From the time he could remember, Zhao Sui had never quarreled with anyone.

As an imperial prince, the palace attendants around him and the civil and military officials outside all basically treated him with respect. The few who shared equal status with him—Zhao Sui had been observant of propriety since childhood and wouldn’t actively offend anyone. When Prince Kang and Prince Qing were young and unruly and came to his place looking for trouble, it was nothing more than demanding some item or other. Either way, these were all worldly possessions. Zhao Sui would just let them have what they wanted. Once the two gradually matured, getting along could at least maintain surface harmony.

Those whose status was higher than his or who held the position of an elder—Father Emperor would only assign him tasks or praise and reward him. Empress Zhou was gentle and amiable. Consort Du did frequently pick quarrels, but no matter what she said, Zhao Sui maintained silence, so even if Consort Du wanted to argue, she couldn’t get one started.

Including tonight, it was also the princess consort unilaterally venting her anger at him. Zhao Sui himself wasn’t angry—he only wanted to placate her.

When the princess consort was being unreasonable, Zhao Sui could choose not to argue with her, waiting for her to calm down on her own and think through the logic.

When the princess consort brought out evidence that he “didn’t like her”—such as only being passionate in bed, such as refusing to accompany her out—Zhao Sui found himself with grievances he couldn’t voice. What’s more, he’d never imagined that whereas before his single phrase “I don’t like going out” could get her to obediently cooperate and end this topic, tonight it had instead earned him a string of complaints so blunt they bordered on vulgar. Even the lowliest soldiers in military camps wouldn’t dare use such profane language in front of low-ranking officers, yet she, a young woman, an educated young lady from an official’s family, actually dared speak such words in front of a prince, and spoke them so righteously!

If the princess consort had complained about something else, any other matter, Zhao Sui would have scolded her and corrected her inelegant choice of words. But as it happened…

After a long stretch of shock and embarrassment, Zhao Sui thought of many inappropriate images.

On their wedding night she had indeed shown obvious endurance. Including every subsequent time, at first she needed time to adapt. When crying most fiercely she would also curse him without restraint. But at times like that, how could Zhao Sui possibly mind? After all, what she sobbed out were entirely instinctive words. The more bluntly she complained, the more he…

Zhao Sui forcibly pulled his attention back to the matter of the princess consort using this to accuse him.

He wanted to blame her for being unreasonable, but unfortunately she did have some logic on her side. At night she truly had been enduring him and indulging him all along.

But could these two matters really be mentioned in the same breath?

The princess consort, who had been softly sobbing all along, spoke again: “Forget it. In the end it’s my fault for having things too smooth lately, forgetting that you’re a prince and I’m merely a minor official’s daughter. That I can be your principal consort is already a blessing cultivated in a past life. How can I still extravagantly hope that my lord will give me both gold, silver, and jewels along with true affection?”

“My lord should sleep early. Don’t worry—I’ve figured it out myself. As long as you still like this body of mine and are still willing to give me dignity, I’m truly content.”

Having said this, she carefully wiped her eyes and actively nestled back into Prince Hui’s embrace, clinging to him affectionately: “My lord absolutely mustn’t be angry over this. There won’t be a next time. From now on whatever you say goes—I’ll listen to my lord in everything.”

Zhao Sui looked toward outside the bed curtains. On this eleventh night of the month, a waning half-moon had appeared. Faint moonlight palely filtered through the window paper, so that inside the room one could at least see something.

He’d placated her precisely so she wouldn’t misunderstand anymore, wouldn’t feel wronged anymore, wouldn’t shed tears anymore. Now the princess consort wasn’t crying. She sounded calm and even-tempered. But Zhao Sui knew that once he tacitly accepted these words of hers, it would be equivalent to tacitly admitting that all his kindness to her since their grand wedding had been solely due to satisfaction with her body, tacitly admitting that in a few more years he would find her insufficiently novel and thus his treatment of her would plummet.

Zhao Sui wasn’t that kind of prince. He didn’t want his princess consort to silently endure such an unnecessary grievance.

Zhao Sui also didn’t want to explain to her why a disabled prince was unwilling to go out. He didn’t want to face her sympathetic, pitying eyes day after day from then on.

He’d already seen enough of such eyes. Better for the princess consort to continue being thoughtless.

Since the princess consort had fixated on her stubborn reasoning, Zhao Sui could only satisfy what she wanted in order to truly clear up her misunderstanding.

Grasping the small hand resting at his waist, Zhao Sui said: “Tomorrow I’ll accompany you out.”

The small hand in his palm clearly stiffened. The next moment, the head resting against his shoulder lifted. Dream-like whispers entered his ear: “My lord, what did you just say?”

Zhao Sui turned toward her, looking at her: “I said, tomorrow I’ll accompany you to stroll around this small town.”

The princess consort’s laughter burst out before her lips could curve upward. Just like that day at noon outside the bamboo grove, overjoyed, the princess consort pounced on him again, her whole person sprawled on top of him. After happily shaking about for a while, the princess consort lifted her head again and asked somewhat hesitantly: “Is it only accompanying me once tomorrow, or as long as I want to go out and stroll, will my lord accompany me?”

Zhao Sui pressed his lips together.

Yao Huang immediately became considerate: “I know my lord prefers quiet. I won’t ask you to accompany me every day. Mm, accompanying me six or seven times a month should be fine, right? Just like how my lord also accompanies me six or seven times each month.”

Zhao Sui: “…All right, but only within Lingshan Town. As for the capital, if I accompany you too much and Father Emperor finds out, he might become angry over how I’ve repeatedly refused to enter the palace before.”

Yao Huang laughed: “Fine, but I think Father Emperor shouldn’t be that petty. After children marry, they all pay more attention to their own small households. It’s just like how Father Emperor usually spends time with the various ladies, which surely is more than the time he spends with you all…”

Zhao Sui covered her mouth, taking this opportunity to say: “You must not speak recklessly about Father Emperor, and you must also change your habit of speaking without restraint. If certain words are heard by others, not only will it damage your dignity as princess consort, it will also easily give people grounds to criticize your father-in-law and mother-in-law’s upbringing of you.”

Yao Huang bit her lip and glared at him: “Isn’t it all because my lord made me angry? Normally I’m very ladylike.”

Prince Hui didn’t respond.

Yao Huang continued making excuses: “Besides, my father and mother were very strict in teaching me. They never allowed me to read those messy storybooks. It was all my brother and those crude classmates of his. When I was little I’d go watch them play polo. When they got into fights I’d inadvertently overhear some indecent words. Back then I didn’t even know what they meant—it was only after marrying my lord that I figured it out.”

Zhao Sui: “…That storybook you read last time—does that count as a messy storybook?”

Yao Huang: “…Of course not. That one told a proper story and even exposed some ugly conduct of corrupt and incompetent officials. As for what messy storybooks actually discuss, I haven’t read any so I don’t know. When picking storybooks at the bookshop, the shop assistants would also block certain storybooks, reminding me those weren’t for young ladies like us to read.”

Prince Hui suddenly pinched her plump cheek.

It hurt a bit. Yao Huang slapped his hand: “Why are you pinching me?”

Zhao Sui: “Tonight you wrongly accused me of a whole basketful of things. A small punishment.”

Yao Huang thought about it, then also went to pinch his cheek: “For being so stingy with words and making me shed so many tears, I’m also giving a small punishment.”

Unfortunately Prince Hui didn’t have much flesh on his face, so it wasn’t very satisfying to pinch.

The tears had been fake, and after several rounds of satisfaction before bed, Yao Huang slept very soundly that night. The next day, however, she suddenly woke up amid a familiar bodily abnormality.

Though it was early morning, it was already bright outside the window. Listening carefully, she could even hear roosters crowing from common households in the distance.

Yao Huang looked at His Highness Prince Hui still sleeping beside her, quietly sat up, and looked at the silk bedding surface. Sure enough, there was an additional smear of red.

Looking again at Prince Hui, this person had actually woken up and was silently observing her every move.

Yao Huang first covered her eyes with her hands: “Are they very swollen and ugly?”

Zhao Sui: “…They’re all right. Not ugly.”

Yao Huang felt them herself and muttered: “Good thing last night I applied cold water to my eyes several more times.”

Zhao Sui: “Your monthly flow has come?”

Yao Huang’s face heated. She shot him several reproachful looks: “Second Master, you were wonderfully fierce yesterday. Otherwise you’d have to go hungry for another ten-plus nights in a row.”

Zhao Sui lowered his eyes and propped his hands on the bed to sit up.

Yao Huang took some clothes and went first to the privy to tend to herself. When she returned, she saw Prince Hui had already put on his inner garment. Yao Huang went out to look—the bedding on the west room’s platform bed had already been folded. A’Ji had either gone to fetch water or gone to the west courtyard kitchen to help. As for Fei Quan, he was already sitting early against the long bench in the covered corridor. Seeing her, he immediately jumped up.

Yao Huang returned to the east room, pushed Prince Hui out and handed him over to Fei Quan. Afraid of being overheard by the scholar’s family next door, the three of them didn’t speak, and there wasn’t anything that needed saying anyway.

Before long, Qing Ai came over carrying a bucket of warm water, with A’Ji following beside him.

After Qing Ai carried away the water used last night from the east room, A’Ji sidled up next to the princess consort lying in bed, smiling: “Has my lady made up with Second Master?”

The houses in the small town didn’t have walls as soundproof as those in the prince’s manor. In the deep quiet of night, A’Ji lying in the west room had heard all of the lady’s sounds perfectly clearly.

Yao Huang glared at her.

A’Ji brought up something else: “Just now when Fei Quan went to the kitchen to relay a message, he specifically had us bring warm water for my lady to wash up, and also had me set breakfast directly beside your bed. Second Master is quite good at cherishing people.”

Yao Huang: “Cherish my ass. My waist is aching to death right now.”

A’Ji: “I’ll massage it for you!”

Yao Huang didn’t need her to massage. She just wanted to lie motionless.

A’Ji took care of the princess consort’s washing up, then carried away the clothes and bedding that needed laundering. The kitchen’s breakfast was also ready. A’Ji and Qing Ai brought it over together. The food was first placed in the main hall. A’Ji was responsible for moving a table to the front of the princess consort’s bed, while Qing Ai went to the front to push the prince over. Everything was orderly.

Thus, Prince Hui and his princess consort, who had separated early in the morning, met again at the bedside.

Yao Huang lazily leaned against the headboard. Her body was weak, so her appetite wasn’t as good as usual.

Zhao Sui very much regretted last night. If he hadn’t demanded it, her weakness this morning might have been lighter.

“Not comfortable sitting?” Seeing her looking at the tabletop without moving forward, Zhao Sui asked.

Yao Huang nodded, then lay back down again, looking at him: “Second Master eat by yourself. This time I really don’t feel hungry.”

Zhao Sui: “You still have to eat. I’ll call A’Ji in to feed you.”

Yao Huang’s heart stirred. In a small voice she said: “I want to eat what Second Master feeds me.”

Zhao Sui looked at the princess consort’s face, which no longer had its usual rosiness, making that pair of dark eyes appear all the more pitifully appealing. He pushed the small table between them to the side, then turned the two large wheels of the rattan wheelchair and moved to the head of the bed.

Breakfast was river delicacy congee, paired with vegetable-filled pan-fried dumplings that Gao Niangzi had risen early to wrap, cook, and fry fresh, along with one cold and one hot side dish.

The river shrimp had already been shelled and deveined. Zhao Sui held the bowl in one hand, feeding the princess consort one spoonful of congee and one spoonful of shrimp with the other.

Yao Huang opened her mouth to receive his spoon, her dark lustrous eyes continuously fixed on him.

Zhao Sui: “What are you looking at?”

Yao Huang wore a smile of someone who’d taken complete advantage: “I’m thinking, I’m truly bold and reckless, daring to order a dignified prince around to serve me.”

Zhao Sui: “You know this and still dare open your mouth to ask?”

Yao Huang: “Who told you that you’re still my husband? For a husband to cherish his own wife is natural and right.”

Zhao Sui simply continued feeding her.

After Yao Huang finished eating, she watched in turn as the prince chewed slowly and carefully. When Prince Hui finished eating and was about to leave, Yao Huang said: “In a bit, Second Master, write me a written pledge about what we agreed on last night. Otherwise I’m afraid that after being delayed two days by my monthly flow, when I go ask you to accompany me out again, Second Master will turn his back and refuse to acknowledge it.”

Zhao Sui: “…”