Prince Hui’s tone hadn’t lightened, nor had his expression changed noticeably, but Yao Huang just knew he was displeased.

Yao Huang also knew that it wasn’t that the prince was unwilling to accompany her out—rather, he was unwilling to appear in public sitting in a wheelchair.

Regarding this, Yao Huang had prepared in advance to be rejected once, twice, even ten times, a hundred times. All beginnings are difficult. If the first step were truly that easy, Prince Hui wouldn’t have shut himself away in the Bamboo Courtyard for so long, and Yao Huang wouldn’t have needed to specifically choose a place where no one recognized him before racking her brains to coax the prince into coming along.

But Yao Huang couldn’t continue pretending nothing was wrong and going along with him, truly leaving the prince behind to wander about herself, because if she yielded this time, next time she’d have no grounds to invite him again. Since she’d already made up her mind to take the prince out, Yao Huang had to go against his wishes and play the willful, troublesome princess consort who single-mindedly wanted her husband to accompany her and couldn’t comprehend all the bitterness and helplessness in her disabled husband’s heart.

The danger in this plan was that the prince might get angry enough to scold her for being immature. Yao Huang would adapt according to how angry he got—at worst, their whole party would slink back home dejectedly. While the prince still lusted after her body and his young age made him easily aroused, after returning to the capital Yao Huang could employ some tactics to coax him back into good humor with fairly good odds of success. Then she’d just behave herself and be a proper, sensible princess consort, not provoking him anymore.

Without any worries holding her back, Yao Huang boldly proceeded.

She lowered her head, putting on a pitiful appearance as if she’d been scolded.

Zhao Sui indeed had a ball of fire lodged in his heart, but this fire stemmed from his crippled legs and had nothing to do with the princess consort.

Seeing her clutch her hands anxiously, not daring to look at him or speak, thinking of her joy and anticipation before leaving the capital, Zhao Sui didn’t want to dampen her enthusiasm for the outing.

He softened his tone: “On our wedding night, I told you I don’t like going out. Later when you invited me to go horse racing in the suburbs, I repeated it, telling you that for any future outings you needn’t think of me, lest I disappoint your kind intentions every time. So just now when you again suggested I accompany you out, my words were somewhat harsh.”

Yao Huang looked at her own fingers and said softly: “I was wrong. The prince scolded me rightly—it’s all because my memory is poor.”

Zhao Sui: “…I didn’t scold you, I…”

Yao Huang turned her face away, raising one sleeve to wipe her eyes: “Don’t worry, my lord, I’ve memorized it all. I, I ate too much at noon, I’m not hungry at all now. My lord should eat by himself.”

Having choked this out, Yao Huang straightened up and fled out the door as if escaping.

She ran with half her face covered—clearly crying—which left Fei Quan, who was standing in the courtyard waiting to serve, completely stunned. By the time he came to his senses, the princess consort had already gone to the back courtyard and disappeared from view.

Fei Quan’s heart thudded wildly. The princess consort had been fine when she arrived just now—how had she ended up crying?

He cautiously approached the main hall, not daring to peek inside, only calculating that the prince’s mood must be terrible right now. Better to stay close by, lest when the prince called for him he couldn’t hear or ran too slowly, giving the prince an excuse to vent his anger on him.

This past half year, perhaps because the prince had been reading Buddhist scriptures so much, he’d hardly lost his temper with them at all. But Fei Quan hadn’t forgotten that last year, after the imperial physicians declared they were helpless regarding the prince’s legs, during that period the prince had secretly smashed set after set of teacups and porcelain bowls. He hadn’t forgotten when the prince first tried supporting himself on the railings and lost his balance, falling to the ground—when he and Qing Ai rushed in to help the prince up, the veins on the back of the prince’s hand bulged as he kept his eyes lowered and told them to leave, that wretched figure.

After about a quarter-hour, the prince called for him.

Fei Quan crossed into the main hall with his head lowered, his gaze rising at most to the level of the prince’s chest. He saw the prince still holding Buddhist scriptures in one hand, saying in a flat tone: “Just now the lady misunderstood that I didn’t like her going out to enjoy herself. Do this—go ask Doctor Liao if there are any good restaurants in town. If there are, take Qing Ai and A’Ji along with you to accompany the lady out for a walk.”

Zhao Sui thought that Qing Ai and Fei Quan were the two most useful eunuchs at his side. If he had both of them accompany her out at the same time, she should understand that he had no intention of being angry with her at all.

Fei Quan accepted the order and asked: “Then should I first go to the kitchen and bring Second Master’s dinner?”

Zhao Sui: “Mm.”

Fei Quan went to the west courtyard and told Qing Ai to deliver dinner to the prince, while he brought A’Ji along to placate the princess consort. However, when they arrived, they discovered the princess consort had bolted the east room’s door from inside. No matter how he tried to clarify and explain on the prince’s behalf until his lips were nearly worn through, she refused to open the door. She wouldn’t even acknowledge him—only occasionally did a few sobs emerge from inside.

A’Ji had no idea what had happened at all. Thinking their princess consort had truly suffered some great injustice, he angrily demanded of Fei Quan: “What exactly did Second Master do? Our lady has been generous-hearted and broad-minded since childhood—ordinary grievances can’t make her shed tears!”

Fei Quan finally understood that this matter wasn’t as simple as the prince had made it sound.

But even if the prince really had made the princess consort very angry, he was still the prince after all. That the prince had arranged for him and Qing Ai to come over already amounted to placating the princess consort. If she continued making a fuss, it would likely prove counterproductive.

Telling A’Ji to shut up, Fei Quan pressed close to the crack of the east room’s door and coaxed: “My lady, no one understands our Second Master better than I do. Since age three or four he’s been especially proper in observing etiquette. If the Eldest Master or Third Master took a liking to something of his, Second Master would directly let it go, preferring to suffer loss himself rather than quarrel with anyone. Perhaps today Second Master’s words were inappropriate and hurt my lady, but I guarantee Second Master absolutely didn’t do it deliberately. Please think more about how good Second Master is to you—don’t be sad anymore?”

From inside the room came the princess consort’s response: “Fine, I’m not sad either. I’m just not hungry, and I’m tired now. You all go do whatever you need to do, take good care of Second Master, and after you’re done with your work everyone should sleep early.”

Fei Quan and A’Ji: “…”

A’Ji pushed Fei Quan aside and tried coaxing himself.

Yao Huang still gave the same response.

By the time Qing Ai had cleared away the prince’s finished dinner and come to wait to accompany the princess consort out, unexpectedly the princess consort wouldn’t even come out of the east room’s door.

After Qing Ai’s attempt at coaxing also failed, the two eunuchs had no choice but to go consult the prince.

Zhao Sui: “…”

Having cried for so long, her eyes must be swollen. Even if he managed to coax her into a better mood, it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to go out anymore.

Zhao Sui instructed Fei Quan: “Have the kitchen keep the princess consort’s meal warm.”

Fei Quan hurried off.

Zhao Sui then had Qing Ai push him to the back courtyard.

“You all go eat first.” Estimating that he’d also need to expend considerable effort, Zhao Sui arranged.

A’Ji had no choice but to withdraw with Qing Ai. Since the prince had come to placate her, he certainly wouldn’t want them listening nearby.

Once everyone had left, Prince Hui remained alone in his wheelchair facing the tightly shut door of the east room.

Prince Hui’s tone was calm: “Open the door.”

Yao Huang bit her lip, turned over, and called toward the door: “I’m really not hungry, and I’m not crying anymore either. Second Master should go back.”

Zhao Sui: “Open the door.”

Yao Huang: “I won’t open it. My eyes are swollen like walnuts—so ugly. I don’t want you to see.”

Zhao Sui: “Last time—if you don’t open it, I’ll have them come tear the door down.”

Yao Huang: “Go ahead and tear it down then. If you dare tear it down, I’ll bash my head against the door for you to see. My appearance is already ugly enough anyway—one more bump on my forehead won’t make it any uglier.”

Zhao Sui: “…”

Yao Huang got off the bed, walked to the door, and leaned against one side of the door panel. In a soft voice she said: “All right, let’s neither of us speak angry words. I believe Second Master didn’t mean to scold me. After you leave, I’ll also have A’Ji bring dinner over. But tonight I truly have no face to see Second Master. Won’t my lord please not force me?”

Zhao Sui: “…With things blown up like this, if you and I don’t sleep in the same room tonight, everyone will start wildly speculating.”

Yao Huang secretly laughed. Nonsense—this man just didn’t eat enough at noon and wanted to take advantage of the fact that she wasn’t having her monthly flow to feast a few more times.

She wound her left hand around her sash ribbon, wrapping it several times, then compromised: “Fine, Second Master wait until it’s completely dark before coming over. I won’t light any lamps on my side either.”

Outside the door, Zhao Sui relaxed. It wasn’t easy to talk during the day—at night he’d hold her for a while, and only then would she truly believe him.

Yao Huang hadn’t cried at all, so naturally her eyes were fine. To ensure the deception was seamless, she didn’t even see A’Ji. After opening the door, she received the dinner, immediately closed the door panel again, and after finishing eating passed the tray back out.

Fei Quan secretly hid in the courtyard. Seeing A’Ji emerge carrying the tray, he tiptoed close, inspected it, and sighed as he went to report to the prince: “Reporting to Second Master, the lady only ate half a bowl of rice, barely tasted all three dishes, and only drank half a bowl of soup.”

The prince had eaten little at dinner, which had already worried Gao Niangzi. Now seeing the princess consort return so much uneaten food, she’d surely become a second Master Kong.

Zhao Sui knew it—all those words the princess consort had said about not crying, not holding a grudge, and believing him were all put on. Actually she was still feeling wronged over his “scolding.”

After finishing his massage, waiting until it was completely dark, Qing Ai once again pushed His Highness Prince Hui to the back courtyard.

None of the three rooms had any lamps lit. A’Ji stood in the courtyard. Only after the princess consort emerged from the east room and pushed the prince inside did the two of them breathe a sigh of relief.

In the east room, Prince Hui remained silent, and Yao Huang also didn’t make a sound. They got into bed one after the other.

Prince Hui lay flat waiting for a while, but the princess consort beside him kept her back to him the entire time, showing no sign whatsoever of wanting to embrace him as she had in the past.

To untie a bell, one must find whoever tied it. Zhao Sui moved over, turned on his side, and embraced his princess consort from behind.

Yao Huang tried to dodge further inward. Zhao Sui gripped her waist, not allowing her to leave. After all the pushing and pulling, given the princess consort’s figure, she aroused the prince’s desire.

Because the princess consort refused to cooperate, Prince Hui expended somewhat more effort, barely managing to coax the princess consort into half-willing compliance before accomplishing the deed.

“If I were angry with you, I wouldn’t be like this.” Prince Hui finally found an opportunity to verbally console the princess consort.

Yao Huang moved closer and bit the arm he was using to support his body.

Now there was nothing more to say. Prince Hui used actions to placate the princess consort, only willing to stop when it reached the third watch of the night.

A basin of cold water and a bucket of hot water had been prepared in the room. The hot water left sitting until now had become lukewarm. Yao Huang still refused to light a lamp. The husband and wife fumbled in the dark to wipe themselves down.

Just as Prince Hui thought the princess consort had been completely placated and he could sleep peacefully, several suppressed sobs suddenly came from beside him.

Zhao Sui moved over again, raised his hand to touch the princess consort’s face which was turned away from him, and felt it completely wet.

Zhao Sui held her tightly: “Still feeling wronged?”

Yao Huang sobbed: “I am feeling wronged. Earlier when my lord agreed to accompany me here to escape the summer heat, I really thought my lord liked me so much that you’d rather endure the hardships of the journey for my sake. Only after arriving here did I discover that what my lord likes is just this body of mine. You endured the difficult journey only so I could happily serve you.”

Zhao Sui: “Complete nonsense. If it were truly only for this, even without coming to escape the heat, would you dare give me attitude back at the prince’s manor?”

Yao Huang: “Of course I wouldn’t dare. It’s simply that we’re newly married, and I have some beauty, so my lord is willing to dote on me a bit more. In another two years when my lord has gotten over the current novelty, your treatment of me will plummet.”

Zhao Sui began to get a headache. While helping her wipe away tears, he said: “I’m not that kind of person. Your mood is bad today—I won’t argue with you.”

Yao Huang pushed away his hand and moved to the innermost spot: “How are you not? Apart from in bed, when has my lord ever been warm toward me? I’ve only been married to you for a bit over a month, and asking you to accompany me out for a stroll—my lord isn’t even willing. As time goes on, perhaps even when I go to the Bamboo Courtyard requesting an audience, I won’t be able to see my lord’s face.”

“Yes, my lord gave me gold ingots, gave me an ivory mat—seemingly treating me very well. But must I guard those gold ingots and ivory mat to live my days? What I treasure most is my lord! My lord isn’t willing to accompany me, which shows you don’t like me at all. Then accepting all the gold, silver, and jewels my lord bestows makes me feel unworthy of them!”

Only now did Zhao Sui understand—what she took issue with wasn’t his tone when refusing to go out this evening, but rather the fact that he had refused to accompany her out at all.

Why did he refuse? Because his legs were afflicted, because he didn’t want to be gawked at or pitied by others.

But Zhao Sui couldn’t possibly say this to the princess consort or anyone else. This was clearly something they should be able to perceive on their own.

However, the princess consort had always been thoughtless—it was understandable that she hadn’t considered his difficulties.

Zhao Sui could only continue emphasizing: “I don’t like going out.”

Yao Huang: “I still don’t like my lord’s mouth being so big either. Haven’t I endured it? I’ve even gradually gotten used to it. Can’t my lord change your preferences for my sake?”

Zhao Sui: “…”