An Haoyang waited impatiently at the designated meeting spot. Ji Yantao was already half an hour late. The old man should've been familiar enough with the capital city that getting lost wasn't an issue, but perhaps Haoyang had been careless. After all, a city changed a great deal every few years, and Ji Yantao hadn't set foot in the capital for over a decade.

Just when Haoyang was beginning to berate himself, he caught sight of a pregnant woman out of the corner of his eye. He frowned a little. It was a public alley, but it was usually completely empty at this time of the day, hence the reason it was chosen as a meeting place. Haoyang leaned back against the wall, trying to act casual as the woman passed.

To his surprise, the woman came marching straight at him. Haoyang bristled a little, glancing at the large machete on the woman’s back. Fighting a pregnant woman was the last thing he'd expected to have to do, but he discreetly reached for his knife anyways.

“Are you An Haoyang?” The woman asked, coming to a full stop before him.

Haoyang stiffened slightly. How the hell did this woman know him? He glared at her coldly. “Who are you?”

“My name is Ji Fangluo. I’m the daughter of Ji Yantao,” she said. “He’s fallen ill so I’ve come in his stead.”

“Do you have any proof of your identity?” Haoyang asked, glancing her over suspciiously. Ji Fangluo retrieved the letter Haoyang had sent to Ji Yantao, handing it over for Haoyang to verify.

“So you’re really his daughter…did you come all the way to the capital while heavy with child?” Haoyang asked in surprise.

“I’m his only family, so of course I had to come,” Fangluo replied.

An Haoyang shook his head. “Approximately when do you expect your father to recover?”

“First, please tell me what you need us to do.”

“We can’t tell you the complete plan right now,” Haoyang said patiently. “We’ll give you instructions step by step.”

Ji Fangluo smiled, a cold look in her eyes. “Step by step? How are we meant to get anything done like that? We won't even be able to provide for our own safety this way."

"You won't need to, your father's safety will be provided for. I don't recommend you to get involved though, you weren't included in our strategizing."

Ji Fangluo let out a soft sigh. "Our safety will be provided for...now doesn't that sound familiar. Is that the will of your master?”

“Yes, it is,” Haoyang said, ignoring her none-too-subtle jab. “Then, about your father’s health-”

“If it’s the will of your master, then I want to hear it from him. It’s not fair that we’re getting strung along like this,” Fangluo said.

Haoyang scowled, annoyance rising in his chest. “I’m the go-between, you can hear from me.”

“I don’t want to speak with you. Where is your master?” Fangluo demanded. An Haoyang bristled at her tone.

“He's busy,” Haoyang replied through gritted teeth.

“Too busy to meet the daughter of the man he called to capital? Too busy to meet a woman whose mother died for his sake?” Fangluo shot back. “I’m not a woman of culture, but I know that honor is meant to be reciprocated. I have come to meet him, leaving behind my husband and children, out of respect for what his family has done for us. But if he will not meet with me, then I will take my father and leave the capital.”

Haoyang threw his hands up in exasperation. “You’re being unreasonable! As I said, the young master is busy. He currently works for the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, it’s not as though he can leave his post at a moment’s notice!”

"This late at night and he's still working?" Fangluo asked.

Haoyang nodded. "The Minister called him over, what could my master do? If he refused, it would only invoke suspicion."

“Then when can your master meet with me?” Fangluo demanded.

“He went with the Minister to the Fifth Prince’s household, but I’ve already notified him of your arrival,” Haoyang said. “Since you insist, I’ll ask him to meet with you.”

“I do insist,” Fangluo replied. “You can’t make any decisions in his stead, can you? Then he speaks to me himself or I’m leaving.”

Haoyang glared at her for a long moment before letting out an angry sigh. “Fine.”

---

“So it was like that,” Kuang said thoughtfully. On the other end of the communication device, Yunqi had finished summarizing the negotiations with Wenyuan, and was now sipping a cup of tea as shock and relief wound down into exhaustion. “In any case, I’m glad that it turned out this well. Neither of them is planning to use it against you for the time being, and you’ll also be able to exchange Zhengyan for someone more cautious. We're quite lucky.”

“Agreed. And what do you make of his request?” Yunqi asked.

“He’s more certain than anyone else that the Grand Duke’s done for, and he’s already positioning himself to fill the power vacuum. Wenyuan’s being surprisingly proactive, perhaps he’s more ambitious than I thought. We'll have to keep a closer eye on him in the future,” Kuang replied.

Cao Shuyi cut in as she entered the room and joined the conversation, leaning over so that Yunqi could see her. “That’s a bit unfair now, isn’t it?”

“Did that little rascal finally fall asleep?” Kuang asked in amusement. Cao Shuyi let out a sigh.

“Yes, finally. I don’t know where this kid gets so much energy,” she groaned.

“He must take after me,” Kuang said, a note of pride in his voice.

"I wish he didn't," Cao Shuyi grumbled.

Yunqi gave Cao Shuyi a smile in greeting. “Sister-in-law, if my brother's words are unfair, then what are your thoughts?” Yunqi asked.

Cao Shuyi leaned her weight against her husband's sturdy back. “This is how I see it. The Grand Duke has control over three of the Six Ministries and all of the Three Departments. Even if Wenyuan was completely passive, he’d be in an excellent position to inherit immense wealth and political power. But rather than doing so, Wenyuan’s actively working to decrease his inheritance, isn't he? Those aren't the actions of a man burning with ambition.”

"Well, that's not untrue," Kuang began. Cao Shuyi calmly put a hand over his mouth and continued.

“Not to mention that Wenyuan could’ve used the information about his family history to make a deal with Xianchun, but instead he took the chance to buy us a favor. The last thing we should be doing is ignoring the sincerity he has shown.” She gave Kuang a pointed look, removing her hand from his face. "Isn't that right, my dear?"

“My wife has a point,” Kuang said after a moment of thought. “I may be a bit too sensitive, but the Grand Duke also rose to power fighting corruption for our great-grandfather. If Wenyuan goes down the same path as the Grand Duke, I’ll have no choice but to get rid of him. That would be a waste.”

“It would be just as troublesome if he had no ambition whatsoever,” Cao Shuyi pointed out. “You don’t need a man who’s satisfied with the status quo.”

“I agree with sister-in-law. From what I've seen, I don’t take Wenyuan as a particularly ambitious man in terms of his personal power,” Yunqi said. “If he were, he would have made an exchange rather than a request. This seems more in the interest of self-preservation than anything else.”

“I trust your judgment. If we don’t have to worry about keeping him in check, that’s all the better,” Kuang said. “Our cousin’s had a difficult time so far, we should treat him better from now on.”

“Agreed,” Yunqi said with a smile.

“Then it’s settled. We’ll help him out to become the head of the Zhao household, as Yunqi has promised him,” Kuang declared. “It may propel the growth of the neutral faction, but there’s no reason why we can’t make use of that.”

"Indeed, an opportunity is what we make of it. On another note, Yunqi, how are you planning to deal with your relatives?" Cao Shuyi asked. "Are you just letting Zhengyan off the hook so easily?"

"He's kneeling in the courtyard right now," Yunqi replied without hesitation. "He'll remain there until it's time for him to leave the capital. Hopefully, he'll have learned a lesson from all this. Zhengyan is my uncle's first son after having four daughters, so he was always treated preciously. And it's true he's not entirely untalented, so he's formed a warped perception of his own abilities. With this, Zhengyan might actually be able to grow a bit."

Kuang withheld a scoff, not wanting to quench the small amount of hope Yunqi still had for the Shu family's heir. "I hope that's the case, Yunqi. Do you need anything for the journey? I can lend you some guards, or send a messenger to your uncle to make it clear this wasn't on you."

Yunqi smiled. "Thank you, Third Brother. But that's alright, I've arranged for his guard and accommodation on the journey back, as well as for his younger brother's trip to the capital. As for my uncles, I have ordered the guards to deliver a message on my behalf. Once they learn of what foolishness Zhengyan had been involved in, they won't be able to say anything."

Kuang nodded, not pushing the matter any further. If he had been anything but a prince, Yunqi's maternal familial background would have been a source of great pride. But given their twisted family background, Yunqi's relation to the Shu family made him feel paranoid and inferior in equal parts. The Fifth Prince was constantly desperate and afraid due to his maternal grandfather's arrogance, but also terrified of damaging Kuang's position because of the Shu family. As a result, Yunqi always tried to handle his family matters while involving Kuang as little as possible.

Picking up that Kuang was helpless to interfere any further, Shuyi stepped in.

"As expected, Yunqi's always so thoughtful in his arrangements. Just be sure to send along a healer for the journey as well. If Zhengyan falls ill or does something foolish, it'd be better to be prepared," Cao Shuyi said.

Yunqi gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you for the advice, sister-in-law. I'll be sure to do so."

---

Qu Boyong returned to his residence, irritation itching at his insides. Zhao Wenyuan had suddenly rushed to the Seventh Prince’s residence after returning to the Zhao household, and Qu Boyong had been called on standby. The entire way there, the Zhao heir was extremely reticent about what the purpose of their impromptu trip was, but from the man’s tense shoulders, Boyong could tell something was wrong. Then a while later, the Zhao heir had headed to the Fifth Prince’s house for another stretch of time, once again tight-lipped about the whole situation.

After seeing Wenyuan back to the Zhao household, it was already well past midnight. Qu Boyong was getting overtime pay, but he didn’t care for the money. It was the withheld information that was grating on him. Boyong was certain that he had performed well during the turmoil of the Li Sanjin case, but Zhao Wenyuan only seemed more tense and paranoid than before. Had Zhao Wenyuan noticed something? Perhaps someone had caught sight of Boyong when he’d last met with Chujiao, or perhaps the Zhao heir’s paranoia had simply hit the mark.

Qu Boyong’s thoughts were interrupted by his communication talisman. He recognized it as Haoyang and disclosed his location. Soon after, there was the soft sound of footsteps across the rooftops.

Qu Boyong opened the door to greet him.

“Haoyang, how did the meeting with Ji Yantao go?”

Haoyang shifted uncomfortably. “Well, it didn’t take place.”

“What do you mean? Did he chicken out?”

“Ji Fangluo is here,” Haoyang explained. “She’s the daughter of Ji Yantao, and she insisted on speaking with you in person. It seems her father's sick. I tried to talk her down, but she wouldn’t be convinced.”

Qu Boyong let out a sigh. As though things weren’t irritating enough, the situation had gotten more complicated.

“But more importantly, sir, what happened with the Seventh Prince?” Haoyang asked.

“I have no idea, Zhao Wenyuan didn’t say a word about it. But the Fifth Prince must’ve been involved somehow, they met right after Wenyuan met with the Seventh Prince.”

“He’s double-dealing them?”

“No, he went straight from the Seventh Prince’s household to the Fifth Prince’s, he wouldn't be so stupid as to double-deal so openly,” Qu Boyong said. “It probably has to do with the Liu Hongyu situation, so it’s to our benefit. Even if we make use of that information, his first thought would be to suspect one of the princes rather than us.”

“I see,” Haoyang murmured. “Well, it’s about time we pulled in the net anyways. It’s not safe for you to remain at his side for much longer. From the rumors I’ve heard, the Imperial Investigators assigned to him have intercepted multiple assassins over the last few days.”

“Multiple? Does that mean they’ve increased surveillance on the Zhao household then?” Boyong asked, a touch of anxiety in his voice.

“Surprisingly, no. No one’s said it outright, but from what I’ve seen, the Empress Dowager is probably purposefully keeping surveillance lax in order to reel in the fish,” Haoyang explained. “It seems that they have evidence already that Li Sanjin was transported from the Zhao household to Secretary Han’s residence, but that alone isn’t enough to strike a critical blow.”

“So Zhao Wenyuan’s the bait? That old bat sure is cold-hearted to use her own grandson. How is she so certain that the Grand Duke would try to kill Wenyuan?” Boyong muttered. “Well, that means we need to hurry up and make our move. I don’t want the Zhao clan’s family drama to overshadow our goals.”

“When a wall falls, the crowd hurries to push it. That might actually be the most viable option for us,” Haoyang cautiously pointed out.

Boyong shook his head. “Absolutely not. Then the injustice done against us would only become one of the many factors contributing to the Grand Duke’s fall, and not a case in which he is the prime culprit. We’d be indebted to the Imperial Family for using our case against the Grand Duke, even though they also bear responsibility.”

“But the longer you stay at Zhao Wenyuan’s side, the greater the risks are. I’m just worried for your safety, sir.”

“I know,” Boyong said tiredly. “That guy is pretty paranoid, and he has good instincts. He’s probably pulling Hu Qing over right now because he doesn’t fully trust me.”

“He doesn’t suspect anything about the young miss, does he?” An Haoyang asked.

“No, I don’t believe so.” Qu Boyong sighed. “If he did, it certainly would be a problem. Even if he won’t be in that seat for much longer, he’s still a Minister right now. We need the Court of Judicial Review to sit out on this case until it’s too late for them to interfere, or we’ll never get anywhere.”

“If Zhao Wenyuan tries to interfere, he can still reach a deal with the Seventh Prince,” Haoyang griped. “Are you sure you don’t want me to just get rid of him?”

“Are you kidding me right now? Even if the Imperial Investigators assigned to him don’t manage to save him, the capital will be in a complete mess. Our case will only get buried in the chaos, it’s the same as if the Grand Duke is caught red-handed,” Boyong snapped. “He’s much more useful alive.”

“Understood, sir.”

“That reminds me, Zhao Wenyuan asked me to find healers who were involved with the Imperial Princess and Zhou Kangyu,” Qu Boyong said. “It probably isn’t just a trivial whim. Everything he’s done so far has turned out to have a greater purpose.”

“But what could it mean?” Haoyang asked.

Boyong shook his head. “I’m not sure. Perhaps he suspects the Grand Duke of sabotage.”

“Even the Empress Dowager didn’t sense anything suspicious about their deaths, but this guy’s suspicious?”

“He thinks in strange ways sometimes,” Boyong replied. “In any case, help me look into it. It might turn out to be useful in taking down the Grand Duke. Also, look into Hu Qing. It bothers me that I couldn’t find out anything about him. He may also turn out to be a threat.”

Haoyang nodded. “I will. What should we do about Ji Yantao’s daughter? Should I just have her bring Ji Yantao instead?”

Boyong considered it for a moment before shaking his head. “No. Since she insists, I’ll meet with her.”

Haoyang bowed his head before leading Qu Boyong to where the woman was waiting.

Qu Boyong had to stop himself from raising his eyebrows in surprise. Ji Fangluo was a tall woman with a striking appearance, with her large machete and visible pregnancy being particularly noticeable. Had she come all the way to the capital without any sense of discreetness?

On second thought, it could’ve been her way of ensuring that she couldn't be silenced without someone noticing her absence. Ji Yantao wasn’t capable of cooking up such an idea, but Boyong had never met Fangluo and couldn’t ascertain her abilities yet.

“Miss Ji,” Haoyang called out. “The young lord’s returned.”

“Ji Fangluo greets the young lord,” Fangluo said coolly. “Unfortunately, my father’s fallen ill, so I’m here in his place.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Boyong replied. “Is he alright?”

“He’s still recovering, the stress and the journey both took a huge toll on his health. I can’t say when he’ll be well enough to serve you, so I’ve come in his stead,” Fangluo said.

Boyong withheld a grimace. Ji Yantao was a key witness, but Ji Fangluo had only been a child back then and didn’t have any key information. He glanced at Haoyang out of the corner of his eye, the two of them sharing an exasperated look.

The journey from Ji Yantao's hometown wasn’t particularly long or difficult, and Boyong had sent him funds for travel as well. It was clear that Ji Yantao had just gotten scared and was trying to back out. Boyong felt a surge of annoyance. If he wanted to refuse, he should’ve at least had the guts to say it himself rather than sending his pregnant daughter.

“What a surprise,” Boyong said with a hard edge to his voice. “I paid for his journey to be comfortable, if not luxurious. The same goes for the accommodation I arranged for him. How on earth did he fall ill?”

“These things happen, I have a doctor’s note if you need it,” Fangluo replied.

Boyong’s lips pulled into a tight smile, and he gave a cold chuckle.

“So he’s even gotten a doctor’s note. Is an illness enough for him to renege upon his promise? If that’s the case, then my father must not have been a good judge of character to have trusted him with our bookkeeping,” Boyong said sarcastically.

“My father has been in bad health for a while, you’re asking quite a lot of a man past half a hundred years of age. Seeing as I’ve never met him, I can’t speak to whether your father was a good judge of character, but I also recall that my father never made an explicit promise to you,” Fangluo shot back.

“So he’s abusing a loophole now?”

“You’re the one abusing his contract. His contract of employment was to your father. His loyalty was to your father as well, why should he be obliged to drag his ailing body through endless trials for your sake?” Fangluo demanded.

Boyong grit his teeth. Nothing was going smoothly tonight. From what Boyong remembered of the man, Ji Yantao wasn’t someone capable of defying an explicit order from the clan that employed him, which meant that his daughter had taken matters into her own hands. Even though he’d known her for less than an hour, he already knew it in his bones that Ji Fangluo would be difficult to handle.

“My father granted assistance to your entire family through his decision to employ your father out of the multitudes of talents who were introduced to our household. Now, I seek to avenge my father, and Ji Yantao would refuse his help? What kind of man is this that would allow his benefactor to remain condemned for a false charge of treason?” Boyong snapped.

“Allow me to ask this, young lord, but what exactly are we aiming for here? If it’s just the restoration of your status, then I doubt it would be difficult for someone like you,” Ji Fangluo said.

“I don’t care for status, what I want is to clear my family’s name,” Boyong replied. “We were falsely accused and faced the worst of punishments, but the man responsible still eats well and sleeps well, how can I stand aside and watch?”

“So you want revenge,” Fangluo said. “Respectfully, young lord, you’ve made the wrong call. If you want a life for a life, you need a hired blade, not a retired bookkeeper. What good could my father be? You make an unreasonable demand.”

Qu Boyong felt anger boiling up like acid, coursing up his chest and into his throat. He bit back his fury with immense effort, settling for coldly glaring at Ji Fangluo.

“What a preposterous thing to say, you family of ingrates!” Haoyang said angrily. Qu Boyong held out a hand to stop him.

Qu Boyong shook his head. “I won’t force you. If it’s really as much of a burden as you say, then I apologize. You’re free to go.”

Ji Fangluo gave him a curious look. “You’re serious?”

He wasn't, but Boyong nodded. “From now on, I won’t contact your family anymore. You can live in peace without worrying about this. I’m doing this for the sake of justice, and for the sake of the people who were crushed by the greed of Grand Duke Zhao. To achieve my goals, I’m willing to sacrifice anything, but I can’t ask the same of you or of anyone else. Even if I asked it, I’d have to extricate it with tooth and nail, since it’s evident that none of you are interested in such a goal.”

“And so you’re the virtuous one, and we’re the cowards, that’s the gist of it, isn’t it?” Ji Fangluo asked.

Qu Boyong clenched his jaw. The woman was like a wild dog that bit on and wouldn’t let go, and he had half a mind to silence her. An Haoyang was obviously of the same mindset. But if he could help it, Boyong didn't want to go overboard against a pregnant civilian woman.

Ji Fangluo either didn’t notice his seething or didn’t care, continuing on in a fiery tone. “Let me ask you, young lord, who’s included in your justice? Does it include the servants who were slaughtered despite only being hired hands? Does it include their bereaved families? Does it include the serving girls who were assaulted and the bastards born as a result? I’m guessing you don’t even know who they are or where to find them.”

She glared at him venomously. “Tell me this, young lord. Does your justice include my father, who lost his wife and unborn child? If you do not, then your justice is merely personal vengeance. If you do, then you would not have asked of him what you did.”

“The young lord’s already showing mercy towards your family but you’re still running your mouth, just what the hell do you want?!” An Haoyang angrily cut in.

Fangluo whirled on him. “I want him to understand! I get that you guys have had a rough time of it and that the young lord’s only barely an adult. But what you’re trying to do is going to create a lot of casualties. What happened in your household will repeat itself in the Zhao household, people will suffer regardless of their guilt or innocence. Your scrutiny shouldn’t be leveled at us but at yourself! Stop holding us to your moral standards and take a look at what you’re fighting for!”

“I know exactly what I’m doing,” Qu Boyong replied. “I’ve been working for this for the last ten years, how could I not understand?”

“It’s exactly because you’ve spent ten years on this that I’m this worried,” Fangluo shot back. “You started when you were still a child, and you’ve already put in so much effort that you can no longer get yourself to properly evaluate what you’re doing, the only thing you care about is seeing it through. Have you considered what happens if you fail? It’s fine and easy to say you’re prepared to die, or that Haoyang is willing to die alongside you. But is that really the path you want to take? What happens to the young miss? She’ll be left alone as a servant with close ties to a criminal. Rather than worrying about getting killed, the concern would be that she isn’t killed immediately.”

Boyong grit his teeth. “I know.”

“Do you? Have you looked her in the eye and told her that?” Fangluo pressed. “If you can’t bring yourself to do that, then my father isn’t the one who should be called a coward.”

Boyong found himself short of a reply and angrily turned his gaze away.

“If that’s all you have to say, you can go. Haoyang will bring you funds for your return.”

Fangluo let out a huff, placing her hands on her hips. “You’re not good at receiving criticism, young lord. I also want justice for everyone who suffered in that incident. But it’s not just about what you do, but how you do it. I came here not just to let off steam on behalf of my father, but because I needed to see for myself if you could do it properly.”

Boyong glanced at her in surprise. Fangluo’s tone had gone from fiery rage to exasperated scolding. After a moment of evaluation, Boyong understood what she was here for. As his temper cooled down, he objectively considered the woman before him. Even if she spoke harshly and was hard to deal with, her words had a point. Ji Fangluo was evidently good at considering the big picture and the detailed consequences, and she had a bold and willful personality to boot.

Boyong’s demeanor shifted and he softened his tone to speak politely. “Miss Ji, I can see now that you didn’t come unprepared. I apologize for my rudeness before, and humbly ask for your advice.”

Fangluo smiled. “To be honest, I was going to leave if I thought it was hopeless, but it seems that you’re more capable than I expected. If that’s the case, then I’m willing to help you out. When it comes to plotting and schemes, you nobles are the experts. But when it comes to dealing with the fallout and considering the implications of those plots, we commoners are the ones who know best. It all boils down to whether you’re willing to listen.”

Boyong stared at her thoughtfully for a moment. If Ji Fangluo wasn’t sincere, she wouldn’t have come all the way to the capital while heavily pregnant. Before the Zhao heir had suddenly started making waves in the capital, Boyong had a relatively clear sense of where things were heading, and what the aftermath would look like. Now, there were more chances, but also more complications.

“I’m more than willing,” Boyong said. “Miss Ji, please lend me your support.”

Fangluo lifted her chin proudly, a wide grin on her face. “Ask and you shall receive, young lord. Ji Fangluo is at your service.”

---

Qu Boyong and his two companions headed back towards Boyong’s residence, moving quietly through the streets. Ji Fangluo raised her eyebrows in surprise as she glanced around the mostly empty neighborhood.

“I remember this place, I came here with my father before,” Fangluo said softly. “It used to be such a busy area.”

“Ever since the Xiang family’s extermination, people have been leaving this place alone even though the location is great,” An Haoyang commented. “There are so few people that I don’t even have to cover my face when I come here.”

Fangluo glanced at Qu Boyong, whose face was carefully blank.

“You’re alright with living in this place?” Fangluo asked.

“Of course, this has always been my home,” Boyong replied. He opened the door to his house, revealing a simple and tidily kept residence. It was mostly bare except for the wooden furniture and a cloth curtain hanging over a small shelf. He removed the cloth curtain, revealing a small but well-kept ancestral altar.

Haoyang and Ji Fangluo both bowed slightly towards the altar to pay their respects.

“Today marks the beginning of our final struggle,” Qu Boyong said. “Haoyang and I have been working towards this day for years, and now we’ve finally gotten here. It’s time to strike a death blow against the Grand Duke and the Zhao household. As you both may know, my father General Xiang always prayed before the ancestral altar before heading out to war. Today, I’d like to do the same.”

“Of course,” Haoyang and Ji Fangluo replied. Qu Boyong quickly gathered the materials he needed before he knelt in front of the makeshift altar, An Haoyang kneeling behind him and Fangluo standing with a bowed head a little further back. Boyong lifted the three sticks of incense to brow-level before bowing three times towards the plaques before him.

“Ancestors of the Xiang family above, I, Xiang Daozong, son of General Xiang and the Princess of Chu, am here to pay my respects,” Boyong said reverently. “I humbly ask for your protection and swear to strive for the restoration of our family’s honor and the destruction of our enemies.”

He stood and approached the altar, bowing three times before placing the incense on the burner. Qu Boyong stepped back, kneeling again.

“Before the plaques of my ancestors and the retainers of the Xiang family, An Haoyang and Ji Fangluo, I make this oath.”

Qu Boyong took a small vessel of wine into his hands, filling the cup before him. Behind him, Ji Fangluo and An Haoyang bowed respectfully.

“I swear to attain justice for the Xiang family, and all those who came to harm during the downfall of our clan.”

Qu Boyong poured the wine into a small basin and refilled the cup.

“I swear to restore the honor and reputation of our family and the families of our retainers, servants, and all those who were implicated.”

Again, the wine was poured into the ground.

“I swear that from this day on, the Grand Duke of Zhao will know no peace. I will destroy his hollow glory and crush his honor, and bring the Zhao clan to its knees. No words or deeds will protect him from our wrath. No power can shelter him or offer refuge. All those culpable will be forced to bear their guilt, and we will not rest until the Grand Duke of Zhao faces ruin and humiliation, and is made to pay the ultimate price for his crimes.”

The wine was emptied onto the ground, and Qu Boyong set aside the vessel and cup.

“And this I swear to the retainers of the Xiang clan. In both my revenge and afterward, I will humbly heed their advice, and will never forget the help I have received. In my lifetime, they will be honored and rewarded, and generations of the Xiang family henceforth will never forget the loyalty that our retainers showed in our darkest moment.”

Qu Boyong bowed towards the altar again, An Haoyang and Ji Fangluo following suit. After completing the ritual, the three of them gathered at the plain wooden table in the center of the room.

Qu Boyong clasped his hands on the table, glancing between his companions. "Alright. Now, let's discuss the plan."

Ji Fangluo nodded. "I'd be grateful to hear it, young lord. But before that, there's something we should discuss first."

Qu Boyong gestured for her to go on.

Ji Fangluo continued, her voice calm and serious. "The Minister you serve, the grandson of the Grand Duke...how do we get rid of him?"

---

Cultural Notes

Suspicion, Struggle, and the Three Bonds and Five Virtues/三纲五常: One of the major social and philosophical pillars of Ancient Chinese society was the Confucian concept of Three Bonds and Five Virtues. The three bonds were that of ruler and subject, father and son, and husband and wife. Each relationship was formed of mutual obligation, as well as the respect and obedience of one party, respectively the subject, the son, and the wife. The Five Virtues are 仁义礼智信, Humaneness, Loyalty, Rites/Etiquette, Wisdom, and Trustworthiness. Long story short, the ideal of the three bonds often contrasted with reality, (mostly for the bond of ruler and subject, but sometimes also for father and son where power is involved) in which the relationships tended to be rife with suspicion and constant struggle. A subject or a son who is hungry for power or burns with ambition is viewed as a threat, while the ability and power of a ruler is constantly contested and challenged. These struggles could be overt or covert, and Kayla's currently embroiled in two struggles, one in which she sides with the ruler and the other in which she contests the patriarch of the Zhao family, which places her simultaneously on both ends of the moral spectrum. Ji Fangluo's contestation of Qu Boyong's power also counts in this category.

罚跪/Kneeling punishment: A common method of punishment in Ancient China, especially in domestic settings. This usually entails forcing someone to kneel for long periods of time, often while exposed to the elements, in public view, or with other additions to make it either a) more painful or b) more humiliating. After kneeling for long amounts of time on a hard surface, it often causes severe muscle pain, bleeding from the kneecaps, or damage to the knees/leg muscles.

钓鱼执法/Fishbaiting Law Enforcement: Essentially enticing someone to commit a crime and then punishing them for it, not so different from what many government agencies across the world do today.

墙倒众人推/When a wall falls, the crowd hurries to push it: A Chinese proverb roughly equivalent to "everyone rushes to hit a man who's down", referring to a situation where people take action against someone who faces ruin, either to gain benefit, to take revenge, or simply because they can.

Responsibility and the Imperial Family: A very interesting situation that you can often see in Ancient Chinese history is that contemporaries of an Emperor (most historians too) will push the blame for a bad decision or a mistake onto either a eunuch, a woman (usually a concubine, Empresses tend to be blamed a little less), or an official. That's why many rebellions were started in the name of "clearing the Emperor's side" of supposedly corrupt officials and evil advisors. Even if the Emperor wrongly exterminated his subordinate's family, officials will push the responsibility on the person who presented the case, rather than the Emperor for making a bad call. Nonetheless, you can pressure the Emperor into expressing regret through sufficient evidence, since even though most of the officials would still divert the blame, the populace would criticize the Emperor.

年过半百/Past half a hundred years of age: An Ancient Chinese proverb used to describe an older person, especially one who was over fifty years old. Life expectancy wasn't too long back then for commoners, so someone in their sixties would already be considered late on in their years.

诛九族/Extermination of your nine clans: Quick callback to the early chapters, the extermination of your nine clans includes the four families of the father (His father's sister's family, his sister's family, his daughter's family, his own family), three families of the mother (maternal grandparents' families, grandmother's maternal family, and mother's sister's family), as well as the two families of the wife (wife's maternal family, mother-in-law's maternal family). Servants weren't always killed or persecuted, but more often than not, they were simply massacred. Sexual assault during these acts of large-scale violence was also not unheard of. Given how large families were back then, the death toll could easily mount into the hundreds.

Role of an Advisor: Advisors were highly valued since the pre-Qin era, since they tended to be either highly educated, extremely intelligent, or more courageous than their competitors (dare to speak their mind rather than suck up to the big boss). Looking at pre-Qin historical records, it wasn't uncommon for an advisor's first meeting with their new employer to consist of a complete tongue lashing, which the employer humbly accepts, winning the advisor's loyalty and respect. Alternatively, the employer would show a great deal of respect and honor for their new advisor, which achieves the same effect. Fangluo and Boyong's interaction more-or-less follows this cultural script.

勾心斗角/Intrigue, plotting, and sabotage [for infighting only]: An Ancient Chinese proverb from 阿房宫赋, a piece of Ancient prose that laments the fates of women in the Qin Empire's 阿房宫, E Fang Palace, a luxurious palace which was believed to have been home to an enormous harem. The proverb itself refers to the twists and turns of the palace architecture but actually refers to the infighting and competition among women who were trapped in the harem. This prose was written at the height of the Tang Dynasty's glory as a gentle reminder for the ruling class not to get too arrogant or overindulge in pleasures.

祖先牌位/Ancestral Plaques: These were plaques that usually had the names of one's ancestors written on them (usually one plaque per person), which were either kept in a family shrine or on an altar. In religious ceremonies or when paying respects to one's ancestors, these were seen as embodiments of one's ancestors.

祭祖仪式/Ancestral Prayer Ceremony: This varies a lot by place, dynasty, and family tradition, but the ritual used in this chapter is a pretty standard traditional ceremony in areas of Fujian or Guangzhou. You bow, kneel, bow three times, and then you stand up and approach the altar to offer incense. After lighting the incense, you bow three times towards the shrine/altar, before placing the incense on the burner. Before or after lighting the incense, you would state who you are and who your parents are. Then, it's customary to summarize your intentions, your needs, and ask for your ancestors' blessings/protections. [The following part is region-specific: After that, you would pour out three cups of wine, which are poured into either the soil (if outside), or a basin of some sort.] Finally, you would bow three times and end the ceremony. In most cases, you would also offer fruit, food, or flowers, but this varies.