Character Index
Spoiler
Consort Li: Yunqi's consort, her face was destroyed in what appears to be an assassination attempt against Yunqi.
Qiu Jinwei: Yunqi's loyal advisor, appears to be at odds with Kayla.
Zhou Yunqi: The Emperor.
Hali: The Royal Consort, Ashina's half-sister. Currently pregnant and keeping it a secret.
Chuluo Khagan: Hali and Ashina's father, Khagan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
Zhou Xianchun: Archduke, Yunqi's brother.
Archduke Qi: Emperor Xuanzong's brother, conspired to place Yunqi on the throne by murdering all the other princes, then seize control over politics. However, his plot was discovered even though he did succeed in getting Yunqi to the position of Crown Prince.
Empress An: Yunqi's Empress, from Kuang's maternal clan. Currently pregnant and keeping it a secret.
Empress Dowager An: Kuang's mother. She beca Empress Dowager since Yunqi's own mother was killed.
Cao Shuyi: Kuang's widow, mother of Chenqian. She currently resides on Kuang's fief with her son.
Zhou Chenqian: Kuang's young son, now eight years old.
Zhou Kuang: The deceased Grand Prince.
Ashina: Personal na Ibilga, Princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. Married to Kayla.
Zhao Rong: Kayla and Ashina's young son. Developing slower than considered normal (by Kayla's standard), much to the consternation of his father.
Tao Qian: Head Retainer of Kayla's household.
Chujiao/Jin Shuyou: Young lady of the Jin household (in-laws with the Xiang clan). She married Hu Qing in a political marriage to tie her cousin Xiang Daozong/Qu Boyong to Kayla in an effort to keep Kayla from eventually murdering the man out of sheer annoyance.
The palace was peaceful and quiet, shrouded in a darkness that seed to swallow thought and sound alike. It was far past midnight, but Qiu Jinwei couldn't sleep at all. After everything that had happened that afternoon, it almost didn't seem right that it was so quiet.
The silence had swallowed Consort Li's pained moans as the healers reconstructed the lted flesh over her exposed jaw. It had swallowed the sounds of Imperial Investigators knocking at servants' quarters and whisking them away for questioning one by one, using a slew of thods, traditional and newfangled ones alike, for they had plenty of both. It also seed to eat away at Qiu Jinwei's threadbare veil of composure, making him toss and turn, uncomfortable with every thread that touched his skin.
He sat up bolt straight, eyes boring a hole into the wall.
Just who had attempted an assassination right within the palace?
Qiu Jinwei sighed deeply, accepting that he would get no sleep that night, and began pacing in tight circles inside his room.
That it had been an attempt against Yunqi was sothing Qiu Jinwei didn't doubt for a second. Consort Li was a perfectly nice young woman, but she wasn't particularly important in any way.
He made this judgent without any malice–it was just what it was. Consort Li's father was a middling lower-fourth-rank official stationed in the Jiangnan Circuit. He held a position that wasn't very insignificant but also not terribly important. Her great-aunt had married into an Archduke's household a few generations ago, and another great-aunt had joined the harem the sa year as Yunqi's grandmother–which ant the poor woman fell into obscurity without ever bearing a child, having no hope of outshining the forr Empress Dowager.
By Consort Li's generation, the Li clan had so relatives and connections in the capital, but no more than the average clan of regional importance. Her clan held sway in Jiangnan, but not so much as to be predominant. Her brothers were perfectly diocre officials who wouldn't climb very high but also wouldn't end up at the bottom of the ladder. Her sisters had married alright, all making matches amongst families of similar status.
The young woman herself was above-average in looks, personality, and wits, but not so much that she particularly stood out. In other words, a perfectly inoffensive and replaceable presence in the world that left little mark whether it was there or not. Possibly the only remarkable thing about Consort Li was that she was well-liked by the Emperor, who found it relaxing to be in her utterly unremarkable presence. Which was nice, just as she was, but not really a reason to kill her.
Simply put, why bother?
But Yunqi–Yunqi was a different story. He was the Emperor, and had far too many people who wanted him dead.
Qiu Jinwei grit his teeth. He had known the Emperor from when Yunqi was still a young prince who had just left the palace. Back then, Yunqi had been his last hope–if Qiu Jinwei failed to remain in the prince's good graces, he would have had no other option but to kill himself. His eccentricities had already destroyed too many chances and relationships for things to be otherwise.
Qiu Jinwei hadn't expected Yunqi to accept him so full-heartedly. Neither had anyone else. Back ho, there had been a betting pool on how long it would take before he was cast out from the young Prince's household. There had also been another one on how he would kill himself after, but that was sothing he'd rather not think about. It was strange because he had never hurt any of them. They were happy enough to profit off his advice, in fact, and seed to think that they had a god-given right to do so. Qiu Jinwei had finally been vindicated when Yunqi went against everyone's expectations to appoint him as a personal advisor. It was a decision that even Qiu Jinwei couldn't comprehend.
But whether it was out of practicality or pity, QIu Jinwei no longer cared. Having stayed at Yunqi's side through thick and thin over so many years, Qiu Jinwei knew full well that Yunqi had the most moderate temperant and generous soul out of all the Emperors in the entire dynasty. It wasn't that he was playing favorites, that's just what it was. It couldn't be helped that there were always fools who didn't appreciate the luck they had.
The Eastern Turkic Khaganate was suspect, of course, though Qiu Jinwei deed Hali incapable of carrying out such a plot–her maids stood out too much in the palace due to their markedly foreign origins, and she couldn't possibly set up so many moving pieces without soone taking notice.
Qiu Jinwei wasn't writing off the belabored Western Turkic Khaganate either. Even if Chuluo hadn't really needed Wu reinforcents to turn the tide of the war, they had helped the Eastern Turks. It wouldn't be strange if there were nationalists from the West who held a grudge.
Then there were dostic enemies–mostly those who had so chance at the throne. Officials had less reason to kill Yunqi, though it didn't remove the possibility of extremists who hated the Emperor for reshaping the country with the reforms. But how would they gain access to the palace? So had relatives or connections among the staff, surely, and the explosion talisman was military grade after all. Was the entire Ministry of War suspect then? Qiu Jinwei wouldn't be able to remove anyone from the list until the investigation had made so progress. But in his own mind, the pri suspects were all related to the Imperial family to so degree.
There were Archdukes from the previous generation who hated the father and so hated the son. So poor deluded man might even hold ambitions for the throne, not knowing he was already damned to obscurity. All the Archdukes had grown up in the palace. It was possible that they still had old connections they could leverage. Even if a palace worker knew it was a bad idea, there were still plenty of people from impoverished families who would gladly risk their necks for so fast money.
There was also Archduke Xianchun, even if Zhao Wenyuan insisted the man was pretty much incapacitated. A political impotent, as good as eunuched. Guess who had also said that about Archduke Qi? And everyone had believed it too, all the way up until three princes had been killed. Qiu Jinwei was not taking that risk again, thank you very much.
Qiu Jinwei found the room too stuffy, and moved his pacing out into the courtyard.
What about the Inner Palace then?
Failing to consider the wonfolk was foolhardy. After all, the Empress and Empress Dowager could be in cahoots. He also found this a little bit of a stretch, but why not? They were from the sa clan, and the Empress was pregnant. She could claim regency if Yunqi was gone.
Even back when Grand Prince Kuang was still alive, there had been tensions between the An clan and Yunqi. The An clan resented the burden that Yunqi posed to Kuang, and there were plenty who believed that Kuang could have made Crown Prince much faster without him. Despite the disturbance today that could not have possibly slipped her notice, the Empress Dowager hadn't even sent a ssenger to inquire about Yunqi's safety until hours after the incident.
Empress An had also been especially out of sorts today, throwing a fit as if she had sothing to hide by redirecting the investigation towards Hali. It wasn't as if the Empress was particularly close to Yunqi either. The two had a perfectly cordial relationship, truly the epito of "as respectful to one another as if they were guests".
Qiu Jinwei heaved a sigh, kicking at a stray pebble. He resud his pacing, kicking the pebble along with him as we went.
What about Cao Shuyi–could she be behind this?
Qiu Jinwei winced at the thought. He had kept faith with the Cao clan according to Yunqi's wishes, and he had watched with baleful eyes as their ambitions grew with each year that Chenqian beca more like Kuang and Yunqi remained without a son.
Had they decided to make their move before Yunqi had a child? Even a single daughter would be enough to prove Yunqi capable of fathering children and therefore capable of fathering an heir so point down the line, and Chenqian would be relegated to an afterthought entirely.
It would be awfully cruel of them to try and kill the one who had been kindest to them, but Qiu Jinwei believed them capable of it. He could believe anyone capable of it.
But for the Emperor's sake, it would be best if they weren't involved.
More so than his wife of three years, Cao Shuyi's betrayal would hurt Yunqi far more. There wasn't any kind of romantic affection between the Emperor and his sister-in-law, but they had been kin for a very long ti.
If only we still had so earlier traditions in place, Qiu Jinwei thought grimly. If the Emperor could just take her into the harem–
That only left the young Chenqian, who could be leashed tightly to the capital or sent to "govern" so distant fief, but it would certainly be easier either way! Why were mbers of high society so fussy about marrying widowed sister-in-laws? It could have prevented them from their current dilemma, where Cao Shuyi's many years of sisterly love could easily turn to resentnt rather than being converted to affection for a new husband.
In that regard, the Turks have it easier.
On the steppes, marrying a widowed sister-in-law was extrely common–even the father's younger consorts could remarry the stepson, saving the expense of recruiting a new harem and the trouble of establishing new political alliances.
Qiu Jinwei entirely failed to consider that Yunqi would not have been comfortable with such an arrangent even if it were possible. Frankly, Yunqi didn't have to be comfortable with it. The point was that Cao Shuyi's political significance would be entirely contained and redirected to any potential children she could or would have with Yunqi, and Chenqian would beco just another Imperial relative.
So many options, and all of them with sufficient motive and ans.
Sighing softly, he felt a deep sense of exasperation and despair rise up inside him.
Why were people so stupid? Did they not understand that Yunqi was the best choice for their own welfare? Of course they didn't. Everyone thought they were special, that they were sohow the exception to all past failures and disasters, and that they had so quality that would let them surpass Yunqi's performance.
They were wrong.
At least the assassination attempt also provided more opportunities–Qiu Jinwei had already grabbed at the two closest at hand. Keeping Xianchun from being able to raise his head on one hand, and reining in Zhao Wenyuan's power on another. The Archduke was a stupidly stubborn and prideful man who needed a good kick in the face to keep him in his place every now and then. Nothing better for the job than a stark and spontaneous reminder that everything Xianchun had was permitted to him by Yunqi's rcy.
Splitting the Bureau, on the other hand, had been a project long in the making, and Qiu Jinwei had grabbed the first instance possible to make it happen. Zhao Wenyuan had the power to keep the court in check, which ant there needed to be soone to keep him in check. And today, all the pieces had clicked, though the occasion was far from ideal.
The lopsided loop of his pacing had widened with the trajectory of the pebble, and Qiu Jinwei found himself outside the courtyard. The Imperial Guards nearby bowed their heads slightly, used to Qiu Jinwei's eccentricities. They were good n who never gave him strange looks or interfered with his habits, and as far as Qiu Jinwei was aware, they didn't gossip about him either.
Qiu Jinwei realized that the pebble had skittered off and gave up on it. His attention was drawn to a bobbing light in the distance. Frowning, he watched as it crossed the palace and disappeared from sight.
"Who goes there this late at night?" Qiu Jinwei asked.
"I'm not sure, sir," one of the guards replied. "I can go ask if you would like."
"If you would be so kind," he replied.
The guard bowed and was off. It was a good ten minutes before he returned.
"Sir," he greeted Qiu Jinwei. "It seems that Duke Zhao had a eting with the Emperor."
"This late at night?" Qiu Jinwei said disapprovingly.
The guard gave a helpless shrug.
"What on earth for?"
"I wouldn't know that," the guard replied.
Qiu Jinwei frowned, debating whether he should go see Yunqi or not. He hadn't been summoned, so it didn't seem right to go and disturb the Emperor yet again.
But why on earth would Zhao Wenyuan co here this late? And his timing doesn't make sense.
If it had to do with the investigation, Qiu Jinwei would have been inford by now. Qiu Jinwei ran through the events of the hectic day again, irritation rising as he parsed the possibilities.
Was it about splitting the Bureau? No, even Zhao Wenyuan wouldn't barge into the palace this late at night over the new branch's establishnt.
What else then?
They had argued over Archduke Xianchun's staff, and Yunqi had only just been convinced to go through with it a few hours ago. Had Wenyuan co because of that?
Even if he's dissatisfied, there should be a limit, he thought grimly.
Qiu Jinwei had thought rely to adjust the leash as the hound grew larger, but Zhao Wenyuan was already biting back so defiantly. If he was so resistant to control after only three years of Yunqi's favor, how would they handle him if his power continued to increase?
He's still too young for this. Qiu Jinwei grimaced in annoyance. The man could be so much more useful if not for his many faults.
But intervening on this matter? Just what is he trying to do?
Cozy up to Xianchun, who hated him less than Prince Chenqian? No, not while his own sister-in-law was pregnant.
The thought of one pregnant woman brought up another, and Qiu Jinwei was soon besieged by worries over the assassination attempt again, this ti with Xianchun and Wenyuan mixed in as well.
Bewildered and exhausted, Qiu Jinwei walked past the Imperial Guards and returned to his own room, a million thoughts running through his mind in the dark.
He thoughtfully picked up his communication device. By now, Li Que should have obtained the communication device that Qiu Jinwei had sent to him, and like himself, Qiu Jinwei doubted that Li Que was getting any sleep tonight.
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He opened the device and called.
Kayla's head was swimming by the ti she made it back to her quarters in the Zhao household. She silently padded down the corridor, stopping outside of Ashina's room. The two slept in separate rooms more often than not these days, with Ashina exhausted from minding an energetic toddler all the ti and Kayla sleeping at odd hours of the night. So part of her lanted it, but so part of her was also glad for it.
Gently cracking open the door, Kayla glanced inside. She smiled as the sliver of light from the doorway fell across Zhao Rong's round cheek in his little bed at Ashina's side. Her heart swelled with affection, and the many tribulations and indignities of the day seed to lt away. Kayla silently closed the door, careful not to let it fall shut against the fra and risk waking the mother and son within.
She turned and went to her bedroom, slowly changing out of her official robes and sling them over the back of a chair. Even now, Kayla wasn't used to having servants constantly floating around her, though at tis like these she wished she was. Plopping face down onto the bed, Kayla half-heartedly pushed herself onto her side before falling into an uneasy sleep.
It felt as if she had only just fallen asleep for a few minutes when there was the sound of brisk footsteps. Kayla stirred awake, imdiately on guard against the unusual intrusion. She couldn't quite manage to open her eyes yet, but could make out the distinctive sound of Ashina's footsteps, the forceful steps of a rider with strong legs, followed by what seed to be a maid.
"Put it down here," Ashina ordered. There was the soft clinking of a tray, and the sound of footsteps leaving.
Kayla groaned, flopping onto her back as Ashina approached the bed.
"Get up," Ashina ordered, patting Kayla's shoulder. "It's morning already!"
"Let sleep a little longer," Kayla pleaded.
"No. If you get up late you'll have to do overti, and you'll end up with less ti to rest."
Sighing, Kayla forced herself to turn blearily towards her wife, eyes gritty with sleep. The princess rcilessly opened the curtains directly opposite the bed.
"Ah, the sun!" Kayla dramatically threw up a hand over her face.
Even without looking, Kayla knew Ashina was rolling her eyes.
"You'll feel better on a full stomach," Ashina said. "Co on, get on up."
Kayla winced as she gingerly stretched her limbs.
“I’m getting too old for this,” Kayla groaned.
“Nonsense,” Ashina said. “Get up and eat sothing.”
"My back hurts."
Ashina lightly smacked Kayla's shoulder. "Get up!"
Kayla gingerly propped herself up on her elbows, lighting up at the contents of the tray.
"Milk tea, just what I need," Kayla said, gratefully accepted the cup that Ashina handed her.
Unlike the sweet versions with various toppings that Kayla was familiar with in her world, Ashina's tea was a salty, creamy concoction. Its astringent bitterness took the edge off the dull headache thudding at the back of her skull.
Kayla was still finishing off her cup when a platter was shoved into her face.
"Eat one," Ashina ordered, offering a plate of spiced at pastries.
Turkish food, Kayla noted, taking one without further prompting. Ashina was worried then. It was one of the ways the princess showed it, by making sure her loved ones were well-fed on the hearty food of the steppes, as if the lighter foods common in the Central Plains wouldn't be enough sustenance for whatever trial they were going through.
"Delicious," Kayla said between bites.
Ashina waited until Kayla finished eating to start in on the main course.
"I heard the general gist of what happened from Tao Qian," Ashina said. "Where does this leave my sister?"
Kayla hid a wince, occupying her attention with wiping off her hands.
"Well, she's innocent until proven guilty," Kayla said. "We are not considering either Hali or the Empress as suspects at the mont, but their palaces do need to be investigated."
"So you're still going to investigate her," Ashina said.
"I have to," Kayla replied, trying to shrug off a strangely ominous feeling.
"And what about the Empress? She accused and Hali, didn't she?"
Tao Qian…you…did you have to say everything?
Kayla couldn't bla the man either. She would be the one breaking the news otherwise.
And really, what was Empress An thinking? It's one thing for so random guy to say these things, but the Empress of the country? That has diplomatic ramifications. If any other official had been there, things could have gotten really bad really fast.
The flas in Ashina's eyes were growing stronger by the second. "What on earth is the Empress trying to do?! Does she also want to rip up the treaty while she's at it?!"
"She couldn't even if she tried," Kayla said.
“She knows full well that my sister would never do such a thing! Are you sure she's not behind it? She could very well be trying to take out a rival in the palace now that Hali's pregnant!”
“The Empress doesn't know Hali's pregnant."
"Doesn't she? My sister is all alone there in the palace, and the woman in charge of running the place is intent on framing her!"
"There hasn't been any framing yet," Kayla helplessly tried to calm her down, knowing how weak her argunts sounded.
“Just what did she do then?" Ashina demanded, eyes flashing when Kayla hesitated. "You won't even tell , Hali's own sister?"
"Look, I'll be frank here–the Empress was absolutely in the wrong. But she panicked," Kayla said.
"So she did start it."
Kayla drew a deep breath. "That's true. The Empress went to confront Hali, and so harsh words were said on both sides–"
"Mostly on the Empress' side, no doubt!"
"No doubt indeed–"
"Then why say it like that? As if my sister was equally at fault?" Ashina looked simultaneously as if she was going to start bashing Kayla's face in with a brick and as if she was about to cry. "My poor sister doesn't even speak Chinese that fluently, and she's only ever learned formal speech! She wouldn't know how to throw insults at the Empress even if she wanted to! And what did the Empress say to her?"
Ashina held up a hand before Kayla could answer. "I don't even need to hear it to know that the Empress was decrying my sister for daring to be born in the Khaganate. And to think that your cousin was the one who asked for her hand when he won't even protect her!"
"The Empress was very much in the wrong, and the Emperor also knows that," Kayla hastily assured Ashina. "I–"
"That's why I was also accused," Ashina burrowed on. "Because I'm also from the Khaganate."
Her eyes did grow wet with tears now, to Kayla's increasing panic. "Do they think they can bully us just because we married in from a foreign country?”
“I won't let that happen. Empress An already took back her words about you, Ibilga,” Kayla said. “So long as I have any say in court, I will not let anyone disrespect you or your sister.”
“Including the Empress?"
Kayla sighed. “Please, Ibilga. I’m on Hali’s side! I was prepared to protect her even before I knew for sure that she was innocent! No matter what, I won’t let the investigation turn out against her favor, but–”
“What makes you think you can do that when the Emperor is carving away your own Bureau from under your feet?! You're not going to do anything about the Empress and we both know it. All you'll do is try to muddle things over for the sake of politics and bury the offenses she has dealt against us! I won't have it. She may be the Empress, but we also have our pride. Letting her trample over us only invites further abuse, and that matters little for , but think of poor Hali who has nowhere to escape to!”
Ashina glared at her for a long mont, and Kayla began to wonder just how much of the resentnt was for this and how much more of it was for everything Ashina endured trying to keep Rong'er safe and healthy.
I can't helpit, Kayla wanted to say. I don't want this either. But that sounded too much like an excuse.
“This could get her killed,” Ashina finally said.
Kayla lifted her eyes to take in Ashina's face, a second away from crumpling, and the frustration and resentnt of her excuses being seen through disappeared.
“Oh, Ashina, I wouldn’t let that happen.”
Ashina drew a deep breath and collected herself, but wouldn't et Kayla's eyes.
“Not now,” Ashina said quietly.
Kayla had nothing to say to that. It wasn’t as if the princesses didn’t know their role–or their father, for that matter. They were stop-holders and sacrifices. They and their children were only chess pieces to be squabbled over and tossed onto the board.
"Listen, I'll do what I can to get a proper apology from the Empress," Kayla said. "But my priority is first and foremost protecting Hali's personal safety and her child. I hate to say it, but her pride is a secondary matter compared to this. Hali may have the Emperor's first son. You don't need to tell you how important that is to her status and that of her son's."
Ashina stared her straight in the eye now. "Wenyuan, you forget that we are royals. We have our dignity to uphold."
Right. Of course, there was also that. Kayla hadn't forgotten, but she also hadn't quite rembered how it was relevant either.
"I'll do my best," Kayla said. "Really, I an it. I'll try and get the Empress to apologize, but Hali also needs to accept it with grace, or we'll have completely offended the Empress and her clan for nothing."
Though Ashina wasn't particularly happy with the lackluster guarantee, she nodded reluctantly.
"Alright then," she said, dissatisfaction clear in her voice.
But the mont passed, and Ashina was handing her another at pastry. Kayla accepted one, and then placed it back on the plate when Ashina wasn't looking. She had lost her appetite.
"Speaking of," Kayla began, but trailed off, not sure how to continue in the tense atmosphere.
Any chance you and your sister might actually be involved after all?
Which would rightfully receive an indignant "no". Or even worse–Say, if your sister was pregnant, would you help her stage a coup and seize power as regent? Would you try to get to do it?
These weren't things Kayla could bring herself to say, especially not now.
"About Hali's pregnancy, did you have any idea?" Kayla asked instead, molding her face into the look of a mildly baffled husband who didn't usually pay much attention to won's affairs.
Even so, there was so tension in Ashina's voice when she replied. She wasn't fooled so easily these days.
"No," Ashina said. "I wish I did! I certainly would have watched out for her more if I'd known."
" too," Kayla admitted. "It really gave quite a shock. To think she kept it secret all this ti!"
Ashina sighed. "Poor thing, I can't imagine how frightened she must be. She grew up coddled by her mother and brothers, and Father had never prepared her for the possibility of marrying all the way here. If she'd known, she would have spent more ti on her Chinese. Her Persian and Arabic may be perfect, but what does that matter here?"
"It's impressive enough that she speaks so many languages," Kayla said, letting the conversation flow into a less dangerous topic. She'd had enough drama without starting more in her own household. "You and all your sisters are very talented–I have high hopes for Rong'er, given that he has your blood."
Ashina smiled at that, and the tension finally seed to wane.
Then–"What about last night?"
"Huh?" Kayla suddenly wanted to be anywhere else but here. "Last night?"
"Don't play the fool with !" Ashina snapped. "You didn't even co ho until nearly morning, but you sent a ssage that you were on your way back hours before that! Running to the Archduke's house and then the palace–sothing must have happened."
"Well, the Archduke asked for while I was on my way back," Kayla began.
“Does he think he’s still a contender for the throne, to summon you at such short notice in the middle of the night?!”
"I know, right? Let's be honest, losing the succession struggle hasn't done any favors for his personality. Even if he's the one who needs a favor, he sure doesn't act like it. Perhaps that's for the best though, I don't actually want to see him grovel."
But Ashina wasn't interested in trash-talking Xianchun together.
"What did he want?"
Kayla gave a smile that looked more like a grimace.
"Well, so you see, it's complicated," Kayla said. Ashina's glare intensified, but did little to intimidate the truth from Kayla as she launched into an extrely abbreviated version of the events last night.
Still, even if it was extrely abbreviated, Kayla couldn't fully avoid the matter of Lihua.
"So I appealed to the Emperor on his behalf, and the matter was settled," Kayla concluded.
"You what?"
Sothing in Ashina's voice made Kayla straighten up in her seat. Whatever was coming would make Ashina's earlier upset over Hali look like a drop in the ocean, that much was certain.
"It's not what it sounds like," Kayla said weakly.
"You just said you wouldn't let them hurt us!"
"I ant it–"
Ashina crossed the room in what seed to be three steps, short stature be damned.
"Did you consider even for a mont what might co of this?" Ashina demanded. "What might happen to Rong'er if you angered the Emperor for his disgraced brother?!"
"I increased security before this happened," Kayla tried to placate Ashina, but the princess's eyes blazed with fury as she lood over Kayla.
"And for what?! For the Archduke's not-even-concubine? You place that man's petty whims before your own wife and son!"
"I would never!" Kayla protested. "I had my reasons, very good reasons–"
"Zhao Wenyuan!"
Kayla shut up imdiately.
"I have been through hell trying to keep Rong'er alive. Don't you know how much effort I've put into raising him after the circumstances of his birth?! Did you forget how many tis we nearly lost him?!"
"I know," Kayla said, her voice coming out paltry and weak.
"You," Ashina hissed, grabbing Kayla by the chin, "Are my husband. Your first responsibility is to keep this household safe! You promised that when Rong'er was born!"
"I did."
Ashina's anger never failed to unnerve her as it increased in intensity over the years, the princess slowly unraveling the spool to its full length as ti passed. Though it wasn't actually enough to dislodge Kayla's decisions, she was hardly going to dismiss it offhandedly either.
But ferocious as Ashina's tempers could be, Kayla also adored it in a strange way. It ant trust, and it ant strength, both of which Kayla lacked and Ashina had in abundance. It was almost like watching a storm up close, both terrifying and breathtaking.
Ashina leaned in until her face was hovering over Kayla's, grip painful on Kayla's jaw.
Kayla swallowed hard.
"Keep your promise," Ashina whispered, eyes bright with tears. "Keep it, or I'll kill you with my own hands."
Then Ashina flung her arms around Kayla's neck, and Kayla wordlessly returned the embrace.
"I'm sorry," Kayla finally said. "Helping the Archduke was a stupid risk, but I never forgot our promise."
Ashina's fingernails dug into the back of Kayla's head.
"I'm doing this to increase our chances," Kayla went on, ignoring the prickling sensation of nails against her scalp. "The Archduke is a very dangerous man. I can't kill him, which ans I can't break him either. You have to believe when I say that I'm doing this for us."
Through the layers of brocade, Kayla could hear Ashina's heartbeat thudding against her where their bodies were pressed together.
"If you die, and Rong'er are done for as well," Ashina said softly. "Our fates are tied together, don't you see that?"
She pulled away now to look Kayla in the eyes with an intensity that didn't seem quite human.
Kayla stared with so amazent at the monstrous being in her arms, a monster who was very much her equal.
If I fail, she'd rather that we die together, Kayla silently filled out the implication of Ashina's threat. This was as close as they got to true love in a ti and place like this, a threat of murder-suicide. And contrarily, it made Kayla's heart lt.
Poor Ashina. Is this what I made you into, or were you always like this?
"Ibilga," Kayla said gently, "Don't worry. I understand."
Ashina's grip tightened until it was almost painful, and Kayla smiled into the robes pressed over her face.
“It’s alright, Ibilga. We’ll be safe. You, Rong’er, Hali, all of us will be just fine.”
Kayla paused a bit, and tacked on an additional disclair.
"And of course, the whole matter of Xianchun taking a concubine has nothing to do with my own thoughts on the matter," Kayla explained. "I have no such–"
"You wouldn't," Ashina said firmly. "You promised that too."
Kayla began to smile, but faltered when she rembered the excuse she had given to Yunqi.
The guilty glance up towards Ashina's face went unseen, and Kayla forced the matter out of her mind.
So things are better left unntioned.
Li Que flipped through the pile of testimonies on his new desk. His new office in the palace had been set up overnight, which was also when the night shift Investigators had obtained these statents. The work was done efficiently enough, but Li Que still felt plagued with doubt.
Had anyone left out anything on purpose in an attempt to sabotage him? It would be awfully foolish to do such a thing, just for petty pride. The Emperor's safety was at risk here, and none of them could bear the responsibility for leaving a threat at large. But Li Que especially could not bear the responsibility for such a thing, not when he had been promoted on such short notice and in direct opposition to the Bureau headquarters.
He shook his head, trying to dislodge the paranoia creeping upon him.
No one in the Bureau was that stupid. Sure, people were displeased, but…
Qiu Jinwei's words from last night echoed through his mind, as uncomfortable as a slug dragging its wet body across his skin.
"There's no need to be too deferential to the Duke in this investigation, Vice-Director. The intention is for you to gain rit, you and the new branch."
That in itself was not so tantalizing as Qiu Jinwei must have believed. But the man's next words had sent a shock of ice straight to the core of Li Que's soul.
"Rember, Vice-Director. This is the Emperor's will."
If so, why hadn't the Emperor sought out a private audience? Why hadn't the Emperor said anything to Li Que through soone who could be trusted as a ssenger, soone who didn't lurk around the palace so suspiciously?
But then again, the Emperor didn't need to. Qiu Jinwei had no rank or position. If the Emperor hadn't wanted this, the Emperor had a million ways to quash it.
This is an excellent opportunity.
But it was also a terrible sign of the storm on the horizon. The ti to make a decision was coming upon him fast. Within hours, he would have the first inklings of who would be responsible through piecing together everyone's narratives. At that ti, did he call Zhao Wenyuan or not?
It would be foolish not to. The Director definitely had eyes on him. But it was just as foolish to do so, when Qiu Jinwei and the Emperor doubtlessly had eyes on him as well.
Li Que's fist clenched around a scroll, startling as it crumpled beneath his fingers. Sighing, he unrolled it and smoothed out the delicate paper, trying to push his worries out of his mind.
Cultural Notes
江南道/Jiangnan Circuit: An administrative region in Tang-dynasty China, it encompasses several wealthy economic hubs.
相敬如宾/As respectful to one another as if they were guests: An Ancient Chinese proverb describing cordial and respectful relationships between husband and wife. So staunch conservatives frowned upon overly lovey-dovey martial relations and saw this as the ideal.
Levirate marriages in North and Central Asia: Among nomadic cultures in Northern and Central Asia, it was common for a widow to marry the brother of her husband, or to marry the stepson of her husband. This was not considered incest by the standards of the ti, and was practiced by the Xiongnu, the Turks, and the Mongolians.
Northern Asia milk tea: Unlike the milk teas we often see in boba shops or Starbucks today, this was often savory. For so extra oomph, people often add toasted rice grains (in Mongolia) for the crispy texture.
Dietary differences between Turks/nomads and Han Chinese: Chinese cuisine varies a lot by region, and this was especially true in the past when fresh ingredients could not be easily transported. That being said, the at and dairy-heavy diet of nomadic cultures to the North often disagrees with agricultural communities in the South, where many people may be lactose-intolerant. Among my own relatives, there are people from Southern China who couldn't adapt to Inner Mongolian cuisine while on a trip there, being used to lighter foods and more seafood-heavy diets, compared to the constant barrage of lamb and beef and cheeses they found up North.
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