Li Family

Biodata

Background / History

The Li Family was a prominent Kyoto household descended from founding-era war heroes. Li Chong'en, its patriarch, was regarded as a meritorious veteran with close ties to the national leadership; Li Cunzhou was his legitimate eldest son. The family’s status allowed it considerable influence in political and military circles. 26 82

Nearly two decades before the main events, Li Cunzhou had an affair with Zhang Hanmo of the Old District Zhang Family while his wife, Zhang Yaxian, was pregnant. Zhang Hanmo gave birth to Zhang Xianyang, but Li Cunzhou concealed the child to protect the family’s reputation and political interests. After Zhang Hanmo’s death, Li Chong'en learned of both her and Zhang Xianyang only because Zhang Linmo’s retaliation forced Li Cunzhou to disclose the affair. 23

In Zhang Xianyang’s previous life, the Li Family brought him to Kyoto under the pretense of recognizing him as family. Li Mobei trained him in marksmanship and cultivated his loyalty, while the family used him over ten years to obtain intelligence on the Old District Zhang Family and its secret passage. Once the Old District had been destroyed, Li Mobei and Li Jiangnan revealed that their affection had been part of the plan. 1

Following Zhang Xianyang’s rebirth, the family moved early to reclaim him when the Old District redevelopment created major political and economic opportunities. Li Cunzhou and Li Mobei were sent to the Old District to seek forgiveness, bring Zhang Xianyang back to Kyoto, assess the area, and gain leverage over the Zhang Family. 22

Structure and Notable Members

Activities in the Old District

Attempt to reclaim Zhang Xianyang

Li Cunzhou, Li Mobei, and Li Jiangnan arrived at the Old Zhang Family villa claiming to seek reconciliation and acknowledge Zhang Xianyang. Their actual objectives were to draw him back to Kyoto, investigate the Old District, and restrain the Zhang Family through their blood connection to him. 22

When the Zhang Family refused, the three knelt outside the villa gates to create an image of remorse and attract public sympathy. Zhang Xianyang instead exposed Li Cunzhou’s abandonment of Zhang Hanmo and himself, damaging the family’s reputation. 23 25 41

Search for the Zhang Family Secret Passage

After failing to persuade Zhang Xianyang, Li Chong'en ordered Li Cunzhou to remain in the Old District and wait for another opportunity. Li Cunzhou and Li Mobei investigated the Zhang Family’s history, local rivalries, and security arrangements while meeting secretly with Wang Zhaoyi. 26

Wang Zhaoyi proposed using the Old District renovation as cover: Li personnel could disguise themselves as construction workers and search for the Zhang Family Secret Passage. The Li Family eventually compared information supplied by Wang Zhaoyi and the Gu Family, then entered a false passage prepared by the Zhang Family. 28 30

The operation resulted in severe losses: seven Li personnel died and others were injured. The incident also implicated special-forces soldiers, allowing Zhang Muyang to discredit the Li Family publicly. 30

Public-relations tactics

The family repeatedly attempted to portray itself as the injured party. It brought members of its inner household to apologize at the Zhang villa and remained outside in the cold to gain sympathy, but Zhang Linmo identified the display as an attempt to weaken public condemnation of the family’s conduct. 41 42

Criminal Allegations and Downfall

Zhang Xianyang and the Brain AI uncovered evidence that the Li Family had used military positions to acquire state secrets and advanced research, then sold them to the Black Dragon Society for money and benefits. 72

Rather than confront the family directly, the Old District Zhang Family transferred the evidence to the Gu Family, avoiding an open conflict with a major Kyoto household and limiting suspicion toward the Old District. 73

The evidence remained politically contested because the Li Family had destroyed much of the material trail; its supporters alleged that Zhang Xianyang had fabricated the Black Dragon Society records. The Gu-aligned faction nevertheless prevailed, forcing the Li Family out of politics while concealing the treason accusation behind official explanations of illness, dismissal, and misconduct. 79 81

Relationships

• Old District Zhang Family — Primary rivals. The Li Family sought to use Zhang Xianyang and penetrate the Zhang Family Secret Passage to weaken the Old District’s leading family. 1 22 30
• Kyoto Zhang Family — Connected through Zhang Yaxian’s marriage to Li Cunzhou; the two families cooperated against the Old District in Zhang Xianyang’s previous life. 23 98
• Black Dragon Society — Secret collaborator in the sale of state secrets and research materials; this connection led to the Li Family’s political collapse. 72 79
• Gu Family — A competing Kyoto family. Gu Zhaohuan’s alignment with the Old District and the Gu faction’s handling of the evidence were decisive in removing the Li Family from politics. 36 79 81
• Wang Zhaoyi — An unreliable temporary associate who sold information about the secret passage and encouraged the Li Family’s infiltration plan. 27 28 30

Trivia

• The Li Family’s attempt to reclaim Zhang Xianyang was motivated as much by the Old District redevelopment project as by blood ties. 22
• In Zhang Xianyang’s previous life, Li Mobei personally taught him the marksmanship for which he later became known. 1
• Zhang Xianyang considers the Li Family’s decade-long exploitation of him a betrayal, but regards its collaboration with the Black Dragon Society as a far greater crime. 1 72 99