An Ziran

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	An Ziran (安子然) 1
Alias(es)	Eldest Young Master; Princess Consort 1 38
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male 34
Age	Sixteen at the time he awakens in An Ziran’s body 1
Affiliation	An Family’s first branch; Prince Fu’s Manor 1 44
Occupation/Role	Legitimate eldest son and head of the An Family; Fu Wutian’s princess consort 13 38
Status	Alive, as of Chapter 50 50
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

An Ziran awakens in the body of the An Family’s sixteen-year-old legitimate eldest son, replacing the original An Ziran after the latter is found unconscious in the snow. He inherits an unhealthy, severely overweight body and a household destabilized by the deaths of An Changfu and Liu Meixiang. While the family assumes the original owner attempted suicide from grief, An Ziran suspects an attempted murder connected to the family estate. 1 3 4

As heir, he takes control of the An Family despite being dismissed as an idle wastrel. He begins studying the accounts, practicing calligraphy, exercising, and refusing An Changde and Wu Zhi’s attempts to take over either the estate or inner household. 6 7 He then reforms the family’s exploitative treatment of Anyuan County’s farmers by abandoning its promissory notes, lowering rice prices, and improving tenants’ shares of the harvest. 12 16 28

After his surveillance reveals that An Changde is colluding with Prefect Jiang Zhongting and Magistrate Zhang to frame him and confiscate the estate, An Ziran transfers assets and leads his family to Gentlemen City. There, he attempts to invoke an old marriage pact between the An and Fu families as protection. 17 19 20

The pact was originally meant to marry An Yuzhi to Fu Wutian. When Yuzhi flees, An Ziran disowns her rather than conceal the betrayal indefinitely. Fu Wutian exploits the resulting crisis, obtains imperial approval, and arranges to marry An Ziran himself. With few alternatives, An Ziran agrees after Fu Wutian promises to help him leave under a new identity if their marriage fails. 33 34 36 He publicly marries Fu Wutian and enters Prince Fu’s Manor as princess consort. 38

Appearance

At first, An Ziran is severely obese, weighing seventy-eight kilograms at sixteen; his weight makes ordinary tasks, including dressing, physically difficult. 1 His sustained diet and exercise reduce his weight by thirty-two jin over two months, though he remains dissatisfied with his lingering facial baby fat. 16

• Fair-skinned, with features that become noticeably more defined after losing weight. 37
• Retains a youthful, slightly chubby appearance even after his initial progress. 16 29
• Has long hair, which he struggles to arrange himself; Fu Wutian later styles it with a pale-blue gemstone clasp. 42
• Wears an expensive snow-white fox-fur cloak bought by An Changfu because of his poor tolerance for cold. 4

Personality

An Ziran is observant, composed, and intensely pragmatic. He quickly recognizes performative grief, greed disguised as familial concern, and the political danger behind seemingly minor actions. Rather than exposing every suspicion immediately, he gathers information, preserves leverage, and responds only when he can protect the An Family’s interests. 2 5 17

He is disciplined and self-demanding. His determination to lose weight, learn household management, and improve his handwriting reflects a refusal to remain trapped by the original owner’s reputation or limitations. 4 6 16

Although he can be cold when faced with betrayal—most notably when he severs ties with An Yuzhi—he is deeply protective of those he accepts as family. His affection for An Ziming, concern for Yuzhi’s status before her flight, and trust in Steward Su reveal a gentler side beneath his controlled demeanor. 26 27 33 44

Abilities & Skills

Estate Administration and Reform

An Ziran becomes the effective head of the An Family shortly after his parents’ deaths.

• Reviews account books and learns the family’s businesses despite his lack of prior experience. 6 9
• Cancels the family’s oppressive farmer debts, prioritizing public support over short-term profits. 12
• Cuts rice prices and permits interest-free credit for poorer residents, restoring the family’s reputation in Anyuan County. 16
• Improves the tenant farmers’ share of harvests, stabilizing the county and removing a source of unrest. 28
• Manages An Yuzhi’s planned dowry while accounting for the family’s reduced income and existing obligations. 30

Strategic Planning and Intelligence

He relies on preparation and information rather than open confrontation.

• Suspects the original An Ziran’s apparent suicide was a deliberate attempt to remove the heir. 3 4
• Establishes surveillance on An Changde and receives detailed reports on his schemes. 8 17
• Plans to move assets before corrupt officials can frame him and seize the estate. 17
• Uses the old jade-pendant marriage pact as leverage against the threats facing the An Family. 19 20
• Investigates Fu Wutian’s identity before approaching Prince Fu’s Manor and chooses to confront the household without advance notice. 21 23

Negotiation and Verbal Control

An Ziran uses formal courtesy and precise wording to deny rivals an opening.

• Blocks An Changde and Wu Zhi from interfering in either the estate or inner household by emphasizing the division between their family branches. 7
• Intimidates Fang Junping, Zheng Bi, and Wang Qinglan by invoking family rules and their vulnerabilities. 13
• Defends An Yuzhi’s promised status as principal wife during negotiations with Fu Wutian. 26 29
• Counters criticism of his marriage by citing Da Ya’s mourning laws and threatening punishment under family rules. 49

Self-Improvement

• Creates and maintains a strict weight-loss regimen of early exercise and restrained eating. 4 6 16
• Loses twelve jin in his first month and twenty more in the following month. 16
• Practices calligraphy daily with copybooks provided by Steward Su to better manage accounts and correspondence. 6 8

Equipment / Items

• Half jade pendant — The An Family’s half of the betrothal token from Old Prince Fu; An Ziran uses it to substantiate the old marriage pact. 19 25
• Fox-fur cloak — A costly white cloak bought by An Changfu to protect An Ziran from the cold. 4
• Account books and promissory notes — Records through which he uncovers the scale of the An Family’s wealth and debt-based exploitation. 9 12
• Pale-blue gemstone hair clasp — Chosen by Fu Wutian to match An Ziran’s blue brocade robe. 42

Relationships

• Fu Wutian — Husband and Prince Fu. Their marriage begins as a coerced political solution after An Yuzhi flees, but develops into a protective and increasingly affectionate partnership. 36 38 42 50
• An Ziming — Younger brother, affectionately called “Little Bun.” An Ziran becomes strongly attached to him, and the infant is soothed most reliably in An Ziran’s arms. 18 33 44
• An Yuzhi — Younger sister. An Ziran initially seeks to secure her dignity and consent in the marriage pact, but disowns her after she flees the engagement to Fu Wutian. 22 27 34
• Steward Su Zhou — Loyal adviser and longtime servant of the An Family. He assists An Ziran with funerals, accounts, calligraphy, intelligence, and the Fu marriage pact. 4 6 17 19
• An Changde — Paternal uncle and principal rival for control of the An estate. An Ziran rejects his attempts to seize authority and monitors his later conspiracy with corrupt officials. 5 7 17
• Wang Qinglan, Fang Junping, and Zheng Bi — His late father’s concubines. They initially test and oppose his authority, but become cautious after he establishes control of the household. 2 13 16
• Old Prince Fu — Fu Wutian’s grandfather and Old Master An’s sworn brother. His past agreement with Old Master An creates the marriage alliance that changes An Ziran’s life. 19 25 43
• Chunlan and Qiulan — Former attendants of Liu Meixiang who become An Ziran’s maids. As his behavior changes, they grow from wary servants into trusted attendants. 4 16 44

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arc	Role and outcome
An Family succession	Assumes leadership after his parents’ deaths, resists An Changde’s attempts to take control, and begins rebuilding himself physically and administratively. 4 6 7
Anyuan County reform	Resolves the farmer crisis by returning debts, lowering rice prices, and replacing exploitation with policies that gain public support. 12 16 28
Flight to Gentlemen City	Escapes an impending official conspiracy by moving the main household to the capital and pursuing the An–Fu marriage pact. 17 20
Marriage-pact negotiations	Investigates Fu Wutian, challenges Prince Fu’s Manor to honor the agreement, and secures the promised principal-wife status for An Yuzhi before her flight. 23 26 29
Substitute marriage	Responds to An Yuzhi’s betrayal, is maneuvered into becoming Fu Wutian’s substitute spouse, and marries into Prince Fu’s Manor. 33 36 38
Return to Anyuan County	Returns with Fu Wutian, publicly reveals the marriage, suppresses renewed opposition from the An Family women, and continues monitoring An Changde’s schemes. 48 49 50