People have seven emotions and six desires, which in turn entangle into various grudges and grievances.
The Yao family had only four members and lived harmoniously, but the neighbors in Changshou Alley had countless arguments and fights. Yao Huang had seen with her own eyes the fierce glares of people venting their anger and grievances, the hypocritical acts of those who clearly took advantage but cried misery, heard the foul language blurted out as curses, and the sarcastic, passive-aggressive mockery.
Regarding the marriage pact between Zheng Yuanzhen and the two royal brothers, Yao Huang believed she was the last person present to know about it.
Not to mention last year, just counting from when the three princess consorts were selected in this year's draft, half a year had already passed. If Prince Qing and Zheng Yuanzhen truly felt guilty towards Prince Hui, they should just live their own lives and not stir up this marriage. Daring to stir it up proved they had long tossed their disabled second brother and cousin aside, only caring about their own happiness.
If you asked Yao Huang, given Zheng Yuanzhen's family background, not wanting to marry the crippled Prince Hui was human nature. Since she had the ability to break the engagement and get Emperor Yongchang to agree to her marrying Prince Qing, and Prince Hui didn't cry or make a fuss, Zheng Yuanzhen and Prince Qing really didn't need to put on this special act. They could just be their newlywed couple generously and joyfully, keeping everyone's dignity intact.
Yet the couple insisted on putting on this guilty face in front of Prince Hui. What exactly were they after? Did they want the crippled Prince Hui, who cooperated to fulfill their wishes, to know they weren't intentionally rubbing salt in his wounds, or did they want Emperor Yongchang to see that although they did something slightly unfair to Prince Hui, they weren't completely heartless?
When Prince Kang wanted to show his elder brotherly care, at least he put in the hard physical work of pushing the wheelchair. But Prince Qing and his wife were simultaneously causing grief for their second brother and sister-in-law while hoping their imperial father would praise them for still having a sense of shame?
Prince Hui could endure this kind of grievance, but Yao Huang could not!
Anyway, Emperor Yongchang and the others didn't know she was already aware of the situation. Noble Consort Du and the Second Princess weren't stupid enough to blab about the biting remarks they had directed at her either. So, Yao Huang used the greeting gift to expose the hypocrisy of Prince Qing and Zheng Yuanzhen. Guilt, my foot! You've already consummated the marriage, what kind of good brother and good cousin are you pretending to be!
Prince Qing and Zheng Yuanzhen hadn't even looked toward Yao Huang yet, their attention entirely focused on the possible reaction of Prince Hui. Suddenly confronted with the jade bracelet Yao Huang held up and hearing that utterly absurd speculation, the couple froze simultaneously.
The others were also taken aback. At this moment, Noble Consort Du reacted quickly and kindly spoke up to help Prince Qing and Zheng Yuanzhen out of the awkward situation: Huanghuang, what nonsense are you talking about? Your third brother and third sister-in-law are just feeling heartache over Prince Hui's legs, feeling sad at the sight. It has nothing to do with your greeting gift.
Empress Zhou's eyes twitched slightly, Consort Liu Xian secretly bit her inner lip, and Consort Shen Rou hated it to death, but understood that anything she said now would only make things worse.
Emperor Yongchang had a bit of a headache.
Following Noble Consort Du's words, Yao Huang gave the Prince Qing couple an out, smiling: Is that so? Then you have even less reason to feel bad. Although the Prince's legs are injured, this injury was exchanged for the Great Qi border army utterly defeating the Wu Kingdom's iron cavalry, exchanged for the peace of the border soldiers and civilians, and for Imperial Father to sleep soundly at night. Therefore, the Prince's injury is the glory he brought back from the battlefield. You should be proud of it.
Emperor Yongchang's headache disappeared, and a surge of heroic pride rose in his chest. He only felt that his second daughter-in-law's unexpected words had praised right into his heart!
Zheng Yuanzhen said ashamedly, Second Sister-in-law is right.
Prince Qing looked at her profile, which was struggling to hide her embarrassment, and then looked at his second sister-in-law, who had gone from being apprehensive to having a smile in her beautiful eyes. He seemed to see two jade bracelets placed side by side: one dull in luster, the other radiantly shining.
Following that, his second sister-in-law reached out and grasped his cousin's wrist, smiling as she slipped the green jade bracelet on: Let's not talk about that anymore. Second Sister-in-law wishes you and Third Brother a loving and harmonious marriage.
With a grasp and a slip, the second sister-in-law's hands sandwiched his cousin's slender hand in between. And Prince Qing saw clearly that his second sister-in-law's hands were white and smooth, surprisingly even more captivating than his cousin's.
Yao Huang withdrew her hand after giving the greeting gift.
Zheng Yuanzhen bent her knees slightly to express her thanks.
Prince Qing opportunely led her away.
The greetings concluded. The Prince Qing couple was going to Consort Shen Rou's palace to have an intimate chat between mother and children; Prince Kang had to go on duty; the three children were going to play at Consort Liu Xian's place for a while. Yao Huang couldn't be bothered to go to Noble Consort Du's place for insincere socializing, so she pushed her own Prince out of the palace herself.
After getting on the carriage, Yao Huang squatted beside Prince Hui's wheelchair as usual to help secure it, preventing the wheelchair from rolling forward if the carriage suddenly braked.
Once it was secured, Yao Huang sat back in the side seat. Looking up, she found Prince Hui looking at her, not knowing how long he had been watching.
Yao Huang suddenly felt unsure. Her speech in the central palace had been satisfying, but she didn't know what Prince Hui's attitude toward Zheng Yuanzhen truly was. What if the silly Prince had willingly stepped aside to fulfill his cousin's wishes with Prince Qing, but in reality, still had lingering feelings and didn't want his cousin to be embarrassed in front of everyone...
Seeing the increasingly obvious concern in his Princess Consort's eyes, Zhao Sui asked, I once had a verbal marriage agreement with Princess Qing. Did you know?
He remembered that on the second day of their grand wedding, he and his Princess Consort had entered the palace to serve tea. After moving to Yikun Palace, the Noble Consort intentionally brought up to his Princess Consort that he once had another good marriage arrangement, mocking his Princess Consort for taking advantage of his crippled legs and someone else breaking the engagement to become the main consort.
Being broken off from an engagement was a fact. As for whether his Princess Consort was unlucky or had taken advantage, only she could judge that.
On the way out of the palace, his Princess Consort had looked gloomy. Zhao Sui had intended to comfort her, but it turned out his Princess Consort was afraid that her family background and childhood nickname would implicate him and damage his prestige. Zhao Sui's words of comfort were left unsaid. Afterward, she happily acted as his Princess Consort, and Zhao Sui had even less opportunity to bring up the past.
Just now, when his Princess Consort used the greeting gift to interpret the guilty looks of the Prince Qing couple, Zhao Sui actually couldn't tell if she truly thought so, or if she was playing dumb and deliberately misinterpreting it.
Yao Huang: ...
She lowered her head and whispered, I know. The Second Princess told me on the day we served tea. She had no good intentions, and I didn't want to be jealous with Your Highness over past events.
Zhao Sui looked at his Princess Consort's unconsciously clenched fingers and said, There is no need to be jealous. I have no personal relationship with Princess Qing. Other than her calling us cousin when we meet at palace banquets, I have no conversations with her.
Yao Huang stole a couple of glances at him and asked purely out of curiosity, Since that's the case, why did Your Highness agree to this marriage in the first place?
Zhao Sui lowered his eyes and said, At the time, who my wife would be made no difference to me. When the Noble Consort asked for my opinion, I replied that I would let Imperial Father and my mother make the decision.
Yao Huang inexplicably got angry: Men marry and women wed; a husband and wife are people who have to deal with each other for a lifetime. How could you be so perfunctory? Marry if you like her, refuse if you don't. The Noble Consort is hypocritical, but would Imperial Father also force you to marry someone you don't like?
He didn't want the gold-plated wheelchair wheels, and he actually let others arrange such a major life event as taking a wife!
Zhao Sui remained silent.
Yao Huang thought for a moment and said meaningfully, I understand. Your Highness still likes your cousin, so that's why...
Zhao Sui raised his eyes, looked straight at her, and said, I have absolutely no personal feelings for her.
He didn't even have the sibling-like affection that cousins ought to have.
Yao Huang suddenly left her seat, sat on the wheelchair facing him, and then pushed Prince Hui, who was much taller than her, back against the backrest to make it easier for them to look at each other.
Zhao Sui: ...
Yao Huang looked at him and asked, "You've really never liked anyone?"
Zhao Sui: "No."
Yao Huang smiled. She pulled Prince Hui back up straight, wrapped her arms around his waist, and leaned against his shoulder. "Then I want Your Highness to promise me one thing."
Zhao Sui couldn't quite keep up with the sudden change in his princess's attitude, nor did he have any idea what she was about to ask.
"What is it?"
Yao Huang sighed inwardly before speaking softly, "I want Your Highness to promise me that from now on, no matter what others ask you to do, as long as you dislike it or have no interest in it, you must follow your heart and refuse, unless it is an unavoidable imperial decree regarding state affairs."
She didn't want Prince Hui to be so foolish anymore.
Zhao Sui immediately thought of his two marriage engagements. The first time, he followed his imperial father's arrangement. The second time, his father also insisted that he choose a princess, and he only entered the palace because he was annoyed by the constant nagging. Even if he had refused the former, he wouldn't have known what kind of princess he should marry afterward, which was why he had just gone through the motions. But if he had refused the latter, he would probably have missed out on the princess currently in his arms for the rest of his life.
It was evident that accepting some arrangements against one's will could also bring about good results.
However, Zhao Sui understood what his princess meant. He stroked her back and said, "Alright. From now on, unless I am truly willing, no one can force me."
Yao Huang was about to smile, but she suddenly raised her head, looked at Prince Hui, and asked, "Not even me?"
Come to think of it, back in Lingshan Town, when she tried to provoke the lifeless Prince Hui into going outside, it was actually a form of forcing him.
Zhao Sui: "...You are not others."
Others could not force him, but his princess could.
.
In Yanfu Palace, Consort Rou sat in the main seat. Prince Qing and Zheng Yuanzhen stood before her. The expressions on all three of their faces were rather poor.
Prince Qing first helped Zheng Yuanzhen to sit on a side chair before taking a seat next to her. He leaned back in his chair in frustration. "If I had known that Second Sister-in-law would misunderstand and drag things into some talk about a meeting gift, there would have been no need for Cousin and me to put on such an act. Instead, Noble Consort took the opportunity to kick us while we were down and mock us."
Zheng Yuanzhen lowered her eyes.
Consort Rou sneered, "Do you really think Yao Huang doesn't know the inside story? When you were present, Noble Consort targeted you first. If you weren't there, she certainly wouldn't have made things easy for Prince Hui and his wife. Before the Dragon Boat Festival, she almost blurted out the past between Yuanzhen and Prince Hui right in front of us. The way I see it, Yao Huang was clearly playing dumb on purpose to embarrass the two of you."
Prince Qing raised an eyebrow. "She has that kind of cunning?"
Consort Rou told the young couple about what had happened before they entered the palace, how Noble Consort Du had tried to pressure Yao Huang about having children but was outsmarted by Yao Huang instead.
Prince Qing stroked his chin in amusement. His second brother was a quiet, boring man; he hadn't expected him to marry a tough princess who wasn't afraid of trouble.
Consort Rou said, "Never mind. Just remember this lesson. From now on, just face Prince Hui naturally. There's nothing going on anyway, not to mention that your marriage was bestowed by your imperial father."
Prince Qing nodded absently.
Zheng Yuanzhen glanced at Consort Rou's gorgeous skirt, feeling as though every word Consort Rou spoke was a subtle warning, trying to use her past with Prince Hui to keep her in line.
On the way out of the palace, to show harmony between sisters-in-law, Zheng Yuanzhen kept wearing the jade bracelet Yao Huang had slipped onto her wrist. However, as soon as she got into the carriage, Zheng Yuanzhen took the jade bracelet off and tossed it at her feet with a cold face.
Even when angry, noble ladies maintained their composure. She didn't use too much force, so the jade bracelet didn't break.
Prince Qing smiled and said, "She's just the daughter of a low-ranking military officer, ignorant and fearless. Don't lower yourself to her level."
After saying that, he picked up the jade bracelet, examined it for a moment, and said, "The quality is decent. If you don't like it, keep it to reward a maid by your side."
Zheng Yuanzhen wanted to smash it even more.
Upon returning to Prince Qing's manor, it was time for the servants from all over the household to pay their respects to the Princess. The first to arrive was a standby bedmaid left behind by Prince Qing.
Zheng Yuanzhen hadn't paid much attention to this bedmaid last night. Seeing her now, she realized that this maid had an alluring figure, with a slender waist and ample curves.
Forcing herself not to look at Prince Qing beside her, Zheng Yuanzhen casually rewarded the jade bracelet to this bedmaid.
