“....so with that settled, then what we really need to worry about right now is the Ministry of Revenue,” Kayla concluded. “Any objections?”
The meeting had more or less run its course, and everyone had their fill of conspiracy for the day. Sun Ruhui and Chen Caichun both shook their heads, and Hu Qing shrugged, already looking bored.
“Alright then, that concludes everything we needed to discuss,” Kayla said, taking that for unanimous agreement. “Thank you all for taking the time to gather here today.”
There were some murmurs and shuffling as everyone began to pack it up, when Chen Caichun suddenly stopped halfway, reaching into her robe sleeves with a frown. She took out a communication talisman, her frown deepening.
“What is the matter, Chamberlain Chen?” Kayla asked.
Caichun looked up, a grave expression on her face. “There’s been a new development, Minister. The Fifth Prince’s cousin, Shu Zhengyu, has been poisoned. Investigator Li Que asked my brother to pass on the news.”
“Excuse me, what?” Kayla demanded. “Good heavens, is the poor kid alright?”
“Don’t worry, Minister. It seems like Young Master Shu is alive enough. No one can say that the Fifth Prince isn’t paranoid, he takes caution to a level of art. He sent an entire retinue of guards and even a healer to accompany his cousin to a restaurant, I’m not even sure that I’ve seen anyone other than the Emperor go to that extent before,” Caichun remarked.
There was a collective sigh of relief from everyone in the room. If the Shu clan were actually to be pushed to the brink, there was no telling how things would spiral from there. Would the Seventh Prince take the chance to drop a rock after the Shu clan fell into the well? Would the Third Prince retaliate with the support of the military? Kayla, along with most of the civilian population, would rather not learn it the hard way.
“Just because he’s still alive at this moment doesn’t mean we should let our guards down,” Caichun said, a grave look on her face. “There’s always the chance that Young Master Shu could still pass away, whether the palace decides to make use of this chance to provoke the Shu clan into a fatal error, or if one of their rivals wants to grab this opportunity.”
Kayla stared at her in horror for a moment, trying to piece together the situation as fast as possible. After a few seconds of complete silence, Kayla shot to her feet.
“We need to get in contact with the Third Prince right now before the palace summons me,” Kayla said, cursing softly under her breath as she paced the room. “If the timber has already been crafted into a ship, they won’t be able to freely manipulate the situation as they like, but if they limit my options, then we could be left in a disadvantageous position.”
“It is as you say, my lord. The most urgent matter at hand is to establish some influence over the reactions of both factions before the palace can issue a directive,” Sun Ruhui replied. “If the Empress Dowager blames you for acting in haste, perhaps you should push the responsibility onto Imperial Edict Bearer Wei.”
Kayla stopped mid-step, looking at him with curious surprise. “On the Imperial Edict Bearer? Is that wise? He is our strongest political support among the officials right now.”
“My lord, I believe it to be the most pragmatic choice. The Imperial Edict Bearer is a point of contention between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. His Majesty will always protect the Imperial Edict Bearer, and the Empress Dowager cannot pursue the matter any further with him, but she can do so with you,” Sun Ruhui explained, bowing his head slightly.
Of course, how did I miss that? Wei Guang was the teacher of the previous generation of the Imperial Family, but the Empress Dowager never mentioned him throughout Wenyuan’s childhood. That must mean that he was appointed by the previous Emperor and not the Empress Dowager. He must have been meant to balance out the Empress Dowager’s political influence when the current Emperor came into power.
Kayla nodded, quickly running through the options in her head. Wei Guang was definitely in a much more stable position than Kayla was in herself. There was no harm in making use of that.
“Excellent timing, Minister. There’s a message from His Highness the Third Prince,” Hu Qing announced, holding up the communication talisman from the Third Prince’s household, a new one that they had received a few days ago. Kayla had chosen to leave it in Hu Qing’s care until he could ascertain that there was nothing sinister with it.
Kayla cursed under her breath, pacing back and forth at a higher frequency. “What did he say?”
“He wishes to meet.”
“Then we’ll do so,” Kayla finally said. “This is a rush against time, we don’t have the leisure to go back and forth on this.”
“Please be mindful not to make any grand promises, my lord,” Sun Ruhui reminded Kayla. “And be careful not to let the Third Prince push you into any agreements you’re not fully sure of.”
“Understood, thank you, Left Secretariat. Have a good day, both of you,” Kayla said, nodding at Sun Ruhui and Caichun before departing.
Left alone in the safe house, Sun Ruhui and Caichun glanced at each other. The silence hung over them heavily.
“The Minister seems fearful,” Caichun said quietly. More fearful than he should be was what she really meant, her matter-of-fact tone allowing the unspoken words to linger in the air.
Sun Ruhui gave her a reassuring smile. “It doesn’t appear to be affecting his judgment now, and I doubt that it will in the future. He works well under pressure.”
Caichun hesitated, swallowing any further questions, but Sun Ruhui continued without her needing to ask any further.
“He seems to be in a bit of a rush, doesn’t he?” Sun Ruhui said. “I wouldn’t worry too much about that. In fact, he’s right to be worried. If he weren’t concerned for his fate and the fate of his clan, then I would despair at being in debt to such a man.”
“Left Secretariat Sun thinks the situation is that bad?” Caichun asked, frowning slightly.
“With the way things are going now, the Minister is set to do just fine and continue rising in power and position. Then again, when you live to my age, you know that things don’t tend to go the way we want them to, or even how we could reasonably expect. Given Chamberlain Chen’s intelligence and depth of knowledge, you surely know of the Han Dynasty official Huo Guang?” Sun Ruhui said.
“Of course,” Caichun nodded. “He’s practically the symbol of extremely powerful officials, he had the court completely under his control from the death of Emperor Wu of Han until Huo Guang’s own death during the reign of Emperor Xuan. He was even powerful enough to control who could take the throne.”
“As expected of Chamberlain Chen, you’re well-versed in history. Then surely you also know what happened to Huo Guang’s clan after his death,” Sun Ruhui replied.
Caichun took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I see.”
“Certainly, the Grand Duke is not as powerful as Huo Guang was, and the Minister is in a much better position than Huo Guang’s sons were. But if a man commits murder, he will be widely condemned, while an Emperor could exterminate clans and still be known as a wise ruler by later dynasties. Individuals mean nothing in the face of imperial power, how could the Minister not be afraid?” Sun Ruhui pointed out.
Caichun nodded. “I can understand that well enough, but what I can’t understand is the way he’s choosing to deal with it. Minister Zhao is dragging himself over the most difficult path available to him. The palace won’t help him with the Zhao clan, but he should at least be able to preserve himself. Why go through all the trouble?”
“It seems that the Minister feels responsibility towards them,” Sun Ruhui replied. “There may be quite a large number of corrupt and incompetent fools among them, but they are his clan after all.”
“No, I mean, why does the Minister insist on going through all this trouble to deal with the Grand Duke through political means? Surely the correct answer is clear by now,” Caichun said insistently.
Sun Ruhui stilled, his steady gaze flickering at Caichun’s words.
“That’s not an easy decision for someone to make,” Sun Ruhui pointed out.
“I doubt he has any other choice. He doesn’t get along with the Grand Duke either, nor are they actually grandfather and grandson. Is it truly so difficult for him? Or is it just that he does not wish to be the one to suggest it?” Caichun asked. “The palace won’t make it easier for him by offering it as an option, there’s really only the neutral faction to say it.”
Sun Ruhui let out a sigh. “It is a last resort, especially for a man like the Minister. He would not consider it unless there truly were no other paths.”
“I would say that he’s already at this point, the Ministry of War is done for. A fallen leaf tells of autumn arriving throughout the country, at this point, the complete destruction of the Grand Duke’s faction is already an unstoppable force. The Minister’s time to take action is running out,” Caichun said.
“I can bring it up to him, but I doubt he can accept it at this point in time,” Sun Ruhui sighed, conceding the argument.
“I would do so myself, but your words may bear more weight with him,” Caichun said.
“The Minister highly values your advice,” Sun Ruhui interjected.
“But you have sworn your loyalty to him personally, while I am still loyal to him as the head of the neutral faction,” Caichun pointed out. “That matters quite a bit to a man as paranoid as the Minister.”
Sun Ruhui fell silent, tacitly accepting the situation. Both left the room with heavy hearts, awaiting the next turn of events that would shape their fates.
----------------------------------------
Kayla entered Kuang’s study, greeting him politely. She had managed to get here in record time thanks to Hu Qing, who had been careful to choose a route that would minimize the chance of getting intercepted by a summons to the palace. The Empress Dowager probably wouldn’t use a communication plaque unless she was certain of who else would take note of it, and that would be difficult to ascertain if she wasn’t sure of where Kayla was.
Thankfully, Kayla made it to Kuang’s residence without incident or interruption.
“Thank you for coming on such short notice,” Kuang said, taking Kayla’s hands with a look of relief. It did not ease Kayla’s nervousness in the slightest.
There was a tenseness in the air that Kayla couldn’t quite pin down. Kuang never acted in a dominating manner with any of the officials, and never threw around his temper as Xianchun did. His natural charisma was enough to incite feelings of respect from those around him, and the less Kuang asserted his will in a forceful manner, the more well-liked and respected he became.
The Third Prince before Kayla right now was different from usual. He still spoke and acted pleasantly, but there was a subtle edge to his demeanor that seemed to loom over Kayla with a suffocating presence. Belatedly, Kayla realized that this was the first time Kuang was approaching her as a potential threat or opponent.
What the fuck is going on? The fuck did I do?
Kuang smiled at her. It wasn’t reassuring in the slightest.
“Not at all, Your Highness. Thank you for taking the time to indulge my worries. I wanted to go directly to check on Fifth Cousin, but in the aftermath of such a situation, I’m not sure if I would only create more work for him by dropping in unexpectedly,” Kayla bowed her head slightly.
At her expression of concern, the mood of the room seemed to lighten somewhat.
“That’s very considerate of you,” Kuang replied. Despite the expressions and body language he was projecting, Kayla couldn’t sense what he was really thinking. She took a deep breath and pushed forward.
“How are Young Master Shu and Fifth Cousin doing?” Kayla asked.
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Something in Kuang’s demeanor softened a little, and he let out a sigh.
“Shu Zhengyu is alive, the healers say he’ll make a full recovery in due time. And Yunqi is doing fine, he was quite shocked, but he’s alright now,” Kuang said.
“It is good that Young Master Shu is doing alright,” Kayla said, genuinely relieved at the news. “I hope for his speedy recovery.”
“We appreciate your kind thoughts,” Kuang replied. “Wenyuan, we’re all cousins here, so I hope you won’t mind if I open the door to the mountain.”
Kayla’s heart stuttered and skipped a beat as Kuang’s tone became somber. There was a subtle shift in his body language that made Kayla feel like she was sitting on the other side of an interrogation table. Oh shit. What does he want? I thought I had appeased him a little!
“Please go ahead.”
Kuang glanced at Kayla, his gaze open and free of suspicion. That only made Kayla even more nervous.
“Wenyuan, my dear cousin.”
Oh shit. “Yes?” Kayla squeaked.
“When I say this, I say it without suspicion or reproach, merely concern. I hope that you understand that,” Kuang said in a measured tone.
“Of course.” Please just get on with it!
“Shortly before Shu Zhengyu was poisoned, there was a small ruckus at the restaurant he was eating at. A young man burst into the building, with several highly-trained individuals in pursuit. The pursuers were chased off, and the young man was allowed to leave through the servers’ exit,” Kuang said. Kayla felt a cold knot forming in her stomach. She had no idea what this was about, but it definitely wasn’t good.
“Is he a suspect?” Kayla asked.
“Not so much a suspect as he is a key witness,” Kuang admitted.
“If you give me a description, I can issue a directive to bring him in for questioning,” Kayla offered.
Kuang hesitated, and Kayla’s heart dropped. That’s not good.
“I appreciate that, but the young man’s identity may pose a bit of a problem.”
Kayla gulped. “How so, my prince?”
Kuang met her eyes with an unreadable gaze. “That man was Qu Boyong.”
“What?! Qu Boyong was placed at the scene of the crime?” Kayla frowned in disbelief.
What the hell is that guy playing at now? The Shu clan has nothing to do with the Xiang clan’s downfall, they didn’t even benefit from it.
“Indeed, it seems that it was a coincidence that he entered the building since he was fleeing for his life, but I suspect he knows something about the incident that we may not,” Kuang said, maintaining a neutral tone.
“I did not make an attempt on his life,” Kayla promised. “I’m not sure who the trained killers were, but I did not send them. As for Qu Boyong’s involvement, I will not attempt to protect or shield him simply because he used to work for me.”
“Excellent, I’m very glad to hear of that.”
Kayla’s mind was racing at breakneck speed. Qu Boyong…the Third Prince wants his head. Do I even need to go forward with the plan to reduce his eligibility at this point? It’s guaranteed that he can’t take this role any longer. I just need to make sure the Third Prince’s enmity towards him becomes public knowledge. And before that, I need to make sure that enmity is amplified. But that might just push Qu Boyong to Xianchun, and who knows what’ll happen if those two team up? They both hate the Zhao clan.
Kayla decided to shelve that for the moment. Even if she still had the favor Yunqi owed her to call on, Kuang would probably be more willing to accept if she opened up with an offer for the Ministry of War. The Third Prince was no longer evaluating Kayla with his previous scrutiny, but she wasn’t about to let her guard down and gain his ire right after managing to appease him.
“While he used to serve me, the ties between us no longer exist. If he is involved in this, I will not show any mercy out of personal feelings,” Kayla promised. “My prince, my offer still stands. If you need to question him or arrest him, I’m happy to help.”
“Thank you, Wenyuan. There’s no need to arrest him since I doubt he was behind this, but I do have some questions for him,” Kuang said gravely.
“You don’t think he was behind this?” Kayla repeated, faking a look of surprise.
Kuang paused, giving Kayla a thoughtful look. “And does my cousin think otherwise?”
“I had merely thought…well,” Kayla stopped, pretending to be hesitant. “Never mind, it is merely my own conjectures.”
“You are a sharp-minded man, if you have reason to feel doubtful I would be glad to hear of it,” Kuang prodded.
“It is merely my own guess, and I would not wish to be thought of as saying this out of spite for someone who left my service under less-than-ideal conditions,” Kayla said.
“One would not think such a thing of you, cousin. You have taken no action for revenge, not even to blacklist Qu Boyong. That should be proof enough of your magnanimity,” Kuang assured her.
Satisfied at having established her own objectiveness enough, Kayla started in on Qu Boyong.
“Qu Boyong had attempted to besmirch my reputation, as you may know of, and that is why I ended our contractual employment. I had assumed it was to gain the favor of the Grand Duke, but it seems that this was not the case. I then assumed he would attempt to enter the service of either you or Xianchun, seeing as he had voiced aspirations for power and position before. I had expected him to either approach one of you with information on me or to gain your attention through some other achievement,” Kayla said. She stopped and spoke no further. It wasn’t necessary, Kuang was already coming to his own conclusions.
“In any case, I’m happy to help in whatever capacity you need. The Court of Judicial Review can assist in investigating or issuing warrants as needed,” Kayla offered.
“Thank you, Minister. I’m grateful for your generous offer,” Kuang replied.
“Not at all, this is simply what I should do. Fifth Cousin doesn’t deserve to be put through all this, and neither does a sixteen-year-old boy,” Kayla said.
Kuang smiled, seeming to be genuinely pleased. “We’re greatly touched by your concern. Should you need any assistance, we would certainly be happy to help as well. Trust and assistance should go both ways, should it not?”
“I’m touched by your kindness, my prince,” Kayla replied.
“Don’t be so formal, we’re all family, aren’t we?” Kuang said cheerfully. “You must be quite busy, with everything going on at the Ministry of Justice. I heard that the current Minister of Rites has also been accused of dereliction of duty?”
He’s offering me the Ministry of Rites in exchange for my help, Kayla realized. She grabbed onto the chance, making a counteroffer in turn.
“That is what I have heard as well, but it seems that will be a rather simple open-and-shut case that the Ministry of Justice will be taking charge of. Thankfully that means I won’t have to add more to my workload. I’m already bogged down with the investigation in Dengzhou,” Kayla faked a look of relief as she began to drag the negotiation in a different direction. Kuang indulged her, both out of curiosity and obligation, going along with the back-and-forth.
“Yes, I’ve heard of that. It’s a co-investigation with the Bureau, isn’t it? I heard that it had become quite a complicated situation once the nobility of the city got involved,” Kuang said.
“You could certainly say that! Unfortunately, even some of my relatives have been implicated. My relative Zhao Wei will likely be resigning soon, and the Right and Left Secretaries of War will probably have to follow suit.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Kuang said sympathetically. “It must be quite a blow for your family.”
“Thank you for that, but what can I do? There are no personal feelings before the law. If there has been wrongdoing, then it serves that there should be punishment. In any case, that means there will need to be a new Minister of War, along with new Right and Left Secretaries,” Kayla sighed. “And off the record, I have an inkling of suspicion that the Ministry of Revenue will get dragged into the whirlpool as well.”
Kuang managed to maintain a casual air of curiosity, as though he weren’t about to fight tooth and nail for the Ministry of War. “Even the Ministry of Revenue? Good heavens.”
“Indeed, the Six Ministries certainly are in need of some bloodletting. The Ministry of Revenue is the lifeline of the economy and the treasury, its Minister certainly cannot be a man whose heart contains a secondary fealty,” Kayla said.
Kuang smiled, razor-sharp gaze alight with ambition. He was in his element, and it showed. “Then it seems that my dear cousin will have quite a difficult task to deal with.”
Kayla bowed her head slightly. “If I may be presumptuous, I believe that things have the potential to proceed smoothly for both of us, should we cooperate with one another.”
“I would certainly be willing to lend a hand to you with the Ministry of Revenue, though I doubt you would need it for the investigation,” Kuang said, giving her a thoughtful look. “But if there is a way I can be of more use, then I will gladly hear of it.”
“Your Highness is most generous. It is true that there are a few difficulties in the investigation itself, but it is the aftermath that I worry about. To speak plainly, it will be arduous to wrestle the Ministry of Revenue into shape if I cannot do so unimpeded.”
Kuang nodded. “Competition for the positions would certainly add to your burden, would it not? If that is the case, you have nothing to worry about from my end, and I will gladly help to clear the playing field for you.”
Having finally gotten the guarantee that she wanted, Kayla bowed her head. “Thank you, my prince. Your help would be greatly appreciated.”
Kuang waved off her thanks. “And if I may, Wenyuan, what are your plans for the Ministry of War?”
Here we go. Kayla steeled her nerves, proceeding cautiously now that she was working with something that Kuang had more-or-less claimed for himself.
“Given that the Director of Central Command has also been implicated, then four of the top-ranking members of the Ministry of War would be removed from their posts. Following tradition and institutional policy, then it serves that the next highest-ranking member should serve as the interim head of the Ministry until a formal appointment is decided upon. If I recall correctly, then it should be Yao Gongzhuo, the Director of Logistics,” Kayla replied.
“But a Ministry this important surely cannot be left without a formally appointed Minister for long, can it?” Kuang prodded.
“Certainly, but going by precedent, the seat should most certainly go to the interim head, who would have vastly more experience as a member of the core staff compared to a fresh face,” Kayla said.
“I wonder if the Ministry of Personnel would agree, Minister Jun Shao can be rather persuasive when he wants to be,” Kuang noted.
So he’s still warding off Xianchun, Kayla thought to herself. And probably warning me off while he’s at it. He wants assurance, and he has every reason to, the Ministry of War is hardly easy to take hold of.
Kayla nodded slowly, buying time to formulate a response.
“My prince, I would not worry about that as much as I would the Emperor’s opinion. This brings to mind a quote by Lao Tze, though I must admit my memory of it has dulled,” Kayla said carefully. “If I remember correctly, he said that one cannot understand the world just by observing oneself, that not stubbornly persisting in one’s judgment will show one’s virtue and talent, that not praising oneself will allow one to succeed in gaining merit, that avoiding pridefulness will allow one to continuously improve…I can’t recall what comes after that…if the prince would kindly remind me?”
Kuang stared intently at Kayla for a tense moment before bursting into laughter.
“‘If you do not vie against others, no one under heaven can compete with you.’ Is that not what you wanted to say?” Kuang said, eyes sparkling with amusement. “So your advice remains the same as before, to stay still is to gain the upper hand.”
“Your Highness is astute,” Kayla replied, bowing her head slightly. “As you surely know, more so than anyone else, the military is an extremely important arm of the state. As has been repeatedly stated over the course of history, the military is where life and death are decided, where a country’s existence is determined, a matter that cannot be ignored. For something this important, what kind of person would the Emperor wish to entrust the military to?”
“Of course it would be a person loyal to himself,” Kuang replied without hesitation. “I suppose that you agree?”
“It is as you say, my prince. The Emperor wishes for someone loyal, but how does he judge that? It is not enthusiasm that he wishes to see, but a dutiful man with no great ambition,” Kayla pointed out. “My prince only needs to show a magnanimous heart that prioritizes the well-being of the nation. There is no need for your man in the Ministry of War to do anything other than his job, and the seat will naturally fall to him.”
“And how do I know a more dutiful man with even fewer ambitions won’t emerge as a suitable candidate?” Kuang asked. Kayla smiled conspiratorially.
“I doubt there are any such men in the capital. The Court of Judicial Review has the right to investigate any nominations from the Ministry of Personnel, even if they are good enough at pretending, are they good enough to pass a thorough background check? ” Kayla said. An appointment to the Ministry of War would definitely require an in-depth investigation into every potential candidate, and where would the investigation take place other than at the Imperial Investigator’s Bureau and the Court of Judicial Review? Kuang returned the smile, eyes glinting with approval.
“Surely not,” Kuang replied. “With someone like you keeping a watchful eye, whether or not someone is truly trustworthy or not will surely become clear.” There was always something in an official’s past that could be amplified and twisted into a good reason not to appoint them.
“I’m honored by your trust,” Kayla bowed her head.
“And certainly, I’d be happy to help in any way that I can in regards to your goal of the Ministry of Revenue,” Kuang said.
“I’m grateful that you are willing to indulge this one’s foolish notions,” Kayla replied.
“Nonsense, if the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review believes there is a problem, then there certainly must be one,” Kuang said. “I’m happy to keep my hands off of the Ministry of Revenue, but I can’t allow my youngest brother to grab hold of it either.”
“Of course, I will negotiate with the Seventh Prince,” Kayla replied, giving him a meaningful look. Kuang’s smile broadened, looking all the more assured.
“Then I’ll leave it in your capable hands, Wenyuan.”
Kayla bowed her head again, simultaneously gearing up to toss out another offer.
Qu Boyong is difficult to deal with, and there are already so many parties involved that I no longer have enough control over what happens next. In that case, then I need to add new pieces to the board. Kayla had every intention of turning Qu Boyong from her problem into everyone’s problem, or a little more realistically, she would at least make him the Third Prince’s problem.
“I’d like to ask another favor of you, my prince,” Kayla said.
“Please go ahead, I’m happy to help.”
“I’m grateful for your magnanimity. My request is related to the situation regarding Qu Boyong. As you might know, I also have my own reasons to bear enmity towards him,” Kayla explained.
“Of course, distaste for an unfaithful man like him is well-deserved,” Kuang replied, his eyes glinting with interest.
“I hope that his involvement in this will not be buried,” Kayla said meaningfully. “But also that this does not then open other routes for him.”
The task was better handled by Kuang and Yunqi than left in her hands.
Kuang’s face curled into a smile, his eyes crinkling with approval. “Of course,” he replied. “I’d be happy to do so.”
Kayla smiled back, satisfaction slowly curling through her veins. “Thank you, my prince. I’m glad we have an understanding.”