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On the morning of September 27th, approaching the hour of Si, Emperor Yongchang’s oral decree arrived, summoning Prince Hui to the palace to make a trip to the Ministry of Works.
Yao Huang pushed the wheelchair, seeing Prince Hui all the way out to the prince’s residence gate.
This was the first time Prince Hui had entered the palace alone since Yao Huang married into the prince’s residence.
Strangely enough, even though Prince Hui was a prince who had grown up in the palace and was more familiar with it than she was, Yao Huang still worried a bit whether he might encounter any difficulties on the roads there, whether he would be able to adapt to the curious or suspicious gazes of the officials around him when he reached the Ministry of Works.
But Yao Huang couldn’t show it. She could only look at Prince Hui with regret. “I really wish I could go with you and see something new too.”
Zhao Sui avoided the princess consort’s gaze, because even the inner palace was forbidden from interfering in politics—he had even less reason to bring the princess consort to the Six Ministries’ offices, where rules were equally strict.
“All right, hurry and get in the carriage. I’ll wait for you to return so we can eat lunch together.”
Yao Huang smiled and patted Prince Hui’s shoulder, handing the wheelchair over to Qing Ai.
After watching Prince Hui board the carriage and the carriage depart, Yao Huang continued standing at the gate for a while before going back inside. At this moment, her eyes held only the relief that with Prince Hui not at home, she could do whatever she wanted!
In the carriage that had already turned out of the long lane, Zhao Sui looked at the python robe and jade belt he wore, likewise having no time to dwell on the regret that the princess consort couldn’t accompany him.
Whether in the current dynasty or the previous one, those with obvious physical disabilities could not participate in the imperial examinations. Civil and military officials who already had titles or official positions but became disabled due to circumstances or illness would receive compensation from the court, but their official careers had basically reached their end—they could only resign and return home, unless that person possessed great talent and the court made an exception to continue employing them.
Zhao Sui did indeed have military achievements, but he was very clear that if he weren’t a prince and didn’t have such an open-minded father, even if he were the son of a meritorious noble or military family, it would be very difficult to have another opportunity to participate in government affairs.
This time, being able to come to the Ministry of Works, he had completely taken advantage of his status.
Without the princess consort, Zhao Sui would never have opened his mouth to Father Emperor to request a position. But since the princess consort had sought an opportunity for him to work from Father Emperor, Zhao Sui couldn’t go against his own wishes and refuse.
He wanted to work, wanted to do what he could for Father Emperor, for the court, for the common people within his capabilities. He wanted countless future days to be more meaningful, and he also wanted the princess consort to know that her husband wasn’t an idle person who only knew how to read books and paint.
The carriage stopped in front of the Duan Gate on the due south side of the Imperial City.
Zhang Yue set up the wooden board, and working in coordination with Qing Ai, they pushed Prince Hui’s rosewood wheelchair down from the carriage.
During the day, the palace gates for the outer court were open, guarded by Imperial Guard soldiers, to facilitate officials coming and going.
As soon as Zhao Sui got down from the carriage, he saw Minister of Works Yan Lun, wearing a purple robe, hurrying forward. With a respectful expression, he bowed to him. “This official Yan Lun pays respects to Prince Hui.”
Zhao Sui said, “Minister Yan, no need for formalities.”
Yan Lun smiled and said, “His Majesty instructed this official to guide Your Highness. Please, Your Highness.”
Qing Ai pushed the wheelchair, Fei Quan followed alongside, and the group walked forward.
The threshold of Duan Gate was very high. Two palace servants guarding inside had already laid wooden boards in advance. Yan Lun watched as Prince Hui’s wheelchair crossed over, then stepped across himself.
Inside Duan Gate was a spacious avenue leading directly to Chengtian Gate in the inner city. The area between these two gates and two circles of palace walls was called the Imperial City’s outer area, where various court offices were distributed. On the left side of the avenue from south to north were the Court of Judicial Review, Ministry of Justice, Censorate, and Court of Imperial Sacrifices. On the right side from south to north were the Ministry of Rites, Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Personnel, and the Office of Imperial Clan Affairs that managed the imperial clan. To the right of the Office of Imperial Clan Affairs, from north to south were the Ministry of War, Ministry of Works, Court of State Ceremonial, Imperial Observatory, and Imperial Medical Academy.
In other words, Prince Hui had two routes to choose from to reach the Ministry of Works: one was to go directly north along the avenue, then turn from the alley between the Ministry of Personnel and Ministry of Revenue toward the Ministry of Works; the other was to turn east first, then cut through the small path between the two rows of offices to reach the Ministry of Works directly.
The main avenue was impressive but meant encountering more officials, while the small path was quieter but seemed somewhat shabby. Yan Lun couldn’t gauge Prince Hui’s temperament and asked him to choose.
Zhao Sui said, “Follow your usual habit, Minister.”
Yan Lun then led Prince Hui along the small path, because it could avoid passing the front gate of the Ministry of Revenue—he didn’t like running into those people from the Ministry of Revenue.
Along the way, they encountered some lower-ranking officials moving about. Recognizing the prince’s python robe Prince Hui wore, these people moved to the side of the road from afar and bowed respectfully.
There were too many officials. Zhao Sui let them be and didn’t call out “no need for formalities” to each one.
When they reached the Ministry of Works, the threshold at the main gate also had temporary wooden boards laid. Yan Lun glanced at Prince Hui in the wheelchair, whose emotions were hard to read, and didn’t mention that the night before last, His Majesty had arranged another new task for him—to modify all the thresholds Prince Hui might pass through on his route in and out of the Ministry of Works, throughout the various buildings within the Ministry of Works, from the Ministry of Works to the inner city assembly hall, as well as to Qianyuan Hall, the Central Palace, Yikun Palace including the Imperial Garden, into forms convenient for wheelchair passage. Only a few palace gates like Duan Gate and Donghua Gate that symbolized the Imperial City’s dignity would remain unchanged, but fixed hard boards that didn’t need to be moved should be laid before and after these thresholds.
Where there were stone steps, regardless of how many levels, ramps that wouldn’t slip and were convenient for wheelchair passage should be built on both sides of the stone steps.
His Majesty also said he should complete this work before Prince Hui finished renovating his own office.
Yan Lun thought that if he told Prince Hui now, Prince Hui might be overwhelmed with gratitude and would think about whether to persuade His Majesty not to do this. Better to keep it hidden for now—when all the thresholds were modified and Prince Hui came to the Ministry of Works to work next time and saw it with his own eyes, he would better feel His Majesty’s fatherly love for him.
“Your Highness, shall I call officials from various departments out to greet you?” Yan Lun said politely.
Zhao Sui replied, “No need. Court business is important. Just take me directly to see that empty room, Minister.”
Yan Lun had indeed just been speaking casually. If Prince Hui really made such a fuss, he would instead worry that the Ministry of Works’ days ahead would go from bad to worse.
Very soon, Yan Lun brought Prince Hui to the front of the empty room that had been forced to have a leaking roof just the night before last.
The threshold was still there, with wooden boards laid over it. Zhao Sui didn’t have Qing Ai push him inside, only observing from outside.
This empty room had originally been a storeroom—spacious with bright lighting.
Afraid Prince Hui couldn’t see clearly, Yan Lun deliberately walked inside and pointed out three obviously light-leaking spots on the roof for Prince Hui to see, then pointed to the section of wooden flooring he had people carefully age and damage.
Zhao Sui fell silent.
After Yan Lun finished his demonstration, Zhao Sui said, “At the end of the month, I’ll send craftsmen over. I’ll strive to complete it in one day and won’t disturb other officials of the Ministry of Works at their work.”
The corner of Yan Lun’s eye twitched. Today was already the 27th—counting up to the end of the month was only four days total. If Prince Hui’s residence craftsmen were nimble enough to renovate this storeroom in one day, what about all his thresholds and steps?
Yan Lun said earnestly, “Won’t the end of the month be too rushed? In this official’s opinion, Your Highness could send craftsmen once at the end of the month, then send them again on the tenth of October. Slow and meticulous work produces fine results. What do you say?”
Zhao Sui glanced at him and agreed.
Knowing Father Emperor was very busy in the morning, Zhao Sui had Yan Lun convey his thanks when reporting back to Father Emperor, then left the palace.
Yao Huang was playing hide-and-seek with Jinbao. Hearing that His Highness had returned, she rushed to the front courtyard with Jinbao, as excited as if she could also use the office Prince Hui was about to get. “Is the room big? Is the lighting good? Will it be expensive to renovate?”
The princess consort spoke from her higher position, while below, Jinbao circled Prince Hui’s chair several times and even sniffed at the blue python robe the prince rarely wore.
Zhao Sui said to the princess consort, “More spacious than the main hall. It can be partitioned into inner and outer rooms—the outer room as the office, the inner room as a rest area.”
Since Father Emperor had given him such a large room, Zhao Sui didn’t want to treat himself poorly. The rest area would be smaller—a narrow daybed by the south window where Fei Quan could give him massages after lunch. On the north side, he’d use a screen to partition off a washroom, build two handrails along the wall side, and open a small door in the north wall to make it convenient for Fei Quan to handle the chamber pot.
Of course, Zhao Sui didn’t mention the specific arrangements for massages and the washroom to the princess consort.
He drew a rough layout of the positions on paper.
Yao Huang looked at the narrow daybed by the window and huffed, “Making it so comfortable—you’re not going to pick some pretty little palace maid to rest with you during afternoon naps, are you?”
Zhao Sui said, “…I won’t. Besides, the menial servants used in the Six Ministries’ offices are all eunuchs, not palace maids.”
After speaking, he lowered his eyes and added, “I’m also not that kind of lustful person.”
Yao Huang studied Prince Hui’s handsome face and said deliberately, “You’re not lustful? You often pull me to rest together during afternoon naps.”
Zhao Sui remained silent.
With no one outside, looking at the princess consort’s skirt embroidered with plum blossoms and hearing her turn the tables on him, Zhao Sui suddenly grasped her wrist and pulled her into his lap.
Yao Huang guiltily burrowed into his shoulder.
Zhao Sui straightened the princess consort’s shoulders and forcefully lifted her chin.
Yao Huang closed her eyes in advance, her face flushed red.
Zhao Sui looked at this alluring face that repeatedly made him forget rules and propriety, and demanded in a low voice, “You tell me—who suggested resting together first?”
Yao Huang said, “I’ve had a bad memory since childhood. I forgot long ago.”
Zhao Sui said, “Since you’ve forgotten, from now on, afternoon naps are canceled.”
Yao Huang replied, “Canceling them won’t matter anyway. Once you start working, you can’t possibly run back just to rest with me, can you?”
Zhao Sui fell silent.
Mentioning this, Yao Huang’s eyelashes trembled, and she opened a tiny slit in her eyes, asking Prince Hui, “Without afternoon naps, how about changing the every-fifth-and-tenth-day rule? How about every third, sixth, and ninth day?”
Nine times a month wasn’t too few either. Plus, Prince Hui would probably be quite tired from working during the day, so with only two or three nights in between, he shouldn’t get too hungry, right?
Zhao Sui said, “If I really changed it, wouldn’t that confirm what you said about being lustful?”
Yao Huang remained silent.
After a brief standoff, Yao Huang hugged him and, buried in his shoulder, said in an extremely soft voice, “You’re not lustful. I’m the one lusting after you. I’m the one who finds every fifth and tenth day insufficient. Happy now?”
Zhao Sui closed his eyes.
After lunch, Zhao Sui prepared to take the office dimensions Yan Lun had given him to the study to draw detailed modification plans. The sooner he finished drawing, the sooner he could give them to the residence craftsmen to calculate various materials and procure them in time.
Yao Huang knew this was important business, but she also feared Prince Hui was still putting on a proper front with her. Before Prince Hui called for Qing Ai to push the wheelchair, Yao Huang lowered her head and, while tugging at her sleeve, asked, “After you finish the drawings, will you still come to the rear courtyard?”
Zhao Sui said, “…Depends on the time. If it’s too late, I won’t.”
Yao Huang took this as a tactful refusal. Embarrassed and angry, she glared at him once, then ran off like the wind.
Prince Hui looked at the empty doorway and decided to finish drawing early.
The outer office room was simple—similar to the study’s furnishings. A desk, bookcases on two walls, plus two guest chairs and a tea table for summoned officials, then calligraphy, paintings, potted plants, flower stands and other small items.
The inner rest area…
When drawing the narrow daybed by the window, that daybed actually became a real scene in his mind, except there was a princess consort on it looking at him with resentful eyes.
A moment later, Zhao Sui put down his brush and called out “Qing Ai.”
After making the princess consort cry and chase him away, Prince Hui delayed another two quarters of an hour before returning to draw the plans again.