Character Index
Qu Boyong/Xiang Daozong: Son of General Xiang and the Princess of Chu (older half-sister to the Emperor), seeking revenge against the Grand Duke. Kayla's transmigration drastically changed the circumstances under which he was acting, throwing several wrenches into his plans.
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince, son of Consort Chu and cousin to Wenyuan and Qu Boyong.
Ji Fangluo: Daughter of Ji Yantao (accountant of the Xiang household), she was dragged into Qu Boyong's revenge plot because of her father. Not afraid of talking back or voicing her own thoughts despite her relatively low social status.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Kayla's retainer and right-hand man, targeted by the Grand Duke's men due to his relevance in Kayla's faction.
Ke Yongqian: One of Kayla's employees, usually works with Hu Qing.
Housekeeper Wang: The Grand Duke's loyal servant.
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“I am deeply honored by your proposal, my prince. But I cannot accept joining hands with a member of the Zhao clan,” Qu Boyong said. “I do not wish to work with him.” He jerked his head in Kayla’s direction.
“Why? We share the same goals, don’t we?” Xianchun demanded, his impatience showing in his voice.
“Blood is thicker than water–we can’t trust him to expose the Grand Duke’s crimes, much less to kill him,” Qu Boyong said determinedly. “And if he is indeed someone who can brutalize and murder his own blood, then a white-eyed wolf like him can’t be relied upon.”
Already trying to cement his future position with the Seventh Prince by pushing me down, isn't he?
“May I remind you that he killed my parents?” Kayla pointed out dryly. “I have no direct relation to him within three generations back–and guess who shares a direct relation to me within two generations?” She looked pointedly at Qu Boyong, and then at Xianchun.
“He raised you,” Qu Boyong shot back. “I’ve seen the relationship between the two of you up close, and while I admit that it was hardly harmonious, it’s clear that even if the lotus root is broken apart, the threads still connect the halves.”
“If you see it like that, then your cousin and my friend Jing Shuyou also grew up under his ‘care’,” Kayla said. “Would she then be ungrateful for spying on the household?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Our family was exterminated because of the Grand Duke, how on earth could seeking revenge be unjust?!”
“My parents were also killed by the Grand Duke, so how on earth would I be a white-eyed wolf for seeking revenge?” Kayla retorted.
“Enough!” Xianchun cut in before Qu Boyong could respond. “Daozong, I can understand your concerns, but I’m certain of Wenyuan’s intentions. Did the Orphan of Zhao not take revenge against his adoptive father for the sake of his clan, despite being raised by their enemy? This isn’t what we should be focusing on when there’s a greater enemy before us. Lay rest to your resentment.”
At Xianchun’s forceful order, Qu Boyong lowered his head reluctantly, still grinding his teeth together in discontent.
“Thank you, my prince. It is not that I cannot understand our cousin’s concerns, but I cannot simply back out of taking revenge,” Kayla said to Xianchun. He nodded slightly at her in reassurance.
Qu Boyong’s fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had gone white.
“Since His Highness says so, I’ll accept it,” Qu Boyong said venomously. “I’ve been preparing to avenge my clan for over ten years, abandoning my given name to live as Qu Boyong. I’ve suffered through far worse than you two can possibly imagine–I will not be denied my revenge, no matter what.” He shot Kayla a cold glare, emphasizing his final words.
Kayla watched him calmly. Qu Boyong didn’t have any targeted resentment towards Wenyuan beyond a generalized distaste towards the members of the Zhao clan, but Kayla’s interference in Ji Fangluo’s court case and the way she grabbed Ji Yantao and Chujiao had definitely provoked him. And even so, despite Wenyuan’s relation to the Grand Duke, it was clear that Xianchun valued Kayla in the alliance more so than he did Qu Boyong–it was no wonder Qu Boyong was upset.
I’ve gained the advantages I wanted, and I’ve expressed what I needed to. It’s about time I smoothed down his fur a little, or he'll find some way to have this come back and bite me, I just know it.
“Then our goals are aligned,” Kayla assured him, lifting her hands in a pacifying gesture. “I have nothing to withhold from you, nor any qualms for your involvement despite your previous breaches of trust. Regardless of what has happened between us in the past, let bygones be bygones. Someone who took their name from the poem Lisao must be a person who at least aspires to Qu Yuan’s virtue–that is enough assurance for me.”
The focus had all been on Kayla’s actions in opposition to Qu Boyong, while Qu Boyong’s rumor-spreading and betrayal hadn’t been brought up even once. Now that Kayla had reframed herself as sharing the status of victimhood, the justifiability of Qu Boyong’s actions also became questionable in retrospect.
As if I’d let Xianchun forget who struck the first blow. She carefully avoided glancing at Xianchun from the corner of her eye, watching as Qu Boyong’s gaze nervously flitted over to the prince.
“I chose my name from Lisao because it was a work born from resentment–so that I would never forget my goal of taking revenge no matter what hardships I faced,” Qu Boyong said, quickly changing the topic away from his past actions and in the direction Kayla had already pointed for him.
Perfect. Kayla withheld a smile, keeping her expression serious.
“It is just as the Master Historian said, ‘The heavens are the origins of humanity and parents are the basis of a person’s existence. In poverty and ruin, one returns to one’s nature, hence when exhausted to the core, one does not fail to cry toward the heavens. When wracked with pain and disease, one does not fail to cry for one’s parents. Qu Yuan walked straight on a proper path, dedicating his loyalty and wisdom to his king. Yet sycophants isolated him and thus brought him to ruin. His trust was repaid with suspicion, his loyalty with slander, how could he not be resentful?’ What better reflects the plight of my clan than that of our fellow man of Chu?” Qu Boyong said bitterly.
“Indeed, brilliance attracts attrition. Being brought to ruin by wrongful accusations and condemned by the words and spittle of sycophants, the Xiang clan has been dealt a great injustice in which no one can claim their innocence,” Xianchun agreed. “Your feelings are justified but do not mistake your target. Direct your resentment towards our common enemy, and you will have the vengeance that Qu Yuan was denied.”
Qu Boyong bowed his head. “Thank you, my prince. I only hope that you understand the strength of my resolution and that I am not simply acting unreasonably when I express my frustration regarding his involvement,” Qu Boyong said, gesturing at Kayla. She cut in before Xianchun could reply to him. The prince’s previous words were already enough to soothe Qu Boyong’s anger, but Kayla didn’t want to settle for a reluctant compromise that left her in an awkward position, as though she were the one who shouldn’t be involved. Kayla turned to Qu Boyong, pulling on an earnest expression.
“Though the Lisao was written from resentment, it nonetheless contained the lines ‘I heave a long sigh to hide my tears, lamenting the difficulty of the populace’s lives’. That is enough to show that Qu Yuan’s anger did not cloud his compassion or his virtue. Is that not why the Master Historian praised the Lisao?” Kayla asked.
“Indeed,” Xianchun replied.
Dude, I wasn’t asking you. Kayla bowed her head slightly in Xianchun’s direction before continuing, softening her tone.
“‘Clarifying the broadness of virtue, bringing chaos to order, it leaves nothing unclear. Qu Yuan’s words are simple, his resolutions are pure-hearted, and his actions are proper and incorruptible, hence why he did not allow himself to yield even in death. He distanced himself from the muddy waters, discarding the filth around him like a cicada discards its shell. He floats above the dust, not contaminated by the world’s evils. Such resolution and willpower he had, that it would not be an exaggeration to compare his brilliance with the luster of the sun.’ The Master Historian gave Qu Yuan such high praise that few could compare, though the ones who shared the same pages counted among kings and Emperors,” Kayla said.
“That’s quite impressive praise, Minister,” Ji Fangluo said, speaking for the first time since Kayla had assured her of Ji Yantao’s safety. “But I’m an uneducated person–forgive me, but I fail to see the relevance of these words. Why dally on historical records when we have unresolved matters before us?”
Kayla observed Ji Fangluo’s expression. The pregnant woman seemed to be a candid person, the type to strike at you directly rather than going in circles. Ji Fangluo’s face was placid and unreadable.
This woman’s no simpleton…is she trying to help me build a staircase to let Qu Boyong step down on? At this point, Qu Boyong’s position in the alliance was the weakest–there wasn’t much further he could press the issue without drawing Xianchun’s ire, but Qu Boyong needed a slope to get off the mule while going downhill.
“As Confucius said, without learning poetry, one cannot express themselves in diplomatic encounters. Similarly, it has been said using history as a mirror allows you to understand the benefits and pitfalls of the present,” Kayla explained to Ji Fangluo courteously. She turned to Qu Boyong again, neither he nor Xianchun having caught the buried barb hidden in Kayla’s quotations.
“You are a man of honor,” Kayla said with a sincere expression, not believing a single word she was saying. “Since you have taken a name from the Lisao, I’m sure it’s because you aspire to the virtue of Qu Yuan and the great men that have graced Chu history. I entreat you to take upon yourself the same compassion and broad-heartedness as them and look upon me not as an enemy but as a comrade, if only for a short period of time. Not just for the sake of revenge, but for the legacy of Chu and the Xiang clan.”
Qu Boyong pursed his lips, but couldn’t wriggle his way out of the moral blackmail when Xianchun was already out of patience. Reluctantly, he chose to back down while Kayla was still giving him face.
“Since you’ve said it to this extent, what room have I to refuse without construing myself as unfilial and disloyal?” Qu Boyong said coldly. “In consideration of His Highness, I’ll keep the peace.”
Kayla dipped her head slightly in response.
Xianchun glanced between the two of them. “A great man’s words are worth nine cauldrons, once they have been spoken, there is no reason for them to be taken back. Since you’ve both agreed to cooperate in good faith, I’ll hold you two to that promise,” he said with finality.
“As you wish, my prince,” Qu Boyong and Kayla said in unison.
“Now that the two of you have reconciled your differences, let’s discuss our plan,” Xianchun said. “Wenyuan, you said that you were planning to take over and shut down the Zhao household by force, how is that progressing?”
“Everything’s proceeding according to plan, my prince. All of the clan members are accounted for, and I’ll make sure that all of them are kept under control. I’ll be able to take over the household with minimum difficulties whenever you wish to act,” Kayla said. “The problem is what comes after I put the household into lockdown. I can find a way to access the underground vault by using my nullification talisman, but how will we deal with the Grand Duke? Ideally, he would be charged for his crimes and publicly executed, but I can only contain the Zhao clan, not the rest of the Grand Duke’s faction.”
“When you leave your seat your tea cools down, I don’t believe that his faction members are loyal enough to risk their own necks to speak on his behalf,” Xianchun said shortly.
“That’s hard to say, especially since a thorough investigation would likely implicate them in many of his crimes,” Kayla replied. “The Grand Duke is related to the late Empress of Emperor Gaozong and has further served the court for three Emperors’ reigns. If this drags on, there will be room for people to call his crimes into question and downplay their severity. Also, once the evidence has been revealed, they can fake counterevidence. It’s not impossible that the Grand Duke would end up avoiding execution.”
“It’s not just the Grand Duke’s faction that doesn’t want to see him executed,” Ji Fangluo jumped in. “Once the birds have been shot out of the sky, the bow is put away. When the hare is caught, the hunting dog is butchered. Those who depend on opportunities that only arise from opposing the Grand Duke would also resent being deprived of their lifeline.”
“Then what on earth do you suggest we do?” Qu Boyong cut in coldly. “If we kill him before releasing the evidence, as Minister Zhao is sure to suggest, who knows if the Minister will then turn around and use our complicity against us?”
Xianchun’s brow furrowed at the notion.
“I would never. But I do wish to suggest that we kill the Grand Duke before uncovering the evidence,” Kayla said calmly. She bowed towards Xianchun. “My prince, I promised you evidence, and I promised you the Grand Duke’s life. It is my intention to keep my promise on both accounts.”
“And precisely how will you do so?” Xianchun asked.
“I believe it may be safe to say that none of the people present here today will be satisfied unless the Grand Duke suffers a humiliating end. I’ll give him his just desserts, but I wish to do so by his own hand.”
Xianchun’s frown deepened. “You would allow him to commit suicide?”
“I would force him to commit suicide, there’s a difference,” Kayla said.
“What do you mean?” Xianchun demanded.
Kayla allowed a malicious smile to spread over her face. “My prince,” she said pleasantly. “Have you heard of how Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty dealt with his uncle?”
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Hu Qing rolled off the sloping sides of a roof and landed with a thud, his steps heavier than usual. He was panting with exertion, covered in blood, both from the Grand Duke’s assassins and his own wounds.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Damn it, those fuckers… Hu Qing’s feral thirst for blood had been quenched after taking out most of the group that had ambushed him, but their backup arrived just as Hu Qing had worn out most of his energy. The Grand Duke’s hired hands were rather skilled, but most of them were like appetizers for Hu Qing. The problem was the select number of highly skilled assassins who attacked in rotations. One of them would dash forward to slash at Hu Qing but only engage for a high-intensity bout of combat that lasted for a very short period of time before disengaging and allowing someone else to take their place. It didn’t take long before Hu Qing was completely out of strength, while the worst of his opponents were still fresh and full of energy.
I need to steal that tactic, Hu Qing thought to himself as he ducked through the dark alleyways. If I survive, he drily added. He was still being chased, and even worse, his communication device had been destroyed in all the fighting.
The only way he could get out of this alive was to find a place to hide. Hu Qing was too exhausted to throw off the assassins, and backup wouldn’t arrive in time–even with Ke Yongqian’s sharp instincts, the man wouldn’t know where to look after sensing that something was wrong. Where the hell am I supposed to go?! He had made it into an area with a denser population, making it both harder to hide and to find someone who was hiding. So long as he managed to find an occupied building to take refuge in, the Grand Duke’s assassins wouldn’t be able to easily find him–and even if they did, they would be hard-pressed to make a move without creating a disturbance and attracting Imperial Investigators who patrolled the rooftops.
Hu Qing glanced around with wild eyes, his frustration mounting as he moved through the alleyway, his steps growing slower as he went. If it were before, he wouldn’t have cared so much–life had been like a lively entertainment district and he a passing guest, death being no heavier in his mind than a goose feather. Now that Hu Qing actually had something to hope for in his future, it was different.
No wonder they say the barefoot isn’t afraid of those with shoes, Hu Qing wryly thought to himself. Just then, a door opened a few feet away, light spilling out over the ground. A young woman stepped into the alleyway, stretching her arms. She was skimpily dressed and wore the heavy makeup of a prostitute. She took note of Hu Qing to her right and paled, hastily moving to step back.
Hu Qing reacted more by instinct than by plan. In a single fluid movement, he clamped one hand around her wrist.
“Miss, please let me stay here for a night, I’ll repay you handsomely!” Hu Qing said in a hushed voice. The young woman tried to shake him off to no avail.
“No! Anyone with eyes could tell that you’re trouble. Hurry up and get away from me!” She tried to wrestle his hand off. “Let go or I’ll scream!”
“I’ll give you fifty silver to hide me for the night!” Hu Qing blurted the words out in a rush. The young woman blinked at him, considering it for a moment before yanking him into the building without a second word. Hu Qing let her pull him down an empty hallway, obediently entering a small room with a single bed in it.
“Don’t tell anyone I’m here,” Hu Qing warned her. The young woman rolled her eyes.
“Do you think I’m stupid? As if I’d split the money with anyone else!”
“That’s not the…whatever suits you. Here, this pouch is yours. Fifty silver as I promised,” Hu Qing said, handing over his money bag before sitting on the ground. The young woman took it in one hand, frowning at it dubiously as she tossed him a wet towel. Upon closer look, the young woman wasn’t quite out of girlhood yet, seeming to be only seventeen or eighteen.
“Wipe that blood off, you look gross,” she ordered, turning her attention to the pouch. She turned it upside down onto her bed, repressing a meep of surprise as more coins came out than the bag should’ve been capable of holding. “Oh my god! There’s really silver in here!”
“Of course there is, did you expect there to be gold instead?” Hu Qing shot back.
“There’s sixty-two silver, not fifty,” the girl said under her breath before turning towards Hu Qing defensively. “You said all this was mine, you can’t take back your words!”
“If there’s sixty-two silver then there’s sixty-two silver. It’s all yours,” Hu Qing assured her. The young woman relaxed a little.
“You must be rich to carry around so much money,” she said in admiration. “Hold on a moment.” The young woman got up and moved towards the door. Hu Qing shot to his feet, stepping forward to block her way.
“Sorry, but you’re not going anywhere until morning,” Hu Qing said firmly.
“I was going to get you some medicine!” The girl protested.
Hu Qing shook his head. “If you can save me for sixty-two silver, you might sell me out for a hundred. I’d rather not take that chance and end up having to hurt you.”
“Whatever!” The girl huffed, sitting down on her bed and crossing her arms. Hu Qing relaxed a little, returning to his previous spot.
“Thank you for helping me,” Hu Qing said, softening his tone a little. “May I ask the name of my benefactor?”
“Yan’er, no surname,” the girl replied. “Don’t tell me your name if it’ll get me into trouble.”
“Alright then,” Hu Qing agreed. “What time is it now?”
“Probably around midnight? It’ll be a while before morning yet,” Yan’er replied.
“If you can help me get to the morning market safely, there’s more where that came from,” Hu Qing said, gesturing to the moneybag as Yan’er shoved it into her robes.
“That’s riskier than hiding you,” Yan’er said.
“So I’ll pay more,” Hu Qing agreed.
“Fine, but the money is only for hiding and transporting you. If you want to do anything tonight, you have to pay extra,” Yan’er added.
“Do I look like I have the energy to do anything? I’ll make sure to pay you a good amount if you hold up your end of the deal,” Hu Qing said in exasperation.
“If I get called in to testify against you, I’ll tell them everything,” Yan’er said.
“That’s fine. I’m not particularly worried.”
“Well, I am! A few years back, one of the girls I knew got all her fingers broken because some asshole decided to use her as an alibi for some conspiracy or whatever! They even ruined her face, she couldn’t work anymore after that,” Yan’er shuddered at the memory.
"The Ministry of Justice doesn't do that anymore," Hu Qing pointed out.
Yan'er fixed him with a glare. "How can I be sure of that? Even if they've cleaned up their act on the surface, how do you know they won't torture a prostitute with no family members to petition on her behalf? If you drag me into something like that, I’ll haunt you even if I become a ghost!”
“Yes, yes, I know. Don’t worry, there definitely won’t be anything like that,” Hu Qing assured her. “Can you turn off the light? I want to sleep for a bit.”
Yan’er complied. Hu Qing lay down on the floor, letting out a heavy sigh.
“And don’t try to leave the room, I’ll notice,” Hu Qing warned her drowsily.
“Yes, I get it,” Yan’er replied in exasperation.
Wenyuan’ll probably throw a fit, Hu Qing thought blearily before closing his eyes and drifting to sleep.
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The Grand Duke glared at the assassin kneeling before him.
“What do you mean you lost him?!” The Grand Duke demanded.
“I’m so sorry, my lord, but we lost track of him after he escaped from the ambush,” the assassin said nervously. Despite his bulky frame, he was close to trembling in fear.
“And how did he manage to escape from the ambush? It sounds to me that you’re just finding excuses for your incompetence,” the Grand Duke said icily. The assassin lowered his head, squeezing his eyes shut in despair.
“I don’t care what it takes, find him and kill him. I want to see his head by morning,” the Grand Duke ordered.
“A-as you wish, my lord!” The assassin bowed his head and practically fled the room, disappearing into the night. The Grand Duke let out an angry huff, glancing over to Housekeeper Wang.
“It seems that man has more up his sleeve than we expected,” the Grand Duke said in a disdainful tone.
“No matter what, he can’t escape from the center of your palm,” Housekeeper Wang hastily assured him. “But perhaps we should also make other plans…”
“Indeed. Tell our man in the Empress Dowager’s palace to poison Wenyuan on his next visit no matter what,” the Grand Duke said.
Housekeeper Wang winced slightly. “That’s too dangerous, my lord,” he protested.
The Grand Duke shot him a cold look. “Then have him take poison ahead of time. What secrets can a dead man spill?” The Grand Duke’s control over his eyes and ears in the Inner Palace far exceeded that of those in the court–if a eunuch answered to the Grand Duke, that meant his family members were already in the Grand Duke’s hands. No matter what the eunuch’s feelings on the matter were, he would have no choice but to die as ordered if he wanted his family to survive.
Housekeeper Wang nodded, ascertaining that the plan could work. He smiled conspiratorially and bowed his head.
“Understood, my lord.”
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Cultural Notes
引经据典/Citing classics referencing works: Refers to a rhetoric style often used in arguments between scholars or members of the court. Since everyone was (usually) highly educated, people tended to quote and reference classics in their arguments, which we've seen in earlier chapters as well. Using classics that directly referenced someone's self-claimed ancestors and origins in order to shame them or morally blackmail them was also a common tactic. The argument style used in this chapter can be found in multiple instances through historical records and draws reference from many of the (highly stylized) recorded speeches.
血浓于水/Blood is thicker than water: An Ancient Chinese proverb with the same meaning (and surprisingly, almost the exact same wording) as its English counterpart.
白眼狼/White-eyed wolf: A Chinese term for someone who bites the hand that feeds/an ingrate.
赵氏孤儿/Orphan of Zhao: Refers to the pre-Qin historical incident in which the clan of Zhao in the Kingdom of Wei was wrongfully exterminated, and only a single baby boy survived through the loyalty of his father's retainers. This baby boy grew up as the godson of the man who killed his entire clan, oblivious to his own lineage until the truth was revealed, after which the boy (who became known as the Orphan of Zhao) killed his godfather and avenged his clan.
炸毛、顺毛/Fur explodes, smoothing fur: Modern Chinese internet slang that Kayla is probably the only living person who knows in that time era, exploding fur refers to someone losing their temper (like an angry kitten whose fur gets all ruffled up), while smoothing fur refers to soothing someone's temper (like stroking a cat to calm it down).
离骚/Lisao/Encountering Sorrow: A poem by the pre-Qin poet Qu Yuan, who hailed from the Kingdom of Chu. Qu Yuan was known for being an honest and loyal statesman who was isolated and forced out of the court by sycophants, after which the kingdom went downhill. Upon the defeat of the Kingdom of Chu by the Qin, Qu Yuan killed himself in despair. Lisao, which has been translated as Encountering Sorrow (not an entirely correct translation, hence why I don't use it), is one of the earliest long-form poems in Ancient China and one of the most well-known for its emotional and heartrending expressions of the poet's feelings, as well as its beautiful and delicate descriptions. It holds great cultural significance, and is widely hailed as a literary masterpiece. Qu Boyong's name comes from the second line of Lisao "正皇考曰伯庸/My esteemed father's name was Boyong".
屈原/Qu Yuan: A statesman and poet of the Kingdom of Chu, he was the author of multiple long-form poems that are renowned as classics. He is also known as Qu Ping/屈平, as his name was Ping/平, while he is more commonly known by his courtesy name of 原/Yuan. His suicide is commemorated in the Dragon Boat festival, and the traditional food Zongzi (glutinous rice steamed in a pyramid shape inside bamboo or reed leaves) originates from offerings that were tossed into the 曲江/Qu River where Qu Yuan killed himself, in hopes that it would keep the fish from feeding on his corpse.
Lisao is born from resentment: A quote from the 史记/Historical Records, a famous Han Dynasty historical record of the events of early Chinese history, it comes from the Biography of Qu Yuan/屈原列传. The original quote is "屈平之作《离骚》，盖自怨生也。"/"Qu Ping's work Lisao is born from resentment." Due to the significance of the 史记/Historical Records in shaping future histology in Ancient China, its author Sima Qian is often referred to as 太史公/Master Historian.
I also wanted to note that I translate everything myself unless otherwise cited, so if you run into other translations floating around, you'll see that there are differences in how the text is interpreted and translated. This poem is relatively famous and has been translated along with its related materials, but I generally prefer to do my own translations to tailor the style and pacing to my own work. A lot of different choices go into a final product of a translation, so a hundred people might end up with a hundred different versions.
The heavens are the origins of humanity: Another quote from the 史记/Historical Records' biography of Qu Yuan. "夫天者，人之始也；父母者，人之本也。人穷则反本，故劳苦倦极，未尝不呼天也；病痛惨怛，未尝不呼父母也。屈平正道直行，竭忠尽智以事其君，谗人间之，可谓穷矣。信而见疑，忠而被谤，能无怨乎？”, which translates into "The heavens are the origins of humanity; parents are the basis of a person. In poverty and ruin, one returns to one's nature, hence when exhausted to the core, one does not fail to cry to the heavens. When wracked with pain and disease, one does not fail to cry out for one's parents. Qu Ping walked straight forward on a proper path, dedicating his loyalty and wisdom to his king. Yet sycophants isolated him, one could say he was thus ruined. His trust was repaid with suspicion, his loyalty was repaid with slander. How could he not be resentful?"
长太息以掩涕兮，哀民生之多艰/I heave a long sigh to hide my tears, lamenting the difficulty of the people's live[lihoods]: One of the most famous and well-cited lines from the Lisao/离骚, it reflects Qu Yuan's deep-rooted concern for his country and its people.
[Lisao] clarifies the broadness of virtue: Another quote from the Biography of Qu Yuan in the Historical Records, this is the section in which Sima Qian/Master Historian offers his take on the significance of Lisao: "明道德之广崇，治乱之条贯，靡而不见。其文约，其辞微，其志洁，故其称物芳。其行廉，其称文小而指极大，举类迩而见义远。其志洁，故其称物芳。其行廉，故死而不容。自疏濯淖污泥之中，蝉蜕于浊秽，以浮游尘埃之外，不获世之滋垢，皭然泥而不滓者也。推此志也，虽与日月争光可也。” This translates into "[The poem] clarifies the broadness of virtue, it is the metric by which chaos is brought to order, it leaves nothing unclear. His words are simple, his intentions are subtly conveyed, his ambitions are pure-hearted, his actions were proper and incorruptible. His poem speaks of the small yet encompasses the great, he speaks of what is before the eye yet his meaning extends far and wide. His ambitions are pure, hence why his poem describes the fragrant and beautiful. His actions were incorruptible, hence why he did not yield even in death. He distanced himself from the muddy waters, discarding the filth around him like a cicada discards its shell. He floats above the dust and dirt, not contaminated by the world's evils, emerging from mud and waste without being sullied. Such ambition and willpower he had that it would not be too much to compare his brilliance with the luster of the sun and moon."
不学诗无以言不学礼无以立/Without learning poetry, one cannot express themselves in diplomatic encounters. Without learning rites, one cannot establish themselves: A quote by Confucius, stemming from his admonishments towards his son, urging his son to study the Book of Poems and the Book of Rites (the classics in the pre-Qin era, also formed the basis for literary canon in Ancient Chinese education). Diplomacy between pre-Qin kingdoms often used poems and songs to express their meaning, though the reason is now unclear, I personally understand it to have been a way to mediate tense relations and prevent talks from erupting into violence by using an intermediary form of expression. As for rites, it's the same as etiquette in the modern day, so you'd be hard-pressed to make it in a political career without knowledge of basic etiquette.
以史为镜，可以知兴替/Using history as a mirror, you can know the rise and fall [of the present dynasty]: A quote by the Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty (the second and arguably most influential Emperor of the early Tang dynasty) that originated from his praise for his subject, the official Wei Zheng, who was known for giving straightforth remonstrations to Emperor Taizong regardless of the Emperor's mood, only caring for what was right and wrong. Wei Zheng was able to keep Emperor Taizong from making bad decisions, and Emperor Taizong never punished Wei Zheng no matter how insulting Wei Zheng's remonstrations were, keeping his advisor in high regard. Emperor Taizong praised Wei Zheng as "以人为镜，可以明得失/Using [Wei Zheng] as a mirror, you can understand the pros and cons of each situation."
君子一言九鼎/A great man's words are as heavy as nine cauldrons: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning that your words bear weight and can't be taken back. The cauldrons in reference here are huge, insanely heavy bronze cauldrons used for religious/ritualistic purposes in Ancient China.
人走茶凉/When you leave the tea cools: A Chinese saying meaning that people will be less willing to help you/do you favors once you're no longer in power.
飞鸟尽良弓藏/When the flying birds are gone, the high-quality bow is put away: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning that someone loses value when their master no longer needs them to fight an enemy.
兔死狗烹/When the rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked: An Ancient Chinese proverb similar to the above, but a tad more sinister in that an official who has achieved great merits through taking people on for the sake of the throne might not be permitted to survive once the Emperor's enemies are gone, especially if they have great military power or renown.
汉文帝/Emperor Wen of Han: One of the greatest and most benevolent Emperors in the Han Dynasty, he was well-respected by future generations for his care for the people. Having suffered as a child, he was well-acquainted with how difficult the populace's lives were, and tried to reduce taxes and levies whenever possible, getting rid of unreasonable laws and punishments. He was also a highly skilled politician and had many ways of getting rid of his enemies. Most famously, he got rid of his uncle who was beginning to become a threat to the court's stability, by sending officials to convince his uncle to commit suicide. When that failed, Emperor Wen sent the court officials to his uncle's home in mourning clothes to start mourning rites. Humiliated and forced into a corner, his uncle committed suicide.
敢问贵姓/Dare I ask your esteemed surname: A polite way of asking someone's surname in Ancient China, still in use today. The common response is _姓，免贵/My surname is __, no [need to refer to it as] esteemed.
光脚的不怕穿鞋的/The barefoot are not afraid of the man with shoes: A Chinese saying meaning that someone with nothing to lose has nothing to fear, as compared someone who has things at stake.