The early summer sunset was beautiful. After finishing the discussion about the palace banquet, Yao Huang pushed Prince Hui to tour the garden.

The magnificent wheelchair crafted from red sandalwood was quite heavy. Adding a prince over eight chi tall, pushing it wasn’t as effortless as Yao Huang deliberately made it appear. So she slowed her pace as much as possible, continuing to make up stories about Pan Xuniang to dispel the silence.

“Pan Xuniang lived a period of settled days at the blacksmith’s home. She was beautiful, and gradually people began matchmaking for her. Pan Xuniang didn’t want to remarry. Neighbors teased her, asking if she had feelings for her sworn brother the blacksmith. How could that be? Pan Xuniang didn’t want outsiders gossiping, so she had no choice but to agree to meet the matches the matchmakers arranged.”

Zhao Sui listened with closed eyes to her nonsense. Clearly it was the blacksmith who liked Pan Xuniang and after she got drunk, forcibly cornered her. Pan Xuniang half-refused, half-yielded. After several times, neighbors heard the commotion. To save face, Pan Xuniang agreed to the matchmaker.

“Unexpectedly, the first match she met was the scar-faced constable chief from the county yamen. When Pan Xuniang went to visit the prison, she’d heard her husband curse this constable chief. She determined he was a bad person and gave him a thorough scolding. The constable chief tried to explain, but she wouldn’t listen. Later, the blacksmith got entangled in a legal case… The constable chief found evidence proving the blacksmith was wrongly accused. Only then did Pan Xuniang believe he was a good person.”

Zhao Sui silently mocked in his heart—there weren’t many good men in this story book. All coveted Pan Xuniang’s beauty. The constable chief’s condition for helping the blacksmith clear his name was having Pan Xuniang accompany him.

“Through the constable chief’s connection, Pan Xuniang met the newly appointed county magistrate. The new magistrate was young, handsome, and loved the people like his own children. After hearing Pan Xuniang tearfully recount the injustice, the new magistrate reinvestigated her husband’s case… Ultimately, justice was restored to Pan Xuniang and her husband.”

Having circled around with the bamboo grove in sight, Yao Huang also finished making up this story.

What Zhao Sui thought of was the story book’s final passage, saying that although Pan Xuniang married the new magistrate and the couple were well-matched in temperament, her story hadn’t ended. To know what happens next, please listen to the next installment.

Accompanied by the regular sound of the wheelchair grinding over the stone path, Yao Huang pushed Prince Hui to the outside of the bamboo courtyard. Qing Ai and Fei Quan were both waiting here.

After Qing Ai took over the wheelchair, Yao Huang prepared to leave. Today was only the second day of the month—not a day when the prince accompanied her.

“I will go to the palace banquet,” Zhao Sui suddenly said.

Yao Huang looked at him in surprise.

Zhao Sui didn’t see joy in the princess consort’s eyes—only astonishment.

Did she not want him to go?

Just as Zhao Sui regretted making this decision, the princess consort several paces away smiled. Her round, dark eyes looked at him full of anticipation: “Wonderful! I was actually quite hoping to celebrate the festival together with the prince.”

Zhao Sui lowered his gaze. Standing behind him, Qing Ai and Fei Quan also dared not keep facing the princess consort’s smiling eyes. Too beautiful—they were afraid they couldn’t help smiling too, which would break protocol.

Leaving behind the three master and servants all avoiding her gaze, Yao Huang left the bamboo grove alone. Walking on the tranquil garden stone path, the smile in Yao Huang’s eyes gradually disappeared, replaced by contemplation.

Both were deathly lifeless, but in those first days after she married into the princely residence, the deathly air the prince displayed during daylight seemed like it had only accumulated for a year and a half. Whereas the prince after entering the palace—the deathly air on his face seemed like it had accumulated for over ten years.

People are always more comfortable on their own turf. Like in Prince Hui’s residence, the prince in his wheelchair could move about unobstructed. But in the palace? First, there were numerous thresholds set up along the long palace road. Every time they encountered a threshold, Qing Ai and Fei Quan had to stop and use all their strength to lift the wheelchair over it. Such scenes were witnessed by palace servants nearby.

Regardless of whether the banquet was held in which great hall or the Imperial Garden, there would surely be even more thresholds waiting for the prince. At that time, the people crowding around the prince would become even more numerous—for instance, Emperor Yongchang and the empress and consorts, for instance, the prince’s brothers and sisters…

Previously, the prince never went. This year he was going. Aside from preserving her dignity, Yao Huang couldn’t think of any other reason.

For the first time, Yao Huang felt injustice on Prince Hui’s behalf. Such a good prince, a prince who dared to give up the capital’s glory and wealth to risk himself on the battlefield—how did he end up confined to a wheelchair?

Returning to Mingantang, Yao Huang already had an idea. The prince treated her well, so she should also treat the prince well. She had no ability to heal the prince’s legs, but she could help him bear less of the pressure of being “pitied” by others.

Yao Huang summoned Eunuch Cao. After dismissing the four senior maids, Yao Huang sat in a rattan chair in the courtyard and asked privately, “Eunuch, I’ve looked at the personnel rosters for various areas of our residence. In the carpentry workshop, there’s a Master Deng whose payment is recorded as by-the-job, while other carpenters are paid monthly. What’s the reason for this?”

Eunuch Cao’s face showed wistfulness as he explained, “Master Deng is the best civilian carpentry master in the capital. The prince’s wheelchair was commissioned from him. Wheelchairs are sturdy and don’t need frequent replacement. Master Deng also didn’t want to stay in the princely residence with nothing to do, so they agreed that next time the prince needs to replace the wheelchair or needs repairs, they’ll invite him over again. The other carpenters are kept by the residence and are responsible for maintaining all the wooden furnishings in the entire princely residence.”

Yao Huang said, “I have a question I’d like to consult Master Deng about. Can we invite him over now?”

Eunuch Cao replied, “Princess consort, rest assured. This old servant will immediately send someone to invite Master Deng.”

Going back and forth would take time. Yao Huang first had dinner. When Master Deng arrived, Yao Huang brought Eunuch Cao to meet him.

Master Deng was nearly fifty. Probably from dealing with wood year-round, his back was somewhat hunched.

After exchanging greetings, Yao Huang said apologetically, “Troubling you to come at this hour is because I want to rush-order something. It needs to be ready by the fifth. By discussing it with you face-to-face early, you’ll also have more evening time to ponder whether this thing can actually be made.”

Master Deng originally didn’t dare complain about the princely residence summoning him late in the evening. Seeing that Princess Consort Hui was more approachable than the stewards of some prominent families, Master Deng’s heart warmed: “Princess consort is too kind. Whatever requirements you have, please speak freely. This commoner will certainly do his utmost to solve your concerns.”

Yao Huang expressed thanks and walked to the entrance of the hall. Pointing at the non-existent threshold there, she said, “You crafted the prince’s wheelchair. You’re also clear about that wheelchair’s weight. Whenever the prince leaves the residence and encounters a threshold, people must lift the wheelchair to pass through—time-consuming and laborious. I was thinking, if we could place a foldable wooden plank on the prince’s wheelchair that normally doesn’t take up space, but when encountering a threshold could be unfolded and laid across the threshold to serve as a bridge for the prince—that would be much more convenient. What do you think?”

Master Deng’s eyes lit up: “Princess consort’s brilliant idea! This thing is difficult for people to think of ordinarily, but making it isn’t difficult. This commoner will go back and start work immediately. I guarantee delivery to the princely residence before the fifth. It’s just that with limited time, exquisite beauty may be hard to guarantee. Carving and lacquering all require…”

Yao Huang smiled and said, “It’s just a plank for temporarily bridging paths. No need to go to such trouble. As long as the wood is sturdy.”

Finished speaking, she gave Eunuch Cao a meaningful look.

Eunuch Cao immediately pressed a money pouch into Master Deng’s hands, then had the young servant waiting outside escort Master Deng out.

Without outsiders present, when Eunuch Cao looked at the princess consort again, both his eye sockets had reddened: “The princess consort thinks of the prince this way. Even if this old servant departed now, he would leave with peace of mind…”

Back then, when the four-year-old Second Prince was to live in a separate courtyard, Noble Consort Du arranged for him and Nanny Liu to manage the Second Prince’s daily life, requiring them to watch the Second Prince closely—first, to supervise that the Second Prince couldn’t slack off or play around; second, to monitor whether the Second Prince would develop resentment toward Noble Consort Du, lest they raise an ungrateful wretch.

At that time, Eunuch Cao was just a young eunuch who took assignments and rewards. Naturally, he didn’t dare violate Noble Consort Du’s requirements. Fortunately, Noble Consort Du didn’t ask them to frame the Second Prince either—just watching the Second Prince’s every word and deed was enough to fulfill the assignment.

Following along, Eunuch Cao and Nanny Liu witnessed the Second Prince growing up day by day. While other princes frolicked in the Imperial Garden, the Second Prince sat obediently and sensibly in the study reading and practicing calligraphy. Could a child of several years truly enjoy being shut up in the study all day? It was simply because he knew Noble Consort Du wasn’t his birth mother—he didn’t dare act spoiled or throw tantrums, nor did he have anyone he could act spoiled with.

An intelligent, handsome, sensible, and generous young master who never made things difficult for them. A child who, even when sick, would crawl up to complete his coursework. A prince who, after gaining His Majesty’s favor, would still ask whether they were willing to follow him out of the palace. Qing Ai and Fei Quan were willing to pledge loyalty to him. Eunuch Cao and Nanny Liu were also willing to serve him loyally and faithfully until old age and death.

Now, the prince had finally welcomed another person who truly held him in her heart—a princess consort who could care for the prince even better than they could.

Yao Huang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “The festival is approaching. Why say such things? Quickly stop—I can’t bear such responsibility.”

Eunuch Cao choked up as he raised his sleeve to wipe his tears.

Yao Huang instructed, “Don’t tell the prince about this yet. Wait until the thing is delivered, then I’ll take it to show the prince.”

After leaving the princely residence, Master Deng went directly to find his employer at the most famous wooden goods workshop in the capital, requesting several pieces of red sandalwood planks that had already been lacquered and could be directly made into finished products: “For Prince Hui’s use. This is the deposit.”

The employer said, “Take them, take whatever you want!”

Master Deng selected the planks. Tonight, he simply didn’t go home at all. Alone in the workshop, he measured, drew, cut, drilled, sanded, hammered, and assembled.

On the morning of the fourth, Master Deng, sporting two dark circles under his eyes, delivered a set of planks before Yao Huang.

Four layers of folded red sandalwood planks. Each layer was about one and a half chi wide and five chi long. The four layers together were about half a chi thick. The outer edges of the outermost two planks were deliberately thinned. This way, when bridging, both ends could firmly rest on the ground, and it also facilitated the wheelchair sliding up and down, reducing bumps.

Master Deng explained, “The prince’s wheelchair is seven chi long front to back and four chi wide. Under the wheelchair, I made a narrow cabinet layer left for the prince to store blankets, cloaks, and such. The princess consort can insert this set of planks vertically into the narrow cabinet. Later, I’ll craft a new wheelchair for the prince with a frame layer underneath specifically for storing the planks.”

Yao Huang looked at Eunuch Cao in shock. There was actually a narrow cabinet layer under the wheelchair?

Eunuch Cao felt heartache again. The prince lived long in the bamboo courtyard—that cabinet layer had never been used.

After Master Deng left, Yao Huang tried to lift the four-layer plank. It was about half as heavy as A’Ji. However, distributed across the wheelchair’s four wheels, it wouldn’t add too much burden.

Having the gift, Yao Huang asked Eunuch Cao, “Are there any thresholds in the residence where the prince can test it?”

Eunuch Cao replied, “…The servants’ quarters?”

Yao Huang stared at Eunuch Cao for a while, then smiled.

At the bamboo courtyard, Fei Quan had no idea what was happening outside. The princess consort knocked on the door again. To save time, he spoke through the door crack: “Princess consort, please wait a moment.”

Yao Huang said, “You come out first!”

Fei Quan obediently came out, received instructions, then went back in. After Qing Ai pushed the wheelchair to the inside of the courtyard gate, Yao Huang stepped forward two paces, looking at Prince Hui with a worried expression: “Prince, Eunuch Cao just took a fall while running an errand for me. His face is swollen like a steamed bun. He says it’s nothing, but in his heart, he must be blaming me. Prince, please accompany me to see him. He respects the prince most. As long as I bring you over, once he’s happy, maybe his face won’t even hurt anymore.”

Zhao Sui replied, “…Alright.”

Yao Huang smiled: “I also brought a gift. It’s quite heavy. May I place it under the prince’s wheelchair?”

Zhao Sui nodded.

Yao Huang then went around to the back of the wheelchair and reached out to cover his eyes: “It’s a clumsy gift—I’m afraid the prince will laugh when he sees it.”

Like this, Prince Hui naturally couldn’t see what Fei Quan tucked under the wheelchair. But the corners of his lips still curved upward in a slight arc.