My Scumbag Husband, the Prince Consort - Chapter 12

I had just begun to speak when Hualing covered my mouth.

She yanked down the red silk cloth and pulled both of us under the table, as if terrified that someone—namely, Shi Chun in the distance—might overhear.

With a secretive air, Hualing leaned closer. “You mustn’t speak such things carelessly.”

I frowned. “Why not?”

“Marital matters belong in the bedchamber. How can they be discussed so freely?”

I nodded solemnly. “But isn’t this exactly what you want to know, dear sister?”

“How to tame a man, how to make the Prince Consort kneel to you—there’s no way to avoid this topic.”

Hualing lowered her eyes and was silent for a long while before saying, “I hadn’t planned to say it, but now that I think about it, you have a point.”

“I’ve been married to Feng Zhao for five years. For the first two, we were affectionate and courteous to each other.”

“Then three years ago, after the late emperor passed and my brother ascended the throne, his father was promoted to Grand Preceptor. Everything changed.”

“Before, his father was merely a third-rank regional official, the minor Duke of Nanping. Feng Zhao would hang on my every word. Now that he’s the son of a high-ranking official and favored by my imperial brother, he no longer takes me seriously.”

“He become increasingly indifferent over the years. He never hits or scolds me, but if the mood strikes him wrong, he speaks with cold disdain. Ten days, twenty—how can one bear such a life?”

“According to Wei law, a Prince Consort may not take concubines. But it doesn’t stop him from keeping mistresses outside. I know of at least five. Who knows how many more I don’t know about?”

Tears welled in Hualing’s eyes. “As for the bedchamber… it’s embarrassing to say, but he hasn’t touched me in over a year.”

I leaned against the table leg, arms crossed, brows furrowed.

This was a tricky problem. Men always stray when they’ve had too much outside and find no appetite at home. But the real issue was that Hualing had been too soft from the start. She never used firm methods to rein him in.

Let a man run loose, and he’ll grow bold, reckless. That’s how Feng Zhao ended up climbing over her head.

Tightening the reins now would be tough, but not impossible.

The first step was making Feng Zhao realize Hualing wasn’t a pushover to be molded at will.

She was the Princess Royal of Great Wei. The entire imperial family stood behind her.

I said, “Sister, why not stay with me for now? Returning to your residence or the palace won’t help. Feng Zhao would easily guess your whereabouts—he’d find you in no time and wouldn’t feel even the slightest worry.”

“What do you suggest, then?” Hualing asked.

“Come back to my residence. We’ll hide you for a while. Feng Zhao won’t necessarily panic, but he won’t be able to report to my brother with a clear conscience. Pressured, he’ll be forced to search for you.”

“Once word spreads that he’s hunting for his wife, all of Luojing will be in an uproar. The shame and consequences will strike home. Only then will he begin to regret.”

“When that moment comes, report his mistresses to my brother. He’ll be ordered to dismiss them. With guilt weighing on him, he’ll likely comply.”

Hualing threw her arms around my head, overwhelmed with excitement.

“My brilliant sister! Only you could tame the Prince of Danyang so thoroughly.”

I struggled to break free, baffled by how helping her with Feng Zhao related to Liu Qi at all.

Aside from slapping him, kicking him, bullying his personal maid in front of him, and bringing in four pretty male favorites just to make him jealous—I hadn’t even tried that hard.

Yet for all my outrageous behavior, he didn’t hate me. Just thinking about him gave me a headache.

That afternoon, after a vegetarian lunch at Yaoguang Temple, Hualing returned to my residence with me.

She brought only two close maids—no luggage.

I ordered Shi Chun and the others to fetch fine jewelry from the storeroom. Once Hualing was dressed up, we sat in the courtyard drinking tea and enjoying the breeze.

Soon bored, I told Mu Qiu to summon Mei, Lan, Zhu, and Ju.

As Mu Qiu left, I leaned over and whispered to Hualing, “You’d better hold on tight. I’m about to show you something fun.”

Hualing raised a brow, puzzled.

On cue, Zhi Xia stepped forward and called out:

“Chi Mei, age nineteen, skilled in painting—his brushwork penetrates the very soul.”

“Bai Lan, age twenty, master of the qin—an heir to the Northern school. His ‘High Mountains and Flowing Waters’ stirs the heavens.”

“Mo Zhu, age eighteen, expert swordsman—his long sword dances like a startled swan or a soaring dragon.”

“Jin Ju, age seventeen, poet—on the day of his selection, he composed a pastoral poem in five steps, elegant and refined.”

Zhi Xia finished and stepped back behind me.

“What is the meaning of this?” Hualing asked.

I casually grabbed a handful of melon seeds. “Don’t rush. You’ll see.”

Within moments, Mei, Lan, Zhu, and Ju appeared side by side along the garden path.

Bai Lan led the way, carrying a fine seven-stringed guqin.

Hualing gasped, flustered, her fingers trembling as she pointed at them. “These four… are the new male favorites you brought in?”

I nodded in satisfaction. “Exactly. I invited you to enjoy them with me.”

She sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

“A lady keeping male pets—what scandal is this?”

I clicked my tongue and tugged her sleeve. “Don’t be alarmed. These four aren’t like ordinary men. I personally selected them. They’ll serve you well. You won’t know their worth until you try.”

“Besides, why should men be allowed brothels and pleasure houses while women can’t enjoy themselves?”

“If you’re still troubled, just think—right now, Feng Zhao is probably lying in some concubine’s arms, living it up. Why should you remain loyal to a man who betrayed you?”

“Well…”

After spending the day together, I had a good grasp of Hualing’s temperament.

To say it kindly, she was gentle-hearted. Less kindly—she had no backbone.

Raised in the palace, she’d absorbed its values without question.

Hearing me now, her worldview was shaken. Absurd as my reasoning sounded, it made surprising sense. She didn’t know what to believe.

But I had crossed into this world long ago. I’d heard enough of “male superiority” and “a husband’s will is the wife’s law” to make my ears callous.

It was time to feed Hualing some new ideas.

I said, “There’s a saying I once heard—it’s crude but rings true.”

“What is it?” she asked.

“The best way to forget a relationship is to start a new one.”

I waved Mei, Lan, Zhu, and Ju closer. “Entertain Princess Hualing. If she enjoys herself, you’ll all be handsomely rewarded.”

The four bowed. “Yes, Your Highness.”

Besides the qin, Bai Lan also had a high alcohol tolerance. Three jugs in, he wasn’t even flushed, while Hualing and I were swaying, tipsy and giggling.

Mo Zhu was silent but danced with his sword in the courtyard—precisely along the path Liu Qi had danced days ago.

The memory struck me vividly, his every step and glance still fresh in my mind.

Chi Mei massaged my back while Jin Ju sat beside us, telling stories. I hadn’t heard any of them before and laughed until I could barely sit straight.

After several rounds of wine, my head felt heavier than the temple bell. I squinted at the three versions of Hualing swaying before me and asked with a laugh, “So, Sister Hualing—how do you like them?”

Her cheeks were crimson, her words slurred. “Wonderful. Your idea was brilliant. I can’t even remember why I was sad.”

“To hell with Feng Zhao! When I return home, I’ll bring in some handsome men too. We’ll drink and sing every day—what a joy!”

She laughed loudly, lifting the wine pot and pouring it straight into her mouth. Wine spilled down her robes, but she didn’t care. She even shook off her hair ornaments.

“You should’ve done this long ago,” I said, patting her shoulder. Then I smirked. “So, which one do you fancy tonight?”

Hualing stared at me, dazed. “You mean…?”

“Don’t be shy. If you like all four, that’s fine too.”

Her face darkened. She pulled me aside and whispered, “Joking is one thing, but this—this is no small matter.”

Her hairpin was askew, dangling comically.

I tried not to laugh. “Why not?”

“We’re both of the royal family. If we bear children, they carry royal bl00d. It’s a serious affair. We mustn’t act recklessly.”

I thought carefully. She wasn’t wrong.

In this era, birth control was primitive. Pregnancy meant commitment—there was no easy solution.

If we lived carefree and ended up pregnant, what then?

A child born of a male favorite wouldn’t fare well in this hierarchical society. Why bring that upon ourselves?

I sighed. It all felt so unfair.

Men could indulge freely, face no consequences, and never fear childbirth. This was the root of the ancient inequality.

Seeing me sigh, Hualing’s face softened. “Let me remind you: you’re a married woman. Be cautious.”

I grinned sheepishly. “Don’t worry. I know my limits.”

She finally relaxed. Then she seemed to remember something.

“Tell me, are you still in contact with Grand Preceptor Hu Qian?”

I raised a brow. “How do you know about him?”