History Characters / JoyofLife

* {{Affably Evil}}: Although initially friendly and likeable, it is eventually revealed that Li Chengze has been [[spoiler:orchestrating most of the plots against Fan Xian]], including the assassination attempt that resulted in [[spoiler:Teng Zijing's death]].
* {{Big Eater}}: Chengze is almost always seen eating, especially fruits.
* {{Does Not Like Shoes}}: Frequently seen without his shoes on, due to his preference to crouch at a table rather than sit normally.
* {{Evil Prince}}: Paired with Affably Evil, above.
* {{False Friend}}: Zigzagged. The second prince seems to genuinely like Fan Xian, even describing him as his best friend/soulmate/confidant in private. That doesn't change that he's been directly involved in many plots to [[spoiler:hurt Fan Xian]] and is continuing to do so.

* {{Walking Spoiler}}: Once you know who he really is, it's hard to talk about Li Chengze without giving away the truth.
* {{Would Hurt a Child}}: Perfectly willing to threaten [[spoiler:Teng Zijing]]'s child's life if it means keeping [[spoiler:Fan Xian]] in line.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: Haitang is [[{{Running Gag}} frequently seen]] adjusting, losing, and otherwise struggling with her shoes.

* {{Blade on a Stick}}: Prefers to use a spear.

* {{Overprotective Dad}}: Fan Jian stands up to the Emperor in order to try and prevent him from sending Fan Xian to Northern Qi, though without success.

* {{Action Girl}}
* {{An Axe to Grind}}: When not in her role as the Saintess, Haitang carries two axes.

* {{Double Agent}}: Haitang appears to be working for the [[spoiler:Empress Dowager]], but in reality is serving the [[spoiler:Emperor]].
* {{Kicking Ass in All Her Finery}}: Her flirt-fight with Fan Xian during the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet.

* {{Unwillingly Girly Tomboy}}: When dressed up all fancy in her "Saintess" persona to attend the Northern Qi imperial court.

* {{Ill Girl}}: Is this due to her chronic tuberculosis.

* BadassMustache: The best example of this in the show.

* AmbiguouslyBi: People seem to be under the impression that Si Lili has a sexual relationship with Zhan Doudou. While it's not clear if that's actually true, they're [[{{She Is The King}} both]] [[{{Getting Crap Past The Radar}} women]] and Si Lili is also clearly interested in Fan Xian.

* IJustWantToBeNormal: Fan Jian wants Fan Xian to take over the Imperial Treasury. Chen Pingping wants him to take over the Overwatch Bureau. The Emperor wants him to take over both. But Fan Xian isn't really interested in any of this--he just wants to marry Lin Wan'er and live a quiet, happy life.

* {{Heroic Bastard}}: Is the illegitimate son of Fan Jian [[spoiler:--actually, the illegitimate son of the emperor]], and is the hero.

* {{I Just Want to Be Normal}}: Fan Xian isn’t a fan of his father’s wish for him to take over the imperial treasury and continue his mother’s legacy, nor is he a fan of Chen Pingping’s wish for him to take over the Overwatch Council (also his mother’s legacy), because both will paint large targets on his back.

* {{Big Brother Instinct}}: Wan'er's older brother Lin Gong is extremely protective towards her.

* {{No Arc in Archery}}: Yan Xiaoyi, the one and only Level 9 archer, shoots a couple long-range arrows, which fly very straight.

* {{Missing Mom}}: Fan Xian's mother, Ye Qingmei, is dead before the beginning of the show. Who she was, where she came from, and what happened to her is a key element of the show.

* RunningGag: Duoduo frequently loses one of her shoes, often while trying to kick someone.

* {{Trapped in the Past}}: Fan Xian, being a modern guy now stuck in imperial China, is this. [[spoiler:Though the truth turns out to be a little bit more complicated than that.]]

* {{Signed Up for the Dental}}: Teng Zijing professes to only stay behind with Fan Xian because Fan Xian’s paying him enough to support his family comfortably, and even though he’s Fan Xian’s bodyguard, if anything happens, he’s going to ditch Fan Xian and run away because his family comes first. [[spoiler:This, tragically, turns out to be a lie.]]

* {{Blind Obedience}}: Yan Bingyun is a staunch patriot who strictly adheres to the Overwatch Council’s rules, [[spoiler:something that may have been brainwashed into him as a child on Chen Pingping’s orders.]]

* {{Too Happy to Live}}: All Teng Zijing wants is for his family to be safe and for his son to call him father. [[spoiler:Once he gets that, though....]]

* [[spoiler:{{Deceptively Human Robots}}]]: Wuzhu looks pretty much like any other human but acts slightly atypically and does not age.

Crown Prince of Qing and the third eldest prince of Qing.

* {{Handicapped Badass}}: Blind, but still a martial arts grandmaster who can stand his own against the highest level martial arts grandmasters in the land though whether or not he's actually "blind" by human standards is questionable.

* AmbiguouslyAbsentParent: Although it's clear that Fan Jian's second wife is Liu Ruyu, it's not clear what became of his first wife, Ruoruo's mother.

* {{Genius Ditz}}: Fan Sizhe is incredibly lazy and incompetent at anything that doesn't involve money, so it comes as a surprise to Fan Xian when he discovers Fan Sizhe can do complicated calculations at the drop of a hat and has great business acumen.

* {{Chessmaster}}: Li Yunrui is a veteran of three dimensional chess. Even if she's losing, she already has a new plan in motion.

* {{Faux Affably Evil}}: Li Yunrui, who veils her malice towards Fan Xian under a veneer of politeness and geniality, once even inviting him into her quarters to chat.

* {{Affably Evil}}: Although initially friendly and likeable, it is eventually revealed that Li Chengze has been orchestrating most of the plots against Fan Xian, including the assassination attempt that resulted in Teng Zijing's death.

* {{False Friend}}: Zigzagged. The second prince seems to genuinely like Fan Xian, even describing him as his best friend/soulmate/confidant in private. That doesn't change that he's been directly involved in many plots to hurt Fan Xian and is continuing to do so.

* {{The Chessmaster}}: The best there is.

* {{Handicapped Badass}}: He might be in a wheelchair, but he is a Chessmaster of the highest order as well as the second most powerful person in all of Southern Qing.

* {{The Spymaster}}: For the Emperor.

* {{Cassandra Truth}}: Shen Zhong, who kept insisting that Fan Xian's plan regarding cutting Northern Qi into the profits of the Qing imperial treasury was part of a bigger plan to meddle in Northern Qi affairs despite the fact that no one would listen to him.
* {{The Chessmaster}}

* {{Double Agent}}: Haitang appears to be working for the Empress Dowager, but in reality is serving the Emperor.

* ImYourBiggestFan: A big fan of Fan Xian's writings and will occasionally ask him about them and encourage him to write more of ''Dreams of the Red Mansion''. Doudou manages to avoid becoming overbearing, however, and usually sticks to business.

* {{Punny Name}}: His name translate to Gundam. Fan Xian made remarks upon first meeting him

The Grand Princess and Lin Wan'er's mother. Younger sister of the Emperor, although they are not blood related. She controls the Royal Treasury which will be passed on to whoever marries Lin Wan'er.

* {{Faux Affably Evil}}: Li Yunrui, who veils her malice towards Fan Xian under a veneer of politeness and geniality, once even inviting him into her quarters to chat.

Originally a member of the fourth bureau of the control department, later Fan Xian's close friend and bodyguard. 7th level martial artist.

[[folder: Yan Ruohai (言若海)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yan_ruohai.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played Li Qiang]]
Head of the fourth bureau of the Overwatch Department, the branch in charge of everything outside the capital city, including foreign espionage. Father of Yan Bingyun.
----
[[/folder]]

* {{Sweet Polly Oliver}}: As the young emperor of Northern Qi, she is referred to and treated as male, but is actually female.

* Socialite: Ruoruo is popular, talented, and well-connected with the other upper class women of the capital.

[[folder: Fan Sizhe (范思辙)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fan_sizhe.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Gao Qilin]]
Fan Jian's son with Liu Ruyu. Very focused on money.

* {{Genius Ditz}}: Fan Sizhe is incredibly lazy and incompetent at anything that doesn't involve money, so it comes as a surprise to Fan Xian when he discovers Fan Sizhe can do complicated calculations at the drop of a hat and has great business acumen.
* {{Hidden Depths}}: Fan Sizhe's skills with business and finance.
* {{Punny Name}}: His name is a homophone for "Versace" in Chinese, which Fan Xian finds fitting giving his "greedy" personality.
* {{Well Done Son Guy}}: Fan Sizhe’s borderline comical obsession with money is suspected by Fan Xian to have stemmed from this in order to get praise and attention from their father, who is Assistant Minister of Finance and who thinks Fan Sizhe is just a lazy idiot until Fan Xian helps him recognize Fan Sizhe's hidden talent.

!! Southern Qing Royal Family
[[folder: The Emperor]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/emperor.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Chen Daoming]]
* {{The Chessmaster}}: No one does anything without the Emperor having already planned on it.
* {{No Name Given}}: Besides his surname Li, his given name was never mentioned, as the author said that such a role that could be simply referred as "His Majesty, The Emperor" needed no given name
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Lin Wan'er (林婉儿)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/waner.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Li Qin]]
The illegitimate daughter of Lin Ruofu and the Grand Princess Li Yunrui. She suffers from tuberculosis.

* {{Bastard Angst}}: Lin Wan'er is only too aware about how her status has affected her family and how she was raised (i.e. in isolation).
* {{Big Brother Instinct}}: Wan'er's older brother Lin Gong is extremely protective towards her.
* {{First Girl Wins}}: Is the first, non-related female character Fan Xian meets, and is the one who is his love interest.
* {{Gilded Cage}}: Being the illegitimate daughter of Prime Minister Lin and Crown Princess Li Yunrui, as well as a very sickly girl suffering from lifelong tuberculosis, Wan'er is effectively kept in one of these.
* {{Ill Girl}}: Is this due to her chronic tuberculosis.
* {{Meet Cute}}: Has one of these with Fan Xian.
* {{Silk Hiding Steel}}: Is elegant and composed, but also has quite a backbone especially when it comes to standing up for the people she cares about.
* {{Yamato Nadeshiko}}: Can be considered one of these.
* {{You Are Worth Hell}}: Wan'er states to her mother that even if Fan Xian is doomed to suffer in the political firestorm surrounding him, she will gladly follow him to stand by his side.

[[folder: Li Yunrui, The Grand Princess (李云睿)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/li_yunrui.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Li Xiaoran]]
The Grand Princess and Lin Wan'er's mother. Younger sister of the Emperor, although they are not blood related. She controls the Royal Treasury which will be passed on to whoever marries Lin Wan'er.

* {{Faux Affably Evil}}: Li Yunrui, who veils her malice towards Fan Xian under a veneer of politeness and geniality, once even inviting him into her quarters to chat.
* {{Broken Pedestal}}: Becomes this for [[spoiler:Lin Wan'er]] after her crimes are revealed.
* {{Chessmaster}}: Li Yunrui is a veteran of three dimensional chess. Even if she's losing, she already has a new plan in motion.
* {{Even Evil Has Loved Ones}}: All of her actions are at least nominally to protect her daughter.
* {{Nothing Personal}}: Li Yunrui tells Wan'er that her attempts [[spoiler:on Fan Xian's life are this--that she has nothing against him, really, and it doesn't matter what kind of person he is, it's just that once Wan'er fell in love with him, she had to kill him to keep Wan'er from being dragged into the political mess surrounding him.]] Whether or not this is true is debatable.
* {{Right Hand Cat}}: Has a white cat she keeps as a pet.

[[folder: Li Chengqian, The Crown Prince (李诚虔)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/li_chengqian.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Zhang Haowei]]
Crown Prince of Qing and the third eldest prince of Qing.
----
* {{Evil Prince}}: Appears to be this. Ultimately [[spoiler:subverted, when it becomes clear that although he is ambitious, he isn't entirely ruthless or cruel.]]

[[folder: Li Chengze, The Second Prince (李承泽) -- '''Warning: Walking Spoiler''']]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/li_chengze.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Liu Duanduan]]
The second prince of Qing. Born by Noble Consort Shu. He appears laidback but underneath he is calculating and hides his true nature.

* {{Affably Evil}}: Although initially friendly and likeable, it is eventually revealed that Li Chengze has been orchestrating most of the plots against Fan Xian, including the assassination attempt that resulted in Teng Zijing's death.
* {{Big Eater}}: Chengze is almost always seen eating, especially fruits.
* {{Does Not Like Shoes}}: Frequently seen without his shoes on, due to his preference to crouch at a table rather than sit normally.
* {{Evil Prince}}: Paired with Affably Evil, above.
* {{False Friend}}: Zigzagged. The second prince seems to genuinely like Fan Xian, even describing him as his best friend/soulmate/confidant in private. That doesn't change that he's been directly involved in many plots to hurt Fan Xian and is continuing to do so.
* {{Walking Spoiler}}: Once you know who he really is, it's hard to talk about Li Chengze without giving away the truth.
* {{Would Hurt a Child}}: Perfectly willing to threaten [[spoiler:Teng Zijing]]'s child's life if it means keeping [[spoiler:Fan Xian]] in line.

!! Overwatch Council
[[folder: Chen Pingping (陈萍萍)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pingping.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Wu Gang]]
The ruthless and astute head of the government's Overwatch Department, an investigative agency that monitors other government branches. He is considered to be the second most powerful person in Southern Qing.

* {{The Chessmaster}}: The best there is.
* {{Gender Blender Name}}: Chen Pingping's name sounds very girly in Chinese.
* {{Handicapped Badass}}: He might be in a wheelchair, but he is a Chessmaster of the highest order as well as the second most powerful person in all of Southern Qing.
* {{Hazy Feel Turn}}: The reveal that Chen Pingping and the Emperor forced Fan Xian to go on the trip to Northern Qi as the culmination of their twenty-plus year long plan to [[spoiler:get Xiao En's secret]], at the risk of Fan Xian's life.
* {{The Spymaster}}: For the Emperor.

[[folder: Teng Zijing (滕梓荆)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tengzijing.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Wang Yang]]
Originally a member of the fourth bureau of the control department, later Fan Xian's close friend and bodyguard. 7th level martial artist.

* {{Fire Forged Friends}}: With Fan Xian, almost literally.
* {{Hitman with a Heart}}: The reason why Fan Xian is able to talk Teng Zijing down from killing him at the start of the show, [[spoiler:as Chen Pingping had planned]].
* [[spoiler:{{Sacrificial Lion}}]]: A major catalyst in the show.
* {{Signed Up for the Dental}}: Teng Zijing professes to only stay behind with Fan Xian because Fan Xian’s paying him enough to support his family comfortably, and even though he’s Fan Xian’s bodyguard, if anything happens, he’s going to ditch Fan Xian and run away because his family comes first. [[spoiler:This, tragically, turns out to be a lie.]]
* {{Too Happy to Live}}: All Teng Zijing wants is for his family to be safe and for his son to call him father. [[spoiler:Once he gets that, though....]]
* {{Unwitting Pawn}}: As of the reveal of how [[spoiler:Chen Pingping and the Emperor plotted to get Fan Xian to the capital.]]

[[folder: Wang Qinian (王启年)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wangqinian.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Tian Yu]]
A notary of the first bureau. Loves money and is afraid of his wife.

* {{Every Man Has His Price}}: Played for laughs. Wang Qinian will staunchly refuse to do what Fan Xian requests of him until there's a bank note involved.
** When he insists on providing his service without the need for a bribe, [[{{OOC Is Serious Business}} you know it's serious]].
* {{Secret Test of Character}}: Wang Qinian pulls these on Fan Xian from time to time. They're considerably less convoluted and damaging than the tests that others put Fan Xian through.
* {{Those Two Guys}}: With Gao Da in the later half of season 1, providing comedic moments as Fan Xian embarks on a dangerous diplomatic mission to Northern Qi.
* {{Wall Run}}: Wang Qinian's advanced lightness skill allows him to do this. Later, it plays an essential role in some of Fan Xian's schemes.

[[folder: Fei Jie (费介)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/feijie.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Liu Hua]]
Head of the third bureau of the Overwatch Department, the branch specializing in poison and gadgets. Fan Xian’s first teacher. Master of poisons and medicine.

* {{Bunny Ears Lawyer}}: Fei Jie, Fan Xian's eccentric poisoning/medicine mentor, turns out to be the head of the Overwatch Council's third bureau, a branch filled with equally eccentric people obsessed with poisons and gadget creation.
* {{Eccentric Mentor}}: To Fan Xian.
* {{Love Is a Weakness}}: Fei Jie's love for Fan Xian is this.
* {{Master Poisoner}}: All of the Third Bureau specialize in poisons.

[[folder: Yan Ruohai (言若海)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yan_ruohai.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played Li Qiang]]
Head of the fourth bureau of the Overwatch Department, the branch in charge of everything outside the capital city, including foreign espionage. Father of Yan Bingyun.

[[folder: Yan Bingyun (言冰云)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yan_bingyun.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Xiao Zhan]]
Yan Ruohai's son. He is dispatched as the spymaster in Northern Qi.

* {{Back to Back Badasses}}: With Fan Xian in the final episode of season one. Until [[spoiler:Yan Bingyun backstabs Fan Xian]].
* {{Being Tortured Makes You Evil}}: Subverted. Fan Xian initially suspects that Yan Bingyun may have broken under the torture he was subjected to. After Fan Xian tests him, Yan Bingyun earns his full confidence.
** [[spoiler:Possibly double subverted, if his attack on Fan Xian at the end of season one is genuine.]]
* {{Blind Obedience}}: Yan Bingyun is a staunch patriot who strictly adheres to the Overwatch Council’s rules, [[spoiler:something that may have been brainwashed into him as a child on Chen Pingping’s orders.]]
* {{Early Bird Cameo}}: Makes a brief appearance in episode 2, but doesn't appear again until episode 38.
* {{Cathartic Exhalation}}: A subtle example. After Yan Bingyun is Cruel to Be Kind to Miss Shen (see below), he lets out a breath.
* {{Cruel to Be Kind}}: Yan Bingyun deliberately says things to break Miss Shen's heart and make her flee while in tears. It's all to keep her from becoming caught up in the dangerous web of political intrigue. [[spoiler:It doesn't work.]]
* {{Distressed Dude}}: Enters the plot after being captured in an enemy state and held for interrogation. [[spoiler:Fan Xian rescues him.]]
* {{Foil}}: To Fan Xian. They are both prodigies in the Overwatch Bureau, lost their mothers at birth, and have been lied to about [[spoiler:who their real father is]]. The difference is that Fan Xian is motivated by personal desires, while Yan Bingyun is motivated by order.
* {{Freak Out}}: Has one almost immediately after [[spoiler:being rescued and]] learning that Xiao En is still alive. Despite being badly injured and barely able to stand, he attempts to seek out Xiao En himself. Fan Xian manages to appeal to his Blind Obedience to talk him down.
* {{Hazy Feel Turn}}: Yan Bingyun literally backstabbing [[spoiler:Fan Xian]] at the end of season 1.

!! Northern Qi
[[folder: Xiao En (肖恩)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/xiaoen.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Yu Rongguang]]
Zhuang Mohan's younger brother. Former Northern Qi spymaster. Was captured and imprisoned by the Overwatch Department more than a decade before the start of the story.

* {{The Chessmaster}}: Even after spending years in prison, he still has his edge.
* {{Even Evil Has Loved Ones}}: Xiao En, the fearsome Northern Qi warrior who was responsible for Chen Pingping's disability, seems to care very much for his family, treating Fan Xian kindly when he becomes convinced that Fan Xian is [[spoiler:his grandson]], and telling him to notify his brother about his death.
* {{Knee Capping}}: Or rather, leg-breaking. But the same principle is at play when Shen Zhong does this to Xiao En.

[[folder: Shen Zhong (沈重)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shenzhong.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Yu Xiaowei]]
Commander of the Jinyiwei Guards. He is highly skilled in martial arts and appears cunning and sadistic.

* {{Cassandra Truth}}: Shen Zhong, who kept insisting that Fan Xian's plan regarding cutting Northern Qi into the profits of the Qing imperial treasury was part of a bigger plan to meddle in Northern Qi affairs despite the fact that no one would listen to him.
* {{The Chessmaster}}
* {{Even Evil Has Loved Ones}}: Shen Zhong, the villain of the Northern Qi arc, cares very much for his younger sister, to the point where [[spoiler:he fakes stabbing her to let her be taken to Qing to start a new life before he’s arrested by the Northern Qi imperial guards.]]

[[folder: Haitang Duoduo (海棠朵朵)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/duoduo.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Xin Zhilei]]
Blessed Maiden of Northern Qi. A 9th level martial artist and the youngest disciple of the grandmaster Ku He.

* {{Action Girl}}
* {{An Axe to Grind}}: When not in her role as the Saintess, Haitang carries two axes.
* DefeatByModesty: During their first meeting, Fan Xian poisons Haitang with an aphrodisiac, forcing her to flee in humiliation. In reality, [[spoiler:it was just a drug to stimulate her metabolism and had no ill effects]].
* {{Double Agent}}: Haitang appears to be working for the Empress Dowager, but in reality is serving the Emperor.
* {{Kicking Ass in All Her Finery}}: Her flirt-fight with Fan Xian during the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet.
* RomanticWingman: For Si Lili in her pursuit of [[spoiler:Fan Xian]].
* {{Unwillingly Girly Tomboy}}: When dressed up all fancy in her "Saintess" persona to attend the Northern Qi imperial court.

[[folder: Si Lili (司理理)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/si_lili.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Li Chun]]
A spy posing as a courtesan. She later develops feelings for Fan Xian.

* {{Corporal Punishment}}: When the Crown Prince suspects her of lying during her testimony, Si Lili is inflicted with this. Fortunately, it stops short of {{Fingore}}.
* {{Enhanced Interrogation Techniques}}: Subjected to this by [[spoiler:Fan Xian]]. Although he never lays a hand on her, Si Lili still tells him what he wants to know.
* {{Femme Fatale Spy}}: Si Lili, the most popular and revered courtesan in the capital, is actually a spy for [[spoiler:Northern Qi]].
* {{In Love with the Mark}}: With Fan Xian.
* {{Really Royalty Reveal}}: Si Lili is actually related to [[spoiler:Qing's previous emperor]] and was driven out of the country along with her brother to avoid being killed.

[[folder: Shang Shanhu (上杉虎)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shang_shanhu.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by He Ziming]]
A general in Northern Qi and the adopted son of Xiao En. It is not known whether his surname is Shang or Shangshan

* {{Get Out of Jail Free Card}}: Gives this to Fan Xian due his help in [[spoiler:avenging Xiao En and taking down Shen Zhong]]. Somewhat subverted in that Shang Shanhu makes it clear that it's only a temporary pass.
* HappilyAdopted: Shang Shanhu is deeply devoted to his adoptive father, Xiao En.
* {{Blade on a Stick}}: Prefers to use a spear.

[[folder: Zhan Doudou, Emperor of Northern Qi (战豆豆)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d439b6003af33a87050c577fc95c10385343b576.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350: Played by Liu Meitong]]
* {{Sweet Polly Oliver}}: As the young emperor of Northern Qi, she is referred to and treated as male, but is actually female.

!! Other

[[folder: Wuzhu (五竹)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wuzhu.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Tong Mengshi]]
A blind martial arts grandmaster and loyal servant of Ye Qingmei. He serves Fan Xian under orders from his mother. Only a few people know of his existence.

* {{The Comically Serious}}
* [[spoiler:{{Deceptively Human Robots}}]]: Wuzhu looks pretty much like any other human but acts slightly atypically and does not age.
* {{Eccentric Mentor}}: To Fan Xian.
* {{Embarrassing Nickname}}: Called "Xiao Zhuzhu" [[labelnote:translation]]"Little Bamboo"[[/labelnote]] by Ye Qingmei. Somewhat subverted in that although Fan Xian thinks it's embarassing, Wuzhu seems unaffected by it.
* {{Handicapped Badass}}: Blind, but still a martial arts grandmaster who can stand his own against the highest level martial arts grandmasters in the land though whether or not he's actually "blind" by human standards is questionable.
* {{Literal Minded}}: Wuzhu doesn't get figurative speech, let alone Fan Xian's jokes and references to stuff from modern times.
* {{No Sense of Humor}}: Wuzhu takes everything people say to him literally and rarely, if ever, smiles.
* [[{{Underestimating Badassery}} Underestimated Badass]]: Lin Gong does this to fatal effect when he doesn't see Wuzhu as a threat due to his blindness and lack of noticeable aura.

[[folder: Gao Da (高达)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gaoda.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Li Shen]]
A guard escort accompanying Fan Xian to Northern Qi.

* {{Punny Name}}: His name translate to Gundam. Fan Xian made remarks upon first meeting him
* {{Those Two Guys}}: Wang Qinian and Gao Da in the later half of season 1, providing comedic moments as Fan Xian embarks on a dangerous diplomatic mission to Northern Qi.

[[folder: Ye Ling'er (叶灵儿)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ye_linger_0.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Han Jiunuo]]
Lin Wan'er's friend and daughter of the head of the Garrison
----
* {{Action Girl}}
* {{Red is Heroic}}: Although a minor character, Ye Ling'er is nevertheless heroic and almost always wears red.

[[folder: Guo Baokun (郭保坤)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/guo_bao_kun.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Jia Jinghui]]
Guo Youzhi's son. Friend of the Crown Prince.

* {{Bandage Mummy}}: Briefly, after [[spoiler:Fan Xian brutally beats him while searching for information on Teng Zijing's family]]. Played for laughs.
* {{Butt Monkey}}: Is this for the majority of season one. No matter what he does, Guo Baokun's goals always meets a hilariously bad end.
** Subverted later, when he agrees to [[spoiler:help Fan Xian maintain a spy network in Northern Qi.]]
* {{Character Development}}: Initially an incompetent nuisance. Later, he matures and begins to take in the full weight of what's happening around him.

[[folder: Yan Xiaoyi (燕小乙)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yan_xiaoyi.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Li Zifeng]]
Commander of the Palace Guards. The only 9th level archery martial artist in existence. He was saved and promoted from a hunter by Eldest Princess Yunrui, to whom he is very loyal.

* {{The Dragon}}: To Li Yunrui.
* {{Ignored Enamored Underling}}: Yan Xiaoyi's blind devotion to Li Yunrui gives off vibes of this.
* {{Master Archer}}: The only level nine archer in the world.
* {{My Master Right or Wrong}}: To Li Yunrui.
* {{No Arc in Archery}}: Yan Xiaoyi, the one and only Level 9 archer, shoots a couple long-range arrows, which fly very straight.
* {{Recruited From the Gutter}}: The reason for Yan Xiaoyi's loyalty to Li Yunrui.
* {{Super Hearing}}: Can hear the breathing of another person in the next room and know exactly how many people there are.

[[folder: Xie Bi'an (谢必安)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/xie_bian.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Zhao Zhenting]]
The Second Prince's bodyguard. A martial artist who is highly skilled in using swords.

* {{The Dragon}}: To the Second Prince.

[[folder: Ye Qingmei (叶轻眉)]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ye_qingmei.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Played by Yuan Quan]]
Fan Xian's birth mother. Her inventions made the royal family wealthy, which created the Royal Treasury and also founded the Overwatch department.

* {{Heroic Bastard}}: Is the illegitimate son of Fan Jian [[spoiler: actually, the illegitimate son of the emperor]], and is the hero.

* {{The Chessmaster}}

* {{The Spymaster}}

* {{Distressed Dude}}: Enters the plot after being captured in an enemy state and held for interrogation. Fan Xian rescues him.

* {{Freak Out}}: Has one almost immediately after being rescued and learning that Xiao En is still alive. Despite being badly injured and barely able to stand, he attempts to seek out Xiao En himself. Fan Xian manages to appeal to his Blind Obedience to talk him down.

* {{The Chessmaster}}

* {{No Sense of Humor}}: Wuzhu, who takes everything people say to him literally and rarely, if ever, smiles.

Fan Xian's birth mother, and former lover of the emperor. Her inventions made the royal family wealthy, which created the Royal Treasury and also founded the Overwatch department.

* {{Fish out of Temporal Water}}

[[folder: Li Yunrui]]

[[folder: Li Chengqian, The Crown Prince]]