Prince Hui had always woken very early, so Master Kong’s breakfast was delivered quite early as well.
Usually after eating, the Prince would either move to the study or to the back courtyard—there were no other places to pass the time. This morning, the Prince suddenly developed an interest in playing chess and had Qing Ai push the wheelchair to the stone table in the courtyard. His wheelchair was positioned to the north, and Qing Ai went to the kitchen to fetch a wooden stool and placed it on the south side.
Because the Prince had come out, Fei Quan casually closed the south door of the hall.
Actually, Fei Quan also wanted to leave the courtyard gate wide open so the Prince could personally watch the Princess Consort’s light figure walking along the forest path. However, the Prince’s chess-playing gesture was already abnormal enough. Doing more might let the Princess Consort detect the Prince’s intention to welcome guests, which might not please the Prince.
Having served at the Prince’s side for over ten years, both Fei Quan and Qing Ai understood the Prince’s temperament very well. If the Prince liked a certain pastry, he would eat a few more pieces. Those below who understood would instruct the kitchen to continue sending that kind next time. If the servants weren’t clever and the kitchen sent new varieties, the Prince would rather eat less than ask for what he wanted. At least in these daily trivial matters, the Prince rarely revealed his preferences.
Furthermore, being reserved was quite good. Opening the gate wide and looking eagerly outward—that was what palace consorts hoping for imperial favor did. If word got out, it would damage the Prince’s dignity.
After pondering this by himself, Fei Quan returned to his station at the gatehouse. Standing before the small south window, he peered through a dense row of emerald bamboo branches and leaves at the base of the wall to spy on the bamboo grove path.
His eyes were nearly straining when Fei Quan finally saw a familiar figure.
Fei Quan smiled and first moved to the gatehouse door, ready to rush over as soon as the Princess Consort knocked. This time he wouldn’t make the Princess Consort wait—she could enter directly.
Two “dong dong” sounds, very light movements, yet particularly obvious in this quiet bamboo courtyard.
Qing Ai made a turning motion, and at the same time, Zhao Sui looked up.
When the bamboo courtyard was renovated last year, to prevent servants who didn’t know proper etiquette from peeping through the door crack, the two gate panels were made especially tight. When closed together, there was only a narrow line of a gap. Someone like Fei Quan had to press against the door crack to see the scene outside clearly. From the stone table, even with eyesight as good as Zhao Sui’s—trained from years of archery—he could only barely make out an additional line of red outside the door crack.
Before Qing Ai could turn his head, before Fei Quan could reach the gate, Zhao Sui saw a sheet of white paper being pushed in from outside, and then that line of red disappeared.
This was a method Yao Huang had thought of before falling asleep last night. After all, she was just saying hello to the Prince before going out. Now that she knew requesting an audience would trouble the Prince, why did she have to insist on meeting face to face?
Sending a note would save the Prince trouble and save her time—killing two birds with one stone!
So when Yao Huang pushed the note through, she didn’t look inside at all. Afraid that pushing it slowly would let Fei Quan catch her and require exchanging pleasantries, Yao Huang pushed it through and ran. Hearing the sound of Fei Quan opening the door, Yao Huang had already run to the middle of the path. When Fei Quan called to her, Yao Huang pretended not to hear and disappeared from sight in the blink of an eye.
Fei Quan: “…”
Those who knew would recognize that was the Princess Consort. Those who didn’t would think a flower spirit was haunting the bamboo grove early in the morning!
The Prince was watching from behind. After hesitating slightly, Fei Quan chased out. Leaving the bamboo grove and looking south, he happened to meet the Princess Consort’s gaze as she turned to observe. Just as Fei Quan was about to speak, the Princess Consort instantly started running again, waving dismissively while running.
Fei Quan didn’t dare make the Prince wait long. Scanning the characters on the paper, Fei Quan ran back to the courtyard and presented the letter without an envelope with both hands, saying shamefully, “This servant was a step too slow in pursuit and didn’t catch up with the Princess Consort.”
Qing Ai kept his head down facing the chess board. Fei Quan had run so fast yet still hadn’t caught up—this only showed the Princess Consort ran even faster. This Princess Consort, why did she run after coming?
Zhao Sui accepted the paper and saw written on it: “Prince, I’m returning to Changshou Alley to tell my mother to bring my father, my brother, and my maternal grandfather’s family to visit the Prince’s residence the day after tomorrow. I’ll also spend more time talking with my mother and return to the residence right after lunch.”
“After it cools down in the afternoon, I want to go fishing by the lake. I’ve never fished before and don’t know if I can catch anything. If the Prince is interested, come find me directly by the lake. If not interested, that’s fine too. If I really catch a big fish, I’ll send it to the bamboo courtyard to add to your meal. If I don’t come to deliver one, it means I didn’t catch anything. The Prince must not wait around.”
The Prince lowered his eyes to read the letter. Fei Quan and Qing Ai exchanged glances, both worried that the Prince might be unhappy after making preparations in vain without seeing the Princess Consort.
Amid their anxiety, their Prince folded the letter and tucked it into his sleeve, then picked up a black chess piece and continued playing.
At Changshou Alley, Yao Zhenhu had gone to the military camp, Yao Lin was studying at the military academy, and only Luo Jinhua was home, tidying up and preparing to go out.
Not going out wasn’t an option! Before her daughter married, the Yao family’s front and back doors had guards stationed there, and the neighbors didn’t dare visit. After her daughter married and the guards withdrew, the neighbors who had been suppressed for so long came in waves to her home. Some asked her about her daughter’s days as a palace maiden and how she was selected as Princess Consort, others asked about her daughter’s life at the Prince’s residence, what the Prince’s temperament was like, whether he treated her daughter well, and so on.
Great households valued propriety and didn’t dare gather to discuss imperial nobility. Ordinary people, on the other hand, dared to chat about anything. It just so happened that all four members of the Yao family were very amiable and had never put on official airs with the neighbors.
Luo Jinhua also dared to chat with neighbors about other nobles, because even if imperial secrets were mentioned, she had heard everything from others. If something happened and officials came to arrest people, she could deflect cleanly. Presumably the officials wouldn’t convict and imprison this entire group of neighbors over a few rumors either.
However, she truly didn’t dare spill details about this palace selection or her Prince son-in-law. If it reached the Emperor, Empress, or Prince’s ears, they wouldn’t need to ponder to know the information had leaked from her. Luo Jinhua wouldn’t do such stupid things that benefited outsiders while implicating her own family.
What she couldn’t provoke, she could avoid. If the neighbors couldn’t catch her, after this fresh excitement passed, they wouldn’t keep chasing her with pointless questions.
Unexpectedly, before Luo Jinhua could go out, her daughter arrived, sitting in the Prince’s residence’s impressive carriage with four guards following before and behind.
Neighbors hearing the commotion ran out to watch the excitement.
In front of others, Luo Jinhua was respectful and deferential. Once the gate closed, Luo Jinhua grew anxious, pressing close to her daughter and asking in a low voice, “Why did you suddenly come back?”
Yao Huang smiled. “I missed you! The return visit lasted too short—we didn’t get to chat properly.”
Luo Jinhua asked, “Nothing really happened at the Prince’s residence?”
Yao Huang replied, “Really nothing. The Prince and I are doing well. Come, let’s go inside and talk.”
Taking the box A’Ji was holding, telling A’Ji to go reunite with Auntie Wu and Qiao Niang, Yao Huang affectionately linked arms with her mother and went to the east room.
The box contained four boxes of face cream, four bottles of floral water, and two pieces of jewelry Yao Huang was giving her mother.
The jewelry was her daughter’s filial devotion, so Luo Jinhua accepted it. But looking at those face creams and floral waters, she felt embarrassed. “You’re a young wife who should be treasuring your complexion. Mother’s nearly about to become a maternal grandmother or grandmother—ordinary products that don’t chap my face are fine. Why waste such good things? Take them all back when you return to the residence.”
Yao Huang said, “Nonsense! Mother is only thirty-six, still young. Plus Mother has a good foundation—if you take good care of yourself, even when you’re truly aged you’ll look ten years younger. Not saying you should compare with palace consorts, but at least aiming for the official wives of high-ranking officials should work. Besides, the palace bestows batches of rouge and powder on me every year. I alone can’t possibly use it all. Isn’t giving it to you better than rewarding it all to the maids?”
Luo Jinhua said, “You should still reward them—servants who receive benefits will be more loyal to you.”
Yao Huang replied, “I know. This portion is specifically for honoring you.”
Luo Jinhua smiled and opened the boxes to smell each one. When she smelled the floral water for bathing, thinking of something, Luo Jinhua actually blushed before her daughter.
Yao Huang, now a new wife herself, chuckled. “Thinking of Father?”
Luo Jinhua glared at her daughter. “Talking nonsense! By the way, you went out—what’s the Prince doing?”
Yao Huang quietly explained about the Prince regularly staying in the bamboo courtyard.
Luo Jinhua listened with aching heart. “The Prince used to be so glorious. The more glorious, the more proud. The more proud, the less he can bear others’ sympathy. Unable to control others’ eyes, he can only shut himself away. Actually, his heart must be suffering terribly.”
Yao Huang said, “Suffering or not, he clearly doesn’t want to be disturbed. If I eagerly push myself forward and annoy him, it would instead ruin this bit of marital affection earned by my looks.”
A prince and a centurion’s daughter—like an eagle flying in the sky and a fish swimming in water. Not a single hobby aligned. It was entirely thanks to her good looks and the Prince’s good temperament that the two could get along relatively peacefully.
Luo Jinhua said, “But you can’t go running out every day either.”
Yao Huang replied, “I’ve been cooped up for nearly three months and was going crazy. Next month I’ll only come out once every few days. Then even if you want to see me, you won’t be able to.”
Luo Jinhua said, “I don’t want to see you. I just hope you’ll hurry and give the Prince a child or two, thoroughly establishing your foothold.”
The Prince was like a pie that fell from heaven for her daughter, something the Heavenly Lord could take back at any time. Only when her daughter bore the Prince’s flesh and blood would this pie truly be eaten and digested by her daughter.
Luo Jinhua continued, “It’s best to cultivate feelings for a year or so first, then conceive. The Prince will have just gotten a taste—if you conceive too early, I’m afraid he won’t be able to endure and will seek others.”
Yao Huang said, “…You’re thinking quite far ahead.”
Luo Jinhua smiled proudly.
Yao Huang was silent for a moment, feeling her mother made quite good sense. The only problem was: “When to conceive isn’t something I control either.”
Luo Jinhua rubbed her daughter’s head. “Let nature take its course. What Mother described is the most ideal situation. Moreover, whether a woman can hold a man’s heart depends more crucially on herself. Children are at most icing on the cake.”
Yao Huang understood. “I will treat the Prince well.”
Luo Jinhua said, “Be gentle when you should be gentle, but throw tantrums when you should too. If you comply with everything he says, how are you different from a maid? However, since your son-in-law is a prince, you can’t be as fierce with him as I am with your father—you must restrain yourself.”
Yao Huang laughed. “I won’t. The Prince isn’t as foolish as Father, constantly offending you.”
After eating lunch at her mother’s home and reminding her not to forget to visit the Prince’s residence the day after tomorrow, Yao Huang returned to the Prince’s residence.
After resting through the afternoon heat, Yao Huang took out a newly bought storybook to pass the time. Seeing the sun wasn’t so harsh anymore, at the beginning of the hour of shen, she put on the veiled hat adorned with the peony silk flower and set out with A’Ji.
Arriving at the lakeside, what a scene of sparkling waves, so dazzling one couldn’t keep their eyes open. The sun also seemed as harsh as at noon.
Eunuch Cao had been waiting there. Four junior eunuchs carried fishing rods, bait, fish buckets, chair cushions, and other items. Seeing the Princess Consort in her veiled hat still having to turn her head to avoid the sun, Eunuch Cao pointed to the west side of the lake where willow trees provided shade. “This old servant thought that spot was quite suitable—no sun exposure, and while waiting for fish you can also enjoy the lake scenery. Later this old servant will have people bring tea, water, and cakes. Your comfort is guaranteed.”
Yao Huang said, “Good, let’s go there then.”
Fishing took time. If she waited until it was truly cool before coming out, when would she catch fish? She had promised the Prince she would add to his meal.
The group took a roundabout path to the west side of the lake. Eunuch Cao personally arranged things for the Princess Consort. The chair was positioned, the bait attached. Yao Huang only needed to sit down and take over the fishing rod.
Eunuch Cao also explained some fishing techniques to the Princess Consort before withdrawing with the junior eunuchs. Soon people were sent to bring tea, water, and cakes.
A’Ji looked at the other fishing rod eagerly. “Princess Consort, is this one prepared for me?”
Yao Huang replied, “It’s for the Prince. You can use it first. When he comes, give it to him.”
A’Ji said, “Then I don’t dare—afraid of dirtying the Prince’s hands.”
Yao Huang said, “What’s to fear? The Prince might not even come.”
A’Ji still shook her head and sat on the ground next to the Princess Consort, expectantly staring at the lake surface.
A quarter hour later, Yao Huang handed her own fishing rod to her. “You take over. I’m going to lie down for a bit.”
This fishing business wasn’t nearly as fun as she’d imagined.
A’Ji, having just taken over, was excited for a while. Just as she too was beginning to feel her bottom itching, on the path opposite them appeared the figure of Qing Ai pushing a wheelchair.