Adou

**Adou** was Li Changge's disciple and a merchant boy affiliated with the Yanhangmen. Under the guidance of Qin Gu and Xu Feng, Adou is growing up to be a young and capable man.

After his home, Pinxiangzhai, was destroyed by the order of Fang Xualing to avoid any tracking of Changge, Adou swears to follow Changge on her journey to seek vengeance on Li Shimin. However, when Changge finally realizes that she must forgo her old resentful path to pursue the prosperity of Tang, Adou becomes outraged. Accusing Changge's for her cowardice, Adou leaves Yanhangmen on impulse to find his own path.

## Appearance

Adou is depicted to be a fast-growing boy. He once jokes that he will one day surpass Changge's height if she does not keep growing.

## Personality

He is bright, fast-learning young man since Qin Gu trusts him enough to entrust him with the Yanhangmen's operation in the Eastern Turkic Khagnate. However, he is very stubborn person for being fixated on pursuing his vengeance on Li Shimin after Changge has let go of the matter.

## History

Little is revealed about Adou's past. It is only mentioned that when Adou was young, he suffered from a severe famine, which took his elderly companion away.

He was then admitted to be a bell boy at Pinxiangzhai in Chang'an before it was burnt to the ground by the order of Fang Xuanling to cover up for Changge.

## Synopsis

### Introduction arc

At the Pinxiangzhai in Chang'an, Yongning orders a box of sweets. Adou and an older boy come out of the restaurant while arguing. The older boy kicks Adou out the doorway, throws the box of sweets into his hands and orders him to deliver the box. Yongning takes the box of sweets out of his hands and tells him that she doesn't need them delivered. Adou follows Yongning as she walks in the streets, but they both come to a halt by a passing group of Indian traders on elephants and with dancers. Adou sees Yongning observing the traders and asks if she could be from another city, to which, she throws a coin into his hands and tells him to not follow. As he watches Yongning walk away, a voice from behind him asks where the customer just walked to. He turns around to see a man, but refuses to disclose the information as it is against customer policy to reveal such information. The man shows him a golden nugget and asks yet again where the customer went to.

Later, Wei Zheng appears at the entrance of the Rong'en Temple carrying Adou's unconscious body under one arm. He drops his body to the floor and engages in a conversation with Yongning.

In a garden, getting water splashed on his face, Yongning wakes Adou up. She hurls throwing knives around his head, one scarring his cheek, and points a blade in his mouth. She tells him that she could easily kill him, however she resorts to swearing him into secrecy about the recent incident or else he will die. Stunned at first, Adou sudden pronounces her as his "master" and begs her to take him on as a disciple. She kicks him away and flees on horseback, but Adou runs in pursuit believing that she is just testing him. While running after Yongning in pursuit, Adou trips and falls. Yongning comes back for him she will bring him back to Pinxiangzhai.

Adou attempt to convince Yonging to take him on as a disciple as the two are walking in the streets of Chang'an back to the Pinxiangzhai. Ignoring him, Yongning looks over to the commotion at the city gates where she over hears the soldiers receive an order to close the gate in an hour. As the two approach Pinxiangzhai, they stand aghast staring at the sight of flames consuming the restaurant. On lookers watch on as they exclaim that they feel sorry for all the workers who are lost in the flames. Adou attempts to approach the site, but is stopped by Yongning who tells him not to look suspicious as armed soldiers stand on guard. She apologizes to him and says all of this is her fault. Adou questions if the people who want her dead done this, to which she replies no and says that it was done by the people who wish her to peacefully disappear. The two turn around and walk away from the scene. Yongning asks if he has any family, but Adou reveals that he was a refugee taken in by the Pinxiangzhai and that he has no where to go.

The gates of Chang'an close as Yongning and Adou ride away on the back of a hay cart. Yongning states that she plans to travel to Shuo province and she will give him some money to settle down. He wonder if it is to slip into the ongoing battle to create quick money. Adou asks what her motives are, to which she reveals that she plans to bring back an army to Chang'an and kill Li Shimin.

## Relationships

### **Li Changge**

Adou looked up to Changge as his master. After fleeing Chang'an, they travel toghether to Zhangzhou, the capital of Shuo Province, where Changge applies for strategist position under the governor, Gong Sunheng. During the defend of Zhangzhou, Changge has taught Adou many lessons while he runs errands for her. After Zhangzhou has fallen, Changge is captured by Ashina Sun while Adou flees with Qin Gu and the late governor's daughter. Adou then joins Yanhangmen to look for Changge among the Turks.

They meet once again in Ashina Sun's khagnate, when Adou leads the Yanhangmen tradesmen there to do business. Upon their reunion, Adou apologizes for not being by Changge's side when she needs him, while she knows too well that he was just fishing for compliments. They quickly exchange updates and after Changge says that the time for her escape has not come, they bid farewell. Not long afterwards, when She'er is threatening to attack Sun's camp, Changge sends Yalou to deliver an emergency message to Adou, requiring immediate back up from the Eighteen horsemen of Yanyun.

Their next reunion is after Changge's second return to Chang'an, where she finally realizes that her old vengeance path is not the most worthwhile choice for her people and country. However, Adou is enraged, saying that Changge's lack of resolution is merely because she belongs to the Li family, which deeply hurts Changge. However, she does not want to hinder Adou, giving him his share in Yanhangmen and letting him go on to find his own path.

### **Ashina Sun**

They meet when Adou brings the Eighteen swordsmen of Yanyun to back up Ashina Sun's camp from Ashina She'er's attack. However, with his callous wording, Adou causes Ashina to suspect Changge's motives for helping him, assuming that she is taking advantage of his hardship. As a result, Ashina accepts their reinforcements, not as allies but in exchange of three wishes.

### **Qin Gu**

Qin Gu is Adou's master in a sense after Changge is captured by Ashina Sun as he continues to teach Adou how to operate Yanhangmen. When Changge requires backup from the Eighteen Swordsmen of Yanyun for Sun, Adou is left in charge of the negotiation by Qin Gu. However, Qin Gu reprimands him for his callous offer, causing Sun to suspect that Changge is taking advantage of his hardship.

### **Xu Feng**

Xu Feng is brother-figure to Adou, who teaches him a number of skills, especially tracking and intelligence. After Adou has left Yanhangmen, Xu Feng catches him redhanded on a rendezvous with Gong Sunyang. Xu Feng then talks him through, explaining to Adou how Changge respects his choice and gives him his rightful share in Yanhangmen.

### **Gong Sunyuan**

It is implied that Adou has a crush on Sunyuan as he often takes care of her. Adou even tries to take Yuan with him when he leaves Yanhangmen, telling her that they will avenge her parents. However, Yuan returns, remembering her mother's words to follow Qin Gu if her parents are not there. He is later shown outside of mansion to sneak peaches for Sunyan but is spot by Xu Feng.

## Abilities & powers

Adou has little abilities on his own. However, he has learned some military strategies and tactics from Li Changge while she was in the position of captain during her time in Shuo Province. From Qin Gu, he has been learning skills required to become an adept tradesman in order to have a role in the Yanhangmen.

## References

1. ↑ Chang Ge Xing: Chapter 1.2, Page 10
2. ↑ Chang Ge Xing: Chapter 1.3, Pages 1-6
3. ↑ Chang Ge Xing: Chapter 1.4, Pages 1-2
4. ↑ Chang Ge Xing: Chapter 2.1, Pages 10-13
5. ↑ Chang Ge Xing: Chapter 2.2, Pages 1-2
6. ↑ Chang Ge Xing: Chapter 2.3, Pages 1-4
7. ↑ Chang Ge Xing: Chapter 2.3, Pages 6-9