Character Index
Chuluo: Khagan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
Princess Ashina: Daughter of Chuluo Khagan, Kayla's bride-to-be.
Chen Caichun: Chamberlain of the Court of Judicial Review. Kayla's strategist.
Zhou Yunqi: Fifth Prince, supporter of Zhou Kuang.
Zhou Kuang: Third Prince, one of the contenders for the throne.
Zhou Xianchun: Seventh Prince, one of the contenders for the throne.
Cao Shuyi: Wife of Zhou Kuang.
Tumidu: Commander of the Uyghur tribe, sent his grandson Qazar to Kayla as a hostage.
Tabuyir: Senior Investigator in the Imperial Investigation Bureau, of Khitan ethnicity. Sent his nephew Yilie to Kayla's household as a sign of goodwill.
Governor Bao: Governor of Daizhou, witness to an international incident.
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Kayla rose from greeting the Emperor inside his private quarters, matching his smile with her own.
“Time flies by like a turning spindle–my nephew is about to establish his own family,” the Emperor said, spreading his hands in wonder. “It feels like just yesterday that you were still a swaddled babe, and here you are, ready to get married!”
“Indeed,” Kayla replied.
Kayla continued to smile, allowing him to get his obligatory how-fast-time-flies speech out of the way.
A true standard practice that transcends space and time, Kayla thought wryly.
The Emperor stepped forward, placing his hands on Kayla’s shoulders. “I’m so proud of you, Wenyuan. You’ve done well for yourself.”
Kayla lowered her eyes, surprised to find herself abashed.
“Thank you, Uncle. But it’s all thanks to your kindness,” Kayla replied.
The Emperor’s eyes softened, filling with an emotion she couldn’t quite make out.
“Kindness, is it? Well, this marriage is an excellent opportunity for you, but it’s not an easy one to handle. They all say that a peaceful life is a blessing, but I’m afraid that’s one blessing you’ll have to do without as the husband of a foreign princess,” the Emperor said, his voice growing serious. “Being at odds with the family of your wife…it is not easy.”
Kayla searched the Emperor’s face in befuddlement before bowing her head.
“I am blessed in having a ruler whose benevolence and dignity has gained us a hard-earned peace, one that I have had the honor of taking part in through my marriage,” Kayla said, lacing her voice with genuine respect. “I know full well that any fortune I have come upon is thanks to your grace, not due to my individual accomplishments. Though I can never fully repay your kindness, I will do everything I can to try.”
The Emperor’s eyes shone brightly in the candlelight. “Wenyuan, your words please me more than any praise from a subject or historian,” he replied. “Come now, tell me about your trip.”
“As you wish,” Kayla said, following him over to the couch. She launched into a recounting of her dealings in the North, not hiding anything from the Emperor’s ears. The rhetoric she used, of course, was heavily modified if not entirely passed over.
If the Emperor asked, the Imperial Investigators would tell him anyway. Better to use honesty to secure trust than have it used against her later.
“You speak a great deal of the North, did you like it that much?” The Emperor asked in amusement.
“I did. Its vastness amazes me,” Kayla replied. “The place broadens one’s heart and soothes one’s spirits.”
“Your mother liked it too,” the Emperor sighed, his gaze growing distant. He quickly pulled himself back into the present. “Anyways, I trust the journey went smoothly?”
“Well, it was a good learning experience, but I wouldn’t describe it as smooth,” Kayla said. “We were attacked by masked assailants in Daizhou.”
“What?! Were you injured?!” The Emperor demanded, his voice sharp with alarm.
“Not by much,” Kayla hastily assured him. “The Investigators patched me up in no time.”
“Why in the heavens did you not report this to me?” The Emperor hissed, jabbing a finger at her forehead in exasperated disbelief. Kayla scrunched up her face slightly before her mood rapidly sobered again.
“Because the nature of the incident affected the marriage itself,” Kayla said heavily. She launched into a brief recount of the events, taking care to detail the cleanup process.
“I know how this must sound, but I didn’t agree to any of their demands. I have done nothing to besmirch my loyalty,” Kayla added, her voice taking on a tinge of desperation at the Emperor’s thunderous expression. He slammed a hand into the table, the wood creaking and rattling beneath his palm. Kayla breathed in slowly, carefully keeping herself from flinching.
“Preposterous! Those bastards dared to commit such an act within my borders–beneath the noses of my Guards and Inspectors?! What were those fools even doing?!” The Emperor snarled.
Kayla’s surprise was soon overtaken by relief.
Good, he believes me.
“They did their best, but the agents from the Khaganate were better prepared is all,” Kayla hastily assured him. “I could not have expected any other outcome.”
“Those useless bastards!”
Kayla carefully watched the Emperor’s reaction as she spoke. “I believe this was the work of an extremist pro-war faction in the Khaganate who wished to destroy the peace agreement and gain glory on the battlefield.”
“You must be joking! How can you be so foolish as to think that? Do you think a faction with the ability to carry out such a well-planned operation would be small enough to go unnoticed?! Either the Khagan was complicit, or he deliberately chose not to warn us!” The Emperor shot up from his seat in rage.
“I’m aware,” Kayla said calmly. The Emperor gave her a look in disbelief.
“And you would have us accept this insult?!” He snarled. “Never before, in the entire history of our dynasty–have we suffered such humiliation!”
Kayla quickly stood up, raising her hands appeasingly towards him. “But that is exactly why we ought to pin it on an extremist faction. Should we have to lose face because of the Khagan’s actions? He should be the one to lose face by being labeled as a man whose control is slipping with age, to the point that he isn’t even able to ensure the smooth proceeding of his household affairs and allows unruly retainers to make a mess out of his daughter’s wedding. Wouldn’t you say so, Uncle?”
The Emperor whirled on her with flaming eyes. “You want us to accept this?! I agreed to this treaty to avoid bloodshed, I even sent them a princess and welcomed one of theirs into my family! And yet that conniving, two-faced bastard seeks to undermine it in the face of our honest goodwill. You may be able to swallow this humiliation, but the Emperor cannot!”
“No one knows of this save for the men I was with. We almost certainly cleared out any persons and witnesses involved, and while the Khagan knows of this, he is banking on our silence in interest of keeping the peace. I have no intention of following his wishes, Uncle. But that is exactly why I wish to pin this on an extremist faction–because that would create an unprecedented opportunity for us,” Kayla explained.
“What do you speak of?” The Emperor demanded. Kayla gave him a small smile, spreading out her hands plaintively.
“I’d be happy to elaborate, Uncle.”
The Emperor’s rage faded a little, but continued simmering beneath a paper lid.
“Please be assured, Uncle, before I begin, that I did not compromise with the Khagan’s agents in any way, shape, or form. I may have said it before, but I’ll say it as many times as needed to assure you. My loyalty to you is without fault,” Kayla said.
“Of that I had no doubt,” the Emperor replied. “If I had not believed as such, you would not stand before me now.”
Kayla bowed her head slightly. “Thank you,” she said.
The Empress Dowager wouldn’t have. Forget the Empress Dowager, even my mother wouldn’t believe me in such a situation, when I have no proof or testimonies to back me up. I really maxed out in luck when it came to the Emperor, didn’t I?
She looked up at him gratefully, and the Emperor’s eyes softened somewhat, and his voice was kinder when he spoke again. “Go on then, what opportunity do you speak of?”
He sat down, gesturing for her to do so as well.
“Your Majesty, as you already know, we stand in an era that will decide the course of history, the rise or ruin of the dynasty. The clans grow more powerful and brazen with every day, and our peace with the Khaganate is fragile and fraught with tension. Should a prolonged disaster befall our country, or perhaps another Ice Age, our woes will be compounded to a catastrophic degree. I have spent countless nights unable to sleep while thinking of this matter. But a solution has not been forthcoming until now.” Kayla said.
The Emperor nodded. “I have often felt the same way myself. The dynasty shifts from prosperity to decline with every passing day, but year after year, I found myself unable to reverse the currents. If there is a way to preserve the foundations left to me by my ancestors, I would gladly pursue it no matter what the cost. Go on then, tell me what you’ve come up with.”
Kayla smiled at the Emperor’s evaluating gaze.
He already knows it’s going to be preposterous, huh?
“Gladly. I wish to use an ‘extremist attack’ as the impetus for a dual purpose. The first is to detract from the Khagan’s credibility and establish an anti-extremism task force in collaboration with the Khaganate,” Kayla said, hastily pushing forward with the explanation before the Emperor could object. “This would create more opportunities for us to collect intelligence and to intervene within the Khaganate’s borders in the name of international security.”
“International security? An interesting idea, but they would never agree to it,” the Emperor said. "Indeed, who on earth would, to such a preposterous thing?"
“It will be difficult for them to refuse it,” Kayla pointed out. “The Khagan, or perhaps whichever noble whose antics he chooses to ignore, was betting that I would wish to hide my humiliation, given my station and upcoming wedding. But they have misunderstood me–I do not mind dragging this incident back and forth through the mud as many times as needed.”
“If the Khagan does not wish for a war he cannot afford, then he will have to agree that there is a faction with the power and resources to carry out this act without his knowing,” the Emperor concluded. “A bald-faced plot, but he can only go along with it. In theory, at least. But this is all talking war tactics on paper. Even a cornered dog can jump the wall, much less a prideful man like him with an entire country at his disposal.”
“It is precisely his pride that assures me he will not declare war,” Kayla said. “Should he do so, he would have to admit to making a low-handed move that disastrously backfired, and having sent his precious daughter to us for nothing. With some added oil and vinegar, this would only make him seem laughably incompetent in the eyes of his subjects. But pinning this on an extremist faction would give him an excuse to strengthen his own power and to rein in his subordinates. Sure, we’d also be meddling, but I’m sure that he can overlook that in the face of such overwhelming benefit. Moreover, we can frame this as an attempt to besmirch the honor and marriage of Princess Ashina by a pro-war faction, and give him a stair to step down on.”
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We’d practically be carrying a staircase over for him to use.
The Emperor evaluated Kayla for a moment. “Your words are reasonable, but this must be carefully deliberated. I will consult our agents to confirm how the Khagan may react…anyways, go on. Surely that was not all you wished to accomplish through this.”
“Gladly. The second goal of this is installing a communication infrastructure throughout the country. I would push for a policy that makes communication devices mandatory at every office and locality instead of only within offices, and furthermore mandate regular reports and check-ins on a daily basis,” Kayla said. She paused, letting the Emperor think it through.
“Would that not be vulnerable to regional factionalism?” The Emperor pointed out.
“I would recommend funneling all mandatory reports to the capital rather than to regional governors,” Kayla replied. “This way, regional and local administrators won’t be able to cover for each other.”
“It is a novel idea, and I can certainly see the benefits of it, but I’ve seen enough of the clans to know that centering the reports at the capital will not necessarily be a boon,” the Emperor pointed out. “All the major clans have people at court, and this will just give them an opportunity to strengthen their power in the provinces. They could gain a vast number of clients through providing information alone, without having to spend much monetary resources to expand their influence. It may even worsen our current situation.”
Kayla nodded. “Exactly. That’s why there needs to be safe measures–one is an incentivized mandatory reporter system that encourages and rewards reporting abuses of power, cover-ups, and so on. Anyone who wishes to make a report must be permitted an audience with a rotating committee of officials under the direct supervision of at least one Imperial Guard and Imperial Investigator each. We can further cover the fees for their travel and lodging en route, and if their report indeed uncovers misdeeds, they will receive an award for upstanding citizenship and may be eligible for positions in the public sector beneath the seventh rank.”
The Emperor nodded along, a look of approval on his face.
“Any officials who make a report that uncovers misdeeds will have it count towards their accomplishments and any future promotions. On the contrary, misguided reports will not be punished, but malicious reports with the intention of causing personal or financial harm will be punished with a heavy fine,” Kayla finished.
And a big round of applause to Emperor Wu Zetian for developing this system.
“I have some concerns about the societal effects this will have in the long term, but it has its use as a temporary measure,” the Emperor acceded.
“It is as you say, this alone is not enough. The second step is to install public communication devices for the civilian population to contact the local, regional, and national government.” Kayla paused briefly. “We may actually need to establish new offices for this purpose. Anyways–this would primarily be for the sake of reporting grievances and needs, but also for reporting misdeeds of local nobles and officials. For serious reports such as those that implicate officials of fifth-rank or above, or that endanger the reporter’s safety, we can still use the previous measure, but it would be slowly retired out of the system otherwise.”
“You describe an outcome that is ideal to any ruler, but we can’t ignore the fact that it would take a great deal of effort and resources to implement. Mind you, the country is hardly a small one. Processing the information alone will take incredible manpower,” the Emperor noted.
Fair enough. We don’t have computers, after all. Or a giant offshore team of grossly underpaid analysts.
“We have no need to implement it right away, just the threat of civilians being able to report misdeeds from right within their village will be enough to keep people in line,” Kayla replied. “We can dangle it over their heads as bait, if nothing else. I expect that if the policy is announced, officials and clans all over the country will be scrambling to destroy and conceal evidence. All we need is to reach out our hand and swipe through, and we’d easily catch a lot of them in the act. Just the fines for attempting to deceive the Emperor alone would finance a good chunk of the infrastructure.”
A slow smile spread over the Emperor’s face.
“And with a great threat to the nation looming over us, it’s only natural that fines would be doubled,” the Emperor said.
“Oh, and speaking of fines–” Kayla launched into a new tirade, pulling out Chen Caichun’s scroll from her robes.
The candles burned low as the discussion went on, and the two fell silent as an eunuch came with fresh ones. The eunuch scuttled back out, and the faint din of their conversation resumed, too soft for him to make out any words. Shrugging, he went to inform the eunuch on the morning shift to let the Emperor sleep in tomorrow. By the looks of it, they would be talking all night.
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Yunqi slammed his communication device shut, pale and trembling with rage. His knuckles whitened around the small wooden box. He sharply drew his arm back but hesitated before throwing the device, slowly lowering it back to the table.
Leaving the device where it was, Yunqi walked to the closest window and braced himself against its sill.
Why are they like this? Why can’t they understand that this is in their interests?
He sometimes wished he had been born to another clan–his own seemed to cause him endless misfortune. But they were his clan. There was nothing he could do about that.
There was also nothing he could do from being flooded with guilt whenever he thought of how he had been doted upon by his maternal grandfather as a child in the few times they’d met, or how his mother had been able to keep him safe thanks to their backing.
Yunqi breathed in deeply and let it out in a shuddering breath.
I need to calm down. I can’t cause Third Brother any more trouble than I already have.
After a few moments, the tremors subsided. His joints felt tight as the tension slowly seeped away.
Good, we’re fine, he assured himself. A knock sounded at the door, making him jolt.
“Please pardon the interruption, your Highness. The Third Prince has arrived,” the steward called. Yunqi briefly struggled to find his voice and cleared his throat.
“Understood,” he replied. He hastily smoothed down the front of his robes and forced a smile on his face just before Kuang entered the room.
“Brother, you’ve come at just the right time! I was about to drink a cup, won’t you join me?” Yunqi said.
Kuang smiled at him, glancing at the wine jug.
“Gladly. And is that grape wine?”
“Souvenir from Wenyuan. His servant brought it over earlier. I’m guessing they missed you while you were heading out,” Yunqi said breezily, moving to pour out two cups.
Kuang accepted the proffered cup, settling down into his usual seat.
“You’re in high spirits, brother,” Yunqi noted.
Kuang dipped his head slightly. “Something big is about to happen,” he said confidently. “This time, it’s not just Wenyuan driving the change, but our Father himself.”
“He means to make use of the wedding?” Yunqi asked.
“What better impetus? Red and white events are the best for this type of thing. One would think that he would use the wedding to accuse lords of failing to observe the proper rites, but I doubt that’ll be it.”
Yunqi nodded thoughtfully. “You refer to allowing Wenyuan to ride on horseback all the way until the steps of the Main Hall?”
“Indeed. It’s not the first time he’s granted such permissiveness to Wenyuan, but this was before the hundreds of civil and martial officials. He’s setting up the conditions for something bigger,” Kuang said.
“Do you think he’ll promote Wenyuan even higher?”
Kuang gave a small shrug. “Perhaps, but I doubt that's the extent of it. Whatever happens, it’ll happen first in the North. It’s time to mobilize our connections in the area.”
Yunqi subconsciously lowered his eyes.
“What’s the matter?” Kuang asked.
Yunqi quickly forced a smile. “Nothing.”
“Is your uncle giving you trouble again? Or are you worried about Xianchun kicking up a fuss?” Kuang demanded.
Both. Xianchun’s found your weakness. Do you really think he won’t take advantage of it? Yunqi bit back his worries. What could he say? The Shu clan was the faction’s greatest weakness, but Yunqi could hardly ask Kuang to abandon them when the lives of his clan lay in the balance.
“Nothing like that,” Yunqi hastily replied. “I’m just afraid I won’t be of much help to you on this is all.”
Kuang relaxed slightly, but his gaze lingered worriedly on the dark circles under Yunqi’s eyes.
“Don’t worry about it,” Kuang assured him. “You just sit back and watch how your brother does things.”
Yunqi raised his glass slightly in response before downing its contents in one go.
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Kuang spread his arms, allowing the servants to remove his many layers of robes. The jade pendant from Yunqi, the sachet embroidered by Cao Shuyi, and his other accessories were placed neatly on a tray and whisked away.
“I'll take it from here.”
The servants all glanced at the steward and then at the prince. Kuang nodded, and the servants quickly filed out of the room.
The steward stepped forward and unfastened Kuang’s ornamental belt and sash, folding them neatly as he put them aside. He helped Kuang into a casual robe, stepping back respectfully as the prince finished tying its sash.
“So what do you have for me?” Kuang asked. The steward bowed his head slightly.
“I’m afraid that there isn’t much new information. The northern provinces are surprisingly quiet at the moment. Save for the hostage sent by the Uyghur chieftain and Senior Investigator Tabuyir’s nephew joining the Zhao household, there is nothing to suggest that something is about to happen,” the steward replied.
Kuang nodded. “The quiet before the storm. Well, that’s to be expected. Continue keeping an eye on the North.”
“As you wish, my prince. But while the North lays still, I did come across something that may be of importance,” the steward said.
Kuang waved for him to go on.
“As previously reported, the delegation dallied for a time in Daizhou on their way North. But what’s interesting is their return trip–they avoided the official post station with the excuse that Governor Bao was ill,” the steward explained. “What’s more interesting is this: Governor Bao was seen to have invited Duke Zhao for a drink while he was passing through. But he went on sick leave after the delegation exited Daizhou and has remained in seclusion since, refusing any visitors and prohibiting his household members from leaving the residence.”
The gears in Kuang’s mind span quickly. “Not even for the market?”
“They’re having necessities delivered instead.”
Kuang’s face slowly widened into a smile. “How interesting. And what is a governor like him cowering from people’s eyes and ears for?”
“Shall we investigate him?”
“No, just watch him for now,” Kuang replied.
“As you wish.”
“There’s something else I want you to look into,” Kuang said. The steward gave him an inquisitive look, awaiting his orders.
“Yunqi was acting strangely today. Has someone from the Shu clan been stirring up trouble again?” Kuang asked.
The steward hesitated long enough for Kuang to frown. “Not that I heard of,” the steward said.
But even he suspects it.
Kuang’s eyes flashed with anger. Those short-sighted bastards…are they seriously taking issue with Yunqi’s efforts to help them?
“Keep a close eye on them. If there’s a problem, make sure it gets taken care of right away–there’s no need to give Yunqi more grief,” Kuang ordered.
The steward drew back a little at Kuang’s sharp tone but tentatively offered his reply.
“Of course, Your Highness, but with everything happening in the North, the Seventh Prince…” the steward trailed off before he could incur his master’s wrath. The last man who had urged the prince to cut “dead weight” had been forced out from his position and then the capital at terrifying speed.
Kuang stared him down for a terrifyingly long moment before heaving a sigh. “I know what you’re concerned about, but everything is under control. Speak no more of this topic.”
“Understood.” The steward bowed his head and fell silent.
“Thank you, you may leave,” Kuang said. The steward bade his goodbyes and left the prince alone with his thoughts.
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Cultural Notes
岁月如梭/Time flies like a spindle: An Ancient Chinese proverb that means time passes as quickly as a spindle turns on a loom (aka really fast).
襁褓之中/Still in swaddle-cloths: An Ancient Chinese proverb that refers to infants or infancy.
平安是福/Peace is a blessing: A popular Chinese colloquialism.
心旷神怡/Heart is broadened and spirits are soothed: An Ancient Chinese proverb to refer to the euphoria one feels when seeing a majestic sight (usually in nature). Originates from a famous prose piece of the Song Dynasty by the well-loved official Fan Zhongyan, who was known for his love of the people.
咽下这份耻辱/Swallow this humiliation: A Chinese saying that means to accept humiliation instead of striking back.
纸上谈兵/Talking war tactics on paper: An Ancient Chinese proverb that means to make empty plans that aren't grounded in reality/haven't been carried out yet.
阳谋/Bald-faced plot: A Chinese phrase, the counterpart of "阴谋/shadow conspiracy". It refers to plots that are out in the open, but that people have no choice but to walk into. For example, openly stirring up trouble between two entities, knowing that even though they know exactly what you're doing, due to their specific contexts and interests, they have no choice but to go along.
狗急跳墙/A cornered dog [will] jump the wall: A Chinese saying that means someone backed into a corner will find it in themselves to accomplish the impossible/difficult/outrageous.
给你台阶下/Give you a staircase to step down on: A Chinese saying that means to not hurt someone's pride.
添油加醋/Add oil and vinegar: A Chinese saying meaning to embellish/dramatize a situation.
Wu Zetian’s Reporting Policy: The first female Emperor Wu Zetian made use of an incentivized reporting policy similar to what was described by Kayla.
夙夜难寐/Unable to sleep night after night: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to be unable to rest due to one's concerns.
销赃/Hiding or destroying unlawfully obtained goods or evidence: A phrase used to describe this specific crime.
Grape Wine in the Tang Dynasty: Grape wine was available in the Tang Dynasty, mostly through imported goods. Poems describe its presence as a luxury good or indulgence at parties.
红白喜事/Red and white events: Refers to red events-weddings, hundred-day celebrations of newborns (sometimes), and white events-funerals.