After putting on the silk flower, Yao Huang continued pushing Prince Hui forward.

The road was full of townspeople and nearby villagers who had come to the market. Wives and young ladies crowded at the front selecting items they fancied, while the men accompanying them either helped choose or stood to the side carrying previously purchased goods. The vendors called out with flushed, beaming faces while keeping close watch on every hand reaching toward their stalls. The common folk buying things bargained while picking through the merchandise.

Most people were busy with their own business and paid no attention to the exceptionally attractive couple that had appeared on the street, with the man in a wheelchair.

Yao Huang had already expected this, so she didn’t deliberately observe. She devoted half her attention to the diverse stalls and shops, and half to maintaining the wheelchair’s stability and avoiding common folk who rushed about too quickly.

Zhao Sui didn’t need to observe either, because since childhood he had excelled at reading expressions and was extremely sensitive to others’ gazes. Yet immersed in this noisy, crowded small-town market, Zhao Sui only sensed some casual glances that swept past him fleetingly. Beyond that, no one revered or feared him, nor did anyone mock or pity him.

The town had a fabric shop that, like the other stores today, had set up a stall outside its entrance.

Yao Huang pushed Prince Hui over and pointed to the bolts of coarse and fine cloth within his reach. “Only what you personally select and buy for me counts as a gift.”

Just as Zhao Sui was examining those fine fabrics, the women beside them were still touching and turning them over with their hands.

Zhao Sui frowned slightly.

The female vendor standing inside the stall soliciting business had a sharp eye and, living in the town, had long since heard that a wealthy household had newly moved in, including someone in a wheelchair who was himself handsome and had married a wife as beautiful as a celestial being. Seeing Young Master Liao’s dissatisfaction with those hands and the fabric, the female vendor smiled. “We have even better fabric inside the shop. Would you like to go in and look?”

Zhao Sui nodded.

Yao Huang didn’t move. She leaned forward to glance at the shop’s threshold and said casually, “Our wheelchair isn’t convenient for going in and out. Could you trouble yourself to bring out the best few bolts of fabric?”

Zhao Sui felt a chill run through his bones. The women around them selecting cloth also stirred, all turning to look at him and the Princess Consort. More gazes fell on his face, as if saying: What nerve! Are you really that wealthy?

Zhao Sui fell silent.

The female vendor’s gaze at Zhao Sui also held a probing, questioning look: Does your wife’s word count? If I really bring them out, are you willing to spend money on her?

The chill pervading Zhao Sui’s entire body then disappeared under these gazes. Glancing at the Princess Consort’s hand resting on the wheelchair, Zhao Sui nodded to the female vendor.

The female vendor asked everyone to wait a moment and ran inside gleefully. After a while, she came out carrying a small basket. Inside the basket, fairly neatly arranged in a circle, were silk and satin samples cut to handkerchief size. “These are all the silk fabrics in our shop. You two see which color you like. Once you’ve chosen, I’ll bring out the full bolt for you to examine carefully.”

Zhao Sui looked at the basket. Yao Huang asked about the price.

The female vendor replied, “These are all the best-selling silks from the capital. In the capital, one bolt sells for eight qian of silver. I have connections, so my purchase price is cheaper—I only sell them to everyone for seven qian of silver.”

Though Yao Huang had previously been reluctant to frequently make silk garments, she was very familiar with the prices of various fabrics at the capital’s silk shops. The fabrics the female vendor brought out were all the most ordinary silks, which actually only sold for six qian of silver per bolt in the capital. Logically, when brought to a small place like this town, the price should be lowered. She was eighty percent certain they were being treated as suckers to fleece.

Therefore, Yao Huang withdrew her smile and adopted a hesitant expression.

Zhao Sui didn’t take this price seriously at all, so he didn’t observe the Princess Consort’s expression. He successively took out a piece of light blue, a piece of peach blossom pink, and a piece of plain white silk sample, then asked behind him, “Of these three, which do you like?”

The items were too ordinary. He would temporarily buy one bolt to satisfy the Princess Consort’s request. After returning to the capital, he would have the capital’s silk shops send superior damask, gauze, and satin for the Princess Consort to choose from.

Yao Huang tugged his sleeve. “They’re all quite nice, but too expensive. Let’s forget it.”

The Princess Consort’s voice was sweet and coquettish, her expression of wanting yet being unable to bear buying looked genuine, causing the surrounding women to watch him even more closely.

Zhao Sui said, “I’ll take all three bolts. Deliver them to Physician Liao’s house, the new household south of the bridge.”

Behind him came a chorus of gasps. The Princess Consort also joined in the excitement, bending down to hug his shoulders while repeatedly saying “Husband is so good!”

Zhao Sui simply took broken silver from the purse.

Before he handed it to the female vendor, Yao Huang snatched it away and bargained with a smile. “We’re buying three bolts at once—won’t you make it cheaper? I won’t haggle much. Reduce one qian per bolt—three bolts for a total of one tael and eight qian. How about it?”

The female vendor finally understood—the scholar gentleman was very generous, but this beautiful scholar’s wife was shrewd!

Six qian per bolt was enough profit for her. The female vendor quickly said some pleasantries about how the two were kindred spirits and agreed to Yao Huang’s price, promising to deliver the three bolts of silk to the Liao household.

Yao Huang readily paid the silver. When leaving, she was still saying intimate words to her husband. “We can both use those blue and white bolts. When the time comes, make me a silk jacket and skirt set, and make you a silk outfit. You and I are husband and wife—naturally we should wear the same fabric. That’s what you call being well-matched.”

Zhao Sui heard someone behind them murmur, “The young lady’s mouth is so sweet—no wonder her husband is willing to buy such expensive fabric for her.”

Having finished browsing the main street, the couple came to the north end, where a group of villagers selling mountain goods and wild game had gathered. The goods for sale included mink and rabbit pelts, wild vegetables and fruits, as well as some medicinal herbs.

Yao Huang first bought a wicker basket, had Prince Hui hold it, and then picked two types of wild vegetables that looked fairly fresh.

Passing a long basket placed on the ground by a dark-skinned old farmer, Yao Huang looked at the chunks of rhizomes inside—they resembled ginger in color but were rounder and plumper than ginger. Curious, she asked, “What is this?”

The old farmer opened his mouth with a heavy village accent. “Chicken-head ginseng, good stuff from Spirit Mountain. It works as both medicine and food. Eaten raw it’s sweet and refreshing, or you can take it home to stew in soup or cook in porridge. If you don’t believe me, let me peel one for you to taste?”

Yao Huang glanced at the old farmer’s fingernails with black dirt under them and quickly said no need, though she was indeed very interested. “It can be used as medicine—what does it treat?”

The old farmer glanced at the pale-faced young man in the wheelchair and chuckled. “Treats lots of things! Strengthens the spleen and moistens the lungs, strengthens muscles and bones, nourishes yin and supplements the kidneys. Basically, whatever discomfort your body has, you can eat this. Why else would it be called chicken-head ginseng? It’s truly no worse than regular ginseng!”

Zhao Sui remained silent.

Yao Huang felt she might need some supplementation, but afraid Prince Hui would misunderstand, she quickly pushed the wheelchair away.

After walking the main street twice and finishing browsing the dispersed stalls at both ends, they returned to the new residence. After brief rest, it was just in time for lunch.

Fei Quan and Qing Ai brought lunch—two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, plus a chicken soup. The chicken soup contained red dates, goji berries, and something else Yao Huang couldn’t identify. She didn’t pay attention to it, first ladling a bowl without red dates or goji berries for the Prince, then ladling herself a bowl piled high with red dates. The large dates stewed in soup absorbed the broth and were both sweet and soft—Yao Huang loved this.

Accustomed to Gao Niangzi’s chicken soup, Yao Huang detected a new flavor in this meal’s soup. When Fei Quan and Qing Ai came to clear the table, Yao Huang pointed to the nearly empty soup pot and asked, “Do you know what this is?”

The two eunuchs leaned in to look. Qing Ai said, “Yellow essence. Physician Liao bought it at the market—fresh mountain goods. He had Zhang Yue bring it back, saying it could be stewed in soup for Second Master and Madam.”

Yao Huang repeated, “Yellow essence?”

Zhao Sui glanced at her and said flatly, “The medicinal name is yellow essence. Common folk are accustomed to calling it chicken-head ginseng.”

Yao Huang fell silent.

What was Physician Liao thinking? Prince Hui was already so vigorous—where did he need supplementation?

The entire afternoon, Yao Huang didn’t go to the front courtyard. She took Jinbao to the west courtyard to chat with Gao Niangzi and A’Ji.

At dusk when the heat dissipated, Yao Huang pushed Prince Hui to the riverside in front of their home. She also brought a small stool for herself. Then she sat in the tree shade while stopping the wheelchair in a spot where it could be hit by the evening sun.

The evening sun was too brilliant. Zhao Sui had to lower his eyelids and asked the Princess Consort, who looked quite satisfied, “Why?”

With no one around, Yao Huang glared at him. “Why did that old farmer praise his chicken-head ginseng’s ability to supplement kidneys in front of you? Why did Physician Liao buy chicken-head ginseng to stew in soup for you? It’s all because you stay in the study reading books all day and keep your face covered until it’s too pale. You should tan earlier to avoid others misunderstanding again.”

Zhao Sui asked, “You’re afraid of others misunderstanding?”

Yao Huang gritted her teeth. “I’m not afraid of outsiders misunderstanding. I’m afraid Physician Liao and Gao Niangzi will stew soup for you every day, and in the end, I’ll be the one who suffers!”

The Princess Consort’s face, which wasn’t hit by the evening sun, also reddened. Zhao Sui closed his eyes, feeling the slightly burning warmth of sunlight falling on his face.

As a youth he had understood medical principles somewhat, and after his legs were injured he had also studied various medical texts himself. Therefore, Zhao Sui was very clear that humans were like flowers, grass, and crops—too much or too little sun would affect the body.

Previously he hadn’t cared, because there couldn’t be a more serious problem than his crippled legs. Now, he had a Princess Consort beside him. Given time, the Princess Consort would also conceive his and her child. The Princess Consort was healthy. If the child had any deficiencies, it would certainly be a problem on his side. Even more—with his pale complexion, he might not be able to successfully impregnate her.

The river water gurgled and flowed beneath the long embankment. Prince Hui, submerged in the evening sun, thought for the first time since his marriage about the matter of offspring.

He was already a burden to the Princess Consort—how could he give her a child with similarly insufficient health?

Suddenly, the sound of the Princess Consort’s departing footsteps came from beside him. Zhao Sui opened his eyes and saw the Princess Consort’s figure running toward the courtyard.

Zhao Sui maintained his sideways posture, watching the Princess Consort run all the way to the back courtyard. Before long she returned, holding a blue… skirt sash in her hand.

“Your eyes must be uncomfortable this way, right? Let me tie this on for you.” Returning to the wheelchair, Yao Huang suggested with a smile.

Zhao Sui looked across the river. In the distance, several men waiting for dinner at home sat together, occasionally glancing in their direction.

Zhao Sui faced them. The Princess Consort sat in the tree shade with her back to the evening sun, so they couldn’t see her too clearly.

He tacitly approved the Princess Consort’s suggestion.

Yao Huang stood behind him, covered his eyes with the blue skirt sash, then tied a knot at the back of his head.

After sitting down again, what Yao Huang saw was a Prince Hui who, though his eyes were covered, appeared even more elegantly transcendent, his eyebrows like spring mountains.

Yao Huang tried waving her hand.

Zhao Sui turned toward her. “Though blurry, I can see your movements.”

Yao Huang said, “There was a mosquito just now. I chased it away for you.”

The corners of Prince Hui’s lips curved slightly upward.

Yao Huang saw it and exclaimed in wonder, “So Second Master can smile too!”

The corners of Prince Hui’s lips immediately returned to normal, and he also turned toward the river.

Yao Huang casually broke off a willow twig and quietly reached it toward his neck.

Zhao Sui pressed down the willow twig and reminded, “There are people across the river.”

Yao Huang didn’t look to see who they were. “Let them be there. You and I are a proper married couple—what’s wrong with a little playfulness?”

Zhao Sui then released his hand, allowing the Princess Consort to lightly poke him twice.

He was like a block of wood. Yao Huang pointed to the easternmost stone bridge. “On the nineteenth in the morning, I’ll stand on the bridge. Will you paint a picture of me? Keep it as a memento.”

Zhao Sui asked, “Why the nineteenth?”

Yao Huang poked him again. “Stop playing dumb. You clearly remember it better than I do.”