Chapter 163

Chapter 163

The Crown Prince was evidently quite pleased with the new tricks by the secluded pond’s rockery. That night, after Yao Huang finished bathing and returned to the inner chamber, she found the prince sitting by the window reading a book. She assumed he was simply very fond of the book and didn’t think anything more of it.

“How much longer will Your Highness be reading?” Yao Huang asked casually.

Zhao Sui glanced at her, set the book down on the table, and said, “Push me over.”

Meaning it was time to sleep.

Yao Huang still didn’t think much of it, though she did glance curiously at the three-wheeled red sandalwood self-pushing wheelchair the prince was sitting in. Ever since he had acquired the metal-rimmed large-wheel self-pushing wheelchair, he had rarely asked Yao Huang to push him around inside the inner chamber.

Curious as she was, Yao Huang smiled and walked over, expertly pushing her husband toward the ba-step bed *(a traditional Chinese bed with an outer corridor)*.

Between the outer corridor of the ba-step bed and the bed itself was a spacious floor area, with Yao Huang’s dressing table on the left side.

Once the wheelchair entered the floor space, a couple of rolls would bring it right up against the bed frame. But suddenly, her husband pressed his hands against the thin wheels on either side and, with his back to her, said, “Douse the lamps.”

Yao Huang felt that her husband was acting a bit strange tonight.

Still, she went to extinguish the lamps. After making the rounds, the room plunged into darkness. When Yao Huang returned to the ba-step bed, she found her husband and his wheelchair blocking the path sideways in the middle of the floor space. If she wanted to get to the bed, she would either have to circle around in front of him or squeeze past the back of the wheelchair.

Yao Huang didn’t move and asked in confusion, “Your Highness, what is this?”

Her husband didn’t answer. Instead, he took hold of her wrist with his left hand, pulling her into his embrace. Once she was settled in his lap, he pushed the wheelchair forward toward her dressing table, just two steps away.

Yao Huang was still bewildered when her husband lowered his head to kiss the side of her neck, then trailed up to her lips.

She was quickly dazed by his kisses, and it wasn’t until her husband—in his cultured and proper voice—told her to first secure the wheelchair that Yao Huang finally understood the reason behind his odd behavior earlier.

She clung to her husband’s arms and refused to move, protesting softly, “That’s too hard on my legs.”

In truth, it wasn’t much different from when she knelt with her back to him on the bed. The only difference was that, in those moments, she was kneeling, whereas by the rockery or the dressing table, she had to bend her knees and stand. Even if she could steady herself with her hands against the rock wall or the tabletop, her legs would still ache terribly afterward.

Zhao Sui first massaged her knees, then continued kissing her.

Yao Huang knew his silences well. When he remained silent yet refused to let her go, it meant he still wanted her cooperation.

And Yao Huang could never resist softening toward her disabled husband. She thought of all the different pleasures the able-bodied men in folktales could indulge in, while her disabled husband had already lost many joys due to his legs. Now that he had chanced upon this new way and was still reveling in the novelty, how could she bear to refuse him?

Yao Huang left her husband’s embrace and went behind him to secure the wheelchair. But before obediently bracing herself against the dressing table for him, she gently nibbled his earlobe and teased, “Your Highness is growing ever more wicked.”

Since he had already been accused, Zhao Sui proceeded to live up to his reputation twice over with his crown princess.

In total, it lasted over half an hour. Yao Huang was either slumped bonelessly against him or trapped between the wheelchair and the dressing table, with nowhere to escape.

Though she wept and cursed him, Yao Huang felt utterly satisfied.

She loved Prince Hui *(his former princely title)*, who painted so beautifully. She loved Prince Hui, who was the picture of aristocratic restraint during the day. She loved the even more formidable Crown Prince he had become. And she loved this increasingly wicked Crown Prince as well.

Who didn’t love novelty? She wished he would be even worse.

Zhao Sui was currently overseeing two tasks: the trials and refinement of heavy gunpowder formulas at the weapons workshop, and the renovation of the Eastern Palace. The former couldn’t be rushed, while the latter, due to the propitious day for the coronation ceremony of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess being set, was progressing swiftly. Since the Eastern Palace was generally well-maintained, the craftsmen had completed the most labor-intensive work—renovations, tearing down adjoining courtyards, and transforming gardens—within a month. By July, all that remained was moving in the newly crafted furniture and porcelain, positioning the ornamental scholar's rocks in the gardens, and allowing the new lacquer on beams, pillars, doors, and windows to off-gas.

The Crown Prince’s family would move into the Eastern Palace before the coronation ceremony. The Qin Tian Diviners had selected several auspicious dates, and after discussing with the Crown Princess and the Emperor, Zhao Sui settled on the 28th of July.

Once the moving date was set, the couple strolled through the gardens again. Gazing at the familiar scenery they had admired together for three years, they both felt a pang of reluctance.

Passing by the bamboo grove, Yao Huang glanced at the bamboo courtyard within and blew a teasing puff of air at the top of her husband’s head. “We’re about to move, and I’ve never even entered this Golden House of Yours. Who knows if there’s a beautiful *Bamboo Demon* hidden inside?”

Zhao Sui: "..."

Lying in the stroller being pushed by his father in reverse, Yun Er saw his mother bend over and thought she was playing with him, happily kicking his little legs.

Yao Huang noticed and continued blowing air at the crown prince’s head, making Yun Er giggle again.

The little one was so adorable that Yao Huang quickly forgot her earlier teasing remark.

Zhao Sui, however, remembered. While receiving a massage in the front courtyard of Ming'an Hall, he instructed Qing Ai to pass a message to Eunuch Cao.

On the nineteenth of July, Zhao Sui returned home earlier than usual. After bathing and changing into everyday clothes, he played with Yun Er for a while before inviting the crown princess for a walk in the gardens.

"This time, we won’t bring Yun Er."

Hearing this, Yao Huang glanced at the crown prince seated in his wheelchair. Unfortunately, his expression remained as composed and elegant as ever, giving her no clue whether he harbored any mischievous intentions. After all, the back gardens of the estate were vast, with plenty of secluded spots. If the crown prince decided to act on his impulses, he could just park the wheelchair anywhere and start.

This was the crown prince’s talent—with just a simple sentence, he could make his crown princess feel flustered, shy, and oddly excited.

Turning her back to the crown prince, Yao Huang called for the nanny and had her take Yun Er away.

With only the two of them left in the room, Yao Huang stole a glance at the crown prince, her cheeks slightly flushed, and asked, "Shall we go just like this, or should we bring something?"

If they were to proceed, being careful wouldn’t wrinkle their clothes, but a handkerchief or two wouldn’t be enough. The last time they got reckless near the fake rocks by the lake pavilion, they had the convenience of a nearby pool to avoid an awkward cleanup.

Zhao Sui: "...No need."

Yao Huang: "...I meant snacks."

Jerk of a prince! Why emphasize not bringing Yun Er for a simple garden stroll, making her misunderstand like that!

As she guided the crown prince’s wheelchair, Yao Huang walked faster than usual.

Upon entering the back gardens, Zhao Sui pointed eastward, and Yao Huang steered the wheelchair along the stone-paved path in that direction.

As they approached the bamboo grove, Zhao Sui said, "Let’s visit the bamboo courtyard."

Yao Huang: "What’s so interesting about it? It’s been uninhabited for two years, and it’s too dark inside. Even if Your Highness isn’t afraid of the *Bamboo Demon* you keep there, I am. For all I know, it hates me for stealing you away."

Zhao Sui: "...Let me show you inside. It’s been cleaned in advance."

Yao Huang: "..."

Neither spoke as the wheelchair turned onto the bamboo-lined path.

The bamboo courtyard was empty. Seeing the door slightly open, Yao Huang pushed the wheelchair forward, and the crown prince naturally reached out to open it.

*

The setting sun illuminated only half of the western wing’s window, leaving the rest of the small courtyard in shadow.

The quiet was creeping her out. Even with the crown prince beside her, Yao Huang felt uneasy. Sensing her hesitation, the crown prince glanced back and reassured her, "There’s no Bamboo Demon."

None—male, female, old, young, fierce, or gentle.

The crown princess snorted at him. "I wasn’t scared of that."

Passing a stone table in the courtyard that still held a miniature lotus, the couple arrived at the north-facing main hall. As before, the crown prince pushed it open.

Yao Huang leaned in for a look and found it empty except for perfectly fitted stone tiles. Wall lamps on either side gave off a soft glow, dispelling the darkness from the surrounding bamboo grove. Another door stood to the north, slightly open, allowing streaks of light from the rear courtyard’s setting sun to illuminate the space.

Zhao Sui explained, "This area isn’t meant for guests, so there aren’t many furnishings."

He first escorted the Crown Princess to the bedroom in the eastern wing.

The bedroom was large, with a heated kang bed on the north side, a washstand set by the eastern wall, a wardrobe standing in the southeast corner, and a flower stand beneath the southern window. The western wall was bare. Apart from the fact that the few simple furnishings were made of better materials than those in the Yao family’s old residence on Longevity Lane, the bedroom looked even more modest and plain than that of an ordinary minor official’s home.

A quilt lay on the western end of the heated kang, while a small rosewood table sat on the eastern end.

Zhao Sui said, "I mostly read in the study, so there’s no need for many tables and chairs here."

Yao Huang immediately pushed the Crown Prince to the study in the western wing.

The study seemed far more typical, though apart from two large bookshelves covering the walls, a desk, and a flower stand, it was also quite empty.

Yao Huang became more and more confused: "If that’s all, why didn’t Your Highness invite me inside before?"

Her royal husband was never deliberately rude.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Sui replied, "I don’t like interruptions. Before I had a self-propelled wheelchair, I installed two rows of connected handrails across the three rooms. The handrails allowed me to move around here on my own."

Knowing the Crown Princess might not picture it, Zhao Sui had her push him to the backyard, where the handrails were still in place.

Yao Huang looked at the two rows of hardwood handrails running around the whole backyard and finally understood the Crown Prince’s meaning—and why his palms had such thick calluses.

But if his legs couldn’t move, how did the Crown Prince get around?

There were entrances to the handrails on either side of the back door. Zhao Sui steered his wheelchair to the right entrance, gripped the handrails, and pulled himself up.

The handrails were set at his height, so when he stood like this, his hands were positioned at the same level as they would be if he were standing upright. Thus, from behind the wheelchair, Yao Huang saw only the Crown Prince’s back, as though he were standing upright.

She had seen him astride a horse, commanding and heroic, and lying in bed, where his leg condition was just as hidden—but never had she seen him standing tall like this.

The sleeves of his robe hid the strain in his arms, revealing only his tightly gripping fingers and the strain in his hands, showing he was ‘standing’ only by arm strength.

Yao Huang slowly circled to his front, peeking at him from beside the handrail. To her surprise, she could only see up to his neck.

So the Crown Prince was taller than her brother, too.

Suddenly, she didn’t dare look up any further, afraid to see his face red and tense—afraid he wouldn’t want her to see him like this.

Zhao Sui was well aware of his arm strength and knew holding this pose briefly wouldn’t shame him. Otherwise, he would never have "stood" before the Crown Princess.

Since she wouldn’t look at him, he silently gazed at her instead—this woman who usually towered over him, now a full head shorter.

"How do you get around?" the Crown Princess suddenly asked curiously.

Zhao Sui: "..."

He didn’t plan to show her—or rather, he didn’t want her to see anything awkward.

The Crown Prince returned to his wheelchair.

Only then did Yao Huang glance back at him.

Zhao Sui averted his gaze.

Yao Huang told him to stay facing forward, then ran to the other side of the handrails. Mimicking him, she gripped the rails and lifted herself up, hanging in midair.

Zhao Sui heard her movements and, staring straight ahead, cautioned, "Be careful not to fall."

Holding on felt doable at first, but when she tried to move forward, she fell after just a few tries.

Hearing no further movement, Zhao Sui slowly turned his wheelchair—only to see the Crown Princess slip out from under the handrails and dash to the northern wall of the backyard. With her back to him, she tilted her head up and called from afar, "The bamboo here is quite lovely!"

Her voice was bright with laughter—but shook slightly.