Character Index
Qu Boyong/Xiang Daozong: The son of General Xiang and the Princess of Chu, he sought revenge against the Grand Duke for the extermination of his clan, first going undercover in the Zhao household and then working for Kayla. He participated in forcing the Grand Duke to commit suicide.
An Haoyang: A former Imperial Investigator who was sent to infiltrate the Bureau in order to gain access to intel, he resigned after coming under suspicion. He has fought and lost against Hu Qing twice prior.
Ji Fangluo: The daughter of Ji Yantao, a strong-willed woman who chose to take her father's place in the revenge plot against the Grand Duke. She is several months pregnant, having left her husband and kids at home to come bail out her father.
Chujiao/Jing Shuyou: Xiang Daozong's cousin and Wenyuan's childhood friend/personal serving girl. She was sent to infiltrate the Zhao household at a very young age, upon which she was granted the name of Chujiao by Wenyuan's mother, along with a red jade necklace. In the original timeline, she contributed to Wenyuan's death despite being in love with him, which Kayla attributed to Chujiao being deceived or manipulated.
Ji Yantao: A kindly but weak-willed man who is the father of Ji Fangluo and the former accountant of the Xiang clan. He was roped into helping Qu Boyong with his revenge plot, but suffered from PTSD and severe anxiety due to the trauma of losing his wife and unborn child during the extermination of the Xiang clan.
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince, he worked together with Kayla to force the Grand Duke to kill himself after being convinced that Kayla was on his side.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Kayla's retainer and the younger brother of Minister Liang, he is the rightful heir to the Liang clan.
Wei Guang: The Imperial Edict Bearer and Kayla's godfather, deeply trusted by the Emperor and detested by the Empress Dowager.
Steward Liu: Wei Guang's loyal steward, he is deeply trusted by his master and has a very unassuming countenance.
Chen Caichun: A Chamberlain of the Court of Judicial Review and Kayla's supporter. She is the younger sister of Imperial Investigator Chen Jian.
Sun Ruhui: The Left Secretariat of Justice and Kayla's supporter.
Ke Yongqian: One of Kayla's employees, he worked with Hu Qing on preparing for the coup against the Grand Duke.
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Qu Boyong stepped through the gate of his temporary residence as the sun began to rise. He had taken the long way back as a precaution, even though no one had followed him. An Haoyang and Ji Fangluo awaited him inside, while Jing Shuyou and Ji Yantao were still at the Seventh Prince’s household, where Xianchun would surely notify them of the Grand Duke’s death.
His feet felt heavy with each step he took – his revenge should have felt cathartic or at least satisfying, but Qu Boyong was just exhausted. The whole night had felt as though he was living through the events under someone else’s skin, watching and speaking under a formless weight. The sadistic glee he had felt for a few brief moments was not enough to balance out the inexplicable weariness.
As he stepped into the house, An Haoyang shot up from his seat to greet Qu Boyong, eyes wide with anticipation.
“Young lord!” An Haoyang said eagerly. Behind him, Ji Fangluo slowly rose from her seat, one hand on her baby bump.
Qu Boyong wordlessly retrieved a blood-stained scrap of cloth from his robes.
“It is done,” Qu Boyong announced. An Haoyang let out a cry of relief and Ji Fangluo relaxed into a smile. Qu Boyong held out the cloth for them to see–it was a worn-out rag, and one could barely tell that it was once a corner of General Xiang’s battle cape. Qu Boyong had kept the scrap with him for years, unable to either discard it or burn it as an offering. It had constantly served as a reminder of his goal. Now, his revenge was finally complete.
“If General Xiang had knowledge of your actions from beneath the Nine Springs, he would surely be elated!” An Haoyang exclaimed.
Qu Boyong gave a grim smile, clenching the blood-stained cloth close to his chest. No one had seen him complete the small, symbolic ritual, and for the better. Even if they were allies, Qu Boyong didn’t want to leave any openings.
“Will you burn that as an offering, young lord?” Ji Fangluo asked. Qu Boyong’s smile became genuine as he shook his head.
“No, I will keep this as a reminder of all I have endured getting thus far,” Qu Boyong said firmly. “Even though I will be returning to my life as Xiang Daozong, this will keep me from forgetting what it was like to live as Qu Boyong.”
Ji Fangluo nodded, settling back into her seat with the slow, weighted movements of a heavily pregnant woman.
“Congratulations, young lord, on behalf of all three generations of my family,” she said, a hand over her stomach.
Qu Boyong vaguely sensed that she was setting the stage for her departure, but it no longer mattered. In any case, she was close to giving birth. The political battle that came next did not concern her.
Still a little in disbelief at how suddenly success had come to him, Qu Boyong let the tension drain out of his shoulders. Almost as though in response, his communication talisman showed a new message. Qu Boyong pulled it out to take a look, his brow furrowing in confusion as he saw it was from the Seventh Prince.
Zhao Wenyuan has been arrested by the Bureau. Lay low and take no action.
Qu Boyong felt his mind go blank for a moment. Arrested? Zhao Wenyuan? Panic surged in his chest.
Why did they arrest him? Are they coming after me next? How much evidence do they have?
Cursing under his breath, Qu Boyong took out the blood-stained cloth he had tucked into his sleeve.
“What’s wrong?” An Haoyang asked in concern.
“Zhao Wenyuan was arrested,” Qu Boyong said grimly. “We’ll have to lie low until we figure out what’s going on.”
“Arrested? What, just now?”
“Yes. The Bureau took him.”
Qu Boyong stepped forward to the hearth, letting loose a string of curses as he tossed the cloth into the flames.
“Will we be in danger?” Ji Fangluo asked.
“I don’t know,” Qu Boyong replied. It depended on what the Bureau found, and how much Wenyuan chose to say. All of it was out of his hands.
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“Tell me this, do you know Wenyuan’s courtesy name?” Wei Guang asked.
Hu Qing frowned, looking at the Imperial Edict Bearer in confusion.
“What? The Minister’s courtesy name? What does that have to do with anything?”
“His courtesy name is Anduo, An for peace and Duo for warning bell. I helped his mother come up with it from The Analects, using the quote ‘The heavens will use the master as a wooden warning bell’. It was chosen to emphasize his mother’s hopes for her child’s future as a warning bell that protected the peace of the dynasty,” Wei Guang said.
At Hu Qing’s incredulous expression, Wei Guang shook his head slightly.
“It is just as your father gave you the courtesy name of Taixu because he wished for you to be as broad-hearted as the universe itself, and to enjoy the same solemn respect as your namesake,” Wei Guang commented. “If you really had been satisfied living your life as a fun-chasing retainer under the indulgent command of your brother or Wenyuan, you would surely be considered unworthy of that courtesy name. The same goes for Wenyuan. If he is unable to live up to his namesake, then it is as unfilial as it would be for him to pre-emptively end his own life.”
“So you’re saying he should be prepared to suffer through anything just because of his name?” Hu Qing asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.
“Wenyuan lived his life dressed in brocade and eating from jade plates–how do you think he was able to do that? His lifestyle and his education, all of it was supported by the people’s tax money and the court’s revenues, how can he refuse his duties?” Wei Guang said evenly. “If the best thing for the dynasty’s future is that he is arrested and imprisoned, then that is what he must endure.”
“That’s what I don’t understand, Your Grace,” Hu Qing said pointedly. “Why? My lord has worked with you well, has he not? He has honored you as his godfather and followed your advice. Is he not of more use to you outside than in a cell?”
“Not at the moment. The best thing he can do for the dynasty at the moment is to stay out of the way in the upcoming storm. That may seem unfair to you, but in any case, it was Wenyuan who started me on this path,” Wei Guang remarked.
“What?” Hu Qing gave him an incredulous look. “On the path to get him imprisoned?”
“Wenyuan was the one who told me that the Seventh Prince is unsuitable for the throne when he came to live in my household,” Wei Guang said. “From there on, I made observations of my own and came to the same conclusion as he did; Lady Lin’s divination only emphasized the urgency of the situation. Would it not stand that I would choose to act rather than sit and watch events unfold?”
“But if the two of you share the same goals, then you should’ve included him in your plans rather than backstabbing him, no?” Hu Qing asked. “How can he possibly be more useful in a cell?”
Wei Guang shook his head, a look of mild exasperation on his face. “You do not play chess, do you?”
Hu Qing ignored the jab at his limited education. “Since when did you start working with the Third Prince?”
“When the Third Prince gained control over the Ministry of War,” Wei Guang replied without hesitation, with no hint of shame or nervousness in his voice. Hu Qing felt his temper flare once again and forcibly tamped it down.
“For that long?” Hu Qing asked through gritted teeth. “Then you planned all this, didn’t you? From the coup to the Seventh Prince’s involvement!”
“You overestimate me,” Wei Guang replied. “All I did was match myself to his plans–Wenyuan is the one who put all this together.“
“You–!”
“Calm yourself, Liang Hongfei,” Wei Guang said. Hu Qing jolted at the sudden use of his birth name.
“I do not wish to harm my godson, despite how circumstances may appear. As I have already said, whether or not he can emerge from this unscathed depends on his own mettle. The path of his future is far more dangerous than what he has encountered so far–if he lacks the luck and ability to pull himself out, then it would be better to have him bow out now rather than allow him to walk into a mess he cannot handle,” Wei Guang said. “Hongfei, if the heavens wish to give great responsibility to someone, they would first test his will, tire his limbs, starve his body, and raise barriers to his every move. In that way, they can shake his mindset so that he will gain resilience and awaken greater abilities. Only in time will you come to understand the wisdom of my decision.”
Hu Qing carefully peered at Wei Guang’s face. The old man’s words seemed to be genuine, which meant Wei Guang was either an incredible liar or seriously believed in what he said.
Just because he believes it doesn’t mean it’s true, Hu Qing thought in annoyance. I’ll have to let Sun Ruhui and Chen Caichun mull this over–they can surely figure out the situation.
“That’s all I have to say on Wenyuan’s situation,” Wei Guang said with finality. “Hongfei, what will you do?”
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“I'll get him out of prison,” Hu Qing replied immediately.
“I am referring to the matter of your birthright,” Wei Guang said. “Will you insist on placing all your hopes on Wenyuan? He is not the only one who can help you.”
Hu Qing shot him an annoyed look. “Thank you, but I’m not interested in your help.”
“I speak of the Third Prince,” Wei Guang said, holding up a hand to stop Hu Qing from replying. “And you won’t be able to reject him so directly–I advise you to begin thinking about how you will respond.”
Hu Qing kept his face blank, masking his unease.
“That’s all I have to say to you,” Wei Guang said. “Please take your leave now.”
Sensing that he would get no more out of the Imperial Edict Bearer, Hu Qing gave him a curt nod.
“Then I’ll be off,” Hu Qing replied.
He left the study, not even blinking as the steward stepped out from a dark corner to guide him out of the household.
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Ke Yongqian glanced up as Hu Qing appeared on the rooftop. He stepped back, making room for Hu Qing to jump down.
“You came back,” Ke Yongqian said in relief.
“Yes, but the situation is still unclear,” Hu Qing said. “Did you guys finish up yet?”
“We’ve cleaned up the evidence, and now it’s just a normal funeral. They’d have a hard time finding anything useful beneath all the paper money and incense smoke,” Ke Yongqian replied. “Do you reckon they’ll search the household?”
“Of course they will,” Hu Qing replied. “But from what Wei Guang said, I don't think I'll be arrested–which means they also don’t want to really get to the bottom of this, we just need to know what they’re aiming for.”
“Did the Imperial Edict Bearer give us anything?” Ke Yongqian asked.
“He did, but I need to talk with the Left Secretariat and the Chamberlain to make sense of it,” Hu Qing said.
“These officials act as though they’ll die if they don’t talk in circles,” Ke Yongqian grumbled.
Hu Qing frowned pensively. “They really might die if they don’t,” he muttered. “Anyways, I’ll go make the call, you keep an eye on things here.”
He patted Ke Yongqian on the shoulder before ducking into a storeroom and activating a privacy talisman.
The communication device connected in record time.
“Hu Qing, did you manage to meet with the Imperial Edict Bearer?” Chen Caichun asked immediately.
“Yes, no one even tried to stop me. I don’t think anyone knows about what happened other than the steward and Wei Guang,” Hu Qing said, launching into a more-or-less word-for-word recounting of the conversation.
“I don’t understand the fuss about the Minister’s courtesy name, it seems to me that he’s just trying to justify himself,” Hu Qing added on his own take at the end. “But he’s rather insistent on keeping the Minister out of the arena after we’ve so painstakingly arranged everything.”
“The Imperial Edict Bearer probably brought up the Minister’s courtesy name as a reminder of the palace’s role in all this,” Sun Ruhui said, frowning thoughtfully. “More likely than not, the Imperial Princess submitted the Minister’s given name and courtesy name to the palace before he was even born, along with a set of female names in case the child was a girl–a declaration of determination and loyalty if you would. The hopes and aspirations she had for the Minister would have been clear to the palace, and that may very well have been one of the reasons why he was allowed to survive childhood.”
“But the Minister’s a maternal nephew to begin with,” Hu Qing said with a frown.
“Of the Zhao clan,” Sun Ruhui pointed out. “The Imperial Princess must have seen what happened to the sons of the other Archdukes and feared for her own child’s life. If we also carefully consider the palace’s interests, then surely the Imperial Edict Bearer’s intentions will become clear.”
Chen Caichun, who had been quiet all the while, finally lifted her chin from where she propped it on her hand.
“I think I understand the situation now,” Chen Caichun said. "By doing this, the Third Prince can become the sole beneficiary of the power vacuum. The Seventh Prince wouldn’t be able to make a move while under such scrutiny, and Qu Boyong could not make a move even if he wanted to. With the Minister gone, the neutral faction can only follow Wei Guang’s lead and support the Third Prince.”
“Yes, and that’s not all–the Imperial Edict Bearer is doing this to gain the Third Prince the people’s support,” Sun Ruhui explained.
“It is as they say, ‘Those who can gain the hearts of the people can gain all under heaven.’ Right now, the military supports the Third Prince, but the people are ambivalent. They don’t care who becomes Crown Prince so long as it does not devolve into civil war," Chen Caichun added.
“He’s playing with fire,” Sun Ruhui murmured with a frown. “A Crown Prince that is too well-loved will only gain the throne’s distrust.”
“Yes, but with the military’s backing and the people’s adoration, the throne would be hard-pressed to move against him,” Chen Caichun explained. “The battle for Crown Prince was never just to select the best candidate–as I’ve said before, this was to cull the clans’ influence. From the very start, the palace was borrowing another one’s knife to commit murder.”
“So that’s why he needs outside support,” Hu Qing said in realization. “Otherwise, he won’t be granted a win until the clans are culled, they’ll just keep raising up new enemies to balance him out until they’re satisfied with the results!”
“Exactly,” Chen Caichun said. “But the Minister mentioned that Lady Lin’s visions showed the Seventh Prince’s success even though the desired results hadn’t been reached. That simply means that outside factors came into play. Think about it, how long would it take to bring the clans into line if you’re based in the capital? But if they directly intervene with the provinces, the Princes would be put under scrutiny. By stepping in where we left off, the Third Prince can use us as a justification. That must surely be why they’ve chosen this course of action.”
“So they’d sacrifice the Minister?” Hu Qing asked.
“Not necessarily,” Sun Ruhui cut in. “From what Wei Guang said, it doesn’t seem that he intends to end the Minister’s career, just keep him out of the fray for the time being. If he truly understands the value of the Minister’s existence, then it’s even possible that this is for the Minister’s sake.”
Hu Qing gave him a look of disbelief.
“If parents love a child, they should plan for the child’s future,” Sun Ruhui explained. “The Minister may have played a significant role in taking down the Grand Duke, but their kinship will always cast unnecessary suspicion upon him in the future. The palace will eventually come to scrutinize him more, if they haven’t already started to do so. If he isn’t cleared of charges now, this case will only be brought out in the future as a culling knife. Once the cunning hare is dead, the hunting dog is cooked; once the flying birds have been shot down, the bow is stored away–it has always been thus throughout history.”
“What’s the difference between doing this now and later?” Hu Qing asked.
“Right now, they still need him to balance out the Third Prince and the clans. Even if they strip him of his position, the Minister will still maintain his life, along with some degree of power or prestige in case they need him again later,” Sun Ruhui replied. “That was why we felt safe enough to proceed with the coup in the first place. But if we wait until he’s a threat and not a pawn, the outcome will be death, no matter how little evidence there is.”
“I see,” Hu Qing murmured. “And if they’ve already passed a verdict, they won’t be able to reverse it later on without losing face.”
“Yes. But no matter what, this is still a major blow to us. And depending on whether or not the palace wants to teach him a lesson, it’s hard to say how he’ll be treated,” Chen Caichun pointed out.
“Damn it, then what do we do now? At this rate, all our efforts will go into tailoring a bridal dress for someone else!” Hu Qing demanded. “And isn’t there anything we can do about the Bureau?”
“We don’t have enough leeway to intervene with the palace, the Bureau, or the Third Prince’s faction with just the three of us,” Chen Ciachun said. ‘But the evidence in the Grand Duke’s study–we have to be the ones to control it. Even if the Seventh Prince and Xiang Daozong have access to some of the scrolls, they cannot make use of them right now. As long as Wei Guang and the Third Prince do not gain access, we should be alright. There’s also the matter of your lineage…that is also an important card in our hands.”
Hu Qing nodded in assurance. “Should I transfer the evidence then?”
“It might be best not to,” Chen Caichun wanted him. “They’re probably watching and waiting for you to make a move, we wouldn’t want to toss a brick and draw out the jade for them. Just hide the vault as well as you can, and leave a few scrolls that implicate key members of the Grand Duke’s faction in the study to confound their eyes and ears.”
“The others have already hidden the vault, I’ll just put the Minister’s copy of the scrolls on the shelves,” Hu Qing replied. “But are you sure it’s safe?”
“A transfer might not be necessary. The evidence offers great leverage and opportunity, but its usage will inadvertently make us many more enemies. It is not something that the palace or the Third Prince would be eager to use,” Sun Ruhui said.
“I’ll just leave it here then,” Hu QIng agreed.
“And I’ll see if I can get the Zhao clan to write appeals for the Minister,” Sun Ruhui added.
“Excellent, and I’ll keep a close eye on the Court of Judicial Review. The most important thing right now is to stay calm and hope that the Minister will do the same,” Chen Caichun said.
The three of them exchanged a few words of encouragement, assuring each other that things would work out before Hu Qing closed the communication device and tucked it back into his robes. He looked up at the ceiling and the dust swirling through the air for a moment before getting back to work.
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Cultural Notes
暗藏玄机/Intricate mechanisms hidden in shadows: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to hidden mechanisms, plots, and opportunities that one cannot easily discover or decipher.
九泉之下/Under the Nine Springs: Similar to the phrase "Yellow Springs", this refers to someone who is in the afterlife/underworld, i.e., someone who has already passed away. Nine was an important number in Ancient Chinese mysticism, partly because it is the first number before the cycle of numbers starts again (from 10 on is seen as repeating the 0 to 9 cycle), hence why early religion and Taoism believed that there were nine layers of the sky (heavens) and nine layers of the ground/underworld.
安铎/Anduo: This courtesy name is composed of the character 安, which means peace or [to put at] peace, and 铎 refers to a large bell or warning bell. In pre-Qin times, warning bells were used to maintain order, and also to gather all the residents of an area, often to announce new edicts, laws, or regulations. Hence, the Duo bell is associated with the protection and upholding of an administration's laws against misinformation or deceit.
天将以夫子为木铎/The heavens will use [Confucius] as a wooden warning bell: A quote from The Analects, it comes from the passage: "仪封人请见，曰：“君子之至于斯也，吾未尝不得见也。”从者见之。出曰：“二三子何患于丧乎？天下之无道也久矣，天将以夫子为木铎/The lord of Yifeng came to see Confucius [when Confucius was in Yifeng], saying that 'Whenever a great man comes to this place, I have never failed to meet with them.' Confucius' disciples let him in. When the lord finished his meeting, he came out and said to the disciples, 'Why are you lot worried that your teacher does not have a title? The country has been without dao (here referring to morality and virtue) for a long time now, the heavens shall [surely] use your master as a warning bell." This passage establishes Confucius was a man who would uphold morality and virtue in a chaotic world.
太虚/Taixu: Refers to the universe, and also refers to primordial chaos, it is a Taoist concept that has significant cultural influences in literature, art, and religion. Hu Qing's courtesy name is Taixu, showing that his parents had a lot of aspirations for his future.
Health and Filial Piety: It was considered unfilial to make your parents worry for your health, just as it was unfilial to kill oneself or one's children, as that would be harming what was passed down by your parents and ancestors. This was also why people back then usually didn't cut their hair or beard in most situations (religious reasons are a valid exception), as it was thought that "身体发肤受之父母/Your body, hair, and skin are given to you by your parents", so you cannot carelessly damage it. Hence, you can often see in period dramas that someone passing away from illness may apologize to their parents for being unfilial.
围棋/Go/Weiqi: An Ancient Chinese game of chess. Wei Guang refers to this type of chess as opposed to Chinese checkers, which is much more similar in form and rules to international chess.
故天将降大任于是人也，必先苦其心志，劳其筋骨，饿其体肤，空乏其身，行拂乱其所为，所以动心忍性，曾益其所不能/If the heavens wish to give great responsibility to someone, they would first test his will, tire his limbs, starve his body, and raise barriers to his every move. In that way, they can shake his mindset so that he will gain resilience and awaken greater abilities: A quote from Mencius, it refers to the difficulties that one must surpass in order to truly gain mastery over one's mind and facilities in the process of becoming someone worthy of going down in history.
得民心者得天下/He who gains the hearts of the people will gain the country: An Ancient Chinese proverb that many scholars, officials, and rulers have come to accept as truth. Its origins are debated, as scholars generally believe it originated from a quote by Mencius, while many say that it was said by Sima Yi, a politician and general from the Three Kingdoms Era. There is textual evidence for the former, while there isn't much for the latter, but it cannot be denied that this quote has significantly influenced the political ideologies of many historical figures.
Tension between Crown Princes and Emperors: Even though the Crown Prince and the Emperor are father and son (in most cases except for a few exceptions), they are also ruler and subject, which means their relationship may become rife with tension, especially when the Crown Prince commands enough popularity and respect to make the Emperor feel threatened. Hence, a commonly seen dilemma that Crown Princes face is that if they are not competent enough, their fathers disdain them and may be swayed to consider replacing them; but if they are too competent, their fathers will feel threatened and may be swayed to consider getting rid of them. The Throne (2015), a South Korean movie also known by the name Sado, does a great job examining this relationship.
借刀杀人/Borrowing a knife to commit murder: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to manipulate, deceive, or frame someone else for committing a crime that benefits you.
父母之爱子则为之计深远/If parents love their child, they will plan for the child's future: An Ancient Chinese proverb originating from the pre-Qin era, in which an old subject convinces the Queen Dowager of Zhao to send her youngest son as a hostage to save the country and ensure the boy's future.
狡兔死、走狗烹/[When] the cunning hare dies, the hunting dog is cooked: An Ancient Chinese proverb from the pre-Qin era, it means that someone whose purpose is to defeat their master's enemy will be disposed of/discarded once that enemy is gone, aka the dilemma of powerful generals.
飞鸟尽、良弓藏/[When] the flying birds are gone, the good bow is stored away: An Ancient Chinese proverb from the Han dynasty, often used together with the above proverb due to having the same meaning.
为他人作嫁衣裳/Embroidering a bridal gown for someone else: As many girls in Ancient China took months if not years to embroider their own bridal gowns, this saying means to put in an immense amount of effort only for the result to benefit someone else.
抛砖引玉/Tossing a brick to draw out the jade: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to trick someone into revealing what you want, just like a bandit who breaks a window with a brick tricks the storeowner into subconsciously moving to protect his valuables, revealing where they were stored.