Character Index
Wei Guang: Imperial Edict Bearer and godfather of Kayla, he prioritizes the future of the dynasty over all else, and has even encouraged Kayla to launch a coup if the Emperor chooses the wrong successor.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Kayla's retainer and the rightful heir to the Liang house.
Tao Qian: Kayla's employee and sometimes bodyguard.
Zhao Chao: Kayla's employee and bodyguard.
Shu Ling: Kayla's employee, she was sent to serve as Feng Yi's bodyguard and to ensure that there is an incident that would allow the Court of Judicial Review to step in.
Feng Yi: A merchant who was tasked with selling communication devices for cheap on Kayla's behalf, in order to help her build a power base in the provinces. He is unaware that the true reason for his trip is to stir up conflict with the local elites and to give the Court of Judicial Review a foothold in the provinces.
Dong Shiqing: Minister of Revenue and one of the Grand Duke's allies, he is also the most cautious man in the Grand Duke's faction.
Shen Liangjun: Vice-Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, he is secretly aligned with the Third Prince.
Ma Kaijie: Vice-Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, a member of the neutral faction.
Zhou Kuang: Third Prince, one of the primary contenders for the throne.
Ke Yongqian: One of Kayla's employees, primarily works with Hu Qing.
Li You: One of Kayla's employees and sometimes bodyguard.
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince, currently aligned with Kayla in a temporary alliance against the Grand Duke.
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Kayla was pulled from a light and dreamless sleep by someone calling her.
“Minister, we’ve arrived.”
Kayla blinked away the bleariness in her eyes. The Imperial Guard in charge of escorting her back patiently waited for Kayla to get her bearings.
“We’ve arrived at the Wei household,” the guard said politely.
“Oh, thank you,” Kayla replied. “Apologies, I was a little tired.”
“Not at all, Minister. Please take your time,” he said. Kayla moved to get out of the carriage, stumbling a little at the pins and needles sensation in her feet. The guard quickly caught her by the arm, helping her out of the carriage.
“My legs seem to have fallen asleep,” Kayla said sheepishly.
“Please allow me to escort you inside then,” the guard replied.
“Thank you for taking the trouble."
“Not at all, it’s no trouble whatsoever.”
Kayla winced as she made her way inside with the guard’s help. Wei Guang’s steward came out to greet them but didn’t interfere with the guard’s task. Kayla still felt incredibly groggy. Her arms were a little numb, but her feet were worse off.
Fuck this shitty blood circulation, I really need to exercise more, or at least get a better sleep schedule–not that it’s possible in the short term, but eventually.
With a jolt, Kayla thought of the powder Wei Guang had given her. An alibi and an excuse, wasn't it? Self-harming to throw off an opponent was something Kayla was familiar with, but it made her uneasy when it was someone else in charge.
“Minister, are you alright? You look pale,” the steward said in concern.
“I’m alright,” Kayla said. A familiar pain was starting in her temples and spreading to the rest of her head. Rather than disappearing, the grogginess only increased. As Kayla’s worry spiked, a thin trickle of hot liquid dripped down from her nose. Kayla wiped at it instinctively, her hand coming away red.
She looked at the blood in surprise for a second, not registering the shout of alarm from beside her.
“Minister!” The Imperial Guard’s grip on her arm was tightening, and the ground seemed closer than it was before.
Damn it, Wei Guang! Isn't this going overboard?! A rushing sound filled her ears, and her vision blurred. Fear and discomfort faded away, and everything went black.
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“Healer! Call a healer!”
Hu Qing jolted out of his nap, starting at the shouts in the hallway. He jumped off Wenyuan’s sofa and headed over.
“What’s happened?” Hu Qing asked a frightened serving maid.
“The Minister collapsed!” The girl replied before scuttling away.
“What the–” Hu Qing stopped short, a cold sensation creeping up his neck.
The Grand Duke must have made a move.
He took off again, following the eyes and footsteps of the servants to locate Wenyuan.
“Tao Qian!” Hu Qing hissed as he caught sight of the man. “What the hell happened?! Why aren’t you with him?!”
“The Imperial Guards were the ones who sent him back, I only just got here!” Tao Qian protested.
Hu Qing withheld a groan at the uselessness of the intel, finding his way over to a sitting room with Tao Qian in tow. A healer had already arrived in record time, so fast that it was almost unbelievable, and was doing a check on Wenyuan where the man lay prone on a couch. An Imperial Guard hovered nervously at one end of the couch, Wei Guang’s steward at the other.
“It must be the poison he ingested,” the healer declared. Hu Qing barged further into the room, ignoring propriety and the whispered protests of a senior servant. The Imperial Guard glanced at him sharply but didn’t protest.
“What poison?” Hu Qing demanded. His question was ignored.
“He was already treated for that and declared fine by an Imperial Healer,” the Imperial Guard said.
The healer shook his head. “It’s highly possible that there were two poisons ingested separately, which may have caused him to focus on the one that took effect first while overlooking the other.”
“That’s not possible!”
“Even the most skilled healer can make mistakes, especially when acting under pressure,” the healer insisted.
“How is his condition?” Hu Qing interrupted their back and forth.
“He’ll be fine. The poison’s effect was mild,” the healer assured him. “However, he’ll need bed rest for the next three days, please ensure that he rests properly and does not push himself–it could take a toll on his health otherwise.”
“Are you sure he’s fine? You said the last healer missed something,” Hu Qing prodded, not caring whether it was rude or not.
“I’m certain, I was very thorough. In any case, I will gladly remain here to observe the Minister’s condition for the night,” the healer said.
Something seemed to click in Hu Qing’s mind, though he had yet to fully piece together what it was.
“Good.”
The Imperial Guard stuck around until Wei Guang returned to explain the situation. Wei Guang thanked the man and dismissed him.
“Your Grace, is this healer yours?” Hu Qing asked bluntly once there was only the healer and steward left in the room with them.
“I am,” the healer replied without waiting for Wei Guang’s response. “Please be assured that Minister Zhao is fine–the side effects will wear off within the next few hours.”
“You poisoned him?” Hu Qing demanded, whirling towards Wei Guang.
“You’re being very rude right now, please watch your tone!” Wei Guang’s steward jumped in. “No matter how much Minister Zhao usually indulges you, there’s a limit to how much can be tolerated!”
Hu Qing didn’t break eye contact with Wei Guang, all but ignoring the steward’s words. Wei Guang lifted a hand and the steward fell silent.
“It was not poison, per se, but I won’t deny that it does cause agitation to the body,” Wei Guang said. “But this is for his sake, and he agreed to it beforehand.”
“Did he know what he was agreeing to?” Hu Qing prodded. From their talk right before Wenyuan’s departure, Hu Qing didn’t think Wenyuan knew what was coming.
“I'm sure he had an idea. He gains multiple benefits with one move. Now, he has an alibi that’ll deceive both the palace and the Zhao clan, and furthermore, this can be pinned on whoever becomes a threat to him–if the palace pushes him too far, he can raise a fuss about being poisoned by someone in the palace. If the court complains about him exterminating his kin for greater justice, then he can blame the Grand Duke for forcing his hand with an attempt on his life,” Wei Guang explained. “If neither situation occurs, he can use this against Dong Shiqing. It benefits him no matter what.”
“But didn't the Grand Duke already poison him?!”
“All the better. This way the fault will rest with them for failing to provide proper medical treatment, and they won’t be able to press the matter of the Grand Duke,” Wei Guang said in a steely voice. “This is politics, Hu Qing, not child’s play.”
Hu Qing shook his head in disbelief. “At this rate, will he even be able to move forward with the plan tomorrow?”
“It should be fine,” the healer interjected. "He'd be alright even if you were moving tonight."
"Are you sure?" Hu Qing pressed. The healer's gaze flickered nervously to Wei Guang and then to the floor, nodding without any confidence. Hu Qing turned his glare back upon Wei Guang.
Wei Guang quietly watched Hu Qing for a moment before letting out a sigh. “If possible, I would also have liked to avoid this, just as Wenyuan surely would. Hu Qing, you’re one of the few people he genuinely trusts, so it’s even more important for you to watch yourself. When you’re restored to your position as Lord Liang you’ll have the right to speak however you like. But right now, you’re just a retainer. Even if you fear nothing, you should be mindful of causing trouble for your employer.”
Sharp pangs of irritation stabbed at his gut. Hu Qing knew better than to respond and dipped his head in an ambivalent gesture.
There was a soft knock at the door, and Hu Qing glanced back at where Zhao Chao was watching him uneasily from the corridor. Seeing it was Wenyuan’s employee, Wei Guang and the healer turned their attention away. Zhao Chao quietly waved Hu Qing over, pulling him into a quiet corner of the corridor.
“How is he?” Zhao Chao whispered.
“He’ll be fine,” Hu Qing replied quietly.
“Isn't this really bad? We're moving tomorrow!"
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
"I'm getting the sense that Wei Guang wants us to move it up to tonight," Hu Qing grumbled.
"That's insane!" Zhao Chao hissed. "Why would he rush it like this? Will the Minister even be able to go?"
Hu Qing let out an impatient sigh. "Sounds like he'll be fine by then. In any case, there's nothing we can do about it, it's up to the Minister to decide. But what did you want to tell me?"
Zhao Chao shook his head slightly before shifting back into work mode. "There’s word from Shu Ling–there was finally an incident. Feng Yi’s suing the Su clan and the local magistrate for destroying his goods, and he’s been charged with slandering the court and illegitimate business practices. They’re at a stalemate because of the Minister’s seal and documents,” Zhao Chao reported.
“What about the Court of Judicial Review?” Hu Qing asked.
“The Vice-Ministers put a stopper on the case for now and want the Minister’s opinion once he gets back, but…” Zhao Chao glanced over at the sitting room. Hu Qing let out a sigh of frustration.
“I’ll go report it to the Imperial Edict Bearer. They haven’t been arrested, have they?”
“No, they’re under house arrest in the inn but the magistrate doesn’t dare to make a move now that a bigshot’s got their back,” Zhao Chao replied.
“Good. If they end up in jail, they’re dead for sure,” Hu Qing said darkly. “Update Left Secretariat Sun and Chamberlain Chen about what's happened. There's no need to communicate with the Seventh Prince, the Imperial Edict Bearer will handle that.”
“Sure takes a lot of trouble to climb on top, doesn’t it?” Zhao Chao said with a shake of his head.
Hu Qing let out a dry chuckle and gave Zhao Chao a soft clap on the shoulder and went to make his report to Wei Guang, keeping his speech polite this time around.
“What good timing,” Wei Guang murmured. “This way the case can be launched even without implicating Wenyuan in a conflict of interest. I’ll handle this.”
Hu Qing bowed his head slightly as Wei Guang left the room.
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Vice-Minister Shen and Vice-Minister Ma glanced at each other uneasily.
“I can’t believe the Minister was poisoned…will he really be alright?” Ma Kaijie asked.
“He is a man of many fortunes, I’m sure that he will be fine,” Shen Liangjun replied. “Rather than worrying about his health, which we can do nothing about, we should worry about that merchant’s case.”
“We put a hold on it for now, but that’s not a long-term plan,” Ma Kaijie sighed. “Since the Minister’s man is involved, we should be consulting him, but the Imperial Edict Bearer shoved everything onto us! He won't even help us a little bit!”
“It can’t be helped, the Minister’s not in any state to deal with this,” Shen Liangjun said. He glanced at the name on the scroll of notes again.
Feng Yi… that’s the man His Highness told me about. So he’s the key person in the Minister’s plan. Ma Kaijie evidently didn’t know what was going on, which meant that Zhao Wenyuan hadn’t told his plan to many people in the neutral faction. Probably worried that they’d side with the palace over him.
In the absence of the Minister, the two Vice-Ministers took charge, and the Imperial Edict Bearer had furthermore authorized them to make use of the Split Seals. The problem was now that Ma Kaijie wouldn’t understand how important this was, nor could he be allowed to understand.
“I’ll go deal with this,” Shen Liangjun announced.
“What?! You’re going in person?!” Ma Kaijie said in shock.
Shen Liangjun nodded. “No need to worry, I’ll take full responsibility for anything that happens. I’ll conduct a full investigation and decide the case. No matter what the results are, you won’t be blamed for it.”
“But isn’t that going overboard?” Ma Kaijie asked. “I mean, it’s a case that can be turned from a big one into a small one, and turned from a small case into nothing. Why do you need to make a trip yourself?”
“No, that won’t do,” Shen Liangjun said firmly. “If we do that, we’ll never be able to handle a case in the provinces again–once they see that we’re a soft persimmon that’s easy to squeeze, they’ll step on our face every chance they get. What will we do in the future if we allow them to start disrespecting us now?”
“But–”
“The Minister’s seal is in use, which means this is important to him,” Shen Liangjun plowed on without giving Ma Kaijie a chance to get a thought in. “If we allow this to be resolved without a ripple, then wouldn’t that be letting the Minister down? Plus, it irritates me to see a county magistrate mess around like this as though all of us had gone and died off! And as I said, I’ll take full responsibility, so what's the matter?”
Ma Kaijie gave him a look of scrutiny before caving in. “Alright then, since you’re so insistent, I don’t have the power to stop you and the Minister’s not here to make a judgment. But you’re the one who said you’ll take full responsibility, don’t come pleading to me when you run into trouble.”
“I won’t,” Shen Liangjun promised. It was the Third Prince’s intention to help Feng Yi’s plan along, and to benefit from it to boot–but more than that, the prince had also warned Shen Liangjun to get out of the capital for the time being.
“When the mountain rains arrive the wind fills the entire building. If you can stay out of this, do so.” Kuang’s warning was cryptic enough to set off alarm bells in Shen Liangjun’s head. Whatever was about to happen, it definitely had to do with Minister Zhao, and it was certain to stir up great waves in the capital.
If it has to do with Minister Zhao, it’ll have to do with the Vice-Ministers–as long as I’m not here, I can avoid the worst of it.
Shen Liangjun withheld a smile and turned his attention back to the discussion on how the workload would be split up.
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Kayla sipped at the medicine, grimacing at its taste.
“I’m sorry you had to go through all that,” Wei Guang said. The old man was sitting next to Kayla’s bed, fixing her with a watchful eye as she took her medicine.
“Not at all, godfather. I understand what you mean now,” Kayla said. “My alibi and my excuse, was it? Well, it’ll certainly work if that’s the case–the whole palace knows that I was poisoned, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the entire court probably knows by now. Who would still expect me to be making a move? Getting poisoned is nothing pleasant, but the payoffs sure are high.”
She had been miffed about it, of course, and Hu Qing’s anger had sharpened her own. But this wasn’t the time to fight with Wei Guang, and Kayla had to admit that it did have its benefits.
“It’s good that you can think this way,” Wei Guang said, his voice heavier than before. “If you are to become the base pillar of the country, it’s a necessary mindset to have.”
Kayla didn’t say anything, dipping her head slightly in tacit deference.
“Don’t worry about anything and just rest up so you’ll have energy for the main event,” Wei Guang said. “The Grand Duke seems to have bought into it, and so has the Emperor and Empress Dowager, the stage is all set for you now. As for Feng Yi’s case, Shen Liangjun’s already heading over to Jiangxia, they won’t be able to sweep the case under the rug. The timing could be better though, I’m surprised it took this long for something to go wrong.”
Shen Liangjun sure knows how to avoid trouble–taking on a local clan would be a thankless and painful task in any other situation, but it’s nothing compared to what’s about to go down in the capital, Kayla thought to herself. As expected of one of the talents hand-picked by the Third Prince…judging from Shen Liangjun’s actions, I guess that means Zhang Dingyong will also back us up from the Ministry of Justice.
She smiled a little, setting down the empty medicine bowl. “I understand, godfather.”
Wei Guang nodded. He gave her a long look that she couldn't make sense of, setting off a faint sense of unease. Before she could ask him what the matter was, he turned and left the room. Hu Qing entered once Wei Guang had left.
“My lord, everything’s prepared. The Seventh Prince’s men are also ready to move,” Hu Qing said. “But are you sure you want to do this?”
“Of course, godfather's right. We can’t sit and wait for the Grand Duke’s reaction–who knows what he’ll end up stirring up? We move tonight. If we strike at lightning speed when we’re least expected, we’re certain to come out on top,” Kayla said. She got up from the bed, pulling on her outer robes. “Will you be alright though? You must be exhausted.”
“I’m fine,” Hu Qing said drily. “You should worry more about yourself.”
“I’m actually in quite a good mood,” Kayla replied. “Thinking about what expression the Grand Duke will make is quite uplifting.” She was strangely calm, all things considered, but the murderous intent she bore towards the Grand Duke hadn’t dissipated since the moment she’d woken up.
“If you say so,” Hu Qing said. He stepped aside and opened the door. Kayla made her way down the hall, nodding at Tao Qian.
“Zhao Chao and Ke Yongqian are already at the Zhao household, your grace,” Tao Qian reported as they headed to the side door.
“And the clan members?”
“We’ve activated all the surveillance and anti-communication wards,” Tao Qian replied. “Everyone’s accounted for–no one will be able to so much as move two inches to the right without our knowing so, much less contact the main house.”
“What about the Grand Duke’s assassins?” Kayla asked.
“Most of them are temporary hires, and thanks to Hu Qing, a good number of them are out of the playing field. The remaining ones all accepted our money when we offered twice the Grand Duke’s rate, so they’ll sit this one out–the guys who are bound to the Grand Duke’s service by magical oath or hostages have also been accounted for,” Tao Qian replied. “Once you give the word, we’ll get rid of them.”
“Clean them up before the Seventh Prince gets there, it won’t do to show him something unsightly,” Kayla said. Tao Qian nodded and sent a message through the communication device.
Kayla got into the carriage waiting outside the side gate. Unlike the high-quality ones she usually took, this one was plain and nondescript, looking exactly like one of the innumerous rental carriages anywhere in the city. Tao Qian stayed with the carriage while Hu Qing went ahead of them, dashing across the rooftops.
They arrived at the Zhao household after taking a few detours to throw off anyone who might try tracking them. Kayla exited the carriage into the side alley by the Zhao household. It was usually abandoned but now had several of Kayla’s employees milling about, most of them only vaguely recognizable to her. One of them was instantly discernable as Xianchun's man, sticking out like a sore thumb with the air of someone who served a royal master.
Kayla was a small distance from the household, just far away enough to stay clear of the fighting. She nodded at the men and glanced up, catching sight of Hu Qing where he was perched on a tree. Kayla could barely see him given the distance and the darkness–if not for her familiarity with where he was likely to be, she wouldn’t have found him at all. Hu Qing seemed to see her as well. He gave her a small nod and threw up his arm.
Several layers of anti-communication wards shot up, encompassing the entire Zhao household, all under the umbrella of a larger privacy ward that muffled the sound from within the boundary. Kayla waited a moment. There weren’t any shouts or cries from the doormen and guards, the men moving too quickly to silence them for anyone to raise an alarm. Nonetheless, the wards could not have gone unnoticed.
“I wonder if the Grand Duke was startled?” Kayla murmured softly.
“Pardon?” Tao Qian asked. He couldn’t have failed to hear her given his sharp hearing but knew better than to give a serious response.
“No, it’s nothing,” Kayla replied. She glanced down at her communication device, which had a new message from Xianchun. “It seems the Seventh Prince will be here soon, we should make preparations to greet him.”
“As you say, Minister,” Tao Qian said, bowing his head slightly.
Kayla swept her gaze around. Hu Qing was no longer on the tree, likely having led the main team into the household.
This is going to be a long night, Kayla thought grimly to herself.
She began to walk towards the front gate, Tao Qian following her half a pace behind. Several of the men in the alleyway peeled from their spots to follow. The front gate came into view, and Kayla slowed her footsteps, tendrils of apprehension curling up as she approached.
Everything ended tonight, and everything began anew. As Kayla stepped towards the doors of the gate, they swung open before her.
A blood-splattered Li You bowed before stepping aside to let Kayla through.
She took a deep breath and entered the Zhao household.
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Cultural Notes
大义灭亲/Destroy one's kin for the greater good: An Ancient Chinese proverb that means to kill one's kin (unfilial) for the greater good (loyalty). In this case, the greater good excuses one's unfilial behavior.
一举多得/One move multiple gains: An Ancient Chinese proverb that means to kill multiple birds with one stone.
撑腰/Support [one's] waist: A Chinese saying meaning to receive support from someone (usually someone more powerful or with more seniority), aka for someone to have your back.
多福之人/A person of many fortunes: An Ancient Chinese proverb.
长久之计/Longlasting plan: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to a plan that can be in use for a long time, often used in the context of "非长久之计/Not a longlasting plan", in reference to a plan that will only provide a temporary solution.
Split Seals: Fictional construct in which the second and third-highest-ranking people received two halves of a seal that when used together, would replace the seal of the person in charge. Inspired by 鱼符/Fish Seal, a tiger or fish-shaped (it was a fish in the Tang Dynasty so we're calling it a fish seal) seal that was split into two halves for military command, where one half was given to the commander of an army, and the other half was kept on hand by the Emperor. Only when both halves were present could you be authorized to command the army and lead it away from your post.
大事化小小事化了/Turn a large matter into a small one and a small one into nothing: A Chinese saying referring to a common method of problem-solving.
山雨欲来风满楼/When the mountain rains arrive the wind fills the entire building: A line of poetry from a poet in the late Tang Dynasty, it comes from the couplet "溪云初起日沉阁，山雨欲来风满楼/As the clouds rise over the creek the sun sinks into the towers, the mountain rains are about to arrive and the winds fill the building". However, this line is often taken out of context to say "when something is about to go down, everyone tangentially related to it will be affected regardless of their actual involvement." In this situation, for example, Kayla's move will certainly spark a political storm that will affect all her subordinates, including the two Vice-Ministers.
软柿子好捏/Soft persimmons are easy to squeeze: A Chinese saying referring to picking on the weak, or more specifically, being someone that assholes are more likely to pick on by virtue of being weak.
蹬鼻子上脸/Use your nose as a stair to step on your face: A Chinese saying referring to someone being shameless and pushing the limits after getting some leeway. The more polite way of saying this is to use the Ancient Chinese proverb "得寸进尺/Moving forward a foot when you've gained an inch."
国之栋才/A pillar-like talent of the country: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to an official/talent whose importance is like that of a central pillar for the country.
Jiangxia Commandery: One of the administrative districts in the Tang Dynasty, where Feng Yi is currently suing the Su clan, the local nobles.
坐以待毙/Sit and wait to be killed: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to take no action/to remain passive and allow your enemy to gain the advantage.
雷厉风行/As forceful as thunder as fast as wind: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to act at lightning speed. Note that the term for thunder 雷 in Ancient China was often used to refer to both thunder and lightning, usually in reference to the combination, not just to thunder.