Kayla left the Emperor’s study with a renewed sense of confidence. Just as Wenyuan had said, the Emperor heavily prioritized familial bonds. Showing her reluctance to continue investigating the Grand Duke was a way to appease the Emperor’s anger by emphasizing her filial piety and further cementing her image as a sincere and earnest nephew.

Hopefully, telling him about Liu Hongyu at this time will make him angrier at both the officials and at that old bastard. The more the two are emotionally linked in his mind, the more we’ll benefit.

Now that you’re at the center of a scandal, Xianchun won’t be able to easily move on you either.

Kayla deflated a little at the mention of the seventh prince. She had hoped to make the situation messy enough that Xianchun’s cautious nature would prevent him from wading into tumultuous waters. But the situation was also messy enough that she didn’t have a good grasp on where it would lead her. The only thing she could do was hang on for dear life to the Emperor and Empress Dowager’s favor.

If only I could figure out if the Dowager’s got people watching me, and if I could somehow make Xianchun know that the Dowager’s got people on me, Kayla groused. His hands would be tied if it was certain your grandmother’s involved.

That’s out of our hands.

You’re right, I should work with what I can first. It was already evening, so Kayla went directly for the carriage rather than going back to the Ministry. She brightened as she caught sight of Qu Boyong. He bowed towards her after seeing her approach, the other guards quickly following suit. Kayla waved them off.

“Greetings, young lord. May I escort you back now?” Boyong asked politely. The horseman of the carriage carefully avoided Kayla’s eyes.

“I want to breathe some fresh air first, today was rather busy,” Kayla replied.

“We’ll escort you then,” Boyong quickly offered.

“It’s right outside the palace, you don’t all have to come,” Kayla said. She casually waved for Boyong to follow. “Since you offered, you do it. The rest of you can just relax for a bit until I’m back.”

“As you wish, my lord.” Boyong dutifully fell into step with Kayla as she sauntered off in a carefree manner. She waited until they were out of earshot from the other guards before speaking.

“Did I cause any trouble for you the other night?” Kayla asked.

“Not at all, my lord. We weren’t questioned about the incident, and no punishments were issued,” Boyong said. He hesitantly continued. “And for you, my lord?”

“I’m the young lord of the family, how much trouble could there be for me? No matter what, I wouldn’t be in much danger. I can’t promise there won’t be more incidents from now on, so just remember to push everything onto me,” Kayla told him. “Make sure to tell the other guards as well.”

“I understand, my lord. Thank you for your concern,” Boyong replied. Kayla breathed in deeply before broaching the subject she pulled him away for.

“Boyong, I have a favor to ask of you,” Kayla said after a moment of hesitation.

“Of course, my lord. How can I be of service?”

“From today on, no matter who orders it, don’t leave your post while guarding me.”

Boyong gave her a look of confusion. “Of course, that’s a natural part of my duty, please be assured.”

“You don’t understand. I mean that even if the Imperial Guards order it, or even if a Prince orders it, please don’t leave your post,” Kayla said. She pulled out the pouch of gold in her sleeve and placed it into his hand. Boyong looked at the pouch with a frown before he bowed his head slightly, still looking befuddled.

“I…I won’t, my lord,” Boyong said. “I can’t accept this.” Kayla felt a wave of guilt.

He’s only about the age of a college student and I’m asking him to go up against the main character. I don’t even know if he’s strong enough to take on Yu Bianfu.

“Let me ask you something. Hypothetically, if you were to fight General Yu, how would you fare?” Kayla asked. Boyong lowered his head further, evidently uneasy at the question.

“Nevermind. Don’t bother answering that.” Kayla sighed deeply, her conscience prickling. “Keep the gold. Also, you should just forget what I just asked of you. Just do whatever you think is best for the situation, don’t push yourself.” She at least had the attention of the Imperial investigators. There was no need to drag Boyong into this.

Boyong gave her a look of surprise. “Please don’t say that, young lord. It’s my duty not to abandon my post to begin with, I’ve made you uneasy with my incompetence.”

“That’s not it.” Kayla sighed again. “Just forget it. Let’s go back.”

“Please wait, my lord. Are you worried about some sort of danger?” Boyong quickly held out his arm to stop her from leaving. Kayla hesitated, not knowing how to tell him that an Imperial prince was maybe trying to kill her.

“Are you worried about retribution from the Liu household?” Boyong asked.

Kayla nodded, deciding to go along with that. “Yes. I’ve offended quite a few others lately, so I’m a little uneasy.”

Boyong gave her a thoughtful look. He suddenly seemed completely different from his usual image in a way Kayla couldn’t quite put her finger on. She had a growing feeling that she had missed something important about him.

Shit, did I ask the wrong person?

“My lord, can I ask why you’re going against your grandfather?” Boyong asked. Kayla resisted her instinctive urge to protest that she wasn’t going against the Grand Duke, sensing something strange in his tone.

“How should I say this? It’s primarily for self-interest, but there are also things that I’m doing because I feel like I have to,” Kayla replied, trying to be as vague as possible.

“The young lord has a prestigious background and you’re set to inherit great wealth and power, why act in a way that could change your position?” Boyong asked.

“It’s true that I’m from a household with unimaginable wealth. I’ve eaten from jade plates and worn brocade since my childhood, and I’m close with the Imperial family as well, but that doesn’t mean I can be satisfied by enjoying all this while ignoring the consequences,” Kayla said. “It’s not like I can do much, but I still need to try.” Her vagueness levels were reaching new heights at this point, but it wasn’t as though she could outright call the Grand Duke out as a corrupt bastard who was going to get her killed.

Boyong nodded, his gaze becoming distant as he mulled over her response. “I see.” Kayla watched him with a small amount of apprehension. She suddenly had the feeling that Qu Boyong was probably way more important than he was letting on.

He’s definitely not just a background character. But what’s his role?

Boyong’s expression shifted back into a polite smile, and he bowed his head towards Kayla.

“Thank you for forgiving my rudeness, young lord,” he said. “Please be assured that I’ll do everything within my ability to protect your safety.”

“I appreciate that,” Kayla replied.

“Young lord, may I be so bold as to ask a favor of you as well?” Boyong asked. Kayla nodded.

“If in the future you learn something unexpected about me, could you please give me a chance to explain myself before punishing me?”

Kayla frowned at the strange request. Isn’t he basically saying he’s got a secret identity? Or is he closeted? She peered at him with squinted eyes. Maybe both? Seeing her expression, Boyong quickly bowed his head again.

“Please forgive me, my lord. I don’t have the right to ask a favor of someone of your status, how dare I be so foolish?”

“No, that’s not it. It was just kind of a weird request, but I’ll accept it,” Kayla said. “By the way, I don’t care about employees’ private relationships, so don’t worry if it’s something like that.”

Boyong was the one to look confused now. “P-private-? No, never mind. Thank you, my lord.”

Kayla nodded. “Alright then, it’s settled.”

Boyong smiled at that. “I appreciate it, my lord. But I assure you that it won’t be a decision you regret.”

Kayla stared blankly at him. Why does that sound like he’s raising a flag? She decided not to push the topic further and headed back to the carriage.

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

A servant hurriedly scuttled into the room, bowing before the folding screen.

“Your highness, please pardon me but I have an urgent report!” The servant knelt on one knee. The man behind the opaque screen lifted a hand, waving for him to give his report.

“Two hours ago, imperial investigators suddenly appeared at the Secretariat Director’s house and took away several serving girls and servants,” the servant reported. “They were all taken directly to the Imperial prison.”

“Imperial investigators took people away in the middle of the night, and straight to the Imperial prison rather than the Ministry of Justice,” the man said thoughtfully. “What on earth has the Secretariat Director gotten himself into?”

“I’m afraid there’s been no news on that,” the servant replied. “I’ll send someone to inquire about it.”

“No, don’t. Do you really think the imperial investigators have all left after arresting a few people? That was the bait. Whoever goes now will be dragging themselves into the mud, the last thing we want to do now is get involved. Ask our man in the Imperial prison instead,” the man said.

“As you wish, my prince. But sir, he’s only a guard, it’ll take a while before we can get the information, don’t we need to take action swiftly?”

“Third Brother has always been careful, this wouldn’t have anything to do with the He Shirang case. As long as it doesn’t directly impact us, acting with caution is more important than anything,” the prince ordered. “I’ll get in contact with Third Brother to see what he thinks.”

“Yes, your highness. I’ll take care of it according to your orders,” the servant bowed. The prince waved him away before retrieving an intricately carved wooden box from his desk. With a flick of his finger, the communication magic in the box activated. It quickly connected with a soft flicker of blue light.

“Third Brother!”

“Yunqi, what’s happened? Is there news on the Chancellor’s case?” Zhou Kuang smiled affectionately at him.

“Third Brother, something’s happened with the Secretariat Director. Two hours ago, the imperial investigators went to his household and arrested several servants. They were taken straight to the Imperial prison,” Yunqi hurriedly explained.

Zhou Kuang frowned slightly. “Straight to the Imperial prison? Then that means- is it father’s will or grandmother’s?”

“I don’t know,” Yunqi replied. Zhou Kuang’s frown deepened.

“Whichever one it is, we can only plead to the other. The worst-case scenario is that they’re aligned on this,” Kuang said. “Just what on earth is going on these days? First the Chancellor’s stage crumbles, and now the Secretariat Director. Listen, don’t send anyone to the Liu household right now.”

“Don’t worry, I know. I’ll get our man in the Imperial prison to find out. But isn’t there anything we can do? Liu Hongyu’s our greatest supporter, we still need him to balance out the Grand Duke,” Yunqi said worriedly. Kuang let out a deep sigh, rubbing at his temples.

“The border conflict won’t be resolved so quickly, I’ll have to leave this to you. But you’re not in a good position to deal with this either, with everything that’s happened with your mother’s family,” Kuang said. He looked exhausted and worn out. “What a troublesome situation, I can’t be in two places at once.”

“Brother, gaining military merit is the first priority right now. I’ll figure out the details about what happened with Liu Hongyu as soon as possible, and we can go from there,” Yunqi comforted him. Kuang nodded slowly.

“Even with military merit, I still need a pillar to lean on in the court. My mother’s words won’t mean much to the Emperor, but I don’t want to become indebted to the Grand Duke. Isn’t there anyone else we can make use of to deal with this?” Kuang quickly ran over the situation in his mind. Yunqi lit up as an idea came to him.

“Brother, what about our cousin?” Yunqi asked. Kuang furrowed his brow.

“Zhao Wenyuan? He’s not a bad kid, but he’s pretty incompetent. What use could he have?” Kuang asked.

“The point is that he’s incompetent. But father likes him, and grandmother adores him. If we make use of him to save Liu Hongyu, he would gain the favor of the Secretariat Director and also improve his reputation in court. With one move, he’d receive two benefits, and we could push the boat along the current to prop him up further,” Yunqi explained.

Kuang gave him a thoughtful look. “You want to make him our man?”

Yunqi smiled. “Third Brother is astute as always.” Kuang chuckled lightly.

“It’s a good idea, but it’s talking military strategy on paper. We’re usually distant from Wenyuan, we don’t know his temper, much less his wants and needs. I’m afraid it won’t be as easy as that. Not to mention, given his incompetence, we might not be able to prop him up no matter how hard we try,” Kuang said.

“But brother, if Liu Hongyu’s angered father, we can’t use any of our people in the court or we’ll be accused of forming cliques for selfish gain. That’s the last thing we need right now, but we also don’t have anyone else to use,” Yunqi argued.

“Your words have merit. I have my reservations, but we might as well try. It’d be a huge blow to lose the Secretariat Director at this time, especially now that Xianchun’s gaining footing in the court. There’s no telling if this is also his doing, and we have to be careful not to jump straight into a trap,” Kuang said. “I’d not have the situation deteriorate, if Wenyuan’s rotten wood that can’t be carved, don’t waste your time and effort.”

“Understood, brother.”

“You also need to be careful, the situation with your mother’s family hasn’t completely blown over yet. Even if things look calm on the surface, the undercurrents are as fierce as ever. There’s no telling if you might be dragged in as well,” Kuang warned him.

Yunqi smiled. “Don’t worry, brother. No matter what, I’m still the fifth prince. Even if Xianchun turns the court upside down, he can’t easily drag me into the mess if I refuse to make an overt move.”

“Good. Regardless of what happens, both your safety and mine requires that you not be implicated. Don’t let anyone rile you up, and make sure Wenyuan doesn’t flap his tongue either,” Kuang said.

“Leave it to me, brother. My mind was a mess after hearing the news, but I feel much better now,” Yunqi replied. Kuang smiled.

“I have to go now, keep me updated,” Kuang said.

“I will, brother. Please stay safe,” Yunqi bowed his head slightly as the communication magic faded. He closed the wooden box, placing it back onto his desk.

---

Cultural Notes

锦衣玉食/Dressing in brocade and eating from jade: Chinese proverb describing a wealthy and luxurious style, as shown by using jade plates and bowls and wearing clothes made from expensive brocade.

Imperial Prison/天牢: This varies from dynasty to dynasty, but usually means that the prisoners are imprisoned and subject to interrogation by the Emperor's direct subordinates rather than going through the Ministry of Justice for a more bureaucratized investigation.

军工/Military merit: Performing well in a military campaign or a military conflict was often a great opportunity not only to gain connections within the military, but also to gain promotions, titles, and prestige. 

一举两得/One move two benefits: Chinese proverb describing "two birds with one stone", but generally used for positive outcomes.

顺水推舟/Pushing a boat along the current: Chinese proverb describing going along with or taking advantage of the flow of events. 

结党营私/Forming cliques for selfish gain: The formation of parties or cliques was strictly forbidden in most dynasties, and usually subject to harsh punishments that included imprisonment, getting fired and being stripped of all titles, or even execution.

纸上谈兵/Talking military strategy on paper: A Chinese proverb meaning that conjectures don't necessarily translate into reality, also used to describe someone who makes plans that aren't grounded in the actual situations.

朽木不可雕/Rotten wood can't be carved: A Chinese phrase stemming from a quote Confucius used to criticize one of his students, used to describe someone as being useless or lacking enough that no amount of help or support could help them achieve success.

暗涛汹涌/Undercurrents are fierce: A Chinese proverb used to describe a situation that looks calm on the surface but there's actually a lot going on, often used to describe power struggles.