Character Index
Chen Caichun: A young woman who works as a Chamberlain in the Court of Judicial Review, a core member of Kayla's faction.
Chen Jian: A young Imperial Investigator with unusually sharp instincts, he is Chen Caichun's older brother and Li Que's protege.
Sun Ruhui: The Left Secretariat of Justice, a core member of Kayla's faction.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Kayla's retainer and right-hand man, the legitimate heir to the Liang heir who was removed from the family registry through the schemes of his older brothers.
Zhao Mingfang: One of Wenyuan's uncles, he sided with the Grand Duke against Wenyuan and attempted to kill Kayla in order to gain the Grand Duke's favor. When that failed, he covered up his tracks and remained largely unnoticeable to Kayla.
Zhao Mingfu: Mingfang's younger brother and co-conspirator.
Shi Jingyou: Zhao Mingfang's brother-in-law who often eggs on his plans.
Ke Yongqian: One of Kayla's employees, a man who often works side-by-side with Hu Qing.
Xiang Daozong: Formerly known as Qu Boyong, the son of General Xiang and the Princess of Chu. After a long and arduous quest for revenge, his house was reinstated. However, this happened as a result of political scheming rather than as a product of justice as Xiang Daozong had hoped for.
Cao Shuyi: The wife and official consort of the Third Prince and mother of his only son. She is a key figure in Kuang's faction as the link connecting him to the Cao clan, which has increased Kuang's influence through their network of educators and healers.
Zhou Kuang: The Third Prince, a talented and self-assured man who takes great interest in talented individuals.
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince, he was implicated in Kayla's arrest but was left alone. Nonetheless, he was forced to lay low in order to avoid further trouble with the palace.
Zhou Yunqi: The Fifth Prince, a reserved and gentle-spoken man who is a part of the Third Prince's faction. He has been forced to stay out of politics due to the fraught situation with his maternal clan.
Shu Zhengyu: Yunqi's maternal cousin, he was sent to the capital as both a hostage for the Emperor and as an assurance to the Shu clan (a prominent military family that has been stripped of its power but not its influence). He was poisoned on his one and only outing in the capital despite being under heavy guard, an incident that Xiang Daozong was also tangled up in.
Wei Guang: The Imperial Edict Bearer and Kayla's godfather, a man whose moral compass revolves around the benefit of the country rather than that of any individual.
Li Que: A Senior Investigator in the Imperial Investigation Bureau, he is aligned with Kayla and has helped her throughout the investigation process.
Sir Jing: An elderly eunuch who has served the Empress Dowager for a long time.
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Chen Caichun listened with her brows furrowed in concentration as Chen Jian rattled off his conversation with Wenyuan.
“...And he said that he was sure you would understand his intentions,” Chen Jian said. He nodded with satisfaction as he finished recounting Wenyuan’s words. “Yeah, that’s it.”
Chen Caichun frowned slightly. “Is that all he said?”
“Yes, do you understand what he meant?” Chen Jian asked. “If not, I can try asking him again. It might take a little while though, I’m not supposed to have access to him without express permission, and it has to be logged as well. Maybe Investigator Li can pass it on for us.”
Chen Caichun mulled it over for a moment. “No need, I understand his meaning. Don’t worry, we’ll take care of things quietly.”
“Be careful,” Chen Jian warned her. “Whatever happens, he can’t cover for you. All the blame will fall on you guys if anything goes wrong.”
“Don’t worry, I will,” Chen Caichun replied. Her brother nodded and left her alone. Chen Caichun pulled out her communication device, calling for Sun Ruhui and Hu Qing. Within moments, the three of them were connected.
“The Minister wants us to silence them for good,” Caichun announced, recounting what Chen Jian had told her. “When he said ‘I originally intended my heart to reflect the moon, but what can I do if the moon shines into the gutters’, he’s referring to his good intentions towards his clansmen that has been repaid by their treachery. Since they were inhumane first, we can only be disloyal in response. And ‘I can only sweep the moonlight before my gate’ means that he has no choice but to clear away the filth. Simply put, he wants them dead.”
“Yeah, I can do that,” Hu Qing immediately replied. “So, accident, suicide, or illness? They’re very close with Zhao Mingfang’s brother-in-law too, should I just add him in as well?”
“Hold on, let’s not be too hasty,” Sun Ruhui intervened.
“Do you disagree with my interpretation?” Chen Caichun asked.
Sun Ruhui hesitated for a moment. “No. That’s not it. But we should be careful when we act so that this does not end up damaging the Minister’s reputation.”
“How about an accident then? That way we can get rid of all three,” Hu Qing suggested. “Food poisoning, or even better, alcohol poisoning. That way they’d be seen as immoral for drinking during the patriarch’s mourning period, and their credibility would be lowered for anything they had said or written beforehand.”
“It’s not my preferred way of dealing with things, but we must do what we must,” Caichun said. “Plus, this was the Minister’s intended method, so I have no objections.”
Sun Ruhui let out a deep sigh. “I also have no objections,” he finally said. “But please be careful, Hu Qing. It’s best if you can have someone else make the move.”
“Not a problem, Ke Yongqian can handle it,” Hu Qing replied.
“Then it’s settled,” Caichun said with finality, glancing at Sun Ruhui.
The man nodded. “It’s settled. Let’s focus on cleaning up the Zhao household and fanning the flames of Xiang Daozong’s reinstatement for now. Please refrain from taking any impulsive actions for the near future.”
Chen Caichun and Hu Qing nodded in agreement before each of them left the call.
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Cao Shuyi set down the report on Kuang’s desk, letting out a soft sigh.
“Xiang Daozong’s reinstatement at such a time…surely it can’t mean anything good for us,” Cao Shuyi said uneasily. “Until now, Wenyuan was the only man of Imperial blood in our generation other than the princes, but Xiang Daozong shakes up the balance. We’re well-positioned to seek his support, and we can’t fail to do so without being scrutinized by the officials, but if we succeed, that would surely alarm the palace more than any gains we’ve made in court so far.”
“It’s exactly as you say. Even if Father doesn’t see it as a problem, grandmother certainly will,” Kuang said. “All things considered, this will give Xianchun a chance to take hold of, but it’s Wenyuan who benefits from this the most.”
“And things were going so well,” Cao Shuyi sighed. “I never expected something like this to happen.”
“Indeed, what a headache,” Kuang said, not at all looking troubled. “Wenyuan tossed something quite interesting at me, hasn’t he?”
“You seem to be enjoying this,” Cao Shuyi pointed out. “Have you forgotten the matter with Shu Zhengyu? Now that Xiang Daozong’s been reinstated, Yunqi’s matter will be swept under the rug.”
“If he was involved, I’ll have him spit out the truth and pay the price for his actions no matter what. I owe that to Yunqi and the Shu clan. But he’s probably not the one behind this, or Wenyuan wouldn’t have done this.”
“Can you really be sure of that?” Cao Shuyi asked.
Kuang nodded. “If I was unsure before, I am certain now. He wouldn’t do something that could cause me serious damage.”
“He isn’t hesitating to cause you trouble either,” Cao Shuyi said. “Though one could hardly blame him. You ought to have at least warned him before tossing him into jail, how is he supposed to know your intentions?”
“If Wei Guang hadn't stopped me from doing so, I would have. But I’m glad that he’s causing trouble,” Kuang said, his smile sharpening. “I like that he has the pride and courage to do so. There are enough spineless men in the capital, we don’t need him to count among them.”
He turned to Cao Shuyi, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Now then, my dear, how shall I respond to his move? Perhaps I should first send him my condolences for the death of his uncles. It really is tragic that men who indulged in wine for decades without any issue would die of alcohol poisoning, and at such a time no less.”
Cao Shuyi looked at him with mild exasperation. “My dear, your battlelust is showing. As glad as I am that you think highly of Wenyuan, he is not your opponent. Let the matter of his uncles be.”
Kuang chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re right, of course. But I do want to see how he'll react."
"No," Cao Shuyi said firmly.
Kuang let out a sigh, dropping the idea. "I definitely want him as one of mine. It would be a pity if Grandmother ended up ruining him before Wenyuan could make use of his full potential.”
“Shouldn’t you make amends before drawing up your grand plans?” Cao Shuyi said, nudging Kuang lightly.
“Of course, I will definitely do so,” Kuang replied. “But Wenyuan is evolving even as I watch. He’s different now than even just a few weeks prior, not to mention how much he’s changed since I returned to the capital.”
“Perhaps it’s because he’s had to,” Cao Shuyi murmured. “Evolve or be crushed. The results are exemplary in the short term, but take it too far and it’ll be pulling up a sprout to help its growth.”
“Grandmother’s the one who caused this, but now she’s the one who feels most uneasy about Wenyuan’s changes. I can understand that much–she wouldn’t have chosen Wenyuan if she didn’t think he could be controlled, but reality outpaced her expectations,‘’ Kuang remarked. “Wenyuan never intended to be the palace’s puppet or hunting dog from the very start. He was just good at hiding it.”
“And he won’t be your tool either,” Cao Shuyi pointed out. “Forget about making him your retainer–make him your ally, or it won’t be long before you have the same regrets as the Empress Dowager.”
“Grandmother won’t sit still either,” Kuang said lightly, even as his expression darkened. “There’s still no telling what will happen next.”
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The Empress Dowager frowned as she listened to an eunuch’s report.
“That’s enough,” she said. “Wei Guang, that old codger, has he lost his touch or is he protesting his godson’s arrest? How can he be so useless at such a time?”
The eunuch lowered his head, hesitant to respond.
She had thought that Wei Guang had plotted Wenyuan’s arrest as part of some plot of his, but that didn’t seem to be the case. For one, the neutral faction had become useless without Wenyuan. She was disappointed, but not surprised.
In all the years before Wenyuan joined, the neutral faction hadn’t managed to achieve a single thing other than surviving. Despite her dislike of Wei Guang, the Empress Dowager had expected the man to be capable of making use of the neutral faction even though he had never deigned it worthy of his efforts before, but Wei Guang evidently had no heart for doing so.
So he’s refusing to act in protest, is he? This old viper!
Objectively, she had to admit that the Court of Judicial Review was in chaos at the moment–Wenyuan was in prison, and one Vice-Minister was bogged down in the provinces, leaving only a single executive left in the capital. The institution that represented the palace’s control over the judicial system was so fraught at the moment that it was on the verge of becoming useless, but it wasn’t as though they could simply replace Wenyuan when he hadn’t been found guilty yet.
The Empress Dowager also didn’t want to lose such a valuable asset, especially given her fondness for her maternal grandson, but Wenyuan was growing bolder and more ambitious with each success, his previous disobedience serving to justify further insolence. She was equally impressed and infuriated that he had kept a card like Xiang Daozong up his sleeve, but it sparked unease more than anything else.
Some degree of independence-seeking and pride was normal and acceptable, even expected to some extent, but Wenyuan was moving upwards at too fast a pace. Even the Grand Duke had taken years to become arrogant–if she failed to cull the problem now, it would only become more difficult to address later on. Wenyuan’s power was meant to be conditional. It was handed to him, and he had accepted both its benefits and its terms; if something was denied to him, he could not want for it. That was how it went for everyone. The Empress Dowager herself had gone through the slow and arduous process of gaining power by the same rules. Obedience was the price for the palace’s thorough backing, the only thing that had gotten him that far, but Wenyuan seemed to had forgotten where his power really came from.
And after all the affection and effort we’ve poured into him…disappointing, but not entirely unexpected. Hopefully, the situation can still be salvaged.
“This won’t do,” the Empress Dowager said. She glanced over to a corner, where an Imperial Investigator silently stood in the shadows. “Just how long will the investigation take? At a time when the court needs him most, my grandson sits in a cell because of these baseless accusations.”
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Li Que bowed his head, tacitly understanding the Empress Dowager was allowing them to wrap up the case. “I apologize, Your Highness. It is due to my incompetence that it has taken so long. Please be assured that we will prove the Minister’s innocence as quickly as we can.”
“I hope to see results soon,” the Empress Dowager said.
“As you wish, Your Highness,” Li Que replied. The Empress Dowager dismissed him with a wave, along with the eunuch who had given the report. Only an elderly eunuch was left behind.
“Sir Jing, these grandsons of mine really aren’t oil-saving lamps,’ the Empress Dowager sighed.
“Your Highness’ virtue and boundless fortune will surely keep them from any harm,” Sir Jing replied demurely.
“What fortune? Even at my age, I continue to be troubled by such things,” the Empress Dowager said. “Just Wenyuan’s matter has caused me such a headache, not to mention the others.”
“Your Highness, if you are dissatisfied with their behavior, you only need to admonish them. Surely they are filial and dutiful in nature, and will abide by your words once they have been conveyed,” Sir Jing said.
“Admonishment indeed,” the Empress Dowager said, her tone darkening. “It seems that I have been too lax in my education thus far…even Wenyuan, that timid child who I poured so much love and effort into has grown unruly.”
“Then please allow me to convey your message. You only need give your word,” Sir Jing said.
The Empress Dowager mulled it over for a moment before she nodded.
If he continues like this, it’s only a matter of time before he crosses a line that cannot be forgiven. At that point, I would not be able to spare him without weakening the palace's position. But to punish without educating first is tyranny–even if it irks him to be nagged at by an eunuch, it would do all of us good if he can avoid the pitfalls ahead of him.
“Very well then, I’ll leave it to you,” the Empress Dowager said with finality.
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Kayla looked up as an unfamiliar guard unlocked the cell door. She stood up, watching him with thinly veiled wariness. It wouldn’t be long before her imprisonment came to an end, something that was clear to everyone who had the insider information to work things out, which only made the final few days that much more dangerous.
"Minister,” the guard greeted her.
He’s using a cosmetic spell, Kayla immediately sensed the magic that changed the man’s features. This can’t be good.
“I haven’t seen you before,” Kayla said.
“I came here from another department,” the man said with a polite smile.
“Was there something you wanted?” Kayla asked.
“Not for myself, Your Grace. I only came to give you a reminder,” he said.
Kayla stepped away from him, apprehension stirring in her stomach.
“A reminder?” She asked cautiously. “From who?”
“I’m afraid I can’t divulge that, Your Grace. I only came to pass on a message.”
Aw hell no.
“I’m not interested,” Kayla said quickly. “I have no need for anonymous messages while I’m being investigated, please take your leave now.”
“That is not possible,” the guard replied. “I must do as I was ordered regardless of your wishes–much apologies for any offense that I cause.”
Kayla hastily backed away from him as the man approached.
“Back off,” Kayla snapped. The guard took out a blade, stepping closer.
Oh shit oh fuck! What the hell?!
“I said back off!” Kayla grabbed a cup off the table, hurling it at the guard. He didn’t dodge, not even reacting as it smashed against his face, leaving a red mark. The man watched with a patient expression as Kayla scurried away from him.
“Guards!” Kayla shouted. “Guards! There’s an intruder!”
“No one will come, Your Grace,” the man said calmly.
Kayla raised her voice. “Guards! Damn it!”
“No matter how loud you shout, no one will come until I allow them to,” the man repeated.
“You–just what are you trying to do?!’ Kayla demanded.
“Please stay still, Your Grace.”
The man moved so quickly that Kayla didn’t have a chance to react before she was slammed face-down on the floor, one arm painfully twisted behind her back.
“Fuck! Let go, you crazy bastard!” Kayla shouted, her voice tinged with panic. “Damn it! Guards! Someone!”
Cold fear laced through her stomach. This was different from anything that had happened before, when there was either somewhere to run to or someone's help to hold out for. No help was coming. It was just her and a guy with a knife inside a prison cell.
The man’s knee was pressed firmly into her back, keeping Kayla in place no matter how much she flailed about. A thousand possibilities flashed through her mind before settling into wordless terror–Kayla briefly conjured up the image of a dying fish flopping around on the chopping board in her mind’s eye.
A hand clenched into her hair, knuckles digging into the base of her skull. Kayla saw the light reflect off the blade and onto the floor before the cold steel touched her skin.
“Fuck!” Kayla yelped in fear as the blade settled behind her left ear. “Wait wait wait, hold on!”
The man ignored her. With a slow, drawn-out movement, he evenly sliced open a gash behind her ear that went down to her jaw. Hot blood cascaded down the side of her face as Kayla made a pained noise.
“The capital has no place for those who cannot listen,” the man said gently as though he were offering well-intended advice. “Minister, you would do well to keep that in mind.”
What the fuck is this–is this the Empress Dowager's order?! Since when did she do things like this? I thought you were supposed to have some grace as the harem intrigue champion!
“I get it,” Kayla gritted out from clenched teeth.
“Your other ear please,” the man said politely.
“No, wait, I said I get it!” Kayla cried out in alarm. “You–”
The hand curled in her hair yanked her head backwards, forcing Kayla to turn her other ear towards him. A flash of boiling rage overpowered her fear and Kayla twisted her face towards him with a glare.
“I said I fucking get it, you goddamn fool! Who the hell do you think you’re manhandling here, you insolent bastard?! Which master of yours gave you the right to do as you pleased?! I let you deliver your message and received it properly! How dare you touch me?” Kayla snarled, her voice filled with murderous rage.
No, this can’t be the Empress Dowager’s direct orders, she wouldn’t do something so tactless. It may be her intent to warn me, but he definitely isn’t carrying out her specific orders! Someone’s specific orders, certainly, or he wouldn't be so insistent on going through with it, but there’s no way it came from the Empress Dowager herself!
The man paused slightly, a little taken aback by the outburst.
“I apologize, Your Grace, but I’m just following orders here,” he said, raising his knife.
“Orders? Were your orders to cut off my ears, you bastard? Was that what you were told to do? You little piece of–orders my ass, repeat it for me word-for-word, since you’re so sure. Go on then, let’s see which one of us is the fool here!” Kayla shouted.
The actual punishment this was meant to echo was cutting off someone’s ears, one of the antique punishments for treason and dereliction of duty that had since been outlawed. Even though it was no longer in use, Kayla knew of it well enough to understand this was meant to be a humiliation as well as a warning.
Treating me like a criminal while releasing me as innocent…it’s basically saying outright that she’s found me guilty even if she can’t follow through on that. But guilty of what? Doing what the palace never had the guts or means to accomplish?
“Please cooperate, Your Grace,” the man said in a warning tone. “If the message could not be delivered properly, it would not benefit you either. It’s in both our best interests to finish this quietly, is it not?” He brandished the knife in a threatening manner.
Yeah, some asshole is definitely taking the opportunity of the Empress Dowager’s message to fuck with me. What kind of bullshit–
“Oh goodness, you’re threatening me now? Should I be afraid just because you have a knife? Don’t fuck with me, there are plenty of people who have knives, should I fear every single one of them?” Kayla spat out the words with vitriol. “Either follow your orders and kill me or back off right now, or I’ll chase you down to the ends of the earth and flay you alive even if that’s the last thing I do!”
The man paused. “You misunderstand, Minister. How could I have possibly been ordered to kill you? I never said such a thing.”
Yeah, I know, you fucking bitch. But she also knew what a messenger for the Empress Dowager was most afraid of–being blamed for conveying the wrong message.
“No? And yet you dare to treat me so rudely? Surely you’ve heard that a man can be killed, but not humiliated! Your message has already been received–unless you have further orders to take my life, then your work here is done. Or are you trying to cause a misunderstanding on purpose?!” Kayla snarled.
“No, Your Grace," the man said flatly. “That was absolutely not my intention.”
To her relief, that actually did the job. The guard also didn’t want to take responsibility should this get out of hand. Even if he had been ordered word-for-word which punishment to go with, he would still get off easier for failing than for allowing a serious miscommunication. After all, who was ranked higher? His superior or the Empress Dowager? He let go of her and stepped back. Kayla hastily pushed herself onto her hands and knees before pulling herself to her feet.
“What are you waiting for? You’re dismissed,” Kayla snapped churlishly. The man hesitated for a moment before bowing his head slightly and leaving the cell. She watched as he retreated, pressing her hand over the cut. It wasn’t very deep, but was surprisingly painful–not to mention that it was bleeding a lot.
“Fuck,” Kayla muttered. The blood was uncomfortably warm against her skin as it seeped into her sleeve and collar.
Damn it, what shit luck. The Empress Dowager must be pissed about my dragging Qu Boyong, no, Xiang Daozong, into the arena if her people are being this bold.
Kayla took a deep breath and sat down on the bed. She could feel her pulse throbbing against her palm as she pressed down on the cut.
Behind my ear…so she’s saying that if I don’t listen, then I have no use for them? It looks like things will be more difficult after I’m released tomorrow.
The simmering rage in her stomach felt as though it was boiling her alive. It wasn’t as though Kayla couldn’t understand. The Empress Dowager was a product of the power structure that she had been born into, and as someone who had emerged as one of the winners only after enduring the hierarchy that required her to bow her head in obedience time and time again, the old woman naturally expected Kayla to do the same.
Keep kneeling and you get used to it, is that what she's trying to say? She thinks no differently from my mother.
Sure, Kayla knelt without complaint as long as it kept her alive, but she had never been someone who could simply get used to it, much less one who thought it reasonable.
People like them really like to mistake acts of survival for acts of subservience and then get mad about it when they realize that wasn’t the case, Kayla drily lamented. They always find some way to make it your fault.
After what seemed like an eternity, a guard approached the cell, leisurely making his rounds. It was an actual guard this time, an older man with an honest face whom she had seen several times before.
“Excuse me, can I have a healing talisman?” Kayla called out to him. The guard paled as he came closer and saw Kayla’s bloodied face.
“Your Grace, are you alright? What happened?” The guard hastily unlocked the door and came over, taking out a healing talisman from his robes. Kayla straightened up and leaned over to let him heal the wound.
Does he really not know or is he pretending? I guess it doesn’t matter either way.
“I fell and cut myself,” Kayla said evenly.
The guard frowned. “What? But this is a knife wound–”
“Just write on the incident report that I fell,” Kayla said meaningfully. The guard looked at her in confusion.
So he really doesn’t know what’s going on...then why the fuck did he not notice anything wrong?
“That’s all you’ll need to submit on your report,” she added. “Thank you for the talisman.”
She pulled away from his hand, patting at the freshly healed skin. A look of realization and apprehension dawned on the guard’s face.
“Your Grace, was it someone from the–”
“Pardon?” Kayla cut him off, fixing him with a pointed look. She was beginning to understand why the guard was still working in a low-level position despite evidently having more seniority than most.
“No, it was nothing. Let me get you some water to wash up,” the guard said in resignation, leaving the cell once again.
Kayla let out a heavy sigh. In retrospect, her outburst was probably not the best idea–indulging her anger at the cost of giving the Empress Dowager face was sure to make their relationship worsen, but there was only so much Kayla could put up with.
What’s done is done, Kayla tiredly thought to herself. But from now on, I’ll have to be even more careful of how I deal with the palace.
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Cultural Notes
福兮祸之所倚/Fortune upon which misfortune leans: An Ancient Chinese saying that means what is viewed as fortunate now may become the source of misfortune later, and what is viewed as unfortunate now may be the source of fortune in the future. It urges people to avoid short-sighted elation or despair, and furthermore to avoid placing too much esteem in the impermanent affairs of humankind.
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 line from an Ancient Chinese poem meaning that I originally acted with the best and purest of intentions, but what can be done if others instead act with contempt and malice in return?
自扫门前月/Sweeping the moonlight from before one's gate: Based on a line from a Song Dynasty poem "各人自扫门前雪/Each person only sweeps the snow before their own gates". It can also be understood as "cleaning up the mess of your own house" in this context.
丧期饮酒/Drinking during the mourning period: During the mourning period for a relative, the length of which depends on degree of relation, it is forbidden to drink alcohol, make merry and indulge in entertainment, or to have sexual relations.
可乘之隙/A crack/chance that can be grabbed onto: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to an opening or a chance that can be taken advantage of/grabbed onto.
与之较量/To compete with: An Ancient Chinese proverb describing the feeling of wanting to compete with someone, usually in a sportsman-like manner, out of fascination with their abilities and a desire to match them with ones own capabilities. It can also mean plain competitiveness in petty contexts as well, but is also used for an opponent whose talent you treasure and delight in.
拔苗助长/Pulling a sprout to help it grow: An Ancient Chinese proverb based on the fable of a foolish man who was happy to see that his sprouts were growing in the field. Eager for results, he proceeded to pull the sprouts out in an attempt to help them grow, ruining his crops. It is often used to caution against being too eager for results or too hasty to see progress and resulting in detrimental effects instead.
持功自傲/Holding merit and growing prideful: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning that someone grows arrogant and prideful after gaining achievements, often used to signal that they have grown too big for their britches or that they are potentially setting themselves up for a fall from grace. However, as it's hard to keep a cool head at a moment of triumph, and excessive merits leads to excessive influence that cause others to feel threatened or jealous, the same situations repeat themselves endlessly throughout history.
不是省油的灯/Not a lamp that saves oil: A Chinese saying that means someone is not easy to deal with or requires a lot of effort to deal with, especially if they are wily and good at finding loopholes. Often used in exasperation.
不教而杀谓之虐/To execute without educating is abusive tyranny: A quote by Confucius meaning that a ruler who deals out punishments without even trying to educate their subjects in what is right and wrong, legal and illegal, is engaging in abuse and tyranny. It is part of a longer quote on the Four Evils of rulers: "不教而杀谓之虐，不戒视成谓之暴，慢令致期谓之贼，犹之与人也，出纳之吝，谓之有司。/To kill without educating first is abuse; to demand results without looking at the circumstances is tyranny; setting harsh deadlines without regard for the time needed is theft; to withhold a promised reward or only dole out a partial reward is to be stingy."
宫斗冠军/Harem intrigue champion: A modern Chinese phrase originating from internet slang, referring to Empresses and Empress Dowagers who became the "victors" of harem intrigue, especially when they play a major role in getting their sons on the throne.
士可杀不可辱/A gentleman can be killed but not humiliated: A quote from The Book of Rites, it reflects the significance of pride and honor for people in Ancient China, especially for educated men (regardless of whether or not they make it into the elite via the Imperial Exam system).
跪着跪着就习惯了/Keep kneeling and you get used to it: A modern Chinese phrase that is often used in a bitter tone, reflecting and disparaging the expectation for people to not only submit to hierarchies, injustice, or oppression, but also to normalize it. The follow-up line to it is often "跪久了就站不起来了/Kneel for too long and you can't stand up anymore", referring to learned helplessness and the acceptance and internalization of inequalities.