Character Index
Zhou Kuang: The Third Prince, one of the primary contenders for the throne.
Chuluo: Khagan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, Kayla's father-in-law and Ashina's father.
Shegui: Khagan of the Western Turkic Khaganate, though he has seemingly initiated war against Chuluo, it is likely that he has become a puppet ruler due to his ailing health.
Ashina: Personal name Ibilga, princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, wed to Kayla in a political marriage.
Lady Lin: A blind divinator who worked for the Imperial Princess.
General Yan: A brusque general stationed in Xiazhou who has been selected as the commander for reinforcements to Chuluo, reluctantly allied with Kayla.
Zhou Hong: The First Prince, he was murdered after having been exiled and deposed. He was wed to a distant cousin of his from his maternal clan, the Gongsun, an act that had political implications that set off the Emperor's suppression of his ambitious in-laws.
Zhou Yong: The Second Prince, also a son of Empress Gongsun.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: The Lord of the Liang clan and Vice-Censor of the Office of Censure, Kayla's friend and supporter.
Housekeeper Li: Formerly Matron Li, a loyal servant who had watched over Wenyuan since his childhood.
Lin Yaoguang: A mysterious man who claims to be the Grand Duke's money launderer. (See the chapters where Kayla ended up with a huge bill from the Treasury but had no idea where the Grand Duke's money was).
Tao Qian: Kayla's retainer and bodyguard, a reliable young man recommended to her by Hu Qing.
Zhao Wei: Wenyuan's uncle and former Minister of War. Though he had his problems, he is a practical man who placed his cards on Wenyuan when he realized the situation was no longer in the Grand Duke's favor. To protect his family, he accepted exile and demotion.
Sun Ruhui: Right Secretariat of Justice, Kayla's supporter, advisor, and sometimes guidance-counselor.
Sun Zhong'e: Kayla's retainer, a capable middle-aged woman who uses unconventional healing magic and has a knack for administration and getting-things-done.
Jing Shuyou/Chujiao: Xiang Daozong's cousin and formerly Wenyuan's personal serving maid, she was forced to enter the Zhao household as a spy at a very young age. In the harsh environment where sexual abuse was rampant due to the Grand Duke's lack of concern towards his female servants, Chujiao managed to survive unharmed due to Wenyuan's favor towards her, and the two of them developed romantic feelings for each other at some point. Kayla has since ended things with her thoroughly, gifting Wenyuan's memorial plaque to her as a parting gift.
Wei Guang: The Imperial Edict Bearer and Minister of the Office of Censure, Kayla's godfather. He is a practical man and has immense political experience and insight, but the cracks in the relationship between him and Kayla have grown immensely.
Xiang Daozong/Qu Boyong: Lord of the Xiang clan, he sought revenge against the Grand Duke for the bloody destruction of his clan since a very young age, he is now floundering in the political arena after having been reinstated.
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A map covered the wall of Kayla’s study. There was the delicate calligraphy of the craftsman labeling out place names, and then there were several hastily scribbled captions in English.
“I’m pretty sure this is out of scale,” Kayla grumbled to herself. She regretted not having studied geography better in her schooldays. The Western part of Europe and Africa had been roughly sketched out and tacked onto the map over the lines drawn by the original authors, which had been fanciful at best.
Not that her own was much better.
The West Coast of Africa looks like it fits together with South America, but what shape was South America again? Ugh, it doesn’t matter! No one that far west matters right now! England’s still fighting the Franks at this point or something, but the Maghreb…there’s a trading port from somewhere near Morocco, isn’t there? But do they even come over here or do they just stop around Persia?
She recalled that the Umayyad hold over Northwest Africa had been tenuous for some time, but not the details of it all.
In any case, a horizontal alliance like that would be too much of a stretch…maybe the Umayyads won’t even invade Central Asia this time around. Even if they do, isn’t it fine if we just provide material aid to the Turkic Khaganates and keep them as our buffer? I mean that sucks for them, but we don’t have any holdings in Central Asia like the Tang Dynasty did.
Then again, who knew how things would develop? Even the Imperial Princess had been helpless against the gears of fate.
More so than ever, she felt that she was running out of time. There were too many setbacks, and too many obstacles. The Emperor’s outburst had demonstrated as much–how much longer would he live? Would she accomplish more or less when Kuang was on the throne?
Kayla silently groaned, pinching at the bridge of her nose. They didn’t have enough information on the big picture. They also didn’t have enough information on the small picture either, but Kayla was working on that with the communication infrastructure and rolling out the new regional censuses.
But how long will that take?
She gritted her teeth in frustration. If things went smoothly, the Wu stood to gain enormous benefit from Chuluo’s war, especially with the promised trading posts along the inland Silk Road all the way to Persia. The government could do yearly contract bids for preferred vendors post by post–there was plenty of money to rake in from that. Plenty of merchants would jump at the chance to shell out enormous amounts of coin to rake in even more absurd quantities of duty-free money, or something like that.
We could increase our exported goods, and that makes the money flow in. Why let other people earn the price difference from importing Chinese silk when we could do it ourselves? Maybe we should keep the sale of select luxury and basic items domestic-only though, we do want to keep the flow of people going, right? Fuck this shit, I'm not an economist.
Kayla shook her head, forcing herself to focus on the problem closer at hand.
How far will Chuluo “retaliate” against Shegui? I don’t think he’ll gobble up the entire Western Turkic Khaganate at once. He couldn’t even if he wanted to. But I do believe he intends to eat it up like a silkworm would–just slowly enough to keep his allies from actively stopping him, and slow enough that the Western Turks won’t feel threatened enough to band together and unite against him properly.
And then what?
Ashina had mentioned it in passing, a prophecy given by a shaman to Chuluo Khagan, and Kayla hadn’t been able to stop worrying about it since. Lady Lin was hardly the only divinator. And though Kayla highly doubted the possibility that the Khaganate also had someone like the Imperial Princess, it wasn’t impossible.
And if that’s the case…Chuluo Khagan might also know the same future. But would he have asked about the Wu? If he had limited opportunities, wouldn’t it make more sense to look into his own country?
A chill went down her spine. If they both knew that time was ticking, then Kayla was at a disadvantage. He knew, but he was the absolute ruler of the Eastern Turks. She knew, but she was only a Duke. Telling the Emperor wasn’t an option, not when she had no proof.
I have no choice but to rely on General Yan.
By the third day after the deaths of his sons, the Emperor had pulled himself together sufficiently to confirm his agreement to send reinforcements to Chuluo Khagan, and the Turkic delegation was already getting ready to return with good news.
Kayla had spent the entire meeting with the ambassador right next to the throne, where the Emperor had wanted her to be. It was an unusual position for an official to be, but the Turkic ambassador had tactfully refrained from commenting on it, even in private.
Well, if it’s General Yan, I’m sure it’s fine.
She had written a lengthy message over the communication device, detailing what she actually wanted him to accomplish in the war. Between her repeated emphasis on not doing too well against the Western Turks, she had peppered in unsubtle reminders of their agreement, ending with a passionate plea for him to treat her cause as if it were his own.
All she had gotten in response was a single sentence.
“I will take care of it.” The blunt message was a small reassurance, but it still was a reassurance.
The international situation was out of her hands, but domestic affairs were a different matter altogether. There was the Emperor’s wish to grant a state funeral, Kuang’s wish to posthumously reinstate the First and Second Princes while holding down the Gongsun clan from stirring up trouble, and the ongoing investigation into the First and Second Princes, all with the reforms still going on in the background.
Kayla muffled a groan of frustration. For the time being, the Emperor was looking upon Kayla even more kindly than he did before, but that would only last for as long as she could provide results.
The state funeral was easy enough–support the Emperor’s decision publicly. So was Kuang’s wish–she just needed to suppress the Gongsun clan for him, but in a way where the Emperor felt that she was doing it for his sake, not Kuang’s. The problem, in the end, was the investigation, the only part of the equation that was officially within the jurisdiction of her job.
An autopsy had yielded very little of actual use. They did know what happened, but not who had done it.
The First and Second Prince had been taken by surprise. From what the crime scene and the forensics investigation yielded, the First Prince had opened the door and been stabbed in the ribs immediately. He’d never had a chance.
With a last burst of strength, Zhou Hong, had attempted to grab onto the assailant, probably to buy his younger brother time. From the swelling on his fingers and forearms, Zhou Hong had probably grabbed onto the hand holding the knife while the blade was lodged inside him, but the struggle had been brief and onesided before he'd been thrown out of the way.
Zhou Yong hadn't fared much better. He had grabbed a pot off the stove, still half-full with porridge. By the time the pot had fully succumbed to gravity, Zhou Yong’s jugular had been slashed open. By the wounds on his forearms and the marks on his clothes, he had attempted to resist.
The assassin, and they were almost certain it was a single man, had simply walked out and left the door open. The blood was drying by the time the men posted to watch the First and Second Prince had found the bodies.
The suspect was not tall. By the angle of the wounds, he was probably shorter than both the princes by at least two heads. The footsteps near the house were extremely light, but that didn’t say much. If he was a skilled martial artist, he was entirely capable of moving stealthily the way Hu Qing did.
But when they were questioned, none of the residents nearby could recall seeing anyone suspicious. That region isn’t like the capital where someone could just avoid detection using the dense buildings as cover…but it’s not so undeveloped that the man could just melt into the wilderness either. Does that mean they hired someone who could pass as a local?
All the checkpoints and passes within a hundred miles of the murder had been shut down immediately after the bodies had been discovered. Thanks to the sensitive nature of the political prisoners there, that particular area already had the communication infrastructure in place even when the entire surrounding region was still bereft of it.
We missed the chance to grab him right away, but he’s a cornered rat now. It would take time, but sweeping the sealed region foot by foot would yield the killer sooner or later. There was no way the assassin could have escaped the lockdown so quickly–he couldn’t have gotten that far even with a car.
But she needed to arrest him now. And find out the person behind him too. They didn’t even have leads yet. How long before the Emperor’s patience waned? Kayla didn’t want to find out.
A knock at the door dragged her out of her thoughts.
“Excuse me, my lord,” Housekeeper Li’s voice called to her before the door opened.
Kayla glanced at her.
“Yes? What is it?”
“There’s a visitor for you,” Housekeeper Li said, a strange note in her voice. “I think you should see him.”
Kayla frowned at the look on the woman’s face.
“Who is it?”
Housekeeper Li took a deep breath. “He claims to be Lin Yaoguang. Though I can’t be sure, I believe he was the Grand Duke’s money launderer. The man who stopped coming here ten years ago, the one with the bat pattern on his cloak. ”
Kayla rummaged through her mind back to the conversation with Housekeeper Li and Accountant Wu several weeks ago, back when the Empress Dowager had saddled Kayla with an enormous bill right before the wedding.
“Ah, I remember that,” Kayla said in astonishment. “But what is he doing here?”
“He wants to speak with you, but wouldn’t say what for,” Housekeeper Li replied.
“Very well, show him in.”
“My lord, please station Tao Qian in the room with you!” Housekeeper Li pleaded.
“I’m afraid I can’t, we both know what kind of things he’s liable to hear,” Kayla replied apologetically. “How about stationing him outside?”
Housekeeper Li didn’t seem happy with it, but gave in with a sigh.
“I will call him over.”
“Thank you, Housekeeper Li. Send the man in,” Kayla said.
Housekeeper Li bowed and stepped outside. Shortly after, a short old man entered the room, bowing as the door shut firmly behind him.
“Lin Yaoguang humbly greets the Duke!”
Kayla evaluated the man before her.
“Lin Yaoguang does not exist,” Kayla said flatly.
The man straightened, giving her a smile.
“You seem awfully sure of that for someone who was excluded from the household’s affairs, my lord.”
Kayla stared him down, feeling an instinctive dislike for the man. Whoever he was, he was not to be trusted.
I need whatever information he has, and he knows it. He’s trying to intimidate me right from the outset, huh? Stupid fuck. I can’t let him gain the upper hand here. Who knows what he’ll do? Someone who can survive the Grand Duke for that long is not to be underestimated.
She fixed him in a flat stare with full eye contact for a stretch of silence until the man’s pleasant smile began to crack.
“My lord?” He prompted. Kayla held the stare a while longer before leisurely waving him off.
“You may leave,” Kayla said in a bored voice.
To his credit, the man claiming to be Lin Yaoguang managed to hide his flustered reaction.
“My lord, please forgive me if I have been rude. This one is used to speaking directly rather than empty flattery, please don’t take it to heart.”
“Then introduce yourself properly. Does speaking directly include ignoring all etiquette?” Kayla demanded.
The man bowed his head. “I apologize, my lord. This one is Lin Yaoguang, former accountant of your grandfather, the Grand Duke.”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“Lin Yaoguang does not exist,” Kayla repeated.
“Did Sir Zhao Wei tell you that, my lord? I’m afraid you have been misinformed. Lin Yaoguang does indeed exist–”
“As a network of accountants and money launderers, I’m well aware. Which means that he cannot be a single man,” Kayla said.
“Your Excellency is astute, of course, but that is only partially true. You see, the network is real. But Lin Yaoguang is also real. Simply put, the network operates as my doubles where I need them to be, hence why we all use the same name in our work,” Lin Yaoguang said. His smile grew a degree more sinister. “In the circles I belong to, this name bears some weight to it. It’s a waste if I cannot make full use of it, no?”
Kayla leaned back in the chair, scrutinizing his expression.
“What did you come here for?”
“I wished to pay my respects to the new head of house,” Lin Yaoguang said mildly. “And of course, to give my condolences for the passing of your grandfather.”
“That happened a while ago, why are you only here now?” Kayla asked.
“Unfortunately, I was tied down by my obligations to your grandfather’s affairs,” Lin Yaoguang said. “When I was finally able to make it here, imagine my delight and surprise to see how thoroughly changed the household is.”
A dangerous glint passed through his eyes. “I suppose that would be the case, given how heavy your dominance over the household is. Killing the previous lord tends to do that, doesn’t it?”
This bastard…I need to kill him. She was seized by a burst of bloodlust, but contained herself in time to reply.
“My grandfather passed away of natural causes.”
“I wouldn’t dare to doubt that if the current Emperor believes it. Will the next Emperor buy into it?” Lin Yaoguang asked.
“That depends on my ability to convince him. But enough of this. Did you come all this way just to bother me out of curiosity?” Kayla shot back.
“I wouldn’t dare. I wish to offer you something, my lord.”
Kayla smiled unpleasantly. “And what could that be? There’s nothing I want from you. You’d be lucky to step out of this place alive.”
“Careful, my lord. I wouldn’t want to be too hasty now. Are you aware of your grandfather’s role in the Gongsun clan’s demise?” Lin Yaoguang asked.
“I know enough.”
“Then what about his role in egging them to their destruction?”
Kayla kept her face as blank as a slate “There’s no such thing.”
“I have evidence that says otherwise,” Lin Yaoguang replied.
“I don’t believe you,” Kayla said. “How can that be possible?”
“Perhaps you’d best take a look at this, my lord.” Lin Yaoguang handed over a scroll.
The dates and times of secret meetings with the Emperor’s father-in-law and brother-in-law, huh? And an inventory of gifts given to the Gongsun clan…it’s not solid proof, but it does invite suspicion.
“I’m guessing this isn’t the only copy?” Kayla asked mildly.
“No, my lord. There are other copies I have placed into the possession of individuals I trust,” Lin Yaoguang said.
“You dare to threaten me?”
“I apologize for my rudeness, my lord.”
Kayla tossed the scroll onto her desk with a huff. It wasn’t as much of a threat as Lin Yaoguang thought it was. Thanks to the Imperial Princess’ investigations and Sun Ruhui’s advice, she was already working on erasing the traces of the Grand Duke’s more serious, descendant-damning crimes.
Though it doesn’t hurt to buy some time.
“My lord, I do not wish to offend you, but rather to offer you my services,” Lin Yaoguang said.
“The money,” Kayla said immediately.
Lin Yaoguang’s smile widened. “Better than that, my lord. The Emperor may have forgiven you for now, but how long before his sentiments take a turn for the worse? I have information through my connections that may be of use to you in avenging the First and Second Princes. But in exchange, I want my safety.”
“Safety? From what?” Kayla asked incredulously.
Lin Yaoguang’s face grew serious for the first time since his arrival.
“From you, my lord. I have been living like a rat since the Grand Duke’s death, and to be honest, I was very close to being uncovered by your men. I thought that rather than being dragged before you, it would be better to come of my own accord.”
“A good decision on your part,” Kayla said. “But don’t think you can buy your life for cheap.”
Lin Yaoguang nodded. “I understand. The Grand Duke’s money, and the information on the First and Second Prince’s deaths. The former is already on-hand–they’re all in shell companies through my middlemen. I can ensure that you get every coin back, but…”
“Yes?”
“I want a commission,” Lin Yaoguang said plainly.
“How much?”
“Twenty percent,” he said immediately.
“You must be joking,” Kayla laughed. “Twenty percent? You’re lucky I give you a set fee!”
“I’m the only one who knows the information. Even if you drag out the others involved, they don’t know as much as I do. It’s a question of whether you want eighty percent or none at all,” Lin Yaoguang shot back.
“Hah! You’re holding his money hostage then? Good for you!” Kayla suddenly felt like she understood the Grand Duke’s way of speaking now that she was on the other side of the table.
God, I really need to kill this guy. It’s not even about the money–this fucker dares to come into my house and threaten me? Fine then, do it. See who’ll be the one laughing at the end.
“Twenty percent,” Lin Yaoguang said firmly. “Remember, you’re also buying your career here.”
“Five percent,” Kayla shot back.
Lin Yaoguang didn’t look impressed. “I would have charged fifty if you weren’t the Grand Duke’s heir,” he said. “Twenty is the final price. Twenty, or you gain nothing at all. The documents will be distributed to your enemies, and you’ll make no progress on the First and Second Prince’s murders while your debt continues to shackle you.”
Kayla considered him for a moment and chuckled. “Alright then. Twenty percent it is.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
“Now, about the information,” Kayla began.
“Not so fast–I’ll give it to you once I have assurance of my safety,” Lin Yaoguang cut in.
“I swear on my grandfather’s grave,” Kayla said, placing a hand over her heart.
“A binding magical oath,” Lin Yaoguang said grimly, determination written into the lines of his face.
Kayla stared at him in shock, barely able to keep herself from laughing.
“You cannot be serious! You would dare?! I am a Duke, I am your master!” She snarled, pretending to be outraged.
“I won’t accept any less,” Lin Yaoguang said through gritted teeth.
“Impudent lout!” Kayla slammed her palm against the desk as she shot to her feet. Lin Yaoguang grimaced at what must have been a familiar sight to him.
“I insist!”
“Fine then, you cretin!” Kayla glared at him. “Let’s get this over with! Tell the man outside to summon a mage.”
“I’ll bring a mage of my own,” Lin Yaoguang said, secure now that he thought he had the upper-hand. “Please await my message, my lord.”
“Your own–?! You go too far!”
“The money will be well worth it,” Lin Yaoguang shot back. “You cannot begin to imagine the riches you will gain in exchange for a small promise to an insignificant man.”
Grinding her jaw, Kayla glared daggers into him as Lin Yaoguang hastily bid his goodbyes and retreated. Her countenance relaxed as soon as the man was gone.
“Twenty percent and a magical oath, of all things,” Kayla said in amusement to the empty room. “He'll certainly learn to regret that.”
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Hu Qing strode into his quarters, worn out from a day of fending off officials trying to worm information out from him. His steps slowed as he saw a familiar figure in the corridor.
“Zhong’e? What are you doing here?”
Sun Zhong’e smiled a little sheepishly.
“I need to talk with you about something,” she said.
“Is everything alright?” Hu Qing asked in alarm.
“Fine,” she hastily assured him. “It’s nothing bad, I promise. Just…it’s related to the Duke, so I wanted to get your opinion.”
Frowning, Hu Qing continued into his room, undoing his outer robe as Sun Zhong’e followed behind.
“So what did you want to talk about?” Hu Qing asked, tossing his belt onto a chair.
Sun Zhong’e awkwardly cleared her throat just as Hu Qing registered the unfamiliar presence in the corner. He turned on his heel, pulling his outer robe shut again. From the chair in the corner, Jing Shuyou gracefully rose to her feet.
That’s Chujiao, he realized with faint alarm. Wenyuan’s–
Hu Qing turned a glare on Sun Zhong’e, who avoided eye contact.
“Lord Liang,” Chujiao greeted him in a melodic voice. “I apologize for disturbing you, but I need to speak with you urgently.”
Hu Qing stopped trying to stab Sun Zhong’e with his gaze and turned to the young woman awkwardly. Sun Zhong’e took the chance and escaped the room, shutting the door behind her.
“That little–”
“Please don’t blame her, my lord. I insisted,” Chujiao said. “I apologize for coming to meet you unannounced.”
Hu Qing gave her an obviously fake smile. “Well, since you’re already here, how can I help you, miss?”
Chujiao’s face brimmed with concern. “The Duke…he was in great danger this time, wasn’t he?”
Hu Qing softened sympathetically. “He’s alright now.”
“But have you considered what would have happened if things hadn’t gone as smoothly?”
Hu Qing’s eyes hardened again.
Right, this woman may have been important to Wenyuan, but she was a spy before anything else.
“Say what you mean.”
Chujiao mustered her courage, speaking in a strained but steady voice.
“If the Emperor had not been as forgiving, the Duke would have been in a position where he was rejected by all. His wife would have pleaded for him, surely, but how much her words are of use depends on the relationship between our countries at any given moment. You would have supported him, but your words do not carry enough weight in the eyes of the Emperor and the court to be of help.”
She stepped closer to him. “And the Duke’s greatest ally, the Imperial Edict Bearer, he would have been the only one in a position to pull him out of the deep abyss. But would he have done so?”
Hu Qing stared down at her with cold eyes. The young woman didn’t falter.
“I think we both agree that he would not have.”
“What do you want from me?” Hu Qing asked.
Chujiao took a deep breath. “ An alliance. Are you aware, Lord Liang, that Wei Guang immediately sent someone to my cousin’s house after Wenyuan was summoned to the palace?”
Hu Qing’s stare grew even icier, and Chujiao mustered her courage not to draw back from him.
“If Wei Guang really abandons Wenyuan at some point, he’ll turn to my cousin. If we join hands to bind Xiang Daozong to Wenyuan for good, then there’s nothing anyone can do about it.”
“I would have thought that was a good thing for you,” Hu Qing challenged.
Chujiao shook her head. “My cousin is not suited for politics. If he had grown up under his father’s tutelage, he would have made a good commander. But as it is, the route of military accomplishments will not be easily opened to him given the Emperor’s sparse trust in him. And in civil affairs, he lacks the ability to navigate the dangerous waters of the court. If not Wenyuan, he would have to rely on someone else. And I cannot entrust our family’s future to Wei Guang. Whether it’s him or either of the princes, they would only use him as a disposable tool. After all our efforts to survive, all our efforts to be reinstated, should we see our house fall into ruin again within a single generation?”
“Well, Wei Guang is a mercurial man, but how different is your cousin? He too jumps back and forth without constancy. To be frank, he changes direction at every shift of the wind. We have no reason to trust in him. Or in you, for that matter,” Hu Qing said flatly.
Chujiao nodded resignedly. “I know. That is why I have come to you in person, to express my sincerity.”
“And how are you going to do that?” Hu Qing asked. He immediately regretted it at the glint of determination in her eyes.
Good heavens, this isn’t one of those scenarios, is it?! His mind flashed through a plethora of raunchy novels sold in the back alleys of marketplaces, in which there was always the obligatory scene the virtuous young maiden sacrifices her dignity for her family’s sake. I take it back. If the robes start coming off–
Chujiao drew herself up, and Hu Qing stepped back in alarm.
“I have come to you to seek a marriage alliance between our houses. Marry me, and bind my cousin to Duke Zhao’s service,” Chujiao declared in a trembling voice.
Hu Qing stared at her in disbelief. He tried to process the words, failed, and started again from scratch.
“You do realize, Miss Jing, that I am a cutsleeve?” Hu Qing asked carefully.
Chujiao shook her head. “I am not seeking matrimonial bliss, my lord. I only wish to ensure the safety of my loved ones, both my cousin and Duke Zhao alike.”
Hu Qing made an incredulous sound. “Why me then?” He demanded.
Chujiao’s face went very still in an expression almost reminiscent of Wenyuan’s.
“Because we both love him.”
His vision flashed red.
“Watch your tongue! What the hell are you saying?!” Hu Qing snarled.
Chujiao seemed to grow even calmer in comparison. “I know exactly what I speak of. We both owe a debt to him beyond what we can hope to repay, we both look upon him as our hope, and we both wish to see him succeed.” She tilted her head slightly, a teasing expression crossing her face. “Or did you think I meant something else?”
“Are you mocking me?” Hu Qing asked in a dangerous tone.
“No, certainly not!” Chujiao seemed astonished at the thought. “But the two of us have a common goal, and our best choice is to work towards it together. Please don’t misunderstand me as pandering for a good match, or for some other selfish goal! Under other circumstances, better ones, perhaps, we never would have met in the first place.”
“Wenyuan would probably be dead then,” Hu Qing replied.
Chujiao’s face flushed bright red. “I would never have–!”
“Did I blame you?” Hu Qing cut in.
Chujiao deflated, and an awkward silence stretched out between them.
“Since you also think this way, then you know exactly why I’m here,” she said resignedly. “My cousin will fall in line with this marriage, and the Duke’s concerns about him will be dispelled.”
Hu Qing remained silent.
Chujiao’s eyes suddenly welled with tears. “I can understand your reluctance, but please believe me when I say that I mean you no harm! I’m offering the rest of my life up to you, there’s no need to doubt my earnesty.”
Hu Qing let out a sigh. “Do you fear that the Duke will destroy your cousin if this goes on?”
Chujiao breathed in sharply at the blunt question, then stiffly nodded.
Caught between her love and her family, huh? I sure don't envy her position. A marriage alliance...I can see the benefits, but...seriously, getting married?
“Let me think about it,” Hu Qing relented.
Chujiao sagged in relief. “By all means, please discuss it with the Duke and see what he says.”
A flash of rage overtook him, appearing out of nowhere.
“Do you expect him to pity you for being saddled with me? To intervene out of some lingering sentiment? Then you’ve seen him wrong–he won’t save you from marrying a cutsleeve just because of your past together!” Hu Qing snapped. The words astonished even himself as he stared at her shocked expression.
What am I even doing right now? He thought in disbelief.
But Chujiao didn’t seem offended. If anything, she only seemed to grow melancholic.
“I expect him to pity you, my lord,” she said softly.
A somber silence fell over them. Hu Qing finally broke it first, awkwardly offering a truce.
“I’ll let you know what he says.” He paused for a moment. “Anything you want me to pass on to him?”
Chujiao shook her head. “Just that I’m sincere.”
“Does your cousin know about this?” Hu Qing asked.
“No.”
“Alright then,” Hu Qing muttered. “I’ll talk with Wenyuan, you talk with him.”
Chujiao brightened at the response. “Thank you, my lord!”
Hu Qing nodded awkwardly and sent her off. Alone in the room again, he stared woodenly at a painted beam.
Just like that, huh?
Hu Qing heaved a sigh, a heavy weight settling inside his stomach.
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Cultural Context
Tang and Arabic contestation over Central Asia: After the conquest of Persia, the Umayyad encroached into Central Asia, where it met resistance from Turkic peoples, and also entered proxy conflicts with the Tang. The Tang Dynasty was a militaristic one, and though its borders shifted quite a bit, the first half of its rule had holdings in Central Asia as well as client states. The Chinese-Arabic contestation for hegemony in the region was never just an Empire vs. Empire situation as popular culture treats it as, there were a great many political actors involved on all ends, including the Tibetan Empire, the Turgesh Khaganate (separate from the Turkic Khaganate), the Uyghur Khaganate (also separate), the Khazars, the Sogdians, and so on so forth. This was also briefly interrupted by the end of the Umayyad and the succession of the Abbasid Dynasty, which was more tolerant towards the Turks. The contestation over Central Asia culminated in the Battle of Talas, where the Tang was thoroughly defeated by Arabic forces, soon after which the Tang Dynasty became embroiled in domestic troubles with the An Lushan rebellion. Due to a different timeline and political context, the Wu Dynasty in this story does not have holdings in Central Asia.
Maghreb: Generally used to refer to Western and Central North Africa, including Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, and Libya. Kayla's reference to Maghrebi contestation of Umayyad rule references her very vague knowledge of the Berber revolts against Umayyad rule and their rule of the Western Maghreb, the Midrarid Dynasty that ruled the Sijilmasa region of Morocco, and the Rustamid Dynasty centered in Algeria. Due to the timeline differences, they would also be approximately contemporary to Kayla's time period.
纵横/Horizontal Alliance: Refers to the School of Vertical and Horizontal Alliances, a school of thought and political clique in pre-Qin China. Vertical alliances means to unite the weak multitude to crush the singled-out strong side, while horizontal alliances means to unite with a strong ally to crush the weak multitude. Its representatives included Zhang Yi who served the Qin Kingdom, Su Qin, among others. It has since diverged from its original meaning to refer to diplomatic endeavors for the purpose of crushing a common enemy.
蚕食/To eat like a silkworm: An Ancient Chinese term that means to slowly feed off of something, its most famous usage is in historical records, specifically in the context of the Qin Dynasty's rise and unification of the other six kingdoms. That is, it ate away at its enemies bit by bit, the way a silkworm slowly munches on a mulberry leaf. Rather than doing it all in one go while using tremendous amounts of resources, it is a process of strengthening oneself while weakening the enemy, taking the time to digest as you devour them.
那就得看我的本事了: That depends on my capabilities. A line often used in harem intrigue dramas for catty verbal spars, it was popularized in 甄嬛传/Empresses in the Palace.
众矢之/Reviled/Rejected by all: An Ancient Chinese phrase.
人微言轻/Personage is slight [and] words are light: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to a lack of influence.
万丈深渊/Ten-thousand meters deep abyss: An Ancient Chinese proverb that refers to great danger form which you cannot recover yourself from. I tend to exclude the ten-thousand meters part when using this phrase in-story because it's a little clunky.
断袖/Cut-sleeve: An Ancient Chinese term for men who engage in homosexual activity. They do not have to be exclusively homosexual for this term to apply, but it has evolved to refer to men who prefer men over women. The term originates from the story of Emperor Ai of the Han Dynasty, who had a male lover that he favored greatly. One morning, he had to rise early for the convening of the court, but his sleeve was caught under his sleeping lover. Rather than wake him, the Emperor cut off his sleeve instead. As such, the term cut-sleeve became one of many terms used for homosexual affection between men.