Character Index
Ashina Ibilga: Princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, Kayla's wife. Her personal name is Ibilga, but due to hierarchical traditions of using personal names in Ancient China, only someone very close to her, or of the same rank or higher, could use her personal name. The limitations would be even higher now that she is married. As such, the only people who can freely use her personal name are her father and the Emperor, hence why she's only ever referred to by her family name by the others.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Lord of the Liang clan, Vice-Censor.
Sun Zhong'e: Kayla's retainer, a middle-aged woman with strong organizational skills.
Chuluo Khagan: Khagan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. This was stated a long time back, but he was named the heir despite being the youngest son, resulting in a civil war against his older brother. He sought refuge with the Wu dynasty briefly before returning to emerge triumphant over his older brother.
Shegui Khagan: Khagan of the Western Turkic Khaganate.
Derin: A lady-in-waiting in service of Ashina.
Chen Jian: Li Que's mentee, Chen Caichun's older brother.
Li Que: A Senior Investigator, Kayla's subordinate and supporter, he's been on her side from early on and has gained her trust in return.
Chen Caichun: Chamberlain in the Court of Judicial Review, a talented young woman who was made an official by Kayla.
General Yan: Commander of the forces in Xiazhou in the North, reluctantly allied with Kayla after she wheedled him into cooperating during her trip North.
Zhou Hong: The First Prince, deposed and reduced to commoner rank after the suppression of his maternal clan, the Gonsun.
Zhou Yong: The Second Prince, deposed and reduced to commoner rank. Also born of Empress Gongsun, who was deposed and then committed suicide.
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After parting with Hu Qing, Kayla arrived at her own household soon after. The Investigators she’d requested were already waiting for her at the gate.
“Goodness, did the servants not invite you in? I need to discipline them better,” Kayla said in false consternation.
“They were perfectly courteous, Director. We chose to wait outside ourselves,” one of the Investigators replied, speaking for his younger companion as well. “It would be discourteous of us to enter first without having greeted you.”
“My, you’re such a man of propriety!” Kayla replied. “I appreciate your courtesy. Well then, shall we?”
She led them into the Inner Quarters, where a sitting room had already been set up under Sun Zhong’e’s careful supervision. Ashina saw Kayla and nodded in greeting, anticipation alight under her skin.
Ashina’s badly masked nervousness melted into flat displeasure as she caught sight of the Imperial Investigators flanking Kayla.
“What is the meaning of this, husband?” Ashina asked quietly.
Kayla gave her an apologetic look.
“Unfortunately, there’s been a new development of national importance,” Kayla said sheepishly. “Due to concerns of an information leak, these men were tasked with overseeing the security of this meeting. They’re not going to listen in on the conversation, they’re just here to ensure the safety and privacy of this exchange.”
Ashina looked like she wanted to protest, but bit back her words with a small frown.
“I know it’s a little last minute, but I can’t take the risk of either letting down my Uncle nor offending your father,” Kayla added on. Ashina swallowed any complaints she had and gave in.
“If you think that’s best,” Ashina said sullenly.
“Then with your blessings,” Kayla replied. She nodded at the Investigators, who took position at either end of the hallway. Kayla took Ashina’s hand and led her into the study, closing the door halfway.
“My princess, I have to talk with you before we make the call,” Kayla said gently. “There’s been a military clash near the Altay Mountains between the East and Western Khaganates. However, there's no need for concern, your father emerged triumphant over Shegui Khagan’s forces and drove them back.”
Ashina looked befuddled, but not entirely surprised.
Either she’s better at hiding her emotions than I thought or she already knew about the attack, Kayla noted.
“What? Is it war then?” Ashina asked worriedly.
“Not yet, no formal declarations have been made by anyone. But as of now, this is no longer a normal house call between a father-in-law and a newlywed couple, but a matter of international security relating to an allied nation.”
Kayla took a deep breath and pressed forward.
“My Uncle has ordered me to take the call alone,” Kayla said.
Ashina’s eyes flashed with anger. “I’m his daughter!”
“I know,” Kayla said softly. She met Ashina’s gaze with an apologetic look. “But…now that the international situation is like this, any call between him and myself would not just be a family call. Uncle worries that members of the court will use this as an excuse to attack you. They’ll accuse you of being your father’s agent, of being a spy, a dissident, anything that they could think of. My Uncle is trying to protect your position as well as he can.”
She reached forward and took Ashina’s hand. Ashina jerked out of her grip.
“Do you think me a fool? He suspects me! That’s why he’s ordering me to stay away!”
“Only because he doesn’t know you yet, and his responsibilities won’t permit him to take any chances until he’s sure,” Kayla replied. Ashina bristled.
Kayla reached forward again, holding her hand out plaintively. “But I know you, and I’m sure. Still, I can’t go against my Uncle on this without risking accusations of treason. So please, my princess, I need your help.”
Ashina silently fumed a bit, but winded down and took Kayla’s outstretched hand, not looking the least happy about it.
“Fine.”
“I’m sorry that I’m taking away your time with your father,” Kayla said gently. “You must have a lot to tell him.”
Ashina didn’t reply, but her anger melted into girlish petulance somewhat before surging up again. She yanked her hand away and left the room without another word, saying something sharply in Turkish to her attendant in the hallway before disappearing into her private quarters.
To the credit of the Investigators, they showed no sign of having seen or heard a thing beyond bowing as Ashina passed by them.
“Derin-hanim,” Kayla greeted the chief attendant as she entered the room.
“My lord, I am here to set up the call,” Derin said. “Am I correct in expecting that the call will be completely private?”
“You are,” Kayla replied.
“Then if it agrees with you, I will take my leave once the call is connected,” Derin said. “When you are done, the call will disconnect on its own. I will retrieve the device after you are done.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Kayla silently scanned the room as Derin worked on the communication device, checking that the privacy wards were functioning properly.
Good, this place is better-warded than half the rooms in the palace.
“My lord, the call is connecting,” Derin announced. “I will take my leave then.”
Kayla nodded, and Derin left the room, firmly shutting the door behind her.
“Greetings.”
Kayla jolted in surprise before hastily kneeling on one knee before the device, awkwardly angling her body so that the person on the other end could see her motion.
“Zhao Wenyuan humbly greets His Majesty the Khagan!”
What the fuck, it’s just him? I thought there would be an intermediary or an interpreter or something!
The face of her father-in-law right in front of the device had been unexpected. Perhaps less unexpected was Chuluo Khagan’s accented but fluent Chinese. After all, the man had stayed in the Wu for a number of years while facing a succession crisis in his homeland.
“Well met, son-in-law.”
Kayla rose to her feet, bowing her head respectfully.
“It is a great honor to receive an audience with you, the great and mighty khan of khans,” Kayla said, following by memory the standard greeting used by diplomats. “On this fortuitous occasion, it is my deep regret that your daughter cannot be present, though I assure you she is well, and I humbly beg your forgiveness.”
“The Wu Emperor’s information is timely as always,” Chuluo Khagan replied, a note of amusement in his voice. Kayla was almost certain it was fake.
“No matter, her presence is unnecessary. It was you, my son-in-law, with whom I wished to speak,” Chuluo said.
“At your service, esteemed father-in-law,” Kayla replied, dipping her head.
Chuluo Khagan had an impressive, almost unsettling aura of power to him. He was not particularly tall nor broad, from what Kayla could see from the communication device, and while his features were handsome enough, they did not stand out amongst the Turkish men Kayla had seen in the capital. But whether it was the lighting, the self-assured quality of a man secure in his own might, or the quiet tinge of nervousness at the edge of her consciousness, Chuluo’s visage was transfixing. His face hardly moved when he spoke, and she got the impression that he was looking down upon her through their eyes were level. It was like facing a statue in its temple–a strange feeling of intruding upon another being’s realm.
This is probably how others feel in the presence of the Emperor, Kayla noted. Without the shielding and adornments of favor and affection, what was left was the stark confrontation with a man who had so much power that he no longer felt like a person.
“I recall there was a Han saying that ‘harmony is the most precious’,” Chuluo remarked. “With my daughter being wed to you in great magnificence, so too may our nations be joined in long lasting friendship. You, who are my son-in-law, more so than others, are one who I look to for the sanctity of this alliance.”
“It is a great honor and delight to receive your expectations, esteemed father-in-law. I will strive within an inch of my being for the prosperity and friendship of our countries until I cease to draw breath,” Kayla replied.
There was a tense silence for but a brief moment, but it seemed to drag on longer in Kayla’s mind.
Is he trying to fish to see how much I already know? No, he surely expects that we would know by now.
“As you have likely heard, Shegui Khagan has made an attack against my people. He fell upon my people as they stirred awake in the early morning, but my warriors gave a brave fight and drove the Onoq back,” Chuluo finally said.
The Onoq…? Kayla struggled to connect the pronunciation to the names she was familiar with. Oh, the ten tribes of the Western Turks. Alright.
“It is a great feat to successfully repel the enemy,” Kayla said politely. “To be attacked without warning is a great misfortune, and we are very sorry that it has befallen your people, especially so when the attack comes from those who would otherwise be your kin and brethren.”
“Indeed. The Onoq are of my Turks, of my people. Because of the Onoq Khagan’s foolishness, because he is full of deceit and treachery towards us, he has raised arms against us,” Chuluo Khagan said. His voice seemed to stifle the air in the room, even though he wasn't even physically present.
“Shegui Khagan has yet to make a formal declaration of war, but one is certainly forthcoming. I request the Wu Emperor for his support as my ally and kin to defend my peoples and lands.”
Does he even need our help? Or is he trying to rein us in just like we’re trying to do to him? She supposed it didn’t matter if their interests aligned.
“If we may be of assistance, we will gladly do what we can,” Kayla said cautiously.
“Then will you fulfill your duty as an ally and send forth your army to assist us?” Chuluo asked.
“I can neither confirm nor deny that possibility,” Kayla said. “But I would gladly speak in support of your request to the court and the Emperor.”
“Then you would do well to make the Wu court recognize the current situation, son-in-law. The Onoq are restless, they are uneasy and their blood is astir. The strife in the West makes it so.”
“I have heard a great deal about the Arab invasion of Persia,” Kayla remarked, avoiding a direct statement.
“Indeed. The Persians were weakened already, in large part due to the Onoq Khagan and his warriors. Shegui Khagan’s father joined hands with the Roman Khagan to bring defeat upon the Persians in the Western holdings of their empire at the beginning of my reign, it has since then been twenty years,” Chuluo remarked.
Huh? What? The-Rome?! Dang, what kind of timeline is–oh, he probably means the Byzantines. Okay. This part seems pretty consistent with my world’s development.
Despite the desperate screeching of the gears in her mind as they tried to stay ahead, Kayla kept her expression as placid as possible.
“They wrought defeat upon the Persians. But their success emboldened them, and has yet to fade from memory. It now propels them into making raids against my people,” Chuluo Khagan said. “It is due to Shegui Khagan’s foolishness that he has made this choice when enemies are encroaching from the West.”
“You speak of the Arabs?” Kayla asked. “But I heard that they are occupied in Andalus and in contending with the Romans, not to mention the Persians of the Sasanid.”
“You are well informed indeed,” Chuluo said. “But once they gather their forces, Persia will not be able to resist them after having been weakened at the hands of the Roman and Onoq khagans. Though their warriors continue to fight, they are unlikely to maintain their defenses for more than a few more winters. What then of Sogdia and the steppes? Will the Arabs be satisfied with Persia alone?”
Going by my world, no. But look at how different everything is. The Wu hasn’t made any incursions into Central Asia or Goguryeo as the Tang did. What’s to say the Umayyad wouldn’t also differ from the one I learned about? Then again, it was too dangerous to ignore the possibility that the Caliphate would expand eastwards into Central Asia.
For what? A Small Ice Age is coming!
“What do you think, esteemed father-in-law?” Kayla asked instead.
The Khagan gave a sardonic smile, as though knowing that Kayla had already come to a conclusion.
“I foresee a battle for hegemony over Sogdia and the steppes,” Chuluo Khagan said, humoring her with a reply. “If we are to triumph, we must be able to act in unity with our peoples to the West.”
Does he mean to unify the Turks? As in–as in what? Subjugating the Western Turks?
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“A worthy cause,” Kayla offered. “But unity is promoted by bonds of friendship, not warfare. We would be happy to act as mediators to end the animosity between the two brother nations.”
She intently watched his reaction, but his face was as unreadable as always.
“True unity can never be achieved through talk alone,” Chuluo replied. “If we are to enter an alliance with Shegui Khagan, I would crush their eastwards aspirations first. Only then can we act as one against incursions from the west. I ask for the warriors of the Wu to ride along those of my own against Shegui Khagan and his treacherous shads,” Chuluo answered. “It is for that reason I have sought the Wu Emperor in alliance and sent with great magnificence the princess, my daughter, to you in marriage.”
His face showed the faint shimmer of a smile.
“I would tell you this–Ibilga is my most treasured daughter. Of my many princesses, she shines as the brightest jewel,” Chuluo said. “Ibilga’s mother was half-Han, the child of Princess Changle who married into the Ashina clan. She came to be my wife after the death of her first husband, my older brother, and was one of my most treasured consorts until she passed away. Ibilga has inherited her mother’s beauty, and moreover has been educated by Turkish, Sogdian, and Han tutors since childhood. She should have no faults as a wife.”
In other words she’s beyond fault as a wife? Well, I don’t care to argue with that. She had other bones to pick.
Kayla chose her words with extreme caution, carefully skirting between antagonizing the Khagan or being overly demure.
“Indeed, it is a great honor and joy to be wed to such a princess, whose beauty and virtue shine like a luminous pearl,” Kayla replied. “Though from the rude treatment I received from your men, I cannot say that all of your people agree that I am a suitable husband. I did not wish to speak of this before the Wu court and thus cause your daughter to be viewed with suspicion, but I do wish to request your protection for myself and my household from the more hostile members of your realm.”
Chuluo Khagan’s face settled back into an unreadable mask.
“It brings me great grief to hear of your mistreatment at the hands of my subjects. Those responsible will be punished for their treachery and deception, and you will be compensated for your suffering. I will bestow a great many gifts unto you so as to display my acceptance of you as my son-in-law for all to see.”
He’s denying responsibility then? Well, if that’s how he wants to play it.
“I thank you for your consideration and protection, esteemed father-in-law,” Kayla said. “But rather than gifts, I hope you will forgive my insolence in asking for the strengthening of our alliance instead. That is, for your goodwill to be displayed towards my people rather than my person in our joint endeavors and the exchange of goods and travelers between our countries. As for military aid, it is not within my ability to either agree or deny your request immediately. However, I will be sure to speak in favor of sending military reinforcements before my Uncle the Emperor.”
This matter can be big or small, and he knows it. The question is whether he’ll go along with my tune.
The two stared at each other for a moment.
“Your words please me greatly,” Chuluo Khagan finally replied. “Should the Wu provide us with military reinforcements, we will billet and supply your army. And in demonstration of our friendship, so as to warn the ill-minded of my intentions, I will open discussions for trade agreements and the exchange of gifts between our courts.”
No offense, but our gifts are going to be way more expensive. Kayla politely withheld from saying that.
“In addition, in the concluding of our war with Shegui Khagan, the Wu will be granted the establishment of government embassies and trading posts within both our Khaganates,” Chuluo said.
Embassies and trading posts along the Silk Road? That’s not a bad deal. But everything’s contingent on helping him with the war…Damn. I’ll probably have to renegotiate again later.
“I stand in awe and gratitude of your magnanimity, esteemed father-in-law. Please be assured that I will defend your cause as if it were my own,” Kayla replied.
The Khagan smiled.
After some more pleasantries, Chuluo ended the call. Kayla closed the communication device with a sigh of relief.
She opened the door. The hallway was clear save for the two Investigators, who both looked at Kayla in tense anticipation. Kayla looked between them before giving a small smile.
“Thank you for your service, gentlemen. Now would you kindly accompany me to the palace?”
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Chen Jian watched intently as the coroners worked on the newly exhumed bodies. He had been sent to supervise by Li Que, under strict orders from the Director to keep a careful eye on the proceedings. The room had an overpowering smell of medicinal herbs and alcohol that suppressed the stench of the corpses.
“That’s interesting,” the coroner muttered.
“What is?” Chen Jian asked.
“This man seems to have been a martial artist in his lifetime,” the coroner remarked.
Is this what the Director was looking for then?
Chen Jian had been told to ascertain whether the bodies belonged to a group of martial artists who had been killed within the last few months. The level of decay seemed to hint that the bodies were older than that, but with the damp environment they were buried in, it was hard to say for sure.
“What about the others? Were they also martial artists?” Chen Jian asked. One of the other coroners looked up from the report he was working on.
“The one I worked on was one.”
“Me too,” another coroner chimed in.
“Not this guy,” a fourth coroner spoke up from the far end of the room. “From the shape of his bones, he had some sort of chronic issue with his leg–he must’ve walked with a severe limp for most of his life.”
“Then who is he? Can you tell?” Chen Jian asked. He made his way over to that end of the room. The coroner’s assistant gestured at where he was carefully cleaning the scraps of clothing from the body.
“Well, these are some really fancy robes compared to what those other guys were wearing,” the assistant said, gesturing at the other scraps of cloth he had already extracted. “Look, rough cloth, rough cloth, and here–brocade.” Using a pair of tweezers, he lifted the scrap to the light.
“Embroidered brocade at that,” Chen Jian muttered. “That looks like Suzhou embroidery.”
“Huh, how can you tell?” The assistant asked.
“He has a sister,” one of the coroners called over his shoulder.
“Yeah, I have a sister,” Chen Jian said. “That pattern looks a little familiar–I think it’s a trademark design from one of the high-end factories.”
His face grew tight. “So that means this man was either a rich household or a noble.”
“Son of a noble is my current guess,” the assistant said, glancing over at his mentor. “Wouldn’t you say? I mean, he seems a little younger than the others.”
“We can’t say that for sure yet. Different lifestyles means you age differently–don’t go around jumping to conclusions until I’ve confirmed it.”
A noble…that doesn’t fit what the Director is looking for, does it?
“Any idea on how long they’ve been dead?” Chen Jian asked the room.
“I’d say at least three years, maybe longer,” one of the coroners answered.
“They don’t look that old,” Chen Jian said in surprise.
“There’s signs of magic on this body,” the coroner replied. “I’d say that someone used a food-preservation talisman on these guys to delay detection.”
“Damn,” Chen Jian muttered. “That’s kind of disgusting.”
“The spell and not the bodies? Your standards sure are strange,” the assistant remarked.
“Well, I mean, that’s a spell for food,” Chen Jian protested. “Agh, don’t look at me like that! Get back to work.”
“Yes, yes,” the assistant said in amusement, turning back to the clothing scraps.
Chen Jian paced back to the doorway, where he leaned against the wall. He pulled out his communication device and sent a message to Li Que.
Not the bodies the Director is looking for.
Tucking the device away again, Chen Jian turned his attention back to the coroners. Somehow, he had a bad feeling about the case. Both the Director’s mysterious inquiries and the bodies before him…there was bound to be trouble.
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The Emperor stroked his chin with a thoughtful look on his face.
“Posts along the Silk Road…well, that might end up being more trouble than they’re worth if we have to defend them,” the Emperor remarked. “But they could be greatly beneficial too. We’ll have to see, I suppose.”
He turned his attention back to Kayla. The Investigators had been called in to give a report on the security of the meeting before being dismissed again. Now, the two were once again alone in the Emperor’s study.
“Well, Wenyuan, what did you think of the Khagan?”
“He was a little intimidating,” Kayla replied. “It was hard to tell what he was thinking, but the fact that he met with me alone should say something about his sincerity.”
“It could also mean he didn’t want witnesses for promises he doesn’t intend to keep,” the Emperor pointed out.
“That too,” Kayla agreed. “But I think my godfather was correct–he agreed to the marriage alliance for the purpose of requesting military reinforcements and ensuring that his borders with us would be secure during his war against Shegui Khagan.”
“So in other words, there will be war.”
“Yes. He seems confident that Shegui Khagan will make a formal declaration soon, and I don’t doubt that he’s taken measures to ensure that’ll happen,” Kayla replied.
“What do you think about his claims about the Arabs? Will they truly expand into Sogdia?” The Emperor asked.
“I really couldn’t say,” Kayla admitted. “But the longer Persian resistance lasts, the longer they’ll be occupied there. Should the Persians stop giving trouble to the Umayyad, they would have their hands free to expand eastwards should they so wish.”
“We don’t have enough information about what happens west of Persia,” the Emperor lamented. “News travels far too slowly…but the Khagan makes a good point. It’s in our interests to sustain Persian resistance for as long as possible.”
“Shall we send aid then?” Kayla asked. “There’s a limit to how much we can give without straining our finances, but if it can prevent a far more costly war, then it’s worth it.”
“I’ll have the Hanlin scholars conduct an analysis,” the Emperor said. “Now, about the reinforcements for Chuluo Khagan. Shall we help him?”
“He’s agreed to supply and billet our troops, but we can’t just rely on that. If our troops end up stranded without supplies…well, that would be a disaster. Gaining greater influence and control over the Silk Road though, that’s tempting. Increased trade would solve a great deal of our financial problems, though there’s just as likely to be high costs for maintaining the trading posts unless the Khagans agree to put them under their protection. I think it’s safe to say that Chuluo Khagan will do as much, but Shegui Khagan is a different story,” Kayla said. “But one thing is clear–Chuluo Khagan and Shegui Khagan both are intent on war. If we sit back and watch without taking any action, then we can only be impacted by their choices without having any say. I think we should send reinforcements.”
“I am of the same mind,” the Emperor agreed. “But if we are to send reinforcements, the commander must be a reliable man who won’t be easily influenced by the Khagans or get swept away in the heat of the moment. Moreover, he must not be a member of the major clans nor tied to them by patronage. It’s truly a headache.”
“How about General Yan of Xiazhou? He’s more or less unaffiliated. And from what I saw of him last we met, he’s as stubborn as a mule–that’s precisely the quality we need in a commander for this situation,” Kayla suggested. “Moreover, we can send Investigators to keep an eye on the army and on developments on the ground.”
“Sending Investigators for surveillance? The officers won’t be happy with that,” the Emperor said.
“Maybe if we say they’re there for surveillance on the Turks?” Kayla offered.
“That’s not a bad idea,” the Emperor said thoughtfully.
After a moment, he turned to Kayla with a strange look on his face. “That reminds me–your subordinate submitted a request to station guards at Zhou Hong and Zhou Yong’s residences, is that your will?”
The First and Second Princes? Li Que must’ve sent in the paperwork already.
“Yes, that was by my orders,” Kayla agreed.
“Why?” The Emperor demanded.
“Their vegetable supplier died under suspicious circumstances very recently, and given the current political situation at hand, I thought it was best to be safe than sorry,” Kayla said, starting to rapidly lose confidence at the Emperor’s expression.
“It’s a good thought,” the Emperor murmured. “But this isn’t a good time to make such a move. Everyone who holds ill intentions will take this as a cue to start scrabbling for their own designs. If anything, those two will be pushed into more danger if we do station guards than if we don’t.”
“I understand your concerns, but perhaps we can station a few eyes more discreetly?” Kayla suggested.
“It is good of you to be concerned, Wenyuan,” the Emperor replied after a long pause. “But let’s not be hasty in this matter.”
So that’s a no. Kayla gulped and bowed her head, feeling that she was dangerously close to treading on a line.
“As you wish, Uncle. I apologize for my lack of foresight.”
“No, pay no thought to the matter,” the Emperor said quietly. He cleared his throat and straightened his posture. “Now, back to the Khaganate–will this impede the reorganization of the military?”
Kayla gratefully accepted the change in topic and launched back into discussion, pushing away the matter of the princes to the back of her mind.
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Cultural Notes
Khagan: A title meaning khan of khans, it was used by Turkic and Mongolian peoples as the approximate equivalent of Emperor. Notably, in this chapter Chuluo Khagan calls the Byzantine Emperor a Khagan. I based this off the tradition used in the Orkhon Inscriptions in which Bilge Khagan of the 2nd Turkic Khaganate uses the title Khagan for other rulers regardless of how they address themselves. The exception seemed to be the Chinese Emperor, with whom the Turks had extensive contact and conflict with.
Orkhon Inscriptions: A set of two memorial inscriptions in stone, written in both Chinese and the Old Turkic alphabet, created in approximately the early 8th century. They were created in honor of Bilge Khagan, the fourth Khagan of the Second Turkic Khaganate (created after the revolt of subjugated Turkic peoples against the Tang Dynasty), and also his younger brother Kul-Tigin. They are located in modern-day Mongolia, and are one of the oldest Turkic scripts to be preserved. A lot of Chuluo Khagan's speech is based off that. For more details, see below. It's too long so I popped it into a spoiler:
I thought that it made sense for Ashina, who was raised in a prosperous Khaganate that had extensive trade and connections with China, to be familiar with Chinese court speech, since she would've been educated in preparation of her marriage to a number of potential matches that includes China, as well as other Turkic tribes or even Goguryeo.
However, I thought it would make less sense for Chuluo Khagan, who was raised in a vastly different setting when relations with the Wu Dynasty were still tense, to use or be familiar with Chinese court speech. As a result, I structured a lot of his speech patterns based on the patterns in the Orkhon inscriptions. This may not be accurate, but as things are, there aren't a whole lot of transcriptions of Gokturk speech. Chinese, Persian, and Arabic sources are all pretty biased and localized, so the closest thing to a record made by the Gokturks themselves that I have to go off of is the Orkhon transcriptions. Some scholars have pointed out that the inscriptions are written in a way similar to Turkic epics, but opinions differ, so I'm just applying this regardless.
Here are a few places where I based the Khagan's speech off the Orkhon inscriptions:
-"With my daughter being wed to you in great magnificence/It is for that reason I have sought the Wu Emperor in alliance and sent with great magnificence the princess, my daughter, to you in marriage": corresponds to "To the Turgish kagan with very great magnificence I sent (the princess) my daughter in marriage. The daughter of the Tiirgish kaga I gave with very great magnificence to my son in marriage. (The princess) my younger sister I sent (with very) great magnificence to the Kirgiz kagan in marriage."
-"Shegui Khagan has made an attack against my people. He fell upon my people as they stirred awake in the early morning" is based off various iterations of "We marched against ... [ ] people, crossing the [ ] mountain/river. The [ ] people we fell upon as they slept" that appeared in Bilge Khagan's inscriptions of his own deeds and those of his younger brother's.
-"The Onoq are of my Turks, of my people. Because of the Onoq Khagan’s foolishness, because he is full of deceit and treachery towards us, he has raised arms against us," is based off of "The Tiirgish kagan was of my Turks, my people. Because of his foolishness, and because he was filled with deceit towards us he was slain and his buyruks and begs were slain." Various iterations of this appeared throughout the inscriptions.
There's a few more indirect adaptations as well.
以和为贵/Harmony is precious/prioritized: An Ancient Chinese proverb that emphasizes the value of harmony.
Onoq: Another term for the Western Turks after they went through an administrative reform under Ishbara Qagan. It literally translates into "ten arrows", or the ten tribes.
The 3rd Perso-Turkic War: Chuluo Khagan refers to the equivalent Third Perso-Turkic War, which in actual history took place in 627-629. The timeline of the story is very different, and thus it only took place in the 8th century. In this war, the Gokturks made an alliance with the Byzantine Empire to attack Sassanid Persia. This was fought in the background of the extended war between the Byzantines and Persia, and many scholars believe this war to have weakened Persia, leaving it vulnerable to Arabic invasions that were soon to come. As contemporary sources sometimes referred to Byzantine as Rome, I'm using that term instead.
Umayyad conquest of Iberia: The Umayyad caliphate captured much of Iberia in an approximately seven year campaign starting from 711. Again, the timeline is different here, so it would still be ongoing. Muslim-ruled parts of the Iberian peninsula would become known as Al-Andalus. The area would see scientific and cultural advancements and a multi-religious population, but also a great deal of strife, both between Muslim rulers, as well as the Christian Reconquista that would take place over the course of centuries.
Umayyad-Byzantine War: Part of the Arab-Byzantine wars that started from around the time of the Rashidun Caliphate, beginning with contention over North African and later extending to attacks on Constantinople itself. Again, in-story timeline does not line up with actual historical events.
Fall of the Sasanian Empire: Also known as the Arabic conquest of Persia, carried out by the Rashidun Caliphate (predecessor of the Umayyad Caliphate) from about 632-654. With the in-story timeline, just as the Tang Dynasty does not exist and the Wu did not expand into Central Asia due to having a significantly weaker military, the conquest of Persia is also taking place during the Umayyad instead of the Rashidun. Historically, after the fall of Persia, the historical Umayyad Caliphate expanded into Central Asia, clashing with the Gokturks and Sogdians, and later with the Tang military. The contention between China and the Arabs over Central Asia culminated in the Battle of Talas in 751, at which point the Abbasid Dynasty had succeeded the Umayyad. The Tang dynasty suffered defeat and heavy losses, and after this, their hold in Central Asia was significantly weakened. As in-story geopolitics differs, Kayla is unsure whether the same course of events would take place when China didn't even have a great deal of political/military influence in Central Asia.
Goguryeo: An Ancient Korean kingdom that spanned Central and Northern parts of the Korean Peninsula as well as some parts of modern-day Northeast China. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea along with Silla and Baekje. As a highly militaristic state, Goguryeo had many military conflicts with various Chinese dynasties, including incursions against Chinese fortifications and the conquest of lands in modern-day Liaodong (Northeast China). China also launched its share of conquests against Goguryeo as well, sometimes with the excuse of responding to requests for aid from Silla or Baekje, other times in retaliation for previous incursions.
Sogdia: An Ancient civilization of Iranian peoples, with cities that centered around modern-day Samarkand. Ancient Chinese and Turkic geographic concepts could be overly vague or specific depending on the context, so Central Asia was largely referred to as either extremely specific cities or "Western Regions" by Chinese historians.
收继婚姻/Widow marriage: A tradition among the Gokturks of marrying the widows of one's deceased brothers, or one's step-mother (usually the younger ones). There were also records of Han princesses who married the son of their husband by another wife/consort after the death of their first husbands in order to continue the marriage.
夜明珠/Luminous Pearl: A precious gem in Ancient China, referring to round gemstones that glowed in the dark. Most likely, this refers to green fluorite. It was believed that such pearls brought good luck.
苏绣/Suzhou embroidery: Suzhou, a major city in East China in the Jiangsu region, has historically been known for its silk and masterful embroidery. Suzhou embroidery was highly prized and often prohibitively expensive for most people.
Hanlin scholars: A group of scholars who also served as an Imperial think-tank in Ancient Chinese dynasties.