Chapter 46 – Insufferable Punishment (1)

Yu Wenjie glanced at Huo Zhaoyi cursorily and asked, “Do you have a book here?”

“Of course.” Huo Zhaoyi got up immediately, and shooting him a salute in greeting, took the maid to the apse to fetch a book for the minister.

Yu Wenjie turned the book in his hand over, as if to look at the title, and continued reading without saying another word. Hua Chun smiled politely, feeling a tad self-conscious and awkward, until Huo Zhaoyi finally returned with a book in hand.

“These are what the concubines usually like to read,” Huo Zhaoyi offered, handing the things in her hand to the emperor.

Scanning the items, Yu Wenjie nodded, and handed them over to Hua Chun, “Huo Zhaoyi has been so gentle and considerate. Won’t you thank her, Minister?”

“Of course. Thank you, Empress Zhaoyi,” Hua Chun, nodded, standing up to bow in gratitude obediently, before picking up a book to read. Her first impression of Huo Zhaoyi was that she was tacky, and she felt certain that the same could be said of her taste in books. Without much expectations, she picked up the book to read. However, to his surprise, it turned out to be strangely interesting and she found herself invested in the story, despite her previous judgement.

Huo Zhaoyi had, after all, managed to save her from the awkward situation before, when she might have  embarrassed herself and inevitably ruined her reputation. No wonder she liked her better now!

‘She wasn’t really a b*tch, like the Queen Mother thought she was.’

Hua Chun looked at the cover of the book and smiled gratefully at it, thinking of its giver.

Huo Zhaoyi sat in the emperor’s lap, resting against him. The emperor, minister, and concubine all read for an hour together in perfect and calm harmony.

Hua Chun enjoyed reading the book she had been allotted. It was a well-written manuscript, scented with a pleasant fragrance, something that women would certainly enjoy. However, when she turned to the last page, she was surprised to find that there was not a single word on the paper. Instead, a portrait adorned it.

Frozen in shock, Hua Chun stared at the page for a full minute before she shook herself and peered closely at it.

The artist was certainly very talented; his muse in the painting resembled a fairy with a beautiful face and clothes. Although the strokes were simple and it was devoid of color, there was a unique charm that it contained, one of precious ancient pictures.

But, the burning question was who was the person in this portrait?

She decided to not think too much of it and let it slide.

Seeing that it was almost time and that the emperor next to her had already checked a pile of documents, Hua Chun stood up contentedly to take his leave, “Your majesty has worked hard, today. He must want to rest. I should leave, now.”

“Why are you in such a hurry? Are you just going to come and go as you wish?” Yu Wenjie was visibly upset. Glaring at her, he said, “The Queen Mother’s order is an order, but isn’t mine one, too?”

‘What logic was this?’ Moreover, how could she argue with the emperor? ‘Come on, it’s almost noon, and I won’t be able to go back at lunch time if I don’t leave the palace now. Why are you keeping me here? Do they still want to read more?’

Smothering the complaints inside her mind, she still respectfully said, “Your majesty, please calm down.”

“I am not angry.” The emperor said, “You should stay here and read with me.”

Hua Chun was left speechless. Gazing longingly at the blue sky outside, she sighed, resigning her to this fate, and got herself another book to read.

It was Huo Zhaoyi, who then felt tired, and whispered to Yu Wenjie, “Your majesty, don’t you want to rest for a while?”

“Hmm.” The emperor nodded in acknowledgement, “It is indeed time to rest. I will go to your palace to lie down for a short while then.”

Hua Chun was happy to hear that and said, “Then, may I.. “

“You can just stay here and keep reading,” Yu Wenjie said without looking back, “We’ll talk about it when I wake up.”

‘What? How cruel and inhumane this creature is!’ Hua Chun’s face clearly portrayed the dismay she felt. ‘What kind of history did they have? There’s nothing left for me to do. Why keep me here?’ Looking at the emperor’s departing back, Hua Chun yelled at him internally, “Hey! Hey!”