Yelan

Biodata

Background

Yelan belongs to the Ye Family, a clan that preserves a Daoist tradition. Described as its once-in-a-century genius, she stands at the pinnacle of combat strength among Liyue’s younger generation. Few people know her full background or the leadership positions concealed behind her identity as an intelligence agent 8.

Within the Ye household, her authority ranks second only to the family head. Even the head cannot enter her private courtyard without her permission. Her work frequently keeps her away from home, and increased Treasure Hoarder activity has left her working through the night 1 10 11.

She grew up with Shen Luolun, who treats her parents as his godparents and is effectively part of the household. For years, she has rested at his home between assignments, while their travels and chess games have helped her unwind from confidential work 7 10.

Appearance

Yelan is tall and poised, with the bearing of a capable, mysterious agent 35.

• Hair: Short and dark blue 35.
• Makeup: Striking, cool-toned eye makeup 35.
• Clothing shown: Leather trousers during her visit to Shen Luolun’s home; blue pajamas in her own bedroom 7 10.

Personality

Yelan is observant, guarded, and quick to challenge an implausible explanation. She reads Shen Luolun’s expressions easily and treats the unknown woman in his house as a potential security threat rather than assuming that rescuing her guarantees her goodwill. Her caution is particularly strong where his safety is concerned 7 9 13.

With Shen Luolun, she alternates between indulgence, teasing, and physical retaliation when he ignores her boundaries. She has deliberately held back in their earlier fights, allowing him to believe they were evenly matched. His insistence on treating her as a “bro” frustrates her: she is comfortable with their closeness but wants him to recognize her as a woman, and becomes jealous of his interest in others 6 7 8 10.

In official work, she is pragmatic rather than indiscriminately punitive. She promises to do everything possible to rescue Yinyue’s daughter without guaranteeing an outcome, and later releases several young Treasure Hoarders who helped Alice, warning them to abandon crime 38 44.

Her determination can lead her to minimize her own condition. Although bleeding and nearly exhausted in the Cuijue Slope ruins, she calls her wounds minor and insists on continuing toward the mastermind 42.

Abilities & Skills

Hydro Manipulation

Yelan uses Hydro threads to restrain opponents and a thread-based ultimate attack in combat 8 40.

• Binds Shen Luolun from head to toe in a single move, leaving him unable to raise his head 8.
• Uses “Threads, intertwine!” alongside Lumine’s attack; together, they defeat twenty Treasure Hoarders in ten seconds 40.
• Uses her Elemental Skill to move ahead of Shen Luolun within her courtyard 10.

Combat Proficiency

Her intelligence work conceals exceptional fighting ability. The narration identifies her as the foremost combatant of Liyue’s younger generation, while she confirms that her apparent parity with Shen Luolun was deliberate playacting 8.

• Easily subdues Shen Luolun when she stops holding back 8 9.
• Survives the Miniature One-Eyed Tyrant’s heavily trapped route alongside Lumine 42.
• Has limits: the traps leave her wounded and nearly depleted, forcing Lumine to clear most of the remaining route 42 44.
• Avoids striking the mind-controlled Xiaoyue with full force because she does not want to injure the child 44.

Investigation & Interrogation

Yelan combines close observation with experience in covert investigations 7 9 38.

• Deduces from Shen Luolun’s expression that he has brought home an unfamiliar woman 7.
• Notices lingering warmth in apparently untouched bedding and infers that its occupant hid shortly before their arrival 9.
• Pretends to disbelieve Shen Luolun, removes him from the room, and discusses the danger privately 9.
• Questions Yinyue about the mastermind’s appearance, recruitment methods, financing, and food-based control scheme 38.
• Uses Yinyue’s microexpressions and motive to rescue her daughter to assess her testimony as sincere, despite the subsequent ambush 42.

Command & Infiltration

Yelan directs subordinates, coordinates arrests, and plans entry into hostile locations 38 39.

• Orders suspects searched, specially shackled, separated, and closely guarded 38.
• Identifies weaker defenses at Cuijue Slope and assigns Lan Yan to distract the guards while she and Lumine infiltrate 39.
• Establishes withdrawal instructions and a contingency for Lan Yan to seek reinforcements if the infiltrators fail to return 39 44.
• Uses a special signal flare to summon her subordinates and the Millelith 44.

Equipment

• Aqua Simulacra — Her bow; she leans on it for support after being injured in the ruins 42.
• Special signal flare — Alerts her subordinates to bring the Millelith 44.
• Coin — Flipped to draw the guards’ attention immediately before the coordinated attack at the ruins’ gate 40.

Relationships

• Shen Luolun — Childhood friend and romantic interest. She shelters him, investigates threats to him, and resents his oblivious treatment of her as merely a “bro.” They share a bed without the sexual relationship her mother assumes 6 7 10 12 13.
• Madam Xiao — Her mother. Madam Xiao has long wanted Shen Luolun as a son-in-law and embarrasses Yelan by interpreting their shared bed as evidence that they have become lovers 11 12.
• Lan Yan — Fellow protector of Shen Luolun and operational ally. They disagree over his freedom to travel and his behavior, but cooperate during the Cuijue Slope mission and its aftermath 35 37 39 44.
• Lumine — Infiltration partner. They fight through the ruins together; Lumine offers assistance when Yelan is wounded and takes on most of the remaining fighting 39 40 42 44.
• Yinyue — Suspect and informant. Yelan obtains information about the mastermind after promising to make every effort to rescue her daughter, Xiaoyue 38.
• Xiaoyue — Rescue target. Yelan avoids harming her while she is controlled and arranges for personnel to take her out of the ruins for treatment 44.

Story Role / Major Arcs

The Mysterious Woman

• While preparing to investigate the Abyss in the Chasm, Yelan discovers that Shen Luolun has hidden an injured stranger in his west wing 7 8.
• The stranger evades her inspection. Recognizing the danger, Yelan takes Shen Luolun to the Ye residence rather than leaving him at home 9 10.
• Madam Xiao finds them sharing a bed and assumes their childhood friendship has become a romantic relationship, leading to an embarrassing breakfast for Yelan 11 12.
• Yelan grants herself indefinite leave, postpones the Chasm investigation, seals Shen Luolun’s house, and sends people to trace the stranger. She asks him to remain at the Ye residence until the danger is clarified 13.

Emotion-Forsaking Beef Noodles

• The Ministry of Civil Affairs dispatches Yelan to investigate the suspiciously popular noodles. She also uses the assignment to check on Shen Luolun after he leaves for Yilong Wharf 35.
• Finding that his group has already exposed the immediate scheme, she takes custody of Yinyue, Tang Hao, and Tsarevich 35 38.
• Her questioning establishes that the mastermind intended to control people through food and expand Sea Overlord restaurants worldwide, financing the plan through Treasure Hoarder crimes 38.

Cuijue Slope Operation

• Yelan recruits Lumine, Paimon, and Lan Yan, then infiltrates the ruins with Lumine while Lan Yan provides an outside diversion 38 39.
• The supposedly safe route has been altered into a trap gauntlet. Yelan survives but suffers bleeding wounds and severe exhaustion 40 42.
• In the surveillance room, she and Lumine discover that their movements have been monitored and encounter the mind-controlled Xiaoyue. Zhongli and Alice arrive and subdue the child without killing her 44.
• After the Miniature One-Eyed Tyrant escapes, Yelan remains with Lan Yan to secure the prisoners, summon the Millelith, and arrange Xiaoyue’s evacuation 44.

Notable Quotes

“Have you considered that I’ve always been much stronger than you? Before, I was just playing along with you. Don’t get the mistaken idea that you’re strong too.” 8

“We’ll do everything we can to rescue her. That’s the promise I can make you.” 38

Trivia

• Shen Luolun attributes her sudden victory over him to secretly obtaining C6, but Yelan explains that she was always stronger. The scene reveals concealed strength, not a documented power advancement 8.
• She picks up modern slang from Shen Luolun’s novels and has read his Old Tavern closely enough to challenge his argument about a host’s obligations 9 10.
• Lumine’s explanation of the Favonius passive initially baffles her, even after its energy orbs visibly restore her strength 40.