Kayla watched as Xianchun stepped closer to the throne, shooting a glare at Wenyuan in the process.

“Father, please do not be swayed by the crafty words of ignoble people,” Xianchun said earnestly. “Yue Wuxuan may have used unadvisable methods, but his heart is tied to the fate of the country and Father’s reputation!”

“Prince, please pardon my disbelief, but how on earth could this traitor be concerned for the Emperor’s reputation? His Majesty’s nobleness and virtue are known throughout the lands, and there is no threat to the Emperor’s reputation other than the blasphemous words of this ungrateful cretin,” Minister Xie said, voice tinged with mock surprise. “And when you say ignoble people, who among us does the Prince wish to admonish? All here are loyal to the Emperor’s interests, and while we dare not compare ourselves with the virtue of the Emperor or the Princes, we also cannot deny being earnest in our service.”

Kayla stared blankly at the wall, wishing she could find a bathroom to have a breakdown in. While reading the first arc, Kayla had remembered feeling sympathetic to the Prince.

Goddamnit Prince, get his crusty ass! She had cheered for him silently while scrolling through this on the bus, but now she only wanted to curse her fate and maybe scream out of a window.

“They know who I’m talking about,” Xianchun said, voice laced with spite. He shot Wenyuan a dirty look but frowned a little on seeing Kayla’s blank expression and thousand-foot stare. Xianchun turned his attention away and continued.

“Yue Wuxuan never criticized Father’s boundless virtue, nor did he speak with malice. What he criticized was the corruption of the officials who suck the blood of the nation while seeking to cover the eyes and ears of the Emperor, the men who dominate the court and crush those who dare to voice their objections with ruthless cruelty!” Xianchun shot back, gesturing with his arm. “Father, please clearly discern the motives of those who seek to kill an honest man, do not be fooled into confusing right and wrong!”

“Your Highness, your words are sincere and your concern for the Emperor commendable, reflecting your piety and consideration for the country, but does the Prince not need to discern the motives of this inscrutable man? He spouts vitriolic libel and seeks to defame those who serve the Emperor whole-heartedly, all while criticizing the Emperor as a weak-hearted fool who is easily manipulated, an accusation so vile and untrue that it invokes the anger of both humans and the gods. Prince, in your haste to protect the Emperor, is it not you who was fooled?” Minister Xie bowed his head slightly as he criticized Xianchun, who turned a steely glare on him.

“Am I a fool then?” Xianchun demanded.

“I dare not criticize the Prince,” Minister Xie replied, despite having just done so.

“If I am a fool, then it must be that even a fool can see the corruption that roots itself into the court like an invasive weed that uproots the crops. It must be that even a fool could perceive the power that Grand Duke Zhao so greedily claims, and the outright collusion between the Three Departments, and yet in a court full of the best and the brightest, no one wishes to say it out loud!” Xianchun snapped.

“Enough! I’ve heard my fill of both of you!” The Emperor shouted. Both Minister Xie and Xianchun hurriedly knelt down as the Emperor showed his anger.

“Please appease your anger, Your Majesty,” the two said in unison. Layla took a few steps backward to where Ge Renqian had retreated to. The Emperor let out a sharp sigh.

“Xianchun, it’s good to have a keen heart that worries for the country, but your concerns are excessive and unreasonably biased against my loyal vassals,” the Emperor admonished him.

Xianchun clenched his jaw in anger but kept silent.

“Prince, it seems that this old man has earned your suspicion,” the Grand Duke said, finally entering the battle that had already been won as though to whip a corpse. “I deeply lament whatever failings I have shown to worry you so, but I must plead my case if you would accuse me of disloyalty.”

The Grand Duke stepped forward, bowing to the Emperor before continuing. “Through the reign of three emperors I have served this country and the Imperial Family, as a General in my youth and as a statesman in my twilight years, and I have never held anything but reverence and absolute loyalty to the throne. If I have failed in my duties, I have no excuse. But if I have failed as a subject, then may the Heavens strike me down where I stand!”

“No need to speak like that, Grand Duke, not only have you served me well, you have assisted my father and grandfather too. Xianchun is still young and rash, and lacking in both experience and wisdom. Xianchun, apologize to the Grand Duke,” the Emperor ordered.

“Please, there’s no need for that. I am unworthy of the Prince’s apology,” Grand Duke Zhao said.

“Nonsense. If the Grand Duke is unworthy, there will not be a second man who is worthy,” the Emperor said firmly.

Xianchun bowed his head slightly towards the Grand Duke. “I apologize for my words,” he gritted out.

“Please do not worry about it, my prince,” the Grand Duke replied.

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction. “Minister Xie, I approve the verdict. Take care of it as you will. Since we have come to a decision, the court may disperse. All other items should be sent to me or presented at the next convening.” The Emperor got up and walked out of the room, everyone hastily kneeling down until he was gone. Kayla remained on the floor a bit longer before Jia Fu scuttled over. She quickly stood up rather than listen to his faked concern.

Minister Xie gave Kayla a confused frown, opening his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by an official from the Department of State Affairs.

“Left Secretariat, the Grand Duke wishes to speak with you,” the official said in a hushed tone. Kayla nodded, following him woodenly out of the hall and down a side corridor to a narrow alleyway. It was empty save for the Grand Duke, who waved away his subordinate, leaving Kayla alone with him.

She had thought it was impossible for her to become more afraid, but both her fear and Wenyuan’s managed to reach record levels.

“Zhao Wenyuan,” the Grand Duke snarled, “How dare you?”

Kayla fought the instinctive urge of Wenyuan’s body to drop to its knees and failed. Her knees hit the floor with a painful thud that she barely felt. Her breathing quickened until she was almost hyperventilating.

“Grandfather,” she said shakily, but couldn’t make out any other words. The fierce glare from the Grand Duke seemed to leave a white-hot mark on her head as he looked at Kayla like she was a piece of trash.

“You even dare to defy me now?” the Grand Duke asked in a steely voice. Her back tensed even though he wasn’t holding a whip.

“N-no, G-Grandfather,” Kayla stammered. “I-I…I-”

“Be prepared to face the consequences,” the Grand Duke said. “Return to the household and wait there.”

Kayla tried to find some kind of excuse or defense, but her body was shaking too hard to force out any words. She watched helplessly as the Grand Duke walked away. With some effort, Kayla stumbled to her feet. She had tried, but the death flag was still raised, and now she was going to face the Grand Duke’s wrath as well. It all seemed so hopeless.

Wenyuan was just as despondent, his sympathy, fear, and disappointment melting into a sickening medley inside her chest.

I’m sorry.

Don’t be, Kayla. At least you tried.

All of it was too overwhelming. She had wanted to be able to live without penny-pinching, not being saddled with all this. Against her will, tears welled up inside her eyes.

Oh my god, seriously? I promise I’m not going to cry in public, Kayla thought frantically. She wiped them away, but her eyes kept watering.

It’s alright, I wouldn’t blame you for that, Wenyuan assured her.

Kayla froze as fast-paced footsteps approached her.

Shit, what now?

“Zhao Wenyuan!” An angry voice rang out in the alleyway. Kayla let out a shuddering sigh. Of course it was the Main Character.

She bowed slightly at Xianchun as he approached, mustering every effort she could to refrain from crying.

“Prince,” she greeted him.

“Zhao Wenyuan, do you have any conscience left?! How could you go against morality to act against a loyal man like this? Not only do you sign away his life, you even target his family!” Xianchun shouted angrily. Kayla felt a pit of despair opening up in her stomach. She had tried as hard as she could have given the circumstances, but the death flag seemed to have become even stronger. Just which god was toying with her fate like this?

“This was not my decision.” The words came out before she could stop them.

Kayla froze. Xianchun froze as well before his expression became even angrier. Fear surging again, Kayla hastily bowed and made her escape.

“I have to go right now, there are urgent matters waiting. Please excuse me, Prince.”

She hurriedly rushed past Xianchun and began speed walking away, almost running in her haste to get the hell away from him. The tears that continued to well up in her eyes blurred her vision as she moved.

A strong hand harshly grabbed onto her arm and yanked it backward. Kayla yelped as she was forcibly pulled to turn around again, flinching from the painful grasp. To her extreme mortification, the tears in her eyes rolled down her face as she met the glare of the prince with a frightened gaze. Xianchun froze, looking at her with a shocked expression. Taking the chance, Kayla jerked free from his grip and fled.

She wiped her face and slowed down as she headed back towards the crowded courtyard, steeling herself for what would happen after she returned to the Grand Duke’s household.

/////////////

Xianchun watched Wenyuan’s retreating figure in shocked silence, hand still outstretched. His rage had been replaced by a sense of bewilderment.

“This was not my decision.” The despondent tone Wenyuan had spoken in seemed to ring out repeatedly in Xianchun’s mind. Wenyuan was just a puppet. A useless idiot who danced on the Grand Duke’s strings and sponged up power and resources.

Since when could a puppet cry?

Xianchun shook his head violently, but the image of Wenyuan’s teary expression remained in his mind’s eye. Clenching his fists, Xianchun let out a frustrated sigh.

//////////////

Kayla sat in anxious silence, body taut as a drawn bow as she forced herself to breathe in and breathe out slowly. After returning to her quarters, Chujiao had helped her change out of the official robes and into a more casual robe, gently showing her concern through speaking softly and keeping her touch light. Chujiao had avoided outright asking what had happened, and Kayla had no intention of saying anything. She clenched her hand around the scroll Chujiao retrieved from Kayla’s sleeve, glaring at the document that hounded after her life so intently.

The door opened, and Kayla shot to her feet, heart pounding painfully against her rib cage. The Grand Duke stepped through with a severe expression on his face. Housekeeper Wang waited outside the door, a familiar shape in his hands.

“Grandfather-”

“Kneel down.” The Grand Duke ordered. Kayla once again dropped to her knees, already beginning to tremble.

Holy shit holy shit holy shit-

The fear from last time was doubled, now that it was combined with Wenyuan’s memories and emotions. The Grand Duke held out a hand, and Wang scuttled forward to place the whip in it before leaving and closing the door behind him.

“Grandfather,” Kayla began, not caring that her voice was quivering. “I was just-”

“Wenyuan. It seems you’ve forgotten the consequences of disobedience,” the Grand Duke said, his voice calm and level despite the malice in his eyes.

“No, no wait, it’s not like that!” Kayla pleaded. The Grand Duke’s face hardened and he cracked the whip.

“This will serve as a reminder.”

Kayla cried out as the whip lashed into her face before she could react. She curled up, turning her back towards the Grand Duke and covering her head, in a position all too familiar to Wenyuan’s body. Kayla whimpered as the whip curled around her arm from where it shielded her head, uncurling so quickly that it sliced through the flesh of her arm.

Instinctively, she began counting to a hundred again, drawing her breath in with shuddering gasps. The nightmare didn’t end until she passed a hundred. Blood was dripping from the whip, leaving droplets smattered across the floor. She curled up further, frightenedly backing away as the Grand Duke dropped the whip to the floor, terrified he would just start in with his bare hands as well. Instead, the Grand Duke let out a sound of frustration.

“What is it?!” He snapped towards the door. Kayla belatedly realized someone was knocking on the door.

“Grand Duke, it’s General Yu from the Inner Palace, we couldn’t stop her!”

Kayla stiffened even more until her muscles were completely tensed. Yu Bianfu had been the one to murder Wenyuan in the novel, the fierce and strong-willed woman who had helped Xianchun come to power by paving a path of blood.

“What?! Even if she’s from the Inner Palace, she can’t just come in like this!”

The door flew open and another shadow was cast onto the floor. The Grand Duke dropped his whip. Kayla flinched as it clattered to the ground.

“General Yu, how can you barge into the Inner Quarters like this?!” He snapped.

Kayla was instantly overcome by the wave of fear and rage from Wenyuan.

That bitch! It’s her! This goddamn piece of shit-that sadistic asshole had the guts to come here! Wenyuan raged on as Kayla slowly uncurled from her position and looked up.

Half-blinded by the blood dripping from the gash on her forehead, Kayla met the eyes of Yu Bianfu.

---

Cultural notes

小人/Ignoble person: Often used in a derogatory fashion to call someone low-handed and narrow-minded, or broadly referring to someone as having bad moral character.

花言巧语: Chinese proverb that refers to using crafty words, directly translating into "Flowery words and cunning words."

天下/All under heaven/[Entirety of the] country: The concept of 天下, often known as tianxia or tenka refers to "all under the sky/all under heaven", but is usually used to refer to the sovereign territory of the country in Ancient China. Scholars often described themselves or people they admired as "心系天下", or as having their hearts tied to the country/fate of the country.

颠倒是非: Chinese proverb meaning to flip right and wrong. While proverbs and concepts are not directly used in-text, I personally find them interesting enough to share.

人神共愤: Invoking the anger of/Angering both humans and gods, a Chinese proverb used to describe a serious crime or sin.

请陛下息怒/Please appease your anger, Your Majesty: A common way to ask the Emperor to calm down in formal speech.

鞭尸/To whip a corpse: Referring to continuing an attack/aggression of some form after the other side has already lost, similar to overkill. Ther term from the historical punishment of digging up and whipping someone's corpse if they were found guilty after their death. Similar punishments include beheading a corpse or otherwise damaging someone's corpse and tomb.

三朝老臣: An old vassal who has served three courts, aka. a vassal who has continued his service throughout the reigns of three emperors, generally seen as a respectable accomplishment.

承受不起: A term meaning to be incapable of withstanding the weight, usually used to show humbleness when faced with gratitude, praise, or an apology.