Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Ever since he could remember, Zhao Sui had never quarreled with anyone.

As a prince, the palace servants and officials all respected him. Among his peers, Zhao Sui had always been courteous and never took the initiative to offend anyone. When Prince Kang and Prince Qing were young and mischievous, they would provoke him, usually just to ask for something. Since they were just material things, Zhao Sui would let them have their way. As the two gradually matured, they could at least maintain a semblance of harmony in their interactions.

Those of higher status or elders, such as his father, would only assign him tasks or praise and reward him. Empress Zhou was gentle and kind, while Noble Consort Du often found fault with him. No matter what she said, Zhao Sui remained silent, so Noble Consort Du couldn't even start a quarrel.

Even tonight, it was his consort who was venting her anger alone. Zhao Sui himself was not angry; he only wanted to soothe her.

When his consort acted unreasonably, Zhao Sui could choose not to argue with her, waiting for her to calm down and come to her senses.

When his consort brought up evidence that he "didn't like her," such as only being affectionate in bed or refusing to accompany her out, Zhao Sui was at a loss for words, and he never expected that his usual excuse of "not liking to go out" would no longer suffice to end the conversation. Tonight, it had instead provoked a blunt, almost crude complaint from her, filled with vulgar language that even soldiers wouldn't dare use in front of their superiors. Yet here she was, a young lady, a well-bred daughter of an official family, daring to speak such words in front of a prince, and doing so with such confidence!

If his consort had complained about anything else, anything at all, Zhao Sui would have scolded her and corrected her improper language, but this...

After a long moment of shock and awkwardness, Zhao Sui thought of many inappropriate scenes.

On their wedding night, she had indeed been visibly restrained, and every time after that, she needed time to adjust. When she cried the hardest, she would even curse him without thinking, but in those moments, Zhao Sui didn't mind. After all, her tearful outbursts were natural, and the more bluntly she expressed her disdain, the more he...

Zhao Sui forcibly pulled his attention back to the fact that his consort was using this to accuse him.

He wanted to chide her for being unreasonable, but she did have some valid points. At night, she had indeed been tolerating and indulging him.

But could these two things really be compared?

His consort, who had been quietly sobbing, spoke again: "Forget it. It's ultimately my fault for having it too easy lately, forgetting that you are a prince and I am just the daughter of a minor official. Becoming your principal consort is a blessing from my past life. How could I still hope for both wealth and true affection from you?"

"Your Highness, sleep early. Don't worry, I've come to terms with it. As long as you still desire me and treat me with respect, I am truly content."

After saying this, she carefully wiped her eyes and leaned back into Prince Hui's arms, clinging to him affectionately: "Your Highness, please don't be upset about this. It won't happen again. From now on, I will do as you say."

Zhao Sui looked outside the tent. On the eleventh night, there was a half-moon, its faint light barely filtering through the window paper, making the room not completely dark.

He had comforted her to stop her from misunderstanding, feeling wronged, and crying. Now that his consort was no longer crying and seemed calm, Zhao Sui knew that if he silently accepted her words, it would mean admitting that all his kindness since their wedding was only because he was satisfied with her body, and that in a few years, he would tire of her and treat her badly.

Zhao Sui was not that kind of prince, and he didn't want his consort to silently endure such unnecessary grievances.

Zhao Sui also didn't want to explain to her why a disabled prince was unwilling to go out, nor did he want to face her sympathetic and pitying eyes every day from now on.

He had seen enough of those eyes; it was better for his consort to remain carefree.

Since his consort was convinced of her own reasoning, Zhao Sui could only fulfill her wishes to truly clear up her misunderstanding.

Holding her hand resting on his waist, Zhao Sui said, "I will accompany you for a stroll tomorrow."

The small hand in his palm stiffened noticeably, and the next moment, the head leaning against his shoulder lifted, and a dreamlike whisper entered his ear: "Your Highness, what did you just say?"

Zhao Sui turned to look at her and said, "I said, tomorrow I will accompany you for a stroll around this town."

Her laughter burst out before her lips could curve into a smile, just like that noon outside the bamboo forest. Overjoyed, his consort threw herself onto him again, lying on top of him, shaking with happiness for a while. Then she lifted her head and asked hesitantly, "Is it just for tomorrow, or will you accompany me whenever I want to go out?"

Zhao Sui pursed his lips.

Yao Huang immediately said considerately, "I know Your Highness prefers peace and quiet. I won't ask you to accompany me every day. How about six or seven times a month? Just like how Your Highness accompanies me six or seven times a month."

Zhao Sui: "...Fine, but only within Lingshan Town. If I accompany you too much in the capital, and my father finds out, he might get angry because I have repeatedly refused to enter the palace."

Yao Huang laughed, "Alright, but I don't think my father is that petty. After children get married, they naturally focus more on their own families, just like how my father spends more time with his consorts than with you all..."

Zhao Sui covered her mouth and took the opportunity to say, "Do not speak disrespectfully of His Majesty, and you need to curb your habit of speaking without filter. Some words, if overheard, could undermine your dignity as the princess consort and easily invite criticism of your parents' upbringing."

Yao Huang bit her lip and glared at him, "It's all your fault, Your Highness. I'm usually very ladylike."

Prince Hui remained silent.

Yao Huang continued to explain, "Moreover, my parents were very strict with me. They never allowed me to read those trashy novels. It was my brother and his rowdy classmates. When I was young, I went to watch them play polo and overheard some crude language during their fights. I didn't understand what they meant back then, and only figured it out after marrying you, Your Highness."

Zhao Sui: "...That novel you read last time, was it a trashy one?"

Yao Huang: "...Of course not, it was a serious tale, revealing the misdeeds of some corrupt officials. As for what those trashy novels are about, I haven't read them so I don't know. When I go to the bookstore to pick out novels, the shopkeeper would also warn me that certain books aren't for young ladies."

Prince Hui suddenly pinched her plump cheek.

It hurt a bit, and Yao Huang slapped his hand, "Why did you pinch me?"

Zhao Sui: "You accused me of a lot tonight, consider this a small punishment."

Yao Huang thought for a moment and then pinched his cheek, "You being so tight-lipped made me shed so many tears, this is also a small punishment."

Unfortunately, there wasn't much flesh on Prince Hui's face, making it hard to pinch.

.

The tears were just for show, and after some intimate moments before bed, Yao Huang slept soundly that night. However, she woke up the next morning with a familiar ache.

Although it was early morning, it was already light outside, and one could hear the distant crowing of roosters from the common folk's homes.

Yao Huang looked at Prince Hui, who was still asleep beside her, quietly sat up, and glanced at the silk bedding. Sure enough, there was a spot of blood.

She looked back at Prince Hui, who was already awake, quietly watching her every move.

Yao Huang first covered her eyes with her hands, "Are my eyes very swollen and ugly?"

Zhao Sui: "...Not bad, not ugly."

Yao Huang felt her own face and muttered, "Luckily, I used cold compresses on my eyes last night."

Zhao Sui: "Is it that time of the month?"

Yao Huang's face flushed, and she glared at him several times, "Your reprimand last night was quite timely, otherwise, I would have deprived you for over ten nights."

Zhao Sui lowered his eyes and sat up with his hands on the bed.

Yao Huang took her clothes and went to the bathroom to tidy herself up. When she returned, she saw that Prince Hui had already put on his inner garments. Yao Huang went out to check, and the quilt on the bed in the west room was already folded. A Ji was either fetching water or helping in the kitchen in the west courtyard. As for Fei Quan, he was already seated on the corridor bench, and upon seeing her, he immediately jumped up.

Yao Huang returned to the east room and pushed Prince Hui out to Fei Quan. Afraid of being overheard by the scholar's family next door, none of the three spoke, and there was nothing that needed to be said.

Not long after, Qing Ai came with a bucket of warm water, accompanied by A Ji.

After Qing Ai took away the water used in the east room last night, A Ji approached the princess consort by the bed and said with a smile, "Madam, have you reconciled with His Highness?"

The walls of the houses in the small town were not as soundproof as those in the palace. In the dead of night, A Ji, lying in the west room, could clearly hear the sounds from the madam.

Yao Huang glared at her.

A Ji changed the subject, "Just now, Fei Quan went to the kitchen to pass on the message, specifically asking us to bring warm water for madam to wash up, and also told me to serve breakfast directly by your bedside. His Highness is quite considerate."

Yao Huang: "Considerate, my foot! My back is killing me."

A Ji: "Let me massage it for you!"

Yao Huang didn’t want to be massaged; she just wanted to lie still.

A Ji attended to the princess's morning routine, then gathered the laundry and bedding for washing. Breakfast was ready in the kitchen, and A Ji and Qing Ai brought it in together. They first set the food in the main room, and A Ji moved a table to the princess's bedside. Qing Ai went to bring the prince over, and everything was well-organized.

Thus, Prince Hui and his princess, who had parted earlier that morning, met again by the bedside.

Yao Huang leaned lazily against the headboard, feeling weak and with less appetite than usual.

Zhao Sui deeply regretted what had happened the night before, thinking that if he hadn’t pushed her, she might not feel so weak this morning.

"Is it hard to sit up?" Seeing her look at the table without moving forward, Zhao Sui asked.

Yao Huang nodded, then lay back down, looking at him and said, "Second Master, go ahead and eat. I’m really not hungry this time."

Zhao Sui: "You still need to eat. Let A Ji come in and feed you."

Yao Huang felt a pang and whispered, "I want you to feed me, Second Master."

Zhao Sui noticed the princess’s face was paler than usual, making her dark eyes appear even more pitiful. He pushed the small table between them to the side, then turned the two large wheels of the rattan wheelchair, moving to the head of the bed.

The breakfast was seafood porridge, paired with vegetarian dumplings that Madam Gao had made, boiled, and fried early in the morning, along with two side dishes, one cold and one hot.

The river shrimp had been shelled and deveined. Zhao Sui held the bowl in one hand, feeding the princess with a spoonful of porridge and a spoonful of shrimp with the other.

Yao Huang opened her mouth to receive his spoon, her dark, moist eyes fixed on him.

Zhao Sui: "What are you looking at?"

Yao Huang smiled with a look of having taken full advantage: "I'm thinking, I'm really bold, daring to order a prince to serve me."

Zhao Sui: "Knowing that, you still dared to speak up?"

Yao Huang: "Who made you my husband? It's only natural for a husband to dote on his wife."

Zhao Sui then just focused on feeding her.

After Yao Huang finished eating, it was her turn to watch the prince eat slowly and carefully. When Prince Hui finished eating and was about to leave, Yao Huang said, "Later, Second Master, write me a note about what we agreed on last night. Otherwise, I'm afraid that after being delayed by my period for two days, when I call you to accompany me for a stroll, you might deny it."

Zhao Sui: "..."