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Ying Zheng
Japanese Pronunciation: Ei Sei
Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama (Japanese), Brian Doe (English, Season 3 onwards)
The 31st King of the State of Qin
The young king of Qin who bears a striking resemblance to Piao. Later becomes Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor who unified China.
Stats: Strength |76|, Leadership |97|, Knowledge |84|
Stats (Qin invasion): Strength |78|, Leadership |98|, Knowledge |88|
- Bishonen: Wangjian, the King of Qi, even comments that he "has a pretty face".
- Cain and Abel: The Abel to Chengjiao's Cain.
- Child Prodigy: Zheng began formulating his vision for a unified China when he was a kid.
- Dark and Troubled Past: He was born in the capital city - Handan - of the State of Zhao. Unfortunately, he was born to the Qin Crown Prince and his Zhao consort just months after a Qin General had brutally killed off 400,000 Zhao POWs. He and his mother thus suffered terribly from All the Other Reindeer because of the Zhao citizens' Revenge attitude and actions taken towards them.
- Death Glare/Thousand-Yard Stare: Sported this expression as a child, though quite understandably, given his own Dark and Troubled Past.
- Defrosting Ice King: Eventually warms up to Xin and Diao as the series progresses.
- Deliberate Values Dissonance: His goal to unite China by conquering all its other kingdoms would not pass in today's standards of international relations and law. However, Ying Zheng himself in-story states that this course of action is only necessary and possible due to living in the age of constant conflict that is Warring States-era China.
- First Friend: It's heavily implied that, thanks to his circumstances as an isolated prince with only loyal retainers for support, and having to fear betrayal and backstabbing from everybody else, including his own mother, Xin is his first actual friend he's ever made in his life. Zheng is remarkably tolerant of Xin's lack of decorum and tact around him and places a large amount of trust and respect upon Xin, despite him being a prince with grand ambitions and the resources to achieve that, and Xin being little more than a peasant slave who's good with a sword. Upon the harrowing experience of having to put a stop to his mother's ambitions following the State of Ai debacle, including publicly executing her lover and her children,note and leaving her locked away sobbing her heart out, Zheng is understandably left with Dull Eyes of Unhappiness... until he walks up to the ramparts where he and Xin made their promise to one another and sees Xin waiting for him. Chengjiao notes this in his dying breath, making his Last Request to Xin to stay by his estranged brother's side on the road they plan to walk together, aware that the toll of committing mass slaughter to unite the warring states will take a heavy burden on Zheng, and tasking Xin to support him through it, come thick or thin.
- Freudian Excuse: The reveal of his Dark and Troubled Past, combined with his court constantly trying to stab him in the back are the major factors responsible for him being a guarded Perpetual Frowner when the series starts.
- Foregone Conclusion: Ying Zheng will eventually become the historic First Emperor of China.
- Historical Hero Upgrade: Ancient writings declared Qin Shi Huang was far more ruthless and tyrannical according to near-contemporary historical sources, as opposed to his more sympathetic portrayal in the Kingdom manga. This is, however, a case of Tropes Are Not Bad - as readers are unlikely to root for Ying Zheng if he were depicted just like his historical counterpart. Additionally, the majority of documents describing Qin Shi Huang are from the following Han Dynasty, who were known to be extremely biased in their record keeping. Archaeologists and historians largely agree the first emperor was not nearly as tyrannical as he was made out to be.
- King Incognito: Is this very briefly to Xin, before he learns his true identity.
- Magnetic Hero: That Leadership score isn't just for show. Zheng is an absolute master of the Rousing Speech, breathing life back to the Zui militia over and over to the utter astonishment of Li Mu. In addition, he's so charismatic that a great many characters who were dubious of and even outright opposed him found themselves moved by his words and vision. Examples include but are not limited to: Xin, Wang Yi, Chengjiao, Lord Changping, Cai Ze, Lu Buwei, and even Wangjian, the King of Qi.
- Parental Neglect: When his father became the King of Qin, he left Ying Zheng and his mother back in the enemy territory of Zhao. The constant stress of and struggle to survive eventually caused his mother to snap under pressure and so end up abusing him herself.
- Shut Up, Hannibal!: A damn master of this. Every single time someone mocks or doubts his ideals, or tries to slap him in the face with the real consequences of his campaign to conquer China, he simply shrugs them off by reaffirming that he is already very aware of what he's gotten himself into and what it will cost, and is still all in on achieving his goal. Trying to put Zheng off balance in regards to his ambitions is damn near impossible as Lu Buwei and Huan Yi learned when they each separately tried a Silly Rabbit, Idealism Is for Kids! routine on him and he basically tells them both to piss off.
- The Stoic: In contrast to Xin.
- Sliding Scaleof Idealism Vs Cynicism: Unshakably idealistic. A specific example of this is when Huan Yi points out that his plan to unify China will result in a huge amount of deaths, and that people will not simply stand for it. Huan Yi tells Zheng that if he's expecting people to just accept this, move past their anger and live together with what were once their enemies, he's expecting too much. Zheng's answer to this is a very blunt: "Yes, I do. What's wrong with that?"
- Young Future Famous People: He's a younger (specifically teenaged) Qin Shi Huangdi, - at this time only King of Qin - who will later become the infamous First Emperor of China. Discussed outright in Chapter 48
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Lord Changwen (Changwen Jun)
Japanese Pronunciation: Lord Shoubun (Shoubun Kun)
Voiced by: Yutaka Nakano (Japanese), Steve Cramer (English, Season 3 onwards)
A loyal supporter of Zheng. He later becomes the Chancellor of the Left.
Stats: Strength |82|, Leadership |85|, Knowledge |86|, Politics |90|
Stats (Qin invasion): Strength |80|, Leadership |85|, Knowledge |90|, Politics |94|
- Overshadowed by Awesome: He is shown to be both a capable politician and still being able to lead soldiers in the field, but he's far from the level of Great Generals as Wang Yi, or political masterminds such as Li Mu.
- Parental Substitute: He is the closest Zheng has to a caring parent at the moment.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Used to be this with Wang Yi. Still has his moments occasionally.
Bì
Japanese Pronunciation: Heki
Voiced by: Koji Yusa (Japanese), Nicholas Leung (English, Season 3 onwards)
Lord Changwen's subordinate. He acts as a big brother of sorts towards Xin.
Stats: Strength |78|, Leadership |75|, Knowledge |86|
Stats (Qin invasion): Strength |80|, Leadership |84|, Knowledge |86|, Politics |88|
- Amazon Chaser: Seems to be infatuated with Yang Duanhe.
- Badass Normal: Unlike Xin and his group, he has no special flashy traits or superhuman displays of power. He makes up for it with hard work and determination.
- Big Brother Mentor: Considers Xin to be his little brother. Xin often calls him "big brother".
- Determinator: During the fight with Zuo Ci, he shows levels of this that rival Xin's.
- His special trait according to the author's notes is Hard Worker.
- Even getting hit by arrows during the first Qin-Zhao battle won't keep him from commanding his troops.
- Distressed Dude: Poor Bi is often seen falling for the enemy leader's schemes.
- Nice Guy
- Overshadowed by Awesome: Even though he's a rather competent officer, his deeds get constantly overshadowed by Xin's.
Piao
Japanese Pronunciation: Hyou
Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama
Xin's best friend. He too aims to become a renowned general throughout the world. Ends up working in the Qin palace as Zheng's body double, but dies at the hands of an assassin hired by the Chengjiao Faction.
Stats: Strength |78|, Leadership |75|, Knowledge |80|
- Body Double: For Zheng.
- Identical Stranger: Hence the Body Double.
- Killed Off for Real
- Line-of-Sight Name: Zheng orders him to choose a family name when he agrees to become his body double. Zheng is eating a plum (李 lǐ) while they're talking, so Piao adopts that as his name. As his sworn brother, Xin adopts the same name after he hears this story from Zheng (which is actually his historical name).
- Plot-Triggering Death
