Ewa Struzik

“Grand Mentor Qi paused. “Water that brims must overflow, and every waxing moon must wane. Why does the Xiao Clan hate Shen Wei so fiercely? Do you see—no greater honor can possibly be bestowed on them after Zhongbo. Even if the Xiao Clan fights another battle, every defeat will be a loss, and every victory will also be a loss. They have come to a dead end.” “A victory is also a loss?” “Their victory is also a loss! Did Xiao Jiming not lose his younger brother to Qudu immediately after his battlefield triumph? With each battle he wins in the future, the danger will only grow. This time he traded in his brother. Next time, it might be his wife, his father—even himself.”
― Tang Jiu Qing, Ballad of Sword and Wine: Qiang Jin Jiu (Novel) Vol. 1

“Shen Zechuan caught it; the little object was an eastern pearl wrapped in a strip of cloth. A swipe of his fingertip revealed the traces of half a character on the strip of cloth—Lin. It was the same character that made up the top half of Chu.21 Shen Zechuan’s gaze swung back to Fengquan’s face. Fengquan stood and approached him. “If you succeed, the empress dowager will continue treating you as her obedient dog. If you fail, there’s no point keeping you.” “Formidable masters abound,” Shen Zechuan said. “I’ll try my best.”
― Tang Jiu Qing, Ballad of Sword and Wine: Qiang Jin Jiu (Novel) Vol. 1

“But I know him; he is outwardly strong yet inwardly weak. In his heart, he fears me.”
― Tang Jiu Qing, Ballad of Sword and Wine: Qiang Jin Jiu (Novel) Vol. 1

“surface. An impressive showing, Lord Ji.”
― Tang Jiu Qing, Ballad of Sword and Wine: Qiang Jin Jiu (Novel) Vol. 1