Chapter 24

Qing Ai and Fei Quan went to clean up, and Yao Huang pushed Prince Hui back to Ming’an Hall.

Yao Huang’s clothes were damp from the lake water and had also brushed against the escaped fish. She could faintly smell a fishy odor. She decided to take a bath before dinner.

Zhao Sui asked her to push the wheelchair to the Luohan bed by the window in the inner chamber.

The Luohan bed was level with the bed frame of the canopy bed. A woven reed mat was laid on it, and a small purple sandalwood table matching the Luohan bed was placed in the middle. A book was upside down on the table.

Yao Huang was so focused on pushing the wheelchair that she only realized what the Prince was looking at when he looked at the small table. She awkwardly picked up the book and held it behind her back.

Zhao Sui said, “What book is that?”

Yao Huang stood opposite him with her hands behind her back and honestly answered, “A romance novel from the bookstore, not a highbrow one. Are you resting here, Prince? Then I’ll go to the west room to bathe. Should I have the maidservants bring you tea later?”

Zhao Sui said, “I’m not thirsty. Give me the book.”

Yao Huang blushed, “It’s the kind ordinary people read. Prince, you shouldn’t read it. I’ll get you a book of classics from the study.”

Zhao Sui said nothing, only extending his hand towards her.

He was the Prince after all, his imposing aura was there. Yao Huang hadn’t yet fully understood her husband’s temperament, fearing he might really get angry because of her disobedience, so she obediently handed over the book, stammering, “It’s just a random romance novel I picked up. I didn’t expect it to contain such improper content. I usually skip those parts when I read. Please don’t misunderstand, Prince.”

The bookstore’s romance novels were divided into several categories. Some were suitable for people of all ages, while others were placed separately. The bookstore didn’t put up a sign to warn people, but whenever an unmarried girl went to that section, the clerk would give a subtle hint. Over time, among female customers, only older women would choose books from that section.

Yao Huang followed the bookstore’s “rules,” but she had secretly read the romance novels her mother brought home. She knew they contained detailed descriptions of sexual matters. At that time, Yao Huang wasn’t interested in this. Once she satisfied her curiosity, she stopped reading them.

Now that she was a newlywed, and having experienced the joys of marriage, Yao Huang confidently picked up several books that day.

Zhao Sui commented calmly, “Romance novels originate from the folk. Because the content is easy to understand, twists and turns are widely circulated. Some vulgar language is normal.”

Yao Huang: “……Forget it, Prince. You’ll know once you read it.”

She went to the wardrobe to get a set of clothes, closed the door from the outside, and went to the west inner room to wait for the water.

The maidservants came and went outside, but no one dared to approach the east inner room without the Prince’s summons. Zhao Sui moved the wheelchair to the side of the Luohan bed facing away from the setting sun and began to read page by page in silence.

As a prince who had been accustomed to reading until the third watch and getting up at cockcrow to continue reading or practicing martial arts since childhood, Zhao Sui had read enough books to fill three large rooms, but among them, there was not a single folk romance novel.

The content was simple, and he read quickly. By the time the maids from the water room brought water to the west room, Zhao Sui had read more than half of the book. The heroine, “Pan Xu Niang,” had already had three lovers, and each relationship involved two or three bedroom scenes, courtyard scenes, or even outdoor scenes. The men included a farmer, a blacksmith, and a constable from the county office, each with their own “vigor.”

Knowing what the Prince was reading, Yao Huang took a very uneasy and quick bath, hoping to finish washing as soon as possible and return before the Prince reached the improper parts!

After quickly changing her clothes, Yao Huang, with her still-damp hair, walked out.

Bailing chased after her, “Princess Consort, you should comb your hair first!”

Yao Huang turned back, snatched the comb from Bailing’s hand, and hurried towards the east room. She couldn’t let Bailing serve her, otherwise, it would be too late!

Pushing open the door to the inner chamber, Yao Huang looked towards the window. The Prince was sitting with his back to her, facing the window. A camphor tree bathed in the setting sun stood diagonally in front of the window.

Yao Huang looked at the small table; the romance novel was neatly placed there.

At that moment, the Prince looked towards the door, his gaze lingering on her loose hair for a few moments.

Yao Huang pretended to be calm, “The maidservants were too slow, and I was afraid of keeping you waiting, so I came here to comb my hair. I can also bask in the setting sun.”

Zhao Sui turned back.

Yao Huang sat opposite him. The warm yellow sunlight made her cheeks feel warm. She held a strand of hair and slowly combed it, pointing her chin towards the romance novel and asking, “Did you finish reading so quickly, Prince?”

Zhao Sui said, “No, I only read the beginning, the part where Li Dashi died in prison.”

Yao Huang said, “Then why didn’t you continue?” The best parts were yet to come. After Li Dashi died, Pan Xu Niang became a widow, and the strong farmer who had been her childhood sweetheart came looking for her.

Zhao Sui said, “I was thinking, are there really such grievances in the folk?”

Yao Huang: “…”

The Prince was indeed a Prince. Even when reading a romance novel, he was worried about the common people. Unlike her, who only focused on the improper parts!

Grabbing the romance novel, she tucked it under the reed mat and comforted him, “Prince, don’t worry. Romance novels are all made up by the writers. Father is wise and mighty; the court is clean and efficient. At least in our capital, the people are living well. We haven’t heard of any grievances.”

Zhao Sui nodded, his gaze falling on the other side of her shoulder, which was still damp from her hair.

Seeing this, Yao Huang leaned against the bed frame behind her, tilting her head slightly back. Except for the hair she held in her hand, the rest fell down, no longer touching her clothes.

But this exposed her white neck completely to Zhao Sui. The collar of her under-robe was cinched by the waist of her qi-xiong dress, concealing the spring scenery within, but it couldn’t hide the shape of the snow-covered hills beneath.

There were only two people in the room, and they could only look at each other. Yao Huang immediately noticed the shift in the Prince’s gaze and her face flushed. She lightly chided, “Where are you looking, Prince?”

The lifeless Prince didn’t even change his expression. He pointed to the right side of her collar and said, “It seems to be wet there.”

Yao Huang touched it. It was just damp from her hair. “It’s fine, it’ll dry soon.”

When she looked up, she noticed that the Prince was already looking at the camphor tree outside the window.

Still feeling a little awkward, Yao Huang moved the small table away and sat facing him with her back to him. “Prince, help me comb my hair. That way, my hair will be exposed to more sunlight.”

Zhao Sui didn’t answer, but he took the jade comb from her hand.

Her cascading hair was as black as satin, reflecting a faint golden light in the setting sun. The faint scent of camphor flowers filled Zhao Sui’s nostrils. It seemed she had finally found a floral essence that suited her tastes among the ones prepared for her in the Prince’s Mansion.

Yao Huang was looking at their shadows cast on the yellow pear wood floor. The Prince’s head didn’t move at all, which meant he must have been looking at her hair the whole time, behaving himself.

Suddenly, that shadow raised his left hand and pressed it against her shoulder.

Her eyes and shoulder felt the pressure at the same time, and Yao Huang didn’t know why, but she shivered.

Zhao Sui said, “Are you nervous?”

Yao Huang’s face flushed. How could she not be nervous? They were so close, and she had been thinking about all the embarrassing scenes from the book while bathing.

Zhao Sui said, “Are you still remembering that night? Are you afraid that I’ll stay tonight?

Yao Huang hadn’t thought about that. She denied, “No, I, this is the first time I’ve been served by a Prince in my life, of course I’m nervous.”

Zhao Sui said, “I haven’t forgotten what I promised you. But I’ve already come here tonight. If I leave after dinner, the servants might think you’ve done something wrong and that I’m giving you the cold shoulder.”

Yao Huang nodded in agreement.

Zhao Sui said, “But rest assured, as long as you don’t want to, I won’t force you.”

Yao Huang looked down at her hands, blushing as she said, “What are you talking about, Prince? How could I not want to?”

Even if she didn’t want to, she wouldn’t be foolish enough to admit it. Besides, she did want to, at least the first time, she didn’t feel unwilling at all.

Zhao Sui continued to comb her hair.

When her hair was dry, Yao Huang wanted to call Bailing to come and help her tie it up. Zhao Sui said, “Don’t bother. Tell the kitchen to send dinner to the back courtyard.”

In the kitchen, Master Kong, who had rushed over when he heard the news, was busy stewing a three—jin carp for the Prince and Princess Consort, causing Lady Gao to scold him, “We agreed that you would take care of the Bamboo Courtyard and I would take care of Ming’an Hall. Why are you stealing my work again?!”

Master Kong stared at the fish sizzling in the pot, smiling as he said, “I’m doing this for your own good. What if the Prince doesn’t like your fish? Will you be able to sleep soundly tonight?”

Lady Gao said, “Maybe the Prince is used to your cooking and wants to try something new at the Princess Consort’s side.”

Master Kong: “…”

He thought about the skewers he had specially grilled for the Prince last night. The Prince was so cruel, he didn’t even take a single bite, not even a taste!

Yao Huang, however, praised the braised fish tonight. The chefs in the Prince’s Mansion were truly skilled. Not only was the fish cooked delicately and the broth delicious, but even the small bones had been removed, leaving only the main bones supporting the fish.

“Prince, eat more. We caught it ourselves.” Yao Huang urged him as she ate. After urging him twice, Zhao Sui finally picked up his chopsticks.

A plump, agile Princess Consort and a Prince, though with paralyzed legs, still strong in his upper body, temporarily abandoned the other dishes and focused on eating fish. They ate all the fish they could reach.

When the little maidservant carried the plate with only fish bones back to the kitchen, Master Kong’s eyes welled up. He almost cried, “See, the Prince loves my cooking!”

Lady Gao said leisurely, “Maybe the Princess Consort ate it all by herself. She has a good appetite. The Princess Consort often finishes the dishes I make.”

Master Kong: “…”

The well-fed Princess Consort strolled around the back courtyard to digest her food. The Prince was pushed back to the front courtyard by Qing Ai. He read for two quarters of an hour, had Liao Langzhong massage his legs for another two quarters of an hour, and finally took a bath and washed up, which took another two quarters of an hour.

When Qing Ai pushed the Prince back to the back courtyard, it was already dark.

Yao Huang, with her hair loose, came out to greet him. As they became more familiar, she became more relaxed in front of Qing Ai and Fei Quan.

Qing Ai didn’t dare to look, so he bowed and retreated.

Entering the inner chamber, Zhao Sui glanced at the Luohan bed by the window and pointed at it.

Yao Huang was puzzled, “What do you mean, Prince?”

Zhao Sui said, “Over there. You don’t have to worry about getting the bedspread wet.”

Yao Huang: “…”

Her body felt like it was on fire. Yao Huang was only thankful that he couldn’t see her face. After a while, she said, “It’s too narrow, and it’s not hot enough to sleep on a reed mat.”

Whether it was narrow or not, whether it was cool or not, the Luohan bed was too close to the window. It wasn’t a proper place for a couple to sleep. Moreover, if the maidservants on watch were bold enough to peek through the crack in the door of the inner chamber, they wouldn’t be able to see the canopy bed, but they would be able to see the Luohan bed clearly.

Yao Huang knew that Ah Ji and the others weren’t that kind of people, but what if? Especially Ah Ji, who was always worried that she was being bullied by the Prince, he might really want to see what was going on.

Thinking about this, Yao Huang directly pushed the Prince towards the canopy bed, forcing herself to say, “I had someone sew some towels. One to put under you and one to put on the side. It’s enough.”

Zhao Sui, who couldn’t move his legs, could only remain silent.