Character Index
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Younger brother of Minister Liang and rightful heir to the Liang clan, he formerly was responsible for doing the dirty work for the Liang clan and now works for Kayla, mostly for entertainment. Previously also took jobs for the Seventh Prince's faction under Minister Liang's orders, though these jobs were directed by Liu Boyue and not the Seventh Prince himself. Though he is bound to customer confidentiality to Liu Boyue, Kayla has since learned of the internal dynamics of the Seventh Prince's faction.
Xianchun: The Seventh Prince and former main character, he was responsible for the OG Wenyuan’s death in the original timeline. In the current timeline, he has yet to learn of the culprit behind his mother’s murder.
Liu Boyue: Xianchun's strategist and right-hand man, he has been secretly acting without Xianchun's permission in what he believes is in the Prince’s best interests. He has met Hu Qing before, having contracted Hu Qing's services through Minister Liang for a variety of purposes, including an attempt to recruit Qu Boyong.
Minister Liang: Minister of Justice and head of the Liang clan, he is one of Xianchun's supporters.
Lady Yue: Wife of Yue Wuxuan, who had been sentenced to execution after being framed by the Grand Duke's faction back in Chapter 7 and 8. Lady Yue and her daughter were spared and brought to the capital when her lineage as a member of the Liang clan was uncovered. This also spurred the chain of events that eventually led to the present day, diverging completely from the original timeline.
Jun Shao: Minister of Personnel, a member of Xianchun's faction.
Dong Shiqing: Minister of Revenue, an ally of the Grand Duke.
Zhou Kuang: Third Prince and Wenyuan's Third Cousin, Xianchun's primary rival for the throne.
Zhou Chengxia: Daughter of Archduke Wei, she is soon to marry into the Khaganate as part of a marriage alliance.
Wei Guang: Imperial Edict Bearer and head of the Hanlin Academy, he served as the "moderator" for the previous generation of princes, ensuring their survival past the succession struggle. He was also the teacher of the Imperial Princess, having assisted in her investigations. He recently claimed Kayla/Wenyuan as his godson.
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Kayla made her way out of the Zhao household, Hu Qing keeping a careful eye on Xianchun’s spies as they trailed behind obediently.
Outside the gates, the guards Kayla requested from Xianchun had arrived, a familiar guard at the head of the small group. Kayla vaguely recognized him as one of the guards who had been present for both times Xianchun had argued with Kayla in his carriage. The middle-aged man had also been there when Yue Wuxuan’s sworn warriors had attempted their revenge.
“This lowly one greets the Minister,” the guard said, bowing his head in greeting.
“Thank you for coming, it’s good to see you again,” Kayla replied. The spies glanced at the guards in shock, finally realizing Kayla’s intentions. They glanced at each other silently, confusion, relief, and trepidation mingling on their faces.
“It’s an honor to be in your presence, Minister. This one is at your service,” the guard said.
“I wished to bring these people to see the Seventh Prince,” Kayla explained. “But I didn’t want to involve either the Zhao household’s guards or Bureau personnel, so I had no choice but to trouble His Highness.”
The guard evidently didn’t understand what this was about but accepted the explanation without further question.
“Of course, Minister. Please enter the carriage,” he said politely, gesturing at the carriage they had thoughtfully brought along. Hu Qing exchanged a nod with Kayla and joined the guards as she got into the carriage.
They pulled to a stop at the Seventh Prince’s household, Hu Qing coming over to assure Kayla that all the spies were still present and accounted for.
“This way, Minister,” the guard led Kayla in. When she glanced back at the spies, he gestured for them to follow as well. Kayla followed the guard into Xianchun’s inner courtyard, where the Seventh Prince was waiting. Liu Boyue was nowhere to be seen, as expected for his role as a covert strategist, but Kayla was almost certain he was somewhere nearby.
“My prince, I’ve escorted Minister Zhao here,” the guard said, bowing his head slightly.
“Wenyuan, it’s good to see you again,” Xianchun greeted her, waving slightly at the guard to dismiss him.
“Wenyuan humbly greets the Seventh Prince,” Kayla replied. She gestured for Hu Qing to bring the spies over. “I apologize for asking to borrow men on such short notice, but I didn’t want to involve any outsiders in this.”
Xianchun’s eyes glinted sharply as he took in the spies, but he gave Kayla a look of confusion that was almost convincing. “I hardly mind, but what is this?”
Kayla smiled. “My prince, I wish to open the door to the mountain rather than go in circles. These people were captured in the Zhao household just earlier, having been revealed as spies. They would’ve been killed on the spot, but I could not bear to see them killed for doing their jobs. Not to mention that I don’t know which master they belong to. What if they were grandmother’s people? As such, I snatched them up and was hoping that I can leave them here under your protection.”
Xianchun grimaced. It was clear that Kayla was giving him face by pretending to not know who had sent them.
“Why go in so many circles to say that you’ve caught my spies?” Xianchun asked.
Damn it, can’t you just play along? I’ve built the fucking staircase for you to step down on! Then again, Kayla didn’t know what she was expecting from the prideful prince.
Kayla gave him a somber look. “I didn’t catch them, my prince. That’s exactly the problem,” she stated plainly. Xianchun frowned, looking at her in confusion.
“If I had caught them, I would’ve let them be. I mean, who doesn’t have spies in the Zhao household? I’m pretty sure that even some of the Grand Duke’s own allies have eyes and ears in the household. I don’t have the time or energy to remove them, nor do I have the motive to do so. But it’s a different story if the Grand Duke catches them,” Kayla explained. “If they’re caught by him, then their only possible fate is death. My prince, did you want me to look away and let them die? If my actions displease you, I can always bring them back!”
Xianchun’s frown faded away. “That’s not what I meant, Wenyuan. It seems I’ve misunderstood the situation.”
Kayla relaxed slightly. “My prince, I know you care deeply for your subordinates, and I did not wish to see them meet untimely deaths at the hands of brutes. There isn’t any other meaning to my actions.”
“I understand,” Xianchun assured her.
“I’m not sure if you’ve heard from him yet, but there was another man that I caught the other day snooping around my rooms. I might be mistaken, but I think he also belonged to your household,” Kayla said. Subtlety didn’t do the job with Xianchun, and there was no point in using it. “He was quite inexperienced though, so I just sent him on his way.”
Xianchun frowned, glancing over the spies. “Inexperienced?”
“Perhaps I was mistaken then, he probably belonged to another household,” Kayla shrugged. “Some of them do underhanded things like that, sending in an inexperienced spy as a distraction for the more experienced ones. A cruel thing to do in my opinion, but I’m not in a position to judge.”
Xianchun’s frown darkened. “I see.” He turned towards Kayla, his expression softening. “But thank you for bringing these people here.”
Kayla bowed her head slightly. “It is only what I should do, my prince. I can’t fault anyone for wanting to keep an eye on the Grand Duke, so how can I stand by and allow them to shed blood for it?”
Xianchun nodded. “You’ve always been quite generous with those of lower status,” he remarked. “I’ll gladly take these people back.” He waved them away, the spies bowing before scurrying away. Hu Qing watched with amusement as they filed past him, his entertained smile drawing Xianchun’s attention.
“And who is that man?” Xianchun asked. Kayla gestured for Hu Qing to come over.
“This one is Hu Qing, my personal guard,” Kayla introduced him. Hu Qing bowed.
“Hu Qing greets His Highness the Seventh Prince!”
Xianchun waved for Hu Qing to straighten his back, narrowing his eyes as he took in Hu Qing’s face. The resemblance to Minister Liang was not immediately obvious, but it was there.
“You look familiar,” Xianchun said suspiciously. Hu Qing bowed his head.
“I’m honored that the prince remembers me,” Hu Qing replied. Kayla stepped closer to Xianchun, lowering her voice.
“No need to worry, my prince. He’s a man of loyalty and honor. He is bound by customer confidentiality,” she assured him. Xianchun’s brow furrowed in confusion at her assurances. Kayla pretended not to notice, leaning in to whisper into his ear. “He’s not interested in political power either, there’s no need to worry about any trouble with the Liang clan.”
“I’ve never hired this man before,” Xianchun hissed. Kayla paused, glancing at him with surprise before nodding slowly.
“Ah, of course. I apologize, my prince. I must have been mistaken,” Kayla replied, weaving a hint of confusion into her voice.
Xianchun waved a hand at Hu Qing in clear dismissal. Hu Qing bowed and took his leave, led out by a steward.
“What relation does he have with the Liang clan?” Xianchun demanded. Kayla shrugged.
“I believe he is of some relation to the last clan head, though he doesn’t like to speak of it. Every family has a difficult sutra to read, I don’t wish to trouble him about it if it’s a sore spot,” Kayla said. Xianchun glanced at her sharply, unconvinced. Seeing Kayla’s open look, he sighed and let go of the topic.
“I suppose I owe you a favor for this,” Xianchun said, heading into the study with Kayla trailing behind him.
“Not at all, my prince. If anything, this has given me a chance to speak with you on an important matter,” Kayla said. She sat down in the chair Xianchun pointed to.
“And what would that be? The Ministry of War?” Xianchun asked.
“No, the Ministry of War is not something I plan to interfere with,” Kayla replied. “The military is one of the most important matters of the state, I dare not stick my head in where it has no expertise. This is better left for those who know what they’re doing.”
Xianchun’s face drew into a thin look of displeasure. Seeing this, Kayla continued. “What I have to say pertains to the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites. My prince, you’ve enjoyed the support of Minister Liang and Minister Jun ever since you saved Lady Yue from a cruel and unjust death, but surely your sights are set on more than that.”
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Xianchun nodded, his bad mood dissipating. “Indeed, they’ve been of great help to me, even if they face limitations in what they can do. But what do you mean when you speak of the Ministries of Revenue and Rites?”
“Not so much a plan as an offer,” Kayla admitted. “I would like to help you gain control over the Ministry of Rites, in exchange for your support in gaining the Ministry of Revenue.”
At Xianchun’s frown, Kayla had to hold back a grimace.
Damn it, he wants the Ministry of Revenue. It’s just like Wei Guang said!
Pretending not to notice, Kayla continued. “As you know, my prince, the Ministry of Rites holds an extremely important function in upholding the authority of the court, it’s not something that should be left in the hands of an incompetent man. The current Minister is inept and bumbling, and can’t make a decision for himself if you held a sword to his neck. Rather than let the Grand Duke control the Ministry through this fool, you should be the one to claim it.”
“Then what about the Ministry of Revenue? Dong Shiqing has a stronghold over it, how do you plan to wrench it from his hands?” Xianchun asked.
“Minister Dong has always been good at covering his tracks. He hasn’t been implicated in any investigations so far, even though many of his friends and allies were. However, it’s impossible to maintain a perfect defense. Not making any mistakes for one year is easy, not making any mistakes for ten years is hard. I don’t believe that Dong Shiqing did not leave a single loose thread throughout his entire tenure,” Kayla replied. “One simply needs the time and resources to look into it carefully.”
“You would certainly be suited for taking on such a challenge, given your control over the judicial system,” Xianchun said, a small note of resentment in his voice.
Right, he’s probably still pissed about the Ministry of Justice falling under my influence.
“Thank you for your kind words, my prince,” Kayla replied. “Uncle and grandmother feel more comfortable with the country’s judicial systems and treasury in neutral hands, so I must strive to obey.”
Xianchun leaned forward, leveling Kayla with an evaluating glance. “And what would you do if I wanted the Ministry of Revenue?”
Kayla hesitated slightly before speaking. “The palace isn’t amenable to having the treasury in the hands of either faction,” Kayla said cautiously. “In fact, it can be quite a dangerous thing to have in your possession. Now that Third Cousin is gaining sway over the Ministry of War, he certainly can’t be allowed to also have access to the dynasty’s purse strings. And if you were to gain the Ministry of Revenue, should there be even the smallest need for military expenditures, your every move would be viewed with intense scrutiny and suspicion.”
Xianchun frowned. “You think I would withhold military funds just to further my own benefit?”
“I would not dare to think such a thing of you, my prince, but that does not mean that others will not,” Kayla replied. “Not to mention, there is no telling what your subordinates may do in a misguided attempt to benefit you or earn your favor, and then where does that leave you?”
Kayla could tell that Xianchun was not convinced in the slightest. Given the Seventh Prince’s personality, he probably wasn’t taking it well that Kayla was trying to make him give up on his goals. Kayla still remembered getting kicked out of Xianchun’s carriage in the middle of some random alleyway the last time she’d tried to persuade him that less action would result in greater benefit. Taking a deep breath, she proceeded carefully.
“My prince, the Ministry of Rites handles the oversight of religion and Imperial Examinations throughout the country. One is tied to the faith of the people, and one is tied to the hopes of the scholars. Having these two within your grasp would enable you to extend your benevolence like the spring rain nourishes the grass, strengthening your foundations without exposing you to the scrutiny of the court as the Ministry of Revenue would. The Ministry of Rites further is responsible for the communication and relationships between countries, of which Princess Chengxia and my marriages are a part of,” Kayla hastily added.
“I would not deny its importance, but I have no interest in administering tests and counting temples,” Xianchun replied.
“Then you would have an interest in the country’s Treasury instead?” Kayla asked.
“Nobles and officials have been underpaying taxes for too long, while merchants seek to evade tariffs and understate their incomes as much as they can. No one does anything as the peasants continue to lose their land and livelihoods, how can anyone with a heart for the dynasty not take an interest?” Xianchun demanded.
Kayla nodded slowly. “You have a kind and noble heart, my prince, but you must think for the long run. Does it make sense for you to struggle for a moment’s gain without thinking about all under heaven?”
“It is precisely because I have ambitions for all under heaven that I wish to gain the Ministry of Revenue,” Xianchun argued. “Having control over the Ministry of Revenue would give me the ability to accomplish greater goals, and I would gain a foothold from which to start clearing the corruption from the court!”
Kayla pondered her response for a moment. “Then, my prince, are you capable of gaining control of the Ministry of Revenue right now?”
Xianchun shot her a look of irritation and said nothing.
Damn it, we’re not getting anywhere with this. Kayla switched to Plan B.
“My prince, if it so pleases you, I would like to ask for your support in removing Minister Dong Shiqing and his sycophants from the Ministry of Revenue. I will give my best effort to do so, but I have many enemies both within the court and within my own household, and therefore have no guarantee I will succeed. In truth, I came to you precisely because I lack confidence in this endeavor,” Kayla confessed. “Owing to the grace of the Emperor and Empress Dowager I have received, I must make an effort regardless. But should I fail, I would rather the Ministry be in your hands than remain in the hands of Dong Shiqing or another of the Grand Duke’s allies.”
It worked, just as Kayla was hoping. She had dramatically overstated the difficulty of the task earlier on, and now it was paying off. Xianchun would never let go of a chance to set the tiger upon the wolf, where at the end of a difficult struggle that left both sides too battered to compete with an unharmed party, he would be able to step in without having put in any of the work.
Xianchun mulled it over. “Do you mean those words?”
Kayla nodded fervently. “Of course!”
Xianchun considered it a for a moment before nodding. “Then I’ll gladly accept. I’ve received your help several times in the past, it would not do for me to refuse a reasonable request,” he replied. “If you had not spoken, I would have asked for your support in gaining the Ministry of Revenue. But since Father and grandmother have spoken on this issue, it makes sense that you should take initiative.”
Kayla’s off-handed mention of Lady Yue had thankfully done its job in reminding Xianchun of how he had managed to gain two Ministries in the first place, even if he’d all but lost the Ministry of Justice.
“Then about the Ministry of Rites,” Xianchun prompted.
“No need to worry, my prince. You’ll be notified once things are in motion, and Minister Jun will surely be able to recommend a person of your choosing. They’re sure to pass the background check on our end,” Kayla assured him.
They discussed the details a while longer before Xianchun finally leveled her with a sharp gaze.
“Wenyuan, how did you know these were my spies?” He asked suddenly. Kayla stumbled over what she was about to say about the various options they had for background checks.
“I, well,” Kayla stuttered, glancing away from him. “That is, this is a little embarrassing to say, but I don’t get along with the Grand Duke very well.”
Xianchun gave her a blank look of disbelief. “There isn’t a single person in the capital who does not know that,” he said in exasperation.
“Which is why I have to be careful at home,” Kayla explained. “I don’t know when my food or drink might be poisoned, or if there will be a viper in my sheets if I let the wrong servant in my rooms. I also need to know who is and isn’t spying on me, and who they’re spying on me for. I spend quite a lot of effort and money to make sure I know these things.”
“You have it just as bad as a prince does, if not even worse,” Xianchun said, sounding both surprised and a little pleased. “Does that retainer of yours handle these things?”
“That’s right, my prince,” Kayla replied.
“You said his name was Hu Qing,” Xianchun said thoughtfully. “He really does resemble Minister Liang the more I think about it.”
“Then please don’t, my prince. Hu Qing’s a simple man with simple needs, and has no interest in politics, whether in the court or in the family,” Kayla said with an earnest look on her face, knowing full well her words would have the opposite effect. All the better for her. The more Xianchun was curious, the more Liu Boyue would be pressured to either hide his tracks or deflect Xianchun’s suspicions, and either option would get him to ease off of the Zhao clan until Kayla could take the reins of the situation.
“Thinking back now, I believe I’ve seen him in Minister Liang’s household before,” Xianchun added.
“Perhaps,” Kayla replied. “I believe he used to live there, but he never says anything about it.”
In other words, anything you did there is safe with him.
Xianchun frowned, looking deep in thought, but said no more on the matter.
Kayla was satisfied. She didn't expect any of this to take immediate effect, but the seeds had been planted. The more Xianchun thought about it and pieced bits of information together, the more suspicious he would grow, and yet none of it would be directed towards her. Xianchun didn't know that Kayla knew of Liu Boyue's existence, and had no reason to think she was trying to sow discord between them.
But every time he saw the spies or the guards he had sent to the Zhao household, Xianchun would think back to the discrepancies in Kayla's words, the parts that didn't make sense. It was only a matter of time before he started piecing things together.
If Zhao Wenyaun spent a lot of time and effort to know who was in his household, then would he really be wrong about who the spies belonged to? Was the inexperienced spy Wenyuan spoke of really from a different house, or had there been arrangements Xianchun didn't know of? What did Wenyuan mean about Hu Qing "keeping customer confidentiality"? What did he know about Hu Qing and the Liang clan that Xianchun didn't?
The questions would emerge by themselves, and the sparks would turn into a fire.
The discussion drew to a close, and Xianchun let Kayla leave without further issue. Kayla subtly glanced around as she left, wondering whether Liu Boyue had been listening in the whole time. It wasn’t as though she was capable of sensing him. Kayla gave up and let the steward lead her to where Hu Qing was waiting near the gates, chatting up a few guards and looking to be thoroughly enjoying himself.
“Hu Qing, let’s get going,” Kayla called to him. He waved goodbye to his new friends and sauntered over to follow Kayla to the carriage.
“Please tell the Prince that I’m grateful for the carriage and escort,” Kayla told the steward.
“Of course, Minister. Please have a safe trip,” he replied, bowing his head. Hu Qing swung up onto his horse, nudging it forward to speak with Kayla through the carriage window.
“My lord, didn't you have somewhere to be?” Hu Qing asked, cutting Kayla off before she could direct the horseman to take her back to the Zhao household. Kayla hesitated for a moment.
Right, the Grand Duke’s reaction. Not looking forward to that, nope, not at all.
“You’re right, I nearly forgot that I had an appointment with the Imperial Edict Bearer,” Kayla said in mock surprise. “Thank goodness you reminded me."
She turned to the horseman. "Please bring us to the Imperial Edict Bearer’s estate.”
“Of course, Minister,” the horseman said politely. They set off without further ado, the Seventh Prince’s household soon disappearing from view.
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Cultural Notes
开门见山/Open the door to the mountain: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to get to the point right off the bat.
给面子/Giving [you] face: A Chinese cultural concept that essentially means protecting someone's pride by saying or doing something in a way that would not be embarrassing or humiliating to them. For example, if you're the nephew of a politician and you offend one of his allies, the ally will probably proclaim that he won't press the matter on account of "giving your uncle face".
给你台阶下/Giving you a staircase to step down on: A Chinese cultural concept that means giving someone an excuse. It refers to a situation where someone is in an extremely awkward position like a man stuck on a platform with no way to get down without humiliating himself. If someone does him a favor by moving a ladder/staircase over, then he will be able to maintain some dignity.
下人/Lower person: The traditional term for servant is usually 仆人/Servant or 下人/Lower person. The latter term emphasizes their lowly status.
春雨润物细无声/The spring rain quietly nourishes the plants: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning that something achieves a positive effect quietly and without great pomp or attention. This is often used as praise since less attention also means less resistance or backlash, and acting humble is also looked favorably upon.
驱虎吞狼/Set the tiger upon the wolf: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to setting your rivals upon each other so that you can swoop in afterward to finish at least one party off.
岂能争一时之势而无心于天下？/Does it make sense for you to struggle for a moment’s gain without thinking about all under heaven?: Here, Kayla speaks in a very traditional form that is mostly used by the highly educated. The concept of 天下/All under heaven refers to the entire country, but usually stops at the borders. Since it stems from the pre-Qin era, it makes sense that people hardly knew what lay outside of the borders of what we now understand to be China, and even afterward, the term had too much cultural significance to be replaced.
族譜/Family records: The Ancient Chinese equivalent of an official family tree, but usually written in list form. Depending on the region and the time period, maternal nephews, nieces, and grandchildren were usually not included. Since inclusion often meant access to familial resources (extended families often pooled resources to provide for education, dowries, illnesses, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship, travel, or buying communal familial land), whether or not step-children, illegitimate sons, or sometimes even the children of extremely low-status concubines (such as serving maids or courtesans who got pregnant) were included was usually a source of heated contestation.