Thinking about it, she felt a pang of reluctance to part. Although Yuwen Jie was like someone with facial paralysis — overbearing and often unreasonable — overall, he was also a good man, cold on the outside but warm within. She herself had overstepped many times, yet he had never held it against her, could take a joke, and had done his best to protect her.

A man like that — if it weren’t for his harem of three thousand beauties, back in the modern world she would have married him already.

The corner of her mouth curved up, and Hua Chun laughed softly, shaking her head.

“His Majesty isn’t all-powerful either.” He Chang’an, not noticing the look on Hua Chun’s face, said in a low voice. “If he could protect anyone at any time, you wouldn’t have ended up in this situation.”

“That’s not his fault, I brought this on myself.” Hua Chun shrugged. “His Majesty’s original intention was probably to let me offset the death penalty with my merits.”

He Chang’an shook his head. “Even if he wanted to do that, Prince Xi wouldn’t have let you off easily.”

To bring her down, Prince Xi really had gone to great lengths. Hua Chun laughed softly to herself — he had most likely bribed Hua Liuying or Hua Xunyue early on, which was how he learned about the wet nurse matter within the Hua household, giving him the confidence to expose her as a woman. And just to be safe, he’d even had Hua Liuying smuggled out of the palace — so that even if she escaped the charge of deceiving the emperor, she’d still face implicated guilt. Either way, death was the outcome; there was no escaping it.

She sighed helplessly. “I think I still have a chance of being written into the history books — such a mighty, impressive Chancellor, ultimately implicated and beheaded because of his own sister. At the very least, I’ll serve as a cautionary tale about nepotism, used in future history textbooks to educate the flowers of the motherland’s future.”

He Chang’an frowned. “I don’t understand what you’re saying again.”

“Doesn’t matter, it’s not important.” Hua Chun smiled. “Either way, happy is one day, unhappy is also one day. I’ll die sooner or later, Second Brother, so don’t worry too much — just relax and live your days.”

How could he possibly… not worry? His brow furrowing, He Chang’an was about to speak when he heard someone approach the bars, cupping his hands. “My lord, the carriage is waiting outside. The Empress Dowager wants you to go to the Qu residence soon.”

Pressing his lips together, he sighed with regret, stood up, and said, “I’ll come see you again tomorrow.”

“Alright.” Hua Chun nodded, watching him leave.

If someone still worried over you right up until the moment of your death, it would surely feel warm in the heart. Though she truly feared death, and feared pain too, she thought that if it would be a single clean stroke of the blade, painless and without torment, then she could accept it.

To have met so many people here was, in its own way, a gain. Sworn brothers who cared for her, a mother who doted on her, and cunning, hateful enemies too. Her time here had been vivid and thrilling; ending it here shouldn’t count as much of a regret.

Should be fine.

As dusk fell, Hua Chun could no longer eat the food the guard had brought, and simply lay on the bed, gazing at the sky through the small window.

Back in the modern world, she had been quite depressed — having resigned from her job, and having offended more than a few people, she’d only dared to stay home, going nowhere. The superior who had always looked after her hadn’t helped her this time either, simply because she was “young and reckless, ignorant of the rules.”

Hua Chun felt that a person ought to have some bottom line — even if everyone around treated unspoken rules as commonplace, that didn’t mean they were right; it only meant that circle was sick. So she’d stepped out of that circle, walked her own path — surely that had been the right choice? Unfortunately, the road was too treacherous, and she still hadn’t managed to walk it through, ending up resigning in defeat, hiding alone at home watching dramas.

During her days as Hua Jinghua, what made Hua Chun happiest was that Hua Jinghua’s position was high enough that, whatever ideas she had, as long as she could convince the emperor, no one else could suppress her. Even if some ideas were immature, Yuwen Jie would help refine them, and if they truly couldn’t be implemented, he’d at least let her see the reason why.

Though this work was even more exhausting than in the modern world, it left her feeling a peace of mind unlike anything before.

Taking a deep breath, then letting it out slowly, Hua Chun closed her eyes in peace.

Better get a good sleep. Once her head was gone, she wouldn’t be able to sleep anymore.

The moon hung high, autumn night mist spreading thick, and the silent Heavenly Prison held only the groans of prisoners. The guard at the gate dozed, occasionally opening his eyes to glance at the empty surroundings before drifting back to sleep.

Unexpectedly, a carriage stopped in front of the Heavenly Prison’s gate. The guards jolted awake, raising their blades and halberds warily.

“How dare you.” a eunuch said in a low, sharp voice, producing a token. “Open the prison gate at once.”

By the moonlight, the guard made out the pattern on the token, and his face went pale. He immediately had the layered gates of the prison opened, then dropped to his knees.

Someone stepped down from the carriage, wrapped tightly in a black cloak that concealed even his face. Yet the moment he walked in, the guards all around clearly felt an invisible pressure bearing down on them.

“Lead the way.”

“Yes.” Eunuch Qin walked ahead, guiding the man behind him deep into the Heavenly Prison.

Hua Chun was sleeping soundly, vaguely hearing the sound of the prison door’s chains being unlocked, but paid it no mind, simply turning over.

The emperor sat down at the edge of her bed, frowning as he looked at her face, then at the untouched food and wine on the table, his heart sinking slightly.

He had no idea she had already eaten — he thought she was too frightened to eat at all. Unable to help himself, he reached out and tucked the loose strands of hair from her forehead behind her ear.

Startled awake mid-dream, Hua Chun sensed something was off and forced her eyes open with effort.

Something seemed to be sitting at the edge of her bed, pitch black, its face unseen.

“Holy crap, the Black Guard of Death?” Startled for a moment, Hua Chun immediately shrank back toward the head of the bed, eyeing the thing warily. “You’re way too early — I’m not dead yet!”

The emperor: “…”

Pulling off the hood covering his head, he looked up at the person now curled up like a frightened ball, and said coldly, “Have you ever seen a Black Guard of Death as handsome as me?”

Huh? Hua Chun was stunned, quickly crawling over to look at him closely.

It really was Yuwen Jie. She had just been dreaming of him, and now here he was? She reached out and pinched his cheek — warm. She rubbed his nose — still as sharp and prominent as a mountain ridge. She felt along his jaw — faint stubble, but the contour was excellent.

“Why has Your Majesty come?” Grinning, Hua Chun said, “I thought I’d never see you again.”

“So you had some awareness after all.” Yuwen Jie’s face was half in shadow, looking at her without much friendliness. “I thought you had some secret hope, to dare say such things in court.”

“I did have some hope.” Hua Chun raised her hand. “Like, say, on the day of my execution, a bolt of lightning strikes down and kills the executioner and the overseeing official — that’d buy me a couple more days at least.”

Yuwen Jie narrowed his eyes, killing intent radiating from him.

“Just kidding, just kidding!” Sensing that this man in front of her was genuinely angry, Hua Chun hurriedly pressed her palms together, smiling ingratiatingly. “Your Majesty, don’t be mad.”

“Why would I be mad?” he said through gritted teeth. “You go and throw your life away, and I merely lose one hand — I can find another. There are plenty of capable people in this world; I don’t believe I can’t find another good Chancellor.”

Her smile stiffened slightly on her face. Hua Chun lowered her head, thought for a moment, and said, “That’s true, this Chancellor’s seat — plenty of people could fill it, and maybe not even worse than me. Actually, Grand Tutor Tang’s family originally had a son said to be brilliantly talented, just no one knows where he’s gone now. Several newly promoted officials in court have also performed quite well; given enough time to cultivate them…”

The emperor suddenly reached out, gripping the back of her robe, and pulled her tightly, forcefully, into his embrace.

His cloak was very warm, wrapping around her too. Comfortable enough that Hua Chun yawned, tears welling up in her eyes.

She fell silent, and he said nothing either, only slowly tightening his arms. Both their heartbeats pressed together, and from an initial chaos, eventually fell into a single rhythm.

Hua Chun felt a little nervous, unsure whether it was because her death was now set, but she felt an urge to throw caution to the wind and kiss this man’s lips.

It wasn’t that she was lustful — truly, it wasn’t. Though the emperor’s lips did look rather kissable, this feeling right now was different from the ordinary urge to take advantage of a handsome man.

How to put it? It was like knowing the ship you were on was about to hit an iceberg, and before it sank, wanting to kiss the one you loved.

A little laughable, wasn’t it — she herself didn’t know why she felt the emperor was someone she loved. She’d clearly disliked him before, couldn’t stand his philandering ways, his harem full of women. But now, here, there was only him and her. Baring a little bit of her true feelings — surely that wouldn’t be mocked?

Her heart in a tangled mess, before she could react, the emperor had already let her go.

Ah, what a shame. Hua Chun pouted, looking up just as she was about to speak — only to have the man before her lower his head and fiercely seal her mouth shut.

Blinking, she was stunned, her teeth caught completely unprepared as he pressed deeper, the man’s breath instantly enveloping her.