Character Index
Ashina: Princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, Kayla's wife.
Kulun: Tarkhan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
Housekeeper Li: Kayla's loyal servant.
Derin: Ashina's chief attendant.
Accountant Wu: Kayla's accountant.
Wei Guang: The Imperial Edict Bearer and Minister of the Office of Censure. Kayla's godfather and the Emperor's teacher. After Kayla dismissed the Grand Duke's assassins, he arranged for them all to be killed rather than leave loose ends.
Zhou Kuang: The Third Prince.
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince.
Lady Lin: A blind divination mage who worked with Wenyuan's mother, the Imperial Princess.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Lord of the Liang clan and Vice-Censor.
Meral: One of Ashina's attendants, a teenage girl who doubles as a spy for the Khagan.
Shegui Khagan: Khagan of the Western Turkic Khaganate. Ashina suspected her father of preparing to launch an offensive against Shegui and having arranged her marriage in preparation of that.
Lin Jie: An Attendant Censor, he was hired along with his friend Zhang Wuxian. Has a chronic arm problem.
Sun Zhong'e: Kayla's retainer, a middle-aged woman with unconventional healing methods.
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A group of disgruntled men grumbled amongst themselves over the communication device. Since their last meeting, things had only taken a turn for the worse.
“I thought that those clans could at least buy us some more time than this,” one man complained, rubbing a hand over his gaunt face.
The veteran amongst them scoffed, glaring at the others disdainfully.
“Those bastards have grown fat and complacent, we never should have expected anything from them in the first place! I said it last time and I’ll say it again, we need to make our move.”
His words were met with scattered groans and grunts of approval.
“That must be easy for you to say, but we haven’t finished gathering the funds yet. How on earth are we supposed to take action on an empty purse?” One man complained.
“I’ll sell some of the things I inherited from my mother,” a haggard man said. “They’re worth a great deal, but they won’t sell for much on the black market, so I was hoping to avoid this. But as a last resort, we’ll go with this.”
“Those trinkets are far too noticeable, aren’t they?” Another man asked uneasily. “After all, items made by palace artisans…”
The haggard man let out a mirthless chuckle. “You must not be familiar with how things work in that circle, my friend. Countless eunuchs and palace maids sneak out a little this or that when they leave the palace. Not to mention that servants pilfer from their masters and mistresses. There’s no shortage of items made by palace artisans on the market.”
“Not of that quality.”
“No,” the haggard man admitted. “But my dear friend has some connections who will buy it. Few would question it even if they know I sold the items. To put it bluntly, my household is known for being on the brink of collapse.”
“I can’t argue with that,” the veteran said bluntly. “And frankly, I don’t care how you do it. Just get the funds together and make it so that no one can trace where the money went. But we need to make our move immediately! We can’t wait any longer, or we’ll be trapped before we know it!”
“But Henan Circuit is already within their grasp, and so is the Guannei Circuit. Our original plans have gone up in smoke now that the palace has crushed their opposition,” one of the men pointed out.
“Then we’ll have to improvise by taking whatever course of action is most favorable,” the haggard man said. “We can’t hope to win against those with enormous wells of power of wealth under normal circumstances, but we can drag them into the same straits as us by forcing them into chaos and despair. Then, they’ll be disoriented, while we’ll be in our element.”
He looked about the others. “So tell me, my friends, what would create the most amount of shock and confusion?”
Save for the veteran, the other men awkwardly glanced at each other, at a loss for an answer.
The veteran finally gave two names, and the call erupted into protests and argument before he could say another word.
“Silence! You spineless bastards! If any of you lot has a better idea, then spit it out right now!” The veteran roared.
“You fool! It’s impossible! Even if you ignore their status, the surveillance is so heavy that we’d be discovered right away!”
“Then we’ll use their surveillance against them,” the haggard man’s voice coldly cut into the fray, rendering the others silent. “We’ll prepare for multiple possibilities. But no matter what, we must take action, or all of our hopes and dreams will have to be buried for eternity.”
He spoke levelly, not raising his voice, but no one missed a word.
“Are we all in agreement?”
One by one, the hands went up until everyone had assented. The haggard man glanced about the raised hands and nodded in satisfaction.
“Good, then let’s discuss a plan.”
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Kayla blinked rapidly, clearing the bleariness from her eyes. A familiar exhaustion weighed down her shoulders.
I haven’t felt like this since the Grand Duke’s death, Kayla thought wryly.
Ashina had been in low spirits since the departure of Kulun-tarkhan and the Turkic delegation. Her loyal attendants and guards remained in the Zhao household, but seemed no happier than their mistress. Kayla found herself at a loss for how to comfort the princess. Neither of them were sleeping well at night, Kayla more so than Ashina.
She swatted the thoughts away and forced her attention back to Housekeeper Li.
“The princess has requested the household accounts,” Housekeeper Li reported, a worried look on her face as she stood before Kayla’s desk. “She wants to see all of the books and expenses. It’s within her right, of course, but…”
Kayla breathed in sharply. “Have Accountant Wu give her the new calculations,” Kayla said after a moment of consideration. “She’s the mistress of the house now, it’s not as if I can hope to hide our finances from her anyways. Might as well let her know of the debt we owe the Treasury sooner than later. Oh, and show her the payment plan and the budget specially allocated to her as well.”
“Yes, but…” Housekeeper Li hesitated slightly. “Does that include the Lord’s expenses as well?”
“Why not?” Kayla asked.
“Then we should at least negotiate restrictions for her attendants,” Housekeeper Li said meaningfully.
“Of course. Derin may help her, and no one else. If any other guard or attendant gains access without clearance from both myself and the Princess, they’ll be subjected to the same discipline as any other household member,” Kayla replied. “Of course, it’ll be up to the Princess to punish them.”
“I’ll explain it to her,” Housekeeper Li offered. “It’s best to use an intermediary for such things between newlyweds.”
“Then I’d be grateful,” Kayla replied.
Housekeeper Li bowed and left the study, leaving Kayla to her other concerns.
Being married isn’t easy, Kayla thought wearily. She hadn’t slept particularly well since the wedding night. Waking up with a girl next to her wasn’t easy to get used to–for Kayla, at least. Ashina had adjusted fast enough in that regard if not in others. But household affairs notwithstanding, the political situation at court was rapidly escalating towards full-scale turmoil.
The clans had settled down after the high-profile arrests and legitimate grievance reports had begun trickling in. Not one to avoid pursuing the enemy after a victory on the field, Wei Guang had begun pushing for the implementation of communication infrastructure in the Duji and Hebei Circuits.
Things seemed fine on the surface. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Kuang had contributed greatly to the entire process of implementing infrastructure and crushing opposition, and the Emperor had noted that. Few others did. Instead, it was Xianchun’s inflammatory rhetoric, which rode the coattail of Kayla’s high-profile arrests, that gained the attention of the court and the public.
Xianchun’s demands for harsh punishments and calls for justice struck a note with people’s sentiments, especially those of young, impoverished, and educated men who saw no hope of upward mobility. It raised public support for the reform, certainly, but Kayla couldn’t help but feel a deep-seated unease.
He’s going the demagogue route, isn’t he? Kayla rubbed a hand over her face. It’s probably just a ploy to increase his own influence, but he’s never been a guy to do things halfway.
She paused, frowning in thought. Or am I just being paranoid? He’s just doing what any politician worth two cents would do to capitalize on the situation.
Kayla sighed, setting down her pen. She was the last surviving person who had seen the bloody consequences of Xianchun’s ruthlessness. Wenyuan was gone, and Lady Lin was dead. There wasn’t anyone she could turn to who could truly understand the depth of her fears.
He hasn’t done any of that yet, but what if I’ve put him into a position where he can make things even worse than what Lady Lin predicted?
Kayla shook her head, dislodging the uneasy thoughts from her mind.
Well, there’s no point in worrying about it now. It’ll all become clear soon enough.
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Ashina frowned, squinting at the accounts. She felt dizzy from hours of poring over the tiny script.
“I thought he was rich,” Ashina said incredulously. “That’s what the diplomat said as well when they introduced him as the marriage candidate!”
Derin rubbed at her eyes tiredly. “From the looks of it, he was rich until very recently. But now with this debt…the terms are awfully lenient though, a twenty-year term with no interest nor extension limits. I doubt it’ll be a hardship.”
Ashina let out a frustrated sigh. “Maybe not, but why was this never mentioned? He’s had weeks to tell me since we met at the border!” She jabbed a finger at another sum. “And the monthly budget allocated to me is far too generous. The household might be fine with it at first, but they’ll start speaking ill of me soon enough for having such a large budget when the family is in debt.”
“This is only expected for a princess,” Derin pointed out. “Any less would be an insult to you and your house! Should you have to pay for your expenses out of your own dowry while your husband is alive and well?”
Ashina tossed aside the scroll, dissatisfied, and once again picked up the scroll of recent expenses. Wenyuan had few personal expenses to speak of, but the ones he had were far from trifling.
“Wardrobe modification? His clothes aren’t nearly worth this much,” Ashina muttered. “And he paid for Lord Liang’s wardrobe as well? He sure is generous.”
Derin gave a sheepish half-shrug, not being able to make any more sense of it than her princess.
Ashina trailed her eyes across the scroll, her frown deepening.
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“It’s not here.”
“What do you speak of, my princess?”
“The nullification talismans, the retainers, none of them are on any of these accounts,” Ashina said. “But unless all of these accounts are completely fabricated, the amount of money he must be spending can’t go unnoticed.”
“There aren’t that many retainers,” Derin pointed out. “And if there are any others, perhaps they were paid with a lump sum before the Duke was instated.”
The records only went back to Wenyuan’s ascension to the position of Duke, and Ashina doubted she would find any that went back further if she scoured the entire house from top to bottom. A good deal of the guards and servants were also new, and their predecessors were nowhere to be found in the capital, from what Kulun had reported.
Housekeeper Li said they’d returned to their hometowns, but it’s just as likely that they’re already…. Ashina’s heart thudded nervously in her stomach.
“So we have no way of finding out then,” Ashina muttered. Her heart began to thud harder. “Could he really have access to the armory then? Even if he can keep retainers without putting a dent in his wealth, he certainly couldn’t obtain military-grade nullification talismans without considerable expense.”
If he even has access to the armory, then he's more powerful than we had thought. Father had only gone that far against him because he thought Wenyuan wasn't in a position to do anything to me, but... Ashina cut off that train of thought, glancing up at Derin.
“I don’t know, my princess,” Derin said apologetically.
“Father wants to know,” Ashina said through gritted teeth. “He wants to know and I have no way of finding out!”
“Could you get anything out from him? A few casual questions from beside his pillow may uncover far more than any records,” Derin suggested cautiously.
Ashina’s face went blank. “As if. Not a word leaves his lips unless he’s already analyzed them in his head.”
“He’ll relax as time goes by,” Derin assured her. “All newlyweds are like this, especially young men who wish to impress their brides.”
“Hopefully.”
Ashina sighed, leaning her forehead into her hand.
If only things weren’t so difficult…It's hard enough to make a marriage work even without all this, but I can't go against orders either. Father, just what are you thinking?
Reluctantly, she turned her attention back to the scrolls and the small characters in their foreign script. Ashina glanced up at a knock on the door.
“Your Highness, it’s me, Meral.”
“Wait a moment.”
Ashina quickly rolled up the scrolls, Derin moving to help her.
“You can come in now,” Derin called.
Meral entered, her eyes immediately catching upon the scrolls before she even bowed her head.
“My princess, Derin-hanim,” she greeted them. “May I ask if you’ve discovered anything yet?”
Derin frowned, but replied in place of Ashina. “Not yet. If he purchased a military-grade nullification talisman, he must have done it before the Grand Duke’s death.”
Meral nodded, a solemn look on her face. “Nothing certain?”
“No,” Derin replied.
“Then it can’t be helped,” Meral sighed. “There’s been a change of plans, my princess. Your father wishes to speak to Duke Zhao tomorrow night.”
Ashina’s heart skipped a beat. “Kulun-tarkhan said he was waiting to gain more leverage,” Ashina said sharply.
“The situation’s changed, my princess. The Khagan wishes to enter negotiations sooner rather than later,” Meral said. “Shegui Khagan is preparing to launch an offensive into our borders. We’re out of time.”
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Hu Qing pointed to a word on the scroll, tapping it with his finger and glancing about the circle of officials.
“See this here? The grievance report notes that our complainant was forced to buy an expensive item and ended up destitute, and was then approached by a loan shark. It wasn’t until the loan shark was using physical intimidation that this Sir Lin stepped in and offered to lend him money,” Hu Qing said.
“And Sir Lin has been very reasonable, offering loan terms that are completely legal. Unfortunately, our man here is falling behind on his payments and will soon have to sell his land. So even though Sir Lin has nothing to do with the complainant’s predicament, he’s the target of the complaint. Under normal considerations, this is just the whining of an unhappy and unfortunate man, and doesn’t warrant any further action. Right?”
“Would this count as a false report?” One of the officials murmured.
“It’s only false if it contains malicious intent,” his coworker replied. “I don’t think it counts if the complainant isn’t fabricating circumstances and is just confused about what counts for a grievance report.”
Hu Qing nodded at their words and smiled. “Exactly, it would be ridiculous to fine this man for a false report. But if you all think this case should be closed because Sir Lin did nothing wrong, then you’re greatly mistaken.”
“What do you mean, Vice-Censor?”
Hu Qing pointed out the words on the scroll. “Forced to buy? Does that not strike an odd note? Now, try to picture what being forced to buy an expensive item looks like here. What comes to mind.”
“A scam,” one of the officials said immediately.
“Yes, a scam. Some hoodlum carrying an item bundled in cloth bumps into you on purpose, then opens the bundle and finds that some heirloom vase from two dynasties ago has been ‘broken’. He kicks up a fuss and his fellow criminals refuse to let you leave until you pay an exorbitant sum for it,” Hu Qing agreed. “So why are we excluding these words from the picture?”
“He’s a farmer in a small town. Everyone knows everyone in those parts, no scammer would get away with it unless they run after they get the money,” an official said thoughtfully. “We’d be unlikely to find anything even if we look for the criminal, it doesn’t make this case any more worthy of attention.”
“But then the loan shark stepped in,” Hu Qing pointed out. “Like you said, this is a small place where everyone knows everyone. If you’re a hated bastard like a loan shark, you can’t go two steps outside your house without people spitting at you. So why is there a loan shark that can physically intimidate our complainant and get away with it?”
"He can fight?"
"Against a mob of angry farmers?" Hu Qing pointed out.
“He has backing from the local elites, most likely the clan with the most landholdings?”
The words were said uncertainly, and Hu Qing pretended to stare the man incredulously for a moment before nodding.
“Exactly. And the clan with the most land in the area is the Lin clan. Which Sir Lin presumably belongs to.” Hu Qing said the last words sarcastically, eliciting some soft chuckles. “So what does this tell us? Is this just a complaint from an unhappy man, or are we looking at something bigger and more sinister, that our man here has a muddled idea of but lacks the expertise to piece together properly on his own?”
“You think Sir Lin put the loan shark up to the predatory loan in order to trap our complainant into debt?” One official tried. Hu Qing gave him a half shrug, glancing about expectantly.
“Could we possibly suppose that the scammer was in on it?”
Hu Qing smiled. “That’s exactly what I think. Hating to part with one’s ancestral land is the nature of the common man. Unless faced with significant misfortune, who would sell, or even risk their lands? So for these sentimental farmers, the aspiring landlord has to take some extreme measures in order to get their hands on the plots. So where misfortune does not exist, they create it. All they have to do is hire someone from a nearby city to commit a crime, whether it’s scam, robbery, or theft, then send in their loan shark to send the farmer to the brink of financial ruin before they themselves step in.”
He looked around, making sure that everyone understood. “These criminals are usually hired on the black market, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get a hold of them. But if we’re investigating this case, the first thing we should do is to gain control over the loan shark and any relatives he has–if we leave the family to their own devices, the loan shark will never say a word for fear of their safety.”
Hu Qing checked their faces for comprehension one last time before nodding in satisfaction. “Alright then, let’s get back to work.”
The officials bowed and left, murmuring amongst themselves. Hu Qing stretched as inconspicuously as he could. Most of the officials were chosen for their ability to get things done, as well as trustworthiness. But that didn’t mean everyone had the same experiences in criminal law. To be fair, few men in the criminal justice system had as much experience as Hu Qing, who had an intimate understanding of the criminal side of things. That had been why Hu Qing was chosen as Vice Censor in the first place despite having no prior experience at court.
Hu Qing was sure that Wenyuan was also being considerate of advancing Hu Qing’s career, but the opportunity had first and foremost aligned with his expertise.
Scanning the office disinterestedly, Hu Qing’s eyes caught on a familiar figure and he made his way over.
“Attendant Censor Lin,” he greeted. Lin Jie looked up from his desk, the startled look soon fading into the same stoic expression as always.
“Vice Censor,” Lin Jie returned the greeting.
“I noticed you seemed a little uncomfortable,” Hu Qing said. “Is everything alright?”
Lin Jie gave a smile that looked more like a wince. “Fine, Vice Censor. Thank you for asking.”
Hu Qing peered at him suspiciously before lowering his voice. “What’s wrong with your arm? I saw you kneading at it earlier.”
Lin Jie jolted in surprise. “Just a little stiff from writing.”
“Doesn’t look like it to me.,I’ve seen enough men with chronic pain to know one when I see one,” Hu Qing said. “Why is nothing listed on your file?”
He glanced about, seeing that the presence of other officials was making Lin Jie uncomfortable. “Let’s talk in my office.”
Lin Jie bowed his head slightly and followed Hu Qing into the chaotically messy room. The man was evidently reluctant, and Hu Qing had to wonder at his own actions. Why was he even bothering? The man was a civil official, not a man who went about throwing knives and running across rooftops.
Well, I’ve already dragged him in here. Hu Qing turned towards the Attendant Censor, who was frowning in dismay at the desk overflowing with scrolls, glancing at Hu Qing disbelievingly. Hu Qing shrugged.
“I would offer for you to sit, but I’m not sure there’s a spare seat,” Hu Qing said, closing the door. “Anyways, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen you messing with your arm. What’s wrong with it?”
“Just a minor issue, sir. It gets tremors sometimes,” Lin Jie said.
“And pain?”
“And pain,” Lin Jie admitted reluctantly.
Hu Qing breathed out sharply. “I’m guessing it was cheaper to bribe a clerk to keep it off your file than to hire a healer?”
“The healers I've seen can’t do anything about it,” Lin Jie replied, looking extremely uncomfortable.
Hu Qing stared at the man for a moment before nodding. “Then find a better healer and I’ll pay for the appointment. I would recommend you one, but I don’t know any. I do know a woman from Duke Zhao’s house, but she’s a little…” Hu Qing bit back a smile at the thought of Sun Zhong’e slapping talismans on Lin Jie’s stoic face. “Well, you’d be better off finding one yourself.”
“Sir, thank you, but that’s really not–”
“Alright then, lift your right arm,” Hu Qing ordered. Lin Jie gave a look of consternation but lifted it up from his side.
“Keep going,” Hu Qing said. “Lift it as high as you can.”
Lin Jie winced but obeyed, his arm trembling as it went higher. Hu Qing stepped forward and squeezed Lin Jie’s upper arm and shoulder gently before pushing the man’s arm down again.
“You can’t even lift your arm above your shoulder, and you’re what? Thirty five?”
“Thirty-nine,” Lin Jie corrected him.
“Alright then, thirty-nine. Who knows if you’ll be able to hold a pen by the time you’re forty-nine? Are you going to quit in five years after Duke Zhao took the trouble of putting you in this position?” Hu Qing demanded. “Don’t refuse just to be polite. Find a good healer, and don’t worry about the expense.”
"I really couldn't, sir."
"Who are you to tell me how to spend my money?” Hu Qing shot back.
Lin Jie hesitated a moment longer before he bowed deeply. “Thank you, Vice Censor. Then instead of being respectful, I’ll be obedient.”
“Good. You can go now,” Hu Qing said. The older man bowed and left.
Hu Qing turned his attention to the reports on his desk, smiling as he read through one of the most recent ones.
People falling ill with no particular reason…looks like the water supply is contaminated. It wasn’t really a job for the Office of Censure, but rather the Ministry of Public Works. But something about the report struck a chord with Hu Qing. He thought back to what Wenyuan had said after his release from prison.
Find where the bodies are, right?
Wei Guang’s ruthless disposal of the Grand Duke’s former assassins had left a major opening in Wenyuan’s defenses. After all, the corpses could be used as collateral against him at any time. Even though the godfather and godson were working together smoothly again, Hu Qing knew that the loose end was still that–a loose end. On the other hand, if they were to gain control over the corpses, then they would also gain the upper hand.
A large number of rotting corpses would certainly contaminate the groundwater, Hu Qing thought. We may have a clue where the Grand Duke’s assassins are after all.
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Cultural Notes
Palace artisans: In Ancient China, palace artisans were often more skilled than the ones elsewhere, and often used signature skills or symbols reserved to the Imperial Family to differentiate their work. This meant that items from the palace could be traced, but it hardly meant that no one took the risk of selling them. It wasn't uncommon for former palace servants to have an item or two that they might sell in times of hardship. These items might be obtained through theft, but it was also possible to obtain them legally as gifts from their employers (relatively rare for the vast majority of servants who might never come into direct contact with a Consort generous enough to do so). Moreover, members of the Imperial Family who left the palace (i.e. Princes, Archdukes, Princesses) would also have access to these items.
关内道/Guannei Circuit: Refers to an administrative region in Tang-dynasty China that includes the Anbei Protectorate where the Tiele tribes reside.
河南道/Henan Circuit: Refers to an administrative region in Tang-dynasty China that encompasses modern-day Henan province.
都畿道/Duji Circuit: Refers to an administrative region in Tang-dynasty China. Historically, this actually referred to Luoyang, as the capital was in Chang'an. Since I put the fictional capital of the Wu dynasty in Luoyang, the Duji Circuit in-story would refer to Chang'an instead.
河北道/Hebei Circuit: An Administrative region in Tang-dynasty China around modern-day Hebei province. This province has long been known for its fertile soil, as well as its potential for civil unrest.
Magical modification: Not a cultural note, just a quick note that the wardrobe modifications Ashina noted in the expenses were to sew magical components into clothing. Kayla used the talismans in her robes when she was accosted by the Khagan's agents back during her journey North.
枕边风/Pillow-side wind: A Chinese term used to refer to a wife's influence over her husband. For example, the man you want to do business with is not interested, so you give a very nice gift to his wife, and the wife puts in a good word while lying in bed next to her husband. And since he implicitly trusts the words of his wife, the man agrees to do business with you after all.
讹人/Conning someone: The scam Hu Qing described in the chapter has been around for awhile now, but is still in use today. Since there are no shortage of con artists, fewer these days than a few years ago from what I've heard, this was one of many scams I was warned about on a regular basis.
安土重迁，黎民之性/Hating to part with one’s ancestral land is the nature of the common man: An Ancient Chinese proverb stemming from a Han dynasty edict.
恭敬不如从命/Be obedient rather than respectful: A Chinese saying that means to accept someone's goodwill/help rather than politely refusing, as is custom. It is often used to mean that "while I'm unworthy of such kindness, I'll gladly accept."