Fan Qingyang

Biodata

Appearance

Fan Qingyang is a conspicuously obese apprentice whose appearance is repeatedly described in unflattering terms. He wears the same coarse hemp robes as the other pharmacy apprentices. 6

• Bloated, fat-bodied frame. 6 19
• Large, flat face with small “mung-bean” eyes. 6
• His face remains visibly swollen after Xue Zhao strikes him during the investigation. 7 12
• During the Chang Ghost’s possession of his corpse, his smile becomes unnaturally rigid and a black seam appears around his severed neck. 25

Personality

Fan Qingyang is driven primarily by jealousy, resentment, and spite. Though he and Jiang Feng were childhood friends before joining the Medicine Hall, his unrequited love for Li Yue turned their relationship into an enduring feud. He repeatedly sabotages Jiang Feng’s work and daily life, then escalates from false accusations to attempted murder. 6

He maintains authority over loyal apprentices through intimidation and manipulation, carefully selecting followers willing to support his version of events. However, his bravado quickly gives way to panic when confronted by stronger opponents. When Sun Bowei forces him to act as bait, Fan Qingyang obeys in terror; after Jiang Feng defeats Sun Bowei, he abandons the fight and flees. 16 20 23

Background and History

Fan Qingyang and Jiang Feng grew up together and entered the pharmacy as childhood friends. Their friendship collapsed because both loved Li Yue, Jiang Feng’s childhood sweetheart. Li Yue returned Jiang Feng’s feelings, while Fan Qingyang’s repeated advances failed; his love gradually turned into hatred toward Jiang Feng. 6

During the investigation into Wu Han’s ambush, Fan Qingyang publicly accused Jiang Feng, claiming that he had heard Jiang Feng’s voice and seen his back near the warehouse before dawn. Jiang Feng challenged his lack of evidence and questioned why Fan Qingyang himself had known exactly where to look. Wu Tian’s suspicion shifted toward Fan Qingyang, while Xue Zhao later blamed and beat him for the failed accusation. 6 7

Fan Qingyang later joined Xue Zhao in planning to frame Jiang Feng as a thief. He informed Jiang Feng that he had been selected for the monthly medicinal-herb expedition, then led the group to Black Wind Mountain. At the outpost, he relied on a group of apprentices loyal to him, intending to use their testimony to make the accusation against Jiang Feng credible. 12 14 16

Believing Jiang Feng to be a weak apprentice, Fan Qingyang hired the Sun brothers—hunters and bandits from Black Water Town—to assassinate him. The plan failed when Jiang Feng killed Sun Zhongheng and Sun Zhongli, then seriously wounded Sun Bowei. Fan Qingyang was forced to serve as Sun Bowei’s bait and revealed his involvement in Li Yue’s abduction while trying to provoke Jiang Feng. 17 18 20 22

After Sun Bowei’s defeat, Fan Qingyang fled toward the cabins. Jiang Feng intercepted him outside and killed him despite his pleas for mercy. The following day, a Chang Ghost animated Fan Qingyang’s body as a puppet; Jiang Feng recognized that the apparent survivor was not human and exposed the possession by decapitating the corpse. 23 25

Relationships

• Jiang Feng — Former childhood friend and eventual mortal enemy. Fan Qingyang’s jealousy over Li Yue led him to repeatedly target Jiang Feng, arrange his assassination, and attempt to frame him. Jiang Feng ultimately kills him. 6 17 23
• Li Yue — Fan Qingyang’s unrequited love and the source of his feud with Jiang Feng. He later admits that he informed Wu Han about her and led the way during her abduction. 6 20
• Xue Zhao — Co-conspirator and fellow subordinate of Wu Han. They planned to frame Jiang Feng, though Xue Zhao also struck and blamed Fan Qingyang after the failed accusation against Jiang Feng. 7 12
• Wu Han — Fan Qingyang is associated with Wu Han’s faction and claims to have helped him abduct Li Yue. 12 20
• Sun Bowei — Hired assassin and elder of the Sun brothers. After the younger brothers die, Sun Bowei threatens Fan Qingyang into acting as bait for Jiang Feng. 19 20
• Sun Zhongheng and Sun Zhongli — The Sun brothers Fan Qingyang hired to kill Jiang Feng at the Black Wind Mountain outpost. 17 18
• Ma Liu — Fan Qingyang’s closest lackey, who expects him to deliver punishment against Jiang Feng and rallies other apprentices around his authority. 23 24

Major Schemes

• Accusation over Wu Han’s ambush — Attempts to implicate Jiang Feng by claiming he saw and heard him near the warehouse. 6
• Framing Jiang Feng as a thief — Works with Xue Zhao to shift blame for the Medicine Hall’s internal investigation onto Jiang Feng. 12
• Black Wind Mountain trap — Leads Jiang Feng on the herb-gathering expedition and prepares loyal apprentices to support a false case against him. 14 16
• Sun brothers assassination attempt — Pays the Sun brothers to kill Jiang Feng while he is isolated at the outpost. 17 18
• Use as bait — Under Sun Bowei’s threat, attempts to lure Jiang Feng out through insults and revelations concerning Li Yue. 20

Notable Quotes

“It was me! I was the one who tipped him off! I even led the way when they went to grab her!” 20

Trivia

• Fan Qingyang’s return after his death is not a resurrection: the Chang Ghost identifies his body as a cultivated puppet. 25
• Despite leading the Black Wind Mountain expedition, Fan Qingyang has no documented cultivation realm or martial technique.