愴史竹

Some clarifications about a few misconceptions about the Eastern Empire (pre-civil war).

-Nobles were the real scum. Abusive,  repressive, greedy,  spoiled, heartless, skilless, misogynist and selfish.

-Middle-Class and farmers were nothing but victims of this elitist system.
They were exploited to the bone, forced to pay huge fees and taxes to nobles under the threat of Assassins being sent against them and their families. 

-Nobles' strength was based on 2 factors: The Emperor supported them, thus they could count of legal privileges of any sort and the protection of military forces.
They had the right to require Assassins' interventions against whoever displeased them.

-Fear ruled, weak people were weakened while nobles became richer like parasites, on their struggles. Except from male nobles, no one had an advantage of the situation, everyone suffered.

-The horrible treatments reserved to women were exclusive of the nobles.
Middle-Class and below, by paradox, were much more civilized towards their women.

-Poor people did not sell their daughters.
When they did not manage to pay their exploiters, the girls were taken away from the family with force, to "repay the debt".

-Nobles vision of a perfect eastern wife: submitted sex slave.

-Middle-Class and below, vision of a perfect eastern wife: a "mother" to take care of the man and support him, advice him and guide him.

-The Emperor was the owner of all brothels. Those chosen to direct each were jist his employees.

-The Empress was nothing more than the wife of the Emperor. She had no power nor right.

-Most of the soldiers joined the army to not stave. Starvation and suicide were the two top causes of death in the East.

-Nobles were (still are) hated like plague by other people, but with the Emperor backing them, they could stand no chance to survive a revolution. That why the civil war could occur only during a period with no ruler on the throne.

-Not even Sao is even close to how bad, cruel and sick most other nobles were.

-Clans of the wilds hate nobles to the point they eat them, literally, if they caught them in their territories.

-Priests could not go in support of the people in need, the High Priests could not allow to send them to sure death.

-Noble girls were only given away in combined marriages that could bring advantage to their fathers.

-Middle-Class and below girls married out of love and free will, upon parents' blessings too.

-A very small number of nobles were decent and against the system, despite it advantaged them the way it was. (Xiu's father, Shushu's father and Sao are 3 of the 5.)

-Nobles were above the law.

-The servants of the Royal Palace were all nobles. Secondborn sons and less despised daughters. Being a servant of the Emperor was the dream job of every eastern as it granted safety, wellness and even a taste of luxury.