Character Index
Investigator Jin: A skilled Bureau interrogator.
Lin Yaoguang: The Grand Duke's money launderer, involved with Archduke Qi's plans.
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince.
Li Que: A Senior Investigator.
Zhou Kuang: The Third Prince.
Tao Qian: Kayla's retainer.
Shu Yunsong: Yunqi's maternal uncle.
Zhou Yunqi: The Fifth Prince.
Zhou Ying: The Emperor.
Zhou Hong and Zhou Yong: The First and Second Princes.
Tan Hui: Archduke Qi's loyal retainer.
Wu Zhihuan: One of the conspirators, used as a scapegoat for the deaths of the First and Second Princes.
Archduke Qi: The Emperor's half-brother.
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Kayla speedwalked through the Bureau, only a few beats short of sprinting. But the mood was tense enough, and the Director couldn’t be seen running around like a headless chicken.
She stopped outside an interrogation room, nodding at the Investigator outside. He bowed his head sharply and knocked on the door.
“The Director’s here,” the Investigator announced. He tactfully stepped away as the door opened to the blood-splattered face of Investigator Jin.
“Director,” Investigator Jin greeted her, a look of chagrin on his face. “I’m afraid I don’t have anything for you just yet.”
“That’s alright, may I enter?” Kayla asked.
Investigator Jin bowed his head slightly, stepping aside to let her enter.
Kayla gave an uninterested sweep over the battered face of Lin Yaoguang. The man looked as if he wanted to curse at her, but evidently thought better of it and stayed silent instead.
They worked fast to make this happen, she thought to herself. In the time it took for her to handle Xianchun, her retainers and the Bureau had managed to get Lin Yaoguang into this state.
Rage, fear, and bloodlust intermingled in his sharp glare, but there was also something else there, buried deeper inside.
Futility.
“Close the door,” Kayla ordered.
Investigator Jin obeyed.
“Director, this lowly one doesn’t dare to make excuses for my own incompetence, but there’s something strange about this man,” he said cautiously.
“How so?”
“He’s remained silent this whole time. By all means, he should be talking. Even his body language suggests that he’s about to confess, and yet he does not. I think he may be under some kind of–”
He stopped as Kayla held up a hand.
Right, of course! There was still that!
“Investigator Jin, I need to ask something of you,” Kayla said. “Exit this room and make sure no one gets in. Don’t ask anything about this afterwards. Can you do that for me?”
The man balked, visibly reluctant.
Kayla glanced him over. There was no point pushing the principles of someone crucial to the Bureau at a time like this.
“I won’t force you. If it makes you uncomfortable, you can stay. But I want an oath of secrecy about what happened here,” Kayla said.
“I…forgive me, sir, it’s not that I don’t trust you or anything, but not knowing what happens to a suspect makes things difficult in the interrogation process. Please be understanding,” Investigator Jin said apologetically.
“Alright then. But what you observed earlier, that…something strange about Lin Yaoguang, keep that quiet as well,” Kayla said.
“I will, Director.”
She nodded, turning her attention back to Lin Yaoguang. Not wanting to waste anymore words on him, she reached into her sleeve and produced a blank talisman. Kayla ripped it at the same time she nullified all the magic remaining on Lin Yaoguang.
“That should do it,” Kayla said.
Both Lin Yaoguang and Investigator Jin stared at her in confusion.
“A nullification talisman,” Kayla explained.
“What?!” Lin Yaoguang blurted out before he could stop himself. He paled as Investigator Jin’s eyes narrowed.
“Thank you, Director,” Investigator Jin said with a note of vindictiveness. “Please be assured that I will keep this matter confidential.”
“I trust you to do as much,” Kayla replied. “Well then, I’m off.”
She paused at the door.
“Go all out.”
“Yes sir,” Investigator Jin said with relish. Without bothering to glance at Lin Yaoguang’s horrified expression, Kayla left the room.
“Director,” Li Que greeted her from right beside the door. Kayla nearly flinched.
Fuck, I didn’t see him there.
“Senior Investigator Li,” Kayla replied. “Let’s hear how things are on your end.”
She gestured for him to join her as they headed towards her office.
“The city has been put under full lockdown, and I can ensure that the highest level of security short of an enemy invasion has been employed,” Li Que replied. “My condolences.”
“Poor Third Cousin,” Kayla murmured. “He really deserved better. But that aside, what did you have to report?”
“We’ve begun carrying out the orders your retainer brought us, and some people have come forth with some suspicious rumors,” Li Que replied.
No doubt old informants, Kayla noted wryly. It was easy to understand why the Bureau allowed the information brokers of the underworld to remain in operation, and even to grow to this extent. Because the Investigators also benefited from it as well. If she really did some digging, she didn’t doubt that she would find similar advertisements to the one she had posted, albeit with smaller rewards.
“That was fast. What are the rumors about?” Kayla asked.
“Shu Yunsong, my lord. Someone in Youzhou has come forth saying that the Shu clan’s servants have noted something strange–Shu Yunsong doesn’t allow anyone into his personal quarters. Not his wife or concubines, or even his sons. Sometimes, he disappears into his quarters for hours at a time, not even emerging for meals,” Li Que said.
“And?”
“And every time he does so, a few men from the Northern underworld will depart from Youzhou soon after, usually for between a day and five days,” Li Que said.
“How the hell could they possibly know that?” Kayla demanded.
“The underworld of Youzhou is a little different,” Li Que explained. “Fewer…assassinations, less need for espionage. Instead, they earn their money primarily through protection fees, brothels, and illicit substances. So almost all the members are in competition with each other to some extent. Even a small window of opportunity is enough for someone to increase their earnings for the day.”
“I want names,” Kayla said.
“As you wish, my lord. But…they want 30% of the gold first,” Li Que said.
“Give it to them, but figure out their location. If they renege with the gold, I want them to die publicly for it,” Kayla said. “Killing the chicken for the monkeys to see, you know?”
She gave him a questioning look. He knew far more about how the minds of the underworld worked than she did.
Li Que gave an approving nod.
“Of course, my lord.”
“Then I’ll leave that to you. If you get the names, arrest them right away. I’ll go to oversee the investigation into the Third Prince’s household members,” Kayla said.
Li Que bowed and left.
Shu Yunsong…that guy I covered for before.
There was a dull thud in her heart.
If he was somehow involved with Kuang’s death, had she inadvertently helped Shu Yunsong?
There’s no point thinking about that.
She wasn’t sure what would happen to her from here on, but Kayla knew the Emperor. He was a sentimental man, and Yunqi had gotten access to him when it mattered.
We’re set in terms of a Crown Prince.
Even if the Shu clan was involved…she felt sorry for Yunqi if that were the case. But he would still take the throne.
Yunqi was neither as passionate as Xianchun nor as charismatic as Kuang, but instead, he was the most stable of all of the princes. He had only been sidelined so thoroughly due to his maternal clan. Even now, with only two princes left, the Emperor was still troubled by the matter of Imperial in-laws.
Yunqi was suitable, yes. But if he chose Yunqi, would the Shu clan produce the next Grand Duke? Would they too threaten Imperial power like so many Imperial relatives before them?
Xianchun was under suspicion, yes. He was harsh towards his brothers and too sharp-tempered to artfully balance the various factions at court. But he had no maternal clan. Would that push him towards leaning on his in-laws for political support? Perhaps, but that was only a possibility, while the Shu clan was an established threat.
So if I give him an excuse to castrate the Shu clan, he’ll be able to make that choice without any further concerns.
Yunqi wasn’t cruel, nor was he particularly vindictive. If he sought revenge against Kayla for his clan's sake, she doubted that it would extend to her family or her subordinates.
There’s so much you can do when you don’t consider your survival, she thought with a smidge of wonder. Everything that had happened over the last few months suddenly felt like a pipe dream.
But the pain had been real. The danger had been real. The only thing that slipped through her fingers like tendrils of smoke was the never-ending stream of worries and regrets.
I need to do this properly. Kayla offered a silent prayer to the skies. I know I’ve had my problems, and I know I’ve fucked up. But you once had hopes for me, didn’t you? Why else did you bring me here? So please, give me one last chance.
She reached into the collar of her robes, her fingers touching upon the string of the red jade talisman. With one last prayer, she headed off.
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For the Emperor and Yunqi, time seemed to blur in the face of tragedy. Surprisingly, it was Yunqi who regained some semblance of composure first. He took a good look at his father and liege from a distance he hadn’t achieved in years, and found his heart filled with pity.
This was who Yunqi had loved, feared, and hated for so long.
The man before him was not the absolute ruler of the country, the pinnacle of power, the son of heaven. Zhou Ying was only a frail old man, broken down with grief and despair. His hands trembled. His hair was almost entirely gray at the roots. There were lines on his face that didn’t suit the high standards of living that the Emperor enjoyed.
Yunqi silently comforted the Emperor until the worst of the Emperor’s grief had subsided.
“Where is your brother?” The Emperor’s voice came out small and shaky.
“The Imperial Healers said they needed to do an autopsy,” Yunqi replied. “Wenyuan’s taking care of it.”
The Emperor jolted, a movement that was more like a flinch.
“Don’t speak to me of Wenyuan! He has truly let me down. I can’t believe he let this happen!”
Yunqi hid his surprise at the sudden injection of energy in the Emperor’s voice.
Oh Father, is anger and hatred the only thing you can take solace in now? Just how did we come to this?
Tears filled his eyes as he gently clasped the Emperor’s hands.
It wasn’t as though Yunqi didn’t understand. How tempting was it to have someone to blame? But whether it was for the sake of righteousness, or for his own political future, Yunqi needed to keep Wenyuan safe and sound.
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“Father, it’s not Wenyuan’s fault. He did all he could.”
“And it was not enough! I gave him all the power I could, all to prevent such a thing, and yet–!”
The Emperor cut off, pain distorting his once-handsome features.
“My brother loved his men, just as he loved the people of this country as if they were his sons,” Yunqi said quietly.
He continued speaking as the Emperor tensed.
“He has always been someone blessed with talent from birth, as you surely know. My brother believed that his men loved him in return, and that his kindness would be met with gratitude. He was right. But he put too much faith in that,” Yunqi said, his voice beginning to tremble. It felt as though a blade was twisting in his heart to say the words. Yunqi bowed his head to avoid meeting the Emperor’s eyes.
“Yunqi,” the Emperor began to say before stopping himself, uncertainty and concern mingling in his voice.
“I hate to place the blame at my brother’s feet, and indeed I do not. The blame lies with the criminal who poisoned him, and the poison-tester who betrayed him. But my brother was the one who handled the security of his own household, and that’s the plain truth. Wenyuan had already assigned him a double poison-testing regime, but he chose to forgo it,” Yunqi said through his tears. “I don't understand him! Why? Why did he have to do such a misguided thing? How could he just abandon me here alone?”
The Emperor pulled his hands out of Yunqi’s hold and pulled his son into a hug.
“You’re not alone, Yunqi, you still have your father,” the Emperor said, his voice thickening with emotion.
“This kind of thing should never have happened. None of this should have happened in the first place. My poor sons, you’re all suffering the weight of my sins.”
He tightened his hold. “Don’t worry, Yunqi, it’s alright. It’ll be alright.”
Yunqi’s heart jolted painfully, but he kept silent, swallowing all the unspoken words between them.
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Kayla waved off an Investigator as she finished issuing a set of orders, pausing as she saw Li Que approach. His expression was deliberately neutral.
Here it comes.
“My lord? There’s a summons from the palace,” he said quietly.
Kayla froze, hastily fixing her expression to hide her rising panic.
“Anything specific?” Kayla asked.
“No,” Li Que said quietly.
She slowly took a deep breath, praying that it wasn’t obvious. It didn’t matter either way. Everyone was watching them while pretending not to. The fate of the Bureau was at stake. It wouldn’t matter as much to the guys at the bottom, who wouldn’t take the brunt of the blow, but they would still feel the repercussions.
“I understand. I’ll head over then. I leave things here to you and Vice-Director Ke.”
The mood in the room was overly somber as she headed out. A young Investigator opened the door for her with the expression of someone at a military funeral.
Ah, fuck’s sake, don’t make that face at me.
Surprisingly though, it actually lessened the dread in her heart. There was nothing more she could do but to face it head on.
That determination faltered en route, and continued to plummet as she knelt before the Emperor’s furious glare.
He was silent for a long time, letting her kneel there in suspension.
“Wenyuan, you disappoint me.”
She bowed her head to the ground. “I have no excuse!”
“I agree.” He leaned forward in his seat, the white of his eyes glinting in the dim light. “I only leave you untouched because of your mother’s dying wish and your cousin’s pleas! How could you let this happen?!”
“I…” Kayla paused helplessly. No matter what excuse she gave, it wouldn’t be enough. “We’ve begun the investigation, Your Majesty.”
He acted as if he hadn’t heard.
“The matter of Hong’er and Yong’er wasn’t your fault, but this?! I entrusted my sons to you! I placed their safety in your hands!” The Emperor roared.
Kayla flinched. “My liege, I truly have no words for the depths of my regret! I will accept any punishment–I only ask that Your Majesty permits me to find the killers responsible before you pass your sentence!”
The Emperor gave a humorless laugh. “What, so you wish to atone with merit?!” Sarcasm dripped from his voice.
She had expected as much, but it still was as painful as it was frightening to witness in person. That horrifying night of the First and Second Princes’ murders seemed to be playing out before her again, only this time, the Emperor’s anger was impossible to appease.
But he hasn't stripped me of my command. It's not sentiment alone that he's considering, but the future of the country. That means...relief swept through her heart. That means I still have a chance.
“I-I would not dare to make such a shameless request! I only ask to be allowed one final chance to use this worthless life to repay Your Majesty’s magnanimity!” Kayla pleaded.
“What, is the culprit not clear?” The Emperor snapped.
Kayla drew a deep breath. No matter the outcome, it was time to honor her promise.
“It is not the Seventh Prince, my liege.”
“No?” The Emperor asked. “Tell me, why isn’t it him?”
“I’ve had him under careful watch day and night,” Kayla replied. “He and his household have been under complete surveillance ever since the deaths of the First and Second Princes.”
“He could’ve gotten around that.”
The Emperor either hadn’t realized that Kayla had openly admitted to siding against Xianchun, or he no longer cared.
“Perhaps, but still, this is not his doing. The Seventh Prince is more bloodthirsty than that. If he wants someone dead, they would not die such an easy death,” Kayla said, strengthening her resolve.
The look on the Emperor’s face changed to one of confusion.
“What?”
She sucked in a deep breath.
“The matter of my grandfather, the Grand Duke…I bore witness to the Seventh Prince’s vengeance then.”
Her heart thudded against her chest as she spoke. Every word was a gamble on a knife’s edge, but she could only push forward.
The Emperor went very quiet for a moment. “Vengeance?” He asked, his voice dangerously cold. “What vengeance?”
“He had reason–we had reason to believe that the Grand Duke…that the Grand Duke was involved in the deaths of both of our mothers, and of my father as well,” Kayla said. “He was there at the Grand Duke’s death–he helped me force the Grand Duke to suicide.”
The Emperor went very still.
“And you never thought to speak of this to me?” The Emperor asked, shock and rage mingling in his voice. He had known from the start that the Seventh Prince was involved somehow, since the prince had visited her household right before the Grand Duke died. But whatever the Emperor had expected, this had been outside of his expectations.
Kayla lowered her head.
“I have no excuse for my deception.”
She breathed in deeply and trundled onward.
“But I’ve seen what his bloodlust looks like when he wants someone dead. This isn’t it.”
The Emperor spoke in a dangerously low voice.
“Then what? Who’s responsible? Surely you can’t be so incompetent as to have no clue?”
Kayla steeled herself.
“We began investigating Tan Hui, and found connections between him and Wu Zhihuan. He killed himself before we could arrest him, but…we have reason to believe he was protecting someone.”
The Emperor frowned. “Archduke Qi?”
“Not just him, Your Majesty. However, the second suspect…for the Fifth Prince’s sake, we should keep it quiet,” Kayla said.
The Emperor physically drew back. “The Shu clan?!”
“Sir Shu Yunsong,” Kayla corrected him. “It is merely a suspicion as of yet, since we haven’t gathered the according evidence. But…”
She trailed off. The Emperor looked stunned, as if he had taken a physical blow.
“The Fifth Prince has no knowledge of any of this,” Kayla supplied.
“No, no. Of course not,” the Emperor said, a tremble in his voice. “Of course he would not, the kindhearted fool that he is!”
One last chance, Kayla silently prayed.
“Your Majesty, at risk of incurring your wrath, I would like to speak from the heart.”
The Emperor turned his face away sharply, but didn’t command her to stop.
“With the Third Prince having passed, the forces at court, in nobility, within and outside the capital, all are itching to make their move. If Your Majesty wishes to preserve the stability of your dynasty, please take action immediately and name a successor!” Kayla pleaded.
The Emperor let out a harsh sigh. “How I regret entrusting my sons to you! To see such tragedy so many times within my life…to be disappointed by everyone that I trust!” He shook his head despairingly. “Such is the blessing of an Emperor’s throne–such is the son of heaven!”
Kayla bowed her head to the ground, feeling the press of the cool stone against her forehead.
She lifted her face, meeting his glare head-on.
“Please, Your Majesty, name an heir! For this country, for its people, and for the survival of the Zhou clan!”
The Emperor buried his face in his hands.
“Leave us!”
Kayla bowed again and obeyed.
I don’t know what will happen from here, but I should at least check in on Yunqi, Kayla thought. Though I doubt he wants to see me.
No one even attempted to stop her on her way to the building Yunqi was temporarily being housed in.
Kayla paused at the path leading up to its entrance, and circled around to the servant’s door instead. A young eunuch jolted at her sudden appearance, nearly dropping what he was carrying.
“I apologize for startling you,” Kayla said. “May I ask how the Fifth Prince is doing?”
“Ah, please-please wait a moment!”
The young eunuch dashed off to Kayla’s befuddled stares. The Imperial Guards at the door politely acted as if they hadn’t seen the awkward interaction.
Will they get in trouble for speaking with me? Yunqi doesn’t seem the type, but grief can do things to people, Kayla mulled. Before she could consider leaving, an out-of-breath eunuch appeared. This was evidently a senior eunuch, from the quality of his clothing.
“Sir,” Kayla greeted him politely.
“Your Excellency, please come with me,” the eunuch replied. “The Fifth Prince asked to see you.”
Kayla followed the eunuch in. There was an Imperial Guard at every corner, just as she had hoped. Within this building, no one could possibly harm a hair on Yunqi’s head.
“The Prince had hoped you might come,” the eunuch explained en route. “He feared you would not go see him and asked us all to keep an eye out for your arrival.”
“Goodness, I’m sorry for the trouble,” Kayla replied.
He actually wants to see me after how badly I fucked up? Had Yunqi figured something out? Did he also suspect the Shu clan’s involvement?
Kayla bowed as she entered the Fifth Prince’s room, the eunuch hastily leaving and closing the door behind him.
“My prince,” she greeted him. She lifted her head, heart thudding painfully. The Emperor’s beleaguered state had been expected, but Yunqi’s fragile expression caught her off guard.
“Wenyuan, thank you for coming,” Yunqi replied.
Kayla knelt to the ground, bowing her head.
“My prince, I apologize! Shameless as it is, I hoped to see if you were alright. I will accept any punishment from the Emperor or from Your Highness, but I–”
“Raise your head.”
Kayla paused, lifting quizzical eyes to the prince.
To her shock, Yunqi kneeled to embrace her.
“Wenyuan, don’t speak of punishment to me!”
“My prince?!” Kayla awkwardly returned the embrace, her mind careening haphazardly.
“You’re the only one I have to rely on right now,” Yunqi said earnestly. “Without my brother, my life is like a candle in the wind. How long can I rely on my Father’s pity before it turns to disdain for a useless son? Wenyuan, please, help me!”
The words burrowed into her heart like an arrow.
Ah, that’s right. How had she forgotten? This was that type of family from the start. She didn't need to worry that Yunqi couldn't handle the situation, that was never a concern from the start.
Yunqi was sincere, she didn’t doubt that much. But he had been raised in the cesspool of Imperial politics since birth. Almost instinctively, he had chosen the strategy that benefited him most. With a single move, he would consolidate the neutral faction with the Third Prince’s supporters. Whether it was control of the Imperial Guard, the moral superiority of seeking revenge for a beloved brother, or political support…good move, Yunqi.
It was a win-win scenario, one that emerged to him as naturally as breathing air.
Immense relief melted through the tension that had been strumming through her joints ever since the Third Prince's poisoning.
He will make a good ruler.
“My prince, your kind words are too much for this incompetent subject. Though I am unworthy of such trust, I swear to protect you to within every inch of my life!” Kayla promised.
Yunqi drew back, gently squeezing Kayla’s shoulders with a genuine look of relief.
“Sit with me,” he said softly.
Kayla quietly obeyed. A brief, peaceful silence fell over them.
“I have come from meeting with the Emperor, and I have begged him to name an heir,” Kayla announced.
“I see,” Yunqi murmured. “What did he say?”
“Nothing, he asked me to leave,” Kayla said. “But…I apologize, but I spoke the truth of my suspicions to him.”
“About Third Brother?” Yunqi asked.
Kayla nodded.
“Who?” Yunqi asked. There was a strange calmness to his voice, but Kayla was not foolish enough to believe it.
“Archduke Qi,” Kayla said. She watched as Yunqi’s expression flickered with rage. “And…”
“And?”
“The Shu clan,” Kayla finished.
Yunqi’s face went ashen.
“My prince, it is only a suspicion yet,” Kayla hastily said. Yunqi turned his face away, his shoulders trembling.
“My prince…” Kayla’s hand hovered uncertainly over Yunqi’s shoulder for a bit before awkwardly patting him. “It is only a suspicion, but I cannot refuse to report it, nor to investigate it. However, I do not believe it will harm your chances of becoming the Crown Prince.”
“After all this…” Yunqi whispered, hunching in on himself.
Kayla watched him worriedly, not sure how to intervene. She couldn’t even begin to imagine the depths of his despair.
“I would believe it…I would,” Yunqi said in anguish. “How could they?”
He shook his head. “It’s my fault, I knew how desperate they were!”
“No, my prince, please don’t think that! It’s not certain yet, and in any case, it was my duty to prevent this!” Kayla pleaded.
Yunqi closed his eyes in defeat. “No, I asked you to turn a blind eye towards my Uncle, to investigate leniently if it pertained to my clan. You only complied out of pity for me. How can I blame you now that this has happened?”
“We don’t know that they’re involved for sure,” Kayla said. “Please don’t torment yourself over such uncertainty.”
Yunqi sighed. “No, it–it makes sense. I really don’t know what would be worse–if it were the Shu clan, or if it were Xianchun.”
He turned towards Kayla, a haunted look in his eyes.
“The worst thing is that I know how they were—how we all were pushed to this point, and by whom. But what can I do? How can I truly place the blame where it belongs? This is a debt of sin that cannot be taken to account. Who should I blame? My uncles who committed such a horrific crime? My father who pushed them into despair? The clans that forced my father into this state of near-madness? The nobles, the officials, and my own ancestors who allowed the rise of those clans?” He shook his head. “No, Wenyuan, it’s impossible to place the blame where it belongs. I truly–”
He cut off, rubbing a hand over his face.
“Please, my prince, no matter what the result is, don’t blame yourself,” Kayla said quietly. “We stand at a crossroads–you are our last hope. You must take heart!”
“I know,” Yunqi said. “Though I may be unworthy, I will not shirk from my responsibility. You can be assured of that.”
Kayla bowed her head.
“Whatever happens, I will support you to the end,” Kayla promised.
He held out his hand, and Kayla grasped it firmly.
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Cultural Notes
杀鸡儆猴/Kill the chicken for the monkeys to see: An Ancient Chinese proverb that means to make an example out of someone.
外戚干政/Imperial in-laws interfering in politics: Refers to the situation where an Emperor's in-laws or his maternal clan interfere in politics to the point of obtaining too much influence.
天子/Son of Heaven: The term often used to refer to Emperors in Ancient China.
爱民如子/Loving the people as one's own children: An Ancient Chinese phrase.
将功赎罪/Using merit to atone for a crime: An Ancient Chinese proverb and practice where a criminal could reduce his/her sentence by cooperating or by attaining some other accomplishment that benefits the country.
风中残烛/A flickering candle in the wind: An Ancient Chinese proverb.
孽债/[Twisted/sinful] debt: A phrase that's kind of hard to translate, but you can just go ahead and understand it as a debt of sin.