#He is the SON of the Ambassador to CHINA

[quartzcloud]

A picture of William J. Calhoun (the American Envoy to the Republic of China) upon hearing that his son Taylor was last seen aboard the Titanic.

[danmei-confessions]

I think we should talk about Wu Zetian, China’s only female emperor, who historically has been regarded as a horrible and brutal leader.

She was born a commoner, became a concubine to one emperor, married his son and then took the role of emperor for herself when he died. She was politically adept, highly ambitious and extraordinarily intelligent.

History has accused her of smothering her newly born daughter and blaming a rival for her death. She had that rivals hands and feet cut off and then had her thrown into a vat of wine in which she was left to drown. She gouged out another rivals eyes and had acid poured down her throat. She wiped out 12 entire branches of a clan. She poisoned her mother. Just how accurate these things are is up for debate, but while these things might not all be true, she certainly did have several family members killed. And she did deal with her rivals and her detractors ruthlessly. Yet none of these things would have attracted criticism if she had been a man. She was no more scandalous than any other ruler during that time period.

But! Her rule was peaceful and prosperous. She avoided wars and welcomed ambassadors from as far away as the Byzantine empire. She changed laws so common people could be chosen for roles in government for their abilities rather than their name or status. She acknowledged and acted on criticisms from her retainers. She built watchtowers along the Silk Road so merchants wouldn’t be harrowed by bandits. Her reign saw women given more freedom(the ability to divorce, hold government positions, travel, hunt and ride horses, to be recognized by scholars).

She supported Buddhism and helped the religion spread and grow through commissioning temples, monasteries, and even a statue of the Buddha said to be carved in her own likeness. In the eyes of the common people, she likely would have been an incredibly popular ruler.

She remains a controversial figure primarily because of stories about her personal actions against her rivals by male Confucian officials who were prejudiced against strong and ambitious women and while they undoubtedly exaggerated aspects of Wu’s life, there is still substantial verifiable evidence of her ruthlessness.

We should also be aware that although she allegedly held her power through murder and merciless, according to Confucian philosophy, ‘while an emperor should not be condemned for acts that would be crimes in a subject, he should be judged harshly for allowing the state to fall into anarchy’ and viewed under this lens, Wu did effectively fulfill her duties as a ruler.

So we have a leader of ancient china who had two faces, one who committed acts of vile cruelty against her family and rivals and one who gave her citizens peace and prosperity.

Through a modern lens she can be viewed as an evil woman who rose from humble beginnings and coldly and calculatingly murdered her way into arguably the most powerful position in the world. A rich woman who threw crumbs to her peasant people while she lived luxuriously. She is a deadly woman, a black widow, an evil stepmother, a kinslayer. But according to historians, “without Wu there would have been no long enduring Tang dynasty and perhaps no lasting unity of China.”

The comparison to a modern mr beast obviously doesn’t hold water, but we can certainly analyze jgy to a more comparable historical figure and argue more accurately in a historical context if jgy was a good leader as the de facto emperor as the cultivation worlds Xiāndū.

It’s easy to see the comparisons between Wu and jgy, both were undesirable and deemed unfit by society. But both were politically adept, highly ambitious and extraordinarily intelligent. Both had family members murdered, perhaps sharing between them filicide. Both had a clans murdered to a man. Both are thought to have had their faces carved on religious relics for their narcissistic pleasure. Both had watchtowers built as a defense for their people. And both were torn down by the men following after them, vilified and distorted. Both forever destined to be speculated upon and misunderstood. Both of their legacy’s destroyed by rumor and falsification. It would not surprise me in the slightest if mxtx didn’t draw on Wu at least a little bit in the creation of jgy. Both Wu and jgy are culpable for some pretty heinous stuff, that can’t be denied. But like Wu, jgy also has a second face.

Moral bias and character motivation aside, his efforts to build watchtowers, his patronage of religion in the building of Guanyin temple, his fight against political corruption, his years long peaceful reign, his charity, all these things lead to the conclusion that under the rule of Confucian, he more than aptly fulfilled his role as a leader for his citizens.

And if you really want to look at Jgys leadership through a modern lens, we really don’t have to look much further than Ingersoll. “If you want to find out what a man is to the bottom, give him power.”

And really that’s part of the tragedy of his character. Because of his background he excelled when he was in a role of leadership. He was good at it.

Whether or not jgy as a literary character is a good person, is subjective and should not be used to measure his role as an effective leader.

All of that being said, jgy is my bestfriend and I love him and would I die for him.

.

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

I am never going to be one who excuses what was done both before and after H and M left their royal roles. I do wonder if the Sussex’s saw Prince Andrew , another second son of a monarch as an example of someone having both a royal and a side gig (sorry can’t think of another expression). The Pitch at the Palace was a commercial venture which totally used Andrew’s position and was actually carried out at BP, and from what I read anyone with particularly tech ideas had to sign away 25% to even ‘pitch’. I think the Markles overplayed their hand and expected the family and country as a whole to beg them to come back and save the monarchy and when that didn’t happen, he is searching for people to blame, be it family, press, the racist British public or the men in grey suits.

I mean, if we're being honest, almost everyone in the BRF commercializes their status and uses their titles for personal gain.

Charles has been caught in several cash-for-honors schemes.

William makes documentaries. (They're nice documentaries, but let's be real - if William was an ordinary bloke, he wouldn't have these opportunities because his ratings aren't competitive.)

Andrew had Pitch@Palace, after being a special ambassador for business, which is a quasi-government position (although unpaid).

Sarah sells romance books and was caught in a cash-for-access scheme.

Beatrice and Eugenie both have titles and private-sector jobs earning personal income, but they still have occasional royal duties and have represented The Queen.

Peter doesn't have a title so he did have to get a private-sector job, but he was involved in organizing the Patron's Lunch (I don't believe the story that it was his company - his company likely wouldn't have been chosen if he hadn't been employed there, IMO) and Peter has also made a couple of commercials in China. (And let's be real again - if Peter didn't have his family connections, he wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to do those commercials.)

Edward and Sophie had their own companies (him a production company and her the PR company) that they were fairly successful in while also working on behalf of The Queen, until they made a couple of very public missteps (Edward's company stayed in St. Andrews filming B-roll after a cutoff date and everyone accused him of favoritism while Sophie was caught in a scheme by an undercover reporter posing as a sheik who got her talking about the BRF.)

Prince and Princess Michael of Kent were hugely subsidized by The Queen despite being only part-time status, and Prince Michael is/was often used as an unofficial ambassador to Russia by the government.

So it was (and is) totally possible for Harry and Meghan to have a kind of half-out, half-in status. All they'd have to do was be quiet about it and they probably would've been able to get some of their things on their wishlist because Andrew had them too. Their fatal misstep was making it as public as they did. Had they just gone quietly out to pasture with "we have realized how much we value time with our son and doing what we can to make the future a better place for him and all of our children. We will be stepping back from our duties to focus on our family and look forward to continuing to support The Queen, The Prince of Wales, and The Duke of Cambridge," they would've been able to keep their titles, security, military honors, and patronages even when moving to the US. But they were too greedy and flew way too close to the sun. Hence their scorched plane crash of a rejection.

(And with hindsight being 20/20, they could've taken 2020/the pandemic off for family reasons, then make a splash from mid-2021 with Archewell in a "we learned so much from the COVID pandemic and we just can't sit idly by anymore" launch and all their content deals and no one probably would've given a single fig about it.)

[absolutebl]

I Feel You Linger In the Air

You ready for this?

The quickest of quick thoughts: I loved this show and hated the ending, but not for the reason you think.

This is gonna be one of my big meta beast-sized posts, skip to the end for the final review.

Some Historical Context for I Feel You Linger In The Air - Thailand 1925-1932

I love history and so here's some info that any Thai watcher would likely know, but the rest of us might not... ready?

The Historical Stage:

Burma (now Myanmar) to the west is occupied by the British.

The French hold Vietnam to the east.

Everyone is bickering over what would become Cambodia & Laos.

China occasionally gets involved from the North (also, lots of immigrants from China at this time accounting for a large percentage of the merchant/middle class)

Eventually, Japan would invade during WWII.

In part, The Kingdom of Siam was kept a "neutral" party because none of the surrounding colonial powers wanted to risk offending any of the other players in the area.

Siam re-negotiated sovereignty in 1920 (from USA) and in 1925 (from France & Britain). But during the time of this show (late 1929) it was back to it's customary type-rope balancing act of extreme diplomacy with the allied western colonial powers that surrounded it.

Recognizing that Thailand was never colonized (although it was invaded), it's boarders were constantly nibbled at and it was "ambassador-occupied" off and on by westerners whose military backing and exploitive business concerns simply outmatched the monarchy, especially in the technology department (as well as by reputation on the global stage at the time).

In other words, the farang in this show (James & Robert) were always gonna be both the baddies and the power players of the narrative. (Farang is the Thai word for non-Thai's of European descent, the word means guava.)

The king of Siam at the time (Vajiravudh AKA Rama VI) was initially somewhat popular but also regarded as overly extravagant since Siam had been hit by a major postwar recession in 1919. It should also be noted that King Vajiravudh had no son because he was most likely gay (which at the time did not much concern the Siamese popular opinion, except that it undermined the stability of the monarchy leaving it without an heir).

He "died suddenly" in 1925 (age 44) with the monarchy weakened and succession handed off to his younger brother.

In 1932 a small circle of the rising bourgeoisie (all of whom had studied in Europe, mostly Paris), supported by some military, seized power from the monarchy in a practically nonviolent Siamese Revolution installing a constitutional monarchy. This is mentioned in IFYLITA in the last few episodes but did not (apparently) appear in the original novel.

Siam would then go through:

dictatorship,

WWII,

Japanese invasion,

Allied occupation,

democratic elections,

military junta,

the Indochina wars,

communist insurgency,

more democracy and popularization movements,

multiple coups,

more junta,

more monarchy,

eventually leading us to the somewhat chaotic insanity of Thai politics we have today. (Which is, frankly, a mix of monarchy, junta, democracy, egocentric popularism, and bribery.)

The Filming of I Fell You Linger in the Air

The director if this show, Tee Bundit (Hidden Agenda, Step by Step, Lovely Writer, TharnType), has never particularly impressed or offended me as a director. I would have called him simply "workmanlike" in execution: not offensive, serviceable.

So much so that I spent some time hunting for info on IFYLITA's cinematographer (who remains uncredited on MDL) because this one, of all Tee's pantheon, is ultra stylish. It, frankly, felt too good for him.

Specifically, there is a repeated visual motif in intimacy scenes of either Yai or Jom being filmed from behind a screen/drape/curtain making them seem more translucent, like a ghost or spirit. While the other half of the pair is filmed with sharp clarity. In the first half of the series this is more likely to be Yai (an unknown and mysterious element), as the show progresses, it's more likely to be Jom (the person outside of place and time, destined to vanish all together). This cleverly conveys story, tension, and foreshadow (future shadow?)

Occasionally we shift over so they both become obscured and then clear again.

This stylized version of dirty framing and filters is used to foreshadow and then constantly remind us about that Jom slipped (and is slipping) through time and the disconnect that causes to his sense of reality and purpose, and to his burgeoning relationship.

For example, the scene where Yai is drunk and asleep in his bed. The first time Jom is sitting in a chair drawing him. Yai is blurry behind the screen while Jom is solid and sharp.

This filming technique combined with dirty and peekaboo framing is being used to give the watchers the impression of looking at something we maybe shouldn't, like we are being creepy and intruding on their private time. After all, they can see EACH OTHER clearly, it's only us who have the visual impairment.

This gives us a sense of doom and discomfort and slight sensation that we shouldn't be there. We shouldn't be watching. But ALSO that we too are outside of time, filtered by the future.

In other words his sense of displacement is being used to trigger ours visually.

It's all quite clever.

It's both beautiful and atmospheric and discomforting and touch stressful. Meaning that it is ALSO a visual vehicle to drive narrative tension. As effective as scary music, perhaps more so in this show (since I personally found the musical motifs and refrains somewhat overused.)

Linguistic corner

The word for reflection and shadow is the same in Thai.

Note on the por/phor/phô honorific in Thai

I have not encountered it before in BL. I am indebted to @embraceyourfandom for the following information;

Phô is a paternal honorific, luang phô is used for respected monks. It basically means father. And is oft seen as male honorific for village elders. It's also used as a male prefix in the names of several occupations like:

พ่อครัว phô khrua (khrúa= kitchen -> chef)

พ่อค้า phô khá (khá= trade -> merchant)

พ่อมด phô mót (mót= person of occult knowledge -> wizard)

พ่อบ้าน phô bân (bân =house -> butler) - most relevant

So, Yai's use is probubly foreshadowing that Jom will be a butler for his house, and is primitively referring to him with this title.

All that said, phô can also be used by a "man who is older/higher on hierarchy to refer to a younger/lower on hierarchy man with intimacy and/or affection."

I think all this has to do with Jom's demonstration of education. Yai figured out early on that one of the reasons Jom doesn't belong and cannot fit in with the servants is that he is more educated than a peasant (of this time period), which for Yai adds up to him being originally from a higher status and possibly wealthy family, especially since Jom speaks English and has travelled (he has a non-northern accent).

There is very little Thai middle class at the beginning of the 1920s since trade is being dominated/dictated by the West, or Chinese merchant operations, and Siam is a monarchy. So for a nationalize Thai citizen educated means military, landed gentry with trade operations (like Yai), royal/political/diplomatic connections, or... none of the above. This changes, especially in the south, throughout this decade (as it did in other parts of the world). So there is a rising bourgeoisie going on in the background but it's not that obvious in Chang Mai at this time.

What Jom's educated lack of status means to Yai is that Jom's family either got wiped out or politically disenfranchised possibly as part of the 1912 attempted coups (or even WWI)? This would be mystifying for Yai because Jom doesn't act like he comes from a military family at all. So his background and status is very confusing for Yai, but Yai does know one thing...

Jom is NOT lower class by the standards of Yai's temporal worldview and existence.

For a young man to be educated and yet entirely alone is very dangerous and suspicious. Also, let's be clear, Jom doesn't look or act like a laborer. He red flags "cultured" all over the place.

Yai is paternalistic and caring towards Jom out the gate because Yai has a big ol'crush but also because he recognizes "his own" is trying to survive while isolated and scared.

Yai wants to rescue Jom. Yai is an ineffectual 20 year old gay intellectual. But poor thing sure tries.

Let's Talk About How I Felt About I Feel You Linger in the Air

The historical aspect was great.

I adore historical romances and we almost never get them in BL. I was always gonna be biased towards this show. (As indeed I am towards Nobleman Ryu's Wedding, Tinted with You, and To Sir With Love.) Aside from some classic Thai BL production issues (less than normal, this is very high production value for Thailand) and my issues around the sound track and repetitive repriens (which frankly were more noticeable because I binged the last half) I have no complaints on that score (heh heh).

The surrounding support cast were all quite good and we even got us some lesbians!

The emotional and narrative tensions were excellent.

Any issues I had with pacing came from focus on characters that didn't interest me, but probubly did interest others. I wasn’t wild or particularly interested in the family drama or the side characters/couples, but they were necessary to make this a fully fleshed story with historical context and to give Yai much needed characterization. Also this use of a ensemble cast is very close to Thailand's lakorn heart, even thought this one had way less scenery chewing ludicrous soapy drama (thank heavens).

I was delighted that external threat, stressors, and conflict drove this plot. That's refreshing in BL.

I have no arguments with the chemistry and kisses and sex scenes were tasteful and lovely, occasionally even heart-wrenching, and it's nice to see Thailand especially use physical intimacy to drive plot, and not the other way around.

I love historicals partly because every tiny touch can have such lingering significance, they're very elegant in their chaste physicality. This show didn't need to move into higher heat, but I'm grateful it did because even that was very well done. Thai BLs can often feel clumsy around intimacy, but not this one.

The final sex scene before Jom and Yai separate forever utilizes the ubiquitous director's-favorite-romantic-moments-flashbacks (required of all Asian romance dramas) but with acceleration and tension driven by the noises of sex, which I've never seen/heard done before. In other words: climax of sex = climax of the romance story, I see what you did there, Tee. Clever. Very clever. Bit on the nose… erm… on the… well you know what I mean.

Like all Thai BLs this wasn’t perfect, but for me this is as close as Thai BL gets to high quality romance and that’s what I want the most from my drama watching experience (if not necessarily my Thai BL experience).

But... and you knew the but was coming didn't you?

I absolutely hated the ending.

It wasn't sad, don't worry, but it also wasn't good.

There is a long drawn out separations sequence and then Jom returns to the present, drowning from a car accident. Jom is "rescued" by an moustachioed iteration of Yai from the distant past (who we met once before) and then wakes in hospital. Some time later, Jom returns to the house in Chang Mai where Yai turns up and they reunite.

The end.

There is a stinger featuring Jom once more hurled back in time, only further, meeting the warrior mustache Yai once more.

Okay, that's all I knew and all I saw.

Confused? So was I.

If this had been a regular time travel romance: Yai would have been the EMT or doctor attending Jom when he woke up and their "this time period" romance would commence. With either shared memories, or not.

Had this been set up for audience comprehension in line with the original novel, we should have had flashbacks from both Present Yai (he's not the same one, as it turns out) and deep-past Moustache Yai interwoven throughout the series. Preferably with some focus on Present Yai's quest for reunion with Present Jom AND Present Yai's own experience with visions and memory of his past lives.

A full explanation of the ending is here. This explanation of the 3 different Yais makes me like our ending more. But I shouldn't need to read Cliff's notes from some random y-novel reading fan on Tumblr to understand what's going on in a series!

There is supposedly a special happening with Jom + Present Yai.

There was unquestionably a failure in adaptation in the finale of this show.

As a fan and watcher, what I actually felt was deeply confused and hurt.

I also felt that this was a disingenuous un-earned throw away happy ending, since I had no idea who this new Present Yai was and no investment in his character. I simply didn't believe he was the same Yai (Bright is too good an actor, he was clearly a different older personality).

So the fact remains that past Yai, our Yai, the 20 year old boy we grew to understand and love, is abandoned in the past to suffer alone for the rest of his life. And THAT is an unhappy ending for one half of my beloved pair. Yes Jom gets a new Yai in the present day, but it's not the same Yai. They have no developed relationship, and Jom is doomed to leave even this new Yai and slide into the past once more. That's barely even happy for now for Jom's character.

As a result of my deep sadness for 20-year-old Yai in particular, I'm not going to be able to rewatch this show. The whole thing was rendered not just confusing but the opposite of comforting by the final 15 minutes. I'm tempted to dock it two whole points - one for the ending and the other for the lack of rewatch potential.

But the first 11.5 eps were SO GOOD.

This is one of the only times where I am actually hoping for a second season, while simultaneously being wary of the screen writing and production team's capacity to give us a satisfying one.

Industry wise? I honestly don't think we can hope too hard for a full season 2. This was an expensive show with flawed/limited distribution and little sponsorship. I don't see how they'll get funding for a second season. Unless we see this show up on like Netflix or Viki, I urge you not to hope too hard and be disappointed.

In all honestly?

I started typing up this blog post thinking Thailand was finally, after 5 years, going to earn another 10/10 from me but I just can't in good conscious give it that. It's been days and I'm still upset about that last episode.

And Now My Quick Pitch Review

I truly loved this time travel romance. IFYLITA is an exquisite BL, from filming techniques to narrative framework (much like Until We Meet Again). Steeped in history and family drama it edges into lakorn (but no as much as To Sir With Love and with way less scenery chewing). This is an elegant and classy BL... from Thailand which normally doesn't even try for classy. The main couple (both as a pair and individuals) were excellent, particularly Bright (Yai) whose eye-work acting style is a personal favorite of mine. Pity about the ending. Oh it wasn’t that sad but it wasn’t good either. This show should easily have earned a 10 from me except that it fumbled the… erm… balls. Argh. Whatever. 9/10

(source)

This post is also in My Drama List as a review.

[dyinginfandom]

Been trying to put my frustration with what Israel is doing in Gaza into words for months. But I’m done with the bullshit from Zionists and their supporters

My grandfather was Hungarian and as part of a non political paramilitary youth organisation likely had to have a hand in the war I know this from his POW papers from 1945 in an American pow camp in Germany . He would later flee the soviets in Hungary after taking part in their attempted revolution. He abandoned his family; a wife and son and we don’t know what their fates were. He first went to Austria then to Turkey then the uk where he met my gran and they married in 1963 and moved away from her entire support system to a city with many Hungarian refugees like him working in cutlery works and steel factories. He’d never talk of the war or of his first family past them existing, his siblings families don’t know their fates other and with no one from his generation left we can only guess. He was an awful man who died an awful death alone because of his own actions.

I use this to preface what I’m about to say

He was forced to take part in a genocide and support it, I’m watching my government do that now, watching as universities label anti Zionism as antisemitism while my uni hosts one of the Brits who went over and fought for the IDF and was allowed to return while a girl who joined isis almost a decade ago just lost her appeal for her citizenship back. Both went over to partake in a foreign war and commit acts of terror, one is stateless and the other is allowed to walk around with no consequences. We aren’t allowed to protest on campus so the Palestine society held one off campus to try and stop him from visiting.

The university of east anglia has labelled these two quotes graffitied on campus as antisemitic and the BBC is reporting on this as such, antisemitism. They are anti Zionist. ‘Judaism opposes Zionism’ and ‘Zionism = colonialism’.

Aaron Bushnell an active duty US service man set himself on fire in protest of the war on Gaza.

Brazil’s president spoke out against the Zionism and Israel decided to have a word with the Brazilian ambassador but knowing what was coming Brazil recalled him

China has called out that Hamas should not be labelled as terrorist under international law as it is armed resistance.

Countries have cut funding to the UNRWA a relief group that exists because Israel refuses to call the Palestinians refugees or allow their return to their ancestral homes once it has stolen it

Israel is knowingly committing a genocide and has said it won’t listen to the ICJ

They are killing their own hostages that are being held by Palestine then cheering when 2 are saved while others lay dead murdered by their own hands.

They are executing young children in front of their parents who are then carrying them to hospital to hope for salvation.

They’re stealing belongings from walking canes to underwear from those they’ve killed or displaced to humiliate them for owning normal things.

They killed the Family of a six year old girl, Hind, while she was in the car with them then when the Red Crescent ambulance arrived which they allowed in they bombed it and killed her and the two paramedics, Ahmed and Yousef, who were there to save her.

During the Super Bowl they displayed propaganda while they bombed Rafah, the safe Zone they had told people to go to. There was a little girl, Sidra, hanging from a window!

They are targeting journalists and their families. Wael’s family was killed while he worked and he was reported, he was attacked with his camera man who was killed and he reported on it. Over 25 journalists killed

They have attacked every place where documents can be found to destroy them, mosques, churches, government buildings, universities, everything gone.

Egypt is building a buffer zone in the desert, Bissan a brave young journalist has talked of her fear of this desert buffer zone killing them

Canada has removed Palestine as a country of birth on passports

ITV filmed as a man with a white flag they had just interviewed and was walking way as he was murdered by a sniper

In the West Bank IDF shot a teenager at a family bbq then prevented his family getting him to an ambulance

Also in West Bank IDF dressed up as civilians walked into a hospital and assassinated a man incapacitated in a hospital bed and those at his bedside

THEY HAVE LABELLED ALL PALESTINIANS AS TERRORISTS!

Heck they’re allowed to stay in Eurovision, ‘October rain’ in name alone has political connotations meanwhile Russia and Belarus are banned and the Palestine flag has been banned - Iceland was fined the other year for a free Palestine banner.

This occupation, this genocide has been happening for over 75 years since the creation of Israel in the aftermath of ww2 but their want for this land goes back further. When Zionism was founded in the late 1800s they chose Palestine, a peaceful place where the abrahamic religions lived in peace, to be their land and no one else’s (did we not learn from the crusades?) in 1903 they got the support of the British govement then ww2 and the Holocaust happened and Britain ‘owning’ Palestine gave them what they wanted, Palestinians who had not been consulted or considered in this who’s homes were stolen fought against it and you get the war of 1948 where this kicks off.

When you look at their defenses for this we have ‘self defence for October 7th’ that isn’t an excuse for genocide and reminds me of Germany faking a polish invasion to invade them and kick off ww2. ‘They have hostages’ so do you and you’ve refused to exchange hostages for a ceasefire heck you’ve killed your own hostages in Gaza. ‘Palestine started it’ see my very very cut down explanation of the history.

Then there’s the classic ‘we can’t be committing a holocaust cos that happened to us’ see the cycle of abuse, the number of Holocaust survivors in poverty in Israel, and the other victims of the Holocaust cos everyone focuses just on the Jewish casualties of the Holocaust that 6 million number cos they’re the biggest proportion but there were 5 million other victims, political enemies of the reich, disabled people, lgbt, poc, Romani, Soviet pows, by making the Holocaust just a Jewish genocide in discussion you erase the rest of that genocide.

I put on les mis for a fanfic I’m writing and all I can think about instead of what I’m writing is what Palestine was and how we treat Palestine today.

I was labelled a nazi for my heritage growing up, just like Israel is calling Palestinian children Hamas. Only difference is that Hamas is closer to those of the Warsaw Getto or the French resistance than the Nazis. Because Israel’s laws against Palestine are extremely close to the Nazi laws against the Jews.

End Zionism on Israel and return Palestine to the Palestinians

FREE PALESTINE

[bookofjin]

Accounts of Qiuci and Yutian (LS54)

The state of 龜茲, Middle Chinese *Khjuw-dzi, Standard Chinese Qiūcí, now Kucha, was located on the northern side of the Tarim basin.

The state of 于闐, Middle Chinese *Hju-den, Standard Chinese Yútián, now Hotan or Khotan, was located on the south-western of the Tarim basin.

Beside their central locations on the Silk Road, both kindoms were centers for Buddhist learning and served a key role in that religion's spread into China.

Pictures ambassadors taken from Song copy of the Portraits of Periodical Offering of Liang (Beiti and Qiuci), Tang The Gathering of Kings (c. 650 AD) (Beiti, Qiuci, and Yutian), and the Southern Tang Entrance of the Foreign Visitors of Emperor Yuan of Liang (mid 10th century)(Beiti, Qiuci, and Yutian)

(Scans taken from Wikipedia)

The various Rong of the North-west, during the Han period, Zhang Qian first went out on the tracks of the Western Region, Gan Ying then approached the Western Sea. Sometimes they dispatched attendant sons, sometimes they offered displays of tribute. At that time, though they were destitute in troops, they were extremely martial, and they were only just overcome and vanquished. Compared to previous eras, their plundering was far reaching. In the time of Wei, three regions were [like] legs of a tripod, with daily matters of opposing halberds, When the Jin clan pacified Wu and afterwards, and they for a little while obtained a little tranquillity and rest, they merely set up the office of Wuji. The various states likewise were not yet retainers and followers. Continuing on with the Central States' destruction and disorder, Hu people rose up one after the other. The Western Region was separated and blocked from Jiangdong and difficult translations were not exchanged. Lü Guang's expedition to Quici was more like barbarians invading barbarians, and no idea of the Central States. Since that point, the various states have divided and united, been victorious or defeated, strong or weak, and it is difficult to obtain a thorough record. Bright gems and blue feathers were only familiar in the rear palaces, Pushao and Longwen [horses] rarely entered the outer offices. At Liang accepting the mandate, they who served the correct calendar and were in the court's palaces and courtyard, were the states of Chouchi, Dangchang, Gaochang, Dengzhi, Henan, Quici, Yutian and Hua. Now [I] patch together their manners and customs, and as an Account of the North-western Rong as follows:

…

The state of Hua is a branch of Jushi. Han's 1st Year of Yongjian [126 AD], Bahua accompanied Ban Yong to strike the northern villains and had merit. Yong elevated Bahua to Marquis Friendly to Han of the Rear Section. From Wei, Jin, and onwards, they did not communicate with the Central States.

…

The state of Baiti, the King's family name is Zhi and his personal name Shijiyi. His ancestors perhaps were Hu from a branch of the Xiongnu. When Han's Guan Ying fought with Xiongnu, he beheaded one Baiti cavalryman. Now it is east of the state of Hua. The distance to Hua is six day's travel, furthest west is Persia [Bosi波斯]. The land produces millet, wheat, and melons. The food is roughly similar to Hua.

…

Qiuci is an old state of the Western Regions. In the time of Guangwu of Later Han [r- 25 – 57 AD], their King was named Hong. He was killed by the King of Shache, Xian, who wiped out his family. Xian sent his son Zeluo to be King of Qiuci. The people of the state also killed Zeluo. The Xiongnu installed a notable man from Quici, Shendu, as King, and because of this they belonged to the Xiongnu. However Qiuci in the Han period was regularly a great state, the capital was called Yan City.

When Emperor Wen of Wei begun his reign [r. 220 - 226], they dispatched envoys with tribute to present. Middle of Jin's Taikang era [280 -289], they dispatched sons to enter [court] in attendance.

7th Year of Taiyuan [382 AD], the ruler of Qin, Fu Jian, dispatched general Lü Guang to invade the Western Region. He arrived at Qiuci. The King of Qiuci, Bochun, loaded up the treasure, set out and ran. Guang entered his city. The city has three layers. The outer walls are comparable to the walls of Chang'an. The rooms and buildings are huge and magnificent. For decoration they use gemstones, gold, and jade. Guang installed Bochun's younger brother Zhen as King, and then returned home. Since then they have been cut off from the Central States and not communicated.

…

The state of Yutian belongs to the Western Regions. At the end of Later Han's Jianwu era Jianwu [25 – 56 AD], King Yu was routed by the King of Shache, Xian. He moved him to be King of Ligui, and used his younger brother Junde as King of Yutian. He was violent and cruel, and the hundred families were troubled by him. Middle of Yongping [58 – 75 AD], a man of their kind, Dumo, killed Junde. A nobleman, Xiumoba also killed Dumo, and installed himself as King. Ba died, and his older brother's son Guangde was installed. He afterwards struck and captured the King of Shache, Xian, to return home, and killed him, and thereupon he made a strong state. The various small states of the north-west all yield and follow.

In their land there are many rivers and rainstorms, sand and rock. The air is warm and suitable for rice, wheat, and rose apple [putao 蒲桃]. There is a river which produces jade, it is called the Yu He [“Jade river”, 玉河]. People of the state are good at casting copper vessels. Their government seat is called Xishan City, it has roofed houses, markets, and wells. The fruit and vegetables are comparable to the Central States. They are particularly reverent of Buddhism. The building where the King dwells has cinnabar drawings applied to it. The King's headgear is a golden head-wrap, similar to the present Hu-style hat. He sits side by side with his wife when welcoming guests. Within their state, the married women all braid their hair and wear fur trousers. Their people are respectful. When they see each other, they kneel, and when they kneel, one knee touches the ground. For writing they use wood for brush and slips, and jade for stamps. When the people of the state obtain a letter, they wear it on their head, and then afterwards open up the slips. In the time of Emperor Wen of Wei, King Shanxi presented famous horses.

[darkmaga-returns]

Maye Musk shares a title with Henry Kissinger as a lao pengyou, or “old friend” of China. Her son, Elon, is not old enough to be called “old,” but he is a dear friend of China. This should not surprise you because China is a Technocracy, and it reveres the root family of Technocracy, the Musks. China owes all of its success to people like Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski, who paved the way in the early 1970s. Now 76, Maye Musk is the grande dame of Technocracy. ⁃ TN Editor

Maye Musk is a busy woman. As well as being the mother of the world’s richest man, she has been jetting between various glamorous events – many of them in China. In December alone, she attended a gala dinner in Hangzhou, walked the red carpet for a cosmetics company in Wuhan and signed copies of the Chinese edition of her book, A Woman Makes a Plan, which she described as “a bestseller” in China.

In fact, the only Musk-related book on the Chinese bestseller lists in October was a biography of her son Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson. Elon Musk is popular in China, and is thought to have the potential to wield pro-Beijing influence in the otherwise hawkish incoming administration of Donald Trump. But he has also faced scrutiny for his links to the US Department of Defense via his aerospace company, SpaceX.

Maye Musk, however, is adored in the country that she claims to visit “nearly every month”. She has been described as his secret weapon in China – a well-placed figure who can bring goodwill for her son’s increasingly global business and political ambitions.

And she has made her feelings about the country clear. “China is so advanced in roads, tunnels, buildings, infrastructure, and ports. Always impressed when I visit,” she tweeted in October. In November, she posted pictures of Teslas in Shanghai, along with adoring heart-eye emojis.

The 76-year-old has a successful career as a model and a dietician. But her son’s extensive business dealings in China – his car company, Tesla, has its biggest factory in Shanghai and he is a frequent visitor to the country – have opened the door to a new market of admirers who have welcomed her with open arms.

Her story is becoming increasingly well-known in China. Born in Canada and raised in South Africa, she has travelled around the world for her career and family.

Several commenters on Douban, a review website, praise her independence. “As a female role model who is independent, self-reliant and in control of her own life, she has gained rich experience under the influence of her family since she was a child. Because of her life experience in many countries, she is more tolerant of culture and life, and chooses to leave her comfort zone again and again,” wrote one fan of her book.

Her profile has been boosted by a slew of brand collaborations. Last year, she became a global ambassador for the Chinese consumer electronics company Oppo. This year, she added the mattress company AISE Baobao to the list of companies that she represents, attending the brand’s store opening in Shanghai in November.

She has also walked the runway in Hangzhou for the Chinese fashion label JNBY and attended an event for the sportswear brand Fila. In October, she attended a party for the Italian luxury fashion brand Moncler in Shanghai, sharing photographs of her posing with Rihanna and A$AP Rocky on her Chinese social media accounts.

The commercial endorsements have helped her to build a sizeable following on Chinese social media. She has 577,000 followers on Xiaohongshu, the Instagram-like platform that is particularly popular with young women, and 356,000 followers on Douyin, TikTok’s sister company in China. She also has 46,200 followers on Weibo, a micro-blogging site that is often compared to her son’s X.

[dcccivcr]

{Dylan Wang, 26, male, he/him} We are so glad to see you safe, IMPERIAL BODYGUARD JI XINYUAN of JAPAN CHINA! It’s dangerous out in the world these days, but I hear that you are DETERMINED and CHARISMATIC enough to handle it. Just don’t let your PERSONAL DESIRES bring you down! Stay on your guard, because with your secret being at risk for exposure, you wouldn’t want everyone to find out YOU HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER A FALSE IDENTITY FOR YEARS {rawr, 28, GMT+1, she/her, no triggers} + princess kai-ming's bodyguard wc

NAME: Ji Xinyuan "GIVEN NAME": Fei BIRTH NAME: Maeda Toshihisa AGE: 26 GENDER / PRONOUNS: Male, he/him ORIENTATION: Bisexual

INSPIRATIONS: Essek Thelyss (Critical Role), Hubert von Vestra (FE3H), Akechi Gorou (Persona 5), Jin Guangyao & Nice Huaisang (The Untamed), Ignis Scientia (FFXV), the Scorpion Clan (Legend of the Five Rings)

• • •

FAMILY: None MARITAL STATUS: Single POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Loyal to the Japanese royal family LANGUAGES: Japanese (native), Chinese (bilingual), Tagalog (fluent), English (passable), Spanish (passable). Fakes an accent when speaking anything other than Chinese.

THE LIE

Xinyuan speaks of his history with such solemnity, pride and honesty that he has won the hearts of many in the imperial court. The only child of a very patriotic landowner down in his luck who dreamed of seeing his only son earn a position in court, and spent most of his rapidly decreasing resources educating the child. He taught Xinyuan literature, languages, martial skills such as archery, and horsemanship. Yet his wayward son, blinded by his natural talents and the brazenness of his youth, rejected his father's teachings and efforts and left his home with dreams of becoming a renowned poet. Though he produced some works of decent quality, it wasn't long until word reached him that both his parents had fallen ill and died.

Ji Xinyuan believed this misfortune to be a divine punishment for his ungrateful, rebellious behavior, and turned all of his efforts back to the path that had been chosen for him. At the age of 19, he famously prostrated himself outside the imperial palace and begged for "a chance to atone for his sins and fulfill his late father's wish". His talents, strong sense of honor and social graces caught the attention of his superiors and recently earned him a privileged role as one of the bodyguards accompanying the imperial family.

THE TRUTH

Toshihisa was born to Chinese ambassadors and presumed dead in the fire that killed his parents. He cannot remember whether that was the name he was given at birth or not, and he can only speculate whether the event was or wasn't an accident, but he doesn't trouble himself with conjectures. For as long as he can remember, he has had a purpose, and unlike his false persona he accepted the role with great pride.

He received the best education and was raised in privilege. When the time came, he traveled to China, where he had his tale fabricated and his ascension orchestrated. He aims to become the imperial family's most trusted soldier and confidant... and hopes his blade skills will never be required.

THE STORY

After the Reckoning, and the exile of princess Kai-ming, his previous charge, he became the Emperor's bodyguard. He has earned Angelo's trust, when the truth is Xinyuan profoundly despises the man. During the current conflict, he sends word of China's moves to Japan through informants, while simultaneously assisting princess Giuliana in their goal to dethrone their brother.

[mybeingthere]

Paul Jacoulet (1896–1960) was a French, Japan-based woodblock print artist known for a style that mixed the traditional ukiyo-e style and techniques developed by the artist himself.

Jacoulet was born in Paris in 1896 and lived in Japan for most of his life. During World War II, he moved to Karuizawa, where he survived in the countryside by growing vegetables and raising poultry. During the occupation, at the request of General Douglas MacArthur, he was recruited by Commandant Charles McDowell to work at the Tokyo Army College. MacArthur would join Greta Garbo, Pope Pius XII and Queen Elizabeth II, as a prominent collector of Jacoulet's work.

Many prints are very rare because all Jacoulet’s pre-World War II work that had not already been taken out of the country by collectors was destroyed by fire. Jacoulet was a true renaissance man –French but born and raised in Japan, expert in Kabuki, proficient on traditional Japanese musical instruments, a good calligrapher, conversant in several languages, and a recognized butterfly collector. Growing up in Tokyo he was the next door neighbor of ukiyo-e authority Yone Noguchi; he was taught English by Noguchi's American wife, Leonie Gilmour, and befriended their son, the young Isamu Noguchi. Jacoulet’s father was an ambassador so Paul was widely traveled and was doted upon by his mother. She supported his artistic endeavors all her life. She believed that if French Polynesia was good for Paul Gauguin, then Jacoulet must go there too. She sent him away many winters from Japan to various islands in Micronesia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Although his most valued works are from this part of the world, he also has a substantial number of prints with subjects from China, Korea, all areas of Japan, and Mongolia. Just one print depicts an American.

Jacoulet's works are also interesting to anthropologists. First because his subject matter was indigenous people in their traditional dress. In 1939 traditional people were the norm in his travels. Today his work is often used as a basis for reconstructing, for example, what Ainu traditional dress looked like by the Ainu themselves in their quest to reconnect with their cultural roots. Second, some of the subjects who posed for Jacoulet are still alive and they are currently being interviewed by a professor in Guam (Donald Rubinstein) to learn more about his artistic process.

https://www.advocate.com/.../artist-spotlight-paul-jacoulet

[philibetexcerpts]

A photo of Philip’s class at MacJannet American School, also known as “The Elms”, in 1929. The boy in the second row at the right is Wellington Koo, while the second boy from the right in the last row is his brother, Freeman Koo. They are the sons of V. K. Wellington Koo, the then China’s ambassador to France.

“He often spent the weekend at the Koos’ residence in Paris, where, invariably spurred on by Philip, the boys all ran steeplechases and played other raucous games amid the Chinese embassy’s precious artefacts. The ambassador’s wife admitted to Alice that however much they enjoyed having her son to stay, they were always a little relieved when the time came for him to go and nothing had been broken.”

Young Prince Philip by Philip Eade

[nutria--oscura]

Attack on Titan(ic)

~spoilers for s2 ep43

i cant find the words to explain how i feel about that intro- really, i cant

the sound effects for scary are absolutely killing me (/pos)

get well soon to anthony (🔫 say it)

ah yes, depression time

wait so they invaded the memory? cool. cool cool cool

fact time with freddie!

"the 7th of the 6 people who were on the titanic"

fuck scam (i love him so much)

"mr ron if they let bad boys in heaven i guess there still is hope for a guy like me-" "absolutely not kiddo."

"it would be more metal if we continued living-" mcr "we'll carry on, we'll carry onnnn" blasting in my head

"wait. you've never seen titanic?" "well... i've seen things that are titanic" same link. same

normal confusing the lusitania and the titanic is so funny to me. he's literally so me (<- history major confuses the shit out of everything)

anthony. please tell me they spent so long talking that grant is just gone. like they have to go find him. please anthony

"this is pre-osha" "actually in ireland its called osh-ay" when i tell you guys i nearly dropped my fvcking phone-

so purple coded y'all. so so purple coded

ELIZABETH MOTHMAN VOICE IS BACKKK

"the child of the CHINESE AMBASSADOR!"

"kids should be last is my point" - Lincoln Boss Kicks 2044? 1912?

"my father~ THE AMBASSADOR OF CHINA"

grant that is so depressing

wait i lost it. what did grant stop to do- cause i genuinely missed it

OH GOD OH GOSH

"you are way to cool with queer people for this time period, what's going on?" Link: full homophobe mode

LINK ARE YOU OK? (ans: NO) DONT SHOOT THE DOGGOS-

ANTHONY NO-

yes matt. we are feeling worse for the dogs that the 1,600 humans. yes.

OH- so that's what grant and marco were doing. yea, honestly, grant was right lol

"the sON OF THE AMBASSADOR OF CHINA" i love this so much

"hello mail/male" "how did you know my name?"

"these two will-they-won't-theys" time to update the wiki y'all

THE BABY???

oh gosh- have i ever said how much i fucking hate this podcats (/j)

"my father. the AMBASSADOR to China"

bring on the asian marco headcanons. give em to me

"that's me and matt at every coffie shop" "hi. one of us is asian!" "we won't tell you which one!"

YES WILL GO WILL

SAVE THE DOGS

i love everyone trying to make will feel bad for not rescuing the dogs

WAIT IS THAT LINCOLN

OH GOSH PLEASE OH GOSHHHHHH

I LOVE SCAM SO MUCH Y'ALL

"you thought you were gonna die and your first thought was to deep dick your boyfriend" FUCK YEA GRANT

grant getting a distant look- oh shit-

"i'm sure that baby is going to be really happy to have you as their dad" d'awhhhhhhh i'm gonna cry "it's gonna be alright" AWHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

in conclusion:

i really need to research the titanic the wilsons will be alright <3

[ask-a-w]

Ebony & Gold

For Aeon Week Day 6 - Historical

Summary: A blonde lord gets off on the wrong foot with a raven-haired princess and they try to make amends. A Victorian AU Aeon short story. (Their characterizations will definitely be different so go in with an open mind.)

AO3

FF.net

----------

In the earlier years of the Victorian era, a youthful prince from a far away land in the East was curious about life in the West. He learned about their mannerisms, with some disapproval from his older brothers. But being the youngest son, the Emperor doted on him and allowed the boy to pursue whatever he fancied.

With blessings from his father, he travelled to England as a diplomatic envoy, hoping to improve trade relations between the East and West. The prince charmed everyone he met there with his grace and slightly eccentric ways.

Soon enough, he caught the eye of many young women that were hoping to marry into a royal family regardless of the fact that he belonged to the Chinese imperial house. Like many couples of that time, the prince was matchmade with a lovely lass who was the daughter of a Duke.

However, things changed during the ball he and the lady were supposed to meet. They both managed to find partners of their own. The young prince met a daughter of a widowed Countess. She was the same age as him and both fell in love with each other. He and his loved one were married within the year they met and their union produced two sons and a daughter whom they cherished with all of their hearts. It was a rare thing to marry one’s true love during that time period and the prince unknowingly set a trend in his social circle for doing that.

Biennially, the family would alternate living either in England or China as ambassadors. Thus, their children grew up with knowledge from both Worlds and it was quite advantageous for them.

Having taken on an English name, Prince Gregory, Duke of the Orient, returned with Princess Wilhemina, Duchess of the Orient to her homeland as scheduled. Their youngest daughter, Princess Ada, now nineteen years of age, was the only child to accompany them on their adventures.

Her brothers were already married, having carved out their own very successful lives away from the family. They were lucky to have found soulmates they wanted to spend their lives with and wished their baby sister all the best with regards to matters of the heart.

As soon as word hit the streets that The Orients had returned, they were swamped with invites to balls and various engagements. Ada now stood in her bedroom as an attendant dolled her up.

Grace, her faithful lady-in-waiting about a decade older than her had been with Ada since she was a young girl, looked on worriedly. “Are you most certain, my lady?” She was concerned about a certain event from three years ago that affected her precious princess.

“I will be alright, Grace. My friends would love to meet me in person after corresponding with letters for the past two years.” Ada replied confidently as her hair was twirled elegantly on the back of her neck.

Grace nodded and gestured to another maid to serve up the tea. “You should eat something before you leave, my lady. I know you rarely do so when you attend balls. It is not good for your health.”

Ada stopped the attendant from sliding her gloves on and thanked the lady for dressing her up before dismissing the rest of the servants from the room. 

“It is difficult to partake in food with a corset. The tea and scones will have to suffice till then. Thank you again, Grace. You are ever so thoughtful.”

The princess sat down and helped herself to the food platter. Her parents would take a little while longer to be ready and she would just have to wait for the bell to chime. “You should eat as well, Grace. After all, you will be accompanying me as my lady-in-waiting.”

Under normal circumstances, Grace would decline but this was Ada they were talking about. She and her brothers were raised with both regality and modesty for others around her. They treated their servants as equals. Though others outside of the Orient household thought that the princess was an aloof and icy royal.

“You know I will not take no for an answer, Grace. Please, sit down and rest before the night’s events call upon us.” Ada implored and the older woman obliged, sitting down on the chair beside the raven haired princess and enjoying their snacks.

A few moments later, the bell rang and it was time for them to leave. Grace sat with Ada and her parents in one carriage while the other attendants sat in the other. Gregory and Wilhemina were both pleasant to be with despite their lofty titles.

“Ada dear, you look as beautiful as ever.” Her mother spoke and Ada gave a smile, “I have you and papa to thank for that.” The teenager teased and her parents chuckled, making light-hearted banter all the way to their destination.

----------

In the rolling hills of the countryside there was the mansion of the Earl of Adlitam. They were a noble family mostly invested in business, and had accumulated a great amount of wealth as well as a good reputation. Earl Matthias Kennedy had three children, two sons and an eldest daughter. The middle child, Leon, was currently in his office being lectured by his father.

“You need to take these things more seriously,” The Earl said as he paced back and forth while Leon read a newspaper. “You’re going to inherit this family’s legacy, and I don’t want our ancestors’ hard work to all be in vain because you were too busy showing interest in every young lady you meet. Remember that in this world, personal and professional matters often affect each other.”

“I don’t show interest in everyone, just the ones who are beautiful.” Leon replied, still more invested in the paper than his father’s lecture. “You want me to have my own family, don’t you?” Leon smirked slightly and Matthias gave an exasperated sigh, running his fingers through his greying hair.

“Leon, you have amazing business skills, but don’t be overconfident. This ball is for building good relations, but not those kinds.” The Earl said sternly and snatched the newspaper away from Leon. “Show these people that you are a respectable man and not just interested in their daughters. Limit it to one dance per lady. Now let’s get ready, I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night.”

Leon scoffed and stood up to follow his father. He had been to so many balls already it was completely routine to him at this point. Everyone already wanted to have good relations with the Kennedys that it seemed redundant to pander to anyone. Leon might as well make the most of them.

The blonde had his servants helping him get dressed for the ball. He put on his nicest suit with coat tails, bow tie, white gloves, and his best cufflinks. The servants made sure his shoes were shiny and his hair was neatly styled.

Once the preening was complete, Leon went to the hallway to meet with the rest of the family. His father, mother, and older sister Diana were soon ready to leave as well, while his little brother James stood pouting.

“I wish you would let me go to the ball,” James said. His mother patted his shoulder and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

“When you’re of age. Now be good while we’re gone. Let’s not be late now,” the Countess of Adlitam beckoned the rest of her family to exit the mansion. Leon gave his brother a wave goodbye and a smile as they went out the door and climbed into the awaiting carriage to take them to the ball.

----------

Before they knew it, the Orients arrived at the mansion and they disembarked from their carriage, heading off into the house. After they handed over their coats and hats to the servants, her parents handed out the invitation cards to the doorman where he called out their names to announce their presence.

“Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of the Orient! Her Royal Highness, The Princess of the Orient!”

All eyes turned to them and Ada trailed after Gregory and Wilhemina who were met with old friends and acquaintances. The usual greetings and compliments of her growing more beautiful every two years were exchanged. All these pleasantries bored the princess and when her father finally addressed her to go enjoy herself, Ada curtsied to him and left to find her trio of friends.

She found them clinging to men on their arms and they greeted her fondly. “Princess Ada, it is good to see you again!” The ‘leader’ of the clique, Eleanor, spoke and the princess replied, “Likewise.”

Ada then turned towards the men with a curious look on her face. “All of us got married last year,” Eleanor explained and each lady introduced her spouse to the princess, making the royal slightly jealous.

“Is this the surprise you were talking about in your letter? Congratulations.” Her voice was tinged with a slight edge. Weren’t they the ones who promised that they would swore off men after her failed engagement a few years ago? They clearly broke it.

“I will see you later. Please, excuse me.” The princess turned on her heel and walked away, out of the ballroom into the balcony for some air. Grace was beside her in an instant.

“They were so crass, Your Highness. Some friends they are.” The older woman implored and Ada could only sigh, “I doubt they were truly my friends to begin with, Grace.”

A few minutes later, the Kennedys arrived and they entered the mansion, giving the servants their coats and hats as usual, and handed their invitations to the doorman.

“The Earl and Countess of Adlitam! Lord Kennedy! Lady Kennedy!”

The Kennedy family stuck together for a little while before Leon decided to go his separate way, but not before his father whispered a few words into his ears. “Remember what I said. We’re here for business, not just pleasure.” Leon gave his father a nod and a smile before he turned away. He began to prowl the ballroom for any young, single ladies whom he had not had the pleasure of meeting yet.

There were plenty of available women, some he had been acquainted with, and there were a few new faces. Leon danced with some of the prettier ones to get to know them a little better, but there were none here tonight that seemed to truly catch his interest.

Meanwhile, Ada spent the rest of her time outside, enjoying the beauty of the night sky. A few people lingered here and there in the shadows of the balcony, trying to sneak an intimate moment or two, away from prying eyes. The princess casually ignored the public displays of affection.

Grace was rubbing her arms and Ada spoke with concern. “Are you cold? You should go inside and have a drink to warm yourself up.” Her lady-in-waiting nodded but frowned a bit at the suggestion of leaving her charge alone.

It was a gesture that did not go unnoticed by Ada’s keen eye. “I am capable of taking care of myself, Grace. You have seen me do it before.”

The older woman let out a small sigh, “I will be back soon, my lady.” She gave Ada a look of worry before reluctantly turning away to find refreshments for them both.

After several dances, Leon grew a bit bored and felt he needed some fresh air. The young lord did not want to return to his family just yet, and unfortunately not many of his friends were here, or they were busy with their own dances. He went outside for some quiet time and to look up at the night sky. 

Leon only saw a few people milling about on the balcony, which was just how he liked it. He did notice a young Asian woman in a scarlet gown and assumed she was the help of one of the guests, or a lady-in-waiting perhaps.

Inside the ballroom, Matthias learned that the Duke and Duchess of the Orient were here with their princess, and he prayed Leon would behave well around her. He was always at least polite around women. He knew better, right?

----------

The princess had a minute to herself before she heard footsteps behind her. Ada turned to tease her lady-in-waiting for returning so soon but did not say anything when she caught sight of a blonde man instead.

He was dressed like the rest of the males. Black suit with coat tails, white bow tie, and slicked hair. Sometimes she wished women could have simple outfits like that which could be worn repeatedly. Having to purchase new outfits for each season was bothersome. 

She kept her thoughts to herself and looked away, not in the least bit interested by the blonde’s presence at all.

Leon was feeling a bit stuffy in his formal clothing and with so few people around, he thought it would be alright if he loosened his sleeves to cool off a bit. He undid the cuffs, but was not quite careful enough, and accidentally dropped a cufflink on the floor. It rolled over towards the Asian woman, and the blonde let out a small sigh.

“Excuse me, you there?” He called out to her. “Could you be a dear and pick that up for me?”

His words caught the attention of the others on the balcony and they had to hold back their laughter. Did Lord Kennedy just address a royal princess so casually?

Ada heard a metallic ding against the floor and she frowned at his command. She turned to face the blonde and spoke coolly, “I beg your pardon?” Couldn’t he see that she was dressed regally in red and purple? “I believe your eyes might be deceiving you. I am not a butler.”

“Ah, I’m sorry,” Leon said, beginning to feel slightly suspicious. “No, you don’t look like a butler. I don’t believe I’ve met you before. Are you a guest here?” He asked with a charming smile, still oblivious. He decided to simply walk over to her and pick up his cufflink himself.

Ada gripped the fan in her hand a little tighter, weary about his forwardness with her. Royal protocol prohibited men from approaching her without the presence of her lady-in-waiting. Was this man that clueless about her identity? She also recognized the look of want on his face. The blonde found her attractive but she was not going to give him that satisfaction tonight.

As Leon neared the young lady, he could hear the faint whisperings of other guests and began to have a bad feeling. Upon closer inspection of the Asian woman he had to admit that she was quite fair, with beautiful brown eyes that right now seemed to be glaring daggers at him. Leon wondered for a moment about courting her, but pushed the thought aside. A gut feeling told him to restrain himself in this instance.

“I don’t usually see your kind around here.”

The princess’ eyes narrowed into slits at the last comment. Grace and her family had mentioned that whenever she was angry, her gaze always appeared to be piercing through a person’s soul. Leon was rooted to the spot. It was almost as if she was Medusa exerting her power over him. 

“My family was invited and my mother is English.” The princess replied venomously and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Grace hurrying to her.

"Your Royal Highness, the Duke and Duchess are expecting you.” The older woman then noticed Leon standing in front of Ada and she immediately bowed to the princess. “My apologies for interrupting your conversation, ma’am.”

Ada shook her head. “No, we were done with our conversation.” She boldly took a step towards the blonde and whispered acidly. “Good night, peasant.”

Grace kept her surprise to herself and followed her lady back into the ballroom.

She left Leon standing there dumbfounded and speechless. That young woman was a Princess? How was he supposed to know that? He then chided himself when he recalled all the purple embroidery that was on her dress. That should have tipped him off that she was not a servant.

Leon headed back inside to look for his family and the young lord was suddenly keenly aware of all the staring and whispering around him. A wave of humiliation surged through his body. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see his father’s furious face, as red from anger as Leon’s was from embarrassment.

“What were you thinking?” The Earl of Adlitam hissed. “How could you speak to a royal princess like that?”

“I did not know she was royalty.” Leon whispered back. “I suppose she got here before we did. No one bothered to tell me there was a Princess of the Orient here.”

“You could have at least been more polite. This is what I was talking about.” Matthias glanced left and right. “You’ve not only embarrassed yourself, but also me and our family. I don’t want you leaving my side for the rest of the ball.” The two men went off to find the Countess and Lady Kennedy, and did their best to ignore the swarm of gossip in the air.

However, the damage was done and Leon and his father were both in terrible moods for the remainder of the night, though they did well to mask it when speaking to the other guests. His mother and sister heard what happened, but did not say anything, and no one else brought it up in front of them out of politeness, even if they had no trouble bringing it up behind their backs.

In another part of the ballroom, the princess finally made it back safely in her own little social circle. “Ada dear, we would like to introduce you to a family friend.” Wilhemina spoke upon seeing her daughter. The raven haired teen did her best to wear a mask of nonchalance but deep down, she was still rather ruffled by the encounter.

The greying man in front of the princess extended a hand. “I am Phillip, your mother’s tutor. I met you when you were a baby. My, how big you have grown.” 

Ada raised her gloved hand and the man kissed the back of the fabric politely. She dropped her hand down and continued to politely participate in the conversation. The princess did notice that every now and then, prying eyes would turn and focus on her. Ada coolly ignored them and stood her ground.

The ball passed… ever so slowly but Ada still stayed with her parents, refusing to move her feet at all. They would understand why she wouldn’t want to dance with a man.

Finally, it was time for them to leave and as usual, their status allowed them to depart first. Ada heaved a sigh in the carriage and her mother looked over to her. “What is the matter, darling?”

The princess feigned exhaustion and leaned her head back into the seat. “I am fatigued by all the excitement, mama. It has been two years since my last ball. Grandpa’s palace is relaxing and tranquil with the occasional fanfare.”

Gregory nodded. The East and West threw their parties differently and there wasn’t a mad race to be seen at events everywhere in China. “Then rest immediately when we get home, my dear.”

----------

The blonde lord did his best to go through the motions of the ball, though he did not want to dance with anyone anymore, and none of the young ladies seemed to want to anyway. Leon contented himself with drinking until it was finally time to leave.

The Kennedys all quietly put their coats back on and went to their awaiting carriage. They sat down and wordlessly rode back to their mansion. Leon knew his father would give him an earful once they got home though.

“How could you make such a fool of yourself?!” The Earl admonished his son once they were in his office while the rest of the family was getting ready for bed. Leon avoided eye contact and sighed.

“It was an honest mistake,” Leon retorted defensively, crossing his arms. “If she had been of a lower status there would not be such a fuss.”

“Well she wasn’t, was she?” Matthias asked, one eye twitching just a tad. “And it doesn’t matter what your intentions were, all anyone cares about is you made a fool of yourself in front of royalty. The Kennedys will be the laughing stock for months because of this.” He grumbled and rubbed his temples as the stress got to him.

“And not to mention that you’ve earned the ire of Princess Ada, and likely the Duke and Duchess of the Orient. They could have been good allies to have…” 

Leon quirked an eyebrow, “So her name is Ada?” They did not have the pleasantries to exchange names. Leon doubted she would want to know his after this.

His father turned to glower at him for his remark. Leon glared back in return, “If you think I want to court her, you’re gravely mistaken. She wasn’t exactly made of honey when we spoke, more like venom. I’ll be happy if that’s the last time I ever see her.”

“It does not matter, you are confined to this house until I see fit to allow you to leave,” The Earl replied. “Now go to bed. I expect you back to work in the morning.” 

Leon sighed and left the office, feeling much less happy tonight than he thought he would be.

----------

“He asked me to pick up his cufflink! What sort of gentleman does that? He also had the cheek to say that he doesn’t see Asians around and assumed that I was some sort of servant.”

Ada vented to Grace when they were both in her bedroom. The older woman was brushing the princess’ hair to get rid of any knots before she went to bed. “Sounds like an uncouth lout, my lady.”

While a maid would typically be helping the princess get ready for bed, Ada preferred to have Grace by her side. She could express her frustrations to her friend to her heart’s content. 

The royal handed a night cap to Grace and all her raven hair was gathered and placed into the cap before Grace slipped it on her head. “I was not wearing rags, Grace. Could he not see my dress??”

Grace patted Ada’s shoulder and guided her to the bed. “He must have been blind, then. Get some sleep, Your Highness. It is not worth it to be angry over a pompous fool.”

Princess Ada sighed and slipped under the covers. “I know… I guess my head will be cleared of that mess in the morning. Good night, Grace." Her lady-in-waiting then drew the curtains shut and extinguished the lamps.

"Good night, ma’am.” The older blonde woman called out at the door and shut it close behind her.

----------

The days passed and Leon grew ever more restless as he was stuck doing work with no time to spend with any of his friends. The best he could do was take a stroll through the garden. On the other hand, Ada’s time was spent with tea parties, dances, musicals, and any engagement under the Sun fit for a royal. 

A month after Leon’s debacle, the Earl knew he had to repair the damage his son had done. After consulting with a family friend, Phillip, the retired tutor decided to host a garden party where other families, along with the Kennedys and the Orients, would be in attendance. It was all carefully planned by Matthias and Phillip, to have both parties meet on neutral ground and mend their strained relations.

Phillip had tutored Leon as a boy, and who just so coincidentally tutored Ada’s mother. With everything proceeding as arranged, the invitations were sent. It was not a formal ball, but Matthias demanded that Leon be even more polite than ever, lest he be confined to the household for the rest of the year.

Unbeknownst to the young blonde, the Orients were invited as well. Leon would have had second thoughts about going if he knew that piece of information.

For the Orients, they received the garden party invitation from Wilhemina’s tutor roughly a month after the Kennedy incident. Needless to say, they gladly accepted the invite. Phillip was a treasured family friend, after all.

When the day of the garden party came, the princess chose a lightweight yet elegant viridian coloured day dress that went along with her parasol. She also wore boots as the grass could sometimes be uneven and slippery.

With Grace close to her, she mingled with the guests and indulged in some food as well. Her parents were off conversing with Phillip, without a clue on what the tutor had planned with the Earl of Adlitam.

When the Earl saw Philip with the Orients, he enacted the plan and made his approach. 

“It’s good to see you, Earl Matthias,” Phillip called out to him and they shook hands. “Matthias, this is Duke Gregory and Duchess Wilhemina of the Orient.”

Matthias smiled and gave them a bow of respect. “It is an honour to meet Your Royal Highnesses. Let me apologize once more for my son’s behaviour.”

If Gregory and Wilhemina were surprised to see the Earl of Adlitam, they hid it really well and instead, gave him a nod to acknowledge his presence. They had heard from Grace on what had happened to Ada on the balcony that night. Needless to say, they were not pleased with the young man’s disrespect.

Matthias looked behind him to see Leon conversing with guests normally. Luckily no one was gossiping quite as much about the incident anymore. “I trust Princess Ada is here as well?”

“Of course. We wouldn’t be able to do this without her, right?” Phillip said with a smile. “Go ahead and call your son over, Earl Kennedy.” 

Matthias nodded and turned around to wave at his son. “Leon, come here and say hello to Phillip. You two should catch up.”

The Duchess gazed at her tutor when he mentioned her little girl and Leon. “What are you planning to do, Phillip? Why must our daughter be involved with an uncouth man?” Her blue eyes were full of worry and the Duke put an arm around his wife’s shoulder, glaring at the tutor and demanding an answer. 

Phillip didn’t reply to them straight away. Instead, he waited for the young blonde to come over to make his greeting.

Leon heard his father and made his way over like he was asked. He found the party rather dull while he was being kept on a tight leash. At least Phillip might be nice to talk to. “Phillip, how are you?” Leon asked as he beamed at his old tutor. 

He then took notice of the Duke and Duchess, and immediately felt a pit form in his stomach. The blonde would not be oblivious a second time.

“Leon, this is Their Royal Highnesses, Duke Gregory and Duchess Wilhemina. Of the Orient.” Matthias said to his son. Leon forced himself to keep smiling at the royals and gave them a polite bow. “It is an honour.”

The Orients nodded at him stiffly and they could feel the temperature of the air around them dropping a notch or two.

Phillip then cleared his throat, “Matthias had this idea to help improve Leon’s image by allowing everyone here to have a glance of him and Princess Ada at least walking together. This is a very unforgiving society and Matt here is a very good friend of mine. I do not wish to see his family come to ruin.”

Wilhemina was about to interject that her precious girl will not be used to improve someone’s public image but Phillip continued to speak, “Of course, it would be most optimal if Leon apologized to her highness and they can both start off on the right foot. You did teach your children about forgiveness, Wilhemina. Leon made an honest mistake.”

It all made sense to Leon now. This was all part of an elaborate plan by his father and his tutor. His father gave him a slight nudge in the back, prompting Leon to bow deeply to the Duke and Duchess.

"I apologize for my ignorance and my impoliteness." The lord said, hoping that this would convince the Orients. He still did not think they had to go this far, but Leon also wanted to get this over with. “Please forgive me. It was wrong for me to treat your daughter that way.”

What Leon dreaded though was seeing Princess Ada once again, and he knew that it would be much tougher to earn her forgiveness. At least his father seemed pleased with his behaviour, smiling proudly at Leon for apologizing.

The Orients still weren’t entirely moved by his apology so Gregory decided to impart some wisdom. “You should not treat anyone in a rude manner, my boy. All of us deserve respect. Depending on where you are, you will not always be part of the majority race.”

Phillip nodded in agreement, “We bleed the same colour, Leon. Remember that.”

It truly was embarrassing for Leon as he did his best to smile and nod at the advice given to him. “Yes, you are right, of course everyone deserves respect. I will do my best to remember that in the future.”

The lord may or may not have actually heed these words, but for now he was simply acting how he thought they wanted him to. He would need to put on his best performance if he was to earn the royal princess’ forgiveness though. “Please, I really would like to apologize to Princess Ada myself. The guilt has been eating me up ever since that night. I’m glad you’ve given me a second chance.”

Wilhemina could see Leon was growing red with embarrassment and she looked to her husband. “Dear, I believe he knows he did wrong. Why don’t we call Ada over now? She is the one he is supposed to apologize to.

Acting was a skill that was needed to survive in this Victorian life. Whether they doubted Leon’s sincerity or not, the royals still had to give face and treat him politely.

Gregory nodded to his wife. “Phillip, please send someone to call for my dear daughter.” The tutor then gave them a bow and walked a short distance away to speak to a servant, leaving the Orients alone with the Kennedys.

To prevent awkward silence, Wilhemina participated in a little small talk. “How is your business going, Earl Matthias?”

Elsewhere, Princess Ada strolled with Grace through Phillip’s rose garden and admired the flowers that were in bloom. “Imagine all the rose jam you can make with this, Grace.” The princess spoke and her stomach rumbled slightly.

“Many cartons, my lady. Phillip already gifts your family rose jam throughout the year and you are still hungry?” Grace teased and Ada chuckled.

A maid approached them and bowed. “Your Royal Highness, the Duke and Duchess of the Orient request your presence. Please, follow me.”

Leon nervously waited while the servants fetched Princess Ada, and listened as the adults engaged in minor chit chat to pass the  time. He swore that when he was in charge, he would leave this sort of socializing to someone else, while he could do the real business alone. These politics were so tedious.

“Please, tell me, is there anything about Princess Ada I should know about?” Leon made sure to ask before she arrived. “I just want to make sure I don’t make any transgressions. Better safe than sorry.”

“She detests men who are rude to her and Grace, her lady-in-waiting.” Gregory replied simply as he recalled the times where Ada put a man in his place and he was proud of her for that.

“Her Royal Highness, Princess Ada of the Orient!” A voice announced her arrival and the raven haired teenager closed her parasol and walked up to her parents. She stopped beside the couple before realizing the rude blonde man from that night was in close proximity to them.

Ada’s eyes narrowed slightly and she turned to her folks. “Mother, father, are you acquainted with this man?”

Wilhemina began to explain that they knew what happened on that fateful night at the ball and how Phillip came up with the idea for Lord Kennedy to apologize.

“He belittled me due to the colour of my skin, mother. That is not something that can be easily forgiven and forgotten.”

The Duchess became a little stern, “Everyone looks up to us and we must set good examples for them, Ada. A little kindness goes a long way.”

That is the way it is when you’re born into the royal family. I did not raise you to be stubborn.

Wilhemina could only think of those thoughts to herself but she hoped her daughter got the hint. Ada relented and turned to the blonde. “I am willing to hear you out, Lord Kennedy.”

“I did not mean to belittle you, really,” Leon began, being actually sincere about that. He was not perfect, but he certainly did not enjoy being thought of as some kind of a bigot. “I had no idea that the Duke, Duchess, and Princess of the Orient had come to the ball that night. Had I known I would have been much more aware.”

The blonde was not quite sure how much of him was acting and how much really was being honest. Perhaps both. Leon might have told himself he did not care about what these people thought of him, but deep down he had the feeling he wanted people to like him. He looked the royal in the eye as he proclaimed, “I was rude out of ignorance. I am completely willing to admit to that, but it was far from being malicious, especially in regards to your ethnicity, Princess Ada.”

Matthias nodded in approval at his son’s performance. He did not care if he was sincere or not, so long as he gained the royals’ favour. 

Phillip was a bit more of an optimist and believed there was something real there. “Ada, do you think you’d be willing to forgive Lord Kennedy?”

Ada listened to Leon with a calm expression on her face. Frankly, she just wanted to tune him out but there was something in his eyes when he apologized. It intrigued her. 

The princess turned to the retired tutor and regarded his question with a bit of thought. “I accept his apology.” She finally replied without any mention that she would forgive Leon.

That satisfied her parents and Gregory spoke up. “Good. I suggest the two of you take a walk along the grounds so everyone can see that you have made peace.” The Duke turned his gaze towards the older Kennedy. “I trust that would be sufficient, Matthias?”

Ada bit the inside of her cheek at her father’s suggestion. A walk with that lout? As long as she didn’t have to hook her elbows through his, she would maintain a respectable distance from the young lord.

For a very brief moment, Leon felt overjoyed that she accepted the apology. Now all of this could finally be put behind them. 

And then they asked them to walk together. He wished the ground would just swallow him whole. 

“Yes, of course it would be,” Matthias answered the Duke before his son could get a word in. “Leon would love to, wouldn’t you?” The Earl nudged him in the ribs discreetly and Leon nodded, getting the hint.

"It would be an honour." The blonde replied, doing his best to hide his ever growing annoyance at the entire situation. Just one short walk, then it would be all over.

“As it would be mine.” Ada replied and gave a bow to her parents before walking up to the blonde with her lady-in-waiting following behind her as a chaperone. “Shall we?” She made no indication to let go of her parasol and they walked out of the private pavilion side by side but at a respectable distance from each other.

When they were far away from the adults, the princess couldn’t help but whisper to him. “If you step out of line again, peasant, there will be consequences.”

She saw a hint of the other guests out of the corner of her eye and she put on a serene smile on her face. The crowd did a double take and almost stopped talking when they saw the Princess of the Orient and Lord Kennedy strolling beside each other along the sheltered pathway leading to the rose garden.

“Pretend to make some conversation, peasant. The sky is blue and the roses bloom red.”

"My name is Leon, your royal highness, not ‘peasant’.” The blonde whispered back to her. He was finding it increasingly difficult to keep his cool. At least he knew now that she was as insincere about accepting his apology as he was in giving it.

Leon did manage to force a small smile on his face while they walked together, though if one looked closely enough they would see the slight twitch of his eyelid. “Perfect weather for a garden party, isn’t it?” He asked, keeping up with their act. 

"Mmm hmm…” Ada muttered to herself when he irritably told her about his name. She continued to calmly smile back at Leon. “Indeed it is. Though you should relax the crease on your forehead on this beautiful day, it ruins your handsome face.”

Leon was momentarily stumped when the princess called him handsome but figured she meant it sarcastically. His mood turned dour once again. 

They strolled to the end of the walkway and that was enough to get the guests talking excitedly on how the Princess of the Orient and Lord Kennedy have set aside their differences.

The path led into Phillip’s rose garden once more. “Let us wait for a while before we walk back. Leaving too soon sets their tongues wagging again.”

Just then, a white furry creature popped out from the bushes and it let out a meow. “Ah, Phillip’s cat, Opal.” The beautiful white fluffy British longhair feline trotted up to them and rubbed her skirt, much to her delight.

“I don’t have food for you, silly Opal.”

The white kitty looked up and gave Ada an oblivious little meow before moving onto Leon, rubbing his legs and purring loudly. The lord’s features immediately softened into a genuine smile, and he knelt down to stroke her fur. Appearances be damned. 

"Hello there little Opal," The blonde cooed sweetly and scratched behind the cat’s ears, making her nuzzle into his hand and purr happily. “Are you enjoying the party too? I bet you are, with all the guests giving you treats, am I right?”

Opal flopped on the grass and allowed Leon to pat her smooth white belly. He let out a chuckle, “You are an adorable cat.”

“Cats are such mysterious little creatures.” Ada said with mild amusement as she watched Leon play with the cat and give her affectionate belly rubs. Other than her brothers, he was the first man she saw openly fawning over a cat. The princess slowly made her way to Opal so that it would not be startled.

When she was near enough to bend down and touch the cat, she spoke, “I have an equally snow white feline at home. She’s a Persian, a gift from one of the diplomats.”

“I would love to see her. What’s her name?” Leon said enthusiastically, before he caught himself and attempted to save face. He was not supposed to be enjoying this right now. The blonde stood up and took a couple of steps back, allowing Ada to have her turn with Opal. 

The princess was bemused by his enthusiasm and sudden coldness as he remembered that they were not on good terms. She decided to ignore his request about seeing her Persian and replied, “My cat is called Jade. Do you own a cat in your mansion?”

“Yes, we have a few cats at our house. One for me and both of my siblings,” The blond noble said, feeling a little at ease that Ada was not being hostile at the moment. “I have a British shorthair named Max.”

Ada found it rather endearing that the Kennedy siblings had a cat each and if circumstances were better, she would have wanted to see them as well. Alas, she had to be content with Jade and Opal.

She bent down and scratched the longhaired feline’s head before petting the creature from its head all the way down to its bottom. Opal was very content now as she closed her eyes in bliss. 

“Do you want to return to Phillip, little Opal?” The cat just continued to purr, obviously not understanding the human language.

“She seems quite happy right where she is.” Leon said as Opal curled up for a little cat nap. “Let’s leave her be. Cats can get quite cranky when you keep them from their sleep.”

“I know.” Ada stood up and bid the cat a quiet farewell. They walked past the little walkway again and the guests were chatting about them, as usual. It seems their little charade successfully convinced them to forgive Leon as well.

Both of them walked around the garden a bit more, and Leon was starting to forget that they were still mad. Their parents and Phillip noticed the duo as they came back towards them, and Matthias could almost sense a change in his son when he saw him.

“Did you enjoy your walk?” The Earl asked Leon. He nodded and cleared his throat. “Yes, it was quite enjoyable.” The blonde said, trying to sound sincere but not quite so sincere that it would tip Ada off that he truly enjoyed their time together. 

Ada could see Leon was attempting to feign sincerity again. “We met Opal in the rose garden, Phillip.” The princess happily spoke to her tutor and the older man smiled as well.

“Ah, so that would explain why some of my flowers have been chewed. I would have to build a little play area for her so she leaves the garden alone.”

“I’m sure Opal would love that.” Leon said with a soft smile.

The rest of the garden party went well, and both the Kennedys and the Orients left on good terms. Leon was not sure if he would ever see Ada again, but at least now he could put the incident behind him.

Princess Ada departed Phillip’s residence with a change of opinion regarding Lord Kennedy. For someone who loves cats, he wasn’t that much of a boor. She related the experience to Grace as the older woman was brushing her hair yet again. 

“It would seem that second impressions would be better than first impressions, my lady. We should believe in second chances.”

The raven haired princess looked at her reflection, deep in thought. “I suppose so, Grace…” She wasn’t sure she would entirely trust the blonde nobleman yet but he wasn’t so bad.

[newmic]

Sorry, I can't find a English video about this subject

Albert Kahn banker, his gardens of the world and the archives of the planet

In 1896, Albert Kahn undertook a trip to Japan during which he met the former Japanese ambassador to France, Baron Motono Ichirō, and met Count Ōkuma Shigenobu, who was twice a minister. Received at the University of Tokyo, he knows the great honor of being rewarded with a personal gift from the Emperor, three gold cups (decorated with boats?, "Kahn" meaning "boat in German) corresponding to a coat of arms. It was after this trip that Albert Kahn began the development of the Japanese garden of his property.

In 1898, his first patronage consisted of travel grants "Around the World" through the Albert Kahn Foundation: a discovery of other countries of more than a year offered to young men and women associates, to allow them to enrich their skills and their future teaching by direct knowledge of the world.9. From 1907, he extended this liberality to young graduates from Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia.9. Frequent meetings of the beneficiaries take place at his property in Boulogne, at the circle Around the World. Other patronages will follow as long as Albert Kahn has the financial means.

The Archives of the Planet

On November 13, 1908, Albert Kahn left for many months for Japan and China, via the United States, and had his mechanic-driver, engineer by training, Alfred Dutertre, take more than 4000 stereoscopic shots and cinematographic images that testify to his "trip around the world".4 ». A few months after his return, he left for two months in South America in 1909 where he visited Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil, probably with a first professional photographer recruited for his image collection project, Auguste Léon, who took like Dutertre black and white stereoscopic plates, but also experimented with the autochrome plate 9 × 12 cm . Other professional operators are then recruited and sent around the world and to France to photograph on autochrome plate (color) and film (movement) to testify "aspects, practices and modes of human activity, whose fatal disappearance is only a matter of time". The most prolific and adventurous are Stéphane Passet, Frédéric Gadmer, Lucien Le Saint, Paul Castelnau, Roger Dumas, etc. From 1912, the team was supervised by the geographer Jean Brunhes, who participated in certain missions. Between 1909 and 1931, some 72,000 autochromes and a hundred hours of film were brought back from some sixty countries.4. Many guests of Albert Kahn's gardens are also taken in portrait on autochrome plate (and these images are the only ones in color of many personalities of the interwar period) and filmed. The Archives of the Planet are the iconographic side of a vast documentation project that will take other forms (publications, documentation centers, etc.) and whose goal is a better knowledge of other nations for a better understanding, in order to prevent deadly conflicts. The images are also projected for this purpose to Albert Kahn's guests, often prestigious, from all over the world, as well as in higher education structures.

source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Kahn_(banker)

***

Albert Kahn banquier, ses jardins du monde et les archives de la planète

Les Archives de la Planète

Le 13 novembre 1908, Albert Kahn part de longs mois pour le Japon et la Chine, via les États-Unis, et fait prendre par son mécanicien-chauffeur, ingénieur de formation, Alfred Dutertre, plus de 4000 clichés stéréoscopiques et images cinématographiques qui témoignent de son « voyage autour du monde4 ». Quelques mois après son retour, il repart pour deux mois en Amérique du Sud en 1909 où il visite l'Uruguay, l'Argentine, et le Brésil, sans doute avec un premier photographe professionnel recruté pour son projet de collection d'images, Auguste Léon, qui prend comme Dutertre des plaques stéréoscopiques noir et blanc, mais expérimente aussi la plaque autochrome 9 × 12 cm. D'autres opérateurs professionnels sont ensuite recrutés et envoyés dans le monde et en France afin de photographier sur plaque autochrome (la couleur) et de filmer (le mouvement) pour témoigner « des aspects, des pratiques et des modes de l'activité humaine, dont la disparition fatale n'est plus qu'une question de temps ». Les plus prolifiques et aventuriers sont Stéphane Passet, Frédéric Gadmer, Lucien Le Saint, Paul Castelnau, Roger Dumas, etc. À partir de 1912, l'équipe est encadrée par le géographe Jean Brunhes, qui participe à certaines missions. Entre 1909 et 1931, ce sont ainsi quelque 72 000 autochromes et une centaine d'heures de film qui seront rapportés d'une soixantaine de pays4. De nombreux invités des jardins d'Albert Kahn sont aussi pris en portrait sur plaque autochrome (et ces images sont les seules en couleur de très nombreuses personnalités de l'entre-deux-guerres) et filmées. Les Archives de la Planète sont le versant iconographique d'un vaste projet de documentation qui prendra d'autres formes (publications, centres de documentation, etc.) et dont le but est une meilleure connaissance des autres nations pour une meilleure entente, afin de prévenir des conflits meurtriers. Les images sont d'ailleurs projetées à cette fin aux invités, souvent prestigieux, d'Albert Kahn, venant du monde entier, ainsi que dans des structures d'enseignement supérieur.

source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Kahn_(banquier)

[yourreddancer]

Heather Cox Richardson 12.13.24

Ten days ago, on December 2, President Joe Biden arrived in Angola, the first U.S. president to visit central Africa since President Barack Obama traveled there in 2015. In the United States, the story got lost under the president’s pardon of his son Hunter Biden, but it is the far more important one, since events in the 54 countries on the continent of Africa are key to the global future.

The Biden administration has made it a point to strengthen relations between the U.S. and Africa. It recognizes the importance of a continent whose 1.5 billion people are expected to climb to 2.5 billion in the next 25 years, as Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post pointed out last Thursday. The median age of Africa’s inhabitants is 19, and by 2050 it is expected that one out of every four humans on Earth will be African.

(NOTE:  GIVE THOSE PEOPLE FREE BIRTH CONTROL!   NOW!!!!!)

The administration has worked to ease African distrust of the U.S. stemming from its history of enslavement, its tendency to back right-wing forces during the post–World War II and Cold War period when African nations threw off colonial rule, and the disdain with which Trump treated African countries during his administration.

The Biden administration hosted the U.S.-Africa leaders' summit in December 2022, backed the admission of the African Union to the Group of 20, and pledged more than $6.5 billion to the continent to aid security, support democratic institutions, and advance civil rights and the rule of law.

During Biden’s term, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, First Lady Jill Biden, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have all visited the continent. In March 2023, Vice President Kamala Harris visited Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia.

In Angola last week, Biden said that the U.S. is “all-in on Africa.”

He was in Angola to highlight the Lobito Corridor, a development project centered around a rail line linking the port of Lobito, Angola, on Africa’s Atlantic coast, with the city of Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in Africa’s interior mining region. Biden traveled to Angola for a summit on the Lobito project as well as other infrastructure investment in the region, joining leaders from Angola, DRC, Tanzania, and Zambia on their own continent to demonstrate his conviction that the African people themselves must determine their own future.

The White House, other democratic countries, regional development banks, and international investors have put more than $6 billion behind the Lobito Corridor. They are hoping to ease the transport of critical minerals from interior countries like Zambia and DRC to Lobito. It currently takes a truck about 45 days to make the journey from the interior to Durban, South Africa; the railway would cut the trip out of the interior to about 45 hours.

The railway will strengthen global supply chains for those minerals while also benefiting local people, local governments, and the local region in Angola, Zambia, and DRC. The project includes investments in clean energy, agriculture, trade between countries, and clearing the mines from Angola’s decades-long civil war along the route, all of which will create good jobs for local workers.

“It’s a game-changer. Imagine how transformative this will be for technology, clean energy, for farming, for food security as a whole. It’s faster, it’s cleaner, it’s cheaper and most importantly, I think, it’s just plain common sense,” Biden said at the summit.

The Lobito Corridor is the flagship project of a new investment program from the Group of Seven (G7) called the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). The G7 is a forum of advanced economies that share values of liberal democracy, and the PGII is the answer to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has invested billions in infrastructure in developing African countries but brings with it the risk of debt traps for the governments that borrow from it. PGII is designed to connect democratic countries, the private sector, and development banks to create “sustainable and transparent investment in quality infrastructure.”

On December 5, Eugene Robinson noted in the Washington Post that Republicans are blasting Biden’s announcement last Tuesday of $1 billion in additional humanitarian aid to 31 African countries to address famine and displacement. Biden said that this help was “the right thing for the wealthiest nation in the world to do,” and Robinson noted that it is also smart. “Ultimately, it will be Nigerians, South Africans, Ethiopians, Angolans and the people of other African nations who decide the continent’s future,” he wrote. “They will remember who was there beside them all along. And who was not.”

Russia has also been working to gain influence in Africa with an eye to extracting the continent's valuable minerals. It turned to the continent after Putin’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine began to isolate Russia from other nations and their resources. The Russian Wagner Group of mercenary fighters has been a key player in Africa since then, often called in by authoritarian leaders to suppress political opposition in exchange for access to mines or other valuable resources. Russia has become the biggest supplier of arms to the continent.

The fall of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad threatens Russia’s ability to continue to operate in Africa. As Mike Eckel of Radio Free Europe explained on Monday, Russia launches most of its African operations from the Hmeimim air base and the Tartus naval base on the Mediterranean coast of Syria. Their loss would hamstring those operations. Russian officials are trying to negotiate with the insurgents who overturned Assad’s regime in order to secure those bases as well as Russia’s other footholds in the country. They have gone from calling the insurgents “terrorists” to referring to them as “armed opposition,” and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Putin has no plans for a public meeting with Assad.

The Syrian ambassador in Moscow told Russian media: “The escape of the head of this system in such a miserable and humiliating manner…confirms the correctness of change and brings hope for a new dawn.” Former Russian and Soviet diplomat Nikolai Sokov told Pjotr Sauer of The Guardian: “Moscow prefers to deal with those who have power and control, [and] discards those who lose them.” But, as the Institute for the Study of War noted, Russia’s inability to preserve Assad’s regime will make the African autocrats see it as an unreliable partner, an impression the Kremlin’s rapid about-face will do little to relieve.

On Monday, a senior administration official emphasized the same idea of self-determination that Biden’s administration applied to development in African countries. He told reporters that Assad’s collapse “is a day for Syrians, about Syrians. It’s not about the United States or anyone else. It’s about the people of Syria who now have a chance to build a new country, free of the oppression and corruption of the Assad family and decades of misrule. We owe them support as they do so, and we are prepared to provide it. But the future of Syria, like the fall of Assad today, will be written by Syrians for Syrians.”

That system, the official suggested, caused Assad’s fall. “[I]t is impossible not to place this week’s events in the context of the decisions the President has made to fully back Israel against Iran and its proxy terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, and Ukraine against Russia,” the official said. After bipartisan support for that position, the official added, “Hamas is on its back; its leaders are dead. Iran is on its back. Hezbollah is on its back. Russia is on its back. It’s just abandoned its only ally in the Middle East. Now, the Assad regime, Russia and Iran’s main ally in the Middle East, has just collapsed. None of this would have been possible absent the direct support for Ukraine and [Israel] in their own defense provided by the United States of America.”

The official recounted the importance of sanctions against the Assad regime and noted that the U.S. has maintained a military presence in Syria to counter the Islamic extremists of ISIS, targeting 75 ISIS targets immediately after Assad’s fall to ensure that ISIS does not regroup in the chaos of the moment.

The official noted that the administration still believes there is a path to a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, especially in the wake of Assad’s fall and the “dramatically changed balance of power in the region”—“a path…to a Middle East that is far more stable, far more aligned with our interests, and far more aligned with the interests of the people of the Middle East who want to live in peace, without wars, and in prosperity in a region that is more integrated and prosperous and peaceful.”

Today, Secretary of State Blinken traveled to Jordan and Türkiye, where he met with King Abdullah II and President Recep Tayyip Erodğan to promote an “inclusive, Syrian-led” government transition in Syria.

Journalist Mike Eckel noted that “[t]he fall of the Assad regime this past weekend was a tectonic event, reverberating across the entire Middle East and further.” Considering the ties of Russia to Syria, and the role Syrian bases have played in Russian influence in Africa, those reverberations will, in some form, echo across the African continent.

[misfitwashere]

December 12, 2024 

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

DEC 13

Ten days ago, on December 2, President Joe Biden arrived in Angola, the first U.S. president to visit central Africa since President Barack Obama traveled there in 2015. In the United States, the story got lost under the president’s pardon of his son Hunter Biden, but it is the far more important one, since events in the 54 countries on the continent of Africa are key to the global future.

The Biden administration has made it a point to strengthen relations between the U.S. and Africa. It recognizes the importance of a continent whose 1.5 billion people are expected to climb to 2.5 billion in the next 25 years, as Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post pointed out last Thursday. The median age of Africa’s inhabitants is 19, and by 2050 it is expected that one out of every four humans on Earth will be African.

The administration has worked to ease African distrust of the U.S. stemming from its history of enslavement, its tendency to back right-wing forces during the post–World War II and Cold War period when African nations threw off colonial rule, and the disdain with which Trump treated African countries during his administration.

The Biden administration hosted the U.S.-Africa leaders' summit in December 2022, backed the admission of the African Union to the Group of 20, and pledged more than $6.5 billion to the continent to aid security, support democratic institutions, and advance civil rights and the rule of law.

During Biden’s term, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, First Lady Jill Biden, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have all visited the continent. In March 2023, Vice President Kamala Harris visited Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia.

In Angola last week, Biden said that the U.S. is “all-in on Africa.”

He was in Angola to highlight the Lobito Corridor, a development project centered around a rail line linking the port of Lobito, Angola, on Africa’s Atlantic coast, with the city of Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in Africa’s interior mining region. Biden traveled to Angola for a summit on the Lobito project as well as other infrastructure investment in the region, joining leaders from Angola, DRC, Tanzania, and Zambia on their own continent to demonstrate his conviction that the African people themselves must determine their own future.

The White House, other democratic countries, regional development banks, and international investors have put more than $6 billion behind the Lobito Corridor. They are hoping to ease the transport of critical minerals from interior countries like Zambia and DRC to Lobito. It currently takes a truck about 45 days to make the journey from the interior to Durban, South Africa; the railway would cut the trip out of the interior to about 45 hours.

The railway will strengthen global supply chains for those minerals while also benefiting local people, local governments, and the local region in Angola, Zambia, and DRC. The project includes investments in clean energy, agriculture, trade between countries, and clearing the mines from Angola’s decades-long civil war along the route, all of which will create good jobs for local workers.

“It’s a game-changer. Imagine how transformative this will be for technology, clean energy, for farming, for food security as a whole. It’s faster, it’s cleaner, it’s cheaper and most importantly, I think, it’s just plain common sense,” Biden said at the summit.

The Lobito Corridor is the flagship project of a new investment program from the Group of Seven (G7) called the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). The G7 is a forum of advanced economies that share values of liberal democracy, and the PGII is the answer to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has invested billions in infrastructure in developing African countries but brings with it the risk of debt traps for the governments that borrow from it. PGII is designed to connect democratic countries, the private sector, and development banks to create “sustainable and transparent investment in quality infrastructure.”

On December 5, Eugene Robinson noted in the Washington Post that Republicans are blasting Biden’s announcement last Tuesday of $1 billion in additional humanitarian aid to 31 African countries to address famine and displacement. Biden said that this help was “the right thing for the wealthiest nation in the world to do,” and Robinson noted that it is also smart. “Ultimately, it will be Nigerians, South Africans, Ethiopians, Angolans and the people of other African nations who decide the continent’s future,” he wrote. “They will remember who was there beside them all along. And who was not.”

Russia has also been working to gain influence in Africa with an eye to extracting the continent's valuable minerals. It turned to the continent after Putin’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine began to isolate Russia from other nations and their resources. The Russian Wagner Group of mercenary fighters has been a key player in Africa since then, often called in by authoritarian leaders to suppress political opposition in exchange for access to mines or other valuable resources. Russia has become the biggest supplier of arms to the continent.

The fall of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad threatens Russia’s ability to continue to operate in Africa. As Mike Eckel of Radio Free Europe explained on Monday, Russia launches most of its African operations from the Hmeimim air base and the Tartus naval base on the Mediterranean coast of Syria. Their loss would hamstring those operations. Russian officials are trying to negotiate with the insurgents who overturned Assad’s regime in order to secure those bases as well as Russia’s other footholds in the country. They have gone from calling the insurgents “terrorists” to referring to them as “armed opposition,” and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Putin has no plans for a public meeting with Assad.

The Syrian ambassador in Moscow told Russian media: “The escape of the head of this system in such a miserable and humiliating manner…confirms the correctness of change and brings hope for a new dawn.” Former Russian and Soviet diplomat Nikolai Sokov told Pjotr Sauer of The Guardian: “Moscow prefers to deal with those who have power and control, [and] discards those who lose them.” But, as the Institute for the Study of War noted, Russia’s inability to preserve Assad’s regime will make the African autocrats see it as an unreliable partner, an impression the Kremlin’s rapid about-face will do little to relieve.

On Monday, a senior administration official emphasized the same idea of self-determination that Biden’s administration applied to development in African countries. He told reporters that Assad’s collapse “is a day for Syrians, about Syrians. It’s not about the United States or anyone else. It’s about the people of Syria who now have a chance to build a new country, free of the oppression and corruption of the Assad family and decades of misrule. We owe them support as they do so, and we are prepared to provide it. But the future of Syria, like the fall of Assad today, will be written by Syrians for Syrians.”

That system, the official suggested, caused Assad’s fall. “[I]t is impossible not to place this week’s events in the context of the decisions the President has made to fully back Israel against Iran and its proxy terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, and Ukraine against Russia,” the official said. After bipartisan support for that position, the official added, “Hamas is on its back; its leaders are dead. Iran is on its back. Hezbollah is on its back. Russia is on its back. It’s just abandoned its only ally in the Middle East. Now, the Assad regime, Russia and Iran’s main ally in the Middle East, has just collapsed. None of this would have been possible absent the direct support for Ukraine and [Israel] in their own defense provided by the United States of America.”

The official recounted the importance of sanctions against the Assad regime and noted that the U.S. has maintained a military presence in Syria to counter the Islamic extremists of ISIS, targeting 75 ISIS targets immediately after Assad’s fall to ensure that ISIS does not regroup in the chaos of the moment.

The official noted that the administration still believes there is a path to a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, especially in the wake of Assad’s fall and the “dramatically changed balance of power in the region”—“a path…to a Middle East that is far more stable, far more aligned with our interests, and far more aligned with the interests of the people of the Middle East who want to live in peace, without wars, and in prosperity in a region that is more integrated and prosperous and peaceful.”

Today, Secretary of State Blinken traveled to Jordan and Türkiye, where he met with King Abdullah II and President Recep Tayyip Erodğan to promote an “inclusive, Syrian-led” government transition in Syria.

Journalist Mike Eckel noted that “[t]he fall of the Assad regime this past weekend was a tectonic event, reverberating across the entire Middle East and further.” Considering the ties of Russia to Syria, and the role Syrian bases have played in Russian influence in Africa, those reverberations will, in some form, echo across the African continent.

—

[onenewsmedianet]

Introduction to Chen Entian

Chen Entian, English name is Canute,He is the chairman of the 1st to 8th Committee of World Peace Ribbon Organization（World Peace and United Front），an international cooperation organization for the Belt and Road Initiative. He is also the initiator and facilitator of the United Nations Chinese Language Day (April 20), International Tea Day (May 21) and the Belt and Road International Day (December 16). As the chief goodwill ambassador for world peace, the descendant of Chen Tingjing(Emperor Kangxi's teacher), and the great-grandson of Chen Duxiu (founder of the Communist Party of China), he is honored by the international community as "Prince Coco" or "Prince Chen".

Chen Entian was born in Beijing, China. Due to social unrest, he followed his parents to Sichuan. In 2008, Chen Entian was elected as the Chairman of the First Committee of the International 73 Society. He proposed the establishment of the International Chinese Language Learning Committee,designated April 20 as the International Chinese Language Day.In 2013, Chen Entian led many non-governmental scholars in response to the Belt and Road Initiative for international cooperation put forward by Chinese President. Supported by some former leaders in the United Nations, he established the World Peace Ribbon Organization in an effort to maintain the world peace as well as to deal with the folk’s affairs related to the Belt and Road Initiative,Put forward the globally-acclaimed Five-in-One Proposal for World Peace.Inspired by the virtue and wisdom of Master Hsing Yun, Chen Entian designated December 16 as the Belt and Road International Day, designated May 21 as the International Tea Day, and served as the co chairman of the World Peace Ribbon Organization and the International Tea Day Foundation. On January 17, 2023, on the occasion of the third anniversary of the visit of Chinese President to Myanmar, Chen Entian, as an international peace envoy,led an international civilian delegation to visit Myanmar,proposed the Indo Pacific peace proposal,and delivered a speech on promoting peace through people-to-people bond.

Chen Entian has many literature and calligraphy works in the mainland such as Laotingxu Ode，  Zhongxun Ode，  the Grand China Ode，  the New Chongqing Ode whose inscribed version is regarded as the biggest inscribed work in Asia,   Chinese People’s Liberation Army Ode which is to celebrate the military parade held on the 60th anniversary of the founding of new China, and a theme song “ I am the Son of the Yellow Land” for the education activity of the “Qun Zhonɡ Lu Xian”, and book of poems such as the Lotus Mountain, Autumn Rain at Xiangjiang, Mountains and Rivers in Sichuan and the Sea. The Grand China Ode he wrote had a great impact in Chinese literary community and was regarded as “the best Ode in China”，which has, in the 21th century, inspired many Chinese people in writing Ode themselves. Chen Entian was also invited to serve as tenured senior consultant in the Hong Kong Federation of Literary and Art because of the Grand China Ode.