The 'Giant Kite' was a large ship with a length of more than 5,000 feet. The vessel had two wings and was composed of thousands of 'flaming fins.' When the Giant Kite would take off, all the 'flaming fins' would sprout out white steam together, creating dreamy imagery, every 'flaming fin' burned Ziliujin* the size of a bowl inside, flashing a faint purple-red gleam in the vast expanse of smoke, resembling the light from thousands of households.

*Ziliujin-紫流金: a type of oil that powers every steampunk gadget in this universe, ranging from gears in the military to household objects and more, very crucial and immensely important, you'll see this term coming up a lot throughout the book. Kite of 'Giant Kite' refers to the bird.

Since fourteen years ago, the Northern Barbarian's bowed down and paid their tribute. Every year, on the 15th of the first month, there would be dozens of Giant Kites setting off from the border areas. They each would take an established route, their might displayed for thousands of miles. They could also observe each and every move of the barbarians.

In addition to deterrence and inspections, the Giant Kite was also responsible for sending the tributes of the various northern tribes back to the capital, which were mainly Ziliujin.

This Giant Kite was loaded with nearly a million pounds of Ziliujin; its returning footsteps were slightly heavier than when it took off. You could hear the angry blowing noise of the 'flaming fins' from within twenty to thirty miles.

The Northern Patrol unit set off in the first month of the year and returned in the seventh month after departing.

https://www.northwestflower.net/sha-po-lang/prologue/ii

The Xu Family owned a few bits of land; Xu Baihu was also a military man. Assessing it from the viewpoint of the local border areas, their living quality was considerably good. With their small family fortune, they kept an old servant in the house to do some cooking and cleaning.

Only when dawn had broken did the Xu family's old maid slowly finish making breakfast. She came to knock on the door of Chang Geng's study: "Young master, Madam inquired whether or not you'll have your meal at her chamber."

Chang Geng was concentrating on practicing calligraphy from existing samples at the time; the motion of his hand stopped momentarily upon hearing the maid's call. He answered with a rehearsed — "No, Mother prefers peace and quiet, I will not bother her, would you mind passing my regards to her?"

The old maid was not surprised by his reply. The daily back and forth between the mother and child was as per routine, nothing new.