Kayla’s heart wasn’t in her investigation over the two days, but as a student who was a late-stage procrastinator in college, whether or not she was willing to get the work done didn’t affect her actual ability to get things done. There was a steadily growing list of names and evidence, which Kayla kept jotted in English and tucked securely inside her innermost robe, and there was also a growing pile of random documents piled haphazardly in a box behind Wenyuan’s desk that her coworkers politely ignored. The anxiety related to investigating your coworkers discreetly while literally right in front of them had faded to a dull background feeling, and Kayla had several dozen different excuses scripted.

Taking her lunch break to get away from the stifling air of the Ministry, Kayla strolled along the Palace walls until there were fewer and fewer people around. Before she’d realized it, Kayla was alone. The plants in this part of the palace weren’t overgrown or untidy, but they were visibly maintained with less regularity and effort than in busier parts of the palace. There were towering trees that stretched above the walls, forming a second wall of greenery that swayed in the wind. One of the trees in particular was rustling even though there currently wasn’t that much wind. Kayla squinted at it nervously before she jumped back in shock.

A man clad in all black robes deftly dropped down from the tree, landing in front of her with scarcely a sound.

“What the hell?!” Kayla squawked, hurriedly stepping away from him. The man was broad-shouldered and had an intimidating air to him that was magnified by the painted mask over his face. To her surprise, the man dropped to one knee and removed his mask. In contrast to the sharp sense of danger the man gave off, his face was that of a plain and unassuming middle-aged man.

“Greeting, Left Secretariat. I am Li Que of the Imperial Investigators, at your service!”

Kayla looked at him in surprise. “You’re an Imperial Investigator?”

“Yes, I directly serve His Majesty the Emperor,” the man responded. He retrieved a golden plaque from his inner robes that Kayla recognized as from the Emperor. She nodded.

“Nice to meet you, Mister Li. Is there an order from the Emperor?” Kayla asked.

“Sir, I came to inquire as to the progress of your investigation on behalf of the Emperor. His Majesty further ordered me to help you with anything you may need,” Li Que said.

Kayla reached for the notes inside her robes, squinting at the small words. “Of course, I have some preliminary results, but I’ve written it in code. Do you need this right now?”

“I could return at a later time of your convenience,” Li Que replied. “When would be suitable?”

Kayla quickly ran over her schedule for the day and couldn’t find a good window of opportunity.

“There isn’t a good time today, but if you don’t mind waiting a bit, I could transcribe it right now,” she offered. Li Que looked at her in surprise before bowing his head slightly.

“Then, if I could be so bold as to trouble you, my lord.”

Kayla nodded, patting her sleeves for a brush. She pulled out a talisman that gave ink to the brush as you wrote, providing a similar effect to a pen, ripping the paper to activate it.

“Do you happen to have blank paper on you?” Kayla asked Li Que. The man got up, reaching into his robes to offer her an empty scroll with both hands. Kayla took it, her hands now awkwardly full. Carefully balancing the empty scroll with her own notes and holding the pen in her other hand, Kayla tried and failed to locate a suitable writing surface and settled for the wall. She tried to hold her notes with one hand while pinning down the empty scroll with a spare finger, holding it flat with the blade of her palm while trying to write at the same time. Li Que watched her awkward attempt to write it down with equal awkwardness, evidently not having foreseen this.

“I’ll hold your notes for you, my lord,” Li Que offered. Kayla gratefully passed the notes to him, focusing on the difficult feat of writing against the wall. It probably wasn’t difficult for artists, but it was a bit of a stretch for a paper-pusher like her. Kayla found herself craning her neck and writing in an awkward position, struggling to get the task done. She finally succeeded after quite a bit of effort, rolling up the page and handing it back to Li Que and taking her own notes back from him.

“Alright then,” Kayla said with audible relief. “All done.”

Li Que bowed his head apologetically. “Apologies for the trouble, my lord. Next time I’ll be careful to meet you in a more suitable setting for your needs,” he said.

“Sounds good.” Kayla smiled at him, mentally noting to take future walks in places with tables around.

“Is there anything I can help you with, my lord?” Li Que asked. Kayla shook her head.

“No, please just pass that along to the Emperor,” Kayla replied. Li Que bowed his head before bidding his goodbyes and somehow vaulting back onto the tree he’d dropped down from. Kayla let out a short sigh of relief, turning to go back. Her lunch break should be wrapping up around now.

Kayla was startled as another figure dropped down from a different tree than Li Que had. The man was also clad in black, but visibly more wiry than Li Que.

“Wait, you’re not Li Que!” Kayla yelped. The man knelt on one knee, removing his mask to reveal a ruggedly handsome man who looked to be mixed-race or from a steppe tribe.

“Greetings, Left Secretariat, I am Tabuyir of the Imperial Investigators, at your service.” He lifted out a golden plaque.

Kayla nodded at him. “Nice to meet you, Tabuyir. Were you waiting in that tree since earlier?” Her voice was only slightly accusing.

Tabuyir bowed his head apologetically. “Apologies, my lord. My orders were separate from Investigator Li’s.”

Kayla decided it was better not to ask about the Imperial Investigators’ seeming obsession with trees. “I see. And do you have an order from the Emperor?”

“No, my lord. I have come to report on what we’ve uncovered in the localities. It is as written on this document, my lord. Please be sure to read it in secret.” Tabuyir handed Kayla a scroll, which she quickly tucked into her robes.

“Got it, I’ll read it as soon as possible,” Kayla replied. “Is there anything you need from me at this point?”

“No, my lord. Please pardon my interruption,” Tabuyir said. He bowed slightly. “I’ll take my leave now.”

“Wait, Mister Tabuyir! I have a question!” Kayla called out. Tabuyir immediately stilled.

“I’m at your service, my lord,” he said. “Please ask whatever you wish.”

“How do I contact you guys?” Kayla asked. “Is there something I can do? Or do I just wait for you guys to come to me?”

“We will come to you, my lord. It is for your safety. However, if there is anything you need, please contact us with this,” Tabuyir passed her a talisman that was visibly higher-tier than anything Kayla had bought before. “My lord, was this not given to you before?”

Kayla shook her head quizzically. “Was I supposed to get this from someone?”

Tabuyir hesitated. “You were meant to have received this earlier. I’ll look into it, my lord.”

Kayla nodded at him gratefully. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”

“Of course, my lord. Then Tabuyir will take his leave,” he said, bowing before launching vertically into the air and back into the tree. Kayla shook her head as the tree rustled loudly.

“How the hell are they doing that?” Kayla muttered softly to herself.

Her heart was pounding with excitement and anxiety as she absorbed what had just happened. She had assumed the involvement of the Imperial Investigators was more a formality than actual support, but the Imperial Investigators were actually cooperating with her, and if what she suspected was true, they were keeping an eye on her too. Now that she also had a talisman to contact them with, she had another card to play. Xianchun must have known that the investigation would mean Kayla would fall under the watchful protection of the Emperor, and he’d helped to make it so Kayla would be harder to kill off.

Does that mean he isn’t going to kill me? Even if he later changed his mind, it would have become more difficult for Xianchun to make a move without being noticed by the Emperor.

Or maybe it meant Xianchun was aiming for something more nefarious. Kayla couldn’t help but view the prince with suspicion, even as she helped him press fast-forward on the plot. Xianchun had been so determined and blazing with rage and bloodlust throughout the first arc, eventually calming down and growing into a more balanced character after having numerous romantic relationships. Would he really help Kayla when he’d murdered his more-or-less innocent cousin so brutally in the novel?

The most crucial point, as to whether Xianchun learned of his mother’s murder, was completely outside of Kayla’s control. Even if she managed to delay it, she would still be subject to Xianchun’s unhinged revenge once the murder came to light. Kayla’s excitement faded away. She couldn’t let her guard down yet.

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

The night of the meeting with Liu Hongyu approached without any regard for Kayla’s reluctance, and she soon found her carriage trundling towards the Secretariat Director’s household again. The next day was the convening of the court, and the Grand Duke had likely timed it so that Liu Hongyu would be more willing to give his support for the Grand Duke’s policy before the Emperor. It was a shitty policy that rerouted the distribution of emergency funds in a way that the Grand Duke would earn a ton, but Kayla doubted it was even necessary. The Grand Duke already earned a lot from disaster profiteering, but somehow always walked away being praised as a philanthropist. The cuts he took from the disaster funds were under the table, while his comparatively paltry donations were overt and usually made very publicly, and many of the contracts for rebuilding went to the Grand Duke’s men. It all came together in the Grand Duke’s favor.

What does he even need a policy like this for? Who benefits from this?

It may be for the sake of his allies, Wenyuan mused. They’re pretty upset that he reaps the benefits alone.

Kayla nodded. That did kind of make sense, but something about it still bothered her. Her thoughts were interrupted by the carriage coming to a halt.

“Young lord, we’ve arrived,” Qu Boyong called from the door. The young guard had quickly been established as being Wenyuan’s favorite, and often eagerly offered to bring Kayla more talismans. He reached out to open the carriage door for Kayla, who thanked him before turning towards the entrance like a man marching towards his execution.

Kayla entered the Liu household with great reluctance. She was determined to stir shit up if Liu Hongyu acted like an asshole, and she could already tell that he absolutely planned to do so.

“Greetings, Secretariat Director,” Kayla said politely as she entered the familiar room. Liu Hongyu was already drinking as usual, but the unpleasant air around him was many times stronger than usual. He scoffed at Kayla’s polite bow.

“I don’t dare to accept the greetings of the young lord,” he said mockingly. “Who knows how I might offend you again?”

Kayla considered flipping the table and leaving already, but kept her temper reined in.

“Please don’t say that, sir. I was rash and foolish, please forgive my rudeness towards you,” Kayla said humbly. Liu Hongyu sneered at her.

“Do you think you can make up for that with words alone?” He asked loftily. “Even your grandfather who stands above the court didn’t try to pass me off so easily!”

The new policy began to make a bit more sense. Was it the Grand Duke’s attempt to appease Liu Hongyu?

“I wouldn’t dare. Wenyuan is too foolish to think of a suitable recompense, please tell me how I can receive your forgiveness,” Kayla replied, keeping her tone respectful.

“Hey, just how did your mother raise you? Even a child would know that if they want to apologize they should at least do it on their knees!” Liu shouted. He angrily downed a cup of wine, a serving girl hurriedly scuttling forward to refill it before scuttling back out of the way. Kayla took in a deep breath and knelt.

“Please forgive me, my lord. I was wrong,” Kayla said. Her blood was already boiling at the man’s attitude. Liu Hongyu had been the one in the wrong, but she hadn’t so much as gotten a single word of regret from him. Why the hell was she the one to kneel?

Fucking asshole.

This goddamn piece of shit, how the fuck is he acting so boldly with a hairline like that?! As Wenyuan had also absorbed Kayla’s memories, the man had grown considerably more foul-mouthed, not that Kayla minded in the slightest.

Her mental cursing was interrupted as Liu Hongyu splashed his wine into her face. Kayla wiped the alcohol off, the liquid dripping down her hair and face. It had soaked the front of her robes completely, dying it a dark red. Kayla met Liu Hongyu’s gloating expression with a blank poker face.

“You should know your place, you little brat,” Liu Hongyu sneered at her. The serving girl let out a small squeak of surprise as he stood up, grabbing the bottle out of her hands. “A useless bastard like you who’s only good for his bloodline should just shut up and behave!” He strode over, upturning the bottle over Kayla’s head. She squeezed her eyes shut as the liquid sloshed down over her face again. The bottle emptied out over Kayla’s robes, and Liu Hongyu tossed it to the side where it rolled over the floor loudly. Slowly breathing in, Kayla kept her expression steady.

“It is as you say, Secretariat Director,” Kayla said politely. Liu Hongyu seemed to have sufficiently vented his anger, smirking as he returned to his seat. He waved at the serving girl, who hurriedly brought a new bottle.

“I’ll let you off for that face of yours,” Liu Hongyu drawled patronizingly. He waggled a finger and the serving girl poured out a cup, before respectfully bringing it over to Kayla. Kayla remained kneeling in a pool of wine, still dripping like a wet dog.

“Given how much eye candy I got from your mother, I’ll forgive you with just this. Drink up, and consider your apology accepted,” Liu Hongyu said. Kayla accepted the cup from the serving girl, lifting it slightly before downing it. She got up, smiling at the Secretariat Director.

“Thank you for your graciousness, my lord,” she said politely. “Please allow Wenyuan to make a toast to you to express my sincerity.”

Liu Hongyu snorted but waved for her to go ahead. Kayla stepped forward, dripping wine over the expensive cushions as she poured out two cups, taking the bottle from the serving girl who nervously backed away.

“I thank the Secretariat Director for kindly overlooking my faults,” Kayla said. “As you have said, I am inexperienced and foolish, and rely on the benevolence and support of my elders. Without your help, there is nothing I can accomplish in the court.”

Kayla raised the cup slightly, her smile growing wider as her tone became even more polite. “My rudeness is inexcusable, my lord, especially since I’m a useless bastard who’s only good for my bloodline. And what good is that? I only happen to be the late Princess’ only child, and the only maternal grandson of the Empress Dowager, as well as the Emperor’s favorite nephew. No, more accurately, I should say his only nephew.”

Liu Hongyu’s smile dropped away as he realized this was going in a direction he hadn’t expected. Kayla quickly pressed on. “What accomplishments have I achieved? What virtues do I possess? There’s nothing of that sort. I’m only the closest relation to the Emperor outside of his direct descendants, am I right?”

Kayla’s smile dropped away. “And so, I propose a toast to the Secretariat Director, who in his infinite wisdom and virtue has repeatedly spoken in a base manner of the late Imperial Princess before her son. With this drink, I make my amends. I also make a promise that if you so much as speak another word about my mother in any capacity, I will publicly denounce you for your libel against the Imperial Family.”

She tilted her head questioningly at Liu Hongyu’s increasingly outraged expression. “What was the punishment for that again?” She asked sweetly. “I’ll drink to that, my lord.” Kayla downed the cup, setting it down gently on the table.

“You bastard,” Liu Hongyu said in a low voice, so angry that he was shaking. “How dare you?” He slammed a closed fist against the table, knocking over his cup. “Do you think I’ll let you get away with this?!”

“You misunderstand me, Liu Hongyu. It’s not whether you let me get away with this, but rather if I allow you to get away with what you’ve said and done so far,” Kayla shot back.

"Zhao Wenyuan!" Liu Hongyu let out an angry shout, throwing the bottle at Kayla. It missed, Kayla looking unimpressed as the bottle shattered on the ground.

“You should be careful of the glass,” Kayla said casually. “I’ll take my leave now.”

She turned and left, ignoring Liu Hongyu as he erupted in rage behind her. Kayla made her way back to the carriage, dripping wine the entire way. Liu Hongyu’s servants stared at her in shock and horror, and Kayla felt mildly apologetic towards whoever would be mopping up the floors later. But it wasn’t her fault the corridors were so goddamn long.

When she exited the front gate, Wenyuan’s guards were so shocked that one of them dropped his weapon.

“Young lord, are you alright?!” Qu Boyong rushed forward, glancing over Kayla urgently.

“I’m fine,” Kayla replied. “I actually feel very refreshed.” She patted him on the shoulder and prepared to get into the carriage.

“I have a few cleaning spells, my lord,” Qu Boyong offered. Kayla shook her head.

“That’s fine, I don’t need it,” Kayla replied. She held up a hand to silence him before Boyong could insist. He got the message, and instead offered his own hand to help Kayla into the carriage. The carriage departed, smoothly rolling towards the Grand Duke’s household.

Kayla knew what was awaiting her upon returning, but her fear was muted by the sound of wine dripping onto the carriage seat and the satisfaction Wenyuan was emitting.