Character Index
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince, seeking revenge for his mother's death.
Qu Boyong/Xiang Daozong: Son of General Xiang and the Princess of Chu, seeking revenge for the Xiang clan's extermination.
Zhao Ke: One of Wenyuan's uncles, changed allegiances to Kayla after realizing the Grand Duke was done for.
Zhao Yihui: One of Wenyuan's uncles, changed allegiances to Kayla under Zhao Wei (former Minister of War)'s leadership.
Zhao Yuanji: One of Wenyuan's uncles, changed allegiances to Kayla under Zhao Wei's lead.
Ke Yongqian: One of Kayla's employees, he typically works with Hu Qing.
Lady Lin: A blind divinator who exchanged her sight for the ability to see into the future, worked with Wenyuan's mother and was involved in bringing Kayla to this world. She was murdered by the Grand Duke's assassins after revealing the future to Kayla.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Kayla's friend and retainer, the rightful heir to the Liang household. He has made up his mind to retake his position.
Zhou Kuang: The Third Prince and Xianchun's main competitor for the throne.
Wei Guang: The Imperial Edict Bearer and Kayla's godfather.
Sun Zhong'e: A woman who works for Kayla as a guard and healer.
Consort Chen: Xianchun's mother, formerly a serving maid who received the Emperor's favor and became a consort.
General Xiang: Qu Boyong's father, formerly a General who was loyal to the Emperor. He was killed after being framed.
Dong Shiqing: Minister of Revenue. He is a member of the Grand Duke's faction, but has been extremely careful, leaving no openings for Kayla to take him down.
Liu Hongyu: Former Secretariat Director and the Grand Duke's ally, he died after being stripped of his position for lese-majeste.
Zhao Chao: One of Kayla's employees who usually serves as her bodyguard.
Li Que: A Senior Imperial Investigator who worked with Kayla in the past and has secretly helped her out by allowing her to gain confidential information.
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Kayla pushed the Grand Duke’s wheelchair forward, Xianchun and Qu Boyong following her at a leisurely pace.
“Stop, you bastard!” The Grand Duke snarled. “I’ll make you pay for this!”
Once, the words would have caused her greater unease, given the Grand Duke’s ruthlessness and cruelty. But now, his words were nothing but empty threats.
Pitiful bastard, Kayla thought with a tug of twisted satisfaction.
“Are you ignoring me?! You piece of shit–you’ll be struck by lightning for this!”
Kayla responded by continuing to ignore him.
“Stop! Let go of me!” The Grand Duke’s voice took on a frantic edge.
“Do hold still, grandfather. You’ll fall,” Kayla said mildly as she pushed his wheelchair through the corridor. Rather than going straight into the main hall from the connecting door, they entered from the corridor.
The members of the Zhao clan she had summoned were already in the hall, dressed in mourning clothes and murmuring nervously among themselves. Other than Zhao Ke, Zhao Yihui, and Zhao Yuanji, the remaining dozen or so were selected from among the list of Zhao clan members who had pledged their allegiance to Kayla, chosen by Hu Qing after days of observation to determine who would be most suitable.
Upon seeing Kayla enter with the Grand Duke, the hall fell completely silent. Xianchun and Qu Boyong followed her in. Both of them were using cosmetic spells that disguised their appearances, but anyone with eyes could sense their strong animosity. Moreover, the steely pride that radiated from Xianchun was unmistakably that of someone who hailed from power. The way Qu Boyong walked was also that of a trained martial artist, but he had a noticeably different aura from the rest of the fighters present.
Just what the hell is going on? The same question was reflected on everyone’s faces.
The Grand Duke’s temper exploded, letting out a litany of insults and accusations. The words fell flat given the frailty of his position. Glancing around, the Grand Duke found that his insults were met with fearless expressions. He fell silent, panting in exertion. He had commanded fear and respect over the entire court and the Zhao clan for the vast majority of his life, but it only took a single night to destroy all that.
Looks of disbelief and sadistic glee bore into the Grand Duke’s skin. As silent as his kinsmen remained, their gazes spoke louder than any words.
To think that even you would have such a day.
Is this what’s become of the Grand Duke who stood at the pinnacle of power?
So he’s nothing but a weak old man after all.
Fears, hopes, greed, and anticipation mingled together, clogging the air with a viscous thickness. The Grand Duke’s face had gone completely pale, his jaws grinding together in rage and humiliation. Kayla stopped before the altar, turning the chair so that the Grand Duke faced them.
“What are you lot doing?” Kayla asked. “Proceed with the mourning rites.”
The Zhao clansmen stared at her in shock for a moment, Zhao Yuanji reacting first. He dropped to his knees before the altar, dramatically wailing lamentations with the expertise of a paid mourner. One could tell he was experienced at funeral rites at a single glance.
Must have had a lot of older in-laws, Kayla thought to herself. Zhao Yihui jolted out of his shock and joined in, followed by the rest of the clansmen.
“Silence! Be silent! Shut up, you damn fools!” The Grand Duke shouted. His voice was too hoarse to carry far. In any case, no one paid him any mind.
“Did we not get a suona player?” Kayla asked Ke Yongqian, who was guarding the hall.
“We thought it might be a bit much for the middle of the night,” Ke Yongqian quickly replied.
“That’s true,” Kayla said. The Grand Duke gave her a look of outrage.
Xianchun and Qu Boyong had stopped a few feet away, standing between the mourners and the Grand Duke, watching the old man’s reactions with vindictive pleasure. Strangely, it made Kayla feel a little sick to her stomach. She couldn’t quash the tingling sense of apprehension crawling up her spine.
Is this going too far? Will I end up going even further?
The Grand Duke’s mocking voice resurfaced in her mind. “One day, you will be just like me, and you will face the same fate.”
Yeah right. If he'd stopped digging earlier he wouldn't be standing in his grave.
She took a deep breath, careful not to show her unease to the Grand Duke. It was not the time to dwell on such things.
The Grand Duke finally wore out his voice cursing at the mourners, and sat seething in rage, his face alternating between shades of white and red. Xianchun’s face curled into a cruel smile as he strode forward to loom over the Grand Duke.
“Well, you old bastard, do you understand now?” Xianchun crooned, a gleeful note in his voice that made the Grand Duke stiffen. “You’re a dead man, so why don’t you do us all a favor and act like one?”
“You impudent scum–you’re only the son of a lowly serving maid and yet you dare to–!”
The Grand Duke was cut off by Xianchun striking him in the face. The mourners faltered at the sound of the sharp blow but continued as Kayla fixed them with a flat stare.
She zoned out Xianchun’s taunting. It was a little too familiar for comfort after what Lady Lin’s visions had shown her.
“Wenyuan,” Xianchun’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
“Sir," she said, careful to avoid giving away Xianchun's identity.
“It’s about time to send him along,” Xianchun said darkly.
“Understood,” Kayla said. “Please come this way.”
She pushed the Grand Duke back into the side room, Ke Yongqian opening the door for them. The door swung shut behind them, casting the room into shadows.
“Do it,” Xianchun ordered. He pulled out a dagger from his robes, tossing it onto the table before the Grand Duke with a clatter. Kayla took a closer glance at the blade, silently marveling at the extent of Xianchun’s vindictiveness. The dagger was dull and rusted–it couldn’t have been easy to dig out such a thing from the well-maintained household of an Imperial Prince.
Kayla had agreed to allow Xianchun to handle the means but had prepared poison as a backup plan. Looking at the two of them, it was clear neither Xianchun nor Qu Boyong could possibly be satisfied with that. While it was impossible to satisfy Qu Boyong from the start, since he wanted nothing less than a public beheading in the market square, she could at least go along with Xianchun’s wishes.
“There’s no point in dragging it out, do it yourself or I’ll do it for you!” Qu Boyong snarled when the Grand Duke gave no response. “This bastard, is he ignoring me?!”
The Grand Duke lowered his head, his shoulders beginning to shake. While Xianchun and Qu Boyong assumed he was crying, Kayla was standing close enough to hear his chuckles.
Before she could step away, he reached out and grabbed the front of her robes, mustering his fury into a steely grip as he threw his head back and laughed into Kayla’s face.
“Fools, the lot of you!” He laughed before yanking Kayla closer. “And especially you, you accursed bastard! If there’s anything that I regret in this life, it was taking you into my care!”
“Let go!” Kayla made to pull away, but the Grand Duke only tightened his grip, his fingernails catching in the fabric.
This crazy bastard!
“My today is your tomorrow! You’ll only know to regret this when it’s much too late!” The Grand Duke laughed maniacally, throwing his head back in twisted mirth.
Kayla sucked in a deep breath, pulling out of his grip. She gulped uneasily as a few of his fingernails broke in the process, leaving bloody spots on her collar.
“Enough of your ravings, you old bastard!” Xianchun snapped, tightening his grip on his sword.
“My prince, don’t,” Kayla warned him. Xianchun gave her a look of discontent but didn’t go any closer.
“It’ll all come to ruin,” the Grand Duke cried out, a wild glint in his eye. “You, the princes, the Emperor, and this country itself, all of it will be cursed to destruction!”
Kayla couldn’t help but shift uncomfortably.
“Ha! He’s gone mad!” Qu Boyong scoffed. The Grand Duke lifted his left arm, his right arm trembling with effort but failing to respond, and grabbed the dull dagger Xianchun had thrown before him.
Clenching his teeth, he shot them a furious glare. Everything was over. All the power and wealth he had accumulated through endless plots and toil couldn’t save him now.
You really shouldn’t be surprised that it was Wenyuan who would bring your doom, Kayla silently remarked. After all, weren’t you once in the same position? I guess it’s easy to forget when you’re no longer powerless.
The dagger shook in the Grand Duke’s hand. Whether it was rage or the atrophy of his muscles, Kayla couldn’t tell. The only thing she could be certain of was that it was not fear.
“Mark my words,” the Grand Duke warned. “You, all of you, will come to a violent end!”
“This piece of shit!” Qu Boyong started violently.
“I’m prepared for that,” Kayla replied. Her flat response seemed to spark something in the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke’s eyes widened and then narrowed, and he seemed to come to a realization of some sort. Shaking his head, he let out a dry laugh.
“So that’s how it was,” he muttered. He gave Kayla a mocking look and drew the dagger across his neck.
The dull edge of the dagger couldn’t make a proper cut, and the Grand Duke was forced to try again, sawing his own artery open with great effort. The old man grunted in pain, shaking and perspiring all the while.
Kayla found herself watching the scene emotionlessly. The expected feelings of satisfaction or discomfort didn’t emerge, and she watched just as passively as a young boy watches an ant burn under a magnifying glass.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“Watch as he constructs red towers, watch as he throws banquets for his guests, watch as the tower falls.” I never really understood that line until right now, when I'm finally seeing it happen with my own eyes.
The Grand Duke made a gurgling sound, blood seeping through his hands and down his arms, trickling down his neck and into his robes. The dagger fell to the floor with a clang. After a moment that seemed to drag on eternally, the Grand Duke slumped over and fell from his chair. Blood pooled under him, spreading out over the floor.
“Pathetic piece of shit,” Xianchun snarled, a look of vindication on his face. Kayla bowed towards him slightly.
“Thank you, my prince. I could not have done this on my own. Please allow me to offer my gratitude and congratulations, to you and to our cousin as well,” Kayla said politely. Xianchun gave her a pat on the shoulder before strolling forward to bask in his vengeance.
A strange sense of emptiness filled her mind. Her greatest obstacle was gone now, but so was the main reason why Wenyuan had been valuable in the eyes of the palace.
It’s all up to my own abilities from now on, Kayla slowly let out a deep breath, staying where she was as Qu Boyong went to join Xianchun.
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A few moments later, Kayla entered the funeral hall with the wheelchair again. This time, it was empty.
Kayla pushed the wheelchair before the Zhao clan members who were gathered there, coming to a full stop before them. The hall was plunged into a breathless silence.
The Grand Duke is dead. Kayla didn't need to make an announcement for them to understand.
The silence lasted for what seemed to be forever, before Zhao Yihui began the ritualistic wailing again, continuing with the mourning ceremony. The others took his cue and joined in.
Hu Qing watched from an adjacent rooftop, throwing a handful of white paper money into the air and watching as it slowly fluttered down to settle in the courtyard. The Zhao clan members in rough white muslin carried on in the center of the hall, an empty coffin before them, with Kayla standing in between, as still as a statue. After a moment, she took a piece of white cloth from the altar and wrapped it around her head.
Of the people crying before her, not a single one was genuinely sad. Instead, they were each filled with their own hopes and fears, already watching their new head of clan with eager eyes, looking for any openings, weaknesses, or chances that they could grab onto.
Everything had changed within the span of a night, but strangely enough, Kayla felt that nothing had actually changed at all–rather than the Grand Duke, Kayla had become the new vessel for the greed that had given rise to the Zhao household.
All that changes by tomorrow, once the evidence is submitted, these people pretending to mourn right now will genuinely want to cry.
The Zhao clan was done. Kayla would be the only one to emerge relatively unscathed, while everyone else was condemned to obscurity as footnotes on the pages of history. They would certainly resent her for it. But at this point, all the choices had been made, and all the chances had been squandered, what could they possibly do about it?
Kayla lifted her gaze to the incense smoke as it curled upwards into the rafters, trapped within the confines of the roof.
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The Third Prince glanced at the sky. The moon was half-obscured by clouds, its dim and murky light flickering in and out of sight as shadows crossed its surface.
“Things must be wrapping up in the Zhao household by now, wouldn’t you say?” He murmured.
His host only dipped his head slightly, offering no reply.
Kuang sipped at the tea, offering a smile. “This tea is excellent,” he complimented his host.
Wei Guang bowed his head, finally breaking his silence. “Thank you for your praise, Your Highness. I’ll have my servants pack some for you.”
Kuang shook his head. “No need, its exquisiteness is because of the one who poured it for me, there’s no point in having just the leaves.”
Wei Guang smiled. “I am unworthy of your praise, my prince.”
“I’ll have to come more often,” Kuang remarked. “We’ve spoken so many times, but it’s the first time I’ve sat with you face-to-face like this.”
“The honor is mine,” Wei Guang replied. Once Kuang set down the teacup, Wei Guang handed him a scroll.
“Here is the evidence, my prince,” Wei Guang said.
Kuang opened the scroll, glancing it over.
“Unfortunately, it is scanter than I had originally intended, but please do not misunderstand. It is not that I’m trying to protect my godson, but rather the result of his cautious nature. Even though he lives under my roof and calls me his godfather, he has not fully placed his trust in me,” Wei Guang explained as he saw Kuang’s brow furrow.
“No, that’s fine. This is more than good enough,” Kuang said, setting the scroll aside. He gave Wei Guang a look of amusement. “But are you really alright with this? He is your godson after all.”
Wei Guang bowed his head. “My priority has and always will be the future of the dynasty. No matter who it is, they cannot hold greater importance to me than that.”
At those words, Kuang’s eyes narrowed briefly before he resumed his smile.
“Your strength of will is truly exemplary,” Kuang said. “If only all subjects were as loyal as you, there would be no need to use such methods. I’m quite grateful to your godson though, it’s a great help to me that he’s dragged Xianchun into these murky waters.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Wei Guang replied. “Then with your permission, my prince, I’ll send this to the palace.”
Kuang’s smile widened. “Go ahead.”
He glanced out the window again just as the moon emerged from the clouds, his smile fading into a look of grim determination.
“From here on, it was the beginning of a new era,” he murmured.
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Kayla took out the nullification talisman from the Empress Dowager with ceremonial reverence. She took a deep breath and activated it, acting as though the act took a great deal of resolve. Nullification talismans were few and far in between–it would be suspicious if she used them without even a shred of hesitation.
The wards on the vault came undone, and Sun Zhong’e got to work forcing its doors open.
“Please wait for a moment, allow me to ascertain the safety inside,” Sun Zhong’e said. She went in first, checking for any traps before emerging to give them a nod. “It is safe.”
“Thank you, you can go now,” Kayla said. Sun Zhong’e bowed and left.
“My prince, allow me to lead the way,” Kayla said to Xianchun. He nodded, following her lead as they entered the vault. It was a small room, only the size of a supply closet, but it was stacked ceiling to floor with scrolls.
“There are so many scrolls…just how many crimes has this bastard covered up?!” Xianchun exclaimed.
“It’s a good thing we killed him on our own terms after all,” Qu Boyong said with grudging approval. “With this much, there’s no telling how many people this will implicate.” He glanced at Kayla, who gave him an affirming nod. He reluctantly returned it.
“We need to think about how we’ll use this. If you pull a single hair, it’ll move the whole body,” Xianchun said.
Wow, that’s something I never thought I’d hear him say.
“I found a catalog!” Qu Boyong had an unfurled scroll in his hands. “It seems this records everything in here.”
Kayla stepped forward to take a look, already having a good idea of what the contents were.
It was the contents of this vault that screwed me over in the future Lady Lin showed me, but now we're all wandering around here together, Kayla thought to herself. Looking at Xianchun and Qu Boyong now, at least their anger wasn't directed toward her anymore. Did I make it? Did I really succeed?
“Come here and take a look, Wenyuan. Tell us what you think,” Xianchun called her over.
She immediately complied. They went through the scrolls for a bit, agreeing on which ones to submit, where, and to whom.
“First, let’s completely crush the Grand Duke’s reputation with Consort Chen and General Xiang’s case, and then we’ll be able to destroy the rest of his faction with the evidence without any resistance.”
“Yes, and look here, these officials will probably jump in. But if we push Dong Shiqing out into the line of fire first, they’ll try to pile everything onto him–best to distract them with that for now and withhold the fact that we have dirt on them as well.”
“This guy…didn’t he already die? And Liu Hongyu’s also dead.”
“All the more reason why we need to hold on to their cases for now, or everyone implicated will push all the blame onto them.”
“But look here…”
The discussion went on until Kayla’s head spun, with Qu Boyong and Xianchun each arguing into one of her ears without pausing for the other to finish speaking.
“My prince,” Kayla jumped in, forcibly cutting him off. “I understand your concerns, but it’s too idealistic to think that way. If those old-timers realize there is something on them, they’ll probably immediately go and turn themselves in for a lesser crime, and cry until the Emperor is morally blackmailed into giving them a light punishment or simply allowing them to retire. Even if more evidence is uncovered on them later, it’d smear the Emperor’s honor to go back on his decisions. It’s best to simply pull the carpet out from under their feet in one go.”
“Those old codgers should just drop dead rather than cause us so much trouble!” Xianchun threw his hands up in exasperation. Qu Boyong immediately gave his vehement agreement, and Kayla had to dig her heels in to keep the discussion on track.
Almost an hour later, they finally had a preliminary plan of action. Copies of the catalog and key scrolls were created with talismans and distributed between the three of them. Finally done, they exited the vault and into the quiet air of the study. Kayla could still vaguely hear the mourning rites continuing in the hall.
“My prince, it’ll be morning soon,” Kayla said, glancing up at the sky. “The two of you should return before it arouses suspicion.”
“Very well,” Xianchun assented.
Qu Boyong bowed his head towards Xianchun, before giving Kayla a crisp nod. The worst of his enmity seemed to have melted away over the course of the night.
“Then at risk of being impolite, I’ll take my leave first,” Qu Boyong said.
“Alright, keep your head down for now, it won’t be long until we restore your position,” Xianchun said, Kayla nodding along. Qu Boyong bowed deeply and took off over the rooftops. He passed by Hu Qing, who gave him a friendly wave that went ignored.
Xianchun walked over to a stone stool in the courtyard and sat down with a sigh.
“I’m surprised at how tiring that was,” Xianchun said.
“Are you satisfied, my prince?” Kayla asked in a quiet voice.
“It could’ve been better, but I suppose this is enough. But this won’t really be over until the evidence has been taken care of,” Xianchun said.
“I’ll submit the evidence first thing tomorrow morning,” Kayla said.
Xianchun let out another sigh. “Alright,” he said grimly.
The silence stretched out for a moment. Kayla found that she was also exhausted now that everything was over.
“I’ll head back first,” Xianchun said, standing up and dusting off his robes. Kayla quickly followed suit.
“Let me walk you to the door,” Kayla said.
“No need, you have plenty of work to do here,” Xianchun said, gesturing at the household at large.
“It’s alright,” Kayla replied. “Hu Qing’s keeping an eye on things, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“You certainly place a lot of faith in him,” Xianchun remarked.
“Yes, he’s very capable.”
“You’d do well to keep an eye out,” Xianchun said, his voice taking on a weary note. “If you give him too much leeway, there’s no telling if he’ll end up going behind your back.”
Aren't you just projecting your household troubles onto me? Kayla kept her thoughts to herself and bowed her head, accepting the warning.
The two of them walked out of the household in silence, Xianchun’s men already waiting for him at the side gates.
“Please have a safe trip, Your Highness,” Kayla said. Xianchun nodded and stepped onto his carriage, soon disappearing into the dark. Kayla let out a sigh and turned back, nodding at Zhao Chao who was waiting for her by the gate. He moved to step aside, but suddenly started and rushed forward.
“Minister!” Zhao Chao shouted. Kayla jolted, and a hand clamped down firmly on her shoulder. She froze, a feeling of unease creeping over her.
“Apologies for startling you, Minister,” a familiar voice said. Kayla glanced over her shoulder at the face of Li Que.
“Investigator Li,” Kayla said in surprise, trying to keep a tremor out of her voice.
What is he doing here?
“I’m very sorry to disturb you, Your Grace, but I need you to come with us,” Li Que said. He loosened his grip on her shoulder, and Kayla turned around to face a team of five Imperial Investigators. Other than Li Que, all of them were in full uniform, with masks covering their face.
“What’s the matter?” Kayla asked.
Li Que’s face was unreadable as he spoke. “Minister Zhao, you’re under arrest for deceiving the Emperor and conspiring against the court. Please come with us quietly.”
Kayla breathed in sharply, her hands clenching into fists at her side.
Ah, fuck. She couldn’t refuse and risk a forceful arrest. The Imperial Investigators were evidently choosing not to search the Zhao household even though they knew what was going on, which still left her employees and the Zhao clan members in the clear. More likely than not, they knew whose men they would find inside.
They’re choosing to maintain the Seventh Prince’s image by overlooking this, Kayla realized. That means they know of his involvement, but who could've–Wei Guang! It can only be him. But why?! Doesn’t he still need me right now?
Unless he didn’t.
Did he make a deal behind my back? Since when?! With who?
Kayla felt like the ground would crumble away under her feet at any moment, and she almost wished that it would.
Fuck, will they go after Hu Qing too?
“Your Grace,” Li Que prompted her, his voice polite but firm as he interrupted her thoughts.
Damn it! Kayla sucked in a deep breath.
“Yes, I understand. I am innocent, but I’ll comply with your investigation as required by the law,” Kayla replied, forcing her voice to remain as calm as possible.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Li Que said, bowing his head slightly. “Then please excuse me.”
He took out a pair of shackles and Kayla extended her arms. The cold metal clamped around her wrists. Taking one final glance over her shoulder towards the Zhao household, Kayla followed Li Que to the carriage in silence.
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Cultural Notes
眼看他起朱楼，眼看他宴宾客，眼看他楼塌了/Watch as he raises red towers, watch as he hosts banquets for his guests, watch as the tower crumbles: A famous quote lamenting the fleetingness of power and riches, it comes from the Qing Dynasty play 桃花扇/Plum blossom fan. At the end of the play, when everything has already come to pass, an old singer laments the rises and falls he has seen through fifty years of life, ending the play on a ruminative note. This line is also used to lament how people in power have little thought for their future downfall, following the Taoist tradition of thought that "金玉满堂，莫之能守；富贵而骄，自遗其咎。功遂身退，天之道"/Even with gold and jade filling your halls, you cannot protect it. Growing proud on riches and power, you create the path for your own downfall. To retreat [and live modestly] once your merit is attained is the way of heaven." Though this has been around since the pre-Qin dynasty, the number of powerful people or clans who were able to hold themselves to it are few and far in-between.
哭丧/Ritualistic mourning: A funeral tradition in which family members, or in some circumstances, paid mourners, weep and wail, lamenting the passing of their family members. To express one's filial piety, it was expected that one would cry loudly, and for an extended period of time. Paid mourners also emerged from this tradition, and men or women (usually widows) who were good at wailing in a heartrending manner could make a decent living off of that.
唢呐/Suona: A traditional Chinese instrument usually used for "Red or white affairs", aka weddings or funerals. It has a sharp, clear tone that is rather distinctive and has regained popularity in the modern day since it is surprisingly compatible with dubstep. It originated in Ancient Iran, and appeared in China around the 3rd century, where it gained prominence in folk music. Here is an example of a famous suona piece, 百鸟朝凤/Hundred birds pay respects to the phoenix.
丧服/Mourning clothes: Traditional Chinese mourning clothes tend to be made of rough white cloth (usually muslin). White was the traditional color of mourning. Mourners often wear white cone-shaped hooded capes (that do not cover their faces) or tie strips of white cloth around their foreheads.
纸钱/Paper money: Traditional Chinese funerary practices involved the burning of paper money for the dead to use in the afterlife.
拖入浑水/Drag into murky waters: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to drag someone into trouble from which they cannot emerge without sullying their reputation to some degree, just like you can't emerge from murky waters with clean clothing.
牵一发而动全身/Pull a hair and move the body: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to affect a large range of affairs/people by making a small move, often used in reference to important cases of conspiracy or corruption where a single person's prosecution may end up damning hundreds of officials, and thus the court is most likely to band together and rally against any effective punishment/investigation.
先走一步/Take a step [away] first: A common Chinese saying meaning to leave first, it's often more polite than straight up saying "I'm going now." The common response to this is "慢走/Walk slowly".