After a mostly sleepless night, Kayla resigned herself to accepting the current circumstances. Even with Chujiao now working in the Outer Quarters, Kayla was still in danger. She needed to start taking more drastic measures. She only had a few weeks left, and it probably wasn’t enough to only make small ripples.
Kayla would have to start acting aggressively, and her first plan of action was to move Bianfu out of the way. Lost in thought on the carriage ride to work, she didn’t notice Xianchun approaching until he was right in front of her.
“Zhao Wenyuan.”
Kayla startled at the familiar voice, looking up at Xianchun’s stony face. She looked around them, but the corridor was empty save the two of them.
“Prince,” she greeted him with a short bow. The familiar feeling of anxiousness crept up in her mind, but Xianchun somehow seemed less hostile than before.
“Your information turned out to be less inaccurate than I expected,” Xianchun said.
Fuck you, it was completely accurate, you asshole.
“I’m glad to hear that, my prince,” Kayla replied insincerely.
“Yue Wuxuan was executed at noon yesterday,” Xianchun told her. “However, his wife and daughter are en route to the capital already.”
“It’s good they’re safe,” Kayla said, her voice tinged with relief. She really did want to save Lady Yue, though her own survival instincts were stronger than her concern for the widow. Xianchun hesitated, as though he were deciding whether to criticize Wenyuan for Yue Wuxuan’s death or thank Wenyuan for saving Lady Yue.
Kayla jumped in before he could speak. “Will Lady Yue be staying at Lord Liang’s house?” Kayla asked. Liu Hongyu had mentioned that whatever Yue Wuxuan had known, his wife knew as well, and Kayla wasn’t going to miss her chance to shake up the plot. Not to mention that if Xianchun got evidence of the Grand Duke’s corruption, he might not order the infiltration of the Grand Duke’s household. As long as Xianchun didn’t learn of his mother’s murder, the man’s moral compass would probably still prevent him from outright murdering Wenyuan to get at the Grand Duke.
“Of course,” Xianchun replied, sounding slightly defensive. “Lord Liang is eagerly awaiting his cousin’s arrival.”
“As he should. Prince, now that you have found allies in the court, you should make sure they use their resources properly, it’ll be to your benefit as well,” Kayla said, trying to avoid giving the information outright. Kayla sighed at Xianchun’s scowl. The prince evidently hadn’t gotten the hint. “What I’m saying is, Lady Yue was her husband’s confidant. Why do you think they pushed for the extermination of his family so eagerly?”
Xianchun’s eyes widened. “You’re saying that Yue Wuxuan found evidence?”
“They say Lady Yue is intelligent and well-educated, able to share the burdens of her husband and assist in his affairs,” Kayla replied. “I wish you the best of luck, my prince.”
She glanced around at the sound of footsteps in the distance. “I must take my leave immediately, please excuse me,” she hurriedly said. Kayla quickly made her escape before Xianchun could stop her, turning down another corridor before she was seen with the prince.
Speaking of, why did he approach me again?
////////////
Xianchun walked along the outer walls of the palace. The number of people thinned as Xianchun followed the wall until he reached an empty garden that was now rundown with disuse. Stopping beneath a withered tree, Xianchun waited for the familiar rustle of its branches.
A young man landed softly on the ground behind him, bending a knee to greet Xianchun. He was handsome in an androgynous way without seeming effeminate, holding himself with grace even while dressed in the tight-sleeved robes of a servant.
“My prince,” he greeted.
“Boyue, there you are,” Xianchun said fondly. Boyue got up with a soft smile, eyes crinkling into shining crescents.
“What are your orders, my prince?” Boyue asked.
“I heard some interesting information, and I’d like you to pass on a message to Lord Liang,” Xianchun told him. “Lady Yue likely has the evidence against the Grand Duke, and Lord Liang should gently persuade her to reveal it.”
Boyue’s eyes widened. “Governor Yue’s wife? May I ask where you heard this, my prince?”
Xianchun hesitated before replying. “From Zhao Wenyuan.” He had actually approached Wenyuan to test if the young man knew what he was doing, or if Wenyuan had only helped Xianchun by accident. To his surprise, Wenyuan had immediately deduced the alliance between him and Lord Liang. While it was hardly much of a stretch for someone who knew Xianchun’s role in this case, Xianchun had thought of Wenyuan as too much of a fool to put the pieces together. It turned out he was wrong.
“Zhao Wenyuan? Are you sure it’s not a trap?” Boyue frowned at him.
“I am also…reluctant, but what he said about Lady Yue did turn out to be true,” Xianchun admitted.
“Wait, the information was from him?” Boyue’s eyes were almost the size of dinner plates, the young man slowly pacing around Xianchun as he took in the information. “But why would he help you, my prince? It doesn’t make sense, the Grand Duke is his grandfather.”
Xianchun shifted uncomfortably. “I have reason to believe that his relationship with the Grand Duke is deteriorating.” He continued at Boyue’s questioning look. “The time when he didn’t present the Governor Yue case in court, Bianfu witnessed the Grand Duke administering corporal punishment afterward. I would guess that a pampered guy like that would hold a grudge.”
Boyue looked vaguely confused. “My prince, forgive me for contradicting you, but that doesn’t make sense. I’ve looked into Wenyuan as you ordered, and it seems that the Grand Duke often used corporal punishments, even before the Imperial Princess passed away. Why would he only begin to rebel at this point in time, when he no longer has the Princess’ support?”
Xianchun frowned at the unexpected information, not knowing how to respond to it. “What else did you find out about him?”
Boyue shook his head. “He drinks with the Secretariat Director often, but I don’t know what for. The Grand Duke wouldn’t send Wenyuan to talk business on his behalf.”
“Find out what their meetings are about, I need to know if he’s setting me up for a trap,” Xianchun ordered.
“And the information about Lady Yue?” Boyue asked. Xianchun nodded.
“Pass it along,” he said decisively. Trap or not, Xianchun had to at least give it a try. Boyue bowed, before flipping back over the palace wall, leaving Xianchun alone with his thoughts. Over the last two weeks, Wenyuan had been surprising him one time after another, as though a switch had been flipped inside the weak-willed young man.
A gust of wind swept up a shower of dust around the courtyard, and Xianchun’s thoughts turned to nostalgic memories instead. Xianchun had once laughed and played in this courtyard with his brothers, but now only the three of them were left. One day, he’d have to take on his remaining two brothers if he wanted to ascend to the throne, and at that time this courtyard would well and truly have no meaning left to it. But for now, Xianchun’s enemy was still the Grand Duke. As to what role Wenyuan would play in the conflict, only time would tell.
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//////////////
When the workday was over, Kayla hurried to where the carriage awaited. To her relief, Qu Boyong was there as well. She waited until the carriage began moving and all the guards were in their positions to call Boyong over again.
“My lord,” Boyong greeted her as she opened the window. Kayla smiled at him.
“Boyong, it’s good to see you again. I was pleased with your selection last time, and I have another request,” she said. Boyong smiled, looking happy at the chance to earn a hefty tip.
“Of course, young lord. Boyong is at your service.”
“This request is…more specific,” Kayla said, “And I’ll have more requests like this over the next couple of days. Can I rely on you?” The plan had taken shape inside her head, but it would be too obvious if she gathered the necessary pieces too quickly. Kayla also didn’t want to get Boyong in trouble if things went south.
“Yes, my lord. How can I serve you?” Boyong asked eagerly. Kayla passed him a gold coin.
“I want some books of appearance-related talismans, a variety of them,” Kayla said. Boyong nodded and quickly peeled off from the carriage. He returned soon with several books of talismans. Among the books, Kayla was happy to find that Boyong had included a book on women’s cosmetics. Flipping through the table of contents, she quickly located the spell that covered blemishes and a second spell that essentially served as a setting spray for magical cosmetics that prevented the cosmetic spells from becoming undone by other magic. It likely wouldn’t work for higher-tier magic, but it was sufficient for Kayla’s purposes.
Over the next two days, Kayla sent Boyong to purchase talismans on her trips back from work, tipping him each time. Reliably, Boyong brought Kayla a variety of talismans in response to her vague and general requests. By the third evening, Kayla had gathered talismans for preserving spells used to maintain household goods and heirlooms, as well as for gardening spells with high levels of specificity in their effects. She only really needed the cosmetic spell and the preserving spell, but she’d thrown in gardening as well since it was in the same category of magic. It would hopefully serve to make the request seem more natural and prevent Boyong from getting punished for his involvement. Luckily, it also meant she had also obtained a talisman that added soil to plants, which Kayla absolutely intended to use as pocket sand for self-defense purposes.
According to Wenyuan’s memories, he visited the Empress Dowager about once every ten days, usually on the 5th, 15th, and 25th of every month. If he didn’t go, the Empress Dowager would send someone to invite her maternal grandson to the palace. The old woman wasn’t too fond of most of her daughters-in-law, and the power struggles between members of the Imperial Harem made it difficult for the Empress Dowager to spend time with her grandchildren without causing a domino effect in the Inner Palace’s politics. Within the walls of the Inner Palace, the Dowager’s favor was a potent tool that could easily propel someone upwards in the hierarchy and wasn’t something that could be given and received with simple, untainted intentions. The only ones the Dowager could truly dote on were her maternal grandchildren. The Emperor’s brothers were located in their respective territories and rarely entered the capital city, so really, the only one left close to the Dowager was the Princess’ son, Wenyuan. The Princess’ ineligibility to succeed the throne had led to her being doted on by her older brother and her mother, and that favor had been extended to Wenyuan.
Kayla planned to take advantage of that. She felt bad, but she really did need to make use of everything and everyone that she could.
Tomorrow is when you would usually go visit her, right?
Yes. Are you sure you want to do this? It’s pretty extreme to do this to yourself.
Sorry for doing this to your body, but yes. It sucked that it would also coincide with the convening of the court, but Kayla didn’t have much choice. Luckily, there were talismans for pain relief in the book for cosmetic magic, intended to relieve period pain and prevent a young lady from acting in an unseemly manner during a public outing. She didn’t know if it was strong enough for her purposes, and could only pray it was meant for pretty serious period cramps.
Kayla took in a deep breath as she went over her plan again. She had gotten off work early today, not for lack of things to do, but because she had a meeting with Liu Hongyu again. Rather than going straight to the Secretariat Director’s household, Kayla had returned to Wenyuan’s room first to steel her nerves. Kayla needed to place Yu Bianfu under scrutiny to prevent the female General from making a move on Wenyuan. Xianchun deeply valued his friends and allies, and even after he became a cunning politician, he still prioritized their wellbeing over his plans. If Bianfu wasn’t in a position where she could act without incurring suspicion, Xianchun wouldn't force her hand. It opened up other troubling possibilities as well, but Kayla could only deal with one problem at a time.
I guess you can also consider this petty revenge, Kayla remarked to Wenyuan.
Not that I don’t appreciate that, but you’ll be suffering more than her, Wenyuan’s voice radiated with concern. Kayla sucked in a deep breath, preparing the talismans she needed and tucking them into the folds of her inner robes.
Thanks, Wenyuan. There were really a lot of uncertainties in all this, and there was a big chance she would be going through all this for nothing. It was a high-risk, low-return plan, all things considered.
“Young lord, it’s time to head out,” a serving girl called from outside the door. Sucking in a deep breath, Kayla determinedly headed to the carriage. She kept her face carefully blank as she got in, keeping the nervousness out of her expression. Wenyuan’s practiced unreadability helped her out, and she entered the Liu household with the same contained pace as usual.
Liu Hongyu greeted her casually, again having started drinking already. Kayla joined him at the table after giving her greetings but didn’t toast him repeatedly as she normally did. Rather than getting him drunk until he passed out as soon as possible, Kayla toasted him at a more relaxed pace, stretching out the amount of time between Liu getting sloshed and Liu blacking out.
Rather than fear, Kayla was filled with disgust and determination as Liu began talking shit again. Being in a good mood, the topic of discussion soon drifted from the banalities of the workplace to the late Princess and Liu’s lust for her. Kayla kept her expression a mask of perfect politeness, blocking out most of what Liu said. The older man was much more insufferable when he wasn’t interrupted every three words with a refilled glass of wine, and a whole lot sleazier.
“You seem different today,” Liu remarked, his words already beginning to slur. Liu leaned across the table, a slimy smirk on his face as he observed Wenyuan.
Yeah, because I’m not trying to get you drunk. Kayla was hoping that Liu would eventually say something disrespectful enough to warrant throwing a tantrum and storming out. There was no surer way to piss off the Grand Duke. Instead, Liu shuffled his seat around the corner of the small table to sit closer to Wenyuan, peering closer at his face.
“Your eyes are the same as the Princess’,” Liu said observationally. Kayla fought to keep from frowning at the stench of alcohol on his breath. “Beautiful and prideful. I guess the greater the beauty, the more haughty the person.”
Kayla smiled politely and didn’t reply. Liu chuckled, eyes sweeping over the lines of Wenyuan’s neck. “You’re not as haughty as her though, are you? You’re a good kid,” Liu said. His hand landed on Wenyuan’s knee. Kayla froze. This had not been what she was aiming for.
“Please remove your hand,” she requested, carefully hiding her disgust. Liu didn’t comply. Instead, he slid his hand upwards to Wenyuan’s thigh.
This slimy old fuck! Kayla stood up abruptly, overturning her chair. She furiously grabbed the half-full cup of wine and splashed it into Liu’s face, glaring as the old man squawked in outrage.
“You little bastard!” Liu shouted angrily. Two servants hurried into the room, freezing in shock as they took in the sight. Liu was dripping with wine, Kayla standing over him with a furious expression.
“Fuck you, you piece of shit,” she snarled at him in a low voice. Kayla threw the cup to the floor and let it shatter into tiny pieces. Ignoring Liu’s angry shouts, she turned and left the room, storming back to her carriage. None of Liu’s servants dared to stop her despite Liu’s demands that Wenyuan come back and apologize.
Wenyuan’s guards were startled as they saw her emerge.
“Young lord, are you heading back already?” Boyong asked, quickly hiding his surprise. Kayla didn’t respond, getting into the carriage without a glance back. Boyong waited awkwardly for a second before ordering the horseman to depart.
Kayla sat in the carriage, still seething with rage. Combined with Wenyuan’s anger, the emotions inside her roared out of control.
That bastard! I’m sorry, Wenyuan.
Why are you apologizing?! He’s the one who promised not to touch me-he promised grandfather!
Fuck him too! Why the fuck would your grandfather even let you go to someone who has to promise that?!
Their angry ranting was interrupted by the carriage stopping before the Grand Duke’s household. Kayla took a deep breath, steeling her nerves for what was about to come. The Grand Duke and the Secretariat Director had magic communication devices, so she had no doubt the Grand Duke was already aware of what had happened.
All of this is for survival, Kayla assured herself. Pain only lasts for a bit, death is pretty permanent.
She entered the Inner Quarters, returning to her room with faked nonchalance. The Grand Duke was already in Wennyuan’s room, glaring at her in silent fury. Kayla bowed her head slightly in greeting.
“Hello, Grandfather.”
She could only hope that this would be worth it.