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aka: Kingdom Chancellor Ryou Fui Faction

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A group of Qin officials in service of Lü Buwei. Most prominent among them are his "Four Pillars", his most trusted servants.


Lü Buwei

Japanese Pronunciation: Ryo Fui

Voiced by: Tesshō Genda (Japanese), Brent Mukai (English, Season 3 onwards)
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ryofui_kingdom.png
Chancellor of the Qin State

The chancellor of Qin and the real power behind the Qin Kingdom. Lü Buwei was a former merchant who used his wealth to place Zheng's father on the throne, and since then he has been the most powerful man in the kingdom and Zheng's greatest personal obstacle. His vision for China is that of a capitalist state where Qin is its economic mecca and therefore indispensable, and through bringing great wealth to China bring peace to the warring states.

Stats: Strength |60|, Leadership |90|, Knowledge |90|, Ambition |100|, Politics |90|, Gambling Luck |100|

  • Affably Evil: He's genuine about his desire to take down Zheng, but he's also polite and friendly, especially towards his subordinates.
  • Ambition Is Evil: He wants to become the king of Qin, and later all of China himself, and has no shame throwing anyone who stands in the way under the bus.
  • Born in the Wrong Century: His ideas of how peace can be obtained via economic dominance may succeed in a different era, but the Warring States Period is too different for such an answer to be viable.
  • Big Bad: Of Act 1: the power struggle between Zheng and Lü Buwei has been going on for almost 400 chapters. With him gone, Li Mu remains Qin's only major concern.
  • The Chessmaster: He has a lot of powerful connections in and outside of Qin to do all the dirty work without him being in danger in any way.
  • Everyone Has Standards: He never touches state funds to finance his political ambitions. He uses his money and his money only.
  • Evil Chancellor: Zheng can hardly catch a break when the second most powerful man in the country starts a civil war every now and then.
  • Faking the Dead: In the annals of history it is marked that he dies from poison, however, the manga frames this as a way to escape his exile and see Zheng's vision of a peaceful world with his own eyes.
  • Foil: To Li Mu, who holds a similar title in Zhao, and another Big Bad of the story. They both would like to stop the war, and use a lot of people to fight in their stead. But while Li Mu is mostly a Nice Guy who can be the greatest Frontline General when needed and is only protecting his country, Lü Buwei is a chronic The Man Behind the Man with never ending ambition and confidence. When they both meet, Li Mu comments that the first thing he should do after conquering Qin is to get rid of Lü Buwei.
  • The Gambler: Likes to make allusions to gambles, especially when the situation is dire.
    • I Like Those Odds: During the Qin Invasion, he considers 20% to be a good gamble at victory.
  • Graceful Loser: Even when completely defeated, he is never shown to lose control of his emotions, and decides to watch Zheng from afar without getting any more involved.
  • Greater-Scope Villain: Chengjiao's rebellion, Qiang Lei and other assassins attacking Zheng, Queen Mother gaining power, Tunliu's rebellion, the State of Ai emerging. Lü Buwei pretty much tells everyone he wants to get the king killed, but since he's not involved directly and his supporters would cause a riot, nobody can accuse him.
  • Hidden Depths: He is a visionary statesman who is way, way, way ahead of his time.
  • Hypocrite: He tells Zheng that he plans on using nonviolent means in order to conquer the land. While staging a violent coup d´etat on the royal family more than once.
  • Kavorka Man: The Queen Mother is absolutely crazy for him.
  • Large and in Charge: Like many other villains, he is no small man.
  • Long Game: He planted a Zhao girl into Qin's royal family and kept romancing her for two decades, so he could destabilize Qin when the chance presented itself.
  • Luke, I Am Your Father: After his arrest, he states he is Zheng's father, though he later says it was a joke as the dates between him bedding the Queen Dowager and Zheng's birth are too far apart to be accurate. Lu Buwei being Qin Shi Huang's real father is an actual rumor in Chinese history.
  • Manipulative Bastard: If there's some machinations going on in the Qin court, one can bet Lü Buwei is involved. He had Chengjiao, Zheng's brother and one of his strongest supporters assassinated while making it appear as though he was planning a coup. Even the Empress Dowager, with her plan to have the State of Ai conquer Xianyang by entering with the Royal Seal, was only playing in his hand.
  • Merchant Prince: He has an almost limitless amount of money and believes a man of wealth like himself should be in power.
  • Moral Myopia: He is stunned to hear that Wang Jian wants to rule a kingdom on his own.
  • Perpetual Smiler: It's very hard to wipe that smile off his lips.
  • Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: Pretty much the main reason he can get away with anything, which in turn becomes Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!.
  • Stroke the Beard: Often seen doing this, like in Chinese period dramas.
  • Sliding Scaleof Idealism Vs Cynicism: Fiercely on the cynical side, believing mankind to be naturally greedy and selfish.
  • Smug Snake: Borderline case. He does live up to his huge self-esteem most of the time, but the few times he is outplayed, it takes him a while to grasp the situation.
  • You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: If any of his proxies fail or about to fail, don't expect him to bail them from Zheng's anger.
  • Villain Has a Point: He argues that Zheng starting The War to End All Wars would turn into Despotism Justifies the Means, and whatever is left of China will be short lived and ruled with an iron fist. Historically Zheng, along with being a progressive reformer, is known as a warmonger and a tyrant, and China broke apart again less than a century later.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: He hates the idea of war and murder and wants the Warring States to solve their international conflicts in any other way, while making Qin an industrial center. Too bad he has to kill a lot of people to achieve that.
  • Wrong Genre Savvy: He believes that as Evil Chancellor, he can get everything he wants by throwing money and pulling the right strings. But because he's neither a general nor a strategist in a World of Badass, he gets repeatedly Out-Gambitted because Zheng got the strongest people with Undying Loyalty.

Meng Wu

Japanese Pronunciation: Mou Bu

One of the Four Pillars of Lü Buwei. He has the reputation of currently being the strongest warrior in all of Qin. He's also the father of Meng Tian and Meng Tian and the son of Mou Gou.

See Kingdom Qin Military.

Lord Changping (Changping Jun)

Japanese Pronunciation: Lord Shouhei (Shouhei Kun)

Voiced by: Jun'ichi Suwabe (Japanese), Mick Lauer (English, Season 3 onwards)

One of the Four Pillars of Lü Buwei. A genius strategist as well as the later Qin Minister of the Right.

Stats: Strength |89|, Leadership |95|, Knowledge |97|, Handsomeness |95|

  • The Chessmaster: Qin's best strategist. As the Head of Military Affairs, Qin's warfare begins with him, and it is his manipulations and strategies that allowed Qin to defeat the coalition army and place Zhao, Wei, and Han in critical positions.
  • Childhood Friends: with Meng Wu.
  • The Dragon or Number Two: Lü Buwei's highest-ranking supporter.
  • Genius Bruiser: He is no slouch on the battlefield- he is, generally speaking, on the same level as Meng Wu in combat and an equal strategist to Li Mu.
  • Hypercompetent Sidekick
  • Heel–Face Turn: Sides with Zheng over Lü Buwei during the Lao Ai Rebellion.
  • Noble Demon: When it really matters, he is willing to put Qin above the faction struggles. He lends crucial aid to Zui during the coalition army invasion against Lü Buwei's wishes, and warned He Liao Diao of the Lao Ai plot just in time for the Fei Xin Unit to make a difference.
  • Perpetual Frowner: He hasn't smiled ONCE so far.
  • Punch-Clock Villain: He is allied with Lü Buwei only because he believes it is the best course for Qin. He begins to turn towards the king's faction as Zheng's personal virtues becomes apparent.
  • The Strategist: One of the very best among them.

Li Si

Japanese Pronunciation: Ri Shi

Voiced by: Aoki Tsuyoshi (Japanese), George Ledoux (English, Season 3 onwards)

One of the Four Pillars of Lü Buwei. His forte lies in domestic administration. An expert in the philosophical doctrine of Legalism.

Stats: Strength |55|, Leadership |84|, Knowledge |90|, Politics |95|

Cai Ze

Japanese Pronunciation: Sai Taku

Voiced by: Mitsuo Senda

One of the Four Pillars of Lü Buwei. A masterful ambassador.

Stats: Strength |3|, Leadership |92|, Knowledge |93|, Experience |100|

  • Ambadassador: While he has the lowest combat stat of any character shown so far (a measly 3), he is also among the best diplomats in all of China.
  • The Charmer: He is not above making use of his many positive relationships with rulers of other countries such as the King of Qi.
  • Cool Old Guy: One of the oldest characters shown so far.
  • Go Out with a Smile: He dies in the knowledge that he contributed to Qi and Qin's alliance, and is thus happy. King Wangjian keeps him for the rest of the banquet without letting anyone disturb him before taking him with him.
  • Heel–Face Turn: Zheng's words during his confrontation with Lü Buwei won him over.
  • Non-Action Guy: The physically weakest and oddest out of Lü Buwei's Four Pillars.
  • Signature Laugh: Hyohyohyo...
  • Perpetual Smiler: In stark contrast to the rest of Lü Buwei's faction.

Meng Yi

Japanese Pronunciation: Mou Ki

Voiced by: Fumie Mizusawa

Younger brother of Meng Tian and son of Meng Wu. He is a strategist working for Lord Changping.


  • Like Father, Unlike Son: Like his brother Meng Tian, Meng Tian is radically different to Meng Wu not only in looks, but in character as he chose the life of a strategist over one of brawn, though he ultimately wishes to use his tactics to aid his father on the battlefield to make up for his deficiencies.
  • Non-Action Guy: Only gets a true taste of war during the State of Ai's insurrection, and ultimately shows no martial prowess.
  • Ship Tease: Is teased by Jie Yi about his and He Liao Diao's relationship, though neither seems particularly interested.
  • The Smart Guy
  • The Strategist: Is considered of high enough intellect that Lord Changping personally plans campaigns with him if he desires further input.

Jie Yi

Japanese Pronunciation: Kai Oku

Voiced by: Ken'ichirou Matsuda (Japanese), Jim Foronda (English, Season 3 onwards)

Lord Changping's vassal and a teacher of strategists.


  • Good Hair, Evil Hair: Sports a long, thin mustache, but completely heroic nonetheless.
  • Troll: Likes to tease his students or subordinates.

Pu He

Japanese Pronunciation: Ho Kaku

Alternative Title(s): Kingdom Chancellor Ryou Fui Faction

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