Character Index
Liang Shen: Minister of Justice and the Lord of the Liang clan. A supporter of the Seventh Prince. He usurped the position of his younger brother at a politically fraught time for his clan, which would have become a puppet of the palace under the rule of a literal baby, but chose not to restore Hu Qing's legitimacy after the situation stabilized.
Sun Ruhui: Left Secretariat of Justice and Kayla's supporter, he helped to orchestrate the set-up for Liang Shen.
Xiang Daozong/Qu Boyong: Son of General Xiang and the Princess of Chu, he was previously allied, at odds with, and then allied again with Kayla and is now a part of the neutral faction after his reinstatement.
Jia Fu: A member of the Grand Duke's faction who would benefit greatly from a delay into the Grand Duke's crimes. He was tricked into releasing information on Hu Qing's true identity as Liang Hongfei.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: The rightful heir to the Liang clan and younger half-brother of Liang Shen, who previously listed him as an illegitimate nephew. He is Kayla's close friend and right-hand man.
Zhang Dingyong: Right Secertariat of Justice and Kuang's supporter. He sensed the plan to reinstate Hu Qing and decided to jump in on the fun.
Ke Yongqian: One of Kayla's employees, he was one of the few who stayed in her service after she was arrested after the Grand Duke's death. He worked extensively with Hu Qing and Kayla has delegated him to continue serving Hu Qing after the latter's reinstatement.
Li Que: A Senior Imperial Investigator who has worked with Kayla in the past and has actively helped her repeatedly, especially in the reinstatement of Xiang Daozong as part of a plan to pressure the palace into releasing Kayla from imprisonment.
----------------------------------------
Minister Liang felt tremors starting up the length of his arm and hastily folded his fingers into his sleeves. The purple brocade felt almost cloying under his skin as dread trickled through his veins. They were several hours into the lock down, which definitely had been a bad decision, he had long since realized that by now, but he had dug himself into a hole and had no way out. Whether he lifted the lock down or continued it, the situation would only continue to worsen.
His legs felt like they were weighed down, almost as though he were standing knee-deep in mud.
I am definitely losing my post, Minister Liang thought to himself despairingly. He would lose far more than that. The responsibility of Hu Qing’s matter would fall entirely upon him, the current Lord of the clan. Possibilities of imprisonment, exile, search and seizure, and even execution flowed endlessly through his mind.
He took a shaky breath, trying to calm himself and failing. Liang Shen had dealt with worse before, when he was still young and had little to lose, but he knew it in his bones that he could not suffer through the fear and uncertainty a second time.
I can’t withstand it, he silently pleaded to the heavens. I can’t, I really can’t.
He was consumed by a sudden rush of regret that he hadn’t married off his daughter last year when there had been an offer. The household hadn’t been all that illustrious, but they’d had a promising son, and they didn’t have a residence in the capital. That had been the deciding factor in Liang Shen’s refusal a year ago, but now he desperately wished to go back in time and accept. His son could make it on his own, one way or another, but how on earth would his daughter survive?
And I had hoped the Seventh Prince would take interest, how foolish of me! Who will marry her now?
Liang Shen could feel his world melting away at the edges. Sun Ruhui, the bastard, was watching him with the same unflappable serenity as always, the upstart young Xiang Daozong scowling in irritation on the other side of the room. Liang Shen wasn’t sure which of the two he wanted to kill more. If he had an open choice, he would stab Jia Fu and then throttle Zhao Wenyuan. The younger man was absent from the picture, but there were traces of his presence on every part of this disaster.
The newest Lord Zhao was just as difficult to deal with as the last one, if not even worse. You at least could trust the Grand Duke to be consistently cruel and greedy.
Almost right on cue, a messenger scurried over apprehensively. Liang Shen could tell from the look on the man’s face that there was something from the Court of Judicial Review.
“What is it?” Liang Shen grit the words out through clenched teeth.
“Apologies for disturbing you, Minister. There is a message from Minister Zhao. He asked the reason for the lock down and offered to provide any assistance or backup that we may need,” the messenger said in a small voice. He gulped nervously at Liang Shen’s harsh glare and continued. “He also wished to assure you that he has already asked the City Guard to tighten security around the surrounding areas preemptively, and that they would be ready to offer backup or manpower as needed.”
The message was infuriatingly reasonable. Its civility made Liang Shen want to tear into Zhao Wenyuan with his bare teeth and rip the man’s tendons out.
“Do you wish to send a reply, Your Grace?” The messenger asked. Liang Shen wanted to send a knife right into the back of Zhao Wenyuan’s throat.
“No,” Liang Shen spat out the word. The messenger bowed slightly and quickly fled.
That little bastard! And this is who Hu Qing chose to serve?! Liang Shen forced himself to stop before starting down that road. Thinking about Hu Qing would only make him feel worse.
I need to end the lock down, Liang Shen let out another sigh. It will only serve to confirm my guilt.
He gave a sharp nod to Zhang Dingyong, who quickly came over.
“Minister?” Zhang Dingyong prompted, his eyes crinkled with concern.
“We’re ending the lock down,” Liang Shen announced. “Please see to the procedures.”
“But Your Grace, how will we explain this? What do we even write in the reports?” Zhang Dingyong asked. Liang Shen was tempted to snap at him to figure it out, but restrained his temper at the thought of all the innocent officials who had been dragged into the matter.
“I’ll handle it, and I will take full responsibility for everything,” Liang Shen said flatly.
Zhang Dingyong hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Then I will proceed as you wish.”
He left as quickly as he had arrived. Liang Shen made his way over to a desk and sat down. The officials and staff were relieved as the announcement was made, but they kept their voices low and continued to circle around Liang Shen, sensing that he was still in a dark mood. Liang Shen tried to think of a next step, but his mind repeatedly drew a blank, all the thoughts that had been racing through only moments before having abandoned him now. Finally, he pulled himself together enough to send a warning to his wife through his communication device, telling her to make preparations. For what, he didn’t know.
Time seemed both agonizingly fast and slow at once, and Liang Shen didn’t know how long he had been sitting there. His mindless state was shattered by the sight of familiar robes. Liang Shen watched the eunuch approach with dread.
“Minister Liang,” the eunuch greeted him. Liang Shen rose to his feet, unable to form any words.
The eunuch continued, his voice not unkind despite its firm tone. “The Empress Dowager wishes to see you.”
Liang Shen swallowed twice before clearing his throat, finding his voice again.
“I understand.”
The eunuch nodded before politely gesturing for Liang Shen to follow.
“Please come this way, Your Grace.”
Numb with fear, he complied.
----------------------------------------
Hu Qing tugged at the collar of his new robes, pushing the window open with his free hand. He had been wearing the robes since the morning, but it was much more formal than he was used to. No one seemed to think much of the outfit change. It was obvious that Hu Qing would move upwards in life when his lord did, given his loyal service. They just didn’t realize the extent to which Wenyuan intended for that to happen.
Hu Qing let out a soft sigh, leaning against the window frame. There was a soft rustle as Ke Yongqian joined him on the other side of the window.
“You’re not on duty?” Hu Qing asked accusingly.
“I’m done. People love their gossip, there is literally nothing I can do at this point to make the news spread faster than the market ladies can.”
Hu Qing let out a chuckle at that. Ke Yongqian glanced at Hu Qing’s robes, his face shifting from amusement to concern.
“Are you sure this is what you want to do?” Ke Yongqian asked, his upper body leaning through the open window. Hu Qing glanced at him from the corner of his eye.
“Yeah. Why? What’s the matter?” Hu Qing asked. “Don’t want to work for me?”
“No, that’s not it. It’s just that I’ve known you for years, but you never had any interest in all of this stuff until after you changed over to Minister Zhao’s service. Being a lord isn’t easy work, especially when everyone’s already predisposed against you. Will you really be alright?” Ke Yongqian said, his voice tinged with genuine concern.
“I know what I’m getting into,” Hu Qing assured him. “I’m perfectly aware of how bad things can get. Just look at our lord, when is he not either in the middle of a mess or getting shoved into a new one? It’s all knives in the dark and schemes and traps every step of the way. I know that.”
“And you still want to do this?” Ke Yongqian asked incredulously. “I didn’t think you were that loyal to the Minister.”
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
“It’s not about supporting the Minister, though I hardly mind being of use to him,” Hu Qing replied. “I just want to be recognized as the Lord of the Liang clan. It’s not that I want power or wealth, I’m not even interested in politics. But I never had a meal at the same table as my brother or any of my family members, you know?”
Ke Yongqian remained quiet, watching Hu Qing with a thoughtful look on his face.
“My mother never got a proper funeral because they needed to cover up the fact she even existed, and she certainly never got a plaque. Some older servants would help me burn paper money for her during the Qingming Festival, but I wasn’t allowed to make offerings to her or keep an altar in my room. I never minded much–I knew it was unfair, but it just didn’t seem to matter. My brother treated me well enough, and I didn’t care about this kind of thing anyways,” Hu Qing went on, the words spilling out as though they had a life of their own.
“Is that why you acted so weird about the plaque in the safe house?” Ke Yongqian asked.
Hu Qing fell silent.
“It was part of it,” he admitted after a moment. “I just realized that no matter how much my brother indulged me or acted kindly at times, if I died, I would never have a plaque. I’d be lucky if he even bothered to burn paper money for me once in a while.”
Liang Shen had been fond and affectionate at times, and no more than sharp-tongued and demeaning at his worst. But all of Hu Qing's good memories in the Liang household came from the scattered kindness one reserved for a pet. There was no dignity to it.
Hu Qing had been flippant about it for a long time, and even enjoyed it a little when his clansmen skittered uncomfortably around him, but it had begun to gnaw on him by the time he met Zhao Wenyuan and only escalated from there.
“So you’re taking revenge,” Ke Yongqian offered.
“That’s not it. I’m not trying to enact any vengeance here,” Hu Qing said, a little frustrated at how hard it was to explain what he wanted. Ke Yongqian had known him for years–the two of them entered the trade at around the same time, Hu Qing in the service of the Liang clan and Ke Yongqian in the service of the clan his mother married into as a concubine. They were on the same side in some instances and opposite sides in others, depending on the alliances their respective employers made and broke in court.
It was just how things worked in this trade. Ke Yongqian could land a good blow, and Hu Qing had never hesitated to break the other man’s bones when needed, but there had been no hard feelings between them. After his mother died and Ke Yongqian was cut off from his stepfather’s household, Hu Qing had included the other man in his jobs as much as possible, and Ke Yongqian had repaid that by having his back. Yet despite everything binding them together, Hu Qing couldn’t articulate to Ke Yongqian what he couldn’t make full sense of himself.
“Well, if this is what you want, I can understand. I just thought that you seemed pretty happy working for the Minister,” Ke Yongqian said.
“I am happy here,” Hu Qing said. “It’s just–he respects us more than anyone else we’ve ever worked for, but that’s because it’s him, the one guy willing to do that. For anyone else it’s completely different. I don’t want to just be on the receiving end for whatever scraps of dignity people are willing to give us, I want to be respected on my own terms.”
He reached over and swatted Ke Yongqian when he saw the other man was staring into the distance with a distant look in his eyes.
“Are you even listening?” Hu Qing demanded.
“When the need for food and clothing are satisfied, one comes to know honor and humiliation,” Ke Yongqian said thoughtfully. “I guess I can understand.”
Hu Qing nodded, suddenly feeling a little awkward. The feeling flitted away quickly.
“In any case, I guess I’ll be calling you Lord soon enough,” Ke Yongqian added after a moment.
Hu Qing let out a snort and the two fell into an amiable silence.
“Hu Qing,” a familiar voice rang out.
Ke Yongqian straightened to attention as Hu Qing raised a hand in greeting.
“Minister,” the two of them said in unison. Zhao Wenyuan nodded at them.
“There is a summons from the palace,” Zhao Wenyuan said. “Are you ready?”
Hu Qing took a deep breath and pushed himself off the windowsill.
“Yes,” he answered.
Zhao Wenyuan gave him an encouraging nod. “Good. It’ll pretty much be like what we talked about before. You’ll be going alone, but this is an official summons, so there’s not much they can do to you,” Wenyuan assured him.
“My brother will also be there,” Hu Qing surmised.
“Most likely. Remember, the Empress Dowager might not bring him out immediately, or at all, but it’s best to assume that he’ll know every word of what you said one way or another.”
Hu Qing nodded and straightened his robes before stretching out his arms.
“Do I look presentable?” Hu Qing demanded. The robes were of good quality and craftsmanship, but were much simpler than the embroidered brocade of officials, being spun of humbler material instead of silk. It was another careful design on Wenyuan’s part. Hu Qing may be the official heir to the Liang clan and its rightful Lord, but until that was confirmed by the palace, it would be presumptuous to act as though he were anything but a commoner.
“Very much so. You look good,” Wenyuan assured him. Hu Qing swiveled expectantly to Ke Yongqian, who grimaced at being forced to respond before offering a nod.
“Alright then, I guess I’ll be off,” Hu Qing said, his confidence faltering as he stepped forward.
“I’ll walk you to the carriage,” Wenyuan replied.
Hu Qing nodded and fell into step half a pace behind Wenyuan, Ke Yongqian following after them.
“You’ll do fine,” Wenyuan said, his voice filled with quiet certainty.
Hu Qing glanced at the Minister’s profile. “I’ll do my best,” he replied.
They exited into the Outer Quarters, where an eunuch and two Imperial Guards were already waiting.
“And here he is, Sir Zheng,” Wenyuan said, gesturing at Hu Qing. “This is all very sudden for him, so please take good care of him and give him some pointers.”
“Of course,” the eunuch replied, his face crinkling into a smile as Hu Qing bowed his head slightly.
“Greetings, Sir Zheng,” Hu Qing said politely. “I’ll be in your care.”
“You’re much too polite. It is my honor to escort you to the palace,” the eunuch said. “Then shall we?”
“Please, this way,” Wenyuan said amiably, stepping forward to lead them towards the exit.
“Your Grace, there’s no need for you to personally escort us,” the eunuch said.
“Not at all, I’m happy to do so,” Wenyuan replied.
Hu Qing watched the familiar rituals of etiquette play out, feeling strangely detached and intensely bound to the scene at once as he walked out of the Zhao household. He glanced up at its familiar rooftops. He wasn’t sure if he had already ran on them for the last time, but the answer was likely to be yes.
“Hu Qing,” Wenyuan’s voice cut into his thoughts, and Hu Qing glanced at the carriage that the eunuch was patiently waiting for him to get into.
“You’ll be fine,” Wenyuan said firmly.
“Thank you, my lord.” Hu Qing bowed his head slightly and got onto the carriage. The path had been paved for him pebble by pebble, and now he had to walk it.
----------------------------------------
Ke Yongqian glanced at Zhao Wenyuan. The young Lord maintained perfect decorum as the carriage pulled away, but there was a glint of something sharp and unbridled in his eyes as Hu Qing’s party disappeared beyond a corner.
Zhao Wenyuan breathed in deeply, a flash of pride surfacing as he lifted his chin. He turned away and entered the household, once again back to his usual demeanor. It was so slight and insignificant that Ke Yongqian would have missed it if he hadn’t been watching closely.
So that’s the person hiding beneath, Ke Yongqian noted as he followed Wenyuan in.
He cut off his train of thought and snapped to focus as an Imperial Investigator approached them.
“Investigator Li, I apologize for stepping away,” Wenyuan greeted him cordially.
Li Que bowed his head slightly. “Not at all, Minister. It appears that Minister Liang has also been summoned, I suppose he will have to answer for the lockdown. His actions have only fanned the flames, if he had remained still, the situation might not be against his favor to this extent.”
Ke Yongqian mentally translated the Investigator’s words. Minister Liang made a stupid mistake, and now he’s going to pay for it. A stupid mistake indeed, one that had been intricately designed for him to stumble right into.
“Indeed,” Wenyuan agreed, a tinge of regret in his voice.
“Given that he acted with impropriety during the investigation and has failed to provide explanation or justification, we have grounds to open an internal investigation against him or request his removal from the Grand Duke’s case,” Li Que explained to Wenyuan, as if the younger man did not know. “What would you like to do, Minister?”
They’re offering to add oil to the fire for him so blatantly, Ke Yongqian thought with wry amusement. Ke Yongqian had long since stopped being surprised at how much the Bureau seemed to back Zhao Wenyuan–the only thing that surprised him about it was that Zhao Wenyuan wasn’t even paying them to do it.
“I understand your reasoning, Investigator Li. Minister Liang was indeed in the wrong for failing to maintain clear lines of communication, but I do not believe an internal investigation or removal is necessary or the most appropriate response,” Wenyuan said.
Li Que nodded, prompting him to explain with a look of mild confusion.
“The lock down occurred in the archival building of the Ministry of Justice–if he felt that the security of the building or the investigation had been compromised, Minister Liang was well within his rights to call for one with the authority granted unto him by the court. Mistakes were made, certainly, but I’m sure he had a good reason for doing so. We need not assume the worst of him and attack him with accusations so hastily. To do so would only undermine our own authority in the long run. Who knows when we may face a similar situation?” Wenyuan explained, eyes and voice filled with earnest concern.
“I see, Your Grace truly is a man of foresight,” Li Que replied. “Your words are correct. If that is what you think is best, then we will follow your wishes.”
The Investigator seemed to think that Wenyuan was purposefully pulling his punches to avoid being suspected of a conflict of interest, given his ties to Hu Qing.
“Thank you for your understanding, Investigator Li,” Wenyuan said.
The act was very realistic–Ke Yongqian might even have been fooled if he didn’t know Zhao Wenyuan’s role in Minister Liang’s predicament.
This, too, is a trap, Ke Yongqian concluded. It either cemented Hu Qing’s reinstatement or paved the path for a future scheme, but Minister Liang had no say in how he was made use of. Ke Yongqian almost felt bad for him.
----------------------------------------
Cultural Notes
谁还敢娶她/Who would still dare to marry her?: A Chinese phrase often used by despairing parents, either because their daughter is unruly, does not conform or conventional norms, or has an ailment/controversy that damages her prospects (and thus her future). It can also be used for situations where the family itself is the problem, not the daughter.
抽其筋/Rip out [someone's] tendons: An Ancient Chinese phrase used to express the vehemence of one's hatred towards someone. It comes from a quote by Guo Ba, an official during the Wu Zetian era. When someone rebelled against the female Emperor, Guo Ba offered to lead an expedition to quell the revolt, stating his hatred for the rebel leader as "臣愿抽其筋,食其肉,饮其血,绝其髓/This official wishes to rip out his tendons, eat his flesh, drink his blood, and destroy even his bone marrow."
飞黄腾达/The galloping of the Flying Yellow [horse]: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to see quick ascension and success in life, as though one is riding on the back of the mythical horse, the Flying Yellow.
布衣/[Man of] rough cloth: An Ancient Chinese phrase and concept that refers to a commoner, as opposed to an official or noble who wears brocade.
清明节/Qingming Festival: A traditional Chinese festival in which one honors ones deceased ancestors and loved ones, often by sweeping their graves and making ritual offerings of food, incense, and paper money. After you're done paying your respects, then you might go on an outing with your family, or socialize with others. Qingming was also traditionally a day on which young men and women courted each other in some regions.
牌位/Plaque: A plaque with the name of a deceased family member was often kept in an altar, either inside or separate from one's residence, where one would offer incense and pay one's respects.
衣食足而知荣辱/When the need for food and clothing are satisfied, one comes to know honor and humiliation: An Ancient Chinese proverb from the pre-Qin era that describes how dignity and etiquette gain significance after one's basic needs are met.
火上浇油/Pouring oil on the fire: A Chinese saying meaning to exacerbate a situation, often by providing new "fuel" in some form.
有远见/[is] far-sighted: A Chinese phrase meaning that someone has foresight or that they are able to think about the long term consequences of their actions.