Kayla glanced at the scrolls in surprise, and back up at the Empress Dowager.

“Nullification talismans?” Kayla asked. Damn, it’s the one thing I don’t need.

“Goodness, aren’t these very expensive to procure?” Cao Shuyi gasped.

“Of course, the high price is meant to be a deterrent. Not to mention that the ones on the market have heavy restrictions on their use, but these are different. These scrolls are exempt from restrictions,” the Empress Dowager replied. “Which is why I expect all of you to use them wisely. Wenyuan, be sure to tell that to Xianchun as well.”

Kayla bowed her head slightly.

She didn’t mention Yunqi.

Of course, the Fifth Prince is known to be very careful, she doesn’t need to remind him.

“Grandmother, what does it mean that they’re exempt from restriction?” Kayla asked.

How come you never mentioned that to me? She asked Wenyuan.

I like magic that I can actually encounter, nullification magic was too rare. There are barely a dozen talismans on the market at any given time, Wenyuan protested. Why would I bother paying more attention to them? Plus, the theorists didn’t write much about nullification magic either, they didn’t have enough to go off of.

That’s fair, Kayla admitted.

“The ones on the market right now can only nullify certain types of magic, and only nullify magic within a very small range,” the Empress Dowager explained. “But these do not have any limits, you can nullify any kind of magic within a hundred meters.”

I mean, I could also do that myself.

“Isn’t that dangerous though? Is it really alright for us to have these, Empress Dowager?” Cao Shuyi asked worriedly. Realizing that she was directly questioning the Empress Dowager, she quickly bowed her head. “Please pardon my rudeness, Empress Dowager, I’m still in awe of receiving such an item.”

“Indeed, they’re very dangerous. Whether in this palace or outside these walls, the capital is imbued with magic. It’s used by workers, guards, and even worked into weapons and buildings. That’s why the capital has always remained safe since the founding of the Dynasty. Even when rebels and invaders had started their onslaught on the city walls, we had the overwhelming advantage,” the Empress Dowager explained.

“That is why nullification magic has always been restricted, and any magicians were kept under close guard and surveillance,” she continued.

Kayla quickly glanced down, hiding her reaction.

Wait, what? Did you know that?!

No?!

Well shit, there goes Plan B, the second I bust that out I’m screwed, aren’t I?

“I didn’t know that,” Kayla said.

“It’s not written in the law, but it’s always been the practice,” the Empress Dowager replied. “Don’t worry, it’s not that you’d missed something in your studies.”

Kayla grinned sheepishly, pretending to be unbothered.

“Then Grandmother, is it really alright that we have these? I mean, when would we even use these?” Kayla asked. The Empress Dowager shook her head.

“If you’re prepared you won’t have worries. Even if the capital appears too secure to land a blow on from the outside, the situation inside fluctuates incessantly. These are to protect you boys from whatever may come your way. I trust that you will use these talismans wisely and with great restraint,” the Empress Dowager said.

Kayla nodded dutifully. So this is also a test. But isn’t that a bit risky?

Only the heavens may fully understand what Grandmother is thinking, Wenyuan replied resignedly.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there actually were restrictions on the talismans.

“Thank you, Grandmother, I’ll be sure not to use it unless absolutely necessary,” Kayla said.

“My deepest gratitude on behalf of my husband, Empress Dowager,” Shuyi chimed in. The Empress Dowager nodded in satisfaction before changing the topic.

“Wenyuan, you haven’t had many chances to meet your cousin-in-law before, but from now on you should pay your respects to her more often. She’s managing the household alone with such a young child, take care to look to her needs when you can,” the Empress Dowager said. Kayla bowed her head.

“Of course, Grandmother,” Kayla replied obediently.

“Left Secretariat Zhao is a busy man, I don’t dare to take up more of his time than necessary with the bits and pieces of my household affairs, but if the Left Secretariat is free, then I’m more than happy to welcome you at any time,” Shuyi said, smiling at Kayla. Kayla bowed her head slightly.

“Thank you, my lady.”

The Empress Dowager looked between them with a satisfied expression.

“Good, good. Now then, Wenyuan, I still wish to speak with your cousin-in-law a while longer. Go on and give your greetings to the Wise Consort,” the Empress Dowager said. Kayla stood up and bowed, first at the Empress Dowager and then Cao Shuyi.

“Then I’ll take my leave, grandmother, my lady,” Kayla bowed her head slightly towards each one in turn. The Empress Dowager nodded with a smile.

“Take care, Left Secretariat,” Cao Shuyi said politely. Kayla bowed one more time before leaving. She nervously patted the talisman in her sleeve.

Alright, so Plan B is going to have to be a one-time thing. If I can’t pass it off as using the talisman, I’m really not sure it’s a good idea to use my nullification magic at all.

Agreed. If the news was leaked, who knows how the Princes would react?

Kayla winced. She quickly smoothed her expression into a smile as she approached the Wise Consort’s quarters, nodding as a eunuch stepped forward and bowed.

“Greetings, young lord,” the eunuch said. “I’ll announce your arrival.”

Kayla nodded and waited for him to step into the main building, raising his voice to announce Wenyuan’s arrival. He bowed slightly towards Kayla through the doorway, indicating she could enter.

“Consort Zhao and Consort Liang are also here to visit her ladyship,” the eunuch said politely.

Your aunt’s here? No wait, the infamous beauty Consort Liang is here?

“Thank you,” Kayla said. She entered the room and swept her gaze over the three women.

Kayla bowed respectfully towards the oldest woman present. “Zhao Wenyuan humbly greets her ladyship the Wise Consort,” Kayla said, she lifted her head slightly and lowered it again towards the other two. “Consort Zhao, Consort Liang.”

“Please drop the formalities,” the Wise Consort said. Her voice came out soft and a little bit raspy. Despite her pallid complexion, it was clear that the Wise Consort must have been a stunning beauty in her youth. “It is a pleasure to see you, Left Secretariat. I must give you my thanks for all these supplements you sent.”

“Not at all, my lady. It is my honor to do so,” Kayla replied.

“The Left Secretariat’s good-natured,” Wise Consort praised her. “Your aunt is here as well, have a cup of tea with us.”

Kayla smiled at Consort Zhao, who readily smiled back. Next to her, Consort Liang gave the two of them a friendly look. The youngest concubine was indeed stunning, with a gentle and elegant air to her that seemed to pull people in. Even Wenyuan who grew up surrounded by beauties couldn’t help but react with awe. Kayla quickly averted her eyes and bowed to the Wise Consort.

“Thank you, my lady.”

She chatted briefly with the Wise Consort but quickly took her leave after the woman showed signs of tiring. Kayla left without getting a chance to speak with Consort Zhao since Consort Liang was also present. Even if Wenyuan was the Emperor’s nephew, it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to interact too much with the Emperor’s younger concubines in a semi-private setting, and it would be even less appropriate to pull Consort Zhao aside in another Consort’s quarters.

Kayla settled for giving Consort Zhao a meaningful look on her way out, Consort Zhao giving her a reassuring nod in return.

What the hell was aunt doing there?

She probably came along with Consort Liang. Consort Liang’s known for being kind, it’s hardly a surprise that she came to visit a sick person.

I can’t believe my aunt actually came along though.

Kayla let out a soft sigh of relief. It’s good she’s taken my advice to heart. I can barely protect myself, much less protect her. But if she can stick to Consort Liang, she can still find a path to survival herself.

But would the Fifth Prince misunderstand? After all, he might not know Consort Liang’s personality.

Kayla scowled slightly. God forbid. But I can’t interfere in the Inner Palace’s affairs, I’ll just have to trust Grandmother’s hand to keep things under control.

Her hands were already full with the investigation, and she was barely keeping afloat. Governor Yue had mostly uncovered evidence of corruption through officials who had been messing with taxation, and once Kayla had sorted out who had done what to frame Governor Yue, it meant a whole lot of accounting and paperwork to go through to prove their motives and involvement. She didn't have to do that part herself, but she did have to know enough to wrap her head around the results that the investigators tirelessly produced.

Most of the corruption took place via the double-taxation system, which involved plenty of paperwork even without the mess the officials made. The double-taxation system implemented after the reforms thirty years ago looked good on paper, but it made corruption incredibly easy. Thanks to the Empress Dowager's spies and the speed at which the Imperial Investigators worked, they were gathering plenty of evidence, but it still left Kayla with the problem of managing a shit ton of audits to figure out just how much the officials had slipped into their own pockets. And it was a huge amount, to the point where Kayla felt disgusted by looking at the figures.

The original equal-fields system had concentrated land in the hands of the government and each individual had been entitled to a certain amount of farmland, but that became a problem after the population had grown. The government no longer had the resources to micro-manage fields the way it had at the beginning of the dynasty. As a result, farmland became concentrated in the hands of aristocrats, which completely messed up the taxation system based on land ownership.

To be fair, the former taxation system had wanted individual farmers to pay taxes with grain and cloth, which Kayla didn't think was too great of an idea. But the current system made everyone pay with money regardless of whether or not they owned land, and they had to pay twice a year. It worked at first, but within a few years, officials were increasing the number of times they collected tax without increasing the amount they handed to the court, and both the Imperial Treasury and the farmers were having a rough time of it.

It's disgusting how eager these bastards are to fatten themselves up, just like the pigs they are. The feudal elites here really aren't much better than the elites in my day, they're equally shitty, it's just the methods that changed.

Shitty people will be shitty in any time period unless they get a taste of their own medicine, Wenyuan offered in agreement.

Thank god you have some idea how to deal with the accounting, or I would be so screwed, Kayla shook her head.

Kayla's mood fell further as she thought back to the pile of scrolls burying her desk and quickened her footsteps, determined to get some more work done before the end of the day.

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

Li Que stood with his arms crossed, an intimidating frown on his face as he watched investigators hurry to and fro before him with their arms full of boxes of scrolls.

“Sir Li,” his subordinate walked over. “We’ve finished the inventory from the first batch.”

The younger man glanced over at the chaotic scene before them with amusement. “I’m guessing the second batch will take much longer, I expect the auditors are going to be working overtime for a while.”

Li Que glanced at him sharply. “Is this something to laugh at?”

“I apologize, sir.” The younger man swiftly bowed his head. “But may I ask why you’re in such low spirits, sir? This investigation’s been more successful than anything we’ve tried before.”

Li Que sighed and shook his head. “Chen Jian, you’re still too young, you don’t understand the implications of all this.”

“Please instruct me, sir.”

“I’m in low spirits precisely because we’re so successful. Do you know how much hatred the Left Secretariat is garnering right now?” Li Que said grimly. “The strength of the court’s resistance is proportional to how much they stand to lose, and as you can see…”

Chen Jian looked at the crates of evidence in the warehouse. “They stand to lose a lot,” he finished the sentence. Li Que nodded.

"But isn't it a good thing? The corruption just keeps getting worse these years, it's about time someone cleaned things up before the dynasty falls into decay," Chen Jian comforted him.

"You young folks are too hot-blooded, you only think about how much you detest corrupt officials, but have you ever considered what happens to the person who cleans things up?" Li Que snapped. Chen Jian's face fell.

“Sir, are you worried that the Left Secretariat will make us the scapegoat?” Chen Jian asked.

“No, he’s not that type of person. But that doesn’t mean those who want him to succeed won’t scapegoat us. Or even if he chooses to take on all the enmity from the court alone, that person won’t be pleased with me either,” Li Que sighed, shaking his head.

Chen Jian frowned in confusion. “You mean the Grand Duke?”

Li Que gave him a piercing glare. “You hopeless brat, do you really not understand, or are you playing dumb? Go home and ask your sister if you really can’t figure it out and keep your mouth shut!”

Chen Jian bowed his head sheepishly. “I apologize for my foolishness.”

Li Que waved him off. His expression turned blank as he noticed another investigator approach.

“Tabuyir,” Li Que greeted him. Chen Jian bowed his head towards the higher-ranking man.

Tabuyir nodded politely. “Good afternoon, Li Que. It seems your investigation’s progressing nicely.”

“It’s all thanks to the Left Secretariat’s brilliance,” Li Que said. “Did you just come from the Palace?”

“That’s right. I reported to the Emperor just now and he asked for you.”

Li Que stiffened. “He summoned me?”

Tabuyir shook his head in an almost imperceptible motion. “He asked for you,” he repeated meaningfully. Li Que drew in a deep breath.

“Understood. Chen Jian, I’m taking a break. You watch over things here,” Li Que said.

Chen Jian quickly bowed his head. “I understand, sir. If anyone asks for you, I’ll tell them you went for a walk.”

“Good.” Li Que nodded. He headed out of the Bureau, Tabuyir falling into step next to him.

“What’s this about?” Li Que asked once they were alone.

“It’s pretty much as you can imagine,” Tabuyir replied. “The Emperor’s growing uneasy with the pressure from the court.”

Li Que shook his head ruefully. “I won’t deny the Left Secretariat’s abilities, but he really is either too young or too straightforward,” Li Que said in exasperation. “What does the Emperor want me to do?”

Tabuyir gave Li Que a sympathetic look and Li Que’s shoulder slumped as he understood.

“I see,” he said heavily. “Then, what is the will of the Empress Dowager?’

Tabuyir’s look of sympathy melted into a subtle smile. “The Empress Dowager is of a different opinion. I’d expect that our time with the Left Secretariat will last quite a while longer.”

Li Que sucked in a deep breath. “Alright then. Guess I’ll be arguing for the investigation to continue then.”

“That’s a good plan,” Tabuyir agreed. “Best of luck, my friend.”

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

An Haoyang scurried over the top of the wall, dropping into the alleyway with a soft thump. Glancing around carefully, he approached the lone figure at the end of the alleyway and removed his mask.

“Sir, Haoyang has arrived,” he said respectfully. The man turned towards him and nodded.

“I was waiting for you,” Qu Boyong said lightly. “It’s good that you came just now or I would have left.”

Haoyang hastily lowered his head. “I’m sorry sir, I was held up at the Bureau.”

Boyong shook his head. “No need to worry about it, doing your job at the Bureau properly’s the most important thing. How’s the investigation going?”

Haoyang hesitated. “It’s going unexpectedly well, my lord. But after we conducted the second round of searches, things have slowed down quite a bit.”

“Is the Left Secretariat hesitating then?”

“No, sir. The Emperor’s under a lot of pressure right now, so we haven’t been allowed to proceed with the next round of interrogations. We’re just working through what we already have at this point,” Haoyang explained.

Boyong nodded. “Good, I didn’t take the Zhao heir to be a coward.”

Haoyang stared morosely at the ground in silence. Seeing his reaction, Boyong let out a sigh.

“I know it’s not easy for you, but you have to hold your ground,” Boyong urged him.

“I understand sir, I apologize for increasing your worries.”

“How can I not worry? I heard you directly challenged him on the first day of investigations, how could you be this impulsive?” Boyong chided.

“I’m very sorry sir.”

“You have to be very careful right now. You’re still under scrutiny for withholding the communication talisman last time, how much more trouble are you planning to get into? Do you want to be kicked out from the Bureau?” Boyong demanded.

Haoyang gave him a wounded look. “I would never! I acted rashly in the moment, but it won’t happen again!”

“It better not,” Boyong said sharply. “I know it’s difficult to bow your head to him, but you’ve only had to deal with it for a short while. Do you know how much my cousin and I have endured?”

Haoyang bowed deeply. “I’m very sorry sir! I was in the wrong, I swear there won’t be another time!”

“No matter your personal feelings, the big picture comes first. Even if it means we have to swallow our pride for the moment, we can’t lose sight of our goal,” Boyong said, his tone softening at Haoyang’s admonished expression. “I’m planning to make a risky move, I’ll need your full support from now on. Can I count on you?”

Haoyang nodded. “Of course, sir. But please don’t put yourself in danger, if there’s a risk, then I can take it on.”

Boyong shook his head. “No one can take my place for this. But no matter how high the stakes, there’s no need to worry.” His smile sharpened. “I’m certain it’ll work.”

---

Cultural Notes

贤妃/Wise Consort: This is a common title granted to high-ranking concubines. It's a bit harder to translate, but 妃 is the third-highest ranking position, below 皇后/Empress and 皇贵妃/Imperial Royal Consort. The ranks vary from dynasty to dynasty, but there are often quite a few different ranks within the Imperial harem. In most dynasties, being granted a title in addition to a rank (Wise, Noble, Virtuous, Royal, etc), is a high honor, and many concubines only go by their family names (ex: Consort Liang, Consort Zhao)

避嫌/Avoiding suspicious behavior: In this context, it means avoiding too much private contact with married women. Women of the harem, particularly those of childbearing age, were often restricted from seeing any men outside of the Emperor (does not include eunuchs) in many dynasties. Things were way stricter or laxer depending on the dynasty.

均田制/Equal-field system: This was a system of taxation and land management where most farmland was owned by the government, and handed out on an individual basis to be equally distributed among the population. After your death, the land is returned to the government unless you are working on long-term cultivation, such as farms for mulberry trees and silkworms. Sounds great and stuff for equality, but as the population increased and aristocrats gained power through accumulation of wealth and nepotism within higher-ranks of government, aristocrats and members of their extended family began legally acquiring and accumulating land (people who weren't aristocrats but could pay were also included in this new landowner class), and many farmers became tenant sharecroppers (in history, this was also sped up by the catalyst of the An Lushan Rebellion during the Tang Dynasty, which killed millions and caused the government to lose control over much of its lands). As a result, the individual landownership taxation system, which was in labor (to construct public works), or in grain or cloth (grain for men, cloth for women, exemptions above and under certain ages), became difficult and the government earned less and less.

两税制/Double Taxation System: This was historically a reform proposed in the mid to late Tang Dynasty by Prime Minister Yang Yan (the role of Prime Minister wasn't always filled, just like the Central Secretariat position wasn't always filled, and is empty in the current Imperial Court). It essentially made it so that taxation was based on individual status. Previously, large landowners were taxed the same as small farmers, this was now no longer the case, as large landowners were now taxed more, and their tenants were also taxed. So not only did they have to pay the government more, their tenants paid them less. Many people were displaced after selling their land to large landowners, but they weren't counted in their new places of residence, but the double taxation system involved a detailed census and accountability system that counted migrant farmers as well. Taxes were now paid in coin, twice a year in summer and fall. This immediately brought in huge revenues for the Tang court, but as time went on, the system became corrupt. The people involved with the initial reform who genuinely wanted to better the country were retired or dead, and the new generation of officials saw the new system as an excellent moneymaking opportunity.

*Sorry for how long these two explanations are, (believe it or not I actually deleted a lot of stuff already) but Ancient China was an agricultural society, and the way farmlands and taxation were regulated shaped the basis of everything else, which Kayla is now beginning to understand now that she's looking into corruption outside her own Ministry. If a dynasty crumbles it's usually because farmers can no longer survive, which was why a weak central government, no disaster funds, plus a bad year or several for crops almost always caused rebellions.

召见/Summon: The level of formality differs based on whether you are summoned to the Emperor or asked to go, and Tabuyir is hinting that this meeting is meant to be off the books. The Emperor can't formally order Li Que to take it easy because the court's upset since that would make him look weak, but it's different if it's a less binding order given in private.

大局为重/The big picture is [most] important: Chinese proverb meaning that the benefit of an individual/ small group is less important than the big picture/the benefit of everyone.