Prince Xue Xing

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Prince Xue Xing (雪星亲王)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Heaven Dou Empire
Occupation/Role	Imperial prince; marshal and field commander of the Heaven Dou army 33 35
Status	Captured by Dai Yunzhao and used as a Star Luo hostage during the war 42 45
First Appearance	Chapter 25

Background / History

Prince Xue Xing is Emperor Xue Ye's younger brother and a senior Heaven Dou military figure. Before the main war, he led a raid against Dai Yunzhao and Dai Weisi while the two Star Luo princes were gaining border experience. Dai Yunzhao lured him into a trap through repeated feigned retreats; Xue Xing narrowly escaped because of his soldiers' strength. The defeat left him wary of Dai Yunzhao's tactical ability. 35 36

He maintains a longstanding connection with Dugu Bo. Dugu Bo considers Xue Xing one of the few people in Heaven Dou to whom he owes a personal debt, and initially believes he should protect the prince even if he joins Star Luo later. 24 25 47

Personality

Prince Xue Xing is pragmatic, cautious, and strongly concerned with preserving Heaven Dou's military strength. He refuses to treat war as an opportunity for glory, repeatedly warning that Three Gorges Pass is a costly trap and that soldiers should not be sacrificed merely for an advance. 35 38 40

His caution is rooted in direct experience with Dai Yunzhao rather than cowardice. Although he dislikes Xue Qinghe and distrusts the crown prince's aggressive plans, he ultimately yields command concessions for Heaven Dou's future and takes responsibility for dangerous fronts himself. 35 36 41

After receiving evidence that Xue Qinghe may be Qian Renxue, his distrust becomes paranoia. He begins suspecting treachery among his own officers, executes General Song, and relies almost exclusively on Dugu Bo to send a warning to Emperor Xue Ye. 37

Relationships

• Emperor Xue Ye — Elder brother and Heaven Dou's reigning emperor. Xue Xing writes directly to him to warn that the Eastern Palace may have been replaced by Qian Renxue. 33 37
• Xue Qinghe / Qian Renxue — Co-commander during the Star Luo war. Their strategic disagreements intensify as Xue Xing grows convinced that Xue Qinghe is weakening Heaven Dou from within. 35 38 40
• Dugu Bo — Trusted ally and debtor. Dugu Bo volunteers to carry Xue Xing's urgent letter to Emperor Xue Ye and initially prioritizes the prince's safety even while considering Star Luo's recruitment. 25 37 47
• Dai Yunzhao — Star Luo crown prince and military adversary. Xue Xing was previously defeated by his battlefield deception, then captured by him during the war. 35 42
• Shadow — Dai Yunzhao's shadow warrior, who infiltrates Xue Xing's camp, overhears his plans, and helps abduct him. 37 42

Story Role / Major Arcs

Heaven Dou's War Mobilization

When Star Luo declares war, Xue Xing argues against executing the enemy envoy on diplomatic grounds, though he ultimately supports the declaration of war. He and Xue Qinghe are appointed to lead Heaven Dou's forces, with Xue Xing promising to bring Dugu Bo into the campaign. 33

Dispute over Three Gorges Pass

Xue Xing opposes Xue Qinghe's insistence on assaulting Three Gorges Pass, arguing that Dai Yunzhao will have heavily fortified the route. He advocates avoiding a direct attack and accepting a longer march rather than throwing troops into a prepared defensive position. 35

He accepts command of the left flank while Xue Qinghe leads the central army, then secretly requests a military overseer from Heaven Dou City to restrain Xue Qinghe if necessary. 36

Investigation of Xue Qinghe

An anonymous letter informs Xue Xing that Xue Qinghe is actually Qian Renxue of Spirit Hall. Though he initially recognizes the possibility of enemy misinformation, he concludes that the risk of a Spirit Hall takeover is too severe to ignore. 37

He sends Dugu Bo to deliver an urgent warning to Emperor Xue Ye, kills General Song amid his growing distrust of the command structure, and prepares to confront Xue Qinghe personally. Shadow observes these actions from within his camp. 37

Collapse of the Heaven Dou Front

As Heaven Dou suffers mounting losses, Xue Xing continues opposing an all-out assault on Three Gorges Pass and urges the army to wait for reinforcements. Most generals eventually support his assessment after witnessing Dai Yunzhao's seemingly perfect responses to every offensive. 38 40

He agrees to hold the collapsing eastern front while Xue Qinghe assumes direct control of the central army's night raid. 41

Capture and Hostage Status

While traveling toward the eastern battlefield with a thousand guards, Xue Xing is ambushed inside his carriage by Dai Yunzhao and Shadow. Shadow knocks him unconscious and binds him before the pair disappear through the shadows. 42

After witnessing Qian Renxue's defeat and capture, Xue Xing realizes that the crown prince's identity was genuine and despairs over Heaven Dou's future. 43

Dai Yunzhao orders Xiong Ao to break Xue Xing's bones, bind him, and place him at the frontline so Heaven Dou must either risk killing its own prince or retreat before him. 45 Dai Yunzhao later offers to return Xue Xing if Heaven Dou accepts the loss of one hundred li of territory. 48

Notable Quotes

“Three Gorges Pass is the closest route to White Tiger Pass. Dai Yunzhao will certainly have heavy troops guarding it!” 35

“We should wait for reinforcements to arrive, encircle them with the full army, and then make plans!” 40

Trivia

• Prince Xue Xing's earlier defeat by Dai Yunzhao makes him one of the few Heaven Dou commanders who consistently recognizes the danger of attacking Three Gorges Pass. 35
• He is captured alongside the exposure and capture of Qian Renxue, leaving Heaven Dou without both of its principal wartime commanders. 42 43