Liu Yu'an

Liu Yu'an is a student who takes the capital exam, and then the palace exam, in the year when Qi Yan is the main examiner.

## Appearance

His appearance is exceptionally beautiful and androgynous:

> A face as clean as jade, eyes like stars, long ink-colored brows that reached his temples, a charming pair of sweet eyes, a fine nose, and a dot of red lips—what a beautiful young lad.
> Qi Yan kept her composure quickly, as she was not actually impacted by the youth’s beauty. But this youth’s appearance was too exquisite, it made her think that he was a woman.
>
>

## Personality

Due to his appearance, Liu Yu'an has "received the covetous eyes of young masters from local notable families" since the age of 13. His personality was "utterly unyielding" and he reported those experiences to the authorities at the academy where he was staying. However, as he came from a modest background, this only resulted in rumours and slander directed at him. Liu Yu'an was forced to go back to his uncle's house. These experiences made him careful and guarded towards both men and women.

Liu Yu'an can be presumptuous. He once visited Qi Yan unannounced, when she was recovering from an injury, and stayed at her bedside to talk to her for two hours. When Nangong Jingnu arrived, he did not offer the kneeling courtesy that would have been appropriate.  On first meeting Nangong Jingnu, he was dazed and charmed by her, and looked at her directly, until chastised by her guards.

Qi Yan and Nangong Jingnu both felt that although he complained about the difficulties caused by his appearance, he still relied on it, and considered himself 'a cut above others'.

## Synopsis

Liu Yu'an comes from the Su province to take the capital exam. Unfortunately for him, when he enters the capital, his exceptional good looks mean he attracts the attention of Nangong Lie, who schemes to take advantage of him.

Nangong Lie attempts to sabotage Liu Yu'an's success in the exams by having the wicks from his candles removed, meaning he could not write at night. Qi Yan notices his dark section, however, and lends him one of her imperially-granted luminous pearls to work by.

Later, Qi Yan invites him for tea, and he tells her that he is being pursued by Nangong Lie, who wants to kidnap him into his own estate.  Nangong Lie has even gone so far as to bring Liu Yu'an's parents to the capital to put pressure on him.  Qi Yan allows Liu Yu'an to stay in her private estate temporarily. Unfortunately, this causes trouble when Nangong Lie comes to the private estate to search for him, leading to Xiao Die attacking Nangong Lie in Qi Yan's defence.  During this episode, Liu Yu'an hides in a well in the estate.

Afterwards, Liu Yu'an moves out of Qi Yan's private estate. He gets the Flower Seeker position, third place, in the palace exam. This position is generally given to a handsome scholar, so that the Emperor can grant him in marriage to a loyal aristocratic family that has no legitimate sons.

She eventually uses him as a tool to assassinate Nangong Lie, by getting Gu Feng to drug him unconscious with cloud walker drug,  which will make him unconscious for three days and three nights. He then covers Liu Yu'an's entire body, including lips and hair, with a drug that will become deadly in reaction with alcohol.  Liu Yu'an is delivered to Nangong Lie's estate naked, in a large hemp sack.  When Nangong Lie assaults him, he ends up dying from burst veins, with blood flowing from every orifice.

On discovering the scene of death the next day, Nangong Lie's butler immediately drugs Liu Yu'an again, and turns him over to Nangong Da, who is investigating the case.  It is unknown what happens to Liu Yu'an or his parents after this.

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 153: The talent of Su province, Liu YuAn
2. ↑ Chapter 161: Disconsolate was the good-looking poet with a head full of frost
3. ↑ Chapter 170: To judge and weigh again and again in path of a female Emperor
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chapter 168: It was quite a different place of disconsolation
5. ↑ Chapter 171: Cherishing the time left with that dear rosy red face
6. ↑ Chapter 154: The Emperor was the most heartless of all
7. ↑ Chapter 162: The whistle of wind thoroughly cools within a dream
8. ↑ Chapter 163: The autumn rain hits the lotus flowers, rouses up the bamboo leaves, here for the people
9. ↑ Chapter 165: Do you still safely remember the old matters of our youth
10. ↑ Chapter 177: The time has come to settle accounts, ridding Xie An
11. ↑ Chapter 238: The pain of separation is difficult to disclose, resulting in painful separation
12. ↑ Chapter 207: A plan that kills two birds with one stone was progressing discreetly
13. ↑ Chapter 209: Leisurely even towards fake poison
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Chapter 211: This heart and this sentiment was witnessed by the sun and moon