Character Index
Sun Zhong'e: One of Kayla's retainers.
Tao Qian: One of Kayla's retainers. Accompanied her up North.
Ashina: Personal name is Ibilga, a princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. Kayla's wife.
Derin: Ashina's personal attendant and lady-in-waiting.
Meral: Ashina's personal attendant, secretly a spy from the Khagan.
Chuluo Khagan: Ashina's father and the Khagan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. Kayla's father-in-law.
Zhou Xianchun: The Seventh Prince, uneasily allied with the Empress Dowager.
Housekeeper Li: Kayla's loyal housekeeper.
Imperial Princess: Wenyuan's mother and the full-blooded younger sister of the current Emperor. Went to extreme lengths to protect her son.
General Yu: Yu Bianfu's father, allied with Xianchun.
Yu Bianfu: A female officer who is highly skilled in martial arts, Xianchun's childhood friends. Was sent to the Southwest.
Zhou Kuang: The Third Prince, a contender for the throne.
Xiang Daozong/Qu Boyong: Son of General Xiang and the Princess of Chu, Chujiao/Jing Shuyou's cousin.
Shu Yunsong: Yunqi's second uncle, a former general.
Lin Jie: An Attendant Censor with a bad arm and a sharp mind. Currently investigating a conspiracy at Hu Qing and Kayla's behest.
Duan Wuxie: A Senior Investigator in the Imperial Investigation Bureau.
Hu Qing/Liang Hongfei: Lord of the Liang Clan and Vice-Censor. Kayla's friend and ally.
Li Que: A Senior Investigator in the Imperial Investigation Bureau, the de facto second-in-command after Kayla.
Tabuyir: A Senior Investigator in the Imperial Investigation Bureau of Khitan descent, he shares de-factor second-in-command status with Li Que. He accompanied Kayla north and has gone as far as to send his nephew (Yilie) to Kayla's household as a hostage.
Zhou Kangyu: Wenyuan's father, the Grand Duke's adopted heir. He was abused as a child and had a weak but kind personality. The Imperial Princess' husband with whom she shared a good relationship, albeit a relatively short-lived one.
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The princess stepped onto the second floor balcony overlooking the inner courtyard.
“Sun Zhong’e is back,” Derin noted from next to Ashina.
“So he did send them to the villa after all, even though I said I wasn’t going,” Ashina said. On her other side, Meral pretended not to make note of that, and Ashina pretended not to notice Meral’s intentions.
“Well, it was a wedding gift from the Emperor. If he were seen to neglect it overmuch, it wouldn’t reflect well on him,” Derin remarked. “Even if no one uses it for the time being, making a show of treating the villa as an important place is a subtle way of flattering the throne.”
“But still, both Sun Zhong’e and Tao Qian?”
Ashina frowned, watching the retainers and servants cross the courtyard. Tao Qian caught sight of her and stopped, bowing his head. Following his lead, Sun Zhong’e stopped and bowed as well. Ashina nodded at them and they returned to their work.
“What do you think, Derin?” Ashina murmured in Turkish.
“The Duke must place great importance on the villa,” Derin replied.
“Hmm.” Ashina fell silent, unwilling to impart any more clues to Meral. Who knew what the girl would end up telling the Khagan? Ashina herself didn’t know what conclusions to draw from her husband's erratic movements.
Wenyuan had claimed that he was satisfied with the compensation offered by Chuluo and would let bygones be bygones. From his actions, he certainly was sincere about supporting the Khagan’s request for reinforcements. But if Ashina had learned anything since coming to the Wu, it was that she shouldn’t fully trust anything that Wenyuan did–and that increasingly went for her father as well.
Unfortunately, Wenyuan’s right. I can’t contact Father myself. Everything I do will be monitored at this junction. That didn’t sit well with her, even if the one doing the monitoring was her own husband. If anything, it’s because of that.
It didn’t escape her that the only options left to her and her father were to communicate through agents.
He’s trying to root out agents who contact me…Ashina glanced at Meral from the corner of her eye. But I doubt he suspects that I have one right by my side.
She watched the servants moving back and forth across the courtyard. After Ashina refused his offer to retreat to the villa for the time being, Wenyuan hadn’t immediately called the servants back. It could just be an economy of effort, that since they were already there, they might as well do their jobs. But even the retainers had stayed.
There’s something about the villa. Ashina turned away from the balcony and retreated back into her rooms, leaving Meral behind. But so what even if there is? It’s not as though I can figure it out. And even if I did…would I really tell Meral?
The thought of withholding anything from her father had once been unthinkable. But Ashina’s current position itself had once been unthinkable as well. Marrying far away from home had always been a possibility. But like death was but a distant shadow for the young, opaque and vaguely incomprehensible, so too had the future of marrying into another country once seemed to her. It all felt like a lifetime ago. Even her first meeting with Zhao Wenyuan felt like it occurred in a different world.
Father can’t ensure my safety here. If I want to survive, I need to protect my future with my own hands. And that meant protecting Zhao Wenyuan’s life as well.
“Keep an eye on Meral,” Ashina ordered quietly as she walked into her bedchambers. “I want us to know everything that she does.”
Derin gave an imperceptible nod.
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Xianchun bowed sharply towards the Empress Dowager.
“Xianchun greets grandmother,” he said. The Empress Dowager offhandedly waved for him to rise.
“You’re here? It took you long enough.”
“I apologize. I was busy.”
The two stared each other down for a moment.
“Enough of your insolence. Your cousin has sent a retinue of servants and two of his retainers to his mother’s villa, do you know anything about that?” The Empress Dowager asked. She pointedly did not offer Xianchun a seat, a snub that he disdainfully ignored.
Xianchun frowned. “My aunt’s villa? I thought Father gifted that to him for a honeymoon, but neither he nor his bride have ever gone since the wedding. He could hardly take a vacation at this time now, could he? Or is my cousin-in-law’s charm so sufficient that she could trap him within the marriage chamber?”
“Preposterous,” the Empress Dowager muttered. “Is your cousin such a man to be so utterly charmed by his young bride?”
“I suppose not. But what does it matter? The villa is his property and that of his heir’s until five years after his death,” Xianchun said. “It’s unprecedented to hand Imperial property to a maternal nephew, but Wenyuan does have Imperial blood.”
“He has only been at the villa once,” the Empress Dowager said. “But he later requested access to it again. I refused him at that time.”
“You mean he has not been to it before as a child?” Xianchun asked.
“He has not. Only his mother frequented the villa, Wenyuan always stayed in the Zhao household,” the Empress Dowager said with a frown. “You of all people should know Wenyuan’s personality. Is he really someone who would make such a request out of sentiment?”
“No,” Xianchun said immediately, thinking back to Wenyuan’s emotional display before the Grand Duke’s death. The man would have made a good actor if he hadn’t been born a noble.
Which can only mean one thing.
“Wenyuan definitely has something in the villa,” Xianchun muttered. “But what? And at this point in time as well, isn’t there any way we can find out?”
“Your cousin’s housekeeper is extremely thorough,” the Empress Dowager said drily. “We’ll have no way of finding out through the servants.”
She flicked out her hand, gesturing for Xianchun to come closer. The prince did so with a flat expression on his face to hide his reluctance.
“Sit,” the Empress Dowager ordered. Xianchun stiffly complied. The Empress Dowager clicked her tongue, losing her patience.
“Do you lose your ability to function in the Inner Palace? At least pretend to act as a proper human being in your grandmother’s presence,” the Empress Dowager said disdainfully.
“I apologize,” Xianchun replied. He internally rolled his eyes. As if it wasn’t the Empress Dowager who had grown annoyed when Xianchun pretended to act as a good grandson. The two of them had never been close, and it felt distasteful when either of them tried to pretend otherwise. Somewhere along the line, both of them had simply dropped their pretenses around each other. Neither of them were interested in playing house the way Wenyuan was prone to do. They were reluctant allies, and that was it.
“Even if you can’t make a decent performance, at least have some consideration for what the servants see and say,” the Empress Dowager chided. She handed him a scroll. “Read it.”
Xianchun unfurled the scroll and frowned in confusion as he scanned the page.
“I don’t understand, grandmother. What script is this? I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Xianchun asked.
“Can you read it?”
“No.” Xianchun stared at the scroll in befuddlement. “What is this?”
“A scroll from Wenyuan’s study–one of my daughter’s scrolls,” the Empress Dowager replied.
“My aunt’s?” Xianchun squinted at the words with renewed interest. “Did she know the script of other countries as well? This doesn’t look like Turkish or Persian to me. Even the Sanskrit scrolls from Tianzhu don’t use these characters.”
“Perhaps further West then, from Rome or even further West than that,” the Empress Dowager sighed. “Or perhaps from the far east, from one of the countries East of Silla. I suppose it is of no immediate consequence.”
“The villa also belonged to my aunt, did it not?” Xianchun pointed out. “I’m sure there’s a connection there somehow. But there’s nothing we can do about it anyways, short of checking for ourselves. And if Wenyuan had found anything, he surely would have relocated to somewhere suited for his own purposes, unless it benefits him to have it discovered. I can keep an eye on it, but I honestly think that’s just a waste of resources.”
Knowing that the man spoke from experience, the Empress Dowager made no attempt to counter his words.
“My aunt’s inheritance aside, what about the matter of the Khaganate? Do you have a candidate in mind?” Xianchun asked.
“A candidate? You already have one, do you not? You do not have much support in the military, and thus do not have the leisure of waiting as your brother does. Just recommend General Yu as planned, but be prepared to change tactics at short notice,” the Empress Dowager replied. “Anyone that I have close ties with would not be considered at such a junction.”
“But General Yu has never fought in the North,” Xianchun pointed out. “Neither Third Brother nor Wenyuan have nominated a candidate despite advocating for sending reinforcements–that doesn’t sit well with me. It’s never a good thing when either one of them is unusually still, much less when both of them are.”
“Perhaps, but have you anyone in the military other than General Yu? Bianfu is talented, but she is far too young and unaccomplished to justify sending as an officer, save for as her father’s aide, and you have no other connections of your own,” the Empress Dowager pointed out. “Has Daozong any old connections of his father’s to leverage in the military?”
“I do not believe he does. And if he did, I would not trust them,” Xianchun replied.
“He too is your cousin,” the Empress Dowager said disapprovingly. “Regardless of any personal affectations for the man, having him on your side could serve to remedy the weakness of your mother’s background.”
Xianchun determinedly ignored the insult. “He may be my cousin, but he is a small-minded person. Just because he made a show of loyalty by submitting the Shu Yunsong case to me does not make him any more trustworthy. I misjudged him before, mistaking his lack of constancy for determination to take revenge. But even after his revenge had been fulfilled, with Wenyuan’s help at that, Daozong remained as unfaithful as before.”
“If he were faithful, you would not be able to make use of him in the first place,” the Empress Dowager pointed out.
Xianchun shook his head. “The man belongs in a military camp where his orders are clear and indisputable. It’s shameful to drag him into politics like this and besmear the Xiang clan’s reputation by his actions. He accepted Wenyuan’s help, then came running over to me, only to oscillate back and forth continuously. I tire of the man!”
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Daozong has greater use as a symbol than as an ally,” the Empress Dowager said, a chiding note in her voice now. “Don’t be so obstinate–you focus entirely on your ally’s personal virtues when you should be focusing on how to best make use of them! His father was well-loved in the military, or have you forgotten?”
Xianchun gave a frustrated sigh. “It’s hard to leverage his background when you can’t give the man any free rein. Sometimes, I almost suspect Daozong was the one who submitted evidence against Wenyuan in order to force his hand in the reinstatement.”
“If he were that capable, he would’ve made something of his position by now,” the Empress Dowager said. “Rest your needless concerns and focus on your next steps. All things are successful if prepared for and unsuccessful if not–we are already at a disadvantage, we cannot further afford to direct our energies inward.”
“I understand, grandmother,” Xianchun sighed. “I’ll make my nomination soon.”
Grandmother and grandson regarded each other tensely for a moment before the Empress Dowager gave a curt nod and ended the discussion.
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Three Imperial Investigators crowded around a desk, staring down at a request form with uncomfortable expressions.
“It’s that Attendant Censor Lin again,” one of the archivists remarked. The young man squinted at the neatly written characters. “He’s requesting some pretty sensitive material again, is this really alright?”
“Just do as you’re told,” his supervisor said, waving off the remark.
“But the files he requested on Youzhou all have to do with the Shu clan. The Third Prince will surely hear of it and raise concerns with us,” the archivist fretted. His coworker nodded fervently.
“Huh, you’re right,” the supervisor muttered, snatching the list over to take a better look. “What’s this guy doing anyways?”
“So what should we do?”
“Send it back for review, I guess,” the supervisor said.
“No need.” All three of them gave a start, straightening as they caught sight of Senior Investigator Duan.
“Sir!”
Senior Investigator Duan gave a nod in the direction of the request form. “Attendant Censor Lin’s, was it?”
“Yes sir, it’s just as you see,” the supervisor replied. “The Attendant Censor’s been requesting a lot of sensitive materials recently, is it really alright to approve all of these requests? First it was a bunch of documents on the Archdukes in Dengzhou, and now he’s digging into the Shu clan’s activities in Youzhou. I’m just worried that people will start becoming uneasy if they hear of this.”
“Discretion is part of your job,” Senior Investigator Duan chided. “If anyone hears of this, then that’s because you’ve failed!”
“With all due respect, sir, there is no wall that does not leak wind. Between the clerks who process the forms and the staff who deliver the materials, it’s impossible to say where a slip might occur. We can’t help but be a little wary, especially since these are all important persons who are involved,” the supervisor replied.
“I can understand your concerns, but you can push those thoughts aside. These requests have been pre-approved by the Director himself. Even if there is a problem, it wouldn’t fall onto your heads,” Senior Investigator Duan said.
“The Director himself? That’s…does that mean he’ll be prosecuting…” The younger archivist’s voice grew smaller until it trailed off under Senior Investigator Duan’s sharp glare.
“Don’t ask useless questions, and for heaven’s sake, don’t discuss these things either!” Senior Investigator Duan snarled. He shot a warning look at the supervisor, who quailed under the glare. “Process the Attendant Censor’s request.”
“Yes sir.”
Senior Investigator Duan left again, visibly less pleased than when he’d entered. The three stared silently after him for a moment before the supervisor reached across the desk and slapped the back of the young archivist’s head.
“You idiot! You’re really a newborn calf who’s unafraid of the tiger! How can you go and run off your mouth like that in front of the Senior Investigator?! Do you still want to work here?!”
“I’m sorry! I didn’t think he would get so pissed!”
“Who told you to say such useless things in the first place?!”
The older archivist hastily stepped in between them. “Don’t be too angry, sir, he’s just inexperienced. I’m sure he’s learned his lesson.”
“Learn his lesson? I haven’t even begun teaching it yet!” The supervisor made to roll up his sleeves, restrained by the older archivist. The supervisor railed on for a while longer before dismissing the archivists to retrieve the documents.
With the younger archivist still smarting from the lecture and the supervisor still cooling off, no one noticed as the older archivist slipped away.
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Tao Qian and Sun Zhong’e carefully emptied the contents of a lacquered box into the secret vault in Kayla’s study. Despite the seemingly small size of the box, a variety of talismans and spells allowed it to carry a vast amount of scrolls inside. The weight, however, could not be reduced, only the visual appearance of the box. If not for Tao Qian’s physical strength allowing him to carry the box as though it weighed nothing, it would be obvious to any bystander that it was heavier than what should be possible.
Kayla watched as the Grand Duke’s secret vault was slowly filled with her own scrolls, not quite sure how to feel. But the most dangerous place was often the safest one. The vault, which was already known to everyone, was least likely to be suspected as a hiding place for top-secret documents, as common sense dictated that Kayla would place them in a new, unknown location.
“Good job getting these to me,” Kayla said. “The two of you may step outside.”
Sun Zhong’e and Tao Qian bowed, the woman shooting Tao Qian a look before taking her leave. Tao Qian lingered, shifting his weight awkwardly on his feet.
“My lord, I apologize, but though we acted as discreetly as possible, I believe our presence did not go unnoticed,” Tao Qian said. “The servants from our household know better than to talk, but the eunuch in charge of guarding the villa surely took notice of our presence. The princess also saw me and Sun Zhong’e when we returned. I’m not sure what she made of it, but it’s very likely that she would also suspect our true purpose. Please forgive my incompetence!”
“No matter, I was naive to think it could be kept secret in the first place,” Kayla said. “As long as no one knows what you took from the villa?”
“No, my lord.”
“Then that’s good enough. You’ve both done well.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
Tao Qian bowed sheepishly and took his leave. The Duke was once again gracious to the point of leniency, but that only meant Hu Qing would be all the more displeased at any failures.
Those two really are suited for each other, Tao Qian thought, sighing as he went back to his post.
Alone in the study again, Kayla summoned Li Que over the communication device, requesting him to make his report at the Zhao household. The Turkish envoy had crossed the border, doubtlessly on their way to make the official request for reinforcements. Things were already heating up at court, with each and every clique itching for action.
Before long, Li Que knocked on the study door.
“Come in,” Kayla called.
Li Que entered, bowing his head. “Li Que humbly greets the Director.” He hid his surprise at seeing the secret vault open, but asked no questions as Kayla led him into it.
“Li Que, I’m sorry for troubling you to come here so late at night,” Kayla said.
“Not at all, my lord. The envoy’s movements are highly confidential, it only makes sense that reports should be made as privately as possible,” Li Que said, bowing his head. “Then I’ll be intruding in the future as well.”
“It’s always a pleasure to have you,” Kayla said. “So what of the envoy?”
“The Khagan’s men appear to have been selected for discretion and speed this time,” Li Que said. “We’ve been keeping a very close eye on them and doing head checks every half hour. Due to their speed, it’s been hard to change out Investigators while remaining subtle.”
“Perhaps we should forgo discretion and directly provide an escort from the Bureau,” Kayla muttered. “Surely my father-in-law also knows that he’s being watched.”
“I’ll follow your decision, my lord.”
“I’ll have to discuss it with the Emperor and the Ministry of Rites,” Kayla sighed. “It wouldn’t do to cause a diplomatic crisis, after all. But it is crucial that we know exactly where each member of the envoy is at all times. If anyone goes missing, or dies, or whatever, it could become the excuse for something in the future. Whether it’s compensation or conflict…in any case, we’d best make efforts to avoid it.”
“Of course, my lord. I’ll make sure of it.”
“And make sure none of the Investigators watching the envoy are Tiele or Turkish. For that matter, don’t involve Tabuyir either. A wise man doesn’t fix his shoes in a melon patch nor straighten his hat beneath a plum tree. I won’t give our enemies any excuse to nitpick if anything does happen,” Kayla said.
“Your considerations are greatly appreciated. I’ll be sure to convey the thought you’ve put into this,” Li Que said. Being excluded would be a snub under any other situation, but with the political situation being as volatile as it was, she could only hope that the decision would not be misunderstood.
“Then I’ll be relying on you to convey my intentions,” Kayla said. “But other than the envoy, there was another matter I wished to speak to you about. Can I trust your discretion, Li Que?”
“I will protect any secret you entrust to me with my life,” Li Que replied.
“What admirable spirit,” Kayla remarked. “Then if it would so please you, take a look at this.”
She unfurled the pre-selected scroll and held it open before her chest to Li Que. The Imperial Princess’ neat writing decorated the page like a work of art. But the contents were bone-chilling.
Li Que’s face slowly paled as he took in the words. He stiffened, backing away from her.
“Sir, this scroll is–!”
Kayla held up a hand, cutting Li Que off. He stilled at the calm look in her eyes.
“Do you understand why I asked for you now, Li Que? It had to be you, and no one else,” Kayla said quietly. “Between the two of us, we hold the fates of countless people in our hands.”
She needed Li Que, and Li Que needed Kayla if he wanted to keep moving upwards in life. Kayla had already placed her faith in him many times, without ever attempting to bind him to her more forcibly. But now, she needed his final decision. Whether to become an ant on the same string as Kayla, or to remain the dutiful subordinate whose loyalty had limitations.
“My lord, I don’t think I can–” Li Que ground to a stop, reconsidering the situation. He carefully scanned Kayla’s face, silently confirming what he was really being asked.
“What would you like me to do, my lord?” Li Que finally said.
“We have the investigation results of countless cases. Corruption, illicit deals, rapes, murders, abductions, extortion, illegal loans, every manner of filth you can think of,” Kayla said, gesturing at the scrolls. “All of these were uncovered by my mother.”
“Her Highness the Imperial Princess?” Li Que couldn’t quite hide his surprise.
“Yes, my mother was a strong-willed woman, you see. She managed to investigate all these by herself in the years after my father’s death.” Kayla turned her gaze back to Li Que.
“Could you imagine what kind of determination it must have taken for her to do this alone, without anyone to turn to or rely on? She never had a chance to make use of these, but I won’t let her efforts go to waste. Here, take a look.”
Li Que hesitated for a moment, but only that. He stepped forward and began reading through the scrolls. Kayla waited patiently until Li Que slowly set down the scroll in his hand, turning towards Kayla with a look of awed horror.
“What do you think, Li Que?”
“Though I cannot say for sure until I have read all of them, this investigation is extremely thorough,” Li Que said, gesturing at the scroll he’d set down. “My amazement has no words. To think the Imperial Princess did this herself!”
“My mother was a brilliant woman,” Kayla replied. “I can assure you, all of the other scrolls are of similar quality. But these investigations were conducted in secret, and I intend for them to remain secret.”
“I understand,” Li Que murmured. Despite uncovering so many crimes, the Imperial Princess had never reported any of them. To put it lightly, she was protecting Wenyuan. To cast it in a more serious light, the Princess was committing treason by purposefully covering up her father-in-law’s crimes against the state.
“Then what do you wish for me to do, my lord?”
“We already have the investigation results, the cases, and the leads. I now wish to take them apart and then put them back together again through the reporting system,” Kayla said. “For that, I need your help.”
“You wish to plant the cases in the reports?” Li Que asked.
“You’re adept as always. These investigations are enough to rewrite the current political landscape,” Kayla said. “If you can make this happen, then your achievements would be unparalleled by anyone else’s.”
“My lord,” Li Que said uncertainly. He considered the scrolls for a long moment.
“These, combined with the scrolls in my grandfather’s study, would crush the hold of many clans on regional politics and allow for the rollout of centralization policies according to my Uncle’s wishes. With all of these, we have the means to make long-lasting changes to benefit the generations to come,” Kayla said, sensing the man’s hesitation. “I have never thought you a man to shy away from the chance to create benefit for the populace and prosperity for the future, hence why I chose you, out of everyone in the Bureau. Will you prove my judgment correct, Li Que?”
Li Que took a deep breath before kneeling on one knee. “Gladly, my lord. I thank you for your trust and will do everything within my power to meet your expectations!”
Kayla smiled. “As expected, you truly are reliable. Don’t worry, Li Que. If we are to attain merit, the credit is yours. If we are to fail, the responsibility is mine. All I ask for is your full cooperation and discretion in this matter.”
Li Que’s eyes lit up with relief and gratitude. If he had shown any more hesitation, Kayla would never have offered such assurances. He glanced at the talismans in the corner of the room. Most likely, he would have been simply bound to silence in a magical oath and then never considered for such important opportunities again. Silently relieved that he’d made the right choice, he bowed his head.
“Thank you, my lord!”
Kayla reached out to help him up, patting his shoulder with a smile on her face.
“I’m the one who is grateful. I need your help, Li Que. I can’t do this without you.”
Li Que bowed his head.
“I will find some reliable men to make the arrangements,” Li Que promised.
“Then I’ll leave it to you. Zhao Chao will help you with the payments and coordination,” Kayla said.
“As you wish, my lord.” Li Que grabbed onto the choice to pose his question. “What about the Khagan’s reinforcements? Is there anything I can do for you?”
Kayla paused for a moment, considering the offer. “Thank you, Li Que. But there’s nothing at the moment. I will let you know as soon as I need your help.”
“Please command me as you wish,” Li Que replied. “Myself and the men at the Bureau eagerly anticipate being of help to you.”
Kayla smiled. So the others are also offering their allegiance…good. I can’t just rely on a few senior officers for every little thing. We’ll have to take it one step at a time, but this is a good start.
“Then I’ll be counting on you.”
Li Que bowed again, his eyes flickering with anticipation. He had finally taken that last step towards Wenyuan and away from his previous neutrality. Whether it was fortune or disaster that lay ahead, his fate was tied to the Director’s.
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Cultural Notes
恍若隔世/As though a lifetime ago: An Ancient Chinese proverb that refers to how time flies, or how something feels like a lifetime ago, especially when circumstances have drastically changed since then.
小人/Small-hearted person: An Ancient Chinese phrase used in a derogatory fashion.
天竺/Tianzhu: The Ancient Chinese term for parts of the Indian subcontinent.
Silla: An Ancient Korean kingdom.
生母出身卑微/Mother is of low birth: An accusation you often see being flung around in period dramas. The actual importance of your mother's lineage varied depending on the time period, place, and political situation. There have been many instances where someone manages to survive and emerge as the final heir precisely because of their mother's low birth making them appear as too insignificant to kill off.
投名状/Show of loyalty: An Ancient Chinese concept referring to committing an act to show your loyalty. In many cases, this meant doing something illicit to demonstrate your determination and also to show that you're truly throwing your lot in (usually with a criminal organization). But it can be used broadly outside of organized crime as well.
万事预则立不预则废/All things will succeed if prepared for and fail if not: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning that if you are well-prepared, you can succeed in anything, but if you are not, you will be almost certain to fail.
没有不漏风的墙/No wall that does not leak wind: A Chinese saying that means no secret can stay secret for long.
落不到你头上/Won't fall onto your head: A colloquial Chinese phrase of meaning that even if a good thing or a bad thing happens, you're too unimportant/too far back in line to have anything to do with it, or to directly benefit/take damage from it.
初生牛犊不怕虎/A newborn calf is unafraid of the tiger: An Ancient Chinese proverb referring to the boldness of someone too inexperienced to know what they should be wary of.
渔翁之利/The fisherman's benefit: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning to benefit from waiting and watching events unfold.
瓜田不纳履，李下不整冠/Don't fix your shoes in a melon patch, don't straighten your hat under a plum tree: An Ancient Chinese proverb meaning not to do things that cause undue suspicion. In other words, to preemptively take precautions to avoid suspicion/trouble/nitpicking.