Character Index

  Yao Gongzhuo: Minister of War. Kayla's ally.

  Zhang Dingyong: Minister of Justice. Kayla's ally.

  Han Daizhi: Strategist of the Shandong clique. Influential member of the Traditionalists.

  Lord Cui: Co-leader of the capital aristocrats and the Traditionalists.

  Zhu Simo: Face of the Shandong clique and mouthpiece of the Traditionalists.

  Li Que: Senior Investigator of the Imperial Investigation Bureau. Kayla's ally.

  Sima Qi: A young former Investigator who was assigned as Kuang's second poison tester.

  Chen Jian: Li Que's protege, brother of Chen Caichun.

  Zhou Kuang: Third son of Emperor Xuanzong. Formerly the leading candidate for Emperor.

  Lin Yaoguang: The Grand Duke's money launderer. One of the conspirators.

  Archduke Qi: One of the conspirators in the deaths of the First~Third Princes. He was working with Shu Yunsong, Yunqi's uncle, but this was covered up.

  Yu Ruirong: A former serving girl in the He household. She ran away with Luo Qichen when she was engaged to a merchant against her will. Her older sister was married to a significantly older merchant on Lord He's orders.

  Luo Qichen: A former retainer of Lord He. He ran away with Yu Ruirong but went back to prevent Hua Ying for having to take responsibility for letting him go.

  Hua Ying: A former retainer of Lord He. Left the He household with Luo Qichen after completely losing faith in Lord He.

  Tao Qian: Kayla's head retainer.

  Lord He: Co-leader of the capital aristocrats and the Traditionalists.

  Ashina: Personal name Ibilga. Princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.

  Shegui: Khagan of the Western Turkic Khaganate.

  Chuluo: Khagan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, Kayla's father-in-law.

  Kulun: The highly efficient tarkhan of Chuluo Khagan.

  Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Lord of the Liang clan, Oversight Officer in the reinforcements sent to Chuluo.

  Despite being the one who insisted on getting Yao Gongzhuo’s support before moving forward, Zhang Dingyong was ready with a catlike smile near the gates of the Outer Palace. Kayla raised her eyebrows before he had even spoken.

  “Han Daizhi said yes,” Zhang Dingyong reported with pride.

  “What?”

  “He agreed to cooperation between the Traditionalists and Reformists,” Zhang Dingyong said. “We’ll have to throw some controversial but largely meaningless reforms their way–like that whole thing with the Dowager Consorts.”

  Kayla decided not to argue over the example he chose.

  “What else?” She asked.

  “We’ll need to pass some of their laws,” Zhang Dingyong said with a shrug. “A few socially conservative policies here and there, and create opportunities for advancement when they want it. We can’t monopolize all the promotions, basically.”

  “So they’ll allow the important policies to pass,” Kayla confirmed.

  “Yes,” Zhang Dingyong agreed. “Han Daizhi also sees that with the capital aristocrats in chaos, the Shandong clique will fall out of influence before another opportunity arises. If we have him, then we’ve split the Traditionalists, more or less. And Lord Cui will concede once he realizes the Shandong clique has abandoned them.”

  “And Zhu Simo?”

  “Han Daizhi will wrangle him,” Zhang Dingyong said. “Just as you will need to wrangle Minister Yao.”

  “Was Han Daizhi difficult to convince?” Kayla asked, still a little in disbelief that it had worked so quickly.

  “Not at all,” Zhang Dingyong replied. “I told you, didn’t I? He’s a crafty one, which means that he knows when to change directions. Given that he’s already heard of your confrontation with Lord He, Han Daizhi knows that this round is over.”

  “That’s good,” Kayla said. “Thank you, Minister Zhang. Leave Minister Yao to me.”

  “Of course,” Zhang Dingyong said. He nodded at Kayla and sauntered away.

  Kayla made her way to where she knew Yao Gongzhuo would pass on his way out of the Outer Palace. She didn’t need to wait at all–he emerged amidst a cohort of officials right away and caught sight of her.

  Kayla’s heart skipped a beat when Yao Gongzhuo got closer, his face pressed into grim lines as he peeled off from his coworkers.

  She caught up with him as he approached, readying the various speeches she had in store.

  “Minister Yao, I–”

  Yao Gongzhuo held up a hand to stop her. “Duke Zhao, I did not sleep at all last night, thinking about the matter you and Minister Zhang proposed. And I have come to a decision.”

  “Yes?”

  Yao Gongzhuo sighed heavily before shaking his head ruefully. “The latter waves of the Yangtze push forward the former waves,” he said. “I have faith in your judgement, Your Excellency. But Minister Zhang, that’s another story.”

  Kayla nodded. “I understand your apprehension, my good lord. But we must engage all sorts of different talents in order to achieve a great goal.”

  Yao Gongzhuo gave a grunt of assent, then was silent for a moment longer before speaking.

  “But Your Excellency, please do not let your guard down around Minister Zhang,” Yao Gongzhuo said. “I understand that he is almost offensively competent, but he is not someone that can be fully trusted. And it becomes far too easy to rely on him overmuch when he’s so efficient–and yet, beware of entrusting too much to him!”

  “I hear your advice well,” Kayla replied.

  “In truth, the only reason why I am agreeing to this is because you were the original proponent and not Minister Zhang,” Yao Gongzhuo said. “Do not mistake this for boyish dislike–I would never put personal feelings above professional conduct. Rather, it is because I do not trust Minister Zhang to make the best decisions for the nation’s future.”

  Kayla nodded again.

  “But if you truly believe that it is worth it to make a deal with the Traditionalists, then I will give my support,” Yao Gongzhuo said with great finality.

  “Thank you, Minister. Once we have convinced Han Daizhi, it won't take long for the reforms to pass,” Kayla said. "I don't expect this to drag out any more than two court sessions."

  Yao Gongzhuo gave a sharp nod. "The sooner the better.”

  “Certainly,” Kayla agreed. “Thank you, Minister Yao. I’m truly glad for your support.”

  “Don’t mention it,” he said gruffly. He patted her shoulder, and they walked amicably to their carriages shoulder-to-shoulder.

  Kayla’s carriage didn’t go to the Zhao household. It paused for just a moment at an alleyway and then pulled away–a second carriage, much more worn out and unobtrusive, pulled out of the other end of the alley, bearing the Duke inside.

  Kayla awkwardly changed out of her official robes inside the cramped space, tucking the clothes safely inside a linen wrap for changing back into later. She would have liked to prepare things a little better, but she had no time but to act fast.

  Li Que had captured Sima Qi.

  He had done it off the clock, off the books, and Sima Qi had given in without a fight. The young man was now being held in secrecy in the capital’s outskirts, waiting for Kayla to decide his fate.

  She reached the building as the sun began to set in earnest. The location was chosen for its complete lack of foot traffic, with scarce a soul in sight despite being only a few streets away from a small but bustling market.

  Kayla disembarked from the carriage, taking in the plainclothes Investigators present. They knew what they were here for, their faces deliberately blank. They were all Li Que’s most-trusted men. Chen Jian was among them, something in his face suggesting that he would not be telling his sister about the day’s events.

  At the side of the building, just barely out of sight, there was a dilapidated wagon, the open door through which Kayla could just make out a pile of cloth and some shovels.

  They had come ready to take the life of a fellow Investigator and get rid of the evidence.

  Kayla herself had come with that in mind, but some part of her, even now, hesitated.

  It was futile and reckless and entirely irrational, but at the same time, Kayla was entirely convinced that the alternative she had in mind was a far better choice.

  “Senior Investigator, you have worked hard,” Kayla murmured as she approached Li Que. “Thank you very much for doing this.”

  “My lord, we will follow your orders,” Li Que said, his face downturned. “Whatever they may be.”

  Kayla nodded, and followed him into the storage room where Sima Qi was being held.

  The young man gave a start as the door opened, then promptly dropped to his knees when Kayla came into sight.

  He had lost some weight, and there was a stark hunger in his demeanor that hadn’t been there before.

  “The Duke is here,” Li Que said. “Don’t try anything or you’ll be dead before you can blink.”

  “I wouldn’t dare!” Sima Qi said earnestly.

  Li Que bowed his head towards Kayla and left.

  She slowly approached Sima Qi, sitting down on the wooden box closest to him.

  It was about as private as it got–with pretty much all of the Investigators outside able to hear what was going on, and save for two men on lookout, everyone had gathered around the storage room. Given that Kayla had no chance against a trained Investigator, this was about as much as anyone was willing to risk.

  “You have certainly been busy,” Kayla said.

  “M-my lord,” Sima Qi stammered. “I-I–”

  “Have you been well though?”

  Sima Qi jolted slightly at the question, as if at an unexpected blow.

  “I–shamefully, yes, my lord.”

  “Why is it shameful for you to be well?” Kayla asked.

  Sima Qi’s shoulders folded in on himself, the fraught illusion of composure falling apart. He had evidently braced himself for this meeting, only to find that it wasn't enough.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I didn’t ask for an apology,” Kayla said.

  She watched as Sima Qi visibly stumbled over a second apology.

  “Though undeserving, this one has shamelessly continued to live well after failing the Third Prince–and you,” Sima Qi said in a small voice. “I only hope that I can atone for it even a little bit.”

  He was close to tears, and looked as if he wanted to melt into the ground. Kayla was moved to compassion by the sight of his fingers retreating back into his sleeves, like a child caught with dirty nails. For a moment, she couldn’t find the right words.

  Kayla drew a deep breath and collected herself. “The Grand Prince, the gods bless him, was one of the greatest men to ever live, and I know that for certain in my bones that he could have reshaped this world however he wanted to.”

  Sima Qi nodded valiantly, holding back tears.

  “I can’t imagine how it must feel to go through life with the knowledge that this country could’ve done better, and that it never will because of your mistake,” Kayla said, her voice calm and flat.

  Sima Qi choked back a sob, fiercely biting the inside of his cheek.

  She watched him patiently. “It’s a terrifying burden to bear, isn’t it?”

  The young man gave a jerky nod.

  “But it’s not yours to carry.”

  Sima Qi burst into noisy tears. “But it was my fault!”

  Kayla shook her head, feeling far more weary than her years. “No, Sima Qi. It wasn’t your fault. It was never your fault. You were just doing your job, and you were doing it well.”

  Sima Qi tried to strangle a whimper, tears streaming freely down his face.

  Kayla sighed softly, her gaze landing on the dust dancing in the sunlight that streamed through cracks in the roof.

  “We were the ones who created all this situation. We’re the ones who were guilty–even the Grand Prince, loath as I am to admit it, he was partly to blame for his hubris. He was loved and he knew it, and-and he was so well-loved that it killed him. I should have thought of this possibility. The Senior Investigators should have put in better security measures that extended to the overlooked servants of his household. You, Sima Qi, you’re the only one who was innocent.”

  Sima Qi looked as stricken as if she had outright accused him.

  “My lord–!”

  “Put your mind at ease, Sima Qi,” Kayla said firmly. “You are innocent! I knew this to be true. Why else did I save you? It wasn’t out of kindness. It wasn’t even out of guilt. It was because you were innocent beyond doubt.”

  Sima Qi didn’t–couldn’t reply, being too choked up with tears. The silence was punctuated only by Sima Qi’s muffled sobs

  Kayla stretched out a hand to him, and he shuffled half a foot forward to drop his head onto her knee, bawling into the fine black silk of her robes.

  She patted his hair gently, sick with the knowledge of what they had done to him. The kid was barely twenty. Kayla let him cry for a while, patting his head as if comforting a child–but not for long. She waited a few beats and then firmly grasped the back of his skull.

  “Alright now, that’s enough.”

  Sima Qi was so startled that he stopped crying altogether. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t break free from her hold, but he remained as still as a statue.

  “The Grand Prince’s death is not your fault,” Kayla said gently, her tone a sharp contrast to her nails pressing firmly into Sima Qi’s scalp. “But these murders...those are on you, my young friend.”

  “I-I’m sorry,” Sima Qi said, his voice catching on a hiccup.

  Kayla let go of him, and Sima Qi backed away to kneel in his original spot, eyes lowered to the ground.

  “Why did you do it?”

  Sima Qi flushed, looking both embarrassed and wronged.

  “I-I didn’t mean to! It just started as an accident, and then I realized how much trouble I was in, killing a member of an underworld organization over an argument, and then it all spiraled out of control when I found out which group the man belonged to. And then I thought–hey, I might as well–I’m in trouble already, and I’ll at least be helping you out in the process. I didn’t think–”

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  Kayla let him ramble on a bit, more or less piecing things together. Sima Qi had killed one of Lin Yaoguang’s men in a fight the other man started, and then once the man’s companion targeted him for revenge, Sima Qi had immediately embarked upon a bloody rampage across the region. His affable appearance had made it all too easy to simply walk up to someone and stab them to death, and he had made full use of it.

  She listened silently, appalled, trying to make that final decision of whether or not to keep him alive. On one hand, talk about a slippery slope. From a single argument gone wrong to a series of planned murders. Sima Qi had flung himself off the first cliff he found. On the other hand, those were some impressive skills, both in rooting out a network Kayla had failed to find, and in killing them with such efficiency that the Bureau had been left in a panic.

  Either she signaled to Li Que and the men burst in and killed Sima Qi, or she made use of him.

  The horrible night of Kuang's death resurfaced in her mind, and Kayla swallowed past a sudden taste of acid.

  She cut into Sima Qi’s passionate monologue. “I know you meant no harm.”

  “My lord, it really is true! I-I’m sorry that it has caused you so much trouble,” Sima Qi said, losing his nerve with each word.

  “It has caused me a great deal of trouble.”

  Sima Qi quailed. If he had any more control over his ears, they would’ve been pressed flat against his head. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I can’t say that it’s alright, even though I do want to,” Kayla said. “If I could, I would just make all of this go away, sweep it under the rug, and give you a clean slate. I feel responsible for letting things get to this point, so my instinct is to fix it for you. But I can’t do that.”

  Sima Qi tried to steel himself, wavered, then steeled himself again. “I…I could turn myself in.”

  Kayla silently regarded him for a moment, watching as his resolve began to waver into panic.

  “Don’t be a fool. I have no intention to allow such a thing,” she said firmly. “Listen to me, Sima Qi. I’m responsible for far more deaths than you are. Does that mean I am not allowed to hold you responsible for murder?”

  Sima Qi gave her a look of horror. “My lord, I wouldn’t dare!”

  “Indeed, the two things do not cancel out. But Sima Qi, against all reason and right, I want to give you a chance.”

  Sima Qi had hoped for this, but stared up at her wide-eyed as if he couldn’t believe he’d actually gotten it.

  Kayla reached out, and he lowered his head slightly as her hand landed on his shoulder.

  “The Grand Prince’s death is still unavenged, did you know that?”

  Sima Qi shook his head. “I thought Your Excellency had already–”

  “I only killed some of the culprits, certainly not all of them,” Kayla said. “Other than Archduke Qi and…other than Archduke Qi and some nobles in the North, there were others involved. I want you to find them–but not to kill them. Instead, tell me everything you can find out about them. You shall have the relevant information from the previous investigation, but you will be working unofficially. Whether it's funds or intelligence, you will have to find your own. This whole thing will need to be kept secret. Is that amenable to you?”

  “Yes sir! Thank you! Your Excellency, I–” Sima Qi had to pause, being overwhelmed with emotion. “I promise that you will not regret this!”

  “This is the only chance I can give you,” Kayla said. “Do you understand?”

  “Yes! I swear I won’t let you down!”

  Kayla nodded, not fully convinced but not letting it show.

  If you do not enter the tiger’s den, you cannot obtain the tiger’s cub, Kayla reminded herself. Risks were necessary.

  “Then go in peace,” Kayla said. “You will be escorted out of the city. After this, act discreetly.”

  Sima Qi bowed his head to the ground three times in rapid succession before she could stop him, and then scuttled out from the room.

  Kayla remained seated a while longer to compose herself. Sima Qi’s painfully earnest words was like a jagged blade in her gut, a blow she hadn’t quite expected.

  After a moment, she rose and left the room to where Li Que was surely waiting in disapproval.

  When she opened the door, Kayla paused for a moment in uncertainty.

  Something had noticeably changed in the Investigators’ demeanor. Though Li Que seemed displeased by the risky move, the opposite was true of his subordinates. Approval radiated off of them in an overwhelming wave, and Kayla was almost taken aback.

  It’s because I’ve chosen them over the law, Kayla realized.

  Yes, they had undergone the death of several princes together, even launched a coup together, but whatever sentiment the Investigators felt for her now, they certainly never had before.

  One of us. That was what they saw when they watched Sima Qi walking away. Not a serial killer, not a disgraced Investigator, not a fool manipulated into doing the Duke’s dirty work. They saw one of their own, exonerated by a loyalty that went both ways.

  She recognized those eyes. It was the same glow she’d experienced when Emperor Xuanzong chose to trust in her all those months ago, pushing aside any political or legal considerations.

  It was why she understood all too well what this meant.

  They were her men now, while they had only been her subordinates before.

  I’ve opened a dangerous precedent, Kayla thought distantly to herself, more in grim acceptance than in apprehension.

  But what was one more step? She had long since embarked on a path of no return.

  Kayla nodded at the Investigators, thanked Li Que, and left without looking back.

  Yu Ruirong, Luo Qichen, and Hua Ying glanced up in unison as a knock came on the door. They each had their own rooms in the Zhao household, and very nice rooms at that, but the three of them spent most of their time together in one room or another.

  Hua Ying went to open the door, bowing immediately as Zhao Wenyuan came into sight with Tao Qian towering behind him.

  “Your Excellency!”

  They all bowed awkwardly.

  “I do apologize for dropping in so suddenly,” Zhao Wenyuan said, as if this wasn’t his house. “But there’s word from Lord He on the settlement, and I thought we should discuss it.”

  Yu Ruirong politely excused herself, though she didn’t have to. In truth, she was uncomfortable around Zhao Wenyuan, though she found herself surprisingly comfortable in his household. Perhaps it was the incongruent nature of the whole thing–a Duke with a royal wife who spent a carriage ride making polite conversation with her as if she were one of his fellow officials instead of a serving girl, whose young maids listened in on the lessons of his high-born wards, who had saved her from a terrible fate and also inadvertently put her best friends through hell.

  Plus, it would be a room full of men, and inappropriate for her to stay unless Zhao Wenyuan summoned another woman, which would be too much of a consideration for her to bear if he did and too awkward for her to stand if he did not.

  Outside, she stopped at the doorway, standing just where the faint murmurs of the voices inside could barely reach. Yu Ruirong felt numb–the prickling, painful kind like when her feet fell asleep. It was the numbness of someone whose life had been ripped out from beneath her feet. Everything was lost to her now. Her sister, her friends, the clothes and trinkets she had amassed from the painfully small amounts of money she scraped together.

  It was the numbness of someone stirring awake.

  Inside the room, the mood was no lighter. Luo Qichen and Hua Ying stared at the legal document from the He household, their mouths dry.

  Two hundred silver each. That was what their settlement amounted to. Luo Qichen swallowed hard. It was not a small sum of money. It was also the amount of money that Lord He had decided their lives were worth.

  He knew of people who settled for less over deaths of beloved family members, who would have eyed with envy and resentment the sum that Luo Qichen was being offered.

  He also knew that Lord He regularly gave and received gifts worth more than two hundred silver each–two hundred silver that he was being offered in exchange for the last few years of his life.

  A thousand small humiliations, wrongs that seemed petty when voiced out loud. But Luo Qichen was once also someone’s beloved child. Did he not feel the sting of harsh words or the pain of angry blows? Did he not shiver in winter nights in his ill-heated dorm, dreading the cold water he would wash with in the morning? Did he not stand for hours under the scorching sun for no other purpose than as decoration for Lord He’s parties?

  For some reason, Luo Qichen felt close to crying.

  He drew a sharp breath, reminding himself that this was more than what he’d hoped for when he’d come to the Zhao household in a haze of desperate confusion.

  Two hundred silver. And his freedom. He could do anything he wanted with a combination of the two, and hopefully whatever he did, it would be with Hua Ying and Yu Ruirong–Ruirong, who would probably never see her sister again. Nor her unborn niece or nephew.

  And Luo Qichen would never be able to forget what it felt like to get hit by Hua Ying, just as Hua Ying would never forget what Luo Qichen’s flesh felt like beneath his fists. Yet the culprit behind all of it thought they were worth less than a birthday gift.

  His eyes abruptly stung sharply, the paper becoming offensively blurry.

  Without a word, Hua Ying briskly produced a handkerchief. Luo Qichen wiped his face, and when he looked up, he was extremely relieved that both Zhao Wenyuan and Tao Qian were half-turned to the door to provide some modicum of privacy.

  Suddenly, Luo Qichen realized that the Duke must have negotiated the sum higher on their behalf. Lord He wouldn’t have offered two hundred silver. The Duke was sparing their pride by not mentioning the favor he had done them. Luo Qichen was as grateful for it as he was bitter that their dignity relied so much on a Duke’s whims of kindness.

  He mentally chided himself for being uncharitable. Part of him wanted to tear up the paper and scream obscenities in Lord He’s face, but the more reasonable part of him knew what Zhao Wenyuan would say before the Duke spoke.

  “Take the settlement,” Zhao Wenyuan said. “It’ll give you a future out from under Lord He’s control.”

  The uncharitable part of him reared its head again. And under yours? Luo Qichen pragmatically withheld that question. An amused look flickered over Zhao Wenyuan’s face, as if he had read Luo Qichen’s mind.

  “If things really go to trial, and a full investigation is launched, the actions you may have been involved in under Lord He’s employment could land you in legal trouble as well,” Zhao Wenyuan continued. “Acting as an employee, unfortunately, is not an excuse for partaking in criminal activity, even if you didn’t know it was illegal at the time.”

  “We understand,” Hua Ying answered on their behalf.

  “The settlement is smaller than what it should be, but it’s a decent sum of money, enough for you to start a small enterprise of your own,” Zhao Wenyuan said, smiling in amusement as he glanced at Luo Qichen. “And certainly enough to start a family.”

  Luo Qichen flushed furiously.

  “For the trouble that the three of you have had to undergo, I will match Lord He’s payment–and I will certainly ensure that he pays the settlement instead of dragging it out,” Zhao Wenyuan said.

  Four hundred silver each. That was as unexpected as it was welcome.

  “Thank you, that’s very generous,” Luo Qichen said.

  “Don’t mention it. So, have you given any thought to what you’ll do next?” Zhao Wenyuan asked.

  Luo Qichen and Hua Ying exchanged a glance.

  “My lord, we’re indebted to you. We would hear your wishes first before daring to make plans on our own,” Hua Ying said carefully.

  “You’re very clever men, with good heads on your shoulders and a very excellent skillset,” Zhao Wenyuan said.

  Luo Qichen silently pleaded that the Duke would not recruit them. He’d had enough of serving nobles, nice or not.

  “You could go very far in striking out on your own,” Zhao Wenyuan finished.

  Luo Qichen hoped his relief was not too palpable. The Duke was trying very hard not to smile, which Luo Qichen told himself was for entirely unrelated reasons.

  “We were considering opening a protection agency along the overland routes from Shanxi,” Hua Ying said. “There’s less competition there compared to elsewhere. It’s easy enough for us to provide guard details for caravans given our skill sets, and it’s good money.”

  “Yes, and Hua Ying’s good at training people,” Luo Qichen said eagerly. “And Ruirong is good at numbers! She’d be great at handling the accounts.”

  Both Hua Ying and Zhao Wenyuan smiled at that, and Luo Qichen flushed once more.

  “I wish you the best of luck in your endeavours,” Zhao Wenyuan said. “Please know that if you ever run into any trouble, I will always be happy to help.”

  “Thank you,” Hua Ying and Luo Qichen chorused.

  “I hope that one day I can also hire your agency,” Zhao Wenyuan said, which of course meant that he had something in mind. Had the Duke already guessed what they were going to do? Was this a coincidence? Or was it simply the unavoidable truth–that the favor of a powerful man had a long trailing tail?

  “Of course,” Luo Qichen said. On second thought, he could imagine what Zhao Wenyuan wanted. The reforms would pass, which meant that the border markets and foreign trade quarters would open up throughout the country. Luo Qichen could capitalize on that if he had preferable access to information, and Zhao Wenyuan could capitalize on Luo Qichen by offering reliable services along the new trade routes. That wasn’t a bad deal. As long as their lives were still their own.

  “Then I’ll leave you to it,” Zhao Wenyuan said. “Feel free to let us know if you need anything.”

  They bowed as the Duke left, slowly straightening to stare at each other mutely. Yu Ruirong came back in, clutching a copy of the document to her chest.

  “Two hundred, huh?” Yu Ruirong murmured. “It’s a large number.”

  “It’s probably the highest the old fart’s willing to go,” Luo Qichen said. “I believe the Duke’s wrangled with him on our account.”

  “You two deserve more,” Hua Ying said grimly.

  “So do you,” Luo Qichen replied.

  Hua Ying only shook his head.

  “Well, the Duke is being awfully generous in doubling it,” Yu Ruirong finally said. “One thousand and two hundred silver…we could open a proper business with that much money and get some land and a house.”

  Then, realizing what she had said, she ducked her glance. “Only if you’re amenable, of course.”

  “Of course,” Luo Qichen managed to choke out, red to the tips of his ears.

  Almost in unison, they turned pleading eyes on Hua Ying.

  “The two of you should get a house,” Hua Ying said. “I’m a single man, I don’t need more than a place to sleep, and whatever building we have for a storefront will do.”

  A chorus of protests drowned him out.

  The mood lightened amidst the jibes and giggles, and finally grew giddy with excitement. A new life lay before them, ready for the taking.

  Kayla finished the last of her meetings for the day, relieved that it was over with. She nodded slightly to her head retainer as he followed silently behind.

  “Thank you, Tao Qian.”

  Tao Qian bowed slightly and stepped away.

  Kayla sighed as she entered her bedchamber, glad that the most pressing tasks were done with. Han Daizhi wrangled with. The reforms certain to pass. Sima Qi packed off on a new mission. Luo Qichen and his friend settled well enough that they didn’t weigh on her conscience.

  Weary eyes landed on Ashina, who was sitting by the window with her eyes shut. Carefully, so as not to disturb the princess, Kayla draped a blanket over her.

  The princess opened her eyes. She had evidently not been asleep, but rather deep in thought while waiting for Kayla.

  “Did I make you wait?” Kayla asked, secretly glad that she would not need to carry Ashina over to the bed. She was irrationally afraid of harming either mother or child somehow.

  Ashina shook her head

  “It’s fine. I needed to talk with you.”

  Kayla’s heart stuttered. “What is it?”

  Ashina’s face was gravely drawn. “Shegui Khagan has passed away.”

  Kayla sat down heavily, making Ashina frown in concern.

  “How–”

  “I just got the news,” Ashina said. “My father notified me through Kulun-tarkhan. Shegui Khagan’s illness suddenly worsened, and he died sometime last night. Our men were only able to confirm his death today, and I was only told just now.”

  “I see,” Kayla said, her mouth dry. Whatever subtle balance of power she had imagined for the post-war North was now entirely out of array. Hu Qing had warned her that Shegui Khagan wouldn’t last too long, but everyone had expected at least a few more months.

  “He named his sixth son the next Khagan, but the coronation hasn’t taken place yet,” Ashina said. “My father told me that he wishes to treat with the Western Turks.”

  From the princess’ face, this was as unexpected for her as it was for Kayla.

  “Does he wish for the Wu to mediate?” Kayla asked.

  “Yes, and to escort my sister to the Wu Emperor afterward,” Ashina said. “He wanted you to know ahead of time and to support his request. The official message won’t arrive just yet.”

  She hesitated. “Will you?”

  “Of course I will support it,” Kayla said. “Peace in the North is good for everyone.”

  Kayla could easily guess at Ashina’s uncertainty. It was clear why Chuluo was pressing for peace at a time when he could easily attack a weakened enemy–rather than exhaust his men against a desperate enemy, he was choosing to leave enough breathing room for the Western Turks’ infighting. Which he was confident would take place.

  He wants to absorb the Western Turkic Khaganate entirely, Kayla thought grimly. Even as his ambitions grew blatant, there was little more she could do to stop him.

  “Marriage won’t be enough anymore,” Ashina said bleakly.

  Kayla nodded. Even if Yunqi made Ashina’s sister a Royal Consort, how long would that hold the peace?

  “What do you think your father will do next?” Kayla asked.

  Ashina shook her head. “Knowing him, he won’t let things end so easily,” Ashina said. “The affairs of the North will probably spiral well beyond what any of us can imagine–Father has always thought differently from others, and seen the future differently as well.”

  The princess’ eyes suddenly tightened. “You must not go, Wenyuan,” she said urgently. “Don’t go as ambassador even if he or the Emperor pressures you to! Tengri knows what Father will end up doing, and not to mention how long it’ll take!”

  Kayla patted Ashina’s hand reassuringly. Even if the two sides agreed to a parley, a treaty would take months to negotiate.

  “I couldn’t be away from the capital for that long,” Kayla assured Ashina. “I’m needed here for the reforms.”

  The princess relaxed minutely.

  “You needn’t worry,” Kayla said quietly. “No matter what happens, I will always strive for peace between our countries.”

  Ashina nodded with worried eyes.

  “Even if not for the sake of the people, then at least for you and the baby,” Kayla said.

  Ashina wordlessly took Kayla’s hand and placed it on her swelling stomach. With more tenderness than Kayla thought herself capable of, she leaned forward and kissed the back of Ashina’s hand.

  Cultural Notes

  夙夜无寐/Did not sleep all night: An Ancient Chinese proverb originating from a pre-Qin poem. The poem was about a man serving mandatory corvee labor for his king, and the lamentations of his parents who weep that their son has to work throughout the night without time to rest. More specifically, it comes from the lines, "陟彼屺兮，瞻望母兮。母曰：嗟！予季行役，夙夜无寐。上慎旃哉，犹来！无弃！/I climb the empty mountain and look in the direction of where my mother resides. My mother laments, "My poor son serves corvee so far from home, working without rest through the night. Take care of your health, and return quickly! Do not abandon us!*" *(Either by not returning home or by dying). From thereon, this proverb has been used to refer to pulling all-nighters out of necessity for matters outside of one's control.

  长江后浪推前浪/The latter waves of the Yangtze push forward the former waves: A Chinese saying that means the times will be propelled forward by each younger generation without waiting for those ahead. A modern example would be how almost all financial transactions in China are now through QR codes, which is very convenient for the vast majority of the population but also forces digitally illiterate seniors to grapple with technology they're entirely unfamiliar with. The two major rivers that horizontally cross through most of China, flowing from west to east, are the Yangtze and the Yellow River. The Yellow River is infamous for flooding very often and very disastrously, but also being indispensable to agricultural civilization. The Yangtze has a slightly smaller presence because it does not flood as often, but this saying is often used half in praise, half in lament for the innovation of the younger generation and the ruthless progression of time.

  不入虎穴焉得虎子/If you do not enter the tiger's den, you cannot obtain the tiger's cub: An Ancient Chinese proverb. It means that you cannot obtain success without difficulties, i.e. no risk no reward. However, it is no longer known what you would want a tiger cub for. It was probably a common sense thing back in the day so I don't know of anyone who wrote it down for their confused descendants.

  镖局/Protection agency: Similar to private security firms today. Back then, when transportation was dangerous and difficult, protection agencies were essential to merchant caravans. Many protection agencies became locally influential, forming essentially a grassroots organization of some import (and sometimes a more mob-like organization).

  管账/Handling the accounts: Usually a man with some education/training would be hired to handle the accounts, or the owner's wife would handle the accounts in a family store.

  榷场/Border markets: In Ancient Chinese history, these referred to markets that were held regularly on the borders with other countries. Under Sun Ruhui's advice, Kayla extended that term to port city trading zones to reduce instinctive backlash against newfangled economic policies.

  蕃舶场/Foreign trade quarters: A term Sun Ruhui advised Kayla to use for inland export/trading zones, based off of existing terms of Foreign Quarters, etc. Again, to reduce instinctive backlash and to increase acceptance/understanding of these policies.