Imperial Physician Li and his two companions arrived at Lingshan Town on the fourth day of the seventh month. On the morning of the fifth, they hired a herb gatherer familiar with the mountain conditions, prepared their provisions, and set out.
Small villages were scattered throughout Lingshan. Imperial Physician Li’s group could search for polygonatum during the day and lodge with villagers at night.
On the ninth day, the sky was overcast from early morning, and before long, a torrential rain began.
Unable to sun-dry anything, Prince Hui sat in the main hall reading. Yao Huang had no interest in such refined pursuits—holding an umbrella in one hand and Jinbao in the other, she went to the western courtyard.
The rear courtyard of the west compound housed only Gao Niangzi. The eastern side building had been converted into a bathhouse where water was heated for both households. The western side building had been turned into a laundry room, reserved for washing the prince and princess’s silk garments and bedding. Several drying racks had been set up inside, as silk was precious and couldn’t be exposed to harsh sunlight.
When Yao Huang arrived, Gao Niangzi and A’Ji were each sitting on small stools in the western side building, doing laundry.
Standing at the doorway, Yao Huang first set Jinbao down. The little creature immediately scampered joyfully around the room.
Gao Niangzi looked toward the princess, who was closing her umbrella with her head lowered.
The princess wore an ordinary cloth jacket and skirt, with wooden clogs bought from the market on her feet. The rain was heavy outside, and the princess had run over quickly, getting her feet wet. As Gao Niangzi watched, the princess extended her left foot outside while holding the door frame. The pelting rain immediately washed over the princess’s foot, rinsing away a few specks of mud and leaving only her delicate, pale white foot exposed. Her five toes were painted with bright red nail polish, looking like red berries that made one’s mouth water.
Something occurring to her, Gao Niangzi said with concern, “Madam, your monthly cycle should be coming soon. Let me heat a basin of hot water for you to soak your feet, so you don’t catch a chill.”
Yao Huang laughed. “No need to heat water. I’m not that delicate. A’Ji knows—every summer I wade through water countless times.”
After rinsing her feet, A’Ji also spread a piece of rough cloth on the threshold. Yao Huang sat there, chatting idly while watching the two do laundry.
The rain made everything seem quieter. Suddenly, from the neighboring Qi household came a woman’s angry shout: “Why? Why can Dalang, Erlang, and Sanlang all attend Lingshan Academy, but Silang cannot and must make do with the town’s private school?”
It was Lu Shi’s voice!
The three of them exchanged glances and immediately pricked up their ears. Jinbao, growing bolder by the day, even ran over, ready to bark toward the outside.
Yao Huang pressed down on Jinbao’s head and continued listening to identify the voices from the Qi household.
The person responding to Lu Shi spoke too quietly to be heard. Then Lu Shi angrily continued, “Don’t try to deceive me! Last year, Sanlang clearly didn’t pass the academy entrance exam either. It was all because Dalang was familiar with people there and pulled strings. You even gave him five taels of silver to use as gifts. This year, Silang performed about as well as Sanlang did. So give Dalang another five taels of silver and have him make arrangements! You said it yourself—even though they don’t share the same grandmother, they’re still brothers from the same family. Why will he only help his full brothers and not his cousin?”
Master Qi still made no sound. The old gentleman didn’t seem the type to raise his voice in confrontation. But because Lu Shi had mentioned the children of the eldest Qi household, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Qi family spoke up, her voice loud and resonant: “Mother, what kind of talk is that? They’re all brothers from the same family. Of course Dalang hopes all his brothers succeed. Sanlang didn’t do well last year because he caught a cold. Dalang specifically took him to answer new questions posed by the teachers, and only because he answered well did the academy make an exception to admit Sanlang. As for Silang—Mother, tell me honestly, how are Silang’s regular studies? Even if we took him for a makeup exam, could he pass? If he performs too poorly, the academy won’t accommodate us for five or ten taels of silver. Why should our family waste that money?”
Lu Shi: “Shut your mouth! When I’m talking to your father-in-law, it’s not your turn to interrupt!”
The eldest Qi daughter-in-law: “I won’t interfere in other matters, but I won’t stand for Mother wrongly accusing Dalang of not caring about brotherhood.”
Lu Shi: “Heaven strike me down! How was I fooled by your act of being docile back then? If I’d known you were such a shrew, I never would have brought you through our door!”
The eldest Qi daughter-in-law laughed. “I’ve given the Qi family three scholars. Mother should be happy about your good judgment.”
Lu Shi: “Come on, both of you come with me. Today, if I don’t tear her mouth apart, I…”
The eldest Qi daughter-in-law: “Come then! Let’s see who dares lay a hand on me!”
Yao Huang was dumbstruck.
A’Ji whispered, “The eldest Qi daughter-in-law has really sturdy arms. I’d wager Lu Shi and her mother-in-law and daughters-in-law combined aren’t a match for her.”
Gao Niangzi: “That’s right. One look at that build and those eyes tells you she’s not someone to provoke. She must have been really good at playing dumb back then, or Lu Shi wouldn’t have been foolish enough to find herself such a formidable stepson’s wife.”
The quarrel at the Qi household continued, but from beginning to end, Master Qi’s voice was never heard.
Yao Huang stayed in the western courtyard until Gao Niangzi had to start cooking, then returned to the eastern courtyard to see Prince Hui.
On the north side of the main hall, Zhao Sui sat in his wheelchair, watching as the princess first set Jinbao down, then closed her umbrella and rinsed her feet. When the princess was about to enter, he averted his gaze in advance.
Yao Huang: “The Qi household was quarreling something fierce just now. Did Your Highness hear it?”
Zhao Sui shook his head. He had spent half a shichen practicing on the support bars in the western room, then rested, bathed, and changed clothes. He had only been sitting here a short while.
Yao Huang assumed he had been reading the whole time. She walked over, snatched away the Buddhist scripture and placed it on the long table, then pushed the wheelchair to face the courtyard from the main hall entrance. “All you know is reading. Aren’t you afraid you’ll ruin your eyes?”
Having said this, she pulled over a chair and sat beside Prince Hui, telling him about the Qi family’s messy dispute.
For the first time, Prince Hui interrupted the princess’s idle chat. Looking at her dripping wet feet, he said, “Go dry them first.”
Yao Huang laughed. “Why do you worry like Auntie does? I like this coolness.”
As she spoke, she slipped her feet out of her clogs, turned sideways, and draped both legs across Prince Hui’s lap, deliberately wiggling her feet.
Zhao Sui looked for a moment, then suddenly grasped the princess’s left foot. It felt cool and refreshing to the touch.
He took out the handkerchief from his sleeve and covered the princess’s foot with it.
Yao Huang: “…Will Your Highness continue using this handkerchief to wipe your face?”
Zhao Sui: “No, I’m giving it to you.”
Yao Huang glared at him. “I don’t want a foot-wiping handkerchief. Give me a fragrant one.”
Zhao Sui: “…”
After he had dried both of the princess’s feet, the handkerchief was completely soaked. Yao Huang saw that he didn’t know where to put it, so she laughingly snatched it away. Putting on her clogs, she walked to the eaves, extended both hands outward, and rinsed the handkerchief in the rain. The rainwater dripped steadily, wetting her feet again.
Zhao Sui thought the princess must be doing this deliberately.
Sitting down again, Yao Huang thought of Imperial Physician Li and his two companions still in the mountains and couldn’t help feeling somewhat worried. “With such heavy rain, I wonder if they’re taking shelter in a villager’s home or are trapped on the mountain.”
Zhao Sui: “The sky was overcast this morning. They probably didn’t go out.”
On the fourteenth day of the seventh month, Imperial Physician Li’s group returned. Imperial Physician Li first washed up and changed clothes before coming through the moon gate in the front courtyard to pay his respects to the prince.
Yao Huang also wanted to know how things had progressed, so she sat beside Prince Hui to listen.
To prevent anyone passing by the main gate from peering through cracks in the door, Fei Quan closed the door to the main hall from outside.
Imperial Physician Li paid his respects to the prince and princess, then said in a low voice, “There truly isn’t much polygonatum left in the outer areas of Lingshan. Only some seedlings one or two years old remain. Over these days, we examined the polygonatum seedlings on seven mountain peaks. Most grow in shaded, moist areas at forest edges, where the surrounding soil is damp with abundant leaf litter—sheltered enough yet still receiving light filtering through the tree branches.”
“I went to ask the herb-gathering families in the mountains. The mature polygonatum they find deep in the mountains also grows at the edges of shaded, moist forests. This is probably why herb gatherers cannot successfully cultivate polygonatum at home.”
“Following the methods the herb gatherers have tried, polygonatum can be propagated by root division or by collecting and planting seeds. I’d like to first select a plot of forest land in the mountains to clear and try planting. If we plant roots or sow seeds now and scatter a layer of leaf litter over the medicinal field to mimic where wild polygonatum grows, then observe for another year—if the polygonatum in the field can sprout and grow normally, Your Highness can spread this method.”
Zhao Sui: “Mm, clear four fen of land first. Build a house nearby. You’ll lead people in tending it. Before we return to the capital, I’ll find someone to take over.”
Imperial Physician Li acknowledged this. Seeing that the prince had no other instructions, he took his leave.
Yao Huang asked curiously, “Who does Your Highness plan to have take over?”
Zhao Sui: “The magistrate of Lingshan County.”
Yao Huang thought of all those nearby mountain peaks and the price of polygonatum, then speculated, “If this matter truly succeeds, it should be a major achievement, shouldn’t it?”
Zhao Sui tacitly agreed.
Yao Huang: “The method was devised by Your Highness. Why not continue overseeing it yourself? This is a great merit that will benefit several generations or even all future generations of Lingshan’s common people. To let the magistrate take credit—I can’t accept it. I want the common people to know this was Your Highness’s idea, to remember Your Highness’s kindness.”
Zhao Sui: “This area is under Lingshan County’s jurisdiction. Even though I’m a prince, I have no authority to directly bypass the magistrate to clear land and plant medicinal herbs.”
Yao Huang only had a martial father who earned his position through fighting, and didn’t understand civil officials’ affairs. But she knew that Prince Hui had an emperor father who ruled all under heaven.
Leaning close to Prince Hui, Yao Huang said quietly, “If you want to manage affairs, isn’t that simple? Your Highness can speak to His Majesty. Doesn’t the court send out various imperial envoys every year? So many magistrates of Lingshan County have never thought to plant polygonatum on the mountains. Only Your Highness has both the heart to enrich the people and the wisdom to do so. If His Majesty knows this, he’ll surely be willing to let you continue overseeing the matter.”
Zhao Sui lowered his eyes. “Once this matter begins, it will take at least five years. I don’t have that energy. Having the magistrate continue is most appropriate.”
Yao Huang looked down, fidgeting with her fingers.
Zhao Sui watched the princess’s fingers and said, “His Majesty doesn’t know you and I came to Lingshan to escape the summer heat, and I have no intention of letting him know. I’ll instruct the magistrate to submit a memorial to the court on his own, concealing my involvement. After we return to the capital, don’t let anything slip. It’s best not to mention it to your father and mother either.”
The princess raised her head, her eyes filled with the expression of “suffering a loss.”
Zhao Sui took her hand and explained, “Don’t just think about the benefits if this succeeds. First, Li Dechun’s cultivation method may not work. Even if it works, persuading the common people to believe and encouraging them to clear land will take several months to succeed. After clearing the land, we must teach the people cultivation methods and constantly monitor the medicinal seedlings’ growth—five years of mental effort and hard work. I only thought of this temporarily. The one who truly implements it is the magistrate. If the magistrate dares to take it on and gains achievement, that achievement should be his.”
The princess still pouted.
Zhao Sui: “Moreover, the magistrate needs achievements to be promoted. I’m already honored as a prince. Why would I need this kind of superfluous achievement?”
At eighteen, he had voluntarily requested to go to the battlefield to fully demonstrate his abilities in service to the nation, not to prove anything before His Majesty.
Before his legs were crippled, Zhao Sui had never thought about competing for that position. Now, he thought about it even less.
He only needed someone to take on this matter and truly carry it out. He required no praise or credit whatsoever.
Yao Huang couldn’t refute Prince Hui.
But she just wasn’t happy about it. So many people in the capital treated Prince Hui as a useless cripple. The truth was that Prince Hui wasn’t useless at all—he was very capable, very capable, very capable!