Xueqin He

Xueqin He in 1230 AW

***“**I started from nothing, a farmhand, the fourth son of a nobody. Through training and determination, I fought my way up to the upper echelons of Imperial society. Then, I betrayed the Emperor, my Grandmaster, and my Goddess, permanently staining my honour. Given a chance, I would do so again. I would rather betray my honour than my family.**”***
— Xueqin He

**Xueqin He**, sometimes referred to as **Master Xueqin**, is a former Master of the Hexad Lotus who acts as a bodyguard and personal champion to Bai Zehling, the Lord of Lao Muji. Xueqin, in his prime, was widely regarded as the deadliest warrior in the Gemstone Islands, if not all of Enselonde. While his ageing body has dampened his abilities somewhat, he is still a terrifying force for his opponents.

Xueqin He has largely retired from the battlefield. Instead, he now acts as the Grandmaster of the Hongang Military Academy, where he trains hopeful warriors in his own fighting style with the spear.

## Biography

### Early Life

Xueqin He was born to a family of dirt-poor farmers in the town of Hongang on the island of Lao Muji. As a child, he was forced to help on his family's farm, yet he would often go to bed hungry. Toiling on the land daily made him considerably fit, even as a child.

After the death of Master of the Spear Meng Bo, Xueqin was hand-picked by the Goddess of the Sky, Adyana, to become the new Master of the Spear for the Hexad Lotus at the age of nine. This was a highly sought-after and prestigious position, and refusing a Divine's wish was considered the highest of insults. Though he was reluctant to part ways with his childhood sweetheart, Jiang, Xueqin was escorted to Zengyu to train at the Grand Temple of the Hexad Lotus. He was tutored by the Hexad Grandmaster Qingyun Tang.

Xueqin proved a better student than most, excelling at his training and rapidly overcoming any trials Tang put before him. He was made a Master of the Hexad Lotus by Adyana at the age of fourteen, which was an exceptionally low age for such a promotion. As he aged further, he excelled beyond Qingyun Tang's skill and became the Grandmaster's most obvious successor.

With newfound wealth due to his position within the Lotus, Xueqin returned to his native Lao Muji, which had been struck with poor harvests for multiple years. At the time, the island was on the brink of famine and overtaxed, and Xueqin tried to help in any way he could. Obviously, he prioritised his family, taking care of them first and foremost. During this time, he married Jiang and had three children: An, Song, and Jing.

### The Gemstone Wars

*Main Article: The Gemstone Wars*

In early 1208 AW, the Gemstone Islands came under attack by the recently founded Republic of Fühlgart. The attack was a surprise, as no formal declaration of war was ever presented. Xueqin was ordered to Qiu Island by Qingyun Tang to assist in defence of the Empire. He bode farewells to his family and boarded a ship back to Zengyu. While he was embarked, the Lord of Lao Muji, Bai Zehling, defected to the Republicans' side, a move sparked by Imperial neglect and indifference towards the suffering of the people of Lao Muji.

Once Xueqin arrived on Qiu Island, he received word that his wife had been murdered in a robbery gone wrong. Though he mourned the loss greatly, Xueqin was deployed to the frontline by Grandmaster Tang to drive off the Republican invasion. While his performance on the battlefield was flawless, it was clear for all to see that the loss had affected the Hexad Master greatly.

However, before long, Xueqin was contacted by Bai Zehling, who informed him that the Imperial scribes had conveniently omitted a detail. It was Imperial soldiers who had robbed and killed his wife, not criminals. While he was initially sceptical, Zehling's report was soon backed up by Xueqin's family, who had witnessed the event. When all doubts had been cleared up, Xueqin immediately defected, turning his spear against the Empire. He later linked up with the rebel forces under Bai Zehling in open defiance, evident to all. News of the Hexad Master's defection caused shock and outrage across the Empire, as the Hexad Lotus was sworn to protect the Empire above all else. Never before had one of its masters turned against the Emperor.

Xueqin He was present during the Raze of Zengyu. He was confronted by Hexad Master Lan Dai, though Xueqin killed her in the resulting duel. Xueqin led an elite vanguard behind enemy lines and stormed the Onyx Palace, where they proceeded to slaughter most of the Imperial court inside. It is believed that Xueqin himself killed Emperor Jinyu.

As the Gemstone Wars died down and the Republic of Fühlgart began to abandon the islands after gathering the pieces of the Godslayer's Blade for Syarus, the newly-established Protectorate of Lao Muji was put in charge of the entirety of the Gemstone Islands by the Fühlgartians. In reality, however, there was stiff resistance from remaining Imperial generals in the west and bandits in the north. These men founded their own states from the ashes of the Zengyuan Empire, ushering in the War of the Four Kingdoms.

### In Service of Lao Muji

Xueqin He returned to his native Lao Muji in the wake of the Gemstone Wars. While many across the Gemstone Islands regarded him as a traitor, in Lao Muji, he was cheered on as a champion of the people. He was knighted by Bai Zehling and became his bodyguard and overall champion in all combat-related matters. Xueqin was also made the Marquis of his native Hongang.

In the court of Lao Muji, Xueqin received a vast salary, matching what he had earned in the Hexad Lotus. He spent most of his newfound wealth on his family and improving Hongang. He constructed the Hongang Military Academy and afforded advanced education for his children. The general quality of life in Hongang vastly improved, and Xueqin was a beloved ruler amongst his people.

While not in Hongang, Xueqin often accompanied Bai Zehling on his military campaign, serving as a terror on the battlefield. On numerous occasions, Zehling offered He a position as a general, yet Xueqin always refused, stating that he was a warrior, not a general. His two sons, however, would become generals for the Protectorate.

As the War of the Four Kingdoms escalated in the form of the Amagoian invasion to restore the Zengyuan Empire under Liang Nadai, Xueqin embarked on his own journey to kill Liang. A former princess and Master of the Hexad Lotus, Xueqin and Liang had hated each other back in the day. Now, she was the biggest threat to the Protectorate by far, and he knew that ordinary soldiers wouldn't be able to deal with her. However, Liang has avoided fighting Xueqin at any cost, confessing to her advisors that she could never defeat him in a duel.

In 1225 AW, Xueqin was injured after being hit by a stray arrow during a battle. He subsequently had to rest and stay away from the battlefield as he healed. Xueqin had aged significantly past his prime and was well over 40 years old. While he remained a bodyguard to Bai Zehling, he appeared on the battlefield with decreasing frequency. Instead, he wished to train a new generation of warriors who would protect Lao Muji long after he was gone. He passed his title of Marquis of Hongang to his daughter Jing, who had become a skilled administrator, and he took a more hands-on approach towards the Hongang Military Academy.

Nowadays, hopeful warriors travel to Hongang from all corners of Lao Muji to train under Xueqin He. While none match his skill, the soldiers produced by the academy are nonetheless some of the most elite troops Lao Muji can muster and have served as a great boon to the War of the Four Kingdoms. The academy has grown large enough that, centuries after his death, Xueqin He's technique with the spear will live on throughout Lao Muji and beyond.

## Career

Zengyuan Empire

* Farmhand (1186-1191 AW)
* Hexad Apprentice (1191-1196 AW)
* Hexad Master of the Spear (1196-1208 AW)

Protectorate of Lao Muji

* Warrior (1208-1209 AW)
* Knight (1209 AW-)
* Bodyguard (1209 AW-)
* Marquis of Hongang (1210-1227 AW)
* Headmaster of the Hongang Military Academy (1227 AW-)

## Personality

On the battlefield, Xueqin He is a terrifying monster for those who oppose him and an inspiration for those fighting alongside him. He quickly strikes down dozens of enemy soldiers as if cutting through blades of grass with his spear. Off the battlefield, however, he is much different. The man is generally calm, patient, and understanding. He recognizes and appreciates the good values of people and will help someone he hardly knows without a second thought. To Xueqin, family is most important, and the intimidating warrior frets over the health of his children like any parent.

## Relationships

* Song He - Song is my pride and joy. A great general who has won many battles, yes, but also a man with good qualities and character. I've heard his troops singing praises of his many virtues, and he treats even his enemies with the utmost respect. If only there were more people like him on these islands.
* Jing He - The Gemstone Islands' bureaucracy is legendary in its complexity and difficulty to navigate, yet for Jing, it is like second nature to her. She has turned into the ideal bureaucrat, efficient and intelligent in her handling, yet not out of touch and arrogant like those in Zengyu.
* Bai Zehling - Lord Zehling and I aren't very different, as we both want what's best for the people of our island. We have both seen the indifference of the Empire to Lao Muji, even as people starved to death in the streets, and have made up our minds. We'd sooner give our lives than bend the knee to the Zengyuans once more.
* An He - An is a general, much like Song, yet he lacks the personal qualities a general needs to inspire his men. He has a big head, and a big head makes for a big target.

* Liang Nadai - The princess has returned, calling us Republican puppets while she herself is backed by an army of Monarchist foreigners. She blatantly abuses the Hexad Lotus for her own political gain, even founding her pathetic "Hexad Empire". She doesn't even have the nerve to partake in a duel. Say what you will about the princess, but she is a coward.
* Heng Jui - Besides Liang, Heng Jui is the last living Master of the original Hexad Lotus. That alone is enough reason for him to die.