In this episode, Clerika travel back to 19th-century China to discuss Dowager Empress Cixi (pronounced Cee-Chee). Cixi rose from being lower-ranked concubine to dragging China--kicking and screaming--into the 19th century. So why does she still have such a bad rap? In this first of two episodes, our girls talk about Cixi's rise, and how choosing a conservative education for your child can have drastic consequences--you know, if he's the emperor or whatever. Also, at least two of Clare's cats show up.

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Source: Jung Chang, Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China