Ma Xiaorui’s face burned with righteous indignation, looking as though she could devour his flesh and bone right then and there. “That damned Zhao Qian must be strutting around like he owns the place right now! He assaulted me, and he assaulted Fifteenth Sister too. If Father Emperor hadn’t forbidden me from leaving the palace, I’d go kill him myself! I’d mince him into meat paste and feed that paste to the dogs!”

Ma Xiaowei seemed listless and deeply troubled, smoothing a stray, embroidered strand of hair from her forehead. “Xiaorui, after everything that’s happened, you still haven’t grown up. It was Zhao Qian who saved us, not who harmed us! Is this how you treat your savior?”

Xu Chen apologized profusely. “It’s all my fault; I implicated both of you. Don’t blame Zhao Qian; blame me instead.”

Cai Jingjing quickly interjected, “No, no, it should be my fault. If I hadn’t wanted to ask him about his life before the amnesia, Chenchen wouldn’t have needed to distract General Zhang. And if she hadn’t distracted General Zhang, she wouldn’t have fallen into the water. So, it’s all my fault.”

Xu Chen insisted, “No, blame me. I was careless myself. Everyone else was fine; only I managed to fall.”

Ma Xiaorui cut off the two girls who were busy assigning blame. “Stop arguing! As far as I’m concerned, we should blame that despicable Zhang Guan. He clings to Royal Sister Xu Chen like a sycophantic flatterer every day. That absurd gift he brought even earned me a severe scolding from the Empress. We must find a way to punish him.”

Cai Jingjing was actually unaware of Zhang Guan’s persistent pursuit of Xu Chen. She looked at Xu Chen with shock. “Chenchen, you don’t actually like that Zhang Guan, do you? You can’t! You and I are both his old…”

Xu Chen cut Cai Jingjing off awkwardly. “Jingjing, stop talking! It’s not what you think at all. There’s nothing between him and me. It’s just that he escorted me to the palace, and he came to keep me company every day during that time, so I was a little grateful to him. But I never expected… sigh, that he would turn out to be that kind of person.”

Cai Jingjing let out a breath of relief. “That’s good. Otherwise, if there were anything between you two, how would we explain it to ‘him’ once our memories return?”

No one knew that Zhang Guan had punched Xu Chen away when she was in the water, but Xu Chen knew it clearly enough in her heart. However, given her disposition, she had no intention of making this public.

Ma Xiaowei glanced at Xu Chen and Cai Jingjing. “What are you two hiding from us?”

Cai Jingjing replied, “Nothing! We’re best friends; why would we hide anything? But I noticed you’ve seemed preoccupied lately, Fifteenth Sister. Aren’t you hiding something from us?”

Ma Xiaorui, quick-tongued as always, answered for her sister. “What else could it be? Of course, she’s figuring out how to kill that Zhao Qian! He disgraced both me and Fifteenth Sister. If we don’t kill him, how can we reclaim our pure bodies?”

Ma Xiaowei defended him. “Xiaorui, don’t talk nonsense. The situation was so critical; anyone else might not have been able to save us. I think everyone should be thinking of ways to thank Zhao Qian. It’s just that Father Emperor won’t let us leave the palace, and he’s fallen ill from saving us so he can’t come to the palace to tutor our Imperial Brother. Ah, I hope he recovers quickly.”

Ma Xiaorui shot up from her seat. “Fifteenth Sister, you can tolerate him touching your chest, but you’re making me furious! He touched your body—how will you ever explain that to your future husband! And that guy… that guy groped and kissed me! I can’t live like this! All the palace maids saw what happened that day; they gossip about me behind my back and laugh at me. I have to kill him! Yes, only killing him will stop the rumors.”

Ma Xiaowei countered, “Xiaorui, do you wish he had just left you to die? Is your reputation truly more important than your life? Besides, you are just a child. The way Zhao Qian saved you wasn’t inappropriate in the least. In short, I don’t resent him.”

Ma Xiaorui stood up. “Who says I’m a child? My chest might be smaller than yours, but I’ve already gotten my monthly curse! You told me I’m an adult and that I must respect myself and not carelessly tarnish my purity. But now, you won’t help me, and you’re defending that big hooligan! I—I’ll go find him myself!”

With that, Ma Xiaorui ran out. Ma Xiaowei apologized to Xu Chen and Cai Jingjing. “I’ll go persuade Xiaorui. She’s just childishly stubborn; once she’s set on something, even nine oxen couldn’t drag her back.”

After the Ma sisters departed, Xu Chen sighed. “Jingjing, are we really his wives? This whole thing feels so shaky. Are you sure you didn’t mishear?”

Cai Jingjing replied, “I might have misheard, but who was it that personally drew those naked portraits for him and wrote such saccharine words? I can hardly imagine the obscure Xu Chen doing such things.”

Xu Chen covered her flushed, pretty face. “Oh, don’t say any more! I don’t remember any of it! How could he be so wicked to save all those things on a phone? Thinking about him singing ‘The Boatman’s Love’ to me that day is so funny.”

Cai Jingjing looked a little dejected. “You’re the lucky one; he drew pictures and sang for you. But I was holding a knife to defend myself against him and deliberately ignored him, which only made him angry enough to ignore me.”

Xu Chen said, “No way. You’re his wife, Sister! The way you two were so affectionate in the video—I really can’t picture you acting like that.”

Cai Jingjing laughed. “Aren’t you the same? It’s just that your breasts are so small. Watching the two of you together is quite amusing.”

Xu Chen jumped up and clamped her hand over Cai Jingjing’s mouth. “We swore not to speak of it! You’re breaking your promise!”

Cai Jingjing pulled Xu Chen’s hand away. “Chenchen, that phone was one I carried with me; he couldn't have tampered with it. The data on it must have been there originally. That means we really are his wives! And he even jumped into the water to save you regardless of the consequences. Are you still thinking about that Zhang Guan?”

Xu Chen hurried to deny it. “No! There’s nothing between me and Zhang Guan; I’m just grateful to him. What about you? Are you really going to marry the Young Prince of the Valour Mansion?”

Cai Jingjing pouted. “No way. I haven't recovered my memory anyway, so this doesn’t count as a broken promise.”

Xu Chen chuckled. “That’s for the best. Otherwise, how could you possibly marry someone else after pretending to breastfeed him as a mother? Haha, your figure is quite something; even Princess Ma Xiaowei is a level below you.”

This time it was Cai Jingjing’s turn to cover Xu Chen’s mouth. “Don’t say it! We agreed only to watch, not to discuss it!”

Xu Chen retorted, “You started discussing it first; I wasn’t the one who broke the rule.”

Cai Jingjing released Xu Chen and sat down at the table, her mind heavy. She rested her chin in her hands, staring blankly at the phone on the table. “Chenchen, what do you think he’s doing right now?”

Xu Chen sat beside Cai Jingjing. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s having dinner with Yun Yao.”

Cai Jingjing asked, “Do you think he’ll hold Yun Yao when he sleeps after dinner?”

Xu Chen rolled her eyes at Cai Jingjing. “What, are you jealous?”

Cai Jingjing admitted, “Yes. Before we knew who he was, I thought he was just some perverted villain, and I tried to avoid him at all costs. But after seeing the data on the phone, I realized he’s actually our husband. Is it possible to not miss him now?”

Xu Chen asked, “So what are you planning to do from now on?”

Cai Jingjing asked back, “What about you?”

Xu Chen replied, “I don’t know. But the information on the phone is limited. I really wish he would tell us our entire story from the very beginning.”

Cai Jingjing sighed. “I wish so too, but how can we see him? And what do we say when we see him? Are we supposed to tell him, ‘Darling, we saw those indecent things, and it turns out you’re our precious husband. Come back and love us now’?”

Xu Chen shook her head. “I can’t say it. You say it. After all, he’s your precious husband’s younger brother.”

Cai Jingjing blushed. “You’re bringing that up again! Believe it or not, I’ll pull up the video of the two of you intimately and play it.”

Xu Chen grabbed the phone on the table. “No, I won’t talk anymore, okay? Jingjing, do you really think we were that lewd before? How could we do those things, and willingly let him record them to circulate among his women? I really can’t imagine it.”

“Why not?” Cai Jingjing reasoned. “If you love someone intensely enough, you’d willingly do indecent things for him. But it also suggests our relationship with the others must have been excellent; otherwise, who would circulate such top-secret material?”

Xu Chen wondered aloud, “Then how did we end up on Gemini Star? How many people came with him? How many wives does he have now? And how can we get back to Earth? He seemed incredibly powerful before, so why does he seem so ordinary now?”

Cai Jingjing touched her forehead. “Chenchen, you have too many questions, and I can’t answer a single one. Let’s go find him and ask him to tell us everything properly.”

Xu Chen considered it, then shook her head. “I’m afraid to see him. You go instead. Besides, I’m confined by the Emperor and can’t leave the inner city.”

Cai Jingjing conceded, “Actually, I’m also scared to see him. How about we write him a letter first and ask Ma Xiaoda to pass it on? That’s better than talking face-to-face.”

Xu Chen nodded. “Okay. Writing a letter first is a good way to gauge his attitude. After all, we hurt his feelings. Who knows what he’s thinking now.”

Cai Jingjing asked, “Chenchen, have you decided you want to go back to his side?”

Xu Chen returned the question, “What about you?”

Cai Jingjing replied, “Do we have a choice? After being so wanton with him, do we really want to marry someone else?”

Xu Chen worried, “What if he doesn’t like us anymore?”

Cai Jingjing paused. “He shouldn’t. I was so touched when he shouted, ‘Don’t be afraid, Chenchen, I’m coming to save you!’ when you fell in the water.”

Xu Chen countered, “But we’ve missed several of his hints, and we haven’t given him a chance to explain what happened before the amnesia. What if he gets angry and stops liking us?”

Cai Jingjing argued, “He wouldn't be that petty, would he? Fine, we’ll write a letter to test the waters. If he’s changed his mind, we’ll pretend nothing ever happened between us. If he hasn't, we’ll obediently return to his side.”

Xu Chen agreed. “Alright, you’re the elder sister; I’ll listen to you.”

Cai Jingjing corrected her. “What are you talking about? You are his seventeenth wife; I’m the nineteenth! By that count, you’re my senior sister, and I should listen to you.”

Xu Chen smiled. “He has so many wives? Why did we fall for such a promiscuous rake?”

Cai Jingjing shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe we were seduced into losing our virginity by him.”

Xu Chen challenged her. “Is there such a thing as actively seducing a man into possessing you? Hmm, I remember that video where you unhooked your bra yourself and said to him, ‘Husband Brother, let’s play the boob-sucking game.’ If anyone was seductive, perhaps it was you seducing him.”

Cai Jingjing’s face turned as red as a charcoal basin. “You’re teasing me! There’s so much more we haven’t watched yet! I’m never translating for you again!”

Xu Chen snatched the phone and started to run. “Even though I don’t understand Chinese right now, I can tell what’s happening just by watching the movements. If you won’t translate, then I won’t translate!”

Cai Jingjing chased two steps and stopped. “Haha, Chenchen, you can’t unlock my phone. Grabbing it is useless.”

Xu Chen seemed to realize this, turned back, and handed the phone back to Cai Jingjing. “Let’s go eat first, and then we’ll watch and write him the letter together.”

Cai Jingjing whispered conspiratorially in Xu Chen’s ear, “Tonight, we’ll watch the recording of you and him being intimate.”

Xu Chen blushed. “No way! It’s my turn to watch you and him!”

Cai Jingjing refused. “No! If I watch mine, I won’t have the mood to write the letter! Let’s watch him with someone else instead. I heard someone in the dialogue mention that you had two roommates in university, Su Xue and Ouyang Qian, and they are also his wives. I suspect he seduced them while pursuing you. There are several video titles about them. Let’s study those tonight.”

Xu Chen nodded. “Don’t blame him yet. Maybe Ouyang Qian and Su Xue were with him before us. Hopefully, we can find some clues in the videos. After all, we are number seventeen and nineteen; I think it’s more likely we lured away someone else’s husband.”

Cai Jingjing declared, “Who cares! Right now, only the three of us are by his side. Yun Yao is with him every day; she wouldn’t try to steal him from us, would she? Before, we didn’t know we were his wives, but now that we do, we must fulfill our wifely duties. We need to find a chance for the Crown Prince to take us out of the city so we can reunite with him and take care of him.”

Xu Chen nodded, then hesitated. “Are you sure about this? I mean, is that phone of yours accurate? Wouldn’t it be rash to confirm this based only on those moving pictures?”

Cai Jingjing replied, “It shouldn’t be wrong. He told me personally that we are his wives. But it would be best to ask him face-to-face first to avoid an awkward situation if we were mistaken. But even if he isn’t our husband, we must have a husband, because neither of us is a virgin anymore. I believe neither of us was promiscuous before; we wouldn’t have given ourselves to a man we didn’t love and who didn’t love us.”

Xu Chen nodded. “Jingjing, Princess Ma Xiaorui just said she was going to kill him. Do you think she’ll actually do it? I’m worried. That princess has been coddled since childhood. What if she really acts out of shame and anger and harms Zhao Qian?”

Cai Jingjing reassured her. “We can just remind him in the letter. Let’s go eat quickly. I’m so eager to rewatch all the material on the phone from the beginning. I wonder what other shocking things we’ll find. The Zhao family is practically a den of iniquity, and he’s a huge hooligan, and his wives are all hooligans too.”

Xu Chen tapped Cai Jingjing’s forehead. “Including you, Sister Wife who likes to breastfeed.”

Cai Jingjing tapped Xu Chen’s forehead back. “And including you too, you hypocrite who likes drawing dirty comics.”

Ma Xiaorui rushed back to her sleeping quarters and snatched a sword from the wall, ready to charge out, but Ma Xiaowei grabbed her. “Ma Xiaorui! You stop right there!”

Furious, Ma Xiaorui threw the sword onto the floor. “Sister! Why do you insist on stopping me? He ruined both our reputations! How will we ever marry now? Only by killing him can we salvage our lost honor!”

Ma Xiaowei exclaimed, “You’re being foolish, Xiaorui, truly foolish! A loss is a loss. What good will killing him do? Will killing him turn back time? Will killing him make your body pure again?”

Ma Xiaorui cried out, “Then what should we do? If no one had seen it, we could have swallowed our humiliation. But those maids and the imperial doctor saw everything, and the Empress, too. Father Emperor probably knows by now. He held you, using your chest as a pillow on his lap, and he groped me and touched my breast. Tell me, how are we supposed to live now?”

Ma Xiaowei thought to herself that he had done more than just rest his head on her lap; underwater, he had also held her chest with his hand. However, she had been panicked at the time and hadn’t stopped him—in fact, she had hugged him tighter. Who was to blame? Fate, perhaps. If not for the three princesses, these girls would likely have perished.

“Xiaorui, it’s hard to defend him kissing you, but Jingjing said that was artificial respiration, the most crucial method for drowning rescue, along with chest compressions to aid breathing—those are all rescue techniques. It’s understandable that as an imperial physician, he was dedicated to saving us. If this really bothers you so much, perhaps you should just recognize him as an sworn brother; that should make it acceptable.”

Ma Xiaorui scoffed, “Isn’t that just deceiving ourselves? Even our own brother wouldn’t dare do such things! Your suggestion won’t work. I still say we should kill him to clear our names.”

Ma Xiaowei feared her bold and reckless sister might actually try to coerce him. “Xiaorui, how about this: ask Father Emperor to grant you a marriage to him. Then, whatever he does to you won't matter, right?” As she offered this suggestion, Ma Xiaowei’s heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t understand why she would think of this. She had never touched a man’s finger in her life, let alone held one tightly and allowed his hand to wander over her chest. The suggestion made her heart race and her face flush.

“Marry him? Make him my Prince Consort?” Ma Xiaorui mumbled, clearly swayed by the idea. That man was interesting; he told moving stories, and unlike other boys, he didn’t just fawn over her; he had real masculine spirit.

But suddenly, Ma Xiaorui remembered a critical issue. “No! Sister, have you forgotten? He’s a notorious philanderer! He tricked girls into having his babies but refused to marry them. He has questionable relationships with Yun Yao and Linglong. I don’t want a man like that! I want Father Emperor to choose the best Prince Consort for me—one who belongs only to me. We’ll live happily ever after in a luxurious Prince Consort’s mansion, flying as one!”

Ma Xiaowei sighed. “Since you feel that way, I can’t think of anything else for you. But I must warn you: Imperial Brother and Father Emperor hold Zhao Qian in high regard. If you truly do anything inappropriate to him, be careful that Father Emperor and Imperial Brother don’t reprimand you.”

Ma Xiaorui’s eyes darted around shrewdly. “Fifteenth Sister, are you subtly encouraging me to marry Zhao Qian for your own reasons?”

Ma Xiaowei’s heart jumped. “Reasons? What reasons could I have? I’m only looking out for you so you don’t get scolded by Father Emperor and Imperial Brother.”

Ma Xiaorui challenged her. “Is that so? I think you’ve been paying a lot of attention to Zhao Qian these past two days, inquiring about him constantly whenever his name comes up. If I kill him, perhaps you’ll feel heartbroken?”

Ma Xiaowei’s composure faltered. She couldn’t understand why she felt so flustered. Did she really care about him that much? “Heartbroken? What would I be heartbroken over? I have no connection with him.”

Ma Xiaorui seemed unconvinced by her sister’s denial. She was inherently meddlesome and loved stirring up trouble. Now that she finally had a handle on the usually steady Fifteenth Sister—even if the charge wasn't fully proven—she decided to pin it on her anyway, just to have something to laugh about later.

“Fifteenth Sister, you say there’s no connection between you? I’m not so sure. He touched your chest that day, and you weren’t angry; in fact, you defended him. So, you like it when he touches your chest, right? I know your chest is large; he must really like it.”

“You—you—what are you saying? How can you joke about something like that!” Ma Xiaowei grew angry.

But Ma Xiaorui acted like a prospector who had just struck gold. “See, you’re flustered! I know you were touched by him touching your chest, so you plan to give yourself to him. But you’re too embarrassed to say it, so you’re using my situation to hint at it. Next year, when your mourning period ends, you can ask Father Emperor for a marriage edict. Don’t worry, I’ll certainly speak well of you to Father Emperor and have him grant Zhao Qian to you as your Prince Consort. Then he touching his own wife’s chest will be perfectly natural, and you two lovers can finally be together, living happily and having a pile of children. I will be your matchmaker and the aunt to your children. I absolutely must attend the wedding banquet!”

Ma Xiaowei’s body shook as she listened to Ma Xiaorui’s explanation. There was certainly anger involved, but for some reason, the ‘happy prospect’ Ma Xiaorui depicted made her heart pound. When she was on the brink of death, he had pulled her back, and holding him then, she felt so safe, so secure. If she could really live with him every day, and have a bunch of little children, it truly would be bliss.

Unfortunately, Ma Xiaowei’s happiness was shattered by Ma Xiaorui almost as soon as it began. “No, no, this is all wrong! I’m the child’s paternal aunt, so how can the child’s father touch the aunt’s chest and even kiss her? Oh, what is all this? No, I still have to go kill him.”

Ma Xiaowei hardened her heart and picked up her sword from the ground, saying, “Fine, go ahead. If the sword isn't sharp enough, I’ll help you hone it. But sister prays you can get past the people protecting him, otherwise, if you fail to kill him, you’ll lose your own life. I heard from the Royal Younger Brother that that little girl Linglong is incredibly skilled in martial arts; ten of you probably wouldn’t be a match for her.”

Ma Xiaorui couldn't understand why Ma Xiaowei would suddenly agree to her killing someone. “Sister, aren't you heartbroken for him? How can you agree to sharpen my sword? Oh, I know this is your tactic of feigning retreat to advance—‘push them and they retreat, let them go and they lose momentum.’ I heard him explain this lesson to the Royal Younger Brother. You can’t fool me. Hmph, hmph, fine then, you two as husband and wife are in cahoots, treating me like an outsider, is that it?”

Ma Xiaowei nearly fainted. What on earth was she saying? Wasn’t this girl talking nonsense with her eyes wide open? “Xiaorui, you’re being utterly ridiculous! When did we become husband and wife? If Father Emperor hears these words, it will be a disaster. I—I give up dealing with you, alright? Do as you wish. I’m leaving.”

Although Ma Xiaorui was annoyed that the man had violated her, she was still just a child, and the prospect of something fun quickly made her forget her unhappiness. After all, the word ‘violate’ was still rather foreign to her.

Seeing her elder sister Ma Xiaowei so utterly embarrassed for the first time, Ma Xiaorui couldn't help but feel delighted. She grabbed her sister, saying, “Sister, do you think I didn’t catch any evidence of you two? Fine, I’ll ask you: what about that set of pictures from The Butterfly Lovers? You spent days drawing them, and you wouldn’t even let me borrow a look. Then you said you lost them—I don’t believe that for a second. Who in the palace dares to steal things, and even if they did, they wouldn't steal your story panels. Your drawings are good, but not worth risking theft to sell them.”

Ma Xiaowei replied, “So what? It’s just a set of panels; it has nothing to do with what we’re discussing now.”

Ma Xiaorui countered, “Nothing to do with it? I don't think so. A few days ago, I overheard the palace maids saying you were drawing Waterloo Bridge. Based on my understanding of your progress, you should have finished ages ago. Yet not only have I not seen it, but even your personal maid said she never saw it after you finished. It’s strange. He told you both stories, and you went to such lengths to draw them out, but you won’t show them to us? What is the reason?”

Ma Xiaowei felt guilty. “I was just drawing them for my own amusement, afraid Father Emperor would scold me for neglecting my duties and burn them. I like those two stories; they have nothing to do with the person who told them.”

Ma Xiaorui threw the sword down with a clang. “Fine, you say you burned them. Then I’ll go ask him if I find your drawn panels in his possession, and see how you try to talk your way out of it then!”

Seeing that Ma Xiaorui was truly about to leave and ask, Ma Xiaowei’s face turned somewhat pale. She had given away both sets of panels without much thought; she simply felt those two stories were incredibly beautiful and deeply moved her—a profound, soul-shaking emotion. For the person who could give her such a tremor, Ma Xiaowei naturally paid extra attention, seeing him as a confidant with whom she could share her inner world.

It took her several days after finishing the first set of drawings to have the flash of inspiration to give them to him as a memento. For the second set, she had been determined from the start to draw them for him, which is why she hadn't shown them to Ma Xiaorui. Who knew those palace maids couldn't keep their mouths shut, allowing Ma Xiaorui to find out anyway?

Ma Xiaowei sighed and pulled Ma Xiaorui back. “Xiaorui, that’s enough, you don't need to go. I admit it, I gave both sets of panels to him. But I didn't mean anything else by it; just two sets of panels don't signify anything. Sister begs you, please don't drag this out. If those maids spread rumors, I truly won't be able to live.”

Ma Xiaorui burst into laughter. “Sister, you’re so naive! I was just trying to scare you. Father Emperor forbids us from leaving the palace; how could I go ask him? You just confessed without being pressured. Even if I am selfish, I wouldn't go kill my own brother-in-law. Even if he took advantage of you, for the sake of your happiness, I’ll let this slide this time. Just wait until Father Emperor removes the guards monitoring us outside, and I’ll have the Royal Younger Brother take me to find him. I am determined to be the matchmaker for you two.”

Ma Xiaorui no longer wanted to kill anyone, but now she wanted to be a matchmaker. Ma Xiaowei promptly fainted onto the ground—it would have been better to let her go kill someone earlier. Guards monitored them day and night outside; how could she possibly go out to kill? But in her confusion of emotion, she had been hoodwinked by Ma Xiaorui. Now, even an explanation wouldn't be believed. What was she to do? Good heavens, this Ma Xiaorui dared to say it and to do it. What if she actually went to propose on her behalf? Would he agree or refuse?

The turmoil in Ma Xiaowei’s heart was unlike anything she had experienced in her sixteen years. It was so chaotic that she skipped dinner and went to bed early, staring silently at the magnificent canopy. She was the Fifteenth Princess and, having lived in the palace forever, understood its rules. Though princesses were noble, unless the Emperor was exceptionally open-minded, they would never leave the inner city. Even if they married a handsome and talented Prince Consort later, they would still live a confined life in the Prince Consort's manor. The previous fourteen princesses were living proof.

Even being confined to the inner city would be acceptable, but the royal rules were endless. Ma Xiaowei often visited her elder sisters and knew their hardships. To outsiders, the Prince Consort must seem extremely glorious, spending every night embracing a noble princess—what a pleasure that must be! Unfortunately, the reality for the Prince Consort was utter misery.

Firstly, royal tradition forbade the Prince Consort from taking concubines outside of the princess; perhaps this wasn't unreasonable. If they could be with the princess every day, they should be content and happy. But the critical issue was a rule passed down from some ancient dynasty: fearing that the Prince Consort’s indulgence in marital bliss might harm the princess’s 'dragon body,' they were only permitted to see the princess two to three times a month. During all other times, they resided in the Royal Lodgings.

The Royal Lodgings were guarded by specific personnel and not freely accessible—it was akin to a prison, just a more luxurious one. A princess had to submit an application to the management staff of the Royal Lodgings before she could see her husband, and only after approval would the Prince Consort be allowed to visit the Princess’s residence.

If two days of free time together each month were the extent of it, that would be manageable. But the Royal Lodgings would send monitors to observe the Prince Consort’s every move, ensuring he did nothing to tarnish the princess’s dignity. Even the duration of their conjugal duties was timed by someone standing outside. If the Prince Consort hadn't made

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