People have seven emotions and six desires, which then implicate various grudges and entanglements.
The Yao family had just four people living harmoniously together, but among the neighbors near and far from Longevity Alley, countless quarrels and fights had occurred. Yao Huang had personally witnessed the furrowed brows and glaring eyes of those expressing anger and grievance, had also seen those who clearly benefited yet still played the victim, had personally heard the foul language and curses that came readily from mouths, and had also heard the roundabout, sarcastic mockery.
Regarding Zheng Yuanzhen’s marriage engagement with the two imperial brothers, Yao Huang believed she was the last among those present to learn of it.
Not mentioning last year, just counting from this year’s selection process when the three Princess Consorts were determined, the matter had already passed for half a year. If Prince Qing and Zheng Yuanzhen truly felt they wronged Prince Hui, they should each live their own lives without creating this marriage match. Daring to create it proved they had long cast aside the disabled Second Brother and Cousin Brother, only caring about their own happiness.
In Yao Huang’s view, someone of Zheng Yuanzhen’s family background not wanting to marry the disabled-legged Prince Hui was human nature. Since she had the ability to break the engagement and get Emperor Yongchang to agree to her marrying Prince Qing, and Prince Hui hadn’t cried or made a fuss, Zheng Yuanzhen and Prince Qing really didn’t need to deliberately put on this act. Being magnanimous and beaming with joy as their newlywed couple would preserve everyone’s dignity.
But the couple insisted on displaying this ashamed appearance before Prince Hui—what were they really after? Were they trying to let Prince Hui, who with disabled legs had cooperated and fulfilled their wishes, know they hadn’t deliberately rubbed salt in his wounds? Or were they trying to show Emperor Yongchang that though they did something slightly wronging Prince Hui, they weren’t without conscience?
Prince Kang, wanting to display brotherly concern, at least genuinely exerted effort pushing the wheelchair. But Prince Qing’s couple, while troubling Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law, wanted Father Emperor to praise them for still having face and skin?
This grievance—Prince Hui could endure it, but Yao Huang couldn’t!
Anyway, Emperor Yongchang and others didn’t know she already knew the situation. Consort Du and the Second Princess also weren’t foolish enough to broadcast those words they’d used to provoke her. So Yao Huang used the meeting gift to expose Prince Qing and Zheng Yuanzhen’s hypocrisy. Feeling guilty, my foot! The marriage was already consummated—still pretending to be a good younger brother and good younger cousin!
Prince Qing and Zheng Yuanzhen hadn’t even looked toward Yao Huang yet, both focused entirely on Prince Hui’s possible reaction. Unexpectedly confronted with the jade bracelet Yao Huang held up and hearing that utterly absurd speculation, the couple simultaneously froze.
The others were also startled. At this moment, Consort Du reacted quickly, “kindly” speaking up to help Prince Qing and Zheng Yuanzhen: “What nonsense are you talking about, Huang Huang? Your Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law feel heartache over Prince Hui’s legs—they were moved by the scene. It has nothing to do with your meeting gift.”
Empress Zhou’s eye twitched slightly. Consort Liu Xian secretly bit her inner lip. Consort Shen Rou was furious but understood that anything she said now would only make things worse.
Emperor Yongchang had a bit of a headache.
Yao Huang followed Consort Du’s words to give Prince Qing’s couple a way out, smiling: “I see. Then you need feel even less upset. Though the Prince’s legs were injured, this injury was exchanged for the Great Qi border army defeating the Wu Kingdom iron cavalry in utter defeat, exchanged for the peace of the border troops and civilians and Father Emperor’s worry-free rest. So the Prince’s injury is the glory he brought back from the battlefield—you should take pride in it.”
Emperor Yongchang’s headache disappeared. Moreover, heroic feelings surged in his chest. He felt his Second Daughter-in-law’s words, though accidentally hitting the mark, had praised exactly what touched his heart!
Zheng Yuanzhen said shamefully: “Second Sister-in-law is right.”
Prince Qing looked at her profile barely concealing her discomfort, then looked at that Second Sister-in-law who had changed from anxious unease to smiling beautiful eyes. He seemed to see two jade bracelets placed side by side—one with dull luster, one brilliantly shining.
Following this, Second Sister-in-law reached out to grasp Cousin’s wrist, smiling as she slipped that green jade bracelet on: “Let’s not speak of those things. Second Sister-in-law wishes you and Third Brother marital bliss and harmonious beauty.”
With one grasp and one slip, Second Sister-in-law’s hands sandwiched Cousin’s slender hand in between. Prince Qing saw clearly—Second Sister-in-law’s hands were both white and smooth, actually more captivating than Cousin’s hands.
After giving the meeting gift, Yao Huang withdrew her hands.
Zheng Yuanzhen slightly bent her knees in thanks.
Prince Qing timely led her away.
After the ceremonies ended, Prince Qing’s couple had to go to Consort Rou’s palace for intimate mother-children talk. Prince Kang had to go on duty. The three children had to play at Consort Xian’s for a while. Yao Huang was too lazy to go to Consort Du’s place for insincere socializing and directly pushed her own Prince out of the palace.
On the carriage, Yao Huang as usual crouched beside Prince Hui’s wheelchair helping him secure it to prevent the wheelchair from rolling forward if the carriage suddenly braked.
After securing it, Yao Huang sat back in the side seat. Lifting her head, she discovered Prince Hui was watching her—she didn’t know for how long.
Yao Huang suddenly lost confidence. Her speech at the Empress’s quarters had been satisfying, but she didn’t know Prince Hui’s true attitude toward Zheng Yuanzhen. What if the foolish Prince had willingly fulfilled her wishes with Prince Qing for his cousin’s satisfaction, but actually had lingering feelings in his heart and didn’t want his cousin embarrassed before everyone…
Seeing the increasingly obvious concern in the Princess Consort’s eyes, Zhao Sui asked: “I once had a verbal marriage engagement with Princess Consort Qing—did you know?”
He remembered that the second day after their grand wedding when he and the Princess Consort entered the palace to serve tea, after moving to Yikun Palace, the Consort had deliberately mentioned to the Princess Consort that he once had another fine marriage match, mocking that the Princess Consort had taken advantage of his disabled legs and broken engagement to become the principal consort.
Being rejected by someone was fact. As for whether the Princess Consort was unlucky or took advantage—that was something only she could judge.
On the way out of the palace, the Princess Consort looked gloomy and unhappy. Zhao Sui had wanted to console her, but it turned out the Princess Consort feared that because of her family background and childhood name, she had caused him to lose face. Those consoling words couldn’t be spoken. Afterward, she happily acted as his Princess Consort. Zhao Sui had even less opportunity to bring up the old matter.
Just now, the Princess Consort had used the meeting gift to interpret Prince Qing couple’s guilt. Zhao Sui actually couldn’t tell if she truly thought that way or was playing dumb and deliberately misinterpreting.
Yao Huang: “…”
She lowered her head and said quietly: “I knew. The Second Princess told me the day we served tea. She had no good intentions—I didn’t want to be jealous with the Prince over past matters.”
Zhao Sui looked at the Princess Consort’s unconsciously clenched fingers together and said: “No need to be jealous. I had no private relationship whatsoever with Princess Consort Qing. Aside from palace banquets where she would call us Cousin Brother when we met, I had no conversation with her.”
Yao Huang secretly glanced at him twice and asked purely out of curiosity: “If that’s the case, why did the Prince agree to that marriage match at the time?”
Zhao Sui lowered his gaze, saying: “At that time, whoever became my wife made no difference to me. When the Consort asked my opinion, I replied to follow Father Emperor and Mother Consort’s decision.”
Yao Huang inexplicably became angry: “Marriage between man and woman—husband and wife are people who must deal with each other for a lifetime. How could you be so perfunctory? Marry if you like them; refuse if you don’t. The Consort is hypocritical, but would Father Emperor also force you to marry someone you don’t like?”
He didn’t want metal wheels, and even in such a major matter as marrying a wife, he let others arrange it!
Zhao Sui fell silent.
Yao Huang thought it over, then said meaningfully: “I understand now. The Prince still likes his own cousin, so he…”
Zhao Sui raised his eyes and looked directly at her: “I absolutely have no private feelings for her whatsoever.”
Not even the sibling affection that should exist between cousins.
Yao Huang suddenly left her seat and sat on the wheelchair facing him, then pushed Prince Hui, who was much taller than her, back against the chair back, facilitating eye contact between them.
Zhao Sui: “…”
Yao Huang looked at him and asked: “Truly never liked her?”
Zhao Sui: “Never.”
Yao Huang smiled. She pulled Prince Hui upright again, embracing his waist while leaning on his shoulder, saying: “Then I want the Prince to promise me something.”
Zhao Sui couldn’t quite keep up with the Princess Consort’s attitude changes and had no clue about the request she was about to make.
“What matter?”
Yao Huang sighed in her heart before saying quietly: “I want the Prince to promise me that from now on, no matter what others want you to do, as long as it’s something you don’t like or aren’t interested in, you must freely refuse—unless it’s an imperial command regarding state affairs that cannot be disobeyed.”
She didn’t want Prince Hui to be that foolish anymore.
Zhao Sui first thought of his two marriage engagements. The first time he followed Father Emperor’s arrangement. The second time was also Father Emperor insisting he select a consort—he entered the palace only because he was vexed by the persistence. With the former, even if he had refused, afterward he still wouldn’t have known what kind of Princess Consort he should marry, which was why he was perfunctory. With the latter, if he had refused, then probably in this lifetime he would have had no connection with the Princess Consort in his arms.
Thus accepting some arrangements against one’s will might also bring good results.
But Zhao Sui understood the Princess Consort’s meaning. Stroking her back, he said: “Alright. From now on, unless I’m willing in my heart, no one can force me.”
Just as Yao Huang was about to smile, she suddenly lifted her head and looked at Prince Hui, asking: “Not me either?”
Carefully calculated, at Lingshan Town when she found ways to provoke the lifeless Prince Hui to go out, that was actually also a kind of forcing him.
Zhao Sui: “…You’re not others.”
Others couldn’t force him, but the Princess Consort could.
At Yanfu Palace, Consort Rou sat in the main seat. Prince Qing and Zheng Yuanzhen stood before her. All three of their expressions weren’t very good.
Prince Qing first helped Zheng Yuanzhen sit in a side chair, then sat beside her, leaning back into the chair in annoyance: “If I’d known we’d be misunderstood by Second Sister-in-law and have it twisted to some meeting gift matter, why did Cousin and I need to put on that act? Instead we were taken advantage of by the Consort to kick us when we were down, giving us a thorough scolding.”
Zheng Yuanzhen kept her eyes lowered.
Consort Rou sneered: “You truly think Lady Yao doesn’t know the inside story? When you two weren’t there, the Consort targeted you first. When you weren’t present, she definitely wouldn’t let Prince Hui’s couple have an easy time either. Before the Dragon Boat Festival, she almost mentioned Yuanzhen and Prince Hui’s past matter before us. In my view, Lady Yao was clearly deliberately playing dumb to embarrass you two.”
Prince Qing raised an eyebrow: “She has that much cunning?”
Consort Rou told the young couple about what happened before they entered the palace—how Consort Du wanted to pressure Yao Huang about having children but was outmaneuvered by Yao Huang.
Prince Qing stroked his chin with interest. Second Brother was a stuffy gourd—who’d have thought he’d marry such a strong-willed Princess Consort unafraid of trouble?
Consort Rou said: “Forget it. Remember this lesson. From now on, you two just face Prince Hui calmly. There was nothing to begin with anyway, moreover it was your Father Emperor who bestowed the marriage.”
Prince Qing nodded absentmindedly.
Zheng Yuanzhen glanced at Consort Rou’s magnificent skirt hem, only feeling that every sentence from Consort Rou was reprimanding her, wanting to use her past with Prince Hui to suppress her.
On the way out of the palace, to display harmonious relations between sisters-in-law, Zheng Yuanzhen still wore the jade bracelet Yao Huang had slipped on. As soon as she boarded the carriage, Zheng Yuanzhen removed that jade bracelet and coldly tossed it at her feet.
Even when angry, a noble lady was reserved. She didn’t use too much force—the jade bracelet didn’t shatter.
Prince Qing smiled: “The daughter of a centurion military man—ignorant and fearless. Don’t stoop to her level.”
After speaking, he picked up the jade bracelet, examined it briefly, and said: “The water quality is decent. If you don’t like it, keep it to reward a maid by your side.”
Zheng Yuanzhen wanted even more to smash it.
Returning to Prince Qing’s residence, servants from various quarters should come pay respects to the Princess Consort. The first to arrive was the backup servant girl Prince Qing had kept.
Last night Zheng Yuanzhen hadn’t paid attention to this servant girl. Seeing her now, she discovered this maid had an alluring figure—willow waist, curves at both ends.
Forcefully restraining herself from looking at Prince Qing beside her, Zheng Yuanzhen casually rewarded that jade bracelet to this servant girl.