Surviving the Succession (A Transmigration Fantasy)

Character Index

Empress An: Current Empress of the Wu. Niece of the Empress Dowager, from Kuang's maternal clan.

Duan Wuxie: A Senior Investigator of the Imperial Investigation Bureau.

Halime: A Princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, the Royal Consort.

Wei Guang: Deceased Imperial Edict Bearer and Minister of Censure. Kayla's godfather, helped her to kill Emperor Xuanzong and committed suicide after.

Zhou Xianchun: An Archduke, the younger brother of the current Emperor.

Cao Shuyi: Grand Princess Dowager, the widow of Kuang and mother of Chenqian. She is currently raising her son outside the capital, near where her maternal clan resides, with the blessings and protection of Yunqi.

Zhou Kuang: The deceased Grand Prince, Yunqi and Xianchun's older brother.

Zhou Chenqian: Kuang and Cao Shuyi's son, now seven-years-old.

Zhou Ying: Posthumously titled Emperor Xuanzong, father of Kuang, Yunqi, and Xianchun. Maternal uncle of Wenyuan.

Empress Dowager An: Kuang's birth mother, she became Empress Dowager after the death of her son placing Yunqi into the position of Crown Prince and the subsequent death of Yunqi's birth mother.

Qiu Jinwei: Yunqi's loyal advisor, a brilliant man who has gotten Yunqi through countless ordeals, but his eccentricities and stubborn nature are leading him towards inevitable bloodshed.

Zhou Yunqi: The current Emperor of the Wu. Became Emperor through an unlikely sequence of events following the sudden death of his older brother, much of which was orchestrated by Kayla and Wei Guang.

Sir Yang: An old eunuch who served Emperor Xuanzong and now serves Yunqi.

Consort Li: Yunqi's consort, a young woman whose face was severely damaged in an assassination attempt that nearly claimed her life.

Li Que: Vice-Director of the Imperial Investigation Bureau, placed in charge of a new branch of the Bureau stationed within the palace.

Zhang Dingyong: Minister of Justice, Kayla's ally.

Yu Bianfu: A former female warrior who was forced into retirement through Yunqi's "reward" for her service, marriage to her childhood friend Xianchun.

Liu Boyue: Xianchun's childhood friend and advisor.

Chujiao/Jin Shuyou: Wenyuan's childhood sweetheart, a maid who was actually a noble sent undercover to help avenge her family. She is currently married to Hu Qing in a political alliance to keep her cousin Qu Boyong/Xiang Daozong from ending up dead at some point.

Vice-Commander Jiang: Vice Commander of the Imperial Guard, friends with Kayla. Helped get Yunqi onto the throne.

Tao Qian: Kayla's Head Retainer.

Ashina: Personal name Ibilga, a Princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.

Sun Zhong'e: A female retainer who serves Kayla.

Zhao Chao: A retainer who serves Kayla.

Issik: A Turkish warrior who serves Ashina.

Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Lord of the Liang clan and commander of the training camp for the capital guard.

Zhao Rong: Kayla and Ashina's son.

Chen Jian: A young Investigator with sharp instincts, mentee of Li Que and older brother of Chen Caichun.

Chen Caichun: Director of a task force within the Court of Judicial Review (which was created on a temporary basis and then made permanent, only created as an excuse to promote Caichun), Kayla's supporter.

The entirety of Empress An's palace was shrouded in a thin veil of unease. Servants were visibly on edge, the training drilled into them having fled in the face of such an upset. Kayla suspected that Empress An would need to change out a good chunk of her staff after this. In three years of marriage, the young woman had never so much as made an improper gesture or raised her voice. Yet the shouting match only a few angry words away a brawl had shattered the Empress' perfect image.

Kayla waved for the other Investigators to wait outside, proceeding into the Empress' sitting room with only Duan Wuxie.

"We humbly greet Your Majesty," Kayla and Duan Wuxie said in unison, bowing deeply.

"Duke Zhao, thank you for coming," the Empress said coldly, ignoring the common-born Duan Wuxie entirely. "I would wish to speak with you alone."

Kayla nodded at Duan Wuxie, who bowed and left the room in stony silence.

"I apologize for the delay, Your Majesty," Kayla said. "I came as soon as I could."

"How much longer will my staff be withheld at that woman's palace?"

"Not much longer," Kayla replied. "Only as long as it takes to swear them to silence."

The Empress bristled. "I am the mistress of the palace, the head of the harem! Is it wrong for me to discipline a consort now?!"

She seemed to have forgotten that she'd agreed to this in the first place–or perhaps she was growing more angry after the fact, realizing that Kayla's offer to clean up the mess was equivalent to an accusation that the Empress had indeed messed up.

Kayla wisely kept her silence.

Knowing she had no real grounds for that argument, Empress An took a deep breath and collected herself.

"I must thank you for handling that matter, Duke Zhao," Empress An said, choking down whatever sense of injustice she felt on the matter.

"I am happy to be of service, Your Majesty," Kayla replied.

"You must know that I had nothing to do with this," Empress An said vehemently. "That woman sprays blood upon me with her words! Becoming Empress Dowager? It's ridiculous!"

"That woman?" Kayla asked in fake confusion.

Empress An bit back obvious distaste. "The Royal Consort."

Since when the hell did they hate each other this much? No, I suppose you wouldn't be able to tell this kind of thing. For how long did I pretend to be on good terms with the deceased Empress Dowager? How long with Wei Guang? With Xianchun?

"She should not have cast any aspersions without evidence," Kayla said calmly.

Though the same also goes for you.

Empress An's eyes flashed with anger. "Duke Zhao!"

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"You dare to criticize your Empress?!"

"I only dare to offer remonstrations out of loyalty," Kayla said. "Everything I do is for the sake of the Imperial household, and to secure the Emperor's reign. That, of course, means to support the Empress however I can, even when it may displease her."

The Empress gave a humorless laugh. "What, so I should be thanking you?"

"I neither ask for nor expect any thanks, Your Majesty. But I'm saying this for your sake–this matter is best kept as quiet as possible. This lowly subject can go home, but Your Majesty lives in this palace. Even with the oaths of silence, what good does it do you to add oil to the fire in the aftermath of such a horrific incident?"

The rage drained out of Empress An's shoulders slightly as they drooped forward.

"I would never harm the Emperor," Empress An insisted. "I certainly can't say the same for your good sister!"

Kayla lifted her gaze abruptly to meet the Empress' eyes. Empress An faltered, opened her mouth to speak, and fell silent without saying anything.

Seriously, how much do you hate her? No, how much do they hate each other? I've never seen Halime curse out someone before.

"Your Majesty, I have been investigated before," Kayla said. "So please believe me when I say I understand what it feels like to have everything at risk all because of something you didn't do. At times like this, it feels instinctively wrong to place your fate in the hands of unconcerned outsiders to investigate as they like, but that's the only way you can clear your name, Your Majesty."

"I'm grateful for your earnest advice, Duke Zhao. But this is a plot to smear my name and to muddle people's sight and hearing!" Empress An said. "I can't just sit still and wait to be killed! You yourself surely understand!"

Kayla sharply observed the strain in the young woman's voice, the trembling in her tightly clenched fists.

"Who do you think is trying to smear your name, Your Majesty?" Kayla asked. "Do you really think it's the Royal Consort? Or is there someone else you don't dare to accuse?"

"I didn't say–!" Empress An twisted her gaze away, biting the inside of her cheek. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She also suspects Cao Shuyi, huh? The growing tension between the Cao clan who held custody of Kuang's son and the An clan, who held the seat of Empress and Empress Dowager was obvious to anyone with eyes. Both were tied to Kuang, and thus precious to Yunqi, which only seemed to pit them more violently against each other.

"Let's not speak of these things for now," Kayla said gently. "Whatever the investigation uncovers will tell us the truth."

"Duke Zhao, you recommended me for the position of Empress back in the day," Empress An murmured.

Kayla bowed her head slightly. "I dare not take credit for that."

"You supported me as a candidate, didn't you?"

"I did," Kayla admitted.

"Then you of all people should believe me!"

"I do believe you," Kayla said. "I don't think either you or the Royal Consort to be responsible."

Empress An didn't seem to hear the latter part.

"Duke Zhao!" The Empress' voice suddenly sharpened into a shrill.

Kayla bowed her head. "My Empress."

"Duke Zhao, you are a loyal subject of the Imperial Family, are you not? And one of our most beloved cousins at that!"

"With my deepest gratitude, yes."

"Then we can trust you, can we not?" The Empress voice was threaded through with the slightest tremor. "We can trust that you will be impartial, and that you will protect the honor of the Imperial household!"

"I dare to swear my life on it."

The Empress let out a shuddering breath, her shoulders loosening slightly.

"I am innocent," she said vehemently. "I am innocent!"

A coil loosened in Kayla's stomach. The Empress was still a rather young woman, yet a few months short of twenty-three. Who could blame her–or the twenty-year-old Halime–for their fear in the face of such a plight? What she needed was repeated assurances, and that Kayla could easily provide.

"Your Majesty, I believe you entirely and will strive to prove as such," Kayla replied. "However, if one of your subordinates has gravely offended your trust through committing betrayal despite their mistress' infinite benevolence, then I will most certainly see that villain punished so as to avenge Your Majesty's ordeal."

"People will use this as a chance to damage my reputation! They will most certainly pin this on one of my servants just to humiliate me!"

"Such crude methods can easily be discerned by my Investigators," Kayla assured her. "Your Majesty has conducted your duties splendidly. Surely any discovery, no matter what it was, will not show anything to the contrary. This is a very upsetting situation, but we have faith that you will overcome it."

The Empress relaxed a bit, her curled in shoulders making her look small and despondent.

"Duke Zhao," the Empress' voice came out a tad too desperate, setting all of Kayla's mental alarms off at once. "Duke Zhao, I–"

Oh fuck no, I don't like that voice. Don't–don't–stop that!

"I'm pregnant."

Kayla resisted the urge to close her eyes in resignation.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!" She let her fake smile slowly drop into a look of concern at the Empress' dejected reaction. "Your Majesty, is something the matter?"

The Emperor doesn't know, huh?

"The Emperor does not know of this yet."

"Your Majesty…"

The Empress had started crying. "I…even if they pin it on me, you must at least protect my child!"

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. I will never allow such a thing to occur," Kayla promised.

"I didn't want to say anything before I was sure of the pregnancy," Empress An said tearfully. "I wanted to wait until the pregnancy was stable! I feared that…I feared that I would expose my child to danger, but…but now all the Emperor will think is that I'm using my pregnancy as an arrow shield!"

"He would not think such a thing," Kayla assured her.

They're all so afraid of losing their child to malicious interference, Kayla thought with a hint of unease. There's something there that I'm overlooking.

"Your Majesty, what danger are you afraid of?"

"I don't know," Empress An said honestly. "But I'm afraid."

"I see," Kayla murmured. She cleared her throat slightly. "Your Majesty, I will ensure that you are treated with the utmost care and protection, for the safety of both yourself and your child. To do so, I will need to tell His Majesty."

Empress An started crying harder.

"He will be glad to hear of this," Kayla said softly. "Please, Your Majesty, it'll all be alright."

Assurances aside, it took another ten minutes before Empress An was in a sufficiently stable mood to give a statement. Following the Empress' wishes, Kayla left that unhappy task to Duan Wuxie, making the necessary arrangements before leaving to bring the news to Yunqi.

She barely noticed as two Imperial Guards fell into step behind her, glancing back only when their rhythmic steps finally caught her attention.

At her questioning look, one of the guards bowed his head.

"Your Excellency, His Majesty has ordered that all important persons are to be escorted by a guard or Investigator at all times until the threat is ascertained."

"Then I'll be in your care," Kayla said. "Thank you for taking the trouble."

"It is an honor," the guard replied.

Kayla resumed her steps, sinking deep into thought.

It was a fact that both Empress An and Halime's nullification talismans had gone missing. And both had at least some connections that could have gotten them the explosion talisman. But that didn't mean either one was involved.

That's ridiculous.

Why would either of them want the Emperor dead?

But with both of them pregnant…Kayla pinched the bridge of her nose. Their pregnancy bought them safety for a time, yes, but it also gave them motive to kill Yunqi.

No, that doesn't hold up to scrutiny. Neither of them know if it's a boy or a girl yet.

Then again, they could always switch out the infant for a boy from outside the Imperial family and seize power as regent. It was far more possible for Empress An, who had the backing of her clan, who held both civil and military positions at court. Halime ostensibly had her sister's family, but the princess knew that Kayla wasn't about to do such a thing.

Kayla grit her teeth. If, and this was only if, Halime had been involved somehow with the regency in mind, then where was she planning to get the backing for a palace coup? Other than Kayla, where was Halime placing her hopes on? Was there a force from her homeland right here within the capital that Kayla had overlooked?

Or maybe Halime simply trusted that Kayla would act if her own family and life were on the line.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

No, this is all just conjecture–but even if I don't think that's the case, this whole situation isn't looking good for either of them. They're both pregnant, so they both have a chance. And the worst part is that neither knew the other was pregnant. So it could just as well be construed as a plot against the Emperor.

Kayla had seen two frightened young women, not two cold-blooded conspirators. But the problem with suspicion was that it only took the smallest seed of doubt to sprout before it would spread its tangled vines over and into everything.

Wasn't that what had happened with Emperor Xuanzong? Hell, wasn't that happening right now? Yunqi claimed to trust her and readily defended her against Qiu Jinwei, but he remained silent when it came to actually carving away her power. Kayla could hardly claim complete faith either.

I need to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible, or Yunqi will be headed his father's way soon enough, Kayla thought grimly.

There were only so many times you could hit reset, and she'd already used her chance.

Kayla quickened her footsteps to where the Emperor awaited. Sir Yang ushered her into the innermost room that overlooked a garden, bowing out and closing the door behind him. The room was empty save for Kayla and Yunqi, who was staring blankly at the greenery just beyond the window.

"My liege," Kayla greeted him.

Yunqi started. "Wenyuan, you're here?"

"I apologize if I've startled you, my liege."

"Not at all," Yunqi said. He cleared his throat. "Jinwei told me what happened at Halime's quarters. I apologize that you had to get dragged into such an unseemly matter."

"Not at all, my liege. This is a very upsetting situation, it is only understandable," Kayla replied.

"Even so, their actions are unacceptable," Yunqi sighed. "I would only ask that you look kindly upon the Empress on account of her age."

"You're too kind, Your Majesty. My own sister-in-law was hardly clear of fault either," Kayla said. She hesitated, which Yunqi caught onto. "And my liege, I think there's something you should know."

Yunqi's gaze immediately sharpened. "What is it?"

"In addition to the stress of the situation, their conditions may have contributed to their unusual behavior."

"Condition? What's wrong with them?" Yunqi asked in alarm. "Have the Imperial Healers been notified?"

"Well, at their behest, no," Kayla said carefully. "Please do not be overly concerned, my liege. It is not a bad thing."

"Speak clearly, Wenyuan!"

Kayla drew a deep breath.

"Both the Empress and the Royal Consort are with child," Kayla said. "Congratulations, my liege."

Yunqi's reaction was just as Kayla expected–rather than joy, he seemed to sink deeper into turmoil.

"They're pregnant?"

"Yes, my liege."

"How far along?"

"I've confirmed with their healers, the Empress is two months pregnant. The Royal Consort is close to four months pregnant."

"How long have they known?"

"Not so long as that," Kayla said. That wasn't quite true–each had known for at least a month and certainly suspected it for longer, probably from the week they first missed a period.

Yunqi grimaced, shaking his head.

"Wenyuan, where have I gone wrong?" Yunqi asked despairingly.

"You have done nothing wrong, my liege. This incident will be resolved quickly," Kayla said. "Consort Li will receive justice, and your esteemed wives will be cleared of suspicion."

"My wives don't even feel safe enough to say they're pregnant!"

"It is the first pregnancy for both of them," Kayla comforted him. "Their nerves are high–it is a painful process, after all, and they're sure to have heard many horrifying stories. The stress can easily push them into acting irrationally."

"They only brought up their pregnancy because they feared for their own lives and for their children," Yunqi said, his eyebrows knitting together mournfully. "A measure of last resort, for sympathy if not for leniency. Otherwise, I wouldn't know until they began showing. I only wish it wasn't the case."

He gave her a baleful look. "I thought I treated them well."

"Your Majesty's benevolence is well-known to all," Kayla said a little helplessly.

Yunqi only shook his head with a sigh.

"Perhaps it would be best to respect their wishes for now," Kayla carefully suggested. "The fact that they are pregnant should be kept secret–especially from each other, at least for the time being."

"You want me to deceive my Empress?" Yunqi demanded.

Kayla winced slightly. "My liege, if I may be honest, no woman who loves her husband will truly be happy to learn that another one of his women is pregnant. Especially not when she's stressed about her own pregnancy and feeling isolated and persecuted. The Empress must be notified eventually of the Royal Consort's pregnancy, and the Empress's pregnancy must also be announced at some point. But the situation is already chaotic enough, there is no need to compound it further."

Yunqi let out another sigh. "I suppose not. Heightened emotions give rise to danger. I don't have any other children, I can't take any risks."

It wasn't hard to guess what Yunqi was thinking–on one hand he wanted and needed children to ensure the continued stability of his reign, but on the other, his own siblings had each in their own tragic way shown the dangers of being born an Emperor's child.

"That being said, it is possible to love another woman's child," Kayla offered. "But that is neither guaranteed by nature or by virtue alone. Time, and a safe, welcoming environment will allow their relationships to blossom eventually."

"A safe, welcoming environment," Yunqi muttered bleakly.

He was silent for a moment. "Wenyuan, I hate this."

"I know, my liege."

"I have never wanted to be cruel, but something needs to change," Yunqi said. "No matter who is responsible, something needs to change."

The back of her neck prickled apprehensively, and Kayla bowed her head slightly by way of response.

Sir Yang soundlessly opened the door. "My liege, Advisor Qiu is here."

Great, Kayla thought drily.

"My liege," Qiu Jinwei said as soon as the door closed behind him, "Both the Empress and the Royal Consort claim to be innocent."

Yunqi sighed. "I believe it. And I truly hope that to be the case!"

"I suggest we continue investigating nonetheless," Qiu Jinwei said. As soon as Yunqi nodded in assent, Qiu Jinwei continued onwards. "But perhaps we should expand our list of potential suspects."

"Who do you have in mind?" Yunqi asked.

"Archduke Xianchun."

Yunqi glanced at Kayla. "Wenyuan, is there any chance…?"

Kayla shook her head. "No, my lord. He is under constant surveillance, and so are his servants and staff. Even the relatives of people who work in his household are watched. The planning and resources this requires is beyond what he can possibly have done right under our watch."

"Are you sure?" Qiu Jinwei demanded.

"Yes," Kayla replied. We're pretty damn sure. "I get daily reports on the Archduke."

"Perhaps we should confirm with Li Que," Qiu Jinwei said.

"That won't be necessary," Yunqi interjected, quickly glancing at Kayla to see if she was still holding her temper. She was, to his relief.

Qiu Jinwei drew his mouth into a dissatisfied line. "Even so, some of the people serving him now were sent from the palace. It's possible they may still have some acquaintances and contacts. Would it be best to change out those servants?"

Kayla withheld a frown, something about that setting off an alarm in the back of her mind. What was it again?

"That would be too much of a ruckus," Yunqi said.

"Please, my liege! Does Archduke Qi not show us the tracks of the previous wagon?"

Kayla tuned out Qiu Jinwei and tried to remember what was bothering her.

Yesterday, the explosive fight between Xianchun and his wife that had Zhang Dingyong gossiping this morning. Before that, nearly two entire months in which the Archduke barely interacted with his wife at all, save for stiff greetings in the mornings, sometimes with Liu Boyue and sometimes without. It was considered rather unremarkable, because that was the norm in Xianchun's unhappy household, but the Investigators had noted that Xianchun had begun spending most of his time in a mostly unused courtyard.

Where he often speaks with a young laundry maid, Kayla mentally filled in the rest of the report's contents. A young laundry maid delegated to his household from the palace.

There was none of the steamy romance that Zhang Dingyong had suggested in his dramatic gossip, but rather a shy and careful connection blossoming between the two, also the cause of the fight between Xianchun and Yu Bianfu.

They had a file on the laundry maid, a plain and unassuming young girl who entered the palace from an impoverished family five years ago, when she was fourteen.

Honestly, Xianchun wouldn't care much if the other staff sent by the palace was switched out, but that girl is an exception.

Did it matter? He could be upset all he wanted, but Xianchun was just a powerless Archduke now, free to indulge in luxury and pleasure but without any kind of political influence.

But it was cruel, and Kayla had had quite enough of cruelty and upset today. She determinedly pushed down Wenyuan's memories of Chujiao from back during the dark days of the Grand Duke's tyranny.

"Archduke Qi's actions are surely unforgivable, but let us not forget that he was subject to harassment more so than surveillance. The situation with Archduke Xianchun is certainly the opposite," Kayla said.

"Not everyone knows gratitude and wishes to repay kindness," Qiu Jinwei said. "In any case, he'll hardly notice."

"Well, he's grown attached to some of the servants," Kayla said plainly. "If it's not entirely necessary, those servants should be left in the Archduke's household."

Qiu Jinwei squinted at her in suspicion. "My lord, you certainly are sympathetic, are you not? You should be careful. One might almost think you were…keeping your options open."

Kayla stared at him in disbelief. Excuse me? What the–I'm not doing this.

"And one would think that you were actively encouraging me to go against my liege's express wishes. Our Emperor, in his benevolence, has decreed that his brother should be treated with courtesy, to avoid the very tracks of the previous wagon that you have just warned us of. Is it now disloyal to be loyal to one's orders?" Kayla asked, a hard edge in her voice.

"Is changing out a few servants that might implicate him an act of cruelty against the Archduke now? Especially since those servants belong to the palace in the first place! So he's grown fond of a few–that's common enough, isn't it? But tell me, which household in this entire country would have such flimsy affections prioritized above national security?"

Gritting her teeth, Kayla turned to Yunqi, bowing her head slightly.

"Your Majesty, I accede to your decision on this matter as I do on all matters. But I must point out that doing so will have unintended consequences. For one, if the culprit is indeed related to one of Archduke Xianchun's servants, we risk beating the grass and startling the snake, losing any leads that might get us to the bottom of this and clear the names of Her Majesty the Empress and Her Highness the Royal Consort."

She paused, glancing pointedly at Qiu Jinwei.

"Moreover, it sends a message to the court that implies Archduke Xianchun's guilt. While it may redirect their attention for a time, there then remains the possibility that people will suspect the Empress or Royal Consort conspiring with the Archduke, or that there will be rumors even more malicious than that."

Qiu Jinwei opened his mouth to speak, but Kayla pushed on before he could get a word in.

"Finally, Archduke Xianchun's information intake is strictly monitored and controlled. If we act so suddenly, he will be immediately alerted to the fact that something has gone wrong while he would be one of the last to know otherwise. Please judge wisely, Your Majesty!"

"Both of you have a point," Yunqi said, a harried expression on his face. "Let me think this matter over some more."

"My liege!" Qiu Jinwei protested.

Kayla kept silent, bowing her head.

"Leave me," Yunqi said, keeping his tone soft. "I need to consider this matter…among others."

"Then I take my leave of you, my liege. Please take care."

Kayla bowed out of the room, followed shortly by Qiu Jinwei. He turned towards her, meeting her gaze head on. Making a sound that might have been a scoff, he strode on ahead. Kayla let him create some distance before heading out as well. The last thing she wanted was to walk with him.

After ascertaining that they were headed in different directions, Kayla headed out of the palace, accompanied by the same two guards that had walked her over. They glanced up as a familiar figure approached.

"You two can go back," Vice-Commander Jiang said.

"Thanks," Kayla said to the guards over her shoulder as they left. They paused mid-step to awkwardly bow in response before hurrying off.

"Vice-Commander Jiang," Kayla greeted him. "You needn't send me off at such a busy time."

"I wish to do so," he replied. "Plus, my subordinates have everything under control."

"I see. Well, I'm glad for the company."

Vice-Commander Jiang fell into step beside her, awkwardly shooting glances at her.

"Your Excellency, I…that whole matter with Advisor Qiu…"

Kayla gave a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry about all this, Vice-Commander Jiang. You had to bow your head and apologize because of me."

"Not at all, it was our failure to begin with," Vice-Commander Jiang said vehemently.

Kayla shook her head. "Whether or not it is, you shouldn't be criticized to your face before your subordinates."

"The same goes for you, my lord. Advisor Qiu has every intention of whittling away at the Bureau! Even if Senior Investigator Li Que forms a branch, I certainly won't support it! But my lord, why did you ask for his promotion?"

Kayla lowered her eyes.

It's funny, but Qiu Jinwei's actions actually tie our interests together even more closely. Neither of us want a branch of the Bureau to operate independently within the palace–it chips from both the Imperial Guard and the Bureau's power. But that might just be part of it. We'll be made to take responsibility if the branch fails, and he can get rid of two eyesores at once.

"I also have qualms about this, but even if it's just for show, we should support it. Really, we have no choice," Kayla admitted. "After all, something like this just happened. The Emperor's on edge, the Empress is on edge, the Empress Dowager has been startled, and when the news eventually leaks, we'll be attacked from all sides. A new branch is indeed troublesome in many ways, but we can use it to our own ends."

"I would wish to hear the details," Vice-Commander Jiang said.

"The new branch will block the criticism directed at us. It serves as a distraction, and it can also serve as a solution to what has happened. If we do nothing, we will be seen as lacking accountability and incompetent. But a new branch that we vigorously work to establish will make up for that."

Kayla glanced up at him with a wry smile. "I have no intention of just letting go of the reins. Li Que may head the branch, but I have the final say for staffing. I won't be pushed around so easily, nor allow my people to be inconvenienced by such petty scheming."

Vice Commander Jiang's face curled into a smile of relief. "As expected of Duke Zhao!"

Assurances for Vice Commander Jiang aside, Kayla knew it wouldn't be that easy. This was only the start, she knew that for sure.

For now though, she only smiled back

"Vice Commander, please turn back here," Kayla said as they reached the gates of the Inner Palace. "I really couldn't trouble you to go further."

"Very well then, Duke Zhao. I will keep you updated if anything happens," Vice Commander Jiang said. He waved over two guards. "These men will escort you to your carriage."

"Thank you."

Kayla kept a measured pace to the carriage, trying to sort through the spinning pieces in her mind.

She nodded as the Imperial Guards bowed and stepped back, evidently there to stay until Kayla's carriage was gone.

"My lord, is all well?" Tao Qian asked as he approached, reaching out to help Kayla climb into the carriage.

"Get in," Kayla replied. "We're headed to the Bureau."

Tao Qian obeyed. Kayla waited until the carriage jolted into motion before letting out a huff. The Imperial Guards shrank into the distance, then disappeared as they turned a corner.

"There was an attempt on the Emperor's life. Evidence implicates both the Empress and the Royal Consort–it's obvious they're being framed, but evidence is evidence. You understand what that means, don't you?"

Tao Qian nodded grimly. "We need to increase security."

"For my wife and son," Kayla emphasized. "I share blood with the Emperor, and we're also tied by marriage, but my wife and son are Imperial in-laws proper. In-laws of a woman who is–"

Kayla sighed. "A woman who will be subjected to scrutiny for a long time after this regardless of her innocence. I pity my sister-in-law, but I can't let my family be endangered because of this."

"My lord, if they dare to target even the Emperor, then until the culprit is found, we need to ensure your security first and foremost," Tao Qian insisted. "You've already assigned Sun Zhong'e and Zhao Chao to the Princess and the young master–please remember that the Princess has her own guards, including Issik-bagatur. Even Lord Liang approves of his martial strength."

"Tao Qian, listen. Listen to me," Kayla said flatly. "The Empress nearly implicated my wife today. And not to even mention the Royal Consort–nothing can happen to Rong'er, do you understand? The mortality rate among boys of the Imperial household is notoriously high for a reason! We can't let our guards down just because Rong'er survived infancy. He's not out of danger yet. I wasn't even out of danger until I was well past adulthood, and I'm not talking about the Grand Duke here."

"I understand," Tao Qian said appeasingly. He glanced at Kayla's hands where they were tightly clenched into her robes. "But may I remind you that the young master will be in much more danger without a father?"

"Increase my security as you see fit," Kayla sighed. "As long as…"

"It will be as you wish," Tao Qian replied.

Kayla nodded, leaning back in her seat. It was a long silence before Tao Qian tentatively scooted forward slightly.

"My lord, the Emperor…"

"The Emperor was startled, but all is well. He doesn't harbor any suspicions about us," Kayla replied. "But from now on, keep an eye out for Li Que and his men. Don't bar them from entering or treat them with any type of hostility, but watch them when they approach."

Tao Qian looked mildly surprised, but bowed his head. "Of course."

"Senior Investigator Li Que has been promoted to Vice-Director," Kayla explained. "From now on, he will be staffed in the palace as a branch of the Imperial Investigation Bureau."

Tao Qian stilled as the implications of that sank in.

"I want you to be subtle about it, but keep an eye on the financial transactions of our men," Kayla said apologetically. "I know it's no small amount of work, but I find it more important now more than any before. Pay particular attention to any transactions with anyone who has a family member in the Inner Palace."

"Is it Advisor Qiu, my lord?" Tao Qian asked.

"Yes."

"What on earth is that man trying to do?! Surely Senior Investigator Li Que will not accept?" Tao Qian asked, aghast.

"He already has at the behest of the Emperor," Kayla replied.

Tao Qian bit back a look of dismay. "How then should we handle Investigator Chen and his sister?"

Kayla sighed softly. "Whether it's Li Que, Chen Jian, or Chen Caichun, I owe them a great deal. Without Li Que and Chen Jian, I had no guarantee that I could have made it through that mess after the Grand Duke's death. And not to mention Chen Caichun, with all she's done for me. I don't think any of them will harm me at this point in time. Treat them with courtesy if they appear, but we can't lower our guard."

"I understand," Tao Qian said. "I will handle it appropriately."

"I trust you will."

Cultural Notes:

血口喷人/Spray[ing] blood upon [me] with your words: An Ancient Chinese phrase used to refer to especially vicious slander, which is no different than spraying blood upon someone (aka makes them look guilty).

劝谏/Remonstration: A Confucian tradition in Ancient Chinese governance was that it was considered virtuous for a subject to offer critical feedback to their rulers even at risk of one's own life and career, and for rulers to endure well-meant criticism no matter how harsh or even if it's wrong. Personal risk and reputational risk on both ends (subjects more so the former, rulers more so the later) in the remonstration process helps to create an equilibrium within the ruler-subject relationship.

怎么，我还得谢谢你?/What, so I should be thanking you?: A Chinese saying, often used with heavy sarcasm/scathing intent towards someone who does not deserve thanks but is shamelessly trying to squeeze favors out of you.

火上浇油/Pouring oil on the fire: A Chinese proverb, means to exacerbate a situation.

诚心相劝/Earnestly remonstrating: Similar to the ruler-subject remonstration, but this can take place in more egalitarian contexts (peers, family, friends, etc).

混淆视听/Muddle people's sight and hearing: An Ancient Chinese proverb.

坐以待毙/Sit and wait to be killed: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to wait for one's fate without trying to resist.

胎坐稳/Wait until the pregnancy is stable: An Ancient Chinese concept. Miscarriages were common back in the day, and there weren't exactly modern ob-gyns running around, so a pregnancy generally wasn't considered particularly stable until around 4 months in.

挡箭牌/Arrow shield: An Ancient Chinese phrase used to refer to a scapegoat or someone who is pulled out to block the arrows for you. (Ex: A husband being chastised for gambling away the family savings holding their newborn son so their wife can't actually swing at them).

前车之鉴/Tracks of the previous wagon: An Ancient Chinese proverb used to refer to seeing examples of previous cases, aka to learn from history.

知恩报恩/Knows gratitude and wishes to repay kindness: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to the ideal situation of someone who understands what they owe and seeks to repay it.

打草惊蛇/Beat the grass and startle the snake: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to scare off someone before you can actually make a move.

惊动了太后/Startled the Empress Dowager: An Ancient Chinese saying that refers to a particular form of offense that holds symbolic weight. Since most dynasties emphasize filial piety, the Empress Dowager and how she's affected by your actions also serves as a type of political capital that can be used in favor or against you.

愿闻其详/I would wish to hear the details: An Ancient Chinese phrase often used by someone who has softened to an idea, usually used towards someone held in high regard.

连襟/Brothers-in-law (specific to two men who married sisters): Chinese kinship phrases are exceedingly specific and there are phrases for pretty much everyone you can think of in an extended family. Lianjin is the specific phrase for brothers-in-law who married sisters from the same family. It literally means connected collars, or the specific part of a traditional shirt where the two pieces that form the collar intersect (see collar on shirt below).