Character Index
Princess Ashina: A princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate and the daughter of Chuluo Khagan. After her father arranged for her to marry into the Wu Dynasty, she sneaked into the capital of Chang'an in order to scope out her future husband herself, eventually meeting Kayla/Wenyuan in a brothel after a series of misunderstandings.
Feng Yi: A good-natured merchant who was dragged into Kayla's plots after getting sent to the Zhao household to spy on Kayla by Liu Boyue. After Kayla spared him and gifted him some money, he faced Liu Boyue's attempt to silence him and subsequently became involved in Kayla's plan to drive a wedge between Xianchun and his strategist. Feng Yi later accepted Kayla's commission to sell communication devices in the provinces, unaware that Kayla was using him as bait to lure in inevitable trouble.
Shu Ling: One of Kayla's employees who was brought on by Hu Qing, she was sent to protect Feng Yi during his business trip.
Shen Liangjun: A Vice-Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, he went to handle Feng Yi's case in the provinces as part of an understanding between Kayla and the Third Prince (prior to Wei Guang's betrayal that forced Kayla to back down from the case). He is a member of the Third Prince's faction.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: The younger half-brother of Liang Shen/Minister Liang and the rightful heir of the Liang clan. After working for Kayla, he agreed to retake his birthright despite his previous disinterest in politics.
Xiang Daozong/Qu Boyong: Formerly known as Qu Boyong, he is the son of General Xiang and the Princess of Chu who sought revenge against the Grand Duke but had his plans thrown into disarray by Kayla's transmigration. He was reinstated due to Kayla's interference and is tied to Wei Guang in an arrangement where both are meant to keep the other under control, though Xiang Daozong is unaware of this.
Zhou Kuang: The Third Prince and the primary contender for the throne. Secretly allied with Wei Guang.
Ke Yongqian: One of Kayla's employees and a long-time acquaintance/friend of Hu Qing. He was sent to follow Hu Qing into the Liang household as part of Kayla's arrangements.
Tao Qian: One of Kayla's employees, a reliable young man who was brought onboard by Hu Qing.
Housekeeper Li: Formerly known as Matron Li, a female servant who bears great (maternalistic) affection for Wenyuan.
Liang Shen: The Minister of Justice and a supporter of the Seventh Prince. He is also the older half-brother of Hu Qing.
Sun Zhong'e: One of Kayla's employees, she has a broad skill-set that makes her a valuable asset.
Zhao Chao: One of Kayla's employees, a steadfast man who primarily serves as Kayla's bodyguard.
Li You: One of Kayla's employees who primarily serves as Kayla's bodyguard, he is more bloodthirsty and quick tempered than his coworkers.
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince and one of the primary contenders for the throne. He was involved in the death of the Grand Duke.
Liu Boyue: The Seventh Prince's strategist and childhood friend. His relationship with Xianchun was challenged by the revelation of what he did behind Xianchun's back, thanks to Kayla's plot with Feng Yi.
Wei Guang: The Imperial Edict Bearer and Kayla's godfather. Their relationship has changed from a paternalistic one to a (mostly) equal partnership after Wei Guang's betrayal.
Sixth Princess: A sickly young woman who is wheelchair bound. She has the backing of the steppe tribes and holds great symbolic influence if not any political influence.
Cao Shuyi: The Third Prince's wife and left-hand woman. She often serves as a tempering force for her husband's more competitive urges.
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Attendants moved to and fro outside the quarters of Princess Ashina, busy with their duties. The door was drawn and they knew better than to carelessly interrupt. In contrast to the bustle outside, the princess’ quarters were quiet, save for the steady rhythm of her closest attendant’s voice.
“And that’s the end of the report,” the attendant finished, setting down the scroll. “The agents worked hard to get this information to us as fast as they can–I have no doubt that we’ll receive news of Liang Hongfei’s official reinstatement soon.”
Princess Ashina lifted her chin slightly, covering her smile with a dour expression and not fooling her attendant in the slightest.
“That fiance of mine has certainly been keeping busy,” she said. “I hadn’t thought the Wu dynasty’s Empress Dowager would let him go to jail–did they forget he’s meant to marry me?”
“The charges were dropped rather quickly,” the attendant offered, careful to keep the fond amusement out of her voice. “And he’s even a Lord now, isn’t that a good thing?”
“Are you sure that the Xiang guy–what was his name, anyways, that man’s reinstatement was Zhao Wenyuan’s doing?” Ashina asked, ignoring the attendant’s comment.
“Our agents believe so, given that he was the one who benefited from it most and immediately. In any case, the situation with Liang Hongfei is almost certainly his doing,” the attendant explained.
“That Liang Hongfei, you said he was Wenyuan’s closest retainer?” Ashina frowned slightly, her brows furrowing in thought. “I don’t remember hearing about him before.”
“Indeed, we don’t know much about him except for his lineage and relationship with Lord Zhao,” the attendant explained. “We have very little information on the life he led as Hu Qing, or at least his lifestyle prior to entering Lord Zhao’s service.”
Ashina straightened instantly, an irritated glint in her eye. “Wasn’t he the one who went with Zhao Wenyuan to the brothel?” Ashina demanded. “He’s a cut-sleeve, what kind of relationship could the two of them possibly have?”
“That’s not what I meant,” the attendant hastily assured her. “Liang Hongfei is Lord Zhao’s right-hand man, and that’s all there is. There’s no need for worry.”
Ashina looked appeased. “I wasn’t worried! So now that man will be a Lord as well? My fiance sure knows how to buy loyalty.”
Her attendant lowered her head slightly to bite back a smile. Ever since her first meeting with Zhao Wenyuan, which should have been disastrous given the circumstances, the princess had contrarily developed a strange fondness for her husband-to-be. It was a great relief for everyone, her attendants most of all, many of them having watched the princess grow up. They had been horrified when their headstrong princess had been the one selected for the political marriage, but her lack of open displeasure was already more than they could have hoped for.
“He’s a capable man, he’ll surely have a bright future,” the attendant said gently. “He may be a little eccentric, but didn’t he already promise to do whatever you ask for? I’m sure the two of you will make an excellent pair.”
Ashina scoffed, but didn’t look displeased.
“Eccentric? I’m no politician, but I grew up at court. I’ve seen enough schemers and upstarts to know that Zhao Wenyuan isn’t just a little strange or something like that, he’s a wild beast in human skin. How else could he have clawed his way up so quickly in only six months after having no more presence than a lump of dirt for his entire life? What we know about him is damning enough–and how many of his plots do we not know about?” Ashina muttered, a look of mixed pensiveness and petulance on her face.
Her attendant frowned slightly in concern before quickly moving to assuage the princess. “Well, Your Highness, what good is a man without ambition?”
“I didn’t say it was a bad thing! It’s not like I can’t handle him,” Ashina bit back defensively. Her attendant nodded appeasingly.
“It’s just…I thought my father had lost his mind when he arranged for me to marry Zhao Wenyuan, especially with all the rumors about him being a cut-sleeve and a weak-willed coward. After meeting the man, I thought that father wasn’t so off the mark after all, since Zhao Wenyuan was at least decent enough to make do. But now…” The princess trailed off, her face twisting into a pout.
“Yes?” The attendant prompted worriedly.
“I’m starting to think…maybe father isn’t in his right mind after all,” Ashina muttered. “And even if he is, Zhao Wenyuan is more dangerous than he thinks.”
“My princess,” the attendant said in alarm. “Then do you not wish to marry him after all?”
“I don’t wish to marry anyone,” Ashina said bitterly. “But if I have to marry, Zhao Wenyuan isn’t too bad of a choice. I just don’t know if things will work out. Father wants Zhao Wenyuan to be his chess piece within the Wu dynasty, but someone who rises this quickly might fall even faster. What happens then?”
“Then you take him back here and he can live as your Prince Consort,” the attendant offered.
Ashina relaxed slightly at the jest. It was implausible under normal circumstances, but comforting nonetheless.
“You’re right,” she said lightly. “We could just do that.”
She offered her attendant a radiant smile and picked up the report again to read through for a second time.
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Feng Yi stared up at the ceiling, frustration and anxiety rising and ebbing in his stomach. His statement had been taken by the task force sent from the Court of Judicial Review, but for both safety and the sanctity of the investigation, he wasn’t allowed to leave Jiangxia Commandery just yet. Waiting was a painful endeavor, but he had faith in Zhao Wenyuan’s arrangements. The lead investigator was, after all, the young Minister’s subordinate.
Shu Ling sat at the table, dutifully continuing her guard duty despite the security provided by the investigators. Her presence was solid and steady, and Feng Yi was grateful for her being there. He was startled out of his blanked out state by an uncharacteristic string of angry curses from Shu Ling.
“What?” Feng Yi asked, sitting up straight on the bed. Shu Ling grimly set down her communication device.
“Hu Qing has been made a Lord,” Shu Ling repeated the words, an edge of irritation in her voice.
“Congratulations! What a step up in life!” Feng Yi offered cheerfully. His tone faltered at the look on his companion’s face. “What’s the matter? Is something wrong?”
“No,” Shu Ling spat the word out venomously. “They told us not to worry about anything and just comply with the investigation here.”
Feng Yi’s brows furrowed in confusion as he tried to piece together what was upsetting the usually stoic woman. “Is there something wrong with the investigation?” He hurriedly thought back to the testimonies he had given, running through his wording to see if he had said anything wrong.
“You don’t understand it, do you?” Shu Ling asked quietly. She glanced over to him. “We’ve been abandoned.”
“What? What do you mean? The case is still ongoing, isn’t it?” Feng Yi asked in bewilderment.
“Yes, and look who’s in charge of it! Vice-Minister Shen Liangjun, the Third Prince’s man!” Shu Ling let out an angry huff in frustration. “I had thought the Minister would take charge again once he had regained his footing after being released from prison, but he hasn’t. He’s had the time and effort to reinstate two separate Lords, but not to interfere in the investigation. Don’t you realize what that means? This case is being gifted to the Third Prince.”
“That can’t be it,” Feng Yi said in alarm. “The Minister’s not that type of person! Why would he allow us to use his name to protect ourselves if he was going to toss us aside?”
“We’ve received basically no contact from the capital except to notify us of key events, and no instructions about what to do either,” Shu Ling said. “That doesn’t just go for you, but me and the other guys as well. We may work for the Minister, but we were hired by Hu Qing. And what happens to us now that the man’s come into his own?”
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Then what does–what does this mean?” Feng Yi asked, his heart already starting to hammer in his chest. He could feel his heart filling to the brim with a cold, dark fear that sent chills through his body. The memory of a blade plunging forward through the shadows, flashing moonlight off its silvery surface, and coins scattering like rainfall flashed into his mind, intermingling with the phantom echoes of a prince’s violent rage.
“Calm down,” Shu Ling’s voice curtly cut into his spiraling thoughts. She frowned and got up, making her way over to peer at him closely.
“Calm down,” she repeated, a tinge of exasperation in her voice. “You’re covered in sweat. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“You-you were the one who said–” Feng Yi choked out, trying to cover his embarrassment.
“Hu Qing assured me that the Minister won’t let us come to harm, and I believe him,” Shu Ling said. “But that doesn’t mean we won’t be made use of and pulled here and there like shadow puppets in a show. I know that the Minister would have used this case to start a local investigation and then spread it as far and wide as he can go, but our role would have finished quite neatly and simply. But the Third Prince? He wants power–he wants the throne. He’ll squeeze every last drop he can out of this without shame or hesitation, and that means our role just got a lot more troublesome.”
“The Minister said we would be fine, I trust him,” Feng Yi said, his fingers subconsciously reaching into his sleeve where a torn brocade money pouch was tucked securely.
Shu Ling sat down on the bed next to him, letting out a resigned sigh.
“We’ll have to hope he can even remember that promise,” Shu Ling said in a distant voice. “Power changes people. He was a good employer and Hu Qing was a reliable man, but now that they’ve become Lords? Only the gods may tell what they’ll become.”
“They won’t ever be like the scum we’ve met here,” Feng Yi said with vitriol, his anger reignited at the mere thought of the local elites he’d had to deal with.
Shu Ling didn’t answer for a while. “The Grand Duke wasn’t always a bad official either. When he was young, before he got mixed up in the whole succession struggle, he had a good reputation. But look at what he became,” she murmured, still seeming deep in thought.
“The Minister’s different,” Feng Yi insisted. “He saved me thrice over and even gave me this opportunity, even though I made a mess out of it.”
Shu Ling turned and gave him a long look that left Feng Yi uncomfortably shifting under her eyes.
“What?” Feng Yi asked.
Shu Ling shook her head and got up, moving back to her original spot a respectable distance away.
“Nothing,” she finally said. “Don’t worry about it too much, I’m sure it’ll be fine.” She stood from the table and left the room without another word, leaving a befuddled Feng Yi alone.
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Kayla walked into the Western Garden, nodding at the eunuch she passed on her way in. She didn’t recognize the man, but she was almost certain that he supported the Seventh Prince. Hu Qing was going through the paperwork to reclaim his birthright as she walked, with Ke Yongqian and Housekeper Li there to help him. Sun Zhong’e and Tao Qian were also there on standby, leaving only Zhao Chao and Li You to supplement Kayla’s security detail. Even if things didn’t go perfectly, she didn’t see it going so badly that Hu Qing’s ample backup couldn’t keep things under control.
Xianchun, on the other hand, now that was a different story. Kayla couldn’t bring her guards into the Outer Palace, but Xianchun also couldn’t do anything that crossed the line without the Imperial Investigators stationed nearby interfering. The Bureau’s core staff had all, with varying degrees of reluctance, subtly acquiesced their willingness to ally with Kayla after watching her recent moves with close scrutiny.
Xianchun–or at least Liu Boyue should know that neither of us can make a move here, is that why he chose this place?
Kayla kept going until she ventured into a secluded spot behind a decorative rock mountain. It was shielded by large leaf fronds from every side, the perfect place for a secret meeting. The leaves swayed gently in the warm wind, their shadows dancing over Kayla’s face. Bathed in evening light, the Western Garden felt as though it didn’t exist on the mortal plane.
“Dancing with the shadows, it seems unlike the mortal realm,” Kayla muttered under her breath, taking in the brief moment of tranquility almost desperately, trying to savor it before it faded into the endless stream of chaos and confusion.
“You’re certainly in a poetic mood,” Xianchun’s voice cut into Kayla’s thoughts. She turned, bowing to greet the prince.
“My prince,” Kayla said politely.
Xianchun waved off her formalities, glancing around the area. “Unlike the mortal realm? Your gardens should be finer than this.”
Kayla chose not to reply. The Zhao household was a gorgeous estate, but its grandeur belonged to a dead tyrant and its beauty to Wenyuan. She owned it, but she didn’t belong there.
Thankfully, Xianchun wasn’t interested in pressing the matter. “What poem was that from? I’m not familiar with it.”
“Oh, the lines just…came to me. I don’t remember who exactly wrote it,” Kayla replied a little awkwardly. “Maybe it was a translation of a foreign poem?” Sorry Su Shi, but I can’t namedrop a Song dynasty writer now, can I?
Xianchun shrugged, his curiosity fading. “You’ve always been interested in foreign cultures, I suppose it’s for the better given your upcoming marriage. You’ll have more common ground with the princess.”
“Thank you, my prince.”
“Only a little more than a month before your wedding, no? To think that out of the two of us, you would be the one to marry first,” Xianchun said wryly.
I’m also surprised, ok? You already had a harem by this point in time in the novel. Guess you just weren’t busy enough. At least he didn’t seem to be in too bad of a mood at the moment. She could only hope that it lasted, unlikely as it was. Hu Qing was undermining one of the pillars of Xianchun’s faction–even if he let it go for the moment, Xianchun would be vicious in his vengeance.
“I also didn’t expect this, I hadn’t even pictured myself getting married before the engagement was arranged for me,” Kayla said, keeping her tone light and casual in an attempt to maintain the easy pace of the conversation.
“Well, you’ve adjusted your plans nicely to match,” Xianchun replied. “You’re certainly moving fast, aren’t you?”
Damn. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy.
“Do you speak of the investigation, my prince?” Kayla asked.
Xianchun glanced at her, eyes sharp and accusing. “Don’t play the fool with me, Wenyuan. We both know better.”
“Then please enlighten me, Your Highness. I’m rather lost on what you speak of, but I’m happy to address your grievances however I can,” Kayla replied, keeping her cool to the best of her ability. She had expected this to come sooner or later ever since dragging Xianchun into the Grand Duke’s death. There was only so long she could keep feeding the tiger on both sides before one of them inevitably opened its maw to bite her.
“Just how far do you intend to go, Wenyuan?” Xianchun asked instead of answering her.
“I don’t understand what you mean, my prince,” Kayla replied.
“You used me to kill the Grand Duke,” Xianchun said. The blunt accusation took Kayla a little by surprise.
“I asked you for help to complete my revenge, and you were gracious enough to join hands with me,” Kayla corrected him. Xianchun went on as though he didn’t hear her.
“You made Xiang Daozong a lord, and now you’ve made Hu Qing a lord as well,” Xianchun said, stepping closer. His shadow fell over Kayla, and she had to bite back an instinctive reaction of fear.
“You’ve been able to play the palace and the court by your whims, so now you think you can decide the next Emperor?”
Kayla hastily took a step back, giving Xianchun a wounded look.
“Of course not, my prince! I would not dare think such a thing!”
Xianchun fixed her with a steely gaze. “You dare to manipulate a prince, murder a court official, and deceive the Emperor, and yet you don’t dare to have such thoughts? Who do you think you’re fooling here?”
“What are you talking about, my prince?” Kayla shot back. “If you believe me to be guilty, then I have no choice but to submit to an investigation if that would grant you peace of mind.”
She met Xianchun’s stare head on. He couldn’t investigate her. There was nothing he could uncover without screwing himself over.
“Do you even realize how close you are to following in your grandfather’s footsteps?” Xianchun snarled. “The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review who murdered the last clan head and thinks he can decide the country’s future–you’re making the exact same transgressions as he did! Just because I was foolish enough to fall for your pathetic little act doesn’t mean I’ll just stand by and let it happen!”
He stepped closer still, eyes burning with murderous rage. “If we really dig into it, was my mother really murdered by him?”
“Of course she was,” Kayla bit back. “You’ve known that for years, don’t tell me you doubt it now just because of the matter with Hu Qing! Is the position of Lord Liang really so important to you that you can even flip black and white?!”
“Don’t try to change the topic!” Xianchun snapped. “I was a fool to believe in you!”
He stopped himself, realizing that his voice was getting too loud. Xianchun shot Kayla a disparaging glance. “And you were a fool to believe in Wei Guang.”
Fuck, that old bastard has a foot on both boats?!
Kayla carefully kept herself from reacting. It was as likely to be a bluff as it was to be the truth. Kuang’s magnanimity had its limits, and Wei Guang would be pushing it very far if he really had been two-timing.
Stay calm, Kayla. If it’s true, you have more ammunition against Wei Guang with the Third Prince. If it’s false, then you have nothing to worry about.
“Why do you say that, my prince? Though we have no ties of blood, he is my godfather after all,” Kayla said innocently.
“He was the one who warned me to watch your dealings in the North,” Xianchun said bluntly.
“I have no dealings in the North,” Kayla said in innocent bewilderment.
Not yet, I don’t. She had expected, and even hoped to some extent, that Xianchun would focus on Liang Shen, but it evidently wasn’t enough of a distraction to confound Liu Boyue from Kayla’s true goals.
“Perhaps you don’t have any at the moment, but you will soon enough. You’re meeting with Sixth Sister in three days’ time, are you not? Sister-in-law wasn’t trying too hard to keep it under wraps,” Xianchun said.
“That hardly means anything. It’s important for me to be on good terms with the steppe tribes, especially considering what my marriage stands for. I’m not marrying the princess because I want to, I’m marrying her because the political alliance requires it,” Kayla insisted.
“Don’t try to act as though you’re making a noble sacrifice,” Xianchun bit out the words disdainfully. “You’re the one who benefits the most from it! Zhao Wenyuan, I had hoped that you would be just in the succession struggle, after all your claims to neutrality, but you’ve let me down.”
“I’m sorry that I’ve given you cause to doubt my loyalty, my prince,” Kayla began. Xianchun cut her off.
“Don’t expect that I’ll allow you to succeed. You may fool my father, but neither me nor Third Brother will fall for your act,” Xianchun said. “Third Brother may make use of you for now, but we’ll see how long that lasts.”
Kayla felt something click at the back of her mind. An uncontrollable rush of adrenaline seized her limbs, and her mouth was moving before she could stop herself.
“You think I’m the threat? Me?” She scoffed in disbelief. “Tell me, when was the last time you looked in the mirror?”
“What?” Xianchun hissed.
Shit shit shit, Kayla cursed in her mind. But she had already gotten started, and the only way out was through.
“If you really think I am a threat to you and to this dynasty, then please go on,” Kayla said, spreading her arms out plaintively. “Kill me.”
She met Xianchun’s stunned expression with a defiant look.
“Well, my prince? Go on.”
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Cultural Notes
天南地北/South of the sky north of the earth: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to far distances or a wide variety of geographic locations.
断袖/Cut-sleeve: An Ancient Chinese euphemism for homosexuality, based on the story of a Han dynasty Emperor who cut his own sleeve off to avoid disturbing his lover, who had fallen asleep on it.
收买人心/Buying people's hearts: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to buy people's goodwill, support, or loyalty, often through insincere acts of kindness or material benefits.
人面兽心/Face of a human heart of a beast: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to someone who appears decent or normal on the surface but is either extremely fierce, cruel, or unhinged underneath.
驸马/Prince Consort: The official title of a man who marries a princess and thus becomes her consort.
江夏/Jiangxia Commandery: An administrative region south of the capital.
皮影戏/Shadow puppets: Refers to the traditional Chinese folk theatre where performers marionette colorful silhouette figures to move across the screen, accompanied by music and singing in most cases, in order to show a story. For more information, you can check out "Chinese shadow puppetry" on UNESCO or on Youtube.
起舞弄清影，何似在人间/Dancing with the shadows, it seems [entirely] unlike the mortal realm: Famous lines from the even more famous poem "水调歌头-明月几时有/Shuidiaogetou-How often does the bright moon shine" by the Song dynasty poet Su Shi/苏轼, who was also an official, foodie, and scholar. Shuidiaogetou refers to the melody by which the poem was originally set, allowing performers to sing the lines as lyrics. This poem is so famous that pretty much everyone in China knows it, and it was further popularized by a pop song that used it for the lyrics (does NOT follow the traditional melody. Not actually a bad song but it sparks an instinctive feral urge in me due to teachers who played it one too many times in the background during a very stressful final exam period).
雅兴/Refined interest: Also translates to aesthetic mood or poetic mood, this Ancient Chinese phrase refers to more artistic urges.
看来是不够忙/Looks like you're just not busy enough: A snarky quip that's often used on the Chinese internet, or by parents who are irritated by their children's antics. Another variation is "looks like you're just not hungry enough" for when a kid doesn't want to eat their food and wants McDonalds instead.
颠倒黑白/Flip black and white: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to reverse right and wrong.
脚踩两条船/Stepping on two boats: A popular phrase used to mean two-timing in a romantic relationship, but is also used for non-romantic relationships where two-timing is involved.
夺嫡/Succession struggle: Literally translates into "fighting over the di position", it refers to the succession struggle between princes and sometimes Archdukes in Ancient China over the seat of Crown Prince. Though the Empress' son should technically have the di (aka legitimate heir) position of Crown Prince as the most legitimate child, this was not always the case, and especially not so when there was more than one son of the Empress or when the Empress had no sons of her own. As such, the position of the di heir was up for grabs.