Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Yao Huang had never dared to bring up Prince Hui's legs directly, such as whether, apart from being immobile, they still had sensations of cold, heat, pain, or itchiness.

However, after being married for more than half a year, through some unintentional small actions, Yao Huang had deduced the answer herself: yes. The evidence was in the way he’d look over in confusion when her feet accidentally brushed against his legs as she turned in bed. And the cushion she personally wove in summer was indeed used by Prince Hui in the bamboo courtyard study.

Yao Huang had managed to get the details about the cushion from Qing Ai.

Since his legs still had sensation, Yao Huang didn’t want Prince Hui stuck on a cold, hard wooden wheelchair in winter, unable to walk, as he was already more prone to feeling cold than others.

Therefore, when Prince Hui returned to the mansion in the evening, he saw the three new leather chairs in the hall.

Yao Huang wheeled the four-wheeled chair over and asked him to feel it.

Zhao Sui gave it a light press.

Yao Huang leaned on the chair back, looking expectantly at Prince Hui's calm face: "Isn’t it both comfortable and stately?"

Zhao Sui looked at another standard armchair with golden brocade covering the back and seat.

Yao Huang leaned back with a laugh, perfectly at ease: "This is mine. Knowing that you don’t like chairs to be too ornate, I didn’t ask Master Deng to make a leather back for you. Why not give it a try? If it suits you, I’ll let Master Deng know."

Zhao Sui thought that when he got tired from reading documents, he also wanted to lean back, but the backs of these newer lightweight wheelchairs weren’t ideal for leaning on for long.

Zhao Sui couldn’t accept deliberately stuffing a cushion behind him, but if it were like his wife’s chair...

"Push it over."

Prince Hui rarely showed interest, so Yao Huang sprang into action.

She maneuvered the heavy armchair to where Prince Hui had indicated, cooperatively stabilized Prince Hui's wheelchair, then watched as he skillfully changed positions, supporting himself with one hand on the armchair and the other on the wheelchair.

After testing it, Zhao Sui said, "Tell Master Deng to use only pure leather."

He didn’t need any silk upholstery or embroidery.

Seeing Prince Hui satisfied, Yao Huang perched on his lap, gleefully sharing how she’d earned five thousand taels thanks to the leather chair.

Zhao Sui leaned back on the comfortable and elastic leather chair back, looking at his wife's sparkling eyes filled with joy, thinking of all the officials, merchants, and their families who’d soon enjoy the comfort of this chair, all benefiting from his wife's care for him.

However, in Yao Huang's eyes, Prince Hui's handsome face was still as calm as ever, only his relaxed posture revealed that his mood hadn’t soured over her accepting money from a merchant.

Yao Huang cautiously added: "Don’t worry, Your Highness, I only took this one payment. No matter how much he sells later, it has nothing to do with our mansion."

Zhao Sui held his wife's hand and said: "It was your idea, so the five thousand taels are yours by right. No need to fret."

Yao Huang gave him a reproachful look: "If Your Highness would laugh with me, I would certainly be just happy."

Zhao Sui remained silent. He was disabled, not poor. If he got excited over five thousand taels, wouldn’t his wife see him as shallow?

Of course, his wife's smile was beautiful, and Prince Hui wished his wife could be this happy every day.

Though happy, Yao Huang kept her wits about her. She leaned on his shoulder and said: "If I weren’t the princess consort, Proprietor Fu would’ve gone straight to selling the chairs, not coming to seek my consent. He gave me five thousand taels because he feared I’d resent his profits later."

Without the idea of making leather chairs, Yao Huang wouldn’t have earned these five thousand taels. With just the idea and no backing, how much she’d get would’ve been up to Proprietor Fu’s goodwill.

"So, Your Highness played a part in this windfall too. I’ve decided to give Your Highness a luxurious gift."

Yao Huang lifted her head and said to Prince Hui very generously.

Previously, she only gave Prince Hui small snacks and trinkets that could be bought with copper coins, which were just her way of showing she cared. She could have given more expensive gifts, but using the royal stipend or the monthly allowance from Prince Hui to buy such gifts felt like recycling gifts, lacking sincerity.

Now, having earned five thousand taels of silver through her ingenuity, she could truly use her own cash to give Prince Hui a gift.

Zhao Sui could see that the princess was serious and asked, "What fancy gift are you thinking of? A thousand-tael hair crown and jade pendant, two to three thousand taels for a fancy fur coat, or four to five thousand taels for a famous painting?"

Yao Huang: "..."

Zhao Sui: "We’ve got all that stuff in the palace. Except for famous paintings, which I am interested in collecting, no need to splurge on clothes or jewelry."

Yao Huang: "...What famous painting costs four to five thousand taels? I think your painting skills are excellent, the best in the world. Instead of appreciating your own works, you spend thousands of taels on others' paintings. That’s just silly. I’d rather buy you a thousand-tael hair crown and jade pendant."

She wasn’t about to blow all her savings on one gift!

Zhao Sui chuckled softly over the princess’s head and said slowly, "What I’m saying is, I don’t need pricey gifts."

Yao Huang let out a relieved sigh: "Alright, then on the next day off, I’ll take you to South Street for some fresh-off-the-grill lamb skewers."

Zhao Sui: "Gifts should be something you can keep."

Yao Huang: "...The wheelchairs I’ve given you are practically overflowing a storeroom."

Zhao Sui: "Wheelchairs aren’t your handiwork, so they don’t count as gifts."

Yao Huang realized and sat up straight, tilting her head to smile at Prince Hui: "So, you want a gift made by my own hands. I’ve already given you a cushion, and you didn’t like the cotton pad. How about I sew you a pair of thick socks? I’m not the best at sewing, but you can wear them inside your boots, so no one will laugh."

Prince Hui lowered his eyes: "Socks are useful, but not something you’d collect."

His demeanor, acting all reserved but clearly wanting something, suddenly reminded Yao Huang of a common item beauties in stories often gave to their lovers. She casually asked, "What about an embroidered hanky?"

Prince Hui thought for a moment and nodded slightly.

Yao Huang: "..."

The next day was the eighth of the month, with no court in session. The few officials Prince Hui encountered on his way to and from the palace didn’t notice that although he was still sitting in a golden nanmu wheelchair, the seat had been quietly swapped out for soft cowhide. The officials from the Ministry of Works had no chance to notice either, as Prince Hui spent the whole day going through papers without making an appearance.

On the ninth, there was a court session. Qing Ai pushed Prince Hui to the foot of the white marble steps in front of the grand hall and then stepped aside. Because of protocol, Prince Kang helped push the wheelchair during the court session.

In the freezing dawn of deep winter, Prince Kang deliberately stood to the left front of his younger brother, using his sturdy frame to block the cold wind.

Prince Qing, who had just arrived, stood close to the back of his brother’s wheelchair, using his big brother’s shadow to keep the wind off.

Zhao Sui: "..."

When Prince Qing stamped his feet, his knee bumped against the back of the wheelchair seat. Noticing something odd, he bent down curiously to touch it.

The two prime ministers standing behind the three princes didn’t see Prince Qing’s specific actions and turned to the sides respectively, indicating they hadn’t noticed any impolite behavior. The next moment, they heard Prince Qing’s puzzled voice: "Second brother, is your seat made of leather?"

The two prime ministers and nearby civil and military officials all looked over.

Prince Qing asked a palace attendant for a lamp and circled his brother’s wheelchair, allowing everyone to see clearly.

If Prince Hui had simply added a cushion to his wheelchair, it would have made the officials laugh at him for sacrificing dignity for comfort. But Prince Hui’s new wheelchair had replaced the hard wooden seat with cowhide, the same quality as their official boots, just dyed differently, and it looked classy and impressive. The officials could only admire and envy.

Especially the civil officials, who spent years sitting on hard wooden chairs in their offices, knew all too well about comfort.

Prince Hui simply explained that it was cowhide and let Prince Qing and the officials discuss it as they pleased.

Prince Qing also wanted a cowhide chair and asked his brother where he bought it.

Zhao Sui: "It wasn't bought. Your second sister-in-law had the carpenter modify it. She was worried that I would get colder the longer I sat, due to my leg condition."

Prince Qing: "..."

Prince Kang, upon hearing this, felt both heartache for his younger brother's hardship and relief that his sister-in-law was so considerate, and couldn't help but praise her.

The whispers quietly reached the ears of the officials behind them, and they all murmured praises for Princess Hui's grace and thoughtfulness.

Minister Yan Lun of the Ministry of Works and Minister Meng Bing of the Ministry of Revenue exchanged glances twice.

The first time, Yan Lun thought he could submit a petition to the Emperor to have leather chairs made for all officials in the government offices, using rabbit or rat skin for softness, and only issuing them to officials of the fifth rank and above to save on expenses. Meng Bing understood his look and supported him with his own gaze.

The second time, Yan Lun realized it was futile. Prince Hui used a leather chair because his legs were disabled and he feared the cold. How could they, as officials, justify complaining about the hardness of wooden benches? Meng Bing understood again, and since the Minister of Works had given up on the idea, he, as the treasurer, should not actively suggest spending the court's money.

Among the three princes, Prince Qing returned the lantern to the palace servant, thinking he would tell his cousin to visit Princess Hui that evening. The craftsmanship of the chair was so exquisite that it must have taken a lot of effort. Rather than having his own carpenter waste time figuring it out, it would be better to ask Princess Hui to use her accustomed carpenters.

At dawn, Prince Kang pushed his younger brother towards the ramp.

Emperor Yongchang appeared only after all the civil and military officials had assembled.

From his high vantage point, Emperor Yongchang shouldn't have noticed the change in Prince Hui's wheelchair seat, but he saw several military officers on the right tilting their heads to sneak glances at the three princes, and even Prince Qing was looking under his second brother's seat. Suspicious and disliking the feeling of being the only one kept in the dark, he suddenly barked, "Prince Qing, what are you looking at with your head down?"

Prince Qing, who had been selecting leather colors in his mind, was startled and stepped forward, respectfully saying, "Reporting to Your Majesty, I was looking at Second Brother's leather chair seat. The leather keeps warm, so Second Brother won't be afraid of sitting for long periods in the cold. I was so overjoyed for Second Brother that I momentarily forgot the rules."

Indeed, it was a happy occasion. Emperor Yongchang waved his hand with a wave of his hand and didn't pursue the matter with Prince Qing.

After the court session, Qing Ai had just taken the wheelchair from Prince Kang when Eunuch Wang sent a young palace servant to deliver a message that the Emperor had summoned Prince Hui to the imperial study.

Naturally, Emperor Yongchang wanted to observe Prince Hui's leather wheelchair up close.

After looking and pressing it, Emperor Yongchang sighed, "You've married a good wife."

Zhao Sui: "...Princess Hui said that the leather seat can insulate against the cold, and adding a leather backrest might also relieve the fatigue of working at a desk. She is having the carpenter work on it. The wheelchair is for my personal use, and the armchair is to be presented to Father Emperor. If Father Emperor finds it useful, it can be handed over to the palace craftsmen to improve the technique."

Emperor Yongchang laughed, "Good, thanks to you, I too have gained a fine daughter-in-law!"