Back in the Zhao household, Hu Qing sprawled over Kayla’s couch as though he owned the place, eating snacks that Kayla had asked him to buy off a plate that had been used as a decoration until about ten minutes ago. He had yet to report on the situation with Qu Boyong, waiting for Kayla to finish her current task first.

Kayla mostly ignored him as she read through the candidate profiles for the Ministry of Justice, silently figuring out legitimate reasons to reject everyone but Sun Ruhui for the position of Left Secretariat of Justice. She had decided that she didn’t really mind Hu Qing’s antics, it reminded her of living in a dorm again, one of the few periods in her life she hadn’t felt suffocated or isolated. The only thing bothering her was that Hu Qing kept humming fragments of different songs in quick succession.

“Could you stick to one song?” Kayla asked.

“Oh, you noticed,” Hu Qing said with a grin. “I was wondering how long it would take you to realize, but you caught on pretty fast.”

Kayla shook her head in exasperation, resigned to letting Hu Qing amuse himself at her expense. “I’m basically done with these for now, tell me about how it went with Qu Boyong.”

Hu Qing shifted into a more formal posture, removing his leg from where it draped over the armrest. “Alright, prepare to be amazed. You’d be surprised at how much I managed to squeeze out of him, an annoying man can get far more information out of someone than an intimidating man could ever hope for,” Hu Qing said smugly.

“I’d bet,” Kayla replied drily. She suspected Hu Qing’s demeanor was constructed in part to anger people into giving themselves away, and in part because he genuinely thrived off of drama and chaos.

Hu Qing gestured with a flourish in the vague direction of the abandoned Xiang household.

“He lives ridiculously close to your house, did you know that? Almost creepily close, I'd almost think he was obsessed with the Zhao clan. He lives alone in the abandoned area near the former Xiang household, and he has a pretty big house. I thought it was strange he would choose to live in this kind of neighborhood, he doesn’t have parents or a wife, wouldn’t it be much better for him to live in a smaller house in a better neighborhood? Especially with that backstory he gave you, if he wants to restore his clan’s honor or whatever, he needs connections. Where the hell is he going to get connections like this? He doesn’t have friends among his coworkers, he doesn’t have neighbors, he doesn’t even visit the entertainment districts.”

“Huh,” Kayla muttered. I wonder if it’s because of the scheduling issues? But still, he’s been living in that neighborhood even before he became my employee, he said as much himself.

Hu Qing belatedly realized the part about entertainment districts applied to Kayla as well but blithely pushed it aside.

“He doesn’t need such a large house for himself, so there must be other people who come by often. But who? I noticed signs of other people crossing the rooftops in his area, someone who usually takes the same route and is skilled enough not to leave scuff marks or break any roof tiles. From the way the dirt is settled unevenly, I’d say it’s probably a man or an unusually tall and heavy woman.”

Kayla’s frown deepened at that, her mind flashing to the internal investigation at the Imperial Investigator’s Bureau. “Could you tell if it’s someone in your trade or an Imperial Investigator?”

Hu Qing shrugged. “Imperial Investigators are trained to move in a way that minimizes any potential disturbances or property damage, but they’re strictly prohibited from moonlighting, so it's not that likely. Then again, there aren’t that many people in my trade who are that skilled, or at least, there aren’t that many who aren’t already dead or in jail. It’s hard to say, I really can't tell.”

Fair enough, this isn’t CSI. Kayla nodded for Hu Qing to continue.

Hu Qing slumped back into his lazy sprawl, having given up on maintaining a semi-proper posture within minutes. “Also, when I gave him the letter, he said a few interesting things. He said that he didn’t spread the rumors for money, but because he had to. And what does that mean? It means he’s got a plot of his own! Not great news for you, but definitely very interesting. And he kept going on about the Zhao family being a sinking ship, which, I mean, we all know that this clan’s going to go down soon. No offense, Minister.”

“None taken,” Kayla said drily. “I’m the one who’s literally getting paid to ensure its downfall.”

Hu Qing leaned forward with a delighted grin. “And there’s the problem–Qu Boyong seems quite certain that you’d also be going down with the Zhao clan, even though that doesn’t make sense. Sure, the Empress Dowager might be fine throwing you around like a piece of dried fish, but as long as you somehow manage to survive to remove the Grand Duke from power, you’re certain to end up in a comfortable position. These rumors flying around also aren’t enough to ruin you, they’re not even enough to prevent your marriage. So why was he so sure? Does he know something, or is he planning something? I’d say it’s the latter, his eyes had the look of a hungry man to them, he’s not just going with the flow here.”

Kayla’s eyes narrowed as she took in the implications of that. “Interesting.”

Hu Qing’s way more observant than I’d thought at first, she noted to herself. But more importantly, what the fuck is up with Qu Boyong? Given how skilled he is, I might really be in trouble if he’s got something up his sleeve.

“But here’s some good news, your understanding of him is way better than his understanding of you. Remember when you were first recruiting me and I broke into your house to vent?” Hu Qing asked.

“I’d prefer you didn’t implicate yourself for a crime so soon after joining my staff,” Kayla shot back. “Can’t you just call it a visit instead of breaking and entering?”

“Whatever, the details don’t matter. You said that Qu Boyong was prideful in a way that you couldn’t quite put your finger on, you were completely right about that. He doesn’t mind blackmailing people or spreading rumors, but he dislikes it when people forget their place and fail to show proper respect–other people, mind you, he doesn’t consider himself subject to that, he manages to think of himself as righteous no matter what he does. I’d bet that he’s from a noble family, it would be the most reasonable explanation for his hypocrisy,” Hu Qing said.

“A fallen noble family? That’s also a possibility,” Kayla thought back to the many families whose demise the Grand Duke had been involved in and felt an uncomfortable tingle at the base of her skull.

“If he’s trying to clear the name of a noble family who was falsely accused, to restore his own household, he’ll have to get rid of the ones standing in the way first. Looking at it all together, isn’t it very likely that he’s targeting the Zhao clan?” Hu Qing suggested.

“That’s a bit of a leap,” Kayla said weakly, despite realizing that it seemed to be the likeliest scenario. The house in a ghost neighborhood right next to the Zhao household, the potential noble lineage, and now the rumors, all of it seemed to be directed against the Zhao clan.

“It may seem like that to you since your work actually requires evidence. But in my line of work, you have to be able to put together someone’s intentions from the bare minimum amount of clues and act before they do. Qu Boyong’s situation is raising every possible alarm, he’s not even being subtle anymore,” Hu Qing said sympathetically. “I’m surprised the Imperial Investigators didn’t figure that out about him.”

Kayla covered her face with her hands, letting out another sigh.

So it’s revenge, isn’t it? It seems that the Grand Duke’s sins condemn me once again.

Whether it was Xianchun, Qu Boyong, or anyone else, the changes Kayla had made still weren’t enough to draw a clear line between herself and the Grand Duke. A sense of despair began to curdle in her stomach.

What am I even doing? No matter how much effort I make, everything is over for me once the Grand Duke is destroyed. They’re all happy to benefit from my fight with the Grand Duke, but even if I win, will I be spared?

It was a suspicion that had been nagging at her for a long time, but Kayla felt increasingly certain that she was really just a chess piece for the palace, one that would be disposed of once it was no longer useful. None of the princes would risk themselves to help her either, they’d gain no benefit by doing so.

“Minister,” Hu Qing called out to her. Kayla jolted to attention.

“Apologies, I was just…ruminating on the situation,” Kayla said stiffly.

Hu Qing frowned at the look on Kayla’s face. “Do you want me to just go and off Qu Boyong after all? I wouldn’t mind doing it, but I might need some backup.”

Kayla hastily shook her head before she could properly think it through, but Hu Qing only smiled in amusement at the reaction.

“Well, cheer up a little, Minister. That guy doesn’t seem to have too good a grasp on your character, he was probably too busy plotting revenge,” Hu Qing said easily.

“That doesn’t exactly bode well, do you know how much information he could’ve collected at my side?” Kayla said, grimacing in frustration. Qu Boyong was extremely clever, just like all her other opponents. Just how much more complicated could the battlefield get? She already had her hands full with everything going on.

“Come on now, Minister. Despite everything, the heavens favor you. The look of despair better suits a lesser man,” Hu Qing scoffed. “They say that to know yourself and know your enemy is the fundamental secret to winning a battle, and you’ve already won in that regard. And no matter what, you’re a Minister of the court while Qu Boyong’s just a servant who’s betrayed his master. If it’s an assassination you’re worried about, you’re paying me to worry about that. If you suspect him of some plot or conspiracy, then can he really best you in a battle of wits?”

Kayla paused for a moment, considering Hu Qing’s words.

“You have a point,” Kayla said. “Rather than worrying about Qu Boyong, there are more important matters at hand. I’m visiting the entertainment districts tomorrow night, could you arrange that for me?”

Hu Qing blinked in surprise at the sudden swerve in direction but accepted the order without question.

“Also, see what you can find out about Qu Boyong. Let’s just assume for now that he’s from a fallen noble house whose demise has to do with the Zhao clan, it should narrow things down a bit. Admittedly, it wouldn't narrow it down by much, but still,” Kayla said. “If he’s confident enough to act against me so boldly, he must have some resources at disposal. I doubt he’s just from a nameless clan, so let's proceed with that in mind.”

Hu Qing nodded, looking abnormally excited at the idea of digging up dirt on the other man. Looking at the malicious glee on Hu Qing’s face with exasperation, Kayla could feel the leaden weight of immobility lifting from her body as she turned back to her work.

---

The following day, Kayla was swamped with work. The sun was beginning to set when Kayla finally took a break. She’d been working in the early morning, finally back in her office in the Court of Judicial Review. Kayla had closed her office door to block out her distracting subordinates, who had been incessantly craning their necks to stare at her while whispering amongst themselves about the rumors.

Holding herself back from actively snapping at them, Kayla had politely and firmly told her staff to either focus on their work rather than whatever it was that evidently held their rapt attention, or take an unpaid holiday to get it out of their system. That had the effect of dropping the entire floor into complete silence but didn't make the atmosphere any less stifling.

Kayla rolled her shoulders, wincing as her bones made a crackling noise. Chen Caichun had been tasked with drafting the letter to the Sixth Princess about Captain Jiang Jing in Kayla’s stead, given the young woman’s talents with the written word, and Kayla had no doubts that it would have the desired effect once received by the Sixth Princess.

The personnel list for the Ministry of Justice had also been finalized and would be forwarded to the Ministry of Personnel by the Imperial Investigator’s Bureau. It had taken almost the entire night and left Kayla with only two hours to sleep, but it was worth it. The final arrangements would more or less give Kayla control over the Ministry of Justice.

If all went well, Sun Ruhui would become the new Left Secretariat, and three of the four Directors of the Bureaus within the Ministry of Justice would be officials directly promoted from the provinces. It would have taken them years of tireless effort to get into those positions without Kayla’s help, so they would owe her from the very onset. And with limited connections in the capital, they could only rely on Kayla from hereon. The same applied to most of the other replacements Kayla had decided on. She would effectively be the patron of a good chunk of the Ministry of Justice, wrenching hold of the Ministry from Xianchun into her own hands.

Kayla was a little worried about insulting Xianchun, but it wasn’t as though she could win him over to begin with. Rather than hold back at her own expense, it made much more sense to simply increase her own power and deal with him on equal footing. If he confronted her, she would simply shift the blame to the Empress Dowager.

I need to be in a strong position to save myself if the Empress Dowager can’t help me. But to actually be able to hold my own against the rest of the court, I need to gain control over the neutral faction.

Kayla frowned as she glanced at the list of names on her desk. As of now, she was only a figurehead for the neutral faction. Most of her subordinates had few foundations in court or the capital and lacked the connections needed to actually make things happen. The members of the neutral faction who had those connections didn’t answer to her, and Kayla knew that they viewed her in a rather negative light.

Given how traditional they are, the rumors probably don’t help. Even if I take Caichun’s advice and go to the entertainment quarters, that wouldn’t appease them in the slightest.

That didn’t mean she wouldn’t go, not after having announced it to the Imperial Investigators. It only made her life a little more difficult, and Kayla already felt woefully unprepared for her meeting with Minister Hu Weizhi later in the evening. At least the man had readily agreed to meet with only a day’s notice, showing that he still held Kayla in some regard, even if it were out of respect for the throne’s wishes to make her the neutral faction’s figurehead.

A secretary knocked on the office door, entering to deliver a note.

“Excuse me, Minister. A letter from Minister Hu,” the secretary bowed quickly before stepping outside the office to wait for Kayla’s letter of reply.

It was only a politely worded notice that he wanted to change their meeting location from a private room in a restaurant to a more secluded teahouse, but Kayla was immediately put on edge by it.

Why did he suddenly change the location? The restaurant had security and privacy measures that Hu Qing had been sent to ensure, but the teahouse would be out of her hands.

It looks like our discussion will have an audience after all. Kayla pushed down a twinge of irritation and wrote a letter of acceptance, handing it off to the secretary.

The rest of the evening flew past while Kayla was bogged down in paperwork, completing the final touches that would allow the Court of Judicial Review to start actively launching investigations and interfering with whatever case they wanted to. Chen Caichun had to actively herd Kayla out of the office to make it in time for the meeting.

The teahouse was located a good distance away from the government buildings, in a quiet corner of the city. Hu Qing had already arrived at the teahouse and came to greet her at the entrance.

“Hu Qing, what’s the situation?” Kayla asked in a quiet voice.

“First of all, Minister Hu is a bastard! I was hitting it off with the restaurant manager when he just had to go and change the location-” Hu Qing began to launch into a rant, and Kayla hastily stopped him.

“We can go there another time, focus on the situation here,” Kayla urged him. Hu Qing smiled, looking appeased.

“Well, they’re trying to act like there aren’t any customers, but several of the traditionalists entered in what they must have thought was a discreet manner. They really weren’t, but it’s cute that they tried,” Hu Qing replied. “Guess your conversation won’t be so private after all.”

“Damn it,” Kayla groaned. “Well, at least it spares me the trouble of tracking them down one by one.”

“Are you good at giving speeches, Minister?” Hu Qing asked.

“No, I wish,” Kayla sighed.

Hu Qing heaved a sigh in return, giving Kayla a look that dripped with pity and amusement. Ignoring him, Kayla entered the teahouse. A server guided Kayla to the private meeting room. She did not miss the fact that it was sandwiched by two larger rooms and that the walls were very thin.

“This junior greets Minister Hu,” Kayla said politely as she entered the room.

“Minister Zhao, it is excellent to see you again,” Hu Weizhi replied blandly, not looking pleased to be here. He was a plain-looking man, with creases on his forehead from constantly wearing a disapproving frown. From what Kayla had heard from Consort Zhao, Hu Weizhi’s daughter had inherited her father’s looks and predisposition for frowning, part of the reason why she remained unfavored in the harem.

“Thank you for joining me here tonight, Minister Hu. I’m honored by your presence,” Kayla said.

“Not at all, I must thank you for inviting me. But from what I’ve heard, Minister Zhao is not in the habit of entertaining guests or senior officials except in private settings, to what do I owe the honor of your invitation?” Hu Weizhi asked. Kayla ignored the jab at the rumors surrounding Wenyuan and offered a pleasant smile.

“I apologize for my negligence in failing to show the appropriate respect to a senior official such as yourself, Minister Hu. It is my hope to remedy my previous failings towards you and the other more experienced officials of the court. This junior is inexperienced and fraught with the stupidity of youth, and would humbly seek your advice in going forward,” Kayla replied, offering a roundabout apology for having usurped his de facto position as the leader of the neutral officials in court.

“How dare someone like me offer advice to an esteemed personage such as yourself? Minister Zhao is the shining star of the court, having the Emperor’s favor and the palace’s support. Someone such as myself could only hope to avoid causing you trouble by standing to the side,” Hu Weizhi coldly rebuffed her.

Kayla slowly took in a deep breath, hoping that her smile didn’t look too strained.

“Please, Minister Hu, your words are much too kind. I have only gotten so far thanks to the benevolence of His Majesty the Emperor, where would I be without the experience and wisdom of officials such as yourself?” Kayla asked, throwing the Emperor at him without hesitation. Wenyuan had only become a fourth-rank official so quickly due to nepotism, and Kayla had only become a third-rank official because the political situation required it. There was no point in denying how she’d gotten where she was.

“His Majesty the Emperor is infinite in his grace and benevolence, but the kindness of such a ruler may be twisted by self-serving men. As someone whose judgment can’t compare to the Emperor, I don’t dare to carelessly agree,” Hu Weizhi shot back.

So he's definitely going to be a problem, Kayla held back a groan. She had expected that the traditionalists wouldn’t be pleased with Wenyuan’s upwards trajectory in court, but she had hoped they would be satisfied so long as the neutral faction was also ascendant.

It seems like I was too optimistic.

“That’s exactly why we need a steadfast bulwark such as yourself, Minister Hu. We are all loyal to His Majesty the Emperor, surely we should strive to work together in this regard,” Kayla said.

Hu Weizhi scoffed, openly laughing in Kayla’s face. “And this coming from someone who not only dishonors himself but also the reputation of his Emperor, who has shown ceaseless care and support for him?”

Kayla’s polite smile completely faded. “Forgive me for my lack of comprehension, but what exactly does Minister Hu refer to?”

Hu Weizhi shook his head, giving a characteristic frown. “The sordid details of your private affairs have swept through the entire city by now, if it’s truly experience and advice that you seek from me, then let me say this. It would be better for you to step down yourself than to force the Emperor to remove you from your position, it’s only a matter of time, and you’d do well to spare yourself and the Emperor the humiliation.”

Kayla carefully kept her face blank. “Those are only rumors and falsehoods, what have I to be concerned about? Minister, surely a man as clever as yourself wouldn’t be fooled by them so easily.”

“Only rumors? An empty cave invites the wind, even the most outrageous rumors are based on the truth,” Hu Weizhi replied. “The Emperor has placed his faith in you to head the neutral faction, but your tattered reputation reflects poorly on all of us. If you had any self-awareness or shame, you would step down rather than continue to disgrace us.”

“Those rumors will dissipate soon,” Kayla cut in before Hu Weizhi could launch into a lecture. “I understand your concerns, Minister, but there is no need to fear. Fire without kindling cannot burn for long. Just as quickly as the rumors have begun, they will die down, I can assure you of this.” She couldn’t, but she wasn't going to admit that.

“That’s excellent to hear,” Hu Weizhi said, not at all sounding pleased. “But if Minister Zhao believes that enough to gain my approval as the head of the neutral faction, I must disappoint you.”

Kayla resumed her polite smile. So he wants a deal, at least we’re getting somewhere. Does he want a seat in the Ministry of Justice for someone in his family?

“Of course not, Minister Hu. I’ll be relying heavily on your support and advice, it would be uncouth of me to be reticent in my gratitude,” Kayla replied smoothly.

Hu Weizhi’s frown deepened even further. “You misunderstand me, Minister Zhao. I speak of your fundamental unsuitability.”

Kayla had to physically strain to keep her smile on. “I must plead my ignorance, Minister. Would you care to enlighten this foolish one?”

“The neutral faction has long followed the Emperor’s will and held ourselves to the morals of our forbearers. Of all virtues, filial piety is first. Minister Zhao may have succeeded in terms of loyalty, but you have turned your back on your forefathers, or so they say,” Hu Weizhi said.

Kayla gritted her teeth. In the end, it’s still about vying for leadership. He had no intention of accepting from the start, did he? Damn it, if I can’t bring him to heel, I’ll have to deal with all of the others one by one! If he disagrees, everyone else listening in right now will probably refuse, and where does that leave me?

Minister Hu comes from a family of Hanlin Academy scholars specializing in Confucianism, Wenyuan warned her. He had become even moodier and prone to silence after visiting the Imperial Princess’ villa, to the point where Kayla had worried if his soul was finally beginning to be absorbed by her own. Kayla blinked in surprise at his sudden vocalness but gratefully accepted his information with no small modicum of relief.

That's good to know, I'll keep that in mind, she thanked him.

He’ll definitely have a lot of arguments in his armory, wouldn’t it be better to back down for now and come back more prepared? We’re setting ourselves up for a tongue-lashing, Wenyuan pointed out. Kayla agreed with his observation, but she had no choice but the push forward when the core members of the traditionalist faction were probably listening in, eager for drama.

As tempting as that is, I can’t, not right now. If you cannot force through in one strike, you’ll lose strength with the second blow. This must be about either ideology or benefits, I just have to figure out which one it is. If it’s ideology, then it might be a bit difficult if he really thinks this way. But if it’s about what benefits he can get, then we can just strike a deal. I’m from a late-stage capitalist society, people from my era are uniquely suited for making political deals for personal gain.

“Then what do the traditionalists believe would be a suitable course of action?” Kayla asked.

“It has been said that if a father steals a sheep, it would be suitable for a son to cover the father’s crime. For a father to cover for a son and a son to cover for a father, justice lies therein,” Hu Weizhi said. “I have also heard that even for Emperor Shun of ancient ages, if his father were to commit a crime, he would take his father and flee the country, abandoning his power and prestige as an emperor. Minister Zhao, you are young and have a strong sense of justice, but it is unsuitable to wholly forget the basic tenets of humanity. Rather than strike at your own grandfather, it would have been more suitable to retreat into seclusion.”

“You raise some good examples, Minister Hu. I am reluctant to directly counter the words of great men. But if I recall correctly, Confucius’ original words were that if the country were righteous and principled, one should seek to serve the country, and if the country was not righteous and principled, then one should live in seclusion. Do you mean to say that our current Emperor rules over a country that is neither righteous nor principled? I should remind you that Confucius also said that to be poor in a righteous country is shameful, just as it is shameful to be rich and powerful in an unprincipled country,” Kayla retorted.

Hu Weizhi grimaced. “That and this are two separate issues, Confucius stated that to achieve peace and prosperity in a country, one must first properly unite and govern one’s family-your situation lies on this level, and not on the level of the country. To be led by a man known for his unfilial behavior would tarnish the reputations of the literati, both in this generation and for generations to come.”

“I see that you are a man who values your reputation, Minister Hu. But where you may succeed, you only do so through inaction. You hold power, but you would rather use it to protect yourself rather than protect your ruler and your people, how can that possibly be a virtue? You hold knowledge, but you only use it to criticize without creating change, how can that be wisdom? The future generations will not thank you for the blood on your hands,” Kayla argued. The neutral faction in the original timeline had been more or less inactive throughout, and Kayla was beginning to see why after speaking with Hu Weizhi.

“It may be true that Emperor Shun would’ve chosen to abandon his country rather than his father, but perhaps that is because he is a ruler. A single murder would not shake the foundations of the country, but if Emperor Shun violates his own laws or condemns his own father, it would be a bad example for his people. The best thing he could do for both country and family is to run and preserve both the sanctity of the law and the morals of filial piety. And indeed, justice may lie within the duty of fathers and sons to cover for each other, but that is for the common people, where the reach of the law is superseded by the reach of morals,” Kayla ranted on.

She had no idea if the classic scholars would agree with her interpretation, nor did she care. “Stealing a sheep is not a crime that will rot the foundations of the dynasty, but corruption is. Not to mention, unlike Emperor Shun or the people Confucius spoke of, we are officials. We hold an in-between position that demands we serve both our ruler and his people-whatever their needs, we are obliged to sacrifice as it demands. Whether that requires turning against one’s kin or allowing one’s reputation to come to ruin, we must subordinate ourselves to our duty. I have chosen to prioritize the country’s needs over my own reputation. Minister Hu, what will you choose?”

She was all but accusing Hu Weizhi of caring more about his personal reputation than the country now, and he bristled angrily.

“You are resorting to sophistry,” Hu Weizhi protested. “Confucius never specified that he was referring to commoners, nor was that the reason for his emphasis. Even crows know to feed their aging parents, and lambs know to kneel when drinking their mother’s milk. They say that for a man to abandon filial piety is worse than a bird or beast. Officials uphold the law, but also the morals of society. If the upper column is crooked, so too becomes the lower pillars. Our country may require significant political reform, but does that hinge on your participation alone? You may choose to value personal achievements over virtue, but it is unseemly for you to justify your actions using such twisted reasoning.”

Kayla hesitated for a moment. It was true that she had only started on this path to please the Emperor and Empress Dowager to preserve her life, and that was still her primary motivation. But there had never been a neutral faction in the original novel, and it hadn’t existed for good reason.

The entire playing field is different now, and it's because the Emperor and Empress Dowager have a suitable piece to use. Does he really think any of this would be possible if Wenyuan had died?

He might really think that way. He's rather stubborn, but also thinks very highly of himself, Wenyuan warned her. He probably thinks this chance would have appeared regardless of your involvement, and that he was only passed over for leadership because of Uncle's favoritism.

What a troublesome man. But if that's his problem with me, then that makes my job a lot easier, doesn't it? Here I was worried that the Empress Dowager would push me to my death sooner or later, but if I can use the neutral faction as a shield, then she'll also have to think twice about how she uses this chess piece.

Kayla gave Hu Weizhi a smile, baring her teeth in a mockery of politeness. “I must disagree, Minister. The future of the court does in fact hinge on my participation, haven't you noticed?”

---

Cultural Notes

[Quite a few quotes from Confucian texts in this chapter, the explanations and full translations are given below. For how highly-educated scholars would argue, I referenced the 盐铁论/Discourses on Salt and Iron, a transcription of the very long debate on state policy held in the court of the Han Dynasty, and combined that with how some teachers and family elders would throw in quotes and proverbs while lecturing me, since Hu Weizhi is a generation older than Kayla/Wenyuan.]

Symbolic Debt/欠人情: A similar concept to owing someone a favor, except that symbolic debt is directly tied to one's reputation and social currency in Ancient China.

知己知彼，百战百胜/Know thyself and know thy enemy, and with a hundred battles fought there will be a hundred battles won: A famous quote from Ancient Chinese tactician and military genius Sun Tzu's Art of War.

晚辈/Junior: Seniority and respect for elders has a lot of cultural importance in China, and it was common in Ancient China to show deference/respect by emphasizing your relative juniority to their experience.

刚正不阿/Upright and outspoken: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning that someone is upright and has a strong sense of justice.

实不敢恭维/I don't dare to offer praise: A derogatory Chinese phrase that approximately means "There's nothing here that I can praise without violating my moral integrity", aka "you suck so much there's nothing good for me to say", but worded in a relatively polite way.

空穴来风/Empty caves attract the wind: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning that if someone gossips about you/speaks ill about you, it's often not without reason.

百善孝为先/Of all virtues, filial piety is first: An Ancient Chinese proverb emphasizing the importance of filial piety.

尽忠不尽孝/Loyal enough but not filial enough: Again, the Ancient Chinese conundrum of loyalty vs. filial piety, where your enemies will criticize you no matter which side you prioritize, since both were considered fundamental virtues necessary for an official.

一鼓作气再而衰/If you cannot force through in one strike, you’ll lose strength with the second blow: A quote from 曹刿论战/Cao Kui Discusses War, a historical record from pre-Qin China. It follows the cultural template of a wise ruler who subjects himself to the criticism and questioning of a talented subject, despite the subject being a powerless commoner, and gains the advantage over his enemy by following the subject's advice. Cao Kui Discusses War is set during the Spring and Autumn period of pre-Qin China, when the Kingdom of Qi attacked the Kingdom of Lu. Despite not being an official, Cao Kui petitions the ruler of Lu and guides the ruler to victory against the Qi army, successfully repelling the invasion. It's also the source of many of my favorite quotes, including 其乡人曰：“肉食者谋之，又何间焉？”刿曰：“肉食者鄙，未能远谋。”/[Cao Kui's] Neighbors asked him, "The officials are dealing with it, why are you interfering?" To which Cao Kui replied: "The officials are foolish and cowardly, they are too short-sighted [to succeed]."

权钱交易/Exchange of power and money: A modern Chinese phrase used exclusively to describe the ways in which modern political institutions make corrupt deals through increasingly sophisticated measures.

叶公语孔子曰：“吾党有直躬者，其父攘羊，而子证之。”孔子曰：“吾党之直者异于是，父为子隐，子为父隐，直在其中矣。”: A quote from The Analects, a Confucian classic, translation is as follows [Duke Yeh says to Confucius, "My faction has extremely righteous men, the father steals a sheep, and his son testified against him." Confucius replies: "My faction's righteousness differs from your understanding of righteousness, the father covers for the son, and the son covers for the father, justice lies there within."] This quote has been interpreted in many ways, but it is generally agreed that it prioritizes filial piety, and points to non-legally coercive measures of unofficial surveillance and enforcement of moral codes, within a familial setting. Similar to how accessible primary care reduces the need for emergency room visits, etc.

舜/Emperor Shun: A wise ruler of ancient-ancient China, as in before even the Zhou Dynasty of pre-Qin China.

桃应问曰：“舜为天子，皋陶为士，瞽瞍杀人，则如之何？”孟子曰：“执之而已矣。”: A quote from Mencius, the translation is as follows: [Tao Ying asks: "Say that while Shun was the Emperor, his father killed a man, what would be done?" Mencius replies: "His father would be arrested." Tao Ying: "Would Emperor Shun not stop him from being arrested?" Mencius replies: "How would he stop them? He is the Emperor of the country, he has to accept its laws." Tao Ying asks: "Then what should Emperor Shun do?" Mencius replies: "He would abandon the throne as though it were a worn-out shoe. He would secretly run away while carrying his father on his back, going down along the coastline, and live happily while forgetting his former power and glory.”] This quote is often used to describe/discuss the dilemma of filial piety vs. legal/social obligations and norms.

天下有道则见，无道则隐。邦有道，贫且贱焉，耻也；邦无道，富且贵焉，耻也: A quote from The Analects, by Confucius. The translation is as follows: "If the country were righteous and principled, one should seek to serve the country, and if the country was not righteous and principled, then one should live in seclusion. If the country is righteous, but you are lowly and poor, it is shameful. If the country is not righteous, but you are rich and powerful, it is shameful."] This quote is generally understood as applying specifically to the social class who can serve as officials, not the entire population.

袖手旁观/Watch from aside with your hands in your sleeves: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to stand aside and do nothing.

坐而论道/Sit and discuss principles: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to sit and talk without actually doing anything.

古之欲明明德于天下者，先治其国；欲治其国者，先齐其家: A quote from the Confucian classic, Daxue. The translation is as follows: [In ancient times, those who wished to benefit all under heavens would first rule their own country properly. Those who wish to rule their own countries properly should first unite and govern one's family.] This quote is from pre-Qin China when what we now know as modern China was composed of multiple smaller kingdoms that split from the Zhou Dynasty, hence the differentiation between "your own country" and "all under heaven", the latter of which was later used to refer to the whole country.

乌鸦反哺，羔羊跪乳/Crows feed their elderly, lambs kneel to drink milk: Ancient Chinese proverbs used to show that even animals know filial piety (kneeling as a sign of respect and gratitude), which makes an unfilial person even more unforgiveable.

无父无君，是禽兽也/A man who is without father or lord is worse than a bird or beast: A quote from Mencius, emphasizing the importance of loyalty and filial piety.

上梁不正下梁歪/If the upper column is not properly placed, the lower pillars will be crooked: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning that if there's a problem with the leader, there will definitely be a problem with the subordinates, aka. lead by example philosophy.