Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Yao Huang leaned back against Prince Hui's shoulder with her eyes closed, helpless as the prince's touch drained her strength.

She dared not resist, for though her silk garments were luxurious, they were also delicate. If they were wrinkled from pushing and pulling, and later seen by the servants, how could she maintain her dignity as the princess if they saw? The summer sunset was so brilliant, and it was still early before nightfall. In broad daylight, could she really let the servants guess what the prince and princess were up to in the garden?

Yao Huang knew she had asked for this. If she hadn't fed the prince sour grapes, he wouldn't have retaliated like this.

Across the path, to the south of the grapevines, was a field of corn planted late in the season, its green stalks only waist-high, far from bearing ears.

When Prince Hui came to her to find grapes, Yao Huang hadn't been thinking about anything, yet she had inadvertently stumbled upon something in the prince's presence...

After the incident on the rosewood wheelchair earlier, Yao Huang remained motionless, as if turned to stone, pretending not to have noticed anything.

As a child, Yao Huang had watched cats catching mice with her playmates on the street. When the mouse played dead, the cat would stay still too. But as soon as the mouse tried to run, the cat would pounce wildly.

Zhao Sui looked at the princess's flushed face, her tightly closed and occasionally trembling eyelashes, and her moist lips that had just parted and then lightly bitten.

His eyes drifted downward, and the skin peeking out from the edge of the princess's short jacket gradually took on a faint peach hue.

Zhao Sui pulled out the green grape that had warmed up by now and handed it to her: "There."

Yao Huang opened her eyes and saw the troublesome fruit. Afraid that the prince would continue to tease her with it, she tilted her head back and snatched the green grape with her mouth, chewing it twice and swallowing it. It was sour. Yao Huang covered her face with her sleeve, not wanting the prince to see her foolish look.

Zhao Sui: "...If it's not good, you don't have to eat it, you know."

Yao Huang, wincing from the sourness, insisted: "It's good. How could I give the prince something that's not good?"

Prince Hui gave a slight smile, pressed the princess's hand, and helped her tighten the sash that had been loosened earlier.

Yao Huang tensed up at first, but upon realizing that the prince was tightening it rather than completely undoing it, she understood that he didn't intend to do that here. But he was still...

Yao Huang turned her head, trying to steal a glance, but Prince Hui was already waiting, his calm eyes seeming to ripple slightly: "Tonight, we'll head to Ming'an Hall."

Yao Huang immediately turned back, nodding like she'd done something wrong.

It was only right. The prince's anger had flared up, so of course, it was up to her to handle it.

Coincidentally, she had come to the prince to find an opportunity to speak, and what better time than at night?

.

In the long, dark night, the watchman's clapper had already struck twice in the street before Prince Hui finally released his grip on the princess.

Yao Huang was soaked in sweat, and the ivory mat beneath her palms and fingertips was also damp, as if it had just been wiped with a wet cloth.

The lights were bright, and Prince Hui lay down beside her, unconcerned, his breathing heavy with exhaustion.

Yao Huang pressed her head against the headboard, and as soon as she recovered slightly, she quickly pulled up the thin quilt to cover her body, which even she found dazzling to look at. Then she slowly moved closer to Prince Hui, resting her head on his sturdy shoulder and wrapping an arm around his waist.

Zhao Sui still had his eyes closed and casually patted her hand.

Yao Huang calmed down with him, feeling the prince's chest rise and fall less violently. She softly said, "Does the prince think that even though this ivory mat is nice, it gets too hot after lying on it for a while? It needs to be moved to a new spot to stay cool."

Zhao Sui: "It is summer, after all. If you're afraid of the heat, we can start using ice tomorrow." It was indeed almost the hottest time of the year.

Yao Huang: "Using ice? Like in the stories, placing a large cauldron in the room and filling it with ice, so the whole room is filled with cool air?"

Zhao Sui: "Yes."

Yao Huang: "How much ice would that take in a day? Is it expensive?"

Zhao Sui: "The Prince's estate receives an annual allotment of ice and charcoal, delivered directly from the palace, so there's no need for the estate to spend money on it."

Yao Huang: "That's wonderful. Ever since I married the Prince, I've been able to enjoy all sorts of luxuries. I used to hear that the high officials and nobles in the capital would build summer retreats in the mountains near the city. I guess those families don’t have access to ice, otherwise, like the Prince, they could stay cool right in the capital."

Zhao Sui: "It's different. The mountains are naturally cool throughout, while ice only ensures indoor comfort. Moreover, noble families and officials of the fifth rank and above, both civil and military, are granted ice, with varying quotas. It's not exclusive to the royal family."

Yao Huang: "I see. Oh, Prince, do we have a summer retreat somewhere?"

Yao Huang, excited, propped herself up on her elbows, looking expectantly at her Prince.

The thin silk blanket slipped from her shoulders. Noticing the Prince's gaze following the blanket, Yao Huang promptly wrapped herself up and gave him a reproachful look: "Haven’t you had enough?"

Prince Hui, having satisfied himself twice, continued the topic: "The Emperor has bestowed a summer retreat near the North Park."

Everyone in the capital has heard of the North Park, the summer palace of the emperors. Guo Shu elaborated further, saying that for the safety of the emperors, there are no commoners living within dozens of miles around the North Park. Successive emperors have only ordered the construction of retreats in the mountains near the North Park to be bestowed upon royal family members or noble families who have rendered great service.

The North Park didn’t suit Yao Huang’s travel plans.

She asked, already knowing the answer: "The North Park is too far. Is there anything closer?"

Zhao Sui: "No."

He had only established his estate five years ago, with two years spent in battle and one year recovering from injuries. Being alone, he had no need to build a summer retreat elsewhere.

"Do you want one?"

Noticing the Princess’s thoughts, Zhao Sui thought for a moment and said: "If you want one, we’ll build it. But if we start this year, it won’t be ready until next year."

Yao Huang: "No, please, don’t. The Prince never had this idea before. If I start construction as soon as I marry, people will assume it’s my idea and say I'm taking advantage of the Prince's favor to spend money recklessly, even though I have no family wealth of my own, and being so greedy for luxury."

Zhao Sui: "If you like it, build it. Don't worry about what others think."

Yao Huang: "Let’s discuss it in a few years. This year... Oh, Prince, have you heard of Ling Mountain?"

Zhao Sui: "Yes."

Yao Huang: "I’ve never been there, only heard others talk about it. They say Ling Mountain is southwest of the capital, a two- or three-day carriage ride. It's said that at the foot of Ling Mountain, there's a Ling Mountain Town where people live very comfortably in the summer, needing thick blankets at night, and the hottest part of the day is only like early summer here."

Zhao Sui: "Do you want to build a retreat on Ling Mountain?"

The high officials, nobles, and wealthy families in the capital wouldn’t opt for Ling Mountain. It's too far for convenient travel to and from the capital, and being a remote area in deep mountains and old forests, it's not as safe as the retreats in the suburbs.

Yao Huang: "We don't need to build a retreat. We could buy a house in the town. We could claim the family has fallen on hard times, sold the house in the county town, and chosen a scenic place to live. That way, the neighbors wouldn't have to worry about offending us, and we could come and go more freely. When summer is almost over, we could find a reason to move away."

Although it was a plan she had thought of long ago, Yao Huang grew increasingly excited as she spoke: "The Prince knows, I'm a girl from a modest family. After becoming the Princess, I have to put on a good front. Even if we build a retreat in the nearby mountains, I'd have to worry about being seen by some noblewoman when I go out to play. But if we really disguise ourselves as commoners and go to Ling Mountain Town, no one there would know us. It's cool, and I could play as freely as I want, with no one to control me except the Prince!"

Zhao Sui looked at the Princess, who was as happy as a bird about to escape its cage, and thought of the various inconveniences of his travels.

A journey of two or three days, how to relieve oneself on the road, where to stay at night?

Buying a house in Ling Mountain Town, how could the convenience of the town's houses compare to that of the Prince's estate?

Disguising as commoners, he and she would still be husband and wife. How to arrange for Fei Quan, Qing Ai, the maid, Physician Liao, and the accompanying guards?

Yao Huang could see the change in Prince Hui's expression. Even in silence, when he was in a good mood, his gaze at her was gentle; when he was in an ordinary mood, it was lifeless; when he was in a bad mood, he simply wouldn't look at her.

Just now, Yao Huang had just sensed the lifelessness in the Prince's eyes, and the next moment he looked away.

Yao Huang said anxiously: "Does the Prince not like my idea? Then forget it. I was just chatting casually, not really that eager to go. Maybe I'll forget about it after a night's sleep. Besides, I've lived in the capital since I was a child, and I've gotten through so many summers. There's no reason that now that I'm the Princess, I suddenly become so precious that I must find a place to escape the heat."

She nestled back into his chest, hugging him and said, "It's all because Your Highness spoils me so much, I've lost all sense of decorum. I feel bold enough to say anything to Your Highness, only thinking about my own whims, forgetting that Your Highness is not used to living in such a rural place."

Zhao Sui wasn't angry to begin with, and with the princess so softly pressing against him, especially after just being intimate, how could he let her feel worried and scared?

He held the princess's hand and said, "Truth be told, I'm not used to the countryside. If you want to go, bring the maids and guards…"

"No, I've just married Your Highness. Could Your Highness stand to be apart from me? I couldn't. If we go, we go together; if not, then neither of us goes."

Zhao Sui twitched the corner of his lips.

If they really went to Ling Mountain Town, wouldn't she still be away from him when she was out having fun?

It's just that if he went, traveling together as the prince and princess, it would spare her from being blamed by the emperor and gossiped about by the people in the capital. Otherwise, the dignified princess leaving her disabled prince husband alone to go off for summer fun would surely be called out by the officials.

"Call for water, I'm tired."

.

His Highness Prince Hui spent the night at Ming'an Hall but did not stay for breakfast, even though the princess got up with him.

While Yao Huang was having breakfast alone, her mind was filled with the lifeless face of the prince when he left.

Yao Huang deeply regretted her actions. Back at South Street, she was still thinking about not risking offending the prince, so why did she get impulsive when she saw the elm wheelchair made by Master Deng?

The stingy man, if he didn't want to go, then he shouldn't have gone. She didn't beg or coax him to go, so why the sulk?

She could curse the prince all she wanted in her mind, but since she knew he was unhappy, Yao Huang had to find a way to coax him back. After all, he is the prince!

When the time was about right, Yao Huang took a basket to the vegetable garden, picking half a basket of tender cabbage from the particularly dense patch of small cabbages.

Leaving the vegetable garden, Yao Huang glanced at the grapevine, snorted, and then went to pick a green grape, then went straight to the bamboo courtyard.

After Fei Quan opened the door, Yao Huang handed him the green grape and instructed, "Give this to the prince first, then tell him that my small cabbages are already picked, and ask if he still wants to eat buns."

Yao Huang was worried that the sulking Prince Hui would refuse to eat her small cabbage buns, and if she eagerly asked only to be rejected, how humiliating that would be.

So Yao Huang specifically brought this green grape to remind the prince of the good deed he did yesterday. If he could still refuse after this, then Yao Huang would be too lazy to coax him anymore, let him sulk!