Character Index
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Kayla's retainer, he has decided to take back his rightful position as the head of the Liang household.
Ke Yongqian: One of Kayla's employees, brought on by Hu Qing. Previously worked with Hu Qing in running surveillance.
Zhou Xianchun: Seventh Prince, seeking revenge for his mother's (Consort Chen's) murder.
Qu Boyong/Xiang Daozong: Cousin of Xianchun and Wenyuan, he is seeking revenge for his clan's demise.
Ji Fangluo: A pregnant woman who was dragged into Qu Boyong's revenge plot on behalf of her kind but weak-willed father.
Ji Yantao: Former accountant of the Xiang household, he was dragged into Qu Boyong's revenge plot. Kayla recently took him into custody after leaking information about him to the Grand Duke.
Chujiao/Jing Shuyou: Qu Boyong's cousin and Wenyuan's childhood friend/servant/love interest. Kayla took her into custody from the Zhao household.
An Haoyang: Qu Boyong's right-hand man, formerly undercover as an Imperial Investigator.
Feng Yi: A merchant who got dragged into Liu Boyue's plots, and then Kayla's. Currently working for Kayla.
Old Lin: A farmer who was arrested for stealing a jade pendant from the local influentials.
Shu Ling: A woman who works for Kayla, she was sent to protect Feng Yi on his journey.
----------------------------------------
Hu Qing crossed another name off the list as the other four men in his team finished setting up an array of talismans. They were in a lower-income residential area, one where low-tier prostitutes and seasonal laborers tended to reside–it was also where a few off-the-book hires of the Zhao household resided.
Hu Qing glanced up as his team members reconvened.
“We’re basically done, aren’t we?” Ke Yongqian asked.
Hu Qing nodded. “We just have to track down two more people, and then we’re completely done.”
“But when are we going to make a move? Isn’t there any word from the Minister yet?”
Hu Qing shook his head. “We’ll move when the Minister says so–and he still has to go through the Seventh Prince first.”
The men were eager to see some action after days of reconnaissance and surveillance, but the real battles were fought inside the studies and sitting rooms, where fates were decided over tea and wine. A good blade would neither interfere nor concern themselves with a battleground that did not belong to them, but Hu Qing had never made any claims as to quality, and Wenyuan didn’t just want a knife.
“Do you reckon the Seventh Prince’s men have to avoid the Imperial Investigators? Or do they just go about with their heads high on account of their master?” One of the men asked curiously, jerking Hu Qing out of his thoughts.
“Depends on the task,” Hu Qing replied. “In any case, we probably won’t be working side-by-side with them, so it has nothing to do with us. Even if we do end up bumping into each other, don’t let them see your faces, and avoid using your real voices.”
“Alright,” the man replied, lowering his voice an octave. The others broke out into laughter.
“Try a higher pitch,” Ke Yongqian urged, eliciting another wave of chuckles. Hu Qing joined in for a bit before the smile dropped from his face. The others glanced at him in concern.
“What’s wrong?” Ke Yongqian asked.
Hu Qing frowned, taking in their surroundings.
“Someone’s following us,” Hu Qing said in a low voice.
“I’ll go grab them,” Ke Yongqian volunteered.
“No, don’t. They probably have communication and tracking spells on them, we need to confuse them as to what we’re doing first and then take him out without leaving traces that it was us,” Hu Qing said. “He’s probably from the Zhao household, if they figure out exactly what’s going on, we might startle the dog into jumping the wall.”
“Then what?”
“Split up into pairs and scatter,” Hu Qing ordered. “Whichever pair he follows should head over towards the Seventh Prince’s household. Once he’s gotten enough time to digest the information, the other two launch a sneak attack and take him out before he can send any more intel.”
“Then what about you?” Ke Yongqian asked.
“I’m going to go eat dinner,” Hu Qing said flatly before swatting at Ke Yongqian. “I’m going to continue the mission, you idiot.”
“Alone?” One of the other men jumped in. “Is that safe?”
“I mean, it’s Hu Qing. He usually works alone to begin with,” Ke Yongqian pointed out.
“Exactly. Now get moving, we’re basically plotting in loud voices at this point,” Hu Qing ordered. The other four nodded, and the group of five split off into three parties. Ke Yongqian and one of the others began to head toward the Seventh Prince’s household in a roundabout route–given Ke Yongqian’s skills, that pair was certain to be seen as more important and followed accordingly. The other pair headed off towards the slums, keeping their distance until the man tailing them headed off after Ke Yongqian.
Hu Qing continued on alone, relaxed and carefree now that he was free to act as he pleased without needing to keep a team of operatives in line. He went quite a distance before stopping on a rooftop, frowning as he rewound the events in his mind.
Something’s strange about this, Hu Qing frowned. I made the best choice possible, and everyone’s skilled enough to carry out the steps. So why does it feel like something’s about to go wrong? Before he could fully realize what was bothering him, Hu Qing sensed a number of people approaching him at high speed.
So that was what it was. He took off, sprinting across the rooftops, seeking out a location that would be more beneficial for him to take on multiple opponents. Hu Qing landed on a rooftop with steep inclines on both sides made of slippery tiles, with only a narrow ridge where it was possible to balance.
He reached for his communication device, rearing back in surprise as he saw it wasn’t working. Hu Qing let out a bark of laughter, glancing around. I fell for it and walked right into a trap with my own two feet.
“They set all this up just for me? Really, how flattering,” Hu Qing bared his teeth in a feral grin, tucking away the communication device. He couldn’t tell how large of an area the anti-communication wards encompassed, and he didn’t have enough time to find a better spot， which meant he had to either leave an advantageous arena and bet on backup arriving in time or simply bet on his own skills. And if Hu Qing had to choose, he would rather rely on himself.
So what if I’m outnumbered? Given this terrain, I still have the upper hand, Hu Qing thought to himself confidently. He drew his dual blades with a flourish, smirking as the assassins closed in to form a loose circle on the surrounding rooftops. They didn’t immediately attack, taken aback by Hu Qing’s air of stark certainty.
“The Grand Duke sure considers me important, doesn’t he?” Hu Qing said, not bothering to lower his voice though they were in a residential area. The assassins kept their silence, though no doubt several of them were silently wondering if there was something wrong with Hu Qing’s brain for him to be acting so flippantly.
Three of the assassins leaped over to land on the narrow ridge on the rooftop Hu Qing occupied. They appeared to be the most skilled of the group. Hu Qing brazenly grinned at them.
“I was wondering where to track you guys down, but you’ve done me the favor of coming over yourselves,” Hu Qing taunted. “Since you’re so eager to cut your lifespans short, how can I not indulge you?”
The assassins remained silent, but there were glints of irritation in their eyes. Both parties watched each other for a moment, evaluating their opponent. The moment of tense stillness stretched and felt longer than it actually was.
Hu Qing swung the first blow. In the darkness of the moonless night, a death match had begun.
----------------------------------------
Kayla sat in Xianchun’s sitting room stiffly. Xianchun was mediating negotiations between herself and Qu Boyong to form a three-way alliance, though in truth he was the one who had the final say, and the setting had been moved from the privacy of Xianchun’s study to one of the nicer sitting rooms.
The air was tense. Though it was meant to be a peaceful negotiation, they hadn’t even begun talking yet and Kayla could already sense the glint of blades and shadows of swords. Qu Boyong hadn’t brought An Haoyang, but rather a pregnant woman that Kayla recognized from the files as Ji Fangluo. Both of them were regarding Kayla with open hostility.
“Thank you both for joining me today,” Xianchun said. “Wenyuan, I’d like to reintroduce you to our cousin, Xiang Daozong.” He gestured at Qu Boyong. Kayla nodded politely, not needing to feign confusion since Xianchun had explained everything ahead of time.
“Daozong, I believe you’re already familiar with our cousin Wenyuan,” Xianchun continued.
“I am, but my prince, may I ask why he is here? I was under the impression that…” Qu Boyong trailed off, glancing at Kayla suspiciously.
“He is here for the same purpose,” Xianchun assured him. “Wenyuan recently learned that his parents were murdered by the Grand Duke and has played a crucial role in uncovering the truth behind my mother’s murder. I hope that since we all share the same enemy, we can align our hearts and combine our strengths to destroy the Grand Duke, putting aside any past disagreements.”
A look of shock crossed over Qu Boyong and Ji Fangluo’s faces, but it was quickly replaced by disbelief and dissatisfaction.
“My prince, my disagreement with him is not yet in the past! This scoundrel has abused his authority to extralegally imprison my cousin Chujiao and Ji Fangluo’s father!” Qu Boyong protested.
Xianchun frowned, glancing at Kayla inquisitively.
“You slander me, cousin. Neither Chujiao nor Mister Ji are ‘imprisoned’ as you so claim–if you prefer that I hadn’t made use of my position to save them from the Grand Duke, you might as well say it outright that you wish them dead,” Kayla shot back.
“You–!”
“Wenyuan, explain yourself clearly,” Xianchun cut in before Qu Boyong could erupt. Kayla bowed at him slightly, giving him an aggrieved look.
“My prince, it is true that I have taken both Chujiao and Ji Yantao into my protection and that their mobility has been restricted as a result, but it was for their own safety. Ji Yantao’s case had reached the Grand Duke’s ears already–he still has eyes inside the Ministry of Justice, and Ji Yantao was attacked by the Grand Duke’s assassins as a result. I had been keeping tabs on his safety to ensure he wasn’t silenced and was able to stop the attack in time. I transferred Ji Yantao to a safe house and have been providing for his safety ever since,” Kayla said.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Then what about Chujiao?! You kidnapped an unmarried young woman and kept her as a hostage against me–and now you’re turning around to play hero?!” Qu Boyong demanded, losing his temper.
“It’s not as though I kept her in my residence, I left her under the care of an older woman with whom she shared a residence! My prince, please don’t misunderstand. Chujiao has been my serving maid for over ten years now, and she’s like a sister to me. Her identity was in danger of being exposed, so I hastily made arrangements for her safety. It wasn’t as though I had the time or means to communicate any of this to Daozong, which led to this misunderstanding,” Kayla said.
Doubt and relief mingled on Qu Boyong’s face along with a hint of confusion at Kayla’s claim of platonic feelings for Chujiao.
Xianchun nodded, accepting the explanation without further question. To Kayla's surprise, Ji Fangluo's hostility had faded as well.
“And how exactly was she exposed? Did you not direct and act out everything yourself to take Chujiao for yourself?” Qu Boyong asked.
Kayla shook her head, letting out a sigh. “Boyong–no, Daozong, do you think Housekeeper Wang is blind? You’re not as subtle as you thought. They already knew that one of the guards was rendezvousing with a serving maid at night, but they didn’t immediately narrow it down to you. They did, however, figure out which maid was sneaking out to meet with someone at night. If you didn’t want to expose Chujiao’s identity, then you shouldn’t have put her at risk like that.”
The first time Hu Qing had snuck in to speak with Kayla in the Zhao household, he had seen Qu Boyong meeting with a woman.
“By the way, that Boyong of yours has got game. I just saw him rendezvousing with a female servant.” Kayla wryly thought back to the gleeful look Hu Qing had on his face at the time. Though Hu Qing hadn’t paid any attention to who the woman was, focusing on Qu Boyong instead, in retrospect, it was easy to piece together that the woman had been Chujiao.
“Even Hu Qing had seen the two of you together before, and he didn’t enter the Zhao household that many times,” Kayla added.
Qu Boyong paled, his fists tightening at his sides.
“And I’ve never had any interest in taking Chujiao for myself. There have been clan members and guests who were captivated by her beauty and offered me their support in exchange for having Chujiao. I’ve refused every single request, and not out of personal greed either. If I wished any harm upon your cousin, she would not have remained unscathed to the present day,” Kayla emphasized. Wenyuan could’ve made his life easier at many points in time by giving up Chujiao as though she was an object to bribe someone with, but thankfully, the young man had been cowardly but not a piece of shit.
“Why wait until now? I could’ve taken her as a bedroom maid at any point in time, or made her my concubine. Instead, I’ve treated her with courtesy and guarded her prospects against the Grand Duke’s allies. Your accusal is understandable, given your concern for Chujiao, but I will not be misconstrued in such a light,” Kayla went on.
If Wenyuan actually had taken Chujiao as a concubine, he might’ve avoided the brutal death Xianchun visited upon him–it had been Chujiao who leaked Wenyuan’s itinerary, but Kayla was almost certain that it was on Qu Boyong’s orders. Most likely, Qu Boyong had offered up a Wenyuan who was of no use to him in exchange for Xianchun’s support, and Chujiao unwittingly became an accomplice. If Chujiao had already been married, Qu Boyong would have had to find another way to avoid placing Chujiao under suspicion or gaining her the reputation of being bad luck for her husband, one that would destroy her future prospects.
Probably still wouldn’t have survived though, Kayla lamented. Qu Boyong would still have killed Wenyuan for taking Chujiao as a concubine, though Wenyuan’s death might’ve been an easier one. Even if Qu Boyong held back, unlikely as it was, Xianchun would still have killed Wenyuan sooner or later.
Sure, Wenyuan missed a chance, but that single chance wouldn’t have saved him anyway. But then again, whether or not someone misses a chance is the result of their accumulated choices, not just whether they were lucky or not in that specific moment. If Kayla didn’t have the preknowledge that she’d gained from the novel and later on, from Lady Lin, she wouldn’t have fared much better than Wenyuan had.
Kayla made eye contact with Qu Boyong. A vein throbbed on the man’s jaw and he resolutely turned away. In Xianchun’s eyes, Wenyuan had done Qu Boyong a favor simply by not ruining Chujiao’s life, even though that was the bare minimum of human decency. Kayla could practically hear Qu Boyong mentally cursing her out for being so shameless.
“I also believe that Wenyuan is not such a person,” Xianchun said. “I’ve never seen or heard of him acting in an untoward manner towards an unmarried woman. He’s barely even been seen entering a brothel. You can put your concerns to rest–if you worry about your cousin’s reputation, perhaps she would be better hosted in my household. I’m happy to host Ji Yantao as well.”
“An excellent idea,” Kayla chimed in. “I would be greatly relieved if the prince is taking charge of their safety.” Since Xianchun had already offered, she didn’t have a good reason to refuse.
It doesn’t matter. If you should give up, you ought to give up before it comes back to bite you. In Xianchun’s eyes, Qu Boyong and Ji Fangluo already owe me, and he wouldn’t tolerate them trying to backstab me anymore. Giving Chujiao and Ji Yantao to him will only cement my position, and Qu Boyong won’t be able to use them as an excuse to attack me later on.
“Then it's settled. We’ll arrange the transfer tomorrow,” Xianchun said. “Daozong, I trust you have no objections?”
Qu Boyong grit his jaw and shook his head. “I’ll follow your arrangements, my prince.”
Xianchun nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Since the misunderstanding has been resolved, let’s move on to the topic at hand–taking revenge against the Grand Duke. This will not be an easy task, which makes working together all the more important.”
“The Zhao clan is like an enormous beast, it won’t be an easy task,” Qu Boyong said. “I’ve been working towards revenge for a long time, and have yet to achieve success–in fact, I seem to be getting further away from my vengeance with every step I take.”
“I have also been opposing the Grand Duke for years, and yet it wasn’t until very recently that the mountain began to crumble,” Xianchun agreed. “But while taking on a faction is difficult, the same can’t be said of taking on a single old man.”
“I beg your pardon, but I would not be so certain of that,” Qu Boyong warned him. “The Grand Duke is not just any normal opponent, and to think of him as such would be the end of us.”
“Even if only three families are left in Chu, the one to destroy the Qin will be the Chu,” Kayla jumped in. “Given their participation, I believe our success is pre-determined.”
Xianchun glanced at her in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Kayla bowed her head towards the prince slightly before nodding at Qu Boyong’s party.
“After the Qin Dynasty destroyed the Six Kingdoms and unified China, Lord Nan of Chu said, ‘Even if only three families are left in Chu, the one to destroy the Qin will most certainly be the Chu.’ Counting our cousin Xiang Daozong, Ji Fangluo, and An Hoayang, we have three families of Chu on our side, and our opponent is one who wrongly wields and abuses excessive power–is this not a scaled-down version of the same situation?” Kayla said.
Xianchun frowned, scoffing at her. “Enough with the comparisons, you bury your head in books too much.”
Kayla only bowed her head slightly, not offering a retort.
Who cares if Xianchun gets it or not? I said that for Qu Boyong’s sake. It was obvious how strong Qu Boyong’s attachment to the concept of Chu was, even now that the region wasn’t even called Chu anymore. Appealing to Qu Boyong’s regional pride and cultural heritage was key to Kayla’s strategy for dealing with him, and she had to take it step by step, pushing Qu Boyong onto a high platform before he realized it so that he would be forced to accede to her moral blackmail or lose face before the prince.
Qu Boyong did seem to warm up to the comparison, though his resentment towards Kayla didn’t decrease in the slightest.
“In any case, the three of us share the same goal. As such, it’s only reasonable that we work together. I propose that we join hands and rid the dynasty of this poisonous parasite,” Xianchun said.
“I would be honored to serve Your Highness in this endeavor,” Kayla said, bowing her head again.
A vein twitched on Qu Boyong’s forehead as Xianchun smiled at Kayla.
“I am deeply honored by your proposal, my prince. But I cannot accept joining hands with a member of the Zhao clan,” Qu Boyong said. “I do not wish to work with him.” He jerked his head in Kayla’s direction.
Ah, really, this little shit. This isn’t just about Chujiao and Ji Yantao, is it? He’s just trying to jockey for a better position in the alliance by using me as a stool. Kayla clenched her jaw for a second before bringing her expression under control. If he refuses to drink the toast, then I can only pour him the penalty wine.
----------------------------------------
Feng Yi woke up in a cold sweat in his inn room. He couldn't remember his dream clearly, but it had been a terrifying one. Out of an instinctive urge to bear witness to the spectacle, Feng Yi had gone to Old Lin's execution in the village square against his better judgment. The sight had, as Feng Yi had feared, given him nightmares.
The poor farmer was practically dragged into the center of the square, which was really just a dirt clearing. His wife wept on the side, held back by the guards as her neighbors tried to calm her down. Like a worm drying out under the harsh sunlight, the old farmer had curled toward the ground, his weathered skin covered with so much dust that he seemed to be part of the dirt before he had even been buried.
The sight had been sickening, and Feng Yi wasn't alone in turning away at the moment of execution, as though not seeing the blade swing down would keep the farmer's head attached to his neck. The ear-splitting wail of Old Lin's wife had signaled the farmer's death, and Feng Yi had hastily left the site as though he were a fleeing thief.
"Killing a man just for stealing a jade pendant...just what is this country coming to?" Feng Yi muttered softly to himself. He let out a heavy sigh and lay down again, trying to ease himself back into sleep.
A strange glow from the window caught his attention, and Feng Yi sat up again with a frown.
What's that?
Just as he was wondering, a loud knock sounded on his door.
"Mister Feng! Wake up!" Shu Ling shouted. "Our wagons are on fire!"
----------------------------------------
Cultural Notes
狗急跳墙/A cornered dog will jump the wall: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning that if you push someone too far, they'll lash out.
大声密谋/Loudly conspire: A Chinese saying that's often used to mock scenes in TV dramas where people are loudly conspiring in public.
清水脊/Clear Water Ridge: A type of architecture in Ancient China similar to what we think of when we say a "house" today, where the roof has two slanting sides. The ridge refers to the thin ridge connecting the two sides. Since the roofs used tiles rather than materials more common in the modern day, it would be much harder to maintain your balance on the slopes of such a roof. The ridge and roof would look something like this:
[https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.oEjZ7jA_ikWl1BwXCNsoRQHaFv%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=5de1b24c9a2202ccbc57a6ab24a4715ef0a4c88a5c15c8ad2fb974c6b19f2960&ipo=images]
真看得起我/[Someone] Really puts me in their eye: A Chinese saying meaning that someone thinks highly enough of you to either actively help or harm you.
自己找上门来了/They've found their way to my doorstep [themselves]: A Chinese saying referring to a situation where someone you're looking for (especially in situations when there's an unresolved debt/grudge before you two) appears before you without you needing to seek them out.
掩人耳目/Hide [from] people's eyes and ears: An Ancient Chinese saying meaning to keep something hidden from someone/to confound someone.
齐心协力/Align our hearts and combine our strengths: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to work together towards the same goal.
刀光剑影/Glint of blades shadows of swords: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to dangerous situations where everyone is on the edge of launching an attack (whether verbal, physical, or political), and ready to screw over their opponents. However, this is specifically referring to a situation where fighting has not broken out yet, hence why you only see glints and shadows but no actual blood has been spilled.
克夫/Unlucky [for one's] husband: A way to disparage widows or women whose husbands suffered extremely bad luck. It would be believed that at least part of it was the wife's fault in some situations (such as if your husband dies a really terrible death with no clear series of events to explain it).
通房丫鬟/Bedroom maid: Refers to maids who serve their masters in the bedroom, both for normal menial tasks and, in many cases, sexually as well.
当断不断反受其乱/If you can't end things when you ought to, you'll be thrown into trouble as a result: An Ancient Chinese saying that refers to situations where you need to draw a clear line or break things off when needed instead of delaying the matter because you're too afraid to take responsibility for the consequences.
见好就收/Pull back the moment your goal is achieved: A Chinese saying that means you should stop once you've gotten what you wanted. If you get taken in by your own greed, you'll lose everything you've already gained. While you might end up missing out on greater benefits if you stop right at the mark, you at least will have gotten that far instead of screwing yourself over by wanting more.
庞然巨兽/An enormous beast: An Ancient Chinese proverb used to describe either an enormous beast, or to describe a clique/faction/group that is extremely powerful.
敬酒不吃吃罚酒/Refuse the toast to drink the penalty wine: An Ancient Chinese saying meaning to refuse the face you are given in favor of losing face by your own actions.
楚虽三户亡秦必楚/Even if only three households are left in Chu, it will [definitely] be Chu that ends the Qin: A prophecy from the Qin Dynasty. After Qin destroyed all six kingdoms, there was widespread resentment due to both the bloody destruction of the kingdoms and the harsh laws of the Qin Dynasty. It was then prophecied by a former noble of the Chu Kingdom that even if only three households were left in the former population of the Chu, they would still destroy the Qin Dynasty. This ended up coming true, as both Xiang Yu and Liu Bang, the two generals who overthrew the Qin Dynasty, were from the Chu Region. Xiang Yu was an excellent warrior but not a great politician, and eventually lost out to Liu Bang, who would go on to found the Han Dynasty.