng swept her gaze over Prince Kang and Prince Hui. Everything was clear without words.

Prince Kang felt cold throughout his body. This was his aunt! Just to help Third Brother compete for the Crown Prince position, she would go so far as to destroy channels and harm the people to suppress him and Second Brother?

Emperor Yongchang then interrogated Prince Qing: “Did you know of this matter?”

Prince Qing’s forehead touched the floor, tears streaming: “Before the Princess Imperial sent people, this son did not know. Later the Princess Imperial let it slip at the Princess Consort’s place. The Princess Consort in her terror told this son, but this son also feared being implicated by Father Emperor’s anger, thus in my confusion committed the error of not daring to report it…”

Emperor Yongchang sneered: “What a fine ‘confusion’! Do you know that with this one confusion of yours, you nearly caused thousands of people in Qingxia to have their fields submerged by floods and become displaced?”

Reaching the end, Emperor Yongchang’s rage towered, and he stood pointing at Prince Qing cursing loudly, shocking the hundred officials into kneeling again and kowtowing, begging the Emperor to take care of his dragon body.

Emperor Yongchang had already been angry once before. After venting this anger he returned to the dragon throne, leaning back against it and staring blankly for a while with upturned face before closing his eyes: “According to the laws of our Great Qi, those who deliberately breach dikes and embankments are sentenced according to the severity of disaster caused. If no disaster occurs, the principal offender receives three years of penal servitude. As Princess Imperial is an imperial clan member, her title may be stripped in lieu of punishment. Today she is demoted to commoner status, penalized to enter the imperial temple to take monastic vows and cultivate, never to leave for life.”

Tears finally fell from Princess Imperial Fucheng’s face.

Emperor Yongchang continued: “Prince Qing knew of the crime but did not report it. His peerage is reduced by one rank. As an imperial prince who disregarded the lives of the common people, he is penalized to close his doors in reflection for three years and may never attend court for life.”

Prince Qing’s tears flowed endlessly as he repeatedly kowtowed: “This son is unfilial, this son is unfilial…”

Emperor Yongchang waved his hand. Immediately Imperial Guards led away Princess Imperial Fucheng and Prince Qing.

After court dispersed, Prince Kang was stopped by a young eunuch: “First Prince, the Emperor summons you to the Imperial Study.”