Steward Su

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Su Zhou
Alias(es)	Steward Su
Gender	Male
Affiliation	An Family
Occupation/Role	Senior steward; adviser and household administrator to An Ziran
First Appearance	Chapter 4

Background / History

Su Zhou had served the An Family for over twenty years and was older than An Changfu. Changfu trusted him deeply, and the household regarded him as the person to consult about matters others did not know. 4

Before his death, Old Master An entrusted Su with half of the jade betrothal token and the secret marriage pact with Fu Fengzheng’s family. Su was instructed to reveal it only if the other family came seeking the An Family; he kept the arrangement hidden even from Old Master An’s sons. 19

Following An Changfu and Liu Meixiang’s deaths, Su organized their burial and became a crucial support for the inexperienced An Ziran. He supplied copybooks for Ziran’s calligraphy practice, assisted with household affairs, and defended his late master’s trust in him when An Changde and Wu Zhi tried to displace him. 6 7

He warned An Ziran that An Changde’s xiucai status and Wu Zhi’s connection to Prefect Jiang could endanger the merchant family. Although uneasy about surveilling relatives, Su carried out Ziran’s order to monitor them. 8

Su initially opposed forgiving the farmers’ debts because the promissory notes represented a vast portion of the An Family’s wealth. However, he privately felt relieved by the decision, having long been troubled by the suffering caused by An Changfu’s lending practices. He and his son Su Zi sorted the notes for An Ziran’s review. 12

When An Changde conspired with corrupt officials against the family, Su reported the intelligence to An Ziran and supported preparations to transfer assets. He alone knew of An Changfu’s hidden treasury after the master’s death. 17 18

Believing the old marriage pact could protect the An Family, Su revealed it to An Ziran and later traveled to Gentlemen City as its witness. He accompanied Ziran to Prince Fu’s Manor, though the imperial household and Fu Wutian’s severity greatly intimidated him. 19 23 25

After An Yuzhi fled the arranged marriage, Su worried over the family’s reputation and An Ziran’s fate. He mistakenly believed Ziran had sacrificed himself by marrying Fu Wutian in her place and was overwhelmed with guilt during the wedding preparations. 33 34 36 37

Appearance

Su is an elderly man, older than An Changfu, with an aged face and a usually stern expression. 4 36

• His difficult carriage journey from Anyuan County to Gentlemen City leaves him visibly exhausted. 23
• He is physically shaken by the bloody interrogation scene at Prince Fu’s Manor, to the point that An Ziran must support him. 24
• Despite his stern demeanor, he smiles openly when relieved or pleased by the younger generation’s growth. 8 36

Personality

Su is conscientious, loyal, and protective of the An Family. He does not flatter An Ziran blindly; instead, he openly warns him when he believes a decision is dangerous, including confronting An Changde and forgiving the farmers’ debts. 8 12

He is cautious by nature and deeply concerned with the consequences of political power, reputation, and family obligations. His anxiety over dealings with Prefect Jiang, Prince Fu’s Manor, An Yuzhi’s flight, and An Ziran’s marriage reflects his fear that he has failed the late An masters. 8 23 33 37

Su is also compassionate. Though he once followed An Changfu’s harsh policies, he felt guilty over the farmers’ treatment and later gave food to displaced children and families from Prosper Prefecture. 12 46

Abilities & Skills

Household Administration

Su handles major domestic affairs and preserves continuity after the deaths of the An Family heads.

• Arranged An Changfu and Liu Meixiang’s elaborate funeral and burial. 6
• Assists An Ziran with account books, calligraphy materials, dowry preparations, and other estate business. 6 30
• Helped retrieve, sort, and organize the family’s extensive grain and silver promissory notes. 12
• Remained behind temporarily to help stabilize the An Family, later reporting that Steward Feng and Su Zi were overseeing affairs in his absence. 23

Counsel and Risk Assessment

Su provides An Ziran with practical advice concerning social hierarchy, political danger, and household threats.

• Explains the higher status of scholars over merchants in Da Ya and the danger posed by An Changde’s official connections. 8
• Reports intelligence from the surveillance of An Changde and Wu Zhi. 17
• Recognizes the risks of approaching the imperial Fu family and repeatedly urges caution in marriage negotiations. 19 23
• His concern can make him overly fearful, particularly when confronting powerful nobles or imagining consequences for An Ziran. 24 36 37

Keeper of Family Secrets

Su was entrusted with sensitive information by successive An Family heads.

• Kept Old Master An’s marriage pact, jade token, and sachet secret for years. 19
• Was the sole person who knew the location of An Changfu’s hidden treasury after the latter’s death. 18
• Revealed the marriage pact only when he judged that the An Family’s survival required a powerful connection. 19

Relationships

• An Ziran — His young master and the person Su advises, protects, and gradually comes to admire as the true head of the An Family. 4 8 17
• An Changfu — Former master; Su served him for over twenty years and was among his most trusted servants. 4 12
• Old Master An — Former master who entrusted Su with the Fu marriage pact and jade token. 19
• Su Zi — His son; assists him with estate business, including sorting promissory notes and helping supervise the An Family. 9 12 23
• An Yuzhi — An Ziran’s sister; Su worries over her marriage agreement and is distressed when she flees. 27 33
• Fu Wutian — An Ziran’s husband; Su finds Prince Fu’s authority and manor intimidating but accompanies Ziran in dealings with him. 23 25 37
• An Ziming / “Little Bun” — Su observes the infant’s strong attachment to An Ziran and later reports that the child cried while Ziran was away. 18 44

Notable Quotes

“What a sin! For the An Family, the young master has sacrificed so much. How will this old servant ever have the face to see the master after I die?” 36