An Yingying

Biodata

Background

An Yingying came from a scholarly family in Jiangnan. Years before her marriage, Old General Gu saved Old Master An’s life; Old Master An later sent grain and fodder to the Northern Borderlands when supplies ran short. Gu Qingshi’s grandfather subsequently proposed a childhood betrothal between Yingying and Qingshi, and they married when she came of age 10 25.

Yingying had admired Qingshi since childhood and fell in love with him after a brief meeting at the An residence. By the time she met Yan Wanning, she had lived in the Northern Borderlands for just over two years 10 24.

Personality

Yingying is gentle and quiet, but readily makes friends. She spoke with Yan Wanning easily at their first meeting and joined Liyue and Wanning in an energetic outing at Fragrant Fullness Tower 10 13.

She is protective and generous: she pushed Wanning out of the path of a falling guest and volunteered both her time and savings for refugee relief. Although she endured repeated humiliation in the Gu household, she eventually confronted Qingshi and asked to part by mutual agreement 10 17 25 26.

Story Role

Friendship with Yan Wanning

At a flower-viewing banquet, Yingying had her husband’s younger sister, Gu Shuang, taken away after she became drunk, then apologized to Yan Wanning on her behalf. Yingying and Wanning bonded over having married far from home and agreed to address each other by name. Soon afterward, Yingying pushed Wanning clear of a guest falling toward the lotus pond 10.

At Fragrant Fullness Tower, Yingying and Wanning explored with Liyue. Bai Lian later approached Yingying and tried to make her appear cruel; when Bai Lian feigned a fall toward her, Liyue pulled Yingying aside 13 14.

When Wanning planned a banquet to raise aid for displaced people, Yingying volunteered to send invitations and contribute her savings. She attended the resulting banquet 17 18.

Marriage troubles and pregnancy

Yingying confided in Wanning that Qingshi planned to take Bai Lian as a concubine. She said he had hit her for Bai Lian’s sake, though the narration later indicates that Wanning misunderstood what Yingying meant by “hitting.” Yingying also recalled Qingshi blaming her after Bai Lian fell into a pond while showing Bai Lian a concern he had never shown his wife 23 24 26.

Yingying confronted Qingshi about his neglect and Old Madam Gu’s repeated humiliation of her. He apologized and promised not to take Bai Lian as a concubine, but Yingying asked to part by mutual agreement. Qingshi refused and asked whether they could try again 25 26.

Old Madam Gu later had Yingying brought to her courtyard by force and insisted that Qingshi take Bai Lian as an equal wife. Madam Gu intervened, and Qingshi refused his grandmother’s demand. Yingying fainted and began bleeding; a physician saved her pregnancy and revealed that she was a little over a month pregnant. Qingshi threatened to establish a separate household if his grandmother continued to trouble her, and Old Madam Gu promised not to interfere 30 31 32.

At Old Madam Gu’s birthday celebration, Wanning visited Yingying, who was resting with a chill. Yingying said Bai Lian had been betrothed to the Sun family, but kept her pregnancy private on the physician’s advice. At Wanning’s departure for the capital, Yingying revealed that she was three months pregnant and accepted a jade bracelet for the child 33 35.

Relationships

• Yan Wanning — A close friend who listened to Yingying’s marital troubles and supported her. Yingying helped organize Wanning’s refugee-relief banquet 10 17 23.
• Gu Qingshi — Her husband and childhood fiancé. His treatment of Yingying and his plan to take Bai Lian as a concubine led her to request a separation; he later promised to protect her 24 26 31.
• Bai Lian — Raised in the Gu residence alongside Qingshi. Yingying initially hoped to treat her as a younger sister, but came to resent Qingshi’s preference for her and the proposed concubinage 23 24.
• Old Madam Gu — Qingshi’s grandmother, who repeatedly belittled Yingying and favored Bai Lian. She eventually promised not to interfere in the couple’s affairs 25 31 32.
• Madam Gu — Yingying’s mother-in-law, who intervened when Old Madam Gu mistreated her and rebuked Qingshi for failing to protect her 30 32.
• Gu Shuang — Qingshi’s younger sister, whom Yingying helped after she became drunk at the flower-viewing banquet 10.
• Liyue — A friend who joined Yingying and Wanning at Fragrant Fullness Tower and pulled Yingying away when Bai Lian feigned a fall 13 14.
• Xue’er — Yingying’s maid, who sought help when Yingying was taken to Old Madam Gu’s courtyard 23 30.