Yuwen Jie froze for a moment, holding her hand and forgetting even to walk.

Hua Chun was very capable and could help him with many things, but from these past few days together, he realized he didn’t need to read memorials while with her, nor did she need to help him handle state affairs — and yet the two of them together never grew tired of each other, never felt the slightest bit bored.

He had assumed she would enjoy this kind of life, which was why he had casually asked her about it. He hadn’t expected her to answer so earnestly.

Just as he was feeling somewhat moved, the person ahead of him instantly turned playful again, grinning mischievously. “I can live well anywhere, but for a handsome ruler like Your Majesty, it would be such a waste not to sit on the dragon throne. Come on, let’s hurry back.”

He Chang’an, standing to the side, also paused for a moment, as though recalling something, and said with pressed lips, “Your Highness, once we’re out, please avoid appearing in public for the time being. Leave everything to His Majesty and this humble official to handle.”

“Huh?” Hua Chun turned to him curiously. “Why is that?”

He Chang’an glanced at the emperor behind him.

The emperor pressed his lips together and said in a low voice, “You haven’t eaten properly these past several days. Go back and rest and recover your strength first. Matters of the realm are for men to handle. As long as you’re safe, I’ll have nothing to worry about.”

“I see,” Hua Chun nodded. “I know my own abilities have limits — I won’t recklessly cause trouble for either of you. Don’t worry.”

Looking deeply at her, He Chang’an felt a pang of sympathy. Though people outside claimed to support the emperor unanimously, their attitude toward her remained deeply hostile. Yuwen Xi had gone to great lengths, and in the eyes of the realm, Hua Jinghua had likely already become a thousand-year-old fox spirit in their minds. It was best she not appear before the public for some time.

She should have been the one rewarded for her achievements — if not for Hua Chun’s foresight, things might never have reached such a favorable outcome today. Yet now, far from receiving any credit, she instead bore endless blame. Why was there always so much injustice in this world?

Hua Chun knew none of this — she simply believed the emperor was trying to protect her, and so she obediently did as they said.

After the group left the tunnel, the emperor resettled her at Zichen Hall. After living underground for so long, they all needed a thorough wash and a hot meal. Hua Chun chose to sleep well afterward, while the emperor took He Chang’an to see the Empress Dowager.

In just half a month, the Empress Dowager appeared to have aged ten years, her hair turning entirely gray. Seeing the emperor enter, she stirred with some agitation. “Jie’er!”

“Greetings to Mother.” Yuwen Jie cupped his hands, then looked up at her. “If this time, only one of your sons — myself or my brother — can survive, could you make that choice?”

The Empress Dowager trembled, tears already falling. “Is my choice not already clear enough? It’s only that, my son — I am willing to help you punish Xi’er and make him understand his wrongs. But can you not spare his life?”

Spare his life? He Chang’an frowned. “Empress Dowager, this time Prince Xi has committed the crime of treason. Were he not of imperial blood, it would warrant execution of nine generations of his family.”

“I know, I know all of this.” The Empress Dowager choked back tears. “But can there not be some leniency? I am willing to speak of that matter — can Your Majesty not show some mercy?”

The emperor fell silent.

If Hua Chun had been there, she surely would have straightened her back and scolded the Empress Dowager back to her senses — mercy toward someone like that was cruelty to oneself! But standing before the Empress Dowager now were only the emperor and He Chang’an, and neither of them had any way to respond to her weeping.

After thinking for a moment, Yuwen Jie said, “If Mother can help this son bring my brother to justice, this son is willing to spare his life — I will not kill him.”

“Truly?” The Empress Dowager’s eyes lit up.

The emperor nodded. “This son never goes back on his word.”

“Good, good, good.” Wiping her tears, the Empress Dowager said, “What he’s stirring up this time is truly nothing more than a child’s tantrum — it could never succeed. I have already told the court officials that he is not the late emperor’s true son.”

Yuwen Jie trembled, staring at her in disbelief. “What?”

Explaining it again was no different from reopening an old wound, and yet the Empress Dowager gritted her teeth and said it once more, adding, “This palace’s years are advancing; sooner or later I will go to meet the late emperor. If the two of you brothers could have been kept safe, I would have carried this secret to the grave to confess to the late emperor there. But since things have turned out this way, I have no choice but to make it known publicly, in hopes he’ll understand that the throne was never his to begin with.”

“Why didn’t you say so sooner?” He Chang’an frowned. “Had this been announced from the start, Prince He would never have helped him at all, and the other feudal lords would surely have helped the emperor stop him without hesitation.”

“This palace…” Lowering her eyes with guilt, the Empress Dowager said quietly, “This palace was held captive by him at the time. Had I not pretended to submit, he would never have left me in the capital afterward.”

Looking at her, the emperor said, “You needn’t worry any further. Since the truth has already been made public, I will help you proclaim it to the realm — only… as for your days going forward…”

“This palace will retreat deep into Huiming Hall and never again have contact with the outside world,” the Empress Dowager said, choked with tears. “As long as Xi’er and you are both safe, and the realm of Great Liang remains with the Yuwen family, and the people of the realm can live in peace, this palace is willing to never emerge again.”

Yuwen Jie pressed his lips together, watching in silence as the Empress Dowager wept for a good while longer, then finally nodded.

The emperor reappeared publicly and received the leaders of Yanjing’s righteous armies, formally bestowing upon them the title of general.

This act greatly boosted the morale of the righteous armies, and the emperor gained, at essentially no cost, a battle-hardened force of considerable strength. He then had He Chang’an lead the army to join with Huo Zichong in pursuit of Yuwen Xi.

Yuwen Xi had not yet grasped what was happening. Lacking any sensitivity to military matters, by the time he realized his precarious position and sought to consult his advisors, he found that his generals had all vanished.

“How could this be?!” Prince Xi flew into a rage, and seeing the emperor’s forces closing in, hurriedly led his remaining followers fleeing toward Wushan.

Sun Liuxiang was still with the army, following him. Seeing the situation was hopeless, Yuwen Xi’s temper flared, and he abandoned his usual gentleness toward her, ordering the soldiers to block her and keep her from disturbing him.

“I see…” Sun Liuxiang stood outside his tent, looking at the shadow within, murmuring softly, “In a situation like this, anyone would be unhappy. I understand how Your Highness feels.”

“Your Highness,” the maidservant beside her said without much patience, “Prince Xi is clearly just using you plainly. How can you not see it?”

Sun Liuxiang paused, shrugged, and turned her heavy frame back toward the tent.

There were plenty of wicked men and foolish women in this world, and when the two happened to meet, there was nothing to be done about it — knowing full well one was being used, as long as they could stay together, what did it matter?