Character Index

General Yan: Commander of the reinforcements sent to the Eastern Turkic Khaganate against Shegui Khagan.

Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Currently an Oversight Officer sent to "assist" General Yan.

Alizhi: Grandson of Commander Tumidu of the Uyghur tribe.

Lord Qu: Oversight Censor sent to "assist" General Yan.

Xie Rengui: Hu Qing's retainer, a brilliant young man from a rural village.

Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince.

Zhou Kuang: The deceased Third Prince.

Ashina: The Princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, Kayla's wife.

Zhou Yunqi: The Fifth Prince.

Chuluo Khagan: The Khagan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.

General Yu: Yu Bianfu's father (aka Xianchun's childhood friend, hasn't shown up in a while now). Supports Xianchun. Currently stationed in Southeast China while his daughter is stationed in the Southwest.

Archduke Qi: The Emperor's half-brother.

Archduke Wei: Archduke Qi's full-blooded younger brother. His daughter was married into the Eastern Turkic Khaganate as part of the marriage alliance between the countries.

Zhou Ying: The current Emperor.

Tan Hui: Archduke Qi's loyal servant.

Archduchess Qi: From an illustrious clan, she suffered greatly after marrying Archduke Qi.

Zhou Shu: The Sixth Prince, died under Archduke Qi's tutelage in a horseriding accident.

Zhou Zhen: The Fourth Prince, died after being disowned.

Shu Yunsong: The second eldest brother of the Wise Consort, Yunqi's maternal uncle.

Consort Zhao: Wenyuan's aunt, she became a consort of the Emperor under the Grand Duke's support.

Consort Liang: Liang Shen's niece (technically also Hu Qing's niece despite the small age difference).

Wise Consort: Yunqi's mother, comes from the Shu clan. Suffering from poor physical and mental health.

Royal Consort: Kuang's mother. Has a high status in the Imperial Harem.

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General Yan frowned at the message on Hu Qing’s out-held communication device.

He made a sound of annoyance.

“What a mess…is the information reliable?”

Hu Qing gave a grim nod. “Alizhi personally confirmed all of this. The capital is under lockdown, and all communications have been cut off.”

“Damn it, just what on earth is going on in there?” General Yan grumbled.

“That’s the problem, we don’t know,” Hu Qing replied.

Lord Qu gave an unhappy sigh. “What turbulent times we live in…the capital being under lockdown is never a good sign. What we need to figure out who is in control right now in order to decide what we do next.”

They were a foreign army, fighting a war in a country that was neither their own nor that of an ally’s. If their only backers were out of the game, then where did that leave them?

An uneasy silence descended briefly, before Hu Qing nodded confidently.

“It’s the Duke,” Hu Qing offered.

General Yan gave him an incredulous look. “How can you be so sure?”

“Closing the door to beat the dog is something he’s quite adept at,” Hu Qing replied. “I’ve seen him do something similar before, though on a smaller scale. And last I heard, he had been granted the right to command the Imperial Guard in an emergency. No one had heard of a conflict erupting between the guards at the gates, which means that whoever ordered this had already gained control over the City Guard rather than taking control by force. The most likely person is the Duke.”

“He’s hardly the only one who could commandeer the City Guard. There’s a host of figures within that mess of a capital who could do the same,” General Yan pointed out.

Xie Rengui, who had stayed silent thus far, finally spoke.

“Perhaps, General. But think about the most likely figures. The Emperor is in no state to do such a thing–if he did, for some reason, the Duke is still the one who has most access to him. The Seventh Prince lacks the connections and resources to mobilize anyone in the capital without significant bloodshed. The Third Prince could also be behind this, since he has the Ministry of War. But the Third Prince is not antagonistic to the Duke, so if he wanted to gain control over the City Guard, it would likely happen as a collaboration.”

Lord Qu cleared his throat uncomfortably at the open discussion of a coup.

Xie Rengui gave the old man an apologetic bob of the head.

“But what could have caused this?” Lord Qu asked.

“Alizhi’s people have been keeping an eye out. There have been arrests in Youzhou’s underworld, and Dengzhou is also under tight security,” Hu Qing offered.

Xie Rengui frowned thoughtfully. “The in-laws and Imperial relatives are being kept under control…then it’s probably either a coup or an important death has occurred. No faction in the capital is capable of pulling off a coup save for perhaps the Duke and the Third Prince.

“Don’t speak nonsense,” General Yan warned him.

“It’s just a possibility, my lord. More likely, someone has died. Given the circumstances…perhaps the Emperor,” Xie Rengui said solemnly.

Hu Qing shook his head. “If it were the Emperor’s death, the Duke would have cleaned things up by now.”

Both General Yan and Lord Qu gave him appalled looks at the open admission of disloyalty.

Hu Qing shrugged slightly. “We’re all ants on the same string here. There’s no point in adorning the false peace with powder.”

Xie Rengui’s frown deepened. “But if it’s not the Emperor…then perhaps one of the Princes has died. Or the Empress Dowager. I doubt it’s the Duke or the Princess, in any case. If it’s the Princess who died, the Khagan is relying on this alliance right now. He would happily send another princess out to marry into the Khaganate. If it’s the Duke…well, I doubt it’s the Duke. The Emperor would have no reason to shut down the capital for this long if that were the case. A widowed daughter-in-law remains within the family, and by Turkic custom, can remarry another member of the family. So there’s no real reason to hide the news for this long.”

Hu Qing grimaced. “So someone within the Imperial Family then?”

“If it’s the Empress Dowager, we’ll know soon enough. Once an assassin is found, the capital will be reopened. But if it’s her, why target Youzhou? Perhaps it’s the Fifth Prince,” Xie Rengui noted. “After all, the Shu clan’s the primary force in Youzhou.”

“Why would anyone kill the Fifth Prince?” General Yan asked with befuddlement. “Risking their lives with no benefit–that’s foolishness in its purest form.”

“If it were the Seventh Prince who has died, the Shu clan could also come under suspicion for wanting to push things along for their own benefit,” Xie Rengui pointed out.

“Well, no matter who has died, we need to decide what to do,” General Yan said grimly. “We need to be prepared for anything–whether it’s being declared traitors to the nation, or being recalled.”

“The other commanders,” Xie Rengui murmured.

“What?” General Yan demanded.

Xie Rengui glanced around the room, a troubled look on his face.

“The other commanders who are allied with the various factions,” he said. “What are they doing? If they move, we also have to move.”

“Absolutely not! If there’s to be a civil war, the best thing to do is to stay out of it!” General Yan snarled.

“I won’t accept seeking asylum with Chuluo Khagan!” Lord Qi snapped back.

“It’s not up to you,” General Yan replied.

“Please wait, my lords! Think about this for a moment–if the other commanders begin moving, the most important thing to consider is who can get to the capital first!” Xie Rengui interjected before a full-blown fight could occur. “We’re certainly not the only ones who’ve noticed the trouble in the capital. But if we have no hope of getting there first, then there truly is no point in trying to intervene.”

“Bullshit!” Hu Qing snapped.

“Whoever gains control over the capital gains legality,” General Yan pointed out.

“Precisely. Right now, there’s no word from the Emperor. But the regional administrations are evidently still receiving commands. If anyone wants to make a move, they won’t dare to do so without military backing. And who is most likely to move right now? The Shu clan cannot. General Yu and his faction are spread throughout the South. They cannot easily gather a force to move Northwards, but if General Yu manages to commandeer the navy in the Southeast, they can make it to the capital in a matter of days,” Xie Rengui said. “From the Anbei Protectorate, a force could make it to the capital in only three days’ time if they make haste.”

That made the Northern forces the ones with the greatest advantage.

“We wouldn’t make it back in time even if we departed today,” General Yan pointed out. “The Tiele will have to manage on their own.”

“Don’t you have reserve troops in training down by Xiazhou?” Hu Qing asked.

“They’re still fresh out of the farmhouse,” General Yan replied. “Absolutely useless.”

“If you allow them to use your flags, no one else would know that,” Hu Qing pointed out.

“That’s enough from both of you!” Lord Qu burst in, pointing an accusing finger towards Xie Rengui. “You as well! We will not march on the capital unless we have due reason to do so! If we fail to judge the situation correctly, all of us will be executed for treason!”

Hu Qing and General Yan glanced at each other.

“Then how about this? If any other commander makes a move, General Yan will authorize the reserve troops to masquerade as formal members of the army, and command them to march on the capital with the excuse of protecting the Emperor against traitorous subjects,” Hu Qing offered. “If no one makes a move, then we won’t either.”

“Very well,” General Yan agreed. “Lord Qu?”

“Fine,” Lord Qu huffed. He wiped at his forehead. “Goodness, you bunch of troublemakers…the capital aside, let’s think about how to deal with the Khagan. Surely he would have heard about the news by now.”

The four of them glanced uneasily in the direction of the main camp, where the Khagan himself presided. Ever since Lord Qu’s arrival, there had been an ever so subtle change in the Khagan’s attitude. It was difficult to discern at all, but it was there.

Now that the capital is like this…

They would have to be even more cautious.

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Archduke Qi lay in a bed that was not his own, wearing clothes that weren’t his own. He gnashed his teeth against each other, desperation building into a low growl emanating from the depths of his rib cage.

Almost overnight, the Imperial Healers’ sympathy for the Archduchess had disappeared. She wasn’t permitted near him, and everything that he ate or used was subjected to intense scrutiny. Separated from everything and everyone, the medicine’s effects had worn off, and the healers knew it.

In a last attempt to preserve the others, Archduke Qi had attempted suicide, only to be dragged back from the ghostly door by the Imperial Healers. Now, there were so many monitoring spells in the room that Archduke Qi thought he might go insane.

I should have killed Zhao Wenyuan while I had the chance, Archduke Qi thought numbly. I stopped after failing once, but that was my biggest mistake! And now it’ll cost me everything!

He pressed the palms of his hands over his eyes.

This was never what I wanted.

His life was a never ending series of trials and humiliations, with only the briefest flashes of glory in-between. The Empress Dowager was a constant shadow that loomed over him–Archduke Qi could barely remember anything from his childhood save for the continuous slew of chills, fever, pain, and nausea. And every time a healer with a kind smile appeared, and things began getting better, the healer would disappear for good, and his health would deteriorate once again.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

His mother was desperate to gain favor in the harem. Her clan put immense pressure on her to do so, and without her clan’s backing, she would have been crushed instantly by the Empress Dowager. As a result, Archduke Qi had spent most of his time alone while his mother chased after his father.

The former Emperor, Archduke Qi barely remembered. He only remembered a face much like his own, that sometimes would appear and smile at him. But the Emperor had suffered a great illness in his youth, and had an aversion to disease. More often than not, Archduke Qi’s impression of his father was only a shadow that appeared briefly in the doorway.

The maids treated him like a burden. The eunuchs treated him like a nuisance. Neither wanted to deal with him–there was little benefit in doing so, and treating him well would only expose them to the Empress Dowager’s distaste. His meals often turned up cold, his vomit cleaned away with visible disgust, his sweat-soaked sheets remained damp on the bed without anyone bothering to change them. There was something about it all–he couldn’t even bring himself to think of it as unfair. Those without power were naturally looked down upon, and that didn’t change even if you were a prince.

Archduke Qi had been a quiet child, constantly afraid of the gaping abyss that seemed always to be just within reach. Many a night he spent staring at the ceiling, somberly wondering when he would die. Sometimes his mother would appear late at night and sit at his bedside. He had never known what to say to her, and pretended to be asleep until she’d left. It was like that for a long time, until the appearance of a younger brother had broken the dark monotony of his days. His brother was nothing like him–exuberant, energetic, eager to throw a fit at the smallest drop of a hat. Since childhood, Archduke Wei had been someone who couldn’t be–and wouldn’t be ignored.

The eunuchs and maids suddenly started behaving much better, fearing that the young prince would start squalling in a crowded place and bring trouble upon them all. Most importantly, he was no longer lonely.

Archduke Qi thought of his younger brother, pain and regret intermingling in his heart. Archduke Wei had suffered so much because of him, both in their childhood and after Archduke Qi fell from favor.

Part of why I’m doing this is for you, Archduke Qi silently said. But it only brings you more suffering.

He sighed, thoughts drifting to his wife. His Archduchess had caused him no small amount of worry when they’d first married. The wedding antagonized the Empress Dowager, and he knew the hammer would come down somewhere. If not on him–-then perhaps on his brother instead.

Even worse, his mother’s looks were fading with age. His maternal clan had given up on her. But Archduke Qi…Archduke Qi could still be made use of. A sickly prince was no use to them, but what about a child of that prince? Even better if the prince dies during the pregnancy–wouldn’t the sentimental Emperor coddle his grandchild even more?

Archduke Qi didn’t want to die like that. He avoided his new bride for months, fearing that her pregnancy would mean his death. But while she was prone to tears, she had a will of iron. Eventually, she forced her way into his room and demanded an answer, refusing to take any excuses or falsehoods. Something about the shining clarity in her eyes made him trust her. Archduke Qi spilled out his fears, his past experiences, and his current predicament. And she had offered him the support of her clan.

“The Empress Dowager is losing favor, and status too,” the Archduchess had said with the unshakeable confidence that only the young could have. “You’re a smart man, aren’t you? If you have my clan’s backing, there must be something you can do!”

And she had been right. He had wormed his way into Zhou Ying's favor, and stubbornly maintained his spot there against his many competitors. With the coronation of the new Emperor, Archduke Qi finally welcomed the end of his bitter days and the sweet taste of victory. He remained cautious, having suffered too much to carelessly destroy what he had worked for. Archduke Qi was courteous and generous to everyone around him, hoping that his goodwill would be repaid. And the Emperor trusted him. Zhou Ying trusted Archduke Qi with the new generation of Imperial Princes, and that was good and well for many years. But then, the Sixth Prince died in a senseless accident, and the dream of the floating world came crashing back to earth.

In the aftermath, Archduke Qi had been abandoned by all his friends and allies save for Archduke Wei, the Archduchess, and Tan Hui.

Poor Tan Hui, your loyalty was wasted on me, Archduke Qi lamented.

The nobles that had swarmed around him, hoping to get in his good graces, all of them had kept their distance after Archduke Qi fell from favor. The poor Fourth Prince had suffered needlessly, and then died an ignoble death after two tortuous years of depression.

Out of all the people Archduke Qi had helped, the only ones that still dared to help him were his former servants. For some, he had paid off debts. For others, he had helped their family members. Then there were the bereaved family members of servants who had died in prison because of him–they wanted revenge, but not against him.

It was those shining specks of humanity that had galvanized Archduke Qi, that had kept him from losing hope completely when his children died one after another.

And now, he had doomed them all.

I’m sorry, everyone.

He closed his eyes in resignation. Could the others somehow survive? He hoped so, or he would have shed all this blood for nothing. Archduke Qi had loved his nephews–especially talented young Kuang, poor Kuang, so promising, even from the start.

The poison he had used against his former student had been the same as the Empress Dowager had used against his mother. Even Imperial Healers couldn’t simply neutralize a poison right away, but they could continuously heal its damage until the poison was expelled–for some milder poisons, a single round of healing might be enough to reverse the toxins’ effects. But this poison was different. It destroyed, and it did so fast and continuously. No healing magic could keep up with its pace. The result was a painful death, albeit a relatively quick one.

It was an end that did not befit someone like Zhou Kuang. But how many people managed to die a worthy death?

Now, he was faced with his own demise, and the same question from his childhood came wandering back.

How will I die? Archduke Qi wondered. He stared into the abyss, and found that he was unafraid.

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Kayla looked through the report for a moment before nodding.

“I’ll report this to the Emperor,” she said.

The Investigator before her bowed and left.

So Archduke Qi really was faking it.

Archduke Wei seemed entirely ignorant of it all, but she had gone ahead and placed him under house arrest anyway. He couldn’t be killed, not as the father-in-law of a Turkic noble, as one of the men involved in the marriage alliance. That also meant that she couldn’t allow him to do anything that could get him killed.

Then that leaves Shu Yunsong.

The prospects weren’t bright for the Shu clan. They had nothing to prove Shu Yunsong’s direct involvement yet–but the same could be said for Archduke Qi. She didn’t think that would save either of them.

If the Shu clan is found guilty…even Yunqi said to investigate to the end. But can I really do that?

It was one thing to quietly weaken the Shu clan to the Emperor’s satisfaction, but it was another to parade their crimes through the streets. If they did, Yunqi could never become Emperor.

Looks like it was a good choice to weaken Xianchun’s chances.

Kayla wouldn’t accuse him. She knew he was innocent. But could she confidently say that none of his supporters had been involved in any way, shape, or form, without the prince’s knowing?

If you wish to implicate someone, what fear do you have of lacking excuses? Sorry, Xianchun, but you’ll have to bear with this a little longer.

Steeling herself, Kayla headed to the palace, sending a report en route.

By the time she arrived in the Emperor’s quarters, he was already in a foul temper.

Kayla knelt to give her greetings, but he cut her off before she could speak.

“So Archduke Qi was faking his symptoms all along?”

“Yes, my liege.”

The Emperor let out a cold laugh. “Trying to kill himself…does he think I’ll let it end that easily?!”

Kayla stayed silent.

“And what of Shu Yunsong?” The Emperor finally demanded.

“We’ve captured some men from the Youzhou underworld and traced them back to Shu Yunsong,” Kayla reported. “He only hired them for minor tasks, such as placing specific messages with the information brokers, or handling transactions for him. However, we have traced him to human traffickers in the capital who he seems to have used for abductions and assassinations. And…”

“What?”

“Our decoders traced all the messages sent through the various information brokers, and there are messages that, when placed together with Shu Yunsong’s, can be used to convey orders. Most importantly, the two were both consistently sent to the same locations over time. We have yet to fully decode them, but the other messages have been traced back to the family members of former servants of Archduke Qi,” Kayla explained.

The Emperor’s expression darkened, then faltered, turning into disbelief.

“Who?”

“The family members of–”

“You mean to say that a group of disgraced servants would have the guts to conspire against the throne?” Outrage and shock intermingled in the Emperor’s voice.

Kayla lowered her eyes.

“Many servants died brutal deaths during Archduke Qi’s fall. During the investigations against him, the torture methods that were employed were…nonstandard, and exceeded the physical limitations of many servants. Some died, some were left in poor health and passed away later,” Kayla explained. “Archduke Qi had always treated his servants well, and the bereaved families already bore resentment. So when the Archduke provided financial health afterwards…”

She trailed off, leaving the final words unsaid.

“This is madness!” The Emperor’s voice trembled with anger. “Who gave them the audacity? Do they not know the consequences of such a crime?!”

“My liege, I believe that some of the servants and their families were taken advantage of,” Kayla said. “Many of them may not have even known what Archduke Qi was planning, and unused to questioning the orders of their masters, only wished to stay in the good graces of a former benefactor.”

She doubted it. Who wasn’t capable of gratitude? Who wasn’t capable of revenge? It wasn’t just helping out once or twice, but long-term cooperation they were speaking of here.

But the Emperor has been at the height of power for this long–he could believe it.

The alternative would be a bloodbath of a scale that could destabilize the already-precarious political arena.

“What about Shu Yunsong?” The Emperor demanded.

“We have no direct evidence of his involvement with the Third Prince’s death as of yet,” Kayla replied. She hesitated before pushing forward. “We currently have reason to believe that the assassins had conspired with officials inside the capital city, possibly by agitating some of the Seventh Prince’s supporters without his knowledge. But as for the Shu clan’s involvement, the extent is yet unclear. The question is…the question is whether Your Majesty wishes to pursue this any further.”

“Bastard! How dare you say such a thing?!” The Emperor roared.

Kayla hastily bowed her head, heart pounding loudly in her ears.

“My liege, please forgive me!”

She didn’t need to explain further. They both knew what she was really asking him for.

After a deadly silence, the Emperor spoke in the coldest tone she had ever heard from him.

“I want Archduke Qi and his wife dead. Shu Yunsong as well…his father too.” The Emperor drew a deep breath. “No, that won’t do. Send the first son along as well.”

General Shu and his two sons, the backbones of the Shu clan.

Then the rest of them will be as tame as the Zhao clan has become.

The Emperor nodded slowly, seeming satisfied with his decision. “Have the Ministry of Justice exile the Archduke’s former servants and the bereaved families to the Southwestern border after his death.”

“As for the culprits…Wenyuan, handle it personally.”

With those chilling words, he walked out of the room, leaving Kayla kneeling on the floor.

Fuck.

Terrified as she had been, relief now blossomed anew. The Emperor had made his choice.

Discard the Shu clan to place Yunqi on the throne.

If the assassinations were the price of that…Kayla sighed, the sound dissipating against the cold wood and stone around her.

What should she do? Tell Yunqi? Or keep it a secret?

If she stayed silent, the Emperor might let Yunqi know anyway. It was too risky to bet on the Emperor at the moment. Even if his sentiments swayed him to maintain his relationship with one of his only remaining sons, the political reality was stark.

Kayla took a deep breath and made her way to the Fifth Prince’s annex. Yunqi had been here for days, but he’d never met with his mother. Habitual fear had kept either mother or son from requesting it.

She glanced around. They were in the Inner Palace, but not a single Consort was ever in sight. Kayla knew they were there. Consort Zhao, Consort Liang, the Wise Consort, the grieving Royal Consort, and all the other women trapped within the harem walls. For some reason, it never occurred to her to wonder why the consorts never appeared near the Emperor’s quarters, why they waited in the shadows when they saw a Prince or official pass.

Just like how the Emperor never thought to suspect the Archduke’s former servants. He didn’t think it was possible they would seek revenge.

But the Emperor knew to fear his family members. A strange sense of unease crept through the back of her skull.

Why…

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Kayla hurried towards the Fifth Prince’s residence.

Yunqi greeted her with the same enthusiasm as always–more so than anyone else, he recognized that she was key to ensuring his success. For that reason, it was with a heavy heart that Kayla told him the news.

“You confirmed their involvement,” Yunqi said hollowly, disbelief and despair intermingling on his face. He shook his head. “Third Brother was Archduke Qi’s favorite student. And Second Uncle…Second Uncle would have died if not for Third Brother’s help!”

“The Emperor is willing to stop here,” Kayla said cautiously. “But someone has to pay the price for this.”

Yunqi rubbed a hand over his face, hiding his expression.

“What needs to be done?”

“Archduke Qi and his wife,” Kayla said.

She hesitated, but forced out the words.

“Your uncles and…your grandfather.”

Yunqi let out a sound of grief, almost close to a whimper.

Kayla waited in silence. The prince had spent his entire life under pressure to protect the Shu clan, and had made painful sacrifices for their sake over and over again. Yet now, the price of the throne was before him.

I can only hope that he’ll make the right choice.

“You don’t need my permission,” Yunqi said, a note of bitterness in his voice.

“No, my prince. But if there’s any additional instructions you would like to give me,” Kayla replied.

Yunqi shook his head.

“Father’s being very lenient already, and for my sake. It would be ungrateful to ask for more.”

Kayla bowed her head.

“I understand.”

“I feel a little tired,” Yunqi said quietly.

“Then I’ll take my leave of you, my prince.”

With one last bow, she left the suffocating walls of the palace.

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Cultural Notes

Widows in Ancient China: There are many stories of widows in Ancient China who remained in their husbands' families after being widowed, and they were often praised for doing so. However, widow remarriage was also quite common, and was not looked down upon during the Tang Dynasty.

Anbei Protectorate: Refers to areas of northern China, including parts of modern-day Inner Mongolia and Mongolia, that were under the rule of the Tang Dynasty. Residents were primarily from nomadic, non-Han tribes.

护驾/Protecting the Emperor: A great accomplishment in Ancient China that could come with great rewards. However, it was also often used as an excuse for coups, especially when paired with the excuse of 清君侧/Cleaning out those beside the Emperor (aka singling out some officials and accusing them of coercing the Emperor).

一根绳上的蚂蚁/Ants on the same string: A Chinese saying equivalent to "we're all on the same boat".

粉饰太平/Adorning the peace with powder: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to pretend all is well, to cover up the troubles one is facing via illusions of peace and prosperity.

关门打狗/Close the door and beat the dog: A Chinese saying meaning to trap someone/something inside and then go all out, without leaving either space for escape or intervention.

欲加其罪，何患无辞/If you wish to implicate someone, what fear do you have of lacking excuses: An Ancient Chinese saying. It means that if you want to find someone guilty, you'll always find some excuse.

谁给他们的胆/Who gave them the audacity: A Chinese saying to express outrage against a transgression.

Exile to the Southwest: Back then, Southwest China was highly undeveloped, and had a harsh climate that people from Central China would have trouble getting used to. As such, this was a rather harsh punishment, but considered merciful when given in place of a death sentence.