Xiao Zhaohuang

Biodata

Background and History

Xiao Zhaohuang was the Liang Emperor Xiao Chengqian’s fifth daughter, born to the empress. At her father’s command, she set aside the quiet life she wanted and led military campaigns, earning prestige and influence at court. The emperor intended her to act as a rival who would sharpen his chosen successor, her nephew Xiao Chengchen 78 94.

Succession crisis

As the emperor lay dying, he prepared an edict naming Xiao Chengchen heir. Before it could be sealed, Xiao Wenhan arrived with an alleged Immortal Elixir. Zhaohuang stopped Chengchen from acting as though he had already inherited authority and summoned Wenhan at the emperor’s request 79 80.

Although she doubted the pill, Zhaohuang gave it to her father after seeing his desperation. He appeared to die but revived, praised her for saving him, and promised to make amends 81 82.

Prince Ning’s rebellion

The emperor ordered Zhaohuang to suppress her fourth brother, Prince Ning Xiao Yuanheng, and bring him back alive. She entered Dingzhou with her Phoenix Plume Guards, investigated reports of the Immortal, and met the Myriad Flowers Fairy in disguise 87 94 96.

Gao Yunyi later descended before her army and took her Nation-Guarding Divine Sword to recover material inside it. After melting the sword, he gave her an Azure Mystic Sword in exchange. Zhaohuang interpreted the gift as a possible sign that the Immortal wanted her to rule 100 101.

At Zhenning City, she let Ji Province’s officials and soldiers earn merit in the siege, hoping to secure their loyalty. An enormous purple Immortal sword then passed over the battlefield, devastating the imperial encampment; Zhaohuang remained composed while the soldiers struggled under its pressure 116 117.

Struggle for the throne

After the Immortal came to the Capital, Zhaohuang returned with several hundred guards, determined not to fall behind her rivals. She welcomed Gao Yunyi to her residence and grew close to him, while investigating her father’s secret activities through the Pacification Investigation Office 132 150 159.

Her father offered to pass her the throne if she released arrested officials. She refused, demanded Command of All the Armies, and opposed his plan to remove the Immortal. When he ordered her seized, his guards did nothing 172 173.

After witnessing Gao Yunyi kill the forces sent against him, Zhaohuang’s romantic feelings gave way to fear and awe, although her affection later resurfaced. She defeated Xiao Chengchen’s attempt to challenge her at Xuanwu Gate and chose to spare him, arranging for him to live elsewhere under another identity 181 182 189 192 201.

Reign

Zhaohuang ascended the throne under the reign title Xuanqi, appointed Xiao Gaoyi heir apparent, and enshrined the Azure Profound Immortal Venerable as protector of the state. She issued an amnesty, reduced taxes, and announced a special examination. On returning to her residence, she learned that Gao Yunyi had departed without saying goodbye 211.

A year later, a report of the Immortal bringing rain to Eastern Sichuan prompted her to order a search that would not disturb him. She also ordered an investigation into embezzled disaster-relief funds and the distribution of relief grain 247.

When she learned that a woman in Baijia Town claimed to be the Immortal’s bride, Zhaohuang prepared to travel there and threatened the woman. Wang Yanan warned that harming the bride could anger him, and Zhaohuang abandoned the plan. She subsequently removed Zhang Qingyan from the Pacification Investigation Office for concealing the news 271.

Appearance

Zhaohuang combines a heroic, imposing bearing with a naturally charming appearance 78.

• Eyes and features: Phoenix eyes, an exquisitely beautiful face, and a small vermilion mole on her nose 78 167.
• Martial dress: A fitted black outfit with her hair tied up and waist cinched 154.
• Formal dress: At court, she wore a Nine-Pheasant Four-Phoenix Crown and a Blue Pheasant Robe with a red outer gown 172.
• Preferred color: She likes red, though she ordinarily avoided wearing it publicly as a princess 150.

Personality

Zhaohuang initially wanted a peaceful life of needlework and poetry rather than the throne. She nevertheless became a formidable commander and political rival, partly because she believed neither Xiao Chengchen nor Prince Ning was fit to rule and feared for her followers if Chengchen succeeded 78.

She is decisive and calculating in public, but often keeps her troubles private, releasing her emotions through martial practice. She can also be severe: after discovering that disaster-relief funds had been embezzled, she ordered a sweeping investigation and showed little sympathy for the officials responsible 83 247.

Her feelings toward Gao Yunyi range from attraction and devotion to fear of his overwhelming power. His attention made her self-conscious, and she sought to present her true self around him; even after becoming empress, she remained deeply affected by news of him 150 181 247.

Abilities and Skills

Martial arts and innate strength

Zhaohuang possesses Innate Divine Strength and trained under the Heavenly Secret Elder. Her skill was further tempered through years of campaigning 81 83 205.

• Wields a seventy-jin war halberd with ease 98.
• Cracked bluestone slabs with a halberd strike during a demonstration 154.
• Shot three arrows simultaneously into a bull’s-eye while riding at a gallop 83.
• As a martial artist, sensed the lingering Sword Intent at the site of an Immortal’s strike 97.

Military command

Zhaohuang led campaigns in all four directions and accumulated substantial military prestige. At Zhenning, she used the siege as an opportunity to win the loyalty of Ji Province’s officials and soldiers 78 87 116.

Needlework

Zhaohuang enjoys embroidery and sewing. She worked on an embroidered image of Gao Yunyi and later presented him with a blue robe she had made 151 166 210.

Equipment and Mounts

• Nation-Guarding Divine Sword — Bestowed by her father and carried on campaign. Gao Yunyi melted it to extract the material he needed 101.
• +1 Azure Mystic Sword — Given by Gao Yunyi in exchange for the material in her sword; she later called it the New Nation-Guarding Divine Sword 101 116.
• War halberd — A seventy-jin weapon she wielded in training 83 98.
• Red Hare — Her fiery-red horse, used for riding and mounted archery 83.
• Maybach Crane — Gao Yunyi’s Immortal Bird, which she purchased with rare materials. She still needed to earn the bird’s acceptance before it would carry her 198 200.
• Beauty-Preserving Pill — A gift from Gao Yunyi; she accepted it but did not immediately take it 210.

Relationships

• Xiao Chengqian — Her father, the Liang Emperor. He elevated her as a rival to Chengchen but refused to make her his heir; their relationship later deteriorated over his plans against the Immortal 78 173.
• Xiao Chengchen — Her nephew and rival for the succession. She had treated him affectionately when he was a child, but later opposed his claim and defeated his challenge at Xuanwu Gate 78 189 192.
• Xiao Yuanheng — Her fourth brother, Prince Ning. She was ordered to suppress his rebellion and bring him back alive 78 87.
• Gao Yunyi — The Azure Profound Immortal Venerable. She came to admire and love him, defended him against her father, and enshrined him as protector of the state 150 173 211.
• Xiao Gaoyi — Her young nephew, whom she raised and appointed heir apparent. She encouraged him to become strong and later comforted him when he missed Gao Yunyi 186 211 247.
• Heavenly Secret Elder — Her martial-arts master. She was relieved when Gao Yunyi assured her that he was safe, unaware that Gao had transformed him into a person-demon 205 210.
• Myriad Flowers Fairy (Li Wanhua) — An Immortal-Worshipping Sect figure whom Zhaohuang met in disguise. Zhaohuang envied the Immortal’s gifts to her and later regarded her love for him warily 96 98 267.
• Zhang Qingyan — Gao Yunyi’s close companion. Zhaohuang initially disliked him and later dismissed him from the Pacification Investigation Office for concealing news of the Immortal’s alleged bride 148 271.
• Wang Yanan — A Pacification Investigation Office deputy commander who warned Zhaohuang against harming the alleged bride 180 271.