Chapter 17

Yao Huang, deep in sleep, turned over, the discomfort from her skin rubbing against the brocade quilt causing her to furrow her brows and wake up.

Through the two layers of gauze curtains, she saw the bright light by the window.

The quilt beside her was flat—the prince…

Recalling what had happened before dawn, Yao Huang suddenly felt a tingling sensation at the base of her spine. It was then that she realized she was still undressed.

For now, she couldn’t call the maids in. Yao Huang sat up, clutching the quilt, deliberately ignoring what he had left behind. She searched around the quilt and found her undergarments by the pillow, her pants at the foot of the bed, and her innermost layer… Yao Huang remembered. After it was over, the prince had thoughtfully wiped her down, and he must have casually grabbed her innermost garment to use!

Ruining two bedsheets and an undergarment in one night—he really was something!

After tying the strings of her undergarments and putting on her pants, Yao Huang stuffed the bedsheet into the bamboo basket, which was already half full. She lifted the curtains to air out the room, poured herself a bowl of water, and, supporting her waist, sat down in front of the dressing table.

In the mirror, the princess consort looked disheveled, her hair loose and her eyes swollen. There was even a faint red mark peeking out from the collar of her undergarments?

Yao Huang, who had been too dazed to pay attention to herself while dressing, curiously tugged at her collar and was shocked to find more marks scattered below her collarbone and above her waistline. Some areas were densely marked, while others were sparse. The most startling was a distinct handprint on her left shoulder—evidence of the prince holding her in place, preventing her from escaping!

Yao Huang slumped back into the chair. Was this prince some kind of wolf?

She quickly put on an outer robe to cover all the marks, then called out to Ah Ji in a hoarse voice.

The door was pushed open, and Ah Ji nearly rushed in, while Huamei, Bailing, Chunyan, and Qiuchan remained in the side room, awaiting orders.

“Princess Consort, are you alright?”

Yao Huang shook her head. “What time is it?”

Ah Ji studied the princess consort as she replied, “It’s about an hour until lunch. Princess Consort, how did you sleep for so long? Are you feeling unwell?”

Noticing the strange look in Ah Ji’s eyes, Yao Huang instinctively tightened her collar. “No, why do you ask?”

Ah Ji, not wanting others to know the princess consort’s secret, leaned in and whispered, “Last night, you cried for so long, and this morning, you cried again. Tell me the truth—did the prince bully you?”

Ah Ji was genuinely worried.

Yao Huang’s face flushed with embarrassment. She kept her eyes fixed on the table as she replied, “It’s fine. You’ll understand once you get married. Anyway, I’m starving. Go and tell the water room to prepare a bath for me. After I’m done, bring me something to eat.”

Ah Ji went out to relay the message, and Bailing sent the younger maids to the water room and kitchen to handle the tasks.

Since Yao Huang was going to bathe, there was no need to bring water into the inner chamber. Huamei and the others came in to make the bed and tidy up.

Huamei noticed the princess consort’s visibly tear-stained eyes and took the initiative to carry the bamboo basket out.

Once the bathwater was ready, Yao Huang only called Ah Ji in to assist her. This further confirmed Huamei’s suspicions—last night, the princess consort must have been struck by the prince, perhaps even fainted, which was why she had woken up late. After waking, she had cried again, leaving a new damp spot on the bedsheet. Ah Ji had heard everything last night, which was why she had been so worried all morning. The princess consort must have been injured, which was why she only allowed Ah Ji, who knew the truth, to attend to her.

With Prince Hui’s legs disabled and his relationship with the princess consort strained, Huamei felt a sense of satisfaction on behalf of Consort Du.

Consort Du was the most favored in the imperial harem, but in her youth, her only frustration had been her inability to conceive for a long time. It was well-known that Emperor Yongchang’s “seed” had some issues. Empress Zhou had given birth to two sons, both of whom had died young, and among the other consorts, only Consort Liu had been fortunate enough to bear a son. In such circumstances, when a lowly dancer, who had caught the emperor’s fleeting fancy, announced her pregnancy, all the consorts turned their attention to her belly.

A few months later, the dancer died in childbirth, leaving behind a prince.

Thanks to her favor with the emperor, Consort Du successfully took the young prince under her care and had him officially registered as her own.

For the next eight years, Consort Du did not conceive again. The more disappointments she faced, the more she focused on Prince Hui. She hired the best scholars and martial arts instructors for him, ensuring they taught him with the strictest methods. It was said that Prince Hui had to rise at the crack of dawn and study until the third watch of the night, making him the most diligent and hardworking among the imperial children. His dedication earned him mastery in both literary and martial arts, and he received the most praise from the emperor.

When Prince Hui was eight, Consort Du unexpectedly became pregnant again, but this time it was a daughter. Consort Du continued to rigorously educate Prince Hui.

When Prince Hui was ten, Consort Du finally gave birth to her own flesh and blood—the Fourth Prince.

Consort Du relaxed her strict upbringing of Prince Hui and began pouring all her maternal love and expectations into the Fourth Prince. She started his education at the age of three but couldn’t bear to let him endure the hardships Prince Hui had faced. As a result, as the Fourth Prince grew older, his academic and martial skills fell short compared to Prince Hui at the same age. When the emperor casually remarked in conversation that the Fourth Prince wasn’t as clever as the Second Prince, how grating must those words have been to Consort Du?

The more Prince Hui shone, the more the Fourth Prince appeared mediocre in comparison. The more the emperor favored Prince Hui, the further the Fourth Prince was from the Eastern Palace, the crown prince’s residence.

The other consorts in the palace took delight in this, mocking Consort Du for having raised an outstanding adopted son while her own son fell short.

For years, Prince Hui had been like a thorn stuck in the throats of Consort Du and the Fourth Prince. Naturally, Consort Du would only be satisfied if Prince Hui were miserable.

Yao Huang, of course, had no idea about Huamei’s wild speculations. She enjoyed a comfortable bath, applied a cold towel to her eyes, and soon felt refreshed and rejuvenated.

Today, she didn’t have to share a meal with Prince Hui, so Yao Huang ate alone, relaxed and at ease. After finishing, she lay down on the daybed in the side room to regain her strength. Huamei approached her, wearing a concerned expression, and asked, “Princess Consort, have you been wronged by the prince?”

The bamboo basket still contained two damp undergarments, evidence of how much the princess consort had cried during the night. Her cheerful demeanor after waking up must have been a facade to save face.

Yao Huang glanced at her. “What do you mean?”

Huamei didn’t mention the evidence that might embarrass the princess consort but instead hinted delicately, “This servant noticed that the princess consort seems to have been crying.”

Yao Huang replied, “What if I have?”

Huamei advised, “Consort Du has instructed us that since the prince’s accident, his temperament has changed drastically, and he often takes out his frustrations on those around him. If the princess consort has been wronged, you can go to the palace and confide in Consort Du. She will surely stand up for you. Think about it—no matter how noble the prince is, he is still Consort Du’s son. A mother’s discipline and restraint are something the prince will certainly heed.”

Yao Huang, who had initially seemed indifferent to Huamei’s words, now sat up straight. She looked at Huamei and asked hesitantly, “Does the prince really enjoy punishing those around him?”

Huamei nodded.

Yao Huang pressed further, “How severe are the punishments? Tell me everything you know.”

Huamei had no choice but to fabricate two examples to convince the princess consort: “These two individuals were expelled from the mansion long ago. Others are too afraid of the prince to bring it up again.”

Yao Huang thought for a moment, then called out to Bailing.

Bailing entered obediently.

Yao Huang repeated the two examples Huamei had given and asked Bailing, “Did the prince really do these things?”

Bailing looked utterly confused.

Huamei’s heart skipped a beat. Remembering how the princess consort had once used Bailing to slap her in the face back at the Yao family, Huamei feared that Yao Huang was setting another trap for her.

Yao Huang’s gaze indeed grew suspicious as she looked at Huamei. “What’s going on? Did you make all this up to trick me into sowing discord between Consort Du and the prince?”

Huamei’s mind raced. Admitting to fabricating the stories would completely alienate the princess consort, and this bold and daring princess consort might directly punish her by sending her to the laundry room. If she denied it, she could blame Bailing’s ignorance on her reserved nature and claim that Bailing, out of fear of her, would not dare to openly contradict her.

As long as the princess consort believed her and actually went to the palace, Prince Hui, after being scolded by Consort Du, would surely distance himself from the princess consort. At that point, the princess consort would have no choice but to cling tightly to Consort Du’s favor and would no longer dare to look down on Huamei.

At this thought, Huamei calmly replied, “This servant speaks the truth. Bailing never leaves her room when she’s off duty, so she wouldn’t know about these matters.”

Bailing, indeed, had never heard of such things, so she couldn’t judge their validity.

Huamei sent Bailing away and moved closer to the princess consort, speaking earnestly, “Did the prince lay hands on you, Princess Consort? You must not endure this in silence. If a husband hits his wife once, he’ll do it again. If you tolerate it today, the prince will dare to strike harder next time. You don’t have a powerful family to rely on, so the prince won’t value your life. Only by seeking Consort Du’s intervention will the prince think twice.”

Yao Huang clutched her handkerchief tightly, her brows furrowed in worry. “You may leave now. I need to think this over carefully.”

Huamei urged her a few more times before finally excusing herself. She waited outside for a while until she heard the princess consort call for Ah Ji. After a brief exchange, Ah Ji came out, ignoring everyone, and walked straight out.

Huamei stopped her. “What instructions did the princess consort give?”

Ah Ji replied irritably, “Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t.”

Huamei: “…”

She hoped even more fervently that the princess consort would make up her mind soon. As she waited, Ah Ji returned, followed by one of the mansion’s senior stewards, Madam Liu, who was in charge of the female servants.

Yao Huang sat upright on the daybed and instructed Huamei to repeat her earlier words in front of Madam Liu.

Huamei’s face turned pale. Although Madam Liu had also been arranged by Consort Du to care for Prince Hui in the early years, after Prince Hui established his own household, Madam Liu no longer followed Consort Du’s orders. Along with Eunuch Cao, she had become fiercely loyal to Prince Hui. To falsely accuse Prince Hui in front of Madam Liu—was Huamei courting death?

When Huamei refused to speak, Yao Huang turned to Bailing.

Bailing, though not eloquent, had an excellent memory and repeated Huamei’s words almost verbatim.

After listening, Madam Liu’s expression darkened. Maintaining her composure, she addressed the princess consort, “Princess Consort, please do not listen to this person’s baseless slander. For the three years since Prince Hui established his household, it has always been Qing Ai and Fei Quan who have attended to him personally. He has never punished any servant.”

Yao Huang asked, “So, Huamei has overstepped her bounds and slandered the prince?”

Madam Liu replied, “Exactly.”

Yao Huang sighed. “Although the prince has entrusted me with managing the household affairs, Huamei was gifted by Consort Du. I dare not decide her punishment on my own. Madam Liu, please take her to see the prince and let him decide.”

Upon hearing this, Huamei fell to her knees with a thud, her face pale as she loudly protested her innocence. “This servant knows the princess consort dislikes me, but you cannot bribe Bailing to frame me! I never said those things! I beg Madam Liu to see the truth!”

She wanted to escalate the matter, to bring it to Consort Du’s attention. Consort Du had never liked the Yao family’s daughter and would surely side with her!

Bailing panicked and knelt down as well, looking at Madam Liu and saying, “She’s lying! It was she who slandered the prince first, and the princess consort called me in to testify…”

Huamei stubbornly denied it.

Yao Huang simply watched the drama unfold.

Madam Liu took out a handkerchief, pressed one hand on Huamei’s shoulder, and used the other to stuff the handkerchief into Huamei’s mouth. After gagging her, Madam Liu covered Huamei’s mouth and said, “Princess Consort, this old servant will take these two to see the prince. Please rest well. Once the prince makes a decision, I will return to report.”

Yao Huang replied, “Thank you for your trouble, Madam Liu.”

She instructed Ah Ji to help Madam Liu restrain one of Huamei’s arms. Madam Liu was nearly fifty, and Yao Huang didn’t want her to get injured over this.