Yao Huang had never dared to talk directly with Prince Hui about his legs. For instance, aside from being unable to move, did his legs and feet still feel cold, heat, pain, or itchiness?
However, after being husband and wife for over half a year, through some unintentional little movements, Yao Huang had figured out the answer herself: yes. The evidence was that when she turned over in bed and her foot accidentally touched Prince Hui's leg, he would look over in confusion. Additionally, the rush cushion she had woven by hand in the summer was indeed being used constantly by Prince Hui in the Bamboo Courtyard's study.
The information about the cushion was something Yao Huang had coaxed out of Qingai.
Since he had feeling, Yao Huang did not want Prince Hui to only sit in a freezing, hard wooden wheelchair during the dead of winter. Unable to walk, he was already more susceptible to the cold than others.
Therefore, when Prince Hui returned to the manor in the evening, he saw the three new leather-upholstered chairs in the main hall.
Yao Huang pushed the four-wheeled wheelchair in front of him and let him reach out to feel it.
Zhao Sui simply pressed down on it.
Leaning against the back of the chair, Yao Huang looked expectantly at Prince Hui's calm and composed face. How is it? Isn't it comfortable yet dignified?
Zhao Sui looked at another normal armchair, whose back and seat were both upholstered in golden brocade.
Yao Huang comfortably leaned back into it and smiled, This one is mine. Knowing that Your Highness doesn't like chairs to be too overly elaborate, I didn't have Master Deng make a leather backrest for you. Would Your Highness like to come over and try it? If you like it, I'll have someone go tell Master Deng.
Looking at his princess consort like this, Zhao Sui thought about how he also wanted to lean back when he got tired of reading files, but the backrests of these recent lightweight wheelchairs were not suitable for leaning on for long periods.
Zhao Sui could not accept deliberately stuffing a cushion behind his back, but if it were made like the Princess Consort's...
Push it over.
It was rare for Prince Hui to show interest, so Yao Huang quickly jumped up.
Pushing the heavy armchair to the spot Prince Hui indicated, Yao Huang cooperatively secured Prince Hui's wheelchair, then watched as he expertly shifted his position, supporting himself with one hand on the armchair and the other on the wheelchair.
After trying it out, Zhao Sui said, Tell Master Deng. Remember to use only pure leather.
He didn't need any silk surfaces or embroidery.
Seeing that Prince Hui was satisfied, Yao Huang then sat on his lap and gleefully shared the wonderful news of how she had made a huge profit of five thousand taels in silver notes from this leather chair.
Leaning against the comfortable, soft, and springy cowhide backrest, Zhao Sui looked at the Princess Consort's sparkling eyes filled with smiles. He thought about how all those officials and wealthy merchants, big and small, along with their relatives and families outside who were about to use these comfortable leather chairs, were all benefiting because of the Princess Consort's care for him.
However, in Yao Huang's eyes, Prince Hui's handsome face remained as indifferent as ever. Only his relaxed leaning posture revealed that his mood had at least not soured because she accepted silver from a merchant.
Yao Huang cautiously added, Rest assured, Your Highness, I am only taking this one sum. Whatever he sells later, be it more or less, has nothing to do with our manor.
Zhao Sui held the Princess Consort's hand and said, It was your idea. You deserve this five thousand taels, so there is no need to overthink it.
Yao Huang gave him a reproachful look. If Your Highness would smile with me, I would definitely just focus on being happy.
Zhao Sui remained silent. He was only crippled, not poor. If he really showed joy on his face for five thousand taels of silver, wouldn't the Princess Consort think he was shallow?
Of course, the Princess Consort looked beautiful when she smiled, and Prince Hui hoped his Princess Consort could be this happy every day.
Happiness aside, Yao Huang was very self-aware. Leaning on his shoulder, she said, If I weren't the Princess Consort, Proprietor Fu would probably have just made the finished products and gone straight to selling them. He wouldn't have come to ask for my permission. He was willing to give me five thousand taels because he was afraid that I would get jealous of the big money he made later and use the manor's power to cause trouble for him.
Without the idea of making a leather chair, Yao Huang couldn't have earned these five thousand taels. But with only an idea and no backing, how much she could get would depend entirely on Proprietor Fu's conscience.
So, Your Highness also has a share of the credit for this silver. I've already thought it over; I want to give Your Highness an expensive gift.
Yao Huang tilted her head up and spoke to Prince Hui with great generosity.
In the past, she had only given Prince Hui small snacks or trinkets that could be bought with copper coins. In truth, what she gave was her sentiment. She could have given expensive things, but taking the royal betrothal gifts or the silver notes and monthly allowance Prince Hui gave her to buy an expensive gift to give back to him—no matter how Yao Huang thought about it, it felt like borrowing flowers to offer to the Buddha. It didn't show any sincerity at all.
Now, relying on her ingenuity, she had earned five thousand taels from an outsider, meaning she was truly paying out of her own pocket to give Prince Hui a gift.
Zhao Sui could tell that the Princess Consort was serious and asked, What kind of expensive gift? A hair crown or jade pendant for a thousand taels, brocade clothes or a fox fur coat for two or three thousand taels, or a famous master's calligraphy or painting for four or five thousand taels?
Yao Huang: ...
Zhao Sui: The manor has all of these. Aside from famous calligraphy and paintings, which I still have an interest in collecting, you don't need to waste your money on other clothing or external items.
Yao Huang: ...What famous master's calligraphy and painting costs four or five thousand taels? I think Your Highness's painting skills are quite good, the best in the world, even. If Your Highness leaves your own works unappreciated and insists on spending thousands of taels to buy someone else's, you're simply a fool. I don't want to be such a fool; I'd rather buy you a thousand-tael hair crown or jade pendant.
Trying to spend all her private savings on one single gift? No way!
Zhao Sui chuckled above the Princess Consort's head and said slowly, What I mean is, I don't need an expensive gift.
Yao Huang breathed a sigh of relief. Alright, then on your next day off, I'll go to South Street and treat Your Highness to freshly roasted lamb skewers.
Zhao Sui: A gift should be more suitable for collecting.
Yao Huang: ...The wheelchairs I've given Your Highness are about to fill up a whole storeroom.
Zhao Sui: The wheelchairs were not made by your hands, so they don't count as gifts.
Yao Huang realized what he meant. Sitting up straight, she tilted her head and smiled at Prince Hui. So Your Highness wants a gift made by my own hands. I've already given you the rush cushion, and you didn't like the cotton pad. Then how about I sew Your Highness a thick pair of socks? My needlework isn't good, but you wear socks inside your boots, so you won't have to worry about anyone seeing them and laughing.
Prince Hui lowered his eyes. Socks are practical, but not suitable for collecting.
This appearance of clearly wanting something but still pretending to be reserved suddenly reminded Yao Huang of an item that beauties in storybooks often gave to their lovers. She casually asked, An embroidered handkerchief?
Prince Hui pondered for a moment, then gave a faint affirmative sound.
Yao Huang: ...
The next day was the eighth of the month, and there was no morning court. The few officials Prince Hui encountered on his way in and out of the palace did not notice that, although Prince Hui was still sitting in a golden thread nanmu wheelchair, the seat of the wheelchair had quietly been changed to soft cowhide. The officials in the Ministry of Works, big and small, had even less of a chance to notice, because Prince Hui spent the entire day reading files in his own office, not showing his face at all.
On the ninth, there was a morning court session. Qingai pushed Prince Hui to the bottom of the high white marble steps in front of the main hall and temporarily stepped aside. Due to his status, pushing the prince to and from the court session was still handled by His Highness Prince Kang.
The dawn of deep winter was so cold that dripping water turned to ice. Prince Kang deliberately stood to the left front of his second brother, using his rather burly body to block the cold wind for him.
Prince Qing, who had just arrived, saw this and stood close to the back of his second brother's wheelchair, taking the initiative to use his eldest brother's back to block the wind.
Zhao Sui: ...
When Prince Qing stomped his feet to keep warm, his knee bumped against the back of the wheelchair's seat. The texture felt different. Curious, Prince Qing bent down and reached out to touch it.
The two prime ministers standing behind the three princes did not see Prince Qing's exact movements clearly, so they turned their heads to the left and right respectively to show that they had not witnessed any impolite behavior. The next moment, they heard Prince Qing's puzzled voice: "Second Brother, is the seat of your chair made of leather?"
The two prime ministers and the nearby civil and military officials all looked over at the same time.
Prince Qing asked a palace servant for a lantern and walked a circle around his second brother's wheelchair, allowing everyone to see it clearly as well.
If Prince Hui had stuffed a cushion onto his wheelchair, the officials would definitely have laughed at him for losing face for the sake of comfort. However, Prince Hui's new wheelchair directly replaced the hard wooden seat with cowhide. The cowhide was of the same material as the official boots on their feet, just dyed a different color, and its appearance was dignified and grand. The officials could only feel admiration and envy.
Especially the civil officials, who sat on hard wooden chairs in their government offices all year round; they knew all too well whether it was comfortable or not.
Prince Hui only explained that cowhide was used, leaving the rest to Prince Qing and the officials to discuss.
Prince Qing also wanted a cowhide chair and asked his second brother where he bought it.
Zhao Sui: "It wasn't bought. Your second sister-in-law had a carpenter modify it. My legs and feet are inconvenient, and she worried that I would get colder the longer I sat."
Prince Qing: "..."
Hearing this, Prince Kang felt heartache that his second brother had to endure such hardship, but was also gratified that his second sister-in-law was truly good at taking care of people. He could not help but offer a few words of praise.
As the voices reached the ears of the officials behind, everyone also began to praise Princess Hui's pure and noble heart in low voices.
Yan Lun, the Minister of Works, and Meng Bing, the Minister of Revenue, exchanged glances twice in a row.
The first time, Yan Lun felt that he could submit a memorial to the Emperor requesting leather chairs for the officials of various government offices. Rabbit or mouse fur would be soft enough, and if they were afraid of spending too much silver, they could just issue them to officials of the fifth rank and above. Meng Bing understood his look and offered his support with his own eyes.
The second time, Yan Lun thought to himself that it was a lost cause. Prince Hui used a leather chair because his legs were crippled and he was afraid of the cold. How could they, as officials, have the nerve to complain that the wooden benches were hard? Meng Bing understood again; since the Minister of Works had given up on the idea, he, who managed the silver, should be even less inclined to actively distribute the imperial court's money.
Back with the three princes, Prince Qing returned the lantern to the palace servant, thinking that when he went back tonight, he must tell his cousin to go and visit his second sister-in-law. The craftsmanship of this chair was so exquisite that it must have taken a lot of effort. Rather than wasting time having the carpenters in his own mansion figure it out from scratch, it would be better to directly ask his second sister-in-law to use the carpenter masters she was accustomed to using.
When the hour of Mao arrived, Prince Kang pushed his second brother towards the ramp.
Emperor Yongchang only appeared after all the civil and military officials were standing in their proper places.
Looking down from above, Emperor Yongchang should not have noticed the change in the seat of Prince Hui's wheelchair, but he noticed that several military officials on the right were tilting their heads to steal glances at the three princes, and even his third son was looking underneath his second brother's bottom. Emperor Yongchang became suspicious, and he extremely disliked the feeling that everyone knew something while he was kept in the dark. He immediately shouted sternly: "Prince Qing, you have no proper posture! What do you keep looking down at?"
Prince Qing, who was in the middle of choosing cowhide colors in his mind, felt his heart tremble. He stepped out of the ranks a few paces and said respectfully: "Reporting to Imperial Father, your son was looking at Second Brother's cowhide chair seat. Cowhide keeps one warm. With a cowhide seat, Second Brother will no longer be afraid of the cold from sitting for a long time. Your son was happy for Second Brother and momentarily forgot the rules."
It was indeed a happy matter. Emperor Yongchang waved his hand and did not hold it against his third son any further.
After the morning assembly was dismissed, Qingai had just taken over the wheelchair from Prince Kang when Eunuch Wang sent a young eunuch to pass on a message, saying that the Emperor had summoned Prince Hui to the Imperial Study.
Emperor Yongchang naturally wanted to observe his second son's cowhide wheelchair up close.
After looking at it and pressing down on it, Emperor Yongchang sighed with emotion: "You married a good wife."
Zhao Sui: "... The Princess Consort said that a cowhide seat can insulate against the cold, and installing a cowhide backrest might also alleviate the fatigue of working at a desk. She is currently having the carpenters rush the work. The wheelchair is for my own use, and the armchair will be presented to Imperial Father. If Imperial Father finds it useful, you can hand it over to the palace craftsmen to improve their techniques."
Emperor Yongchang laughed: "Good! Thanks to you, I have also gained a good daughter-in-law!"
