The candlelight at night possessed a tenderness like spring water, and resembled the most delicate gauze, weightlessly draping over Yao Huang’s body.

Yao Huang’s thoughts drifted back to the days before the selection. Her warrior father at home treated her like his precious treasure. Whatever Yao Huang wanted or wished to play with, her father would buy for her even if it meant spending all his carefully saved pocket money. Her older brother treated her slightly less indulgently than father—his solid frame truly dared let her climb on his back, but more often he let her ride him like a horse. When she wanted to pick persimmons at their maternal grandfather’s home, she would often stand on her brother’s shoulders, steadying herself against the tree.

Mother was the strictest with her. When young Yao Huang played outside until dark without returning home, her anxious, tearful mother could grab a fire poker to strike her bottom. Yet Yao Huang still dared treat some of mother’s commands as mere background noise, sneaking out whenever she pleased, until she gradually learned better and became a half-grown young lady who knew not to worry her parents.

Such an unruly girl, once married, now did whatever her princely husband asked. The Prince neither used harsh commanding tones nor coaxed her softly like parents cajoling her to take medicine—his brief two or three words, calm and gentle, yet because of his legs, left Yao Huang unable to summon any will to refuse.

When the Prince told her to move upward, Yao Huang slowly inched up until touching the headboard. When the Prince told her to lift her left leg, then her right leg, Yao Huang obediently complied. When the Prince told her to lower her hands, Yao Huang no longer dared cover her face. She kept her eyes tightly shut, her two hands anxiously clutching the bed sheet made of precious silk. She played a small trick, deliberately bunching the sheet into a twisted corner, hoping the Prince would understand how difficult this ordeal was for her—if he had any conscience at all, surely he would stop tormenting her?

A large hand grasped her bunched fist. Startled, she released her grip and the bunched fabric smoothed out.

Yao Huang tried hard to press her legs together, saying in a tearful voice: “My lord, what exactly do you intend to do?”

Zhao Sui repeated the same phrase: “You brought this upon yourself.”

She had been stoking the fire for the past two nights, and this morning in the courtyard her words were equally unrestrained. That he hadn’t directly taken her to the bamboo grove already showed considerable restraint.

Yao Huang felt extremely wronged and could no longer endure this torment. She curled up like a shrimp, her head ducking under his propped arm, tightly embracing him from behind, using his body to hide herself. Her two legs stacked sideways in a line pressed downward, minimizing what he could see. Having hidden herself well, Yao Huang began reasoning in a small voice: “Yes, I was the one who first cast flirtatious glances at my lord, enticing my lord to choose me as Princess Consort. But my lord personally admitted you don’t disdain my family’s low official rank and that you like my appearance. These past few days we’ve gotten along wonderfully, and I haven’t offended my lord anywhere, so why does my lord wish to shame me like this?”

Zhao Sui looked down at the soft, pale serpent coiled around him: “I’m not shaming you. I merely wish to carefully examine my Princess Consort.”

Yao Huang: “…But no one examines like this. If my lord truly wishes to look, you can look at my face.”

Zhao Sui: “How do you know other married couples don’t examine each other this way?”

Yao Huang truly didn’t know. Just as she was about to act unreasonably, the Prince lifted his right hand, his movement so convenient and natural, as if Yao Huang had voluntarily offered herself!

Yao Huang gazed longingly at the bed edge right before her eyes. If only her courage were slightly greater, she could completely slip away like a loach.

But could she leave the Prince, disabled in both legs, abandoned on the bed? Could she bully him for being unable to move, taking advantage of her own nimble legs?

Yao Huang couldn’t do such a thing. She could only grab the quilt on his side and pull it over her head. Let the Prince look however he wished—as long as she couldn’t see.

In the outer room, A’Ji had spread out her own bedding. Glancing at the inner chamber door, she recalled that last time when she kept night watch, after waiting about two quarters of an hour, the Princess Consort had called for water. So she went to the main hall first and sat in a chair waiting. The Princess Consort’s voice was like a cat’s tail scratching at her heart—better not to hear it.

Prince Hui’s manor was vast. Ming’an Hall was far from any neighbors on either side. Without loud quarreling or barking dogs from neighboring households, the night seemed exceptionally quiet.

Despite the additional wall between them, A’Ji could still hear the Princess Consort’s voice, though fortunately much softer than when in the outer room. A’Ji pulled out pre-prepared cotton, pinched it firm, and stuffed it in her ears, finally achieving peace.

The manor had many small, convenient water clocks. A’Ji took one out and placed it on the table.

Just before two quarters of an hour had passed, A’Ji removed the cotton. The moment she took it out, an extremely clear sound came from inside…

A’Ji stuck out her tongue and quickly stuffed the left cotton back in, leaving her right ear empty because she feared they might already be nearing the end. If she missed the Princess Consort’s summons, the Princess Consort wouldn’t lose her temper with her, but the Prince might not be so lenient.

A’Ji ended up waiting another two quarters of an hour.

A’Ji felt sorry for the Princess Consort. Though unclear about the specific sensations involved, the Princess Consort’s crying couldn’t be faked. Even if not uncomfortable, it surely couldn’t be very pleasant either.

A’Ji quietly carried the water clock back to the outer room, preparing herself to enter.

In the inner chamber, Yao Huang was imprisoned in Prince Hui’s embrace. By the time she could finally hear the sounds around her, the Prince’s breathing had already returned to normal.

Recalling her various states of dishevelment, Yao Huang grew angry and picked up the Prince’s arm to bite his wrist.

A muffled laugh came from overhead.

Yao Huang bit down even harder.

Zhao Sui felt no pain, only noticed how soft her lips were. Suddenly, he realized she wasn’t just biting him with her mouth at this moment.

Zhao Sui pulled free from her feeble grip.

Yao Huang truly hadn’t vented enough anger, but when the dignified Prince actually voluntarily offered his finger for her punishment, Yao Huang felt embarrassed again. She pressed down his finger, humming: “You didn’t listen to me just now, what use is pretending to be good now.”

After hearing her complaint, Zhao Sui continued offering his finger.

Yao Huang turned her face away in disgust: “It’s filthy, I won’t bite it.” Had he forgotten everywhere this hand had touched?

Zhao Sui was willing to wipe it clean before giving it to her, but there was no water prepared on this side of the bed, and even with water, he couldn’t turn around at this moment.

Nearly May now, Yao Huang was covered in sweat. Being held in Prince Hui’s arms was like one furnace pressed against another furnace. Just as Yao Huang prepared to tell him to get down, she froze in disbelief: “You…”

Zhao Sui said nothing, only tightened his right arm around her. Thinking about it was one thing, but there was no urgency. Lying like this was good. They would rest a while before continuing.

If given the choice, Yao Huang truly wanted to clean up and then sleep. But thinking about how starting tomorrow the Prince wouldn’t come for four consecutive nights, Yao Huang felt she could still persevere.

A’Ji, who had been standing outside the door for quite a while: “…”

When A’Ji finally carried two buckets of warm water into the inner chamber, it was nearly the second watch. Upon entering, both layers of curtains around the canopy bed hung low—the Princess Consort wasn’t standing outside like on their wedding night.

The heavy water buckets hit the ground with two dull thuds.

Inside the curtains, Yao Huang forced herself to stay alert, telling A’Ji she could leave and return tomorrow morning to clean up.

After A’Ji left, Yao Huang first put on her middle robe before sitting up with weak arms. Beside her, Prince Hui had long since been leaning against the headboard, actually picking up the book he’d placed aside earlier, his brows and eyes calm, his heart like still water as he read, as if during the past hour he hadn’t made her do those embarrassing things, much less repeatedly made her cry!

Looking at herself—her hair in complete disarray, her middle robe wrinkled, even the small garment that should have been worn inside had been used as emergency relief and…

Yao Huang indignantly snatched the book from his hands.

Zhao Sui glanced at her, his gaze gradually moving downward. The sleeping garments of the Prince and Princess Consort used the finest silk. Summer’s lightweight, sweat-wicking fabric—the Prince’s were mostly white, while the Princess Consort’s were much more vibrant. Like tonight, Yao Huang wore a bright red robe with intertwining floral embroidery at the collar and sleeve edges. Yao Huang wasn’t particularly particular about details. Thinking she still needed to clean up afterward, she had just casually tied it. Having snatched the book too forcefully, the collar edge had come loose.

Following Prince Hui’s gaze downward, Yao Huang grew even more annoyed. She hurriedly stuffed the book back, preferring he pretend to read rather than look at her.

Confirming the Prince wasn’t looking inappropriately, Yao Huang turned her back to put on her pants. It was during this process that she discovered several places where the silk bed sheet had torn, and one spot was damp. Her face flushed as she examined the extent while trying to recall, unable to determine whose body the source originated from.

“What’s wrong?” Seeing her sitting motionless, Zhao Sui put down his book to ask.

Yao Huang still faced away from him, sulkily patting the torn silk spots.

Zhao Sui looked, then examined her fingernails: “Next time I’ll prepare a handkerchief for you to clutch.”

Yao Huang: “…If you were gentler, I wouldn’t end up like this.”

Zhao Sui continued reading his book.

Yao Huang got off the bed and pointed at the wheelchair: “You get down first. I need to change to a new bed sheet.”

Zhao Sui glanced at the wheelchair and said: “Make do for one night. Have the maids change it tomorrow morning.”

Yao Huang: “Fine, then you sleep on the inside.”

She didn’t seem like someone so delicate she couldn’t tolerate a few torn silk threads. Zhao Sui examined the bed sheet again and finally discovered that damp spot.

The pampered Prince Hui didn’t wish to suffer this discomfort, and naturally wouldn’t wrong his Princess Consort either. Eyes on his book, he said: “You wash first. After washing, we’ll change it.”

Yao Huang: “I’ll fetch a cloth for you.”

Zhao Sui tacitly consented.

After handing him the cloth and placing a bucket beside the bed, Yao Huang carried the other water bucket to the inner area.

She took longer. When she emerged, Zhao Sui had already finished tidying up, sitting in his wheelchair wearing his middle robe that hadn’t absorbed much sweat. The bedding was piled in a corner, and he had pulled down that bed sheet and even folded it.

Yao Huang muttered softly: “I wonder what the laundry room maids will think…”

Zhao Sui: “They’ve all learned proper conduct and won’t gossip.”

Yao Huang glared at him again, tossed the bed sheet into the bamboo basket, retrieved a new one from the wardrobe to spread on the bed, and could finally extinguish the lamp and sleep.

This time Yao Huang slept deeply and soundly, only having a shameful dream where the Prince came close again.

When Yao Huang suddenly awoke and realized this wasn’t a dream, the Prince was nearly finished.

Yao Huang was very sleepy. Forgetting her husband’s princely status, she pushed against him while retreating inward.

She escaped the Prince’s powerless legs but couldn’t evade his powerful arms. Zhao Sui casually reached out and the cotton-like Princess Consort rolled back into his embrace.

“The last time,” Zhao Sui said in her ear.

Yao Huang regained some rationality. Sleepy-eyed, gazing at the Prince’s silhouette in the darkness, she half-resisted, half-consented, but with conditions: “You mustn’t take so long.”

The Prince agreed.

Then Yao Huang cried until the first ray of morning light penetrated the window paper.

When her sobbing was fiercest, Zhao Sui coaxed her: “There won’t be any for the next few nights. These days you may do as you please—I won’t come again.”

In her dizzy, swollen, intermittent incoherence, Yao Huang spoke nonsense: “Of course you needn’t come, I’m going to die…”

Zhao Sui covered her mouth with his hand.

The sky brightened completely.

Zhao Sui covered the Princess Consort properly with the quilt, from neck to feet wrapped tightly and securely, before summoning Qing Ai to enter.

Sitting in his wheelchair leaving the inner chamber, Zhao Sui spoke to A’Ji and the five maids his second sentence since the wedding: “Unless the Princess Consort summons you, no one is permitted to enter and disturb her.”