Character Index
Investigator Zhang: An Imperial Investigator who is part of the delegation to the North.
General Yan: General of Xiazhou. Recommended to Kayla by the Third Prince.
Ashina: Princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
Kulun: Tarkhan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. Part of the delegation to the Wu.
Chuluo: Khagan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. Father of Ashina.
Derin: Attendant of Princess Ashina.
Isik: Has the title of baghatur, Ashina's bodyguard.
Qiu Yun: Also known as Yun'er, a good-natured young maid who works for Kayla.
Yan'er: A former prostitute who formerly saved Hu Qing. Part of the delegation as Kayla's servants.
Right Secretariat An: Right Secretariat of Rites. Technically in charge of the diplomatic mission.
Tabuyir: A Senior Investigator of Khitan origin, Kayla's supporters.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Lord of the Liang clan, formerly Kayla's retainer.
Alizhi: Hu Qing's guide in the North, Tumidu's grandson.
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Kayla left Governor Huang’s quarters with a light spring in her step, heading towards General Yan’s lodging. The rings of the Tiele chieftains were safely back in her pocket. Now, it was time to pick her bone with the one remaining stubborn bastard.
General Yan had practically scowled throughout the entire banquet. She liked a man whose feelings were honestly written on his face, but Kayla didn’t have the patience left to coddle him. The Turkic delegation would arrive by tomorrow, and she needed everything to be ready before that.
“This way, Director,” the Investigator on guard duty said, leading her down a hall.
“Thank you, Investigator Zhang. Kindly wait outside, will you?”
“Of course.”
The outer door of General Yan’s rooms were open, and Kayla stepped inside, startling a young soldier right inside the doorway. Recognizing her as the Duke, the soldier made to give his greetings, but fell quiet at Kayla’s gesture for him to be silent.
Kayla glanced further inside, where General Yan’s angry voice spilled out from the study.
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“He’ll be coming over so I should prepare to meet him? What kind of message is this?! Does that yellow-haired brat from the capital think he can order me around like this?!” General Yan snarled, swiping a teacup off his desk. It smashed into shards against a side table. His aides silently exchanged uneasy glances at each other behind his back. None of them knew how to calm him down, but they were all certain that he would soon grow angrier.
“Such admirable willfulness, General Yan.”
All three of them whirled around in shock at the familiar voice. Zhao Wenyuan appeared in the doorway, wearing a smile somewhere between appreciative and mocking.
“It seems the rumors were not exaggerated. Truly, I am impressed,” he said, lifting his hands slightly in a placating gesture as he caught a glimpse of General Yan’s expression.
“Duke Zhao, what on earth are you doing here?” General Yan demanded in outrage.
“I apologize if I’ve interrupted you,” Wenyuan said mildly. “There is a matter I must speak to you about. Is now a good time?”
General Yan gritted his jaw together as he evaluated his options. He could refuse, but he wasn’t sure what Wenyuan would do in response. Despite his initial impression of the youngster as refined and reserved, he knew better by the fifth minute of the banquet. His well-honed instincts, more like those of a predator’s than that of a man’s, told him that Zhao Wenyuan wasn’t a reasonable man–the ill-timed appearance of the person in question only confirmed that belief.
It wasn’t worth the trouble to mess with a lunatic.
“Fine,” he spat out the word, giving a sharp wave of his hand to send away his aides. They glanced between him and Zhao Wenyuan with palpable concern as they left.
“Thank you, General Yan.” Wenyuan’s smile grew wider as he walked further into the room.
“I’ve no time for pleasantries, get to the point,” General Yan said brusquely.
“Gladly. I have come to ask for an alliance,” Wenyuan replied. “A four-way alliance between yourself, Governor Huang, the Tiele chieftains, and me.”
“Absolutely not, are you kidding me?” General Yan said in disbelief, his temper flaring up again. “Was Your Excellency kicked in the head on your way here?”
Wenyuan smiled wanly as though he’d heard an inside joke. “At least hear me out,” he said, not soundly offended in the slightest.
“No thank you, I don’t want to hear anything on this matter. My decision is final,” General Yan said firmly. “It’s nice that you’re an ambitious man–youngsters should be robust, after all. But I want no part in your ploys.”
“I’m not leaving until I’ve said my part,” Wenyuan replied. “Unless you want me to spend the night here and be subjected to the Princess’ suspicions about what we were doing, you’d be better off entertaining me just a little bit, no?”
“You must be joking,” General Yan said in disbelief. He was right, this man definitely wasn’t sane.
“Yes, but I see that you’re finally listening now,” Wenyuan laughed. He glanced at General Yan curiously. “I thought soldiers liked this type of humor.”
What the fuck is wrong with this man? General Yan thought incredulously. At the back of his mind, he sensed the door of a cage swing shut with him inside it.
“I’m not in the mood for jokes,” he said shortly. Wenyuan shrugged.
“Just as well. I’ll get straight to the point–I need your help, General. Big things are coming upon us, and we need to be prepared for them,” Wenyuan said, giving him an earnest look. “You military commanders have a duty to protect the country, no?”
“What are you getting at?” General Yan snapped.
“I need you, General. A time of turbulence is coming–look at what’s happening in the West, it’s only a matter of time before the Sasanid disintegration bloats the Western Turkic Khaganate, and that’ll bring pressure Eastwards. If Chuluo Khagan falls, then we’ll be facing a huge military force in the form of a united Turkic Khaganate right by our borders,” Wenyuan said. “And when it comes to extended warfare, fighting a nomadic people that practically lives on horseback…well, I needn’t say more about its difficulties to an experienced war hero like you.”
General Yan drew in a sharp breath. It was a possibility he had also considered and feared. The problem was that the court didn’t agree with his concerns–but Wenyuan seemed to. “And? I don’t see what you want from me. You civil officials can just go on debating the matter in your fancy robes, leave the fighting to the real men.”
Wenyuan acted as though he hadn’t heard the bitter words.
“I’m not going to debate anything, I’m going to get things done. I’m reorganizing the military and the clans so that we’re prepared for anything that comes,” Wenyuan said. “For that, I need strong support in the North, and for that, I need you.”
He pointed his hand at General Yan’s chest.
“You know full well how hard it is to get war funds together, much less get them to the border intact. The Ministry of Revenue might delegate 10 million silver from the Treasury, and then the Ministry of War sends 9 million along, the logistics department buys provisions and marks out wages with the 8 million they receive, and then the local governors budgets out the 7 million they get. Hand in hand with the clans, they make sure the money reaches where it’s supposed to go, and the commandery receives its 5 million’s worth, and then by the time it actually gets to the soldiers…”
He glanced up at General Yan’s tightly-drawn face. “I needn’t go on, right?”
“You’re more informed than I thought,” General Yan said. “Is it because you’re familiar with how your grandfather raked in the gold?”
Wenyuan laughed softly. “No, I just know enough to say for certain that no matter the era or place, corruption and warfare walk side by side.”
General Yan fell silent, evaluating Wenyuan for a long moment. In the candlelight, the Duke’s shadows flickered over the walls, his eyes glowing as they reflected the flames.
General Yan breathed in deeply.
“Tell me what you’re planning and what I’ll get out of it. Don’t bother with your fancy speeches, just give it to me straight or get out.”
Wenyuan’s smile widened. “Alright then, let’s cut this down to as simple as it can get. First step, a communication device network over the entire country that connects everyone to the central government. That includes upgrading the current military communication measures as well. Next step, reorganizing the military to cut off the ties between the clans and local commanders to ensure the proper flow of resources and funds. It won’t apply to everyone, of course, and certainly wouldn’t apply to you.”
“If I ally with you,” General Yan said flatly.
It made sense, he supposed. But imagine the backlash–where the hell does he get this confidence from? Wenyuan definitely had something up his sleeve.
Wenyuan ignored his statement. “I have a basic outline of how I’m going to push these through. I also have some plans for increasing agricultural productivity and international trade, but those aren’t hammered out yet. As for how this benefits you, well…” Wenyuan took a step closer and sat down on General Yan’s desk.
“Well, first of all, you won’t be affected by the reorganization. You’ve said it yourself. More than just being left alone, you get to move upwards, and not just a little,” Wenyuan said. He tilted his head, regarding General Yan.
“But I suppose you’re not the type to care about money and fame, a good, honorable kind of man,” Wenyuan remarked. “So let me frame it for you like this: You’ll be the most experienced commander left in the North, and the most powerful. That means you can ensure that you get the funds you need, when you need them, and where you need them. You get to call the shots that keep your men from being sacrificed in stupid tactical decisions or for meaningless displays of bravado or pride. Now, that’s a good deal, wouldn’t you say so, General?”
General Yan stared at Wenyuan in silence, desperate hunger welling up inside him at the offer. He wondered if the capital-grown Wenyuan even understood how tempting the offer was to a commander who’d lost too many good men time and time again to stupid orders and lack of supplies. No, this bastard definitely understands. That’s why he’s so confident.
“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath. He had risked his neck too many times for worthless shows of might and buried too many young soldiers.
“Make me the Grand Commander of the Northern Front and I'm in,” he demanded. “I want the power to appoint my own officers and handle my own budget.”
“I can help you gain that post, but there’s no chance I’d agree to the other two conditions,” Wenyuan said firmly.
“Then we don’t have a deal.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, General. You don’t need those powers, I can get those done for you at court,” Wenyuan said.
“I can’t trust you on that,” General Yan shot back.
“And if you have those powers, the Emperor won’t be able to trust you,” Wenyuan said. “You know what happens when people have the power to assign their own officers and control their own purse-strings? They rebel.”
“I would never–!”
“Who would believe that? No one, that’s who. The division of power is there for a reason,” Wenyuan snapped. “Come on now, I’m trying to help you with your career, not end it. Grand Commander, and I’ll help you with your positions and your budget.”
General Yan stewed over it a moment more. He hadn’t actually hoped for much, but he couldn’t just accept without trying to haggle.
Grand Commander…that’s not half-bad.
General Yan shot Wenyuan a glare. “I accept.”
Wenyuan gave him a pleasant smile that made him bristle. “Thank you, General. I am very glad to hear that.”
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The Princess’ bridal delegation started moving again bright and early in the morning, and was set to arrive at the border by noon. The air was abuzz with excitement and nervousness, but Ashina herself was scowling at the floor of her carriage, steadily ignoring the two attendants on either side of her as they tried to coax her into a better mood.
It wasn’t so much that she was ignoring them out of moodiness, but that Ashina was lost inside her own thoughts. Marriage, a lifetime loomed before her. She found herself unable to comprehend or accept its vastness.
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Am I really going to get married? To live with a husband? Ashina’s heartbeats quickened in a sudden burst of panic. I won’t be able to leave once I’m there, I won’t be able to get a divorce! Will I really be trapped inside that walled city for the rest of my life?!
And Kulun-tarkhan had said something ominous about “The preparations failed, please await further instructions for dealing with Duke Zhao”, in that serious tone of his, and left without giving her any more information–just how did any of them expect her to remain calm? Ashina’s mind filled with all kinds of horrific scenarios, finally landing on her last memory of Zhao Wenyuan. At the thought of the mild-mannered man’s face, her fears settled down a little.
I’m sure he’s not so bad, he seemed nice enough, Ashina assured herself, refusing to think about the reports that suggested otherwise. But a man like that, who was like a ravenous beast in the political arena, would surely be smarter than to mistreat or disrespect a foreign Princess in marriage.
And didn’t he promise not to take any concubines? Ashina bit back a smile and found herself embarrassed and livid at being grateful for that. I’m a Princess! He’s lucky enough to have been granted this marriage even though he didn’t have a title until recently! He never had the right to take any concubines to begin with!
She deflated, thinking of princesses and nobleman’s daughters who had died under mysterious circumstances after they married. Who was to say those women weren’t mistreated? So long as their interests were still aligned, both clans simply pretended it was the result of illness or misfortune instead of acknowledging any misdoing.
I thought Father liked me, Ashina thought, hurt blossoming in her chest. Why would he marry me into the Wu like this? She thought back to her father’s affection throughout her childhood, as well as the pride on his face when he declared the match.
No, Father expects great things of me, that’s all, Ashina assured herself, her mood brightening at the thought. He always said I was his favorite daughter, he wouldn’t send me there if he didn’t think I could handle it.
She perked up again, the dark troubles in her mind fizzling down. It wasn't so bad. Plus, she’d already met her husband beforehand, it wasn’t as though she was going in blind. Zhao Wenyuan had a bright future, decent health, and was still a young man instead of some middle-aged uncle or half-dead geezer.
And Zhao Wenyuan was handsome enough, she supposed, though he was rather frail-looking compared to the well-built men she’d grown up around.
Can that guy even ride a horse? Ashina wondered, smiling at the thought. She was curious how he would react when he met her. Would he be flustered? Would he be calm and unflappable? Perhaps he was even more nervous than she was, he seemed the sort. From what she’d seen of him at the brothel–
Ashina froze. At the brothel…Damn it! How could I forget?! I met him at a brothel! He still thinks I’m a guy! What kind of reaction is he going to make when he–She grabbed a cushion and buried her face in it, letting out an incoherent scream and reddening to the tip of her ears.
“My princess?” One of her attendants asked nervously.
“A veil,” Ashina grit out through her teeth.
The attendants glanced at each other in confusion.
“Hurry up and get me a veil!” Ashina wailed.
Her attendants scattered, rushing off in a hurry.
“Goodness, my princess, what’s the matter?” Derin asked in concern, sticking her head in the carriage.
“I need a veil!” Ashina cried, grabbing onto Derin’s sleeve.
“What on earth do you need a veil for? It’s your first meeting with your–”
Looking at Ashina’s bright-red face, her mind flashed to Ashina’s disguise in Luoyang’s red-light district.
“Ah. Let’s change your outfit too, so that it matches the veil,” Derin offered.
The guards escorting the procession glanced at each other in confusion as women moved about the Princess’ carriage in a hurry.
“Isik-baghatur, should we send someone to go check on the princess? I think I heard a scream earlier,” One of the guards asked. Isik met the eyes of Derin as the woman made her way back to the carriage with luxuriously embroidered robes in her arms. The woman gave him a formidable glare that told him to stay away.
“No, I think it’s fine. Just leave her be,” he said. “The princess must want to make a good impression on her future husband. Nothing good comes from interfering with the preparations of a bride.”
A wave of fond chuckles rippled through the guards. Most of them had been assigned to the Princess since she had entered adolescence. The oldest guard, a man of forty-three, had bawled his eyes out when the marriage had been announced. They were more relieved than anything else to see the princess acting like a frazzled young bride.
It was a political alliance, of course, but it was still a marriage. And weddings were always a cause of celebration.
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Kayla had spent the morning in a hectic flurry of preparations, and finally ended up in a fancy outfit that Yun’er and Yan’er magically produced out of seemingly nowhere. She stood at the front of the delegation, Right Secretariat An at her shoulder. They were almost thirty miles out from the fortress city, following the traditional rite of coming out to greet the guests.
“How long before they arrive?” Kayla asked over her shoulder to Tabuyir.
“They crossed the border a while ago, they should be here any moment now,” Tabuyir replied. “Oh, and speak of that–I can see them now.”
Kayla nodded and straightened her robes, rolling her shoulders slightly in preparation.
A magnificent procession came into sight, approaching at a slow, stately speed. A man in fine robes, with an impressively beautiful beard came riding at the front on a white horse. From the way he carried himself, it was clear he was the highest-ranking official in the party.
That must be Kulun-tarkhan.
He dismounted and stepped forward to greet the Wu delegation, flanked by burly warriors on either side.
“Kulun-tarkhan, it is wonderful to see you,” Kayla said warmly.
“Your Excellency, the honor is mine,” Kulun said, bowing slightly with a fist over his chest. “Thank you for coming here to welcome us.”
“Not at all, it is only what I should do after you all have undergone such a long journey,” Kayla replied. She glanced subtly at the carriages behind him, and Kulun immediately took the hint.
He stepped to the side, gesturing grandly at the carriage directly behind him. The horsemen and guards before it moved neatly to either side, revealing the decorated carriage in its full glory.
“Her Highness has eagerly awaited this day, Your Excellency,” Kulun said.
“I am deeply grateful and honored, Tarkhan. I, too, have eagerly anticipated the Princess’ arrival,” Kayla said.
“Then without further ado,” Kulun said.
Goodness, he’s rushing this, isn’t he? He’s got to know about what happened in Daizhou, Kayla thought to herself. On the outside, she gave a pleasant smile. Kulun stepped further aside, and all eyes fell upon the carriage as two attendants parted its curtains.
From within, the princess emerged.
“Goodness,” Right Secretariat An gasped in wonder as the princess stepped out from her carriage. A stately middle-aged woman took her hand to help her down.
Kayla breathed in sharply as the princess came into full view.
Princess Ashina was dressed in Turkic dress, with layers of carefully embroidered red fabric encrusted with shimmering jewels. She wore an elaborate headdress with inlays of gold, her face covered by a translucent white veil with subtle embroidery in a white thread with glints of gold woven in throughout, and a matching veil that covered her hair. Only her forehead and eyes were visible. As she stepped out from the shade of the carriage and into the sunlight, her outfit and hazel eyes blazed golden for a brief moment.
“I present the daughter of Chuluo Khagan the Wise, pearl of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, Her Royal Highness Princess Ashina!” Kulun-tarkhan announced in a booming voice.
“We humbly welcome Her Highness to the Wu Empire,” Kayla said, bowing her head towards the princess. Behind her, the civil officials gave a full bow. Kayla straightened, meeting Ashina’s eyes.
The Princess’ gaze pierced into her like a sword. Kayla found herself a little in awe of the strength in Ashina’s eyes.
She gave a smile as genuine as it was polite, and the princess’ eyes crinkled above the white fabric.
A few more pleasantries were exchanged by the official diplomats on both sides, while Kayla and Ashina evaluated each other quietly. The two delegations headed to the fortress, where they were welcomed with great fanfare. Kayla only had to accept toasts and congratulations throughout the whole affair, which seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. The princess and her attendants joined in from behind a curtain, hosted by the wives of chieftains and officials. Before she even realized it, the welcome banquet had ended for the night.
I haven’t even seen her face yet, Kayla mused as she strode along the fortress walls. She wasn’t quite tired, but needed some space after hours of socializing.
“Tired?” Hu Qing asked, landing with a soft thump behind her from where he had been running sideways on the wall.
Kayla shook her head with a wry smile. “I’m fine, I got a decent amount of sleep last night.”
Hu Qing chortled. “Yeah? And here I thought you were energized from seeing your bride!”
“The Princess is very graceful, and she certainly has a stately air to her,” Kayla replied with great dignity in response to his teasing.
“Stately air indeed–are you disappointed you didn’t get to see her face?”
Kayla gave him the side-eye, which did not deter his beaming grin in the slightest.
“Disappointed? I’m not the one who was glancing about for Alizhi the whole time,” she shot back.
“He’s not my type,” Hu Qing protested.
Kayla smiled knowingly, eliciting a grimace from Hu Qing. He frowned, craning his neck to look into the darkness.
“Oh look, someone’s coming,” Hu Qing said.
“Where? I don’t see anyone,” Kayla replied, squinting in an attempt to make the person out.
“Not from that direction.”
“Then why are you looking that way?!”
“Duke Zhao,” a girl’s voice rang out before Hu Qing could answer. Kayla turned towards the voice, nodding in greeting. A girl in her late teens stepped into sight, dressed in the clothes of a Turkic attendant. The girl smiled, revealing pearly teeth and a pair of endearing dimples.
“Hello there, is there something you need–” Kayla stopped still and stared at the girl. Despite the dark, she made out the girl’s face.
Wait, that’s the little lesbian girl from the brothel! What?!
“You-you–” Kayla began, stopping halfway as she tried to sort through her thoughts.
Is she a lady-in-waiting? Or is she the princess?! Fuck, I can’t tell with those clothes.
“I think that’s the princess,” Hu Qing hissed into her ear.
Kayla’s brain went into overdrive as she deliberated whether or not it was a good thing that the Princess was lesbian. Good thing, she concluded. If she gets a girlfriend I could just bring the girl into the household as a concubine or a maid or whatever.
“Your Highness,” Kayla greeted the princess with a bow, Hu Qing following suit. “It is an honor to see you again. What are you doing in such a place so late at night?”
“Taking a closer look at my husband,” Ashina replied. “I wanted you to know my face before tomorrow.”
She smiled at the look of surprise on Kayla’s face. “Are you surprised that the boy you met at the brothel was actually a princess?”
Kayla laughed softly. “Indeed, Your Highness, I had taken you for a nobleman’s daughter. Who would’ve thought that you were actually a princess?”
“So you knew I was a woman?” Ashina asked disappointedly.
Kayla and Hu Qing exchanged a look of amusement. “Yes,” Kayla replied. “Your Highness is too beautiful to pass for a man.”
Ashina flushed, but it was too dark for Kayla to tell. Hu Qing picked up on it just fine.
“And here I thought my disguise was passable, I’ve shown you something quite unsightly.”
“I thought those clothes suited you nicely,” Kayla offered as comfort. “But I am glad to see you again. I hope you’ve been well.”
“I have,” Ashina said a little shyly. “Well, I have to get back now before my attendants kick up a fuss. I just wanted to speak with you face to face.”
“Of course, it was a pleasure,” Kayla replied. “Would you need an escort?”
“No, I brought one,” Ashina said. “Well then, goodnight.”
“Goodnight, my princess,” Kayla said. The girl nodded and walked off, a bulky figure slipping out of the shadows to join her from where Hu Qing had been glancing about before.
“Well, it’ll be helpful to have a guard like that in your household,” Hu Qing remarked. “As long as he doesn’t turn against you, that is.”
“Yeah,” Kayla said drily. She stared after Ashina, watching the girl disappear into the night.
“Goodness, I feel bad for her, being forced to marry into a foreign country at such a young age when she doesn’t even like men,” Kayla said sympathetically. Hu Qing gave her a strange look.
“What are you talking about?” Hu Qing asked.
“Didn’t you see how red she was when tipping the dancers back at the brothel? It was kind of cute to watch,” Kayla said. Hu Qing looked at her as though he was looking at an idiot.
“She was blushing because of you,” Hu Qing said flatly. “Trust me, that girl definitely isn’t into golden orchids.”
“Are you sure?” Kayla asked in alarm.
“Yes,” Hu Qing said with emphasis. “Definitely.”
“Oh, ok,” Kayla muttered. “Anyways.”
She thought of the young girl’s bright smile with a pang of sympathy. Time would tell if Ashina was here solely as a marriage partner or if she was meant to represent the political interests of the Khagan. Kayla desperately hoped it was the former. If she had to ward against Ashina in her own house, both of them would suffer. Kayla would be surrounded by enemies day in and day out, and Ashina would be even more isolated in a foreign land.
My god, I hope the Khagan’s decent enough not to put his daughter through such misery, Kayla silently pleaded to the heavens.
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Cultural Notes
黄毛小儿/Yellow-haired brat: An Ancient Chinese proverb used as a derogatory term for someone who is young. Originates from the phrase "yellow-mouthed brat", which compares a kid to a baby bird who opens its beak for food, but later evolved into yellow-haired brat. Some believe that due to malnutrition, some children may have had lighter hair color when they were younger, hence this term's usage.
骨气/Willfullness/Guts/Pride: A Chinese term that literally means someone's got bones, essentially the equivalent of "you've got spine".
Sasanid Empire: During early the Tang Dynasty, the Sassanian Empire/Eranshahr went through a period of great turbulence due to the Sassanian Civil War (628 to 632) and Arab invasion, and was eventually conquered by the Rashidun Caliphate (632 to 654). The Rashidun Caliphate also fragmented due to inner strife, and parts of the former Sassanian Empire also rose in rebellion, many regions alternating between independence and submission through the following centuries. These changes also affected the neighboring Western and Eastern Turkic Khaganates.
Corruption in warfare: Similar to everywhere else, warfare in China was prone to corruption and insider trading, especially during eras of decline. During golden ages, the military tended to be strictly disciplined, and corruption was difficult to cover up, but during times of decline, the money tends to go through layers of siphoning before finally reaching the soldiers. This was most prominent in the late Ming Dynasty, when soldiers were paid so little that many refused to fight properly against the Jurchen/Manchurian armies.
Princesses and their non-royal husbands: While princesses often 下嫁/Married down to husbands of non-royal rank, they didn't always enjoy a privileged position in the household. Tang dynasty princesses, especially early Tang princesses, were known for being rather assertive, but many princesses were forced to accept their husbands' taking concubines or inattentiveness. Even royal status was not sufficient to protect princesses from domestic abuse, and while this was very rare in the Tang Dynasty, there have been notable instances where princesses were abused unto death in the Northern Wei dynasty, the Song dynasty, and the Qing dynasty. The most famous incidents include a princess of the Northern Wei dynasty who was intensely jealous of her husband's affairs and got into an argument with him. Infuriated, he kicked the pregnant princess in her stomach, resulting in her death. He fled in fear of punishment, and was sentenced harshly by the Emperor, but court officials insisted on lightening his sentence. Eventually, the husband lasted long enough for a blanket amnesty to be granted (usually after a fortuitous event or when a member of the Imperial Family is in bad health) and escaped punishment altogether.
代州/Daizhou: An administrative region in Tang-dynasty China. In the northeastern part of modern-day Shan'xi province.
郊外相迎/Greeting outside the city: An Ancient Chinese tradition for greeting important persons or those who achieved great merits. This is one of the highest honors if performed by the Imperial Court in the capital, followed by being greeted at the city gates by the officials of the court. If you recall, in the first book, Kuang received this treatment from the Emperor when returning from the border.
契若金兰/Bond like Golden Orchids: An euphemism for lesbian affairs/inclinations in Ancient China. The term originally means to have a strong bond, and originates from a description of the bond between the great general Han Xin (of the Han dynasty) and his master Liu Bang (First Emperor of the Han dynasty). It's worth noting that Han Xin was killed by Liu Bang. It later developed into a colloquial phrase referring to lesbians.