Every ally, rival, and wildcard — who they are, what they want, and how to use them.
Emperor Taizong, known as Li Shimin, is the Late Emperor of the Sheng Dynasty. His decisions — from executing Bian Ji to…
Li Zhi, the third emperor, is a complex figure whose gentle exterior conceals a calculating mind. He first met Wu Yuanzh…
Liu Xi entered the palace with one purpose: revenge. Her father died because of the Wu family, and she blames Wu Yuanzha…
Wu Yuanshuang is Wu Yuanzhao's elder half-brother from the Wu clan. His cruelty and abuse toward Yuanzhao after the fami…
Wu Yuanzhao is a 14-year-old from a declining noble family who enters the imperial rear palace as the lowest-ranking con…
Xi Xin is a former bodyguard of Consort Wei who swore absolute loyalty to Wu Yuanzhao after she saved her brother's life…
Bian Ji is a Buddhist monk who fell in love with Princess Gaoyang, and she with him. Their forbidden relationship was di…
Cairen Jiang is a palace woman whose mysterious death during the banquet chapter sets off a critical investigation. Her …
Cairen Yin is a low-ranking consort in the imperial harem who shares a surname with the higher-ranking Consort Yin but i…
Chen Xin is the court's most gifted musician and Li Chengqian's most intimate companion. Her beauty and talent make her …
Consort Liu was once Empress Wang's most trusted handmaiden before being elevated to consort status — a promotion that c…
Consort Wei is the most dangerous woman in the palace after the empress herself. Born into the prestigious Jingzhao Wei …
Consort Xiao is aristocratic pride given human form. The Lanling Xiao clan is one of the oldest and most prestigious fam…
Consort Yang Junior is a younger consort of the Yang clan, distinct from the senior Dowager Consort Yang. As an ISFJ, sh…
Consort Yin is a consort driven by vengeance for her late husband. She becomes entangled in deadly plots targeting the E…
Dowager Consort Yang is Wu Yuanzhao's aunt — her mother's sister — and the closest thing to family she has within the pa…
A devoted servant of Consort Wei of Preciousness, Du Ruo is fiercely loyal to her mistress and carries out her orders wi…
Empress Wang values power above all else. Born into the prestigious Taiyuan Wang clan, she sees the rear palace as a che…
Fang Yi'ai is the son of the renowned Chancellor Fang Xuanling and the husband of Princess Gaoyang. He appears in the Lo…
Lan De is Du Ruo's romantic partner whose secret role as an informant is revealed during the Feast of Shadow chapters, m…
Li Chengqian is the crown prince who never wanted to be one. As the eldest son, the throne is his birthright and his pri…
Li Chunfeng is the imperial court's astronomer and diviner whose ominous prophecy about a 'Woman Ruler Wu' sets off a de…
Li Tai, the fourth prince, is ambition incarnate. Charismatic, decisive, and ruthless when necessary, he was once the em…
Meng Jing is a palace servant in the inner court, performing duties with the reliability and meticulousness characterist…
Princess Gaoyang is the only person in the rear palace who treats Wu Yuanzhao as an equal rather than a tool. Fierce, re…
Rui'er is Wu Yuanzhao's most loyal companion — a handmaiden whose bubbly exterior hides genuine cleverness and fierce de…
Shanggong Zhao is the highest-ranking female official in the inner court, responsible for overseeing the daily operation…
Snowy is a cat in the imperial palace whose presence is tied to the 'The Empress's Cat' choice point in Chapter 5. As an…
Wu Yuanshun is Wu Yuanzhao's older sister by just one year — and the only family she has left. Separated for over a deca…
Xu Hui is the elder sister of Xu Minhui and a cherished friend of Wu Yuanzhao during her days as a Cairen under the Late…
Youzi is a young eunuch planted in Wu Yuanzhao's household by Empress Wang as a spy. Timid by nature, he's terrified of …
Chancellor Zhangsun is Li Zhi's uncle and the most powerful minister in the empire. As the representative of the great a…
Danlichi is the charismatic prince of the Northern Rong — the empire's most dangerous neighbor. He appears first in the …
Ji Huaizhong climbed from nothing to become one of the most feared officials in the court. Born to a family with no conn…
Li Yifu is the court's most dangerous survivor. Nicknamed 'Li the Cat' for his ability to always land on his feet, and '…
Li Zhong is the son of Consort Liu of Preciousness and was designated as the first Crown Prince during Li Zhi's reign. A…
Ling Xiao is Li Zhi's shadow — always present, rarely seen until needed. As the emperor's personal guard, his loyalty is…
The Mirage Pavilion Master always wears a mask — and the true face beneath it is the game's most closely guarded secret.…
Official Xia is a government official stationed in the territory under Mirage Pavilion's control. Encountered by the pro…
Shangguan Wan'er is a legendary figure in the imperial court, known for her extraordinary literary talent and political …
Xiao Nian is the Mirage Pavilion's most versatile operative — beautiful, deadly, and able to become anyone. Her ESTP per…
Xu Minhui arrives at the palace bearing an uncanny resemblance to someone from the past. She is the younger sister of Xu…