Eldest Prince

Biodata

Title and Position

• Birth order, not succession: Qi Chengyou is recognized as the emperor’s eldest son, but his younger brother Qi Yuanzuo holds the position of Crown Prince 2.
• Disputed imperial parentage: After reading his mother’s hidden letters, Qi Chengyou concludes that Su Changhe—not the Qi Emperor—is his biological father. Lady You nevertheless insists that he is the emperor’s own flesh and blood 39.
• Previous-life privileges: The emperor entrusted him with a military tally and granted him the two wealthiest prefectures in Jiangnan as his fief. The other princes received northern fiefs 10.
• Posthumous title: In the previous life, Qi Yuanzuo gave him the title Prince Ai, concealed his incest from the historical record, and arranged his burial in the imperial mausoleum 8.
• Restrictions during childhood: Princes cannot leave the palace to establish their own residences until thirteen. At six, Qi Chengyou’s movements remain under the emperor’s scrutiny 17.

Background / History

Previous Life

Qi Chengyou spent more than twenty years contesting the succession. His resentment centered on the emperor’s exclusive affection for Qi Yuanzuo: he wanted his father to acknowledge that he was the better son. He repeatedly framed the Crown Prince and exploited his setbacks, yet the emperor continued restoring Qi Yuanzuo even after depositions and rebellions 4 8.

He maintained a close alliance with the Third Prince. Each knew the other’s dangerous secret: Qi Chengyou’s incestuous relationship with Princess Baozhu, and the Third Prince’s affair with the Crown Princess. Qi Chengyou later learned that Baozhu had treated him as a substitute for someone else, whose identity he never discovered 20 45.

His mother helped him bypass the imperial guards during his attempt to kill the Crown Prince and seize the throne. The rebellion failed, Qi Chengyou was killed, and everyone connected to it was wiped out; his mother burned herself to death. His soul subsequently lingered in the palace, allowing him to witness Qi Yuanzuo conceal his crimes and preserve his imperial burial 4 17.

Rebirth and the Tutor Incident

Reborn at six, Qi Chengyou initially retains his hostility toward both the emperor’s favoritism and the Crown Prince. He agrees to meet Xi Ming partly because he remembers that Qi Yuanzuo killed this teacher in their previous life 2.

When Xi Ming takes his hand and scratches it with a long fingernail, Qi Chengyou recognizes the tutor’s sexual interest. He attacks him with an inkstone and stool. However, he also accuses Xi Ming of making lewd remarks about the Crown Prince without supporting witnesses. The emperor orders him to copy the Three Character Classic one hundred times and confines Consort Xian for six months 4 5.

Becoming the Crown Prince’s Ally

Qi Yuanzuo wins him over through affectionate treatment and the gift of a golden dragon bracelet. Qi Chengyou decides to assist rather than compete with him, reserving the possibility of challenging him only if he proves unfit to be heir. Qi Yuanzuo privately reveals that this display of weakness was calculated to secure his support 8.

News that Qi Yuanzuo’s injuries prevent martial training unsettles him rather than bringing the satisfaction he expected. Remembering the Crown Prince’s former military achievements, he begins considering how to protect him from their brothers. He later tests Qi Yuanzuo with a punch stopped beside his ear; the absence of a defensive reaction convinces him that the boy lacks his previous-life martial instincts 9 16.

He distances himself from Princess Baozhu and repeatedly warns Qi Yuanzuo against employing Bolao, whom he remembers as a traitor. Discovering that the Crown Prince no longer fears cats or darkness further demonstrates that the new timeline differs from the old one 20.

Discovering His Parentage

After hearing about the poisoning of Qi Yuanzuo’s cat, Qi Chengyou remembers a matron applying powder to its head for Consort Xian. He investigates and retrieves four letters hidden beneath her Buddha statue 37 38.

The letters overturn his understanding of his family. He recognizes Su Changhuai as his biological uncle and reinterprets his mother’s encouragement of his succession struggle as an attempt to use him against the Crown Prince. When Lady You urges him to fight Qi Yuanzuo, he instead declares that anyone who harms the Crown Prince—including her—will be his enemy. He leaves after kowtowing despite her threat to disown him 39 40.

Firm Allegiance

Qi Chengyou escorts Qi Yuanzuo to the Southern Academy, where he studies under the Grand Herald. The emperor subsequently permits the brothers to attend lessons together. Having accepted that he is not of imperial blood, Qi Chengyou commits himself to the Crown Prince’s faction rather than supporting another brother 41 44.

His loyalty does not make him less aggressive: he considers striking against the Third Prince before the child grows into a threat. When Qi Yuanzuo gathers ten people to confront Zhaoyi Wei for hitting one of his servants, Qi Chengyou follows eagerly instead of attempting to stop him 44 49.

Appearance

• Face: Round, resembling his mother, with plump cheeks and lingering baby fat at six 2.
• Hair: Worn in twin topknots at his introduction 2.
• Bearing: Outwardly noble and composed, despite his volatile temper 2.
• Personal accessory: Wears Qi Yuanzuo’s dragon bracelet suspended from a cord at his waist 50.

Personality

Qi Chengyou is proud, impulsive, and quick to anger. He openly gossips about others and dislikes verbal contests with scholars whose arguments he cannot easily counter. His anxiety often emerges as sharp questioning rather than gentle concern. The Empress Dowager claims that repeatedly beating and scolding servants before him helped make him arrogant and reckless 12 16 24 45.

Affection strongly influences his decisions. Gifts, praise, and Qi Yuanzuo’s repeated use of “Eldest Brother” soften his hostility and make him protective. After discovering his parentage, he reassesses even the former Crown Prince’s punishments as evidence of genuine concern. His protectiveness remains ruthless enough that he contemplates eliminating the Third Prince preemptively 8 39 44.

Abilities & Skills

Riding, Archery, and Martial Arts

• In his previous life, he could draw a five-stone bow at his peak 9.
• He considers himself the strongest of the brothers in riding, archery, and martial arts; the Third Prince remembers his martial prowess as second only to the Crown Prince’s 9 45.
• His current six-year-old body has limited endurance: carrying Qi Yuanzuo back to the Hall of Inherited Blessing leaves him exhausted 9.

Previous-Life Knowledge

• Recognizes Xi Ming’s predatory intentions despite appearing to be an ordinary child 4.
• Remembers Bolao’s role in betraying the Crown Prince and admitting rebels to the palace 20.
• Uses knowledge of his mother’s hidden compartment to recover her letters 38.
• Cannot safely act on every remembered threat: he abandons a request to locate Jiang Yao and Sima Hui because he cannot explain his interest in two children 17.

Political Judgment

• Correctly identifies Lady Zhou’s attempt to sacrifice the Third Prince and frame Qi Yuanzuo 31.
• Recognizes that the Crown Prince’s changed health, behavior, and fears invalidate assumptions drawn from the previous timeline 9 20.
• Remains vulnerable to impulsive accusations and affectionate persuasion 5 8.

Equipment / Items

• Golden dragon bracelet — Gift from Qi Yuanzuo, given as his “favorite thing” to his “favorite brother”; later worn at the waist 8 50.
• Sapphire-blue sachet — Embroidered by Princess Baozhu, with a woody pine fragrance 17 20.
• Dagger — Used to open the hidden compartment beneath his mother’s Buddha statue 38.

Relationships

• Qi Yuanzuo — Younger brother by imperial recognition, former rival, and current object of his loyalty. Qi Chengyou offers protection and supervision of his studies, while Qi Yuanzuo initially cultivates that devotion strategically 8 39.
• Qi Emperor — Recognized father, persistently cold toward him. Qi Chengyou’s former ambition grew from seeking his approval 2 8 10.
• Lady You / Consort Xian — Mother. Their emotionally distant relationship breaks decisively when he refuses to become her weapon against the Crown Prince 17 39 40.
• Su Changhe — Man Qi Chengyou identifies as his biological father after reading the hidden letters 39.
• Su Changhuai — Biological uncle according to Qi Chengyou’s discovery; helped his rebellion in the previous life 17 39.
• Princess Baozhu — Imperial aunt by recognized kinship and former incestuous lover. He deliberately keeps his distance after rebirth 20.
• Third Prince — Former close ally. Qi Chengyou pities his betrayal by Lady Zhou but later considers him a future danger to Qi Yuanzuo 31 44 45.
• Empress Dowager — Favored him during childhood; claims responsibility for shaping his arrogant temperament 20 45.

Notable Quotes

“One day, you must become Great Qi’s wisest crown prince. Do you understand?” 8

“That was then. This is now.” 17