Character Index
Zhou Kuang: The Third Prince, deceased.
Wei Guang: The Imperial Edict Bearer and Minister of Censor. Kayla's godfather.
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince.
Zhou Yunqi: The Fifth Prince.
Ashina: Princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
Li Que: A Senior Imperial Investigator.
Cao Shuyi: The Third Prince's wife.
Zhou Chenqian: Son of the Third Prince.
Liu Boyue: Xianchun's advisor and friend.
Steward Liu: Wei Guang's steward and friend.
Archduke Qi: The Emperor's half-brother.
Shu Yunsong: Yunqi's maternal uncle.
Tabuyir: A Senior Investigator.
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On the fifth day after the Third Prince’s death, Kayla reopened the capital. Everyone who was suspicious was either under arrest or under house arrest. Everyone else was under martial law, and both entry and exit were severely restricted.
The situation will probably remain like this until a new Crown Prince is named, she noted.
“Godfather,” she greeted Wei Guang as the man entered her office.
“Wenyuan, are you really going to leave the capital like this? At such a time?” Wei Guang asked sharply.
“Since it’s the Emperor’s orders, I have to go in person,” Kayla said. “I’ll finish this as fast as I can, but it’ll be a few days at the least.”
She glanced at Wei Guang uneasily. “What if the Emperor changes his mind while I’m gone?”
“About what?” Wei Guang asked.
“About the Crown Prince.”
“He hasn’t made the final decision yet,” Wei Guang reminded her.
“Yes, but he hasn’t undone the Seventh Prince’s house arrest either,” Kayla replied. “Please, make sure that he doesn’t suddenly change his mind and choose the Seventh Prince.”
“Don’t worry, Wenyuan. The Emperor’s feelings towards the Fifth Prince hold a special significance to him–the Fifth Prince was the first one to appear before him after the Third Prince’s death, and their shared grief has created a deeper bond of trust between them. In fact, it’s a bond deeper than the one you previously shared with the Emperor. After all, they are father and son,” Wei Guang said.
Kayla nodded, still not quite certain.
“Even if the Shu clan was involved more so than you previously uncovered, the Fifth Prince’s situation is still optimistic,” Wei Guang went on. “The Fifth Prince has always been powerless, caught between the Emperor and the Shu clan. His lack of position at court made him unable to keep the Shu clan in check, but the Emperor was the one who forced Yunqi out of politics by exerting pressure on the Shu clan and the Wise Consort.”
“So it’s because of guilt,” Kayla murmured.
“The Emperor may not recognize it as such. But now, he sees himself as responsible for the Fifth Prince’s protection, even if he does not acknowledge his role in creating this scenario. Even without that, he only has two surviving sons. Which would he rather? The one who has always treated his brothers with kindness and piety, or the one who has been harsh on all of his older brothers in the past? It is obvious who the Emperor would prefer, in hopes that both his sons will survive.”
Kayla gave a half-nod, not quite sure how to feel about the situation.
Xianchun’s innocence doesn’t help him, while Yunqi’s guilt by association doesn’t damn him.
Compared to Wenyuan, compared to Kayla…even with the Emperor’s special favor, she had to kill the Grand Duke with her own hands to secure her safety. And even with the years of parental affection the Emperor had directed towards Wenyuan, all of that had been cast aside in the blink of an eye.
Then again, none of the favor nor affection had ever been directed at her, only at the ghost of a man who no longer existed.
“I certainly hope that’s the case,” she said.
“The First Seventh day after the Third Prince's death is coming up,” Wei Guang pointed out. “The occasion will only intensify the Emperor’s feelings. It may be a good thing for the Fifth Prince, but it’s a bad thing for you. You should never have agreed to leave the capital in the first place. But now that you have…even if you have to run down every magical carriage you can afford, you should at least have some of the culprits dead before the seventh day of the Prince’s passing. If you do so, we can at least plead the case that you were able to honor him through revenge.”
“Youzhou and Dengzhou are in opposite directions,” Kayla muttered. “It’ll probably break the backs of a good few horses, but I’ll see it done.”
“Make the proper arrangements at your own household as well,” Wei Guang said. “Especially with the princess–make sure she understands the situation.”
“I will,” Kayla promised.
Wei Guang gave a frustrated sigh.
“Good luck, Wenyuan. That’s the most I can say to you now,” he said.
“Thank you,” Kayla replied. She watched as Wei Guang left as abruptly as he had appeared before setting off as well. Li Que was arranging the journey, leaving Kayla with little to prepare before they departed.
She returned to her own household, not at all excited to break the news to Ashina.
“Ibilga,” Kayla called. Ashina emerged from a room, hurrying over as she waved away the servants.
“You’re finally back,” Ashina fretted. “What’s going on now?”
“I’m heading to Dengzhou and then Youzhou,” Kayla said apologetically. “I’m just resolving some matters with the culprits, and then I’ll be back.”
“So you’ve found the culprits?”
“Not exactly,” Kayla said. “That’s why I’m going.”
Ashina’s face grew wan and pinched.
“I’m sorry to leave you alone in the capital at such a time,” Kayla said. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
The princess didn’t reply, and Kayla awkwardly lowered her gaze.
“Take care of yourself, alright?” Kayla said. She gently patted Ashina’s arm and turned to leave.
“I’m pregnant.”
Ashina blurted out the words as if she were reluctant to say it at all.
Kayla whirled around, staring at the princess in shock.
Ashina stood with her arms crossed, scrutinizing Kayla’s face with a small scowl.
?????
Kayla tried to re-calibrate her mind and react properly.
????????
Ashina’s face fell.
“You’re unhappy about it.”
“No, no, that’s not it!” Kayla protested. “I just–”
Wonder, fear, and a million other things she couldn’t pinpoint swirled in her stomach.
“I’m happy,‘’ Kayla assured Ashina. “Truly, I swear it. I just fear that with the current situation…I don’t know tomorrow holds. I worry this will cause you to suffer if I–if I’m not here.”
Ashina’s expression softened into a vulnerable look.
“That’s why you have to come back safely,” Ashina said with a note of frustration in her voice. “Just how do you keep getting dragged into these messes?”
Kayla stepped forward, pulling Ashina into a hug. Wonder and melancholy mixed in her chest.
To think I would have a child...I'd never even thought it possible, even after getting married. But what will become of them?
“Ibilga, I’m sorry for putting you through all this. No matter what, I’ll–”
Kayla paused, realizing that there was nothing she could promise Ashina.
She fell silent instead, and Ashina returned the embrace.
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Kayla emerged from her household far more frazzled than when she had entered. It must have shown on her face, judging by Li Que’s small frown.
“My lord, the men are ready,” Li Que greeted her at the gates. “We can head out immediately, but…”
“What is it?”
“The Seventh Prince is demanding to see you.”
“Ah.”
Kayla glanced at the sun in the sky and sighed.
“Since I don’t know if I’ll see him again, I suppose I should,” she muttered, ignoring Li Que’s wince at her words.
“I’ll make it fast,” Kayla promised.
“As you wish,” Li Que said.
In as much of a hurry as she was, Li Que got her to the Seventh Prince’s door in record time.
Kayla speedwalked to Xianchun’s rooms, not caring if she looked ridiculous doing it. She knocked on the door and stepped in without waiting for his reply.
“My prince,” Kayla greeted Xianchun.
“You’re still not lifting the house arrest?” Xianchun demanded.
“Everyone is remaining where they are for their own safety, my prince,” Kayla replied. “The Third Princess Consort and her child are also to remain within the Third Prince’s household. Until the water recedes and the stones show, that is the best arrangement for all of us.”
“What about the capital? It’s been days, are you still keeping it under lockdown?” Xianchun asked, a note of desperation in his voice.
“I’m not at leisure to tell you that information,” Kayla replied. “We are still investigating at the moment, including the past actions and communications of several officials in the court.”
“Who?” Xianchun demanded.
“I’m sorry to say that it includes members of your faction, as well as members of the late Third Prince’s faction,” Kayla said.
Needless to say, there were more of Xianchun’s men under investigation than Kuang’s.
Xianchun shook his head, giving a bitter laugh.
“I know what you’re trying to do, Wenyuan. I’m sure you’ve found a culprit already, but you’re still targeting my supporters in your investigation. You’re blatantly siding with Yunqi against me!”
“I know that Your Highness is innocent, but the waters are way deeper than you can imagine,” Kayla said, evading the point.
“Forget it. I can’t even say anything since you’re choosing to spare me. You could easily see me dead–even if you simply did nothing, Father probably would have destroyed me by now,” Xianchun said, resentment strong in his voice. Whether it was against her or against the Emperor, she couldn’t tell.
“I wouldn’t do such a thing,” Kayla said.
Xianchun gave a wry smile. “No, I suppose not.” He glanced at her sharply. “I just want to know, why? Why not me?”
Kayla found herself taken aback by the question, entirely unsure of how to give him an answer.
“I-I don’t understand.”
Xianchun gave a sharp wave of the hand at her paltry response.
“I can understand choosing Third Brother over me. But why Fifth Brother? What makes him worthy? You–I would accuse you of choosing the one easier to control, but you…” Xianchun trailed off, a note of confusion in his voice. “Just what are you aiming for?”
“The Fifth Prince is anything but easy to control,” Kayla said. “Your Highness, I implore you to take him seriously, or you have no hope of surviving this.”
Something in Xianchun’s expression shifted, as if an agitation inside his mind had gone quiet.
“What do you mean?”
“The Fifth Prince does not lack ability,” Kayla said. “He has only ever lacked opportunity. Now that he has it–”
“Now that you gave it to him,” Xianchun corrected her. “But why? Was my situation already that hopeless?”
“Your Highness has bared his heart to me, I should not wish to deceive you in return,” Kayla said quietly. “Your situation was impossible to salvage, yes, but if it had not been, I would have done everything in my power to make it so.”
At Xianchun’s affronted look, Kayla continued calmly.
“Not out of dislike nor disdain–and certainly not because I think little of your abilities. But while the Third Prince was alive, there were still many possibilities for how the dynasty’s future would develop. Even if conflicts between the highest ranks of the country were continuous, we had options for reconciliation, for moving past it. But the in-fighting amongst us has already escalated to a tipping point now that the Third Prince has been killed–any further, and the dynasty will crumble. What we need right now is someone who can quell conflict, not one who will start them.”
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
She took a deep breath. “My prince, in all honesty, do you think you could rein in your temper for the rest of your life, playing a constant game of push and pull as you balance the forces at court while trying to get your desired results? I cannot say that it is impossible for you, but it will certainly be very difficult. On the other hand, the Fifth Prince has already demonstrated his ability in this regard.”
“It’s not that Your Highness is lacking in anything. It’s simply that the demands of the times are different now.”
Not that I would’ve supported Xianchun even if that weren’t the case. But the prince didn’t need to know that.
Xianchun seemed to grow calmer by the moment, to the point where it was a little disquieting.
“Is that how it is?” Xianchun murmured, almost as if speaking to himself.
“That being said, our country still needs you,” Kayla said. “Why else did I face the full brunt of the Emperor’s wrath for your sake?”
Xianchun’s eyes flicked to Kayla, then to the ground, then back to Kayla.
“What for?”
“We only have the Fifth Prince and Your Highness left, and it’s no accident that things have come to this point,” Kayla replied. “Given Grandmother’s precautions, our generation is severely lacking in grown men who can participate in politics. Your nephew is promising, but he’s five. He doesn’t even know how to dress himself yet, what can we possibly expect from him? While I have nothing to say in terms of Grandmother’s actions in protecting the sanctity of the throne, now that we have come to this, any remaining Imperial descendants need to be protected, both physically and politically. Or where does that leave us? A thin-blooded Imperial line against the magnitude of the court? What could we possibly hope to accomplish like this, without even any guarantee that the lineage would extend past this generation?”
Xianchun frowned thoughtfully, a startled look crossing his face as he turned the words over in his head.
“Do you mean that someone wishes to end the ruling house?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time something like this has happened,” Kayla pointed out.
“My uncles can still have sons,” Xianchun muttered. “If anyone wants to usurp the throne, they’d only need to take one of my uncles into their power, and then–”
“They only need to kill your older brother, yourself, and Prince Chenqian,” Kayla replied. “Place an Archduke on the throne as a powerless puppet, and take control of court affairs. And if your uncle dies without leaving behind a son, another can be pushed into his place, and then another, and then another, until there’s no one left. Then, they can force an abdication and declare themselves the ruler of a new dynasty.”
“Is there someone you suspect?” Xianchun demanded.
“Frankly, my prince, anyone with even the smallest amount of ambition, resources, and some military connections could do such a thing,” Kayla replied.
She moved closer, carefully kneeling before his seat. Kayla placed a hand over her heart.
“Please have faith in me for just a while longer,” Kayla said earnestly. “I will ensure the survival of both your person and your dignity, and preserve your future to the best of my ability. So do not give anyone the excuse to see you dead.”
Xianchun hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.
Whether he would actually take her words to heart, Kayla could only leave that to the heavens. And to Liu Boyue, who she was certain was listening from somewhere inside the room.
“Then I take my leave of Your Highness,” Kayla said.
“Alright,” Xianchun said, still lost in thought.
She bowed and left the household, glancing back over her shoulder.
It’s fine if I don’t convince the prince, but Liu Boyue…if he takes the words to heart, then he’ll find some way to keep Xianchun in check.
Once Kayla was gone from the capital, it was up to Xianchun to keep himself alive, or to doom himself to an ignoble death. Letting of the capital meant handing the control of the Imperial Guard and City Guard back to the Emperor–of course, he could have easily stripped Kayla of her command at any point, but he hadn’t. Whether it was out of caution or if he genuinely did not intend to, Kayla did not know.
She could only hope that she would manage to return safely.
“Director,” Li Que greeted her at the door. “The preparations have been arranged, we’re ready to depart immediately.”
“Good. Let’s depart then,” Kayla replied. “When will we arrive in Dengzhou?”
“If we move at full speed, we can arrive before nightfall,” Li Que replied.
“Have Tabuyir prepare some men to switch out ours,” Kayla said, nodding at the Investigators on horseback. “As soon as we’re done with Dengzhou, we head immediately to Youzhou.”
“Understood.”
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Wei Guang watched from the city walls as Wenyuan’s entourage departed at full speed, thundering down the road towards Dengzhou.
Next to him, Steward Liu observed the sky.
“It’ll be a cloudy night,” Steward Liu remarked. “A moonless night with high winds, such is the time for arson and murder.”
“Don’t speak nonsense,” Wei Guang muttered.
“I was not speaking of the Duke,” Steward Liu said meaningfully.
Wei Guang gave him a sideways glance.
“Be silent.”
He watched as the entourage became a speck in the distance.
“How fast the carriage runs, bypassing all its peers,” Wei Guang said quietly. “And how much sooner it reaches its final destination.”
With one last glance, he turned away from the roads outside Luoyang and began descending the city walls.
“Where to now, my lord?” Steward Liu asked.
“To the palace,” Wei Guang said begrudgingly, ignoring Steward Liu’s small smirk of triumph. A wave of frustration swept over him.
Just why had Wenyuan agreed to go?
Wei Guang had a hard time believing that his godson had suddenly been hit by a burst of political naivete. Leaving the capital at such a time was a move that went beyond risky–it was practically suicide.
Even if you had to sever your own limb or poison yourself again, you should have found an excuse to stay.
Despite Princess Ashina’s cooperation, there was no guarantee the Emperor would be merciful. Of all the paths Wenyuan had available, he had chosen death. There was no reason for Wei Guang to side with him any longer.
But for some reason, Wenyuan seemed to have a strange way of worming out of danger.
Then I’ll take this one last gamble for his sake, Wei Guang decided.
He made his way to the Emperor’s quarters, bowing deeply as he crossed its threshold.
“Your Majesty, this humble servant begs for a moment of your time,” Wei Guang greeted the Emperor.
A whole generation younger, the Emperor now looked like one of Wei Guang’s peers.
“Come join us,” the Emperor beckoned. “So has Wenyuan departed?”
“Indeed, my liege. I have ascertained that he is making haste towards Dengzhou,” Wei Guang replied.
“Very good,” the Emperor muttered. “Archduke Qi…he was once my favorite brother. I should have killed him while I had the chance.”
“Your Majesty’s magnanimity was righteous, it was his own ignobility that brought him to treachery,” Wei Guang replied.
“You used to teach him as well,” the Emperor remarked. “But you never spoke up for him even once.”
“Each man has his own fate,” Wei Guang said quietly.
The Emperor turned his gaze upon Wei Guang, scrutinizing his old teacher.
“Indeed,” the Emperor said softly. “How soon until both Archduke Qi and Shu Yunsong are dead?”
“Knowing Wenyuan’s efficiency, it should not be very long,” Wei Guang replied. “With luck, both their heads will be separated from their bodies by the end of the Third Prince’s first Seventh.”
“Good,” the Emperor murmured. “I was unable to do so for my eldest sons, at the very least, I can do so for Kuang. I wanted to make him my successor, you know.”
“It is truly regrettable,” Wei Guang answered, a thread of unease snaking up his spine.
“Yunqi is a sound choice as well. Once his grandfather and uncles are dead, the Shu clan will be crippled as a threat,” the Emperor said. “But leaving things to him like this…”
The Emperor shook his head.
“How can I possibly feel secure in doing such a thing?”
“My liege?” Wei Guang asked with uncertainty.
“Yunqi is kindhearted and steadfast–he’s the kind of man we need, much more so than Xianchun who erupts like a firecracker at the slightest prod. Our country has gone through too much to withstand him.”
So you also know as much. And yet between the lot of us, we’ve let things come to this.
“Then Your Majesty has decided?” Wei Guang prompted.
“Yes,” the Emperor replied. “Once the heads of his relatives have been brought before me, I will make Yunqi the Crown Prince.”
“Your Majesty’s decision is wise,” Wei Guang said, hiding his relief.
“But the problem is, with the Shu clan declawed and no one to support him…I cannot possibly leave Yunqi so vulnerable,” the Emperor said. His gaze sharpened as they fixated upon Wei Guang. “I cannot leave your godson like this.”
Wei Guang’s heart rate spiked.
“My liege means to–”
“I mean to end him. I have given Wenyuan too much power, and now he has become a threat to my only surviving sons,” the Emperor said grimly. “Such foolish and meaningless things we do in creating our own predicaments!”
“I understand Your Majesty’s feelings, and I agree wholeheartedly that allowing Wenyuan to threaten the Fifth Prince’s power is an unwise act,” Wei Guang said cautiously. “But I believe that a man like Zhao Wenyuan is better kept leashed. Killing such a useful man while the clans are looking on with hungry eyes, isn’t that a waste?”
“That boy is not a dog that you can chain to a kennel,” the Emperor said, shaking his head in exasperation. “It is indeed a waste, a man I raised up by my own hands–!”
“He may not be a dog, but you can still chain him if you know how,” Wei Guang cut in.
The Emperor frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“The bodies of his grandfather’s assassins,” Wei Guang said. “The men he ordered the deaths of…they can become the leash by which the Fifth Prince can chain him.”
The Emperor stared at him blankly. “The what?”
“The Grand Duke’s assassins and bodyguards,” Wei Guang supplemented. “Wenyuan had them murdered after forcing his grandfather to suicide–I agreed to take care of the bodies, and have withheld their location from him. This is evidence, Your Majesty. Evidence that can be used to destroy him at any time. Having such a thing in hand, the Fifth Prince need not fear that Wenyuan will become a threat to his power.”
“You dared to keep this from me?!” The Emperor snarled. “The both of you–-even Xianchun! Just how much have you hidden from your ruler?!”
“I apologize, my liege. I have no excuse!” Wei Guang bowed his head. “But as the ancient greats have said, a father covers for his son, a son covers for his father. It is the weakness of human nature, but also the bond that has stretched endlessly from the earliest man to our current generation. I beg your understanding!”
The Emperor gave a disbelieving scoff, caught between anger and exasperation.
“Even the ones I trusted the most have so much to hide from me,” the Emperor said, shaking his head.
Wei Guang steeled himself.
“Please make use of this, my liege. Make use of Wenyuan as you would an ox or a horse, and have no hesitation in employing him thus for your successor as well. But I beg you not to make waste of a sword that Your Majesty has sharpened with your own hands!”
“Ridiculous! To think that a wise man like you would be so blinded!”
“Hasn’t Your Majesty heard?” Wei Guang cut in again.
Taken aback, the Emperor paused in confusion.
“Princess Ashina is with child,” Wei Guang said.
The Emperor took a sharp breath, leaning back in his seat.
“My liege, if the Duke is to die, then the princess must not be allowed to carry the child to term. Or the Khagan will most certainly take his bereaved grandchild as an excuse to interfere. But due to the long-term differences in diet and medicinal practice, the methods we use for abortion with Han women may have adverse consequences on the princess’ health. Your Majesty may have to prepare in advance for the worst outcome.”
The Emperor shook his head. “The heavens certainly like to make cruel jokes. What a time for her to become pregnant!”
“She can be made to lose the child, my liege. We only need to prepare an excuse should she die in the process,” Wei Guang said. “A satisfactory explanation will have to be given, if not for the peace between our two nations, then at least for our troops sent to reinforce the Khagan’s wars in the distant West.”
The Emperor fell silent for a long moment.
“Have the location of the bodies sent to me. I will have the site inspected,” he finally said.
“Then will Your Majesty be–”
“Leave us,” the Emperor ordered.
“As you wish, Your Majesty.” Wei Guang bowed deeply and backed out of the room.
He walked down the steps he had traversed for years, wondering how many times he had left.
In truth, the Fifth Prince and Wenyuan need each other. The Fifth Prince needs to have at least someone if he wants to stand up against the court.
Yunqi lacked a power base of his own, having only his brother’s supporters to rely on. Yet those had chosen the Third Prince, not the Fifth Prince. Rather than considering Yunqi their new leader, they would only think of themselves as doing the prince a favor.
They may have looked upon the Third Prince with confidence, but they would be merely settling for the Fifth Prince. And yet he would be beholden to him. In that sense, he needs Wenyuan as much as Wenyuan needs him.
Could Yunqi truly handle the disasters that were to come? Wei Guang found himself doubtful. Could Yunqi even handle Wenyuan should the young Duke follow in his grandfather’s footsteps?
That’s just a risk we’ll have to take, Wei Guang thought grimly. The dynasty had begun its decline before Wei Guang was old enough to understand what was happening, leaving him with empty hopes in a world where such dreams were no longer possible. For him, and many others in his generation, the path of descent was as painful as it was obvious.
But for the generations born after Wei Guang, the tattered state of the country was all they knew. Without seeing the danger that lay ahead, they focused on fighting one another for the scraps of power that their forefathers would have disdained.
I’ll see an end to this. Wei Guang had sworn as much while teaching the Emperor, and it had fallen empty.
He could only hope that the Fifth Prince would be able to turn things around.
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Kayla’s entourage made it to Dengzhou before the sun had finished dipping beneath the horizon, just as Li Que had promised. She disembarked from the carriage before Archduke Qi’s door.
Tabuyir had thoughtfully cleared off all the streets, and had enacted enough privacy wards that the neighbors wouldn’t hear a thing even if Kayla started slaughtering pigs right there in the courtyard.
“Director,” Tabuyir greeted her.
“You’ve worked hard,” Kayla said. She nodded at Li Que. “Let the men rest. I’ll go in first.”
“This way, my lord.” Tabuyir led her inside.
Kayla glanced around the household. Archduke Qi’s residence was small. From the outer courtyard to the inner courtyard was only a short walk.
Just like the place Ji You described going to with Lin Yaoguang.
Strangely, she felt more nervous than she had in days. This was the man who had run circles around her, who had killed Kuang and Lin Jie and the First and Second Princes.
Yet she felt like the guilty one, arriving in his household with the notice of his death.
Was it because he had suffered? He was not the only one who had suffered.
Or was it because she had benefited–because Wenyuan had benefited because of the Emperor’s suspicion towards Archduke Qi? Kayla couldn’t say for sure.
Each step felt unusually heavy as she made her way to the Archduke’s room.
An Investigator behind her already had the poison out and ready on a tray, carrying it as he hurried after them.
“He’s in here, my lord,” Tabuyir said quietly. He stopped before a door and made to open it.
Kayla gestured for him to wait.
She stepped forward and knocked at the door.
“Please pardon the interruption, Archduke Qi. Zhao Wenyuan begs a moment of your time,” Kayla called.
An unfamiliar voice answered from within. “Duke Zhao, was it? Please come in.”
“Wait outside,” Kayla said.
“My lord,” Tabuyir began to protest.
“It’s alright,” Kayla said. “Here, give me the poison.”
The Investigator haltingly gave it to her and opened the door.
Kayla stepped inside, and the door swung shut behind her.
She blinked, adjusting to the dim light of the room. There was no light save for the last rays of sun shining in from a window. Its pale glow cast an uncomfortable pall over the room.
Sitting in the center of the room was a middle-aged man who looked older than his age.
Kayla’s heart skipped a beat in shock.
Uncle?
She bit back the almost instinctive term of address. Archduke Qi looked like the Emperor. He looked just like the Emperor. If she had said that a mere month ago, it would have sounded like an offensive joke. The man before her was gaunt and haggard, with the hollow, sunken eyes of a man who suffered endlessly. He looked nothing like the handsome man the Emperor had been.
Now though, they looked almost identical.
The Archduke had a quiet air of dignity about him. He was dressed in simple robes, but had taken care to make sure they were tidy. Though he sat on the cold ground, it only served to increase the contrast between his lackluster surroundings and his own bearing.
“Archduke Qi,” Kayla greeted him. She located a small table and set down the poison. “This junior respectfully gives his greetings.”
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Cultural Notes
头七/First Seventh Day after someone's death: In Ancient China, folk beliefs combined with Buddhism led to the tradition of the First Seventh, referring to the seventh day after someone's death. It was believed that souls lingered in the human realm for forty-nine days, or seven weeks. And at the end of the first week, the deceased would come back to visit their kin.
水很深/Waters are deep: A Chinese saying meaning that something is more complicated than it appears.
坦诚相待/Treat with honesty/to bare one's heart: An Ancient Chinese proverb.
月黑风高夜，杀人放火天/A moonless night with high winds, such is the time for arson and murder: An Ancient Chinese folk saying. Refers to the fact that crimes often occur on such nights.
人各有命/Each man has his own fate: An Ancient Chinese proverb.
像个炮仗，一碰就爆/Like a firecracker, blowing up once you prod it: A Chinese saying that means someone is volatile.
父为子隐，子为父隐/A father covers for his son, a son covers for his father: An Ancient Chinese proverb from the pre-Qin era, a quote from Confucius.
当牛做马/Serve as an ox or a horse: An Ancient Chinese proverb that means to work someone like a mule.
孤儿寡母/Orphan and widowed mother: In Ancient China, someone who had lost their father was often considered an orphan.