He Chang’an was utterly bewildered. He looked at the Emperor, then at Hua Chun, thoroughly puzzled: “Your Majesty… are you truly this impatient for Jinghua to have a child?”

Such a lavish reward! If word got out, it would cause an uproar, surely? A thousand taels of gold just for having a child—a thousand taels! That was enough to let ten thousand commoners live comfortably for two years. Wasn’t this a bit reckless?

The look in the Emperor’s eyes was unfathomable. “I haven’t finished speaking. Consider this a wager between myself and the Chancellor. If, within three months, Qing Niao becomes pregnant, then that thousand taels of gold belongs to the Chancellor. But if Qing Niao does not conceive…”

“Then the Chancellor shall wear women’s clothing once, and be granted a bath at Huaqing Pool.”

What? Hua Chun was stunned. She looked up at him blankly, her heart sinking uncontrollably.

“…Why would the wager be something like that?”

What did he know?

Those eyes were unfathomably deep, hiding far too much that she couldn’t decipher. Hua Chun suddenly felt a jolt of alarm, and a deep sense of dread. She had always thought Yuwen Jie was merely a stiff, reserved sort of emperor, but she had overlooked one thing—no matter how reserved or rigid, he was still the Emperor.

Since ancient times, no one who could hold the throne securely was ever simple. Yuwen Jie was only twenty-five, and had already sat on the throne for five years. Could someone like that really be so thoroughly fooled by her little tricks?

The blood throughout her body seemed to stop circulating. Hua Chun stared blankly at Yuwen Jie, a touch of despair in her eyes.

“Because didn’t Chang’an say that the Chancellor in women’s clothing would have a distinct flavor of its own?” Yuwen Jie closed his eyes briefly, and his expression softened considerably, the frightening glint in his eyes tucked away. He looked at her gently. “So I merely wanted to see for myself, nothing more. If the Chancellor feels it too humiliating…”

“This humble servant does find it very humiliating!” Hua Chun said hastily. “Whether or not a child comes is up to Heaven’s will. This servant doesn’t wish to place such pressure on Qing Niao either, so why not just forget it?”

Glancing sidelong at her, the Emperor said flatly, “I haven’t finished speaking.”

Hua Chun froze slightly.

“What I meant was, if the Chancellor finds it too humiliating, there’s nothing to be done about it—you already offered your thanks for the reward a moment ago. My word carries the weight of nine tripods; it cannot simply be taken back on a whim,” he said. “A thousand taels of gold—surely that can’t compare to the Chancellor wearing women’s clothing once? This is a bargain that doesn’t disadvantage the Chancellor, in my view.”

His tone was even, almost as if he were simply bantering with He Chang’an as usual, nothing out of the ordinary.

Yet Hua Chun felt a chill settle in her heart as she listened, staring at him without moving, feeling as though something had seized her, from her arms down through her whole body, leaving her unable to move.

Would the Emperor make a wager like this with the Chancellor under normal circumstances? He must have discovered something. But where could she have possibly slipped up? Hadn’t she always managed to cover things over? As for the matter of the Adam’s apple, surely Yuwen Jie would have forgotten about it once he woke up!

Besides, if he really had found out, how could the Emperor possibly remain so calm while making this wager with her? He would have simply had someone strip her clothes off on the spot! Don’t panic, she told herself—she needed to stay composed. Things surely weren’t as dire as she imagined. Even if the Emperor had suspicions, at most he was still only testing the waters. She mustn’t let herself fall into disarray.

After comforting herself inwardly, Hua Chun took a deep breath, turned to look at He Chang’an, and said half-jokingly, “Second Brother, you’re just going to watch His Majesty bully me like this and not help?”

He Chang’an had just been thinking Hua Jinghua’s reaction seemed a bit excessive, but the moment he turned and saw him smiling again, he relaxed.

The Emperor was joking around—Jinghua probably understood that too, and the two of them were simply having fun teasing each other.

So he laughed and said, “His Majesty’s word outweighs the heavens. This is one thing your Second Brother can’t help you with. Just do as His Majesty says—it’s all a matter of luck anyway, and it’s not certain His Majesty will win.”

Hua Chun smiled, smiled again, and nodded along: “That’s right.”

Right, my foot! There was no way she could win this wager even if it killed her! Conceiving within three months—unless Qing Niao was a hermaphrodite capable of self-fertilization, where else would the pregnancy come from? The poor girl had already suffered enough marrying her and living as a widow in all but name. Was she now supposed to make her climb over walls to get herself pregnant, all for the sake of this bet?

Thinking about it this way, she’d rather just wear the women’s clothing herself.

Hua Chun’s mood was tragic. She accompanied them in laughter while inwardly wailing—what sin had she committed, that every time Yuwen Jie came up with some idea, she was the one who ended up unlucky?

“Seeing the Chancellor in better spirits comforts me as well,” the Emperor said. “Consider this a form of amends on behalf of my imperial brother.”

This counted as amends? This was clearly adding insult to injury and kicking her while she was down! Hua Chun’s face nearly twisted out of shape, yet she still had to kneel and say, “This servant thanks Your Majesty for your consideration.”

“Rise.” The Emperor waved his hand magnanimously. “The Chancellor may go back and handle today’s memorials that have arrived.”

“Yes.”

He Chang’an watched Hua Jinghua leave with a smile, and once she was far enough away, he turned and asked Yuwen Jie, “Is there a secret between Your Majesty and the Chancellor that this servant doesn’t know about?”

He had caught that strange atmosphere from a moment ago.

Yuwen Jie lowered his eyes and said quietly, “Isn’t it perfectly normal for there to be secrets between people that others don’t know? Just as I don’t understand what this ‘Jade Peak Group’ you all speak of is.”

Raising an eyebrow slightly, He Chang’an rubbed his chin.

Why did the Emperor’s words sound so odd? Almost as if he were jealous. But looking at his expression, there wasn’t the slightest thing off about it.

Shaking his head, He Chang’an decided not to press further. As long as the Emperor and Chancellor Hua got along in harmony and could work together as one against outside threats, then his own task was as good as complete.

Hua Chun returned to the Chancellor’s residence in an uneasy state of mind, and stood before the mirror, studying her reflection intently.

This face was still as delicate and handsome as it had been when she first saw it in the television drama. And yet, if she put on women’s clothing, styled her hair into a woman’s bun… she tried imagining it, and then shuddered.

There wasn’t the slightest hint of incongruity—anyone would know at a glance she was a woman!

What was she to do? Qing Niao getting pregnant was impossible, so should she tamper with her own face instead?

Her eyes darted about. Hua Chun took a deep breath—no need to panic, no need to panic, there were still three months. No rush yet. Even if the Emperor had suspicions, without solid proof, he couldn’t possibly convict her of any crime. Right now her relationship with Marquis Gongyu and with the Emperor were both good; as long as she kept currying favor, things surely wouldn’t come to the point of having her clothes stripped to verify her body.

Someone senior had once told her that wherever you found yourself, you had to maintain good relationships with your superiors. At first she hadn’t believed it, but now she understood—relationships really could save your life sometimes, and spare you a great deal of trouble.

No sooner thought than done—Hua Chun immediately sent someone to the Hua residence to fetch Wan Shi.

“What is my lord busy with?” Qing Niao asked curiously, watching her. “Are you sending someone something?”

“Mm.” Hua Chun nodded. “For His Majesty. Go prepare a nice-looking box, doesn’t need to be too big.”

Qing Niao nodded: “All right.”

Yuwen Jie was in excellent spirits. Having finished handling state affairs, he sat in the imperial garden watching the koi. Before long, Eunuch Qin said, “Your Majesty, the Chancellor has arrived.”

Raising an eyebrow slightly, the Emperor said with a stern expression, “Let him come in.”

Hua Chun carried a large stack of memorials and set them directly on the stone table nearby, then bowed respectfully. “This servant pays respects to Your Majesty. Today’s memorials have already been sorted—the trivial matters this servant has already replied to on Your Majesty’s behalf. The rest here still require Your Majesty’s review.”

“Mm.” The Emperor nodded, glanced at the items on the table, and reached out to pull out a box made of what looked like precious red sandalwood.

“What is this?”

Hua Chun smiled ingratiatingly. “This is a gift this servant prepared for Your Majesty.”

“Oh?” Yuwen Jie was quite surprised, picking up the box to examine it. “Why the sudden urge to give me a gift?”

“Hasn’t Your Majesty been unwell lately?” she said flatteringly. “To help Your Majesty recover swiftly, this servant specially made some nourishing supplements. I hope Your Majesty will graciously accept them.”

Eunuch Qin glanced sideways at her.

To have the audacity to send the Emperor a gift like this—Chancellor Hua was truly one of a kind, ancient or modern. Fortunately this was in private, with no one else around, so he pretended not to notice.

The Emperor’s eyes were full of indifference as he slowly opened the red sandalwood box, saying, “My palace lacks for nothing in caterpillar fungus. What you’ve sent surely isn’t…”

Before he even finished speaking, he caught sight of the spicy dried fish resting on the brocade lining inside the red sandalwood box.

Yuwen Jie: “…”

Such an exquisite box, and she had actually used it to hold something like this!

“Does the Chancellor think this is what a sick person ought to eat?”

Hua Chun’s expression turned serious, and she said earnestly, “Your Majesty mustn’t underestimate this box of dried fish.”

“Should I hold it in high regard?” Yuwen Jie frowned.

“Of course!” Hua Chun took a deep breath. “Every fish here comes from the cleanest waters in the capital, having absorbed the transformation of the season from summer into autumn into its very flesh. The sun drew out the moisture, leaving behind nothing but the essence of the fish’s entire life! After processing, the fishy smell was removed, leaving only fragrance. Add to that aged chili peppers and spices stir-fried in for flavor, and only then does it become this small box of deliciousness.”

As she spoke, she swallowed. “Eating fish gives one rosy skin, bright eyes, and abundant energy. Compared to other tonics, which are ‘three parts poison’ as the saying goes, dried fish is not only entirely wholesome but fills the stomach besides. Doesn’t Your Majesty think this is exactly what a sick person ought to eat most?”

It sounded so reasonable that Yuwen Jie was momentarily dumbstruck. He looked down at the dried fish in the box again, and found himself actually feeling a bit tempted.

After a pause, he said, “I was originally worried you might embarrass me in front of foreign envoys. It seems my worry was unnecessary. This mouth of yours really could talk the dead back to life.”

Hua Chun laughed and rubbed her hands together, looking at him.

Yuwen Jie, giving her some face, reached out, took one, tasted it, and said, “Your sentiment is received. You may withdraw.”

“Your Majesty.” Hua Chun said hurriedly. “You’re reviewing all these memorials alone—can you manage them all? Why don’t I help you go through them together?”

She hadn’t cherished it before, all that time spent together with Yuwen Jie—only now that she needed to rely on their relationship did she feel regret. If given another chance, she would absolutely choose to cling tightly to the Emperor’s leg, and no matter what he said, respond with nothing but: YES, I DO.