Character Index
Zhou Yunqi: The Fifth Prince. Currently taking a backseat in court politics due to the precarious situation of his maternal clan.
Qiu Jinluo: The Fifth Prince's strategist, an odd but brilliant man. Deeply trusted by the Fifth Prince.
Wei Guang: The Imperial Edict Bearer and Kayla's godfather. He has a political agenda apart from that of everyone else's, but reached an agreement for a collaboration on equal terms with Kayla, keeping Xiang Daozong in line for her as a form of insurance.
Xiang Daozong/Qu Boyong: The son of General Xiang and the Princess of Chu, he was reinstated after Kayla's arrest. He was involved in the Grand Duke's death.
Sixth Princess: A sickly young woman who is wheelchair-bound, she spends most of her time outside of the capital but retains political capital due to her maternal clans' influence amongst the steppe tribes. Kayla previously offered the Sixth Princess information to act on, allowing the princess to boost her reputation and setting a foundation for future collaboration.
Governor Huang: The governor of Shengzhou, a province bordering the Khaganate. Introduced in this chapter.
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince. His hands were tied in the immediate aftermath of Kayla's arrest due to his involvement in the Grand Duke's death.
Zhou Kuang: The Third Prince and the primary contender for the throne.
Liu Boyue: Xianchun's strategist and right-hand man. A rift had formed between him and Xianchun due to Kayla's interference, which resulted in the exposing of what Liu Boyue had done behind Xianchun's back. He remains in Xianchun's service.
Sir Zhang: A eunuch in the Imperial Palace who is secretly affiliated with the Seventh Prince, which Kayla has noted on several occassions but has not found an opportunity to act on.
Sir Jing: An elderly eunuch who served the Empress Dowager and was in the line of carrying out her less savory work. He was removed from his post and chased out from the palace after messing up the Empress Dowager's warning to Kayla, deepening the rift between them.
Sir Yang: An elderly eunuch who serves the Empress Dowager. He previously appeared to escort Kayla to the palace and was also responsible for taking her to the Imperial Princess' villa.
Ji Yantao: A former accountant of the Xiang clan, he is a gentle-minded man unsuited for plots and schemes.
Ji Fangluo: Ji Yantao's daughter, a bold and sharp-minded woman.
Jing Shuyou/Chujiao: Xiang Daozong's cousin and formerly Wenyuan's childhood friend/serving-girl/love interest.
Chen Caichun: A Chamberlain in the Court of Judicial Review, a brilliant young woman who became an official with Kayla's help.
Sun Ruhui: The Left Seceretariat of Justice, a steady and reliable man who was promoted from a provincial role to the capital on Kayla's recommendation.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: The rightful heir of the Xiang clan and the younger half-brother of the Minister of Justice.
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The Fifth Prince looked at a report contemplatively, glancing up as the door opened after a single sharp knock.
“It seems that Wenyuan made amends with Wei Guang last night,” Yunqi told Qiu Jinluo as the strategist walked into his study.
“That was fast,” Qiu Jinluo remarked. “He must have made some sort of deal, or he wouldn’t have bowed his head so easily.”
“I also think so. Wenyuan’s pragmatic, but he has his pride. He did bring Xiang Daozong, so that might also be the reason why,” Yunqi said thoughtfully.
“Minister Zhao probably used Xiang Daozong as leverage to form an equal partnership with Wei Guang,” Qiu Jinluo said. “That certainly puts him one step up. Does that bother you?”
“No, that’s not it. I’m happy for Wenyuan. He faced a setback because of us, so it’s good that he’s managed to pull himself up. It’s just that my uncle was rather displeased with me for sending him back the day he arrived, and now the Shu clan’s resentment has increased,” Yunqi sighed wearily.
Qiu Jinluo watched the tense lines of Yunqi’s face thoughtfully.
“My lord, why not broker a deal for Minister Zhao?” He said abruptly.
Yunqi blinked in mild surprise. “What?”
“Earlier, when you were discussing how to placate the Shu clan without upsetting the Emperor further,” Qiu Jinluo prompted. “Since Minister Zhao is a source of frustration for both, why not use him as a solution? Undoing the bell requires the one who tied it.”
Yunqi gave him a contemplative look. “And what do you suggest we do?”
“The Sixth Princess and the steppe tribes backing her will certainly align themselves with Minister Zhao–if we also add in Governor Huang of Shengzhou? Then the Minister will essentially have a foothold in the North,” Qiu Jinluo said.
“You’re speaking of a three-way alliance?Indeed, Shengzhou is right by the border with the Khaganate…It is an intriguing idea and certainly plausible enough, but we would essentially be helping him gain a regional power base–whether the palace would stand for it is one matter, how the Shu clan will react is another matter entirely. This places him close enough to the Shu clan’s power base for them to feel threatened, not satiated,” Yunqi said.
“Being close to the Shu clan’s power base is the point,” Qiu Jinluo said earnestly. “That’s exactly where we want him. The same goes for the palace’s attention.”
“You want him to serve as a diversion.”
“Not exactly, but that too,” Qiu Jinluo agreed.
A spark of understanding flashed in Yunqi’s eyes. “I see. Well, that would certainly be enough to wipe away any past differences, if not put him in our debt. With Wenyuan’s marriage to the Khaganate princess, it’s only a matter of time before he is tied into the affairs of the steppe tribes. But tying him in with Governor Huang grounds his power base so that it can be effectively leveraged at an administrative level.”
“Precisely. Distant relatives are worth less than close neighbors–if the Minister wants to protect his interests in the region, he’ll need the Shu clan just as much as he’ll challenge them. That balance is exactly what we need, and what the palace wants to see. It’s quite transparent, really, but I’m sure he’ll accept regardless. The court’s hungry for blood. With just the palace’s backing, he won’t be able to survive. It also ties him closer to you. That’s exactly what he needs right now,” Qiu Jinluo explained.
“You seem quite confident that he will still support us after what’s happened,” Yunqi said mildly.
“Of course he will, it’s the only way he can survive and he knows it. The Seventh Prince is driven, yes, but those who stay with him will not face a good end. Minister Zhao can surely see that. If you extend an offer to him and give him enough face, he will certainly accept,” Qiu Jianluo said. He paused for a moment before adding on an afterthought. “It would also be best to avoid double-dealing with Xiang Daozong.”
“You anticipate the two will fall out soon? I also think it likely. Xiang Daozong will either have to make peace with living in Wenyuan’s shadow for the rest of his career or make it his own path, but given that their previous collaboration fell apart, I think the latter is much more likely,” Yunqi said.
“That too,” Qiu Jinluo agreed. “But that’s not the main reason. My prince, Xiang Daozong’s greatest strength and weakness are one and the same–his ability to sense opportunity and danger, if not to react appropriately. His instinct is probably to break ties with Minister Zhao.”
Yunqi gave him a questioning look. “Why so? Wenyuan is hardly a forgiving man, but he’s not petty enough to harm Xiang Daozong after making use of him.”
“The reason why? ‘The three constant bonds are broken. If one does not take leave, one will come to harm’,” Qiu Jinluo answered, his voice unusually grave.
Yunqi mulled over the quote for a moment before nodding. “I see.”
“Though we can make use of Minister Zhao, we would also do well to remember that,” Qiu Jinluo warned him.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Yunqi replied, taking in a deep breath to signal that the topic was done with before nodding at the strategist. “So, how do you propose we convince Governor Huang? There’s only so much we can do along the border, the region is too politically sensitive. Our hands are tied.”
“We don’t. All we have to do is introduce Governor Huang to Minister Zhao, and that would be more than enough on our end,” Qiu Jinluo said confidently.
“Would Minister Zhao be able to leverage the opportunity effectively? If he fails, then it doesn’t reflect well on us either,” Yunqi said.
“He will definitely be able to do so. Despite his high position, the man is shameless, and that gives him a huge advantage,” Qiu Jinluo assured him.
“If it’s just making introductions, that’s easy enough. Sister-in-law is already planning to arrange a meeting between Wenyuan and Sixth Sister. If Third Brother agrees, then I’ll pen a letter to Governor Huang,” Yunqi said.
Qiu Jinluo bowed his head. “As you wish, my prince.”
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Liu Boyue waited in the dark corner of a desolate alley. The cool night air flowed over his skin as he patiently stared into the shadows. There was nothing to do but wait for the other man’s arrival, but Liu Boyue could use the time to sift through his thoughts.
Zhao Wenyuan’s release, appointment as Lord of the Zhao clan, and the subsequent reorganization of his household and the neutral faction had happened in a whirlwind, leaving little space for anyone to step in or even catch their breaths. The newly titled Lord Zhao hadn’t wasted time in locking Xiang Daozong into Wei Guang’s clutches, only discreetly sending a message to reassure the Seventh Prince that they had been cleared of suspicion afterwards.
Xianchun had been slightly irked at being left out of the loop until after all the pieces had been set in place, but it hardly bothered the prince to the degree that it would have once upon a time. There simply was no helping it with Zhao Wenyuan–acting first and then begging permission afterwards seemed to be the creed that he lived by. Xianchun had accepted that Wenyuan never hesitated to apologize but wouldn’t change his ways even if beaten within an inch of his life. It was a wonder that the Empress Dowager could tolerate him.
Surely there’s some way we can make use of that, Liu Boyue thought. The last thing they needed was for Zhao Wenyuan to become more of a threat, or even worse, to grow powerful enough to replace the Grand Duke he had only just destroyed.
But even murdering the Grand Duke hadn’t been enough to end Wenyuan, such was the magnitude of the favor bestowed to him by the palace. Liu Boyue turned his mind from the thought and moved towards more pragmatic ways of mitigating the damage.
After almost half an hour, a hooded and cloaked figure shuffled into the alleyway. Liu Boyue remained where he was, hidden from sight as he carefully scanned the surroundings. The figure came closer, glancing about to seek him out.
“Sir Zhang,” Liu Boyue spoke, making the eunuch start in fright.
“Good heavens, Sir Liu, you’ll send me into an early grave!”
“Apologies for frightening you,” Liu Boyue replied. “What happened? It’s not like you to take this risk of arranging a meeting on such short notice.”
“I have important information for the Seventh Prince,” Sir Zhang explained. “The Empress Dowager recently dismissed her attack dog–Sir Jing, the old eunuch who’s served her for decades.”
“Why?”
“No one knows for sure, but it was very sudden. He left her quarters in the early afternoon, went back in the evening, and he was chased out of the palace that night. They tried to keep it discreet, but people notice things like that, they just didn’t talk about it much because they don’t dare to get involved with the Empress Dowager’s affairs,” Sir Zhang said.
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“When was this?” Liu Boyue asked.
“Two days ago, right before Minister Zhao was released,” Sir Zhang replied. “Do you think there’s a connection?”
“You evidently think so, or you wouldn’t have come to me with this information,” Liu Boyue deflected. “Why?”
“I don’t know, but the timing is too much of a coincidence. What’s more, she’s calling Sir Yang back.”
“Wasn’t he ill?” Liu Boyue said.
“Indeed, he took a leave of absence some time back, and since he’s already past the age of retiring, we all expected him to simply leave for good. But the Empress Dowager evidently wants him back immediately,” Sir Zhang said. “Sir Yang is the most capable of her people, but it doesn’t make sense to be in such a rush just because Sir Jing’s gone.”
“Do you know what happened to Sir Jing?”
“No, but I doubt he’ll make it home. More likely than not, he’ll be killed by ‘bandits’ en route, if he’s not dead already,” Sir Zhang said. “If his mistake was big enough to get him thrown out on the day of, then it’s definitely big enough to claim his life.”
“Accompanying a ruler is like accompanying a tiger,” Liu Boyue said with a small note of sympathy. “No matter how you feed and groom it, a tiger is still a tiger, and it still eats flesh.”
With Wenyuan’s sudden arrest, the Seventh Prince had been thrown off-balance and back to his most familiar source of support, Liu Boyue. But broken mirrors could never be put back perfectly–cracks didn’t disappear.
“Indeed,” Sir Zhang said, shooting Liu Boyue a strange look. “I have to go back now, but please look into the matter, it might be useful for the Seventh Prince.”
“I will, thank you.” Liu Boyue handed Sir Zhang a bag of silver that the man slipped into his sleeve. “Please keep us updated if anything happens.”
“Of course,” Sir Zhang said. He pulled his hood down slightly and left the alleyway. Liu Boyue stood in the shadows, thoughts floating around in his mind as he rushed to piece together the bigger picture.
“Sir Jing the attack dog and Zhao Wenyuan…the hunting dog,” Liu Boyue muttered under his breath. He shook his head and leaped onto the rooftop, avoiding the Night Watch’s eyes as he deftly moved across tiles and thatches towards the Seventh Prince’s household, a few theories forming in his mind as he did so.
Whatever happened in the palace had a ripple effect on the rest of the court, and then the country. The more they knew about what had happened, the more of an advantage they had.
If the palace's trust is faltering, then that leaves us an opening. Liu Boyue bit back a smile and quickened his pace.
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Across the city, the Zhao household was no less embroiled in scheming. It was almost midnight, but Kayla’s meeting with Chen Caichun and Sun Ruhui was yet to be over. She was meeting with them for the first time since her release–they had communicated plenty within the last few days via talismans and magic devices, but it had been a while since everyone had sat down face to face.
“The Seventh Prince must also be gearing up to make a move, we will have to watch for that, especially since we’re the ones who will be responsible for creating a setback,” Chen Caichun noted.
“He also returned Ji Yantao and Jing Shuyou to the Xiang household a little while ago, I just got the news from Ke Yongqian,” Hu Qing announced, glancing at his communication device.
“Ji Yantao and Jing Shuyou were returned to the Xiang household?” Kayla said in surprise. “I hardly expected the Seventh Prince to use them as hostages, but he’s being quite forthright, isn’t he?”
“Perhaps he seeks to incur goodwill with Xiang Daozong, not in spite of, but because of Lord Xiang’s new ties to you and the Imperial Edict Bearer,” Chen Caichun replied. “It’s probably as much a show for your sake as it is for Lord Xiang.”
“Do you think he knows about Wei Guang’s role in all this? I didn’t tell him in my letter,” Kayla said.
“That’s hard to say. Liu Boyue might suspect it, but as long as he lacks evidence, he can’t form any solid conclusions,” Sun Ruhui assured her.
“That too depends on the prince’s level of trust in him. I remember that the Fifth Prince has a strategist who is ridiculously sharp, and his master also trusts his word with little doubt even when there is no evidence otherwise,” Kayla said. “Regardless, we must proceed with Hu Qing’s reinstatement by riding the waves created by Xiang Daozong’s reinstatement. If we miss this chance, it’ll become too targeted for the Seventh Prince to easily accept, and the palace also wouldn’t make it easy for us if they suspect it would threaten the neutral faction’s credibility. Does anyone have objections?”
Riding on the tails of the whole Qu Boyong affair swept a politically charged event into an already hectic whirlwind, which worked to Xianchun’s detriment but Kayla’s benefit–Kayla had only just taken over as the Lord of the Zhao clan and had been placed in charge of an extremely sensitive investigation, that of the Grand Duke’s. If she was unable to quash information on the usurping of Hu Qing’s position when Xiang Daozong came upon it “by chance”, Xianchun could hardly blame her for it. He would resent her to some extent, but that would be the case no matter how she went about it.
The difference was that if she acted now, she had a plausible excuse. But acting at a later time, when she should have full control over how things developed, would all but certify that she had orchestrated the event. The fact that it was one splash in the midst of a storm also made it more acceptable than tossing a rock into the middle of a still pond. There was simply no way she could let go of this opportunity.
Chen Caichun and Sun Ruhui seemed to think the same, shaking their heads to indicate they had nothing to object to. Hu Qing stayed quiet, listening intently with an unusually serious expression.
“We’ll proceed according to your plans, my lord,” Sun Ruhui said. “There may be some resistance from the Ministry of Justice and the Liang clan, but I’m sure this will succeed. I do propose speeding everything up to be faster than perhaps what you may consider reasonable–from the moment the discovery is made, the news must be made to spread as quickly as possible.”
“I see,” Kayla said, frowning slightly. Only by stirring up a fuss could they prevent everything from being swept under the rug. It was the same whether in ancient or modern times. The problem was that they would have to pressure the palace as a result by leaking the information before they made a decision, something that would not be without consequence.
We’ll need a scapegoat for kicking up a mess–someone for both the palace and for Xianchun’s faction to blame.
“If that’s the case, I might as well play victim,” Kayla said. “You know of Jia Fu, don’t you? He used to be the Grand Duke’s eyes and ears in the Ministry of Justice. Though he’s since been ostracized, he still works there. Could we make him leak the information for us? Without looping him in, of course.”
“It can be done,” Sun Ruhui replied after a moment of consideration. “I’ll make the arrangements.”
“Excellent. All we really need is for him to leak the information from the Ministry, and we can ensure that it spreads like wildfire once it’s reached the outside while pinning him with the responsibility,” Kayla said. “Then cornering Minister Liang will only be a matter of besieging a point and taking out the backup as it arrives.”
Chen Caichun nodded her support while Sun Ruhui bowed his head slightly with an unreadable look on his face.
“As you wish, my lord,” Sun Ruhui replied.
Kayla gave him a smile. “Thank you, Left Secretariat. I’m sure it won’t be without difficulties, but let’s throw our full support behind Hu Qing, heavens know that he’ll need it.”
“Thank you, my lord,” Hu Qing said.
“Don’t mention it. There’s something else I want to move forward with while people’s eyes and ears are focused on the Liang clan’s affairs. I’m sure that even Xiang Daozong’s attention will be fixed on this matter, and that leaves us an opening,” Kayla said.
“An opening? For what?” Hu Qing asked.
“My lord, are you looking to rope in the Ji family?” Caichun asked. “Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say you wish to gain control over Ji Fangluo?"
“Precisely. As expected of Caichun, your mind is sharper than ice,” Kayla praised her. “Ji Fangluo is not a woman to be underestimated. If she had lived on as a butcher’s wife, we would have had little reason to be concerned with her, but now…well, leaving her unattended is dangerous.”
“She’s close to giving birth and has several young children and an ailing father to care for, what threat can she pose to us?” Sun Ruhui asked mildly.
“It’s precisely because she has so many weak links that we should be worried. If we don’t find a way to get her under our control, then someone else will. Even if no one pieces together her role in all this, plenty of people know that her case is closely tied to Xiang Daozong’s reinstatement. And if her family is threatened, then I don’t expect her to keep any secrets to herself, though one could hardly blame her for it,” Kayla said.
“Then what do you propose we do?” Sun Ruhui asked.
“Find her and her father and place them under our protection, just like we did with Ji Yantao before,” Kayla said. “She’s not a woman who could ignore a life debt, especially when it concerns her father. I’m happy to offer her a post with us or in affiliation with us, and if she would prefer to be a homemaker, then I’ll hire her husband instead. No matter what the arrangement, she stays with us.”
“She’s quite a character, would she be willing to comply? The worse case scenario would be that she becomes infuriated and we end up with a situation where the fish dies and the net breaks,” Hu Qing pointed out. “I mean, she literally carries a giant machete around in broad daylight.”
“Then I’ll make it clear to her what her options are,” Kayla said. “Even if I let her go, would Wei Guang? You can say that the assassins deserved to die, but can you be certain that he wouldn’t do the same to her? This is a fight with our lives on the line, the second she got involved, it was no longer possible for her to back out whole and unscathed.”
“The Minister is right,” Caichun jumped in. “Xiang Daozong doesn’t have the power to protect her, and the Minister is willing to take on the responsibility in his place–even if it’s for our personal benefit rather than altruism, what would that matter to her? I’m willing to persuade her, if you would allow it, my lord.”
“Please do so,” Kayla said. “She would probably be willing to hear you out.”
Sun Ruhui nodded in agreement.
“I’ll make the arrangements,” Hu Qing said.
They spent a while longer hashing out the details before ending the meeting. Sun Ruhui and Chen Caichun stayed on to chat for a few moments before taking their leave to begin preparations. Kayla took a deep breath, the satisfaction of hammering plans into place filling her ribs.
That’s two things done with. And now, the princes.
Kayla let out her breath slowly, emptying her lungs of air as she slowly counted to ten. She opened her communication device and called Xianchun.
“Good evening, my prince,” she greeted him with a smile as the call connected. “It’s good to see you again.”
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Cultural Notes
解铃还须系铃人/Undoing the bell requires the one who tied it: An Ancient Chinese saying that means a problem should be solved by the one who created it. Originates from the saying "Who can remove the golden bell off a tiger's neck? Only the person who tied it there can do it."
胜州/Shengzhou: A Tang Dynasty province bordering the Khaganate, located in modern-day Inner Mongolia, near the city of Ôrdôs hôt. It was established in the Sui Dynasty and later rendered obselete with administrative revamps.
不得善终/Won't receive a good end: An Ancient Chinese proverb that is often used in context of people who either live recklessly, or those who are ruthless/commit many immoral acts in their rise to power.
三纲绝矣，不去，祸将及人/The three constant bonds are broken. If one does not leave, one only invites disaster to befall: A quote from the Han Dynasty, recorded in the 后汉书/Later Han Records, spoken by the scholar Feng Meng, who was originally from Northern China. He lived in the same era as Wang Mang, the man who usurped the Western Han Dynasty and established the short-lived Xin Dynasty. Feng Meng arrived in the capital in the immediate aftermath of the infamous "dog blood incident", from which the term "dog blood drama" probably originated. At that time, Wang Mang, who had become the regent, banned the young Emperor's relatives from court in a boldfaced power grab. His eldest son, Wang Yu, was deeply concerned by the long-term consequences of this move and wanted his father to reconsider, but fearing his father's temper, Wang Yu tried to make use of his father's superstitious nature by having someone seceretly sprinkle dog blood on the household gates and pass it off as an ominous sign. However, the plot was discovered and Wang Mang forced his son and daughter-in-law to commit suicide. The killing of his own son stirred up enormous controversy, but Wang Mang's popularity persisted through the personality cult he had built up over the course of years. However, Feng Meng correctly deduced from the incident that Wang Mang was a very dangerous man. This quote is often used to warn that something really bad is going to go down, often surrounding a certain individual who is on the rise and still seen in a good light at the time.
风驰电逝/Riding the wind faster than a lightning strike disappears: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to move at incredible speed. Stems from a piece of prose in the Wei Dynasty (dynasty following the Three Kingdoms era).
先斩后奏/Execute first and report later: An Ancient Chinese proverb, the equivalent of the Western saying "act first and beg forgiveness later".
积极认错，打死不改/Readily apologize but refuse to change ones ways even if beaten to death: A popular Chinese saying used to describe someone, often in a humorous tone. An example could be the well-liked class clown who always readily admits to being in the wrong for disturbing the classroom but will never change his ways no matter how many detentions he sits through.
撵出宫/Chase out of the palace: A punishment for servants, eunuchs, and sometimes even concubines.
恶犬/Evil Dog: A Chinese phrase referring to a violent and aggressive dog, but can also be used to describe a person with a terrible personality, especially when they serve as someone's grunt muscle/attack dog. The phrase really does directly translate into evil dog, but sounds a lot less ridiculous in Chinese.
伴君如伴虎/Accompanying a ruler is like accompanying a tiger: An Ancient Chinese saying that refers to dangerous and high-risk position of being in close proximity to power. Since rulers are accustomed to having the absolute say, their moods can dictate your life and death. Officials who receive favor from the Emperor often enjoy more prestige and power than all of their ancestors combined, but their downfalls can also be brutal and swift.
猎犬/Hunting dog: A Chinese term that can refer to a literal or metaphorical hunting dog. When it's used for a person, it often has negative connotations, as well as the meaning that the person in question is an instrument/weapon rather than an important subordinate. It is often linked to the saying 狡兔死走狗烹/[When] the crafty hare is killed, the hunting dog is killed.
围点打援/Surround a point and attack the backup: An Ancient Chinese proverb that refers to a battlefield and chess tactic that involves besieging someone and then destroying reinforcements en route, usually by shaping conditions to prevent a large force from arriving all at once.
冰雪聪明/Icily sharp: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to be very smart, as sharp as ice.
相夫教子/Assist ones husband and teach ones children: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to the traditional role of women as wives and mothers in the household. For many people, this was seen as the norm and the standard, but this also depended on time period and region. For example, the 川渝/Sichuan and Chongqing region has always had dual-income households and female entrepreneurs.
名利场/Arena of fame and power: A Chinese phrase that refers to the high-stake world of cutthroat business and politics.
拼命/To stake ones life: A Chinese phrase that's often used to mean working towards something within an inch of your life, and occassionally to literally put your life on the line.
全身而退/Retreat intact: An Ancient Chinese phrase that means to retreat from a dangerous situation intact despite incredible odds.