List of The Deer and the Cauldron characters

Wei Xiaobao and his family

• Wei Xiaobao is the protagonist of the novel. A witty, sly and illiterate person, he was born to a prostitute from a brothel in Yangzhou during the Qing dynasty. He bumbles his way into the imperial palace and has a fateful encounter with the young Kangxi Emperor, with whom he develops a friendship. By sheer luck and wit, Wei succeeds in accomplishing a series of tasks that would affect the events during the Kangxi Emperor's reign.
• Wei Chunfang is Wei Xiaobao's mother and a prostitute from the Lichun Brothel in Yangzhou.

  The seven wives

• Mu Jianping is Mu Jiansheng's younger sister. Due to a conflict between the Heaven and Earth Society and the House of Prince Mu, she is taken hostage by the Society and placed under Wei Xiaobao's watch and eventually falls in love with him. She is later captured by the Mystic Dragon Cult and forced to join the cult. She is the youngest and most naïve of the seven.
• Fang Yi is Liu Dahong's apprentice. She is the most intelligent of the seven. She initially loved her senior, Liu Yizhou, who loved her as well. After a failed attempt to assassinate the Kangxi Emperor, she is wounded and forced to rely on Wei Xiaobao to protect her. Wei Xiaobao uses every opportunity to make advances on her and force her to promise to marry him if he saves Liu Yizhou from captivity. However, after seeing how adamant she is with her feelings for Liu Yizhou, Wei wavers between giving up on her and insisting that she fulfils her promise. Eventually, after learning that Wei is the leader of the Qingmu Lodge of the Heaven and Earth Society, as well as seeing how the jealous and cowardly Liu Yizhou betrayed Wei and sold him out to enemies, she decides that she wants to be with Wei. She is captured by the Mystic Dragon Cult and forced to lure Wei into traps. Wei manages to save her with Su Quan's help. Fang Yi is described to be Wei's smartest wife.
• Shuang'er is a servant of the Zhuang family in Huzhou. The matriarch tells her to follow Wei and serve him – as an expression of her gratitude to Wei for helping their family kill Oboi. She becomes Wei's bodyguard. Among the seven, she is the one who understands Wei the most.
• Su Quan was the wife of Hong Antong, the leader of the Mystic Dragon Cult. She disguises herself as a prostitute to lure Wei Xiaobao into a trap in a brothel. However, she is unfamiliar with the ways of a brothel so Wei easily sees through her ruse. He tricks her into drinking drugged wine and she becomes unconscious. Wei Xiaobao then places her on the bed along with Fang Yi, Zeng Rou, Mu Jianping, Shuang'er and Ake, and has sex with them. The next time she and Wei Xiaobao meet, her attitude is warmer, and it is later revealed that she is pregnant with his child. She decides to follow Wei after the Mystic Dragon Cult is destroyed in its internal conflict. She is the most powerful in martial arts among the seven.
• Princess Jianning is a younger sister of the Kangxi Emperor. It turns out that she is not related to the emperor because her biological mother is Mao Dongzhu, who has been impersonating the empress dowager. Her father is actually the Thin Monk. Of the seven wives, she is the most violent, sadistic and spoiled. She loves Wei Xiaobao because he is the only one who dares to stand up to her, and she likes to engage in BDSM activities with him. Although she is eventually sent by the Kangxi Emperor to marry Wu Yingxiong in a political marriage, she is determined to be with Wei Xiaobao. Before her wedding, she drugs Wei Xiaobao, strips him naked, whips him and tries to use candles to burn his hair. He gives in to her seductive advances and sleeps with her that night. The next day, Wei gives her one of the pistols he received from Wu Sangui as a gift. Jianning tricks Wu Yingxiong into going into her room, points the pistol at him, and orders him to strip before castrating him. The marriage still proceeds, although Jianning continues to have affairs with Wei. She eventually reveals to Wei that she is pregnant with his child and they elope. The Kangxi Emperor tells Wei in a letter that he will accept Jianning's relationship with Wei.
• Ake is the daughter of Li Zicheng and Chen Yuanyuan. She has a crush on Zheng Keshuang previously but leaves him after he reveals his true colours. She is Wei's most beautiful wife.
• Zeng Rou is from the Wangwu Sect. She tries to assassinate Wei but ends up falling in love with him. In contrast with Jianning, she is the most polite and cultured among the seven.

  The three children

• Wei Hutou is Wei's first son, born to Ake. His name literally means "tiger head".
• Wei Tongchui is Wei's second son, born to Su Quan. His name literally means "bronze hammer".
• Wei Shuangshuang is Wei's daughter, born to Princess Jianning. Originally named "Bandeng", which means "wooden bench", her name was changed to "Shuangshuang" on Su Quan's suggestion.

  Qing Empire

• The Kangxi Emperor is the ruler of the Qing Empire. He forges a close friendship with Wei Xiaobao in their childhood. He was first known to Wei Xiaobao as "Xiaoxuanzi", which is derived from his personal name "Xuanye".
• The Empress Dowager is the empress of the Kangxi Emperor's father, the Shunzhi Emperor. She serves as a stepmother to the young Kangxi Emperor. She was immobilised and imprisoned in a wardrobe in her room by Mao Dongzhu, who impersonates her. She is freed by Wei Xiaobao after Mao Dongzhu flees when her cover is blown. Some readers believe that she is the historical Empress Xiaohuizhang, even though in the novel she is referred to simply as the "Empress Dowager".
• The Four Regents helped the Kangxi Emperor govern the empire when he was still a child. The emperor later took over the reins of power when he came of age. The four are:
• * Oboi is a cruel and power-hungry aristocrat. He is ousted from power by the Kangxi Emperor with Wei Xiaobao's help and thrown into prison. He is killed by Wei Xiaobao eventually.
• * Suksaha was framed and executed by Oboi.
• * Sonin
• * Ebilun
• Nobles, court ministers, officials and bureaucrats:
• * Prince Kang is a noble who befriends Wei Xiaobao.
• * Songgotu is Sonin's son. He befriends Wei Xiaobao.
• * Misihan is the Minister of Revenue.
• * Li Lei is the Minister of Revenue.
• * Yisang'e is the Minister of Personnel.
• * Batai is the Minister of Rites.
• * Mingju is the Minister of War.
• * Moluo is the Minister of Justice.
• * Chakedan is Suksaha's son.
• * Wei Zhouzuo
• * Duikana
• * Du Lide
• * Tuhai
• * Zhe'erken
• * Da'erli
• * Li Wei
• * Ledehong
• * Feng Pu
• * Wang Xi
• * Huang Ji
• * Wu Zhengzhi
• * Zong Dexuan
• * Lin Guiding
• * Tong Tulai
• * Tong Guogang
• * Mu Tianyan
• * Wei Gao
• * Le'erjin
• * Yang Guangxian
• * A'erni
• * Ma Qi
• * Lu Yifeng is the magistrate of Jing County.
• * Wu Zhirong is the governor of Yangzhou. He played a key role in the massacre of the Zhuang family of Huzhou many years ago. Shuang'er recognises him and begs Wei Xiaobao to help her avenge her family. Wei then frames him for collaborating with Wu Sangui and has him arrested and sent to Huzhou, where he is killed by the widows of the Zhuang family.
• * Ma You
• * Cao Shenji is the governor of Guizhou.
• Military personnel:
• * Duolong is an imperial guard commander and a close friend of Wei Xiaobao. Wei reluctantly kills him to save the Heaven and Earth Society's members, who are trapped by imperial forces. It turns out later that he survived after being stabbed by Wei, and does not know that Wei tried to kill him.
• * Shi Lang is a former admiral in the Kingdom of Tungning. He defects to the Qing Empire after Zheng Jing killed his family. Through Wei Xiaobao's recommendation, he is promoted to higher ranks for his expertise in naval warfare. He is appointed as an admiral of the naval fleet during the Qing campaign against Tungning.
• * Li Benshen is a general in Guizhou.
• * Sabusu is a general in Heilongjiang.
• * Suotu
• * Zhang Kangnian
• * Zhao Qixian
• * Shi Laoliu
• * Xiong Lao'er
• * Zhao Liangdong
• * Zhang Yong
• * Pengchun
• * Langtan
• * Ruidong is an imperial guard nicknamed "Undefeated Iron Palm". Mao Dongzhu sends him to kill Wei Xiaobao but Wei outsmarts and kills him instead.
• * Shi Song is a military officer nicknamed "Black Dragon Whip". He leads his men to arrest Mao Shiba at the start of the novel. Wei Xiaobao stabs him from behind and kills him.
• * Cha'erzhu
• * Ge Tong
• * Fuchun
• * Hechabo
• * Ejichi
• * Major General Peng
• * Hong Chao
• * Lieutenant General Lu
• * Lieutenant General Ban
• * Commander Tai
• * Lin Xingzhu
• * Huang Fu
• * Jiang Baisheng
• * Bahai
• * Mala
• Palace eunuchs and servants:
• * Hai Dafu is an old eunuch who kidnaps Wei Xiaobao and brings him into the palace. He previously served the Shunzhi Emperor and was secretly tasked with investigating the death of the Shunzhi Emperor's favourite concubine, Consort Donggo. He is killed by Mao Dongzhu in a fight after he discovers that she was the one who murdered Consort Donggo.
• * Xiaoguizi is a young eunuch and Hai Dafu's apprentice. Wei Xiaobao kills him and impersonates him.
• * Pingwei
• * Lao Wu
• * Eunuch Wu
• * Wen Youdao
• * Wen Youfang
• * Ruichu is the empress dowager's personal handmaiden.
• * Dong Jinkui is a eunuch who serves as the empress dowager's messenger. He is killed by Wei Xiaobao.

  Heaven and Earth Society

• Chen Jinnan is the society's leader and a subject of the Kingdom of Tungning. He accepts Wei Xiaobao as his apprentice and teaches him martial arts. He is killed by Zheng Keshuang. This character is believed to be based on Chen Yonghua, a prominent official in Tungning.
• Qingmu Lodge :
• * Lodge Master Yin was the previous master of the lodge. He was killed by Oboi. He is succeeded by Wei Xiaobao.
• * Qi Qingbiao is nicknamed "Qi the Third".
• * Cui Xiazi
• * Guan Anji is nicknamed "Master Guan".
• * Jia Jindao is Jia Laoliu's sister and Guan Anji's wife.
• * Xu Tianchuan, nicknamed "Eight Armed Ape", is a contact person for the society.
• * Li Lishi
• * Taoist Xuanzhen
• * Gao Yanchao
• * Qian Laoben
• * Fan Gang
• * Feng Jizhong is a spy planted in the society by the Kangxi Emperor. He secretly reports the society's activities to the emperor, including Wei Xiaobao's identity as one of its lodge masters. After Chen Jinnan dies, he reveals his true identity to Wei Xiaobao and tries to persuade Wei to help the emperor destroy the society, but Wei refuses. He is shot to death by Shuang'er.
• Honghua Lodge :
• * Li Shikai is the lodge master.
• * Wu Dapeng is nicknamed "Cloud Touching Hand".
• * Wang Tan is nicknamed "Mountain Splitting Twin Brushes".
• * Shu Hualong
• Chihuo Lodge :
• * Gu Zhizhong is the lodge master.
• * Kuang Tianxiong
• Others:
• * Wu Liuqi, nicknamed "Iron Beggar", is a military officer in Guangdong and a member of the Beggars' Sect. He is killed by Gui Erniang and Gui Zhong in a misunderstanding.
• * Wu Baoyu is Wu Liuqi's son.
• * Cai Dezhong is the master of Lianhua Lodge.
• * Fang Dahong is the master of Hongshun Lodge.
• * Ma Chaoxing is the master of Jiahou Lodge.
• * Lin Yongchao is the master of Xuanbing Lodge.
• * Yao Bida is the master of Huangtu Lodge.
• * Jia Laoliu
• * Ma Boren
• * Lei Yixiao

  Kingdom of Tungning

• Koxinga, personal name Zheng Chenggong, was a loyalist of the fallen Ming Empire. He wrestled control of Taiwan from the Dutch East India Company and founded the Kingdom of Tungning there. He planned to use Taiwan as a base of operations to seize back mainland China from the Manchu-led Qing Empire and restore the Ming Empire.
• Zheng Jing is Koxinga's son and the ruler of the Kingdom of Tungning.
• Zheng Keshuang is Zheng Jing's son and the heir to his father's throne. Ake previously had a crush on him but decides to leave him after he reveals his true colours. He surrenders to the Qing Empire after the Battle of Penghu. Although Zheng Keshuang is depicted as a young adult in the novel, his real-life historical counterpart was actually only around 12 years old when Tungning was conquered by the Qing Empire.
• The "Five Tiger Generals" are five military commanders who served under Koxinga. They are:
• * Feng Xifan, nicknamed "One Sword Thrust That Draws No Blood" for his formidable skill in swordplay, is a member of the Kunlun Sect and Zheng Keshuang's mentor.
• * Zhou Quanbin
• * Gan Hui
• * Ma Xin
• * Liu Guoxuan
• Feng Xifan's household:
• * Jufang is Feng's concubine.
• * Lanxiang is Feng's servant.
• * Xing Si is Feng's stable keeper.
• He You

  Characters associated with the fallen Ming Empire

• Jiunan is a Buddhist nun who is actually Princess Changping of the fallen Ming Empire. She steals the baby Ake from her mother Chen Yuanyuan and raises Ake. She intends to use Ake to help her kill Wu Sangui, who helped the Manchus conquer the Ming Empire. She meets Wei Xiaobao and agrees to accept him as her apprentice.
• A'qi is one of Jiunan's apprentices. She marries the Mongol prince Galdan.
• Li Zicheng, nicknamed "Dashing King", is the leader of the rebel forces that overthrew the Ming Empire. He was defeated by forces of the Qing Empire and decided to go into hiding in Yunnan. He fathered Ake with Chen Yuanyuan.
• Chen Yuanyuan used to be Wu Sangui's concubine. She is Ake's mother.
• Tao Hongying is a palace maid who served as a personal attendant to Princess Changping. She continues to work in the Forbidden City after the fall of the Ming Empire. Her martial arts master ordered her to steal the Sutra of Forty-two Chapters.
• Li Xihua is the son of Li Yan, a former subordinate of Li Zicheng. He attempts to kill Li Zicheng to avenge his father, who was forced to commit suicide by Li Zicheng.

  House of Prince Mu

• Mu Jiansheng is a descendant of Mu Ying and the heir to a princedom in Yunnan. He remains loyal to the fallen Ming Empire and leads his followers to resist the Qing Empire. He is Mu Jianping's elder brother.
• Liu Dahong is nicknamed "Iron Backed Dragon".
• Wu Lishen is nicknamed "Head Shaking Lion".
• Ao Biao is Wu Lishen's apprentice.
• Liu Yizhou is Wu Lishen's apprentice. He betrays his fellows later.
• Su Gang is nicknamed "Sacred Hand Resident". He is Bai Hanfeng's sworn brother.
• Bai Hansong is Bai Hanfeng's elder brother. He is killed by Xu Tianchuan in a misunderstanding.
• Bai Hanfeng is Bai Hansong's younger brother. He seeks vengeance on the Heaven and Earth Society after his brother was killed by Xu Tianchuan. Wei Xiaobao resolves the conflict between them and they become allies.

  Mystic Dragon Cult

• Hong Antong is the cult's leader. He is killed during the cult's internal conflict.
• Mao Dongzhu is Mao Wenlong's daughter. She is sent by the cult to infiltrate the palace and impersonate the empress dowager. She taught the Kangxi Emperor martial arts when he was still a boy. She flees from the palace when her cover is blown. She is killed by the Gui family.
• Liu Yan is Mao Dongzhu's junior. She disguises herself as a palace maid. She is killed by Fang Yi.
• Deng Bingchun is killed by Wei Xiaobao.
• Fat Monk is the cult's "Fat Venerable". He was once fat but gradually shrunk in size and becomes thin after being poisoned by Hong Antong. He is slain by Hong during the cult's internal conflict.
• Thin Monk is the cult's "Thin Venerable". He was once thin but gradually becomes fat after being poisoned by Hong Antong. He is Mao Dongzhu's lover and Princess Jianning's father. He is killed by the Gui family.
• Lu Gaoxuan
• Zhang Danyue
• Taoist Wugen
• Zhong Zhiling
• Yin Jin
• Xu Yunting
• Yun Sumei
• Zhang Laosan

  Wu Sangui and associates

• Wu Sangui used to be a general of the Ming Empire. When he heard that his concubine Chen Yuanyuan was seized by Li Zicheng, he was so overwhelmed by fury that he decided to defect to the Manchus and get them to help him defeat Li. He opened Shanhai Pass, which he was supposed to be guarding, and allowed the Manchu forces to overrun the rest of the former Ming Empire and drive away Li Zicheng's forces. After the Qing Empire is established, he is awarded the title "Prince Who Pacifies the West" and given a princedom in Yunnan. He stages a rebellion against the Qing Empire later.
• Wu Yingxiong is Wu Sangui's son. The Kangxi Emperor arranges for a marriage between Wu Yingxiong and Princess Jianning in a bid to strengthen ties with Wu Sangui. The emperor appoints Wei Xiaobao as the Imperial Commissioner to escort the princess to Yunnan and oversee the wedding. However, Jianning refuses to marry Wu Yingxiong and castrates him and accuses him of molesting her. Wu Yingxiong is later sent to the capital as a hostage to ensure that his father remains loyal to the Qing Empire. He is executed when his father starts a rebellion.
• Xia Guoxiang is the chancellor of Wu Sangui's princedom and Wu's son-in-law. He is tricked by Wei Xiaobao into releasing the assassin who made an attempt on Wu Sangui's life.
• Ma Bao
• Master Lang
• Qi Yuankai
• Yang Yizhi
• Zhang Guogui
• Zhu Guozhi
• Gan Wenkun
• Wang Jinbao
• Sun Sike
• Balangxing

  Russian Empire

• Sophia is a half-sister of Peter I. She becomes the regent of Russia with Wei Xiaobao's help.
• Alexei Mikhailovich was the former Tsar and Sophia's father.
• Peter I is the Tsar of Russia.
• Ivan is Peter I's half-brother and co-ruler of Russia.
• Natalia is the Tsarina Dowager of Russia. She is killed by the army which defected to Sophia.
• Tolbuzin is a Russian general. He argues with Wei Xiaobao over the border between the Qing Empire and Russia.
• Yarkinsky is the commander of the Russian forces stationed in Albazino and Nerchinsk.
• Fedor Golovin is a Russian envoy to the Qing Empire.
• Sophia's bodyguards:
• * Vabersky
• * Kironov

  Shaolin Sect

• Huicong is the abbot of Shaolin.
• Chengguang is the abbot of Qingliang Temple on Mount Wutai. He is also one of the "Eighteen Arhats" of Shaolin.
• Chengshi is the head of Shaolin's Discipline Hall.
• Chengguan is the head of Shaolin's Prajna Hall.
• Chengxin
• Chengtong
• Fasheng
• Jingji
• Jingqing
• Jingben
• Jingyuan

  Wudang Sect

• Taoist Yunyan
• Taoist Yunhe

  Wangwu Sect

• Yuan Yifang
• Situ Bolei is the leader of the Wangwu Sect. He is a former subordinate of Wu Sangui.
• Situ He is Situ Bolei's son.

  Mongols

• Galdan is a Mongol prince who allies with Wu Sangui when Wu rebels against the Qing Empire. He initially blames Wei Xiaobao for the failure of the revolt but is later deceived by Wei into believing that Wu Sangui betrayed him. He becomes sworn brothers with Wei. He marries A'qi later.
• Hantiemo is an envoy sent by Galdan to meet Wu Sangui. Wei Xiaobao tricks him into describing the full plans of Wu Sangui's rebellion and then arrests him and sends him to the Kangxi Emperor.

  Tibetans

• Bayan
• Shengluotuo
• Dahe'er
• Sangye
• Hubayin

  Gui family

• Gui Xinshu, nicknamed "Invincible Divine Fists", is a member of the Mount Hua Sect. He is killed along with his family by imperial guards.
• Gui Erniang is Gui Xinshu's wife.
• Gui Zhong is Gui Xinshu and Gui Erniang's son. He first appeared in Sword Stained with Royal Blood as a sickly infant.

  Miscellaneous characters

• The Shunzhi Emperor was the former ruler of the Qing Empire and the Kangxi Emperor's father. He disappeared after the death of his favourite concubine, Consort Donggo, and is presumed dead. It is revealed later that he has become a monk in Qingliang Temple on Mount Wutai and adopted a new name, Xingchi. He is temporarily reunited with his son with Wei Xiaobao's help, but decides to permanently detach himself from worldly affairs and continue to be a monk. He gives some brief advice to his son on governing the empire.
• Xingdian is Xingchi's junior. He possesses immense strength and once protected Xingchi from enemies at the expense of his life.
• Mao Shiba is an outlaw. He brings Wei Xiaobao to Beijing, where both of them are kidnapped by Hai Dafu and brought into the Forbidden City. He manages to escape and is saved by members of the Heaven and Earth Society. He meets Wei again when Wei joins the society. He accuses Wei of being a traitor when Wei is forced to help the Kangxi Emperor persecute the society. He is captured and sentenced to death but Wei saves him by making him switch places with Feng Xifan.
• He Tieshou is a character from Sword Stained with Royal Blood. She saved the female members of the Zhuang family from exile and taught them martial arts.
• The Third Young Mistress Zhuang is the matriarch of the Zhuang family and He Tieshou's apprentice. She leads the family after all its male members were executed by Oboi. She is grateful to Wei Xiaobao for helping them take revenge, and she tells Shuang'er to accompany him. See also the Zhuang Tinglong Case.
• Hu Yizhi, nicknamed "Hundred Victorious Saber King" and "Handsome Saber King", is a martial artist who specialises in saber techniques. He has a crush on Chen Yuanyuan and has maintained his crush for many years. He follows Chen Yuanyuan to Yunnan and disguises himself so that he can remain near her and protect her from any danger. He meets Wei Xiaobao and becomes sworn brothers with him.
• Zha Yihuang, also known as Zha Jizuo, is a scholar from Haining. This character is purportedly an ancestor of the novel's author Jin Yong, whose real name is Zha Liangyong.
• Ma Boren is the leader of the Tantui Sect.
• Lei Yixiao is nicknamed "Tiger-Faced Hegemon King".
• Wu Tong, nicknamed "Golden Spear King", is the leader of the Wusheng Escort Agency.
• Shenzhao Shangren
• Song San is nicknamed "Swift Horse".
• Yu Ba is nicknamed "One Stroke Less".
• Xinxi is the abbot of Foguang Temple on Mount Wutai.
• Yao Chun is a physician.
• Huangfu Ge
• He Sheng
• Adam Schall von Bell
• Ferdinand Verbiest is a Flemish Jesuit missionary who visits China.
• Gu Yanwu
• Huang Zongxi
• Lü Liuliang