Prince Hui was a man of his word. He actually had Feiquan deliver a handwritten pledge enclosed in an envelope: During their stay in Lingshan Town, he would accompany his wife out for a stroll six or seven times a month, and he must not break this promise.
The signature was a single character, "Sui".
Yao Huang read it back and forth several times. She put away the pledge, tucked the envelope under her pillow, and thinking back on everything that happened last night, let out a long sigh of relief.
The plan had gone so smoothly. Aside from her convincing acting, it was also thanks to Prince Hui's soft heart. If he truly saw her as a lowly princess consort whom he could beckon and dismiss at will, completely uncaring of whether she felt wronged, Yao Huang could have cried her eyes out and it would only have made him despise her more for lacking manners.
Of course, Yao Huang tailored her approach to the person. If Prince Hui were truly that cold-hearted, she wouldn't even have planned to come to Lingshan to escape the summer heat in the first place.
Having spent the whole day resting in bed, by the twilight of the thirteenth, Yao Huang felt much lighter and more comfortable. She ran to the front courtyard to discuss with Prince Hui, "Let's eat early later, and go out for a stroll after?"
The princess consort in Zhao Sui's eyes was wearing a short white jacket over a bright red long skirt embroidered with colorful butterflies fluttering around flowers. The skirt was vibrant enough on its own, and combined with a face that could outshine the moon and shame the flowers, Zhao Sui could already imagine what kind of stares the passing commoners would cast when such a beauty pushed her wheelchair-bound husband through the streets and alleys, and what kind of gossip they would whisper after they passed by.
But he had agreed to it personally and even written her a pledge.
"Mhm."
Yao Huang smiled and asked Feiquan, who was waiting in the courtyard, to fetch the new elm wood wheelchair made by Master Deng. The rattan chair was better suited for use at home.
Before setting off, Yao Huang had shown the new elm wood wheelchair to Prince Hui, merely saying that Master Deng thought she might still need one and had made it just in case.
Prince Hui had looked indifferent, probably thinking that he wouldn't go out at all once they reached the town, and thus wouldn't need a sturdier elm chair.
For dinner, Madam Gao stewed two soups. For the prince, it was winter melon and pork rib soup, and for the princess consort, it was angelica and mutton soup. They were served in separate soup tureens, each holding about two bowls' worth, with a rich aroma.
Yao Huang slowly blew on her soup and finished a bowl. Beads of sweat appeared on the tip of her nose, and her cheeks were flushed red.
She felt that she didn't need to be nourished with different methods every day, but she couldn't resist Madam Gao's excellent cooking. She could only complain to Prince Hui, "Second Master, just you wait and see. By the end of the year, I will definitely be a size plumper than when we first got married."
Zhao Sui glanced at her neck, which was as white and smooth as mutton-fat jade, and silently drank the pork rib soup the princess consort had scooped for him.
After dinner, the couple freshened up briefly in their respective courtyards, and then Yao Huang came to the front courtyard to pick up Prince Hui.
Neither Qingai nor Feiquan felt at ease letting the princess consort push the prince out alone. Not daring to speak to the prince, they eagerly sought instructions from the princess consort with their eyes.
Yao Huang laughed, "If you two brothers like to stroll, go stroll by yourselves. Don't be an eyesore following us husband and wife around."
This refusal was a precaution against eavesdroppers.
The older brother Qingai and younger brother Feiquan were left increasingly speechless. They could only hope that the hidden guards who had moved over in advance would do their duties diligently and not let the prince and princess consort encounter any danger.
Feiquan stepped forward and opened the east courtyard gates that had been tightly shut for three days. After the princess consort pushed the prince out, he closed them again from the inside.
In front of the gates was a stone-paved road wide enough for a carriage to pass comfortably. On the other side of the stone road was a river about five zhang wide. Weeping willows, peach, and plum trees were planted sporadically along both banks. There were also stone steps extending from the banks down to the water, serving as docks for people to moor boats or squat by the water to wash clothes and sort vegetables. The river course was generally straight. Looking out, one could see five stone bridges spanning across it from east to west.
The bright evening sun spilled over from the west. It had lost the scorching heat of midday but was still dazzling.
The neighbors were probably all at home having dinner, so there weren't many people on the road for the time being. Yao Huang pointed to the east and said, "Let's head this way first. We'll stroll to the farthest bridge, cross over to the opposite bank, loop back to the bridge next to us, and then go to the main street ahead to see what shops there are. What do you think, Second Master?"
Second Master Zhao gave off an aura of lifelessness: "You can decide."
Yao Huang looked down at him and smiled, "I don't expect Second Master to be beaming with smiles like me, but could you at least show a little interest in the outing? You clearly agreed to accompany me out yourself, so don't make it look like I forced you. If people see us, they'll think we have a bad relationship as husband and wife."
Second Master Zhao, who had gone out "willingly": "..."
Yao Huang pushed him forward: "Second Master, just act like when we strolled around in our hometown. You looked quite amiable back then."
Zhao Sui merely looked at the road ahead, watching the few figures near and far in his field of vision.
Yao Huang first pushed him to the riverbank right in front of their house. She poked her head out to look at the river surface. The water was quite clear, with some small fry swimming about.
Zhao Sui looked at the wheelchair's footrests, which were already jutting out over the edge of the bank, and his feet resting lightly upon them. Then he looked at the two small front wheels that seemed like they could continue rolling forward at any moment. He couldn't deny that his heart was beating slightly faster.
The plainclothes guards hidden in the dark, who hadn't yet had the chance to see the princess consort's true face: "..."
Was that beautiful woman who could push the prince into the river at any moment truly the princess consort? Commander Zhang had only ordered them to protect the prince and princess consort from being harmed by outsiders; he hadn't mentioned whether they should intervene if the princess consort intentionally or unintentionally harmed the prince!
Finally, Yao Huang had seen enough of the water. She took a few steps back, turned the wheelchair, and headed east.
There was a peach tree growing nearby. Yao Huang stopped walking and pointed into the dark green leaves, saying, "Look, Second Master, the tip of that peach is turning red!"
Zhao Sui tilted his head back and spotted five or six egg-sized green peaches in the direction the princess consort pointed. The tip of one peach did indeed have a pinkish hue.
Yao Huang: "It's a pity this tree grows outside. Just wait and see, before these peaches can fully ripen, they'll be picked clean by the neighborhood kids."
Zhao Sui: "If you like them, you can have someone stand guard outside."
Yao Huang: "I'm not that petty. The person who originally planted this peach tree must have done it for the beautiful peach blossoms in spring, not thinking about eating peaches in the summer. Besides, when I was a child, I especially loved picking wild peaches to eat. I shouldn't ruin the fun for other kids just because I've grown up, right?"
Zhao Sui visually estimated the distance between the top of the princess consort's head and the green peaches, asking, "Could you reach them when you were a child?"
Yao Huang: "Yes, I could. If my brother was there, I would step on his shoulders to pick them. If he wasn't, I could use a branch to knock the peaches down."
Zhao Sui glanced at his own shoulders and stopped talking.
After looking at the peaches, Yao Huang set off again. Passing by the door of the neighboring Scholar He's house, Yao Huang saw the door open and curiously looked inside. Unexpectedly, this family hadn't built a screen wall, so she could see the entire courtyard at a glance. Seeking coolness, the family of four had set their dining table in the courtyard. As Yao Huang looked in, the four members of the He family looked out, and their eyes met.
Prince Hui, in his wheelchair, had been looking straight ahead. Because the princess consort stopped again for some unknown reason, Zhao Sui turned his head, only to lock eyes with four completely unfamiliar faces. Among them, a woman in her forties actually stood up holding a bowl in one hand, asking in pleasant surprise, "Are you the newly moved-in Second Master Liao and Second Madam from next door?"
Zhao Sui: "..."
Yao Huang smiled and said, Yes, we just finished dinner and came out for a stroll while it is cool. Are you eating right now, Auntie?
Madam Zhu hurriedly placed her bowl back on the table and enthusiastically rushed to the door. Smiling broadly, she looked at the young scholar in the wheelchair and then carefully examined Yao Huang. She could not stop praising them, This is truly an eye-opener! Before today, I never knew there could be such a handsome young gentleman and beautiful little wife in the world. You simply make us country folks look like mud in comparison!
Zhao Sui cast his eyes downward. He did not know if it was just his imagination, but it felt as though a drop or two of the woman's spittle had splashed onto his face.
At this time, Scholar He also walked over with his son, He Wenbin, and daughter, He Wenqi.
Both were scholars, but Scholar He was older, so he waited for the younger man in the wheelchair to greet him first. Unexpectedly, this young man was quite arrogant. Let alone calling him Uncle He or senior, he did not even spare him a direct glance.
Yao Huang saw this clearly and smiled, My Second Master prefers quiet and is not good with words. Please forgive him, elders. We will continue our stroll now. You should go back to your meal; we will come bother you another time when we have the chance.
Madam Zhu said, Alright, alright, go ahead! The scenery around here is lovely, there are quite a few places worth seeing!
Yao Huang kept walking forward. After passing two houses, she pretended to glance back casually, just in time to see the last hem of clothing as the four members of the He family turned back into their courtyard.
Only then did Yao Huang push the wheelchair to the riverbank. She asked the gloomy-faced Prince Hui to wait a moment while she took out her handkerchief and walked down the stone steps leading to the water. She squatted down to wet the handkerchief, then walked back up. Bending over, she could not help but laugh as she wiped Prince Hui's face. The folks in this small town are all like this. Whenever they see a new neighbor, they simply must say hello. I am sorry you had to suffer such a grievance, Second Master.
Zhao Sui looked at her completely unhidden smile and asked, Since you feel I have suffered a grievance, how can you still take pleasure in my misfortune?
Yao Huang flipped the used handkerchief to the other side and wiped Prince Hui for a second time. I am not taking pleasure in your misfortune. I am laughing because earlier in the carriage, when I kissed you, you scolded me for being improper. Yet, when a strange woman's spittle sprays onto your face, you suddenly have a good temper, not saying a single word, and truly playing the part of a commoner with me. How about it, is there anywhere else that needs wiping?
Zhao Sui said, My forehead.
Yao Huang put away her smile and feigned slight annoyance, wiping as she spoke, I feel like I am missing out. My saliva has not even touched the Second Master here yet.
Zhao Sui remained silent.
Yao Huang washed the handkerchief a total of three times. The first two times were to help wipe Prince Hui clean, and the third time was to wash the handkerchief itself.
Zhao Sui watched her run up and down the steps. Finally, she unfolded the wrung-out handkerchief and draped it over the left armrest of his wheelchair, which he was not currently using. She smiled and said, I will let it dry here, where it can catch the evening sun. I need to focus on pushing you, Second Master, so you must keep a good eye on it for me. If a young lady's handkerchief gets lost, it can easily invite trouble.
Zhao Sui thought of that storybook of hers, in which Pan Xuniang's handkerchief was picked up by a blacksmith, who then used it to commit despicable acts in the middle of the night.
Thus, His Highness Prince Hui, who had been forced out to enjoy the scenery, had absolutely no mood for it anymore. From the corner of his eye, he kept staring at the silk handkerchief draped over the armrest. Every time the wheelchair swayed slightly, the handkerchief would sway with it. It swayed so much that Prince Hui almost reached out to pin it down several times, only for the handkerchief to remain safely draped there.
Finally, Zhao Sui directly took the handkerchief, folded it a few times until it was a palm-sized square, and held it firmly in his hand.
Yao Huang asked in surprise, Is it dry already?
Prince Hui did not answer.
The stone bridge at the easternmost end of the river was right in front of them. Further east were a few houses and some scattered crop fields, followed by the mountains.
Yao Huang suddenly let go of the wheelchair and ran toward the stone bridge alone.
Zhao Sui sat in the wheelchair, watching the princess consort's elated appearance. He watched as she stopped in the middle of the stone bridge, turned around, rested one hand on the railing, and waved at him with the other. Bathed in the fiery red sunset, she smiled at him. Second Master, would not the scenery here look beautiful if it were painted?
A couple dressed in simple cloth clothes came up from the north side of the bridge, sizing the two of them up. The princess consort, however, turned a blind eye to them, only waiting for his answer.
Zhao Sui had no choice but to nod.
Yao Huang smiled and ran back to push him onto the bridge. By the time the wheelchair reached the bridge, the couple in cloth clothes was only a few steps away from getting off.
Above his head, the princess consort's familiar, friendly tone rang out, Have you two just returned from the fields?
Yes, and you are?
We are the nephew and niece-in-law of Doctor Liao, who just moved to town. We just finished dinner and came out for a walk.
Oh, oh, oh! I have met Doctor Liao. He is good-looking enough, but I did not expect his nephew to be so handsome that they do not even look like they belong to the same family!
The woman speaking did not care at all about the expression on the scholar's face in the wheelchair. She leaned down and scrutinized him intensely, her eyes full of amazement and novelty.
Zhao Sui remained silent.
Yao Huang smiled and said, My uncle is just getting on in years; he was very handsome in his youth too. Well, you should hurry home for dinner. We are going to check out the opposite bank.
Go on, go on. Come visit our house when you have time! We live in the third house down from the bridge, the one with two stone blocks at the door.
Will do!
