Kayla greeted Secretary Zhen with a smile, making small talk with him while hiding her mounting anxiety. The three days of “bed rest” Hu Qing had prescribed her were up, but the Grand Duke still hadn’t done anything. He hadn’t even said a single word after their confrontation in his study, and the pressure of waiting for the ax to drop was driving Kayla insane.

In the end, it boils down to psychological warfare. She didn’t think the Grand Duke would really let Kayla confess, but he was waiting to see if she was serious. After all, it could just be a bluff.

The question was how far Kayla needed to go before the Grand Duke caved in, and always the chance that the Grand Duke really would let Kayla confess. In that case, both of them would go down together, unless the Grand Duke had somehow made a move to absolve himself of any responsibility.

That wasn’t very likely, with the court’s sentiments slowly shifting against the Grand Duke as they realized that there had been a fundamental change somewhere along the line without them noticing. According to Qu Boyong’s report, the court session the day before had caused an uproar in the capital when all three princes had worked together to support Kayla, backing each other up as they shot down anything the Grand Duke’s allies tried to lob against her. The Grand Duke had chosen to sit out on the chaos, watching the tides before making his move.

Since the Emperor had also expressed strong doubt about Kayla’s culpability as well as the truth of Li Sanjin’s statement, the tides were definitely not in the Grand Duke’s favor. The Imperial Family was completely aligned on this case, and if Kayla confessed at a time like this, it would be an unprecedented chance to crush the Grand Duke.

Even knowing all this, Kayla felt like she was going to implode.

“My lord, Secretary Zhen,” Qu Boyong greeted them as they approached the carriage.

“Oh, Minister Zhao, you wouldn’t mind if I take a horse, would you? I’m just not used to carriages,” Secretary Zhen said with a kind smile.

“Of course not, I’m sorry to have put you through all this trouble. Boyong, please prepare a horse for Secretary Zhen,” Kayla said.

“Not at all, you’re too kind,” Secretary Zhen said humbly. Boyong helped him onto a horse, Secretary Zhen giving his thanks as Kayla got onto the carriage. Boyong joined her shortly after, closing the windows firmly.

“My lord, has the Grand Duke not given an answer yet?” Boyong asked, keeping his tone remarkably neutral.

Kayla shook her head. “He won’t make it that easy for me. The battle continues until the very last second, and the closer we get to that moment the more difficult it’ll be. He wants me to crack and cave in, so there’s no way he’d give an answer before that.”

“Will you be alright?” Boyong asked.

Kayla nodded stiffly. “There’s an official in the Ministry of Justice who answers to him directly, by the name of Jia Fu. He’s probably the one who’ll be sent to check if I’m going through with it at the very last minute, I’ll have to let him know I’m serious. The Grand Duke will have to make a choice.”

“But how will we know what the choice is?” Boyong asked.

“I’ll ask for brush and paper and start writing my confession, there’s plenty of legal precedents, they’ll have no reason to refuse. I’ll write a very long preface thanking my parents for giving birth to me, my grandmother for her kindness, my uncle for his support, my cousins, and so on so forth. I can write slowly and keep the list going for as long as it takes, until the Grand Duke caves.”

“What if he doesn’t?” Boyong asked, unable to keep the tightness out of his voice.

Kayla breathed in deeply. “I’ll give him up to two hours. That’s enough, isn’t it?”

“You’d seriously go through with this?” Boyong asked in disbelief. Kayla reached into her robes and handed him a thin scroll.

“This is a letter of recommendation for a position in the Seventh Prince’s household, it should be enough to get you on a path to where you want to go,” Kayla said seriously. Boyong took it, still looking at her with shock.

“I don’t have a choice,” Kayla explained. “At least this way, I’m also injuring him.”

“I don’t need this letter, I believe in you,” Boyong said. Kayla smiled a little, sensing that he was saying that to make her feel better.

“Hold on to it, just in case,” Kayla replied. “After all, I have no guarantee as to what happens now.”

Even though it would ruin Wenyuan’s career and reputation completely, the Empress Dowager and Emperor would be certain to protect her. For one, she would have sufficiently demonstrated loyalty and dedication to protecting the Emperor’s goals by attacking the Grand Duke at great cost to herself, and also, the Empress Dowager and Emperor would feel immensely guilty for allowing Wenyuan to have gone through all this and go so far as to ruin his future for their sake. It would ensure her safety, if not Wenyuan’s dignity. Kayla would’ve preferred not to choose, but if it really came down to it, she would choose survival without hesitation.

The carriage pulled to a stop at the Ministry of Justice, and Kayla hid her reluctance as she followed Secretary Zhen back to the interrogation room, greeted en route by Minister Liang and Zhang Dingyong, both of whom were giving her meaningful looks, likely trying to signify that she should declare herself not guilty and deny all charges. She appreciated it, but that would mean launching an extensive investigation, the exact thing she was trying to avoid unless it was by completely rerouting the investigation to publicly humiliate herself and the Grand Duke.

She sat down with a soft sigh, back in the same spot she’d been in last time. Zhang Dingyong entered the room, accompanied by Secretary Zhen.

“Minister Zhao, we’d like to continue from where we left off last time,” Zhang Dingyong said politely. “I’ll read out the accusations that are being leveled against you.”

Kayla nodded, tuning him out as Zhang Dingyong read the lengthy legal document from the Ministry of Justice a second time. He glanced at her as he finished.

“Minister Zhao, do you confirm or deny these charges?” Zhang Dingyong asked. It was the standard opening question of the interrogation process.

“I deny them,” Kayla replied after a long pause. Secretary Zhen quietly transcribed her words in the corner.

Zhang Dingyong gave a small smile of relief, evidently glad that Kayla was setting off the investigation rather than sitting for hours in silence again.

“Understood, Minister. I have a few questions about this case that I would like to ask you,” Zhang Dingyong said. “Do you know the witness Li Sanjin?”

“No, I don’t know him personally, though we may have spoken briefly in passing,” Kayla replied.

“Zhang Dingyong stated that you ordered him to testify against former Secretariat Director Liu Hongyu, did you ask him to do so in person or via proxy?” Zhang Dingyong continued.

“No, I did not.”

The questions continued according to procedure, completely in line with Kayla’s expectations. Given Wenyuan’s experience in the Ministry of Justice, even if as a puppet, she could recite the questions almost from heart. Zhang Dingyong also avoided throwing in any surprises or pressing Kayla for answers.

“Alright then, Minister. I have one last question. This is to speed up our investigation and allow you to return to your duties as soon as possible,” Zhang Dingyong said. Kayla nodded.

“Can you think of anyone who might be behind this?” Zhang Dingyong asked.

Kayla cleared her throat. It was time for the final countdown until either she or the Grand Duke would have to make a move.

“I wish to make a written statement,” Kayla announced.

Zhang Dingyong’s brows creased into a frown of confusion. Kayla was on the verge of finishing the questioning phase and being released into restricted freedom until the investigation ended, which would allow her to at least move between her residence and workplace. Even if she had claimed not to know who was behind this, the investigation would still be able to proceed.

Asking to make a written statement usually meant revealing something important, and also that the writer couldn’t claim to have said the wrong thing under pressure, they were tied to their words. It wasn’t the type of move Kayla should be making at a time like this. Zhang Dingyong gave her a questioning look that Kayla met with a smile.

“Right Secretariat, I wish to make a written statement,” Kayla repeated. “If I may?”

Zhang Dingyong nodded, breaking eye contact. “Of course, Minister. I’ll have someone bring you a brush and paper.”

“Thank you.”

Zhang Dingyong left the room with Secretary Zhen, and a lower-ranking official soon entered the room with paper and brush. Kayla ascertained the length of the paper before nodding at him.

“I’d like some extra paper,” Kayla said.

Jia Fu still hadn’t approached her to make a deal or ascertain her progress. Kayla was feeling the pressure of impending doom, but she would make the Grand Duke feel it too. She was certain he was monitoring the situation remotely, likely with a communication device. Given how many magical devices were in use at the Ministry, she couldn’t sense which one was his.

The official left the interrogation room. Kayla waited with bated breath. If the Grand Duke still didn’t make a single move, even at this point in time, she really was going to have to go through with it.

The door opened, and to her relief, it was Jia Fu that stepped through with the paper she’d asked for. He set it down with a slight bow, fixing a questioning gaze on Kayla. She gave him a confident smirk, gesturing at the paper.

“I have quite a long preamble to write before I get to the statement, it’s good I have enough paper,” Kayla said lightly. “Thank you for bringing it over.”

“Not at all, Minister. I’m sure that with your eloquence, it will be a well-written preamble,” Jia Fu replied. He bowed and left the room with brisk steps. Kayla let out a soft sigh, certain that he had gotten the message. The countdown was now for the Grand Duke instead of Kayla, he would have to forcibly quash the accusations within the next few hours or face complete social disgrace.

Kayla began writing at an exceedingly slow pace, starting with praise for the Emperor, the Wu Dynasty, and the Imperial Family, before moving on to detailed words of thanks for everyone from the Empress Dowager to Investigator Li Que, with itemized lists of what she was thanking them for. Even as she wrote on with a steady hand, sweat was beading under her collar.

Kayla could feel the seconds ticking by, the pressure enough to make it feel as though the room was compressing itself around her. It must’ve been at least two hours since she’d started writing, and she was beginning to approach the limit of how long a written statement could reasonably take. If she dragged it on any longer, she could be suspected of knowing the Grand Duke’s move beforehand, calling her loyalty to the throne into doubt.

Jesus Christ, Kayla breathed in shakily, pausing as she tried to calm herself. After a long moment, she resumed writing again.

The door to the interrogation room swung open, Kayla dropping her brush in anticipation and surprise. Minister Liang entered the room with a smile.

“Minister Zhao, the charges against you have been dropped!” Minister Liang congratulated her, reaching out to grab her hands as Kayla stood up. As the pressure suddenly dropped away, she was left feeling jittery rather than relieved.

Kayla gave Minister Liang a curious look.

“Thank the heavens, but what happened? Wasn’t the Secretariat Department insistent on pushing this through to the end?” Kayla asked. Minister Liang shook his head.

“They wouldn’t have the face to continue on after this,” Minister Liang said.

“What do you mean?” Kayla prodded.

“Secretary Han of the Secretariat Department was found dead in his residence. It was suicide,” Minister Liang explained. At Kayla’s shocked expression, he continued. “He didn’t show up to work, so they sent someone to check. It seems he’d only killed himself less than an hour ago. Secretary Han left a note admitting to framing you, it seems that he was too ashamed of his crimes to live on. There was also evidence in his room to prove he was the one who coerced Li Sanjin into testifying against you.”

“Secretary Han was the one who coerced Li Sanjin?” Kayla asked in surprise. She hadn’t expected the Grand Duke to have pushed it all onto him. Minister Liang probably didn't believe it either but was accepting it for what it was. “I don’t recall having insulted him at all.”

“It seems to have been a case of jealousy, from what he said in his note,” Minister Liang said. “He’s twice your age, but still a sixth-rank and unaccomplished, it’s not strange that he would’ve felt jealousy towards you. But it’s shocking that he would’ve gone so far, to the point of abandoning reason. If he’d put half the effort into his work, he would’ve done much better for himself. The hearts of men are frightening to behold.”

Kayla nodded slowly. “I see.”

“We’re conducting an investigation right now, and we’ve also taken Li Sanjin into custody. When we arrested him, he started shouting accusations against Secretary Han for murdering his nephew, so this is likely to become a murder case as well,” Minister Liang said. At Kayla’s dazed expression, he gently patted her on the shoulder.

“Don’t take it to heart, Minister. There are always people like this, and the brighter you shine, the more likely you are to attract the evil in their hearts. You shouldn’t let it bother you,” Minister Liang offered comfortingly. Kayla nodded.

“Thank you, Minister. Then…” Kayla glanced at the door.

“Of course, you’re free to go now, Minister Zhao. Thank you for your cooperation through all of this, it must have been very trying to be falsely accused,” Minister Liang said apologetically.

“No, not at all. Thanks to your thoughtfulness, it was a very painless process,” Kayla replied. Minister Liang glanced at the paper stretching across the table.

“Minister Zhao, may I ask what that statement is?” Minister Liang asked. Kayla gave him a sheepish grin.

“I wanted to write an apology to the Emperor for getting mixed up in such a thing so soon after the reinstatement of the Court of Judicial Review. Even though he’s placed his trust in my abilities, we’ve lost momentum because of me,” Kayla said. “But I haven’t even gotten to that part yet, I was working on the preamble. I wanted to express my gratitude in a sincere manner.”

“You’re a very dutiful man, Minister Zhao. But there really is no need for you to feel sorry about the actions of small-hearted men like Secretary Han,” Minister Liang replied. “Is it alright if we hang onto the statement since it was written during the investigation process?”

“Of course, please go ahead,” Kayla said without hesitation. She had carefully left out any sensitive information, sticking strictly to what was already known to the court.

“Thank you, Minister Zhao. Let me walk you out,” Minister Liang offered. Kayla thanked him and finally made her way out of the building, stepping into the sunlight with a sense of exhaustion. It felt as though she had been climbing uphill with a heavy load before the weight had suddenly been lifted.

After bidding goodbye to Minister Liang, Kayla got onto the carriage that had been arranged for her. Qu Boyong, who had been waiting for her outside, quickly got on as well after exchanging a few words with the guards.

“My lord, how did it go?” Qu Boyong asked anxiously. “The guards were whispering about the accusations being lifted, is it true?”

“The charges against me were dropped,” Kayla said slowly. She leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes and letting out a deep sigh. “Apparently, Secretary Han framed me out of jealousy. He killed himself just earlier.”

Qu Boyong frowned slightly, blinking a few times before nodding. “In any case, congratulations, my lord. Your name has finally been cleared, and now that it’s been proven to be an attack on you, any future accusations against you will probably be taken with more suspicion as well. Even if the process was harrowing, we’ve emerged victorious, haven’t we?”

Kayla nodded. “We can say that, yes.”

“My lord, you’re not satisfied with this outcome?” Boyong asked. “I can understand your feelings, but the alternative outcome would have been much worse.”

“It’s not that I’m not glad to be relieved of the charges, I’m glad. I really am. But I have to say, my grandfather is a difficult opponent to face. Every time he makes a move, he takes it all the way. I didn’t expect Secretary Han to become the victim of my victory,” Kayla explained.

Kayla didn’t know how deeply Secretary Han was involved in the plot, but she doubted he had been willing to take his own life. If the murder charges were true, then Li Sanjin’s nephew had also been sacrificed in the Grand Duke’s plot. Kayla would be lying to say it didn’t bother her, but unlike when she had first arrived, she now understood that it was beyond her control. Given the path the Grand Duke had taken thus far, he was bound to bloody his hands, just as Kayla was bound to face him head on.

Kayla thought back to Matron Li’s recounting of the Zhao clan’s complicated history, a gnawing suspicion growing in her stomach. The Grand Duke had wrapped up this case perfectly for the Ministry of Justice. The evidence was there, their suspect was dead, and likely whatever the Grand Duke had done to get Li Sanjin’s testimony would be entirely pinned on Secretary Han. The Ministry wouldn't investigate further when they could already take credit, and that would be the end of that.

Just how good is he at covering his tracks?

No one had suspected the Grand Duke of Consort Chen’s murder until Liu Boyue had uncovered incriminating evidence in his infiltration of the Zhao household. Even if everyone knew that the Grand Duke had some part in the accusations against Kayla, it was more likely than not that no one would ever be able to prove it.

How many more lives are on his hands? I was worried about Xianchun until now, but there’s a far more dangerous opponent right in front of me.

“Boyong, I want to ask something of you,” Kayla said after a moment of thought.

“Whatever you wish, my lord,” Boyong replied.

“I want you to find the healers who treated my mother, and also the ones who treated my father,” Kayla said. “All of them. I want you to bring them to me.”

Boyong hesitated for a moment but bowed his head. “Understood, my lord. But what is this about?” Boyong asked.

Kayla let out a sharp sigh. “Nothing much. There’s just something I wanted to check.”

---

Xianchun tossed aside the report with mixed emotions. Just what had gone down in the Zhao household? It was obviously the Grand Duke who was behind the accusations, but within the span of a morning, everything had been summed up to a low-ranking official’s jealousy.

“At least Wenyuan managed to get out of this in one piece,” Xianchun said drily. “If they’d really gone through with the investigation, he would’ve gotten a layer of skin scraped off even if he didn’t take a serious blow.”

“You don’t seem satisfied, my prince,” Liu Boyue said.

“I’m glad Wenyuan’s going to be alright, but the Grand Duke’s just getting out of this without a single scratch,” Xianchun said. He gave a sharp sigh. “I guess it can’t be helped. But the question is, how did Wenyuan strongarm him?”

“He must’ve trapped the Grand Duke somehow, likely similar to how he trapped me.” Yu Bianfu spoke up from the other end of the communication device. She had grown more tan since she’d been stationed in the Southwest, where she was posted with a former subordinate of her father. Bianfu was treated well in the military base by the commanders and well-liked by the soldiers. She had adjusted quickly to her new position, but it was clear that Wenyuan’s actions had left a deep impression on her.

“You mean Wenyuan created a situation that the Grand Duke couldn’t wiggle out of? Even though it’s true that he’s quite talented in politics, that doesn’t mean he’s on the level of the Grand Duke,” Liu Boyue objected. “He must’ve had something to hold over the Grand Duke.”

“It’s not that far-fetched. If the Grand Duke underestimated Wenyuan as I did, then it’s extremely possible that he’d suddenly find himself trapped before even realizing it,” Yu Bianfu pointed out. “Wenyuan’s not afraid to throw himself in as bait, a guy like that is really difficult to deal with.”

“We have to consider both possibilities,” Xianchun admitted.

“If it’s like what Bianfu said, then we know how much of a threat Wenyuan is. But if it’s like what I suspect, we must find out what information he has, my prince. If we don’t find it out faster than the Third Prince does, then we’ll be at a major disadvantage,” Boyue said.

“And how do you propose we do that?” Xianchun asked.

“Please entrust this matter to me, my prince. I will look into it,” Boyue replied.

Xianchun nodded. “Alright then. I’d rather believe that there is than there isn’t, but in any case, don’t cause trouble for Wenyuan, and don’t try anything with that servant of his. Just leave it be if you can’t find anything.”

Boyue bowed his head. “Understood, my prince. I will take utmost care not to inconvenience him in any way.”

---

Yunqi sipped a cup of tea, watching from the corner of his eye as Qiu Jinwei mumbled softly, moving pieces of paper around on the floor.

Kuang entered the room, greeting Yunqi with a smile before stopping short to give Jinwei an incredulous look.

“Third Brother,” Yunqi greeted him.

“Yunqi,” Kuang said, sitting down opposite him. Yunqi poured out a cup of tea for Kuang, who quickly downed it before nodding at Jinwei. “What’s that strategist of yours doing now?”

“He’s been at it since we got the news about Wenyuan,” Yunqi replied. “Heavens know what’s going on in that head of his, but don’t mind him.”

Kuang shook his head slightly, smiling in disbelief. “Well, that’s fine then. Wenyuan, that kid really is something. Who knows what he’s done now? If your strategist can figure it out, then all the better.”

Yunqi smiled. “Wenyuan must’ve had a hard time of it. Stressful matters take a toll on the health, I’ll send him some supplements later.”

“Good thinking,” Kuang said. “Speaking of, I saw that cousin of yours on my way in. He was rather pale…he’s sure lost a lot of weight since we’ve last met.”

Yunqi’s smile faded and he set down his cup of tea. “Yes, he has.”

Kuang looked at Yunqi with concern, reaching across the table to gently place a hand on Yunqi’s shoulder. “It must’ve been difficult, with the household’s assets being confiscated and your grandfather’s imprisonment. But now Father’s agreed to let him work in your household, surely that means the situation’s taken a turn for the better. I’ll also keep pushing on the matter, so don’t let it get to you.”

“There’s no need, Third Brother. Don’t jeopardize the favor you’ve worked so hard to earn. Father only let my cousin join me in the capital because I’m supporting the growth of the neutral faction,” Yunqi said with a note of bitterness. “As long as my family’s useful, we’re allowed to survive. The second we lose our usefulness, we’re immediately discarded. Even my wife wasn’t an exception.”

“Out of us three, you’ve had it the worst,” Kuang said softly. “Xianchun, that brat, he only sees his own predicament and doesn’t understand your difficulties, but your older brother knows. We’ll make it through and be the ones who are laughing at the end.”

“That’s right,” Yunqi said, letting out a soft sigh. “We’ll just have to hang on until then.”

Kuang gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder, pouring out another cup of tea for each of them before Yunqi could do it. He had just lifted the cup when Qiu Jinwei suddenly shot to his feet.

“Good grief,” Kuang set down the cup, glancing at Jinwei with surprise. “What’s wrong with you?”

Jinwei blinked owlishly, seeming to have only just realized that Kuang was here. “Qiu Jinwei humbly greets the Third Prince, the Fifth Prince,” Jinwei bowed towards each of them.

“You’ve already greeted me. I’ve been here since the start, did you forget?” Yunqi reminded him. “Third Brother, don’t mind his manners.”

“No matter,” Kuang said, waving it off. “Well? Did you figure something out?”

Qiu Jinwei nodded, a bright grin breaking out across his face. “Yes, my prince. I think I’ve got the gist of it.”

---

Cultural Notes

丧心病狂/To lose one's heart and [act] ill as though [having gone] mad: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to act without reason like a man who has gone mad in a bout of illness. Originating from the Song Dynasty while the Song was at war with the Jin Dynasty (a nomadic dynasty that was absorbed by the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty first). At that time, an official named Fan Rugui reprimanded his fellow officials who promoted surrendering to the Jin, saying "公不丧心病狂，奈何为此？必遗臭万世矣!/Sir, how could you do this if you have not gone mad and lost reason? You will certainly be criticized for ten of thousands of generations!"

人心叵测/People's hearts are dangerous and unfathomable: An Ancient Chinese proverb from the Tang Dynasty meaning that the hearts of men are frightening to behold. Though it now is used in a more general sense, it started out as a noble describing a specific retainer: "新唐书·尹愔传》：“吾门人多矣，尹子叵测也/I have many retainers, the heart of Yizi is dangerous and unfathomable". Talk about getting called out, imagine you live in Ancient China, your boss says something about you, and they make a proverb for you that's still in use over a thousand years later.

要么不做，要么做绝/Either [he] doesn't do it, or [he] takes it all the way: A popular saying often attributed to the founder and first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang. I haven't found any historical records to support that he said this, but this saying is often used to describe his way of doing things. Kayla uses it to describe the Grand Duke's way of forcing people into corners.

不死也要脱层皮/Even if they don't die, they'll have a layer of skin scraped off: A Chinese colloquialism meaning that someone is certain to suffer heavy damage if not a critical blow. Originally used to describe situations in daily life, such as "男人若犯四，不死也要脱层皮/If a guy messes around [in brothels], he'll get skinned alive (usually by his wife) even if he doesn't get killed." Eventually, it became used in broader contexts.