Chapter 139

Chapter 139

Although Yao Huang and Prince Hui lived in the rear hall of the temporary palace, neither had the authority to invite officials or female relatives into their quarters.

After resting in the afternoon, Yao Huang went to Empress Zhou's side and asked Empress Zhou to help her summon Li Fuwei: "The Emperor has arranged such a favorable marriage for my brother, but my parents don't know the news yet. I must express their affection for Miss Li on their behalf, and also put in a good word for my brother in front of Miss Li."

Empress Zhou smiled and said, "The Li family is a military family, and your brother has also learned excellent martial arts. He is also good-looking and skilled. Fuwei is sure to like him."

The eldest princess said, "I can't say whether Fuwei will like Young Master Yao, but Fuwei will definitely like her second sister-in-law."

Princess Consort Yao Huang had attended too many banquets and had heard of Li Fuwei, the spirited daughter of a military family. In terms of handling spears and swords, horseback riding, and hunting, she and Li Fuwei could indeed find common ground. However, Princess Consort Yao Huang learned martial arts purely out of envy from watching her brothers compete, and hunting was just for leisure. It paled in comparison to Li Fuwei's ambition to one day defend the country on the battlefield.

Moreover, Li Fuwei not only practiced martial arts but also diligently studied military strategy. It was said that her talent was not inferior to her two older brothers.

After drinking tea and chatting, the palace maid dispatched by Empress Zhou returned, accompanied by Li Fuwei, who was wearing a white blouse with blue trim and a lake-blue long skirt. Her expression was calm but not aloof, radiating a serene beauty, like an orchid in a secluded valley.

After exchanging pleasantries and a few brief words, Empress Zhou allowed the three young people to stroll in the garden.

The eldest princess helped Princess Consort Yao Huang and Li Fuwei get acquainted and then tactfully excused herself.

After a brief interaction, Princess Consort Yao Huang found that Li Fuwei was indeed a woman of few words, as the eldest princess had hinted. She would respond when spoken to, but otherwise, Li Fuwei wouldn't engage in small talk.

This made it hard for Princess Consort Yao Huang to dive into deeper conversation immediately.

After walking for a while, Princess Consort Yao Huang suddenly raised her hand to her forehead, frowning slightly.

Knowing that Princess Hui was expecting, Li Fuwei, out of caution, steadied the Princess Consort's shoulder: "Is Your Highness feeling unwell?"

Princess Consort Yao Huang put her hand down and saw a hint of tension and concern finally appear in Li Fuwei's calm eyes.

She smiled softly: "It's nothing serious, just a headache. I don't know how to bring this up with you."

Li Fuwei: "..."

The Princess Consort was very beautiful, and her smile was even more radiant and captivating.

Especially those round, bright, and moist black eyes, which, while revealing a hint of mischief, also made it hard to stay annoyed with her.

Assured that the Princess Consort was fine, Li Fuwei let go and said, "If Your Highness has something to say, please speak freely."

Princess Consort Yao Huang sighed: "Yesterday, the Emperor bestowed a marriage, which is a great joy for my brother, but I fear that the young lady might feel wronged. After all, the young lady hails from a duke's family, and my brother is just..."

Li Fuwei: "Your Highness worries too much. I never imagined marrying someone of equal standing. When the Emperor asked for my opinion at the hunting grounds yesterday, I only considered your brother's appearance, temperament, and talent, and did not care about anything else."

Princess Consort Yao Huang's heart stirred, and she looked at her and asked, "Then did you agree to the marriage because you didn't want to go against the Emperor, or because you were somewhat satisfied with my brother's appearance, temperament, and talent?"

Li Fuwei lowered her eyes: "Both."

Princess Consort Yao Huang smiled: "My brother is indeed quite handsome. His martial arts may not compare to those of military family children like you, but among ordinary military officers, he is still quite good. However, his temperament might not be so pleasing to young ladies. Not to mention the distant past, just take the Red Fox incident. Everyone knew not to touch it, but he was only thinking about the hundred taels of reward money, heartless and careless. My mother even scolded him for being foolish."

Li Fuwei: "...He hunted the Red Fox for the reward money?"

Princess Consort Yao Huang: "Yes, what else did you think it was for?"

Li Fuwei looked away.

Princess Consort Yao Huang thought of Emperor Yongchang's praise for her brother and then looked at Li Fuwei's expression. She didn't regret exposing her brother's shortcomings because such foolishness could be hidden for a day but not for a month. She only felt sympathy for Li Fuwei: "What should we do? Now that you've found out that my brother isn't as brave as you thought, do you regret agreeing?"

Li Fuwei paused and asked, "Is he usually greedy for money?"

Yao Huang: "If loving money is considered greedy, then both my brother and I are quite greedy. After all, my father only earns a monthly salary of five taels, and my mother always manages the household carefully. Suddenly, we have a chance to earn rewards through hunting, which can make the whole family happy. I can navigate the social intricacies of officialdom, but my brother doesn't have that kind of insight. However, my brother is very upright; he wouldn't take money he shouldn't."

Li Fuwei, hearing the princess mention her father's salary, fully understood the difference in their family backgrounds.

So, although Yao Lin hunting the Red Fox wasn't an act of bravery, it wasn't motivated by greed.

"In that case, I won't regret it."

Yao Huang went on to list her brother's flaws, like being careless, blunt, socially unaware, and awkward at comforting others.

She first criticized her brother thoroughly, so that when Li Fuwei married into the family, she would more easily see her brother's good qualities, as she had already prepared for his shortcomings.

Li Fuwei listened quietly, and because the princess was so earnest in criticizing her own brother, Li Fuwei was touched and asked, "Do the prince, princess, or your brother have reservations about this marriage and want me to reconsider?"

Yesterday, after her father and brother returned from meeting the emperor, they summoned her and advised her, saying the emperor had no intention of punishing their family but disapproved of their involvement in the crown prince's disputes.

As for which prince Emperor Yongchang would select, her father told them not to speculate and to focus on their duties from now on.

The Li family accepted this, but perhaps Prince Hui wanted to stay out of it, or maybe Yao Lin didn't want to marry someone like her?

Yao Huang, realizing her misunderstanding, quickly clarified, "No, no, I just don't want you to expect too much from my brother's temperament, so you won't be disappointed. My brother also said he would do his best to treat you well, but he's afraid you might disdain his low family status, lack of education, and not being smart enough."

Li Fuwei: "Then he need not worry, I don't value these things."

After meeting Li Fuwei, Yao Huang went to thank Empress Zhou and then returned to Yunshan Hall.

Prince Hui was in the study. Hearing footsteps, he looked up and met the bright smile of the princess as she lifted the curtain.

Zhao Sui put down his book and moved his wheelchair back to make room for the princess to sit on his lap.

"Relieved?" Zhao Sui asked, holding the princess.

Yao Huang: "Yes, Miss Li clearly doesn't care about status and fame. Without the concerns of family background, it's just a matter of whether my brother can win her favor. By the way, when you see my brother later, tell him this..."

The princess then taught him a long speech.

Zhao Sui: "...I have set up a feast by the lake, no outsiders, you can join."

The princess's words sounded nice, but Zhao Sui couldn't imagine himself relaying them exactly to Yao Lin.

Yao Huang: "That's fine, a feast by the lake, what are we eating?"

Female family members could still enter the back hall, but it wouldn't be appropriate for male relatives like her brother. It wasn't worth disturbing Emperor Yongchang for their family's happy event.

Prince Hui couldn't possibly go to her brother's camp, so the lakeside was indeed a good place.

Zhao Sui: "Barbecue, convenient."

Yao Huang loved barbecue, but eating only meat could be too greasy. She asked Eunuch Cao to go to the imperial kitchen and order three cold dishes and some refreshing fruits.

Just before dusk, the couple set off, but unexpectedly ran into Emperor Yongchang returning on horseback as they left the palace. Accompanying him were several dukes and marquises, including Duke of State Stabilization Li Qian.

Emperor Yongchang glanced at the food box in A Ji's hand and the wine jar Fei Quan was carrying, and asked in surprise, "Are you going out to eat?"

Is the second prince in such a good mood that he even wants to drink?

Zhao Sui explained, "This morning, I just informed Yao Lin of the princess's good news. Yao Lin was overjoyed and wanted to share a few drinks with me to celebrate."

Emperor Yongchang smiled and looked at Duke of State Stabilization.

He knew that the second son's wife had summoned Yao Lin in the morning and heard that Yao Lin left so excited that he ran like a wild horse. Emperor Yongchang initially thought it was due to the marriage arrangement, but it turned out to be the joy of becoming an uncle.

Li Qian smiled in agreement, gaining a deeper insight into his future son-in-law's character.

Emperor Yongchang did not keep the young couple waiting any longer and proceeded inside.

By the lake, Yao Lin had arrived early and was waiting. Seeing that his brother-in-law, the prince, had indeed prepared wine, his delight grew even more.

The imperial kitchen dispatched a master chef to roast half of a freshly butchered yellow sheep for Prince Hui and his consort, with the accompanying guard, Zhang Yue, assisting nearby.

The bonfire for roasting the sheep was set some distance away from the seating area, allowing Yao Huang the opportunity to relay Li Fuwei's words to her brother.

Yao Lin: "Good, as long as she doesn't dislike me, I will certainly do my best to accommodate her and avoid causing her any displeasure."

As he spoke, Yao Lin glanced at his brother-in-law, the prince, who sat silently beside his sister, sipping tea.

His sister had married a royal prince, and he was to marry a noble lady from the Duke's mansion—their situations were quite similar.

His sister had won Prince Hui's favor through her gentleness and thoughtfulness, and he, too, would strive to use gentleness and thoughtfulness to ensure that Miss Li would not dislike him.

Zhao Sui: "..."

After the simple feast concluded, the setting sun was at its zenith, casting a shimmering glow across the lake.

The master chef from the imperial kitchen gathered his things and departed, and Yao Lin, too, left, sated and content.

Yao Huang pushed Prince Hui along the lakeside in the direction of the palace.

The setting sun cast its light from behind, stretching the shadows of the couple and Prince Hui's wheelchair.

Zhao Sui recalled what the princess consort had said to Yao Lin in the morning and the look Yao Lin had given him just now, and asked the princess consort: "In the early days of our marriage, did I often make things difficult for you?"

Yao Huang: "No, why would Your Highness suddenly say that?"

Prince Hui did not answer.

Yao Huang: "...Because my brother is marrying a high-born lady, Your Highness is reminded of our time then?"

Prince Hui tacitly agreed.

Yao Huang said as she walked: "Given Your Highness's status, you need not actively make things difficult for me. As long as you have a stern face, I have to guess if Your Highness is unhappy, guess why Your Highness is unhappy. It's not about Your Highness, it's about ensuring that I do not offend Your Highness. But that was only at the start. Later, as I came to know Your Highness better and realized you are the most good-natured person, I ceased to be so fearful."

Zhao Sui remembered the princess consort who could only wait for him to open the door outside the bamboo courtyard, and the princess consort who cried alone in the room because he refused to go out.

"That period of time, I wronged you," he said, looking at the princess consort's shadow.

The wheelchair suddenly stopped, and the princess consort came around to face him.

Zhao Sui looked up.

The princess consort bent down, smiling at him: "If Your Highness treated me badly, or was not likable at all, I would definitely feel wronged. But marrying such a wonderful and handsome prince, I don't feel wronged at all."

The exceptionally handsome Prince Hui once again found himself turning his head under the princess consort's gaze.