Character Index
Ashina: Kayla's wife. Personal name is Ibilga, but due to her status as a Princess, no one can use it without her explicit permission except for the Khagan and the Emperor (aka people whose ranks are high enough to speak down to her).
Kulun: A tarkhan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
Zhou Yunqi: The Fifth Prince. Closely tied to the Third Prince. Previously entered a politically-motivated marriage at the behest of his clan and then was subsequently widowed when his bride died of "illness".
Derin: Ashina's chief attendant and lady-in-waiting.
Royal Consort: Kuang's mother, a high ranking Consort in the Imperial Harem. Keeps her head down to avoid attracting trouble to her son's advancement.
Consort Zhao: Wenyuan's aunt, a childless Consort in the Imperial Harem. Previously accepted Kayla's warning to distance herself from the Grand Duke and align herself with Consort Liang (Hu Qing and Liang Shen's niece).
Wise Consort: Yunqi's mother, has been in poor health due to the stress of her family's situation. Also because she went on a hunger strike to protest the unfair treatment of her family (not an untrodden path in the history of the harem) but failed to sway the Emperor.
Princess Mingda: The Sixth Princess, the granddaughter of the Uyghur Chieftain. Allied with Kayla, she has political aspirations that are unhampered by her disability and seclusion.
Zhou Kuang: The Third Prince.
Wei Guang: The Imperial Edict Bearer and Kayla's godfather. Recently appointed the Minister of Censure.
Zhang Dingyong: The Minister of Justice, Kuang's supporter.
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Kayla woke up with Ashina’s arm weighing down on her chest. She gently pulled free of the sleeping princess and got out of bed to wash her face. Things had gone about as well as Kayla could have reasonably expected. Her body had cooperated just fine, and Kayla managed to avoid getting Wenyuan’s name dragged through the mud as being impotent. More importantly, Ashina hadn’t hated it or started crying even though Kayla had never slept with a girl before.
The nervousness of not making the night a horrible experience for the princess had pushed out most of Kayla’s other worries about the matter, but they came creeping back by themselves overnight.
I can't believe I slept with a nineteen year old, Kayla buried her face in a towel, wanting to float down a river inside a rice sack.
Nineteen isn’t so bad, it’s old enough to know what you’re doing even in the modern-day, much less here in Ancient China, she tried to assure herself. Disregarding her persuasion, the prickle of guilt and frustration mixed in her stomach. Something told Kayla that it wasn’t just because of Ashina’s age, but she didn’t want to deal with it right now.
Kayla resolutely pushed the thoughts and began getting dressed. Ashina stirred, turned over, and continued sleeping. Kayla worriedly examined the princess’ face. The young woman didn’t seem to be having a bad dream from what Kayla could tell.
Good, let’s hope it stays that way.
Kayla’s thoughts drifted to the many rituals they would have to go through in the next three days.
We’ll have to visit the Empress Dowager’s palace as well. She felt a twinge of annoyance. She won’t give us trouble, would she? Fuck, of course she would. But if Kulun-tarkhan is also present…no, he probably wouldn’t be, not in the–but it’s the Empress Dowager’s quarters, so surely…Well, even if he’s there, that wouldn’t stop the Empress Dowager if she intended to give us a hard time.
Kayla’s mind flashed to the wedding the day before. It had only been through the corner of her eye, but she had seen Yunqi’s face suddenly go pale after an eunuch approached him to whisper in his ear.
That eunuch had been from the Empress Dowager’s palace…she sent an eunuch to insult Yunqi on her behalf, is that it? Poor Yunqi. No wonder he had looked as though he’d been struck.
Kayla had no intention of allowing the same type of cruelty towards Ashina. She glanced over at the sleeping girl, blinking in surprise when she saw that Ashina was awake and staring at her.
“Good morning, did you sleep well?” Kayla asked, going over to the bed.
“What were you thinking about?” Ashina asked.
“Our visit to the palace,” Kayla said. “Did you sleep alright? Do you want some water?”
“I’m fine! You don't need to fuss,” Ashina huffed in annoyance.
“Just worried is all,” Kayla muttered. “Do you want to rest a little later? I’ll tell the servants to get started on breakfast.”
“Okay,” Ashina said. The princess smiled contentedly, and Kayla finally felt some of the tension seep out of her shoulders.
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Derin brushed Ashina’s hair, arranging it into the style worn by married women. In the mirror, Ashina caught the worried look in Derin’s eyes. The princess waved her hand and dismissed the other attendants.
“What’s wrong, Derin?” Ashina asked.
“Nothing’s the matter, my princess. I was just worried about you is all,” Derin said softly.
Ashina’s shoulders slumped. “I’m fine, Derin. I was nervous, but things turned out alright. My husband is thoughtful enough–at least for now.”
Derin relaxed, the concern in her eyes melting away somewhat. “I’m truly glad to hear that!”
“Today is supposed to be the visit to pay respect to my in-laws, but Wenyuan has no immediate family left. Moreover, he’s the Lord of the clan, so the Zhao clan are the ones who have to come pay their respects,” Ashina said. “So that only leaves the palace, right?”
“Yes, you’ll be giving your official greetings to the members of the Imperial Family as the Emperor’s niece-in-law,” Derin replied. “But…before, we were honored guests. But now that you’re part of the family, that might give them leeway to treat you with less respect than before.”
The worry in her eyes was back.
Ashina scoffed. “As if I’d let them get away with it! I’m here as part of a political alliance, not as a little bride that they can push around!”
Derin winced. “My princess, you must not let your temper get the best of you, especially not at this time! We’ll have plenty of opportunities in the future, but we can’t afford to be targeted at such an early stage, when our footing in the Wu isn’t even stable yet,” she pleaded.
Ashina scowled. “So I should just bear with it and let them underestimate me, is that it? Well, I suppose that’s fine too. After all, the most cunning predators often disguise themselves as prey.”
“That’s right, my princess. Moreover, this is a chance to get a glimpse of how your husband interacts with the Imperial Family,” Derin pointed out.
“I’ve heard rumors that he’s the Emperor’s most favored relation, and so far it seems to be true. But excessive favor from one person may mean increased animosity from the others. How they show it will also tell you a great deal about their dispositions,” Derin went on.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Ashina agreed.
Unlike the day before, the trip to the palace was relatively informal and happened with much less fanfare, though the telltale Imperial insignia on the carriage still drew gasps and murmurs from onlookers on the street.
The Emperor met them in his study rather than in the Outer Palace to denote this as a family affair. He was as elated as he had been the day before.
It’s not because of me, it’s because of him, Ashina acknowledged, glancing at Wenyuan out of the corner of her eye.
“The two of you look so good together!” The Emperor exclaimed for what must have been the third time already. “Wenyuan, you must show your lovely young bride to the villa.”
His eyes took in on a mischievous glint. “It was left to Wenyuan by his mother, you see,” he explained to Ashina. “A gorgeous, secluded space, right outside of the capital. The perfect retreat for a pair of newlyweds!”
“Thank you for your consideration,” Ashina said awkwardly.
“Thank you, Uncle,” Wenyuan said, looking even more abashed than Ashina.
“Ibilga, my dear, if anything troubles you, you must tell us immediately,” the Emperor said. “Now that you’re a member of the family, I certainly won’t permit you to suffer any discomfort.” Ashina started a little to hear her personal name come out of someone’s mouth, and bobbed her head, flushing a delicate shade of pink.
The Emperor’s smile grew even more doting. To Ashina’s great relief, he let them go on to the Empress Dowager’s palace soon after.
He’s kind enough, I suppose, Ashina thought. She glanced over at Wenyuan, who caught her look and smiled. He offered his hand. After a moment of hesitation, Ashina took it, and they walked into the Empress Dowager’s palace together.
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Kayla entered the Empress Dowager’s palace with grim determination like a soldier off to face a dangerous enemy. Together with Ashina, she formally greeted the Empress Dowager, and then the Royal Consort and Consort Zhao. Both the Wise Consort and Princess Mingda were absent, as they had been from the wedding.
We’ll have to go pay her a separate visit at some point, Kayla noted. The two princesses would probably get along well. But hopefully not too well. If Mingda finds herself overly sympathetic to Ashina…who knows how the Tiele will sway?
The meeting with the womenfolk of the Imperial Family started smoothly enough, but soon enough, the glints of malice began to shine through in the Empress Dowager’s words.
“It seems that two generations of the Zhao family have the fortune of marrying a princess,” the Empress Dowager said, a deliberate note in her voice. “Though…I certainly hope that your marriage will be happier than that of your father’s.”
Kayla bowed her head slightly and pointedly did not bristle. “Thank you for your well-wishes, Grandmother.”
The Empress Dowager’s eyes flashed dangerously. “But of course. You have no idea how glad I am to see you establishing a family and career for yourself. You really did have me worried for a few years there.”
Ashina grew stiffer at Kayla’s side.
Kayla mentally gnawed on the Empress Dowager’s arm but maintained a polite smile.
“It’s all thanks to Grandmother and Uncle’s kind concern.”
The Empress Dowager gave a maternal smile that raised the goosebumps on Kayla’s arm.
“I’m sure that from now on, the two of you will enjoy a blissful marriage. Wenyuan, it’s a wonderful blessing to marry such a beautiful wife, but you would do well not to lose your head over it,” she continued.
Kayla suddenly felt strangely detached, and moreover a little exhausted. If Kayla denied the possibility, the Empress Dowager would surely twist it so that rumors claimed that Kayla was indifferent to Ashina’s charms. If she acknowledged it, Ashina would be cast as a seductress.
Is it fun to act like this at your age?
“Thank you for your concern, Grandmother, but there is no need to worry. In the princess I find both the beauty that confounds my senses and the wisdom that clears it,” Kayla replied.
The Empress Dowager raised her eyebrows. “Why, Wenyuan, you sound positively besotted!”
“I dare not deceive you, Your Majesty. I am,” Kayla said.
“Well I certainly hope you do not lose yourself in the pleasures of the nuptial bed at the cost of your duties,” the Empress Dowager said.
Kayla kept herself from gritting her teeth. “On the contrary, Your Majesty, I believe that establishing a family of my own will make me a better man.”
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“Then I hope you live up to that.”
“I would not dare disappoint you.” Kayla bowed her head for a beat and straightened, staring right into the cold eyes of the Empress Dowager. A chill spread out from the center of her chest.
She glanced over at Ashina from the corner of her eye, but the princess’ face was perfectly blank.
Like a lever had been pulled, the air in the room suddenly took a turn for the lighter, almost as though the Empress Dowager had exhausted her spite. Kayla took the chance to briefly speak to the Royal Consort and Consort Zhao with Ashina before the newlyweds took their leave to go greet the Princes.
Kayla and Ashina followed a senior eunuch to a decorated pavilion in one of the Imperial Gardens. The princess ignored Kayla’s glances at her and refused to meet Kayla’s eyes.
Withholding a sigh, Kayla turned her attention to the approaching princes, hiding her trepidation upon seeing that only Kuang and Xianchun were present. Her mind flashed to the haggard look on Yunqi’s face when she’d seen him at the wedding, unease knotting up in the base of her skull.
The four of them exchanged greetings and obligatory words of congratulations, but the tenseness in the atmosphere hung over them like a sharpened blade.
“Princess Ashina, please allow me to apologize on behalf of Yunqi for his absence. He caught a cold on his way home after having a bit too much to drink at the wedding banquet,” Kuang said. He smiled apologetically, radiating with charm.
“How terrible! I wish him a swift recovery,” Ashina said.
“Thanks to your kind words, I’m sure that will be the case,” Kuang replied.
How nice. Now let’s please end it here, Kayla silently pleaded. She inwardly groaned as Xianchun gave a smile that was closer to a smirk and opened his mouth to speak.
Can you not?!
“Poor Fifth Brother, I hope he feels better soon,” Xianchun said, so blatantly insincere that even Ashina shifted uncomfortably. “But like mother, like son, Fifth Brother’s health is rather frail, is it not? He really ought to drink in more moderation if that’s the case.”
Don’t bring up his wife, please don’t bring up his wife.
Xianchun brought up Yunqi’s wife. “If I remember correctly, my late sister-in-law was also–”
“Yes, thank you for your concern, Xianchun. It’s very dutiful of you to worry for your older brother’s health,” Kuang said, his jaw tightly clenched.
“Of course,” Xianchun replied.
Kayla hastily cleared her throat before things could escalate any further.
“Thank you both for your lovely wedding presents. And please pass on my thanks to Fifth Cousin as well,” Kayla said. “We were truly delighted by your thoughtfulness. Isn’t that right, my dear?”
Ashina gave a half-smile. “Indeed, I was delighted.” The words fell flat.
Kuang and Xianchun both graciously accepted the thanks nonetheless, and the stilted conversation ground to an awkward halt. Kuang was evidently in no mood to smooth over the pause, and Xianchun had explicitly come here to stir up trouble.
He’d go so far as to act like this in front of a foreign princess? The enmity between the brothers had escalated much too rapidly. Kayla glanced between them uneasily and stopped both princes from speaking any further by a long tangent of praise for everyone involved in setting up the wedding.
The gathering ended on a note of forced cheer as the other three politely toasted Kayla’s spiel of gratitude for the Emperor. Kuang excused himself, once again radiating effortless charm, and Xianchun did so immediately after.
Kayla and Ashina exchanged an uncomfortable glance between them.
“Shall we head back then?” Kayla offered.
“Yes.”
Kayla tipped the head eunuch in charge and hastily escorted Ashina onto the carriage. The two fell into a thoughtful silence, each occupied with their own concerns.
If Kuang shows a smidgen of anger, then he’s already furious. For him to publicly clash with Xianchun…Kuang was not an easy man to provoke when it came to personal attacks against himself, but it was far too easy to get at him with Yunqi.
Xianchun knows exactly what he’s doing, and so does the Empress Dowager in helping him, Kayla thought darkly. The Seventh Prince was losing ground and he knew it–by now, it was clear that Zhang Dingyong was far too confident for a man in such a dangerous spot, which could only mean that he had a card up his sleeve. Xianchun had miscalculated by shoving Zhang Dingyong into the seat of Minister at the cost of his own ally.
He knows he’s out of options when it comes to a direct clash of political influence, so he’s going for the one thing that can disqualify Kuang–Yunqi and the Shu clan. Should the Shu clan be accused of treason, the Fifth Prince would be forced into a desperate position. Unless Kuang cut ties, which he wouldn’t, he would suffer a loss of support as well.
Not to mention how that would affect him personally. The Emperor would also balk at the thought of putting someone with reason to bear enmity towards the throne in the position of Crown Prince.
Forget succeeding the throne, Kuang would be viewed as a volatile element if the Shu clan were so much as accused. No one would believe that Kuang wouldn’t take extreme action for Yunqi’s sake.
Especially since Kuang had chased out anyone in his faction who recommended that he cut his losses and drop Yunqi. It had been done quietly enough, but word got around. And if the Bureau knew, the Emperor knew. The fact that the Empress Dowager was evidently helping Xianchun destroy another one of her grandsons made things even worse.
But the Emperor’s not someone who would allow his hand to be forced like that. Kayla breathed in deeply, trying to smooth out the cold knot in her chest. Whether it’s his mother or Xianchun, if he has to…
Rather than allow his mother to decide the course of the nation’s future, the Emperor was more likely to simply kill off Yunqi and the Shu clan in one go and then install Kuang anyways. After all, the Emperor’s power was absolute, or at least as close to that as one could get. If he removed Yunqi from the equation, then the scales tipped irrevocably in Kuang’s favor.
But will Kuang settle for such an outcome?
Of course he wouldn’t. A chill crawled up Kayla’s back, squirming uncomfortably inside the flesh of her shoulder blade where she’d been wounded before. She violently shrugged off the sensation with a frown.
Ashina glanced over sharply.
“A crick in the shoulder,” Kayla explained. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m tired,” Ashina replied, and refused to engage in any further conversation. Taking the cue, Kayla excused herself and left the princess alone. As Ashina headed back into the Inner Quarters, Kayla headed to meet Wei Guang.
Though he was overwhelmed with work, Wei Guang found the time to step outside and meet her in his own household, sparing Kayla the embarrassing fiasco of thanking a minimum of eighty different people for their congratulatory remarks in the Office of Censure.
“Congratulations, Wenyuan. I must say, you and your wife make for a lovely couple,” Wei Guang said, beaming proudly.
“Thank you, godfather,” Kayla replied.
Let’s just get straight to the point.
“I’m not sure that my grandmother feels the same way, even though she was the one who approved of the arrangement in the first place,” Kayla said mildly. “But more urgently, what she seems to approve of is quite a troublesome matter, isn’t it?”
Wei Guang’s eyes narrowed.
“You mean her sanctioning the persecution of the Shu clan.”
“Yes. Her support of Xianchun was troubling to begin with, but I admit to having underestimated how far the two of them are willing to go,” Kayla said. “What on earth are we to do about the Shu clan? I can cover it up this time easily enough, but…”
It’ll happen again. No clan that held so much influence in a region could claim to have a spotless record. Enough digging and something would always turn up. For the most part, the clans covered each other’s backs, but the Shu clan, having become the Emperor’s personal target, did not have that privilege.
“Indeed, the Shu clan is a liability to us all. But the Fifth Prince is indispensable to us, Wenyuan. Have you never considered what would happen if a sudden misfortune befell the Third Prince?” Wei Guang asked gravely.
“Who said anything about–you misunderstand me, godfather. I have no wish to cause the Fifth Prince any harm, or even any distress. You yourself have seen the amicable relationship between us,” Kayla protested.
“Of course,” Wei Guang said, a small note of relief in his voice. “But your concerns ring true–we must do something about the Shu clan.”
There was a glint in his eyes that set the alarm bells off in Kayla’s head.
“And what would that entail?”
Wei Guang’s face pulled into a half-smile. “I’ll have to deliberate the matter further and discuss it with the Third Prince. Don’t trouble yourself over it, just focus on your career and your new bride for now.”
Focus on my–are you kidding me? You can’t exclude me from the plan when the consequences will include us all!
Kayla kept herself from scoffing, but only barely. “It’s difficult not to worry, godfather. There are too many uncertainties, from my bride’s loyalties to the instability of my own abilities. I can’t help but be uneasy if I do not have a grasp of our plans.”
Wei Guang gave her a thoughtful look before letting out a soft sigh. “I may not be able to appease you on all your concerns, Wenyuan, but as I have mentioned before, you don’t need to worry too much about your abilities.”
“Yes, you’ve kindly assured me already, but–”
Wei Guang cut her off. “And I meant it. You have nothing to fear, Wenyuan. Your abilities will not fail you inside the capital, or anywhere within a hundred mile radius thereof.”
Huh?
“Let’s speak no more on this topic for now,” Wei Guang said. “As you understand, we have greater concerns. But know that your mother cared for you very deeply.”
What does that have to do with anything? The bull’s head doesn’t fit the horse’s mouth, Kayla thought irritably. Forget it, we’re both too busy these days. We have to cram every single problem into shorter intervals of time and the squeeze keeps getting tighter. I’d be better off focusing on the more important topics rather than riling him up with insignificant problems.
“Alright then, if you say so. But the Shu clan aside, the Empress Dowager is being uncharacteristically aggressive recently. Not just towards Yunqi, but even towards my wife. We can’t just sit back and wait to be killed, can we?” Kayla said. The problem was that they could only play defense when it came to the nation’s most respected matron. The Emperor was the only one who could launch an offense, and even then within limits, for fear of incurring a bad reputation of lacking piety.
“If you knew your grandmother in her younger days, you would know that this is, in fact, very characteristic for her,” Wei Guang said. “If you think about it, her actions are not so surprising as that. This is the same trap that plenty of wise and capable people have fallen into before her–when it comes to the time when they need to step down from power, they find that they cannot do it. They’re too deeply embroiled in the open quarrels and hidden conflicts that they can no longer disentangle their own identity from it. And more often than not, they no longer have the judgment to discern when it is indeed time for them to hand over the reins.”
Wei Guang gave Kayla a meaningful look. “The one who stands at the pinnacle of power is no longer the same person who was able to out-compete their rivals. Success, flattery, and always having their way has long since eroded their judgment and their ability to tolerate setbacks. Even if they were able to surmount numerous challenges in the past, now even the smallest difficulty feels like a personal affront to them.”
“I suppose that goes doubly so for both my grandparents,” Kayla muttered, her mind flashing to the late Grand Duke.
“Indeed, but perhaps more so for your grandmother. You forget this, but she has held the moral high ground for almost all her life. The late Grand Duke was cruel and greedy, but he took no pretensions about being vindictive and insolent. But the Empress Dowager has always served as a protector to the dynasty. First as the wise, level-headed wife and advisor to the former Emperor, and then as the guardian of her son’s interests. She’s stood her ground against the Grand Duke and the corruption of the court for decades,” Wei Guang said, a distant look in his eyes of intermingled pity and respect.
“So it’s not just that she’s been in this for too long, she’s been on the right side for too long and now she can’t accept that she’s no longer needed,” Kayla muttered.
I suppose that makes sense why she’s furious at me when she’s the one who repeatedly dangled my life on a string before the Grand Duke. But backing me into a corner is one thing…backing Kuang into one? That threatens the country.
Wei Guang still seemed to be lost in thought and didn’t acknowledge Kayla’s remark.
“Even though I criticize her today, I can only hope that I can avoid the same path myself,” Wei Guang sighed. He suddenly looked older than ever before. Even the white hairs on his head seemed to become more prominent as they caught the afternoon light.
“I’m sure that you will,” Kayla said.
Wei Guang shook his head. “Do you believe that no one else knows of these trappings? Yet they fall into it all the same. Having the wisdom to recognize such a pattern is different than having the wisdom to realize when you’re in it yourself. You’d do well to keep that in mind yourself, Wenyuan.”
Kayla nodded haltingly.
“At the current moment, the Empress Dowager poses no great threat to you. Entering into direct conflict for her is as inadvisable now as it was before. Did you not say so yourself that focusing on advancing reforms is your best option?” Wei Guang pointed out.
Yes, but that was before she started assisting Xianchun. Am I overthinking this or is everyone just underestimating Xianchun?
Kayla shifted uneasily in her seat. “I did say that.”
“The Empress Dowager and Prince Xianchun alike will make their path narrower as they walk, and soon find themselves in a dead end. On the other hand, forcing them into one by your hand will besmear both you and the ruler you support. Don’t dirty your hands,” Wei Guang warned her.
True. But is it really alright to have such an optimistic outlook? Kayla glanced over Wei Guang calculatingly. Or does he already have a plan in place? If it’s Wei Guang…barely anyone knows the current Emperor was placed on the throne during a coup even though the palace was shut down. When it comes to conspiracy, older ginger has a sharper sting.
“Alright then,” Kayla said. “Thank you for your advice, godfather.”
Sure, he’s better at conspiracy than I am, Kayla thought darkly. But I can’t just blindly trust in him either.
She took her leave of Wei Guang with her thoughts in turbulence and headed back to the Zhao household.
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Cultural Notes
Paying respect to the in-laws: A traditional Chinese wedding rite in which the bride has to go greet her in-laws the next morning and pay her respects.
高端的猎人往往以猎物的姿态出现/High-level hunters often appear in the guise of prey: A popular saying in the Chinese internet sphere. Essentially means that high-level hunters use their brains to bait and entrap their prey instead of using brute force.
如临大敌/Like facing a great enemy: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to face something very seriously and with trepidation/grave determination.
Tiele tribes: A federation of 12~13 (or more, depending on the source you listen to) nomadic Turkic tribes that resided in Northern China during the Tang Dynasty, including the Uyghur tribe from which Mingda hails.
成家立业/Establish a family and build a career: An Ancient Chinese proverb describing the expected duties of a man to his family and community.
牛头不对马嘴/The bull's head doesn't fit the horse's mouth: A Chinese saying that means the answer has nothing to do with the question.
明争暗斗/Open quarrels and hidden conflicts: An Ancient Chinese proverb.
路走窄了/Narrow your path: A Chinese saying meaning to reduce one's own options until ultimately forcing yourself into a dead-end.
姜还是老的辣/Older ginger is spicier: A Chinese saying that means older people can be more cunning/vicious/better at conspiracy, etc.