After admiring the flowers, Empress Zhou also bestowed a banquet.

The imperial chefs in the palace were also divided into different ranks. When Yao Huang was an imperial selection candidate, the dishes she ate were merely plated more beautifully than those Auntie Wu made at home. They were generous with chicken, duck, fish, and meat, and the taste was roughly similar. Today, benefiting from the favor of Empress Zhou and the three consorts, even the supporting ingredient tofu in a dish of steamed shrimp with tofu was stewed tender and flavorful.

Individual place settings, many dishes with small portions—Yao Huang picked what she liked to eat. Of the eight dishes, she leisurely finished four completely, ate half of two, and only tasted one bite of the remaining two that really didn’t suit her palate.

Of the ten people present, she ate with the most gusto.

The Second Princess teased, “No wonder Second Sister-in-law has such a plump figure—turns out you have such a good appetite.”

With Chen Ying still sitting between them, Yao Huang admired that the Second Princess was willing to crane her neck to look in her direction. Picking up the cloth napkin the palace maid had prepared and wiping the corners of her mouth, Yao Huang smiled at the Second Princess: “Does younger sister think I’m beautiful?”

The Second Princess replied, “…Beautiful.”

Yao Huang said, “Then younger sister needn’t envy me. If you eat more, you can also become plump.”

The Second Princess’s face immediately flushed red then turned pale. Who was envious? Wasn’t it just having a full chest and slim waist? Her waist was slim too. As for her chest… Damn it, was this person deliberately mocking her for being flat on top?

Princess Imperial Fucheng laughed out loud, looked at the Second Princess, and said, “Se’er indeed should eat more to nourish herself.”

The Second Princess’s name was Zhao Se.

Young ladies were always at a disadvantage when teased about their figures. The redder her face became, the more amusement she provided others. The Second Princess looked aggrievedly toward her own imperial mother.

Noble Consort Du naturally had to support her daughter. Glancing at Zheng Yuanzhen, Noble Consort Du smiled and said, “If we’re all comparing ourselves to Huang Huang, then Yuanzhen should also eat more to nourish herself.”

Princess Imperial Fucheng said, “Yuanzhen didn’t envy her.”

Noble Consort Du replied, “Of course not. Yuanzhen’s marriage is more satisfactory. Although Prince Hui is accomplished in both civil and military arts, his legs are crippled after all. How can he compare to Prince Qing’s magnificent bearing…”

Empress Zhou’s gaze swept over, slightly cold.

Noble Consort Du didn’t care at all and insisted on finishing her words: “Prince Qing is also blessed. If Princess Imperial hadn’t been reluctant to let her beloved daughter marry early and insisted on keeping Yuanzhen until she turned eighteen, the capital’s number one beauty wouldn’t have fallen to Prince Qing to marry.”

She deliberately emphasized “number one beauty” particularly heavily. While speaking, she glanced at Yao Huang with a half-smile, not concealing her sarcasm toward Zheng Yuanzhen at all.

Zheng Yuanzhen’s expression remained unchanged. She merely quietly sipped the soup at her seat, as if the verbal sparring among the elders had nothing to do with her.

Princess Imperial Fucheng smiled faintly: “In Noble Consort’s presence, who would dare claim to be the capital’s number one beauty?”

Consort Shen said, “Speaking only of the younger generation, Sister Noble Consort indeed hasn’t exaggerated. Yuanzhen possesses both superior beauty of appearance and transcendent beauty of bearing. In all the capital, you couldn’t find a second such beauty.”

This was subtly mocking Noble Consort Du for her age.

Noble Consort Du certainly couldn’t outtalk Princess Imperial Fucheng and Consort Shen working in concert. She snorted and looked disdainfully at Yao Huang: “A belly full of books naturally enhances one’s bearing. Ordinarily, don’t just know how to eat—read more books too, lest people mock you for only having good flesh.”

Yao Huang looked bewildered: “What is Mother Consort saying? Didn’t everyone just praise me for being beautiful?”

Noble Consort Du: “…”

Princess Imperial Fucheng and the others: “…”

After the gathering dispersed, the sun was blazing. Empress Zhou arranged sedan chairs for Princess Imperial Fucheng and her daughter who lived outside the palace, as well as for Yao Huang.

Yao Huang was just about to express thanks when Noble Consort Du imperiously commanded, “Come with me to Yikun Palace. I have something to say to you.”

Yao Huang covered her face, feigning a yawn: “Does Mother Consort have urgent business? If not, let’s talk another time. Your daughter-in-law is so sleepy.”

Empress Zhou looked toward Noble Consort Du.

Noble Consort Du suppressed her anger and said, “I am your mother consort. Can’t I call you over to say a few intimate words?”

Hearing this, Yao Huang walked over and linked arms with Noble Consort Du, leaning against her shoulder: “Of course you can. Then Mother Consort, please take pity on me—let’s just talk here. Save me from making an extra trip to Yikun Palace. Going back and forth takes at least half a shichen. With such strong sunlight, your daughter-in-law is afraid of sun exposure.”

Noble Consort Du was startled by the softness suddenly pressing against her.

The Second Princess was irritated by Yao Huang’s intimate gesture. That was her imperial mother—what right did Yao Huang, an adopted daughter-in-law, have to act so coquettishly?

Empress Zhou said, “Since we’re all leaving anyway, you can chat here.”

She led the group away in a flurry.

Yao Huang still held Noble Consort Du.

Noble Consort Du pushed her away with distaste and sat on the beauty couch to one side of the pavilion, lecturing, “This is the palace. Mind your manners.”

Yao Huang sat across from her quite familiarly and smiled: “This is the palace, but it’s also my husband’s family home. They say a mother-in-law is like half a mother. What manners do I need to observe with my own mother? Don’t you agree, Mother Consort?”

Noble Consort Du said, “…Why did you bring this girl again? Where are Hua Mei and Bai Ling? Are the senior maids I gave you not as useful as your natal family’s junior maid?”

Hearing this, Yao Huang looked resentfully at Noble Consort Du: “Mother Consort still has the nerve to bring this up. That Hua Mei you gave me—who knows what possessed her—actually dared to slander the prince’s reputation to me and sow discord between me and the prince… It was my first time experiencing such a thing. I had no opinion of my own and left everything to the prince to handle. After that, I never saw Hua Mei again.”

Noble Consort Du: “…”

Was Hua Mei really that stupid?

Noble Consort Du could continue to interrogate the details, but with Hua Mei gone, dwelling on it was meaningless. Noble Consort Du said casually, “I failed to judge people properly. Shall I assign you another maid?”

Yao Huang replied, “Absolutely not! The prince was already angry once. If another Hua Mei comes along, I’m afraid it will affect the affection between Mother Consort and the prince. Besides, I currently have exactly four senior maids—just right. Adding more would make the number uneven.”

Noble Consort Du said, “…Then forget it. During the flower viewing, what did Her Majesty the Empress say to you?”

Yao Huang sighed: “Her Majesty asked if I could persuade the prince to attend the Dragon Boat Festival palace banquet. How could I have such confidence? Why doesn’t Mother Consort just issue an oral edict directly to the prince? Your words—the prince would surely have to listen.”

Noble Consort Du gritted her teeth. The former Prince Hui indeed wouldn’t refuse her oral edicts—he came whenever summoned. Now Prince Hui dared to disobey even His Majesty’s summons. If she called him, it would only be humiliating herself.

“Making me worry about everything—what use is having you as a daughter-in-law? Go back and figure it out yourself.”

Riding in the sedan chair bestowed by Empress Zhou, Yao Huang swayed leisurely out of the palace and boarded her own princely residence’s carriage.

Prince Hui’s residence was too close to the imperial palace. In the time it took Yao Huang to take a short nap, they arrived. Figuring the prince should be taking his midday rest at this hour, Yao Huang went directly back to Mingantang.

After removing her outer garments and washing her face, Yao Huang climbed onto the bed to sleep.

Regardless of spring, summer, autumn, or winter, Yao Huang had the habit of taking an afternoon nap. Spring drowsiness, autumn fatigue—summer was too hot, winter too cold. Of course, she had to sleep for a while.

When she woke up, A’Ji came in to attend her and said, “Eunuch Fei Quan came by. He said the prince requests your presence at the bamboo courtyard at the hour of the rooster.”

Yao Huang acknowledged this. After washing up, she summoned Guo Shu to discuss the festival gifts to be sent out for this year’s Dragon Boat Festival. On her side, there were just two families of relatives. On Prince Hui’s side, there were four families—Prince Kang’s residence, Prince Qing’s residence, Princess Imperial Fucheng’s residence, and then the Chengen Duke’s residence of Noble Consort Du’s maternal clan. When Noble Consort Du first entered the palace years ago, she was immediately made a consort. Besides her own beauty, this was also related to the fact that the Empress Dowager was her own aunt.

The two princes were peers. Princess Imperial’s residence and Chengen Duke’s residence were elders.

Yao Huang asked, “For my natal family and maternal grandfather’s family, should we follow what we give to Chengen Duke’s residence?”

Guo Shu replied, “The current Chengen Duke is Noble Consort’s elder brother and the prince’s maternal uncle. Gifts for the princess consort’s two maternal uncles can follow Chengen Duke’s gift list. But gifts for your father-in-law and Grandfather Luo and his wife should be increased by twenty percent to conform with propriety.”

Yao Huang smiled and said, “Let’s do as you say. Also give each family two jars of tribute wine.”

After handling some miscellaneous matters, Yao Huang went to the bamboo courtyard a quarter-hour early.

Prince Hui sat at the pond’s edge, apparently admiring the koi swimming back and forth inside.

Yao Huang jogged over: “Is the prince waiting for me?”

Zhao Sui replied, “Admiring the fish, and waiting for you incidentally.”

Yao Huang smiled: “If I’d known, I would have left earlier.”

Zhao Sui assessed her expression and asked, “This morning entering the palace—did everything go smoothly?”

Yao Huang sat facing him on a lakeside rock, amused: “Smooth was smooth. It’s just that I discovered some of the ladies are not much different from the neighbors on our Longevity Lane. When unhappy, they quarrel, bicker, and make pointed remarks—just not as crudely worded. Don’t you think it’s strange? When we were imperial selection candidates, we had to learn so many rules. We had to be dignified, we had to be virtuous, as if all the noble personages in the palace were like that. But actually…”

She gave Prince Hui a knowing look.

Zhao Sui asked, “Did someone insult you?”

Yao Huang’s smile diminished slightly, then she said without much concern, “Mocking me for being plump and having low family status. I’m used to it.”

Zhao Sui said, “You’re not plump.”

When being mocked, Yao Huang hadn’t felt embarrassed at all, but now her face burned. She lowered her head: “Even if the prince wants to make me happy, you can’t tell such blatant lies.”

Zhao Sui replied, “Plump means carrying excess flab. You are voluptuously proportioned, like a peony among flowers.”

Yao Huang could praise herself, could smilingly accept praise from family. But being told this by the prince, her husband, in broad daylight—she was so embarrassed she covered her face and turned away.

Zhao Sui looked toward the distant sky.

When the heat on her face faded, Yao Huang slowly turned back around. Meeting the prince’s gaze directed at her, Yao Huang said quietly, “On the fifth, there’s a Dragon Boat Festival banquet in the palace. Does the prince want to go?”

Zhao Sui fell silent.

Yao Huang continued, “If you don’t want to go, then don’t. I’m not afraid to go alone anyway. Her Majesty the Empress and the First Princess are both quite gentle. I also know Princess Consort Kang. While chatting and eating, the palace banquet will end. The prince needn’t worry about me.”

If it were just himself, Zhao Sui indeed didn’t want to go.

Now he had a princess consort. Accompanying her to the palace banquet might give her more confidence. Imperial Father would also credit her with some merit. But all the other princes were elegant and refined—only her husband sat in a wheelchair, inferior to others. The married couple would look mismatched no matter how you looked at them. She might attract gazes filled with sympathy, pity, or schadenfreude because of this.

Zhao Sui wasn’t sure whether she could bear such scrutiny.

“Do you want me to go?” Zhao Sui gave the princess consort the choice.

Yao Huang had pondered this question on the way back, so she immediately gave Prince Hui her answer: “I want the prince to do whatever makes you happy. If the palace banquet would make the prince joyful, then go. If the palace banquet would only make the prince gloomy, then stay home. The same applies to future Mid-Autumn banquets, New Year’s Eve banquets, or other banquets.”

Yao Huang remembered that when she was twelve or thirteen, she had broken out in pox. It wasn’t serious, but a few appeared on her face. During that time, she stayed shut up in her room—even her brother wasn’t allowed to see her, though she knew he wouldn’t mock her.

The prince’s leg condition was probably equivalent to those pox marks on her face that year.

So she respected the prince’s wishes.

As for Emperor Yongchang feeling heartache for his son and missing his son—that was his business. What did it have to do with her? The prince was her bedside companion.