Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Wenren Qiao (闻人樵) |
| Alias(es) | Prince of Beiping; also rendered “Prince of Pingbei” 1 22 |
| Gender | Male |
| Affiliation | Wenren family; Li Kingdom 22 |
| Occupation/Role | Hereditary prince; head of the Prince of Beiping’s Residence 1 22 |
| Spouse | Tie Lihua, Princess Consort of Beiping 1 53 |
| Children | Wenren Luoshui and Wenren Qingluo; Wenren Ruoshui later appears inexplicably as his eldest daughter 1 199 |
| Height | 185 cm 53 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 1 1 |
Background / History
Wenren Qiao is the eldest son of the previous Prince of Beiping. After his biological mother died, his father remarried. His stepmother neglected him from infancy and relaxed her vigilance only after deciding that he lacked academic talent and ambition. Despite her preference for her accomplished biological son, Wenren Chun, the old prince left the title to Qiao 1.
At his father’s mourning hall, the Old Princess Consort demanded that Qiao surrender the title to Chun. Qiao refused and publicly argued with her before the clan elders. The household was divided, with Chun and his mother receiving the larger share of its assets. Qiao nevertheless retained substantial wealth inherited through his biological mother, whose family had been wealthy merchants 22.
Qiao fell in love with Tie Lihua, a blacksmith’s daughter, at first sight. His father opposed the match and beat him badly enough to leave him bedridden for two days. Once recovered, Qiao resumed courting her, and they eventually married despite the difference in their families’ status 53.
His bond with the emperor predates the latter’s accession. When the future emperor was unpopular and others avoided him, Qiao ignored their warnings and continued playing with him. Their childhood friendship became the foundation of Qiao’s unusually secure position at court 1.
Appearance
- Tall and slender: Qiao stands 185 cm tall, five centimeters taller than Tie Lihua, but has a comparatively scrawny build 53.
- Handsome face: His features are explicitly described as handsome during his furious reaction to Ruoshui’s attempted matchmaking 206.
Personality
Qiao cultivates the reputation of an idle, unserious prince. He enjoys eating, drinking, walking his birds, and watching cockfights. When the emperor once proposed giving him an official post, he avoided visiting the palace for six months. His later attendance at court remains optional, much to his daughter’s envy 1 5 89 116.
He is shamelessly familiar with the emperor. He brings his children to plead poverty when the residence needs money, chats during court, and treats imperial possessions with little ceremony. In one remembered incident, he ate a pear before the Late Emperor and hurriedly finished it because he thought the emperor wanted a share 1 7 8.
His devotion to Tie Lihua is openly theatrical. He feeds her cakes, seeks cuddles, and becomes tearful when he fears she might meet her first love. Their affection frequently leaves Luoshui complaining that her parents have forgotten their daughter 12 34 128.
Despite his carefree habits, Qiao recognizes exploitation and fiercely protects his household. He refuses relatives who demand favors while insulting his family, rejects attempts to interfere with his marriage, and uses his access to the emperor when his wife and child are threatened. His own assessment is that he is a wastrel, not an idiot 115 116 206.
Abilities & Skills
Hearing Luoshui’s Thoughts
Qiao can hear Wenren Luoshui’s internal commentary and her conversations with the Salty Fish System 1.
- Learns that Cook Liu is his younger brother’s planted agent and resolves to have the steward deal with her 1.
- Conceals his awareness from Luoshui, inventing an unrelated story to explain why he laughs at gossip about the emperor 6.
- Continues receiving private revelations, including Tie Jiuni’s belief that Tie Lihua stole her intended marriage 87 88.
Imperial Access and Influence
His longstanding friendship with the emperor lets him seek help with exceptional directness.
- Secures the transfer of Chang Bingbing’s husband after her attempt to have Tie Lihua and their newborn killed is exposed 115.
- Boldly demands that the emperor come to the palace gates to receive his family’s donation 60.
- Cannot simply surrender his title at will: the emperor rejects his proposal to pass it to Luoshui 27.
Physical Reactions
- Kicks Tie Jiuni away when he mistakes her attempted embrace for an attack 86.
- Nimbly dodges Chang Bingbing when she lunges at him, causing her to fall 116.
- Is physically much weaker than Tie Lihua, who can knock him down with one punch and carry him away 34 53.
Property & Resources
- Prince of Beiping’s Residence — His household’s home and the setting for repeated confrontations with intrusive relatives and guests 53 86 203.
- Maternal inheritance — His biological mother’s substantial dowry remained under the management of her personal maid, who resisted the Old Princess Consort’s attempts to take its valuable assets 22.
- Vermilion Bird Street storefronts — Owns no fewer than ten shops on the capital’s prominent commercial street 22.
Relationships
- Tie Lihua — Wife and the center of his affections. He remains faithful to her and angrily rejects the claim that she took another woman’s marriage agreement 53 88 89.
- Wenren Luoshui — Daughter. He teases her, supports her decisions, and sometimes hides behind her when his own provocations cause trouble 12 13 54.
- Wenren Qingluo — Son. Shares his father’s playful temperament and accompanies the family’s visits to the emperor 1 5.
- The emperor — Childhood friend whom Qiao treats as a brother. Qiao trusts that he would never deliberately harm him 1 5.
- Prince Heng, Lang Bo — Regular dining companion and fellow court mischief-maker. Their antics include clinging to the emperor and disrupting proceedings 7 27.
- Old Princess Consort of Beiping — Stepmother. Their estrangement centers on her childhood neglect of Qiao and attempts to secure his title for her own son 1 22.
- Wenren Chun — Younger half-brother and rival claimant favored by the Old Princess Consort. Their branches separate before Chun’s crimes come before the court 22 27.
- Tie Lihua’s parents — Affectionate in-laws. Qiao prefers his father-in-law to his own father and retreats to their home to complain after marital quarrels 114.
- Wenren Ruoshui — Inexplicably introduced eldest daughter. Qiao eventually regards her as a danger to the household but finds himself unable to send her away 199 203.
- Lin Yuerou — Childhood acquaintance whom Ruoshui presents as his former sweetheart. Qiao rejects that description, having met her only a few times as a child 206.
Story Role / Major Arcs
| Arc | Qiao’s involvement |
|---|---|
| Preventing the household’s foretold deaths | Overhears Luoshui’s warning about Cook Liu. The cook is expelled after being caught adding laxatives to food, and later passages credit Luoshui with saving the eldest branch from poisoning 1 21 23. |
| Luoshui enters court | Helps wake his reluctant daughter and accompanies her to morning court. Both arrive visibly sleepy and listless 5. |
| Court gossip and provocations | Protectively hugs Luoshui when Prince Heng nearly reaches for her during revelations about his family. Later challenges Grand Commandant Chu’s pressure over the succession, then asks Luoshui to defend him 8 13. |
| The tiger spectacle | Encounters Luoshui with three tigers, immediately asks whether one can carry a rider, and later boasts about her tiger to the emperor 15 16. |
| Punishment of the estranged branches | Offers to transfer his title to Luoshui while claiming responsibility for relatives’ crimes. The emperor rejects this because Qiao’s household has already separated from theirs 27. |
| Begonia Garden’s imperial recognition | Joins Luoshui’s procession with ten chests of gold and presents her business earnings to the emperor. Her donations lead to Begonia Garden receiving Imperial Merchant status 59 60 62. |
| Tie Jiuni’s advances | Rejects her attempted embrace and later pours his foot-soaking water over her when she brings soup, returning to Tie Lihua instead 86 89. |
| Chang Bingbing’s renewed demands | Refuses to obtain a better posting for her husband, slaps her, and condemns her expectation that the family owes her assistance 116. |
| Ruoshui’s interference | Defends Luoshui’s public activities, dismisses Cui San’s family after the failed forced-marriage scheme, and rejects Ruoshui’s attempt to pair him with Lin Yuerou. He orders Ruoshui to kneel overnight in the Ancestral Hall 199 203 206. |
Notable Quotes
“Why ask so many questions? Anyway, my brother would never screw me over.” 5
“After all these years, I thought you'd be used to it.”
— To Luoshui, after she complains that her parents are ignoring her 12
“Your home is my home, isn't it?”
— To Tie Lihua, after seeking refuge with her parents 114