Content Warning: Suicide ideation, depression.
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Character Index
Qu Boyong/Xiang Daozong: Son of General Xiang and the Princess of Chu, seeking revenge for his clan.
Chujiao/Jing Shuyou: Cousin of Qu Boyong/Xiang Daozong, she infiltrated the Zhao household from a very young age and has requited romantic feelings for Wenyuan. Currently held in "protection" by Kayla, in truth being kept as a hostage.
Ji Fangluo: A pregnant woman filing a case on behalf of her sickly father, which is in fact connected to the framing of the Xiang clan by the Grand Duke. Kayla has forcibly suppressed this case to prevent the Zhao clan from being sentenced to extermination.
Sun Ruhui: Left Secretariat of Justice and Kayla's supporter, he recently blackmailed Minister Liang over Hu Qing's birthright to prevent Ji Fangluo's case from progressing.
Chen Caichun: An ambitious young woman and a Chamberlain of the Court of Judicial Review. She is the younger half-sister of Imperial Investigator Chen Jian.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Younger half-brother of Minister Liang and rightful heir to the Liang clan, currently working as Kayla's retainer.
Minister Liang/Liang Shen: Minister of Justice and older half-brother of Hu Qing. Unlike Hu Qing, he and his mother were neglected by the late Lord Liang.
Wei Guang: The Imperial Edict Bearer and moderator of the previous round of succession struggles. Deeply trusted by the current Emperor, he is also Kayla's godfather.
Matron Li: A senior female servant who watched over Wenyuan and his father. Originally sent by the palace.
Captain Jiang: An Imperial Guard Captain who was loyal to Xianchun in the original timeline after Xianchun helped him with his love life. He is in love with a palace maid, and Kayla helped him to win her hand in marriage by having the Sixth Princess interfere, preventing him from pledging his loyalty to Xianchun.
Zhoug Mingda: The Sixth Princess. A sickly young woman who is wheelchair-bound, she usually lives in the Summer Palace. Her maternal clan is powerful among the Northern tribes, hence why Kayla did her a favor.
Steward Liu: Wei Guang's long-time servant and loyal companion. No relation to Liu Boyue, Liu is just a really common surname.
Liu Boyue: Xianchun's strategist and right-hand man, he is currently on thin ice after Kayla indirectly exposed him for going behind Xianchun's back.
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Under the cover of the night, Qu Boyong waited near the back gates of the Zhao household. No one could see him in the darkness, much less the scowl on his face. He hadn’t heard any news from Jing Shuyou in a while. It made sense that she had to play it safe, with everything going on.
Between the Seventh Prince’s spies getting caught and the fiasco with Zhao Wenyuan, Jing Shuyou had to be extra careful to keep her cover as Chujiao. It was part of the reason why Qu Boyong hadn’t even attempted to get any information from her before infiltrating the Grand Duke’s study.
But the Grand Duke hadn’t been seen by anyone for days on end, and Zhao Wenyuan was also mysteriously absent from the capital. And yet, Ji Fangluo’s case didn’t progress, and security around the Zhao household was tighter than ever. Right when he needed information the most, Jing Shuyou was completely unresponsive. Qu Boyong had used the usual signal for a meeting two nights in a row but hadn’t received any response.
Just what is she doing?
He couldn’t help but begin to entertain the possibility that she had gotten caught. It was almost impossible, given how careful Jing Shuyou was, but that caution seemed to fly out the window every time Zhao Wenyuan was involved. Gritting his teeth, Qu Boyong silently cursed the Zhao heir for stealing Shuyou’s heart, and apparently her wits as well.
His wordless grievances were cut short as he sensed movement from a nearby roof. Qu Boyong slinked further into the shadows, creating distance between himself and the area of suspicion.
There was a soft whooshing sound, and Qu Boyong instinctively darted back, exposing his position. He tensed, but only a cloth-covered package landed at his feet, and the area was once more deserted. Qu Boyong hesitated for a moment before picking up the package, cautiously shaking it before tucking it into his robes and leaving.
Once he was a safe distance away, he pulled out the package and opened it to find a scroll. The paper was of good quality, but common enough that he couldn't deduce anything more specific. Alarm bells immediately went off in Qu Boyong’s mind. He unrolled it hastily, panic rising into his throat at the message inside.
“Jing Shuyou’s cover has been exposed. She is safe, do not attempt contact.”
Qu Boyong buried his face into his hands, letting out a string of muffled curses.
Fuck! Shuyou was exposed?! How did that even happen?! He read over the message again with wild eyes.
Who is it? Who the hell is this?! There couldn’t have been more than a handful of people who knew Jing Shuyou’s real name–almost everyone knew her by Chujiao. Wiping away the cold sweat that beaded on his brow, Qu Boyong carefully scrutinized the situation again.
It was not only someone who knew who Jing Shuyou was but also the location where Qu Boyong would be waiting for her to respond to his signal, which meant that they had gotten her to talk. They had the ability to get a message to Qu Boyong’s exact spot without even exposing their own movements, and evidently had the resources to get Jing Shuyou out of the Zhao household even after she had been exposed.
Did they torture her or gain her trust? The former was worse, but the latter was more dangerous for their revenge. Qu Boyong ran the information through his mind again, and Zhao Wenyuan’s name popped up unbidden.
Could it have been him? Jing Shuyou had a deep level of trust in Zhao Wenyuan, and he had the ability and guts to openly take spies away from the household–getting Shuyou out would hardly be difficult for him. Zhao Wenyuan’s retainer was also skilled enough to sneak around right under the Bureau’s nose, as arrogant and flashy as the bastard was.
The problem was why Zhao Wenyuan had saved her. Was it out of sentiments for an old friend, or was he acting out of love? Qu Boyong felt his stomach turn.
Shuyou, please don’t do anything foolish. If she slept with Zhao Wenyuan, then Shuyou would become a concubine, or even worse, a mistress without an official position. It took every ounce of self-control Qu Boyong had to stop himself from marching straight up to the Wei household and demanding an explanation from Zhao Wenyuan.
Belatedly, the gravity of the situation occurred to him, freezing him in place.
He knows she’s Jing Shuyou and not Chujiao, then that means he definitely knows who I am. The coldness in his veins felt like it was tearing into his flesh.
Doesn’t that make Shuyou a hostage?
“That bastard…” Qu Boyong muttered out loud. Trembling with rage and fear, he crushed the paper in his fist and began to head back toward his residence, unaware that a pair of eyes were watching him curiously from a distance.
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Kayla waved her goodbyes as Sun Ruhui and Chen Caichun took their leave after a lengthy planning session. Hu Qing stayed behind to confirm some final details before he also prepared to go.
“One last thing,” Kayla called out to Hu Qing. He turned, looking at her curiously.
Kayla took a deep breath, steadying herself to make the offer. “My friend, are you interested in becoming the head of the Liang clan?”
Hu Qing froze, looking at her with wide eyes.
“Calm down, it’s fine regardless of whether you want to or not,” Kayla assured him. “I know you said before that you didn’t want to, but I wanted to confirm if those thoughts remained the same.”
Hu Qing’s face pulled into a frown. “And what would that entail?”
“Your brother would maintain his position at court, but I would help you become the new locus of power in the Liang clan. And if you were willing, I would arrange a match for you,” Kayla explained.
Hu Qing’s frown deepened. “You know that I don’t like women, right?!”
“You could let her have a lover on the side or something,” Kayla suggested.
“And just who is this pitiful bride?”
“Chujiao.”
Kayla, what the fuck?!
The horror in Wenyuan’s voice gave her pause but didn’t stop her.
Hu Qing gave Kayla a look of utter shock. “You want me to marry your woman?!”
“She’s not my–nothing has ever happened between us! You know that she is Qu Boyong’s cousin, right? If you were interested, I would draw up an alliance in this manner,” Kayla said.
“Wow. My lord, even if she’s not your lover, I really didn’t expect you to force her into a marriage like this! Isn’t that going a bit too far?” Hu Qing demanded.
“I won’t force her! I’ll try to make it happen, but I won’t push too far. You probably find it difficult to understand, but I’m trying to spare her from a fate that’s far worse,” Kayla said gravely. “She might be fine in the immediate future, but the rest of her life will be filled with suffering henceforth. If there’s something I can do about it, I can’t possibly refuse to try.”
Hu Qing’s look of outrage softened. “Did you see that for her future?”
“Yes,” Kayla replied. The answer was technically no, but Kayla didn’t mind stretching the definition a bit. The future was full of internal disasters and invasions, followed by civil war and continued inner strife. Even nobles were sure to suffer. As the closest relative of the Emperor’s only male maternal cousin, Chujiao would have been a key piece to gain hold of for every party who wanted to control Qu Boyong. She was highly unlikely to have emerged unscathed.
However, marrying her to Hu Qing would tie Chujiao to Kayla–Qu Boyong would have to hold back for his cousin, and Kayla would be able to stay in the political arena. Kayla would consider marrying Chujiao herself at this point, if not for the marriage arrangement with the Khaganate, which was arguably much more substantial in terms of political value.
“You mentioned Lordship and marriage, do both of those have to go together?” Hu Qing asked.
“No. If you don’t want to do either, or neither, that’s fine. If you’re fine with both but Chujiao absolutely refuses, then the marriage is a no-go,” Kayla assured him.
“I’m not interested in marrying her,” Hu Qing replied immediately.
Well, it was worth a try.
“No problem. What about lordship?”
Hu Qing sighed. “Is that something you’re in great need of?”
“Don’t worry about that. Only consider your own thoughts. I won’t be so shameless as to force you into anything, and your decision won’t affect how I think of you,” Kayla promised.
“It makes me uncomfortable to even think about this,” Hu Qing admitted after a short pause. “My brother always treated me quite well. He never hit me, and he took good care of me. It’s true that he would snap at me sometimes, or throw a tantrum, but he would regret it immediately when he spoke too harshly, and he would give me a bonus afterward. I’m alright with leaving the house, but uprooting his position just feels too ungrateful.”
Kayla nodded slowly. “I see, that’s understandable. It’s fine if you’re just not interested, but if you don’t mind me saying so, I don’t think you need to feel guilty for considering it. For one, that position was meant to be yours from the beginning. And also, just because he didn’t mistreat you doesn’t mean you can’t have your own ambitions. My situation with the Grand Duke is a little too extreme to use as an example. There's a friend of mine who might be a better example though.”
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Hu Qing crossed his arms, but his frown had faded. Seeing that he was receptive, Kayla continued.
“My friend's parents had moved from their hometown to give him a better future, and his father was killed in a work accident. He was raised by his widowed mother, who went above and beyond to provide for his education. However, loving as she was, she was also very strict and had high expectations for her son, and constantly reminded him of his parent’s sacrifices. As a result, he turned out with extremely low self-esteem and a debilitating fear of failure. He ended up needing to seek help from a mentor, but when he told his mother of his improvement, she was deeply wounded. She accused him of being ungrateful and misconstruing her painstaking care for him as harmful, rather than appreciating everything she had done for him. They had a falling out, he left the house, and ended up dying before they could reconcile.”
“What the hell? That’s just sad,” Hu Qing said.
“Yes, but sad story aside, the point is that someone can cause you harm even when they treat you well and care for you, and it might not be anyone’s fault. They might not be malicious, and you might not be ungrateful, but that’s just how things are,” Kayla said. “When it’s not possible to deal with it any longer, then it might be better to just pursue your own path rather than continuing to cause harm to both parties. In your case, I don't think that you're the one who should feel guilty, but I also won’t push you any further than I already have. If you’re interested, bring it up to me. There won't be any further requests or expectations on my end. Just decide based on what you want to do, but don’t berate yourself just for considering the matter.”
“I’m not interested in politics, but I’ll think about it,” Hu Qing said after a long moment of thought.
“Take your time, if it bothers you too much, then just forget I ever brought it up,” Kayla added, starting to feel a little bad for being so aggressive with his family drama. Hu Qing was someone who stayed with her in the future even when she was at her lowest, the last thing she wanted was to alienate him.
“Alright, alright,” Hu Qing waved her off. “But if I do say yes, you better not retract your offer.”
Kayla felt a rush of hope. “I definitely won’t.”
Hu Qing nodded. “Get some rest, you’ll have to deal with the palace tomorrow.” Looking to be deep in thought, he left through the window and disappeared into the night.
She was left alone for the first time since waking up several chaotic hours ago, and Kayla let out a sigh of exhaustion. As despair-inducing as it was, the night wasn’t over yet. Wenyuan had been seething for a while now, and she owed him answers.
First you make use of my parent’s deaths, and now you want to make use of Chujiao! Kayla, just what are you trying to do?!
I’m trying to fix things so we can avoid the future we saw, Kayla replied steadily. I can understand your feelings, and I’m sorry. But at this point, I need to make use of everything that I possibly can, no matter what they are.
What’s the point of apologizing if you’re just going to do whatever you want?! I’m no longer useful to you, I'm just in the way now! Wenyuan snapped.
Don’t say that, I’ve never thought that way. Where on earth would I be without you?
Kayla’s words didn’t seem to appease Wenyuan in the slightest.
I’ve tried to just ignore it, but I can’t shut out what we see and hear–everything just keeps happening and there’s nothing I can do about it. Didn’t you experience it when you saw the future? Not having any control over your life is a terrible fate, why would you force it upon me if you consider me a friend?
Wenyuan, I–
Is it wrong for me to give up? I don’t understand, Kayla.
Kayla heaved a sigh, lying down on the bed and pulling a pillow over her face. Her heart twisted painfully, and she didn’t know if it was her own emotions or Wenyuan’s.
I have a plan, Wenyuan. I’m going to make things better, can’t you just stick around a little longer to see if you might like it?
You’re literally making use of my parent’s deaths. I can’t blame you, but I can’t condone it either.
Kayla squeezed her eyes shut, burying her face further into the fabric. She knew Wenyuan was filial, it was part of why he had suffered so much in the first place.
Not a single person noticed I was gone. Even Lady Lin–she didn’t care at all.
We didn’t ask, Kayla pointed out.
It doesn’t matter either way. You realized it too, didn’t you? Lady Lin knew all this would happen ahead of time, and warned my mother to prepare the soul magic. But even my own mother didn’t do this to save me, just to preserve the identity of Zhao Wenyuan as a political actor. What am I even staying here for? To watch the people I loved treat you better and like you better than they did me?
Kayla couldn’t deny it. Matron Li had been kind towards Wenyuan but had never told him that the Grand Duke wasn’t really his grandfather. The Emperor and Empress Dowager loved Wenyuan, but never even noticed he was gone. Even Chujiao, the woman he loved, had only sensed a change but not an absence.
Wenyuan, are you sure?
She knew that he was. Kayla couldn’t blame Wenyuan, but she couldn’t bring herself to accept his wish.
I’m sure. I’ve been stuck like this for months. Watching you succeed makes me feel useless and pathetic, but watching you fail makes me feel even worse. You can't even begin to imagine–
Kayla took a deep breath, steeling herself.
Ok.
What? Did you just agree? Wenyuan exclaimed in shock.
Yes.
Are you serious?
Yes. If I fail to avoid the timeline Lady Lin showed us, you’ll have to suffer through all of that. I don’t want to do that to you.
Wenyuan was silent, but Kayla could sense his gratitude and relief.
I was brought here against my will, and you’re forced to remain here against yours. If at least one of us can get out of this…you should get to choose. If I can do this for you, then I will.
Her eyes stung. Kayla blinked furiously, trying to keep her composure.
Kayla…thank you.
I’m the one who should be grateful to you for putting up with me.
She could sense Wenyuan’s elation. Kayla had expected it to some degree, but it still hurt to see him this eager to die.
I wish you all the best, Kayla. I always thought that if anyone could fix this, it would be you. Even with everything we’ve seen, I still believe that’s true. Wenyuan spoke gently, his voice soft and earnest.
Kayla furiously wiped at her eyes.
I don’t know what comes after this, but I hope everything goes well for you.
She felt the spiritual equivalent of a nod and took a deep breath. She concentrated, closing her eyes and focusing on rummaging through the magic twisted deep into their souls.
Kayla still hesitated when she found the tiny bit of magic that had been holding Wenyuan there but forced herself to go through with what she had promised.
She nullified the magic, and Wenyuan was gone. The sensation swept over her slowly, without pain or discomfort. Something seemed to have clicked into place, and she finally felt the familiar sensation of being the only soul in a body again.
There wasn’t an emptiness as she expected, but rather a sense of being full to the brim.
Wenyuan, Kayla tried calling out. There was no response.
He’s gone, she thought numbly. He’s really gone now.
The room felt larger and colder than it had been before. Kayla curled in on herself, overwhelmed by an uncomfortable blankness until sleep dragged her under.
Contrary to the turmoil Kayla had expected, the night went by with shocking normalcy and was followed by an uneventful morning. She had been granted an additional sick day by the Emperor and took that time to prepare for the next steps of her plan. Every time Kayla tried to think of Wenyuan, there was only the familiar numbness from before.
It’s not so different from when he was avoiding me before, Kayla thought before shaking her head. It felt completely different. The person who had always been at her side was well and truly gone. For some reason, she couldn’t summon any feelings of grief. Wenyuan's departure hadn't sunk in yet and showed no signs of doing so. Rather than dwell on the matter, Kayla threw herself into planning.
Wei Guang came over to check on her several times, and looked as though he wanted to say something but held himself back each time.
Did he hear about the whole fiasco with the cup? Kayla hoped that wasn’t the case. The last thing she needed was for Wei Guang to think she couldn’t handle the rough roads ahead.
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Wei Guang stood still, letting his steward take his outer robe.
“Old Liu, what do you think about this godson of mine?” Wei Guang asked.
The steward crinkled up his eyes, a befuddled look on his face.
“Any godson of my lord is certain to be a good youngster,” the steward replied diplomatically.
“Come now, I wish for your opinion. You’ve interacted with him and his people, what are your thoughts?” Wei Guang asked.
“The Minister is a clever one, that’s for sure, and is good at dealing with emergencies. He does seem to be weighed down with worries all the time, but he actually seems to have steadied his footing after returning. It seems that his trip out of the capital was a much-needed break,” the steward said. “And as for his people…well, I’ve never seen a female official. But she seems like a good girl, if she’d shown up ten years earlier, I would’ve shoved my youngest son at her first chance I got.”
“You’re still so focused on potential daughters-in-law, you’ve already managed to match off all seven of those rascals, isn’t it time you took a break?” Wei Guang remarked.
The steward sighed, shaking his head. “Old habits die hard…and my oldest grandson is only a few years away from marriage age. They all say the more sons the more fortunate, but it’s really much more work than it’s worth.”
Wei Guang chuckled before his face grew serious again.
“Between his magic and his bloodline, Wenyuan’s more than capable of playing this role. But Old Liu, do you think that man has enough courage?” Wei Guang asked.
The steward looked at him with curiosity. “For what?”
“For doing the unthinkable,” Wei Guang replied vaguely. “Could he?”
“A desperate man will do anything,” the steward replied after a long pause. “The Minister’s like a drowning man without a clear way out before him or behind him, he’ll grab onto anything you toss at him.”
Wei Guang nodded slowly. “So you think that as well…good. Old Liu, about that Captain Jiang from the Imperial Guard, the one who got engaged with the palace maid recently. Find a way to let him know that Zhao Wenyuan was the one who arranged the Sixth Princess’ help, and see if you can create an occasion for the two of them to meet ‘coincidentally’.”
The steward gave him a curious look. “You want an Imperial Guard captain to owe him? Won’t that incur the palace’s suspicion?”
“That’s why we’re not doing this through the Sixth Princess,” Wei Guang calmly replied. “But it’s necessary to have someone in the Imperial Guard. Most of my old contacts have retired already, he needs people of his own.”
At the steward’s look of incomprehension, Wei Guang turned towards him and spoke pointedly. “Our current Emperor is wise enough, but what do we do if he chooses the wrong heir?”
The steward went completely still, carefully peering at Wei Guang’s expression. “My lord, you mean–”
Wei Guang nodded. “If worse comes to worst, he needs to be able to reverse the situation. We can’t let this country go to ruin because of a single misstep. After all…don’t you remember how we got the current Emperor on the throne?”
The steward bowed his head, sweat beading on his brow. “I understand, my lord. I’ll see it done.”
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In a quiet corner of the Seventh Prince’s household, Liu Boyue sensed it the moment he was approached. He pretended not to, continuing down the empty corridor at a leisurely pace. The second the intruder dropped down from the roof, making an almost silent landing on the ground, Liu Boyue whirled around and launched his attack.
His knife clashed against a hastily raised sword, and Liu Boyue paused, looking at the intruder with curiosity.
“That sword…I’ve seen it before,” Liu Boyue murmured. “How strange, you’re not the man I met in the Zhao household.”
The intruder straightened up, lowering his weapon and holding out a hand to plead for peace.
“That was my companion, sir. I must apologize on his behalf for having caused you trouble,” the intruder replied. Liu Boyue glanced at the sword again before nodding, lowering his own knife.
The enemy of an enemy might not be a friend, but at least had something in common with him. Though Liu Boyue didn’t know who the man who had teamed up against Hu Qing with him was, he was curious.
“No need for such politeness. How is that friend of yours? Last I saw, he was injured quite badly,” Liu Boyue said.
The intruder nodded. “He’s still recovering, but he’ll be most grateful to hear of your concern.”
Liu Boyue tilted his head slightly. “May he make a swift recovery. But I’m sure you didn’t come all this way to exchange pleasantries, did you? What do you want from me?”
The intruder hesitated for a moment, peering intently into Liu Boyue’s eyes before he pulled down the black cloth covering his face. Liu Boyue took in the handsome young man before him with a modicum of shock.
“Qu Boyong?”
The man shook his head. “That’s just my pseudonym, sir. My real name is Xiang Daozong, and I’m the son of General Xiang and the Princess of Chu.”
At Liu Boyue’s look of shock, he stepped closer with confidence.
“Sir Liu, I came here to propose an alliance.”
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Cultural Notes
妾室vs.外室/Concubine vs. Mistress: It was not uncommon in Ancient China for a man to keep a mistress on the outside instead of marrying her as a concubine, either because his wife/family doesn't approve, or because the mistress' status is too low to marry in, even as a concubine (ex: a prostitute might count in this category if the guy's a douche). A mistress' status is even lower than that of a concubine, not being entitled to any financial support should her lover die, and her children wouldn't be entitled to anything unless her lover chooses to bring them into his household (he's socially but not legally obliged to do so).
世袭爵位/Inherited title: Titles were often given out as rewards in Ancient China for both military and (much less often) for civil officials. However, the title may be limited to just the official/officer who achieved something, or it may be inherited by their children, depending on the size of the contribution. An inheritable title tends to signify much greater achievements, and the Liang family qualifies in this category.
背井离乡/Turning away from your [home's] well and leaving one's hometown: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to leave your hometown, often with a note of lament/melancholy to it, and commonly used to signify that you didn't have any better options than to do so. Since Ancient China was a primarily agricultural society, one's hometown was literally one's basis of livelihood, hence the strong cultural emphasis on hometowns.
多子多福/More sons more fortune: An Ancient Chinese proverb that can also be interpreted as "more children more fortune". Since infant/child mortality rates were high, and a simple illness could end someone's life prematurely, having more children meant a higher chance that they would survive into adulthood. Also, agricultural technologies were relatively simplistic back then, and yields were relatively low, which meant that most people planted by hand and needed to do a lot more work just to maintain survival. You needed enough people on the farm to man the fields, or you'd be unlikely to survive even if you have enough land.
进退无所/No path forward or backward: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to have no way out, to be trapped.
救命稻草/Life-saving blade of straw: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to the small amount of action/resources needed to get someone out of a bad situation that is often not available or made inaccessible, also means that it often takes very little to help someone out a lot.