Considering that her daughter's relationship with the Prince was much deeper than when they first visited after the wedding, and the Prince no longer seemed so aloof and unapproachable, Luo Jinhua did not hide her husband's wine jug under her skirt during lunch.
Yao Zhenhu was delighted. After finishing his first bowl, he lifted the wine jug and poured a second bowl for his royal son-in-law first, before pouring for himself and his son.
By this time, Yao Zhenhu had opened up and started chatting away. As he drank, he talked about the recent preparations the East Camp was making for the Emperor's military inspection next month.
The Great Qi Dynasty had been founded over a hundred years ago, and Emperor Yongchang was already its ninth emperor.
The founding Emperor Taizu had conquered the realm with his army, using his formidable military strength to awe neighboring small states into submission. The two emperors who followed inherited Emperor Taizu's civil and military prowess, ushering in an era of prosperity for Great Qi. However, just as the moon waxes and wanes, so do dynasties. For various reasons, the subsequent emperors of Great Qi were worse with each passing generation. As Great Qi declined, neighboring countries grew stronger and successively provoked wars of varying scales. By the time the throne passed to the previous emperor, the Great Qi Dynasty was already a riddled mess.
The previous emperor made great efforts to govern. After ascending the throne, he worked himself to the bone for twenty years, finally achieving some success in cleaning up the officialdom and strengthening the military, before passing away in the prime of his early forties. The succeeding Emperor Yongchang inherited the previous emperor's legacy, employing capable ministers domestically to improve the people's livelihood, and using skilled generals externally to train troops and guard the borders. It wasn't until last summer, when they severely defeated the Wu country's cavalry that had repeatedly invaded the north, that the Great Qi Dynasty's prestige from Emperor Taizu's time was restored once again.
The Great Qi Dynasty owed its current elite troops to the annual minor military inspections and the major military inspections held every three years.
The minor inspections were hosted by imperial envoys dispatched by the court and the various regional commanders, while the major inspections were personally hosted by Emperor Yongchang. From the military registers submitted by the twenty regional commanders, he would randomly select ten thousand men from each, eventually assembling an army of two hundred thousand at the Northern Park for martial exercises. The top three regional commanders in the major inspection would be rewarded, while the one at the bottom would be demoted.
In addition, because the four major capital camps in the suburbs were close by, Emperor Yongchang would also personally go there to inspect the troops every year.
With only a month left, the drills in the four major camps became increasingly strict and intensive. The Emperor put pressure on the four regional commanders, who in turn distributed the pressure to the guard commanders, battalion commanders, and company commanders of each camp. Yao Zhenhu bore the pressure of training the over one hundred soldiers under his command and had stayed in the camp for seven consecutive nights. He had only returned home today because his daughter and son-in-law were coming to present gifts.
Yao Zhenhu said, Things are fine on my end. The rank-and-file soldiers are all from commoner backgrounds, and they train very hard for fear of losing their pay. But many of those young masters who were stuffed in through connections can't endure hardship. When the higher-ups discipline them, it goes in one ear and out the other. If they are left unmanaged, there's the fear they'll drag everyone down on the drill ground. It's driving everyone crazy with worry.
After saying this, Yao Zhenhu picked up his bowl and took another large gulp.
Luo Jinhua knew her husband was just speaking casually, but she was afraid their royal son-in-law might think her husband wanted to make things difficult for some young master. She said, You don't even have such soldiers under your command, how do you know they all got in through connections? Maybe they passed the exams legitimately, but are just envied by some ordinary soldiers who insist on throwing mud at them.
Anyone who could use the backdoor had a background, and might even be connected to imperial relatives. What if their son-in-law, unable to tolerate such things, asked her husband to hand over those lists and then went to complain to the Emperor? The Emperor could punish them if he wanted, but would those imperial relatives easily let it go after suffering a loss? They wouldn't dare deal with their son-in-law, but they had countless means to use against her husband, making him suffer without any way to complain.
Yao Zhenhu put down his wine bowl and said to his wife, Legitimate my...
Luo Jinhua quickly picked up a piece of pork rib and stuffed it into her husband's mouth. Eat your food. I hate hearing people gossip behind others' backs the most.
Yao Zhenhu: ...
Nonsense, his wife clearly loved listening to him talk about the rights and wrongs in the military camp the most!
Yao Huang saw the grievance in her father's eyes, and she also knew her father was telling the truth. Not to mention distant examples, a maternal cousin of Li Tingwang got into the East Camp through the connections of his father, Commander Li. Yao Huang had seen that cousin; he was about her height, round and chubby, covered in fat. Although he got thinner from being trained by Commander Li after getting in, without this connection, he would never have been able to enter the four major capital camps with their strict recruitment conditions.
Commander Li still cared somewhat about appearances, requiring his relative's child to train in the wind and sun alongside the ordinary soldiers. But when encountering officials with even greater power, who simply wanted their useless nephews or sons to get a minor post in the military camp to collect a salary for nothing, what could others do even if they couldn't stand it?
Of course, these were all old conventions in officialdom. Yao Zhenhu couldn't interfere, and Yao Huang had even less need to worry about it.
She also didn't want these matters to ruin Prince Hui's appetite, so she casually served him some food. We didn't hire a chef from a restaurant this time. Everything was cooked by Aji's mother. Please try it, Your Highness, and see if it suits your taste.
Zhao Sui tasted it and found it a bit salty, but he didn't show it.
As for the matter of nobles and high-ranking officials stuffing people into the military camps, Zhao Sui had known about it for a long time, as did his imperial father, who had always placed great importance on military strength.
However, this matter involved too much, and managing it would hardly yield results. They could only catch a few obvious good-for-nothings and punish them as a warning to others, reminding those sons who really just wanted a free ride to at least develop the physique and combat power a soldier should have. Furthermore, they had to carefully verify the promotions of military officers to completely prevent such youths from falsely claiming others' military merits.
After drinking two bowls of wine, Yao Zhenhu wanted to pour a third bowl for his son-in-law, but Yao Huang glared at him.
Yao Zhenhu resentfully put down the wine jug.
On the way back to their estate, Yao Huang said to Prince Hui, who was resting with his eyes closed, My father speaks even more unguardedly than I do, saying whatever comes to mind. Next time, if Your Highness doesn't want to listen, just give me a look, and I'll tell him to shut up. Including drinking, Your Highness doesn't have to force yourself to drink.
Zhao Sui looked at the Princess Consort and explained, I am used to peace and quiet, so I actually find my father-in-law's conversation humorous and interesting.
Yao Huang: ...
The tenth day of the month was the day Prince Hui was to sleep in the inner courtyard. Because of Yao Huang's punishment yesterday and the skipped afternoon rest due to returning home too late today, Yao Huang thought Prince Hui would be fierce tonight. Unexpectedly, this man only embraced her from behind once, and his strength could even be considered restrained and controlled.
It was as if he had become a different person. Yao Huang was actually unaccustomed to it and asked with some concern, Is Your Highness alright?
She hoped he hadn't been affected by her bold words from the morning when she deliberately goaded him to finish quickly, or perhaps he had encountered something that spoiled his mood at her maiden home.
Zhao Sui: ...My grandfather's house is outside the city, and we must wake up early tomorrow.
Yao Huang breathed a sigh of relief. You scared me. I thought Your Highness...
Zhao Sui: Thought what?
Yao Huang smiled and leaned close to his ear, saying, I thought Your Highness minded my words from that day and was going to be this polite to me from now on.
Although his fierceness could be hard to endure, when she reminisced about it afterwards, Yao Huang quite liked that Prince Hui who completely cast aside rules and etiquette, treating her just like an ordinary wild man would. Only at those times did Yao Huang feel that the two of them were equals—there was no Prince and no daughter of a company commander, just a man and a woman. He could be fierce, and she could scold him.
Zhao Sui was reminded of the memories from the day before by his wife. She was clearly his Princess Consort, yet her sudden cries made it seem as though he were forcing her.
After a moment of silence, Zhao Sui pulled back the Princess Consort, who had moved to the edge of the bed to fetch a wet towel to wipe herself.
It was nearly ten li from Prince Hui's Manor to the south city gate, and another sixteen or seventeen li from the gate to the town where the Luo family lived. Traveling at a normal pace, the carriage journey would take over two hours.
The couple still set out just past the hour of Chen, but there were three carriages parked outside the manor gates. One was loaded with festival gifts, and the extra one...
After getting into the carriage, Zhao Sui explained to his wife, On the way back, you and I will take separate carriages.
Having the experience of traveling to and from Mount Ling, Yao Huang understood. The journey back and forth took a long time, and Prince Hui needed a separate carriage to relieve himself. Yao Huang did not have this worry; she could use the facilities at her maternal grandfather's house halfway through.
Her face warming slightly, Yao Huang picked up a book resting on the low cabinet beside her, only to discover it was actually a travelogue of mountains and rivers.
Yao Huang asked in surprise, Has Your Highness finished reading all those Buddhist scriptures?
Zhao Sui replied, Not yet. I grew tired of them. Setting them aside for a while is more conducive to comprehension.
Yao Huang said, I understand. In the past, when I made no progress practicing the spear, I went to learn the sword. When I got bored of the sword, I went back to the spear. The fresher it feels, the easier it is to grasp the knack of it.
Zhao Sui asked, surprised, You know martial arts?
Yao Huang replied, I do! I even practiced once in the manor using Your Highness's old spear. Did Guo Shu not tell you?
Zhao Sui fell silent.
He had previously given orders that once the Princess Consort entered the manor, she was to be in charge of all matters, big and small. Unless absolutely necessary, Eunuch Cao, Nanny Liu, and Guo Shu were not required to report her words and actions to him.
Yao Huang realized what this meant and was quite happy. So when Your Highness asked me to manage the manor, you really entrusted everything to me. I thought Guo Shu only dared to fetch the spear for me because he had your permission.
Some husbands claimed to let their wives manage the household, but the wives still had to watch their husbands' moods when spending money or doing things. Prince Hui was different; he truly had no intention of controlling her!
Zhao Sui said, ...When we return to the manor this evening, I will take a look at your spear technique.
Yao Huang said modestly, Showing off in front of the maidservants is one thing, but wielding a spear in front of Your Highness would be like showing off my meager skills before an expert.
Zhao Sui replied, ...Just do not hurt me.
Sitting in a wheelchair, it would be hard for him to dodge.
The modest Princess Consort immediately bristled, glaring at the prince as she said, I am not that clumsy! Do not underestimate me!
To prove her skills, upon arriving at her maternal grandfather's house, Yao Huang first grabbed a wooden spear her cousins usually used for martial arts practice to demonstrate her spear techniques to Prince Hui.
The Luo family's courtyard was exceptionally spacious. Persimmon trees were planted by the east and west walls, leaving a large open area in the middle.
Her grandfather, grandmother, uncles, and aunts had no idea what had gotten into their family's little heroine, but seeing Prince Hui in his wheelchair watching intently and even praising the Princess Consort at the end, the whole family finally relaxed. As long as the Prince and Princess Consort were not fighting, everything was fine!
Because her grandfather's family was very constrained and formal, Prince Hui and his wife took their leave right after the meal. Not long after leaving the town, Prince Hui sent Feiquan to invite the Princess Consort to his carriage.
The sky was as blue as if it had been washed, and the crisp autumn wind blew through the carriage window where the curtain was lifted. Inside the carriage, there was only the faint, elegant fragrance of the sachet at Prince Hui's waist.
With great familiarity, Yao Huang untied the sachet and hung it on her own waist.
Once she was seated, Zhao Sui pointed to a range of low hills on the north side of the town and asked, Is there a river at the foot of those hills?
Yao Huang replied, Yes, it is the river where my brothers used to go diving when they were little. The deep parts can be twenty feet deep, while the shallow parts only reach the ankles.
Zhao Sui said, It is rare for us to leave the city. Let us go for a stroll over there.
Yao Huang was surprised. Seeing Prince Hui facing the window, his handsome face looking much brighter than when he was in the inner room of his study, she smiled. Alright, I will teach Your Highness how to skip stones.
