Xiao Ruoyun

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Xiao Ruoyun (肖若雲)
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Crown Prince's Estate; Ninth Prince's faction; imperial harem under Emperor Rong Ge 188 214 246
Occupation/Role	Crown Prince Rong Qing's secondary consort; later a female official and de facto head of the harem 214 224 234
Status	Deceased; poisoned by Qin Yuyao after her failed public assassination attempt 256
First Appearance	Chapter 180

Background

Xiao Ruoyun came from the scholarly Xiao family and was raised as a celebrated noble lady. She was known in the capital as “Miss Yunmeng,” a beauty and accomplished talent in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Her father was Grand Tutor Xiao, whose concern for her repeatedly affected his judgment and actions. 194 252

She and He Feng were childhood sweethearts, and Xiao Ruoyun had once saved his life. Although the Emperor later betrothed her to Crown Prince Rong Qing, she continued to rely on He Feng’s guilt and former promises to retain influence over him. 264 298

In her previous life, Xiao Ruoyun stabbed Rong Qing from behind and chose to side with He Feng during the succession struggle. In the current life, she retained memories that let her make highly profitable investments and open numerous successful shops after marriage. 187 215

Appearance

Xiao Ruoyun is regarded as one of the capital’s foremost beauties and talented women. When receiving Emperor Rong Ge, she deliberately emphasized an alluring presentation with painted red lips, fox-colored eye makeup, thin silk clothing, and exposed snow-white skin. 246

• Renowned as the capital’s “Miss Yunmeng.” 252
• Accomplished in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. 252
• Uses a gentle, tearful, and virtuous public image to conceal her hostility toward rivals. 262 298
• Her rabbit zodiac sign was used as an emotional pretext during her dispute with Qin Yuyao over silver bunny earrings. 282

Personality

Xiao Ruoyun is politically perceptive, possessive, and highly calculating. After Rong Qing began favoring Gu Qingcheng for the Gu family’s support, she concluded that “only power is reliable” and began planning around influence rather than affection. 187

She is adept at emotional manipulation. When confronted by He Feng over rumors targeting Qin Yuyao, she immediately cried, apologized, and framed her actions as the result of loving him too deeply; He Feng ultimately softened and apologized to her instead. 298 She repeatedly invoked his old promises and guilt to make him prioritize her over Qin Yuyao. 264 299

As her political position weakened, her methods became more reckless. She ordered the deaths of a former steward and everyone within three degrees of kinship after he attributed her business losses to Qin Yuyao’s backing. 234 Following her public humiliation by Qin Yuyao, she chose a “Suicide Mission Plan,” intending to turn her own death into a political weapon against Qin Yuyao and He Feng. 248 255

Abilities & Skills

Political Manipulation

Xiao Ruoyun builds influence through personal relationships, patronage, and factional maneuvering.

• Persuaded the Ninth Prince to enter the succession struggle despite her formal position as Rong Qing’s secondary consort. 214
• Lured Rong Qing to her residence under the pretense of helping him ascend the throne, then arranged assassins and rival-prince forces to kill him. 214
• Inherited Rong Qing’s loyalists after his will ordered them to protect and support her following his death. 215
• Used her standing with Emperor Rong Ge to reside in Kunning Palace and exert authority within the harem. 234

Social and Emotional Manipulation

She uses tears, apparent vulnerability, and carefully maintained dignity to influence others.

• Cultivated rumors that Qin Yuyao resembled her, though Xiao Ruoyun had actually imitated Qin Yuyao to create the resemblance. 270
• Exploited He Feng’s promise to give her priority, taking the Beauty Cake he had promised Qin Yuyao. 299
• Arranged for Qin Yuyao to encounter Hua Qilin in hopes that he would abduct her and damage her relationship with He Feng. 280
• Seduced Jin An and encouraged his devotion so that he would oppose Qin Yuyao on her behalf. 255

Business Acumen

Using memories from her previous life, Xiao Ruoyun established shops and investments that consistently turned a profit. Her commercial success prompted Qin Yuyao to finance Xin Wu’s competing businesses specifically to undermine her. 187 234

Arts and Refinement

Xiao Ruoyun’s cultivation in the four traditional arts reinforced her public image as the capital’s model noble lady.

• Performed the duet “Phoenix Seeks Phoenix” flawlessly with He Feng at Qin Yuyao’s birthday banquet. 303
• Was recognized as skilled enough in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting to serve as the standard against which “Little Yunmeng” Li Meier was compared. 252

Relationships

• Rong Qing — Crown Prince and Xiao Ruoyun’s husband/primary political protector. She bore his child, later lost the pregnancy, and ultimately arranged his assassination while assisting the Ninth Prince’s bid for the throne. Rong Qing’s final will nevertheless directed his followers to protect her. 187 190 214 215
• Rong Ge / Ninth Prince — Political ally whom Xiao Ruoyun encouraged to compete for the throne; after he became Emperor, she served as a powerful female official in his harem. Though drawn to her, Rong Ge ultimately prioritized his rule over protecting her. 214 246 257
• He Feng — Childhood sweetheart and former rescuer. Xiao Ruoyun used his guilt, affection, and promises to dominate his choices during his relationship with Qin Yuyao; after her repeated provocations, he captured and publicly humiliated her. 264 298 299 209
• Qin Yuyao — Bitter rival in love, business, and court politics. Xiao Ruoyun targeted Qin Yuyao’s family, businesses, reputation, and marriage; Qin Yuyao ultimately defeated her assassination force and poisoned her. 180 234 255 256
• Gu Qingcheng — Crown Princess and rival within Rong Qing’s estate. Their conflict escalated through pregnancies, the elimination of confidantes, and competing claims on Rong Qing’s support. Gu Qingcheng later helped tarnish Qin Yuyao’s reputation after Xiao Ruoyun’s death. 187 188 317
• Jin An — He Feng’s servant and Xiao Ruoyun’s final pawn. She manipulated his devotion, became pregnant after their encounter, and intended to use their unborn child to motivate him against Qin Yuyao; Jin An later vowed revenge for her. 254 255 257
• Grand Tutor Xiao — Her father. Though generally upright, he pressured He Feng to involve Qin Yuyao in the investigation of Xiao Ruoyun’s miscarriage. 194
• Ye Wumian — Member of Xiao Ruoyun’s maternal family. She pressured the Ye family to arrange his marriage to Fu Hongyan chiefly to provoke Qin Yuyao and secure the family’s political position. 234 235

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arc	Role and actions
Conflict in the Crown Prince’s Estate	While pregnant with Rong Qing’s child, Xiao Ruoyun fought Gu Qingcheng for influence, used illness and pregnancy to summon Rong Qing, and relied on informants and confidantes within the estate. 187 188
War against Qin Yuyao	Qin Yuyao’s shops cut into Xiao Ruoyun’s businesses, while Xiao Ruoyun retaliated through executions, pressure on the Ye family, and public attempts to humiliate Qin Yuyao and Fu Hongyan. 234 246
Succession conspiracy	Xiao Ruoyun covertly backed the Ninth Prince, betrayed Rong Qing, and arranged the assassination that removed him shortly before his planned enthronement. 214
Harem authority	After Rong Ge’s accession, she occupied Kunning Palace and acted as a highly placed female official, though her influence depended on an Emperor unwilling to openly confront He Feng. 234 247
Suicide Mission Plan	After Qin Yuyao publicly had her slapped and her forces were diminished, Xiao Ruoyun planned to die while appearing pregnant in order to turn public opinion, Rong Ge, Jin An, and other factions against Qin Yuyao. 247 248 255
Death and aftermath	Her attack on Qin Yuyao failed; Qin Yuyao forced poison on her, and Xiao Ruoyun used her final moments to accuse Qin Yuyao of harming her child and participating in Rong Qing’s death. Her death successfully damaged Qin Yuyao’s reputation and led to Qin Yuyao’s three-month confinement. 256 317

Trivia

• Xiao Ruoyun’s business ventures were successful because she retained memories from her previous life. 187
• She regarded Gu Qingcheng’s powerful family backing as the reason Gu Qingcheng could recover her position despite earlier defeats. 187
• The “Suicide Mission Plan” achieved its intended political effect even though Xiao Ruoyun herself died: the Emperor turned against Qin Yuyao, and factions in the capital rallied against her. 317