Chapter 31

Chapter 31

In the servants' quarters, Eunuch Cao had his own small courtyard.

As the wheelchair approached the small courtyard, it met the first threshold. Yao Huang didn’t cover Prince Hui’s eyes this time, just stopped the wheelchair. Fei Quan swiftly pulled out the four-layered wooden board from the narrow cabinet, unfolding it as he approached the threshold.

The unfolded board was about six feet wide, with a channel in the middle crafted by Master Deng into the shape of an arch. The channel fit the widest palace threshold perfectly, and even on a regular threshold, it stayed steady despite some extra space on the sides.

Zhao Sui quietly observed Fei Quan’s actions, watching as a small arched bridge for the wheelchair materialized instantly over the threshold.

Eunuch Cao, who had been pretending to be ill, rushed out and knelt, saying, "This old servant lied to Your Highness. Please punish me!"

He knelt firmly, appearing genuinely afraid of Prince Hui’s anger, which left Yao Huang unsure. She rushed to the front of the wheelchair and nervously glanced at Prince Hui, whose face was unreadable: "Your Highness, it was I who ordered Eunuch Cao to feign illness. If you must punish someone, punish me."

Zhao Sui: "So you lured me here just for this?"

Yao Huang: "Yes, Your Highness… do you approve?"

Zhao Sui: "Where did it come from?"

Eunuch Cao quickly interjected: "On the evening of the second day, Her Ladyship, feeling unsettled, ordered this old servant to call Master Deng the carpenter to the mansion. After meeting Master Deng, Her Ladyship brought up the issue of Your Highness’s wheelchair struggling with thresholds and asked if he could make a set of foldable, portable boards. Master Deng worked on it, making several attempts, and delivered the boards today."

Yao Huang: "..."

She hadn’t been that troubled; she’d only gone to see Master Deng after dinner.

Seeing Prince Hui's gaze, Yao Huang whispered, "Your Highness, please speak. If you truly dislike it, I… I’ll kneel too."

Zhao Sui: "...Let’s see if it works first."

Hearing this, Fei Quan was about to push the wheelchair but froze at Prince Hui’s look.

He stayed still, Qing Ai wasn’t there, and Eunuch Cao remained kneeling, so Yao Huang had to push the wheelchair herself. Master Deng’s work was superb; the wheelchair’s front wheels barely hesitated as they touched the bridge, and with a little more effort, Yao Huang pushed it onto the bridge. The only issue was that Prince Hui’s wheelchair was too ornate and long, so its front had already crossed the threshold before Yao Huang could step onto the bridge.

But the bridge couldn’t be too long; the longer it was, the taller it became when folded, making it impossible to fit into the wheelchair’s narrow cabinet.

Yao Huang decided she’d ask Master Deng to make a simpler wheelchair for use inside the mansion, where grandeur wasn’t necessary. Comfort and ease were what mattered most.

Once safely across, Yao Huang turned the wheelchair around so Prince Hui could examine the bridge more closely.

Zhao Sui: "Keep it. Eunuch Cao, rise."

Eunuch Cao stood up, beaming.

Seeing Eunuch Cao’s genuine smile, Yao Huang felt her gift had truly moved him, though Prince Hui seemed indifferent.

"Let’s head back to Ming’an Hall."

.

As they left the servants’ quarters, Fei Quan trailed behind while Yao Huang slowly pushed the wheelchair, asking curiously, "Your Highness, aren’t you going back to the Bamboo Courtyard? Are you joining me for lunch?"

Zhao Sui: "Yes, after resting, I will also give you a gift."

Yao Huang stopped, moved to the side of the wheelchair, and looked down at Prince Hui: "So, Your Highness likes my gift?"

Zhao Sui nodded.

Yao Huang pouted: "Since you like it, why did you keep a straight face? I thought the board didn’t suit your taste and worried for nothing."

Zhao Sui: "...I said to keep it."

Yao Huang: "That doesn't mean you like it; it just shows you acknowledge the board's usefulness. If you like it, you should smile like Eunuch Cao. Of course, I don't expect you to smile that brightly—a slight smile would do."

She couldn't help but stare at Prince Hui's lips.

The more she stared, the less Zhao Sui could smile.

Yao Huang snorted and continued pushing the wheelchair. After a while, she remembered the main issue: "What does the Prince plan to give me?"

Zhao Sui: "A painting, or is there something else you want?"

Yao Huang really couldn't think of anything she wanted at the moment. Thinking of the painting, she recalled the awkwardness of their last encounter in the peony garden and muttered, "A painting is fine, but holding a pose without moving is too uncomfortable; I can't do it."

Zhao Sui: "You can sit on the luohan bed and read a book in your most comfortable position."

Yao Huang: "Should I actually read the book, or just hold it while looking at the Prince?"

Zhao Sui: "Just read the book."

Yao Huang suddenly felt a thrill of excitement.

After lunch and a nap, when Yao Huang had slept enough, Zhao Sui had already finished his afternoon massage in the courtyard, and Qing Ai and Fei Quan had also prepared the easel and paints.

The low table on the luohan bed was removable, and now, only a long pillow and a large silk pillow were placed at the west end.

On the east side of the luohan bed was a large floor vase with a few green bamboo branches, and on the right side was a flower stand with a few fresh and delicate peonies in a painted vase.

Yao Huang had also prepared a book in advance, a storybook for all ages.

Fei Quan and the others who helped prepare had left. Yao Huang, dressed in a white blouse and a water-green long skirt, took off the soft-soled sleeping shoes that Lark had matched for her and sat on the luohan bed. Just as she was about to pose, Prince Hui suddenly remarked, "The embroidered shoes don't need to be so neatly placed; it looks too deliberate."

Yao Huang peeked under the bed and thought it made sense; at least she wouldn't arrange her shoes so neatly at home.

She tilted one embroidered shoe slightly and lay down facing the peonies, her head and shoulders leaning against the large pillow, her left elbow propped on the pillow below, holding the book.

She looked beautiful, but the pose was a bit awkward.

Zhao Sui thought for a moment and said, "You can pretend to fall asleep while reading, push the pillow inside, rest your right hand in front, hold the book with your left hand, and let the book open on your lap."

Yao Huang followed his instructions to pose, then laughed, "If I had known, I would have had you paint during my nap, saving me this act."

Zhao Sui looked at her smiling eyes.

After a moment of eye contact, Yao Huang closed her eyes, her cheeks blushing.

It had been nearly four days since the couple last shared a bed, and Zhao Sui had enough self-control to focus on painting.

When the sound of the brush tip rubbing on the easel was heard, Yao Huang would open her eyes to look, and once the Prince looked over, she would immediately "fall asleep."

The sunlight outside the window slowly shifted, and because the room was too quiet, Yao Huang really fell asleep for a while. When she woke up, she gathered her spirits and continued to endure until dusk, when the Prince put down his brush and said, "Just a bit more, we'll continue after dinner."

Yao Huang was almost numb from lying still. She sat up, rubbed her shoulders, put on her shoes, and walked around to the easel. This time, there was finally a person on the rice paper, but it gave Yao Huang a big fright. She stepped back two steps and said, "Where's my head?"

On the luohan bed in the painting lay a woman with a graceful figure who looked like a stunning beauty, but the fact that this beauty had no head above her neck was terrifying!

Zhao Sui explained, "The clothes and skirt can easily become messy with movement, so I painted this part first, and I'll paint the head later."

Yao Huang still felt awkward and tilted her head, saying, "Then I'll wait until the Prince finishes the painting to look."

Zhao Sui: "Alright, push me out."

Before the meal, they took a walk in the garden. After the meal, Zhao Sui stayed in the front courtyard and agreed to meet her in half an hour.

A Ji and the three other maidservants attended to the princess's bath and change of clothes, seizing the chance to gather around the easel and admire the scene. They praised the beautifully drawn folds of the skirt, the realistic depiction of the princess's fingers and wrists, and the vibrant peonies and green bamboo on either side. Only Yao Huang refused to look at her 'headless' self.

Once her hair dried, Yao Huang's hair was styled the same as in the afternoon, but she changed into a peach-colored kesi undergarment.

The high-waisted skirt was beautiful, but the tight waistband wasn't comfortable for lying down, especially for someone with Yao Huang's curvy figure.

Since it was almost dark, they could head straight to bed after finishing the painting.

A Ji and Lark brought over two lotus-shaped candle holders. When they heard the prince had arrived, the two women quickly left.

Prince Hui, wearing a white undergarment, wheeled himself in. Not seeing the princess, he didn't look around. After Qing Ai left, Zhao Sui went straight to inspect the pigments at the easel. Hearing footsteps, he saw the princess, clad in a light undergarment, step out from behind the bed curtains.

But Prince Hui only glanced briefly before turning his attention to mixing the pigments.

Yao Huang lay down in the same pose as that afternoon and asked, "How much longer do you need?"

Zhao Sui glanced at the two hair ornaments in her thick black hair and replied, "Half an hour."

Yao Huang: "That's okay. Any longer, and I might actually fall asleep."

Zhao Sui, facing the rice paper, said, "If you're tired, just sleep. Don't force yourself."

Yao Huang wondered, if she fell asleep, who would push the prince's wheelchair to the bed?

The gentle sound of the brush on the rice paper started again, and the soft candlelight cast a delicate glow over the princess pretending to sleep on the luohan bed.

Zhao Sui nearly picked the wrong color but ended up painting her face, pink and white, to match the afternoon light.

Prince Hui painted meticulously. He said it would take half an hour, but he ended up painting until the second watch. Lark, on night duty in the adjacent room, was almost asleep.

Putting down the brush, Zhao Sui looked at the princess, who had unconsciously shifted to lying flat in sleep, five steps away.

Beside the wheelchair stood a high table with tea, convenient for him to drink when thirsty during painting.

Zhao Sui placed the tea on the pigment table and moved the high table forward. Then, with great effort, he supported himself on the high table to stand upright. Looking at the princess, he leaned over the high table, stabilizing his balance with his chest, and with his other hand, he pushed the wheelchair in front of the high table.

Zhao Sui's movements were slow and steady. After three shifts, his hands finally reached the luohan bed.

Lying flat beside the princess, Zhao Sui closed his eyes, waiting for his breathing to calm.

Despite his efforts to suppress it, Yao Huang heard the heavy breathing right by her ear...

Yao Huang suddenly woke up, turned her head, and sure enough, it was the prince.

Looking outside the bed, she saw a wheelchair and a high table standing in sequence, marking the prince's path over.

At that moment, an arm wrapped around her, pulling her into his embrace.

His chest was no longer heaving as much, but Yao Huang felt the unique warmth of the prince, hotter than when he was lying still, clearly exhausted.

"Why didn't you call me?" Yao Huang felt both heartache and regret for sleeping so soundly.

Zhao Sui pointed to the carved window behind her: "Close it."

Yao Huang knelt up, one hand on the windowsill, and closed the two nearby windows in succession. Just as she was about to turn around, an arm wrapped around her waist, and with a sudden pull, she fell into the lap of Prince Hui, who had sat up at some point.

A large hand rested on her thin kesi undergarment, and a burning kiss landed on her exposed shoulder.

Yao Huang stared in shock at the two windows across, finally understanding why the prince had gone through such effort to move over.

She bit her lip: "Did you really want it that much?"

Prince Hui: "...You're just wearing too little."