Once she accepted this reality and grew used to the rules of this world, Hua Chun found the adjustment surprisingly natural. She wasn’t sure if it was because she’d always loved period dramas and classical things, but everything here felt pleasing to her eye, and greeting people with proper etiquette came to her with remarkable ease.
For one fleeting moment, she even caught a whiff of destiny in the air.
“Here, the little dried fish I made for you.” Madam Wan tenderly tucked a paper-wrapped package into her arms. “The smell has already drawn quite a few cats over—guaranteed to be delicious!”
Hua Chun was a bit stunned. She sniffed, staring in surprise at the oil-paper package in her hands.
The esteemed Prime Minister, actually fond of eating dried fish snacks?!
“Every time you go into the palace in the afternoon, you’re delayed for so long. Don’t mind your mother nagging—if you get hungry, sneak a bite. His Majesty won’t blame you.”
Somewhat moved, Hua Chun tucked the package of dried fish into her sleeve and nodded at Madam Wan. “Don’t worry, Mother.”
Though she was domineering and overbearing, she truly was a good mother. Even for the sake of this little package of dried fish, Hua Chun felt she had to go argue with the Emperor a bit more.
Walking was still somewhat difficult. In the afternoon, several elderly ministers once again carried Hua Chun into the palace on a palanquin.
“Can we discuss something?” She kept a straight face, speaking earnestly to Grand Tutor Tang beside her. “You carried me in on the palanquin—can you also carry me out on it?”
Grand Tutor Tang was stunned for a moment, then cupped his hands. “This morning the palace attendants were already waiting outside the Xuanzheng Hall, and the palanquin was prepared as well. Did you not ride it?”
Hua Chun: “…”
Why would they be waiting outside Xuanzheng Hall? She’d gone to the Imperial Study, damn it!
She wiped a hand over her face and gave a dry laugh. “Never mind.”
She’d let so many palace attendants watch her make a fool of herself for nothing!
Glancing at her, Grand Tutor Tang said, “Regarding the disbursement of disaster relief funds, the Prime Minister should still discuss the matter further with His Majesty.”
“I understand.”
She had handled similar matters before. Ancient times and modern times weren’t so different—wherever there was disaster relief, there was always corruption and skimming. She’d once had an idea about this before, but because it threatened too many people’s interests, her superior had slapped it down flat against the wall.
Now, she wondered if she might have a chance to try it.
On the dragon bed, Yuwen Jie startled awake from his dream, his eyes opening full of hostility, sweeping toward the person beside him.
Eunuch Qin gave a slight start and hurriedly brought over cool tea and a silk handkerchief, attending to him as he rose.
“Your Majesty, there is still a general council at the hour of Shen.”
A general council?
He paused, closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the hostility within had dispersed, settling into calm.
“Understood.”
He’d had another unpleasant dream again—in the dream, it seemed he’d lost something, and it had twisted all his organs together in pain. The feeling made him restless, but he had to suppress it.
His face dark, he changed into his court robes and headed toward Xuanzheng Hall.
While waiting for the Emperor to arrive, Hua Chun sat in her chair, humming a tune in good spirits, sneaking bites of dried fish. Madam Wan’s cooking skill was truly excellent—the dried fish was fragrant and spicy, without the slightest fishy smell, truly the best snack.
Just as she was chewing away with a grin, Eunuch Qin’s voice rang out from outside: “His Majesty arrives—”
This time she’d learned her lesson. Without a word, she immediately knelt down, performing the salute with utmost respect: “Your subjects welcome His Majesty!”
Yuwen Jie frowned. He walked to the dragon seat and sat down, glancing at the elderly ministers who had only bowed, then at Hua Chun prostrated in front like a frog. For some reason, the gloom in his eyes dispersed somewhat.
“Prime Minister Hua.” He spoke. “This is a council, not a court assembly. Why perform such a great salute?”
Prostrate on the ground, Hua Chun wished she could slap herself silly. She really needed to study up on palace etiquette! She’d already embarrassed herself twice now!
“Your servant…” Bracing herself against the ground, she slowly stood up. By the time she raised her head, Hua Chun had already steeled herself mentally and cupped her hands with great composure. “Having committed a grave error before, I now perform the great salute upon seeing my Emperor, to show my remorse.”
“Oh?” Yuwen Jie looked at her, his gaze rather meaningful. “The Prime Minister truly is a model for all court officials.”
She smiled stiffly, then stood up straight and retreated back into the crowd.
A general council was a meeting where the Emperor gathered his key ministers to discuss some major matter in depth. Today’s topic was naturally disaster relief. The drought had come on fiercely, and if things continued this way, this autumn’s harvest would likely drop significantly.
Grand Tutor Tang, Li Zhongtang, and the others had already discussed the amount of relief funds with the Emperor. Hua Chun had no objections and simply gave a couple of “yes”es.
Yuwen Jie glanced at her, somewhat unable to adjust. Normally, whenever anything was said, Prime Minister Hua would always come pick at it. Why was she being so docile today?
Glancing over, that person’s profile was still exquisite beyond mortal standards, the bridge of the nose carrying an air of elegant refinement.
Truly effeminate.
Half the reason Yuwen Jie disliked Hua Jinghua was that he didn’t feel like a man—too delicately handsome, and frail, as if a gust of wind would knock him over.
Watching him grow more and more delicate over time, he liked him even less. Instantly, the urge to make things difficult for him arose.
“Does the Prime Minister have any good ideas regarding the disaster relief matter?”
Hua Chun was in the middle of weighing her words when the Emperor suddenly asked her this. She instantly straightened up.
Grand Tutor Tang and the others sighed softly, lowering their heads without a word. Disaster relief matters had always followed a fixed procedure—the higher-ups only needed to settle on the amount of relief funds and the affected area, and the rest would be arranged below. For the Emperor to ask such a question now could only mean he was giving the Prime Minister trouble again.
Just as they were considering whether to speak up and smooth things over, they heard Prime Minister Hua up front say, “This servant has thoughts, but pulling one thread moves the whole fabric—I dare not speak recklessly. If I raise this now, consider it only reckless talk; Your Majesty need not take it too seriously.”
She actually had an idea?
Yuwen Jie looked at her and nodded. “Speak freely.”
Taking a deep breath, Hua Chun cupped her hands. “Throughout history, when the court disburses ten parts in relief, officials swallow nine, and the one part that reaches the common people is but a drop in the bucket. In this relief effort, what should matter most is not how much is disbursed, but how much actually reaches the people’s hands.”
The entire hall carried only her voice, echoing back at her. After waiting a moment and hearing no response, Hua Chun steeled herself and continued on her own:
“The sovereign is the master of all people and all things under heaven. Precisely because he is the master of all people and things under heaven, his responsibility is at its heaviest. Wherever there is benefit or harm to the people’s livelihood, if even one thing is amiss, it will fail to match his duty. Thus the way of serving the sovereign must be complete in every respect, and he entrusts this responsibility to his officials, that they may speak freely. When officials speak freely, the sovereign’s way is thereby fulfilled. But if officials, for their own benefit, flatter and bend the truth, causing disasters to be concealed and the sovereign to remain unaware, this is a great calamity for the state.”
“If words go unheard, the sovereign’s grace flows abundant, yet the officials act carelessly, causing the people to fail to receive the sovereign’s grace—instead it harms the sovereign. This servant believes that, to let the sovereign’s grace be known widely among the people, Your Majesty should issue a decree clearly stating the amount of relief funds. Let those below supervise one another; if anyone reports corruption, promote and reward them. If officials shield one another, then let an imperial commissioner gather the people’s opinions and report back to the sovereign, ensuring that not a single portion of the relief funds is withheld from reaching the common people.”
Having truly said all there was to say, Hua Chun let out a breath.