Liu Yun

Biodata

Background / History

Childhood and Court Life

Liu Yun’s father died when she was born. Raised by a wet nurse and servants, she rarely saw her mother. Her wet nurse told her that exceptional achievement would earn her mother’s attention, prompting Liu Yun to push herself relentlessly. She ultimately felt that her mother regarded her as a means of preserving her position rather than as a daughter 13.

As a princess and prospective imperial successor, Liu Yun handled numerous meetings and affairs. She was troubled by Great Sui’s factional court, colluding regional warlords, and weakening central authority 8 25.

During childhood, she cultivated at Huailu Academy, where the headmaster personally instructed her but refused to accept her formal bow of discipleship. At thirteen, she entered the Daoist Dragon-Tiger Mountain; at sixteen, she studied governance under the Imperial Preceptor, who praised her as a talent fit to govern a nation and serve the world 94 95.

Treasure Ship Attack

Liu Yun’s treasure ship was attacked on the Luo River as it approached Luoshui City. Most of her people died in the explosion. Xiao Wu rescued her from the water, and she asked him to take her to the prefect. Instead, he brought her to assassins posing as Brocade-Clad Guards, who killed him and pursued her 8 9 13.

Old Ox later brought the unconscious, blade-wounded princess to Li Ping’an’s courtyard. At the ox’s insistence, Li Ping’an treated her injuries and sheltered her. Meanwhile, reports circulated that the princess had died, with her jade pendant cited as evidence 10 11.

A later account identifies the Second Prince as the rumored instigator of the treasure-ship explosion during the struggle for the throne 451.

Life in Hiding

Liu Yun remained confined to the courtyard because even going outside was dangerous. Although Li Ping’an initially expected her wounds to require three months of recovery, they nearly healed within days. He noticed the anomaly but did not question her 10 11.

During more than half a year together, their guarded arrangement became an affectionate domestic routine. Liu Yun helped with chores, gradually learned to cook, and bought Li Ping’an a replacement cane. She never explicitly disclosed her identity during this period, though he had deduced it 11 18 21.

A later recollection reveals that they also discussed Great Sui’s political problems during this period. Liu Yun explained the difficulties of addressing land consolidation while accommodating imperial clansmen and powerful sects. Li Ping’an warned that concentrating land in wealthy hands and placing the tax burden on impoverished commoners would eventually endanger the country 429 430.

New Year’s Eve Escape

After receiving word that she had to leave, Liu Yun urged Li Ping’an not to accompany her because of the danger. He nevertheless insisted on escorting her out of Luoshui City. They departed through heavy snow on Lunar New Year’s Eve, abandoning the dumplings she had prepared to make at home 22.

Their route was blocked by the city’s underworld fighters and cultivators. Li Ping’an fought the attackers while Old Ox protected Liu Yun from capture. She identified Lu Cheng as an official her mother had promoted and explained his cultivation classification to Li Ping’an 23 24.

When Wu Shishun apparently killed Li Ping’an, Liu Yun tried to persuade the assassin to change sides and save him. She promised to reform Great Sui’s institutions if she took the throne. Li Ping’an revived and continued fighting, but lost his left arm; Liu Yun applied medicinal powder and bandaged the wound 25 26.

After they survived, Liu Yun asked Li Ping’an to return with her and offered to seek treatment for his injuries. He declined. As fireworks marked the new year, she kissed him and received a wooden hairpin he had made for her before they parted 26.

Return to Capital City

Liu Yun later received Liu Yong at the Princess’s Residence after he arrived seeking help through Li Ping’an’s recommendation. Learning that he knew Ping’an, she offered him positions in several central imperial forces. When Liu Yong instead requested frontier service, she assigned him to General Xiahou Shang 41 42.

Several years after their separation, Liu Yun reunited with Li Ping’an and learned that his missing arm had healed. She introduced him to the Deputy Director of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau as part of her effort to find someone capable of guiding his cultivation 86 94.

Concerned that ordinary martial arts would not protect him from every supernatural danger, she personally visited Huailu Academy’s headmaster to request a protective brush. He selected Knight-Errant, which she subsequently gave to Li Ping’an. She explained its properties and guided him in drawing the written character “cleave” into his Staff-Sword 94 95 96.

When Li Ping’an departed by boat, Liu Yun watched from the riverbank. She wondered whether, without her responsibilities as imperial heir, she might also have followed her heart and made a home wherever she wandered 98.

Frontier Command and Accession

As Eldest Princess, Liu Yun inspected military camps and participated in directing the war against the Turkic forces. When survivors escaped the encirclement at Sal’er Pass, she summoned Zhao Mu and praised his achievement. Zhao Mu credited Li Ping’an with most of the breakout, prompting her to ask where he was 199.

Liu Yong subsequently reported that Li Ping’an could not be found and had probably already left. Liu Yun declined to pursue him and returned to discussing military affairs with her generals. After Great Sui adjusted its strategy and won two successive battles, newspapers praised her leadership 200 205.

She eventually ascended the throne as Empress of Great Sui. Following her accession, she killed two younger brothers and imprisoned the Second Prince, whose son Liu Rui escaped and lived under the name Liu Er 368 370 451.

Shushan Visits and Gatherings

After Shushan suppressed Lin Lushan’s rebellion, Liu Yun personally distributed rewards to contributors, including Li Ping’an. She maintained a calm, approachable public manner during the ceremony and briefly spoke with him 297.

She later joined Li Ping’an and his friends at a crowded gathering where Old Ox introduced Nine Provinces Kill. During one round, she failed to save Aliya despite holding the loyalist role, claiming that she had forgotten her identity. In another round, she smiled at her loyalist card when Li Ping’an became lord 329.

The gathering continued late into the night with drinking and games. The following morning, Aliya teased Liu Yun about her drunken declarations. Elder Zhang saw the companions leaving Li Ping’an’s room and fainted after misinterpreting the situation 330.

War Against Great Yu

During the war against Great Yu, Liu Yun ordered further investigation after learning that more than twenty thousand enemy personnel were searching the mountains around Datong. She also dispatched Jing Yu and Huailu Academy disciples on a mission against an enemy Spirit Stone mine 368.

At the decisive battle at Dragon-Breaking Slope, she personally beat the war drums and commanded from the central army. The battle lasted seven days and nights, with heavy casualties among high-ranking cultivators. The Imperial Astronomy Bureau transported large forces directly onto the battlefield to strike Great Yu’s central army, while Liu Yun continued directing operations without sleep or rest 370.

She subsequently commanded a six-hundred-thousand-strong army against Guxiao Pass. After a prolonged campaign, she personally led eighty thousand elite troops in the final assault. Once the pass fell, she ordered one hundred and thirty thousand surrendered soldiers buried alive and more than thirty thousand Great Yu cultivators slaughtered to sever Great Yu’s destiny 375 376.

During the advance on Great Yu’s capital, she ordered an ancient locust tree associated with Great Yu’s founding emperor chopped down. Great Sui then captured the capital, with Liu Yong leading black-armored troops into the city. Standing atop its walls, Liu Yun reflected on Great Sui’s destruction of its rival after eleven emperors and the prospect of unifying Central Province and eventually the Nine Provinces 377 378.

After the conquest, senior officers received a secret order from her to slaughter the city in half a month. Liu Yong was deeply troubled by the prospect of killing its common people. The passage establishes the order, not its eventual execution 380.

Imperial Administration and Reform

Liu Yun used rewards and tax remissions to cultivate the allegiance of the Lü Family, the hereditary rulers of Lüzhou. After the Lüzhou incident, the imperial court exterminated the nine branches of Lü Liang’s clan, dismantled his power, and directly appointed officials and stationed troops in the region 398 407.

She planned to personally commend Jing Yu, Changqing, Liu Yong, Li Ping’an, and the other contributors to resolving the incident. While anticipating Li Ping’an’s attendance, she carefully selected her makeup and a relatively informal red outfit. After learning that he would instead enter seclusion, she abruptly chose formal auspicious attire 407.

Her reign involved a demanding daily routine of early rising, lengthy court sessions, reading, reviewing memorials, summoning officials, and issuing decrees. Despite the splendor of imperial meals and surroundings, she often found the routine monotonous and lonely 476.

When the Imperial City Bureau arrested the White-Faced Scholar over perceived allusions to the Empress in Strange Tales of Travel, Liu Yun read the book and recognized the people depicted. She judged the offense unintentional, ordered an end to the investigation, and allowed the book to circulate 476.

By her later reign, she had established an exceptionally powerful empire through Great Sui’s campaigns across Central Province. Even cultivators of the upper third realm were expected to treat her with great respect 636.

Battle of Tengchong City

Liu Yun personally joined the allied defense of Tengchong City against the Demon Race. Despite opposition from the Grand Secretariat, she brought one of Great Sui’s finest cavalry forces and more than a thousand Imperial Astronomy Bureau disciples across provinces to reinforce the city. Her answer to objections was that she still owed Li Ping’an two lives 541 542.

At the allied council, she warned that their existing strength could only delay defeat without reinforcements. She emphasized the political, logistical, and military risks of deploying Great Sui’s forces in Qi Province, where they lacked home-ground advantages and could arouse local suspicion. Before the defenders departed for their assigned positions, she and Li Ping’an exchanged wishes for a safe return 542.

The Director of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau criticized her decision as a losing bargain that mixed imperial interests with personal feelings. He refused further assistance and argued that Liu Yong should be preserved even if the army were lost. Liu Yun acknowledged the stakes but did not abandon her position 553.

After the Demon Race retreated, Li Ping’an gave Liu Yun homemade pickles before their farewell. They discussed his continued travels, and she intervened when the Director attempted to recruit him. She prepared to leave with Great Sui’s officials, including Jing Yu 557.

Later Reunions and Succession Discussions

When Jingyun told Liu Yun that Li Ping’an had arrived at the Jing Residence, she was startled despite maintaining her controlled outward expression 636.

She later visited the residence and dismissed Prince Heng, Princess Hewan, and Jingyun so that she could speak privately with Li Ping’an. Over roasted potatoes and eggs, he warned that overly rapid reforms and frequently changing decrees could unsettle the country. He praised her existing achievements as worthy of the greatest emperors and reminded her that some things remained beyond human power 642.

Liu Yun had kept Prince Heng and Princess Hewan near her to nurture them. During the reunion, she and Li Ping’an openly discussed which of the two might be the better heir, though he declined to judge after knowing them for less than two hours 642.

During a later crisis, Li Ping’an interpreted apparent military setbacks and Liu Yong’s reported illness as part of Liu Yun’s possible strategy to lure invading allied forces deep into Great Sui before annihilating them. This was his inference based on his knowledge of her, rather than a directly stated order from Liu Yun in that passage 746.

Final War and Elderly Reunion

After Li Ping’an awoke from two days of grievous injuries, Liu Yun informed him that fighting continued and that the major powers would meet at Azure Cloud Lake to discuss the decisive struggle against the Demon Race and Extraterrestrial Demons. She remained beside his bed, eventually falling asleep with worry still visible on her face 808.

That night, Li Ping’an covered her with a blanket before leaving for the Sword-Guarding Pavilion. Liu Yun caught up with him and warned that going farther might leave him no way back 808.

In her final recorded appearance, Liu Yun was white-haired and visibly aged. Li Ping’an returned to Capital City, and she greeted him with renewed brightness and a smile while Princess Hewan withdrew. Liu Yun asked him to carry her on his back for a walk because the palace felt stifling. The falling snow reminded her of Luoshui City, and she expressed a wish to live her life over again 814.

Appearance

• Face and complexion: Described as exceptionally beautiful, with soft, lustrous skin compared to white jade 8.
• Eyes: Bright, expressive eyes that curve into crescents when she smiles; later described as phoenix eyes beneath willow-leaf brows 11 18 407.
• Build: Slender waist, graceful curves, and fair, slender arms 10 14.
• Hair: While living in hiding, she wears her hair tied high with a bamboo chopstick. Her hair is white in her elderly appearance 14 814.
• Bearing: Her speech and gestures reveal a privileged upbringing even without formal court dress 21.
• Public reputation: Recognized as a beauty on the Rouge Ranking; even in plain clothes, her regal elegance is compared to that of an immortal maiden 94.
• Military attire: Appears in armor while inspecting the frontier camp, her face dusty but her beauty undiminished 199.
• Later-life appearance: By her reunion with Li Ping’an near the end of the story, she has visibly aged and no longer possesses her former youthful beauty 814.

Personality

Liu Yun is grateful and willing to contribute despite her royal upbringing. Once able to move, she begins washing dishes and performing small chores without adopting the airs of a high-ranking guest. She also avoids asking Li Ping’an for expensive gifts because she understands his limited means 11 18.

Her childhood left her sensitive to neglect. Waiting for Li Ping’an reminds her of waiting fruitlessly for her mother, but his dependable return gives her a sense of security. Their quiet life allows her to relax away from court intrigue and become openly affectionate 13 14 18.

At court, she presents a markedly different bearing: composed, commanding, and fiercely ambitious. She values officials who genuinely serve the country, approving Liu Yong’s request for frontier duty over comfortable central appointments 41 42.

Her ambition develops into an uncompromising imperial ruthlessness. During the conquest of Great Yu, she orders mass killings to destroy its destiny and later secretly orders the slaughter of its capital. These actions contrast sharply with her private tenderness toward Li Ping’an and her earlier promise to reform Great Sui’s abuses 25 376 380.

She remains deeply attached to Li Ping’an despite separation and repeated disappointments when he continues wandering. Her unusual attention to her appearance before his anticipated visit and her decision to reinforce Tengchong despite political objections reveal how strongly her personal feelings affect her 98 407 542 553.

She is diligent in government but experiences the isolation of sovereignty. Her demanding routine leaves little leisure, and she sometimes imagines writing a book about an emperor’s day while doubting that anyone would find it interesting 476.

Abilities & Skills

Royal Education

Liu Yun considers herself accomplished in governance, battlefield affairs, music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and song 14.

• Studies chess moves while living with Li Ping’an and confidently challenges him to play 21.
• Initially struggles with cooking and laundry despite her broader education; her cooking improves over the following months 14 18.
• Receives personal instruction from Huailu Academy’s headmaster, later enters Dragon-Tiger Mountain, and studies governance under the Imperial Preceptor 94 95.
• Is praised by the Imperial Preceptor for her capacity to govern the nation and serve the world 95.

Rapid Recovery

Her blade wounds heal far faster than Li Ping’an expects 10 11.

• Most wounds close within a few days, with new skin already forming in places 11.
• The cause is unexplained; no cultivation realm or advancement is established for her in these passages 11.

Cultivation Knowledge and First Aid

Liu Yun knows cultivation categories unfamiliar to Li Ping’an and can administer emergency wound care 24 25 26.

• Identifies Lu Cheng as a Martial Warrior 24.
• Recognizes Wu Shishun as a Qi Refiner, apparently not a Sword Cultivator 25.
• Uses medicinal powder and torn clothing to bandage Li Ping’an’s severed-arm wound 26.
• Explains the protective, calming, and rule-bearing properties of the Knight-Errant Brush 95.
• Guides Li Ping’an in using qi to draw the character “cleave” into the Staff-Sword, demonstrating practical knowledge of the brush’s enchantment method 96.

Imperial Authority

Her position initially allows her to arrange military appointments; after accession, she exercises sovereign authority over Great Sui’s administration and armed forces 42 370 476.

• Offers Liu Yong service in the Golden Guard, Five Army Commandery, Feathered Forest Army, or Divine Martial Army 42.
• Assigns him to General Xiahou Shang when he requests frontier duty 42.
• Directs major military campaigns, including the conquest of Great Yu, and personally leads troops during the final assault on Guxiao Pass 370 375 376.
• Issues imperial decrees, reviews confidential memorials, and decides whether an investigation into alleged disrespect toward the throne should continue 430 476.
• Overrides ministerial opposition to deploy cavalry and Imperial Astronomy Bureau disciples to Tengchong City 542.
• Nurtures Prince Heng and Princess Hewan while considering the succession 642.

Military Command and Strategic Judgment

Liu Yun combines formal military education with direct battlefield leadership. She studies battlefield sand tables, consults generals, and takes personal responsibility for major campaigns 14 200 370.

• Commands from the central army and beats the war drums herself during the seven-day battle at Dragon-Breaking Slope 370.
• Coordinates a large, multi-column offensive against Great Yu’s defenses 375.
• Recognizes the logistical limitations of the Tengchong defense and insists that reinforcements are necessary to avoid eventual defeat by attrition 542.

Power Progression

Equipment / Items

• Jade pendant associated with the ship attack — Worn close to her body; reportedly recovered after the ship explosion and used to support claims of her death 11.
• Medicinal powder — Carried in her pocket and used to treat Li Ping’an’s wound 26.
• Wooden hairpin — Handmade by Li Ping’an as an affordable New Year’s gift; he places it in her hair before their separation 26.
• Concealing jade pendant — Worn during her later visit to Li Ping’an at Huailu Academy. She states that even fifth-grade cultivators cannot sense her while she wears it; Li Ping’an nevertheless recognizes her by her scent. Its identity with the earlier pendant is not established 95.
• Knight-Errant Brush / Xia Ke — Obtained from Huailu Academy’s headmaster and given to Li Ping’an for protection. It repels ordinary supernatural threats, nourishes temperament, calms the mind and qi, and retains some of the headmaster’s rules, enabling character-based effects and enchantment 94 95 96.
• Tranquility Incense — Supplied by Huailu Academy’s headmaster; helps her sleep despite the strain of her responsibilities 94.
• Golden pill — Takes one while preparing for her daily imperial duties; its precise properties are not stated 476.
• Prayer beads — Handles a string of prayer beads while riding in her imperial palanquin 636.

Relationships

• Li Ping’an — Rescuer, host, and enduring romantic attachment. Their shared domestic life develops into affection; she promises to seek treatment for his blindness and later his lost arm. She obtains the Knight-Errant Brush for his protection and watches his departure with thoughts of a freer life. As Empress, she risks considerable military and political resources to aid him at Tengchong. He remains one of the few people able to discuss her reforms and choice of heir openly. In old age, she welcomes his return and asks him to carry her outside the palace 10 13 18 26 94 95 98 542 642 814.
• Old Ox — Brings her to Li Ping’an for treatment and protects her from attackers during their escape. Their familiarity continues into her reign; she smiles and pats his head after the Tengchong battle 10 23 557.
• Xiao Wu — Saves her from drowning and is killed by the assassins pursuing her. She privately wishes to repay him if she survives 9 10.
• Her mother — Emotionally distant parent whose approval Liu Yun struggled to earn; also responsible for Lu Cheng’s earlier promotion 13 24.
• Her elder brother — Rival in the succession struggle. Wu Shishun claims Liu Yun’s perceived naivety will cause her to lose to him 25.
• Second Prince — Defeated rival for the throne, rumored to have arranged the treasure-ship explosion. Liu Yun imprisons him after her accession 451.
• Two younger brothers — Killed after Liu Yun ascends the throne 451.
• Liu Rui / Liu Er — Her nephew, the Second Prince’s son. Escapes the destruction of his household with a servant and lives under an assumed name 451.
• Liu Yong — Soldier she assists because of his connection to Li Ping’an; his determination to defend the frontier earns her approval. He becomes a distinguished general, receives her personal praise during the Great Yu campaign, and later recoils from her secret order to slaughter the conquered capital 41 42 199 380.
• Liu Bi — Attendant who reports visitors asking about a blind man and later massages Liu Yun’s aching temples 42.
• Huailu Academy Headmaster — Childhood instructor who refuses her formal discipleship bow. Provides Tranquility Incense and grants her request for a brush to protect Li Ping’an 94.
• Imperial Preceptor — Teaches her governance from the age of sixteen and praises her ability to serve the nation 95.
• Jing Yu — Huailu Academy disciple and Great Sui official who carries out military assignments under her authority. Participates in the Tengchong defense and prepares to return with her afterward 368 541 557.
• Director of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau — Senior figure whose institution supports her military campaigns. At Tengchong, he sharply criticizes her for allowing personal attachment to influence imperial strategy and refuses additional assistance 370 542 553.
• Prince Heng and Princess Hewan — Young members of the imperial family whom she keeps close and nurtures while considering the succession. She discusses their suitability with Li Ping’an 642.
• Jingyun — Jing Yu’s son, whom she recognizes personally. His report that Li Ping’an has arrived at the Jing Residence startles her 636.

Notable Quotes

“If I take the throne, I will reform the system and root out its abuses. You still have a chance to turn back.” 25

“He knows how to help other people, but never thinks of himself.” 42

“I owe him a great deal.” 94

“I still owe him two lives.” 542

“Li Ping’an, return safely.” 542

“If only... if only I could live my life over again.” 814

Trivia

• Years later, Liu Yun remembers the chilled watermelon shared with Li Ping’an and Old Ox as sweeter than any she ever tasted afterward 14.
• Li Ping’an’s performance of “The Moon’s Reflection on the Second Spring” deeply moves her during her recovery; he plays it again at their farewell 10 26.
• Despite meeting noble scions, talented officials, and men who openly declare their feelings, she reflects that only the wandering Blind Man makes her care so deeply 94.
• During Nine Provinces Kill, she claims to have forgotten that she is Aliya’s loyalist, but smiles at the same role when Li Ping’an becomes lord 329.
• She briefly considers writing a book about her daily routine under the idea of “An Emperor’s Day”, though she suspects it would be dull 476.
• Her youthful farewell and elderly reunion with Li Ping’an both take place amid heavy snow, with the later snowfall explicitly reminding her of Luoshui City 26 814.