They return to the courtyard house.
“Did you think we’re going on a leisure trip?” Wu Du says to him, frowning.
“I want to stay with you.” Duan Ling says without missing a beat, “If it’s not at your side, I’m not going anywhere.”
One sentence and Duan Ling has left Wu Du speechless. Next thing he’s covering his forehead with a hand and waving the other as he heads inside without a word.
Duan Ling stares at Wu Du’s back with a curious look on his face. Wu Du doesn’t even know what to say to him anymore.
“Don’t you want to get ahead?” Wu Du sounds dumbfounded. “You have such a good opportunity being a study partner for the young master, and instead of treasuring that, you‘re choosing to run off to Tongguan at a time like this. Whatever are you trying to do?”
“I … This is one way a person can get ahead, you know.”
Wu Du keeps getting the feeling that Duan Ling is keeping something from him, and now sitting in the room he considers Duan Ling with a puzzled look as though there’s something unusual surging just beneath the surface, the shape of it barely discernible, as if there’s a layer of chiffon in the way.
“What on earth are you hiding from me?” Wu Du asks.
All this time, he’s had this feeling that something isn’t right, but he can’t quite put his finger on it. This is the closest he’s ever been to the truth.
In that precise moment, Duan Ling has a sudden impulse to say it, and very nearly blurts it out.
“I want to go find my dad.” In the end that’s the excuse Duan Ling uses.
Wu Du gets it then. The tight furrow between his brows relaxing a smidgen as he gives Duan Ling a nod.
“The last time I saw him was outside Tongguan. Even though I don’t think I can find him anymore … I still want to at least try looking.”
“Then when we’re out you have to listen to me. You cannot act on your own.”
Duan Ling nods, agreeing, and that seems to calm Wu Du. He tells Duan Ling, “Go pack for our trip.”
Duan Ling starts packing their rudimentary luggage while thinking to himself that he’s dodged another arrow again. As soon as he gets away from here, then it’s the literal meaning of the common saying: the sky is high and the emperor lives far away;2 no matter how much Lang Junxia may want to kill him he won’t be able to find him. As for what happens when he gets back, well, that’s something to worry about for later.
But Wu Du is staring at Duan Ling as he packs, not taking his eyes off of him. Suddenly, he says, “But no matter what you end up finding, you mustn’t try to kill yourself again, got it?”
Duan Ling turns around, smiling at Wu Du. “I won’t do that again. With you around, I’ll definitely stay alive.”
Under Duan Ling’s care, amidst the courtyard house’s garden, many splendid flowers are blooming brilliantly, a backdrop as colourful as a painting; the picture of a young man turning with a smile on his face has startled Wu Du out of the blue without rhyme or reason at all.
In the afternoon, more gifts arrive. This time it’s clothes for the trip made with first-rate fabric, as well as money they’ll need for spending on the road; there’s even a dagger for Duan Ling for self-defence.
When it’s night time, Wu Du and Duan Ling plan out their itinerary. This is the first time Duan Ling has ever formally embarked on a long journey, so he’s actually rather excited.
“Make sure you don’t talk too much while we’re out. If nothing goes wrong I’ll disguise myself as your servant. A young master doesn’t need to do everything himself.”
Duan Ling just nods, and in the end he asks, “What’s the Zhenshanhe?”
This is clearly a question he knows the answer to; as soon as he heard that the sword of the realm had gone missing, he knew that the sword had been gone since the day Shangjing fell. If they can recover the Zhenshanhe, does that mean they can direct the four assassins?
“A weapon that stabilises the empire. The crown prince is looking for it as well.”
“Is it in Bian Lingbai’s keeping?” Duan Ling asks.
“Not necessarily. But he was among the last of the reinforcements to arrive in Shangjing.”
Duan Ling suspects that it is more likely to have fallen into Mongol or Khitan hands, but since its whereabouts are unknown, they may as well see if they can find it while they’re there.
They discuss for a time in the evening, and as they’re about to go to bed, Mu Kuangda summons them to a meeting. When they get to the study it is a private meeting as before, and Mu Kuangda hands the two their mission.
“Chang Pin is in Jiangzhou, so it’s too late to ask him for a plan. I improvised something with what little time I have, and I’m not sure if it’s entirely advisable; he’s usually the one who’d come up with ideas for something like this. We’ll talk about it together, and if anything feels amiss, either of you can tell me.”
Then Mu Kuangda explains to Duan Ling and Wu Du that the general plan is nothing more than to first win Bian Lingbai’s trust by passing Duan Ling off as Zhao Kui’s nephew. He’ll express his wish to convene Zhao Kui’s former subordinates, to claim some territory and set himself up as a local lord so he can take revenge for his uncle. This way, Wu Du won’t have to put on a disguise, making it less likely to give the game away.
As for Duan Ling, his mission is to gain Bian Lingbai’s trust first, then probe for information, try to find some way to steal some correspondence between Bian Lingbai and Xiliang. On the one hand the letters can act as evidence that they can present to the emperor after they kill Bian Lingbai, and on the other hand, Mu Kuangda needs to know what Bian Lingbai is planning.
After all, there are many beneficial relationships between the Tangut tribe and the empire of Chen. Xiliang used to be an independent state, then it was annexed by Liao, and its allegiance has always wavered between Liao and Chen. If all goes as planned, Mu Kuangda intends to find some way to gain Xiliang’s support.
There are factions within Xiliang as well; ever since Helian Bo and his mother returned to their homeland, their government has been split into two factions, one advocating the Helian family leaving Liao control and gaining independence, while another believes it is best for them to bide their time.
All of this is giving Duan Ling a bit of a headache. He had recommended himself3 in order to survive, but now that he thinks about it, he’s going to have to install himself with a general he’s never met, and it’s one at the commander-in-chief level too — it won’t be easy to fool him. While he hasn’t been found out at the Mu estate, he’s never had to explain his origins in front of Mu Kuangda, and the identity he made up has been quite limited. In front of Bian Lingbai he’ll have to fabricate an entire set of lies. What he has done so far cannot hold a candle to what he must do on this trip.
“I just worry that I won’t be able to gain his trust and things will easily go wrong,” Duan Ling says.
“That doesn’t matter.” Mu Kuangda smiles, looking fully like a cunning old fox. “We have something in exchange that will give him no other option but to meet with you.”
Speaking, he hands over a tiny wooden box. Duan Ling opens it to find a rolled up silk tapestry, yellowed with age and drawn with mountains, rivers, and general terrain.
Duan Ling stares at it in amazement.
Mu Kuangda says, “This is a treasure map taken from Zhao Kui’s storage when his property was confiscated by the government.”
Duan Ling is staring with his mouth agape at the treasure map. It’s thin as a cicada’s wing, every last line distinct.
“Bian Lingbai has been hankering after it for a long time, but he’s been unable to find it through all his searching after Zhao Kui’s properties were confiscated; even His Majesty himself knows not of its whereabouts. I had foreseen the need for this plan a long time ago, and thus I have been hiding it. And I also have a letter forged in Zhao Kui’s handwriting ostensibly written prior to his death that you can take with you.”
Duan Ling looks over the treasure map carefully. “What’s buried here?”
“Gold, silver, treasure — enough money to rival the imperial treasury.” Mu Kuangda drinks his tea without any sign of nervousness. “Presumably Zhao Kui made contingency plans while he was planning his coup, and if the coup failed he would have unearthed the treasure and ran away, find some small place in Xiyu where he could keep a private army of a hundred thousand or so, and became the ruler of a small state. It would have made an acceptable living.”
Duan Ling has no more misgivings, and he puts the treasure map away. Mu Kuangda then warns him once more, “Of course, Bian Lingbai isn’t going to trust you. And with just yourself you’re not going to be able to get to the core of his secrets; he’s tremendously ambitious. However, with these terms on your side, it won’t be hard for you to infiltrate his army along with Wu Du.”
In an instant, Duan Ling comprehends his intentions; neither his identity nor the treasure map are significant at all. All he has to do is to buy time for Wu Du.
“I understand. I definitely won’t fail.”
Satisfied, Mu Kuangda nods. “Then, Wu Du, you’ll have to act as our gentleman thief.”
“I got it,” Wu Du replies.
“First, steal the classified information. If it’s possible, steal both his ledgers and letters. As for the value of each piece of information, you two must figure it out amongst yourselves what to take and what mustn’t be touched. Get rid of him before you leave. Only once we have evidence can we arrange negotiations with Xiliang. Bian Lingbai has always wanted to turn against the central government, and after Zhao Ku died no one could keep him in check. The longer we allow him to live the more things can go awry. We must resolve this as soon as possible.”
Wu Du gives him a nod, knowing that once he finishes this job Mu Kuangda definitely won’t treat him lightly, which precisely fulfils the way to “get ahead” that Duan Ling mentioned. But getting ahead isn’t going to be easy; this is the first assassination he has been tasked with since he came under Mu Kuangda’s patronage, and it is also a blood pledge — but he has already run out of other options.4
“What if he’s innocent?” Duan Ling asks suddenly .
A look of alarm flashes across Wu Du’s face.
Mu Kuangda though, has started smiling, staring right at Duan Ling.
Duan Ling knows full well that this is the one question he should never ask, but he asked it anyway.
“Very good.” Mu Kuangda nods slowly. “If he’s innocent, will you or will you not kill him?”
To his surprise, Mu Kuangda has kicked the ball right back into Duan Ling’s court, with a shrewd, calculating look in his eyes.
Duan Ling takes a deep breath, about to answer, but then Mu Kuangda is telling him, full of poise, “If he’s innocent, then you may do as you see fit.”
“Certainly,” Duan Ling feels a great weight coming off his chest.
Mu Kuangda does not move his eyes from Duan Ling, as though he wants to see right through into his heart.
“Come back as soon as possible,” Mu Kuangda adds, “The exams will happen right after the capital is relocated. You mustn’t neglect your studies.”
Duan Ling rises with Wu Du, and they take their leave.
On the way back, the more Duan Ling thinks about the meeting the more he appreciates Mu Kuangda’s meticulous planning, how he has taken every possibility into account. At the end of it he even emphasised several times that they must create the illusion that Bian Lingbai passed away from natural causes. For that is the only way the imperial court can assign a general to take over the army stationed beneath Tongguan, stopping the chance of further turmoil.
“Even if he is innocent we’ll still have to kill him,” Wu Du says quietly.
“I know. But you won’t, will you? I won’t either. There aren’t that many generals who’re capable of safeguarding the border. As long as he doesn’t turn against the empire, then he should not be killed indiscriminately.”
At the end of which he closes the gates of the courtyard house behind him, and once they’re back inside the house, he says to Wu Du in a barely audible whisper, “I only said that to give him pause. And if we don’t find anything, then you don’t have to make this blood pledge anymore. Killing good and loyal men is going to end up costing no one but you in the end.”
With a deep furrow between his brows, Wu Du turns his gaze onto Duan Ling, and it just so happens that Duan Ling was also watching him. There is a shared understanding in their gaze that cannot be put into words.
“Get some sleep.” Wu Du says, “We’ll have to be on our way in the morning. Don’t think about this anymore.”
Duan Ling goes to his floor bedding, but that’s when Wu Du says to him, “Come sleep on my bed. It’s been raining for days. The floor’s too damp.”
Duan Ling doesn’t bother being polite either, and just climbs up to the bed to sleep, while Wu Du sits in front of the desk, looking at the treasure map by the dim light of a lantern.
Half way through the night Duan Ling wakes up once and says to Wu Du, “Not going to sleep yet?”
Wu Du hums something in reply. He has the treasure map pinched between two fingers, and turning the silk tapestry backwards and forwards, he looks at it through the lamplight. It’s quite a while before he gets on the bed with all his clothes on, lying down next to Duan Ling, and gets under the same covers.
Duan Ling is all muddled in his sleep. Turning over, he throws a leg over Wu Du’s waist and clasps his arms around him, and subconsciously lean against him, putting his head on Wu Du’s arm, wrapping nearly his entire body around Wu Du.
Wu Du is at quite a loss; he can’t exactly push him away, and it’s even weirder if he holds onto him. Being embraced by a young man this way gives him a peculiar feeling, and he’s all at once frozen in place.
I do not monetise my hobby translations, but if you’d like to support my work generally or support my light novel habit, you can either buy me a coffee or commission me. This is also to note that if you see this message anywhere else than on tumblr, do come to my tumblr. It’s ad-free. ↩︎
The sky is high and the emperor is far away is a common saying, as in “far away from the central government, the local magistrates can embezzle as they like” basically. ↩︎
The idiom for recommending oneself for a job is “Mao Sui recommends himself”. It has a wikipedia entry if you’re interested in history. ↩︎
The words for a blood pledge is more like a “contract”, but it means an act that ensures your loyalty. It originates in Water Margin, where Lin Chong was asked to kill someone and bring back their head in order to join the gang on Mount Liang. I translate this generally to blood pledge, since it is a pledge in which you get blood on your hands. ↩︎
They return to the courtyard house.
“Did you think we’re going on a leisure trip?” Wu Du says to him, frowning.
“I want to stay with you.” Duan Ling says without missing a beat, “If it’s not at your side, I’m not going anywhere.”
One sentence and Duan Ling has left Wu Du speechless. Next thing he’s covering his forehead with a hand and waving the other as he heads inside without a word.
Duan Ling stares at Wu Du’s back with a curious look on his face. Wu Du doesn’t even know what to say to him anymore.
“Don’t you want to get ahead?” Wu Du sounds dumbfounded. “You have such a good opportunity being a study partner for the young master, and instead of treasuring that, you‘re choosing to run off to Tongguan at a time like this. Whatever are you trying to do?”
“I … This is one way a person can get ahead, you know.”
Wu Du keeps getting the feeling that Duan Ling is keeping something from him, and now sitting in the room he considers Duan Ling with a puzzled look as though there’s something unusual surging just beneath the surface, the shape of it barely discernible, as if there’s a layer of chiffon in the way.
“What on earth are you hiding from me?” Wu Du asks.
All this time, he’s had this feeling that something isn’t right, but he can’t quite put his finger on it. This is the closest he’s ever been to the truth.
In that precise moment, Duan Ling has a sudden impulse to say it, and very nearly blurts it out.
“I want to go find my dad.” In the end that’s the excuse Duan Ling uses.
Wu Du gets it then. The tight furrow between his brows relaxing a smidgen as he gives Duan Ling a nod.
“The last time I saw him was outside Tongguan. Even though I don’t think I can find him anymore … I still want to at least try looking.”
“Then when we’re out you have to listen to me. You cannot act on your own.”
Duan Ling nods, agreeing, and that seems to calm Wu Du. He tells Duan Ling, “Go pack for our trip.”
Duan Ling starts packing their rudimentary luggage while thinking to himself that he’s dodged another arrow again. As soon as he gets away from here, then it’s the literal meaning of the common saying: the sky is high and the emperor lives far away;2 no matter how much Lang Junxia may want to kill him he won’t be able to find him. As for what happens when he gets back, well, that’s something to worry about for later.
But Wu Du is staring at Duan Ling as he packs, not taking his eyes off of him. Suddenly, he says, “But no matter what you end up finding, you mustn’t try to kill yourself again, got it?”
Duan Ling turns around, smiling at Wu Du. “I won’t do that again. With you around, I’ll definitely stay alive.”
Under Duan Ling’s care, amidst the courtyard house’s garden, many splendid flowers are blooming brilliantly, a backdrop as colourful as a painting; the picture of a young man turning with a smile on his face has startled Wu Du out of the blue without rhyme or reason at all.
In the afternoon, more gifts arrive. This time it’s clothes for the trip made with first-rate fabric, as well as money they’ll need for spending on the road; there’s even a dagger for Duan Ling for self-defence.
When it’s night time, Wu Du and Duan Ling plan out their itinerary. This is the first time Duan Ling has ever formally embarked on a long journey, so he’s actually rather excited.
“Make sure you don’t talk too much while we’re out. If nothing goes wrong I’ll disguise myself as your servant. A young master doesn’t need to do everything himself.”
Duan Ling just nods, and in the end he asks, “What’s the Zhenshanhe?”
This is clearly a question he knows the answer to; as soon as he heard that the sword of the realm had gone missing, he knew that the sword had been gone since the day Shangjing fell. If they can recover the Zhenshanhe, does that mean they can direct the four assassins?
“A weapon that stabilises the empire. The crown prince is looking for it as well.”
“Is it in Bian Lingbai’s keeping?” Duan Ling asks.
“Not necessarily. But he was among the last of the reinforcements to arrive in Shangjing.”
Duan Ling suspects that it is more likely to have fallen into Mongol or Khitan hands, but since its whereabouts are unknown, they may as well see if they can find it while they’re there.
They discuss for a time in the evening, and as they’re about to go to bed, Mu Kuangda summons them to a meeting. When they get to the study it is a private meeting as before, and Mu Kuangda hands the two their mission.
“Chang Pin is in Jiangzhou, so it’s too late to ask him for a plan. I improvised something with what little time I have, and I’m not sure if it’s entirely advisable; he’s usually the one who’d come up with ideas for something like this. We’ll talk about it together, and if anything feels amiss, either of you can tell me.”
Then Mu Kuangda explains to Duan Ling and Wu Du that the general plan is nothing more than to first win Bian Lingbai’s trust by passing Duan Ling off as Zhao Kui’s nephew. He’ll express his wish to convene Zhao Kui’s former subordinates, to claim some territory and set himself up as a local lord so he can take revenge for his uncle. This way, Wu Du won’t have to put on a disguise, making it less likely to give the game away.
As for Duan Ling, his mission is to gain Bian Lingbai’s trust first, then probe for information, try to find some way to steal some correspondence between Bian Lingbai and Xiliang. On the one hand the letters can act as evidence that they can present to the emperor after they kill Bian Lingbai, and on the other hand, Mu Kuangda needs to know what Bian Lingbai is planning.
After all, there are many beneficial relationships between the Tangut tribe and the empire of Chen. Xiliang used to be an independent state, then it was annexed by Liao, and its allegiance has always wavered between Liao and Chen. If all goes as planned, Mu Kuangda intends to find some way to gain Xiliang’s support.
There are factions within Xiliang as well; ever since Helian Bo and his mother returned to their homeland, their government has been split into two factions, one advocating the Helian family leaving Liao control and gaining independence, while another believes it is best for them to bide their time.
All of this is giving Duan Ling a bit of a headache. He had recommended himself3 in order to survive, but now that he thinks about it, he’s going to have to install himself with a general he’s never met, and it’s one at the commander-in-chief level too — it won’t be easy to fool him. While he hasn’t been found out at the Mu estate, he’s never had to explain his origins in front of Mu Kuangda, and the identity he made up has been quite limited. In front of Bian Lingbai he’ll have to fabricate an entire set of lies. What he has done so far cannot hold a candle to what he must do on this trip.
“I just worry that I won’t be able to gain his trust and things will easily go wrong,” Duan Ling says.
“That doesn’t matter.” Mu Kuangda smiles, looking fully like a cunning old fox. “We have something in exchange that will give him no other option but to meet with you.”
Speaking, he hands over a tiny wooden box. Duan Ling opens it to find a rolled up silk tapestry, yellowed with age and drawn with mountains, rivers, and general terrain.
Duan Ling stares at it in amazement.
Mu Kuangda says, “This is a treasure map taken from Zhao Kui’s storage when his property was confiscated by the government.”
Duan Ling is staring with his mouth agape at the treasure map. It’s thin as a cicada’s wing, every last line distinct.
“Bian Lingbai has been hankering after it for a long time, but he’s been unable to find it through all his searching after Zhao Kui’s properties were confiscated; even His Majesty himself knows not of its whereabouts. I had foreseen the need for this plan a long time ago, and thus I have been hiding it. And I also have a letter forged in Zhao Kui’s handwriting ostensibly written prior to his death that you can take with you.”
Duan Ling looks over the treasure map carefully. “What’s buried here?”
“Gold, silver, treasure — enough money to rival the imperial treasury.” Mu Kuangda drinks his tea without any sign of nervousness. “Presumably Zhao Kui made contingency plans while he was planning his coup, and if the coup failed he would have unearthed the treasure and ran away, find some small place in Xiyu where he could keep a private army of a hundred thousand or so, and became the ruler of a small state. It would have made an acceptable living.”
Duan Ling has no more misgivings, and he puts the treasure map away. Mu Kuangda then warns him once more, “Of course, Bian Lingbai isn’t going to trust you. And with just yourself you’re not going to be able to get to the core of his secrets; he’s tremendously ambitious. However, with these terms on your side, it won’t be hard for you to infiltrate his army along with Wu Du.”
In an instant, Duan Ling comprehends his intentions; neither his identity nor the treasure map are significant at all. All he has to do is to buy time for Wu Du.
“I understand. I definitely won’t fail.”
Satisfied, Mu Kuangda nods. “Then, Wu Du, you’ll have to act as our gentleman thief.”
“I got it,” Wu Du replies.
“First, steal the classified information. If it’s possible, steal both his ledgers and letters. As for the value of each piece of information, you two must figure it out amongst yourselves what to take and what mustn’t be touched. Get rid of him before you leave. Only once we have evidence can we arrange negotiations with Xiliang. Bian Lingbai has always wanted to turn against the central government, and after Zhao Ku died no one could keep him in check. The longer we allow him to live the more things can go awry. We must resolve this as soon as possible.”
Wu Du gives him a nod, knowing that once he finishes this job Mu Kuangda definitely won’t treat him lightly, which precisely fulfils the way to “get ahead” that Duan Ling mentioned. But getting ahead isn’t going to be easy; this is the first assassination he has been tasked with since he came under Mu Kuangda’s patronage, and it is also a blood pledge — but he has already run out of other options.4
“What if he’s innocent?” Duan Ling asks suddenly .
A look of alarm flashes across Wu Du’s face.
Mu Kuangda though, has started smiling, staring right at Duan Ling.
Duan Ling knows full well that this is the one question he should never ask, but he asked it anyway.
“Very good.” Mu Kuangda nods slowly. “If he’s innocent, will you or will you not kill him?”
To his surprise, Mu Kuangda has kicked the ball right back into Duan Ling’s court, with a shrewd, calculating look in his eyes.
Duan Ling takes a deep breath, about to answer, but then Mu Kuangda is telling him, full of poise, “If he’s innocent, then you may do as you see fit.”
“Certainly,” Duan Ling feels a great weight coming off his chest.
Mu Kuangda does not move his eyes from Duan Ling, as though he wants to see right through into his heart.
“Come back as soon as possible,” Mu Kuangda adds, “The exams will happen right after the capital is relocated. You mustn’t neglect your studies.”
Duan Ling rises with Wu Du, and they take their leave.
On the way back, the more Duan Ling thinks about the meeting the more he appreciates Mu Kuangda’s meticulous planning, how he has taken every possibility into account. At the end of it he even emphasised several times that they must create the illusion that Bian Lingbai passed away from natural causes. For that is the only way the imperial court can assign a general to take over the army stationed beneath Tongguan, stopping the chance of further turmoil.
“Even if he is innocent we’ll still have to kill him,” Wu Du says quietly.
“I know. But you won’t, will you? I won’t either. There aren’t that many generals who’re capable of safeguarding the border. As long as he doesn’t turn against the empire, then he should not be killed indiscriminately.”
At the end of which he closes the gates of the courtyard house behind him, and once they’re back inside the house, he says to Wu Du in a barely audible whisper, “I only said that to give him pause. And if we don’t find anything, then you don’t have to make this blood pledge anymore. Killing good and loyal men is going to end up costing no one but you in the end.”
With a deep furrow between his brows, Wu Du turns his gaze onto Duan Ling, and it just so happens that Duan Ling was also watching him. There is a shared understanding in their gaze that cannot be put into words.
“Get some sleep.” Wu Du says, “We’ll have to be on our way in the morning. Don’t think about this anymore.”
Duan Ling goes to his floor bedding, but that’s when Wu Du says to him, “Come sleep on my bed. It’s been raining for days. The floor’s too damp.”
Duan Ling doesn’t bother being polite either, and just climbs up to the bed to sleep, while Wu Du sits in front of the desk, looking at the treasure map by the dim light of a lantern.
Half way through the night Duan Ling wakes up once and says to Wu Du, “Not going to sleep yet?”
Wu Du hums something in reply. He has the treasure map pinched between two fingers, and turning the silk tapestry backwards and forwards, he looks at it through the lamplight. It’s quite a while before he gets on the bed with all his clothes on, lying down next to Duan Ling, and gets under the same covers.
Duan Ling is all muddled in his sleep. Turning over, he throws a leg over Wu Du’s waist and clasps his arms around him, and subconsciously lean against him, putting his head on Wu Du’s arm, wrapping nearly his entire body around Wu Du.
Wu Du is at quite a loss; he can’t exactly push him away, and it’s even weirder if he holds onto him. Being embraced by a young man this way gives him a peculiar feeling, and he’s all at once frozen in place.
I do not monetise my hobby translations, but if you’d like to support my work generally or support my light novel habit, you can either buy me a coffee or commission me. This is also to note that if you see this message anywhere else than on tumblr, do come to my tumblr. It’s ad-free. ↩︎
The sky is high and the emperor is far away is a common saying, as in “far away from the central government, the local magistrates can embezzle as they like” basically. ↩︎
The idiom for recommending oneself for a job is “Mao Sui recommends himself”. It has a wikipedia entry if you’re interested in history. ↩︎
The words for a blood pledge is more like a “contract”, but it means an act that ensures your loyalty. It originates in Water Margin, where Lin Chong was asked to kill someone and bring back their head in order to join the gang on Mount Liang. I translate this generally to blood pledge, since it is a pledge in which you get blood on your hands. ↩︎
