Zhao Sui stood over eight chi tall. Though he had lost some weight after his accident, seated in his wheelchair he still appeared more robust and solid than some frail scholars.
The leg draped over Yao Huang’s side was beyond his control, and Zhao Sui’s upper body was pulled along, pressing toward her. He had to exert force with his left elbow propped against Yao Huang’s neck to maintain his body’s balance and free his right hand for other matters.
Having practiced martial arts for years, Zhao Sui had broad shoulders that pressed tightly against Yao Huang. His right shoulder stood a section higher than hers, allowing him to easily see Yao Huang’s profile clearly as he half-propped himself up—her eyes tightly closed from nervousness or bashfulness.
His gaze moved downward to her delicate, rounded shoulders and the arm folded across her chest.
In this brief glance, apart from one small red silk undergarment, everywhere was like fresh mutton-fat jade and new snow.
Looking again at this young lady’s face—it was a beauty that would still draw attention even among all those selected maidens.
Zhao Sui’s gaze darkened slightly, and the instinct ignited by their physical contact cooled.
If his legs hadn’t been injured, he could possess such beauty with a clear conscience. But as things were now, how was this different from using filthy mud to defile a peony?
Zhao Sui didn’t want to continue.
But these words should come from her. Zhao Sui couldn’t be a husband who coldly neglected his newlywed wife without reason.
He touched her face.
Yao Huang instinctively shrank her neck. No matter how well the female physician had taught her, it was all theory. Actually being held by an unfamiliar man, perhaps being examined shamelessly all over by him—Yao Huang felt as if placed in a sea of fire, even her exhaled breath was hot.
Her burning face slightly withdrew from the man’s palm, but her back pressed even closer to that chest. Through the red silk inner garment Zhao Sui wore, Yao Huang could feel his powerful heartbeat.
Now she could neither advance nor retreat.
Zhao Sui spoke, his tone gentler than all his brief previous sentences: “If you’re not yet ready, consummating the marriage can be postponed. I’m not in a hurry.”
He hoped she would act according to her own wishes, not compromise herself out of fear of his princely status.
Yao Huang’s thoughts flew rapidly through her stiffened body.
What did “I’m not in a hurry” mean—the literal meaning of not being in a hurry, or an excuse covering his inability to perform?
If the latter, the prince’s rapid removal of his pants was an attempt to cover up the truth, and she must cooperate with him, not expose his weakness.
But just when the prince pressed against her, for several moments she distinctly felt something shaped like the teaching tool the female physician had held…
In that case, the prince’s inquiry was merely a test to see if she disdained him.
Yao Huang replied softly: “Being able to marry Your Highness is my incredible fortune. I’ve long been ready. When to consummate the marriage is entirely Your Highness’s decision.”
If you can perform, then come; if you can’t, I’ll play along with your pretense!
Though she used some verbal tactics, Yao Huang was genuinely willing, so her delicate voice was very steady. On such a wedding night with skin pressed against skin, it became a shy invitation.
Zhao Sui fell silent for a moment, then touched her face again. This time, Yao Huang didn’t shrink away.
Dead ashes rekindled. Zhao Sui lowered his head, thin lips moving along her shoulder.
Yao Huang began trembling lightly.
Zhao Sui’s breathing grew heavier accordingly. His left elbow moved back, his right hand turning her around to make her entire upper body completely exposed before him.
Not until Prince Hui buried his head down did Yao Huang dare open her eyes.
So this was marriage?
After enduring for a while, she tried embracing Prince Hui’s head, one palm against his ear, one hand exploring into his black hair. Prince Hui remained obliviously busy, finally pulling away the small undergarment she had deliberately left for him.
Yao Huang was utterly embarrassed, while Prince Hui had already freed one hand to begin new exploration.
Yao Huang panicked, wanting to pull him away but not daring to. Just as she was about to cry, Prince Hui suddenly turned her back to the side-lying position.
Yao Huang knew—Prince Hui was getting serious now.
The female physician had repeatedly instructed that at this moment she absolutely must not be shy and had to cooperate fully, otherwise the prince might very likely become frustrated from repeated failures.
All beginnings are difficult. When both had broken into sweats from urgency, they succeeded.
And because it was difficult, Prince Hui simply didn’t stop—one wave barely settled before directly stirring up a new one.
Having learned martial arts with her brother since childhood, Yao Huang wasn’t afraid of fatigue or hardship, only pain. The first time, Yao Huang kept crying softly, unable to hold it in at all. She couldn’t worry about whether Prince Hui would get angry—besides, with him bullying her like this, couldn’t she cry?
This time was different. Prince Hui wasn’t so rushed, and her whimpering changed its tone.
Yao Huang felt very embarrassed, but Prince Hui behind her seemed quite pleased. When she tried to cover her mouth, he gripped her wrist.
Prince Hui was also very domineering. Even when her pleas broke with strain, he wouldn’t relent.
Finally, Yao Huang couldn’t form any thoughts at all, half-sprawled on the pillow, only capable of the sounds he drew from her—one “Your Highness” after another.
When the bed curtains finally stopped swaying, Prince Hui lay solidly on her shoulder, his heavy breathing blowing past her ear like wind, mingling with hers.
Yao Huang understood this person was also quite exhausted. She was somewhat heavier than ordinary young ladies, yet Prince Hui could make her shift steadily inward and sustain it for so long—showing how much strength he’d used.
Just as Yao Huang felt she was about to be flattened by Prince Hui, the person resumed normal breathing. He moved back, causing Yao Huang to shudder again.
Zhao Sui paused slightly. Seeing her bury her entire face in the pillow from embarrassment, he lifted back the leg draped over her, using both arms to change to lying flat, untying his inner garment to cover his waist.
Both were very hot. The quilt had long been kicked to a corner far from him.
Yao Huang still remained in a state of languid laziness with soft bones throughout her body. But the prince had already lain down—was he looking at her?
Her current appearance…
Yao Huang hastily grabbed the small undergarment thrown aside and stuffed it underneath, then hooked a corner of the celebratory quilt with her foot, pulling it over to cover herself.
Having finished, Yao Huang slowly turned her head and saw Prince Hui with eyes closed. Yao Huang relaxed considerably.
Her gaze swept once over Prince Hui’s broad shoulders and chest, his straight long legs. Yao Huang belatedly asked: “Is Your Highness cold? Shall I cover you with the quilt?”
Zhao Sui had already regained his composure and said with eyes closed: “I need to cleanse myself. Have the maids bring in two buckets of hot water—we’ll each use one.”
Yao Huang: “Mm, Your Highness please wait a moment. I’ll dress first.”
After fastening her inner garment and putting on her sleeping trousers, Yao Huang awkwardly climbed off the bed. After arranging the lowered curtains properly, Yao Huang walked to the alcove bed’s partition and called outside: “A’Ji?”
In the eastern side room separated by one wall, since they didn’t know if they’d need to personally assist the prince later, A’Ji and the four others including Hua Mei had all remained here at first.
As guests in the front courtyard gradually departed, the entire Prince Hui’s Manor quieted down. In the stillness, the princess consort’s low crying suddenly came from the inner chamber.
A’Ji instinctively started forward.
Hua Mei grabbed her wrist in one motion, scolding in a low voice: “You dare ruin His Highness’s pleasure?”
A’Ji had been reminded by the mistress about what would probably happen tonight and didn’t rush inside, unless she could determine the princess consort was suffering inhuman torture.
Fortunately, the princess consort only cried for the duration of a cup of tea. When the princess consort’s voice came through again, that tone made one’s entire body feel heated.
A’Ji reached out to shoo the four including Hua Mei outside: “I’ll keep watch here. You all wait in the courtyard first.”
She was closest to the princess consort—the princess consort surely wouldn’t mind her listening at the wall. Whether the four including Hua Mei could listen needed to be asked of the princess consort.
Hua Mei glared at her but didn’t insist on staying.
A’Ji kept this watch for actually two full ke periods. The princess consort’s voice grew increasingly hoarse!
“I’m here!”
Yao Huang heard A’Ji’s urgency but didn’t know what this girl was anxious about, actually forgetting to lower her voice. Would she startle the prince at this late hour?
Looking back, seeing the figure inside the curtains hadn’t moved at all, Yao Huang instructed: “Have the water room send two buckets of hot water.”
Footsteps sounded outside. With nothing more for the moment, Yao Huang tried removing the small undergarment. Confirming there was no more leakage, she immediately threw it into the clothes basket.
Her legs still felt weak. Yao Huang sat at the small dressing table on one side of the outer platform, looking in the mirror at herself with disheveled hair and flushed cheeks.
Yao Huang tried recreating the expression she’d made while crying out and pleading. It looked somewhat strange but fortunately not ugly—otherwise, being stared at by Prince Hui the entire time would surely invite disdain.
Lost in wild thoughts, the rough-work matrons from the water room brought water, which A’Ji and Hua Mei then each took charge of one bucket and carried into the inner chamber.
With Prince Hui present, Hua Mei observed propriety and didn’t dare raise her eyes. A’Ji, worried about the princess consort, looked inside as soon as she entered.
Yao Huang reminded her with her eyes about propriety. Watching the two place the water buckets by the washing stand, Yao Huang said: “A’Ji will keep watch tonight. Everyone else return to your rooms to sleep.”
Hua Mei left first.
Prince Hui had already stated he preferred quiet, so Yao Huang also had A’Ji withdraw.
As the inner chamber door closed again, Prince Hui inside spoke: “Dampen a cloth, wring it until it doesn’t drip, then hand it to me.”
Yao Huang complied, bringing the cloth to the curtains. A hand reached out from inside: “I’ll do it myself. You go clean up.”
Yao Huang reacted quickly, handing over the cloth and saying: “Yes, I’ll go to the washing room. Your Highness, call me if you need anything.”
“Mm.”
Yao Huang then carried one bucket of water to the innermost washing room.
Even a washing room was more spacious and clean than Yao Huang’s maiden chamber at her parents’ home—truly befitting royalty. Light, elegant incense burned within.
Yao Huang partially closed the door, removed all her clothes, and repeatedly dampened the cloth to thoroughly wipe herself clean. Feeling a bit cold after drying, she hurriedly dressed again.
Returning to the inner chamber, the curtains remained lowered, but the red silk inner trousers previously draped on the wheelchair had disappeared.
Yao Huang didn’t know how Prince Hui removed and put on his pants. Clearly Prince Hui didn’t want her to see either.
Having A’Ji take away the two buckets of hot water, they could truly rest tonight.
The celebratory quilt was very large. Even with the prince and princess consort sharing it, both sides had plenty of extra space.
After lying down, Yao Huang didn’t dare move carelessly, silently listening to Prince Hui’s breathing, her mind continuously replaying scenes from consummating the marriage.
Compared to that intensity, the current quiet inside the curtains made her heart anxious.
They were husband and wife now—they should try to become closer. The prince had mobility difficulties, so she should naturally be more proactive.
Decision made, Yao Huang turned toward Prince Hui as if very naturally, shifting slightly until she touched him, her left hand gently embracing him, face against his shoulder: “Your Highness, are you sleepy?”
Zhao Sui: “…What is it?”
Yao Huang: “Nothing. It’s just, having just arrived, I’m a bit excited. If Your Highness isn’t sleepy, shall we chat?”
Zhao Sui: “What do you want to talk about?”
Yao Huang thought for a moment, looking at his profile and asking: “Your Highness is good-looking, so I wanted to marry you. Then how did Your Highness think to choose me as princess consort? My father is a crude warrior. I didn’t learn many proprieties as well as other selected maidens. You probably didn’t know this, right?”
She first revealed her own shortcomings to prevent Prince Hui from having too high expectations of her etiquette.
Zhao Sui: “I said before—among the selected maidens, you were most to my liking.”
Yao Huang smiled: “That means we both took a liking to each other. How wonderful.”
Zhao Sui’s attention was entirely on his left arm, where the sensation transmitted was too soft.
Yao Huang: “Oh right, His Majesty granted our family one thousand taels of silver. The two banknotes Your Highness sent weren’t used, so I brought them back. I’ll give them to you tomorrow morning.”
Zhao Sui: “No need. Keep them for yourself. I stay deep within the manor and dislike going out. If you feel bored, you can go browse the capital’s shops yourself. If you run out of silver, go directly to the accounts office to withdraw more—no need to ask my permission.”
He wouldn’t go against his own wishes to spend effort accompanying her, nor would he confine her to the manor. Allowing her fine clothes and precious food was also a form of compensation.
Yao Huang sat up in shock: “But that’s one thousand taels of silver! Give it all to me—how long would it take me to spend it all?”
Zhao Sui: “A top-quality gemstone costs several hundred taels. If you encounter something you like, one thousand taels is only enough to buy two pieces of gemstone jewelry.”
Yao Huang: “…I couldn’t bear to spend like that. The pearl hairpins and jewelry given in the betrothal gifts are enough for me.”
Zhao Sui: “Just a few sets. You can wear them to banquets this year, but wearing them again next year will invite mockery. Also, if I remember correctly, there was no gemstone jewelry among the betrothal gifts.”
Yao Huang said softly: “My pearl and kingfisher crown and four-phoenix crown both have various colored gemstones embedded—adding up to forty or fifty stones.”
Zhao Sui: “…The two crowns must be used for major ceremonies in the future and cannot be damaged.”
Yao Huang immediately deflated. She’d thought the pearl and kingfisher crown and four-phoenix crown, like the wedding gown, would be stored in the treasury as collectibles afterward. Then she could pry the gemstones off the two crowns and remake them into forty or fifty pieces of gemstone jewelry.
Zhao Sui: “Not counting other income from the manor’s estates and shops, princes receive five thousand taels annually in stipend, and princess consorts receive five hundred taels. At minimum, that’s more than enough for you to add two pieces of gemstone jewelry each year. No need to worry about it.”
Hearing that besides the generous betrothal gifts she could receive another five hundred taels of silver annually, Yao Huang’s eyes immediately became brighter than bright pearls, her smile impossible to suppress.
Zhao Sui suddenly understood—this young lady might not like him but definitely liked the manor’s wealth and honor.
Among the three princes, given her background, she could indeed only strive to become his principal consort.
“Sleep.”
Zhao Sui closed his eyes. If not for the trouble, he’d rather turn his back.
Unable to detect Prince Hui’s emotional changes, Yao Huang simply thought he was tired. But she was very happy, hugging Prince Hui and lingering a while longer before obediently lying down properly.
Constrained by his legs, Zhao Sui’s sleeping posture was stable—lying flat when falling asleep, lying flat when waking.
Dawn had not yet broken when Zhao Sui wanted to get up.
Confined to the wheelchair, his daily activity was limited. The more this was so, the less sleep he needed. Lying down further was both mental torture and would cause physical discomfort.
Living alone, he could do as he pleased. However, looking at Yao Huang’s sleeping face, Zhao Sui neither wanted to wake her nor wanted to suffer waiting.
As he’d expected, separate bedrooms would be better for both.
After waiting a moment, Zhao Sui threw off the quilt and sat up with both hands supporting himself on the bed.
Yao Huang woke and saw his upright seated figure, momentarily stunned.
Zhao Sui spoke frankly: “Qing Ai should be coming. If you don’t mind, I’ll call him in now?”
Before Yao Huang’s eyes appeared a young, proper face. Qing Ai was indeed a eunuch, but facially there wasn’t much difference from a normal man.
Yao Huang wasn’t accustomed to having an outside male see her lying in bed and hurriedly sat up.
Zhao Sui: “You can go to the washing room first. Sleep again after I leave.”
Yao Huang: “Don’t you need me to attend you?”
Zhao Sui: “No need.”
Yao Huang, wearing only her inner garment, hid in the washing room.
After Qing Ai entered, he skillfully helped Zhao Sui dress, tied his hair into a topknot, helped him onto the wheelchair, then left for the front courtyard to wash up.
By then Yao Huang wasn’t sleepy either. Glancing at the clothes Zhao Sui had changed out of in the clothes basket, she first added a new small undergarment for herself, then called the maids in to attend her.
Today they had to enter the palace to pay respects to Emperor Yongchang and the imperial consorts. Bai Ling helped Yao Huang dress formally. Only when going to the front courtyard for the meal did the newlyweds reunite.
Zhao Sui had changed into a set of red formal wear and appeared to be in good color, except that familiar lifelessness had returned.
When the food was laid out, Qing Ai led several maids out.
Seeing him focused on eating, Yao Huang also began eating slowly and methodically.
Having finished, Zhao Sui explained today’s arrangements to her: “First the palace. After returning to the manor, I’ll accompany you to meet the manor’s servants.”
Yao Huang nodded.
Zhao Sui shook a small bell placed on the wheelchair. The bell had a small mechanism—it would only ring when someone pressed it down before shaking. Normally hanging on the wheelchair, it wouldn’t make sound no matter how it shook.
Qing Ai led the maids in. After the couple rinsed their mouths, they set off.
From here to the manor’s main gate was smooth all the way. Outside the gate, the prince’s dedicated imposing carriage was already waiting, rear door open, a sturdy slanted wooden board firmly bridging the carriage edge.
The other eunuch, Fei Quan, stood inside the carriage wearing only white socks. Qing Ai positioned the wheelchair with its back to the carriage door, steadily pushing the wheelchair up along the slanted board. Once up, Fei Quan would grab the wheelchair. Inside the spacious carriage there was no main seat—that position was specifically for securing the wheelchair. After Yao Huang boarded, she could only sit on the left side seat. On the right was a three-tiered red sandalwood cabinet.
Throughout the entire process, Prince Hui remained expressionless, Qing Ai and Fei Quan silent and respectful, the manor guards on duty and Zhang Yue and other guards who would follow the carriage all wore resolute, solemn expressions.
A’Ji was intimidated into holding her breath, not daring to look much. Yao Huang was fine—more amazed by the various methods of accommodating Prince Hui, memorizing the essentials carefully.
Fei Quan jumped down, making way for Yao Huang to board.
After Yao Huang sat properly, she smiled at Prince Hui, then examined the device on the carriage body used to secure the wheelchair.
Zhao Sui watched her.
Yao Huang understood, pointing to a button mechanism: “When Your Highness needs to disembark, I press here and the wheelchair can move, right?”
Zhao Sui tacitly confirmed.
Yao Huang smiled: “When we reach the palace gate shortly, I’ll push you down.”
Zhao Sui: “Better let Fei Quan do it.”
The wheelchair plus himself—she didn’t have that much strength.
Yao Huang knew the prince underestimated her and decided to prove it to him directly later.