A-Wu

Biodata

Background / History

A-Wu was born on the fifth day of the fifth month, a date villagers considered inauspicious. Her mother wanted to throw her into the river, believing a Double Fifth child should not be raised. Black Han refused; their quarrel became violent when he struck his wife, and they subsequently divorced. He later heard that she had married a wax seller and moved to Jiankang 13 14.

Black Han raised A-Wu in a poor, two-room house on the edge of Eighth Camp Village. Neighbors initially refused to look after her because of the birth taboo, leaving her to manage alone during his barracks service. By seven, she could cook, perform household chores, and do needlework. Black Han later named Granny Zhao and several neighbors as people willing to help when needed 13 14 40.

As the daughter of a soldier household, A-Wu inherited military registration and the obligation to serve the army someday. Such service generally meant compulsory logistical labor for women, rather than battlefield combat. Although initially interested in learning the Analects, she abandoned the idea because she believed cooking and sewing would be sufficient for her expected future 21.

Appearance

• Build and complexion: Dark-skinned, very thin, and small enough to look five or six despite being seven; she needs a stone under her feet to reach the stove 13 14.
• Eyes: Especially large-looking against her thin face 13.
• Hair: Initially long and black, but dry and somewhat yellowed. After selling it, she wears an ear-length cut 13 19.
• Clothing: Introduced in a worn, loose gray robe reaching her ankles; later wears a coarse-hemp tunic and straw sandals 13 40 48.

Personality

A-Wu is confident with strangers, quick-witted, and willing to challenge people above her social standing. She openly resents Village Head Zhang for making her father work without payment. Her cleverness includes selective storytelling and outright bluffing: Wang Yang recognizes that she could support his assumed identity more convincingly than Black Han 13 15 19 20.

Poverty makes her intensely protective of food and household supplies. She objects to wasting lamp oil, stretches scarce barley into porridge, and initially resists exchanging cloth for a guest’s meal. Nevertheless, she insists on sharing food with her father and later sacrifices her hair to reward Wang Yang’s help 14 19.

Her trust in Wang Yang develops from suspicion into gratitude. At first, she questions why a supposed nobleman would eat with them; later, she understands that his request for clothing money may be an investment in resolving their debt. She remains proud of her bravery, denying that she cried after Du’s men seized her and holding back tears after the market accident 15 18 21 40 47.

Abilities & Skills

Household Management

A-Wu maintains the household during Black Han’s absences 14.

• Cooks simple meals and offers to prepare river-snail porridge 14 19.
• Gathers river snails and conserves scarce ingredients and lamp oil 14 19.
• Has learned needlework, though she still considers better sewing an important future goal 14 21.

Bluffing and Persuasion

She uses apparent innocence, flattery, and misleading claims to influence adults 17 20 46.

• Gives Wang Yang a face-saving reason to spare Du’s subordinate by insisting that handsome people are good and do not kill 17.
• Falsely claims that Third Master Du kowtowed to Wang Yang, reinforcing his supposed aristocratic standing 20.
• Invents a competing shop’s lower price during negotiations for folding fans 46.
• Pretends to faint when a cavalryman demands compensation for his horse; Wang Yang notices the act 48.

Fighting and Resistance

• Beats Village Head Zhang’s grandson and Da Fei after their insults and the overturning of her snail bucket; despite her later account, she struck first 19.
• Confronts Third Master Du with Black Han’s saber, but lacks the strength to draw it 16.
• Kicks and claws when held captive by one of Du’s men, but cannot free herself 38.

Equipment / Items

• Wooden bucket — Made by Black Han and used to collect river snails 19.
• Hidden hairpin — Secretly retained from a woman’s jewelry box by replacing it with a chopstick. A-Wu estimates it at five hundred coins; Black Han exchanges it for two hundred to help fund Wang Yang’s trip 21 22.

Relationships

• Black Han — Father and sole resident parent. He refused to abandon her, teaches her practical lessons, and takes pride in her resourcefulness. She protects him fiercely and insists on sharing her food with him 14 15 16.
• Wang Yang — Guest, benefactor, and trusted companion. He protects her from debt collectors and village prejudice, keeps his promise to send sweets, and takes her to Jingzhou City. His statement that she is “my child” during the market dispute is protective, not evidence of biological parenthood or formal adoption 16 20 36 40 46 48.
• Her mother — Rejected her because of her birthday and left after divorcing Black Han; reportedly remarried and moved to Jiankang 14.
• Third Master Du — Creditor who attempts to take her as collateral under a guarantee Black Han says he was tricked into signing 15 16 38.
• Village Head Zhang — Hostile local authority who exploits Black Han’s labor and repeats the Double Fifth stigma against A-Wu 15 19 20.
• Granny Zhao — Neighbor whom Black Han calls especially kind and asks to help watch over A-Wu 40.
• Young woman in blue-green — Rescues her from a galloping horse and helps challenge the rider’s claims afterward 47 48.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Debt Crisis in Eighth Camp Village

• Meeting Wang Yang: Welcomes her father’s guest and prepares a sparse meal; his willingness to share food surprises her 13 14.
• Threatened seizure: Du demands A-Wu over a loan taken by Zhang A-Nü. Wang Yang intervenes, promises repayment of 13,200 coins within three days, and signs as guarantor 15 16 17 18.
• Helping the repayment effort: Sells her hair to provide Wang Yang a good breakfast, then contributes the hidden hairpin toward his clothing expenses 19 21 22.
• Renewed danger: Du’s men restrain father and daughter before Wang Yang returns with money. The confrontation is resolved, and Wang Yang arranges repayment of Ding Jiu’s loan and redemption of Black Han’s saber 38 39 40.

First Visit to Jingzhou City

• Promises kept: Wang Yang sends sweets and food home during his academy work. A-Wu eats chicken and carefully stores the remaining fermented fish, then persuades him to set a time for her first city visit 36 40.
• Market exploration: Marvels at the city walls and buildings, eats White Cocoon Candy, and helps Wang Yang bargain for folding fans 46.
• Horse incident: Runs after fallen chestnuts and nearly falls beneath a galloping horse. A young woman rescues her; when the rider demands payment, Wang Yang reassures A-Wu and challenges his conduct under the Qi Code 47 48.

Notable Quotes

“You mean if I want two bowls of mallow soup, I have to give this bowl away first, right?” 15

“First, you weren't the one who owed this money in the first place, young master. You stood up for us yesterday and got us three more days. That was already a great kindness.” 21

Trivia

• An author’s note explains that the affectionate “A-” prefix was common in names during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, describing A-Wu’s name as period-appropriate 13.