Character Index
General Yan: Commander of the reinforcements sent to the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
Lin Yaoguang: The Grand Duke's money launderer, allied with the conspirators.
Xia Xun: A young man hired to keep an eye on the fallout in the capital after the deaths of the First and Second Princes. Sent there as bait for Kayla.
Wu Zhihuan: One of the conspirators who was forced to become the scapegoat after missing a meeting.
Tao Qian: Kayla's bodyguard and retainer, acquainted with Hu Qing long before his current job.
Liang Hongfei/Hu Qing: Lord of the Liang clan, Vice-Censor.
Ashina: Personal name Ibilga, princess of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
Li Sanjin: A servant from Liu Hongyu's household who was placed there as the Empress Dowager's eyes and ears. He was forced to testify against Kayla by the Grand Duke.
Qu Boyong/Xiang Daozong: Lord of the Xiang clan, worked for Kayla for a while back in Book 1.
Secretary Han: A man involved in the Li Sanjin case. When Kayla forced the Grand Duke's hand by producing an actual eyewitness (as opposed to Li Sanjin, who was a fake witness), he was made to take the fall.
Liang Shen: Former Minister of Justice and Lord of the Liang clan. Hu Qing's older half-brother.
Great General Liang: Grandfather of Liang Shen and Hu Qing, held the title of 大将军/Great General and commanded great respect, but was framed by his political enemies.
Chen Caichun: Chamberlain of the Court of Judicial Review, younger sister of Chen Jian.
Heli: The fifteen year old Chieftain (official title granted by the court) of the Pugu tribe amongst the Tiele. Appeared in the early parts of Book 2. His position is being threatened by his nephew Tuhezhen who is twice is age, and is currently receiving a great deal of support from Kayla, who is also using the opportunity to expand her influence int he North.
Datan: Heli's retainer. Appeared very briefly earlier in Book 2.
Princess Mingda: The Sixth Princess, granddaughter of Commander Tumidu of the Uyghur tribe. Sent her relative Qazar to Kayla as a hostage to ensure the sanctity of their alliance.
Tuhezhen: Heli's nephew who is twice his age and very unhappy about it.
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Kayla finished sending off a flurry of messages, absentmindedly pinching the bridge of her nose. All the preparations for sending an oversight and advisory committee to General Yan had been completed in record time. No one would refuse a reasonable request from her at the current moment, but that only lasted for as long as the culprit turned out to be sound.
I need to question Lin Yaoguang again. He was the one who pointed me towards where Xia Xun was hiding.
If there was anything fishy about Wu Zhihuan, Kayla would force it out of him. And if it turned out that Lin Yaoguang really had nothing useful to share, then…
It’s time to get rid of him.
The Zhao household couldn’t fully reabsorb the Grand Duke’s dirty money without triggering a series of audits and investigations–Kayla needed copious amounts of money to make things work, especially when it came to padding the careers of the extensive patronage network she was slowly building. But it wasn’t worth the potential risk of relying on Lin Yaoguang.
If it comes to it, with sufficient political pressure, the Emperor would have to at least do a cursory investigation. But even that is too risky.
Even dead, the Grand Duke was still a threat to her. Amidst the plethora of crimes he had committed, a great number were enough to destroy the Zhao clan just on their own, much less as merely one imprint in the Grand Duke’s overly long and sordid career.
Rather than letting his money drag me down, I’ll get back what I can and pay back the Treasury.
As for the rest of it, Kayla had her own ideas for how to use them.
It’ll take a bit of effort, but it’s worth the trouble…I’ll have to think about personnel choice though.
She glanced up at a knock at the door.
“My lord, Lord Liang is here to see you,” Tao Qian announced. With a broad smile, Kayla rose from her desk, setting aside her worries for the time being.
“Let him in!”
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Wenyuan greeted Hu Qing with a triumphant smile as the younger man entered the room. Before Hu Qing could offer his congratulations, Wenyuan spread his palms in a gesture of victory.
“Excellent timing, Hu Qing. It’s all been arranged,” Wenyuan said. “You are to go to the Khaganate as an Oversight Officer, as an assistant to Lord Qu from the Ministry of War, who has been assigned as the Oversight Censor. Lord Qu used to be an officer in the North, and he was later assigned to an honorific position in the Ministry of War after his shoulder injury, but he has the pedigree and experience to command some respect in the military. As for you, the position itself isn’t highly ranked, so your current rank won’t change. But the influence that your position commands is nothing to scoff at—it paves the way for future appointments as well, so don’t be discouraged.”
“Wow, thanks,” Hu Qing managed to get in.
“The official edict will be given tomorrow, but here.”
Wenyuan held out a silver plaque. Hu Qing took it into his hands, curiously turning it this way and that.
“That represents the authority vested to you by the court,” Wenyuan said. “Not everyone assigned to this post gets one, so don’t show it off too much.”
That was a vast understatement. Even Hu Qing knew that this went far beyond the range of what could be expected, even for special treatment.
“And this plaque marks you as my direct representative,” Wenyuan said. He handed over a second plaque, less intricately decorated but with Wenyuan’s personal seal carved upon it. On the flip side, Ashina’s seal was also present, but inlaid with gold.
“Use them as you need, or don’t use them as you see fit,” Wenyuan said. “It’s all up to you.”
“Thanks,” Hu Qing said again, carefully rubbing his thumb over the imprint of the seal. He tucked it into his robes and cleared his throat. “And congratulations on catching the culprit. I’ve been meaning to say that since I first came in, but you didn’t give me the chance.”
Wenyuan gave a wry smile. “Don’t say that too quickly. I have a feeling this isn’t over yet. Remember when we first met? That whole matter with Li Sanjin?”
Hu Qing tilted his head, thinking back to when he’d masqueraded as a healer because of Qu Boyong.
I can’t believe I was ever interested in that idiot. There’s nothing good about him except for his face.
“I suppose it was a while ago,” Wenyuan remarked, misunderstanding Hu Qing’s silence for a no.
That was as far from the truth as one could get.
Hu Qing still remembered their first meeting, the faint feeling of disbelief when the beleaguered Minister had tried to recruit him. Back then, Hu Qing hadn’t realized how much his life would change as a result.
“No, I remember it,” Hu Qing said.
“You certainly helped me a lot at that time. Thanks to you, everything worked out, and the Grand Duke shoved everything onto that Secretary Han. The poor bastard was found to have hanged himself, having left a suicide note that claimed personal resentment and jealousy,” Wenyuan said. “I can’t help but be reminded of that now. Perhaps I’m merely being paranoid, but…it’s a bit too similar, isn’t it? Or am I just underestimating the extent of human greed?”
Without waiting for an answer, Wenyuan trailed off, his eyes taking on a distant look.
“You know, your brother actually helped me by letting me leave during the investigation. Both him and Qu Boyong. All three of us were still on the same side at that time, weren’t we? And look at us now.”
Hu Qing remembered. He remembered the disillusion more, as his final hopes for his brother had crumbled apart.
“Back then things really were difficult, weren’t they?” Hu Qing said.
Wenyuan seemed lost in his own thoughts, absentmindedly reacting to Hu Qing’s words.
“Yes, they were. You know, I had to steel myself every time I entered this very room in the past. My grandfather kicked me through that door right there once before,” Wenyuan pointed at the right half of the door. “In fact, that was the time you came into the household as a healer.”
Hu Qing thought back to the blotches of healed skin on Wenyuan’s back with a small note of trepidation. How had Wenyuan gotten that past his wife?
Wenyuan let out a soft laugh.
“And now I’m its master—and you’re the master of the household that refused to acknowledge you. Funny how these things go, huh?” He glanced over to Hu Qing with a fond expression. “I really have a lot to thank you for. I was the one who pushed the Grand Duke to his death, but it never could have happened without you.”
Is that why he gets more worried every time he succeeds? Everything can change in an instant in the political arena, Hu Qing thought to himself. Those of us who bet our lives on Wenyuan have risen in the world, but there’s no way of ensuring it lasts. Look at how fast the Grand Duke and his allies toppled from power. Even my brother was abandoned by the world the moment I took his title. Once you fall, you lose everything.
Before him, Wenyuan was still riding the currents of whatever went on inside the young Duke's mind.
“Hu Qing, you said that you wanted to go as far as you could in this lifetime, didn’t you? I’ll make that happen. I’ll give you whatever the hell you need, so go on and dream as big as you want,” Wenyuan said.
“Seriously?” Hu Qing asked before he could stop himself.
Wenyuan nodded.
“Then I’ll be as greedy as I want,” Hu Qing warned him.
“Go on ahead.”
“Make me a general then, someone who stands at the top,” Hu Qing said.
He held out his hand impulsively towards Wenyuan.
Make me someone whose friendship can render people untouchable.
“A Great General like your grandfather?” Wenyuan asked. He took the outstretched hand. “Sounds good to me.”
Wenyuan patted Hu Qing’s hand before letting go to pull out a stack of scrolls, plopping them onto the already cluttered desk.
“Now, let’s go over this first,” Wenyuan said.
“What’s all this?” Hu Qing asked uneasily.
“The political and military structure of the Eastern Khaganate’s army based on what my Investigators have observed on the ground, and this,” Wenyuan pulled out an absurdly thick scroll from the bottom, causing the ones on top to start rolling all over the desk. “Is a guide I had Chen Caichun put together for you on how to handle the situations that might arise. Contingency plans, you know?”
"That's very nice of her," Hu Qing said drily, resigning himself to what would be a very long study session.
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The young chieftain of the Pugu shifted uncomfortably under the glare of his loyal retainer. The retainer was a man who had practically raised him, making it all the more difficult to refuse. After receiving Duke Zhao’s message from the capital the night before, the young chieftain had spent all night agonizing over his decision, remaining uncertain till the very last moment.
“Datan, I’m not sure this is a good idea,” Heli said nervously.
Datan sighed in frustration.
“Please don’t hesitate any longer, my lord. Duke Zhao asking for support staff from the Tiele to go North into the Khaganate is the perfect chance for us! When else would we find such an opportunity, one that is practically tailored to our needs?”
Heli squirmed under Datan’s forceful words.
“But thanks to Duke Zhao, my position’s grown more secure by the day. Do I really have to do this?”
“You must kill Tuhezhen,” Datan replied immediately. “You have to kill him, or you’ll never be the true ruler of this tribe.”
“But he’s my nephew!” Heli protested.
“And he’d kill you the second he had the chance. Duke Zhao won’t agree so easily, of course. So long as Tuhezhen is alive, he has a hold over you, an excuse to continue intervening on your behalf,” Datan shot back mercilessly.
“Losing the Duke’s support is a far greater threat to my position than Tuhezhen is! He’s just my oldest nephew, not my only one! The twenty year olds are holding back right now because the thirty year old is gnawing at my throat, but they’ll start barking and braying once Tuhezhen’s out of the way,” Heli snapped. “I can’t afford to insult my greatest pillar of support right now!”
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“My lord, please! Even if he doesn’t take your suggestion well, it’s easy for you to apologize and be excused on account of your young age. But if you do not even try when this chance is before you–all I ask is that you consider your future. Tuhezhen isn’t the only threat, no, but he’s the one with the greatest claim to your seat! What happens if Duke Zhao were to fall from favor, even momentarily? You’d die without leaving a complete corpse!” Datan pleaded. “Now that he’s just captured the culprit behind the deaths of the two princes, Duke Zhao’s certain to be in a more tolerant mood than otherwise. You must not waste a good opportunity!”
Heli gulped. “Well, you’re right…I’ll ask the Duke then.”
He wrote out a message, showing it to Datan.
“Asking him to send Tuhezhen up North along with Lord Liang should be fine, right?” Heli asked.
“I suppose so, this wouldn’t necessarily alarm anyone even if it’s relayed to the capital,” Datan muttered. Heli nodded, sending it out through the communication device.
Despite the long distance, it would arrive in the capital shortly thanks to the express relay service that Zhao Wenyuan had set up specifically for the Tiele. Even a call was possible through the careful coordination of communication devices all the way from the Northern border to the Zhao household, an operation that the Duke was funding together with the Sixth Princess.
“The Duke might object to it,” Heli muttered. “I mean, he’s a kind person, something like this might–”
Datan barely suppressed a scoff. “I think you’re severely misunderstanding the Duke’s true nature right now, my lord. He coddles you because it’s useful for him to do so, not because he’s gentle by nature.”
“He doesn’t coddle–fine, maybe he does a little, but–” Heli said helplessly.
“Indeed, he might think you sympathetic, or even consider you cute due to your young age. It suits him to treat you as a child because it suppresses your ability to challenge him. But trust me when I say that whatever problem he takes with this, being too soft-hearted to go through with it is not one of them,” Datan said.
The communication device rang, startling the young chieftain.
“What the–It’s from the relay service,” Heli said in surprise. “No way, is the Duke calling me?! I knew I shouldn’t have sent it!”
“Calm down, my lord! Just answer the call and try to act normal,” Datan said.
Heli nervously complied.
“Greetings, Chieftain Heli,” Zhao Wenyuan’s voice sounded out, somewhat distorted due to multiple communication devices the call was passing through.
Heli stiffened, his retainer tensing as well.
“Greetings, Duke Zhao,” Heli began.
“Please hold a moment–clear the line and enact the privacy wards. Send the confirmation of enactment to me immediately,” Wenyuan ordered to the unseen people manning the devices. After a long moment, the Duke’s voice rang out again.
“Apologies for the wait, Chieftain. I’ve received your request. Sending your nephew to the North, is it? Of course I can make that happen. But I wanted to confirm–what do you want from this trip?”
Heli glanced at Datan, who nodded for him to go ahead.
“I-I’d like him to–I’d like him to never return,” Heli said haltingly.
The line went silent.
“H-hello? Duke Zhao?” Heli called helplessly.
“Why?” Wenyuan asked, his voice colder than Heli had ever heard before.
“Well, um, Tuhezhen hasn’t stopped challenging my authority. Even with your backing, he acts in an arrogant manner and constantly seeks to undermine me. If you could–if you could–”
Wenyuan cut him off. “Who gave you this idea?”
“Um,” Heli said.
Datan clamped a hand onto the teenager’s shoulder, stepping closer to the device.
“This lowly one, Your Excellency,” he said.
“Who is this again?” Wenyuan asked.
“Datan, the retainer of Chieftain Heli.”
“Ah, the Commander’s right hand-man, was it? And what on earth do you think you’re doing?” Wenyuan asked icily.
“I apologize for my audacious actions, my lord. I implore you to forgive my impudence in light of the situation we now face,” Datan replied.
“Tuhezhen can never become the Commander, myself and the Sixth Princess would never permit it. Asking me to kill him in the Khaganate is doing something entirely unnecessary,” Wenyuan said.
“Forgive me, my lord. But the Han people have a saying: If Qingfu does not die, the troubles of the Lu kingdom are not over yet,” Datan said in an apologetic tone.
The line was silent for a brief moment before the Duke laughed humorlessly. “What a way to use that saying–I’ll tell you now, Datan. If Tuhuzhen doesn’t die, you’ll be fine, but if he really does die in the North, you’ll be under much more scrutiny from before. Do you understand that?”
Datan hesitated for a moment. To his surprise, Heli mustered the courage to cut in.
“But even so! Your Excellency, if he dies here, I can’t avoid suspicion. But people die on battlefields as a natural course of events!”
“There’s a chance he might come back with military merit, you know,” Wenyuan said.
“I…I’m asking for your help to ensure that doesn’t happen. If Lord Liang could–” Heli began.
Wenyuan’s voice cut him off in a glacial tone.
“If Lord Liang gets caught, his career would be over. I refuse to risk him in order to help you. Just as I would not risk you to help Lord Liang. Tell you what–I’ll make an opportunity for you instead. Send another man of your own, someone who can ensure Tuhezhen dies in battle. I’ll ask Lord Liang to keep an eye out for you, but I won’t have him directly involved. Even if things go wrong and you’re caught, it’s easy to dismiss it as an argument between resentful kinsmen rather than a political assassination. If it comes to the former, I can cover it up. If it’s the latter, you have nothing to do with me whatsoever. Do you understand the difference?”
“Yes,” Heli said in a small voice.
“Good.” Wenyuan’s tone then softened considerably, returning to his usual attitude. “Then we have an agreement, yes?”
“Yes, Your Excellency,” Heli replied.
“Prepare things on your end and forget this conversation ever happened,” Wenyuan said. “Well then, have a good day.”
The call ended from the other side, leaving Heli drenched in cold sweat.
“H-he’s terrifying,” Heli said, sounding a little shocked at the discrepancy from the Duke’s usual warmth.
“I told you as much,” Datan said worriedly. “Are you alright?”
Upon closer inspection, Heli’s eyes shone with something entirely different from fear.
“That’s amazing…” Heli muttered, his tone filled with wonder.
“My lord?!”
Datan let out a sharp sigh of disbelief.
This is why kids are so…He shook his head, trying to dislodge the exasperated thoughts bubbling into his mind.
“I’ll have to make the preparations,” Heli said determinedly. He turned hopeful eyes towards Datan. “Datan, you’ll help me, right?”
The exasperation quelled on its own.
“Of course, my lord,” Datan replied.
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Kayla let out a huff of exasperation as she hung up on the young chieftain.
No one complained about Hu Qing's appointment but they all took note of it, Kayla thought wryly. More importantly, I forgot what that means for the Tiele.
Hu Qing had been the one they made contact with first as an expression of her goodwill, and now they were turning towards him to solve their problems for them.
No, perhaps it’s because Heli’s tired of being under my thumb…or is it his supporters who are tired of it?
Kayla let out a soft sigh, turning her eyes towards the ceiling.
Knowing that there’s someone who holds your life in their hands–even if you know they won’t kill you, it’s not something that anyone could easily accept, is it?
The Tiele aside, there was something far more important that she needed to do. Kayla made her way to Ashina’s rooms, nodding at the attendants as they quietly took their leave.
It would be too much of an insult to send Hu Qing without even telling her my reasoning, but there are too many things I can't say, Kayla thought in frustration. She was left with a strange taste of guilt in her mouth after setting things up for Hu Qing so thoroughly while leaving Ashina in the dark.
“There you are,” Ashina said cheerfully. “Do you want to try some of these? The chef made far too many snacks. It seems that my cook hurt his ego last time.”
Kayla smiled, settling into the seat across from Ashina. The princess deserved the truth, or at least part of it. Personally or politically, their fates were bound together. But despite that resolution, Kayla continued to waver.
It's easy to ward against someone in your own family if you hate them, but not if you actually like them, Kayla thought bitterly.
“Maybe later,” Kayla said. “There’s something I wanted to talk about with you, Ibilga. You’ve heard about the matter of sending Lord Liang to the Khaganate, right?”
Ashina nodded. “You’re taking advantage of this chance when things are going well to raise the status of your trusted men, aren’t you? It’s a good move.”
“No, that’s not it.”
Ashina’s brow creased, sensing that something was wrong.
“Then what?”
“I’m sending him to rein in General Yan,” Kayla admitted.
“Rein him in? But he’s doing well, isn’t he?” Ashina pointed out.
Kayla shook her head. “He really isn’t. He’s far too reckless. Look at what he did the other day–he ignored your brother’s plight to launch an attack on the enemy. Can I really leave a guy like that to his own devices in a warzone?”
“He saved the day,” Ashina said, sounding a little astonished. “What’s the problem? He proved his courage and prowess in battle, which brings honor to your name as well.”
“It was a militarily sound decision,” Kayla conceded. “But politically? It was one of the worst decisions he could have made. Even if it was only for show, he should’ve sent a small force to reinforce the Crown Prince rather than leading them away from him on the mere chance that he would still be alive by the time they succeeded.”
“Father’s a warrior, he understands. The same goes for my brother–who’s far from helpless, by the way, he could’ve held out just fine,” Ashina said, sounding a little exasperated.
“It may not be a problem now. But what about a few years down the line? What happens when your brother eventually takes the throne?” Kayla asked quietly.
“He’s not the type to hold a grudge over something like that.”
“Perhaps not on a personal level. But what if he wanted to undo our alliance?” Kayla asked.
Ashina stilled, her eyes narrowing dangerously. “What did you just say?”
“It’s only a possibility, but it is a possibility, Ibilga. What if the relationship between our countries begins to erode? And if he wants to undo the alliance, can you say for certain he won’t use you as an excuse?”
Ashina drew herself up. “What?! Me? I’ve done everything I should have as a princess and as a wife!”
“It’s my fault,” Kayla cut in before Ashina could get angrier. “Since I was the one who sponsored General Yan. But as your husband, my actions could also be used against you. You’re well-loved by your Father, and that is known by all. Undoing an alliance and stranding an adored princess in a foreign kingdom would look bad on a ruler. But what if he could say that his sister once conspired with her husband to try and leave him to die? Then the fault wouldn’t be his. It would be ours.”
“He wouldn’t!”
Kayla lowered her eyes. “The man he is as of now wouldn’t do such a thing. But people change. Circumstances change! And General Yan is the type of man who would do this again if the situation arose. I must keep him in check, Ibilga. I can’t let him make a mistake that could damn us both.”
Ashina let the words hang in the air for a moment before reaching forward and grabbing onto Kayla’s sleeve.
“Is that it? Is that really the reason why?” She demanded.
Kayla hesitated and shook her head.
“No. It’s not. In truth, I’m afraid. If General Yan wins, it’s fine. But what if he loses? He’s way too reckless. If I let him act like a wild horse off its leash, he could very well damn all the men that went with him, men that I supported sending to the North. Since Ancient times, few men have ever returned from the battlefield, but I can't help but hope that...”
Kayla let out a sigh. “It’s frightening, being responsible for so many lives.”
Ashina was still looking at her with uncertainty, unsure if Kayla was only giving her a half-truth again.
What am I supposed to say? That the father who doted on you so much might make war against us without regard to your fate, so I can’t help him out too much? Even if she understands that politics is more valuable to him than familial sentiment, I’d be accusing her father of being faithless, and her of being disposable. I have no proof of what the future holds. How could I say such a thing? Even if I did, how could you believe me?
But Ashina deserved to know–or did she? Did it outweigh the potential risks to not just this one household but to the country?
“It’s just…a lot’s going on,” Kayla said. “Just because things are going well now…”
“What’s wrong?” Ashina asked, suspicion mounting.
Kayla hesitated, floundering on that last line of whether or not to tell the full truth.
Not now, she decided. Not today.
“It’s only a temporary win, for as long as my grandfather’s shadow still hangs over me,” Kayla admitted, choosing the right vulnerability with which to buy Ashina’s sense of security. “People look at me and they see his ghost.”
Ashina faltered, unsure of how to respond.
“You’ve probably heard the rumors,” Kayla said. “That he mistreated me. That I killed him.”
“Yes,” Ashina admitted. “Housekeeper Li always avoids the subject, and it didn’t seem right to ask, but…”
Kayla took Ashina’s hand into her own, leaning forward to press her forehead to the princess’s wrist.
“The rumors are true,” Kayla confessed. “I didn’t kill him outright, but I created the outcome I wanted.”
Ashina stiffened in surprise, but she didn’t pull away from Kayla.
“You…you must have had your reasons,” Ashina said.
“You heard about all this before, but you still agreed to marry me. I’m grateful, Ibilga. I really am,” Kayla said.
And I really am sorry.
“He was a monster. The whole household was shrouded in misery when he was alive–I hated him. I was constantly worried about how he would react, if he would kill someone, if he would hurt me. My life was carved around his presence, even when he wasn’t there. And now, they think I’m becoming like him.” Kayla lifted her head to meet Ashina’s eyes. “Is it true?”
“I don’t know,” Ashina confessed. “I’ve never met him. But I don’t–I mean, you’re kind enough to the household, aren’t you? It’s unfair to compare you to someone like that.”
“If I ever get violent with you, just kill me outright,” Kayla said, shocking even herself with how much she meant it.
“Don’t say that kind of thing!” Ashina snapped. “Stop thinking about it. People are jealous, and they’re easily frightened, so just–just don’t worry about it!”
Oh god, Ashina. Don’t be so earnest, Kayla silently pleaded.
“You’re right,” Kayla said. “That's why...the matter with Lord Liang, I know you might find it extraneous, but…”
“You have your own considerations to make,” Ashina replied. There was a strange opaqueness in her eyes as if she understood Kayla's true intentions, but the princess made no outward sign of it otherwise.
Someday, I have to make her understand the truth someday, Kayla silently resolved. If I don't, Ashina will come to hate me the way I resented the Empress Dowager. Even if she does so now, I don't really have any grounds to complain.
She forcibly cut off that train of thought.
“Thank you for understanding," Kayla said.
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Cultural Notes
监察使/Oversight Officer: A position in the Tang Dynasty that could serve a supervisory/oversight role in the army. Despite its important function, the rank itself was very low, so often someone with personal significance to the Emperor would be sent to give them sufficient sway.
御史/Oversight Censor: A position affiliated with the Office of Censor, it was ranked higher than an Oversight Officer but still doesn't have a very high rank. However, similar to the above, sending someone whose actual standing outweighs their position was a common practice to ensure their effectiveness.
死无全尸/Die without leaving a complete corpse: An Ancient Chinese proverb that means to die a horrible/brutal death.
庆父不死鲁难未已/If Qingfu does not die, the troubles of the Kingdom of Lu will not be over: An Ancient Chinese proverb and historical reference to the pre-Qin times, specifically to the Kingdom of Lu where Prince Qingfu sought to succeed his brother's throne. Since the Duke of Lu (Lu was still a Dukedom back then but for clarity we'll stick to what it eventually became known as, a Kingdom) did not have any sons from his formal wife, Qingfu thought he had a good shot at the throne. However, his older brother eventually selected the oldest of his consorts' sons as the heir. Qingfu murdered the oldest son after the Duke's death and placed one of the younger sons on the throne as a puppet ruler, but eventually killed the boy as well. That boy was the one who was warned that "If Qingfu does not die, the troubles of the kingdom of Lu will not be over." Eventually, another one of the Duke's sons seized power and Qingfu was forced to commit suicide. This story came to signify that if an ambitious man is not killed, he won't cease making trouble.
错失良机/To miss a good opportunity: An Ancient Chinese proverb.
古来征战几人回/Since Ancient times, of those who went to the battlefield, only a few have returned: A line from a famous Tang dynasty poem.