Character Index
Princess Ashina: Princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate and daughter of Chuluo Khagan, Kayla's bride-to-be, personal name Ibilga.
Meral: One of Ashina's attendants, the same age as the Princess.
Kulun: A tarkhan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, charged with escorting Ashina to Luoyang.
Derin: Ashina's most trusted attendant.
Chuluo: Khagan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, Ashina's father and Kayla's soon-to-be father-in-law.
Chen Caichun: A chamberlain of the Court of Judicial Review, Kayla's supporter.
Chujiao/Jing Shuyou: Wenyuan's childhood sweetheart and personal serving girl, Xiang Daozong' cousin.
Housekeeper Li: Formerly Matron Li, Kayla's servant.
Sun Zhong'e: A middle-aged woman who is one of Kayla's retainers. Was left in the capital to hold the fort while Kayla was gone.
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince, a contender for the throne.
Xiang Daozong/Qu Boyong: Lord of the Xiang clan, part of the neutral faction (due to Kayla's strong-arming).
Wei Guang: The Imperial Edict Bearer and Kayla's godfather.
Secretary Song: A half-Persian Secretary in the Ministry of Justice.
Sun Ruhui: Left Secretariat of Justice, Kayla's supporter.
Zhou Kuang: The Third Prince, one of the contenders for the throne.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Lord of the Liang clan, Kayla's friend and supporter.
General Yan: General of the Commandery at Xiazhou.
Feng Yi: A good-natured merchant who was dragged into the political struggle between the nobles.
Shu Ling: One of Kayla's retainers, she was sent to guard Feng Yi.
Emperor Gaozong: The current Emperor's grandfather and husband of the Grand Duke's sister (also the reason why the Grand Duke was the Grand Duke).
Liu Boyue: Xianchun's strategist and right-hand man, made a comeback after losing the prince's trust via Kayla's plots.
Liang Shen: Minister of Justice, former lord of the Liang clan.
Great General Liang: Formerly titled Great General of the West, patriarch of the Liang clan. He was framed and executed, and his family members were forced to flee before his name was cleared.
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Ashina settled into the ornate room, glancing about curiously at the decorations. The Emperor had taken great pains to arrange for her stay to be comfortable, having refurbished a palace annex for her use. Only after the wedding would she go to the Zhao household.
Despite only being the residence of a noble rather than a royal, rumors suggested that it would be no less comfortable than her current quarters.
That went much more smoothly than I thought. I was expecting a much cooler reception.
“Excuse me, Your Highness,” a voice came from the door.
“Come in,” Ashina called. One of her attendants came in, a girl named Meral who was the same age as Ashina. Ashina smiled at her kindly.
“Please pardon me for disturbing your rest, my princess,” Meral said, lifting the tray in her hands slightly. Ashina glanced at the tray of hair oils and combs and settled down onto a backless couch.
“Go ahead,” Ashina said. Meral deftly undid the princess’s braids and began to carefully comb through the wavy locks as they uncoiled.
“You must be exhausted,” Meral said mildly.
“I’m alright,” Ashina replied, relaxing into their usual routine.
“Earlier, Kulun-tarkhan approached me and asked me to bring a message to you,” Meral said.
Ashina frowned. “Why didn’t he just–never mind, what is it?”
“The tarkhan wished to relay the Khagan’s words: All his orders hereon will be conveyed through his agent. The princess is to gather and report any and all relevant information through said agent, and receive instructions through her as well,” Meral said. Her voice was quiet and subdued, but without fear.
A chill prickled at the base of Ashina’s skull.
A woman? Who is it? Derin? No, that can’t be it. Her mind finally registered what had bothered her about Meral’s words.
She’s just a junior attendant with no ties at court, how can she be so calm conveying confidential information like this?
Ashina whirled around to face Meral, who hastily removed the comb before it could catch on the princess’ hair.
The attendant met Ashina’s eyes with a sheepish look.
“You?” Ashina stared at the girl in shock. Meral lowered her head in a respectful bow.
“When did Father give you this assignment?” Ashina demanded.
Meral avoided Ashina’s eyes. It was all the answer the princess needed.
Since the beginning.
“So that’s how it is,” Ashina said darkly, twisting away from the attendant. Meral had served her for years, since both of them were still in adolescence.
She’s been one of Father’s agents all along and I had no idea. Ashina ground her teeth together. Once, she would have taken it as a sign of favor and protection, and she did so now as well. But her straightforward worldview had slowly been ripped asunder–once suspicion took root, it grew into everything around it.
Was she here to protect me or monitor me? Her maternal grandfather flashed into mind. She rarely saw him after entering adolescence, around the time when he had started teasing her about future husbands. Ashina quashed the thought before it could drag her deeper into unease, but the anger remained.
She spun around and slapped Meral across the face. The girl breathed in sharply, intently focusing her eyes on the ground to control her expression.
“Meral, who am I to you?” Ashina hissed.
“You are my master,” Meral replied in a small voice.
“Wrong! My father is your master,” Ashina shot back. “But I am your princess! Now, I don’t care what you’ve done or said in the past, but from hereon now, never deceive me again. If you dare to keep any information from me, I’ll rip your heart out myself!”
She narrowed her eyes at the flash of surprise on Meral’s face.
“Are you thinking that I don’t have the power to do so now that we’re in Luoyang?” Ashina asked sweetly. Meral flinched at her tone and hastily shook her head.
“The Han people have a custom–the man takes charge of affairs outside the household, the woman takes charge of affairs within. Duke Zhao won’t so much as blink an eye as to what I do to you,” Ashina said. “Am I clear?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Meral replied.
Ashina leaned forward, peering at Meral’s eyes even as the girl’s glance skittered away.
“Do what you’re ordered to, Meral. I won’t interfere in the actions of a loyal subject who seeks to serve the Khagan. But remember, here in Luoyang, I decide your life or death.”
Meral opened her mouth to reply, her lower lip trembling slightly. “I understand, Your Highness.”
“Good.” Ashina glanced at the red mark on Meral’s cheek. “Go fix your face.”
Meral bowed, quickly fleeing the room. Ashina curled up on the couch, feeling sapped of both anger and energy. Now, only self-disgust and doubt churned through her stomach.
She had never been particularly close with Meral, but after so many years together, there was a fondness and familiarity between them. The revelation came like a knife in the dark, carving apart the fabric of her reality. Ashina looked down at her stinging hand, guilt churning in her chest.
The people I brought from home…how many of them can I actually rely on?
Feeling more alone than ever, Ashina squeezed her eyes shut against the unfamiliar room.
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Alone in the study after Chen Caichun’s departure, Kayla paced the room with a blank stare.
I’d nearly forgotten about the whole matter, but Chujiao’s still a loose end, Kayla thought. She felt sorry for the young woman, but this was a matter that could only be wrapped up by Chujiao wedding another man or becoming a nun. Whichever one it was, she needed to prompt Chujiao into a choice.
Does she still have feelings for Wenyuan? Kayla considered the question with a hint of self-ridicule. Of course she does. They grew up together, and she’s been in love with him for years. Those feelings won’t fade so easily. But I’ll have to put an end to that. It’s the best outcome for all of us.
Kayla set the matter aside for later, glancing up as Housekeeper Li appeared in the empty doorway.
“My lord,” Housekeeper Li greeted her. “Sun Zhong’e is here to see you.”
“Wonderful, please show her in,” Kayla replied.
The woman stepped into the room, bowing slightly before giving Kayla a wide smile.
“Zhong’e, thank you for holding down the fort while I was gone,” Kayla said. “If not for you, I couldn’t have left the capital behind without concerns.”
Sun Zhong’e came closer, closing the door behind her as she did so.
“It is an honor, my lord. I’m glad to be of service.”
“How have things been in my absence? Any new developments?” Kayla asked.
“The Seventh Prince seems to have brought on more retainers from the underworld, if what we’ve seen is any good indication. Lord Xiang is also doing the same, though his coffers shouldn’t be full enough for him to do so,” Sun Zhong’e said. “I suspect that Lord Xiang is being financially backed by the Seventh Prince despite the Imperial Edict Bearer’s efforts to keep him in line, but perhaps the Imperial Investigators have a clearer picture of what’s going on.”
“Noted, I’ll have to keep an eye on them,” Kayla muttered.
“All the nobles and major clans have also increased their eyes and ears in the capital, but they’ve been moving extremely conservatively, given how murky the situation is right now,” Sun Zhong’e went on. “But so have a lot of hopeful individuals who wish to gain your patronage. We’ve seen no end of minor officials, scholars, and merchants who requested an audience with you. Currently, Secretary Song is on the top of the list, since Left Secretariat Sun’s already screened him by your orders. If you recall?”
“Secretary Song? Yes, I remember him,” Kayla said. “I’ll meet with him once I get a chance and then send him off to the Sixth Princess.”
Her mind flitted from the Sixth Princess to her older brothers.
I need to give Kuang a heads-up before I officially start pushing for the policy, Kayla thought. If he can grab onto this chance, his position will basically be secured. I’ll actually be able to focus on the reforms if that’s out of the way.
Kuang would make good use of the opportunity, she was sure. Reading between the lines of what Sun Ruhui had said, Kayla was pretty sure that the Third Prince was using the ruckus Xianchun stirred up to cover up his movements in the provinces.
He wouldn’t have returned Feng Yi to me if he wasn’t done. He must have Henan province in his grip already.
Kayla withheld a smile of amusement. Now, with this, he’ll be like a tiger that has gained wings.
It would be a relief when Kuang was finally the Crown Prince. He was a monster of a politician, yes, and she’d learned that the hard way. But Kuang moved according to what was most beneficial and stopped when it was no longer the case. That alone made him a better option than Xianchun.
“There were a number of other people who hoped to receive your patronage, I have a list over here,” Sun Zhong’e went on, her voice cutting into Kayla’s thoughts. “Though it may be a little presumptuous, I took the liberty of jotting down a few who seemed to have potential.”
Kayla accepted the scroll and nodded for her to go ahead. Sun Zhong’e rattled through a list of names, followed by a short description.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“There’s also a few who seemed to have some potential, but didn’t stand out enough to warrant particular attention,” Sun Zhong’e said. “A lot of sons of small merchants and farmers, they’d take too much effort and resources to make into worthwhile patrons for too small a payoff. This one kid that I spoke with, Xie Rengui, he’s a farmer’s son who’d never even been in the capital before. An honest man, but the kid couldn’t name the Three Departments and Six Ministries if you put a knife to his throat.”
Kayla paused, looking up from the scroll.
“The farmboy, what did you say his name was again?” Kayla asked.
“Xie Rengui, my lord,” Sun Zhong’e replied.
Kayla mulled on the name for a moment, trying to figure out where she had heard it before.
Was he a character? Wait, no, that’s not it…“Do we know if he has a wife?” Kayla asked.
Sun Zhong’e blinked in surprise.
“Well, yes. He came to Luoyang with his wife, Liu Qingyin. They’re newlyweds, it seemed they got married soon after your procession passed through their town on its way north,” Sun Zhong’e said. “From what he told me, that was the impetus for them to hurry up and tie the knot at the earliest lucky date. He wouldn’t shut up about it, actually, Housekeeper Li had to come out and send him away.”
“What kind of impetus–never mind that, his wife’s surname is Liu?” Kayla pressed.
“That’s right, my lord,” Sun Zhong’e replied.
Right on the mark. I knew I heard that name somewhere before! The surname’s a little different, but isn’t that the name of the general from that show I watched as a kid? The one who was a really good commander?
It could just be a lucky coincidence, but Kayla wasn’t taking that chance.
“Hire him. See if he’s interested in a martial or military position,” Kayla said.
Sun Zhong’e nodded, confused but not enough so to question it. “As you wish.”
We’re entering a new era, we’ll need new talents, Kayla thought. Having found his direction, Hu Qing was throwing himself into military theory and strategies with fervor. His goal was to become capable enough to supplant General Yan when the man became uncontrollable–Kayla didn’t doubt that it would happen soon enough. The General was prone to heroic feats and hotblooded actions. He would be an excellent commander at first, but it wouldn’t take long for him to insult enough people that he was no longer a viable option.
The new generation too, Kayla’s thoughts drifted to the young hostages who had come back with her. She rose from her seat, letting out a soft sigh.
But before that, we still have to set the stage.
“Well done, Zhong’e. Keep an eye out for Feng Yi in the next few days, will you? He and Shu Ling have been gone for a while, make sure they can settle back in as smoothly as possible,” Kayla said.
Sun Zhong’e bowed her head slightly. “As you wish.”
There was another knock on the door. “My lord, there’s a scroll from Chamberlain Chen,” Housekeeper Li called. “Do you wish to read it now or after you go to the palace?”
“Now is fine, bring it in,” Kayla replied. She nodded at Sun Zhong’e, who tactfully excused herself.
Kayla unfurled the scroll, settling down at her desk to read through Caichun’s work. Her lips quirked upwards with amusement as her eyes trailed down the lines of neat script, widening until her face hurt from smiling.
I really hit the jackpot with this kid, didn’t I?
She burst into laughter as she finished.
“Ha! Disrespect of Emperor Gaozong? Caichun’s truly outdone herself!” Kayla laughed. She wiped the tears of laughter off her eyelashes. “The Emperor’s going to love this.”
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The shadows twisted and danced as the candle in Xianchun’s study flickered with the sudden gust of wind from the window.
The Seventh Prince glanced over at the masked man who had entered, nodding for him to speak. Kneeling before the prince, the man bowed his head.
“Duke Zhao has departed to the palace,” the man reported. Xianchun waved his hand, and the man quickly disappeared back out the window again. Xianchun’s shadow loomed over the walls, swaying as the candle’s flames danced about.
“Well, Boyue?” Xianchun asked, looking at Liu Boyue.
The strategist bowed his head. “At your service, my prince.”
“Your thoughts, Boyue,” Xianchun prompted impatiently. “What course of action shall we take?”
“Nothing, Your Highness. We should quietly observe the situation for now,” Boyue replied.
Xianchun gave him a strange look. “Nothing? You’re the one who keeps urging me to take action.”
“The situation has changed, my prince. With Zhao Wenyuan’s return, the chessboard has been reset. We cannot simply continue as we were, we need to fully grasp the situation before taking action,” Boyue explained.
Xianchun let out a huff, turning his gaze out the window. “Even with our attempts to drag him down as much as possible, Third Brother’s progress is like a monstrous flood, swallowing up all it encounters. If Wenyuan were to tip off Third Brother ahead of time, we’d be done for! We can’t just sit and wait for defeat!”
“It is my fault for failing to anticipate the Third Prince’s movements, my prince,” Boyue said apologetically.
“There’s no need to say such things. Third Brother hid his influence so well that not even Grandmother suspected this,” Xianchun said with a sharp sigh. He rubbed at the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Forget about that, we need to get to the crux of the problem–Wenyuan’s the unpredictable factor here, isn’t he? We can’t keep it that way. Continue observing his movements and that of his supporters. We need to watch Sixth Sister as well. I don’t know why she got the notion to start meddling in politics, but we can’t let her interfere with our plans. And the Turkish princess…can we get a spy into her residence?”
“I would advise against it, my prince. There are too many eyes on the Princess right now,” Boyue warned him. More importantly, those eyes belonged to the Emperor, and if Boyue’s suspicions were correct, the Khagan.
“Whatever course of action Wenyuan chooses to take, it surely cannot be decoupled from his new ties with the Khaganate,” Xianchun said. “That man takes advantage of whatever he has, and right now, that’s his greatest weapon. If something is to happen, it will surely be rooted in the North.”
Boyue hesitated a moment before nodding. He didn’t share the prince’s sharp instincts for the young Duke, but the conclusion made sense. Zhao Wenyuan had wasted no time in befriending the North. He was certain to leverage those ties.
“Then perhaps we should focus our attention there as well. Not on the North, but on Northerners,” Boyue suggested.
Xianchun shot him a sharp look. “You mean to drag in the Shu clan again? That didn’t work. All it did was rile Third Brother up.”
“There’s no need to act immediately, my prince. The Shu clan doesn’t exactly have a clear slate. All we need to do is wait for an opportune moment to bring it up again,” Boyue offered. “In the meantime, keeping a close eye on Zhao Wenyuan’s movements will tell us when to move. If he moves, the North would move, and if the North moves, he is sure to follow. At that time, we can strike. Even if we ourselves do not gain anything, we can at least tie down the Third Prince and keep him from further expanding his influence.”
Xianchun’s gaze bored into Liu Boyue for a long moment before the prince nodded. The Seventh Prince had grown accustomed to Liu Boyue’s plots over the last few weeks. It felt strangely baring, almost like undressing himself in a crowded room, for Liu Boyue to share the full extent of his machinations with his master. Where he had previously felt justified while acting behind Xianchun’s back, Boyue now felt twinges of shame that made him avoid the prince’s eyes.
But to his relief, Xianchun had been evolving in leaps and bounds. The vacuum created by Zhao Wenyuan’s absence allowed the man to finally pull his head out from the murky waters and take a close, hard look at the events of the hectic months preceding.
Xianchun brought Boyue fully into his confidence again, but this time there was something different about it that Liu Boyue couldn’t ignore.
One way or another, Xianchun had come to a simple conclusion. If he wanted the throne, the only one he could truly trust was himself.
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Hu Qing squinted as he ran his thumb down a stack of scrolls. The family archive was completely dark save for the lamp he had brought, and that too had been purposefully dimmed to avoid any questioning eyes. It wasn’t as though Hu Qing needed the light–with his level of experience, he could find secret transaction records from a labyrinth of an office in pitch darkness.
The real problem here was the Liang clan’s habit of writing overly flowery titles that gave little to no information about the scroll’s contents.
“What the hell are these titles? How the fuck does anyone find anything in here?” Hu Qing grumbled. His eyes caught onto a cabinet of scrolls that had less dust on them than the others. They looked as though no one had read any of them for a long time, but were still carefully maintained.
“Aha,” Hu Qing sidled over and pulled one of the scrolls out, careful not to damage the fragile paper. He unfurled the scroll on top of the small table, dusting the surface with his sleeve first.
“There we go…Record of the Great General of the West’s Second Campaign against the Eastern Turks, Part One,” Hu Qing muttered. “This is it.” He leaned on the desk, squinting at the tiny characters.
This was definitely written by my father, look at how tiny the words are, Hu Qing thought with disgruntlement. With great effort, he began to painstakingly read through the scroll.
Hu Qing read until halfway through before incredulously jumping to the end. The entire scroll was focused on pre-campaign logistics–and not even the numbers at that. It was an index of every single supply inspection the Great General had completed at the capital and at the military base in Shengzhou. The wagons, the horses, the horse feed, the supplies of grain and dried meat, armor, weapons, the list went on and on.
“Doesn’t he have subordinates for that?” Hu Qing muttered. Then again, he knew from firsthand experience that information sunk in best when you obtained it yourself. He hurried back over to the shelf and brought over Part 2. That, too, was an index, this time of all scouting expeditions and intel obtained on sources of fresh water, terrain, residences, nomadic patterns, weather patterns, and everything else that Hu Qing could and couldn’t think of.
And they haven’t even gotten to the actual reports. Hu Qing stared at the documents in amazement. No wonder he was successful–he was ridiculously well-prepared.
Once the information was known by heart, one could act on instinct. It seemed to be the same for both the underworld and the military, though the latter had much more moving parts to consider.
Looks like I have a lot to learn, Hu Qing thought, glancing over at the entire stack of scrolls on the shelf. He stiffened, sensing another person’s presence approaching. Hu Qing watched until a familiar figure appeared in the door.
“Lord Liang, what are you doing in here so late at night?” Minister Liang asked.
Hu Qing smiled at him in greeting. “Just looking at some old records. Why are you still up, Brother?”
“It’s not that late,” Minister Liang replied. “What’s all this?”
He trailed his gaze over the scrolls on the table, recognizing them by instinct. “Grandfather’s campaign records?” He looked at Hu Qing quizzically. “What are you looking at these for?”
“Just thought I’d brush up on my knowledge,” Hu Qing said.
A frown creased Minister Liang’s brow. “Knowledge of what, military campaigns? Why, are you planning to become a commander?”
Hu Qing shrugged. “Even if an opportunity comes along, it’s useless if you’re not prepared. Better to have the knowledge beforehand than to miss out should a chance emerge.”
Minister Liang scoffed and shook his head with a disbelieving laugh.
Irritation prickled under Hu Qing’s skin. “What is it?” Hu Qing demanded.
“Nothing,” Minister Liang replied.
“You don’t think it’s possible?” Hu Qing pressed.
Minister Liang shook his head again. “Becoming a military commander is not just about ability, Hongfei.”
Hu Qing noted the bitterness in his brother’s voice and remained silent. As he expected, Minister Liang went on unprompted.
“It’s not as easy as you think. You can’t just be a capable commander, you also have to have sharp political acumen, but not so much that the Emperor feels threatened. Not only that, you need to constantly ward against enemies at court even while conducting campaigns–and on that note, campaigns. You can only win and not lose, but you can’t win too many times without making the Emperor feel threatened. Yet, if you’re the best commander on the field, you’re the one who the Emperor will call on every time there is a major threat.”
Minister Liang walked further into the room, gesturing at the shelves about them.
“And the biggest threat doesn’t come from outside either, it comes from within. Once you’ve achieved success, you’ll be faced with all sorts of temptations, luxuries, and flattery from all around you. You’ll need to be able to withstand all that and remain humble without forgetting your place. Do you really think that’s an easy thing to do? Even people who were raised in great privilege with the best resources about them can’t necessarily do it. They won’t necessarily be able to resist temptation even if they’re less easily swayed by promises of fame or fortune, already having access to it on their own terms.”
Minister Liang turned on his heel to look at Hu Qing. “For someone who comes from a colder household, or someone like you who has had less all along, you’re doomed to fail these trials unless you somehow gain inhuman fortitude. Our clan already consistently produces civil officials–isn’t it enough to be Lord over that?”
His voice softened, along with the look in his eyes. “You don’t need to prove yourself with military achievements, Hongfei. Just going along your current path will ensure you the respect and acknowledgement you’re due.”
Hu Qing let the silence settle over them before finally giving a reply. “Don’t worry, brother. I’m not doing this because I want military glory, or fame, or anything like that.”
Minister Liang tilted his head slightly, giving Hu Qing a quizzical look. “Then why?”
“Because this country will need commanders.”
Minister Liang’s face filled with surprise.
Hu Qing nodded at him, not waiting for a reply. “Goodnight, brother. I’ll continue my studies tomorrow. It’s getting late.”
He rolled the scrolls back up and left, leaving the light behind for Minister Liang. The man in question remained where he was for a moment, taken aback by Hu Qing’s response. After a moment, he let out a sigh and leaned over to blow out the candle. The room was plunged back into darkness. The door creaked shut, followed by the click of the padlock, before settling back into silence.
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Cultural Notes
男主外女主内/Men are masters of affairs outside the house, women are masters of affairs within: An Ancient Chinese saying and tradition in which the wife usually managed the household. This did not always mean that the wife had the last say, but husbands usually had to cede to their wives, especially since merchants and scholars often were away from the household on business or work for long stretches of time.
Henan Province: The province in which Luoyang is situated, a key region for gaining control over the country.
三省六部/Three Departments and Six Ministries: The primary administrative system in Ancient China from between the Sui to the Yuan dynasties (which includes the Tang). The Three Departments are that of the Department of State Affairs, the Chancellery, and the Secretariat, with the Six Ministries beneath them. The Six Ministries are the Ministries of Rite, Revenue, Justice, War, Public Works, and Personnel.
Xue Rengui: One of the most well-known generals of the early Tang dynasty, he served during both the reigns of Emperor Taizong and Emperor Gaozong. The character Xie Rengui is very loosely based on him and doesn't have much in common with the historical figure beyond being militarily skilled and having a wife with the surname of Liu. The historical Xue Rengui had little recorded about his early life, but it is known that he joined military service during Emperor Taizong's second campaign against Goguryeo (an Ancient Korea state). He had been planning to rebury his ancestors at that time, but his wife, who is only recorded as Lady Liu, urged him to seize the chance and rebury his ancestors at a later time. Xue Rengui had a low rank in the army, but demonstrated his bravery and tenacity by leading dangerous charges during the campaign while wearing white armor (a symbol that later became associated with his image). The campaign ended in failure, but Emperor Taizong was recorded to have summoned Xue Rengui and rewarded him with gold and silver, saying that "My generals are all old, and I am trying to find new generals to entrust the military matters to. I cannot find one better than you." Xue Rengui would go on to have a colorful military career that included campaigns against the Western Turkic Khaganate, the Goguryeo (yes, again), rebel Tiele tribes, the Goguryeo for the third time, the Tibetan Empire, the Goguryeo (I don't know what to say at this point), and the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. He served in the military for most of his adult life and had two sons who also became generals.
如虎添翼/Like a tiger that has gained wings: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to someone who has become even more formidable, almost unstoppable, usually by gaining the help of someone, or some kind of resource.
合于利而动，不合于利而止/Move when it's in accordance to interest, stop when it's not: A line from Sun Tze's Art of War, it refers to one of the principles of war. Pride, glory, and honor aside, you keep fighting regardless of the circumstances if it's advantageous to do so. If it's no longer advantageous, don't be ashamed to flee and regroup instead. This was probably aimed at prideful commanders who would happily die rather than retreat, and thus doom their men and deplete the country's fighting force.
善战者无赫赫之功/Those who are good at war do not have heroic feats or achievements: A note made to Sun Tze's Art of War by the Three Kingdoms era warlord Cao Cao, in reference to the line "故善战之胜也，无智名，无勇功，故其战胜不忒/The victory of someone good at war will not be famed for genius strategy or lauded for heroic feats of bravery, as their victory is without doubt." Not to say that you can't win by flashes of brilliance or bravery, but that truly good commanders are well-prepared enough and strategic enough to crush their enemies without them, often by maneuvering far in advance of the actual battle.
寒门/Cold door: An Ancient Chinese phrase used to describe an impoverished household or one without titles/influence/connections. If someone is a "pupil from a cold door/寒门子弟", it means you got here by grit and ability alone despite all difficulties.
Shengzhou: An Ancient Chinese province in Northern China.