Mingyue

Biodata

Name	Mingyue (明月)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Green Goat Temple 8
Occupation/Role	Daoist Jixin's disciple; temple assistant and trainee healer 8 9
Status	Whereabouts unknown; reportedly left Great Sui with Daoist Jixin after Green Goat Temple was given to refugees 36
First Appearance	Chapter 8

Background / History

Mingyue had lived at Green Goat Temple with Daoist Jixin for a long time and had few friends before Qin Sang arrived. He quickly warmed to Qin Sang after being addressed as “Senior Brother,” showing him the temple's living quarters and helping prepare a room for him. 8 9

As Jixin's disciple, Mingyue assisted with the temple's charitable medical practice: receiving patients, dispensing and grinding medicine, boiling water, cooking, and handling visitors. When Jixin traveled for rituals and herb gathering, he left Mingyue and Qin Sang to look after the temple; Mingyue was disappointed that he could not accompany his master as he normally did. 8 9

Mingyue and Qin Sang became close through shared chores, studies, and training. Qin Sang took over difficult water-hauling work, later constructing a bamboo water pipe that reduced Mingyue's heaviest labor. Mingyue taught Qin Sang about the temple's divination and talisman practices, while Qin Sang taught him the Tiger Subduing Long Fist. 9 10 14

He accompanied Qin Sang into Three Witches City, where he initially stayed shyly close to him but gradually relaxed while they sampled food and bought supplies for the temple. He also joined Qin Sang in medicinal baths, martial training, and hunting. 11 15 16 20

After Green Goat Temple caught fire during the unrest surrounding the rebellion, Mingyue and Daoist Jixin reportedly gave the temple to refugees and departed Great Sui by boat for the south. 36

Appearance

Mingyue is a young Daoist with a likable, youthful appearance. 8 11

• Rosy lips and fair skin. 11
• Wears Taoist robes. 11
• Grew taller and stronger after training in martial arts with Qin Sang. 20
• Often works hard enough at the medicine counter to sweat. 8

Personality

Mingyue is earnest, sociable, and eager to learn. Having lacked friends at the temple, he readily embraces Qin Sang as an elder brother and is reluctant to leave when they have time to talk. 8 9

He is also conscientious toward Daoist Jixin's teachings, treating medical practice seriously and worrying when his master returns late. Although excited by martial arts and city outings, he remains mindful of frugality and fears being scolded for wrongdoing. 10 11 16 20

Abilities & Skills

Temple Medicine and Service

Mingyue supports Daoist Jixin's treatment of patients and helps maintain Green Goat Temple. 8 9

• Dispenses, grinds, and wraps prescribed medicine. 8
• Receives patients and visitors, prepares water and meals, and manages daily temple work. 9
• Can handle minor illnesses when Jixin is away. 9
• Studies herb identification, diagnosis, and prescription writing. 10
• Is not yet qualified to practice medicine independently; Jixin says he requires many more years of study. 10

Daoist Practices

Mingyue studies the practical religious disciplines taught at Green Goat Temple. 10

• Recites scriptures and learns characters. 10
• Studies divination, fortune-slip interpretation, talisman drawing, and ritual procedure. 10
• Acknowledges that the temple's talismans and divination are deceptions rather than genuine spells. 10
• Is not skilled enough for Jixin to let him perform talisman work before others. 10

Martial Arts Training

Mingyue trains in the Tiger Subduing Long Fist under Qin Sang. 10 14

• Began training with Qin Sang for self-protection amid worsening unrest. 13
• Trains with stone hammers and wooden stakes. 15
• Remains markedly less capable than Qin Sang in combat. 16

Relationships

• Daoist Jixin — Master and guardian; Mingyue assists him at Green Goat Temple and follows his instruction in medicine, rituals, and Daoist studies. 8 10 12
• Qin Sang — Senior brother figure and close companion. Qin Sang eases Mingyue's chores, teaches him martial arts, and takes him into Three Witches City; Mingyue shares temple knowledge and training with him. 8 10 11 14 20

Trivia

• Mingyue wanted to bring pastries from Three Witches City back to share with Daoist Jixin. 11
• He was confused by Qin Sang's explanation of “puberty” after experiencing the effects of the medicinal bath. 16
• He worried about being caught when Qin Sang proposed catching pigeons for soup. 20