the Li family

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Li family (李家)
Affiliation	Li Meihua Group; Meihua Film and Television; Meihua Entertainment; Li Family Guard Unit
Occupation/Role	Wancheng business dynasty and major upper-class family; active in department stores, real estate, automobiles, entertainment, and historical preservation
Residence	Li family historic residence and Li Family Street, Wancheng
Status	Active
First Appearance	1

Background / History

The Li family originated outside Wancheng. During a period of domestic unrest and war, its patriarch relocated the clan, wealth, household, and willing retainers across the sea to establish a foothold in Wancheng. Retainers who had served the family for generations accompanied them; their descendants later became trusted employees, managers, executives, guards, and bodyguards. 5

As newcomers, the Lis initially faced pressure from the established Shen family, whose local influence and connections contributed to several crises for the Li business. Old Master Li survived these early struggles with the support of the Mo family after marrying its eldest daughter. 1

Through three generations of expansion, the family rose to become Wancheng's richest household. Its wealth gave it influence equal to, and eventually exceeding, older local clans, though it continued to treat alliances, reputation, and family cohesion as essential to its position. 1 4

Li Family Street

The family's historic residence stands in Wancheng's old district, an area settled by the Li patriarch after the migration. When the family company went public, Grandpa Li used its first two rounds of funding to purchase the entire street, rename it Li Family Street, and finance the preservation of its aging buildings. 2

The long-term restoration effort later helped the street gain designation as a Wancheng historic site. The family's preservation work brought public recognition to Li Huamei and substantially increased its stock value. 2

Family Structure

Member / Branch	Position in the Family
Old Master Li / Grandpa Li	Senior patriarchal figure; protects the family tradition, supervises major decisions, and maintains the old residence. 2 22
Mo Wanrou	Grandmother of Li Rongxiu and member of the Mo family by birth; a protective elder within the household. 50 82
Father Li	Senior member of the main branch; involved in corporate strategy, family discipline, and security decisions. 10 89
Zhuang Meiru	Li Rongxiu's mother; manages family social affairs and strongly protects her children. 3 54
Li Rongyu	Eldest young master and recognized first-in-line heir of the younger generation; manages major business responsibilities. 7 48
Li Rongjia	Li Rongxiu's second brother; involved with Meihua Entertainment and the family's schemes against the Shen family. 19 78
Li Rongxiu	Youngest direct descendant of the main branch; initially sheltered from family business, later joins Meihua as an intern and participates in family affairs. 7 48
Li Bingru	Li Rongxiu's uncle; Fate Group's Greater China executive president and a key intermediary between the Li and Alie families. 14
Li Rongmei	Li Rongxiu's cousin; her relationship and future become a source of tension between family branches. 54 67
Li Bingyue	Li Rongmei's mother and a member of the second branch; later betrays the family by cooperating with the Shen family. 94 98
Second branch	Relatives who remained in the ancestral homeland while the main branch relocated to Wancheng; their relationship with the main branch is marked by inheritance disputes and resentment. 54 69

Business and Resources

Area	Details
Li Meihua Group	The family's principal corporate power, with interests including department stores, real estate, construction, media, and automobiles. 7 34 48
Real estate	The family steadily acquired land as Wancheng developed, making real estate one of its economic pillars. It later purchased land and a resort from the Chi family's asset auction. 34 40
Historical preservation	The family maintains Li Family Street and its historic buildings at considerable expense, combining sentiment with a successful public-preservation strategy. 2
Entertainment	Meihua Film and Television and Meihua Entertainment supported Above the Elite, trained Qiao An, and employed performers under the family's companies. 25 78
Automotive industry	Li Meihua entered a joint automobile project with Fate/Fitt Automotive Group; the Shen family later received a limited 20% stake. 83 94
Security	The family maintains a loyal guard unit, publicly presented as staff of the Li Family Bodyguard Company. Adult men use modified bulletproof luxury sedans, and the family can rapidly mobilize guards during threats. 5 10 95

Family Practices and Influence

• The Li family retains strong attachment to its old residence, ancestral worship, and New Year customs, including making tangyuan together as a symbol of reunion. 2 80
• Family members generally avoid exposing internal matters publicly, but close ranks quickly when one of their own is threatened. 10 103
• The elders prefer younger members to solve personal challenges independently, offering support without directly taking over unless necessary. 14
• Although publicly associated with prosperity and preservation, the family is capable of decisive commercial retaliation against rivals. 4 15
• Li Rongyu is the acknowledged heir of the younger generation, while Li Rongxiu is initially treated as a protected younger son rather than a corporate successor. 7 34

Major Arcs

Shen–Li Marriage Alliance and Engagement Scandal

The Li family initially pursued a marriage alliance between Li Rongxiu and Shen Manyao. The Shen family needed Li capital and access to the T Country infrastructure project, while the Lis valued the Shens' local roots and connections. 1 3

The alliance collapsed when Shen Manyao's affair and pregnancy were exposed during the engagement ceremony. The scandal humiliated the Li family publicly, ended the engagement, and turned the Shen and Chi families into major rivals. 6 9

The Li elders, in-laws, and allies coordinated a response against both families. The Shen family suffered financial and reputational losses, while the Chi family lost support, faced asset losses, and was eventually forced to auction major holdings. 15 24 40

Acquisition of Chi Assets

When the Chi family began liquidating assets, the Li family attended the auction with preparations already in place. It successfully acquired several Chi land plots and a resort, expanding its real-estate holdings while weakening a rival. 38 40

Qiao An and the Shen Family Succession Scheme

To retaliate against Sun Minqiu and destabilize the Shen family, the Lis located Shen Yingbo's illegitimate son, Qiao An. Li Rongjia arranged his etiquette, appearance, finance, current-affairs, and acting training so he could be introduced convincingly into elite society. 78

At Shen Yingbo's birthday banquet, the Li family brought Qiao An before the Shen elders. His resemblance to Shen Yingbo provoked suspicion and led Shen Yingbo to pursue a paternity test. 78 79

Qiao An was ultimately recognized as Shen Yingbo's son. His return shifted the Shen family's internal balance and removed Sun Minqiu's secure position within the household. 82 83

Alliance with Fate Group and the Alie Family

Through Li Bingru and Shen Yujun, the Li family developed ties with Fate Group and the Alie family. The family supported Shen Yujun after he transferred management rights of his information website to Li Rongxiu; in return, Shen Yujun used the Li-controlled market to turn the Alie business in the Empire profitable. 52

Li Meihua later formed an automotive cooperation project with Fate/Fitt Automotive Group. The Shen family attempted to exploit Shen Yujun's identity to enter the partnership but was met with open contempt and commercial caution from the Lis. 94 95

When Li Rongxiu was taken by Alie guards amid an elders' scheme, the Li family mobilized its guard unit and arrived at the Alie villa alongside Shen Yujun's personnel. The incident ended in a guarded meeting rather than open conflict. 102 95

Li Bingyue's Betrayal and the Shen Family's Fall

Li Bingyue secretly collaborated with the Shen family, leaking information in exchange for business advantages and a proposed marriage arrangement involving Li Rongxiu and Shen Yujun. Her actions were exposed during the Shen family's attempt to frame the Li side at a Maybach product launch. 98

The second branch condemned Li Bingyue's betrayal, and Second Grandpa removed her inheritance rights. 107 99

Shen Yingbo was later sentenced to eleven years in prison, the Shen family disintegrated through internal struggles, and Qiao An sold Shen businesses to Li Meihua before investing in Meihua Media. The Li family, having secured its principal gains, allowed other families to divide the remaining Shen assets. 99 100

Relationships

• Mo family — Marriage relatives, business allies, and long-standing partners. The Mo family's support helped the Lis survive their difficult early years in Wancheng. 1 50
• Shen family — Former rivals turned marriage-alliance partners, then enemies after Shen Manyao's engagement scandal. The conflict ends with the Shen family's collapse and liquidation of its businesses. 1 6 99
• Chi family — Commercial and personal rival after Chi Junrui's affair with Shen Manyao; the Li family helped drive the family into asset sales and acquired part of its holdings. 8 40
• Yakesa family — Long-standing friends of the Li family. Sir Yakesa is Li Rongxiu's godfather and actively supported retaliation against the Shen family after the scandal. 6 15
• Alie family — International allied family through Li Bingru and Shen Yujun; the relationship develops into both a corporate partnership and a marriage alliance. 52 110
• Second branch of the Li family — Blood relatives with an increasingly strained relationship to the Wancheng main branch due to disputes over Meihua, inheritance, and Li Bingyue's betrayal. 69 107