For a moment, Hua Chun was genuinely moved. That someone as cold as Yuwen Jie would think this far ahead, granting such a tremendous favor — she truly felt as if the sun had risen in the west, and was almost willing to kowtow to him in gratitude.

But before she could even lower her head, that same warm tone from a moment ago suddenly took on a hint of mockery: “With an imperial decree behind it, your marriage will be all the more solid.”

Hua Chun froze. Turning his tone over in her mind, her face instantly went pale.

Solid… marriage.

Why hadn’t she realized it sooner? An imperial marriage decree certainly meant no one would dare speak ill of Qing Niao anymore — but an imperially decreed marriage couldn’t be dissolved! Once the decree was issued, Qing Niao could never remarry for the rest of her life.

What was she supposed to do now? She’d promised Qing Niao that if she ever met someone right for her, she would let her go and find true happiness. And now Yuwen Jie had suddenly pulled this move — how was she supposed to explain it to her?

Looking up in shock at the Emperor, Hua Chun saw in his eyes something like heaven looking down on an ant with disdain, along with some other expression she couldn’t quite read.

What was he thinking? Was he still suspicious of her true gender? Otherwise, why would he issue a decree like this? But then, if he genuinely suspected she was a woman, why would he bind her to another woman with a decree like this? That wouldn’t hurt her at all — it would only hurt Qing Niao.

She’d already expressed her gratitude; there was no way to object now. The matter was settled — showing her true colors at this point would only mean losing on both fronts.

Her mind racing with a thousand thoughts, Hua Chun pinched her own thigh under the table, forcing herself to calm down, plastering a happy expression on her face and forcing herself to say to Yuwen Jie:

“Many thanks for Your Majesty’s kind intentions!”

Glancing at her once, Yuwen Jie turned away. “If there’s nothing else, let’s adjourn. The rest of you should head home as well.”

“Your servants obey,” the old officials said, snapping out of their daze, bowing one after another. They each glanced toward Prime Minister Hua before slowly withdrawing from Zichen Hall, hearts full of unease.

“What on earth is going on?”

The moment they were outside, Minister Ding couldn’t hold back any longer, grabbing Li Zhongtang’s arm. “Hasn’t His Majesty always disliked the Prime Minister? Why is he suddenly bestowing wedding gifts and marriage decrees? An honor like an imperial marriage decree hasn’t been granted in several reigns!”

“This old servant can’t make sense of it either,” Li Zhongtang said, turning to Grand Tutor Tang. “What does Lord Tang make of it?”

Grand Tutor Tang said, “We all know the Prime Minister’s loyalty. It stands to reason that His Majesty has finally come around and decided to treat her well.”

“So… so what do we do?” Minister Ding asked anxiously. “Should we still not be sending our memorials to the Prime Minister?”

“Sending what?” Li Zhongtang frowned. “The moment Prime Minister Hua gains favor, you’re all rushing to curry favor with her too — don’t you realize how that makes you look, like you’ve got no backbone of your own, just bending whichever way the wind blows! We have our own affairs to attend to. However much the Emperor favors the Prime Minister, she’s still just a green young official. If we back her now, we might end up nurturing a tiger that turns on us later!”

If Hua Jinghua were willing to fall in line and align with their faction, that would be one thing. But the crux of it was that she only ever did what she personally believed was right, with no regard for anyone else’s interests. Who would want to align themselves with someone like that?

The officials around him nodded in agreement with Li Zhongtang’s words. Grand Tutor Tang said nothing, silently following along as they left.

Hua Chun and He Chang’an remained behind in Zichen Hall.

“Is this some kind of sworn-brotherhood ceremony?” With the attendants gone, He Chang’an teased the Emperor. “Giving Third Brother such a lavish gift right off the bat — are you worried I’ll outshine you?”

Yuwen Jie ignored him, sitting on the throne, quietly watching Hua Jinghua’s stiff, forced smile from across the hall.

This marriage had been his own doing. If she truly intended to spend her whole life with a woman, then as Emperor, he could certainly grant her that. There was some element of wanting to send a signal to the court officials, to make them see the situation clearly — but he couldn’t deny there was also a small, baseless streak of stubbornness in it too.

He wasn’t even sure who he was competing with, or over what, but ever since announcing the marriage decree, he found himself oddly enjoying watching Hua Jinghua’s reactions.

She must be a natural-born actress — look at how expressive her face was, and yet he still couldn’t quite read what she was truly thinking.

Only one thing was clear to him: if Hua Jinghua were genuinely satisfied with this decreed marriage, she wouldn’t be this conflicted about it. She’d be smiling easily, not with the corners of her mouth so stiff and forced.

Thinking about it this way, he felt an odd sense of satisfaction stirring inside him.

“What’s wrong, Third Brother?” He Chang’an, noticing Hua Chun’s mood, turned to look at her. “Something on your mind?”

“No.” Hua Chun took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Maybe I’m just hungry.”

“Oh?” He Chang’an chuckled. “Care for some ‘Jade Peak Rolls,’ then? I can head home right now and have some made for you.”

The mention of that particular item made Hua Chun burst out laughing despite herself, and she waved her hands quickly. “No need, no need — even though it’s delicious, better save it for yourself, Second Brother. My tastes run pretty plain.”

“Ha ha ha!” He Chang’an laughed heartily, patting her shoulder. “So you knew about that after all?”

So they’d both ended up equally shameless together? Hua Chun’s ears turned faintly red, and watching He Chang’an’s bright, radiant laughter, she couldn’t help but feel her own spirits lift, laughing along with him.

The man’s laughter really was infectious, though perhaps the biggest factor was simply how good-looking he was — with looks like that, he could afford to laugh however exaggeratedly he pleased, and his features would still look striking.

Someone this handsome, naturally, Hua Chun couldn’t help sneaking a second glance.

Yuwen Jie had no idea what “Jade Peak Rolls” even were, so naturally he didn’t understand what the two of them found so funny, and simply watched them with a blank, wooden expression, as if looking at two lunatics.

But as he kept watching, he noticed the way Hua Jinghua was looking at He Chang’an.

That wasn’t the way one looked at a brother, was it?

His expression sharpened, and he frowned. “Prime Minister Hua.”

“Ah, yes?” Hua Chun turned back quickly.

“You should head out of the palace now,” he said. “I still have matters to discuss with Chang’an.”

Nodding, Hua Chun obediently rose, bowed, and took her leave. Once outside Zichen Hall, looking at the red walls and yellow-tiled roofs all around her, the knot of anxiety in her chest surged up again.

She genuinely wanted to grab a piece of chalk and scrawl “The Emperor is a bastard” all over the palace walls! Giving her a hard time was one thing, but why did he have to go and cause trouble for a young woman too? What business of his was her marriage, that he had to grant a marriage decree over it? Now she couldn’t even bring herself to feel right about dragging Qing Niao into this at all.

What on earth was she supposed to do about this marriage now?

He Chang’an watched Hua Jinghua leave, then turned back to the Emperor. “What is it? Wanted to get rid of her?”

“Haven’t you noticed?” Yuwen Jie’s brow furrowed slightly. “Hua Jinghua genuinely seems to have feelings for men.”

He Chang’an blinked, then laughed. “You’re back on this again.”

“Hear me out,” Yuwen Jie said, unusually willing to elaborate. “I’ve had this feeling for a while now. He’s always staring at me, and even when my back is turned, I can feel his gaze on me. And now it’s gotten even more alarming — it seems he’s taken a liking to you too.”

He Chang’an: “……”

He sighed, looking up at the ceiling helplessly. “Your Majesty, why are you so fixated on this whole ‘cut sleeve’ business? Jinghua’s about to get married — he’s a normal man, same as you and me. Why do you still suspect him?”

“The marriage is just a front,” Yuwen Jie said. “If you don’t believe me, let’s make a wager. If this marriage actually goes through, I’ll give you the newly acquired blood-sweating horse from the palace stables.”

A blood-sweating horse? He Chang’an perked up — now that piqued his interest. “And if it doesn’t go through?”

“Then you give me your newly acquired white jade Go set.”

“Done,” He Chang’an said with a smile. “It’s a deal.”

Yuwen Jie glanced at him. “You really trust him that much?”

“It’s not a matter of trust or distrust,” He Chang’an said, elegantly unfurling his folding fan. “Jinghua seems quite timid, honestly. With Your Majesty’s marriage decree hanging over it now, I’d say the odds of this marriage actually happening are even higher.”

Yuwen Jie gave a scornful laugh and shook his head, turning to look out the window.

At some point, a light rain had begun falling outside, the damp, clean air drifting in through the window. The flowers behind the palace seemed to have bloomed a little more.

He suddenly recalled, long ago, galloping his horse down a road after a rain shower, someone chasing unsteadily behind him on horseback, calling out urgently as they rode: “Your Majesty! There are still urgent matters to attend to in the palace — please come back, Your Majesty!”

The voice had been thin, almost grating. He’d paid it no mind and simply charged forward, not returning until dusk, when he’d finally had his fill. Arriving back at the palace gates, he’d found that person standing there bathed in the sunset glow, holding a stack of memorials, waiting for him.

“Is there any point in the Prime Minister waiting here? I’m heading to the harem.”

“No matter. This subject will wait in the study, then.”

“I won’t be going there.”

“Your Majesty always comes eventually.”

Hua Jinghua had been a stubbornly persistent person, always believing he would govern the nation well.

The original Yuwen Jie had truly been consumed entirely by martial arts and warfare, with no interest whatsoever in reading memorials. It was only after Hua Jinghua came along that he’d gradually, reluctantly, begun redirecting his attention toward matters of state.

Strange — thinking carefully about it now, there were so many memories in his mind connected to that person. Cold-faced. Stone-faced during the flogging. Wide-eyed and innocent, looking up at him from the beam of the bed.

All of it, Hua Jinghua.

His mood suddenly soured, and the Emperor rose abruptly, walking straight toward the door.

“Your Majesty?” He Chang’an was startled.

“I’m heading back to the harem.”

With those four words tossed out, Yuwen Jie walked away without looking back, his grim expression startling even Eunuch Qin at the door.

He Chang’an raised an eyebrow, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “Always suspecting others of having ‘cut sleeve’ tendencies for no reason… could it be…”

He watched the direction the Emperor had disappeared in for a long, meaningful moment, then shook his head, dismissing the thought from his mind. It was far too outrageous a notion. Anyone in the world could have such tendencies — except the Emperor. That concerned the fate of the dynasty and its heirs; it wasn’t something to joke about.

As for Jinghua, he trusted the man wasn’t like that at all — it was simply that certain quality about him that made people want to draw closer, entirely unrelated to his actual conduct.

That blood-sweating horse was as good as his already!

At the Hua residence.

The moment she returned, Hua Chun went straight to find Qing Niao, cold sweat covering her forehead, her expression deeply anxious.

“What’s wrong, my lord?” Seeing her, Qing Niao quickly wrung out a handkerchief to wipe her face, asking gently, “What’s got you so worried?”

“His Majesty wants to grant us a marriage decree.” Looking into her clear eyes, Hua Chun felt even guiltier. “As for the wedding — should we think of another way, perhaps?”