The Qi family’s back courtyard.
The Liao family’s female relatives consisted only of Gao Niangzi with Yao Huang and A’Ji—three women. At a table of eight, Steward Qi’s second wife Madam Lu not only personally kept them company but also arranged for the town’s ward chief’s wife and daughter-in-law, Scholar He’s wife Madam Zhu, and daughter He Wenqi.
No matter how much Madam Zhu’s temperament invited dislike or jealousy, Scholar He and He Wenbin’s father and son’s scholarly achievements were there for all to see. He Wenbin even had the possibility of passing the presented scholar examination and becoming an official. Therefore, the town’s residents all fawned over the He family on the surface.
Today’s Madam Zhu, however, had changed from her previous arrogance. She initiated conversation especially rarely, and even when someone chatted with her, she would from time to time steal glances at the Liao family mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
Yao Huang paid no attention to Madam Zhu. She had a heap of social obligations herself.
“Little Yao, living in our town is comfortable, right? I see your scholar husband’s complexion is getting better and better. He’s so handsome that every time I see him, I feel I can’t look enough.”
Yao Huang: “It’s comfortable. This place has beautiful mountains and waters. I only regret not moving here earlier.”
Someone else stirred things up: “It has nothing to do with mountains and waters. It’s because our chicken-head ginseng is good. I see your Second Uncle collecting chicken-head ginseng every day. Besides making medicine, you must be stewing soup and cooking porridge with it constantly at home?”
Once these words were spoken, everyone envied the Liao family’s prosperity.
After listening for a while, Yao Huang finally learned that those plain-looking chicken-head ginseng roots resembling ginger actually sold for a hundred wen per catty—more expensive than chicken, duck, fish, or meat!
“That’s just for eating raw. I hear properly processed dried chicken-head ginseng can sell for five or six qian of silver per catty. Those with higher age are even more expensive. Unfortunately, we locals don’t know how to process them. We can only sell the chicken-head ginseng we worked so hard to dig from the mountains cheaply to the medicinal herb merchants who come to collect goods. Generation after generation of digging has made chicken-head ginseng increasingly scarce in the mountains. The medicinal herb merchants don’t even come as frequently anymore.”
“That’s right. When my family’s old lady was young, if anyone in the village or town had a headache or fever, they could go into the mountains anytime to dig some chicken-head ginseng to stew soup for nourishment. By our generation, if we go dig ourselves we can’t find any. We can only wait for those bold villagers to go deep into the mountains to search. Alas, since they expended so much effort, of course they have to sell at high prices.”
“Still, Physician Liao is honest and willing to pay high prices to collect chicken-head ginseng with high age. He’s much better than those wild peddlers from who knows where!”
The more Gao Niangzi heard, the more she sweated for Physician Liao. Would the princess consort think Physician Liao was using the prince’s manor’s silver to play the good person?
She leaned toward the princess consort’s ear and explained in a low voice: “I heard Old Liao say that his price is only twenty percent higher than the peddlers’. Whether for soup or medicine, it’s much cheaper than buying in the city.”
Yao Huang smiled: “As it should be. Everyone works hard collecting medicine too.”
The women’s banquet lasted a full hour. When Yao Huang returned to the east courtyard, Prince Hui had already changed into inner garments and was waiting on her bed for the afternoon rest.
Probably because he found the black canopy ugly, after using it twice Prince Hui had her put it away. In any case, since doing this in daylight had already begun, Prince Hui no longer needed to be reserved.
Yao Huang first went to the west room to briefly wipe down, then wearing a set of white silk garments with pink trim sat at the bedside. While combing her hair, she told Prince Hui about the price of chicken-head ginseng: “So you see, I’m truly enjoying good fortune by following Second Master. Otherwise, how could I drink tonic soup every few days? With both chicken and chicken-head ginseng, that one pot of soup costs a tael of silver.”
Zhao Sui had long since discovered that the princess consort liked to chat. Most of the time she didn’t need him to respond—just listening was enough.
The princess consort’s voice was soft and gentle. Her expression was vivid and lively. Her word choice was plain and simple yet very pleasant to listen to.
“Eh, Second Master drank alcohol?”
Yao Huang suddenly detected a faint whiff of alcohol.
Zhao Sui turned his head and said: “When everyone toasted Steward Qi, I took a shallow sip.”
Yao Huang held the comb in one hand and with the other turned back the handsome face Prince Hui had turned away: “I’m not complaining about you. I actually find this bit of alcohol smell quite pleasant. What I can’t stand is the strong alcohol smell my father and brother bring back after competing in drinking with others. It’s suffocating.”
Zhao Sui: “…I rinsed my mouth.”
He’d rinsed his mouth and drank tea, but the alcohol smell was stubborn—there was still residue.
Yao Huang glanced at Prince Hui’s lips. This time it was her turn to turn her head, saying with a red face: “Whether you rinse or not, what’s it to me?” He didn’t kiss her mouth anyway.
Zhao Sui: “…”
His gaze fixed on her rosy, full lips, then moved away again.
Some things were necessary for the wedding night when husband and wife consummated the marriage. He was a prince—even if the princess consort felt disdain in her heart, she wouldn’t show it.
Once their bodies were familiar with each other, Zhao Sui knew the princess consort could derive pleasure from those actions of his, so he could act freely.
What pleasure could there be in lips and teeth intertwining?
Zhao Sui couldn’t imagine. It was only now that he would have such thoughts about the princess consort. If another woman hinted at him this way, Zhao Sui would be angry.
But for this unnecessary intimacy without pleasure, he could accept the princess consort who was as gorgeous and sweet as a peony flower everywhere—could the princess consort accept him?
Zhao Sui didn’t want to see any reluctance in her eyes. Without certainty and since it wasn’t necessary, it was better to maintain the status quo.
At dusk, Yao Huang pushed Prince Hui along the riverbank all the way to the southern mountain foot. This was a small mountain. From here going east, west, and south, it connected to countless more high and low mountain peaks. Within their field of vision, the most majestic and imposing peak worthy of climbing for a distant view was about ten-some li away from Spirit Mountain Town. Precisely because there were no famous mountains or strange peaks near Spirit Mountain Town, this small town wasn’t as prosperous as the other towns around the foot of Spirit Mountain.
Zhao Sui gazed toward the high peak.
Yao Huang pushed the wheelchair. Seeing Prince Hui for the first time gaze at the mountains for so long and with such obvious movements, she felt Prince Hui wanted to climb mountains.
Yao Huang very much wanted to fulfill this wish of Prince Hui’s, but the famous peaks on Spirit Mountain suitable for tourists to climb all had stone steps built—wheelchairs couldn’t traverse them. These nearby mountain peaks looked short but were actually over a hundred zhang high. The mountains were full of uneven mountain paths trampled out over the years by mountain people cutting firewood, hunting, and collecting medicine. No matter how great Yao Huang’s strength, she’d have to push for most of a day, exhausting herself with sweat soaking her clothes in utter embarrassment, to push Prince Hui up alone.
Yao Huang didn’t think Prince Hui would enjoy such a mountain climbing trip. It wasn’t just about not wanting to exhaust her—even if it were Qing Ai, Fei Quan, or other guards, Prince Hui wasn’t the type to exhaust others for his own pleasure.
Seeing Prince Hui gaze longer and longer, Yao Huang thought for a moment and said: “Second Master, they say these deep mountain wilderness areas most easily produce demon spirits and strange creatures. Do you think there truly are spiritual beasts and spiritual herbs in the world that cultivate to become spirits? Or are those storybooks pure fabrications?”
Zhao Sui: “…I don’t believe in ghosts, gods, immortals, or demons.”
Yao Huang: “In the past so many emperors loved eating immortality pills. I thought emperors were well-informed and there really was a method to become immortal.”
Zhao Sui: “They’re just some very nourishing pills. Common folk spread tales of them as immortality pills, that’s all.”
Yao Huang: “I rather hope there truly are immortals in the world. That way there’d be a chance for immortals to manifest and fulfill some of my wishful fantasies.”
Prince Hui stopped looking at the mountains and glanced behind him: “What would you ask of the immortals?”
Yao Huang: “Of course, eternal life and youth. With such beautiful looks as mine, I can’t bear the thought of becoming an old lady covered in wrinkles in the future. And Second Master too—it would be best if you could remain this handsome forever.”
When she mentioned him, Zhao Sui’s blood cooled for an instant before returning to normal.
“Eh, let’s change locations. I’m afraid that instead of immortals coming, a female demon might appear. The female demons in storybooks most love handsome scholars like Second Master.”