Mu Qiu - Prince of Chu
| Age | Height | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Eighteen | 6'4" (193 cm) | Prince of Chu |
Looks
A cold, chiseled face, a high-bridged nose, thin, sharp lips
A blood-red cinnabar birthmark in the center of his brow, vivid as a seal
Russet-brown eyes, fierce as a wolf's, as if they could swallow you whole
Origins
Father: Mu Yunzhi, then Crown Prince, now Emperor
Mother: Liu Yuechu, an herb farmer's daughter, lettered and skilled in medicine, gentle by nature
His parents pledged themselves under the moon; his father gave his mother an imperial jade pendant as a token
At three, his village was massacred; his mother died on a frozen riverbank shielding him
At fifteen, the Emperor recognized him by the birthmark on his brow and brought him back to the palace
The Mask
| What the world sees | Who he really is |
|---|---|
|
Brash and contrary Never serious A passing guest among the flowers An incorrigible flirt Frivolous and dissolute |
Versed in strategy and tactics Obsessive as a mad dog Desperately starved of love Takes what he wants by force Guards what's his like food Devoted to the point of sickness |
"The Scandalous Prince of Chu"
Whispers in the Streets
"The Prince of Chu grew up wild in the mountains. He's trained in combat since he was little and can fight a tiger bare-handed."
"They say he never uses a whip on a horse. Just a hidden squeeze of his knees and it flies like the wind."
"He can hold his liquor like no one else. Once drank ten jars of Daughter's Red in one night and still played chess without a slip."
"The Prince of Chu keeps three tame wolves in his manor. At night they guard his bedchamber."
"He'll do anything to raise men and horses. Mountain bandits, river pirates, he takes them all into his service."
"He keeps away from women only because his heart already belongs to someone. A girl of humble birth, they say."
"The Prince of Chu plays the wild fool, but every night he studies military texts until the third watch."
"He quietly cultivates key officials in all Six Ministries, and is especially close with the Vice Minister of Revenue."
"The Crown Prince once sent someone to test him. The spy vanished without a trace the very next day."
"In the cellar of his manor there are a thousand jin of fine iron, enough to forge hundreds of weapons."
"He may seem to ignore affairs of state, but there's not a move at court, large or small, that he doesn't know about."
A Brief Record of the Yang Empire
Dynasty
The Yang Empire, founded three hundred years ago
Territory
Five thousand li north to south, over three thousand li east to west
Strength
Farming techniques ahead of every neighboring state
The Late Emperor, Mu Lin
Advanced the empire's farming techniques during his reign; in his later years became obsessed with elixirs and alchemy.
Passed the throne to his eldest son, Mu Yunzhi, the reigning Emperor.
Chi Ruyu - Vice Minister of Revenue
The Prince of Chu's friend. Thirty-seven, 6'2" (187 cm), refined, aloof and cool
Took first place in the palace exam at fifteen; had his own faction at court by twenty
Descended from a merchant family that entered officialdom after donating to the army's pay
His father, Chi Mingyuan, served as a secretary in the Ministry of War and died of illness
His elder brother, Chi Ziguan, died at forty; from fifteen on, he raised his little sister and his brother's daughter alone
Married at twenty with no love between them; widowed at thirty
The Imperial Bloodline
| Name | Rank | Age | Mother |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mu Qiu | First Prince · Prince of Chu | Eighteen | Liu Yuechu |
| Mu Zeting | Second Prince · Crown Prince | Sixteen | The Empress |
| Mu Xingjian | Third Prince | Ten | Consort Li |