The lamps hadn’t been extinguished, and the bamboo sprite was propped up on the Crown Prince Consort’s back. At this moment, Yao Huang only needed to turn her head slightly to look back and she would see the disabled legs her husband had never shown her in their three years of marriage.
But her reserved husband felt his thin and weak legs were not presentable, so he had always kept them hidden and covered. Yao Huang certainly wouldn’t feel any disgust, but she was willing to accommodate his reserve, so she never turned her head even once, just buried her face in her disheveled flowing hair and whimpered softly.
What Yao Huang had said to Emperor Yongchang before the evening banquet wasn’t entirely flattery. The prince’s residence was her and the Crown Prince’s territory—they were the highest authorities there and could be as uninhibited as they pleased. The Eastern Palace, however, was part of the imperial palace, Emperor Yongchang’s territory. Even though the Eastern Palace was far enough from Qianyuan Hall, there were imperial guards stationed to patrol the palace walls between the two palaces at night. In the deep silence of night, what if some guard with sharp ears and eyes could actually hear?
Yao Huang remembered when she lived on Longevity Lane, especially in spring, she would often hear wild cats yowling from the alley drifting through her window in the middle of the night.
Now she and the Crown Prince had also become two cats.
“Why are you so quiet tonight?”
The Crown Prince, having transformed back from bamboo sprite to human, lay down beside her, pulled up the quilt, then gathered the immobile Crown Prince Consort into his embrace, kissing her shoulder from behind.
Yao Huang weakly scratched at the back of the Crown Prince’s hand that was clasped around her: “Isn’t quiet good? Before, Your Highness was always reminding me to be quieter.”
Zhao Sui didn’t answer. Crying out had its merits, and silence had its merits.
While the Crown Prince Consort still needed time to recover, Zhao Sui went to the washing room to clean up first. When he returned, he had changed into a fresh set of undergarments. Except for his slightly flushed complexion as if he’d just bathed, his refined features showed no trace that he’d been a bamboo sprite for nearly half an hour.
The Crown Prince Consort still maintained the side-lying position from when he’d left. Zhao Sui sat in the wheelchair and reached out to turn her over, only to see the Crown Prince Consort’s eyes closed, nearly asleep. A strand of hair stuck to her rosy cheek, and from her forehead to her body, a faint sheen of perspiration still lingered.
A bucket of warm water sat nearby. Zhao Sui dampened a cloth to wipe down the Crown Prince Consort.
As he wiped, the Crown Prince Consort’s face grew even redder. Her eyes opened slightly, gazing at him reproachfully.
Zhao Sui didn’t know how there could be such a woman in the world—bright and radiant as spring during the day, yet soft and alluring as water at night.
The Crown Prince’s household moved into the Eastern Palace on the twenty-eighth. The very next morning, they experienced the first benefit of relocating.
Previously, when there were court sessions at the palace, the Crown Prince had to get up at the yin hour, hastily eat something to fill his stomach, then rush to the palace. Now living in the palace, the Crown Prince could sleep an extra quarter or two hours, then set out directly in his wheelchair.
Because the Crown Prince had only indulged once last night, Yao Huang also woke quite early. After breakfast, she brought the wet nurse and Jun’er to the Central Palace to pay respects to Empress Zhou.
Empress Zhou said gently: “Just like when we were at the traveling palace last year, come pay respects on the first and fifteenth of each month. You don’t need to come here every day.”
The palace had many rules, but they weren’t inflexible. The Empress could decide how often the consorts, princes, and princesses came to pay their respects. Since Empress Zhou wasn’t someone who cared much for ceremony, she could reduce how often people needed to pay respects. Before Empress Zhou, there had been empress dowagers who required everyone to come pay respects daily.
Yao Huang increasingly felt blessed by fate. The prince she married had a good temper, the Emperor father-in-law above was amiable and kind, her legitimate mother-in-law treated her warmly, and the only difficult adoptive mother-in-law, Consort Du, wasn’t even particularly capable.
On the first day of the eighth month, the fourth day in the palace, Yao Huang surprisingly encountered Nanny Fang again—the one who had taught etiquette and protocol to the palace maidens when she was at Xiuxiu Pavilion.
Back then, in the eyes of most palace maidens, Nanny Fang had been like a gate guardian deity—fierce and strict. If the gate guardian looked favorably upon a maiden and showed leniency, that maiden could pass the assessment and have the opportunity to appear before the Emperor and Empress, possibly being selected as a princess consort to enjoy glory and wealth. If the gate guardian found a maiden displeasing and deliberately found fault, she could eliminate that maiden, completely ending her prospects of marrying into the imperial family.
Yao Huang had been somewhat afraid of Nanny Fang. Today upon seeing her again, before Yao Huang could get a good look at Nanny Fang after more than three years apart, Nanny Fang knelt down first and kowtowed respectfully: “This servant pays respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince Consort.”
Yao Huang quickly signaled A’Ji and Bai Ling to help her up, saying with a smile: “It was entirely thanks to Nanny’s attentive instruction back then that I had the opportunity to be chosen by the Crown Prince as his consort. Today Nanny has come again on the Empress’s orders to guide me on the etiquette for the investiture ceremony. In my eyes, Nanny is equivalent to half a teacher, so Nanny needn’t be overly reserved.”
Fate was truly wonderful. Back then, Yao Huang had desperately hoped Nanny Fang would find some minor fault with her and release her from the palace to reunite with her family. She tried three times, but Nanny Fang simply wouldn’t let her go, which ultimately led to Yao Huang’s destiny of marrying the Crown Prince. If Yao Huang’s life now were miserable, she would certainly resent Nanny Fang. But since her life was good now, she naturally should remember Nanny Fang’s kindness.
And Nanny Fang had indeed been the first person in the imperial palace to figure out Yao Huang’s temperament. Knowing that this blessed-looking Crown Prince Consort spoke from the heart, Nanny Fang smiled and relaxed her posture slightly: “Your Highness is too kind. This servant dare not accept such praise. It’s truly because Your Highness was born with the features of nobility that three years ago, this servant found Your Highness pleasing no matter how she looked at you.”
Such a beauty with both appearance and figure seen perhaps once in a century—even if the imperial consorts didn’t select her to be a primary or secondary consort for some prince, the Emperor would probably have taken her for himself. This was the reason Nanny Fang had been especially lenient with Yao Huang. But even Nanny Fang herself hadn’t calculated that Yao Huang would actually marry Prince Hui as his primary consort, then rise all the way to her current honored position as Crown Prince Consort.
After the old acquaintances reminisced, Nanny Fang began explaining the entire process of the investiture ceremony to the Crown Prince Consort. Each step had its own protocols—extremely complicated.
Yao Huang learned with relish. Only hard work with little reward made one lose motivation. Busy work for a few days that could earn a great fortune and great glory—this kind of hard work, Yao Huang believed even her leg-disabled Crown Prince would enjoy.
They kept busy until the fifth day of the eighth month, when the investiture ceremony officially began.
Zhao Sui wore the Crown Prince’s ceremonial robes, sitting in the golden nanmu wheelchair, pushed by Qing Ai. Yao Huang walked beside him wearing the Crown Prince Consort’s ceremonial robes.
As they passed through the assembled officials, walking along, Yao Huang glimpsed Commandery Prince Qing standing behind Prince Kang.
Had Emperor Yongchang temporarily released Commandery Prince Qing so he could kowtow to his second brother, since the Crown Prince’s investiture was a grand state ceremony second only to an imperial enthronement?
It was just a fleeting thought that quickly passed through Yao Huang’s mind. The Crown Prince Consort’s crown on her head was very heavy—Yao Huang had to concentrate on her steps.
After bowing to Emperor Yongchang, they then received the kowtows of the imperial clan and civil and military officials in return. After going to the Central Palace to bow to Empress Zhou, they then received the prostrations of the various noble ladies in return. Since she’d already seen Commandery Prince Qing earlier, when Yao Huang now spotted Zheng Yuanzhen standing behind Chen Ying, she wasn’t surprised again. She only felt sorry that Chen Ying, so far along in her pregnancy, still had to exert herself for this occasion. Fortunately, Empress Zhou had arranged everything—Chen Ying only needed to kneel without kowtowing.
Yao Huang’s heart remained suspended until Chen Ying stood up safely. Seeing Chen Ying still smiling at her, Yao Huang smiled back.
After finishing the ceremonies in the palace, Yao Huang still had to accompany the Crown Prince to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to pay respects to the imperial ancestors.
After making their rounds and completing all the prostrations, there were still two palace banquets to attend. It wasn’t until nightfall that Yao Huang finally returned to the Eastern Palace. As soon as she removed the complicated ceremonial robes and took a simple soak in the bath, Yao Huang collapsed onto the couch in the eastern side chamber.
The Crown Prince was still tidying up in the front courtyard. The wet nurse placed Jun’er beside the Crown Prince Consort, letting her dote on the young prince she hadn’t seen all day during this rest period.
The busyness belonged to the prince father and consort mother. The young prince of the Eastern Palace had spent the day eating when awake and sleeping when full—quite comfortably indeed.
Yao Huang pinched Jun’er’s chubby little hand and said softly: “Everyone says I’m blessed, but I think you’re the one with the greatest blessings.”
Even better fortune than his Crown Prince father.
Jun’er, barely over five months old, couldn’t understand what his mother consort was saying. He rolled over, lifted his little head toward his mother consort, and babbled “ah-ya ah-ya.”
When Zhao Sui arrived, before even entering the side chamber, he first heard the Crown Prince Consort’s laughing teasing from inside: “If you’re so capable, crawl over here.”
Zhao Sui pushed his wheelchair inside to see the Crown Prince Consort lying at the westernmost end of the heated couch, with Jun’er lying prone in the middle, anxiously trying to reach his mother but unable to crawl even one step.
Zhao Sui stopped the wheelchair in front of the couch.
From his position, he was closer to Jun’er than the Crown Prince Consort was. Jun’er immediately started babbling “ah-ya” toward his prince father, wanting his father to pick him up.
Yao Huang cooperatively closed her eyes, waiting for the Crown Prince to move onto the couch.
Zhao Sui didn’t move, because Jun’er was staring fixedly at him.
In another two or three months, Jun’er should slowly learn to crawl. Zhao Sui didn’t want Jun’er to be influenced by seeing his father’s leg-shifting and propping movements, becoming different from normal children.
“I won’t get up there. Give me Jun’er,” Zhao Sui said in an even tone.
Yao Huang assumed the Crown Prince was also exhausted from all the day’s various ordeals. Smiling, she picked up Jun’er and handed him over.
Zhao Sui held Jun’er under his armpits. Jun’er, who spent all day lying down or on his stomach, really liked this. His little feet bounced chaotically on his prince father’s legs.
Zhao Sui let the little fellow bounce around.
His legs were ruined, but he loved Jun’er’s strong little legs.
Yao Huang just watched the Crown Prince play with Jun’er like this until it was time for Jun’er to sleep, when the Crown Prince finally called the wet nurse to take Jun’er away.
Yao Huang was still lying on the pillow, teasing the Crown Prince: “Your Highness is truly superhuman, able to hold a child for so long after being tired all day.”
Even she, who had relatively good strength for a woman, couldn’t manage to keep holding the ten-plus-pound Jun’er indefinitely.
Zhao Sui met the Crown Prince Consort’s eyes, placed his hand on the edge of the couch in front of him, and said: “Come here.”
Yao Huang glanced out the window. It really was time to rest.
Moving to the edge of the couch, Yao Huang deliberately sat facing the Crown Prince, then placed her bare feet on the Crown Prince’s legs, stepping alternately a few times like Jun’er had done.
Zhao Sui lowered his eyes. After the Crown Prince Consort’s fair little feet had stepped enough, he wrapped one arm around the Crown Prince Consort’s back, his other hand supporting the crook of her legs. With both arms exerting force, he scooped the Crown Prince Consort up from the couch into his arms in one motion.
The unfastened wheelchair rolled backward, but because the Crown Prince’s movement was quick enough, the couple remained perfectly safe.
Even so, Yao Huang’s heart still raced. She hurriedly hooked her arms around the Crown Prince’s shoulders and held tight.
Zhao Sui let the Crown Prince Consort hold him firmly, then released his hands to grasp the fine wooden push wheels on both sides of the wheelchair.
The three-wheeled wheelchair, bearing the weight of two people, slowly proceeded toward the inner chamber.
Yao Huang had long known the Crown Prince had a pair of strong arms, yet at this moment she was still amazed by the strength he displayed.
Taking advantage of the Crown Prince’s hands being occupied with the push wheels, Yao Huang sneakily yet openly slipped her right hand inside the Crown Prince’s collar, her palm pressing against his broad, solid chest.
Each time the Crown Prince pushed the wheelchair forward, his shoulders, chest, and abdomen all engaged with force.
The Crown Prince Consort, who had clearly planned to fall asleep the moment she touched the bed, was so simply and easily heated up by the Crown Prince.