Chu Xuanzhen

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Chu Xuanzhen (楚玄祯)
Alias(es)	Great Emperor; “River God,” a name used by island locals 298 371
Species/Race	Human, with a body altered by Gu Poison and South Seas Curse-Head Sorcery 215 357
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Great Chu imperial court; Crown Prince faction; Imperial Secret Guards 221 354 372
Occupation/Role	Crown Prince, later regent and emperor of Great Chu 206 370
Birth Family	Legitimate son of Prince Anping and Princess Anping 215
Raised By	The emperor and Empress, as a replacement for their deceased infant Crown Prince 215
Partner	Shen Yangge, whom he calls Shen Zhuanxie; their wedding is referenced in an extra story 216 371
Status	Alive in the extra stories 371 378

Background / History

Substitution as the Crown Prince

Chu Xuanzhen was born on the day the Empress’s infant son died. The emperor demanded that Prince Anping surrender his newborn heir to replace the dead Crown Prince. When Prince Anping refused, he was dispatched north to war and never returned. Princess Anping died within six months, and their son disappeared from public knowledge; that child was raised in the palace as Chu Xuanzhen 215.

As a young child, Chu was spoiled and violent toward classmates at the Imperial College. At six, after the emperor reprimanded him for beating Chancellor Wan Zhi’s legitimate son, he adopted a cultivated public persona. He excelled in examinations, recited the classics, and demonstrated an understanding of state affairs while concealing his fiercer temperament 215.

Discovery and Betrayal

At ten, Chu learned that he was Prince Anping’s son and that his birth parents were dead. The Empress also discovered the substitution and turned against him. When she later subjected him to brutal abuse, he attacked her with a sword and nearly killed her. The emperor stopped him by appealing to memories of the years she had raised him 215.

Six months later, the emperor and Empress restrained Chu and implanted Gu Worms in his body. The resulting torment drove him into years of madness and confusion over whether he was the lost Anping heir or the deceased Crown Prince whose identity he had inherited 215.

Meeting Shen Yangge

A young man’s curses and lively presence unexpectedly eased Chu’s madness. Chu initially ordered him punished, but became uneasy upon hearing that he might die and sent someone to check on him 215.

At the Empress’s birthday banquet, Chu discovered that he alone could hear the young man’s private thoughts. His amusement developed into attachment, and he personally bestowed the name Shen Zhuanxie, reserving its use for himself. Shen’s companionship—and the slight calming effect of his blood—became increasingly important to him 216.

Appearance

Chu is exceptionally handsome, tall, and straight-backed, with an elegant bearing that remains visible even during acts of extreme violence 124 133 268.

• Hair: Black, generally secured beneath a crown 125.
• Eyes: Sharp brows and bright, expressive eyes; his pupils are described as black and seemingly bottomless 133 330.
• Hands: Slender fingers with fine calluses on their pads 281.
• Clothing: Crown Prince’s court robes, cloud-patterned wide-sleeved robes, and dark garments trimmed or patterned in gold 108 133 229 339.
• During illness: His eyes can become bloodshot; during one severe episode, even the whites turn pitch-black before returning to normal 177 240.
• Temporary child form: Retains his composed expression and authority, but has a childish voice and requires miniature clothing 236 240.

Personality

Chu deliberately separates his public image from his private temperament. His scholarly refinement began as an act at six, and his apparent madness later included periods of complete lucidity. He is difficult to read: even Shen, who habitually studies his expressions, sometimes cannot tell whether he is calm or experiencing an episode 184 215 216.

He is patient and calculating in political danger. He accepts imprisonment when it serves his plans, uses doubles to maintain appearances, and infiltrates enemy households through loyal operatives. His composure is matched by ruthlessness toward rebels, assassins, and those who harm Shen 167 268 298 352.

His attachment to Shen combines tenderness with possessiveness. He cares for Shen’s transformed bodies, preserves personal keepsakes, draws a detailed portrait of him, and reassures him that he need not disclose every secret. However, separation can provoke panic and dangerous anger, while jealousy extends even to an innocent kiss from a child 177 201 217 223.

Chu’s control is not limited to teasing. He restricts Shen’s movements, uses permission for leave as leverage, and immobilizes him through pressure points. In one sexual encounter, he disregards Shen’s explicit protests, leaving Shen exhausted and resentful afterward 206 320 321 324.

Despite his brutality, he also takes concrete responsibility for civilians. He honors Physician Liu with a proper burial, sends forces to rescue island residents trapped beneath rubble, and promises to investigate women’s public appeals for justice 103 298 320.

Abilities & Skills

Swordsmanship

Chu is a formidable close-range fighter whose speed and precision contradict his enemies’ image of a useless Crown Prince 156.

• Fights one-handed while carrying Shen, with almost every thrust proving fatal 156.
• Deflects incoming arrows with his sword while shielding Shen 186.
• Wounds Jiang Heming despite the latter’s monstrous transformation and Gu creatures 172.
• Breaks his Ceremonial Sword while saving the Eighth Prince 165.

Lightness Skill and Swimming

Chu uses lightness skill to move rapidly during an escape and is a stronger swimmer than Shen 157 164.

• Launches himself into the air while carrying Shen during pursuit 157.
• Survives a desperate leap from a cliff into a river rather than surrendering to his pursuers 104.

Archery

Chu kills Commander Ake with an arrow while standing on Shen’s dragon back. The wooden bow breaks afterward, and he discards it 197.

Hearing Shen’s Thoughts

Chu can hear Shen’s inner voice directly, first discovering the ability at the Empress’s birthday banquet 216.

• Hears thoughts that contradict Shen’s outwardly respectful speech 216.
• Follows Shen’s thoughts to locate him after he slips away 217.
• Recognizes Shen after his transformation into a kitten 216.
• Cannot always hear him: while waiting at the Imperial Medical Bureau, Chu listens but receives nothing 124.
• The demonstrated ability concerns Shen; general mind-reading is not established 216.

Pressure-Point Techniques

Chu can disable movement with a light touch 324.

• Makes Shen’s leg go numb before he can kick.
• Seals the pressure points on the other leg, leaving Shen unable to move either leg 324.

Strategy and Intelligence Operations

Chu combines military command with infiltration, decoys, and controlled appearances 187 298 352.

• Uses deliberate captivity to conceal plans already in motion 167 187.
• Employs impersonators during his physical transformation, secret travel, and dungeon escape 247 320 352.
• Places or exploits operatives among an enemy’s trusted aides 298.
• Replaces hostile spies and guards before revealing that his apparent helplessness was a ruse 352 355.

Scholarship and Drawing

Chu ranks among the best students at the Imperial College after adopting his refined persona. As an adult, he reviews memorials and handles state affairs; he also draws a detailed portrait of Shen that prompts Shen’s written confession of love 201 215 320.

Afflictions and Poison Resistance

Condition / Effect	Documented Details
Gu Worm implantation	The emperor and Empress implant Gu Worms when Chu is ten, subjecting him to persistent torment and precipitating his madness 215.
South Seas Curse-Head Sorcery	Described as a terminal affliction in his personal side story. Shen’s blood provides slight relief from episodes, but a complete cure is not established 216.
Episodes of madness	Can occur beneath an outwardly composed appearance. Shen’s disappearance repeatedly pushes him toward a breakdown 153 177.
Physical chill	His body becomes unnaturally cold; Shen holds him close to warm him 212.
Temporary shrinking	Becomes child-sized while retaining his judgment and authority. The change requires concealment from political rivals 236.
Severe fever and altered eyes	Suffers intense pain and fever while shrunken; afterward, his eyes return to normal, though instability remains 240.
Five Poison Insects’ venom	White venom spreads through his hand alongside red Gu markings. He prevents the two poisons from merging by gripping his wrist 357.
Resistance to other Gu Poisons	Explains that ordinary and special Gu Poisons have little effect on him after contracting the South Seas variety, comparing them to eggs striking a rock 357.
Blood used offensively	Flicks a drop of his blood into Chu Xuanzhi’s eye, immediately knocking him unconscious 357.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Ceremonial Sword — Found bloodstained and broken outside the survivors’ cave; the Eighth Prince explains that Chu broke it while saving him 164 165.
• Longsword — Used in battle while riding on Shen’s dragon back 197.
• Wooden bow — Used to kill Commander Ake; snaps after the shot 197.
• Shen’s lock of hair — Secretly preserved after an assassin cuts it off 217.
• Shen’s dragon scale — Carried at his waist. Repeated handling smooths its edges and leaves fine scratches on his fingers 328.
• Scented sachet — A preferred accessory that becomes a question in his guessing game with Shen 328.
• Portrait of Shen — Bears Shen’s written declaration of love and promise to remain with him through life and death 201.
• Red thread — Tied between unconscious Shen’s wrist and Chu’s finger; discovered broken when Shen vanishes 177.
• Physician Liu’s pellet drum — Retrieves the bloodstained keepsake after Liu’s death; it belonged to Liu’s apprentice 103 104.

Relationships

• Shen Yangge / Shen Zhuanxie — Lover and later wedding partner. Chu alone hears his thoughts and reserves the bestowed name “Shen Zhuanxie” for his own use. Their bond includes mutual care, repeated separations, jealousy, and conflict over Shen’s autonomy 216 223 322 371.
• Prince Anping — Biological father. Refuses to surrender Chu as an infant, is sent north to war, and never returns 215.
• Princess Anping — Biological mother. Dies within six months of Prince Anping’s departure and defeat 215.
• The emperor — Raises Chu as Crown Prince, conceals his origins, and later helps implant the Gu Worms. Chu visits him before his death and subsequently seals the supposedly revived emperor inside his coffin 215 258 260.
• The Empress — Raises him believing he is her child, then abuses him after discovering the substitution. Chu later sends her to Nanli Temple rather than imposing a harsher punishment 202 215.
• The Eighth Prince — Military companion whom Chu saves at the cost of his sword; later revealed to have sided against him. In an extra story, Chu Xuanzhi tells him that Chu personally killed his long-poisoned mother 165 346 372.
• Xue Pingyuan — Loyal general and political ally. Supports Chu’s succession, commands campaigns against rival factions, and carries out the deceptive surrender that enables the capital’s recapture 185 201 354.
• Xue Qian — Accompanies Chu during the urgent northern search for Shen and helps interrogate Shen’s attackers, though Chu’s brutality frightens him 267 268.
• Su Shang — Trusted subordinate who protects Chu in battle, gathers intelligence, and arranges an impersonator during the shrinking crisis 172 236 240.
• Liang Jinwen — Skilled impersonator hired as Chu’s double. His performance convinces officials, but he admits that he cannot fully reproduce Chu’s natural authority 247.
• Chu Xuanzhi — Rival Second Prince whose authority over the Imperial Secret Guards complicates the succession struggle. Chu destroys his Gu creature and incapacitates him with a drop of blood 221 356 357.
• Chu Tianyin — Rival Fourth Prince who orchestrates Chu’s imprisonment and later tortures him during the ceremony coup. Surrenders after Chu Xuanzhi is defeated 187 346 357.
• Consort Xue — Political opponent who proposes exchanging Shen’s escape for Chu’s murder and support for another prince. Chu Tianyin also manipulates her without her knowledge 241 339.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arc	Chu Xuanzhen’s Role
Yong’an Stronghold	Slaughters nearly half the bandits after learning Shen has been captured and tortures their second-in-command. Shen’s presence helps him regain restraint 78.
Lingnan rebellion	Returns during the battle, commands the defeat of the Seventh Prince’s faction, and honors Physician Liu after his death. Back in court, he exposes the prince’s private troops and strikes him for attacking Shen 102 103 106.
Palace intrigue	Conceals child-sized Shen’s identity at a banquet, presenting him as an orphan from Lingnan. Later interrogates Consort Ru over an attempted child substitution, but poisoning silences her before she identifies the mastermind 117 124 125.
First Prince’s coup	Resists with fewer than half as many men as the First Prince, whose forces nevertheless struggle to overwhelm his defenders 133 134.
Siege and escape	Protects Shen against raiders, carries him through combat, and shields him during pursuit. Later, his broken sword causes Shen to fear he has died 156 157 164.
Jiang Family Manor	Allows himself to be captured as part of a plan. Reunites with dragon-form Shen, confronts Jiang Heming’s Gu creatures, and pursues Jiang into a trap 167 172.
Return to the capital	Challenges a dubious decree at the gates, enters captivity rather than retreating, and arranges to remain shackled to Shen. The subsequent victory includes his killing of Commander Ake and Xue Pingyuan’s arrest of rebels 185 187 197 201.
Regency and delayed accession	Refuses the throne while the emperor lives but accepts the regency. Continues delaying even after the emperor’s death; Shen later identifies workload, marriage expectations, and challenges to Chu’s lineage as likely reasons, not a definitive explanation 206 260 361.
Shrinking crisis	Directs his own concealment despite becoming child-sized. Su Shang finds Liang Jinwen, who handles official audiences as Chu’s double 236 240 247.
Northern and island expedition	Secretly leaves the capital, searches urgently for Shen, executes men who abused him, and dismantles the city lord’s hidden arsenal while rescuing civilians 266 267 268 298.
Ceremony coup and counterattack	Is stabbed by the externally controlled Shen and further wounded by Chu Tianyin. Later reveals that his apparent disability and captivity conceal a planned escape, then defeats Chu Xuanzhi and accepts Chu Tianyin’s surrender 346 352 356 357.
Imperial aftermath	Appears as emperor in the extra stories. Seven days after Chu Xuanzhi’s imprisonment, the Imperial Secret Guards swear allegiance to the emperor 370 372.
Shen’s death and later reunion	Continues governing while holding Shen’s lifeless body, struggling nightly to preserve his self-control. A later extra shows Shen alive and disputing the Great Emperor’s claim that he and Chu Xuanzhen are the same person 370 371.

Notable Quotes

“You are mine.” 217

“It is no matter. I have merely shrunk. I am not dead.” 236

“Chu Xuanzhen is me, and I am him. Bowing to heaven and earth with him was bowing to heaven and earth with me.” 371

Trivia

• Gives the Empress a golden coffin for her birthday, deliberately provoking both her and the emperor 216.
• Locals call him the River God after seeing him ride a giant fish while seeking the Sea Demon 298.
• Claims that ten of his Imperial Secret Guards can match a hundred opponents 221.
• Investigates Shen’s genealogy, childhood travel, and preferred foods closely enough to expose a fabricated explanation for unfamiliar dishes 327.
• The account Shen knows as the original novel is largely written from Chu’s perspective. System 615 later clarifies that the setting is not literally a book world, although the supplied plot describes events that world experienced 310.