Kayla’s discussion with Xianchun was interrupted by a servant knocking on the door.
“Your Highness, it’s a messenger from the Fifth Prince.”
Xianchun glanced at Kayla, who gave him an encouraging nod. Xianchun’s stance was aligned with Kayla's, but there was still the issue of whether the Fifth Prince would choose to grit his teeth and back up Shu Zhengyan.
“Send him in,” Xianchun ordered. After a moment, a servant led in the messenger.
“Your Highness, Minister Zhao, this lowly servant humbly greets you,” the messenger said.
“What does my brother want?” Xianchun demanded.
“The Fifth Prince sends his deepest apologies for his household's transgression, which he would like to deliver in person with your permission,” the messenger said haltingly. “He wishes to make his amends through whatever recompense Minister Zhao determines necessary.”
Kayla carefully kept her face a blank mask. He's admitting it this easily? Don't people usually try to make excuses or deny it at least once? I guess he really doesn't want to stir up a fuss. Then again, Yunqi knows Xianchun's personality well, if he denies it, Xianchun definitely wouldn't let the matter go.
“That's certainly very straightforward of him. How is he going to explain this situation?” Xianchun asked.
The messenger bowed his head. “Young Master Shu took action on his own without consulting anyone else, but as his education has been entrusted to His Highness the Fifth Prince, the responsibility of the matter will fall on the Fifth Prince. Young Master Shu will be severely reprimanded and sent out of the capital by noon tomorrow at the latest, and the Fifth Prince is willing to pay dues in his place. The prince swears upon his honor that nothing of the sort will ever be allowed to happen again.”
“I see,” Kayla said, glancing at Xianchun. If Yunqi was being this straightforward, then his offer to negotiate was probably sincere. She rather liked Yunqi, the most reasonable out of all of the nobles. Personal feeling aside, it would be a bad idea to insult the Third and Fifth Prince, much less make them think she’d fully thrown her support behind Xianchun.
Xianchun was in a good mood after learning of the Grand Duke's messy familial situation, vindictively pleased that the Zhao clan's internal affairs were even messier than the Imperial Family's. Given his unusually high spirits, Kayla could probably get him to agree to let the matter go.
“Tell my brother that I have nothing to say,” Xianchun said, his mouth a hard line. The messenger lowered his head nervously.
Kayla cleared her throat. “Please tell the Fifth Prince that I’m grateful for his sincerity. I will strive to provide a proper response as soon as possible.”
Xianchun gave her a look of surprise, but the messenger bowed with visible relief.
“Thank you! I’ll take my leave now. Your highness, Minister,” the messenger bowed at each of them before hastily leaving the room.
Xianchun shifted in his seat to face Kayla. “Wenyuan, what are you thinking? Are you afraid of Fifth Brother?”
“I’m not afraid of him at all,” Kayla replied.
“Then it’s Third Brother you’re afraid of? He’s at a disadvantage right now, why should you be the one backing down?” Xianchun demanded.
You’re the scariest one out of the three, Kayla griped silently.
“I’m not particularly afraid of Third Cousin. In any case, I’m not backing down out of fear.”
“Then what is it?” Xianchun asked, leaning forward in curiosity.
“I’m willing to let go of the matter,” Kayla said hesitantly. “The question is if you would be alright with that?”
“You mean you’re letting Shu Zhengyan off the hook? He tried to trap both of us,” Xianchun asked, visibly irritated.
“That’s true, but the one who’ll really take a hit from this matter isn’t him, but Fifth Cousin. Honestly, it’s not like I can’t understand Shu Zhengyan. He’s desperate because of the plight of his family, so he’s making short-sighted moves without regard for even his own cousin. But he did try to screw us over, so my sympathy for him is limited.”
Kayla paused, letting out a sigh. “On the other hand, Fifth Cousin would be in a difficult position. If he’s forced to send Shu Zhengyan back when Uncle has finally allowed that brat to come to the capital, then Fifth Cousin will be openly refuting the Emperor’s favor. That may only invoke Uncle’s wrath against the Shu family. But if Fifth Cousin explains the reason, then Uncle will only be angrier. It puts him in too much of a predicament,” Kayla explained.
“Well, you’re certainly good at being considerate towards Fifth Brother,” Xianchun scoffed, an irritated scowl on his face.
“Fifth Cousin is a decent man, and he’s also my cousin. This matter was out of his hands,” Kayla hastily replied.
“He should’ve kept his own people in line then,” Xianchun shot back.
“The allure of power is something that will drive men to madness. Even if the Fifth Prince has resisted its call, how can someone in a desperate situation ignore a chance to change their fates? It's impossible to rein in everyone's desires,” Kayla said.
She leaned forward to meet Xianchun’s gaze. “Right now, you have a limited amount of allies, all of whom are highly dedicated to the same ideals. But what about in the future? As your faction grows, there will inevitably be people who are in it for power, riches, or glory. Or even if they share the same ideals, they may be far more extreme than you’re willing to be. What then? Can you really make sure every single person is kept in line?”
“Of course I understand that, it’s something any leader will have to face. But what are you trying to say?” Xianchun demanded.
“I’m asking you to let Fifth Cousin off the hook so you’ll have more leeway in the future, should you ever face a similar situation,” Kayla explained. “Fifth Cousin is a man of honor, he’ll be sure to repay your favor. Rather than push your own brother into a corner, why not give both him and yourself some breathing space? I’m not saying that Shu Zhengyan’s off the hook. How about sending Shu Zhengyan back with the excuse of health and replacing him with someone who’s less of a troublemaker? It's humiliating enough for Shu Zhengyan, but it also avoids pushing Fifth Cousin into desperate straits. If none of us stir up a fuss about it, Uncle probably won’t say anything either.”
Xianchun didn’t reply, sinking into a thoughtful silence. After a long moment, he nodded.
“Alright then, since you insist, then I’ll just think of it as doing you a favor instead of my brother,” Xianchun said.
“My prince, aren’t you pushing me into debt a bit too brazenly?” Kayla protested. Xianchun chuckled lightly.
“Why not? Fifth Brother would never ask this favor of me, knowing that he can’t promise me anything that he hasn’t already sworn to Third Brother’s service,” Xianchun said. At Kayla’s troubled expression, he shook his head. “Forget it, I’m not actually going to make you repay it.”
Seeing that Xianchun's good mood was still going strong, Kayla gladly took the offer.
“Thank you, my prince,” Kayla quickly said. “Once a great man’s words have been spoken, it can’t be chased back even by the swiftest horses, so I’ll take your word for it.”
“Hey,” Xianchun said in a warning tone, but he didn’t actually seem to be irritated.
“But really, thank you. In a way, this makes my work a lot easier as well,” Kayla admitted.
“I see now why Father chose you to head the neutral faction,” Xianchun sighed in defeat. “Alright then, go ahead and tell Fifth Brother. I’m sure he’ll be glad to hear the news.”
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The second she arrived at the Fifth Prince's household, Kayla was greeted by Yunqi himself.
He must really be worried if he’s going so far as to greet me right at the door himself.
Kayla bowed her head. “Zhao Wenyuan humbly greets the Fifth Prince.”
“No need for formalities, Wenyuan. Thank you for joining me on such short notice,” Yunqi said. “I believe I owe you an apology.”
Kayla gave him a look of surprise. In front of the servants too? He really is serious.
“You’re much too kind, my prince, there’s no need for that,” Kayla hastily said. “This may be rude to ask, but may I speak with you in private? There’s something that I wanted to discuss.”
“Of course, this way please.” Yunqi led her to the sitting room where they had first met. They sat at the same table as before, a kettle of tea and two cups already on the table. The only difference from their first meeting was that this time, Yunqi was the one in a precarious position.
As soon as they were alone, Yunqi leaned forward in his seat.
“Wenyuan, I really am sorry about this. My cousin’s foolish actions are unforgivable, but please go easy on him on account of his young age. I’ll take responsibility in his stead,” Yunqi said.
“There’s no need for you to apologize, my prince. You weren’t involved in this, were you?”
“I may not have participated, but I allowed this to happen while Zhengyan was under my care,” Yunqi replied. “I have no excuse. If I may be shameless enough to make a request, I'd ask you to be merciful and handle this matter privately.”
“Please be at ease, your highness. I don’t intend to pursue this matter any further, and neither does the Seventh Prince,” Kayla said. “Shu Zhengyan’s only just come of age, so it’s nothing out of the ordinary for him to make a mistake. It happens to the best of us.”
Yunqi gave her a look of incomprehension.
“It may be rude for me to speak about your family affairs, but it seems that Shu Zhengyan isn’t very suited for life in the capital, given that his body has trouble adjusting to the local soil and water. Perhaps it would be best for him to return to the Northeast and have another one of your cousins join you here instead,” Kayla said.
Yunqi hesitated for a moment before giving her a grateful smile. His eyes shone with immense relief. In the worst-case scenario, Yunqi and the Shu family could have faced complete destruction. It was as though the sword hanging over their heads had been lifted away, but Yunqi's relief was tinged with a note of bitterness. Despite the temporary respite, it didn't change the fact that the sword had been in the hands of Yunqi's younger brother, and handed to Xianchun by Yunqi's cousin, all while they stood in a cage of the Emperor's making.
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“Indeed, that seems to be the case,” Yunqi replied, his voice heavy with emotion. The tacit agreement was a done deal on Kayla and Xianchun’s side, and it was now up to Yunqi to make an offer on his side.
“Wenyuan, words aren’t enough to express my gratitude for your magnanimity,” Yunqi said. “Please allow me to repay you.”
“There’s no need for such things between family,” Kayla replied. “I’m sure you would do the same for me or the Seventh Prince.”
In other words, you’d better repay the favor for Xianchun or I'll have left him hanging.
Yunqi smiled. “Of course.”
“As for the contents of the scroll, I’m afraid there may have been a misunderstanding,” Kayla continued. “I’m not sure who you may have heard this from, but there wasn’t any relationship to speak of between Liu Hongyu and me, I just drank with him to please my grandfather. I only threatened to make a huge fuss because I was left with no way out.”
“I apologize for my needless speculation,” Yunqi said apologetically. “I admit that I was curious about the case, and it seems to have infected my cousin as well. My cousin overheard bits and pieces of random rumors from the streets and came to strange conclusions on his own.”
Both of them were drastically misrepresenting their situations, but Kayla didn’t care how Yunqi put it as long as he was bound to silence.
“Please don’t worry about it, it is a situation that can be easily misunderstood. To be honest, I purposefully made it that way since I didn’t have anything else that could get my grandfather to back down,” Kayla said, shaking her head. Yunqi picked up her tone, sensing that the negotiation wasn’t over yet.
“I have to admit that I was surprised. I didn’t think that the Grand Duke would take such a drastic action against you, given that you’re his grandson and only heir,” Yunqi said.
“It is pretty unbelievable, isn’t it? But the truth is, I’m not his grandson,” Kayla admitted.
“What? I don’t understand, how is that possible?” Yunqi asked in bafflement.
“My father’s the son of the Grand Duke’s cousin,” Kayla explained. “I only learned of this recently as well.”
“That–it must’ve been a huge shock for you,” Yunqi said sympathetically after a moment of disbelief.
“It was, but I have to say that I felt a bit of relief,” Kayla replied. “A few years ago, I certainly would’ve been deeply disappointed to learn this, but now I only feel as though a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. It explains why my grandfather has always been so antagonistic towards me.”
“I’m sorry, Wenyuan. Even if you’re not his grandson, there’s no excuse for the way he’s treated you,” Yunqi said.
“Thank you for that. Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask of you,” Kayla said. “Mind that this isn’t in exchange for forgiving Shu Zhengyan, but a separate favor altogether. If you accept, I will be indebted to you.”
“Nonsense, I’m the one who’s indebted to you. As long as it’s within my power, I will ensure it is done.”
Kayla took a deep breath. “I wish to become the head of the Zhao clan and receive amnesty for any of the Grand Duke’s crimes. On paper, we’re related closely enough that I would also receive punishment as a member of his direct relations, but in truth, I'm only nominally related to him.”
At this point, she had lost any hope of leaving the capital and taking refuge elsewhere. Kayla had insulted more than enough people to lose her life the second she left the capital or lost the Emperor’s favor. But as long as she was stuck in the capital, she was certain to be implicated in the fall of the Grand Duke unless Xianchun hit his head and received a personality change overnight.
“I understand your concerns, Wenyuan,” Yunqi said. Kayla nodded in response. Yunqi was probably the person who understood her most, being in a similarly difficult situation except that his opponent was the Emperor.
“I swear that Third Brother and I will throw our complete support behind you,” Yunqi promised. “I assume that grandmother and father must also be aware of this situation, that’s certain to make things easier. No matter what the officials of the court say, we will follow through.”
“Thank you,” Kayla said in relief.
“It may be rude to ask this, but does Xianchun know? It may be difficult to deal with the aftermath if only Kuang and I know,” Yunqi said.
“I told him earlier, and he was quite pleased with the news,” Kayla replied. “But since I already had something to ask of him, I didn’t ask this favor of him yet.”
Even though it was left unsaid, Yunqi seemed to understand that Kayla’s request had resulted in Xianchun’s surprising magnanimity.
“If it’s difficult to approach him with this, perhaps you can go through our grandmother. I’m sure she would be happy to arbitrate a deal,” Yunqi suggested. “No matter what he chooses, our position will not change.”
“Thank you, my prince. The Zhao clan is sure to fall into shambles once the Grand Duke is taken down, but if I can replace him as the head of the household before that happens, then we still have a chance,” Kayla said. “I won’t attempt to protect anyone who deserves punishment, but I do want to leave a path to survival for those who don’t.”
“As expected, we're in a similar situation,” Yunqi said, patting Kayla’s shoulder sympathetically.
“I’m just worried that Xianchun will be dissatisfied,” Kayla muttered. If there wasn’t a bloodbath, he likely wouldn’t be satisfied with his revenge for Consort Chen.
Yunqi let out a sigh. “Not to speak ill of him, but Xianchun doesn’t have maternal relatives to worry about. He doesn’t understand having to hold back for their sake. On one hand, that means he can move unhindered. On the other hand, it means he can be ruthless because he doesn’t face the consequences. He also can't empathize with our predicaments.”
“I get what you mean,” Kayla said. “Sometimes I get the sense that he’s the kind to move forward without regard to the cost. It’s true that he does care about the populace, but he also won’t hold back for their sake.”
“That’s exactly what my little brother is like. Kuang and I can’t be like him, nor can we go easy on him. If we win, we can keep our families and our allies in check. But if we lose, Xianchun won’t be able to handle them. If that’s the case, he’ll have no choice but to purge the court,” Yunqi said.
Kayla lowered her head, avoiding Yunqi’s eyes. That had actually been the case in the original novel. As soon as Xianchun had become the Crown Prince, both Kuang and Yunqi’s maternal clans had been thoroughly purged through executions and exile.
“That’s why I’m glad for Grandmother's meddling,” Yunqi continued. “Even if it slows down the process and increases the limitations, with a strong neutral faction, neither side will be able to gain a crushing victory and there will be room for compromise. If both sides are left to develop unhindered, then one side will definitely need to be routed in the aftermath of the battle. Your presence means that the battle itself will be heavily moderated. The more ambitious of us may be dissatisfied with such a battlefield, but I’m glad for it.”
Kayla nodded. “The same goes for me. The country is at a crossroads, and it's almost certain that there will be great turmoil. I'd rather not live in such eventful times, but since I have no choice, I want to at least keep the bloodshed to a minimum. To be honest, I was only willing to let go of this matter because you’re the voice of reason for the Imperial family.”
Even in the original novel, Yunqi was the sole advocate of restraint when Kuang’s battle with Xianchun reached feverish heights, and his presence was probably the main reason why the country hadn’t dissolved into civil war. Looking back at it now, Kayla really felt that he didn’t deserve the ending he had gotten.
“I’m unworthy of such praise,” Yunqi replied. “But if the upper ranks struggle against each other for personal gain, the country faces great danger. The people are always used and discarded in conflicts like these, even more so if everyone’s convinced that their narrow definition of righteousness is justice. Is it not natural to wish for restraint? Perhaps I take it too far, but that’s something that only the future can offer as critique.”
“If anything, I agree with you,” Kayla said. “I have to say that it’s a pity you can’t take a more active role in politics right now, your presence alone would make things easier for me.”
Yunqi shook his head with a light chuckle. “Thank you for your confidence, but I’m afraid that wouldn’t be the case. No matter what, I am on Third Brother’s side. If I were to play a bigger role in politics, it would only make your role more difficult.”
Kayla looked at Yunqi, mulling over her current situation. The original novel’s plot had changed so much at this point that nothing was guaranteed any more. Was it possible that Kuang and Yunqi could be the ones to win in the end? Even if that wasn’t the case, there was still a possibility that they could survive Xianchun’s ascension to the throne.
If they survived, then Kayla’s likelihood of survival would drastically increase as well.
“I disagree with that,” Kayla said aloud. “In fact, I think it would be rather helpful.”
----------------------------------------
Liu Boyue bit down on his agitation with immense effort as he listened to Xianchun recount the events. Even if the Shu family was completely routed, Yunqi would still have the military’s sympathy if not their outright support. Many of General Shu’s former subordinates were stationed at various posts across the country, which combined with the strength of Kuang’s maternal family meant that they held an overwhelming advantage in terms of military strength. Xianchun needed political dominance to counter them.
The growth of a neutral faction was much more harmful to Xianchun than his older brothers, and while the Seventh Prince had no choice but to reluctantly accept the situation, it was incomprehensible to Liu Boyue that Xianchun should let go of a critical chance to limit both Wenyuan and Yunqi’s actions.
“My prince, you’re really letting this matter go?” Liu Boyue asked incredulously.
Xianchun smiled. “I’m fine releasing a small fish for a big one. Let Shu Zhengyan hide behind Yunqi if he wishes, I’ve gained hold of something much more important.”
“It appears that Wenyuan gave you good news, my prince,” Liu Boyue prodded.
“Good news? Well, I suppose you can also say that. It certainly makes things a lot easier from here on. Boyue, it seems that Wenyuan isn’t the Grand Duke’s grandson.”
Liu Boyue frowned in confusion, feeling a sharp pang of unease. He had planned to discuss Wenyuan with Xianchun soon, but it seemed that his plans couldn’t catch up with the changing circumstances.
“I’m not sure I understand,” Liu Boyue said.
“His father was the son of the Grand Duke’s cousin, not the Grand Duke. If that’s the case, Wenyuan’s only his relative, and he’s more closely related to me than to him. That makes things a lot easier, whether in terms of dealing with the Grand Duke or the aftermath,” Xianchun said, a satisfied look on his face.
“But is the Grand Duke our only goal, my prince?” Liu Boyue asked.
“Of course not,” Xianchun replied without hesitation.
Liu Boyue took a deep breath. “Then it’s much too early to rejoice. Your highness, we can’t rely on Wenyuan’s support just because he’s not the Grand Duke’s grandson.”
“He all but said it outright himself, if we don’t grab hold of this chance, Third Brother will,” Xianchun replied. “He had no intention of hiding it from them either.”
“I understand that, my prince. But the problem is that Wenyuan’s a decent person, which means he’s bound by decency! Since ancient times, it has been difficult to fulfill both filial piety and loyalty. Wenyuan’s parents both passed away early, and he’s received the Grand Duke’s care and protection for this long. How can you expect him to strike the death blow for the man who raised him as a grandson? No, even if you ask it of him, how can you trust him afterward? You’d be forced to get rid of him one way or another,” Liu Boyue said.
“But why allow things to develop to that extent? We should take matters into our own hands. My prince, please forgive my rudeness, but you can’t entrust these matters to Wenyuan. Rather, you should actively keep these matters from his knowledge and spare him the temptation of saving his grandfather at great cost to the nation.”
Xianchun took a deep breath, a conflicted look on his face.
“Your words have merit, Boyue. But I’m not so certain that we should abandon this route. I wouldn’t necessarily hesitate against my father if I were really pushed into a struggle to the death, is it absolute that relations between family members would hold one back? If Wenyuan can’t make the move, then perhaps the stakes are merely not high enough yet.”
“Could you do the same against your brothers?” Liu Boyue asked pointedly.
Xianchun didn’t reply, but his hesitation said enough.
“I understand that Wenyuan is the easiest way to take down the Grand Duke. He has insider information, the Emperor’s support, and tacit approval to act as he likes. It’s also true that he’s been actively working against the Grand Duke. But if it really comes to a life or death situation, I don’t think he can be relied upon. Rather than misplacing our faith, we should take matters into our own hands,” Liu Boyue said.
“There’s also the fact that he’s good at enduring and laying low, which means he could’ve gotten this information at any point in time, but is strategically choosing to reveal it at this time. We also need to consider what he’s aiming for,” Liu Boyue continued.
Sensing that he had said enough to shake Xianchun’s newfound confidence in Wenyuan, Liu Boyue bowed his head.
“I apologize for speaking so rudely, but please believe that my words are sincere.”
Xianchun shook his head. “There’s no need to apologize at all, Boyue. I understand your concerns. You have a point, in either case, there’s no need to take a risk with Wenyuan when we can simply handle it on our own, isn’t that the case?”
Liu Boyue nodded. “It’s just as you say, my prince.”
“But I have to say, Wenyuan made a good point earlier,” Xianchun muttered thoughtfully. “Power is enough to drive a man to madness. Not just the desire for power, but the hope that it brings, that’s all outside of my control. One day, I’ll probably also face the problem of my subordinates doing things that I didn’t agree to.”
Liu Boyue felt a twinge of anxiety, even though he was sure Xianchun had no idea about Boyue’s requests to Minister Liang.
“I’m sure that you won’t, my lord. You’re better at keeping people in line than the Fifth Prince, his men take his caution for cowardice and thus feel the need to act out themselves. You give your retainers no such misconceptions.”
“I hope that’s the case, Boyue.” Xianchun sighed. “The problem with gathering talented people is that they won’t necessarily listen to you if they think they know better. But since I have you to help me deal with them, I’m not too worried about that.”
“Thank you, my prince. I’ll do everything within my abilities to fulfill your expectations,” Liu Boyue said, bowing his head.
Xianchun smiled at him fondly. “Yes, I’m sure you will.”