Prince of Jin

Biodata

Background

The Prince of Jin lived among the common people before being brought back and acknowledged as a member of the imperial family. His maternal grandmother raised him. Although his return is public knowledge in the capital, the circumstances of his upbringing remain obscure, and even Tang Mingfan does not know how he came to live outside the imperial household 24 29 43.

The emperor is described as trying to make amends to him, giving him enough standing that even his imperial uncle, Prince Rong, courts his favor. Publicly, the prince is assigned to gain experience at the Court of Judicial Review; privately, he also commands the emperor’s personal Golden Scale Guard. Tang Mingfan and Tang Baixin regard this combination as an exceptional sign of imperial favor 12 28.

Appearance

• Build: Tall and powerfully built, with a muscular chest and abdomen 2 19.
• Features: Sharply defined face, long eyebrows sweeping toward his temples, deep eyes, and a straight, prominent nose 2.
• Clothing: Appears at the flower-viewing banquet in a dark blue-black robe embroidered with a coiling gold dragon 2.
• Voice and bearing: Has a low, magnetic voice and a cold, imposing manner 1 2.

Personality

The Prince of Jin is reserved and difficult to read. He maintains his composure under Tang Zhuyun’s sarcasm and continues visiting despite her openly hostile reception. His intimidating manner can silence others without an explicit threat: Ruan Anruo becomes so frightened by his stare that she kneels and cannot deliver her intended accusations 20 28 46.

His conduct combines practical humility with a strong sense of rank. Chang Zhi credits him with putting on no airs while catching thieves, and the prince is accustomed to doing things for himself. In disputes with Tang Zhuyun, however, he invokes household rules, threatens to send instructing nannies, and asserts authority over her as his prospective consort 21 22 45 46.

He is affectionate toward Yanran but initially fails to recognize her abuse by Hongxiu. Discovering the truth leaves him ashamed of his own blindness. His warmer side also emerges through his patient companionship with Linlin and his decision to observe a voluntary year of mourning for the grandmother who raised him 28 43.

Abilities & Skills

Combat and Physical Strength

Chang Zhi considers him skilled in a fight, and he personally joins the constables in pursuing fugitives 19 22.

• Swims into the river with Song Jingyang and brings a fugitive ashore 19.
• Dislocates the fugitive’s jaw to prevent him from biting off his tongue 19.
• Assists with resuscitation under Tang Zhuyun’s direction, but applies enough force to break the man’s ribs; she warns that a doctor must examine him before he is moved 19.

Horsemanship

His love of horses is widely known in the capital, and Chang Zhi praises his riding ability 21.

• Teaches Linlin to ride and allows him to use his treasured steed 28.
• Takes Linlin galloping and hunting 28.
• Carries Tang Zhuyun on horseback to Duke Meng’s residence when Meng Yulan needs medical attention 39.

Calligraphy and Instruction

He writes four large characters for Linlin and asks Tang Zhuyun to appraise them, only for her to claim she cannot read 20.

• Later helps Linlin with writing during his frequent visits to the Tang household 28.
• Cannot solve Tang Zhuyun’s chickens-and-rabbits counting problem without her suggested approach 20.

Command Authority

As commander of the Golden Scale Guard, he states that he has authority to act at his discretion 25.

• Offers to explain Tang Baixin’s disputed silver withdrawals as part of an investigation 25.
• Promises financial assistance in exchange for Tang Zhuyun treating Yanran; Tang Mingfan insists that the five thousand taels be treated as a loan 25 28.

Equipment & Mounts

• Gale — A named horse he strokes while waiting in the Tang courtyard 21.
• Gold-dragon robe — His dark formal robe bears an embroidered gold dragon 2.

Relationships

• Tang Zhuyun — Yanran’s caregiver and his proposed secondary consort. Their dealings begin in suspicion and develop into a contentious arrangement involving medical care, financial assistance, and frequent household visits. Both resist aspects of the emperor’s marriage plan 25 28 37 43 44.
• Yanran — The girl who calls him father. He seeks treatment and suitable companions for her, but her attachment to Hongxiu initially conceals the maid’s abuse from him 12 26 28.
• Linlin — His young riding pupil and companion. Their outings, writing lessons, and play help Linlin recover from the bullying he experienced at Prince Rong’s household academy 28.
• The emperor — His father, who entrusts him with the Golden Scale Guard and chooses both prospective consorts. The emperor approves his mourning period but insists that the marriages remain unchanged afterward 28 43 44.
• Maternal grandmother — Raised him. His attachment to her leads him to request a year of mourning after her death 43.
• Song Jingyang — His subordinate and attendant, who accompanies him on official business and assists with matters involving Tang Zhuyun and Yanran 19 28 31 50.
• Tang Mingfan — His mentor at the Court of Judicial Review and Tang Zhuyun’s father 9.
• Chang Zhi — A fellow participant in fugitive arrests who introduces him into the Tang household. Chang Zhi later refuses his attempt to arrange a marriage with Tang Zhuyun 19 20 32.
• Meng Yulan — His proposed principal consort. She does not wish to marry him because she loves Jiang Beihan 37 40 42.
• Prince Rong — His imperial uncle. The prince rejects Rong’s offer to educate Yanran after witnessing the disorder at his household academy 12.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Flower-Viewing Banquet

• Tang Zhuyun awakens beside the apparently unconscious prince and escapes the courtyard. He subsequently appears unharmed and says he had withdrawn to rest after drinking 1 2.
• His failure to intervene earlier convinces Tang Zhuyun that he was pretending to be unconscious and attempting to turn the scheme against her. She later warns Tang Baixin that he may have designs against their family; this remains her suspicion, not a confirmed account of his intentions 2 8.
• Following criticism of Tang Mingfan over his daughter’s conduct, the emperor assigns the prince to train under him at the Court of Judicial Review 9.

Seeking Help for Yanran

• He visits Prince Rong’s academy while looking for companions for Yanran. After witnessing the bullying that prompts Tang Zhuyun to remove Linlin, he rejects the academy and is struck by her fierce defense of the child 12.
• Tang Zhuyun’s successful resuscitation of a drowned fugitive draws his attention to her medical skills. He accompanies Chang Zhi to her home and tolerates her hostility because he wants to ask her a favor 19 20 22.
• When Tang Baixin faces embezzlement charges, he offers assistance if Tang Zhuyun cures Yanran within a month. Tang Zhuyun suspects his involvement in the case, but the provided chapters do not establish that he arranged the framing 24 25.

Hongxiu’s Abuse and the Tang Household

• Tang Zhuyun’s examination leads to the exposure of Hongxiu’s abuse. The prince had trusted the maid because she came from Yanran’s previous home and appeared to have the child’s affection 26 28.
• He allows Yanran to remain with Tang Zhuyun when the frightened girl refuses to leave her. Soon afterward, he moves next door and begins visiting for meals and to see Yanran 28.
• His attempt to take Yanran back after objecting to Tang Zhuyun’s conduct ends in an argument. Yanran remains in Tang Zhuyun’s care and later develops a fever, calling for her “sister” 30 31 32.
• Acting on Song Jingyang’s suggestion, he tries unsuccessfully to find Tang Zhuyun a husband through Chang Zhi 31 32.

Imperial Marriage Arrangements

• At the Dragon Boat Festival, the emperor announces Meng Yulan as his future principal consort and Tang Zhuyun as his secondary consort 37.
• After Meng Yulan attempts suicide, he brings Tang Zhuyun to examine her. He subsequently gives the two women until the following May to persuade the emperor to change the arrangements 39 42.
• He explains that he will observe a year of mourning for his maternal grandmother. The emperor grants the delay but refuses further changes to the selected marriages 43.
• He questions the choice of Tang Zhuyun, while the emperor argues that her care for Yanran may bring peace to his household 43 44.

Used to Restrain Madam Song

• Tang Zhuyun invites him to dinner and conspicuously performs affection toward him to intimidate her overbearing grandmother, Madam Song. He recognizes that he has been used, warns Tang Zhuyun against repeating it, and stays away from meals for several days afterward 48 49.
• During that absence, he continues seeing Yanran by sending Song Jingyang to bring her out for brief visits 49.
• Song Cui’er later asks to accompany Tang Zhuyun into his residence as an additional dowry maid. Her account of Tang Zhuyun’s encouragement enrages him, and he tells Song Jingyang they will confront Tang Zhuyun the following day 50.