Character Index
General Yan: The commander of the Wu reinforcements to the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Lord of the Liang clan and Vice-Censor.
Sun Ruhui: Right Secretariat of Justice.
Chen Caichun: Chamberlain of the Court of Judicial Review.
Shu Ling: Kayla's retainer, formerly sent to guard Feng Yi.
Zhou Kuang: The Third Prince, knows the future.
Chuluo Khagan: Khagan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince.
Consort Chen: Mother of the Seventh Prince, was of low birth prior to becoming a Consort through the Emperor's favor. Was poisoned by the Grand Duke.
Zhou Yunqi: The Fifth Prince, knows the future.
Lady Lin: A blind divinator involved in Kayla's transmigration.
Cao Shuyi: The Third Prince's wife and mother of Chenqian.
Chen Jian: A young Imperial Investigator, Caichun's brother and Li Que's protege. On Tabuyir's taskforce.
Lord Wu: One of the conspirators–selected as the scapegoat for the deaths of the First and Second Princes after he failed to attend a meeting. Briefly mentioned in a previous chapter.
Tabuyir: A Senior Investigator, in charge of a taskforce investigating the deaths of the First and Second Princes.
Hong Xifan: A middleman who hired Xia Xun to spy for his master in the capital.
Xia Xun: A spy planted by the conspirators to direct Kayla's attention to a chosen scapegoat.
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Kayla swept her gaze over the map on her wall, possible outcomes careening through her mind.
If General Yan continues to win–if he makes a wrong move and loses–if he goes over to the Turks along with his men–I’m in trouble no matter what.
“Hu Qing it is,” she muttered to herself. But he’s even younger than me…if General Yan considered me a yellow-haired brat, then what does that make Hu Qing?
Filled with trepidation, she called Sun Ruhui and Chen Caichun, half hoping they would agree with her judgment and half hoping that they would disagree. Without even needing to think it over, both of them came to an immediate conclusion.
“Hu Qing is perfect for the job,” Sun Ruhui said.
“What?”
“I have to agree,” Chen Caichun added. “Since he’s one of your closest supporters, your father-in-law would give him face out of consideration for the marriage alliance and refrain from interfering. So even if he’s there to rein in General Yan to the Khagan’s detriment, Hu Qing would be unlikely to die by a…stray arrow or something of the sort. However, I would expect that the Khagan would send someone of his own to serve the Princess in your household.”
“Of course he would,” Kayla muttered. “Keeping each other in check, is it? I’m fine with that. I already feel like I’m sitting on a pincushion anyways, this doesn’t change anything.”
To her relief, Sun Ruhui and Chen Caichun studiously did not glance at each other–Kayla had regretted the words as soon as she had spoken them.
“It’s for Hu Qing’s own good as well,” Sun Ruhui remarked mildly, as though he were saying it as a comment to himself rather than to push Kayla into agreement. “He’s received too much favor from you without any visible accomplishments of his own to show to the court. If that doesn’t change soon, he’ll come to harm for it.”
“Well, we need to keep General Yan from using our resources to help someone who can become an enemy in the future,” Kayla concluded. “If I can use that opportunity to elevate one of my own, what joy is there in refusing to do so? I’ll ask Hu Qing to go.”
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Hu Qing jogged over the rooftop, exchanging nods with the unruffled Imperial Investigators he caught sight of. He made full eye contact with an exasperated Shu Ling as he flipped onto the roof of the Zhao household’s main annex.
“In the study,” Shu Ling said. Hu Qing scanned the surroundings and jumped down to take the corridor for the last few steps. He sharply knocked on the door, waiting for the familiar voice.
“Come in.”
Hu Qing stepped into the study.
“My lord, you called for me?”
“Thanks for coming over on such short notice,” Wenyuan said with a small smile. “I needed to talk with you about something.”
“What is it?” Hu Qing asked, plopping down on a couch. “Is it about the Emperor?”
Wenyuan let out a sigh, looking exhausted. “That is a problem, but there’s nothing I can do about it at this point. We’ll just have to monitor the princes closely and make sure they don’t do anything extreme.”
“You have the Imperial Guard now,” Hu Qing pointed out. “No matter what they do, you have the trump card.”
“I suppose I do,” Wenyuan said.
“Which is why you need to strengthen security,” Hu Qing went on. “In the past, there was the First and Second Prince acting as buffers against going all-out, but now, the only buffer is you. That means you’ll become the target of anyone who wants to seize power for themselves, even if they’re currently allied with you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Wenyuan replied. “I don’t trust the Third Prince either, not fully. I trust that he’ll make a good ruler, but–well, that’s not important right now. The thing is, General Yan is running wild in the North. I’m sure you’ve heard by now, but he’s won three consecutive victories already, one right after another.”
“Everyone’s heard by now,” Hu Qing replied. “Is it that bad? It may benefit Chuluo Khagan, but it also benefits you, doesn’t it? I mean, having a strong military commander on your side…it would certainly strengthen your position against anyone who wants to sabotage you.”
“It’s a double-edged sword,” Wenyuan said wearily. “Yes, having a powerful general at my back will protect me to some extent, but at the same time, his mistakes will also cost me dearly. And look at him now–chasing after the enemy like a bloodhound, conquering territory for a foreign ruler, leaving behind the heir of an allied nation…Even one of those errors are enough to be fatal. This fool’s already on the fast route to getting killed and dragging us all down with him.”
“Then what should we do? We can’t recall him, can we?” Hu Qing asked.
Wenyuan shook his head. “No, changing the commander on the battlefield is rarely a good idea. What I need to do is to send a supervisor from the court. Not directly titled as such, probably as an advisor instead, but someone who is effectively authorized to keep him in check. I’ll be sending more than one person so that General Yan will have more eyes on him, but the problem is that there simply aren’t that many people I can trust.”
Hu Qing straightened in his seat, putting his leg down from where he’d slung it over the armrest.
“Hu Qing, would you be willing to take this task?” Wenyuan asked.
Me? Rein in General Yan? Excitement shot through his veins, cooling instantly as reality washed over him.
“I would if I could, but that man barely answers to you. Why would he listen to me?” Hu Qing pointed out.
“He looks down on me because he thinks I got to where I was because of my mother,” Wenyuan said. “And he’s right. So I won’t deny it, he will look down on you for similar reasons, and there won’t be much you can do about it. But for the very same reason that General Yan will look down on you, Chuluo Khagan will have to take you seriously. Because you’re the direct representative of his son-in-law.”
“Then General Yan…” Hu Qing trailed off uncertainly.
“As I said, you’re not the only one I’m sending. I’ll also be sending other officials, ones who are older or who have military experience themselves. General Yan’s more likely to listen to them than to you, but your role is the most important. You’ll be keeping two ends in check–the supervisors, and the Turks.”
Wenyuan raised one finger. “For the supervisors, your presence, along with the local Investigators there, means that they can’t get away with doing their jobs badly or not at all. It keeps them from being swayed over by General Yan’s accomplishments or by gifts from other parties.”
He raised a second finger. “And for the Turks, your presence is a reminder of our marriage alliance. Chuluo Khagan is a wise ruler. He knows that he can’t afford to provoke us while the Western front is still in open conflict, but that doesn’t mean he’ll willingly let go of the advantage I’ve unwittingly handed him. As they say, there isn’t an army that is always victorious, but there are generals who are always victorious. General Yan is a resource that once gained, won’t be easily parted with. You’re there as a safety measure to prevent him from taking extreme action against the supervisors.”
Wenyuan lowered his hand, giving Hu Qing a look intermingled with hope and regret.
“And it is my hope that I can use this chance to pave the path for your military career. It would be a waste for you not to use your talents, but you can’t maximize them as a civil official. As a martial officer, on the other hand, the potential is enormous.”
He paused for a moment, watching Hu Qing expectantly. “What do you think? Do you want to do it? It’s fine if you don’t.”
Hu Qing didn’t need to think about it.
“Yes,” Hu Qing said resolutely. “I want to become a military commander in the future, my lord. The country will have need of them soon enough, but that opportunity will never open to me if I don’t have the experience to back me up. I’m not so sure if I can do a good job, but this is the perfect chance for me to try.”
A look of profound relief washed over Wenyuan’s face.
“Thank you, Hu Qing, truly. I’ve sent you into danger far too many times by now, but I’ll have to trouble you to do so again,” Wenyuan said.
“There’s no such thing, I should be the one thanking you,” Hu Qing said, casually waving him off. But Wenyuan wasn't to be deterred.
“Ever since you saved me that time, you’ve had to go through a great deal of trouble. Even after you were reinstated, there was so much happening that you’ve only ever gotten the burden of your position and not its benefits. No matter what, I’ll make sure that things go smoothly for you this time, and that you reap the full rewards of your troubles,” Wenyuan said determinedly.
“It wasn’t really that bad,” Hu Qing said in dismay. “Most of it was stuff I would’ve ended up doing either way, don’t overthink it. But I’ll gratefully accept whatever you can get for me–I want to make the most out of this however I can.”
“Of course. Whether it’s a title or your budget or getting backup from the Tiele tribes, I’ll take care of it,” Wenyuan promised solemnly.
“I really do want to go,” Hu Qing said. “This, uh, well.”
He cleared his throat, feeling incredibly embarrassed, an emotion he was almost entirely unfamiliar with. “I want to go as far in life as I can, you know. So this really isn’t a burden or anything.”
Wenyuan lit up, looking as pleased as a proud parent. “I’m really glad to hear that,” he said. Almost immediately, he was back to business. “Now, let’s talk about the personnel choice.”
He pulled out a scroll of names, placing them before Hu Qing. “Go on and take a look.”
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An Imperial Investigator stood before the Seventh Prince and his steward, wearing his best appropriately-subservient smile, one that he had perfected over years in order to look neither defiant nor like too much of a pushover. He hadn’t really had to use it in awhile, and it showed in the slight stiffness in the corners of his face. The young poison-tester behind him had chosen to stop listening altogether rather than accidentally give a scowl or a smile at an inappropriate moment.
“Two poison testers for everything the prince consumes?” The steward said indignantly. He glanced over to Xianchun, looking for the prince’s support. The prince’s face remained blank.
“What good does that do?” The steward asked, reining in his tone significantly. “It would just mean more medical resources would be needed if anything is poisoned.”
“Indeed, but it is necessary for the prince’s safety. Should one poison tester commit sabotage, the prince would still be protected by the other,” the Investigator replied demurely.
“Sabotage? What on earth are you saying?! The prince’s poison tester has been with him for years, are you doubting the household’s loyalty?!” The steward snapped.
Xianchun watched the scene with a mask of disinterest, letting his servant ask the questions for him.
Is Wenyuan really trying to protect us from assassins and conspiracies? Or is this just for show to quiet the discontent surrounding his rise in favor?
Or perhaps Wenyuan was trying to make up for the deaths of the First and Second Princes with overprotection. Xianchun hardly minded. Even as his faction grew by the hour, he knew exactly how few of them could be trusted. It would hardly surprise him if someone tried to jump boats by offering Xianchun’s head to Kuang.
Especially with Father’s attitude recently. He went with my proposal, but then he let Third Brother conduct the funeral rites as the family representative. You would almost think that Wenyuan was his actual successor with how ambivalent his attitude is towards the rest of us.
An irresponsible father as always, the Emperor still refused to declare a successor even as his health declined.
“This is merely a matter of protocol, even if there is no purposeful sabotage, the Director was concerned about what he called a ‘false negative’ where a poison may leave a tester unharmed purely by coincidence due to other unrelated factors,” the Investigator replied. “Please be assured that we have no intention of accusing any members of His Highness’ household. The same has been done for all members of the Imperial Family.”
So Third Brother has them too. Then it’s either an actual threat, or he’s posting his own people to warn us against crossing the line. Or is it something else?
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
The steward began to argue back again, stopping abruptly as Xianchun spoke.
“I gladly accept.” He glanced over to the steward. “Why should I refuse something that ensures my safety? Give my thanks to my cousin.”
“As you wish, Your Highness.”
The poison tester gave a deep bow. “I will do my best to serve Your Highness!”
“Very well. You may both take your leave,” Xianchun said. “Steward, help our new poison-tester settle in.”
At the wave of his hand, the room emptied out, leaving Xianchun to his thoughts.
Is this Father’s will? Or Wenyuan’s?
A bitter pain pricked at his insides. As if Father would care enough about his living sons to do so.
That only left Wenyuan.
It could just be for show, but more likely than not, he’s actually worried about something. Since the very beginning, he’s been afraid, Xianchun flipped through his memories of his cousin. When he suddenly began fighting against the Grand Duke, no, even after the Grand Duke died, he always acted like a desperate man no matter how much favor or support he had.
Bold and impudent as the man acted at times, Xianchun had seen the look of a drowning man in Wenyuan’s face the day when the Duke–then still the Zhao heir, had come to Xianchun and told him of Consort Chen’s murder.
He has the guts to force his own grandfather to suicide, but…
Xianchun had simply considered it part of Wenyuan’s personality and thought nothing of it all along, especially when faced with the brazenness of the man’s actions, but there had been a strange tug at the back of his mind over the last few days telling him to look carefully at Kuang. And when he had seen Kuang at the funeral, Xianchun knew it. Something had irrevocably changed inside of his brother.
Not like Wenyuan who’s dropped both family bonds and moral restriction, and not like Fifth Brother whose life is like a candle in the wind either.
Urgency…no, destiny. Kuang had the feeling of a man who was facing his fate.
The way he looked at me too, Xianchun involuntarily felt a chill crawl up his spine. He had never shied away from the possibility of a fight to the death, but the look in Kuang’s eyes had surpassed that. It was no longer the look that one gave to a rival, but the look of a judge delivering a sentence.
Xianchun’s mind wandered back to Wenyuan’s last visit and the man’s earnest explanation. The fading chill jolted through his body again.
Just what does the world look like from your eyes?
What did it look like for Wenyuan? What did it look like for Kuang?
Realization dawned upon him. There's something—they know something…what though?
Without hesitation, Xianchun grabbed his communication device and summoned Liu Boyue.
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Another Investigator and poison tester pair stood in Yunqi’s sitting room, the Investigator rattling off the explanation he was tasked with delivering to the prince. The poison-tester had been hand-picked by Wenyuan’s orders to be of good temperament and strong discretion, but the Investigator had not been selected with as much care. Despite his perfect etiquette, there was a smugness to the man that irked Yunqi.
I’ve seen this man before, Yunqi noted.
“And with that in mind, the Bureau Director would like to assign a second poison-tester to serve Your Highness,” the Investigator said, bowing his head.
Is this because of Father’s weakened state? Everyone saw that at the funeral–anyone who’s got some ambition is itching to make a move right now…or…Wei Guang’s words flashed into mind. Or is he trying to prevent Xianchun from killing us like he did in Lady Lin’s visions?
“Extra poison testers? Well, I suppose that’s not a bad idea,” Yunqi said mildly. “But is there a reason for the sudden increase in security? Is there anything in particular that I should be concerned about?”
“Not within my knowledge, Your Highness. We are merely taking precautions to ensure your safety as we close in on the culprit behind the deaths of the First and Second Princes,” the Investigator replied. There was a self-righteous note in the man’s voice that stirred Yunqi’s temper.
Yunqi gave him a small smile that was entirely devoid of humor.
“How interesting it is that the Bureau’s attitude can be so different just because the Director changed,” Yunqi murmured.
“My prince?” The Investigator asked, his voice taking on a thread of unease. Yunqi smiled back, letting the unsettling atmosphere linger a moment longer before the unnerving expression turned into a more familiar look of polite interest.
“No, nothing,” Yunqi said. “I’ll gratefully accept the Bureau’s protection. Should there be anything that my household could do to assist with your job, please don’t hesitate to say so.”
“Thank you, Your Highness,” the Investigator replied. “Then I will take leave of you now, and leave this man in your service.”
Yunqi gave a small nod, and the Investigator quickly retreated. The poison tester held himself stiffly, uncomfortable at the tense atmosphere and having no idea for its reason.
He must be new, or not from the capital. It was the same as it had been with the Gongsun clan of the First and Second Princes, men that Investigators stiffly refused to address with honorifics in the past–when the Shu clan had begun its descent, neither them nor Yunqi had been spared from enduring the Bureau’s intensive investigations. With Yunqi, they had maintained the bare minimum of decency, which sharply increased when Kuang took offense, but the same had never been the case with the Shu clan. And worst of all, the Bureau had never bothered to be quiet about it.
That Investigator just now, he was still a trainee back then, wasn’t he? Yunqi recognized that face from a passing glimpse, years and years ago. A young man strolling through the hall, a smile of derision on his face as he sauntered off with the letters of Yunqi’s late wife. The letters had been returned, more or less undamaged, but Yunqi had never forgotten the look of malicious mockery on that youthful face.
It didn’t surprise Yunqi to see how quickly people’s treatment of him changed when his circumstances did, but it also never failed to hurt him either. He didn’t bear a grudge against the Bureau for carrying out their orders, but the humiliation he’d endured in the past made the caution of the present seem all the more ironic.
That was then, this is now, Yunqi thought to himself. Wenyuan has always taken great pains to protect my pride. The sympathy of those who suffer the same symptoms, perhaps?
He gave the nervous poison tester a small smile, one that actually seemed sincere.
“You there, Qi Heng, was it? Which characters do you use for your name?” Yunqi asked.
Relaxing minutely, the poison tested bowed his head. “My surname is the character for the Kingdom of Qi and my name is the character for Everlasting, Your Highness.”
“Everlasting…a good name for a man who I’m entrusting my life with,” Yunqi replied.
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
An earnest one, isn’t he? All the better then.
“Steward, kindly arrange for his accommodations.”
“As you wish, Your Highness.”
Yunqi watched them go, before summoning another servant with a sigh.
“Fetch Dai Fangjin for me please,” Yunqi said. “I must tell him that he has a new colleague from today on.”
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In the Third Prince’s sitting room, a similar scene was playing out.
“Two poison-testers,” Kuang said thoughtfully. “What about Father? As subjects and sons, we cannot dare to accept that which surpasses or is equal to the treatment that the Emperor receives.”
“That is…well, the Emperor’s food is poison-tested at every stage of the cooking process, so while the finished product goes through two poison-testers, the process is given a great deal of caution,” the Investigator replied.
“I am relieved to hear that,” Kuang said. “In that case, I gratefully accept.”
He turned towards the poison-tester. “Sima Ji, was it? Please make yourself at home. My son’s at a troublesome age where he’s always getting into mischief, so don’t let him get in your way. If he acts rudely, be sure to convey it to the Princess Consort.”
“You’re too kind, Your Highness, I wouldn’t be troubled,” the poison-tester said, looking rather flustered at being addressed so familiarly.
Kuang laughed softly. “Don’t say that. After all, I can’t have my son grow up to be a wanton troublemaker. If you’d help me with that, I’d truly be grateful.”
“Y-yes Your Highness! Gladly!”
“It would be an honor for this man to be of service to Your Highness,” the Investigator said. “Though he is still young, he is very sincere of character. I apologize in advance for any rudeness on his part.”
“Not at all,” Kuang replied. “I won’t keep you two any longer. Sima Ji, since he was the one who introduced you, you should see him to the door. After that, the steward will take you to get settled in.” He exchanged a small nod with the smiling steward.
The men left, and Cao Shuyi entered from the alcove.
“A second poison tester? My dear, are things that dangerous now?” Cao Shuyi asked, a note of concern in her voice.
“It’ll be alright, Wenyuan’s just being cautious,” Kuang assured her.
“It’s good that he is. You should really be more careful as well,” Cao Shuyi said. “No matter what, you must protect your health and safety if you are to accomplish anything!”
“I will,” Kuang promised. He pulled her into a hug, eyes staring into the distance.
“But I wonder, did Wenyuan do this to protect us?” Kuang said to himself.
Or to protect Xianchun? They both knew the future, and what the only acceptable outcome was.
Is that why? Does he think I’ll kill Xianchun now that I know what will happen?
For a man who had killed his own grandfather, Wenyuan was strangely sentimental in this regard.
“My dear?” Cao Shuyi asked, cupping his face in her hands.
“It’s nothing,” Kuang said to her, and then again to himself. “Really, it’s nothing.”
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A veteran rushed into his room, tossing aside the towel on his shoulders. The one time he had gotten a spare moment to exercise without his moping household members sighing and sulking on the sidelines, and he was interrupted.
“What?!” The veteran answered the buzzing communication device, already in a horrible mood.
“Word from the palace–Zhao Wenyuan has assigned a second poison tester to each member of the Imperial Family from the Bureau. All of them seem to have been hand chosen for loyalty.”
A man with a face so haggard that it almost resembled that of their unfortunate Emperor smiled at the veteran, his voice completely calm.
“That Duke brat doubled the poison-testers? What on earth is he thinking?” The veteran muttered.
“He seems to be cautious by nature,” his haggard-faced companion replied. “It was a good choice to hide Lord Wu behind so many barriers after all. Being prone to suspicion, he wouldn’t have believed it otherwise. But as for the poison testers…this certainly complicates matters. Pushing a prince to use poison against his brother is a small matter, pushing him to launch an actual assassination is much more difficult. Hacking a man to death takes far more mental fortitude, and far more risk as well. It’s possible that our plans will end up being delayed.”
“They’re far from soft-hearted,” the veteran pointed out. “That line won’t be so hard to cross for them.”
“Not for you, perhaps,” the haggard man said flatly.
“Then it’s up to you to give them a hand,” the veteran replied. “Thanks to the Emperor showing his face, everyone knows that he’s crumbling apart. Hah! The bastard…who would’ve thought he would react this well? You really do understand him after all. It’s a great boon that he’s deteriorated this much, not just for us, but for the court as well. Both the princes will be scrambling to make a move, but to push them to outright murder their brother? That takes a little help on the sidelines, no?”
“Yes, I suppose,” the haggard man said. “But…well, on second thought, I wouldn’t write off poison so quickly either.”
“What, with the double testing?” The veteran asked incredulously.
The haggard man turned placid eyes towards him. “Never underestimate habit,” he said with a smile. “Or for that matter, the resilience and fragility of human bonds.”
“What?” The veteran asked blankly.
“You’ll see soon enough,” the haggard man said. “When two tigers fight, there must be one that is defeated. But who knows how difficult it is for us beast tamers?”
The note of amusement in his voice vanished as his face grew somber.
“And if the tigers refuse to fight, then we’ll have to take matters into our own hands. Beat one to death, and blame the other. I’d say that the Seventh Prince would be easier to frame, given that his temper is well-known to everyone. But then again, the Third Prince has shown himself to be more emotional than previously shown as well, especially when his brother is concerned. Whichever one we choose, the outcome must be that one dies and the other is disqualified on grounds of fratricide. Then all that will be left is the pitiful rabbit with no way of defending himself, save to rely on us.”
“But his clan,” the veteran began.
“I leave that to you,” the haggard man cut him off. “No, not just the rabbit’s clan…the tiger-like brother also has a clan to worry about, doesn’t he? You’ll have to handle this matter for us.”
The veteran stared at his companion, strangely intimidated by the man who looked like he could collapse at any moment.
“I will,” he promised.
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“There he is!” Chen Jian’s voice sounded out over the communication device. “I’ve spotted him, it’s Hong Xifan! Requesting backup at the second block near the Western gate!”
“Get moving! Spread out and surround the area,” Tabuyir ordered. “You three, come with me.”
The Investigators flipped their masks back down over their faces and set off. A few townspeople let out squeaks of surprise as they leaped over the rooftops at full speed, abandoning discretion in favor of efficiency.
“I’ve got him! Fat bastard can’t run for shit,” Chen Jian reported. “I’ve chased him into the third house on the second street with the red laundry.”
Tabuyir sharply gestured for the men to surround the house, blocking off the street and side alleys. He strode into the house, two Investigators moving to seal off the doors and windows while a third stayed two steps behind Tabuyir, ready to deal with any surprise attacks.
“Sir!” Chen Jian called out, waving cheerfully from where he stood over a trembling man.
“Hong Xifan?” Tabuyir asked.
“It’s him,” Chen Jian said, handing over the man’s papers. Tabuyir scrutinized the man on the ground. Chen Jian had thoughtfully trussed the man’s wrists and ankles, and had further gagged him with a cloth. The face matched perfectly with Xia Xun’s description.
“If you attempt to bite off your tongue or poison yourself, you will not succeed,” Tabuyir said to him. “In fact, you will deeply regret it.”
He towered over Hong Xifan, his eyes flashing in the dim light. The middleman squirmed on the ground, eyes wide with terror.
“Nod if you understand,” Tabuyir ordered. The man bobbed his head frantically.
Tabuyir nodded at Chen Jian, and the young man pulled the gag out of Hong Xifan’s mouth.
“Who hired you to recruit Xia Xun?” Tabuyir demanded.
“S-sir, you have the wrong man! I’m innocent! I’m just an honest merchant–”
Hong Xifan squeaked with fear as Tabuyir partly unsheathed his sword.
“Oh?” Tabuyir asked. “You’re saying that you’re useless then?”
He slowly drew the blade out of the scabbard. Hong Xifan panicked, flailing against his bonds helplessly like a fish on the chopping board.
“Wait! Please wait! I’ll–I’ll talk! I’ll tell you anything you want to know, no matter what it is! I swear! Please don’t kill me!”
Tabuyir unsheathed the rest of the sword in a single fluid motion. The blade flashed against the light and slashed downward. Hong Xifan screamed in fear, the sound quieting into a strangled whimper as the blade pressed against his neck.
“Who hired you?” Tabuyir demanded.
The middleman let out a shuddering breath, glancing nervously at the blade.
“Good sir, c-could I have an agreement to reduce my sentence in exchange for cooperation–”
Tabuyir snarled, pressing his sword forward until it drew blood. Hong Xifan let out a high-pitched shriek.
“Talk!” Tabuyir ordered.
“Lord Wu! It was Lord Wu Zhihuan from Qinghe! He was the one who approached me, I swear I don’t know what he wanted, I just accepted because he offered so much money! I don’t know what Xia Xun did but I swear that I had no part in it! Please spare me!”
Tabuyir was silent for a moment, coldly glowering down at the man through his mask. There was nothing but genuine terror in Hong Xifan’s eyes.
“Notify the Director and bind this man properly,” Tabuyir ordered. “We’re taking him back to the capital.”
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Cultural Notes
黄毛小儿/Yellow-haired brat: An Ancient Chinese saying used to disparage someone as a mere brat. You may think "Sir, that's a 25 year old man", but people often looked down on younger men whenever there was an age gap. In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, we see people mocking Liu Bei for taking a 27-year old "brat" as an advisor as well.
如坐针毡/Sitting on a needled cushion: An Ancient Chinese proverb.
何乐不为/What joy is there in [not doing/refusing]: A Chinese saying, basically the fancy version of "why not"?
临阵换帅/Changing the commander on the battlefield: An Ancient Chinese proverb, usually used as an "oh no don't do that", given how it affects morale and organization.
未有常胜之军却有常胜之将/There isn’t an army that is always victorious, but there are generals who are always victorious: A Chinese saying referring to historical patterns where an army might lose here and there, but specific commanders never lose a battle when they're in charge.
同病相怜/Sympathy of those who suffer the same symptoms: An Ancient Chinese proverb that means to sympathize with those who share the same plight.
Qi Heng: As mentioned, the characters of his name are 齐恒. It's actually the same characters used in the title of a famous Chinese historical figure, Duke Heng of the (then still a Dukedom) Kingdom of Qi.
生性多疑/Prone to suspicion by nature: An Ancient Chinese proverb.
两虎相争必有一伤/When two tigers fight, there must be one that is injured/loses: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning that when two strong people/factions fight for dominance, one will definitely be defeated.