Imperial decrees came in many forms. For routine gifts like lychees or silk—common tributes from the royal household—Yao Huang only needed to offer words of gratitude before the eunuch delivering the bestowal. But now that Emperor Yongchang had named her the Crown Princess, such a momentous occasion required her to enter the palace and personally express her thanks.
After asking the decree-bearing eunuch to wait, Yao Huang instructed Aji to return to the Ming'an Hall and prepare a clean, pleasing small basket. She herself ran back to the rear garden, slipped into the cucumber plot, and carefully picked over a dozen cucumbers—long, straight, thick, and tender to the touch. She placed them into the basket Aji brought, then changed clothes with her nursemaid and Yun’er. Together, they followed the decree-bearing eunuch into the palace.
Having just finished encouraging his eldest son, Emperor Yongchang was once again reviewing memorials.
After ruling for over thirty years, he had weathered storms both great and small. Two troubling family matters were hardly enough to bring him down.
“Your Majesty, the Crown Princess has arrived to express her gratitude,” announced Eunuch Wang, stepping softly to the door of the inner study. Seeing the emperor look up, he added with a smile: “The Crown Princess has brought the young master as well.”
The emperor had expected his daughter-in-law’s visit, but the sight of his little imperial grandson was a delightful surprise. Setting down his vermilion brush, Emperor Yongchang left the study and entered the outer hall. There, he saw his daughter-in-law standing by the doorway, pushing a strangely shaped, wheeled wooden contraption. As he peered at it, a small, chubby hand reached out from inside.
Emperor Yongchang: “...”
The threshold of the imperial study had also been modified into a gentle slope, nearly without obstruction. Yao Huang carefully guided the front wheels of the pushcart as she entered.
The emperor drew nearer, taking in Yun’er lying comfortably within. He then stepped back a couple of paces to examine this object—half chair, half bed—and asked, “Where did you get this?”
Yao Huang smiled. “I had Craftsman Deng make it, Your Majesty. Sometimes, when I go strolling with the Second Prince, I want to bring Yun’er along if the weather is fine. But it tires the Second Prince out, having to carry Yun’er the whole time. So I thought of preparing a wheelchair for Yun’er—I could push it with Yun’er inside, while the Second Prince pushes me from behind. But a regular wheelchair is too stiff and has no guardrails. In the end, I called for Craftsman Deng and had him build one to order. And we named it a ‘pushcart.’”
Emperor Yongchang: “Is it sturdy?”
Yao Huang: “Sturdier than the Second Prince’s wheelchair.”
The imperial family’s great treasure—the grown one—had long ceased to be a worry about falling. The little treasure was still too tender.
The emperor pressed down on the pushcart’s frame. It was indeed solid enough. Then he bent down, unfastened the straps that kept Yun’er in place inside the cart, and lifted his little imperial grandson into his arms.
Yun’er was nearly three months old. He had grown fair and plump, with phoenix-shaped eyes that were the very image of his father’s, but when he smiled, it bore a clear trace of his mother.
Just moments ago, Emperor Yongchang had been seething in temper. Now, he found himself liking this smile. He had just pinched Yun’er’s tiny hand when he saw his daughter-in-law pull a small basket from beneath the pushcart. Inside were cucumbers—the very same kind she had presented to him two years earlier.
Meeting the emperor’s calm and expressionless gaze, Yao Huang showed no sign of embarrassment. Instead, she explained, “Your Majesty, you have everything here. The finest treasures I possess are gifts from you. I can hardly return them. Having nothing precious to offer, I can only send something practical, yet full of filial devotion from my humble estate. Look, here—still dewy—proof that I picked them just now. Guaranteed fresh!”
Emperor Yongchang hummed an acknowledgment. Fresh indeed.
With state affairs pressing, Yongchang Emperor could not spare much time for his imperial grandson. Before placing Yun'er back into the stroller, the Emperor said, "This stroller is quite good. We might as well gift one to your eldest sister-in-law ahead of time."
Yao Huang glanced at her imperial father-in-law, who seemed intently examining the stroller, and said softly, "Your daughter-in-law had planned to give gifts to eldest sister-in-law after childbirth, including the two younger sisters-in-law and brothers. They will receive gifts in due course. However, regarding Third Sister-in-law, whose Sanlang is the same age as Yun'er, I wished to send one, but I feared..."
She feared that the sullen Commandery Prince Qing and his wife, Zheng Yuanzhen, would not appreciate her gift, and also feared displeasing Yongchang Emperor. How could it be—while he was deliberately keeping them at a cold distance, his daughter-in-law was extending kindness? Would that not show disregard for the head of the family?
Yao Huang was no naive philanthropist. She sought to avoid trouble whenever possible. After all, there was little fraternal or sisterly bond between her husband and Commandery Prince Qing. She would perform superficial courtesies when necessary, leaving no opening for criticism, but would not seek unnecessary trouble at an inopportune moment.
Yongchang Emperor said, "Why should you fear? You are Sanlang's aunt by marriage. What gossiper dares to meddle if an aunt shows concern for her nephew?"
Both the third son and his niece had their own faults, but Sanlang was innocent. By confining the couple to their residence, the Emperor hoped they would reflect on their mistakes. After three years, if they learned to behave, they would be reinstated as proper imperial clansmen.
Let the second son's wife send a stroller to them. The couple would then understand the Emperor's care for Sanlang and, in their self-reflection, pay more attention to his upbringing so as not to let him grow neglected.
Yao Huang understood. Smiling, she said, "Your daughter-in-law will obey. I shall have it sent as soon as I leave the palace."
The Crown Princess had already taken the imperial grandson to pay respects to Empress Zhou. Eunuch Wang came over with a freshly washed plate of cucumbers, looking around, uncertain where to place it.
Yongchang Emperor, while reviewing memorials, gestured with his chin toward the corner of the desk.
Eunuch Wang smiled, set the plate down quietly, and withdrew.
When handling less critical memorials, the Emperor switched to writing with his right hand while picking up a cucumber with his left. He took a bite, enjoying its crisp, refreshing taste that quenched his thirst.
.
After Yao Huang returned to her residence, she had two strollers purchased from the boutique store Yaju Pavilion, which had just begun selling such items. She then instructed Eunuch Cao to deliver them personally to the Commandery Prince Qing's mansion.
The scale of a prince’s residence and a commandery prince’s mansion differed, but Yongchang Emperor had only downgraded his third son in rank without forcing him to move to a different mansion. Thus, the former Prince Qing’s mansion in the eastern part of the capital simply had its plaque replaced with one reading "Commandery Prince Qing’s Mansion," leaving everything else unchanged.
Commandery Prince Qing and his wife were confined to their residence, but the mansion’s steward still performed his duties. Hearing a knock at the gate, he peered through the crack to see Eunuch Cao from the Prince Hui’s mansion.
The steward swung the gate open and asked in surprise, "Eunuch, what brings you here...?"
Eunuch Cao gestured to the two young eunuchs pushing strollers behind him and said calmly, "The old servant has come under the oral orders of the Crown Princess to deliver gifts to the Commandery Prince and his wife."
Heaven be my witness—Eunuch Cao had no intention of flaunting anything. but as a servant carrying out orders, he had to address the higher-ranking masters and nobles with due respect.
The steward—now steward of the Commandery Prince Qing’s mansion, formerly of the Prince Qing’s mansion—said nothing more. Having served for years under noble households, he cautiously refrained from further questions. He invited Eunuch Cao and his party to wait in the first courtyard while he went personally to inform the Commandery Prince.
At that moment, Commandery Prince Qing was cooling off in the waterside pavilion of the rear garden, trying to escape the summer heat.
From the day when the Emperor scared him half to death on the twenty-fifth of April until the sixteenth of this month, when the Emperor openly condemned him, it had been about twenty days. And since he was demoted to the rank of Commandery Prince, five more days had passed. Altogether, that was enough time for Commandery Prince Qing to accept that he would now have to live out his days as a leisured imperial clansman, with no real power. Though it was quite a blow to his pride, compared to the senior princess who had been stripped of her rank by the Emperor and sent to live among the cold lamps and Buddha statues at the imperial temple, his situation was still not too bad, was it?
Now that the dust had settled, he no longer had to worry, to fear, or to try to win back the Emperor’s favor. Commandery Prince Qing instead felt a kind of calm after the storm.
“Your Highness,” the steward said cautiously, reporting the news, “Prince Hui has been appointed the Crown Prince.”
Lying sprawled on the cool couch, Commandery Prince Qing replied with a nonchalant “Mm.”
The steward added, “The Crown Princess sent Steward Cao with gifts. He is waiting outside.”
Commandery Prince Qing looked over. “What gifts?”
Since when did his second brother become so eager to show off? Barely named Crown Prince, and already sending gifts to gloat?
The steward scratched his head, gesturing with his hands as he struggled to find the right words to describe the object.
Commandery Prince Qing felt cold sweat run down his back. That description sounded a lot like a wheelchair. Was his second brother holding a grudge over his earlier sneers and sarcasm, and planning to have his legs broken?
Regardless, now that the new Crown Prince was second only to the Emperor himself, Commandery Prince Qing and his wife had to go in person to receive the gift and give thanks.
Uneasy, Commandery Prince Qing changed his clothes and went to the second courtyard of the prince’s mansion, where Zheng Yuanzhen had already been waiting for him for quite some time.
Over this past month, the couple had been in much the same situation. What Commandery Prince Qing sought was to keep his wealth and status, while what Zheng Yuanzhen sought was to save her mother’s life and preserve her own position as the wife of the Emperor’s third son. That alone had already made her feel humiliated. If Emperor Yongchang also forced her husband to divorce her and compelled her to shave her head and become a nun like her mother, Zheng Yuanzhen could not even imagine enduring such a life.
For the sake of the little dignity and honor she had left, and so that her son Sanlang could still inherit the title, how could Zheng Yuanzhen dare to show Commandery Prince Qing any displeasure?
She even had to learn the coquettish tricks of winning a man’s heart, which she had once looked down upon. Now she gazed at Commandery Prince Qing with a look of longing and grief as he slowly approached.
In the five days since the dust had settled, the husband and wife had not even stayed in the same courtyard. Commandery Prince Qing had been living alone by the waterside pavilion. Though he had not summoned any of his secondary consorts or chambermaids, Zheng Yuanzhen guessed that it was only because he didn’t dare—not because he didn’t want to.
Yet even Commandery Prince Qing was moved by the sight of the pitiful Zheng Yuanzhen. After all, she was the cousin he had loved since his youth.
All the scolding and resentment had already been vented. From now on, they would have to muddle through life together, in a rather mediocre fashion.
The couple walked side by side to the front hall.
There, Steward Cao personally demonstrated how to use this kind of pushcart and explained why the Crown Princess had sent it.
Commandery Prince Qing immediately knelt facing the direction of the imperial palace, weeping in gratitude that the Emperor still remembered him.
Zheng Yuanzhen’s tears also fell. At least she had Sanlang, and at least her uncle cherished this grandson. With this affection to rely on, Commandery Prince Qing would probably not treat mother and son too harshly.
This sense of relief lingered in Zheng Yuanzhen’s heart for a long time, until Commandery Prince Qing, now weary of the novelty, left her alone with Sanlang, who lay in the pushcart. Only when the surrounding quiet settled down did she suddenly recall the news that Prince Hui had been appointed Crown Prince.
Self-mockery and regret flooded her heart one after another.
If only she had known this would happen, why had she and her mother schemed so much back then? They had exhausted all their cunning, only to end up benefiting the daughter of a mere centurion.
.
In the blazing summer heat, it was already the hour of the rooster. The sunlight outside the window was still harsh and dazzling.
Zhao Zuan was still in the Ministry of Works' official building. By his father’s order, he was to first focus all his efforts on supervising the weapons workshop to develop a formula for heavy gunpowder before proceeding to the Secretariat to assist.
Zhao Zuan was in no hurry to go to the Secretariat. What concerned him was that on the journey out of the palace, the officials he met would undoubtedly be more enthusiastic than usual. Brother...
After a delay of two quarters of an hour, the newly appointed Crown Prince was still pushed along by Qingai and followed by Feiquan as he left the Ministry of Works.
The former Prince Hui had been polite yet distant, and today’s Crown Prince maintained the same demeanor—he would nod and meet people’s eyes, but offered no unnecessary pleasantries.
At last, Zhao Zuan spotted Prince Kang waiting ahead.
Bathed in the blazing glow of the setting sun, Prince Kang smiled from afar, then strode over. As he drew near, he suddenly bowed and said, “Your subject pays respects to the Crown Prince.”
Zhao Zuan replied, “...Brother, there’s no need for such formalities.”
Prince Kang straightened up, his smile bright and hearty. “I had to observe protocol for the first time. If you truly dislike it, I’ll go back to treating you as just a brother from now on.”
Zhao Zuan said, “We are brothers. Don’t stand on ceremony.”
So Prince Kang took hold of the wheelchair and pushed his younger brother forward with long strides. His father was right—his second brother was flawless in every way except for his crippled legs. From now on, he would serve as his brother’s legs!
“Let it be for today. At the end of the month, I’ll come to your residence to ask for a feast,” Prince Kang said, stopping before the carriage after helping his brother inside.
Zhao Zuan nodded.
Once Prince Kang walked away, Feiquan closed the carriage door from the outside.
Finally, peace returned. Zhao Zuan slowly relaxed.
Not long afterward, the carriage stopped outside the Prince Hui mansion.
Before Qingai opened the door from the outside, Zhao Zuan was wondering what attitude the Princess Consort would show him this time. Would she be polite like Prince Kang, or...
The door panel opened. Zhao Zuan lifted his gaze, only to see a figure in a red dress leaning in. The always agile Princess Consort, in the blink of an eye, threw herself into his arms.
Zhao Zuan instinctively caught his... Crown Princess.
“Why were you back so late? I waited for you so long,” Yao Huang murmured, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, as the initial excitement faded into a soft complaint.
Zhao Zuan looked at Princess Consort’s pouting lips, then at the joy nearly spilling from her eyes, and asked, “Why didn’t you wait inside?”
Yao Huang swayed lightly, smugly pleased. “My husband got a promotion. I wanted to be the first to congratulate him!”
Zhao Zuan lowered his gaze.
Yao Huang leaned close to his ear, her voice barely a whisper. “Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
The two weighty words still felt unfamiliar to Yao Huang. So she said them again, softly, twice more.
As she whispered, the fabric beneath her skirt tightened.
Yao Huang: “...”
Come nightfall, Yao Huang unknowingly slipped back into her old, well-practiced address—a string of various forms of “Your Highness.”
Zhao Zuan didn’t care about titles. What he wanted was to make her speechless, at the mercy of him. After a long, tempestuous storm that nearly cast Yao Huang off the bed, it took a full quarter of an hour afterward before she recovered, nestling into the chest of her—now the former—Prince Hui.
“It’s fine during the day, but calling you ‘Crown Prince’ now feels clumsy,” Yao Huang said in a hoarse voice. Every time she tried, she stumbled over the first syllable.
Zhao Zuan stroked her hair. “Then keep using the old one.” He, too, loved hearing her call him “Your Highness.”
Yao Huang shook her head. “A Crown Prince is a Crown Prince. You can’t go back on the title. I’ll think of a new name for you... my lord.”
And so Zhao Zuan waited patiently for his new title.
Yao Huang thought for a moment, then touched his chest and said, “Let's just call you Your Highness. A prince is Your Highness, and a crown prince is also Your Highness.”
The Crown Prince simply agreed without further comment.
In the middle of the night, Yao Huang was fast asleep when she was suddenly woken by the Crown Prince. She was too drowsy to comply with his wishes.
The Crown Prince whispered in her ear, “I just wanted to test if the new title rolls off the tongue.”
Yao Huang: “…”
