Kayla stumbled to her feet and sat down again rigidly, looking at the Dowager with badly concealed fear.

“Wenyuan, General Yu is Xianchun’s person, so whatever she did, it is probably on Xianchun’s behalf,” the Dowager said. “I have to restore her position, or Xianchun will be at too much of a disadvantage against the Grand Duke, and also against his brothers.”

“Grandmother,” Kayla said, feeling genuinely shocked at this. “You’re supporting Xianchun?”

“The key to ruling a country is keeping the forces balanced,” the Dowager replied. “I’m supporting all the capable princes, and also none of them. How else will we know who deserves the seat of Crown Prince?”

Something clicked inside Kayla’s head. She had thought it was just the author’s writing choices in having Xianchun successfully defeat the Grand Duke so quickly, and successfully rise to be a politically powerful prince on par with the Third and Fifth Princes. It had all seemed like plot armor, but looking at it now…it was probably the behind-the-scenes support of the Empress Dowager. Who else had the power to make a prince with no political support into a force to be reckoned with in such a short time?

“Grandmother wants to ensure the next emperor is the best of the three,” Kayla murmured. “I didn’t even realize…everything is already under your grasp.”

“I knew you would understand quickly, given how clever you are. Whoever becomes the next Emperor will decide the fate of the country over the next few decades. All capable princes must compete, regardless of their backgrounds. It is their responsibility to do so,” the Empress Dowager said. She turned to Kayla with a smile.

“I know General Yu wronged you,” the Dowager said, gently patting Kayla’s hand. “But you understand the importance of this?” Kayla nodded mechanically. Just what kind of behemoth had she poked at in her clumsy plan?

“But Wenyuan, I won’t allow her to harm you. Xianchun neither. None of the princes may harm you, or I will personally crush their aspirations for the throne,” the Dowager assured Kayla gently. “I had pushed my son to the throne, as none of his brothers would have allowed him to live had they won. But I’ve spared their lives. For this alone, the Emperor’s ascension was worth it, even if he’s hardly the most competent man to grace the position.”

The Dowager’s voice took on an edge of determination as she continued. “This time, it’ll be different. While both the Emperor and I are still able to keep things under control, the heir must be decided so that his brothers may be allowed to live. If we begin the struggle for the throne too late, how can I ensure that my family remains protected? Of course, that also includes you, my dear child.”

Kayla’s eyes widened. That was why the Empress Dowager kept opposing Xianchun! She must’ve realized he killed Wenyuan!

“Grandmother, I don’t deserve such kindness,” she replied in shock. “I was foolish to use such underhanded methods, I-”

“Wenyuan, I never told you any of this before because you’ve always been a sensitive child. You hated conflicts and difficult things, and I was more than happy to protect you and take care of you at my side,” the Dowager said. She continued to pat Kayla’s hand fondly. “I furiously opposed your appointment to the Left Secretariat of Justice, because you would surely become a puppet who would be mercilessly battered in any political conflicts to come. But my son easily agreed to it, and there was only so much I could do. After all, the Inner Palace cannot interfere with the court, at least not so openly.”

The Dowager smiled again, and this time it didn’t set off so many alarm bells. “But now things are different. Wenyuan, I was angry last time, but not a single bit of that anger was directed at you. I was furious that I never noticed how much pain you were in until you had to put yourself in such a situation, and also furious that Xianchun had pushed you to that point.”

Kayla lowered her eyes, avoiding the Dowager’s gaze.

“But I was also deeply pleased, and I felt immense relief that you had finally stood on your own feet.” The Dowager’s voice was practically glowing with warmth.

“Wenyuan, I always had high hopes for you, and now they are beginning to be realized. I’ll fully support you, so act without reservation,” the Dowager said. “When I saw how you carried out your plan, I realized how much you’d grown without my realizing. Even if it’s hardly something I would choose to do myself, you were right to implicate General Yu before me in that manner, rather than give Xianchun the upper hand in how to use that information.”

Kayla hadn’t actually done that to avoid getting blackmailed, but she wasn’t about to object to what the Dowager said.

“Grandmother, I shouldn’t have used our relationship to do that,” Kayla said, genuinely feeling bad about it. “It’s true I was desperate, both in terms of facing grandfather and my cousin, but that’s not an excuse. I’m truly sorry.”

“No, Wenyuan.” The Dowager shook her head with a smile. “To the contrary, you have to use our relationship. How else will you be able to stand on your own in the court?”

“I don’t particularly want to do that!” Kayla hastily explained. “I was just-”

“Desperate, I know. Wenyuan, struggle is what forges a great man. Even if you have no love for power, your blood necessitates that you will always be in a position of great struggle. If you cannot rise, you can only sink. You refused to struggle before, and I was hoping to gently lower you down to where the fierce currents could not harm you. But now that you feel threatened enough to act, you must move upwards,” the Dowager said. “Don’t worry, my child, I will support you.”

“I don’t have the ability to fulfill your expectations,” Kayla said honestly. She knew her limits, and she wanted to survive. If she couldn’t take on the role, it was probably best for everyone involved if Kayla just stuck to something more suitable instead.

“Not right away, you wouldn’t. All things take experience, my child. But I’m afraid there isn’t enough time for you to gain your own grounding in politics. The Grand Duke’s time has come,” the Dowager said. Kayla nodded slowly.

As expected, it was by her hand.

“I had thought countless times of how to protect you from the crossfire,” the Dowager spoke heavily. “Thankfully, you have made it easier for me. The Grand Duke had been a cornerstone of the country for decades, but his thirst for power and wealth has slowly grown out of control. Now, it is past the limits of what can be accepted. I will see him removed, Wenyuan. And I would have you benefit from it.”

“Grandmother,” Kayla began but didn’t know what to say in response. Much more so than the Emperor, it seemed that the Empress Dowager was the one who had the court within her palm.

“Don’t worry, my child. Walk the path you have chosen without fear, and everything will work out. I promise,” the Dowager swore.

The conversation ended soon after, the Dowager further inquiring after Wenyuan’s injuries and taking the chance to stuff her grandson with snacks before finally giving Kayla her leave. Kayla sat on the carriage, feeling the heavy weight of exhaustion sinking into her bones. Her head spun as she took in everything that had happened over the day. She’d taken steps forward, that was for sure, but how far? If she stepped into an empty ravine rather than landing on solid ground, she wouldn’t survive.

We’ll just have to do our best then. Kayla wearily watched the scene of the capital flow past her window. We’ll just try and hope that’ll be enough.

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

Burdened with the emperor’s orders, Kayla had no choice but to begin investigating cases from the Ministry of Justice. Luckily, her bored scroll-flipping behavior over the past few days had convinced the people around her that the Left Secretariat was entertaining himself with old papers, and she was allowed to continue as long as she kept stamping the right documents. Kayla didn’t really like the idea of doing all this right out in the open, but it was the method that garnered the least suspicion. Even before the transmigration, Wenyuan often read random things since he wasn’t actually given any power to carry out his duties.

Luckily, Kayla had been a History major in college, so it wasn’t as though this was completely out of her field of expertise. The major that had more or less trapped her in low-paying jobs with a shit ton of debt finally showed its worth in archival research, though Kayla had to carefully appear to be suitably bored rather than concentrating intently.

Combing through documents was slow and painstaking work, especially since Kayla was a constant mess of nerves as a result of doing it in front of pretty much the entire Ministry. Within a few days though, Kayla was starting to see results. Among the mess of statements, dates, and signatures, patterns were beginning to emerge. Xianchun was likely having a harder time, and the next convening of the court began and ended with no further incidents. Kayla had pre-emptively spoiled two major plot points for this arc to the prince already and was fervently hoping that would be enough ammunition for the prince. The infiltration of the Grand Duke’s household was something she had no control over, so she could only push and prod at the issue from the side.

However, things were proceeding so uneventfully that Kayla felt suspicious. How the hell hasn’t anything happened yet? In the novel, Xianchun had been constantly struggling to hold the line. Why on earth aren’t there any ripples? It felt like the calm before the storm, and Kayla didn’t like it.

Her suspicions were proven correct quickly enough. Kayla was immediately summoned to the Grand Duke’s office after returning from work one day. She entered apprehensively.

“Grandfather,” she said. “How can I help you?”

The Grand Duke gave her a cold look but didn’t look particularly angry.

“Wenyuan, you’re here.” He nodded and waved for her to sit down. Kayla reluctantly settled into a chair.

“In the next few days, go visit the Secretariat Director,” the Grand Duke said, in a voice so calm that it made the order sound even more ridiculous.

“What? What for?” Kayla demanded.

“You’ve had long enough to throw your tantrum,” the Grand Duke’s voice hardened. “Go and apologize to him.”

Kayla instinctively began shaking her head. “I’m not going.”

The Grand Duke’s brows furrowed into an intimidating glare. “A few words from the Empress Dowager and you think you can defy me? Should I remind you of the consequences?”

“Why should I apologize? Did he even apologize for breaking his promise?!” Kayla cried in outrage.

“He apologized to me already,” the Grand Duke snapped. “Just go and apologize!”

“To you? He should be apologizing to me!” Kayla threw her hands up in exasperation. “I won’t do it! I’m not going!”

The Grand Duke stood up abruptly, slamming his fist onto the table. Kayla instinctively flinched back.

“Zhao Wenyuan! You will go, or you will pay the price for it!” The Grand Duke shouted.

“Give me a few days then, I can’t face him without mental preparation,” Kayla replied in a small voice. At the Grand Duke’s frown, she continued on. “How else should I control my temper?! Do you really want me to make this worse? It wouldn’t even be on purpose, I just wouldn’t be able to do it without blowing up!”

The Grand Duke’s eyes narrowed. “In three days, go to the Liu household to apologize. Surely you don’t need any more than that.” The warning tone in his voice quashed any thought of pushing any further, and Kayla nodded resignedly. She wandered back to her room, feeling rather despondent. She hadn’t even ended up buying much more time before having to face the Secretariat Director again. How much longer did she have to deal with that guy?

Kayla turned back to nullifying talismans for stress relief. Qu Boyong had acquired several more books of talismans for her, and Kayla had been glad to see that neither Boyong nor the doctor had faced any unintended consequences. Her Plan B remained a last-ditch effort since despite Wenyuan’s assurance that Kayla was progressing well, she would still be in a bad situation if she was going against someone who didn’t use magic at all.

Kayla could already sense that the upcoming apology would be highly unpleasant. Other than her own reluctance, she also felt that Liu Hongyu would be giving her a hard time. There was also a more abstract uneasiness clouding her heart.

Whenever things happen, they happen all at once. Kayla doubted she would be catching a break this time either.

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

Kayla’s anxieties soon became grounded in reality. The next day, when Kayla was taking her day off, a serving girl arrived to announce the arrival of Yu Bianfu.

“General Yu is here to apologize to the young lord on the Empress Dowager’s orders,” the serving girl announced. Kayla’s heart sank. It had been over a week, and the Dowager was likely going to lift the house arrest, if not the suspension.

“Show her to my room, I wish to speak with her alone,” Kayla said. She didn’t have to wait long. Soon, there was another knock on the door.

“Young lord, the General is here,” the serving girl said.

“Come in, General,” Kayla called. The door opened and a shadow fell over the floor. Kayla looked up to meet the eyes of Yu Bianfu.

“Young lord,” Bianfu greeted her with a formal bow.

“Close the door behind you, General,” Kayla said. She carefully kept some distance between herself and Bianfu as the serving girl left. Even if Bianfu couldn’t hurt her in the Grand Duke’s household, Kayla was still anxious before the woman she’d tried to frame.

“Young lord Zhao, I came to apologize to you for my shameful behavior,” Bianfu said with badly faked sincerity. The General got down on one knee and lowered her head sharply. “I beg your forgiveness.”

Kayla glanced at the door. Certain that no one was there, she lowered her voice to speak to Bianfu. “General Yu, is there anything you were asked to pass on?” It was unlikely Xianchun would actually have anything for her, but it didn’t hurt to ask.

Bianfu looked up sharply. Kayla sighed and waved for Bianfu to get up. Standing at her full height, the General was almost as tall as Wenyuan and about an entire head taller than Kayla’s original body.

“So it’s true…” Bianfu looked at her with an assessing gaze before scoffing. “No. Why would there be a message for you?”

Kayla shrugged. “Alright then, we’re done here. You can leave.” She hoped that General Yu wouldn’t be restored to her original position so quickly, but the Dowager seemed to have her own ideas of how to handle all this. Kayla could only hope the Dowager really could protect Wenyuan, given how the old woman had failed in the novel.

“Wait,” Bianfu said sharply. “There was a message.”

“Yeah? Well, tell me what it is and then you’re done here,” Kayla replied. She looked at Bianfu expectantly.

“It was as you said,” Bianfu said begrudgingly. “The evidence has been located.”

“That was fast,” Kayla remarked, unable to keep her surprise out of her voice. It had taken Xianchun much longer in the novel, but he hadn’t had a laser-guided investigation then. “Please give him my congratulations.”

“What are your intentions towards the prince?” Bianfu asked suspiciously. “I can’t imagine you’re sincerely helping him.”

Kayla shrugged. “What does it matter? Does everyone have to revere him in order to cooperate with him? If it was the Third Prince who was here instead of the Seventh Prince, I would reach out to him instead. We each take according to our needs, what’s wrong with that?”

“What do you need then? You’ve changed your behavior so suddenly, I can’t help but suspect your intentions,” Bianfu insisted stubbornly.

“I’m faced with difficulties I can’t easily explain,” Kayla replied. “But ultimately, I need to survive, and the weaker the Grand Duke becomes the higher my chances.”

Bianfu didn’t look convinced but finally dropped the topic. After a long moment, the general relented.

“There was a request,” Bianfu said with extreme reluctance. “Well, more of a question.”

“Yes?”

“How will the Grand Duke react if the evidence were presented?” Bianfu asked.

“I would think your master knows just as well as I do that the Three Departments are in collusion with each other. Is your master asking me when would be the best opportunity?” Kayla couldn’t read between the lines so easily when it came to the crafty Xianchun.

“Something like that,” Bianfu said grudgingly. A plan began to come together in Kayla’s mind. She frowned, annoyed at how much trouble these things seemed to necessitate. Then again, it did align with what she already had in mind for Liu Hongyu.

“A rift may appear between the Grand Duke and the Secretariat Director before the next court convening,” Kayla said slowly. “But there’s no guarantee that would affect their performance in court.”

Bianfu’s eyes flashed with surprise. “You…intend to create an opportunity?” Bianfu asked.

Kayla shrugged. “I intend to piss off both of them at once, but I can’t promise that would affect their professional behavior.”

Bianfu’s face twitched. “You would purposefully anger the Grand Duke?”

“I was planning to anger him regardless of your master’s plans, our timing just happens to align,” Kayla said. Even if it didn’t work, and it most likely wouldn’t, she would still be incurring some degree of favor from Xianchun at having tried, if the novel’s characterization of the prince was accurate.

“I see, I’ll pass that along,” Bianfu said.

“Then I won’t keep you any longer, General,” Kayla replied. Bianfu bowed slightly, and swiftly left the room, leaving Kayla alone to contemplate her next steps.

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

“Zhao Wenyuan said that?” Xianchun’s heart skipped a beat in surprise. Had Wenyuan truly lost it? Xianchun had expected Bianfu’s house arrest to be extended for even longer after Wenyuan had spoken with the Empress Dowager alone, but not only did that not happen, the house arrest had been lifted. At Boyue’s suggestion, Xianchun had taken the opportunity of Bianfu’s apology to prod further at Wenyuan’s intentions. After all, even if Wenyuan had entered what seemed to be a strange form of cooperation with Xianchun, there was no guarantee the man was on Xianchun’s side.

Xianchun had planned to launch a three-pronged attack against He Shirang now that he had the evidence. He intended to present the evidence of corruption in court, spread rumors throughout the city to create pressure through popular opinion, and finally, use Concubine Liang to gain the Emperor’s sympathy for Lady Yue. The evidence was concrete enough that even the Grand Duke wouldn’t be able to do much. He hadn’t even expected Wenyuan to offer anything more at this point, could it be that Wenyuan didn’t actually know the potency of the tip he’d given Xianchun? Or was the man trying to clearly express his attitude?

“He seemed determined to move forward with creating discord between the two houses,” Bianfu said uneasily. “But this guy’s been moving between one extreme to another, isn’t it possible he’d go overboard and create a mess?”

Xianchun could understand Bianfu’s concerns, it was something he was worried about as well. It was like someone who had always laid down and acted as though they were dead suddenly began running around and setting things on fire. But more so than concern, he felt strangely pleased.

“It is possible, my prince, but even a wildfire can be useful if it burns the enemy’s crops,” Boyue interjected. He smiled at Xianchun. “My prince, I’ve recruited a serving girl within the Liu household who is deeply unsatisfied with her master. I suggest we go with the flow and observe the events of their meeting, and see what we can make use of from there.”

Xianchun smiled broadly. “As expected of Boyue! I’ll do as you suggest. Since my cousin is taking the initiative, we might as well let things take their natural course. In either case, we have a mountain of evidence, so no matter what kind of mess that man stirs up we won’t be the ones to get hurt.”

“As you wish, my prince,” Boyue said warmly.

“Boyue, Bianfu, you two have always been closest to me,” Xianchun said. “I’ve endured quietly these years and prepared in secret, all while hoping for a chance to appear, but now the opportunities are sprouting up like wildflowers after a rain. Whether these are the intentions of some higher power, or simply the Grand Duke’s misdeeds catching up to him, I want to strike the iron while it’s hot.“

Boyue and Bianfu’s faces lit up with excitement, knowing where Xianchun was going with this.

“My prince, you mean that-?!” Bianfu asked gleefully. Xianchun nodded.

“Boyue, I want to take the next step forward while the Grand Duke’s occupied with He Shirang’s case,” Xianchun said firmly. “It’s time to infiltrate the Grand Duke’s household.”

---

Cultural Notes

后宫干政/Interference of the Inner Palace in Court Politics: It was considered a severe problem for women of the Imperial Harem to interfere in politics in Ancient China, and women who did interfere in politics were often treated as deserving of punishment. While many Empress Dowagers acted as regents or assisted Emperors who ascended to the throne as a child, they were often expected to step down after the Emperor came of age or risk being accused of trying to monopolize power.

各取所需/Each takes what they need: A Chinese proverb used to describe relationships/cooperations/situations where each party gets what they need.

难言之隐/Hidden difficulties that can't be easily explained: A Chinese proverb used to describe the troubles that a person is faced with that they often can't explain to others, usually due to cultural norms or expectations.

卧薪尝胆/Sleeping on sticks and tasting gallbladder: A Chinese proverb describing enduring hardships while biding ones chance, often referring to subjecting oneself to hardships to remind oneself of one's motive or revenge. It comes from the historical figure King Goujian of Yue in the pre-Qing era, whose country was invaded by the Kingdom of Wu after a princess of the Yue kingdom fled back to her country from a political marriage with the Wu. As the Crown Prince of the Yue Kingdom, Goujian was captured and brought back to serve the King Fuchai of Wu as a servant for three years. He eventually returned to Yue and became King, strengthening his country over ten years, during which he forced himself to sleep on a bed of sticks and to taste a bitter gallbladder to remind himself of the humiliation he faced for three years. After the Kingdom of Yue was sufficiently strengthened, Goujian invaded the Kingdom of Wu and annexed the kingdom after Fujian committed suicide.