Prince Qi

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Prince Qi (齐王) 313
Species/Race	Human; member of Great Zheng’s imperial clan 396 1064
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Great Zheng imperial family; leader of the Prince Qi Faction; later allied with the Demon Race and remnants of the Divine Strategy Army 313 1224
Occupation/Role	Imperial prince, succession contender, political faction leader, and later rebel commander 488 1349
First Appearance	Chapter 313

Background

Prince Qi was raised as an imperial prince and received training in both literature and martial arts. His martial ability is exceptional: he has trained for two decades, reached the First Rank, and is rumored to possess dragon scales beneath his ribs 396 1349. Despite a reputation for virtue among scholars, he privately judges retainers by decisiveness, connections, and political usefulness rather than loyalty alone 313.

The death of his elder brother, the former Crown Prince, deeply shaped his political outlook. Prince Qi later inherited part of the Crown Prince’s vital essence, while the Crown Prince’s death fostered Qi’s fear that the Emperor might sacrifice his own heirs to prolong his life 1357 1345. This conviction increasingly drives his hostility toward both the Emperor and his nephew, Su Ziji.

Appearance

Prince Qi is described as seven chi tall, valiant, and distinctly martial in bearing 396.

• Rumored to have several dragon scales growing beneath his ribs 396.
• Possesses sharp, assessing eyes and an imposing presence at court 396.
• Maintains the refined education and forceful calligraphy expected of an imperial prince 1317.

Personality

Prince Qi carefully cultivates an approachable public image. He flatters scholars, addresses them personally, and promises patronage in order to secure their devotion 313. His secret ownership of Hundred Flowers Pavilion likewise hides behind a frivolous reputation as a pleasure-seeking prince 421.

In private, he is calculating, suspicious, and intensely status-conscious. Reversals involving Su Ziji repeatedly provoke jealousy and rage, while setbacks are often redirected onto servants or advisers 537 1010 1062. His brutality alienates even loyal retainers, many of whom begin considering escape rather than continued service 1062.

After recovering from his injury and apparent loss of virility, Prince Qi becomes markedly more restrained and willing to recognize talent. This change allows him to treat Xie Zhenqing with unusual respect and seriously consider military power beyond ordinary court maneuvering 1085 1191. However, his renewed composure ultimately serves a more radical ambition: open rebellion against the Emperor 1317 1346.

Abilities & Skills

Martial Arts

Prince Qi is a highly accomplished martial artist whose strength helped establish him as the foremost adult contender for succession.

• Reached the First Rank after roughly twenty years of martial training 1349.
• His martial skill and personal valor helped him dominate Princes Shu and Lu politically 655.
• His martial arts advanced noticeably during the changing conditions preceding the rebellion 1349.
• Personally beats the war drum during the palace battle, using an altered rendition of “Zheng King’s Battle-Breaking Music” to inspire his forces 1357.

Political Patronage and Espionage

Prince Qi maintains an extensive faction through patronage, court placements, covert agents, and intelligence gathering.

• Recruits scholar-officials such as Shao Qin for their court access and family connections 313.
• Secretly owns Hundred Flowers Pavilion, which is linked to his residence by a hidden passage and used for intelligence work and clandestine meetings 421.
• Places informants in the palace and attempts to infiltrate Prince Dai’s household through its martial recruitment contest 687 783.
• Controls supporters through leverage as well as rewards; Jiang Qifeng is compelled to support the rebellion because Qi holds evidence implicating him in the deaths of his father and brother 1317.

Demonic Alliance

Prince Qi repeatedly seeks power beyond normal imperial institutions, despite understanding the danger of associating with demons.

• Considered cooperating with the Demon Race to control or kill the Dragon Maiden and seize her fortune 422.
• Accepted Xie Zhenqing’s offer to revive the remnants of the Divine Strategy Army, an elite force composed of organized Demon Generals 1192 1224.
• Drinks Xie’s Karmic Sin Wine, binding himself and Great Zheng’s dragon aura to the accumulated grievances of demons persecuted by the dynasty 1347.
• Receives Demonic Fortune from Xie during the battle at Cloud Dragon Gate, temporarily strengthening his forces against Great Zheng’s Cloud Aura 1357.

Equipment and Resources

• Hundred Flowers Pavilion — A pleasure house secretly owned by Prince Qi and connected to his residence through a hidden passage; serves as an intelligence center and covert meeting site 421.
• Prince Qi’s token and coded messages — Used to activate hidden agents, including Yi Three 489.
• Jade pendant of the former Crown Prince — Entrusted to Princess Consort Lingyun as a possible means of seeking the Imperial Grandson’s protection if the rebellion fails 1345.
• Lists of compromised officials and hidden silver estates — Prepared for Lingyun’s escape, giving her both leverage and funds should Prince Qi’s rebellion collapse 1346.
• Well-Dragon Route — An ancient Former Wei underground waterway used by Prince Qi’s forces to evade surveillance and leave the capital during the storm 1347.

Relationships

• The Emperor — His father and ultimate political adversary. The Emperor restrains Qi’s influence, punishes his defiance, and later investigates his revival of the Divine Strategy Army 396 1064 1312.
• The former Crown Prince — Prince Qi’s deceased elder brother. Qi mourns him, inherited part of his vital essence, and preserves his jade pendant as a last safeguard for his family 1345 1357.
• Su Ziji / Prince Dai / Imperial Grandson — His nephew and principal succession rival. Qi sees Su Ziji’s legitimacy, rapid rise, and apparent Heaven-favored fortune as threats to his own claim 489 1062.
• Prince Shu — His long-standing rival among the imperial princes. Their competing factions repeatedly balance one another, though Qi later learns Shu has sought support from the Kingdom of Ying 488 1190.
• Wen Xunpeng — His longtime strategist. Wen initially advises Qi on recruitment and later oversees major conspiracies, but Qi decides to discard him after the failed flood scheme 313 489 537.
• Zhao Buwei — Adviser who remains outwardly loyal while increasingly fearing Qi’s instability and secret demonic alliance 1009 1224.
• Zhang Bolai — Adviser elevated during Qi’s decline; initially relieved by Qi’s apparent recovery, but later becomes wary of serving him 1062 1086.
• Xie Zhenqing — A powerful, demon-connected ally who offers Prince Qi access to the Divine Strategy Army. Their alliance is founded on mutual utility and concealed hostility, as Xie uses Qi to advance a larger anti-Zheng scheme 1191 1347.
• Princess Consort Lingyun — His principal wife. Before launching his rebellion, Qi entrusts her with their son’s escape, funds, leverage, and the Crown Prince’s jade pendant 1345 1346.
• Huzi — Prince Qi’s son. Qi’s fear that Huzi may suffer the fate of the Crown Prince’s family reveals his paternal anxiety beneath his political ambition 422.
• The Demon Race — A dangerous alliance of convenience. Qi relies on demonic power to challenge the Emperor but repeatedly warns his family not to trust demons 422 1345.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arc	Role and actions
Building the Prince Qi Faction	Prince Qi recruits scholars and officials while privately measuring their practical usefulness. He uses Wen Xunpeng’s advice to retain Shao Qin as a conduit for court information rather than a true confidant 313.
Court setback and demonic overtures	The Emperor refuses Qi’s request to oversee locust and flood relief, publicly humiliating him while limiting his ability to expand influence. Qi subsequently studies prophecy and weighs a Demon Race proposal concerning the Dragon Maiden 396 421 422.
Conspiracies against Su Ziji and the Dragon Maiden	Viewing Su Ziji as a legitimate succession threat, Qi supports plans to destroy the Coiling Dragon Lake defenses, kill the Dragon Maiden, obstruct Su Ziji’s return, and frame Prince Shu 489. The scheme fails to stop the Dragon Maiden’s transformation and further weakens Qi’s faction 537.
Political decline	The Emperor dismantles Qi’s network, arrests palace informants, and elevates Su Ziji through military office, princely rank, and eventual designation as Imperial Grandson. Qi responds with paranoia, violence, and an increasingly unstable household 687 1062 1064.
Recovery and the Divine Strategy Army	After the Karmic Sin Wine restores his health and virility, Qi adopts a more controlled political manner. Xie Zhenqing then offers him the surviving Demon Generals of the Divine Strategy Army, persuading Qi that force can restore his path to the throne 1085 1191 1224.
Preparation for rebellion	With the capital sealed under investigation, Qi works with Xie to contact supporters, blackmail Jiang Qifeng, and coordinate the Divine Strategy Army’s arrival with a catastrophic storm 1317.
Palace uprising	Qi sends Lingyun and their son toward escape, leads his troops through the Well-Dragon Route, captures Lin’an Gate, and assaults Cloud Dragon Gate under the banner of “cleansing the ruler’s side” 1346 1347 1349.
Battle at the Imperial City	Though his forces initially break through the Imperial Guard Corps, Qi is caught in a larger trap and bears the backlash of borrowed demonic power. He continues fighting after receiving Xie’s Demonic Fortune, while Su Ziji identifies Qi’s assault as a diversion during the wider palace crisis 1349 1357 1366.

Notable Quotes

“With you here, my great enterprise is accomplished!” 1224

“I do not believe in Heaven’s Mandate, and I believe in Father Emperor even less. That is why I swore to draw my sword.” 1345

“Life and death lie here. Advance, never retreat. All of you, follow me!” 1348