Character Index
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Rightful heir to the Liang clan and Minister Liang's younger brother. Currently tracking down everyone part of and related to the Zhao clan in preparation for Kayla's plans.
Ke Yongqian: One of Kayla's employees, brought on by Hu Qing. He was introduced to Kayla in the safe house after the Grand Duke attempted to kill her in Chapter 89.
Sun Zhong'e: One of Kayla's employees, a woman who uses unorthodox healing methods. She was sent to watch over Ji Yantao after Hu Qing leaked the significance of Ji Yantao's case to Housekeeper Wang, in order to get Qu Boyong in Kayla's debt.
Ji Yantao: Formerly an accountant of the Xiang household, he was dragged into Qu Boyong's revenge plot, but his daughter is playing the role he was meant to play (filing a case that would drag out the framing of the Xiang clan.)
Tao Qian: One of Kayla's employees, a highly skilled bodyguard that Hu Qing originally recommended to Kayla. He saved Kayla during the events of Chapter 89. Kayla sent him to watch over Ji Yantao to prepare for the worst.
Zhao Chao: One of Kayla's employees who was brought on by Hu Qing, he is currently working for Kayla as a bodyguard.
Qu Boyong/Xiang Daozong: Son of General Xiang and the Princess of Chu, the only survivor of the Xiang family. He is seeking revenge against the Grand Duke, and has grown increasingly resentful of Kayla, who continuously complicates his plans.
Wei Guang: The Imperial Edict Bearer and teacher of the previous generation of princes, including the Imperial Princess and the current Emperor. He is also Kayla's godfather.
Li Que: A Senior Investigator in the Imperial Investigation Bureau, he is supportive of Kayla.
Captain Jiang: An Imperial Guard captain, he was in love with a palace maid (it's illegal for a palace maid to have an affair while they're working in the Inner Palace). Due to Kayla's interference, the Sixth Princess managed to help him obtain the maid's hand in marriage.
Imperial Princess: Wenyuan's mother, she was a magical researcher who gathered evidence against the Grand Duke after the death of her husband. She was also responsible for the soul magic that brought Kayla to this world.
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Hu Qing shifted his weight on the tree branch, jotting down a few notes before gesturing at his coworkers. They silently left, the trees barely rustling with their departure.
“Fuck, just how many mistresses does that guy have? If he’d kept it in his pants a little bit more, we wouldn’t have to run around so much,” Ke Yongqian complained as they landed in an empty alleyway.
“I know, right?” One of the other men chimed in. “Seriously, how can one man possibly need so many mistresses?”
“Lust, money, or power, those are the vices that most people can’t avoid. This guy’s got plenty of money, and he can’t gain any power with the Grand Duke’s leash on him, so it’s hardly strange he’d indulge in lust. He’s got the means, after all,” Hu Qing said breezily.
“But do we really need to track down all of these people? Most of them are pretty useless, aren’t they? Even if we leave them be, there’s nothing they can do,” Ke Yongqian said.
“Don’t be ridiculous, it’s not something that is ten thousand percent certain to happen that you should be worried about, but something that only has a one in ten thousand chance of happening,” Hu Qing shot back. “The Minister’s planning something big, we have to be as thorough as we possibly can. Don’t underestimate these Zhao bastards, they’re slippery as hell.”
“Fine,” Ke Yongqian grumbled. “But really, even though they’re from the same family, isn’t the difference a bit too big? The Minister’s cousins and uncles have so many women, but he’s practically celibate. Is he actually a cut-sleeve?”
“Isn’t that plaque in the Southwest safe house for a man?” Another man pointed out. “It’s fancier than what most people would make for their parents, and there’s always offerings before it. Maybe that’s–”
“Hey, you little shits, that’s enough blabbering. How much do you plan to chew on your tongue about your own employer?” Hu Qing snapped, irritation surging up.
“It’s not like we’re breaking confidentiality,” Ke Yongqian protested.
“Shut the fuck up,” Hu Qing shot back.
“Alright, goodness. For other people, it’s not beating the dog without checking with the owner, but for you, it’s not beating the owner without checking with the dog,” Ke Yongqian grumbled.
“You bastard, want me to break your arm again?”
“I’m kidding!” Ke Yongqian hastily backed away, protectively holding his left arm closer. “We’re just curious is all. I mean, there’s suddenly an altar in the safe house, and it’s not even for his parents. How can we not be curious? We’ll keep quiet, so cool your temper already.”
Hu Qing shook his head and raised his voice. “Alright guys, let’s figure out the rest of the affiliated folks. Once all the talismans are in place, we can wrap up for the day.”
He moved on, the other men trailing a little further behind.
Too quietly for anyone else to hear, Hu Qing let out a sigh.
“That plaque…Really, what a lucky bastard.”
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Ji Yantao hummed softly under his breath, stretching his limbs in the patch of sunlight at the center of the courtyard. His bones crackled, and he winced, rolling his shoulders.
“Fresh sesame flatbread! Fresh sesame flatbread for sale! Best in the neighborhood!” The ear-piercing shouts jolted Ji Yantao out of his brief moment of relaxation.
“Oh, it’s that new flatbread seller again! I can smell the sesame from all the way over here. Old Ji, can you run over and get some for us? I need to watch the fire,” his landlady called from where she stood over a pot, stirring the porridge within.
“No problem,” Ji Yantao called back, jogging out of the courtyard to flag down the peddler.
“Miss Sun! Hold on, let me grab four,” Ji Yantao called over.
Sun Zhong’e turned back, smiling at him brightly. “Uncle Ji, you look to be in good health today! You must be in good appetite too, no? Buy a few extra,” she urged him.
“Goodness, you’re way too glib for a simple-minded man like me,” Ji Yantao chided. “How will I eat all that? Just let me have five of them.”
“Alright,” Sun Zhong’e said cheerfully. She set down her baskets, removing the cloth coverings and digging through to pick out a few, deliberately slowing her movements. Within a few moments, the Grand Duke’s assassins should be arriving. If Ji Yantao was already inside at that time, it would make things much more difficult to clean up afterward if they had to break into the courtyard.
“Ah, hot!” Sun Zhong’e drew her hand back, giving Ji Yantao an apologetic look, continuing to drag out the interaction.
“Easy, easy, take your time, don’t burn yourself,” Ji Yantao urged.
Sun Zhong’e began the process anew, taking her time with pulling out five flatbreads and wrapping them up. She took Ji Yantao’s money and began fumbling for change.
Why are they not here yet? She withheld a grimace and dropped the coins.
“Oh no! Really, what is with my luck today?” Sun Zhong’e said in mock dismay, bending down to gather the coins. Ji Yantao followed suit, helping her to pick them up.
“It happens, don’t worry too much about it, it might just be bad luck for your zodiac today,” Ji Yantao assured her. “Perhaps you should take it easy for the rest of the day.”
He dropped the coins he gathered back into her hands, and Sun Zhong’e gave him his change as she sensed the assassins approach via the rooftops.
Finally.
“You’re so kind, Uncle Ji,” Sun Zhong’e said. “Have a wonderful day.”
“You as well, Miss Sun,” Ji Yantao replied. He turned and began to head back, the naan tucked under his arm. Sun Zhong’e glanced back out of the corner of her eye as a flash of black entered her line of sight.
“Watch out!” Sun Zhong’e shouted. She whipped out a dagger and blocked the blow heading for the back of Ji Yantao’s head. Ji Yantao let out a high-pitched screech. Eight men dressed in black began to emerge across the rooftops, agilely leaping about as though they weighed nothing.
Around her, several peddlers sprang into action, tossing aside their hats and wares to draw out blades and crossbows. Sun Zhong’e yanked a longer blade out of her sleeve and began exchanging blows, keeping Ji Yantao safely behind her. A second assassin leaped at her, and Sun Zhong’e shoved Ji Yantao backward, sending the man tumbling away. Blocking blows left and right while keeping an eye on Ji Yantao’s safety, Sun Zhong’e grew more harried in her movements. A third assassin dropped onto the ground right before Ji Yantao, just outside of Sun Zhong’e’s reach.
“No!” Sun Zhong’e shouted, mustering a burst of strength to kick one of the assassins out of the way. The blade aiming for Ji Yantao clashed against metal with a clang, and the third assassin was kicked aside. Tao Qian stepped forward with a butcher knife in hand, having rushed over from where he had been posing as a pork vendor.
He easily dispatched the two men before Sun Zhong’e, both of whom had shifted their target the second Tao Qian appeared. Between the crossbows and the ambush, the other five assassins were being made short work of as well.
“Good heavens,” Ji Yantao squeaked, backing himself up against a wall. Sun Zhong’e set aside her weapons and approached him with open hands.
“Uncle Ji, are you alright?” Sun Zhong’e asked him gently. He stared at her in disbelief as she knelt on one knee before him, taking his wrist to check his pulse.
“Miss Sun, just who are you? Who-who are all these people?!” Ji Yantao asked in a trembling voice. “Just what’s going on?”
Sun Zhong’e gave him an assuring smile.
“Don’t worry, Uncle Ji. We’re here to protect you.”
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Kayla sat in her room, having returned to the Wei household after work. The reports Zhao Chao had given her brought her relief and concern with equal measure.
There had been an attempt on Ji Yantao’s life, just as she’d hoped. Ji Yantao had been taken into protective custody, drawing the curtains on a small success, one that she hoped would be the first of many. It was now up to how Qu Boyong reacted. But regardless of whether or not he was actually grateful, he would at least have to play nice before Xianchun.
And if he doesn’t, I’ll need to find some way to have him gain Xianchun’s ire. But it was a dangerous game to play–messing with Liu Boyue was already dangerous enough, even when she had the perfect excuse of not knowing he existed. Qu Boyong was also their cousin, and Kayla would be the one on the wrong side of Xianchun’s temper should she get caught trying to sow discord.
It was the assassination attempt from the day before that bothered her. Five men had been caught, but not a single person so much as hinted at the Grand Duke, no matter how they were questioned. Not that the questioning had actually gone anywhere. Three of the assassins had killed themselves within an hour of arriving in the holding cells, and two were killed for trying to frame the Seventh Prince and Third Prince respectively. Kayla tossed the report aside, feeling a headache coming on.
I need to make sufficient progress with Feng Yi while I still have Xianchun’s trust–until the Grand Duke dies, he’ll be placing his faith in me, but what about after that?
“I’ve already gone around acting pitiful before the Emperor and Empress Dowager, and I still had to go and cry to Xianchun,” Kayla grumbled under her breath. “And now I’ll have to keep bouncing between him and the Third Prince like this is Infernal Affairs…Just how much longer will I have to keep this up?”
Too bad that artificial tears haven’t been invented yet, I could really use some.
“A great man can bow and extend himself as needed,” Wei Guang’s voice rang out, startling Kayla into dropping the scrolls in her arms.
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“Godfather! I didn’t realize you were here,” Kayla said, shooting to her feet.
“It was not my intention to frighten you,” Wei Guang replied. He moved further into the room, gesturing for her to sit down as he settled into a chair.
“I was merely lost in thought,” Kayla said. Wei Guang glanced at the reports on her desk.
“All of this must be quite difficult for you to balance,” he said sympathetically.
“It is due to my lack of ability,” Kayla said.
“There’s no need to disparage yourself. But I came here in hopes of helping you with the troubles you’re currently facing, if you’re willing to hear my advice,” Wei Guang said.
Why is he being so reticent about it? Kayla had a strange sense of foreboding, but could only go along with it.
“I’d gladly wash my ears with your words,” Kayla replied.
“In terms of how to deal with the Grand Duke in a way that satisfies the Seventh Prince and Qu Boyong without stirring up too much of a fuss with the palace, do you have any ideas yet?” Wei Guang asked.
“So long as I seal up the Zhao household, I can operate within a contained space. More importantly, the Seventh Prince and Qu Boyong will be able to take their revenge to their hearts' content,” Kayla said.
Wei Guang shook his head. “That puts you in too passive of a position. What will you do if things spiral out of control? You need to take charge of the whole process, not just go along with their actions.”
“Then what would you recommend, godfather?”
Wei Guang gave her a thoughtful look.
“Have you studied the reign of Emperor Wen of Han?” Wei Guang asked.
“Of course, my history teacher loved talking about the reign of Wen and Jin as an example of good governance,” Kayla replied, drawing from Wenyuan’s memories.
“Good governance…indeed, Emperor Wen truly deserves his posthumous title. But he faced no small amount of difficulties in the court, and got rid of plenty of political opponents and unruly officials, including his own maternal uncle, and yet he is not criticized as cruel or unjust,” Wei Guang said. “And why is that?”
Kayla frowned, hastily pawing through her mind. “Because they…committed suicide? No, because he forced them to commit suicide. That’s what he did with his own uncle.”
“And how did he do that?” Wei Guang prompted her.
Kayla hesitated. “I…remember that he sent officials to convince his uncle Bo Zhao to commit suicide, but Bo Zhao refused. And then Emperor Wen had the officials of the court go to Bo Zhao’s house in mourning clothes and start the funeral rituals, wasn’t that the case?”
Wei Guang nodded. “Exactly. Bo Zhao was still alive, and yet everyone was dressed in white cloth and kneeling before an empty coffin, wailing and crying with everything they had. With no other choice, Bo Zhao committed suicide in humiliation, and yet Emperor Wen retains his reputation.” He leaned forward slightly, staring into Kayla’s eyes. “Wenyuan, do you understand?”
That is…wow. A fitting end for a shitty person. But why is Wei Guang refusing to say it outright? Kayla gulped in unease. I have to rope him into this–no, perhaps he’s testing to see if I’ll try to do that…or is this a test to see if I can accurately assess the situation and rope him in? No, he already knows I can hold my own in court…then why?
“Godfather, I’m faced with numerous difficulties, each of which is more insurmountable than the last. May I ask for your advice on what I should watch out for?” Kayla asked, refusing to answer outright.
Wei Guang slowly leaned back, his eyes glinting with approval.
“Nothing that you haven’t thought of already. First, you need to completely control the Zhao household–no one enters or leaves without your permission. No information in, no information out. Second, you need to cut off communications and surveillance without inciting suspicion. For that, you already have the Third Prince’s backing, but I’d recommend you obtain Senior Investigator Li Que’s as well. Once the deed is done, the Emperor will look the other way. Lastly, you need to ensure that the Grand Duke doesn’t lash out. The last burst of strength from a beast is the most likely to take down a hunter, do not allow him to become a trapped beast, but rather crush him entirely. The Seventh Prince must not come to harm. As for Qu Boyong…it’s too risky to kill him by the Grand Duke’s hand.”
Kayla nodded. It wasn’t too far off from what she was already planning.
“Then so long as I watch out for these, it wouldn’t matter if a few people went…missing, would it?” Kayla asked. It wasn’t possible for her to take control of the household without any bloodshed, but the problem was how much would be permissible.
“So long as it’s contained and can be muffled into silence, it doesn’t matter,” Wei Guang replied. “If you avoid making a mess, then you can always reduce a large problem into a small one, and a small one into nothing.”
“I understand,” Kayla replied.
Wei Guang smiled slightly before his face settled into a cold expression.
“Wenyuan, you made the right choice,” he said.
Kayla instinctively knew he was referring to her refusal to answer. Her stomach dropped.
I basically admitted I didn’t trust him, didn’t I?
She chose to keep quiet, watching to see whether Wei Guang was upset or approving.
“Even those closest to you, even a wife or a child, cannot be fully trusted,” Wei Guang said. “Seeing that you know this, I feel satisfied in entrusting this task to you.”
Kayla nodded. So he thinks I can kill the Grand Duke. It was reassuring to have his approval, even if it left a larger pit of unease in the back of her mind.
“If the Emperor should choose incorrectly, I will be relying on you to rectify that decision,” Wei Guang added.
“Wh–what?” Kayla choked out the words as her heart skipped a beat in shock.
“Listen carefully to what I’m saying, Wenyuan. The current Emperor was not the heir chosen by the previous Emperor,” Wei Guang continued. “I was the one to put your uncle on the throne.”
“What?!”
“The previous Emperor grew to dote on a young concubine in his late years and wished to change the Crown Prince to her son. On his deathbed, he did so. I was the one to seal off the palace and lead the Imperial Guards to coronate your Uncle,” Wei Guang said.
“A–” Coup. Kayla swallowed the word, staring at Wei Guang in disbelief.
“The country would’ve spiraled into instability with a child on the throne. I did what I had to, and I trust you to do what you have to, should it come to that,” Wei Guang continued calmly.
“I’ve never heard of having an uncle so close to my age,” Kayla said.
“That was your grandmother’s doing,” Wei Guang admitted.
“Then he’s…” Kayla trailed off meaningfully. Wei Guang nodded.
“Good heavens,” Kayla muttered, putting a hand over her pounding heart. “Godfather, I-I’m grateful for your faith in me, but something like this may be beyond my capabilities.”
“Not in the slightest. Wenyuan, with your nullification abilities, only a small force of Imperial Guards would be necessary to take action. I’ve arranged for Captain Jiang to learn of his debt to you, but the rest still depends on whether you can grab hold of that opportunity,” Wei Guang said.
Kayla reeled back in disbelief. Are you fucking kidding me–Jesus Christ!
“My nullification has limited applications for combat,” Kayla pointed out.
Wei Guang gave her an unimpressed look. “Wenyuan, you have no experience in coups, so you don’t know this.”
Yeah?! No kidding?! Even the Grand Duke didn’t plan a coup?!
“Cutting off communications usually entails sealing off the palace, which requires a ridiculous amount of manpower. However, you can simply cut off all magic. The palace would automatically go into lockdown in such a case, and communications would also be cut off as a result. Then all you would have to do is get the Third Prince into the room before the Seventh Prince, and that would be all there is to it,” Wei Guang explained. “From the tests I’ve done so far, you are more than capable of nullifying magic over the entire capital, taking care of the palace should be effortless for you.”
Really?! I didn’t even fucking know that. Did he get that just from making me nullify a few talismans?
“That’s not something we can afford any uncertainties on,” Kayla said.
Wei Guang shook his head. “I am completely certain. I did not tell you, and you did not seem to sense it, but the talismans I had you nullify in the past were not just any common spells. They were extremely high-level spells crafted by your mother and her fellow researchers, specifically to test just how high the limits are for mages, not just as individuals, but collectively.”
Kayla reared back, staring at him in disbelief. Fuck, are you kidding me? I didn’t even realize what he was doing! As expected, older ginger packs more heat.
“Godfather, do you believe the Emperor would decide incorrectly?” Kayla asked.
Wei Guang leveled her with a steely gaze. “Would you take that chance?”
Kayla shook her head vehemently. “Of course not.” She knew what kind of future lay with Xianchun’s ascension to the throne and wanted no part in it.
“Then you ought to prepare accordingly,” Wei Guang replied.
Kayla bowed her head in response, sweat beading at her collar.
A coup…we’re really going down a dangerous path here, aren’t we? But what other choice do we have?
She straightened as Wei Guang pushed a pile of scrolls into her line of sight.
“And these are…?” Kayla prompted.
“Your mother’s writings in code, as I promised,” Wei Guang said.
“Thank you very much for taking the time, godfather,” Kayla replied.
In terms of slapping you in the face and then feeding you a date, godfather really is on a whole other level, Kayla griped to herself.
“Then I’ll leave you to it,” Wei Guang got up, and Kayla stood up to send him off. Once he had left, Kayla began to pace the room nervously.
Right, if the Emperor chooses incorrectly, there’s still a small window in which we can change things…through a coup. Fuck.
Forcing her thoughts away from the source of anxiety, Kayla turned to the scrolls and unrolled the one on top, not expecting much. Wenyuan would’ve been the one most likely to decipher a secret code by his mother, but he was no longer here.
As the contents of the scroll finally registered in her mind, Kayla dropped it in shock.
“What the fuck?!” Kayla said in alarm.
With trembling hands, she squatted down and picked it up, looking it over with frenzied eyes.
“Is this…katakana?”
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Cultural Notes
权钱色/Power money lust: A common phrase used to encompass the three major motivating factors in a very nihilist worldview.
不怕一万就怕万一/Not fearing something ten thousand percent certain but fearing that which has a one in ten thousand chance of happening: A Chinese colloquialism meaning that you need not fear that which is certain but that which is possible, also used to mean that you should always be prepared for anything to happen and plan meticulously since you will definitely prepare for a certain outcome but it is the uncertain results that will hit you in the face when you least expect it.
断袖/Cut-sleeve: An Ancient Chinese term for male homosexuality. It originates from the story of an Emperor who cut off his sleeve to avoid waking his sleeping lover.
嚼舌根/Chew on the root of your tongue: An Ancient Chinese term meaning to talk behind someone's back, especially when that someone is your employer.
牌位/Plaques: Plaques are usually for one's family members, especially one's ancestors and parents, but also for any siblings, spouses, etc. who died before you. People also set them up for close friends.
打狗看主人/Check with the owner before hitting the dog: A Chinese saying meaning not to cut loose on someone unless you're certain of who's backing them up. An example would be refusing to punish Hu Qing until they've confirmed he works with Wenyuan and given Wenyuan a chance to resolve the matter peacefully. The reverse of this is often used in popular culture for when the subordinate is stronger than the superior, 打主人看狗/Check with the dog before hitting the owner.
芝麻饼/Sesame flatbread: A food popular in the capital city during the Tang Dynasty, it was brought over by traders from Western Asia and Central Asia, similar to modern-day naan.
无间道/Infernal Affairs: A Hong Kong movie about a cop who infiltrated the mafia and a mafia member who infiltrated the cops. The movie features the two of them running circles around the other until a fateful clash determines both their fates. The name 无间道 also refers to a Buddhist term for a specific circle of hell, which is why Wei Guang didn't find it strange when Kayla said it.
大丈夫能屈能伸/A great man can bend or extend himself: An Ancient Chinese proverb stemming from a quote by Confucius, meaning that a great man will bend but not break, and can rise to the occasion when needed.
洗耳恭听/Wash my ears and respectfully listen: An Ancient Chinese proverb used to indicate respect for someone's words.
文景之治/The Reign of Wen and Jin: Refers to the period in the Han Dynasty during which the country was ruled by Emperor Wen, and then his son, Emperor Jin. The two of them didn't meddle too much with the people's affairs and tried to improve the economy and reduce the power of local nobles in order to consolidate the central government's power. They built the foundation for the numerous campaigns of Emperor Wu of Han.
汉文帝/Emperor Wen of Han: He succeeded Liu Bang, the first Emperor of the Han Dynasty. Emperor Wen was the son of Liu Bang's most neglected concubine and was sent to rule a remote fief at a young age. He and his mother were forced to supplement their meager stipend with additional side jobs, but as a result, their pitiful situation caused Empress Dowager Lu to spare them when she was killing off all of Liu Bang's other women and sons (excluding her own kids). After a very complicated succession crisis in which the Lu family was exterminated, Emperor Wen became the Emperor. Though he was not without his faults, he was an excellent politician and was kind to the people, repeatedly granting amnesty, reducing taxes, and redacting unreasonable laws and punishments. When he died, he forbade the country to undergo a long and expensive mourning period, decreeing before his death that his concubines should return to their homes rather than stay at his grave or in the palace (as was customary) and that the people and court should not mourn for more than three days.
薄昭/Bo Zhao: Emperor Wen's maternal uncle, he came to abuse his power as the years went by, and killed a messenger from the palace. Note that after the fiasco of the Lu clan, the early Han dynasty was extremely sensitive to political interference from the Emperor's maternal relatives. Since Emperor Wen did not want to execute his own uncle, he sent officials to persuade Bo Zhao to kill himself. Bo Zhao refused, and Emperor Wen sent the officials to go mourn at his house (note that this was very loud and included a host of noisy instrumentals and artistic wailing) until Bo Zhao was forced to commit suicide.
垂死挣扎/Struggling on the verge of death: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to the desperate and often frenzied struggle of someone/something on the verge of death.
大事化小小事化了/Turn a big matter into a small one and a small one into nothing: A Chinese proverb.
宫变/Palace Coup: A specific type of coup in Ancient China that usually involved leading the Imperial Guard against an Emperor, whether to force him into abdicating, changing the heir, or eliminating key officials. It can also take place after an Emperor's death, in order to crown a new Emperor by force.
姜还是老的辣/Ginger packs more heat when it's older: A Chinese saying referring to the fact that older people tend to have more wiles/ploys at hand, largely due to experience.
打个巴掌给个枣/Slap you in the face and then give you a date: A Chinese version of "hit you with a stick and then give you a carrot."
Katakana: A Japanese syllabary consisting of 48 characters that follow the endings of -a,-i, -u, -e, -o, as well as a character that is pronounced -n ("nnn"). It is one of the three writing systems used in Japanese, which includes hiragana, kanji, and katakana. Katakana is usually used for imported terms.