Hua Chun nodded and, smiling, saw Consort Hui out.

“My lady.” Qing Niao stood beside her, brow furrowed with worry. “The waters of this palace run deep — no one’s words can be fully trusted.”

“I know.” Hua Chun’s smile collapsed entirely, and she scratched her head in frustration. “But it seems like all of them think I’m favored, and they can’t wait to use me as their weapon.”

She was only playing the fool — she wasn’t actually a fool. Consort Hui had made it plain enough that she was at odds with Huo Xianrou; the whole speech boiled down to a single point: don’t side with Consort Huo.

It was strange, though — Huo Xianrou had already been banished to some remote, out-of-the-way palace. Why was Consort Hui still so wary of her?

“The master and the lady have already settled down safely in Tianyun City.” Qing Niao, after studying her mistress’s expression for a moment, said quietly, “My lady, if you find life in the palace too difficult, why not… we could flee, and go live an ordinary life with the master and the lady instead.”

What? Hua Chun looked up in surprise. “You’d actually have such a bold idea?”

She had thought people of this era were all so rigid and bound by rules — running away from the palace, given what had happened to Hua Liuying, was clearly a matter with severe consequences — yet Qing Niao actually dared to suggest it.

Startled, Qing Niao quickly waved her hands. “This servant only worries for you, my lady. If you don’t want to, just forget I said anything.”

Hua Chun laughed and pressed a handful of melon seeds into her hand. “Don’t be nervous. I know you’re worried about me, but we’ve already come this far — running would only bring more disaster down on the Hua family. Better to face things head-on and live our own lives well.”

Pursing her lips, Qing Niao muttered quietly, “How could anyone live well in the palace…”

Hua Chun heard her and shook her head. “Wherever you live, it comes down to your own state of mind. Sure, every harem drama is full of scheming and treachery, but as long as you’re smart enough to protect yourself, and you have someone you care for besides, then living well isn’t so hard after all.”

Watching the confident smile on her face, Qing Niao paused, thought something over, and finally lowered her eyes and nodded. “This servant believes in you, my lady.”

It had been a long time since that expression had appeared on her own face. In the past, whenever she’d been shot down by a superior or run into obstacle after obstacle at work, her face would turn ashen, and in the end she’d simply quit. The pressure back then might not even have been less than what she faced now — yet here, in this unfamiliar world, she had somehow chosen, so optimistically, to persevere.

Love really was a terrifying thing.

The Emperor was in the middle of receiving Tang Yue, having handed over everything Hua Chun had written. Once Tang Yue had skimmed through it, the Emperor asked, “Is there anything you don’t understand?”

Tang Yue’s eyes lit up, and he said with delight, “I understand all of it. Was this left behind by the late Chancellor himself? No wonder my father always praised him as accomplished beyond his years — this humble official feels admiration just looking it over.”

Both of them in their twenties, and yet he felt he himself might not even be able to fill Hua Jinghua’s shoes…

“As long as you understand it, that’s good.” The corner of the Emperor’s mouth curved up slightly, a trace of pride flickering in his eyes.

He had, after all, caught himself quite the remarkable little treasure. Though he still reserved judgment on her view that “women aren’t necessarily inferior to men,” his own woman was, indeed, more capable than most men.

“Your Majesty.” Eunuch Qin said, “Prince Xi requests an audience.”

His expression sharpened, and the Emperor sat up straight. “Let him in.”

Tang Yue quickly gathered up the documents in his hands and withdrew to one side.

“This subject pays his respects to Your Majesty.” Yuwen Xi bowed the moment he entered, glancing at Tang Yue with meaning as he did.

“Rise. What is it?”

“This subject has heard that Your Majesty has taken in a woman who looks exactly like Chancellor Hua.” He looked up, meeting the Emperor’s eyes directly. “This subject is very curious, and would like to see her for himself.”

The Emperor’s face turned cold. “Consort Hua belongs to the harem. You, of all people, should understand the proper etiquette.”

“This subject understands, which is precisely why he has come to ask his imperial brother — to be allowed to see her would be only proper.” Prince Xi smiled. “After all, it’s only been a short while since Hua Jinghua was executed, and then out comes someone who resembles him so closely — rather strange, wouldn’t you say? This subject worries that Your Majesty may have been deceived for a time.”

Yuwen Jie let out a scornful laugh. “In your heart, is it that you alone are clever, and everyone else is a fool?”

Startled for a moment, Yuwen Xi quickly shook his head. “It is not so. Your Majesty must not misread this subject’s intentions — this subject is merely curious, that is all.”

“What is worth being curious about, and what isn’t — you ought to know that well enough yourself.” Yuwen Jie reached for a memorial and said flatly, “Zhaoyi Hua has already been received by the Empress Dowager. If you have questions, you may go directly to the Huiming Hall. This one still has matters to attend to.”

His brow furrowed, and Yuwen Xi seemed about to say more, but seeing the Emperor had already raised the memorial to shield his face, plainly unwilling to look at him any longer, he had no choice.

Stranger and stranger. He cupped his hands in a bow and turned to leave the Zichen Hall.

“Zhanyue, where is Hua Jinghua’s grave?”

“The place of burial… was arranged by His Majesty himself. This servant does not know.”

Narrowing his eyes, Yuwen Xi stood in place a moment, thinking, then turned toward the Boyang Palace. “Find a way for this prince to see for himself just what kind of demon that Consort Hua really is.”

“Yes.”

Meanwhile, Hua Chun was reviewing old case files for the Emperor with one hand and eating pastries off the table with the other. Being a consort, she had to admit, was more relaxing than being Chancellor — at the very least there was more to eat, and there were little maids all around massaging her shoulders and legs.

Just as she was happily spitting out melon-seed shells, a young eunuch came in from outside and bowed. “Zhaoyi, the Empress Dowager requests your presence at the Huiming Hall.”

“Huh?” She blinked, staring wide-eyed at the eunuch. “Did something happen?”

The eunuch hesitated slightly, then said, “It is the Empress Dowager’s order. This servant does not know the reason.”

“Very well.” Hua Chun stood, brushing melon-seed shells off her clothes. “Little Qing doesn’t need to come with me. Anyone’s fine to accompany me.”

“Yes.” Qing Niao nodded.

After all, everyone at the Empress Dowager’s palace had already seen Qing Niao once before — even though most probably wouldn’t remember her face, it was still safer to wait a while longer, until they’d mostly forgotten, before letting her be seen there again.

There was a maid at the Yangxin Hall named Rui’er, who seemed rather clever. As soon as she heard this, she stepped forward on her own initiative. So Hua Chun set off with her instead.

She wasn’t very familiar with the paths through the harem, but she still had a rough sense of direction. After walking some distance, it became clear they were heading further and further out of the harem’s boundaries, and Hua Chun stopped in her tracks. “Are we going to the Huiming Hall?”

The eunuch leading the way lowered his head. “Yes.”

Hua Chun raised an eyebrow and smiled. “That’s quite far. I’m feeling a bit of an urge — could I use the privy first?”

The eunuch was startled and said, “It’s not much further, my lady. Could you hold it a little longer? It’s just ahead.”

If they went any further, they’d be leaving the harem grounds entirely — and if that broke some taboo, wouldn’t she be the one to suffer for it? Her mind spun, and she immediately clutched her stomach. “I can’t, I really can’t hold it — go on ahead, I’ll catch up in a moment!”

With that, she turned and ran back the way they’d come!