Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – Cold and Yet Warm

Hearing Grand Preceptor Tang’s instructions, the footmen repositioned the sedan chair’s poles on their shoulders and immediately quickened their stride, though they took care not to jostle the young prime minister. The old officials by their shoulders, who were dressed in court clothes, subtly hiked their skirts and ran in small steps.

Seated in the sedan, Hua Chun could not help but cast her gaze at her surroundings, her mouth twitching in amusement once she absorbed the sight. This scene looked very familiar. If the old men were to be replaced with little fairies in fluttering skirts and scattered petals, it would almost be like the scene where the Imperial Empress finally makes her debut.

This kind of escort… did it not disgust these court officials? ‘Won’t this make them resent me?’

As it turned out, not at all.

When her little sedan chair finally reached Xuanzheng hall, the officials immediately arranged themselves into lines before the door, on either side, bowing slightly while calling out to her in a respectful tone.

“Prime Minister Hua!”

Seeing the spectacle, Hua Chun took one moment to blink, slowly, before twisting her features into a grateful, yet still awkward, smile. Really, these old men were just too much. Mentally sighing as the footmen finally lowered her, Hua Chun braced herself before she lifted her body off the chair, wincing a little at the pain.

‘Well, the show goes on…’

Walking into the hall, her eyes swept her surroundings, observing how the other officials formed a line before the Dragon Throne.

‘Eh? Where am I supposed to stand?’

Just before she began to tense, an official next to her had immediately taken a chair and placed it to the right of the Dragon Throne’s steps, positioning it sideways, facing the throne itself

“Prime Minister, please take your seat!” They said, a broad smile on their faces as they held onto the back of the seat, happily beckoning her over.

“……”

Was she allowed to sit? Hua Chun eyed the chair apprehensively, not daring to move. She did not want to act rashly. Instead, she stayed quiet with her head down, waiting for someone else to speak up. Hopefully, they’d give her an excuse.

Seeing the prime minister hesitate, the officials looked at one another before Grand Preceptor Tang stepped out of the line to reassure her.

“Prime Minister, don’t worry. This seat was also given by the Empress Dowager.”

Hearing those words, Hua Chun blinked. ‘The Empress Dowager? Again?’

At those words, Hua Chun felt a faint warmth settle in her heart. The Empress Dowager was genuinely kind! She had given her so many privileges. Was it because she felt pity for her, thinking her bottom would still be sore after the beating? Truly magnanimous!

Shedding a few tears of gratitude in her heart, Hua Chun nodded towards Grand Preceptor Tang before moving forward, carefully settling herself onto the seat.

The moment after, it was unknown when he had slipped in but, Eunuch Qin stood by the side and roared in greeting, his words chilling Hua Chun to the bone, causing her to sit restlessly.

“Your Majesty has arrived!”

With those words, the hall instantly adopted a solemn atmosphere as everyone turned towards his direction, subtly shifting to make a path. Then, as if agreeing to do so beforehand, the officials knelt, bowed their heads and said, “Long live the Emperor!”

Keeping their heads bowed until the Emperor passed them by, the Emperor’s footsteps resounded throughout the hall.

‘Ah, such a tense atmosphere,’ Hua Chun thought as the Emperor finally passed by her and stepped onto the steps of the Dragon Throne.

Raising her head, Hua Chun’s eyes could not help but move up to the Dragon’s Throne, locking onto the figure of the Emperor just as he reached the top and turned around, casting his gaze over everyone.

At the Emperor’s sudden movement, Hua Chun quickly maneuvered her gaze away, feeling a faint sweat wash onto her back. She still saw it! His eyes! Aiya, the psychological trauma was too heavy! Too heavy!

Trembling, Hua Chun steeled her heart once more and forced herself to cast another glance, this time her eyes locking onto his figure in surprise, absorbing every detail quietly in a daze.

Yu Wenjie stood there, with his back straight, dressed in the standard yellow dragon robes that Emperors usually wore every day. Yet, he still cut an impressive figure, especially with his imposing aura.

Mesmerized, Hua Chun continued to stare, refusing to blink as her thoughts occupied her mind. ‘The Emperor…’ she thought, ‘did not look all that bad.’

Seeing him again, Hua Chun thought, although he was cruel, he looked every inch like a ruler that was standing high in heavens. Yet… she didn’t know if it was because of the angle or some sort of illusion, but it seemed like the Emperor’s demeanor was a lot gentler.

Resisting the urge to gulp, Hua Chun instead praised the Emperor’s looks silently in her heart.

‘Can I capture this moment forever?’

Just as she expressed that sentence in her mind, the Emperor’s eyes finally fell onto her, causing her to freeze up.

‘Ah! Did I say that out loud?’

Quivering, Hua Chun looked around before casting her gaze back down, the icy feeling on her back returning tenfold when she saw them not react.

‘Wasn’t the Emperor supposed to say, “You may rise, my beloved subjects!”, at this point? What was he doing? Why was he looking at me without saying anything?’