After resting for two days, Yao Huang took the Prince of Hui out again. She took him to the foot of the mountains on the outskirts to gaze at the overlapping, colorful autumn leaves in the valleys. She took him to a small Taoist temple that could be reached without climbing stairs to burn incense and pray for blessings. She also took him to her maternal grandfather's house to pick big, red persimmons that tasted perfectly after the frost.
She let her grandfather and the others go about their own business, leaving only Yao Huang to accompany His Highness the Prince of Hui in the large courtyard.
Under the eaves was a long bamboo pole specially used for picking persimmons. There was a narrow cutting blade at the tip of the pole. With a gentle cut against the persimmon stem, the heavy, large persimmon would fall into the net bag tied to the end of the pole. It seemed simple, but it still required a bit of skill. If the person holding the pole had poor eyesight, the persimmon might miss the net and fall directly to the ground, smashing and cracking.
Yao Huang lifted the long pole and picked one. She stepped back a bit and directly extended the tip of the pole in front of the Prince of Hui.
Zhao Sui cooperatively took out the red persimmon from the net bag, which was as big as his fist.
Yao Huang stood the long pole up and held it, ran over, and gently squeezed the persimmon still in the Prince of Hui's hand. She said, "This kind can be eaten now, but if you take it back to the manor and leave it on the windowsill to sun for another two days, it will taste even sweeter."
Zhao Sui looked at the red persimmon in front of him. In his memory, when he was very young, Nanny Liu seemed to have held a bowl and fed him peeled persimmon flesh. He had also seen dried persimmons at the Noble Consort's place. This was the first time Zhao Sui had seen a persimmon freshly picked from the tree at such a close distance.
"It's Your Highness's turn. Your archery is good and your eyesight is strong, so the persimmon you pick should be sweeter than mine."
Yao Huang took the persimmon away with one hand and stuffed the long pole into the Prince of Hui's hand with the other.
Zhao Sui didn't really want to try.
Yao Huang pushed him to the outer edge below the canopy of the persimmon tree and smiled. "We only come to pick persimmons once a year. Your Highness must cherish the opportunity."
Zhao Sui could feel the joy in the Princess Consort's voice.
Before the Double Ninth Festival, the Princess Consort seemed to have started to grow tired of spending her days with him like this, but after the festival, she suddenly became full of interest again.
After hesitating for a moment, Zhao Sui looked up, first confirming the range of persimmons the long pole could reach, and then selected the reddest one.
The tip of the pole moved slightly, and the red persimmon fell smoothly into the net bag.
Zhao Sui lowered the long pole, and Yao Huang ran over to take out the persimmon. It was indeed softer than the one she had picked.
Yao Huang went to the kitchen and brought out a set of bowls and chopsticks that her aunts had specially bought to entertain her and the Prince of Hui. She scooped a ladle of water and stood under the eaves, washing it once in front of the Prince of Hui. She also washed away the dust on the surface of the persimmon, then skillfully tore open a piece of persimmon skin and poured the flesh inside into the bowl.
Finally, Yao Huang carried the bowl and took two pairs of chopsticks back to the Prince of Hui's side. She handed him a pair of chopsticks and invited, "Your Highness, please taste it first."
The fully ripe persimmon flesh naturally separated into several pieces. Under the Princess Consort's gaze, Zhao Sui picked up a piece. It was very sweet.
After eating this one, Yao Huang said greedily, "Let's pick a few more and take them back to eat slowly."
With two persimmon trees, Yao Huang wouldn't be polite to her grandfather's family. She directly had the low cabinets on the two carriages moved over and didn't stop until the bottom layer was completely covered.
After lunch, the husband and wife each rode in a carriage and headed back to the manor.
Today was the seventeenth of September. Emperor Yongchang had begun reviewing the four camps in the suburbs of the capital yesterday. Starting from the East Camp, today it was the South Camp's turn.
There was a small review every year and a major review every three years. The dates every year were set in mid-September.
The last time he accompanied the Princess Consort to Changshou Lane to deliver Mid-Autumn Festival gifts, Zhao Sui heard Yao Zhenhu mention that the review of the East Camp this year was set for the sixteenth of September, and it would be changed if the weather changed.
Therefore, when the Princess Consort suggested coming to her grandfather's house to pick persimmons today, Zhao Sui expected that they might encounter his imperial father and the accompanying civil and military officials on the way back and forth.
Zhao Sui didn't want to spoil the Princess Consort's fun, so he ordered people to prepare two ordinary carriages, driven by Zhang Yue and Wang Dong respectively, without bringing any other guards. This way, if they really encountered his imperial father's procession halfway, they could just have the carriages pull far away to the side and pretend to be ordinary commoners visiting relatives and friends.
It wasn't early when the husband and wife left the city. His imperial father had already set off. Returning to the city...
When the mighty sound of horse hooves came from afar and Zhang Yue also reported in a low voice that it was the imperial procession, Zhao Sui told him to drive the carriage two hundred paces away from the official road.
When the Prince's carriage turned, the Princess Consort's carriage behind it also followed. Qingai and Feiquan sat on the shafts of the carriage, while Aji accompanied the Princess Consort inside the carriage.
The road outside the official road was full of potholes. Fortunately, Wang Dong had explained it in advance, and both Yao Huang and her servants were prepared.
When the carriage stopped steadily again, Yao Huang lifted a sliver of the curtain and found that the imperial procession was already close. Two units of the imperial guard riding fine steeds cleared the way and guarded the left and right. In the middle, Emperor Yongchang rode at the very front, with the Prince of Kang and the Prince of Qing half a horse length behind, accompanying him on either side.
There were other carriages and commoners near the official road, so the two carriages from the Prince of Hui's Manor were not conspicuous.
The autumn air was dry and things were brittle. The horse hooves kicked up plumes of yellow dust as the emperor, the imperial princes, and the civil and military ministers roared past.
Before the first wave of yellow sand was blown over by the autumn wind, Yao Huang dropped the curtain.
With the Prince of Hui's temperament, he definitely wouldn't do such a thing as peeping stealthily, but Yao Huang believed that compared to accompanying her skipping stones and picking persimmons, the Prince of Hui would rather go to the military camp for the review, right?
When the two carriages from the Prince of Hui's Manor finally arrived at the South City Gate, Emperor Yongchang and the others had already entered the city for a long time.
After returning to the manor, Yao Huang simply washed up and changed into a set of silk inner garments. She sat in front of the dressing table and slowly combed her hair.
When the Prince of Hui came over, the Princess Consort's long hair had already been combed very smoothly, the ends swaying with her steps.
When they got to bed, the Princess Consort, whose period was still ongoing, didn't lie quietly like she had the past few days, but actually snuggled into his arms.
Zhao Sui patted the Princess Consort's hand.
Yao Huang rested her head on his shoulder and said in a very soft voice, "Actually, I know that Your Highness doesn't want to accompany me out wandering around day by day at all. The things I like to do are all playthings that only children like in Your Highness's eyes."
Zhao Sui: "...No, don't overthink."
The autumn scenery in the suburbs was pleasing to the eye and mind. Picking persimmons might be a bit childish, but it was also a childhood joy he had never experienced before.
Yao Huang rubbed against his shoulder. "Your Highness doesn't need to coax me. I can tell whether you're truly happy or falsely happy."
Zhao Sui fell silent for a moment, shifted slightly outwards, and then went to look at the Princess Consort's face.
Yao Huang didn't let him look and continued to burrow into his arms.
Zhao Sui then pulled the Princess Consort onto him, only to meet the Princess Consort's tightly closed eyes.
Zhao Sui: "...I'm just not used to showing my emotions. Not smiling often doesn't mean I dislike it."
The Princess Consort, with her eyes closed, nodded perfunctorily.
Zhao Sui was getting a headache. Suddenly, the Princess Consort opened her eyes, smiled, and kissed him on the forehead, turning around to coax him instead: "Alright, I'm relieved to know that Your Highness likes it. You've been tired all morning, go to sleep quickly."
Zhao Sui saw clearly that the Princess Consort didn't really think so.
After resting for a few days, the Princess Consort didn't ask him to go out again.
.
Emperor Yongchang was fairly satisfied with the review of the four major camps this year. The Emperor was in a good mood, so Empress Zhou confidently invited the female family members of the imperial relatives, as well as some titled ladies and noble ladies from prominent families, to the palace to admire the chrysanthemums. Admiring peonies in spring and chrysanthemums in autumn was both an imperial favor given to the invited female relatives and a way to have more people accompany the concubines and princesses to relieve their boredom.
On the twenty-fifth of September, Yao Huang left the Prince of Hui behind and went into the palace to admire the flowers by herself.
After several social gatherings, aside from Chen Ying, a close friend she made during the palace selection, Yao Huang could converse joyfully with the Eldest Princess and the two secondary consorts of Prince Kang. If it weren't for the Second Princess having a sharp tongue exactly like Noble Consort Du, and Zheng Yuanzhen acting so high and mighty, disdaining to associate with her, Yao Huang could have mingled well with them too, even if it was just superficial harmony.
After admiring the flowers, attending the banquet, and finishing the luncheon, it was time for the female guests to leave the palace.
Yao Huang rested her forehead on one hand and said to the Eldest Princess, "Sister, I've had too much fruit wine and my head is spinning a bit. Could I go rest at your place for a while?"
The Eldest Princess naturally agreed.
Noble Consort Du, Consort Liu Xian, Consort Shen Rou, as well as Grand Princess Fucheng and Zheng Yuanzhen, all looked at Yao Huang. Had it been anyone else, they would definitely suspect the person of faking drunkenness to seize the opportunity to stay in the palace and plot something with the Eldest Princess and Empress Zhou. But as for Yao Huang, she might have a bit of cunning, but Prince Hui's legs were crippled. What could a princess consort from a humble background possibly plot?
With her face so red, she was most likely truly drunk. At every palace banquet, she was always the one who ate with the most relish.
The crowd then dispersed.
Yao Huang really did rest for an hour at the Eldest Princess's quarters. Upon waking up, she accompanied the Eldest Princess to bid farewell to Empress Zhou.
Bidding farewell was a given, but not that quickly. Yao Huang looked at the Eldest Princess in embarrassment and told the mother and daughter the truth: "Actually, there is a matter I'd like to ask Imperial Mother to help with. Even if Imperial Mother hadn't summoned me into the palace to admire the chrysanthemums today, I would have submitted a memorial requesting an audience with Imperial Mother."
Empress Zhou was slightly taken aback. This child actually had a "plot"?
The Eldest Princess was very understanding and smiled, "Second Sister-in-law, there's no need to feel bad. I'm very happy to help you with this small favor."
Empress Zhou dismissed the palace servants around her and asked curiously, "What is it that Yaoyao seeks?"
Yao Huang lowered her head and whispered, "I want to see Imperial Father. It's regarding the Prince. If Imperial Father agrees, then Imperial Mother and Sister will soon know what it is. If by chance he disagrees, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to mention it to you two. But I reckon Imperial Father will likely agree, otherwise I absolutely wouldn't dare to bother Imperial Mother so presumptuously."
She wanted Prince Hui to go out and take on an official duty, which required the consent of both Prince Hui and Emperor Yongchang.
Only if Emperor Yongchang agreed would Yao Huang be able to persuade Prince Hui. Otherwise, if she painstakingly persuaded Prince Hui only for Emperor Yongchang to flatly refuse, Prince Hui would feel stabbed in the back by his own father. He would then turn around and stab her right back, blaming her for being a busybody and coming up with blind ideas that caused him to lose face!
Anything related to the Emperor was a major matter.
Empress Zhou did not immediately agree to Yao Huang's request. Pondering for a moment, she looked at her daughter.
The Eldest Princess was only sixteen this year. When she first began to form memories, it was exactly the time when Noble Consort Du had given birth to the Fourth Prince and no longer valued her adopted son.
Speaking of which, the Eldest Princess rarely got to see her second brother Zhao Sui, but she learned from her mother why her second brother was obsessed with reading and disliked going out.
The Eldest Princess, deeply loved by both her Imperial Father and Mother, felt a bit of pity for her second brother. After her eighteen-year-old second brother achieved military merits, this pity turned into respect. When her second brother was injured and could no longer walk, the Eldest Princess had cried in secret.
Now, based on the Eldest Princess's understanding of her second sister-in-law, she believed that whatever her sister-in-law wanted to ask of their Imperial Father must be something beneficial to her second brother.
"Imperial Mother, let me accompany Second Sister-in-law to see Imperial Father. Just pretend you don't know anything about this. If there really is an accident and Imperial Father wants to lay blame, I will bear it with Second Sister-in-law."
The Eldest Princess held the hand of her second sister-in-law, who was only a year older than her, and spoke gently to her mother.
Yao Huang hurriedly said, "This has nothing to do with you, Sister. I will explain it clearly to Imperial Father, you..."
The Eldest Princess interrupted her with a serious face, "If Second Sister-in-law continues to treat me like an outsider, then I really won't get involved anymore."
Yao Huang: "..."
Empress Zhou was amused by this loyal pair of sisters-in-law. Based on her understanding of Emperor Yongchang, as long as what Yao Huang requested was for the good of Prince Hui, Emperor Yongchang would not be angry with anyone today.
"Go on, if you wait any longer, your Imperial Father will become busy."
