“What does Your Highness think of this wheelchair?”

Having actually pushed the elm wood wheelchair before the Prince’s magnificent purple sandalwood grand wheelchair, Yao Huang’s confidence wasn’t quite as strong anymore.

Zhao Sui waved his hand.

Qing Ai and Fei Quan immediately retreated into the Bamboo Courtyard, withdrawing to a distance where they couldn’t hear the Prince and Princess Consort speaking.

Only then did Zhao Sui look at his Princess Consort and ask, “Why make a new wheelchair?”

Upon hearing this, Yao Huang hurried to explain, “I bought this at South Main Street this afternoon. Master Deng didn’t make it. Originally, I wanted to directly invite Master Deng over to discuss making a new wheelchair, but today is the Dragon Boat Festival and Master Deng is celebrating with his family, so I didn’t send someone to fetch him. But I couldn’t hold back, so I went first to see if any shops in the capital had a wheelchair that suited my needs.”

Seeing Prince Hui’s expression was calm and didn’t look like he was angered by the simple new wheelchair, Yao Huang smiled and pushed the new wheelchair in a circle before Prince Hui. “Your Highness, look—this wheelchair is so lightweight. I can push you around the garden for several rounds without breaking a sweat. And when Your Highness sits here, I can see your face just by lowering my head, and Your Highness can see me with just a slight turn or tilt of your head. The one you’re sitting in now has such a high and thick back that it’s inconvenient for either of us to see each other.”

Zhao Sui was silent.

Yao Huang simply sat in the elm wood wheelchair, facing him directly. “Your Highness, this is what I’m thinking—look, we don’t usually go out. If we’re just moving around our own home, the most important thing is that the wheelchair lets you sit comfortably and conveniently. The appearance doesn’t need to be too imposing or elaborate. Look at this one of mine—the chair back only has this middle section for support, while both sides are open. This way when moving, Your Highness’s waist can catch the breeze. How suitable for summer! The one you have now doesn’t allow air circulation, and after a while you’ll definitely find it too hot.”

She turned sideways to display the backrest, and Zhao Sui looked at the backrest.

Yao Huang patted the wheelchair’s two large wheels. “What I most want is a wheelchair that Your Highness can push yourself. That way it would be convenient for Your Highness to go wherever you want. But my thinking was too simple—shops don’t have this kind at all, and it’s said to be very difficult to make. Later I’ll have Master Deng think of a solution to see if he can figure it out.”

If he could push himself, last night when the Prince moved from the easel to the luohan bed it wouldn’t have been so difficult. When thirsty and wanting tea, he could get water himself instead of having to call Qing Ai and Fei Quan to attend to everything. Including when the Prince entered and left her inner chamber—summer was so hot, and Yao Huang was dressing more and more lightly. She really didn’t want to keep hiding from Qing Ai and Fei Quan, especially in the early morning when the Prince always rose earlier than her. Afraid of Qing Ai seeing something, he always covered her tightly with blankets.

Zhao Sui looked at the large wheel within reach at her position.

Yao Huang said, “Oh right, I know this wheelchair isn’t attractive. I brought it back today just to show Your Highness first. If Your Highness likes this lightweight type, I’ll have Master Deng use Your Highness’s measurements and better wood materials to make several copies. We’ll add carvings and everything, ensuring they’re both beautiful and comfortable, suitable for use at home or going out.”

How could she possibly really have the dignified Prince sit in a simple wheelchair that cost five qian of silver? There were many places that needed improvement.

Having said so much in one breath, Yao Huang looked expectantly at Prince Hui, whose expression hadn’t changed from beginning to end.

Zhao Sui said, “Try it first.”

Yao Huang wanted to carry him to change wheelchairs, but noticing the new wheelchair had no stabilizing device, Zhao Sui refused and called Qing Ai and Fei Quan over.

Qing Ai carried him while Fei Quan held the elm wood wheelchair’s backrest steady. When Qing Ai, with his back to the elm wood wheelchair, squatted down steadily and the distance was sufficient, Zhao Sui braced his hands on the wheelchair’s armrests and sat down by himself.

Yao Huang had tested it beforehand. Zhang Yue and Wang Dong both had tall, sturdy builds. If the elm wood wheelchair could support them, it could definitely support Prince Hui’s weight of approximately one hundred forty-some jin.

Qing Ai and Fei Quan secretly broke out in a cold sweat. Only after the Prince sat firmly and the wheelchair remained steady—neither shaking nor making strange sounds of bearing heavy weight—did the two finally swallow their hearts back down into their stomachs.

As Qing Ai moved aside, Zhao Sui saw the Princess Consort was smiling—that kind of suppressed laugh when seeing something funny but not wanting others to know. As soon as their eyes met, she switched to the bright smile, both obedient and somewhat ingratiating, that she often showed before him. “Shall I accompany Your Highness to try it more in the garden?”

Zhao Sui nodded.

Leaving behind the magnificent but heavy purple sandalwood wheelchair, Yao Huang pushed the elm wood wheelchair away. Her hands felt so light that she had to readjust.

After exiting the bamboo grove path, Yao Huang asked, “Does Your Highness feel it’s bumpy?”

The jolting Zhao Sui felt from the chair body was indeed more noticeable than the purple sandalwood wheelchair, but it wasn’t unbearable either. It was just as the Princess Consort said—it really was more convenient for them to talk. When she stopped and lowered her head to ask him, leaning back against the wheelchair, the back of Zhao Sui’s head actually touched the front of her garment. However, she reacted quickly, and the brief pressure soon ended.

He looked ahead and said, “Not bad.”

Yao Huang straightened up, continued pushing the wheelchair, and deliberately maintained distance between her body and the Prince.

Arriving at the foot of Cuiping Mountain on the north side, Yao Huang pointed at a stone-paved slope path the manor had specially constructed and asked, “Has Your Highness been up this path?”

Zhao Sui shook his head.

The servants had built the slope path in case he suddenly developed an elegant interest in climbing the mountain. Zhao Sui had indeed had countless thoughts of climbing the mountain, but in those thoughts he always toured gardens, climbed mountains, and rode horses on his own two feet. When such thoughts came they surged like tidal waves, driving one mad. After the tide receded, Zhao Sui could also continue staying peacefully in the Bamboo Courtyard.

Yao Huang was eager to try. “Shall I push Your Highness up to take a look?”

The manor’s craftsmen were all capable people. Cuiping Mountain wasn’t very high to begin with, and the newly constructed slope path deliberately wound around several scenic spots on the mountain before extending all the way to the pavilion at the summit. Although this lengthened the route, it reduced the incline for the wheelchair going upward, saving the pusher’s strength.

Zhao Sui glanced at the mountaintop and asked, “Won’t it be too strenuous?”

Yao Huang tilted her head and smiled at him. “Is Your Highness afraid I don’t have enough strength and will accidentally drop you?”

Zhao Sui slightly pressed his lips together.

Yao Huang hummed, “Don’t worry. If I really can’t push anymore, I’ll retreat back the way we came. No matter what, I won’t drop Your Highness.”

After saying this, she headed toward the slope path ahead.

Zhao Sui asked about her suppressed laugh at the Bamboo Courtyard entrance.

Yao Huang said, “Your Highness can’t get angry after I tell you.”

Zhao Sui replied, “Alright.”

Yao Huang suddenly laughed aloud. “Isn’t there a saying that people rely on clothes and horses rely on saddles? I was laughing because when Your Highness first moved to this wheelchair, your noble bearing also diminished by half. It looked rather unfair to Your Highness.”

Zhao Sui said, “…”

A smiling face suddenly leaned over from the side, with dark, bright large eyes looking him up and down.

Zhao Sui looked back at her.

Yao Huang asked tentatively, “You’re not angry, right?”

Zhao Sui said, “…Don’t smile while pushing the wheelchair.”

This meant he wasn’t angry. The Prince was so magnanimous that it emboldened Yao Huang even more. Looking at his serious expression, she suddenly released both hands.

On the upward slope, the wheelchair lost its pushing force, and the four wheels immediately began rolling backward.

Zhao Sui abruptly gripped the armrests on both sides. At the same time, Yao Huang grasped the wheelchair again. Looking at Prince Hui’s hands with bulging veins on the backs, Yao Huang bent down and deliberately asked softly by his ear, “Just now, was Your Highness’s heart beating especially fast? Did you find it thrilling?”

As Zhao Sui relaxed the force in his hands, he turned his head to the side, meeting the Princess Consort’s bold eyes.

In that instant, Zhao Sui could only hear his own breathing, so rapid that he couldn’t deny he had indeed panicked just then.

Zhao Sui turned toward the other side.

Yao Huang suddenly pushed the wheelchair forward at a run. The wooden wheels rolled rapidly over the stone-paved slope, the running motion stirring up a cool breeze that quickly blew away the slight cold sweat Prince Hui had just broken out in from being startled. The more it blew, the more comfortable he felt. But above his head, the Princess Consort’s breathing grew heavier and heavier, and her running footsteps grew slower and slower.

Zhao Sui finally raised his head, looking at her flushed face, and advised, “Stop running.”

Yao Huang said breathlessly, “I like running.”

Running for a long time made one tired. More precisely, what Yao Huang liked was the wind from running. In the past, her older brother would often take her and A’Ji out to let loose. Her brother liked this kind of wind, A’Ji liked this kind of wind, and Yao Huang guessed the Prince should like it too.

But the Prince could never again experience this kind of wind through his own efforts. Yao Huang could only help him.

Running in one breath into the mountaintop pavilion, Yao Huang positioned the wheelchair directly facing a beauty’s rest and stopped. She then sat on that beauty’s rest, panting heavily.

Bean-sized beads of sweat rolled down her flushed cheeks. Some she wiped away; others wound along her pink, moist neck down to her collarbone, disappearing into the neckline of her cross-collar jacket.

Zhao Sui lowered his eyes, took out a handkerchief from one sleeve, and handed it to her.

Yao Huang wiped for a full half cup of tea’s time before her body stopped producing sweat.

She glanced at the other slope path going down the mountain and teased the Prince before her. “When going down the mountain, I’ll run like that again. Does Your Highness dare?”

Zhao Sui looked at her and said, “I dare, but if you really drop me, I might be very angry.”

If he wasn’t dropped, everything was fine. But if dropped, Zhao Sui didn’t know what kind of self she would see.

Yao Huang didn’t answer immediately. Blinking her eyes, she brought up something from her childhood. “My father loved to scare me. He would stand behind me, grip my armpits, and spin in place, swinging me high up. It was especially fun. While spinning, my father would say he was going to throw me away. I knew he was just scaring me, but when he really loosened his grip, I’d still scream in fright. Afterward, I’d think it was super thrilling.”

Zhao Sui had never played this and couldn’t imagine it.

But the Princess Consort had indeed let him experience something similar to that thrill.

Yao Huang pointed to the west, then turned his wheelchair to face that direction.

Zhao Sui saw the setting sun beyond the manor’s high walls, submerging row upon row of houses in its glow. This was a magnificence he could never see from the Bamboo Courtyard.

Seeing him absorbed in watching, Yao Huang also leaned on the beauty’s rest. There were many places in the manor she loved, and the Cuiping Mountain pavilion was one of them.

As they watched, wispy cooking smoke began rising from more and more rooftops.

“Shall we go back?”

“Mm.”

Pushing the wheelchair to the slope path, Yao Huang first gave Prince Hui a mischievous smile.

Zhao Sui silently gripped the wheelchair’s armrests.

But Yao Huang only slowly and steadily pushed him downward, all the way until they descended the mountain and reached level ground.

Zhao Sui then knew his Princess Consort’s courage wasn’t quite that great after all.

As if guessing what he was thinking, Yao Huang explained, “It’s not that I’m afraid of Your Highness getting angry. What I fear is really injuring Your Highness—then I’d be heartbroken.”

Zhao Sui said, “…”

The moon gate leading to the front courtyard was just ahead. Yao Huang asked, “Should we go directly through, or return to the Bamboo Courtyard to change wheelchairs?”

Zhao Sui replied, “Change.”

This wheelchair’s back couldn’t be adjusted, making it inconvenient for him to get into bed.

Arriving at the Bamboo Courtyard, looking at Prince Hui who had returned to the purple sandalwood grand wheelchair, Yao Huang had an impulse. She sat in the small wheelchair and said to Fei Quan, “You push me. I’ll go with His Highness.”

After all that pushing and running for so long, it was her turn to enjoy herself too.