Xie Mingshu

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Xie Mingshu (谢明姝)
Alias(es)	Puppet Xie Mingshu; reborn Xie Mingshu
Species/Race	Human; previously existed as a wooden puppet
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Allied with Chu Lu and his companions during the confrontation with Fei Wu 385 394
Occupation/Role	Survivor seeking vengeance against Fei Wu
Status	Alive; kills Fei Wu, then collapses emotionally 394
First Appearance	Chapter 283, within Chu Lu's dream; appears in person in Chapter 369 283 369

Background / History

Displacement and puppet existence

Xie Mingshu's life was overtaken by a false “Xie Mingshu,” an impostor who assumed her identity and treated her body and family as tools. Xie Mingshu's consciousness became bound to a wooden puppet, leaving her unable to intervene while the impostor manipulated Madam Ling, the Xie household, and Xie Lingxiao. 283 295 311

The false Xie Mingshu arranged Xie Lingxiao's mistreatment, exploiting her protagonist halo to turn servants, tutors, and collateral relatives against him. Xie Mingshu, trapped as a puppet, repeatedly pleaded for the abuse to stop but could only watch. 311 312

After the impostor discarded the puppet, Xie Mingshu was reincarnated as Xie Chengyuan and Madam Bai's daughter. Her new life remained painful: Xie Chengyuan kept his distance, burdened by grief over Madam Ling, while Xie Mingshu discovered that Madam Ling had become influential but remained under the false Xie Mingshu's control. 336 362

Attempted revenge

Xie Mingshu resolved to assassinate the impostor despite being only a child. She secretly obtained a small rusty knife and prepared to approach her target as she had done in her previous life. 368

Her attempt failed. She fell into a ten-year coma, during which the impostor devastated the Xie family. Upon waking, Xie Mingshu found her father reduced to poverty and her family scattered. The impostor later tortured her into admitting supposed “wrongdoings,” then stabbed her and left her to die. 368

As she lay dying, Xie Mingshu saw a woman with Fei Wu's face emerge from the false Xie Mingshu's body, exposing the connection between the impostor and Fei Wu. 368

Contact with Chu Lu

Xie Mingshu sent Chu Lu a series of dreams depicting her past, intending to make him understand her suffering and earn his trust. She eventually appeared before him in person and asked him to create an uninterrupted one-on-one battle between herself and Fei Wu. 283 369

She withheld the details of her origins, survival, and plan, causing Chu Lu to distrust her proposal. Despite this, he later arranged the conditions for her confrontation with Fei Wu. 369 385

Appearance

When she first appears before Chu Lu, Xie Mingshu is a frail-looking girl of about fifteen or sixteen, dressed in coarse clothing. Her complexion is frighteningly pale, but her eyes burn with intense resolve. 369

• Physically weak and sickly in appearance. 369
• Bright, flame-like eyes marked by deep hatred and determination. 369
• Previously inhabited a small wooden-puppet body while observing the impostor's actions. 283 295

Personality

Xie Mingshu is driven by an enduring hatred of Fei Wu and the false Xie Mingshu, but her revenge is rooted in the destruction of her family rather than simple personal resentment. She endures humiliation, injury, and fear when she believes doing so can protect her father and Madam Bai. 368 394

She is secretive and cautious, refusing to disclose the full nature of her plan even when this risks losing Chu Lu's support. Her inability to trust others completely contrasts with her willingness to gamble her own life for a chance to kill Fei Wu. 369

Despite her frailty, Xie Mingshu remains defiant under overwhelming pressure. After Fei Wu breaks her arm and exposes her before the great female protagonists, she continues confronting them and condemning their hypocrisy. 386

Abilities & Skills

Dream Transmission

Xie Mingshu can send dreams to Chu Lu and make him experience her memories from the perspective of her puppet self. She uses this ability to reveal her past and demonstrate her resolve against Fei Wu. 283 313 369

• Transmits detailed memories rather than simple messages.
• Allows Chu Lu to feel the puppet Xie Mingshu's emotions. 313
• Used to seek Chu Lu's trust and cooperation. 369

Wooden Carving Trap

Xie Mingshu possesses a palm-sized wooden carving depicting a caged doll. By applying her blood to it, she temporarily activates a limitation within Fei Wu's original character setting and suppresses Fei Wu's power. 385

• Forces Fei Wu into a powerless, immobilized state long enough for Xie Mingshu to attempt execution. 385
• Depends on Fei Wu retaining the relevant original character-setting weakness.
• Becomes ineffective after Fei Wu uses authority to modify her own settings and erase that weakness. 390

Combat Anticipation

During her first direct battle with Fei Wu, Xie Mingshu evades attacks through precise, preemptive movements, acting as though she can anticipate Fei Wu's strikes. 385

• Uses minimal movements to avoid attacks despite lacking superior speed. 385
• Has intimate knowledge of Fei Wu's habits and weaknesses.
• Cannot overcome Fei Wu's full strength alone; Fei Wu later breaks her arm with ease. 386

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Wooden cage carving — A blood-activated carving that triggers a suppressive flaw in Fei Wu's original setting. 385
• Small knife — A blade Xie Mingshu first obtained for her childhood assassination attempt; she retains it and uses it to repeatedly stab Fei Wu. 368 385 394

Relationships

• Chu Lu — Initially a wary prospective ally. Xie Mingshu sends him dreams of her past and asks him to arrange a private battle with Fei Wu; he ultimately supports the confrontation. 369 385 394
• Fei Wu — Primary enemy and source of Xie Mingshu's suffering. Fei Wu's connection to the false Xie Mingshu destroys her family and drives her pursuit of revenge. 368 385 394
• Madam Ling — Xie Mingshu's birth mother. Fei Wu manipulates Madam Ling into acts that devastate the family, leaving their reunion painful and conflicted. 362 387
• Madam Bai — Xie Mingshu's mother in her reborn life. Their initially troubled relationship becomes a source of guilt and protectiveness for Xie Mingshu. 362 368
• Xie Chengyuan — Her father. His grief and complicated history leave him emotionally distant from Xie Mingshu after her rebirth. 336 362
• Shen Miaomiao — Provides Xie Mingshu with the wooden carving and information about Fei Wu's inherent character-setting weakness. 385

Major Arcs

*A Sad Song in a Dream*

Chu Lu repeatedly experiences Xie Mingshu's memories through dreams, witnessing her puppet existence, her family's collapse, her rebirth, and her failed attempt to destroy the false Xie Mingshu. 283 295 311 336 362 368

Alliance against Fei Wu

Xie Mingshu appears before Chu Lu and requests an opportunity to face Fei Wu alone. Although she refuses to reveal the full plan, Chu Lu later enables the confrontation at the ruined temple. 369 384 385

Revenge against Fei Wu

Xie Mingshu initially suppresses Fei Wu with the wooden carving, but Fei Wu counters by modifying her own character settings. After enduring further loss and injury, Xie Mingshu finally overpowers Fei Wu and kills her with repeated knife strikes. 385 390 394

Notable Quotes

“Then, we join forces. You help me… kill Fei Wu!” 369

“I've waited too long for this moment! The time for revenge has finally come!” 385