Palace eunuchs are mentioned in one sentence in-narrative in a flashback of sorts of an emperor's life, but exactly what eunuchs are is not specified. The concubines of emperors are mentioned a few times, but not their actual role or function. It portrays (by flashback) the historical event of Fusu, the heir apparent of major character Qin Shi Huang, being forced to kill himself; I believe this is phrased as "forced to take his own life", which is mildly euphemistic. Of course, this is still deeply distressing to the characters. The emphasis is on Fusu being forced to commit the act, not the act itself. There are multiple mentions of drunkenness, mainly from a legendary subordinate poet who was often drunk, and acts drunk when summoned and says he wishes to never be sober. One enemy they fight magically inflicts a dazed state on them with a spell referencing drunkenness, which the protagonist quickly likens to drunkenness and dislikes, and absentmindedly wonders if the spell is haram (forbidden by Islamic tenets). I believe alcohol itself rarely if ever shows up in the book or is drank.