#qudus

[nofatclips-home]

Strange World by La Luz, live on KEXP

[munchy-k]

making my 6794838th attempt to read qjj because I refuse to accept that my pea brain cannot comprehend the plot

[friedwizardwhispers]

Qiang Jin Jiu (the ballad of sword and wine) would be such a great as story to adapt to a drama.

It has some Nirvana in fire vibes...

[iloveyoufor800years]

lanzhou im your biggest fan

[spilladabalia]

La Luz - Strange World

[abla-soso]

This tweet encapsulates the general attitude of Palestinians who don't support Hamas ideologically but still fight besides them.

Here's a translation:

(Anyone who knows me and my family know that we've never supported Hamas. We've disputed with them on several occasions and even cursed them. But during these tough times, we stand behind them, and we support them, and we won't say a bad word about them. We won't say a bad word against these glorious martyrs chosen by God. So here's a picture I took with some Hamas members in 2021 after the "Saif Al Qudus" operation).

Hamas is the ONLY liberation movement that is powerful enough to be a real threat to Israel. The ONLY liberation memvement that Israel couldn't destroy. Asking the Palestinians: "Do you condemn Hamas?" is fucking moronic because even if all of them dislike Hamas they would still prefer them and the hope for liberation over being peaceful slaves to Israel.

[city-of-ladies]

Sent to a foreign country as a tribute, Lady Ki (c.1320- after 1369) carved a place for herself and became a powerful empress, the last of the Yuan dynasty.

From maid to imperial consort 

Lady Ki, also known as Öljei Khuduq, was born in Xingzhou, Gaoli (present-day Korea). The Korean state used to send a tribute of women to its neighbor, the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty, who controlled most of modern-day China and its surrounding areas such as present-day Mongolia. 

Lady Ki entered the palace and was assigned to Toghon Temür's service. Described as beautiful and clever, she quickly caught the young emperor’s attention and was elevated to the rank of consort.

The empress Danishiri was hostile to Lady Ki but was executed in 1335 or 1337 for having tried to protect her brother who was involved in a rebellion.

Toghon Temür then tried to name Lady Ki empress, but his decision was met with extreme hostility. Indeed, no Korean woman had held the dignity so far. Most empresses came from the Mongol Khongirad clan. He ultimately relented and chose a Mongol empress: Bayan Khuduq. 

A powerful favorite 

Lady Ki’s position was strengthened when she gave birth to a son, Ayushiridara (future emperor Zhaozong of Northern Yuan, r.1370-1378). Bayan Khuduq's son died young. Having a frugal and effaced personality, the empress was furthermore no match for Lady Ki. Ayushiridara was thus made heir apparent in 1355.

Empress Ki was influential and involved herself in political and military affairs. She for instance protected the high-ranking official Toqto'a but withdrew her support when he opposed the installation of her son as heir apparent. 

She liked to read the Women’s Book of Filial Piety and sought examples of past empresses she could emulate. When a famine struck in 1359, she showed her generosity by having the officials distribute porridge to the hungry, using her own funds to have thousands of corpses buried and hiring monks to perform funeral services. 

Lady Ki used her influence to promote her family’s interests. Her kinsmen in Korea were granted official ranks and titles. They repeatedly abused their power, which led the Korean king to execute Lady Ki’s entire clan. 

When she learned about it, she asked her son to avenge her family and raise a force of 10,000 soldiers. The military campaign was a complete failure and the entire force was routed. 

Empress before the fall

Bayan Khuduq died in 1365. No obstacles stood in Lady Ki’s way and she received the empress’s seal. It seems that she tried to make up for the mistakes of a poorly-performing emperor. Later historians indeed wrote that Toghon Temür preferred focusing on wine and women, though this could be an exaggeration to justify the fall of the Yuan Dynasty. 

The government’s structure was disintegrating. Empress Ki conspired to force the emperor to abdicate and put her son on the throne but failed. She faced little consequences and was simply put under house arrest for 100 days. Her agressive defense of her son’s interests was in keeping with Mongolian political culture, which recognized the influence of strong women. 

The Yuan dynasty fell in 1368 when the armies of the future Ming Emperor Hongwu entered the capital. Empress Ki fled to the north with Toghon Temür. What happened to her afterward is unclear, but she likely died the following year.

Her life was the inspiration for a 2013  Korean television drama, Empress Ki.

Feel free to check out my Ko-Fi if you like what I do! Your support would be much appreciated.

Further reading 

Buell Paul D., Fiaschetti Francesca, Historical Dictionary of the Mongol World Empire

McMahon Keith, Celestial Women: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Song to Qing

Robinson David M., Empire's Twilight: Northeast Asia Under the Mongols

Xu Shindan, “Öljei Qudu”, in: Hong Lee Lily Xiao, Wiles Sue (ed.), Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women, Volume II: Tang Through Ming 618 - 1644

[haitang-blossoms]

On Differential Methods, Politics, & Intimacy for Early Novel!Cezhou (haitang-blossoms' Qiang Jin Jiu meta)

Note: This analysis goes up to Chapter 42 which is where I had read up to before Lianyin's fantranslation was taken down due to official English licensing by Seven Seas. This is also the source of my quoted screenshots of the novel.

The way both Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye weaponise perceived incompetence (through fabricated images of "grateful helplessness" and "devil-may-care hedonism" respectively) is so compelling and really serves to flesh out the realities of the environment they are forced to navigate.

It is a recurring narrative motif that both Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye are "beasts" trapped and restrained by the political system of Qudu. However, the difference in social position and status between them is key to why they choose the masks that they do.

Shen Zechuan, both as a by-proxy-traitor to the nation and as the son of a dancer, has always had to keep his head down and not act beyond his station. Thus, it is perfectly natural that he operates within this expected framework: both to survive in the hostile political landscape as well as to conceal his own intentions and moves within the shadows.

Xiao Chiye, on the other hand, was born into relative power. While the Xiao Clan of Libei was never in the favour of the Empress Dowager, they are nonetheless a reputable cavalry with a hereditary title. Xiao Chiye, as the second son, has both less direct political influence as well as responsibility than his father (the prince) or his elder brother (the next-in-line). This is how he is so easily made a "bargaining chip" and assigned to what seems to be a hopelessly dead-end job in order to keep a metaphorical "leash" on any rebellious intent that Libei may harbour. Given his wealth and inevitable position of being constantly in the public eye, the easiest way to cover up the target on Xiao Chiye's back is to present himself as a frivolous hedonist who is too busy chasing after liquor and bed-partners to pose a real threat to the established power dynamics of the capital.

The difference between their methods can also be observed in the way that their preferences are perceived by others:

Xiao Chiye presents himself as genial: he loves to drink, he is sociable enough to go out with friends frequently etc. However, as seen in the quote above, Xiao Chiye's "friendliness" is actually quite distant in that even the people who think they know him well are unaware of his true preferences. Yet he conducts himself in such a manner that they would not even think to ponder such things. It is a very effective approach for gathering intel: make the other party assume you are giving away much more about yourself than you are, opening the door for them to carelessly overshare from a sense of fabricated comradery.

Shen Zechuan is the opposite: going along with how he is forced to constantly humble himself and downplay his abilities, his preferences have to be presented as equally accommodating to the will of others. There are many instances where he seemingly goes along with others, secretly gritting his teeth the whole way, in order to "soften" them up to be played into his hand later.

And this goes into my next point:

Even though Shen Zechuan has an image of seductiveness, his entire method revolves around NOT having openly expressed desires because that would only serve as a vulnerability. Xiao Chiye, by contrast, predicates his mask around devil-may-care hedonism.

In this way, desire is both much more familiar to Xiao Chiye as well as easier to integrate into his established reputation than for Shen Zechuan. 

This is key to why Xiao Chiye is the first to accept his feelings and why he is much more comfortable with unabashedly expressing them. Thus, I think the differences in how Cezhou present themselves and the contrasting methods they use to stay ahead in their environment have bearing not only on the political games of their world but also on their relationship and how they relate themselves to each other.

[preciousqiqi]

“

I am a man burning with ambitions, and Qudu is the teacher that taught me to restrain all those desires. My encounter with Lanzhou did not happen by accident. He was the last line of defense when I was about to hit my limit and lose it. He is also the indulgence and freedom I lost and regained. I am complete. The parts of me that were broken and lacking are now encased with steel.

— Xiao Chiye to Chen Yang

[marlin-blue]

god xiao jiming is such a character. he's one of the four great generals, he's gentle and calm, he commands a heavy armored cavalry that he changed to be flexible and faster, he's fierce in battle and his name carries so much weight that even when he's injured, nobody touches libei. he's shorter than his younger brother, he takes after his mother, he cried at his wedding because he loves his wife so much, he doesn't hesitate to intimidate the emperor when xiao chiye is in danger, he would've led his troops to qudu for xiao chiye even while being grievously injured if his father hadn't overruled him. he sees himself as a sanctuary for his family. i'm so obsessed with him, if he doesn't end up happy i will be on the news.

[lenateliier]

Qudu era Shen Lanzhou design 😚🫶💗

[drawulan]

"What he yearns for in his dreams are the mountains of Libei. And yet, he now has to remain in Qudu and forget about the freedom of riding horses. Father and I have both let him down.”

[xueyuverse]

Summary chapters 35-41 of Qiang Jin Jiu

Ah yes, Lanzhou killed Ji Lei.

"Or let's not... Being a homosexual cannot be considered a major problem, but it's not a minor problem either. It would be difficult to explain to both sides if we say it wrong. Second Young Master will get a beating."

These two having to watch Ce’an and Lanzhou 24/7 was one of the best things that happened in this novel. I think I can call them voyeurs now lol

Ce’an wants to know what Lanzhou’s internal martial art is for whatever reason. Lanzhou is weaker than him, so I don't know why he's so desperate. He is very suspicious akakak

There is someone Ji Gang asked Lanzhou to meet. Who? I have no idea 😃

Like a ghost, the man hid in the shadows and tried to escape.

And there's this other person too argh

“Although he didn't carry a sword with him, he is probably from the Imperial Bodyguards.”

Someone from the Imperial Bodyguards using foreign product that is exceptional in stealth. I can only think of someone like Ji Gang, but I don't think it's him.

“Ji Lei made a full confession about his intention to rebel in the Nanlin Hunting Ground.”

This bastard only confessed because he was literally on his last breath. Lanzhou terrified him akkakak

"It's truly abominable of the Hua Clan to conspire with the eunuchs and Imperial Bodyguards to plan a rebellion!"

And yet the Empress Dowager continues to emerge from this situation unscathed. I wanted to know why she, who did so much shit, doesn't receive a single unit of punishment.

Ding Tao said: "But wasn't Shen Wei the culprit? What does this have to do with Shen Zechuan?!"

It's simply for convenience. Shen Wei died, so they have no one to take out their anger on, all that's left is Lanzhou who bears the surname of someone he's never seen in his life because he was expelled from his clan. Lanzhou lost two people he loved because of Shen Wei, he knows very well what happened to the soldiers in the Chashi sinkhole because he was there, but everyone sees Lanzhou just as an extension of his father to be kicked and humiliated, as if his surname did not allow him to be a complete and individual human being.

Xiao Chiye needed an opportunity to shake some sense into the Imperial Army. And Tantai Hu today was that.

What I said before about these soldiers being very annoying to deal with.

“Tantai Hu came from Zhongbo. You know it. But you still switched him to yesterday's list so he could vent his anger and resentment.”

This right here made me suspicious of Chen Yang. Since he esteems Ce’an so much, then why do this? Is it just because of Lanzhou?

Xiao Chiye grabbed his hands and pinned them to the headboard. Smelling his perfume in the darkness, he said, "You sleep in my bed. You know very well what I think every night. You said I'm impressive. Shen Lanzhou, the impressive thing is you."

"I want to do this." Xiao Chiye lowered his head to face him. “I want to fuck you.”

And it is from here that we have a long sex scene between two people who hate each other. Enemies that are so enemies that it doesn't fit in your head and you need to have and shove hate up your ass.

Great Mentor Qi said, "The Imperial Bodyguards' deployment order is about to be issued soon, right? Where do you want to go?"

Shen Zechuan replied: "The Imperial Carriage Office. Near the Emperor."

And of course Ce’an is suspicious of his choice arrrgghhh someone make Ce’an stop for the love of God.

Xiao Chiye, originally Viceroy of the Imperial Army, also assumed the position of Commander of the Eight Great Training Divisions, thus legitimizing his authority over Qudu's patrols.

And so Li Jianheng withdraws the position that Emperor Xiande asked for because he is another fearful easily terrorized by the Xiao clan arrrgghhh 😭

The Ji clan dominates the Imperial Bodyguards, who are currently without a master, and Lanzhou has the protection of Ji Gang. I think Ce’an suspects (as always) that Lanzhou wants to be the master of the Imperial Bodyguards, which really makes sense.

[northofallmusic]

Gorge (cezhou, e, 1700 words)

post-qudu; sex ft. overstimulation, D/s vibes and thoughts about falconry

"Had enough?" Shen Zechuan asked Xiao Chiye. It was a soft and small-voiced question, slightly pitiable, the way he only was in bed.

Xiao Chiye stroked Shen Zechuan's damp hair back from his face. He held a cup of water out, coaxing Shen Zechuan to drink.

"No," he said, when Shen Zechuan had emptied the cup.

read ➢

[momo33me]

An outcry

Go in a deep sleep

Silver distracted them

Away from the disaster of Al-Qudus

Oil and petroleum distracted them

Away from the blood shed. In the stolen homeland.

Oh people of Dadd (The Arab people) be alert.

Your deep sleep is taking long time

Yet the dream is crucified on the wall of reality

[sitervlitoy]

It's raining often in Qudu

I love their height difference so much