The weather had turned cold. Tonight, the main dish at Prince Hui's Manor was a mutton soup pot.
The milky white broth bubbled and gurgled, and the rising steam spread out in all directions.
Yao Huang rarely had a poor appetite. Now that Master Kong and Madam Gao were both head chefs in the kitchen of Ming'an Hall, they seemed to compete with each other every meal to bring out the best flavor in every dish they handled. As a result, Yao Huang ate with even more relish. In between bites, she asked Prince Hui how the meals were at the Ministry of Works.
Zhao Sui: "Not as exquisite as the ones in the manor, but the taste is acceptable."
Whenever there was a morning court session, the dining halls of the various ministries would provide steamed buns, porridge, and side dishes after the assembly was dismissed. Lunch was a set ration of two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and a soup. From the assisting princes and second-rank ministers down to the unranked minor clerks, everyone had the same dishes.
Yao Huang looked at Prince Hui's handsome, still slightly thin face and said, "How can 'acceptable' be enough? The more you work, the better you need to eat. Don't let yourself get thin from working. How about this: from now on, around noon, I'll send someone over with meals prepared at home for you? Anyway, our manor is close to the imperial palace. If we wrap the food box tightly on the outside, it won't get cold."
Zhao Sui: "...No need, I won't go hungry."
From the Central Secretariat to the officials of the Six Ministries, there was no precedent of having meals sent from home. Zhao Sui appreciated his princess consort's thoughtfulness, but he didn't want to stand out in this way.
"Alright, then Your Highness should eat more for dinner."
Yao Huang stood up and scooped half a bowl of broth and half a bowl of mutton for Prince Hui, adding two pieces of white radish grown in their own vegetable patch that were soaked full of the savory soup.
Watching Prince Hui finish it unhurriedly, Yao Huang scooped another bowl.
After Prince Hui finished this bowl, he immediately put down his chopsticks and said, "That's enough."
Yao Huang had also eaten about enough. After rinsing her mouth, she glanced at the darkening sky outside and looked at Prince Hui: "Then Your Highness should rest early, I'll go back now?"
Waking up in the dark morning, busy for a whole day, and sitting for almost the entire daytime, Yao Huang guessed that Prince Hui must want to lie in bed and sleep early right now.
Zhao Sui watched the princess consort stand up, take the peach-red silk cloak draped over the back of the chair, and put it on: "Mm."
Yao Huang: "About what time will Your Highness have breakfast tomorrow morning?"
Zhao Sui: "The beginning of the Chen hour."
Yao Huang smiled and said: "That's not bad. From now on, I will come over and accompany Your Highness for breakfast."
Zhao Sui avoided the princess consort's eyes, which seemed to be filled with continuous affection no matter who she looked at: "It's up to you. If you don't want to wake up too early, you don't have to force yourself."
Hearing this, Yao Huang walked around to the back of the wheelchair, leaned over, and gave Prince Hui a hug: "It's not forced at all. I like eating with Your Highness."
Zhao Sui looked at the princess consort's hands resting on his chest. Today, she was wearing a red jade bracelet. The bright and moist red complemented her snow-white wrists even better than translucent green.
The next moment, the weight pressing on his shoulders and back disappeared. The princess consort withdrew her hands and left with a smile.
Sitting quietly for a moment, Zhao Sui asked Qingai to prepare water.
In the backyard, Yao Huang washed her feet and slipped into bed. Although the underfloor heating was lit in the room, several maids still stuffed four hot water bottles into her blanket to warm the bed in advance.
Finding it too hot, Yao Huang dug them out one by one and had the maids take them away.
Watching Qiuchan about to carry away the last hot water bottle, Yao Huang had a sudden thought and said, "The one that warms my chest, heat it up in advance tomorrow morning. I have a use for it."
Qiuchan complied.
The next day, Yao Huang accompanied Prince Hui for breakfast. Seeing that Prince Hui was about to set off and neither Qingai nor Feiquan had made any extra preparations, and looking again at Prince Hui sitting in the hard red sandalwood wheelchair with no soft cushion, Yao Huang gave a look to Aji, who was waiting outside.
Aji hurriedly ran off, then caught up with the prince and princess consort in the second courtyard of the manor, hugging an object wrapped in a brand-new thin silk cushion.
Yao Huang let Qingai push the wheelchair. She took Aji's item and continued to see Prince Hui off to the door.
This time, Yao Huang followed Prince Hui into the carriage.
Once Prince Hui was seated properly, Yao Huang opened the thin cushion, revealing a round, purple copper gilded hot water bottle inside.
"The weather is getting colder. Your Highness can use this to warm your hands on the way. Before leaving the palace in the evening, tell Feiquan to change it with hot water, and continue using it on the way back."
In the cold winter days, someone like Qingai pushing the wheelchair and walking around would actually generate heat in his limbs, while the prince, sitting motionless, was prone to getting cold hands and feet.
Zhao Sui looked at the purple copper round pot, fully the size of a soup bowl, that the princess consort had forced upon him.
This kind of thing was occasionally held by imperial concubines in the palace to warm their hands when walking outside in winter. When he was very young, Nanny Liu had also stuffed them into his blankets. But ever since Zhao Sui began practicing martial arts, stopped fearing the cold, and explicitly refused to use hot water bottles, this item had never appeared around him again.
Seeing Prince Hui remain motionless, Yao Huang grasped his left hand, which was far from the hot water bottle, and whispered, "Look, how cold Your Highness's hand is."
It wasn't obvious in the summer, but once autumn and winter arrived, Prince Hui's hands were indeed not as warm as the princess consort's.
Yao Huang pulled his hands to wrap around the hot water bottle and smiled: "Just use it in the carriage, no one else will see. And that cushion, after I leave, Your Highness can tuck it under your bottom yourself."
Zhao Sui: "..."
Yao Huang got out of the carriage with a smile.
Prince Hui looked at the thin cushion deliberately left on the side seat by the princess consort. Holding the purple copper round pot in one hand, he pulled open the low cabinet next to him with the other, and stored away the thin cushion that he would absolutely never use.
.
Now that Prince Hui was working, Yao Huang decided to strictly abide by the new rule of only pushing Prince Hui to the backyard on days ending in three, six, nine, and holidays, lest she accidentally delay Prince Hui's early rising.
Therefore, for two consecutive nights, Yao Huang only accompanied Prince Hui for dinner. On the night of the thirteenth, the date was right, but Yao Huang's menstrual period arrived. She had no choice but to awkwardly remind Prince Hui after the meal: "How about Your Highness sleeps in the front courtyard for these next few nights? That way, you won't waste extra time in the morning."
If Prince Hui stayed in the backyard, he would have to ring the bell to call Qingai into the room to push the wheelchair when he woke up in the morning, and then return to the front courtyard for Feiquan to prepare water. If Prince Hui stayed in the front, Feiquan could start preparing at the same time as he woke up to change clothes.
Furthermore, in spring, summer, and autumn, Prince Hui could commute between the two courtyards at night and in the early morning wearing only his inner garments. It was so cold in winter. If he was made to bundle up tightly to come over, he would have to sneakily take off his trousers again. If he continued to wear only his inner garments wrapped in a cloak, his ankles would still be exposed to the outside. What if he caught a chill?
All in all, Yao Huang was thinking on behalf of Prince Hui.
Zhao Sui noticed the princess consort's change. Previously, all she thought about was how to make him happy; now, it had become how to help him perform his duties well.
So, was the princess consort purely thinking of official business, or was she afraid that he would be lustful and demand her to serve him manually even during her period?
The princess consort was bold yet delicate. She often took the initiative to stoke his fire, but couldn't persist for long before clamoring to end it.
"Alright."
In order to correct his improper image in the eyes of the princess consort, Prince Hui agreed.
With this agreement, the couple slept in separate rooms all the way until the nineteenth of the tenth month.
The prince and princess consort both knew what was going on, but the close servants in Ming'an Hall, such as Qingai, Feiquan, and maids like Aji, were completely unaware.
Qingai and Feiquan thought that since the prince left early and returned late, burying himself in the files of the Ministry of Works all day, he didn't go to the princess consort's place to ensure sufficient sleep. Although it might leave the princess consort feeling neglected, the prince had been diligent since childhood. As long as the prince explained it clearly to the princess consort, she would surely be able to understand.
The four senior maids, including Aji, did not understand the Prince as well as the others did. They were more worried that now the Prince had official duties, he no longer valued the Princess Consort. After all, in the past, even when the Princess Consort was having her monthly courses, the Prince would frequently come to keep her company.
Bailing, Chunyan, and Qiuchan only dared to make wild guesses in their hearts. Aji, however, had the bond of growing up together with the Princess Consort. Taking advantage of the time the Princess Consort was walking Jinbao in the back garden, Aji muttered anxiously, Does His Highness really like his official duties that much?
Yao Huang asked suspiciously, Why say that all of a sudden?
Aji pouted. His Highness hasn't been to the back courtyard for a long time.
Yao Huang replied, ...I'm indisposed right now, so I deliberately kept him away. Now that he has official duties, of course those take priority. It's not like before.
Aji pressed, What about today?
Yao Huang actually found that hard to answer.
Today was the last day of her monthly courses. Her body was mostly clear, though there was still a slight lingering trace. In the past, she could pull Prince Hui to take an afternoon nap together, so during her courses, the couple could peacefully wait out the full seven days before doing that.
Thinking of Prince Hui, who had abstained for a full ten days, Yao Huang decided to let him make the call.
In the evening, Prince Hui returned under the shroud of the night.
Having not slept in the same bed for so long, only sharing simple meals for about a quarter of an hour in the mornings and evenings, and looking at Prince Hui in his majestic python robe, Yao Huang unexpectedly felt a renewed sense of unfamiliarity. When dinner ended and it was time to discuss where to sleep, Yao Huang's face grew hot for the first time in a while. Since Prince Hui was not one to speak up, Yao Huang could only lower her head shyly and ask, Tonight, will Your Highness be going to the back courtyard?
Zhao Sui glanced at his Princess Consort, a hint of doubt in his voice. Is it the eighth day?
He didn't think he would remember the days wrong.
Yao Huang's face turned even redder. She explained in a small voice, No, but...
Prince Hui didn't let her finish. Your health is what matters. Rest well. Let's wait until the twenty-third.
Yao Huang was speechless.
Even if they slept in separate rooms tonight, tomorrow was his day of rest. Could Prince Hui, who used to be so greedy for her, actually hold out until the twenty-third?
Yao Huang couldn't figure it out, but Prince Hui looked so serious, and coupled with their recent distance, Yao Huang felt too embarrassed to ask further.
On his rest day, after breakfast, Prince Hui surprisingly went straight to the Bamboo Courtyard.
Yao Huang gritted her teeth and simply went back to her maiden home. She had her brother accompany her to browse the shops, bought a pile of things for herself, and perfunctorily picked out a handkerchief embroidered with a cluster of green bamboo for Prince Hui, which only cost a single tael of silver.
She only returned to the manor at dusk. Seeing Prince Hui in the main hall of the front courtyard, Yao Huang smiled and said, I thought Your Highness would be having dinner in the Bamboo Courtyard as well.
Zhao Sui looked at his Princess Consort. Why do you say that?
Yao Huang stood at the door, turning her face to the side as she said, You finally get a day off, and Your Highness ran off to the Bamboo Courtyard first thing in the morning. You must have missed those bamboos, so shouldn't you spend an extra night with them?
Zhao Sui was silent for a moment before asking, You left early this morning. Where did you go?
Yao Huang smiled. I haven't seen my brother in a long time, and I missed him too. Since he didn't have to go to the martial arts academy today, I asked him to accompany me shopping for the day.
Prince Hui gave an ambiguous hum.
Yao Huang walked in and unfolded her carefully selected bamboo embroidered handkerchief on the long table in front of Prince Hui. Here. As soon as I saw this bamboo, I knew Your Highness would definitely like it.
Prince Hui, who had grown up used to fine things, looked at the handkerchief's material, which even children of minor nobility wouldn't deign to carry, and then at the needlework, which was far from exquisite. He was absolutely certain that the Princess Consort was unhappy about his visit to the Bamboo Courtyard.
He grasped the Princess Consort's wrist, pulled her down, and pressed her onto his lap. Looking at her averted face and slightly pouting lips, he reminded her, You pushed me away first. I thought you didn't want to see much of me.
Yao Huang glared at him. When did I ever push you away?
Zhao Sui looked at the half-exposed red jade bracelet on her wrist. The thirteenth and the sixteenth. Two nights.
Yao Huang replied, ...That was because of my monthly courses. Last night I clearly asked Your Highness to go to the back courtyard, but you didn't want to go.
Zhao Sui countered, Your health is more important.
Yao Huang demanded, What about today?
Zhao Sui kept his eyes on that section of the bracelet. I returned at noon to eat as promised, but you were not here.
Yao Huang retorted, Who told you to leave so quickly in the morning? It was as if you didn't even want to look at me for one extra second. Look, Your Highness isn't even willing to look at me now!
Zhao Sui was speechless.
Yao Huang pulled at his arm, trying to get off his lap. Zhao Sui tightened his grip around the Princess Consort's waist, letting her hands push against his shoulders and her toes kick against the floor however she pleased.
The four-wheeled red sandalwood wheelchair was not locked in place, and its large golden wheels spun smoothly back and forth on the north side of the long table.
Knowing that Prince Hui was thin-skinned, Yao Huang deliberately kicked toward the doorway of the main hall.
Even as they drew closer to the door, Prince Hui kept her imprisoned in his arms and refused to let go.
Yao Huang couldn't actually go outside like this, so she gritted her teeth and said, What exactly do you want?
Zhao Sui looked at the Princess Consort's embroidered shoe stepping on his foot. You broke the agreement first.
He was more stubborn than dried corn. Yao Huang understood. Fine, I broke the rules and owe Your Highness three nights. I'll make it up to you tonight, alright?
Prince Hui didn't say whether it was alright or not, but he loosened his grip.
