Hong Liwei

Hong Liwei (洪立威) was a low-rank eunuch of the Forbidden City who taught calligraphy to the Zhengde Emperor's concubines. He was also secretly an informant and ally of the Chinese Brotherhood of Assassins.
==Biography==
In the early 16th century, Hong Liwei worked at the Forbidden City in Beijing, where he taught calligraphy to the Zhengde Emperor's young concubines, including Shao Jun, whom the eunuch was particularly fond of.Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China – Database: Hong Liwei 
In 1510, during one of his lessons, Liwei heard a disturbance outside and gathered the girls to go and observe the commotion. Outside, they witnessed the public execution of Liu Jin, a traitorous eunuch who had been sentenced to lingchi ("death by a thousand cuts").Assassin's Creed: Blade of Shao Jun – The Assassin Brotherhood and The Templar Order
In 1521, Wang Yangming, the Mentor of the Chinese Assassins, ordered a retreat of all of the Brotherhood's allies from the Forbidden City in response to the Eight Tigers' takeover of the Imperial court.Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China – Scroll 7 Liwei helped Shao Jun to escape the palace,Assassin's Creed: Blade of Shao Jun – Homecoming but was caught shortly after by soldiers led by the Tiger Wei Bin.
Aware of Liwei's association with the Brotherhood, the Tigers had him imprisoned in the Maijishan Grottoes, a former Assassin stronghold which the Templars had converted into a secret prison. There, he was tortured for the following five years, until Shao Jun, now an Assassin, found him in 1526. After eliminating a crossbowman who held the key to his cell, Shao Jun gave the key to Liwei, allowing him to escape.Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China – The Escape
As he made his way out of the Maijishan Grottoes, Liwei was found by Wang Yangming, who had travelled there to pick up Shao Jun following her assassination of the Tiger Gao Feng. Yangming allowed the eunuch to ride with him in his carriage and, after picking up Shao Jun, Liwei thanked both Assassins for saving him. The trio then headed to a village housing several surviving Assassin allies, who looked after Liwei.
==Behind the scenes==
Hong Liwei was originally introduced as a minor character in the 2015 video game Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China. His role was significantly expanded in the game's 2019 manga adaptation, Assassin's Creed: Blade of Shao Jun, which explores more of his history with Shao Jun, as well as his fate following his rescue from the Maijishan Grottoes.
==Gallery==
ACC China DB Shao Jun's Memories 01.png|Hong Liwei with Shao Jun
AC Blade of Shao Jun - Hong Liwei 1510.png|Liwei in 1510
AC Blade of Shao Jun - Hong Liwei.png|Liwei during his imprisonment
==Appearances==
*Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China 
*Assassin's Creed: Blade of Shao Jun
===Non-canonical appearances===
*Assassin's Creed: The Ming Storm
*Assassin's Creed: Turbulence in the Ming Dynasty
==References==
zh:洪立威
Category:Individuals
Category:Ming people
Category:Han Chinese
Category:Eunuchs
Category:Educators
Category:Spies
Category:Assassin allies
Category:Hong (洪) lineage