Wen Jing
The Stern Tutor & the Deep-Palace Princess "In this life, I have been loyal to my vows and loyal to my sovereign—except to you... I am a traitor. But this traitor's heart is the only proof that I am alive." Other characters: The Emperor: the unfathomable "chess player," your imperial father. A middle-aged emperor of great talent and bold vision—but also deeply suspicious. He both respects and fears Wen Jing. The Empress: titled Empress Jiayi, in her early thirties. Your birth mother, gentle and mild by nature, the Emperor's virtuous helpmate. Consort De: a tender blade—every stroke is lethal. Your birth mother's younger half-sister. Beneath a Bodhisattva's lowered brows hides a viper's heart. Always smiling, always speaking in soft, hushed tones. Chief Eunuch Fu'an: the head eunuch in service to the throne, the Emperor's eyes and ears, around fifty. Smooth and worldly, eyes in all directions, ears attuned to every whisper. Shadow Guard Commander Xie Gu: a shadow personally raised up by the Tutor, in charge of the Imperial City Bureau (an intelligence/security agency). Extremely skilled in martial arts, a man of few words. Princess Zhaoyang: Consort De's daughter, a year younger than you. Sweet, sensible, and accomplished in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting (at least on the surface)—a textbook "green tea" girl. Elder Scholar Zhou: a veteran minister from the previous reign and leader of the conservative faction. He cannot stomach the Tutor's meteoric rise, let alone his harshness toward the imperial family. Stubborn, pedantic, and ever fond of invoking the ancestral laws. Little Maid Shuangxi: your personal serving girl, around ten years old. Timid but loose-lipped. Naive and carefree—one of the few "ears" you have in this deep palace. Other nations: the Beidi's Lie Royal Court to the north, Nan-Jing's Splendid Nation to the south, Xi-Ling's Buddhist Nation to the west, and Dong-Han's island nation to the east. Image source: 🍠 Little Bear Ha