“I like holding you like this, and I haven’t held you enough yet.”
Yao Huang had been a mischievous girl since childhood. When other girls in Longevity Lane sat in their courtyards playing grass-pulling games, she was following her brother climbing over walls.
She loved climbing trees. She would climb the two persimmon trees in her maternal grandfather’s courtyard several times every year.
Yao Huang also loved swinging very high on swings—perhaps she just enjoyed the thrill of being at great heights.
Therefore, Yao Huang also very much enjoyed being lifted high by her father. However, as she gradually grew up, even though they were as close as father and daughter, it was no longer appropriate to do such lifting gestures. Her father would not take the initiative to lift her, and as a grown young lady, Yao Huang would not cling to her father or brother asking them to lift her. The only one convenient to play with her like this again was her future husband.
By chance and coincidence, Yao Huang married a husband with leg ailments. Three years ago, the moment Emperor Yongchang’s marriage decree came down, Yao Huang completely abandoned the thought of playing around with her husband like this.
But today, her disabled husband had completely recovered his legs and lifted and held her up with ease.
Confirming the Crown Prince truly was not forcing himself at all, Yao Huang excitedly cupped the Crown Prince’s face and kissed him several times left and right.
Zhao Sui closed his eyes. Only when the Crown Princess’s soft lips stopped falling did he open them again, then crashed into the Crown Princess’s bright, star-like smiling eyes.
Just then, Jun’er’s tender voice calling “Open!” came from the peony bushes ahead—he had discovered another blooming bud.
The Crown Prince, who always observed propriety, remembered the child and immediately wanted to put the Crown Princess down.
Yao Huang leaned against his shoulder, also clamping her legs tighter, acting shamelessly. “I like being held like this, and I haven’t held you enough yet.”
Zhao Sui glanced at Jun’er, who was already staring at Father Prince and Mother Consort, and said in a low voice, “We’ll talk about it when we return to the room. What kind of decorum is it for Jun’er to see this?”
Yao Huang: “Let him see. He’s only one year old, not ten.”
Zhao Sui: “At one year old, he can already remember things.”
He remembered some scenes from around his own first birthday—for instance, Consort Du’s smile when Father Emperor came, and Consort Du’s cold eyes when she looked at him after Father Emperor left.
The Crown Prince naturally did not give examples. Yao Huang did not quite believe it, but she also worried the Crown Prince could not support her for so long all at once, so she cooperatively jumped back to the ground.
The couple walked to Jun’er’s side. The little fellow was enthusiastically looking for flower buds, but Yao Huang’s gaze kept glancing sideways from time to time.
The more she did this, the harder it was for Zhao Sui to remain composed. He asked helplessly, “Still not used to it?”
Although the couple had not seen each other much during the day this past month, whenever they did meet, he was basically standing. By rights, the Crown Princess should have gotten used to it long ago.
Yao Huang: “Yes, I didn’t know Your Highness had recovered so well before. I always felt that even when Your Highness was standing, he could be looked at but not touched.”
Like exquisite porcelain placed on a curio cabinet—looks beautiful, but push it with your hand and it’s in danger of falling to the ground and shattering.
Zhao Sui: “…”
Yao Huang smiled and linked her arm through his, pressing close.
Zhao Sui glanced at Jun’er, whose heart was entirely devoted to the peony bushes, and did not emphasize propriety again.
After a moment of silence, Yao Huang surveyed this spring garden that was awakening, saying reluctantly, “Now that Your Highness is completely well, should we return to the palace?”
Zhao Sui: “Mm, I just submitted a memorial to Father Emperor, stating we’ll return to the palace tomorrow morning.”
In two more days, Jun’er would celebrate his first birthday. Celebrating in the palace could both make Father Emperor happy and would be better for Jun’er.
Yao Huang said in surprise, “Why not today?”
She had thought the Crown Prince would be eager to return to the palace to show Emperor Yongchang his completely recovered appearance. After all, last month when bidding farewell at the palace gate, the Crown Prince’s eyes had been reddened by Emperor Yongchang’s words.
Zhao Sui did not explain, only grasping the Crown Princess’s hand.
After accompanying Jun’er on a leisurely stroll through the garden for an hour, Zhao Sui had the wet nurse take Jun’er to Mingan Hall to look after him first. He continued to tour the garden with the Crown Princess.
The swing that the Crown Princess could only sit on and sway by herself before—Zhao Sui stood beside it and swung the rope for her. Emerald Screen Mountain, which previously required the Crown Princess to push him in his wheelchair up—Zhao Sui walked those long, winding stairs again with the Crown Princess. The fishing that previously required the Crown Princess to carry him down from the wheelchair and place him on a felt cushion—Zhao Sui now sat on the fishing chair himself, then held the Crown Princess in his embrace while accompanying her fishing.
Having done so many things, Yao Huang understood. The Crown Prince wanted to take advantage of today to do once all the things he had wanted to accompany her in doing before.
They spent the entire day in the back garden. Only at dusk did the couple return to Mingan Hall.
After eating dinner, the wet nurse carried Jun’er away to sleep in the side room. Zhao Sui glanced at the Crown Princess and said, “I’ll go bathe in the front.”
Yao Huang’s face grew hot from the Crown Prince’s gaze that seemed to contain deep meaning. She lowered her eyes and asked, “Do you still need massage?”
The disabled Prince Hui or Crown Prince would insist on bathing separately from her. After the various companionship during the day, Yao Huang had thought the Crown Prince would also accompany her bathing together tonight.
Zhao Sui: “No need, I’m used to it.”
Having said this, the Crown Prince quickly left.
The Crown Prince with his long legs, once recovered, could avoid the Crown Princess even faster when being reserved, making Yao Huang both embarrassed and annoyed—as if she absolutely had to grab him to bathe together.
Not long after the Crown Prince left, A’Ji and several senior maids tidied up the bathing room in the western chamber and invited the Crown Princess to bathe.
After Yao Huang came over, she discovered a set of bright red undergarments hanging on the red sandalwood clothing rack beside her.
Yao Huang: “…”
She liked red, but bright red undergarments were not plentiful—only those few sets from the newlywed period were this vivid.
A’Ji smiled. “Fei Quan sent them this afternoon, saying it was His Highness’s intention.”
Yao Huang touched the water-smooth, silky texture of the red silk undergarments and finally understood why the Crown Prince had gone to the front courtyard. What reserve? What the Crown Prince’s mind was dwelling on was clearly bolder than hers. She was only thinking about bathing together—the Crown Prince was thinking about having another wedding night!
After the Crown Princess finished washing and her hair was wrung out so it no longer dripped water, A’Ji and the others tactfully withdrew to a place where they absolutely could not be seen even when the Crown Prince arrived.
Yao Huang sat on the platform in the secondary chamber. A lamp was placed on the low table, its light warm and gentle.
Yao Huang combed through her hair strand by strand in the lamplight. She had combed until her hair was almost dry and drowsiness had quietly crept over her, yet there was not even a shadow of the “groom.”