Chapter 128

Chapter 128

The grassland in the North Garden wasn't completely flat; it was dotted with small depressions and gentle grassy slopes, making it ideal for playing chuiwan.

Each ball hole was marked with a colorful flag, ensuring that even if Yao Huang and others were not playing, Emperor Yongchang and his ministers would know to go around when passing by on horseback, avoiding any accidents where a horse might step into a ball hole. Yao Huang had specifically chosen a section of the garden that Emperor Yongchang rarely visited.

Beside the grassland, several felt cushions were laid out, with canopies overhead, offering a spot to rest for those tired from playing.

The sky was clear and wide, and the canopies blocked the growing heat of the sun. The North Garden was indeed cooler than the capital, but prolonged exposure to the sun would still make one feel hot.

Yao Huang lay comfortably with her head on Chen Ying's lap.

Chen Ying glanced at the three kids, Dun Ge'er and the others, who were still deep in their game, figuring no one would come over soon. She looked down at Yao Huang's flushed, sweaty face and said with envy, "You seem at home wherever you are."

Yao Huang smiled at her, "This is the Emperor's North Garden. The Emperor is our father, so the North Garden is like our royal family's big garden. Since it's our home, why hold back?"

From what Yao Huang had seen, Emperor Yongchang wasn't a strict father-in-law who would control his daughters-in-law's fun. She followed the rules but had fun when it was time. If Emperor Yongchang ever scolded her for being too relaxed, she could always change her ways later. It wasn't like she'd done something terrible that would get her divorced.

Plus, Prince Hui was there to guide her. If there was something she really shouldn't do, Prince Hui would let her know.

Chen Ying couldn't disagree with Yao Huang's logic.

Suddenly, she looked towards the direction of the palace.

Yao Huang turned her head and saw five eunuchs approaching, one leading the way while the other four carried food boxes.

As they drew closer, Yao Huang recognized the leader as a steward eunuch from Empress Zhou's entourage, sent by Empress Zhou to deliver pastries to everyone.

The palace pastries were exquisitely made, and Yao Huang had mastered the etiquette of eating them. She picked up a piece of mung bean cake, which she could have once eaten in one bite, and now chewed it slowly, taking four bites to finish it.

The pastries that the mistresses couldn't finish were given to the accompanying maids and nannies, and soon the four food boxes were emptied.

At this moment, the steward eunuch whispered something into the ear of the First Princess, then led the four junior eunuchs in a bow before retreating.

After playing another round, the First Princess wiped the sweat from her forehead and said with a smile, "I'm tired, let's call it a day."

Except for the three children who were still eager to continue, Yao Huang and the others guessed that something might have happened at the palace.

The First Princess was indeed gentle and amiable, but she would never bring up matters that shouldn't be discussed. Yao Huang wouldn't take advantage of their relationship to pry either.

However, before parting at the palace, the First Princess gave Yao Huang a hint, "We've been playing for several days in a row, and I'm feeling a bit tired. I'll rest in my room this afternoon and invite you sisters for another outing another day."

Yao Huang smiled, "That sounds good, I was just about to suggest the same."

The First Princess and the Second Princess walked side by side towards the West Palace, while Yao Huang accompanied Chen Ying and her children towards the East, not discussing much along the way.

At Yunshan Hall, Eunuch Cao, upon hearing that the princess had returned, immediately came over.

Yao Huang noticed that he had something to say and asked A Ji to leave first. It wasn't that she didn't trust A Ji, but sometimes matters of the palace could be frightening, and she preferred to hear them first before deciding whether to share them with her maids.

Eunuch Cao whispered, "Prince Qing has returned, and he didn't seem very happy when he passed by the front gate."

Yao Huang asked, "Do you know why?"

Eunuch Cao shook his head. The prince had set rules for them to be obedient and not to act on their own regarding external matters without his orders. Therefore, when in the palace, he and Nanny Liu wouldn't proactively seek information from other palaces, and at the North Garden, they stayed quietly at Yunshan Hall, not inquiring about anything.

If it weren't for the fact that Prince Qing had to pass by Yunshan Hall on his return and he had coincidentally sent a junior eunuch to fetch the day's floral arrangements, they might not have even known that Prince Qing had returned.

Since Eunuch Cao didn't know, Yao Huang could only wait for Prince Hui, who was on duty at the court, to provide some insight.

At dusk, Prince Hui returned on time. Upon entering, he first greeted Eunuch Cao, who was present: "How was the consort's outing today?"

Eunuch Cao: "She returned after playing chuiwan for two hours in the morning and did not go out again in the afternoon."

Zhao Sui nodded in understanding.

Just as he rounded the screen wall, the consort came from behind, took the wheelchair, and pushed him into the east chamber, closing the door to inquire about Prince Qing.

Zhao Sui briefly explained: "Father was angry that he lost too many troops, so he punished him by withholding his stipend for a year and confining him to his residence for three months for reflection."

Yao Huang was shocked and covered her mouth. Five thousand taels of stipend just withheld like that?

"How many troops did he actually lose?" After the initial shock, Yao Huang quickly followed up. Prince Hui was a man of few words and hadn't mentioned the details of Prince Qing's bandit suppression to her. Empress Zhou, Consort Xianfei, and the eldest princess only praised Prince Qing's achievements in front of Consort Rou and Zheng Yuanzhen. Yao Huang herself didn't like to pry into other princes' affairs.

Zhao Sui lowered his eyes: "Over nine hundred."

Knowing the consort would be curious, Zhao Sui finally detailed Peng Daji's memorial, which was considered fair.

Yao Huang didn't know how difficult bandit suppression was and couldn't judge Prince Qing's merits and faults. She thought about those over nine hundred soldiers, lost in an instant in an ambush. Compared to their lives, Prince Qing losing a year's stipend of five thousand taels was nothing.

"So last month when Father reprimanded me, it was because he was angry after reading the third prince's report, and he held it in until now to act."

Zhao Sui nodded in agreement.

Yao Huang sat opposite Prince Hui and, unusually, also fell silent.

If Prince Qing were just an outsider unrelated to them, Yao Huang would surely have mocked him. But Prince Qing was Prince Hui's brother and a prince who had married Prince Hui's cousin with whom he had a verbal engagement. Either of them criticizing Prince Qing's faults would seem like gloating.

"Let him be punished; it's Father's decision and has nothing to do with us," Yao Huang concluded. "In the future, when I see Consort Rou, the eldest princess, or the third prince's consort, I'll be careful not to say the wrong thing and hurt their feelings."

Zhao Sui: "Yes, let's also avoid going to the North Garden for a few days."

With trouble brewing for the third prince, it wouldn't be appropriate for them to continue their leisure activities.

Mentioning this, Yao Huang glared at him: "Since you knew, why didn't you send a message back this morning? Even the Empress knew to send a message to the eldest princess. If it weren't for the eldest princess reminding me not to go out in the afternoon, I would still be in the dark. What if I ran into Father again?"

Zhao Sui: "Ignorance is not a fault. Father wouldn't really take it out on you."

Sending a message specifically for this matter would make it seem like he was overly concerned about Prince Qing being reprimanded. It was enough to remind the consort after he returned.

Yao Huang looked at Prince Hui's handsome and refined face and guessed his thoughts. Indeed, Prince Hui had long been out of the running for the throne. Even if Prince Qing angered Emperor Yongchang, Emperor Yongchang would only favor Prince Kang or the fourth prince more. Why should Prince Hui make a fuss and send someone back with a message?

Inside the palace, there were guards or eunuchs stationed at regular intervals, and no one's comings and goings could escape their eyes, nor the eyes of those who could inquire from them.

At night, lying in bed, Zhao Sui held the consort who leaned over and said, "It's just as well your period is due. If the Empress asks why you're not very active, you have a valid reason."

Yao Huang nodded. Last month it came on the eleventh, and today was already the thirteenth. It should come tomorrow.

Thinking of Prince Hui's eagerness after a long abstinence, Yao Huang rested her head on his arm and began to trace circles on Prince Hui's chest with her finger.

Zhao Sui held her hand: "Sleep."

With Prince Qing just punished, if he, as an elder brother, did this tonight, what would the consort think of him?

Yao Huang muttered, "Mentioning that my period is near, aren't you hinting that I should hurry?"

Prince Hui was like this, eager but unwilling to admit it, always using words and actions to lure her into taking the initiative. If Yao Huang didn't cooperate, next time Prince Hui would dare to keep her up all night.

Zhao Sui: "...I didn't mean that."

Yao Huang: "Right, the prince didn't think of it, but I did."

The princess, knowing that if she didn't take the initiative tonight and waited until her period came, Prince Hui would be very upset, eagerly began kissing Prince Hui's neck.

Zhao Sui: "..."

The next day, Yao Huang spent the whole day reading novels at Yunshan Hall. In the evening, when Prince Hui returned, Yao Huang was engrossed in a new book and didn't go to greet him.

Zhao Sui thought the princess might be feeling unwell. After changing into casual clothes, he went to the backyard to see the princess. When he arrived at the side room, he saw the princess lying on the couch, chin in hand, flipping through the novel, her fair feet exposed, one crossed over the other.

Zhao Sui signaled Qing Ai to push him back, stopping behind the long table.

From inside came the princess's puzzled voice: "Why isn't the prince coming in?"

Zhao Sui: "I don't want to interrupt your reading."

Yao Huang didn't think much of it.

As night fell, the princess, shyly, hugged him and whispered in Prince Hui's ear, 'It hasn't come yet. Should we hurry?'

Her warm breath in his ear made Prince Hui tense up.

But Prince Hui, still rational, asked, 'Why is it three days late this time?'

Yao Huang: "It's fine, it's been late before. Maybe it's because we moved to a new place and I'm still adjusting."

The eighteen-year-old princess didn't think much of it, but the twenty-four-year-old Prince Hui considered a possibility.

But he didn't say it out loud, afraid the princess would get too excited and lose sleep.

"Today, Minister Yan assigned me a project. I need to do some calculations. You should sleep first."

Yao Huang understood, tonight Prince Hui really wasn't thinking about it.

Early in the morning, Prince Hui woke up first, finding the princess lying with her back to him. He sat up, lifted the quilt, glanced outside the tent, then slowly turned to look at the princess's light-colored silk trousers.

Whether it was the silk trousers or the place where the princess had slept, everything was spotless.

Zhao Sui's heart raced with an unfamiliar excitement. Zhao Sui quietly covered the soundly sleeping princess with the quilt.

A Ji and Qing Ai were waiting in the side room. Seeing the prince pushing himself out, Qing Ai promptly stepped forward to take over the wheelchair.

A Ji was already familiar with Prince Hui's preferences, knowing that the prince didn't like the maids to escort him back and forth, so she respectfully stood aside, waiting for the prince's wheelchair to leave her sight before relaxing.

The prince, who hardly ever spoke to them, actually looked at her and whispered: "Be careful when serving the princess these days, don't let her do any running or jumping."

A Ji quickly agreed.

When the princess was about to get up, A Ji would relay the prince's instructions to her.

Yao Huang touched her waist, which showed no signs of soreness, and suddenly a thought she couldn't believe popped into her mind, could it be...