Pei Ye listened quietly.
"As I said, once you've seen enough, you'll know that the Divine Capital's thousand waves and ten thousand billows really are quite simple. It always comes back to the same few things. The scholars and the Five Surnames contend for political power; the new and old armies clash over military authority and treatment; the new eminent houses and the old aristocratic clans have countless disputes of their own. But every group with an aim of its own ultimately relies on one thing to achieve it." Xu Chuo looked at him. "Imperial power."
"..."
"Great Tang was founded through the Qilin, which bound itself only to the Li surname. Although the Five Great Clans each possess a portion of qilin blood, their portions neither increase nor diminish, nor fuse with their bloodlines. They lack the qualification to hear Heaven's Will and become emperor. Only among those surnamed Li does qilin blood pass down through the bloodline. This is why the Li family's Great Tang endures." Xu Chuo continued, "But even brothers and sisters differ in their endowments. Among His Majesty's children, too, qilin blood runs thick or thin. The thicker it is, the better they can understand the Heaven's Will conveyed by the Qilin. Thus, succession is decided not by seniority, but by another standard-only one capable of conveying the Qilin's decree qualifies to be named heir."
"Hmm. Is that a high standard?"
"It isn't exactly low. As Great Tang's princes and princesses grow up, their qilin blood undergoes many direct and indirect tests, but the most important is still the Qilin Blood Trial next spring," Xu Chuo said slowly. "The Qilin will lower its own gaze and select the next pact-bearer with whom it shares an affinity. It will reveal, almost without error, whose bond with