Character Index
Qu Boyong/Xiang Daozong: The son of General Xiang and the Princess of Chu, he is also a maternal nephew of the Emperor but was never doted on like Wenyuan as his mother was not the Empress Dowager's child. He sought revenge for the extermination of his clan at the hands of the Grand Duke.
Ji Fangluo: A pregnant woman who left her husband and children behind to join in Qu Boyong's revenge plan, taking the place of her father who was badly traumatized during the extermination of the Xiang clan.
An Haoyang: A former Imperial Investigator, his family was also related to the Xiang clan. He helped Qu Boyong in his revenge against the Grand Duke.
Tabuyir: A Senior Imperial Investigator, he hails from a steppe tribe near the Khaganate border.
Great General Liang: The Great General of the West and the patriarch of the Liang clan, he was falsely executed in the previous Emperor's reign. His family was forced to flee and live in hiding for years, during which Hu Qing was conceived and born. Eventually, he was posthumously cleared of charges and his family reinstated.
Li Que: A Senior Imperial Investigator and Chen Jian's mentor.
Chen Jian: A young Imperial Investigator with sharp instincts, he is Li Que's protege and tacitly acknowledged successor for when Li Que is promoted to higher standing. He is the older brother of Chen Caichun.
Chen Caichun: A Chamberlain of the Court of Judicial Review, a talented young woman who was recruited by Kayla and became her supporter.
Zhao Mingfang: A member of the Zhao clan, he once bribed a servant in the Wei household to make an attempt on Kayla's life via a poison needle hidden in Kayla's cloak. The servant was caught by Hu Qing, but Zhao Mingfang had poisoned the servant ahead of time, causing the man to die before he could be interrogated. In the aftermath of the failed assassination, Zhao Mingfang drew up a list of Zhao clan members who had changed allegiances to Kayla and brought it to the Grand Duke, cementing the old man's decision to kill Kayla by any means.
Zhao Mingfu: Younger brother of Zhao Mingfang, just as ambitious as his older brother, and is furthermore equally adept at causing disproportionate chaos despite occupying relatively minor positions within the clan.
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince, he sought revenge against the Grand Duke after Kayla revealed that his mother (Consort Chen) was murdered by the Grand Duke.
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Qu Boyong scooped out the last bits of flatbread from his soup, glancing up as a bird call sounded from outside. He frowned in suspicion.
“Were there always birds in that tree?” Qu Boyong muttered.
Ji Fangluo shrugged. “Birds can fly,” she said patiently, as though explaining to an idiot.
The door burst open as An Haoyang dashed inside, a look of urgency on his face.
“Young lord, we need to run!”
Qu Boyong set down his spoon and got up, looking at him in confusion.
“What? What’s happened?!”
“It’s the Bureau!” An Haoyang hissed. “The second unit under Senior Investigator Tabuyir uses that bird call as a signal, I’m sure of it!”
Qu Boyong’s heart skipped a beat in fear.
“Scatter and hide,” Qu Boyong ordered. “We’ll regroup only after it’s safe again.”
“I can’t outrun them. If it were a normal bunch of thugs I could probably manage, but I can’t risk it with an Investigator,” Ji Fangluo said, a hand protectively covering her baby bump.
Qu Boyong and An Haoyang exchanged uneasy looks.
“But I don’t need to run in the first place,” Ji Fangluo added. “I’m the plaintiff in an ongoing case–why should I flee? If I do so, it’ll cement my guilt in their eyes, but they can’t do much to me even if I stay here. There’s no need for you to worry, young lord. I won’t give them anything unfavorable towards you.”
“Then I’ll be troubling you,” Qu Boyong said quietly.
“Please stay safe,” Ji Fangluo replied.
Qu Boyong gave her a nod before he and An Haoyang dashed out and fled into the night. The two of them only needed to make it the short stretch between them and the bustling night market, where they could easily melt into the crowds.
There was a trill as one of the Investigators signaled the others of their escape, but to Qu Boyong’s surprise, the Investigators didn’t give chase. They simply allowed Qu Boyong and An Haoyang to make it into the night market, silently watching from a distance.
“Sir, do we really just let them go?” One of the younger Investigators asked.
“That was the point. If I didn't want him to run, would I have done all this? An Haoyang used to be one of ours, how could he not recognize our signals?” Tabuyir replied. Though they weren’t far from one another, they used a communication device to speak in whispers rather than risk being overheard.
“But sir…” the younger Investigator began to protest.
“A man like him who has been in danger for so long will be naturally suspicious. Even if we release an announcement declaring that the Xiang family was found to be framed, he would naturally think that we were trying to draw him out,” Tabuyir said with a wry smile. “For people like him, we need to give them enough to piece together a reasonable explanation so they can feel at ease.”
“Ah, I see. Let me write that down,” the younger Investigator replied.
“Right now?” His coworker said incredulously before turning to Tabuyir. “Sir, then what about the woman?”
“Ask her about Qu Boyong–gently, mind you,” Tabuyir said.
“Of course.”
“Describe him to her and ask what she knows about him, and if he ever mentioned the Xiang clan to her before. She’ll deny it, of course, but our purpose would have been accomplished,” Tabuyir ordered. “The next step is to spread the rumor that the Bureau uncovered something big and is trying to keep it under wraps.”
“Yes, sir!” The Investigators replied in hushed voices.
Tabuyir glanced at the bustling market below one more time before silently taking his leave. Unaware of the Investigators’ departure, Qu Boyong and An Haoyang had blended into the crowds, careful to keep their nervousness under wraps.
Qu Boyong finally slipped out from the crowded marketplace, checking to see that he hadn’t been spotted or followed. He finally confirmed that he was safe and let out a sigh of relief.
Damn it, will Ji Fangluo really be alright? Surely they would show some restraint with a pregnant woman?
He quietly slunk down the alleys, finally emerging in a rundown area full of abandoned or semi-abandoned buildings. It was one of the spots where aging prostitutes, homeless vagrants, and down-on-luck foreigners languished. The locals avoided the place, and no one there wanted to deal with the authorities, making it the perfect hiding spot. An Haoyang had headed towards a similar spot in a different area. It was too dangerous for the two to be in the same place.
Qu Boyong quietly stepped into a crumbling building with a broken door. A man was already inside, looking to be drunk out of his mind. Qu Boyong ignored the occupant and went straight through the house, settling into the smaller but sturdier shed behind the building.
This isn’t just bad luck, Qu Boyong thought to himself grimly. Wenyuan must have given me up instead of naming the prince’s involvement.
At this point, there wasn’t much he could do but lie low or leave the capital. Qu Boyong wasn’t about to risk getting summarily executed the second he was brought back to the Bureau. He wouldn’t put it past them to do so in order to wrap up the case as quickly as possible.
The night dragged on endlessly as Qu Boyong waited tensely in the darkness. Before he knew it, he had drifted into a fitful sleep, nodding awake as the morning sun shone through the cracks in the roof.
He lay low for the next few days, only emerging from the shed when his face was carefully covered by his cloak. The underbelly of the capital was rife with rumors of Zhao Wenyuan’s arrest. Qu Boyong kept his ears peeled, hoping to work out just how much the Zhao heir had given away, but it was a new set of rumors that caught his attention as he joined a group of vagabonds at their bonfire.
“Did you hear? The Bureau seems to have been very active lately. Word has it they’re making to uncover something big.”
“About the Grand Duke?”
“No one knows! But they've been moving around so much that all the gangs have been really quiet."
“Didn’t they search the Xiang household yesterday?” One man said, taking a swig from his bottle.
Qu Boyong jumped in at the last rumor.
“The Xiang household?” He asked quizzically. “What on earth for? That place has been abandoned for years.”
“They must be trying to find something,” the man replied.
“Like what?” Qu Boyong asked.
“Goodness, how would I know?” The man shot back.
Qu Boyong fell silent again, letting the rest of the conversation flow over him.
What’s going on? Why did they search the Xiang household?
A new possibility began to take root in his mind. What if Wenyuan didn’t screw me over but instead dragged out the Xiang clan’s case to throw off their attention? Is that why the Investigators were looking for me?
He wasn’t about to take a chance on something so uncertain. Better to watch as the situation developed rather than rush in and break his neck.
It didn’t take long for Qu Boyong’s suspicions to be confirmed. A new notice went up at the entrance to each market and outside the city gates, and word of it made its way back into the underbelly as well.
“I knew something was up when they searched the Xiang household!” The man who had brought it up before was back with a bottle, waving it about excitedly. Qu Boyong wandered over to the bonfire, giving him a nod.
“What are you talking about?” Qu Boyong asked the drunkard.
“They put up a notice. Declared that the Xiang clan was framed and all that–they’re also reinstating the title of Lord Xiang to the heir…Xiang…Xiang…”
“Xiang Daozong?” Qu Boyong offered. The flicker of hope in his chest was lit aflame, scorching at his insides as it clawed into his throat.
“Maybe, something like that. Can’t remember the name. But it’s stirring up quite the fuss in the city! They’re pointing fingers at Grand Duke Zhao for framing General Xiang. They even made the Zhao clan downgrade his funeral rituals to that of a commoner,” the man said. “Now that’s what I call what comes around goes around!”
“Then his grandson’s done for, ain’t he?” A foreign man joined in with a wry chuckle.
“That would only be right! They ought to execute the rest of the clan too,” the drunk man said, his speech slurring as he neared the bottom of the bottle. “It’s only fair, they wiped out the Xiang clan, so they should also pay for it–not to mention all the shit the old fart pulled before he kicked the bucket.”
“Is the heir even alive? I’d heard he was dead,” Qu Boyong asked, trying to draw out more information.
“Who knows? They’re probably just doing it for show.”
“Well, what did the notice say?” Qu Boyong asked.
“Fuck, am I supposed to memorize it now? Go look for yourself,” the drunk man snapped.
Qu Boyong let out a huff before slipping away. It was dangerous to go visit the market, and the safest thing to do would be to lay low and stay still. There was no telling whether the whole situation would be reversed later, or if this was an elaborate trap to lure him out. But hope won over caution, as it often did for desperate men.
He slipped into the crowds as he entered from a side-alley, weaving through the throngs of people before finally reaching the entrance of the market. There were a number of notices at the entrance, including several posters for wanted criminals, but the newest one immediately caught his eye. It wasn’t just that it was in the center of the board, but that the characters were written larger than usual, written in elegant calligraphy.
It’s true, Qu Boyong froze as he read the notice.
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It declared the Xiang clan innocent, openly admitted that the court was deceived with falsified evidence produced by the Grand Duke, and further announced the reinstatement of Xiang Daozong, whether he was alive or posthumously, and calling for any surviving relatives to come forth to seek recompense for their sufferings.
The words were almost identical to the notice that had been released across the country when the Liang clan had been found innocent after the framing of Great General Liang. Qu Boyong had read copies of that notice countless times while undercover as his enemy’s servant, hoping for the day when one would be issued for the Xiang clan. Now that one was actually before his eyes, Qu Boyong didn’t know how to react. People stopped to read the notice on their way into the night market and moved on, while Qu Boyong remained standing still where he was.
I need to leave, Qu Boyong told himself. I need to get out of here and lay low until I can verify their intentions.
After years of honing his self-control, Qu Boyong suddenly found himself unable to make use of it. Despite his intentions, his feet remained still as though rooted to the ground.
A man stopped next to him, looking at the notice. From the man’s firm stance alone, Qu Boyong sensed that this wasn’t just another market-goer. He glanced at the man warily and prepared for a fight.
The man looked to be from the steppe tribes but dressed like a local. “It’s been a long wait, hasn’t it?” The man said, still looking at the notice. He finally glanced over to Qu Boyong, meeting his wary gaze with hazel eyes.
“My lord, congratulations on your reinstatement,” the man went on, ignoring it even as Qu Boyong reached for a blade. “My name is Tabuyir, and I’m a Senior Investigator from the Imperial Investigation Bureau. I’m here to escort you to the palace.”
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Qu Boyong tugged on the luxurious robes that were now draped over him. He was no stranger to finery. He had lived in it as a child. And in the Zhao household, he lived in proximity to the obscene wealth of the Grand Duke, witnessing it from the outskirts.
After so many years, he had to admit feeling unused to wearing brocade.
“Do the robes fit, my lord?” Tabuyir asked from behind the screen.
Qu Boyong stepped out to join him, gesturing at the robes. “They fit perfectly, how did you know my measurements?”
“I can tell just from looking,” Tabuyir replied. “We’ll be heading to the palace soon, are you feeling ready for it?”
“Is it really alright for me to meet the Emperor like this? I’m sure he hasn’t heard anything good about me,” Qu Boyong asked, trying to prod for more information.
“I’m sure Minister Zhao has not spoken of you to the Emperor, and His Majesty would have had few other opportunities of learn of you,” Tabuyir said. “In any case, Minister Zhao was the one to reveal your true identity–that alone should be favorable to you.”
“Minister Zhao? But he’s in prison right now, isn’t he?” Qu Boyong asked.
“Indeed. He was arrested on charges of deceiving the Emperor and conspiracy against the court,” Tabuyir replied.
“He was arrested on such serious charges?” Qu Boyong said. And yet he still has this much sway?
Qu Boyong had to admit that he was a little impressed at how well the justice system bloc held up even when Wenyuan was imprisoned. I guess they really do watch out for their own.
“Yes, someone submitted evidence against him. But it wasn’t enough for a conviction of any kind. Out of fears that this would stir up a fuss in the court, the Emperor had no choice but to arrest Minister Zhao to avoid being accused of going easy on his kinsmen,” Tabuyir replied. “There’s no need to worry though, he’ll surely be released soon.”
“So it was just for show,” Qu Boyong said in relief, even as a twinge of discomfort pierced his chest. “Even though the accusations were so serious…it sounds like the Emperor didn’t believe it from the start.”
“I wouldn’t dare to presume His Majesty’s thoughts, but in either case, we don’t have evidence to show that the Minister is guilty,” Tabuyir said.
Qu Boyong gave him a long look. Wenyuan’s release was a good thing for everyone involved in the Grand Duke’s death, but Tabuyir’s words bothered him. If the Bureau really wanted to prove Wenyuan’s guilt, he was sure they could have done so. It wasn’t so much that they couldn’t find evidence, but that they didn’t plan to, following the Emperor’s lead.
“Then given how quickly you guys found evidence against my father, His Majesty must have been quite adamant that he was guilty,” Qu Boyong said, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice.
Tabuyir gave him a long look, not responding. Qu Boyong swallowed the rest of his complaints and stared off into the distance. The old pain that had been ever present inside his chest sharpened.
“Forget I said anything,” Qu Boyong snapped.
Tabuyir’s gaze pierced into the side of his face. “My lord, if I may offer a word of advice?” He said calmly.
“Please go ahead,” Qu Boyong said, his tone not matching his words.
“I understand your feelings of being aggrieved, but you should be careful of what you say. Being reinstated doesn’t mean you can stop watching your words and actions, especially when it concerns the Emperor,” Tabuyir said seriously.
“What's so wrong with what I said? There wasn’t sufficient evidence to convict my father either, but the approach you took was way too different from how you’re treating Wenyuan’s case, isn’t it? What does the Emperor have to do with it?” Qu Boyong shot back, his anger winning over his rationality.
“Don’t play the fool, my lord. At the time of your father’s case, there had already been numerous infractions and accusations of your father refusing to obey orders and even disparaging the Emperor. Whether or not he actually said anything against His Majesty, rumors that spread among the military were traced back to General Xiang’s camp,” Tabuyir replied. “There were even rumors that the Emperor was not the rightful heir to the throne–and then evidence of rebellion turned up. How could the Emperor not have doubts?”
“The Department of War was under the Zhao clan’s control! Did he not think of that?” Qu Boyong snapped.
“The Grand Duke was not as outrageous back then as he later became–he hid his arrogance well, and Zhao Wei has always been exceptionally good at playing the stoic, loyal soldier who can be block-headed and stubborn when it comes to military law,” Tabuyir said. “Given the impact of the rumors on the soldiers, the situation had already spiraled too far out of control for this to end well.”
“So we were sacrificed to protect the Emperor’s legitimacy,” Qu Boyong muttered.
“Never say such a thing ever again,” Tabuyir said, emphasizing his words. “Did you survive all these years just so you can seek death here? If the Emperor expresses his regret, you have to react with gratitude. Any discontent you feel should be buried where no one else can see it. Do not forget that he is the ruler of all under heaven–if he apologizes, you have to be sincerely touched; if he does not apologize, you are not permitted to resent him. No one can hold grudges against him without consequence. Please do not waste this chance by being labeled an ingrate.”
“Why are you advising me like this?” Qu Boyong asked. “Do you expect me to thank you for the favor?”
Tabuyir gave him a smile. “I have no need for such things. I’m merely taking proper care of you as I was asked to.”
“By who?” Qu Boyong immediately asked.
“Minister Zhao,” Tabuyir replied. “He made my good friend swear on his ancestors to make sure you were reinstated safely, so I’m obliged to help out as well.”
At Qu Boyong’s look of confusion, Tabuyir gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder.
“In any case, please remember to contain yourself before the Emperor,” Tabuyir said, his voice once again serious. “If you really cannot control your reactions, then just show none. You can be excused for failing to respond properly if it’s believed to be the result of being stunned by being in the presence of the Emperor, but not if it’s believed to be out of disrespect or malice.”
Qu Boyong gulped as the hand on his shoulder tightened into a vice-like grip that wasn’t quite yet painful.
“I understand,” he said reluctantly.
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Kayla sat up from where she was lounging in bed as someone approached her cell.
“Chen Jian”, Kayla said in surprise. The young Investigator grinned as he entered the cell.
“Minister, long time no see! I came to bring you some extra robes,” Chen Jian said. “Caichun asked me to also bring some other things but I couldn't bring them in because of security reasons.”
“Thank you, I appreciate you going to the trouble of doing all this,” Kayla said warmly. “How is your sister, if I may ask?”
“She’s doing alright. And how have you been, Minister?”
“I’m also doing well,” Kayla replied.
“Glad to hear that, Your Grace. By the way, Xiang Daozong’s been reinstated,” Chen Jian said. “It took us a little longer than we expected–not the evidence part, but Lord Xiang himself was quite edgy and ran off when we tried to approach him. But Senior Investigator Tabuyir’s taken care of it, he met with the Emperor earlier in the morning. His Majesty officially gave him the title of Lord Xiang and gave him a residence. Senior Investigator Li wanted me to assure you that Lord Xiang will be kept safe.”
“I’m very glad to hear that,” Kayla replied. “Please give my thanks to your mentor, as well as to Senior Investigator Tabuyir.” Things had progressed faster than she had expected. It seemed that Li Que had purposefully pushed forward Xiang Daozong’s case to distract the court and to make Kayla necessary again as fast as he could.
Chen Jian glanced around subtly before drawing closer, lowering his voice.
“Actually, Minister, there was another matter I needed to speak to you about,” Chen Jian said quietly.
“Please go on,” Kayla urged him.
“Your relatives Zhao Mingfang and Zhao Mingfu are offering to testify against you,” Chen Jian said. Kayla stared at him in shock. She could barely recall who the two were, Wenyuan having only interacted with them a few times at family gatherings.
“What?” Kayla said in disbelief. What could those two even testify about? They weren’t anywhere close to the core of the Grand Duke’s faction, nor did they have any channels to relevant information. Moreover, they hardly benefited from screwing her over. It placed them no closer to becoming head of household given the dozens of people who would have a better claim.
“They claim to have evidence that you conspired with other Zhao clan members against the Grand Duke. There’s nothing to nitpick about your actions if you consider the context and the Emperor’s wishes, but it’s unfavorable to have such testimonies emerge at such a time,” Chen Jian explained.
“Good heavens,” Kayla groaned. “One wave has not even smoothed over yet and another wave has risen!”
“Please don’t worry, Your Grace. I was the one they approached. Investigator Li told me not to accept their testimony, nor record that they had offered, but simply ignoring the matter is not a plan for the long-term. Your Grace, should there be anything you wish to say on the matter, I can pass it along to my sister for you.”
“You and Investigator Li have done me a great favor,” Kayla said gratefully. She hesitated, searching for a solution. The easiest thing to do would be to remove them. Whether that meant forcing them out of the capital or killing them, what mattered was the end result.
It won’t be easy to force them out of the capital when we’re trying to keep a low profile and play innocent–if anything, that might backfire on me. But their testimonies aren’t all that damaging, considering how little they actually know. Should I really have them killed?
She glanced at Chen Jian, who was still waiting for her answer.
But for them to offer to testify at such a time, they’re determined to sabotage me. I can’t risk jeopardizing everything.
“When you say unfavorable, what exactly do you mean?” Kayla asked carefully.
“As of now, we only have enough evidence to prove that you did not report a misdiagnosis to the palace after you learned of it, but that is not enough to hold up as a charge of deceiving the Emperor. We also have proof that you took over the Zhao household’s security measures on the night of the Grand Duke’s death, but we can’t prove a coup, nor can we prove that the Grand Duke died as a result. After all, it’s perfectly normal for a household to undergo various security changes,” Chen Jian said. “But the fact that the Seventh Prince was also involved doesn’t look too good, but since we’d rather not implicate him, we’re leaving that matter off the official records even though the palace knows about it.”
Kayla nodded, almost a little surprised that he was sharing the information so directly. Then again, that was how he always was.
“So that means there isn’t really any evidence for either charges,” Kayla said. “Or at least not enough for a sentence.”
“Not if the Emperor doesn’t want to charge you,” Chen Jian replied. “Even the fact that you called over Zhao clansmen is not a big deal at the moment–family members gathering for someone’s last moments is perfectly reasonable. The problem is if someone can offer proof that this was a premeditated, coordinated movement to force the Grand Duke from power, then the situation becomes very different. Your relatives’ testimonies could end up prolonging and extending the investigation, not to mention that they might affect how the Emperor views this case.”
“That’s certainly quite troublesome,” Kayla said quietly.
“May I ask what you wish me to pass along?” Chen Jian asked. “I’m sorry to rush you, but I can’t stay here too long without incurring suspicion.”
Kayla steeled herself. I can’t be soft right now–especially when we’ve already gotten this far.
“Please tell her this: I originally intended my heart to reflect the moon, but what can I do if the moon shines into the gutters? I can only sweep the moonlight before my door,” Kayla said. “I’m sure she will understand my intentions.”
Chen Jian didn’t look as though he had understood a word of that, but he nodded dutifully. Kayla had purposefully chosen obscure wording to avoid getting the young Investigator in any trouble. As long as what he passed along could not be constituted as orders to silence witnesses, then Chen Jian would be fine even if he was subjected to interrogation.
“I will make sure to tell her that,” Chen Jian replied.
“Thank you.”
“Then I’ll take my leave now, please take care,” Chen Jian said. He bowed and headed off. Once he was out of earshot, Kayla heaved a heavy sigh. Hopefully, Chen Caichun would get the message.
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Cultural Notes
麻烦你了/Then [I'll be] troubling you: A common phrase in Chinese, it's a way of saying "then I'll leave it to you" and "thanks" in one go. The more formal way of saying it would be 有劳[Name]了/Then [Name] will be [troubled with this] labor.
身怀六甲/Body bears Six Jia: An Ancient Chinese phrase referring to a pregnant woman. Six Jia/六甲 is known as the day on which the Heavenly Emperor created the universe, aka the day of creation. Since this also corresponds to an Ancient time-keeping system, the days of 六甲/Six Jia were also believed to be the days on which a woman is more likely to become pregnant, according to some folk beliefs.
贸然行事/Carelessly acting: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to someone who does not consider the consequences before they act.
告示/Notice: In Ancient China, notices were often placed on notice boards in areas with high foot traffic, as well as outside of relevant government agencies. For those who could not read, notices were often also read out loud by lower-ranking officials or staff who were tasked with ensuring that the message was clearly communicated.
自食恶果/Eat the evil fruit [of your own actions]: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning that "you reap what you sow", but specifically for those who reap bad consequences for their wrongs.
冤有头债有主/A wrong has its beginning a debt has its owner: An Ancient Chinese saying that means you cannot escape retribution for what you have done. In other words, your actions will always be traced back to you, and you'll be expected to pay the price for them at that time. In Ancient China, it was expected that actions, good or bad, affect the collective and not just you as an individual, and thus the consequences will also fall upon your family and relations as well.
溺爱不明/Indulgence without clarity: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning that someone indulges another person, usually a child or a significant other, to the point where they even lose sight of their own rationality and their minds are clouded.
诽谤君王/Deriding the ruler: A crime in Ancient China that cast the criminal as a man who is disloyal. It is a crime that corrupts the virtue of the accused, regardless of the degree of their words. Though originally used to maintain stability within society, which worked fine to keep malicious actors from trying to incite power struggles during the early and middle phases of a dynasty in which the population, economy, and political affairs were relatively consistent and stable, it was also used as a tool of repression against people who genuinely wanted to remonstrate for the wellbeing of the country.
天子/Son of Heaven: The Emperor was known as the Son of Heaven, imparting him with some level of divinity. As such, rulers often engaged in religious rituals in addition to their political duties. Accordingly, rulers also were represented by a star in the sky (帝王星/Emperor's star) in many astrology traditions. The result of this was that the Emperor's right to rule over the country was believed in by most of the population, and of course, by the holder of power himself. This is also the reason why many rebellions do not start out with "Let's kill the Emperor", but rather "Let's kill that corrupt asshole who's forcing the Emperor's hand", in order to avoid losing popular support.
我本将心向明月，奈何明月照沟渠/I originally intended my heart to reflect the moon, but what can I do if the moon shines into the gutters?: A couplet from a poem written during the Yuan dynasty. It means that your good intentions are repaid with treachery or ill intent.
自扫门前月/Sweeping the moon before the gates: This is based off a line from a poem "自扫门前雪/Sweeping the snow before one's own gates", which means to only be concerned with your own affairs without regard for other people's hardships, and sometimes used to mean "stay in your own lane". Kayla changes snow to moon, signalling that she intends to clean house.