Jian'an Emperor

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Jian'an Emperor Zhao Yongxu (建安皇帝)
Alias(es)	Jian'an Emperor; Father Emperor
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Great Wei Imperial Family; Great Wei imperial court
Occupation/Role	Seventh Emperor of Great Wei
Status	Reigning emperor; declares his intention to abdicate in favor of Crown Prince Zhao Hongming 239
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Zhao Yongxu is the seventh emperor of Great Wei. By the time he is first described directly, he has reigned for twenty-five years and is forty-six years old. His rule is credited with reducing taxes, supporting the people’s livelihood, quelling several martial-artist rebellions, and preserving internal stability. 3

His authority is constrained by Great Wei’s powerful Martial Arts Forces and by the National Luck Suppression borne by the royal family. He privately wishes to locate Great Wei’s Dragon Veins, suppress the National Destiny weighing upon him, and wield the God-Demon Weapon without being restrained by outside forces. 34

Zhao Yongxu initially considers his fifth son, Zhao Hongming, quiet, detached, and unremarkable. He permits him to enter the Royal Martial Repository Pavilion largely because he is not valued, then arranges for Chen Xuerong to periodically exchange martial knowledge with him in hopes that the talented girl will discourage him from pursuing cultivation. 1 10

Appearance

At forty-six, Zhao Yongxu is a burly, vigorous man with shoulder-length black hair. Despite decades of administrative work, he shows no sign of physical decline. 3

• Sharp eyes said to resemble Zhao Hongming’s. 3
• Carries an imposing authority even when expressionless. 3
• Retains a healthy, energetic appearance years into his reign. 3

Personality

Zhao Yongxu is calculating, patient, and highly conscious of the balance between imperial authority, ministers, royal princes, and Martial Arts Forces. He prefers a divided court to a unified ministerial bloc, regarding competing opinions as safer for the throne. 192

He can be ruthless when imperial power is threatened. Following palace unrest, he stages a massive purge in Great Liang City; later, he executes more than ten officials accused of treason before formally naming Zhao Hongming Crown Prince. 75 222

Despite his severity, Zhao Yongxu takes visible pride in Zhao Hongming’s achievements and gradually regrets having neglected him. His attitude shifts from treating the Fifth Prince as expendable to actively strengthening his position, supporting his army, and preparing him for succession. 86 156 188 205

Abilities & Authority

Seven Stars Heaven Severing Grand Formation

Zhao Yongxu can employ the Imperial Palace’s formation through National Destiny. Its pressure can suppress powerful Martial Warriors within the palace grounds. 89

• Overwhelmed Zhengyi Sect Elder Li Zhiwu with escalating pressure, forcing him to his knees and expelling him from Qianqing Palace. 89
• The formation is linked to the Imperial Jade Seal and can be activated by royal blood. 215
• He secretly arranged safeguards that prevented Fourth Prince Zhao Hongli from successfully activating it during the palace coup. 215

Imperial Strategy

Zhao Yongxu governs through alliances, controlled rivalries, military preparation, and selective patronage.

• Uses marriage arrangements and sect negotiations to manage political factions. 10 101
• Offered the nearly completed God-Demon Weapon to persuade the Zhengyi Sect to intervene against the Red River Palace Master. 46
• Supplies Zhao Hongming with arms sufficient to equip a major force: 100,000 armor sets, 70,000 spears, 20,000 swords, 10,000 crossbows, and 20,000 shields. 156
• Threatens to seek Xuantian Manor’s assistance through the refinement of Purple Sun Pills when Bi Lingjun resists his demands. 193

Equipment / State Assets

• Imperial Jade Seal — Key to the Seven Stars Heaven Severing Grand Formation; Zhao Yongxu returns it to Zhao Hongming after the Fourth Prince’s defeat. 215 217
• God-Demon Weapon — A major imperial forging project intended to strengthen royal power; Zhao Yongxu later orders its forging restarted after learning of Zhao Hongming’s combat strength. 46 201
• Purple Sun Pill formula — An imperial-only refinement method requiring the vital blood of ten thousand Martial Warriors and National Destiny as kindling. 193

Relationships

• Zhao Hongming — Fifth son, later Martial King and Crown Prince. Zhao Yongxu initially neglects him, then becomes his strongest imperial patron and eventual supporter in succession. 86 156 222 239
• Feng Dabao — Seal-holding eunuch and trusted confidant. Feng reports sensitive intelligence, carries out imperial orders, and frequently mediates the emperor’s dealings with Zhao Hongming. 10 58 201
• Zhao Hongli — Fourth son, later Prince Tai. Zhao Yongxu recognizes his ambition but views his alliance with the Huo Family and attempted usurpation as a threat to Great Wei. 210 211
• Bi Lingjun — Zhengyi Sect Master. Their relationship is an uneasy negotiation between imperial necessity and sectarian power. 101 193
• Consort Shu — Zhao Hongming’s deceased mother. Zhao Yongxu later admits that he treated her poorly and regrets failing to recognize her son’s potential sooner. 215
• Chen Mou — Minister of Works. Zhao Yongxu orders him to produce arms for Zhao Hongming and later releases him from prison to assist the Crown Prince’s river-management efforts. 156 222

Story Role / Major Arcs

Early Reign and Palace Politics

Zhao Yongxu rules a stable but politically constrained Great Wei, relying on Feng Dabao and the imperial court while managing the influence of sects and noble families. He permits Zhao Hongming to cultivate because he considers the prince unlikely to achieve much under National Luck Suppression. 1 10

War, Assassinations, and the Great Liang Purge

After an assassination attempt and the death of the Crown Prince, Zhao Yongxu collapses from grief in court. He later regains control through a coup in Great Liang City, killing nearly ten thousand people—including officials and foreign Martial Warriors—to purge threats to the throne. 18 60 75

Recognition of Zhao Hongming

Zhao Yongxu is shocked to learn that Zhao Hongming may have become an Innate Martial Artist after killing two Chu Innates. When Zhao Hongming later reveals that he absorbed part of Great Wei’s Dragon Vein, Zhao Yongxu apologizes for his past treatment and increases his stipend and resources. 58 86

He grants Zhao Hongming the title of Martial King and Ying Commandery as a fief, recognizing both his martial talent and political value to the Zhao Clan. 87 101 102

Building the Martial King’s Power

As Zhao Hongming secures Ying Commandery and destroys local Martial Arts Forces, Zhao Yongxu openly celebrates his accomplishments while privately hoping that his son will eventually break the sects’ dominance over the imperial family. 143

He equips the Martial King’s forces against Zhao Country and increasingly directs court policy toward supporting him. After the Battle of Jin Yin, he orders further military action against Zhao Country but also restricts court discussion to ensure the Wei Elite Soldiers and Wu Qi receive public credit. 156 174

Succession Crisis

When Zhao Hongli plots to force abdication, Zhao Yongxu remains outwardly calm, having prepared Zhao Hongming as a counterweight. The Fourth Prince temporarily seizes the palace, but Zhao Hongming returns with the Wei Elite Soldiers, recovers the Imperial Jade Seal, and restores Zhao Yongxu’s position. 208 211 215 217

Zhao Yongxu subsequently purges officials tied to the coup and formally names Zhao Hongming Crown Prince, giving him broad authority over state affairs. 222

Abdication Preparations

After Zhao Hongming destroys the Zhengyi Sect’s leadership and brings its wealth to Great Wei, Zhao Yongxu sees an opportunity for Wei to surpass the other Six Kingdoms. He sets a coronation date for the New Year and declares that Zhao Hongming, rather than himself, may be the one capable of unifying the realm. 238 239

Notable Quotes

“How could the weight of a nation's fortune be something a Martial Warrior like you can withstand?” 89

“The revival of our Great Wei is at hand.” 156

“My Qilin Child is truly a great man!” 229

“If anyone can unify the world, I fear it cannot be Me—but you can do it, Crown Prince.” 239

Trivia

• Zhao Yongxu has a habit of feeding carp in the Imperial Garden while discussing sensitive political matters with Feng Dabao. 10 192
• He deliberately avoided appointing a Chancellor during his reign because he feared the office could become powerful enough to challenge the royal family. 129
• He considers Zhao Hongming’s former residence, Clear Breeze Pavilion, evidence of the Fifth Prince’s detached temperament and of his own past neglect as a father. 205