Yuwen Jie lowered his eyes, reached out, picked up one of the memorials, leaned back in his chair, and slowly opened it.
It was from the same group of old officials as always, forever nitpicking his decisions, and this time they’d gone so far as to criticize the harem’s expenses.
He gave a cold laugh and looked up at the person before him. “Does the Prime Minister also agree with what Grand Tutor Tang wrote?”
Hua Chun stood ramrod straight, her gaze fixed on the jade paperweight in the middle of the desk, and took a deep breath. “What Grand Tutor Tang wrote is not entirely correct, but it does hold a fair amount of merit.”
“Oh?” Yuwen Jie closed the memorial and tossed it back onto the desk, looking up at her. “Where is it right, and where is it wrong?”
An ancient-times Prime Minister was basically a secretary, wasn’t he? He’d already read the memorial himself — did he really need her to summarize it for him too? Hua Chun pursed her lips and gave two forced laughs. “Does Your Majesty wish to hear this subject’s opinion?”
“Naturally.”
Thankfully she’d read through all the memorials the night before, and the traditional characters of this era weren’t too unusual — she could just about make them all out. Clearing her throat, she clasped her hands and spoke formally:
“Grand Tutor Tang puts the people first, hoping Your Majesty will address the famine before undertaking palace construction. Such a move would win the people’s hearts, and is naturally correct. However…” She stole a glance at him. “Your Majesty is wise and brilliant — how could you possibly fail to understand the pros and cons of the matter yourself? The Grand Tutor has written at excessive length, which risks appearing to underestimate Your Majesty’s own judgment. That much is not quite right.”
Diplomatic words never hurt. Hua Chun’s heart was pounding, but her expression stayed perfectly composed as she waited for the Emperor’s response.
After looking at her for a moment, Yuwen Jie narrowed his eyes and asked, without any warning at all, “Beaten into submission by me, are you?”
What? Hua Chun blinked, clearly not expecting this question, momentarily unsure how to respond.
Rising to his feet, Yuwen Jie walked slowly out from behind the desk, his tall frame blocking the light from the window and casting her entirely into shadow.
Hua Chun grew tense, maintaining her bow, not daring to look up.
“The Prime Minister’s manner of speaking now makes me rather uncomfortable.” Watching her, Yuwen Jie continued, “Earlier the Prime Minister said, ‘Honest words should be spoken plainly — neither too meek, nor too proud.’ I took that to heart. And yet now, your actions don’t quite match what you said.”
Was he saying she’d been too soft? Her mouth twitched as Hua Chun struggled to recall.
The reason Prime Minister Hua had been flogged in the first place was precisely because his words and actions were so consistent — if he didn’t want to spare the Emperor’s dignity, he simply wouldn’t, saying whatever he thought straight to the Emperor’s face, even when it struck a nerve. In the first episode, when the Emperor wanted to personally lead troops to inspect the fighting on the northern front, the other officials either stayed silent or flattered him, insisting his personal presence would guarantee victory.
Only Prime Minister Hua, fearless of death, had stepped forward and said, “Does Your Majesty recall? Last year, when you personally led the campaign, three thousand soldiers of the northern army died because of your oversight. This subject believes Your Majesty is better suited sitting high in the court; leave the campaigns to the generals.”
The Emperor had been furious the moment he heard it — who would want their mistake dredged up like that? Yuwen Jie was a monarch who loved warfare, and he’d only made that one error, over which he already felt deep regret. No one else in the court dared bring it up, yet Prime Minister Hua alone had dared to say it outright.
What made it even more infuriating was that he hadn’t even been wrong.
So Yuwen Jie had been left with no choice but to punish him over other offenses instead.
Now that Hua Chun was wearing this body, with such a vivid cautionary tale right in front of her, was she really going to charge in and speak so bluntly again? She wasn’t a fool.
She smiled faintly and bowed. “This subject came to understand a great many things overnight. There is only one truth, but a thousand different ways to say it. If pleasant words can make Your Majesty receptive, why would this subject insist on unpleasant ones, only to anger Your Majesty and make myself miserable in the process? So from today onward, this subject intends to turn over a new leaf and speak properly.”
Yuwen Jie frowned slightly, his gaze landing on the top of Hua Chun’s head, then sliding down across her face.
It felt like being licked by a wolf. She shrank her neck instinctively, wanting to step back.
“Don’t move!” the Emperor barked, low and stern, reaching out and pressing a hand directly onto her shoulder.
His broad palm was heavy as a boulder, pinning her in place without the slightest give. Hua Chun felt a flicker of fear — Prime Minister Hua’s body was, after all, that of a woman. If he took advantage of her here, what on earth would she do?
Surely the Emperor didn’t know she was a woman? But then again, if he had a preference for men… what would she do then?
Her thoughts spiraling into chaos, an entire forbidden palace drama was already playing out in her head, and before she could even reach an ending, Yuwen Jie’s hand had already landed on the back of her neck.
What was happening? Hua Chun shivered, staring blankly at the man before her.
“Turn around,” Yuwen Jie said impatiently.
“…Yes.”
She turned, and felt him gently touch the back of her neck, examining it for a moment.
What kind of hobby was this?
“Heh.” Having looked his fill, Yuwen Jie let her go and returned behind the desk to sit down, his eyes full of mockery. “That Prime Minister Hua could turn out like this is truly beyond my expectations. Since you’re still injured, don’t bother standing — sit.”
Was he planning to let her off the hook? Her heart lifted, and Hua Chun hurried over to the chair beside her and sat down. Her backside throbbed with pain again upon contact, taking her a good while to adjust.
“You said earlier that construction should be halted and treasury funds used for famine relief instead, correct?” Yuwen Jie said flatly. “The renovation of Yong’an Hall was Noble Consort Hua’s idea. Since the Prime Minister thinks it’s inappropriate, you ought to discuss it properly with Noble Consort Hua yourself.”
What did that mean? Hua Chun couldn’t quite process it — she was an outside official, wasn’t she? How was she supposed to report matters to the Emperor and then go discuss them with a consort? Wasn’t it generally forbidden for outside officials to even meet with the imperial concubines?
Just as she was pondering this, the Emperor had already sent someone to fetch her.
When Noble Consort Hua walked in, Hua Chun found her strangely familiar, as if she’d seen her somewhere before.
The moment the woman affectionately called out “Older Brother,” it clicked for Hua Chun — this Noble Consort Hua was none other than the second younger sister from the first episode, the one who’d entered the palace and won considerable imperial favor. She’d even been watching from above during yesterday’s flogging.
Judging by that warm, smiling face, she must be on decent terms with Prime Minister Hua? If so, wouldn’t bringing up the halt to construction risk damaging their sibling relationship?
“Greetings to Noble Consort Hua.” Without further thought, Hua Chun decided to bow first and figure things out later.
Hua Liuying gently lifted the hand Hua Chun had cupped in greeting, then leaned in against the Emperor’s side. “I heard on my way here — Older Brother wants to delay renovating Yong’an Hall?”
It wasn’t that she personally wanted to delay it — it was the opinion of the court’s senior officials. But since she was the one who’d brought the memorial forward, she’d have to take the blame regardless. “Yes.”
Giggling, Hua Liuying looked at Yuwen Jie. “Whatever shall I do? Older Brother has come to sacrifice family ties for the greater good — if Yong’an Hall isn’t finished, however am I supposed to keep living there?”