Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Yao Huang, still asleep, turned over. The discomfort from her skin rubbing against the brocade quilt made her frown and wake up.

Through the gauze curtains, she saw the sunlight by the window.

The quilt next to her was flat—the prince was gone...

Recalling the encounter before dawn, Yao Huang felt a shiver run down her spine, and it was at this moment that she realized she was still naked.

She couldn’t summon the maids yet. Yao Huang sat up holding the quilt, deliberately ignoring the traces he had left on her. She searched around the quilt: her inner robe lay by the pillow, her inner pants were at her feet, her undergarment... Yao Huang remembered. Afterward, the prince had considerately wiped her—he must have grabbed her undergarment to use!

Ruining two sheets and an undergarment in one night—he’s quite something!

After tying her inner robe and putting on her pants, Yao Huang stuffed the sheet into the already half-full bamboo basket, lifted the curtain to air out the room, poured herself a cup of water, and sat down at the dressing table, holding her side.

The princess in the mirror had disheveled hair, swollen eyes, and a faint red mark at the collar of her inner robe.

Yao Huang, still dizzy from dressing, hadn’t looked at herself. Curiously, she pulled open the collar and was shocked to discover more marks, scattered below her collarbone and above her waistline—some dense, some sparse. The most shocking was the clear palm print on her left shoulder, evidence of the prince holding her down!

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

Yao Huang slipped on another outer garment, covering all the marks, and called for A Ji in a hoarse voice.

The door was pushed open. A Ji nearly rushed in, while Thrush, Lark, Chun Yan, and Qiu Chan remained in the side room, ready to assist.

"Princess, are you okay?"

Yao Huang shook her head. "What time is it?"

A Ji, while examining the princess, said, "It’s almost time for lunch, princess. How did you sleep so late? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

Yao Huang, seeing her strange look, instinctively pulled her collar together. "No, why do you ask?"

A Ji didn’t want others to know the princess’s secret. She leaned into the princess’s ear and whispered, "Last night you cried for too long, and this morning you cried again. Tell me the truth—did the prince bully you?"

A Ji was really worried.

Yao Huang felt her face heat up. Facing the table, she said, "It’s alright. You’ll understand when you get married. Okay, I’m starving. Go and tell the water room to prepare bath water. After bathing, get me something to eat."

A Ji went out to pass the message, and Lark then sent the little maids to the water room and kitchen.

Since she was going to bathe, there was no need to bring water into the inner room. Thrush and the others came in to make the bed and fold the quilts.

Thrush caught sight of the princess’s obviously tearful eyes and took the initiative to take the bamboo basket out.

When the bath water was ready, Yao Huang only called A Ji in to serve. Thrush became more certain of her guess—last night the princess was beaten by the prince, probably fainted, so she got up late, and after waking up, she cried on the bed for a while, leaving a new wet stain on the sheet. A Ji had heard it all last night, which was why she was so worried this morning. The princess was injured, so she only let the informed A Ji get close.

Prince Hui’s legs were crippled, and he didn’t get along with the only princess he could be close to. Thrush felt quite comfortable for Noble Consort Du.

Noble Consort Du was the most favored in the harem. The only unhappiness in her youth was the delay in having children. As everyone knew, Emperor Yongchang’s "seeds" were somewhat problematic. Empress Zhou had two sons who both died young, and the other concubines only had Virtuous Consort Liu, who was lucky enough to have a prince. In such a situation, when a humble dancer who was favored by the emperor on a whim announced good news, the concubines all focused on her belly.

A few months later, the dancer had a difficult birth and gave birth to a prince, and died after giving birth.

Noble Consort Du, relying on her favor, smoothly took the little prince to her side and asked for him to be recorded under her name.

For the next eight years, Noble Consort Du never became pregnant. The more times she was disappointed, the more she valued Prince Hui. She hired the best literary and martial teachers for Prince Hui and had them teach him in the strictest way. It was said that Prince Hui had to get up at the crow of the rooster every day and could only sleep after reading until the third watch. He was the most diligent and hardworking among the princes and princesses, and because of this diligence, he became proficient in both literary and martial arts and was praised by the emperor the most.

When Prince Hui was eight years old, Noble Consort Du surprisingly became pregnant, but unfortunately, it was a daughter, so Noble Consort Du continued to strictly teach Prince Hui.

When Prince Hui was ten years old, Noble Consort Du finally gave birth to her own son, the fourth prince.

Noble Consort Du relaxed her discipline over Prince Hui and began to pour her maternal love and expectations into the fourth prince. She began his education at the age of three but couldn’t bear to let him endure the hardships Prince Hui had faced. As a result, the fourth prince’s academic and martial skills fell short compared to Prince Hui’s at the same age. When the Emperor casually remarked that his fourth son was not as intelligent as his second son, how painful it must have been for Noble Consort Du to hear?

The more Prince Hui excelled, the more the fourth prince seemed mediocre. The more the Emperor valued Prince Hui, the further the fourth prince was from the throne.

The other palace ladies sneered and mocked, laughing that Noble Consort Du had raised her adopted son well, but her own son was lacking.

Prince Hui had been a constant thorn in Noble Consort Du and the fourth prince’s sides for years. Only if Prince Hui was miserable would Noble Consort Du be satisfied.

Yao Huang had no idea about Thrush’s wild thoughts. She took a relaxing bath, placed a cold towel over her eyes, and felt rejuvenated.

Today, she didn’t have to dine with Prince Hui, so Yao Huang ate alone, relaxed and at ease. After eating, she rested on the couch in the side room, waiting to recover her energy. Thrush came over, looking concerned, and asked, "Has the Princess been wronged by the Prince?"

Two damp undergarments still lay in the bamboo basket, evidence of how much the Princess had cried during the night. Her cheerful demeanor upon waking was just an act.

Yao Huang glanced at her: "What do you mean?"

Thrush didn’t mention the evidence that might embarrass the Princess, instead saying tactfully, "This servant noticed that the Princess appears to have been crying."

Yao Huang: "So what if I cried?"

Thrush advised: "Noble Consort Du has said that since the Prince’s accident, his temper has worsened, often venting his frustrations on those around him. If the Princess has been mistreated, she can go to the palace and seek Noble Consort Du’s help, who will surely stand up for the Princess. Remember, no matter how high the Prince’s status, he is still Noble Consort Du’s son. A mother disciplining her son, the Prince will surely listen."

Yao Huang, who had initially ignored Thrush, now sat up straight, looked at her, and hesitated: "Does the Prince really punish those around him?"

Thrush nodded.

Yao Huang: "Is the punishment severe? Tell me everything you know."

Thrush made up two examples to convince the Princess: "These two were kicked out of the mansion long ago. Others are too afraid of the Prince to mention it."

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

Lark obediently entered.

Yao Huang repeated the two examples Thrush had given and asked Lark: "Did the Prince really do these things?"

Lark looked confused.

Thrush’s heart raced, remembering when the Princess had Lark slap her back in the Yao family. She was afraid the Princess was setting her up again.

Yao Huang’s gaze indeed turned suspicious: "What, are these all fabrications, deliberately trying to provoke a rift between the Noble Consort and the Prince?"

Thrush’s mind raced. Admitting to lying would surely anger the Princess, who might directly punish her by sending her to the laundry room. If she didn’t admit it, she could pin it on Lark’s reserved nature in the palace, keeping to herself and not hearing about such matters. Given Lark’s usual respect for her, she would probably go along with Thrush’s explanation and not openly contradict her.

If the Princess believed her and went to the palace, Prince Hui, after being scolded by Noble Consort Du, would surely cold-shoulder the Princess. Then, the Princess would have to rely heavily on Noble Consort Du and would no longer dare to look down on Thrush.

Thinking this, Thrush calmly said, "This servant speaks the truth. Lark, when not on duty, stays behind closed doors and knows nothing of these matters."

Lark indeed hadn’t heard of such things, so she couldn’t judge their truth.

Thrush sent Lark away and approached the Princess, speaking earnestly: "Did the Prince hit the Princess? The Princess must not suffer in silence. A husband hitting his wife, once it starts, it will happen again. If you tolerate the Prince today, next time he will dare to hit harder. You have no powerful family to rely on; the Prince won’t value your life. Only by seeking Noble Consort Du’s intervention will the Prince show restraint."

Yao Huang clenched her handkerchief, frowning: "You go out first, I need to think."

Thrush urged a few more words before leaving. After a while outside, she heard the Princess call A Ji. After a brief exchange, A Ji came out, not even looking at them, and walked straight out.

Thrush stopped her: "What are the Princess’s orders?"

A Ji said irritably, "Don't ask questions you shouldn't."

Thrush: "..."

She was even more anxious for the Princess Consort to make a decision quickly. As she waited, A Ji returned, followed by one of the prince's major stewards, Nanny Liu, who was in charge of the maids' affairs.

Yao Huang sat upright on the couch and made Thrush repeat those words in front of Nanny Liu.

Thrush's face turned pale. Although Nanny Liu was also arranged by the Imperial Concubine to take care of Prince Hui in the early years, after Prince Hui opened his own residence, Nanny Liu no longer listened to the Imperial Concubine and was loyal to Prince Hui along with Eunuch Cao. To slander Prince Hui in front of Nanny Liu, was she asking for trouble?

When Thrush didn't speak, Yao Huang had Lark speak.

Lark wasn’t great with words but had a sharp memory and almost repeated it verbatim.

After listening, Nanny Liu's face darkened, and she politely replied to the Princess Consort, "Princess Consort, don't listen to this person's nonsense. Prince Hui has been served closely by Qing Ai and Fei Quan for three years since he opened his residence, and he has never punished any servant."

Yao Huang: "So Thrush has slandered the prince by overstepping her place?"

Nanny Liu: "Exactly."

Yao Huang sighed: "Although the prince has handed over all the affairs of the residence to me, Thrush was bestowed by the Imperial Concubine. I really don’t dare to decide how to punish her myself. Nanny Liu, please take her to see the prince and let the prince decide."

Upon hearing this, Thrush knelt down with a thud, her face pale, and shouted her innocence loudly: "I know the Princess Consort doesn't like me, but you can't bribe Lark to frame me! I never said those things, I beg Nanny Liu to see the truth!"

She wanted to escalate the matter, to bring it to the Imperial Concubine, who already disliked the Yao family's daughter, and would surely stand by her side!

Lark panicked and knelt down as well, looking at Nanny Liu and said, "She's lying! It was she who slandered the prince first, and then the Princess Consort called me in to testify..."

Thrush refused to admit it.

Yao Huang simply observed the scene.

Nanny Liu took out a handkerchief, pressed Thrush's shoulder with one hand, stuffed the handkerchief into Thrush's mouth with the other, and then covered it. She looked up and said, "Princess Consort, I will take the two of them to see the prince now. You rest well, and I will report back as soon as the prince makes a decision."

Yao Huang: "Thank you, Nanny Liu."

She had A Ji help Nanny Liu restrain Thrush’s arm. Nanny Liu was almost fifty, and she shouldn’t get injured over this.