On the night the Crown Prince's family moved into the Eastern Palace, Emperor Yongchang hosted a family banquet at the Qianyuan Hall. Empress Zhou and the three consorts were all present, as well as the Second Princess, who was to be married in October, and the Fourth Prince, who was fifteen and had not yet been granted a king's title.
The princes' and princesses' quarters were located just behind the Eastern Palace, separated by two rows of halls. Yao Huang had seen them the year before last when she pretended to be drunk to take a nap at the First Princess's place. It was said that the young princes and princesses had to move out of their respective mothers' quarters at the age of four, living separately in a courtyard with their wet nurses and palace servants to make it easier for them to go to the palace school together for their early education.
When Yao Huang was a princess consort, she didn't need to care about where her sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law lived in the palace. Now that she had moved into the Eastern Palace, she might bump into the Second Princess or the Fourth Prince if she went to the Imperial Garden in the future.
Even though the Fourth Prince was only fifteen, he had inherited Emperor Yongchang's tall stature just like his three older brothers. Standing next to Yao Huang, he was already a bit taller than her. According to what the Second Princess accidentally revealed during a casual chat, chambermaids had already been arranged for the Fourth Prince.
The royal family had many rules and taboos. Yao Huang had it all planned out: in the future, she would either go to the Imperial Garden when the Fourth Prince was studying and practicing martial arts at the school, or she would push the Crown Prince to the Imperial Garden when he had a day off. Both would be in the morning when Emperor Yongchang rarely had free time. At other times, unless one of the consorts invited her for a stroll, Yao Huang would honestly stay in the Eastern Palace. The two small gardens there were enough for her to stretch her limbs.
Knowing that Emperor Yongchang liked Jun'er, the couple also brought him along, placing him in a stroller pushed by the wet nurse.
It had been a long time since there was such a young child in the palace. As soon as Jun'er arrived, Empress Zhou and the three consorts gathered around the stroller.
Empress Zhou said, Look at how much Jun'er loves to smile; he is exactly like his mother.
Consort Xian said, Yes, seeing him smile like this, my heart is melting.
Noble Consort Du didn't like the Crown Prince at all, so naturally, she wouldn't like his son either. But she had already learned her lesson from Emperor Yongchang and didn't dare show this dislike anymore. She could only force a smile and say something more fitting for her status as the Crown Prince's adoptive mother: Actually, the Crown Prince also loved to smile when he was one or two years old. It might not necessarily be from the Crown Princess.
After saying that, she looked at Emperor Yongchang with the tenderness of a loving mother, meaning for him to testify to her words.
Emperor Yongchang had long forgotten whether his second son liked to smile when he was one or two years old. He only remembered that the second son, when raised by the Noble Consort in his childhood, didn't like to smile much at all.
Therefore, Emperor Yongchang ignored the Noble Consort's gaze.
Noble Consort Du immediately looked embarrassed.
Consort Rou stood behind her like a shadow, only managing to maintain a strained smile, not daring to say a word.
In the canal excavation case, the Eldest Princess was reduced to a commoner, her son was demoted to a commandery prince, and her father, Shen Shiyan, though innocent, requested to resign and retire to avoid suspicion. It was probably because the Emperor considered her father's decades of service to the court that he did not continue to punish her.
But how glorious Consort Rou used to be! Among the empress and the three consorts, she was the youngest and received Emperor Yongchang's favor the most times each month. Now, her son's future was ruined, her face in the harem was lost, and even the Emperor's monthly favors were gone. At a family banquet like today's, her presence was just a joke for others to see; she would have been better off staying in her own palace.
After the consorts finished praising Jun'er, Emperor Yongchang held the baby in his arms, poking his cheeks and squeezing his little hands, smiling affectionately.
Yao Huang watched from the side and felt that Emperor Yongchang's fondness for his grandson was similar to how she doted on Jinbao. Sure enough, as soon as Jun'er drooled, Emperor Yongchang handed the little guy over to the wet nurse.
Is everything settled over at the Eastern Palace? After teasing his grandson, Emperor Yongchang turned his concern to his son.
Zhao Sui's expression was respectful: Yes, thank you for your trouble, Imperial Father.
Emperor Yongchang looked at his more talkative daughter-in-law: Are you getting used to living there?
Yao Huang smiled and said, Not quite used to it. Everything is brand new, and the items in the rooms, big and small, are increasingly rare and precious. It's also so close to Imperial Father's Qianyuan Hall. The dragon's majesty is overwhelming; your daughter-in-law doesn't even dare to talk or laugh too loudly, for fear of disturbing Imperial Father's handling of state affairs.
Every sentence was about not being used to it, but every sentence was also a compliment to the Eastern Palace.
The people Emperor Yongchang often dealt with were extremely serious. Even if they were not serious in private, they would put on a fully respectful posture in front of him. Having heard too many of those flawless pleasantries, he really loved listening to his second daughter-in-law's cheerful tone full of everyday warmth. So he also smiled and replied, It is close, but not as close as you think, unless you laugh louder than the sound of drums.
Yao Huang's face grew hot as she said, Your daughter-in-law doesn't have such a loud voice.
Zhao Sui silently lowered his eyes.
When the banquet ended, night had already fallen outside. Yao Huang and her husband, the Second Princess, and the Fourth Prince all had to walk through an inner palace gate on the east wall of the Qianyuan Hall. The wet nurse had already pushed Jun'er back to the Eastern Palace first.
The Second Princess was very talkative, and the Fourth Prince had the intention of currying favor with his second brother, the Crown Prince. The siblings chattered away, one after another. Let alone the Crown Prince, even Yao Huang was not quite used to it.
Finally passing through the palace gate, Yao Huang and her husband headed south, while the siblings headed north. They were finally separated.
Upon returning to the Eastern Palace, Yao Huang was surprised to see Imperial Physician Liao waiting in the first courtyard.
The Eastern Palace belonged to the inner court. Of the two chefs from the princely estate, Madam Gao could move into the Eastern Palace to take charge of its small kitchen, but Master Kong could not come. Zhao Sui also had no intention of using his private power to recommend Master Kong to the Imperial Kitchen. Emperor Yongchang would even less think about his son's chef issues, but the Emperor knew his son had two regularly used doctors. Since it concerned his son's legs, Emperor Yongchang directly promoted Doctor Liao and Doctor Li to Imperial Physicians, allowing them to continue fully caring for their three old masters in the Eastern Palace.
Zhao Sui said to the Crown Princess, You go to the rear hall first; I will explain it to you later.
In the princely estate, he could manage to summon Doctor Liao for massages without the Princess Consort noticing anything amiss. After moving into the Eastern Palace, the courtyard was smaller, and Doctor Liao would encounter more palace servants on his way. Rather than letting the Crown Princess hear from outsiders one day that Imperial Physician Liao was traveling back and forth to the Eastern Palace two or three times a day, causing her to worry that he had contracted some hidden illness, it was better for him to explain it clearly to her tonight.
Yao Huang's heart was unsettled for a moment, but the Crown Prince's health had been perfectly fine these past few days, so she didn't guess at anything too terrible.
After bathing and changing clothes, she waited for about three quarters of an hour before the Crown Prince arrived.
Yao Huang hadn't specially come out to greet him for a long time. Tonight, she came out early to welcome him, personally pushing the Crown Prince into the inner chamber.
Sitting on the new bed in the Eastern Palace, Yao Huang looked the Crown Prince up and down and asked with concern, Tell me, where are you feeling unwell?
Zhao Sui lowered his eyes, placing his right hand on his right leg, which was clad in underpants and covered by a quilt. He simply explained to the Crown Princess what a massage was and why he needed to persist with daily massages.
It was truly Yao Huang's first time hearing about this. It turned out that if a person with disabled legs didn't persist with massages, their legs would grow thinner and thinner.
Leaning on the Crown Prince's shoulder, Yao Huang pointed at his left leg hidden under the quilt and asked, Can I squeeze it?
Zhao Sui nodded.
Yao Huang gently squeezed it a few times. Compared to the Crown Prince's strong arms, this leg did feel rather thin and weak, but it was merely not strong enough, probably not much different from an ordinary person who neglected to exercise.
After a while, Yao Huang buried her face in the Crown Prince's shoulder and asked in a very low voice, Does the massage hurt?
Zhao Sui could tell that the Crown Princess was about to cry again.
He rubbed her loose, flowing hair and said, It does not hurt. You could even say it feels comfortable.
The Crown Princess refused to look up, likely not believing him.
Zhao Sui thought for a moment and said, Lie down. I will massage you once so you can see.
Prolonged illness makes a patient half a doctor. He was massaged by Doctor Liao three times a day, and after he started attending to his official duties, the noon session was taken over by Feiquan. Naturally, he was very clear about every step of the technique.
Yao Huang lay down without hesitation. She wanted to personally experience all of the Crown Prince's inconveniences so that she could take better care of him in the future!
Looking at the Crown Princess like this, Zhao Sui first shifted into his wheelchair, then had her lie close to the edge of the bed.
Yao Huang continued to cooperate!
Zhao Sui looked at the white silk trousers on the Crown Princess's legs. Silk was slippery and unsuitable for wearing during a massage.
Lest the Crown Princess misunderstand, Zhao Sui explained this with a serious expression.
Yao Huang blushed, a more absurd thought popping into her head, Do you...
Zhao Sui said, I wear shorts that come down to here. He gestured on the Crown Princess's leg.
Yao Huang understood and said shyly, I do not have shorts like that.
After saying that, she sat up, rolled her loose trouser legs all the way up above her knees, and lay back down. Closing her eyes, she said, This will just have to do.
Zhao Sui did not insist otherwise.
He started pressing just above the Crown Princess's right knee.
The Crown Prince had a handsome, jade-like face, but his palms were covered in calluses. The moment he touched the Crown Princess's delicate skin, it sent a shudder through her entire body.
Yao Huang gripped the brocade bedding tightly with both hands, her tone firm, Your Highness, please use your full strength. Do not worry about hurting me.
It could not be this simple. What good would such a light touch do?
Zhao Sui also did not want the Crown Princess to mistakenly think that Imperial Physician Liao's massages left him as flushed as she was right now, so he applied thirty percent of his strength.
The Crown Princess immediately cried out.
Zhao Sui was speechless.
He thought the Crown Princess would blame him, but instead he met eyes full of deep heartache, as if she believed Imperial Physician Liao caused him just as much pain.
Zhao Sui said, I told you, my legs only have about fifty percent of their sensation left. The force you are feeling is only half as strong for me.
Yao Huang nodded and let him continue.
Zhao Sui resumed his initial gentle pressure. What Yao Huang wanted to know most was the entire massage process; whether it hurt or not was secondary.
Simply kneading the legs was indeed fine. Before long, the Crown Prince lifted her leg.
Yao Huang suddenly became uncomfortable.
Zhao Sui recalled for a moment and explained to her which muscles and tendons on the leg this posture would stretch.
Yao Huang could not see the Crown Prince. Just listening to his clear, upright voice, and feeling the slightly sore yet genuinely comfortable sensation of the muscles in her legs being stretched, she truly understood the significance of the massage for him.
When the massage on her right leg ended, Zhao Sui asked the Crown Princess, who had long since opened her eyes to observe his movements, Do you still want to try the left leg? It is the exact same technique.
Yao Huang said, Since it is the same, then forget it. Your Highness, hurry and come up to bed.
Zhao Sui did not move. He turned the Crown Princess's legs, forcing her to cooperatively flip over and lie on her stomach at the edge of the bed.
Bamboo Demon really liked it this way.
Yao Huang was so embarrassed that she pressed her forehead against the back of her hands and said, The lights have not been put out yet.
Zhao Sui did not reply.
As long as the Crown Princess could not see him, it did not matter whether the lights were put out or not.
