Cui Family

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Cui Family (崔家)
Alias(es)	Cui Clan 77
Affiliation	Capital City; second-rank noble house 16 18
Occupation/Role	Noble household managing land trade routes, trading firms, estates, retainers, and family education 18 49 58
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 16

History

Standing in the Capital City

The Cui Family is one of the Capital City's respected noble houses, though its martial foundation and political influence are described as weaker than those of the Xie Family. While the Xie Family controls water transport, the Cui Family maintains several land trade routes and has faced sustained commercial pressure from its rival. 16 18

The family is known for having many daughters and comparatively few sons in its present generation. Its continued second-rank standing is attributed to capable household management and the accomplishments of its daughters. 16 18

Xiangguo Temple Ambush

The Cui Family annually sends its Third Young Lady, Cui Xijun, to Xiangguo Temple with a substantial incense offering. In this instance, Liu Zhao of the Liu Family arranged a scheme intended to create a staged rescue and gain Cui Xijun's favor for a marriage alliance. 35 36

Cui Xijun departed early, disrupting Liu Zhao's schedule. Her convoy was subsequently attacked by hired desperadoes after the other Cui carriages had been reassigned, leaving her with limited protection. 38 39 40

After returning to the mansion, Cui Xijun received full authority from Cui Zhenru to investigate. Her inquiry uncovered that a stable steward had been bribed by the Liu Family, while evidence surrounding the attackers pointed toward Liu involvement. 45

Rather than pursue open retaliation, Cui Xijun used the incident to pressure the Liu Family politically. The Liu Family ultimately ceded Capital City properties and two water-transport berths; the two families' hostility became irreversible. 45

Shao Family Dyke Dispute

During the Cui Family's rent and grain collection, its party encountered Xie Family steward Li Anye at Shao Family Dyke. Li attempted to seize the Han Family's indentures and collect the Cui Family's rent without leaving the required documentation. 58 59

The dispute escalated when Li's party struck at Cui personnel and attempted to take the Han Family. Chen Ye killed Li Anye while protecting Cui Family interests, after which Cui Xijun and Cui Yingtang arrived to handle the aftermath. 59 60

The incident also exposed a wider problem: the Xie Family had been blocking an irrigation canal, damaging harvests on Cui-held land and pushing tenants toward Xie leases. Cui Zhenru authorized Cui Xijun to formally confront the Xie Family while shielding Chen Ye from retaliation. 60 62

Organization and Holdings

Estate Administration

• The family holds thirty manors in the Capital City region; the remote Shao Family Dyke manor lies beside Xie Family land and is especially difficult to manage. 58
• Cui Lingyi manages the accounts of the Cui Family's trading firms. 18
• Cui Xijun oversees retainer recruitment and personally directs investigations, estate accounts, and collection assignments. 33 45 58
• Zhao Suming serves as Chief Steward, while Cheng Defu manages assignments under Cui Xijun and conducts estate collections. 45 58
• The mansion is notably disciplined: servants are orderly, properly dressed, and do not treat outsiders with open contempt. 48

Recruitment and Retainers

The family recruits outside retainers, initially requiring applicants to possess Mortal Shedding cultivation and scholarly status. The scholarly requirement was imposed after dissatisfaction with Cui Xijun's earlier practice of recruiting without closely examining backgrounds. 35

Cui Xijun made an exception for Chen Ye after he aided her during the Xiangguo Temple attack, first keeping him in her personal service without formal Cui Mansion documentation. 47 48

After Chen Ye placed first in the Martial Examination, the Cui Family formally accepted him as a retainer. His benefits included a scholar's robe, jade pendant, backyard residence, five taels of monthly silver, a share of a Jade Marrow Pill, and access to the lower two floors of the Scripture Library. 77

Education and Facilities

• The Cui Mansion maintains a dedicated private school for clan children, with boys and girls receiving literary instruction under Cui Xijun. 49
• Its martial arts field contains weapon racks, stone locks, sandbags, wooden stakes, and other training equipment; Cui Yingtang instructs the family's disciples there. 49
• The three-story Scripture Library holds the family's accumulated martial manuals and cultivation texts. 81
• Cui Zhenru has retainers debate cultivation theory and orders useful discussions compiled into study volumes for the household. 80 81

Martial Heritage

The Cui Family is widely regarded as specializing in cultivation-oriented martial arts, contrasting with the Xie Family's killing arts and the Wang Family's transformative arts. 27

• Return to Origin Art — An introductory Cui Family technique with a complete internal-energy circulation system through the dantian, spine, and eight extraordinary meridians. 49 61
• Spirit Source Dao Sutra — A hereditary longevity art said to extend a practitioner's life by more than a decade, though it has limited offensive value. 48
• Five-Organ Thunder Resonance Method — One of only two organ-refining techniques in the Cui Family; it permits continued Mortal Shedding by refining the five organs. 82
• Hunyi Saber Technique — Cui Xijun's personal dowry manual, entrusted to Chen Ye to prepare him for the Martial Examination. Its blade intent can support advancement through Mortal Shedding and into the Dragon Elephant realm. 63 64

Prominent Members

Member	Position	Notes
Cui Zhenru	Family head	A Bridge Sea realm martial artist who backs Cui Xijun's authority, directs family policy, and protects Chen Ye after the Shao Family Dyke incident. 45 62
Cui Lingyi	Eldest daughter	Oversees the accounts of the family's trading firms; she is betrothed to a Wang Family young master. 18 39
Cui Yingtang	Second daughter	A Dragon Elephant realm martial artist and martial instructor, renowned as one of the strongest young fighters in the Capital City. 18 49
Cui Xijun	Third daughter	Oversees retainer recruitment and estate affairs; praised by the Emperor as a “talented woman with a blade hidden in her skirt” after resolving the Liu Family crisis. 33 45
Cui Kan	Young master; legitimate son	Receives literary and martial training; Cui Zhenru assigns Chen Ye to assist in supervising his cultivation and studies. 49 81

Relationships

• Xie Family — Longstanding mortal enemies; their conflict includes competition over transport and land, confrontations in the imperial court, and the Shao Family Dyke dispute. 18 58 62
• Liu Family — A proposed marriage alliance collapsed after evidence tied the Liu Family to the Xiangguo Temple ambush; the Liu Family surrendered property and water-transport berths to contain the fallout. 35 45
• Wang Family — Connected through Cui Lingyi's betrothal to a Wang Family young master. 39
• Chen Ye — Recruited by Cui Xijun after the Xiangguo Temple incident; later elevated to formal retainer and entrusted with Cui Kan's training. 47 77 81
• Han Family — Cui Family tenants at Shao Family Dyke whose indentures were recovered after the confrontation with Li Anye's Xie Family collection party. 59 60